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

A Highly Polar Phytocomplex Involving Rutin Is Responsible For The Neuromuscular Facilitation Caused By Casearia Sylvestris (guaçatonga)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Of the various biological activities ascribed to extracts from Casearia sylvestris (guaçatonga), its facilitatory activity, i.e., ability to increase skeletal muscle contractile amplitude, has promising therapeutic applications. In this work, we investigated the components responsible for the previously described neurofacilitation caused by C. sylvestris leaves. Methods: The methanolic fraction of C. sylvestris leaves was initially fractionated by column chromatography and partitioned in a MeOH:H2O gradient. The resulting fractions were analyzed by analytical HPLC and yielded fraction 5:5 (F55) that was subjected to solid phase extraction and preparative HPLC. Of the seven resulting subfractions, only F55-6 caused muscle facilitation. Subfractions F55-6 and F55-7 (similar in composition to F55-6 by TLC analysis, but inactive) were analyzed by 1H-NMR to identify their constituents. Results: This analysis identified a rutin-glycoside phytocomplex that caused neurofacilitation, a property that commercial rutin alone did not exhibit. Conclusion: F55-6 apparently caused neurofacilitation by the same mechanism (presynaptic action) as the methanolic fraction since its activity was also inhibited in tetrodotoxin-pretreated preparations. © 2016 Bentham Science Publishers.17151360136804/09705-8, FAPESP, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo07/53883-6, FAPESP, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo08/11005-5, FAPESP, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo08/50669-6, FAPESP, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo12/08271-0, FAPESP, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São PauloFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

DESENVOLVIMENTO PLANEJADO (UTILIZAÇÃO DO SOLO) DA ESTAÇÃO ECOLÓGICA DE JATAÍ

This study describes the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS)-IDRISI - as a tool for the environmental management at the Jatai Ecological Station, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The system enables the conversion of data, such as land use patterns, vegetal cover, hidrology, and altimetry to digital images. These digital thematic maps are further analysed and processed in a microcomputer generating valuable informations about the physical characteristics of specific ecosystems, such as terrestrial, aquatic and wetlands, within the ecological station. The set of images forms a basis for planning and development of strategies of ecosystems management, environmental education programs and conservation.Como ferramenta para o manejo racional e compreensivo da Estação Ecológica de Jataí, dados relacionados à cobertura vegetal, hidrografia, planialtimetria e ocupação do entorno, foram convertidos em imagens digitais, através de um Sistema de Informações Geográficas (IDRISI), originando cartas temáticas que possibilitam a determinação das áreas físicas dos ecossistemas terrestres, aquáticos e inundáveis da unidade de conservação em questão. O conjunto das cartas temáticas, com diferentes aspectos do complexo ambiental, representa um importante subsídio para o manejo racional da Estação Ecológica, bem como para as propostas de avaliação de impacto e educação ambiental

UTILIZAÇÃO DA ABORDAGEM SISTÊMICA PARA O MANEJO DE ÁREAS NATURAIS, CASO DE ESTUDO: ESTAÇÃO ECOLÓGICA DE JATAÍ, LUIZ ANTÔNIO, SP

As an effective preliminary tool for management of environmental systems (aquatic, floodplain and terrestrial) contained within a natural preservation area (Jataí Ecological Station), conceptual and experimental structures area presented as an approach to the multidimensional and interdisciplinary ecological, socio-economic and cultural dimensions of the problem Obtaining this information will make it possible to provide support for public appreciation of the use and protection of natural, for the establishment of management agencies and environmental quality.Como ferramenta preliminar efetiva para o manejo dos ecossistemas (aquáticos, inundáveis e terrestres) contidos em uma área de preservação natural (Estação Ecológica de Jataí), são apresentadas as estruturas conceitual e experimental par a abordagem das dimensões ecológica, socioeconômica e cultural em função das características multidimensional e interdisciplinar dos mesmos. A obtenção dessas informações possibilitará o fornecimento de subsídios à apreciação pública da utilidade e proteção de áreas naturais, para o estabelecimento de diretrizes voltadas ao manejo e à qualidade ambiental

On the path to gold: Monoanionic Au bisdithiolate complexes with antimicrobial and antitumor activities

International audienceThe emergence of resistance to antimicrobial and anticancer drugs poses severe threats to public health worldwide, highlighting the need for more efficient treatments. Here, four monoanionic Au bisdithiolate complexes [Au(mnt)] (where mnt = 1,1-dicyanoethylene-2,2-dithiolate)(1), [Au(i-mnt)] (where i-mnt = 2,2-dicyanoethylene-1,1-dithiolate)(2), [Au(cdc)] (where cdc = cyanodithioimido carbonate)(3), and [Au(qdt)] (where qdt = quinoxaline-2,3-dithiolate)(4) were screened for their antimicrobial and antitumor activities. Complexes 3 and 4 showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus [minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 15.3 and 14.7 μg/mL, respectively]. Complex 3 also caused significant growth inhibition of Candida glabrata (MIC = 7.0 μg/mL). Concentrations of complexes 1-4 up to 125 μg/mL had no growth inhibition activity against Escherichia coli. The cytotoxic activity of complexes 1-4 was evaluated against the ovarian cancer cells A2780 and A2780cisR, sensitive and resistant to cisplatin, respectively. All compounds showed high cytotoxic activities against both tumoral cell lines, exhibiting IC values in the low micromolar range (0.9-5.5 μM) upon 48 h incubation. In contrast to complex 1, the complexes 2-4 induced a dose-dependent formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), similar to the observed for the reference drugs auranofin and cisplatin. Opposite to 4, complexes 1-3 were able to activate caspase 3/7, suggesting the involvement of apoptosis in the mechanism of cell death. Contrasting with cisplatin, complexes 3, 4 and auranofin did not cause DNA damage. Combined, these data provide evidence that these monoanionic gold bisdithiolates, particularly complex 3, are potential lead compounds to further explore as therapeutic drugs