Cognition, culture and utility:Plant classification by Paraguayan immigrant farmers in Misiones, Argentina

Background: This study was conducted in three rural communities of small farmers of Paraguayan origin living in the province of Misiones, Argentina. These Criollos (Mestizos) hail chiefly from departments located in the east of Paraguay, where the climate and flora have similar characteristics as those in Misiones. These ecological features contribute to the continuation and maintenance of knowledge and practices related to the use of plants. Methods: Fieldwork was conducted between September 2014 and August 2015. Forty five informants from three rural localities situated along the Parana River participated in an ethno-classification task. For the classification event, photographs of 30 medicinal and edible plants were chosen, specifically those yielding the highest frequency of mention among the members of that community (based on data obtained in the first stage of research in 2014). Variation in local plant classifications was examined and compared using principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Results: We found that people classify plants according to application or use (primarily medicinal, to a lesser extent as edible). Morphology is rarely taken into account, even for very similar and closely-related species such as varieties of palms. In light of our findings, we highlight a dominant functionality model at work in the process of plant cognition and classification among farmers of Paraguayan origin. Salient cultural beliefs and practices associated with rural Paraguayan plant-based medicine are described. Additionally, the manner by which residents’ concepts of plants articulate with local folk epistemology is discussed. Conclusions: Culturally constructed use patterns ultimately override morphological variables in rural Paraguayans’ ethnobotanical classification.Antecedentes: Este trabajo se realizó con pequeños agricultores de origen paraguayo, que habitan en la provincia de Misiones, Argentina. Los criollos (mestizos) en su mayoría provienen de departamentos ubicados al oriente del Paraguay, donde el clima y la flora presentan características similares a la provincia de Misiones. Estas características ecológicas contribuyen a la continuación y el mantenimiento de los conocimientos y las prácticas relacionados al uso de las plantas. Métodos El trabajo de campo se realizó entre septiembre de 2014 y agosto de 2015. En la etnoclasificación participaron 45 informantes, provenientes de tres localidades rurales, situadas a lo largo del río Paraná, frontera entre los dos países. Para la clasificación se utilizaron imágenes fotográficas de 30 especies -comestibles y medicinales- preseleccionadas como las de mayor frecuencia de mención entre los habitantes de la región (a partir de los datos obtenidos en una primera etapa de investigación en el año 2014). Por medio del análisis de componentes principales y el análisis de agrupamiento (cluster) se contrastaron y compararon las variaciones en las etnoclasificaciones locales de plantas. Resultados Se encontró que los pobladores clasifican sus plantas según su aplicación y uso (mayormente asociadas a la categoría medicinal y en menor medida a la comestible). Mientras, la morfología rara vez se tiene en cuenta, incluso en aquellas especies muy similares y estrechamente relacionadas como las palmeras. A la luz de los hallazgos, se destaca un modelo de funcionalidad dominante en el proceso de cognición y de clasificación de las plantas entre los agricultores de origen paraguayo. Se describen las principales creencias y prácticas culturales asociadas a la medicina rural paraguaya. Adicionalmente, se discuten algunos de los conceptos de las plantas que mantienen los paraguayos y su articulación con la epistemología local. Conclusiones En la clasificación etnobotánica de los pobladores de origen paraguayo los patrones de uso construidos culturalmente tienen mayor peso que las variables morfológicas.Fil: Kujawska, Monika. University Of Lodz; ArgentinaFil: Jiménez Escobar, Néstor David. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Nolan, Justin M.. University Of Arkansas; Estados UnidosFil: Arias Mutis, Daniel. University of Groningen; Países Bajo

Mesenchymal stem cells secretome-induced axonal outgrowth is mediated by BDNF

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used for cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine, with increasing importance in central and peripheral nervous system repair. However, MSCs grafting present disadvantages, such as, a high number of cells required for transplantation and low survival rate when transplanted into the central nervous system (CNS). In line with this, MSCs secretome which present on its composition a wide range of molecules (neurotrophins, cytokines) and microvesicles, can be a solution to surpass these problems. However, the effect of MSCs secretome in axonal elongation is poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that application of MSCs secretome to both rat cortical and hippocampal neurons induces an increase in axonal length. In addition, we show that this growth effect is axonal intrinsic with no contribution from the cell body. To further understand which are the molecules required for secretome-induced axonal outgrowth effect, we depleted brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) from the secretome. Our results show that in the absence of BDNF, secretome-induced axonal elongation effect is lost and that axons present a reduced axonal growth rate. Altogether, our results demonstrate that MSCs secretome is able to promote axonal outgrowth in CNS neurons and this effect is mediated by BDNF.European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Centro 2020 Regional Operational Programme under project CENTRO-01–0145-FEDER-000008:BrainHealth 2020, and through the COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation and Portuguese national funds via FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under projects PTDC/SAU-NEU/104100/2008, EXPL/NEU-NMC/0541/2012 and UID/NEU/04539/2013. This work was also funded by Marie Curie Actions - International reintegration grant #249288, 7th Framework programme, EU. Partially funded by Prémios Santa Casa Neurociências - Prize Melo e Castro for Spinal Cord Injury Research; Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (IF Development Grant to A.J.S.); NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013, supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme; by FEDER funds, through the Competitiveness Factors Operational Programme (COMPETE), and by national funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007038. The authors would also like to acknowledge Prof. J.E. Davies from the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, Canada, for kindly providing some of the HUCPVCs lots used in the present workinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The effects of spatial legacies following shifting management practices and fire on boreal forest age structure

Forest age structure and its spatial arrangement are important elements of sustainable forestry because of their effects on biodiversity and timber availability. Forest management objectives that include specific forest age structure may not be easily attained due to constraints imposed by the legacies of historical management and natural disturbance. We used a spatially explicit stochastic model to explore the synergetic effects of forest management and fire on boreal forest age structure. Specifically, we examined (1) the duration of spatial legacies of different management practices in the boreal forest, (2) how multiple shifts in management practices affect legacy duration and the spatial trajectories of forest age structure, and (3) how fire influences legacy duration and pattern development in combination with harvesting. Results based on 30 replicates of 500 years for each scenario indicate that (1) spatial legacies persist over 200 years and the rate at which legacies are overcome depends on whether new management targets are in synchrony with existing spatial pattern; (2) age specific goals were met faster after multiple management shifts due to the similar spatial scale of the preceding management types; (3) because large fires can erase the spatial pattern created by smaller disturbances, scenarios with fire had shorter lags than scenarios without fire. These results suggest that forest management goals can be accelerated by applying management at a similar spatial scale as existing spatial patterns. Also, management planning should include careful consideration of historical management as well as current and likely future disturbances

Mortes perinatais e avaliação da assistência ao parto em maternidades do Sistema Único de Saúde em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil, 1999 Perinatal deaths and childbirth healthcare evaluation in maternity hospitals of the Brazilian Unified Health System in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 1999

Este trabalho analisa a associação entre a morte perinatal e o processo de assistência hospitalar ao parto, considerando-se que grande parte das mortes perinatais pode ser prevenível pela atenção qualificada de saúde e que a avaliação da qualidade da assistência perinatal ao parto é necessária para a redução da morbi-mortalidade perinatal. Realizou-se estudo caso-controle de base populacional dos óbitos perinatais (n = 118) e nascimentos (n = 492), ocorridos em maternidades do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Sexo masculino, prematuridade, doenças na gravidez, baixo peso ao nascer, doenças do recém-nascido, não realização de pré-natal, não utilização de partograma e menos de uma avaliação fetal por hora durante o trabalho de parto apresentaram associação estatisticamente significativa com o óbito perinatal. No modelo de regressão logística múltipla, não utilização do partograma durante o trabalho de parto e tipo de maternidade apresentaram-se como fatores de risco independentes para a morte perinatal. O estudo indica que é deficiente a qualidade da assistência hospitalar ao parto e que aspectos da estrutura dos serviços e do processo de assistência relacionam-se com a mortalidade perinatal por causas evitáveis.<br>This paper analyzes the association between perinatal mortality and factors related to hospital care during labor, considering that healthcare assessment is needed in order to reduce perinatal mortality. A population-based case-control study was conducted with 118 perinatal deaths (cases) and 492 births (controls) that took place in maternity hospitals of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Male sex, prematurity, diseases during pregnancy, low birth weight, newborn diseases, lack of prenatal care, lack of partograph use during labor, and less than one fetus assessment per hour during labor were significantly associated with perinatal deaths. In the multiple regression analysis, lack of partograph use during labor and type of hospital were associated with perinatal deaths. These results indicate inadequate quality of care in maternity hospitals and show that health services structure and health care process are related to perinatal mortality due to preventable causes

Pesquisa sobre mortalidade perinatal no Brasil: revisão da metodologia e dos resultados Perinatal mortality research in Brazil: review of methodology and results

A mortalidade perinatal persiste como relevante evento em saúde pública, demandando estudos epidemiológicos, tanto para definir sua magnitude e variações temporais, como para identificar seus determinantes e apontar as intervenções adequadas. Existem ainda questões conceituais e metodológicas controversas, gerando heterogeneidade nos estudos e prováveis vieses. No Brasil, nos últimos anos, desponta uma produção crescente sobre o tema, principalmente no Sudeste e Sul. Foram revistos 24 artigos de 1996 a 2003, focalizando: definições e classificações utilizadas, fontes de dados, desenhos de estudo, formas de aferição das variáveis, modelos de análise estatística e principais resultados. A revisão mostrou a progressiva utilização de bancos de dados informatizados, principalmente o SINASC e o SIM, o pequeno número de estudos sobre natimortalidade, a incorporação ainda incipiente das classificações de causas e a discordância em relação a alguns fatores de risco.<br>The perinatal mortality rate remains a public health problem, demanding epidemiological studies to describe its magnitude and time trends, identify risk factors, and define adequate interventions. There are still methodological controversies, resulting in heterogeneous studies and possible biases. In Brazil, there has been a growing scientific output on this theme, mainly in the South and Southeast of the country. Twenty-four articles from 1996 to 2003 were reviewed, focusing on definitions and classifications, data sources, study designs, measurement of variables, statistical analysis, and results. The review showed an increasing utilization of data bases (mainly SINASC and SIM), few studies on stillbirth, the incorporation of classification schemes, and disagreement concerning risk factors