The success of translocation as a management tool is based on reversing the factors that led to a population becoming threatened or locally extinct. We assessed whether translocating a jaguar Panthera onca into the surroundings of a protected area in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest with a resident jaguar population was effective. We captured a male jaguar in an urban area where there were no substantiated previous records of jaguars. In the capture area only one predation event had been recorded, when the jaguar killed several chickens a few days before capture. After capture we translocated the jaguar to a forested area 240 km from the capture site, adjacent to the Rio Doce State Park. To investigate whether the potential geographical origin of the individual was any nearby fragment of the Atlantic Forest or nearby fragments of the Cerrado ecoregion, we genotyped it for 12 microsatellite loci and compared the results to a database developed previously. We fitted the jaguar with a GPS/VHF collar from which we recovered 2.5 months of data. Post-release monitoring with camera traps indicated the jaguar established residence within the region of the Park and we recorded no events of predation on livestock. The genetic analysis indicated that the jaguar resembled individuals from the Inner Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Amazon. Translocation was an important tool for avoiding potentially negative interactions between the jaguar and local people, and may have benefitted the jaguar population at the release site.

In this research communication we propose a new approach by portable digital microscopy with a 200× objective to improve the visualization of microparticles of pasteurized milk submitted to the alcohol test. Not only did the method reduce the subjectivity of the readings, but also generated high resolution images of the microparticles, which allows the creation of a specific image pattern for each type of final product. In comparison to a control pasteurized milk treatment, the results confirmed the effect and the specificity of added salts (sodium citrate, disodium phosphate or their combination) on the stability of the milk to the alcohol test. Finally, the mixture of stabilizing salts of citrate/phosphate provided the highest degree of stability to pasteurized milk among the treatments studied.

Non-crop plant diversity plays a fundamental role in the conservation of predatory mite (PM) and can be proposed as a banker plant system (BPS). BPSs provide plants that host natural enemies in greenhouses or field crops and may improve the efficiency of biological control. The aim of this study was to investigate if a diverse plant composition could be a suitable BPS for PMs in strawberry crops. A plant inventory characterized 22 species of non-crop plants harboring PMs. The most abundant PMs, in decreasing order, were Neoseiulus californicus, Neoseiulus anonymus, Euseius citrifolius, and Euseius concordis. PMs were randomly distributed among plants. We also found specific associations of Phytoseiidae species and phytophagous or generalist mites on plants. Due to this, four species were deemed suitable as banker plants: Capsicum sp., Leonurus sibiricus, Solanum americanum, and Urochloa mutica. Moreover, these plants combined a high PMs density and a low occurrence or absence of pest-mites. This study suggests shifting the traditional view that BPSs are composed of a limited number of species to use plant assemblages. This contributes to both conservation and augmentative biological control.

The Hippo pathway is involved in the proliferation of intrafollicular cells and in early embryonic development, mainly because effectors of this pathway are key transcription regulators of genes such as CTGF and CYR61, which are involved in cell proliferation. Recent studies by our group found that fibroblast growth factor 18 (FGF18) is present in the fallopian tube during early embryonic development, leading to the hypothesis that FGF18 may have a role during embryonic development. Therefore, the aim of the following study was to determine whether FGF18 modulates the expression of Hippo pathway target genes, CTGF and CYR61, during oocyte maturation and early embryonic development. Three experiments were carried out, with in vitro maturation (IVM) of cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) and embryo culture. In experiment one, FGF18 (100 ng/ml) induced an increase (P < 0.05) in CTGF gene expression at 12 h post-exposure. In experiment two, FGF18 (100 ng/ml) induced a reduction (P < 0.05) in CTGF expression at 3 h post-exposure. In the third experiment, day 7 embryos exposed to FGF18 during oocyte IVM expressed greater CTGF mRNA abundance, whereas FGF18 exposure during embryo in vitro embryo culture did not alter CTGF expression in comparison with untreated controls. The preliminary data presented here show that FGF18 modulates CTGF expression in critical periods of oocyte nuclear maturation, cumulus expansion and early embryonic development in cattle.

Phosphorus uptake by grass species from natural South American grasslands can change depending on root and leaf attributes capable of determining higher, or lower, relative growth rate. The aim of the current study is to investigate whether leaf and root attributes capable of determining leaf and root area production in native C4 grass species Axonopus affinis and Andropogon lateralis are related to higher relative growth rate (RGR), P uptake capacity (maximum P influx; Imax) and concentration. Species grown in 2-litre pots with added nutrition solution were subjected to two treatments, namely 5 μM P l−1 and 30 μM P l−1. Solution aliquots (10 ml) were collected for 30 hours at the end of the study to determine P concentrations. RGR was 3.6 and 2.8 times higher in A. affinis than in A. lateralis in treatments with 5 μM P and 30 μM P. Axonopus affinis recorded the highest P concentration in leaf tissue. This outcome was associated with Imax 85% higher in A. affinis. High RGR was associated with larger leaf and root surface area per dry mass unit, as well as with high P influx capacity and with higher affinity transporters. These species often prevail in areas accounting for greater natural fertility and are more responsive to phosphate fertilization.

It is well-known that an element of a commutative ring with identity is nilpotent if, and only if , it lies in every prime ideal of the ring. A modification of this fact is amenable to a very simple proof mining analysis. We formulate a quantitative version of this modification and obtain an explicit bound. We present an application. This proof mining analysis is the leitmotif for some comments and observations on the methodology of computational extraction. In particular, we emphasize that the formulation of quantitative versions of ordinary mathematical theorems is of independent interest from proof mining metatheorems.

Human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) cases are important public health problems due to their zoonotic aspect, with high rates of morbidity and mortality in Brazil. The aim of this this study was to identify spatial patterns in both rates of HVL cases in Brazilian states during the period from 2006 to 2015. This is an ecological study, using geoprocessing tools to create choropleth maps, based on secondary data from open access platforms, to identify priority areas for control actions of the disease. Data were collected in 2017 and analysed according to the global and local Moran's I, using TerraView 4.2.2 software. Similar clusters were observed in neighbouring municipalities in thematic maps of HVL, suggesting spatial similarity in the distribution of the disease in humans mainly in the North and Northeast Regions, which concentrate the states with the highest rates of HVL. Heterogeneous spatial patterns were observed in the distribution of HVL, which show municipalities that need higher priority in the intensification of disease surveillance and control strategies.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, ranging from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) particularly among chronic consumers of added sugar-rich diets. However, the impact of early consumption of such diets on NAFLD onset and progression is unclear. Thus, this study sought to characterise metabolic factors involved in NAFLD progression in young mice fed with a high-sucrose diet (HSD). Male Swiss mice were fed HSD or regular chow (CTR) from weaning for up to 60 or 90 days. Obesity development, glucose homeostasis and serum biochemical parameters were determined at each time-point. At day 90, mice were euthanised and white adipose tissue (WAT) collected for lipolytic function assessment and liver for histology, gene expression and cytokines quantification. At day 60, HSD mice presented increased body mass, hypertriglyceridemia, peripheral insulin resistance (IR) and simple steatosis. Upon 90 days on diet, WAT from HSD mice displayed impaired insulin sensitivity, which coincided with increased fasting levels of glucose and free fatty acids (FFA), as well as NAFLD progression to NASH. Transcriptional levels of lipogenic genes, particularly stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, were consistently increased, leading to hepatic leukocyte infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokines spillover. Therefore, our dataset supports IR triggering in the WAT as a major factor for dysfunctional release of FFA towards portal circulation and consequent upregulation of lipogenic genes and hepatic inflammatory onset, which decisively concurred for NAFLD-to-NASH progression in young HSD-fed mice. Notwithstanding, this study forewarns against the early introduction of dietary sugars in infant diet, particularly following breastfeeding cessation.

According to human observations of a syndrome of physical activity dependence and its consequences, we tried to examine if running activity in a free activity paradigm, where rats had a free access to activity wheel, may present a valuable animal model for physical activity dependence and most generally to behavioral dependence. The pertinence of reactivity to novelty, a well-known pharmacological dependence predictor was also tested. Given the close linkage observed in human between physical activity and drugs use and abuse, the influence of free activity in activity wheels on reactivity to amphetamine injection and reactivity to novelty were also assessed. It appeared that (1) free access to wheel may be used as a valuable model for physical activity addiction, (2) two populations differing in activity amount also differed in dependence to wheel-running. (3) Reactivity to novelty did not appeared as a predictive factor for physical activity dependence (4) activity modified novelty reactivity and (5) subjects who exhibited a high appetence to wheel-running, presented a strong reactivity to amphetamine. These results propose a model of dependency on physical activity without any pharmacological intervention, and demonstrate the existence of individual differences in the development of this addiction. In addition, these data highlight the development of a likely vulnerability to pharmacological addiction after intense and sustained physical activity, as also described in man. This model could therefore prove pertinent for studying behavioral dependencies and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. These results may influence the way psychiatrists view behavioral dependencies and phenomena such as doping in sport or addiction to sport itself.

With respect to De Dreu and Gross's article, we comment on the psychological functions for attack and defense, focusing on associations between individual differences in psychopathic personality traits and the behavioral patterns observed in attack-defense conflicts. We highlight the dimensional nature of psychopathy and formulate hypothetical associations between distinct traits, their different behavioral outcomes, and associated brain mechanisms.

The University of São Paulo Twin Panel (Painel USP de Gêmeos), based at the Institute of Psychology of the University of São Paulo, started formally in 2017. Our registry is new, but in only two years of formal existence, it comprises a volunteer sample of 4826 registered individuals (98% twins and 2% higher-order multiples), recruited at the University of São Paulo and by social media campaigns. Our main aim is to conduct and promote research with twins on psychological processes and behavior. The University of São Paulo is the largest higher education and research institution in South America, and the Painel USP de Gêmeos has great potential for fostering research on twin-related issues from a psychological perspective in Brazil and South America.

The natural grasslands in South America have soils with low phosphorus (P) availability (1.0 to 7.5 mg kg−1), possibly altering the absorption and accumulation of P in grasses. We evaluated the chemical fractionation of P in the leaves of the most important grasses present in these grasslands to better understand the mechanisms involved in the storage of P. The grasses studied were Axonopus affinis and Paspalum notatum (fast tissue cycling and high nutrient demand) and Andropogon lateralis and Aristida laevis (slow tissue cycling and low nutrient demand). They were grown in pots filled with an Ultisol with two levels of P: control, and addition of 50 mg P kg–1. The main P fractions were the inorganic soluble (44%) and P in RNA (26%). Addition of P increased the total P concentration, following the order A. affinis (140%) > P. notatum (116%) > A. lateralis (81%) > A. laevis (21%). In conclusion, the species A. affinis and P. notatum responded to P fertilization with high variation and accumulating P in less-structural chemical forms, such as inorganic P. The species A. lateralis and A. laevis showed low variation in the concentration of P forms, with higher P concentrations in structural forms.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) and glyphosate-tolerant weeds cause considerable yield losses and represent a growing threat to soybean production systems. Despite the relevance of this topic, few studies have evaluated the dispersal of these species in Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dispersal and frequency of known GR and glyphosate-tolerant weeds in soybean-producing microregions. A total of 2,481 interviews were conducted in different regions of Brazil. The interviews were stratified among 20 edaphoclimatic microregions (ECRs) to cover all of the country’s soybean-producing regions. A minimum number of interviews was estimated to generate a margin of error of ≤10% within the ECRs and ≤5% in the country. The values of the farmers’ responses were extrapolated to the total soybean production area of each ECR and the country as a whole, and the absolute values of each response were normalized as percentage values. The dispersal and management data demonstrate a loss of efficiency of glyphosate-resistance technology. Species that are naturally tolerant to glyphosate such as goosegrass, Commelina spp., and Ipomoea spp. had a greater presence in the ECRs, as did the resistant biotypes, particularly Conyza spp. and sourgrass, due to the large area cultivated with GR soybean, where glyphosate has been used with high frequency.

The Pirapemas Lineament is a remarkable 200-km-long, NE–SW trending structure in the Barreirinhas Basin, one of the several Brazilian coastal basins. This lineament splits the study area in two sectors of distinctive morphology, drainage patterns, and sedimentary covers. Terrain northward of the lineament presents a smooth topography with sub-parallel to sub-dendritic drainage patterns, whereas a dissected plateau characterized by incised valleys and rectangular drainage pattern occurs southward, suggesting a structural control by joints and faults. Geological field data, crossed with thermal luminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, revealed that the surface southward of the lineament consists mostly of Miocene and late Pleistocene sedimentary deposits, represented by the Barreiras Formation and the Post-Barreiras sediments, respectively. In contrast, relatively younger sands mantle most of the northward terrain, as indicated by well-preserved paleodune deposits that grade into active aeolian dunes of the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. Geomorphological and geological data analysis suggests that the northern sector is under the effect of subsidence, proving that the Pirapemas Lineament is an active agent modeling the landscape in the region. Geophysical data (gravity and seismic) confirm that such a structural feature is the surface expression of an active deep-seated basement fault.

Within a predictive coding approach, the arousal/norepinephrine effects described by the GANE (glutamate amplifies noradrenergic effects) model seem to modulate the precision attributed to prediction errors, favoring the selective updating of predictive models with larger prediction errors. However, to explain how arousal effects are triggered, it is likely that different kinds of prediction errors (including interoceptive/affective) need to be considered.

This study aimed to verify the effect of aerobic exercise performed in the fasted v. fed states on fat and carbohydrate metabolism in adults. Searches were conducted in March 2015, and updated in July 2016, using PubMed®, Scopus and Cochrane databases (terms: ‘fasting’, ‘exercise’, ‘aerobic exercise’, ‘substrate’, ‘energy metabolism’, ‘fat’, ‘glucose’, ‘insulin’ and ‘adult’) and references from selected studies. Trials that compared the metabolic effects of aerobic exercise (duration ≤120 min) performed in the fasted v. fed states in adults were accepted. The outcomes evaluated were fat oxidation during exercise and the plasma concentrations of insulin, glucose and NEFA before and immediately after exercise; two independent reviewers extracted the data (A. F. V. and L. C.). The results were presented as weighted mean differences between treatments, with 95 % CI. Of 10 405 articles identified, twenty-seven studies – with a total of 273 participants – were included. There was a significant increase in fat oxidation during exercise performed in the fasted, compared with fed, state (−3·08 g; 95 % CI −5·38, −0·79; I 2 39·1 %). The weighted mean difference of NEFA concentrations was not significantly different between states (0·00 mmol/l; 95 % CI −0·07, 0·08; I 2 72·7 %). However, the weighted mean differences of glucose (0·78 mmol/l; 95 % CI 0·43, 1·14; I 2 90·8 %) and insulin concentrations (104·5 pmol/l; 95 % CI 70·8, 138·2; I 2 94·5 %) were significantly higher for exercise performed in the fed state. We conclude that aerobic exercise performed in the fasted state induces higher fat oxidation than exercise performed in the fed state.