Rapid assessment protocol and determination of restrictive variables to exotic spread: a study on fish in River Doce lakes (MG, Brazil)

Orientador: Miguel Petrere JuniorTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo: As invasões de espécies exóticas são muito comuns hoje em dia e causam problemas sociais, ambientais e econômicos em todo o mundo. Para conhecer estas invasões é importante o estudo de procedimentos rápidos de avaliação da incidência de exóticos e de variáveis que possam limitar a sua dispersão e colonização. Neste trabalho, testei a eficácia de um método de inventário rápido (RAP) para obter a incidência de peixes exóticos em lagos e relacionar a ocorrência destes peixes às variáveis locais e espaciais associadas aos lagos, no trecho médio da bacia do rio Doce, MG. Um conjunto de técnicas passivas e ativas de pescaria consistiu o RAP, que foi usado em 74 lagos e comparado com técnicas de mais de 100 vezes mais esforço amostral. A ocorrência dos peixes exóticos foi relacionada a variáveis locais (área, forma, cobertura de vegetação dos lagos, pH, oxigênio, turbidez e condutividade) e espaciais (tamanho do corredor de dispersão) e associadas com caracteres bionômicos dos peixes (forma de corpo e presença de mecanismos acessórios de respiração) e o interesse dos pescadores locais. O RAP foi efetivo e detectou peixes exóticos mesmo quando estes ocorreram em baixa abundância. Particularmente as informações obtidas de pescadores foram de grande importância para os seus resultados. A probabilidade de ocorrência de tucunarés e apaiaris aumentaram com o incremento da área dos lagos, mas nenhuma outra variável local afetou a ocorrência de peixes exóticos na região. A distância dos lagos aos riachos, considerando a sua cobertura vegetal, é muito importante para explicar a incidência de piranhas e tucunarés nos lagos da região. Estes resultados indicam que o RAP que usei é um método recomendável para avaliar a dispersão de peixes exóticos já que apresenta resultados confiáveis. Além disto, as limitações de ocorrência de peixes exóticos são determinadas basicamente pela distância que os peixes têm de percorrer para se dispersarem. Apesar dos peixes exóticos terem um grande potencial de invasão, a sua dispersão pode ser monitorada pelo inventário rápido sugerido, que é uma ferramenta importante para o estudo do seu impacto e, portanto, importante para direcionar nossas tomadas de decisão a respeito da conservação do ambiente naturalAbstract: Biotic species invasions are very common nowadays and cause severe social, environmental and economic problems around the world. To understand species invasions is important to study rapid assessment protocols of exotic species incidence and the variables that may limit its spread and colonization. Here I tested the efficacy of a rapid assessment protocol (RAP) to analyze exotic fish incidence in lakes and to relate them to local and spatial variables in river Doce lakes. Four different techniques constitute the RAP used in 74 lakes and compared to another protocol with hundred times more sampling effort. The exotic fish incidence was associated to local variables (area and lake form, amount of macrophyte mats, pH, oxygen, turbidity and conductivity) and spatial (waterway length and plant cover) associated to fish attributes (body form and occurrence of additional respiration organ) and fishermen interesting in the fish. The RAP was an effective protocol in exotic fish determination including when these fish occurred with low abundance. Fishermen information was relevant to RAP results. Tucunaré and apaiari probability of occurrence were improved with the lakes area increase but any other local variable affected exotic fish occurrence in lakes. The waterway length considering plant cover is very important to explain piranha and tucunaré incidence. These results indicate that the RAP is a good protocol to evaluate exotic fish spread and that exotics spread is limited by only the waterway length. Despite the large spread and colonization potential of exotics fish of this study, their spread may be monitored by suggested RAP, an important tool to study exotics impact on native environment and to conduct our decisions about environmental conservationDoutoradoDoutor em Ecologi

Prospecção Científica e Tecnológica de Espinheira Santa Maytenus Ilicifolia e Maytenus Aquifolium

Espinheira santa has medicinal applications indicated by the Ministry of Health in Brazil, but its scientific and technological knowledge still without a critical analysis. This study aimed to prospect such knowledge and potential applications for 1960-2020 year’s period. It was observed that 118 of the 136 scientific publications are Brazilian and addressed biochemistry (66), agriculture (30) and anti-ulcer and antioxidant effects (15) plus 16 more areas (25). There are only 17 patent applications, belonging to Japan (9), Brazil (6), China (1) and Russia (1). Although scientific research covers 20 fields, patents focus on topical use or oral ingestion for anti-ulcer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant purposes for humans and animals. Considering the characteristics of espinheira santa and the importance of Brazil in the production of associated knowledge, it is important to remove barriers to encourage the application of scientific knowledge to this and other plants of the national flora.Apesar de a espinheira santa ser indicada em aplicações medicinais pelo Ministério da Saúde no Brasil, não há ainda uma análise crítica a respeito do conhecimento científico e tecnológico produzido a seu respeito. Este estudo prospectou tais conhecimentos e as potenciais aplicações utilizadas no período compreendido entre os anos de 1960 e 2020 por meio de prospecção científica e prospecção tecnológica. Observa-se que 118 das 136 publicações científicas são brasileiras e abordam as áreas de bioquímica (66), agricultura (30) e efeitos antiúlcera e antioxidante (15), além de mais 16 áreas diferentes (25). Foram identificados 17 pedidos de patente, pertencentes ao Japão (9), Brasil (6), China (1) e Rússia (1). Apesar de a pesquisa científica ser distribuída em 20 campos, as patentes focam o uso tópico ou de ingestão via oral com fins antiúlcera, anti-inflamatório e antioxidante para humanos e para animais. Considerando as características da espinheira santa e o destaque do Brasil na produção de conhecimento associado, é relevante a remoção de barreiras para estimular a aplicação do conhecimento científico a esta e outras plantas da flora nacional

Spatio-temporal segregation and size distribution of fish assemblages as related to non-native species occurrence in the middle rio doce valley, MG, Brazil

The lakes in the middle rio Doce Valley (MG) are suffering impacts due to the introduction of invasive fish species, mainly piscivorous species like red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri and peacock bass Cichla kelberi. Fishes were collected in bimonthly samples conducted at ten lakes along a year. The present study showed that the composition of native fish assemblages is significantly related to the presence and type of non-native species. Fish species distribution among lakes can be explained by differences in species body size: smaller native species are less concentrated in lakes with invasive piscivores, which is in accordance with the hypothesis that they have greater susceptibility to predation by invaders. Another probable cause for this correlation is the proximity of lakes to the drainage system, which could explain both the non-native incidence and the turnover of native species composition. Furthermore, temporal variability in species composition was significantly higher in invaded lakes. This last factor may be linked to seasonal flood pulses, which carry immigrant fishes from streams in the vicinity. The metacommunity framework can bring insights for future studies in such spatially structured systems, and the approach should improve our understanding of processes underlying species composition as well as help direct conservation-focused management plans. Copyright © 2011 Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia

Neuroprotection by adenosine in the brain: From A1 receptor activation to A2A receptor blockade

Adenosine is a neuromodulator that operates via the most abundant inhibitory adenosine A1 receptors (A1Rs) and the less abundant, but widespread, facilitatory A2ARs. It is commonly assumed that A1Rs play a key role in neuroprotection since they decrease glutamate release and hyperpolarize neurons. In fact, A1R activation at the onset of neuronal injury attenuates brain damage, whereas its blockade exacerbates damage in adult animals. However, there is a down-regulation of central A1Rs in chronic noxious situations. In contrast, A2ARs are up-regulated in noxious brain conditions and their blockade confers robust brain neuroprotection in adult animals. The brain neuroprotective effect of A2AR antagonists is maintained in chronic noxious brain conditions without observable peripheral effects, thus justifying the interest of A2AR antagonists as novel protective agents in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, ischemic brain damage and epilepsy. The greater interest of A2AR blockade compared to A1R activation does not mean that A1R activation is irrelevant for a neuroprotective strategy. In fact, it is proposed that coupling A2AR antagonists with strategies aimed at bursting the levels of extracellular adenosine (by inhibiting adenosine kinase) to activate A1Rs might constitute the more robust brain neuroprotective strategy based on the adenosine neuromodulatory system. This strategy should be useful in adult animals and especially in the elderly (where brain pathologies are prevalent) but is not valid for fetus or newborns where the impact of adenosine receptors on brain damage is different

Commissioning and performance of the CMS pixel tracker with cosmic ray muons

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published verion of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe pixel detector of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment consists of three barrel layers and two disks for each endcap. The detector was installed in summer 2008, commissioned with charge injections, and operated in the 3.8 T magnetic field during cosmic ray data taking. This paper reports on the first running experience and presents results on the pixel tracker performance, which are found to be in line with the design specifications of this detector. The transverse impact parameter resolution measured in a sample of high momentum muons is 18 microns.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Alignment of the CMS silicon tracker during commissioning with cosmic rays

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe CMS silicon tracker, consisting of 1440 silicon pixel and 15 148 silicon strip detector modules, has been aligned using more than three million cosmic ray charged particles, with additional information from optical surveys. The positions of the modules were determined with respect to cosmic ray trajectories to an average precision of 3–4 microns RMS in the barrel and 3–14 microns RMS in the endcap in the most sensitive coordinate. The results have been validated by several studies, including laser beam cross-checks, track fit self-consistency, track residuals in overlapping module regions, and track parameter resolution, and are compared with predictions obtained from simulation. Correlated systematic effects have been investigated. The track parameter resolutions obtained with this alignment are close to the design performance.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Performance of the CMS drift-tube chamber local trigger with cosmic rays

The performance of the Local Trigger based on the drift-tube system of the CMS experiment has been studied using muons from cosmic ray events collected during the commissioning of the detector in 2008. The properties of the system are extensively tested and compared with the simulation. The effect of the random arrival time of the cosmic rays on the trigger performance is reported, and the results are compared with the design expectations for proton-proton collisions and with previous measurements obtained with muon beams

Performance of the CMS Level-1 trigger during commissioning with cosmic ray muons and LHC beams

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe CMS Level-1 trigger was used to select cosmic ray muons and LHC beam events during data-taking runs in 2008, and to estimate the level of detector noise. This paper describes the trigger components used, the algorithms that were executed, and the trigger synchronisation. Using data from extended cosmic ray runs, the muon, electron/photon, and jet triggers have been validated, and their performance evaluated. Efficiencies were found to be high, resolutions were found to be good, and rates as expected.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Performance of the CMS hadron calorimeter with cosmic ray muons and LHC beam data

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe CMS Hadron Calorimeter in the barrel, endcap and forward regions is fully commissioned. Cosmic ray data were taken with and without magnetic field at the surface hall and after installation in the experimental hall, hundred meters underground. Various measurements were also performed during the few days of beam in the LHC in September 2008. Calibration parameters were extracted, and the energy response of the HCAL determined from test beam data has been checked.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)