Newsletter - Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences

ISSUE 44

AABC - Volume 93.1 2021

As has been decided by the Editorial Board of the Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (AABC), we have introduced a couple of changes regarding the areas to which authors can now submit their manuscripts. Essentially, we have subdivided the areas of Earth, Biological, and Agrarian Sciences, which were the leading ones in terms of submissions and publications. Here I am happy to introduce the first volume that shows these changes. The present issue of the AABC (93.1) shows a total of 61 articles in the following new fields: Geosciences (26), Crop Science (12), Ecosystems (4), Microbiology (1), Paleontology (1), Animal Science (1), and Forestry Science (1). There are also papers in Engineering (13), Health (1), and Social Sciences (1). It should be noted that all articles are classified in the respective categories by the corresponding author.

As always, highlights are hard to choose. Regarding Geosciences, there are papers dealing with comparative analysis of planning tools to assess water stress, hydrological models in high biodiversity areas, geochronology in southern Brazil, and rock drilling properties in underground mines.

Some studies classified in Crop Science published here deal with the cryopreservation of pineapple shoot tips, responses of dwarf cashew clones to salinity, different ways to assess evapotranspiration in semiarid regions, and productive strategies considering blackberries.

In Engineering Sciences - that is getting very interdisciplinary -, the reader will find papers on full-scaled field tests using explosives on concrete slabs, monitoring systems of electrical substations by means of virtual reality, and concerns about the emerging technologies in 4.0 and 5.0 industries.

Lastly, I would like to recommend a study dealing with the question on how science can be responsible assessed (Social Sciences) and also the Editorial Note, that addresses the grim perspectives for scientific editors in these pandemic times.

Please keep in mind that since 2000 all papers published by the AABC can be downloaded free of charge at the SciELO site and previous editions of the Newsletter are available at the ABC website.

We are now inviting you to scroll through the text and click on the title of the articles that interest you!

Alexander W. A. Kellner
Editor-in-Chief

HEALTH SCIENCES

1- In-vitro Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Cinnamomum verum Leaf Oil against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae

GAYAN K. WIJESINGHE, SIMONE B. FEIRIA, FLÁVIA C. MAIA, THAÍS R. OLIVEIRA, FELIPE JOIA, JANAINA P. BARBOSA, GIOVANA C. BONI & JOSÉ F. HÖFLING

Cinnamonessential oil has been used as an antimicrobial agent for centuries. However, the effects of True Cinnamomum (Cinnamomum verum) leaf oil on biofilms of bacterial pathogens were not widely studied. Therefore, a group of researchers from the Piracicaba Dental School conducted a study to evaluate the effect of Cinnamomum verum leaf oil against three biofilm producing bacterial pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae and the toxicity of Cinnamon oil on human cells. Cinnamomum leaf oil, according to the authors, demonstrated a good antibacterial and antibiofilm activity on tested bacterial species without any toxic effect on human cells.

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MICROBIOLOGY

2- β-glucosidase from thermophilic fungus Thermoascus crustaceus: production and industrial potential

ANDREZA P. GARBIN, NAYARA F.L. GARCIA, GABRIELA F. CAVALHEIRO, MARIA ALICE SILVESTRE, ANDRÉ RODRIGUES, MARCELO F. DA PAZ, GUSTAVO G. FONSECA & RODRIGO S.R. LEITE

Enzymes that degrade cellulose are used in several industrial segments, such as: textiles, juice and beverage processing, animal feed, and biofuels. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose occurs by synergistic action of different enzymes, among them, β-glucosidase is responsible for finalizing the catalytic process, presenting glucose as the main product, monosaccharide desirable for energy purposes. The use of this enzyme in industrial processes must overcome the cost of production barrier. In this context, the present work describes β-glucosidase production by cultivation of the fungus Thermoascus crustaceus in industrial residues and evaluates its possible industrial applications.

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ECOSYSTEMS

3- Morphological and biological variations of the glass snake Ophiodes striatus (Spix, 1825) (Squamata, Anguidae) from southeastern Brazil

PAOLA R. DE OLIVEIRA, JULIANE FLORIANO LOPES SANTOS, JORGE ABDALA DERGAM DOS SANTOS & BERNADETE M. DE SOUSA

The present study analyzes morphometric data of Ophiodes striatus (Anguidae), limbless and viviparous lizard, exclusive to the Neotropical region. The results obtained did not show any difference regarding the studied population, since data from specimens belonging to different populations were analyzed. No sexual dimorphism related to size was also observed, since both male and female individuals were analyzed.

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4- Refinement as ethics principle in animal research: Is it necessary to standardize the Environmental enrichment in laboratory animals?

MARTA L. FISCHER, GABRIELA S. RODRIGUES, WINDY P. AGUERO, RAFAEL ZOTZ & DAIANE P. SIMÃO-SILVA

This article brings ethical reflections on the use of animals in experimental research in the context of promoting animal welfare. The question is whether the improvement in the degree of animal welfare will promote greater heterogeneity in the experimental data or will reflect in the reduction of negative interferences in the results of biological integration. The discussion is conducted based on experimental data, assessing the importance of standardizing environmental enrichment. The study is innovative in this regard and aims to contribute to the refinement of scientific research, in order to respect the integrity of the animal and the generation of experimental data.

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5- Influence of the site of oviposition on the level of egg parasitism in the corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

ERICA LUFT ALBARRACIN, EDUARDO G. VIRLA & MARIANO ORDANO

Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is a vector of corn diseases that generates serious yield losses in the Americas. The vector has a rich natural enemy complex that generates high levels of parasitism. In this study, we characterized the oviposition sites of D. maidis on corn plants to verify the hypothesis that the vector has an oviposition strategy for mitigating parasitism. We found that the parasitism was significantly affected by the class of leaf and the position of the egg in the leaf. Our results suggest that leafhoppers minimize egg parasitism by laying their eggs within concealed locations on the plant.

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6- Vegetation patterns and the influence of rainfall after long-term fire suppression on a woody community of a Brazilian savanna

MARCELO H.O. PINHEIRO, THIAGO S. AZEVEDO, FERNANDA L. FERREIRA & REINALDO MONTEIRO

Our research in a savanna remnant with a 59-year history of fire protection in southeastern Brazil helped us to show a strong influence of rainfall on the expansion of forests over savanna areas. To do so, we used phytosociological and remote sensing techniques. The forest expansion has been continuous since 1962, reaching 97% of the area in 2019. This process benefited forest and generalist species in detriment of savanna species. Nonlinear regression analysis indicated positive correlation (R² = 0.42) between rainfall and forest expansion.

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GEOSCIENCES

7- Comparative Analysis of Water Stress Management’s Tools Between Alicante - Spain and Caraguatatuba - Brazil

FRANCISCO FABBRO NETO & MARIA BELÉN GÓMEZ-MARTÍN

The Alicante´s province deals with water stress and land development since 1980s. The provisions about climate change in the area suggest that water stress will increase, so it is necessary to integrated it with spatial planning. This is also happening in Caraguatatuba, northern coast of São Paulo State in Brazil. There are planning tools developed for assessment the water stress, as Flooding´s Risk Management Plan and Alert and Drought Period Special Plan in Júcar´s Water Basin and Water´s Safety Plan for Caraguatatuba. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the spanish tools to identify a commum structure for replicated it.

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8- Comparison of spatial interpolation methods for annual and seasonal rainfall in two hotspots of biodiversity in South America

WILMAR L. CERÓN, RITA V. ANDREOLI, MARY T. KAYANO, TERESITA CANCHALA, YESID CARVAJAL-ESCOBAR & RODRIGO A.F. SOUZA

The Colombian Biogeographic Choco (CBC) and the La Plata Basin (LPB) are regions with high biodiversity but with scarce climatological information, a complex orography, and rain gauge station network unevenly distributed. Therefore, it is relevant to identify the best technique for the annual and seasonal rainfall's spatial interpolation. The results showed that in the CBC (LPB), the best interpolator is Cokriging with a spherical (gaussian) model, and that have three rainfall cores (a west-east rainfall gradient). These results may be useful for scientists and decision-makers for environmental and hydrological models for the CBC and the LPB.

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9- Landslide susceptibility mapping using the statistical method of Information Value: A study case in Ribeirão dos Macacos basin, Minas Gerais, Brazil

MATEUS L. ROSA, FREDERICO G. SOBREIRA & CESAR F. BARELLA

This research study was developed in the Ribeirão dos Macacos basin at the district of Nova Lima, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The information value statistical method was applied in the construction of the landslide susceptibility map at the 1:25,000 scale. Different partitions of the inventory were tested, as well as different landslide predisposing factors. The results showed that the model has a high capacity of adjustment to the input data and high landslide predictive capacity.

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10- Distribution and origin of sedimentary organic matter in an eutrophic estuary: Pina Sound – NE Brazil

BRUNO V.M. DA COSTA, MARCELO Z. MOREIRA, RODRIGO F. BASTOS & GILVAN T. YOGUI

Urban estuaries are impacted by inputs of human derived organic matter (OM). The first steps for assessing human impacts in estuaries
include identification of OM sources and quantification of their contribution to environmental matrices. This study investigated contributions of major sedimentary OM sources to Pina Sound, an estuary surrounded by the highly urbanized Recife city (NE Brazil). Estuarine phytoplankton (50%), sewage (24%) and terrestrial plants (26%) are the major OM sources to Pina Sound sediments, reflecting the human-induced eutrophication in the study area.

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11- Integration of multisources data for quarry slope stability assessment in the Itaoca district (Southeastern Brazil)

MARCOS EDUARDO HARTWIG & CÉSAR AUGUSTO MOREIRA

Stability conditions of rock slopes are traditionally evaluated by means of kinematic analysis and geomechanical classification systems. However, fieldwork surveys are concentrated at the slope toe and information about the upper and internal portions of rock masses are not taken into account. In order to tackle with these issues geophysical data, drone images and geological fieldwork data were integrated. Results have shown the complementarity of the methods. Drone images actually can help in the structural characterization of rock masses and geoelectrical profiles are able to identify fractured and unfractured subsurface zones. 

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12- Aeromagnetometry and aerogammaspectrometry integrated with U-Pb zircon geochronology of northern Bossoroca ophiolite, Brasiliano Orogen

LÉO A. HARTMANN, AMANDA J. MASSUDA, TIARA CERVA-ALVES, CRISTIANO LANA, CAROLINA G. LEANDRO & JAIRO F. SAVIAN

In older geological epochs (920-720 million Years ago), the state of Rio Grande do Sul was dispersed and fragmented within other paleocontinents, along with the Atlantic margin of Brazil. Crustal fragmentation and regrouping generated high mountain belts and added portions of oceanic crust to South America. We studied and identified processes from the oceanic crust registered in zircon crystals extracted from several rock samples. Ages are 890-698 million years for the studied zircon. Examination of aerogeophysical maps consolidates the discoveries. The Bossoroca Ophiolite is thus characterized within the Brasiliano Orogen.

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13- Examining of rock drilling properties in underground metal mine excavation

MUSTAFA EMRE YETKİN

In this study, drilling speed and drilling depth according to the different bedding types lead-zinc ore and its surrounding rock are investigated. Interesting results with drillability experiments are found. Especially, in first five seconds drilling is performed for hard rock. As a result, it has been found that drilling machine performance and bit consumption can be reduced by taking into account different bedding types of rocks.

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14- Analysis of future climate scenarios for northeastern Brazil and implications for human thermal comfort

RAFAELA L. COSTA, GUSTAVO M.M. BAPTISTA, HELIOFÁBIO B. GOMES, FABRÍCIO D.S. SILVA, RODRIGO L. DA ROCHA JÚNIOR & ANDERSON S. NEDEL

This work brings the results of a pioneering research on the impacts of climate change scenarios on human thermal comfort, applied to three homogeneous climatic regions in Northeast Brazil. The study horizon is 2021-2080, and the reference period 1961-1990. The results show significant increases in days associated with discomfort due to heat, especially in the second half of the period, between 2051-2080, in relation to the period 2021-2050.

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15- An evaluation of machine learning methods for speed-bump detection on a GoPro dataset

JOHNY MARQUES, RAULCEZAR ALVES, HENRIQUE C. OLIVEIRA, MARCO MENDONÇA & JEFFERSON R. SOUZA

Every day, new applications arise relying on the use of high-resolution road maps in both academic and industrial environments. Autonomous vehicles rely on digital maps to navigate when optical sensors cannot be trusted, such as heavy rainfalls, snowy conditions, fog, etc. To tackle those problems, we present a methodology to automatically map anomalies on the road, namely speed bumps in this study, using an off-the-shelf camera and Machine Learning algorithms. The results show a potential of the proposed methodology to be developed in surveying vehicles to produce highly-detailed maps of vertical road anomalies with a fast and accurate update rate.

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16- Extreme Wave Analysis Based on 31 Years Data from WW₃ Model: Study off Southern Brazilian Coast

DEBORAH F. AGUIAR, KATHLEEN MCINNES, ELOI MELO FILHO, MARCO ANTÔNIO R. ROMEU & JOSE ANTÔNIO S. FONTOURA

The knowledge of extreme ocean wave has important implications for many marine sectors. Extreme analysis requires long-term datasets and adequate resolution to provide accurate information, e.g. to design wind farms, to understand the coastal morphology change, to design mooring system for aquaculture farm, and also to marine transportation. Due the absence of uninterrupted long-term wave data measured in Southern Brazil, this work contributes to a better understanding of extreme wave events by evaluating the WW₃ hindcast and wave records, assessing model biases during extreme events, and implementing data corrections to the extreme wave return levels. 

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17- Impacts of agrarian reform on land use in the biomes of the Midwest region of Brazil between 2004 and 2014

ALENCAR G. BACARJI, OLIVIER F. VILPOUX & ANTONIO C. PARANHOS FILHO

The objective of the work was to identify the evolution of land use and occupation in rural settlements in the Brazilian Midwest and its relation to the location biome. The research combined remote observation to analyze the type of land occupation in settlements in the Brazilian Midwest, with direct observation, in a field survey. The research results show the reduction of native vegetation in most of the analyzed settlements and that pastures, for milk production, occupied the largest area. In the evaluated period, the pasture areas expanded at the expense of forests areas reduction.

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18- Gradient analysis of landscape pattern in the core area of the “Zhengzhou and Kaifeng Integration” at the landscape level

FAN QINDONG, LIANG LIUKE & LI HU

As we all know, Geographic Information Science has been applied in most fields, such as resource management, planning and design, disaster monitoring, health care, national defense and military, etc. Geographic analysis with remote sensing images has become the basic means of related research fields. With the rapid development of urbanization in the world and the spread of construction land from urban to rural areas, accurate gradient monitoring will be one of the important basic data sources to solve the problem of urbanization.

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19- Groundwater governance: The illegality of exploitation and ways to minimize the problem

BRUNO CONICELLI, RICARDO HIRATA, PAULO GALVÃO, NATALY ARANDA, RAFAEL TERADA & OSWALDO JOSÉ G. GUTIÉRREZ

In Brazil, there are about 2.5 million tubular wells in which 88% of them are illegal. This irregular use may cause sustainability issues. This paper aims to address the illegal wells in Brazil and discuss measures to minimize it. Conclusions indicate that users do not understand the aquifer dynamic and, therefore, do not have a proper understanding of problems caused by the excess of groundwater exploitation. This creates a false idea that there are no water conflicts among users, which causes a lack of engagement by society. Without groundwater users and stakeholder pressure, the government does not aim to control or close illegal wells.

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20- Hydrometeorological conditions in the semiarid and east coast regions of Northeast Brazil in the 2012-2017 period

FELIPE J. DE MEDEIROS, CRISTIANO P. DE OLIVEIRA, RAFAELA DOS S. GOMES, MARIA L. DA SILVA & JÓRIO B. CABRAL JÚNIOR

This study examines the rainfall anomalies and the hydrometeorological impact on the reservoirs of the semiarid and east coast regions of NEB in the 2012-2017 period. Our main results were that in both the climatological and the 2012-2017 period, the rainfall in the wet season of ENEB presented similar behavior, unlike observed in the northern part of the semiarid region. This behavior of precipitation around the climatological average enabled the ENEB region’s reservoirs to avoid water deficit, unlike those in the semiarid region, which due to persistent negative precipitation anomalies reached critical situations. 

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21- Unsustainable Sustainability

SUZI H. THEODORO & OTHON H. LEONARDOS

The unsustainable sustainability" discusses the concept of sustainability and how it has been appropriated to support a predatory development model, which has helped to increase environmental devastation, social injustices and income concentration. 
However, we believe that a new vision of human development can be inserted to reintegrate the values and potentialities of nature, social externalities and subjugated knowledge, presently denied by a mechanistic, simplified, one-dimensional model, based on fragmented rationalities, which led to the current process of devastation of the planet. Our understanding is that this is the fundamental condition to the continued survival of many species on Earth, especially humans.

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22- Carbon and oxygen stable isotopes of freshwater fish otoliths from the São Francisco River, northeastern Brazil

NATAN S. PEREIRA, ALCIDES N. SIAL, PATRÍCIA B. PINHEIRO, FABRÍCIO L. FREITAS & ADRIANA M.C. SILVA

Otoliths are hard structures composed of calcium carbonate located in the inner ear of teleost fishes. The geochemical information stored within otoliths can provide important clue about their life history and ecology, which are fundamental for the conservation and management of endangered species. In this study, we investigate the carbon and oxygen isotopic composition (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) of four species of fishes from the São Francisco River. Our results indicated that δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O signature discriminated the four species, and that is likely to be influenced by their habitat preference in the reservoir.

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23- CBM drilling technical parameter optimization methodology and software development: a case study of LUAN mining area

YULIANG GUO, LIWEN CAO, SHUXUN SANG, YONG WANG, XUEZHE ZHANG & XUEHAN FENG

The safe leakage of coalbed methane (CBM) wall will occur in the process of drilling. A large number of engineering practices have determined the safe leakage range of CBM well wall. For the drilling fluid hydraulic parameters (including pump pressure, pump power and displacement, nozzle diameter, bit pressure drop, bit hydraulic horsepower, circulation pressure drop, impact force and jet velocity) and drilling parameters (including weight-on-bit, drilling rotary speed, bit tooth wear) in each borehole section are optimized. Taking the lowest drilling cost as the controlling target, the drilling parameter optimization model is designed and solved by the genetic algorithm. Furthermore, a software named “CBM borehole wall stability parameter design and optimization” characterized by visualization and applicable for drilling formation condition, which can be used to design and optimize the borehole drilling technological parameters, is developed.

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24- Meteorological conditions and thermal comfort during the athletic events of the olympic games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016

MÁRIO F.L. QUADRO, PRAKY SATYAMURTY, TUANNY STEFFANE RODRIGUES, DIRCEU HERDIES, LUIS G. DE GONÇALVES, ERNANI L. NASCIMENTO, ANDERSON S. NEDEL & MARIANA PALLOTTA

The study discusses the thermal comfort of the spectators as well as the athletes during some high performance sports events in the Olympic Games in 2016, August 12-17. Majority of the interviewed persons reported comfortable sensation and weather conditions. These perceptions corroborate results of the thermal comfort indices calculated for these resting spectators. The comfort indices calculated for the athletes with high level of physical activity showed that PET (Physiological-Equivalent-Temperature) estimated hotter thermal sensation those for the individuals at rest, indicating that the physical type of a person may strongly influence the thermal sensation and comfort during intense physical activity.

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25- Geochemical and reflectance spectroscopy data integration to characterize emerald deposits: the case of the Paraná deposit, Brazil

JOSÉ F. ARAÚJO NETO, SANDRA B. BARRETO, THAIS A. CARRINO, IGOR M.B.A. SOUZA & GLENDA L. SANTOS

The Paraná emerald deposit is one of the few occurrences of this rare green variety of beryl in the Borborema Province, northeast Brazil. In this work, we characterized this deposit by combining field geology, petrography, whole-rock geochemistry, mineral chemistry, and reflectance spectroscopy. Besides defining the main geological features of the mineralization, our study highlighted, for the first time, the use of reflectance spectroscopy as a tool for emerald exploration, focusing on the characterization of emerald host and associated rocks and showing that possible mineralized rocks (phlogopite schists) can be promptly distinguished from other sterile rocks.

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26- Modern pollen rain analysis from Itapuã State Park (Parque Estadual Itapuã), RS, Brazil

BIANCA T. GOMES, ANGELA M.S. CORRÊA, ERIKA S. BRUNELLI & ANA LUISA V. BITENCOURT

Modern pollen rain constitutes a valuable contribution as proxy data being the "current analog" for studies of paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the Quaternary, particularly of the Holocene. In addition, the importance of these data is highlighted as a contribution and characterization of the current palynoflora, also considering the anthropic influence, through the record of exotic pollen associated with native vegetation as an indicator for the Anthropocene.

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27- Interpretation of geophysical data for iron ore detailed survey in Laje, Bahia, Brazil

EDSON E.S. SAMPAIO, JOELSON C. BATISTA & EMERSON S.M. SANTOS

The collisional transition zone between two Archean blocks in the county of Laje, Bahia, Brazil, is of economic interest, because constitutes a favorable site for iron ore deposits. Based on previous investigations, we performed a geophysical and geological ground-based survey on a target selected because of its intense geological deformation and occurrence of pebbles rich in magnetite. The geophysical survey added valuable information for the definition of a drilling program. It consisted of two parts: reconnaissance and detail and employed gravity, magnetic, and electromagnetic methods. Interpretation of the geophysical data allowed delineating two high potential zones for iron ore.

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28- Lipid-matrix effects on tyrosinase immobilization in Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films

MATHEUS S. PEREIRA, MATEUS D. MAXIMINO, CIBELY S. MARTIN, PEDRO H.B. AOKI, OSVALDO N. OLIVEIRA JR & PRISCILA ALESSIO

In this work, we present a biosensor construction. The biosensor is a sensor that uses an enzyme as a biological component to recognize a specific substance. The biosensor developed here seeks to detect polyphenols. The enzyme used is tyrosinase, the same enzyme that can cause browning in fruits such as apples. Here, we studied how best to add tyrosinase to the biosensor without losing the ability to detect polyphenols. We used different bases formed by a thin membrane also made of biomaterial to better accommodate the enzyme. We were able to identify the appropriate base for the biosensor's best response.

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29- Surface and groundwater relationship in an anthropically modified area

CAROLINA F. DOS SANTOS, RICARDO HIRATA, SILVANA S. MARCELLINI & DANIELA BARBATI

Although surface and groundwater are part of the same hydrological cycle, scientific and technical studies generally treat them in a sectorial way, and few are those that try to seek the convergence of calculated results in rivers and aquifers. The difficulty is associated with the scarcity of long historical series data. In this work, simple techniques were adopted to overcome this problem, allowing us to understand the dynamics of surface and groundwaters with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

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30- Phytotoxic bioassays and Fingerprinting by HPLC-DAD of Eragrostis plana Nees Root Extracts – application of chemometrics

ANA PAULA P.K. HENDGES, SIRLEI D. TEIXEIRA, VANDERLEI A. DE LIMA, MICHELANGELO M. TREZZI, BEATRIZ G.M. MOREIRA, KAMYLA M. CAVALCANTE & BEATRIZ HELENA L.N.S. MAIA

This manuscript is a very nice contribution to the phytotoxicity activity of the Eragrostis plana (Capim annoni-2) – Poaceae. Nowadays there is great interest in controlling weeds with less interference in the environment. In this context, extracts or substances from plants have been studied to develop new bioherbicides. In this study, the influence of seasonality and solvent of extraction were evaluated in the phytotoxicity activity through the modern techniques such as chromatographic fingerprinting and chemometrics analyses. The results are promising and they indicate that E. plana is a good source of bioactive compounds.

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31- Seasonal behavior of vegetation determined by sensor on an unmanned aerial vehicle

FILIPE C. FELIX, FABIO A.P. AVALOS, WELLINGTON DE LIMA, BERNARDO M. CÂNDIDO, MARX L.N. SILVA & RONALDO L. MINCATO

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingl high spatial and temporal resolution data at low altitudes with a variety of sensors they can carry, which makes the UAVs a tool for interest in several areas of knowledge, mainly environmental. The applications demonstrated in this manuscript reinforce the positive impact of the use of these platforms to monitor different types of vegetation and the results achieved reaffirm the capacity to use the low-cost technologies for agricultural management, maintenance of ecosystem services, and validation of satellite data.

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32- Forest restoration methods, seasonality, and penetration resistance does not influence aboveground biomass stock on mining tailings in Mariana, Brazil

ÍTALO F. CAMPANHARO, SEBASTIÃO V. MARTINS, PEDRO M. VILLA, GABRIEL C. KRUSCHEWSKY, ANDREIA A. DIAS & FABIO H. NABETA

Currently different forest restoration methods (i.e. planting of nursery-grown seedlings, seeding and natural regeneration) on mining tailings in Mariana, Brazil, are being applied to evaluate ecological indicators of resilience. Above-ground biomass is considered one of the main indicators after different anthropogenic disturbances in tropical forest. Therefore y being used in civil and scientific activities. This is justified by their ability to collect, evaluating the effects of multiple environmental factors in Mariana will allow to calibrate forest restoration methods. However, this study demonstrate how forest restoration methods, climate seasonality, and penetration resistance of tailings do not determine above-ground biomass storage, probably due to biotic factors related to species identity and their growth adaptation on tailings. 

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PALEONTOLOGY

33- Faunipollenites Bharadwaj 1962 and Protohaploxypinus Samoilovich 1953 emend. Morbey 1975: morphologic comparison of oxidized and non- oxidized specimens from India and Brazil, and its taxonomic importance

MERCEDES DI PASQUO, PAULINE S. KAVALI, RODOLFO DINO, MAHESH SHIVANNA, MARY ELIZABETH BERNARDES-DE-OLIVEIRA & ANIRBAN ROY

Controversies regarding Faunipollenites as junior synonym of Protohaploxypinus persist especially in India. Samples studied from Permian units of Damodar and Godavari (India) and Paraná (Brazil) basins processed using HCl and HF; residues divided in two sets, one oxidized with HNO₃ for two hours and the other 24-48 hours; both neutralized with KOH (two to five minutes). Detailed morphologic analysis performed using white and fluorescence light microscope, CLSM and SEM confirms Faunipollenites as junior synonym of Protohaploxypinus. Species of Faunipollenites synonymized with species of Protohaploxypinus revised. Biostratigraphic correlations are improved and distribution of these taxa in paleobiogeographic reconstructions of Gondwana enhanced.

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ANIMAL SCIENCE

34- Genetic effects on meat quality of crossbred lambs finished in confinement

DELANO S. OLIVEIRA, MARCOS CLÁUDIO P. ROGÉRIO, ARNAUD A. ALVES, ANA S.M. BATISTA, FERNANDO HENRIQUE M.A.R. DE ALBUQUERQUE, ROBERTO C.F.F. POMPEU & VINÍCIUS P. GUIMARÃES

The objective of this research was to evaluate the subjective, chemical and sensorial characteristics of the meat of crossbred lambs ½ Santa Inês x ½ No Defined Racial Standard and ½ Brasilian Somalis x ½ No Defined Racial Standard, finished in confinement. Our main conclusion is that genetic group has effect on meat quality characteristics in important parameters such as meat subjective characteristics, chemical composition and fatty acid profile in addition to parameters related to sensory evaluation.

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CROP SCIENCE

35- Morphoanatomical aspects of the starting material for the improvement of pineapple cryopreservation by the droplet-vitrification technique

PATRÍCIA A. GUERRA, EVERTON H. SOUZA, DANIELA A.S. MAX, MÔNICA L. ROSSI, ARIEL VILLALOBOS-OLIVERA, CARLOS A.S. LEDO, MARCOS E. MARTINEZ-MONTERO & FERNANDA V.D. SOUZA

Cryopreservation of pineapple shoot tips has been established from various protocols, including droplet vitrification. This work aimed to evaluate the morphoanatomical conditions of the starting material over different times of culture before freezing and its correlation with the survival percentage of the cryopreserved shoot tips. The results showed a significative interaction between genotypes and the culture period. The accessions BGA-009 and BGA-119 showed the highest survival rates, above 90% for the 30-day culture time. Different results were obtained for each genotype, showing the need for improvements in the standardization of starting material, which would allow better repeatability of the protocol.

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36- Morph-agronomic characterization of watermelon accessions with resistance to Fusarium Wilt

ANTONIO ELTON DA SILVA COSTA, FABIO S. DA CUNHA, KECIA MAYARA G. DE ARAÚJO, IZAIAS S. LIMA NETO, ALEXANDRE S. CAPUCHO, JERÔNIMO C. BOREL & FRANCINE H. ISHIKAWA

The present study evaluated 55 watermelon accessions collected in traditional farming areas, an alternative used to expand variability in plant breeding. Accessions were evaluated for the reaction to Fusarium Wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.  sp. niveum. Among the 42 accessions classified with different levels of resistance, 12 were selected to perform morpho-agronomic characterization. Based on these analyzes and field observations, the accessions BGH 40, BGH 169, BGH 177 and BGH 210 showed variability for characteristics of interest in watermelon culture such as ° Brix, productivity and precocity, being the most promising for use in future hybridizations.

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37- Differential responses of dwarf cashew clones to salinity are associated to osmotic adjustment mechanisms and enzymatic antioxidative defense

NARA LÍDIA M. ALENCAR, ALEXANDRE B. DE OLIVEIRA, JUAN C. ALVAREZ-PIZARRO, ELTON C. MARQUES, JOSÉ T. PRISCO & ENÉAS GOMES-FILHO

Plants are often exposed to several environmental stresses, including salinity, which is one of the most limiting to crop development and productivity. Thus, studies that reach to identify species or varieties with salt tolerance are extremally relevant, because they allow to know the plant physiological responses to this condition. In this study, salt stress reduced the seedling growth and photosynthetic capacity of two early dwarf cashew clones, however there were efficient mechanisms of osmotic adjustment and antioxidant activity, especially in clone BRS189, thus demonstrating its greater tolerance to salinity.

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38- Searching an auxinic herbicide to use as positive control in toxicity assays

THAMMYRES A. ALVES, CARLOS EDUARDO O. ROBERTO, PATRÍCIA F. PINHEIRO, THAYLLON A. ALVES, MAIKON K.C. HENRIQUE, ADÉSIO FERREIRA, WELLINGTON R. CLARINDO & MILENE M. PRAÇA-FONTES

Finding a substance that serves as a reliable positive control in mutagenesis assays has been the desire of several research groups. In the article Searching an auxinic herbicide to use as positive control in toxicity assays, we found interesting to test different positive controls to be applied in the promising mutagenic tests, especially those performed to verify the natural substances action, potential bioherbicides.

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39- Stigma structure and receptivity in papaya (Carica papaya L.)

JACQUELINE A.B. FERREIRA, CARLOS A.S. LEDO, FERNANDA V.D. SOUZA, JOSIMARE Q. CONCEIÇÃO, MONICA L. ROSSI & EVERTON H. SOUZA

The objective of this study was to evaluate the stigma morphoanatomy and receptivity in ten promising papaya accessions, to expand knowledge useful for genetic improvement of the culture. The papaya presented a dry stigma surface, presence of one to six erect stigmatic lobes, with structures joined to the upper base of the style and covered with numerous elongated unicellular tubular papillae. The highest receptivity of stigma occurs in anthesis and post-anthesis. The results obtained provide information on the floral stage that is most propitious for fertilization, as well as supporting future investigations of the botanical morphology of the species.

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40- Generalizability of machine learning models and empirical equations for the estimation of reference evapotranspiration from temperature in a semiarid region

LUCAS B. FERREIRA, FERNANDO F. DA CUNHA, GUSTAVO H. DA SILVA, FLAVIO B. CAMPOS, SANTOS H.B. DIAS & JANNAYTON E.O. SANTOS

The study assesses the use of machine learning (ML) models and empirical equations to estimate reference evapotranspiration, an important variable for irrigation scheduling, using air temperature. Data from nine weather stations located at northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, are used. To study the performance of the models outside the weather station where they were calibrated/developed (generalizability), a cross-station assessment is carried out. The locally calibrated/developed models exhibited higher performances than their regional versions. However, the regional models had higher generalizability, with a more stable performance between stations. The ML models performed better than the equations evaluated. New equations are made available. 

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41- The irrigation effect on nuts’ growth and yield of Carya illinoinensis

RUDINEI DE MARCO, ROBERTO J.Z. GOLDSCHMIDT, FLÁVIO G. HERTER, CARLOS R. MARTINS, PAULO C. MELLO-FARIAS & ALISON UBERTI

Pecan trees require adequate soil moisture conditions to produce nuts with good yield and quality. Irrigation should be an important considered practice in orchards management plan. Thus, the objective of this research was to evaluate irrigation in the growth and productivity of pecan. Three irrigation treatments were used: 0 L (control), 70 L and 140 L plant^-1 of water every two days, applied via drip. According to the results, it was possible to identify that periods of water deficit during pecan nuts development affected the kernel filling stage and size. Irrigation in pecan plants provides greater dimensions and nuts mass.

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42- Monitoring Glyphosate- and Chlorimuron resistant Conyza spp. Populations in Brazil

RAFAEL R. MENDES, HUDSON K. TAKANO, ACÁCIO GONÇALVES NETTO, GILMAR J. PICOLI JUNIOR, ANDERSON L. CAVENAGHI, VANESSA F.V. SILVA, MARCELO NICOLAI, PEDRO J. CHRISTOFFOLETI, RUBEM S. DE OLIVEIRA JUNIOR, MARCEL S.C. DE MELO & RAMIRO F. LOPEZ OVEJERO

Herbicides are globally adopted to control weeds in many crops. An increased problem has been the evolution of herbicide resistant species leading researchers around the world to understand those cases and to propose new weed control strategies. Conyza spp. are troublesome weeds in Brazil and have evolved resistant to two important herbicides groups – EPSPS and ALS inhibitors. This manuscript aimed to monitor the sensibility of these herbicides in more than 1180 samples of Conyza populations over four years in nine states. The project was conducted through the strong efforts of three universities and one industry representative.

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43- Soybean herbage yield, nutritional value and profitability under integrated manures management

MUHAMMAD AAMIR IQBAL, IMTIAZ HUSSAIN, ABDUL HAMID, BILAL AHMAD, SAIRA ISHAQ, AYMAN EL SABAGH, CELALEDDIN BARUTÇULAR, RANA DILDAR KHAN & MUHAMMAD IMRAN

Environmental concerns and skyrocketing prices of mineral fertilizers have necessitated utilizing organic sources of plant nutrients under changing climate. Soybean has the potential to offer nutritious forage for dairy animals provided its nutritional requirements are met in a sustainable way. A multi-year field trial was carried out to determine the response of forage soybean to three solely applied organic manures including poultry litter, bovine’s farm yard slurry and sewage sludge along with their binary combinations. Organic manures supplemented with chemical fertilizers remained superior to their sole application, especially bovine’s farm yard slurry applied in conjunction with reduced doses of mineral fertilizers yielded the highest green forage yield with improved nutritional profile.

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44- Chemical variability of essential oils of Eugenia uniflora L. genotypes and their antioxidant activity

ROGER R. CIPRIANO, BEATRIZ H.L.N.S MAIA & CÍCERO DESCHAMPS

Eugenia uniflora, popularly known as the Brazilian cherry tree, is a native species that has distribution throughout Brazilian territory and has great economic and ecological potential.  It has recently become an important raw material for the industry due to the production of an essential oil with antioxidant properties. The Brazilian cherry tree adapts to different environmental conditions because it has great genetic variability, so the evaluation of potential genotypes with high leaf biomass and essential oil production with standards that meet industry requirements is necessary as an initial strategy in the technological development for the production of the species.

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45- Phenological and productive characteristics of blackberry genotypes grown in an organic production system

RAFAELA S. DE SOUZA, MAURÍCIO G. BILHARVA, RUDINEI DE MARCO, LUIS E.C. ANTUNES, CARLOS R. MARTINS & MARCELO B. MALGARIM

Blackberry is a species with high growth potential in an organic production system. However, there is little information on the behavior of cultivars and selections of this species conducted in an ecologically based system, a fact that makes it difficult to recommend cultivars for this production system. This study  evaluated phenology and production of blackberry genotypes grown in an organic system.  Regarding phenology, the Black 112 genotype was later than the others while Black 178 was the earliest. The genotypes Black 178, Black 112, Black 145 and cultivars BRS Xingu and Tupy showed growth potential in organic production system.

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46- Post-seminal development and cryopreservation of endemic or endangered bromeliads

SIMONE S.S. SILVA, EVERTON H. SOUZA, FERNANDA V.D. SOUZA, DANIELA A.S. MAX, MONICA L. ROSSI & MARIA A.P.C. COSTA

Vriesea bahiana, Hohenbergia castellanosii and Encholirium spectabile are endemic Brazilian species that are considered endemic or endangered. Development of strategies to conserve these species is important to prevent irreversible genetic erosion. The objective of this study was to evaluate the post-seminal development and seed cryopreservation, to obtain a protocol that can safeguard the genetic variability of these species. Morphoanatomic differences in post-seminal development were observed in the three species. Vriesea bahiana seeds can be cryopreserved with 5.9% water content, with maintenance of 95% germinability. Hohenbergia castellanosii and E. spectabile seeds did not need to be desiccated before being cryopreserved.

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FORESTRY SCIENCE

47- Modeling and dynamics of growth and yield of tree species in Mimosa scabrella stands

EDILSON URBANO, SEBASTIÃO A. MACHADO, AFONSO FIGUEIREDO FILHO & CARLOS R. SANQUETTA

The article entitled “modeling and dynamics of growth and production of tree species in bracatingais”, deals with forest formations composed of bracatinga and secondary species. Since secondary species replace the bracatinga over the years we tried to determine the age in which the bracatinga volume is overcome by that of the secondary species and define the best cutting cycle of the bracatingal. Using mathematical modeling approaches we concluded that 8 years is the best harvesting age for bracatinga and 13 to 14 years is the age in which bracatinga volume becomes greater than the volume of the secondary ones.

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ENGINEERING SCIENCES

48- Damage diagram of blast test results for determining reinforced concrete slab response for varying scaled distance, concrete strength and reinforcement ratio

FAUSTO B. MENDONÇA, GIRUM S. URGESSA, LUIZ E.N. ALMEIDA & JOSÉ A.F.F. ROCCO

This paper develops an useful diagram with results of full-scaled field tests using explosives. The aim of this work was to verify the mitigation of blast effects on reinforced concrete slabs using polyurethane foam retrofitting and quantify the effect of the two reinforcement ratios in the slabs. The authors have worked with results of blast effects on reinforced concrete slabs and procedures to reduce damages. During this effort, it was evident that a diagram showing all the results would be an important resource to help structural designers to predict reinforced concrete slabs behavior during blast effects. 

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49- Production of Pleurotus sajor-caju crude enzyme broth and its applicability for the removal of bisphenol-A

JAMILE R. RAMPINELLI, MAHARA P. DE MELO, AURICIANE ARBIGAUS, MÁRCIA L.L. DA SILVEIRA, THEODORO M. WAGNER, REGINA M.M. GERN, ELISABETH WISBECK, MARIANE BONATTI-CHAVES, AGENOR FURIGO JÚNIOR & SANDRA A. FURLAN

Bisphenol-A is classified as an endocrine disrupting compound, a class of environmental pollutants that have recently come to the attention of researchers. When in contact with humans, these compounds cause a number of adverse effects. A quite promising alternative method for removing these compounds from wastewater and the environment is the use of oxidative enzymes produced by lignocellulosic fungi, which are easily cultivable and develop in a wide variety of agro-industrial wastes. It is important to obtain a crude enzymatic formulation that eliminates extraction and purification steps in the process and presents high efficiency in the removal of these compounds.

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50- Virtual Reality for Monitor and Control of Electrical Substations

ALEXANDRE C. SILVA, ALEXANDRE CARDOSO, EDGARD A. LAMOUNIER JUNIOR & CAMILO L. BARRETO JUNIOR

This research aims to minimize problems caused in the operation of electric power substations due to the lack of spatial and functional information in traditional interfaces, this problem is considered as a condition that promotes an error with a strong impact factor in critical engineering systems. the need to develop solutions that promote facilitating mechanisms in the field of operation. A Virtual Reality integration solution was developed, capable of providing complementary resources. As a proof of concept, this strategy was implemented at Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais (CEMIG - Brazil) and subsequently carried out tests to obtain results.

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51- Lipase production by microorganisms isolated from the Serra de Ouro Branco State Park

BÁRBARA D. DA SILVA LUZ, BOUTROS SARROUH, JULIANO L. BICAS & RENATA C.Z. LOFRANO

The Serra do Ouro Branco State Park is located in the southernmost boundary of the Serra do Espinhaço, a mountain range situated in the state of Minas Gerais, in Brazil. This region is well known for its rich biodiversity thus making it of a great potential for the isolation of microorganisms capable of producing enzymes of industrial interest. For this reason, the present manuscript aimed at the isolation of epiphytic microorganisms collected from the Serra do Ouro Branco State Park and the selection of lipase-producing strains with potential industrial use.

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52- Maximum length of subsurface drip irrigation laterals subjected to backpressure

MICHAEL S. THEBALDI, KARINA V. RODRIGUES & FIDEL LUÍS R. TAMBO

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of backpressure on the length of irrigation laterals in different situations, in order to achieve a better subsurface drip irrigation system design. Using data from a field experiment combined with information obtained from a previously published paper which tested driplines hydraulics behavior influenced by backpressure. It was concluded that the variables that most influenced the maximum length of the laterals were the terrain slope and permissible flowrate variation.

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53- Technological competitiveness and emerging technologies in industry 4.0 and industry 5.0

ERICK L. ALVAREZ-AROS & CÉSAR A. BERNAL-TORRES

The technological competitiveness and emerging technologies of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 are analyzed to identify the key elements of developed and emerging economies. Methodologically, a bibliometric analysis was used with software R, Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny, among other techniques. It is concluded that developed economies show elements such as engineering skills; R + D + i and the supply chain; and the use of the Internet of things and Big Data. Emerging economies show elements such as training and education; sustainability and organizational structure; and the use of the Internet of things and digitization.

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54- Comparison of Quality Characteristics of Tomato Paste Produced under Atmospheric Conditions and Vacuum Evaporations

ESRA DEVSEREN, DILARA OKUT, MEHMET KOÇ, HALUK KARATAŞ & FIGEN KAYMAK-ERTEKIN

Tomato paste is a concentrated product that is consumed quite often. Tomato paste is produced industrially as well as traditionally at homes. However, the production at homes is carried out under atmospheric conditions and some problems arise in product quality and food safety. The purpose of this study was to compare the quality characteristics of tomato paste produced under atmospheric conditions and vacuum evaporation.

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55- Chlorella vulgaris growth on anaerobically digested sugarcane vinasse: influence of turbidity

MAYARA L. SEREJO, GAZIELE RUAS, GABRIEL B. BRAGA, PAULA L. PAULO & MARC À. BONCZ

The paper mainly studied the influence of turbidity on the microalgae productivity, using anaerobically digested vinasse (ADV) as a culture medium. The results indicated that the microalgae can grow in ADV at high turbidity (690 NTU), and the aeration can double the microalgae productivity up to 139 mg L¹ d¹ (2.7 g L^-1 of biomass). Thus, the combination of anaerobic digestion followed by the use of the digestate for the microalgae cultivation may be an efficient way to treat large quantities of this residue, in turn yielding large amounts of microalgae biomass, which can be transformed into fertilizer and biofuel.

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56- Comparative analysis of hydraulic refrigeration and mechanical vapour compression water cooling technologies in designing a technical system for oysters conservation

MARCOS A. GARCIA, JOAQUIM M. GONÇALVES, KÁTIA C. MENDONÇA, NATHAN MENDES & LUCIANO A. MENDES

The manuscript entitled “Comparative Analysis of HRS and MVCS Water Cooling Technologies in Designing a Technical System for Oysters Conservation”presents an analysis on the applicability of hydraulic compression cooling technology in high evaporation temperature systems. Being the hydraulic refrigeration system pointed out by some authors as a viable choice for similar applications, this concept was taken for a comparative investigation with the mechanical vapor compression technology. Results from numerical modeling suggest that a less optimistic view in relation to the HRS is more convenient, contradicting those authors by proving the mechanical vapor compression technology to be more energy efficient.

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57- Regional Frequency Analysis applied to extreme rainfall events: Evaluating its conceptual assumptions and constructing null distributions

GABRIEL C. BLAIN, GRACIELA DA R. SOBIERAJSKI, ANA CAROLINA F. XAVIER & JOÃO PAULO DE CARVALHO

Improving the probabilistic assessment of extreme rainfall events has been a common goal for many statistical studies because such events pose serious hazards to human health and the environment. The statistical technique “Regional Frequency Analysis” (RFA) has been widely used in several parts of the planet to promote such an improvement. This study adapted the RFA to tropical-subtropical climates and provided a computational algorithm capable of calculating this statistical technique. Therefore, the RFA can now be easier and more accurately applied to tropical-subtropical regions of the globe.

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58- Regionalization of flow duration curves in the Amazon with the definition of homogeneous regions via fuzzy C-means

FRANCISCO C.L. PESSOA, CLAUDIO J.C. BLANCO & EVANICE P. GOMES

The Amazon, the largest tropical forest in the world, has an immense network of rivers, which represent 20% of the world's fresh waters. In this context and due to its immense area, Brazil and other countries that make up this region are unable to implement a network of streamflow gauge stations capable of covering the entire region. Therefore, regionalization models are needed to supply locations without streamflow data available to analyze, for example, granting water use or to determine interesting hydroelectric potentials to supply municipalities, which are still in isolated regions of the region.

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59- Influence of extraction solvents on the polyphenol contents, compositions, and antioxidant capacities of fig (Ficus carica L.) seeds

EMINE NAKILCIOĞLU-TAŞ & SEMIH ÖTLEŞ

Fig seeds are remarkable parts of whole fig (Ficus carica L.). They are considered to be significantly responsible for the bioactive compounds of whole fig. In this study, it was investigated how 6 solvents (100% acetone, 100% methanol, 100% ethanol, 50% (v/v) aqueous acetone, 50% (v/v) aqueous methanol and 50% (v/v) aqueous ethanol) with different polarities affect the polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacities of fig seed extracts. As a result of the study, 50% (v/v) aqueous methanol extract of fig seeds were found to have the highest polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity.

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60- Photocatalytic Ozonation Performance In Landfill Leachate Treatment

RAFAEL F. CARARD, GILSON JUNIOR SCHIAVON, THIAGO M. DE CASTRO, FLÁVIA V.S. MEDEIROS, GUILHERME DE PAULA, ANA CAROLINA M. LANDGRAF & EUDES J. ARANTES

This work aims to identify the best treatment condition for removal of chemical oxigen demand (COD) and increase of biodegradability in a process of photocatalytic ozonation with titanium dioxide (TiO₂), applied in leachate from the landfill of Campo Mourão, Paraná. The experimente was carried out using a photocatalytic chamber and an ozonation system. A statistical model of the central composite rotatable design (CCRD) and three variables (pH, TiO₂ dose and airflow) were analyzed. The statistical model was valid for the data, the best condition identified allowed approximately 30% removal of filtrate COD and increase in biodegradability (BOD/COD) = 0.59.

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SOCIAL SCIENCES

61- Responsible Science Assessment: downplaying indexes, boosting quality

ALICIA J. KOWALTOWSKI, ARIEL M. SILBER & MARCUS F. OLIVEIRA

Scientists are facing enormous pressures posed by growing scientific communities and reduced funding. Mechanisms of knowledge achievement and management, as well as how recruitment, progression and evaluation are carried out should be reevaluated. We argue that knowledge has become a profitable commodity and excessive academic quantification, individual output assessment problems and abusive editorial market strategies have reached unsustainable levels. We propose to reinforce existing guidelines and to establish new ones to overcome these issues. The Initiative for Responsible Scientific Assessment (IRSA) aims to strengthen and expand previous movements in the scientific community to promote higher quality research assessment, focused on better Science.

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All abstracts of the publications were provided by the respective authors.

Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences
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