Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time, and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space. While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes, vast areas of the tropics remain understudied. In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity, but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases. To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge, it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Highly sensitive C-reactive protein and male gender are independently related to the severity of coronary disease in patients with metabolic syndrome and an acute coronary event

Patients with metabolic syndrome are at high-risk for development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. The objective of this study was to examine the major determinants of coronary disease severity, including those coronary risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, during the early period after an acute coronary episode. We tested the hypothesis that inflammatory markers, especially highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), are related to coronary atherosclerosis, in addition to traditional coronary risk factors. Subjects of both genders aged 30 to 75 years (N = 116) were prospectively included if they had suffered a recent acute coronary syndrome (acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris requiring hospitalization) and if they had metabolic syndrome diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III. Patients were submitted to a coronary angiography and the burden of atherosclerosis was estimated by the Gensini score. The severity of coronary disease was correlated (Spearman’s or Pearson’s coefficient) with gender (r = 0.291, P = 0.008), age (r = 0.218, P = 0.048), hsCRP (r = 0.256, P = 0.020), ApoB/ApoA ratio (r = 0.233, P = 0.041), and carotid intima-media thickness (r = 0.236, P = 0.041). After multiple linear regression, only male gender (P = 0.046) and hsCRP (P = 0.012) remained independently associated with the Gensini score. In this high-risk population, male gender and high levels of hsCRP, two variables that can be easily obtained, were associated with more extensive coronary disease, identifying patients with the highest potential of developing new coronary events

Use of ordinal multi-criteria methods in the analysis of the Formula 1 World Championship

Sporting activities apply various multi-criteria (and multi-decision maker) methods in their championship regulations. In the majority of cases, the organizers are not aware that they are using them and indeed often apply them incorrectly. Variations of the Borda voting and lexicographic methods are among those most widely used. In the case of the Formula 1 World Championship, a variation of the Borda method is employed. This article shows that some of the problems that occurred during recent seasons are a result of the use of this method with consequent aggravation of the inherent distortions. Furthermore, the use of the Condorcet method is suggested as an alternative. Its limitations are shown, as well as how to overcome them by employing the Copeland method. Lastly, an analysis of the results of the 2002 championship is conducted

Fatores determinantes para a continuidade da participação de idosos em programas de atividade física: a experiência dos participantes do projeto "Sem Fronteiras" Adherence factors to physical activity programs for older adults: the experience of the participants of the "Without Borders" project

Este trabalho discute os resultados de uma pesquisa qualitativa, cujo objetivo foi o de investigar os fatores que determinam a participação continuada de idosos no projeto "Sem Fronteiras: Atividades Corporais para Adultos Maduros e Idosos", desenvolvido na Universidade Federal do Paraná. Participaram do estudo 10 idosos que estavam regularmente frequentando o projeto há pelo menos dois anos. Os dados foram coletados através de uma entrevista semi-estruturada. O guia de entrevista teve como linha condutora as seguintes questões: O que o (a) motivou a dar início à participação no projeto "Sem Fronteiras"? O que o (a) motiva a continuar participando do projeto? Quais as principais dificuldades que o senhor (a senhora) encontra para permanecer no mesmo? O que o (a) motiva a superar estas dificuldades? A análise das entrevistas teve como foco os principais temas que emergiram da fala dos participantes. Primeiramente foram analisados os dados de cada entrevista individualmente. A seguir, os dados foram cruzados buscando-se por temas comuns e divergentes entre as falas dos entrevistados. A principal conclusão da pesquisa foi que os idosos permanecem no programa não somente por perceberem benefícios à sua saúde física, mental e emocional, mas também pelas oportunidades que este lhe oferece em termos de desenvolvimento pessoal, socialização, e troca de informações, experiências, suporte e afeto. As barreiras mais importantes encontradas pelos mesmos para dar continuidade à sua participação no projeto relacionam-se com problemas de saúde e compromissos familiares.<br>This paper discusses the results of a qualitative research project that had as a goal to investigate adherence factors to a physical activity program for older adults in Brazil named "Sem Fronteiras: Atividades Corporais Para Adultos Maduros e Idosos", which translated into English means "Without Borders: Physical Activities for Mature and Older Adults". The participants of the study were 10 older adults who had been in the project for at least two years. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with open-ended questions. The leading interview questions were: What led you to start the program? What motivates you to continue attending the program? What are the main difficulties you find in continuing to attend the program? What motivates you to overcome these difficulties? The coding categories emerged from the data. Initially, we analyzed the data for each of the research participants, raising and coding the main themes that emerged from their responses. Next, we did a cross-analysis of the data of all participants looking for similarities and differences between the themes. Our main finding was that the participants adhere to the project not only because of the benefits that they perceive in terms of their physical, mental and emotional health, but also because it offers them opportunities for their personal development, socialization, and exchange of experiences, information, support, and affection. The main barriers that the interviewees found to keep participating in the project were health problems and family commitments

Strategies for mitigation of nitrogen environmental impact from swine production Estratégias para minimização do impacto ambiental do azoto em suinicultura

This work presents strategies that can be implemented in order to minimize the environmental impact of swine slurry on soil, water, and air. This reduction can be achieved through decrease in nitrogen excretion and ammonia emissions. The correct feed formulation according to animal requirements, the increase in diet digestibility and improvement in animal performance can reduce nitrogen excretion. The use of additives either in the diet or in the manure as well as some equipment rearrangements can reduce ammonia emission.<br>Neste trabalho são apresentadas estratégias que podem ser implementadas para minimizar o impacto ambiental dos efluentes da produção suína sobre o solo, a água e a atmosfera. Esta redução pode ser obtida com a excreção de azoto e a sua volatilização. A formulação mais ajustada às necessidades dos animais, o aumento da digestibilidade da dieta e a melhoria do desempenho dos animais podem reduzir a excreção de azoto. O uso de aditivos nas dietas ou nos dejectos e alterações nas instalações pode reduzir a volatilização da amónia