scholarly journals Reproductive ecology of the exotic tree Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae) in southeastern Brazil

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 993-999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Antônio de Figueiredo ◽  
Aline Aparecida de Oliveira ◽  
Maria Alice Zacharias ◽  
Sandra Maria Barbosa ◽  
Flávia Fontes Pereira ◽  
...  

The exotic tree Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae), a species native to Central America, is used as fish feed and fiber and cellulose production in Brazil. This study was carried out in urban areas and verified the reproductive biology of this plant species. Flower and fruit morphology, compatibility system, reproductive phenology, pollination and frugivore animals, and germination of disseminated seeds were recorded by standard field and laboratory procedures. This tree is self-compatible and autonomously self-pollinated, with its flowers being mainly visited by bees and its fruits consumed by birds and bats. Germination of its dispersed seeds is fast and occurs at a high rate. The results of this work suggest that M. calabura is very adaptable to cultivated areas,thus being an excellent choice for urban reforestation. However, its reproductive characteristics place this plant as an invasive species with significant potential in southeastern Brazil.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Débora Cristina Rother ◽  
Igor Lopes Ferreira Sousa ◽  
Eliana Gressler ◽  
Ana Paula Liboni ◽  
Vinícius Castro Souza ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 177-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Santos ◽  
F. Oliveira ◽  
J. Fernandes ◽  
S. Gonçalves ◽  
F. Macieira ◽  
...  

Mycobacteria have emerged as a major cause of opportunistic infections. Until the present, only a few studies have characterized mycobacteria present in the water distribution system of urban areas. In this study, we characterize these microorganisms in the Lisbon water distribution system. Our results indicate a high rate of positivities (90.5%) with mainly saprophytic mycobacteria. Around 63% of these results belong to strains of Mycobacterium gordonae indicating a generalized proliferation of this species in the Lisbon water distribution system. A total of 21.05% of the isolates are from M. kansasii, M. intracellulare and M. chelonae.


2011 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 1007-1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Gabriela G. Camargo ◽  
Regina M. Souza ◽  
Paula Reys ◽  
Leonor P.C. Morellato

The Brazilian cerrado has undergone an intense process of fragmentation, which leads to an increase in the number of remnants exposed to edge effects and associated changes on environmental conditions that may affect the phenology of plants. This study aimed to verify whether the reproductive phenology of Xylopia aromatica (Lam.) Mart. (Annonaceae) differs under different light conditions in a cerrado sensu stricto (a woody savanna) of southeastern Brazil. We compared the reproductive phenology of X. aromatica trees distributed on east and south cardinal faces of the cerrado during monthly observations, from January 2005 to December 2008. The east face had a higher light incidence, higher temperatures and canopy openness in relation to south face. X. aromatica showed seasonal reproduction at both faces of the cerrado, but the percentage of individuals, the synchrony and duration of phenophases were higher at the east face. The study demonstrated the influence of the environmental conditions associated to the cardinal orientation of the cerrado faces on the phenological pattern of X. aromatica. Similar responses may be observed for other species, ultimately affecting patterns of floral visitation and fruit production, which reinforces the importance of considering the cardinal direction in studies of edge effects and fragmentation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Maria Cecília Barbosa de Toledo

Green urban areas such as parks, squares, gardens, and forest fragments present a large diversity of uses and conservation objectives. These spaces provide resources for many species of birds that are confronted with the necessity of living in proximity to humans. It is assumed that bird species that acquire resources in urban environments live in a constant state of fear to guarantee survival and reproduction. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the tolerance of birds with respect to human presence in two distinct conditions, rural areas (low level of human presence) and urban areas (high level of human presence). The fieldwork was conducted in a city in the Southeast region of Brazil, and the methodology used the alert distance and flight initiation measurements based on the approach of an observer to the individual bird being focused. Our results suggest that individuals observed in urban areas rely on shorter alert and escape distances, especially males, adults, and birds that forage in interspecific flocks. We discuss the challenges and strategies with respect to escape characteristics of urban birds, with special focus on the economic escape theory. In general, our results support those from studies conducted in other urban areas in different biogeographic regions, and they will aid in comprehending the impacts caused by the increase in urban areas around the world.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kobra Naseri ◽  
Zahra Kiani ◽  
Zakieh Sadat Sajadi ◽  
Omid Mehrpour ◽  
Mahmood Sadeghi

Abstract Background: Information on the pattern of acute poisonings in Birjand hospitals is limited. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by examining the admissions in a poisoning center in Birjand. Methods: Medical records of a main poisoning center in Birjand were reviewed for poisoned patients admitted to hospital from September 2017 to August 2018.Results: During the study period 897 cases of acute poisoning were evaluated. Patients’ age ranged from 11 to 97 years, with a high rate of poisonings between 15 and 25 years. A slight female predominance in poisoning cases was observed. Most cases of poisonings occurred in spring, and the common route of exposure was oral (90.7%). High incidence of poisoning occurred in married couples, uneducated patients, and residents of urban areas. Patients with a previous medical history experienced addiction and psychiatric disorders. Intentional poisoning accounted for 49.5% of acute poisoning cases referred to the hospital in the current study. The main groups of toxicants were pharmaceutical products (45.8%), chemicals (13.3%), and narcotics (9.4%). The mean of hospital stay was 2.8±3.0 days, and the final treatment outcome was 66.0% complete recovery. The mortality rate was 0.8%, and most cases of death were due to pesticides poisoning.Conclusions: Acute poisoning, particularly intentional poisoning, is common in Iran. Due to the high rate of deliberate poisonings, especially in young adults and students, monitoring drugs and distribution and exceptional attention to mental health should be seriously taken into consideration by national health authorities for the prevention of suicide attempts.


Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1084
Author(s):  
Marco André Loureiro Tonini ◽  
Débora Maria Pires Gonçalves Barreira ◽  
Luciana Bueno de Freitas Santolin ◽  
Lays Paula Bondi Volpini ◽  
José Paulo Gagliardi Leite ◽  
...  

Host susceptibility according to human histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) is widely known for norovirus infection, but is less described for rotavirus. Due to the variable HBGA polymorphism among populations, we aimed to evaluate the association between HBGA phenotypes (ABH, Lewis and secretor status) and susceptibility to rotavirus and norovirus symptomatic infection, and the polymorphisms of FUT2 and FUT3, of children from southeastern Brazil. Paired fecal-buccal specimens from 272 children with acute diarrhea were used to determine rotavirus/norovirus genotypes and HBGAs phenotypes/genotypes, respectively. Altogether, 100 (36.8%) children were infected with rotavirus and norovirus. The rotavirus P[8] genotype predominates (85.7%). Most of the noroviruses (93.8%) belonged to genogroup II (GII). GII.4 Sydney represented 76% (35/46) amongst five other genotypes. Rotavirus and noroviruses infected predominantly children with secretor status (97% and 98.5%, respectively). However, fewer rotavirus-infected children were Lewis-negative (8.6%) than the norovirus-infected ones (18.5%). FUT3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) occurred mostly at the T59G > G508A > T202C > C314T positions. Our results reinforce the current knowledge that secretors are more susceptible to infection by both rotavirus and norovirus than non-secretors. The high rate for Lewis negative (17.1%) and the combination of SNPs, beyond the secretor status, may reflect the highly mixed population in Brazil.


Author(s):  
Ana Cecília de Paula Lourenço ◽  
Maria Cecília Barbosa de Toledo

   The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of urban activities on the structure and composition of a bird community in riparian forests in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The study was carried out in seven areas of remnant riparian forest where fixed points have been established to sample bird species. Richness, diversity, abundance, frequency and trophic groups were used as metrics of the bird community. At each point measurements were taken for: (1) habitat characteristics: average height of trees, number of trees above 2m, number of shrubs <2m and the percentage of canopy opening; (2) neighborhood characteristics: closest distance from open areas, highways, urban areas, river and floodplain to the point of observation. The observations resulted in 88 species of birds belonging to 34 families. The most representative families were Tyrannidae, Thraupidae and Picidae. The most predominant trophic groups were insectivorous (54%), omnivorous (11.5%) and frugivorous (10.3%). The results obtained showed that the number of trees explained the variation in abundance, while the mean height of the trees explained variations in richness and frequency. Overall, the bird community was negatively affected by proximity of urban areas and highways. In conclusion, the community of birds in the riparian forest may be affected by the loss of trees above 2m and by urbanization, leading mainly to the replacement of species belonging to specialist trophic groups by generalist species and those more adjusted to human presence.


2008 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 419-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
MCB. Toledo ◽  
DM. Moreira

The aim of this work was to observe and describe the feeding habits and available food resources of the swallow-tailed hummingbird, Eupetomena macroura. The study was carried out in a municipal park located in the city of Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo. The observations took place between December 2003 and October 2004, recording the following variables: 1) the plant species visited for feeding and territorial defense; 2) the kinds of food resources; and 3) the kinds of flight to procure and obtain food. E. macroura visited 12 plant species. For territorial defense, Mangifera indica was the most visited, whereas Malvaviscus arboreus was most visited for feeding. The foliage was the plant part that received the most frequent visits. In order to obtain nectar, the only species visited was M. arboreus; to obtain arthropods, the species most visited were Mangifera indica and Hymenaea stilbocarpa. In the dry season, the hummingbirds visited flowers, whereas in the rainy season they visited leaves to acquire food. The arthropod groups most frequently found on leafy branches were Homoptera and Psocoptera. Finally, the results of the type of flight analysis showed that flight used to capture food was more often observed than were flights to search for food. In conclusion, these observations suggest that E. macroura shows plasticity in feeding behavior, which can help it to persist in urban areas.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 269-274
Author(s):  
OSIAS FERREIRA FORTE ◽  
MONICA PASCHOAL NOGUEIRA

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the profiles of the individuals who access the website regarding congenital clubfoot (CC) information and the first ten years of Ponseti method implementation in Brazil. Methods: This is a retrospective documentary study, with quantitative database analysis, from 2002 to 2012. Parents or caregivers completed a semi-structured questionnaire regarding the main difficulties encountered, the search for different professionals in the area, and what were the main questions the reader might have when searching on a technical website. Results: In total, 94% of participants had a family member or acquaintance with CC, most participants were women (74%), higher education level (40%), married (75%), income above one minimum wage (80%), working in administrative positions (21%,) and living in the urban area (99%). Of the participants, 44% sought three or more physicians at the beginning of treatment, and an average of 77% of the participants used health insurance or a private physician. Conclusion: The participants’ profile regarding CC is composed of women, married, living in urban areas, predominantly from Southeastern Brazil, higher education level, with income above 1.5 minimum wages, and who were treating their children with a private physician. Level of Evidence II, Retrospective study.


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