An overview of Neem (Azadirachta indica) and its potential impact on health

Global health and medical practice seek to merge alternative medicine with evidence-based medicine for a better understanding of the metabolic process and its effects in the human body. An example is the use of complementary medicine like phytotherapy. Azadirachta indica (Neem), a tree originally from India and Myanmar, called by many “The village pharmacy” or “Divine tree” because of its many health properties. In recent times, Neem-derived extracts have been shown to work from anywhere from insect repellent, to supplements to lower inflammation, diabetic control, and even to combat cancer. Herein, we state the health benefits found in diverse compounds and extracts derived from Neem, highlighting the mechanisms and pathways in which Neem compounds produce their effects, while warning that the improper and unstandardized conditions to produce extracts can lead to health issues, particularly certain compounds might have damaging effects on the liver and kidneys

Data from: A social-ecological database to advance research on infrastructure development impacts in the Brazilian Amazon

Recognized as one of the world's most vital natural and cultural resources, the Amazon faces a wide variety of threats from natural resource and infrastructure development. Within this context, rigorous scientific study of the region's complex social-ecological system is critical to inform and direct decision-making toward more sustainable environmental and social outcomes. Given the Amazon's tightly linked social and ecological components and the scope of potential development impacts, effective study of this system requires an easily accessible resource that provides a broad and reliable data baseline. This paper brings together multiple datasets from diverse disciplines (including human health, socio-economics, environment, hydrology, and energy) to provide investigators with a variety of baseline data to explore the multiple long-term effects of infrastructure development in the Brazilian Amazon

Data from: A social-ecological database to advance research on infrastructure development impacts in the Brazilian Amazon

Recognized as one of the world's most vital natural and cultural resources, the Amazon faces a wide variety of threats from natural resource and infrastructure development. Within this context, rigorous scientific study of the region's complex social-ecological system is critical to inform and direct decision-making toward more sustainable environmental and social outcomes. Given the Amazon's tightly linked social and ecological components and the scope of potential development impacts, effective study of this system requires an easily accessible resource that provides a broad and reliable data baseline. This paper brings together multiple datasets from diverse disciplines (including human health, socio-economics, environment, hydrology, and energy) to provide investigators with a variety of baseline data to explore the multiple long-term effects of infrastructure development in the Brazilian Amazon

Socio-economic Datasets

Socio-economic variables related to demography, education, income, work, agriculture, quality of life, poverty, and gold mining in Amazonian municipalities of Brazil

Municipal Map (2010) for Brazilian Amazon

Original 2010 digital municipal map shape files for the Brazilian Amazon states of Acre, Amapa, Amazonas, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Para, Rondonia, Roraima, and Tocantins. Maps are produced by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (Instituto Brasileira de Geografia e Estatistica - IBGE; www.ibge.gov.br). Downloads can be made by state from the ftp site: ftp://geoftp.ibge.gov.br/malhas_digitais/municipio_2010/

Hydrology Datasets

Point data on river water level, river discharge/flow, and daily precipitation for the Amazon, Tocantins/Araguaia, Paraná, and Atlantic watersheds contained within the Brazilian Amazon

Environment Dataset

Environmental variables including mean monthly rainfall, dry season length, original forest cover, and surface water cover, aggregated by municipality in the Brazilian Amazon

Hydroelectric Dams Dataset

Information for operating large hydroelectric dams (> 30 MW) in the Brazilian Amazon, including the following variables: dam name, affected river, construction start date, reservoir fill date, operation date, approved energy output, actual energy output, reservoir area, municipalities directly affected by the dam, and area of each municipality flooded by the dam