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

Avaliação do efeito esterilizante de solução à base de gluconato de zinco em testículos de ratos wistar em associação com anti-inflamatórios e antiálgico

A esterilização química constitui uma alternativa eficiente, de baixo custo e adequada para programas de esterilização em grande escala de animais domésticos. Acredita-se que a injeção intratesticular da solução à base de zinco promove uma reação inflamatória e, esta reação pode comprometer a espermatogênese, levando o animal à esterilidade. Em virtude de essa reação inflamatória gerar desconforto aos animais, preconiza-se o uso de analgésicos e anti-inflamatórios para minimizar efeitos colaterais indesejáveis. Contudo, a utilização desses fármacos poderia inibir o efeito desejado do agente esterilizante. Portanto, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo investigar se a administração de anti-inflamatórios esteroidais, não-esteroidais inibem o efeito esterilizante da solução à base de gluconato de zinco sobre a função testicular de ratos Wistar. Para tanto, 72 animais com 90 dias de idade foram mantidos em condições de biotério no Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. Esses animais foram divididos em seis grupos experimentais: controle/ solução salina (G1); controle/ DMSO + dipirona sódica (G2); dipirona sódica (G3); Celecoxibe + dipirona sódica (G4); meloxicam + dipirona sódica + (G5); dexametasona + dipirona sódica + (G6). Os animais foram anestesiados e submetidos à injeção intratesticular de solução à base de gluconato de zinco (Infertile®). Os tratamentos com anti-inflamatórios e antiálgico foram realizados através de uma dose única por dia, durante 7 dias consecutivos. Após 7, 15 e 30 dias os animais foram heparinizados, anestesiados e perfundidos, sendo coletados testículos e epidídimos para análise qualitativa das lesões e plasma sanguíneo para dosagem de testosterona utilizando o método de ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA). Com relação às lesões histopatológicas, as mais frequentes nos testículos foram à presença de processo inflamatório, necrose tubular, calcificação distrófica, congestão, degeneração tubular e edema subcapsular e nos epidídimos atrofia de ducto, deposição de colágeno, neovascularização e infiltrado inflamatório. Quanto aos animais que foram submetidos à injeção intratesticular de gluconato de zinco, constatou-se redução média de 74, 66 e 53 % dos níveis de testosterona nos respectivos períodos experimentais 7, 15 e 30 dias. Neste sentido, Constatou-se que a injeção intratesticular de Infertile® foi eficiente em promover esterilização mesmo após utilização de terapia anti-inflamatória. Assim anti-inflamatórios esteroidais e não-esteroidais administrados, neste experimento, durante 7 dias pós-infiltração testicular podem ser utilizados no protocolo de esterilização química para reduzir os efeitos álgicos nos animais infiltrados. Contudo, o efeito anti-inflamatório da dexametasona interferiu na ação desejada do Infertile® nos 15 primeiros dias. As associações meloxicam/dipirona ou celecoxibe/dipirona podem ser a terapia antiálgica e anti-inflamatória de eleição dentre os protocolos de esterilização química estudados.Chemical sterilization is an efficient, inexpensive and suitable for sterilization programs on a large scale domestic animals. It is believed that the injection of intratesticular zinc-based solution promotes an inflammatory reaction, and this reaction may affect spermatogenesis, taking the animal sterility. By virtue of this inflammatory reaction cause discomfort to animals, it is recommended the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatories to minimize undesirable side effects. However, the use of these drugs may inhibit the desired sterilizing agent. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether the administration of anti-inflammatory steroidal, non-steroidal inhibit the effect of sterilizing solution based zinc gluconate on testicular function of rats. Therefore, 72 animals at 90 days of age were kept in vivarium conditions at Department of Morphology and Physiology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco. These animals were divided into six groups: control / saline (G1), control / DMSO + dipyrone (G2), dipyrone (G3); Celecoxib + dipyrone (G4), dipyrone, meloxicam + + (G5); dipyrone + dexamethasone + (G6). The animals were anesthetized and injected intratesticular solution based on zinc gluconate (Infertile®). Treatment with anti-inflammatories and anti pain were conducted using a single dose per day for 7 consecutive days. After 7, 15 and 30 days the animals were heparinized, anesthetized and perfused testis and epididymis were collected for qualitative analysis of the lesions and blood plasma for testosterone measurement using the method of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Regarding the histopathological lesions, the most frequent in the testes were the presence of inflammation, tubular necrosis, dystrophic calcification, congestion, edema and subcapsular tubular degeneration and atrophy of the epididymis duct, collagen deposition, and neovascularization and inflammatory infiltrate. As for the animals that underwent intratesticular injection of zinc gluconate, we found an average reduction of 74, 66 and 53% of testosterone levels in the respective experimental periods 7, 15 and 30 days. In this sense, found that intratesticular injection of Infertile® was effective on sterilization even after use of anti-inflammatory therapy. Thus anti-inflammatory steroidal and non-steroidal administered in this experiment for 7 days post-testicular infiltration can be used in chemical sterilization protocol to reduce nociceptive effects in animals infiltrate. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of dexamethasone interfered in action desired Infertile® in the first 15 days. Associations meloxicam / dipyrone and celecoxib / dipyrone may be therapy and anti-inflammatory analgesic of choice among the studied chemical sterilization protocols

Effects of intratesticular injection of zinc-based solution in rats in combination with anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs during chemical sterilization

Aim: Chemical sterilization is a non-surgical method of contraception based on compounds injected into the testis to induce infertility. However, these injections can cause discomfort and pain able to impair the recovery of animals after this treatment. The objective of this study was to investigate if anti-inflammatories or pain relievers inhibited the sterilizing effect of zinc gluconate-based solution on the testis. Materials and Methods: Adult rats were treated in groups: G1 (control), G2 (dimethyl sulfoxide + dipyrone); G3 (dipyrone/ zinc); G4 (dipyrone + celecoxib/zinc); G5 (dipyrone + meloxicam/zinc), and G6 (dipyrone + dexamethasone/zinc) in a single dose per day during 7 days. Animals were analyzed at 7, 15, and 30 days after treatments. Results: The zinc-induced a widespread testicular degeneration and decreased testosterone levels even in combination with anti-inflammatories or pain relievers. Testis, epididymis, prostate, and seminal vesicle had a weight reduction. The anti-inflammatory effect of dexamethasone interfered in the desired action of zinc gluconate in the 1st 15 days and celecoxib up to 7 days. Conclusion: Meloxicam plus dipyrone did not impair the chemical sterilization based on zinc gluconate, and it can be used to reduce nociceptive effects in animals after chemical sterilization

Correlation between chronic inflammation, immunostaining and parasite load in the genital system of female dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlations among chronic inflammatory reaction, immunostaining and parasite load in the genital system of female dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum . Animals (n = 10) used in this study were from the Department of Vector Control and Animal Surveillance of the municipality of Caruaru, state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Fragments of the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterine body, uterine horns and ovaries were submitted to histopathological analysis, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and DNA detection of amastigotes by qPCR. Correlations were found between the IHC findings and chronic inflammatory infiltrate related to L. Infantum only in the vulva and vagina; whereas, the same inflammatory reactions without immunostaining were observed in all organs, except the ovaries. L. Infantum DNA was detected in all organs of genital system, with no difference in parasite load observed among the different organs. No correlation was reported between parasite load and inflammatory lesions in the organs evaluated, except for the uterine body, in which an inverse correlation was detected. In conclusion, the vulva and vagina were the major sites of lesions and immunostaining for L. Infantum amastigotes in the genital system of female dogs. Moreover, parasite load exerted no influence on the intensity of the lesions in the organs evaluated

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data