Remote Sensing Applications for Abating Aircraft–Bird Strike Risks in Southeast Brazil

The rising number of aircraft collisions with birds requires the development of appropriate mitigation measures to control their populations in the vicinity of airports. The black vulture (Coragyps atratus; vultures) is considered one of the most dangerous species for aviation in Brazil. To better understand the spatial distribution patterns of flying vultures and the risks they may pose to aviation, we studied natural and anthropogenic superficial factors and then numerically estimated and mapped the risk of collision with birds over the Airport Safety Area (ASA) for the Amarais Airport and Presidente Prudente Airport in the southeast part of Brazil. To conduct our research, we surveyed soaring black vultures monthly between September 2012 and August 2013 from 26 points within 20-km ASA zones. We obtained the environmental parameters (i.e., relief, surface temperature, surface covering type, and anthropogenic pressure) from satellite imagery and georeferenced them with our vulture survey. The tabulated data were examined using Spearman’s rank correlation and principal component analysis to determine if any the relationships existed between vulture flight patterns and ASA environmental characteristics. We found that the contrast in surface temperatures correlated well with the intensity of vulture soaring flights. Vultures tend to soar using the strongest thermals in their surroundings. Relief parameters, including altitude above sea level, slope exposure, and inclination, were not related with the vulture soaring activity. Water bodies and roadways were the most attractive landscapes for soaring vultures. We recorded the least number of soaring vultures over the uninterrupted urbanized lands. However, the scattered enclaves of urban settlement surrounded by natural and rural landscapes were selected by soaring birds. To mitigate the bird strike risk in ASA zones, we propose that managers should plot the objects generating thermals that attract vultures on risk assessment maps and reroute aviation to avoid them

Comportamento alimentar, biogeografia e estudo bioacústico de periquito rico, Brotogeris tirica (aves, Psittacidae) no Estado de São Paulo

O capítulo teve como objetivo descrever o comportamento alimentar de Brotogeris tirica no Estado de São Paulo. Para isso foram coletados dados em quatro áreas de estudo, sobre a dieta da espécie, bem como sua sazonalidade, chegando ao resultado de 28 espécies vegetais, exóticas e nativas, evidenciando seu alto grau de generalismo. Das espécies vegetais que forneceram alimentos à B. tirica, foram consideradas mais importantes Chorisia speciosa e Syagrus romanzoffiana por fornecerem alimento a maior parte do ano. Metade dos 92 registros de alimentação foram do item polpa, seguido pela outra metade dividida entre sementes e flores. Uma revisão bibliográfica foi feita e os dados obtidos foram compilados de maneira à cobrir o maior número de espécies vegetais consumidas pro B. tirica possível. A partir de observações das estratégias que a espécie mais utilizou para obtenção do alimento foram definidos seus principais padrões de obtenção do alimento, aqui dividos em dois métodos: direto, sem auxílio dos pés e indireto, com auxílio de um dos pés, onde a lateralidade foi avaliada e evidenciou o canhotismo na espécie. Outros padrões comportamentais também foram brevemente discutidos como o comportamento de manutenção e a partilha do local de alimentação e que, por conseqüência deste último, foi feita uma comparação com a dieta de seu congênere Brotogeris chiriri, já que em uma das áreas de estudo estas espécies foram encontradas se alimentando juntas e houve necessidade de avaliar o grau de similaridade das dietas. Aplicou-­‐se o índice de similaridade de Jaccard e encontrou-­‐se como resultado que as dietas são pouco similares e com isso a exclusão de uma das espécies por competição foi descartadaNot availabl

Effects of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery: an international prospective cohort study an international prospective cohort study

We aimed to determine the impact of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery during the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We performed an international prospective cohort study including patients undergoing elective surgery in October 2020. Isolation was defined as the period before surgery during which patients did not leave their house or receive visitors from outside their household. The primary outcome was postoperative pulmonary complications, adjusted in multivariable models for measured confounders. Pre-defined sub-group analyses were performed for the primary outcome. A total of 96,454 patients from 114 countries were included and overall, 26,948 (27.9%) patients isolated before surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded in 1947 (2.0%) patients of which 227 (11.7%) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients who isolated pre-operatively were older, had more respiratory comorbidities and were more commonly from areas of high SARS-CoV-2 incidence and high-income countries. Although the overall rates of postoperative pulmonary complications were similar in those that isolated and those that did not (2.1% vs 2.0%, respectively), isolation was associated with higher rates of postoperative pulmonary complications after adjustment (adjusted OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.05–1.36, p = 0.005). Sensitivity analyses revealed no further differences when patients were categorised by: pre-operative testing; use of COVID-19-free pathways; or community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. The rate of postoperative pulmonary complications increased with periods of isolation longer than 3 days, with an OR (95%CI) at 4–7 days or ≥ 8 days of 1.25 (1.04–1.48), p = 0.015 and 1.31 (1.11–1.55), p = 0.001, respectively. Isolation before elective surgery might be associated with a small but clinically important increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Longer periods of isolation showed no reduction in the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. These findings have significant implications for global provision of elective surgical care. We aimed to determine the impact of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery during the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We performed an international prospective cohort study including patients undergoing elective surgery in October 2020. Isolation was defined as the period before surgery during which patients did not leave their house or receive visitors from outside their household. The primary outcome was postoperative pulmonary complications, adjusted in multivariable models for measured confounders. Pre-defined sub-group analyses were performed for the primary outcome. A total of 96,454 patients from 114 countries were included and overall, 26,948 (27.9%) patients isolated before surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded in 1947 (2.0%) patients of which 227 (11.7%) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients who isolated pre-operatively were older, had more respiratory comorbidities and were more commonly from areas of high SARS-CoV-2 incidence and high-income countries. Although the overall rates of postoperative pulmonary complications were similar in those that isolated and those that did not (2.1% vs 2.0%, respectively), isolation was associated with higher rates of postoperative pulmonary complications after adjustment (adjusted OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.05–1.36, p = 0.005). Sensitivity analyses revealed no further differences when patients were categorised by: pre-operative testing; use of COVID-19-free pathways; or community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. The rate of postoperative pulmonary complications increased with periods of isolation longer than 3 days, with an OR (95%CI) at 4–7 days or ≥ 8 days of 1.25 (1.04–1.48), p = 0.015 and 1.31 (1.11–1.55), p = 0.001, respectively. Isolation before elective surgery might be associated with a small but clinically important increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Longer periods of isolation showed no reduction in the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. These findings have significant implications for global provision of elective surgical care