Atherinella blackburni (Schultz, 1949) at Itamambuca Beach, Ubatuba, SP: ecological characterization and distribution on the Brazilian coast (Teleostei: Atheriniformes: Atherinopsidae)

Atherinella blackburni is a silverside species whose occurrence on the Brazilian coast was not properly registered until recently. So far, records of its distribution along the Brazilian shore were limited to Itaparica Island, Bahia State, and Porto Inha��ma, Rio de Janeiro State. In a recent survey of the ichthyofauna of Itamambuca Beach, Ubatuba, S��o Paulo State, 100 specimens of this species were collected, yielding a considerable source of information regarding its ecology and a new southern limit of its distribution. A detailed survey of an ichthyological collection revealed lots of this species from regions of the Brazilian Northeast, resulting in a northward expansion of the occurrence of A. blackburni in Brazilian waters. Besides the populations found on the Brazilian coast, the species also occurs discontinuously in the Atlantic coasts of Costa Rica, Panama and Venezuela. Meristic and morphometric analysis showed overlapped values between Brazilian populations and the ones closer to the Caribbean. An ecological study of A. blackburni at Itamambuca Beach revealed that it is a predominantly diurnal species with preference for warm and salty waters, often occurring in sandy-bottom environments. It was more abundant in Summer and Winter, when individuals with smaller values of length and weight also occurred.

Patterns of distribution and abundance of larval phosichthyidae (actinopterygii, stomiiformes) in southeastern Brazilian waters

Horizontal and vertical distribution patterns and abundance of larval phosichthyids were investigated from oblique and depth-stratified towns off Southeastern brazilian waters, from S��o Tom�� cape (41��W.; 22��S.) to S��o Sebasti��o island (45��W.; 24��S.). The sampling was performed during two cruises (January/2002 -summer; August/2002 -winter). Overall 538 larvae of Phosichthyidae were collected during summer and 158 in the winter. Three species, Pollichthys mauli, Vinciguerria nimbaria and Ichthyioccoccus sp. occurred in the area, but Ichthyioccoccus sp. was extremely rare represented by only one specimen, caught in the oceanic region during the summer. Geographically, larval were concentrated in the oceanic region, and vertically distributed mainly between the surface and 80 m depth in the summer and winter. Larvae were more abundant during the night, performing a diel vertical migration in the water column. The results suggest that the meandering and eddies of Brazil Current play important role on the transport and distribution patterns of larval phosichthyids over the oceanic and neritic area in the Southeastern Brazil.

Paleoproductivity changes during the Late Quaternary in the southeastern Brazilian upper continental margin of the Southwestern Atlantic

Changes in the Brazilian continental margins oceanic productivity and circulation over the last 27,000 years were reconstructed based on sedimentological and microfaunal analyses. Our results suggest that oceanic paleoproductivity and the supply of terrigenous sediments to the Brazilian continental margin were higher during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) than during the Holocene. These changes may have been primarily influenced by significant sea level fluctuations that have occurred since the late Pleistocene. During the LGM, the lower sea level, higher productivity and lower sea-surface paleotemperatures may have been the result of the offshore displacement of the main flow of the Brazil Current. However, during the Holocene, the warm waters of the Brazil Current were displaced toward the coast. This displacement contributed to the increase in water temperature and prevented an increase in oceanic productivity. The decrease in terrigenous supply since the LGM could be related to the increase of the extension of the continental shelf and/or drier climatic conditions.

Brazilian offshore wave climate based on NWW3 reanalysis

This paper provides a description of the wave climate off the Brazilian coast based on an eleven-year time series (Jan/1997-Dec/2007) obtained from the NWW3 operational model hindcast reanalysis. Information about wave climate in Brazilian waters is very scarce and mainly based on occasional short-term observations, the present analysis being the first covering such temporal and spatial scales. To define the wave climate, six sectors were defined and analyzed along the Brazilian shelf-break: South (W1), Southeast (W2), Central (W3), East (W4), Northeast (W5) and North (W6). W1, W2 and W3 wave regimes are determined by the South Atlantic High (SAH) and the passage of synoptic cold fronts; W4, W5 and W6 are controlled by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and its meridional oscillation. The most energetic waves are from the S, generated by the strong winds associated to the passage of cold fronts, which mainly affect the southern region. Wave power presents a decrease in energy levels from south to north, with its annual variation showing that the winter months are the most energetic in W1 to W4, while in W5 and W6 the most energetic conditions occur during the austral summer. The information presented here provides boundary conditions for studies related to coastal processes, fundamental for a better understanding of the Brazilian coastal zone.

Radiocarbon geochronology of the sediments of the S��o Paulo Bight (southern Brazilian upper margin)

The aim of this work was to generate an inventory of the data on radiocarbon datings obtained from sediments of the S��o Paulo Bight (southern Brazilian upper margin) and to analyze the data in terms of Late Quaternary sedimentary processes and sedimentation rates. A total of 238 radiocarbon datings from materials collected using differents ampling procedures was considered for this work. The sedimentation rates varied from less than 2 to 68 cm.kyr-1. The highest sedimentation rate values were found in a low-energy (r��a type) coastal system as well as in the upwelling zones of Santa Catarina and Cabo Frio. The lowest rates were found on the outer shelf and upper slopes. Our results confirm the strong dependency of the shelf currents, with an emphasis to the terrigenous input from the R��o de La Plata outflow which is transported via the Brazilian Coastal Current, as well as of the coupled Brazil Current - Intermediate Western Boundary Current (BC-IWBC) dynamics on the sedimentary processes. At least three indicators ofthe paleo sea level were found at 12200 yr BP (conventional radiocarbon age) (103 meters below sea level - mbsl),8300-8800 cal yr BP (13 mbsl) and 7700-8100 cal yr BP (6 mbsl).

Morpho-anatomical features of underground systems in six Asteraceae species from the Brazilian Cerrado

In the Brazilian Cerrado (neotropical savanna), the development of bud-bearing underground systems as adaptive structures to fire and dry periods can comprise an important source of buds for this ecosystem, as already demonstrated in the Brazilian Campos grasslands and North American prairies. Asteraceae species from both woody and herbaceous strata have subterranean organs that accumulate carbohydrates, reinforcing the adaptive strategy of these plants to different environmental conditions. This study aims to analyse the morpho-anatomy of underground systems of six species of Asteraceae (Mikania cordifolia L.f. Willd., Mikania sessilifolia DC, Trixis nobilis (Vell.) Katinas, Pterocaulon alopecuroides (Lam.) DC., Vernonia elegans Gardner and Vernonia megapotamica Spreng.), to describe these structures and to verify the occurrence and origin of shoot buds, and to analyse the presence of reserve substances. Individuals sampled in Cerrado areas in S��o Paulo State showed thick underground bud-bearing organs, with adventitious or lateral roots and presence of fructans. Xylopodium was found in all studied species, except for Trixis nobilis, which had stem tuber. The presence of fructans as reserve, and the capacity of structures in the formation of buds indicate the potential of herbaceous species of Asteraceae in forming a viable bud bank for vegetation regeneration in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Redescription of Hanleya brachyplax (Polyplacophora, Hanleyidae) from the south-southeastern Brazilian coast

Hanleya brachyplax Simone & Jardim in Rios, 2009 is described in detail. The species occurs off the southeastern and south coast of Brazil (S��o Paulo and Santa Catarina states) in depths from 250 to 408 m. It differs from its congeners in having uniform white valves; wide intermediate valves; the tail valve with straight profile in the antemucronal area, and a concave postmucronal surface; and a cream-colored girdle, covered by non-articulated spines. An anatomical investigation was also performed, showing the main muscle groups; the presence of gills in the posterior third of the pallial groove; auricle with six orifices; a very flat kidney, restricted to the posterior half of the animal; and a simple esophageal region. The odontophore has a single pair of long cartilages. The buccal musculature is also described.

Pitfalls of artificial grouping and stratification of scientific journals based on their Impact Factor: a case study in Brazilian Zoology

The present contribution explores the impact of the QUALIS metric system for academic evaluation implemented by CAPES (Coordination for the Development of Personnel in Higher Education) upon Brazilian Zoological research. The QUALIS system is based on the grouping and ranking of scientific journals according to their Impact Factor (IF). We examined two main points implied by this system, namely: 1) its reliability as a guideline for authors; 2) if Zoology possesses the same publication profile as Botany and Oceanography, three fields of knowledge grouped by CAPES under the subarea "BOZ" for purposes of evaluation. Additionally, we tested CAPES' recent suggestion that the area of Ecology would represent a fourth field of research compatible with the former three. Our results indicate that this system of classification is inappropriate as a guideline for publication improvement, with approximately one third of the journals changing their strata between years. We also demonstrate that the citation profile of Zoology is distinct from those of Botany and Oceanography. Finally, we show that Ecology shows an IF that is significantly different from those of Botany, Oceanography, and Zoology, and that grouping these fields together would be particularly detrimental to Zoology. We conclude that the use of only one parameter of analysis for the stratification of journals, i.e., the Impact Factor calculated for a comparatively small number of journals, fails to evaluate with accuracy the pattern of publication present in Zoology, Botany, and Oceanography. While such simplified procedure might appeals to our sense of objectivity, it dismisses any real attempt to evaluate with clarity the merit embedded in at least three very distinct aspects of scientific practice, namely: productivity, quality, and specificity.

Exposi����o ocupacional �� s��lica no Brasil no ano de 2001

OBJETIVO: Estimar o n��mero de trabalhadores brasileiros expostos �� s��lica no ano de 2001. M��TODO: Informa����es sobre ocupa����es e setores econ��micos foram reunidas em uma matriz de exposi����o ocupacional (MEO) com 347 categorias ocupacionais por 25 subsetores econ��micos. Informa����es sobre o n��mero de trabalhadores por ocupa����o foram extra��das da base de dados Relat��rio Anual de Informa����es Sociais (RAIS) do Minist��rio do Trabalho e Emprego. A exposi����o �� s��lica foi avaliada e classificada por dois peritos em quatro categorias, de acordo com a freq����ncia semanal de exposi����o no ambiente de trabalho. RESULTADOS: Foram considerados n��o expostos 31.451.594 trabalhadores (85,7%), possivelmente expostos 976.939 (2,65%), provavelmente expostos 2.404.955 (6,52%) e definitivamente expostos �� s��lica 2.065.929 (5,6%). Os setores com a maior preval��ncia de exposi����o foram: constru����o civil 65%, extra����o de pedras 59%, ind��stria de mineral n��o met��lico 55% e ind��stria metal��rgica 24%. No setor de servi��os de terceiros, a preval��ncia foi de 2%. CONCLUS��O: A preval��ncia de trabalhadores brasileiros definitivamente expostos �� s��lica �� mais alta do que aquela observada em pa��ses europeus, onde estudos semelhantes foram conduzidos.

Culicidae (Diptera, Culicomorpha) from the western Brazilian Amazon: Juami-Japur�� Ecological Station

With 312 trap-hours of sampling effort, 1554 specimens of Culicidae (Diptera) were collected, using CDC and Malaise traps, in nine different locations along the Juami River, within the Juami-Japur�� Ecological Station, Amazonas State, Brazil. A list of mosquito species with 54 taxa is presented, which includes three new distributional records for the state of Amazonas. The species found belong to the genera Anopheles, Aedeomyia, Aedes, Psorophora, Culex, Coquillettidia, Sabethes, Wyeomyia and Uranotaenia.

Phlebotomines (Diptera, Psychodidae) in the Ribeira Valley Speleological Province - 1. Parque Estadual Intervales, state of S��o Paulo, Brazil

The identification of the sandfly fauna and investigation of some ecological aspects of its populations in areas frequented by tourists of the PEI, an Atlantic forest reserve with many caves, were the objective of this study. Captures were undertaken monthly from January 2001 to December 2002, with automatic light traps installed in 13 ecotopes, including caves, forests, domiciliary and peridomiciliary environments, and by aspiration in armadillo burrows. Additionally, although not at regular intervals, Shannon traps were installed in forests and anthropic environments, aspirations were made on cave walls, among roots and fallen leaves, and some insects were captured while biting researchers. A total of 891 sandflies belonging to 21 species were captured. Six hundred specimens representing 19 species were captured with light traps, 215 in anthropic (2.24 insects/trap) and 385 in extra-domiciliary (1.46 insects/trap) environments. Brumptomyia troglodytes was the most abundant species (the Standardised Index of Species Abundance = 0.705). Pintomyia monticola predominated in the Shannon traps and showed anthropophilic and diurnal activity. Psathyromyia pascalei predominated in the aspirations; the largest number being in armadillo burrows. Eleven species were captured in caves; although some might be troglophiles, the majority used these ecotopes as resting places. Nyssomyia intermedia, Nyssomyia neivai and Migonemyia migonei, implicated in the transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Southeastern Brazilian region, were all found, though in such low densities as to suggest minimal risk of the disease in the PEI.

Cross-cultural adaptation, validation and reliability of the Body Area Scale for Brazilian adolescents

The aim of this study was to translate, validate and verify the reliability of the Body Area Scale (BAS). Participants were 386 teenagers, enrolled in a private school. Translation into Portuguese was conducted. The instrument was evaluated for internal consistency and construct validation analysis. Reproducibility was evaluated using the Wilcoxon test and the coefficient of interclass correlation. The BAS demonstrated good values for internal consistency (0.90 and 0.88) and was able to discriminate boys and girls according to nutritional state (p = 0.020 and p = 0.026, respectively). BAS scores correlated with adolescents' BMI (r = 0.14, p = 0.055; r = 0.23, p = 0.001) and WC (r =0.13, p = 0.083; r = 0.22, 0.002). Reliability was confirmed by the coefficient of inter-class correlation (0.35, p < 0.001; 0.60, p < 0.001) for boys and girls, respectively. The instrument performed well in terms of understanding and time of completion. BAS was successfully translated into Portuguese and presented good validity when applied to adolescents.

Fatores associados �� capacidade para o trabalho de trabalhadores do Setor El��trico

O Setor El��trico passou por recente processo de reestrutura����o produtiva com reflexos nas condi����es e organiza����o do trabalho, podendo comprometer a capacidade para o trabalho. Este estudo objetivou avaliar fatores associados �� capacidade para o trabalho junto a 475 trabalhadores de uma empresa do Setor El��trico no Estado de S��o Paulo, Brasil. Neste estudo transversal foi realizada an��lise descritiva e an��lise de regress��o linear m��ltipla. A m��dia do ��ndice de Capacidade para o Trabalho (ICT) foi de 41,8 pontos (escala de 7,0 a 49,0 pontos). A an��lise m��ltipla mostrou que os fatores que melhor explicaram a variabilidade do ICT foram estresse no trabalho (p < 0,001) e sa��de f��sica (p < 0,001 em todas as dimens��es). Em outra an��lise, exclu��das as dimens��es da sa��de, as vari��veis associadas ao ICT foram estresse no trabalho (p < 0,001), local de trabalho (p = 0,022), pr��tica de atividade f��sica (p = 0,001), consumo de ��lcool (p = 0,012) e ��ndice de massa corporal (p < 0,001). Os resultados identificaram aspectos a serem considerados no desenvolvimento de medidas visando a preserva����o da capacidade para o trabalho, com ��nfase no controle do estresse no trabalho e na promo����o da sa��de.

A study of the validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) among adolescents

OBJECTIVES: to produce evidence of the validity and reliability of the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) - a tool for measuring an individual's attitude towards his or her body image. METHODS: the study covered 386 young people of both sexes aged between 10 and 18 from a private school and used self-applied questionnaires and anthropometric evaluation. It evaluated the internal consistency, the discriminant validity for differences from the means, according to nutritional status (underweight, eutrophic, overweight and obese), the concurrent validity by way of Spearman's correlation coefficient between the scale and the Body Mass Index (BMI), the waist-hip circumference ratio (WHR) and the waist circumference (WC). Reliability was tested using Wilcoxon's Test, the intraclass correlation coefficient and the Bland-Altman figures. RESULTS: the BSQ displayed good internal consistency (��=0.96) and was capable of discriminating among the total population, boys and girls, according to nutritional status (p<0.001). It correlated with the BMI (r=0.41; p<0.001), WHR (r=-0.10; p=0.043) and WC (r=0.24; p<0.001) and its reliability was confirmed by intraclass correlation (r=0.91; p<0.001) for the total population. The questionnaire was easy to understand and could be completed quickly. CONCLUSIONS: the BSQ presented good results, thereby providing evidence of its validity and reliability. It is therefore recommended for evaluation of body image attitudes among adolescents.

Color/race inequalities in oral health among Brazilian adolescents

This study assessed oral health outcomes (perceived dental treatment need, untreated dental caries, gingival bleeding, periodontal pockets, and pain in teeth and gums), in relation to color/race inequalities among adolescents in each Brazilian region. The database included dental examination and interview of 16,833 15-19-year-old adolescents, surveyed by the Brazilian health authority, from May 2002 to October 2003, in accordance with international diagnostic criteria standardized by the World Health Organization. Prevalence ratios estimated by Poisson regression, and controlled by socioeconomic status and access to fluoridated piped water, assessed oral health differentials among color/race groups and country's regions. Except for periodontal pockets, prevalence figures were higher in the North and Northeast: perceived dental treatment needs, untreated dental caries, gingival bleeding at probing and pain in teeth and gums varied between 80-83%, 75-76%, 38-43%, and 17-18%, respectively, in these regions. Adolescents living in the Southeast - the richest Brazilian region - presented a better general profile of oral health than their counterparts living in the remaining regions; they had a lower prevalence of untreated dental caries (54%) and unfavorable gingival status (29%). However, the Southeast presented color/race inequalities in all oral health outcomes, with a poorer profile systematically affecting browns or blacks, depending on the oral health condition under consideration. These results reinforce the need for expanding the amplitude of health initiatives aimed at adolescent oral health. Socially appropriate health programs should concurrently aim at the reduction of levels of oral disease and its inequalities.