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This article analyses how the United Kingdom’s Due Diligence Regulations on Forest Risk Commodities (UKDR) relate to the bilateral soybean trade between Brazil and the UK. The findings strongly suggest that soybeans from Brazil are one of the main targets of the UK's new legislation. The crossing of literature, NGO reports, trade data, and open governmental and institutional documents showed that the UK highly relies on soybeans from South America to fulfil its internal animal protein food industry, with soybeans from Brazil being the second major case of the UK’s ‘imported deforestation’. Between 2020 and 2022, soybeans were also the second most exported product from Brazil to the UK, after gold, reinstating the Brazilian traditional place as an exporter of raw and essential commodities to developed countries. This article advocates that even though the new UKDR will affect Brazil disproportionally, compared to other agri-exporter countries, the legislation is not designed to challenge the soybeans economic model or deforestation on a broader aspect but to ‘clean’ UK’s agricultural supply chain from illegal tropical forest deforestation. The article's findings show that in the last five years (2017 -2022), the annual percentage of Brazilian soybean exports from states that comprise the Amazon biome, in part or wholly, to the UK was above 70% every year, a trend that does not follow Brazilian general soybean exports, suggesting that the UK may be more exposed to deforestation than other importing countries. The UK food industry could be financing an agricultural production model contributing to Amazon forest deforestation.

Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonosis in Brazil responsible for numerous reproductive and economic losses to the dairy industry. Brazil ranks fifth in the world's production of cow's milk and around 23 million cows are milked every day. The northwest region of the state of São Paulo has a considerable number of family farming settlements, with dairy farming being predominant. This article reports a seroepidemiological study to detect agglutinins against Leptospira spp. in 1,004 dairy cattle kept on 64 family farms producing milk in the northwest region of São Paulo. Management and environmental data for situation diagnosis were obtained with a questionnaire. Antibodies against Leptospira spp. were investigated by the microscopic seroagglutination test (SAM) and milk and urine samples were obtained from seroreactive animals with titer ? 400. These samples were submitted to molecular tests. Of the 64 properties studied, 63 (98%) had seroreactive animals. Of the 1,004 animals, 523 (52%) were reactive. According to the molecular tests, the presence of Leptospira spp. in the urine and milk of the seroreactive animals was negative. Wetlands, presence of rodents, occurrence of abortion, presence of dogs, presence of cats and presence of horses were variables associated with the risk of infection by Leptospira spp. In addition to its importance in animal health, leptospirosis poses a risk to human health, a situation that indicates the need for improvement of sanitary conditions in rural properties.

ABSTRACT The areas of Amazonian floodplains have added ecological value to their multiple ecosystem services, including water supply, local climate regulation, biodiversity with a marked number of endemic species, and diversity of micro-habitat. Considering the importance of conserving these environments, this study aimed to analyze the behavior and delimit the areas of the natural distribution of forest species Alchornea castaneifolia (Willd.) A. Juss and Laetia corymbulosa (lowland low), Maquira coriacea (H.Karst.) C.C. Berg (Moraceae), and Ocotea cymbarum Kunth (high floodplain), besides evaluating the potential impacts of climate change on the future distribution inferring on its conservation. The potential species distribution was modeled using Environmental Modelling & Software, by employing algorithms such as Bioclim, Domain, Maximum Entropy, Random Forests, and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The projections indicate that climate change threatens the occurrence of floodplain species. Under the SSP 585 scenario for both periods, the four species studied will lose areas of climatic adequacy until the end of the 21st century, especially in the Brazilian Amazon. The study shows the need to increase socio-environmental responsibility through conserving current protected areas in freshwater ecosystems and implementing new priority areas for conserving wetlands (Ramsar Sites) in the Amazon. Such measures are essential to ensure in situ conservation and protect them from habitat loss.

The use of grazing management strategies can influence canopy structure and the permanence of legumes. The objective of this work was to evaluate the determination of forage canopy heights as a grazing management strategy regarding herbage mass composition and tiller population dynamics in multispecies pastures comprising Megathyrsus maximus cv. Aruana and the legumes Macrotyloma axillare, Calopogonium mucunoides and Stylosanthes spp. Four treatments, defined by canopy heights of 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm, were evaluated in a randomised block design with four replications. The evaluations were performed under continuous stocking with sheep. Taller pastures (45 and 60 cm) contained greater (P

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led the medical and scientific community to explore the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of coronaviruses. In felines, a widespread coronavirus known as feline coronavirus (FCoV) can lead to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a highly fatal disease characterised by severe systemic inflammation. Diagnosing FCoV remains challenging due to the limited accuracy of the available methods. The present study introduces the FIP Effusion Index, a novel diagnostic method that combines the albumin-to-globulin (ALB/GLOB) ratio with the delta total nucleated cell (∆TNC) count obtained via flow cytometry using the Sysmex XN-1000V® analyser in effusions. Samples from cats (n = 50) with suspected FIP were analysed for ∆TNC, with findings showing that a ∆TNC ≥ 2.1 is highly indicative of FIP and a ∆TNC ≥ 4.9 can be considered diagnostic. The FIP Effusion Index enhanced diagnostic precision in our group of samples, achieving 96.3% sensitivity and 95.7% specificity for values ≥ 5.06, and reaching perfect specificity (100%) with 96.3% sensitivity for values ≥ 7.54. This combined approach surpasses the accuracy of individual parameters, establishing the FIP Effusion Index as a superior diagnostic tool for FIP, with potential applications in both veterinary and human medicine for related coronavirus diseases.

Two Amazonian species of açaí palm trees (Euterpe oleracea and Euterpe precatoria) are exploited in the commercial production of açaí pulp or juice. While E. oleracea benefits from developed cultivation technologies, E. precatoria lacks such advancements. Studies on the morphology and development of açaí palms under cultivation conditions can contribute to increasing the productivity of the species. The aim of this study was to carry out morphological characterization, assess growth and development in the juvenile phase of the plants, and obtain allometric models for E. precatoria and E. oleracea. Evaluations were conducted between 44 and 48 months post-planting. Allometric equations were formulated to accurately estimate leaf area. The results showed that E. oleracea begins reproduction earlier and exhibits greater growth in stem dimensions and leaf areas compared to E. precatoria, indicating that E. precatoria can be cultivated at higher planting densities. Allometric models, based on leaf length and width, effectively predicted individual leaf areas for both species, demonstrating their utility in optimizing cultivation strategies.

The historical and cultural significance of artistic works and archaeological artifacts underscores the imperative use of non-destructive testing methods in cultural heritage objects. Analyzing pigments in artwork poses a specific analytical challenge that demands a combination of various techniques to accurately determine chemical compositions. In this context, our work focused on the multi-analytical characterization of samples derived from fragments of a Roman-era Egyptian mummy named Kherima, dating back to around 200 AD. To identify the layers and elemental composition of the pigments used in the decoration, various techniques were employed: X-ray microfluorescence (µXRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high-resolution optical microscopy (OM), and X-ray computed microtomography (microCT). This multi-analytical approach facilitated the identification of the original pigments in the analyzed mummy fragments, along with insights into the materials used in the ground layer and the techniques applied in artifact manufacturing, indicating their accordance with the historical period and region to which they originally belonged.

Este artigo examina, sob o viés da Semiótica tensiva, o efeito de sentido de suspense no conto Continuidade dos parques, de Julio Cortázar. Toma-se como ponto de partida o esquema tensivo canônico ascendente do suspense, que prevê, como cifra tensiva, um aumento paulatino da intensidade, ao mesmo tempo em que a dimensão inteligível do discurso tenderia à diminuição. Com base na definição de suspense apresentada por Claude Zilberberg (2011, p. 136) como “a dilatação extensiva de uma espera intensiva”, defende-se, na análise desse conto, uma complexificação do esquema tensivo canônico, na medida em que o suspense decorre de um jogo de posições enunciativas que se sobrepõem no texto e que configura um percurso tensivo singular, no qual as subdimensões intensivas do andamento e da tonicidade ganham força no final do conto, sem, no entanto, comprometer o exercício da presença da dimensão cognitiva, inteligível, da extensidade, que permanece atuante no campo discursivo, mesmo no momento de surpresa, mantendo, assim, o leitor-enunciatário em um estado de suspensão, próprio da interrogação, mais do que da exclamação.

Euterpe precatoria Mart. (açaí-do-amazonas) and Euterpe oleracea Mart. (açaí-do-pará) are palm trees of socioeconomic importance to Brazil, and fruit demand has increased due to its nutritional characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of global climate change on the current geographic distribution of E. precatoria and E. oleracea and in future climate scenarios using the ecological niche modeling in the scope of Brazilian territories. The modelings used 28 environmental variables, including climatic and edaphic data. The current distribution was verified for the reference period (2009-2019) and future projections were evaluated in two scenarios (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways - SSP): SSP 245 (less pessimistic) and SSP 585 (more pessimistic), in the time interval of 2061-2080. All algorithms presented satisfactory evaluation indexes. Euterpe precatoria has a predominant geographic distribution in the Amazon domain, while E. oleraceahas potential occurrence in three Brazilian phytogeographic domains: Amazon, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. Euterpe oleracea showed to be more sensitive to climate change in both scenarios, while E. precatoria was more resilient up to a certain level of temperature increase (SSP 245).

Dermatophytosis, commonly referred to as ringworm, is a common superficial fungal infection in companion animals and humans. Between 2012 and 2023, plucked hair and scraped scale samples from domestic dogs and cats with clinical suspicion of dermatophytosis were collected from 355 veterinary medical centres across mainland Portugal. A total of 4716 animal samples were inoculated onto DERM agar, incubated at 25 °C for up to 4 weeks, and periodically examined macro- and micro-scopically to observe and evaluate fungal growth. Of these, 271 samples were removed due to contaminant fungi. Of the 568 positive cultures, the highest number were from the North (48.1%; 95% CI: 44.0–52.2%) and Centre (32.4%; 95% CI: 28.7–36.4%) regions. Microsporum canis was the most frequently isolated species (63.9%), followed by Trichophyton spp. (20.3%) and Nannizia gypsea (formerly Microsporum gypseum) (8.1%). Felines exhibited a higher frequency (17.4%) compared with dogs (9.1%) (p < 0.001). In dogs, the Yorkshire Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, Dalmatian and Miniature Schnauzer demonstrated a significant predisposition to dermatophytosis (p < 0.05). In cats, the Persian and Scottish Fold breeds were significantly predisposed (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between sexes (p > 0.05). These findings underscore dermatophytosis as an increasing public health concern due to its zoonotic and contagious nature, providing comprehensive insights into the epidemiology of dermatophytosis in Portugal.

Leishmaniosis is a vector-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, which are zoonotic and have an important impact on animal and public health globally. Between 2009 and 2023, blood samples from domestic dogs with clinical suspicion of leishmaniosis were received from 286 veterinary medical centres throughout mainland Portugal. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilised to detect antibodies against Leishmania infantum antigens. Additionally, a complete blood count and tests for total proteins, urea, creatinine and alanine aminotransferase, as well as protein electrophoresis, were also performed. No significant relationship between sex and breed was observed. The age distribution was bimodal, with the highest prevalence of disease occurring at 2–5 years of age and a secondary peak occurring at 6 years or over (p < 0.001). No statistical correlation was observed between creatinine and urea across the ELISA serological groups. In contrast, both the gamma globulin levels (r = 0.45; p < 0.001) and the albumin/globulin ratio (r = −0.36; p < 0.001) exhibited moderate correlations with the ELISA. These findings support recent seroprevalence studies in dogs, with some geographical areas in Northern Portugal exhibiting the highest values, which may be the result of geographical shifts in parasite circulation due to climate change.

Addressing the pressing issue of food waste is vital for environmental sustainability and resource conservation. While computer vision has been widely used in food waste reduction research, existing food image datasets are typically aggregated into broad categories (e.g., fruits, meat, dairy, etc.) rather than the fine-grained singular food items required for this research. The aim of this study is to develop a model capable of identifying individual food items to be integrated into a mobile application that allows users to photograph their food items, identify them, and offer suggestions for recipes. This research bridges the gap in available datasets and contributes to a more fine-grained approach to utilising existing technology for food waste reduction, emphasising both environmental and research significance. This study evaluates various (n = 7) convolutional neural network architectures for multi-class food image classification, emphasising the nuanced impact of parameter tuning to identify the most effective configurations. The experiments were conducted with a custom dataset comprising 41,949 food images categorised into 20 food item classes. Performance evaluation was based on accuracy and loss. DenseNet architecture emerged as the top-performing out of the seven examined, establishing a baseline performance (training accuracy = 0.74, training loss = 1.25, validation accuracy = 0.68, and validation loss = 2.89) on a predetermined set of parameters, including the RMSProp optimiser, ReLU activation function, ‘0.5’ dropout rate, and a 160×160 image size. Subsequent parameter tuning involved a comprehensive exploration, considering six optimisers, four image sizes, two dropout rates, and five activation functions. The results show the superior generalisation capabilities of the optimised DenseNet, showcasing performance improvements over the established baseline across key metrics. Specifically, the optimised model demonstrated a training accuracy of 0.99, a training loss of 0.01, a validation accuracy of 0.79, and a validation loss of 0.92, highlighting its improved performance compared to the baseline configuration. The optimal DenseNet has been integrated into a mobile application called FridgeSnap, designed to recognise food items and suggest possible recipes to users, thus contributing to the broader mission of minimising food waste.

Information and communication technologies, such as serious games, have contributed to addressing the gaps in cognitive rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI), particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there are effective software programs and games available for cognitive rehabilitation, they have certain limitations. Most current programs have difficulties to adapt to individual performance, a critical factor in promoting neuroplasticity. Additionally, these programs typically only offer single-player modes. However, patients experience difficulties in social interactions leading to social isolation. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel platform called CogniChallenge. It introduces multiplayer serious games designed for cognitive and psychosocial rehabilitation, offering competitive and cooperative game modes. This platform facilitates engagement with other patients, family members, caregivers, and virtual agents that simulate human interaction. CogniChallenge consists of three games based on activities of daily life and incorporates a multi-agent game balance system. Future research endeavors will focus on evaluating the usability and gameplay experience of CogniChallenge among healthcare professionals and individuals with ABI. By proposing this innovative platform, we intend to contribute to expanding the application of serious games and their potential to solve problems and limitations in the specific field of cognitive rehabilitation.

Objectives To evaluate the relationship among dysnatraemia at hospital presentation and duration of admission, risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and all-cause mortality and to assess the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of hyponatraemia in patients with COVID-19. Our hypothesis is that both hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia at presentation are associated with adverse outcomes.Design Observational study.Setting Secondary care; 11 Dutch hospitals (2 university and 9 general hospitals).Participants An analysis was performed within the retrospective multicentre cohort study COVIDPredict. 7811 patients were included (60% men, 40% women) between 24 February 2020 and 9 August 2022. Patients who were ≥18 years with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 or CT with COVID-19 reporting and data system score≥4 and alternative diagnosis were included. Patients were excluded when serum sodium levels at presentation were not registered in the database or when they had been transferred from another participating hospital.Outcome measures We studied demographics, medical history, symptoms and outcomes. Patients were stratified according to serum sodium concentration and urinary sodium excretion.Results Hyponatraemia was present in 2677 (34.2%) patients and hypernatraemia in 126 (1.6%) patients. Patients with hyponatraemia presented more frequently with diarrhoea, lower blood pressure and tachycardia. Hyponatraemia was, despite a higher risk for ICU admission (OR 1.27 (1.11–1.46; p

Abstract BRS Manicoré cultivar is an interspecific hybrid between Elaeis oleifera and Elaeis guineensis(ISH OxG). It has shown high yield potential and genetic resistance to phytosanitary problems in cultivation in Brazil. Studies have indicated differences in the composition of ISH OxG and palm oils, as well as the influence of genotype and environment on palm oil characteristics. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution of fatty acids, carotenoids, and tocochromanols in the olein and stearin fractions of the oil produced by the ISH OxG cultivated in municipality of Una, state of Bahia, Brazil by liquid and gas chromatography. There were significant differences for fatty acids, carotenoids and total tocochromanols between olein and stearin (p

ABSTRACT Astrocaryum aculeatum Mart. Moreover, Astrocaryum acaule Mart. are palm trees with ecological and extractive importance in the Amazon. These are hearty species that have been associated with archaeological sites and thrive in the presence of humans in certain areas. This work aimed to verify the effect of global climate change on the potential geographic distribution of A. acaule and A. aculeatum in the current period and future climate scenarios using ecological niche modeling in Brazilian phytogeographic domains. The modeling was based on 19 bioclimatic variables obtained from the Worldclim website and four algorithms (Climate space model, Envelope Score, Niche Mosaic, and Environmental Distance). Additionally, the Environmental Distance algorithm showed greater similarity regarding species distribution with potential occurrence in the five Brazilian domains (Amazon, Pantanal, Caatinga, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest). The dispersion patterns were very similar between the two Astrocaryum palms though A. aculeatum was more sensitive to climatic variations. A. acaule may be more resilient to changes, as demonstrated by being able to recolonize in the southern portion of the Amazon in future scenarios in the year 2070. The modeling helped to delimit potential areas for A. aculeatum and A. acaule, indicating the need for the conservation of the species in more sensitive regions.

The modernization of voting methods is a dynamic area of research currently. In the past, innovation in voting methods was limited to the automation of steps in the process through mechanical means. This changed with the introduction of commercial cryptography in the 1970s, whose applications to voting triggered a new era in this research field. Researchers used the following years to apply tools derived from cryptographic methods to build increasingly secure, transparent, and practical electronic voting systems. Despite the effort, a true remote electronic voting system was never achieved with the technology available. The introduction of Bitcoin in 2009 brought much attention to the blockchain concept that supported it. This new data model offered new levels of transparency, data immutability, and pseudo-anonymity that made it attractive and useful to e-voting researchers. Soon after, articles detailing the first blockchain-based e-voting systems were published, and the research field entered a new era. This article presents a study on the evolution of research in electronic voting systems, following a systematic literature review methodology and a chronological evolution from the first systems that employed public cryptographic concepts up to blockchain-based proposals, with the objective of detailing the evolution of the technology as a whole, as well as all the elements, centralised and decentralised, created and used to implement voting systems.

The residual feed intake (RFI) and residual intake and gain (RIG) are indices that measure ruminant feed efficiency. Their application has become alternatives to improve the profitability of intensive lamb production systems. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of RFI and RIG to measure the non-carcase organ size and cavitary fat of lambs. Thirty non-castrated male lambs were fed for 92 days and slaughtered, and non-carcase organs were weighed. RFI and RIG were classified in low, medium and high efficiency groups, and correlated to carcase and non-carcase organ size. The average RFI values were 0.07, 0.00, and −0.07 kg DM/d and the RIG values were 1.86, −0.20, and −1.91, for high, medium and low, respectively. Low-RFI lambs had lower (p

Diante das múltiplas possibilidades para o envolvimento ocupacional, o ativismo social é caracterizado como uma ocupação indissociável da identidade de um sujeito. Entre as formas de experienciar a ocupação do ativismo social no cotidiano, aquelas relacionadas às vivências de mulheres em movimentos feministas são o foco deste estudo. A pesquisa tem por objetivo compreender como o envolvimento nos movimentos feministas impacta nas outras ocupações de mulheres jovens militantes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo história oral temática, e teve a participação de dez mulheres jovens, que se auto proclamam como militantes atuais dos movimentos feministas. Foi utilizada a estratégia de bola de neve para o recrutamento e os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas via Google Meet. Identificam-se seis categorias temáticas que se relacionam ao processo de aproximação e significados do envolvimento com os movimentos feministas, a relação com o cotidiano em geral, as relações sociais, o lazer e o trabalho, a religiosidade e os cuidados de si. Os resultados contribuem para a visibilidade do envolvimento nos movimentos feministas no cotidiano e denunciam as limitações que as estruturas sociais impõem para as ocupações das mulheres.

In the last decade, artificial intelligence has generated several challenges in societies, with a special focus on public administration. Through the development of this literature review, we intend to underline the challenges that this has caused in the realm of public affairs, especially in terms of the smart cities framework, considering the legal perspective that is intrinsically associated with it. In this way, we based our research on a wide range of articles, from which we considered those with the greatest relevance and the highest number of citations in order to substantiate this theme in a more precise way. Finally, we present a set of conclusions, as well as opportunities for future investigations.

Industry 4.0 has become a crucial part in the majority of processes, components, and related modelling, as well as predictive tools that allow a more efficient, automated and sustainable approach to industry. The availability of large quantities of data, and the advances in IoT, AI, and data-driven frameworks, have led to an enhanced data gathering, assessment, and extraction of actionable information, resulting in a better decision-making process. Product picking and its subsequent packing is an important area, and has drawn increasing attention for the research community. However, depending of the context, some of the related approaches tend to be either highly mathematical, or applied to a specific context. This article aims to provide a survey on the main methods, techniques, and frameworks relevant to product packing and to highlight the main properties and features that should be further investigated to ensure a more efficient and optimised approach.

Resumo O artigo analisa fatores associados à descontinuidade do orçamento participativo (OP) em municípios brasileiros acima de 50 mil habitantes no período entre 2000 e 2016. A pesquisa foi analisada pela estimação de modelos econométricos com foco em variáveis explicativas políticas e pela propensão do ambiente local à participação. Os resultados indicam que a descontinuidade está associada positivamente com a troca do partido do prefeito municipal entre as eleições, a despeito da ideologia do partido; positivamente com a troca da ideologia do partido do prefeito, com a entrada de partidos de esquerda; negativamente com a entrada de partidos com outras ideologias; e positivamente com a troca entre partidos de esquerda. A descontinuidade não apresentou efeito com a troca entre partidos com outras ideologias. Os resultados indicam fatores locais e contextuais explicativos para a descontinuidade do OP, permitindo direcionar desenho de políticas públicas participativas e levantando reflexividade sobre mecanismos que devem ser adotados localmente para que não ocorra a descontinuidade, além de contribuir para a literatura ao demonstrar a associação entre a descontinuidade com a troca de partidos da esquerda, o que pode suscitar pesquisas futuras, dado que o resultado não era esperado.

The evaluation of the carcass composition of livestock generates relevant information on the quality and final yield of the meat products. The objective of this work was to evaluate correlations the ultrasound measurements in vivo of the Longissimus lumborum with the physical-chemical components of one-year-old Santa Ines sheep bred in extensive systems. The ultrasound evaluation was performed of the rib eye area (USrea), loin depth (USld), loin width (USlw) and subcutaneous fat thickness (USsft). After slaughter, meat cuts were weighed and carcass yield was calculated. The 12th rib on the left side was separated from the carcass and dissected, after which individual bones, muscles and fat were separated and weighed. The components were regrouped, ground and collected for centesimal evaluation. Significant positive correlations (p < 0.05) were found between the ultrasound measurements and meat metrics, except for the loin length, which had low correlation. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were found between muscles and the measurements of USld, USrea and USsft. The correlations (p < 0.05) between the bones and USld and USrea were negative and significant. USsft presented correlation (p < 0.05) with carcass yield. Thus, the ultrasound measurements associated with the Longissimus lumborum could constitute a valuable tool for evaluating the physical-chemical components and carcass of one-year-old Santa Inês sheep created in extensive systems.

In this paper, we seek to define the Portuguese Electronic Jurisdictional Administrative Procedure and characterize the scope and success of its implementation in terms of access to justice and court efficiency. It encompasses different perspectives on the judicial system and the electronic administrative procedure, reflecting the diversity of its authors, and combines a theoretical approach and discussion with statistics produced with official judicial data. Therefore, it introduces the issue and its background and discusses the models and principles of electronic judicial procedure and its representation in the Portuguese judicial procedure and law. It also presents the Portuguese exceptional and temporary regime for conducting judicial hearings in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing its merits and presenting the corresponding judicial statistics. The paper concludes that the advent of electronic judicial procedure, driven by technological advancements and aiming to achieve procedural effectiveness and efficiency, represents a paradigm shift and a change in the nature of the legal process, i.e., an ontological transformation in the theory of the process that requires a robust conceptual framework, to ensure consistent interpretation and application of procedural law and to guarantee respect for equality and legal certainty.

The zoometric indices can provide information related to the productivity of a herd. With these indices it is possible to classify the capacity for meat production and select the best animals for sustainable animal production. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate zoometric indices in Dorper lambs confined in different age groups. The study was carried out at the Sheep Unit of the Instituto de Zootecnia, in Nova Odessa, SP, with 26 registered uncastrated male lambs, from nine farms in the states of São Paulo (7), Santa Catarina (1), and Paraná. (1), with mean age of 102.30 ± 16.30 days and mean weight of 26.10 ± 4.14 kg. The animals were separated into three age groups: group 1 (67 to 93 days, n=9), group 2 (99 to 105 days, n=8), group 3 (112 to 135 days of age, n=9). The animals were confined with access to a trough containing high concentration diet with 15% fiber. The averages of zoometric indices were obtained by morphometric measurements. The weight assessment was performed using a mechanical scale and morphometric measurements were performed with a tape measure and a hypometer. The following zoometric indices were calculated: body index (BI), relative body index (RBI), thoracic perimeter withers ratio (TPWR), and body capacity index (BCI). For normally distributed data, comparison of the means according to age groups was performed with the Tukey test at 5% probability (SAS). The zoometric indices showed no differences (p>0.05) between age groups, with averages of BI (85.49% ± 4.12%), RBI (113.81% ± 6.14%), LBI (88.10% ± 4.70%), TPWR (133.36% ± 8.90%), and BCI (46.35 ± 5.45 kg/cm). The results showed no differences between age groups for zoometric indices, but the values obtained from the indices showed that the group was composed of animals classified as midline, with little leg development and good development of the thoracic region, allowing good meat production by Dorper lambs, reinforcing that zoometric indices are important to classify the functionality of a herd and select the best animals for sustainable production.

Gastrointestinal nematodeos are one of the biggest obstacles to sheep farming, requiring integrated control and prophylaxis measures. The indiscriminate use of synthetic anthelmintics can cause parasitic resistance. We hypothesized that pharmacological alternatives, such as homeopathy, can contribute to the control of nematodeos in sheep. This study thus evaluated the efficacy of three homeopathic complexes (HCs) for the control of worms in naturally infected sheep. The research was carried out at the sheep unit of the Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ) in Nova Odessa (SP), from April 18 to June 19, 2022. Ten grams of HCs (powder form) was mixed in 500 grams of concentrate and given daily to each animal in a common trough in a paddock with 10 animals. Each paddock corresponded to treatments 1, 2 and 3 (with HCs) and 4 (control, concentrate without HCs), totaling 40 ewes. The complexes were formulated with five homeopathic medicaments in sucrose as vehicle, namely: Spigelia anthelmia 9 CH (CH = centesimal hahnemannian), Arsenicum album 11 CH , Kali phosphoricum 15 CH, Cina 9 CH and Apis mellifica 15 CH, adding Ora Pro Nobis 6 CH (T1 treatment), Ferrum metallicum 6 CH (T2 treatment), or Ora Pro Nobis and Ferrum metallicum in equal parts (T3 treatment). The homeopathic substances were chosen in accordance with the guidebook “Homeopathic and Pharmacological Medical Material”, by Demarque, Jouanny, Poitevin and Saint-Jean. The animals underwent an adaptation period of 15 days before receiving the CHs, after which they were observed on three occasions, every 15 days, to measure the following parameters: number of Trichostrongylidae (T) and Strongylidae (S) eggs per gram of feces, Famacha®, hematocrit, body condition score, and weight. Four animals (1 T1, 2 T3 and 1 T4) left the experiment for different reasons (previous illness or parturition during the experiment). The efficacy of the treatments was calculated using the Reso 2.0 program. This program calculates the effectiveness based on the number of eggs found in the control and treated animals on each evaluation day. The results of the effectiveness of the treatments for T1 were 6%, 71% and 72% efficacy for T, and 78%, 20% and 81% for S, at 15, 30 and 45 days of administration, respectively. In T2, efficacy values considering T eggs were 0%, 69% and 79%, and for S, 97%, 46% and 44% at 15, 30 and 45 days, respectively. In T3, no efficacy was observed in relation to T (0% in all observations), but the efficacy values for S were 63%, 100% and 75% at 15, 30 and 45 days of product ingestion. It is noteworthy that the effectiveness of homeopathic medicines occurred in a situation in which all groups were losing weight. We concluded that daily HCs supply contributed to the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep.

Morphometric measurements are easy tools to adopt for characterization of breeds, as well to select the best animals for breeding. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize the morphology of Dorper lambs of different age groups. The study was conducted at Sheep Unit of the Instituto de Zootecnia, located in Nova Odessa, SP. A total of 26 registered uncastrated male lambs from nine sheep farms in three different states (São Paulo, 7; Santa Catarina, 1; Paraná, 1) were used. The average age was 102.30 ± 16.30 days and average body weight was 26.10 ± 4.14 kg. Initially, the animals were weighed (kg) and then 13 morphometric traits were measured: withers height (WH), rump height (RH), withers depth (WD), rump depth (RD), chest width (CW), withers width (WW), rump width (RW), body length (BL), chest girth (CG), rump girth (RG), shoulder girth (SG), leg girth (LG) and scrotal circumference (SC). The lambs were separated into three age groups, divided according to ± 0.5* age standard deviation: AG1 (67 to 93 days, n = 9), AG2 (99 to 105 days, n = 8) and AG3 (112 to 135 days, n = 9). The effect of age group was used to compare the morphometric measurements by the Tukey test at 5% significance (SAS). No significant differences were identified according to the age groups. However, some measures of the AG3 group had lower values (CW = 23.42 ± 1.70; WW = 23.65 ± 1.60; RW = 25.82 ± 1.79; BL = 59.45 ± 2.97; CG = 69.33 ± 4.5; RG = 69.45 ± 4.47; and SG = 23.73 ± 1.34; LG = 36.47 ± 3.58), although the lambs were older. Therefore, the morphometric characterization of Dorper lambs did not differ using a 72-day interval.

Feed efficiency tests of sheep are important tools to select the best rams and ewes, and should be a prerequisite in breeding programs. However, there are uncertainties about the influence of lamb age amplitude at entrance in efficiency tests. This experiment focused on evaluating whether the initial age in the test, with a difference of 72 days of age between the lambs, can influence the parameters of feed consumption (CONS) and mean daily weight gain (DWG). The study was conducted at the Sheep Unit of the Instituto de Zootecnia de Nova Odessa, SP. Twenty-six uncastrated male Dorper lambs, with ages and initial weights of 123 ± 16.30 days and 27.81 ± 4.20 kg, respectively, were used. After 15 days of adaptation to the feed and environment, the lambs remained for 45 days in collective confinement, with total diet ad libitum, being offered in nine automatic feeder stations monitored by the Intergado® recording system. The animals were divided according to the entrance age in the test, being separated into three age groups (AG), as a function of the mean ± 0.5*standard deviation. The numbers of animals in the AGs were 9, 8 and 9, respectively, for AG1 (84 to 114 days), AG2 (120 to 126 days) and AG3 (133 to 156 days). According to the AG, the means of the characteristics CONS and DWG were submitted to the Tukey test at 5% probability, using the SAS program. Average consumption did not differ (p>0.05) between AG1(1.02 ± 0.170 kg), AG2 (1.24 ± 0.252 kg) and AG3 (1.22 ± 0.317 kg). Likewise, the averages of DWG were not different from each other (AG1= 0.277 ± 0.088 kg; AG2= 0.343 ± 0.072 kg; AG3= 0.348 ± 0.052 kg). We concluded that the difference of 72 days of age for entry of lambs in the feed efficiency test is adequate, not interfering with food consumption and daily weight gain of the animals, under the experimental conditions evaluated.

The development of new tools for animal production studies has been increasing at a fast pace in the areas of nutrition and well-being. Infrared thermography is a non-invasive technique with accessibility and practicality, which can be used to obtain results from the selection of animals in intensified sheep farming. The experiment was carried out at the Instituto de Zootecnia de Nova Odessa, with the objective of correlating the average temperatures of different regions of the body through infrared thermography with measures of consumption in a food efficiency test. We evaluated 26 male Dorper lambs, weaned, not castrated and with average initial weight of 28.9 ± 3.2 kg. Thermographic images were obtained from each animal at a fixed distance of 60 centimeters (cm), at the following sites: eyeball (TMEDOC), snout (TMEDFOC), distal region of the hind limb (hoof) (TMEDC), testis (TMEDT) and rumen (TMEDRUM), with the aid of a FLIR E96 thermographic camera, calibrated to emissivity of 0.95, with subsequent analysis and adjustment using the FLIR Thermal Studio software. In each image, a marker with localized average temperature was used, with the shape of an ellipse for all regions. Subsequently, the animals were confined in a shed with an Intergado® System with 9 automated troughs to measure individual food consumption for 45 days, after adaptation to food and the environment for 15 days. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated using the average temperature of the body sites, initial age and consumption (SAS). The averages obtained for the eye, snout, hoof, testis and rumen temperatures were 36.37 ºC ± 0.76 ºC, 30.26 ºC ± 4.75 ºC, 24.69 ºC ± 4.14 ºC, 30.06 ºC ± 1.69 and 30.71 ºC ± 1.91, respectively. The averages of initial age (IDINIC) and consumption (CONS) were 123.30 d ± 16.30 d and 1.15 kg ± 0.26 kg, respectively. TMEDRUM presented a coefficient of 0.52 with IDINIC (P

Studies of meat production systems mostly have not focused on water intake, and are even scarcer in the case of sheep farming. However, among the elements that make up an animal diet, water is the most important and its consumption can be influenced by the feed, environment, stress, age and other factors. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate water consumption in age groups. The work was carried out at the Sheep Unit of the Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ) in Nova Odessa, SP, with 26 registered uncastrated Dorper lambs with an average age of 102.30 ± 16.30 days and average weight of 26.10 ± 4.14 kg, respectively. The experiment involved collective confinement for 60 days, with 15 days of adaptation. The water consumption was quantified using two automatic drinking troughs (Intergado® system). The total diet was offered ad libitum, with 88.44% dry matter, composed of 15% crude fiber and 16.21% crude protein.The animals were divided according to the entrance age in the test (AG), as a function of the mean ± 0.5*standard deviation. The numbers of animals in each AG were 9, 8 and 9, respectively, for AG1 (84 to 114 days of age), AG2 (120 to 126 days), and AG3 (133 to 156 days). The Tukey test at 5% significance was used (SAS). The means observed in the AG1 (2.02 ± 0.604 L), AG2 (2.45 ± 0.572 L), and AG3 (2.42 ± 0.558 L), did not differ from each other (p>0.05), with a general average of 2.29 ± 0.591 liters of water consumed/day. Therefore, the age group at the ages of the lambs in this study did not affect water consumption. More studies on the use of water in production systems should be carried out to devise strategies for more efficient use.

Many studies have been conducted to identify animals with good ability for meat production. In this respect, morphometric measurements and zoometric indices are important tools to select many characteristics aiming at animal genetic improvement, increasing the profitability and sustainability of animal production. This study was carried out at the Sheep Unit of the Instituto de Zootecnia in Nova Odessa, São Paulo, Brazil, with the objective of correlating zoometric indices and morphometric measurements in Dorper lambs. We used 26 registered uncastrated male lambs, with mean age of 102.30 ± 16.30 days and mean weight of 26.10 ± 4.14 kg. The weight was measured with mechanical scale and morphometric measurements were performed with a tape measure and a hypometer. The morphometric measurements collected were withers height (HW), rump height (HR), body length (BL), thoracic perimeter (TP) and rump width (RW). The zoometric indices were calculated by the morphometric measurements body index (BI), relative body index (RBI), thoracic perimeter-withers height ratio (TPRI), and body capacity index (BCI). Pearson's correlation coefficients were obtained using the average of morphometric measurements and zoometric indices, through the SAS software (Statistics Analyses System). The averages for HW, HR, BL, TP and RW were 52.65 ± 2.68 cm, 52.19 ± 2.75 cm, 59.83 ± 2.83 cm, 70.13 ± 4.71 cm, 25.43 ± 2.15 cm respectively. The values of the indices were 85.49 ± 4.12 %, 113.81 ± 6.14 %, 133.36 ± 8.90 % and 46.35 ± 5,45 kg/cm for BI, RBI, TPRI and BCI respectively. There was medium-high correlation (p

The association of different species in a pasture ecosystem is a challenge for grazing management, where the leaf area index (LAI) is the end result of interactions between plant-animal-environment. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of grazing management strategies (GMS) considering forage canopy heights on forage mass production (FM) and LAI in multispecies pastures. The experiment was conducted at the Instituto of Zootecnia in Nova Odess, SP in autumn (June 2021) and spring (December 2021). Multispecies pastures were composed of aruana grass (Megathyrsus maximum cv. Aruana) and a mix of forage legumes: calopo (Calopogonium mucunoides), macrotyloma (Macrotyloma axillare) and stylo (Stylosanthes macrocephala+ Stylosanthes capitata). The study was conducted in four randomized blocks with four treatments (grazing management strategies – GMS: 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm canopy heights) and four replications (500 m²/each paddock), with continuous stocking of sheep. For the FM evaluation, the forage was cut at soil level in three 0.25 m² areas, representative of the average paddock height. The samples were weighed, homogenized and divided into two subsamples for component separation and total dry matter quantification after drying in a forced-air oven at 65 °C for 72 hours. The leaf area (cm²) was determined using a LI-COR model 3100 measuring device to calculate the total covered soil area (m²) and to find the LAI values for aruana grass (LAIaruana), legumes (LAILeg) and aruana grass + legumes (LAITotal). Analysis of variance was performed by SAS software using proc MIXED. The Tukey test was applied for comparison of means (P

Gastrointestinal nematodeos are one of the biggest obstacles to sheep farming, requiring integrated control and prophylaxis measures. The indiscriminate use of synthetic anthelmintics can cause parasitic resistance. We hypothesized that pharmacological alternatives, such as homeopathy, can contribute to the control of nematodeos in sheep. This study thus evaluated the efficacy of three homeopathic complexes (HCs) for the control of worms in naturally infected sheep. The research was carried out at the sheep unit of the Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ) in Nova Odessa (SP), from April 18 to June 19, 2022. Ten grams of HCs (powder form) was mixed in 500 grams of concentrate and given daily to each animal in a common trough in a paddock with 10 animals. Each paddock corresponded to treatments 1, 2 and 3 (with HCs) and 4 (control, concentrate without HCs), totaling 40 ewes. The complexes were formulated with five homeopathic medicaments in sucrose as vehicle, namely: Spigelia anthelmia 9 CH (CH = centesimal hahnemannian), Arsenicum album 11 CH , Kali phosphoricum 15 CH, Cina 9 CH and Apis mellifica 15 CH, adding Ora Pro Nobis 6 CH (T1 treatment), Ferrum metallicum 6 CH (T2 treatment), or Ora Pro Nobis and Ferrum metallicum in equal parts (T3 treatment). The homeopathic substances were chosen in accordance with the guidebook €œHomeopathic and Pharmacological Medical Material€, by Demarque, Jouanny, Poitevin and Saint-Jean. The animals underwent an adaptation period of 15 days before receiving the CHs, after which they were observed on three occasions, every 15 days, to measure the following parameters: number of Trichostrongylidae (T) and Strongylidae (S) eggs per gram of feces, Famacha®, hematocrit, body condition score, and weight. Four animals (1 T1, 2 T3 and 1 T4) left the experiment for different reasons (previous illness or parturition during the experiment). The efficacy of the treatments was calculated using the Reso 2.0 program. This program calculates the effectiveness based on the number of eggs found in the control and treated animals on each evaluation day. The results of the effectiveness of the treatments for T1 were 6%, 71% and 72% efficacy for T, and 78%, 20% and 81% for S, at 15, 30 and 45 days of administration, respectively. In T2, efficacy values considering T eggs were 0%, 69% and 79%, and for S, 97%, 46% and 44% at 15, 30 and 45 days, respectively. In T3, no efficacy was observed in relation to T (0% in all observations), but the efficacy values for S were 63%, 100% and 75% at 15, 30 and 45 days of product ingestion. It is noteworthy that the effectiveness of homeopathic medicines occurred in a situation in which all groups were losing weight. We concluded that daily HCs supply contributed to the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep.

Feed efficiency tests of sheep are important tools to select the best rams and ewes, and should be a prerequisite in breeding programs. However, there are uncertainties about the influence of lamb age amplitude at entrance in efficiency tests. This experiment focused on evaluating whether the initial age in the test, with a difference of 72 days of age between the lambs, can influence the parameters of feed consumption (CONS) and mean daily weight gain (DWG). The study was conducted at the Sheep Unit of the Instituto de Zootecnia de Nova Odessa, SP. Twenty-six uncastrated male Dorper lambs, with ages and initial weights of 123 ± 16.30 days and 27.81 ± 4.20 kg, respectively, were used. After 15 days of adaptation to the feed and environment, the lambs remained for 45 days in collective confinement, with total diet ad libitum, being offered in nine automatic feeder stations monitored by the Intergado® recording system. The animals were divided according to the entrance age in the test, being separated into three age groups (AG), as a function of the mean ± 0.5*standard deviation. The numbers of animals in the AGs were 9, 8 and 9, respectively, for AG1 (84 to 114 days), AG2 (120 to 126 days) and AG3 (133 to 156 days). According to the AG, the means of the characteristics CONS and DWG were submitted to the Tukey test at 5% probability, using the SAS program. Average consumption did not differ (p>0.05) between AG1(1.02 ± 0.170 kg), AG2 (1.24 ± 0.252 kg) and AG3 (1.22 ± 0.317 kg). Likewise, the averages of DWG were not different from each other (AG1= 0.277 ± 0.088 kg; AG2= 0.343 ± 0.072 kg; AG3= 0.348 ± 0.052 kg). We concluded that the difference of 72 days of age for entry of lambs in the feed efficiency test is adequate, not interfering with food consumption and daily weight gain of the animals, under the experimental conditions evaluated.

Searching for improvements in semen cryopreservation, natural substances are commonly studied focusing to improve the sperm quality. The aim of this study were evaluated the effect of adding orange, pineapple, and beet juices in different concentrations and combinations to the ram semen cryopreservation extender. Five ejaculates from five adult rams were used. The semen pool was diluted in egg yolk-based extender and mixed with the following 15 treatments (at a final concentration of 400.10⁶ sptz/mL): orange 10% (O10) and 15% (O15); pineapple 10% (P10) and 15% (P15); beet 10% (B10) and 15% (B15); pineapple + orange 10% (PO10) and 15% (PO15); pineapple + beet 10% (PB10) and 15% (PB15); beet + orange 10% (BO10) and 15% (BO15); pineapple + beet + orange 10% (PBO10) and 15% (PBO15); and the control group (CON). Post-thaw in 0.25 mL straws semen quality analysis of cryopreserved semen was performed by CASA and flow cytometry. Analysis of variance (PROC GLM) was carried out and the averages were compared using the SNK test. Pearson's correlation test was also performed. No effect was noted in the addition of juices to the semen extender prior to cryopreservation. Post-thawed, although, statistically similar to the control group, the total motility of the B10 group reached acceptable standards of total motility. In addition, B10 group showed the highest values (p

In this second part, the authors review and suggest a methodology for studies in skull base surgery and training in microsurgical laboratory, based on their experiences and reflections. Not only are the foundations for the acquisition of microsurgical skills presented, but also what is needed to be an effective skullbase surgeon with good results. The present article reflects in particular the philosophy of professor Evandro de Oliveira and also serves to present to the neurosurgical community a new state-of-the-art laboratory for hands-on courses in Brazil, at the Faculdade Evangélica Mackenzie do Paraná.

The learning curve reflects surgeons' experience in managing several patients with the same disease. In skull base surgery, the professional's place on the curve could be related to the number of times the same procedure was performed. Where does curve begin? What amount of training is necessary prior to its application in surgical settings? What were the results of the first few skull base tumor surgeries performed by a surgeon who goes on to produce excellent results, and how is reflected in the start of their learning curve? The only way for neurosurgeons to improve their results from the start is with prior training in the microsurgery laboratory. This learning technique is essential to maximize the chance of success of a neurosurgical procedures, minimizing the morbidity rate to which patients are subjected by less experienced neurosurgeons. This article is divided in two parts, and its purpose is to show how training in the microsurgical laboratory fits into the construction of knowledge about skull base surgery, based on authors' experience and reflections. This first part discusses the technical, psychological, and philosophical aspects of medical knowledge, primarily addressing those training in skull base surgery, the principles of some selected philosophical currents, and their influence on the development of current medical knowledge.

Electronic devices are getting smaller each time and the technology, increasingly complex. Commonly found problems such as reflow soldering and open solder connections, which are mostly difficult to detect by conventional means like X-ray images or physical cut on the transverse section. Along with the challenge of finding these flaws, there are also some problems that may arise on the exposure of them using destructive analysis techniques, such as the fiscal transversal cut and chemical decapsulation. Both techniques may induce damage not relevant to where that flaw is located or remove evidence of a flaw or a damaged place. The high-resolution 3D x-ray computerized microtomography provides a powerful alternative solution and non-invasive to issues that involve the analysis of semiconductor devices. This research contemplates the study of semiconductor’s integrity (LED’s) based of X-ray computerized microtomography. The SkyScan 1272 Bruker commercial equipment was used for analysis of the P-N junction in a set with 10 LEDs, under non polarized conditions and upon electrical overstress effects on its contact terminals. The P-N junction had their dimensions analyzed on the three spatial directions (x, y and z) and studied on the effects that occur when a LED is damaged. The study methodology of integrity regarding computerized microtomography have shown consist outcomes that allowed the understanding of what occurs on the LED's structure and investigates matters that allows decisions to be made regarding its quality, and so, accomplishing the goals designated on this research.

The objective of this work was to carry out the in vitro establishment of Echynochloa polystachya aiming at obtaining a micropropagation protocol for works involving the selection of superior genotypes and the cultivation of the species. E. polystachya stems were collected in the municipality of Manaus-AM. Explants were inoculated in test tubes containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Thirty days after in vitro establishment, the rate of sprouting and contamination were evaluated. Experiments were also carried out to assess the effects of sucrose and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) concentrations on the tillering rate of explants. It was found that during the successive subcultures there was a decrease in internodes and the consequent loss of vigor. There were responses in the multiplication rate at concentrations starting from 45 g L-1 sucrose. In addition, BAP and sucrose interfered the development and in vitro multiplication. Sucrose in conjunction with BAP was harmful and shortened internodes. The physiological state of the explants for the species under study was intrinsically linked to the concentrations of sucrose used for the culture medium and the concentrations of BAP. However, the sucrose and BAP concentrations suggested for in vitro cultivation of E. Polystachya must be adjusted during successive subcultures. Absence of contamination in the in vitro establishment occurred at concentrations 15, 30 and 60 g L-1 sucrose. The combination of 1.5 mg L-1 BAP and 30 g L-1 sucrose promoted greater induction of sprouts. In addition, the in vitro rooting of E. polystachya was 45%.

The hummingbird (Family Trochilidae) collection of the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP) is one of the oldest collections of this family harboured in European museums. Almost 2,000 specimens, that encompass most of the taxonomic range of this family, were collected in the late 19th Century. It is relevant due its antiquity and because all specimens were bought from the same provider, mainly as mounted specimens, for a Portuguese private collection of Neotropical fauna. In the early 20th Century it was donated to the museum that is now the MHNC-UP.The information about the majority of these specimens is now available for consultation on the GBIF platform after a process of physical curation of all specimens and digital cleaning of the associated metadata. In the process, hundreds of non-catalogued specimens were found, and taxonomic and spatial information was updated for many of the specimens.

The off-season period for açaí palm production cause social and economic problems that affect producers and consumers. Two species are used for açaí pulp production, Euterpe oleracea and E. precatoria. These species have some distinct characteristics, including the harvest period. The cultivation of açaí palm is expanding in the metropolitan region of Manaus, state of Amazonas, AM, and there are no studies on the harvest period of these species under cultivated conditions in this region. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reproductive phenophases of the açaí palm E. oleracea and E. precatoria grown in the metropolitan region of Manaus, state of Amazonas and to check the harvest period of these species in this region. The reproductive phenophases were evaluated during 24 consecutive months in 20 plants of each species. E. oleracea emitted a greater number of inflorescences from January to July (76%), during the rainy season, and presented a greater number of mature bunches (56%) from October to December, at the end of the dry season. E. precatoria emitted the highest number of inflorescences (70%) from July to November, during the dry season, and the highest proportion of mature bunches (49%) was observed between May and July, at the end of the rainy season. The species presented different harvest periods, so the cultivation of both can contribute to reducing the off-season period of açaí fruit production in the metropolitan region of Manaus, AM.

Introdução: As opressões de gênero e sexualidades que as pessoas vivenciam na vida cotidiana implicam no envolvimento ocupacional e, desta forma, é necessário que este tema seja incorporado na formação graduada de terapeutas ocupacionais. Objetivo: Identificar e caracterizar os meios que informam a incorporação do tema “questões de gênero” na formação graduada em Terapia Ocupacional no Brasil. Material e Métodos: Foi conduzida uma pesquisa exploratória e descritiva, de natureza quali-quantitativa, entre abril de 2020 e maio de 2021. Foram garimpados documentos (meios) nos sites eletrônicos de 36 cursos de graduação em Terapia Ocupacional de universidades brasileiras, relacionados à matriz curricular, Projetos Político Pedagógicos (PPP), currículos acadêmicos (disponíveis, de modo eletrônico, na Plataforma Lattes - CNPQ) e planos de aula. Foi utilizada estatística descritiva simples, abordagem de análise documental e de conteúdo para o tratamento dos dados. Resultados: Dos 384 documentos garimpados, 65,3% abordam temas relativos as “questões de gênero”. No entanto, este percentual diz apenas a 19,4% do universo de cursos de Terapia Ocupacional, concentrados em 6 universidades, 5 públicas e 1 privada. E os temas são desenvolvidos majoritariamente em ações de pesquisa. Conclusão: Temas sobre "questões de gênero" são pouco abordados, de modo oficial, na formação em Terapia Ocupacional no Brasil. No entanto, mudanças são observadas com a revisão das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para reorientar os PPP e os currículos da graduação. Isso se mostra oportuno devido o intenso engajamento de docentes-pesquisadores/as, estudantes e terapeutas ocupacionais na pauta dos direitos sociais e humanos de minorias de gênero e sexuais.

A adoção de cultivares híbridos interespecíficos F1 entre caiaué e dendê (HIE OxG) em nível comercial é recente, induzida pela demanda de materiais resistentes ao amarelecimento fatal, maior problema fitossanitário da cultura no Brasil. O HIE OxG possui maior custo de produção devido à necessidade de polinização assistida. Devido a esta limitação, existe a necessidade de desenvolver novos HIE OxG mais produtivos, mediante aumento em produtividade de cachos e no teor de óleo no cacho (O/CFF). O objetivo do estudo atual foi estimar e analisar valores genotípicos e correlações genéticas referentes às principais características do cacho, tendo como referência O/CFF e estabelecer bases para ganhos no melhoramento genético. Foram analisados 840 cachos, colhidos de plantas adultas de 39 progênies HIE OxG, cultivadas em área de amarelecimento fatal. Foram observadas correlações genéticas fortes entre O/CFF, com as características percentual de espiguetas vazias e frutos total no cacho e teor de óleo no mesocarpo dos frutos normais e partenocárpicos. Os valores genotípicos de O/CFF variaram entre 20,55 e 24,86% nas 39 progênies testadas, com as melhores progênies situadas no limite superior da literatura internacional para HIE OxG, e acima da média, porém ainda distante do limite superior, de materiais genéticos de dendê, que possuem maior nível de melhoramento genético. Estes resultados indicam que a hibridação interespecífica entre as populações Manicoré e La Mé é favorável para o desenvolvimento de novos cultivares HIE OxG com alto O/CFF mediante seleção direta e a associação com as características correlacionadas pode ser explorada na seleção indireta.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic bacterium that can cause serious infections in both humans and animals, including dogs. Treatment of this bacterium is challenging because some strains have developed multi-drug resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance patterns and biofilm production of clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa obtained from dogs. The study found that resistance to various β-lactam antimicrobials was widespread, with cefovecin and ceftiofur showing resistance in 74% and 59% of the isolates tested, respectively. Among the aminoglycosides, all strains showed susceptibility to amikacin and tobramycin, while gentamicin resistance was observed in 7% of the tested isolates. Furthermore, all isolates carried the oprD gene, which is essential in governing the entry of antibiotics into bacterial cells. The study also investigated the presence of virulence genes and found that all isolates carried exoS, exoA, exoT, exoY, aprA, algD, and plcH genes. This study compared P. aeruginosa resistance patterns worldwide, emphasizing regional understanding and responsible antibiotic use to prevent multi-drug resistance from emerging. In general, the results of this study emphasize the importance of the continued monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in veterinary medicine.

O homem é dependente dos recursos naturais, assim, para garantir sua existência, necessita agir sobre a natureza. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo sintetizar o percurso ontológico de constituição do ser social a partir dos capítulos “O trabalho” e “A Reprodução” da obra “Para uma ontologia do ser social II”, de György Lukács, e estrutura-se em três seções: “as esferas basilares: o ser inorgânico e o ser orgânico”, “o trabalho como gênese do ser social” e “a efeito de conclusão: a relação homem x natureza no processo de formação do ser social”. A partir deste trabalho, pode-se compreender que a constituição do ser social se dá a partir do trabalho, estabelecendo uma relação de dependência ontológica com as esferas de base inorgânica e orgânica, que perpassam e influenciam a relação homem x natureza e, consequentemente, as interações sociais.

O presente trabalho apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa desenvolvida na disciplina de Cálculo Diferencial e Integral para funções de uma variável em um curso de Licenciatura em Química. Modificações nas práticas pedagógicas do professor de Matemática que atua na disciplina de Cálculo Diferencial e Integral, integrando-a melhor à Química e às aspirações dos estudantes do curso são o objeto deste estudo. Foi elaborado um material didático interdisciplinar em Cálculo Diferencial e Integral e Química, e este, em conjunto com a Abordagem Baseada em Problemas (ABP), garantiu a oferta de um curso de Cálculo Diferencial e Integral para funções de uma variável diferenciado. Considerando a proposta, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a pertinência desta ao curso de Licenciatura em Química. A partir de um estudo de caso utilizando as técnicas de pesquisa questionário e entrevista, junto aos estudantes que participaram da disciplina, foram realizadas análise quantitativa e qualitativa dos dados coletados. Concluiu-se que a aplicação de conceitos matemáticos à Química, ainda no primeiro ano do curso, contribui para minimizar a retenção na disciplina e incentiva o estudo da Matemática, sendo ainda necessárias outras ações para minimizar a evasão dos estudantes.

Abstract Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) represent a growing unmet medical need and an increasingly prevalent cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and death in Japan. The aim of this review was to characterize the epidemiology of NAFLD and NASH in Japan. An English and Japanese literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and ICHUSHI Web, identifying 6553 studies, 67 of which were included. Prevalence of NAFLD in the Japanese population rose from the early 1990s (12.6–12.9%) to the early 2000s (24.6–34.7% of the population). Japanese NASH prevalence is estimated to be 1.9–2.7%. NAFLD and NASH are more common among males than females; however, females experience more severe disease than males. While obese patients had higher prevalence of NAFLD/NASH, nonobese individuals (body mass index [BMI] 35% of NAFLD and NASH patients. The evidence shows that, despite obesity being linked with worse disease stages, “lean‐NASH” also plays an important role in NASH epidemiology. Besides obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome appeared to be reliably associated with disease severity. The prevalence of advanced fibrosis or cirrhotic disease was the highest in patients with NASH‐HCC (44–80% with stage F3/F4 disease), while 21–50% of patients with NASH had F3/F4 disease. NAFLD/NASH is common in the Japanese population, and the prevalence of these conditions has tripled in the last two decades. Furthermore, these NAFLD/NASH patients have a high comorbidity burden. Early and efficient identification of safe and effective treatments for NAFLD/NASH patients is urgently needed.

A educação se evidencia como um dos instrumentos com maior potencial na luta pela superação do racismo. Ao pensarmos no ensino de geografia, defendemos que ele pode contribuir para o debate racial e a busca pela igualdade racial. Compreender como este debate tem sido feito, no Brasil, é fundamental. Assim, esta pesquisa objetiva realizar o estado da arte da questão racial no ensino de geografia a fim de compreender de que forma esta questão tem sido discutida, nos artigos publicados em periódicos, dissertações e teses de ensino de geografia. Este estado da arte foi realizado por meio da verificação em periódicos nacionais e de uma busca no Catálogo de Teses e Dissertações da CAPES. As pesquisas encontradas foram analisadas e categorizadas, com base na análise textual discursiva (SOUSA, GALIAZZI, 2017) e na análise de conteúdo (BARDIN, 1977). O panorama da produção científica investigada revela uma escassez da discussão racial no ensino de geografia, no Brasil, sendo encontradas 29 pesquisas apontando para a emergência desta discussão.

The objective of this study is to compare the effects of a company's perceived levels of trust, reputation, risk perception, and quality, on consumers’ purchasing intention in two contexts. The first context posits a company in stable financial condition, while the second a company in bankruptcy reorganization. After proposing the theoretical model, we conducted research using two questionnaires, which resulted in 187 respondents for the stable company situation, and 189 who responded to questions about companies undergoing corporate bankruptcy reorganization. The results support our assumptions that the state of a company's financial situation has an effect on the relationship of trust on perceived quality, and reputation on purchase intention. These results lead to the conclusion that an unfavourable financial situation does not generally harm consumer perceptions of the supplier company but may cause changes in perceptions of their trust and reputation.

Abstract The idea for this special issue was to contribute to the international literature on public sector accounting from a Latin-American perspective, exploring which forces influence Public Sector Accounting and Finance (PSA&F) artifacts and concepts in Latin America, and how they occur. There is evidence that later influences from countries such as Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and New Zealand played a role in PSA&F developments in Latin-America. However, the roots and the associated effects (e.g., recent innovations, resistances, decoupling) of PSA&F are still unanswered questions. Such ‘recent innovations’ on public financial management processes include but are not limited to accrual accounting, convergence towards IPSAS, risk assessment, auditing, and budgeting. This special issue contains four articles capturing different perspectives of influences and mechanisms of PSA&F in the region.