The invasive hydromedusae Blackfordia virginica Mayer, 1910 (Cnidaria: Blackfordiidae) in southern Brazil, with comments on taxonomy and distribution of the genus Blackfordia

The invasive brackish-water hydrozoan Blackfordia virginica is reported from estuaries and harbours in southeastern and southern Brazil. Medusae of the species were collected for the first time in Cananeia, Guaratuba Bay, and Babitonga Bay. They were also found in Paranagua Bay where they were previously known to occur. Based on material examined here, a comparative redescription is given of B. virginica, and its distribution worldwide is reviewed. The three nominal species of Blackfordia are assessed.

Breeding of the Rufous-thighed Hawk (Accipiter erythronemius) in Argentina and Brazil

The Rufous-thighed, Hawk (Accipiter erythronemius) is a poorly-known, small raptor that dwells in forests and wooded savannas in south and eastern Brazil, Taraguay, eastern Bolivia, north and central Argentina, and Uruguay. We studied breeding biology and food habits of the Rufous-thighed Hawk from 1994 to 2007. We documented 14 breeding attempts recorded at nine nest sites in eight localities in Argentina and Brazil. Rufous-thighed Hawks were year-round residents at the study areas. The breeding season was c. 38 weeks long (June through March). Territorial behavior and courtship spanned for 22 weeks starting in mid June. Nest-building started in August. Nestlings were observed throughout December and into early January while fledglings were observed from late December through late March. Most nest sites were conifer plantations averaging 32.2 (SD = 10) years old, 12.6 ha (SD = 11.3) in size with trees averaging d 37.5 cm (SD = 13.5) of diameter at breast height. Nests were placed 20.2 m high (SD = 5.7), near the trunks of non-emergent conifers (Pinus sp. or Araucaria angustifolia). Nests were made of sticks, greater diameter averaging 48.8 cm (SD = 11.4), while nest depth averaged 23.3 cm (SD = 14). Prey items were birds (n = 49) ranging in size from c. 10 g [House Wren (Troglodytes, aedon)] to c. 140 g [White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi)]. Young started to chase birds at the age of 42-45 days in mid January. Adult males were primarily food providers but also aided in nest defense against other raptors. Females incubated, brooded, and fed young, and took leading roles in defense against humans. Rufous-thighed Hawks had unlined nests placed high in trees, and breeding season was markedly protracted.

Exploring different social media users from the millennials’ generation: a cross-cultural behavioral analysis of brazilian users of Facebook and chinese users of RenRen

With the increasing importance of digital communication and its distinct characteristics, marketing tools and strategies adopted by companies have changed dramatically. Among the many digital marketing tools and new media channels available for marketers, the phenomenon known as social media is one of the most complex and enigmatic. It has a range that still is quite unexplored and deeply transforms the present view on the promotion mix (Mangold & Faulds, 2009). Conversations among users on social media directly affect their perceptions on products, services and brands. But more than that, a wide range of other subjects can also become topics of conversations on social media. Hit songs, sporting events, celebrity news and even natural disasters and politics are topics that often become viral on the web. Thus, companies must grasp that, and in order to become more interesting and relevant, they must take part in these conversations inserting their brands in these online dynamic dialogues. This paper focuses on how these social interactions are manifested in the web in to two distinct cultures, Brazil and China. By understanding the similarities and differences of these cultures, this study helps firms to better adjust its marketing efforts across regions, targeting and positioning themselves, not only geographically and culturally, but also across different web platforms (Facebook and RenRen). By examining how companies should focus their efforts according to each segment in social media, firms can also maximize its results in communication and mitigate risks. The findings suggest that differences in cultural dimensions in these two countries directly affect their virtual social networking behavior in many dimensions (Identity, Presence, Relationships, Reputation, Groups, Conversations and Sharing). Accordingly, marketing efforts must be tailored to each comportment and expectations.

Peer to peer lending and financial inclusion in Brazil: a case study

While pursuing the objective to investigate the potential for the P2P innovation to enhance financial inclusion in Brazil, the P2P industry and the current market environment were analyzed in order to highlight the factors that can facilitate this desired enhancement. There seems to be no doubt that there is substantial potential for the P2P industry worldwide and in Brazil but, beyond this, a considerable part of this industry could be providing financially inclusive products. The P2P industry in Brazil needs to recognize the potential for growing, not only the industry itself, but also the market for financially inclusive P2P products. The first section of this thesis focuses on financial inclusion briefly in order to establish the frame of what is being addressed. Subsequently the P2P industry is analyzed globally, locally in Brazil and with regard to financial inclusion. The study is conducted through an interview with the founder of a P2P platform in Brazil and its data collection is used to build a case study which allowed for an analysis of the potential for financial inclusion of the P2P industry and the development of key success factors with regard to converting this potential into results.

Karyotypic similarity among Barycholos temetzi and five species of the genus Eleutherodactylus from southeastern Brazil (Anura, Brachycephalidae)

Comparative cytogenetic analyses were carried out in six species of Brachycephalidae from southeastern Brazil. Barycholos ternetzi, Eleutherodactylus binotatus, Eleutherodactylus guentheri, Eleutherodactylus juipoca, Eleutherodactylus parvus and Eleutherodactylus sp. have 2n = 22 karyotypes with a marked variation in the morphology of chromosome pairs 8, 10 and 11, which are of telocentric or metacentric types, resulting in FN = 38, 40 and 44. Eleutherodactylus have a single chromosome pair bearing Ag-NOR, i.e. pair 1 in E. binotatus, pair 6 in E. guentheri and E. parvus, and pair 11 in E. juipoca and Eleutherodactylus sp. In contrast, B. ternetzi showed Ag-positive sites in the chromosome pairs 1, 4, 5, 9 and 11, and only one to three labelings per metdphase in each individual. Nevertheless, the main chromosome pair with Ag-NOR in the species seems to be the 11th, like in E. juipoca and Eleutherodactylus sp. The NOR site was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique in E. binotatus and in B. ternetzi, bearing 1p1p and 9p11p11p Ag-NOR pattern, respectively. All the species exhibited predominantly centromeric C-banding pattern, but interstitial bands have also been observed in some cases. In E. binotatus, there is an indication of geographical difference in the distribution of the interstitial C-bands. The fluorochromes GC-specific chromomycin A(3) (CMA(3)) and AT-specific 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), with distamycin A (DA) counterstaining, provided the molecular content of some repetitive regions in the karyotypes of the species. One male of E. binotatus presented an extensive heteromorphism, involving at least five different pairs, probably as a consequence of multiple reciprocal translocations. Such rearrangements might be responsible for the multivalent chain seen in the meiosis of this specimen, as well as in another male, although not exhibiting chromosome heteromorphism. The remaining males and those belonging to the other species have always shown 11 bivalents in diplotene and metaphase I cells. In all male specimens, metaphases II presented 11 chromosomes. Despite the observed discrepancies, the five species of Eleutherodactylus have a great uniformity in the 2n = 22 karyotypes, suggesting an assemblage of species from southeastern and southern Brazil, in contrast to northern and northeastern assemblage which is characterized by higher diploid numbers. Undoubtedly, B. ternetzi could be included in that proposed assemblage, due to its karyotypic similarity with the Eleutherodactylus species, as evidenced in the present study. This fact strongly supports the close relationships of both genera, previously inferred on the basis of several characters shared by their species. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CRANIOMETRIC VARIATION AND SUBSPECIFIC DIFFERENTIATION IN THRICHOMYS APEREOIDES IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL (RODENTIA, ECHIMYIDAE)

Thrichomys apereoides is an echimyid rodent which ranges in distribution from northeastern and central Brazil into Paraguay. Five subspecies are recognized, although each form is not well characterized and diagnosis is based primarily in pelage color variation. In this study we employed procedures from multivariate statistics to assess the systematic status of subspecies described from northeastern Brazil. The results of the craniometric analysis cannot be reconciled with the subspecies currently recognized for northeastern Brazil. Populations assigned to T. a. laurentius and T. a. inermis form a continuum of variation in cranial size, although they differ in cranial shape from a population from the locality of Bodoco in the state of Pernambuco. The implications of these findings for the systematics of T. apereoides are discussed.

Evolution and population structure of africanized honey bees in Brazil: Evidence from spatial analysis of morphometric data

In recent years, studies based on isoenzymatic patterns of geographic variation have revealed that what is usually called the Africanized honey bee does not constitute a single population. Instead, several local populations exist with various degrees of admixture with European honey bees. In this paper, we evaluated new data on morphometric patterns of Africanized honey bees collected at 42 localities in Brazil, using univariate and multivariate (canonical) trend surface and spatial autocorrelation analyses. The clinal patterns of variation found for genetically independent characters (wing size characters and some wing venation angles) are concordant with previous studies of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) allelic frequencies and support the hypothesis that larger honey bees in southern and southeastern Brazil originated by racial admixture in the initial phases of African honey bee colonization. Geographic variation patterns of Africanized honey bee populations reflect a demic diffusion process in which European genes were gradually lost because of the higher fitness of the African gene pool in Neotropical environmental conditions.

A new species and expanded distributions of freshwater Audouinella (Acrochaetiaceae, Rhodophyta) from Central Mexico and south-eastern Brazil

Eighteen collections of red-coloured Audouinella from Central Mexico and southeastern Brazil detected three species. The most common species, A. eugenea, is characterized by macroscopic thalli, the erect system consisting of filaments with cylindrical cells, undifferentiated into proximal and distal parts, and relatively large monosporangia (greater than or equal to 12.0 mum long). Spermatangia. and possible propagules were observed in some Mexican populations. This is the third Audouinella species observed to have gametangia and the first member of the Acrochaetiales with putative propagules. The second species, from Central Mexico, was characterized by the following features: macroscopic thalli, the erect system differentiated into proximal parts with cylindrical cells, unbranched or rarely branched, and distal parts with barrel-shaped cells, abundantly branched to form dense fascicles, with alternate or dichotomous branching, some at right-angles to the axis, and relatively large monosporangia (greater than or equal to 12.0 mum long). The morphologically distinct proximal and distal portions of the erect system, the latter forming dense fascicles, was a consistent character so far unknown in Audouinella; thus, we propose a new species, A. huastecana sp. nov. The third species is a microscopic epiphyte, A. meiospora, with a well-developed prostrate system composed of creeping and loosely aggregated filaments, and a short homogeneous erect system (less than or equal to 15 cells) of filaments with cylindrical or barrel-shaped cells and small monosporangia (less than or equal to 13.0 mum long). A. eugenea and A. meiospora are characterized for the first time from the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, respectively, both occurring mostly in areas of tropical or subtropical rainforests. A. meiospora is reported from new macroalgal hosts. A. eugenea and A. huastecana tended to occur in warm, alkaline waters with a high ion content that were moderate to fast flowing, whereas A. meiospora was not associated with particular habitats.

Geographic variation of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in Brazil: Multivariate morphometrics and racial admixture

The correspondence between morphometric and isozymic geographic variation patterns of Africanized honey bees in Brazil was analyzed. Morphometric data consisted of mean vectors of 19 wing traits measured in 42 local populations distributed throughout the country. Isozymic data refer to allelic frequencies of malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and were obtained from Lobo and Krieger. The two data sets were analyzed through canonical trend surface, principal components and spatial autocorrelation analyses, and showed north-south dines, demonstrating that Africanized honey bees in southern and southeastern Brazil are more similar to European honey bees than those found in northern and northeastern regions. Also, the morphometric variation is within the limits established by the racial admixture model, considering the expected values of Africanized honey bee fore wing length (WL) in southern and northeastern regions of Brazil, estimated by combining average values of WL in the three main subspecies involved in the Africanization process (Apis mellifera scutellata, A. m. ligustica and A. m. mellifera) with racial admixture coefficients.

North-western Africa-North-eastern Brazil. Major tectonic links and correlation problems

The establishment of a geological correlation between northwest Africa and northeast Brazil faces a series of problems of both a virtual and a real nature. Several aspects are summarised in this work that include pre-Mesozoic and Mesozoic features on both continental sides. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution and habitat use of Sordellina punctata (Serpentes, Colubridae), with a new record from State of São Paulo, Brazil

Sordellina punctata occurs throughout south and southeastern Brazil in the Atlantic Forest domain (states of São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina). Records from the states of Rio de Janeiro and Mato Grosso do Sul are questionable. A new record from southwestern São Paulo extends its distribution west and northward, probably indicating a wider range in the past. Habitat use in S. punctata implies that it may be more associated with wetlands and other saturated areas than truly aquatics ones.

Frequency of reported European ancestry among multiple sclerosis patients from four cities in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil

Recent reports on the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) have described discrepancies between the rates in cities in the northeastern and southeastern regions of Brazil, representing a north-south gradient. European immigrants settled in southeastern and southern Brazil at the beginning of the twentieth century. In this study, we report the frequency of European ancestors among Brazilian MS patients in four cities in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil. Methods: A total of 652 consecutive patients with confirmed MS diagnoses seen at four centers in Belo Horizonte, Ribeirão Preto, Londrina and Santos were asked about the origin of their ancestors, going back three generations. Results: 287 (44%) reported Italian ancestry, 211 (32%) reported that all ancestors were born in Brazil, 49 (7.5%) had Portuguese ancestry and 70 (10%) had Spanish ancestry. The patients in Belo Horizonte and Londrina reported higher proportions of Italian ancestry than the proportions estimated for the populations of their respective States. Conclusion: Brazil has a north-south gradient of 0.91/100,000 per degree of latitude, which is higher than the gradient for Latin America. Since the largest immigrant group that settled in southern and southeastern Brazil was from Italy, it is possible that Italian immigration was one of the factors that have contributed toward increasing the prevalence of MS in these regions. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Initial description of the phylogeography, population structure and genetic diversity of Atlantic spotted dolphins from Brazil and the Caribbean, inferred from analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA

We provide initial information regarding the population structure and genetic diversity of Stenella frontalis from the Caribbean and southeastern Brazil from analyses of mitochondrial control region sequences and sequences from the first intron of the α-lactalbumin gene. Comparisons with previously described S. frontalis sequences showed a high number of haplotypes shared between populations throughout their distribution range. High diversity was found for southeastern Brazil and Caribbean samples, and population structure analyses indicate significant differentiation among population units at the FST level, but not at the ΦST level. Significant differentiation at the FST level was found between the Caribbean population unit and all other populations units. These results suggest historical or present connectivity between the Azores and Madeira and the southeastern Brazil groups and population differentiation between the Caribbean and southeastern Brazil, supporting the notion of two separate stocks in the waters around the Atlantic coast of South America. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Os projetos para o desenvolvimento da nação na Revista Cultura Política durante o Governo Vargas

Pós-graduação em Ciências Sociais - FFC

Dramaturgia engajada no Brasil: as produções Calabar: O elogio da traição e Gota d'água

Pós-graduação em História - FCHS