The present work presents a detailed taxonomic study on Ostracoda from the Quiricó Formation, Areado Group, São Francisco Basin, Brazil. The samples were collected from three outcrops in the Minas Gerais State: Tereza Farm (João Pinheiro Municipality), and from the banks of the São José and Quiricó creeks (Presidente Olegário Municipality). Sixteen ostracode species were recovered: Harbinia alta, Harbinia aff. H. angulata, Harbinia aff. H. crepata, Harbinia aff. H. salitrensis, Harbinia symmetrica, Brasacypris fulfaroi, Brasacypris ovum, Cypridea conjugata, Cypridea hystrix, Cypridea infima, Cypridea jequiensis, Neuquenocypris (Protoneuquenocypris) antiqua, Penthesilenula martinsi, Penthesilenula pintoi new species, Alicenula longiformis new species, and Timiriasevia sanfranciscanensis new species. With the recovery of well-preserved specimens, it was possible to observe new characteristics in Brasacypris ovum, Cypridea conjugata, C. hystrix, and C. infima, and propose emendments to them. Additionally, three new species are described: Penthesilenula pintoi n. sp., Alicenula longiformis, n. sp., and Timiriasevia sanfranciscanensis n. sp. To date, the genus Timiriasevia had not been recorded in strata from Brazil. Also, Darwinula martinsi is reassigned to the genus Penthesilenula. Several species herein recorded are also found in other Brazilian continental basins, as well as in African and Argentinian basins, contributing to the knowledge of Brazilian Cretaceous continental deposits.

In this work, the grapheme oxide (GO) and GO/ZnO nanocomposite were successfully obtained from the oxidation of graphite and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In the GO/ZnO nanocomposite, the GO sheets were coated with aggregated ZnO nanoneedles with ca. 20 nm of diameter. The obtained materials were used as heterogeneous catalysts for acetylation of Soybean Fatty Acids Methyl Esters (FAME), promoting the epoxy ring-opening using acetic anhydride. The epoxy ring was almost completely opened in the presence of GO or GO/ZnO nanocomposites, with conversion rates up to 99% and selectivity of ca. 90%, and partially opened using only ZnO. The GO/Zn and GO catalysts were reused three times with conversion rates of ca. 85 and 74%, respectively.

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Despite the abundant literature on limnic Cretaceous ostracode faunas, the database on mid-Late Cretaceous taxa is still scarce. The Songliao Basin in northeastern China preserves a diverse assemblage of ostracode fossils from the Santonian–Campanian Nenjiang and Sifangtai formations. This rather unique material is of major importance to comprehend Early to mid-Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Campanian) limnic ostracode faunas and therefore the evolution of Late Cretaceous basins in China. A study of this fauna was conducted to detail the taxonomy of ostracode species from members 1 and 2 of the Nenjiang and Sifangtai formations in the Songliao Basin. Well-preserved specimens of 14 ostracode species were recovered from samples of the ZKY2-1 well in southwestern Songliao Basin: Scabriculocypris liaukhenensis Liu in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Ilyocyprimorpha netchaevae Su in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea acclinia Netchaeva in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea cavernosa Galeeva, 1955, Cypridea gracile Netchaeva in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea lepida Ye in DOFEAD, 1976, Cypridea squalida Sou in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Fabaeformiscandona? Disjuncta (Hao in Hao et al., 1974), Lycopterocypris profunda Lübimova, 1956, Mongolocypris magna (Hou, 1958), Mongolocypris tera (Su in Netchaeva et al., 1959), Talicypridea obliquecostae (Szczechura and Błaszyk, 1970), Talicypridea reticulata (Szczechura, 1978) and Renicypris renalata (Su in Hao et al., 1974). Four of the species identified received emended descriptions and diagnoses. Other important results include the first discussion on sexual dimorphism in Cypridea acclinia and Fabaeformiscandona? disjuncta, the first study on the ontogeny of Ilyocyprimorpha netchaevae, and the reassignment of Cypridea liaukhenensis to the genus Scabriculocypris. Several species recorded herein are also found in other continental far-eastern Asian basins, while genera range from worldwide to far-eastern Asian distribution; these results support strong affinities among faunas of Mongolia, China, and Japan.