Global warming assessment suggests the endemic Brazilian kelp beds to be an endangered ecosystem.

Kelps are canopy-forming brown seaweed sustaining critical ecosystem services in coastal habitats, including shelter, nursery grounds, and providing food resources to a myriad of associated species. This study modeled the fundamental niche of Laminaria abyssalis along the Brazilian continental margin, an endemic species of the South Atlantic, to anticipate potential distributional range shifts under two contrasting scenarios of future environmental changes (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5). The model for fundamental niche predictions considering the "present scenario" has shown a wider potential area than the realized niche (i.e., the area where the species actually occurs) along the Brazilian coast. In both future scenarios, the models have shown niche erosion on the northern portion of the Brazilian coast and niche gains towards the south. In both scenarios, L. abyssalis populations tend to shift to deeper regions of the reef. The restricted range of occurrence (33,000 km2), intense anthropic activities along these beds (e.g., trawling fisheries, oil/gas mining, or removal for agricultural purposes) acting synergically with global warming, may drive this ecosystem to collapse faster than kelp species' ability to adapt. We propose to classify L. abyssalis as Endangered - (EN) under IUCN criteria, and highlight that long-term monitoring of kelp beds is an urgent need to develop effective conservation initiatives to protect such rare and invaluable ecosystem.

Study of the Elusive Hydration of Pb2+ from the Gas Phase to the Liquid Aqueous Solution: Modeling the Hemidirected Solvation with a Polarizable MCDHO Force-Field.

The Pb2+ presents unique hydration features that make the experimental characterization and its theoretical modeling challenging: classical molecular dynamics (MD) with standard force-fields fails to produce the experimentally determined diffusion coefficient and the EXAFS spectrum. Here we study the hydration of Pb2+ in aqueous solution employing a polarizable model compatible with the MCDHO water model. The MCDHO FF for the Pb2+-water interaction was fitted to reproduce the configurations and interaction energies of various [Pb(H2O)n]2+ clusters obtained with ab initio calculations, with n = 4, 6, and 8. Its use in classical MD simulations yielded qualitative agreement with Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics of gas-phase hydrated clusters and MD simulations of the aqueous solution resulted in good agreement with the experimental DPb2+ and EXAFS spectrum. Analysis of the MD trajectories revealed a labile and very dynamic hemidirected first hydration shell in the aqueous solution with a non-well-defined coordination number CN; nonetheless, it was found that the more probable hydration structures have either 3 or 4 water molecules directly bound to the Pb2+ with another 3 or 2 at slightly larger distances. The simulations of the gas-phase [Pb(H2O)29]2+ cluster were found to capture the main structural features of the diluted aqueous solution.

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with several cardiac manifestations but, to our knowledge, there have been no previously published reports on left ventricular (LV) pseudoaneurysm in this disease. We describe a case of a 30-year-old woman with SLE who presented with a disease flare (acute and subacute cutaneous lupus, pericarditis, fever, leukopenia) associated with heart failure syndrome. The patient was diagnosed with a large LV pseudoaneurysm and a bovine pericardium patch closure was performed. Coronary arteries were angiographically normal, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging did not exhibit detectable myocardial fibrosis or infarction. Trauma, previous cardiac surgery, Chagas disease, and antiphospholipid syndrome were excluded. Histopathology of the pericardium revealed lymphocytic arteriolitis raising the possibility of an autoimmune-mediated mechanism for this complication. The unequivocal concomitant diagnosis of lupus flare, the exclusion of other causes of pseudoaneurysm and the histopathological finding of arteriolitis in this patient reinforces the hypothesis of lupus-mediated lesion.

On the aqueous solvation of AsO(OH)3vs. As(OH)3. Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics density functional theory cluster studies.

While arsenous acid, As(OH)3, has been the subject of a plethora of studies due to its worldwide ubiquity and its toxicity, pentavalent As in the form of arsenic acid, AsO(OH)3, has recently been found in rivers in central Mexico as the most abundant naturally occurring arsenic species. To better understand the solvation patterns of both toxic acids at the molecular level, we report the results of Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations on the aqueous solvation of the AsO(OH)3 and As(OH)3 molecules at room temperature using the cluster microsolvation approach including 30 water molecules at the B3LYP/6-31G** level of theory. We found that the average per-molecule water binding energy is ca. 1 kcal mol-1 larger for the As(v) species as compared to the As(iii) one. To account for the asymmetry of both molecules, the hydration patterns were studied separately for a "lower" hemisphere, defined by the initially protonated oxygens, and for the opposite "upper" hemisphere. Similar lower hydration patterns were found for both As(iii) and As(v), with the same coordination number CN = 7. The upper pattern for As(iii) was found to be of a hydrophobic type, whereas that for As(v) showed the fourth oxygen to be hydrogen-bonded to the water network, yielding CN = 3.7; moreover, a proton "hopped" from the lower to the upper side, through the Grotthuss mechanism. Theoretical EXAFS spectra were obtained that showed good agreement with experimental data for As(iii) and As(v) in liquid water, albeit with somewhat longer As-O distances due to the level of theory employed. Proton transfer processes were also addressed; we found that the singly deprotonated H2AsO3- species largely dominated (99% of the simulation) for the As(iii) case, and that the deprotonated H2AsO4- and HAsO42- species were almost equally present (45% and 55%, respectively) for the As(v) case, which is in line with the experimental data pKa1 = 2.24 and pKa2 = 6.96. Through vibrational analysis the features of the Eigen and Zundel ions were found in the spectra of the microsolvated As(iii) and As(v) species, in good agreement with experimental data in aqueous solutions.

Fluid intake of Latin American adults: results of four 2016 Liq.In7 national cross-sectional surveys.

PURPOSE: To report total fluid intake (TFI) and the intake of different fluid types in adults (≥ 18 years old) from Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. To compare intakes between countries and with recommended adequate intake (AI) of water from fluids. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected using a validated liquid intake 7-day record (Liq.In 7 ) in populations from Argentina (n = 1089), Brazil (n = 477), Mexico (n = 1677) and Uruguay (n = 554). Population characteristics, including age, gender, body mass index and socioeconomic level were recorded. Mean TFI was compared with the AI of water from fluids set by the USA Institute of Medicine. RESULTS: The lowest TFI was recorded in Mexican women (1748 mL/day) and the highest in Argentinean men (2318 mL/day). Median daily TFI was significantly different between countries; Uruguay and Argentina had higher values than Mexico and Brazil. In the former, plain water contributed to only 25% of TFI, the remainder being predominantly from hot beverages. Approximately, a third of adults did not drink enough fluid to meet the recommended AI. High SSB consumption was reported, which was significantly different between countries (p < 0.05), the highest being in Mexico (median 25-75th percentiles): 531 (300-895 mL/day. CONCLUSIONS: This survey highlights the need to increase water consumption and reduce SSB intake in this region to avoid potential associated health risks. These findings may be useful information in monitoring public health policy strategies.

Fluid intake of Latin American children and adolescents: results of four 2016 LIQ.IN 7 National Cross-Sectional Surveys.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of this survey was to report total fluid intake (TFI) and different fluid types for children (4-9 years) and adolescents (10-17 years) in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. The second aim was to compare TFI with the adequate intake (AI) of water from fluids as recommended by the USA Institute of Medicine. METHODS: Data were collected using a validated liquid intake 7-day record (Liq.In 7 ). Participants' characteristics, including age, sex and anthropometric measurements were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 733 children and 933 adolescents were recruited. Over 75% of children in Uruguay met the IOM's recommended intake. Fewer children in Argentina (64-72%) and Brazil (41-50%) obtained AI and the lowest values were recorded in Mexico (33-44%), where 16% of boys and 14% girls drank 50% or less of the AI. More adolescents in Argentina (42%) met the AIs than other countries; the lowest was in Mexico (28%). Children and adolescents in Mexico and Argentina drank more sugar sweetened beverages than water. CONCLUSIONS: Large numbers of children and adolescents did not meet AI recommendations for TFI, raising concerns about their hydration status and potential effects on mental and physical well-being. Given the negative effects on children's health, the levels of SSB consumption are worrying.

Aqueous solvation of Mg(ii) and Ca(ii): A Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics study of microhydrated gas phase clusters.

The hydration features of [Mg(H2O)n]2+ and [Ca(H2O)n]2+ clusters with n = 3-6, 8, 18, and 27 were studied by means of Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations at the B3LYP/6-31+G** level of theory. For both ions, it is energetically more favorable to have all water molecules in the first hydration shell when n ≤ 6, but stable lower coordination average structures with one water molecule not directly interacting with the ion were found for Mg2+ at room temperature, showing signatures of proton transfer events for the smaller cation but not for the larger one. A more rigid octahedral-type structure for Mg2+ than for Ca2+ was observed in all simulations, with no exchange of water molecules to the second hydration shell. Significant thermal effects on the average structure of clusters were found: while static optimizations lead to compact, spherically symmetric hydration geometries, the effects introduced by finite-temperature dynamics yield more prolate configurations. The calculated vibrational spectra are in agreement with infrared spectroscopy results. Previous studies proposed an increase in the coordination number (CN) from six to eight water molecules for [Ca(H2O)n]2+ clusters when n ≥ 12; however, in agreement with recent measurements of binding energies, no transition to a larger CN was found when n > 8. Moreover, the excellent agreement found between the calculated extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy spectra for the larger cluster and the experimental data of the aqueous solution supports a CN of six for Ca2+.

Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics studies of Pb(ii) micro hydrated gas phase clusters.

In this work, a theoretical investigation was made to assess the coordination properties of Pb(ii) in [Pb(H2O)n]2+ clusters, with n = 4, 6, 8, 12, and 29, as well as to study proton transfer events, by means of Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ-pp/6-311G level of theory, that were calibrated in comparison with B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ-PP/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations. Hemidirected configurations were found in all cases; the radial distribution functions (RDFs) produced well defined first hydration shells (FHSs) for n = 4,6,8, and 12, that resulted in a coordination number CN = 4, whereas a clear-cut FHS was not found for n = 29 because the RDF did not have a vacant region after the first maximum; however, three water molecules remained directly interacting with the Pb ion for the whole simulation, while six others stayed at average distances shorter than 4 Å but dynamically getting closer and farther, thus producing a CN ranging from 6 to 9, depending on the criterion used to define the first hydration shell. In agreement with experimental data and previous calculations, proton transfer events were observed for n≤8 but not for n≥12. For an event to occur, a water molecule in the second hydration shell had to make a single hydrogen bond with a water molecule in the first hydration shell.

Altruísmo autoinformado e informado por pares: evidências do altruísmo como traço de personalidade / Self and other informed altruísm: evidence of the altruism as a personality trait

Este estudo reuniu evidências acerca do altruísmo como um traço de personalidade. Participaram 438 pessoas, divididas igualmente entre respondentes e seus informantes. Estes responderam os seguintes instrumentos: Escala de Altruísmo Auto informado, Questionário de Gratidão, Escala de Disposição para Perdoar e Escala de Desejabilidade Social, além de perguntas demográficas; os informantes deram respostas aos instrumentos descrevendo quais eram as características dos respondentes. Os resultados indicaram convergência das estruturas fatoriais e consistência interna da medida de altruísmo,constatando-se correlação entre as medidas auto e heteroinformadas, assim como um padrão de associação congruente de suas pontuações com disposição para perdoar. Concluiu-se que existem evidências do altruísmo como um traço de personalidade, que independe de contexto situacional, estando sua medida dissociada de desejabilidade social

Altruísmo autoinformado e informado por pares: evidências do altruísmo como traço de personalidade / Self and other informed altruísm: evidence of the altruism as a personality trait

Este estudo reuniu evidências acerca do altruísmo como um traço de personalidade. Participaram 438pessoas, divididas igualmente entre respondentes e seus informantes. Estes responderam os seguintesinstrumentos: Escala de Altruísmo Autoinformado, Questionário de Gratidão, Escala de Disposição paraPerdoar e Escala de Desejabilidade Social, além de perguntas demográficas; os informantes deramrespostas aos instrumentos descrevendo quais eram as características dos respondentes. Os resultadosindicaram convergência das estruturas fatoriais e consistência interna da medida de altruísmo,constatando-se correlação entre as medidas auto e heteroinformadas, assim como um padrão deassociação congruente de suas pontuações com disposição para perdoar. Concluiu-se que existemevidências do altruísmo como um traço de personalidade, que independe de contexto situacional, estandosua medida dissociada de desejabilidade social(AU)

Malnutrition increases NO production and induces changes in inflammatory and oxidative status in the distal colon of lactating rats.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have indicated the lack of breast feeding as a risk factor associated with later development of inflammatory bowel disease. Nevertheless, the repercussion of little feeding during suckling on large intestine inflammatory response and anti-oxidant resources has not yet been completely understood. This study hypothesized that unfavorable lactation is able to induce oxidative stress and release of inflammatory mediators modifying the integrity of the colon epithelium in weanling rats. METHODS: Wistar rats were reared under different early nutritional conditions according to litter size in two groups: N6 (6 pups/dam) and N15 (15 pups/dam) until the 25th postnatal day. The distal colon was removed and processed for biochemical, morphometric, and immunohistochemical analyzes. Lipoperoxidation, nitric oxide (NO), reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukins-1ß, 4 and 10 (IL-1ß; IL-4; IL-10) levels, and total superoxide dismutase (tSOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were assessed. Morphometric analysis was carried out using paraffin sections and wholemount myenteric plexus preparations. KEY RESULTS: Increased lipoperoxidation, NO, TNF-α and IL-1b levels, reduced tSOD and increased CAT activities were found in the N15 compared to N6 group. No intergroup difference was detected for IL-10, while lower levels of IL-4, GSH and GSSG and lower neuronal size and density were induced by undernutrition. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Reduced feeding during suckling changed the inflammatory response and oxidative status in the colon of weanling rats. These data suggest potential mechanisms by which malnutrition early in life may increase the vulnerability of the large intestine to insults.

In-depth pedigree analysis in a large Brazilian Nellore herd.

A large herd of Nellore cattle was evaluated using in-depth pedigree analyses. Taking into account the incomplete pedigree due to the use of multiple young sires for mating, the average inbreeding coefficient was calculated as 1.73% for the last generation, which was higher than the regular inbreeding coefficient (0.25%). The effective population size was estimated to be 114, 245, and 101 for the time periods 1995-1999, 1999-2003, and 2003-2007, respectively. Parameters based on the probability of gene origin were used to describe the genetic diversity over time in the herd. The effective number of founders, ancestors, and founder genomes decreased over time, showing an overall loss of genetic diversity. In the last five-year period (2003-2007), based on available pedigree information, one prominent ancestor contributed 10.6% to the gene pool of the herd, and 30% of this pool was contributed by 31 ancestors. The analysis of inbreeding under random mating indicated that the mating strategies used in the herd are slowing down inbreeding rates. However, it is advisable to continue monitoring the inbreeding rates and genetic diversity in this herd in the future.

Diet and food partitioning between juveniles of mutton Lutjanus analis, dog Lutjanus jocu and lane Lutjanus synagris snappers (Perciformes: Lutjanidae) in a mangrove-fringed estuarine environment.

Diet of juvenile mutton Lutjanus analis, dog Lutjanus jocu and lane Lutjanus synagris snappers were studied in the tropical Brazilian estuarine system of the Piraquê-açú and Piraquê-mirim Rivers to determine how these species share the resources in this restricted space. The three species prey principally upon Peracarida (L. synagris: relative importance index I(RIc) = 29%), Natantia (L. analis and L. synagris: I(RIc) = 39 and 38%, respectively), Reptantia (L. analis and L. jocu: I(RIc) = 28 and 43%, respectively) and Teleostei (L. jocu: I(RIc) = 24%). The three species use estuaries as nursery habitats but food overlap was not biologically significant due to a combination of interspecific differences in size, spatial distribution, microhabitat preferences and seasonal patterns of abundance and prey choice. Large marine protected areas incorporating essential habitats for all life stages are suggested to be the best tool for the management of these economically important species.

Eficácia de duas técnicas de utilização de fio dental e sua associação com a ocorrência de traumatismo gengival em crianças / Efficacy of two dental flossing techniques and their association with gingival trauma in children

Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia de duas técnicas de uso de fio dental na remoção da placa bacteriana interproximal e a ocorrência de traumatismo na papila gengival. Método: Vinte e duas crianças (8 a 12 anos) utilizaram dois tipos de fio dental (Convencional – Johnson & Johnson® e tipo “forquilha”- Fio Fácil®) após treinamento. O estudo foi do tipo duplo cego-cruzado e as mensurações foram realizadas em duas consultas. O índice de Greene & Vermillion foi utilizado para registro de placa em superfícies proximais previamente selecionadas nas regiões anteriores e posteriores de ambos os arcos. Os exames foram realizados por um examinador devidamente calibrado, calculando-se a taxa de redução de placa bacteriana pelo quociente da diferença dos índices inicial e final e o índice inicial. Resultados: A taxa de redução média de placa foi significantemente menor na segunda consulta, tanto considerando a variável face (p=0,011) como a região da cavidade bucal (p=0,006) – Teste de Planejamento de Experimentos com Medidas Repetidas. As faces mesiais apresentaram maiores taxas de redução média de placa bacteriana em comparação com as distais (p=0,004) e as regiões póstero-inferiores obtiveram menores taxas de redução média de placa em relação às demais regiões da cavidade bucal (p<0,05). Dos 220 sítios examinados, apenas 7,27% (16 sítios) apresentaram traumatismo, sendo que 88% destes (14 sítios) foram associados ao uso do fio convencional. Conclusão: Ambas as técnicas foram eficientes na remoção da placa bacteriana, sem diferença entre elas, e a prevalência de traumatismos gengivais foi baixa.

Cepas bacterianas aisladas de coprocultivo: Hospital Central de Maracay, Estado Aragua / Isolated bacteria of coprocultures: Central Hospital of Maracay Aragua state

El exámen bacteriológico de las heces puede hacerse por microscopia directa, de la extensión teñida o bien por cultivo de heces, el cual es insustituible cuando se trata de aislar un germen específico. Se realizó una revisión de los registros de coprocultivos procesados por el Servicio de Bacteriología del Hospital Central de Maracay, siguiendo las recomendaciones de la Sociedad Americana de Microbiología en el lapso de 12 meses comprendidos entre noviembre 1994-octubre 1995, con el objetivo de conocer la población afectada y los microorganismos más frecuentemente aislados. Se analizaron los resultados de 606 muestras de coprocultivos de pacientes entre 0-91 años, encontrándose que el grupo etario más afectado estaba comprendido entre 0-9 años; correspondiendo este a 412 pacientes 68,0 por ciento; de los cuales 52 (12,5 por ciento) eran RN (61,1 por ciento) lactantes menores; 58 (14,1 por ciento) lactantes mayores; 37 (9,0 por ciento) preescolares y 14 (3,3 por ciento) eran escolares. Los gérmenes aislados fueron: E.Coli 59,8 por ciento; Shigella spp. 6,2 por ciento; Salmonella spp. 1,8 por ciento; Klebsiella pneumoniae 0,6 por ciento; Shigella flexneri 0,5 por ciento; Candida albicans 0,5 por ciento; Salmonella arizonae 0,5 por ciento. se reportaron 178 (29 por ciento) de los coprocultivos como negativos. al analizar los resultados de 367 muestras de E.Coli, se encontró que mostraban resistencia bacteriana a: Ampicilina 40,3 por ciento; Piperacilina 27,4 por ciento; Tetracilina 23,0 por ciento; Ampicilina Sulbactam 19,8 por ciento; Cloramfenicol 15,7 por ciento y Cefazolina 13,7 por ciento. E.Coli es un agente comensal del tubo digestivo, pero a pesar de esto, algunos enfermos, especialmente menores de dos años de edad, presentan una gastroenteritis caracterizada por náusea, vómitos y diarrea acuosa. Por lo que el aislamiento y tratamiento antimicrobiano de los lactantes y sus contactos son medidas esenciales para abortar la diarrea epidémica infantil

[Endoscopic manometry of Oddi's sphincter]. / Manometría endoscópica del esfínter de Oddi.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic manometry is the gold standard for the diagnosis of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. AIM: To report the results of the first 30 endoscopic manometries of sphincter of Oddi performed in a Gastroenterology Service. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty manometries were performed in 28 patients aged 30 to 70 years old (14 females). The papilla was cannulated with a perfused catheter, measuring pressure with external transducers. RESULTS: Deep cannulation of the papilla was achieved in 88%. Procedure-related complications were not observed in these cases. Normal values were registered in 11 cases with a basal sphincter pressure 15.6 +/- 10.7 mm Hg, contractions with an amplitude of 92.3 +/- 35.7 mm Hg and 6.0 +/- 2.4/min frequency. The clinical suspicion of hypertonic dyskinesis was confirmed in 5 cases with an elevated basal pressure of 43.69 +/- 13.3 mm Hg, an increased frequency of contractions ("tachyoddia") in one, and large spastic contractions of high pressure in other case. In 3 of 5 cases with common bile duct stones, a predominance of retrograde propagation of the contractions was observed with normal pressure. Variable manometric results were observed after endoscopic papillotomy observing a scale from the complete absence of motor activity to normal sphincter function. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic manometry is a reasonably safe method, of great importance in the diagnosis of functional disorders of the sphincter of Oddi.

[Health education--knowledge and sources of information about acquired immunodeficiency or AIDS]. / Educando para la salud--conocimiento y fuente de información sobre sindrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida 0 SIDA.

Questionnaires were answered by 151 students, 10 to 19 years old, from an elementary, Jr. and Senior-high State School in Florianópolis, State of Santa Catarina-Brazil. The objectives were: to identify information sources; transmission mechanisms; prevention forms and the interest shown by students in acquiring new knowledge on HIV/AIDS. Based on the responses, authors found out that 90.06% of the students had heard about AIDS on TV, 29.13% had been informed about the theme through a teacher. It was also observed that 45.03% would seek for orientation from their parents, and 9.93% from their teachers.