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

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

Biblioteca virtual temática em saúde focada nas necessidades do usuário e na usabilidade

This work discusses usability features that can be applied on interfaces for virtual libraries, to meet differences in interaction and information needs of different users. It presents the emergence and popularization of the Internet and presents it as a determining factor for the development of thematic virtual libraries. It presents the history of libraries and proposes subsidies for the creation of thematic virtual libraries issues aimed to meet the needs of users. It introduces the concept of information and health information. It discusses the interdisciplinary relations of Information Science with Cognitive Science. It demonstrates, through a focus group study on information needs of potential users of a thematic virtual library. It talks about usability in virtual libraries and usability features as parameters for meeting the needs of users. We conclude that the heuristic evaluation and usability principles raised in the literature and the current technical standards on the subject present subsidies for improvement of thematic virtual libraries and we consider the views gathered in focus groups are important contributions to the improvement of processes in a thematic virtual library in health.Aborda o levantamento de características de usabilidade que possam ser aplicadas em interfaces de bibliotecas virtuais, para atender diferenças de interação e necessidades informacionais de usuários distintos. Demonstra o surgimento e a popularização da Internet e o apresenta como fator determinante para o desenvolvimento das bibliotecas virtuais. Discorre sobre a história das bibliotecas e propõe subsídios para a criação de bibliotecas virtuais temáticas voltadas para atender as necessidades dos usuários. Apresenta o conceito de informação e informação em saúde. Aborda as relações interdisciplinares da Ciência da Informação com as Ciências Cognitivas. Demonstra, através de grupo focal, estudo sobre necessidades informacionais de usuários potenciais de biblioteca virtual temática em saúde. Discorre a respeito de usabilidade em bibliotecas virtuais e apresenta a usabilidade como parâmetro para atendimento às necessidades dos usuários. Conclui que a avaliação heurística e os preceitos de usabilidade levantados na literatura e as normas técnicas vigentes sobre o tema apresentam subsídios para aprimoramento de bibliotecas virtuais temáticas e considera que as opiniões colhidas no grupo focal são contribuições importantes para a melhoria de processos de uma biblioteca virtual temática em saúd

Contribuição das ciências cognitivas e da ciência da informação para representação da informação: proposta para utilização na construção de biblioteca virtual temática em saúde

Aborda aspectos das Ciências Cognitivas que podem aprimorar a representação da informação na construção de bibliotecas virtuais temáticas em saúde, visando sua utilização por distintos tipos de usuários. Mostra as vantagens das novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação, que possibilita maior dinamismo nos fluxos de informação e propicia o seu compartilhamento simultâneo. Apresenta o surgimento das Ciências Cognitivas e suas relações com a Ciência da Informação. Discorre sobre características e funcionalidades desejáveis para uma biblioteca virtual temática. Descreve a importância da contribuição da Ciência da Informação para a sociedade. Conclui ratificando a importância do caráter interdisciplinar das áreas, com vistas ao aprimoramento de produtos e serviços de informação em benefício do usuário

Avaliação ambiental de BTEX (benzeno, tolueno, etilbenzeno, xilenos) e biomarcadores de genotoxicidade em trabalhadores de postos de combustíveis

Resumo Introdução: trabalhadores de postos de combustíveis estão expostos às diversas substâncias químicas presentes no ambiente de trabalho, destacando-se entre elas o benzeno, devido às suas propriedades carcinogênicas. Objetivo: avaliar os danos genotóxicos relacionados à exposição ocupacional ao BTEX (benzeno, tolueno, etilbenzeno, xilenos) em trabalhadores de cinco postos de combustíveis do município do Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Metodologia: foram analisadas concentrações de BTEX no ar; atividades das enzimas catalase e glutationa S-transferase; e ensaio cometa em amostras de sangue total de 97 trabalhadores. Resultados: as concentrações de BTEX estavam dentro dos valores preconizados pela NR 15, incluindo Anexo 13-A. Entretanto, uma oscilação nos resultados de ensaio cometa foi observada entre os trabalhadores dos diferentes postos de combustíveis, principalmente em trabalhadores de postos com menores concentrações de benzeno. Discussão: esse resultado está de acordo com a literatura científica atual, que indica uma curva dose-resposta supralinear para o benzeno, observando-se em baixas concentrações um aumento não linear do risco de leucemia, provavelmente relacionado à maior metabolização do benzeno e à maior produção de seus metabólitos tóxicos nessas concentrações. Conclusão: os resultados deste estudo sugerem que a exposição ao BTEX, mesmo em baixas concentrações, contribui para o risco genotóxico à saúde humana

Environmental assessment of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) and biomarkers of genotoxicity in gas stations workers

<p></p><p>Abstract Introduction: gas station workers are exposed to several chemicals in their workplace, highlighting benzene, due to its carcinogenic properties. Objective: to assess the genotoxic damage related to occupational exposure to BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) in workers of five gas stations in Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Methods: analysis of BTEX concentrations in the air were carried out; as well as activities of catalase and glutathione S-transferase; and comet assay in whole blood samples of 97 workers. Results: BTEX levels were within the Brazilian threshold levels recommended by the NR 15, including Annex 13-A. However, an oscillation of the comet assay results was observed among workers of different gas stations, mainly in workers from gas stations with lower concentrations of benzene. Discussion: this result is in accordance with the current international scientific literature that indicates a supralinear exposure-response curve for benzene. In lower concentrations we could observe a high non-linear risk of leukemia, probably due to a greater benzene metabolism and a higher production of its toxic metabolites. Conclusion: the results of this study suggest that exposure to BTEX, even in low concentrations, contributes to genotoxic risk to human health.</p><p></p