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

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

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Physiological and sanitary quality of soybean seeds under different chemical treatments during storage

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the chemical treatment with fungicide, insecticide, micronutrient and polymer on physiological and sanitary quality of soybean seeds during storage. The treatments were arranged in a 3 x 5 x 5 factorial scheme (cultivars x seeds treatment x storage period), in completely randomized design with four replicates. Three cultivars were used: NA 4823RG, BMX TurboRR and Fundacep 62RR. The treatments were: T1: no chemical treatment, T2: fungicide, insecticide and micronutrient; T3: fungicide, insecticide, micronutrient and polymer, T4: fungicide; T5: insecticide. After the chemical treatment, the seeds were stored under environmental conditions from May to December 2012, and seed quality was evaluated at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 months of storage. Seeds water content and physiological quality were determined through tests of germination, accelerated aging, seedling length, seedling dry weight and sanity. The treatment with fungicides, insecticides, micronutrients and polymer did not affect seed quality over eight months of storage and promoted the control fungi associated with the seeds

Sodium intake combining cholinergic activation and noradrenaline into the lateral parabrachial nucleus

The administration of cholinergic agonists like pilocarpine intraperitoneally (i.p.) or carbachol intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) induces water, but non significant hypertonic NaCl intake. These treatments also produce pressor responses, which may inhibit sodium intake. Noradrenaline (NOR) acting on a2-adrenoceptors in the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) deactivates inhibitory mechanisms increasing fluid depletion-induced sodium intake. In the present study, we investigated: (1) water and 1.8% NaCl intake in rats treated with pilocarpine i.p. or carbachol i.c.v. combined with NOR into the LPBN; (2) if inhibitory signals from cardiovascular receptors are blocked by NOR in the LPBN. Male Holtzman rats with stainless steel guide-cannulas implanted in the lateral ventricle and bilaterally in the LPBN were used. Bilateral injections of NOR (80 nmol/0.2 ll) into the LPBN decreased water intake (0.8 ± 0.3, vs. saline (SAL): 2.9 ± 0.3 ml/180 min) induced by pilocarpine (1 mg/kg of body weight) i.p., without changing 1.8% NaCl intake (0.8 ± 2.4, vs. SAL: 0.5 ± 0.3 m l/180 min). Prazosin (1 mg/kg of body weight) i.p. blocked pressor responses and increased water and 1.8% NaCl intake (6.3 ± 1.7 and 14.7 ± 3.5 ml/180 min, respectively) in rats treated with pilocarpine combined with NOR into the LPBN. Prazosin i.p. also increased 1.8% NaCl intake in rats treated with carbachol i.c.v combined with NOR into the LPBN. The results suggest that different signals inhibit sodium intake in rats treated with cholinergic agonists, among them those produced by increases of arterial pressure that are not efficiently deactivated by NOR acting in the LPBNFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Nutrição fosfatada e rendimento do feijoeiro sob influência da calagem e adubação orgânica Phosphated nutrition and yield of the bean plant under the influence of liming and organic fertilization

Sendo um nutriente essencial em diversas funções celulares, o fósforo freqüentemente limita o desenvolvimento do feijoeiro devido sua alta capacidade de adsorção aos componentes mineralógicos do solo e sua baixa disponibilidade à absorção vegetal. Práticas de manejo do solo, como aumento do teor de matéria orgânica e a calagem, são bastante eficazes na redução do fenômeno de adsorção de P no solo e aumento de sua disponibilidade para a absorção vegetal. Objetivando avaliar o efeito de doses de esterco bovino e calcário sobre a nutrição fosfatada e produção do feijoeiro, foram conduzidos, em casa-de-vegetação do Departamento de Ciência do Solo da Universidade Federal de Lavras, quatro experimentos utilizando-se o delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 5x4 e quatro repetições, em vasos contendo 3 dm³ de amostras dos solos Neossolo Quartzarênico órtico, textura arenosa (RQo), Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico, textura média (LVAd-1), Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico, textura argilosa (LVAd-2) e Latossolo Vermelho distrófico, textura muito argilosa (LVd), onde foram cultivadas três plantas de feijoeiro. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pela aplicação de cinco doses de esterco bovino (0; 2,5; 5,0; 7,5 e 10% do volume do solo) e quatro níveis de calagem (0,0; 0,5; 1 e 2 vezes a dose recomendada para atingir V=60%). Foram avaliados a produção de matéria seca da parte aérea e grãos e o acúmulo de P na matéria seca da parte aérea total. A calagem e a adubação orgânica promoveram aumentos na absorção, acúmulo de P e produção de grãos pelo feijoeiro, o qual apresentou as melhores respostas com a dose 10 % de esterco bovino combinada com o nível 1,0 de calagem.<br>Being an essential nutrient in several cellular functions, the phosphorus frequently limits the development of the bean plant due its high capacity of adsorption to mineralogical components of the soil and low availability for the plants absorption. Soil management practices, such as the increase in the level of organic matter and liming are quite effective in the reduction of the phenomenon of adsorption of P in the soil and increase of its availability for plant absorption. Aiming to evaluate the effect of doses of bovine manure and lime on the phosphate nutrition and production of the bean plant, four experiments were conducted in the greenhouse of the Soil Science Department of the Federal University of Lavras. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 5x4 factorial scheme with four replications, in pots containing 3 dm³ of soil samples from an Orthic Quartzarenic Neosol (RQo), a Dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol, medium texture (LVAd-1), a Dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol, clayey texture (LVAD-2), and a Dystrophic Red Latosol, very clayey texture (LVd), in which three bean plants were cultivated. The treatments were constituted by the application of five doses of bovine manure (0; 2.5; 5.0; 7.5, and 10 % of the volume of the soil) and four liming levels (0; 0.5; 1, and 2 times the recommended dose to reach V=60%). It were evaluated the production of dry matter of aerial part and grains and the P accumulation in dry matter of total aerial parts of beans plants. The liming and organic fertilization promoted increases in the absorption and accumulation of P, and production of grains of the bean plant, which presented the best responses with the dose of 10 % of bovine manure combined with the level 1 of liming