Biomass production and essential oil yield from leaves, fine stems and resprouts using pruning the crown of Aniba canelilla (H.B.K.) (Lauraceae) in the Central Amazon

Aniba canelilla (H.B.K.) Mez. is a tree species from Amazon that produces essential oil. The oil extraction from its leaves and stems can be an alternative way to avoid the tree cutting for production of essential oil. The aim of this study was to analyse factors that may influence the essential oil production and the biomass of resprouts after pruning the leaves and stems of A. canelilla trees. The tree crowns were pruned in the wet season and after nine months the leaves and stems of the remaining crown and the resprouts were collected, in the dry season. The results showed that the essential oil yield and chemical composition differed among the stems, leaves and resprouts. The stems' essential oil production differed between the seasons and had a higher production in the resprouting stems than the old stems of the remaining crown. The production of essential oil and leaf biomass of resprouts were differently related to the canopy openness, indicating that light increases the production of the essential oil and decreases the biomass of resprouting leaves. This study revealed that plant organs differ in their essential oil production and that the canopy openness must be taken into account when pruning the A. canelilla tree crown in order to achieve higher oil productivity.

Efeito da pressão antrópica sobre igarapés na Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, área de floresta na Amazônia Central

Foram investigadas variáveis físico-químicas e químicas de ambientes aquáticos, em área de floresta primária de terra firme, próxima à área urbana, no município de Manaus. Os cursos de águas superficiais investigados drenam tanto área de floresta primária como urbanizada e, na região, são chamados igarapés. Dois desses igarapés têm suas nascentes na área urbana, adentram a área de floresta e lá se juntam. Ainda dentro da mesma área o igarapé resultante encontra-se com um outro que drena apenas área de floresta primária. Neste estudo foram pesquisadas as variáveis ambientais: pH, condutividade elétrica da água, os cátions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ e Fe2+) e material em suspensão. Foi possível observar diferenças significativas nas médias da concentração de íons hidrogênio, na condutividade elétrica e na quantidade de material em suspensão, entre os igarapés estudados. No igarapé cuja nascente encontra-se dentro da reserva, os valores médios correspondentes ao pH, condutividade elétrica e material em suspensão foram, respectivamente, 4,47; 6,44 mS cm-1 e 1,25 mg L-1; e os valores mais elevados registrados nos impactados foram 6,84, 141,50 mS cm-1 e 9,50 mg L-1. Os resultados mostram que o igarapé que drena área de floresta mantém suas características naturais por estar protegido das atividades antrópicas, e os que provêm da área urbana encontram-se impactados.

Níveis críticos e faixas de suficiência nutricional em laranjeira-pêra na Amazônia Central obtidas pelo método DRIS

A avaliação do estado nutricional da laranjeira depende da definição de valores de referência que sejam adequados para refletir suas condições nutricionais. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se determinar os valores de referências e avaliar o estado nutricional de laranjeiras-pêra em diversas glebas na Amazônia Central (municípios de Iranduba, Manacapuru, Manaus, Presidente Figueiredo e Rio Preto da Eva). Utilizou-se o Sistema Integrado de Diagnose e Recomendação de relações multivariadas (DRIS) para estabelecer os valores de referência nutricional. O diagnóstico nutricional de 120 glebas comerciais de laranjeiras-pêra, enxertadas em limoeiro cravo foram avaliadas pelas faixas de suficiência definidas a partir do conjunto de plantas nutricionalmente equilibradas. Para os macronutrientes, as faixas de suficiência nutricional foram (g kg-1): 28-30 (para nitrogênio, N); 1,6-1,7 (fósforo, P); 7-9 (potássio, K); 26-29 (cálcio, Ca); 3,4-4 (magnésio, Mg); 1,7-2 (enxofre, S) e para os micronutrientes (mg kg-1): 47-56 (boro, B); 8-10 (cobre, Cu); 84-93 (ferro, Fe); 12-13 (manganês, Mn); 14-16 (zinco, Zn). Para os macronutrientes, os níveis críticos foram (g kg-1): 28 (para N); 1,6 (P); 7 (K); 26 (Ca); 3,6 (Mg); 1,7 (S) e para os micronutrientes (mg kg-1): 47 (B); 8 (Cu); 84 (Fe); 12 (Mn); 14 para Zn. Padrões nutricionais obtidos pelo DRIS discordam das faixas de suficiência propostas pela literatura para maioria dos nutrientes. Em quase 50% das glebas monitoradas, P, K, Ca, S, B, Cu e Fe estão abaixo dos níveis críticos propostos neste trabalho. Isto sugere que os produtores de laranja na Amazônia Central deveriam atentar-se para estes elementos no planejamento das fertilizações.

Jardins de formigas na Amazônia Central: um experimento de campo utilizando cupins vivos como iscas

Jardins de formigas são um tipo especial de associação entre formigas e epífitas, em que duas ou mais espécies de formigas podem compartilhar o mesmo ninho por parabiose. Essa associação que ocorre em florestas tropicais ainda foi pouco estudada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar jardins de formigas na Amazônia Central determinando se as formigas identificam e removem potenciais herbívoros que estejam visitando as árvores hospedeiras de jardins de formigas ocupados pelas espécies Camponotus femoratus e Crematogaster levior. No estudo foram observadas 42 árvores contendo jardins de formigas. Em cada árvore foi colocado um cupim, como isca, a diferentes distâncias do ninho, contabilizado o tempo para sua remoção e observado se havia recrutamento de outras formigas para realizar a remoção da isca. Os resultados evidenciaram que ambas as espécies examinam as árvores hospedeiras para forragear. Durante a captura da isca, C. levior foi mais eficiente para detectar o cupim, não tendo sido observado recrutamento para carregá-lo ao ninho. Em alguns casos, indivíduos de C. femoratus identificaram a isca e indivíduos de C. levior a carregaram ao ninho. A relação entre árvore hospedeira e formigas beneficiam ambas, pois a árvore recebe proteção indireta contra cupins e fornece apoio para o ninho das formigas.

Effects of light and temperature on isoprene emission at different leaf developmental stages of eschweilera coriacea in central Amazon

Isoprene emission from plants accounts for about one third of annual global volatile organic compound emissions. The largest source of isoprene for the global atmosphere is the Amazon Basin. This study aimed to identify and quantify the isoprene emission and photosynthesis at different levels of light intensity and leaf temperature, in three phenological phases (young mature leaf, old mature leaf and senescent leaf) of Eschweilera coriacea (Matamatá verdadeira), the species with the widest distribution in the central Amazon. In situ photosynthesis and isoprene emission measurements showed that young mature leaf had the highest rates at all light intensities and leaf temperatures. Additionally, it was observed that isoprene emission capacity (Es) changed considerably over different leaf ages. This suggests that aging leads to a reduction of both leaf photosynthetic activity and isoprene production and emission. The algorithm of Guenther et al. (1999) provided good fits to the data when incident light was varied, however differences among E S of all leaf ages influenced on quantic yield predicted by model. When leaf temperature was varied, algorithm prediction was not satisfactory for temperature higher than ~40 °C; this could be because our data did not show isoprene temperature optimum up to 45 °C. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis of the isoprene functional role in protecting plants from high temperatures and highlight the need to include leaf phenology effects in isoprene emission models.

Seasonal and spatial variations in limnological conditions of a floodplain lake (lake Catalão) connected to both the Solimões and Negro Rivers, Central Amazonia

Lakes play an important role in biogeochemical, ecological and hydrological processes in the river-floodplain system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of the limnological conditions of Catalão Lake, an Amazon floodplain lake. Thus, some of the main limnological environment variables (O2, temperature, pH, nutrient, electrical conductivity) of the Catalão Lake were analyzed under temporal and spacial scales. The study was conducted between November/2004 and August/2005. Sampling excursion were carried out every three months; one excursion for each of the four different hydrological periods (low water, rising water, high water and falling water). Sampling points were chosen so that it could be obtained a gradient of the distance from Negro River. Limnological profiles in Catalão Lake showed generally acidic to slightly alcaline water, with low levels of dissolved oxygen and low concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorous. The Negro River seems to exert the main influence during the rising water period, while the Solimões River is the principal controlling river during peak water. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) grouped the seasonal collections by hydrological period, showing the formation of a north-south spatial gradient within the lake in relation to the limnological variables. Multivariate dispersion analysis based on distance-to-centroid method demonstrated an increase in similarity over the course of the hydrological cycle, as the lake was inundated in response to the flood pulse of the main river channels. However, the largest spatial homogeneity in the lake was observed in the epilimnion layer, during the falling water period. The daily analysis of variation indicated an oligomitic pattern during the years in which the lake was permanently connected to the Negro River. Although Catalão Lake receives large quantities of both black water from the Negro River and sediment-filled water from the Solimões River, the physical and chemical characteristics of the lake are more similar to those of the Solimões (várzea lake) than the Negro (blackwater lake).

Assembleias de peixes associadas aos bancos de macrófitas aquáticas em lagos manejados da Amazônia Central, Amazonas, Brasil

O co-manejo dos recursos pesqueiros que vem sendo desenvolvido pelos ribeirinhos da Amazônia têm a preocupação de assegurar ambientes adequados para a conservação dos estoques. Esta estratégia de co-manejo é baseada em regras de acesso e uso dos recursos pesqueiros. Nesse estudo, foi investigada a influência do tipo de uso de lagos (preservados e manejados para subsistência) e a sua distância do rio (próximos e distantes) na estrutura das assembleias de peixes associadas aos bancos de macrófitas aquáticas em lagos de várzea, Amazônia Central. Os peixes foram capturados na cheia com rede de cerco em seis lagos com distância do rio variando de 0,87 a 10,9 km. Nas macrófitas aquáticas e capins flutuantes dos lagos foram capturados um total de 623 exemplares de peixes, distribuídos em 56 espécies. A análise de covariância (ANCOVA) indica que o co-manejo dos lagos e distância não influenciaram significativamente nos atributos ecológicos das assembleias (abundância, riqueza, peso total, diversidade de Shannon-Weaver, diversidade Berger-Parker, equitabilidade e dominância). A análise de similaridade (ANOSIM) também mostrou que não existe diferença na composição de espécies entre os tipos de lago. Estes resultados sugerem outros fatores, como o pouco tempo de manejo efetivo, a agricultura como sendo a principal atividade econômica de subsistência, inexistência de pescarias em larga escala que produzam alterações ambientais significativas e a existência de um fator ecológico de grande intensidade, o pulso de inundação, sobrepondo a outros de menor intensidade.

Effects of bariatric surgery on the central nervous system and eating behavior in humans: a systematic review on the neuroimaging studies

INTRODUCTION: Neuroimaging studies suggest that obese people might show hyperactivity of brain areas regarding reward processing, and hypoactivity of brain areas concerning cognitive control, when exposed to food cues. Although the effects of bariatric surgery on the central nervous system and eating behavior are well known, few studies have used neuroimage techniques with the aim of investigating the central effects of bariatric surgery in humans. OBJECTIVES: This paper systematically and critically reviews studies using functional neuroimaging to investigate changes on the patterns of activation of central areas related to the regulation of eating behavior after bariatric surgery. METHOD: A search on the databases Medline, Web of Science, Lilacs and Science Direct on Line, was conducted in February 2013, using the keywords "Neuroimaging", "Positron-Emission Tomography", "Magnetic Resonance Imaging", "Gastric Bypass", "Gastroplasty", "Jejunoileal Bypass", "Bariatric Surgery". RESULTS: Seven manuscripts were included; the great majority studied the central effects of Roux en Y gastric bypass, using positron emission tomography or functional magnetic resonance. CONCLUSIONS: Bariatric surgery might normalize the activity of central areas concerned with reward and incentive salience processing, as the nucleus accumbens and mesencephalic tegmental ventral area, as well as circuitries processing behavioral inhibition, as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Intervenções percutâneas para revascularização do miocárdio no Brasil em 1996 e 1997 comparadas às do biênio 1992 e 1993. Relatório do registro CENIC (Central Nacional de Intervenções Cardiovasculares)

OBJETIVO: Relatar os resultados das intervenções coronárias percutâneas, no Brasil, no biênio 1996-97, comparando-os com os do biênio 1992-93. MÉTODOS: Foram coletados dados relativos a angioplastia com balão (ATC), aterectomia direcionada (AD), aterectomia rotacional (AR), angioplastia com laser (L) e stents coronários (ST). Estes dados foram comparados aos equivalentes, do Registro 1992-93. RESULTADOS: Participaram do registro atual 79% dos sócios titulares da SBHCI, de 127 hospitais, em 1996-97. Foram incluídos 22.025 pacientes, sendo 60,67% submetidos à ATC; 36,57% a ST; 2,3% a AR; 0,06% à AD e 0,4% ao L. A ATC foi o procedimento mais executado, observando-se um aumento relativo do implante de ST, de 1996 para 1997 de 35% (31,1 para 42,1%, p= 0,0001), com concomitante queda na utilização do balão (65,7% para 55,8%, p= 0,0001). A despeito da população de coronarianos tratados, em 1996-97 ser de maior complexidade clínica e anatômica, que a de 1992-93, verificaram-se maiores índices de sucesso do procedimento (89,7% x 92,8%, p= 0,000001), com menor lesão residual (22% x 19%, p= 0,001). Além disto, houve menores índices de complicações maiores: infarto agudo (2,5% x 1,2%, p<0,01), cirurgia de emergência (0,8% x 0,5%, p= 0,002) e óbito (1,8% x 1,4%, p= 0,0003). CONCLUSÃO: Os procedimentos mais executados no último biênio foram: o balão (60,67%) e os stents coronários (36,57%); verificam-se elevados índices de sucesso (92,3%) e baixas taxas de complicações maiores, confirmando o desempenho de excelência da Cardiologia Intervencionista brasileira.

In-stent restenosis. Acute and long-term outcomes after excimer laser coronary angioplasty

OBJETIVE: With the increased use of intracoronary stents, in-stent restenosis has become a clinically significant drawback in invasive cardiology. We retrospectively assessed the short- and long-term outcomes after excimer laser coronary angioplasty of in-stent restenosis. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with 33 incidents of in-stent restenosis treated with excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) were analyzed. Sixty-six percent were males, mean age of 73±11 years, and 83% were functional class III-IV (NYHA). ELCA was performed using 23 concentric and 10 eccentric catheters with a diameter of 1.6-2.2 mm, followed by balloon angioplasty (PTCA) and ultrasound monitoring. The procedure was performed in the following vessels: left anterior descending artery, 10; left circumflex artery, 8; right coronary artery, 6; left main coronary artery, 2; and venous bypass graft, 7. RESULTS: The ELCA was successful in 71% of the cases, and PTCA was 100% successful. The diameter of the treated vessels was 3.44±0.5mm; the minimal luminal diameter (MLD) increased from 0.30mm pre-ECLA to 1.97mm post-ELCA, and to 2.94mm post-PTCA (p<0.001). The percent stenosis was reduced from 91.4±9.5% before ECLA to 42.3±14.9% after ELCA and to 14.6 ± 9.3% after PTCA (p<0.001). Seventeen (68%) patients were asymptomatic at 6 months and 15 (60%) at 1 year. New restenosis rates were 8/33 (24.2%) at 6 months and 9 /33 (27.3%) at 12 months. CONCLUSION: ELCA is safe and effective for the treatment of in-stent restenosis. In the present sample, a slight increase in new restenotic lesions between 6 and 12 months was found.

Echocardiographic diagnosis of transposition of the great arteries associated with anomalous pulmonary venous connection

We report 2 cases of transposition of the great arteries associated with anomalous pulmonary venous connection emphasizing the clinical findings, the diagnosis, and the evolution of the association. One of the patients had the anomalous pulmonary venous connection in its total infradiaphragmatic form, in the portal system, and the other patient had a partial form, in which an anomalous connection of the left superior lobar vein with the innominate vein existed. At the time of hospital admission, the patients had cyanosis and respiratory distress with clinical findings suggesting transposition of the great arteries. The diagnosis in 1 of the cases, in which the anomalous connection was partial, was established only with echocardiography, without invasive procedures that would represent risk for the patient; in the other case, in which the anomalous connection was total, the malformation was only evidenced with catheterization. The patients underwent surgery for anatomical correction of the heart disease. Only 1 patient had a good outcome.

Laser assisted extraction of pacemaker and implantable defibrillator leads

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of laser-assisted extraction of permanent pacemaker and defibrillator leads. METHODS: We operated upon 36 patients, whose mean age was 54.2 years, and extracted 56 leads. The reasons for extracting the leads were as follows: infection in 19 patients, elective replacement in 13, and other causes in 4 patients. The mean time of catheter placement was 7.5±5.5 years. Forty-seven leads were from pacemakers, and 9 were from defibrillators. Thirty-eight leads were in use, 14 had been abandoned in the pacemaker pocket, and 4 had been abandoned inside the venous system. RESULTS: We successfully extracted 54 catheters, obtaining a 96.4% rate of success and an 82.1% rate for complete extraction. The 2 unsuccessful cases were due to the presence of calcium in the trajectory of the lead. The mean duration of laser light application was 123.0±104.5 s, using 5,215.2±4,924.0 pulses, in a total of 24.4±24.2 cycles of application. Thirty-four leads were extracted from the myocardium with countertraction after complete progression of the laser sheath, 12 leads came loose during the progression of the laser sheath, and the remaining 10 were extracted with other maneuvers. One patient experienced cardiac tamponade after extraction of the defibrillator lead, requiring open emergency surgery. CONCLUSION: The use of the excimer laser allowed extraction of the leads with a 96% rate of success; it was not effective in 2 patients who had calcification on the lead. One patient (2.8%) had a complication that required cardiac surgery on an emergency basis.

Echocardiographic Assessment of the Pulmonary Venous Flow: An Indicator of Increased Pulmonary Flow in Congenital Cardiac Malformations

OBJECTIVE: To identify the left inferior pulmonary vein as an indirect marker of increased pulmonary flow in congenital heart diseases.METHODS: We carried out a prospective consecutive study on 40 patients divided into 2 groups as follows: G1 - 20 patients diagnosed with congenital heart disease and increased pulmonary flow; G2 (control group) - 20 patients who were either healthy or had congenital heart disease with decreased or normal pulmonary flow. We obtained the velocity-time integral of the left inferior pulmonary vein flow, excluding the "reverse A" wave, with pulsed Doppler echocardiography.RESULTS: In G1, 19 out of the 20 patients had well-identified dilation of the left inferior pulmonary vein. No G2 patient had dilation of the left inferior pulmonary vein. Dilation of the left inferior pulmonary vein in conditions of increased pulmonary flow had sensitivity of 95%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 95% (1 false-negative case). The integral of time and velocity of the pulmonary venous flow obtained with pulsed Doppler echocardiography was greater in the G1 patients (G1=25.0±4.6 cm versus G2=14.8±2.1 cm, p=0.0001).CONCLUSION: The identification of dilation of the left inferior pulmonary vein suggests the presence of congenital heart disease with increased pulmonary flow. This may be used as an indirect sign of increased flow, mainly in malformations of difficult diagnosis, such as atrial septal defects of the venous sinus or coronary sinus type.