PATTERNS OF SEED DISPERSAL SYNDROMES AT DIFFERENT ALTITUDES IN THE SEMIARID REGION

The objective of this study was to assess the patterns of seed dispersal syndromes of woody plants from nine forest fragments distributed at different altitude levels on the Araripe plateau, in Pernambuco, Brazil. For data collection, we divided the altitudes within the region into three categories: lower level (altitudes ≤600 m); intermediate level (600< altitudes <750 m); and higher level (altitudes ≥750 m). We registered nine fragments, three per altitude level. In each of them, we distributed 20 rectangular sampling units with 250 m², totaling a sampling area of 4.5 ha. We quantified, collected, and identified woody plants with a diameter at breast height higher than or equal to 0.1 m (DBH 1.30 m ≥0.10 m). We characterized the dispersal syndrome according to the characteristics of the fruits and seeds and based on a literature review. In the whole region, we sampled 6,987 individuals, distributed in 35 families, 82 genera, and 153 species. Approximately 41% of all individuals are dispersed by animals, 37% by the plant’s own mechanisms, and 21% by the wind. In terms of dispersal, 47% of species were classified as zoochorous, 23% as autochorous, and 14% as anemochorous. Seed dispersal patterns vary according to altitude levels, with higher regions tending to present greater representativeness of biotic dispersers and lower ones, abiotic

Realistic simulation as educational strategy on integral care to trauma victims

Objective: To report the experience of using realistic simulation as way of teaching and training medical students on the&nbsp;polytraumatized care.&nbsp;Methods: The simulation ambience consisted on a scenery with multiple victims in a collision of a car crash versus car&nbsp;versus obstacle. The students performed functions that are compatible with their knowledge (first aid, prehospital care&nbsp;or intrahospitalar care). The realistic scenery was assembled with clinical cases, makeup and appropriate material. For&nbsp;each victim there was a monitor who filled checklists containing the main points that should be addressed by the students.Afterwards a questionnaire was applied to evaluate the learning process.&nbsp;Result: Among the 55 students that participated, 32 answered the questionnaire. 97,75% of them are medical students and&nbsp;6,25%, nursing students. Concerning the content of the simulation, 53,1% of the students reported they were exposed to&nbsp;new topics and 96,9% believe the simulation helped to fix the content learned during the course.&nbsp;Conclusion: The use of realistic simulation as a teaching methodology provides positive impact, once it is an early insertion&nbsp;on the clinic-surgical practices, diagnostic induction and development of trauma care.Keywords: Teaching; Training medical students; Traume; Victim; Medical students

Manejo da adubação nitrogenada em solo alcalino cultivado com sorgo sudão

O uso de fertilizantes nitrogenados, como ureia revestida, associado ao manejo de palha pode aumentar a eficiência do fertilizante em solos alcalinos cultivado com sorgo sudão. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de fontes de nitrogênio e manejo da palha de milho sobre o crescimento, a produção de massa seca e a eficiência nutricional do N em sorgo sudão cultivado em solo alcalino. O ensaio foi instalado no delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, esquema fatorial 4 x 2, combinação entre fontes de N: testemunha, sulfato de amônio, ureia e ureia revestida e manejo da palha de milho: presença ou ausência. Aos 45 dias após o plantio, avaliaram-se: altura, diâmetro do colmo, número de folhas e perfilhos, produção e alocação de massa seca para folhas, colmo e raiz, razão raiz/parte aérea, além do teor, conteúdo e eficiência nutricional do N. A ureia revestida não foi eficiente na promoção de crescimento e biomassa no sorgo sudão nas condições edafoclimáticas estudas. Os fertilizantes nitrogenados ureia e sulfato de amônio incrementaram a produção de massa seca das folhas, compartimento comercializável do sorgo sudão. A adição da palha do milho ao sistema de cultivo aumenta a produção de massa seca e permite a manutenção da eficiência nutricional do N em sorgo sudão

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 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 or ganism 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 ne glected 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 lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 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,18,19 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

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 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,18,19 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

Atividade de enzimas oxidativas envolvidas com o escurecimento em mandioca de mesa minimamente processada

Estudos recentes reportam que o formato de mandioca de mesa minimamente processada Rubiene, submetido ao torneamento, apresenta prolongada vida útil quando comparado ao não torneado, o Minitolete. Esse comportamento pode estar relacionado à maior participação de enzimas envolvidas na proteção contra danos oxidativos ocorridos durante a conservação. Assim, estudar as relações do metabolismo fenólico e oxidativo nos diferentes formatos de mandioca de mesa minimamente processada pode trazer informações adicionais ao que se conhece sobre o escurecimento de seus tecidos quando cortados. O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi: avaliar o efeito do formato de mandioca de mesa minimamente processada sobre a deterioração fisiológica pós-colheita com ênfase na atividade de enzimas oxidativas envolvidas com o escurecimento de tecidos, visando melhor entendimento do metabolismo fenólico e oxidativo. Raízes de mandioca de mesa, cv. Mossoró, foram produzidas entre os meses de agosto de 2011 e julho de 2012 no campo experimental da Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada/Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, em Serra Talhada – PE. Aos 14 meses de idade, foram colhidas e minimamente processadas nos formatos Minitolete e Rubiene. O produto, composto por uma embalagem contendo aproximadamente 200 g, foi conservado a 5 ± 2 °C e 90 ± 5 % de umidade relativa por 11 dias. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2x6, referente aos formatos (Minitolete e Rubiene) e tempos de conservação refrigerada (0, 3, 5, 7, 9 e 11 dias), respectivamente, com 3 repetições. Foram avaliados: análise visual do produto processado, fenóis solúveis totais, atividade enzimática da polifenoloxidase, peroxidase, dismutases do superóxido, catalases e peroxidases do ascorbato. Os resultados indicam que mudanças no metabolismo fenólico e oxidativo em raízes de mandioca de mesa são tecido-dependente, pois as células do parênquima de reserva, remanescentes no formato Rubiene, mostraram-se menos responsivas a deterioração fisiológica pós-colheita, contrapondo-se a sensibilidade observada nos tecidos superficiais do ‘Minitolete’. Dessa forma, a intensidade do ferimento não se mostrou relacionada ao escurecimento, tampouco a severos danos oxidativos. Assim, o formato Rubiene manteve a qualidade durante os 11 dias de conservação a 5 ± 2 °C, 4 dias a mais em relação ao ‘Minitolete’.Recent studies report that the format of minimally processed sweet cassava Rubiene, subjected to turning, has longer life compared to the non-turning mini-oarlocks. This behavior may be related to greater participation of enzymes involved in protection against oxidative damage occurred during storage. Thus, studying the relationships of phenolic and oxidative metabolism in different formats of minimally processed sweet cassava can bring additional information to what is known about the darkening of their tissues when cut. The objective of this study was: to evaluate the effect of the shape of minimally processed sweet cassava on post-harvest physiological deterioration with emphasis on the activity of oxidative enzymes involved with the darkening of tissues aiming at better understanding of the phenolic and oxidative metabolism. Roots of sweet cassava cv. Mossoró were produced between August 2011 and July 2012 in the experimental field of the Academic Unit of Serra Talhada/Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Serra Talhada - PE. At 14 months of age, were collected and minimally processed in Mini-oarlocks and Rubiene shapes. The product with a package containing about 200 g was maintained at 5 ± 2 °C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity for 11 days. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2x6 factorial design, referring to shapes (Mini-oarlock and Rubiene) and refrigerated storage times (0, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 days), respectively, with 3 replications. Visual analysis of the processed product, total soluble phenols, polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity, peroxidase, superoxide dismutases, catalases and ascorbate peroxidases were evaluated. The results indicated that changes in phenolic and oxidative metabolism in roots of sweet cassava are tissuedependent, because the storage parenchymal cells, remaining in the Rubiene shape, were less responsive to post-harvest physiological deterioration, in contrast to the sensitivity observed in the superficial tissues of 'Mini-oarlock'. Thus, the intensity of the injury was not related to darkening, or the severe oxidative damage. Thus, the shape Rubiene remained quality during the 11 days of storage at 5 ± 2 °C, 4 days more compared to the 'Mini-oarlock'