An Alternative Tool for Determining Flavonoid Compounds in Markhamia tomentosa and Bunchosia glandulifera Using Digital Image Analysis

Bunchosia glanduliera stands out because of the high content of flavonoid compounds in the pulp, contributing to the antioxidant potential of fruit extracts. Another plant species rich in flavonoid compounds is Markhamia tomentosa. However, to perform such an assay, a high-cost instrument is needed. To develop a simple and low-cost method for the determination of flavonoid compounds in M. tomentosa and B. glandulifera with PhotoMetrix® program application use pixels of digital imaging as an alternative method and linear correlation techniques for univariate analysis implementing systems of RGB colors (red, green, and blue). To determine the total flavonoids, the reaction with ferric chloride and quercetin was used as a control. For the acquisition of data or smartphones, low-cost materials were used, demonstrating the applicability of this analytical tool while comparing its cost to other analytical instrumentation. The total flavonoid content was also determined using a spectrophotometry technique in the visible ultraviolet spectrum (UV-Vis). The pulp of B. glandulifera showed the highest content of flavonoid compounds. The content of flavonoid compounds found in the fruit of B. glandulifera was 259.54 mg 100 g-1. In relation to the results found in the analysis of total flavonoids of M. tomentosa can be observed in the flower in natura has a higher content of these compounds. The use of PhotoMetrix® for the determination of flavonoid compounds in M. tomentosa and B. glandulifera reduced expense and analysis time. The method is reproducible and efficient. The proposed method can be adopted in different species.

浓缩先进油液分析实验室于一身的监测仪——美国OSAII全自动综合油料分析监测仪已登陆中国

油液分析设备状态监测是西方发达国家在设备管理和设备维护中应用最广的技术。它通过对润滑油、润滑脂进行分析可清楚地了解油品本身的性能和机械设备的运行状态，以确保对机械设备和油品所需的维修工作能在最小的成本下进行，以防止机械零部件发生二次伤害，避免灾难性故障的发生，同时可为企业建立最基本的维修计划、备件储备计划以及工作任务安排提供最可靠的信息。

Localized-states quantum confinement induced by roughness in CdMnTe/CdTe heterostructures grown on Si(111) substrates

This work shows that despite a lattice mismatch of almost 20%, CdMnTe/CdTe/CdMnTe heterostructures grown directly on Si(111) have surprisingly good optical emission properties. The investigated structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy, macro-and micro-photoluminescence. Low temperature macro-photoluminescence experiments indicate three emission bands which depend on the CdTe layer thickness and have different confinement characteristics. Temperature measurements reveal that the lower energy emission band (at 1.48 eV)is associated to defects and bound exciton states, while the main emission at 1.61 eV has a weak 2D character and the higher energy one at 1.71 eV has a well-defined (zero-dimensional, 0D) 0D nature. Micro-photoluminescence measurements show the existence of sharp and strongly circularly polarized (up to 40%) emission lines which can be related to the presence of Mn in the heterostructure. This result opens the possibility of producing photon sources with the typical spin control of the diluted magnetic semiconductors using the low-cost silicon technology.

Boll weevils in dry bolls:is there a performance disadvantage?

Background Anthonomus grandis grandis is the main cotton pest in the Americas,with the potential to become a pest in other continents.The insect uses the plant's reproductive organs for feeding,oviposition,and survival strategies in the off-season,sheltering in dry bolls.This study aimed to know the reproductive potential,feeding,longevity,and morphometric characteristics of boll weevils from dry bolls,squares,and traps.Adults were obtained from infested squares,dry bolls,and traps installed in cotton fields and the Caatinga area.Thirty weevil pairs were maintained in the laboratory to assess the oviposition,feeding holes,longevity,and morphometric measurements of the parental and F_(1) generations.Results In the parental generation,boll weevils from traps(the Caatinga area and cotton cultivation)showed greater reproductive potential.Boll weevils from squares and the Caatinga area showed greater feeding activity compared with those from cotton cultivation.Greater rostrum length,thorax+abdomen length,and abdomen width were observed in boll weevils from cotton cultivation and dry bolls.The origin of boll weevils parental generation did not affect progeny emergence time.The F_(1) generation of boll weevils showed significant differences in average longevity depending on the origin of different microhabitats.Furthermore,differences in rostrum lengths were observed,with the boll weevils coming from traps installed in cotton cultivation,the Caatinga area,and dry bolls being the largest.Regarding thorax+abdomen length and abdomen width,the highest values were observed in those from the Caatinga area and cotton cultivation.Conclusion It was proven that dry bolls did not affect the reproductive,feeding,and longevity performance of boll weevils,enabling better insect fitness(reproduction and size)in relation to those coming from squares.The use of dry bolls as off-season shelter is an important survival strategy for the boll weevil.

Altitude as environmental filtering influencing phylogenetic diversity and species richness of plants in tropical mountains

Elucidating how multiple factors affect biodiversity and plant community assembly is a central issue in ecology,especially in vulnerable ecosystems such as tropical mountains.These studies are more relevant in global warming scenarios that induce the upward displacement of plant species towards reduced habitats and hostile environments in tropical mountains.This study aimed to analyze how altitude affects taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in plant communities of tropical mountains.Thus,we tested if(i)increased altitude works as an environmental filtering promoting decreased species richness,decreased phylogenetic diversity,and increased phylogenetic clustering in these tropical mountains;and if(ii)plant communities of high altitude in tropical mountains are also result of recent diversification with plant species recently split shortening phylogenetic distances between closest related species.We tested effects of altitude on species richness and phylogenetic metrics using linear mixed-effects models.Mount Haleakala presented 114 species,Mount Kilimanjaro presented 231 species and Mount Purace presented 280 species.We found an environmental filtering effect with increasing altitude causing phylogenetic clustering,decreased phylogenetic diversity and decreased species richness.The decreasing phylogenetic distances between closest relatives are congruent with neo-endemics,suggesting recent plant diversification in high altitudes of tropical mountains,possibly driven by geographic isolation and environmental heterogeneity.Consequences of global warming should be monitored in tropical mountains focusing on distribution shifts.

Ion dynamics into different pore size distributions in supercapacitors under compression

Compressing supercapacitor(SCs)electrode is essential for improving the energy storage characteristics and minimizing ions’distance travel,faradaic reactions,and overall ohmic resistance.Studies comprising the ion dynamics in SC electrodes under compression are still rare.So,the ionic dynamics of five aqueous electrolytes in electrodes under compression were studied in this work for tracking electrochemical and structural changes under mechanical stress.A superionic state is formed when the electrode is compressed until the micropores match the dimensions with the electrolyte’s hydrated ion sizes,which increases the capacitance.If excessive compression is applied,the accessible pore regions decrease,and the capacitance drops.Hence,as the studied hydrated ions have different dimensions,the match between ion/pore sizes differs.To the LiOH and NaClO4electrolytes,increasing the pressure from 60 to 120 and 100 PSI raised the capacitance from 13.5 to 35.2 F g^(-1)and 30.9 to 39.0 F g^(-1),respectively.So,the KOH electrolyte with the lowest and LiCl with the biggest combination of hydrated ion size have their point of maximum capacitance(39.5 and 36.7F g^(-1))achieved at 140 and 80 PSI,respectively.To LiCl and KCl electrolytes,overcompression causes a drop in capacitance higher than 23%.

Patterns of species richness and beta diversity of vascular plants along elevation gradient in Brazilian páramo

Understanding the relationships between plant diversity and the environment is an important step towards conservation of species and ecosystems.In this study,we hypothesize that community species richness decreases and species composition change along the elevation gradient,with a greater contribution of species turnover than nestedness to beta diversity.We surveyed plant species in 300 plots(1 m×1 m)in four elevational bands(2100 m,2300m,2500 m,and 2700 m)in the CaparaóNational Park,Southeastern Brazil.The samples presented a great number of species(97 spp.,59 genera,27families),however,74%of the species were considered rare with their relative abundance being<1%.Among the four bands along the gradient,we detected two distinct communities with few species in common.The transition between the two communities occurred at 2500 m,and this elevation band also had the highest species richness in total.A non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)showed floristic differences between the bands even though they had similar richness.In 89%of the plot pairs,using pairwise comparison of species composition,only half of the species that occurred in one did occur in the other plot.The dissimilarity among the plots and elevational band reflects a significant contribution of spatial species turnover to the species richness and beta diversity on the Caparaómountain.Beta diversity increased with spatial scale(from plot to elevational-band).The dissimilarity(βSOR=0.907)in the area was due almost exclusively to spatial species turnover(βSIM=0.879),with very low contribution of species nestedness(βSNE=0.028).Our research showed that species richness does not decrease with elevation in the study area,but the floristic composition changes.The clear distinction of species along the gradient show that spatial species turnover is the major diversitygenerating process in the studied area.

Characterization of PetM cytochrome b6f subunit 7 domain-containing protein in tomato

In recent years,multiple advances have been made in understanding the photosynthetic machinery in model organisms.Knowledge transfer to horticultural important fruit crops is challenging and time-consuming due to restrictions in gene editing tools and prolonged life cycles.Here,we characterize a gene encoding a PetM domain-containing protein in tomato.The CRISPR/Cas9 knockout lines of the PetM showed impairment in the chloroplastic electron transport rate(ETR),reduced CO_(2) assimilation,and reduction of carotenoids and chlorophylls(Chl)under several light conditions.Further,growth-condition-dependent elevation or repression of Chl a/b ratios and de-epoxidation states were identified,underlining possible impairment compensation mechanisms.However,under low light and glasshouse conditions,there were basal levels in CO_(2) assimilation and ETR,indicating a potential role of the PetM domain in stabilizing the cytochrome b6f complex(Cb6f)under higher light irradiance and increasing its quantum efficiency.This suggests a potential evolutionary role in which this domain might stabilize the site of the Cb6f regulating ratios of cyclic and linear electron transport and its potential importance during the conquest of terrestrial ecosystems during which plants were exposed to higher irradiance.Finally,the results are discussed with regard to metabolism and their implication to photosynthesis from an agronomic perspective.

Promoter replacement of ANT1 induces anthocyanin accumulation and triggers the shade avoidance response through developmental, physiological and metabolic reprogramming in tomato

The accumulation of anthocyanins is a well-known response to abiotic stresses in many plant species.However,the effects of anthocyanin accumulation on light absorbance and photosynthesis are unknown.Here,we addressed this question using a promoter replacement line of tomato constitutively expressing a MYB transcription factor(ANTHOCYANIN1,ANT1)that leads to anthocyanin accumulation.ANT1-overexpressing plants displayed traits associated with shade avoidance response:thinner leaves,lower seed germination rate,suppressed side branching,increased chlorophyll concentration,and lower photosynthesis rates than the wild type.Anthocyanin-rich leaves exhibited higher absorbance of light in the blue and red ends of the spectrum,while higher anthocyanin content in leaves provided photoprotection to high irradiance.Analyses of gene expression and primary metabolites content showed that anthocyanin accumulation produces a reconfiguration of transcriptional and metabolic networks that is consistent with,but not identical to those described for the shade avoidance response.Our results provide novel insights about howanthocyanins accumulation affects the trade-off between photoprotection and growth.

Association between Infrared Thermography, Blood Count and Creatine Kinase in the Evaluation of the Welfare of Vaquejada Horses

The Quarter-Horses regularly participate in non-traditional sports that simulate activities on cattle ranches. In the vaquejada races, the horses run at about 30 km/h, reaching maximum heart rates of around 200 bpm, indicating the great physical effort during competitions and with that could impact welfare. To test the hypothesis that vaquejada horses can be evaluated for the quality of welfare through a combination of non-invasive and invasive methods, an experiment was developed that aimed to assess the quality of welfare through thermography and blood biomarkers before and after vaquejada races. Ten vaquejada horses, which were in regular competition, were submitted to the vaquejadas racing test were used. Thermography was performed in 14 regions of interest (head, neck and thorax) in the following phases: pre-race and +1, +4 and +24 hours of the races. Blood samples were collected in pre-race, immediately after and +1, +4 and +24 hours of the races. Results were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey’s test, with p set at 5%. Thermography showed that local temperatures before the race and +24 hours after the races were similar (p > 0.05), as well as between +1 and +4 hours after the races (p > 0.05), which showed higher surface temperatures than the first group (pre-race and +24 hours) (p 0.05) after the exercises. In conclusion, the vaquejada horses evaluated by infrared thermography and blood analyses maintained the quality of well-being, with the physiological elevation of several parameters after the races and recovery in less than 24 hours after the races. Thermographic images were also able to help in the analysis of the regions of interest that have contact with harnesses, demonstrating that the use of adequate and correct equipment does not compromise animal welfare.

Biomarkers of Stress and Inflammation in Assessing the Quality of Welfare of Conditioned Vaquejada Horses

In recent decades, the intensity of training and equestrian competitions has significantly increased, thus the assessment of the well-being of the equine athlete has become essential in all equestrian modalities. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether equine athletes submitted to a vaquejada simulation test (VqST), comprised of three races, presented changes in blood biomarkers related to stress and health status. Fourteen healthy Quarter Horses, used as pull horses in this equestrian modality, were evaluated. Ten animals were submitted to the VqST and the remaining four were used as a control group. Blood samples were collected pre-test (during fast), immediately after, and at 1, 4 and 24 hours of recovery. The assessed blood biomarkers included cortisol, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, iron, urea, creatinine, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentrations and results were analyzed using One Way ANOVA (time) with the SigmaStat 13.0 software. No differences between sample times were detected in both groups (p > 0.05) and no differences were found between groups (p > 0.05). The results suggest that all horses were well conditioned for the level of effort imposed by the three vaquejada races. The adaptation to physical exercise may enable the regulation of the acute response to stress in the tissues involved in the exercises, with no differences being observed in stress and health biomarkers, such as IL-6, IL-1β and cortisol. In conclusion, well-conditioned vaquejada horses exhibit a balanced regulation of biological processes, which contributes an increased athletic longevity and better quality of athletic life.

Assessing the relationship between the rumen microbiota and feed efficiency in Nellore steers

Background:Ruminants rely upon a complex community of microbes in their rumen to convert host-indigestible feed into nutrients.However,little is known about the association between the rumen microbiota and feed efficiency traits in Nellore(Bos indicus)cattle,a breed of major economic importance to the global beef market.Here,we compare the composition of the bacterial,archaeal and fungal communities in the rumen of Nellore steers with high and low feed efficiency(FE)phenotypes,as measured by residual feed intake(RFI).Results:The Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio was significantly higher(P<0.05)in positive-RFI steers(p-RFI,low feed efficiency)than in negative-RFI(n-RFI,high feed efficiency)steers.The differences in bacterial composition from steers with high and low FE were mainly associated with members of the families Lachnospiraceae,Ruminococcaceae and Christensenellaceae,as well as the genus Prevotella.Archaeal community richness was lower(P<0.05)in p-RFI than in n-RFI steers and the genus Methanobrevibacter was either increased or exclusive of p-RFI steers.The fungal genus Buwchfawromyces was more abundant in the rumen solid fraction of n-RFI steers(P<0.05)and a highly abundant OTU belonging to the genus Piromyces was also increased in the rumen microbiota of highefficiency steers.However,analysis of rumen fermentation variables and functional predictions indicated similar metabolic outputs for the microbiota of distinct FE groups.Conclusions:Our results demonstrate that differences in the ruminal microbiota of high and low FE Nellore steers comprise specific taxa from the bacterial,archaeal and fungal communities.Biomarker OTUs belonging to the genus Piromyces were identified in animals showing high feed efficiency,whereas among archaea,Methanobrevibacter was associated with steers classified as p-RFI.The identification of specific RFI-associated microorganisms in Nellore steers could guide further studies targeting the isolation and functional characterization of rumen microbes potentially important for the energy-harvesting efficiency of ruminants.

Attributes of stand-age-dependent forest determine technosol fertility of Atlantic forest re-growing on mining tailings in Mariana,Brazil

Understanding how soil fertility changes due to environmental conditions and stand-age-dependent forest attributes is important for local-scale forest restoration.We evaluated the effects of stand-age-dependent forest attributes(plant community composition and litter stock)on soil and technosol fertility across two second-growth Atlantic forests(SGF)after the deposition of mining tailings in Mariana,southeastern Brazil.We hypothesized that technosol fertility in the SGF tailings is positively affected by plant community composition variability,stand age,and litter stock.We used total exchangeable bases and organic matter as fertility indicators for technosol and soil,and species composition and litter stock as stand-age-dependent forest attributes.Our results showed significant differences in the stand-age-dependent forest attributes and soil chemical properties between the two forest patches(SGF tailing and SGF non-tailing)evaluated.Thus,there was a marked gradient of litter storage and fertility between soil and technosol that can be important forest recovery indicators for the affected plant communities.Furthermore,according to the tested models,we corroborated the hypothesis that technosol fertility is positively affected by stand age,plant community composition variability,and litter stock,which may contribute considerably to forest recovery on tailings.Our results demonstrate that the fertility predictors analyzed to explain the forest recovery on tailings can also be considered as ecological indicators for assessing forest restoration in areas impacted by mining tailings in Mariana.

Species composition and diversity of woody communities along an elevational gradient in tropical Dwarf Cloud Forest

Elucidating woody community diversity and structure change along environmental gradients is still a central issue of tropical forest ecology. We have evaluated changes in alpha and beta diversity, community composition and structure of woody communities along an elevational gradient in Dwarf Cloud Forests, Southeast Brazil. We selected five areas along an elevational gradient(1,300-1,600 m asl), and randomly allocated 10 plots(10 m × 20 m) in each area in the Ibitipoca State Park(ISP), Serra da Mantiqueira, southeastern Brazil. All woody species(diameter at breast height ≥ 5.0 cm) were collected for taxonomic identification. Thus, we analysed the woody communities based on a phytosociological approach. Overall, 147 species and 37 families were recorded, distributed in 2,303 individuals. No differences in the species richness pattern were observed between areas using the rarefaction and extrapolation curves. Significant differences in species composition and structure between areas were observed. The high beta diversity observed, corroborated by the Jaccard coefficient, increases with decreasing altitude. Our results showed that woody communities in the studied Dwarf Cloud Forests have a higher diversity and structural variability along elevational gradient.

化工行业中危化品储存的安全管理对策

随着中国化工行业的快速发展,危化品安全事件频发引起了社会的广泛关注。由于危化品具有易燃易爆以及有毒的特点,一旦发生意外事故会造成财产损失或人员伤亡。由此可见危化品安全事故容易造成重大的生命财产损失,并且对社会安定造成严重的危害。在固废存储不当现象诱发安全事故频发的背景下,文章主要针对化工行业中危化品储存的安全管理对策展开分析。

Performance and yield stability of maize hybrids in stress-prone environments in eastern Africa

Identification and deployment of high-yielding and stress-tolerant maize hybrids adapted to stress-prone agro-ecologies is important for improving the food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in eastern Africa.The objectives of this study were to(i)assess the performance of maize hybrids under well-watered and drought stress conditions;(ii)evaluate grain yield stability of 65 intermediate-maturing and 55 early-maturing hybrids in 24 well-watered locations and seven drought stress locations;and(iii)identify representative and/or discriminative testing locations for increasing genetic gains for the target traits.There were significant differences for grain yield among early-and intermediatematuring hybrids tested under well-watered and drought stress environments.Among the early-maturing hybrids,the top 10 hybrids produced 46.8%–73.9%and 31.2%–42.1%higher mean grain yields than the best commercial check under drought and well-watered conditions,respectively.Among the intermediate-maturing hybrids,the top 10 hybrids produced 25.2%–47.7%and 8.5%–13.5%higher grain yield than commercial checks under drought stress and well-watered conditions,respectively,suggesting improvement in the levels of drought tolerance in both early-and intermediate-maturing hybrids.GGE biplot analysis and a bi-segmented regression linear method identified specific early-maturing and intermediate-maturing hybrids that performed well under both well-watered and drought stress conditions.These hybrids could be recommended for commercial production in eastern Africa.Kakamega in Kenya was found to be the most representative and highly discriminating site among well-watered testing locations,while Kabuku in Tanzania was the least representative of test locations.For testing under drought stress conditions,Kiboko in Kenya was identified as the most representative location.This information could be useful for allocating resources and streamlining CIMMYT maize hybrid testing in eastern Africa.

Fine-scale habitat differentiation shapes the composition, structure and aboveground biomass but not species richness of a tropical Atlantic forest

Evaluating the influences of fine-scale habitat heterogeneity on the composition,diversity,structure and functioning of forests is critical to understand how tropical forests will respond to climate change and devise forest management strategies that will enhance biodiversity conservation and aboveground biomass stock.Here,we hypothesized that topographic and soil factors determine fine-scale habitat differentiation,which in turn shape community composition,species richness,structure and aboveground biomass at the local scale in tropical forests.To test this hypothesis,we selected two areas(each 100×100 m)with contrasting fine-scale topographic conditions where all trees,palms and lianas with a diameter at breast height ≥ 10 cm were tagged and identified to species.In each selected area,100 subplots of 10×10 m were established.We mainly found that higher topographic variability caused higher habitat differentiation with changes in species composition and community structure,but did not change species richness.Our habitat-scale analyses indicated that,in the less heterogeneous area,the distribution of species was more uniform along a fine-scale topographical gradient with no variation in convexity,which induced changes in structure and aboveground biomass,but not in species richness.The nonsignificant relationship between species richness and aboveground biomass may be attributable to species redundancy or functional dominance.This study suggests that environmental filtering is a fundamental process for shaping community assembly and forest functioning along a local topographical gradient in tropical forests.

New variola(mpox)in Brazil:Epidemiological update and perspectives

New variola(NV)-mpox(monkeypox)-is a zoonosis caused by the mpox virus,which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus in the family Poxviridae.This disease,in the present year(2022),has caused several cases and deaths around the world,including Brazil[1].The group of poxviruses,in which the species that causes NV is included,consists of agents widely distributed in nature.Due to their considerably large size,they were among the first viruses to be microscopically visualized.The Poxviridae family is capable of infecting epithelial and connective tissue cells.Currently,such a viral family is classified as a genome lineage composed of doublestranded DNA,completely independent of the host nucleus[1].

Structure simulation in unidirectionally solidified turbine blade by dendrite envelope tracking model (Ⅱ): model validation and defects prediction

The developed model was validated by the checking of grain preferential growth orientation and the solidification experiment with low melting point alloy of Sn-21%Bi(mole fraction). It was also applied to predict the structure defects (e.g. stray grain) of unidirectionally solidified turbine blade. The results show that the developed model is reliable and has the following abilities: 1) reduce the misorientation caused by the orthogonal mesh used in simulation; 2) well reproduce the growth competition among the different-preferential-direction grains with less than 10% relative error; 3) predict the structure defect of stray grain with the accuracy over 80%; 4) optimize the grain selector to better obtain a single crystal avoiding the multigrain defect; 5) simulate the structure evolution (nucleation and growth) of the directional and single crystal turbine blade.