Geophagy in two parrot species in southern Pantanal, Brazil

Abstract: Geophagy is a habit recorded for parrots, which seek earthy or soil-like substances presumably to help them in digestive functions, whether mechanical or chemical ones. Few studies are devoted to this feeding peculiarity in the Pantanal region. Here are reported two events of geophagy, for the Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) and the Nanday Parakeet (Aratinga nenday) in the Pantanal subregions of the Miranda-Abobral and Nhecolândia, Mato Grosso do Sul, respectively. Keywords: geophagy, Pantanal, psittacines, parrots, wetland, feeding ecology. SEVERO-NETO, F. Geofagia em duas espécies de psitacídeos no Pantanal Sul, Brasil. Biota Neotrop. 12(2): http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v12n2/pt/abstract?short-communication+bn00612022012 Resumo: A geofagia é um hábito conhecido em psitacídeos, que se alimentam de terra ou argila supostamente por ajudar em funções digestivas, sejam mecânicas ou químicas. Poucos estudos são dedicados a essa peculiaridade alimentar na região do Pantanal. É feito aqui o registro de dois eventos de geofagia, para a arara-canindé (Ara ararauna) e o periquito-de-cabeça-preta (Aratinga nenday) nas sub-regiões pantaneiras da Nhecolândia e Miranda-Abobral, Mato Grosso do Sul, respectivamente. Palavras-chave: geofagia, Pantanal, psittacidae, araras, área úmida, ecologia alimentar

First record and extended distribution of Otothyropsis piribebuy (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) in Brazil

Cascudinhos are a group of small benthic fishes included in the Hypoptopomatinae subfamily, inhabiting small to moderate streams and rivers within the Neotropical region, from Venezuela to Northern Argentina. Until now, Otothyropsis piribebuy originally described from the rio Paraguay basin, in Paraguay, is the only species of the genus not recorded in Brazil. Recent samples in the rio Tererê, rio Paraguay basin, Brazil, revealed a population of Otothyropsis with uncertain taxonomic identity. Therefore, the study aimed to unveil the distribution of Otothyropsis within Brazilian territory. External morphology, osteology, measurements, and counts (plates, teeth, and rays) of these specimens from rio Tererê were compared to data from the original description of O. piribebuy, and also with specimens of O. piribebuy sampled in Paraguayan territory. Observations indicated no differences among the analyzed specimens. Furthermore, a Principal Component Analysis (PCA), carried out using log-transformed measures from Brazilian and Paraguayan specimens, showed no separation of these populations, also indicating that all analyzed specimens pertain to the same species. Based on this, a prediction map of distribution, using Maximum Entropy, was produced. The correct identification of spatial range of occurrence is an essential step to ensure the conservation of species, and the extended distribution of Otothyropsis piribebuy was confirmed, enhancing the list of neotropical fish from Brazil

Gestão Hospitalar: identificação das práticas de aprendizagem existentes em hospitais

The continuous improvement in management process of hospitals, has been widely related to concepts as evidence-based management, knowledge management and organizational learning. However, there are few articles identifying and presenting these practices in the health organizations. This is the objective of the present article. First, a historical analysis of health management in Brazil was conducted, considering the decentralization process. In this context, we perform a research to identify learning methodologies in the sector, from documentary research. A change of mental model in the area, looking for a systemic approach can be perceived. In the same way, the process of knowledge construction in these organizations generally started from the medical practice. One evidenced despite the learning process emphasizes the individual learning and not it organizational learning.A profissionalização da gestão em hospitais, a partir de diferentes práticas da administração, tem sido amplamente discutida, à luz de conceitos como gestão baseada em evidência, gestão do conhecimento e aprendizagem organizacional. Entretanto, são poucos os artigos identificando e discutindo essas práticas nas organizações de saúde. Este é o objetivo do presente artigo. Buscou-se realizar uma análise histórica da gestão em saúde no Brasil, considerando uma mudança a partir do processo de descentralização. Foi realizado o mapeamento das práticas de gestão enfatizando-se as metodologias de aprendizagem existentes no setor, a partir de pesquisas documentais. Pôde-se perceber uma mudança de modelo mental na área, passando de um enfoque linear para um enfoque sistêmico. Da mesma forma, identificou-se o processo de construção do conhecimento nessas organizações, especialmente a partir da prática médica. Constatou-se ainda que o processo de aprendizagem enfatiza a aprendizagem individual e não a aprendizagem organizacional

Estado de conservação de Astyanax biotae (Characiformes: Characidae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, bacia do alto Paraná, Brasil

Astyanax biotae é uma espécie originalmente descrita em um afluente do Rio Paranapanema, bacia do alto Paraná. Durante amostragens realizadas em drenagens dos rios Ivinhema e Verde, no sistema do alto Paraná, em Mato Grosso do Sul, exemplares de A. biotae foram coletados em cabeceiras de pequenos riachos e em lagoas de várzea, tanto em Unidades de Conservação como em áreas de agricultura intensiva. Os dados morfomerísticos de 20 indivíduos analisados foram similares aos da série-tipo. Exemplares testemunhos estão depositados nas coleções ictiológicas da UFMS (ZUFMS), UEMS (CPUEMS) e UNESP (DZSJRP). Com base nos critérios da IUCN, sugerimos sua classificação como Menos Preocupante (LC) no estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, considerando principalmente a inexistência de ameaças efetivas em duas das áreas de ocorrência da espécie, situadas dentro de Unidades de Conservação. No entanto, reforçamos a urgência em medidas para a proteção das regiões de cabeceiras de riachos, a fim de evitar o aumento do desmatamento, assoreamento e poluição agrícola, problemas recorrentes no Cerrado, que comprometem severamente a manutenção desses hábitats e suas espécies. É necessário investir em estudos sobre a biologia da espécie e ampliar as amostragens, buscando diminuir os vazios amostrais ainda existentes nas drenagens estaduais

Incorporating costs, thresholds and spatial extents for selecting stream bioindicators in an ecotone between two Brazilian biodiversity hotspots

Biomonitoring is critical for characterizing and monitoring status, spatial patterns, and long-term trends in the ecological condition of freshwater ecosystems. The selection of cost-effective bioindicators is a critical step in establishing such monitoring programs. Key indicator considerations are a reliable response to anthropogenic disturbances, a high benefit-cost-ratio and sensitivity at multiple spatial extents. We evaluated non-linear responses of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) and fish to the effects of native vegetation loss within buffers of 100 m and 1000 m and assessed the sampling and processing costs involved for each assemblage. We sampled 37 neotropical stream sites in the Formoso River network, a karstic region of the Bodoquena Plateau, midwest Brazil, lying in the ecotone between the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biological hotspots. We used TITAN (threshold indicator taxa analysis) to identify six indicator taxa, four EPT genera and two fish species. The four EPT genera had low negative thresholds to native vegetation loss, whereas the two fish species had positive thresholds. Thresholds were lower for the 100 m buffers than the 1000 m buffers for EPT. The most sensitive taxon (Macronema, Trichoptera) had a threshold of 0% native vegetation loss in the 100 m buffers and nearly 40% in the 1000 m buffers. For taxa richness, we found no non-linear response to the effects of native vegetation loss for buffer extent nor assemblage. The total cost for EPT biomonitoring was US$3,616; whereas for fish, the total was US$ 1,901. Although fish were less expensive than EPT, they did not respond negatively to native vegetation loss and their positive threshold started at 48%, a level of vegetation loss that was highly disruptive of EPT. Therefore, we do not recommend using fish to monitor the effects of native vegetation loss on headwater streams in the Bodoquena Plateau. Although EPT monitoring costs 52% more than fish assemblage monitoring, it detected earlier impacts of the effects of native vegetation loss on stream biota, especially in the 100 m buffer. Therefore, EPT are more cost-effective early warning indicators for monitoring the effects of native vegetation loss in Bodoquena Plateau headwaters

Alterações nos marcadores aterotrombóticos em atletas usuários de esteróides anabolizantes

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Efeito da Aplicação de Flunixin Meglumine Sobre a Taxa de Gestação de Ovelhas Inseminadas via Transcervical

Background:  :  :  : In livestock animals, which artificial insemination (AI) is widely spread, a healthy uterine environment is an important factor that should be taken into account for an adequate fertilization and establishment and development of pregnancy. The main limitation to spread the frozen semen insemination in sheep is the high costs of the laparoscopy AI and the difficulty of traversing the cervix. To overcome problems associated with transcervical artificial insemination, new techniques and instruments have been proposed. The manipulation of cervix during transcervical artificial insemination in sheep can lead to a local inflammatory reaction that releases inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandins and cytokines, that either can negatively affect the uterine environment and consequently, the conception. In this regard, the injection of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAI) at the moment of AI could reduce the secretion of inflammatory mediators, promoting a healthier uterine environment favorable to conception. The flunixin meglumine is a NSAI which reduces the synthesis of PGF2á by the inibition of the cyclooxigenase. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of flunixin meglumine (non-steroid antiinflammatory) injection on pregnancy rate of ewes inseminated by the transcervical technique. Materials, Methods & Results: In this experiment 69 pluriparous ewes were used, 29 in control group (CG) and 40 in flunixin meglumine group (FMG). The estrus detection was performed twice daily for 5 days. The ewes detected with paint in the low back were considered in estrus. The AI procedure was performed 8 hours after the estrus detection. At the AI time, the ewes were separated according to body condition score in two experimental groups. The ewes of the FM Group were injected with 1.1 mg/Kg of flunixin meglumine, im, 1 hour before the AI procedure. In order to locate the ostium, a vaginal speculum and a source of external light were used; whereas the fixation and traction of the ostium were performed with an Allis clamp, allowing the penetration of the semen applicator throw the vagina and cervix. The insemination procedure was performed 8 hours after estrous detection. There was no difference (P > 0.05) on the pregnancy rate between groups, whereas the Control group had 68.9% and the FM group had 60.0% of pregnancy. Discussion: The result demonstrates that the local inflammatory reaction caused by the traction of cervix was not detrimental to uterine environment and fertilization, since a high pregnancy rate was detected in both groups. Although the hypothesis of this study was not supported by the results, the high pregnancy rate detected in this experiment was higher than the results normally detected. Several studies have shown low pregnancy rates when transcervical artificial insemination with frozen semen is used associated to protocols of estrous synchronization. The flunixin meglumine did not improve the pregnancy rate, probably due to the insemination procedure adopted, since the traction of the cervix were performed gently, and consequently minimized the tissue damage. Thus, the inflammatory reaction may not have been sufficiently extensive as to lead to alteration of the uterine environment. These results suggested that flunixin meglumine injection did not influence the conception when was used prior to the transcervical insemination