18 research outputs found

    Twenty-five Years of Sea Turtle Protection in Brazil: Evaluating Local Effects

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    This study evaluated how three conservation approaches implemented by the Brazilian Sea Turtle Conservation Program (the TAMAR Project) are related to local support for sea turtle conservation in Praia do Forte, Brazil. Four species of sea turtles nest in Praia do Forte. In Praia do Forte, locals harvested sea turtles for their meat and eggs on a regular basis to support subsistence needs. The three conservation strategies analyzed are employment opportunities and alternative sources of income from sea turtle ecotourism; enforcement of federal sea turtle protection laws; and implementation of environmental education programs via sea turtle ecotourism. These conservation strategies, which are implemented since 1982, represent both top-down and bottom-up conservation paradigms. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through nine months of fieldbased research (between May 2006 and September 2008), using tools of participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and key informant interviews. Results indicate that conservation strategies implemented by TAMAR seem to influence local support for sea turtle conservation. Income and environmental education programs to the local children are cited as the main benefits sea turtle conservation brings to the community. Enforcement caused resentment when first implemented, but is now perceived as a necessary strategy to protect sea turtles. The relative lack of community participation in sea turtle conservation seems not to have hampered local support for sea turtle conservation. In fact, the majority of respondents perceive TAMAR as the most appropriate entity to manage sea turtles, and only a minority believes the community should co-manage sea turtle conservation with TAMAR. Though these three conservation strategies seem to help maintain traditional ecological knowledge, the future of this knowledge across generations is uncertain. Though community-based sea turtle conservation is working at the community scale, external factors associated with tourism development at the larger scale seem to influence both livelihoods and sea turtle survival. On a negative side, larger scale tourism development is associated with an increase in the cost of living, the introduction of drugs, violence and greater sense of insecurity, changes in the local fishing culture, and with ongoing threats to sea turtle survival. Tourism development is associated with benefits as well, including improvements in the local infrastructure, employment opportunities, and alternative sources of income. Since tourism development, at both local and regional scales, is unlikely to decrease any time soon, sea turtle survival no longer solely depends in getting local support for sea turtle conservation, but also in addressing the external factors that drive conservation and consumption of sea turtles. Overall, sea turtle ecotourism is one part of a larger strategy for meeting local socioeconomic needs while also protecting sea turtles in Praia do Forte

    Parallel

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    In this paper we present Parallel, a videogame with a powerful story of mystery, suspense and puzzle-solving. Parallel provides an interactive storyline where the actions players take throughout the game will define the course of the story and alter events. The environment created in the game is unique and it was improved from testing with several subjects on a prototype of the tutorial. Parallel’s main potential is the sense of immersion it can provide with its obscure environment, dynamic dialogs using an artificial intelligent agent and its interactive storyline.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

    Palaeohistology and palaeopathology of an Aeolosaurini (Sauropoda: Titanosauria) from Morro do Cambambe (Upper Cretaceous, Brazil)

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    Altres ajuts: CAISEP (Comisión de Ayudas a la Investigación de la Sociedad Española de Paleontología) project #2018-07153A recent publication of fossil bones of titanosaurs assigned to Aeolosaurini from the Morro do Cambambe site (Mato Grosso state, Brazil, Upper Cretaceous) reported anomalous growth in some of them. Here, we present osteohistological sections of elements to understand not only the microstructure and growth of such bones, but also the nature of those anomalies. The primary bone of all specimens consisted of a variation of the fibrolamellar complex, with the inner cortex being rich in woven bone with dispersed longitudinal canals, while the outer cortex was parallel-fibred with rows of longitudinal canals, interlayered by Lines of Arrested Growth (LAGs). We identified a maximum of two LAGs in the cervical rib and haemal arch, and four in the dorsal rib. The haemal arch shows an External Fundamental System (EFS) in most sections. The advanced remodelling and variation of the fibrolamellar bone in the cortex suggests that all the specimens represent individuals that reached sexual maturity. However, the haemal arch was distinct due to the wide distribution of EFS. The dorsal rib exhibited periosteal and endosteal outgrowth. Such microstructure was assigned to a reactive bone due to an intra-thoracic infection (a pneumonia, probably related to a tuberculosis), which is the first report in a non-avian dinosaur. The microstructure resembles the medullary bone recovered in dinosaurs, which suggests that further studies of medullary bone in thoracic bones should also regard the pathological cases.En una reciente publicación de los huesos fósiles de titanosaurios asignados al clado Aeolosaurini provenientes del yacimiento de Morro do Cambambe (estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil, Cretácico Superior), se reconocieron anormalidades en el crecimiento de algunos de ellos. En el presente trabajo presentamos cortes osteohistológicos de elementos para entender no sólo la microestructura y crecimiento de los mismos, sino también la naturaleza de aquellas anomalías. Entre ellos, seleccionamos una costilla cervical y una costilla dorsal media posterior, así como un arco hemal. El hueso primario de todos los especímenes comprendía una variación del complejo fibrolamelar, siendo la corteza interna rica en tejido reticular óseo con canales longitudinales dispersos, mientras que la corteza externa tenía fibras paralelas con hileras de canales longitudinales, intercaladas por líneas de crecimiento detenido. Identificamos un máximo de dos líneas de crecimiento detenido tanto en la costilla cervical como en el arco hemal, y cuatro en la costilla dorsal. El arco hemal muestra un Sistema Externo Fundamental en la mayoría de las secciones. La remodelación avanzada y la variación del hueso fibrolamelar en la corteza, se sugiere que todas los especímenes alcanzaron la madurez sexual. Sin embargo, el arco hemal fue distinto debido a la amplia distribución de Sistema Externo Fundamental. Con base en la microestructura, identificamos un semaforonte subadulto, y probablemente a un adulto. La costilla dorsal mostró una excrecencia perióstica y endosteal. Dicha microestructura se ha identificado con un hueso reactivo a una infección intratorácica (una neumonía, probablemente relacionada con una tuberculosis), que es el primer informe de un dinosaurio no aviano. La microestructura se asemeja al hueso medular recuperado en los dinosaurios, lo que sugiere que los estudios posteriores del hueso medular en los huesos torácicos también deberían considerar los casos patológicos

    A visão do paciente sobre a solicitação do exame ultrassom: está sendo um exame complementar ou há inversão de valores na prática do profissional médico?

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    Universalidade, equidade e integralidade são a base do sistema de saúde em nosso país, porém a população ainda não os vivencia plenamente. Persistem a dificuldade no acesso e a necessidade de um atendimento que contemple a construção eficiente da relação médico-paciente. Os modernos recursos tecnológicos na área de saúde proporcionam os meios necessários para um diagnóstico mais preciso (Resende, 2002), entretanto, quando se valoriza a tecnologia em detrimento do raciocínio clínico, a medicina se torna mais técnica, gerando prejuízo para a relação médico-paciente (Chehuen Neto 2007). O trabalho visou identificar se as solicitações de exames de ultrassom (USG) estão sendo feitas conforme semiologia adequada do paciente e se este tem a ciência da indicação do mesmo. Os questionários foram aplicados na sala de espera do serviço de USG do Hospital São João Batista (Volta Redonda), no período entre novembro de 2011 e agosto de 2012. Dentre as principais indicações para a realização de USG, dor abdominal (21,05 %) e a ITU (14,03 %) corresponderam à maioria. Entretanto, 10,52 % dos exames não tinham uma indicação específica. No grupo estudado, 85,96 % relataram saber o motivo que levou o médico a pedir o exame. Além disso, em 89,47 % dos casos, o médico havia realizado o exame clínico durante a consulta. 94,7% dos pacientes foram questionados sobre a doença atual, 70,17% sobre a história familiar, 66,6% sobre a história patológica pregressa e 78,94% sobre a história social. Quanto ao tempo da consulta, a maioria (59%) durou 30 minutos e apenas 8,77% tiveram rápida duração, cerca de 5 minutos. O presente trabalho demonstrou um resultado positivo na relação médico-paciente, evidenciando a busca por uma medicina baseada na propedêutica criteriosa

    Cattle Ranchers and Agritourism in Oregon, USA:Motivations, Challenges and Opportunities from the Landowner's Perspective

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    Cattle ranches are cultural icons in many countries. Still, high costs to maintain ranches may force some ranchers to sell their operation. One income alternative is to diversify into agritourism. Empirical research on ranch agritourism is scarce. This study provides an overview of, and assesses the motivations for, and challenges to diversifying into agritourism from the ranchers' perspective. A survey of 400 Oregon ranchers in 2003 found that 21% of 177 respondents promoted agritourism and that it contributed 8% to their annual household income compared to an 84% contribution from livestock production. Working on the ranch and hunting / fishing were the most popular agritourism activities. Main motivations to diversify were to utilize ranch resources, capture additional income, and offset fluctuations in income. Key barriers were insurance and liability, lack of time, regulations, and lack of financial assistance and resources. Agritourism was a success for 79% of those involved; 73% of guests were repeat customers and 38% learned about the operation from friends and family. Most guests (82%) were from Oregon. Findings suggest that agritourism can be compatible with ranching and can help ranches to remain viable. Despite low adoption numbers at the time of this study, agritourism initiatives are likely to increase.Griffith Business School, Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel ManagementNo Full Tex
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