Weaponry and defenses in fighting animals: how allometry can alter predictions from contest theory

Theoretical models have been developed to understand how animals decide to withdraw from a contest. They provide testable predictions regarding the relationship between resource holding potential (RHP) and contest duration that assume linear relationships among RHP traits. However, RHP traits might scale with body size according to power laws. Furthermore, investment across different RHP traits may vary. Herein, we provide a model that encompasses the allometric relationship between body size and other RHP traits. First, we partition RHP traits into "offensive" traits (i.e., the ability to inflict damage) and "defensive" traits (i.e., persistence in a contest). Defensive traits may in turn be subdivided into "damage endurance" (DE) or the ability to absorb damage and "stamina." We then model scenarios where: 1) there are power relationships among RHP traits; 2) individuals invest differently in defensive and offensive traits; 3) offensive traits and DE have a positive/negative relationship with body size. We modeled sized-matched injurious contests where 1) offensive capacity (OC) increases superlinearly with body size, 2) DE increases superlinearly, and 3) OC increases superlinearly but DE increases sublinearly. Our analyses indicate that if RHP traits scale linearly current predictions are upheld for injurious contests - contest duration increases with body size. However, with power relationships we can expect nonlinear relationships. Here, contest duration increased with body size until a maximum, decreasing afterwards. Thus, considering allometric relationships between body size and RHP traits may lead to new insights in animal contest theory and may help to solve discrepancies between current theory and empirical data

Miller Fisher syndrome: a rare variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome

This report describes the case of a 39-year-old male patient who presented to the emergency room with complaints of impaired balance, diplopia, and nasal voice. The patient had a history of upper respiratory tract infection. The initial physical examination revealed ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, and areflexia, which are consistent with the classic triad of Miller Fisher syndrome, considered a benign variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome. The patient developed peripheral facial paralysis during hospitalization. He underwent a treatment with immunoglobulin for five days, resulting in near complete resolution of the ataxia. However, the ophthalmoplegia and areflexia persisted. He was discharged to outpatient follow-up

Supranuclear stria of ciliated cells in allergic rhinitis

Nasal secretions were studied in 80 allergic adults patients: 16 with intermittent rhinitis and 64 with persistent rhinitis. The percentage of supranuclear stria of ciliated cells with regard to leucocytes was studied by nasal scraping. Four groups of patients were classified according to nasal leucocytic predominance: patients with eosinophilic predominance with eosinophils > 10% in Group A (N=23), patients with abundant neutrophils and eosinophils > 10% in Group B (N=15), patients with scant leucocytes in Group C (N=29), patients with neutrophilic predominance without eosinophils in Group D (N=13). An increase of supranuclear stria percentage was correlated to eosinophils > 10% and also correlated to scant leucocytes. Nevertheless, a significant decrease of supranuclear stria percentage was observed in neutrophilic leukocytosis of bacterial etiology.Fil:Rodriguez, A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina

IDENTIDADE E MEMÓRIA FRONTEIRIÇA: O CHIBO, TRABALHO DE SUBSISTÊNCIA OU PRÁTICA CULTURAL?

Este artigo foi desenvolvido a partir das informações de quatro entrevistados de San Antonio-Argentina, quatro de Santo Antonio do Sudoeste-Brasil e de populares que moram próximo às margens do Rio Santo Antonio, que delimita a fronteira geográfica e política de ambos os países das duas localidades. O objetivo deste artigo é registrar a memória dos sujeitos fronteiriços identificando suas narrativas e socialidades, no que se refere aos “chibos” e “piques”. Para responder aos questionamentos da investigação foram usadas as entrevistas narrativas, a partir da alocução “ser fronteiriço é...”, e anotações no diário de campo da pesquisadora. Concluí que o local pesquisado é um espaço social formativo, em que os argentinos e brasileiros estabelecem trocas no cotidiano. A identidade se (re) afirma nas diferenças culturais dos sujeitos fronteiriços. A memória toma o papel de mediadora entre o passado e o presente que aflora nas narrativas dos entrevistados apresentando traços de hibridismo na linguagem e nas interações sociais próprias deste local de fronteira, e por meio das relações entre os chibeiros e  moradores das duas localidades estudadas. 

Quando os controles importam: evidências da associação não linear entre as Deficiências de Controles Internos e a Qualidade de Auditoria

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a associação entre as Deficiências de Controles Internos (DCIs) e a Qualidade de Auditoria (QA). O artigo preenche uma lacuna na literatura nacional, pois apresenta evidências de associação entre as Deficiências de Controles Internos reportadas e as principais proxies de QA. O estudo é relevante porque evidencia a inexistência de associação contemporânea entre as DCIs reportadas e a QA das empresas brasileiras negociadas em bolsa de valores, mas verificou uma associação defasada entre essas variáveis. Diferente dos estudos anteriores, observou-se que as DCIs reportadas no ano anterior podem funcionar como uma Red Flag de Auditoria no ano corrente, contribuindo assim com a avaliação de risco dos contadores, auditores, membros de comitês de governança e da auditoria e reguladores. O estudo, documental e descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, analisou dados de uma amostra de 257 empresas negociadas na Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão (B3) no período de 2010-2018. Os dados foram avaliados a partir de modelos de regressão com dados em painel, logístico e binomial negativo. Os resultados evidenciaram que, apesar de existirem diferenças significativas entre as proxies de QA das empresas que reportaram DCIs e as que não o fizeram, não há associação contemporânea e estatisticamente significativa entre a divulgação de DCIs e as proxies de QA. Entretanto, observou-se que o audit delay e a probabilidade de envolvimento em um Processo Administrativo Sancionador (PAS) estão associados à quantidade de DCIs reportadas no ano anterior.This study aimed to analyze the association between Internal Control Weaknesses (or Internal Control Deficiencies – ICDs) and Audit Quality (AQ). The article fills a gap in the national literature, as it provides evidence of an association between reported ICDs and the main AQ proxies. The study is relevant because it evinces the lack of contemporary association between reported ICDs and the AQ of listed Brazilian companies, but found a lagged association between these variables. Unlike prior studies, it was observed that the ICDs reported in the previous year can function as an Audit Red Flag in the current year, thus contributing to risk assessment by accountants, auditors, members of governance and audit committees, and regulators. The study, documentary and descriptive, with a quantitative approach, analyzed data from a sample of 257 companies listed on the Brazil Stock Exchange and Over-the-Counter Market (Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão [B3]) in the period 2010-2018. Data were assessed using regression models with panel data, logistic and negative binomial. The results showed that, although there are significant differences between the AQ proxies for companies that reported ICD and those that did not, there is no contemporary and statistically significant association between ICD disclosure and AQ proxies. However, it was observed that audit delay and the probability of being involved in an Administrative Sanctioning Procedure (ASP) are associated with the number of ICDs reported in the previous year

Planejamento e funções aeroportuarias

O projeto de pesquisa delimitou-se em coletar informações a respeito da crescente demanda aeroportuária do Aeroporto Serafin Ennos Bertaso de chapeco,SC.Teve como problema de pesquisa quais as etaps para um planejamento de uma infraestrutura aeroportuaria e se o aeroporto não está atendendo ao fluxo atual.Teve como objetivo principal estudar os procedimentos estabelecidos em construções ou ampliação de aeroportos. Como objetivos específicos analisar os apectos referentes a logistica e fluxo de passageiros , estudar as diversas opções para ampliação do aeroporto

Configuration of the surfaces of epithelial cells infected by human papillomavirus

Human papillomavirus (HPV) types were investigated hy iri situ hybridization (ISH) in biopsiesfroin J8patients with diverse pathologies ofcervix uteri (7 condylomas, 1 CINI +HPV, 3 CIN II, 4 CIN II + HPV and 3 CIN III). Cervical sniears ofthe same patients were processed by Scanning Electron Mycroscopy (SEM) in order to study the configuration of sitrfaces ofcells infected hy different HPV types. Seven condylomas, I CIN I + HPV, 3 CIN II and 3 CIN II + HPV showed alinost identical surface configurations to those of normal cells (short, thin, homogeneous microvi lli o r typicai microridgesj. This group presented low, moderate and high risk HPV types in a episomal form, while I CINII + HPV and3 CINIII with integratedHPV 16/]8 exfoliatedcells covered with gross microvilli, with variahle length and uneven distribution, oran amorphous surface. The presence of HPV 16/18 cannot be sufficient for the development of an anormal configuration, hut the integrated State ofthis viral type coiild he related to the morphological changes in cellular surface morphology. The results of this paper underline the importance of viral integration in the genesis of cervical carcinoma

How does environment influence fighting? The effects of tidal flow on resource value and fighting costs in sea anemones

An animal's decision to enter into a fight depends on the interaction between perceived resource value (V) and fighting costs (C). Both could be altered by predictable environmental fluctuations. For intertidal marine animals, such as the sea anemone Actinia equina , exposure to high flow during the tidal cycle may increase V by bringing more food. It may also increase C via energy expenditure needed to attach to the substrate. We asked whether simulated tidal cycles would alter decisions in fighting A. equina . We exposed some individuals to still water and others to simulated tidal cycles. To gain insights into V, we measured their startle responses before and after exposure to the treatments, before staging dyadic fights. Individuals exposed to flow present shorter startle responses, suggesting that flowing water indicates high V compared with still water. A higher probability of winning against no-flow individuals and longer contests between flow individuals suggests that increased V increases persistence. However, encounters between flow individuals were less likely to escalate, suggesting that C is not directly related to V. Therefore, predictable environmental cycles alter V and C, but in complex ways. </jats:p

Predicting the invasive potential of the cladoceran Daphnia lumholtzi Sars, 1885 (Crustacea: Cladocera: Daphniidae) in the Neotropics: Are generalists threatened and relicts protected by their life-history traits?

© 2017, Page Press Publications All rights reserved. Invasive species are one of the major threats to biodiversity, which is aggravated in poorly known groups, such as cladocerans. Daphnia lumholtzi Sars (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Daphniidae) is currently invading the Neotropical region, and there are few records of this process. Our goal was to predict the invasive scenario for D. lumholtzi in the Neotropics using species distribution modelling and to assess the climatic overlap of the invader with the native species. We trained our MaxEnt model using occurrence records from native and invaded areas and projected it in the Neotropics. Additionally, we compared the climatic niche of some native species with the invader’s niche. Our model showed high environmental suitability in areas connected by the lowland Paraná River Basin (southwestern Brazil, eastern Argentina and Uruguay), in south-central Chile and Atlantic coastal areas. Widely distributed native species showed climatic overlap with the invader, while relict species did not. Daphnia lumholtzi thrives in warm and stable environments (e.g. the Paraná River basin), which of concern because the invader could already be spreading in that area. Native species could suffer due to climatic niche similarity, while natural barriers and local environmental conditions may protect relict species. We urge the need for further studies to understand this invasion process more fully