Cyber-Cosmos: A New Citizen Science Concept in A Dark Sky Destination

Astrotourism and related citizen science activities are becoming a major trend of a sustainable, high-quality tourism segment, core elements to the protection of Dark skies in many countries. In the Summer of 2020, in the middle of COVID pandemics, we started an initiative to train young students - Cyber-Cosmos - using an Unistellar eVscope, a smart, compact and user-friendly digital telescope that offers unprecedented opportunities for deep-sky observation and citizen science campaigns. Sponsored by the Ci\^encia Viva Summer program, this was probably the first continuous application of this equipment in a pedagogical and citizen-science context, and in a pandemic context. Pampilhosa da Serra, home to a certified Dark Sky destination (Aldeias do Xisto) in central Portugal, was the chosen location for this project, where we expect astrotourism and citizen science to flourish and contribute to space sciences education.Comment: Manuscript presented at the International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2021, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 25 - 29 October 2021. Copyright by IA

Seascape genomics and phylogeography of the sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus)

Permeable phylogeographic barriers characterize the vast open ocean, boosting gene flow and counteracting population differentiation and speciation of widely distributed and migratory species. However, many widely distributed species consists of distinct populations throughout their distribution, evidencing that our understanding of how the marine environment triggers population and species divergence are insufficient. The sailfish is a circumtropical and highly migratory billfish that inhabits warm and productive areas. Despite its ecological and socioeconomic importance as a predator and fishery resource, the species is threatened by overfishing, requiring innovative approaches to improve their management and conservation status. Thus, we presented a novel high-quality reference genome for the species and applied a seascape genomics approach to understand how marine environmental features may promote local adaptation and how it affects gene flow between populations. We delimit two populations between the Atlantic and Indo-Western Pacific oceans and detect outlier loci correlated with sea surface temperature, salinity, oxygen, and chlorophyll concentrations. However, the most significant explanatory factor that explains the differences between populations was isolation by distance. Despite recent population drops, the sailfish populations are not inbred. For billfishes in general, genome-wide heterozygosity was found to be relatively low compared to other marine fishes, evidencing the need to counteract overfishing effects. In addition, in a climate change scenario, management agencies must implement state-of-the-art sequencing methods, consider our findings in their management plans, and monitor genome-wide heterozygosity over time to improve sustainable fisheries and the long-term viability of its populations.LA/P/0101/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

High connectivity of the Crocodile Shark between the Atlantic and Southwest Indian Oceans: highlights for conservation

Among the various shark species that are captured as bycatch in commercial fishing operations, the group of pelagic sharks is still one of the least studied and known. Within those, the crocodile shark, Pseudocarcharias kamoharai, a small-sized lamnid shark, is occasionally caught by longline vessels in certain regions of the tropical oceans worldwide. However, the population dynamics of this species, as well as the impact of fishing mortality on its stocks, are still unknown, with the crocodile shark currently one of the least studied of all pelagic sharks. Given this, the present study aimed to assess the population structure of P. kamoharai in several regions of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans using genetic molecular markers. The nucleotide composition of the mitochondrial DNA control region of 255 individuals was analyzed, and 31 haplotypes were found, with an estimated diversity Hd = 0.627, and a nucleotide diversity pi = 0.00167. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a fixation index phi(ST) = -0.01118, representing an absence of population structure among the sampled regions of the Atlantic Ocean, and between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. These results show a high degree of gene flow between the studied areas, with a single genetic stock and reduced population variability. In panmictic populations, conservation efforts can be concentrated in more restricted areas, being these representative of the total biodiversity of the species. When necessary, this strategy could be applied to the genetic maintenance of P. kamoharai.Foundation for Research Support of the Sao Paulo State - FAPESP [2011/23787-0, 2010/51903-2]; Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [SFRH/BPD/93936/2013]; Foundation for Research Support of the Sao Paulo State - FAPESP [2011/23787-0, 2010/51903-2]; Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [SFRH/BPD/93936/2013]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Integrality in Brazil and Venezuela : similarities and complementarities

O presente estudo tem como objetivo comparar a Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) no Brasil e na Venezuela, observando suas características quanto à integralidade. Possui abordagem qualitativa, por meio de análise documental, entrevistas semiestruturadas com informantes-chave e anotações em diário de campo. Observou-se as três dimensões de integralidade inseridas no processo de trabalho em saúde: o cuidado integral e holístico, visão do indivíduo como um ser complexo com múltiplas necessidades, exigindo a conexão de diversos saberes em saúde; a continuidade do cuidado na micropolítica institucional com articulação interprofissional, de forma a contemplar o cuidado singular; a continuidade do cuidado na macropolítica, quando é necessário um deslocamento aos demais níveis de atenção; incluiu-se ainda a intersetorialidade, quando as necessidades de um indivíduo e comunidade exigem uma articulação transetorial, com ação sobre os determinantes e condicionantes do processo saúde-doença. Ressalta-se ainda a tendência singular de inclusão de uma formação médica comunitária integral. Conclui-se que estes países, fortalecidos pela democracia, aproximam-se em suas práticas de integralidade, bem como na construção de políticas sociais e de saúde para as populações menos favorecidas, em favor da equidade.This study aims to compare Primary Health Care (PHC) in Brazil and Venezuela, considering its characteristics as to integrality. It has a qualitative approach, using documental analysis, semi-structured interviews with key informants and field diary notes. We observed the three realms of integrality inherent to the health work process: comprehensive and holistic care, the individual viewed as a complex being with multiple needs, requiring the connection of various health knowledge; continuity of care in institutional micro-policy with interprofessional articulation, in order to consider individual care; continuity of care in macro-policy, when a shift to other levels of care is needed; intersectoriality was also included, when the needs of an individual and community require a cross-sectoral coordination, with action on determinants and conditionants of the health-disease process. It is worth highlighting the natural tendency to include a comprehensive community medical training. We conclude that those countries strengthened by democracy draw their integrality practices closer, as well as the construction of social and health policies for underprivileged populations to achieve equity

Neurite óptica isquêmica não arterítica como complicação da COVID-19: Um relato de caso / Non-arteritic ischemic optic neuritis as a complication of COVID-19: A case report

A neurite óptica isquêmica não arterítica (NOIA-NA) é um distúrbio oftalmológico causado pela redução do fluxo sanguíneo para o nervo óptico. O principal sintoma relatado pelos pacientes é a perda de visão aguda, geralmente unilateral e indolor. Esse distúrbio manifesta-se predominantemente em indivíduos com idade acima de 50 anos e que possuem fatores de risco para desenvolver vasculopatias, como diabetes mellitus e hipertensão. O objetivo deste artigo é reportar um caso de NOIA-NA causada pela COVID-19, associação até então pouco relatada na literatura. No caso da paciente descrita, os sinais e sintomas apresentados foram turvação visual à direita, hemorragia intrarretiniana e edema de disco óptico, que demonstraram regressão satisfatória após tratamento com Enoxaparina sódica

Rarity of monodominance in hyperdiverse Amazonian forests.

Tropical forests are known for their high diversity. Yet, forest patches do occur in the tropics where a single tree species is dominant. Such "monodominant" forests are known from all of the main tropical regions. For Amazonia, we sampled the occurrence of monodominance in a massive, basin-wide database of forest-inventory plots from the Amazon Tree Diversity Network (ATDN). Utilizing a simple defining metric of at least half of the trees ≥ 10 cm diameter belonging to one species, we found only a few occurrences of monodominance in Amazonia, and the phenomenon was not significantly linked to previously hypothesized life history traits such wood density, seed mass, ectomycorrhizal associations, or Rhizobium nodulation. In our analysis, coppicing (the formation of sprouts at the base of the tree or on roots) was the only trait significantly linked to monodominance. While at specific locales coppicing or ectomycorrhizal associations may confer a considerable advantage to a tree species and lead to its monodominance, very few species have these traits. Mining of the ATDN dataset suggests that monodominance is quite rare in Amazonia, and may be linked primarily to edaphic factors

Acute Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Exercise on Pain Level, Functionality, and Rating of Exertion of Elderly Obese Knee Osteoarthritis Individuals: A Randomized Study

Introduction: Among chronic diseases, knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a joint disease that causes important progressive alterations in the articular and periarticular structures, including synovial inflammation. Exercise has been suggested as an intervention to KOA individuals, and studies suggest that whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise decreases pain levels and favours the functionality of KOA individuals. Objective: The aim of the present study is to analyze the acute effects of WBV exercise on pain levels, functionality (Timed Up and Go (TUG test), anterior trunk flexion (ATF)), and rating of exertion of elderly obese KOA individuals. Methods: Thirty-seven individuals with KOA were allocated to a WBV exercise group (WBVEG), n = 19 (15 females/4 males), and a control group (CG), n = 18 (15 females/3 males). WBVEG performed one session of WBV exercise (11 min, using 5 Hz, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mm, 0.12, 0.25, and 0.37 g). Three bouts were performed (working time of 3 min and rest time of 1 min) using a side-alternating vibrating platform (VP). The same position was used in CG; however, the VP was turned off and there was equipment coupled to the VP that emitted a sound like the vibrations. The pain level was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS). Functionality was evaluated with a TUG test and ATF. The rating of subjectively perceived exertion was measured with the category ratio CR-10 (BORG Scale CR-10), Results: A reduction of pain levels in WBVEG after the intervention (p = 0.001) and intergroups (p = 0.041) was found. A decrease of TUG test time in both groups (p = 0.001) and intergroups (p = 0.045) was found, while no statistical changes were observed in the Borg Scale score. Significant improvements of flexibility in both groups (p = 0.001) and intergroups (p = 0.043) were found. Conclusion: One session of WBV exercise can lead to important improvements in individuals with KOA, possibly triggered by physiological responses. However, more studies are needed, in this clinical context, to confirm these results

Exostoses múltiplas hereditárias com transformação maligna: Exostoses malignos hereditários com transformação

Introdução: Exostose múltipla hereditária (EMH) corresponde ao distúrbio hereditário musculoesquelético do crescimento ósseo intracondral. Caracteriza-se pela presença de saliências ósseas recobertas por cartilagem hialina em duas ou mais regiões metafisárias, formando, dessa forma, os osteocondromas. Estes ocorrem devido ao ativo crescimento e multiplicação celular no local. A EMH representa 40% dos tumores ósseos benignos e 10% de todos os tumores ósseos. Apresentação do caso: FAP, sexo masculino, 60 anos, com queixa de tumoração em joelho esquerdo, lateralmente à patela, há cerca de 10 anos. Relatou crescimento lento e indolor. Ao exame físico notou-se abaulamento de 8 cm longitudinal x 6 cm transversal x 3 cm anteroposterior, aderido ao plano ósseo patelar, endurecido, sem sinais flogísticos e que à movimentação acompanhava a patela em flexo-extensão do joelho esquerdo, ou seja, sem limitação de amplitude de movimento do membro em questão. Paciente apresentava-se estável e sem outras queixas. Realizou exames de imagem que evidenciaram tumoração óssea localizada no polo inferior da patela do joelho esquerdo, de caráter osteocartilaginoso, sugestivo de artrose nesta região. Foi orientada ressecção por abordagem cirúrgica, que sucedeu sem intercorrências, e o anatomopatológico confirmou diagnóstico de osteocondroma patelar sem sinais de malignidade. Discussão: As exostoses ou osteocondromas, nas proximidades das placas de crescimento ósseo, ocorrem mais comumente nas porções justa-epifisárias dos ossos longos, principalmente no fêmur distal, tíbia proximal, fíbula e úmero. A sintomatologia inclui dor persistente, causada pela pressão nos tecidos vizinhos, por distúrbios da circulação sanguínea ou raramente por compressão da medula espinhal. O diagnóstico é feito através do exame físico e exames de imagem. A EMH pode causar complicações, sendo que a mais grave é a malignização em condrossarcoma, que pode ocorrer em até 3,9% dos pacientes. Quanto ao tratamento, na presença de características clínicas ou radiológicas suspeitas, deve ser realizada a ressecção cirúrgica em bloco e a correlação histopatológica. Conclusão: Na EMH, a maioria das lesões são benignas, entretanto podem cursar com malignização e suscitar repercussões consideráveis na qualidade de vida dos indivíduos afetados. O diagnóstico é elementar, aprimorado no exame físico e radiológico, geralmente detectado na primeira década de vida e deve ser realizado precocemente a fim de evitar maiores complicações