Composição florística, diversidade e efeitos edáficos em duas comunidades de savanas rochosas na Amazônia e Cerrado, Brasil

Despite the uniqueness and reach of the flora from natural savannas in the Brazilian Amazon, and the existence of studies on its origin and diversity, there are no local studies associating floristic patterns with soil properties in savanna enclaves in the Amazon region of the state of Mato Grosso. Floristic composition and diversity were compared between a woody community from a rocky savanna inselberg in a transition region (RTS) between the two largest South American biomes (Cerrado-Amazon), and an enclave of rocky savanna in the Amazon (RAS), and the effects of soil properties were investigated. Floristic comparisons were also made between the two studied communities and two other rocky savanna communities near the Cerrado-Amazon transition. The flora and physical and chemical soil properties in twenty-five 20 × 20 m subplots (1 ha) in each community were sampled and georeferenced. An evident floristic distinction was found between the two studied communities, with low similarity values and a high number of indicator species. The observed and estimated richness and Rényi diversity profiles indicated lower species diversity in RAS than in RTS. Soils were found to be litholic, poorly drained, dystrophic, alic, extremely acidic, sandy and nutrient poor. Species composition and abundance was associated with soil properties in both communities. The clear difference in species composition and diversity between RTS and RAS seem to be shaped by soil properties, geographic isolation and floristic influence from the Cerrado and the Amazon. These results broaden the knowledge regarding the composition and diversity of woody plants of savannas in Amazonian enclaves and Cerrado inselbergs, and provide an important set of floristic and edaphic descriptors for the phytogeography of rocky savannas.Apesar da singularidade e extensão da flora de savanas naturais na Amazônia brasileira, e da existência de trabalhos sobre sua origem e diversidade, não há estudos locais que associam padrões florísticos com propriedades do solo em enclaves de cerrado na região amazônica no estado de Mato Grosso. Comparamos a composição florística e a diversidade entre uma comunidade lenhosa de um inselberg de savana rochosa em uma região de transição (STR) entre os dois maiores biomas sul-americanos (Cerrado-Amazônia) e um enclave de savana rochosa na Amazônia (SAR) e investigamos os efeitos das propriedades do solo. Além disso, comparamos as duas comunidades estudadas com outras duas comunidades de savanas rochosas próximos da transição Cerrado-Amazônia. A flora e as propriedades físicas e químicas do solo de vinte e cinco subparcelas de 20 × 20 m (1 ha), em cada comunidade foram amostradas e georreferenciadas. Uma evidente distinção florística foi encontrada entre as duas comunidades estudadas, com baixos valores de similaridade e um número elevado de espécies indicadoras. A riqueza observada e estimada e os perfis de diversidade de Rényi indicaram menor diversidade de espécies na SAR do que na STR. Os solos são litólicos, pouco drenados, distróficos, álicos, extremamente ácidos, arenosos e pobres em nutrientes em ambas as comunidades. A composição e a abundância de espécies foram associadas às propriedades do solo. A clara diferença na composição e diversidade entre STR e SAR parecem ser moldadas pelas propriedades do solo, isolamento geográfico e influências florísticas do Cerrado e Amazônia. Esses resultados ampliam o conhecimento sobre a composição e diversidade de plantas lenhosas de savanas em enclaves da Amazônia e inselbergs do Cerrado e fornecem um importante conjunto de descritores florísticos e edáficos para a fitogeografia de savanas rochosas

Decidualized human decidual stromal cells inhibit chemotaxis of activated T cells: a potential mechanism of maternal-fetal immune tolerance

BackgroundNumerous lines of evidence confirm that decidual stromal cells (DSCs) play a key role in maternal–fetal immune tolerance. Under the influence of progesterone and other hormones, the DSCs go through a process of differentiation (decidualization) during normal pregnancy. In mice, DSCs inhibit the expression of chemokines that attract abortigenic Th1 and Tc cells to the decidua. We have studied this phenomenon in humans.MethodsWe established human DSC lines and decidualized these cells in vitro with progesterone and cAMP. We determined the expression of the chemokines CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11, whose receptor CXCR3 is expressed by Th1 and Tc cells, in undifferentiated DSCs and decidualized DSCs by qRT-PCR. Activated CD3+CXCR3+ cells, including CD4+ Th1 cells and CD8+ Tc cells, were induced in vitro. The migration capacity of these activated lymphocytes was investigated in Transwell chambers with conditioned media from undifferentiated and decidualized DSCs.ResultsWe demonstrated that CXCL9 was not expressed by DSCs, whereas the expression of CXCL10 and CXCL11 was inhibited in decidualized cells. Conditioned media from decidualized cells significantly inhibited the migration of Th1 and Tc cells. We found that decidualized cells secrete factors of MW less than 6000–8000 Da, which actively inhibit the chemotaxis of these lymphocytes.DiscussionThese results confirm in humans that decidualization of DSCs inhibits the expression by these cells of chemokines that attract Th1 and Tc cells and induces the secretion by DSCs of factors that inhibit the chemotaxis of these lymphocytes, thus preventing the arrival of abortigenic T cells in the decidua

Does fire determine distinct floristic composition of two Cerrado savanna communities on different substrates?

ABSTRACT We surveyed two savanna sites, one on flat terrain with deep soil (DS), and the other on hilly terrain with rocky outcrops and shallow soil (RS), before and after an accidental fire. We found that the fire did not cause any significant changes in the species composition or diversity of either community, and did not result in floristic homogenization. However, we did record a reduction in the density of plants and in basal area in the DS savanna in comparison with the RS savanna, as well as a higher rate of basal sprouting, which indicates a trade-off between mortality and sprouting. We conclude that, whereas post-fire changes in vegetation structure were more pronounced in the DS savanna than in the RS, the difference in the underlying substrate did not have a direct influence on the post-fire composition of woody species. The greater grass biomass found in the DS savanna in comparison with the RS savanna appears to have been the principal modulator of the severity of the fires in the two phytophysionogmies, and accounts for the distinct responses to fire we observed in the two woody communities

Recomendaciones para el dise\uf1o y ejecuci\uf3n de programas educativos en el marco del aprendizaje a lo largo de la vida. Experiencias de las universidades socias del Proyecto TRALL (programa ALFAIII de la Comisi\uf3n Europea).

The publication contains a compilation of lifelong learning innovations. Sharing of experiences and strategies on lifelong learnings integral to UIL\u92s mission and in line with this spirit, the three year TRALL project has shown the importance of promoting synergies instead of the usual dispersion of efforts in the Latin American region. Such projects as TRALL and the resulting publicationare an important way to add value to the many learning reforms different actors are conducting in the different countries in the Latin American region. Imparting and taking on board good practices lead to common understanding and convergence in outlook. At the same time, learning from different country contexts is considered to be relevant for promoting the idea of social diversity. The report Learning to Be commissioned by UNESCO in 1972 (Faure et al., 1972) advocated lifelong education in both developed and developing countries, recognising education as universal and lifelong, and open to all. The UNESCO Report Learning: the Treasure Within (Delors et al., 1996), acknowledged lifelong learning as one of the guiding and organising principles of educational action and reform that underlines the essential role learning plays for both society and individuals.Despite the integrative understanding lifelong learning promoted since 1972, today most education systems are still not in a position to offer quality lifelong learning opportunities for all. Making it a reality implies holistic and sector-wide educational reform involving all sub-sectors and education levels of the education system to ensure the creation of learning opportunities in all settings or delivery modalities (formal, non-formal and informal) for people of all ages, and meeting a wide range of learning needs. Recent developments have reinforced the relevance of lifelong learning. These include an increasingly globalised world, the need for maintain peace and security, the introduction of new technologies, the exponential growth and changing nature of information, demographic shifts and social transformations, climate change and sustainable development, and the need of citizens to upgrade competences to meet labour market, social and environmental demands. Lifelong learning policies in the Latin American region need to be supported by broad social consensus,legislative instruments and coordination mechanism. As lifelong learning activities no longer fall exclusively within the domain of Ministries of Education, a mechanism for facilitating collaboration among various sectors and stakeholder is indispensable. Certain support structures are needed to facilitate lifelong learning. These include on the one hand, a full range of provision of education and learning opportunities, including guidance and counselling; as well as effective information and communication tools, and conducive learning environments and resources. To facilitate lifelong learning and provide incentives for learners, a learning outcomes-based qualifications framework and a coordinated approach to assessment and recognition of learning outcomes in non-formal and informal settings are required

Subcutaneous anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune immunoglobulin for prevention of disease in asymptomatic individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trialResearch in context

Summary: Background: Anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune immunoglobulin (hIG) can provide standardized and controlled antibody content. Data from controlled clinical trials using hIG for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 outpatients have not been reported. We assessed the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune immunoglobulin 20% (C19-IG20%) compared to placebo in preventing development of symptomatic COVID-19 in asymptomatic individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: We did a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, in asymptomatic unvaccinated adults (≥18 years of age) with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection within 5 days between April 28 and December 27, 2021. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive a blinded subcutaneous infusion of 10 mL with 1 g or 2 g of C19-IG20%, or an equivalent volume of saline as placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants who remained asymptomatic through day 14 after infusion. Secondary endpoints included the proportion of individuals who required oxygen supplementation, any medically attended visit, hospitalisation, or ICU, and viral load reduction and viral clearance in nasopharyngeal swabs. Safety was assessed as the proportion of patients with adverse events. The trial was terminated early due to a lack of potential benefit in the target population in a planned interim analysis conducted in December 2021. ClinicalTrials.gov registry: NCT04847141. Findings: 461 individuals (mean age 39.6 years [SD 12.8]) were randomized and received the intervention within a mean of 3.1 (SD 1.27) days from a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. In the prespecified modified intention-to-treat analysis that included only participants who received a subcutaneous infusion, the primary outcome occurred in 59.9% (91/152) of participants receiving 1 g C19-IG20%, 64.7% (99/153) receiving 2 g, and 63.5% (99/156) receiving placebo (difference in proportions 1 g C19-IG20% vs. placebo, −3.6%; 95% CI -14.6% to 7.3%, p = 0.53; 2 g C19-IG20% vs placebo, 1.1%; −9.6% to 11.9%, p = 0.85). None of the secondary clinical efficacy endpoints or virological endpoints were significantly different between study groups. Adverse event rate was similar between groups, and no severe or life-threatening adverse events related to investigational product infusion were reported. Interpretation: Our findings suggested that administration of subcutaneous human hyperimmune immunoglobulin C19-IG20% to asymptomatic individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection was safe but did not prevent development of symptomatic COVID-19. Funding: Grifols