NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans – anteaters, sloths, and armadillos – have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with 24 domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, ten anteaters, and six sloths. Our dataset includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data-paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the south of the USA, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to its austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n=5,941), and Cyclopes sp. has the fewest (n=240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n=11,588), and the least recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n=33). With regards to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n=962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n=12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other datasets of Neotropical Series which will become available very soon (i.e. Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans dataset

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time, and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space. While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes, vast areas of the tropics remain understudied. In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity, but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases. To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications 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, 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

Measurement of vector boson production cross sections and their ratios using pp collisions at √s = 13.6 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract available from publisher's website

Highly-parallelized simulation of a pixelated LArTPC on a GPU

The rapid development of general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) is allowing the implementation of highly-parallelized Monte Carlo simulation chains for particle physics experiments. This technique is particularly suitable for the simulation of a pixelated charge readout for time projection chambers, given the large number of channels that this technology employs. Here we present the first implementation of a full microphysical simulator of a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) equipped with light readout and pixelated charge readout, developed for the DUNE Near Detector. The software is implemented with an end-to-end set of GPU-optimized algorithms. The algorithms have been written in Python and translated into CUDA kernels using Numba, a just-in-time compiler for a subset of Python and NumPy instructions. The GPU implementation achieves a speed up of four orders of magnitude compared with the equivalent CPU version. The simulation of the current induced on 10^3 pixels takes around 1 ms on the GPU, compared with approximately 10 s on the CPU. The results of the simulation are compared against data from a pixel-readout LArTPC prototype

Otimização da aplicação de Fluazifop-P-Butil em pós-emergência na cultura de soja (Glycine max) Optimizing Fluazifop-P-Butyl application on postemergence soybeans (Glycine max)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a possibilidade de redução da dosagem e do volume de calda em função do horário de aplicação do herbicida fluazifop-p-butil em pós-emergência na cultura de soja, mantendo-se o controle das plantas daninhas e a seletividade para a cultura. O experimento foi conduzido na área experimental da Fazenda de Ensino e Pesquisa da FCAV/UNESP - Jaboticabal, no ano agrícola 1998/99, na cultura de soja, cultivar FT 2009. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com 24 tratamentos, sendo 20 dispostos no esquema fatorial 2 x 2 x 5 e quatro testemunhas. Os fatores testados foram: volume de calda (100 e 200 L de calda/ha); dosagens reduzidas -75,2 e 112,8 g de fluazifop-p-butil/ha (respectivamente a 40 e 60% da dosagem recomendada); e horário de aplicação (5, 9, 13, 17 e 21 horas). As testemunhas foram aplicadas com a dosagem recomendada (188,0 g do fluazifop-p-butil/ha) e com os volumes de 100 e 200 L de calda/ha, no mato (sem controle das plantas daninhas) e "no limpo" (plantas daninhas controladas com enxada manual). As principais espécies de plantas daninhas que emergiram na área experimental foram capim-carrapicho (Cenchrus echinatus), que compunha 60% da comunidade infestante; capim-colchão (Digitaria horizontalis), 10%; e capim-pé-de-galinha (Eleusine indica), 30%. Todas as aplicações do herbicida fluazifop-p-butil, nos horários até as 9 horas e a partir das 17 horas, controlaram eficientemente as três espécies de plantas daninhas e foram seletivas para a cultura de soja. Portanto, o uso do herbicida fluazifop-p-butil pode ser otimizado por meio de reduções na dosagem e no volume de calda em aplicações durante os horários com condições ambientais favoráveis à pulverização.<br>The objective of this study was to evaluate the possibility of reducing spray concentration and volume of Fluazifop-p-butyl applications on postemergence soybeans, while maintaining weed control and growth selectivity. The study was conducted in the experimental area of the Teaching and Research Farm of FCAV/Unesp - Jaboticabal Campus, during the agricultural season of 1998/99, carried out on a crop of soybean cultivar FT 2009. The experimental setup utilized was a randomized block design with 24 treatments, 20 following a factorial scheme 2 x 2 x 5 and 4 control treatments. The factors examined were: spray volume (100 and 200 L ha-1); reduced spray concentration - 75.2 and 112.8 g of fluazifop-p-butyl/ha (40 and 60% of the recommended concentration, respectively); and application schedule (5 A.M., 9 A.M., 1 P.M., 5 P.M. and 9 P.M.). The controls were applications at the recommended concentration (188.0 g fluazifop-p-butyl/ha), using volumes of 100 and 200 L ha-1, and treatments without weed control and weeds controlled with manual hoeing. The main species of weeds that emerged in the experimental area were: Cenchrus echinatus, comprising 60% of the infested sections; Digitaria horizontalis, 10%, and Eleusine indica, 30%. All fluazifop-p-butyl applications made up to 9 A.M. and from 5 P.M. effectively controlled the three species of weeds and provided a selective growth of soybeans. Therefore, the use of fluazifop-p-butyl can be optimized by reducing both the concentration and the volume of the spray for applications times providing favorable conditions for crop dusting

Epidemiology of neurocysticercosis in Brazil Epidemiologia da neurocisticercose no Brasil

A revision of literature was done with the objective of tracing an epidemiologic profile of neurocysticercosis (NCC) in Brazil. The prevalence was 0.12-9% in autopsies. The frequency was 0.03-7.5% in clinical series and 0.68-5.2% in seroepidemiological studies. The disease corresponds to 0.08-2.5% of admissions to general hospitals. Patient origin was rural in 30-63% of cases. The most involved age range (64-100%) was 11 to 60 years, with a predominance (22-67%) between 21 and 40 years. The male sex was the most affected (51-80%). In the severe forms there was a predominance of urban origin (53-62%) and of the female sex (53-75%). The period of hospitalization ranges from 1 to 254 days and 33 to 50% of patients suffer 1.7 &plusmn; 1.4 admissions. The clinical picture was variable, with a predominance of epileptic syndrome (22-92%) and intracranial hypertension (19-89%). Psychiatric manifestations were associated in 9-23% of patients. Lethality was 0.29% in terms of all diseases in general and 4.8-25.9% in terms of neurologic diseases. The asymptomatic form was detected in 6% of patients in clinical serie and in 48.5% of case from autopsies. The racemose form and ventricular localization also was observed as asymptomatic form. Among the patients with cutaneous cysticercosis 65% of them showed neurologic manifestations.<br>Realizou-se revisão da literatura com o objetivo de tentar delinear um perfil epidemiológico da neurocisticercose no Brasil. A prevalência em necrópsias variou de 0,12-9%. A freqüência, nas casuísticas clínicas foi de 0,03-7,5% e, nos estudos soroepidemiológicos, de 0,68-5,2%. Compreendeu 0,08-2,5% das internações em hospitais gerais. A procedência foi rural em 30-63% dos doentes. Comprometeu mais (64-100%) na faixa etária dos 11 aos 60 anos, predominantemente (22-67%) entre 21 e 40 anos. O sexo masculino foi mais atingido (51-80%). Nas formas graves, houve predomínio da origem urbana (53-62%) e do sexo feminino (53-75%). O período de internação variou de 1 -254 dias, com 33 a 50% dos doentes necessitando 1.7 &plusmn; 1,4 admissões. Houve variabilidade no quadro clínico, predominando síndrome epiléptica (22-92%) e hipertensão intracraniana (19-89%). A presença de manifestações psiquiátricas foi observada em 9-23% dos doentes. A letalidade, frente as doenças em geral, foi de 0,29% e, entre as doenças neurológicas, de 4,8-25,9%. A forma assintomática foi detectada em 6% dos doentes de casuística clínica e em 48,5% dos casos de necrópsia. A forma racemosa e a localização ventricular também se apresentaram de maneira assintomática. Entre os doentes com cisticercose cutânea, 65% apresentavam manifestações neurológicas

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora

Doping Liquid Argon with Xenon in ProtoDUNE Single-Phase: Effects on Scintillation Light

International audienceDoping of liquid argon TPCs (LArTPCs) with a small concentration of xenon is a technique for light-shifting and facilitates the detection of the liquid argon scintillation light. In this paper, we present the results of the first doping test ever performed in a kiloton-scale LArTPC. From February to May 2020, we carried out this special run in the single-phase DUNE Far Detector prototype (ProtoDUNE-SP) at CERN, featuring 770 t of total liquid argon mass with 410 t of fiducial mass. The goal of the run was to measure the light and charge response of the detector to the addition of xenon, up to a concentration of 18.8 ppm. The main purpose was to test the possibility for reduction of non-uniformities in light collection, caused by deployment of photon detectors only within the anode planes. Light collection was analysed as a function of the xenon concentration, by using the pre-existing photon detection system (PDS) of ProtoDUNE-SP and an additional smaller set-up installed specifically for this run. In this paper we first summarize our current understanding of the argon-xenon energy transfer process and the impact of the presence of nitrogen in argon with and without xenon dopant. We then describe the key elements of ProtoDUNE-SP and the injection method deployed. Two dedicated photon detectors were able to collect the light produced by xenon and the total light. The ratio of these components was measured to be about 0.65 as 18.8 ppm of xenon were injected. We performed studies of the collection efficiency as a function of the distance between tracks and light detectors, demonstrating enhanced uniformity of response for the anode-mounted PDS. We also show that xenon doping can substantially recover light losses due to contamination of the liquid argon by nitrogen