Tailoring restoration interventions to the grassland-savanna-forest complex in central Brazil

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Avaliação de Algumas Medidas de Dissimilaridade de Simetria Ajustável

XIV JORNADAS DE CLASSIFICAÇÃO E ANÁLISE DE DADOS, Porto, 2007As medidas, ou coeficientes, de similaridade utilizados habitualmente no cálculo da proximidade entre duas entidades destinam-se a dados simétricos, ou a dados assimétricos. Neste artigo são apresentados coeficientes de similaridade de simetria ajustável, propostos recentemente, e é avaliada a distorção que produzem numa classificação, usando vários critérios de aglomeração hierárquica aplicados e três conjuntos diferentes de dados. Estendeu-se a avaliação feita anteriormente a três conjuntos de dados. Na avaliação compararam-se os valores obtidos com uma versão simplificada desses coeficientes com os obtidos usando os correspondentes coeficientes simétricos e assimétricos. Os resultados obtidos com os coeficientes de simetria ajustável foram superiores aos obtidos com os outros dois tipos de coeficientes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Alternative strategy for pigments production using solid-statefermentation and cheese whey

Natural pigments have several industrial applications, namely in the textile industry for dyeing cloths, or in the food industry, as coloring agents. Pigments can also be used in cosmetics, leather or in the pharmaceutical industry. More recently, other applications were found for pigments like in histological staining, in solar cells or as pH indicators [1]. Microbial production of natural pigments has been considered a promising alternative to synthetic pigments. Filamentous fungi are known to produce many different pigments. Recently, some Penicillium species, such as P. chrysogenum and P. purpurogenum, were described as effective pigment producers. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) has gained attention and is preferred for fungi cultivation due to betters yields and easier and less expensive product recovery [2]. Preliminary results indicated that pigment production was favored when lactose was used as carbon source under submerged fermentation (SmF). Since CW, a by-product from cheese industry, contains high lactose content, it was used as an inexpensive alternative fermentation medium to induce the pigment production. In this work, the production of pigments by Penicillium sp. was evaluated under SSF conditions using an inert support and the results obtained were compared with those obtained under SmF conditions. The studied culture media comprised a synthetic medium [3] and alternative media containing cheese whey (CW). A mixture of three pigments (yellow, orange and red with max=400, 470 and 500 nm, respectively) was obtained. To evaluate the best conditions for pigments production, the sum of absorbances was determined and the synthetic medium under SmF conditions was used as reference medium to calculate the relative absorbance. After 12 days of fermentation, the synthetic medium presented the highest pigment production (Figure 1) for both SmF and SSF conditions. The supplementation of CW with yeast extract and peptone considerably improved the production of pigments under SmF conditions. On the other hand, under SSF conditions an increase in supplementation was followed by a decrease in pigments production. These results suggest that SSF combined with a more concentrated CW medium can be a promising strategy to improve pigment production using a less expensive fermentation condition and alternative media totally composed of an industrial by-product.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Alternative strategy for pigments production using solid-state fermentation and cheese whey

Natural pigments have several industrial applications, namely in the textile industry for dyeing cloths, or in the food industry, as coloring agents. Pigments can also be used in cosmetics, leather or in the pharmaceutical industry. More recently, other applications were found for pigments like in histological staining, in solar cells or as pH indicators [1]. Microbial production of natural pigments has been considered a promising alternative to synthetic pigments. Filamentous fungi are known to produce many different pigments. Recently, some Penicillium species, such as P. chrysogenum and P. purpurogenum, were described as effective pigment producers. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) has gained attention and is preferred for fungi cultivation due to betters yields and easier and less expensive product recovery [2]. Preliminary results indicated that pigment production was favored when lactose was used as carbon source under submerged fermentation (SmF). Since CW, a by-product from cheese industry, contains high lactose content, it was used as an inexpensive alternative fermentation medium to induce the pigment production. In this work, the production of pigments by Penicillium sp. was evaluated under SSF conditions using an inert support andthe results obtained were compared with those obtained under SmF conditions. The studied culture media comprised a synthetic medium [3] and alternative media containing cheese whey (CW). A mixture of three pigments (yellow, orange and red with max=400, 470 and 500 nm, respectively) was obtained. To evaluate the best conditions for pigments production, the sum of absorbances was determined and the synthetic medium under SmF conditions was used as reference medium to calculate the relative absorbance. After 12 days of fermentation, the synthetic medium presented the highest pigment production (Figure 1) for both SmF and SSF conditions. The supplementation of CW with yeast extract and peptone considerably improved the production of pigments under SmF conditions. On the other hand, under SSF conditions an increase in supplementation was followed by a decrease in pigments production. These results suggest that SSF combined with a more concentrated CW medium can be a promising strategy to improve pigment production using a less expensive fermentation condition and alternative media totally composed of an industrial by-product.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Oral Colonization of Staphylococcus Species in a Peritoneal Dialysis Population: A Possible Reservoir for PD-Related Infections?

Peritoneal dialysis-related infections are important morbidity/mortality causes, being staphylococci the most prevalent agents. Since Staphylococcus aureus nasopharynx carriage is a known risk factor for PD infections and the oral cavity is a starting point for systemic diseases development, we aimed at comparing the oral staphylococci colonization between PD patients and controls and studying the association with PD-related infections. Saliva samples were plated in Mannitol salt, and isolates were identified by DnaJ gene sequencing. Staphylococci PD-related infections were recorded throughout the 4-year period following sample collection. Staphylococcus colonization was present in >90% of the samples from both groups (a total of nine species identified). PD patients presented less diversity and less prevalence of multispecies Staphylococcus colonization. Although all patients presenting Staphylococcus epidermidis PD-related infections were also colonized in the oral cavity by the same agent, only 1 out of 7 patients with ESI caused by S. aureus presented S. aureus oral colonization. Staphylococci are highly prevalent in the oral cavity of both groups, although PD patients presented less species diversity. The association between oral Staphylococcus carriage and PD-related infections was present for S. epidermidis but was almost inexistent for S. aureus, so, further studies are still necessary to evaluate the infectious potential of oral Staphylococcus carriage in PD.The authors thank the nurse Maria João Sousa, Department of Nephrology, São João Hospital Center, EPE, for helping in sample collection and Joana Sousa from the Faculty of Dental Medicine for helping with the oral evaluation. Liliana Simões-Silva was supported by SFRH/BD/84837/2012 and Isabel Soares-Silva was supported by SFRH/BPD/101016/2014 from FCT/QREN-POPH/FSE. +is work was financed by Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) funds through the COMPETE 2020-Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020; by Portuguese funds through Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação, in the framework of the project “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274 and POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029777); by the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); and by IJUP Projects, University of Porto

Lessons on direct seeding to restore Neotropical savanna

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Establishment of the bacterial fecal community during the first month of life in Brazilian newborns

OBJECTIVE: The establishment of the intestinal microbiota in newborns is a critical period with possible long-term consequences for human health. In this research, the development of the fecal microbiota of a group of exclusively breastfed neonates living in low socio-economic conditions in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, during the first month of life, was studied. METHODS: Fecal samples were collected from ten neonates on the second, seventh, and 30th days after birth. One of the neonates underwent antibiotic therapy. Molecular techniques were used for analysis; DNA was extracted from the samples, and 16S rRNA libraries were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed after construction. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on the samples taken from the 30th day to amplify DNA from Bifidobacterium sp. RESULTS: The primary phylogenetic groups identified in the samples were Escherichia and Clostridium. Staphylococcus was identified at a low rate. Bifidobacterium sp. was detected in all of the samples collected on the 30th day. In the child who received antibiotics, a reduction in anaerobes and Escherichia, which was associated with an overgrowth of Klebsiella, was observed throughout the experimental period. CONCLUSION: The observed pattern of Escherichia predominance and reduced Staphylococcus colonization is in contrast with the patterns observed in neonates living in developed countries

CAN PHYTOHORMONES STIMULATE INITIAL GROWTH OF BRAZILIAN SAVANNA TREES?

The initial growth of Cerrado tree species is slow, what impairs large scale seedling production for planting. The effect of plant hormones is well known for crop species, in this study we aimed to test the effect of two commercial biostimulants on the initial growth of six native tree species widely distributed and abundant in Cerrado. We applied nine treatments using foliar spray: T0 - control (water); commercial Progibbí® (gibberellic acid) T1 - 0,8 mL.L-1; T2 - 1,6 mL.L-1; T3 - 2,4 mL.L-1 and T4 - 3,2 mL.L-1; commercial Stimulateí® (gibberellic acid, cytokinin and auxin): T5 - 6,0 mL.L-1; T6 - 8,0 mL.L-1; T7 - 12,0 mL.L-1; T8 - 18,0 mL.L-1 and T9 - 24,0 mL.L-1. We measured plant height and diameter every other week and recorded root and shoot biomass and leaf area after 111 growing days. No treatment significantly increased plants' initial growth, which may only happen after higher and/or repeated use of these two biostimulants, especially Progibbí® for Anacardium humile and Jacaranda cuspidifolia and Stimulateí® for Hymenaea stignocarpa and Copaifera langsdorfii

Establishment of the bacterial fecal community during the first month of life in Brazilian newborns

OBJECTIVE: The establishment of the intestinal microbiota in newborns is a critical period with possible long-term consequences for human health. In this research, the development of the fecal microbiota of a group of exclusively breastfed neonates living in low socio-economic conditions in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, during the first month of life, was studied. METHODS: Fecal samples were collected from ten neonates on the second, seventh, and 30th days after birth. One of the neonates underwent antibiotic therapy. Molecular techniques were used for analysis; DNA was extracted from the samples, and 16S rRNA libraries were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed after construction. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on the samples taken from the 30th day to amplify DNA from Bifidobacterium sp. RESULTS: The primary phylogenetic groups identified in the samples were Escherichia and Clostridium. Staphylococcus was identified at a low rate. Bifidobacterium sp. was detected in all of the samples collected on the 30th day. In the child who received antibiotics, a reduction in anaerobes and Escherichia, which was associated with an overgrowth of Klebsiella, was observed throughout the experimental period. CONCLUSION: The observed pattern of Escherichia predominance and reduced Staphylococcus colonization is in contrast with the patterns observed in neonates living in developed countries

Indigenous and local communities can boost seed supply in the UN decade on ecosystem restoration.

The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration is poised to trigger the recovery of ecosystem services and transform structural injustices across the world in a way unparalleled in human history. The inclusion of diverse Indigenous and local communities to co-create robust native seed supply systems is the backbone to achieve the goals for the Decade. Here we show how community-based organizations have co-developed native seed supply strategies for landscape restoration from the bottom-up. We draw on the interconnections over two decades of seed networks in Brazil and the emerging Indigenous participation in native seed production in Australia. From an environmental justice perspective, we provide a participatory seed supply approach for local engagement, noting local geographical, social and cultural contexts. Meeting large-scale restoration goals requires the connection between local seed production and collaborative platforms to negotiate roles, rights and responsibilities between stakeholders. An enduring native seed supply must include a diversity of voices and autonomy of community groups that builds equitable participation in social, economic, and environmental benefits.Funder: European Research Council (ERC) Award number: 86600