Effects of Eucalyptus and Pinus Forest Management on Soil Organic Carbon in Brazilian Wooded-Savanna

Forestry has been recommended for carbon cycle management since it promotes carbon accumulation in soils and vegetation. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is fundamental to fertility and crop production in tropical soils and its conservation is critical to sustainable land management of neotropical savannas. Thirty to forty years of Eucalyptus and Pinus forestry in original Brazilian wooded-savanna affected forest floor layers, SOC and organic matter (OM) quality. Eucalyptus and Pinus showed higher forest floor carbon stocks than natural forest plots. On the surface soil layer, plantation effects on SOC were mediated by site-dependent factors. Below 10 cm, both plantations showed lower SOC than the native forest. The relationship between carbon and clay contents was significant in subsurface soil layers, suggesting that the particulate OM pool had been depleted by plantation activities. Plantations lead to soil OM replacement to a depth of 5 cm within 30 years. The new litter and OM in the plantations had lower quality (higher C:N ratios) than in natural forests. Our results indicate that particular care must be taken when choosing forest management practices in tropical-weathered soils because they can oxidize a significant part of the SOC pool with negative consequences to soil fertility and aggregate stability

Human pancreatic islet preparations release HMGB1: (ir)relevance for graft engraftment.

High levels of donor-derived high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein have been associated with poor islet graft outcome in mouse models. The aim of our work was to determine whether HMGB1 released by human islets had independent proinflammatory effects that influence engraftment in humans. Human islet preparations contained and released HMGB1 in different amounts, as determined by Western blot and ELISA (median 17 pg/ml/IEQ/24 h; min–max 0–211, n = 74). HMGB1 release directly correlated with brain death, donor hyperamilasemia, and factors related to the pancreas digestion procedure (collagenase and digestion time). HMGB1 release was significantly positively associated with the release of other cytokines/chemokines, particularly with the highly released "proinflammatory" CXCL8/IL-8, CXCL1/GRO-α, and the IFN-γ-inducible chemokines CXCL10/IP-10 and CXCL9/MIG. HMGB1 release was not modulated by Toll-like receptor 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9 agonists or by exposure to IL-1β. When evaluated after islet transplantation, pretransplant HMGB1 release was weakly associated with the activation of the coagulation cascade (evaluated as serum cross-linked fibrin products), but not with the immediate posttransplant inflammatory response. Concordantly, HMGB1 did not affect short-term human islet function. Our data show that human islet HMGB1 release is a sign of "damaged" islets, although without any independent direct role in graft failure

Production of xylooligosaccharides from Brazilian Syrah grape pomace flour

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to determine the most favorable conditions for the production of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) from Brazilian Syrah grape pomace. Chemical processes were performed using a rotatable central composite design, where the concentration of sulfuric acid or concentration of sodium hydroxide and grape pomace flour: solvent mass ratio were the dependent variables. Enzymatic production was also evaluated using xylanase produced by Aspergillus niger 3T5B8 and Viscozyme® enzymatic commercial cocktail. RESULTS: Chemical extraction allowed to recover 21.8 to 74.6% and 5.2 to 96.3% of total XOS for acid and alkaline processes, respectively. Enzymatic production using xylanase extracted up to 88.68 ± 0.12% of total XOS and up to 84.09 ± 2.40% with Viscozyme®. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated different feasible methods to produce high added value molecules, the xylooligosaccharides, from Syrah grape pomace flour, valorizing this major by‐product. The use of enzymatic cocktails demonstrated to be an alternative to the conventional methods, allowing to obtain an eco‐friendly and sustainable grape pomace extract.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Produção de serrapilheira e decomposição foliar em fragmentos florestais de diferentes fases sucessionais no Planalto Atlântico do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Litterfall and litter decomposition are vital processes in tropical forests because they regulate nutrient cycling. Nutrient cycling can be altered by forest fragmentation. The Atlantic Forest is one of the most threatened biomes in the world due to human occupation over the last 500 years. This scenario has resulted in fragments of different size, age and regeneration phase. To investigate differences in litterfall and leaf decomposition between forest successional phases, we compared six forest fragments at three different successional phases and an area of mature forest on the Atlantic Plateau of Sao Paulo, Brazil. We sampled litter monthly from November 2008 to October 2009. We used litterbags to calculate leaf decomposition rate of an exotic species, Tipuana tipu (Fabaceae), over the same period litter sampling was performed. Litterfall was higher in the earliest successional area. This pattern may be related to the structural properties of the forest fragments, especially the higher abundance of pioneer species, which have higher productivity and are typical of early successional areas. However, we have not found significant differences in the decomposition rates between the studied areas, which may be caused by rapid stabilization of the decomposition environment (combined effect of microclimatic conditions and the decomposers activities). This result indicates that the leaf decomposition process have already been restored to levels observed in mature forests after a few decades of regeneration, although litterfall has not been entirely restored. This study emphasizes the importance of secondary forests for restoration of ecosystem processes on a regional scale.A produção e a decomposição de serrapilheira são processos vitais nas florestas tropicais, uma vez que determinam a ciclagem de nutrientes. O processo de ciclagem de nutrientes pode ser alterado pela fragmentação florestal. A Floresta Atlântica é um dos biomas mais ameaçados mundialmente devido à ocupação humana nos últimos 500 anos. Este cenário resultou em fragmentos de diferentes tamanhos, idades e estádios de regeneração. Para explorar as diferenças na produção de serrapilheira e na decomposição foliar de acordo com o estádio sucessional da floresta, comparamos seis fragmentos florestais em três diferentes estádios sucessionais e uma área de floresta primária no Planalto Atlântico de São Paulo, Brasil. Coletamos a serrapilheira mensalmente de novembro de 2008 a outubro de 2009. Utilizamos bolsas de confinamento de serrapilheira para calcular a taxa de decomposição foliar de uma espécie exótica, Tipuana tipu (Fabaceae), durante o mesmo período de coleta da serrapilheira. A deposição de serrapilheira foi maior na área de estádio sucessional mais inicial. Esse padrão pode estar relacionado com as características estruturais dos fragmentos florestais, especialmente com a maior abundância de espécies pioneiras, que possuem uma maior produtividade e são espécies típicas de fragmentos em estádios iniciais de sucessão. Por outro lado, não encontramos diferenças significativas nas taxas de decomposição entre as áreas estudadas, o que pode ocorrer devido à rápida estabilização do ambiente de decomposição (efeito combinado das condições microclimáticas e das atividades dos decompositores). Estes resultados indicam que o processo de decomposição foliar foi restabelecido aos níveis das florestas maduras após algumas décadas de regeneração, embora a produção de serrapilheira ainda não tenha sido totalmente restaurada. Este estudo destaca a importância das florestas secundárias em um cenário regional de restauração de processos ecossistêmicos.Institute of Biosciences at the University of So PauloInstitute of Biosciences at the University of So PauloFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de So Paulo (FAPESP) [2008/58357-3, 2006/56054-8]Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de So Paulo (FAPESP)German Department of Education and Research (German BMBF) [01LB 0202]German Department of Education and Research (German BMBF)Forestry Institute of Sao PauloForestry Institute of Sao Paul

Relato de Caso – Síndrome de RUPHUS : uma excepcionalidade diagnostica / Case Report - RUPHUS Syndrome : a diagnostic exceptionality

A síndrome de Rhupus é uma patologia em que ocorre a sobreposição do Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico e a Artrite Reumatoide , sendo iniciada com manifestações clinicas de uma das patologias para, posteriormente, iniciar a outra. O relato instiga a discussão acerca do diagnostico e manejo das patologias, dando enfoque na complexidade terapêutica

Relato de Caso - Hidranite Supurativa e Artrite Reumatoide: doenças silenciosas que podem estar presentes em seu corpo / Case Report - Hidranitis Suppurativa and Rheumatoid Arthritis: silent diseases that can be present in your body

A hidradenite supurativa (HS), é uma doença inflamatória, crônica e recorrente dos folículos pilosos. O clínico deve ter um alto índice de suspeita da doença em indivíduos diagnosticados incorretamente com furúnculos ou "furúnculos" recorrentes em áreas intertriginosas após a puberdade. O relato instiga a sobreposição de duas doenças inflamatórias crônicas: HS e Artrite Reumatóide

Changes in parental smoking during pregnancy and risks of adverse birth outcomes and childhood overweight in Europe and North America : An individual participant data meta-analysis of 229,000 singleton births

Author summaryWhy was this study done? Maternal smoking during pregnancy is an important risk factor for various birth complications and childhood overweight. It is not clear whether this increased risk is also present if mothers smoke during the first trimester only or reduce the number of cigarettes during pregnancy. The associations of paternal smoking with birth and childhood outcomes also remain unknown. What did the researchers do and find? We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis using data from 229,158 families from 28 pregnancy and birth cohorts from Europe and North America to assess the associations of parental smoking during pregnancy, specifically of quitting or reducing smoking and maternal and paternal smoking combined, with preterm birth, small size for gestational age, and childhood overweight. We observed that smoking in the first trimester only did not increase the risk of preterm birth and small size for gestational age but was associated with a higher risk of childhood overweight, as compared to nonsmoking. Reducing the number of cigarettes during pregnancy, without quitting, was still associated with higher risks of these adverse outcomes. Paternal smoking seems to be associated, independently of maternal smoking, with the risks of childhood overweight. What do these findings mean? Population strategies should focus on parental smoking prevention before or at the start of, rather than during, pregnancy. Future studies are needed to assess the specific associations of smoking in the preconception and childhood periods with offspring outcomes. Background Fetal smoke exposure is a common and key avoidable risk factor for birth complications and seems to influence later risk of overweight. It is unclear whether this increased risk is also present if mothers smoke during the first trimester only or reduce the number of cigarettes during pregnancy, or when only fathers smoke. We aimed to assess the associations of parental smoking during pregnancy, specifically of quitting or reducing smoking and maternal and paternal smoking combined, with preterm birth, small size for gestational age, and childhood overweight. Methods and findings We performed an individual participant data meta-analysis among 229,158 families from 28 pregnancy/birth cohorts from Europe and North America. All 28 cohorts had information on maternal smoking, and 16 also had information on paternal smoking. In total, 22 cohorts were population-based, with birth years ranging from 1991 to 2015. The mothers' median age was 30.0 years, and most mothers were medium or highly educated. We used multilevel binary logistic regression models adjusted for maternal and paternal sociodemographic and lifestyle-related characteristics. Compared with nonsmoking mothers, maternal first trimester smoking only was not associated with adverse birth outcomes but was associated with a higher risk of childhood overweight (odds ratio [OR] 1.17 [95% CI 1.02-1.35],Pvalue = 0.030). Children from mothers who continued smoking during pregnancy had higher risks of preterm birth (OR 1.08 [95% CI 1.02-1.15],Pvalue = 0.012), small size for gestational age (OR 2.15 [95% CI 2.07-2.23],Pvalue <0.001), and childhood overweight (OR 1.42 [95% CI 1.35-1.48],Pvalue <0.001). Mothers who reduced the number of cigarettes between the first and third trimester, without quitting, still had a higher risk of small size for gestational age. However, the corresponding risk estimates were smaller than for women who continued the same amount of cigarettes throughout pregnancy (OR 1.89 [95% CI 1.52-2.34] instead of OR 2.20 [95% CI 2.02-2.42] when reducing from 5-9 to = 10 to 5-9 andPeer reviewe