Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Maternal endotoxemia disturbs the intrauterine environment, impairs nephrogenesis, and increases the risk of hypertension and kidney disease in adulthood. Here, it was investigated whether maternal treatment with the water extract of Moringa oleifera seeds (WEMoS) or the water-soluble M. oleifera seed lectin (WSMoL) prevents the oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in pregnant rats, and the renal injury and hypertension in the adult offspring. The administration of WEMoS or WSMoL prevented the stimulatory effects of LPS on lipid peroxidation in the maternal-placenta-fetuses environment. The impact of WEMoS was linked to decreased superoxide anions production in the placenta. The effects of WSMoL were parallel to the inhibition of superoxide anion production and NADPH oxidase activity. The WSMoL also prevented increased NADPH oxidase activity in the fetal kidney. The LPS offspring presented higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) and increased lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), NADPH oxidase activity, and nitrate/nitrite in the kidney; the maternal treatment with WEMoS and WSMoL prevented these changes. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that WEMoS and WSMoL have protective effects on maternal endotoxemia, which involve antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions that prevent the programming of hypertension.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Amazonian white-sand ecosystems have predominantly sandy soils and a high amount of endemism, and several species found within them are adapted to long periods of drought. However, little is known about the variation in the structure of anuran assemblages in these ecosystems. Considering that most species are not uniformly distributed in heterogeneous landscapes, we tested the hypothesis that anuran assemblage variation in white-sand ecosystems is related to changes in vegetation structure. Specifically, we focused on a heterogeneous patch of white-sand ecosystems of the central Amazon and evaluated whether vegetation structure and soil characteristics, including root depth, influence the richness, abundance, and composition of anuran assemblages. Our results showed that low amounts of clay in the soil play an important role in structuring vegetation in these ecosystems, and these are the main factors that organize anuran assemblages. The Campinaranas close to the water bodies have a high species richness, while Campina landscapes limit the occupation of most of species. Our findings indicate that anurans undergo environmental filtering in white-sand ecosystems and are organized into hierarchical subgroups, in which only species with specialized reproduction can successfully occupy the most water-restricted environments.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Organisms can respond to environmental gradients from local to landscape features. Aquatic insects are particularly affected by watershed peculiarities due to their dependence on microhabitat conditions. However, these relationships are poorly understood in lotic ecosystems of subtropical grasslands, limiting water resources management and bioassessment proposals. Here, we investigated how local stream environment and variations in landscape types affect the assemblage structure of a bioindicator insect group, face to the spatial proximity of the sampled locations. We sampled immatures of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera in streams along the Brazilian Pampa biome, recording environmental descriptors in different grassland ecosystem types. The structure of aquatic insect assemblages differed across grassland types, with specific dominant genera associated with each landscape. Spatially-structured water physicochemical descriptors explained a significant amount of variation in assemblage data. Our findings suggest that grassland ecosystem type delimitations capture ecological attributes, influencing watershed features important to EPT assemblage structuration. Moreover, we highlight the importance of niche-based process structuring EPT assemblages along grassland ecosystem types of Pampa biome. In addition, we encourage using aquatic insects in bioassessment of lotic waters to assess local and landscape environmental impacts. We strongly recommend considering the grassland ecosystem schedule for water resources management and bioassessment proposals.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract In this work we reported injuries caused by the spider mite Oligonychus yothersi on Vitis vinifera leaves and we also investigate the sex ratio of this species under laboratory conditions. To access the aspects regarding reproduction, females were placed individually in arenas made of V. vinifera leaves to oviposit and all progeny were mounted on slides when they reached adulthood to confirm the offspring sex. Our study showed that O. yothersi reproduces by thelytokous /arrhenotokous parthenogenesis, generating low number of males. Additionally, we found vine plants with leaf browning, particularly on the adaxial surface, where mites were usually found.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Climaciella Enderlein is a genus of the family Mantispidae (Neuroptera) restricted to the New World with records ranging from southern Canada to northern Argentina. The genus is currently represented by 12 valid species, three of them with records from Brazil: C. amapaensis Penny, C. duckei Navás, and C. semihyalina (Le Peletier & Audinet-Serville). Besides the relatively low number of species from Brazil, it is known that Climaciella species present some historical taxonomic problems. In this sense, the main goal of this study was to taxonomically revise the Climaciella species from Brazil, providing detailed (re)descriptions and illustrations of all species, an updated distribution map, and an identification key to the whole genus. The study resulted in some new taxonomic acts: C. tincta (Navás) is revalidated and C. duckei is considered a new synonym of C. tincta; two new species are described: Climaciella hoffmani sp. nov. and Climaciella pennyi sp. nov.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Triatominae are recognized as vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan which is the etiological agent of Chagas disease. A specimen of Triatoma delpontei was found at Porto Murtinho in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. This is the first report of the occurrence of T. delpontei to the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. With the present finding, the total number of triatomines recorded in Mato do Grosso do Sul reaches 17 species, while T. delpontei, previously recorded only from Rio Grande do Sul, is now recorded to a second Brazilian state. Based on the information available in the literature, a meticulous and organized compilation has been crafted, highlighting the cytogenetics differentiations of the species occurring in this state. This work emphasizes the importance of continuous research and surveillance on Triatominae, recognized as vectors of T. cruzi.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Textile industries stand out as one of the main polluters of water resources, generating large amounts of liquid effluents with variable composition and intense coloration. The objective of this work is the integration of the reductive process using commercial steel wool, combined with oxidative processes, in the treatment of textile effluent. The effect of the variables of the reductive process were studied using a 32 factorial design. After 30 minutes, the reductive process allowed a reduction of 68% COD, 46% TOC, 62% true color and 72% of total phenols, but showed an increase in color apparent and turbidity, due to the iron species formed by the oxidation of steel wool during the process. With the combined process using sunlight, the reduction was 73% COD, 50% TOC, 97% phenols, 93% true color and 48% apparent color. With artificial light, the reduction was 94% COD, 63% TOC, 95% phenols, 98% true color and 65% apparent color. The evaluation of the acute toxicity against Daphnia magna indicated that after the proposed treatments, the effluent did not present toxicity or the toxicity was reduced. It is concluded that the combined process can be considered an efficient alternative for the treatment of textile effluent.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Edgar Morin is more than 100 years old and has produced numerous original ideas. Complex Thinking is his approach to complexity and took almost thirty years to be written. He developed it based on many other thinkers but chiefly, we argue, on Wiener’s Cybernetics, von Bertalanffy’s General System Theory and Shannon’s Information Theory. This article describes and discusses how those latter theories have been incorporated into Morin’s thought, especially in La Méthode, his magnum opus, and presents, in a comparative fashion, his pros and contras on each of them. In our conclusion, we discuss how some of Morin’s criticisms of the founding theories might be unjust and also present a summary of some judgmental appraisals of Complex Thinking.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Innovation affects a nation’s sovereignty. In this paper, we look at Science and Technology indicators as proxies for Innovation using databases such as WIPO, INPI, Sucupira and Scival, and including patents registered, academic-corporate collaborations, patents citing Brazilian articles (Number of patents and documents) and technical production in Brazilian higher education institutions. We also look at two major previously state-owned companies (Embraer and Petrobras) to see their patenting and citation behaviour compared to other companies worldwide. Brazilian science is a citation basis for patenting in companies and universities worldwide, but Brazil does not use its own publications to support patent proposals. While USP is the major cited university, Unicamp has more patents. Academic-corporate collaboration exists between Brazilian and foreign universities, especially in the US and Europe. The Brazilian companies show low patenting behaviour, but Embraer has a higher impact than Petrobras. As a consequence of the dynamics of science and technology, we suggest that the analyses of the innovation processes could focus on the generation of startups and, in particular, academic spin-offs.