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Most of the northeastern region of Brazil (NEB) has a maize production system based on family farming, with no technological advances and totally dependent on the natural rainfall regime, which is concentrated in 4 to 5 months in most parts of the region. This means that the productivity of this crop is low in the NEB. In the northern mesoregions of the NEB, rainfall is concentrated between January and June, in the east of the NEB from April to September, and in the west of the NEB from October to March. The growing season takes place during these semesters. With this in mind, our objective was to develop a model based on canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to predict corn production in the mesoregions of the NEB between 1981 and 2010, using accumulated precipitation per semester as the predictor variable and predicting the observed production in kg/ha. Our results showed that the CCA model presented higher correlations between observed and simulated production than that obtained simply from the direct relationship between accumulated rainfall and production. The other two metrics used, RMSE and NRMSE, showed that, on average, in most mesoregions, the simulation error was around 200 kg/ha, but the accuracy was predominantly moderate, around 29% in most mesoregions, with values below 20% in six mesoregions, indicative of better model accuracy, and above 50% in two mesoregions, indicative of low accuracy. In addition, we investigated how the different combinations between two modes of climate variability with a direct influence on precipitation in the NEB impacted production in these 30 years, with the combination of El Niño and a positive Atlantic dipole being the most damaging to harvests, while years when La Niña and a negative Atlantic dipole acted together were the most favorable. Despite the satisfactory results and the practical applicability of the model developed, it should be noted that the use of only one predictor, rainfall, is a limiting factor for better model simulations since other meteorological variables and non-climatic factors have a significant impact on crops. However, the simplicity of the model and the promising results could help agricultural managers make decisions in all the states that make up the NEB.

Most of the northeastern region of Brazil (NEB) has a maize production system based on family farming, with no technological advances and totally dependent on the natural rainfall regime, which is concentrated in 4 to 5 months in most parts of the region. This means that the productivity of this crop is low in the NEB. In the northern mesoregions of the NEB, rainfall is concentrated between January and June, in the east of the NEB from April to September, and in the west of the NEB from October to March. The growing season takes place during these semesters. With this in mind, our objective was to develop a model based on canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to predict corn production in the mesoregions of the NEB between 1981 and 2010, using accumulated precipitation per semester as the predictor variable and predicting the observed production in kg/ha. Our results showed that the CCA model presented higher correlations between observed and simulated production than that obtained simply from the direct relationship between accumulated rainfall and production. The other two metrics used, RMSE and NRMSE, showed that, on average, in most mesoregions, the simulation error was around 200 kg/ha, but the accuracy was predominantly moderate, around 29% in most mesoregions, with values below 20% in six mesoregions, indicative of better model accuracy, and above 50% in two mesoregions, indicative of low accuracy. In addition, we investigated how the different combinations between two modes of climate variability with a direct influence on precipitation in the NEB impacted production in these 30 years, with the combination of El Niño and a positive Atlantic dipole being the most damaging to harvests, while years when La Niña and a negative Atlantic dipole acted together were the most favorable. Despite the satisfactory results and the practical applicability of the model developed, it should be noted that the use of only one predictor, rainfall, is a limiting factor for better model simulations since other meteorological variables and non-climatic factors have a significant impact on crops. However, the simplicity of the model and the promising results could help agricultural managers make decisions in all the states that make up the NEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A dense estuarine aggregation of Diadumene paranaensis Beneti, Stampar, Maronna, Morandini & Da Silveira, 2015 associated with Rhizophora mangle L. was found at the Arpoeiras Beach, mouth of Acaraú River, Ceará, Brazilian semi-arid coast. Here, we compare biological and taxonomical traits with the type material, collected from the portuary zone of Paranaguá Bay, and propose modifications in the diagnosis of the species, as well as of the family Diadumenidae and genus Diadumene, to align with the description of our specimens. In addition, we discuss its tolerance to high salinity and predict a much broader geographic range for this sea anemone in Brazil.

Universities have sought to characterize the students' mental health considering academic and social impacts. This study used a questionnaire to assess the prevalence and severity of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. A convenience sample of 92 first-year students attending the Physical Therapy, Psychology, and Nutrition undergraduate programs at a public college in the Northeast, Brazil, aged between 17 and 38 (M = 20.50; SD = 3.50), participated in this study. The DASS-21 scale revealed that 48.90% experience mild or more severe symptoms in at least one of the factors, 35.90% experience stress, 26.10% depression, and 22.80% experience anxiety symptoms. Depression symptoms were the most severe. Differences were found between the programs, suggesting that the symptoms are not homogeneous across the institution. No statistically significant differences were found based on gender, and no significant correlations were found between symptoms and income, age, or the number of children. Future studies should explore which programs' characteristics influence the profile of symptoms. Practical implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue fever is among the most significant public health concerns in Brazil. To date, the highest number of Dengue notifications in the Americas has been reported in Brazil, with cases accounting for a total number of 3,418,796 reported cases as of mid-December 2022. Furthermore, the northeastern region of Brazil registered the second-highest incidence of Dengue fever in 2022. Due to the alarming epidemiological scenario, in this study, we used a combination of portable whole-genome sequencing, phylodynamic, and epidemiological analyses to reveal a novel DENV-1 genotype V clade and the persistence of DENV-2 genotype III in the region. We further report the presence of non-synonymous mutations associated with non-structural domains, especially the NS2A (non-structural protein 2A), as well as describe synonymous mutations in envelope and membrane proteins, distributed differently between clades. However, the absence of clinical data at the time of collection and notification, as well as the impossibility of monitoring patients in order to observe worsening or death, restricts our possibility of correlating mutational findings with possible clinical prognoses. Together, these results reinforce the crucial role of genomic surveillance to follow the evolution of circulating DENV strains and understand their spread across the region through inter-regional importation events, likely mediated by human mobility, and also the possible impacts on public health and outbreak management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Administraçãao da UNIMEP is the property of Revista de Administracao da UNIMEP 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.)

Climate change adaptation is a cross-cutting policy issue that accounts for a diversity of policy approaches, tools, and goals. Unclear conceptualization and the absence of comparable metrics are challenges that hinder the assessment of progress toward policy goals. This study draws on a policy mix approach to analyze adaptation efforts at the subnational level. It examines the complex pathways by which rural households in Northeast Brazil build resilience capacities and deal with drought with policy support. Particular emphasis is placed on the implementation of policy mixes composed of climate-related and broader development instruments as well as on the coordination of these instruments in the mix. The resilience of households benefiting from different instrument mixes is examined, and the results show a trend toward an intermediary value for our composite resilience metric highlighting the adoption of coping rather than transformative adaptive strategies. However, changing these trends toward enhanced resilience pathways depends on the improved implementation of the policy mixes and on political factors that include administrative issues, but also coordination and negotiation among policy actors.

This article analyzes experiences of sustainable entrepreneurship in the José Gomes rural community in Northeast Brazil, reflecting on the relevance of local development policies in the construction of local collective projects. This qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study adopted rapport techniques, semi-structured interviews (82 dwellers), direct observation, field diary, and bibliographic research. Local development policies were understood as mechanisms for advances and improvements in the quality of life, economic organization, and environmental conservation, which must be incorporated into municipal planning and governmental actions. The results pointed to socio-productive potentials and structural and infrastructural limitations, which hamper the possibilities of spreading sustainable entrepreneurship and consolidating local development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the portrayal of racial bias against northeastern Brazilians film Bacurau (2019). The white-centred racial dynamics involving Northeastern Brazilians, a Southeastern Brazilian couple, and a group of US-Americans and German foreigners expose two conflicting notions of whiteness: a local one, within the long-standing Southeast/Northeast Brazil divide, and a global one, opposing Global South and Global North. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air temperature and precipitation are the elements that most impact the development of plants and are essential for good agricultural planning. Thus, it aimed to evaluate climate change in Maranhão of Brazil using the Thornthwaite (Geographical Review 38:55–94, 1948) climate classification. It used historical series of precipitation and air temperature between 1980 and 2016, obtained by the National Institute of Meteorology of Brazil (INMET). Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was estimated using the Thornthwaite (Geographical Review 38:55–94, 1948) method and thus calculated the water balance by Thornthwaite and Mather (Laboratory of Climatology 8:104) for all locations in the studied state. Thornthwaite (Geographical Review 38:55–94, 1948) moisture index was used to classify localities to their level of humidity or aridity. We used the scenarios RCP-2.6, RCP-4, RCP-6, and RCP-8.5 for analyzing twenty-first-century projections (2041–2060 and 2061–2080 periods). The average values of air temperature, rainfall, and reference evapotranspiration in the state of Maranhão were 27.30(± 0.53) °C, 1678.52 (± 377.70) mm, and 1067.98 (± 73.36) mm, respectively. The average annual climatic characterization of the state of Maranhão was 53.4 (± 38.6) mm of the soil water storage, 698.71 (81.07) mm of the water surplus, and 395.85 (± 65.91) mm of the water deficit. Maranhão had seven climatic indexes. The most prevalent in the state was the Humid (B1, B2, B3, and B4), with 61% of the entire territory. RCP2.6 and RCP 8.5 are the driest. RCP6.0 and RCP8.5 show the most significant changes in the current situation. The humidity index's reduction will harm various economic activities in Maranhão, such as agriculture, livestock, and fishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the seasonal influence on the chemical composition, somatic cell count (SCC), and total bacterial count (TBC) of raw bulk-tank milk in northeastern Brazilian states. Data were obtained from milk samples from tanks collected monthly by industries registered with the Federal Inspection Service. According to normative instruction #62 (IN-62), two validity periods were considered. The highest recorded averages for chemical composition were between May and July. The mean fat content varied from 3.51% to 3.69%, and the protein content ranged from 3.07% to 3.17%. The averages of SCC ranged from 4.66 to 4.90 × 1,000 cells/ml, with the highest being recorded in July. At the same time, the TBC ranged from 2.34 to 2.53 cfu/ml. The highest TBC was recorded in March. The mean values of fat, protein, defatted dry extract, SCCs, and TBC were influenced by the months of the year. The means for these variables decreased in periods when Brazilian legislation was more severe. However, the SCC and TBC averages found in this study were still high, considering the quality of raw milk production. SCC and TBC presence still did not comply with the limits established by the legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming is causing an intensification of extreme climate events with significant changes in frequency, duration, and intensity over many regions. Understanding the current and future influence of this warming in northeastern Brazil (NEB) is important due to the region's greater vulnerability to natural disasters, as historical records show. In this paper, characteristics of climate change projections (precipitation and air temperature) over NEB are analyzed using 15 models of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs: SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) scenarios. By using the Taylor diagram, we observed that the HadGEM3-GC31-MM model simulates the seasonal behavior of climate variables more efficiently. Projections for NEB indicate an irreversible increase in average air temperature of at least 1 °C throughout the 21st century, with a reduction of up to 30% in annual rainfall, as present in scenarios of regional rivalry (SSP3-7.0) and high emissions (SSP5-8.5). This means that a higher concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) will increase air temperature, evaporation, and evapotranspiration, reducing rainfall and increasing drought events. The results obtained in this work are essential for the elaboration of effective strategies for adapting to and mitigating climate change for the NEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing body of archaeological and genomic evidence has hinted at a complex settlement process of the Americas by humans. This is especially true for South America, where unexpected ancestral signals have raised perplexing scenarios for the early migrations into different regions of the continent. Here, we present ancient human genomes from the archaeologically rich Northeast Brazil and compare them to ancient and present-day genomic data. We find a distinct relationship between ancient genomes from Northeast Brazil, Lagoa Santa, Uruguay and Panama, representing evidence for ancient migration routes along South America's Atlantic coast. To further add to the existing complexity, we also detect greater Denisovan than Neanderthal ancestry in ancient Uruguay and Panama individuals. Moreover, we find a strong Australasian signal in an ancient genome from Panama. This work sheds light on the deep demographic history of eastern South America and presents a starting point for future fine-scale investigations on the regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A regional investigation of precipitation extremes could help the local authorities to develop strategies against potential climatic disasters, especially in regions of large climate vulnerability. In this context, this study focused on the homogeneity and trend analysis of eleven extreme precipitation indices from a daily rainfall dataset of rain gauges of the state of Ceará, located in the north of Northeast Brazil, from 1974 to 2018 at annual and seasonal time scales. The data were first submitted to gap-filling and quality control processes. Homogeneity, trend, and correlation coefficient were performed subsequently. Homogeneity results showed that most of the precipitation series were classified as “useful.” Significant break years in the series agreed well with moderate and very strong El Niño and La Niña events, suggesting a further investigation of this possible connection. Wet and dry day precipitation indices mainly indicated a decrease in the rainfall regime and an increase in dry days, mainly in the central-eastern, northwestern, and southern regions of the Ceará, especially during the annual time scale and the rainy season. The Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing (LOWESS) curve showed changes in almost all series during the 1980s and 1990s, coinciding with the homogeneity breaks and years of severe droughts that strongly hit the region. Correlation coefficients were strong and significant between rainfall total index and the other precipitation indices.

Purpose: There is a significant lack of epidemiological data on hereditary cancer in Northeast Brazil. This is the largest study on the prevalence and mutational spectrum of cancer predisposition genes conducted in this region and the first in the State of Ceará. Methods: Patients ≥18 years of age that were referred to CHANCE (Grupo de Câncer Hereditário do Ceará) from March 2014 to December 2020 with testing criteria for breast cancer susceptibility genes according to NCCN v.1.2021 were eligible to participate. The inclusion of patients was limited to one individual per family and to those born in the State of Ceará. All patients underwent a hereditary cancer panel testing with at least 30 genes. Results: A total of 355 patients were included, and 97 (27.3%) carried a P/LP germline variant in 18 different genes. Among the 97 P/LP carriers, BRCA1 (31, 31.9%) and BRCA2 (25, 25.7%) were the most frequently mutated genes, followed by PALB2 (10, 10.3%), CHEK2 (7, 7.2%) and ATM (4, 4.1%). A small number of recurrent variants (detected in three or more individuals) in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2 and ATM represented the majority of the P/LP variants described in this cohort. Conclusion: In this cohort, the prevalence of L/PL was high, particularly involving the BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, CHEK2 and ATM genes and, to a lesser extent than expected, the TP53 gene. A high frequency of recurrent variants was also observed, for which further and larger analyses should clarify the presence of any possible founder effect. Characterizing the mutational profile of cancer predisposition genes in diverse populations may contribute to cancer prevention and therapeutic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article verifies the culture public policies implemented in nine northeastern Brazilian states between the years 2016 and 2020, considering the edition of the 'Programa Nacional de Ecnonomia da Cultura' (PNEC). Utilizing a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive approach, with documentary data survey in official electronic sites of the States' culture portfolios, considering the categories 'economy of culture' and 'creative economy', the analysis of the selected documents suggests that the Economy of Culture or Creative Economy was little explored in the culture policies of the researched States, as well as the concept of innovation, is rarely mentioned. This study contributes by providing a glimpse of how the economic dimension of culture is approached, considering the perspective of innovation, and, thus, to encourage investigations and actions that demonstrate the contribution of culture to local development and promote better articulation of these conceptions and practices based on the relations between innovation, culture and economy for the development of public policies for the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to apply and assess an exponential filter that calculates the root-zone soil moisture using surface data from the soil moisture and ocean salinity (SMOS) satellite, as well as to assess soil moisture simulated in land-surface models from global databases. The soil water index (obtained after application of the exponential filter) and soil moisture simulated using land surface models (GLDAS-CLSM, GLDAS-Noah, and ERA5-Land) from global databases were compared with in situ data to evaluate their efficiency in estimating soil water content at different depths. Surface measurements from the SMOS satellite allowed the estimation of soil moisture at depths of 20 and 40 cm by applying the exponential filter. At both depths, the application of the exponential filter significantly improved the estimation of soil moisture measured by the SMOS satellite. The GLDAS-Noah model had the best root mean square error values, whilst the GLDAS-CLSM and ERA5-Land models overestimated the soil moisture. Nevertheless, the seasonal variation was well represented by all land surface models.

The Northeast region of Brazil registered the second-highest incidence proportion of Chikungunya fever in 2019. In that year, an outbreak consisting of patients presenting with febrile disease associated with joint pain was reported by the public primary health care service in the city of Natal, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, in March 2019. At first, the aetiological agent of the disease was undetermined. Since much is still unknown about chikungunya virus' (CHIKV) genomic diversity and evolutionary history in this northeasternmost state, we used a combination of portable whole-genome sequencing, molecular clock, and epidemiological analyses that revealed the reintroduction of the CHIKV East-Central-South-African (ECSA) lineage into Rio Grande do Norte. We estimated that the CHIKV ECSA lineage was first introduced into Rio Grande do Norte in early June 2014, while the 2019 outbreak clade diverged around April 2018, during a period of increased Chikungunya incidence in the Southeast region, which might have acted as a source of virus dispersion towards the Northeast region. Together, these results confirm that the ECSA lineage continues to spread across the country through interregional importation events, likely mediated by human mobility.

Dengue fever is among the most significant public health concerns in Brazil. To date, the highest number of Dengue notifications in the Americas has been reported in Brazil, with cases accounting for a total number of 3,418,796 reported cases as of mid-December 2022. Furthermore, the northeastern region of Brazil registered the second-highest incidence of Dengue fever in 2022. Due to the alarming epidemiological scenario, in this study, we used a combination of portable whole-genome sequencing, phylodynamic, and epidemiological analyses to reveal a novel DENV-1 genotype V clade and the persistence of DENV-2 genotype III in the region. We further report the presence of non-synonymous mutations associated with non-structural domains, especially the NS2A (non-structural protein 2A), as well as describe synonymous mutations in envelope and membrane proteins, distributed differently between clades. However, the absence of clinical data at the time of collection and notification, as well as the impossibility of monitoring patients in order to observe worsening or death, restricts our possibility of correlating mutational findings with possible clinical prognoses. Together, these results reinforce the crucial role of genomic surveillance to follow the evolution of circulating DENV strains and understand their spread across the region through inter-regional importation events, likely mediated by human mobility, and also the possible impacts on public health and outbreak management.

We reconstruct paleoredox conditions in the Western Equatorial Atlantic (WEA) over the glacial-interglacial cycle (~130 ka) by using new high-resolution REEs data and their anomalies from a marine sediment core (GL-1248) collected from the equatorial margin off the continental shelf of NE Brazil. This approach aims to improve the understanding of the dynamics of paleoclimatic and sedimentary inputs on the coast of northeastern Brazil. Marine sediments were analyzed via Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) after total digestion with HF/HNO3. REEs proxies are a useful tool in understanding the transport and origin of sediments due to their physicochemical properties. Our data showed the Parnaíba River was the main source of REEs content in the western South Atlantic. Fe minerals (Fe-oxyhydroxides) produced via weathering of continental and tropical soils were the principal REE-carrier phase during transportation and ultimate deposition at core site GL-1248. Several regional climatic factors mainly rainfall changes contributed significantly to continental-REEs erosion of sedimentary layers of the Parnaíba Basin, and transport and deposition of the mobilized REEs from the continent to the study site. Furthermore, changes in the negative Ce-anomaly showed low variation along the core indicating a reduction in deep ocean oxygenation during the interglacial relative to the last glacial period. That variation, probably, was associated with glacial-interglacial variations in sea level with the exposure of the continental shelf. The origin of positive Eu anomalies in siliciclastic sediment, also observed in the core, was explained by preferential retention by feldspars such as plagioclases and potassium feldspars mostly from the assimilation of felspar during fractionation crystallization of felsic magma in the Parnaíba basin since the Last Interglacial.

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 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.)

Abstract This checklist of parasites of Kerodon rupestris, an endemic rodent from the Brazilian semiarid region, revealed records of 25 enteroparasite taxa comprising Cestoda (Anoplocephalidae), Trematoda, Acanthocephala and Nematoda (Ancylostomidae, Ascarididae, Heterakidae, Oxyuridae, Pharyngodonidae, Trichuridae, Capillariidae, Trichostrongylidae, and Strongyloididae), and two taxa of coccidian. Paleoparasitological and parasitological studies published until 2019 were assessed in the present study and locality information, site of infection, sample dating, and host data were summarized from each reference. Analyses of recent feces and coprolites revealed the highest species richness in the Piauí State. The chronological data corroborated that Trichuris spp. and oxyurids are part of the parasitic fauna of K. rupestris. This represents the first checklist of intestinal parasites from K. rupestris.

ABSTRACTBetween June 2017 and August 2018, several municipalities located in Bahia state (Brazil) reported a large increase in the number of patients presenting with febrile illness similar to that of arboviral infections. Using a combination of portable whole genome sequencing, molecular clock and epidemiological analyses, we revealed the return of the CHIKV-ECSA genotype into Bahia. Our results show local persistence of lineages in some municipalities and the re-introduction of new epidemiological strains from different Brazilian regions, highlighting a complex dynamic of transmission between epidemic seasons and sampled locations. Estimated climate-driven transmission potential of CHIKV remained at similar levels throughout the years, such that large reductions in the total number of confirmed cases suggests a slow, but gradual accumulation of herd-immunity over the 4 years of the epidemic in Bahia after its introduction in 2014. Bahia remains a reservoir of the genetic diversity of CHIKV in the Americas, and genomic surveillance strategies are essential to assist in monitoring and understanding arboviral transmission and persistence both locally and over large distances.

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OBJECTIVES: To analyse and map the leprosy risk areas in the state of Alagoas, an endemic region in the Northeastern Brazil, between 2001 and 2019. METHODS: Ecological and time series study, using spatial analysis techniques. First, we analyse the epidemiological aspects of leprosy cases, using the data available in the Notifiable Diseases Information System; then, we used the segmented log‐linear regression model to assess time trends. Spatial distribution was analysed by the Local Empirical Bayesian Estimator and by calculating the Global and Local Moran Index. Finally, spatiotemporal clusters were identified through scanning statistics, using the Kulldorf method of retrospective analysis. RESULTS: We observed that Alagoas showed an average new case detection rate of 14.43/100,000 inhabitants between 2001 and 2019, being classified as highly endemic. The area of highest risk was the 9th health region (state hinterland), with increasing time trend (Annual Percentage Change/APC = 7.2; p‐value < 0.05). Several clusters of high risk of leprosy transmission were verified in Alagoas, including the state capital and hinterland municipalities. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that active M. leprae transmission persists in Alagoas; that diagnosis is delayed and that there are high‐risk areas, especially in inland municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 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.)

Background This study investigates the marine macroinvertebrate fauna of rhodolith beds (nongeniculated red corallinaceaous algae) in northeast Brazilian. A total of 57 species were identified, belonging to six phyla (Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Sipuncula, Mollusca, Arthropoda and Echinodermata), of which 50 are considered here as new records for the Paraíba State. Annelids (Class Polychaeta) were the most representative taxa in Miramar and Seixas Beaches, while molluscs were dominant in Maceió Beach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A first checklist of Rotifera species in freshwater environments in Bahia State, in northeastern Brazil, is provided. The list includes sampling data from 26 aquatic environments (lotic and lentic) undertaken from 2010 to 2016. One hundred and fifty-five species were recorded, with 68 new records for the state. The family Brachionidae and Lecanidae were the most representative (54.8%). The greatest richness was recorded in the Colônia River (57 species). Those results reflect the low numbers of studies previously undertaken in the region, indicating more research needs to be focused on Rotifera biodiversity in Bahia, the fifth largest state in Brazil (567,295 km2) with large numbers of freshwater bodies.

For climate adaptation and risk mitigation, decision makers in water management or agriculture increasingly demand for regionalized weather and climate information. To provide these, regional atmospheric models, such as the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, need to be optimized in their physical setup to the region of interest. The objective of this study is to evaluate four cumulus physics (CU), two microphysics (MP), two planetary boundary layer physics (PBL), and two radiation physics (RA) schemes in WRF according to their performance in dynamically downscaling the precipitation over two typical South American regions: one orographically complex area in Ecuador/Peru (horizontal resolution up to 9 and 3 km), and one area of rolling hills in Northeast Brazil (up to 9 km). For this, an extensive ensemble of 32 simulations over two continuous years was conducted. Including the reference uncertainty of three high-resolution global datasets (CHIRPS, MSWEP, ERA5-Land), we show that different parameterization setups can produce up to four times the monthly reference precipitation. This underscores the urgent need to conduct parameterization sensitivity studies before weather forecasts or input for impact modeling can be produced. Contrarily to usual studies, we focus on distributional, temporal and spatial precipitation patterns and evaluate these in an ensemble-tailored approach. These ensemble characteristics such as ensemble Structure-, Amplitude-, and Location-error, allow us to generalize the impacts of combining one parameterization scheme with others. We find that varying the CU and RA schemes stronger affects the WRF performance than varying the MP or PBL schemes. This effect is even present in the convection-resolving 3-km-domain over Ecuador/Peru where CU schemes are only used in the parent domain of the one-way nesting approach. The G3D CU physics ensemble best represents the CHIRPS probability distribution in the 9-km-domains. However, spatial and temporal patterns of CHIRPS are best captured by Tiedtke or BMJ CU schemes. Ecuadorian station data in the 3-km-domain is best simulated by the ensemble whose parent domains use the KF CU scheme. Accounting for all evaluation metrics, no general-purpose setup could be identified, but suited parameterizations can be narrowed down according to final application needs.

In the quest for a better use of energy resources, energy integration, and cogeneration strategies have been employed in the industrial and commercial sectors with considerable benefits realized. However, the residential sector remains underexplored. An optimization procedure should be carried out whenever there is a need to ensure or verify the economic viability of an energy system. This study uses Mixed Integer Linear Programming to optimize the energy supply to a residential building, with 20 floors and 40 apartments, located in the city of Joao Pessoa (northeast Brazil). The equipment available includes gas engines, electric and natural gas boilers, heat exchangers, cooling towers, and absorption and mechanical chillers. The optimization establishes the optimal system configuration and operational strategy (operation throughout the year). Economic, technical, and legal aspects were considered in the minimization of the total annual costs associated with the building's energy supply. The energy demands were calculated on an hourly basis, throughout one year, by the EnergyPlus software and corresponded to hot water (83 MWh per year), electricity (171 MWh per year), and cooling (242 MWh per year) demands. The optimal system was entirely reliant on the electric grid to meet the electricity demand directly and to satisfy heating and cooling demands by means of an electric hot water boiler and a mechanical chiller. The optimal solution is tested by varying, within reasonable limits, selected parameters: natural gas and electricity tariffs, the behavior of residents, amortization factor, and relationship between the tariffs of electricity and natural gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Picos municipality in the southeastern mesoregion of the Piauí State, Brazil, stands out for the large fossiliferous diversity represented mainly by marine fossils aged around 380 million years, from the geological period known as Devonian. To disseminate knowledge on the subject, researchers from the Laboratório de Paleontologia da Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI), Campus Senador Helvídio Nunes de Barros, developed a project for the scientific divulgation on paleontology in public schools in the municipality of Picos, with an emphasis on the local paleontological heritage. Eight interventions were carried out, composed of pedagogical workshops for children, thematic lectures, and itinerant exhibitions of fossils for adolescents and adults from the publicschool system in eight school units, totaling an audience of 1,160 members of the school community. These interventions are part of a program for the popularization of paleontological science entitled the Program for Scientific Dissemination in Paleontology in the public-school system of Picos, Piauí (Brazil), which aims to facilitate access to science, encourage the preservation of fossils, and foster the development of a relationship of cultural identity with the region's fossiliferous heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abrupt climate event Younger Dryas (YD) has been extensively studied; however, its structure is still poorly understood. Climate in northeastern Brazil is very sensitive to the latitudinal position of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) associated with abrupt climate change in the Atlantic. Here, we report changes in the ITCZ position within the YD by using precise speleothem multiproxy records from northeastern Brazil. We provide evidence for a gradual northward migration of the ITCZ preceding poleward shifts of the westerlies and the polar front in northern high latitudes within the YD. This can be attributed to gradual increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration as a consequence of the weakening Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). We suggest that a persistent increase in atmospheric CO2 might have triggered a resumption of the AMOC and reorganization of the atmosphere circulation in the Atlantic during the mid‐YD. Plain Language Summary: The Younger Dryas (YD) is the most recent millennial‐scale abrupt climate event in Earth history. Although its origin has been extensively studied, its structure is still poorly understood. Climate in northeastern Brazil is very sensitive to the latitudinal position of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) responds to abrupt climate change in the Atlantic (e.g., YD). By using stable isotope and trace element proxy records of speleothem from Toca da Boa Vista Cave, northeastern Brazil, together with other paleoclimatic records in the Atlantic realm, we provide evidence for a gradual northward migration of the ITCZ preceding poleward shifts of the westerlies and the polar front in northern high latitudes within the YD. This can be attributed to a gradual increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration under the situation of weakening Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). A persistent increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration might have triggered a resumption of the AMOC and reorganization of the atmosphere circulation in the Atlantic during the mid‐YD. Key Points: Speleothem and other paleoclimate records confirm a wet climate in tropical South America within the Younger DryasPrecise speleothem multiproxy records reflect a bipartition of the Younger Dryas precipitation in northeastern BrazilGradual South‐North climate transition in the Atlantic responded to a gradual increase in atmospheric CO2 within the YD [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northeast region of Brazil registered the second-highest incidence proportion of Chikungunya fever in 2019. In that year, an outbreak consisting of patients presenting with febrile disease associated with joint pain was reported by the public primary health care service in the city of Natal, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, in March 2019. At first, the aetiological agent of the disease was undetermined. Since much is still unknown about chikungunya virus' (CHIKV) genomic diversity and evolutionary history in this northeasternmost state, we used a combination of portable whole-genome sequencing, molecular clock, and epidemiological analyses that revealed the reintroduction of the CHIKV East-Central-South-African (ECSA) lineage into Rio Grande do Norte. We estimated that the CHIKV ECSA lineage was first introduced into Rio Grande do Norte in early June 2014, while the 2019 outbreak clade diverged around April 2018, during a period of increased Chikungunya incidence in the Southeast region, which might have acted as a source of virus dispersion towards the Northeast region. Together, these results confirm that the ECSA lineage continues to spread across the country through interregional importation events, likely mediated by human mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Este artigo trata sobre a pesquisa arqueológica na Terra Indígena Tupinambá de Belmonte, BA, localizada na costa nordeste do Brasil. A partir da descoberta de uma urna funerária, os Tupinambá propuseram o estudo de sítio arqueológico localizado em suas terras. Como arqueóloga, essa experiência possibilita a percepção dos sentidos que a urna funerária adquire na luta dos tupinambás pela retomada de suas terras ancestrais. Trata-se de uma etnografia arqueológica que busca contribuir com o conhecimento de outras narrativas sobre o passado das populações indígenas do Nordeste ao repensar o modo como as narrativas arqueológicas afetam a vida das populações contemporâneas e vice-versa.

In this article, I deal with stories that were told to me during fieldwork on lands that once were part of an enormous livestock and cotton plantation in the Agreste region of Northeast Brazil. In this work, which focused on the specific moment in which storied were shared, I am interested in showing how the stories I was told yield not only content but also the transmission of that content. This transmission leads into conventions and with them, the inequalities, hierarchies, reputations, moralities and sociabilities that permeate the stories told, allowing certain ones to circulation. At the same time, the focus on the moment of storytelling offers an opportunity to think about the actions that the narrative entails beyond its circulation, and its effects on social relations. Finally, I reflect on the stories analyzed in the article as moments lived, as complete and unique social experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desmidiaceae (Zygnematophyceae) is represented in Brazil by 27 genera and about 485 species. Studies which complement taxonomic information and geographic distribution of desmids have advanced in the country; however, six states, including Sergipe, have no information about this family. Hence, this study carried out a checklist of Desmidiaceae on a dune pond in the South part of Aracaju city, state of Sergipe. Samples were collected from October 2014 to April 2015 through a usual qualitative method in three points in the selected pond. Materials in semi-permanent slides were compared with specialized bibliographic databases for identification. It was registered 29 taxa belonging to five genera of Desmidiaceae [Actinotaenium (Nägeli) Teiling, Cosmarium Corda ex Ralfs, Euastrum Ehrenberg ex Ralfs, Micrasterias C.Agardh ex Ralfs and Staurastrum Meyen ex Ralfs]. The information presented here increases the distribution of Desmidiaceae in Brazil, and two taxa may be new records to science. We consider that Sergipe is a species rich area to this family and need more ecological and taxonomic studies to contribute to the composition of the phycoflora of the state and Brazil.

Abstract Background Trichosporon species may colonize the skin, respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract of human beings. The yeast is recognized as etiological agent of white piedra, a superficial mycosis. Nevertheless, immunocompromised hosts may develop invasive Trichosporonosis. Central nervous system trichosporonosis is a very rare clinical manifestation. In fact, only a few cases have been published in the literature and none of them was caused by Trichosporon inkin. Case presentation Here we report the first clinical case of meningoencephalitis due to this species in a female previously healthy patient under corticosteroids and antibiotics therapy for several months. She was submitted to an invasive procedure to remove a left sided acoustic neuroma and further developed a cerebrospinal fistula. After some days of the procedure, she presented a predominantly and intensive occipital holocranial headache, followed by vomiting, hyporexia, weight loss, asthenia, irritability, difficulty to concentrate and rotator vertigo. The patient further developed a cerebrospinal fistula in the occipital region and was submitted to a surgical correction. After several months of clinical interventions, she was diagnosed with CNS Trichosporonosis, after Magnetic Resonance Imaging and positive microbiological cultures obtained within two different occasions (2 weeks apart). Despite the antifungal therapy with Amphotericin B and Voriconazole, the patient did not survive. Conclusions Despite CNS Fungal infections are mostly due to Cryptococcus spp., other emergent yeasts, such as T. inkin may be considered as a likely etiological agent. This is the first case report of CNS Trichosporonosis, where species identification was performed with rDNA sequencing.

Copyright of Aufklärung: Revista de Filosofia is the property of Aufklarung: Revista de Filosofia 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.)

To think about Brazilian cities is to think about a context of inequalities that is aggravated by regions. However, in the 2000s Brazilian economic growth allowed the development of the economically disadvantaged regions of the country, in the case of a northeastern region. And a city in the state of Ceará stands out, Sobral. In this article, we aim to analyze the culture and its resonances from the modifications in the urban space of Sobral and how these elements interfere with citizens' lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the prevalence and describe Automobile Road Accidents (AVA) with bodily injury in Northeast Brazil, in 2013. Methodology: Sectional and exploratory study, using secondary data from 591 individuals, of both sexes and above 18 years old, residing in the Northeast region from PNS - 2013. Data were extracted from the national bank (IBGE), standardized and analyzed by SPSS®, version 20®. Results: In the Northeast, 93 people (14.3%) self-reported AVA with bodily injuries. Although the region has the lowest rate (14.3%) it has the 3rd highest absolute number of cases. Among the AVA, 25.6% occurred on the way to work, 21.1% during work, 22.6% of the victims stopped performing their usual activities, 27.3% needed health care, 2.2% needed hospitalization for 24 hours or more and 9.3% had / have some sequelae. Conclusion: The prevalence of VLE in the Northeast is the lowest in Brazil. The AVA are related to accidents at work, causing incapacity for usual activities, requiring health care. Knowing the magnitude of VLE is important to enable a deeper look at the problem, in order to direct new public health policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographical distribution of Bathoxiphus ensiculus (Jeffreys, 1877) and Cadulus platensis Henderson, 1920 is greatly extended based on new records, the former being registered for the first time in the southwestern Atlantic. The type materials of both species are figured and an updated diagnosis of Bathoxiphus Pilsbry & Sharp, 1897 is presented. A new deep-sea species of Cadulus is described, Cadulus victori sp. nov., known from only empty shells collected in the Northeast Brazil (off Alagoas and Bahia states) and distinguished from his congeners mainly by the strongly inflated shell, general outline and dimensions. The present study reinforces that although recent taxonomic revisions have been performed on the Scaphopoda from the southwestern Atlantic, there are still unknown or unrecorded species in museum collections, mostly from poorly sampled areas, especially in the deep sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Acquiring fast and accurate information on ecological patterns of fishery resources is a basic first step for their management. However, some countries may lack the technical and/or the financial means to undergo traditional scientific samplings to get such information; therefore affordable and reliable alternatives need to be sought. Methods We compared two different approaches to identify occurrence patterns and catch for three main fish species caught with bottom-set gillnets used by artisanal fishers from northeast Brazil: (1) scientific on-board record data of small-scale fleet (n = 72 trips), and (2) interviews with small-scale fishers on Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) (n = 32 interviews). We correlated (Pearson correlations) the months cited by fishers (LEK) as belonging to the rainy or to the dry season with observed periods of higher and lower precipitation (SK). The presence of the three main fish species at different depths was compared between LEK and SK by Spearman correlations. Spearman correlations were also used to compare the depths of greatest abundance (with the highest Capture per Unit Effort - CPUE) of these species; the CPUEs were descendly ordered. Results Both methods provided similar and complementary bathymetric patterns of species occurrence and catch. The largest catches occured in deeper areas, which also happened to be less intensively fished. The preference for fishing in shallower and less productive areas was mostly due to environmental factors, such as weaker currents and less drifting algae at such depths. Conclusion Both on-board and interview methods were accurate and brought complementary information, even though fishers provided faster data when compared to scientific on-board observations. When time and funding are not limited, integrative approaches such as the one presented here are likely the best option to obtain information, otherwise fishers’ LEK could be a better choice for when a compromise between speed, reliability and cost needs to be reached.

ABSTRACT The mosaic of protected areas of Boqueirão da Onça (8.636 km²), created in the north of Bahia state, is located in the Caatinga, an exclusively Brazilian biome, but exposed to a range of anthropic impacts that threaten its species and natural resources. Few data are available for various zoological groups in Caatinga, including mammals. In order to characterize the community of mammals of this region, considering species richness, we installed 80 camera-trap stations. With a sampling effort of 10,370 camera-days we recorded 28 species (22 wild and six domestic). Opportunistically, we recorded four mammals, resulting in a total richness of 32 species, five of which are included in the global list of endangered species, and seven in the national list. The results are significant, since the richness of wild mammals of the Boqueirão da Onça (S = 26) presented a high value when compared to other Caatinga localities. During the study we found evidence of human activities threatening the conservation of the region, such as poaching and deforestation. Therefore, there is an urgent need in the publication of the Management Plan of the recently created Boqueirão da Onça National Park, to minimize negative impacts on biodiversity and ensure the maintenance of ecological processes.

Objective: To assess the quality when filling out a health follow-up instrument for children in a town in northeastern Brazil. Method: It is a cross-sectional study involving 204 children who received care at 16 family health units. This study analyzes how they filled out the child's health card (CS) and the Child's Health Record (CSI), the differences between both and the associated factors. Results: the filling out was unsatisfactory in 37.2% of the CS and 50.5% of the CSI. Regarding the CSIs, the correct filling out was observed less often in the following cases: supply of iron supplements (0%), development checkups (1.1%), prenatal care (9.9%), feeding after stopping the breastfeeding (17.6%), and growth curves (0%-27.5%). There was a lower percentage of correct filling out for the CSIs regarding the baby's name, type of labor and weight indication in the graph. Newborns from married mothers (p = 0.045) and female babies (p = 0.017) showed lower probability of inappropriate filling out of both CSs and CSIs, respectively. Conclusion: The instrument for health surveillance in children is being underused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a combined analysis of airborne geophysical data (magnetics and gamma-ray spectrometry) and field aspects of Itapetim lode gold district region, aiming to identify structurally deformed and hydrothermally altered zones, which are suggestive of gold mineralized sectors. The main geophysical lineaments are oriented in the NE-SW and E-W directions and display a clear correlation with the major gold-bearing structures in the region. In the magnetic maps, the key pathfinder for gold occurrences is their association with strongly magnetized areas positioned along the Itapetim Shear Zone and outer contour of Teixeira Batholith. In the field, such structures are materialized in protomylonitic and mylonitic rocks that present evidence of ductile and brittle deformation, whereas kinematic criteria are suggestive of a transpressional tectonic regime. In addition, the main radiometric pattern is characterized by K enrichment, which is correlated with a hydrothermal mineral assemblage dominated by quartz, potassium feldspar, and tourmaline. Based on the obtained data integration, we produced an integrative map and located ten new target areas of possible gold mineralization, which is correlative to other well-known lode deposits in Northeast Brazil and Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Estudos Urbanos e Regionais is the property of Associacao Nacional de Pos-Graduacao e Pesquisa em Planejamento Urbano e Regional 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.)

The potential energy uses of landfill gas (LFG) are investigated herein, focusing on electricity generation and leachate evaporation. LFG generation is estimated with the application of the GasSim method, using real data on the municipal solid waste disposal at the Metropolitan Sanitary Landfill of João Pessoa (Northeast Brazil). The results show significant LFG generation, with an estimated peak production of 11,277.28 t in 2028, and LFG generation until 2042. Commercially available biogas‐operated equipment were analysed for electricity production in situ, considering production and operation restrictions at the landfill. It was verified that after 2018, a cogeneration facility can generate electricity and the available heat is sufficient to evaporate leachate. Positive net economic results are obtained, with an internal rate of return over 30% after 26 years, demonstrating that the cogeneration facility is profitable and self‐sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]