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As reported on 26 May, days of heavy rain triggered flooding and landslides in the states of Pernambuco, Alagoas and Paraíba Since then and the situation has deteriorated National Civil Defence reported 79 fatalities and at least 3,957 people displaced across the state of Pernambuco A total of 14 cities or municipalities have declared a state of emergency: Recife Many more people are thought to be still missing and search and rescue operations are continuing including in 12 points in the Recife Metropolitan Region Pernambuco Governor Paulo Câmara announced the allocation of funds for the search and rescue work and also for urgent and infrastructure works in the municipalities affected by the rains with the publication of the state decree of emergency the affected municipalities will also be able to access resources from the National Civil Defence System “Our determination to the Social Defense Secretary and the Fire Brigade is that the teams remain on the scene until the last victim is rescued,” said Governor Camara According to Pernambuco Water and Climate Agency (APAC) Belém de Maria and Maraial had already seen twice the monthly average rainfall totals Meanwhile in the neighbouring state of Alagoas Civil Defence reported 2,102 people had evacuated their homes and moved to relief camps while a further 8,017 were staying with relatives or friends One person has died in São Miguel dos Campos Richard Davies is the founder of floodlist.com and reports on flooding news Cookies | Privacy | Contacts © Copyright 2025 FloodList a smugglers’ yacht washed up in the Azores and disgorged its contents The island of São Miguel was quickly flooded with high-grade cocaine – and nearly 20 years on a parish on the northwestern tip of the Atlantic island São Miguel drifting aimlessly near the area’s sheer cliffs None of the villagers had ever seen a boat of this size floating so close to that part of the coast the tides strong and the rocks razor-sharp They supposed it was an amateur sailor who had got lost Read moreAlthough he was under orders to take the yacht to mainland Spain Big lumps of Atlantic swell had pummelled the boat damaging the rudder and leaving him floundering Realising he wouldn’t make it to Spain without stopping the largest of the cluster of nine volcanic islands that make up the Azores a bucolic archipelago first colonised by Portugal in the 15th century they would find tens of millions of pounds worth of uncut cocaine which he was ferrying from Venezuela for a gang based in Spain’s Balearic Islands He had to get rid of his freight temporarily and so he began scouring the coast for a place to hide the drugs São Miguel’s coastline is pocked with grottos and secluded coves The sailor navigated the yacht to a cave near Pilar da Bretanha and began offloading the cocaine which was bound with plastic and rubber in hundreds of packages the size of building bricks According to the police investigation that followed he secured the contraband with fishing nets and chains submerging it beneath the water with an anchor But as he set sail for the nearest harbour a small fishing town called Rabo de Peixe about 15 miles to the south-east skeins of fog drifted over São Miguel’s cliffs waves pounded the island’s rocky inlets and the netting holding the cocaine unravelled most of the people on São Miguel have subsisted on farming most of whom are separated by only one or two acquaintances Although the island has the mix of intimacy and claustrophobia that marks many small communities the predictability of life here creates a sense of security that is reinforced by the vast Atlantic Ocean which barricades Azoreans within a subtropical paradise “The paradox of the Azores is that you are always wanting to leave when you’re here and always wanting return when you’re not,” Tiago Melo Bento The arrival in the summer of 2001 of more than half a metric tonne of extraordinarily pure cocaine turned São Miguel upside down I visited the island to speak to people who were affected by the influx of the cocaine or were involved in trying to track down the smuggler The stories they told of how the drugs changed the island were by turns bizarre No one expected in early June 2001 that they would still be talking about the effects of the cocaine nearly two decades later a man from Pilar da Bretanha climbed down a steep path to the small cove where he often fished flapping in the surf like a beached jellyfish was a large mound covered in black plastic the fisherman found scores of the small packages Leaking from some of them was a substance he thought looked very much like flour local officers had registered some 270 packages of uncut cocaine It was only the first of many such discoveries more than a week after the first batch was found a man stumbled across 158kg (worth roughly £16m today) in another cove near Pilar da Bretanha a school teacher named Francisco Negalha alerted the police after finding 15kg on a beach on the other side of the island “I was scared and hesitant even to approach them,” Negalha told me “I thought someone may have been watching me and might kill me if they saw me touch them.” In the space of a fortnight there were 11 registered seizures totalling just under 500kg of cocaine Not everyone who found packages reported it to authorities A number of islanders became small-time dealers and began transporting cocaine across the island in milk churns One such report suggested that two fishermen had seen the man on the yacht dumping some of his cocaine No one knows how much of the drug they retrieved but the stories of these two fishermen have become legendary among the drug-users in São Miguel I heard that one of these men was selling so much of the stuff from his car that his seats were white with powder The same man had apparently paid a friend 300g of cocaine just to charge his phone Other Azoreans “were selling beer glasses full of pure cocaine” an entrepreneur and musician from the south of the island contained about 150g and cost €20 (£17) – many hundreds of times cheaper than what it would cost in London today read: “Police fear the mass dealing of cocaine” The coast near Pilar da Bretanha on the island of São Miguel locals had seen little cocaine on the island It was more common to find heroin or hashish “Cocaine was a drug of the elite,” Jose Lopes one of the leading inspectors from Portugal’s judicial police “It was expensive.” There was really only one previous case of trafficking that people remembered with any clarity an Italian named Marco Morotti was caught in the port of Ponta Delgada transporting large quantities of cocaine dissolved in petrol containers But Morotti’s product had been seized by the police before it reached the islanders two types of cocaine were circulating on São Miguel: one was the sort of fine white powder familiar from film and TV shows but dissolved the crystals in water and then injected it into their veins “You were floating.” One recovering drug user from Rabo de Peixe told me that he and a family member consumed more than a kilo in a month A police officer told me the story of a man nicknamed Joaninha who had hooked himself up to a drip of cocaine and water and sat in his house getting high for days A product so valuable in the rest of the world was rendered almost worthless through abundance but they didn’t know how to work with it,” Ruben Frias the head of the local fishermen’s association in Rabo de Peixe There were rumours that housewives were frying mackerel in cocaine and that old fishermen were pouring it into their coffees like sugar No one knew how much of the stuff was still out there In the 24 hours after he had arrived on São Miguel the man on the yacht had barely ventured out of his cabin He had pored over maps and made several phone calls to find out how he could fix his boat’s damaged rudder but he didn’t speak Portuguese and couldn’t afford to draw any more attention to himself than was absolutely necessary As he lay in his narrow bunk on the night of 7 June he didn’t know that police officers were already watching him had been chosen as one of the leaders of the investigation he was 34 years old and had worked eight years as a policeman He was very familiar with the local drug trade and had a reputation for his encyclopaedic memory Lopes also claimed he has a “sixth sense” for solving mysteries It hadn’t taken Lopes long to figure out that the smuggler’s yacht was floating in the harbour in Rabo de Peixe He knew that the cocaine had almost certainly arrived by boat and records of the coming and goings of boats kept by the maritime police Lopes and his team were able to track down the yacht within a matter of hours police watched as a Nissan Micra parked up beside the yacht They later found out that the car had been rented at the airport by a man named Vito Rosario Quinci Vito Rosario turned out to be the nephew of the smuggler a Sicilian whose real name was Antonino Quinci Spanish prosecutors would later claim that Vito Rosario was the link between Quinci and the unnamed Spanish organisation running the cocaine operation four months before Quinci arrived in the Azores the leader of the smuggling ring had bought an 11-year-old Sun Kiss 47 yacht for €156,000 in Puerto de Mogán in the Canary Islands and transferred it to Quinci under an alias It was later discovered that Quinci’s yacht was only one part of a larger operation each carrying more than half a tonne of cocaine were destined for different ports in Spain (Vito was later found guilty of involvement in this drug smuggling operation and sentenced to 17 years in jail in Spain the conviction was overturned after an appeal found that the police had used illegal wiretapping to gather evidence He denied knowledge of the drug-smuggling operation.) Photos from Antonino Quinci’s various identification documentsVito met his uncle in the cramped living quarters of the yacht the location where Quinci had attempted to stash the cocaine two days earlier presumably long enough to establish that the cargo was missing Then police followed them as they sailed around to the town of Ponta Delgada Quinci and Vito set up base for the next 12 days They seemed to do little except make occasional trips on a rubber dinghy sometimes to places where police could not track them When sources in port tipped off investigators that the yacht’s rudder would be fixed by 22 June just under two weeks after the yacht was first spotted Lopes and his team found Quinci surrounded by maps and piles of documents including a notebook marking the boat’s journey from Venezuela via Barbados to São Miguel investigators also found a brick of cocaine weighing 960g and a film canister containing another three grams “Quinci was easy to deal with,” Lopes said having lived in the country for a short time before he had become a police officer He and Quinci were able to converse informally “Quinci was talkative for someone who had just been detained on a drug charge,” Lopes said “He seemed worried by the fact that large amounts of cocaine were washing up all over the island.” Quinci even offered to direct officers to the area where he had hidden the cocaine But in an official interrogation on the following day and said the bricks the police seized from the boat were things he had chanced upon at sea as if he were above proceedings,” Catia Bendetti Quinci’s translator during the interrogation “He barely said a word.” Perhaps Quinci was scared He had two young children and a girlfriend who were vulnerable to reprisals and he had just lost tens of millions of pounds worth of someone else’s cocaine Or perhaps he thought he could avoid prosecution was that he had not given up hope of escaping the island Before Quinci’s cocaine had washed up on shore Lopes and his colleagues had São Miguel’s drug trade on lockdown “We knew almost everything that there was to know about the local market,” Lopes said The flow of drugs was usually small and predictable they would make such a dent in the drug supply that local prices would skyrocket But now police faced an unprecedented situation As well as the 500kg of cocaine they had seized in the previous two weeks Lopes thought that at least another 200kg were still unaccounted for the fishing village where Quinci had first moored his boat and locals told me that it was a place where even other islanders can feel like outsiders it became a hub for the sale of the missing cocaine “People from all over the island came here to buy drugs,” Ruben Frias told me narrow streets lined with pastel-coloured houses snake down to the harbour where fishermen hunch over dominos in grotty bars kilos and kilos of cocaine exchanged hands Later analysis showed that the cocaine was more than 80% pure far stronger than anything normally found on the street The drug’s potency made it highly addictive and many people who started using had little idea what they were dealing with told me that Quinci’s drug made it into the hands of the islanders at a time when many people here had little experience with cocaine a medic and coroner at Ponta Delgada’s hospital told me that in the weeks after Quinci’s arrival an unusually high number of people were coming into the hospital reporting heart attack-like symptoms “We revived a lot of people from drug-induced comas,” he said A month after Quinci had arrived on the island the front page of the Açoriano Oriental opened with the headline “Cocaine kills on São Miguel” The article reported a spike in the number of overdoses and the death of a young man Local television networks began broadcasting health warnings to the islanders advising them not to try the cocaine looks like a brutalist castle and looms over the main road heading out of town According to a witness cited in court documents while in jail Quinci was often on the phone talking in Spanish and trying to secure a scooter or rental car In exchange for help in escaping the prison Quinci had offered to draw maps for other inmates that would lead them to the cocaine Quinci entered a courtyard of the jail for his designated recreation time His arms were wrapped in ripped bed sheets to protect them from cuts: the yard was surrounded by a long From one of the white hexagonal guard towers a correctional officer named Antonio Alonso fired a warning shot from his rifle Alonso then aimed his sight directly at the fugitive prisoners had gathered and were cheering Quinci on Alonso could see civilians walking up and down a promenade on the main road “I was afraid that I might hurt someone if I fired a shot,” he would later testify on to a small scooter and into the distance The prison in Ponta Delgada from which Quinci escaped Photograph: Stefan Sollfors//AlamyPolice were immediately alerted of the escape and moved to seal off the island Pictures of Quinci were sent to all ports on São Miguel and the airport in Ponta Delgada the Açoriano Oriental asked readers to report any sightings of Quinci to the authorities Rumours circulated that he was sleeping rough in fields snorting cocaine to stave off his appetite he ended up in the house of a man named Rui Couto who lived in a village 26 miles north-east of Ponta Delgada who is now in his late 40s and has a tattoo on the left side of his shaved head and wore clothes that were too big for his skinny frame But he was forced to leave after being busted for drug possession “They caught me with six joints,” he told me in a thick Massachusetts accent He came back to São Miguel in his early 20s but the barbed wire ripped his ankles,” Couto said and his whole family was in a garden terrace at the back of his house Couto claims Quinci was brought to the house by an acquaintance of his He also told me he gave Quinci refuge out kindness and that there was no deal or plan with the Italian Quinci stayed in a chicken shed at the bottom of a potato field behind Couto’s garden for around two weeks The pair would often eat together and talk late into the night Couto told me that although Quinci was in a sorry state smoking cocaine in cigarette papers without tobacco Couto said that someone Quinci knew came round to give him a fake passport and money A relative of Quinci had supposedly bought him a boat in Madeira another Portuguese island 620 miles to the south-east and was planning to smuggle him off São Miguel as soon as possible they were going to pick him up down there,” Couto told me pointing to a bay some 200 metres from the back of his house Couto said he had been up late with a friend on the night before the police arrived he heard people shouting outside the house Couto opened the door in his underpants and a squadron of armed police burst through the front door they were working off a tip from a police colleague who believed Couto was hiding cocaine at his house Lopes and a colleague decided to check the stone shed at the bottom of Couto’s potato field The inside was covered in hay and smelled strongly of manure There didn’t seem to be anything of interest inside “but something told me I needed to search more” “We didn’t know Quinci was there,” Lopes said Quinci’s cocaine had profoundly changed life on São Miguel But that was just the immediate aftermath of his arrival When I travelled to the island earlier this year the long-term effects of Quinci’s cocaine were evident The users who agreed to speak with me said that Quinci’s arrival on São Miguel had changed the island in surprising ways. Several people told me that a number of locals had become rich thanks to the Italian’s cocaine, then started legitimate businesses, such as coffee shops, many of which still exist today. After he was re-arrested, Quinci was put on trial in Ponta Delgada and given 11 years for drug-trafficking, the use of a false identity and escaping from prison. The decision was appealed and sent to the courts in Lisbon, which reduced the sentence to 10 years. (The other two yachts that were part of the smuggling operation, the Lorena and the Julia, were impounded in July 2001 in Spain by the Spanish police.) the Caribbean-Azores route is now a mainstay of international drug trafficking where cargo is usually transferred to fishing vessels or speedboats for shipment to mainland Portugal or Spain a catamaran sailing under a French flag was impounded near the Azorean island of Faial with 840kg of cocaine on board After the methadone truck left for its next stop I took a drive along the island’s northern coast near where Quinci’s yacht had first been sighted My journey cut through towns of whitewashed buildings with terracotta roofs Farmers squelched through the soggy fields while portly Holstein-Friesian cows grazed as I reached the north-eastern tip of the island I saw the Atlantic stretching out to the horizon like a sheet of rippled slate a white sail boat was rocking back and forth in the afternoon swell Follow the Long Read on Twitter at @gdnlongread, and sign up to the long read weekly email here Get our news on your inbox! Suscribe x MercoPress, en Español Montevideo, May 6th 2025 - 12:56 UTC The Governors of the Brazilian States of Pernambuco and Alagoas issued separate emergency decrees during the weekend due to heavy rains affecting 12 and 29 cities respectively Pernambuco Governor Raquel Lyra decreed a situation of emergency in 12 cities in Zona da Mata heavy rains have affected 2,862 people from 756 families 447 people from 656 families are displaced and 101 families are homeless The emergency is established in the municipalities of São Benedito do Sul Thirteen points of landslides were registered in these cities - four in Catende it took into account the preservation of the welfare of the population and the socioeconomic activities of the affected regions and the fact that the inhabitants of the affected municipalities still do not have satisfactory conditions to overcome the damage and losses caused The government also announced the availability of emergency funding to municipalities in distress and calamity including those caused by heavy rains recorded in the metropolitan region of Recife and the areas of Mata and Agreste in recent days Governor Paulo Dantas Saturday declared a situation of emergency in 29 municipalities The municipalities reached by the decree are Atalaia Over 22,000 people have been affected statewide 2,756 people were left homeless and 19,273 people have been displaced 2,862 people have been affected by the rains in the state of which 447 are homeless and 101 are displaced Commenting for this story is now closed.If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page a 100% Brazilian industrial biotechnology company Maire Tecnimont's subsidiary for energy transition announced a strategic partnership to achieve global leadership in the licensing of patented GranBio 2G Ethanol technology to produce cellulosic ethanol GranBio's 2G Ethanol technology converts lignocellulosic NextChem is partnering with GranBio to license this technology worldwide The alliance combines GranBio's technology and knowledge in second generation biomass and biofuels with NextChem's engineering intelligence EPC capabilities and Group global presence engineering and construction of manufacturing plants around the world The technology developed by GranBio to produce 2G ethanol has already been implemented in its factory located in São Miguel dos Campos the first in the Southern Hemisphere dedicated to cellulosic ethanol "We will be pioneers in this business model leading the development of the cellulosic ethanol industry globally Some countries already recognize the renewable carbon premium; our flexible method allows the use all types of agricultural waste and energy crops as feedstocks and corn stover and even leftover wood such as pine and eucalyptus we have the ambition to conquer a significant share of the available market: we have the security and reliability that our technology is very promising," says Paulo Nigro "This partnership with GranBio improves our technological portfolio in biofuels with a flexible and profitable solution to produce ethanol a globally used chemical with many established industrial applications and enormous potential," says Pierroberto Folgiero "GranBio's reference plant is the only one of this kind We are confident in a winning solution that we shall be able to industrialize everywhere thanks to our worldwide presence and engineering capabilities." GranBio, a 100% Brazilian industrial biotechnology company, controlled by GranInvestimentos S.A., creates solutions to transform biomass into renewable products. www.granbio.com.br Contacts: Connectare Comunicação, [email protected], [email protected] Maire Tecnimont S.p.A., is the head company of an industrial group leader in the natural resources processing industry. Its subsidiary, NextChem operates in the field of technologies for the energy transition. www.mairetecnimont.com www.nextchem.com Contacts: [email protected],  [email protected] Do not sell or share my personal information: Jul 10, 2024 5:57 PM EDTFar from the bustle of metropolitan Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende presents itself as the charming heart of Mexico's central highlands this UNESCO World Heritage site is like a time capsule in the best sense—replete with winding cobblestone streets and bustling plazas covered with colorful blooms which has earned the small city a reputation as a haven for creatives and artisans and workshops showcasing everything from traditional folk art to contemporary masterpieces offering visitors the chance to sample some of Mexico's finest spirits against the backdrop of colonial splendor La Casa Dragones: The renowned tequila distillery in the heart of San Miguel de Allende is headquartered in a historic stone stable that once housed the famed Dragones Calvary during Mexico's War of Independence.  “La Casa Dragones is a former 17th-century stable that housed the elite Dragones Calvary of the Mexican Independence and is an incredibly significant piece of Mexican history,” says founder Bertha González Nieves “San Miguel is so special because it holds so much history and is one of Mexico’s most beautiful cities.” Whether you're intrigued by its storied past San Miguel de Allende promises a one-of-a-kind journey that also doesn’t require more than a few days' time Here’s how to make the most of a long weekend spent exploring central Mexico's most vibrant with some key insider tips from González Nieves San Miguel de Allende's colorful core of colonial-era buildings is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.  How to Get to and Around San Miguel de AllendeFor international travelers the closest major airport is Querétaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO) located approximately 1.5 hours away by car the larger Del Bajío International Airport (BJX) near León is about a 1.5- to 2-hour drive away or rent a car to reach San Miguel de Allende navigating the town is a breeze due to its compact size and pedestrian-friendly layout and shops are concentrated in the historic city center For longer distances or exploring the outskirts of town Bicycle rentals also offer a fun and eco-friendly way to explore but be warned that much of the city’s streets are cobblestoned and shops are concentrated in central San Miguel de Allende's iconic cobblestone streets beckoning visitors to explore the historic city on foot.  The best times of the year to visit San Miguel de Allende are during spring and fall especially around March to June and September to November The weather is mild with comfortably warm temperatures and minimal rainfall making it ideal for exploring the walkable city You might also want to consider timing your visit to San Miguel with one of the city’s popular annual events such as the Cervantes Festival in April or Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) in early November Hotel Matilda draws savvy visitors to its stylish accommodations and one of the town's great courtyard watering holes One of González Nieves’s favorite hotels in town, “Hotel Matilda celebrates the lifestyle of today’s international travelers and the contemporary Latin art scene all while offering the best in Mexican hospitality,” she says Hotel Matilda offers 32 luxurious rooms and suites adorned with contemporary artwork and high-end amenities where you can enjoy a Casa Dragones cocktail at the bar or by the pool,” González Nieves says Casa Hoyos features 16 uniquely designed guest rooms in a restored colonial building.  Casa Hoyos, housed within a restored colonial building features unique Mexican design and boldly colored tile accents Each of its 16 rooms has its own aesthetic featuring handcrafted furnishings and locally sourced artwork that capture San Miguel de Allende's distinctive vibe Guests can savor Mexican-Indian fusion cuisine at the hotel's onsite restaurant featuring bold flavors and local ingredients Casa Hoyos also boasts a rooftop with a small pool and a renowned bar offering panoramic views of the skyline and the perfect setting to enjoy cocktails at the end of the day Where to Eat: Best Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner in San Miguel de AllendeOne of the best ways to start your day in San Miguel is with breakfast at Garambullo Fonda Gourmet an open and airy cafe-restaurant with a plant-filled courtyard backed by a bright magenta brick wall or heartier breakfast dishes like chilaquiles or poached eggs on polenta For lunch, tiny, unassuming Tostévere makes some of the best tostadas in town and get ready to indulge in pulpo (octopus) tostadas piled sky high or opt for their popular short rib sandwich if tostadas aren’t your thing as Tostévere is known for its delicious cocktails A local favorite, and one of González Nieves’ top spots in town, Bovine Brasserie is actually an Australian steakhouse “[Bovine] has a sophisticated atmosphere that embodies both simplicity and contrast," she notes For a truly unforgettable dining experience five-course pairing dinner at La Mesa Dragones exclusively created to pair with Casa Dragones "La Mesa Dragones is beautifully designed with walnut cabinets made of laton and wire mesh where our sipping tequilas are displayed,” González Nieves adds.  Visitors can arrange rooftop tequila tastings paired with gorgeous views of central San Miguel de Allende.  Where to Drink: Best Drinking Experiences in San Miguel de AllendeLa Casa Dragones Tasting Room is located in a stunningly restored colonial building—some parts of it dating all the way back to 1671 Visitors can take part in one (or more) of the property's guided experiences from a tequila tasting that also includes a tour of the historic home to a tasting focused on the premium brand's barrel-aged expressions you can reserve a tasting on the rooftop with views of the city or an after-dinner mixology experience that will teach you how to make dessert-inspired cocktails A quick 15-minute drive out of the city center, Cava Garambullo is a small natural winery—and one of the first to take root in Guanajuato when it started production over a decade ago garambullo is a tiny purple berry native to Mexico and some winemakers incorporate it into their process From its picturesque location in the Mexican highlands and occasional workshops and events on Thursdays Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel ​​Don't-Miss: Top Attraction in San Miguel de AllendeRight in the heart of the city stands as the iconic centerpiece of San Miguel de Allende The historic neo-Gothic parish church captivates with its pink towers and intricate facade showing off the city's unique colonial architecture Originally constructed in the 17th century the Parroquia underwent a significant redesign in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and a visit inside is a must while visiting the city—featuring stunning altars San Miguel's arid climate is ideal for hiking and walking cobblestone lanes rife with charms Things to Do in San Miguel de Allende Over Three DaysDay 1: Ogle Art and Local History—and Go Treasure HuntingBegin your day at the iconic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel which towers over the main square of El Jardín Take in the intricate facade adorned with pink stones and venture inside to admire the intricate altars and stained glass windows As you wander around the cobblestone streets surrounding the square you'll encounter a ton of small boutiques and galleries housed in centuries-old buildings Next, delve into the artistic soul of San Miguel by visiting the Instituto Allende a renowned art school housed in a former 18th-century convent Marvel at the striking architecture while strolling the galleries with works by both local and international artists Take time to venture to Casa de Ignacio Allende the birthplace of one of Mexico's key figures in the struggle for independence you can explore a museum dedicated to Allende's life and legacy Other handmade wares can be found aplenty at the Mercado de Artesanías (artisan market) Cap off your day with a sunset stroll to El Mirador an overlook offering panoramic views of the city's terracotta rooftops and surrounding hills Locals and visitors alike love coming to this spot at sunset for a stunning scene Towering over its namesake colonial town 1,421-foot Peña de Bernal is one of the world's tallest monoliths—and the area's bucket list summit trek.  located near the town of Bernal in the state of Querétaro is one of the tallest monoliths in the world rising 1,421 feet above the desert terrain but conquering Peña de Bernal offers breathtaking panoramic views from its summit—well worth it if you're up for the steep two- to three-hour climb Bernal is also a charming colonial town with cobblestone streets Start your journey from San Miguel de Allende early in the morning to make the most of the day here you’ll arrive in Bernal and head toward the base of the monolith Then ignore the burn as you take in the stunning landscape around you: rugged cliffs Stop at the summit to catch your breath and take in the panorama—one of central Mexico's finest A two-hour drive from San Miguel de Allende leads to the charming colonial town of Bernal—and the gateway to Mexico's mightiest monolith.  take some time to explore the town of Bernal known for its handicrafts and local cuisine Enjoy a meal at one of the town's many restaurants serving savory Mexican dishes such as gorditas Remember to indulge in a refreshing agua fresca or traditional cajeta-filled churros Before departing back for San Miguel de Allende take a leisurely stroll through the town's picturesque plaza Don't leave San Miguel Allende without sipping its top local tequila Another favorite of González Nieves Doce 18 offers a wide variety of fashion and home decor pieces It helps that it’s located in the same building as Casa Dragones Tasting Room Pop in there next (make sure to reserve this experience ahead of time) to embark on an exclusive tequila tasting experience led by experts who will guide you through the nuances of Casa Dragones tequilas Learn about the intricate process of crafting tequila from the cultivation of blue agave to the art of distillation Indulge in the smooth and refined taste of Casa Dragones Joven known for its distinctive flavor profile and smoothness Doce 18 (top) offers a wide variety of fashion items The city's ubiquitous colorful textiles are another popular keepsake.  By Austa Somvichian-Clausen is a journalist and hospitality entrepreneur who specializes in spirits and travel content Brazil, the largest country in South America, is known for its culture, landscapes, and history. With a vast territory that encompasses the Amazon Rainforest Brazil offers an array of travel experiences Beyond the well-known cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo there are many smaller towns that showcase the country’s welcoming spirit and heritage These towns often retain much of their traditional architecture making them inviting destinations for those looking to explore Brazil's lesser-known gems Paraty, established in 1667 in the state of Rio de Janeiro, played a key role in Brazil's colonial economy as a major port for gold exportation to Portugal The town's significance grew with the Caminho do Ouro (Gold Trail) a historic route that facilitated the movement of gold from Minas Gerais to Paraty’s port This historic pathway and the town’s well-preserved Portuguese colonial architecture including the cobbled streets and churches set Paraty apart as a living museum of Brazil’s colonial era Paraty's welcoming nature is reflected in its blend of cultural heritage and the natural surroundings of the Atlantic Forest and the Bay of Paraty fostering a community that values both preservation and hospitality Founded in 1727 during the Brazilian Gold Rush, Pirenópolis in Goiás emerged as an important mining hub The town is also notable for its colonial architecture including the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary exemplifies the town's historical significance Pirenópolis is also renowned for its cultural traditions which reenacts the medieval battles between Moors and Christians It shows the town's commitment to preserving its cultural heritage and welcoming visitors to partake in these traditions Cachoeira do Abade is a private natural reserve in Pirenópolis It gives visitors a chance to experience the region’s biodiversity evidences the town's colonial architecture and houses religious artifacts that date back to the 18th century For those interested in geology and hiking Serra dos Pireneus has trails that lead to the peak of Pico dos Pireneus makes it a welcoming destination for nature enthusiasts and conservationists where visitors can observe stalactites and stalagmites formed over thousands of years Campos do Jordão, located in the state of São Paulo was established in the 19th century as a health resort due to its high altitude and cool climate it had gained popularity as a retreat for those seeking relief from the summer heat and a place for patients with respiratory conditions What sets Campos do Jordão apart is its distinct European architectural influence often earning it the nickname "Brazilian Switzerland." This Alpine-style town attracts visitors year-round particularly during the winter festival in July when the town becomes a hub of cultural activities Horto Florestal (State Park), established in 1941, spans over 8,000 hectares of preserved Atlantic Forest and features hiking trails, picnic areas, and a range of native flora and fauna. The Amantikir Gardens, inspired by various international garden styles, is a diverse botanical experience with over 700 Brazilian plant species spread across 60,000 square meters has panoramic views of the town and surrounding Serra da Mantiqueira mountain range São Miguel dos Milagres, a small town on the northern coast of Alagoas, is known for its beaches and tranquil environment. Unlike many coastal destinations in Brazil, São Miguel dos Milagres has remained relatively untouched by mass tourism, which has preserved its nature and local culture. The area is part of the Coral Coast, home to one of the largest coral reefs in Brazil The welcoming nature of São Miguel dos Milagres is evident in the town’s small-scale family-run accommodations and community-focused tourism efforts Among the attractions in São Miguel dos Milagres, the beach of Praia do Toque is a place for visitors to enjoy warm, clear waters and explore the coral reefs at low tide. Foz do Rio Tatuamunha, a protected area, has guided boat tours to observe the native manatee population part of a conservation program aimed at protecting these endangered marine mammals is a coastal road that connects a series of small Founded in 1875 by German and Italian immigrants Gramado in Rio Grande do Sul is recognized for its European architectural influence and well-preserved traditions The town’s development as a tourist destination began in the mid-20th century with the establishment of parks such as the annual Festival de Cinema de Gramado one of the most significant film festivals in Brazil and culinary offerings make it a welcoming destination that feels distinctively different from other Brazilian towns Key attractions in Gramado include the Mini Mundo, a miniature park created in the 1980s. It has meticulously crafted replicas of world-famous buildings and landmarks. Lago Negro, an artificial lake surrounded by pine trees brought from the Black Forest in Germany is great for paddle boating and also has scenic walking paths It is a cozy spot for visitors to enjoy Gramado's culinary offerings and artisanal goods especially during the town's festivals and events located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte was originally a quiet fishing village that gained recognition in the 1970s when surfers and backpackers discovered its beaches and waves derived from the Portuguese word for "keg," comes from a rock formation along the coast that resembled a barrel to the early Portuguese explorers Its welcoming atmosphere is enhanced by the town's laid-back vibe a mix of local and international influences and a community that is open and accommodating All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2025 worldatlas.com MexicoChevron GuanajuatoChevron San Miguel de AllendeChevron while Quintanilla is the vice president of original content for Sony Pictures Television Given the couple's high-profile jobs (and their combined Instagram following of nearly 700,000) the couple felt like they needed to step away from their home city to get into a nuptial mindset “We thought a destination wedding would take us out of our setting—we’ll feel like we’re on vacation not like we have to go to work tomorrow after the wedding,” says Adyan And so they married last month in the charming colonial city of San Miguel de Allende it was no easy feat to plan a 400-person wedding—sure to be splashed all over social media—1,300 miles away from home the newlyweds share how they went about plotting a rollicking May celebration with 400 of their closest friends and family in attendance Adyan and Quintanilla met through a friend in 2020 and reconnected while working for the same company the following year and wed last month on a friend's ranch in San Miguel de Allende With their hearts set on a destination celebration, the couple started by considering—and visiting—the places they were born; as noted, Quintanilla is Mexican while Adyan is Puerto Rican. “We traveled to a lot of places, which was really fun,” says Adyan. “We started in Puerto Rico but it’s not normal there to have a wedding of 400 people and that was our number from the beginning.” Mexico City wasn’t quite right, either, as it wouldn’t lend that magical transportive quality they hoped to impart. The couple flew to Guatemala to check out some spots but “the curfew there is [typically] 11 p.m. and we wanted to party a little bit later than that,” laughs Adyan wasn’t even on their radar until friends who lived there suggested they come visit and consider the place for their wedding why haven’t you tried San Miguel de Allende?’ Honestly I’d seen photos and never visited!” says Adyan With an invitation to stay at their friends’ ranch the couple spent two weeks over Christmas 2023 visiting the area They fell in love with both San Miguel and the ranch which is located within the city’s community of Las Fincas their generous friends had everything they’d wanted: The couple decided to marry on the ranch itself The couple's nontraditional venue meant they had to bring in every item and vendor and the massive event required not one but two wedding planners It was a good thing that Quintanilla and Adyan flipped for the property because it would take a lot of work to get it ready for their celebration In addition to a whole team of rental companies and vendors working throughout the week of their celebration the couple wound up hiring two wedding planners: one in San Miguel and one in Puerto Rico and what we love about her is she knows everyone that you can imagine,” says Adyan This one is a better price.’ She put everything together for us.” Ultimately Deisa was in charge of big-picture logistics and production while Angie was on-site making recommendations and finally Adyan and Quintanilla wanted a sleek palette and eventually went with whites and greenery while a key element of the ceremony design revolved around the ranch’s lake We did that because we think that water moves energy,” explains Adyan complementary versions of the same suit by Dominican designer Jose Ventura kicked off the festivities on Friday night Lest the wedding seem too classic (or staid) the weekend kicked off on Friday night with a callejoneada a traditional processional through the streets of San Miguel de Allende for the couple and their guests Leading the festive atmosphere were mojigangas which are “kind of big piñatas with our faces on them,” says Quintanilla “It’s a party in the streets.” The mojigangas were a favorite touch of Adyan’s because the puppets resemble cabezudos oversized puppet heads worn in parades in his own Puerto Rican culture The proximity of the events around town was carefully plotted “because wanted guests to actually have the experience of walking around and having fun,” he continues A three-tier tres leches cake and piña colada signature drink nodded to Adyan's Puerto Rican background while mariachi band Los Campos and local Mexican food celebrated the location and Quintanilla's heritage The mojigangas were one of the first, and most visible, celebrations of the couple’s cultures The cocktail hour after the ceremony featured signature drinks: mezcalitas and margaritas for Mexico and a piña colada with Flor de Caña rum for Puerto Rico guests were greeted with little drink kits and instructions for making their own mezcalitas at their seats The cocktail hour’s soundtrack was a mariachi band, Los Campos, and loads of tinkling marimba by Tono 13 which was choreographed ahead of time by Gisela Rivera was set to a medley of their three songs: “Llegaste” by Luis Fonsi It is now Adyan’s favorite memory of the night “The entire world just faded away in that moment,” he says or traditional processional through the streets brought a long-established element to the modern festivities An aspect of the wedding that felt intrinsic not just to the couple’s cultures but themselves were several moments of appreciation for their mothers The moms walked them down the aisle to their ceremony and at the reception the newlyweds surprised their mothers by bringing out the Cuban singer Lenier to perform “Como Te Pago”—a song about never being able to repay a mother for her love—during their mother-son dances saw props and late-night snacks to fuel the party until the morning hours One more bit of culture the couple were sure to undertake was the hora loca, or crazy hour, a tradition in many Latin American countries in which the party and its energy get turned up via special music Though it’s a common festivity in many Latin American countries the newlyweds actually associate it with their home base in the U.S “Living in Miami makes you adopt things from every single country,” says Adyan To amp up the energy following dinner and the initial hours of dancing the couple brought out props like sombreros and mini flags of Puerto Rico and Mexico during their crazy hour and elote kept guests partying until the wee hours—just as the couple had hoped they would Want to be the first to know? Sign up to our newsletters for travel inspiration and tips A Guide to Korčula, Croatia Why Everyone Will Be Going to Osaka in 2025 A London Local’s Melting-Pot Itinerary for Food This New Eco-Cruise Through the Galápagos Takes Passengers On a Safari at Sea up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world and why we're committed to enabling the energy transition Discover the sustainable technology solutions and integrated E&C solutions our Group offers Follow our sustainable journey and see how it's helping us enable the energy transition Read through our numbers to make an informed decision on why investing in us means investing in the future Get to know the people and policies that manage our Group and lead us towards a sustainable future Find the latest news and media resources about our Group Explore our open positions to find your perfect match and learn more about our Group culture 16 June 2022 - Europe’s strict regulations and challenging targets for the decarbonization of transports are driving a rapidly growing demand for bio and low carbon fuels with bioethanol alone expected to show a CAGR of over 4% during the 2022-2027 period (1) Maire Tecnimont Group’s NextChem partnered up with Brazil-based GranBio in 2020 to co-develop and co-license the 2G ethanol technology which converts non-food lignocellulosic biomass into low-carbon second generation biofuels The European patent for GranBio’s 2G ethanol production technology (GP3+®)has now been officially granted in 31 countries including those rich in feedstocks such as Bulgaria Such technology is a flexible and profitable solution to produce second generation bio-ethanol a globally used fuel with enormous potential as feedstock for green chemistry processes GranBio has been successfully producing 2G ethanol since 2014 at its plant located in São Miguel dos Campos the first and only one of this kind currently operating on an industrial scale with registered offices in Milan and authorized by Consob with resolutions no which commemorates the Trans Day of Remembrance includes descriptions of violence and bigotry against transgender people The Wild Hunt believes it is important to our mission to acknowledge given the importance of transgender people to the Pagan movement  Ygor Arrudasouza called the police to his apartment in downtown Miami at 4:25 AM they found the body of a woman covered in blood with stab wounds from a fork and knife Arrudasouza faces one count of second-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery The victim was Yunieski “Yuni” Carey Herrera the first woman to change her Cuban passport to match her female identity AUGUSTA, Ga. –  Felycya Harris was an interior decorator.  “She enjoyed lending her eye to improve the surroundings of others, and made others feel comfortable in their own space,” notes a Human Rights Campaign press release. “She said she could do ‘just about anything with decorating,’ which she learned from her late grandmother.” Reports say that Harris is “the third transgender person to be killed in the area in the last year so she was not the only case of violence transgender women face in their own communities.” TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  –  Tony McDade – known to friends as “Tony the Tiger” – said in a video the night before his death that he had been attacked by five people. Rolling Stone reported that McDade vowed revenge on his attackers The details of what happened next are unclear but McDade was shot and killed by a Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) officer I’m an officer,’” claims one witness He was misgendered by the police and by subsequent reports [Tony McDade via the Human Rights Campaign] A Gofundme page was created for McDade’s funeral expenses to help his mother. The Gofundme organizer wrote: “While the grand jury declined to hand down indictments against the police officers it expressed concern… It also noted that the officer who shot and killed McDade violated police department policy by not activating his body camera Shortly after the release of the grand jury’s report on Friday Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey appealed for calm noting “the pain and trauma that these incidents have caused The mayor called for a review of the police department’s use of deadly force and said he would seek to include a mental health component to how police respond to incidents McDade’s death coincided with nationwide protests over the murder of George Floyd Tony’s Gofundme page has raised $251,411 There are hundreds of similar stories from just this year. The 2020 data from the Transrespect project continues to show the scope of the tragedy and the challenges faced by the transgender community Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR) is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence Today we honor the memory of those who perished because they led authentic lives We say the names of those we lost in the last year for their peace “La Chachis” / “La Tocha” [Source: Transrepect.org] And the many others whose names were unreported and whose authentic lives were not acknowledged Please consider visiting Trans Respect vs. Transphobia Worldwide or GLAAD to learn more The Wild Hunt is not responsible for links to external content Visit our The Wild Hunt subreddit! Point your favorite browser to https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/ to be notified of new articles posted to our subreddit nonprofit news journal serving the collective Pagan Heathen and Polytheist communities worldwide Follow us each day to stay up to date with the latest news and commentary Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News A San Miguel de Allende politician has asked people to keep a lid on bad news after a deadly shooting Saturday night Municipal councilor Humberto Campos has asked residents not to share news stories about violence in order to promote a “good image” for the municipality don’t share violent news,” he said on Facebook I just want to avoid a damage to our economy.” His statement drew criticism from other Facebook users one of whom warned the councilor “you cannot cover the sun with you finger” (you can’t pretend the problem doesn’t exist) “Of course it’s good to share positive things But people should also be advised about what is happening around them.” only don’t complain when there’s no money or tourism.” several people were shot on Conspiración boulevard near the La Placita Market Witnesses told the newspaper El Sol del Bajío that they heard the first volley of about six shots around 11:25pm and minutes later “There were no shouts or motor sounds or anything,” one witness said a 22-year-old man identified as Everardo and a 23-year-old woman identified as Elena Ugalde At least three other women were also injured including a 14-year-old girl named Ximena Morales Huerta who later died in hospital Anonymous sources told El Sol del Bajío that Morales was not an intended target of the attack and that she was eating at a nearby taco stand when the shooting started The other women who were injured are Daniela Alejandra the local government said at least four people were found wounded at the scene “We condemn these unfortunate events and reiterate our commitment to work with the authorities of all levels of government to investigate what happened,” the statement read “We also reiterate our commitment to build the tranquility and social peace that all people from San Miguel aspire to.” there have been about 65 homicides in the Guanajuato municipality Source: El Sol del Bajío (sp), Zona Franca (sp) ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Delays in achieving economic viability of second-generation ethanol keeps investors at arms’ length, but some companies are staying in the race Raízen Converting sugarcane bagasse into fuel is nearing commercial viabilityRaízen Alagoas: technology imported from Italy did not work as promisedGranBio only one-third of the biomass is used in the process of fermenting the sucrose in the cane juice The challenge in second-generation production is to also utilize the bagasse and leaves and lignin and account for the remaining two-thirds of the plant’s energy and are not metabolized in the conventional system the technologies used in second-generation mills pretreat the biomass to break the structure of the lignocellulosic material; this is followed by hydrolysis in which enzymes are used to convert cellulose and hemicellulose polymers into sugars using genetically modified yeasts that transform the sugars from the biomass into ethanol Yeast development has made uneven progress in utilizing cellulose and hemicellulose Other microorganisms more efficiently break apart hexoses (the six-carbon sugars from cellulose) than pentoses (five-carbon sugars resulting from hydrolyzing hemicellulose) Another important hurdle to achieving economic feasibility involves the cost of enzymes needed to generate the sugars For chemical engineer Carlos Eduardo Vaz Rossell it is crucial to improve the efficiency of enzymes and reduce their price which is the availability of a large volume of biomass in the plant itself in the form of sugarcane bagasse This helps in the search for economic viability and justifies new investments in research,” says Rossell who from 2010 to 2016 coordinated the pilot plant of the Brazilian Laboratory of Bioethanol Science and Technology (CTBE) which is linked to the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) in Campinas there are challenges with regard to productivity and logistics since this resource must be gathered from the fields and brought to the industrial facility coordinator of the process intelligence division at CTBE says that we do not yet know for sure how much leaf material should be removed from the fields for use as raw material “Maintaining part of the leaves improves the productivity of the sugarcane preserving moisture and nutrients.” In addition to these challenges unforeseen engineering problems have arisen; some require expensive and complex solutions and made it impossible for most of the ethanol mills to meet their deadline for starting operations Enzymes needed to produce second-generation ethanol are still expensive biofuels manager at the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) disagrees with the current perception that the delay in economic viability indicates a failure of the technology “We are currently in the final stage of research and development (R&D) it is common for there to be a process of funneling until the most efficient process is obtained,” he states BNDES and the Brazilian Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (FINEP) contributed R$3 billion to the Joint Plan to Support Technological Innovation in the Sugarcane Energy and Chemical Industrial Sectors (PAISS) to develop new technologies for processing sugarcane biomass The portfolio of projects included Raízen and GranBio It appears that Raízen is closest to reaching commercial scale operations This company is a joint venture between the Brazilian Cosan and the multinational Shell and in 2014 established a plant in Piracicaba which simultaneously produces both generations of biofuel the mill produced 12 million liters of cellulosic ethanol; the goal is to reach 25 million liters this year and 40 million liters (the total installed capacity) next year Raízen benefited from Shell’s investment a decade ago in the Iogen energy company which has a pilot plant extracting ethanol from wheat straw in Ottawa “We analyzed the viability of the technology and saw that it was interesting,” says Antonio Stuchi executive director of technologies and projects at Raízen the notion of using wheat straw did not come to fruition: the process required quantities of water considered economically unfeasible But the knowledge was useful for Raízen’s strategy “We were unsure whether the enzymes would be effective and we were in the dark about the yeasts’ ability to work with the pentoses,” he recalls “But engineering problems caught us by surprise.” High levels of impurities in the biomass led to the creation of a pre-cleaning step The process of separating the sugars and lignin needed to be redesigned But the main problem was the corrosion of equipment in the pretreatment step can cause much more damage than wheat straw,” says Stuchi One technique to speed up construction of second-generation mills was to combine technologies licensed from other companies. Milanez recalls that there was a belief that Brazil could use technologies developed abroad and only need to make “tropicalizing” adjustments. “We have always believed that adaptation to the characteristics of Brazilian biomass would be a challenge, and Raízen’s success shows that it was essential to create solutions locally,” he says. DuPont DowDuPont cellulosic ethanol plant in the United States, which is for saleDuPont Iowa State University Bales of cornhusks collected in the state of Iowa for fuel productionIowa State University Equipment corrosion was also a serious problem for the company the biomass is subjected to very high temperatures and pressures and then suddenly decompressed; initially when this material slammed against the walls of the pre-treatment equipment it caused failures and production stoppages almost every day “We moved from a technology that proved unfeasible with two pretreatment stages and one involving steam explosion plus a mechanical treatment step for the fibers using equipment specifically made for this purpose,” says Gradin reaching production capacity of 28 million liters of second-generation ethanol 5 million liters of which were exported to the United States More resources are needed to ensure commercial viability—R$35 million this year and R$45 million in 2019—to reach production of 45 million liters and 60 million liters Gradin will present GranBio at an event in the Netherlands as a company which has changed since 2014 now with technologies developed in Brazil and the ability to license them worldwide increased interest in second-generation ethanol is stimulated by a new escalation of oil prices which were at approximately US$75 dollars per barrel in recent months a Dutch company that produces cellulosic ethanol in Iowa in partnership with the American company Poet said that the oil prices boost the company’s chances of offering a competitive product Around US$70 a barrel,” said Sijbesma Its goal is to produce 72 gallons (272.5 liters) per ton of corn residue and it is getting close to reaching this target: the mill has already attained the level of 70 gallons (265 liters) per ton the Poet-DSM consortium announced the construction of a unit to produce enzymes used to break down cellulose from corn waste the main challenge has been to organize collection of this raw material; as with sugarcane there have been difficulties removing dirt and sand part of the fragility in the research efforts involving alcohol from cellulose comes from the fact that there is a global fuel market that can press for technological advances second-generation fuel faces competition from first-generation a successful route that works very well.” A more favorable situation emerged two years ago when the Paris Accord established commitments to limit global temperature increases and proposed low-carbon emissions scenarios in which biomass energy plays a central role the launching of a new National Policy for Biofuels which rewards sustainable ethanol production may serve as an additional stimulus for second-generation fuel (see Pesquisa FAPESP issue no A pioneer in the study of biomass use for energy production is a professor at Dartmouth College’s Thayer School of Engineering Lynd maintains that one mistake committed by governments and investors has been to bet heavily on the construction of large power plants and worry less about financing technological advances that can reduce production costs In developing renewable solar and wind energy investments were first made in niches and then more ambitious targets were sought Initial small-scale applications permit faster learning Lynd stated in an article published in October in the journal Nature Biotechnology “Battery technologies were employed in electronic products before they were used in hybrid cars,” he offered as an example a biofuel research company which in 2005 received contributions from investors such as Vinod Khosla Mascoma was not able to meet the goal of converting inedible biomass into ethanol which was interested in yeasts developed using a technique Lyn created the biologist did not abandon his original plans © Revista Pesquisa FAPESP - All rights reserved Metrics details Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia due to a deficiency in endogenous insulin production Persistent hyperglycemia leads to enhanced oxidative stress and liver injury Several studies have evaluated the anti-diabetic and protective effects of probiotic strains in animal models through histopathological and biochemical analyses the effects of eight weeks of administration of Saccharomyces boulardii (S boulardii) yeast on the liver of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic C57BL/6 mice boulardii attenuates hepatocytes hydropic degeneration and hepatic vessels congestion in STZ-induced diabetic mice The treatment attenuated the oxidative stress in diabetic mice leading to a reduction of carbonylated protein concentration and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase The results also show the beneficial influence of S boulardii in regulating the hepatic concentration of renin angiotensin system (RAS) peptides boulardii administration to STZ-induced diabetic mice reduces oxidative stress and normalizes the concentration of RAS peptides supporting the hypothesis that this yeast may have a role as a potential adjunctive therapy to attenuate diabetes-induced liver injury boulardii administration on the liver injury of STZ-induced diabetic mice as well as its role in the modulation of hepatic RAS peptides and oxidative stress markers The control groups received the same volume of sterile water Caudate lobe was stored at − 80 °C for further analyses and the median lobe was fixed in 10% buffered formalin for histological analyses Trunk blood was collected in ice-chilled heparinized tubes and blood was centrifuged at 10,000×g for 10 min at 4 °C aliquoted and stored at − 80 °C for further analyses For morphometric analysis of Hematoxylin & Eosin stained sections (400 × magnification) the hepatocyte perimeters of three random regions of the tissue were determined freehand by one blinded reader and 500 to 1100 hepatocytes per group were measured avoiding cells around hepatic veins or in the edges of the slices we included a high number of cells in the analysis and also used the three sections from each slide Digital photomicrographs were captured using the software Pannoramic Viewer (3DHISTECH Ltd.) and the number of hepatocytes per area from four random sections of each sample was computed To determine the degree of vascular congestion hepatic vessels from Hematoxylin & Eosin stained sections (200 × magnification) were counted and classified as (1) no congestion (2) slight congestion (less than half of the vessels full of blood cells) (3) moderate congestion (about half of the hepatic vessels presenting signs of congestion) and severe congestion (more than half of the vessels filled up with blood cells) The results were presented as a percentage of the total number of analyzed blood vessels The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were determined to investigate liver damage using commercially available kits (Labtest Diagnostica S/A Brazil) according to the manufacturer’s instructions a frozen liver fragment was homogenized for 30 to 45 s ice-cold phosphate buffer 30 mM and potassium chloride pH 7.4 and the following protease inhibitors: potassium EDTA (25 mM) phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) 100 mM and protease inhibitor cocktail (1 tablet/10 ml extraction solution were added to the microcentrifuge tube in a proportion 10 ml per gram of tissue and used for homogenate preparation Samples were centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 10 min and the supernatant was stored at 80 ºC for biochemical analyses The reaction medium consisted of guanidine 6 M in hydrochloric acid 2.5 M at pH 2.5 2,4 dinitrophenylhydrazine in hydrochloric acid 2.5 M TCA 10% and ethanol-ethyl acetate 1:1 (v/v) The samples were prepared for solid-phase extraction with the addition of the Sar1-Leu8 Ang II internal standard and thus extracted on Sep-PakC18 3 cc columns (Waters Extraction control was done using a tenfold concentration with the peptides of interest: angiotensin I (Ang I) angiotensin III (Ang III) and angiotensin 3–7 (Ang 3–7) (Sigma The peptides were separated on a Luna C18 reverse-phase column (100 × 2.0 mm USA) using a linear gradient of mobile phase A (H2O ammonium acetate and formic acid) and mobile phase B (methanol and formic acid) in Agilent 1260 HPLC (Agilent and subsequently injected into the Mass Spectrometer coupled to HPLC The peptides' detection was performed with the multiple monitoring reaction (MRM) according to their mass/load (m/z) and retention Calculations were performed from a calibration curve (with matrix) in the range of 0.5 fmol to 200 fmol per injection Quantification of the samples was determined by calculating the peak area displayed for the mass of the target ions in the spectrometer referenced to the known amount of standard peptides acquired under the same conditions over the same time The results were analyzed using Multiquant 3.0.3 software (Sciex Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism The Kolmogorov–Smirnov algorithm was used to determine whether each variable had a normal distribution Parametric results were evaluated with Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test for multiple comparisons of means expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean and nonparametric results were evaluated with Kruskal–Wallis followed by Dunn’s multiple comparisons test expressed as median ± IQR (interquartile range) Differences were considered statistically significant when p ≤ 0.05 diabetic mice presented significantly lower body weight compared with C and CP groups (C = 19.30 ± 0.51 g The difference remained until the end of the eight-week protocol and probiotic did not affect this parameter (C = 22.16 ± 0.58 g Fasting blood glucose in mg/dl (a) at the beginning and (b) at the end of the protocol (week 8) diabetic (D) and diabetic + probiotic (DP) groups (n = 6–9/group) Data are from C57BL/6 STZ-induced diabetic mice + /− Saccharomyces boulardii (0.5 × 108 colony-forming units A horizontal line inside the box indicates the median value of the samples within each group and the upper and lower edges of the box indicate the quartiles The significance was determined by Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test for multiple comparisons of means (GraphPad Prism 6) (a) Number of hepatocytes per µm2 (b) hepatocytes area in µm2 (c) liver mass corrected by tibia length (g/cm) (d) collagen content (%) analyzed using CellProfiler 3.1.5 in control (C) For (b,d) significance was determined by Kruskal–Wallis followed by Dunn’s test and for (a,c) significance was determined by Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test for multiple comparisons of means (GraphPad Prism 6) Level of congestion in hepatic vessels (%) from control (C) Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test for multiple comparisons of means (GraphPad Prism 6) ***p ≤ 0.001 versus C in the same degree of injury; and ####p ≤ 0.0001 versus D in the same degree of injury Histological sections of liver stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin from C57BL/6 STZ-induced diabetic mice + /- Saccharomyces boulardii (0.5 × 108 colony-forming units boulardii (b) show normal hepatocytes organization The diabetic group (c) showed hepatocytes with signs of hydropic degeneration which consists in enlarged cells and clear cytoplasm due to the presence of small clear vacuoles with indistinct shape and limits (→) Aminotransferases (a) AST and (b) ALT in IU/l Carbonylated proteins (nmol/mg) and lipid peroxidation (cps/mg protein) in hepatic tissue of control (C) For (a) the significance was determined by Kruskal–Wallis followed by Dunn’s test and for (b) the significance was determined by Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test for multiple comparisons of means (GraphPad Prism 6) Activity of (a) superoxide dismutase (SOD) (b) glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and (c) catalase (CAT) in hepatic tissue of control (C) For (a) significance was determined by Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test c) results were evaluated with Kruskal–Wallis (f) Ang III and (g) Ang (3–7) in control (C) The significance was determined by Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons of means (GraphPad Prism 6) Our research group has already demonstrated the benefits of S and inflammatory profile of diabetic STZ-induced mice boulardii on liver oxidative stress and local renin angiotensin system attenuating liver damage on the model of T1DM mice Our results show that after eight weeks of treatment there was still no significant increase in the lipid peroxidation neither stimulation for exacerbated collagen production by hepatic stellate cells in diabetic animals we also demonstrated that the liver of diabetic mice presented vessel congestion compared to control mice suggesting the presence of fibrotic tissue impairing blood flow Along with the attenuation of oxidative stress in the treated group the severe congestion of vessels was reversed after S suggesting that Ang II exerts important effects despite its low concentration in this tissue our results show increased oxidative stress in diabetic mice concomitant with increased levels of Ang II and liver damage boulardii reduced the Ang II concentration back to the control level and also attenuated organ damage in diabetic treated groups suggesting an important role of this peptide on the development of diabetic liver injury It is important to mention that although we did not observe hepatic steatosis in this study demonstrated that the content of triglycerides is increased in STZ-induced diabetic mice and that the treatment with S Limitations of the present study include the lack of expression analysis of the angiotensin receptors (AT1R and AT2R) in the liver The precise pathways activated by Ang II and Ang III in the context of diabetes and S boulardii treatment remain to be elucidated but the results from the present study do imply that the imbalance of RAS peptides could well have a role in the development of diabetic-liver injury boulardii administration normalizes the concentration of RAS peptides while liver damage was also attenuated showing that the changes in RAS peptides levels are at least in part responsible for this beneficial effect Further studies will be needed to elucidate which pathway is predominantly activated by Ang II and Ang III to understand the exact function of those peptides in the liver of diabetic animals this study provided histomorphological and biochemical analyses on the liver after S boulardii administration in STZ-induced diabetic mice reduces oxidative stress and attenuates diabetes-induced liver injury supporting the hypothesis that this yeast may have a role in the treatment of diabetes as a potential adjunctive therapy to reduce hepatic and metabolic complications of the disease The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request High protonic potential actuates a mechanism of production of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria Role of oxidative stress in diabetic complications: A new perspective on an old paradigm Role of oxidative stress and molecular changes in liver fibrosis: A review Complications of type 1 diabetes mellitus are associated with renin angiotensin system: The role of physical exercise as therapeutic tool High glucose concentration stimulates intracellular renin activity and angiotensin II generation in rat mesangial cells Intracellular angiotensin II production in diabetic rats is correlated with cardiomyocyte apoptosis High glucose increases extracellular matrix production in pancreatic stellate cells by activating the renin-angiotensin system Local renin-angiotensin system at liver and crosstalk with hepatic diseases Activated human hepatic stellate cells express the renin-angiotensin system and synthesize angiotensin II Establishing a causal link between gut microbes body weight gain and glucose metabolism in humans: Towards treatment with probiotics Saccharomyces boulardii: A review of an innovative biotherapeutic agent Saccharomyces boulardii ameliorates clarithromycin- and methotrexate-induced intestinal and hepatic injury in rats Systematic review with meta-analysis: Saccharomyces boulardii in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea Saccharomyces boulardii administration changes gut microbiota and reduces hepatic steatosis and fat mass in obese and type 2 diabetic db/db mice Brandão, A. B. P. et al. Saccharomyces Boulardii attenuates autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction and modulates inflammatory cytokines in diabetic mice. 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liver regeneration Serum aminotransferase concentration as evidence of hepatocellular damage Isoforms of alanine aminotransferases in human tissues and serum: Differential tissue expression using novel antibodies The current state of serum biomarkers of hepatotoxicity Aspartate aminotransferase activity and isoenzyme proportions in human liver tissues Download references This work was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo FAPESP [grant number 2016/24059-2]; and by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 Department of Bioscience and Oral Diagnosis State University Julio de Mesquita Filho (Unesp) Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) - Institute of Science and Technology participated and conceived the research design refined the final draft and revised the manuscript All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript The authors declare no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88497-w Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science Study proposes productive use for the large amount of waste generated by fruit crops between harvesting and post-consumption (photo: Wikimedia) Study proposes productive use for the large amount of waste generated by fruit crops between harvesting and post-consumption The study was coordinated by Crispin Humberto Garcia Cruz, a full professor at the São José do Rio Preto Campus of São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil, and developed by Michelle Cardoso Coimbra a PhD student and holder of a scholarship from FAPESP answers obtained in the laboratory can’t simply be extrapolated to a large-scale industrial process but they serve as the basis for an estimate Judging from the values obtained at the laboratory scale if all of the waste generated by orange and banana crops were converted into ethanol annual production could reach 658 million liters,” Garcia Cruz told Agência FAPESP Cardoso Coimbra described the process performed in the laboratory step by step the orange and banana waste is dried and ground into powder The next step is acid hydrolysis with sulfuric acid at 5% The pre-treated material is then blended with enzymes in solution for about 24 hours,” she said the mixture is filtered and detoxified with activated carbon to remove any inhibitory compounds formed during acid hydrolysis The material is then used as a substrate for fermentation by Zymomonas mobilis and Pichia stipitis “Using combined cultures of Zymomonas mobilis and Pichia stipitis increased the yield compared with processes based on only one of the microorganisms,” Garcia Cruz explained both pentoses and hexoses released by peel hydrolysis can be converted into ethanol.” Brazilian production of anhydrous and hydrous sugarcane ethanol amounts to some 27 billion liters per year Ethanol from orange and banana waste would correspond to approximately 2.5% of this volume Considering only hydrous sugarcane ethanol annual production amounts to 15 billion liters orange and banana ethanol would correspond to 4.3% Most of the feedstock would come from oranges Brazil is the world’s largest producer of oranges with an annual crop amounting to some 18 million metric tons “Approximately 50% of an orange’s weight consists of peel and bagasse we can estimate that 9 million tons of orange waste per year could be generated which ideally could be converted into 570 million liters of ethanol,” Cardoso Coimbra said the second most commonly grown fruit in Brazil the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation 46 kg out of every 100 kg harvested cannot be sold due to non-compliance with consumer quality standards Rejects alone could generate some 3 million tons of recyclable waste per year this amount could be converted into 88 million liters of ethanol,” Cardoso Coimbra said If the 570 million liters from orange waste are added to the 88 million liters of banana waste the total obtained is 658 million liters per year These numbers are purely theoretical for now No production facilities that can produce ethanol from fruit currently exist in Brazil These plants would preferably be built close to plantations existing plants could be adapted to process the feedstock collection and processing of fruit waste depend on several factors One of these is that waste is generated during different stages of the orange and banana production processes from harvesting and transportation to resale and post-consumption An even more important factor is that ethanol production from fruit waste depends on second-generation technology which involves breaking down cellulose and hemicellulose chains by enzymatic hydrolysis and conversion of the resulting sugars to ethanol “One of the main bottlenecks is the high cost of the enzymes required to release sugars in the cellulose and hemicellulose hydrolysis stage,” Garcia Cruz said “Another is the use of genetically modified microorganisms or combined cultures of microorganisms capable of fermenting the hexoses and pentoses released by hydrolysis thereby increasing yields in second-generation ethanol production.” Brazil’s first second-generation sugarcane ethanol plant began operating commercially late last year in São Miguel dos Campos The plant is located near three mills that produce sugar and first-generation ethanol selling part of their waste (cane straw and bagasse) to the second-generation plant This arrangement is essential to keep transportation costs down and would not be possible in the case of fruit waste the researchers consider fruit waste ethanol to be a commercially promising option all the more so because there would be by-products “The waste resulting from the various stages of ethanol production could generate electricity,” Garcia Cruz said it would be advisable to extract the essential oils a by-product of value to the food industry.” The study was coordinated by Crispin Humberto Garcia Cruz, a full professor at the São José do Rio Preto Campus of São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil, and developed by Michelle Cardoso Coimbra, a PhD student and holder of a scholarship from FAPESP. “Of course, answers obtained in the laboratory can’t simply be extrapolated to a large-scale industrial process, but they serve as the basis for an estimate. Judging from the values obtained at the laboratory scale, if all of the waste generated by orange and banana crops were converted into ethanol, annual production could reach 658 million liters,” Garcia Cruz told Agência FAPESP. Cardoso Coimbra described the process performed in the laboratory step by step. “First, the orange and banana waste is dried and ground into powder. The next step is acid hydrolysis with sulfuric acid at 5%. There are other types of pre-treatment, such as alkaline hydrolysis, steam explosion and so on. The pre-treated material is then blended with enzymes in solution for about 24 hours,” she said. “After enzymatic hydrolysis, the mixture is filtered and detoxified with activated carbon to remove any inhibitory compounds formed during acid hydrolysis. The material is then used as a substrate for fermentation by Zymomonas mobilis and Pichia stipitis, producing ethanol.” “Using combined cultures of Zymomonas mobilis and Pichia stipitis increased the yield compared with processes based on only one of the microorganisms,” Garcia Cruz explained. “This is because with two microorganisms, both pentoses and hexoses released by peel hydrolysis can be converted into ethanol.” Brazilian production of anhydrous and hydrous sugarcane ethanol amounts to some 27 billion liters per year. Ethanol from orange and banana waste would correspond to approximately 2.5% of this volume. Considering only hydrous sugarcane ethanol, which is widely used as automotive fuel, annual production amounts to 15 billion liters. In this case, orange and banana ethanol would correspond to 4.3%. Most of the feedstock would come from oranges. Brazil is the world’s largest producer of oranges, with an annual crop amounting to some 18 million metric tons. “Approximately 50% of an orange’s weight consists of peel and bagasse, which are the main forms of waste. Thus, we can estimate that 9 million tons of orange waste per year could be generated, which ideally could be converted into 570 million liters of ethanol,” Cardoso Coimbra said. Annual production of bananas, the second most commonly grown fruit in Brazil, amounts to approximately 7 million tons. According to EMBRAPA, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, 46 kg out of every 100 kg harvested cannot be sold due to non-compliance with consumer quality standards. Rejects alone could generate some 3 million tons of recyclable waste per year. “In ideal terms, this amount could be converted into 88 million liters of ethanol,” Cardoso Coimbra said. If the 570 million liters from orange waste are added to the 88 million liters of banana waste, the total obtained is 658 million liters per year. An even more important factor is that ethanol production from fruit waste depends on second-generation technology, which involves breaking down cellulose and hemicellulose chains by enzymatic hydrolysis and conversion of the resulting sugars to ethanol. “One of the main bottlenecks is the high cost of the enzymes required to release sugars in the cellulose and hemicellulose hydrolysis stage,” Garcia Cruz said. “Another is the use of genetically modified microorganisms or combined cultures of microorganisms capable of fermenting the hexoses and pentoses released by hydrolysis, thereby increasing yields in second-generation ethanol production.” Brazil’s first second-generation sugarcane ethanol plant began operating commercially late last year in São Miguel dos Campos, Alagoas State. The plant is located near three mills that produce sugar and first-generation ethanol, selling part of their waste (cane straw and bagasse) to the second-generation plant. This arrangement is essential to keep transportation costs down and would not be possible in the case of fruit waste, at least in the near term. Despite these caveats, the researchers consider fruit waste ethanol to be a commercially promising option, all the more so because there would be by-products. “The waste resulting from the various stages of ethanol production could generate electricity,” Garcia Cruz said. “Moreover, before using orange peel, it would be advisable to extract the essential oils, which consist mainly of limonene, a by-product of value to the food industry.” Go to Home PageSubscribeAdvertiser disclosureSearch The Points Guy I'm all for destinations that take me by surprise Those are often places that are super family-friendly when I had them wrongly pegged in my mind as quite the opposite the UNESCO World Heritage city in Central Mexico that I had somehow imagined to be a blue-haired baby boomer bastion for Americans looking to live better off their social security south of border vibrant and family-welcoming city with a deeply Mexican soul that was perfect for a vacation with my two toddlers I recently spent three weeks in the hilltop city with my husband and two children it stays pleasantly cool here even during the summer and especially at night Despite being a nearly impossibly hilly place to navigate with a double stroller (definitely bring your baby carrier and your narrowest umbrella stroller) it's one of the most kid-friendly spots I've been yet There was one rooftop bar where we were told our toddlers weren't welcome (it's called La Azotea and it's totally worth hitting on a night when you can arrange a sitter so you can enjoy the amazing jicama tacos and passion fruit margaritas) Otherwise we rolled with our kids everywhere and were welcomed with open arms and mucho warm Related: The Best Hotel Credit Cards of 2019 The first thing to know is that San Miguel de Allende requires more work to get to than take a taxi or arrange a private transfer in advance with your hotel The far and away most inexpensive airport to fly into, though, is Mexico City International Airport (MEX) aka Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juarez which has flights from the US on almost all major carriers since I landed flights with JetBlue from Orlando Once we landed, we made our way to the Primera Plus bus terminal and booked tickets on the next bus to Queretaro (about $20 per person we paid about $30 for a taxi for the remaining 45-minute ride to San Miguel de Allende (You can also travel by Primera Plus from Queretaro to San Miguel but we were tired from the early morning flight and wanted an immediate departure at that point.) Many San Miguel de Allende hotels can arrange private transfers to the airport in Mexico City and you can expect to pay around $260 one-way for a sedan and upward of $320 one-way for a Suburban It's about half that price for private transfers to the Guanajuato and Queretaro airports is the heart of the town and a relaxing place to sit at a cafe enjoy an ice cream from a street vendor and just take in the pulse of life around you The square is totally closed to vehicle traffic at its perimeter so it's a great place to let the kids roam free Young ones will no doubt be drawn to the vendors selling scores of balloon animals and cheap sound-making toys Roaming mariachi bands arrive later in the afternoon and into the late evening hours to serenade the crowds and you can munch on an elote (corn on the cob) or handmade potato chips from the food vendors lining the square A few blocks stroll downhill (on narrow sidewalks and stone roads) from the main square brings you to the best playground in town set within San Miguel's main city park paved paths lead to gurgling fountains and quiet squares within the park with vendors selling crafts and snacks Kids will hone in quickly on the playground right at the park's northern entrance which has an area for older kids and one geared more toward toddlers I noticed that local playgroups tended to meet here on weekend mornings if you're looking to meet some expat and Mexican parents in a convivial setting I loved the parklike setting of this popular cafe attached to the renovated textile mill-turned-art gallery hot spot called Fabrica La Aurora, Geek&Coffee. It's a friendly little open-to-the-fresh-air cafe selling cakes salads and espresso drinks that also has a wide-open grassy space contained by a fence and an on-site playground You can sip your cuppa while your kids burn off some energy with the local kids The cafe also has a little area stocked with kids' books and toys and a their-size table (a kiddie corner of sorts) in area shaded from the sun To the north of San Miguel de Allende, there are several hot spring-fed pools and grottoes to enjoy. The warm waters, paired with the dry air, make for a delightful sensory experience. We hired a taxi for five hours (about $40) and spent a wonderful Sunday at La Gruta which friends recommended to me as the most beautiful of the bunch There are several pools in which to soak in waters of varying temperatures a neat grotto you access through a short tunnel partially filled with water (my son loved this open grassy areas where you can relax and picnic The on-site restaurant is affordably priced and sells things like chilaquiles and pancakes Admission includes lockers but you'll want to bring your own towels Admission is about $12 per person and free for kids under 3 For souvenir and trinket shopping (you can't leave San Miguel de Allende without at least a heart fridge magnet featuring the town's omnipresent symbol) spend a few hours wandering the downhill trajectory of silver metalwork and jewelry shops within the Mercado de Artesanias Right in the heart of el Centro (the town's historic center), San Miguel's public library has ongoing dual-language (Spanish/English) events children's books in Spanish and English and a kids' play area set off a pretty courtyard with a fountain There's also a lovely cafe here in a shaded open-air setting with strong Gaze skyward any early morning in San Miguel and chances are you'll see a colorful hot air balloon (un globo) or three flying overhead. Flights over the colonial town and the countryside sprawling around it make for a singular family adventure. Coyote Canyon Adventures is a well-respected and established operator to go out with and trips include breakfast after your flight Kids ages 2 and up can take part in the awesome horseback riding excursions with Coyote Canyon Adventures They'll pick you up in town and take you out to the countryside for 2.5 hours of riding followed by lunch prepared at one of the casitas back at the ranch If you have a full day to spend at the ranch consider bringing the kids along for a fun program that will see them gathering chicken eggs horseback riding and exploring the ruins of a 400-year-old church nearby Horseback riding adventures start from $110 per person from small family-run posadas to lavish luxury resorts Mexican hospitality is a theme most anywhere This is a great place to charge your stay to a card that has a travel purchase "eraser" feature like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Or log in to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account click to Chase's travel portal and see your options for booking a San Miguel de Allende hotel with your UR points San Miguel de Allende isn't a place with many chain hotels at all, but the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende qualifies on that count, even if it doesn't have a loyalty program (the chain does offer free night promotions sometimes landscaped with lavender bushes and olive trees right in the historic center is the best spot in town for a family stay and thoughtful touches like bath amenities for my kids and even a kiddie tub and crib were in there without me even having to request them has the best views in town and semicircular couch-style seating where you can cordon yourself off with little kids The property has a shallow kiddie pool where they can play and offers fun things like family cooking lessons in an outdoor kitchen The best part is you're just a one-minute stroll to Parque Benito Juarez With a sophisticated design aesthetic right in the heart of the old town, Hotel Matilda is another top option for families that's located steps from that playground at Parque Benito Juarez and a short stroll (uphill) to the main square I loved taking the kids for a swim in the pool and sitting on our balcony in the morning and watching the hot air balloons on the horizon. The rooms have oversized bathtubs that are perfect for bathing kids and a lovely outdoor restaurant, Moxi If you prefer a more intimate stay with the family, you'll love the feel of this boutique property with just five lavish suites set around an interior courtyard with a gurgling fountain. Hotel Amparo has the feel of a riad and is a quiet oasis right in the historic center There's a rooftop restaurant and a great little coffee shop and street-level bar But what really sets this place apart is the exquisite design sense that blends modern furnishings with Mexican art and textiles for a real sense of place For an inexpensive pick in the historic center, families love the bed-and-breakfast style Villa Mirasol for its traditional Mexican décor and suites that can sleep four with terraces and patios The hotel is located within steps of the main square and Parroquia de San Miguel cathedral Street food abounds in San Miguel and is the far and away least expensive way to feed the family thought not every traveler feels comfortable eating that way I loved picking up tacos for the family for dinner or a "pollo paquete" (chicken package) from street-side stalls that came with tortillas There are lots of great restaurants in San Miguel Affordable Mexican mainstays like huevos rancheros and chilaquiles are on the menu at this favorite family-friendly cafe with indoor and outdoor seating on Hidalgo Street (the main street leading to the central square). For lunch, Cafe Buen Dia's menu has a great selection of sandwiches and salads This inexpensive Mexican chain focuses on rotisserie chickens served up with all the fixings like tortilla chips, tortillas, salsa and roasted peppers. You can dine in at several Pollo Feliz locations around town or make for an easy meal in by ordering a "chicken paquete" to go Nachos, quesadillas, hamburgers and fajitas make for classic kid pleasers at this atmospheric restaurant with tables set in an interior courtyard. Hecho en Mexico has great prices Just avoid sitting at the table set atop a stage-like area if you don't want to be chasing your toddlers from the edge your entire meal expect a long line outside this wildly popular sweet tooth spot inside a 19th-century townhouse in the city center where cinnamon pastries called churros are served up with piping hot cups of hot chocolate for dipping Your kids are sure to thank you (and beg for a return trip) due to the pure dunking pleasure With two locations in the center, Los Milagros does breakfast, lunch and dinner and a steady stream of Mexican standards like fajitas, mole dishes and quesadillas as well as more exotic shrimp and seafood dishes for adult palates. Whether for a long weekend or an even longer stay, San Miguel de Allende makes for an affordable Mexican family vacation that's a real departure from the all-inclusive experience that dominates the country's coastlines. For culture, great food and warm Mexican hospitality in a delightful colonial city, this is the spot. Here's some more Mexico trip-planning advice: The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach That’s why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality industrial and technological challenges must be overcome first 2G biofuels are among the subjects being discussed at the 2017 BBEST conference (photo: Erik Nardini / CTBE) 2G biofuels are among the subjects being discussed at the 2017 BBEST conference By Elton Alisson  |  Agência FAPESP – Cellulosic ethanol obtained from sugarcane trash and bagasse also known as second-generation (2G) ethanol can be economically viable by 2025 if the current obstacles to its production are surmounted and if the Brazilian sugar and energy industry leaves behind its present stagnation This is the opinion of researcher Antonio Bonomi, coordinator of the process intelligence division at the National Bioethanol Science & Technology Laboratory (CTBE), which belongs to the National Energy & Materials Research Center (CNPEM) in Campinas, São Paulo State, and a member of the steering committee for the FAPESP Bioenergy Research Program (BIOEN) it’s clearly more worthwhile from the economic standpoint for firms in the sugar and energy industry to set up a new plant to produce first-generation (1G) ethanol than to build a 2G ethanol plant integrated with a 1G plant because the return on investment is greater,” Bonomi said the tendency is for the cost of producing cellulosic ethanol to equal the cost of producing 1G ethanol in the medium term and for 2G ethanol to become cheaper than 1G ethanol in 2030 industrial and technological obstacles faced today are surmounted and the industry leaves its current stagnation behind.” 2G biofuels are among the subjects being discussed at the 2017 Brazilian BioEnergy Science & Technology Conference (BBEST 2017) which runs through October 19 in Campos do Jordão According to Bonomi, principal investigator for a project supported by FAPESP to find ways of valorizing a decentralized biomass supply chain for the production of advanced biofuels the volume of 2G ethanol currently produced in Brazil is very small Only two 2G ethanol plants exist today in Brazil Their aggregate production capacity is a little over 100 million liters per year but their actual output is less than half that capacity “Neither plant produces uninterruptedly,” he said “They’re still on the learning curve and use equipment that isn’t yet very efficient Their processes face problems that are being identified and gradually resolved.” According to estimates made by researchers in July 2014 the production cost of 2G ethanol is about R$1.50 (now about US$0.50) per liter compared with about R$1.15 for 1G ethanol 2G ethanol may cost only about R$0.75 per liter to produce by 2025 and R$0.52 by 2030 he conducted a study commissioned by BNDES that projected the future cost of producing 2G ethanol and the timeframe for the technology to become economically viable in Brazil 2G ethanol would be competitive even if international oil prices fell as low as US$44 per barrel,” Bonomi said the researchers conducted an initial survey of 22 firms and experts in the fuel ethanol industry and performed computer simulations using Virtual Sugarcane Biorefinery (BVC) a computational tool developed by CTBE to evaluate the integration of new technology with the production chains for sugarcane and other types of biomass in the agricultural The simulations were based on three different scenarios: short-term (2015-20) medium-term (2021-25) and long-term (2026-30) One of the scenarios represents average production today for a 1G ethanol plant with the capacity to process 2 million metric tons of cane during the harvest with basic technology and no energy cogeneration The other scenarios assume the processing of at least 4 metric tons with modern technology and assume the production of 1G ethanol alone The researchers considered two technological routes for the production of 2G ethanol: separate fermentation of five-carbon sugars (xylose) and cofermentation of five- and six-carbon sugars (glucose) The results of the simulations indicated that in the agricultural stage one of the obstacles to the economic viability of 2G ethanol is the high cost of biomass “The cost of biomass is a hindrance not just to the production of 2G ethanol but also to that of 1G ethanol,” Bonomi said Other obstacles are the lack of an agricultural and industrial system designed to make full use of sugarcane including the leaves of the plant (known among technicians as trash) and the lack of an alternative to cane between harvests so that a plant can operate 300-330 days per year instead of 200-240 days “Energy cane [hybrid varieties obtained by crossing Saccharum officinarum with S spontaneum with higher fiber content and less sugar than conventional cane] can help in this sense because it has some interesting properties,” Bonomi said One of the advantages of energy cane is that these varieties which have been developed by firms such as GranBio and Vignis and by research institutions such as the Agronomy Institute (IAC) do not require water stress to accumulate high levels of sugar Another benefit is that they can also be harvested throughout the rainy season one of the main obstacles to economic viability for 2G ethanol is the high cost of capital goods the plant and equipment required to produce it “This is a problem that the learning curve will probably solve,” Bonomi said “The first plant is normally more expensive because there aren’t yet enough manufacturers of the right equipment for production.” one of the main problems is pretreatment of biomass to separate lignin from cellulose and hemicellulose in preparation for the process of hydrolysis which converts cellulose and hemicellulose into fermentable sugars for the production of 2G ethanol involving preparation of the lignocellulosic materials [cellulose and hemicellulose] so that enzymes can break down the polymers they contain isn’t fully understood and the equipment required is still being developed,” Bonomi explained Another problem is the long time required for hydrolysis which entails costly tank storage and a risk of contamination 2G ethanol plants’ capacity is excessive by design to offset the losses that are likely to occur owing to contamination during the process,” Bonomi said the C5 sugars resulting from hemicellulose hydrolysis Hydrolysis of cellulose results in glucose a C6 sugar that is readily fermentable into ethanol hydrolysis of hemicellulose produces C5 sugars (pentoses) which the microorganisms in today’s yeast fermentation cannot easily metabolize to produce 2G ethanol resulting in a relatively slow pace of 2G ethanol production from hemicellulose it’s possible to produce 2G ethanol on a large scale from cellulose hydrolysate,” Bonomi said “Production from hemicellulose hydrolysate is still under development CTBE has only recently developed a modified yeast capable of producing ethanol from pentoses “The progress expected in the agricultural industrial and technological areas should ultimately make 2G ethanol cheaper than 1G ethanol.” Each of Brazil’s 2G ethanol plants uses a different technological route in that it is dedicated to producing 2G ethanol and not integrated with a 1G ethanol plant a joint venture between multinational Shell and locally owned Cosan is an integrated facility that produces both 1G and 2G ethanol an advantage of the technological route chosen by Raízen compared with GranBio’s route is that at least cellulose hydrolysate can be fermented together with cane juice sucrose to make 2G ethanol “Whereas GranBio makes ethanol by converting a blend of cellulose hydrolysate and hemicellulose hydrolysate in which glucose and other C6 sugars from the cellulosic fraction are combined with C5 sugars from the hemicellulosic fraction Raízen’s technology ferments C6 with sucrose and can ferment C5 sugars separately to produce ethanol,” he said both plants have faced technological challenges to produce 2G ethanol especially in the raw material pretreatment stage In a press release published in early June by Broadcast Grupo Estado’s real-time news and market data service GranBio acknowledged that it had changed its 2G ethanol investment timetable and production targets owing to technological problems relating to pretreatment and also to the economic crisis in Brazil It added that it expected to produce 2G ethanol as competitively as 1G ethanol by 2019 Raízen replied in a written statement that one of the keys to its successful production of 2G ethanol at its Costa Pinto plant in Piracicaba is 1G-2G integration which gives rise to significant logistical benefits “The company has high hopes for this disruptive technology and believes the technological challenges have been surmounted,” the statement said “At this time we are pursuing mechanical reliability for our equipment and a satisfactory level of excellence for the plant as a whole.” The study “De promessa a realidade: como o etanol celulósico pode revolucionar a indústria da cana-de-açúcar: uma avaliação do potencial competitivo e sugestões de política pública” by Bonomi et al. can be retrieved (in Portuguese) from: web.bndes.gov.br/bib/jspui/handle/1408/4283 South America is teeming with young talents right now and Manchester United have their eye on an upcoming Brazilian wonderkid a teenager currently playing for Brazilian outfit Palmeiras He is already held in high regard in his native country and has even been dubbed as ‘the next Endrick’ United are among the clubs who are interested in signing the teenager We’ve taken a closer look at the Brazilian youngster and have gathered everything you need to know Thalys is a Brazilian prospect who is currently on the books at Palmeiras While the youngster is still yet to make his senior debut for the club he has garnered a huge reputation for himself in youth football He currently plays for the Palmeiras U20s and is highly thought of in his native country despite being dubbed as ‘the next Endrick’ he is actually one year older than his Brazilian counterpart the dynamic forward has also been compared to Rivaldo due to his similar play style he is versatile enough to play in a number of positions although he has since been pushed higher up the pitch due to his striking power The 18-year-old now predominately plays as a centre-forward although he can also operate as a second striker or right winger although he is capable of finishing off either foot he is taller than Endrick and therefore would be a greater aerial threat in and around the box 18 year old Brazilian attacking midfielder Thalys is the latest Palmeiras wonderkid that the big clubs are chasing #UndaRated 📈pic.twitter.com/5vJaN8J7zR — UndaRated (@Unda_Rated) February 9, 2024 Palmeiras are looking for ‘no less than’ £34million for their latest prodigy Real Madrid paid a total package of around £60million to land Endrick from Palmeiras he is under contract until 2026 meaning that the Brazilian club is in a strong position to dictate his market value United aren’t the only club who are interested It was confirmed by AS that Palmeiras rejected an offer from Italy last January and plenty of top European sides are now sniffing around Barcelona and PSG are also keeping tabs on the 18-year-old “I believe that jumping to the Premier League immediately would be hasty,” Brazilian journalist Rogerio Amaral Junior told United in Focus. “He doesn’t have any games as a professional for Palmeiras but he’s a great player who has a lot of room for improvement he would have to be loaned to a smaller team to gain experience he is a striker who tends to be very regular but has never been tested under the pressure that is professional football he also trains with the professional team but has not yet made his debut he will make his professional debut this year.” READ NEXT: 7 former Man Utd players you had no idea are still playing outside of Europe TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every Man Utd signing since Sir Alex Ferguson retired? 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