How Do Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics Change Along an Aridity Gradient in a Tropical Dry Forest?

Ecological indicators based on biodiversity metrics are valuable and cost-effective tools to quantify, track and understand the effects of climate change on ecosystems. Studying changes in these indicators along climatic gradients in space is a common approach to infer about potential impacts of climate change over time, overcoming the limitations of lack of sufficiently long time-series data. Here, we studied the response of complementary biodiversity metrics in plants: taxonomic diversity (species richness and Simpson index) and functional diversity (diversity and redundancy) in 113 sampling sites along a spatial aridity gradient (from 0.27 to 0.69 of aridity index-AI) of 700 km in a Tropical dry forest. We found different responses of taxonomic and functional diversity metrics to aridity. Species diversity showed a hump-shaped curve peaking at intermediate levels of aridity between 0.38 and 0.52 AI as an ecotone, probably because it is where most species, from both drier and more mesic environments, still find conditions to co-exist. Functional diversity showed a positive linear relation with increasing aridity, suggesting higher aridity favors drought-adapted species with diverse functional traits. In contrast, redundancy showed a negative linear relation with increasing aridity, indicating that drier sites have few species sharing the same functional traits and resource acquisition strategies. Thus, despite the increase in functional diversity toward drier sites, these communities are less resilient since they are composed of a small number of plant species with unique functions, increasing the chances that the loss of one of such "key species" could lead to the loss of key ecosystem functions. These findings show that the integration of complementary taxonomic and functional diversity metrics, beyond the individual response of each one, is essential for reliably tracking the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. This work also provides support to the use of these biodiversity metrics as ecological indicators of the potential impact of climate change on drylands over time.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Motor development has a positive correlation to academic performance in school children

Some studies have investigated the association between motor development and cognitive skills. The present study aims to correlate motor development  and academic performance in 79 students between 7 to 9 years old from a private school in São Paulo-Brazil. We used the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (MABC-2) to assess the motor development and the results of school report in Portuguese and Mathematics as a measure of academic performance. Pearson\u27s correlation analysis showed a positive association between motor development and cognitive skills, evidencing that students who had better academic performance, also obtained better scores in motor performance. The association between MABC-2 total score and Portuguese grade, for example, obtained a significant correlation of p <0.014. Further studies should be carried out to understand if motor development improve can modulate cognitive skills

Quantitative Risk Assessment of Oocyst Versus Bradyzoite Foodborne Transmission of \u3ci\u3eToxoplasma gondii\u3c/i\u3e in Brazil

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed zoonotic protozoan parasite. Infection with T. gondii can cause congenital toxoplasmosis in developing fetuses and acute outbreaks in the general population, and the disease burden is especially high in South America. Prior studies found that the environmental stage of T. gondii, oocysts, is an important source of infection in Brazil; however, no studies have quantified this risk relative to other parasite stages. We developed a Bayesian quantitative risk assessment (QRA) to estimate the relative attribution of the two primary parasite stages (bradyzoite and oocyst) that can be transmitted in foods to people in Brazil. Oocyst contamination in fruits and greens contributed significantly more to overall estimated T. gondii infections than bradyzoite-contaminated foods (beef, pork, poultry). In sensitivity analysis, treatment, i.e., cooking temperature for meat and washing efficiency for produce, most strongly affected the estimated toxoplasmosis incidence rate. Due to the lack of regional food contamination prevalence data and the high level of uncertainty in many model parameters, this analysis provides an initial estimate of the relative importance of food products. Important knowledge gaps for oocyst-borne infections were identified and can drive future studies to improve risk assessments and effective policy actions to reduce human toxoplasmosis in Brazil

Transformação Cística como Consequência de Terceiro Molar Inferior Incluso

ResumoA permanência de terceiros molares inclusos na arcada pode causar diversas alterações patológicas, dentre elas o aparecimento de cistos odontogénicos. O aparecimento de um cisto paradentário associado a um terceiro molar inferior incluso foi diagnosticado 6 anos após a realização de um exame radiográfico de rotina onde o dente se encontrava incluso sem sinais de quaisquer patologia associada. A evolução e tratamento cirúrgico de enucleação deste cisto estão descritos e discutidos os aspectos relacionados à remoção preventiva de terceiros molares inclusos. A instituição de um plano de tratamento baseados na história clínica e exame radiográfico são necessários, a fim de estabelecer um protocolo preventivo das alterações causadas por essas retenções dentárias. A indicação de extracção de terceiros molares inclusos pode ser uma forma de se evitar o aparecimento destas e outras patologias associadas a essas retenções.AbstractThe permanence of impacted third molar in the jaws can cause many pathological alterations, amongst them the appearance of odontogenic cysts. The paradental cyst appearance and evolution next to a mandibular included third molar was diagnosised in radiograph routine follow-up, and its evolution and treatment are described. Are discussed the aspects related with the preventive removal to the impacted third molars and the necessity to institution a plan of treatment based in clinical history and radiograph in order to establish a preventive protocol the alterations caused by these impactions. The indication of extraction of impacted third enclosed can be a way to preventing the appearance of these and others pathologies associates to these lesions

Rank Protein Immunolabeling during Bone-Implant Interface Healing Process

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the expression of RANK protein during bone-healing process around machined surface implants. Twenty male Wistar rats, 90 days old, after having had a 2 mm diameter and 6 mm long implant inserted in their right tibias, were evaluated at 7, 14, 21, and 42 days after healing. After obtaining the histological samples, slides were subjected to RANK immunostaining reaction. Results were quantitatively evaluated. Results. Immunolabeling analysis showed expressions of RANK in osteoclast and osteoblast lineage cells. The statistical analysis showed an increase in the expression of RANK in osteoblasts at 7 postoperative days and a gradual decrease during the chronology of the healing process demonstrated by mild cellular activity in the final stage (P < .05). Conclusion. RANK immunolabeling was observed especially in osteoclast and osteoblast cells in primary bone during the initial periods of bone-healing/implant interface

Megaureter gigante por ectopia ureteral intramural em cão

Background: The urinary tract is composed by kidneys, urinary bladder and urethra. The kidneys produce urine that achieve urinary bladder by ureters. These have the origin in the renal pelvis, run through the retroperitoneum, end up at the dorsolateral superficies of the urinary bladder, and empty at the trigone. Ureters abnormalities are the rarest congenital defects in the canine urinary tract and ureteroceles are cystic dilatations of the distal segment of the ureter that could be associated to partial or complete urinary obstructions and could lead to megaureter and hydronephrosis. So, the aim of the present study was to describe a case of megaureter by intramural ureteral ectopia in a bitch. Case: A 1-year-old-and-8-month bitch Akita, weighing 18 kg, was referred to the Uniube Veterinary Hospital with vaginal secretion, prostration, hypodipsia, hyporexia and pyrexia related by the tutor. On physical examination, an increase in vulva volume and a vaginal discharge were observed. Nevertheless, others physical exams, blood count and biochemical tests were considered to be within normal parameters. Urinalysis showed cloudy aspect, proteinuria, occult blood, erythrocytes, pyuria, leucocytes, and discreet presence of bacteria. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a megaureter with right uterocele and excretory urography showed absence of glomerular filtration by right kidney. The patient was submitted to surgery for right kidney and ureter exeresis. Histopathology evaluation showed intense dilation of the ureter and severe multifocal renal fibrosis. The surgery was well succeeded, and the patient recovered completely.  Discussion: Once megaureter are associated with congenital abnormalities like ectopic ureter and ureterocele, it is usually diagnosed in young patients with medium age of 10 months, which is below the age of the patient in this case report. Additionally, in the patient here reported, the unilateral alteration could explain the absence of kidney fail symptoms. In more than 90% of the cases, the ureteral ectopia was associated with multiple anomalies in the urinary tract, as was observed in this patient, that presented besides ectopic ureter, ureterocele, megaureter and renal dystrophy. All these morphological alterations made impossible the complete urine elimination, which predispose to urinary tract infection, that was observed in this report. According to literature, urinary tract anomalies are associated with infection in 64 to 85% and 50% of the cases also present hydronephrosis and hydroureter. It was also described that ureteral ectopia is diagnosed by visualization of hydroureter in abdominal ultrasonography. The findings present in this report differs a little, once the right kidney was atrophic possibly by malformation or even so by a chronic renal lesion due to the difficulty in urine flow. The excretory urography showed no filtration in the right kidney, indicating non-functionality that was confirmed by histopathology, in which was observed small glomerulus and large amount of connective tissue deposition. In cases of unilateral megaureter with ipsilateral kidney commitment, there is indication of nephroureterectomy, that was performed in the patient of the present report. As far as we know, this is the first report of megaureter, ureterocele and ectopia ureteral together in the same patient. In conclusion, the procedure was secure, efficient and promote a better quality of life for the patient and prevent the recurrence of urinary tract infections. Keywords: Urinary system, malformation, nephroureterectomy, surgery, cystitis. Título: Megaureter gigante por ectopia ureteral intramural em cadela. Descritores: Sistema urinário, malformação, nefroureterectomia, cirurgia, cistite. ystitis.O sistema urinário é composto por rins, ureteres, bexiga e uretra. Os rins produzem a urina que chegará à bexiga por meio dos ureteres. Estes têm origem na pelve renal, correm pelo retroperitônio e desembocam na superfície dorsolateral caudal da bexiga e se esvaziam no trígono. Alterações nos ureteres são os defeitos congênitos mais raros do sistema urogenital de cães. Ureteroceles são dilatações císticas do segmento distal do ureter e podem estar associadas a obstruções urinárias parciais ou completas e podem levar ao megaureter e a hidronefrose. O presente estudo tem o objetivo de descrever um caso de megaureter por ectopia ureteral intramural em uma cadela. Caso: Uma cadela Akita, csecreção vaginal, prostração, hipodipsia, hiporexia e pirexia. Ao realizar o exame físico observou-se aumento de volume vulvar, corrimento vaginal. Os parâmetros do exame físico estavam normais. Não foram observadas alterações no hemograma e nem nos exames bioquímicos. Diversas alterações foram observadas na urinalise como aspecto turvo, proteinúria, sangue oculto, eritrócitos, piuria, leucócitos e presença discreta de bactérias. A ultrassonografia abdominal mostrou um megaureter com ureterocele direitos e a urografia excretora mostrou ausência de filtração glomerular no rim direito. O paciente foi submetido cirurgia para exérese do rim ureter direitos. A avaliação histopatológica do rim e ureter direitos mostrou dilatação intensa de ureter e fibrose renal multifocal intensa.O procedimento cirúrgico foi bem-sucedido e o animal se recuperou bem. Discussão: Por estar associado a alterações congênitas como ureter ectópico e ureterocele, o megaureter é diagnosticado em pacientes jovens com idade média de 10 meses, idade inferior ao paciente do presente relato. Adicionalmente, no animal aqui relatado, a alteração unilateral pode explicar &nbsp;a falta de sinais de falha renal. Mais de 90% dos casos, a ectopia ureteral está associada a múltiplas anomalias do trato urinário, assim como o observado no paciente deste relato, que além do ureter ectópico, apresentava ureterocele, megaureter e atrofia renal. Com todas essas alterações morfológicas que impossibilitavam a eliminação completa da urina, observa-se, como consequência, a predisposição a infecções do trato urinário, o que de fato foi observado. A literatura aponta que anomalias do trato urinário estão associadas com infecção em 64 a 85% dos casos, ainda citaram que cerca de 50% dos casos apresentam hidronefrose e hidroureter. &nbsp;Foi também descrito que ureteres ectópicos são diagnosticados em decorrência do hidroureter visibilizado na ultrassonografia abdominal. Os achados neste relato diferem um pouco do que foi descrito, visto que o rim direito estava atrofiado, possivelmente em decorrência de uma má formação ou até mesmo de uma lesão renal crônica causada pela dificuldade de escoamento da urina no lado direito, como citado anteriormente. A urografia excretora realizada no paciente do presente relatou evidenciou que não havia filtração no rim direito, indicando afuncionalidade, o que foi confirmado pela avaliação histopatológica, em que foi possível observar glomérulos diminutos e grande quantidade de deposição de tecido conjuntivo fibroso. Em casos de megaureter unilateral com presença de comprometimento grave do rim ipsilateral, há indicação de nefroureterectomia, como foi realizado no paciente deste relato. Até onde se sabe, esse é o primeiro relato de megaureter, ureterocele e ectopia ureteral em um mesmo paciente. Em conclusão, o procedimento executado foi seguro e se mostrou eficiente no tratamento do defeito anatômico congênito, promovendo assim uma melhor qualidade de vida para o paciente e prevenção de recorrência de infecções do trato urinário. Descritores: Sistema urinário; malformação; nefroureterectomia; cirurgia; cistite