Catholic University of Pernambuco

The application of Trichoderma species as biological control agents requires stable formulations capable of preserving viability and ensuring consistent field efficacy. This study aimed to assess the stability and bio-efficacy of sodium alginate capsules containing conidia of Trichoderma species native to the Cerrado region of Piauí, Brazil. Five encapsulated species were evaluated for conidial viability after 15 months of storage, release profiles under different pH conditions, in vitro antagonistic activity against Fusarium verticillioides, and in vivo growth performance in different substrates. The capsules maintained structural integrity and viability above 1 × 10⁷ CFU mL⁻¹ for all species, with Trichoderma sp. 1 and Trichoderma sp. 2 exhibiting significant increases in conidial concentration over time. Conidial release was influenced by pH and exposure time, with the highest release observed at pH 7.0 for T. longibrachiatum and T. koningiopsis, while Trichoderma sp. 1 performed best at pH 5.0. In the antagonism assays, all species inhibited the growth of F. verticillioides, with T. longibrachiatum showing the strongest effect (45.97

Microbial biosurfactants have emerged as natural and sustainable alternatives to synthetic surfactants used in the food industry, due to the growing demand for biodegradable and safe ingredients. Produced by bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, these compounds exhibit important physicochemical properties, such as emulsifying capacity, surface tension reduction, foam stabilization, and favorable interaction with different food matrices. In addition to their technological function, they exhibit relevant biological activities, including antioxidant and antimicrobial action, which contribute to the control of lipid oxidation and microbiological deterioration. These characteristics make biosurfactants attractive for applications in emulsions, fermented beverages, aerated products, probiotic systems, and bioactive packaging. The objective of this work is to provide a narrative literature review that integrates recent advances in the production, functionality, safety, sustainability, and application perspectives of biosurfactants in the food sector. In the field of production, biotechnological advances have made it possible to overcome historical limitations such as high cost and low yield. Strategies such as the use of agro-industrial waste, metabolic engineering, microbial co-cultures, continuous fermentations, and in situ removal techniques have increased efficiency and reduced environmental impacts. Despite the advances, significant challenges remain. Future prospects and advances tend to facilitate industrial adoption and consolidate biosurfactants as strategic ingredients for the development of more sustainable, functional, and technologically advanced foods.

Introduction: While large language models (LLMs) are increasingly experienced as relational partners, limited empirical research exists regarding how users emotionally experience abrupt changes in these systems. This study investigates the psychological, affective, and cognitive impacts of the temporary removal of GPT-4o and its replacement by GPT-5 in August 2025, mapping the consequences for user well-being through the exploration of the emerging phenomenon of technological mourning. We propose the concept of “technological mourning,” defined as the affective response to the perceived loss of a digital partner. The framework draws on theory of individuation, second-order cybernetics, and distributed cognition to interpret user reactions as signals of disturbances within human–AI systems.Materials and methods: Adopting a netnographic approach, we analysed a corpus of 3668 public items collected from Reddit and YouTube during August 2025. Data were processed via a structured natural language processing (NLP) pipeline using BERTopic, resulting in a final qualitative manual analysis of 1307 analytically relevant items.Results: Nine thematic categories emerged, among which the most significant were: “Relational attachment and anthropomorphism” (n = 425), “Disappointment” (n = 263), and “Nostalgia, loss and grief” (n = 110). Findings reveal that abrupt updates can disrupt stabilised cognitive couplings and trigger feelings of relational loss.Conclusions: LLMs function as relational artefacts within the user’s associated milieu, making updates a matter of psychological and cognitive continuity. Developers should prioritise relational design and transparency to maintain the stability of these hybrid human–AI cognitive ecologies.

Abstract This study investigates how cultural funding patterns reflect regional inequalities through network analysis techniques. Public funding of cultural projects should preserve diversity but can intensify socioeconomic inequalities; hence, countries can benefit from macro analyses of funding data. We present a network-based study of Brazil’s main cultural funding mechanism (2010–2014), based on 106,804 transactions across 12,326 projects. Our research objectives are to: (1) identify distinct regional cultural funding patterns, (2) quantify sponsorship disparities across states, and (3) construct a network representation of cultural segment relationships that reveals funding dynamics. Our findings reveal distinct cultural signatures and regional disparities, with some states 40% less likely to secure sponsorship. Although strongly correlated with economic indicators, a significant share of funding variance remains unexplained and could be a reflection of the diverse Brazilian cultural scene. Our primary contribution is the creation of a “cultural space” network that (unlike previous descriptive analyses of cultural funding) exposes systematic relationships between cultural segments and demonstrates how these connections correlate with economic development. This approach can support evidence-based policy reforms by revealing both the magnitude and structural nature of funding imbalances across Brazil’s diverse regions.

AIM:To address the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges posed by primary clival bone lesions, specifically chordoma, chondrosarcoma, giant cell tumor, and benign notochordal cell tumor, by providing a comprehensive review of their clinical, radiological, and biological characteristics. METHODS:A systematic review was performed using the Cochrane Library, Scielo, and Medline databases. The search incorporated MeSH terms such as "chordomas", "chondrosarcoma", "giant cell tumor of bone", and "bone neoplasms". From 2630 initial results, 33 studies were selected and categorized by tumor type, histology, clinical presentation, imaging findings, diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic factors. RESULTS:Despite extensive literature on individual aspects of these tumors, comprehensive reviews encompassing all four primary clival lesions are scarce. These tumors exhibit overlapping radiological features and complex anatomical locations, each with distinct biological behavior. The systematic review highlights the importance of differentiating among these lesions to inform diagnosis and management, as well as the current limitations in evidence-based treatment strategies due to the rarity and complexity of these entities. CONCLUSIONS:Understanding the key characteristics of primary clival bone lesions is essential for clinicians and neurosurgeons to select optimal diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, ultimately aiming to improve patient outcomes.