Térmitas de duas áreas de floresta atlântica brasileira: uma análise do desempenho de estimadores não paramétricos

Estimators of species richness are alternatives to characterize the local biodiversity, facing the limitations of complete fauna inventories. Due to continuous urbanization and deforestation of the Atlantic Forest, studies on local biodiversity are important as records of fauna and as a way to subsidize conservation measures. It was evaluated the effectiveness of five nonparametric estimators of species richness, from the calculation bias, precision and accuracy of termites of Floresta Nacional da Restinga de Cabedelo (FNRC), and the Área de Preservação Permanente Mata do Buraquinho (APPMB). It was utilized a standardized sampling protocol of termites, which consists of five 5 x 2m plots distributed along six transects of 65 x 2m. Five protocols were applied in FNRC and 12 in APPMB totaling a sampling effort of 5100m² and x 510h per person, and with uniques and duplicates absent in the data. Forty-five termite morphospecies were found, belonging to at least 26 genera and three families, exceeding any records ever published throughout the biome of Atlantic Forest. It was found that the Jackknife1 and Jackknife2 should only be used for databases with a number of uniques over 25% of the richness, and it was observed that the use of the Bootstrap estimates and Chao2 are indicated in the remaining cases, when the number of rare species is lower than this. It is suggested the need of further evaluation of ICE performance before indicating it to studies on the diversity of termites under any conditions. It was sampled around 65-70% of the real richness of the areas with the application of a protocol and there was a robust representation of the taxonomic composition and trophic proportions, stressing the efficiency of this method to determine the termites diversity in two areas of Atlantic Forest investigated.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPESEstimadores de riqueza de espécies são alternativas na caracterização da biodiversidade local, diante das limitações de inventários faunísticos completos. Devido à contínua destruição e urbanização da Floresta Atlântica, estudos abordando a biodiversidade local são importantes como registros de fauna e como meio para subsidiar medidas conservacionistas. Avaliou-se a eficiência de cinco estimadores não paramétricos de riqueza de espécies, a partir do cálculo do enviesamento (bias), precisão e acurácia, para a taxocenose de térmitas da Floresta Nacional da Restinga de Cabedelo (FNRC) e da Área de Preservação Permanente Mata do Buraquinho (APPMB). Foi utilizado um protocolo de amostragem padronizado de térmitas, o qual consiste em cinco parcelas de 5 x 2m distribuídas ao longo de seis transectos de 65 x 2m. Foram aplicados cinco protocolos na FNRC e 12 na APPMB, totalizando esforço amostral de 5100m² e 510h x pessoa, e com uniques e duplicates ausentes nos dados. Quarenta e cinco morfoespécies de térmitas foram encontradas, pertencentes à pelo menos 26 gêneros e três famílias, ultrapassando todos os registros já publicados ao longo do Domínio da Floresta Atlântica. Foi constatado que o Jackknife1 e Jackknife2 devem ser utilizados para bancos de dados com um número de uniques superior a 25% da riqueza observada e que a utilização das estimativas do Bootstrap e do Chao2 são indicadas para os demais casos, quando o número de espécies raras for inferior a este. Sugere-se a necessidade de mais avaliações do desempenho do ICE antes de indicá-lo para estudos de diversidade de térmitas sob quaisquer condições. Foram amostradas de 65 a 70% da riqueza real das áreas com a aplicação de um protocolo e houve uma fiel reprodução das proporções da composição taxonômica e trófica, demonstrando a eficiência do método para determinar a diversidade de térmitas nas duas áreas de Floresta Atlântica investigadas

Hexapod decomposers of Serra de Santa Catarina, Paraíba, Brazil: an area with high potential for conservation of Caatinga biodiversity

<div><p>Abstract: In detritus-based trophic systems, springtails, dung beetles, saprophagous calyptrate flies and termites consume and fragment organic matter and control populations of decomposer microorganisms, exerting a strong influence on energy and nutrient fluxes. A faunal inventory of these four groups of hexapods was performed in Serra de Santa Catarina (SSC), an area of arboreal-shrub caatinga located in the state of Paraíba, with the purpose of characterizing the assemblages of these taxa, and highlighting their unique links to the local ecosystem. Samplings were performed in May, 2014, and April, 2015, both during the rainy season. Standard sampling protocols for biodiversity inventory of the various taxa were used, including both active and passive sampling methods. In general, 114 species of hexapods were captured, with 26 species of springtails, 20 dung beetles, 30 saprophagous calyptrate flies and 38 termites, with sampling sufficiency varying from 69.5 to 96.8% of total estimated richness. Species richness of the groups are among the highest recorded for a single area of Caatinga, with some taxa being recorded for the first time for the domain. Several morphospecies had indeterminate taxonomic status, especially springtails and termites, and are quite likely new species to science. The structure of the assemblages of springtails, dung beetles, saprophagous calyptrate flies and termites recorded in SSC, suggest that this conserved area is unique within the highly impacted landscape of Caatinga, and has great potential for the conservation of biodiversity of this domain in the Northeast Region of Brazil.</p></div

Post-anaesthesia pulmonary complications after use of muscle relaxants (POPULAR): a multicentre, prospective observational study

Background Results from retrospective studies suggest that use of neuromuscular blocking agents during general anaesthesia might be linked to postoperative pulmonary complications. We therefore aimed to assess whether the use of neuromuscular blocking agents is associated with postoperative pulmonary complications. Methods We did a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study. Patients were recruited from 211 hospitals in 28 European countries. We included patients (aged ≥18 years) who received general anaesthesia for any in-hospital procedure except cardiac surgery. Patient characteristics, surgical and anaesthetic details, and chart review at discharge were prospectively collected over 2 weeks. Additionally, each patient underwent postoperative physical examination within 3 days of surgery to check for adverse pulmonary events. The study outcome was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications from the end of surgery up to postoperative day 28. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for surgical factors and patients’ preoperative physical status, providing adjusted odds ratios (ORadj) and adjusted absolute risk reduction (ARRadj). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01865513. Findings Between June 16, 2014, and April 29, 2015, data from 22803 patients were collected. The use of neuromuscular blocking agents was associated with an increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients who had undergone general anaesthesia (1658 [7·6%] of 21694); ORadj 1·86, 95% CI 1·53–2·26; ARRadj –4·4%, 95% CI –5·5 to –3·2). Only 2·3% of high-risk surgical patients and those with adverse respiratory profiles were anaesthetised without neuromuscular blocking agents. The use of neuromuscular monitoring (ORadj 1·31, 95% CI 1·15–1·49; ARRadj –2·6%, 95% CI –3·9 to –1·4) and the administration of reversal agents (1·23, 1·07–1·41; –1·9%, –3·2 to –0·7) were not associated with a decreased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Neither the choice of sugammadex instead of neostigmine for reversal (ORadj 1·03, 95% CI 0·85–1·25; ARRadj –0·3%, 95% CI –2·4 to 1·5) nor extubation at a train-of-four ratio of 0·9 or more (1·03, 0·82–1·31; –0·4%, –3·5 to 2·2) was associated with better pulmonary outcomes. Interpretation We showed that the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs in general anaesthesia is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Anaesthetists must balance the potential benefits of neuromuscular blockade against the increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications