Urbanization effects on the composition and structure of macrophytes communities in a lotic ecosystem of Pernambuco State, Brazil / Efeitos da urbanização na composição e estrutura de comunidades de macrófitas aquáticas em um ecossistema lótico do Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil

Abstract Population growth in urban areas changes freshwater ecosystems, and this can have consequences for macrophyte communities as can be seen in the municipalities that border the Capibaribe River, Pernambuco, Brazil. This study reports the effects of urbanization on the composition and structure of macrophyte communities in areas along that river. The following urbanized and non-urbanized sampling sites were chosen: Sites 1 and 2 (municipality of Santa Cruz do Capibaribe), Sites 3 and 4 (municipality of Toritama), and Sites 5 and 6 (metropolitan region of Recife). These sites were visited every two months from January to July 2013 to observe seasonal variation (wet and dry seasons). Thirty-one species were identified. Generally, the non-urbanized sites had a higher number of species. Multivariate analyses indicated significant overall differences between urbanized and non-urbanized areas (R = 0.044; p < 0.001) and between seasons (R = 0.018; p < 0.019). Owing to the large variation in physical, chemical, and biological characteristics between urbanized and non-urbanized areas, we found that urbanization significantly influenced the floristic composition and structure of macrophyte communities.

Resumo O crescimento populacional em áreas urbanas causa alterações em ecossistemas aquáticos continentais com consequência sobre as comunidades de macrófitas. Este fato vem ocorrendo nos municípios que margeiam o rio Capibaribe, Pernambuco, Brasil. Este trabalho analisa os efeitos da urbanização sobre a composição e estrutura das macrófitas em trechos do referido Rio. Levando em consideração áreas urbanizadas e não urbanizadas, foram escolhidos os seguintes Pontos de Coleta: Pontos 1 e 2 no Município de Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Pontos 3 e 4 no Município de Toritama, Pontos 5 e 6 na Região Metropolitana do Recife. Estes pontos foram visitados bimestralmente (janeiro – julho/2013), para a observação da variação sazonal (estações seca e chuvosa). Foram identificadas 31 espécies. Geralmente, os pontos das áreas não urbanizadas apresentaram um número maior de espécies. As análises multivariadas indicaram diferenças globais significativas entre áreas urbanizadas e não urbanizadas (R = 0,044, p < 0,001) e também entre as estações (R = 0,018; p < 0,019). Devido à grande variação física, química e biológica entre as áreas urbanizadas e não urbanizadas, observou-se que o fator urbanização influenciou significativamente na composição florística e na estrutura das comunidades de macrófitas.

An invasive pentatomid pest in Argentina: neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

This is the first record on the invasion of the Neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (F.) in Paraná County (latitude 31º 51' 9.6" S, longitude 60º 32' 11.2" W), Entre Ríos province, Argentina. Five adults were intercepted in 2009/2010, one in crop residues and four on soybean fields. The expanding range in the distribution of E. heros in the Southern Hemisphere is believed to be due to the increased commercial trade among countries, increase in the area cultivated with soybean, and the adoption of no-tillage cropping systems.

Lesion of the subthalamic nucleus reverses motor deficits but not death of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in a rat 6-hydroxydopamine-lesion model of Parkinson's disease

The objective of the present study was to determine whether lesion of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) promoted by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) would rescue nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons after unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injection into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). Initially, 16 mg 6-OHDA (6-OHDA group) or vehicle (artificial cerebrospinal fluid - aCSF; Sham group) was infused into the right MFB of adult male Wistar rats. Fifteen days after surgery, the 6-OHDA and SHAM groups were randomly subdivided and received ipsilateral injection of either 60 mM NMDA or aCSF in the right STN. Additionally, a control group was not submitted to stereotaxic surgery. Five groups of rats were studied: 6-OHDA/NMDA, 6-OHDA/Sham, Sham/NMDA, Sham/Sham, and Control. Fourteen days after injection of 6-OHDA, rats were submitted to the rotational test induced by apomorphine (0.1 mg/kg, ip) and to the open-field test. The same tests were performed again 14 days after NMDA-induced lesion of the STN. The STN lesion reduced the contralateral turns induced by apomorphine and blocked the progression of motor impairment in the open-field test in 6-OHDA-treated rats. However, lesion of the STN did not prevent the reduction of striatal concentrations of dopamine and metabolites or the number of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons after 6-OHDA lesion. Therefore, STN lesion is able to reverse motor deficits after severe 6-OHDA-induced lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway, but does not protect or rescue dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta.

The terrestrial Gastropoda Megalobulimus abbreviatus as a useful model for nociceptive experiments: effects of morphine and naloxone on thermal avoidance behavior

We describe the behavior of the snail Megalobulimus abbreviatus upon receiving thermal stimuli and the effects of pretreatment with morphine and naloxone on behavior after a thermal stimulus, in order to establish a useful model for nociceptive experiments. Snails submitted to non-functional (22°C) and non-thermal hot-plate stress (30°C) only displayed exploratory behavior. However, the animals submitted to a thermal stimulus (50°C) displayed biphasic avoidance behavior. Latency was measured from the time the animal was placed on the hot plate to the time when the animal lifted the head-foot complex 1 cm from the substrate, indicating aversive thermal behavior. Other animals were pretreated with morphine (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) or naloxone (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 mg/kg) 15 min prior to receiving a thermal stimulus (50°C; N = 9 in each group). The results (means ± SD) showed an extremely significant difference in response latency between the group treated with 20 mg/kg morphine (63.18 ± 14.47 s) and the other experimental groups (P < 0.001). With 2.5 mg/kg (16.26 ± 3.19 s), 5.0 mg/kg (11.53 ± 1.64 s) and 7.5 mg/kg naloxone (7.38 ± 1.6 s), there was a significant, not dose-dependent decrease in latency compared to the control (33.44 ± 8.53 s) and saline groups (29.1 ± 9.91 s). No statistically significant difference was found between the naloxone-treated groups. With naloxone plus morphine, there was a significant decrease in latency when compared to all other groups (minimum 64 percent in the saline group and maximum 83.2 percent decrease in the morphine group). These results provide evidence of the involvement of endogenous opioid peptides in the control of thermal withdrawal behavior in this snail, and reveal a stereotyped and reproducible avoidance behavior for this snail species, which could be studied in other pharmacological and neurophysiological studies.

Substance P immunoreactivity in the lumbar spinal cord of the turtle Trachemys dorbigni following peripheral nerve injury

Immunoreactive substance P was investigated in turtle lumbar spinal cord after sciatic nerve transection. In control animals immunoreactive fibers were densest in synaptic field Ia, where the longest axons invaded synaptic field III. Positive neuronal bodies were identified in the lateral column of the dorsal horn and substance P immunoreactive varicosities were observed in the ventral horn, in close relationship with presumed motoneurons. Other varicosities appeared in the lateral and anterior funiculi. After axotomy, substance P immunoreactive fibers were reduced slightly on the side of the lesion, which was located in long fibers that invaded synaptic field III and in the varicosities of the lateral and anterior funiculus. The changes were observed at 7 days after axonal injury and persisted at 15, 30, 60 and 90 days after the lesion. These findings show that turtles should be considered as a model to study the role of substance P in peripheral axonal injury, since the distribution and temporal changes of substance P were similar to those found in mammals

Enoxaparina como alternativa antitrombótica para la cirugía en pacientes de alto riesgo tromboembólico crónicamente anticoagulados con dicumarínicos / Enoxaparinas an alternative to antocoagulant therapy in hight risk patients under chronic treatment with vitamin K antagonists

En la actualidad no existe un criterio uniforme para el manejo anticoagulante perioperatorio de los pacientes con alto riesgo tromboembólico y crónicamente anticoagulados con dicumarínicos. Se ha propuesto el uso de las HBPM en reemplazo de la heparina no fraccionada pero la experiencia publicada es escasa y no hay un consenso sobre la dosis y el momento adecuado para reiniciar la anticoagulación en el período post quirúrgico, especialmente en cirugía mayor. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la efectividad y seguridad de la enoxaparina 1 mg/kg SC cada 12 horas en el manejo perioperatorio de pacientes con alto riesgo tromboembólico. Resultados: 48 pacientes (edad promedio: 70 años, 32 hombres) anticoagulados por RVM 64,5 porciento y FA con antecedente de embolia o trombo auricular en 35,5 porciento. El 45 porciento requirió suspender los AO por una cirugía programada, 33 porciento por cirugía odontológica, 16 porciento cateterismo cardíaco y 6 porciento por una biopsia. Los pacientes suspendían la AO 3 a 5 días previos al procedimiento y lo reemplazaban por enoxaparina. la dosis promedio de enoxaparina fue de 80 mg cada 12 horas. El 92 porciento de los pacientes reinició AO en las primeras 24 horas de la cirugía. No se detectaron eventos trombóticos hasta 1 mes de la cirugía. Cuatro pacientes presentaron hemorragias, 3 sangrados menores y 1 sangrado mayor que requirió múltiples transfusiones. Conclusión: La enoxaparina puede ser una alternativa antitrombótica eficaz en pacientes con alto riesgo tromboembólico y permitirá mediante 1 o 2 dosis diarias (ajustadas al peso) el manejo ambulatorio con un bajo índice de sangrado

Hipoesplenia en la enfermedad celiaca rol de la dieta libre de gluten / Hyposplenism in celiac disease: the role of the gluten-free diet

La enfermedad Celíaca suele complicarse con hipofunción esplénica cuya patogenia es desconocida. Analizamos la frecuencia de signos de hipofunción esplénica y su comportamiento frente a una dieta libre de gluten (DLG) en 17 pacientes con enfermedad celíaca. Los signos de hipoesplenismo fueron evaluados a través de cambios en la morfología de los glóbulos rojos (Cuerpos de Howell-jolly, esferocitosis, acantositosis), en relación con la edad de los pacientes, antigüedad de los síntomas, severidad del cuadro clínico, alteración histológica y su respuesta al tratamiento. Concluímos que el porcentaje de pacientes con hipofunción esplénica fue del 82,4% y que hay tendencia a la recuperación luego de la DLG

Sindrome de hipertermia maligna. / Malignant hyperthermia syndrome

O autor faz revisao da literatura sobre a sindrome de hipertermia maligna. Passando pelo historico, incidencia e caracteristicas da sindrome, discorre sobre causas predisponentes e desencadeantes. Na fisiopatologia enfatiza o defeito genetico localizado no reticulo sarcoplasmico da celula muscular esqueletica.A importancia da anamnese, exame fisico e testes diversos na detecao sao discutidos e estabelecida conduta diante dos pacientes suscetiveis.Alerta para implicacoes medico-legais que exigem do anestesiologista conhecimento, meios de tratamento e conduta irrepreensiveis