Effects of soil and space on the woody species composition and vegetation structure of three Cerrado phytophysiognomies in the Cerrado-Amazon transition / Efeito do solo e do espaço sobre a composição de espécies lenhosas e estrutura da vegetação de três fitofisionomias de Cerrado na transição Cerrado-Amazônia

Abstract The Cerrado Biome is considered one of the world's biodiversity hotspots because of its rich biodiversity, the high level of endemism and the increasing threat. The Cerrado is composed by a mosaic of different vegetation types, including physiognomies that vary from grasslands (campo limpo) to savannas (typical cerrado or cerrado sensu stricto) and cerrado woodlands (cerradão). However, the factors that determine the composition of the Cerrado's flora and the structure of the physiognomies that compose this biome are still poorly understood. Here, we investigate the influence of the chemical and granulometric properties of the soil and the effect of geographic distance on the occurrence and abundance of woody species in three Cerrado phytophysiognomies - cerrado woodland (cerradão), dense cerrado savanna and typical cerrado savanna - in the Cerrado-Amazon transition. We tested the hypothesis that the edaphic characteristics and geographic space determine the species composition and the structure of the woody vegetation of these three phytophysiognomies. We demonstrate that the dissimilarities in the structure and composition of the three sites were determined more by space (13% of explanation) than edaphic properties (1%), but primarily by the interaction between these two factors (26%). We conclude that, in situations where the chemical and granulometric properties of the soil are relatively homogeneous, as we found in the present study, geographic distance between sites has a greater influence than variation in the substrate's properties on modelling the occurrence and abundance of the woody plant species in the Cerrado.

Resumo O Bioma Cerrado é considerado um dos "hotspots" mundiais de biodiversidade devido à rica biodiversidade que abriga, ao elevado nível de endemismo e à eminente ameaça. O Cerrado é composto por um mosaico de diferentes tipos de vegetação e inclui fisionomias que variam desde áreas predominantemente graminosas (campo limpo) a savanas (cerrado típico ou cerrado sensu stricto) e florestas (cerradão). Entretanto, os fatores que determinam a composição da flora do Cerrado e a estrutura das fisionomias que o compõem ainda são pouco compreendidas. Aqui, nós avaliamos a influência das propriedades químicas e granulométricas do solo e da distância geográfica sobre a ocorrência e abundância de espécies lenhosas em três fitofisionomias do Cerrado - cerradão (CO), cerrado denso (DC) e cerrado típico (TC) - na transição Cerrado-Amazônia. Nós testamos a hipótese de que as características edáficas e o espaço determinam a composição florística e a estrutura da vegetação lenhosa das três fitofisionomias. Nós demostramos que a dissimilaridade florístico-estrutural entre os três sítios foi mais determinada pelo espaço (13% da explicação) do que pelas propriedades edáficas (1%) e principalmente pela interação entre solo e espaço (26%). Concluímos que, em locais onde as propriedades químicas e granulométricas dos solos são relativamente homogêneas, como no presente estudo, a distância geográfica entre sítios tem mais efeito do que o substrato sobre a ocorrência e abundância de espécies lenhosas de Cerrado.

Comparison of body adiposity index (BAI) and air displacement plethysmograph with estimations of % body fat in adults with Down's syndrome.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to verify the agreement between body fat percentage (%BF) values evaluated by air displacement plethysmograph (ADP) and body adiposity index (BAI) in adults with Down's syndrome (DS). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Forty-five adults with DS volunteered to participate in this study (19 women; age 28.7±8.5 years and 26 men; age 29.1±8.8 years). The %BF was measured by ADP (%BFADP) and estimated by anthropometric measures [%BF=(hip circumference/height)1.5-18] (%BFBAI). Agreement between methods was evaluated by paired t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: Although high correlation coefficients were found between %BFADP and %BFBAI for women (r=0.78, P<0.05) and men (r=0.87, P<0.05), significant differences were observed between methods for both sexes (38.9±8.9 vs 42.5±8.5% for women, and 25.8±11.3 vs 32.6±5.4% for men in %BFADP and %BFBAI, respectively). Moreover, Bland-Altman analysis showed that the mean error estimate was +3.6 (95%CI, -7.59 to 14.79) in women and +6.74 (95%CI, -7.25 to 20.72) in men. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that BAI seems to be a limited method to evaluate %BF in women and in men with DS.

Effects of soil and space on the woody species composition and vegetation structure of three Cerrado phytophysiognomies in the Cerrado-Amazon transition.

The Cerrado Biome is considered one of the world's biodiversity hotspots because of its rich biodiversity, the high level of endemism and the increasing threat. The Cerrado is composed by a mosaic of different vegetation types, including physiognomies that vary from grasslands (campo limpo) to savannas (typical cerrado or cerrado sensu stricto) and cerrado woodlands (cerradão). However, the factors that determine the composition of the Cerrado's flora and the structure of the physiognomies that compose this biome are still poorly understood. Here, we investigate the influence of the chemical and granulometric properties of the soil and the effect of geographic distance on the occurrence and abundance of woody species in three Cerrado phytophysiognomies - cerrado woodland (cerradão), dense cerrado savanna and typical cerrado savanna - in the Cerrado-Amazon transition. We tested the hypothesis that the edaphic characteristics and geographic space determine the species composition and the structure of the woody vegetation of these three phytophysiognomies. We demonstrate that the dissimilarities in the structure and composition of the three sites were determined more by space (13% of explanation) than edaphic properties (1%), but primarily by the interaction between these two factors (26%). We conclude that, in situations where the chemical and granulometric properties of the soil are relatively homogeneous, as we found in the present study, geographic distance between sites has a greater influence than variation in the substrate's properties on modelling the occurrence and abundance of the woody plant species in the Cerrado.

Genetic dissection of agronomic traits in Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum.

Genetic mapping is very useful for dissecting complex agronomic traits. Genetic mapping allows for identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL), provide knowledge on a gene position and its adjacent region, and enable prediction of evolutionary mechanisms, in addition to contributing to synteny studies. The aim of this study was to predict genetic values associated with different agronomic traits evaluated in an F2 population of Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum. Previously, a reference genetic map for C. baccatum was constructed, which included 183 markers (42 microsatellite, 85 inter-simple sequence repeat, and 56 random amplification of polymorphic DNA) arranged in 16 linkage groups. The map was used to identify QTL associated with 11 agronomic traits, including plant height, crown diameter, number of days to flowering, days to fruiting, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit pulp thickness, soluble solids, and fruit dry weight. QTL mapping was performed by standard interval mapping. The number of small QTL effects ranged from 3-11, with a total of 61 QTL detected in 9 linkage groups. This is the first report involving QTL analysis for C. baccatum species.

Absolute ethanol and 5% ethanolamine oleate are comparable for sclerotherapy of esophageal varices.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sclerotherapy is widely accepted as an effective treatment for the eradication of esophageal varices in patients with portal hypertension and a history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of absolute ethanol as an alternative sclerosing agent to the commonly used 5% ethanolamine oleate. METHODS: One hundred fifty-seven patients with portal hypertension and a history of variceal bleeding were randomly assigned to sclerotherapy with absolute ethanol (n = 66) or 5% ethanolamine oleate (n = 91) between January 1992 and July 1994. Once eradication was achieved, these patients were prospectively followed until September 1998. RESULTS: Sclerotherapy with both sclerosants resulted in similar eradication rates (approximately 90%), with comparable numbers of sessions required for eradication (5.4 and 5.9 sessions for absolute ethanol and 5% ethanolamine oleate, respectively). Similar complication and recurrent bleeding rates were observed among both groups. CONCLUSION: Sclerotherapy with absolute ethanol is as effective as with 5% ethanolamine oleate in preventing further bleeding in patients with portal hypertension.

[Association of gastroduodenal mucosa lesions and varices as a cause of upper digestive hemorrhage. Retrospective study at a university hospital]. / Associação entre lesões de mucosa gastroduodenal e varizes como causa de hemorragia digestiva alta. Estudo retrospectivo em hospital universitário.

During the period from August 1st, 1990 to June 15, 1992, 117 patients with portal hypertension and upper gastrointestinal bleeding were examined at the "GASTROCENTRO"--State University of Campinas--UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil few hours after hospital admission. The objectives were to study the association of gastroduodenal acute lesions and esophageal varices. The predominant ages were thirties and sixties years (83.76%), being 70.08% of males. The hematemesis occurred in 94.02% of the cases. The etiologies of the bleeding were: esophageal varices, 47.87%; gastroduodenal acute mucosal lesions, 34.19%; gastric varices, 9.4%; gastric ulcers, 5.98% and duodenal ulcers, 2.56%. The authors concluded that exists a significant association of acute gastroduodenal lesions and esophageal varices causing upper gastrointestinal bleeding. It is essential to examine early and in detail the gastroduodenal mucosa during upper digestive endoscopy in the patient with portal hypertension and esophageal varices to diagnose the etiology of the bleeding. It is advisable to perform endoscopic examination twice a year when the dyspeptic symptoms are constant, with previous treatment for gastroduodenal acute mucosal lesions or peptic ulcers, and annual in the others.