Population biology and secondary production of the stout razor clam Tagelus plebeius (Bivalvia, Solecurtidae) on a sandflat in southeastern Brazil

The population biology and production of the stout razor clam Tagelus plebeius Lightfoot, 1786 were investigated on an intertidal sandflat on the southeast coast of Brazil (Enseada Beach, São Sebastião, state of São Paulo) between April 1997 and April 1998. Two rectangular sites of 50 X 10 m parallel to the waterline were established, site A (upper intertidal level) and site B (middle intertidal level), where the samples were taken in an 0.5 x 0.5 m quadrat. High abundances were recorded in winter and spring, with no significant differences between the sites. The high bivalve abundances were related to the presence of very fine homogeneous sediment with low salinities. Tagelus plebeius had negative allometric growth, characteristic of deep burrowers for the relationships DM/SL and AFDM/SL. Parameters of the modified von Bertalanffy growth function were: L∞ = 67.01 mm, K = 1.73 year-1, t0 = -0.11 year, C = 0.43, WP = 0.96. The instantaneous mortality (Z) was 3.12 year-1, relatively high in comparison to other tropical bivalve populations. Secondary production was 1.53 g AFDM m-2 year-1, with a P/B ratio reaching 1.37 year-1. This high turnover ratio (P/B) was related to a rapid population replacement, connected with the short life span and high mortality of the species.546

Animal Performance in Pastures of \u3ci\u3ePanicum maximum\u3c/i\u3e cv. IPR 86 Fertilized with Nitrogen

The experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station of the IAPAR in Paranavaí– PR, Brazil, from October 1998 to May 1999 to evaluate the response of crossbred steers grazing pastures of Panicum maximum cv. IPR 86 fertilized with four doses of N (0; 150; 300 and 450 kg.ha-1.year). The grass was grazed according to a rotational grazing system with grazing cycles (GCs) of 40 days (grazing period of 5 days and rest period of 35 days). It was used a randomized complete block design, with split-plots, and two replications per treatment, being the N-doses studied in the main plots and the GCs in the sub-plots. The availability of green leaf-blades increased with the increase of N-doses, resulting in 4.09; 8.18; 11.18; and 13.92 steers.ha-1.day-1 and daily LWG of 2.73; 5.25; 7.40; and 9.24 kg.ha-1 when the pastures were fertilized with 0; 150; 300 and 450 kg N.ha-1, respectively. The efficiency of N-utilization was 3.35; 3.11; and 2.89 kg LWG kg.N-1 when the pastures were fertilized with 150; 300; and 450 kg N.ha-1, respectively

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Production of \u3ci\u3ePanicum maximum\u3c/i\u3e cv. IPR 86 under Grazing

The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Station of Paranavaí/IAPAR-PR-Brazil, from October 1998 to May 1999, to evaluate the effects of N fertilization on Panicum maximum cv. IPR 86 pastures. Four doses of N (0; 150; 300; and 450 kg.ha-1.year-1) were applied to pastures under rotational grazing with grazing cycles (GCs) of 40 days (5 days-grazing and 35 days-rest). It was used a randomized complete block design, with split-plots, and two replications per treatment, being the N-doses studied in the main plots and the GCs in the sub-plots. In all GCs the variables dry matter of available green leaf-blades (GLB) and dry matter of stems + leaf sheaths (GSLS) increased linearly (P\u3c 0.01) with the increase in N-doses during a grazing period of 200 days. The average residual GLB and GSLS were 335; 730; 825; and 837, and 104; 1024; 1817; and 2763 kg.ha-1, respectively for the N-treatments of 0; 150; 300; and 400 kg.ha-1

A 10-Year Experience in Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Measurements for Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Prospective Study of 91 Previous Unexplored Patients

Introduction. Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) is characteristically determined by high levels of calcium and high or inappropriate levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Technological advances have dramatically changed the surgical technique over the years once intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) assay had allowed for focused approaches. Objective. To evaluate our 10-year experience in employing a rapid intraoperative PTH assay for PHP. Methods. A prospective cohort of 91 PHP-operated patients in a tertiary institution in São Paulo, Brazil, from June 2000 to April 2011. Results. We had 85 (93.4%) successful parathyroidectomies, 6 (6.6%) failed parathyroidectomies in 91 previous unexplored patients, and 5 (100%) successful remedial surgeries. The IOPTH was true-positive in 88.5%, true-negative in 7.3%, false-positive in 2.1%, and false-negative in 2.1% of the procedures. IOPTH was able to obviate additional exploration or to ask for additional exploration in 92 (95.8%) procedures. Conclusion. The IOPTH revealed to be an important technological adjunct in the current parathyroid surgery for PHP

Study of Heparin in Intestinal Ischemia and Reperfusion in Rats: Morphologic and Functional Evaluation

To study whether treatment with heparin (HEP) attenuates intestinal dysfunction caused by ischemia (I) and reperfusion (R), rats were treated with HEP (100 U/kg intravenously) or saline solution (SS) before I (60 min), which was produced by occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, and R (120 min). After I or I/R, we mounted 2-cm jejunal segment in an organ bath to study neurogenic contractions stimulated by electrical pulses or KCl, using a digital recording system. Thin jejunal slices were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for optical microscopy. Compared with the sham group, jejunal contractions were similar in the I + HEP and the I/R + HEP groups, but reduced in the I + SS and the I/R + SS groups. the jejunal enteric nerves were damaged in the I + SS and the I/R + SS, but not in the I + HEP and the I/R + HEP cohorts. These results suggested that HEP attenuated intestinal dysfunction caused by I and I/R.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Surg, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biochem, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Morphol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ Great Dourados, Sch Med, Dourados, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Surg, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biochem, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Morphol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Effects of sugarcane cultivation on aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure: a historical comparative case study in São Paulo State

Abstract Over two decades, the area with sugarcane has more than doubled, from 4.8 million hectares in 2000 to 10 million in 2018, in Brazil. São Paulo State is mostly responsible for the sugarcane production in the country, accounting for 51% of the national production. In 2008, a study was conducted analysing the relationship between sugarcane cultivation and the aquatic macroinvertebrate community, showing the impacts of sugarcane on the macroinvertebrate aquatic fauna. The present study aims to gather actual information on the aquatic macroinvertebrate community in the same streams studied in 2008, to make a historical comparison with studies previously carried out. Eight streams were selected; four located in areas of sugarcane cultivation and four located in preserved areas. Three samples were carried out between 2018 and 2020. The aquatic macroinvertebrates were collected using a D-frame aquatic net (250 μm) including riffle and pools areas and identified using specific identification keys. The results of the historical assessment showed better ecological conditions of the streams in 2008 when compared to 2018 in areas of sugarcane cultivation, suggesting that the environmental impact was maintained and increased after ten years