| 1. |
- Lind, Lars, et al.
(author)
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Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)
- 2021
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In: eLife. - : eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions.
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| 2. |
- Mishra, A, et al.
(author)
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Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents' growth and development
- 2023
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 615:7954, s. 874-883
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Householder, John Ethan, et al.
(author)
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One sixth of Amazonian tree diversity is dependent on river floodplains
- 2024
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In: NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION. - 2397-334X.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Amazonia's floodplain system is the largest and most biodiverse on Earth. Although forests are crucial to the ecological integrity of floodplains, our understanding of their species composition and how this may differ from surrounding forest types is still far too limited, particularly as changing inundation regimes begin to reshape floodplain tree communities and the critical ecosystem functions they underpin. Here we address this gap by taking a spatially explicit look at Amazonia-wide patterns of tree-species turnover and ecological specialization of the region's floodplain forests. We show that the majority of Amazonian tree species can inhabit floodplains, and about a sixth of Amazonian tree diversity is ecologically specialized on floodplains. The degree of specialization in floodplain communities is driven by regional flood patterns, with the most compositionally differentiated floodplain forests located centrally within the fluvial network and contingent on the most extraordinary flood magnitudes regionally. Our results provide a spatially explicit view of ecological specialization of floodplain forest communities and expose the need for whole-basin hydrological integrity to protect the Amazon's tree diversity and its function.
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| 9. |
- Luize, Bruno Garcia, et al.
(author)
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Geography and ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities
- 2024
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In: JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: Amazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types. Location: Amazonia. Taxon: Angiosperms (Magnoliids; Monocots; Eudicots). Methods: Data for the abundance of 5082 tree species in 1989 plots were combined with a mega-phylogeny. We applied evolutionary ordination to assess how phylogenetic composition varies across Amazonia. We used variation partitioning and Moran's eigenvector maps (MEM) to test and quantify the separate and joint contributions of spatial and environmental variables to explain the phylogenetic composition of plots. We tested the indicator value of lineages for geographic regions and edaphic forest types and mapped associations onto the phylogeny. Results: In the terra firme and v & aacute;rzea forest types, the phylogenetic composition varies by geographic region, but the igap & oacute; and white-sand forest types retain a unique evolutionary signature regardless of region. Overall, we find that soil chemistry, climate and topography explain 24% of the variation in phylogenetic composition, with 79% of that variation being spatially structured (R-2 = 19% overall for combined spatial/environmental effects). The phylogenetic composition also shows substantial spatial patterns not related to the environmental variables we quantified (R-2 = 28%). A greater number of lineages were significant indicators of geographic regions than forest types. Main Conclusion: Numerous tree lineages, including some ancient ones (>66 Ma), show strong associations with geographic regions and edaphic forest types of Amazonia. This shows that specialization in specific edaphic environments has played a long-standing role in the evolutionary assembly of Amazonian forests. Furthermore, many lineages, even those that have dispersed across Amazonia, dominate within a specific region, likely because of phylogenetically conserved niches for environmental conditions that are prevalent within regions.
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| 10. |
- Peripato, Vinicius, et al.
(author)
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More than 10,000 pre-Columbian earthworks are still hidden throughout Amazonia
- 2023
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In: Science (New York, N.Y.). - 1095-9203. ; 382:6666, s. 103-109
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Indigenous societies are known to have occupied the Amazon basin for more than 12,000 years, but the scale of their influence on Amazonian forests remains uncertain. We report the discovery, using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) information from across the basin, of 24 previously undetected pre-Columbian earthworks beneath the forest canopy. Modeled distribution and abundance of large-scale archaeological sites across Amazonia suggest that between 10,272 and 23,648 sites remain to be discovered and that most will be found in the southwest. We also identified 53 domesticated tree species significantly associated with earthwork occurrence probability, likely suggesting past management practices. Closed-canopy forests across Amazonia are likely to contain thousands of undiscovered archaeological sites around which pre-Columbian societies actively modified forests, a discovery that opens opportunities for better understanding the magnitude of ancient human influence on Amazonia and its current state.
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| 11. |
- ter Steege, Hans, et al.
(author)
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Mapping density, diversity and species-richness of the Amazon tree flora
- 2023
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In: COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY. - 2399-3642. ; 6:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using 2.046 botanically-inventoried tree plots across the largest tropical forest on Earth, we mapped tree species-diversity and tree species-richness at 0.1-degree resolution, and investigated drivers for diversity and richness. Using only location, stratified by forest type, as predictor, our spatial model, to the best of our knowledge, provides the most accurate map of tree diversity in Amazonia to date, explaining approximately 70% of the tree diversity and species-richness. Large soil-forest combinations determine a significant percentage of the variation in tree species-richness and tree alpha-diversity in Amazonian forest-plots. We suggest that the size and fragmentation of these systems drive their large-scale diversity patterns and hence local diversity. A model not using location but cumulative water deficit, tree density, and temperature seasonality explains 47% of the tree species-richness in the terra-firme forest in Amazonia. Over large areas across Amazonia, residuals of this relationship are small and poorly spatially structured, suggesting that much of the residual variation may be local. The Guyana Shield area has consistently negative residuals, showing that this area has lower tree species-richness than expected by our models. We provide extensive plot meta-data, including tree density, tree alpha-diversity and tree species-richness results and gridded maps at 0.1-degree resolution. A study mapping the tree species richness in Amazonian forests shows that soil type exerts a strong effect on species richness, probably caused by the areas of these forest types. Cumulative water deficit, tree density and temperature seasonality affect species richness at a regional scale.
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| 12. |
- Gusev, A, et al.
(author)
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Atlas of prostate cancer heritability in European and African-American men pinpoints tissue-specific regulation
- 2016
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In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 7, s. 10979-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although genome-wide association studies have identified over 100 risk loci that explain ∼33% of familial risk for prostate cancer (PrCa), their functional effects on risk remain largely unknown. Here we use genotype data from 59,089 men of European and African American ancestries combined with cell-type-specific epigenetic data to build a genomic atlas of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) heritability in PrCa. We find significant differences in heritability between variants in prostate-relevant epigenetic marks defined in normal versus tumour tissue as well as between tissue and cell lines. The majority of SNP heritability lies in regions marked by H3k27 acetylation in prostate adenoc7arcinoma cell line (LNCaP) or by DNaseI hypersensitive sites in cancer cell lines. We find a high degree of similarity between European and African American ancestries suggesting a similar genetic architecture from common variation underlying PrCa risk. Our findings showcase the power of integrating functional annotation with genetic data to understand the genetic basis of PrCa.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Hansson, Nicolaj C., et al.
(author)
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The impact of calcium volume and distribution in aortic root injury related to balloon-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement
- 2015
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In: JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. - 1934-5925. ; 9:5, s. 382-392
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: A detailed assessment of calcium within the aortic root may provide important additional information regarding the risk of aortic root injury during transcatheter heart valve replacement (TAVR). Objective: We sought to delineate the effect of calcium volume and distribution on aortic root injury during TAVR. Methods: Thirty-three patients experiencing aortic root injury during TAVR with a balloon-expandable valve were compared with a control group of 153 consecutive TAVR patients without aortic root injury (as assessed by post-TAVR multidetector CT). Using commercial software to analyze contrast-enhanced pre-TAVR CT scans, caltium volume was determined in 3 regions: (1) the overall left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), extending 10 mm down from the aortic annulus plane; (2) the upper LVOT, extending 2 mm down from the annulus plane; and (3) the aortic valve region. Results: Calcium volumes in the upper LVOT (median, 29 vs 0 mm(3); P less than .0001) and overall LVOT (median, 74 vs 3 mm(3); P = .0001) were higher in patients who experienced aortic root injury compared with the control group. Calcium in the aortic valve region did not differ between groups. Upper LVOT calcium volume was more predictive of aortic root injury than overall LVOT calcium volume (area under receiver operating curve [AUG]; 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.69-0.86 vs AUC, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.82; P = .010). Upper LVOT calcium below the noncoronary cusp was significantly more predictive of aortic root injury compared to calcium underneath the right coronary cusp or the left coronary cusp (AUC, 0.81 vs 0.68 vs 0.64). Prosthesis oversizing greater than20% (likelihood ratio test, P = .028) and redilatation (likelihood ratio test, P = .015) improved prediction of aortic root injury by upper LVOT calcium volume. Conclusion: Calcification of the LVOT, especially in the upper LVOT, located below the noncoronary cusp and extending from the annular region, is predictive of aortic root injury during TAVR with a balloon-expandable valve. (C) 2015 Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. All rights reserved.
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| 16. |
- Richards, Stephen, et al.
(author)
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The genome of the model beetle and pest Tribolium castaneum.
- 2008
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In: Nature. - 1476-4687. ; 452:7190, s. 949-55
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tribolium castaneum is a representative of earth’s most numerous eukaryotic order, a powerful model organism for the study of generalized insect development, and also an important pest of stored agricultural products. We describe its genome sequence here. This omnivorous beetle has evolved an ability to interact with a diverse chemical environment as evidenced by large expansions in odorant and gustatory receptors, as well as p450 and other detoxification enzymes. Developmental patterns in Tribolium are more representative of other arthropods than those found in Drosophila, a fact represented in gene content and function. For one, Tribolium has retained more ancestral genes involved in cell-cell communication than Drosophila, and some are expressed in the growth zone crucial for axial elongation in short germ development. Systemic RNAi in T. castaneum appears to use mechanisms distinct from those found in C. elegans, but nevertheless offers similar power for the elucidation of gene function and identification of targets for selective insect control.
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| 17. |
- Artaxo, Paulo, et al.
(author)
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Tropical and Boreal Forest – Atmosphere Interactions : A Review
- 2022
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In: Tellus. Series B, Chemical and physical meteorology. - : Stockholm University Press. - 0280-6509 .- 1600-0889. ; 74:1, s. 24-163
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This review presents how the boreal and the tropical forests affect the atmosphere, its chemical composition, its function, and further how that affects the climate and, in return, the ecosystems through feedback processes. Observations from key tower sites standing out due to their long-term comprehensive observations: The Amazon Tall Tower Observatory in Central Amazonia, the Zotino Tall Tower Observatory in Siberia, and the Station to Measure Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations at Hyytiäla in Finland. The review is complemented by short-term observations from networks and large experiments.The review discusses atmospheric chemistry observations, aerosol formation and processing, physiochemical aerosol, and cloud condensation nuclei properties and finds surprising similarities and important differences in the two ecosystems. The aerosol concentrations and chemistry are similar, particularly concerning the main chemical components, both dominated by an organic fraction, while the boreal ecosystem has generally higher concentrations of inorganics, due to higher influence of long-range transported air pollution. The emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds are dominated by isoprene and monoterpene in the tropical and boreal regions, respectively, being the main precursors of the organic aerosol fraction.Observations and modeling studies show that climate change and deforestation affect the ecosystems such that the carbon and hydrological cycles in Amazonia are changing to carbon neutrality and affect precipitation downwind. In Africa, the tropical forests are so far maintaining their carbon sink.It is urgent to better understand the interaction between these major ecosystems, the atmosphere, and climate, which calls for more observation sites, providing long-term data on water, carbon, and other biogeochemical cycles. This is essential in finding a sustainable balance between forest preservation and reforestation versus a potential increase in food production and biofuels, which are critical in maintaining ecosystem services and global climate stability. Reducing global warming and deforestation is vital for tropical forests.
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| 18. |
- Bertassoli, Dailson J. Jr., et al.
(author)
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How green can Amazon hydropower be? : Net carbon emission from the largest hydropower plant in Amazonia
- 2021
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In: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science. - 2375-2548. ; 7:26
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The current resurgence of hydropower expansion toward tropical areas has been largely based on run-of-the-river (ROR) dams, which are claimed to have lower environmental impacts due to their smaller reservoirs. The Belo Monte dam was built in Eastern Amazonia and holds the largest installed capacity among ROR power plants worldwide. Here, we show that postdamming greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Belo Monte area are up to three times higher than preimpoundment fluxes and equivalent to about 15 to 55 kg CO(2)eq MWh(-1). Since per-area emissions in Amazonian reservoirs are significantly higher than global averages, reducing flooded areas and prioritizing the power density of hydropower plants seem to effectively reduce their carbon footprints. Nevertheless, total GHG emissions are substantial even from this leading-edge ROR power plant. This argues in favor of avoiding hydropower expansion in Amazonia regardless of the reservoir type.
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| 19. |
- de Araujo, Kleiton R., et al.
(author)
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Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations and emission in the newly constructed Belo Monte hydropower complex in the Xingu River, Amazonia
- 2019
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In: Biogeosciences. - Gottingen : Copernicus Gesellschaft MBH. - 1726-4170 .- 1726-4189. ; 16:18, s. 3527-3542
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Belo Monte hydropower complex located in the Xingu River is the largest run-of-the-river (ROR) hydroelectric system in the world and has one of the highest energy production capacities among dams. Its construction received significant media attention due to its potential social and environmental impacts. It is composed of two ROR reservoirs: the Xingu Reservoir (XR) in the Xingu's main branch and the Intermediate Reservoir (IR), an artificial reservoir fed by waters diverted from the Xingu River with longer water residence time compared to XR. We aimed to evaluate spatiotemporal variations in CO2 partial pressure (pCO(2)) and CO2 fluxes (FCO2) during the first 2 years after the Xingu River impoundment under the hypothesis that each reservoir has contrasting FCO2 and pCO(2) as vegetation clearing reduces flooded area emissions. Time of the year had a significant influence on pCO(2) with the highest average values observed during the high-water season. Spatial heterogeneity throughout the entire study area was observed for pCO(2) during both low-and high-water seasons. FCO2, on the other hand, only showed significant spatial heterogeneity during the high-water period. FCO2 (0.90 +/- 0.47 and 1.08 +/- 0.62 mu mol m(2) d(-1) for XR and IR, respectively) and pCO(2) (1647 +/- 698 and 1676 +/- 323 mu atm for XR and IR, respectively) measured during the high-water season were on the same order of magnitude as previous observations in other Amazonian clearwater rivers unaffected by impoundment during the same season. In contrast, during the low-water season FCO2 (0.69 +/- 0.28 and 7.32 +/- 4.07 mu mol m(2) d(-1) for XR and IR, respectively) and pCO(2) (839 +/- 646 and 1797 +/- 354 mu atm for XR and IR, respectively) in IR were an order of magnitude higher than literature FCO2 observations in clearwater rivers with naturally flowing waters. When CO2 emissions are compared between reservoirs, IR emissions were 90% higher than values from the XR during low-water season, reinforcing the clear influence of reservoir characteristics on CO2 emissions. Based on our observations in the Belo Monte hydropower complex, CO2 emissions from ROR reservoirs to the atmosphere are in the range of natural Amazonian rivers. However, the associated reservoir (IR) may exceed natural river emission rates due to the preimpounding vegetation influence. Since many reservoirs are still planned to be constructed in the Amazon and throughout the world, it is critical to evaluate the implications of reservoir traits on FCO2 over their entire life cycle in order to improve estimates of CO2 emissions per kilowatt for hydropower projects planned for tropical rivers.
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| 20. |
- de Melo, Michaela L, et al.
(author)
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Flood pulse regulation of bacterioplankton community composition in an Amazonian floodplain lake
- 2019
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In: Freshwater Biology. - : Wiley. - 0046-5070 .- 1365-2427. ; 64:1, s. 108-120
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Understanding spatial and temporal dynamics of microbial communities is a central challenge in microbial ecology since microorganisms play a key role in ecosystem functioning and biogeochemical cycles. Amazonian aquatic systems comprise a dynamic mosaic of heterogeneous habits but are understudied and there is limited information about the mechanisms that shape bacterial community composition (BCC). There is a consensus that environmental selection (species sorting) and dispersal processes (source?sink dynamics) act in concert to shape the composition of these communities, but the relative importance of each mechanism may vary dramatically through time and between systems. Applying 16S rRNA gene amplicon high-throughput sequencing, we studied factors and processes that modulate BCC in an Amazonian floodplain lake and used source-tracking models to trace the main dispersal sources of microorganisms in the whole floodplain system during a full hydrological cycle. Our source-tracking models indicated that dispersal processes were predominant, explaining most of the BCC variability throughout the study period. We observed more sources contributing to the sink community during the falling water than rising water period, when contributions from the Solim?es River dominated. There was a clear seasonal pattern in BCC, closely related to environmental variables, suggesting that the successful establishment of dispersing bacteria also depends on environmental filtering that is linked to water flow. In summary, source?sink dynamics and species sorting were strongly affected by water exchange and connectivity with the main river that varied throughout the flood pulse cycle. Our results demonstrated the influence of lateral transport and temporal dynamics on BCC in Amazonian floodplain lakes that could ultimately impact regional carbon budgets and biogeochemical cycles.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Foster, Katie E, et al.
(author)
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EphB-ephrin-B2 interactions are required for thymus migration during organogenesis.
- 2010
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 107:30
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Thymus organogenesis requires coordinated interactions of multiple cell types, including neural crest (NC) cells, to orchestrate the formation, separation, and subsequent migration of the developing thymus from the third pharyngeal pouch to the thoracic cavity. The molecular mechanisms driving these processes are unclear; however, NC-derived mesenchyme has been shown to play an important role. Here, we show that, in the absence of ephrin-B2 expression on thymic NC-derived mesenchyme, the thymus remains in the cervical area instead of migrating into the thoracic cavity. Analysis of individual NC-derived thymic mesenchymal cells shows that, in the absence of ephrin-B2, their motility is impaired as a result of defective EphB receptor signaling. This implies a NC-derived cell-specific role of EphB-ephrin-B2 interactions in the collective migration of the thymic rudiment during organogenesis.
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| 23. |
- Franco, Leandro R., et al.
(author)
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Unraveling the acid-base characterization and solvent effects on the structural and electronic properties of a bis-bidentate bridging ligand
- 2022
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In: Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 1463-9076 .- 1463-9084. ; 24:17, s. 10222-10240
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Understanding the interactions and the solvent effects on the distribution of several species in equilibrium and how it can influence the 1H-NMR properties, spectroscopy (UV-vis absorption), and the acid–base equilibria can be especially challenging. This is the case of a bis-bidentate bridging ligand bis(2-pyridyl)-benzo-bis(imidazole), where the two pyridyl and four imidazolyl nitrogen atoms can be protonated in different ways, depending on the solvent, generating many isomeric/tautomeric species. Herein, we report a combined theoretical–experimental approach based on a sequential quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics procedure that was successfully applied to describe in detail the acid–base characterization and its effects on the electronic properties of such a molecule in solution. The calculated free-energies allowed the identification of the main species present in solution as a function of the solvent polarity, and its effects on the magnetic shielding of protons (1H-NMR chemical shifts), the UV-vis absorption spectra, and the acid–base equilibrium constants (pKas) in aqueous solution. Three acid–base equilibrium constants were experimentally/theoretically determined (pKa1 = 1.3/1.2, pKa2 = 2.1/2.2 and pKa5 = 10.1/11.3) involving mono-deprotonated and mono-protonated cis and trans species. Interestingly, other processes with pKa3 = 3.7 and pKa4 = 6.0 were also experimentally determined and assigned to the protonation and deprotonation of dimeric species. The dimerization of the most stable neutral species was investigated by Monte Carlo simulations and its electronic effects were considered for the elucidation of the UV-vis absorption bands, revealing transitions mainly with the charge-transfer characteristic and involving both the monomeric species and the dimeric species. The good matching of the theoretical and experimental results provides an atomistic insight into the solvent effects on the electronic properties of this bis-bidentate bridging ligand.
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| 24. |
- Kissling, W. Daniel, et al.
(author)
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Building essential biodiversity variables (EBVs) of species distribution and abundance at a global scale
- 2018
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In: Biological Reviews. - : Wiley. - 1464-7931 .- 1469-185X. ; 93:1, s. 600-625
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2017 Cambridge Philosophical Society. Much biodiversity data is collected worldwide, but it remains challenging to assemble the scattered knowledge for assessing biodiversity status and trends. The concept of Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) was introduced to structure biodiversity monitoring globally, and to harmonize and standardize biodiversity data from disparate sources to capture a minimum set of critical variables required to study, report and manage biodiversity change. Here, we assess the challenges of a 'Big Data' approach to building global EBV data products across taxa and spatiotemporal scales, focusing on species distribution and abundance. The majority of currently available data on species distributions derives from incidentally reported observations or from surveys where presence-only or presence-absence data are sampled repeatedly with standardized protocols. Most abundance data come from opportunistic population counts or from population time series using standardized protocols (e.g. repeated surveys of the same population from single or multiple sites). Enormous complexity exists in integrating these heterogeneous, multi-source data sets across space, time, taxa and different sampling methods. Integration of such data into global EBV data products requires correcting biases introduced by imperfect detection and varying sampling effort, dealing with different spatial resolution and extents, harmonizing measurement units from different data sources or sampling methods, applying statistical tools and models for spatial inter- or extrapolation, and quantifying sources of uncertainty and errors in data and models. To support the development of EBVs by the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), we identify 11 key workflow steps that will operationalize the process of building EBV data products within and across research infrastructures worldwide. These workflow steps take multiple sequential activities into account, including identification and aggregation of various raw data sources, data quality control, taxonomic name matching and statistical modelling of integrated data. We illustrate these steps with concrete examples from existing citizen science and professional monitoring projects, including eBird, the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring network, the Living Planet Index and the Baltic Sea zooplankton monitoring. The identified workflow steps are applicable to both terrestrial and aquatic systems and a broad range of spatial, temporal and taxonomic scales. They depend on clear, findable and accessible metadata, and we provide an overview of current data and metadata standards. Several challenges remain to be solved for building global EBV data products: (i) developing tools and models for combining heterogeneous, multi-source data sets and filling data gaps in geographic, temporal and taxonomic coverage, (ii) integrating emerging methods and technologies for data collection such as citizen science, sensor networks, DNA-based techniques and satellite remote sensing, (iii) solving major technical issues related to data product structure, data storage, execution of workflows and the production process/cycle as well as approaching technical interoperability among research infrastructures, (iv) allowing semantic interoperability by developing and adopting standards and tools for capturing consistent data and metadata, and (v) ensuring legal interoperability by endorsing open data or data that are free from restrictions on use, modification and sharing. Addressing these challenges is critical for biodiversity research and for assessing progress towards conservation policy targets and sustainable development goals.
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| 25. |
- Kumarathunge, Dushan P., et al.
(author)
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Acclimation and adaptation components of the temperature dependence of plant photosynthesis at the global scale
- 2019
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In: New Phytologist. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0028-646X .- 1469-8137. ; 222:2, s. 768-784
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The temperature response of photosynthesis is one of the key factors determining predicted responses to warming in global vegetation models (GVMs). The response may vary geographically, owing to genetic adaptation to climate, and temporally, as a result of acclimation to changes in ambient temperature. Our goal was to develop a robust quantitative global model representing acclimation and adaptation of photosynthetic temperature responses.We quantified and modelled key mechanisms responsible for photosynthetic temperature acclimation and adaptation using a global dataset of photosynthetic CO2 response curves, including data from 141 C3 species from tropical rainforest to Arctic tundra. We separated temperature acclimation and adaptation processes by considering seasonal and common-garden datasets, respectively.The observed global variation in the temperature optimum of photosynthesis was primarily explained by biochemical limitations to photosynthesis, rather than stomatal conductance or respiration. We found acclimation to growth temperature to be a stronger driver of this variation than adaptation to temperature at climate of origin.We developed a summary model to represent photosynthetic temperature responses and showed that it predicted the observed global variation in optimal temperatures with high accuracy. This novel algorithm should enable improved prediction of the function of global ecosystems in a warming climate.
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| 26. |
- Lindh, Christina, et al.
(author)
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Bone quality assessment in routine dental implant treatment among Brazilian and Swedish specialists
- 2014
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In: Clinical Oral Implants Research. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0905-7161 .- 1600-0501. ; 25:9, s. 1004-1009
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: To investigate the interpretation and assessment of bone quality among Brazilian and Swedish specialist performing implant treatment. Material and methods: A questionnaire was developed containing open and closed questions on attitudes, knowledge, and understanding of diagnostic methods for bone quality assessment. The questionnaire was sent by mail to dental implant specialists in Brazil while the Swedish version was Web-based and sent to specialists in periodontology and maxillofacial surgery. The response rate in the Brazilian group was 15.4% and in the Swedish group 36.5%. Results: Most respondents in both groups considered bone quality to be an important parameter for implant treatment outcome. Among Swedish specialists, bone quality, however, was considered to be of low relevance. The most popular method for assessing bone quality among Swedish specialists was the hand-felt perception of drilling resistance followed by radiography. The Brazilian specialists more often used peak insertion torque. Most respondents classified bone quality, and both groups used the classification proposed by Lekholm & Zarb (Tissue-Integratedprosthesis: Osseointegration in Clinical Dentistry, 1985, Quintessence, Chicago) most frequently. Conclusion: Specialists in both countries considered bone quality to be an important parameter for implant treatment outcome, but there was no consensus neither on what bone quality means nor on how to assess bone quality.
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| 27. |
- Melani, Rafael D., et al.
(author)
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The Blood Proteoform Atlas : A reference map of proteoforms in human hematopoietic cells
- 2022
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 375:6579, s. 411-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Human biology is tightly linked to proteins, yet most measurements do not precisely determine alternatively spliced sequences or posttranslational modifications. Here, we present the primary structures of similar to 30,000 unique proteoforms, nearly 10 times more than in previous studies, expressed from 1690 human genes across 21 cell types and plasma from human blood and bone marrow. The results, compiled in the Blood Proteoform Atlas (BPA), indicate that proteoforms better describe protein-level biology and are more specific indicators of differentiation than their corresponding proteins, which are more broadly expressed across cell types. We demonstrate the potential for clinical application, by interrogating the BPA in the context of liver transplantation and identifying cell and proteoform signatures that distinguish normal graft function from acute rejection and other causes of graft dysfunction.
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| 28. |
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| 29. |
- Morveli-Espinoza, Mariela, et al.
(author)
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An argumentation-based approach for goal reasoning and explanations generation
- 2023
-
In: Journal of logic and computation (Print). - : Oxford University Press. - 0955-792X .- 1465-363X. ; 33:5, s. 984-1021
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Explainable Artificial Intelligence systems, including intelligent agents, are expected to explain their internal decisions, behaviors and reasoning that produce their choices to the humans (or to other systems) with which they interact. Given this context, the aim of this article is to introduce a practical reasoning agent framework that supports generation of explanations about the goals the agent committed to. Firstly, we present an argumentation-based formalization for supporting goal reasoning. This is based on the belief-based goal processing model proposed by Castelfranchi and Paglieri, which is a more granular and refined model than the Beliefs–Desires–Intentions model. We focus on the dynamics of goals since they are desires until they become intentions, including the conditions under which a goal can be cancelled. We use formal argumentation reasoning to support the passage of the goals from their initial state until their final state. Secondly, in order that agents based on the proposed formalization be able to generate explanations about the goals they decided to commit to, we endow them with a mechanism for generating both complete and partial explanations. Finally, we use a scenario of rescue robots in order to illustrate the performance of our proposal, for which a simulator was developed to support the agents goal reasoning.
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| 30. |
- Oberst, Simon, et al.
(author)
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Strategies to decrease inequalities in cancer therapeutics, care and prevention
- 2024
-
In: Molecular Oncology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1878-0261 .- 1574-7891. ; 18:2, s. 245-279
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Analyses of inequalities related to prevention and cancer therapeutics/care show disparities between countries with different economic standing, and within countries with high Gross Domestic Product. The development of basic, technological and biological research provides clinical and prevention opportunities that make their implementation into healthcare systems more complex, mainly due to the growth of Personalized/Precision Cancer Medicine (PCM). Initiatives like the US‐Cancer Moonshot and the EU‐Mission on Cancer and Europe´s Beating Cancer Plan are initiated to boost cancer prevention and therapeutics/care innovation and to mitigate present inequalities. The conference organised by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the European Academy of Cancer Sciences discussed the inequality problem, dependent on the economic status of a country, the increasing demands for infrastructure supportive of innovative research and its implementation in healthcare and prevention programs. Establishing translational research and a coherent cancer research continuum is still a challenge. Research has to cover the entire continuum from basic to outcomes research for clinical and prevention components. Comprehensive Cancer Centres (CCCs) are of critical importance for integrating research innovations to preclinical and early clinical research, as for ensuring state‐of‐the‐art patient care within healthcare systems. International collaborative networks between CCCs are necessary to reach the critical mass of infrastructures and patients for PCM research, and for introducing prevention modalities and new treatments effectively. Outcomes and health economics research are required to assess the cost‐effectiveness of new interventions, currently a missing element in the research portfolio. Data sharing and critical mass are essential for innovative research to develop PCM. Despite advances in cancer research, cancer incidence and prevalence is growing. Making cancer research infrastructures accessible for all patients, considering the increasing inequalities, requires science policy actions incentivising research aimed at prevention and cancer therapeutics/care with an increased focus on patients´ needs and cost‐effective healthcare.
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| 31. |
- Osaku, Erica F., et al.
(author)
-
beta-(1 -> 6)-d-glucan secreted during the optimised production of exopolysaccharides by Paecilomyces variotii has immunostimulatory activity
- 2018
-
In: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology. - : Springer. - 0003-6072 .- 1572-9699. ; 111:6, s. 981-994
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Paecilomyces variotii is a filamentous fungus that occurs worldwide in soil and decaying vegetation. Optimization of the fermentation process for exopolysaccharide (EPS) production from the fungus P. variotii, structure determination and immuno-stimulating activity of EPS were performed. Response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the physical and chemical factors required to produce EPS in submerged fermentation. Preliminary investigations to choose the three factors for the present work were made using a factorial experimental design. Glucose, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and pH were used as variables for which, with constant temperature of 28 A degrees C and agitation of 90 rpm, the optimal process parameters were determined as glucose values of 0.96%, NH4NO3 0.26% and pH 8.0. The three parameters presented significant effects. In this condition of culture, the main composition of the isolated EPS was a linear beta-(1 -> 6)-linked-D-glucan, as determined by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and methylation analysis. This polysaccharide is a very unusual as an EPS from fungi, especially a filamentous fungus such as P. variotii. Murine peritoneal macrophages cultivated with beta-glucan for 6 and 48 h showed an increase in TNF-alpha, IL-6 and nitric oxide release with increased polysaccharide concentrations. Therefore, we conclude that the beta-(1 -> 6)-linked-D-glucan produced in optimised conditions of P. variotii cultivation has an immune-stimulatory activity on murine macrophages.
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| 32. |
- Padilla, Nelly, et al.
(author)
-
Breakdown of Whole-brain Dynamics in Preterm-born Children
- 2020
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In: Cerebral Cortex. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1047-3211 .- 1460-2199. ; 30:3, s. 1159-1170
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The brain operates at a critical point that is balanced between order and disorder. Even during rest, unstable periods of random behavior are interspersed with stable periods of balanced activity patterns that support optimal information processing. Being born preterm may cause deviations from this normal pattern of development. We compared 33 extremely preterm (EPT) children born at < 27 weeks of gestation and 28 full-term controls. Two approaches were adopted in both groups, when they were 10 years of age, using structural and functional brain magnetic resonance imaging data. The first was using a novel intrinsic ignition analysis to study the ability of the areas of the brain to propagate neural activity. The second was a whole-brain Hopf model, to define the level of stability, desynchronization, or criticality of the brain. EPT-born children exhibited fewer intrinsic ignition events than controls; nodes were related to less sophisticated aspects of cognitive control, and there was a different hierarchy pattern in the propagation of information and suboptimal synchronicity and criticality. The largest differences were found in brain nodes belonging to the rich-club architecture. These results provide important insights into the neural substrates underlying brain reorganization and neurodevelopmental impairments related to prematurity.
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| 33. |
- Peters, Wouter, et al.
(author)
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Increased water-use efficiency and reduced CO2 uptake by plants during droughts at a continental scale
- 2018
-
In: Nature Geoscience. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1752-0894 .- 1752-0908. ; 11:10, s. 744-748
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Severe droughts in the Northern Hemisphere cause a widespread decline of agricultural yield, the reduction of forest carbon uptake, and increased CO2 growth rates in the atmosphere. Plants respond to droughts by partially closing their stomata to limit their evaporative water loss, at the expense of carbon uptake by photosynthesis. This trade-off maximizes their water-use efficiency (WUE), as measured for many individual plants under laboratory conditions and field experiments. Here we analyse the 13C/12C stable isotope ratio in atmospheric CO2 to provide new observational evidence of the impact of droughts on the WUE across areas of millions of square kilometres and spanning one decade of recent climate variability. We find strong and spatially coherent increases in WUE along with widespread reductions of net carbon uptake over the Northern Hemisphere during severe droughts that affected Europe, Russia and the United States in 2001–2011. The impact of those droughts on WUE and carbon uptake by vegetation is substantially larger than simulated by the land-surface schemes of six state-of-the-art climate models. This suggests that drought-induced carbon–climate feedbacks may be too small in these models and improvements to their vegetation dynamics using stable isotope observations can help to improve their drought response.
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| 34. |
- Porto, Fabio Henrique de Gobbi, et al.
(author)
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In vivo evidence for neuroplasticity in older adults
- 2015
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In: Brain Research Bulletin. - : Elsevier BV. - 0361-9230 .- 1873-2747. ; 114, s. 56-61
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Neuroplasticity can be conceptualized as an intrinsic property of the brain that enables modification of function and structure in response to environmental demands. Neuroplastic strengthening of synapses is believed to serve as a critical mechanism underlying learning, memory, and other cognitive functions. Ex vivo work investigating neuroplasticity has been done on hippocampal slices using high frequency stimulation. However, in vivo neuroplasticity in humans has been difficult to demonstrate. Recently, a long-term potentiation-like phenomenon, a form of neuroplastic change, was identified in young adults by differences in visual evoked potentials (VEPs) that were measured before and after tetanic visual stimulation (TVS). The current study investigated whether neuroplastic changes in the visual pathway can persist in older adults. Seventeen healthy subjects, 65 years and older, were recruited from the community. Subjects had a mean age of 77.4 years, mean education of 17 years, mean MMSE of 29.1, and demonstrated normal performance on neuropsychological tests. 1 Hz checkerboard stimulation, presented randomly to the right or left visual hemi-field, was followed by 2 mm of 9 Hz stimulation (TVS) to one hemi-field. After 2 mm of rest, 1 Hz stimulation was repeated. Temporospatial principal component analysis was used to identify the Nib component of the VEPs, at lateral occipital locations, in response to 1 Hz stimulation pre- and post-TVS. Results showed that the amplitude of factors representing the early and late Nib component was substantially larger after tetanic stimulation. These findings indicate that high frequency visual stimulation can enhance the Nib in cognitively high functioning old adults, suggesting that neuroplastic changes in visual pathways can continue into late life. Future studies are needed to determine the extent to which this marker of neuroplasticity is sustained over a longer period of time, and is influenced by age, cognitive status, and neurodegenerative disease. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 35. |
- Rieb, Jesse T., et al.
(author)
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When, Where, and How Nature Matters for Ecosystem Services : Challenges for the Next Generation of Ecosystem Service Models
- 2017
-
In: BioScience. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0006-3568 .- 1525-3244. ; 67:9, s. 820-833
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Many decision-makers are looking to science to clarify how nature supports human well-being. Scientists' responses have typically focused on empirical models of the provision of ecosystem services (ES) and resulting decision-support tools. Although such tools have captured some of the complexities of ES, they can be difficult to adapt to new situations. Globally useful tools that predict the provision of multiple ES under different decision scenarios have proven challenging to develop. Questions from decision-makers and limitations of existing decision-support tools indicate three crucial research frontiers for incorporating cutting-edge ES science into decision-support tools: (1) understanding the complex dynamics of ES in space and time, (2) linking ES provision to human well-being, and (3) determining the potential for technology to substitute for or enhance ES. We explore these frontiers in-depth, explaining why each is important and how existing knowledge at their cutting edges can be incorporated to improve ES decision-making tools.
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| 36. |
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| 37. |
- Ringborg, Ulrik, et al.
(author)
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The Porto European Cancer Research Summit 2021
- 2021
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In: Molecular Oncology. - : Wiley. - 1574-7891 .- 1878-0261. ; 15:10, s. 2507-2543
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Key stakeholders from the cancer research continuum met in May 2021 at the European Cancer Research Summit in Porto to discuss priorities and specific action points required for the successful implementation of the European Cancer Mission and Europe's Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP). Speakers presented a unified view about the need to establish high-quality, networked infrastructures to decrease cancer incidence, increase the cure rate, improve patient's survival and quality of life, and deal with research and care inequalities across the European Union (EU). These infrastructures, featuring Comprehensive Cancer Centres (CCCs) as key components, will integrate care, prevention and research across the entire cancer continuum to support the development of personalized/precision cancer medicine in Europe. The three pillars of the recommended European infrastructures – namely translational research, clinical/prevention trials and outcomes research – were pondered at length. Speakers addressing the future needs of translational research focused on the prospects of multiomics assisted preclinical research, progress in Molecular and Digital Pathology, immunotherapy, liquid biopsy and science data. The clinical/prevention trial session presented the requirements for next-generation, multicentric trials entailing unified strategies for patient stratification, imaging, and biospecimen acquisition and storage. The third session highlighted the need for establishing outcomes research infrastructures to cover primary prevention, early detection, clinical effectiveness of innovations, health-related quality-of-life assessment, survivorship research and health economics. An important outcome of the Summit was the presentation of the Porto Declaration, which called for a collective and committed action throughout Europe to develop the cancer research infrastructures indispensable for fostering innovation and decreasing inequalities within and between member states. Moreover, the Summit guidelines will assist decision making in the context of a unique EU-wide cancer initiative that, if expertly implemented, will decrease the cancer death toll and improve the quality of life of those confronted with cancer, and this is carried out at an affordable cost.
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| 38. |
- Romero, Aldo H., et al.
(author)
-
ABINIT: Overview and focus on selected capabilities
- 2020
-
In: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 1089-7690 .- 0021-9606. ; 152:12
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- abinit is probably the first electronic-structure package to have been released under an open-source license about 20 years ago. It implements density functional theory, density-functional perturbation theory (DFPT), many-body perturbation theory (GW approximation and Bethe-Salpeter equation), and more specific or advanced formalisms, such as dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) and the "temperature-dependent effective potential" approach for anharmonic effects. Relying on planewaves for the representation of wavefunctions, density, and other space-dependent quantities, with pseudopotentials or projector-augmented waves (PAWs), it is well suited for the study of periodic materials, although nanostructures and molecules can be treated with the supercell technique. The present article starts with a brief description of the project, a summary of the theories upon which abinit relies, and a list of the associated capabilities. It then focuses on selected capabilities that might not be present in the majority of electronic structure packages either among planewave codes or, in general, treatment of strongly correlated materials using DMFT; materials under finite electric fields; properties at nuclei (electric field gradient, Mössbauer shifts, and orbital magnetization); positron annihilation; Raman intensities and electro-optic effect; and DFPT calculations of response to strain perturbation (elastic constants and piezoelectricity), spatial dispersion (flexoelectricity), electronic mobility, temperature dependence of the gap, and spin-magnetic-field perturbation. The abinit DFPT implementation is very general, including systems with van der Waals interaction or with noncollinear magnetism. Community projects are also described: generation of pseudopotential and PAW datasets, high-throughput calculations (databases of phonon band structure, second-harmonic generation, and GW computations of bandgaps), and the library libpaw. abinit has strong links with many other software projects that are briefly mentioned.
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| 39. |
- Sanai, Yasaman, et al.
(author)
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Presence and antibiotic resistance of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Prevotella nigrescens in children.
- 2002
-
In: Journal of Clinical Periodontology. - 0303-6979 .- 1600-051X. ; 29:10, s. 929-934
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND/AIMS: Only limited information exists about the prevalence in children of pathogens associated with periodontitis. The aim of the present study was to determine by culture whether 8-11-year-old children carry Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and/or P. nigrescens in samples from the gingiva and/or the buccal mucosa taken before, and after caries treatment and oral hygiene instruction. A second aim was to assess the proportion of subjects who had gram-negative anaerobes carrying the tet(Q) and erm(F) genes, suggesting antibiotic resistance to tetracycline or erythromycin.METHOD: A total of 150 children provided gingival and buccal swab bacterial samples that were cultured for P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, and P. nigrescens. The species was verified using DNA-DNA hybridization with species-specific probes made from the variable region of the 16S rRNA sequences. Antibiotic-resistant genes, tet(Q) and erm(F), were identified using specific DNA-DNA hybridization with specific DNA probes.RESULTS: A total of 116 isolates of black-pigmented bacteria were cultured from 47 (31%) of 150 children. Five isolates were identified as P. gingivalis, 29 as P. intermedia, 33 as P. nigrescens, and 49 as other species. In general, the bacteria were not culturable at more than one time period. We found that 55% of these 47 children harbored black pigmented bacteria that carried either one or both of the two antibiotic-resistant genes studied (tet(Q), and erm(F)).CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that children not exposed to regular dental treatment carry bacteria outside the gingival sulcus that have been associated with periodontitis, and that standard treatment procedures may not clear the presence of the putative pathogens. In addition, antibiotic-resistant genes are common in identifiable gram-negative anaerobes, including putative pathogens.
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
- Sawakuchi, Henrique O., et al.
(author)
-
Methane emissions from Amazonian Rivers and their contribution to the global methane budget
- 2014
-
In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 20:9, s. 2829-2840
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Methane (CH4) fluxes from world rivers are still poorly constrained, with measurements restricted mainly to temperate climates. Additional river flux measurements, including spatio-temporal studies, are important to refine extrapolations. Here we assess the spatio-temporal variability of CH4 fluxes from the Amazon and its main tributaries, the Negro, Solimoes, Madeira, Tapajos, Xingu, and Para Rivers, based on direct measurements using floating chambers. Sixteen of 34 sites were measured during low and high water seasons. Significant differences were observed within sites in the same river and among different rivers, types of rivers, and seasons. Ebullition contributed to more than 50% of total emissions for some rivers. Considering only river channels, our data indicate that large rivers in the Amazon Basin release between 0.40 and 0.58 Tg CH4 yr(-1). Thus, our estimates of CH4 flux from all tropical rivers and rivers globally were, respectively, 19-51% to 31-84% higher than previous estimates, with large rivers of the Amazon accounting for 22-28% of global river CH4 emissions.
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| 42. |
- Sawakuchi, Henrique O., et al.
(author)
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Oxidative mitigation of aquatic methane emissions in large Amazonian rivers
- 2016
-
In: Global Change Biology. - : WILEY-BLACKWELL. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 22:3, s. 1075-1085
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The flux of methane (CH4) from inland waters to the atmosphere has a profound impact on global atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) levels, and yet, strikingly little is known about the dynamics controlling sources and sinks of CH4 in the aquatic setting. Here, we examine the cycling and flux of CH4 in six large rivers in the Amazon basin, including the Amazon River. Based on stable isotopic mass balances of CH4, inputs and outputs to the water column were estimated. We determined that ecosystem methane oxidation (MOX) reduced the diffusive flux of CH4 by approximately 28-96% and varied depending on hydrologic regime and general geochemical characteristics of tributaries of the Amazon River. For example, the relative amount of MOX was maximal during high water in black and white water rivers and minimal in clear water rivers during low water. The abundance of genetic markers for methane-oxidizing bacteria (pmoA) was positively correlated with enhanced signals of oxidation, providing independent support for the detected MOX patterns. The results indicate that MOX in large Amazonian rivers can consume from 0.45 to 2.07 Tg CH4 yr(-1), representing up to 7% of the estimated global soil sink. Nevertheless, climate change and changes in hydrology, for example, due to construction of dams, can alter this balance, influencing CH4 emissions to atmosphere.
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| 43. |
- Sonnenschein-van der Voort, Agnes M. M, et al.
(author)
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Preterm birth, infant weight gain, and childhood asthma risk: A meta-analysis of 147,000 European children
- 2014
-
In: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. - : Elsevier. - 0091-6749 .- 1097-6825. ; 133:5, s. 1317-1329
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Preterm birth, low birth weight, and infant catch-up growth seem associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases in later life, but individual studies showed conflicting results. Objectives: We performed an individual participant data meta-analysis for 147,252 children of 31 birth cohort studies to determine the associations of birth and infant growth characteristics with the risks of preschool wheezing (1-4 years) and school-age asthma (5-10 years). Methods: First, we performed an adjusted 1-stage random-effect meta-analysis to assess the combined associations of gestational age, birth weight, and infant weight gain with childhood asthma. Second, we performed an adjusted 2-stage random-effect meta-analysis to assess the associations of preterm birth (gestational age less than 37 weeks) and low birth weight (less than 2500 g) with childhood asthma outcomes. Results: Younger gestational age at birth and higher infant weight gain were independently associated with higher risks of preschool wheezing and school-age asthma (P less than. 05). The inverse associations of birth weight with childhood asthma were explained by gestational age at birth. Compared with term-born children with normal infant weight gain, we observed the highest risks of school-age asthma in children born preterm with high infant weight gain (odds ratio [OR], 4.47; 95% CI, 2.58-7.76). Preterm birth was positively associated with an increased risk of preschool wheezing (pooled odds ratio [pOR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.25-1.43) and school-age asthma (pOR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.18-1.67) independent of birth weight. Weaker effect estimates were observed for the associations of low birth weight adjusted for gestational age at birth with preschool wheezing (pOR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00-1.21) and school-age asthma (pOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.27). Conclusion: Younger gestational age at birth and higher infant weight gain were associated with childhood asthma outcomes. The associations of lower birth weight with childhood asthma were largely explained by gestational age at birth.
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| 44. |
- van der Beek, Justine N., et al.
(author)
-
MRI Characteristics of Pediatric Renal Tumors : A SIOP-RTSG Radiology Panel Delphi Study
- 2022
-
In: Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. - : Wiley. - 1053-1807 .- 1522-2586. ; 55:2, s. 543-552
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The SIOP-Renal Tumor Study Group (RTSG) does not advocate invasive procedures to determine histology before the start of therapy. This may induce misdiagnosis-based treatment initiation, but only for a relatively small percentage of approximately 10% of non-Wilms tumors (non-WTs). MRI could be useful for reducing misdiagnosis, but there is no global consensus on differentiating characteristics. Purpose: To identify MRI characteristics that may be used for discrimination of newly diagnosed pediatric renal tumors. Study Type: Consensus process using a Delphi method. Population: Not applicable. Field Strength/Sequence: Abdominal MRI including T1- and T2-weighted imaging, contrast-enhanced MRI, and diffusion-weighted imaging at 1.5 or 3 T. Assessment: Twenty-three radiologists from the SIOP-RTSG radiology panel with ≥5 years of experience in MRI of pediatric renal tumors and/or who had assessed ≥50 MRI scans of pediatric renal tumors in the past 5 years identified potentially discriminatory characteristics in the first questionnaire. These characteristics were scored in the subsequent second round, consisting of 5-point Likert scales, ranking- and multiple choice questions. Statistical Tests: The cut-off value for consensus and agreement among the majority was ≥75% and ≥60%, respectively, with a median of ≥4 on the Likert scale. Results: Consensus on specific characteristics mainly concerned the discrimination between WTs and non-WTs, and WTs and nephrogenic rest(s) (NR)/nephroblastomatosis. The presence of bilateral lesions (75.0%) and NR/nephroblastomatosis (65.0%) were MRI characteristics indicated as specific for the diagnosis of a WT, and 91.3% of the participants agreed that MRI is useful to distinguish NR/nephroblastomatosis from WT. Furthermore, all participants agreed that age influenced their prediction in the discrimination of pediatric renal tumors. Data Conclusion: Although the discrimination of pediatric renal tumors based on MRI remains challenging, this study identified some specific characteristics for tumor subtypes, based on the shared opinion of experts. These results may guide future validation studies and innovative efforts. Level of Evidence: 3. Technical Efficacy Stage: 3.
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| 45. |
- van Meel, Evelien R., et al.
(author)
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Early-life respiratory tract infections and the risk of school-age lower lung function and asthma: a meta-analysis of 150 000 European children
- 2022
-
In: European Respiratory Journal. - : EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY SOC JOURNALS LTD. - 0903-1936 .- 1399-3003. ; 60:4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Early-life respiratory tract infections might affect chronic obstructive respiratory diseases, but conclusive studies from general populations are lacking. Our objective was to examine if children with early-life respiratory tract infections had increased risks of lower lung function and asthma at school age. Methods We used individual participant data of 150 090 children primarily from the EU Child Cohort Network to examine the associations of upper and lower respiratory tract infections from age 6 months to 5 years with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (FEF75%) and asthma at a median (range) age of 7 (4-15) years. Results Children with early-life lower, not upper, respiratory tract infections had a lower school-age FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FEF75% (z-score range: -0.09 (95% CI -0.14- -0.04) to -0.30 (95% CI -0.36- -0.24)). Children with early-life lower respiratory tract infections had a higher increased risk of school-age asthma than those with upper respiratory tract infections (OR range: 2.10 (95% CI 1.98-2.22) to 6.30 (95% CI 5.64-7.04) and 1.25 (95% CI 1.18-1.32) to 1.55 (95% CI 1.47-1.65), respectively). Adjustment for preceding respiratory tract infections slightly decreased the strength of the effects. Observed associations were similar for those with and without early-life wheezing as a proxy for early-life asthma. Conclusions Our findings suggest that early-life respiratory tract infections affect development of chronic obstructive respiratory diseases in later life, with the strongest effects for lower respiratory tract infections.
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| 46. |
- Wang, Jian, et al.
(author)
-
Amazon boundary layer aerosol concentration sustained by vertical transport during rainfall
- 2016
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 539:7629, s. 416-419
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The nucleation of atmospheric vapours is an important source of new aerosol particles that can subsequently grow to form cloud condensation nuclei in the atmosphere(1). Most field studies of atmospheric aerosols over continents are influenced by atmospheric vapours of anthropogenic origin (for example, ref. 2) and, in consequence, aerosol processes in pristine, terrestrial environments remain poorly understood. The Amazon rainforest is one of the few continental regions where aerosol particles and their precursors can be studied under near-natural conditions(3-5), but the origin of small aerosol particles that grow into cloud condensation nuclei in the Amazon boundary layer remains unclear(6-8). Here we present aircraft- and ground-based measurements under clean conditions during the wet season in the central Amazon basin. We find that high concentrations of small aerosol particles (with diameters of less than 50 nanometres) in the lower free troposphere are transported from the free troposphere into the boundary layer during precipitation events by strong convective downdrafts and weaker downward motions in the trailing stratiform region. This rapid vertical transport can help to maintain the population of particles in the pristine Amazon boundary layer, and may therefore influence cloud properties and climate under natural conditions.
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