Soil predictors are crucial for modelling vegetation distribution and its responses to climate change.

Bioclimatic envelope models have been extensively used to predict the vegetation dynamics in response to climate changes. However, they are prone to the uncertainties arising from General Circulation Models (GCMs), classification algorithms and predictors, with low-resolution results and little detail at the regional level. Novel research has focused on the improvement of these models through a combination of climate and soil predictors to enhance ecological consistency. In this framework, we aimed to apply a joint edaphoclimatic envelope to predict the current and future vegetation distribution in the semiarid region of Brazil, which encompasses several classes of vegetation in response to the significant environmental heterogeneity. We employed a variety of machine learning algorithms and GCMs under RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), in 1 km resolution. The combination of climate and soil predictors resulted in higher detail at landscape-scale and better distinction of vegetations with overlapping climatic niches. In forecasts, soil predictors imposed a buffer effect on vegetation dynamics as they reduced shifts driven solely by climatic drift. Our results with the edaphoclimatic approach pointed to an expansion of the dry Caatinga vegetation, ranging from an average of 16% to 24% on RCP 4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively. The shift in environmental suitability from forest to open and dry vegetation implies a major loss to biodiversity, as well as compromising the provision of ecosystem services important for maintaining the economy and livelihoods of the world's largest semiarid population. Predicting the most susceptible regions to future climate change is the first step in developing strategies to mitigate impacts in these areas.

High prevalence of hepatitis A in indigenous population in north Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about hepatitis A virus (HAV) prevalence in indigenous communities. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of HAV in indigenous community compared to urban population located at Western Amazon in Brazil. RESULTS: A total of 872 serum samples were obtained from 491 indigenous and 381 non indigenous individuals aging 0 to 90 years. Samples were tested for total and IgM anti-HAV and positive IgM samples were tested for HAV RNA. The overall prevalence of total anti-HAV was 87%, increased according age showing 100% of prevalence in those aging more than 30 years (p < 0.0001) and it was similar among indigenous and urban population. Total anti-HAV prevalence varied between tribes (p < 0.0001) and urban sites (p = 0.0014) and spatial distribution showed high prevalence in homes that received up to 100 dollars. IgM anti-HAV prevalence was 1.7% with predominance in males, those aging more than 41 years. No HAV RNA was detected. In conclusion, high overall anti-HAV prevalence was found in indigenous communities in North Brazil demonstrating the importance of universal vaccination in this group.

Multi-sectorial convergence in greenhouse gas emissions.

This paper uses the World Input-Output Database (WIOD) to test the hypothesis of per capita convergence in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for a multi-sectorial panel of countries. The empirical strategy applies conventional estimators of random and fixed effects and Arellano and Bond's (1991) GMM to the main pollutants related to the greenhouse effect. For reasonable empirical specifications, the model revealed robust evidence of per capita convergence in CH4 emissions in the agriculture, food, and services sectors. The evidence of convergence in CO2 emissions was moderate in the following sectors: agriculture, food, non-durable goods manufacturing, and services. In all cases, the time for convergence was less than 15 years. Regarding emissions by energy use, the largest source of global warming, there was only moderate evidence in the extractive industry sector-all other pollutants presented little or no evidence.

Clinical and neuropsychological assessment of attention and ADHD comorbidity in a sample of children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy.

UNLABELLED: Children with epilepsy present significant problems concerning attention and comorbidity with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of attention complaints, ADHD diagnosis and attention profile in a sample of children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy. METHOD: 36 children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy and 37 genre and age matched healthy controls underwent several procedures to diagnose their neuropsychological profile and comorbidity with ADHD. RESULTS: The prevalence of ADHD was higher in patients with epilepsy [χ2= 4.1, p = 0.043, 6 (16.7%) vs 1 (2.7%)], with worse results in attention related WISC items and factors in patients with epilepsy comparing to the controls, but not between patients with and without ADHD. Clinical characteristics did not influence those results. CONCLUSION: This study found a greater prevalence of problems wih attention in pediatric patients with idiopathic epilepsy, but not a distinct profile between those with or without ADHD.

Clinical and neuropsychological assessment of attention and ADHD comorbidity in a sample of children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy / Avaliação clínica e neuropsicológica da atenção e comorbidade com TDAH em crianças e adolescentes com epilepsia idiopática

Children with epilepsy present significant problems concerning attention and comorbidity with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objective To determine the prevalence of attention complaints, ADHD diagnosis and attention profile in a sample of children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy. Method 36 children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy and 37 genre and age matched healthy controls underwent several procedures to diagnose their neuropsychological profile and comorbidity with ADHD. Results The prevalence of ADHD was higher in patients with epilepsy [χ2= 4.1, p = 0.043, 6 (16.7%) vs 1 (2.7%)], with worse results in attention related WISC items and factors in patients with epilepsy comparing to the controls, but not between patients with and without ADHD. Clinical characteristics did not influence those results. Conclusion This study found a greater prevalence of problems wih attention in pediatric patients with idiopathic epilepsy, but not a distinct profile between those with or without ADHD. .

Crianças com epilepsia podem apresentar problemas de atenção e comorbidade com transtorno de atenção e hiperatividade (TDAH). Objetivo Determinar a prevalência de queixas de atenção, diagnóstico de TDAH e perfil atentivo em uma amostra de crianças e adolescentes com epilepsia idiopática. Método 36 crianças e adolescentes com epilepsia idiopática e 37 controles saudáveis foram submetidos a vários procedimentos para diagnosticar perfil neuropsicológico e comorbidade com TDAH. Resultados A prevalência de TDAH foi maior em pacientes com epilepsia [χ2 = 4,1, p = 0,043, 6 ( 16,7%) vs 1 (2,7%)] , que também apresentaram piores resultados em itens e fatores dependentes de atenção do WISC. Não foram observadas diferenças entre pacientes com e sem TDAH. As características clínicas não influenciaram resultados. Conclusão Este estudo encontrou uma maior prevalência de problemas com atenção em pacientes pediátricos com epilepsia idiopática , mas não um perfil distinto entre aqueles com ou sem TDAH. .

Correlation between genetic diversity and environmental suitability: taking uncertainty from ecological niche models into account.

The hindcast of shifts in the geographical ranges of species as estimated by ecological niche modelling (ENM) has been coupled with phylogeographical patterns, allowing the inference of past processes that drove population differentiation and genetic variability. However, more recently, some studies have suggested that maps of environmental suitability estimated by ENM may be correlated to species' abundance, raising the possibility of using environmental suitability to infer processes related to population demographic dynamics and genetic variability. In both cases, one of the main problems is that there is a wide variation in ENM development methods and climatic models. In this study, we analyse the relationship between heterozygosity (He) and environmental suitability from multiple ENMs for 25 population estimates for Dipteryx alata, a widely distributed, endemic tree species of the Cerrado region of central Brazil. We propose a new approach for generating a statistical distribution of correlations under randomly generated ENM. The confidence intervals from these distributions indicate how model selection with different properties affects the ability to detect a correlation of interest (e.g. the correlation between He and suitability). Additionally, our approach allows us to explore which particular ensemble of ENMs produces the better result for finding an association between environmental suitability and He. Caution is necessary when choosing a method or a climatic data set for modelling geographical distributions, but the new approach proposed here provides a conservative way to evaluate the ability of ensembles to detect patterns of interest.

Análise da soroprevalência da hepatite A em povoados de Tocantinópolis e índios Apinajé em Tocantins – Brasil / Seroprevalence analysis of hepatitis A in Tocantinópolis towns and villages of indians Apinajé from Tocantins - Brazil

A hepatite A é uma doença hepática aguda, causada pelo vírus da hepatite A (HAV), um vírus de RNA da família Picornaviridae com transmissão fecal-oral. Atualmente, o Brasil apresenta um padrão de endemicidade intermediária da doença. Normalmente, a doença possui curso autolimitado e é benigna, porém existem formas graves que podem causar insuficiência hepática aguda em 0,01 porcento dos casos. Além de medidas sanitárias, outro método importante de prevenção é a utilização de vacinas inativadas, esta porém só é utilizada na imunização de grupos de risco. É conhecido o elevado risco de infecção pelo HAV em comunidades nativas no mundo, no entanto, poucos trabalhos abordam este tema em comunidades indígenas do Brasil. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência de hepatite A em aldeias e povoados pertencentes a reserva Apinajé, Tocantinópolis/TO. Foram analisadas 799 amostras sorológicas para anti-HAV total, sendo 358 indígenas e 441 dos povoados locais, em onze comunidades geograficamente separadas. Para tal, utilizou-se o Kit imunoenzimático comercial da marca Diasorin®. A prevalência total de anti-HAV na população estudada foi de 85,5 porcento . A localidade que apresentou maior prevalência foi a Aldeia Girassol (95,5 porcento). Observou-se o aumento da prevalência de anti-HAV com o envelhecimento da população, sendo menor a prevalência (32,7 porcento ) observada no grupo etário mais jovem (0-2 anos) e maior prevalência (100 porcento ) acima dos 40 anos de idade. Observa-se que, entre os indígenas, 84,87 porcento possuem anti-HAV reagente e nos povoados 85,97 porcento , não havendo diferença ao comparar estas prevalências.

Observamos que 39 porcento das crianças até 12 anos estão sob risco de adquirir a doença, e até os 5 anos este número sobe para 59 porcento , logo, a população média suscetível à hepatite A é baixa por situar-se entre a faixa de 5 à 14 anos. A reserva Apinajé apresenta prevalência intermediária de anti- HAV, tanto nas aldeias quanto nos povoados. Em relação a tendência de soroconversão de hepatite A, nas aldeias isto ocorre com maior frequência durante a transição da fase pré-escolar para escolar, enquanto que nos povoados este risco se dá entre a fase escolar e a adolescência. A prevalência encontrada em crianças e adolescentes reforça a possibilidade da implementação da vacina contra hepatite A no calendário infantil.

Hepatitis A is an acute liver disease caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV), an RNA virusof the Picornaviridae's family of fecal-oral transmission. Currently Brazil has a pattern ofintermediate endemicity of the disease. Usually the disease is self-limited and has a benigncourse, but there are severe forms that can cause acute liver failure in 0.01 percent of cases. Besidesto sanitary actions, another important method of prevention is to use inactivated vaccines, butthis is only used to immunize risk groups in Brazil. In native communities, the risk of HAVinfection is high around the world, however, few works address this issue in indigenouscommunities in Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of hepatitisA in villages and towns belonging to Apinajé reservation, Tocantinópolis/TO. For this purpose,799 serum samples were analyzed for anti-HAV total being 358 from indigenous villages and441 from local town in eleven geographically separated communities. It was used thecommercial immunoenzymatic kit DiaSorin® brand. The overall prevalence of anti-HAV inthe population studied was 85.5 percent . The locality with the highest prevalence was the GirassolVillage (95.5 percent ). We observed increased prevalence of anti-HAV with an ascending aging ofpopulation, and the lowest prevalence (32.7 percent ) in the younger age group (0-2 years) and a higherprevalence (100 percent ) over 40 years of age.

It is observed that among the indigenous people84.87 percent have anti-HAV reagent and in the towns 85.97 percent , with no difference when comparingthese prevalences. We observed that 39 percent of children under 12 years are bound to acquire thedisease, and up to 5 years, this prevalence rises to 59 percent , so the average population susceptibleto hepatitis A is low as it is between the ranges of 5 to 14 years old. The reserve Apinajé hasintermediate prevalence of anti-HAV, both in villages and in the town. Regarding the trend ofseroconversion of hepatitis A in the villages that occurs most frequently during the transitionfrom preschool to school phase, while in the villages this risk occurs between middle childhoodand adolescence. The prevalence in children and adolescents strengthens implementation ofhepatitis A vaccine included in the childhood schedule could minimize the risks associated withthe disease.