Prediction of the potential distribution of Drosophila suzukii on Madeira Island using the maximum entropy modeling.

ABSTRACT: Drosophila suzukii is one of the main pests that attack soft-skinned fruits and cause significant economic damage worldwide. Madeira Island (Portugal) is already affected by this pest. The present work aimed to investigate the potential distribution of D. suzukii on Madeira Island to better understand the limits of its geographical distribution on the island using the Maximum Entropy modeling (MaxEnt). The resultant model provided by MaxEnt was rated as regular discrimination with the area under the curve (AUC, 0.7–0.8). Upon scrutinizing the environmental variables with the greatest impact on the distribution of D. suzukii, altitude emerged as the dominant contributor, with the highest percentage (71.2%). Additionally, elevations ranging from 0 to 500 m were identified as appropriate for the species distribution. With the results of the model, it becomes possible to understand/predict which locations will be most suitable for the establishment of the analyzed pest and could be further applied not only for D. suzukii but also for other species that hold the potential for substantial economic losses in this insular region.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influence of age and maturation on perceived collective efficacy in youth basketball players

Growth and maturation impact the development of young athletes’ physique and function. It is likely that psychological and behavioral characteristics will also be impacted by maturity status. Perceived collective efficacy (CE) is a potential mediator of sports performance and may be influenciated by maturity status. Therefore, this study examined the perceived CE variation between young basketball players accounting for the influence of chronological age and biological maturity status. The sample included 57 adolescent basketball players aged 9.5 to 15.5 years. Chronological age, estimated age at peak height velocity (PHV) and CE through the Portuguese version of the Collective Efficacy Questionnaire for Sports were considered. Bayesian multilevel modeling was used to examine athletes’ perceived CE dimensions variation by maturity status and age. Overall, the adolescent basketball players’ perceived CE scores were high for all dimensions: ability (8.77±1.15); effort (9.20±1.03); persistence (8.87±1.18); preparation (8.96±1.08); unity (8.88±1.22). The variability estimates were very large, suggesting that the influence of maturity status on variation may be residual. There was no substantial relation between chronological age and the variation scores, although the results suggest that perceived variation was independent of chronological age variation and between players variation in maturity status. Further study examining the relations of growth, functional performance development, and perceived CE would be relevant for the holistic understanding of young basketball players’ development.O crescimento e a maturação afetam o desenvolvimento físico, a função e o comportamento de jovens atletas. É provável que características psicológicas e comportamentais também sejam afetadas pelo estágio maturacional. A eficácia coletiva (EC) percebida é um potencial mediador do desempenho esportivo e também pode ser influenciada pelo estágio maturacional. Portanto, este estudo examinou a variação da EC entre jovens jogadores de basquetebol, considerando a influência da idade cronológica e do estágio maturacional. Foram considerados e analisados em sua idade cronológica, na idade estimada no pico de velocidade de crescimento (PHV) e na EC 57 atletas de basquetebol adolescentes com idades entre 9,5 e 15,5 anos por meio da versão portuguesa do Questionário de Eficácia Coletiva para Esportes. Uma série de modelos Bayesianos de regressão linear multinível foi utilizada para estimar a EC percebida pelos atletas de acordo com seus estágios maturacionais e idade cronológica. No geral, os escores de EC dos jovens atletas de basquetebol foram elevados em todas as dimensões: capacidade (8,77±1,15); esforço (9,20±1,03); persistência (8,87±1,18); preparação (8,96±1,08); unidade (8,88±1,22). As estimativas de variabilidade foram muito grandes, sugerindo que a influência do estágio maturacional sobre a EC seja residual. Não houve relação substancial entre a idade cronológica e os escores de EC, embora os resultados sugiram que a EC percebida tenha sido independente da variação da idade cronológica e da variação nos estágios maturacionais entre os atletas. Estudos adicionais que examinem as relações entre crescimento, desenvolvimento de desempenho funcional e percepção de EC seriam relevantes para a compreensão holística do desenvolvimento de jovens jogadores de basquetebol

Anticipating the Climate Change Impacts on Madeira’s Agriculture: The Characterization and Monitoring of a Vine Agrosystem

Climate—Madeira Strategy (CMS) foresees two models to describe the climate scenarios for the Madeira region in 2050 and 2070. These scenarios anticipate an average temperature rise of 1.4 to 3.7 ◦C and a decrease in precipitation by 30 to 40%. Consequently, Madeira’s agriculture will suffer the impacts of climate change. To understand these impacts, a baseline of major agrosystem components needs to be established, with the ultimate goal to monitor its consequences in its functioning. CASBio project used the 1961–1991 and 2010–2020 meteorological data series to modulate climate conditions and characterize and monitor six agrosystems for 2 years. One of them was a vineyard, Quinta das Vinhas, representing a typical agrosystem in the Mediterranean climate. The annual and seasonal variation in climatic parameters, soil conditions, microbiological communities, floristic and insect diversity, and crop production was assessed, using a total of 50 parameters. The results were used to establish a baseline of the agrosystem components and their seasonal and annual variation. The major findings are: (i) winter and summer extreme events show a trend in temperature and precipitation supporting a fast change in climate; (ii) a critical imbalance between nitrogen fixing and denitrifying bacteria was identified, especially in summer, that could be determined by the rise in temperature and drought; (iii) among floristic diversity, the therophytes and geophytes confirm to be the most suitable indicators for the rise in temperature and reduction in precipitation in the agrosystems; (iv) an imbalance in favor of C. capitata plague was observed, associated with the summer rise in temperature and decrease in precipitation; (v) despite an increase in most of the grape varieties production, the Madeiran wine local varieties were shown to be less stable in productivity under observed climate conditions. The agrosystem baseline is a starting point for long term monitoring and allows for further quantifying the influence of climate change on agrosystem productivity, resilience, and sustainability.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Contribution to the knowledge of agrodiversity in the county of Santa Cruz, Madeira

O presente trabalho procura analisar as alterações sofridas pela agrodiversidade no território do Santa Cruz. Este concelho localizado na costa sul da Madeira tem 81,5 km2, quatro patamares bioclimáticos e numerosas unidades agroecológicas (UAE). A evolução da agrodiversidade iniciou-se, com o povoamento do Arquipélago, descoberto inabitado em 1418. A agrodiversidade biofísica, específica e intraespecífica aumentou e diversificou-se, devido à construção de agrossistemas, introdução de culturas, sucessão de ciclos agrícolas, adaptação às condições agroecológicas, aparecimento de pragas e doenças e pela ação do homem. Os registos históricos indicam a introdução de um elevado número de culturas, bem como a utilização de 72 espécies agrícolas, no concelho. E, indicam como fundamentais no povoamento e economia as culturas do trigo e as cerealíferas (cevada, centeio), cana-sacarina, vinha e sumagre. Várias outras culturas desempenharam um papel importante na economia do concelho, sendo cultivadas para fins alimentares, comerciais, industriais, culturais ou religiosos. A adaptação destas espécies aos agrossistemas e às condições agroecológicas deu origem a um número indeterminado de variedades locais. Apesar das limitações da documentação disponível, foram encontradas referências a variedades locais cuja cultura remonta há 140 a 500 anos, nomeadamente o Trigo da Serra, castas Malvasia e Tinta Antiga de Gaula, pêra Caniça, Banana da terra, feijão Corno de carneiro e Couve de João Ferino, que podem ser relacionadas com o historial do concelho. Porém, desde meados do século XX, a agrodiversidade sofreu uma drástica redução com a diminuição das áreas cultivadas, o abandono de várias espécies agrícolas e a extinção de variedades locais. A análise desta agrodiversidade foi realizada, a fim de apurar as alterações históricas e geográficas ocorridas na agrodiversidade em onze culturas representativas do concelho, visando a sustentabilidade agronómica.This work analyzes the changes undergone by agrodiversity in Santa Cruz. This municipality, in Southern Madeira Island, presents four bioclimatic levels and many agroecological units. The evolution of agrodiversity began with the first human settlement, after the discovery of the Archipelago in 1418. In the first, the biophysical, specific and intraspecific agrodiversity increased and diversified due to the construction of agro-systems, introduction of crops, succession of agricultural cycles, adaptation to agroecological conditions and to the action of pests, diseases or man. Historical records document the introduction of a large number of crops and the use of more than 72 crop species in the county. Some references indicate the cereals wheat and barley, rye, sugarcane, vineyards and sumac was most important crops in the settlement. However, several other cultures played an important role in the county’s economy, being grown for food, commercial, industrial, cultural or religious purposes. The adaptation of these species to agro-systems and agro-ecological conditions gave rise to an indeterminate number of local varieties. Despite the limitations of historical records some local varieties of these cultures date back 140 to 500 years. Local varieties such as the wheat Trigo da serra, the grapevine varieties Malvasia and Gaula’s Tinta Antiga, the pear Caniça, Banana da terra, bean Corno de Carneiro and the João Ferino´s cabbage can be linked to the county’s history. However, since the middle of the 20th century, the agrodiversity undergoes a drastic reduction due to the decrease of agricultural areas, abandonment of crop species and extinction of local varieties. The evolution of agrodiversity was study by the Germplasm Banck ISOPlexis with the objective of establishing the historical and geographical changes that occurred with eleven of the most representative crops of the county. Despite the negative trends affecting agriculture, these varieties constitute a factor of differentiation and appreciation of local agricultural production, with the creation of short food chains and diversification of the rural economy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Modelagem em larga escala utilizando técnicas multi-declive em ambientes urbanos arborizados / Large-scale modeling using multi-declive techniques in urban wooded environments

Há inúmeros desafios no planejamento de redes sem fio, visto que a predição da perda no percurso e consequentemente da potência recebida em um dado instante e local é complexo. Desse modo o sistema tem que ser projetado para funcionar sob condições de grande variabilidade, considerando as atenuações e interferências. E assim, a modelagem matemática do canal torna-se uma ferramenta eficiente nesse processo, uma vez que ela é prediz o nível médio do sinal recebido e as variabilidades em torno dele. Sabendo que o ambiente influencia diretamente a propagação do sinal e que modelos com vários expoentes de atenuação podem ser mais precisos frente aos modelos com apenas um expoente de atenuação (log-distance). Este trabalho propõe um modelo em larga escala ajustado com técnicas de multi-declive para ambientes urbanos arborizados, utilizando a cidade de Belém/Pa como cenário, com vias públicas potencialmente arborizadas como cidades amazônicas. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que o modelo proposto foi satisfatório para representar o ambiente em estudo, com RMSE no valor 2,93

DNA Protection against Oxidative Damage Using the Hydroalcoholic Extract of Garcinia mangostana

Garcinia mangostana, popularly known as “mangosteen fruit,” originates from Southeast Asia and came to Brazil about 80 years ago where it mainly grows in the states of Pará and Bahia. Although mangosteen or its extracts have been used for ages in Asian folk medicine, data on its potential genotoxicity is missing. We, therefore, evaluated genotoxicity/mutagenicity of hydroethanolic mangosteen extract [HEGM, 10 to 640 μg/mL] in established test assays (Comet assay, micronucleus test, and Salmonella/microsome test). In the Comet assay, HEGM-exposed human leukocytes showed no DNA damage. No significant HEGM-induced mutation in TA98 and TA100 strains of Salmonella typhimurium (with or without metabolic activation) was observed and HEGM-exposed human lymphocytes had no increase of micronuclei. However, HEGM suggested exposure concentration-dependent antigenotoxic potential in leukocytes and antioxidant potential in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. HEGM preloading effectively protected against H2O2-induced DNA damage in leukocytes (Comet assay). Preloading of yeast with HEGM for up to 4 h significantly protected the cells from lethality of chronic H2O2-exposure, as expressed in better survival. Absence of genotoxicity and demonstration of an antigenotoxic and antioxidant potential suggest that HEGM or some substances contained in it may hold promise for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical application