Biodiversidade, população e economia: uma região de mata atlântica [Biodiversity, Population, and Economy: a region of atlantic forest]

Minas Gerais; Rio Doce; mata atlântica; atlantic forest; sustainable development; conservation; regional development; environment

Distribuição da Ictiofauna Capturada em Arrastos de Fundo na Baía de Guanabara - Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

In order to describe the composition and the structure of the fish community and to analyze spatial distribution patterns of the most frequent and abundant groups in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, thirty-seven trawls were accomplished in September 1997, May 1998, April and August 2000, in four areas along the north-south environmental gradient of the bay. Fifty-six species, belonging to 27 families, were captured. The families Sciaenidae, Ariidae, Haemulidae, Dactylopteridae, and Triglidae in this order, were the most abundant. Habitat partitioning of the most abundant populations was observed along the bay. Ariidae, mostly represented by the marine catfish Genidens genidens, prevailed in the inner areas (I and II), with lower depths and salinities. Sciaenidae, of which the whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri was the most abundant species, prevailed in the central area (III), with higher depths while Haemulidae and Dactylopteridae were more abundant in the outermost area (IV), with less turbid and more saline waters, and the lowest content of organic matter in the sediment. The outer areas (III and IV), under oceanic influence, presented the greatest fish abundances and the highest species richness.Com o objetivo de descrever a composição e a estrutura da comunidade de peixes na Baía de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, e analisar os padrões de distribuição espacial dos grupos mais freqüentes e abundantes, foram realizados 37 arrastos de fundo nos meses de setembro de 1997, maio de 1998, abril e agosto de 2000, em quatro áreas de estudo, ao longo do gradiente norte-sul da baía. Foram identificadas 56 espécies de peixes, pertencentes a 27 famílias. As famílias Sciaenidae, Ariidae, Haemulidae, Dactylopteridae e Triglidae, nesta ordem, foram as mais abundantes. Foi observada a repartição espacial das populações mais abundantes ao longo da baía. A família Ariidae, sendo o bagre Genidens genidens a espécie mais representativa, predominou nas áreas mais internas (I e II), de menor profundidade e salinidade mais baixa. A família Sciaenidae, da qual a corvina Micropogonias furnieri foi a espécie mais abundante, predominou na área central da baía (III), de maior profundidade. Já as famílias Haemulidae e Dactylopteridae foram mais abundantes na área mais externa (IV), com água mais clara e salina e com menor teor de matéria orgânica no sedimento. Maiores valores de abundância e riqueza específica foram observadas nas áreas mais externas, sob maior influência oceânica (áreas III e IV)

Oxidative precipitation synthesis of calcium-doped manganese ferrite nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles are of high interest for therapeutic applications. In this work, nanoparticles of calcium-doped manganese ferrites (CaxMn1−xFe2O4) functionalized with citrate were synthesized through thermally assisted oxidative precipitation in aqueous media. The method provided well dispersed aqueous suspensions of nanoparticles through a one-pot synthesis, in which the temperature and Ca/Mn ratio were found to influence the particles microstructure and morphology. Consequently, changes were obtained in the optical and magnetic properties that were studied through UV-Vis absorption and SQUID, respectively. XRD and Raman spectroscopy studies were carried out to assess the microstructural changes associated with stoichiometry of the particles, and the stability in physiological pH was studied through DLS. The nanoparticles displayed high values of magnetization and heating efficiency for several alternating magnetic field conditions, compatible with biological applications. Hereby, the employed method provides a promising strategy for the development of particles with adequate properties for magnetic hyperthermia applications, such as drug delivery and cancer therapy.This work was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding of CF-UM-UP (UIDB/04650/2020, UIDP/04650/2020), CQUM (UIDB/00686/2020), CICECO Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020 & LA/P/0006/2020) and by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España (PID2020-113704RB-I00 and PID2020-119242RB-I00), Xunta de Galicia (Centro Singular de Investigación de Galicia—Accreditation 2019-2022 ED431G 2019/06 and IN607A 2018/5 and project ED431C 2020-06), and European Union (EU-ERDF Interreg V-A—Spain-Portugal 0245_IBEROS_1_E, 0712_ACUINANO_1_E, and 0624_2IQBIONEURO_6_E, and Interreg Atlantic Area NANOCULTURE 1.102.531), and the European Union H2020-MSCA-RISE-2019 PEPSA-MATE project. S.R.S. (872233) Veloso acknowledges FCT for a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/144017/2019). Support from MAP-Fis Doctoral Programme is also acknowledged

Magnetoliposomes incorporated in peptide-based hydrogels: towards development of magnetolipogels

A major problem with magnetogels is the encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. Magnetoliposomes not only provide these domains but also improve drug stability and avert the aggregation of the magnetic nanoparticles. In this work, two magnetoliposome architectures, solid and aqueous, were combined with supramolecular peptide-based hydrogels, which are of biomedical interest owing to their biocompatibility, easy tunability, and wide array of applications. This proof-of-concept was carried out through combination of magnetoliposomes (loaded with the model drug curcumin and the lipid probe Nile Red) with the hydrogels prior to pH triggered gelation, and fluorescence spectroscopy was used to assess the dynamics of the encapsulated molecules. These systems allow for the encapsulation of a wider array of drugs. Further, the local environment of the encapsulated molecules after gelation is unaffected by the used magnetoliposome architecture. This system design is promising for future developments on drug delivery as it provides a means to independently modify the components and adapt and optimize the design according to the required conditions.FCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(UIDB/00686/2020

Impact of citrate and lipid-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles in dehydropeptide supramolecular magnetogels: properties, design and drug release

Currently, the nanoparticle functionalization effect on supramolecular peptide-based hydrogels remains undescribed, but is expected to affect the hydrogels' self-assembly and final magnetic gel properties. Herein, two different functionalized nanoparticles: citrate-stabilized (14.4 ± 2.6 nm) and lipid-coated (8.9 ± 2.1 nm) magnetic nanoparticles, were used for the formation of dehydropeptide-based supramolecular magnetogels consisting of the ultra-short hydrogelator Cbz-L-Met-Z-ΔPhe-OH, with an assessment of their effect over gel properties. The lipid-coated nanoparticles were distributed along the hydrogel fibers, while citrate-stabilized nanoparticles were aggregated upon gelation, which resulted into a heating efficiency improvement and decrease, respectively. Further, the lipid-coated nanoparticles did not affect drug encapsulation and displayed improved drug release reproducibility compared to citrate-stabilized nanoparticles, despite the latter attaining a stronger AMF-trigger. This report points out that adsorption of nanoparticles to hydrogel fibers, which display domains that improve or do not affect drug encapsulation, can be explored as a means to optimize the development of supramolecular magnetogels to advance theranostic applications.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain) under the Grant (CTM2017-84050-R), Xunta de Galicia/FEDER (IN607A 2018/5 and Centro Singular de Investigación de Galicia accreditation 2019-2022, ED431G 2019/06), 0712_ACUINANO_1_E, 0624_2IQBIONEURO_6_E and NANOCULTURE cofounded by FEDER through the program Interreg V-A España-Portugal (POCTEP), NANOCULTURE (ERDF: 1.102.531) Interreg Atlantic Area, the European Union (European Regional Development Fund-ERDF)

Biodiversidade, população e economia: uma região de mata atlântica [Biodiversity, Population, and Economy: a region of atlantic forest]

Minas Gerais; Rio Doce; mata atlântica; atlantic forest; sustainable development; conservation; regional development; environment

Magnetogels: prospects and main challenges in biomedical applications

Drug delivery nanosystems have been thriving in recent years as a promising application in therapeutics, seeking to solve the lack of specificity of conventional chemotherapy targeting and add further features such as enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, biosensing and hyperthermia. The combination of magnetic nanoparticles and hydrogels introduces a new generation of nanosystems, the magnetogels, which combine the advantages of both nanomaterials, apart from showing interesting properties unobtainable when both systems are separated. The presence of magnetic nanoparticles allows the control and targeting of the nanosystem to a specific location by an externally applied magnetic field gradient. Moreover, the application of an alternating magnetic field (AMF) not only allows therapy through hyperthermia, but also enhances drug delivery and chemotherapeutic desired effects, which combined with the hydrogel specificity, confer a high therapeutic efficiency. Therefore, the present review summarizes the magnetogels properties and critically discusses their current and recent biomedical applications, apart from an outlook on future goals and perspectives.This work was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding of CF-UM-UP (UID/FIS/04650/2013) and CQUM (UID/QUI/00686/2016). S.R.S.V. acknowledges FCT for a research grant under UID/FIS/04650/2013 funding.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Uma experiência de coleta seletiva em condomínios residenciais

Neste texto, relatamos uma experiência de coleta seletiva de resíduos e Educação Ambiental em condomínios residenciais do bairro Engenheiro Goulart, na zona Leste de São Paulo. Os idealizadores e executores do projeto foram alunos do segundo ano do curso de Gestão Ambiental da Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da USP (EACH-USP), contemplados com bolsas da Pró-Reitoria de Cultura e Extensão Universitária. O foco principal do projeto foi a abordagem técnica de coleta seletiva dentro de condomínios residenciais, com o objetivo de inserir o trabalho da cooperativa de reciclagem da região dentro da rotina dos condôminos. O grupo trabalhou com a sensibilização e a conscientização dos moradores a respeito da temática ambiental e social. A abordagem de cunho social foi de grande relevância, visto que o grande potencial de renda para a cooperativa era inexplorado devido a dificuldades de acesso. Esta intervenção favoreceu aos condôminos e trabalhadores da cooperativa uma nova maneira de olhar a região na qual habitam