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The article presents a historical ranking of national teams in the World Cups from 1930 to 2018. Brazil is the team with the most titles and points (193), followed by Germany (182), Italy (125), and Argentina (120). A methodology is used that takes into account the level of success of a team in the tournament, the relative importance of the championships played, and the level of difficulty of the opponents faced. The ranking of teams is also considered to establish the level of difficulty of each match. The ranking shows the total scores and averages of the teams, as well as their performance against the top 10 teams and in the knockout phase. Brazil occupies the first place with 449.84 points, followed by Germany and Italy. [Extracted from the article]

Austropuccinia psidii Winter, causal agent of myrtle rust, is one of the main pathogens in Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. We investigated the effects of the pathogen on wood yield and light use efficiency (LUE) in a Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla clone in a field trial at the end of a five‐year rotation. The study comprised two treatments that are commonly adopted by managers. One treatment with curative fungicide spray (Triadimenol 250 g l−1) seven months after planting and another with five preventive sprays of the same fungicide, from the 1st to 7th month age of saplings. At 5 years old, the control plots attained a mean annual increment of 35 m³ ha−1 yr−1, the curative and preventive treatments were 39 and 47 m³ ha−1 yr−1 (11% and 34% higher, respectively). LUE was also higher when fungicides were applied, 8% and 26% higher in curative and preventive treatments (1.06 and 1.24 g MJ−1) compared with the control plots (0.98 g MJ−1). To confirm the negative effect of rust at a larger scale, we tracked 102 inventory plots (from 1,234 ha) from 2 to 6 years old with the same clone, half infected and half with rust corrective control. Growth difference decreased with time, from an average of 41% at age 2%–5% at age 6. These results highlight the importance of managing myrtle rust in Eucalyptus plantations by selecting a disease‐tolerant genotype or adopting other strategies for disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though water is a scarce resource, not much thought has been given to its proper use during the execution phase of the building, unless this construction site has already acquired sustainability criteria or certification program. The purpose of this study is to assess the sustainability practice of the rational use of water and its application in the execution phase of construction sites in Brazil. The research proposes a list of items that facilitates the implementation of sustainability in construction sites by creating a checklist of sustainable practices based on environmental certification programs. This article uses the case study by a qualitative method, which can evaluate the major difficulties and the best occurrences of sustainable practices related to water use in construction sites. This work consists of six projects of various typologies and geographical locations in Brazil. The adoption of this list may serve as a tool for the implementation of sustainability in construction sites and as a benchmark among the companies. Finally, best practices for the rational use of water are proposed at the construction sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable practices at construction sites should be considered from the start of the project, meaning during the design phase. A model for the implementation of sustainability at a site is an important management tool, and its adoption can indicate good practices and propose an assessment of local conditions. Thus, the main contribution of this article is to propose a practical model to evaluate the level of implementation of sustainable practices at construction sites. The model was based on sustainability certifications and validated at six construction sites in Brazil. The results indicate that construction companies that possess environmental certifications have better levels of implementation of good practices at their work sites. However, it was noted that it is not necessary for a company to obtain an environmental certification; rather, it is necessary for sustainability strategies to become corporate culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients may require intensive care support for postoperative care, complications associated with underlying malignancy, or toxicities related to cancer therapy. The higher mortality rates found in this population than in the population of ICU patients without cancer may be attributable to confounding due to a higher prevalence of multiple organic dysfunctions at ICU admission in patients with malignancy; however, data regarding this hypothesis are scarce. Accordingly, we performed the present study to compare the crude and propensity score-matched mortality rates between adult subjects with and without cancer admitted to a mixed medicalsurgical ICU. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a comprehensive longitudinal ICU database in a tertiary referral hospital in Southern Brazil. All adult subjects who were admitted to the ICU from January 2008 to December 2014 were evaluated. Crude and propensity score-matched all-cause 30-d mortality rates of critically ill subjects with cancer were compared with those of critically ill subjects without cancer. RESULTS: A total of 4,221 subjects were evaluated. The survival analysis revealed that the crude mortality rate was higher among subjects with cancer than among subjects without cancer (18.7% vs 10.2%, P < .001). However, after matching by propensity score, the 30-d mortality rates of subjects with and without cancer were similar (18.5% vs 15.2%, P = .17). CONCLUSIONS: The present study failed to show an association between malignancy and all-cause 30-d mortality rate in adult subjects admitted to a mixed medical-surgical ICU. The propensity score-matched analysis showed no evidence of excessive mortality due to cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Better communication among field health care teams and points of care, together with investments focused on improving teamwork, individual management, and clinical skills, are strategies for achieving better outcomes in patient-oriented care. This research aims to implement and evaluate interventions focused on improving communication and knowledge among health teams based on points of care in a regional public health outreach network, assessing the following hypotheses: 1) A better-working communication process between hospitals and primary health care providers can improve the sharing of information on patients as well as patients' outcomes. 2) A skill-upgrading education tool offered to health providers at their work sites can improve patients' care and outcomes.Methods/design: A quasi-experimental study protocol with a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative) was developed to evaluate communication tools for health care professionals based in primary care units and in a general hospital in the southern region of São Paulo City, Brazil. The usefulness and implementation processes of the integration strategies will be evaluated, considering: 1) An Internet-based communication platform that facilitates continuity and integrality of care to patients, and 2) A tailored updating distance-learning course on ambulatory care sensitive conditions for clinical skills improvements. The observational study will evaluate a non-randomized cohort of adult patients, with historical controls. Hospitalized patients diagnosed with an ambulatory care sensitive condition will be selected and followed for 1 year after hospital discharge. Data will be collected using validated questionnaires and from patients' medical records. Health care professionals will be evaluated related to their use of education and communication tools and their demographic and psychological profiles. The primary outcome measured will be the patients' 30-day hospital readmission rates. A sample size of 560 patients was calculated to fit a valid logistic model. In addition, qualitative approaches will be used to identify subjective perceptions of providers about the implementation process and of patients about health system use.Discussion: This research project will gather relevant information about implementation processes for education and communication tools and their impact on human resources training, rates of readmission, and patient-related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high diversity of begomoviruses that infect non-cultivated plants has been noted in Brazil. Here, we report the complete sequences of two new species of bipartite begomoviruses from Sida sp. plants collected in the state of Piauí, northeastern Brazil. The genomes of these viruses show a genomic organization that is typical of New World begomoviruses. In phylogenetic analysis, two closely related viruses (sida angular mosaic virus, SiAMV and sida chlorotic vein virus, SiCVV) clustered with other begomoviruses described in tomato and Sida plants in Brazil. Evidence of recombination is shown among isolates of the species described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspergillus ochraceus, a thermotolerant fungus isolated in Brazil from decomposing materials, produced an extracellular β-xylosidase that was purified using DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography, Sephadex G-100 and Biogel P-60 gel filtration. β-xylosidase is a glycoprotein (39 % carbohydrate content) and has a molecular mass of 137 kDa by SDS-PAGE, with optimal temperature and pH at 70 °C and 3.0-5.5, respectively. β-xylosidase was stable in acidic pH (3.0-6.0) and 70 °C for 1 h. The enzyme was activated by 5 mM MnCl (28 %) and MgCl (20 %) salts. The β-xylosidase produced by A. ochraceus preferentially hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl-β- d-xylopyranoside, exhibiting apparent K and V values of 0.66 mM and 39 U (mg protein) respectively, and to a lesser extent p-nitrophenyl-β- d-glucopyranoside. The enzyme was able to hydrolyze xylan from different sources, suggesting a novel β- d-xylosidase that degrades xylan. HPLC analysis revealed xylans of different compositions which allowed explaining the differences in specificity observed by β-xylosidase. TLC confirmed the capacity of the enzyme in hydrolyzing xylan and larger xylo-oligosaccharides, as xylopentaose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to present a methodology capable of estimating the incremental payoff of the carbon market for grid-connected renewable power generation projects in Brazil. The proposed methodology consists of using the NEWAVE model to determine the optimal operating policy for the Brazilian Interconnected System over the medium-term, and to establish hydrological dispatch scenarios for the power plants connected to this system. Based on these results, the criteria defined in the methodology ACM0002 were used to estimate the baseline of the projects developed in response to the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol. Having estimated the baseline for the project, the incremental payoff obtained from the sale of Certified Emission Reductions is estimated using the real options theory. Subsequently, the value of the option is added to the conventional cash flow of the project, determining the impact of the carbon market on its internal rate of return. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Statistical experimental designs were used to develop a medium based on corn steep liquor (CSL) and other low-cost nutrient sources for high-performance very high gravity (VHG) ethanol fermentations by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The critical nutrients were initially selected according to a Plackett–Burman design and the optimized medium composition (44.3g/L CSL; 2.3g/L urea; 3.8g/L MgSO4·7H2O; 0.03g/L CuSO4·5H2O) for maximum ethanol production by the laboratory strain CEN.PK 113-7D was obtained by response surface methodology, based on a three-level four-factor Box-Behnken design. The optimization process resulted in significantly enhanced final ethanol titre, productivity and yeast viability in batch VHG fermentations (up to 330g/L glucose) with CEN.PK113-7D and with industrial strain PE-2, which is used for bio-ethanol production in Brazil. Strain PE-2 was able to produce 18.6±0.5% (v/v) ethanol with a corresponding productivity of 2.4±0.1g/L/h. This study provides valuable insights into cost-effective nutritional supplementation of industrial fuel ethanol VHG fermentations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A very high gravity (VHG) repeated-batch fermentation system using an industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PE-2 (isolated from sugarcane-to-ethanol distillery in Brazil) and mimicking industrially relevant conditions (high inoculation rates and low O(2) availability) was successfully operated during fifteen consecutive fermentation cycles, attaining ethanol at 17.1 ± 0.2% (v/v) with a batch productivity of 3.5 ± 0.04 g l(-1) h(-1). Moreover, this innovative operational strategy (biomass refreshing step) prevented critical decreases on yeast viability levels and promoted high accumulation of intracellular glycerol and trehalose, which can provide an adaptive advantage to yeast cells under harsh industrial environments. This study contributes to the improvement of VHG fermentation processes by exploring an innovative operational strategy that allows attaining very high ethanol titres without a critical decrease of the viability level thus minimizing the production costs due to energy savings during the distillation process.

In this work, in vitro antioxidant activity of two Brazilian red seaweeds, Gracilaria birdiae and Gracilaria cornea, was characterized. The total phenolic content, the radical-scavenging activity and the antioxidant activity were determined in two solvent extracts of the algae. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) allowed identification of important antioxidant compounds. The ethanol extract of G. birdiae was found to have the highest value of total phenolic content: 1.13 mg of gallic acid equiv (GAE)/g of extract. The radical-scavenging activity of G. birdiae and G. cornea extracts has been evaluated at different extract concentrations; the IC(50) values of ethanolic extracts of G. cornea and G. birdiae were 0.77 and 0.76 mg mL(-1), respectively, while for methanolic extracts, the IC(50) values of G. cornea and G. birdiae were 0.86 and 0.76 mg mL(-1), respectively. The antioxidant activities of these two seaweeds' extracts as assessed by the β-carotene-linoleic acid assay were equally high, achieving values of β-carotene oxidation inhibition of up to 40%. Finally, in the methanolic extracts, LC-MS/MS allowed identification in both algae of two important antioxidants: apigenin and gallic acid.