Estratificação ambiental e otimização de rede de ensaios de genótipos de soja no Cerrado

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estabelecer uma estratificação ambiental consistente, para a recomendação e a avaliação de linhagens experimentais e cultivares de soja na região do Cerrado, a partir de análises da interação entre genótipos e ambientes (GxA) quanto à produtividade de grãos, além de avaliar a atual rede de ensaios de valor de cultivo e uso (VCU) para sua otimização. Os dados provieram de 559 ensaios de competição de linhagens de soja, realizados em 57 localidades, durante sete safras agrícolas (2002/2003 a 2008/2009). Realizaram-se análises conjuntas de variância, pelo modelo AMMI ("additive main effects and multiplicative interaction"), e de estratificação ambiental, pela abordagem correlata de "genótipos vencedores". A interação GxA foi sempre significativa, como resultado da resposta diferencial dos genótipos à variação ambiental. Os locais de teste se agruparam de modo diferente de acordo com os grupos de maturação. Observou-se redundância em 20% dos locais, o que indica a possibilidade de otimização da rede de ensaios, via eliminação ou substituição dessas localidades. A região-alvo deve receber estratificações distintas, congêneres a cada grupo de maturação, e pode ser dividida em 22 (ciclo precoce), 23 (ciclo médio) e 21 (ciclo tardio) estratos ambientais

Global burden and strength of evidence for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Understanding the health consequences associated with exposure to risk factors is necessary to inform public health policy and practice. To systematically quantify the contributions of risk factor exposures to specific health outcomes, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 aims to provide comprehensive estimates of exposure levels, relative health risks, and attributable burden of disease for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, from 1990 to 2021. Methods: The GBD 2021 risk factor analysis used data from 54 561 total distinct sources to produce epidemiological estimates for 88 risk factors and their associated health outcomes for a total of 631 risk–outcome pairs. Pairs were included on the basis of data-driven determination of a risk–outcome association. Age-sex-location-year-specific estimates were generated at global, regional, and national levels. Our approach followed the comparative risk assessment framework predicated on a causal web of hierarchically organised, potentially combinative, modifiable risks. Relative risks (RRs) of a given outcome occurring as a function of risk factor exposure were estimated separately for each risk–outcome pair, and summary exposure values (SEVs), representing risk-weighted exposure prevalence, and theoretical minimum risk exposure levels (TMRELs) were estimated for each risk factor. These estimates were used to calculate the population attributable fraction (PAF; ie, the proportional change in health risk that would occur if exposure to a risk factor were reduced to the TMREL). The product of PAFs and disease burden associated with a given outcome, measured in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), yielded measures of attributable burden (ie, the proportion of total disease burden attributable to a particular risk factor or combination of risk factors). Adjustments for mediation were applied to account for relationships involving risk factors that act indirectly on outcomes via intermediate risks. Attributable burden estimates were stratified by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile and presented as counts, age-standardised rates, and rankings. To complement estimates of RR and attributable burden, newly developed burden of proof risk function (BPRF) methods were applied to yield supplementary, conservative interpretations of risk–outcome associations based on the consistency of underlying evidence, accounting for unexplained heterogeneity between input data from different studies. Estimates reported represent the mean value across 500 draws from the estimate's distribution, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) calculated as the 2·5th and 97·5th percentile values across the draws. Findings: Among the specific risk factors analysed for this study, particulate matter air pollution was the leading contributor to the global disease burden in 2021, contributing 8·0% (95% UI 6·7–9·4) of total DALYs, followed by high systolic blood pressure (SBP; 7·8% [6·4–9·2]), smoking (5·7% [4·7–6·8]), low birthweight and short gestation (5·6% [4·8–6·3]), and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG; 5·4% [4·8–6·0]). For younger demographics (ie, those aged 0–4 years and 5–14 years), risks such as low birthweight and short gestation and unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing (WaSH) were among the leading risk factors, while for older age groups, metabolic risks such as high SBP, high body-mass index (BMI), high FPG, and high LDL cholesterol had a greater impact. From 2000 to 2021, there was an observable shift in global health challenges, marked by a decline in the number of all-age DALYs broadly attributable to behavioural risks (decrease of 20·7% [13·9–27·7]) and environmental and occupational risks (decrease of 22·0% [15·5–28·8]), coupled with a 49·4% (42·3–56·9) increase in DALYs attributable to metabolic risks, all reflecting ageing populations and changing lifestyles on a global scale. Age-standardised global DALY rates attributable to high BMI and high FPG rose considerably (15·7% [9·9–21·7] for high BMI and 7·9% [3·3–12·9] for high FPG) over this period, with exposure to these risks increasing annually at rates of 1·8% (1·6–1·9) for high BMI and 1·3% (1·1–1·5) for high FPG. By contrast, the global risk-attributable burden and exposure to many other risk factors declined, notably for risks such as child growth failure and unsafe water source, with age-standardised attributable DALYs decreasing by 71·5% (64·4–78·8) for child growth failure and 66·3% (60·2–72·0) for unsafe water source. We separated risk factors into three groups according to trajectory over time: those with a decreasing attributable burden, due largely to declining risk exposure (eg, diet high in trans-fat and household air pollution) but also to proportionally smaller child and youth populations (eg, child and maternal malnutrition); those for which the burden increased moderately in spite of declining risk exposure, due largely to population ageing (eg, smoking); and those for which the burden increased considerably due to both increasing risk exposure and population ageing (eg, ambient particulate matter air pollution, high BMI, high FPG, and high SBP). Interpretation: Substantial progress has been made in reducing the global disease burden attributable to a range of risk factors, particularly those related to maternal and child health, WaSH, and household air pollution. Maintaining efforts to minimise the impact of these risk factors, especially in low SDI locations, is necessary to sustain progress. Successes in moderating the smoking-related burden by reducing risk exposure highlight the need to advance policies that reduce exposure to other leading risk factors such as ambient particulate matter air pollution and high SBP. Troubling increases in high FPG, high BMI, and other risk factors related to obesity and metabolic syndrome indicate an urgent need to identify and implement interventions. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Type checking by domain analysis in Ampersand

In the process of incorporating subtyping in relation algebra, an algorithm was found to derive the subtyping relation from the program to be checked. By using domain analysis rather than type inference, this algorithm offers an attractive visualization of the type derivation process. This visualization can be used as a graphical proof that the type system has assigned types correctly. An implementation is linked to in this paper, written in Haskell. The algorithm has been tried and tested in Ampersand, a language that uses relation algebra for the purpose of designing information systems

Feeding rates for bullfrogs with automated feed management and high feeding frequency

Three feeding rates (3, 4 and 5% of body weight/day - BW/day) with automated feed management and high feeding frequency (24 meals/day) for bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) under wet systems were evaluated in this 60-day experiment. Bullfrogs with an average weight of 31.91±0.97 g, were distributed into twelve 20 m2 wet pens at a density of 60 frogs/m2. Commercial extruded feed for carnivorous fish was supplied directly onto water surface by automatic feeders. At 20 and 40 days of the experiment, the best growth was observed in frogs treated with a feeding rate of 5% BW/day. The frogs reached an average weight of 100.2 g at the end of the experiment but there was no difference among the feeding rates. At the end of the experiment, feeding rates of 3, 4 and 5% BW/day resulted in apparent feed conversion values of 1.08, 1.56 and 1.52, respectively, which are considered excellent for frog rearing. Bullfrogs reared at ideal temperature and with an average weight of 31.9 to 87.6 g can be fed at a high feeding rate (5% BW/day) for a greater growth. When temperature is lower than 25°C, feeding rate of 3% BW/day could be considered the most suitable for bullfrog weighing from 87.6 to 100.2 g, because the feed conversion ratio was numerically better and reduced feed leftovers.Três taxas de alimentação (3, 4 e 5% do peso vivo/dia – PV/dia) com manejo alimentar automatizado e alta frequência alimentar (24 refeições/dia) para rã-touro (Lithobates catesbeianus) em sistema inundado foram avaliadas em 60 dias de experimento. Rãs-touro, com peso médio de 31,91±0,97 g, foram distribuídas em 12 baias inundadas de 20 m2 com densidade de 60 rãs/m2. Ração comercial extrusada para peixes carnívoros foi fornecida diretamente sobre a superfície da água por meio de alimentadores automáticos. O melhor crescimento das rãs, aos 20 e 40 dias de experimento, foi observado com as rãs alimentadas com taxa alimentar de 5% PV/dia, e ao final do experimento as rãs atingiram peso médio de 100,2 g, entretanto não houve diferença entre as taxas de alimentação. As taxas alimentares de 3, 4 e 5% PV/dia proporcionaram ao final do experimento conversão alimentar aparente de 1.08, 1.56 e 1.52, respectivamente, considerados excelente na criação de rãs. Rãs-touro criadas em temperatura ideal, com peso médio de 31,9 a 87,6 g, podem ser alimentadas com alta taxa alimentar (5% PV/dia) para maior crescimento. Quando a temperatura é menor que 25°C, a taxa alimentar de 3% PV/dia pode ser considerada mais adequada para rãs-touro pesando 87,6 a 100,2 g, pois apresentou taxa de conversão alimentar numericamente melhor, diminuindo os desperdícios de ração

Raising bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) in cages placed in tilapia ponds.

Brazilian systems for raising bullfrogs (concrete enclosure, concrete enclosure with feed dispenser and shelter, flooded enclosure) do not use enough water to keep temperature stable, and the low rate of water renewal hinders water quality. In this article we propose raising frogs in cages placed in fish ponds having high thermal stability. The experiment consisted in evaluating the productive performance of bullfrogs housed in 1 m3 cages at the densities of 28, 56 or 84 animals/cage, fed a ration delivered by an automatic dispenser. Each pond was 72 m2 large. Two fish densities were used (200 or 300 tilapias/pond). The experimental period lasted 105 days for tilapias (May-August) and 60 days for frogs (July-August). No significant differences among densities were observed for frog performance. Using 200 tilapias/pond improved fish weight gain and dissolved oxygen concentration, as compared to 300 tilapias/pond. This new rearing system provided an adequate environment for frogs, as there was weight gain and zero mortality during winter.No Brasil, os sistemas de criação de rãs (confinamento, anfigranja, inundado) utilizam um volume de água insuficiente para a manutenção da estabilidade térmica, e a baixa renovação prejudica a qualidade da água. Neste trabalho foi proposto a criação de rãs em tanques-rede distribuídos em viveiros com grande estabilidade térmica. O experimento consistiu em avaliar o desempenho produtivo de rãs-touro alojadas em tanques-rede de 1 m3, nas densidades de: 28, 56 e 84 animais por tanque-rede, alimentadas com ração fornecida por dispensador automático. Nos viveiros de 72 m2 utilizaram-se duas densidades de tilápias (200 e 300 peixes por viveiro). O período experimental foi de 105 dias para as tilápias (maio a agosto) e de 60 dias para as rãs (julho e agosto). Não foram observadas diferenças significativas no desem-penho das rãs para as diferentes densidades. A utilização de 200 tilápias por viveiro melhorou o ganho de peso dos peixes e a concentração de oxigênio dissolvido da água, comparado com a densidade de 300 peixes por viveiro. Este novo sistema de criação proporcionou um ambiente adequado para as rãs com ganho de peso e ausência de mortalidade durante o inverno