The mineralogy and chemistry of the German and Portuguese tiles used to face a historic building in the Amazon region and their natural susceptibility to tropical weathering

During the 19th century, the most prominent buildings of the city of Belém were faced entirely with tiles manufactured in Portugal and Germany, which now exhibit distinct degrees of degradation. The Pinho mansion is one of the most important of these buildings and was selected for the investigation of the action of the tropical Amazonian climate on the degradation of the tiles. To achieve this objective, the tiles were mapped for organic and inorganic degradation, and samples were collected for analysis. The minerals were determined by XRD, the chemical composition by classical wet methods and SEM/EDS, and the microorganisms under the microscope. The results show that the German and Portuguese tiles are quite different in their composition. While both ceramic bodies are composed of SiO2 and Al2O3, CaO was found only in the Portuguese tile. The low Na2O and K2O contents indicate the addition of materials to reduce the fusion temperature. SiO2 and PbO are the main constituents of the glaze, with CoO and FeO being added as pigment. The ceramic body of the German tiles is constituted of quartz, mullite, and cristobalite, in contrast with the Portuguese tiles, which are made of quartz, gehlenite, diopside, calcite, and feldspars. The glazes are XRD-amorphous. The chemical and mineralogical differences between the German and Portuguese tiles indicate that they were produced from different raw materials under distinct thermal processes. The most prominent weathering-related modifications are the thin layers (German tiles), oxidation stains, dark stains, the detachment of the tile (Portuguese tiles), loss of the glaze and powdering of the ceramic body (Portuguese tiles) through the establishment of Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta.. The distinct degradation patterns of the tiles exposed to the tropical Amazon climate are a consequence of their distinct mineralogy and chemistry.

Identification of duplicates of cassava accessions sampled on the North Region of Brazil using microsatellite markers

Duplicates are common in germplasm banks and their identification is needed to facilitate germplasm bank management and to reduce maintenance costs. The aim of this work was to identify duplicates of cassava from a germplasm bank in Eastern Amazon, which had been previously characterized both morphological and agronomically. In order to be genotyped with 15 microsatellite loci, 36 accessions were selected. These accessions were classified into 13 groups of similar morpho-agronomical characteristics. All loci were polymorphic, and 75 alleles were identified, with an average of five alleles per loci and H E = 0.66. There were determined 34 pairs of genotypes with identical multiloci profiles and the probability of genetic identity was 1.1x10-12 with probability of exclusion of 99.9999%. Among these duplicates, there are accessions sampled on different years and places, but with different names and accessions with the same name sampled in different places and years. The study identified genotypes that are grown in different places and that have been maintained over the years by local farmers.

Mangrove sedimentary characteristics and implications for crab Ucides cordatus (Crustacea, Decapoda, Ucididae) distribution in an estuarine area of the Amazonian region

At the coastal zone sediments, water and organisms interact intensely. At equatorial tidal-dominated coast mangroves are abundant. These areas are well-known for their ecological importance. Considering the mangroves of Atlantic South America, the mangrove crab, Ucides cordatus has ecological and economic prominence. High densities of this crab are found on the Amazon coast. This study investigates the sediment distribution of the Bragança mangrove area (Amazon coast, Brazil) and its correlations with vegetation and mangrove crab distribution. Sediments of 47 sites, as well as crabs from sites with different sediment and vegetation, were sampled. Results show that surface sediment of the area is mainly composed by silt (59%), with 21% sand and 20% clay. Variations in sorting and skewness are the product of local variations in clay and sand content. The vegetation type was significantly correlated to mangrove crab characteristics, abundance and weight/size. Sediment characteristics are also substantially different according to the vegetation type. Areas where Avicennia germinans prevails have more sand and clay than areas of Rizophora mangle, in which silt is dominant and crabs were significantly heavier. The present results have showed that the distribution of sediments, crabs and vegetation at mangrove areas are strongly correlated. Thus, they should be studied in conjunction.

Tocopherol profile of Brazil nut oil from different geographic areas of the Amazon region

The tocopherol content of Brazil nut oil from different Amazon regions (Manicoré-AM, Rio Preto da Eva-AM, São João da Baliza-RR, Caroebe-RR, Belém-PA, and Xapurí-AC) was investigated by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. For all authentic oils, two isomers: α- and γ-tocopherols were observed (37.92-74.48 µg g-1, 106.88-171.80 µg g-1, respectively), and their levels were relatively constant among the oils having these geographic origins, which would enable to distinguish Brazil nut oil from other plant oils for authentication purposes. Commercial Brazil nut oils were also evaluated, and some of these oils demonstrated a tocopherol content that was very different from that of the authentic oils. Therefore, we suggest that the tocopherol profile of Brazil nut oil can be useful chemical marker for quality control and authentication.

Use of anatomical root markers for species identification in Catasetum (Orchidaceae) at the Portal da Amazônia region, MT, Brazil

Orchidaceae is one of the largest botanical families, with approximately 780 genera. Among the genera of this family, Catasetum currently comprises 166 species. The aim of this study was to characterize the root anatomy of eight Catasetum species, verifying adaptations related to epiphytic habit and looking for features that could contribute to the vegetative identification of such species. The species studied were collected at the Portal da Amazônia region, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The roots were fixed in FAA 50, cut freehand, and stained with astra blue/fuchsin. Illustrations were obtained with a digital camera mounted on a photomicroscope. The roots of examined species shared most of the anatomical characteristics observed in other species of the Catasetum genus, and many of them have adaptations to the epiphytic habit, such as presence of secondary thickening in the velamen cell walls, exodermis, cortex, and medulla. Some specific features were recognized as having taxonomic application, such as composition of the thickening of velamen cell walls, ornamentation of absorbent root-hair walls, presence of tilosomes, composition and thickening of the cortical cell walls, presence of mycorrhizae, endodermal cell wall thickening, the number of protoxylem poles, and composition and thickening of the central area of the vascular cylinder. These traits are important anatomical markers to separate the species within the genus and to generate a dichotomous identification key for Catasetum. Thus, providing a useful tool for taxonomists of this group

Reconstructing historical forest cover change in the Lower Amazon floodplains using the LandTrendr algorithm

ABSTRACTThe Amazon várzeas are an important component of the Amazon biome, but anthropic and climatic impacts have been leading to forest loss and interruption of essential ecosystem functions and services. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the capability of the Landsat-based Detection of Trends in Disturbance and Recovery (LandTrendr) algorithm to characterize changes in várzeaforest cover in the Lower Amazon, and to analyze the potential of spectral and temporal attributes to classify forest loss as either natural or anthropogenic. We used a time series of 37 Landsat TM and ETM+ images acquired between 1984 and 2009. We used the LandTrendr algorithm to detect forest cover change and the attributes of "start year", "magnitude", and "duration" of the changes, as well as "NDVI at the end of series". Detection was restricted to areas identified as having forest cover at the start and/or end of the time series. We used the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm to classify the extracted attributes, differentiating between anthropogenic and natural forest loss. Detection reliability was consistently high for change events along the Amazon River channel, but variable for changes within the floodplain. Spectral-temporal trajectories faithfully represented the nature of changes in floodplain forest cover, corroborating field observations. We estimated anthropogenic forest losses to be larger (1.071 ha) than natural losses (884 ha), with a global classification accuracy of 94%. We conclude that the LandTrendr algorithm is a reliable tool for studies of forest dynamics throughout the floodplain.

Contribution to the marine propeller hydrodynamic design for small boats in the Amazon region

ABSTRACTIn the Amazon, river navigation is very important due to the length of navigable rivers and the lack of alternative road networks. Boats usually operate in unfavorable conditions, since there is no hydrodynamic relation among propellers, geometry, and the dimensions of the boat hull. Currently, there is no methodology for propeller hydrodynamic optimization with low computational cost and easy implementation in the region. The aim of this work was to develop a mathematical approach for marine propeller design applied to boats typically found on Amazon rivers. We developed an optimized formulation for the chord and pitch angle distributions, taking into account the classical model of Glauert. A theoretical analysis for the thrust and torque relationships on an annular control volume was performed. The mathematical model used was based on the Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT). We concluded that the new methodology proposed in this work demonstrates a good physical behavior when compared with the theory of Glauert and the experimental data of the Wageningen B3-50 propeller.

Early holocenic and historic mtDNA african signatures in the iberian peninsula: The andalusian region as a paradigm

Determining the timing, identity and direction of migrations in the Mediterranean Basin, the role of "migratory routes" in and among regions of Africa, Europe and Asia, and the effects of sex-specific behaviors of population movements have important implications for our understanding of the present human genetic diversity. A crucial component of the Mediterranean world is its westernmost region. Clear features of transcontinental ancient contacts between North African and Iberian populations surrounding the maritime region of Gibraltar Strait have been identified from archeological data. The attempt to discern origin and dates of migration between close geographically related regions has been a challenge in the field of uniparental-based population genetics. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) studies have been focused on surveying the H1, H3 and V lineages when trying to ascertain north-south migrations, and U6 and L in the opposite direction, assuming that those lineages are good proxies for the ancestry of each side of the Mediterranean. To this end, in the present work we have screened entire mtDNA sequences belonging to U6, M1 and L haplogroups in Andalusians--from Huelva and Granada provinces--and Moroccan Berbers. We present here pioneer data and interpretations on the role of NW Africa and the Iberian Peninsula regarding the time of origin, number of founders and expansion directions of these specific markers. The estimated entrance of the North African U6 lineages into Iberia at 10 ky correlates well with other L African clades, indicating that U6 and some L lineages moved together from Africa to Iberia in the Early Holocene. Still, founder analysis highlights that the high sharing of lineages between North Africa and Iberia results from a complex process continued through time, impairing simplistic interpretations. In particular, our work supports the existence of an ancient, frequently denied, bridge connecting the Maghreb and Andalusia.

Diversity and capacity to promote maize growth of bacteria isolated from the Amazon region

ABSTRACT Maize plants can establish beneficial associations with plant growth-promoting bacteria. However, few studies have been conducted on the characterization and inoculation of these bacteria in the Amazon region. This study aimed to characterize endophytic bacteria isolated from maize in the Amazon region and to assess their capacity to promote plant growth. Fifty-five bacterial isolates were obtained from maize grown in two types of ecosystems, i.e., a cerrado (savanna) and a forest area. The isolates were characterized by the presence of the nifH gene, their ability to synthesize indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and solubilize calcium phosphate (CaHPO4), and 16S rRNA partial gene sequencing. Twenty-four bacteria contained the nifH gene, of which seven were isolated from maize plants cultivated in a cerrado area and seventeen from a forest area. Fourteen samples showed the capacity to synthesize IAA and only four solubilized calcium phosphate. The following genera were found among these isolates: Pseudomonas; Acinetobacter; Enterobacter; Pantoea; Burkholderia and Bacillus. In addition, eight isolates with plant growth-promoting capacity were selected for a glasshouse experiment involving the inoculation of two maize genotypes (a hybrid and a variety) grown in pots containing soil. Inoculation promoted the development of the maize plants but no significant interaction between maize cultivar and bacterial inoculation was found. A high diversity of endophytic bacteria is present in the Amazon region and these bacteria have potential to promote the development of maize plants.

Melhoria do sistema nacional de colocação de professores

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia e Gestão de Sistemas de Informação

On trust, knowledge, sharing and innovation

Organisations continuously innovate, create, and are competitive if they improve their performance through continuous intellectual capital development, a key resource for value creation and organisational performance driver. Apart from sustaining competitive advantage, intellectual capital is increasingly important due to its ability to increase shareholder value, especially in public organisations. Employee learning, talent development, and knowledge creation allow the organisation to generate innovative ideas due to the quickness of knowledge obsolescence. The organisation's dynamic capabilities create and re-ignite organisational competencies for business sustainability being co-ordinated by well-structured organisational strategic routines ensuring continuous value creation streams into the business. This chapter focuses on the relationship between notions of knowledge sharing and trust in organisations. Lack of trust can impact negatively organisational knowledge sharing, dependent on trust, openness, and communication. The research sample included graduates and postgraduate students from two universities in Portugal. The findings revealed different perceptions according to the age group.

Methylation at the CpG island shore region upregulates Nr3c1 promoter activity after early-life stress

Early-life stress (ELS) induces long-lasting changes in gene expression conferring an increased risk for the development of stress-related mental disorders. Glucocorticoid receptors (GR) mediate the negative feedback actions of glucocorticoids (GC) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary and therefore play a key role in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the endocrine response to stress. We here show that ELS programs the expression of the GR gene (Nr3c1) by site-specific hypermethylation at the CpG island (CGI) shore in hypothalamic neurons that produce corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh), thus preventing Crh upregulation under conditions of chronic stress. CpGs mapping to the Nr3c1 CGI shore region are dynamically regulated by ELS and underpin methylation-sensitive control of this region's insulation-like function via Ying Yang 1 (YY1) binding. Our results provide new insight into how a genomic element integrates experience-dependent epigenetic programming of the composite proximal Nr3c1 promoter, and assigns an insulating role to the CGI shore.

Diversity of non-clinical Acinetobacter species in a sub-saharan Africa region: evidence of carbapenem-hydrolysing class D-β-lactamase producers

[Excerpt] Although Acinetobacter baumannii has been the main agent for healthcare infections, recent reports suggest that some Acinetobacter environmental species should be considered as a potential cause of disease. In Angola, there are no previous data on its environmental reservoirs and resistance features. We aimed to unveil the occurrence and diversity of Acinetobacter species and the presence of resistance mechanisms in different non-clinical settings in Angola.

Desarrollo sustentable de Productos y Servicios de Camélidos orientados al mercado en la región andina (DECAM). Sustainable Development Products and Services Marketed oriented in Andean Region

Este proyecto cuenta con el financiamiento del sistema INCO de la Unión Europea e incluye 5 contrapartes europeas, y Bolivia y Perú como contrapartes americanos. Consta de cuatro paquetes: producto, mercado, difusión y coordinación. En el primer paquete se desarrollan fundamentalmente los aspectos relacionados con la carne fresca y los productos cárnicos tanto tradicionales como nuevos a desarrollar. Se realizan faenas protocolizadas y espontáneas comparando animales con distintos tratamientos nutricionales de edades entre 19-21 meses. Se realizan análisis de calidad de carne y paneles de degustación. Los productos tradicionales como el charqui se evalúan en su forma tradicional y se implementan sistemas mejorados como desecadores solares. Los chacinados no son tradicionales en el altiplano por eso se realizan en La Pampa con la idea de transferir la tecnología desarrollada. La evaluación de calidad de la carne incluye técnicas de evaluación del animal en pié como la conservación morfológica y la ecografía para predecir calidad de res en el animal vivo. Estas observaciones se corroboran a la faena donde se realiza toda la batería de evaluaciones de calidad de la res.

Programa de capacitación y de ejecución de acciones para favorecer el desarrollo del potencial exportador de las empresas pequeñas y medianas de Río Cuarto y región.Capacitation Programs to Encouraged Development of Rio Cuarto and Region Exports Potential.

Identificación: Programa de capacitación y de ejecución de acciones para favorecer el desarrollo del potencial exportador de las empresas pequeñas y medianas de Río Cuarto y región. Caracterización del problema objeto de estudio: La zona de influencia de la ciudad de Río Cuarto posee, por su ubicación y características naturales, un potencial exportador no explotado, considerando la actual dinámica de los mercados internacionales. La ciudad está en el cruce de rutas nacionales que la conecta a las principales ciudades del MERCOSUR, con salida al Pacífico y al Atlántico y conexión rápida a rutas que van hacia la frontera norte del país. A modo de presentación de situaciones favorables, en el caso de Bolivia es para aprovechar el prestigio de los productos argentinos en ese mercado y las ventajas que las empresas chicas y medianas pueden disponer al no existir barreras idiomáticas, razonables requisitos de calidad y una gran necesidad de productos elaborados que pueden ser ofertados por PYMES regionales.En el caso de Chile importan tres aspectos: primero, la cercanía geográfica a la zona de Río Cuarto, ya que se accede en forma directa por vía terrestre, con una distancia de sólo 900 Km. respecto a la zona metropolitana de ese país; segundo, es el mercado regional con mayores niveles de exigencia para acceder al mismo, constituyendo por lo tanto una buena plataforma de aprendizaje para lograr el acceso luego al mundo desarrollado; tercero, al tener Chile firmado acuerdos de libre comercio con mercados que suman 3500 millones de habitantes, con acceso directo al cinturón del Pacífico, que es la zona más dinámica del comercio mundial actual, ese país necesita complementarse con sus vecinos para poder aprovechar las demandas potenciales de esos mercados.Con el proyecto se pretende contribuir a acentuar la internacionalización económica de la ciudad de Río Cuarto y su región circundante. Hipótesis:Se puede generar un polo exportador pyme a partir de la actividad sistemática de un programa de difusión de conocimientos sobre el comercio exterior, lo que contribuirá a profundizar la sustentabilidad económica de Río Cuarto y su región circundante.Objetivos: -a) Crear, desde el programa, una oferta de capacitación y asesoramiento que satisfaga los interrogantes y necesidades de las empresas pequeñas y medianas que busquen iniciarse en la actividad de exportación. b) Promover la formación de consorcios y formas asociativas, sobre todo de pequeñas y medianas empresas, para expandir el comercio exterior regional. c) Difundir las posibilidades de inserción internacional de las pymes regionales y sus requerimientos en los aspectos productivos y de comercialización. Estos últimos suelen constituir puntos críticos en el desarrollo exportador de las firmas. d) Analizar las posibilidades competitivas en el comercio internacional, en especial en el área del MERCOSUR, de cluster Materiales y Métodos a Utilizar: - Elaboración de un Monitor de Expectativas Empresariales con el objetivo de cuantificar la actual y la potencial Oferta Exportadora Regional. - Desarrollo de Análisis Sectoriales para determinar las posibilidades de incrementar las ventas al exterior de productos regionales. - Creación de Informes Especiales sobre Productos Regionales, los cuales le permitirán a Pequeños y Medianos Productores conocer en detalle, las oportunidades y exigencias para ingresar a los mercados externos, especialmente al área del MERCOSUR. - Organización de Viajes y Rondas de Negocios con el fin de fortalecer los lazos comerciales y culturales del empresariado local y extranjero. Resultados Esperados: - Profundizar conocimientos sobre las posibilidades que poseen los productos regionales de ingresar a los mercados externos. - Lograr una difusión generalizada de conocimientos sobre el Comercio Exterior, brindándole a las Pymes las herramientas básicas y fundamentales para que puedan desarrollar su potencial exportador.