Effects of disturbance area on fouling communities from a tropical environment: Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Em comunidades incrustantes marinhas, o espaço livre no substrato é um dos principais recursos limitantes para o estabelecimento de novos organismos. Assim sendo, distúrbios físicos que removam biomassa se mostram importantes agentes para a estruturação e dinâmica dessas comunidades. A extensão do distúrbio é uma característica que parece afetar os padrões de recolonização, e desta forma altera a diversidade de espécies. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os efeitos de áreas crescentes de distúrbio em comunidades incrustantes. Para tal, comunidades macrobentônicas incrustantes foram previamente desenvolvidas por 6 meses na Baía de Guanabara (22°52'S, 043°08'W), recebendo uma única vez distúrbios circulares, aleatoriamente posicionados, com áreas crescentes (7 níveis, de 0 a 75% da cobertura removida, 10 réplicas por nível). Amostragens quinzenais foram realizadas após o distúrbio, de modo a acompanhar os padrões de desenvolvimento das comunidades. Na primeira amostragem observou-se que índices máximos de diversidade foram obtidos nas comunidades que receberam níveis intermediários de distúrbio. No entanto, no decorrer do tempo este perfil deu lugar a um pico de diversidade nas comunidades que sofreram os maiores níveis de distúrbio. Notou-se também um incremento contínuo da riqueza e diversidade ao longo do tempo até a 7ª amostragem (110 dias após os distúrbios), com subseqüente redução a partir deste momento. Tais padrões parecem corroborar a Hipótese do Distúrbio Intermediário, embora em médio prazo o perfil da comunidade mude drasticamente, revelando que perturbações físicas representam de fato um importante fator na estruturação de comunidades marinhas de substrato consolidado da Baía de Guanabara, além de realçar a importância de estudos de maior duração na avaliação dos impactos de distúrbios em comunidades marinhas.In marine fouling communities, free space is one of the key limiting resources for settlement of new organisms. In this way, removing biomass through physical disturbances would play an important role in the structure and dynamics of these communities. The disturbance size seems to be a characteristic that influences recolonization patterns, thus affecting species diversity. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of growing disturbance areas on fouling communities. Fouling panels were allowed to develop for 6 mo. at Guanabara Bay (22°52'S, 043°08'W) prior to a single application of randomly positioned, circular physical disturbances of growing areas (7 levels, from 0 to 75% removed cover, 10 replicates per treatment). Samples were taken fortnightly after the disturbance event, so as to follow the development patterns of the community afterward. At the first sampling the diversity showed maximum indices in communities to which intermediary disturbance levels were applied. However, this profile changed later to a diversity peak in communities with higher disturbance levels. It also showed a continuous increase in richness and diversity through time until the 7th sample (110 days after the disturbance event), with subsequent decrease. Such patterns seem to corroborate the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis, despite the drastic profile change with time, revealing that disturbance is indeed an important factor structuring hard bottom communities at Guanabara Bay, and highlighting the importance of longer term studies of disturbance impacts in marine communities

Influence of the Kaolinite Calcination Conditions on the Compressive Strength of Geopolymer

Among the cementitious materials, geopolymers not only attract interest due to the low emission of CO2 in their manufacturing process, but also because of their good mechanical and chemical properties, together with their resistance to fire. They can be made from different raw materials including various wastes from industrial activities and mineral extraction. In this study, metakaolin was obtained from kaolinite calcined under different conditions. In this case kaolinite is a by-product of sand extraction. It was observed that the calcination conditions (kiln heating rate, calcination time and temperature) had a strong influence on the compressive strength of geopolymer after 28 days of cure. They also affected the composition of the geopolymer, which was prepared by mixing metakaolin, alkaline sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solution.Compressivestrengthsintherangefrom10MPato50MPamaybeobserved, depending on the combination of these factors. A factorial design of experiments allowed the isolation of the effect of each factor and its interactions, offering new insights into the complexity of the geopolymeric reactions and highlighting the need for a rigid control of the calcination conditions of kaolinite and the composition of the geopolymer samples to obtain the desired compressive strength. Keywords: kaolinite, calcination, metakaolin, geopolymer, compressive strength

Difference in Imagery use between Full-contact and Limited contact sports

Imagery is a set of techniques used in sport psychology to help athletes to improve skill performance, to boost motivation, to increase emotional management and to facilitate motor learning. Evidence suggests that individual differences explain the frequency of imagery use in sport. However, recent studies suggest that imagery is also linked to types of sport. The present study aimed to understand whether elite athletes from Full-contact and Limited contact sports differ regarding imagery use. The research had 199 participants divided in Full-contact (N=85) and Limited contact (N=114) sport categories. Demographics and frequency of imagery use were collected. A Canonical Discriminant Analysis was performed to assess the level of group discrimination each variable presented. Results suggested that Full-contact elite athletes train for more hours and use Cognitive Specific imagery more frequently than Limited contact professional athletes; whereas, this last group had significantly more sport psychologists working for them and higher frequency of Motivational Specific and Cognitive General imagery use. These findings altogether provide evidence that differences in imagery use can be also explained by sport categories, and sport psychologists must be aware of the particularities of each type of sport

Diferenças de gênero entre universitários no reconhecimento de expressões faciais emocionais

The perceptive accuracy of university students was compared between men and women, from sciences and humanities courses, to recognize emotional facial expressions. emotional expressions have had increased interest in several areas involved with human interaction, reflecting the importance of perceptive skills in human expression of emotions for the effectiveness of communication. Two tests were taken: one was a quick exposure (0.5 s) of 12 faces with an emotional expression, followed by a neutral face. subjects had to tell if happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust or surprise was flashed, and each emotion was shown twice, at random. on the second test 15 faces with the combination of two emotional expressions were shown without a time limit, and the subject had to name one of the emotions of the previous list. in this study, women perceived sad expressions better while men realized more happy faces. there was no significant difference in other emotions detection like anger, fear, surprise, disgust. Students of humanities and sciences areas of both sexes, when compared, had similar capacities to perceive emotional expressionsSe comparó la precisión de hombres y mujeres de los cursos universitarios en las áreas de la ciencia y las artes en la percepción de expresiones faciales emocionales. Las expresiones emocionales han despertado un creciente interés en diversas áreas relacionadas con la interacción humana, lo que refleja la importancia de la capacidad de la percepción de las expresiones de los demás para una comunicación más efectiva. Se realizaron dos pruebas: la primera fue una exposición rápida (aproximadamente medio segundo) a doce caras consecutivas, presentando una expresión emocional, seguidas de una cara neutra. Los sujetos debían anotar una respuesta en la siguiente lista de emociones: alegría, tristeza, ira, miedo, disgusto y sorpresa. En total, fueron expuestos a dos diferentes formas de expresión facial de la emoción. En la segunda prueba quince caras con la combinación de dos expresiones emocionales fueron presentadas en tiempo ilimitado. Los sujetos debían responder sólo con una de las emociones de la lista anterior. Los resultados del estudio mostraron que las mujeres tenían una mejor percepción de las expresiones tristes, mientras que la precisión en la detección de las caras con expresiones felices fue mayor en los hombres. No hubo diferencias significativas en la detección de otras emociones como ira, miedo, sorpresa o disgusto. Tampoco fueron encontradas diferencias de percepción entre los cursos de Ciencias Exactas y Humanidades.Comparou-se a acuidade de universitários homens e mulheres de cursos das áreas de exatas e humanas em percepção de expressões faciais emocionais. As expressões emocionais têm despertado crescente interesse em diversas áreas relacionadas à interação humana, refletindo a importância da capacidade da percepção das mesmas em terceiros para uma comunicação mais efetiva. Foram realizados dois testes, o primeiro consistia em uma exposição rápida (0.5 s) de doze faces consecutivas contendo uma expressão emocional. Os sujeitos deveriam responder ter notado uma das emoções na seguinte lista: alegria, tristeza, raiva, medo, nojo e surpresa. Totalizando, foram expostas duas formas distintas de expressões faciais de uma emoção. No segundo teste foram expostas, com tempo ilimitado ao sujeito, expressões contendo uma combinação de duas emoções numa mesma face. Os sujeitos deveriam responder ter notado apenas uma das emoções da lista anterior. O resultado da pesquisa demonstrou que mulheres tiveram melhor percepção de expressões tristes, enquanto os homens tiveram melhor acuidade na detecção de expressões alegres. Contudo não houve diferenças perceptivas entre os cursos de Exatas e Humanas e nenhum grupo - homens mulheres, humanas ou exatas - teve melhor capacidade perceptiva na soma dos pontos de respostas a todas as expressões emocionais

Apert Syndrome: New Treatment and a Perspective for the Future

Treatment the Apert Syndrome is unique, therefore, divergences exist in the priority of the procedures performed by each team. The Apert Syndrome occurs in approximately 1/65,000 births and accounts for 4.5% of all craniosynostosis. Some changes in Apert Syndrome stand out, such as craniosynostosis and polydactyly

Assessment of the risk of burnout and its associated factors in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective cohort study

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic resulted in tremendous physical and psychological pressure on healthcare professionals, especially on those working in intensive care units (ICUs) and Emergency Departments (EDs). The present study intended to characterize the profile of these professionals which is associated with burnout and determine the potential predictors of such condition.MethodsA Prospective cohort study was carried out in a tertiary hospital between March 2020 and March 2021, in Salvador, Brazil. A standardized and validated version of the Oldenburg Burnout inventory (OLBI) was applied to assess risk of burnout together with data forms designed to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics and religious beliefs. ICU and ED healthcare professionals were evaluated during off-hours at two distinct periods of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 and in 2021. Differences in the results obtained from each study participant between the timepoints were compared. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of burnout development independent of other confounding factors.ResultsSeventy-seven healthcare professionals with a median age of 33 (interquartile range [IQR]: 31–37.5) years and predominantly female (72.7%; n = 56) were enrolled. There were 62 professionals at risk of developing burnout through the OLBI. Those had a median age of 33 (IQR: 31–37) and female predominance (71%, n = 44). Disengagement and burnout were the only features which frequencies significantly changed over time, with increasing detection at the latest timepoint. Alcohol consumption was found to be an important risk factor for burnout development [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 10.8 (95% CI: 1.8–64.2)]. Importantly, working in the ICU [aOR: 0.04 (95%CI: 0.01–0.32)] and the habit of praying daily [aOR: 0.07 (95%CI: 0.01–0.41)] were characteristics linked to reduced odds of burnout.DiscussionDisengagement substantially increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in healthcare professionals. Alcohol consumption favors the onset of burnout whereas habit of praying daily and working in the ICU are protective against such outcome. Institutional policies aimed at minimizing etilism may positively impact mental health of these professionals

How Habitat Change and Rainfall Affect Dung Beetle Diversity in Caatinga, a Brazilian Semi-Arid Ecosystem

The aim of the present study was to evaluate how dung beetle communities respond to both environment and rainfall in the Caatinga, a semi-arid ecosystem in northeastern Brazil. The communities were sampled monthly from May 2006 to April 2007 using pitfall traps baited with human feces in two environments denominated “land use area” and “undisturbed area.” Abundance and species richness were compared between the two environments and two seasons (dry and wet season) using a generalized linear model with a Poisson error distribution. Diversity was compared between the two environments (land use area and undisturbed area) and seasons (dry and wet) using the Two-Way ANOVA test. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was performed on the resemblance matrix of Bray-Curtis distances (with 1000 random restarts) to determine whether disturbance affected the abundance and species composition of the dung beetle communities. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to determine whether rainfall was correlated with abundance and species richness. A total of 1097 specimens belonging to 13 species were collected. The most abundant and frequent species was Dichotomius geminatus Arrow (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The environment exerted an influence over abundance. Abundance and diversity were affected by season, with an increase in abundance at the beginning of the wet season. The correlation coefficient values were high and significant for abundance and species richness, which were both correlated to rainfall. In conclusion, the restriction of species to some environments demonstrates the need to preserve these areas in order to avoid possible local extinction. Therefore, in extremely seasonable environments, such as the Caatinga, seasonal variation strongly affects dung beetle communities