Ecologia reprodutiva do peixe-donzela, Stegastes fuscus cuvier, 1830 (osteichthyes: pomacentridae) em arrecifes rochosos da praia de Búzios, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

The reproductive ecology of fish plays a key role both for rational exploitation methods and for protective measures of natural stocks. The purpose of this study was to analyze the reproductive aspects of the damsel-fish, Stegastes fuscus, during October 2004 to September 2005, in the coastal rocky reefs of Búzios Beach, Nísia Floresta, RN. Fish were captured using hooks and hand nets, during low tide. Reproduction was determined using sexual ratio, mean length of first maturation (L50), absolute fecundity and macroscopic characteristics of gonads. The following parameters were related to gonadosomatic index (GSI): condition factor (CF), hepatosomatic index (HSI), rain fall and temperature. In relation to sex distribution, it was observed that 78% were females and 22% were males. The L50 was 6.2 cm for females and 7.0 for males. Average fecundity was 6832 oocytes. Results showed that S. fuscus had better body condition in the months prior to spawning, particularly during initial and intermediate stages of maturation. Five stages of gonadal maturation were identified through macroscopic analysis: immature, in maturation, mature, spent and resting. The HSI was inversely related to the GSI. This was possibly due to the reproductive cycle of this species which was associated to the dry period of this region. During this period, low rain fall and high temperatures provide an propitious reproductive condition for the study species

Encalhes de Cetáceos ocorridos no período de 1984 a 2005 no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Strandings of live or dead aquatic mammals constitute an important instrument to provide information regarding the occurrence, biology and ecology of these species. The aim of this study was to register the stranded species of cetaceans, the frequency and the spatial-temporal distribution of theses strandings during the period of 1984 to 2005, in the coast of Rio Grande do Norte. Data was acquired through the monitoring of strandings in the north, north-west and south coast of RN, and through information obtained from institutions and newspaper archives of the State. A total of 122 strandings of cetaceans were registered along the coast of Rio Grande do Norte. Of the 14 species of cetaceans registered, four species had higher frequencies: Sotalia guianensis (n= 65), Steno bredanensis (n = 6), Globicephala macrorhynchus (n = 6) and Physeter macrocephalus (n = 7). Out of 118 strandings, 93 occurred in the south coast (78.8 %), 23 in the north coast (19.5%) and 2 (1.7%) in the north-west coast of the State. The highest frequency of strandings occurred during the months of August to March and the maximum number of strandings occurred from 2000 onwards, as a consequence of the intense monitoring of the Pequenos Cetáceos Project in Rio Grande do Norte

Abundância das formas imaturas de Psaroniocompsa incrustata ( Lutz, 1910) (Diptera: Simuliidae) em um criadouro natural no rio Pium/RN, e sua fauna associada

The species psaroniocompsa incrustata (Lutz, 1910) was studied in relation to its abundance in different and seasonal periods, the physico-chemical of the breending ground and the fauna predation added to the immature of the species. The study was developed during eight months, from April to July, 2005 (rainy season) and from October, 2005 to January, 2006 (drought season), in one natural breending ground situated in the Pium river, that is part of the hydrographical basin of the Pirangi river in Rio Grande do Norte. The immature of Simuliidae were collected manually in vegetal substrate. At the same place, it was made one sampling of the associated fauna using Suber collectors and the measurement of the environment variants. It was also made one analysis of the stomach content of possible enemies of the simulídeos, to observe the predation of the associated fauna. It was collected 7.713 samples, all from de species P. Incrustata, it was observed a bigger abundance in the drought season, and the entomologic fauna associated totalizing 20.1314 species, distributed in the kinds: Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Trichoptera, e Hemiptera, with a bigger representativity of Dipteros. The analysis of the stomach content of the species from the families Libellulidae and Hydropsychidae showed the presence of the simulídeos in only 4% of the material analysed, therefore it was not confirmed the presence of one efficient biological control of the simulídeos in this breending ground

Características limnológicas e estrutura trófica das comunidades de peixes de alguns lagos naturais e artificiais do Rio Grande do Norte

Artificial lakes must differ from natural lakes in important structural and functional aspects that need to be understood so that these ecosystems can be properly managed. The aim of this work was to test the hypothesis that the artificial lakes (impoundments) in the semi-arid region of the Rio Grande do Norte State are more eutrophic and turbid and have different trophic structure when compared to the natural coastal lakes that occur in the humid eastern coast of the State. To test this hypothesis, 10 natural lakes and 8 artificial lakes with about 100 ha were sampled between September and November 2005 for the determination of some limnological variables and the abundance of the main fish species, which were grouped in three trophic guilds: facultative piscivores, facultative planktivores and omnivores. The results show that the artificial lakes had significantly higher concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a , total and volatile suspended solids than the natural lakes. Results also show that the values of pH, total alkalinity, electric conductivity, turbidity as well as the coefficient of vertical attenuation of light were significantly higher in the artificial lakes than in the natural lakes. In the artificial lakes, the abundance of facultative planktivores was significantly higher, while the abundance of facultative piscivores significantly lower than in the natural lakes. There was no significant difference in the abundance of omnivorous fish between the two types of lakes. These results suggest that the increase in turbidity together with the other changes in the water quality of the artificial lakes, modifies the trophic structure of the fish communities reducing the importance of piscivores and the length of the food chains

Potencialidades de cultivo de macroalgas no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte (NE, Brasil): uma perspectiva de integração de dados ambientais em sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG)

Since centuries ago, the Asians use seaweed as an important source of feeding and are their greatest world-wide consumers. The migration of these peoples for other countries, made the demand for seaweed to increase. This increasing demand prompted an industry with annual values of around US$ 6 billion. The algal biomass used for the industry is collected in natural reservoirs or cultivated. The market necessity for products of the seaweed base promotes an unsustainable exploration of the natural banks, compromising its associated biological balance. In this context, seaweed culture appears as a viable alternative to prevent the depletion of these natural supplies. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide space and produce information that can facilitate the evaluation of important physical and socio-economic characteristics for the planning of seaweed culture. This objective of this study is to identify potential coastal areas for seaweed culture in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, from the integration of social-environmental data in the SIG. In order to achieve this objective, a geo-referred database composed of geographical maps, nautical maps and orbital digital images was assembled; and a bank of attributes including physical and oceanographical variables (winds, chains, bathymetry, operational distance from the culture) and social and environmental factors (main income, experience with seaweed harvesting, demographic density, proximity of the sheltered coast and distance of the banks) was produced. In the modeling of the data, the integration of the space database with the bank of attributes for the attainment of the map of potentiality of seaweed culture was carried out. Of a total of 2,011 ha analyzed by the GIS for the culture of seaweed, around 34% or 682 ha were indicated as high potential, 55% or 1,101 ha as medium potential, and 11% or 228 ha as low potential. The good indices of potentiality obtained in the localities studied demonstrate that there are adequate conditions for the installation of seaweed culture in the state of Rio Grande do Norte

Estudo sobre a participação de rodedores na cadeia de transmissão de Leishmania infantum (Protozoa: Trypanosomatidae) no Rio Grande do Norte

American visceral leishmaniasis is a zoonosis caused by Leishmania infantum and transmitted by the bite of the sand flies Lutzomia longipalpis.The main domestic reservoir is the dog, while foxes and opposums are the known wild reservoirs. However, identification of natural infections with L. infantum in rodents appears for need of investigating the participation of these rodents how source of infection of the parasite. In the present work the Leishmania infantum infection was investigated in rodents captured in Rio Grande do Norte, aiming at to offer subsidies to the understanding of the epidemic chains of LVA in the State. Thirteen Galea spixii were distributed in four groups, being G1 the group control with four animals and the others, G2, G3 and G4, with three animals each. Those animals were intraperitoneally inoculated with 107 promastigotas of L. infantum and accompanied for, respectively, 30, 90 and 180 days. Weekly the animals were monitored as for the corporal weight and rectal temperature. At the end of each stipulated period the animals were killed. Blood were used for determination of the parameters biochemical and haematological, PCR, ELISA, microscopic examination and cultivation in NNN medium. Liver, spleen and lymph node were used in Giemsa-stained impression and cultivation in NNN medium. Liver and spleen fragments were still used in PCR and histopathological, respectively. At the same time 79 rodents of the species Rattus rattus, Bolomys lasiurus, Oligoryzomys nigripis, Oryzomys subflavus and Trichomys apereoides were captured in the Municipal districts of Brejinho, Campo Grande, Coronel Ezequiel, Passa e Fica and Vázea for identification of natural infection with L. infantum. Evidence of infection was checked by direct examination of Giemsa-stained impression of liver, spleen and blood and culture of these tissues in NNN medium. Antibodies were researched by ELISA. They were not found differences among the weigh corporal final, rectal temperature and biochemical and haematological parameters of the Galea spixii controls and infected. The rectal temperature of the animals varied from 36OC to 40OC. For the first time values of the haematocrit (33,6% to 42,8%), hemoglobin (10,2 to 14,5g/dl), erythrocyts number (4,67x106 to 6,90x106/mm3), total leukocytes (0,9x103 to 9,2x103/mm3), platelets (49x103 to 509x103/mm3) total proteins (1,56 to 6,06 g/dl), albumin (1,34 to 3,05 g/dl) and globulins (0,20 to 3,01 g/dl) of the Galea spixii were determined. The lymphocytes were the most abundant leucocytes. Infection for L. infantum was diagnosed in two animals euthanasied 180 days after the infection. In one of the animals was also identified antibodies anti-Leishmania. The parasite was not found in none of the five other species of rodents captured. Galea spixii are resistant to the infection for L. infantum and they are not good models for the study for visceral leishmaniose, although they can act as infection sources. More studies are necessary to determine the paper of the rodents in the epidemic chain of transmission of the visceral leishmaniose in the State of Rio Grande do Norte

Estudo da adição do resíduo proveniente da extração de minério de ferro em argilas do Rio Grande do Norte

The mining industry is responsible for the generation of waste from their natural process of extraction. The mining impacts in urban areas are of special importance due to the high urban occupation, which are exacerbated due to the proximity of the mined areas and populated areas. Some solutions to wastedisposal have the potential to significantly reduce the environmental risks and liabilities, but represent higher costs in the stages of deployment and operation. The addition of mining waste as raw material in the development of commercial products reduces the environmental impacts, transforming the waste into a positive element in the generation of employment and income. This thesis studies the incorporation of waste iron ore in two clays, one from the ceramic industry of the City of Natal and the other from the ceramic industry of the Seridó Region, both in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Percentages of iron ore waste of 5%, 10% , 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% were used in the tested ceramic matrix. The two clays and the iron ore waste used as part of this investigation were characterized by X-ray diffraction tests, X-ray fluorescence tests, differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and dilatometric analysis. The samples were sintered under temperatures of 850 °C, 950 °C and 1050°C at a heating rate of 5 °C/min with isotherms of two hours. The following tests were performed with the samples: linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent density, mass loss in fire and bending resistance in order to obtain their physical and mechanical properties. An amount of 5% of waste iron ore in the matrix clay at a temperature of 850 0C resulted in na increase of about 65% in the tensile strength of the clay samples from the Natal ceramic industry. A linear shrinkage of only 0.12% was observed for the samples, which indicates that the physical properties of the final product were not influenced by the addition of the waste

Flebotomíneos (Diptera: Psychodidae) em um sistema agroflorestal da Região Metropolitana de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Sandflies stand out as important vectors of leishmaniasis. The females need to ingest blood meals, enabling them to transmit protozoa of the genus Leishmania, which may give rise to visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL), in addition to transmitting other parasites. Leishmaniasis are important infirmities, distributed worldwide, whose infection results from the interaction of reservoir animals, the vector insect, parasitic protozoa and the healthy host. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, these insects are important transmitters of VL, which usually presents in the most serious form. It occurs mainly in metropolitan areas, with the dog as its main reservoir and Lutzomyia longipalpis as the vector. ATL is most present in the highland areas of the state. In addition to hematophagia, engaged in by the females, both sexes need to ingest carbohydrates, which are essential to the sand flies energy requirements and may interfere in the development of Leishmania. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and abundance of sand flies in different environments on the farm belonging to the Empresa de Pesquisas Agropecuárias do RN (Institute of Agricultural Research of RN), in the municipality of Parnamirim, in order to relate this occurrence with climatological and biological references and eating habits. Three consecutive monthly collections were carried out with CDC traps in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest, in a residence, on a goat breeding farm and on cashew, dwarf and giant coconut, mango, banana, eucalyptus, acacia and bean plantations. A total of 1241 sandflies from eight species (Lutzomyia evandroi, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Lutzomyia shannoni, Lutzomyia sordellii Lutzomyia walkeri, Lutzomyia wellcomei, Lutzomyia whitmani, and Lutzomyia intermedia) were collected, most in the forest environment. L. longipalpis, the main VL transmitter, was confirmed as a species adapted to anthropic environments, whereas others such as L. wellcomei, the vector of ATL, occurred predominantly in forests. Carbohydrate characterization of the sand flies and plants of the region demonstrated that a number of exotic plants such as hay and eucalyptus may play some role in the adaptation of these species to modified environments. Breeding in laboratory showed a mean biological cycle of 53.5 days from egg to adulthood for L. shannoni and the possibility of diapause behavior in L. wellcomei. This study serves as a source of information that may contribute to the epidemiological vigilance of tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis in the state, given that it analyzes the bioecology of transmitting species, as well as their potential to adapt to new environments

Avaliação da atividade antimalárica de extratos obtidos de algas marinhas no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte

Malaria is a major parasitic disease worldwide, accounting for about 500 million cases and causing 2 million to 3 million deaths annually. Four species are responsible for transmitting this disease to humans: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale. The parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs and the usual limitations of the vector control implications are contributing to the spread of the disease. The most of significant advances in the search for new antimalarial drugs is based on natural components, the main ones being currently used antimalarial drugs derived from plants. Research on natural products of marine origin (particularly algae) show that some species possess antiplasmodial activity. Knowing that the coast of Rio Grande do Norte is home to several species of algae, the present study was to evaluate, for the first time, the antimalarial activity of ethanolic extracts of seaweed Spatoglossum schroederi, Gracilaria birdiae and Udotea flabellum against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain tests and in vitro using the murine model (Plasmodium berghei) for evaluation in vivo. These species were ground, macerated with ethanol for 24 hours and the extracts concentrated in rotaevaporador (45 ° C ± 5 ° C). For in vitro tests, the extracts were diluted and tested at concentrations between 100 and 1.56 μg/ml (seven concentrations in triplicate), in order to obtain IC50 of each extract. The cytotoxicity tests with macrophages and BGM were performed using the MTT colorimetric assay. BGM macrophages and cells were distributed in 96 wells per plate (1x 105 to macrophages and 1x104 cells per well for BGM) and incubated for 24h at 37 ° C. The ethanol extracts were diluted and tested at concentrations of 100 to 1,56 μg/ml (seven concentrations in triplicate). After periods of 24 hours of incubation with the extracts, 100 μg of MTT was added to each well, and 3 hours elapsed, the supernatant was removed and added 200 μl of DMSO in each well. The absorbance of each well was obtained by reading on a spectrophotometer at 570 nm filter. To evaluate the acute toxicity in vivo, Swiss mice received a single dose (oral) 2000 mg/kg/animal of each extract tested. The parameters of acute toxicity were observed for 8 days. For in vivo tests, Swiss mice were inoculated with 1x105 erythrocytes infected with P. berghei. The treatment was given first to fourth day after infection with 0.2 ml of the extracts in doses of 1000 and 500 mg//g animal. The negative control group received 0.2 ml of 2% Tween-20, whereas the positive control group received sub-dose of chloroquine (5 mg/kg/animal). The assessment of antimalarial activity was done by suppressing suppressing the parasitemia at 5 and 7 days after infection. The growth inhibition of parasites was determined relative to negative control (% inhibition = parasitaemia in control - parasitemia in sample / parasitemia control x 100), the mortality of animals was monitored daily for 30 days The results showed that algae Spatoglossum schroederi and Udotea flabellum showed antimalarial activity in vitro, with reduced parasitemia of 70.54% and 54, respectively. The extracts of the three algae tested showed moderate to high cytotoxicity. Algae S. schroederi and U. flabellum were active against P. berghei only at doses of 500 mg / kg with reduction ranging from 54.58 to 52.65% for the fifth day and from 32.24 to 47.34% for the seventh day, respectively. No toxicity was observed in vivo at the dose tested, over the 8 days of observation. Although preliminary data, the bioactive components in those possible seaweed may be promising for the development of new anti-malarial drugs

Alcoolemia em vítimas fatais de acidentes de trânsito no Rio Grande do Norte empregando cromatografia em fase gasosa - head space

Alcohol is one of the few psychotropic drugs that their consumption has admitted legally and sometimes encouraged by the society. Studies show alcohol as the highest consumption of drugs among young people and society in general, probably because of its availability and easy access. The abuse causes public health problems, which was closely related to the violence, socioeconomic problems and the high number of automobile accidents. Transit is one of the main sectors affected by the effects of alcohol, observing a high incidence in the studies. About half of automobile accidents occurs after the consumption of alcoholic beverage, and the vast majority of cases related to high concentrations of alcohol in the bloodstream. The relationship of drunk with traffic accidents is in fact evident everywhere in the world, including Brazil, where studies have shown a high relationship between alcohol consumption and traffic accidents. This study determined the alcohol in fatal victims of traffic accidents in the state of Rio Grande do Norte and established the profile of this population compared with those found in Brazil and other countries. Samples of blood of ethanol added to fulfillment of the standardization of chromatographic conditions and procedures for the analysis, being employed in the determination of alcohol in blood samples of 277 victims of traffic accidents, collected at the Institute of Scientific Technical Police of Rio Grande do North (ITEP) in the year 2007. The blood alcohol level was determined in these samples correlated with the sex, age and marital status of the victim and the location, day of week and month when the accident occurred, is doing a statistical analysis and outlining a profile of the victims of an accident at transit in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The parameters of standardization studied ensured the quality of the analytical method and, consequently, to obtain reliable laboratory results. Being given the best temperature for injector (150 ºC), detector (250 ºC) and column (50 ºC) with a flow of gas in the column of 2mL/minutos and analysis of time of 12 minutes. The method was linear in the range of 0.01 to 3.2 g / L (r2 = 0.9989) with average recovery of 100.2% and precision with coefficient of variation less than 15%. The analysis carried out on victims of fatal road traffic accidents, ethanol detected in the blood in 66.43% of the victims and these, 96% showed concentration ≥ 0.2 g / L, 87.73% of victims were male, while 12.27% female. The younger age group (1535 years) was the most involved (52,35%) and most single (55.60%). The accidents occurred with greater prevalence in the day on Monday (27%) followed by Sunday (24,19%) and Saturday (15,52%) and it was found that the prevalence of injuries varied between the different months of the year, and in February (14.4%) and April (10.47%) the months that had a higher number of accidents, however this oscillation showed no statistically significant difference. Also no significant difference was observed between the tracks of concentration found in men and women. The standardized method showed to be efficient, given satisfactorily to the goals of this work, and the high levels of alcohol found in victims of fatal road traffic accidents are consistent with several studies of literature, and the profile of the victim also supported by presenting in its most young adults, male and single

Histórias e relatos sobre Pipa: a praia internacional do Rio Grande do Norte

The overwhelming gear that boosted tourism as the main economic activity of Pipa a district formerly agricultural and fishery, that belongs to the municipality of Tibau do Sul/RN produced significant changes in the social, economic and cultural rights of the native population of the place where social relations were narrow and justified in some cases, the line of kinship in an environment where all residents knew each other. However, we can not observe the emergence of this activity just as voracious disarticulator of old local forms of sociability that in a linear process, destroys the old, replacing it with the new. New compositions are generated by merging elements of past and present. Overcoming opposition to simplistic positive or negative impacts of tourism sought especially in this dissertation, review the history of Pipa (told in narrative form), showing how slowly this district has become a major international tourist destination and how its residents were being swallowed by the "whirlwind" that led to this reality. The research used qualitative methodology and was based on photographic, literature and survey, observation, experience, oral and written reports acquired in the field. We conducted in-depth interviews (oral history) with subjects that are the living memory of the place local residents (mostly natives). We found that before the process of "modernization" resulting from the pressure of globalization itself and the capital investment in tourism resulting from the native population is not passive. On the contrary, natives resist, creating mechanisms of material and symbolic reformulations. The present moment is always dynamic. Because of that, the identity of a place is not the crystallization of its past. Many landscapes still reveal materialities of yesteryear, such as registration of social practices in the construction of the place

A revenda de combustível e os limites constitucionais para a sua regulação: uma análise aplicada aos aspectos concorrênciais e ao controle de preços

The gas retail represents the end of a section of the oil and natural gas derivative chain, for it is at this stage where the commercialization of those merchandises takes place towards the costumers. This process involves an enormous amount of economic agents, which reflects on an activity of great influence on the citizen's everyday. By the time of the gas retail price liberalization, in 2002, there were great expectations towards that measure, for the insertion of that segment in a competitive market was likely to create a decrease in prices. As there was not a drastic drop off in cost, the question was no longer the price itself, but, predominantly, the conduct taken by the economic agents that operate the market. Not in vain, the segment introduces a greater number of different procedures combined with the organs that compose the Brazilian System of Competition Protection. What is understood, however, is that many of these complaints are made in a lightly way, without a proper analysis of the market and its practices, that being why, in this paper, evidences the causes of these complaints and explained what, in fact, occurs in this market. Also, the organs that protect the free initiative in the sector use different methods to assess anticompetitive practices, which are counterproductive on the combat of anticompetitive practice, that being why the present paper analyzes the used methods on a critic perspective, choosing one which is believed to be the most adequate. The present work also tries to present the gas retail prices on a constitutional, free competition, free initiative and consumers defense perspective, analyzing the competition s aspects on the gas market; the shaping of the gas prices; the market boundaries; the anti-competitive practices under the gas market; and analyze the possibility, according to the defined economic standards in the constitutional text of existing a greater control or gas price indexing and/or regulation which limits the distributors and resellers profit on gas. Still, in consequence of this analysis, a study on Natal s market behavior will be developed in its competitive feature. That being said, moreover being a theoretical-descriptive study, data and statistics gathered is used, which will lead, willing to grasp an experiential study on a few aspects of the Potiguar gas retail market

Estrutura genética populacional de Heliconius erato e Heliconius melpomene (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) em fragmentos de Mata Atlântica do Rio Grande do Norte

Extensive studies using molecular markers on butterflies have shown how a highly fragmented landscape may result in the reduction of gene flow among patches of habitat and, consequently, increase genetic differentiation among populations. However, little is known about Heliconius geographical structure and the effects of fragmentation on the connectivity of populations. Furthermore, findings on the effects of the population structure on the dynamics of mimicry evolution in Heliconius butterflies need to be tested in H. erato and H. melpomene specimens found in other locations other than Central and northern South Americas. For the present study, we had two motivations: (1) compare the population structure of H. erato and H. melpomene given the highly fragmented Brazil s Atlantic Forest habitat; and (2) studying population structure of co-mimics could give us insights into the dynamics of mimicry evolution. For this, we analysed the spatial structure and connectivity of eight populations of Heliconius butterflies, in a total of 137 H. erato specimens and 145 H. melpomene specimens, using nine microsatellites loci, 1144 AFLPs markers and 282 mitochondrial DNA sequences. In general, both species exhibited evidence of population subdivision but no isolation by distance indicating some extent of genetic differentiation among populations. Contrary to Kronforst & Gilbert s (2008) Costa Rican Heliconius, H. melpomene exhibited more genetic differentiation than H. erato based on nuclear markers. However, for mitochondrial DNA, H. erato populations showed more genetic differentiation than H. melpomene. Our results corroborate to other studies on Heliconius butterflies concerning the pronounced population subdivision and local genetic drift found in this genus. Nevertheless, the pattern of this differentiation varies significantly from the pattern found in studies conducted in Central America, where H. erato is generally more differentiated and structured than H. melpomene, based on nuclear markers. This different pattern may reflect different evolutionary histories of Heliconius species in Northeastern Brazil s Atlantic Forest

Efeito da idade sobre as principais características andrológicas de touros Brangus- Efeito da idade sobre as principais características andrológicas de touros BrangusIbagé criados extensivamente no estado do Mato Grosso do Sul - Brasil Ibagé criados extensivamente no estado do Mato Grosso do Sul - Brasil

Background: Bull fertility is extremely important for beef cattle production systems and has a multiplier impact on the economical and zootechnical indexes of the herd. Bulls raised in tropical conditions may present varied seminal characteristics due to, among other causes, different management practices and quality of pastures. Another factor that influences the semen characteristics is the age of the sire. The reproductive potential of bull evaluated through the andrological exam aims to ensure the semen quality and to improve the herd reproductive efficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the main semen parameters of Brangus-Ibage bulls extensively reared in eastern Mato Grosso do Sul state and to verify the effect of age on the andrological characteristics analyzed. It was also evaluated the correlation between age, scrotal circumference, and physical and morphological sperm characteristics produced by the Brangus bulls.Materials, Methods & Results: The study took place in the month of July 2010, during the routine andrological examination of 168 synthetic Brangus-Ibage bulls (5/8 Angus x 3/8 Nelore), belonging to the same property. For data analysis the animals were divided by age groups: animals younger than 4 years (Age I), animals between 4 and 8 years of age (Age II), and animals between 8 and 15 years of age (Age III). In another analysis, the animals were grouped according to the sperm motility pattern obtained from the semen collection: sperm motility lower than 40% (Motility I), sperm motility between 40 and 70% (Motility II) and sperm motility between 70 and 90% (Motility III). The results of the present study demonstrated an effect of age (P < 0.05) on the following androgical characteristics: scrotal circumference, ejaculate volume, sperm vigor, major defects, minor defects and total defects. It was also observed that the animals with higher sperm motility presented higher (P < 0.05) scrotal circumference, and lower (P < 0.05) percentages of major and total defects. Among the andrological characteristics evaluated in the present work, it was observed positive correlations between age and scrotal circumference (R =0.299; P =0.000), age and volume of ejaculate (R =0.161; P =0.037), age and major defects (R =0.188; P =0.015), sperm motility and scrotal circumference (R =0.245; P =0.001), sperm motility and sperm vigor (R =0.483; P =0.000), and between major defects and total defects (R =0.946; P =0.000). Also, negative correlations were observed between sperm motility and total defects (R =-0.372; P =0.000), sperm vigor and major defects (R =-0.498; P =0.000), and sperm vigor and total defects (R =-0.432; P =0.000).Discussion: Based on the results of this study it was concluded that the Brangus-Ibage bulls utilized for natural breeding in eastern Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, presented satisfactory semen quality taking into account the quality of the pastures where the animals were located. In addition, the scrotal circumference, the ejaculate volume, the sperm vigor, and the percentage of morphological characteristics were influenced by the age of the bulls. Therefore, considering the production system and the environmental conditions, the animals with age between 4 and 8 years were superior regarding the sperm parameters evaluated.

Participação pública em programas ambientais :um estudo em área suscetível à desertificação no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

The natural resources degradation and its consequences to the society life have provided several discussions about the evaluation methods and environmental management, and the available means to minimize the effects of man s actions over the environment. Amongst these actions is the encouragement to the community participation in the process of carrying out the environmental programs, considering government and enterprises representatives or residents of certain places as social actors. Within these context, this paper had as a goal the investigation of the public participation in the environmental programs in areas that are susceptible to desertification, specificly in Parelhas/RN. The choice for this town was due to its insertion in an area considered as a desetification nucleous, which is, a region that suffers land degradation as a consequence of climate variations or human activities. Therefore, the research in question, of a descriptive and exploratory type, had as an instrument a structured questionnaire, applied to a sample of 223 people out of an 11,068 over 20 years of age residents population. The data have been tabled from Statistics for Windows Program and later interpreted based on the theoretical reference over the subject. As a result, corroborating to the literature of the area, it was found that the community participation in any type of action or debate about environmental questions is associated to the perception and knowledge about the problems. Although the people who were interviewed believe in the responsibility of the ceramic industry in causing environmental problems, they also believe that the benefits brought by the sector overcome such problems