Determinants of agricultural employment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A spatial analysis of Brazilian municipalities.

The impact of COVID-19 has extended beyond the health toll it has taken on populations. The global economy has experienced significant downturns, with unemployment rates reaching unprecedented highs for this century. Nonetheless, the agricultural sector has been uniquely affected by the pandemic, particularly given its crucial role in food supply.

The subnational supply chain and the COVID-19 pandemic: Short-term impacts on the Brazilian regional economy.

To control the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Brazilian local governments have adopted partial lockdown measures in economic sectors, thereby triggering transmission shocks along input-output supply chains. The national internal market and territorial disparities favor the formation of subnational production networks within borders, thus increasing the potential effects of lockdown measures on regional integration production networks. Therefore, this study makes hypothetical simulations of COVID-19 mitigation policy decisions to understand the regional impacts on integration in supply chains, considering both domestic and global value chains.

Morphological study on the effects of sample size on ovarian tissue vitrification.

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the effects of ovarian cortex sample size on tissue morphological integrity after vitrification in a metal capsule.

Methods: Bovine ovarian tissue samples cut in large and small fragments (1x1x5 and 1x1x3 mm, respectively - 5 and 3 mm refer to length), vitrified in a metal capsule were fixed for histological analysis immediately after rewarming or after 48 hours culture. We assessed primordial, primary and secondary follicle morphology and stromal integrity.

Interaction of fibroblasts and induced pluripotent stem cells with poly(vinyl alcohol)-based hydrogel substrates.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a promising means of creating custom-tailored cell lines for cellular therapies. Their application in regenerative medicine, however, depends on the possibility that the maintenance and differentiation of cells and organs occur under defined conditions. One major component of stem cell culture systems is the substrate, where the cells must attach and proliferate.

Antioxidant defense capacity of ovarian tissue after vitrification in a metal closed system.

Objective: The present study analyzed the quality of bovine ovarian tissue after vitrification in a metal closed chamber, in terms of putative changes in tissue viability (lactate dehydrogenase -LDH- release), anti-oxidant defenses, and redox parameters caused by cryopreservation.

Methods: Small and large fragmented bovine ovarian tissue specimens were vitrified in a metal chamber. After rewarming, tissue samples were fixed or cultured for 48 hours.