Trophic relationships among fish assemblages in a mudflat within Brazilian marine protected area

Abstract The present study on the temporal variations in diet and the trophic guilds of dominant fish species in a tidal mudflat, during the dry and rainy seasons. We aimed at classifying the diet composition of 17 species in the Mamanguape river estuary, northeastern Brazil, identifying the dominant food components and evaluating the effects of seasonality on the guild organization. Diet varied little between species and seasons; during the rainy season, the diets seemed to be more heterogeneous. According to the importance of prey in the diets, 5 primary feeding guilds were identified: (1) Detritivore, (2) Zooplanktivore, (3) Zoobenthivore-epifaune, (4) Zoobenthivore-infaune, and (5) Piscivore. Most fishes fed on a diverse range of food items but relied heavily on the zooplankton preys. Several fish species showed a tendency for a specialised diet, with almost all species showing some degree of opportunistic feeding. A high degree of diet overlap was found among some species; however, the presence of exploitative competition could not be determined

Proposed bycatch-reduction modifications of shrimp fyke nets used in South American lagoons

Background. Shrimp fisheries using fyke nets have been associated with a massive acquisition of teleost fishes as bycatch, potentially resulting in the decimation of their stocks. Based on this assumption, the presently reported study intended to test an alternative modification of a commonly used fyke net, in order to minimize the impact of its low selectivity. Materials and methods. To evaluate the alternative design proposed in this work, a total of 44 sampling efforts, including 22 with a control gear (CG) and 22 with a modified gear (MG), were conducted at a subtropical coastal lagoon system located in southern Brazil. In all trials, the fyke nets were installed at the fishing area approximately at 18:00 h and removed approximately at 06:00 h. The duration of each trial was nearly 12 h, which was similar to the catching time preferred by local fishermen. Results. Bycatch (BC) was preponderant in both modalities but the results showed that MG presented a reduction by 66 percentage points in BC catches, being more selective than CG. Additionally, the non-parametric test showed no significant differences of shrimp catches between the fishing gears used (MG and CG). So, the tested bycatch reduction devices (BRD) reduced the bony fishes acquisition preserving the volume of the target catch. Conclusion. The vertical opening reduction due the adoption of guiding panel + fan upper panel contributed to bycatch reduction, being a consistent BRD to reduce the potential impacts of this fishing gear over the bony fishes stocks

Perfil de pacientes portadores de microrganismos resistentes em uma unidade de pronto atendimento de um hospital universitário brasileiro

El objetivo fue identificar el perfil de los pacientes portadores de microorganismos resistentes en la unidad de emergencia de un hospital universitario. Fue un estudio transversal, de abril de 2004 a septiembre de 2005, donde se utilizaron los registros de pacientes y los resultados microbiológicos. Fueron consideradas informaciones de 52 pacientes para el estudio. El tiempo de internamiento fue de 15,9 días; el uso de ventilación mecánica fue de 52,4%, catéter venoso central 42,9% y la sonda vesical de demora 4,8%. El 71,2% de los pacientes estaban bajo precauciones de contacto y la mortalidad fue de 59,6%. Los principales microorganismos resistentes fueron A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa e S. aureus. Los resultados reafirman la importancia de iniciativas de las comisiones de control de infección con esta clientela y de reflexiones sobre las políticas institucional y de salud pública. Se sugiere reevaluar el costo-beneficio de las directrices de atención a los pacientes de tamaña Enfermería Global Nº 10 Mayo 2007 Página 2 gravedad y riesgos en una unidad cuyo objetivo es la observación y establecimiento de parámetros inmediatos para la toma de decisiones clínicas.Identificou-se o perfil dos pacientes portadores de microrganismos resistentes na sala de emergência de um hospital universitário. Tratou-se de um estudo transversal, de abril de 2004 a setembro de 2005; utilizaram-se prontuários e resultados microbiológicos. 52 pacientes fizeram parte do estudo. O tempo de internação foi de 15,9 dias; o uso da ventilação mecânica foi de 52,4%, cateter venoso central 42,9%. Sonda vesical de demora 4,8%. 71,2% dos pacientes ficaram em precauções de contato e a mortalidade foi de 59,6%. Os microrganismos resistentes foram A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus.... Os resultados reafirmam a importância de iniciativas das comissões de controle de infecção com esta clientela e de reflexões das políticas institucional e de saúde pública. Sugere-se ainda reavaliar o custo-benefício das diretrizes do atendimento de pacientes de tamanha gravidade e riscos em uma unidade cujo objetivo é a observação e estabelecimento de parâmetros imediatos para a tomada de decisão clinica

Evaluation Of Innovative Strategies In The Organization Of Primary Health Care

Objective: To compare the performance of Primary Care Units according to the implementation of new arrangements and strategies in primary care and mental health. Methodological Procedures: Evaluative research with triangulation of methods and theoretical framework of critical hermeneutics, carried out at six Primary Care Units of the two most populous health districts of the city of Campinas (Southeastern Brazil) in 2007. The Primary Care Units were analyzed according to clinical resolution, articulation between the primary care and mental health networks and implementation of health promotion strategies. Two groups were defined by cluster analysis: one with higher and another one with lower degree of implementation of the actions. The groups were compared based on the improvement in clinical follow-up, given by the occurrence of cerebral vascular accident; evaluation of dispensation of psychiatric medicines; focal groups with workers, users and community health agents; and interviews with users and relatives. Inclusive and participatory research strategies were employed. Analysis of Results: There were no pure models, but a mosaic of organizational proposals. Positive advances were identified in the group with higher implementation of innovative strategies in relation to better integration of the community agents in the Units' teams; to the workers' and agents' perception of improvement in the assistance; and to the facility for referrals and assistance of mental health cases. The difficulties identified in both groups were: communication among the levels of care and within the teams, in the implementation of matrix support, and incipient health promotion actions. Conclusions: The development and implementation of mechanisms to fix professionals in Primary Care in large cities are necessary. The community health agents are fundamental to perform the territorial work proposed by the Family Health Strategy, using mechanisms to integrate the community health agents into the healthcare teams in order to counterbalance the tendency to isolation. The researched arrangements proved to be potent to produce this integration.4614350Berra, K., Does nurse case management improve implementation of guidelines for cardiovascular disease risk reduction (2011) J Cardiovasc Nurs, 26 (2), pp. 145-167. , DOI:10.1097/ JCN.0b013e3181ec1337Campbell, S.M., Gately, C., Gask, L., Identifying the patient perspective of the quality of mental healthcare for common chronic problems: a qualitative study (2007) Chronic Illn, 3 (1), pp. 46-65. , DOI:10.1177/1742395307079193Campos, G.W.S., Equipes de referência e apoio especializado matricial: um ensaio sobre a reorganização do trabalho em saúde (1999) Cienc Saude Coletiva, 4 (2), pp. 393-403. , DOI:10.1590/S1413-81231999000200013Denzin, N.K., Lincoln, Y.S., (1994) Handbook of qualitative research, , editors. Thousand Oaks: SageEveritt, B., (1974) Cluster analysis, , LondonHeinemann Educational for the Social Science research Council(Reviews of Current Research, 11)Furtado, J.P., Campos, R.O., Participação, produção de conhecimento e pesquisa avaliativa: a inserção de diferentes atores em uma investigação em saúde mental (2008) Cad Saude Publica, 24 (11), pp. 2671-2680. , DOI:10.1590/S0102-311X2008001100022Gadamer, H.-G., (1997) Verdade e método: traços fundamentais de uma hermenêutica filosófica, , Petrópolis: VozesGondim, S.M.G., Grupos focais como técnica de investigação qualitativa: desafios metodológicos (2002) Paideia (Ribeirao Preto), 12 (24), pp. 149-161. , DOI:10.1590/S0103-863X2002000300004Grant, C.C., Forrest, C.B., Starfield, B., Primary care and health reform in New Zealand (1997) N Z Med J, 110 (1037), pp. 35-39Johnson, C., Managing mental health issues in general practice (2007) Aust Fam Physician, 36 (4), pp. 202-205Lara-Munoz, M.D., Robles-Garcia, R., Orozco, R., Real, T., Chisholm, D., Medina-Mora, M.E., Estudio de costoefectividad del tratamiento de la depresión en México (2010) Salud Ment, 33 (4), pp. 301-308Larizgoitia, I., Starfield, B., Reform of primary health care: the case of Spain (1997) Health Policy, 41 (2), pp. 121-137Milstein, B., Homer, J., Hirsch, G., Analyzing national health reform strategies with a dynamic simulation model (2010) Am J Public Health, 100 (5), pp. 811-819. , DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2009.174490Minayo, M.C.S., Assis, S.G., Ramos de Souza, E., (2005) Avaliação por triangulação de métodos: abordagem de programas sociais, , Rio de Janeiro: Editora FiocruzOnocko-Campos, R., Furtado, J.P., Narrativas: utilização na pesquisa qualitativa em saúde (2008) Rev Saude Publica, 42 (6), pp. 1090-1096. , DOI:10.1590/S0034-89102008005000052Onocko-Campos, R., Baccari, I.P., A intersubjetividade no cuidado à Saúde Mental: narrativas de técnicos e auxiliares de enfermagem de um Centro de Atenção Psicossocial (2011) Cienc Saude Coletiva, 16 (4), pp. 2051-2058. , DOI:10.1590/S1413-81232011000400004Ricoeur, P., (1990) Interpretação e ideologias, , 4. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Francisco AlvesScharager Goldenberg, J., Molina Aguayo, M.L., El trabajo de los psicólogos en los centros de atención primaria del sistema público de salud en Chile (2007) Rev Panam Salud Publica, 22 (3), pp. 149-159. , DOI:10.1590/ S1020-49892007000800001Sjöström, M., Karlsson, A.B., Kaati, G., Yngve, A., Green, L.W., Bygren, L.O., A four week residential program for primary health care patients to control obesity and related heart risk factors: effective application of principles of learning and lifestyle change (1999) Eur J Clin Nutr, 53 (SUPPL. 2), pp. S72-S77Starfield, B., (2002) Atenção Primária: equilíbrio entre necessidades de saúde, serviços e tecnologia, , Brasília (DF): UNESCO/ Ministério da SaúdeStarfield, B., Reinventing primary care: lessons from Canada for the United States (2010) Health Aff (Millwood), 29 (5), pp. 1030-1036. , DOI:10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0002Vedia Urgell, C., Bonet Monne, S., Forcada Vega, C., Parellada Esquius, N., Estudios de utilización de psicofármacos en atención primaria (2005) Aten Primaria, 36 (5), pp. 239-245Wright, J., Harrison, S., McGeorge, M., Patterson, C., Russell, I., Russell, D., Improving the management and referral of patients with transient ischaemic attacks: a change strategy for a health community (2006) Qual Saf Health Care, 15 (1), pp. 9-12. , DOI:10.1136/ qshc.2005.01470

Outbreaks of rhinofacial and rhinopharyngeal zygomycosis in sheep in Paraíba, northeastern Brazil

Two outbreaks of zigomycosis with rhinofacial and two other with rhinopharyngeal lesions involving fungi with filamentous coaenocytic hyphae characteristic of entomoph-thoramycetous fungi are reported in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. One outbreak of rhinofacial zygomycosis occurred during the rainy season affecting 5 sheep. Another outbreak of the clinical form affected one out of 40 sheep during the dry season. Common clinical signs of the rhinofacial infection were bilateral serosanguineous nasal discharge with swelling of nostrils, upper lip, and the skin of the face. At necropsy the nasal mucosa showed dark brownish ulcerated areas which extended from the mucocutaneous region to 10cm inside the nasal vestibule. The mucosa of the hard palate was also ulcerated. The cutting surface of nostrils and palate showed a brownish or red spongeous tissue of friable consistency. One outbreak of rhinopharyngitis took place on an irrigated coconut farm; 7 out of 60 adult sheep were affected. Another outbreak affected a sheep in a flock of 80 during the dry season. Clinical signs as noisy respiration and dyspnoea due to mechanical blockage of the nasal cavities, swelling of the nostrils, and serosanguineous nasal discharge were observed. Six out of 8 sheep in this group showed exophthalmia, keratitis and unilateral corneal ulceration of the eye. The sheep either died of their infection or were euthanized after a clinical course of 7-30 days. At necropsy there was a dense yellow exudate in the nasopharyngeal area affecting the ethmoidal region, turbinate bones, paranasal sinuses, hard and soft palates, orbital cavity, pharynges, regional muscles and lymph nodes. Histopathologically both forms of the disease showed multifocal granulomas with an eosinophilic necrotic reaction (Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon) containing ribbon-type coenocytic hyphae with 7-30mum in diameter similar to hyphae of zygomycetous fungi, possibly Conidiobolus spp. Outbreaks of both forms of mycotic rhinitis are common in northeastern Brazil and in other regions of the country