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In asphalt pavement detection, the defect scale changes greatly, mainly including mesh cracks, patches, and potholes. In the case of large scale, the texture feature is not clear, and the information is easily lost in the feature extraction process. Correspondingly, the number of small-scale holes is often very large, which also puts forward higher requirements for the detection model. In view of the above problems, this paper proposed a model for common asphalt pavement defects detection called YOLOv5-PD. In order to reduce the loss of information and expand the receptive field of the model, Big Kernel convolution was used to replace a part of the convolution in the original CSPDarknet. The texture feature information of the cracks is retained to the greatest extent. In order to enhance the detection performance of small defects, convolution channel attention mechanism was added after each feature fusion layer, and performs attention processing on the feature map after concat to find the defect location. This study used a public pavement defect dataset from Brazil. In this work, ablation experiments were carried out according to the task scenario, and the improved effects were compared and analyzed. The proposed model is compared with other versions of models and advanced models, which proves the superiority of the proposed model. The mAP of proposed model reached 73.3% and the model inference speed reached 41FPS, which can meet real time engineering application requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study showed the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) variants as well as nucleotide changes within L1 gene and LCR of the HPV16, HPV31, and HPV58 found in cervical lesions of women from North-East Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes two tailings dam databases and recent failures to assess the local and global failure rates of upstream, downstream, and centerline raised tailings dams. Since 2000, the failure rate for all three raising methods has decreased except in Brazil, which helps explain the recent Brazilian regulations banning upstream raising. However, the failure rates also show that the downstream and centerline raising methods of tailings dams are not immune to failure, so, if mining continues, one of these three raising methods will be used, and all have been involved in prior failures. The paper also presents data on failure mechanisms, showing that slope stability, earthquakes, and overtopping are the three primary causes of tailings dam failures. To continue decreasing the failure rate of tailings dams, the following features and practices should be used in all types of tailings dams: drainage systems, engineering analyses, instrumentation, monitoring, inspection, and qualified external peer review to further reduce the failure rates, especially in Brazil. Finally, a section containing data on release volume as a function of dam height and total storage volume is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, the use of Eucalyptus is focused on the production of wood or pulp for the paper industry but without any general recovery of waste, with leaves and branches being left on the ground. One possibility is to use these residues as raw materials in the production of industrially relevant and value-added compounds such as essential oil. The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical composition, yield, anti-inflammatory/antinociceptive activities, and acute toxicity in mice, as well as the antimicrobial effects of essential oils from the leaves of 7 varieties of Eucalyptus and hybrids against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The extraction of oils was carried out using hydrodistillation, and they were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Urocam and Grancam were the plants that obtained the highest oil yield, with yields of 3.32 and 2.30%, respectively. The main chemical components identified in these plants were 1.8 cineole and α-pinene. The antinociceptive effect of the 7 oils (50 mg/kg, p.o.) was initially assessed in the acetic acid-induced writhing test. In this assay, a significant (p < 0.05) antinociceptive/anti-inflammatory effect was observed from 4 tested essential oils (E. benthamii, E. saligna, and the hybrids Urocam and Grancam) when compared to the vehicle-treated group. This effect was then confirmed in the formalin-induced paw licking test. No toxicological effects or alterations were observed in motor coordination after the administration of the studied oils to the animals. In the antimicrobial evaluation, the seven essential oils inhibited the growth of S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans at different concentrations. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the essential oil from the leaves and branches of Eucalyptus species and varieties present potential biomedical applications and represent a source of antimicrobial and/or anti-inflammatory compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The instability of rock fractures has been extensively studied in domestic and international research. This paper investigates two coal types from the Jiaozuo area, which were subjected to liquid nitrogen cyclic treatment using Brazil's indirect tensile testing (BITT). The study analyzes the characteristics of acoustic emission (AE) and crack formation during the coal cracking process and evaluates the impact of freeze-thaw treatment with liquid nitrogen cycles on the mechanical properties of coals. The results demonstrate that liquid nitrogen has a significant impact on the formation and development of coal fractures under the Brazil splitting test conditions. As the number of cyclic treatments increases, the maximum load-bearing capacity of coal decreases, indicating a gradual reduction in the effective stress on coal samples. Furthermore, the acoustic emission activity intensity of coal mass during phased loading increases as the number of freeze-thaw cycles of liquid nitrogen increases. Finally, during phased loading of coal specimens, the primary factor is the germination, extension, and failure of tensile cracks, while the secondary factor is the development, extension, and failure of shear cracks. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the behavior of coals under freeze-thaw cycles of liquid nitrogen treatment and highlights the importance of understanding the characteristics of coal fracture instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of countries in the so-called Global South, where passenger railway services are either nonexistent or poorly performed, discrete choice models are useful to identify the attributes that affect users' choices and provide insights on their behaviour in regional long-distance trips. Several theories and models have been proposed to understand travel behaviour for effective strategical decision in the transport field. The well-knownRandom Utility Maximization (RUM) approach has been widely used for such purposes, while the Random Regret Minimization (RRM) approach has been recently explored in the literature. However, the magnitude in the difference of levels of the attributes, or the stimulus perception, may affect the results of such models and biases the estimations. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the stimulus perception in mode choice to compare conventional rail (CR) and high-speed rail (HSR) services for passenger transport in intercity trips in Brazil. Estimations of RUM and RRM models were performed with a dataset from a stated preference survey comparing two railway technologies (CR and HSR) with other modes of transport (car, bus, and airplanes) for long-distance trips in the Southeast region of Brazil. Findings provide useful insights about the impacts of travel costs, travel times, and frequency of services, as well as sociodemographic characteristics of users. From the modelling outputs, it was found that users are affected by the magnitude of travel costs, time, and frequency only in business trips by HSR in the Brazilian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Accurately quantifying the social distancing (SD) practice of a population is essential for governments and health agencies to better plan and adapt restrictions during a pandemic crisis. In such a scenario, the reduction of social mobility also has a significant impact on electricity consumption, since people are encouraged to stay at home and many commercial and industrial activities are reduced or even halted. This paper proposes a methodology to qualify the SD of a medium‐sized city, located in the northwest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, using data of electricity consumption measured by the municipality's energy utility. The methodology consists of combining a data set, and an average consumption profile of Sundays is obtained using data from 4‐months, it is then defined as a high SD profile due to the typical lower social activities on Sundays. An supervised and an unsupervised artificial neural network (ANN) are trained with this profile and used to analyze electricity consumption of this city during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Low, moderate, and high SD ranges are also created, and the daily population behavior is evaluated by the ANNs. The results are strongly correlated and discussed with government restrictions imposed during the analyzed period and indicate that the ANNs can correctly classify the intensity of SD practiced by people. The unsupervised ANN is used more easily and in different scenarios, so it can be indicated for use by public administration for purposes of assess the effectiveness of SD policies based on the guidelines established during the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, I report on the spectroscopic study for tourmaline color origin, performed red samples from Minas Geras State, Brazil, by gemological routine testing, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The main goal was the analysis of the optical absorption spectra and the chemical states of transition metal cations in order to better understand the effect of transition metal cations on color of tourmaline. The results showed that the red color was confirmed by the symmetric broad absorption at 527 nm and the narrow absorption at 400 and 450 nm, and the above three absorption bands were caused by the d-d electron transition of Mn3+, which occupied the Y site in the crystal structure and coordinated with F to form bonds. In addition, in principle, the chemical states of the chromogenic ions in tourmaline and their influence on coloration were confirmed, which would be beneficial to assessing the color change and identifying the origin of tourmaline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: An adaptation of the portfolio theory (PT) is proposed in this article, denoted as PrevPT, "Previsão" (in Portuguese) by PT, to integrate the three artificial neural networks, namely multilayer perceptron (MLP) backpropagation, radial basis function (RBF), and self‐organizing map (SOM), based forecasting techniques, aiming to analyze the impact of wind speed forecasting errors and achieve more accurate results. In its first use, the PT goal was to maximize a financial return, at any risk, through the diversification of securities or investments that are not positively correlated. Based on the development of PrevPT, which was used until this work only for solar forecasting, the proposed technique is applied in this paper to integrate and improve the results of individual wind forecasts. Four‐year wind speed data (January 2007 to December 2010) from two different locations (Algeciras, Spain and Petrolina, Brazil) were used. Our methodology develops a topology that integrates the forecasts obtained by MLP, RBF, and SOM aiming to obtain smaller forecast errors. By diversifying the forecasted asset, when one of the assets has negative prediction errors, another compensates for them and, thus, the total or partial cancellation of the errors occurs. PrevPT obtains a mean absolute percentage error of 1.13% for Spain and 2.35% for Brazil. PrevPT surpassed the results obtained by the three techniques applied individually in the two locations. The main innovations of the methodology are the significant reduction of errors and optimization of resource planning, and the beneficial features compared to other predictor integration techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of many strains of the coronavirus, including the latest omicron strain, which is spreading at a very high speed, is leading to the World Health Organization's (WHO) concern about the creation of this new mutation. Therefore, there is a strong motivation for modeling and predicting COVID-19 to control the number of cases of the disease. The proposed system for predicting the number of cases of COVID-19 can help governments take precautions to prevent the spread of the disease. In this paper, a statistical logistic growth model was employed to predict the spread of COVID-19 in Australia and Brazil. The datasets were collected from the surveillance systems in Australia and Brazil from March 13, 2020, to December 12, 2021, for 641 days. This proposed method used a tested logistic growth model for the complex spread of COVID-19 and forecasted future values within a time interval of six days. The results of the predicted, cumulative, confirmed cases indicate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed system, which was categorized by time-dependent dynamics. The coefficient of determination (R) metric was used to evaluate the model to predict COVID-19, and the proposed system scored the highest correlation ( R 2 = 99 %). The proposed system has the potential to contribute to public health by making decisions about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the numerical study and precise forecast of Zika epidemic. An early warning index algorithm of Zika epidemic is given, and the applications of this algorithm are investigated. We pay attention to the mathematical approaches to estimate the tendency of Zika epidemic in detail. A numerical experiment is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method by the numerical calculation of early warning index of Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Brazil has one of the richest river basins in the world and an energy matrix based mostly on hydroelectric power. Current national policy is increasingly promoting renewable sources like wind power and solar photovoltaic power. Technologies used in generation energy via hydro, wind, and solar sources can be employed in decentralized generation. This study describes a turbine for hydro energetic use in flow sites with heads up to 2.5 (m). A hydrodynamic study was performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to evaluate the performance of this turbine. For this, a three‐dimensional model of the turbine was considered, consisting of three computational domains, using periodicity to decrease the computational cost. The variation of the angular velocity and the volumetric flow were the boundary conditions. The turbulence model used was the shear stress transport. The draft tube geometry was modified according to the results of the CFD analysis. The efficiency and performance of the turbine improved from 79% to 80% as a result of this modification. A case study was conducted for a comparative financial analysis of the turbine proposed in this paper, with wind power and solar photovoltaic decentralized generation in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper aims to investigate the influence of photovoltaic (PV) generation on reliability evaluation of distribution systems. Two PV generation models are used to predict the output power injected into the grid, taking into account the main relevant environmental variables, the irradiance and ambient temperature. Issues that directly affect the output power, such as the spatial smoothing effect due to the plant size and the influence of the irradiance and temperature measurement interval are taken into consideration. Using measurement time series of irradiance and local temperature, the models are used to generate power series in 4‐minute and hourly resolutions. The generated power series are used in a reliability assessment model, with the objective of evaluating the impact of solar resource variability on the reliability indices of the system. Case studies on the IEEE RBTS‐Bus 2 and on the real distribution system of Fernando de Noronha in Brazil are presented and discussed, for power plants of different capacities, considering the effect of the PV generation models, the temporal resolution of the time series and the spatial smoothing of the power output fluctuations. The results show that the power time series in hourly resolution significantly underestimates the frequency of interruptions. For the real system, this index is underestimated at the system level (up to 43%) and at the load points (up to 72%). On the other hand, for the interruption duration index, the temporal aggregation results in a small underestimation (just 4%). The results also indicates that the smoothing effect is irrelevant for typical PV system sizes of distribution systems with discretization equal to or above 4 minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We model investor behavior by training machine learning techniques with financial data comprising more than 13,000 investors of a large bank in Brazil over 2016 to 2018. We take high-frequency data on every sell or buy operation of these investors on a daily basis, allowing us to fully track these investment decisions over time. We then analyze whether these investment changes correlate with the IBOVESPA index. We find that investors decide their investment strategies using recent past price changes. There is some degree of heterogeneity in investment decisions. Overall, we find evidence of mean-reverting investment strategies. We also find evidence that female investors and higher academic degree have a less pronounced mean-reverting strategy behavior comparatively to male investors and those with lower academic degree. Finally, this paper provides a general methodological approach to mitigate potential biases arising from ad-hoc design decisions of discarding or introducing variables in empirical econometrics. For that, we use feature selection techniques from machine learning to identify relevant variables in an objective and concise way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incident solar radiation on photovoltaic (PV) solar panels is not constant throughout the year. Besides dependence on the season, solar radiation is reliant on the location and weather conditions. For a given location on Earth, the best-fixed orientation of a PV panel can be determined by achieving the maximum incident solar irradiance throughout the year or for a predetermined period. In this paper, we use a sophisticated atmospheric radiative transfer model to calculate the direct and diffuse solar irradiation (radiant exposure) for the solar spectrum incident on PV solar panels to determine the best tilt angle of the panel in order to maximize absorption of solar radiation for selected periods. We used the Regula-Falsi numerical method to obtain the tilt angle at which the derivative of solar irradiation (concerning the tilt angle) approaches zero. Moreover, the spectral response of typical silicon cells is taken into account. These calculations were carried out in São Carlos (SP), a town in the southeast of Brazil. The best tilt angle was obtained for three selected periods. Additionally, we provide results for Southern latitudes ranging from 0° to −55° in steps of −5° for the meteorological seasons. We have shown that for each period, there is an increase in solar radiation absorption compared to the traditional installation angle based exclusively on the local latitude. These calculations can be extended to any location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's soybean price fluctuates due to the current economic and trade frictions between China and the United States. Brazil and the United States are regarded as two oligarchs in China's soybean import market. A dynamic price game model is established, and price elasticity parameters are estimated by using statistical data and Rotterdam model. The stability of Nash equilibrium point is discussed through bifurcation diagram, maximum Lyapunov exponent, evolutionary trajectory, and time series diagram. The influence of price adjustment speed on equilibrium price is analyzed. The numerical simulation of price adjustment speed is carried out, which is compared with the actual situation of imported soybean price before and after the trade friction. The results show that the model constructed in this paper can reflect the changing trend of price and demand and predict the short-term import soybean prices of Brazil and the United States. The forecast accuracy of price fluctuation is high. The results provide model and theoretical reference for price game under trade disputes and provide methodological reference for forecasting the price of imported goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Alternative sources of electricity have been growing recently despite their intermittence, which makes it impossible for these sources to guarantee constant and uninterrupted supply of electricity. Energy storage systems, such as pumped‐storage (PS) power plants, can help to mitigate the intermittence of these sources. In Brazil, intense growth of intermittent sources has led the generation sector to high exposure to the spot market. Thus, Brazilian electricity sector has recently turned its attention to energy storage methods as a way of diminishing such exposure. However, Brazilian electricity‐sector regulatory framework is not prepared for energy storage systems remuneration. This paper proposes a regulatory framework to insert hybrid electric generation units composed of PS and intermittent sources in Brazilian energy market. A linear optimization model exemplifies the operation of such system by minimizing costs for 1 day. The model was tested in three different scenarios, allowing comparison of operational costs and other aspects of the operation. The results demonstrate how a PS can help covering peak demand by storing energy to be used at moments when generation from intermittent sources is not sufficient. In the proposed regulatory framework for hybrid plants, expenses with spot market purchases can be diminished either by completely avoiding it or by purchasing only during lower demand level periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Currently, governments and companies aim their concern about the environmental problems and energy security. Within this context, the use of renewable hydrogen is presented as an interesting option. This paper presents the alternative to use a renewable resource abundant in the country: hydroelectricity. The public transport service in the urban area of Foz do Iguaçu city, Brazil, was chosen as the scenario where a simulated replacement of the current diesel bus fleet with fuel cell buses was performed. The focus was to take advantage of the energy called Spilled Turbinable Energy (STE) verified by the ITAIPU Hydroelectric Power Plant from 2001 to 2006 in order to produce hydrogen by water electrolysis process. The paper does not contain thermodynamic analysis of the processes involved in the proposal. Based on the monthly average, the maximum value was 1,054,899 MWh and the minimum 9559 MWh. Evaluating the historic behavior of this potential energy in the considered period, from October to June, it was found that the energy demand to produce the electrolytic hydrogen needed to meet the whole demand of the public transport sector of Foz do Iguaçu city, estimated in 14,454.3 MWh/month, amounts only between 1.5% to 8.5% of total spilled energy. This study presents two electrolytic hydrogen production models: the centralized and the decentralized associated with various distribution modes. The comparison between models shows that the centralized hydrogen production associated with central supply mode are economically more convenient for the city, and the hydrogen cost achieved was US$ 2.38/kg in contrast with the decentralized model associated with cryogenic liquid delivery which showed the highest cost, equal to US$ 4.61/kg. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed varying four parameters: equipment cost; rate of return; capital recovery time and electricity cost. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within a national funded Brazilian-German cooperation project ASHES, the thermal utilization of bagasse and other residuals from the sugar processing industry was examined. The characterization of the ashes was also performed but it is not in the focus of this paper. To determine the relevant combustion parameters, tests were carried out in a laboratory-scale, fixed bed reactor (KLEAA) at KIT-ITC. Subsequently, Fraunhofer UMSICHT carried out tests in continuously operated combustion plants with different plant sizes of 30 kW, 100 kW, and 440 kW. All relevant compositions were analyzed by CUTEC. The primary objective was to gain knowledge regarding the combustion and emission behavior of the fuels. These findings were used to identify optimization potentials at various points and elaborate concepts for their improvement. In the next steps of the project, optimization of these concepts will be the focus. In cooperation with the Brazilian project partners, several of them should be implemented into practice after the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Ageing is associated with structural changes in brain regions and functional decline in cognitive domains. Noninvasive tools for identifying structural damage in the brains of older adults are relevant for early treatment. Aims. This study aims to evaluate and compare the accuracy of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA©) in identifying gray and white matter brain damage in older individuals with varying degrees of cognitive impairment. Methods. Ninety older adults (62 women) with an average age of 69 ± 7 years were enrolled and categorized as having no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or moderate cognitive impairment (MoCI). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was utilized to assess the number, volume, and distribution of brain damage. The Fazekas and Scheltens scales were applied to the brain MRIs, and inferential statistics were employed to compare variables among the groups. Results. Cognitive impairment was observed in 56.7% of the participants (95% confidence interval (CI): 46.4–66.4%), with thirty-six older adults (40%) classified as MCI and 15 (17%) as MoCI. Cognitive impairment and medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy were found to be associated (p = 0.001), exhibiting higher mean volume scales of the MTL atrophied area in the MoCI group (p < 0.001). The MMSE accurately revealed MTL atrophy based on the Scheltens (p < 0.05) and Fazekas (p < 0.05) scales. At the same time, the MoCA accurately identified periventricular white matter (PWM) abnormalities according to the Fazekas scale (p < 0.05). Conclusions. The MMSE and MoCA screening tools effectively identified gray and white matter brain damage in older adults with varying degrees of cognitive impairment. Lower MMSE scores are associated with MTL atrophy and lesions, and lower MoCA scores are related to PWM lesions. The concurrent use of MMSE and MoCA is recommended for assessing structural changes in distinct brain regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leishmaniases are important neglected tropical diseases caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania spp. The female sandflies bite (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) is the main transmission form in the epidemiological chains of these diseases. Thus, studies on Phlebotominae subfamily are fundamental to improve the comprehension of the leishmaniases epidemiology, revealing relationships of these dipterans with the parasite and reservoirs. An entomological survey of Phlebotomine sandflies was carried out to investigate the fauna, Leishmania spp. DNA detection and blood meals sources of female sandflies captured in peridomiciles areas from a leishmaniases endemic area of São Paulo state, Brazil. A total of 637 Phlebotomine sandflies specimens were captured, and twelve species identified, some of them proven or suspected vectors of tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Evandromyia (Aldamyia) carmelinoi and Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis PCR positive to Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum kinetoplast minicircle DNA (kDNA) were identified. Also, Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis kDNA was found in Evandromyia (Aldamyia) lenti and Lu. (Lu.) longipalpis. Regarding blood meals source, DNA of swine, humans, dogs, cattle, chickens, and opossums were detected in the midgut of Phlebotomine sandflies females captured in the study area. Our results highlight ecological relationships among different species of Phlebotomine sandflies, domestic and wild-synanthropic vertebrates (including humans) and two Leishmania species in peridomiciles from a leishmaniases endemic area of Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild species are susceptible to several typical domestic animal pathogens, and the increasingly close contact between these groups is a predictive factor for disease exposure. Some viruses are important and old-known, and others are emerging or reemerging for domestic carnivorans and have been identified as threats to the conservation of wild mammals. The purpose of the study was to investigate the occurrence of bocaparvoviruses (BoVs, Parvoviridae family, Parvovirinae subfamily, Bocaparvovirus genus), parvoviruses (Parvoviridae family, Parvovirinae subfamily, Protoparvovirus genus, Protoparvovirus carnivoran1), hepadnaviruses (Hepadnaviridae family), coronaviruses (Coronaviridae family, Orthocoronavirinae subfamily), paramyxoviruses (Paramyxoviridae family) and canine distemper virus (Orthoparamyxovirinae subfamily, Morbillivirus genus, Morbillivirus canis), poxviruses (Poxviridae family), feline herpesvirus (Orthoherpesviridae family, Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily, Varicellovirus genus, Varicellovirus felidalpha1), feline calicivirus (Caliciviridae family, Vesivirus genus, FCV), feline immunodeficiency virus (Retroviridae family, Orthoretrovirinae subfamily, Lentivirus genus, FIV), feline leukemia virus (Retroviridae family, Orthoretrovirinae subfamily, Gammaretrovirus genus, FeLV), and gammaherpesviruses (Orthoherpesviridae family, Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily) in wild carnivorans. A total of 30 biological samples from the families Canidae, Felidae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, and Procyonidae were evaluated. All animals were victims of vehicular collisions in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Canine parvovirus (CPV-2) DNA was detected in the spleen of a bush dog (Speothos venaticus), a jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi), and a jaguar (Panthera onca), FeLV proviral DNA was found in the spleen of an ocelot (Leopardus pardalis); while CDV RNA was detected in the liver of a jaguarundi. Phylogenetic analysis carried out with the partial sequence of the CPV-2 VP2 gene and the U3 (LTR) gag region of FeLV showed 100% identity with strains obtained from domestic dogs and cats, respectively. The approximation between wild and domestic animals favors the transmission of pathogens, especially between phylogenetically close species, such as members of the Canidae and Felidae families. Identification of the DNA and RNA of potentially fatal viruses such as CPV-2, FeLV, and CDV in four wilds endangered to extinction and understudied species contributes to our understanding of the pathogens circulating in this free-ranging and vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Fraud in electrical energy consumption represents a critical economic burden for utility companies around the world. Despite systematic efforts to mitigate electricity theft, this practice persists mostly in developing countries where companies rely on traditional detection methods. In Brazil it is estimated that around 7% of the total electrical energy available for consumption in 2016 was lost due to frauds. Here we describe an efficient and scalable system to predict fraudulent behavior and guide in loco inspections. We compared the performances of several machine learning algorithms using consumption and inspection data provided by CPFL Energia. We show that proper feature engineering and boosted classification trees trained with XGBoost are able to extract patterns related to fraud occurrence and to achieve predictive power of practical consequences. Moreover, we demonstrate how Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) values can be employed to build user friendly explanations. Together, the proposed model and its explainers contribute not only to reveal potentially fraudulent behavior but also to understand root causes, what can be used to devise robust mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work describes the reproductive biology of the white marlin (Kajikia albida) caught in the southwestern and equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The gonads of 924 fish were collected by observers on board Brazilian tuna longliners, between November 2004 and December 2006. The spawning season was assessed by the monthly frequency distribution of distinct stages of maturity and monthly mean female gonadosomatic index GSI. Sixty‐one percent (n = 656) of the fish examined were female, with a Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL) between 83 and 236 cm (mean = 155.5 ± 16.63). The 268 males had a LJFL between 90 and 220 cm (mean = 152.3 ± 34.62). Although the northeastern region of Brazil does not appear to be a significant spawning area for the species, the results suggest a higher reproductive activity in the third quarter of the year. Using a Bayesian logistic model approach, length at 50% maturity was estimated at 145.04 cm (credibility interval of 95%, 143.94–146.09 cm), for females, and at 140.03 cm (credibility interval of 95%, 137.28–142.52 cm), for males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Length-weight relationships (LWRs) for 35 freshwater fish species from the SP/RJ coastal basin in Brazil are presented in this paper. Fishes were captured between 2011 and 2015 on an irregular basis using electrofishing, sieves, trawl nets, cast nets and fish-traps. In this study new LWRs are reported for 28 species, plus the total weight and length for 34 and nine species, respectively. The study provides new information on less-studied species and can serve as a basis for management and conservation in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This scoping review is aimed at systematically mapping the evidence on palliative extubation in the pediatric intensive care unit. Methods. MEDLINE, EBSCO, and Cochrane databases were searched for articles published between January 2018 and December 2022, in English. Critical appraisal of sources of evidence was done using the Joanna Briggs Institute tools. PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews were followed. Results. Six studies were included, with 366 patients, from the USA (n = 4), Brazil (n = 1), and Germany (n = 1). Three were high-quality studies, two were moderate, and one was a low-quality study. Most studies were retrospective analysis; two were narrative approaches; two were evidence-based recommendation and quality improvement project; one study was a prospective intervention. Conclusion. Symptom control is crucial pre- and postextubation. A checklist (symptom management and family support) and a postdebriefing template improve team communication and staff support postextubation. Critical care transports from the hospital are feasible to provide extubation at home. A framework addressing common planning challenges and resource management is recommended for extubation at home. The provision of pediatric palliative extubation is necessary since futile measures and prolongation of suffering violate the principle of nonmaleficence. Future research on this subject will result in more benefits for patients, parents, and professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl belongs to the family of Verbenaceae and is commonly known as Gervao, Brazilian tea, verbena cimarrona, rooter comb, or blue porter weed. It is one of the important plants with high medicinal and nutraceutical benefits. S. jamaicensis contains various medicinal properties in traditional and folk medicinal systems, with cures for several diseases. Objective. The objective of this review paper is to collect information concerning the morphology, distribution, traditional usage, phytochemical compositions, biological activities, and safety data of S. jamaicensis. Materials and Methods. The information was obtained from literature search through electronic databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar on S. jamaicensis. Results and Conclusion. The high medicinal properties of this plant, for instance, antimicrobial and antifungal effect as the main activities, but verbascoside as the main active chemical component, make it a valuable source of the medicinal compound. This review paper summarizes all information concerning the morphology, distribution, traditional usage, phytochemical compositions, pharmacological activities, and toxicological studies of S. jamaicensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aviation industry has set ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions in coming decades. The strategy involves the use of sustainable biofuels, aiming to achieve benefits from environmental, social, and economic perspectives. In this context, Brazilian conditions are favorable, with a mature agroindustry that regularly produces automotive biofuel largely adopted by Brazilian road vehicles, while air transportation has been growing at an accelerating pace and a modern aircraft industry is in place. This paper presents the main conclusions and recommendations from a broad assessment of the technological, economic, and sustainability challenges and opportunities associated with the development of drop-in aviation biofuels in Brazil. It was written by a research team that prepared the initial reports and conducted eight workshops with the active participation of more than 30 stakeholders encompassing the private sector, government institutions, NGOs, and academia. The main outcome was a set of guidelines for establishing a new biofuels industry, including recommendations for (a) filling the identified research and development knowledge gaps in the production of sustainable feedstock; (b) overcoming the barriers in conversion technology, including scaling-up issues; (c) promoting greater involvement and interaction between private and government stakeholders; and (d) creating a national strategy to promote the development of aviation biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This short review will focus on the nutritional requirement of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) and pirapitinga (Piaractus brachypomus), two important aquacultured neotropical fishes for Latin American countries. Demonstrated is that despite the large number of studies on protein requirement for C. macropomum, most are inadequate. The principal difficulties with the various published papers are described. Using the nutritional ecology of the fish, some recommendations are presented to identify future research needs in the area. A focus on determining the nutrient requirement for P. brachypomus is featured since there are few studies regarding this species, as well as a focus on the differences in feeding plasticity with C. macropomum. Market and farming constraints and the nutritional ecology of these species in Latin America with special emphasis on Brazil, are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three of the most important objectives of the Federal Road Police (Patrol) when managing the traffic on federal roads in Brazil are to ensure that there is an efficient movement of traffic under stable conditions and minimal traffic congestion problems that the federal highways are safe and that accidents do not occur. Therefore, multiple matters are relevant for road safety and user security, such as prompt maintenance of these highways, regular monitoring of their state of conservation and their characteristics; controlling the traffic; and preventing and combatting criminal activities on the highways. However, considering the vast network and different conditions of roads, the different types of traffic accidents and their consequences, and different levels of violence on federal roads, it is essential that these roads undergo regular maintenance and regular inspections, are constantly patrolled, and are subject to continuous improvements. Therefore, defining the prioritization and criticality of roads takes on the characteristics of a multicriteria decision, given the multidimensional aspects of the risks inherent in them. Thus, this paper presents a multicriteria decision model for prioritizing road sections, based on their criticality and the risks that users face. The model was applied using the FITradeoff method, due to its flexibility and due to it requiring less cognitive effort from the decision-maker with regard to providing information regarding his/her preferences. A case study was undertaken on a set of the federal roads of the state of Pernambuco (Brazil), covering 22 different sections with different characteristics. As a result, it was possible to rank and identify the most critical sections of a highway. The use of FITradeoff gave support to decision-making on ordering the sections and also let a general analysis of the data be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the mathematical modeling and numerical simulations related to the coronavirus dynamics. A description is developed based on the framework of the susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed model. Initially, a model verification is carried out calibrating system parameters with data from China, Italy, Iran, and Brazil. Results show the model capability to predict infectious evolution. Afterward, numerical simulations are performed in order to analyze different scenarios of COVID-19 in Brazil. Results show the importance of the governmental and individual actions to control the number and the period of the critical situations related to the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the control, epidemiological, pathological, and molecular aspects of an outbreak of meningoencephalitis in calves due to bovine herpesvirus 5 at a feedlot with 540 animals in São Paulo State, Brazil. The introduction of new animals and contact between the resident animals and the introduced ones were most likely responsible for virus transmission. Bovine herpesvirus 1 vaccine was used, resulting in the efficacy of the outbreak control, although two bovine herpesvirus 1 positive animals, vaccinated and revaccinated, presented meningoencephalitis, thereby characterizing vaccinal failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection that is highly prevalent worldwide, with a variety of species being responsible for causing the disease. In Brazil, however, the only identified species is Schistosoma mansoni. The adult parasites inhabit the blood vessels of the hepatic portal system of the main host. The disease may range from being asymptomatic to provoking liver damage or portal hypertension. Furthermore, ectopic schistosomiasis may develop, and several hypotheses have been raised to explain the occurrence of the disease. This paper describes two cases, one in a 39-year-old woman and the other in a 47-year-old woman. Both had similar symptoms of pain and abdominal distension caused by a large abdominal/pelvic mass. Histopathology of the ovary showed a mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the intestinal type in the first patient and a papillary serous carcinoma in the second, with both tumors containing viable eggs of Schistosoma mansoni. The neoplasms probably serve as a migratory route for the adult parasites and the embolization of eggs. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence to confirm the malignization of a benign lesion due to the presence of Schistosoma mansoni. Few cases have been reported in the international literature on the association between ovarian schistosomiasis and neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the use of ants as indicators in Brazil, based on a critical review of published articles. The analysis of fifty-eight papers, encompassing a range of almost 25 years, indicates an increased number of studies using ants as indicators in the last decade. Among the parameters analyzed in the papers, species composition is the most suitable to evaluate the effect of the disturbance on ant communities. The use of other metrics that consider the specificity and fidelity (e.g., IndVal index) of ant species to a level or state of disturbance is also highly desirable. We discuss several alternative ways of overcoming many of the drawbacks related to the robustness of the results and to reduce the financial, logistic, and time costs involved with the use of ants as indicators in monitoring programs. By doing so, we expect to encourage new research on ants as bioindicators as well as to summarize current knowledge, facilitating further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In old age, social groups can be a crucial component for health and well-being. In 2009-2010, a follow-up survey was carried out in Florianópolis, Brazil to understand the impact of a variety of programs established since 2002 that were designed to enhance social activities among the older adult population. This study employed two surveys within the population of older adults in Florianópolis. The first survey interviewed a total of 875 older adults in 2002, and the second survey involved 1,705 older adults between 2009 and 2010. By 2010, many new programs were offered in the community and the enrollment of older adults in social programs followed similar trends. "Conviv&#00EA;ncia" groups stood out as extremely popular social groups among this population. This paper discusses some of the potential outcomes associated with participation in "conviv&#00EA;ncia" groups [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depleted supplies of fossil fuel, regular price hikes of gasoline, and environmental damage have necessitated the search for economic and eco-benign alternative of gasoline. Ethanol is produced from food/feed-based substrates (grains, sugars, and molasses), and its application as an energy source does not seem fit for long term due to the increasing fuel, food, feed, and other needs. These concerns have enforced to explore the alternative means of cost competitive and sustainable supply of biofuel. Sugarcane residues, sugarcane bagasse (SB), and straw (SS) could be the ideal feedstock for the second-generation (2G) ethanol production. These raw materials are rich in carbohydrates and renewable and do not compete with food/feed demands. However, the efficient bioconversion of SB/SS (efficient pretreatment technology, depolymerization of cellulose, and fermentation of released sugars) remains challenging to commercialize the cellulosic ethanol. Among the technological challenges, robust pretreatment and development of efficient bioconversion process (implicating suitable ethanol producing strains converting pentose and hexose sugars) have a key role to play. This paper aims to review the compositional profile of SB and SS, pretreatment methods of cane biomass, detoxification methods for the purification of hydrolysates, enzymatic hydrolysis, and the fermentation of released sugars for ethanol production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on quality of life can contribute to a better understanding of situations where socioenvironmental transformations are evident, from environmental, social, cultural, and political perspectives. This paper analyzes the quality of life of the inhabitants of the Moinho rural settlement in the context of the surrounding conditions of environmental degradation. Moinho is located in Nazaré Paulista municipality, which belongs to the Cantareira System Environmental Protected Area (Cantareira EPA), state of São Paulo, Brazil. The methodology used was based on secondary data collection and interviews with local residents. The results explore the interface between the transformation of land use and the growing change of rural life that are greatly influenced by expanding urban sprawl in the region. Over recent decades, changes in the production systems, substitution of agriculture crops, and the impacts of these variables on environmental health and water availability, as well as damage to the Municipal Human Development Index (HDI-M) of its municipalities, are indicators of the region's present social complexity. This study shows that an improvement in the quality of life has an intimate relationship with the creation of sustainable economic activities and the real participation of the local population in decision making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-term assay was conducted to evaluate the environmental impacts of agriculture use of sewage sludge on a tropical soil. This paper describes and discusses the results obtained by applying a interdisciplinary approach and the valuable insights gained. Experimental site was located in Jaguari úna (SP, Brazil).Multiyear comparison was developed with the application of sewage sludge obtained from wastewater treatment plants at Barueri (domestic and industrial sewage) and Franca (domestic sewage), São Paulo State. The treatments were control, mineral fertilization, and sewage sludge applied based on the N concentration that provides the same amount of N as in the mineral fertilization recommended for corn crop, two, four, and eight times the N recommended dosage. The results obtained indicated that the amount of sewage sludge used in agricultural areas must be calculated based on the N crop needs, and annual application must be avoided to prevent overapplications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pessimistic forecasts are growing in the Brazilian energy scenario demanding the use of renewable sources of energy such as the solar one. As metropolitan regions have become more populous, private and public companies have developed new technologies based on renewable energy sources. In order to supply such demand, new computer techniques have to be developed. This paper presents a framework to assist the developer to model new components and simulate solar energy applications. By applying the framework concepts, such as source code reuse, one can create a complete environment to evaluate solar energy data. The framework supports software development and tool implementation to be used in photovoltaic and thermosiphon processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reforestation provides restoration of forest ecosystem services including improved soil fertility, which leads to increased productivity and/or sustainability of the system. Trees also increase the average carbon stocks providing wood supply for local communities; however, C sequestration strategies highlight tree plantations without considering their full environmental consequences, such as losses in stream flow. The productivity of a site is a consequence of their physical, chemical, and biological properties, resulting in natural fertile soils or adequate managed soils for improved quality. Thus, it is required to know the variations in the properties of land-use systems for adoptability of agroforestry innovations. The choice of agroforestry tree species (highly mycorrhizal dependent plants should be selected) would have great implications for the manipulation of arbuscular mycorrhizas's species. In dry forest, the inevitable consequence of cutting has been the loss of vegetation cover and insufficient scientific information on the capacity to optimize forest recuperation affects agroforestry adoption. To study the biological properties of soils is now of interest; therefore, this paper reviews the literature that has hitherto been published on mycorrhizal interactions for reforestation and points out the use ofmycorrhizal technology as one of the alternatives to improve forest products and environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tilapia aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing segments of fish production in Brazil. Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus) is largely cultivated in the state of Parana, where Streptococcus agalactiae is the cause of severe disease outbreaks. The objective of this paper was to evaluate an inactivated S. agalactiae vaccine in tilapia for the control of streptococcal disease outbreaks. Tilapia, weighing approximately 20 g each, were intraperitoneally (i.p.) inoculated with 0.1 mL of the vaccine at a dose of 2.0 × 108 colony-forming unit (CFU) mL−1. One group of tilapia (treatment 1) received one vaccine dose, and the other group of tilapia (treatment 2) received two doses, with an interval of 21 days. The control group was i.p. inoculated with 0.1 mL tryptic soy broth fish−1. Immunized and control tilapia were i.p. challenged with 0.1 mL of 3.0 × 107 CFU mL−1 at 30 days post vaccination. The fish were monitored daily for disease signs and for mortality for 16 days post challenge. A statistically significant difference ( P=0.0045) was found between the mortality of treatments 1 and 2. The value of relative per cent of survival of 83.6% and 96.4%, respectively, indicate that this vaccine was efficient in Nile tilapia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency indices for 60 Brazilian electricity distribution utilities. These scores are obtained by DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) and Bayesian Stochastic Frontier Analysis models, two techniques that can reduce the information asymmetry and improve the regulator's skill to compare the performance of the utilities, a fundamental aspect in incentive regulation schemes. In addition, this paper also addresses the problem of identifying outliers and influential observations in deterministic nonparametric DEA models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the genotypic diversity of S. mutans in caries-free and caries-active preschool children in Brazil. Design. Twenty-eight preschool children were examined regarding caries experience by the dmft index. DNA from 280 isolates of S. mutans was extracted. S. mutans evaluated using to the PCR method, with primers for the glucosyltransferase gene. The genetic diversity of S. mutans isolates was analyzed by arbitrary primed-PCR (AP-PCR) reactions. The differences between the diversity genotypic and dmft/caries experience were evaluated by ?2 test and Spearman's correlation. Results. The Spearman correlation test showed a strong association between genotypic diversity and caries experience (r = 0.72; P < .001). There were more S. mutans genotypes in the group of preschool children with dental caries, compared with the caries-free group. Among the children with more than 1 genotype, 13 had dental caries (2 to 5 genotypes) and 4 were caries-free (only 2 genotypes). Conclusion. Our results support the previous findings of genetic diversity of S. mutans in preschool children being associated with dental caries. The investigation of such populations may be important for directing the development of programs for caries prevention worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe dental fluorosis is endemic in some rural areas of Brazil. This paper describes the psychosocial consequences of this condition and how it has affected the self-esteem of adolescents and young people in a rural area in Brazil. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were carried out with 23 adolescents and young people affected by severe dental fluorosis and 14 of their teachers. The study revealed the affected individuals were embarrassed to smile at strangers due to a presumed association between fluorosis and a lack of dental hygiene. Further findings include conflicts between affected and non-affected students at school, problems in pursuing a romantic relationship and uncertainties regarding a professional future. Disbelief and scepticism were observed regarding the ethical position that science can offer a solution to the problems stemming from the disease. Lesions from severe dental fluorosis appear to be a stigmatising factor and have contributed toward suffering and self-exclusion among an entire generation of adolescents and young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a procedure to evaluate sustainable mobility in urban areas. A set of indicators according to three dimensions of sustainability, i.e., environment, economics, and social aspects, are proposed to evaluate mobility in urban areas. The sustainable mobility evaluation is based on an Index calculated through a weighted multi-criteria combination procedure. A group of specialists in Brazil was involved in the development of the Index by defining the weights for the criteria. An application of the methodology in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of the State of Minas Gerais, with 2.24 million inhabitants, is presented to validate the methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces different standards implemented in existing Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting systems to allow the fruition of interactive services and applications through digital Set Top Boxes. It focuses on the interoperability issue between the Brazilian and the European architectures. In fact, despite in Brazil the GEM specification has been designed to foster wide content compatibility across a range of interactive platforms, it has never come to a final implementation and deployment. As a result the interoperability issue has been deeply explored in the BEACON project and an innovative system architecture has been developed to deploy t-learning services across Europe and Brazil, providing integration of those systems that were not able to interoperate until nowadays. This work is an important step in the direction of standards' interoperability. As a result, MHP and Ginga NCLLua implementation appeared to be the very best choice to deliver interactive services in an interoperable mode between European and Brazilian digital television. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes the length-weight relationship of 18 fish species from the Siluriformes order in a subtropical basin, southern Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new geographic locality for Anorthoneis dulcis is reported. The paper describes the distribution and relative abundance of A. dulcis in Lagoa dos Patos lagoon (a lagoon in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil) from samples collected between 2004 and 2005, and shows that this rare species is present all year round. This study extends the species distribution to South America indicating that the species can thrive on sand grains in lentic estuarine, and freshwater areas. It widens the range of tolerance to environmental parameters. The valve fine structure, morphology, and dimensions are in agreement with the original diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SITCUO (Sistemas de Informações de Transportes Coletivos Urbanos por Õnibus) - a dynamic information system for urban bus passengers in Brasilia, using business intelligence, was developed to optimize bus operations and increase the satisfaction of urban transportation users. In order to achieve these objectives the system involves the convergence of a number of different technologies, including: Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), database, data mining, Internet and telecommunications. The system includes communication between the GPS, the database, the Control Centre and the user interfaces, which provide estimated bus arrival times via the information display panels and the Internet. The information system at the Control Centre was implemented by applying Java, JavaServer Pages (JSP), and a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) using an object-oriented approach. The paper will present the general description of the system, the algorithms for estimating the arrival time of the bus at the bus stop, the implementation procedure adopted, the results of experiments undertaken on a bus route in Brasilia and the conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypancistrus zebra is a Loricariid endemic to a very limited stretch of the Xingu River and has a high value in the ornamental fish trade. The natural populations have experienced high fishing pressure since the late 80s and were recently impacted by the construction of the third largest hydroelectric dam complex in the world, the Belo Monte Project. Since 2004, it has been considered critically endangered and had its capture and trade forbidden. Even with its capture and trade prohibited since 2004, the species continues to be one of the most trafficked fish in the world. The biometric knowledge of the species is essential for monitoring its natural populations and management in ex situ environments. This work aims to establish the weight-length relationship (WLR) and length-length relationship (LLR) of the species and to evaluate the condition factor (K) of H. zebra rescued from trafficking. The study was conducted at the Laboratório de Aquicultura de Peixes Ornamentais do Xingu from February 2022 to June 2022, estimating the parameters of WLR and LLR of 1165 specimens divided into four simple linear regression (SLR) models: all specimens, only juveniles, only females, and only males. The K of 190 specimens rescued from trafficking by the Brazilian Federal Police was evaluated. The WLRs and LLRs were estimated using SLR. The difference between the allometry coefficients (b) and between the residuals of the models (juveniles, females, and males) was evaluated using the ANOVA significance test. The total length of the species ranged from 1.6 to 9.3 cm. The coefficient of allometry (b) of the WLR of the species is 3.22 and of the LLR is 1.04, demonstrating that H. zebra presents positive allometric growth. The evaluation of the residuals of the models showed differences between ontogenetic stages and between sexes. The development of juveniles is isometric until the first sexual maturation phase and differs in negative allometric for females and positive allometric for males, showing sexual dimorphism in the species. Among the specimens rescued from trafficking, 54.74% were underweight, and 13.16% were under 60% of the expected K value, demonstrating the poor conditions in which these animals are transported by trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]