Sensitivity of the Amazon biome to high resolution climate change projections

ABSTRACT: Despite the reduction in deforestation rate in recent years, the impact of global warming by itself can cause changes in vegetation cover. The objective of this work was to investigate the possible changes on the major Brazilian biome, the Amazon Rainforest, under different climate change scenarios. The dynamic vegetation models may simulate changes in vegetation distribution and the biogeochemical processes due to climate change. Initially, the Inland dynamic vegetation model was forced with initial and boundary conditions provided by CFSR and the Eta regional climate model driven by the historical simulation of HadGEM2-ES. These simulations were validated using the Santarém tower data. In the second part, we assess the impact of a future climate change on the Amazon biome by applying the Inland model forced with regional climate change projections. The projections show that some areas of rainforest in the Amazon region are replaced by deciduous forest type and grassland in RCP4.5 scenario and only by grassland in RCP8.5 scenario at the end of this century. The model indicates a reduction of approximately 9% in the area of tropical forest in RCP4.5 scenario and a further reduction in the RCP8.5 scenario of about 50% in the eastern region of Amazon. Although the increase of CO2 atmospheric concentration may favour the growth of trees, the projections of Eta-HadGEM2-ES show increase of temperature and reduction of rainfall in the Amazon region, which caused the forest degradation in these simulations.

The associated microflora to the larvae of human bot fly Dermatobia hominis L. Jr. (Diptera: Cuterebridae) and its furuncular lesions in cattle

The microflora associated to furuncular lesions, larvae and pupae of Dermatobia hominis, as well as the relationships between parasite, host and microflora associated, as a comprehensive microsystem, has been studied. One hundred and two furuncular myiasis due to D. hominis larvae in several breeds of cattle were studied and the following bacterial species were significant: Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, S. warneri, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Closely related, the microflora associated to 141 samples from first, second, third instar larva and both external surface and larval cavities has been studied. The representative associated microflora to the larvae were: S. aureus, B. subtilis, S. hycus and Moraxella phenylpiruvica, Moerella wisconsiensis, Proteus mirabilis and P. vulgaris, M. phenylpiruvica, M. wisconsiensis, P. mirabilis and P. rettgeri were the representative microflora associated to 64 pupae of D. hominis.

Evaluation of tests based on the antibody response to keyhole limpet haemocyanin and soluble egg antigen to differentiate acute and chronic human schistosomiasis mansoni

Specific IgG and IgM responses to soluble egg antigen (SEA) and keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) were measured by ELISA in patients with acute and chronic schistosomiasis. The tests based upon IgM and IgG antibodies responses to KLH presented the best diagnostic discrimination, and can be used in conjunction with clinical and epidemiological data to the differential diagnosis of acute schistosomiasis.

The contributions of the Genome Project to the study of schistosomiasis

In this paper we review the impact that the availability of the Schistosoma mansoni genome sequence and annotation has had on schistosomiasis research. Easy access to the genomic information is important and several types of data are currently being integrated, such as proteomics, microarray and polymorphic loci. Access to the genome annotation and powerful means of extracting information are major resources to the research community.

Women survivors of intimate partner violence: the difficult transition to independence

Objective To understand the trajectories that women go through from entering into to leaving relationships involving intimate partner violence (IPV), and identify the stages of the transition process. Method We utilized a constructivist paradigm based on grounded theory. We ensured that the ethical guidelines of the World Health Organization for research on domestic violence were followed. The analysis focused on narratives of 28 women survivors of IPV, obtained from in-depth interviews. Results The results showed that the trajectories experienced by women were marked by gender issues, (self) silencing, hope and suffering, which continued after the end of the IPV. Conclusion The transition process consists of four stages: entry - falls in love and becomes trapped; maintenance - silences own self, consents and remains in the relationship; decides to leave - faces the problems and struggles to be rescued; (re) balance - (re) finds herself with a new life. This (long) process was developed by wanting (and being able to have) self-determination.

Intimate partner violence against pregnant women: the environment according to Levine's nursing theory

Abstract OBJECTIVE Analyzing the elements that compose the environment of pregnant women who have experienced intimate partner violence in the light of Levine's Nursing Theory. METHOD A qualitative, descriptive study conducted from September to January 2012, with nine pregnant women in a Municipal Health Center in Rio de Janeiro. The interviews were semi-structured and individual. The theoretical framework was based on Levine's Nursing Theory. RESULTS Thematic analysis evidenced the elements that composed the external environment, such as violence perpetrated by intimate partners before and during pregnancy, violence in childhood and adolescence, alcohol consumption and drug use by the partner, unemployment, low education and economic dependency, which affected health and posed risks to the pregnancy. CONCLUSION Violence perpetrated by an intimate partner was the main external factor that influenced the internal environment with repercussions on health. This theory represents a tool in nursing care which will aid in detecting cases and the fight against violence.

Validity of the Katz Index to assess activities of daily living by informants in neuropathological studies

Abstract OBJECTIVE To analyze the evidences of construct validity of the Katz Index for the retrospective assessment of activities of daily living (ADL) by informants, to assist neuropathological studies in the elderly. METHOD A cross-sectional study analyzed the functional ability of ADL measure by the Katz Index, of 650 cases randomly selected from the Brazilian Brain Bank of the Ageing Brain Study Group (BBBABSG) database. Sample was divided in two subsamples for the analysis (N=325, each) and then stratified according to cognitive decline assessed by the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR). Factor analyses with calculations of internal consistency and invariance were performed. RESULTS Factor analysis evidenced a unidimensional instrument with optimal internal consistency, in all subgroups. Goodness of fit indices were obtained after two treatments of covariance, indicating adequacy of the scale for assessing ADL by informants. The scale is invariant to cognitive decline meaning that it can be used for subjects with or without cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION Katz Index is valid for the retrospective assessment of basic ADL by informants, with optimal reliability.

Simultaneous multielement extraction with the Mehlich-1 solution for Southern Brazilian soils determined by ICP-OES and the effects on the nutrients recommendations to crops

The amounts of macro (P, K, Ca and Mg) and micronutrients (Cu and Zn) extracted with the Mehlich-1 (M1) solution, by the 1.0 mol L-1 KCl (KCl) and with the 0.1 mol L-1 HCl (HCl) for representative soil types of the Rio Grande do Sul state (Brazil) were compared with those extracted with the Mehlich-1 solution determined with the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP). The amounts of nutrients extracted by the different methods showed high correlation coefficients. On average, the Mehlich-1 solution extracted similar amounts of P, determined with colorimetric and ICP methods, and, K determined with emission and ICP. The amounts of Ca and Mg extracted with the Mehlich-1 solution, determined by ICP, were similar to those extracted with the KCl solution determined by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The amounts of Cu and Zn extracted with the Mehlich-1 solution, determined by the ICP, were higher than those extracted with the 0.1 mol L-1 HCl determined by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results indicate that the Mehlich-1 solution and ICP can be used for simultaneous multielement extraction and determination for Southern Brazilian soils. However, a conversion factor for values interpretation is needed. The use of the conversion factor to determine the K availability index in soils is adequate and does not affect the K recommendations for crops in southern Brazilian soils.

Use of the EPR technique to determine thermal stability of some humified organic substances found in soil organic-mineral fractions

In this work, using the EPR spectroscopy, we analysed the thermal stability of some organic-mineral compounds found in a Gleysoil from Rio Janeiro. It was observed a complete disappearance of the EPR signal around 600 °C for the < 2 µm fraction and a residual EPR signal of semiquinone free radical for the 2-20 µm and 20-53 µm fractions at the same temperature. Also, the experiments showed that the 2-20 µm fraction had a larger concentration of semiquinone free radical per g of carbon and a smaller line width indicated a larger humification of this fraction. This is an evidence that the soil organic matter of this fraction (2-20 µm) is more stable than the other ones.

Changes in water availability in the soil due to tractor traffic

Frequent traffic of tractors in agricultural soils, promotes soil compaction and affects the flow and water availability. The aim of this research was to study the effect of compaction induced by tractor traffic on water availability in the soil under different traffic intensities on the same path (0, 1, 3, 6 and 10 passages), to two tractors with 3.3 and 2.6 ton of weights, over three different surface conditions. The study was conducted in an Andisol, representative soil of the study area. It was determined the behavior of the water retention curve, obtaining the gravitational water, available water and hygroscopic water, to 10 and 30 cm of depth. The hygroscopic water is the most prevalent with values ​​of up to 80% of the total water present in the soil. The water retention curves showed increases in the values ​​of field capacity and wilting point and behaviors "flattened" indicating a high sensitivity to the applied treatments, representative of compacted soils, which give the surfaces studied characteristics do not suitable for normal crop development.

Determination of total accumulated rainfall, global radiation, evapotranspiration and degree-days originated from the ECMWF model to sugar cane crop

The climate variability between the growth and harvesting of sugar cane is very important because it directly affects yield. The MODIS sensor has characteristics like spatial and temporal resolution that can be applied to monitoring of vegetative vigor variability in the land surface and then, temporal profiles generation. Agro meteorological data from ECMWF model are free and easy to access and have a good representation of reality. In this study, we used the period between sugar cane growth and harvest in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, from temporal profiles selecting of NDVI behavior. For each period the precipitation, evapotranspiration, global radiation, length (days) and degree-days were accumulated. The periods were presented in a map format on MODIS spatial resolution of 250 meters. The results showed the spatial variability of climate variables and the relationship to the reality presented by official data.

Use of the amniotic membrane to cover the peritoneal cavity in the reconstruction of the abdominal wall with polypropylene mesh in rats

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the efficacy of the amniotic membrane used with polypropylene mesh against the formation of adhesions and its influence on healing. METHODS: twenty five female Wistar rats were anesthetized for creating a parietal defect in the anterior abdominal wall. Its correction was made with polypropylene mesh alone and associated with amniotic membrane. In the control group (n=11), the screen was inserted alone. In group A (n=7) we interposed the amniotic membrane between the screen and the abdominal wall. In group B, the amniotic membrane was placed on the mesh, covering it. After seven days, the animals were euthanized for macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of healing. RESULTS: adhesions were observed in all animals except one in the control group. Severe inflammation was observed in all animals in groups A and B and in three of the control group, with significant difference between them (A and B with p=0.01). Pronounced angiogenic activity was noted in one animal in the control group, six in group A and four in group B, with a significant difference between the control group and group A (p=0.002) and group B (p=0.05). The scar collagen was predominantly mature, except in five animals of the control group, with significant difference between the control group and group A (p=0.05) and group B (p=0.05). CONCLUSION: The amniotic membrane did not alter the formation of adhesions in the first postoperative week. There were also pronounced inflammation, high angiogenic activity and predominance of mature collagen fibers, regardless of the anatomical plane that it was inserted in.

Corrective shoeing in horses: analysis of the adaptation period to the new condition imposed

Corrective shoeing is a method commonly used to alter the locomotion pattern in animals or as therapy for various disorders of the locomotive system of horses. However, to date, there have been no scientific studies discussing the period during which animals adapt to this type of intervention. The goal of this study was to evaluate the horseshoe adaptation period with the toe or heel elevated by six degrees at 0, 48, and 96 hours after each type of shoeing. For this analysis, the horses were recorded while walking on a treadmill. Stride length and gait qualitative analyzes were performed using Dvideow software. The level of significance adopted was 5%. In the present study, there was no significant difference between the evaluation times; elevating the toe or heel by six degrees do not generates discomfort during locomotion, therefore, horses are able to return to a regular exercise or training routine immediately after shoeing.