Spatial patterns and interactions of dominant tree species in an Amazon tropical rainforest / Patrones e interacciones espaciales de especies arbóreas dominantes en un bosque tropical en la Amazonia

Abstract Knowledge of spatial patterns and interactions of tree species allows for understanding the ecological processes of spatiotemporal structures of tropical forests, becoming essential for the establishment of strategies for the conservation and management of their resources in the long term. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial patterns and interactions of Astronium lecointei, Dinizia excelsa and Peltogyne paniculata, three dominant timber tree species in the Jamari National Forest, Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon. The Kernel estimator was used aiming to verify the possible influence of first-order factors on species distributions. Inhomogeneous K-functions were applied to analyze species spatial patterns and interactions by means of second-order factors. Univariate analyses revealed different scale-dependent spatial patterns for the species. Aggregation related to ecological characteristics, such as habitat preference and dispersal limitation, was verified for A. lecointei and P. paniculata. D. excelsa presented a random spatial pattern, explained by specific features of its establishment, such as the need for clearings due to light requirements. Interspecific associations were evidenced by bivariate analyses, in which spatial attraction of species resulted from the same preference for microhabitats and the repulsion was a result of niche segregation. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(3): 1009-1017. Epub 2018 September 01.

Resumen El conocimiento de los patrones e interacciones espaciales de las especies arbóreas permite la comprensión de los procesos ecológicos de estructuración espacio-temporal de los bosques tropicales, tornándose imprescindible para el establecimiento de estrategias de conservación y manejo de sus recursos a largo plazo. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar los patrones y las interacciones espaciales de Astronium lecointei, Dinizia excelsa y Peltogyne paniculata, tres especies arbóreas madereras dominantes en la Selva Nacional del Jamari, Rondônia, Amazonia Brasileña. Para ello, se utilizó el estimador Kernel, con el objetivo de verificar la posible influencia de factores de primer orden en la distribución de las especies. Para el análisis de los patrones e interacciones espaciales de las especies por medio de los factores de segundo orden, se empleó la función K no homogénea. Los análisis univariados revelaron diferentes patrones espaciales dependientes de la escala para las especies. Agregación relacionada a características ecológicas, como preferencia de hábitat y limitación de la dispersión, fue constatada para A. lecointei y P. paniculata. Dinizia excelsa presentó un patrón espacial aleatorio, explicado por características particulares de su establecimiento, como la necesidad de claros debido a sus requisitos lumínicos. Las asociaciones interespecíficas fueron evidenciadas por los análisis bivariados, en que la atracción espacial de las especies resultó de la misma preferencia por micro hábitats y la repulsión fue resultado de la segregación de nichos.

Psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for PTSD (PSQI-A)

Objective: Sleep disturbances play a fundamental role in the pathophysiology posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and are not only a secondary feature. The aim of this study was to validate and assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for PTSD (PSQI-A-BR), a self-report instrument designed to assess the frequency of seven disruptive nocturnal behaviors, in a sample of participants with and without PTSD. Methods: PSQI-A was translated into Brazilian Portuguese and applied to a convenience sample of 190 volunteers, with and without PTSD, who had sought treatment for the consequences of a traumatic event. Results: The PSQI-A-BR displayed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficient of 0.83 between all items) and convergent validity with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), even when excluding sleep-related items (r = 0.52). Test-retest yielded high agreement in the global PSQI-A-BR, with good stability over time (r = 0.88). A global PSQI-A-BR cutoff score of 7 yielded a sensitivity of 79%, specificity of 64%, and a global score of 7 yielded a positive predictive value of 93% for discriminating participants with PTSD from those without PTSD. Conclusion: The PSQI-A-BR is a valid instrument for PTSD assessment, applicable to both clinical and research settings. .

Tendência da mortalidade por diabetes melito em capitais brasileiras, 1980-2007 / Trends in mortality of diabetes mellitus patients in Brazilian capitals, 1980-2007

OBJETIVO: Analisar o padrão de mortalidade por diabetes nas capitais brasileiras entre 1980 e 2007. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram calculadas taxas de mortalidade quadrienais e anuais, padronizadas por idade pela população mundial. Modelos de regressão linear foram estimados para análise da tendência nas capitais. RESULTADOS: No primeiro quadriênio, a taxa mais elevada correspondeu a 42,89/100.000 em Aracaju e, no último, a 54,38/100.000 em São Luís. Foram observadas tendências estatisticamente significativas de incremento na maioria das capitais, embora com diferenças regionais. Belo Horizonte foi a única capital a mostrar tendência de declínio. CONCLUSÕES: Uma parte do incremento observado poderia ser atribuída a melhoras no acesso ao diagnóstico e na certificação da causa de morte, porém diferenças regionais na prevalência de fatores de risco e proteção para a doença possivelmente também estão implicadas. A não disponibilidade de série histórica de casos incidentes impossibilita determinar se esses resultados refletem tendências atuais da incidência do diabetes no Brasil.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze mortality patterns of patients with diabetes in Brazilian capitals from 1980 to 2007. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Age-standardized quadrennial and annual mortality rates were calculated with the world population as reference. Linear regression models were estimated to analyze mortality trends in each capital. RESULTS: In the first quadrennial period, the highest rate was 42.89/100,000 in Aracaju; and in the last quadrennial period, 54.38/100,000 in São Luis. Although mortality rates showed statistically significant incremental trends in most capitals, there were regional differences. Belo Horizonte was the only capital to show a declining trend. CONCLUSIONS: Part of the observed increment could be attributed to improvements in access to diagnosis and death certification, but regional differences in the prevalence of diabetes risk and protective factors might also be implicated. The absence of a time series of incident cases makes it difficult to determine if these results reflect current trends in the incidence of diabetes in Brazil.

Importance of retardation and fatigue/interest domains for the diagnosis of major depressive episode after stroke: a four months prospective study / Lentificação e fadiga/interesse no diagnóstico do episódio depressivo maior após o acidente vascular cerebral: um estudo prospectivo de quatro meses

OBJECTIVE: Post-stroke major depressive episode is very frequent, but underdiagnosed. Researchers have investigated major depressive episode symptomatology, which may increase its detection. This study was developed to identify the depressive symptoms that better differentiate post-stroke patients with major depressive episode from those without major depressive episode. METHOD: We screened 260 consecutive ischemic stroke patients admitted to the neurology clinic of a university hospital. Seventy-three patients were eligible and prospectively evaluated. We assessed the diagnosis of major depressive episode using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and the profile of depressive symptoms using the 31-item version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. For data analysis we used cluster analyses and logistic regression equations. RESULTS: Twenty-one (28.8 percent) patients had a major depressive episode. The odds ratio of being diagnosed with major depressive episode was 3.86; (95 percent CI, 1.23-12.04) for an increase of one unit in the cluster composed by the domains of fatigue/interest and retardation, and 2.39 (95 percent CI, 1.21-4.71) for an increase of one unit in the cluster composed by the domains of cognitive, accessory and anxiety symptoms. The domains of eating/weight and insomnia did not contribute for the major depressive episode diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The domains of retardation and interest/fatigue are the most relevant for the diagnosis of major depressive episode after stroke.

OBJETIVO: O episódio depressivo maior após acidente vascular cerebral é muito frequente, mas é subdiagnosticado. Pesquisas têm investigado a sintomatologia do episódio depressivo maior pós-acidente vascular cerebral, o que pode facilitar sua identificação. Este estudo foi desenvolvido para identificar os sintomas depressivos que melhor diferenciam pacientes com episódio depressivo maior daqueles sem episódio depressivo maior após o acidente vascular cerebral. MÉTODO: Foram triados consecutivamente 260 pacientes com acidente vascular cerebral admitidos à enfermaria de neurologia de um hospital universitário, dos quais 73 pacientes foram acompanhados. Para investigar o diagnóstico de episódio depressivo maior foi utilizada a Entrevista Clinica Estruturada para DSM-IV e para a sintomatologia depressiva a Escala de Avaliação para Depressão de Hamilton, versão 31 itens. Para a análise dos dados foi utilizada a análise de clusters e regressão logística. RESULTADOS: Vinte e um (28,8 por cento) pacientes tiveram episódio depressivo maior. O odds ratio para o diagnóstico de episódio depressivo maior foi 3,86; (95 por cento IC, 1,23-12,04) para um aumento de uma unidade no cluster dos domínios interesse/fadiga e lentificação, e 2,39 (95 por cento IC, 1,21-4,71) para um aumento de uma unidade no cluster de domínios de sintomas cognitivos, acessórios e ansiedade. Os domínios apetite/peso e insônia não contribuíram para o diagnóstico de episódio depressivo maior. CONCLUSÃO: Os domínios de lentificação e interesse/fadiga são os mais relevantes para o diagnóstico do episódio depressivo maior após acidente vascular cerebral.

Depressão pós-AVC: aspectos psicológicos, neuropsicológicos, eixo HHA, correlato neuroanatômico e tratamento: [revisão] / Post-stroke depression: psychological, neuropsychological, HHA axis, localization of stroke aspects and treatment: [review]

CONTEXTO: A depressão pós-AVC (DPAVC) possui uma prevalência elevada. Apesar disso, ela é pouco detectada e tratada. Muitos fatores de risco e repercussões negativas na recuperação dos pacientes estão associados à DPAVC. OBJETIVO: Revisar alguns aspectos da DPAVC como: qualidade de vida, prejuízos cognitivos, eixo HHA, localização do AVC e tratamento. MÉTODOS: Pesquisa dos últimos 10 anos da base de dados MedLine/PubMed usando as palavras-chave post-stroke depression, stroke, quality of life, hypercortisolism, cogntitive dysfunction e treatment. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de DPAVC é de 23 por cento a 60 por cento. Há poucos estudos sobre a incidência de DPAVC. A DPAVC está associada a pior prognóstico e evolução, agravo das disfunções cognitivas e redução da qualidade de vida. O hipercortisolismo está associado à DPAVC que ocorre tardiamente ao AVC. AVC em gânglios da base, região frontal esquerda e estruturas do circuito prefrontosubcortical está relacionado à frequência e à gravidade da DPAVC. CONCLUSÕES: É necessário melhoria na metodologia dos estudos para maior esclarecimento sobre a fisiopatologia da incidência da DPAVC. Programas objetivando o aumento das taxas de detecção dos pacientes deprimidos se fazem necessários inclusive para a redução dos impactos negativos na recuperação desses pacientes.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of post-stroke depression (PSD) is elevated. Some risk factors and poor outcome have been associated with PSD. The treatment of PSD reduced the negative impact in patients recovery. Appart from these data the PSD has been under diagnosed and under treated. OBJECTIVE: Review some aspects such as quality of life, cognitive dysfunction, hypercortisolism, stroke localization and treatment of PSD. METHODS: MedLine/PubMed database search using the terms post-stroke depression, stroke, quality of life, hypercortisolism, cognitive dysfunction and treatment, published in MedLine in the last 10 years. RESULTS: PSD has a high rate of prevalence, from 23 percent to 60 percent. Few incidence rates are investigated. PSD is associated with poor outcome, increase of cognitive dysfunction and reduced quality of life. The hypercortisolism seems to be associated with PSD in the latter period of stroke. Stroke in the left frontal region, basal ganglia and some structures of prefrontosubcortical circuits have been related with frequency and severity of PSD. DISCUSSION: Some programs can be used to assist the medical care researcher with these patients in diagnosis and treatment of PSD. The research needs to be continued with clear methodological protocols in order to understand the physiopathology related to the incident PSD.

Chemical and biological evaluation of rejects from the wood industry

This study aimed chemical characterization and microbiological evaluation of extracts obtained from the waste of woods marketed in Paraná State: Peroba-Rosa (Aspidosperma sp.), Roxinho (Peltogyne sp.), Jatobá(Hymenaea sp.), Curupixá (Micropholis sp.), Itaúba (Mezilaurus sp.), Cedrilho (Erisma sp.) and Imbúia (Licaria sp.), whose botanical identifications were based on anatomical studies. The extracts were prepared with different solvents, analyzed by TLC and UV/VIS techniques, and tested against: Proteus mirabilis ATCC15290, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC13048, Micrococcus luteus ATCC9341, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC13883, Pseudomonas aeroginosa ATCC27853, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans and Bacillus cereus isolated from the clinic. The ethanol extract from Peroba-rosa containing alkaloids showed activity against P. mirabilis. Itaúba, Jatobá and Imbúia methanol extracts containing phenolics, and the Roxinho ethyl acetate extract containing terpenoids and phenolics were active against K. pneumoniae, M. luteus, E. coli, S. aureus and P. mirabilis. P. aeroginosa, S. mutans and E. aerogenes were resistant to the extracts.

Avaliaçao da efetividade da palmilha FES na marcha de pacientes hemiplegicos / Evaluation of innersoles (FES) effectiveness in hemiplegic patients gait

Com intuito de avaliar a marcha de pacientes hemiplegicos utilizando a palmilha FES á curto prazo, elaboramos um treinamento em 15 sessoes. Participaram desta pesquisa, 7 pacientes, sendo 5 do sexo masculino e 2 do sexo feminino, os quais,alem do treino e avaliaçao com a ortese eletrica funcional (OEF), foram submetidos á uma avaliaçao atraves da escala visual de satisfaçao quanto ao uso da palmilha FES.

Avaliaçäo cardiovascular de portadoras da síndrome de Ulrich-Turner pela Dopplerecocardiografia e ressonância magnética / Cardiovascular assessment of patients with Ullrich-Turner's Syndrome on Doppler echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging

OBJECTIVE: To assess the cardiovascular features of Ullrich-Turner's syndrome using echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging, and to correlate them with the phenotype and karyotype of the patients. The diagnostic concordance between the 2 methods was also assessed. METHODS: Fifteen patients with the syndrome were assessed by echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac chambers, valves, and aorta). Their ages ranged from 10 to 28 (mean of 16.7) years. The karyotype was analyzed in 11 or 25 metaphases of peripheral blood lymphocytes, or both. RESULTS: The most common phenotypic changes were short stature and spontaneous absence of puberal development (100 percent); 1 patient had a cardiac murmur. The karyotypes detected were as follows: 45,X (n=7), mosaics (n=5), and deletions (n=3). No echocardiographic changes were observed. In regard to magnetic resonance imaging, coarctation and dilation of the aorta were found in 1 patient, and isolated dilation of the aorta was found in 4 patients. CONCLUSION: The frequencies of coarctation and dilation of the aorta detected on magnetic resonance imaging were similar to those reported in the literature (5.5 percent to 20 percent, and 6.3 percent to 29 percent, respectively). This confirmed the adjuvant role of magnetic resonance imaging to Doppler echocardiography for diagnosing cardiovascular alterations in patients with Ullrich-Turner's syndrome