Abundance of Harpy and Crested Eagles from a reservoir-impact area in the Low- and Mid-Xingu River.

In the Brazilian Amazon, two monospecific genera, the Harpy Eagle and Crested Eagle have low densities and are classified by IUCN as Near Threatened due to habitat loss, deforestation, habitat degradation and hunting. In this study, we evaluate occurrence of these large raptors using the environmental surveys database from Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant. Integrating the dataset from two methods, we plotted a distribution map along the Xingu River, including records over a 276-km stretch of river. Terrestrial surveys (RAPELD method) were more efficient for detecting large raptors than standardized aquatic surveys, although the latter were complementary in areas without modules. About 53% of the records were obtained during activities of wildlife rescue/flushing, vegetation suppression or in transit. Between 2012 and 2014, four Harpy Eagles were removed from the wild; two shooting victims, one injured by collision with power lines and one hit by a vehicle. Also, seven nests were mapped. The mean distance between Harpy Eagle records was 15 km along the river channel, with a mean of 20 km between nests near the channel, which allowed us to estimate 20 possible pairs using the alluvial forest, riverine forest and forest fragments. Territories of another ten pairs will probably be affected by inundation of the Volta Grande channel, which is far from the main river. The average distance between Crested Eagle records was 16 km along the river channel. The only nest found was 1.3 km away from a Harpy Eagle nest. The remnant forests are under threat of being replaced by cattle pastures, so we recommend that permanently protected riparian vegetation borders (APP) be guaranteed, and that forest fragments within 5 km of the river be conserved to maintain eagle populations.

Abundance of Harpy and Crested Eagles from a reservoir-impact area in the Low- and Mid-Xingu River / Abundância de Gavião-real e Gavião-real falso numa área sob impacto de reservatório no Baixo e Médio rio Xingu

In the Brazilian Amazon, two monospecific genera, the Harpy Eagle and Crested Eagle have low densities and are classified by IUCN as Near Threatened due to habitat loss, deforestation, habitat degradation and hunting. In this study, we evaluate occurrence of these large raptors using the environmental surveys database from Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant. Integrating the dataset from two methods, we plotted a distribution map along the Xingu River, including records over a 276-km stretch of river. Terrestrial surveys (RAPELD method) were more efficient for detecting large raptors than standardized aquatic surveys, although the latter were complementary in areas without modules. About 53% of the records were obtained during activities of wildlife rescue/flushing, vegetation suppression or in transit. Between 2012 and 2014, four Harpy Eagles were removed from the wild; two shooting victims, one injured by collision with power lines and one hit by a vehicle. Also, seven nests were mapped. The mean distance between Harpy Eagle records was 15 km along the river channel, with a mean of 20 km between nests near the channel, which allowed us to estimate 20 possible pairs using the alluvial forest, riverine forest and forest fragments. Territories of another ten pairs will probably be affected by inundation of the Volta Grande channel, which is far from the main river. The average distance between Crested Eagle records was 16 km along the river channel. The only nest found was 1.3 km away from a Harpy Eagle nest. The remnant forests are under threat of being replaced by cattle pastures, so we recommend that permanently protected riparian vegetation borders (APP) be guaranteed, and that forest fragments within 5 km of the river be conserved to maintain eagle populations.

Na Amazônia brasileira dois gêneros mono-específicos, Harpia e Morphnus, caracterizam-se por baixa densidade e estão classificados pelo IUCN como Quase Ameaçados, porém ocorrem sobre grande parte do território nacional, suas principais ameaças são a fragmentação florestal, a degradação de hábitat e a caça. Neste estudo avaliamos a abundância destas duas grandes aves de rapina utilizando a base de dados dos programas ambientais da UHE Belo Monte, integrando-se dois métodos para construir um mapa de distribuição ao longo de 245 km do rio Xingu. Os levantamentos terrestres pelo método RAPELD mostraram-se mais eficientes para os registros de grandes águias quando comparado aos esforços padronizados aquáticos, entretanto estes foram complementares na ausência de módulos. Cinquenta e tres por cento foram registros ocasionais durante a supressão da vegetação, afugentamento ou deslocamento. Entre 2012-2014 quatro harpias foram removidas da natureza, dois indivíduos alvo de disparos, uma por colisão com rede elétrica, e outra por atropelamento. Sete ninhos mapeados, a distância média entre os registros de harpia na calha e margens do rio foi de 15 km, 20 km distância média entre ninhos, o que permitiu estimar um total de 20 casais utilizando as florestas aluviais em uma distancia de 270 km, incluindo matas ciliares e os fragmentos fora da margem do rio. Estimamos que territórios de outros 10 casais usando a Volta Grande longe do rio principal também serão afetados pela inundação. A distância média entre os registros de Morphnus foi 16 km ao longo do rio, o único ninho mapeado estava distante 1.3 km do ninho de Harpia. Estes fragmentos florestais estão sendo substituídos por pastagens, ressaltando-se a importância da manutenção das áreas de preservação permanentes (APP) e a proteção destes fragmentos em diversos formatos de áreas de proteção, para diminuir a degradação dos mesmos e garantir a manutenção das populações destes grandes predadores na região do rio Xingu.

Controlling a vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreak in a Brazilian teaching hospital.

The purpose of this article was to describe a 2.5-year interventional program designed to control the dissemination after a large hospital outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in a tertiary-care university hospital. A VRE working group was designated to work specifically on controlling VRE intrahospital dissemination after the detection of the first VRE infection at in our hospital in June 2007. The intervention consisted in the interruption of new admissions during a period of 15 days and closure of the index case unit, microbiological surveillance of rectal swabs for VRE, cohorting patients and staff, immediate application of contact precautions, and continuous education. From July 2007 to December 2009, 8,692 rectal swabs were cultured for VRE and 321 (3.7%) were positive. An expressive reduction of the detection of new positive rectal swabs cultures was seen during the year 2009 (1.5%) when compared to 2008 (4.2%) and 2007 (7.2%) (p < 0.005). The annual ratio of VRE per 1,000 admissions reduced from 20.3 in 2007 to 10.07 and 3.82 in 2008 and 2009, respectively (p < 0.001). The continuous microbiologic surveillance for VRE and strict and prompt contact precautions for VRE patients were the fundamental aids in the control of VRE.

Effects of immature cashew nut-shell liquid (Anacardium occidentale) against oxidative damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity.

The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) represents one of the major cheapest sources of non-isoprenoid phenolic lipids, which have a variety of biological properties: they can act as molluscicides, insecticides, fungicides, have anti-termite properties, have medicinal applications, and demonstrate antioxidant activity in vitro. Immature cashew nut-shell liquid (iCNSL) is a unique natural source of unsaturated long-chain phenols. Their use has stimulated much research in order to prepare drug analogues for application in several fields. The objective of the present study was to determine whether iCNSL has antioxidant properties when used in strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to measure the inhibitory activity of acetylcholinesterase. The constituents were identified using thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance. The iCNSL contains anacardic acid, cardanol, cardol, and 2-methyl cardol. Immature cashew nut oil contains triacylglycerols, fatty acids, alkyl-substituted phenols, and cholesterol. The main constituents of the free fatty acids are palmitic (C(16:0)) and oleic acid (C(18:1)). iCNSL has excellent protective activities in strains of S. cerevisiae against oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide and inhibits acetylcholinesterase activity. iCNSL may have an important role in protecting DNA against damage induced by reactive oxygen species, as well as hydrogen peroxide, generated by intra- and extracellular mechanisms.

Effects of fragmentation on Thamnophilus stictocephalus (Aves, Thamnophilidae) in semideciduous forest of Alter-do-Chão, Pará.

Effects of fragmentation on biodiversity have received much attention in recent decades, as fragmentation can greatly reduce viable areas for living organisms. We studied its effect on Thamnophilus stictocephalus (Thamnophilidae), an understory bird, in semideciduous forest fragments in Alter-do-Chão, Santarém, Pará. We tested whether the density of Thamnophilus stictocephalus was a function of fragment size and shape, density of vegetation, or arthropod biomass. Density of Thamnophilus was positively related to fragment size, but not to the other factors analyzed. Arthropod biomass was positively related to fragment size. The density of T. stictocephalus in fragments was significantly higher than it was in continuous forest. Fragmentation processes had a pronounced effect on the relative density of T. stictocephalus.

Effects of fragmentation on Thamnophilus stictocephalus (aves, Thamnophilidae) in semideciduous forest of Alter-do-Chão, Pará

Os efeitos da fragmentação sobre a biodiversidade têm recebido muita atenção nas últimas décadas, pelo fato de reduzirem, drasticamente, áreas viáveis para organismos vivos. Estudou-se o efeito da fragmentação de habitat sobre Thamnophilus stictocephalus (Thamnophilidae), uma ave de sub-bosque, em fragmentos de floresta semidecídua em Alter-do-Chão, Santarém, Pará. Testou-se a densidade de Thamnophilus stictocephalus como função de tamanho e forma de fragmentos, da densidade da vegetação de sub-bosque e da biomassa de artrópodes. A densidade de Thamnophilus foi positivamente relacionada ao tamanho de fragmentos e não foi relacionada significativamente aos outros fatores analisados. A biomassa de artrópodes foi positivamente relacionada ao tamanho de fragmentos. A densidade de Thamnophilus stictocephalus foi significativamente maior em fragmentos do que em floresta contínua. A fragmentação teve um efeito pronunciado na densidade relativa de T. stictocephalus.