Continent-island boundary and environment-shaped evolution in the marine amphipod Ampithoe marcuzzii complex (Crustacea: Eumalacostraca: Ampithoidae).

Marine amphipods are crustaceans that lack a larval phase and consequently have low dispersion rates. Despite that, these crustaceans present a remarkable ability to be transported by rafting on natural floating substrata, especially macroalgae, where they find shelter, food and a mating ground. The species Ampithoe marcuzzii is widely distributed throughout the western Atlantic Ocean. Here, it was used as a model to study seascape genomics and phylogeography in invertebrates with low dispersion capacities. We anticipated that the lineages would present isolation-by-distance patterns. However, surface currents and other abiotic variables could facilitate connectivity among distant sites. Based on mitochondrial and nuclear genes, SNPs, and environmental associations, we observed the presence of a species complex within A. marcuzzii, separating mainland and insular populations. Each species showed an independent evolutionary history, with a strong latitudinal population structure and evidence of isolation-by-distance and isolation-by-environment, characterizing the 'continent' species. Historical expansion and environmental variables were observed associated with the southeastern population, and ecological niche modeling corroborated the region as a paleorefuge. Conversely, populations from 'islands' presented complicated evolutionary histories, with closer localities genetically isolated and distant localities connected. These findings indicate that insular populations with low dispersion capacity might be more susceptible to spatial connectivity by floating substrata and to changes in surface currents. In contrast, mainland populations might be more vulnerable to local climate changes due to lack of gene flow.

The high biodiversity of benthic organisms in a coastal ecosystem revealed by an integrative approach / A alta biodiversidade de organismos bentônicos em um ecossistema costeiro revelada por uma abordagem integrativa

Abstract Increasing habitat modification and species loss demand consistent efforts to describe and understand biodiversity patterns. The BIOTA/FAPESP Program was created in this context and it has been a successful initiative to promote studies on biodiversity and conservation in Brazil. The BIOTA/Araçá is an interdisciplinary project that provided a detailed evaluation of the biodiversity of Araçá Bay, a coastal seascape located on the North coast of the state of São Paulo, Southeast Brazil. The bay encompasses multiple habitats, such as beaches, mangroves, rocky shores, and a tidal flat, and provides important ecosystem services. Unfortunately, the bay is the subject of complex social-environmental conflicts that oppose economic, social, and environmental demands (i.e., the expansion of neighboring harbor activities vs. small-scale artisanal fisheries and protection of biodiversity). The present study presents a survey of the benthic species occurring in the different habitats of Araçá Bay, including data obtained during the BIOTA/Araçá project and previous assessments of the area. The benthic species play an important role in marine environments and studying the diversity of these organisms that live associated with the bottom is indispensable for comprehending the environment's functioning. The macrofauna, meiofauna, and microorganisms associated with soft and hard bottom were listed, and additional information, such as the habitat and geographical distribution, were provided for each species. The checklist includes 826 species, almost 70% recorded during the BIOTA/Araçá project. The most speciose taxa were the annelids (225 spp.), mollusks (194 spp.), and crustaceans (177 spp.). Seven benthic species are endemic to Araçá Bay, 14 are considered threatened, and seven are economically exploited. Furthermore, the bay is the type locality of many taxa, and 11 new benthic species were described based on specimens sampled during the project. This project shows the importance of Araçá Bay as a unique biologically rich environment and highlights the need for conservation efforts in light of the current threats.

Resumo O aumento da modificação dos habitats e da perda de espécies demanda esforços consistentes para descrever e compreender os padrões de biodiversidade. O programa BIOTA/FAPESP foi criado nesse contexto e é uma iniciativa de sucesso para promover estudos em biodiversidade e conservação no Brasil. O BIOTA/Araçá é um projeto interdisciplinar que promoveu uma avaliação detalhada da biodiversidade da Baía do Araçá, um ecossistema costeiro localizado ao Norte do estado de São Paulo, Sudeste do Brasil. A baía engloba múltiplos habitats, tais como praias, manguezais, costões rochosos, e uma planície de maré, e também fornece importantes serviços ecossistêmicos. Infelizmente, a baía está sujeita à conflitos sócio-ambientais complexos que contrastam demandas econômicas, sociais e ambientais (i.e. a expansão das atividades do porto vizinho vs. a pesca artesanal de pequena escala e a proteção da biodiversidade). O presente estudo apresenta um levantamento das espécies bentônicas que ocorrem nos diferentes habitats da Baía do Araçá, incluindo dados obtidos durante o projeto BIOTA/Araçá e de investigações realizadas anteriormente na área. As espécies bentônicas desempenham um papel importante no ambiente marinho, e estudar a diversidade desses organismos que vivem associados ao fundo é indispensável para compreender o funcionamento do meio ambiente. A macrofauna, meiofauna, e microorganismos associados aos fundos consolidado e inconsolidado foram listados, e informações adicionais foram fornecidas para cada espécie, tais como a distribuição geográfica e nos habitats. O checklist inclui 826 espécies, quase 70% registradas durante o projeto BIOTA/Araçá. Os taxa mais especiosos foram os anelídeos (225 spp.), moluscos (194 spp.), e crustáceos (177 spp.). Entre as espécies bentônicas listadas, sete são endêmicas da Baía do Araçá, 14 são consideradas ameaçadas de extinção, e sete são exploradas economicamente. A baía é a localidade tipo de vários taxa, e 11 novas espécies bentônicas foram descritas com base em espécimes amostrados durante o projeto. Este projeto mostra a importância da Baía do Araçá como um ambiente de riqueza biológica única e demonstra a necessidade de esforços para a sua conservação considerando as atuais ameaças.

Coevolutionary Implications of Obligate Commensalism in Sea Turtles: the Case of the Genus Hyachelia Barnard, 1967 (Crustacea, Amphipoda).

Obligate commensalism in the marine environment and its evolutionary role are still poorly understood. Although sea turtles may serve as ideal substrates for epibionts, within amphipods, only the genus Hyachelia evolved in obligate commensalism with turtles. Here, we report a new host record for Hyachelia lowryi on the hawksbill turtle and describe a larger distribution of the genus in the Atlantic Ocean on green and loggerhead turtles. Hyachelia spp. were sampled from nesting sites of Caretta caretta and feeding grounds of Eretmochelys imbricata and Chelonia mydas along the Brazilian coast. Insights regarding the coevolution of this remarkable genus with its hosts based on molecular analyses are inferred based on mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (18SrRNA) genes using new and previously available sequences from the infraorder Talitrida. Divergence times for Hyachelia are around the Cretaceous (~127.66 Mya), corresponding to an ancient origin and in agreement with modern green turtle (Chelonioidea) radiation. Later, diversification of Hyachelia species is dated at about 26 Mya, suggesting a coevolutionary association between amphipods and Carettini/Chelonini sea turtles.

Experiências anômalas e dissociativas em contexto religioso: uma abordagem autoetnográfica / Anomalous and dissociative experiences in a religious context: an autoethnographic approach / Experiencias anómalas y disociativas en un contexto religioso: un enfoque autoetnografico

A presente pesquisa investigou as características fenomenológicas das experiências anômalas (EAs) relatadas em contextos mediúnicos umbandistas, a partir de uma comparação entre EAs reportadas durante rituais envolvendo o uso da substância Ayahuasca e rituais sem o uso dessa substância. Para tanto, comparamos indivíduos com diferentes graus de envolvimento com as práticas mediúnicas umbandistas, tendo por base uma abordagem autoetnográfica. A perspectiva metodológica adotada nos permitiu confrontar os dados subjetivos com o conhecimento disponível na literatura acadêmica acerca das EAs, dos fenômenos dissociativos e estados alterados de consciência, tendo sido fundamental para uma compreensão mais sensível das nuances e características dessas experiências. Os relatos analisados atestam uma semelhança significativa entre as experiências vivenciadas com e sem o uso de Ayahuasca em contextos mediúnicos. Em ambos os casos, os experienciadores puderam reconhecer similaridades no que diz respeito à redução do controle motor, às alterações perceptivas e mnêmicas experimentadas, à comunicabilidade da experiência, à recepção anômala de informação e a um aumento da sensibilidade interpessoal. Os resultados indicam a viabilidade metodológica da autoetnografia como recurso para um aprofundamento de aspectos das EAs e outras experiências subjetivas usualmente de difícil investigação por outros métodos.

The present study explored the phenomenological characteristics of anomalous experiences (AEs) reported during Umbanda rituals, a mediumistic Brazilian religion, with the aim of comparing AEs reported during rituals involving the use of Ayahuasca (an entheogen frequently used in some Umbanda contexts) and rituals without the use of this substance. In order to do so, we compared individuals with different levels of involvement with the mediumistic practices. The study was based on an auto-ethnographic approach. This methodological perspective allowed us to confront subjective data with the available knowledge in the scientific literature about AEs, dissociative phenomena and altered states of consciousness and was of fundamental importance for a more sensitive understanding of the nuances and characteristics of these experiences. The results attest to a significant similarity between the experiences reported with and without the use of Ayahuasca in mediumistic contexts. In both groups, the experiencers were able to identify certain similarities in their experiences regarding a reduction of voluntary motor control, changes in memory and perception, communicability and accessibility of experiences, anomalous information reception and increases in interpersonal sensitivity. The results support the methodological feasibility of autoethnography as a research tool and point to its relevance to a deeper understanding of AEs and other subjective experiences usually of difficult investigation by other research methods.

En la presente investigación se analiso las características fenomenológicas de experiencias anómalas (EAs) relatadas en contextos mediúmnicos umbandistas por medio de una comparación entre EAs reportadas durante rituales con el uso de la sustancia Ayahuasca y rituales sin el uso de esa sustancia. Para alcanzar ese objectivo, comparamos algunas caracteristicas de individuos con diferentes grados de involucracion con las prácticas mediúmnicas. Utilizamos un enfoque autoetnográfico. La perspectiva metodológica adoptada nos permitió evaluar los datos subjetivos con el conocimiento disponible en la literatura académica acerca de las EAs, de los fenómenos disociativos y los estados alterados de conciencia. Este acercamiento metodológico fue fundamental para una comprensión más sensible de los matices y características de las experiencias investigadas. Los relatos analizados atestiguan una similitud significativa entre las experiencias vivenciadas con y sin el uso de Ayahuasca en contextos mediúmnicos. En ambos casos, los participantes reconoceran similitudes en lo que se refiere a la reducción del control motor, a las alteraciones perceptivas y mnémicas experimentadas, a la comunicabilidad de la experiencia, a la recepción anómala de información, y un aumento de la sensibilidad interpersonal. Los resultados indican la viabilidad metodológica de la autoetnografía como recurso para una compreension profunda de aspectos de las EAs y otras experiencias subjetivas usualmente de difícil investigación por otros métodos.

Evaluation of macroalgae and amphipods as bioindicators of petroleum hydrocarbons input into the marine environment.

The brown alga Sargassum furcatum and three families of amphipods (Ampithoidae, Caprellidae and Hyalidae) associated to that algae were evaluated as bioindicators of petroleum hydrocarbons input into the marine environment of São Sebastião Channel, in southeastern region of Brazil. The n-alkanes pattern were mainly associated with the natural composition of the macroalgae and amphipods, although some indicatives of petroleum hydrocarbons such as unresolved complex mixture and the no predominance of odd over even n-alkanes have been observed in some samples. Total PAHs ranged from 33.4 to 2010 ng g-1 dry weight with the predominance of low molecular weight PAHs, mostly of naphthalene and alkyl-naphthalenes, which also suggested petroleum input. Even in low concentration, Sargassum furcatum and amphipods species studied seems to be good indicators of the introduction of petroleum hydrocarbons.

Cheirimedon foscae sp. nov. (Amphipoda: Lysianassidae: Tryphosinae) from the deep sea Campos Basin, Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

A new species of lysianassid amphipod belonging to the genus Cheirimedon was collected on the continental slope of the Campos Basin, the largest oil reserve in Brazilian waters. This is the first record of the genus Cheirimedon from the Atlantic Ocean, which was previously restricted to the Antarctic and Tasmanian sea. The new species is fully illustrated and compared with related species. Additionally, a world key to the Cheirimedon species is provided. 

Group Physical therapy program for patients with parkinson disease: alternative rehabilitation

Introduction: Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder causing loss of functional abilities and progressive loss of independence despite medical treatment. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of group physical therapy on motor performance and activities of daily life in patients with Parkinson Disease (PD). Metodology: Five patients (both sex, average age: 69,2 years, mean time-period of PD:5.2 years, average Hoehn and Yahr score: 3 referred to the Clinic of Physical Therapy of Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais in Poços de Caldas city, were evaluated (initial, intermediate and final stages) using the Berg Balance Scale (balance static and dynamic evaluation); Timed "Up &Go" tEST (gair evaluation); Bathel Index (activities of daily life evaluation). Thirty-five sessions were done, aiming to: improve general mobility, static and dynamic balance using hearing and visual cues. Results: The data shows a statistical difference in balance, gait and daily life performance fot the average scores comparing three stages of evaluation (p < 005; block variance analysis followed by multiple comparison test), where the intermediate and final evaluation provided a better score compared with the initial one. Conclusion: Our data provided promissing results for the use of group physical therapy for patients with PD, providing a cost-effective alternative in physical therapy.