A social and ecological assessment of tropical land uses at multiple scales: the Sustainable Amazon Network

Science has a critical role to play in guiding more sustainable development trajectories. Here, we present the Sustainable Amazon Network (Rede Amazonia Sustentavel, RAS): a multidisciplinary research initiative involving more than 30 partner organizations working to assess both social and ecological dimensions of land-use sustainability in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The research approach adopted by RAS offers three advantages for addressing land-use sustainability problems: (i) the collection of synchronized and co-located ecological and socioeconomic data across broad gradients of past and present human use; (ii) a nested sampling design to aid comparison of ecological and socioeconomic conditions associated with different land uses across local, landscape and regional scales; and (iii) a strong engagement with a wide variety of actors and non-research institutions. Here, we elaborate on these key features, and identify the ways in which RAS can help in highlighting those problems in most urgent need of attention, and in guiding improvements in land-use sustainability in Amazonia and elsewhere in the tropics. We also discuss some of the practical lessons, limitations and realities faced during the development of the RAS initiative so far.Keywords: Social–ecological systems, Tropical forests, Land use, Interdisciplinary research, Sustainability, Trade-off

The anti-allergic activity of Cymbopogon citratus is mediated via inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B (Nf-Κb) activation.

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2016-04-15T17:07:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Machado MSS The anti-allergic....pdf: 3177342 bytes, checksum: 00bb337c0a5ed554f118913bc51a2219 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2016-04-15T17:26:57Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Machado MSS The anti-allergic....pdf: 3177342 bytes, checksum: 00bb337c0a5ed554f118913bc51a2219 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-15T17:26:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Machado MSS The anti-allergic....pdf: 3177342 bytes, checksum: 00bb337c0a5ed554f118913bc51a2219 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015Universidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Biorregulação. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Faculdade Adventista da Bahia. Cachoeira, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Biorregulação. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Biorregulação. Salvador, BA, BrasilFaculdade Adventista da Bahia. Cachoeira, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Biorregulação. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Biorregulação. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Biorregulação. Salvador, BA, BrasilFaculdade Adventista da Bahia. Cachoeira, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Faculdade de Farmácia. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Faculdade de Farmácia. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Faculdade de Farmácia. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Biologia. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, Ba, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Biorregulação. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Biorregulação. Salvador, BA, BrasilBACKGROUND: The prevalence of allergic diseases such as asthma has significantly increased worldwide, making it a public health concern. There is an urgent need for new anti-inflammatory agents with selective pharmacology and lower toxicity. Plant extracts have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to alleviate inflammatory diseases. In this work, we evaluated the anti-allergic activity of Cymbopogon citratus (Cy), a medicinal herb used by folk medicine to treat asthma. METHODS: We used a murine model of respiratory allergy to the mite Blomia tropicalis (Bt) and evaluated certain parameters known to be altered in this model. A/J mice were sensitized (100 µg/animal s.c.) and challenged (10 µg/animal i.n.) with Bt mite extract and treated with 60, 120 or 180 mg/kg of Cy standardized hexane extract. The parameters evaluated included: cellular infiltrate in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL); eosinophil peroxidase activity (EPO); histopathological examination of the lung; serum levels of specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a; Th2 cytokine concentrations in BAL and expression of NF-κB. RESULTS: Our results showed that oral administration of a Cy hexane extract (especially 180 mg/Kg) reduced the numbers of leukocytes/eosinophils in BAL; the eosinophil peroxidase activity in BAL; the infiltration of leukocytes in lung tissue; the production of mucus in the respiratory tract; the level of IL-4 in BAL and the nuclear expression of NF-κB. CONCLUSIONS: The results presented demonstrate the potential of the Cy hexane extract to modulate allergic asthma; this extract may be an alternative future approach to treat this patholog

A social and ecological assessment of tropical land uses at multiple scales:the Sustainable Amazon Network

Science has a critical role to play in guiding more sustainable development trajectories. Here, we present the Sustainable Amazon Network (Rede Amazonia Sustentavel, RAS): a multidisciplinary research initiative involving more than 30 partner organizations working to assess both social and ecological dimensions of land-use sustainability in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The research approach adopted by RAS offers three advantages for addressing land-use sustainability problems: (i) the collection of synchronized and co-located ecological and socioeconomic data across broad gradients of past and present human use; (ii) a nested sampling design to aid comparison of ecological and socioeconomic conditions associated with different land uses across local, landscape and regional scales; and (iii) a strong engagement with a wide variety of actors and non-research institutions. Here, we elaborate on these key features, and identify the ways in which RAS can help in highlighting those problems in most urgent need of attention, and in guiding improvements in land-use sustainability in Amazonia and elsewhere in the tropics. We also discuss some of the practical lessons, limitations and realities faced during the development of the RAS initiative so far