Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco

Selection processes in academic institutions and public organizations are frequently managed through email and spreadsheets, creating legal vulnerabilities, version-control errors, and data protection non-compliance. This paper presents avalia+Tec, an open-source SaaS platform that enforces cryptographic integrity verification (SHA-256), tamper-evident hash-chained audit trails with external RFC 3161 timestamp anchoring, and end-to-end traceability for selection workflows. The system operates through a responsive web portal for candidate submissions and administrative oversight, and an Electron-based desktop application for structured blind evaluation. A preliminary single-institution deployment at Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana processing 60 submissions with 6 evaluators was associated with a 65% reduction in review-to-decision cycle time (95% CI: [55%, 73%], Mann–Whitney U = 0 , p = 0.029 , r = 1.0 ), no formal candidate disputes during the observation period, and a 45.4% reduction in evaluator time per submission (95% CI: [26%, 59%]). The platform provides technical controls supporting regulatory compliance with Brazil’s LGPD. The scientific contribution resides not in novel cryptographic primitives but in the systematic integration engineering of well-established techniques to address a concrete, underserved institutional governance problem. avalia+Tec is freely available under the MIT License. • Auditable selection workflow using SHA-256 hashing and tamper-evident hash-chained logs. • HMAC-SHA256 signatures ensure integrity in blind peer-review scorecards. • Automation was associated with a 65% reduction in administrative cycle time. • External RFC 3161 timestamp anchoring strengthens tamper-evidence beyond internal controls. • Technical controls supporting LGPD compliance via role-based data segregation and automatic PII redaction.

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are a key strategy to reduce CO 2 emissions in cement production. However, the limited availability of traditional SCMs highlights the need to identify alternative sources. Sugarcane bagasse ash (SA), a by-product of biomass incineration, and metakaolin (MK) have been individually investigated as SCMs, but their combined performance as binary blends has not been fully addressed. This study evaluates the pozzolanic behavior of raw SA and MK as binary mixtures using tests with hydrated lime and Portland cement, in both pastes and mortars. A total of 21 compositions were prepared with SA content ranging from 0% to 100%, combined with MK in 5% increments for lime-based tests and 10% increments for cement-based mixes, replacing the binder content. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) results revealed increased consumption of calcium hydroxide with higher MK content and lower SA proportions, indicating that the pozzolanic reaction is primarily governed by MK. This trend was also observed in the compressive strength tests: in lime-based blends, up to 55% SA and 45% MK contents met the criteria for pozzolanic materials, while in cement-based mixes, up to 60% SA and 40% MK maintained pozzolanic behavior. Electrical conductivity measurements further confirmed that higher MK contents enhanced reactivity. In contrast, SA exhibited a predominantly physical behavior, acting mainly as a filler with limited chemical contribution. Although higher SA levels decreased CO 2 emissions, the 100% SA mix showed limited compressive strength, restricting its practical application. Conversely, binary blends provided more balanced performance, benefitting from synergistic interactions between constituents. These findings demonstrate that combining a low-reactivity material, such as SA, with a highly reactive SCM, like MK, can yield effective pozzolanic blends, offering potential for sustainable binder systems. • Binary blends of SA–MK improved pozzolanic reactivity compared to raw SA. • MK content governed reactivity, increasing CH consumption. • Mixtures met pozzolanic criteria up to 55% SA (lime) and 60% SA (SAI). • Electrical conductivity confirmed higher reactivity with increasing MK. • SA–MK systems reduced CO₂ emissions while maintaining adequate strength.

A arborização em campi universitários atua como infraestrutura verde estratégica para o conforto térmico e a conservação biológica. Este estudo objetivou realizar o inventário florístico e a caracterização botânica das espécies arbóreas da UFERSA – Campus Pau dos Ferros/RN, analisando sua composição e origem. A metodologia consistiu em um censo quali-quantitativo com identificação taxonómica baseada no sistema APG IV e consultas à plataforma Flora e Funga do Brasil. Foram registados 121 indivíduos distribuídos em 12 táxons específicos. Os resultados revelam a predominância de espécies exóticas (54,5%), com destaque para Azadirachta indica e Moringa oleifera, enquanto as nativas, como Tabebuia aurea, representam 43% da amostra. Conclui-se que há uma dependência de espécies alóctones, recomendando-se a implementação de um Plano de Arborização que priorize táxons autóctones da Caatinga para elevar a resiliência ecológica do campus.

Data-driven approaches are increasingly required to optimize biofertilization strategies in forage systems. Machine learning (ML) provides an efficient tool for identifying functional drivers in complex plant–soil–microbe systems, offering important perspectives for precision data-driven agriculture. However, despite its potential, ML remains data-driven in studies involving diazotrophic inoculation using biochar as a pelletizing material, particularly in forage grasses. This study applied ML to predict the key drivers controlling Brachiaria brizantha performance and soil quality under biochar-pelletized diazotrophic bacteria (DB). Five isolates were inoculated with or without biochar, and plant traits and soil attributes, including pH, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and urease activity were evaluated. These data were integrated into multivariate analyses and ML algorithms, including Linear Discriminant Analysis, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machine, to identify the functional drivers that best discriminate treatment performance and uncover mechanistic functional drivers. All isolates increased soil potassium content, with the highest values in the biochar amended treatments, and a 39% increase. Soil pH and urease activity were significantly modulated by isolate identity, while biomass allocation patterns differed among treatments. Overall, the results highlight that biochar pelletization can enhance the effectiveness of DB inoculants. ML revealed that dry foliar biomass, soil pH, and fresh root weight were the most predictive variables, highlighting consistent signatures explaining plant–soil responses to biochar-pelletized DB. These findings demonstrate that interpretable ML can disentangle complex plant–soil–microbe interactions, support precision biofertilization design, and serve as an efficient decision-support tool for sustainable pasture management. Beyond the present system, this study establishes a transferable and scalable analytical framework for precision biofertilization strategies in forage systems and other biochar-mediated agroecosystems, advancing predictive and data-driven approaches in sustainable agricultural engineering.

Several predatory mite species of Phytoseiidae have been used worldwide in biological control of small arthropod pests, but their diversity and economic potential in natural environments are still poorly understood due to limited sampling efforts. The objective of this work was to estimate the diversity and the intraspecific morphological variation of phytoseiids in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest of the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil, including an evaluation of allometry, in what refer to the relationship between length of dorsal setae and dorsal shield length of species collected. Sixteen species were identified from leaf samples of seven plant species collected between August 2022 and April 2023 in the Dois Irmãos State Park, nine of which are reported for the first time in the state. Phytoseius bennetti De Leon is reported for the first time in Brazil. A description of the male of this species, as well as a complementary description of Metaseiulus (M.) adjacentis (De Leon) is presented. Also, the relationship between dorsal setal length and shield length in specimens collected both in the present study and in previous works was investigate. It was observed that variations in setal lengths are related to mite body sizes (as inferred from dorsal shield lengths) on the species Amblyseius operculatus De Leon, Euseius alatus De Leon, E. mesembrinus (Dean), Galendromimus (G.) multipoculi Zacarias, Moraes & McMurtry, Galendromus (G.) annectens (De Leon), Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark & Muma, Leonseius elbanhawyi Carvalho, Ferragut & Oliveira, Metaseiulus (M.) ferlai Moraes, McMurtry & Lopes, Phytoseius bennetti De Leon, P. litoralis Silva, Rocha & Ferla, P. intermedius Evans & MacFarlane, Typhlodromalus aripo De Leon and T. peregrinus (Muma).

Slope stabilization is essential for hazard management and plays a crucial role in preventing landslide events while also contributing to environmental protection. Effective protection of slopes is vital, as it not only ensures the safety of structures but also helps maintain the ecological balance in the surrounding areas. To address the challenges posed by steep slopes, soil bioengineering techniques are employed to mitigate surface water erosion and control the movement of soil masses. These techniques are particularly important in areas where the risk of erosion and landslides is heightened.The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of emerald grass rugs (Zoysia japonica) as Green Infraestructure (GI) in providing protection and stabilization for slopes based on investigation in experimental plots. The research was conducted on a steep 60% slope located at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco State in Recife, Brazil. The experimental plots were designed with an area of 10.35 m², featuring dimensions of 3.0 × 3.45 m, and were bordered by masonry walls to control the experimental conditions. At the lowest point of each experimental unit, a 100 mm drainage pipe was installed to collect runoff and sediments, ensuring proper storage in 500-liter PVC tanks. An automatic rainfall gauge was set up on-site, providing critical data for the study.Several treatments were implemented during the experiment: the first involved the installation of grass rugs with four replicates; the second treatment consisted of grass rugs with an underlying application of coconut powder as a bioretention layer, which had two replicates; and the final treatment served as a control, consisting of bare soil. The parameters evaluated throughout the study included rainfall, runoff, sediment loss, and erosion rates. The results indicated that for all rainfall events, the control plot exhibited a Runoff Coefficient of approximately 60%. In contrast, the grass rugs demonstrated a significantly lower coefficient of around 28%, while the grass rugs with coconut powder showed an impressive reduction to about 16%.When examining erosion specifically, the grass rugs proved to be highly effective, exhibiting approximately 500 times less soil loss compared to the bare soil control plot. Moreover, the addition of coconut powder beneath the grass rugs further enhanced their protective capabilities, resulting in nearly 1000 times less soil loss when compared to conditions of bare soil. These findings clearly highlight that vegetation cover associated to a bioretention layer plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity of soil structure. Among the treatments tested, the arrangement of grass rugs combined with the underlying application of coconut powder was identified as the most efficient Nature-based Solution NbS method for slope stabilization and erosion control, demonstrating the potential benefits of integrating bioengineering practices into construction and environmental management strategies.