Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

Detection of transgenic in soybean and in derived products in Brazil

A área global cultivada com transgênicos em 2002 continuou a crescer pelo sexto ano consecutivo, com uma taxa de mais de 10% ao ano, atingindo, em 2002, 58,7 milhões de hectares. No Brasil, o cultivo comercial e o consumo de transgênicos estão suspensos até a presente data, no entanto cultivos clandestinos de soja transgênica têm sido identificados, sobretudo nos estados do sul do país. Inicialmente, este trabalho teve como objetivo oferecer um enfoque sobre a comercialização de soja transgênica e produtos derivados (farelo e ração) no Brasil, com base em amostras enviadas por várias empresas, durante os anos de 2000, 2001 e 2002, ao Laboratório de Análises Genéticas – AgroGenética. Foram analisadas amostras de grãos de soja, farelo e rações à base dessa leguminosa. O método utilizado nas análises foi o da reação em cadeia da DNA polimerase (PCR). “Primers” específicos foram utilizados para detecção do gene RR (“Roundup Ready”), do promotor 35S do vírus do mosaico da couve-flor e da região terminadora NOS do gene da nopalina sintase de Agrobacterium tumefasciens. Como resultados foram identificadas, no ano de 2000, amostras positivas apenas em grãos de soja (77,8%) e farelo (22,2%). Em 2001, 70,8% das amostras positivas foram de grãos de soja, 12,5% de farelo e 16,7% de rações à base de soja. Já, em 2002, 34,9% das amostras positivas foram de grãos de soja, 45% de farelo e 20,1% de ração. Devido à dificuldade em se obter quantidades significativas de DNA em condições de serem analisadas, a partir de alimentos processados, este trabalho teve como segundo objetivo ajustar uma metodologia de extração de DNA para produtos alimentícios processados cárneos para análise quantitativa. Para isso, foram testadas modificações em dois métodos de extração de DNA: o método Wizard (Promega) e o PrepMan Ultra (Applied Biosystems). As modificações no método Wizard incluíram o uso de um volume 1,5 vez maior do tampão de extração que o recomendado pelo fabricante, um maior tempo de incubação (por mais de 12 horas) e a eluição final do DNA em um volume menor de água do que o sugerido. No método do PrepMan Ultra foram testados dois volumes diferentes do reagente de extração, 200 e 400 μL. A reação de PCR em tempo real foi realizada usando-se o sistema ABI Prism SDS 7000 (Applied Biosystems). Os resultados permitiram concluir que a extração de DNA de produtos cárneos utilizando o método Wizard com as modificações propostas, foi mais eficiente que a extração usando o PrepMan Ultra. O presente estudo teve como terceiro objetivo avaliar a real situação do plantio de sementes fiscalizadas e certificadas de soja geneticamente modificada, na safra de 2002/2003, por meio da análise de 2.466 amostras coletadas por laboratórios de análises de sementes dos Estados do Mato Grosso (42%), Rio Grande do Sul (39,5%) e Minas Gerais (10,1%) e pela cooperativa COODETEC, do Estado do Paraná (8,4%). O método empregado nas análises foi o PCR qualitativo, com o uso de “primers específicos”. Detectou-se a presença de soja transgênica apenas nas amostras coletadas no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (19,69% das amostras analisadas).The global area cultivated with transgenic plants in 2002 continued to grow for the sixth consecutive year, with a rate of more than 10% a year, reaching in 2002, 58.7 million hectares. In Brazil, the commercial cultivation and consumption of transgenic are suspended to the present date, however, illegal cultivations of transgenic soybean have been identified, mostly in the southern states. Initially, this work had as objective offer a vision of the commercialization of transgenic soybean and derived products (soy flour and soybean based ration) in Brazil based on samples analyzed by the Laboratório de Análises Genéticas – AgroGenética, a private laboratory incubated at the Federal University of Viçosa, sent by several companies during the years of 2000, 2001 and 2002. Samples of soybean grains, soy flours and rations were analyzed. The method used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Specific primers were used for the detection of the RR gene ("Roundup Ready"), the promoter 35S of cauliflower mosaic virus and the NOS terminator region of nopaline sintase gene of Agrobacterium tumefasciens. As results it was identified in the year of 2000 positive samples in soybean grains (77.8%) and soy flour (22.2%). In 2001, 70.8% of positive samples were from soybean grains, 12.5% from soy flour and 16.7% from soybean based rations. In 2002, 34.9% of the positive samples were from soybean grains, 45% from soy flour and 20.1% from rations. Due to the difficulty in obtaining significant amounts of DNA in conditions to be analyzed, starting from processed foods, this work had as a second objective to adjust a methodology of DNA extraction for processed meat products containing soybean products for quantitative analysis. Several modifications were tested in two methods of DNA extraction, the Wizard method (Promega) and PrepMan Ultra (Applied Biosystems). The modifications in the Wizard included the use of a bigger volume of the extraction solution (1.5 x recommended by the manufacturer), a larger time of incubation (more than 12 hours) and, the final elution of DNA in a smaller volume of water than recommended. In the PrepMan Ultra method, two different volumes from the extraction reagent, 200 and 400 μL were tested. The real time PCR reaction was accomplished using the ABI Prism SDS 7000 system (Applied Biosystems). The results allowed concluding that the extraction of DNA of meat products using the Wizard method with the proposed modifications was more efficient than the extraction using the PrepMan Ultra. The present study had also as a third objective to evaluate the real situation of the use of fiscalized and certified genetically modified soybean seeds in the agricultural year 2002/2003, through the analysis of 2466 samples collected by laboratories of seed analyses in the states of Mato Grosso (42%), Rio Grande do Sul (39,5%), Minas Gerais (10,1%) and Paraná (8,4%). The method used to analyze the samples was the qualitative PCR using "specific" primers. The presence of transgenic soybean seeds was detected only in samples collected in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (19.69% of the analyzed samples).Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic

Three coil inductive resonant link optimization for wireless power transfer

Wireless power transfer through magnetic induction was first presented by Nikola Testla a century ago but, technical limitations did not let its immediate application at that time. It was only late of XX Century that commercial systems based on this technology could be offered. Nowadays this technology is considered the most appropriated to be used with portable devices like smartphones, tablets and so on. Additionally, it is the only technology available for dynamic charging of electric vehicles. In other words, charging while they are moving. In this kind of wireless power transfer technology, the energy transfer from the transmitter to the receiver is made through an electromagnetic link created by resonant coils. Several coils configurations can be used to implement the link. This work will focus on a system with three-coils assembled on axial alignment. The system performance will be evaluated in terms of power delivered to the load, efficiency and link distance. The three-coil system results will be compared with two-coil system results working under same operational conditions. That comparison points out the greater flexibility of three-coil system. This kind of system shows to be capable to function over a wider range of efficiency and power delivered to the load, which is not possible to the first one. Moreover, conditions under which the three-coil system shows to be more efficient, or able to deliver greater power to the load than two-coil system, will be discussed. Real data will be presented, as a case of a specific point of operation, in which the power delivered to the load is almost two times higher and efficiency is almost three times greater than the ones verified when using a two-coil system.Transmissão de energia sem fio através de indução magnética ressonante foi primeiramente apresentada por Nikola Tesla há mais de um século, mas as limitações tecnológicas da época não possibilitaram sua imediata aplicação. Somente ao final do século XX que sistemas comerciais baseados nesta técnica puderam ser implementados. Atualmente é a tecnologia que se mostra mais adequada para transferência de energia para equipamentos móveis portáteis, como smartphones e tablets. Também hoje é a única tecnologia disponível que permite o desenvolvimento de veículos elétricos energizados dinamicamente, isto é, enquanto em movimento. Nesta técnica de transmissão de energia sem fio, independentemente do nível de complexidade da aplicação, a passagem da energia entre lado da transmissão e recepção se dá por meio de um enlace eletromagnético formado por bobinas ressonantes. Várias configurações de bobinas podem ser usadas na construção deste enlace. Neste trabalho será estudado um sistema baseado em um enlace composto por três bobinas montadas em alinhamento axial. O desempenho do sistema será avaliado em termos da potência entregue à carga, eficiência da transmissão de energia e alcance do enlace. Os resultados do sistema de três bobinas serão comparados aos resultados de um sistema composto por duas bobinas operando sob condições semelhantes. A comparação deixa clara a maior flexibilidade do sistema de três bobinas, que se mostra capaz de operar em uma faixa mais ampla de valores de eficiência e potência que o sistema de duas bobinas. Serão definidas as condições limites que permitam ao sistema de três bobinas operar com maior eficiência, maior potência entregue à carga ou maior alcance de enlace que aqueles obtidos com um sistema de duas bobinas. Serão também apresentados resultados reais que mostram, para condições específicas de operação, uma potência entregue à carga quase duas vezes maior que aquela possível com o sistema de duas bobinas e, ao mesmo tempo, uma eficiência praticamente três vezes maior

A metabolomic study of <i>Gomphrena agrestis</i> in Brazilian Cerrado suggests drought-adaptive strategies on metabolism

Drought is the main factor that limits the distribution and productivity of plant species. In the Brazilian Cerrado, the vegetation is adapted to a seasonal climate with long- and short-term periods of drought. To analyze the metabolic strategies under such conditions, a metabolomic approach was used to characterize Gomphrena agrestis Mart. (Amaranthaceae) a native species that grows under natural conditions, in a rock-field area. Roots and leaves material from native specimens were sampled along different seasons of the year and LC–MS and GC–MS analyzed for multiple chemical constituents. The datasets derived from the different measurements were combined and evaluated using multivariate analysis. Principal component analysis was used to obtain an overview of the samples and identify outliers. Later, the data was analyzed with orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis to obtain valid models that could explain the metabolite variations in the different seasons. Two hundred and eighty metabolites were annotated, generating a unique database to characterize metabolic strategies used to cope with the effects of drought. The accumulation of fructans in the thickened roots is consistent with the storage of carbons during the rainy season to support the energy demand during a long period of drought. The accumulation of Abscisic acid, sugars and sugar alcohols, phenolics, and pigment in the leaves suggests physiological adaptations. To cope with long-term drought, the data suggests that tissue water status and storage of reserves are important to support plant survival and regrowth. However, during short-term drought, osmoregulation and oxidative protection seems to be essential, probably to support the maintenance of active photosynthesis