Understanding Brazil’s catastrophic fires : causes, consequences and policy needed to prevent future tragedies

Brazil has experienced unprecedented wildfires in the last decade. Images ofimmense burnt areas or dead animals that failed to escape the 2020 wildfires have shocked the world. To prevent or minimize further similardisasters wemustunderstandthe factors thathave ledto these catastrophic events. The causes and consequences of wildfires entail complex interactions between the biophysical and sociocultural spheres, and suitable management decisions require a sound scientific base. We present the recent panorama of increasing fire outbreaks in the Brazilian biomes, and discuss the causes that have contributed to such fires, their impacts on the environment and overall consequences for human well-being, based on reviewing the extensive specialist literature, on authors’ expert knowledge and information provided by environmental managers, researchers and politicians during a workshop organized to debate the wildfire issue in Brazil. Our up-to-date review is aimed at the academic public, environmental managers and decision- and policy-makers. First, we present evidence on the contrasting effects of fire on different ecosystems. Second, we outline the historic perceptions and policies related to fire use and management in Brazil since its colonization to the present date. Third, we propose means to advance fire prevention and develop successful management strategies. Finally, we answer frequently asked questions to clarify and/or demystify some fire-related issues not always properly addressed in the media

Distribution of common peroneal nerve in equine fetuses and anatomical description of sites for anesthetic block

Analisou-se a distribuição do nervo fibular comum em 30 fetos de equinos, sem raça definida, provenientes do acervo do Laboratório de Anatomia Animal da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, que foram injetados e conservados em solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10%. Contatou-se que o referido nervo deriva do isquiático, divide-se em nervos fibulares superficial e profundo, distribuindo-se para os músculos extensores lateral e longo do dedo, fibular terceiro e tibial cranial. Traçando-se uma linha imaginária na região médio-lateral da tuberosidade do osso tíbia, o nervo fibular comum pode ser bloqueado em sua parte proximal, no terço caudal, entre o tendão de inserção do músculo bíceps femoral e a face lateral do músculo gastrocnêmio lateral (terço médio); e o nervo fibular profundo, na parte proximal da tíbia, crânio-distalmente ao fibular comum. O bloqueio do nervo fibular superficial pode ser realizado em duas regiões da tíbia: na proximal, considerando-se a linha imaginária, distalmente ao ponto citado para o fibular comum e caudalmente ao descrito para o fibular profundo; e na distal, na face lateral da articulação tíbio-társica, entre os tendões de inserção dos músculos extensores lateral e longo do dedo.Iglesias L.P., Silva F.O.C., Vasconcelos B.G., Ribeiro L.A., Hodniki N.F., Gomes L.R., Miglino M.A. & Melo A.P.F. 2012. [Distribution of common peroneal nerve in equine fetuses and anatomical description of sites for anesthetic block.] Distribuicao do nervo fibular comum em fetos de equinos e descricao anatomica de pontos para bloqueio anestesico. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 32(7):672-676. Departamento de Anatomia Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, Rua Ceara s/n, Bloco 2D, Uberlandia, MG 38400-902, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] The distribution of the nervus fibularis communis was analyzed in 30 equine fetuses, mongrel, from the collection of the Animal Anatomy Laboratory at the School of Veterinary Medicine of Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, which were injected and stored in an aqueous solution of 10% formaldehyde. It was found that this nerve emerges from the ischiadicus, divides itself into nervus fibularis profundus and nervus fibularis super ficialis distributing to the musculi extensor digitorum lateralis, extensor digitorum longus, fibularis tertius, and tibialis cranialis. Drawing an imaginary line in the medial-lateral region of the tuberositatis tibia, the nervus fibularis communis may be blocked in its proximal portion, in the caudal third, between the tendon of insertion of the biceps femoris and the lateral side of the musculus gastrocnemius (medium third); and the nervus fibularis profundus may be blocked in the proximal tibia, cranio-distally to the nervus fibularis communis. The block of nervus fibularis profundus may be performed in two regions of the tibia: proximal, considering the imaginary line, distal to the site referred to the nervus fibularis communis, and caudal to that described for the nervus fibularis profundus; and distal, on the lateral side of the tibiotarsal joint, between the tendons of insertion of the musculi extensor digitorum lateralis and extensor digitorum longus

A Mycobacterium leprae Hsp65 Mutant as a Candidate for Mitigating Lupus Aggravation in Mice

Hsp60 is an abundant and highly conserved family of intracellular molecules. Increased levels of this family of proteins have been observed in the extracellular compartment in chronic inflammation. Administration of M. leprae Hsp65 [WT] in [NZBxNZW]F1 mice accelerates the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus [SLE] progression whereas the point mutated K409A Hsp65 protein delays the disease. Here, the biological effects of M. leprae Hsp65 Leader pep and K409A pep synthetic peptides, which cover residues 352–371, are presented. Peptides had immunomodulatory effects similar to that observed with their respective proteins on survival and the combined administration of K409A+Leader pep or K409A pep+WT showed that the mutant forms were able to inhibit the deleterious effect of WT on mortality, indicating the neutralizing potential of the mutant molecules in SLE progression. Molecular modeling showed that replacing Lysine by Alanine affects the electrostatic potential of the 352–371 region. The number of interactions observed for WT is much higher than for Hsp65 K409A and mouse Hsp60. The immunomodulatory effects of the point-mutated protein and peptide occurred regardless of the catalytic activity. These findings may be related to the lack of effect on survival when F1 mice were inoculated with Hsp60 or K409A pep. Our findings indicate the use of point-mutated Hsp65 molecules, such as the K409A protein and its corresponding peptide, that may minimize or delay the onset of SLE, representing a new approach to the treatment of autoimmune diseases