Anatomical and histological traits of Brycon amazonicus liver cultivated in a semi-intensive system

The work aimed to evaluate the weight-length relationship and the condition factor, characterizing the biometry, anatomy, histology and volumetric density of the liver of Brycon amazonicus, in different stages of body growth. The experiment used twenty specimens in four stages of body growth (PI, PII, PIII and PIV) harvested every 90 days, containing five specimens, each group. The livers were dissected, weighed (g) and processed routinely using the hematoxylin and eosin technique. The data were submitted to analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation test and linear regression. The equation that represented the weight-length relation was W = 0.05902 x L2.63, with negative allometric growth, but with a relative condition factor equal to 1.0. The liver was divided into three lobes with the gallbladder close to the right lobe and its color varied from light red to dark red, not varying in relation to other fish species. The hepatosomatic relationship followed body growth until the PII group stage and then declined, demonstrating the behavior of its development in Brycon amazonicus. The organ consists predominantly of hepatocytes, followed by sinusoidal vessels and capillaries, with histological morphology similar to that of many species of fish. Melanomacrophage centers were found only in the most developed animals, but in small quantities, prompting the development of new research on this cell, in this species. In this way, research of this nature allows the characterization of fish species, helping to improve breeding methods, understanding pathological processes caused by diseases, and obtaining better productive capacity, serving an increasingly demanding and prosperous market.

​Nodulation, Yield Attributes and Yield of Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.)] Influenced by Different Level of Potassium Humate and Fertility Levels

Background: Optimum crop growth and yield is result of interlinking of several factors. In semi- tropical soil in central plateau and hills zone are deficit in organic carbon and NPK content; therefore inadequate fertilization may leads to pure quality and also lower crop productive capacity of soil. For the maintenance of sustainable and productive production, maintaining soil health is a critical factor. Under low fertility levels, mungbean gives low seed yield. Potassium humate, nitrogen and phosphorus (RDF) application may be increase yield of mungbean in this zone. Method: A field experiment was conducted to study, “Nodulation, yield attributes and yield of mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.)] influenced by different level of potassium humate and fertility. The experiment was carried out in factorial randomized block design with three replications and sixteen treatment combination. Result: Result showed that total number of root nodules, effective nodules, fresh and dry weight of root nodules, leghaemoglobin, nodule index, no. of pods/plant, no. of seeds/pod, test weight, seed and straw yield were observed significantly higher with application of potassium humate @ 4.5 kg/ha. Among different fertility level, the application of 100% RDF significantly increased the total number of root nodules and effective nodules, fresh and dry weight of root nodules, leghaemoglobin, nodule index, no. of pods/plant, no. of seeds/pod and test weight, seed and straw yield. With combined application of potassium humate @ 3.0 kg/ha + 75% RDF significantly higher no. effective nodules, dry weight of root nodules and seed yield were observed, as well as saving of 25% RDF and 1.5 kg potassium humate were also observed.

COVID-19 pandemic: A wake-up call at science-policy-society to work towards a livable future

The year 2021 is nearing its end when the online version of the journal MASKANA 12(2) is published. 2021, means that already one-fifth of the 21st century has passed. Since 2000 raised the world population from 6.1 to 7.9 billion, or 29.5%. Different models predict that the world population in 2030, the year that the world leaders in Glasgow (UK) during the GOP26 meeting agreed to limit global warming to 1.5°C, will increase to 8.5 billion. Wonder if the world possesses the capacity to secure food, given the continuing exponential growth of the population, and at the same time will be able to limit the warming up of the planet by 1.5°C? According to the yearly study of FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) on the state of food security increased the number of people experiencing undernourishment since 2014, and today the world experiences an unprecedented setback in its hunger eradication effort. The major drivers behind the decline in food security and nutrition are according to FAO: conflict, climate variability and extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns. The impacts the people experience are exacerbated by the levels of inequality in terms of income, productive capacity, assets, technology, education and health. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an additional factor that put the world off track to ending world hunger, malnutrition, climate change, immigration, that the rich are getting richer, and the poor are becoming poorer, among other phenomena of inequality. Parallel to these evolutions, democracy worldwide is in decline. According to IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance), is the trend of democratic erosion ongoing since 2006 and is today worse than ever before.

ESTERCO OVINO AUMENTA A CAPACIDADE DE RETENÇÃO E MANUTENÇÃO DE ÁGUA NO SOLO DO CARIRI PARAIBANO

ESTERCO OVINO AUMENTA A CAPACIDADE DE RETENÇÃO E MANUTENÇÃO DE ÁGUA NO SOLO DO CARIRI PARAIBANO LUCYELLY DÂMELA ARAÚJO BORBOREMA1; PATRÍCIA DA SILVA COSTA2; PRISCYLLA MARQUES DE OLIVEIRA VIANA3; YANKA BEATRIZ GONÇALVES BATISTA4; MATHEUS CAVALCANTE DA SILVA5 E RENER LUCIANO DE SOUZA FERRAZ6 1. Unidade Acadêmica de Tecnologia do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Rua Luiz Grande, S/N, Bairro Frei Damião, CEP 58540-000, Sumé, Paraíba, Brasil, [email protected]. 2 Unidade Acadêmica de Engenharia Agrícola, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Rua Aprígio Veloso, n° 882, Bairro Universitário, CEP 58428-830, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil. [email protected]. 3 Departamento de Agroecologia e Agropecuária, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Sítio Imbaúba, S/N, Zona Rural, CEP 58117-000, Lagoa Seca, Paraíba, Brasil, [email protected]. 4 Unidade Acadêmica de Tecnologia do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Rua Luiz Grande, S/N, Bairro Frei Damião, CEP 58540-000, Sumé, Paraíba, Brasil, [email protected]. 5 Unidade Acadêmica de Tecnologia do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Rua Luiz Grande, S/N, Bairro Frei Damião, CEP 58540-000, Sumé, Paraíba, Brasil, [email protected]. 6 Unidade Acadêmica de Tecnologia do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Rua Luiz Grande, S/N, Bairro Frei Damião, CEP 58540-000, Sumé, Paraíba, Brasil, [email protected]. 1 RESUMO A matéria orgânica do solo contribui para a sustentabilidade dos sistemas agrícolas, pois, influencia os atributos físicos, químicos e biológicos do solo, estabilizando a produtividade dos agroecossistemas. O teor de matéria orgânica no solo beneficia o aumento da capacidade de troca de cátions, assegurando os nutrientes no solo e reduzindo suas perdas por lixiviação. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se avaliar doses de esterco ovino para retenção e manutenção de água no solo na Microrregião do Cariri paraibano. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado com seis doses de esterco ovino (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 e 25%, m/m) e quatro repetições. Foram realizadas avaliações de pesagem durante seis dias, a cada 24 h, para a determinação da porcentagem de água disponível em relação à massa seca do solo (m/m). Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância ao nível de 5% de probabilidade de erro e as médias das doses de esterco foram submetidas a regressão polinomial. O esterco ovino aumenta a capacidade de retenção e manutenção da água no solo do Cariri paraibano, sendo uma alternativa para a atenuação dos problemas ocasionados pela perda de água por lixiviação e, por conseguinte, melhorando a capacidade produtiva do solo e vida dos produtores. Keywords: matéria orgânica, nutrientes no solo, status hídrico. BORBOREMA, L. D. A.; COSTA, P. S.; VIANA, P. M. O.; BATISTA, Y. B. G.; SILVA, M. C.; FERRAZ, R. L. S. SHEEP MANURE INCREASES THE WATER HOLDING AND MAINTENANCE CAPACITY OF SOIL IN THE CARIRI PARAIBANO REGION 2 ABSTRACT Soil organic matter contributes to the sustainability of agricultural systems, as it influences the physical, chemical and biological attributes of the soil, stabilizing the productivity of agroecosystems. The organic matter content in the soil benefits the increase of the cation exchange capacity, ensuring the nutrients in the soil and reducing its losses due to leaching. In this sense, the objective was to evaluate different doses of sheep manure for retention and maintenance of water in the soil in the Microregion of Cariri, in Paraíba state. The design used was completely randomized with six doses of sheep manure (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%, w/w) and four replications. Weighing evaluations were carried out for six days, every 24 h, to determine the percentage of available water in relation to the soil dry mass (w/w). Data were subjected to analysis of variance at a 5% probability of error and means of sheep manure doses were submitted to polynomial regression. Sheep manure increases the capacity of retaining and maintaining water in the soil of Cariri, in Paraíba state, being an alternative to alleviate the problems caused by the loss of water through leaching and, therefore, improving the productive capacity of the soil and the life of producers. Keywords: organic matter, soil nutrients, water status.

Exploring the relationships between socio-economic indicators and student enrollment in higher education institutions of Pakistan

Higher education is considered as the engine of the economic development of a country due to its role in cultivating human capital. The provision of higher education is regarded as a productive investment in human capital for improving nation’s productive capacity. However, there is a large gap in enrollment between students of different socioeconomic statuses. The ever-widening socio-economic inequalities between individuals from disadvantaged and advantaged backgrounds make the government’s efforts to enroll a higher number of students to pursue higher education challenging in developing countries, as the students’ socioeconomic status plays a decisive role in their priority to attain higher education. This study anticipated quantifying the impact of socio-economic indicators and underlying situations on students’ enrollment in higher education in Pakistan. A descriptive study, involving correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), clustering, and stepwise regression using 15-years data of enrollment and socio-economic indicators was conducted. The correlation between different socio-economic indicators and students’ enrollment was positive and highly significant (0.73 to 0.99), except for the unemployment rate (- 0.39 to -0.57). PCA showed that the first two components were the most influential with 93.85% of the total variation. Enrollment (total and male) showed significant relationships with general government expenditure and unemployment rate, while female enrollment showed a significant relationship with general government expenditure. Findings revealed that socio-economic factors can serve as a significant predictor of students’ enrollment in higher education. The minimum values of correlation coefficient (R) and adjusted R2 for enrollment were ranged from 0.875 to 0.748 (female enrollment), while maximum values (0.987 to 0.993 and 0.973 to 0.983), respectively were observed for total enrollment. The findings will assist educationists, social scientists, and policymakers to better understand the association between socio-economic indicators and student enrollment in higher education for formulating future education policies for enhancing enrollment in higher education.

Monetary Policy Report - October 2021

Macroeconomic summary Economic activity has recovered faster than projected, and output is now expected to return to pre-pandemic levels earlier than anticipated. Economic growth projections for 2021 and 2022 have been revised upward, though significant downward bias remains. (Graph 1.1). Colombia’s economy returned to recovery in the third quarter after significant supply shocks and a third wave of COVID-19 in the second. Negative shocks affecting mobility and output were absent in the third quarter, and some indicators of economic activity suggest that the rate of recovery in demand, primarily in consumption, outpaced estimates from the July Monetary Policy Report (MPR) in the context of widely expansive monetary policy. Several factors are expected to continue to contribute to output recovery for the rest of the year and into 2022, including the persistence of favorable international financial conditions, an expected improvement in external demand, and an increase in terms of trade. Increasing vaccination rates, the expectation of higher levels of employment and the consequent effect on household income, improved investment performance (which has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels), and the expected stimulus from monetary policy that would continue to be expansive should also drive economic activity. As a result, output is estimated to have returned to its pre-pandemic level in the third quarter (previously expected in the fourth quarter). Growth is expected to decelerate in 2022, with excess productive capacity projected to close faster than anticipated in the previous report. Given the above, GDP growth projections have been revised upward for 2021 (9.8%, range between 8.4% and 11.2%) and 2022 (4.7%, range between 0.7% and 6.5%). If these estimates are confirmed, output would have grown by 2.3% on average between 2020 and 2022. This figure would be below long-term sustainable growth levels projected prior to the pandemic. The revised growth forecast for 2022 continues to account for a low basis of comparison from this year (reflecting the negative effects of COVID-19 and roadblocks in some parts of the country), and now supposes that estimated consumption levels for the end of 2021 will remain relatively stable in 2022. Investment and net exports are expected to recover at a faster pace than estimated in the previous report. Nevertheless, the downward risks to these estimates remain unusually significant, for several reasons. First, they do not suppose significant negative effects on the economy from possible new waves of COVID-19. Second, because private consumption, which has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels by a large margin, could perform less favorably than estimated in this forecast should it reflect a temporary phenomenon related to suppressed demand as service sectors re-open (e.g. tourism) and private savings accumulated during the pandemic are spent. Third, disruptions to supply chains could be more persistent than contemplated in this report and could continue to affect production costs, with a negative impact on the economy. Finally, the accumulation of macroeconomic imbalances could translate to increased vulnerability to changes in international financial conditions or in international and domestic economic agents’ perception of risk in the Colombian economy, representing a downward risk to growth. A higher-than-expected increase in inflation, the persistence of supply shocks, and reduced excess productive capacity have led to an increase in inflation projections above the target on the forecast horizon (Graph 1.2). Inflation increased above expectations to 4.51% in the third quarter, due in large part to the price behavior of foods and regulated items, and to a lesser extent to core inflation. Increased international prices and costs continue to generate upward pressure on various sub-baskets of the consumer price index (CPI), as has the partial reversion of some price relief measures implemented in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TAKT TIME E BALANCEAMENTO NO FORMATO DA PROGRAMAÇÃO DE LINHA DE PRODUÇÃO

Produzir mais, empregando menos tempo e menos recursos, é o sonho de qualquer empresa. Diante disso, este estudo busca resolver problemas de utilização da capacidade e de desnivelamentos de produção. Dessa maneira, o objetivo consiste em propor um formato de programação que otimize a utilização dos recursos e resulte em maior equilíbrio na produção de uma empresa do ramo metalúrgico, produtora de implementos rodoviários e localizada na região Sul do Brasil. Por meio de um estudo de caso, identificaram-se a forma de trabalho e a situação da programação da empresa. A partir disso, criou-se um modelo de um novo formato de produção, voltado à minimização das variações de volumes e fundamentado, basicamente, na utilização dos conceitos de takt time e de balanceamento das linhas. Conclui-se que o modelo proposto permitirá um ritmo continuado na produção, sendo capaz de estabilizá-la. Ademais, conforme for aplicado nas linhas da empresa, evidenciará os pontos ao longo do fluxo que precisam de melhoria, identificando gargalos e ociosidades. A soma de tais fatores proporcionará o aprimoramento contínuo dos processos da empresa e a otimização dos recursos disponíveis para a produção. Palavras-Chave: Linha de produção. Programação de produção. Takt time. Balanceamento de linha. Capacidade produtiva. Abstract: Producing more, using less time and fewer resources, is the dream of any company. Therefore, this study seeks to solve problems of capacity utilization and production unevenness. Thus, the objective is to propose a programming format that optimizes the use of resources and results in greater balance in the production of a company in the metallurgical sector, producer of road implements and located in the southern region of Brazil. Through a case study, the way of working and the situation of the company's programming were identified. From this, a model of a new production format was created, aimed at minimizing volume variations and basically based on the use of the concepts of takt time and line balancing. It is concluded that the proposed model will allow a continued pace in production, being able to stabilize it. Furthermore, as applied to the company's lines, it will highlight the points along the flow that need improvement, identifying bottlenecks and idleness. The sum of these factors will provide the continuous improvement of the company's processes and the optimization of the resources available for production. Keywords: Production line. Production schedule. Takt time. Line balancing. Productive capacity.