Southern Region Of Brazil Research Articles

Efficiency of Strawberry Cultivation under the Effect of Different Types of Plants in a Soilless System in the High-Altitude Regions of Southern Brazil

By analyzing the growth and development of different types of strawberry plants, the researchers were able to evaluate the interference with the horticultural potential of the cultivar ‘Albion’. The five treatments that have been studied corresponded to different types of strawberry plants: mini plants in trays with young roots, plants in trays with mature roots and an initial reduction of fertigation, plants in trays with mature roots, plants with bare roots, and plants in trays with mature roots preserved by the cold. In bags containing coconut fiber, the experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. The attributes evaluated were the total yield per plant, the total yield per plant with fruits above 10 g, the total yield per hectare, the total yield per hectare with fruits above 10 g, the average plant diameter, the average number of buds per plant, and the average number of stolons per plant. There were no significant effects among the plant types concerning yield production. Plants in cold-preserved trays with mature roots showed a higher number of buds than plants in trays with mature roots. Cold-preserved tray plants with mature roots produced the highest number of stolons, followed by bare-root plants. It is concluded that the types of strawberry seedlings did not influence the productive performance of the strawberry ‘Albion’ cultivar. However, cold-preserved tray plants with mature roots showed better vegetative performance, with a yield of a higher number of buds and stolons. However, the results were influenced by the agroclimatic conditions of the producing region; due to climatic interference in the behaviour of the plants about the factors studied, it is recommended to repeat the experiment for a better understanding of the objectives.

An Alternative Regulation of Compensation Mechanisms for Electric Energy Transgressions of Service Quality Limits in Dispersed and Seasonal Areas

The evaluation of the quality of electric power distribution services in Brazil is regulated and monitored by the National Electric Energy Agency ANEEL, which uses metrics related to the duration frequency of power interruptions that occur in the power utilities’ networks. The methodology applied by the agency to establish financial compensation due to violations of the quality standards does not take into consideration the consumers’ production industry when establishing compensation for the transgression of service quality indicators. This study will analyze a case study of a group of industrial consumers linked to agribusiness in the southern region of Brazil, which have strongly seasonal use of distribution networks and are scattered in large, dispersed areas. Based on the evaluation of the impact of service quality indicators on financial compensation, a regulatory mechanism is proposed in the form of an interruptible tariff duly quantified in the form of a non-linear programming problem to find a discount range for uninterruptible tariffs. The results obtained with the real data for the group of irrigating consumers demonstrate the feasibility regarding the application of the proposed approach, whether due to the discounts offered or even the repercussions of the calculated financial amounts.

Heat Transfer in a Silo Containing Rice: Solution by the Explicit Method of the Finite Differences with Approximations of Order 2 and 4 for a One-Dimensional Transient Model

Rice is one of the most consumed cereals in the world, and the cultivation of this crop has significant relevance in the southern region of Brazil. When subjected to inadequate conditions of temperature and humidity, rice becomes susceptible to attacks from pests and fungi and, therefore, care in the storage process is of paramount importance, since this is largely responsible for the quality of the harvest. Such care allows the food to arrive without harm to the consumer. In this sense, the mathematical modeling, among numerous possibilities, allows for evaluating the internal temperature of a silo and, through this, taking preventive measures so that the grains maintain their quality. The objective of this work is to model the heat transfer process in a silo prototype containing rice in husk through the explicit finite difference method for a one-dimensional and transient model considering two approaches centered on the spatial derivative: error of order 2 and 4. In addition, the thermal diffusivity of the grain with average value was analyzed. The results obtained by the solutions were analyzed through graphs and statistical indexes comparing with the experimental data of the literature, and the computer simulation was performed through the Google Colab platform. The chosen methodology proved effective for the work, and the predicted temperatures for the approximations of order 2 and 4 denote similarities both graphically and in the precision of the statistical indexes.

Growth and development of yerba mate seedlings associated with different winter cover species

The lack of knowledge of management in the application of yerba mate is the reason for the present study, given the economic importance of this crop for family farming, the economy and also the culture in the southern region of Brazil. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of winter cover species on the morphophysiological characteristics of yerba mate seedlings. The experimental design was laid out in randomized blocks with four replicates. The weed species used were Avena strigosa, Lolium multiflorum, Vicia sativa, Raphanus sativus, Lupinus albus, Axonopus catharinensis, the consortium between A. strigosa and V. sativa, and the control treatment without cover. Physiological (photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, internal CO2 concentration, water use efficiency, carboxylative efficiency, and chlorophyll) and morphological (plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, shoot and of root dry matter, in addition to cover dry matter) were evaluated. There was competition between the crop and the cover plants for the factors of light and water, and the control without cultivation did not affect the morphophysiological characteristics of yerba mate. The species A. catharinensis proved to be the best cover plant because it competed less with yerba mate. The growth and development of yerba mate were affected by the presence of A. strigosa.

Hydrogen and electricity potential generation from rice husks and persiculture biomass in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The Southern region of Brazil has the highest grain and fruit production at a national level. Therefore, the biomass waste from rice and peach harvest in the Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state represents a promising source of available clean energy. This study seeks to demonstrate the average potential for biohydrogen and energy production by utilizing residues from peach cultivation rice straw and husks from 2014 to 2021. The findings reveal that an average of 2.89E+06 m³.year−1 of bioH2 theoretically obtained from the dark fermentation of rice husks and straw, with a biogas production of 1.49E+06 m³.year−1, derived from the anaerobic digestion of peach residues. After the purification process, the biogas yields an average of 4.73E+05 kg year−1 of H2, resulting in a total of up to 2.26E+08 kg year−1 when combined with the bioH2 obtained from the dark fermentation of rice residues. The results indicate an average energy of 8.50E+06 GJ year−1 potentially obtained by burning rice husks. Furthermore, for peach and rice biomass, the average energy potential is 3.37E+04 GJ year−1. Besides, considering using 2% of the bioH2 theoretically produced for green ammonia generation, the results show an amount of approximately 2.55E+04 tons. Therefore, this study is relevant since highlights the region's potential to produce clean energy from agricultural residues while presenting viable solutions to mitigate the negative environmental impacts caused by improper disposal of these materials. Moreover, these residues used for clean energy production contribute to the sustainable energy transition, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, decrease the need for nitrogenous fertilizer imports, and promote the implementation of the Circular Economy.

Productive arrangement of oysters: a comparative study between two communities in southern Brazil

The oyster cultivation in Brazil has a great productive concentration in the Southern region of Brazil, however the consolidation of these productive arrangements occurs slowly and with great variation among the producing communities. Scattered information was found on the reasons for the uneven development of smaller arrangements. Therefore, in view of the relevance of the activity and in order to identify the factors responsible for the inequality in the growth of productive arrangements, a descriptive exploratory study was carried out between March and July 2022 with the leaders of two fishing communities in the local productive arrangement - LPA, Cabaraquara, on the Coast of Paraná, Brazil, being one of them a consolidated arrangement and the other one in development. The research revealed that the difference between the productivity of both does not seem to be linked to factors such as proximity to the consumer market, distribution logistics, manpower, producers' ability to articulate with the market or even geoclimatic characteristics. The main factors that limit the consolidation of LPAs are the degree of difficulty in accessing production inputs, the lack of technical assistance and the almost non-existence of public policies for the segment. Although oyster clusters have conditions for growth and consolidation, the presence of arrangements of producers in these regions is not a sufficient condition for local development, requiring the formation of links and interdependent relationships among them. Therefore, especially in the Cabaraquara Community, it is necessary to establish a governance model that allows for positive results in terms of efficiency and competitiveness in the dialogue with other actors outside the producing communities.

Inhibitory effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cunila spicata Benth. on phlogistic agents-induced cellular migration in the airways of mice.

Cunila spicata Benth. Is a creeping and aromatic plant that has an ethnopharmacological indication in the southern region of Brazil, in the Araucaria Forest biome. It's used as an alternative therapy for respiratory diseases for men and animals since the "tropeirista" movement in colonial Brazil. Investigate the influence of oral administration of hydroalcoholic extract of C. spicata (HECS) on cellular inflammatory processes in the airways of mice. The HECS was obtained by the ultrasound-assisted technique. Phytochemical analysis of the volatile compounds was performed using gas-chromatography with mass spectrometry. To investigate the biological activity of HECS, the animals were pre-treated with HECS orally 1h before and the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) model was used, in which the animals were subjected to inhalation of different pro-inflammatory agents such as carrageenan (CAR), histamine (HIST), capsaicin (CAP), bradykinin (BK), and 48/80 compound (C48/80). After sacrifice, BAL sample was collected from the bronchi and was analyzed for total and differential white blood cell counts, compared with control groups. Fourteen volatile phytocompounds were identified in the HECS, the main ones being 2-bornanone, menthofuran and camphene. Among the HECS treated animals, all showed significant maximal inhibition (MI) when challenged with pro-inflammatory agents by nebulization. In the group of animals that received CAR, the MI was 72.77±3.88%, compared to the negative control (NC). There was a predominance of lymphocytes (59.18±4.07%). For the HIST group, MI was 64.03±4.33%, in relation to the NC, with predominance in macrophages number (76.53±2.78%). In the CAP group, the MI obtained was 38.90±11.31%, with greater macrophage migration occurring (80.98±3.44%) in the higher dose. For animals subjected to BK inhalation, the MI was 48.63±3.95% with macrophages predominance (64.33±10.04%). In the group that received C48/80 inhalation, the MI was 40.25±5.30% (100mgkg-1), with higher occurrence of macrophages (72.97±4.23%). Our results suggest that HECS had a non-specific inhibitory effect on cellular migration induced by different pro-inflammatory agents, reducing inflammation in airways of mice. These effects coincide and support its ethnopharmacological use as an alternative medicine for respiratory diseases in regions where the plant is prevalent.

Geographical distribution of dental caries in children in the southern region of Brazil

The objective was to investigate the experience and severity of dental caries, from the medical records of children who visited the Children's Dental Clinic of a Faculty of southern Brazil, for four years. A cross-sectional study was carried out by analyzing 262 medical records containing information sociodemographic, as well as clinical oral data, to investigate dental caries. Amongst all children included in study, 226 (86.3%) had some teeth with experience of dental caries and 161 (61.5%) had three or more dental caries. The mean dental caries in children aged between 6-8 years was 5.3 ± 3.1, and the average in children aged between 9-12 years was 2.0 ± 1.9. There was association between the severity of dental caries (more than three teeth) and not using dental floss, as well as with the geographical location of residence. Older children were considered to be protected from dental caries. In this study, the experience of dental caries was high, especially in primary teeth, and variables such as the geographical location of residence, absence of flossing were related to the greater severity of dental caries.

Factors associated with respiratory morbidity in the first year of life

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between socioeconomic and nutritional factors with respiratory morbidity in the first year of life in different regions of Brazil. MethodologyA nested case-control study within a randomized field trial was conducted in three capital cities (Porto Alegre, Manaus, and Salvador), representing different macro-regions of the country. Cases were defined as children with a reported previous diagnosis of asthma, bronchiolitis, or pneumonia. Corresponding controls were matched by age and sex in a 2:1 ratio, selected consecutively from the original cohort, resulting in a sample of 222 children. Bivariate analyses were performed to assess the association between sociodemographic and nutritional variables with respiratory morbidity outcomes, calculating odds ratios (OR) and their respective confidence intervals (95% CI). Values of p < 0.05 were considered significant. Potential confounding factors were adjusted through multivariate analysis (logistic regression). ResultsMaternal smoking and breastfeeding for less than six months showed a significant association and increased risk of respiratory disease (OR=2.12 and 2.05, respectively). Children born in the Southern region of Brazil also demonstrated a higher association and risk of respiratory morbidity. The consumption of ultra-processed foods did not show a significant association or increased risk of respiratory disease. ConclusionsMaternal smoking, breastfeeding for less than six months, and being born in the Southern region of Brazil are risk factors for the development of respiratory morbidity in the first year of life. The consumption of ultra-processed foods does not appear to pose a risk, but it was prevalent in more than 80% of the population, limiting its discriminatory power of analysis.

Risk factors associated with the occurrence of antibodies against bluetongue virus in sheep in the state of Paraná, Brazil

Bluetongue is an arbovirus that affects different animal species, being most relevant in sheep because of the possible disease severity. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of antibodies against bluetongue virus (BTV) in sheep in the central-western region of Paraná, Brazil, and the risk factors for infection in the species. This is the first study to determine these factors in the southern region of Brazil. A serological survey using agar gel immunodiffusion was positive in 28.1% (108/350) of the animals tested, and 91.66% (11/12) of the farms analyzed had at least one seropositive animal. Furthermore, contact between sheep and cattle was determined as the main risk factor for BTV infection in sheep, followed by flooding, a history of abortion, and contact with rivers and riparian forests. In conclusion, the occurrence of anti-BTV antibodies in flocks in Paraná was moderate however, the virus is still circulating in these animals, so greater epidemiological surveillance and implementation of programs to control the disease are necessary.

Knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions of gillnet fishermen towards the South American sea lion in two marine protected areas in southern Brazil

Conflicts between humans and wildlife are increasing in many parts of the world. In southern Brazil, South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) interact with commercial fisheries, which can result in retaliation by fishermen. In order to understand the factors that may influence the behaviour of fishermen towards sea lions, interviews were carried out with 91 gillnet fishermen from the southern region of Brazil. Of these, 48 were fishermen from the surroundings of the Molhe Leste Wildlife Refuge, in Rio Grande/São José do Norte, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), and 43 were fishermen from the surroundings of Ilha dos Lobos, in Laguna, in the state of Santa Catarina (SC). The questions were formulated to investigate concepts such as Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour Intentions related to sea lions, their places of occurrence, the legislation and interactions with fisheries. Background factors such as knowledge about national marine mammal legal protection and perceptions towards sea lions, socioeconomic factors of fishers and vessel size were also investigated. Chi-squared, Student's t and Contingency Table tests were performed to verify differences between communities. For each community, generalized linear models (GLM) were performed to verify relation between background factors and Attitudes and Mann-Whitney tests were used to verify relation between Attitudes and Behaviour Intentions. Results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between gillnet fishermen from RG/SJN and Laguna in terms of Attitudes and Behaviour Intentions. Experience and Perceptions on the American sea lion population increase and on the appreciation of sea lions by fishermen were the only background factors that influenced Attitudes in RG/SJN, as well as Perception on the increase of the American sea lion population in Laguna. A significant direct relation between Attitudes and Behavioural Intentions was found in Laguna. Fishermen's knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions were more positive because the majority of the interviewees worked in the industrial gillnet fleet, which operates in areas further from the coast and, therefore, are less subjected to interact with sea lions during fishing activities. Besides, this fleet has a greater fishing power than small and medium-scale vessels, making economic losses less impactful for fishermen. Greater efforts should be made to raise the awareness of surface gillnet fisheries in regard to conflict mitigation, to monitor the compliance with the fishery legislation and its effectiveness, and to make an integrated management of the Protected Areas, among other actions.

Assessment, regionalization, and modeling rainfall erosivity over Brazil: Findings from a large national database

In this study, we used a large national database to assess the rainfall erosivity (RE) patterns in time and space over the Brazilian territory. Thereby, RE and erosivity density (ED) values were obtained for 5166 rainfall gauges. Also, the concentration of the RE throughout the year and the RE's gravity center locations were analyzed. Finally, homogeneous regions regarding RE values were delimited and estimative regression models were established. The results show that Brazil's mean annual RE value is 5620 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 year−1, with considerable spatial variation over the country. The highest RE magnitudes were found for the north region, while the northeast region shows the lowest values. Regarding the RE's distribution throughout the year, in the southern region of Brazil, it is more equitable, while in some spots of the northeastern region, it is irregularly concentrated in specific months. Further analyses revealed that for most of the months, the RE's gravity centers for Brazil are in the Goiás State and that they present a north-south migration pattern throughout the year. Complementarily, the ED magnitudes allowed the identification of high-intensity rainfall spots. Additionally, the Brazilian territory was divided into eleven homogeneous regions regarding the RE patterns and for each defined region, a regression model was established and validated. These models' statistical metrics were considered satisfactory and, thus, can be used to estimate RE values for the whole country using monthly rainfall depths. Finally, all database produced are available for download. Therefore, the values and maps shown in this study are relevant for improving the accuracy of soil loss estimates in Brazil and for the establishment of soil and water conservation planning on a national scale.

Bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory activity of native fruits from Brazil.

The purpose of this study was to extract, identify, and quantify the phenolic compounds in grumixama (Eugenia brasilienses Lam.) and guabiju (Myrcianthes pungens), native fruits from southern region of Brazil, and to explore their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The phenolic compounds were extracted with acidified water and acidified methanol and evaluated for their bioactive constituents, antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory properties. Spectrophotometric quantification shows tannins to be the most prevalent at 2.3 to 5.8 g/100g fresh fruit with acidified methanol containing higher concentrations of different phenolics than acidified water. HPLC analysis indicates that gallic acid, catechin, vanillic acid, and ellagic acid are the most prevalent phenolics in the two fruits extracts. Scavenging of DPPH and NO radicals showed inhibition by as much as 95% and 80%, respectively, at 2.5 gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/mL of the extract. At 50 μg GAE/mL, the release of pro-inflammatory molecules NO and IL-6 was significantly reduced with acidified methanol extract having higher inhibitory activity. Our results revealed that these native fruits, grown in the south of Brazil, are rich sources of phenolic compounds and have great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Prevalence of congenital anomalias in newborns from a city in the southern region of brazil

Prevalence of congenital anomalias in newborns from a city in the southern region of brazil

Profile of Drugs Used by the Population of a Municipality in the Southern Brazil Region: Strategies for Pharmaceutical Service and Assistance

Profile of Drugs Used by the Population of a Municipality in the Southern Brazil Region: Strategies for Pharmaceutical Service and Assistance

Internet-Based Video Program to Promote Physical Activity, Health, and Well-Being of Brazilian Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020 and 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus spread rapidly across the world, causing the COVID-19 pandemic with millions of deaths. One of the measures to protect life was confinement, which negatively affected physical and mental health, especially of the older population. The aim of this study is to present and evaluate the methodological procedures of a telehealth and eHealth program “U3A in Motion”, which was composed of videos of physical exercises and activities to promote the mental health and well-being of the older Brazilian population during the COVID-19 pandemic. The procedures included the planning, editing, and dissemination of videos through WhatsApp, and also on the YouTube platform, Instagram, and on a website. A total of 82 videos were created. The action reached 350 older adults from the local community in the northeast of Brazil, as well as being accessed by approximately 3000 other older adults from institutions in the southern region of Brazil. Based on the evaluation of activities through telephone interviews, it was found that older adults participating in the “U3A in Motion” program during confinement were highly motivated to access exercise activities, mainly via mobile phones, and reported a positive effect on physical and mental health.

Political Skill of Accounting Students

The study of political skill is recent and still incipient in Brazil, even though it is an important skill for career development and professional performance. Thus, this research analyze the political skill level of Accounting students. Thus, a quantitative study was carried out through a survey of two higher education institutions in the southern region of Brazil, reaching 133 valid participations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the multivariate test for differences between groups. In addition, the results generally showed a medium level of political ability among students, in addition to presenting in the four dimensions a high perception of apparent sincerity, average in interpersonal influence and social astuteness, and low in networking capacity. Equally important, the statistical tests did not indicate a significant difference between the groups of respondents and political ability. The study contributes to identifying the perceived level of political ability of students and seeks to encourage educational institutions to develop educational practices that encourage the expansion of their students’ political ability, which will consequently impact their professional career.

Multi-objective optimization of the solar orientation of two residential multifamily buildings in south Brazil

The shape and orientation of a building influence the energy demand, therefore optimal decisions should only be made rigorously supported by energy evaluation programs, which allow for measuring the energy demand of a building more precisely. The main purpose of this research is to evaluate the shape and orientation of massive residential social housing multifamily buildings to find the best solar positioning to minimize cooling and heating demands simultaneously in the bioclimatic zone 2 (Cfa) in the southern region of Brazil. To do this, this study utilizes multi-objective optimization with a genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) simulating the thermal behavior in EnergyPlus and performing the optimization with a Python language programming code, totalizing 80,000 simulations. The main results showed that solar orientation optimization could reduce the total demand by 4% for the “H” shape and 22% for linear buildings in the isolated scenario. For the condominium condition, the reduction is 2% for the “H” typology and 8% for the linear shape. The results presented can help engineers and architects to design more energy-efficient buildings and address the energetic vulnerability in the same building. Moreover, future work can be carried out to improve the constructive pattern replicated all over the country, improving the surroundings.

Forecasting Electricity Demand by Neural Networks and Definition of Inputs by Multi-Criteria Analysis

The planning of efficient policies based on forecasting electricity demand is essential to guarantee the continuity of energy supply for consumers. Some techniques for forecasting electricity demand have used specific procedures to define input variables, which can be particular to each case study. However, the definition of independent and casual variables is still an issue to be explored. There is a lack of models that could help the selection of independent variables, based on correlate criteria and level of importance integrated with artificial networks, which could directly impact the forecasting quality. This work presents a model that integrates a multi-criteria approach which provides the selection of relevant independent variables and artificial neural networks to forecast the electricity demand in countries. It provides to consider the particularities of each application. To demonstrate the applicability of the model a time series of electricity consumption from a southern region of Brazil was used. The dependent inputs used by the neural networks were selected using a traditional method called Wrapper. As a result of this application, with the multi-criteria ELECTRE I method was possible to recognize temperature and average evaporation as explanatory variables. When the variables selected by the multi-criteria approach were included in the predictive models, were observed more consistent results together with artificial neural networks, better than the traditional linear models. The Radial Basis Function Networks and Extreme Learning Machines stood out as potential techniques to be used integrated with a multi-criteria method to better perform the forecasting.

Occurrence of abomasal displacement in dairy cows from High-yielding dairy farms of Paraná State, Southern Brazil

The present study aimed to verify the occurrence of displacement of the abomasum (DA) in dairy herds from a high-yielding dairy region of Southern Brazil. Data on breed, age, lactation number, days after calving, breeding system, number of animals, and number of lactating cows in the herd were obtained from 135 cases of DA. A total of 39 herds, and 6,454 cows, including 2,987 lactating cows from the municipality of Palmeira, Paraná State, were included in this study. The overall prevalence of DA was 2.09%, and occurrence of DA during lactation was 4.42%. Left displacement was more prevalent, with 94.07% of the cases. The mean number of lactations and age of the cows were 2.5±1.16 lactations and 50.9±18.5 months, respectively. DA occurred predominantly in the semi-intensive breeding system (68.1% of cases), during the first 4 weeks postpartum (84.4% of cases), in Black and White Holstein-Friesian cows (94.07% of cases), and during the winter (31.1% of cases). Cows with DA in high-yielding dairy farms in Southern Brazil were similar to cows from herds of high-milk-yielding regions of North America and Europe. Multiparous Black and White Holstein-Friesian cows showed the highest prevalence of DA during the transition period, mostly on the left side.