Climate-dependent CO2 emissions from lakes

Inland waters, just as the world's oceans, play an important role in the global carbon cycle. While lakes and reservoirs typically emit CO2, they also bury carbon in their sediment. The net CO2 emission is largely the result of the decomposition or preservation of terrestrially supplied carbon. What regulates the balance between CO2 emission and carbon burial is not known, but climate change and temperature have been hypothesized to influence both processes. We analyzed patterns in carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) in 83 shallow lakes over a large climatic gradient in South America and found a strong, positive correlation with temperature. The higher pCO2 in warmer lakes may be caused by a higher, temperature-dependent mineralization of organic carbon. This pattern suggests that cool lakes may start to emit more CO2 when they warm up because of climate ch

Knowledge and information needs of informal caregivers in palliative care : a qualitative systematic review

Objectives: To review current understanding of the knowledge and information needs of informal caregivers in palliative settings. Data sources: Seven electronic databases were searched for the period January 1994–November 2006: Medline, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Embase, Ovid, Zetoc and Pubmed using a meta-search engine (Metalib®). Key journals and reference lists of selected papers were hand searched. Review methods: Included studies were peer-reviewed journal articles presenting original research. Given a variety of approaches to palliative care research, a validated systematic review methodology for assessing disparate evidence was used in order to assign scores to different aspects of each study (introduction and aims, method and data, sampling, data analysis, ethics and bias, findings/results, transferability/generalizability, implications and usefulness). Analysis was assisted by abstraction of key details of study into a table. Results: Thirty-four studies were included from eight different countries. The evidence was strongest in relation to pain management, where inadequacies in caregiver knowledge and the importance of education were emphasized. The significance of effective communication and information sharing between patient, caregiver and service provider was also emphasized. The evidence for other caregiver knowledge and information needs, for example in relation to welfare and social support was weaker. There was limited literature on non-cancer conditions and the care-giving information needs of black and minority ethnic populations. Overall, the evidence base was predominantly descriptive and dominated by small-scale studies, limiting generalizability. Conclusions: As palliative care shifts into patients’ homes, a more rigorously researched evidence base devoted to understanding caregivers knowledge and information needs is required. Research design needs to move beyond the current focus on dyads to incorporate the complex, three-way interactions between patients, service providers and caregivers in end-of-life care setting

Herança da reação à Leveillula taurica (Lev.) Arn. em Capsicum annuum L.

O uso de fungicidas no controle do oídio do pimentão tem se mostrado ineficaz, sendo a resistência genética a melhor alternativa. As fontes de resistência identificadas em Capsicum annuum L. são raras e não satisfatórias. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a herança da reação de C. annuum ao oídio. Três progenitores resistentes e homozigóticos, HV-12, Chilli e #124 e três suscetíveis, 609, 442 e 428 foram usados na obtenção de sete híbridos e respectivas gerações F2: HV-12 × 609, 442 × HV-12, 428 × HV-12, Chilli × 609, #124 × 609, Chilli × HV-12 e #124 × HV-12. A epidemia de oídio ocorreu de maneira natural a partir de inóculo mantido em plantas de pimentão suscetíveis. As avaliações das reações ao oídio foram feitas na fase de frutificação, através de uma escala de notas de 1 (resistente) a 5 (altamente suscetível). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado. Foram estimados, os números de locos, ação gênica, coeficiente de herdabilidade, ganho de seleção esperado e o progresso observado em F3 e possíveis relações de alelismo entre os genes que governam a resistência. O cruzamento HV-12 × 609 foi o único em que a reação de resistência mostrou ausência de dominância. Nos demais cruzamentos detectaram-se efeitos dominantes e epistáticos. A herança foi caracterizada sendo governada por no mínimo quatro pares de genes. As herdabilidades e ganhos de seleção estimados foram altos. O mecanismo de resistência dos progenitores resistentes #124, Chilli e HV-12 mostraram diferenças de expressão e natureza genética.The use of fungicides to control powdery mildew in sweet pepper has been ineffective and genetic resistance is the best alternative. Resistance sources identified in Capsicum annuum L. are rare and unsatisfactory. The purpose of this work was to study the inheritance of C. annuum reaction to powdery mildew. Three homozygous powdery mildew resistant parents, HV-12, Chilli and #124 and three susceptible lines, 609, 442 and 428 were used to obtain seven F1's and respectively their generations F2: HV-12 x 609, 442 × HV-12, 428 × HV-12, Chilli × 609, #124 × 609, Chilli × HV-12 and #124 × HV-12. The powdery epidemic was natural using inoculum from highly sporulating susceptible pepper host. Powdery mildew host reaction evaluations were carried out during the fruit production using a rating system based on disease severity scales varying from 1 (resistant) to 5 (highly susceptible). The experimental design was completely randomized. The following genetic parameters were estimated: locus numbers, gene action, heritability coefficient, expected selection gain and observed progress in F3 generation, and possibly allelic relationship among resistance genes of different resistance sources. The HV-12×609 cross was the only one that showed absence of dominance. Other genetically analyzed crossings showed dominant and epistatic effects. Resistance was characterized as being due to at least four pairs of genes. The heritability and selection gains estimates were high. The resistance mechanisms of #124, Chilli and HV-12 showed differences in their expression

Herança da reação ao oídio em pimenta (Capsicum chinense, Jacq.)

A espécie de pimenta C. chinense tem sido considerada uma das mais importantes fontes de resistência ao oídio, porém a herança dessa resistência ainda é desconhecida. O objetivo deste trabalho foi obter informações sobre a herança dessa reação. Dois progenitores resistentes, Pimenta Cheiro 1 e PI 152225 e dois moderadamente suscetíveis, Pimenta Doce IH-1761 e Pimenta Índio, foram utilizados na obtenção de três híbridos e respectivas gerações F2: Pimenta Doce IH-1761 × Pimenta Cheiro 1, Pimenta Índio ´ PI 152225 e Pimenta Doce IH-1761 × PI 152225. A epidemia de oídio ocorreu de maneira natural a partir de inóculo mantido em plantas de pimentão suscetíveis. As avaliações das reações ao oídio foram feitas na fase de frutificação, através de uma escala de notas de 1 (resistente) a 5 (altamente suscetível). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado. Foram estimados: tipo de ação gênica, coeficiente de herdabilidade e ganho de seleção esperado em F3.. A segregação transgressiva em F2 indicou que a herança é oligogênica e o tipo de ação gênica envolveu os componentes aditivos, dominantes e epistáticos. Os efeitos de dominância e epistasia detectadas nos cruzamentos se mostraram negativos para a suscetibilidade. Os valores de herdabilidade e ganho de seleção foram moderados, sendo de 35,5% e 1,7% para o cruzamento Pimenta Doce IH-1761 ;´; Pimenta Cheiro 1, de 50,4% e 3,5% para Pimenta Índio ;´; PI 152225 e de 49,0% e 2,7% para Pimenta Doce IH 1761 ;´; PI 152225. Os resultados sobre ação gênica favorecem programas de melhoramento visando variedades híbridas.The pepper species C. chinense has been considered one of the most important resistance sources to powdery mildew Capsicum spp. However, the inheritance in this species was unknown. The purpose of this work was to study its reaction inheritance. Two powdery mildew resistant parents, 'Pimenta Cheiro' 1 and PI 152225 and two moderately susceptible ones, 'Pimenta Doce' IH-1761 and 'Pimenta Índio', were used to obtain three F1 and their respective F2 generations: 'Pimenta Doce' IH-1761 ;´; 'Pimenta Cheiro' 1, 'Pimenta Índio' ;´; PI 152225 and 'Pimenta Doce' IH-1761 ;´; PI 152225. The powdery mildew epidemy was natural using inoculum from a highly-sporulating susceptible pepper host. Powdery mildew host reaction evaluations were carried out during the fruiting stage using a rating system based on disease severity scales varying from 1 (resistant) to 5 (highly susceptible). The experimental design was completely randomized. The following genetic parameters were estimated: gene action, heritability coefficient and expected selection gain in the F3 generation. The transgressive segregation in F2 indicated oligogenic inheritance. Results show the presence of additive, dominant, and epistatic gene action. The dominant and epistatic effects detected in crosses presented negative values, tending towards susceptibility. The heritability and selection gain estimates were moderate, with values of 35.5% and 1.7% for 'Pimenta Doce' IH 1761 ;´; 'Pimenta Cheiro' 1, from 50.4% to 3.5% for 'Pimenta Índio' ;´; PI 152225, and 49% and 2.7% for the 'Pimenta Doce' IH 1761 ;´; PI 152225 crosses, respectively. These gene action results are favorable for breeding programs and exploration of hybrids

Bioethical implications in the environmental licensing of large enterprises in Brazil

O processo de licenciamento ambiental de refinarias de petróleo no Brasil tem sido criticado pela ausência do cuidado com relação aos efeitos decorrentes do empreendimento sobre a saúde. Por isso, este trabalho busca identificar ferramentas da bioética que contribuam para a proteção da saúde nesse processo. Amparado numa revisão integrativa da literatura científica e no método desconstrutivo proposto por Derrida, justifica-se a pertinência e legitimidade do uso da bioética para fundamentar a relação entre as consequências para a saúde dos indivíduos, populações e dos ecossistemas e a conflituosidade envolvida. Conclui-se que a bioética pode contribuir como ferramenta teórica e prática por meio da descrição, avaliação dos conflitos e dilemas morais envolvendo a licença para implantação de processos produtivos, servindo para processos de crítica, justificação e de estabelecimento de medidas moralmente aceitáveis para a proteção da saúde humana e dos demais seres vivos do ecossistema.Brazilian oil refneries’ environmental licensing process have been criticised for lack of healthcare aspects. Therefore, this paper aims to identify elements of bioethics that contribute to healthcare in this process. Based on an integrative review of scientifc literature and on the deconstructive method proposed by Derrida, the relevance and legitimacy of bioethics to justify the relationship between morality and the consequences for individual’s, populations’s and ecosystems’s health is justifed. We conclude that bioethics may contribute as a theoretical and practical tool to solve conflicts by describing existing struggles and moral dilemmas, through processes of criticism and justifcation and the establishment of morally acceptable measures for the protection of humans and environmental health

Development and validation of the Cambridge Multimorbidity Score

BACKGROUND: Health services have failed to respond to the pressures of multimorbidity. Improved measures of multimorbidity are needed for conducting research, planning services and allocating resources. METHODS: We modelled the association between 37 morbidities and 3 key outcomes (primary care consultations, unplanned hospital admission, death) at 1 and 5 years. We extracted development (n = 300 000) and validation (n = 150 000) samples from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We constructed a general-outcome multimorbidity score by averaging the standardized weights of the separate outcome scores. We compared performance with the Charlson Comorbidity Index. RESULTS: Models that included all 37 conditions were acceptable predictors of general practitioner consultations (C-index 0.732, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.731-0.734), unplanned hospital admission (C-index 0.742, 95% CI 0.737-0.747) and death at 1 year (C-index 0.912, 95% CI 0.905-0.918). Models reduced to the 20 conditions with the greatest combined prevalence/weight showed similar predictive ability (C-indices 0.727, 95% CI 0.725-0.728; 0.738, 95% CI 0.732-0.743; and 0.910, 95% CI 0.904-0.917, respectively). They also predicted 5-year outcomes similarly for consultations and death (C-indices 0.735, 95% CI 0.734-0.736, and 0.889, 95% CI 0.885-0.892, respectively) but performed less well for admissions (C-index 0.708, 95% CI 0.705-0.712). The performance of the general-outcome score was similar to that of the outcome-specific models. These models performed significantly better than those based on the Charlson Comorbidity Index for consultations (C-index 0.691, 95% CI 0.690-0.693) and admissions (C-index 0.703, 95% CI 0.697-0.709) and similarly for mortality (C-index 0.907, 95% CI 0.900-0.914). INTERPRETATION: The Cambridge Multimorbidity Score is robust and can be either tailored or not tailored to specific health outcomes. It will be valuable to those planning clinical services, policymakers allocating resources and researchers seeking to account for the effect of multimorbidity