Drivers of human-wildlife impact events involving mammals in Southeastern Brazil.

Annually millions of animals are killed as a result of human-wildlife impacts. Each year the NGO Associação Mata Ciliar (NGOMC), in Southeastern Brazil, receives and rehabilitates thousands of animals. We evaluated how natural and anthropogenic characteristics affect the risk of different types of human-wildlife impacts for mammals that arrive at the NGOMC; and explore the relationship between both the animal's size and the type of human-wildlife impact event, survival rates and the likelihood that these animals can be fully rehabilitated. To test our hypotheses regarding the drivers and consequences of the total number of human-wildlife impact events, traffic collisions, electrocutions, and requested removals, we used records of the mammals that arrived at the NGOMC between 2012 and 2018, and obtained data on environmental attributes and anthropogenic factors at the municipality level, as well as species weights. The total number of human-wildlife impact events and of requested removals were both positively correlated with deforestation rate and urban area. The number of traffic collisions was positively related to the number of fires. Municipalities with larger urban areas were more likely to have at least one electrocuted mammal. Temporally, the number of fires two months before was positively correlated with the number of human-wildlife impact events. Traffic collisions and electrocutions more frequently resulted in the death of the animal, than did other events. Animals that died were heavier on average than those that remained in captivity or were successfully released back into the wild. We conclude that human-wildlife impact event rates should decline with lower rates of deforestation, less anthropogenic fires and the adoption of other specific measures to avoid both traffic collisions with fauna and electrocutions.

Dietary xylanase and live yeast supplementation influence intestinal bacterial populations and growth performance of piglets fed a sorghum-based diet.

This study was to evaluate the effect of xylanase supplementation and the addition of live yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on growth performance and intestinal microbiota in piglets. One hundred and eighty commercial crossbred 23-d-old piglets (PIC 417) were sorted by initial BW and allocated to 3 treatments: control (CTR) diet, CTR diet supplemented with xylanase at 16,000 birch xylan units/kg (XYL) and XYL diet supplemented with live yeast (2 × 1010 CFU/g) at 1 kg/t (XYL + LY). Each treatment had 10 replicates, with 6 animals each. A sorghum-based diet and water were available ad libitum for 42 d of the study. Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were measured from 0 to 42 d (23- to 65-d-old) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) calculated. At the end of the study, bacterial identification through 16S rRNA (V3 to V4) sequencing of the ileal and caecal digesta from one piglet per replicate was performed. No treatment effects were observed on ADFI. Pigs offered the live yeast in addition to the xylanase had increased ADG compared with those supplemented with xylanase alone (XYL + LY vs. XYL; P = 0.655). FCR was improved with XYL and XYL + LY compared with CTR (P = 0.018). Clostridiaceae counts in the ileum tended to reduce by 10% with XYL and 14% with XYL + LY compared to CTR (P = 0.07). XYL and XYL + LY increased the counts of Lactobacillaceae in the caecum compared with CTR (P < 0.0001). Dietary supplementation of live yeast combined with xylanase improved growth performance and microbial balance of piglets during the nursery phase.

Effects of climate and forest structure on palms, bromeliads and bamboos in Atlantic Forest fragments of Northeastern Brazil / Efeitos do clima e da estrutura da vegetação em palmeiras, bromélias e bambus em fragmentos de Mata Atlântica no nordeste brasileiro

Abstract Palms, bromeliads and bamboos are key elements of tropical forests and understanding the effects of climate, anthropogenic pressure and forest structure on these groups is crucial to forecast structural changes in tropical forests. Therefore, we investigated the effects of these factors on the abundance of these groups in 22 Atlantic forest fragments of Northeastern Brazil. Abundance of bromeliads and bamboos were assessed through indexes. Palms were counted within a radius of 20 m. We also obtained measures of vegetation structure, fragment size, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality and human population density. We tested the effects of these predictors on plant groups using path analysis. Palm abundance was higher in taller forests with larger trees, closed canopy and sparse understory, which may be a result of the presence of seed dispersers and specific attributes of local palm species. Bromeliads were negatively affected by both annual precipitation and precipitation seasonality, what may reflect adaptations of these plants to use water efficiently, but also the need to capture water in a regular basis. Bamboos were not related to any predictor variable. As climate and forest structure affected the abundance of bromeliads and palms, human-induced climatic changes and disturbances in forest structure may modify the abundance of these groups. In addition, soil properties and direct measurements of human disturbance should be used in future studies in order to improve the predictability of models about plant groups in Northeastern Atlantic Forest.

Resumo Palmeiras, bromélias e bambus são importantes elementos das florestas tropicais e, entender os efeitos do clima, pressão antrópica e estrutura da floresta nesses grupos é crucial para prever alterações estruturais em florestas tropicais. Portanto, nós investigamos os efeitos desses fatores na abundância desses grupos vegetais em 22 fragmentos de Mata Atlântica no nordeste brasileiro. Abundâncias de bromélias e bambus foram registradas através de índices. Palmeiras foram contadas em um raio de 20 m. Nós também obtemos medidas da estrutura da vegetação, tamanho de fragmento, precipitação anual, sazonalidade na precipitação e densidade populacional humana. Nós testamos os efeitos desses preditores nos grupos vegetais através de análises de caminhos. A abundância de palmeiras foi maior em florestas mais altas, com árvores mais grossas, dossel fechado e sub-bosque aberto, o que deve refletir a presença de dispersores de sementes e atributos específicos das espécies de palmeiras locais. Bromélias foram negativamente afetadas pela precipitação anual e pela sazonalidade na precipitação, o que deve refletir adaptações dessas plantas para o uso eficiente da água, mas também a necessidade de captar água regularmente. Bambus não estiveram relacionados com nenhum dos preditores avaliados. Dado que clima e estrutura florestal afetaram a abundância de bromélias e palmeiras, as mudanças climáticas e distúrbios na estrutura das matas causados por ações antrópicas podem alterar a abundância desses grupos. Adicionalmente, propriedades do solo e medidas diretas de distúrbios antrópicos devem ser usadas em estudos futuros para melhorar o poder preditivo dos modelos sobre a abundância de plantas na Mata Atlântica do nordeste brasileiro.

Effects of climate and forest structure on palms, bromeliads and bamboos in Atlantic Forest fragments of Northeastern Brazil.

Palms, bromeliads and bamboos are key elements of tropical forests and understanding the effects of climate, anthropogenic pressure and forest structure on these groups is crucial to forecast structural changes in tropical forests. Therefore, we investigated the effects of these factors on the abundance of these groups in 22 Atlantic forest fragments of Northeastern Brazil. Abundance of bromeliads and bamboos were assessed through indexes. Palms were counted within a radius of 20 m. We also obtained measures of vegetation structure, fragment size, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality and human population density. We tested the effects of these predictors on plant groups using path analysis. Palm abundance was higher in taller forests with larger trees, closed canopy and sparse understory, which may be a result of the presence of seed dispersers and specific attributes of local palm species. Bromeliads were negatively affected by both annual precipitation and precipitation seasonality, what may reflect adaptations of these plants to use water efficiently, but also the need to capture water in a regular basis. Bamboos were not related to any predictor variable. As climate and forest structure affected the abundance of bromeliads and palms, human-induced climatic changes and disturbances in forest structure may modify the abundance of these groups. In addition, soil properties and direct measurements of human disturbance should be used in future studies in order to improve the predictability of models about plant groups in Northeastern Atlantic Forest.

Effect of Self-Association on the Phase Stability of Triphenylamine Derivatives.

The self-association equilibrium, i.e. formation of noncovalent dimers, in two triphenylamine derivatives, TPD (N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-N,N'-diphenylbenzidine) and mMTDAB (1,3,5-tris[(3-methylphenyl)phenylamino]benzene), in solution was evaluated by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The gas-phase energetics of the respective dimerization processes was explored by computational quantum chemistry. The results indicate that self-association is significantly more extensive in TPB than in TDAB. It is proposed that this fact helps to explain why TPB presents a stability higher than expected in the liquid phase, which is reflected in a lower melting temperature, a less volatile liquid, and possibly a higher tendency to form a glass. These results highlight the influence of self-association on the phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of pure organic substances.

Self-association of oligothiophenes in isotropic systems.

The self-association equilibrium constants, Kass, for the dimerization of some small oligothiophenes in acetone, acetonitrile and chloroform were measured by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The gas phase interaction energies for some oligothiophene dimers were determined by computational quantum chemistry. The (1)H NMR results indicate that Kass generally increases with the chain length (the number of thienyl rings, n) and solvent polarity; however, Kass for thiophene (n = 1) was found to be higher than for the bithiophenes (n = 2). The linear oligothiophenes 2,2'-bithiophene and 2,2',5',2''-terthiophene were found to self-associate less than their corresponding nonlinear isomers 3,3'-bithiophene and 3,2',5',3''-terthiophene in solution and in the gas phase. For α-quaterthiophene (n = 4) Kass in solution was found to be smaller than expected. The non-linear dependence of the standard molar Gibbs energy of self-association, ΔassG, on the chain length in solution could be nicely reproduced and related to the conformational entropy change of dimerization. It was observed that the melting properties of oligothiophenes correlate well with their tendency to self-associate, with more self-association leading to increased liquid stability, and thus lower melting temperatures. These results highlight the relevance of self-association in isotropic systems for the correct molecular interpretation of phase equilibria.

Chronic granulocytic leukemia and carcinoma of the cervix in situ following renal transplantation.

A 26-year-old white female presented with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic granulocytic leukemia five years after successful renal transplantation and prolonged therapy with azathioprine and prednisone. This patient represents the seventh case of the chronic granulocytic leukemia reported within the population of immunosuppressed renal transplant recipients. Of further interest in our case is the development of carcinoma in situ of the cervix two years following the transplant. Although multiple malignancies have been recognized in renal homografts, the occurrence of chronic granulocytic leukemia and carcinoma in situ in the same patient has not been previously described. A possible mechanism for the development of chronic granulocytic leukemia is the association of chromosome damage by azathioprine and immunoparalysis of the host, thus setting the stage for the emergency of a malignant clone. The importance of close follow-up of patients on prolonged immunosuppressive therapy is emphasized.