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Cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) is an important regulator of sarcomeric function. Although reduced phosphorylation of cMyBP-C has been linked to compromised contractility in heart failure patients, direct modulation of cMyBP-C to myosin using small molecules or peptides has not been reported to improve cardiac performance. Here we used previously published cMyBP-C peptides 302A and 302S (surrogates to the regulatory phosphorylation site serine 302) as tool molecules to investigate the role of cMyBP-C in modulating cardiac contraction and relaxation in experimental heart failure (HF) models in vitro. cMyBP-C peptides 302A and 302S were able to increase contractility of papillary muscle fibers isolated from a cMyBP-C phospho-ablation (cMyBP-CAAA) mouse model. In addition, 302A was able to improve the force redevelopment rate (ktr) in papillary muscle fibers from cMyBP-CAAA mice. Consistent with above findings, cMyBP-C peptides 302A and 302S were able to increase the ATPase rates in myofibrils isolated from MI rats but not from sham rats. Furthermore, in cMyBP-CAAA mouse and myocardial infarction (MI) HF models, both cMyBP-C peptides 302A and 302S were able to improve ATPase hydrolysis rates. These changes were not observed in non-transgenic (NTG) mice or sham rats, indicating the specific effects of these peptides in regulating the reduced or unphosphorylated state of cMyBP-C only under pathological conditions of heart failure. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that modulation of cMyBP-C in a reduced phosphorylation or unphosphorylated state can be a therapeutic approach to improve myosin function, sarcomere contractility and relaxation. Therefore, targeting cMyBP-C can be a differentiated approach to improve overall cardiac performance on top of standard care drugs in HF patients.

Several hundred species are hunted for wild meat in the tropics, supporting the diets, customs, and livelihoods of millions of people. However, unsustainable hunting is one of the most urgent threats to wildlife and ecosystems worldwide and has serious ramifications for people whose subsistence and income are tied to wild meat. Over the past 18 years, although research efforts have increased, scientific knowledge has largely not translated into action. One major barrier to progress has been insufficient monitoring and evaluation, meaning that the effectiveness of interventions cannot be ascertained. Emerging issues include the difficulty of designing regulatory frameworks that disentangle the different purposes of hunting, the large scale of urban consumption, and the implications of wild meat consumption for human health. To address these intractable challenges, wepropose eight new recommendations for research and action for sustainable wild meat use, which would support the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The switch from hunting wild meat for home consumption to supplying more lucrative city markets in Amazonia can adversely affect some game species. Despite this, information on the amounts of wild meat eaten in Amazonian cities is still limited. We estimated wild meat consumption rates in 5 cities in the State of Amazonas in Brazil through 1046 door-to-door household interviews conducted from 2004 to 2012. With these data, we modeled the relationship between wild meat use and a selection of socioeconomic indices. We then scaled up our model to determine the amounts of wild meat likely to be consumed annually in the 62 urban centers in central Amazonia. A total of 80.3% of all interviewees reported consuming wild meat during an average of 29.3 (CI 11.6) days per year. Most wild meat was reported as bought in local markets (80.1%) or hunted by a family member (14.9%). Twenty-one taxa were cited as consumed, mostly mammals (71.6%), followed by reptiles (23.2%) and then birds (5.2%). The declared frequency of wild meat consumption was positively correlated with the proportion of rural population as well as with the per capita gross domestic product of the municipality (administrative divisions) where the cities were seated. We estimated that as much as 10,691 t of wild meat might be consumed annually in the 62 urban centers within central Amazonia, the equivalent of 6.49 kg per person per year. In monetary terms, this amounts to US$21.72 per person per year or US$35.1 million overall, the latter figure is comparable to fish and timber production in the region. Given this magnitude of wild meat trade in central Amazonia, it is fundamental to integrate this activity into the formal economy and actively develop policies that allow the trade of more resilient taxa and restrict trade in species sensitive to hunting.Mercado y Consumo Urbano de Carne Silvestre en la Amazonia Central Resumen El cambio de la caza de animales silvestres para consumo del hogar a caza para surtir mercados urbanos más lucrativos en la Amazonia puede afectar negativamente a algunas especies de caza. A pesar de esto, la información sobre la cantidad de carne silvestre que se consume en las ciudades de la Amazonia todavía es limitada. Estimamos las tasas de consumo de carne silvestre en cinco ciudades del Estado de Amazonas, Brasil, por medio de 1046 entrevistas presenciales a hogares realizadas entre 2004 y 2012. Con estos datos modelamos la relación entre el uso de la carne silvestre y una selección de índices socioeconómicos. Después aumentamos nuestro modelo para determinar la cantidad de carne silvestre que tal vez se consume anualmente en los 62 centros urbanos de la Amazonia central. Un total de 80.3% de todos los entrevistados reportaron el consumo de carne silvestre durante un promedio de 29.3 (CI 11.6) días por año. La mayoría de la carne silvestre fue reportada como comprada en mercados locales (80.1%) o cazada por algún integrante de la familia (14.9%). Se citaron 21 taxones como parte del consumo, principalmente mamíferos (71.6%), seguidos por reptiles (23.2%) y aves (5.2%). La frecuencia declarada de consumo de carne silvestre estuvo correlacionada positivamente con la proporción de población rural, así como con el producto doméstico bruto per cápita de la municipalidad (divisiones administrativas) en donde se encuentran las ciudades. Estimamos que un máximo de 10,691 toneladas de carne silvestre podrían ser consumidas anualmente en los 62 centros urbanos de la Amazonia central, el equivalente a 6.49 kg/persona/año. En términos monetarios, esto equivale a US$21.72/persona/año o US$35.1 millones en general. Esta última cifra es comparable con la producción de madera y de peces en la región. Dada esta magnitud del mercado de carne silvestre en la Amazonia central, es fundamental la integración de esta actividad en la economía formal y el desarrollo activo de políticas que permitan el mercado de taxones más resilientes y que restrinjan el mercado para las especies sensibles a la caza.在亚马逊地区, 对野生动物的狩猎从供家庭食用到供应利润更高的城市市场的转变, 可能对一些狩猎物种产生负面影响。尽管如此, 关于亚马逊城市食用野生动物肉类的数量信息仍然很少。我们通过 2004-2012 年间的 1046 次上门访问, 估计了巴西亚马逊州五个城市的野生动物肉类食用量, 并利用这些数据分析了野生动物肉类利用与一些社会经济指数的关系。接下来, 我们利用这个模型模拟了亚马逊中部六十二个城市中心区每年的野生动物肉类食用量。结果显示, 总计 80.3% 的受访者报告每年平均 29.3 天 (CI为 11.6 天) 食用野生动物肉; 大部分肉类购自当地市场 (80.1%) 或由家庭成员狩猎获得 (14.9%) ; 食用的肉类来自二十一个类群, 主要是哺乳动物 (71.6%) 、爬行动物 (23.2%) 和鸟类 (5.2%) ; 野生动物肉类的食用频率与农村人口比例及其城市所在行政区的人均国内生产总值呈正相关。我们估计亚马逊中部地区六十二个城市中心区每年野生动物肉的食用量高达 10691 吨, 相当于每人每年食用 6.49 千克。按货币计算, 即每人每年食用 21.58 美元的野生动物肉, 或每年总计食用 3510 万美元的肉类, 后者相当于该地区采矿及木材生产总额。鉴于亚马逊中部地区野生动物肉类交易的规模之大, 应将这一活动纳入正式经济活动, 积极制定政策来支持开展那些较强恢复能力物种的交易, 而限制交易对狩猎敏感的物种。【翻译: 胡怡思; 审校: 聂永刚】.

© 2019 Elsevier B.V. Generation length (GL) of a mammal, calculated through the age at sexual maturity, first reproduction and reproductive senescence can be used to assess the capacity of a population of a species to withstand differing amounts of hunting pressure by humans without depletion of animal numbers. Due to the lack of reproductive data for wild mammals, the GL is often difficult to determine for most species. In the present study, the GL parameters were assessed for the wild lowland paca (Cuniculus paca) from a sample of 119 female genitalia obtained during a 15-year hunter participatory program in the Amazon. The probability of female pacas being sexually active, with observable ovarian functionality or pregnancy, increased as both body and genitalia masses increased. The average body mass at puberty was 5.46 kg. Puberty was estimated to occur at 4 months of age, from which there was estimation when age at first parturition would occur 9 months after birth. Additionally, there was no indication that there was a decrease in parturition rate at more advanced ages. The estimated age of first reproduction for pacas was much less than previous estimates, most from assessments of captive animals. In addition, because there was no evidence of reproductive senescence, it is suggested that the average age of mature hunted pacas should be used to determine optimal harvesting rates of pacas by humans. The present study highlights the importance of in situ studies on reproduction of animals in their natural habitat because these will yield more accurate reproductive variable estimates than those obtained from captive animals. It is suggested that similar methods be used to accurately assess reproductive parameters of other tropical species that are hunted by humans.

The trade in wild meat is an important economic component of rural people's livelihoods, but it has been perceived to be among the main causes of the decline of wildlife species. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light an additional concern of wildlife markets as a major human-health challenge. We analyzed data from the largest longitudinal monitoring (1973-2018) of the most important urban wild-meat markets in Iquitos, Peru, to examine the trends in and impacts of these markets on people's livelihoods. Over the last 45 years, wild meat sales increased at a rate of 6.4 t/year (SD 2.17), paralleling urban population growth. Wild meat sales were highest in 2018 (442 t), contributing US$2.6 million (0.76%) to the regional gross domestic product. Five species of ungulates and rodents accounted for 88.5% of the amount of biomass traded. Vulnerable and Endangered species represented 7.0% and 0.4% of individuals sold, respectively. Despite growth in sales, the contribution of wild meat to overall urban diet was constant: 1-2%/year of total meat consumed. This result was due to greater availability and higher consumption of cheaper meats (e.g., in 2018, poultry was 45.8% cheaper and was the most consumed meat) coupled with the lack of economic incentives to harvest wild meat species in rural areas. Most wild meat was sold salted or smoked, reducing the likelihood of foodborne diseases. Community-based wildlife management plans and the continued trade bans on primates and threatened taxa may avoid biodiversity loss. Considering the recent COVID-19 pandemic, future management plans should include potential viral hosts and regulation and enforcement of hygiene practices in wild-meat markets.Comercio de Carne de Monte en los Últimos 45 Años en la Amazonia Peruana Resumen El comercio de carne de monte es un componente económico importante del sustento de habitantes de zonas rurales, pero se ha percibido como una de las principales causas de la declinación de especies de vida silvestre. Recientemente, la pandemia de COVID-19 ha traído a la luz una preocupación adicional de los mercados de vida silvestre como un reto importante para la salud humana. Analizamos datos del monitoreo longitudinal más extenso (1973-2018) de los mercados urbanos de carne de monte más importantes en Iquitos, Perú, para examinar las tendencias y los impactos de estos mercados sobre el sustento de los habitantes. Las ventas de carne de monte incrementaron en los últimos 45 años a una tasa de 6.4 t/año (DS 2.17), en paralelo con el crecimiento de la población. Las ventas de carne de monte fueron más altas en 2018 (442 t), aportando U.S. $2.6 millones (0.76%) al producto interno bruto de la región. Cinco especies de ungulados y roedores comprendieron el 88.5% de la biomasa comercializada. Especies vulnerables y en peligro representaron 7.0% y 0.4% de los individuos vendidos, respectivamente. A pesar del incremento de las ventas, la contribución de la carne de monte al total de la dieta urbana fue constante: 1-2%/año del total de carne consumida. Este resultado se debió a una mayor disponibilidad y consumo de carnes más baratas (e. g., en 2018 la carne de pollo fue 45.8% más barata y fue la más consumida) aparejado con la falta de incentivos económicos para cosechar carne de especies silvestres en áreas rurales. La mayor parte de la carne de monte se vendía salada o ahumada, reduciendo con ello la probabilidad de enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos. Los planes de manejo de vida silvestre basados en comunidades y la prohibición continua del comercio de primates y taxa amenazados pueden evitar la pérdida de biodiversidad. Considerando la reciente pandemia de COVID-19, los planes de manejo futuros deben incluir potenciales huéspedes virales y la regulación y aplicación de prácticas de higiene en los mercados de carne de especies silvestres.摘要: 野味贸易是农村人民维持生计的重要经济组成部分, 但也一直被认为是野生动物数量下降的主要原因之一。近期的新冠肺炎疫情暴露了野生动物市场另一个令人担忧的问题, 即对人类健康的重大挑战。本研究利用秘鲁伊基托斯市区内最重要的野味市场的最大纵向监测数据集 (1973-2018 年), 分析了野味市场的趋势及其对人们生计的影响。在过去的 45 年里, 野味销售量以每年 6.4 吨 (标准差 2.17) 的速度增长, 与城市人口增长同步。 2018 年野味的销售量最高 (442 吨), 为该地区国内生产总值贡献了 260 万美元 (0.76%) 。其中五种有蹄类和啮齿类动物占交易重量的 88.5%。易危物种和濒危物种分别占售出个体的7.0%和0.4%。尽管野味销售量有所增长, 但它对城市整体饮食的贡献仍保持不变, 占每年肉类消费总量的 1%-2%。这一结果是由于廉价的肉类有更高的供应量和消费量 (例如, 2018 年家禽价格比野味便宜 45.8%, 是消费最多的肉类), 再加上农村地区捕猎野味物种缺乏经济激励。此外, 该地区大多数野味都是腌制或熏制后出售的, 降低了导致食源性疾病的可能性。基于社区的野生动物管理计划以及对灵长类动物和受威胁物种的长期贸易禁令可能有助于遏制生物多样性丧失。考虑到近期的新冠肺炎疫情, 未来的管理计划应将潜在病毒宿主及野味市场卫生规范监管与执行纳入考虑。【翻译: 胡怡思; 审校: 聂永刚】.

Several hundred species are hunted for wild meat in the tropics, supporting the diets, customs, and livelihoods of millions of people. However, unsustainable hunting is one of the most urgent threats to wildlife and ecosystems worldwide and has serious ramifications for people whose subsistence and income are tied to wild meat. Over the past 18 years, although research efforts have increased, scientific knowledge has largely not translated into action. One major barrier to progress has been insufficient monitoring and evaluation, meaning that the effectiveness of interventions cannot be ascertained. Emerging issues include the difficulty of designing regulatory frameworks that disentangle the different purposes of hunting, the large scale of urban consumption, and the implications of wild meat consumption for human health. To address these intractable challenges, wepropose eight new recommendations for research and action for sustainable wild meat use, which would support the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals., This article is primarily an output of the WILDMEAT Project and was funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (AFR1732 Grant F17AP00421 Supplement 0001) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (D.J.I., K.A., L.C., F.N.T., D.M.I.). This project also benefitted from funding from the UK Research and Innovation’s Global Challenges Research Fund (UKRI GCRF) Trade, Development and the Environment Hub project (project number ES/S008160/1) (E.J.M.G., C.S., L.C.). A.B.-L. is supported by a Juan de la Cierva Incorporación grant (IJCI-2017-31419) from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. H.R.E.B. is supported by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (grant numbers 201475/2017-0 and 441435/2017-3). T.Q.M. is supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society Graduate Scholarship Program (Christensen Conservation Leaders Scholarship), the Wildlife Conservation Network Scholarship Program (Sidney Byers Scholarship), and the British Federation of Women Graduates (Funds for Women Graduates). R.N., J.E.F., L.C., and N.V.V. were funded by USAID as part of the Bushmeat Research Initiative of the CGIAR research program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry. G.C. and J.M.R. are supported by Research England. C.D.G. acknowledges that he is an unpaid science advisory board member at Oceana. K.A. acknowledges that her husband is Minister of Water, Forests, Seas and Environment in Gabon and is responsible for policies concerning hunting management.

Many vertebrate species undergo population fluctuations that may be random or regularly cyclic in nature. Vertebrate population cycles in northern latitudes are driven by both endogenous and exogenous factors. Suggested causes of mysterious disappearances documented for populations of the Neotropical, herd-forming, white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari, henceforth “WLP”) include large-scale movements, overhunting, extreme floods, or disease outbreaks. By analyzing 43 disappearance events across the Neotropics and 88 years of commercial and subsistence harvest data for the Amazon, we show that WLP disappearances are widespread and occur regularly and at large spatiotemporal scales throughout the species’ range. We present evidence that the disappearances represent 7–12-year troughs in 20–30-year WLP population cycles occurring synchronously at regional and perhaps continent-wide spatial scales as large as 10,000–5 million km2. This may represent the first documented case of natural population cyclicity in a Neotropical mammal. Because WLP populations often increase dramatically prior to a disappearance, we posit that their population cycles result from over-compensatory, density-dependent mortality. Our data also suggest that the increase phase of a WLP cycle is partly dependent on recolonization from proximal, unfragmented and undisturbed forests. This highlights the importance of very large, continuous natural areas that enable source-sink population dynamics and ensure re-colonization and local population persistence in time and space.

Wildlife exploitation has nutritional, medicinal, luxury, sociocultural, and financial significance for human societies. Yet, it also risks undesired outcomes for conservation, animal welfare, and public health. Although it is prohibited in urban markets, the wildlife trade in Peru is poorly monitored, and practiced openly. To identify those species most likely to be affected, we investigated the trade in live wild animals and their derivatives at the Belen Market, and additional smaller open-air markets, which together make Iquitos the largest and most important wildlife trade hubs in the Peruvian Amazon. Specifically, we asked what wild animals or animal products were most profitable, what were they used for, and which wild animals were perceived by vendors to have increased most in rarity. Vendors provided 44 local animal names, from which we inferred an estimated 205 species. Nine per cent (n = 19) of these inferred species are categorised on the IUCN Red List as threatened; 35% (n = 71) are categorised as declining. We found that wild meat/food was the most frequently stated purpose of sale of wildlife, followed by pets, spiritual/belief-based use, traditional medicine, and decorative use. The most commonly cited most profitable wildlife derivatives were ‘lowland paca’, ‘yellow footed tortoise’, and ‘collared peccary’. A significant positive correlation was found between the most profitable species and those that are becoming increasingly rare. Further research focused on the actual impacts on wildlife, the socio-economic importance of this trade, the societal pressures driving consumer demand, and the risks to public health is warranted.

Background:The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare worldwide. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where people may have limited access to affordable quality care, the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to have a particularly adverse impact on the health and healthcare of individuals with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). A World Health Organization survey found that disruption of delivery of healthcare for NCDs was more significant in LMICs than in high-income countries. However, the study did not elicit insights into the day-to-day impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare by front-line healthcare workers (FLHCWs).Aim:To gain insights directly from FLHCWs working in countries with a high NCD burden, and thereby identify opportunities to improve the provision of healthcare during the current pandemic and in future healthcare emergencies.Methods:We recruited selected frontline healthcare workers (general practitioners, pharmacists, and other medical specialists) from nine countries to complete an online survey (n = 1347). Survey questions focused on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on clinical practice and NCDs; barriers to clinical care during the pandemic; and innovative responses to the many challenges presented by the pandemic.Findings:The majority of FLHCWs responding to our survey reported that their care of patients had been impacted both adversely and positively by the public health measures imposed. Most FLHCs (95%) reported a deterioration in the mental health of their patients.Conclusions:Continuity of care for NCDs as part of pandemic preparedness is needed so that chronic conditions are not exacerbated by public health measures and the direct impacts of the pandemic.

Aún cuando la caza de animales salvajes garantiza la seguridad alimentaria de las poblaciones rurales y indígenas en la Amazonía, la actividad es un desafío para la conservación de la biodiversidad. Incluso en unidades de conservación de biomas el impacto de la extracción de los vertebrados es aún desconocido, dificultando las acciones de manejo e implementación de estrategias de conservación adecuadas a la realidad local. Se presenta el perfil de la actividad de caza en el Parque Nacional Serra do Divisor (PNSD), en el suroeste de la Amazonía. A través de entrevistas semiestructuradas realizadas en enero de 2018 y de datos originados de las actividades de fiscalización entre enero de 2016 y enero de 2018, identificamos que el 57,9% de las 69 especies de vertebrados con presencia confirmada en el área de uso de la comunidad Pé da Serra, son blancos de caza para alimentación. Cerca de una quinta parte de las especies amenazadas en listas nacionales y internacionales son citadas como fuente de alimento. Los ungulados, aves, roedores caviomorfos, el- armadillo verdadero (Dasypus novemcinctus) y la tortuga (Chelonoidis denticulatus) fueron las especies más frecuentemente citadas y apreciadas para el consumo. Para la cacería de vertebrados cinegéticos se registraron el empleo de la búsqueda activa, el enfoque con uso de linternas, trampas de arma de fuego y la espera. Los habitantes de la comunidad Pé da Serra también utilizan la fauna silvestre para fines medicinales, como animales domésticos, y en la alimentación de animales domésticos. Aunque el comercio de productos animales no fue reportado por los habitantes de la comunidad Pé da Serra, verificamos que el 30,8% de las misiones de fiscalización de lo PNSD resultaron en aprehensión de ítems silvestres. La biomasa total interceptada fue de 428,08kg. La especie interceptada más registrada fue C. denticulatus, totalizando el 37,9% del total de animales interceptados. La diversidad de especies y usos que se les atribuye en esta encuesta revelaron la destacada importancia de los recursos de fauna para las poblaciones humanas en el PNSD. Es a través del uso de técnicas productivas de bajo impacto, asociado a emprendimientos locales de generación alternativa de ingreso económico, y a la creación de mecanismos de gobernanza local, que la biodiversidad podrá ser conservada o mantenida en la región. Although hunting provides food security for rural and indigenous peoples in the Amazon, it may represent a challenge for wildlife conservation. Hunting yields on vertebrate populations are still not clearly estimated in this biome, even inside protected areas, hampering effective decision-making and locally based conservation strategies. In this study, we presented the hunting patterns inside the Parque Nacional da Serra da Divisor (PNSD), located in southeastern Amazonia. Through semi-structured interviews conducted during January 2018 and surveillance actions’ data collected from January 2016 to January 2018, we have identified that 57.9% of the 69 game species known to occur in the Pé da Serra’s village are targeted by hunters to obtain food. Around one fifth of threatened species are included in the local diet. Ungulates, birds, caviomorph rodents, the armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) and the tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulatus) were the most appreciated species. Hunters employ the active search, nocturnal flashlighting, traps and waiting in order to kill or capture animals. Pé da Serra’s inhabitants also use wildlife as medicine and as pets. Although trade in wild meat has not been declared by these villagers, we verified that 30.8% of the surveillance actions inside the PNSD’s resulted in wildlife seizures. The total biomass of seized specimens was 428.08kg. The most frequent species was C. denticulatus, accounting to 37.9% of the total species seized. The diversity of species and wildlife uses in the PNSD’s revealed highlights the role of wildlife as resource for human populations. We suggest the implementation of low-impact production chains linked to local development projects and regional governance to ensure biodiversity conservation inside the PNSD. Apesar de a caça de animais silvestres garantir a segurança alimentar de populações rurais e indígenas na Amazônia, a atividade representa um desafio para a conservação da biodiversidade. Mesmo em unidades de conservação (UCs), o impacto da extração de vertebrados ainda é pouco conhecido, dificultando ações de manejo e a implementação de estratégias de conservação adequadas à realidade local. Neste trabalho, apresentamos o perfil da atividade de caça de uma comunidade tradicional do Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor (PNSD), no sudoeste da Amazônia. Através de entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizadas em janeiro de 2018, e de dados originados de atividades de fiscalização desenvolvidas entre janeiro de 2016 e janeiro de 2018, identificamos que 57,9% dos 69 vertebrados com ocorrência confirmada para a área de uso da comunidade Pé da Serra são alvos de caça para alimentação. Cerca de um quinto das espécies ameaçadas em listas nacionais e internacionais é citado como fonte de alimento. Os ungulados, aves, roedores caviomorfos, o tatu-verdadeiro (Dasypus novemcinctus) e o jabuti (Chelonoidis denticulatus) constituíram os grupos taxonômicos mais frequentemente citados e mais apreciados para consumo. Para o abate e captura de vertebrados cinegéticos, foram registrados o emprego da busca ativa, a focagem com uso de lanternas, armadilhas de arma de fogo e a espera. Os moradores da comunidade também utilizam a fauna silvestre para fins medicinais, como animal de estimação e na alimentação de animais domésticos. Apesar de o comércio de produtos animais não ter sido relatado pelos moradores, verificamos que 30,8% das missões de fiscalização realizadas no PNSD resultaram em apreensão de itens silvestres. A biomassa total interceptada foi de 428,08kg. A espécie mais registrada nas apreensões foi C. denticulatus, totalizando 37,9% do total de animais interceptados. A diversidade de espécies e os usos a elas atribuídos, revelados neste levantamento, destacam a importância do recurso faunístico para as populações humanas do PNSD. É através do uso de técnicas produtivas de baixo impacto, associado a empreendimentos locais de geração alternativa de renda, e criação de mecanismos de governança local, que a biodiversidade poderá ser conservada ou mantida na região.

Strong evidence indicates that the Brazilian government is taking advantage of the confusion caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to speed-up a wide-ranging environmental setback. We present a timeline of policies and acts taken by the current federal administration against the environment during the pandemic and discuss their consequences. The unprecedented amount of measures affecting environmental policies is especially intended to weaken deforestation control and transparency of environmental agencies, and allow the expansion of harmful activities (e.g. mining and agribusiness) into Protected Areas and Indigenous Lands. The ongoing environmental dismantling in Brazil breaches several international agreements and, if not reverted, will jeopardize nature’s contributions to national and global societies and risk worldwide climate and biodiversity. We highlight strategies that could be taken by economic, scientific, and political sectors to cease the environmental dismantling in Brazil. The suggestions presented here could also be used in other countries facing similar challenges.

SummaryThe drivers of periodic population cycling by some animal species in northern systems remain unresolved1. Mysterious disappearances of populations of the Neotropical, herdforming white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari, henceforth “WLP”) have been anecdotally documented and explained as local events resulting from migratory movements or overhunting2,3,4, or as disease outbreaks5,6, and have not been considered in the context of large-scale species-specific population dynamics. Here we present evidence that WLP disappearances represent troughs in population cycles that occur with regular periodicity and are synchronized at regional and perhaps continent-wide spatial scales. Analysis of 43 disappearance events and 88 years of commercial and subsistence harvesting data reveals boom – bust population cycles lasting from 20 to 30 years, in which a rapid population crash occurring over 1 to 5 years is followed by a period of absence of 7 to12 years and then a slow growth phase. Overhunting alone cannot explain the crashes, but as in northern systems dispersal during the growth phase appears to play a key role. This is the first documentation of population cycling in a tropical vertebrate.

Increased myocardial stiffness is a hallmark of impaired diastole in heart failure (HF). Hypo-phosphorylation of the N2B unique sequence (N2Bus) of titin (TTN), a giant myofilament protein, increases passive tension leading to diastolic dysfunction in HF. Enhancing the altered N2Bus phosphorylation improves cardiac stiffness and function. FHL-1, an interacting protein potentially modulating N2Bus phosphorylation is increased in HF. FHL-1 knockout mice display blunted cardiac hypertrophy and improved diastolic compliance in response to pressure-overload by transverse aortic constriction, TAC. FHL-1 also regulates skeletal muscle hypertrophy. We hypothesize that FHL-1 contributes to cardiac hypertrophy and colocalizes/interacts with TTN in heart failure. In house IHC data showed site-specific N2Bus hypo-phosphorylation at S4099, S4010 and S4185 in human HCM and/or DCM tissue samples. Longitudinal in-vivo studies showed that FHL-1 and cardiac hypertrophy markers genes were increased in left ventricles (LV) of TAC mice using RNA-seq. A persistently enhanced FHL-1 protein expression by immunoblotting and mass spectrometry strongly correlated with LV hypertrophy at 1, 4, and 6 weeks post-TAC. In addition, LV hypertrophy correlated negatively with function (fractional shortening). Increases in FHL-1 and hypertrophy markers mRNA levels were confirmed by RT-qPCR in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM) under phenylephrine (PE) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) induced hypertrophy. Under similar conditions, FHL-1 protein levels were increased by immunofluorescence (IF) in cytoplasmic, perinuclear and nuclear regions of NRVM. Colocalization of phospho-TTN and FHL-1 was observed in NRVM and was enhanced under PE- and ET-1 induced hypertrophy. IF studies in human skeletal myotubes showed that FHL-1 expression was increased during myoblast differentiation and IGF1-E3R induced hypertrophy. Preliminary data using Microscale Thermophoresis showed binding affinity between N2Bus and FHL-1 proteins. Our studies show that FHL-1 contributes to hypertrophy in addition to N2B hypo-phosphorylation status contributing to diastolic dysfunction in HF. Targeting FHL-1 and TTN can be a potential strategy to improve diastolic compliance in HF.

BACKGROUND: Recognizing low right ventricular (RV) function from 2-dimentiontial echocardiography (2D-ECHO) is challenging when parameters are contradictory. We aim to develop a model to predict low RV function integrating the various 2D-ECHO parameters in reference to cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)—the gold standard. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients who underwent a 2D-ECHO and a CMR within 3 months of each other at our institution (American University of Beirut Medical Center). We extracted three parameters (TAPSE, S’ and FAC(RV)) that are classically used to assess RV function. We have assessed the ability of 2D-ECHO derived parameters and clinical features to predict RV function measured by the gold standard CMR. We compared outcomes from four machine learning algorithms, widely used in the biomedical community to solve classification problems. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-five patients were identified and included in our study. Average age was 43±17.1 years old and 52/156 (33.3%) were females. According to CMR, 21 patients were identified to have RV dysfunction, with an RVEF of 34.7%±6.4%, as opposed to 54.7%±6.7% in the normal RV population (P

Hunting for wild meat in the tropics provides subsistence and income for millions 29 of people. Methods have remained relatively unchanged since the introduction of 30 shotguns and battery-powered incandescent flashlights, but due to the short life of batteries in such flashlights, nocturnal hunting has been limited. However, brighter, 32 more efficient light-emitting diode (LED) flashlights, have recently been adopted by 33 hunters. Brighter spotlights increase the freezing response of many species, and 34 greater battery life allows hunters to pursue game for longer and more frequently. 35 Hunters interviewed in African and South American forests, disclosed that LEDs 36 increase the frequency and efficiency of nocturnal hunting, and the number of kills 37 made. These changes were reflected in harvest data in Brazil. The drastic change in 38 efficiency brought about by LEDs, well known to hunters around the world, poses a 39 significant threat to wildlife. We consider the implications for communities, governments, 40 wildlife managers and conservationists

Academic and professional interest in organizational ethics-training is on the rise as advances in technology and global reach create increasing opportunities for violations of moral standards. To mitigate risks associated with moral hazard, organizations strive to create an ethical culture by offering formal ethics-training programs. Notably, the literature is rich with studies that confirm a positive effect of ethics-training programs on employee ethical behavior. However, such programs may become mere cosmetics in the presence of a weak ethical culture, a non-ethics oriented supervisor, and lack of policy enforcement. This study investigates the roles played by the afore-mentioned factors on the relationship between formal ethics-training and employee ethical intentions. The quantitative approach is used and data are analyzed using structural equation modeling with IBM’s Amos. Important findings are reported and relevant implications suggested.

Wild animals are an important source of food and income throughout the Amazon basin, particularly for forest-dependent communities living in the more remote regions. Through interviews in 51 households within 15 communities in the Jutaí River Extractive Reserve, Amazonas, Brazil, we determined animal taxa consumed, frequency of wild meat consumption, as well as patterns of wild meat trade. We then investigated the influence of social and biological factors on wild meat consumption and trade. People declared consuming wild meat on an average of 3.2 ± 2.8 days/month/household, amounting to 198.85 kg/month consumed by all sampled households. The vast majority of respondents got wild meat by hunting themselves, or it was given to them by their neighbors. The most consumed taxa were paca (Cuniculus paca) and collared peccary (Pecari tajacu). Approximately two-thirds of respondents declared selling wild meat; meat destined for urban markets was more expensive and was primarily sold from houses of relatives living in the city. Wild meat consumption was determined by taste preferences, while prices were related to the body mass of the taxa concerned. Frequency of wild meat consumption and the probability of selling wild meat were positively associated with the number of hunters in the household. We highlight the importance of wild meat for remote communities, and importantly the prominent links these communities have with urban markets. These findings are useful in developing strategies to ensure the sustainable use of wildlife in the Amazon.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have been on the rise in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) over the last few decades and represent a significant healthcare concern. Over 85% of “premature” deaths worldwide due to NCDs occur in the LMICs. NCDs are an economic burden on these countries, increasing their healthcare expenditure. However, targeting NCDs in LMICs is challenging due to evolving health systems and an emphasis on acute illness. The major issues include limitations with universal health coverage, regulations, funding, distribution and availability of the healthcare workforce, and availability of health data. Experts from across the health sector in LMICs formed a Think Tank to understand and examine the issues, and to offer potential opportunities that may address the rising burden of NCDs in these countries. This review presents the evidence and posits pragmatic solutions to combat NCDs., Video abstract Point your SmartPhone at the code above. If you have a QR code reader the video abstract will appear. Or use: https://youtu.be/eB0JOLAYTPs