Social wasp guild (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) visiting flowers in two of the phytophysiognomic formations: Riparian Forest and campos rupestres

Social wasps are part of the floral visitor guild. In this study we investigated the distribution of flower-visiting wasp species in two phytophysiognomies in the State Park of Ibitipoca, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We inspected flowering plants with visiting wasps along a 1 km transect in riparian forest and another 1 km transect in campos rupestres over the course of one year, for a total sampling effort of 240 hours. We found a total of 103 individuals with 15 species distributed among 7 genera, the most common belonging to the Erythroxylaceae (n = 10) and Asteraceae (n = 10) families. Asteraceae had the highest abundance (N = 55). The diversity and evenness of these insects was higher in riparian forest (H '= 0.78 and J' = 0.75) than in campos rupestres (H '= 0.30, J' = 0.39). All species visited flowers of 19 plant species in riparian forest, and eight wasp species visited 11 plant species in campos rupestres. These Polistinae acted as regular floral visitors, thus, conservation programs in these areas may be relevant for the maintenance of social wasp diversity

Two cases of thoracic spinal anaesthesia in patients with severe diseases

AbstractThis manuscript describes two cases of thoracic spinal anaesthesia for patients with severe diseases, with satisfying results. Patient 1: female, 57years old, submitted to a surgical gastrostomy. She had squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx involving the C6 vertebra, carotid and thyroid, with a fistula in the cervical region. After sedation, an epidural puncture was performed in the T7–T8 interspace and an epidural catheter was introduced. Then, a 25G Quinke needle was introduced 5.4cm in the subarachnoid T8–T9 interspace and 5.0mg of isobaric bupivacaine was administered. The dermatome level of anaesthesia was established from T3 to T12, preserving the movement of lower limbs. Patient 2: male, 41years old, with alcohol-related brain atrophy, progressive strength loss in both lower and upper limbs, with spastic tetraparesis and tetrahyperreflexia. After sedation, a 25G Quinke needle was introduced in the subarachnoid T8–T9 interspace, and 5.0mg of isobaric bupivacaine was introduced. Both patients were transferred to the post-anaesthesia recovery room. The greatest cause for concern in the administration of spinal anaesthesia is the possibility of an accidental medullary puncture. In a recent study, it was found a larger distance between the dura mater and the spinal cord in T6. In another study, the largest distance between the dura mater and the spinal cord was found in T5. Thoracic spinal anaesthesia technique is another anaesthetic technique that may be used in some special situations

Comparative efficacy of the conventional and automated methods for determining neutral and acid detergent fiber

Different methods are available to determine fiber content in feeds. However, information about the accuracy of this methods for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber ADF contents estimation (obtained with the use of TNT-100 nylon filtering bags) is very limited related to the large number of ruminant feed analysis. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the automated and conventional Van Soest methods to determine NDF and ADF contents for bovine cattle and feed supplements. Four classes of samples (tropical forage, maize silage hybrid, concentrated supplements and bovine cattlecattle) were evaluated for NDF and ADF contents using conventional and automated methods. Analysis involved a hierarchical factorial scheme with an entirely randomized design executed with repetitions. It was concluded that the automated method procedure generated similar results when compared to the conventional method for the determination of NDF contents in tropical forage, bovine cattle and maize silage samples, although is not recommended for samples with a high starch content. This system was not efficient for ADF determination in the evaluated samples.Different methods are available to determine fiber content in feeds. However, information about the accuracy of this methods for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber ADF contents estimation (obtained with the use of TNT-100 nylon filtering bags) is very limited related to the large number of ruminant feed analysis. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the automated and conventional Van Soest methods to determine NDF and ADF contents for bovine cattle and feed supplements. Four classes of samples (tropical forage, maize silage hybrid, concentrated supplements and bovine cattlecattle) were evaluated for NDF and ADF contents using conventional and automated methods. Analysis involved a hierarchical factorial scheme with an entirely randomized design executed with repetitions. It was concluded that the automated method procedure generated similar results when compared to the conventional method for the determination of NDF contents in tropical forage, bovine cattle and maize silage samples, although is not recommended for samples with a high starch content. This system was not efficient for ADF determination in the evaluated samples

Growth of signalgrass influenced by shading levels and season of the year

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, nas diferentes estações do ano, as características morfogênicas e estruturais e a produção de matéria seca de Brachiaria decumbens Stapf., cultivada em três graus de sombreamento: área de pastagem exclusivamente com B. decumbens, área próxima ao bosque e área com bosque de Eucalyptus grandis consorciado com leguminosas arbóreas (0, 18 e 50% de sombreamento, respectivamente). O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, com arranjo em parcelas subdivididas no tempo, com quatro repetições. O sombreamento induziu à elevação das taxas de alongamento de folhas e colmos. A taxa de aparecimento de folhas e o número de folhas vivas por perfilho não foram influenciados pelos graus de sombreamento. Em geral, no inverno houve redução nos valores das variáveis morfogenéticas e estruturais do dossel, assim como das taxas de produção de forragem, independentemente do sombreamento. A braquiária apresenta plasticidade fenotípica, em resposta às variações climáticas sazonais e aos níveis de sombreamento ambiental, o que confere a essa espécie elevado potencial para uso em sistemas silvipastoris.The objective of this work was to evaluate, in different seasons of the year, the morphogenetic and structural traits and dry matter production of Brachiaria decumbens Stapf., established under three shading conditions: exclusive B. decumbens pasture, area distant 12 m from trees, and area under trees cultivated with Eucalyptus grandis mixed with leguminous trees (0, 18 and 50% shading level, respectively). The experimental design was the randomized blocks, in a split plot array in time, with four replications. Shade caused an increase of leaf and stem elongation rates. Shading levels have not influenced leaf appearance rates and leaf number per tiller. Morphogenetic and structural traits and herbage production rates reduced during winter, independently of shading level. Signalgrass presents phenotypical plasticity and responded to seasonal climatic variations and shade conditions; therefore, it has a good potential to be used in silvipastural systems

Serological screening for Chagas disease in an endemic region of Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil: the SaMi-Trop project

Chagas disease (CD) is still a neglected disease. Infected individuals are diagnosed late, being treated in worse clinical conditions. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the prevalence and the factors associated with new confirmed cases of CD identified by serological screening in an endemic region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. This is an analytical cross-sectional study with data from a project of the Research Center in Tropical Medicine of Sao Paulo- Minas Gerais (SaMi-Trop) conducted in two municipalities. Data collection included a questionnaire with closed questions, a venous blood collection and an ELISA serological test for CD. A total of 2,038 individuals with no previous diagnosis of CD participated in the study. The result of the serological test for CD was adopted as the dependent variable. The independent variables addressed personal issues, health conditions and lifetime housing. A descriptive analysis of individual variables was performed. Subsequently, a bivariate analysis was performed using the Pearson’s chi-square test. Households sheltering individuals positive for CD were georeferenced, and the analysis of spatial distribution was performed using the quartic function to estimate the density of the nucleus. Among the participants, 188 (9.2 %) were positive for CD. The profile of participants with CD was associated with place of residence, age, relative/family member with CD and living conditions. It is noteworthy that there are still patients with CD who are unaware of their diagnosis in both, rural and urban areas

Aptidão reprodutiva e estrutura de um candeial com elevada mortalidade.

Investigamos as características reprodutivas e a herbivoria em duas populações de E. erythropappus, uma com alta mortalidade e um controle, em uma floresta montana do sudeste do Brasil. Esperamos que a população em declínio apresente menor aptidão e maior vulnerabilidade a herbivoria do que a população resistente. Foram marcadas aleatoriamente e monitoradas 20 árvores por população de 2009 a 2011, nas quais foram mensuradas características da arquitetura copa, produção de flores, conversão em aquênios e área foliar perdida por herbívoros mastigadores. A presença de embrião foi verificada por testes de raios-X e testes de germinação foram realizados. Os indivíduos da população em declínio foram em média maiores em diâmetro do tronco em relação a população resistente, o que explicou as diferenças nas características reprodutivas. No entanto, ambas as populações apresentaram proporções equivalentes de aquênios com embriões. A população em declínio apresentou taxas de herbivoria semelhantes a população resistente em 2009, e significativamente menor em 2011. A herbivoria registrada foi inferior a 3% de área foliar perdida, que é muito baixo para os trópicos. As taxas de mortalidade observadas recentemente não apresentaram efeitos significativos na reprodução e poderá facilitar uma nova geração, devido a luz disponível no subosque e aos indivíduos remanescentes que estão reproduzindo ativamente.We investigated the reproductive effort and herbivory of Eremanthus erythropappus in a montane forest of southeast Brazil, comparing a population under high tree mortality and a control. We expected the declining population to present lower fitness and be more vulnerable herbivores than the resistant population. We randomly marked and monitored 20 trees per each population from 2009 to 2011, and measured crown architecture traits, flower production, conversion into achene and leaf area lost by chewing herbivores. The presence of embryo was verified by X-ray tests, and achene germination was tested. Individuals from declining population were in average larger in trunk diameter than those from the resistant population, which was main explanatory factor for all reproductive traits. However, both populations had equivalent proportions of achenes with embryos. The declining population had similar herbivory rates to the resistant one in 2009, and significantly lower in 2011. The recorded herbivory was below 3% of leaf area lost, which is very low for the tropics. The mortality rates recently observed did not show significant effects in reproduction and could facilitate the establishment of the new generation, since there is understory light available and remained individuals are still reproducing actively

Digitoxin improves cardiovascular autonomic control in rats with heart failure

The effects of chronic treatment with digitoxin on arterial baroreceptor sensitivity for heart rate (HR) and renal sympathetic nerve activity (rSNA) control, cardiopulmonary reflex, and autonomic HR control in an animal model of heart failure were evaluated. Wistar rats were treated with digitoxin, which was administered in their daily feed (1mg/Kg/day), for 60 days. The following three experimental groups were evaluated: Sham, heart failure (HF), and HF treated with digitoxin (HF+DIG). We observed an increase in rSNA in the HF group (190±29pps,n=5) compared with the Sham group (98±14pps,n=5). Digitoxin treatment prevented an increase in rSNA (98±14pps,n=7). Therefore, arterial baroreceptor sensitivity was decreased in the HF group (-1.24±0.07bpm/mmHg,n=8) compared with the Sham group (-2.27±0.23bpm/mmHg,n=6). Digitoxin did not alter arterial baroreceptor sensitivity in the HF+DIG group. Finally, the HF group showed an increased low frequency band (LFb: 23±5ms2,n=8) and a decreased high frequency band (HFb: 77±5ms2,n=8) compared with the Sham group (LFb: 14±3ms2; HFb: 86±3ms2,n=9); the HF+DIG group exhibited normalized parameters (LFb: 15±3ms2;HFb: 85±3ms2,n=9). In conclusion, the benefits of decreasing rSNA are not directly related to improvements in peripheral cardiovascular reflexes; such occurrences are due in part to changes in the central nuclei of the brain responsible for autonomic cardiovascular control.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Comparative efficacy of the conventional and automated methods for determining neutral and acid detergent fiber

Different methods are available to determine fiber content in feeds. However, information about the accuracy of this methods for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber ADF contents estimation (obtained with the use of TNT-100 nylon filtering bags) is very limited related to the large number of ruminant feed analysis. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the automated and conventional Van Soest methods to determine NDF and ADF contents for bovine cattle and feed supplements. Four classes of samples (tropical forage, maize silage hybrid, concentrated supplements and bovine cattlecattle) were evaluated for NDF and ADF contents using conventional and automated methods. Analysis involved a hierarchical factorial scheme with an entirely randomized design executed with repetitions. It was concluded that the automated method procedure generated similar results when compared to the conventional method for the determination of NDF contents in tropical forage, bovine cattle and maize silage samples, although is not recommended for samples with a high starch content. This system was not efficient for ADF determination in the evaluated samples.Existem vários métodos para a determinação da concentração de fibra em alimentos. Entretanto, poucas são as informações disponíveis a respeito da acurácia nas estimativas dos teores de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), obtidos por meio da utilização do equipamento automatizado empregando-se a utilização de saquinho de filtragem TNT-100, para a grande maioria dos alimentos fornecidos na dieta dos ruminantes. Este trabalho teve como objetivo comparar a eficácia dos métodos automatizado e convencional utilizados na determinação da FDN e FDA em amostras de alimentos e fezes de bovino. Para a determinação da FDN e FDA, quatro classes de amostras (forrageiras tropicais, silagens de híbridos de milho, suplementos concentrados e fezes de bovinos) foram avaliadas usando-se o método convencional e automatizado. Os dados foram analisados utilizando o esquema hierárquico fatorial em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições. Concluiu-se que o procedimento método automatizado apresentou resultados semelhantes aos do método convencional para a determinação da concentração de FDN em forragem tropical, fezes de bovino e em amostras de silagem de milho, mas não é recomendado para as amostras com elevado teor de amido. Este sistema não foi eficiente para a determinação da FDA em qualquer uma das amostras utilizadas

Experiências de humanização por estudantes de medicina Humanization experiences for students of medicine

Tendo em vista as dimensões da humanização na atenção e formação do profissional de saúde, as reformas curriculares implantadas nacionalmente e a experiência de reestruturação do projeto pedagógico da faculdade em estudo, esta pesquisa objetivou analisar as percepções de discentes de medicina referentes às experiências que possibilitaram o desenvolvimento de conteúdos, habilidades e comportamentos voltados à humanização. Procedeuse a um estudo de caráter qualitativo, com base nas narrativas de vivências significativas de cuidado e acolhimento, de 63 estudantes do segundo e do quarto anos. A análise embasou-se no conteúdo simbólico das redações, enfocando aspectos pedagógicos, psicológicos e éticos. Buscou-se ampliar a diversidade de pontos de vista e valorizar as mensagens que demonstravam percepções, impressões e intuições. Constataram-se como marcantes, principalmente, as atividades práticas que acontecem em diferentes cenários, quando se propicia aos discentes o acompanhamento, a responsabilização e o contato com o sofrimento perante a doença e a morte. Por meio de modelos docentes e profissionais, ou na relação direta com pacientes e famílias, tais situações criam movimentos de perturbação e desassossegos que implicam possíveis sentidos à humanização.<br>Given the dimensions of humanization in both the care and in the training of health professionals, the curriculum reforms implemented nationally and the educational project restructuring experience at the school under review, this article sought to analyze the medical students' views regarding the experiences that enabled them to develop content, skills and behaviors aimed at humanization. The authors conducted a qualitative study among 63 sophomore and senior students based on their accounts of significant experiences involving care and receptivity. The analysis was based on the symbolic content of the essays and focused on educational, psychological and ethical aspects involved. An attempt was made to broaden the diversity of viewpoints and add value to messages that showed perceptions, impressions and intuitions. It was shown that most striking ones were practical activities that took place in different scenarios, when students were required to monitor, assigned responsibilities related to, and came into contact with suffering caused by disease and death. By employing academic and professional models, or in the direct relationship with patients and families, such situations create movements of disturbance and unrest and direct possible senses towards humanization