A MULHER E A PESCA: UM OLHAR SOBRE A PESQUISA E A ATUAÇÃO FEMININA PESQUEIRA NO BRASIL

As mulheres pescadoras lidam historicamente com a falta de reconhecimento de suas atividades, o que tem implicações socioeconômicas (e.g., falta de remuneração por seu trabalho) e de saúde (e.g.: falta de reconhecimento de suas doenças trabalhistas). Através de uma revisão da literatura, aqui avaliamos eventuais mudanças neste cenário para as pescadoras brasileiras, incluindo o seu reconhecimento na literatura científica. Encontramos que, nas últimas décadas, as pescadoras brasileiras conseguiram melhorias: muitas, por exemplo, gerenciam diferentes associações de pescadores em todo o país, incluindo algumas historicamente dominadas por homens, como as colônias de pesca. A academia também reflete esta tendência ao mostrar crescente interesse no entendimento do papel das mulheres na pesca brasileira. No entanto, as capturas femininas ainda tendem a não ser registradas, embora os peixes e mariscos que coletam tenham um papel central na subsistência, segurança e soberania alimentar de suas famílias e comunidades. Por outro lado, à medida que o reconhecimento feminino progride lentamente, em alguns casos as mulheres começam a ter seu trabalho valorizado economicamente para além das esferas de processamento e venda de peixes. Alguns exemplos mostram que trabalhos de pesca tradicionalmente vistos como uma simples "ajuda ao parceiro" começam a ser economicamente remunerados, o que tende a se traduzir em melhor uso desta renda no bem-estar familiar. Estas conquistas positivas ajudam a revelar barreiras mais sutis, como a constante luta das mulheres para serem reconhecidas como trabalhadoras da pesca quando seu trabalho não está diretamente no setor extrativo (mas voltado, por exemplo, à fabricação de equipamentos ou ao processamento e comércio de peixes). Mesmo quando diretamente envolvidas no setor extrativo, as pescadoras ainda lutam para ter o reconhecimento de suas doenças ocupacionais, sem o qual seu acesso aos direitos trabalhistas é limitado. Assim, há muito a ser feito para que o trabalho da pesca feminina saia da invisibilidade, mas os primeiros passos já foram dados, cabendo à sociedade como um todo propulsionar esse processo

Evaluation of the potential of fucoidan-based microparticles for diabetes treatment

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Marine organisms have in their constitution materials with a wide range of properties and characteristics inspiring their application within the biomedical field. One important example is fucoidan (Fu), an underexploited sulfated polysaccharide extracted from the cell wall of the brown seaweeds, with high solubility in water1. Fucoidan is composed of L- fucose and glucuronic acid including sulfate groups and has important bioactive properties such as antioxidative, anticoagulant, anticancer and in the reduction of blood glucose1,2. In this work, the biomedical potential of fucoidan was assessed by processing modified fucoidan (MFu) into microparticles by photocrosslinking using superhydrophobic surfaces and visible light3,4. Biological performance on the developed constructs using human pancreatic beta cells is currently under investigation. METHODS: To design the materials structures, fucoidan was modified by methacrylation reaction3. Briefly, Fu aqueous solution 4% w/v was mixed with methacrylated anhydride (MA) in volume of 12% v/v at 50oC to react for 6h. Further, MFu particles with and without insulin (0.5% w/v) were produced by pipetting a solution of 5% MFu v/v with triethanolamine and eosin-y (photoinitiators) onto superhydrophobic surfaces4 (Fig. 1A) and then photocrosslinking using visible light4. MFu and developed particles were characterized using 1HNMR, turbidimetry and SEM to assess their chemistry and morphology, respectively. Moreover, the insulin release was evaluated in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution at pH 7and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) at pH 5. The ability of the developed materials to support adhesion and proliferation of cells was assessed by suspension culture of human pancreatic cells 1.1B4 (3.5x105 cells/ml) in contact with MFu microparticles during up to 7 days. RESULTS: The chemical modification performed on Fu was confirmed by the presence of vinyl and additional methyl peaks in the 1HNMR of modified fucoidan, not present in Fu spectrum. Methacrylated fucoidan was obtained with a methacrylation degree of 17%. The produced fucoidan particles have round shape and average diameter of 1.53 mm (Fig. 1B). The insulin release in PBS and SIF demonstrate that the particles can release insulin in a sustained manner under the studied period. It seems that the insulin release is slower for SIF (pH5, Fig. 1C), than for PBS. The biological tests regarding the culture of pancreatic beta cells demonstrate that cells show a round-like shape and tend to form pseudo-islets during the culture period studied (Fig. 1D). DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates the successful production of fucoidan- based-microparticles through the methacrylation of fucoidan, using visible light and superhydrophobic surfaces. The covalent crosslinking methacrylated fucoidan through visible light represents a promising method to obtain biocompatible fucoidan particles with a uniform round shape. The obtained insulin release profiles are sensitive to different pH (pH7 and pH5), mimicking the normal physiological pathway for insulin release. Furthermore, the results suggest these systems could be used for treatment of type I diabetes mellitus as they sustain beta cells viability and proliferation. The response also suggested, that the MFu particles could be a good candidate as drug delivery vehicles for the diabetes mellitus treatment. REFERENCES: 1 Silva TH et al (2012), Biomatter 2(4): 278:289. 2Sezer Alidemir et al (2011), Fucoidan: A versatile biopolymer for biomedical applicatons (Springer Ber.Heid).pp377-406. 3Mihaila S.et al (2013), Adv. Health. Mat. 2(6): 895-907. 4Rial Hermida et al, Acta Biomater.(2014) 10(10) 4314-4322. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This work was partially funded by projects 0687_NOVOMAR_1_P (POCTEP), CarbPol_u_Algae (EXPL/MAR- BIO/0165/2013), ComplexiTE (ERC-2012-ADG 20120216-321266). Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology is also gratefully acknowledged for doctoral grants of L. Reys and N. Oliveira and post- doctoral grants of S.S. Silva and D. Soares da Costafunded by projects 0687_NOVOMAR_1_P (POCTEP), CarbPol_u_Algae (EXPL/MARBIO/0165/2013) , ComplexiTE(ERC-2012-ADG 20120216-321266). Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technologyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Look Who’s Asking—Reflections on Participatory and Transdisciplinary Marine Research Approaches

Marine conservation transdisciplinary researchers often get to the field with a previously designed question, often formulated outside the actual geographical, social, cultural and ecological setting in which the research projects are supposed to be anchored. Involving people on the ground in the initial phase of formulating the questions and setting the research agenda is still uncommon. Once in the field, transdisciplinary researchers may or may not have the support of local communities to sample their data, although they will regularly need to count on these same communities if a collaborative regime is to be pursued and informed by the research outcome. This paper discusses measures that can be taken by marine fisheries and marine conservation researchers to improve participation in, and ownership of, the research by local counterparts, most importantly members of the communities where research is being conducted. The data was generated with a purposively sampled survey of 18 members of our research networks. Key proposed measures derived from this data include: (1) build rapport; (2) engage and exchange; (3) be accommodating and attentive; and (4) be respectful. Knowing who is asking the questions and assuring that all stakeholders have a voice in this process becomes especially relevant under extreme circumstances (e.g., disasters, pandemics), when problems are numerous but can only be accessed by those on the ground. We advise for faster progress in transforming academic and funding environments for true “level-playing-field” transdisciplinary and co-designed research projects that can help change top-down research tendencies

Low population genetic structure is consistent with high habitat connectivity in a commercially important fish species (Lutjanus jocu)

The level of habitat availability influences genetic divergence among populations and the genetic diversity within populations. In the marine environment, near-shore species are among the most sensitive to habitat changes. Knowledge of how historical environmental change affected habitat availability and genetic variation can be applied to the development of proactive management strategies of exploited species. Here, we modeled the contemporary and historical distribution of Lutjanus jocu in Brazil. We describe patterns of genomic diversity to better understand how climatic cycles might correlate with the species demographic history and current genetic structure. We show that during the Last Glacial Maximum, there were ecological barriers that are absent today, possibly dividing the range of the species into three geographically separated areas of suitable habitat. Consistent with a historical reduction in habitat area, our analysis of demographic changes shows that L. jocu experienced a severe bottleneck followed by a population size expansion. We also found an absence of genetic structure and similar levels of genetic diversity throughout the sampled range of the species. Collectively, our results suggest that habitat availability changes have not obviously influenced contemporary levels of genetic divergence between populations. However, our demographic analyses suggest that the high sensitivity of this species to environmental change should be taken into consideration for management strategies. Furthermore, the general low levels of genetic structure and inference of high gene flow suggest that L. jocu likely constitutes a single stock in Brazilian waters and, therefore, requires coordinated legislation and management across its distribution

The Missing Layers: Integrating Sociocultural Values Into Marine Spatial Planning

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is a relatively new approach to ocean management and has been widely implemented worldwide. Ideally, MSP should be established as a public process that analyzes and distributes human activities across space and time to achieve ecological, economic and social goals, which historically have been accomplished exclusively in the political arena. However, in most cases MSP seems to be driven primarily by economic interests rather than by sociocultural goals. In this paper, we discuss how integrating the missing sociocultural layers into MSP can help to reduce governance rigidity, promote adaptability in decision-making, support environmental justice, and improve MSP acceptance and uptake. In particular, we focus on identifying possible points of connection between MSP and frameworks based on social-ecological system theory, including co-management and other democratic and empowering alternatives. We conclude by proposing a new definition of the MSP process that is more inclusive, and mindful of users’ rights and sociocultural objectives. If we bridge the gap between the dominant economic rhetoric and a de facto sociocultural-ecological system approach, we are likely to improve the chances of the MSP process succeeding on both the human and nature fronts.Postprin

Host Immune Response to ZIKV in an Immunocompetent Embryonic Mouse Model of Intravaginal Infection

Zika virus (ZIKV) only induces mild symptoms in adultshowever, it can cause congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), including microcephaly. Most of the knowledge on ZIKV pathogenesis was gained using immunocompromised mouse models, which do not fully recapitulate human pathology. Moreover, the study of the host immune response to ZIKV becomes challenging in these animals. Thus, the main goal of this study was to develop an immunocompetent mouse model to study the ZIKV spread and teratogeny. FVB/NJ immune competent dams were infected intravaginally with ZIKV during the early stage of pregnancy. We found that the placentae of most fetuses were positive for ZIKV, while the virus was detected in the brain of only about 42% of the embryos. To investigate the host immune response, we measured the expression of several inflammatory factors. Embryos from ZIKV-infected dams had an increased level of inflammatory factors, as compared to Mock. Next, we compared the gene expression levels in embryos from ZIKV-infected dams that were either negative or positive for ZIKV in the brain. The mRNA levels of viral response genes and cytokines were increased in both ZIKV-positive and negative brains. Interestingly, the levels of chemokines associated with microcephaly in humans, including CCL2 and CXCL10, specifically increased in embryos harboring ZIKV in the embryo brains

Cultivation of algae in photobioreator and obtention of biodiesel

In this work we described the cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris in a photobioreactor to algal biomass production. The dried biomass was used as feedstock for biodiesel production, it presented 26% lipids and via sonocatalysis stage of the methodology resulted in 60% of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). The FAME content was confirmed by Gas Chromatography (GC).CNPqFAPERGSCoordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES

Cachexia: pathophysiology and ghrelin liposomes for nose-to-brain delivery

Cachexia, a severe multifactorial condition that is underestimated and unrecognized in patients, is characterized by continuous muscle mass loss that leads to progressive functional impairment, while nutritional support cannot completely reverse this clinical condition. There is a strong need for more effective and targeted therapies for cachexia patients. There is a need for drugs that act on cachexia as a distinct and treatable condition to prevent or reverse excess catabolism and inflammation. Due to ghrelin properties, it has been studied in the cachexia and other treatments in a growing number of works. However, in the body, exogenous ghrelin is subject to very rapid degradation. In this context, the intranasal release of ghrelin-loaded liposomes to cross the blood-brain barrier and the release of the drug into the central nervous system may be a promising alternative to improve its bioavailability. The administration of nose-to-brain liposomes for the management of cachexia was addressed only in a limited number of published works. This review focuses on the discussion of the pathophysiology of cachexia, synthesis and physiological effects of ghrelin and the potential treatment of the diseased using ghrelin-loaded liposomes through the nose-to-brain route.Funded by PROSUP/Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement (CAPES), University of Sorocaba (UNISO), São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP/2014/50928-2), Brazil, granted to MVC, and by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT/MCT) and from European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE), co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020 granted to EBS (UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

March1-dependent modulation of donor MHC II on CD103+ dendritic cells mitigates alloimmunity.

In transplantation, donor dendritic cells (do-DCs) initiate the alloimmune response either by direct interaction with host T cells or by transferring intact donor MHC to host DCs. However, how do-DCs can be targeted for improving allograft survival is still unclear. Here we show CD103+ DCs are the major do-DC subset involved in the acute rejection of murine skin transplants. In the absence of CD103+ do-DCs, less donor MHC-II is carried to host lymph nodes, fewer allogenic T cells are primed and allograft survival is prolonged. Incubation of skin grafts with the anti-inflammatory mycobacterial protein DnaK reduces donor MHC-II on CD103+DCs and prolongs graft survival. This effect is mediated through IL-10-induced March1, which ubiquitinates and decreases MHC-II levels. Importantly, in vitro pre-treatment of human DCs with DnaK reduces their ability to prime alloreactive T cells. Our findings demonstrate a novel therapeutic approach to dampen alloimmunity by targeting donor MHC-II on CD103+DCs

Fishers and groupers (epinephelus marginatus and E. morio) in the coast of Brazil : integrating information for conservation

Groupers are a vulnerable but economically important group of fish, especially for small-scale fisheries. We investigated catches and local ecological knowledge (LEK) of diet, habitat, and past fishing experiences. Landings, prices, interviews, and restaurants demand for two species, Epinephelus marginatus (dusky grouper) and Epinephelus morio (red grouper), were registered. We visited 74 markets and 79 sites on the coast of Brazil in 2017–2018, and we interviewed 71 fishers: Bahia (NE), Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (SE), and Santa Catarina (S). The landings sampled of dusky grouper (2016–2017) in Rio de Janeiro were: n = 222, size 38–109 cm, weight 1–24 kg, average 3.84 kg; in São Paulo, São Sebastião were: n = 47, size 39–106 cm, weight 2–8 kg, average of 2.77 kg; and at Santos: n = 80, 26–120 cm, weight 0.36–15 kg, average 2.72 kg. Red grouper was observed in markets in the northeastern Brazil. We did not observe Epinephelus marginatus from Bahia northward; a maximum size of 200 cm was reported south of the Bahia, besides Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo coasts, 20 years ago (or longer) by 12 fishers. Local knowledge of fishers was important for grouper data of habitat and diet; the reproduction period was identified by fishers as September to March. Groupers can be considered as a cultural and ecological keystone species. We suggest protective measures: 1) fishing zoning, 2) islands (MPAs) with the surveillance of fishers, 3) late Spring and early Summer as key periods for management (grouper reproduction), 4) studies on grouper larvae, 5) mapping of fishing spots, 6) studies on local knowledge. Collaboration with small-scale fishers and local knowledge could contribute to low-conflict management measures. In that regard, integrative models of management from Latin America, by using local knowledge and citizen science, could produce successful grouper management for Brazilian data-poor fisheries, a contrasting reality to the Mediterranean areas. Finally, the distribution of E. marginatus in Brazil leave us with questions: a) Have dusky groupers disappeared from Bahia because of a decline in the population? b) Was it uncommon in Northeast Brazil? c) Did changes in water temperatures forced a movement southward?151CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP307762/2013–0; 301592/2017–914/16939–7In addition to FAPESP and CNPq, we acknowledge Eduardo Camargo and Marco Antonio A. G. Araújo for helping with fieldwork in NE Brazil and Mara Magenta (UNISANTA) for helping us with infrastructure for fish larvae observation in the laboratory. We are grateful to the fisher-buyers Antonio, Elenilson and Valdecir. We are also very grateful to Rodrigo Caires, who supported us with taxonomic matter