Large-scale commodity agriculture exacerbates the climatic impacts of Amazonian deforestation

In the Amazon rainforest, land use following deforestation is diverse and dynamic. Mounting evidence indicates that the climatic impacts of forest loss can also vary considerably, depending on specific features of the affected areas. The size of the deforested patches, for instance, was shown to modulate the characteristics of local climatic impacts. Nonetheless, the influence of different types of land use and management strategies on the magnitude of local climatic changes remains uncertain. Here, we evaluated the impacts of large-scale commodity farming and rural settlements on surface temperature, rainfall patterns, and energy fluxes. Our results reveal that changes in land-atmosphere coupling are induced not only by deforestation size but also, by land use type and management patterns inside the deforested areas. We provide evidence that, in comparison with rural settlements, deforestation caused by large-scale commodity agriculture is more likely to reduce convective rainfall and increase land surface temperature. We demonstrate that these differences are mainly caused by a more intensive management of the land, resulting in significantly lower vegetation cover throughout the year, which reduces latent heat flux. Our findings indicate an urgent need for alternative agricultural practices, as well as forest restoration, for maintaining ecosystem processes and mitigating change in the local climates across the Amazon basin.Peer reviewe

Pruning influence on bioactive compounds and production of blueberries cv. O'Neal.

Pruning can influence blueberries yield and fruit size, and its intensity depends on cultivar, plant age, number of canes, plant conduction system, vigor and vegetative habit. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of pruning intensity on yield and quality of fruits on O´Neal blueberries plants. The treatments were: absence of pruning; light pruning; regular pruning and drastic pruning. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications. The experiments were conducted in 2010 and repeated in 2011. The different intensities of pruning had no influence on the fruit production and size, but there was a tendency of growth of the bioactive compounds contents, the more drastic the pruning was.A poda pode influenciar o rendimento e o tamanho dos mirtilos, e a sua intensidade depende da cultivar, da idade, do número de ramos produtivos, do sistema de condução, do vigor e do hábito de crescimento da planta. Desta forma, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de intensidades de poda no teor de compostos bioativos e na produção de mirtilos cv. O’Neal. As diferentes intensidades de poda foram: sem poda; poda leve; poda convencional testemunha e poda drástica. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso com 4 repetições. A poda foi realiza no ano de 2010 e 2011. Foram avaliadas a produção total de frutos, tamanho de frutos, compostos biotativos como compostos fenólicos, antocianinas totais e atividade antioxidante. As diferentes intensidades de poda não exerceram influência sobre a produção e tamanho de frutos, porém houve tendência de crescimento dos teores de compostos bioativos quanto mais drástica foi a poda

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography-Based Tissue Sampling in Suspected Malignant Biliary Strictures: A Meta-Analysis of Same-Session Procedures

Background/Aims: The diagnosis of biliary strictures can be challenging. There are no systematic reviews studying same-session endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-based tissue sampling and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for the diagnosis of biliary strictures. Methods: A systematic review was conducted on studies analyzing same-session EUS and ERCP for tissue diagnosis of suspected malignant biliary strictures. The primary outcome was the accuracy of each method individually compared to the two methods combined. The secondary outcome was the accuracy of each method in pancreatic and biliary etiologies. In the meta-analysis, we used Forest plots, summary receiver operating characteristic curves, and estimates of the area under the curve for intention-to-treat analysis. Results: Of the 12,132 articles identified, six were included, resulting in a total of 497 patients analyzed. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and accuracy of the association between the two methods were: 86%, 98%, 12.50, 0.17, and 96.5%, respectively. For the individual analysis, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EUS-FNA were 76%, 100%, and 94.5%, respectively; for ERCP-based tissue sampling, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 58%, 98%, and 78.1%, respectively. For pancreatic lesions, EUS-FNA was superior to ERCP-based tissue sampling. However, for biliary lesions, both methods had similar sensitivities. Conclusions: Same-session EUS-FNA and ERCP-based tissue sampling is superior to either method alone in the diagnosis of suspected malignant biliary strictures. Considering these results, combination sampling should be performed when possible

Approach to Endoscopic Procedures: A Routine Protocol from a Quaternary University Referral Center Exclusively for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients

OBJECTIVES: The present coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has ushered in an unprecedented era of quality control that has necessitated advanced safety precautions and the need to ensure the adequate protection of healthcare professionals (HCPs). Endoscopy units, endoscopists, and other HCP may be at a significant risk for transmission of the virus. Given the immense burden on the healthcare system and surge in the number of patients with COVID-19, well-designed protocols and recommendations are needed. We aimed to systematically characterize our approach to endoscopic procedures in a quaternary university hospital setting and provide summary protocol recommendations. METHOD: This descriptive study details a COVID-19-specific protocol designed to minimize infection risks to patients and healthcare workers in the endoscopy unit. RESULTS: Our institution, located in Sa˜o Paulo, Brazil, includes a 900-bed hospital, with a 200-bed-specific intensive care unit exclusively designed for patients with moderate and severe COVID-19. We highlighted recommendations for infection prevention and control during endoscopic procedures, including appropriate triage and screening, outpatient management and procedural recommendations, role and usage of personal protective equipment (PPE), and role and procedural logistics involving COVID-19-positive patients. We also detailed hospital protocols for reprocessing endoscopes and cleaning rooms and also provided recommendations to minimize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 transmission. CONCLUSION: This COVID-19-specific administrative and clinical protocol can be replicated or adapted in multiple institutions and endoscopy units worldwide. Furthermore, the recommendations and summary protocol may improve patient and HCP safety in these trying times

Terapia de constrição com indução do movimento e terapia de uso forçado modificadas em pacientes pós-acidente vascular encefálico são eficientes em promover melhora do equilíbrio e da marcha

Background: Previous studies show that chronic hemiparetic patients after stroke, presents inabilities to perform movements in paretic hemibody. This inability is induced by positive reinforcement of unsuccessful attempts, a concept called learned non-use. Forced use therapy (FUT) and constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) were developed with the goal of reversing the learned non-use. These approaches have been proposed for the rehabilitation of the paretic upper limb (PUL). It is unknown what would be the possible effects of these approaches in the rehabilitation of gait and balance. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of Modified FUT (mFUT) and Modified CIMT (mCIMT) on the gait and balance during four weeks of treatment and 3 months follow-up. Methods: This study included thirty-seven hemiparetic post-stroke subjects that were randomly allocated into two groups based on the treatment protocol. The non-paretic UL was immobilized for a period of 23 hours per day, five days a week. Participants were evaluated at Baseline, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks, and three months after randomization. For the evaluation we used: The Stroke Impact Scale (SIS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment (FM). Gait was analyzed by the 10-meter walk test (T10) and Timed Up & Go test (TUG). Results: Both groups revealed a better health status (SIS), better balance, better use of lower limb (BBS and FM) and greater speed in gait (T10 and TUG), during the weeks of treatment and months of follow-up, compared to the baseline. Conclusion: The results show mFUT and mCIMT are effective in the rehabilitation of balance and gait. Trial Registration ACTRN12611000411943.CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: Pacientes hemiparéticos crônicos, após acidente vascular encefálico (AVE), apresentam incapacidade para executar movimentos no hemicorpo parético. Essa incapacidade é reforçada positivamente por tentativas fracassadas de movimento, conceito chamado desuso aprendido. A terapia de uso forçado (FUT) e a terapia de constrição com indução do movimento (CIMT) foram desenvolvidas objetivando a reversão do desuso aprendido do membro superior parético. Não se encontrou na literatura quais seriam os possíveis efeitos dessas técnicas na reabilitação da marcha e do equilíbrio. \ud OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o efeito da FUT e da CIMT modificadas (mFUT e mCIMT) na marcha e no equilíbrio durante quatro semanas de tratamento e três meses de seguimento. \ud MÉTODOS: Este estudo incluiu 37 sujeitos hemiparéticos pós-AVE, divididos em dois grupos com base no protocolo de tratamento. A imobilização do membro superior não-parético foi feita por 23 horas ao dia, cinco dias por semana. Os sujeitos foram avaliados no início, durante quatro semanas de tratamento e três meses de acompanhamento. Para a avaliação, utilizou-se a Escala de Impacto do AVE (SIS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) e Fugl-Meyer Motor Assesment (FM). Para a marcha, utilizou-se o teste de caminhada de 10 metros (T10) e Timed Up & Go test (TUG). \ud RESULTADOS: Ambos os grupos revelaram um melhor estado de saúde (SIS), melhor equilíbrio, com melhor utilização dos membros inferiores (BBS e FM) e maior velocidade na marcha (T10 e TUG) durante tratamento e seguimento em comparação com o início. \ud CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados mostram que a mFUT e a mCIMT são eficazes para a reabilitação do equilíbrio e da marcha. Registro de Ensaios Clínicos ACTRN12611000411943.FAPESP [2007/05710-5]FAPES

Probing the reciprocal lattice associated with a triangular slit to determine the orbital angular momentum for a photon

The orbital angular momentum conservation of light reveals different diffraction patterns univocally dependent on the topological charge of the incident light beam when passing through a triangular aperture. It is demonstrated that these patterns, which are accessed by observing the far-field measurement of the diffracted light, can also be obtained using few photon sources. In order to explain the observed patterns, we introduce an analogy of this optical phenomenon with the study of diffraction for the characterization of the crystal structure of solids. We demonstrate that the finite pattern can be associated with the reciprocal lattice obtained from the direct lattice generated by the primitive vectors composing any two of the sides of the equilateral triangular slit responsible for the diffraction. Using the relation that exists between the direct and reciprocal lattices, we provide a conclusive explanation as to why the diffraction pattern of the main maxima is finite. This can shed a new light on the investigation of crystallographic systems

Land use still matters after deforestation

Careful management of deforested Amazonian land cannot replace, but must complement, efforts to preserve the rainforest. Sustainable agricultural practices that promote diverse uses can help minimise climate and environmental impacts.Peer reviewe

Desafios e possibilidades da Educação Ambiental nas escolas públicas: o caso da cidade de São Paulo

From a critical perspective of environmental education, the objective of this work was to analyze, through a diagnostic questionnaire, the challenges and possibilities related to environmental education in municipal schools of São Paulo. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively, considering contributions from content analysis. The results showed a clear awareness of socio-environmental problems in the system and that, despite the challenges, most schools develop or have developed environmental education projects.Desde una perspectiva crítica de la educación ambiental, el objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar, a través de un cuestionario de diagnóstico, los desafíos y posibilidades relacionados con la educación ambiental en las escuelas municipales de San Pablo. Los datos fueron analizados cuantitativa y cualitativamente, considerando las aportaciones del análisis de contenido. Los resultados mostraron una clara conciencia en la red de los problemas socioambientales y que, a pesar de los desafíos, la mayoría de las escuelas desarrollan o han desarrollado proyectos de educación ambiental.Partindo de uma perspectiva crítica de educação ambiental, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar, por meio de questionário diagnóstico, desafios e possibilidades relacionados à educação ambiental das escolas municipais de São Paulo. Os dados foram analisados de forma quantitativa e qualitativa, considerando contribuições da análise de conteúdo. Os resultados mostraram uma consciência clara na rede dos problemas socioambientais e que, apesar dos desafios, a maioria das escolas desenvolve ou já desenvolveu projetos de EA

Wild dogs at stake: deforestation threatens the only Amazon endemic canid, the short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis)

The persistent high deforestation rate and fragmentation of the Amazon forests are the main threats to their biodiversity. To anticipate and mitigate these threats, it is important to understand and predict how species respond to the rapidly changing landscape. The short-eared dog Atelocynus microtis is the only Amazon-endemic canid and one of the most understudied wild dogs worldwide. We investigated short-eared dog habitat associations on two spatial scales. First, we used the largest record database ever compiled for short-eared dogs in combination with species distribution models to map species habitat suitability, estimate its distribution range and predict shifts in species distribution in response to predicted deforestation across the entire Amazon (regional scale). Second, we used systematic camera trap surveys and occupancy models to investigate how forest cover and forest fragmentation affect the space use of this species in the Southern Brazilian Amazon (local scale). Species distribution models suggested that the short-eared dog potentially occurs over an extensive and continuous area, through most of the Amazon region south of the Amazon River. However, approximately 30% of the short-eared dog's current distribution is expected to be lost or suffer sharp declines in habitat suitability by 2027 (within three generations) due to forest loss. This proportion might reach 40% of the species distribution in unprotected areas and exceed 60% in some interfluves (i.e. portions of land separated by large rivers) of the Amazon basin. Our local-scale analysis indicated that the presence of forest positively affected short-eared dog space use, while the density of forest edges had a negative effect. Beyond shedding light on the ecology of the short-eared dog and refining its distribution range, our results stress that forest loss poses a serious threat to the conservation of the species in a short time frame. Hence, we propose a re-assessment of the short-eared dog's current IUCN Red List status (Near Threatened) based on findings presented here. Our study exemplifies how data can be integrated across sources and modelling procedures to improve our knowledge of relatively understudied species