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

Eficácia analgésica da lidocaína e analgesia multimodal na remoção do dreno torácico: Um estudo randomizado controlado

Objetivo: avaliar a eficiência analgésica de lidocaína subcutânea e analgesia multimodal na remoção do dreno torácico após cirurgia cardíaca. Método: sessenta voluntários foram alocados aleatoriamente em dois grupos; 30 participantes no grupo experimental receberam lidocaína subcutânea 1%, e outros 30 do grupo controle receberam o regime de analgesia multimodal compreendendo agentes anti-inflamatórios e opióides sistêmicos. A intensidade e qualidade da dor e Ansiedade Traço Estado foram avaliados. A associação entre variáveis independentes e desfecho final foi avaliada através do Teste Qui-quadrado com correção de Yates e o Teste exato de Fisher. Resultados: os grupos não apresentaram diferenças significante, no que diz respeito à intensidade da dor na remoção do dreno torácico (p= 0,47). Os descritores de dor mais comuns relatados pelos participantes foram dor: de pressão, aguda, como uma picada, queimar/arder e intolerável. Conclusão: o presente estudo sugere que o efeito analgésico da administração de lidocaína 1% combinada com a analgesia multimodal é mais eficiente.Objetivo: evaluar la eficacia analgésica de la lidocaína subcutánea y la analgesia multimodal para la remoción del tubo torácico después de la cirugía cardíaca. Métodos: sesenta voluntarios fueron asignados aleatoriamente en dos grupos; 30 participantes en el grupo experimental recibieron lidocaína subcutánea al 1%, y 30 controlos recibieron un régimen de analgesia multimodal que comprende agentes antiinflamatorios sistémicos y opioides. La intensidad y calidad del dolor y rasgo y estado de ansiedad se evaluaron. La asociación entre las variables independientes y el resultado final han sido evaluados por medio de la prueba de Chi-cuadrado con corrección de Yates y la prueba exacta de Fisher. Resultados: los grupos no mostraron diferencias significativas con respecto a la intensidad del dolor después de la retirada del tubo torácico (p= 0,47). Los descriptores de dolor más frecuentes informados por los participantes fueron apretado, agudo, punzante, ardiente e insoportable. Conclusión: el presente estudio sugiere que el efecto analgésico de la administración subcutánea de lidocaína al 1% combinada con la analgesia multimodal es eficaz.Objective: to assess the analgesic efficacy of subcutaneous lidocaine and multimodal analgesia for chest tube removal following heart surgery. Methods: sixty volunteers were randomly allocated in two groups; 30 participants in the experimental group were given 1% subcutaneous lidocaine, and 30 controls were given a multimodal analgesia regime comprising systemic anti-inflammatory agents and opioids. The intensity and quality of pain and trait and state anxiety were assessed. The association between independent variables and final outcome was assessed by means of the Chi-squared test with Yates' correction and Fisher's exact test. Results: the groups did not exhibit significant difference with respect to the intensity of pain upon chest tube removal (p= 0.47). The most frequent descriptors of pain reported by the participants were pressing, sharp, pricking, burning and unbearable. Conclusion: the present study suggests that the analgesic effect of the subcutaneous administration of 1% lidocaine combined with multimodal analgesia is most efficacious

Fatores anatomofisiologicos que afetam a qualidade oocitária em bovinos

Resumo: Para estudar os fatores anatomofisiológicos que interferem na qualidade de complexos cumulus-oócitos (CCOs) bovinos, foram obtidas 396 ovários após abate de 198 fêmeas Bos indicus em frigorífico. Os ovários foram separados por categorias, sendo distribuídos em nulípara vs multípara e com progesterona (P4 - presença de corpo lúteo em um dos ovários) vs sem progesterona (NP4 - ausência de corpo lúteo). Todos os folículos foram mensurados e categorizados em pequenos (<6mm), médios (6 a 9mm) ou grandes (>9mm). Em seguida todos os folículos foram puncionados e os CCOs recuperados e avaliados morfologicamente. Não houve diferença na taxa de recuperação nem na qualidade dos CCOs de fêmeas nulíparas vs multíparas. O percentual de CCOs desnudos/degenerados foi maior no grupo NP4 e os CCOs expandidos foram superiores no grupo P4. A taxa de recuperação e o percentual de CCOs selecionados para PIV (graus I e II) foram similares nos grupos P4 vs NP4. Folículos pequenos apresentam menor taxa de recuperação em comparação aos de tamanho médio e grande, porém o percentual de CCOs de grau I foi superior em folículos pequenos e médios. Diante dos resultados aqui encontrados conclui-se que a categoria da doadora e a progesterona não influenciaram a qualidade de CCOs selecionados para PIV e que folículos menores apresentam de CCOs de melhor qualidade

Analgesic efficacy of lidocaine and multimodal analgesia for chest tube removal: A randomized trial study

Objective: to assess the analgesic efficacy of subcutaneous lidocaine and multimodal analgesia for chest tube removal following heart surgery. Methods: sixty volunteers were randomly allocated in two groups; 30 participants in the experimental group were given 1% subcutaneous lidocaine, and 30 controls were given a multimodal analgesia regime comprising systemic anti-inflammatory agents and opioids. The intensity and quality of pain and trait and state anxiety were assessed. The association between independent variables and final outcome was assessed by means of the Chi-squared test with Yates' correction and Fisher's exact test. Results: the groups did not exhibit significant difference with respect to the intensity of pain upon chest tube removal (p= 0.47). The most frequent descriptors of pain reported by the participants were pressing, sharp, pricking, burning and unbearable. Conclusion: the present study suggests that the analgesic effect of the subcutaneous administration of 1% lidocaine combined with multimodal analgesia is most efficacious

Modified Hybrid Procedure in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: Initial Experience of a Center in Northeastern Brazil

Abstract Introduction: Although it only corresponds to 2.5% of congenital heart defects, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is responsible for more than 25% of cardiac deaths in the first week of life. Palliative surgery performed after the second week of life is considered an important risk factor in the treatment of HLHS. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the initial experience of a medical center in Northeastern Brazil with a modified off-pump hybrid approach for palliation of HLHS. Methods: From November 2012 through November 2015, the medical records of 8 patients with HLHS undergoing hybrid procedure were retrospectively evaluated in a tertiary private hospital in Northeastern Brazil. The modified off-pump hybrid palliation consisted of stenting of the ductus arteriosus guided by fluoroscopy without contrast and banding of the main pulmonary artery branches. Demographic and clinical variables were recorded for descriptive analysis. Results: Eight patients were included in this study, of whom 37.5% were female. The median age and weight at the time of the procedure was 2 days (p25% and p75% = 2 and 4.5 days, respectively) and 3150 g (p25% and p75% = 3077.5 g and 3400 g, respectively), respectively. The median length in intensive care unit stay was 6 days (p25% and p75% = 3.5% and 8 days, respectively). There were no in-hospital deaths. Four patients have undergone to the second stage of the surgical treatment of HLHS. Conclusion: In this series, the initial experience with the modified off-pump hybrid procedure showed to be safe, allowing a low early mortality rate among children presenting HLHS

Modified Hybrid Procedure in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: Initial Experience of a Center in Northeastern Brazil

<div><p>Abstract Introduction: Although it only corresponds to 2.5% of congenital heart defects, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is responsible for more than 25% of cardiac deaths in the first week of life. Palliative surgery performed after the second week of life is considered an important risk factor in the treatment of HLHS. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the initial experience of a medical center in Northeastern Brazil with a modified off-pump hybrid approach for palliation of HLHS. Methods: From November 2012 through November 2015, the medical records of 8 patients with HLHS undergoing hybrid procedure were retrospectively evaluated in a tertiary private hospital in Northeastern Brazil. The modified off-pump hybrid palliation consisted of stenting of the ductus arteriosus guided by fluoroscopy without contrast and banding of the main pulmonary artery branches. Demographic and clinical variables were recorded for descriptive analysis. Results: Eight patients were included in this study, of whom 37.5% were female. The median age and weight at the time of the procedure was 2 days (p25% and p75% = 2 and 4.5 days, respectively) and 3150 g (p25% and p75% = 3077.5 g and 3400 g, respectively), respectively. The median length in intensive care unit stay was 6 days (p25% and p75% = 3.5% and 8 days, respectively). There were no in-hospital deaths. Four patients have undergone to the second stage of the surgical treatment of HLHS. Conclusion: In this series, the initial experience with the modified off-pump hybrid procedure showed to be safe, allowing a low early mortality rate among children presenting HLHS.</p></div

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved