Education and Education Practices among Quilombolas: The School and the Cultural Diversity

AbstractThis text examines different aspects of the discussion on the disconnection between teaching and its practices and contents vs. the cultural diversity within the contexts it operates. Among these aspects one should highlight the types of comprehension and construing of the world, as these map our notions of Education and Culture and take place within an interconnected way.Here, we take as the basis for reference the study on culture and educational activities reflecting specific ways to understand and construe the world, within a quilombola community (black community) in Brazil

Tocopherol and fatty acids content and proximal composition of four avocado cultivars (Persea Americana Mill)

Avocado pulp is widely regarded as a great source of edible oil containing fat-soluble vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids (FA). However, avocado peel and seeds are also good sources of edible oil and are less explored byproducts. This paper aimed at determining the proximal composition, FA and tocopherol contents of the pulp, peel, and seeds of Quintal, Fortuna, Margarida, and Hass avocado cultivars. The pulps presented high concentrations of oleic acid. In addition, peel and seeds presented lower omega-6/omega-3 ratios than the pulp. There was also a considerable amount of tocopherol in the peel and seeds, especially in Hass peel (230.7 mg/100 g). According to the results, the peel and seeds of avocado that are considered byproducts, can be utilized in food industry

Vineyard yeld estimation by VINBOT robot - preliminary results with the white variety Viosinho

Nowadays it is recognized that vineyard yield estimation can bring several benefits to all the vine and wine industry and, consequently, there is a strong demand for fast and reliable yield estimation methods. Recently a strong effort has been made on developing machine vision tools to automatically estimate vineyard yields evolving several research teams worldwide. In this paper we aim to present preliminary results obtained in the frame of an European research project (VINBOT: “Autonomous cloud-computing vineyard robot to optimise yield management and wine quality”) focus on yield estimation. A ground truth evaluation trial was set up in an experimental vineyard with the white variety Viosinho, trained on a vertical shoot positioning system and spur pruned. A sample of contiguous vines was labeled and submitted to a detailed assessment of vegetative and reproductive data to feed a viticulture data library. The vines were scanned during the ripening period of the 2015 season by the VINBOT sensor head composed with a set of sensors capable of capturing vineyard images and 3D data. Ground truth data was used to relate with images taken by the sensors and to test algorithms of image analysis. In this paper we present and discuss the relationships between actual and estimated yield computed using the surface occupied by the grape clusters in the images. Our preliminary results showed that, despite of a slight underestimation of the ground truth, caused mainly by cluster occlusion, when the canopy density allows visualization of most part of the clusters, the yield can be estimated by machine vision with a high fidelity. Further research is ongoing to test those devices and methodologies in other varieties and to improve the estimation accuracyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phenolic profile of Croton urucurana Baill. Leaves, stems and bark: pairwise influence of drying temperature and extraction solvent

Cerrado biome represents an area with great biodiversity. Some of its plants have significant ethnopharmacological uses, with specific purposes. Croton urucurana Baill., for instance, was previously acknowledged for its anti-hemorrhagic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, healing, and potentially antifungal and entomopathogenic actions. Nevertheless, the compounds supporting these empirical applications are still unknown. Accordingly, this work was designed to achieve a complete characterization of the phenolic profile of di erent botanical tissues obtained from C. urucurana, and also to verify how di erent operational conditions (di erent drying temperatures and extraction conditions) a ect that profile. All samples were further characterized by HPLC–DAD–ESI/MSn, and results were compared by advanced chemometric tools. In general, the drying temperatures that maximize the extraction yield of specific individual phenolic compounds were established. Likewise, it was possible to verify that samples extracted with the hydroethanolic solution allowed higher phenolic yields, either in individual compounds (except (epi)catechin-di-O-gallate) or total phenolics. The identification of the best operational conditions and phenolic profiles associated with each C. urucurana botanical part contributes to enabling their use in food or pharmaceutical-related applications.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for the contracts of M.I. Dias and L. Barros, and to the individual scientific employment program-contract for J.C.M. Barreira; to the FEDER–Interreg España–Portugal program for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E. The authors are also grateful to the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Goiano.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Metformin improves skin capillary reactivity in normoglycaemic subjects with the metabolic syndrome

WSTĘP. Insulinooporność i rodzinne występowanie cukrzycy niezależnie wiążą się z dysfunkcją śródbłonka. Stres oksydacyjny odgrywa kluczową rolę w patofizjologii uszkodzenia naczyń krwionośnych. Metformina, oprócz obniżania stężenia glukozy, działa ochronnie na naczynia. Celem niniejszej pracy by&#179;o zbadanie, czy metformina korzystnie wpływa na krążenie w odżywczych naczyniach włosowatych skóry oraz czy zmniejsza stres oksydacyjny u osób wysokiego ryzyka wystąpienia cukrzycy typu 2 i chorób sercowo-naczyniowych. METODY. Badaniem objęto 30 pacjentów z prawidłowym stężeniem glukozy i zespołem metabolicznym (MS), którzy mieli krewnych chorych na cukrzycę typu 2. średni wiek wynosił 39,1 &#177; 8,4 roku, a wskaźnik masy ciała (BMI) 35,8 &#177; 4,8 kg/m2 (średnia &#177; odchylenie standardowe). Pacjentów losowo podzielono na 2 grupy za pomocą metody podwójnie &#156;lepej próby w stosunku 1:1 - 14 osób otrzymywało placebo, a 16 metforminę (1700 mg/d.). Wyjściowo i po zakończeniu badania pobrano krew do analizy biochemicznej oraz mocz w celu określenia stężenia 8-epi-prostaglandyny F2&#945; (8-epi-PGF2&#945;). Krążenie w naczyniach włosowatych oceniano za pomocą wideokapilaroskopii obrąbka naskórkowego, podczas której analizowano średnicę pętli naczyń włosowatych doprowadzających (AF), odprowadzających (EF) i wierzchołkowych (AP), funkcjonalną gęstość naczyń włosowatych (FCD), prędkość przepływu czerwonych ciałek krwi w spoczynku (RBCV) oraz po 1 minucie od okluzji naczyń tętniczych (RBCVmax), a także czas potrzebny do jej osiągnięcia (TRBCVmax). WNIOSKI. Metformina poprawiła reaktywność naczyń włosowatych skóry u osób z prawidłową glikemią i zespołem metabolicznym, niezależnie od zmian stężenia 8-epi-PGF2&#945;.AIMS. Insulin resistance and a parental history of diabetes mellitus are independently associated with endothelial dysfunction. Oxidative stress has a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of vascular injury. Metformin, in addition to its glucose-lowering properties, has vasculoprotective effects. We investigated whether metformin has beneficial effects on the nutritive skin capillary circulation and deceases oxidative stress in a group at high risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. METHODS. Thirty normoglycaemic subjects with the metabolic syndrome (MS), who had first-degree relatives with T2DM, participated. The mean age was 39.1 &#177; 8.4 years and body mass index (BMI) 35.7 &#177; &#177; 4.8 kg/m2 (mean &#177; SD). Subjects were randomized 1:1 to receive placebo (n = 14) or metformin (n = 16; 1700 mg/day) in a double-blind study. At baseline and post treatment, blood and urine samples were collected for biochemical and 8-epi-prostaglandin F2&#945; (8-epi-PGF2&#945;) analysis, respectively. Microcirculation was assessed by nailfold videocapillaroscopy, analysing afferent (AF), efferent (EF) and apical (AP) diameters of capillary loops, functional capillary density (FCD), red blood cell velocity at rest (RBCV), after 1 min arterial occlusion (RBCVmax) and time (TRBCVmax) taken to reach it. RESULTS. Groups did not differ significantly in anthropometric, clinical, laboratory or microvascular measurements at baseline. In the metformin group, weight, BMI, systolic blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose fell, and lipid profile and microcirculatory parameters FCD, AF, EF, AP, RBCVmax and TRBCVmax improved (all p < 0.01). No relationship between clinico-laboratory parameters and microvascular reactivity was observed, except for changes in total and lowdensity lipoprotein-cholesterol and RBCVmax. 8-epi-PGF2&#945; did not change significantly in either group. CONCLUSIONS. Metformin improved skin capillary reactivity in normoglycaemic MS subjects independently of significant changes in 8-epi-PGF2&#945; levels

Hopf algebras and Markov chains: Two examples and a theory

The operation of squaring (coproduct followed by product) in a combinatorial Hopf algebra is shown to induce a Markov chain in natural bases. Chains constructed in this way include widely studied methods of card shuffling, a natural "rock-breaking" process, and Markov chains on simplicial complexes. Many of these chains can be explictly diagonalized using the primitive elements of the algebra and the combinatorics of the free Lie algebra. For card shuffling, this gives an explicit description of the eigenvectors. For rock-breaking, an explicit description of the quasi-stationary distribution and sharp rates to absorption follow.Comment: 51 pages, 17 figures. (Typographical errors corrected. Further fixes will only appear on the version on Amy Pang's website, the arXiv version will not be updated.

Solar radiation levels modify the growth traits and bromatological composition of Cichorium intybus

Shading greenhouse may be an effective method to achieve a suitable environment for crop growth and to enhance crop yield and quality in places or seasons where there is high light intensity. Therefore, solar radiation levels may modify the biomass accumulation and bromatological composition. Different solar radiation levels (100%, 70% and 50% of available solar radiation) were simulated in order to determine crop responses to these factors in chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. foliosum). A hydroponic experiment was conducted in an experimental greenhouse in the city of Frederico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Plants grown in lower solar radiation levels are more efficient in converting solar radiation into dry matter, had a higher lipid content, increased chlorophyll indices a, b and total, as well as reduced leaf thickness, acid deter- gent fiber, cellulose, and lignin content, presenting more attractive bromato- logical features for commercial production. In this study it was demonstrated that the use of shading screens is an effective method to attenuate the solar radiation, this is especially relevant in places or seasons where there is high light intensity, which contribute to achieve better characteristics of the chicory produced.

Comportamento de dois genótipos de milho cultivados em sistema de aléias preestabelecido com diferentes leguminosas arbóreas.

O cultivo em aléias tem sido recomendado como alternativa para a substituição da agricultura de corte e queima, no trópico úmido, devido à grande capacidade de produção de matéria orgânica e de reciclagem de nutrientes, mas algumas dúvidas quanto à sustentabilidade e à competição interespecífica são persistentes. O objetivo no trabalho foi avaliar a viabilidade da cultura do milho em um sistema de cultivo em aléias de leguminosas arbóreas. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualisados, com quatro repetições dos tratamentos: aléias de sombreiro (Clitoria fairchildiana), ingá (Inga edulis), guandu (Cajanus cajan) e leucena (Leucaena leucocephala) e uma testemunha sem aléias. Foram avaliadas a remobilização de carbono e nitrogênio, massa de grãos, massa de mil grãos e competição interespecífica entre as cultivares de milho e as leguminosas. A produção de grãos foi maior nas parcelas com C. fairchildiana e L. leucocephala. A produtividade do híbrido de milho foi superior à da variedade em todos os tratamentos. A produtividade e a massa de mil grãos de milho não são negativamente afetadas pela distância da linha da leguminosa arbórea. Esse estudo conclui que o sistema de aléias com leguminosas arbóreas é uma alternativa importante ao manejo sustentável dos agroecossistemas no tropico úmido. Além disso, nessa região a produtividade em grãos na cultura do milho é favorecida no sistema de aléias preeestabelecidas com as leguminosas arbóreas sombreiro, ingá e leucena e pela utilização de genótipos eficientes no aproveitamento do nitrogênio, cujo sincronismo entre a liberação e a absorção do N aplicado por meio das leguminosas deve ser aprimorado