Pollutants Increase Song Complexity and the Volume of the Brain Area HVC in a Songbird

Environmental pollutants which alter endocrine function are now known to decrease vertebrate reproductive success. There is considerable evidence for endocrine disruption from aquatic ecosystems, but knowledge is lacking with regard to the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Here, we show for the first time that birds foraging on invertebrates contaminated with environmental pollutants, show marked changes in both brain and behaviour. We found that male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) exposed to environmentally relevant levels of synthetic and natural estrogen mimics developed longer and more complex songs compared to control males, a sexually selected trait important in attracting females for reproduction. Moreover, females preferred the song of males which had higher pollutant exposure, despite the fact that experimentally dosed males showed reduced immune function. We also show that the key brain area controlling male song complexity (HVC) is significantly enlarged in the contaminated birds. This is the first evidence that environmental pollutants not only affect, but paradoxically enhance a signal of male quality such as song. Our data suggest that female starlings would bias their choice towards exposed males, with possible consequences at the population level. As the starling is a migratory species, our results suggest that transglobal effects of pollutants on terrestrial vertebrate physiology and reproduction could occur in birds

Características do apoio social oferecido a idosos de área rural assistida pelo PSF Characteristics of social support offered rural elderly persons assisted by PSF

Trata-se de um trabalho epidemiológico do tipo transversal, com o objetivo de descrever as características do apoio social e identificar associações entre as variáveis sociodemográficas e categorias de suporte social, em população rural do Bairro dos Aleixos, no município de Taquarituba &shy; SP. Para medir o apoio social, utilizou-se da escala Medical Outcomes Study (MOS), traduzida para o português e validada em nosso meio. A população caracterizou-se por mulheres, predominantemente da raça branca, entre 60 a 69 anos, casadas e/ou vivendo em concubinatos, de baixa renda e residindo em domicílios multigeracionais. Escores de apoio médios elevados foram identificados, indicando situação favorável entre os idosos estudados. Em termos médios, a categoria de apoio com pior escore foi "interação social positiva". A análise bivariada demonstrou uma diferença significativa entre escore de apoio afetivo e de apoio emocional com número de pessoas no domicílio e maior freqüência de escores altos de interação social (3º tercil) em idosos do sexo masculino e naqueles com maior grau de escolaridade. O estudo apontou ainda que escores de apoio social menores foram mais freqüentes em mulheres, analfabetos, viúvos ou solteiros, idosos com renda entre um e dois salários mínimos.<br>The present study is an epidemiological work of the transversal type, with the objective of describing characteristics of social support and identifying associations between sociodemographic variables and categories of social support, in the rural population of Bairro dos Aleixos, in the municipality of Taquarituba &shy; São Paulo State &shy; Brazil. To measure social support, the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) scale was utilized, translated to Portuguese and validated in our environment. The population was characterized predominantly by white women between 60 and 69 years of age, married and/or living as concubines, of low incomes and residing in multigenerational domiciles. Elevated mean support scores were identified, indicating a favorable situation among the elderly persons studied. In average terms, the category of support with the worst score was "positive social interaction". Bivariate analysis demonstrated a positive association between the affective support score and emotional support with the number of persons in the domicile and greater frequency of high social-interaction scores (3rd tercile) in elderly men and those with a greater degree of formal education. The study also showed that lower social-support scores were more frequent in women, illiterates, widowers or single men, and elderly persons with income between one and two times the minimum salary