Search Results (463)

Callistemon citrinus has shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in certain tissues. However, its impact on the brain remains unproven. This study investigates the effect of C. citrinus extract and phytosomes on the oxidative status of the brains of rats fed a high-fat–fructose diet (HFD). Fifty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into nine groups (n = 6). Groups 1, 2, and 3 received a standard chow diet; Group 2 also received the vehicle, and Group 3 was supplemented with C. citrinus extract (200 mg/kg). Groups 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 received a high-fat diet (HFD). Additionally, groups 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 were supplemented with orlistat at 5 mg/kg, C. citrinus extract at 200 mg/kg, and phytosomes loaded with C. citrinus at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Administration was oral for 16 weeks. Antioxidant enzymes, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and fatty acid content in the brain were determined. A parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) was employed to identify compounds that can cross the intestinal and blood–brain barriers. The HFD group (group 4) increased body weight and adipose tissue, unlike the other groups. The brain fatty acid profile showed slight variations in all of the groups. On the other hand, group 4 showed a decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, and PON. It reduced GSH level, while increasing GPx activity as well as MDA, 4-HNE, and AOPP levels. C. citrinus extract and phytosomes restore the antioxidant enzyme activities and mitigate oxidative stress in the brain. C. citrinus modulates oxidative stress in brain tissue through 1.8-cineole and α-terpineol, which possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Full article

China is one of the countries severely affected by earthquakes, making precise and timely identification of earthquake precursors essential for reducing casualties and property damage. A novel method is proposed that combines a rock acoustic emission (AE) detection technique with deep learning methods to facilitate real-time monitoring and advance earthquake precursor detection. The AE equipment and seismometers were installed in a granite tunnel 150 m deep in the mountains of eastern Guangdong, China, allowing for the collection of experimental data on the correlation between rock AE and seismic activity. The deep learning model uses features from rock AE time series, including AE events, rate, frequency, and amplitude, as inputs, and estimates the likelihood of seismic events as the output. Precursor features are extracted to create the AE and seismic dataset, and three deep learning models are trained using neural networks, with validation and testing. The results show that after 1000 training cycles, the deep learning model achieves an accuracy of 98.7% on the validation set. On the test set, it reaches a recognition accuracy of 97.6%, with a recall rate of 99.6% and an F₁ score of 0.975. Additionally, it successfully identified the two biggest seismic events during the monitoring period, confirming its effectiveness in practical applications. Compared to traditional analysis methods, the deep learning model can automatically process and analyse recorded massive AE data, enabling real-time monitoring of seismic events and timely earthquake warning in the future. This study serves as a valuable reference for earthquake disaster prevention and intelligent early warning. Full article

Glass microspheres are essential components in horizontal road markings due to their retroreflective properties, enhancing visibility and safety under low-light conditions. Traditionally produced from soda-lime glass made with high-purity silica from sand, their manufacturing raises environmental concerns amid growing global sand scarcity. This study explores the viability of rice husk ash (RHA)—a high-silica byproduct of rice processing—as a sustainable raw material for microsphere fabrication. A glass composition containing 70 wt% SiO₂ was formulated using RHA and melted at 1500 °C. Microspheres were produced through flame spheroidization and characterized following the Brazilian standard NBR 16184:2021 for Type IB beads. The RHA-derived microspheres exhibited high sphericity, appropriate size distribution (63–300 μm), density of 2.42 g/cm³, and the required acid resistance. UV-Vis analysis confirmed their optical transparency, and the refractive index was measured as 1.55 ± 0.03. Retroreflectivity tests under standardized conditions revealed performance comparable to commercial counterparts. These results demonstrate the technical feasibility of replacing conventional silica with RHA in glass microsphere production, aligning with circular economy principles and promoting sustainable infrastructure. Given Brazil’s significant rice production and corresponding RHA availability, this approach offers both environmental and socio-economic benefits for road safety and material innovation. Full article

This article presents an initial effort to systematize two interrelated research fronts within ecological economics (EE): ecological microeconomics and ecological macroeconomics. In response to the field’s transdisciplinary and plural nature—attributes that, while enriching, may limit its political influence—the article proposes a conceptual delineation of these two domains as a means to strengthen EE’s analytical identity and facilitate dialogue with other economic approaches. Ecological microeconomics focuses on the material and energy intensity of economic activity, the complementarity of natural capital in production processes, and the redesign of consumption and firm behavior under ecological constraints. Ecological macroeconomics, in turn, centers on the biophysical limits to growth, the concept of sustainable and optimal scale, and the integration of environmental variables into macroeconomic indicators and policy frameworks. The article argues that both fronts, despite their distinct emphases, are united by the need for long-term structural change and a normative commitment to sustainability. Together, they offer a coherent basis for rethinking prosperity within the ecological boundaries of the Earth system. Full article

The erector spinae plane (ESP) block is a widely used technique for perioperative analgesia. It involves the infiltration of anesthetics into the interfacial plane between the erector spinae muscle and the transverse processes of the vertebrae. In veterinary medicine, this technique has been adapted for different species, but there are no cadaveric studies in cats. This study describes the ultrasound-guided lumbar ESP-block technique and evaluates the spread of two volumes of dye in feline cadavers. Injections were performed at the second lumbar vertebra (L2) level using 0.6 mL/kg (high volume [HV]) and 0.4 mL/kg (low volume [LV]) of methylene blue bilaterally. After anatomical dissection, the distribution of the dye, the staining of the spinal nerve branches, and the presence of dye in the epidural space were recorded. The results demonstrated that the HV treatment provided wider longitudinal distribution, staining the dorsal branch of the spinal nerves in an average of five segments per injection, without extravasation into the epidural space. It is concluded that the HV treatment promotes efficient multisegmental spread in feline cadavers. Full article

The formation and development of mushrooms depend on suitable conditions of humidity, substrate, and temperature. These environmental factors are directly influenced by ongoing climate change, which may alter fungal growth patterns, distribution, and morphology. However, these attributes remain inadequately investigated in Antarctic mushrooms. In this study, we examined 334 basidiomes of Arrhenia antarctica, discovered on Livingston Island in 2023. The morphological characteristics of these basidiomes were analyzed to explore how recent variations may be linked to and explained by climatic changes. Comparing the original description from over 60 years ago with the recent literature on the subject, we observed a larger pileus diameter (47.3% of basidiomes with diameters exceeding 23 mm, up to 75 mm) than previously documented (reported as up to 23 mm). Additionally, there were changes in pileus morphology, with not all of them exhibiting an umbilicate form, contrary to the references. We propose that these morphological variations may be attributed to climatic changes. The basidiomata were also found in association with pure Antarctic grass banks, prompting the question of whether Arrhenia antarctica is indeed a moss parasite. The information presented in this study aims to support ongoing research on the taxonomy and diversity of Agaricales fungi in Antarctica. Full article

Accurate taxonomy is fundamental for assessing extinction risks and implementing conservation strategies. We evaluated the extinction risk of Grindelia atlantica (Asteraceae), endemic to southern Brazil, using the IUCN criteria, and comparing three scenarios of taxonomic accuracy and data availability. Herbaria records and field surveys confirmed the historical existence of five records and currently only two remaining, isolated populations, totaling 633 individuals (513 in Pelotas and Rio Grande; 120 in Jaguarão). Habitat loss and invasive species are the primary threats. Analyses resulted in an Extent of Occurrence of 475.832 km² and an Area of Occupancy of 36 km². These findings, coupled with significant population decline, justify the classification as Critically Endangered. The results emphasize the critical role of reliable taxonomy in conservation biology. They demonstrate the impact of a few errors on extinction risk assessments, which can unfold in the misallocation of resources or insufficient protection. This is critical, particularly for endemic species like G. atlantica in the threatened Pampas, one of Brazil’s most degraded biomes and the least represented in preserves. The creation of a conservation unit is proposed as an urgent measure to ensure the survival of this species and its habitat, benefiting other endemic and rare threatened animal and plant species. Full article

Old vineyards in production in the Pampa biome have high levels of metals, such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn). The high metal contents in the soil can damage the growth and development of the cover plant species that cohabit the vineyards. However, it is possible to define the critical toxicity level (CTL) of metals in soil and tissue in order to monitor and define possible strategies for reducing metal inputs and selecting more tolerant species. This study aimed to define the CTL of Cu, Zn, and Mn in the soil and plant tissue of plants present between the rows of vineyards with different cultivation histories in the Pampa biome in South America. For this purpose, soil and plant tissue samples were collected in a native field area (NF), without agricultural cultivation and in two vineyards, vineyard 1 (V1) and vineyard 2 (V2), both with a history of fungicide application. To define the CTL, the foliar concentrations and soil contents of Cu, Zn, and Mn were correlated with the dry mass production of the shoot. The CTLs for Cu, Zn, and Mn in the soil were set at 15, 3.0, and 35 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. In the tissue, CTLs for Cu, Zn, and Mn were estimated at 75, 77, and 380 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The contents of Cu, Mn, and Zn in the soil of the vineyards are above the CTL. The concentrations of the metals in the tissue varied, with samples above the CTL for Cu and Zn in the vineyards. The values of Cu, Zn, and Mn in NF are below the CTL in soil and tissue. The high contents of Cu, Zn, and Mn in the soil and tissue limited the dry mass production of the plants between the rows of vineyards. Full article

The Chacopampean Plain is a major physiographic unit in Argentina, bounded by the Colorado River to the south, the Sierras Pampeanas and Subandinas to the west, and the Paraná River, Río de la Plata Estuary, and the Argentine Sea to the east. Its subsurface preserves sediments from the Miocene marine transgression, while the surface hosts some of the country’s most productive soils. Two main geomorphological domains are recognized: fluvial systems dominated by alluvial megafans in the north, and aeolian systems characterized by loess accumulation and wind erosion in the south. The southern sector exhibits diverse landforms such as deflation basins, ridges, dune corridors, lunettes, and mantiform loess deposits. Despite their regional extent, the origin and chronology of many aeolian features remain poorly constrained, as previous studies have primarily focused on depositional units rather than wind-sculpted erosional features. This study integrates remote sensing data, field observations, and a synthesis of published chronometric and sedimentological information to characterize these aeolian landforms and elucidate their genesis. Our findings confirm wind as the dominant morphogenetic agent during Late Quaternary glacial stadials. These aeolian morphologies significantly influence the region’s hydrology, as many permanent and ephemeral water bodies occupy deflation basins or intermediate low-lying sectors prone to flooding under modern climatic conditions, which are considerably wetter than during their original formation. Full article

Thin plates are commonly used in mechanical structures such as ship hulls, offshore platforms, aircraft, automobiles, and bridges. When subjected to in-plane compressive loads, these structures may experience buckling. In some applications, perforations are introduced, altering membrane stress distribution and buckling behavior. This study investigates the elasto-plastic buckling behavior of perforated plates using the Finite Element Method (FEM), Constructal Design (CD), and Exhaustive Search (ES) techniques. Simply supported thin rectangular plates with central elliptical perforations were analyzed under biaxial elasto-plastic buckling. Three shapes of holes were considered—circular, horizontal elliptical, and vertical elliptical—along with sixteen aspect ratios and two different materials. Results showed that higher yield stress leads to higher ultimate stress for perforated plates. Regardless of material, plates exhibited a similar trend: ultimate stress decreased as the aspect ratio dropped from 1.00 to around 0.40 and then increased from 0.35 to 0.25. A similar pattern was observed in the stress components along both horizontal (x) and vertical (y) directions, once the y-component became considerably higher than the x-component for the same range of 0.40 to 0.25. For longer plates, in general, the vertical elliptical hole brings more benefits in structural terms, due to the facility in the distribution of y-components of stress. Full article

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is one of the solutions for replacing fossil diesel with a clean and renewable fuel in compression ignition (CI) engines. This study focuses on the benefits of using HVO-fueled engines in Brazil concerning CO₂ emissions, compared with other alternatives in the Brazilian energy matrix. The analysis includes CO₂ emissions from the Brazilian diesel fleet over the last 10 years considering conventional diesel fuel, traditional biofuels, and the anticipated introduction of HVO into the Brazilian market. The proposal involves neat HVO as well as blends of fossil diesel, biodiesel, and HVO (up to 50% by vol.), these blends being more realistic for their practical deployment. Considering the Brazilian diesel fleet over the past 10 years (2015–2025), net CO₂ emissions would have been reduced by 77.4% if 100% HVO had been used, while a reduction of 54.4% would have occurred with the blend containing 50% of HVO. Moreover, the use of 100% HVO for this fleet from 2015 would lead to 366.5 and 652.4 Mton of CO₂ in 2030 and 2035, respectively, compared with 1621.5 and 2885.9 Mton if 100% fossil diesel is used. The economic analysis suggests that fuel cost savings of approximately 12 USD billion could be reached in 2035 under favorable HVO production scenarios. This is a favorable projection, with positive values for all blends and pure HVO, indicating economic feasibility. Full article

The systematics and phylogeny of the most speciose genus (Leopardus) of the felidae have historically been contentious and problematic. These issues have been compounded with the recent advancement of genetic techniques that make it possible to detect events such as incomplete lineage sorting (ILS), punctual historical ancestral introgression (PHAI), and repetitive introgression or recent hybridization (RI-RH). Each of these events have noteworthily affected the Leopardus genus. One Leopardus taxon (Leopardus tigrinus, herein called tigrina) has been especially complex from a phylogenetic point of view. In the last decade, one new species has been reported (L. guttulus) and two other new species likely exist within the tigrinas (L. emiliae and L. pardinoides). However, the most surprising find was the discovery of a new and not previously reported tigrina, the Nariño cat, from the southern Andean region of Colombia (2023). Later that same year, a new paper criticized the discovery. In response to that criticism, herein, we provide new molecular genetics results of the Nariño cat as well as new insights into the molecular phylogeny of the tigrinas inside the Leopardus genus: (1) In this new work, we analyzed the mtND5 gene of Nariño cat samples collected over four years (2001, 2007, 2017, 2023) as well as analyzed mitogenomes of Nariño cat samples collected in three different years (2001, 2017, 2023). The temporal Nariño cat samples (2001, 2007, 2017, 2023) refer to samples taken from a single specimen across different years. Based on these analyses, data from 2001 and 2007 represent the most reliable information. In contrast, samples from 2017 and 2023 may be contaminated with DNA from the Pampas cat and tigrina, respectively. (2) On the other hand, based on sequencing the mtND5 gene of 164 specimens of Leopardus, northern Andean and Central American tigrinas (37 specimens) are divided into at least six different groups (without counting the Nariño cat). Based on our analysis of sequenced mitogenomes of 102 specimens (including 34 northern Andean and Central American tigrinas) of the Leopardus genus, there are at least eight different groups of tigrinas (without counting the Nariño cat). Henceforth, there are strong datasets which support the existence of multiple lineages within the presumed “a priori” northern Andean tigrina and thus much of the genetic diversity of this wild cat has gone unnoticed. There are a series of potential taxa that have gone unnoticed due to a lack of sampling of this polyphyletic Andean feline. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of C. sinensis extract, orlistat, and their combination on biochemical, hormonal, inflammatory, and oxidative stress parameters in female rats. The extract was characterized by the presence of citric acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin, along with antioxidant activity. Five experimental groups were established: (1) control; (2) obese; (3) orlistat (1.72 mg/kg); (4) C. sinensis extract (7.15 mg/kg); (5) a combination of both treatments. Treatment with the extract, orlistat, or their combination resulted in biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides) that were comparable to the control group and significantly different from the obese group. Notably, only the C. sinensis extract alone restored pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8) to values similar to the control. All treatments improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase, while a significant increase in superoxide dismutase activity was observed only in the extract group. Among the oxidative damage markers, TBARS was the most responsive to treatment, whereas protein carbonylation was less affected. Histological analysis showed that all treatments promoted structural normalization. These results provide a rationale for further pre-clinical and clinical investigations into the use of C. sinensis extract as an adjunctive therapy for metabolic disorders. Full article

This essay aims to address the existing theoretical gap regarding the in-depth study of institutional change and its relationship with the endogenous development potential of regions. The intersection of these two theoretical approaches offers an understanding of how changes in formal and informal institutions can influence local development, especially when internal resources and local capacities drive this progress. The research was conducted using a bibliographic method and adopts a qualitative approach, seeking an in-depth understanding of the topic. Relevant assumptions about endogenous development were presented and articulated with the institutional change by Douglass North. The contribution of this theoretical approach was to highlight the role of institutional change as a driving force behind regional endogenous development, defining, from the perspective of endogenous development, the institutions that are determinants of the development process of economies. Based on our theoretical construction, we suggest future studies that are concerned with illustrating empirical cases of how formal and informal institutions can promote endogenous development. Full article

Integrated approaches such as the WEF nexus (water–energy–food) have been key to measuring the efficiency of production systems. In southern Brazil, where extensive livestock farming and integrated agricultural systems coexist in anthropized natural grasslands, such an assessment is crucial for balancing production and conservation. This research aimed to assess the sustainability of different livestock systems in Brazil’s Pampa biome from the perspective of the WEF nexus. One hundred and twenty-one systems were analyzed and divided into extensive livestock systems (ELSs) and integrated livestock systems (ILSs). The MESMIS methodology was used to construct and measure 37 WEF nexus indicators. The data were analyzed using a raincloud diagram and compared using Student’s t-test. In terms of water, the results showed that the ELS was more sustainable in terms of the scope of production. In terms of energy, the ELS stood out in the scope of the sustainability of mechanical energy use. The ILS was superior in terms of social and associative participation in the food nexus, while the ELS stood out in terms of sustainable production management. In general, in both systems, the sustainability indices for the water nexus were optimal, but the situation was alarming for the energy and food nexus. This research contributes by applying the WEF nexus to the analysis of the sustainability of livestock systems, offering a replicable model for other natural grassland regions. Full article