Empresa, Sustentabilidade e Responsabilidade Social: Origens, Motivações, Críticas e Aspectos Práticos.

The present paper analyzes the sustainability and its historical aspects, the emergence of global concern about the subject, with sustainable economic development and its major initiatives, from the effective involvement of the States in the discussions in the search for consensus in the quality of life on the planet, rationality in the exploitation of natural resources and concern for future generations. We research also the context of social responsibility (business), starting at historical aspect to following analyze its interrelationship as an instrument to combat the problem of social inequality and poverty, was discoursing on the possibility of state action while inducing corporate behavior on this theme, describing the concrete experience revealed in the actions of the Federal Public Ministry, through award-winning design that became known as "Green Cities / Meat Legal".O presente trabalho analisa a sustentabilidade e seus aspectos históricos, o surgimento da preocupação mundial sobre o tema, com o desenvolvimento econômico sustentável e suas principais iniciativas, a partir do efetivo envolvimento dos Estados nas discussões para a busca de consenso sobre as a qualidade de vida no planeta, da racionalidade na exploração dos recursos naturais e da preocupação com as gerações futuras. Aborda-se também o contexto da responsabilidade social (empresarial), iniciando pelo seu aspecto histórico, para na sequência analisar o seu papel enquanto instrumento de combate ao problema da desigualdade social e pobreza, discorrendo-se sobre a possibilidade de atuação estatal enquanto indutora de comportamentos empresariais nesta temática, descrevendo a experiência concreta, revelada na atuação do Ministério Público Federal, através de premiado Projeto que ficou conhecido como Municípios Verdes/Carne Legal

The social vulnerability associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic: a study with citizens who resorted to a social emergency service in Portugal

O objetivo do estudo foi caracterizar a situação familiar, socioeconómica e de apoio social de cidadãos assistidos numa resposta de emergência social durante a pandemia por COVID-19, analisando os processos de vulnerabilização social. Participaram 230 sujeitos que recorreram ao Serviço Social de uma instituição no Norte de Portugal, na sua maioria mulheres (77,8%; n = 179), com idades entre os 20 e os 85 anos. O estudo, observacional e correlacional, usou um inquérito para avaliar as variáveis sociodemográficas, socioeconómicas e apoio institucional, assim como a Escala Breve de Redes Sociais de Lubben e a Escala Breve de Coping Resiliente. Os resultados apontam para um agravamento da situação socioeconómica dos participantes, verificando-se que após o Estado de Emergência existiu uma maior probabilidade de os inquiridos estarem desempregados e procurarem apoio social formal. A maioria apresentava uma situação de privação material severa (97.4%), associada a um baixo nível de suporte informal. Houve associação entre apoio social informal e coping resiliente. / The present study aims to characterize the family, socioeconomic, and social support situation of citizens who used social emergency services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 230 individuals that resort to Social Work of a Northern Portuguese institution. The participants were mostly women (77,8%; n = 179), aged between 20 and 85 years old. It was conducted an observational and correlational study, through an inquiry used to assess sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and institutional support variables, as well as Lubben’s Brief Social Network Scale and Brief Resilient Coping Scale. The results evidence an aggravation of the socioeconomic situation of the participants with respondents more likely to be unemployed and to seek formal social support after the State of Emergency. Most presented a situation of severe material deprivation (97.4%), associated with a low level of informal support. There was an association between informal social support and resilient coping

Effect of an enzyme blend on the performance, diet metabolizability, phosphorous retention, and bone mineralization of broilers fed diets containing defatted rice bran

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of an enzyme blend (EB) on the performance, diet metabolizability, phosphorus (P) retention, and bone mineralization of broilers fed diets containing 10% defatted rice bran (DRB). In total, 432 one- to 38-d-old male Cobb broilers were evaluated according to a completely randomized experimental design in 3 x 2 factorial arrangement. Three diets were tested with two nutrient reductions (NR) in the matrix (standard diet; NR I of 75 kcal/kg ME, 0.1% Ca and 0.1% available P; and NR II of 100 kcal/kg ME, 0.1% Ca and 0.1% available P) with or without the addition of an EB (200 g/t). The coefficients of total tract apparent retention (CTTAR) of the diets and P retention were determined by collecting excreta during two periods (14 to 17 and 28 to 31 d). As expected, birds fed the standard diet had higher BW, BW gain, and G:F compared to birds on the NR diets. The EB did not show any positive effects on CTTAR or on performance; however, birds fed the EB retained 6.58% more P from d 14 to 17 (p ≤ 0.07) and 8.55% from d 28 to 31 (p < 0.05). Tibiotarsus ash percentage also increased by 2.45% (p ≤ 0.06) on d 38. In diets containing 10% DRB, the enzyme blend showed biological activity improving P retention and tibiotarsus mineralization

Living on the Edge: Physiological and Kinetic Trade-Offs Shape Thermal Tolerance in Intertidal Crabs From Tropical to Sub-Antarctic South America

Temperature is an important abiotic factor that drives the evolution of ectotherms owing to its pervasive effects at all levels of organization. Although a species’ thermal tolerance is environmentally driven within a spatial cline, it may be constrained over time due to differential phylogenetic inheritance. At the limits of thermal tolerance, hemolymph oxygen is reduced and lactate formation is increased due to mismatch between oxygen supply and demand; imbalance between enzyme flexibility/stability also impairs the ability to generate energy. Here, we characterized the effects of lower (LL50) and upper (UL50) critical thermal limits on selected descriptors of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism in 12 intertidal crab species distributed from northern Brazil (≈7.8°S) to southern Patagonia (≈53.2°S), considering their phylogeny. We tested for (i) functional trade-offs regarding aerobic and anaerobic metabolism and LDH kinetics in shaping thermal tolerance; (ii) influence of shared ancestry and thermal province on metabolic evolution; and (iii) presence of evolutionary convergences and adaptive peaks in the crab phylogeny. The tropical and subtropical species showed similar systemic and kinetic responses, both differing from the sub-Antarctic crabs. The lower UL50’s of the sub-Antarctic crabs may reflect mismatch between the evolution of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism since these crabs exhibit lower oxygen consumption but higher lactate formation than tropical and subtropical species also at their respective UL50’s. LDH activity increased with temperature increase, while KmPyr remained fairly constant; catalytic coefficient correlated negatively with thermal niche. Thermal tolerance may rely on a putative evolutionary trade-off between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism regarding energy supply, while temperature compensation of kinetic performance is driven by thermal habitat as revealed by the LDH affinity/efficiency equilibrium. The overall physiological evolution revealed two homoplastic adaptive peaks in the sub-Antarctic crabs with a further shift in the tropical/subtropical clade. The physiological traits at UL50 have evolved in a phylogenetic manner while all others were more plastic. Thus, shared inheritance and thermal environment have driven the crabs’ thermal tolerance and metabolic evolution, revealing physiological transformations that have arisen in both colder and warmer climes, especially at higher levels of biological organization and phylogenetic diversity.Fil: Coelho Faria, Samuel. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Bianchini, Adalto. Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande.; BrasilFil: Machado Lauer, Mariana. Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande.; BrasilFil: Ribeiro Latorre Zimbardi, Ana Lúcia. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Tapella, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Romero, Maria Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Campbell McNamara, John. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Growth performance and intestinal health of broilers fed a standard or low-protein diet with the addition of a protease

We evaluated the effects of a protease supplementation on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers. Cobb chicks (392; 1-42 d) were divided into four treatments (seven replicates of 14 birds each). There were two feed formulations: a standard diet (SD) and a low crude protein and digestible amino acids diet (Low CP&AA). The two diets were either supplemented (+P) or not (−P) with a protease (Jefo Protease; 1.25 g kg−1). Performance was evaluated by feeding phases (1-7, 8-21, 21-35, and 35-42 d). On day 28, ileum samples were analyzed by a morphometric index for histological alterations (I See Inside Scoring System – ISI). Broilers fed the Low CP&AA had a poor feed conversion ratio (FCR); however, the addition of the protease to the Low CP&AA positively affected FCR and body weight gain and promoted a performance similar to the group fed SD−P. Birds fed diets supplemented with the protease presented the best ISI morphological index, mainly as a result of the low number of alterations regarding the lamina propria, epithelial thickness, and enterocyte proliferation. It is possible to conclude that the enzyme improves feed conversion and lamina propria, epithelial thickness, and proliferation of enterocytes index of broiler chickens when added to a standard diet or with a low crude protein and digestible amino acids diet

Redox markers and inflammation are differentially affected by atorvastatin, pravastatin or simvastatin administered before endotoxin-induced acute lung injury

AbstractStatins are standard therapy for the treatment of lipid disorders, and the field of redox biology accepts that statins have antioxidant properties. Our aim in this report was to consider the pleiotropic effects of atorvastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin administered prior to endotoxin-induced acute lung injury. Male mice were divided into 5 groups and intraperitoneally injected with LPS (10mg/kg), LPS plus atorvastatin (10mg/kg/day; A+LPS group), LPS plus pravastatin (5mg/kg/day; P+LPS group) or LPS plus simvastatin (20mg/kg/day; S+LPS group). The control group received saline. All mice were sacrificed one day later. There were fewer leukocytes in the P+LPS and S+LPS groups than in the LPS group. MCP-1 cytokine levels were lower in the P+LPS group, while IL-6 levels were lower in the P+LPS and S+LPS groups. TNF-α was lower in all statin-treated groups. Levels of redox markers (superoxide dismutase and catalase) were lower in the A+LPS group (p<0.01). The extent of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde and hydroperoxides) was reduced in all statin-treated groups (p<0.05). Myeloperoxidase was lower in the P+LPS group (p<0.01). Elastance levels were significantly greater in the LPS group compared to the statin groups. Our results suggest that atorvastatin and pravastatin but not simvastatin exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity in endotoxin-induced acute lung injury

Extraction of bioactive compounds from plants as promising agentes against SARS-CoV-2

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a pathogenic virus with high transmissibility and infectivity, which began to spread across the globe in late 2019, which soon became the COVID-19 pandemic, causing social and economic impacts. In response to this situation, the scientific community started the development of effective substances against this virus. Bioactive molecules present in plants, mainly phenolic compounds, are promising altematives to combat pathological disorders. Therefore, the objective of this work was to use the aqueous extract of a mountain plant as an antiviral substance to neutralize COVID-19. MaterialslMethods: The mountain plant extract was obtained by dynamic maceration in water for I hour (twice). Afier obtaining the extracts, they were evaluated for their phenolic profile by high performance líquid chromatography coupIed to a diode array detector and a mass spectrometer detector (HPLC-DAD-MS). Cytotoxicíty was determined by the sulphorhodamine B assay in Vero cells, as well as the evaluation ofthe antivíral activity. Results: Regarding the phenolic profile, the main compounds found were trigalloyl-HHDPglucoside; pentagalloyl glucose, quercetin 3-0-glucuronide and quercetin O-hexoside. The GI50 (concentration able to inhibit 50% of cell proliferation) and the MNCC (maximum concentration without toxicity) were between 100 and 180.3 J.lg/rnL and between 85 and 120 J.lg/rnL, respectively. The MNCC value was obtained considering the concentration that allowed 90% of celI proliferation of Vero cells. In relation to the viral activity screening, the results achieved for the viral titre were between 5000 and 9000 PFU/rnL, while for the antiviral activity ranged between 0.5 and 3.0 Mv, being the percentage ofreduction in a range of85-95 %. • Conclusion: The mountain plant extracts showed in its composition bioactive compounds and consistent results of antiviral activity. Moreover, it presents itself as a potential substance for protection applications against the COVID-19 virus. However, further studies in specific products are required for validation and implementation.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FeT, Portugal) for financiai support tbrough national funds FCT/MCTES to the CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). M.C. Pedrosa tbanks "PlantCovid" projeci for her scholarship. S. Helena and M. Carocho fhank FCT for their individual emplayment program·contract (CEECTND/00831/20J8, CEECINDI03040/2017). L. Barros also thanks the national funding by FCr , through the institutional scientific employment program--contract for her contract. Acknowledgments to the Project financed by the European Fund for Regional Development (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER)) through lhe Programa Operacional Regional Norte 2020, within the "PlantCovid" project, NORTE-01-02B7-FEDER-054870info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Enhancing the longevity and functionality of Ti-Ag dry electrodes for remote biomedical applications: a comprehensive study

This study aims to evaluate the lifespan of Ti-Ag dry electrodes prepared using flexible polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) substrates. Following previous studies, the electrodes were designed to be integrated into wearables for remote electromyography (EMG) monitoring and electrical stimulation (FES) therapy. Four types of Ti-Ag electrodes were prepared by DC magnetron sputtering, using a pure-Ti target doped with a growing number of Ag pellets. After extensive characterization of their chemical composition and (micro)structural evolution, the Ti-Ag electrodes were immersed in an artificial sweat solution (standard ISO-3160-2) at 37 °C with constant stirring. Results revealed that all the Ti-Ag electrodes maintained their integrity and functionality for 24 h. Although there was a notable increase in electrical resistivity beyond this timeframe, the acquisition and transmission of (bio)signals remained viable for electrodes with Ag/Ti ratios below 0.23. However, electrodes with higher Ag content (Ag/Ti = 0.31) became insulators after 7 days of immersion due to excessive Ag release into the sweat solution. This study concludes that higher Ag/Ti atomic ratios result in heightened corrosion processes on the electrode’s surface, consequently diminishing their lifespan despite the advantages of incorporating Ag into their composition. This research highlights the critical importance of evaluating electrode longevity, especially in remote biomedical applications like smart wearables, where electrode performance over time is crucial for reliable and sustained monitoring and stimulation.This research was funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization (COMPETE 2020) under Portugal 2020, in the framework of the NanoStim (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-045908) and NanoID (NORTE-01-0247-FEDER-046985) Projects

Anatomia dos tendões e ligamentos da região distal dos membros torácicos de asininos (Equus asinus) utilizados como veículo de tração animal e suas relações com a anatomia do eqüino doméstico

A espécie asinina (E. asinus), desenvolve um papel fundamental na região Nordeste do Brasil, influenciando diretamente na renda familiar e conseqüentemente na economia local. Tendo em vista o grande número de afecções locomotoras e a falta de cuidados a que estão submetidos, realizou-se um estudo anatômico da região distal de seus membros torácicos, buscando-se subsídios à prática clínica e cirúrgica dedicada a esses animais, bem como a compreensão de sua maior resistência em apresentar sintomatologia frente a lesões locomotoras, quando comparado ao eqüino. A avaliação anatômica revelou características musculares semelhantes às já descritas para eqüinos. Os tendões e ligamentos desses animais apresentaram características particulares, mostrando suas origens e inserções, muitas vezes diferenciados do observado em eqüinos, emitindo projeções tendíneas que permitem uma melhor inserção articular e maior estabilidade do aparelho suspensório, garantindo mais segurança de movimentos durante as atividades físicas.The asinine species play an essential role in the northeast region of Brazil in the income of the local families and consequently in the local economy. Due to a large number of locomotor disorders and a lack of professional care, an anatomical study of the distal forelimb region of the asinine was carried out in order to gather information to improve the clinical and surgical practice in this species, and to explain the less susceptibility to locomotor disorders compared to equines. The anatomical study showed that asinine has similar muscular characteristics already described for equines. Tendons and ligaments showed proper characteristics with different origin and attachment already described for equines, emitting tendons projections that improve articular insertion and better stability in its suspensory apparatus allowing a bigger safety during the movement in physic activities

Genetic Vaccination against Experimental Infection with Myotropic Parasite Strains of Trypanosoma cruzi

In earlier studies, we reported that a heterologous prime-boost regimen using recombinant plasmid DNA followed by replication-defective adenovirus vector, both containing Trypanosoma cruzi genes encoding trans-sialidase (TS) and amastigote surface protein (ASP) 2, provided protective immunity against experimental infection with a reticulotropic strain of this human protozoan parasite. Herein, we tested the outcome of genetic vaccination of F1 (CB10XBALB/c) mice challenged with myotropic parasite strains (Brazil and Colombian). Initially, we determined that the coadministration during priming of a DNA plasmid containing the murine IL-12 gene improved the immune response and was essential for protective immunity elicited by the heterologous prime-boost regimen in susceptible male mice against acute lethal infections with these parasites. the prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination of resistant female mice led to a drastic reduction in the number of inflammatory infiltrates in cardiac and skeletal muscles during the chronic phase of infection with either strain. Analysis of the electrocardiographic parameters showed that prophylactic vaccination reduced the frequencies of sinus arrhythmia and atrioventricular block. Our results confirmed that prophylactic vaccination using the TS and ASP-2 genes benefits the host against acute and chronic pathologies caused by T. cruzi and should be further evaluated for the development of a veterinary or human vaccine against Chagas disease.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol CTCMol, BR-04044010 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04044010 São Paulo, BrazilFiocruz MS, Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Lab Biol Celular, BR-21040360 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilFiocruz MS, Ctr Pesquisas Goncalo Moniz, BR-40296710 Salvador, BA, BrazilHosp Sao Rafael, BR-41253190 Salvador, BA, BrazilUNIFESP, Inst Saude Soc, Dept Biociencias, BR-11015020 Santos, SP, BrazilFiocruz MS, Ctr Pesquisas Rene Rachou, BR-30190002 Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Inst Ciencias Biol, Dept Bioquim & Imunol, BR-31270901 Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Massachusetts, Sch Med, Dept Med, Div Infect Dis & Immunol, Worcester, MA 01655 USAUniv Fed Santa Catarina, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-88040900 Florianopolis, SC, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol CTCMol, BR-04044010 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04044010 São Paulo, BrazilUNIFESP, Inst Saude Soc, Dept Biociencias, BR-11015020 Santos, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2009/06820-4FAPESP: 2013/13668/0FAPESP: 2012/22514-3Web of Scienc