Northwest Brazil Research Articles

Scorecard Approach to Eliminate Onchocerciasis in Venezuela.

In the Americas, onchocerciasis has been eliminated in 11 of 13 endemic foci by mass administration of ivermectin. The remaining at-risk population resides in a contiguous cross-border transmission zone located in the Amazon jungle in northwest Brazil and southern Venezuela, known as the Yanomami Focus Area. Here, we describe the development and implementation of a data-driven tool, called the Scorecard Approach (SCA), for the 393 communities that comprise the Venezuela South Focus. The SCA was first applied in 2018 and is reassessed on an annual basis. This operational strategy seeks to prioritize communities with low ivermectin coverage while taking into account the nature and variation of other epidemiological and logistical variables. Numeric scores are assigned for each factor and added together to yield a composite score for each community that is categorized as high, medium, or low priority. In this way, the SCA serves as a valuable and comprehensive strategy for planning, monitoring, and maximizing programmatic efficiency. In addition, it has allowed the country to face the main challenges of this endemic area: its remoteness, its large areas of territory to cover, the semi-nomadic nature of the Yanomami people, and their continuous cross-border movements. For 2022, the SCA categorized 54 (13.7%), 108 (27.5%), and 231 (58.8%) communities as high, medium, and low priority, respectively. The results presented here show that prioritizing communities at risk and with greatest needs increases the feasibility of interrupting the transmission of onchocerciasis by 2025 in the last endemic focus in the Americas.

Application of data science in the prediction of solar energy for the Amazon basin: a study case

Abstract The need for renewable energy sources has challenged most countries to comply with environmental protection actions and to handle climate change. Solar energy figures as a natural option, despite its intermittence. Brazil has a green energy matrix with significant expansion of solar form in recent years. To preserve the Amazon basin, the use of solar energy can help communities and cities improve their living standards without new hydroelectric units or even to burn biomass, avoiding harsh environmental consequences. The novelty of this work is using data science with machine-learning tools to predict the solar incidence (W.h/m²) in four cities in Amazonas state (north-west Brazil), using data from NASA satellites within the period of 2013–22. Decision-tree-based models and vector autoregressive (time-series) models were used with three time aggregations: day, week and month. The predictor model can aid in the economic assessment of solar energy in the Amazon basin and the use of satellite data was encouraged by the lack of data from ground stations. The mean absolute error was selected as the output indicator, with the lowest values obtained close to 0.20, from the adaptive boosting and light gradient boosting algorithms, in the same order of magnitude of similar references.

The positive relationship between NUTRIC score, bioelectric measures and hospital mortality in critically ill patients

PurposeBioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) and phase angle (PA) have importance in assessing nutritional and prognosis, and this study hypothesized that these measurements can have a relationship with nutritional risk and outcomes. This study aims to analyze the association between Nutrition Risk in the Critically ill (NUTRIC) score and bioelectrical impedance measures with hospital mortality in critically ill patients.Design/methodology/approachA prospective, cohort study was performed with a consecutive sample of patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), between January and June 2017 at a hospital university in Northwest Brazil. The NUTRIC score and the bioelectric measures, such as resistance (R), reactance (Xc), PA and BIVA, were completed within the first 24 h of admission. The Student’s t or Mann–Whitney, Pearson’s or Spearman’s coefficient and Fisher’s exact tests and BIVA were used for statistical analyses.FindingsThe sample consisted of 81, with a mean age of 57 (16.7) years, with 60.5% women. It was detected that PA and Xc were lower (p < 0.001), and age was higher (p < 0.001) in a high nutritional-risk group. It was found an association between low nutritional risk and hospital discharge (p < 0.001), and that individuals who died spent more days in the ICU (p = 0.0375), had significantly lower PA and Xc values (p = 0.043 and p = 0.0172, respectively) and higher NUTRIC scores (<0.0001). There was a displacement of the mean impedance vector in men and women with high nutritional risk (p = 0.0037 and p = 0.004, respectively).Research limitations/implicationsThe height measurement was estimated using predictive formulas, which may affect the accuracy of the values; BIA was performed only upon admission of the patient to the ICU and the study population was heterogeneous, as it is a general ICU.Originality/valueThis paper shows that, in critically ill patients, nutritional screening and the assessment of bioelectrical measures help in clinical-nutritional decisions, and were able to predict outcomes.

Nutrient partition and nutritional efficiency of mango cv. Palmer as a function of plant age in São Francisco Valley, Brazil

Knowing the accumulation of nutrients in mango plants is essential for calibrating fertilization programs aiming to increase yield in nutritionally unbalanced orchards. The work aimed to evaluate mango nutritional efficiency through nutrient accumulation and partitioning in plants of Palmer cultivar grown in sand soils at São Francisco Valley, Northwest Brazil. Commercial orchards located in Bahia and Pernambuco States, Brazil, under semi-arid climate (BShw; 400-800 mm annual rainfall) had the vegetable biomass and nutrient contents in the mango compartments determined in 1, 2, 4, 7, and 12 years old plants, by evaluating four plants of each age from 20 sample units. The separated samples of the harvested trees originated the compartments roots, stems, thick twigs, thin twigs, leaves and fruits. Nutrient contents and plant dry matter per compartment were determined and plant nutrient accumulation evaluated. Biomass and fruits coefficient of biological utilization were calculated. There was increment in the accumulated content of macronutrients in the mango plants over the years, with superiority for N and K, for which there was a sharp increase as compared to the other macronutrients. Manganese and Fe were the most accumulated micronutrients in the plants over the years. The canopy of the mango Palmer plants is the compartment that accumulates more macro and micronutrients, and the partition within the canopy occurs in the sequence: leaf&gt; thin twig&gt; thick twig. Phosphorus and Mg, and Cu and B are the nutrients more efficient to generate plant biomass and fruit production in the mango Palmer orchards.

Nutritional value, feeding behavior, physiological parameters, and performance of crossbred Boer goat kids fed butterfly pea hay and cactus pear meal

Aim of study: To evaluate diets with different proportions of butterfly pea hay (BH) and cactus pear meal (CM) on the intake and digestibility of nutrients, productive performance, feeding behavior and physiological parameters of crossbred Boer kids. Area of study: Northwest of Brazil. Material and methods: 32 crossbred Boer intact male goats were distributed in a randomized block design, with four treatments with different proportions of BH and CM in the diets, partially replacing elephant grass on a total dry matter (DM) basis: 0% BH + 0 % CM as a control, 83% BH + 17% CM, 67% BH + 33% CM, and 50% BH + 50% CM. Each treatment group included eight animals. The experiment lasted 84 days preceded by 15 days of adaptation. Main results: Kids fed the control diet had the greatest intake of neutral detergent fiber, hemicellulose, water intake via food, time to feed and the lowest feed conversion (p&lt;0.05) compared to BH+CM diets. Diet 83% BH+17% CM provided less digestibility of neutral detergent fiber, greater efficiency of DM intake and lower efficiency of DM and neutral detergent fiber rumination (p&lt;0.05) compared to other diets. Diet 67% BH+33% CM resulted in greater digestibility of dry and organic matter, weight gains and longer (p&lt;0.05) chewing time (seconds/cud) compared to other diets. Diet 50% BH+50% CM showed lower (p&lt;0.05) intake of acid detergent fiber, time for rumination, efficiency of ingestion of neutral detergent fiber and rectal temperature, and longer (p&lt;0.05) idle times compared to other diets. Research highlights: Partial substitution of elephant grass with 67% BH and 33% CM increased digestibility and weight gain of crossbred Boer kids, without changing nutrient and water intake in the finishing.

Range-wide habitat use of the Harpy Eagle indicates four major tropical forest gaps in the Key Biodiversity Area network

Abstract Quantifying habitat use is important for understanding how animals meet their requirements for survival and provides information for conservation planning. Currently, assessments of range-wide habitat use that delimit species distributions are incomplete for many taxa. The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a raptor of conservation concern, widely distributed across Neotropical lowland forests, that currently faces threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. Here, we use penalized logistic regression to identify species-habitat associations and predict habitat suitability based on a new International Union for the Conservation of Nature range metric, termed Area of Habitat. From the species-habitat model, we performed a gap analysis to identify areas of high habitat suitability in regions with limited coverage in the key biodiversity area (KBA) network. Range-wide habitat use indicated that Harpy Eagles prefer areas of 70%–75% evergreen forest cover, low elevation, and high vegetation species richness. Conversely, Harpy Eagles avoid areas of &amp;gt;10% cultivated landcover and mosaic forest, and topographically complex areas. Our species-habitat model identified a large continuous area of potential habitat across the pan-Amazonia region, and a habitat corridor from the Chocó-Darién ecoregion of Colombia running north along the Caribbean coast of Central America. Little habitat was predicted across the Atlantic Forest biome, which is now severely degraded. The current KBA network covered 18% of medium to high Harpy Eagle habitat exceeding a target biodiversity area representation of 10%, based on species range size. Four major areas of high suitability habitat lacking coverage in the KBA network were identified in north and west Colombia, western Guyana, and north-west Brazil. We recommend these multiple gaps of habitat as new KBAs for strengthening the current KBA network. Modeled area of habitat estimates as described here is a useful tool for large-scale conservation planning and can be readily applied to many taxa.

Parental beliefs in maternal practices of pregnant women in Northwest Brazil

Background: Pregnancy is a period of many physiological adaptations, as well as the structuring of beliefs that form the basis of maternal care, given that there are specificities that depend on the culture and family context, impacting the relationship that caregivers establish with the child and the environment in which the family nucleus is inserted. Aims: The present study aimed to evaluate the beliefs that support maternal care, as well as the importance given to each attitude and/or thought related to daily practices in the care of children that can influence child development. Method: The sample was formed by 100 pregnant women, residents in the city of Parnaíba-PI, who answered, virtually, the questionnaire of maternal beliefs and practices about child care. Results: Data analysis showed that participating mothers share parental beliefs about childcare practices, even with different sociodemographic characteristics. In addition, the results obtained showed that the “Stimulation” dimension was valued first, followed by the “Presentation”, “Bonding” and “Discipline” dimensions. Conclusion: The results found in the present research provide an understanding of the conceptions of the world that families have, and can support professional actions aimed at both children and parents.

Depositional sequences in northern Peru: new insights on the palaeogeographic and palaeotectonic reconstruction of western Gondwana during late Permian and Triassic

Late Permian to Early Jurassic strata in northern Peru allow us to carry out a seismostratigraphic, lithotectonic and chemostratigraphic analysis connecting the Andean–Amazonian foreland basins of Huallaga, Ucayali, southern Marañón and the Eastern Cordillera. This analysis and data integration from Ecuador to western Brazil and southern Peru and Bolivia allow us to redefine the timing of the major documented tectonic phases and corresponding palaeogeographies of western Gondwana from the late Permian to the Triassic. Three lithotectonic sequences and four associated deformation stages are recognized: (1) A sequence, tectonic relaxation, during the late Permian; (2) A–B intra-sequence, folding-and-thrusting attributed to a continuation in time of the Gondwanide Orogeny, during the Early to Middle Triassic; (3) B sequence, rifting, attributed to Gondwana breakup during the Middle and late Triassic; (4) C sequence, thermal sag, during the Late Triassic. Evaporites and carbonates (A sequence) dominated a low-subsidence basin with southern restricted marine inflow at the Permian–Triassic boundary. A novel palaeogeographic model for these evaporites suggests that this saline basin extended up to 50 000 km 2 in a restricted environment area with a potential bullseye pattern. The last pulse of the Gondwanide Orogeny and associated fold and thrust belt (A–B intra-sequence) exhumed prior to the sequence, generating emerged areas with little to no sedimentation. Red beds (B sequence) characterize the rifting stage, representing the syn-depositional infill of continental grabens, likely extending to the Acre Basin in Brazil. Finally, during the thermal sag, a marine inflow likely from the northwestern part of Peru generated sedimentation of carbonates and evaporites (C Sequence) to the west and east of the Peruvian margin. This sediment differentiation was, in part, controlled by the existence of pre-existing grabens associated with the previous rifting stage. This interpretation, together with other evaporitic occurrences, attributed here to a Late Triassic epoch in south and north Peru and west Brazil, suggest the existence of an evaporitic basin filling an undeformed area of probably c. 170 000 km 2 . It is therefore suggestive of the existence of a Late Triassic (Norian to Rhaetian; 217 to 204 Ma) salt giant controlled by thermal sag in western Gondwana. Our results are of great relevance for any future interpretation related to mass extinctions, palaeoclimatic analysis and ocean dynamics during the Permian and Triassic as well as natural resource distribution between Ecuador and Bolivia.

Breeding biology of the Olivaceous Flatbill (Rhynchocyclus olivaceus) in an Amazonian forest fragment of northwest Brazil

Descriptions of individual breeding bird biologies provide important insights to our understanding of avian life history strategies. The present study focused on the reproductive biology and nesting ecology of the Olivaceous Flatbill (Rhynchocyclus olivaceus) in the Parque Zoobotânico (∼100 ha) of the Universidade Federal do Acre, Brazil, between April 2015 and March 2016. We found 91 nests, of which 14 were active and 77 were abandoned. Due to multiple nest failure incidents, we only monitored a single nest throughout the breeding period from nest construction to offspring fledging. This nest was built in 14 d, eggs were incubated for 26 d, and nestlings remained in the nest for additional 21 d. The nest was classified as closed, retort-shaped, and pensile. We deconstructed one nest that had a weight of 65 g composed of twigs (31.6% of the total weight), fibers (28.9%), leaves (14.5%), bark (9.2%), bamboo pieces (9.2%), and tendrils (6.6%). We found the nests at heights of 1–9 m above the ground, with a preference for a 2–4 m stratum, built atop 25 different plant species. The 4 species that were the most frequently used as nest substrate were Protium unifoliolatum (n = 16 nests), Casearia sp. (n = 11), Siparuna guianensis (n = 10), and Couepia sp. (n = 9). The Olivaceous Flatbill breeds throughout the year, in both rainy and dry seasons, and it seems to be highly sensitive to human disturbance during the breeding season. The reproductive parameters recorded in the present study were consistent with those reported for other species of this genus, although most of the findings are novel for the Olivaceous Flatbill and provide important insights into its reproductive biology in the Amazon region.

Maintaining Natural Capital Stocks: An Insight into Traditional and Modern Approaches

Natural capital refers to the natural environment around us that provides the goods and services to sustain life on this globe and includes soil, air, water, plant and animal biomass, forests, fish populations and mineral deposits. Sustainability could be defined as the level of consumption that satisfies the demand of the present without compromising the need of the future generations and not demeaning natural capital stocks. A serious threat to the current framing of natural capital is its apparent seclusion from financial capital and mainstream economic and social activity. This seclusion leads to indiscriminate use of nitrogen fertiliser to increase productivity per unit area in crop fields or decreased protein returns in aquatic habitats ultimately leading to ecological mayhem. However, indigenous people living in traditional societies are found to have strong conservation ethics arising out of their age-old ecological knowledge, protecting natural capital in their native homeland. The sacred groves in India, Tukano Indians in North West Brazil, tribesmen in TransFly region in Papua New Guinea, Masai in African Savanna are some of the examples. This article highlights some of the novel approaches adapted to protect natural capital and includes Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) and natural capital accounting. PES are evolving as a creative and motivational strategy for natural capital conservation in many parts of the world, especially in Latin America. The natural capital accounting assign monetary value to natural capital and could bridge the apparent seclusion of natural capital from financial capital. The national Governments and world leaders are taking a broader perspective to look into the options of sustainable development to maintain natural capital stocks and many such projects are put forth in different countries. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and Sustainable Development Goals lead to a system of largescale management called the Ecosystem Approach involving multiple stakeholders. The primary goal is protecting ecosystem components and processes for the long term, keeping an eye to the present needs also. The PES and natural capital accounting are two important gauge of sustainability protecting mother nature from indiscriminate handling by its most rational offspring.

Application of organic facies and biomarkers in characterization of paleoenvironmental conditions and maturity of sediments from the Codó Formation in the west-central part of the São Luís Basin, Brazil

Paleoenvironmental conditions of the sediments of the Cretaceous Codó Formation in Brazil are still being debated. The main point of controversy is whether they were deposited in a strictly marine environment or under lacustrine conditions of varying salinity. In this study, organic facies and biomarker analyses were performed on samples from the Codó Formation in the São Luís Basin, northwest Brazil, to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental conditions, the origin, and the thermal maturity of the organic matter. Four types of palynofacies associations (PI – amorphous organic matter, PII – amorphous organic matter+sporomorphs, PIII – phytoclasts, and IV – marine palynomorphs) were identified. The total organic carbon (TOC) content exhibits a strong correlation (ρ = 0.75, p < .05) with amorphous organic matter (AOM) content suggesting that AOM is the main factor controlling TOC in the stratigraphic section, and that increases in the AOM contribution were associated with an increase in the water column and expansion of reducing conditions that favored organic matter preservation. The TOC and total sulfur (TS) plots suggest that there were salinity variations in the depositional environment. The identification of marine palynomorphs (Subtilisphaera genus) are indicative of several local marine incursions. The n-alkane distribution (unimodal and bimodal) confirmed the presence of strong input of higher plant components (phytoclast-dominated Palynofacies III) and the bacterially-reworked organic material (Palynofacies I/II). The aquatic terrestrial (ATR), terrigenous/aquatic (TAR), and proxy for aquatic macrophytes (Paq) ratios suggest autochthonous (Palynofacies I and II) and allochthonous (Palynofacies III) organic matter, and eutrophic and submerged-floating plants. Based on palynofacies associations and biomarkers we conclude that the depositional environment ranged from an anoxic/reducing to dysoxic/oxic within a closed-lacustrine system having a stratified water column. High evaporation rates favored a decrease in the water column and an increase in salinity, allowing the precipitation of salt by evaporation (CaCO3 > 80%). The thermal maturity indicators including vitrinite reflectance (%Ro), spore color index (SCI), Ts/(Ts + Tm) ratios, and C29 20S/(20S + 20R) and C29 ββ/(αα + ββ) indicate that the organic matter is immature to marginally mature.

Depositional environment and maturity of Devonian Pimenteira Formation in the São Luís Basin, Brazil

We carried out a detailed organic facies study on shale cutting samples from the Devonian Pimenteira Formation in the São Luís Basin, northwest Brazil, to reconstruct the depositional paleoenvironment and origin of the organic matter. Samples were collected from the stratigraphic well 2-ANP-5-MA and were analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur (%S), insoluble residue (RI), spore coloration index (SCI), vitrinite reflectance (%Ro), palynofacies, and biomarkers. The TOC values of the analyzed sediments range from 0.19 to 0.51%, %S from 0.17 to 0.85%, and the total carbonate (CaCo3) is low (<15%); SCI ranges from 4.0 to 5.0, %Ro from 0.45 to 0.47%, and chitinozoan reflectance from 0.42 to 0.51%. The prasinophyte algae content exhibits a strong correlation (r2 = 0.73) with the TOC content; this suggests that this organic component is the main factor controlling TOC and that variations in prasinophyte content could reflect changes in the sea level associated with marine transgressions and regressions. Two types of palynofacies (PI—phytoclasts, amorphous organic matter [AOM], and spongiophyton-dominated—and PII—palynomorphs and zoomorphs-dominated) were identified. PI is characterized by a palynomorph association dominantly composed of marine palynomorphs like acritarchs and prasinophytes, whereas PII is characterized by phytoclasts and an association with AOM. Chitinozoan, conodonts and spongiophyton are common throughout this sedimentary sequence. The TOC (wt%) vs %S relationship indicates that the organic matter is dominantly marine but has some freshwater influence. The ternary graph including AOM, phytoclasts, and palynomorphs+zoomorphs suggests a depositional environment ranging from oxic proximal shelf to dysoxic proximal-distal shelf with deltaic influence. The presence of marine microplankton and land plants was corroborated by the distribution of the steranes components (C27, C28, and C29). The thermal maturity indicators, including %Ro, chitinozoan reflectance, SCI, Ts/(Ts + Tm) ratios, and C29 20S/(20S + 20R) and C29 ββ/(αα + ββ), indicate that the organic matter is immature.

Epidemic spread of IncI1/pST113 plasmid carrying the Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) blaCTX-M-8 gene in Escherichia coli of Brazilian cattle

IntroductionThe prevalence of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae is increasing worldwide and the Agri-Food sector acts as a reservoir of clinically relevant ESBL genes. Our study aimed at detecting and characterizing ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae responsible for intestinal colonization of Brazilian bovines. Material and methodsESBL-producing E. coli isolates were recovered from fecal samples of healthy cattle in Northwest Brazil. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion. Resistance and virulence genes were identified by PCR and amplicons were sequenced, clonality was assessed by PFGE and MLST, and plasmids were characterized by replicon typing, S1-PFGE and Southern blot hybridizations. Transferability of ESBL genes was assessed by conjugation assay. ResultsA total of 40 ESBL-producing E. coli were characterized, which originated from 34/191 animals (17.8 %) and 15/22 farms (68.2 %). The blaCTX-M-8 gene was the most frequent ESBL gene (62.5 %), followed by blaSHV-2a (20.0 %), blaCTX-M-2 (10.0 %), and blaCTX-M-15 (7.5 %). The blaCTX-M-8 gene was localized on the IncI1/pST113 plasmid in multiple E. coli sequence types across unrelated animals and farms. DiscussionWe report the first characterization and a high prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli in the beef cattle sector in Brazil, which is mainly supported by the spread of an epidemic IncI1/pST113/blaCTX-M-8 plasmid. Since Brazil is one of the biggest beef meat exporters worldwide, the spread of this ESBL plasmid across other sectors, countries and continents should be considered with attention.

Comparing GEFS, ECMWF, and Postprocessing Methods for Ensemble Precipitation Forecasts over Brazil

AbstractThis study compares the performance of Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) precipitation ensemble forecasts in Brazil and evaluates different analog-based methods and a logistic regression method for postprocessing the GEFS forecasts. The numerical weather prediction (NWP) forecasts were evaluated against the Physical Science Division South America Daily Gridded Precipitation dataset using both deterministic and probabilistic forecasting evaluation metrics. The results show that the ensemble precipitation forecasts performed commonly well in the east and poorly in the northwest of Brazil, independent of the models and the postprocessing methods. While the raw ECMWF forecasts performed better than the raw GEFS forecasts, analog-based GEFS forecasts were more skillful and reliable than both raw ECMWF and GEFS forecasts. The choice of a specific postprocessing strategy had less impact on the performance than the postprocessing itself. Nonetheless, forecasts produced with different analog-based postprocessing strategies were significantly different and were more skillful and as reliable and sharp as forecasts produced with the logistic regression method. The approach considering the logarithm of current and past reforecasts as the measure of closeness between analogs was identified as the best strategy. The results also indicate that the postprocessing using analog methods with long-term reforecast archive improved raw GEFS precipitation forecasting skill more than using logistic regression with short-term reforecast archive. In particular, the postprocessing dramatically improves the GEFS precipitation forecasts when the forecasting skill is low or below zero.

A Comissão de Linhas Telegráficas Estratégicas do Mato Grosso ao Amazonas (CLTEMTA) - 1907 a 1915: tecendo caminhos no sertão

Com o objetivo de discutir algumas das contribuições da Comissão de Linhas Telegráficas Estratégicas do Mato Grosso ao Amazonas - CLTEMTA (1907 a 1915) para os processos de apropriação e domínio territorial desenvolvidos pelo Estado Republicano nas áreas atualmente correspondentes ao Noroeste do Brasil, em Mato Grosso, no então denominado “sertão vazio”, selecionou-se nesse texto um recorte da dissertação de mestrado intitulada “O Domínio Territorial Republicano manifestado na Multiexpressividade da Comissão Rondon”, na qual pretendeu-se apontar as ações de reconhecimento territorial executadas nos primeiros anos da CLTEMTA que fortaleceram a corporatura do Estado associada ao exercício de seu poder soberano no território. Os dados apresentados foram resultantes da discussão e da análise das Conferências realizadas no ano de 1910 por Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, as quais apresentam um importante perfil das ideologias geográficas existentes no período, cuja materialidade se faz expressa em uma representação cartográfica dos avanços obtidos nas expedições de estudos e reconhecimento, que foram determinantes para o processo de legitimação estatal em uma sociedade que se encontrava em processo de composição.&#x0D; &#x0D; Abstract&#x0D; &#x0D; THE COMMISSION OF STRATEGIC TELEGRAPHIC LINES FROM MATO GROSSO TO AMAZONAS (CLTEMTA) - 1907 TO 1915: WEAVING TRACES IN SERTÃO&#x0D; &#x0D; With the objective to discussing some of the Strategic Telegraphic Lines from Mato Grosso to Amazonas contributions – CLTEMTA (1907 to 1915) to the processes of appropriation and territorial domain developed by the Republican State in the areas currently corresponding to the Northwest of Brazil, in Mato Grosso, in the so-called “empty hinterland”, a selection of the masters dissertation titled “The Republican Territorial Domain manifested in the Multi-Pressiveness of Rondon Commission” was selected in this text, in which it was intended to point out the actions of territorial recognition executed in the first years of CLTEMTA that strengthened the state body associated with the exercise of its sovereign power in the territory. The data presented were the discussions results and analysis of the Conferences held in 1910 by Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, which present an important profile of the geographical ideologies existing in the period, whose materiality is expressed in a cartographic representation by the advances obtained in the expeditions of studies and recognition that were decisive for the process of state legitimation in a society that was in its composition process.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load of the Diet in a Sample of Pregnant Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Northwest Brazil

During pregnancy, women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) needs specific dietary care to improve glycemic control and improve pregnancy outcomes. The recent updated researches points to dietary assessment and prescription based on glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) as possible strategies for achieving these goals. This study evaluated the GI and GL of the diet consumed by pregnant women with DM2. It is a quantitative-descriptive study, carried out in a diabetes treatment and care reference center in Brazil, with 20 DM2 pregnant women, randomly selected and interviewed during the outpatient routine visits follow-up. Dietary data were obtained in two 24-hour food recall (one weekday and one on weekend), one of that was collected by phone. These data were taken at home measurements and converted into grams/milliliters for subsequent determination of the GI and GL of the diets (protocol: FAO/WHO,1998) and classified according to Brand-Miller; Foster-Powell and Colagiuri (2003) and Burani (2006). Statistical analysis used the program S.P.S.S version 17, with the chi-square statistical test (p &amp;lt;0.05). The diet of the pregnant women had a low GI (46.27 ± 7.18) and a low GL (64.15 ± 22.79). There was a positive relationship between schooling and GI, and the pregnant DM2 with a lower level of education consumed a moderate GI diet. Few studies have evaluated GI and GL in pregnancy and there are no studies with DM2 pregnant women. Similar studies point to the benefits of low GI and GL diets for glycemic control during gestation to decreased maternal-fetal comorbidities. The study population’s diet had adequate GI and CG, which promotes glycemic control and reduce adverse outcomes. However, it is suggested that larger dietary assessments be performed to further deepen the relationship between diet, metabolic control and pregnancy outcomes of woman with DM2. Disclosure C. Facanha: None. T.U. Passos: None. L.C. Maranhão: None. F.C. Coppola: None. J.D. Martins: None. A.E.F. Melo: None. G. Nogueira: None. M.D. Santos: None. P.A.C. Pontes: None. L.M. Morais: None. D.D. Costa: None.

Irrigation management methods for the production of bell pepper in agricultural substrates

This study’s objective was to assess the response and effectiveness of irrigation management systems for the production of bell pepper with different agricultural substrates, under protected conditions. The current study was conducted in a greenhouse located in Juazeiro, BA, in the northwest of Brazil. The experiment design was completely randomized in a split-plot system, with two irrigation treatments as the main plots (the drainage lysimeter and the Piché evaporimeter) and two substrates in each sub-plot (coconut fiber and pinus bark), with 5 replications per treatment. Harvest was conducted from 86 to 151 days after transplanting, and the following characteristics were evaluated: total, marketable and unmarketable yields, production per plant, fresh mass of fruits, fruit number per plant, length and diameter of fruits, length/diameter ratio, water use efficiency, pulp thickness, fruit pH, soluble solids, and titratable acidity. No interaction effects between irrigation treatments and substrates were observed on the following variables: total yield, marketable yield, non-marketable yield, production per plant, mean mass, and diameter of marketable fruits. Irrigation treatments and substrates did not show a significant effect on bell pepper yield. Drainage lysimeter-based management and coconut fiber substrate had the best results in terms of the physical quality of fruits, whereas pinus bark-based substrate positively influenced all chemical variables and the Piché evaporimeter-based irrigation management showed a good performance raising fruit pH in relation to fruits cultivated in lysimeter with pinus bark. Additional research is required under different environmental conditions so that this crop fully expresses its yield potential.

Landscape changes in a neotropical forest-savanna ecotone zone in central Brazil: The role of protected areas in the maintenance of native vegetation

In the Amazon-savanna ecotone in northwest Brazil, the understudied Araguaia River Basin contains high biodiversity and seasonal wetlands. The region is representative of tropical humid-dry ecotone zones, which have experienced intense land use and land cover (LULC) conversions. Here we assessed the LULC changes for the last four decades in the central portion of the Araguaia River Basin to understand the temporal changes in the landscape composition and configuration outside and inside protected areas. We conducted these analyzes by LULC mapping and landscape metrics based on patch classes. During this period, native vegetation was reduced by 26%. Forests were the most threatened physiognomy, with significant areal reduction and fragmentation. Native vegetation cover was mainly replaced by croplands and pastures. Such replacement followed spatial and temporal trends related to the implementation of protected areas and increases in population cattle herds. The creation of most protected areas took place between 1996 and 2007, the same period during which the conversion of the landscape matrix from natural vegetation to agriculture occurred. We observed that protected areas mitigate fragmentation, but their roles differ according to their location and level of protection. Still, we argue that landscape characteristics, such as suitability for agriculture, also influence landscape conversions and should be considered when establishing protected areas. The information provided in this study can guide new research on species conservation and landscape planning, as well as improve the understanding of the impacts of landscape composition and configuration changes.

School-Based Brazilian Librarianship: The Ruling Relations That Inform Its Professional Practice

The need to equip today’s youth with complex information literacy and knowledge construction skills is a catalyst for change in the traditional practices of school librarians the world over. This necessary change led us to explore school library practices through a global lens. Creating innovative research partnerships with school librarians in other countries provides a space for inquiry that identifies barriers (as well as potential solutions to these barriers) to professional preparation of school librarians for the digital age. This research inquires “what are the similarities in the experiences and practices of school librarians across international boundaries in efforts to meet the needs of 21st century learners?” and more specifically “how do ruling relations impact and shape the experiences and practices of school librarians in Brazil?” Institutional Ethnography methodology is utilized to gain insight into the actualities of professional work lives, while examining the ruling relations that impact the institution. This paper presents findings from phase two of a study on school librarianship, conducted in the fall of 2015 in the State of Pará, Northwest Brazil.

Contribution of siderite–water interaction for the unconventional generation of hydrocarbon gases in the Solimões basin, north-west Brazil

Hydrocarbon gases with unconventional carbon isotopic signatures were observed in the Solimões sedimentary basin in north-west Brazil. Siderite contents measured with a new Rock-Eval methodology in the drill-cuttings samples of the Famenian source rock were found to decrease with the increase of gas maturity and with the occurrence of the gas isotopic anomalies. Triassic diabase intrusions induced heating of the source rock, which likely resulted in the gradual oxidative dissolution of siderite as suggested by the observation of etch pits on the siderite surfaces. It is proposed that ferrous iron from the carbonate was involved in a redox reaction with water producing ferric iron and H2, then reducing CO2 and yielding an inverse correlation between siderite content and gas maturity. Alternatively, hydrogenation of highly mature kerogen by H2 derived from siderite could explain the production of 13C-rich CH4. Mass balance considerations suggest that these mechanisms may account for a significant fraction of the hydrocarbon gases generated from the Famenian source rock in the Solimões basin.