The Natural History of Slapton Ley Nature Reserve XVIII: nitrogen and phosphorus losses from the catchment - an export coefficient modelling approach

Nitrogen and phosphorus losses from the catchment of Slapton Ley, a small coastal lake in SW England, were calculated using an adaptation of a model developed by Jorgensen (1980). A detailed survey of the catchment revealed that its land use is dominated by both permanent and temporary grassland (respectively 38 and 32% of its total area), and that the remainder is made up of the cultivation of cereals and field vegetables, and market gardening. Livestock numbers in the catchment constitute ca. 6600 head of cattle, 10,000 sheep, 590 pigs, 1700 poultry and 58 horses. The permanent human population of the area is ca. 2000, served by two small gravity-fed sewage treatment works (STWs). Inputs to, and losses from, farmland in the catchment were computed using Jorgensen’s model, and coefficients derived from the data of Cooke (1976), Gostick (1982), Rast and Lee (1983) and Vollenweider (1968). Allowing for outputs from STWs, the total annual external load of N and P upon Slapton Ley is 160 t (35 kg ha-1) a-1 N, and 4.8 t (1.05 kg ha-1) a-1 P. Accordingly to Vollenweider (1968, 1975), such loadings exceed OECD permissible level by a factor of ca. 50 in the case of N, and ca. 5 in that of P. In order to reduce nutrient loads, attention would need to be paid to both STW and agricultural sources.

Hippurate: the natural history of a mammalian-microbial co-metabolite

Hippurate, the glycine conjugate of benzoic acid, is a normal constituent of the endogenous urinary metabolite profile and has long been associated with the microbial degradation of certain dietary components, hepatic function and toluene exposure, and is also commonly used as a measure of renal clearance. Here we discuss the potential relevance of hippurate excretion with regards to normal endogenous metabolism and trends in excretion relating to gender, age, and the intestinal microbiota. Additionally, the significance of hippurate excretion with regards to disease states including obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, impaired renal function, psychological disorders and autism, as well as toxicity and parasitic infection, are considered.

Performance of the Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire Used in the Brazilian Center of the Prospective Study Natural History of Human Papillomavirus Infection in Men: The HIM Study

The Natural History of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection in Men: The HIM Study is a prospective multi-center cohort study that, among other factors, analyzes participants` diet. A parallel cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the validity and reproducibility of the quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) used in the Brazilian center from the HIM Study. For this, a convenience subsample of 98 men aged 18 to 70 years from the HIM Study in Brazil answered three 54-item QFFQ and three 24-hour recall interviews, with 6-month intervals between them (data collection January to September 2007). A Bland-Altman analysis indicated that the difference between instruments was dependent on the magnitude of the intake for energy and most nutrients included in the validity analysis, with the exception of carbohydrates, fiber, polyunsaturated fat, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The correlation between the QFFQ and the 24-hour recall for the deattenuated and energy-adjusted data ranged from 0.05 (total fat) to 0.57 (calcium). For the energy and nutrients consumption included in the validity analysis, 33.5% of participants on average were correctly classified into quartiles, and the average value of 0.26 for weighted kappa shows a reasonable agreement. The intraclass correlation coefficients for all nutrients were greater than 0.40 in the reproducibility analysis. The QFFQ demonstrated good reproducibility and acceptable validity. The results support the use of this instrument in the HIM Study. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111:1045-1051.

REDESCRIPTION OF APOSTOLEPIS LONGICAUDATA (SERPENTES: XENODONTINAE) WITH COMMENTS ON ITS HEMIPENIAL MORPHOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY

Apresentamos a redescricao da rara especie de serpent Apostolepis longicaudata Comes in Amaral coin base no exame do holotipo e em comparacoes com tres novos exemplares do Cerrado do Brasil Central. O trabalho inclui dados ineditos sobre a coloracao em vida, morfologia hemipeniana e historia natural. Dois especimes lineados previamente identificados como A. quinquelineata por outros autores sao redeterminados aqui como A. nelsonjorgei, que parece ser a unica especie do genero cujas contagens de subcaudais se sobrepoem as de A. longicaudata.

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.

Natural history of the coral snake Micrurus Pyrrhocryptus Cope 1862 (Elapidae) from semideciduous forests of western Brazil.

Coral snakes in the genus Micrurus are widely distributed in the Neotropics, with more than 50 species already described in this region. They are primarily ground or leaf litter dwellers, feed on snakes or other elongate vertebrates, and tend to reproduce during the rainy season. We present data on the biology of Micrurus pyrrhocryptus from two semideciduous forests of Mato Grosso do Sul state, western Brazil. Two snake species were consumed: the dipsadid Sibynomorphus lavillai and the typhlopid Typhlops brongersmianus. Sexual dimorphism is marked in M. pyrrhocryptus. with males attaining larger sizes and having longer tails. Activity was concentrated in the wet season, when reproduction occurs. The defensive behavior in this species is similar to that displayed by other Micron's, although less pronounced.

4 SPECIES OF BRAZILIAN POISON FROGS RELATED TO EPIPEDOBATES-PICTUS (DENDROBATIDAE) - TAXONOMY AND NATURAL-HISTORY OBSERVATIONS

We present morphological and natural history data on Epipedobates pictus and three additional taxa currently regarded as synonyms of the former: Epipedobates braccatus, E. flavopictus, and E. hahneli. Topotypes of the four species were examined. Morphological data on tadpoles and adults, in addition to distribution patterns and vocalizations, indicate that the four taxa represent distinct species. Two groups are evident within them: (1) the slender-bodied, Amazonian E. hahneli with small flash marks on the thighs and a low-finned tadpole, and (2) the robust bodied, almost extra-Amazonian E. braccatus, E. flavopictus, and E. pictus with large flash marks on the thighs and tadpoles with fins of moderate height.

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.

Four species of Brazilian poison frogs related to Epipedobates pictus (Dendrobatidae): taxonomy and natural history observations

Presents morphological and natural history data on Epipedobates pictus and three additional taxa currently regarded as synonyms of the former: Epipedobates braccatus, E. flavopictus and E. hahneli. Morphological data on tadpoles and adults, in addition to distribution patterns and vocalizations, indicate that the four taxa represent distinct species. -from Authors

The natural history of carpal tunnel syndrome: A study of 20 hands evaluated 4 to 9 years after initial diagnosis

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most frequent entrapment neuropathy. In the last decade several papers have been published on epidemiology, clinical aspects, diagnosis, and treatment, but little is known about its natural history. The objective of this work was to study the natural history of CTS syndrome. From 358 patients with clinical and conduction study diagnosis of CTS, 12 cases were identified that had refused surgical treatment, had not used anti-inflammatory medications, and had not undergone orthopaedic procedures, such as immobilization or anaesthetic infiltration. These 12 patients have 20 compromised hands which have been followed up for between 4 and 9 years. In all cases sensory and motor conduction studies were performed on the median nerve, at the beginning and end of follow-up period. Electrical improvement was marked in 5 hands and slight in 3; there was no significant change in 10, and deterioration in 2. As 8 hands (7 patients) showed improved clinical symptoms and conduction studies over several years, this brings the universally accepted procedure of surgical treatment into doubt.

Piranha Attacks on Humans in Southeast Brazil: Epidemiology, Natural History, and Clinical Treatment, with Description of a Bite Outbreak

There are many tales describing ferocious schools of piranha attacking humans, but there are few scientific data supporting such behavior. The very few documented instances of humans attacked and eaten by piranha schools include 3 that occurred after death by other causes (eg, heart failure and drowning). These predaceous fishes, however, do occasionally injure bathers and swimmers in lakes and rivers. The characteristic profile of most injuries is a single bite per victim, generally related to the fish defending its brood. This paper describes an outbreak of piranha bites in a dammed river portion in southeast Brazil. The outbreak was caused by the speckled piranha, Serrasalmus spilopleura, a widespread species which benefits from the growing tendency of damming rivers all over Brazil. This article focuses on the epidemiological and clinical aspects of the injuries, as well as on piranha biology, to gain a better understanding of the natural history of bite outbreaks.

Astrocyte intermediate filaments are important markers in olfactory bulb of bovine herpesvirus type 5 natural infections

Astroglial cells are the most abundant cells in the mammalian central nervous system, yet our knowledge about their function in bovine Herpesvirus type 5 (BoHV-5) has been limited. The aim of this study was to detect by immunohistochemistry assay the reactive astrocytes for glial fibrilary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin (VIM), considered intermediate filaments of the cytoskeleton, localized in olfactory bulb from natural acute cases of BoHV-5 infection. All samples were submitted to virus isolation, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) technique to confirm the virus transcription and respective genome. Samples were classified into four groups according to the severity of histological lesions. Groups III and IV, which histological lesions were classified as alacia, gliosis, satellitosis, neuronophagia and neuronal necrosis, 35% (± 1.8-2.1) of the inflammatory mononuclear cells, corresponded to CD3 positive lymphocytes. In the same group, 35% (± 1.8) of astrocytes were described as reactive to GFAP and VIM proteins. An agreement of r = 1.0 (P<0.0001) was found between histological lesions, intermediate filaments expression, viral DNA and transcription and CD3 lymphocytes. However, samples with mild histological lesions, 10.8 to 14.2% of astrocytes were classified as reactive to GFAP and VIM filaments. Our findings suggest that GFAP and VIM reactive astrocytes, in primary site of virus replication, seems to play an important role in neurovirulence, in spite of many questions concerning the virus immunopathology remains unclear.

The behavior and natural history of Chartergellus, a little-known genus of neotropical social wasps (Vespidae Polistinae Epiponini)

This study reviews published data on the behavior and natural history of Chartergellus and presents the first observations on social interactions in this genus of tropical swarm-founding wasps. Observations of Chartergellus golfitensis in Costa Rica and C. punctatior in Colombia showed that queens perform a post-oviposition egg-guarding vigil, and a bending display like that characteristic of epiponine social wasps that lack consistent morphological differences between workers and queens and have caste determination in the adult stage. Young, old, and queen (egg-laying) females of C. golfitensis showed small differences that indicate color changes with age, and structural differences that could be due to seasonal or colony-cycle changes in developmental conditions, but do not rule out the possibility of pre-adult caste determination, a phenomenon that needs to be carefully distinguished from pre-adult caste bias. Sexual dimorphism and the behavior of males at the nest in C. golfitensis is described, as well as the aggressive and avoidance behavior of females toward males. Nest structure in both species is as described previously for Chartergellus species, but some anomalies and their possible evolutionary significance are discussed. Cell initiation by an egg-laying queen, a behavior never seen by workers, and by a young female with slightly developed ovaries, may be vestiges of ancestral solitary reproductive traits where developed ovaries are associated with cell construction. © 2010 Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica dell'Università, Firenze, Italia.