Estratégia reprodutiva do peixe hermafrodita mussum, Synbranchus marmoratus Osteichthyes, Synbranchidae em um açude do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Reproductive strategy of the hermaphrodite fish the marbled swamp eel, Synbranchus marmoratus (Bloch, 1795) (Osteichthyes: Synbranchidae) was investigated in the Marechal Dutra reservoir, Acari, Rio Grande do Norte, using fish samples captured monthly during the period of July 2010 to July 2011. The limnological parameters and rainfall were verified. The captured fish specimens were numbered, weighed, measured, dissected and their gonads and liver were removed, weighed and identified as to sex and developmental stages of gonads. The length-weight relationship was determined for grouped sex. The size of first gonadal maturation, gonadosomatic index (GSI), condition factor (K) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) were calculated. The development stages of the gonads were investigated using macroscopic and histological techniques, besides the fecundity and reproductive period. The macroscopic characteristics and the histological development of gonads confirmed the four different sexual types in the sampled population: primary males, females, intersex and secondary males. The secondary males were bigger and heavier than all the other types. This species showed a negative allometric growth with a higher increase in length than weight. The size at which 50% of the females began the process of gonadal maturation was 43.5 cm of total length, and for secondary males it was 58.5 cm. Condition factor showed two peaks in February and in April 2011. IGS indicated a reproductive period from July to September 2010 and was negatively correlated with the condition factor and rainfall. IGS showed a negative correlation when compared with the condition factor and the rainy season. HSI was highest in February ad lowest in December. The reproductive period of this species occurs between the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry season. S. marmoratus presents a seasonal reproductive strategy which optimizes its reproductive success under the semiarid climatic conditions

Uso e disponibilidade da vegetação lenhosa em comunidades rurais no Rio Grande do Norte

The aim of this study was to test the Ecological Apparency Hypothesis comparing two rural communities in João Câmara (RN) and Remigio (PB), in the Northeast of Brazil. This hypothesis assumes that plants are perceived, known and used by human populations according to their local availability. The most used species would be the ones that are more available in the forest (apparent), and apparently suffer greater pressure of use. Communities were consulted through semi-structured interviews. In Remigio 42 people were interviewed, and 50 in João Câmara. The importance of each species was evaluated considering the distinction between citations from current and potential uses. The ethnobotanical information was associated with phytosociological parameters collected by the point-centered quarter method in forested areas, where 50 transects were distributed in each community, and 4,000 individuals sampled in total. Based on the interviews, 58 useful species were recorded, 42 genera and18 families. In the phytosociological study 30 species, 22 genera and 12 families in João Câmara, In Remígio were identified 34 species, 22 genera and nine families.The species were grouped into 11 categories of use. The ecological appearance was confirmed only in the João Câmara, which best explained the relationship between local availability and use of timber resources. Positive correlations were observed also between the technology category VUpotential and dominance. The point-centered quarter was efficient to test appearance, however, further studies through the point-centered quarter method are recommended

Agregação familiar e resultados maternos e perinatais da pré-eclâmpsia severa em população do Rio Grande do Norte

To determine whether there is familiar aggregation of severe preeclampsia in a Brazilian population from Rio Grande do Norte and to characterize the maternal and perinatal outcomes in the studied population. Methods: A case control study was performed with 412 participants who were admitted at Maternidade Escola Januário Cicco (MEJC) for medical care. Of these, 264 subjects presented normal blood pressure and 148 were cases. Cases were composed of eclampsia (n=47), HELLP Syndrome (n=85) and Eclampsia associated with HELLP syndrome (n=16). The diagnosis of these illness were based on the citeria developed by National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working (2000). An interview was performed with each subject and questions related to personal and familiar history of hypertension, preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome and eclampsia. Statistical analysis was performed and comparison of median and mean between cases and controls were performed, with the level of significance of 5%. The Odds-Ratio was determined to estimate the risk of preeclampsia within the families. Results: There were no difference in the demographic data between cases and controls. Previous history of chronic hypertension and preeclampsia was more frequent in the case group. Headaches were more frequent in eclampsia and epigastric pain in the HELLP syndrome cases. Bleeding and oliguria were more frequently found in the eclampsia associated with HELLP syndrome cases. Acute Renal insufficiency was a common complication in the case group, but these cases did not evolve to chronic renal insufficiency. The maternal mortality was 0.4% and the perinatal mortality was high, 223 per 1,000 live births. The 111 risk of a woman to develop preeclampsia whose mother has hypertension or had preeclampsia was respectively 2.5 and 3.5. This risk was increased 5 times, when a sibling has hypertension and 6 times when both sibling and mother had previous history of preeclampsia. Conclusions: This study confirms that there is familiar aggregation of preeclampsia in this Brazilian population. The potential for cardiovascular complications due to development of chronic hypertension indicates the need of closely follow up of women who develop preeclampsia

Determinantes socioeconômicos e ambientais do declínio das hospitalizações por diarréias em lactentes no Rio Grande do Norte - 1992 a 2001

There was a significant decline in hospitalizations for acute diarrhea in children younger than 1 year of age in Brazil between 1992 to 2001. The less economically developed state of Rio Grande do Norte is a case example of the national trend. In this work, we show a significant association between improvements in socioeconomic variables as well as increased access to sanitation and the decreased rate of hospitalization. Additionally, we observed a positive, seasonal correlation between rainfall and hospitalizations. Most notably, however, we show that improvements in income and inflation were positively correlated with a decline in hospitalizations. Improvements in public health infrastructure, socioeconomic variables like education and literacy, and increased investment in health services were important in reducing severe early childhood diarrheas. However, the data suggests that increased buying power and reductions in poverty played an equally crucial role in reducing hospitalizations for acute diarrhea in infants in Brazil. The work includes elements of the demography of the period for the age groups involved, children under one year, women in fertile age and fertility rate