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The Leptophlebiidae family of mayflies is diverse, with over 640 species and 140 genera worldwide. One of its subfamilies, Terpidinae, is restricted to the Neotropical region and consists of three genera, including Fittkaulus, which have four South American species. This paper redescribes the male imago and proposes a new synonym based on the rearing of nymphs identified as F. cururuensis collected in streams in the Caatinga and Amazon Forest regions of northern and northeastern Brazil. The male imago can be differentiate by having the following combination of characteristics: upper portions of eyes on short stalk; forewing with reddish brown maculae in costal, subcostal and radial sectors; abdomen whitish, with black stripes on posterior margin and dark brown maculae on lateral margins on terga I–VII; penis with proximal half fused; distal half divided, tubular and apically pointed, with latero-dorsal lobes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the use of abraded bivalve shells by the shellback crabs Hypoconcha arcuata Stimpson, 1858 and H. parasitica (Linnaeus, 1763) in southeastern Brazil. Shells from four species of bivalves were associated with the crabs: Eucallista purpurata (Lamarck, 1818), Chionopsis crenata (Gmelin, 1791), and Tivela zonaria (Lamarck, 1818) (Veneridae), and, most frequently (50%), Dallocardia delicatula (E.A. Smith, 1915) (Cardiidae). This was the first documented record of shellback crabs using valves of veneriid bivalves, as well as the first report of a crab-shell association for Hypoconcha in the South Atlantic Ocean. The relationship between the increase in size of shellback crabs and the size of the chosen shell was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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(1) Background: COVID-19 vaccination in Brazil has been performed mostly with CoronaVac (Sinovac), ChAdOx1-S (AstraZeneca-University of Oxford) and BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccines. The titers of IgG antibodies reactive to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein correlate with vaccine efficacy. Studies comparing vaccine immunogenicity in a real-world scenario are lacking. (2) Methods: We performed a population-based study to analyze the immunoglobulin G response to different COVID-19 vaccines. Citizens older than 18 years (n = 2376) provided personal data, a self-declaration of any previous COVID-19 positive tests and information regarding COVID-19 vaccination: the vaccine popular name and the date of each dose. Blood samples were collected and the levels of IgG reactive to SARS-CoV-2 antigens were determined and compared between different vaccine groups. (3) Results: The seroconversion for anti-spike IgG achieved > 95% by February 2022 and maintained stable until June 2022. Higher anti-spike IgG titers were detected in individuals vaccinated with BNT162b2, followed by ChAdOx1-S and CoronaVac. The anti-spike IgG response was negatively correlated with age and interval after the second dose for the BNT162b2 vaccine. Natural infections boosted anti-spike IgG in those individuals who completed primary vaccination with ChAdOx1-S and CoronaVac, but not with BNT162b2. The levels of anti-spike IgG increased with the number of vaccine doses administered. The application of BNT162b2 as a 3rd booster dose resulted in high anti-spike IgG antibody titers, despite the type of vaccine used during primary vaccination. (4) Conclusions: Our data confirmed the effectiveness of the Brazilian vaccination program. Of the vaccines used in Brazil, BNT162b2 performed better to elicit anti-spike protein IgG after primary vaccination and as a booster dose and thus should be recommended as a booster whenever available. A continuous COVID-19 vaccination program will be required to sustain anti-spike IgG antibodies in the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the test–retest reliability and measurement error of the Brazilian version of the modified Gait Efficacy scale (mGES-Brazil) in individuals who have had stroke. The mGES-Brazil was applied on two occasions, five to seven days apart, in a research laboratory setting. Test–retest reliability and measurement error, which included the standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC), and analysis of the limits of agreement by the Bland–Altman plots, were examined. Fifty individuals who have had stroke (18 men), with a mean age of 64 ± 11 years, were evaluated. All individual items showed good reliability (Intra-class Correlation Coefficient – ICC2,1 > 0.90). The ICC was 0.98 (95% CI 0.97 to 0.99) and the Bland and Altman plots revealed no systematic changes in the mean test–retest scores. The SEM (SEM%) was 3 (5%), within the recommended values, while the SDC was 8 points. The mGES-Brazil demonstrated to be reliable to be applied within clinical and research contexts for the assessment of changes in walking confidence of individuals who have had stroke. Changes in mGES scores ≥8 points reflect real changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 has led to measures of social distancing and quarantine worldwide. This stressful period may lead to psychological problems, including changes in substance use. In addition, sociodemographic factors are linked to changed levels of drug use and abuse observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which are also associated with increased anxiety, depression, and other disorders. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate (i) changes in drug use during the COVID-19 pandemic associated with social distancing, and (ii) to verify factors associated with those changes. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional observational survey was completed by a self-selected adult general population in Brazil (N = 2,435) during September/October 2020 (first wave) before and throughout the pandemic. Key outcomes: social distancing, self-reported drug use (ASSIST), and emotional states (DASS-21). Results: High social distancing was associated with fewer chances (prevalence ratio) of increased drug use for alcohol (0.71, CI95%: 0.64–0.80), tobacco (0.72; CI95%: 0.60–0.87), cannabis (0.65; CI95%: 0.55–0.78), and others. Low social distancing presented a higher DASS-21 score for anxiety (P = 0.017). Concerning covariates analysis by a general linear model, men (alcohol: 1. 71; cannabis: 3.86), younger age (alcohol: 0.97), less education (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and cocaine/crack comparing several lower schooling categories vs. higher education), lower income (alcohol: 0.42; tobacco: 0.47; and cannabis: 0.36), and higher depression DASS-21 score (alcohol: 1.05; tobacco: 1.08; cannabis: 1.07; and cocaine/crack: 1.07) were associated with higher use prevalence of several drugs. Conclusions: Individuals reporting low social distancing increased the use of most drugs during the pandemic, while high social distancing significantly decreased drug use. Anxiety and depressive states and several sociodemographic factors (men; lower income; less education) were associated with higher drug use patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Caldasia is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Natural polysaccharides are structures composed of highly diversified biological macromolecules whose properties have been exploited by a diversity of industries. Until 2018, the polysaccharides market raised more than US $ 12 billion worldwide, while an annual growth forecast of 4.8% is expected by 2026. The food industry is largely responsible for the consumption of this plant-source material, produced by microbiological fermentation. Among the used polysaccharides, gums are hydrocolloids obtained from a variety of sources and in different forms, being composed of salts of calcium, potassium, magnesium and sugar monomers. Their non-toxicity, hydrophilicity, viscosity, biodegradability, biocompatibility and sustainable production are among their main advantages. Although Brazil is amongst the largest producers of cashew gum, reaching 50 tons per year, the polysaccharide is not being used to its full potential, in particular, with regard to its uses in pharmaceuticals. Cashew gum (CG), obtained from Anacardium occidentale L., caught the attention of the industry only in 1970; in 1990, its production started to grow. Within the Brazilian academy, the groups from the Federal University of Ceará and Piauí are devoting the most efforts to the study of cashew gum, with a total of 31 articles already published. The number of patents in the country for innovations containing cashew tree gum has reached 14, including the technological process for the purification of cashew tree gum, comparison of physical and chemical methods for physicochemical characterizations, and optimum purification methodology. This scenario opens a range of opportunities for the use of cashew gum, mainly in the development of new pharmaceutical products, with a special interest in nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciência & Saúde Coletiva is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Pos-Graduacao em Saude Coletiva and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This work reports on the first identification of sapphirine‐bearing ultrahigh‐temperature (UHT) metamorphic rocks within the Borborema Province, in NE Brazil. The investigated UHT diatexites outcrop in the Arapiraca Complex, a high‐grade Palaeoproterozoic block embedded within the Neoproterozoic metavolcano‐sedimentary sequence of the Sergipano fold‐and‐thrust belt. A sapphirine‐bearing diatexite sample preserves two distinct residual mineral associations as inclusions in cordierite poikiloblasts: a volumetrically dominant silica‐saturated, garnet–sillimanite–orthopyroxene–quartz domain, and a restricted silica‐undersaturated, sapphirine–magnetite–spinel–corundum domain. Phase equilibrium modelling for the whole‐rock bulk composition constrains the reactions preserved in the silica‐saturated domain, which, coupled with reintegrated ternary feldspar thermometry and Al‐in‐orthopyroxene thermobarometry, indicates peak UHT metamorphism occurring at ~970°C/8.5 kbar followed by a clockwise near isobaric cooling stage crossing the H2O‐undersaturated solidus at ~910°C/7.7 kbar. The T–MSiO2 and P–T phase equilibrium models reveal that the stabilization of magnetite‐spinel in the silica‐undersaturated domain can be a product of domanial SiO2‐depletion ascribed to inherited compositional banding and progressive melt‐loss episodes. The appearance of sapphirine as thin coronae around previously formed magnetite‐spinel cores requires an increase in the bulk silica content during retrograde metamorphism. This was driven by variable degrees of chemical interaction between the silica‐undersaturated domain and trapped silica‐rich leucosomes. U–Pb dating of zircon coupled with trace element behaviour records the timing of melt crystallization between ca. 2.03 and 1.96 Ga, after peak UHT metamorphism and supporting a protracted, ca. 70 My period of melt presence in the crust. The UHT metamorphism in the Arapiraca Complex is related to a contemporaneous UHT event recorded within the São Francisco Craton and more broadly coincides with high geothermal gradients at ca. 2.0 Ga linked to the formation of the Columbia supercontinent. The integration of new petrological and geochronological data indicates that the Arapiraca Complex is a continental ribbon pulled away from the São Francisco–Congo palaeocontinent possibly during the early Neoproterozoic intermittent rifting events and opening of the Sergipano oceanic basin between ca. 0.98–0.74 Ga. During the late Neoproterozoic at ca. 0.63–0.57 Ga, the Arapiraca Complex continental ribbon was thrusted back onto the northern margin of the São Francisco Craton as an inlier of the Sergipano fold‐and‐thrust belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In continental countries, building materials are often moved over long distances from factories to building sites. This is especially important when quality and performance certification systems are required for the building materials' acquisition. In this scenario, the transportation phase tends to have a great contribution to building materials' environmental impacts. Taking into consideration that countries such as China, India, and Brazil, i.e., continental countries, are expecting the largest future housing demand, the issue of transportation will have a crucial role in environmental impacts. Through a Brazilian case study, the present work investigates the potential environmental impacts of structural masonry made of concrete and ceramic blocks certified by the Brazilian Quality Program. A cradle-to-site Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) is carried out while considering a country-level approach using data from the literature and Ecoinvent. The results show that ceramic blocks are preferable for most states and scenarios. Human Health and Ecosystem Quality are the two categories most affected by transportation, and they can reach more than 96% and 99%, respectively. The efficiency of the building material transportation system plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A shift in building components from concrete to ceramic blocks has the potential to mitigate between 154 and 229 Mt CO2-eq between 2020 and 2050. The methodological approach used in this work can be applied to other building materials and other countries, especially those of continental dimensions that are expected to have a significant future housing demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lophiosilurus is a monotypic genus represented by L. alexandri, a species endemic to the São Francisco river basin, Brazil. In previous phylogenetic analyses, the genus has been recovered as the sister group of Cephalosilurus. However, few species of Cephalosilurus or few characters were included in those studies. Thus, the current study aims to test the monophyletic hypothesis of the genera Lophiosilurus and Cephalosilurus with a more comprehensive phylogenetic analysis, including all Cephalosilurus species and a representative number of characters. Phylogenetic analyses of 18 terminal taxa (15 ingroups and three outgroups) were conducted based on a combined 75 character matrix, including 70 discrete morphological characters concerning osteology and neuroanatomy, four continuous characters, and the geometric morphometry of the head. The monophyly of the family Pseudopimelodidae was highly supported, and Cephalosilurus is synonymized with Lophiosilurus. The recovered phylogeny of the genus was (L. albomarginatus (L. nigricaudus (L. apurensis (L. fowleri, L. alexandri)))). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors report morphological deformities in driftwood catfish Trachelyopterus galeatus (Auchenipteridae), an invasive catfish occurring in the Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil. The frequency of anomalous individuals reached 18.3% of all catches. X‐ray images showed anomalies, or total absence of structures, in the pelvic girdle. The authors also observed the absence of the adipose fin and mental barbels. These findings are of extreme importance for evidencing the anthropogenic impact on aquatic communities as the region suffers within fragmentation by dams and pollution from several human activities. This sort of information can be used in management systems and environmental monitoring, especially to protect other species and the native fish assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Neotropical Ichthyology is the property of Neotropical Ichthyology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

First authorized in the state of São Paulo (State Decree Nº 62.243 November 2016), striped catfish farming has been progressively allowed and encouraged in other states (Garcia et al. 2018). We therefore recommend that the farming of I P. hypophthalmus i should be prohibited in Brazil and that the laws and bills authorizing the farming of striped catfish be revoked and vetoed. Therefore, the increase in state authorizations for the farming of I P. hypophthalmus i , in addition to illegal farming that occurs in other states, can contribute to the spread of I P. hypophthalmus i throughout the country. Incentives for farming non-native fish species in public waters have regained strength in Brazil (Charvet et al. 2021), and some states strive to boost the aquaculture market with the non-native striped catfish I Pangasianodon hypophthalmus i (Sauvage 1878). [Extracted from the article]

The long-term use of vineyards and their renewal causes numerous chemical changes in the bioavailable copper, zinc levels, carbon and microbial properties of the soil. However, there is still a gap in relation to the impacts of vineyard renewal on the bioavailability of Cu and Zn and on the microbial structure of the soil. Thus, the purpose was to evaluate the bioavailability of Cu and Zn, activity, richness and microbial diversity of the soil of renewed vineyards in southern Brazil. Three treatments were established: old cultivation, i.e., a well-established vineyard; renewed vineyard; and reference, a native forest located adjacent to the vineyards. The physical-chemical properties clay level, moisture, pH, organic matter (OM), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) level; the basal respiration (BR), microbial biomass Carbon (MBC), microbial biomass Nitrogen (MBN), hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate (FDA), microbial quotient (qMic), and metabolic quotient (qCO2); and microbial richness and Shannon diversity were determined. The organic C level influenced the microbial activity and richness. The change in microbial diversity indexes impacted soil biological activity in two locations. Vineyard renewal promotes the reduction of Cu (− 48.8%) and zinc (− 20%) bioavailability and increases microbial diversity in subtropical soils in southern Brazil. • Vineyard renewal promotes the reduction of copper (− 48.8%) and zinc (− 20%). • Renewed vineyard increase the shannon index of the soil microbiota. • The vineyard increases the levels of copper (+ 5080%) and zinc (+ 230%) in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• UAV remote sensing is a feasible approach to estimate the aboveground biomass of herbaceous crops. • GLCM textures improved pasture estimates addressing internal image patterns. • Random Forest (RF) model solely with texture measures reached the best performance. • Selecting features by correlation improved the RF models' results and understanding. Pasture production under integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) is a key element to support grazing management decisions. Therefore, further experimentation is required to produce reliable estimates of pasture productivity. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a viable tool to obtain fast and accurate aboveground biomass (AGB) estimates in pastures under ICLS. We tested several datasets of variables composed of original spectral bands (RGB-NIR), vegetation indices, and gray-level cooccurrence matrix (GLCM) textures to estimate pasture AGB using the random forest (RF) algorithm and feature selection methods in a commercial ICLS farm in western São Paulo State, Brazil. Field measures of pasture AGB were carried out in three field campaigns over five months to capture the spatiotemporal variability of the pasture fields. Most tested models reached similar results on pasture AGB estimates (R2: 0.60 to 0.70), while the number of variables selected for the RF algorithm differed among models (from 6 to 160 variables). The three more accurate models used few variables, two of which used only texture measures, while the third also employed combined spectral bands and vegetation indices. The best model (R2 = 0.70) used only 10 texture measures. Texture measures that represented images' inner patterns, calculated from NIR, red-edge, and triangular greenness index data, were the most relevant variables for the main models. The texture contribution indicates important information to be considered to estimate pasture AGB when using UAV imagery. The results achieved by UAV estimates allow the design of multitemporal AGB pasture maps, which may be useful for building more reliable spatiotemporal data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caenidae is a globally widespread family, inhabiting a variety of aquatic habitats. In South America, only 35 species are recognized, maybe as a consequence of the few studies until the first decade of the 21st century. Despite recent advances, large portions of Brazil, such as Rondnia State, are still characterized by Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls. Rondnia is an area predicted to have high mayfly richness, but with no record of Caenidae. From this perspective, the objective of this study is to provide the first access to primary biodiversity data of Caenidae (Ephemeroptera) from Rondnia. As result, we report five species (Brasilocaenis elidioi, Brasilocaenis irmleri, Caenis chamie, Caenis fittkaui, Latineosus sigillatus) and describe a new species based on all life stages (Caenis urupa sp. nov.).

Based on debilitating recent budget cuts for science, Brazilian researchers had to find alternative ways to continue scientific production. Here we provide a perspective for the use of citizen-science data deposited in the iNaturalist platform as an alternative source of data to support biodiversity research. Observations contributed by volunteers can be analyzed at large spatial and temporal scales and can respond to questions in behavioral and population ecology. We analyzed this potential through the example of Brazilian amphibians, a group that is less studied worldwide than birds. In fact, to our knowledge, only two studies have been published that are based on citizen-science data for Brazilian amphibians. At the time of writing, the iNaturalist platform has over 14,800 research grade observations from Brazil, representing 698 species, a number increasing daily. Compared to other species-rich countries, volunteer-collected datasets from Brazil cover a relatively high taxonomic diversity (61%), providing a plethora of valuable data. Despite this potential, there are large spatial gaps in sampling in Brazil. Here we encourage established and budding herpetologists not only to use the platform to retrieve data, but also to contribute to iNaturalist actively, with new observations, as well as by identifying species in existing records.

The genus Miroculis Edmunds, 1963 (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) is endemic to South American with 27 described species. In Brazil, 21 of these are known to occur. The present paper describes three new species of Miroculis Edmunds, 1963. Miroculis (Miroculis) botafora sp. nov. is described based on a male imago collected in a transition area between the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes in Piauí State, Brazil. Two species are described based on nymphs and adults: Miroculis (Miroculis) azevedoi sp. nov. and Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov.; both were collected in a Cerrado region of Maranhão State, Brazil. Additionally, new distribution records of Miroculis (Miroculis) fittkaui Savage & Peters, 1983 are provided.

The investigation of antibodies raised against different severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) antigens can help to determine the extent of previous SARS-CoV-2 infections in the population and track the humoral response to vaccination. Therefore, serological surveys can provide key information to better manage the pandemic and/or to implement the most effective vaccination program. Here we describe a time series anti-nucleocapsid, anti-spike IgG serological survey analysis in the city of Matinhos, PR, Brazil during the year of 2021. Seroconversion rates to the nucleocapsid antigen were not influenced by gender or age. The serological data support that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection rate is ~50% higher than official numbers. Furthermore, by applying serological data, the corrected infection fatality rate was estimated to be lower than 2.4% in contrast with the official estimative of 3.6%. The rates of IgG reactive to spike antigen resembled the curve of the fraction the population that had taken the second vaccine dose. Up to 82% of spike seroconversion was detected in the end of 2021, confirming the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination program in the city. This SARS-CoV-2 serological study unraveled the SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and the response to vaccination in the city of Matinhos. IMPORTANCE The investigation of antibodies raised against SARS-CoV-2 can help to determine the extent of previous SARS-CoV-2 infections and track the humoral response to vaccination. Here we describe a time series anti-nucleocapsid, anti-spike IgG serological survey in the city of Matinhos, PR, Brazil during the year of 2021. The data depicted the progression of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the city allowing the correction of the number of citizens who experienced COVID-19 and the disease fatality rate. The seroconversion rates to the spike antigen resembled the curve of the fraction of the population that had taken the second vaccine dose, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination program in the city.

New distributional records for four species and the description of a new species of Caenis Stephens from Parnaba River Basin, in a semiarid region of the state of Piau, Northeastern Brazil are given. Characters and illustrations to distinguish Caenis marataoan sp. nov. from all other species in Caenis are provided. The new species can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: 1) body length of male 1.52.0 mm, female 2.52.8 mm; 2) base of antennal flagellum not dilated; 3) forceps apically rounded, covered with trichomes and with 23 minute spines at apex; 4) styliger plate short with posterior margin convex; 5) penis fused and not laterally projected; 6) eggs oval-shaped; micropyle linear with narrow and long micropylar canal, preceded by an oval sperm guide.

Hagenulopsis diptera Ulmer, type species of the genus Hagenulopsis, was originally described based on imagos from Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil. Misconceptions of H. diptera circumscription led to erroneous attribution of material from Minas Gerais and Esprito Santo, Southeastern Brazil, to H. diptera. Despite the increase in the number of species attributed to Hagenulopsis, little attention has been given to the type species. After comparative examination of photographs of the holotype and fresh material of H. diptera from Southeastern Brazil, we conclude that many specimens previously assigned to H. diptera represent a new species. Thus, we redescribe H. diptera and describe a new species Hagenulopsis perere sp. nov. based on eggs, nymphs and imagos. Diagnostic features of Hagenulopsis perere sp. nov. include cross veins between C and RP1 strongly clouded with brown and outer surface of mid femur with a brown spot at midlength. Finally, comments and new records are presented for Hagenulopsis minuta Spieth.