Floristic and structural characterization of forest remnants in Quedas do Iguaçu, Southeastern Paraná

O sudoeste paranaense localiza-se na transição entre a Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (FES) e a Floresta Ombrófila Mista (FOM), numa região de grande relevância ecológica, por conter duas importantes formações florestais do sul-sudeste brasileiro. Entretanto, essa mesma região é marcada pela escassez de levantamentos florísticos e de caracterização da vegetação. Nesse trabalho é feita a caracterização florística e estrutural de três áreas de vegetação nativa, localizadas em Quedas do Iguaçu, sudoeste do Paraná, na bacia do rio Iguaçu. Além disso, foi feita a caracterização fitogeográfica das florestas estudadas, com base nos dados coletados e na listagem de espécies amostradas em outras 52 áreas de FES ou FOM do Brasil. Em cada uma das três áreas estudadas, a vegetação arbustivo-arbórea (diâmetro à altura do peito > 5 cm) foi caracterizada por meio da alocação de pontos quadrantes. No total foram encontradas 128 espécies, com variação entre 63 a 78 para cada área. Cada área apresentou distinção quanto à estrutura e às espécies mais abundantes. Além disso, as áreas se distinguem quanto ao grau de influência da FES e da FOM em sua composição florística. Comparativamente, a área de menor altitude, localizada no vale do Rio Iguaçu, apresenta mais elementos de FES em sua composição florística, enquanto as outras duas áreas, localizadas em trechos mais elevados, têm maior influência da FOM, contando inclusive com a ocorrência de Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze.The Southwestern region of Paraná State is an area of great ecological relevance because it represents an ecotone between two important forest types of the Brazilian south-southeastern region: the Seasonal Semideciduous Forest (SSF) and the Araucaria Forest (AF). Despite its importance, there is a lack of floristic surveys and vegetation studies in this region. In this study, we assessed floristic and structural attributes of the vegetation at three different native forest sites, located in Quedas do Iguaçu, Paraná State. Moreover, we made a phytogeografical characterization of the studied forests, based on the data we collected, and on the list of species surveyed in other 52 studies in SSF and AF of Brazil. Samples were taken using the point-centered-quarter method. All individuals with diameter at breast height > 5 cm were identified to the species level. Together, 128 species were found. Within sites, the number of species varied from 63 to 78. The three areas are distinguished with respect to structure and most abundant species. In addition, the areas differed with respect to the degree of influence of SSF and AF on their floristic composition. Comparatively, the lower altitude area, located in Iguaçu River's valley, has more elements of SSF on its floristic composition, while the other two areas, located in higher altitude areas, are more influenced by AF, with Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze on their list of species

COMPOSIÇÃO E DISTRIBUIÇÃO DA ARBORIZAÇÃO VIÁRIA DA ESTÂNCIA DE ÁGUAS DE SÃO PEDRO-SP

O presente trabalho é referente ao levantamento das espécies contidas na arborização viária da Estância de Águas de São Pedro-SP e sua distribuição. Para isso, foram inventariados todos os indivíduos ocorrentes nas vias públicas; o que totalizou 3.654 indivíduos. Destes, 70,85% são árvores, 19,90% arbustos, 6,05% palmeiras e 3,20% coníferas; perfazendo 161 espécies, 126 gêneros e 54 famílias; sendo 61,33% das espécies exóticas e 38,67% nativas. O índice de diversidade de Odum (d) calculado é de 19,50 e o índice de Shanon-Wiener (H) é de 3,90. Na Estância de Águas de São Pedro encontrou-se uma predominância da Caesalpinia pluviosa (sibipiruna) que representa 13,66% da arborização viária. A densidade média de indivíduos por quilômetro de rua percorrida é de 130. Conclui-se que a diversidade da arborização viária da Estância de Águas de São Pedro deve ser incrementada, o uso da flora nativa deve ser incentivado e a tendência de plantio de espécies arbustivas deve ser revertida; visando a sustentabilidade dessa arborização e consequentemente os benefícios ambientais proporcionados a população

Floristic and structural characterization of forest remnants in Quedas do Iguaçu, Southeastern Paraná

O sudoeste paranaense localiza-se na transição entre a Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (FES) e a Floresta Ombrófila Mista (FOM), numa região de grande relevância ecológica, por conter duas importantes formações florestais do sul-sudeste brasileiro. Entretanto, essa mesma região é marcada pela escassez de levantamentos florísticos e de caracterização da vegetação. Nesse trabalho é feita a caracterização florística e estrutural de três áreas de vegetação nativa, localizadas em Quedas do Iguaçu, sudoeste do Paraná, na bacia do rio Iguaçu. Além disso, foi feita a caracterização fitogeográfica das florestas estudadas, com base nos dados coletados e na listagem de espécies amostradas em outras 52 áreas de FES ou FOM do Brasil. Em cada uma das três áreas estudadas, a vegetação arbustivo-arbórea (diâmetro à altura do peito > 5 cm) foi caracterizada por meio da alocação de pontos quadrantes. No total foram encontradas 128 espécies, com variação entre 63 a 78 para cada área. Cada área apresentou distinção quanto à estrutura e às espécies mais abundantes. Além disso, as áreas se distinguem quanto ao grau de influência da FES e da FOM em sua composição florística. Comparativamente, a área de menor altitude, localizada no vale do Rio Iguaçu, apresenta mais elementos de FES em sua composição florística, enquanto as outras duas áreas, localizadas em trechos mais elevados, têm maior influência da FOM, contando inclusive com a ocorrência de Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze111115128sem informaçãoThe Southwestern region of Paraná State is an area of great ecological relevance because it represents an ecotone between two important forest types of the Brazilian south-southeastern region: the Seasonal Semideciduous Forest (SSF) and the Araucaria Forest (AF). Despite its importance, there is a lack of floristic surveys and vegetation studies in this region. In this study, we assessed floristic and structural attributes of the vegetation at three different native forest sites, located in Quedas do Iguaçu, Paraná State. Moreover, we made a phytogeografical characterization of the studied forests, based on the data we collected, and on the list of species surveyed in other 52 studies in SSF and AF of Brazil. Samples were taken using the point-centered-quarter method. All individuals with diameter at breast height > 5 cm were identified to the species level. Together, 128 species were found. Within sites, the number of species varied from 63 to 78. The three areas are distinguished with respect to structure and most abundant species. In addition, the areas differed with respect to the degree of influence of SSF and AF on their floristic composition. Comparatively, the lower altitude area, located in Iguaçu River's valley, has more elements of SSF on its floristic composition, while the other two areas, located in higher altitude areas, are more influenced by AF, with Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze on their list of speciessem informaçã

Correlations between Risk Factors for Breast Cancer and Genetic Instability in Cancer Patients- A Clinical Perspective Study

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Molecular epidemiological studies have identified several risk factors linking to the genes and external factors in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. In this sense, genetic instability caused by DNA damage and DNA repair inefficiencies are important molecular events for the diagnosis and prognosis of therapies. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze correlation between sociocultural, occupational, and lifestyle risk factors with levels of genetic instability in non-neoplastic cells of breast cancer patients. Total 150 individuals were included in the study that included 50 breast cancer patients submitted to chemotherapy (QT), 50 breast cancer patients submitted to radiotherapy (RT), and 50 healthy women without any cancer. Cytogenetic biomarkers for apoptosis and DNA damage were evaluated in samples of buccal epithelial and peripheral blood cells through micronuclei and comet assay tests. Elder age patients (61–80 years) had higher levels of apoptosis (catriolysis by karyolysis) and DNA damage at the diagnosis (baseline damage) with increased cell damage during QT and especially during RT. We also reported the increased frequencies of cytogenetic biomarkers in patients who were exposed to ionizing radiation as well as for alcoholism and smoking. QT and RT induced high levels of fragmentation (karyorrhexis) and nuclear dissolution (karyolysis) and DNA damage. Correlations were observed between age and karyorrhexis at diagnosis; smoking and karyolysis during RT; and radiation and karyolysis during QT. These correlations indicate that risk factors may also influence the genetic instability in non-neoplastic cells caused to the patients during cancer therapies

Prevalência das principais complicações pós-operatórias em cirurgias cardíacas: uma revisão sistemática: Prevalence of major postoperative complications in cardiac surgeries: a systematic review

As complicações pós-operatórias em cirurgias cardíacas são comuns e contribuem para o aumento dos índices de morbidade e mortalidade. Objetivo: identificar em trabalhos da literatura as principais complicações no pós-operatório de cirurgias cardíacas. Material e Método: Revisão de literatura sobre as principais complicações no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca. A busca foi realizada em outubro de 2022 nas fontes de dados: PubMed e Web of Science. Resultados: O processo de busca resultou em 2.744 documentos. Após primeira seleção 215 trabalhos tiveram os seus títulos e resumos analisados para uma triagem inicial. A amostra final foi de 04 estudos. As complicações da cirurgia cardíaca podem estar relacionadas a doenças pré-existentes. Forma identificadas como complicações distúrbios de sono, hepatopatia cardíaca pós-operatória, síndrome da apneia e hipopneia obstrutiva do sono (SAHOS) e arritmias. Conclusões: As complicações apresentaram prevalências diferentes nos estudos analisados e devem ser consideradas em mais estudos para melhor compreensão de fatores correlacionados auxiliando na sua prevenção e controle

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK.

BACKGROUND: A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. METHODS: This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. FINDINGS: Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0-75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4-97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8-80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3-4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. INTERPRETATION: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials. FUNDING: UK Research and Innovation, National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lemann Foundation, Rede D'Or, Brava and Telles Foundation, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Thames Valley and South Midland's NIHR Clinical Research Network, and AstraZeneca

Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK

Background A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. Methods This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. Findings Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0–75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4–97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8–80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3–4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. Interpretation ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials