ANTI-ULCER ACTIVITY FROM THE LEAVES OF Bryophyllum sp.

Foi estudado o efeito protetor anti-úlcera, por ingestão oral de um extrato etanólico de folhas de Bryophyllum spp, em modelo experimental de úlcera induzida por indometacina. Abstract Anti-ulcer protective properties of an ethanol extract of Bryophyllum spp leaves were assayed in an animal model indomethacin induced gastric ulcer

Azorean Bryophytes : a preliminary review of rarity patterns

Proceedings of the Symposium "Darwin's Mistake and what we are doing to correct it". Ponta Delgada, 19-22 September, 2009.Os briófitos podem ser tão raros e estar tão ameaçados como os demais organismos do planeta, apesar de o seu pequeno tamanho, cores discretas e difícil identificação no campo poderem mascarar o seu verdadeiro estatuto de conservação. De facto, é reconhecido que cerca de um quarto de todos os briófitos da Europa estão efectiva ou potencialmente ameaçados. O primeiro “Livro Vermelho dos Briófitos da Europa” foi produzido em 1995, amplamente baseado em listas vermelhas nacionais e no trabalho de uma vasta equipa de briólogos que avaliaram o estatuto de conservação para as espécies Europeias. A classificação de briófitos em listas vermelhas tem contribuído para aumentar a sensibilidade dos gestores para este grupo de organismos e alguns esforços têm sido desenvolvidos na Europa, para preservar locais tendo como característica o seu interesse briológico. Consequentemente, uma lista vermelha para os briófitos dos Açores pode auxiliar os gestores regionais a identificar espécies particularmente ameaçadas, tornando-se o primeiro passo para assegurar a sua protecção. Neste artigo usamos uma adaptação dos trabalhos de Deborah Rabinowitz (1981), que criou uma tipologia para desocultar e avaliar várias formas de raridade, utilizando três variáveis: Distribuição Geográfica, Abundância e Especificidade do Habitat. Todas as 480 espécies e subespécies dos Açores foram investigadas: 215 taxa não tinham informação suficiente para ser analisados (deficientes em dados), 121 não foram consideradas raros e 144 briófitos (1 antocerota, 56 hepáticas e 87 musgos) foram considerados raros pelo menos num dos parâmetros considerados. Os benefícios e limitações desta metodologia são brevemente discutidos. São propostas algumas sugestões práticas para melhorar a estratégia de conservação dos briófitos seleccionados.ABSTRACT: Bryophytes are not exempt of rarity and threat, although their small size, mute colours and difficult field identification may mask their true conservation status. Actually, it is known that a quarter of all European bryophytes are under actual or potential threat. The first Red Data Book for European Bryophytes was produced in 1995, largely based on national red lists and on the work of a vast team of bryologists who assessed the conservation status of each European species. The red listing of bryophytes has undoubtedly contributed to increase the awareness of planners to this group of organisms, and several efforts have been made, through Europe, to preserve sites based on their bryological interest. Accordingly, a specific Red List for the Azorean Bryophytes may help regional managers to identify particularly endangered species, thus allowing for the creation of measures to improve their preservation. In this paper we have used an adaptation of the works of Deborah Rabinowitz (1981), who created a typology to access different forms of rarity, using three variables: Geographical Distribution, Abundance and Habitat Specificity. All the 480 species and subspecies known to occur in the Azores were surveyed; of these, 215 species lacked sufficient data to be analyzed (data deficient), 121 were not considered rare and 144 (1 hornworts, 56 liverworts and 87 mosses) were considered rare, at least in one of the three parameters considered. The benefits and limitations of the methodology are briefly discussed. Several practical suggestions are proposed in order to enhance the conservation of selected bryophyte species

Assessing the completeness of bryophyte inventories: an oceanic island as a case study (Terceira, Azorean archipelago)

Copyright © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010.How useful, complete or unbiased are comprehensive databases in order to provide reliable estimations of diversity? Using compiled data from bryophytes in Terceira Island (Azores), we specifically aim (1) to describe the register of species over time, (2) to assess the inventory completeness, i.e., the ratio between the observed and the maximum expected species, and (3) to locate the most promising areas for further surveys. First, each new recorded species was plotted against its collecting year, using the number of database-records as a surrogate of survey effort, to get the accumulation curves. These curves were then extrapolated to obtain the theoretical number of existing species according to Clench and exponential models. Spatial and habitat characteristics of the recorded taxa were also explored. Our results show an increasing trend in the rate of recorded species (c. five species per year), as well as a maximum of around a third of the theoretically “real” number of expected species that could yet remain unknown. Nevertheless, predictions of species richness were highly variable depending on the fitting curve used. Survey effort was similar between liverworts and mosses, as were inventory completeness values, but the rate of new recorded species was higher for mosses. Although bryologists visited preferably native habitats, we show that new species citations may also be found in modified habitats (e.g., exotic forests and semi-natural grasslands). We conclude that the analysis of extensive databases is a useful tool in revealing the recording and taxonomic gaps, further showing that bryophyte inventories could still be incomplete in Terceira Island. A strategy on how to improve species’ collections in remote areas is suggested, hoping to contribute to all-inclusive biodiversity studies in the Azores and elsewhere

A spatial scale assessment of habitat effects on arthropod communities of an oceanic island

Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.Most habitats in the Azores have undergone substantial land-use changes and anthropogenic disturbance during the last six centuries. In this study we assessed how the richness, abundance and composition of arthropod communities change with: (1) habitat type and (2) the surrounding land-use at different spatial scales. The research was conducted in Terceira Island, Azores. In eighty-one sites of four different habitat types (natural and exotic forests, semi-natural and intensively managed pastures), epigaeic arthropods were captured with pitfall traps and classified as endemic, native or introduced. The land-use surrounding each site was characterized within a radius ranging from 100 to 5000 m. Non-parametric tests were used to identify differences in species richness, abundance and composition between habitat types at different spatial scales. Endemic and native species were more abundant in natural forests, while introduced species were more abundant in intensively managed pastures. Natural forests and intensively managed pastures influenced arthropod species richness and composition at all spatial scales. Exotic forests and semi-natural pastures, however, influenced the composition of arthropod communities at larger scales, promoting the connectivity of endemic and native species populations. Local species richness, abundance and composition of arthropod communities are mostly determined by the presence of nearby natural forests and/or intensively managed pastures. However, semi-natural pastures and exotic forests seem to play an important role as corridors between natural forests for both endemic and native species. Furthermore, exotic forests may serve as a refuge for some native species

ANTI-ULCER ACTIVITY FROM THE LEAVES OF Bryophyllum sp.

Foi estudado o efeito protetor anti-úlcera, por ingestão oral de um extrato etanólico de folhas de Bryophyllum spp, em modelo experimental de úlcera induzida por indometacina. Abstract Anti-ulcer protective properties of an ethanol extract of Bryophyllum spp leaves were assayed in an animal model indomethacin induced gastric ulcer

The MOVECLIM – AZORES project: Bryophytes from Pico Island (2012)

ABSTRACT: In September 2012, Pico Island was surveyed along an elevational transept starting on Manhenha, at 10 m a.s.l., and ending on the Pico Mountain caldera, at 2200 m a.s.l. to obtain a systematic inventory of the bryophytes living in natural environments. A total of twelve sites were examined, separated by 200 m elevation steps. At each site, two 10 m x 10 m plots were established within 10-15 m from each other, and within each plot, three 2 m x 2 m quadrats were randomly selected and thoroughly sampled for bryophytes using microplots of 10 cm x 5 cm, collected to paper bags. Six substrates were explored within each quadrat: rock, soil, humus, organic matter, tree bark and leaves/fronds; three replicates were made for each substrate, whenever available and colonized by bryophytes, totalling a maximum of 18 microplots per quadrat, 54 microplots per plot, 108 microplots per site and 1296 microplots on the 12 sites of Pico Island. It was possible to collect two thirds of the maximum expected number of microplots (N=878; 67,75%), resulting in 4896 specimens, the great majority of which (n=4869) were identified to the species/subspecies level. Overall, it was possible to identify 70 moss’ and 71 liverwort’ species and subspecies. The elevation levels both with a greater number of microplots and higher richness of species were those between 600-1000 m a.s.l., coinciding with the native forest plots. The study contributed to improve the knowledge of Azorean bryophyte diversity and distribution at both local and regional scales, including the recording of new taxa for Pico Island and the Azores.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Investigating dimensionality and measurement bias of DSM-5 alcohol use disorder in a representative sample of the largest metropolitan area in South America

Background: Given the recent launch of a new diagnostic classification (DSM-5) for alcohol use disorders (AUD), we aimed to investigate its dimensionality and possible measurement bias in a non-U.S. sample. Methods: The current analyses were restricted to 948 subjects who endorsed drinking at least one drink per week in the past year from a sample of 5037 individuals. Data came from São Paulo Megacity Project (which is part of World Mental Health Surveys) collected between 2005 and 2007. First, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out to test for the best dimensional structure for DSM-5-AUD criteria. Then, item response theory (IRT) was used to investigate the severity and discrimination properties of each criterion of DSM-5-AUD. Finally, differential criterion functioning (DCF) were investigated by socio-demographics (income, gender, age, employment status, marital status and education). All analyses were performed in Mplus software taking into account complex survey design features. Results: The best EFA model was a one-dimensional model. IRT results showed that the criteria “Time Spent” and “Given Up” have the highest discrimination and severity properties, while the criterion “Larger/Longer” had the lowest value of severity, but an average value of discrimination. Only female gender had DCF both at criterion- and factor-level, rendering measurement bias. Conclusion: This study reinforces the existence of a DSM-5-AUD continuum in the largest metropolitan area of South America, including subgroups that had previously higher rates of alcohol use (lower educational/income levels). Lower DSM-5-AUD scores were found in women

Resposta sustentada após 1 ano de interferon isolado ou associado a ribavirina em pacientes com cirrose pelo vírus C

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the rate of end of treatmentcomplete response and sustained response in positive HCV cirrhotic patients thatwere either treated with interferon only, or with interferon in combination with ribavirin.PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 33 ambulatory HCV-positive cirrhotic patients,without any other identifiable etiology of liver disease and classified as Child-Pugh Awere divided in a non-randomized manner into the following groups: Group 1 (n=13),treated with subcutaneous doses of interferon (3 UM), three times per week, for 12months; Group 2 (n=20), treated with the same interferon schedule as describedabove, though associated with oral ribavirin (1000 mg/day) twice a day for 12 months.Among the 33 patients, 24 (73%) were male, and the age of all patients ranged from35 to 72 years (mean of 50.7 + 9 years).RESULTS: The rate of end of treatment complete response and of sustained responsefor Group 1 was 1/13 (8%) and 0/13 (0%) respectively, versus 11/20 (55%) and 7/20(35%) for Group 2 (P<0.005). The groups did not differ significantly with respect toage, sex, serum, serum ferritin, gamaglutamyl-transpeptidase, estimated diseaseduration, degree of necro-inflammatory activity, and HCV genotype. Upon comparingpatients that did not present a sustained response (n=26) with patients that didpresent a sustained response (n=7), we observed that the only predictor of sustainedresponse with statistical significance was the type of treatment employed (P<0.002).CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory patients with compensated cirrhosis caused by theHCV, when submitted to the interferon and ribavirin treatment for 1 year, presenteda statistically significant higher rate of sustained response than patients submittedto the interferon only treatment for the same period of time. There was no statisticallysignificant difference between the groups in terms of frequency of side-effects.OBJETIVO: Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a taxa de resposta completa aofinal do tratamento e de resposta sustentada em pacientes com cirrose pelo vírusda hepatite C tratados com interferon isolado ou combinado com ribavirina.PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Um total de 33 pacientes cirróticos ambulatoriais, VHCpositivos, sem outras causas identificáveis de doença hepática, compensados eclassificados como Child-Pugh A, foram divididos em dois grupos, de forma nãorandomizada: Grupo 1 (n=13), tratado com interferon 3 MU, subcutâneo, três vezespor semana, por 12 meses; Grupo 2 (n=20), tratado com interferon na mesmaposologia anterior, associado a ribavirina, 1000 mg/dia, via oral, em duas tomadas,diariamente, por 12 meses.RESULTADOS: Dos 33 pacientes, 24 (73%) eram homens e a idade variou entre35 e 72 anos (média de 50,7 ± 9 anos). A taxa de resposta completa ao final dotratamento e de resposta sustentada foi, respectivamente, de 1/13 (8%) e 0/13(0%) no Grupo 1 versus 11/20 (55%) e 7/20 (35%) no Grupo 2 (P<0,005). Ambos osgrupos eram semelhantes quanto a idade, sexo, ferritina sérica, gamaglutamiltranspeptidase, tempo estimado de doença, grau de atividade necro-inflamatória egenótipo do VHC. Comparando-se os pacientes não-respondedores (n=26) comaqueles que obtiveram resposta sustentada (n=7), observou-se que o único fatorpreditivo de resposta estatisticamente significativo foi o tipo de tratamento utilizado(P<0,002).CONCLUSÕES: Pacientes ambulatoriais com cirrose compensada causada peloVHC apresentam taxa de resposta sustentada significativamente superior quandotratados com 1 ano de interferon combinado com ribavirina, em comparação cominterferon isolado pelo mesmo período. Não houve diferença estatística na freqüênciade efeitos adversos entre os grupos

Ensino de ética em cursos do campo de públicas: Uma análise a partir de Projetos Pedagógicos de Curso e das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais

The National Curricular Guidelines (DCN) of the undergraduate program in Public Administration bring the discussion and the teaching of ethics as a basic and indispensable disciplinary content to the education of the student. From this finding, the interest in knowing how its teaching occurs and assists the professional education of undergraduate students in Public Administration in Brazil emerged. For that, we developed a document research in the Pedagogical Projects of Courses (PPC) of the Public Field. Based on selection criteria, 15 PPC were included in the study. The undergraduate programs of the Public Field, guided by the republican and democratic ethos, should reproduce this fundamental principle in all teaching-learning processes and this was observed when analyzing the PPC, through the analysis categories of the curricular matrix, syllabuses of the courses and graduate profile. We verified that in most projects there is a search for the insertion of the discussion of ethical, critical and reflexive action both during the program and in the professional practice. Regarding ethics teaching, we believe that as the theme gains strength in the analysis of organizations, it might lead administrators to develop/adopt a more reflexive, critical and socially responsible position. Las Directrices Curriculares Nacionales (DCN) del curso de graduación en Administración Pública traen la discusión y la enseñanza de la ética como contenido disciplinario básico e indispensable a la formación del alumno. A partir de ese reconocimiento, surgió el interés en saber cómo su enseñanza es impartida y auxilia en la formación profesional de los alumnos de los cursos de graduación en Administración Pública en Brasil. Para ello, se realizó una investigación documental en Proyectos Pedagógicos de Cursos (PPC) del Campo de Públicas. En base a criterios de selección, se relacionaron 15 PPC para estudio. Los cursos del Campo de Públicas, orientados por el ethos republicano y democrático, deberían reproducir ese principio fundamental en todos los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje y eso fue lo que se observó al analizar los PPC, a través de las categorías de análisis matriz curricular, Y perfil del egresado. En la mayoría de los proyectos se ha comprobado que hay una búsqueda por la inserción de la discusión de la acción ética, crítica y reflexiva tanto durante el curso como en la práctica profesional. En relación a la enseñanza de ética, se cree que, en la medida en que el tema gana fuerza en los análisis de las organizaciones, puede inducir a los administradores a un posicionamiento más reflexivo, crítico y socialmente responsable.As Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais (DCN) do curso de graduação em Administração Pública trazem a discussão e o ensino da ética como conteúdo disciplinar básico e indispensável à formação do aluno. A partir dessa constatação, surgiu o interesse em saber como seu ensino é trabalhado e auxilia na formação profissional dos alunos dos cursos de graduação em Administração Pública no Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa documental em Projetos Pedagógicos de Cursos (PPC) do Campo de Públicas. Com base nos critérios de seleção definidos, foram relacionados quinze PPC para estudo. Os cursos do Campo de Públicas, norteados pelo ethos republicano e democrático, deveriam reproduzir esse princípio fundamental em todos os processos de ensino-aprendizagem e foi isso que se observou ao analisar os PPC, por meio das categorias de análise matriz curricular, ementas das disciplinas e perfil do egresso. Verificou-se que há, na maioria dos projetos, uma busca pela inserção da discussão da ação ética, crítica e reflexiva tanto durante o curso como na prática profissional. Em relação ao ensino de ética, acredita-se que, na medida em que o tema ganha força nas análises das organizações, ele pode induzir os administradores a desenvolverem um posicionamento mais reflexivo, crítico e socialmente responsável