The CO2 record at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory: A new opportunity to study processes on seasonal and inter-annual scales.

High-quality atmospheric CO2  measurements are sparse in Amazonia, but can provide critical insights into the spatial and temporal variability of sources and sinks of CO2 . In this study, we present the first 6 years (2014-2019) of continuous, high-precision measurements of atmospheric CO2 at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO, 2.1°S, 58.9°W). After subtracting the simulated background concentrations from our observational record, we define a CO2 regional signal ( ΔCO2obs ) that has a marked seasonal cycle with an amplitude of about 4 ppm. At both seasonal and inter-annual scales, we find differences in phase between ΔCO2obs and the local eddy covariance net ecosystem exchange (EC-NEE), which is interpreted as an indicator of a decoupling between local and non-local drivers of ΔCO2obs . In addition, we present how the 2015-2016 El Niño-induced drought was captured by our atmospheric record as a positive 2σ anomaly in both the wet and dry season of 2016. Furthermore, we analyzed the observed seasonal cycle and inter-annual variability of ΔCO2obs together with net ecosystem exchange (NEE) using a suite of modeled flux products representing biospheric and aquatic CO2 exchange. We use both non-optimized and optimized (i.e., resulting from atmospheric inverse modeling) NEE fluxes as input in an atmospheric transport model (STILT). The observed shape and amplitude of the seasonal cycle was captured neither by the simulations using the optimized fluxes nor by those using the diagnostic Vegetation and Photosynthesis Respiration Model (VPRM). We show that including the contribution of CO2 from river evasion improves the simulated shape (not the magnitude) of the seasonal cycle when using a data-driven non-optimized NEE product (FLUXCOM). The simulated contribution from river evasion was found to be 25% of the seasonal cycle amplitude. Our study demonstrates the importance of the ATTO record to better understand the Amazon carbon cycle at various spatial and temporal scales.

Production and monitoring of biomass and fucoxanthin with brown microalgae under outdoor conditions.

The effect of light on biomass and fucoxanthin (Fx) productivities was studied in two microalgae, Tisochrysis lutea and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. High and low biomass concentrations (1.1 and 0.4 g L-1 ) were tested in outdoor pilot-scale flat-panel photobioreactors at semi-continuous cultivation mode. Fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with chemometric modeling was used to develop prediction models for Fx content and for biomass concentration to be applied for both microalgae species. Prediction models showed high R2 for cell concentration (.93) and Fx content (.77). Biomass productivity was lower for high biomass concentration than low biomass concentration, for both microalgae (1.1 g L-1 : 75.66 and 98.14 mg L-1 d-1 , for T. lutea and P. tricornutum, respectively; 0.4 g L-1 : 129.9 and 158.47 mg L-1 d-1 , T. lutea and P. tricornutum). The same trend was observed in Fx productivity (1.1 g L-1 : 1.14 and 1.41 mg L-1 d-1 , T. lutea and P. tricornutum; 0.4 g L-1 : 2.09 and 1.73 mg L-1 d-1 , T. lutea and P. tricornutum). These results show that biomass and Fx productivities can be set by controlling biomass concentration under outdoor conditions and can be predicted using fluorescence spectroscopy. This monitoring tool opens new possibilities for online process control and optimization.

A liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of salicylic, jasmonic and abscisic acids in Coffea arabica leaves.

BACKGROUND: Plants have developed an efficient system of recognition that induces a complex network of signalling molecules such as salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA) in case of a pathogenic infection. The use of specific and sensitive methods is mandatory for the analysis of compounds in these complex samples. RESULTS: In this study a liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of SA, JA and ABA in Coffea arabica (L.) leaves in order to understand the role of these phytohormones in the signalling network involved in the coffee defence response against Hemileia vastatrix. The results showed that the method was specific, linear (r ≥ 0.99) in the range 0.125-1.00 µg mL⁻¹ for JA and ABA and 0.125-5.00 µg mL⁻¹ for SA, and precise (relative standard deviation ≤11%), and the limit of detection (0.010 µg g⁻¹ fresh weight) was adequate for quantifying these phytohormones in this type of matrix. CONCLUSION: In comparison with healthy leaves, those infected with H. vastatrix (resistance reaction) displayed an increase in SA level 24 h after inoculation, suggesting the involvement of an SA-dependent pathway in coffee resistance.

Perspectives of fluorescence spectroscopy for online monitoring in microalgae industry.

Microalgae industrial production is viewed as a solution for alternative production of nutraceuticals, cosmetics, biofertilizers, and biopolymers. Throughout the years, several technological advances have been implemented, increasing the competitiveness of microalgae industry. However, online monitoring and real-time process control of a microalgae production factory still require further development. In this mini-review, non-destructive tools for online monitoring of cellular agriculture applications are described. Still, the focus is on the use of fluorescence spectroscopy to monitor several parameters (cell concentration, pigments, and lipids) in the microalgae industry. The development presented makes it the most promising solution for monitoring up-and downstream processes, different biological parameters simultaneously, and different microalgae species. The improvements needed for industrial application of this technology are also discussed.

Improved fucoxanthin and docosahexaenoic acid productivities of a sorted self-settling Tisochrysis lutea phenotype at pilot scale.

This work aimed to select a Tisochrysis lutea phenotype with higher biomass and fucoxanthin productivities using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). A novel phenotype was obtained after 2 rounds of selection, based on high-fucoxanthin fluorescence. The resulting phenotype forms cell aggregates, has no flagella, and was stable after 15 months. Optimal temperature (30 °C) and light (300 µmol m-2 s-1) were obtained at laboratory scale, identical to the original strain. The biomass productivity was higher than the original strain: 1.9× at laboratory scale (0.4 L), and 4.5× under outdoor conditions (190 L). Moreover, compared to the original strain, the productivity of fucoxanthin increased 1.6-3.1× and docosahexaenoic acid 1.5-1.9×. These are the highest ever reported outdoor productivities, obtained with a robust new phenotype from a T. lutea monoculture isolated with FACS without genetic manipulation. The resulting phenotype shows high potential for industrial production.

World Health Organization Grade III Meningiomas: A Retrospective Study at an Academic Medical Center.

BACKGROUND: Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors and are generally considered benign. However, a rare subgroup of meningiomas, classified as World Health Organization (WHO) grade III meningiomas, can show extremely aggressive behavior and high rates of recurrence. Despite ongoing research, data on the clinical outcome of this subgroup of meningiomas are still limited. METHODS: Medical records of patients with WHO grade III meningiomas diagnosed between 2000 and 2018 at the Coimbra University Hospital Center were retrospectively reviewed and several variables of interest and their relation to patients' survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 26 patients included in the final analysis, 23 had anaplastic meningiomas, 2 had papillary meningiomas, and 1 had a rhabdoid meningioma. Median overall survival and median progression-free survival were 2.45 and 1.22 years, respectively. Overall survival at 1, 2 and 5 years was 73%, 57%, and 35%, respectively. Adjuvant radiotherapy correlated with improved survival for subtotally resected meningiomas but not for gross totally resected meningiomas. There was a trend toward improved overall survival with gross total resection versus subtotal resection, but this difference failed to reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insight into the clinical outcomes of WHO grade III meningiomas and suggests that adjuvant radiotherapy may not be beneficial for patients who underwent gross total resection. This rare subset of meningiomas still portends a devastating prognosis and the impact of extent of resection and adjuvant therapies in these patients needs further clarification.

Fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometrics for simultaneous monitoring of cell concentration, chlorophyll and fatty acids in Nannochloropsis oceanica.

Online monitoring of algal biotechnological processes still requires development to support economic sustainability. In this work, fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with chemometric modelling is studied to monitor simultaneously several compounds of interest, such as chlorophyll and fatty acids, but also the biomass as a whole (cell concentration). Fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEM) were acquired in experiments where different environmental growing parameters were tested, namely light regime, temperature and nitrogen (replete or deplete medium). The prediction models developed have a high R2 for the validation data set for all five parameters monitored, specifically cell concentration (0.66), chlorophyll (0.78), and fatty acid as total (0.78), saturated (0.81) and unsaturated (0.74). Regression coefficient maps of the models show the importance of the pigment region for all outputs studied, and the protein-like fluorescence region for the cell concentration. These results demonstrate for the first time the potential of fluorescence spectroscopy for in vivo and real-time monitoring of these key performance parameters during Nannochloropsis oceanica cultivation.

Efectividad de la estimulación de la conciencia fonológica en preescolares: una revisión sistemática / Effectiveness of phonological awareness stimulation in preschoolers: a systematic review

La conciencia fonológica es un predictor importante del aprendizaje de la lectoescritura. Se han desarrollado y probado diferentes programas para su estimulación, sin embargo, el grado de variabilidad entre los métodos utilizados dificulta la comparación de resultados. Es necesaria una síntesis de la literatura para analizar la efectividad de programas de estimulación de la conciencia fonológica, que considere la variabilidad existente entre metodologías. Se planteó una revisión con los siguientes objetivos:1) sintetizar la literatura sobre estudios que investigan programas de estimulación de la conciencia fonológica en niños con desarrollo típico; 2) examinar la eficacia de dichos programas; 3) evaluar críticamente su metodología.Para esta investigación bibliográfica se utilizaron las siguientes bases de datos: Central, Medline, Pubmed, Scopus y Web of Knowledge. Diez artículos cumplieron con los criterios de elegibilidad establecidos y fueron incluidos en el presente estudio. En general, los resultados mostraron la efectividad de los programas de estimulación de conciencia fonológica utilizados. Sin embargo, la calidad metodológica es variable entre los estudios; esto incluye una falta de detalle en cuanto a los criterios de inclusión, capacitación limitada de los/las profesionales que llevaron a cabo los programas de CF, participación inconsistente de los padres y falta de seguimiento. Se discuten algunas pautas para futuras investigaciones con el objetivo de mejorar la calidad metodológica de los estudios y reducir el riesgo de sesgo.

Phonological awareness is a strong predictor of reading and writing skills development. Several programs have been developed and tested for the stimulation of phonological awareness, but the degree of variation among them makes it difficult to compare the different methods. A synthesis of the literature on phonological awareness stimulation programs is needed to examine the effectiveness of PA programs while considering the variability that exists between the methodologies used. This systematic review aimedto 1) synthesize the literature on PA stimulation programs in typically developing children; 2) examine the effectiveness of PA programs; 3) critically appraise the methodology of PA stimulation programs. Central, Medline, Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge were used to conduct an extensive literature search. A total of 10 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the present study. Results showed that, in general, the phonological awareness stimulation programs carried out in the analyzed research were effective. However, the quality of the methodology varied significantly across studies, showing in some cases a lack of detail in the inclusion criteria, limited training of the professionals who carried out the PA programs, an inconsistency in parent involvement, and a lack of follow-up. Guidelines for future research are discussed to enhance the methodological quality of this line of research and reduce the risk of bias.

Importância do farmacêutico na Atenção Primária / The importance of pharmacists in Primary Care

Objetivo: Verificar a presença do farmacêutico nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde, identificando as classes terapêuticas mais dispensadas e suas condições de armazenamento. Métodos: Estudo de campo, com caráter descritivo e abordagem qualiquantitativa, utilizando Graphpad Prism®, versão 5.03, e o Microsoft Excel 2010. Resultados: O farmacêutico estava ausente nas 96 Unidades Básicas de Saúde estudadas. Por meio de checklist aplicado em 18 Unidades Básicas de Saúde, 8 tinham algum tipo de fonte de calor; 4, umidade; 14 não controlavam temperatura para produtos termolábeis; 8 tinham medicamentos próximos do piso, da parede e do teto; 1 tinha medicamentos sujeitos a controle especial fora de um armário com chave. Todas as Unidades Básicas de Saúde apresentaram descarte correto das medicações vencidas. As classes medicamentosas mais dispensadas foram anti-inflamatórios não esteroides, anti-hipertensivos, antidiabéticos, anticoncepcionais, anti-helmínticos, antibióticos, antifúngicos, inibidores da bomba de prótons e psicotrópicos. Conclusão: A ausência do farmacêutico nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde estudadas possivelmente foi responsável pelas inconformidades nas condições de armazenamento dos medicamentos, regulamentada inclusive por Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada. As classes terapêuticas dispensadas estavam de acordo com o padrão da Atenção Primária, porém a não participação do farmacêutico pode gerar riscos aos pacientes. As autoridades devem se conscientizar da importância da participação desse profissional no ciclo primário de saúde. (AU)

Objective: To verify the availability of pharmacists in the Basic Health Units, and to identify the most dispensed types of drugs, and their storage conditions. Methods: This is a descriptive field study with a qualitative/quantitative approach, using GraphpadPrism ® version 5.03 and Microsoft Excel 2010. Results: The pharmacist was absent in 96 Basic Health Units studied. A checklist applied to the 18 Basic Health Units showed that 8 of them had heat sources; 4, humidity; 14 lacked control of temperature for thermolabile products; 8 kept drugs near the floor, wall, and ceiling; 1 kept prescription drugs out of lockable cabinets; all of them presented correct disposal of expired medications. The most dispensed drug types were: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antihypertensives, antidiabetic drugs, contraceptives, anthelmintics, antibiotics, antifungals, proton pump inhibitors, and psychotropics. Conclusion: The absence of pharmacists in the Basic Health Units studied was possibly responsible for nonconformities in the drugs maintenance conditions, which are regulated by an ANVISA's Board Resolution. The dispensed therapeutic classes are in accordance with the Primary Care standard, but the absence of a pharmacist can lead to risks to the patients. The authorities shall be aware of the importance of the participation of this professional in the primary health cycle. (AU)

Reactivity of polymeric proanthocyanidins toward salivary proteins and their contribution to young red wine astringency.

Recent studies have indicated the presence of significant amount of highly polymerized and soluble proanthocyanidins in red wine and such compounds interacted readily with proteins, suggesting that they might be particularly astringent. Thus, the objective of this work was to verify the astringency of polymeric proanthocyanidins and their contribution to red wine astringency. The precipitation reactions of the purified oligomeric procyanidins (degree of polymerization ranging from 2 to 12-15) and polymeric procyanidins (degree of polymerization ranging from 12-15 to 32-34) with human salivary proteins were studied; salivary proteins composition changes before and after the reaction was verified by SDS-PAGE and procyanidins composition changes by spectrometric, direct HPLC and thiolysis-HPLC methods. The astringency intensity of these two procyanidin fractions was evaluated by a sensory analysis panel. For verifying the correlation between polymeric proanthocyanidins and young red wine astringency, the levels of total oligomeric and total polymeric proanthocyanidins and other phenolic composition in various young red wines were quantified and the astringency intensities of these wines were evaluated by a sensory panel. The results showed that polymeric proanthocyanidins had much higher reactivity toward human salivary proteins and higher astringency intensity than the oligomeric ones. Furthermore, young red wine astringency intensities were highly correlated to levels of polymeric proanthocyanidins, particularly at low concentration range (correlation coefficient r = 0.9840) but not significant correlated to total polyphenols (r = 0.2343) or other individual phenolic compounds (generally r < 0.3). These results indicate the important contribution of polymeric proanthocyanidins to red wine astringency and the levels of polymeric polyphenols in red wines may be used as an indicator for its astringency.