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Background: Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is one of the most important commodities today, with a high economic value worldwide. Coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix Berk. et Br.) has been showing a high impact on Brazilian coffee trees among the various diseases that attack coffee. The climate has a great influence on the development of diseases, especially when fungi are the causal agents. This study aimed to carry out the zoning of climate favorability for coffee leaf rust in the traditional and main coffee-producing regions of Brazil. The study was conducted in 13 locations in the states of Paraná, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Goiás and Bahia. Air temperature and daily precipitation data for the current scenario were collected using the WorldClim version 2.1 platform for the last climatological normal and future climate change data. The ideal climate conditions for coffee leaf rust consist of a mean air temperature ranging from 21 to 25 °C and precipitation >30 mm per month. The Coupled Model Intercomparison Projects scenarios associated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports consisted of the Shared Socio-Economic Pathways SSP-1 2.6, SSP-2 4.5, SSP-3 7.0 and SSP-5 8.5, the latter being considered one of the most catastrophic. All steps to carry out the suitability zoning were performed in a tool using the QGIS geographic information system software., Results: Zoning for coffee leaf rust had three classes: favorable, relatively favorable and unfavorable. Currently, the largest coffee-producing region in Brazil has 49.1% of its analyzed area classified as favorable, 39.2% as relatively favorable and 11.7% as unfavorable. In the current scenario, Patrocínio and Três Pontas are locations with high coffee production in which the favorable class is predominant. The state of Minas Gerais has an annual mean of 55.3% of its entire territory apt for the disease, with the highest occurrence between September and March., Conclusions: Climate change has a negative impact on the development of coffee leaf rust, mainly in the long term, as in the period of 2081-2100, in which the SSP-5 8.5 scenario led to a decrease in the favorable and unfavorable areas and an increase in the relatively favorable areas of 9.8%, 18.6% and 71.5% for the Brazilian territory, respectively. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The agricultural sugarcane residues, bagasse and straws, can be used for second-generation ethanol (2GE) production by the cellulose conversion into glucose (saccharification). However, the lignin content negatively impacts the saccharification process. This polymer is mainly composed of guaiacyl (G), hydroxyphenyl (H), and syringyl (S) units, the latter formed in the ferulate 5-hydroxylase (F5H) branch of the lignin biosynthesis pathway. We have generated transgenic lines overexpressing ShF5H1 under the control of the C4H (cinnamate 4-hydroxylase) rice promoter, which led to a significant increase of up to 160% in the S/G ratio and 63% in the saccharification efficiency in leaves. Nevertheless, the content of lignin was unchanged in this organ. In culms, neither the S/G ratio nor sucrose accumulation was altered, suggesting that ShF5H1 overexpression would not affect first-generation ethanol production. Interestingly, the bagasse showed a significantly higher fiber content. Our results indicate that the tissue-specific manipulation of the biosynthetic branch leading to S unit formation is industrially advantageous and has established a foundation for further studies aiming at refining lignin modifications. Thus, the ShF5H1 overexpression in sugarcane emerges as an efficient strategy to improve 2GE production from straw.

Managing invasive species is crucial to mitigate their negative impacts on ecosystems, yet conflicts may arise when their social benefits are disregarded. Human pressure on the endemic-rich forests of São Tomé has been high since the island was discovered by the Portuguese in the 15th century, and numerous species have been introduced. These include the invasive West African giant land snail (Archachatina marginata), which was introduced in the mid-20th century, is now widespread on the island, and is a potential threat to native flora and fauna. We assessed the frequency of consumption of this species and its socioeconomic importance to people across the island with household questionnaires, focus group discussions, and semistructured interviews. We explored the prevalence and potential drivers of use (e.g., wealth, household composition, and diversity of occupations) and characterized the commodity chain to identify demographic groups linked to the snail trade. We interviewed 672 people (1 person per household), conducted 6 focus groups, and interviewed 80 key actors belonging to 5 subcategories. The snail was the most widely consumed bushmeat and an important source of income, particularly for women and unemployed youth. Insecure and scarce livelihood alternatives, mostly in rural areas, were reported as drivers for trade involvement. Snail harvesting was more frequent in poorer households with low occupational diversity. Selling tended to occur in households that were well-established in the community and had a higher proportion of children. Both were stimulated by the proximity of communities to the native forest. Buying snails was common in all demographic groups, but it was linked to wealth and occupational diversity. Interventions to manage the impact of this introduced species on the valuable ecosystems of the island should involve multiple sectors of society to ensure societal support. This requires robust consideration of the welfare of vulnerable demographic groups that benefit from the species., (© 2024 The Author(s). Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.)

West Nile (WNV) is a zoonotic arbovirus with an expanding geographical range and epidemic activity in Europe. Not having yet experienced a human-associated epidemic, Portugal remains an outlier in the Mediterranean basin. In this study, we apply ecological niche modelling informed by WNV historical evidence and a multitude of environmental variables from across Portugal. We identify that ecological backgrounds compatible with WNV historical circulation are mostly restricted to the south, characterized by a warmer and drier climate, high avian diversity, specific avian species and land types. We estimate WNV ecological suitability across the country, identifying overlaps with the distributions of the three relevant hosts (humans, birds, equines) for public and animal health. From this, we propose a category-based spatial framework providing first of a kind valuable insights for WNV surveillance in Portugal under the One Health nexus. We forecast that near future climate trends alone will contribute to pushing adequate WNV ecological suitability northwards, towards regions with higher human density. This unique perspective on the past, present and future ecology of WNV addresses existing national knowledge gaps, enhances our understanding of the evolving emergence of WNV, and offers opportunities to prepare and respond to the first human-associated epidemic in Portugal., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Afrotropics are experiencing some of the fastest urbanisation rates on the planet but the impact of city growth on their rich and unique biodiversity remains understudied, especially compared to natural baselines. Little is also known about how introduced species influence β-diversity in these contexts, and how patterns coincide with native ranges of species. Here we investigated how tree assemblages of the endemic-rich Afrotropical island of São Tomé differed between urban, rural and natural zones. These were primarily characterised by urban greenspaces, shade plantations, and old-growth forests, respectively. Based on 81 transects, we assessed biodiversity metrics of endemic, native and introduced species. Tree abundance and species richness were highest in the natural zone, where the composition was most different from the urban zone. The tree community of the rural zone was the most uneven and had the least variation among transects, representing the lowest β-diversity. The urban zone was dominated by introduced species (57.7%), while the natural zone hosted almost exclusively native species (93.3%), including many endemics (26.1%). The biogeographic realms that species originated from were particularly diverse in the urban zone, with few species from the Afrotropics. In contrast to native and endemic trees, introduced trees were clearly associated with urban and rural expansion, as they were much more abundant and species-rich in these zones than in the natural zone, facilitating biotic homogenisation. These findings highlight how urban and rural environments are affecting the native tree flora of São Tomé, and the need for conservation measures geared towards globally threatened and endemic tree species. Importantly, these require the protection of natural forests, despite the rising land demands for settlements and agriculture. Ultimately, such action to conserve endemic trees will contribute to global efforts to prevent further biodiversity declines., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Embolism resistance of xylem tissue varies among species and is an important trait related to drought resistance, with anatomical attributes like pit membrane thickness playing an important role in avoiding embolism spread. Grafted Citrus trees are commonly grown in orchards, with the rootstock being able to affect the drought resistance of the whole plant. Here, we evaluated how rootstocks affect the vulnerability to embolism resistance of the scion using several rootstock/scion combinations. Scions of 'Tahiti' acid lime, 'Hamlin', 'Pera' and 'Valencia' oranges grafted on a 'Rangpur' lime rootstock exhibit similar vulnerability to embolism. In field-grown trees, measurements of leaf water potential did not suggest significant embolism formation during the dry season, while stomata of Citrus trees presented an isohydric response to declining water availability. When 'Valencia' orange scions were grafted on 'Rangpur' lime, 'IAC 1710' citrandarin, 'Sunki Tropical' mandarin or 'Swingle' citrumelo rootstocks, variation in intervessel pit membrane thickness of the scion was found. The 'Rangpur' lime rootstock, which is known for its drought resistance, induced thicker pit membranes in the scion, resulting in higher embolism resistance than the other rootstocks. Similarly, the rootstock 'IAC 1710' citrandarin generated increased embolism resistance of the scion, which is highly relevant for citriculture., (© 2024 The Authors. Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Live yeasts have favorable characteristics for use in animal feed, and may become a beneficial tool to improve digestive efficiency in buffaloes ( Bubalus bubalis ). The productive performance, feed efficiency, and digestion ability of buffaloes fed diets supplemented with yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain KA500) were evaluated. Eighteen male Murrah buffaloes, with initial weight 250 ± 31 kg (mean ± standard deviation), and aged approximately 12 months, were randomly assigned to one of two treatments. The treatments included experimental feed containing 10 g of the live yeast capable of forming 2 × 10 10 colony forming units (CFU) and control (feed with no added yeast). The daily weight gain tended to be lower ( p  = 0.07) in buffaloes supplemented with yeast. There was a reduction in daily dry matter intake (DMI) and in % yield of live weight in buffaloes supplemented with yeast. There was no effect of live yeast supplementation on weight gain/kg dry matter intake, height at withers or rump, body condition score, total weight gain, carcass yield, plasma urea nitrogen concentrations, purine derivatives, and plasma glucose concentrations. The digestibility of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) were lower ( p  < 0.05) with the supplementation of live yeast, although live yeast supplementation did not affect the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and non-NDF OM. The strain and dosage of live yeast used did not have a positive effect on buffalo performance and digestibility of dietary nutrients., Competing Interests: WS was employed by Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ferreira, da Silva, Cunha, Costa, Cabral, Dias and de Lima.)

Background: Climate influences the interaction between pathogens and their hosts significantly. This is particularly evident in the coffee industry, where fungal diseases like Cercospora coffeicola, causing brown-eye spot, can reduce yields drastically. This study focuses on forecasting coffee brown-eye spot using various models that incorporate agrometeorological data, allowing for predictions at least 1 week prior to the occurrence of disease. Data were gathered from eight locations across São Paulo and Minas Gerais, encompassing the South and Cerrado regions of Minas Gerais state. In the initial phase, various machine learning (ML) models and topologies were calibrated to forecast brown-eye spot, identifying one with potential for advanced decision-making. The top-performing models were then employed in the next stage to forecast and spatially project the severity of brown-eye spot across 2681 key Brazilian coffee-producing municipalities. Meteorological data were sourced from NASA's Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources platform, and the Penman-Monteith method was used to estimate reference evapotranspiration, leading to a Thornthwaite and Mather water-balance calculation. Six ML models - K-nearest neighbors (KNN), artificial neural network multilayer perceptron (MLP), support vector machine (SVM), random forests (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and gradient boosting regression (GradBOOSTING) - were employed, considering disease latency to time define input variables., Results: These models utilized climatic elements such as average air temperature, relative humidity, leaf wetness duration, rainfall, evapotranspiration, water deficit, and surplus. The XGBoost model proved most effective in high-yielding conditions, demonstrating high precision and accuracy. Conversely, the SVM model excelled in low-yielding scenarios. The incidence of brown-eye spot varied noticeably between high- and low-yield conditions, with significant regional differences observed. The accuracy of predicting brown-eye spot severity in coffee plantations depended on the biennial production cycle. High-yielding trees showed superior results with the XGBoost model (R 2  = 0.77, root mean squared error, RMSE = 10.53), whereas the SVM model performed better under low-yielding conditions (precision 0.76, RMSE = 12.82)., Conclusion: The study's application of agrometeorological variables and ML models successfully predicted the incidence of brown-eye spot in coffee plantations with a 7 day lead time, illustrating that they were valuable tools for managing this significant agricultural challenge. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

This study investigated the effect of AgNPs and AgNO 3 , at concentrations equivalent, on the production of primary and secondary metabolites on transgenic soybean plants through an NMR-based metabolomics. The plants were cultivated in a germination chamber following three different treatments: T0 (addition of water), T1 (addition of AgNPs), and T2 (addition of AgNO 3 ). Physiological characteristics, anatomical analyses through microscopic structures, and metabolic profile studies were carried out to establish the effect of abiotic stress on these parameters in soybean plants. Analysis of the 1 H NMR spectra revealed the presence of amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and polyphenols. The metabolic profiles of plants with AgNP and AgNO 3 were qualitatively similar to the metabolic profile of the control group, suggesting that the application of silver does not affect secondary metabolites. From the PCA, it was possible to differentiate the three treatments applied, mainly based on the content of fatty acids, pinitol, choline, and betaine.

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is renowned for its nutritional and pharmaceutical attributes. A staple in South American (SA) culture, it serves as the foundation for several traditional beverages. Significantly, the pharmaceutical domain has secured numerous patents associated with this plant's distinctive properties. This research delves into the climatic influence on yerba mate by leveraging the CMIP6 model projections to assess potential shifts brought about by climate change. Given its economic and socio-cultural significance, comprehending how climate change might sway yerba mate's production and distribution is pivotal. The CMIP6 model offers insights into future conditions, pinpointing areas that are either conducive or adverse for yerba mate cultivation. Our findings will be instrumental in crafting adaptive and mitigative strategies, thereby directing sustainable production planning for yerba mate. The core objective of this study was to highlight zones optimal for Ilex paraguariensis cultivation across its major producers: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, under CMIP6's climate change forecasts. Our investigation encompassed major producing zones spanning the North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, and South of Brazil, along with the aforementioned countries. A conducive environment for this crop's growth features air temperatures between 21 to 25 °C and a minimum precipitation of 1200 mm per cycle. We sourced the current climate data from the WorldClim version 2 platform. Meanwhile, projections for future climatic parameters were derived from WorldClim 2.1, utilizing the IPSL-CM6A-LR model with a refined 30-s spatial resolution. We took into account four distinct socio-economic pathways over varying timelines: 2021-2040, 2041-2060, 2061-2081, and 2081-2100. Geographic information system data aided in the spatial interpolation across Brazil, applying the Kriging technique. The outcomes revealed a majority of the examined areas as non-conducive for yerba mate cultivation, with a scanty 12.25% (1.5 million km 2 ) deemed favorable. Predominantly, these propitious regions lie in southern Brazil and Uruguay, the present-day primary producers of yerba mate. Alarming was the discovery that forthcoming climatic scenarios predominantly forecast detrimental shifts, characterized by escalating average air temperatures and diminishing rainfall. These trends portend a decline in suitable cultivation regions for yerba mate., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to International Society of Biometeorology.)

Background: This research aimed to identify the agroclimatic zones in Brazil, excluding Rio Grande do Sul, that are suitable for olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivation, considering both climatic and topographical factors. Olives require specific conditions: moderate winter temperatures (7-15 °C), warmer summers (25-35 °C) and sufficient water during growth and fruit maturation. They can endure some drought, making them a viable option for agricultural diversification. Using daily meteorological data from 1989 to 2023 from NASA-POWER, this study analyzed variables like air temperature (minimum and maximum) and rainfall. Key climate variables were the mean air temperature in winter (T&#95;w), spring (T&#95;s), summer (T&#95;su) and autumn (T&#95;a) and total annual precipitation (Prec). Criteria for suitability included: T&#95;w between 5 and 20 °C, T&#95;s between 15 and 23 °C, T&#95;su between 15 and 30 °C, T&#95;a between 15 and 22 °C, annual precipitation over 900 mm and altitude below 900 m. Geographic information system software and Python 3.8 were employed for data analysis and zoning., Results: Results indicated that only 1.92% of the analyzed area, mainly in Minas Gerais, was suitable for olive cultivation. High temperatures and low rainfall in Brazil, particularly in the North and Midwest, make 59.56% of the country unsuitable for olive farming. Additionally, 18.58% of the land, mainly in the Northeast, faces challenges due to extreme heat (T&#95;w) and insufficient water supply. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The growing demand for food production has led to an increase in agricultural areas, including many with low and irregular rainfall, stressing the importance of studies aimed at mitigating the harmful effects of water stress. From this perspective, the objective of this study was to evaluate calcium pyruvate as an attenuator of water deficit on chlorophyll a fluorescence of five sugarcane genotypes. The experiment was conducted in a plant nursery where three management strategies (E1-full irrigation, E2-water deficit with the application of 30 mM calcium pyruvate, and E3-water deficit without the application of calcium pyruvate) and five sugarcane genotypes (RB863129, RB92579, RB962962, RB021754, and RB041443) were tested, distributed in randomized blocks, in a 3 × 5 factorial design with three replications. There is dissimilarity in the fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic pigments of the RB863129 genotype in relation to those of the RB041443, RB96262, RB021754, and RB92579 genotypes. Foliar application of calcium pyruvate alleviates the effects of water deficit on the fluorescence parameters of chlorophyll a and photosynthetic pigments in sugarcane, without interaction with the genotypes. However, subsequent validation tests will be necessary to test and validate the adoption of this technology under field conditions.

Background: The BioSTP: DNA Barcoding of endemic birds from oceanic islands of the Gulf of Guinea dataset contains records of 155 bird specimens belonging to 56 species in 23 families, representing over 80% of the diversity of the breeding landbird community. All specimens were collected on Príncipe, São Tomé and Annobón Islands between 2002 and 2021 and morphologically identified to species or subspecies level by qualified ornithologists. The dataset includes all endemic species and 3/4 of the extant endemic subspecies of the islands. This dataset is the second release by BioSTP and it greatly increases the knowledge on the DNA barcodes of Gulf of Guinea birds. All DNA extractions are deposited at Associação BIOPOLIS - CIBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources., New Information: The dataset includes DNA barcodes for all 29 endemic bird species and for 11 of the 15 extant endemic bird subspecies from the oceanic islands of the Gulf of Guinea. This is the first major DNA barcode set of African birds. The three endemic subspecies of Crithagrarufobrunnea , an island endemic with three allopatric populations within the Archipelago, are also represented. Additionally, we obtained DNA barcodes for 16 of the 21 non-endemic landbirds and for one vagrant ( Sylviacommunis ). In total, forty-one taxa were new additions to the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), with another 11 corresponding to under-represented taxa in BOLD. Furthermore, the submitted sequences were found to cluster in 55 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs), 37 of which were new to BOLD. All specimens have their DNA barcodes publicly accessible through BOLD online database and GenBank., (Martim Melo, Rita Covas, Ricardo Faustino de Lima, Octávio Veiga da Horta, Ceciliano do Bom Jesus, Martim Barros da Veiga, Seduney Samba, Ricardo Fonseca, Gabriel Cabinda, Lionel Viegas, Teresa L Silva, Vanessa A. Mata, Pedro Beja, Sónia Ferreira.)

Background: Climate change is the main cause of biotic and abiotic stresses in plants and affects yield. Therefore, we sought to carry out a study on future changes in the agroclimatic conditions of banana cultivation in Brazil. The current agroclimatic zoning was carried out with data obtained from the National Institute of Meteorology related to mean air temperature, annual rainfall, and soil texture data in Brazil. The global climate model BCC-CSM1.1 (Beijing Climate Center-Climate System Model, version 1.1), adopted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, corresponding to Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5 for the period 2050 (2041-2060) and 2070 (2061-2080), obtained through the CHELSA V1.2 platform, was chosen for the climate projections of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5. Matrix images at a depth of 5-15 cm, obtained through the product of the SoilGrids system, were used for the texture data. ArcGIS version 10.8 was used to construct the maps., Results: Areas favorable to the crop plantation were classified as suitable when air temperature T AIR was between 20 and 29 °C, annual rainfall R ANNUAL between 1200 and 1900 mm, and soil clay content C SOIL between 30 and 55%. Subsequently, the information was reclassified, summarizing the classes into preferential, recommended, little recommended, and not recommended. The current scenario shows a preferential class of 8.1%, recommended of 44.6%, little recommended of 47.1%, and not recommended of 0.1% for the Brazilian territory., Conclusion: The results show no drastic changes in the total area regarding the classes, but there is a migration from these zones; that is, from tropical to subtropical and temperate regions. RCP 8.5-2070 (2061-2080) showed trends with negative impacts on arable areas for banana cultivation at the end of the century. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.)

A new species of scops-owl (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae, Otus ) is described from Príncipe Island, São Tomé and Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea, Africa). This species was discovered for science in 2016, although suspicions of its occurrence gained traction from 1998, and testimonies from local people suggesting its existence could be traced back to 1928. Morphometrics, plumage colour and pattern, vocalisations, and molecular evidence all support the species status of the scops-owl from Príncipe, which is described here as Otusbikegila sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that this species descended from the first colonisation of the Gulf of Guinea islands, being sister to the clade including the mainland African Scops-Owl O.senegalensis , and the island endemics Sao Tome Scops-Owl O.hartlaubi and Pemba Scops-Owl O.pembaensis . The most diagnostic trait in the field is its unique call which, curiously, is most similar to a distantly related Otus species, the Sokoke Scops-Owl O.ireneae . The new species occurs at low elevations of the old-growth native forest of Príncipe, currently restricted to the south of the island but fully included within Príncipe Obô Natural Park. Otusbikegila sp. nov. takes the number of single-island endemic bird species of Príncipe to eight, further highlighting the unusually high level of bird endemism for an island of only 139 km 2 ., (Martim Melo, Bárbara Freitas, Philippe Verbelen, Sátiro R. da Costa, Hugo Pereira, Jérôme Fuchs, George Sangster, Marco N. Correia, Ricardo F. de Lima, Angelica Crottini.)

This study aimed to estimate the number of generations and cycle duration of the southern red mite, coffee berry borer, and coffee leaf miner using the thermal index to assist in controlling these main coffee pests in the state of Paraná, Brazil. The data of maximum and minimum air temperature (°C) and precipitation (mm) of all municipalities in the state from 1984 to 2018 were collected from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (NASA/POWER). The reference evapotranspiration was estimated using the (Camargo Campinas IAC Boletim 116:9, 1971) method and the water balance was calculated using the method of ( Thornthwaite C, Mather J (1955) The water balance publications in climatology, 8 (1). DIT, Laboratory of climatology, Centerton, NJ, USA). The basal temperature of each pest minus the average temperature of the years was used to calculate the degrees-day, the duration of the pest cycle, and the number of generations per year. The influence of altitude on the development of coffee pests was measured using the Pearson correlation. The thermal index is able to estimate the damage caused by coffee pests in the state of Pará, Brazil. Coffee pests show greater severity in the north of Paraná, in the regions with the highest temperatures. It is the same region that concentrates most of the coffee production of the state. The results of the life cycle and number of generations were interpolated for the entire state using the kriging method. Coffee pests showed the highest severity in the north region of the state of Paraná, more specifically in the Northwest, North Central, and West Central mesoregions. These regions have concentrated most of the state's coffee production. Mesoregions with the highest coffee production in the state showed higher susceptibility to coffee pests. Altitude showed a high correlation (r > 0.6) with the cycle variability and number of generations of coffee pests. The average cycles of the coffee berry borer, coffee leaf miner, and southern red mite are 24.13 (± 8.34), 45.64 (± 18.61), and 21.51 (± 3.51) days, respectively. The average annual generation was 16.67 (± 4.77), 9.02 (± 2.75), and 17.32 (± 2.63) generations, for the coffee berry borer, the coffee red mite, and the southern red mite, respectively., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to International Society of Biometeorology.)

Objective: To investigate if students with developmental dyslexia (DD) have more behavior problems and depressive symptoms than students without learning difficulties., Method: Participants were 61 students, aged 7-14 years, including 31 with interdisciplinary DD diagnosis and 30 without learning disabilities. We collected data from parents, using the children's behavior checklist (CBCL), and from students, using the children's depression inventory (CDI)., Results: The DD group had higher CBCL averages for anxiety, depression, withdrawal, rule-breaking behaviors, aggressiveness, and social, attentional and thought problems. They also showed higher results for the internalizing and externalizing categories, others and total. In the CDI, DD students had higher averages for total score and for the following symptoms: negative self-evaluation, guilt, suicidal thoughts, feeling concern, performance comparison, sleeping difficulties, fatigue, and problems in interacting with peers at school., Conclusions: We discuss the results in terms of implications for DD diagnosis and intervention. Parent reports indicate a higher frequency of behavior problems in students with DD diagnosis. Those students also demonstrate more symptoms of depression than students without learning difficulties., Competing Interests: Competing interests: All authors declare no financial conflict of interest of any kind with respect to the contents of this manuscript., (© 2020 Giovanni Fioriti Editore s.r.l.)

Chrysin is a bioflavonoid found in fruits, flowers, tea, honey and wine, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic and anticarcinogenic properties. This flavone has also been considered as beneficial for reproduction due its testosterone-boosting potential. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chrysin on the prostate and gonads of male and female adult gerbils. In addition, a comparative analysis of the effects of testosterone on these same organs was conducted. Ninety-day-old male and female gerbils were treated with chrysin (50mgkg-1day-1) or testosterone cypionate (1mgkg-1week-1) for 21 days. The ventral male prostate and female prostate were dissected out for morphological, morphometric-stereological and ultrastructural assays. Testes and ovaries were submitted to morphological and morphometric---stereological analyses. Chrysin treatment caused epithelial hyperplasia and stromal remodelling of the ventral male and female prostate. Ultrastructurally, male and female prostatic epithelial cells in the chrysin group presented marked development of the organelles involved in the biosynthetic-secretory pathway, whereas cellular toxicity was observed only in female glands. Chrysin preserved normal testicular morphology and increased the number of growing ovarian follicles. Comparatively, testosterone treatment was detrimental to the prostate and gonads, since foci of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and gonadal degeneration were observed in both sexes. Thus, under the experimental conditions of this study, chrysin was better tolerated than testosterone in the prostate and gonads.

Grain drying using firewood as fuel for air heating, with direct fire, is still widely used in Brazil. The combustion of organic material, such as wood, can generate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are known to have carcinogenic potential. In the present work corn grain drying was carried out at three drying air temperatures: 60°C, 60/80°C and 80°C. Following the drying process, the presence and quantification of PAH in the corn grains was investigated. After extracting the PAHs of the matrix, the material was subjected to analysis by gas chromatography with mass detector. he results showed the presence of seven compounds: fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene and chrysene., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.

Substances that mimic endogenous hormones may alter the cell signaling that govern prostate development and predispose it to developing lesions in adult and senile life. Bisphenol A is able to mimic estrogens, and studies have demonstrated that low levels of exposure to this compound have caused alterations during prostate development. The aim of this study was to describe the prostate development in both male and female neonatal gerbils in normal conditions and under exposure to BPA during intrauterine life, and also to analyze whether the effects of intrauterine exposure to BPA remain in adulthood. Morphological, stereological, three-dimensional reconstruction, and immunohistochemical methods were employed. The results demonstrated that in 1-day-old normal gerbils, the female paraurethral glands and the male ventral lobe are morphologically similar, although its tissue components-epithelial buds (EB), periurethral mesenchyme (PeM), paraurethral mesenchyme (PaM) or ventral mesenchymal pad (VMP), and smooth muscle (SM)-have presented different immunolabeling pattern for androgen receptor (AR), and for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Moreover, we observed a differential response of male and female prostate to intrauterine BPA exposure. In 1-day-old males, the intrauterine exposure to BPA caused a decrease of AR-positive cells in the PeM and SM, and a decrease of the proliferative status in the EB. In contrast, no morphological alterations were observed in ventral prostate of adult males. In 1-day-old females, BPA exposure promoted an increase of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) positive cells in PeM and PaM, a decrease of AR-positive cells in EB and PeM, besides a reduction of cell proliferation in EB. Additionally, the adult female prostate of BPA-exposed animals presented an increase of AR- and PCNA-positive cells. These results suggest that the prostate of female gerbils were more susceptible to the intrauterine BPA effects, since they became more proliferative in adult life. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1740-1750, 2016., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of male and female neonatal gerbil prostate under normal conditions and exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA). Normal postnatal development of the female gerbil prostate occurs earlier than and is morphologically distinct from that occurring in males. In BPA-exposed PND8 gerbils, we have not observed evidence of alterations in the ductal branching in either gender. However, the exposure to BPA alters the immunolabeling pattern of AR, ERα, and PCNA. In males, the exposure to high dosages of BPA resulted in a decrease in the proliferative status of the developing ventral prostate. In females, both high and low dosages were sufficient to decrease the proliferation of paraurethral buds in the branching process by more than 50%. Therefore, the obtained data indicate that BPA promotes antiproliferative effects during the neonatal development of the gerbil prostate, with more sensitivity to this endocrine disruptor in females., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

REDD+ aims to offset greenhouse gas emissions through "Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation". Some authors suggest that REDD+ can bring additional benefits for biodiversity, namely for the conservation of extinction-prone restricted-range species. Here, we assess this claim, using São Tomé Island (Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe) as a case study. We quantified the abundance of bird and tree species, and calculated the aboveground carbon stocks across a gradient of land-use intensity. We found a strong spatial congruence between carbon and the presence and abundance of endemic species, supporting the potential of REDD+ to protect these taxa. We then assessed if REDD+ could help protect the forests of São Tomé and Príncipe. To do so, we used OSIRIS simulations to predict country-level deforestation under two different REDD+ designs. These simulations showed that REDD+ could promote the loss of forests in São Tomé and Príncipe through leakage. This happened even when additional payments for biodiversity were included in the simulations, and despite São Tomé and Príncipe having the fourth highest carbon stocks per land area and the second highest biodiversity values according to the OSIRIS database. These results show weaknesses of OSIRIS as a planning tool, and demonstrate that the benefits that REDD+ might bring for biodiversity are strongly dependent on its careful implementation. We recommend that payment for ecosystem services programmes such as REDD+ develop safeguards to ensure that biodiversity co-benefits are met and perverse outcomes are avoided across all tropical countries. In particular, we advise specific safeguards regarding the conservation of extinction-prone groups, such as island restricted-range species.

Twenty Coccidioides immitis strains were evaluated. Only 5 of the 20 strains kept under mineral oil maintained their viability while all 5 subcultures preserved in water remained viable and none of the 13 subcultures kept in soil were viable. A 519 bp PCR product from the csa gene confirmed the identity of the strains.

Strains of Sporothrix schenckii preserved under mineral oil were examined for virulence in BALB/c mice. The mice were inoculated with S. schenckii conidia and development of cutaneous lesions, signs of inactivity, weight loss, survival rates, number of viable yeast cells in lung and spleen, splenomegaly and organ lesions were evaluated. After intravenous injection of 7.5 x 10(6) conidia, two of five S. schenckii strains were unable to induce systemic disease and to kill the mice, only producing cord-like lesions on the tail that regressed with mouse maturation. Very small numbers of viable cells isolated from the spleen confirmed the lower invasive ability of these strains when compared with other strains studied here. These results suggest a relationship between the attenuation of virulence and the storage method under mineral oil after long periods of time.