Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time, and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space. While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes, vast areas of the tropics remain understudied. In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity, but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases. To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications 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, 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

Níveis de farelo de melancia forrageira em dietas para ovinos Levels of forage watermelon meal in diets for sheep

Com o objetivo de estudar a inclusão de 20, 35, 50, 65 ou 80% de farelo de melancia forrageira (Citrullus lanatus cv. citroides) (FMF) em dietas à base de feno de guandu (Cajanus cajan), foi realizado um ensaio de digestibilidade utilizando-se 20 cordeiros com 6 meses de idade e peso vivo de 11,2 ± 1,2 kg. O experimento constou de 20 dias de adaptação e 5 de coleta total de sobras e de fezes. O farelo de melancia forrageira e o feno de guandu apresentaram 95,3 e 95,75% de matéria seca (MS), 18,7 e 16,8% de proteína bruta (PB) e 38,8 e 64,3% de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN). Os níveis de farelo de melancia forrageira determinaram aumento quadrático nos consumos de MS, MO, PB, FDN, FDA, hemicelulose e carboidratos totais. O consumo de extrato etéreo não foi alterado, mas o consumo de CNF teve aumento linear conforme aumentaram os níveis de farelo de melancia forrageira. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade de MS (58%), PB (69%), FDN (41%) e EE (85%) não foram influenciados pelo nível de farelo de melancia forrageira. As digestibilidades de MO (54 a 62%), FDA (36 a 49%) e carboidratos totais (47 a 58%) variaram linear e positivamente, enquanto a digestibilidade da hemicelulose teve comportamento inverso. As dietas proporcionaram consumo de matéria seca que atendeu a exigência dos animais. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade observados foram satisfatórios. O farelo de melancia forrageira pode ser indicado para compor dietas à base de feno de guandu em níveis de 35 a 66% da matéria seca.<br>In order to study the inclusion of forage watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. Citroides) meal (FWM) in pigeon pea hay based diets (Cajanus cajan) (PPH), a digestibility trial in sheep was carried out for testing five levels of FWM (20, 35, 50, 65 and 80%). Twenty lambs with an average age of six months and live weight of 11.2 kg (± 1.2) were used. The experimental period was twenty days for adaptation and five days for total refuses and feces collection. The chemical composition of diet ingredients was determined, being the levels of dry matter (DM) 95.3 and 95.75%, crude protein (CP) 18.7 and 16.8%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) 38.8 and 64.3% for WFM and PPH, respectively. The water, DM, organic matter (OM), CP, ether extract (EE), NDF, acid detergent fiber (ADF), hemicellulosis (HCEL), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), total carbohydrates (TCOH) intakes, as well as the DM, MO, CP, EE, NDF, ADF, HCEL and TCOH digestibilities were accurately measured. The DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF, HCEL and TCOH intakes showed a quadratic behavior according to the FMF levels. The ether extract intake remained unchanged, while the NFC intake was linearly positive. The DM (58%), MO (69%), NDF (41%) and EE (85%) digestibility coefficients were not significantly influenced by the forage watermelon meal levels. The OM (54 to 62%), ADF (36 to 49%) and TCOH (47 to 58%) digestibility ranged linear and positively, while the HCEL digestibility showed the opposite behavior. The experimental diets provided dry matter intake enough to meet the animal requirements. The digestibility coefficients observed were satisfactory. The forage watermelon meal can be used in the guandu hay based diets in the levels from 35 to 66% of dry matter

Safety of hospital discharge before return of bowel function after elective colorectal surgery

© 2020 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons LtdBackground: Ileus is common after colorectal surgery and is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications. Identifying features of normal bowel recovery and the appropriateness for hospital discharge is challenging. This study explored the safety of hospital discharge before the return of bowel function. Methods: A prospective, multicentre cohort study was undertaken across an international collaborative network. Adult patients undergoing elective colorectal resection between January and April 2018 were included. The main outcome of interest was readmission to hospital within 30 days of surgery. The impact of discharge timing according to the return of bowel function was explored using multivariable regression analysis. Other outcomes were postoperative complications within 30 days of surgery, measured using the Clavien–Dindo classification system. Results: A total of 3288 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 301 (9·2 per cent) were discharged before the return of bowel function. The median duration of hospital stay for patients discharged before and after return of bowel function was 5 (i.q.r. 4–7) and 7 (6–8) days respectively (P < 0·001). There were no significant differences in rates of readmission between these groups (6·6 versus 8·0 per cent; P = 0·499), and this remained the case after multivariable adjustment for baseline differences (odds ratio 0·90, 95 per cent c.i. 0·55 to 1·46; P = 0·659). Rates of postoperative complications were also similar in those discharged before versus after return of bowel function (minor: 34·7 versus 39·5 per cent; major 3·3 versus 3·4 per cent; P = 0·110). Conclusion: Discharge before return of bowel function after elective colorectal surgery appears to be safe in appropriately selected patients