Desempenho motor. Um estudo normativo e criterial em crianças da Região Autónoma da Madeira, Portugal

O objectivo central do presente estudo foi construir valores de referência para os ‘skills’ locomotores e de controlo dos objectos em crianças da Região Autónoma da Madeira, Portugal. A amostra envolveu 853 sujeitos, 426 rapazes e 427 raparigas, que participaram na pesquisa ‘Crescer com Saúde na Região Autónoma da Madeira’. Os ‘skills’ motores fundamentais foram avaliados através do ‘Test of Gross Motor Development’. As crianças madeirenses apresentaram uma melhoria de resultados com a idade, na quase totalidade dos ‘skills’ motores fundamentais. Os rapazes foram mais proficientes do que as raparigas nos ‘skills’ de controlo dos objectos. O maior número de crianças madeirenses foi classificado na categoria ‘médio’ nos ‘skills’ locomotores (51.5%) e nos ‘skills’ de controlo dos objectos (37.7%). As crianças madeirenses apresentaram equivalentes etários abaixo da média nos ‘skills’ locomotores (86.5%) e nos skills’ de controlo dos objectos (87.7%). Um aumento de mestria com a idade foi observado na corrida, galope, deslocamento lateral, drible, agarrar e lançamento por cima do ombro. As crianças madeirenses apresentaram desempenhos inferiores relativamente às Norte-Americanas. O conhecimento do desempenho motor das crianças madeirenses deve fomentar a investigação e conduzir à implementação de programas na escola e demais instituições

Two Ultra-Faint Milky Way Stellar Systems Discovered in Early Data from the DECam Local Volume Exploration Survey

We report the discovery of two ultra-faint stellar systems found in early data from the DECam Local Volume Exploration survey (DELVE). The rst system, Centaurus I (DELVE J123

Genetic association between longevity and linear type traits of Holstein cows

Longevity is a desirable trait in the dairy industry because of its relationship to profitability. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for longevity measurements related to productive life, or life in the herd, and linear type traits of Brazilian Holstein cows born between the years 1990 and 2008. The (co) variance components were estimated by the restricted maximum likelihood method. The heritability for measurements of longevity and linear type traits ranged from 0.05 to 0.07 and 0.08 to 0.39, respectively. The genetic correlations between measurements of longevity and linear type traits ranged from -0.39 to 0.31. Direct selection for longevity does not necessarily lead to long-lived cows, due to low heritability. Indirect genetic selection for udder depth, bone quality, udder height, rear teat placement and conformation traits showed the highest genetic correlations with measurements of time between birth and last milk record and time from first calving to last milk record

Epidemiology of leptospirosis at Sorocaba Zoo, São Paulo state, Southeastern Brazil

Leptospirosis is considered a worldwide distributed zoonosis, caused by the bacteria Leptospira spp. Since several species of wildlife animals are reportedly reservoirs, the aim of the present study was to know the epidemiology of leptospirosis at the Sorocaba Zoo, Southern Brazil. Serum samples of wild mammals from Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Didelphimorphia, Diprotodontia, Perissodactyla, Pilosa, Primates, Proboscidea and Rodentia orders, kept in captivity as well as from zoological staff were assayed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Whole blood, urine and tissue samples from wild mammals and synanthropic animals were assayed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). An epidemiological survey was applied to evaluate the risk factors for animal infection and staff level of knowledge on leptospirosis. A total of 13/229 (5.68%; CI95% 3.37-9.47%) serum samples from wild mammals were reagent on MAT. Serology from synanthropic animals, zoo staff and molecular analysis of animal samples were all negative. Leptospirosis knowledge of zoo park staff was considered medium. In conclusion, leptospiral infection occurs at the studied zoo but due to the low occurrence found, the lowest reported in literature, wild captive mammals do not act as source of infection of leptospirosis to other animals and human beings