Hierarchical clique analysis in social networks due to common knowledge of proverbs.

24th European Conference on Operational Research (EURO XXIV). Lisboa, 11 a 14 de Julho de 2010 (Comunicação).We present the Hierarchical Clique Analysis, a new algorithm for social networks analysis. The algorithm is exemplified with data about the recognition of proverbs collected in interviews in all Azorean islands and also in three Azorean emigration locations in the USA. Interpreting the set of this data as an incidence matrix of a graph, we obtain 8 oriented and isolated sub-graphs which distinguish the society in a kind of different families of proverbial users. The Hierarchical Clique Analysis finds distinct clusters with a high inner homogeneity

Amphibians and reptiles from a protected area in western Brazilian Amazonia (Reserva Extrativista do Baixo Juruá)

Sampling gaps across the logistically challenging and extremely biodiverse Amazonia largely hamper our understanding of broad-scale amphibian and reptile diversity patterns in this ecosystem. The Juruá River basin, a southwestern tributary of the Amazon River, is one of these undersampled areas, with only punctual information documented for these vertebrates that are spatially or temporally biased. This is especially the case for the lower-middle courses of the Juruá River, which also has comparatively less protected areas than its upper course. In order to fill some biodiversity knowledge gaps associated with amphibians and reptiles in this river basin, we combined results of our field expeditions carried out in 1992, 2005-2007, and 2018 to the Reserva Extrativista (Extractive Reserve) do Baixo Juruá, a Brazilian protected area in the right bank of the lower Juruá River. Amphibians and reptiles were sampled using four complementary methods: active surveys, pitfall traps, funnel traps, and trammel nets. We identified species or updated their taxonomic status with a reanalysis of the external morphology of the preserved material in the light of novel taxonomic literature (more than 1,500 specimens) and employment of DNA barcoding analyses for some newly collected specimens with contentious taxonomic status. Our combined sampling evidenced 149 species of amphibians and reptiles occurring in this protected area (72 amphibians, 68 squamates, six chelonians, and three crocodilians). Recorded species highlight the value of the lower Juruá River region as harboring quite diverse assemblages for these vertebrates, with species typical of the western and southwestern Amazonia sub-regions. Remarkable species records are presented, as well as accounts on species with lower taxonomic resolution. Furthermore, we discuss the biogeographic affinities of recorded assemblages based on the species geographic range and preferred habitats, and the value of this protected area to preserve the regional biological diversity

Gender, race and parenthood impact academic productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic : from survey to action

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is altering dynamics in academia, and people juggling remote work and domestic demands – including childcare – have felt impacts on their productivity. Female authors have faced a decrease in paper submission rates since the beginning of the pandemic period. The reasons for this decline in women’s productivity need to be further investigated. Here, we analyzed the influence of gender, parenthood and race on academic productivity during the pandemic period based on a survey answered by 3,345 Brazilian academics from various knowledge areas and research institutions. Productivity was assessed by the ability to submit papers as planned and to meet deadlines during the initial period of social isolation in Brazil. The findings revealed that male academics – especially those without children – are the least affected group, whereas Black women and mothers are the most impacted groups. These impacts are likely a consequence of the well-known unequal division of domestic labor between men and women, which has been exacerbated during the pandemic. Additionally, our results highlight that racism strongly persists in academia, especially against Black women. The pandemic will have long-term effects on the career progression of the most affected groups. The results presented here are crucial for the development of actions and policies that aim to avoid further deepening the gender gap in academia

Maternity in the Brazilian CV Lattes : when will it become a reality?

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Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Biogeografia e estrutura da comunidade de lagartos dos enclaves de floresta estacional decidual de São Domingos - GO (Vale do Paranã)

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Ecologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, 2006.A composição e os padrões biogeográficos de formação da comunidade de lagartos dos enclaves de Florestas Estacionais Deciduais (FEDs) na região do Cerrado (São Domingos-GO) foram estudados com objetivo de determinar se as distribuições das espécies são associadas com a Região das Florestas Tropicais Sazonais, nova unidade fitogeográfica previamente proposta, corroborando a existência do Arco Pleistocênico de FEDs. Os lagartos foram intensivamente amostrados através de coleta manual, armadilhas de interceptação e queda (pitfalls), armadilhas de funil e de cola. A composição da comunidade de lagartos dos enclaves de FEDs foi comparada com a de outras formações vegetacionais abertas da América do Sul (Caatinga, Cerrado, Chaco, Llanos e Florestas Secas da Colômbia e Bolívia). A comunidade de lagartos dos enclaves de FEDs possui 20 espécies, incluindo 11 espécies com ampla distribuição geográfica, sete espécies compartilhadas exclusivamente com localidades do Cerrado, uma espécie compartilhada exclusivamente com outras FEDs e uma espécie localmente endêmica. A presença de Lygodactylus klugei, supostamente endêmica do Arco Pleistocênico, amplia consideravelmente a distribuição conhecida para essa espécie, sugerindo conexões históricas entre a Caatinga e os enclaves de FEDs no Cerrado. A composição da comunidade de lagartos dos enclaves corrobora a proposta de uma nova unidade fitogeográfica (ou domínio) da América do Sul. A presença de populações disjuntas e de espécies endêmicas destaca, do ponto de vista da fauna de lagartos, a urgência em se considerar a singularidade das FEDs do Vale do Rio Paranã nos esforços conservacionistas. ________________________________________________________________________________ AbstractOur aim was to determine if the distributions of lizard species from seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTFs) enclaves, within the Cerrado biome in central Brazil, are associated with the Tropical Seasonal Forests Region, a recently proposed phytogeographic unit of South America, corroborating the existence of a Pleistocenic Arc of SDTFs. The SDTF remnants studied are placed in the Paranã River Valley, municipality of São Domingos, Goiás, Brazil. Lizards were extensively sampled using haphazard sampling, funnel traps, and pitfall traps with drift fences during four expeditions. The composition of the SDTF lizard assemblage was compared with those from other South American phytogeographic regions (Caatinga, Cerrado, Chaco, Llanos and Dry Forests of Colombia and Bolivia), based on the literature and our own, unpublished data. The SDTF lizard assemblage contained 20 species, including eleven species with extensive distributions among regions considered, seven species shared exclusively with Cerrado localities, a single species shared exclusively with other SDTFs, and one endemic species. The presence of Lygodactylus klugei, presumably endemic to the Pleistocenic Arc formed by the Tropical Seasonal Forests Region, considerably extends the known distribution of this species, suggesting historical connections between Caatinga and Cerrado SDTF enclaves. The composition of the lizard assemblage in Cerrado SDTF enclaves corroborates the proposal of Prado (2000) of a new phytogeographic unit (or dominium) for South America. The presence of disjunct populations and endemic species highlights the urgency of considering the uniqueness of the Paranã River Valley SDTF and the importance of its conservation