Unexpected high diversity of galling insects in the Amazonian upper canopy: The savanna out there

A relatively large number of studies reassert the strong relationship between galling insect diversity and extreme hydric and thermal status in some habitats, and an overall pattern of a greater number of galling species in the understory of scleromorphic vegetation. We compared galling insect diversity in the forest canopy and its relationship with tree richness among upland terra firme, várzea, and igapó floodplains in Amazonia, Brazil. The soils of these forest types have highly different hydric and nutritional status. Overall, we examined the upper layer of 1,091 tree crowns. Galling species richness and abundance were higher in terra firme forests compared to várzea and igapó forests. GLM-ANCOVA models revealed that the number of tree species sampled in each forest type was determinant in the gall-forming insect diversity. The ratio between galling insect richness and number of tree species sampled (GIR/TSS ratio) was higher in the terra firme forest and in seasonally flooded igapó, while the várzea presented the lowest GIR/TSS ratio. In this study, we recorded unprecedented values of galling species diversity and abundance per sampling point. The GIR/TSS ratio from várzea was approximately 2.5 times higher than the highest value of this ratio ever reported in the literature. Based on this fact, we ascertained that várzea and igapó floodplain forests (with lower GIA and GIR), together with the speciose terra firme galling community emerge as the gall diversity apex landscape among all biogeographic regions already investigated. Contrary to expectation, our results also support the "harsh environment hypothesis", and unveil the Amazonian upper canopy as similar to vegetation habitats, hygrothermically stressed environments with temperature at lethal limits and high levels of leaf sclerophylly. © 2014 Julião et al

In vitro activities of caspofungin, amphotericin B and azoles against Coccidioides posadasii strains from Northeast, Brazil

Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic infection caused by the soil-dwelling dimorphic fungi Coccidioides spp. the disease is endemic in semiarid Northeast Brazil, where it is caused by C. posadasii. the aim of this study was to perform antifungal susceptibility tests of clinical and environmental strains of C. posadasii from Northeast Brazil. the in vitro activities of caspofungin, amphotericin B and azoles against clinical and environment isolates of C. posadasii were determined in accordance with the NCLLS M-38P macrodilution method. the antifungal susceptibility analysis showed that all the strains of C. posadasii (n = 10) were sensitive to caspofungin (16 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 32 mu g/ml), amphotericin B (0.0625 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 0.125 mu g/ml), ketoconazole (0.039 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 0.156 mu g/ml), itraconazole (0.125 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 0.5 mu g/ml), fluconazole (3.125 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 6.25 mu g/ml), and voriconazole (0.125 mu g/ml). This study is the first description of in vitro antifungal susceptibility pattern of Brazilian strains of C. posadasii.Univ Fed Ceara, Med Mycol Specialized Ctr, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Postgrad Program Med Sci, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Estadual Ceara, Dept Biol Sci, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Estadual Ceara, Postgrad Program Vet Sci, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Postgrad Program Med Clin, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Dept Biol Sci, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Vivências maternas na realidade de ter um filho autista: uma compreensão pela enfermagem Experiencias maternas en la realidad de tener un hijo autista: una comprensión para la enfermería Maternal experiences in the reality of having an autistic son: an understanding for nursing

Este estudo objetivou descrever a vivência de ser-mãe de criança autista. Utilizou-se abordagem qualitativa e referencial fenomenológico com conceitos de Martin Heidegger. Foram entrevistadas 14 mães de crianças autistas, com perguntas abertas, gravadas e transcritas na íntegra. O cenário foi a AMA-PI e dados produzidos em maio de 2006. A análise revela que as mães vivenciam a facticidade de ter um filho autista permeada por sentimentos de nulidade, fé e solidão. As mães também deixam de viver o seu cotidiano para viverem o cotidiano do filho. Ao assumirem sua condição existencial -estar-no-mundo e ser mãe de uma criança autista, passam a se compreenderem como ser capaz de lutar pelo bem-estar do filho, sem queixas, demonstrando abnegação, paciência e preocupação.<br>Este estudio que objetivó describir la experiencia de ser-madre del un niño autísta. El abordaje cualitativo fue utilizado según el referencial fenomenológico de Martín Heidegger. Catorce madres de niños autístas fueron entrevistadas con preguntas abiertas, grabadas y transcritas en la integra. El escenario de la investigación fue el AMA-PI y los datos producidos en mayo de 2006. El análisis reveló las madres viven profundamente la facticidad de tener un hijo autísta la cual es permeada por sensaciones negativas, fe y la soledad. Las madres tanbién dejam vivir su vida diaria para vivir la vida diaria de sus hijos. Al asumir la condición existencial - estar -en el mundo y ser madre de un niño autísta, ellas comenzan a comprender cómo son capazes de luchar por lo bien-estar de sus hojos, sin quejas, demuenstrando abnegación, paciencia y preocupación.<br>This study has as objective to describe the experience of being mother of an autistic child. A qualitative approach was accomplished according to the phenomenological concepts of Martin Heidegger. Fourteen mothers of autistic children had been interviewed, with semi-structured questions, tape-recorded and transcribed integrally. The local of data collection was the AMA-PI with data produced in May, 2006. The analysis revealed that mothers who live the facticity of having an autistic child is permeated by negative feelings, faith and solitudeness. Mothers also leave their dalily life to live their children's daily live. When assuming their existential condition - to be -in the world and to be mother of a autistic child, they begin to understand how to be capable to fight for their children's well-being, without complaints, demonstrating self-denial, patience and concern

The decision of an obese woman to have bariatric surgery: the social phenomenology

Objective To understand the process by which an obese woman decides to have bariatric surgery. Method A qualitative survey with a social phenomenology approach, carried out in 2012, with 12 women, using the phenomenological interview. Results A woman bases the decision to have the surgery on: the inappropriateness of her eating habits; a physical appearance that is incompatible with an appearance that is standardized by society; the social prejudice that she has to live with; the limitations imposed by obesity; and her lack of success with previous attempts to lose weight. Outcomes that she hopes for from the decision to have the surgery include: restoring her health; achieving social inclusion; and entering the labor market. Conclusion This study allows one to reflect that prescriptive actions do not give a satisfactory response to a complexity of the subjective questions involved in the decision to have surgery for obesity. For this, what is called for is a program of work based on an interdisciplinary approach, and training that gives value to the bio-psycho-social aspects involved in a decision in favor of surgical treatment

Contato precoce pele a pele entre mãe e filho: significado para mães e contribuições para a enfermagem

Tratou-se de uma pesquisa convergente-assistencial, realizada numa maternidade da Região Sul do Brasil entre abril e maio de 2009, objetivando compreender o significado do contato precoce pele-a-pele mãe-filho para o ser-mãe, identificar características do estabelecimento desse contato e contribuições da enfermagem. Os dados foram coletados pela observação participante e entrevista, com nove mães, identificando-se quatro categorias: a) orientações acerca do contato pele-a-pele precoce mãe-filho antes do nascimento; b) estabelecimento do contato precoce pele-a-pele mãe-filho; c) significado do contato pele-a-pele precoce mãe-filho para o ser-mãe; e d) contribuições da enfermagem no estabelecimento do contato precoce pele-a-pele mãe-filho. Conclui-se que o significado do contato precoce mãe-filho atribuído pelas mães é positivo, e a contribuição da enfermagem no estabelecimento desse contato é significativa