Surveying cephalopod diversity of the Amazon reef system using samples from red snapper stomachs and description of a new genus and species of octopus.

The cephalopod fauna of the southwestern Atlantic is especially poorly-known because sampling is mostly limited to commercial net-fishing operations that are relatively inefficient at obtaining cephalopods associated with complex benthic substrates. Cephalopods have been identified in the diets of many large marine species but, as few hard structures survive digestion in most cases, the identification of ingested specimens to species level is often impossible. Samples can be identified by molecular techniques like barcoding and for cephalopods, mitochondrial 16S and COI genes have proven to be useful diagnostic markers for this purpose. The Amazon River estuary and continental shelf are known to encompass a range of different substrates with recent mapping highlighting the existence of an extensive reef system, a type of habitat known to support cephalopod diversity. The present study identified samples of the cephalopod fauna of this region obtained from the stomachs of red snappers, Lutjanus purpureus, a large, commercially-important fish harvested by fisheries using traps and hook-and-line gear that are capable of sampling habitats inaccessible to nets. A total of 98 samples were identified using molecular tools, revealing the presence of three squid species and eight MOTUs within the Octopodidae, representing five major clades. These include four known genera, Macrotritopus, Octopus, Scaeurgus and Amphioctopus, and one basal group distinct from all known octopodid genera described here as Lepidoctopus joaquini Haimovici and Sales, new genus and species. Molecular analysis of large predatory fish stomach contents was found to be an incredibly effective extended sampling method for biodiversity surveys where direct sampling is very difficult.

Inspiratory muscle strength, diaphragmatic mobility, and body composition in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic inflammatory disease that can cause repercussions on respiratory muscles and body composition. The aim of the current study was to evaluate inspiratory muscle strength, diaphragmatic mobility, and body composition in COPD subjects and to correlate these variables. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study performed with 21 COPD patients. Inspiratory muscle strength (manovacuometry), pulmonary function test (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1 ], and FEV1 /FVC ratio), diaphragmatic mobility (ultrasonography), and body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis) were examined. RESULTS: COPD individuals in Stages II (28.9%), III (52%), and IV (19%) according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Disease were recruited, 61.9% of which were men. Inspiratory muscle weakness was found in 47.6% of subjects, who presented a lower fat-free mass percentage (p = 0.017) and smaller fat-free mass index (p = 0.001) and greater fat mass percentage (p = 0.029) and less diaphragmatic mobility (p = 0.007) compared with the nonrespiratory weakness group. Maximal inspiratory pressure exhibited a moderately positive relationship to the fat-free mass index (r = 0.767, p < 0.001) and a weak positive relationship to diaphragmatic mobility (r = 0.496, p = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Our study showed a high prevalence of inspiratory muscle weakness based on the severity of airway obstruction and on the presence of muscular depletion. The evaluation of body composition detected important changes. It also demonstrated that not only muscular weakness was present in these patients but also this had repercussions on the mobility of the diaphragm muscle.

Pesquisando esferas públicas (seletiva e subalternas): contribuições da análise crítica de gêneros / Búsqueda de esferas públicas (selectiva y subalternas): contribuciones del análisis crítico de géneros / Researching for public spheres (selective and subaltern): contributions of critical analysis of genres

Resumo Neste artigo apresentamos uma perspectiva metodológica para o estudo das esferas públicas (seletiva e subalternas) a partir dos estudos críticos dos gêneros discursivos. Considerando que as pesquisas sobre gêneros discursivos surgem como uma possibilidade de compreender como a linguagem cria e recontextualiza as interações sociais, propomos um diálogo com os conceitos de esfera pública (Jürgen Habermas), esferas públicas subalternas (Nancy Fraser) e gêneros discursivos a partir de Mikhail Bakhtin e de Norman Fairclough. Em termos analíticos, apresentamos possibilidades para as análises dos gêneros primários e secundários por meio das categorias atividade, relações sociais e tecnologias comunicacionais a fim de evidenciar e compreender as esferas públicas no Brasil.

Resumen En este artículo presentamos una perspectiva metodológica para el estudio de las esferas públicas (selectiva y subalternas) a partir de los estudios críticos de los géneros discursivos. Considerando que las investigaciones sobre géneros discursivos surgen como una posibilidad de comprender cómo el lenguaje crea y recontextualiza las interacciones sociales, proponemos un diálogo con los conceptos de esfera pública (Jürgen Habermas), esferas públicas subalternas (Nancy Fraser) y géneros discursivos desde Mikhail Bakhtin y de Norman Fairclough. En términos analíticos, presentamos posibilidades para los análisis de los géneros primarios y secundarios por medio de las categorías actividad, relaciones sociales y tecnologías comunicacionales a fin de evidenciar y comprender las esferas públicas en Brasil.

Abstract This article presents a methodological perspective for the study of the public spheres (selective and subaltern) from the critical studies of discursive genres. Considering that research on discursive genres appears as a possibility to understand how language creates and re-contextualizes social interactions, this study proposes a dialogue with the concepts of the public sphere (Jürgen Habermas), subaltern public spheres (Nancy Fraser) and discursive genres from Mikhail Bakhtin and Norman Fairclough. In analytical terms, we present possibilities for the analysis of primary and secondary genres through the categories of activity, social relations and communicational technologies in order to highlight and understand public spheres in Brazil.

DNA-based identification reveals illegal trade of threatened shark species in a global elasmobranch conservation hotspot.

Here, we report trading of endangered shark species in a world hotspot for elasmobranch conservation in Brazil. Data on shark fisheries are scarce in Brazil, although the northern and northeastern regions have the highest indices of shark bycatch. Harvest is made primarily with processed carcasses lacking head and fins, which hampers reliable species identification and law enforcement on illegal catches. We used partial sequences of two mitochondrial genes (COI and/or NADH2) to identify 17 shark species from 427 samples being harvested and marketed on the northern coast of Brazil. Nine species (53%) are listed under some extinction threat category according to Brazilian law and international authorities (IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature; CITES - Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The number increases to 13 (76%) if we also consider the Near Threatened category. Hammerhead sharks are under threat worldwide, and composed 18.7% of samples, with Sphyrna mokarran being the fourth most common species among samples. As illegal trade of threatened shark species is a worldwide conservation problem, molecular identification of processed meat or specimens lacking diagnostic body parts is a highly effective tool for species identification and law enforcement.

Pulmonary rehabilitation and whole-body vibration in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) has been described as an alternative therapeutic resource for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with similarity to the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program (PRP). The aim of the study was to compare PRP to WBV on functional capacity and quality of life in patients with COPD. Twenty individuals with COPD were assigned to PRP and WBV, who were evaluated regarding their lung function, functional capacity and quality of life through spirometry, 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), respectively. The main results for the WBV group were, there were improvements in the walked distance on the 6MWT and in the symptoms and total domains of the SGRQ. For the PRP group, we observed improvement in the activity, impact and total domains of SGRQ. We could conclude that the WBV group increased the walked distance in regard to the PRP group and both programs improved the quality of life

Inclusion of South American samples reveals new population structuring of the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) in the western Atlantic.

Carcharhinus limbatus has a cosmopolitan distribution and marked genetic structuring, mainly because of its philopatric behavior. However, analysis of this structuring has not previously included South American populations. In the present study, we analyzed a sample of adult individuals collected on the northern coast of Brazil and compared the sequences of the mitochondrial control region with those of populations already genotyped. Relatively high haplotype diversity (12 haplotypes, genetic diversity of 0.796) was observed, similar to that in other populations but with a much larger number of private alleles. In contrast to populations studied previously, which were represented by neonates, the pronounced allelic variability found in the South American individuals may have resulted from migrations from other populations in the region that have yet to be genotyped. This population was also genetically distinct from the other Atlantic populations (F(st) > 0.8), probably because of female philopatry, and apparently separated from the northwestern Atlantic group 1.39 million years ago. These findings indicate that the C. limbatus population from northern Brazil is genetically distinct from all other populations and should be considered as a different management unit for the protection of stocks.

Avaliação da presença de resíduos de leite de vacas tratadas com diflubenzurom / Determination of pesticide residues presence in milk from cows treated with diflubenzuron

O diflubenzurom é um pesticida que pode ser utilizado na pecuária como regulador do crescimento de insetos, entre eles a mosca-do-chifre. Esse composto é usualmente administrado oralmente ao gado e é efetivo contra larvas de Díptera que crescem no estrume. O objetivo do presente estudo foi de avaliar a presença de diflubenzurom em amostras de leite cru coletadas de seis vacas leiteiras da raça Girolanda tratadas com uma marca comercial de diflubenzurom em pó. A determinação dos resíduos envolveu a extração do composto com acetato de etila, remoção da gordura com hexano e análise cromatográfica por CLAE com detector UV-Visível (254nm). O princípio ativo diflubenzurom não foi detectado nas seis amostras analisadas (<0,01mg/kg). Dessa forma, os resultados fornecem indicativos de que a utilização do princípio ativo, em níveis suficientes para se obter o efeito inseticida desejado, pode resultar em um leite considerado seguro para o consumo em termos da presença de resíduos de diflubenzurom.