Phytosociology of the arboreal component in an area of Spring, Pernambuco

This study aimed to know the phytosociological composition of the arboreal component in an area of spring in Sirinhaém - PE. Ten plots (10 m x 25 m) were arranged in rays above the springs and distributed systematically in 5 lines, separated by a 45° angle, each. In each line, 2 plots were allocated, at an interdistance of 25 m. In each plot, all individuals with CAP ≥ 15 cm were sampled, which were measured and had the estimated height. The phytosociological parameters were analyzed and an admissible sampling error of 20% and probability level of 95% was adopted. The calculated sampling error was 18%, lower than that established. The spring had a density of 1,236 individuals ha-1, with an estimated basal area of  27,647 m2 ha-1. Tapirira guianensis was characterized by a combination of large numbers of individuals, high dominance and high frequency, demonstrating that it is a species with wide distribution in the area. Regarding the relative frequency, in addition to T. guianensis, Eschweilera ovata and Inga flagelliformis were distinguished. The highest values of absolute dominance were of the species T. guianensis and Virola gardneri. In terms of Importance Value, the highlight was on T. guianensis and V. gardneri

Acidosis: The Prime Determinant of Depressed Sensorium in Diabetic Ketoacidosis

OBJECTIVE — The etiology of altered sensorium in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to determine the origin of depressed consciousness in DKA. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS — We analyzed retrospectively clinical and biochemical data of DKA patients admitted in a community teaching hospital. RESULTS — We recorded 216 cases, 21 % of which occurred in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Mean serum osmolality and pH were 304 31.6 mOsm/kg and 7.14 0.15, respectively. Acidosis emerged as the prime determinant of altered sensorium, but hyperosmolarity played a synergistic role in patients with severe acidosis to precipitate depressed sensorium (odds ratio 2.87). Combination of severe acidosis and hyperosmolarity predicted altered consciousness with 61 % sensitivity and 87 % specificity. Mortality occurred in 0.9 % of the cases. CONCLUSIONS — Acidosis was independently associated with altered sensorium, but hy-perosmolarity and serum “ketone ” levels were not. Combination of hyperosmolarity and acidosis predicted altered sensorium with good sensitivity and specificity. Diabetes Care 33:1837–1839, 2010 D iabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is fre-quently associated with alteredmental status, which is correlated with the severity of the disease and prog-nosis (1). However, the etiology of de-pressed sensorium in DKA remains uncertain and controversial (2,3). Puta-tive factors in the pathogenesis of diabetic ketoacidotic coma include cerebral hypo-perfusion due to circulatory collapse and cerebral thrombosis (4), reduced cerebral glucose and oxygen utilization (1,5), aci-dosis (6,7), hyperosmolarity (8,9), and direct toxic effect of ketone bodies (2). Cerebral edema remains an important precipitant of altered consciousness in DKA, especially in children. Different studies have yielded con-flicting results regarding the role of these etiologic factors in the pathogenesis of al-tered mentation in patients with DKA. Hence, the origin of clouded sensorium in DKA remains to be fully elucidated. We undertook to study the etiology of de-pressed consciousness in patients admit-ted with DKA at the Regional Medica

STEMFLOW NUTRIENT INPUT IN TREES IN A TROPICAL FOREST IN PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL

Rainfall is the main source of water in forest ecosystems and stemflow is an important pathway for nutrients to enter these ecosystems. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate effective precipitation in a fragment of tropical forest and stemflow nutrient input of tree species in different periods of rainfall. Total precipitation and throughfall were measured using rain gauges inside and at the edge of the fragment. After a phytosociological survey, nine species with the highest absolute density in the fragment were chosen and three individuals were selected. Water collectors were fixed around their trunk to collect stemflow water. The stemflow water was measured in milliliters, and pH, electrical conductivity and the input of K, P and Na were determined. Based on the throughfall and stemflow, the effective precipitation was calculated. The stemflow nutrient input presented the following decreasing order: Na>K>P. The high input of Na can be explained by the fact that the fragment is close to the coastal area. Stemflow of forest species proved to be an important pathway for nutrients to enter forest ecosystems, effectively participating in nutrient cycling

Assessment of the tolerability and cycle control of two low-dose oral contraceptives: an open-label study

An open-label comparative study was conducted in nine centers in Brazil to evaluate the tolerability and cycle control of two low-dose oral contraceptives containing 20 mg ethynylestradiol/75 mg gestodene and 20 mg ethynylestradiol/150 mg desogestrel, during six treatment cycles. A total of 167 healthy sexually active women were enrolled (77 in the gestodene group and 90 in the desogestrel group) and 138 completed the six-cycle treatment period. A lipid and hemostatic profile was performed for a subgroup of first users. A total of 867 cycles were evaluated. Irregular bleeding did not occur in 95.4% of the cycles evaluated with gestodene and in 91.9% with desogestrel. Tolerability was good with both preparations but there was significantly more nausea in the desogestrel group. Cycle control was good with both preparations with a significantly lower incidence of irregular bleeding with gestodene when all cycles were considered. There were no clinically significant changes in the hemostatic profile. Lipid profile showed a trend to be more favorable after six cycles of treatment with both preparations. Women in the gestodene group did not present changes in the mean weight; in the desogestrel group there was a significant mean weight increase of 1 kg after six cycles of treatment. Compliance with treatment was good with both preparations. Results of this study demonstrated that low-dose preparations containing gestodene or desogestrel combined with 20 mg of ethynylestradiol are well-tolerated oral contraceptives that provide good cycle control.Realizou-se um estudo aberto comparativo em nove centros brasileiros para avaliar a tolerabilidade e o controle de ciclo obtido com o uso de dois contraceptivos orais de baixa dose contendo 20 mg etinilestradiol/75 mg gestodeno e 20 mg etinilestradiol/150 mg desogestrel, durante seis ciclos de tratamento. Foram selecionadas 167 mulheres saudáveis com vida sexual ativa (77 no grupo do gestodeno e 90 no grupo do desogestrel), das quais 138 completaram os seis ciclos de tratamento. Em um subgrupo de novas usuárias realizou-se também perfil lipídico e hemostático. Foram avaliados 867 ciclos no total. Ocorreu sangramento irregular em 4,6% dos ciclos com gestodeno e em 8,1% com desogestrel. A tolerabilidade a ambas preparações foi boa, mas houve significativamente mais náusea no grupo do desogestrel. O controle de ciclo foi bom com os dois contraceptivos, sendo que houve freqüência significativamente menor de sangramento irregular no grupo do gestodeno quando se leva em conta que todos os ciclos foram considerados. Não houve alterações clinicamente significativas no perfil hemostático. O perfil lipídico mostrou tendência a tornar-se mais favorável após seis ciclos de tratamento com as duas preparações. Não ocorreu alteração no peso médio das mulheres no grupo do gestodeno; no grupo do desogestrel houve aumento significativo no peso médio de aproximadamente 1 kg após seis meses de tratamento. A adesão ao tratamento foi boa com as duas preparações. Os resultados deste estudo mostram que preparações contendo baixa dose de gestodeno ou desogestrel associados a 20 mg de etinilestradiol são contraceptivos bem tolerados que permitem bom controle de ciclo, sem efeitos colaterais significantes.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUniversidade Federal da Bahia Faculdade de MedicinaSecretaria Estadual de Saúde de Goiás Hospital Materno-InfantilUniversidade Federal do Ceará Faculdade de MedicinaUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de MedicinaFaculdade de Ciências Médicas do Espírito SantoUniversidade Federal do Pará Faculdade de MedicinaUniversidade Federal do Pernambuco Faculdade de MedicinaUniversidade Federal da Paraíba Faculdade de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Abordagem CTS da energia nuclear na educação de jovens e adultos

Considerando a necessidade de um ensino de Ciências voltado para a participação social e a necessidade de práticas adequadas para a Educação de Jovens e Adultos, foi desenvolvida uma unidade de ensino com tema Energia Nuclear mediada pela abordagem Ciência, Tecnologia e Sociedade na qual foram expostas e discutidas problemáticas sociais e incentivou-se a tomada de decisão pelos estudantes. Os resultados indicam que durante o desenvolvimento da unidade ocorreram deslocamentos nos discursos dos alunos no que se refere a argumentação mais elaborada e fundamentada na defesa ou crítica da energia nuclear, explicitação de opiniões técnicas ou pessoais sobre a questão, a melhor compreensão sobre características das radiações e dos elementos radioativos. Observou-se ainda maior envolvimento e interesse dos estudantes pelas aulas de Física

Estructura fitossociológica y diamétrica de un fragmento de mata atlántica, Pernambuco, Brasil

Com o intuito de aferir o estado de conservação de um fragmento de Mata Atlântica, foi realizada análise estrutural e diamétrica das espécies arbóreas, deste remanescente. Foram alocadas, aleatoriamente, 18 unidades amostrais de 40 m x 40 m (0,16 ha), totalizando uma área de 2,88 ha. Foram identificados, medidos e georreferenciados todos os indivíduos arbóreos que apresentaram circunferência a 1,30 m do solo (CAP) ≥ 31 cm. Foram amostrados 1755 indivíduos arbóreos, pertencentes a 143 espécies e 36 famílias. A altura média da vegetação foi estimada em 11,60 m, já o diâmetro médio foi de 18,07 cm e uma área basal total de 56,53 m². O Índice de diversidade de Shannon (H’) foi de 4,00 nats indivíduo-1 e a equabilidade (J’) de 0,80. A distribuição diamétrica da comunidade vegetal apresentou formato de J-invertido. A distribuição das alturas se concentrou nas classes intermediárias.In order to assess the state of conservation of a fragment of Atlantic Forest, a structural and diametric analysis of the tree species of this remnant was carried out. 18 sample units of 40 m x 40 m (0,16 ha) were randomly allocated, totaling an area of 2.88 ha. All arboreal individuals with a circumference at 1.30 m (CAP) ≥ 31 cm were identified, measured and georeferenced. We sampled 1755 arboreal individuals, belonging to 143 species and 36 families. The average height of the vegetation was estimated at 11.60 m, with the mean diameter being 18.07 cm and a total basal area of 56.53 m². The Shannon diversity index (H ') was 4.00 nats individual-1 and the equability (J') was 0.80. The diametric distribution of the plant community presented an inverted J-shape. The distribution of heights was concentrated in the intermediate classes. Keywords: Phytosociology, Atlantic Forest, Succession.Con el fin de medir el estado de conservación de un fragmento de Mata Atlántica, se realizó un análisis estructural y diamétrico de las especies arbóreas, de este remanente. Se asignaron, al azar, 18 unidades muestrales de 40 m x 40 m (0,16 ha), totalizando un área de 2,88 ha. Se identificaron, medidos y georreferenciados todos los individuos arbóreos que presentaron circunferencia a 1,30 m del suelo (CAP) ≥ 31 cm. Se muestrearon 1.755 individuos arbóreos, pertenecientes a 143 especies y 36 familias. La altura media de la vegetación fue estimada en 11,60 m, ya el diámetro medio fue de 18,07 cm y un área basal total de 56,53 m². El Índice de diversidad de Shannon (H ') fue de 4,00 nats individual-1 y la equidad (J') de 0,80. La distribución diamétrica de la comunidad vegetal presentó el formato de J-invertido. La distribución de las alturas se concentró en las clases intermedias. Descriptores: Fitosociología, Bosque Atlántico, Sucesión. &nbsp