ESTIMATIVAS DE ÁREA BASAL E USO DO RELASCÓPIO DE BITTERLICH EM AMOSTRAGEM DE FLORESTA ESTACIONAL DECIDUAL

A Floresta Estacional Decidual da região nordeste de Goiás é um tipo de vegetação florestal do grande bioma Cerrado, que pode ocorrer em áreas de afloramento de calcário e, geralmente, apresenta maior biomassa de espécies arbóreas que a vegetação de cerrado adjacente. Este estudo foi desenvolvido em uma área de floresta intacta (Fazenda Flor Ermo) e em quatro áreas de floresta perturbada (Fazendas Formosa, Traçadal, Manguinha e Conçeição Mocambo). O objetivo foi estimar a área basal e a intensidade amostral utilizando o relascópio de Bitterlich em florestas deciduais. A área basal foi de 29,3 m²/ha na floresta intacta e de 23 a 24 m²/ha nas perturbadas. As florestas com perturbação acentuada apresentaram curvas de distribuição do desvio padrão dos pontos de amostragem com pequena variação comparada com a curvas das áreas com baixo nível de perturbação. Para um limite de confiança de 95 % de probabilidade de confiança para a estimativa da média, 20 unidades amostrais com o relascópio podem ser suficientes para amostrar satisfatoriamente a área basal nesse tipo de vegetação

Estimativas de área basal e uso do relascópio de Bitterlich em amostragem de Floresta Estacional Decidual.

The Deciduous Seasonal Forest of the Northeast region of the state of Goiás is one of the few types of forest formations in the Cerrado biome, which may occur in areas of limestone outcrops. Generally it has a higher biomass of tree species than the contiguous cerrado. This study was carried out in an undisturbed area of forest (Flor Ermo Farm) and in others four areas of disturbed forests: Formosa, Traçadal, Manguinha and Conceição Mocambo Farm. The study aimed to estimate the basal area and the sampling intensity needed to use Bitterlich´s relascope in the deciduous forests. Estimates of basal area of the plots ranged from 23 to 24 m²/ha in the disturbed forests up to a maximum of 29.3 m²/ha in the undisturbed one. Forests with high disturbance showed very small variation of the standard deviation curve for the sampled points when compared to the area with low disturbance level. For a confidence level of 95% estimate of the mean, 20 sampling points with the relascope can be enough to sample the basal area in this kind of vegetation.A Floresta Estacional Decidual da região nordeste de Goiás é um tipo de vegetação florestal do grande bioma Cerrado, que pode ocorrer em áreas de afloramento de calcário e, geralmente, apresenta maior biomassa de espécies arbóreas que a vegetação de cerrado adjacente. Este estudo foi desenvolvido em uma área de floresta intacta (Fazenda Flor Ermo) e em quatro áreas de floresta perturbada (Fazendas Formosa, Traçadal, Manguinha e Conçeição Mocambo). O objetivo foi estimar a área basal e a intensidade amostral utilizando o relascópio de Bitterlich em florestas deciduais. A área basal foi de 29,3 m²/ha na floresta intacta e de 23 a 24 m²/ha nas perturbadas. As florestas com perturbação acentuada apresentaram curvas de distribuição do desvio padrão dos pontos de amostragem com pequena variação comparada com a curvas das áreas com baixo nível de perturbação. Para um limite de confiança de 95 % de probabilidade de confiança para a estimativa da média, 20 unidades amostrais com o relascópio podem ser suficientes para amostrar satisfatoriamente a área basal nesse tipo de vegetação

Screening Of Miners And Millers At Decreasing Levels Of Asbestos Exposure: Comparison Of Chest Radiography And Thin-section Computed Tomography.

Chest radiography (CXR) is inferior to Thin-section computed tomography in the detection of asbestos related interstitial and pleural abnormalities. It remains unclear, however, whether these limitations are large enough to impair CXR´s ability in detecting the expected reduction in the frequency of these asbestos-related abnormalities (ARA) as exposure decreases. Clinical evaluation, CXR, Thin-section CT and spirometry were obtained in 1418 miners and millers who were exposed to progressively lower airborne concentrations of asbestos. They were separated into four groups according to the type, period and measurements of exposure and/or procedures for controlling exposure: Group I (1940-1966/tremolite and chrysotile, without measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure); Group II (1967-1976/chrysotile only, without measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure); Group III (1977-1980/chrysotile only, initiated measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure) and Group IV (after 1981/chrysotile only, implemented measurements of exposure and a comprehensive procedures for controlling exposure). In all groups, CXR suggested more frequently interstitial abnormalities and less frequently pleural plaques than observed on Thin-section CT (p<0.050). The odds for asbestosis in groups of decreasing exposure diminished to greater extent at Thin-section CT than on CXR. Lung function was reduced in subjects who had pleural plaques evident only on Thin-section CT (p<0.050). In a longitudinal evaluation of 301 subjects without interstitial and pleural abnormalities on CXR and Thin-section CT in a previous evaluation, only Thin-section CT indicated that these ARA reduced as exposure decreased. CXR compared to Thin-section CT was associated with false-positives for interstitial abnormalities and false-negatives for pleural plaques, regardless of the intensity of asbestos exposure. Also, CXR led to a substantial misinformation of the effects of the progressively lower asbestos concentrations in the occurrence of asbestos-related diseases in miners and millers.10e011858

Spatial distribution of wood volume in brazilian savannas

Here we model and describe the wood volume of Cerrado Sensu Stricto, a highly heterogeneous vegetation type in the Savanna biome, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, integrating forest inventory data with spatial-environmental variables, multivariate regression, and regression kriging. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the factors that affect the spatial distribution of the wood volume of this vegetation type as well as allowing better representation of the spatial heterogeneity of this biome. Wood volume estimates were obtained through regression models using different environmental variables as independent variables. Using the best fitted model, spatial analysis of the residuals was carried out by selecting a semivariogram model for generating an ordinary kriging map, which in turn was used with the fitted regression model in the regression kriging technique. Seasonality of both temperature and precipitation, along with the density of deforestation, explained the variations of wood volume throughout Minas Gerais. The spatial distribution of predicted wood volume of Cerrado Sensu Stricto in Minas Gerais revealed the high variability of this variable (15.32 to 98.38 m3 ha-1) and the decreasing gradient in the southeast-northwest direction914COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESSem informaçã

New adipokines vaspin and omentin. Circulating levels and gene expression in adipose tissue from morbidly obese women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vaspin and omentin are recently described molecules that belong to the adipokine family and seem to be related to metabolic risk factors. The objectives of this study were twofold: to evaluate vaspin and omentin circulating levels and mRNA expression in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues in non-diabetic morbidly obese women; and to assess the relationship of vaspin and omentin with anthropometric and metabolic parameters, and other adipo/cytokines.</p> <p>Design</p> <p>We analysed vaspin and omentin circulating levels in 71 women of European descent (40 morbidly obese [BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²] and 31 lean [BMI ≤ 25]). We assessed vaspin and omentin gene expression in paired samples of visceral and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue from 46 women: 40 morbidly obese and 6 lean. We determined serum vaspin and plasma omentin levels with an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and adipose tissue mRNA expression by real time RT-PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serum vaspin levels in the morbidly obese were not significantly different from those in controls. They correlated inversely with levels of lipocalin 2 and interleukin 6. Vaspin mRNA expression was significantly higher in the morbidly obese, in both subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue.</p> <p>Plasma omentin levels were significantly lower in the morbidly obese and they correlated inversely with glucidic metabolism parameters. Omentin circulating levels, then, correlated inversely with the metabolic syndrome (MS). Omentin expression in visceral adipose tissue was significantly lower in morbidly obese women than in controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study indicates that vaspin may have a compensatory role in the underlying inflammation of obesity. Decreased omentin circulating levels have a close association with MS in morbidly obese women.</p