BeachLog: A multiple uses and interactive beach picture.

There are some tools in place that classifies and/or rank beaches according to a series of parameters. It is possible to identify a gap in the development of tools that map and describe beaches without putting the results into a classification status of good or bad. Since beaches are important from different points of views such as ecology, tourism, economy, pollution or invasive species studies and management, fisheries, estate development, protected areas, among others it is relevant to describe and understand parameters in detail. This work offers a multi-purpose and interactive beach descriptor called BeachLog. It can be used by beachgoers to keep their own records in the same way a diver uses a Diver's LogBook, managers can use the tool to support coastal management projects, long-term monitoring, and beach description baseline. Also, BeachLog can be a didactic tool to aiming to bring environmental sciences closer to technology through the use of spreadsheets and dashboards. BeachLog is based on the more frequent parameters in the literature, selected, organized, accounted for, and altered/added according to expert opinion. We created a list of 28 parameters, all of which were described in details of what is expected to be observed by the user. They were divided into 5 groups (Environmental characteristics, Services & Infrastructure, Information & Security, Planning & Management, and Descriptive). Here, we describe 14 Brazilian beaches using the BeachLog by inputting the results as parameters presence or absence (0/1) and descriptives in a table that can be transformed into an interactive dashboard for better/easier visualization. Planning & Management was absent on all 14 beaches studied, pointing out the relevance and gaps in this group. In the other groups it was possible to observe variation in the parameter occurrence, indicating that each beach is different and it is important to observe parameters individually. Beach Litter and Invasive Species parameters from the Environmental characteristics group were present in all beaches. BeachLog showed as an easy way to describe a beach and can be a tool to support diagnosis and understanding of the beach's status.

Caenorhabditis elegans as a Prediction Platform for Nanotechnology-Based Strategies: Insights on Analytical Challenges.

Nanotechnology-based strategies have played a pivotal role in innovative products in different technological fields, including medicine, agriculture, and engineering. The redesign of the nanometric scale has improved drug targeting and delivery, diagnosis, water treatment, and analytical methods. Although efficiency brings benefits, toxicity in organisms and the environment is a concern, particularly in light of global climate change and plastic disposal in the environment. Therefore, to measure such effects, alternative models enable the assessment of impacts on both functional properties and toxicity. Caenorhabditis elegans is a nematode model that poses valuable advantages such as transparency, sensibility in responding to exogenous compounds, fast response to perturbations besides the possibility to replicate human disease through transgenics. Herein, we discuss the applications of C. elegans to nanomaterial safety and efficacy evaluations from one health perspective. We also highlight the directions for developing appropriate techniques to safely adopt magnetic and organic nanoparticles, and carbon nanosystems. A description was given of the specifics of targeting and treatment, especially for health purposes. Finally, we discuss C. elegans potential for studying the impacts caused by nanopesticides and nanoplastics as emerging contaminants, pointing out gaps in environmental studies related to toxicity, analytical methods, and future directions.

The specialization continuum: Decision-making in butterflies with different diet requirements.

Differences in diet requirements may be reflected in how floral visitors make decisions when probing nectar sources that differ in chemical composition. We examined decision-making in butterflies that form a specialization continuum involving pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) when interacting with PA and non-PA plants: Agraulis vanillae (non-specialist), Danaus erippus (low demanding PA-specialist) and D. gilippus (high demanding PA-specialist). In addition, we assessed whether experience affected decision-making. Butterflies were tested on either Tridax procumbens (absence of PAs in nectar) or Ageratum conyzoides flowers (presence of PAs in nectar). Agraulis vanillae showed more acceptance for T. procumbens and more rejection for A. conyzoides; no differences were recorded for both Danaus species. Agraulis vanillae fed less on A. conyzoides than both Danaus species, which did not differ in this regard. In all butterfly species, experience on PA flowers did not affect feeding time. In the field, butterflies rarely visited PA flowers, regardless of the specialization degree. Our findings reveal that the specialization continuum seen in butterflies explains, at least in part, decision-making processes related to feeding. Additional factors as local adaptation mediated by the use of alternative nectar sources can affect flower visitation by specialist butterflies.

Learning in two butterfly species when using flowers of the tropical milkweed Asclepias curassavica: No benefits for pollination.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The ability of insect visitors to learn to manipulate complex flowers has important consequences for foraging efficiency and plant fitness. We investigated learning by two butterfly species, Danaus erippus and Heliconius erato, as they foraged on the complex flowers of Asclepias curassavica, as well as the consequences for pollination. METHODS: To examine learning with respect to flower manipulation, butterflies were individually tested during four consecutive days under insectary conditions. At the end of each test, we recorded the number of pollinaria attached to the body of each butterfly and scored visited flowers for numbers of removed and inserted pollinia. We also conducted a field study to survey D. erippus and H. erato visiting flowers of A. curassavica, as well as to record numbers of pollinaria attached to the butterflies' bodies, and surveyed A. curassavica plants in the field to inspect flowers for pollinium removal and insertion. KEY RESULTS: Learning improves the ability of both butterfly species to avoid the nonrewarding flower parts and to locate nectar more efficiently. There were no experience effects, for either species, on the numbers of removed and inserted pollinia. Heliconius erato removed and inserted more pollinia than D. erippus. For both butterfly species, pollinium removal was higher than pollinium insertion. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to show that Danaus and Heliconius butterflies can learn to manipulate complex flowers, but this learning ability does not confer benefits to pollination in A. curassavica.

Microorganisms in the female genital tract during pregnancy: tolerance versus pathogenesis.

Microorganisms in the pregnant female genital tract are not always associated with pathology. The factors that influence the maternal response to microorganisms remain ill defined. We review the state of knowledge of microbe-host interactions in gestational tissues and highlight mechanisms that promote tolerance or pathogenesis. Tolerance to microorganisms is promoted during pregnancy by several mechanisms including upregulation of anti-inflammatory mediators, induction of endotoxin tolerance, and possibly by regulation of autophagy. Conversely, an altered vaginal microbiota or a pre-existing viral presence may result in induction of excessive inflammation and preterm labor. Although infections play a prevalent role in preterm birth, microbes are present in gestational tissues of women with healthy outcomes and may provide beneficial functions. The complex interactions between different microbial species and the maternal immune system during gestation remain incompletely elucidated.