School age children with HIV/AIDS: possible discrimination and attitudes against

Survey-based study what purpose was to analyse respondents’ opinions about contacts with HIV/AIDS-affected people. It was performed using a paper-pencil method during visits of respondents at primary care centres and on-line through a link to the questionnaire distributed among patients of primary care physicians. The study involved 302 respondents, 80% of whom were women; the average age was 34.48 years. The majority of respondents did not know anyone with HIV/AIDS (89.6%). About 83.3% claimed that they would not decrease contacts with HIV/AIDS-affected people. According to 64.1% of respondents, children with HIV/AIDS should go to kindergarten/public or non-public school. We selected a group of respondents, who previously were not but now are inclined to limit such contacts. These respondents can be a potential target group for HIV/AIDS educational programmes. Most respondents think that there is insufficient information about the HIV/AIDS in the mass media.

Hospital admissions due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions among children by age group and health region

OBJECTIVE to describe hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in children under five years of age in the State of Paraná, Brazil by condition type, age group and health region. METHOD a temporal ecological study was conducted using data from the Unified Health System Hospital Information System for the period 2000 to 2011. Conditions were grouped in accordance with the list of ambulatory care sensitive conditions in Brazil. RESULTS there was an increase in the rate of admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in all age groups in 50% of the health regions, with a marked increase in children under the age of one. Pneumonia, gastroenteritis and asthma were the main causes of admissions. There was an increase in the proportion of overall admissions accounted for by pneumonia and gastroenteritis. CONCLUSION the increase in admissions reveals the need for actions to improve access to primary healthcare and provide effective treatment of the main ambulatory care sensitive conditions in order to prevent hospital admissions among children.

Functional response of Telenomus remus Nixon(Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) to Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) eggs: effect of female age

Functional response of Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) to Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) eggs: effect of female age. Functional response of 24-h and 48-h-old Telenomus remus adults was studied on Spodoptera frugiperda eggs. The study was carried out in climatic chamber regulated at 25 ± 1°C, 70 ± 10% RH and 12:12h (L: D). Females of T. remus were honey fed and individualized in glass vials along with 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 250 or 300 eggs of S. frugiperda for 24 h. Complete randomized design with ten replications was adopted. The parameters evaluated to construct the functional response curve were daily average parasitism, searching rate and oviposition time. It was observed that the higher the egg density, the higher the parasitism for 24-h and 48-h-old females although there was a tendency of parasitism stabilization at 150-egg density. The results showed a type II functional response curve for both 24-h and 48-h-old female.

Influence of age and diet on the performance of Cephalonomia stephanoderis (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) a parasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)

The importance of age and feeding on the performance of Cephalonomia stephanoderis (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), a parasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) was investigated in the laboratory. Groups of female parasitoids were subject to the following treatments: a group fed during one, five and ten days after emergence of adults with coffee borer larvae; another group fed only with honey solution during five days after emergence; and as a control, a third group was kept without food for five days. At the end of each treatment, survivorship, parasitoid activity (walking and flying capacity in an arena), search capacity for finding coffee borer-infested berries, host feeding and oviposition (on immature hosts), were assessed. Unfed females showed a significant decrease in survivorship compared to individuals that were fed. The type of meal (insects or honey) did not significantly influence parasitoid activity, search and oviposition capacities. Females fed with honey solution significantly consumed less immature coffee borers. Younger females (one day old) walked and flew out of the arena significantly faster than older ones (5 and 10 days old). Implications of these results are discussed on the performance of C. stephanoderis as a biological control agent of the coffee berry borer.

Effects of female diet and age on offspring sex ratio of the solitary parasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae)

Effects of female diet and age on offspring sex ratio of the solitary parasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae). Theories predict that females of parasitoid wasps would adjust the offspring sex ratio to environmental conditions in the oviposition patch, but the diet and age of females would also affect the sex ratio adjustment. Our focus was to test the effects of female diet and age on offspring sex ratio of the solitary parasitoid wasp, Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani, 1875). Our results showed that females fed with honey had significantly less female biased offspring sex ratio than those fed only with water. Offspring sex ratio (male percentage) decreased with female age or female longevity at the beginning of oviposition but increased at the end. There should be a sperm limitation in P. vindemmiae females at the end of oviposition, and a higher frequency of unfertilized eggs were laid then. Females also laid more unfertilized eggs at the beginning of oviposition, which would be necessary to insure the mating among offspring. Male offspring developed faster and emerged earlier, which would also reduce the risk of virginity in offspring with female-biased sex ratio.

Age and multiple mating effects on reproductive success of Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae)

The reproductive success of the oriental peach moth was evaluated in four experiments: 1) assessment of the mating duration, fecundity, fertility and longevity of females paired with virgin and immediately mated males; 2) mating duration, spermatophore size, fecundity, fertility and longevity in females paired with virgin and up to four times mated males; 3) receptivity of females to additional copulations after mating with virgin or mated males, and the effects of this behavior in female fecundity, fertility and longevity; 4) influence of insects age in the reproductive output. Males (33%) could copulate immediately after a previous copula. They were fertile until the fourth mating, but only in the first copula they transferred the longest (1.43 ± 0.10 mm) and widest (0.83 ± 0.11 mm) spermatophore, presenting the fastest mating duration (34.8 ± 2.62 min). A high proportion of females copulated by non-virgin males (84%) was receptive to other copulas, in comparison to those copulated by virgin males (32.4%). However, the fecundity, fertility, and longevity were similar among females that copulate once or more. The age was the most important factor affecting reproductive variables, where one and three day old insects had a significant higher fecundity, fertility and presented a shorter mating duration in comparison with older individuals. Results pointed out that the reproductive capacity of Grapholita molesta changes a little with respect to the analyzed factors, highlighting the elevated biotic potential of the species.

Egg laying site selection by a host plant specialist leaf miner moth at two intra-plant levels in the northern Chilean Atacama Desert

Egg laying site selection by a host plant specialist leaf miner moth at two intra-plant levels in the northern Chilean Atacama Desert. The spatial distribution of the immature stages of the leaf miner Angelabella tecomae Vargas & Parra, 2005 was determined at two intra-plant levels (shoot and leaflet) on the shrub Tecoma fulva fulva (Cav.) D. Don (Bignoniaceae) in the Azapa valley, northern Chilean Atacama Desert. An aggregated spatial pattern was detected for all the immature stages along the shoot, with an age dependent relative position: eggs and first instar larvae were clumped at apex; second, third and fourth instar larvae were mostly found at intermediate positions; meanwhile the spinning larva and pupa were clumped at basis. This pattern suggests that the females select new, actively growing leaflets for egg laying. At the leaflet level, the immature stages were found more frequently at underside. Furthermore, survivorship was higher for larvae from underside mines. All these results highlight the importance of an accurate selection of egg laying site in the life history of this highly specialized leaf miner. By contrast, eventual wrong choices in the egg laying site selection may be associated with diminished larval survivorship. The importance of the continuous availability of new plant tissue in this highly human modified arid environment is discussed in relation with the observed patterns.

Pedochronology and development of peat bog in the environmental protection area pau-de-fruta - Diamantina, Brazil

In the region of the Serra do Espinhaço Meridional, peat bog is formed in hydromorphic environments developed in sunken areas on the plain surfaces with vegetation adapted to hydromorphic conditions, favoring the accumulation and preservation of organic matter. This pedoenvironment is developed on the regionally predominant quartzite rocks. Peat bog in the Environmental Protection Area - APA Pau-de-Fruta, located in the watershed of Córrego das Pedras, Diamantina,Brazil, was mapped and three representative profiles were morphologically characterized and sampled for physical, chemical and microbiological analyses. The organic matter was fractionated into fulvic acid (FA), humic acids (HA) and humin (H). Two profiles were sampled to determine the radiocarbon age and δ13C. The structural organization of the three profiles is homogeneous. The first two layers consist of fibric, the two subsequent of hemic and the four deepest of sapric peat, showing that organic matter decomposition advances with depth and that the influence of mineral materials in deeper layers is greater. Physical properties were homogeneous in the profiles, but varied in the sampled layers. Chemical properties were similar in the layers, but the Ca content, sum of bases and base saturation differed between profiles. Contents of H predominated in the more soluble organic matter fractions and were accumulated at a higher rate in the surface and deeper layers, while HA levels were higher in the intermediate and FA in the deeper layers. Microbial activity did not vary among profiles and was highest in the surface layers, decreasing with depth. From the results of radiocarbon dating and isotope analysis, it was inferred that bog formation began about 20 thousand years ago and that the vegetation of the area had not changed significantly since then.

Surface mapping, organic matter and water stocks in peatlands of the Serra do Espinhaço meridional - Brazil

Peatlands are soil environments that store carbon and large amounts of water, due to their composition (90 % water), low hydraulic conductivity and a sponge-like behavior. It is estimated that peat bogs cover approximately 4.2 % of the Earth's surface and stock 28.4 % of the soil carbon of the planet. Approximately 612 000 ha of peatlands have been mapped in Brazil, but the peat bogs in the Serra do Espinhaço Meridional (SdEM) were not included. The objective of this study was to map the peat bogs of the northern part of the SdEM and estimate the organic matter pools and water volume they stock. The peat bogs were pre-identified and mapped by GIS and remote sensing techniques, using ArcGIS 9.3, ENVI 4.5 and GPS Track Maker Pro software and the maps validated in the field. Six peat bogs were mapped in detail (1:20,000 and 1:5,000) by transects spaced 100 m and each transect were determined every 20 m, the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) coordinates, depth and samples collected for characterization and determination of organic matter, according to the Brazilian System of Soil Classification. In the northern part of SdEM, 14,287.55 ha of peatlands were mapped, distributed over 1,180,109 ha, representing 1.2 % of the total area. These peatlands have an average volume of 170,021,845.00 m³ and stock 6,120,167 t (428.36 t ha-1) of organic matter and 142,138,262 m³ (9,948 m³ ha-1) of water. In the peat bogs of the Serra do Espinhaço Meridional, advanced stages of decomposing (sapric) organic matter predominate, followed by the intermediate stage (hemic). The vertical growth rate of the peatlands ranged between 0.04 and 0.43 mm year-1, while the carbon accumulation rate varied between 6.59 and 37.66 g m-2 year-1. The peat bogs of the SdEM contain the headwaters of important water bodies in the basins of the Jequitinhonha and San Francisco Rivers and store large amounts of organic carbon and water, which is the reason why the protection and preservation of these soil environments is such an urgent and increasing need.

Influence of field slope and coffee plantation age on the physical properties of a red-yellow Latosol

In modern agriculture, several factors cause changes in the soil physical properties. The time of establishment of a crop (plantation age) and the slope are examples of factors that moderate the impact of mechanized operations on the soil structure. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of machinery traffic on the physical properties of a Red-Yellow Latosol under coffee plantations with different ages (2, 7, 18, and 33 years) and slope positions (3, 9 and 15 %). Samples were collected from three positions between coffee rows (lower wheel track, inter-row and upper wheel track) and at two depths (surface layer and sub-surface). Changes in the total porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, organic matter, bulk density, and aggregate stability were investigated. Our results showed that the slope influenced the organic matter content, microporosity and aggregate stability. The soil samples under the inter-row were minimally damaged in their structure, compared to those from under the lower and upper wheel track, while the structure was better preserved under the lower than the upper track. The time since the establishment of the crop, i.e., the plantation age, was the main factor determining the extent of structural degradation in the coffee plantation.

Variations on the nutritional status of eucalypt as influenced by the genetic material and age of tree

The Diagnosis and Recommendation System (DRIS) was applied to eucalypt trees (hybrids of Eucalyptus grandis x E. urophylla) with different ages and growing under different environmental conditions for three different clones. The basic data were obtained from 1,986 trees of commercial stands cultivated in the states of Espírito Santo and south Bahia, Brazil. The DRIS indices were calculated using the Beaufils' Range formula and grouped according to the Nutrient Application Potential Response method. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the N, P and Ca status in eucalypt trees, regarding the tree ages and genetic materials. The DRIS indices discriminated differences in the nutritional status of the trees, both in relation to age and the genetic materials (clones). The results indicated that the deficiency of N and Ca tended to decrease with tree age, whereas the P deficiency tended to increase. Furthermore, of the three evaluated clones, those numbered 00014 and 00034 showed opposite trends regarding to N, P, and Ca nutrition, and the clone numbered 00021, in general, presented the highest degree of unbalanced nutrition of N, P and Ca.