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Tropical forests continue to experience high levels of habitat loss and degradation, with wildfires becoming a frequent component of human-modified landscapes. Here we investigate the response of palm species to the conversion of old-growth forests to successional mosaics, including forest patches burned during wildfires. Palms (≥50 cm height) were recorded once in 2023–2024, across four habitat classes: terra firme old-growth stands, regenerating forest stands associated with slash-and-burn agriculture, old-growth stands burned once and twice, and active cassava fields, in the Tapajós-Arapiuns Extractive Reserve, in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. The flammability of palm leaf litter and forest litter were also examined to assess the potential connections between palm proliferation and wildfires. A total of 10 palm species were recorded in this social forest (including slash-and-burn agriculture and resulting successional mosaics), with positive, negative, and neutral responses to land use. Species richness did not differ among forest habitats, but absolute palm abundance was greatest in disturbed habitats. Only Attalea spectabilis Mart. (curuá) exhibited increased relative abundance across disturbed habitats, including active cassava field. Attalea spectabilis accounted for almost 43% of all stems in the old-growth forest, 89% in regenerating forests, 90% in burned forests, and 79% in crop fields. Disturbed habitats supported a five-to-ten-fold increment in curuá leaves as a measure of habitat flammability. Although curuá litter exhibited lower flame temperature and height, its lower carbon and higher volatile content is expected to be more sensitive to fire ignition and promote the spread of wildfires. The conversion of old-growth forests into social forests promotes the establishment of palm-dominated forests, increasing the potential for a forest transition further fueled by wildfires, with effects on forest resilience and social reproduction still to be understood.

Half of the Amazon Forest, which has a marked seasonality in rainfall, is susceptible to intense droughts caused by positive phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Cedrela odorata L., sensitive to climate variations, emerges as a promising candidate for studies on how trees respond to climate change. Given the demand for its wood and the imperative for its protection in the Amazon Biome, applying the principles of environmental sustainability becomes crucial. This study characterizes local climatic variables near the Amazon River and assesses their impact, as well as the effect of ENSO, on the radial growth of Cedrela odorata using Pearson correlation analyses. Ring synchronization followed the standard methodology in dendrochronology, confirming common growth patterns and the formation of growth rings in C. odorata. Significant correlations with growth were noted concerning local climate, with negative associations for maximum and average temperatures and evapotranspiration, and a positive correlation with relative air humidity. ENSO exhibited a significant negative correlation with growth rings, indicating reduced growth during El Niño events. The species is notably sensitive to water availability, particularly at the onset of the growth period. The study concludes that the growth of C. odorata in the Óbidos-PA microregion responds to climate change.

Half of the Amazon Forest, which has a marked seasonality in rainfall, is susceptible to intense droughts caused by positive phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Cedrela odorata L., sensitive to climate variations, emerges as a promising candidate for studies on how trees respond to climate change. Given the demand for its wood and the imperative for its protection in the Amazon Biome, applying the principles of environmental sustainability becomes crucial. This study characterizes local climatic variables near the Amazon River and assesses their impact, as well as the effect of ENSO, on the radial growth of Cedrela odorata using Pearson correlation analyses. Ring synchronization followed the standard methodology in dendrochronology, confirming common growth patterns and the formation of growth rings in C. odorata. Significant correlations with growth were noted concerning local climate, with negative associations for maximum and average temperatures and evapotranspiration, and a positive correlation with relative air humidity. ENSO exhibited a significant negative correlation with growth rings, indicating reduced growth during El Niño events. The species is notably sensitive to water availability, particularly at the onset of the growth period. The study concludes that the growth of C. odorata in the Óbidos-PA microregion responds to climate change.

Thermal modification is a process capable of improving properties affecting wood performance, such as biological durability. This study aimed to assess the potential of thermal modification in enhancing the resistance of Couratari sp. wood to deterioration by Trametes versicolor, Nasutitermes corniger, and Cryptotermes brevis. Five treatments were analyzed, represented by the untreated and thermally modified wood at 180, 190, 200, and 210 °C. The wood’s chemical composition and resistance to biodeterioration in laboratory tests were evaluated. Thermal modification, especially at 210 °C, altered the chemical composition and increased the wood’s durability class against the fungus. However, the process did not affect termite attack. There was a significant positive correlation between corrected mass loss and hemicellulose and total extractive contents, as well as mass loss caused by T. versicolor and lignin and hemicellulose contents. The use of thermal modification in 190 °C is recommended for Couratari sp. wood due to its enhanced biological durability, with 210 °C being particularly effective.

Although specific phobia is highly prevalent, associated with impairment, and an important risk factor for the development of other mental disorders, cross-national epidemiological data are scarce, especially from low- and middle-income countries. This paper presents epidemiological data from 22 low-, lower-middle-, upper-middle- and high-income countries. Data came from 25 representative population-based surveys conducted in 22 countries (2001-2011) as part of the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys initiative (n = 124 902). The presence of specific phobia as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition was evaluated using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The cross-national lifetime and 12-month prevalence rates of specific phobia were, respectively, 7.4% and 5.5%, being higher in females (9.8 and 7.7%) than in males (4.9% and 3.3%) and higher in high- and higher-middle-income countries than in low-/lower-middle-income countries. The median age of onset was young (8 years). Of the 12-month patients, 18.7% reported severe role impairment (13.3-21.9% across income groups) and 23.1% reported any treatment (9.6-30.1% across income groups). Lifetime co-morbidity was observed in 60.5% of those with lifetime specific phobia, with the onset of specific phobia preceding the other disorder in most cases (72.6%). Interestingly, rates of impairment, treatment use and co-morbidity increased with the number of fear subtypes. Specific phobia is common and associated with impairment in a considerable percentage of cases. Importantly, specific phobia often precedes the onset of other mental disorders, making it a possible early-life indicator of psychopathology vulnerability.

This study aimed to assess the ultrapure cannabidiol (CBD) antibacterial activity and to investigate the antibacterial activity of the combination CBD + polymyxin B (PB) against Gram-negative (GN) bacteria, including PB-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (GNB). We used the standard broth microdilution method, checkerboard assay, and time-kill assay. CBD exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, lipooligosaccharide (LOS)-expressing GN diplococcus (GND) ( Neisseria gonorrhoeae , Neisseria meningitidis , Moraxella catarrhalis ), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis , but not against GNB. For most of the GNB studied, our results showed that low concentrations of PB (≤ 2 µg/mL) allow CBD (≤ 4 µg/mL) to exert antibacterial activity against GNB (e.g., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii ), including PB-resistant GNB. CBD + PB also showed additive and/or synergistic effect against LOS-expressing GND. Time-kill assays results showed that the combination CBD + PB leads to a greater reduction in the number of colony forming units per milliliter compared to CBD and PB alone, at the same concentration used in combination, and the combination CBD + PB was synergistic for all four PB-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates evaluated. Our results show that CBD has translational potential and should be further explored as a repurposed antibacterial agent in clinical trials. The antibacterial efficacy of the combination CBD + PB against multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant GNB, especially PB-resistant K. pneumoniae , is particularly promising.

Thermal modification mechanisms and their effects on physical and mechanical properties of native Amazon hardwoods are not yet completely understood. It is expected that such treatments can improve the properties of low-value Amazonian woods and sapwood residues. This study aimed to investigate the impact of heat treatment on the swelling and mechanical properties (strength and stiffness to Static Bending and Janka hardness) of tauari wood (Couratari spp.), a low-value Amazonian hardwood. For this, tauari wood samples were thermally modified in an electric oven under hot air irradiation at final temperatures of 160 °C, 170 °C, 180 °C, 190 °C, 200 °C, and 210 °C for 2.5 h. The main results showed that thermal modification increased the hydrophobicity of tauari wood without any noticeable effects on the mechanical behavior of the wood up to 200 °C. It was stated that up to 200 °C thermal modification is beneficial in terms of gains in hydrophobicity. In contrast, above 200 °C, despite an increase in hydrophobicity, consistent decreases in strength (MOR) and hardness were observed.

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is the primary natural contributor to the atmospheric sulfur burden. Observations concerning the fate of DMS oxidation products after long-range transport in the remote free troposphere are, however, sparse. Here we present quantitative chemical ionization mass spectrometric measurements of DMS and its oxidation products sulfuric acid (H2SO4), methanesulfonic acid (MSA), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylsulfone (DMSO2), methanesulfinic acid (MSIA), methyl thioformate (MTF), methanesulfenic acid (MSEA, CH3SOH), and a compound of the likely structure CH3S(O)2OOH in the gas phase, as well as measurements of the sulfate and methanesulfonate aerosol mass fractions. The measurements were performed at the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) station Chacaltaya in the Bolivian Andes located at 5240 m above sea level (a.s.l.). DMS and DMS oxidation products are brought to the Andean high-altitude station by Pacific air masses during the dry season after convective lifting over the remote Pacific ocean to 6000–8000 m a.s.l. and subsequent long-range transport in the free troposphere (FT). Most of the DMS reaching the station is already converted to the rather unreactive sulfur reservoirs DMSO2 in the gas phase and methanesulfonate (MS−) in the particle phase, which carried nearly equal amounts of sulfur to the station. The particulate sulfate at Chacaltaya is however dominated by regional volcanic emissions during the time of the measurement and not significantly affected by the marine air masses. In one of the FT events, even some DMS was observed next to reactive intermediates such as methyl thioformate, dimethylsulfoxide, and methanesulfinic acid. Also for this event, back trajectory calculations show that the air masses came from above the ocean (distance >330 km) with no local surface contacts. This study demonstrates the potential impact of marine DMS emissions on the availability of sulfur-containing vapors in the remote free troposphere far away from the ocean.

Background There is evidence that social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a prevalent and disabling disorder. However, most of the available data on the epidemiology of this condition originate from high income countries in the West. The World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative provides an opportunity to investigate the prevalence, course, impairment, socio-demographic correlates, comorbidity, and treatment of this condition across a range of high, middle, and low income countries in different geographic regions of the world, and to address the question of whether differences in SAD merely reflect differences in threshold for diagnosis. Methods Data from 28 community surveys in the WMH Survey Initiative, with 142,405 respondents, were analyzed. We assessed the 30-day, 12-month, and lifetime prevalence of SAD, age of onset, and severity of role impairment associated with SAD, across countries. In addition, we investigated socio-demographic correlates of SAD, comorbidity of SAD with other mental disorders, and treatment of SAD in the combined sample. Cross-tabulations were used to calculate prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and treatment. Survival analysis was used to estimate age of onset, and logistic regression and survival analyses were used to examine socio-demographic correlates. Results SAD 30-day, 12-month, and lifetime prevalence estimates are 1.3, 2.4, and 4.0% across all countries. SAD prevalence rates are lowest in low/lower-middle income countries and in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, and highest in high income countries and in the Americas and the Western Pacific regions. Age of onset is early across the globe, and persistence is highest in upper-middle income countries, Africa, and the Eastern Mediterranean. There are some differences in domains of severe role impairment by country income level and geographic region, but there are no significant differences across different income level and geographic region in the proportion of respondents with any severe role impairment. Also, across countries SAD is associated with specific socio-demographic features (younger age, female gender, unmarried status, lower education, and lower income) and with similar patterns of comorbidity. Treatment rates for those with any impairment are lowest in low/lower-middle income countries and highest in high income countries. Conclusions While differences in SAD prevalence across countries are apparent, we found a number of consistent patterns across the globe, including early age of onset, persistence, impairment in multiple domains, as well as characteristic socio-demographic correlates and associated psychiatric comorbidities. In addition, while there are some differences in the patterns of impairment associated with SAD across the globe, key similarities suggest that the threshold for diagnosis is similar regardless of country income levels or geographic location. Taken together, these cross-national data emphasize the international clinical and public health significance of SAD.

In a previous study we had shown that membrane cholesterol removal induced unregulated lysosomal exocytosis events leading to the depletion of lysosomes located at cell periphery. However, the mechanism by which cholesterol triggered these exocytic events had not been uncovered. In this study we investigated the importance of cholesterol in controlling mechanical properties of cells and its connection with lysosomal exocytosis. Tether extraction with optical tweezers and defocusing microscopy were used to assess cell dynamics in mouse fibroblasts. These assays showed that bending modulus and surface tension increased when cholesterol was extracted from fibroblasts plasma membrane upon incubation with MβCD, and that the membrane-cytoskeleton relaxation time increased at the beginning of MβCD treatment and decreased at the end. We also showed for the first time that the amplitude of membrane-cytoskeleton fluctuation decreased during cholesterol sequestration, showing that these cells become stiffer. These changes in membrane dynamics involved not only rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton, but also de novo actin polymerization and stress fiber formation through Rho activation. We found that these mechanical changes observed after cholesterol sequestration were involved in triggering lysosomal exocytosis. Exocytosis occurred even in the absence of the lysosomal calcium sensor synaptotagmin VII, and was associated with actin polymerization induced by MβCD. Notably, exocytosis triggered by cholesterol removal led to the secretion of a unique population of lysosomes, different from the pool mobilized by actin depolymerizing drugs such as Latrunculin-A. These data support the existence of at least two different pools of lysosomes with different exocytosis dynamics, one of which is directly mobilized for plasma membrane fusion after cholesterol removal.