Characterization of the primary matabolome of Brachystegia boehmii and Colophospermum mopane under different fire regimes in Miombo and Mopane African woodlands

Original ResearchMiombo and Mopane are ecological and economic important woodlands from Africa, highly affected by a combination of climate change factors, and anthropogenic fires. Although most species of these ecosystems are fire tolerant, the mechanisms that lead to adaptive responses (metabolic reconfiguration) are unknown. In this context, the aim of this study was to characterize the primary metabolite composition of typical legume trees from these ecosystems, namely, Brachystegia boehmii (Miombo) and Colophospermum mopane (Mopane) subjected to different fire regimes. Fresh leaves from each species were collected in management units and landscapes across varied fire frequencies in the Niassa National Reserve (NNR) and Limpopo National Park (LNP) in Mozambique. Primary metabolites were extracted and analyzed with a well-established gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry metabolomics platform (GC-TOF-MS). In B. boehmii, 39 primary metabolites were identified from which seven amino acids, two organic acids and two sugars increased significantly, whereas in C. mopane, 41 primary metabolites were identified from which eight amino acids, one sugar and two organic acids significantly increased with increasing fire frequency. The observed changes in the pool of metabolites of C. mopane might be related to high glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) rate, which provided increased levels of amino acids and energy yield. In B. boehmii, the high levels of amino acids might be due to inhibition of protein biosynthesis. The osmoprotectant and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging properties of accumulated metabolites in parallel with a high-energy yield might support plants survival under fire stressinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Integração das tecnologias sociais Barraginhas e Lago de Múltiplo Uso.

A integração das tecnologias sociais barraginhas e lago de múltiplo uso vêm garantindo sustentabilidade hídrica para agricultores familiares, viabilizando criatórios de peixes e irrigação de hortas. No município de Araçaí-MG, comunidade Fazendinhas Pai José, em um solo seco sob vegetação de Cerrado, com predominância de latossolos vermelho e amarelo, porosos e profundos, após reuniões com a comunidade, foram construídas 96 barraginhas no ano de 2008 e 90 em 2009, para colher a água dos escorrimentos superficiais das chuvas: as enxurradas. Ao contê-las, foram reduzidas também as erosões e assoreamentos. As barraginhas são carregadas e descarregadas de 10 a 12 vezes por ano, infiltrando e elevando o lençol freático, umedecendo o solo em torno das mesmas e nas baixadas, amenizando secas, revitalizando córregos. Foi observado aumento do nível das cisternas de quatro para 10 a 11m de coluna de água, gerando nos agricultores sentimento de abundância. Isso viabilizou a construção de lagos impermeabilizado com lona de plástico comum para armazenamento de água durante o período seco, pelo bombeamento de água das cisternas, o que viabilizou a criação de peixes e ainda irrigação de hortas. De forma complementar, no período chuvoso, os lagos são abastecidos também por água captada por telhados. A experiência já foi reaplicada em mais dois municípios vizinhos e poderá ser extrapolada aos estados do Brasil central, onde predominam solos e condições similares

Integração entre Barraginhas e lagos de múltiplo uso: o aproveitamento eficiente da água de chuva para o desenvolvimento rural.

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Poly(D,L-lactic acid) scaffolds as an innovative approach to the treatment of mixed S. aureus-C. albicans biofilms

Problem - Bone infections associated with polymicrobial biofilm formation; mixed bacterial-fungal biofilm infection; Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans most described microbials. Strategy - Local drug delivery scaffolds; development of poly-DL-lactic acid (PDLLA) scaffolds; co-delivery of antibacterial and antifungal drugs; minocycline and voriconazole as model drugs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Abrangência geográfica do Projeto Barraginhas no Brasil.

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Contextual determinants of Intimate Partner Violence: a multi-level analysis in six European cities

Objectives: To assess whether city-level characteristics influence the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization across six European cities. Methods: The DOVE Study included 3496 participants from Athens-Greece, Budapest-Hungary, London-UK, Östersund-Sweden, Porto-Portugal and Stuttgart-Germany. IPV victimization was assessed using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales and several contextual variables were included: GINI coefficient, gender equality index, an index of social support, unemployment rate and proportion of residents with tertiary education. Multilevel models were fitted to estimate the associations (Odds ratio, 95% Confidence Intervals) between each type of victimization and contextual and individual-level variables. Results: 62.3% of the participants reported being a victim of IPV during the previous year, with large between-city differences (53.9%-72.4%). Contextual variables accounted for a substantial amount of this heterogeneity. Unemployment rates were associated with psychological (1.05, 1.01-1.08) and physical IPV (1.07, 1.01-1.13). GINI coefficient showed a positive association with any form of IPV (1.06, 1.01-1.11) and sexual coercion (1.13, 1.01-1.25). Conclusions: We found significant associations between contextual determinants and IPV, which emphasizes the importance of considering contextual socioeconomic conditions when policy measures are designed to address IPV

Linking Bacterial Rhizosphere Communities of Two Pioneer Species, Brachystegia boehmii and B. spiciformis, to the Ecological Processes of Miombo Woodlands

Miombo is the most extensive ecosystem in southern Africa, being strongly driven by fire, climate, herbivory, and human activity. Soils are major regulating and supporting services, sequestering nearly 50% of the overall carbon and comprising a set of yet unexploited functions. In this study, we used next-generation Illumina sequencing to assess the patterns of bacterial soil diversity in two pioneer Miombo species, Brachystegia boehmii and Brachystegia spiciformis, along a fire gradient, in ferric lixisol and cambic arenosol soils. In total, 21 phyla, 51 classes, 98 orders, 193 families, and 520 genera were found, revealing a considerably high and multifunctional diversity with a strong potential for the production of bioactive compounds and nutrient mobilization. Four abundant genera characterized the core microbiome among plant species, type of soils, or fire regime: Streptomyces, Gaiella, Chthoniobacter, and Bacillus. Nevertheless, bacterial networks revealed a higher potential for mutualistic interactions and transmission of chemical signals among phylotypes from low fire frequency sites than those from high fire frequency sites. Ecological networks also revealed the negative effects of frequent fires on the complexity of microbial communities. Functional predictions revealed the core “house-keeping” metabolisms contributing to the high bacterial diversity found, suggesting its importance to the functionality of this ecosystem.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The genetic legacy of fragmentation and overexploitation in the threatened medicinal African pepper-bark tree Warburgia salutaris

The pepper-bark tree (Warburgia salutaris) is one of the most highly valued medicinal plant species worldwide. Native to southern Africa, this species has been extensively harvested for the bark, which is widely used in traditional health practices. Illegal harvesting coupled with habitat degradation has contributed to fragmentation of populations and a severe decline in its distribution. Even though the species is included in the IUCN Red List as Endangered, genetic data that would help conservation efforts and future re-introductions are absent. We therefore developed new molecular markers to understand patterns of genetic diversity, structure, and gene flow of W. salutaris in one of its most important areas of occurrence (Mozambique). In this study, we have shown that, despite fragmentation and overexploitation, this species maintains a relatively high level of genetic diversity supporting the existence of random mating. Two genetic groups were found corresponding to the northern and southern locations. Our study suggests that, if local extinctions occurred in Mozambique, the pepper-bark tree persisted in sufficient numbers to retain a large proportion of genetic diversity. Management plans should concentrate on maintaining this high level of genetic variability through both in and ex-situ conservation actionsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Resistência ao oídio em cultivares de uva para suco.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resistência das cultivares BRS Magna e BRS Cora ao oídio da videira, nas condições do Submédio do Vale do São Francisco