Melatonin reduces the severity of experimental amoebiasis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Melatonin has immunomodulatory effects but very little is known about its influence in protozoan infections, such as <it>Entamoeba histolytica</it>, which causes amoebiasis, a disease with significant morbidity and mortality. In this study, we evaluated the effects of exogenous melatonin interference in experimental amoebiasis and on interactions between human blood cells and <it>E. histolytica </it>trophozoites.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The effect of melatonin was investigated in models of experimental amoebiasis in hamsters and rats by evaluating the area of necrosis induced by <it>E. histolytica</it>. The activity of melatonin on the interactions between leukocytes and amoebae was determined by examining leukophagocytosis. For <it>in vitro </it>tests, polymorphonuclear and mononuclear human blood leucocytes were incubated with <it>E. histolytica </it>trophozoites.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The areas of amoebic necrosis were significantly reduced in animals treated with melatonin. Melatonin treatment increased leukophagocytosis but was associated with a greater number of dead amoebae.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that melatonin may play a beneficial role in the control of amoebic lesions, raising the possibility that this drug may be used as an adjuvant in anti-amoebic therapy.</p

Finding the proper methodology for geodiversity assessment : a recent approach in Brazil and Portugal

A methodology for the quantitative assessment of geodiversity was defined and tested at various scales. It was applied to the Xingu River Basin, Amazon, Brazil (about 510,000 km2), Paraná state, Brazil (about 200,000 km2), and Portugal mainland (about 89,000 km2). This method is intended to assess all geodiversity components and to avoid overrating any particular component, such as lithology or relief, a common weakness of other methods. The method is based on the overlay of a grid over different maps at scales that range according to the areas under analysis, with the final Geodiversity Index being the sum of five partial indexes calculated on the grid. Partial indexes were calculated using GIS software by counting all the occurrences present in the selected maps for each grid square. The Geodiversity Index can take the form of a GIS automatically generated isoline map, allowing an easy interpretation by those without or with little geological background. The map can be used as a tool in land-use planning, particularly in identifying priority areas for conservation, management and use of natural resources

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

Functional disability of adult individuals with spinal cord injury and its association with socio-demographic characteristics

The aim was to investigate the Functional Disability degree in adults with spinal cord injury and its association with socio-demographic characteristics. The Barthel Index was used and 75 subjects answered a questionnaire with socio-demographic variables. The Chi-Square, Cronbach's Alpha and Fisher tests were used in the analysis. The mean age was 42.23 years. Cronbach's Alpha for the Barthel Index was 0.807. The activities that were more difficult to perform were Climbing and Descending Stairs (92%) and Walking (82.7%). The mean Barthel Index score was 64 points. The tests of association demonstrated values with p>0.05. Even though this population demonstrated a low degree of dependency and no association was identified between the socio-demographic variables and Functional Disability, the study contributes to nursing care for individuals with spinal cord injury, considering the limitations the condition imposes on their self-care.El objetivo fue investigar el grado de Incapacidad Funcional de adultos con lesión medular y su asociación con las características socio-demográficas. Se utilizó el Índice de Barthel y un cuestionario con variables socio-demográficas. Participaron 75 sujetos. Se efectuaron las pruebas: Chi-cuadrado, Cronbach y Fisher. El promedio de edad fue de 43,23 años. El Alfa de Cronbach para el Índice de Barthel fue de 0,807. Las actividades en las cuales se verificó mayor dificultad de realización fueron Subir y Bajar escaleras (92%) y Deambular (82,7%). La mediana del Índice de Barthel fue de 64 puntos. Las pruebas de asociación presentaron valores de p>0,05. A pesar de que la población presenta un grado leve de dependencia y no se identificaron asociaciones entre las variables socio-demográficas y la Incapacidad Funcional, se considera que el estudio contribuye para la asistencia de enfermería, debido a algunas limitaciones que la lesión medular impone en el auto-cuidado.Objetivou-se investigar o grau de incapacidade funcional de adultos com lesão medular e a sua associação com as características sociodemográficas. Utilizaram-se o índice de Barthel e um questionário com variáveis sociodemográficas. Participaram 75 sujeitos. Efetuaram-se os teste qui-quadrado, Cronbach e Fisher. A média de idade foi de 43,23 anos. O alfa de Cronbach para o índice de Barthel foi de 0,807. As atividades nas quais se verificou maior dificuldade de realização foram subir e descer escadas (92%) e deambular (82,7%). O escore médio do índice de Barthel foi de 64 pontos. Os testes de associação apresentaram valores de p>0,05. Apesar de a população apresentar grau leve de dependência e não se identificar associação entre as variáveis sociodemográficas e a incapacidade funcional, considera-se que o estudo contribui para a assistência de enfermagem, por possibilitar reflexões na busca de se amenizar algumas limitações que a lesão medular impõe ao autocuidado

Correction: Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

In the original version of the article, the authors incorrectly stated the value of current and projected deforestation in the results: the values should be 23.50% and 27.29%, respectively. This error does not impact the results or conclusions presented in the paper. The error has now been corrected online. The authors apologize for the error and any confusion that may have resulted

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