Fire incidence has been linked to multiple factors such as climate conditions, population density, agriculture, and lightning. Recently, fire frequency and severity have induced health problems and ...contributed to increase atmospheric greenhouse gases. Based on atmospheric susceptibility to fire, this study evaluates the use of a Potential Fire Index (PFIv2) to identify regions prone to fire development, as demonstrated by the satellite detected‐fire in the 2001–2016 interval. It is demonstrated that PFIv2 delivers an efficiency by up to 80% in matching the observed fires from Terra/MODIS satellite. The PFIv2 is also able to reproduce more accurately areas with fire activity with respect to its previous version, the PFI. This better performance is linked to the implementation of parameterization of water pressure deficit and atmospheric stability in the lower troposphere, and a new term to represent the effect of surface temperatures, particularly in mid‐latitudes and extra‐Tropics. To evaluate the performance of the PFIv2 in more details, its comparison to MODIS burned areas demonstrated correlations values higher than 0.6 over the most susceptible regions such as Africa and South America, slightly lower correlation is found where fire does not primary follows the climate annual cycle, and is dominated by high frequency events. These findings indicate that the PFIv2 can be an important tool for decision makers in predicting the potential for vegetation fires development and fire danger.
Based on atmospheric susceptibility to fire, we evaluate the use of a Potential Fire Index (PFIv2) to identify regions prone to fire development, as demonstrated by the satellite detected‐fire. This figure shows that in northern Australia, southern Asia, Africa, and South America experience a dominant season. In Africa, two regions are identified with maxima amplitude, which are related with the annual migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and associated dry season. Larger amplitude is also noted in the Arctic region of east Asia and Canada. The figure illustrates harmonic analysis of PFIv2: amplitude of the annual cycle or first harmonic.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
•Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SCEM) was employed to confine reactants and products in a thin-layer cell.•SECM was associated with an EĆ mechanism to enhance the sensitivity.•Iodide was ...detected in synthetic urine samples at low concentrations.
In this work, a gold conventional sized electrode (r = 3 mm) and a gold microelectrode (r = 12.5 µm) were employed to investigate the EC’ mechanism involving the anodic oxidation of iodide in the presence of the non-redox-active species thiosulfate. A significant anodic current increase, due to the electrocatalytic process, was noticed in cyclic voltammograms recorded in an iodide solution in the presence of thiosulfate when compared to iodide solution only, at the same experimental conditions. Aiming to enhance the sensitivity of the electroanalytical method towards iodide detection, Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) was employed to confine reactants and products in a thin-layer cell defined by the solution region between the microelectrode tip and a Au substrate. Very low iodide concentrations, in the range of a 1–10 µmol/L, can be detected at a short tip-substrate distance, and the method was validated by measuring the analyte content in a synthetic urine sample.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Aging is associated with sarcopenia and dynapenia, with both processes contributing to functional dependence and mortality in older adults. Resistance training (RT) and increased protein intake are ...strategies that may contribute to health improvements in older adults. Therefore, the aim was to investigate the effects of whey protein (WP) supplementation consumed either immediately pre- or post-RT on skeletal muscle mass (SMM), muscular strength, and functional capacity in pre-conditioned older women. Seventy older women participated in this investigation and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: whey protein pre-RT and placebo post-RT (WP-PLA,
= 24), placebo pre-RT and whey protein post-RT (PLA-WP,
= 23), and placebo pre- and post-RT (PLA-PLA,
= 23). Each group ingested 35 g of WP or PLA. The RT program was carried out over 12 weeks (three times per week; 3 × 8⁻12 repetition maximum). Body composition, muscular strength, functional capacity, and dietary intake were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for repeated measures, with baseline scores as covariates were used for data analysis. A time vs. group interaction (
< 0.05) was observed with WP-PLA and PLA-WP presenting greater increases compared with PLA-PLA for SMM (WP-PLA = 3.4%; PLA-WP = 4.2%; PLA-PLA = 2.0%), strength (WP-PLA = 8.1%; PLA-WP = 8.3%; PLA-PLA = 7.0%), and the 10-m walk test (WP-PLA = −10.8%; PLA-WP = −11.8%; PLA-PLA = −4.3%). Whey protein supplementation was effective in promoting increases in SMM, muscular strength, and functional capacity in pre-conditioned older women, regardless of supplementation timing. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03247192.
•Posterior IC mediates restraint-evoked anxiogenic effect in a site-specific manner.•Intermediate subregion of the posterior IC mediates anxiogenic response of restraint.•Rostral and caudal ...subregions are not involved in EPM behavioral changes to restraint.
The insular cortex (IC) is engaged in behavioral and physiological responses to emotional stress. Control of physiological functions and behavioral responses has been reported to occur in a site-specific manner along the rostrocaudal axis of the IC. However, a functional topography of the IC regulation of anxiogenic responses caused by stress has never been evaluated. Therefore, we investigated the role of rostrocaudal subregions in the posterior IC in anxiogenic-like effect caused by exposure to acute restraint stress in male rats. For this, rats received bilateral microinjection of the non-selective synaptic inhibitor CoCl2 or vehicle into either the rostral, intermediate or caudal portions of the posterior IC before exposure to acute restraint stress. Then, behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM) was evaluated immediately after restraint stress. The behavior of non-stressed animals in the EPM was also investigated. We observed that acute restraint stress decreased the exploration of the EPM open arms in animals treated with vehicle in all regions of the posterior IC, thus indicating an anxiogenic-like effect. The avoidance of the EPM open arms was completely inhibited in animals subjected to microinjection of CoCl2 into the intermediate posterior IC. Nevertheless, the same pharmacological treatment into either the rostral or caudal subregions of the posterior IC did not affect the restraint-evoked behavioral changes in the EPM. Taken together, these results suggest that regulation of anxiogenic-like effect to emotional stress along the rostrocaudal axis of the posterior IC might occur in a site-specific manner, indicating a role of the intermediate subregion.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of resistance training (RT) performed with 1 or 3 sets per exercise on osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO) syndrome parameters in older women. Sixty-two ...older women (68.0 ± 4.3 years, 26.8 ± 4.4 kg/m
2
) participated in a 12-week RT program. Participants were randomly assigned into one of the three groups: two training groups that performed either 1 set (G1S, n = 21) or 3 sets (G3S, n = 20) 3 times weekly, or a control group (CG, n = 21). Body composition was assessed by dual X-ray absorptiometry, strength was evaluated by 1 repetition maximum testing. The G3S presented significantly higher strength changes than G1S. The changes for percentage of body fat were higher for G3S compared to G1S. There was no difference in skeletal muscle mass between G3S and G1S, however both training groups displayed greater increases in this outcome compared to CG. There was no effect for bone mineral density. The overall analysis indicated higher (P < 0.05) positive changes for G3S than G1S (composed Z-score: G3S = 0.62 ± 0.40; G1S = 0.11 ± 0.48). The results suggest that a 12-week RT period is effective to improve the risk factors of OSO, and that 3 sets induce higher improvements than a single set.
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BFBNIB, FSPLJ, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
This study compared the effect of different resistance training (RT) frequencies on total, android, gynoid and trunk body fat in overweight/obese older women.
Fifty-seven overweight/obese older women ...(66.9±5.3 years and 39.9±4.9% body fat) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a group performing RT twice a week (G2X), a group performing RT three times a week (G3X), or a non-exercise control group (CG). Both training groups performed the same 12-week RT program consisting of 8 exercises that trained all major muscle groups. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess body composition.
After the intervention period, both G2X and G3X demonstrated significant (P<0.05) reductions in adiposity compared to the CG for total body fat (G2X=-1.7%, G3X=-2.7%, CG=+2.1%), android fat (G2X=-6.2%, G3X=-7.0%, CG=+8.6%), gynoid fat (G2X=-2.5%, G3X=-2.9%, CG=+1.0%), and trunk fat (G2X=-2.5%, G3X=-3.0%, CG=+2.9%), with no significant differences between training groups.
These results demonstrate that a low-volume 12-week RT program performed two or three times per week causes decreases in total and regional fat deposition with the greatest reductions occurring in the android region.
It is commonly assumed that beach seining (BS) is more sustainable than bottom trawling because it involves non-motorized operations and limited fishing power. However, no scientific evidence ...supports this assumption. To address this gap, we evaluated the impact of beach seining, taking a small-scale shrimp fishery in northeast Brazil. Data collected monthly from December 2016 to November 2017 and in literature, were assessed (BS 31,001 individuals, 119 species, 37 families, and 19 orders; BT 6,031 individuals, 58 species, 20 families, and 14 orders). Beach seining demonstrated a lower proportion of bycatch (BS 1:2.3; BT 1:3.2), higher total shrimp catch (BS 87.2 t; BT 65 t), and greater species diversity than bottom trawling catches (BS 119; BT 58). Other aspects were closer associated with bottom trawling, such as the composition of dominant families (Sciaenidae and Pristigasteridae), the proportion of rare species (BS 30%; BT 24%) juveniles (BS 11g; BT 13g), the risk of species extinction, and the composition of ecological guilds. Despite their social significance, both fishing gears showed similar ecological indicators and adverse effects. The findings establish that the ecological concerns related to the impact of bottom trawling are also applicable to beach seine.
Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is one of the most common single-gene causes of learning disabilities. Here, we use behavioral working memory probes and electrophysiological studies in a mouse model ...of NF1 (Nf1 heterozygous null mutants; Nf1 +/ ⁻) to demonstrate that (i) Neurofibromin regulates prefrontal and striatal inhibitory networks, specifically activity-dependent GABA release and (ii) is required for working memory performance, with inhibition-dependent working memory deficits seen in Nf1 +/ ⁻ mice. We find that increased inhibition in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is sufficient to alter persistent activity in a biophysical model of an mPFC microcircuit, suggesting a possible mechanism for Nf1 +/ ⁻ working memory deficits. Accordingly, working memory assays applied during functional MRI (fMRI) studies in human subjects with NF1 reveal hypoactivation of corticostriatal networks, which is associated with impaired working memory performance. Collectively, these integrative mouse and human studies reveal molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to working memory deficits in NF1.
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BFBNIB, NMLJ, NUK, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Biosolids are dehydrated sludge derived from effluent treatment plants. These biosolids may be used as agricultural fertilizers due to their characteristically high organic matter and nutrient ...contents. Thus, alternative uses for biosolids must be identified, and agriculture is one such potential alternative. The present study aimed to assess the soil physicochemical gains and losses resulting from the application of textile industrial biosolid and chemical fertilization recommended for elephant grass crops. To this end, physicochemical and biological soil analyses were carried out. A field experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with three blocks and the following treatments: without fertilization; with conventional fertilization; and with 1×, 2×, 4×, and 8× biosolid based on the Recommendation from the Brazilian National Council for the Environment. The results were analyzed using the Tukey test, which showed the viability of using biosolids. That is, the biosolids caused an increase even higher than that resulting from some fertilizing elements such as phosphorus, calcium, and sodium in treatments with chemical fertilization and without causing soil contamination, either with heavy metals, pathogenic microorganisms, or nitrogen. This provides an environmentally friendly way of disposing of this otherwise unusable waste.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
We compared the effects of different resistance training (RT) volume reduction strategies on muscular strength and lean soft-tissue (LST) in older women. Fifty-seven physically independent women (>60 ...years) performed a 20-week pre-conditioning phase of a standardized whole-body RT program (eight exercises, three sets, 8-12 repetitions, three sessions a week), and were then randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: reduced volume for a single set (RV1, n=20) or two sets (RV2, n=19), or maintained volume of three sets (MV, n=18) for 8 weeks (specific training phase). Muscular strength in the chest press, leg extension, and preacher curl exercises was determined by one-repetition maximum tests. A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry device was used to estimate LST. An increase in muscular strength (16.3-32.1%) and LST (3.2-7.9%) was observed after the pre-conditioning phase. There was an increase in chest press for all groups (9.4-16.7%) after the specific training phase. In contrast, only MV increased significantly in the leg extension (4.4%). No between-group differences were revealed for LST in the specific training phase. Our results suggest that reduced RT volume from three to one set per exercise for 8 weeks seems sufficient to retain neuromuscular adaptations in older women.
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