Correlato hormonal do comportamento reprodutivo de machos de sagüi comum (Callithrix jacchus) em ambiente natural

Contrary to what is recorded for Callithrix jacchus females, the social interactions and hormonal profiles of males are less studied, and mainly in wild groups. The goal of this study was to investigate the behavioral and endocrine profiles of reproductive (RMs) and non-reproductive (NRs) common marmoset adult free-ranging males living in two natural groups (GC1 and GR2). The groups inhabited the area of the Escola Agrícola de Jundiaí/UFRN, located in Macaíba, Brazil. Fecal collection for cortisol and androgen measurement and behavioral monitoring was carried out during the active phase from April to September, 2005. For behavioral data collection the focal instantaneous method was used every 5 min, for a total of 11.563 records. Statistical analysis was performed using non parametric tests and p < 0.05. Besides showing diurnal variation, the frequency of affiliative behaviors was significantly higher for RMs toward reproductive females than for NRs. Affiliative interactions of RMs with both reproductive females and NRs were similar, probably related to pair bond formation and helper recruitment, respectively. Parental care was also similar for both RMs and NRs. Both androgen and cortisol levels increased after the birth of the infants, mainly in RMs. The longitudinal profile of androgens fluctuates more in response to agonistic encounters and sexual behavior than that of cortisol. The mean basal excretion of both hormones was significantly higher in RMs and seems to reflect their higher participation in territorial vigilance and mate guarding behaviors. Significant positive correlations were found between agonism and cortisol and androgen hormones. These results describe, for the first time, the behavioral and hormonal profiles of common marmosets living in free-ranging groups and suggest that reproductive males are more responsive both behaviorally and hormonally to social group dynamics

Imitating art – estratégia inovadora de educação médica: identificando desafios e possibilidades

Este estudo de caráter qualitativo, com base em metodologia pesquisa – ação, procurou descrever características funcionais da estratégia de ensino „Imitating Art”, construída com base em métodos de dramatização, solução de problemas e tempestade cerebral e alicerçada no processo de ensino de arte do conhecer, apreciar e fazer arte. Participaram da pesquisa 96 alunos do ensino em saúde com idade média de 21 anos. Com o objetivo de desenhar as características funcionais da estratégia, a mesma foi planejada, descrita, modificada e avaliada em 4 etapas: experimentação, metodização, adequação e replicação. Cada etapa foi verificada a partir de avaliação observacional pelos docentes envolvidos e análise de conteúdo sobre as respostas dos alunos participantes, em instrumento de avaliação próprio. Da fase experimental participaram 14 alunos dos quais 100 % aprovaram a estratégia. A análise de conteúdo mostrou Identificação de ferramentas cognitivas e afetivas (30,6%), características da atividade (22,2%), e mediação de trabalho em grupo (16,7%). A observação identificou ativo trabalho atitudinal em uma dinâmica de grupo criativa. Na fase de metodização participaram 31 alunos, dos quais 96,9% aprovaram a estratégia. Na análise de conteúdo, as ideias mais presentes foram, dificuldades encontradas pelos participantes (28%), identificação de ferramentas cognitivas e afetivas (17,6%), Implicação da estratégia no cotidiano profissional (13,2%) e mediação do trabalho em grupo (13,2%). Na fase de Adequação, participaram 32 alunos, dos quais 90,7% demonstraram aprovação da estratégia. A avaliação dos participantes evidenciou como mais importante a mediação do trabalho em grupo (29,6%), identificação de ferramentas cognitivas e afetivas (21,3%) e características da atividade (19,7%). A fase de replicação teve 19 alunos, dos quais 100% aprovaram a estratégia e cuja avaliação demonstrou principalmente dificuldades encontradas pelo participante (27,8%), mediação do trabalho em grupo (25%) e Habilidade criativa da atividade (22,2%). A avaliação bidimensional mostrou que se constitui como uma estratégia de abordagem ativa e colaborativa, podendo ser usada como instrumento linear de diagnóstico e incremento de competências atitudinais tais como criatividade e trabalho em grupo.

Estrutura e dinâmica do fitoplânctone bacterioplâncton em cultivos de camarão no Rio Grande do Norte-Brasil: impacto sobre o ambiente natural

This work aimed to study the structure and dynamic of Phytoplankton and Bacterioplankton in a complete cycle of shrimp cultivation (Litopenaeus vannamei) and determine the environmental factors responsible for the structural changes of these communities. The study was realized in a saltwater shrimp farm (Macaíba, RN), between September/2005 and February/2006, and in a freshwater shrimp farm (Ceará Mirim, RN), between May/2007 and September 2007. The samplings were collected weekly in saltwater farm and every fifteen days in freshwater farm. Total phosphorus, chlorophyll a and environmental parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, depth and water transparency) were measured. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phytoplankton and bacterioplankton were carried out. The Shannon-Wiener ecologic indexes of diversity and the Pielou equitability indexes were calculated to the phytoplankton. Bacterial density was determined by epifluorescence microscopy. The data were statistically analyzed by Pearson correlation and t-Test. Chlorophycea were predominat in salt water and in the captation/drainage point (24 to 99%). Diatoms had higher wealth. The species Choricystis minor had the highest occurrence (100%) and dominance (90-100%), thus showing its adaptation to the high temperatures, salinity and low water transparency conditions. Filamentous Cyanobacteria like Oscillatoria sp., Pseudoanabaena sp. and Phormidium sp. had constant levels. The negative correlation between chlorophycea and water transparency, and the positive correlation between chlorophyll a and salinity, showed that the phytoplankton was well adapted to the low transparency and to the high salinity. The bacterioplankton was negatively correlated with the total phosphorus and salinity. In freshwater, Cyanobacteria were predominant (>80%), presenting some producers of toxins species like Microcystis sp., Aphanizomenon sp., Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii e Anabaena circinalis. Cyanobacterial density and total phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations exceeded the maximum value allowed by legislation. The means of total phosphorus varied from 264 to 627 Wg.L-1 and the means of chlorophyll a oscillated between 22 and 182 Wg.L-1. The phytoplankton species were selected by low availability of the light, high pH, temperature and high availability of total phosphorus. The bacterioplankton showed high densities (5,13 x 107 to 8,50 x107 Bac.mL-1). The studied environments (ponds and rivers) presented a high level of trophic state based on the high concentrations of chlorophyll a and total phosphorus and cyanobacteria dominance. The composition of species in the ponds and rivers was similar, as well as high concentrations of total phosphorus and chlorophyll a, highlighting the pollution caused by the discharges of the farms in natural environment

Reconfiguração dinâmica de estratégias distribuídas em dispositivos foundation fieldbus para a otimização de processos na indústria do petróleo

The petrochemical industry has as objective obtain, from crude oil, some products with a higher commercial value and a bigger industrial utility for energy purposes. These industrial processes are complex, commonly operating with large production volume and in restricted operation conditions. The operation control in optimized and stable conditions is important to keep obtained products quality and the industrial plant safety. Currently, industrial network has been attained evidence when there is a need to make the process control in a distributed way. The Foundation Fieldbus protocol for industrial network, for its interoperability feature and its user interface organized in simple configuration blocks, has great notoriety among industrial automation network group. This present work puts together some benefits brought by industrial network technology to petrochemical industrial processes inherent complexity. For this, a dynamic reconfiguration system for intelligent strategies (artificial neural networks, for example) based on the protocol user application layer is proposed which might allow different applications use in a particular process, without operators intervention and with necessary guarantees for the proper plant functioning

Exercícios anaeróbicos, padrão morfofuncional e os marcadores hematológicos em pessoas vivendo com hiv e aids

Estudos que relacionam a atividade física e HIV/AIDS enfatizam a perspectiva biológica, demonstrando a sua relevância, apontam a preocupação em estabelecer um tipo de atividade e intensidade que não comprometa o sistema imunológico, enfatizando as melhorias do exercício sobre os parâmetros antropométricos, na aptidão física bem como um grande aumento da capacidade funcional para o grupo testado. Objetivo: O presente estudo se caracteriza como quase-experimental e objetivou analisar o padrão morfofuncional, marcadores hematológicos em pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS, através da oferta intervenção com exercícios anaérobicos (exercícios resistidos em sala de musculação) para pacientes portadores de HIV/AIDS. Métodos: A amostra foi composta por 11 indivíduos do gênero masculino, com média de idade de 43,2 anos, participantes do Programa Pro-Saúde e Atividade Física da Universidade Federal do Rio grande do Norte e atendimento clínico no Hospital Giselda Trigueiro da Secretaria de Estado de Saúde Pública/RN. A coleta de dados foi composta de exames laboratoriais para medir TCD4 e Carga Viral, medidas antropométricas: Índice de Massa Corporal - IMC, Relação Cintura Quadril- RCQ, e uma annamenese sociodemográfica. Para análise dos dados utilizou-se no presente estudo a estatistica descritiva com os valores de tendecia central e seus derivados. Para as variáveis de cunho discreto utilizou-se a análise de frequencia atavés de valores percentuais de aparecimento. Resultados: Os resultados entre os Pré e o Pós teste das variáveis estudadas foram assim apresentadas: para o IMC (pré média de 24,0 Kg/m2 e pós 24,2 Kg/m2), RCQ (pré média de 0,97cm e pós 0,95 cm), Somatório de Dobras cutâneas (Pré 117,1 e Pós 102,0), Somatório da Perimetria(Pré 310,5 e Pós 313,3), Força Escapular(Pré 30,9 Kgf e Pós 30,3 Kgf), Força Pressão Manual Direita(Pre 41,2 e Pós 42,1), Força Pressão Manual esquerda(Pré 39,4 e Pos 39,9), TCD4( Pré 579 e Pós 509 céls/mm3) e Carga Viral(pré e pós <50 cópias). Esses resultados apontam para uma melhora importante das variáveis antropométricas estudadas, principalmente em relação a RCQ, na contagem dos linfócitos TCD4 e manutenção da Carga Viral em níveis abaixo do limite mínimo(<50 cópias/ml) Conclusão:O Programa de Exercícios resistidos com características anaeróbicas promove melhorias no padrão morfofuncional, manutenção das células TCD4 em níveis considerados seguros para esta população e estabilização da carga viral, não apresentando riscos à saúde dos participantes

Efeitos do treinamento de dupla tarefa no controle do equilíbrio dinâmico e estático de idosas pré-frágeis: um estudo piloto

The increasing world population of older individuals has become a subject of growing research for prevention and reversibility of the frailty because it is a major risk factor for the occurrence of falls, especially when it involves everyday situations of dual task. Some rehabilitation programs have already used the methods of dual-task with general exercises for improving gait and postural control, but has been reported that these interventions have little specificity with limited success to improve certain aspects of static and dynamic position during the performance of functional tasks. This study aimed to verify the measures of postural control in a group of elderly women with fragility phenotype after physical therapy intervention program based on dual-task treadmill training. We selected six pre-frail elderly subjects, with a minimum age of 65, female, living in the community and randomly assigned to two groups. The survey was conducted twice a week for 45 minutes, for four weeks. The simple task intervention consisted only in training on a treadmill and the dual task consisted of in treadmill training associated with visual stimuli. The assessments were made with the use of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Balance Master® computerized posturography, static and dynamically. The effects of retention were observed after one month, using the same instruments earlier used. The results showed a tendency toward improvement or maintenance of the balance after training on a treadmill, especially with respect to static equilibrium. Both groups showed the most notable changes in the variables related to gait, as the length and speed. The BBS scores and the baropodometric variables showed that the experimental group could keep all values similar or better even one month after completion of training unlike the control group. We concluded that the dual-task performance had no additional value in relation to the improvement of balance in general, but we observed that the effectiveness of visual stimulation occurred in the maintenance of short term balancevariables

Efeitos da respiração em freno-labial sobre os volumes pulmonares e o padrão de hiperinsuflação dinâmica em pacientes com asma

Objectives: To evaluate how to develop dynamic hyperinflation (DH) during exercise, the influence of pursed-lip breathing in (PLB) on breathing pattern and operating volume in patients with asthma. Methods: We studied 12 asthmatic patients in three moments: (1) anthropometry and spirometry, (2) submaximal incremental cycle ergometer test in spontaneous breathing and (3), submaximal incremental test on a cycle ergometer with PLB using the Opto-electronic plethysmography. Results: Evaluating the end-expiratory lung volume (EEV) during submaximal incremental test in spontaneous breathing, patients were divided into euvolume and hyperinflated. The RFL has increased significantly, the variation of the EEV group euvolume (1.4L) and decreased in group hyperinflated (0.272L). In group volume observed a significant increase of 140% in Vt at baseline, before exercise, comparing the RFL and spontaneous breathing. Hyperinflated group was observed that the RFL induced significant increases of Vt at all times of the test incremental baseline, 50%, 100% load and 66% recovery, 250%, 61.5% and 66% respectively. Respiratory rate decreased significantly with PLB at all times of the submaximal incremental test in the group euvolume. The speed of shortening of inspiratory muscles (VtRcp/Ti) in the hyperinflated increased from 1.6 ± 0.8L/s vs. 2.55 ± 0.9L/s, whereas in the RFL euvolume group ranged from 0.72 ± 0.31L/s vs. 0.65 ± 0.2L/s. The velocity of shortening of the expiratory muscles (VtAb/Te) showed similarity in response to RFL. In group hyperinflated varied vs. 0.89 ± 0.47 vs. 0.80 ± 0.36 and ± 1.17 ± 1L vs. 0.78 ± 0.6 for group euvolume. Conclusion: Different behavior in relation to EEV in patients with moderate asthma were observed, the HD and decreased EEV in response to exercise. The breathing pattern was modulated by both RFL performance as at home, making it more efficient

Os significados do tabagismo construídos na dinâmica social

The present study has the purpose of catching the significances of smoking in the social dinamics based on the Theory of Social Representations. It was developed among adults with ages from 20 to 59 years, low social and economic conditions, at Natal RN, Brazil. The Free-words Association Test was applied as the instrument of data collection and a semi-structured interview with the smokers and non-smokers, besides a structured interview with smokers, non-smokers and ex-smokers. All data was analyzed by the descriptive statistics using the Analysis of Content Technique of the thematic kind and by the softwares ALCESTE and EVOC 2000. Elaborations about smoking were marked by social, cultural and historical dimension, however they showed sensibility to changes and revealed positive and negative aspects of the habit. The analysis of the semi-structured interviews showed the following categories and under-categories respectively: Initiation of the habit (Friends and Family and Appreciation and Beauty); Psychosocial Implications of smoking (Personal relationship, Work and Financial); Behavior when facing smoking (Positive, Negative and Neutral); Smoking Effects (Smokers´ health and the other people health); Description about oral diseases ( Bad breath, Oral cancer and Dental problems); Smoking treatment (Physician and psychological, Supernatural and Difficulties). ALCESTE analysis presented 4 classes: Ambivalence between pleasure and get ill, Smoking as a trouble and danger to society, Social discrimination of smokers and Mouth as a place of reaffirmation of the discrimination. Those helped us to understand the psychosocial repercussion of the habit. On the social representation structure we identified as a probable central nucleus of the smoker group the categories Pleasure and Bad to the health and as peripheral elements Alcoholic Drink, Financial damage and Nervousness. For the non-smoker group the category Bad to the health comes first and Stop Smoking comes as a peripheral element. Finally, we hope that the knowledge of these representations can contribute to plan and/or to rethink over the professional practices and public policies related to smoking. Besides that, for an amplified comprehension of the study object the discussions over the identified representations should be deepen and amplified to other population and social groups

Comportamento social de botos-cinza, sotalia guianensis, na praia de Pipa, RN, Brasil: dinâmica, sequência, sincronia e respostas ao turismo de observação

Social behavior of Guiana dolphins, Sotalia guianensis, at Pipa Beach, RN, Brazil: dynamics, sequence, breathing synchrony, and responses to dolphin watching. Social animals form groups that can range from temporary to permanent. Depending on the nature of the social relationships developed between individuals, groups present a particular social organization and the effect of these interactions shapes the activity patterns of these animals. This study investigates: (i) fission-fusion dynamics of Guiana dolphins, through the analysis of three dimensions of the social system (variation in spatial cohesion, variation in size and composition of groups), (ii) sequence, routine and behavioral stability, (iii) breathing intervals in synchronized groups and (iv) behavioral responses of the animals to dolphin watching. Systematic observations of Guiana dolphins were made from a platform located in cliffs about 25 m above sea level that surround Madeiro Bay, Pipa Beach. Sampling occurred from December 2007 to February 2009 between 0600 h and 1600 h, and the groups of Guiana dolphins were investigated according to their size (alone and group) and composition (adults, adults and juveniles, and adults and calves). According to the analysis of fission-fusion dynamics, Guiana dolphin groups frequently changed their composition, modifying their patterns of spatial grouping and cohesion every 20 minutes on average. More than 50% of the individuals maintained a distance of up to 2 m from other group members and new individuals were attracted to the group, especially during feeding, leaving it for foraging. Large groups were more unstable than small, while groups containing only adults were more stable than groups of adults and juveniles. According to the Z-score analysis to investigate the sequence and behavioral routine, lone individuals were more ! .7! ! involved in foraging and feeding, while resting was more common in groups. Foraging and feeding were more common in homogeneous groups (individuals of the same age class), while heterogeneous groups (different age classes) were often involved in socialization, displaying a broader behavioral repertoire. Foraging and resting behavior presented higher stability (continuous duration in minutes) than the other behaviors. The analysis of breathing intervals in synchronized groups showed significant differences depending on type of behavior, composition and area preference. During resting, breathing intervals were of longer duration, and groups with calves showed shorter breathing intervals than groups without calves. Lone individuals also preferred areas called corral , often used for the entrapment of fishes. The Markov chain analysis revealed behavioral changes in the presence of boats, according to the type of group composition. Groups composed of adults presented decreased resting and increased in traveling during the presence of boats. Groups of adults and juveniles showed a massive reduction of socialization, while the behavior transition probability traveling-traveling was higher in groups of adults and calves. In the presence of the boats, stability of resting was reduced by one third of its original duration and traveling more than doubled. The behavioral patterns analyzed are discussed in light of socio-ecological models concerning costs and benefits of proximity between individuals and behavioral optimization. Furthermore, significant changes in behavioral patterns indicate that Guiana dolphins, at Pipa Beach, have suffered the effects of tourism as a result of violation of rules of conduct established for the study area

Códigos de sustentação da linguagem no cotidiano prisional do Rio Grande do Norte: penitenciária estadual de Parnamirim

The quarrel, in this study, tells about the language as social practical in the daily of Parnamirim State Prison that is integrated to the Rio Grande do Norte Penitentiary System - SISPERN, destined for men in fulfilment of penalty privative of freedom, in closed regimen. For the accomplishment of the research, the delimited objectives had been to analyze the language repertoires created in the prisional daily, trying to identify how it´s turned into distinct forms of resistance to the mechanisms of control in penitentiary system; to investigate which are the language repertoires created from the new sociability forms developed among prisoners and identify how the language repertoires are expressed in the daily prisional on relations/exercises of power not-institutionalized. In the methodological aspect, the study is in a qualitative boarding, that has as main instrument the interview. The inquiry was possible by means of using instruments for data collection, like as: the direct comment in the prisional daily duly registered as researcher´s ethnographical procedure, the analysis of interns´ cadastre handbooks and the application of half-structuralized interview, to the subjects of the research. The construction and understanding of the study object had been based on authors who argue on the arrest, as: Foucault, Goffman, Carvalho Filho and, in particular was searched the theorical referencial that approaches the language in a social and cultural perspective: Orlandi, Manfred, Bastos and Candiotto, amongst others. Beyond the normative endorsement of the Brazilian legislation, through the Law of Criminal Execution, of the Criminal Code and the Federal Constitution of the country and the legal apparatus in state scope. Still in the research methodological perspective, after the collection the data had been submitted to an analysis of the speech from Foucalt´s theory and in the Orlandi´s perspective, being also qualitative and quantitative. The results had evidenced that the social and juridical profile of the population in the site inquired is not different of others Brazilian prisons, composed for men, in its majority, with age band between 21 and 30 years old, prisoners for practicing crimes against the patrimony, against life, amongst others, and, in special, criminal recidivists. It evidenced, still, that the daily prisional of PSP is characterized for a sociocultural diversity expressed in the relations of power not institutionalized, that contributes for the formation and division of the groups, each one using a set of language codes/ repertoires sustentation. Therefore, the language, in the daily prisional, is one of the ways to understand the singularity of the sociability relations and as social practicing mediated by relations/exercises of power and antagonistic interests, in which each group aims first of all, their own interests. It represents the complexity of the social relations, in the prisional space, with diverse effects, in function of the situation and the moment. The language in the arrest, beyond the communication function, assumes and represents central element for the sociability human being, contributes for its changings and it´s configured as one of the resistance forms of prisoners against the controling, disciplining and monitoring mechanisms of penitentiary system

A experiência do usuário idoso no design de jogo digital para a reabilitação neural de pacientes com quadro de acidente vascular cerebral (AVC)

Stroke is nowadays one of the main causes of death in Brazil and worldwide. During the rehabilitation process, patients undergo physioterapic exercises based on repetition, which may cause them to feel little progress is being made. Focusing on themes from the areas of Human-Computer Interaction and Motor Imagery, the present work describes the development of a digital game concept aimed at motor rehabilitation to the neural rehabilitation of patients who have suffered a stroke in a playful and engaging way. The research hypothesizes that an interactive digital game based on Motor Imagery contributes to patients' raised commitment in the stroke sequel rehabilitation process. The research process entailed the investigation of 10 subjects who live with sequels caused by stroke - it was further established that subjects were over 60 years old. Using as foundation an initial survey regarding target-users' specificities, where an investigation on subjectrelated aspects was carried out through Focus Group (n=9) and Contextual Analysis (n=3), having as subjects elderly individuals, a list with the necessary requirements for the conceptualization of a digital game was fleshed out. The initial survey also enabled the establishment of preliminary interactions for the formulation of game prototypes. At first, low-resolution prototypes were used, with two distinct interaction models for the game - one with a direct approach to the Motor Imagery concept, and another using a narrative with characters and scene settings. The goal was to verify participants' receptivity regarding the addition of playful activities into game dynamics. Prototypes were analyzed while being used by five patients, through the Cooperative Evaluation technique. The tests indicated a preference for option with elements in a playful narrative. Based on these results high fidelity prototypes were created, where concepts close to the game's final version were elaborated. The High Fidelity prototype was also evaluated with four patients through the Cooperative Evaluation technique. It was concluded that elderly individuals and patients were receptive to the idea of a digital game for the rehabilitation from sequels caused by stroke; that, for the success of devices aimed at these cohorts, their contexts, needs and expectations must be respected above all; and that user-centered design is an essential approach in that regard.

Efeito da seca na dinâmica dos grupos funcionais fitoplanctônicos em reservatórios eutróficos do semiárido

Reservoirs are the main sources of surface water in Brazil´s semiarid region. The majority of these water supplies, however, are compromised by eutrophication. A severe drought in 2012 contributed to significant losses in water volume, influencing the availability of resources (nutrients and light) for phytoplankton. The aim of this study is to understand the dynamics of the functional groups of phytoplankton and the factors that affect them during a severe drought in the semiarid reservoirs of the northeast. We therefore studied the Dourado, Gargalheiras and Passagem das Traíras reservoirs in Rio Grande do Norte from January 2012 to January 2013. The effect of drought favoured homogeneity within the reservoir, in relation to biotic and abiotic variables, notably the absence of water supply given the lack of flow from its tributaries (intermittent river). The phytoplankton functional groups of bloomforming cyanobacteria (SN, S1 and M) dominated throughout the year 2012, in both the shallow and deep areas of the three reservoirs studied. The groups were related to high concentrations of volatile solids, total phosphorus and ammonia, and high turbidity. Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (SN group) was the species with the greatest biomass in the three reservoirs. M group (Sphaerocavum brasiliense) performed better in shallow waters with more available phosphorus. Our data showed that high concentrations of nutrients and low availability of light, besides the stability of the water column due to lack of flow and the system´s high residence time, favoured the dominance of bloom-forming cyanobacteria groups, especially those tolerant to shadow

O impacto da remoção de peixes sobre a dinâmica e estrutura dos grupos funcionais fitoplanctônicos em um lago raso tropical durante uma seca severa

The artifi cial eutrophication is one of the biggest t h reat for the quality of aquatic ecosystems in the whole world. The expectations for the future climatic scenarios in arid and semi - arid regions are intense and frequent droughts enhancing the risk of eutrophicati on and cyanobacterial blooms. Restoration techniques of eutrophic lakes were proposed to reduce nutrient loading and improve the water quality. A successful technique used in temperate regions is the biomanipulation by benthivorous fish removal . Our hypoth esis is that the benthivorous fish removal reduces phytoplankton total biomass and change the composition of phytoplankton functional groups, improving water quality. The aim of the study was evaluate the impact of biomanipulation on phytoplankton function al groups and in the water quality. We applied the technique of biomanipulation in the artificial lake ESEC, in a semi - arid region of Brazil and analyzed the physical and chemical variables and the dynamic of phytoplankton functional groups monthly during November 2012 to August 2013. With the removal of benthivorous fish we observed a significant increase of the euphotic depth, phytoplankton richness and the recruitment of green algae (groups F and J ), indicators of good water quality. However, we did not observe significant differences on total phosphorous concentration and on phytoplankton biomass and diversity. The drought effect in the region during the study was evident , promoting a drastic reduction on water level which influenced the availability of resource and affected phytoplankton community before the biomanipulation. To evaluate the effect of severe drought on the dynamic of phytoplankton functional groups and test if the drought periods are favorable to dominance of cyanobacterial groups, we stu died two artificial neighbors lakes (ESEC and Pocinhos) in a semi - arid tropical region during May 2012 to February 2013. We observed a temporal differentiation of biotic and abiotic variables caused by drought. Both lakes presented reduction of 2 meters of water level and increase on conductivity, turbidity, nutrients concentration and a reduction on water transparency, during the severe drought. The deeper lake (Pocinhos) increased phytoplankton total biomass and presented cyanobacterial functional group d ominance (group S N ) and the shallower lake (ESEC) reduced phytoplankton total biomass and presented dominance of mixotrophic and flagellate functional groups (groups W 1 e W 2 ). Summarizing, the knowledge of the effects of benthivorous fish removal in semi - a rid tropical lakes still unknown and this study had limitations caused by the impact of drought. Thus, it is necessary a long term monitoring to investigate the real effects of biomanipulation on the functioning of the studied ecosystems. Otherwise, period s of drought could have opposite effects (increase or reduction) on total biomass and composition of phytoplankton functional groups. Drought not always leads to dominance of cyanobacterial groups.

Influência da seca extrema na dinâmica fitoplanctônica de um reservatório da região tropical semiárida: uma abordagem morfofuncional

Droughts are climatic phenomena whose frequency has increased in the last decades and also compromised drinkable water supplies in semiarid regions. The lack of rain combined with high evaporation rates promotes a significant reduction of the volume of reservoirs in these regions. Shallower conditions favors nutrients concentration and phytoplankton overgrowth, including potentially toxic cyanobacteria blooming. Therefore, there is a tendency to the intensification of eutrophication in those reservoirs during drought periods. Phytoplankton can respond quickly to environmental conditions related to light and nutrient availability by changes in algal biomass and composition, therefore it is considered a good predictor of environmental variables. Two functional approaches - Reynolds’s Functional Groups (FG) and Kruk’s Morphologically Based Functional Groups (MBFG) - were used to assess which environmental variables were responsible for phytoplankton dynamics, in addition to compare which functional approach explains environmental changes better. This study highlights that the reduction of 90% in the volume of a tropical reservoir of Brazilian semi-arid region, as well as light limitation and nutrient increase, can promote phytoplankton overgrowth. Multivariate analyses using both functional approaches indicated a clear separation between high volumes and low volumes conditions, showing that light and nutrient availability were the main variables that better explained the combination of functional groups. The composition of phytoplankton assemblage changed from species of meso-eutrophic habitats (FG: F and J; MBFG: VI), to organisms of eutrophic and turbid environments (FG: SN and M; MBFG: VIII and VII) during shallower conditions. Both ecological approaches described properly the phytoplankton dynamics according to light and trophic state alterations related to the water volume reduction, therefore they can be considered as equivalent approaches for using in similar environments.

Efeitos dos exercícios aeróbio contínuo e intervalado na variabilidade da frequência cardíaca em adultos jovens saudáveis. Ensaio clínico aleatório

The high-intensity interval exercise has been described as an option for increasing physical activity and its use also being suggested in the therapeutic management of many conditions such as diabetes mellitus and heart failure. However, the knowledge of its physiological effects and parameters that can assure greater safety for interval exercise prescription; especially its effect on short- and medium-term (24 hours after exercise) exercise recovery, need to be clarified. This study objective was to evaluate the effect of continuous and interval aerobic exercise on the cardiac autonomic control immediate and medium term (24 hours), by assessing heart rate variability (HRV). The present study is a randomized crossover clinical trial in which healthy young individuals with low level of physical activity had the VFC 24 hours measured by a heart rate sensor and portable accelerometer (3D eMotion HRV, Kuopio, Finland) before and after continuous aerobic exercise (60-70% HR max, 21 min.) and interval exercise (cycle 1 min. 80-90% HR max, 2 min. at 50-60% HR max, duration 21 min.). HRV was measured in the time and frequency domain and the sympathovagal balance determined by the ratio LF / HF. Nonlinear evaluation was calculated by Shannon entropy. The data demonstrated delayed heart rate recovery immediate after exercise and lower HR after 24 hours compared to pre intervention values, especially in the interval exercise group. There was a tendency to higher predominance and representatives index values of sympathetic stimulation during the day in interval exercise group; however, without statistical significance. The study results help to clarify the effects of interval exercise on the 24 hours following interval exercise, setting parameters for prescription and for further evaluation of groups with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.