Are ant assemblages of Brazilian veredas characterised by location or habitat type?

Wetland areas in the Brazilian Cerrado, known as “veredas”, represent ecosystems formed on sandy soils with high concentrations of peat, and are responsible for the recharge of aquiferous reservoirs. They are currently under threat by various human activities, most notably the clearing of vegetation for Eucalyptus plantations. Despite their ecological importance and high conservation value, little is known about the actual effects of human disturbance on the animal community. To assess how habitat within different veredas, and plantations surrounding them affect ant assemblages, we selected four independent vereda locations, two being impacted by Eucalyptus monoculture (one younger and one mature plantation) and two controls, where the wetland was surrounded by cerrado vegetation. Ant sampling was conducted in May 2010 (dry season) using three complementary methods, namely baits, pitfall traps, and hand collection, in the wetland and in the surrounding habitats. A total of 7,575 ants were sampled, belonging to seven subfamilies, 32 genera and 124 species.Ant species richness and abundance did not differ between vereda locations, but did between the habitats. When impacted by the monoculture, ant species richness and abundance decreased in wetlands, but were less affected in the cerrado habitat. Ant species composition differed between the three habitats and between vereda locations. Eucalyptus plantations had an ant species composition defined by high dominance of Pheidole sp. and Solenopsis invicta, while natural habitats were defined by Camponotus and Crematogaster species. Atta sexdens was strictly confined to native habitats of non-impacted “veredas”. Eucalyptus monocultures require high quantities of water in the early stages, which may have caused a decrease in groundwater level in the wetland, allowing hypogeic ants such as Labidus praedator to colonise this habitat

HEALTH BELIEFS REGARDING DIET: A PERSPECTIVE OF HYPERTENSIVE BLACK INDIVIDUALS

The objective of this descriptive-exploratory study was to identify the health beliefs of black individuals with hypertension regarding the barriers and benefits of diet for controlling the disease, including the sociodemographic factors associated with the health beliefs surrounding diet control. One hundred and six black adults with hypertension were interviewed using a specific instrument. The data were analyzed considering the percentages, frequency of the cases, scores and prevalence ratio. The global analysis of beliefs showed a preponderance of beliefs regarding the benefits of diet control. It was observed that men, younger individuals, lack of a partner and low educational level and income were related to the beliefs regarding the benefits of adopting a healthy diet. In conclusion, health promotion among the black population requires an interdisciplinary approach and specific health policies addressing this populations' needs, aimed at preventive and curative aspects

Flexiteste: utilização inapropriada de versões condensadas Flexiteste: utilización inapropiada de versiones condensadas Flexitest: inappropriate use of condensed versions

FUNDAMENTOS E OBJETIVO: A flexibilidade, definida como a mobilidade passiva máxima de um dado movimento articular, é uma das variáveis da aptidão física relacionadas à saúde e representa um fator fundamental para o desempenho do corpo e do movimento, seja em modalidades desportivas ou cênicas, em que a graciosidade e a beleza dos movimentos seja relevante. Dentre os vários métodos de medida e avaliação da flexibilidade, um dos mais utilizados é o Flexiteste, incluindo 20 movimentos articulares graduados de 0 a 4 pontos. Contudo, alguns profissionais têm utilizado versões condensadas de apenas quatro ou seis movimentos empiricamente escolhidos. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar a validade científica e prática do uso de versões condensadas em substituição à versão completa do Flexiteste. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados dados do Flexiteste de 3.116 indivíduos, 1.847 homens e 1.269 mulheres, entre cinco e 88 anos de idade. A partir de análises de regressão progressivas passo a passo, foram escolhidos os quatro e seis movimentos que melhor estimavam o Flexíndice (soma dos escores dos 20 movimentos), separadamente, para crianças e adolescentes, adultos jovens, adultos e adultos idosos dos dois gêneros. RESULTADOS: Apesar dos altos coeficientes de determinação obtidos nas regressões, ligeiramente melhores para seis movimentos, os erros-padrão das estimativas situaram-se entre 2,7 e 3,8 pontos (3,8 e 3,9, respectivamente, para homens e mulheres, sem divisão por grupo etário), excedendo o que se deve esperar como erro de medida e sendo semelhante ao que se observa como resultado de um programa de treinamento específico. CONCLUSÃO: Exceto em circunstâncias muito específicas e raras, não é apropriado o uso de versões condensadas de quatro ou seis movimentos do Flexiteste, mesmo que específicos por faixa etária e gênero.<br>FUNDAMENTOS Y OBJETIVO: La flexibilidad, que se define como la movilidad pasiva máxima de un cierto movimiento articular, es una de las variables de capacidad física relacionada a la salud, y representa un factor fundamental para el desempeño del cuerpo y del movimiento, ya sea en modalidades deportivas o escénicas, en que la graciosidad y la belleza de los movimientos son relevantes. Entre los varios métodos de medida y evaluación de la flexibilidad, uno de los que más se utilizan es el Flexiteste, incluyendo 20 movimientos articulares graduados de 0 a 4 puntos. Sin embargo, algunos profesionales vienen utilizando versiones condensadas de solamente cuatro o seis movimientos que se eligen empíricamente. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la validez científica y práctica del uso de versiones condensadas que reemplazan la versión completa del Flexiteste. MÉTODOS: Se utilizaron datos del Flexiteste de 3.116 individuos, 1.847 varones y 1.269 mujeres, entre cinco y 88 años de edad. Con base en análises de regresión progresiva paso a paso, se escogieron los cuatro y seis movimientos que mejor estimulaban el Flexíndice (adición de los escores de los 20 movimientos), separadamente, para niños y adolescentes, adultos jóvenes, adultos y adultos de edad más avanzada de los dos géneros. RESULTADOS: A pesar de los altos coeficientes de determinación que se obtuvieron en las regresiones, que fueron minimamente mejores para seis movimientos, los errores estándares de las estimaciones se evaluaron entre 2,7 y 3,8 puntos (3,8 y 3,9, respectivamente, para varones y mujeres, sin división por edad), excediendo lo que se debe esperar como error de medida y siendo semejante a lo que se observa como resultado de un programa de entrenamiento específico. CONCLUSIÓN: Salvo en circunstancias muy específicas y raras, el uso de versiones condensadas de cuatro o seis movimientos del Flexitest no es apropiado, aunque se especifiquen la edad y el género.<br>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Flexibility, defined as the maximal passive mobility of a given joint movement is one of the health-related physical fitness variables, representing an important factor for body and movement performance, either in sports or scenic modalities, where the gracefulness and beauty of movements is relevant. Among the several flexibility measurement and evaluation methods, one of the most used is the Flexitest that includes 20 joint movements graduated between 0 to 4 points. However, some professionals have used condensed versions of only four or six movements empirically selected. The objective of this study is to evaluate the practical and scientific validity of condensed versions use in replacement of the Flexitest full version. METHODS: Flexitest data were used in 3,116 individuals namely: 1,847 men and 1,269 women with ages ranging from 5 to 88 years. From step-by-step progressive regression analyses four and six movements that best estimated the Flexindex (sum of the 20 movements scores) separately for children and adolescents, young adults, adults and aged adults from both genders were selected. RESULTS: Despite the high determination coefficients obtained in the regression analyses, slightly better for six movements, standard errors of estimate ranged from 2.7 to 3.8 points (3.8 and 3.9, respectively, for men and women with no division by age group), exceeding what is expected as measurement error and similar to what is observed as result of a specific training program. CONCLUSION: Except for very specific and unusual situations, the use of condensed Flexitest versions of four or six movements is not appropriate even if specific for age range and gender