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

Estudo físico-químico de maçã desidratada em secador convectivo

A fruticultura é um dos segmentos mais importantes na agricultura nacional, porém um grande problema enfrentado pelos fruticultores é a conservação dos frutos maduros. As frutas tropicais caracterizam-se pelo fato de ser sazonais, com produção restrita a determinadas épocas do ano, podendo se verificar o aparente fenômeno da super produção, isto é, a quantidade oferecida na safra é maior do que a quantidade absorvida pelo mercado consumidor. A falta de tecnologias adequadas para o melhor aproveitamento dos frutos tem contribuído para um alto índice de desperdício cerca de centenas de toneladas ano. A desidratação de frutas vem sendo objeto de muitas pesquisas com o propósito de se obter técnicas que proporcionem, além de baixo custo, a manutenção da qualidade dos produtos desidratados. Neste sentido o presente trabalho objetivou o estudo da secagem convencional da maçã das cultivares Fuji e Gala comercializadas no município de Pombal – PB. Após a obtenção das amostras no comércio local estas foram transportadas até o laboratório de análise de alimentos da UFCG, onde foram submetidas à secagem convencional visando à obtenção dos frutos desidratados,  posteriormente foi realizada a sua caracterização físico-química, analisando as seguintes variáveis: pH, sólidos solúveis, acidez total titulável, açúcares redutores, cinzas, umidade e vitamina C. De acordo com os resultados obtidos os frutos desidratados apresentaram teores de nutrientes próximos aos relatados na literatura, apresentaram-se com ótimas características sensoriais, sabor e aroma agradável, aspecto visual de cor amarela clara, sem vestígios de obscurecimento e mantendo as características avermelhadas da casca. As fatias de maçã secas apresentaram textura crocante não apresentando consistência elástica, demonstrando assim que a secagem é uma excelente alternativa para a sua conservação, contribuindo desta forma para a redução das perdas pós-colheita e com a agregação de valor ao produto seco

Estudo físico-químico de maçã desidratada em secador convectivo

The fruit culture is one of the segments most important in national agri culture, however a great problem faced for the fruit cultores is the conservation of the mature fruits. The tropical fruits are characterized for the fact of to be seasonaly, with restricted production the determined times of the year, having been able to verify the apparent phenomenon of the super production, that is, the amount offered in the harvest is bigger of what the amount absorbed for the consuming market. The lack of technologies adjusted for optimum exploitation of the fruits has contributed for one high index of wastefulness about hundreds of tons year. The dehydration of fruits comes being object of many research with the intention of if getting techniques that they provide, beyond low cost, the maintenance of the dehydrated product quality. In this direction the present work objectified the study of the conventional drying of the apple of them to cultivate commercialized Fuji and Gala in the city of Pombal - PB. After the attainment of the samples in the local commerce these had been carried until the laboratory of food analysis of the UFCG, where they had been submitted to the conventional drying aiming at to the attainment of the dehydrated fruits and later its characterization was carried through physicist-chemistry, analyzing the following variable: pH, soluble solids, titulável total acidity, reducing sugars, leached ashes, humidity and vitamin C. In accordance with the gotten results the dehydrated fruits had presented texts of next nutrients to the told ones in literature, had been presented with excellent sensorial characteristics, flavor and pleasant aroma, visual aspect of clear yellow color, without obscurecimento vestiges and keeping the colored characteristics of the rind. The dry slices of apple had presented crocante texture not presenting elastic consistency, demonstrating as soon as the drying are an excellent alternative for its conservation, contributing in such a way for the reduction of the losses post-harvest and with the aggregation of value to the dry product.A fruticultura é um dos segmentos mais importantes na agricultura nacional, porém um grande problema enfrentado pelos fruticultores é a conservação dos frutos maduros. As frutas tropicais caracterizam-se pelo fato de ser sazonais, com produção restrita a determinadas épocas do ano, podendo se verificar o aparente fenômeno da super produção, isto é, a quantidade oferecida na safra é maior do que a quantidade absorvida pelo mercado consumidor. A falta de tecnologias adequadas para o melhor aproveitamento dos frutos tem contribuído para um alto índice de desperdício cerca de centenas de toneladas ano. A desidratação de frutas vem sendo objeto de muitas pesquisas com o propósito de se obter técnicas que proporcionem, além de baixo custo, a manutenção da qualidade dos produtos desidratados. Neste sentido o presente trabalho objetivou o estudo da secagem convencional da maçã das cultivares Fuji e Gala comercializadas no município de Pombal – PB. Após a obtenção das amostras no comércio local estas foram transportadas até o laboratório de análise de alimentos da UFCG, onde foram submetidas à secagem convencional visando à obtenção dos frutos desidratados, posteriormente foi realizada a sua caracterização físico-química, analisando as seguintes variáveis: pH, sólidos solúveis, acidez total titulável, açúcares redutores, cinzas, umidade e vitamina C. De acordo com os resultados obtidos os frutos desidratados apresentaram teores de nutrientes próximos aos relatados na literatura, apresentaram-se com ótimas características sensoriais, sabor e aroma agradável, aspecto visual de cor amarela clara, sem vestígios de obscurecimento e mantendo as características avermelhadas da casca. As fatias de maçã secas apresentaram textura crocante não apresentando consistência elástica, demonstrando assim que a secagem é uma excelente alternativa para a sua conservação, contribuindo desta forma para a redução das perdas pós-colheita e com a agregação de valor ao produto seco

Implementação das boas práticas de fabricação em três panificadoras do município de Pombal, PB

Good manufacturing practices are a set of rules, norms and attitudes applied to food handlers establishments, ensuring that these produce quality food to consumers, while respecting the criteria appropriate sanitary-hygienic as established by the Brazilian legislation in force. This work was aimed at the application check-list for diagnosis and verification of suitability as the GMP in bakeries in the municipality of Pombal – PB. According to the evaluation of check-list has been possible to identify the main non-conformances that hurt the most common standard second resolution RDC No. 216, among which stand out the related to the lack of infrastructure, facilities, equipment, furniture and disorganized utensils without hygiene, doors and Windows without adequate protection, lack of uniforms for the staff, lack of lavatory to asepxia, lack of control of pests, among others. Through the application of good manufacturing practices, it was possible to provide improved facilities and working conditions exposed to handlers, thereby improving their own well-being, which featured, under a general approach and significant improvements in worker process on bakeries.As Boas Práticas de Fabricação são um conjunto de regras, normas e atitudes aplicadas aos estabelecimentos manipuladores de alimentos, assegurando que estes produzam alimentos de qualidade para os consumidores, respeitando os critérios higiênico-sanitários adequados conforme estabelecido pela legislação brasileira em vigor. Este trabalho teve como objetivo á aplicação de check-list para diagnóstico e verificação de adequação quanto as BPF nas panificadoras do município de pombal – PB. De acordo com a avaliação dos check-list foi possível identificar as principais não conformidades mais comuns que ferem a norma segundo resolução RDC n° 216, dentre as quais se destacam as relacionadas à falta de infra-estrutura, dependências desorganizadas, equipamentos, moveis e utensílios sem higiene, portas e janelas sem proteção adequada, falta de uniformes para os funcionários, falta de lavatório para asepxia, falta de controle de pragas, entre outros. Através da aplicação das Boas Práticas de Fabricação, foi possível prover a melhora das instalações e nas condições de trabalho expostas aos manipuladores, melhorando assim o próprio bem-estar dos mesmos, o que caracterizou, sob uma abordagem geral e melhoras significativas no processo de trabalho nas panificadoras

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

Global variation in postoperative mortality and complications after cancer surgery: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 82 countries

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licenseBackground: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods: This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03471494. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation: Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit