Federal University of Santa Catarina

The expansion of urbanization has led to significant adverse environmental effects, including the disposal of domestic sewage without treatment in water bodies. This impact contributes to the deterioration of water quality and poses serious risks to human health and the environment. In this context, effective and sustainable methods to mitigate the impacts should be explored, such as the use of plants capable of removing or degrading contaminants from water. The present study aimed to assess the phytoremediation potential of two free-floating aquatic macrophytes (Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes) systems for enhancing the water quality collected from two polluted urban streams. The trials were performed in 25-L experimental units for seven days under ambient conditions. The water quality variables after the exposure period were compared to those at the beginning of the experiment to assess the potential improvements due to the presence of macrophytes. The systems with E. crassipes exhibited good performance in water samples from both streams, with reductions reaching 29.2% in dissolved solids, 36.8% in electrical conductivity, 44% in biochemical oxygen demand, 57% in nitrogen, and 45% in phosphorus. The systems with P. stratiotes also exhibited satisfactory outcomes, including 90 and 76.2% reductions in phosphorus levels of Santa Rita Stream and Galinha Stream, respectively, and 54% turbidity, and 38% biochemical oxygen demand in both streams. These findings highlight the potential of the two plant species for phytoremediation of polluted waters, considering their performance on short-term exposure. Therefore, this approach consists of a sustainable alternative by utilizing natural elements for environmental restoration, and the outcomes can contribute to future applications of phytoremediation techniques in developing countries.

This report described the use of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in the diagnosis of two cases of canine malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Both patients presented with lameness in the thoracic limb and no response to previous clinical treatment or trauma history. Physical examination revealed muscular atrophy in one of the thoracic limbs, in both dogs. B-mode axillary ultrasound showed the presence of a predominantly hypoechogenic, heterogeneous, irregular, nonencapsulated nodule with adjacent reactivity, measuring approximately 20.1 mm x 15.4 mm in the first case and 18.3 mm x 10.7 mm in the second. ARFI elastography was performed, showing areas of significant stiffness, with an average shear wave velocity of 4.12 m/s (case 1) and 4.35 m/s (case 2), suggesting malignancy. In both cases, the affected limb was amputated, and the tumors sent for histopathological analysis, which were; subsequently, diagnosed as malignant tumors of the peripheral nerve sheath. The ultrasonographic methods used were essential in the diagnosis and therapeutic conduct.

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) are of particular economic importance in the highlands of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, by virtue of the number of breweries in the region. However, since the cultivars currently available in the country present poor qualitative attributes and low cone productivity, there is considerable demand for improved genotypes. The results of diallel crossing experiments help to increase our understanding of inheritance processes and the mechanisms controlling the transfer of alleles with additive or non-additive action, thereby allowing breeders to explore the benefits of heterosis. The present study evaluated the general and specific combining abilities (GCA and SCA, respectively) of four hop genotypes and to obtain F1 hybrids with agronomic traits superior to those of the parents and the ability to adapt to the environmental conditions in the Santa Catarina highlands. Partial diallel crosses were performed using a randomized complete block design involving 14 treatments, namely two male parents (Cascade and Hallertauer), four female parents (Columbus, Chinook, Cascade and Hallertauer) and eight hybrid combinations, with three repetitions each. The results showed that SCA was the predominant controlling mechanism for the manifestation in hybrids of the traits length of the lateral branch, height of insertion of the first cone, plant green mass and cone productivity. Some parental combinations also exhibited high GCA, indicating the presence of favorable alleles with additive action. The best combination was Hallertauer × Cascade, a finding that highlights the importance of choosing parents from different gene pools (American × European) to obtain genetically enhanced hybrids.

The environmental regulation of continental fish farming in Brazil is closely linked to land occupation and use. Areas used for this activity are mostly located in permanent preservation areas (PPA), close to rivers and springs, demonstrating the necessity of regulating this activity for its compliance with public policy. Santa Catarina is a leading state in fish farming and one of the first to regulate the use of PPAs. The feasibility of a proposal for environmental compensation to regularize the use of PPAs in Santa Catarina for fish farming; was therefore, assessed. The results showed that 74% of the fish farms analyzed need to regularize the occupation of production structures in PPAs. Regarding the proposed index of compensation for use in PPAs, the environmental compensation factor (ECF), through evaluation of the individual maps and subsequent integrated evaluation, all the fish farms identified with environmental liabilities in occupation had ratios of 1:2 and 1:3, and this index is a viable alternative for environmental regularization of the activity. It was further proposed that ECF be applied to small fish farms of up to four fiscal modules and that they have a standard minimum occupancy profile in relation to the total area of the property, as assessed in the present study.

Background Dietary antioxidant Capacity (DaC) has been used as a tool for predicting plasma and dietary antioxidant concentrations. However, the DaC association with oxidative stress (OS) and body composition parameters is an unexplored area, mainly in physically active individuals. Given the potential for increased OS in physically active individuals, it becomes crucial to investigate this association. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between DaC, OS biomarkers, and body composition in healthy and physically active individuals. Methods This Cross-sectional study included 20 male soccer referees. Body composition measurements (body mass, fat mass, lean mass, and waist circumference), OS biomarkers (F2-isoprostane, total antioxidant state, total oxidative status, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase), and DaC were evaluated. Linear regression models were used to determine the association between DaC and the dependent variables. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), CAAE 82584318.0.0000.0121, and file no. 2.572.301. Results DaC was inversely associated with F2-isoprostane (p = 0.044), GPx activity (p = 0.048), and body fat percentage (p = 0.025). Conclusions Increased DaC in physically active individuals may bring benefits related to biomarkers of OS, such as decreasing F2-isoprostane and increasing GPx activity. The increase in DaC also showed an improvement in body composition, demonstrated by the lower percentage of body fat in the study subjects.

Resumo Em nossa celebração dos 50 anos do International Journal of the Sociology of Language , sugerimos alguns caminhos alternativos à política de incomunicabilidade na comunicação científica denunciada, em 1989, por Wolfgang Klein. De modo bem humorado, Klein endereçou cientistas de língua alemã, apontando que políticas científicas e tecnologias produziam uma “aceleração unilateral da produção”. Isto é, ao passo que o regime de trabalho à época privilegiava a escrita, deixava pouco espaço para a leitura. Em nosso texto, apontamos para desigualdades que Klein não abordou, mas que intensificam esse cenário. Nossa perspectiva do sul global é um modo de questionar a hegemonia do inglês e o acesso pago à produção acadêmica.

High-purity elemental Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni powders were blended with equiatomic composition and were subjected to mechanical alloying for 5, 10, 15, and 20 h. XRD results show that FCC and BCC phases were nucleated and coexist up to 10 h of milling. After 15 h of milling only FCC phase remains with crystallite sizes typically of nanostructured materials. The percentage of each phase was calculated using the Rietveld Method. Crystalline/interfacial components were estimated from the X-ray diffraction pattern of the as-milled powder. Currently no CIF cards represent the exact composition of Cantor’s Alloy. Thus, in order to refine the XRD experimental patterns, the CIF cards 108378 and 44731 were modified and the new proposition achieved good atomic and structural concordance. The increase of defects (interfacial component—IC) causes interesting changes on the thermal properties. The specific heat increases continuously while the thermal diffusivity decreases with milling time. Combining these results, the thermal conductivity of CrMnFeCoNi for 20 h of milling was 58 W/m.K was obtained. In terms of magnetic properties, VSM measurements reveal a weak soft ferromagnetic behavior with low coercivity, in which magnetization was shown to be a function of the amount of FCC phase.

Background and Purpose The integration of evidence‐based practice (EBP) into clinical decision‐making is crucial for ensuring optimal patient care. However, there are various factors influencing the utilization of academic sources among physiotherapists, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of these dynamics. The present study aimed to investigate the association between personal factors (age, time since graduation, number of patients, and education level), barriers to EBP implementation and perceptions about EBP, and physiotherapists' preference for using non‐academic sources when seeking technical information about physiotherapy. Methods This was a cross‐sectional study involving 610 physiotherapists. Participants completed an online questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, sources of information, barriers to EBP implementation, and perceptions regarding the importance of scientific information in clinical practice. Logistic regression was used to investigate the factors associated with the preference for non‐academic sources of information. Results Nearly a quarter of the sample exhibited a preference for non‐academic sources, with age over 34 years, perceived lack of abilities to apply scientific findings, and understanding issues related to EBP being significant associated with the preference of this types of sources of information. Physiotherapists with these characteristics were twice as likely to prefer non‐academic sources when compared to physiotherapists who do not have these characteristics. Discussion These findings underscore the importance of enhancing professional competencies in EBP and fostering confidence in utilizing academic sources. While efforts have been made to incorporate EBP promotion in academic curricula, further initiatives are needed to bridge the gap between established knowledge and the competencies required for daily practice. Future studies should continue to explore the role of age in EBP applicability and the adoption of scientific knowledge, aiming to inform targeted interventions and educational programs tailored to the evolving needs of physiotherapy professionals.

The way residents occupy and operate houses influences the energy consumption. The objective of this paper is to findpatterns of occupant behaviour in actual data for thermal performance simulation.Data on occupancy of rooms and operation of doors and windows were obtained through a database created by means of application of questionnaires in low-income houses located in Florianópolis, southern Brazil. The reference profiles were obtained using cluster analysis, hierarchical and non-hierarchical techniques combined. Such profiles were submitted to computer simulations. The results showed significant variability within the clusters regarding the occupancy and operation of doors and windows. It was possible to verify the impact that different profiles have on the performance of the house, either due to occupancy or heat losses and gains from air changes through doors and windows. The combination of these effects resulted in some profiles that were highly vulnerable to external temperature conditions, while others were able to maintain the internal temperatures more constant. It was possible to verify that the use of reference profiles based on actual data lead to more reliable performance indicators.

This article introduces a new high step-up nonisolated dc–dc converter with continuous input current and minimal ripples. It is based on the conventional Landsman converter while incorporating coupled inductor and voltage multiplier techniques. By differentially connecting the load between the input and output capacitors, the converter’s voltage gain is further enhanced. The converter also operates in a quasi-resonant mode (QRM), ensuring zero-current switching (ZCS) turn-ON and turn-OFF for diodes, while the current ripple of the magnetic devices aids zero-voltage switching (ZVS) turn-ON of active switches. This design yields reduced voltage stresses on the active switches and enables the usage of compact capacitors and magnetic devices, improving power density. To validate its performance, a prototype circuit was constructed with input voltage range of 35–45 V, output voltage of 400 V, and output power of 150 W. The efficiency tests indicate that the highest efficiency obtained is 97.6%, with weighted efficiencies exceeding 96.5% across the entire input voltage range. The analysis of the converter and a comparison with other similar topologies are also presented.

The hysteresis behavior of ferromagnetic materials under static stress is represented using an energy-based vector-play approach combined with a multiscale model. Using parameters identified from uniaxial measurements along one direction only, the modeling predictions agree well with the measured hysteresis loops of a non-oriented (NO) iron-silicon steel under multiaxial mechanical loadings and rotating fields. The hysteresis loss trend under stress is also reproduced with the proposed approach. Notably, the model reproduces the influence of complex mechanical loadings, such as shear, in the rotating losses description with errors lower than 12%.

Threatening events and stressful experiences can lead to maladaptive memories and related behaviors. Existing treatments often fail to address these issues linked to anxiety/stress-related disorders effectively. This review identifies dose ranges associated with specific actions across various psychedelics. We examined psilocybin/psilocin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), serotonin 2A/2C agonists (e.g., DOI) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on aversive memory extinction and reconsolidation, learned fear, anxiety, and locomotion in rodents. Nearly 400 studies published since 1957 were reviewed. Psychedelics often show biphasic effects on locomotion at doses that enhance extinction learning/retention, impair memory reconsolidation, or reduce learned fear and anxiety. Emerging evidence suggests a dissociation between their prospective benefits and locomotor effects. Under-explored aspects include sex differences, susceptibility to interference as memories age and generalize, repeated treatments, and immediate vs. delayed changes. Validating findings in traumatic-like memory and maladaptive fear/anxiety models is essential. Understanding how psychedelics modulate threat responses and post-retrieval memory processes in rodents may inform drug development and human studies, improving therapeutic approaches for related psychiatric conditions.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is a thermal property of glass and transparent elements, defined as the ratio between the amount of solar energy that passes through the glass and the amount of solar energy that reaches it. SHGC can be determined using mathematical models, computer simulations, or field and laboratory measurements. This paper compares the methods for obtaining the SHGC, which include laboratory measurements using a portable calorimeter, computer simulation using the WINDOW software and calculated according to ISO 9050 standard. Two solar control glasses and one clear glass, used as a reference, were selected. The SHGCs obtained using laboratory measurements were lower than those obtained using the other methods due to the solar simulator and equipment limitations. Despite this, there was a good approximation of the behaviour of the glasses regarding the increase in air velocity. The heat transfer coefficient on the exterior surface was fixed, so the SHGC obtained for each glass based on ISO 9050 remains the same, regardless of the air velocity. The SHGC results based on ISO 9050 were similar to those measured by means of a portable calorimeter under conditions of higher air velocities.

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo é analisar a influência do modo de operação e de variáveis demográficas e antropométricas na produtividade autoavaliada de usuários de edificações de escritório com sistema de ventilação híbrido e central, em Florianópolis - SC. Os dados demográficos e antropométricos foram coletados por meio de questionários eletrônicos. A influência do modo de operação na produtividade foi analisada por meio de histogramas. Um modelo preditivo foi desenvolvido por meio de regressões lineares e quadráticas para identificar os parâmetros ambientais e demográficos/antropométricos que exercem influência na produtividade. Os resultados mostraram que não houve distinção da influência exercida por edificações híbridas ou com sistema de ar-condicionado central na percepção da produtividade. Apesar de o modelo preditivo não ter apresentado boa capacidade de explicar o desempenho dos usuários, evidenciou correlações estatísticas entre produtividade e temperatura operativa, gênero e idade. Concluiu-se que a percepção de produtividade dos usuários de escritórios é afetada pela configuração dos ambientes no clima subtropical úmido de Florianópolis.

In this paper, we investigate the age of information (AoI) of a wireless network employing an iterative decoding (ID) strategy with non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA). The ID-NOMA protocol is based on the idea that packets successfully decoded at time slots inside the same frame may be employed to solve previous successive interference cancellation (SIC) collisions, contributing to enhancing the AoI of the system. To demonstrate the benefits of the proposed strategy, we compare ID-NOMA with orthogonal multiple access (OMA) and conventional NOMA. Numerical results show that the joint optimization of the number of slots per frame, transmit power, and transmission probability of each device per time slot are crucial to minimize the AoI. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that ID-NOMA outperforms OMA and conventional NOMA in terms of AoI in all scenarios considered, which demonstrates the benefits of the proposed protocol.

This article aims to reflect some relationships between Aesthetic Education and continuing education in the context of social policies, based on the studies of Vygotski and Rancière. It was divided into three sections: Theoretical-conceptual principles of Aesthetic Education; Good encounters in continuing education: eesthetic education; Aesthetic Education in continuing education: challenges and perspectives. We consider that research on continuing education from the perspective of Aesthetic Education contributes to the qualification of policies, opposing neoliberal logic. Keywords Permanent education; Aesthetic Education; Continuing training; Social policy

In this paper, dramatic play is discussed in terms of its relationship between imagination, play, drama and experience, from the perspective of Vygotsky’s historical-cultural psychology. This is an excerpt from a study carried out between 2018 and 2020, the aim of which was to investigate the relationship between play and dramatic action, based on the experiences of a teacher in Early Childhood Education and the continuing training of teachers at this stage of Basic Education. The records of the researcher and the teacher were used as analysis materials. The analyses indicate how much play involves dramatic living and, in this sense, the importance of the teacher organizing her teaching action from the perspective of drama as a pedagogical action, in which dramatic play is the foundation. The text highlights the importance of the relationship between imagination and dramatic play, emphasizing its relevance for both children and adults, especially those who work with children. Keywords Imagination; Aesthetic experience; Dramatic play; Drama as a pedagogical action