Assembléias de Formicidae da serapilheira como bioindicadores da conservação de remanescentes de Mata Atlântica no extremo sul do Estado da Bahia

In the extreme south of Bahia State, the Atlantic rainforest has been strongly affected by anthropogenic actions for a long time. Ants are seen as good biological indicators because of their abundance and sensitivity to changes of environmental conditions, thus allowing the evaluation of environmental impacts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the environmental quality in four Atlantic Forest remnants through the study of Formicidae assemblages. Four reserves sampled during the experiment were: the school of agriculture EMARC (CEPLAC) in Teixeira de Freitas; Vista Alegre Farm in Alcobaça; FIBRASA Farm in Itamarajú; and Riacho das Pedras Farm in Prado. In each area, 50 units of one square meter of litter were sampled at intervals of 50m and 100m of the border using “Winkler” traps. The most frequent ants in EMARC reserve were: Wasmannia auropunctata (60%) and Solenopsis sp.1 (58%); in FIBRASA farm: W. auropunctata (64%) and Solenopsis sp.1 (46%); in Riacho das Pedras farm: Pyramica eggersi (80%) and Solenopsis sp.1 (64%); in Vista Alegre farm: Pheidole sp.1 (34%), Hypoponera sp.8 (32%) and Pyramica denticulata (24%). The highest value of diversity index (Shannon-Weaver) was observed in FIBRASA farm (3.41), followed by Riacho das Pedras farm (3.31), Vista Alegre farm (3.00), and EMARC reserve (2.33). The largest number of species was observed in FIBRASA and in Riacho das Pedras farms (55 species), followed by Vista Alegre (33) and EMARC (22). The area with the highest estimated diversity is the FIBRASA farm, while the reserve of EMARC had the lowest estimate. There were correlations between the level of human impact, the species found and generic richness, as well as with other ecological variables. All the studied areas had a high occurrence of species typical of degraded lands, showing that urgent conservation measures are needed to the increasingly more rare remnants of forest in the extreme South Bahia State.No extremo sul do Estado da Bahia, a Mata Atlântica tem sido fortemente afetada pelas atividades humanas. As formigas são vistas como indicadores biológicos confiáveis por serem sensíveis às mudanças das condições do ambiente, permitindo uma avaliação do impacto ambiental. O objetivo do presente estudo foi de avaliar a qualidade ambiental em quatro remanescentes de Mata Atlântica através de uma análise da estrutura das assembléias de Formicidae. As quatro reservas estudadas, todas situadas naquela região, foram: reserva da escola agrícola EMARC, Município de Teixeira de Freitas; Fazenda Vista Alegre, Alcobaça; Fazenda FIBRASA, Itamarajú e Fazenda Riacho das Pedras, Prado. Em cada área, foram amostrados 50 pontos de um metro quadrado de serapilheira, com o auxílio de armadilhas de tipo “Winkler”. O maior número de espécies observado foi na Fazenda FIBRASA (55 espécies) e na Fazenda Riacho das Pedras, seguidas pela Fazenda Vista Alegre (33) e a reserva da EMARC (22). A área de maior diversidade de espécies esperada (estimador Chao2) é também a da Fazenda FIBRASA, enquanto a área da EMARC foi também a de menor diversidade esperada. As espécies mais freqüentes na reserva da EMARC foram Wasmannia auropunctata (60% das amostras) e Solenopsis sp1 (58%); na Fazenda FIBRASA, W. auropunctata (64%) e Solenopsis sp.1 (46%); na Fazenda Riacho das Pedras, Pyramica eggersi (80%) e Solenopsis sp.1 (64%); na Fazenda Vista Alegre, Pheidole sp.1 (34%), Hypoponera sp.8 (32%) e Pyramica denticulata (24%). Existem correlações entre o nível de impacto humano e as riquezas específica e genérica, assim como com outras variáveis ecológicas, nas áreas estudadas. Todas essas apresentaram uma ocorrência elevada de espécies típicas de ambientes degradados, como é o caso de W. auropunctata, mostrando a urgência que existe numa política de conservação mais efetiva dos cada vez mais raros remanescentes do extremo sul do Estado da Bahia

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt