Natural History of the Lutz`s Frog Cycloramphus lutzorum Heyer, 1983 (Anura: Cycloramphidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Description of the Advertisement Call, Tadpole, and Karyotype

We describe the advertisement call, tadpole, karyotype, and additional information on the natural history of Cycloramphus lutzorum from southern Brazil. Sonograms were generated from digitally recorded calls. Tadpoles were collected in the field for description in the lab, and an adult was collected for karyotyping. Data on seasonal activity were gathered monthly from November 2005 to November 2007. All tadpoles (N = 21), juveniles (N = 18), and adults (N = 52) were found exclusively in streams. Reproduction, as identified by calling frogs, occurred from July through November. Frogs call all day long, but mostly at dusk, from rock crevices inside the stream edges near the splash zone. The call is short and loud, with 11 pulsed notes, of 491-641 ms, with a dominant frequency of 0.98-1.39 kHz. We describe the exotrophic and semiterrestrial tadpoles, always found in constantly humid vertical rock walls in the stream. Tadpoles of C. lutzorum are recognized by differences in labial tooth row formula, eye diameter, body shape, position of nares, and development of tail. Like congeneric species, the karyotype of C. lutzorum comprises 26 metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. Cycloramphus lutzorum is restricted to and adapted for living in fast flowing streams, many of which are threatened by deforestation, pollution, and habitat loss. Therefore, we recommend the status of C. lutzorum be changed from its current ""Data Deficient"" to ""Near Threatened (NT)"" in the IUCN species red list.

Daily Calls Volume Forecasting

A massive amount has been written about forecasting but few articles are written about the development of time series models of call volumes for emergency services. In this study, we use different techniques for forecasting and make the comparison of the techniques for the call volume of the emergency service Rescue 1122 Lahore, Pakistan. For the purpose of this study data is taken from emergency calls of Rescue 1122 from 1st January 2008 to 31 December 2009 and 731 observations are used. Our goal is to develop a simple model that could be used for forecasting the daily call volume. Two different approaches are used for forecasting the daily call volume Box and Jenkins (ARIMA) methodology and Smoothing methodology. We generate the models for forecasting of call volume and present a comparison of the two different techniques.

Novas tecnologias em calls centers : evolução ou involução da estrutura organizacional ? : um estudo empírico sobre processos de implementações de mudanças tecnológicas

Esta dissertação teve como objetivo identificar empiricamente a adequação do discurso gerencialista, que prega que as inovações tecnológicas são uma peça chave para a evolução das estruturais organizacionais na direção de uma maior organicidade. A pesquisa foi feita com base na análise comparativa em profundidade de quatro centrais de atendimento, estudando mudanças na estrutura organizacional a partir da introdução de novas tecnologias, e fazendo uso de uma metodologia mista de pesquisa; com uma estratégia de triangulação concorrente (Creswell, 2003). Os resultados do trabalho mostraram que, em geral; a implantação de novas tecnologias em centrais de atendimento tem propiciado um funcionamento mais mecanicista e não mais organicista destas organizações. No entanto, este não foi o único modelo encontrado: em uma das centrais; a nova tecnologia foi utilizada na transformação do trabalho na direção de uma estrutura mais orgânica, mostrando que, não apenas o componente tecnológico, mas também a proposta gerencial no desenho do trabalho e na forma como o aparato tecnológico é utilizado, são importantes para determinar a "evolução" ou "involução" da estrutura organizacional. Pelos resultados encontrados, o discurso evolucionista dominante mostrou-se limitado: a pesquisa apontou para a existência de uma realidade mais complexa, com algumas organizações caminhando no sentido contrário da "evolução" preconizada nesse discurso triunfalista e ufanista, com a permanência e até aprimoramento de modelos organizacionais mecanicistas

Influência de fotoperíodo artificial no comportamento de um primata neotropical diurno (Callithrix jacchus)

One of the main environmental cues for the adjustment of temporal organization of the animals is the light-dark cycle (LD), which undergoes changes in phase duration throughout the seasons. Photoperiod signaling by melatonin in mammals allows behavioral changes along the year, as in the activity-rest cycle, in mood states and in cognitive performance. The aim of this study was to investigate if common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) exhibits behavioral changes under short and long photoperiods in a 24h cycle, assessing their individual behaviors, vocal repertoire, exploratory activity (EA), recognition memory (RM) and the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity (CRA). Eight adult marmosets were exposed to a light-dark cycle of 12:12; LD 08:16; LD 12:12 and LD 16:08, sequentially, for four weeks in each condition. Locomotor activity was recorded 24h/day by passive infrared motion detectors above the individual cages. A video camera system was programmed to record each animal, twice a week, on the first two light hours. From the videos, frequency of behaviors was registered as anxiety-like, grooming, alert, hanging position, staying in nest box and feeding using continuous focal animal sampling method. Simultaneously, the calls emitted in the experimental room were recorded by a single microphone centrally located and categorized as affiliative (whirr, chirp), contact (phee), long distance (loud shrill), agonistic (twitter) and alarm (tsik, seep, see). EA was assessed on the third hour after lights onset on the last week of each condition. In a first session, marmosets were exposed to one unfamiliar object during 15 min and 24h later, on the second session, a novel object was added to evaluate RM. Results showed that long days caused a decreased of amplitude and period variance of the CRA, but not short days. Short days decreased the total daily activity and active phase duration. On long days, active phase duration increased due to an advance of activity onset in relation to symmetric days. However, not all subjects started the activity earlier on long days. The activity offset was similar to symmetric days for the majority of marmosets. Results of EA showed that RM was not affected by short or long days, and that the marmosets exhibited a decreased in duration of EA on long days. Frequency and type of calls and frequency of anxiety-like behaviors, staying in nest box and grooming were lower on the first two light hours on long days. Considering the whole active phase of marmosets as we elucidate the results of vocalizations and behaviors, it is possible that these changes in the first two light hours are due to the shifting of temporal distribution of marmoset activities, since some animals did not advance the activity onset on long days. Consequently, the marmosets mean decreased because the sampling was not possible. In conclusion, marmosets synchronized the CRA to the tested photoperiods and as the phase angle varied a lot among marmosets it is suggested that they can use different strategies. Also, long days had an effect on activity-rest cycle and exploratory behaviors

Natural History of the Lutz's Frog Cycloramphus lutzorum Heyer, 1983 (Anura: Cycloramphidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Description of the Advertisement Call, Tadpole, and Karyotype

We describe the advertisement call, tadpole, karyotype, and additional information on the natural history of Cycloramphus lutzorum from southern Brazil. Sonograms were generated from digitally recorded calls. Tadpoles were collected in the field for description in the lab, and an adult was collected for karyotyping. Data on seasonal activity were gathered monthly from November 2005 to November 2007. All tadpoles (N = 21), juveniles (N = 18), and adults (N = 52) were found exclusively in streams. Reproduction, as identified by calling frogs, occurred from July through November. Frogs call all day long, but mostly at dusk, from rock crevices inside the stream edges near the splash zone. The call is short and loud, with 11 pulsed notes, of 491-641 ms, with a dominant frequency of 0.98-1.39 kHz. We describe the exotrophic and semiterrestrial tadpoles, always found in constantly humid vertical rock walls in the stream. Tadpoles of C. lutzorum are recognized by differences in labial tooth row formula, eye diameter, body shape, position of nares, and development of tail. Like congeneric species, the karyotype of C. lutzorum comprises 26 metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. Cycloramphus lutzorum is restricted to and adapted for living in fast flowing streams, many of which are threatened by deforestation, pollution, and habitat loss. Therefore, we recommend the status of C. lutzorum be changed from its current "Data Deficient" to "Near Threatened (NT)" in the IUCN species red list.

Istmo Centroamericano: el carácter de la crisis económica actual, los desafíos que plantea y la cooperación internacional que demanda = Central America: nature of the present economic crisis, the challenges it raises and the international co-operation for which it calls

Incluye Bibliografía

Composição química e efeitos antinociceptivo e antiinflamatório em roedores do óleo essencial de Peperomia serpens (Sw) Loud

A Peperomia serpens (Piperaceae) é uma liana herbácea e epifíta popularmente chamada de “carrapatinho’’. Esta planta cresce na Floresta Amazônica de maneira selvagem em diferentes árvores. As folhas são usadas na medicina tradicional brasileira para dor, inflamação e asma. Neste estudo investigaram-se os efeitos do óleo essencial de P.serpens (OEPs) em roedores através de testes para dor e inflamação. A atividade antinociceptiva foi avaliada usando-se modelos nociceptivos químicos (ácido acético e formalina) e térmicos (placa quente) em camundongos, enquanto a atividade antiinflamatória foi avaliada por testes de edema de pata induzidos por carragenina (Cg) e dextrana em ratos, edema de orelha induzido por óleo de cróton, bem como migração celular, rolamento, e adesão induzida por Cg em camundongos. Além disso, a análise fitoquímica do OEPs foi realizada. A composição química do OEPs foi analisada por cromatografia gasosa acoplada a espectrometria de massa. 25 constituintes, representando 89,51% do total do óleo, foram identificados. (E)-Nerolidol (38.0%), ledol (27.1%), α-humulene (11.5%), (E)-caryophyllene (4.0%) and α-eudesmol (2.7%) foram encontrados como principais constituintes. O pré-tratamento oral com o OEPs (62,5- 500mg/kg) reduziu de maneira significante o número de contorções, com um valor de DE50 de 188,8mg/kg que foi ulitizado em todos os testes. Não houve efeito no teste da placa quente mas reduziu o tempo de lambida em ambas as fases do teste de formalina, efeito que não foi significativamente alterado pela naloxona (0,4 mg/kg). OEPs impediu o desenvolvimento do edema induzido por Cg e dextrana em ratos. Em camundongos, o OEPs inibiu o edema induzido por óleo de cróton bem como a migração de leucócitos e neutrófilos, e rolamento e adesão. Estes resultados sugerem que o OEPs possui atividade antinociceptiva periférica sem interação com receptores opióides e atividade antiinflamatória em diferentes modelos de inflamação aguda.

O evento 11 de setembro: (re)criação da história no romance Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2005), de Jonathan Safran Foer

Pós-graduação em Letras - IBILCE