Associação Brasileira da Batata

Abstract This work investigates the adsorption of Mn 2+ ions on hydrothermally synthesized Nb 2 O 5 nanoparticles obtained via an oxidant peroxo method, with particular emphasis on the role of functional groups present on the nanoparticle surface. Orthorhombic Nb 2 O 5 was formed at a mild temperature (100 °C), yielding nanocrystalline particles with high colloidal stability and a strongly negative surface charge. FTIR and zeta potential analyses reveal a carbonyl and hydroxyl-rich surface that promotes electrostatic attraction toward Mn 2+ species. Adsorption experiments demonstrate rapid Mn 2+ uptake, reaching equilibrium within minutes, with kinetics best described by a pseudo-first-order model, indicating a physisorption-dominated process. Equilibrium data are best fitted by the Freundlich and Redlich–Peterson isotherms, reflecting surface heterogeneity and multilayer adsorption, with an experimental adsorption capacity approaching 116.67 mg g −1 . These findings demonstrate that hydrolyzed Nb 2 O 5 is an efficient and tunable adsorbent for Mn 2+ removal, offering strong potential for water treatment and environmental remediation applications. Graphical abstract

The growing demand for environmentally responsible lubricants motivates the use of bio-based base stocks and benign solid additives. This study assesses the tribological performance of two Amazonian vegetable oils, Carapa guianensis (andiroba) and Copaifera spp. (copaiba resin) and a paraffinic mineral oil (PNL30) formulated with different zinc oxide (ZnO) particles, namely nanocrystals and microcrystals, at 0.01, 0.05, and 0.10 wt.%. Reciprocating sliding tests, coupled with 3D profilometry, viscosity, and sedimentation analyses, were used to link dispersion stability with friction and wear responses. A preliminary stability screening constrained the practical loading window to ≤0.10 wt.% for reproducible suspensions. Performance depended on the interplay between particle type and base-oil chemistry. Andiroba exhibited the most pronounced gains, with ZnO microcrystals near 0.05 wt.% delivering the best friction outcomes and the largest wear reductions (up to ~35%). In copaiba resin oil, nanocrystals produced small, sometimes non-significant improvements, whereas microcrystals tended to worsen wear consistent with abrasive third-body effects in a less polar matrix. In PNL30, the overall benefits were modest: nanocrystal additions generally increased wear, whereas microcrystals particularly at the highest loading 0.10 wt.% achieved a 36.4% reduction in SWR, representing a measurable and statistically significant improvement in wear resistance. These results highlight that eco-efficient lubricant design should co-optimize particle characteristics and dosage with base-oil polarity and film-forming tendencies, prioritizing dispersion stability alongside tribological targets.

Como objetivo de la indagación, se sostiene la tríada ecosofía-decolonialidad-complejidad y su trascendencia en la educación hoy. Esta construcción se realiza mediante el transmétodo de la hermenéutica comprensiva, ecosófica y diatópica, pasando por los momentos analítico-empírico y propositivos. Tras consultar varias obras de autores con fuerte formación liberadora, contraponemos sus contribuciones con la experiencia de los autores. La enseñanza debe evitar la simplificación y abrazar la complejidad del aprendizaje, respetando diferencias y promoviendo un pensamiento dialógico y dialéctico. En el momento propositivo, la tríada ecosofía-decolonialidad-complejidad como trascendencia en la educación abarca: la enseñanza del arte de vivir; la enseñanza de la comprensión; la enseñanza de la racionalidad; la enseñanza inclusiva de los invisibilizados por la modernidad, del sur global; y la enseñanza de la concordancia de supuestos contrarios. Se destaca la importancia de educar desde la diversidad cultural, rescatando conocimientos ancestrales y superando la colonialidad del saber. La crítica se centra en la necesidad de una reforma educativa que permita liberación y un entendimiento más amplio de la humanidad y del planeta, a través de una hermenéutica ecosófica y diatópica.

Este ensaio propõe uma reflexão crítica, pragmática e esperançosa sobre a Ecopedagogia, a partir de uma investigação autorreflexiva inspirada em Montaigne e fundamentada no pensamento Freireano. Apresenta o conceito de Ecopedagogia Ecosófica Planetária Complexa, defendendo uma práxis educativa que transcende discursos ambientais coloniais e reducionistas. Com base em Edgar Morin e Paulo Freire, os autores propõem uma educação planetária, decolonial e complexa, orientada para a integração ética, estética, espiritual e ecológica. A educação, embora incapaz de salvar o planeta sozinha, pode adiar sua destruição mediante a conscientização crítica, a solidariedade e a construção de uma consciência planetária comprometida com a vida.

Hypodermic needles are widely used in both medicine and dentistry, which makes their study crucial. Understanding the pain perception caused by the insertion of these needles is particularly important for patients who fear or are phobic about seeing or feeling that they penetrate their skin. Our previous research focused on the impact of various needle characteristics on pain sensation during hypodermic injections and identified ways to reduce discomfort and injection-related phobia. We hypothesized that reducing the force required for needle penetration could minimize tissue trauma, and therefore, the pain experienced. That previous study investigated how factors such as cannula diameter, surface roughness, penetration depth, lubrication, and angle of the needle's bevel tip influence pain perception during injections, employing an artificial tissue model to gauge the effort needed for penetration. The findings indicated that needles with larger bevel angles required more penetration force, which correlated with increased pain perception among patients. In the presente study we further examined the wear and burr formation on repeatedly used needles using a profile projector and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which can hinder penetration and cause tissue damage. Additionally, we explored mechanical methods to prevent needles intended for subcutaneous injections from inadvertently penetrating muscle tissue. We developed a device to simplify the process of administering and self-administering injections, enhancing safety, comfort, and reducing the pain experienced by patients. This approach not only addresses the technical aspects of needle design but also considers the psychological impacts on patients, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes

Cultivares de soja apresentam desempenho agronômico diferenciado em função do ambiente de produção. Objetivou-se estudar o desempenho agronômico e a adaptabilidade de diferentes cultivares de soja avaliadas nos municípios de Cândido Mota, Palmital e Brotas visando identificar as mais adequadas ao plantio na região, auxiliando os produtores e técnicos regionais na escolha dos materiais a serem plantados nas safras vindouras. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos inteiramente casualizados, com 19 cultivares e 4 repetições por ensaio, sendo que as médias foram agrupadas pelo teste de Scott-Knott a 5% de probabilidade. Informações sobre adaptabilidade e estabilidade foram determinadas pelo procedimento de Annicchiarico (1992), modificado por Schmildt et al. (2011). Os caracteres avaliados foram: altura de plantas, altura de inserção da primeira vagem (AIPV), produtividade de grãos e massa de mil grãos (MMG). Verificou-se que há diferença na produtividade de grãos, MMG, altura de plantas e AIPV entre as cultivares avaliadas nos diferentes ambientes. Existem cultivares comerciais com adaptabilidade ampla (HO Paraguaçu, HO Iguaçu) e cultivares com adaptabilidade específica (DM 66i68, NK 6356, NS 6446, GH 6433) em função do ambiente de produção. Avaliações regionais devem ser realizadas continuamente e em diferentes locais a fim de se obter informações consistentes acerca do desempenho agronômico de novas cultivares.

The practice of outsourcing dates back to the Industrial Revolution, gaining prominence in the 20th century due to organizations' relentless pursuit of efficiency and cost reduction. In Brazil, this trend became prominent in the last decades, especially from the 1990s onwards, driven by changes in labor laws. There has been a noticeable increase in outsourcing various activities, from administrative services to strategic functions. This phenomenon is complex, generating debates about its social and economic impacts. However, the crucial importance of effective management of contracts and relationships with suppliers to ensure strategic alignment and quality of the final product stands out. Nevertheless, this work proposes the respective problematization with the question: What are some of the possible benefits of outsourcing in the production process of the mechanical industry? To achieve answers to this problem, we outline as a general objective to demonstrate some of the possible benefits of outsourcing in the production process of the mechanical industry. Regarding the methodological procedure, we undertake a brief literature review, with developments in qualitative classification information, thus constituting some theoretical contexts that contributed to achieving the established objective. The results indicate that when well-managed, outsourcing can generate efficiency and competitiveness. However, it is emphasized the importance of a balance between the interests of companies and the protection of labor rights. It is concluded that outsourcing, when carried out with caution and responsibility, can be an effective strategy to reduce operations, but the safeguarding of workers' rights should be prioritized.

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reactions (eCO2RR) have emerged as promising strategies for both mitigating CO2 emissions and converting them into valuable products. Despite the promise, challenges such as stability, efficiency, and availability of CO2 on the electrode surface, especially at high current densities, still need to be overcome. Herein, this study explores the precipitation of CuO nanoparticles with monoethanolamine to preserve nitrogen groups on the surface of the material. These groups can act by adsorbing the CO2 and stabilizing its catalytic performance during the electroreduction procedure. The incorporation of monoethanolamine as functionalization on the surface of the CuO catalyst was confirmed by XPS measurements. Electrodes utilizing the S-MEA catalyst demonstrated enhanced electrochemical activity, achieving a current density of -187 mA cm-2 at a half-cell potential of -1.2 V versus RHE. Furthermore, long-term stability tests confirmed consistent activity for at least 100 hours in both flow cell and zero gap cell configurations. These results indicate that electrodes featuring the S-MEA catalyst display notably superior electrochemical activity and stability compared with the non-functionalized CuO (S-KOH) and commercial CuO nanopowder (c-CuO). The S-MEA enhancement is attributed to the introduction of amine functional groups that serve as CO2 adducts, facilitating CO2 adsorption and fostering electrode activation. It was evidenced by higher current densities and improved structural integrity during prolonged tests. The insights gained from the comparative performance of these electrodes provide valuable directions for future research in developing more robust and efficient catalysts for environmental remediation technologies.

O artigo aborda os impactos da pandemia de COVID-19 na saúde mental da população, destacando os desafios emocionais e psicológicos enfrentados durante esse período sem precedentes. A análise considera os efeitos variados da pandemia nas diferentes faixas etárias e grupos sociais, bem como as estratégias de enfrentamento e resiliência adotadas para mitigar os impactos negativos. A pandemia trouxe consigo um aumento significativo nos níveis de ansiedade, estresse e depressão em todo o mundo. O isolamento social, a incerteza em relação à saúde e o futuro, bem como as mudanças nos padrões de vida contribuíram para a deterioração do bem-estar emocional. Grupos vulneráveis e desfavorecidos, como idosos, crianças, profissionais de saúde e indivíduos de baixa renda, foram particularmente afetados, evidenciando a necessidade de atenção direcionada. No entanto, o estudo também destaca a resiliência da população ao adotar estratégias de enfrentamento. A busca por apoio social, o autocuidado, o desenvolvimento de mentalidade resiliente e a busca por informações confiáveis emergiram como ferramentas fundamentais para lidar com os desafios emocionais. Além disso, o acesso a serviços de saúde mental e o apoio profissional foram apontados como elementos essenciais na promoção do bem-estar emocional. É imperativo que as ações de resposta à pandemia incluam medidas que protejam e promovam a saúde mental da população. A conscientização sobre a importância do cuidado emocional deve ser difundida amplamente, incentivando a busca por ajuda quando necessário e destigmatizando a procura por apoio psicológico. A promoção da equidade no acesso a serviços de saúde mental e o fortalecimento dos recursos disponíveis são passos cruciais para enfrentar os efeitos duradouros da pandemia na saúde mental da população.