Search

The shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of "scientific reductionism", with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribe Gochnatieae is restricted to America. A recent molecular study including over 60% of the species of the tribe was carried out to untangle evolutionary relationships among the taxa. Eight supported clades were recovered as monophyletic genera, while Gochnatia s.l. was revealed as paraphyletic and currently restricted to the Central Andes. Gochnatia rotundifolia was not included in this phylogeny since extracted DNA from few and old collections from Brazil was unusuable. Since Cabrera's treatment of Gochnatia s.l., this species has received special attention due to its distinct morphological characters when compared with the other monophyletic genera of Gochnatieae. Therefore, this paper aims to provide new evidence that supports Gochnatia rotundifolia to be described as a separate monospecific genus based on a morphological study and a maximum parsimony (MP) analysis. A total of 21 species were studied. The leaf venation was analysed using digital X‐ray capture (VIVA–Varian Image viewing & Aquisition). Seventeen morphological characters obtained from vegetative and floral parts of the plants were included in the data matrix. Our results reinforce the placement of Gochnatia rotundifolia within the tribe Gochnatieae. Gochnatia rotundifolia is consistently recovered in a clade as sister to the Cnicothamnus‐Richterago group. The species differs from the other genera of the tribe by an actinodromous basal leaf venation with three primary veins, and pappus elements composed by (50–)60–75 bristles, sometimes almost flat setae, arranged in 2 or 3 series, unequal in length. Our results support Gochnatia rotundifolia as the sole species Vickia rotundifolia comb. nov. in a new genus of Gochnatieae, Vickia gen. nov. The new genus is described, illustrated, and a generic identification key for the tribe Gochnatieae is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software process improvement implementation based on software process reference models and standards is a complex and long-term endeavor that requires investment of large sums of money. These obstacles usually hinder organizations from implementing software process improvement successfully, especially for small and medium-size enterprises that operate under strict financial resources. This paper describes the MPS.BR, a nationwide program for software process improvement in Brazilian organizations. The main goal of this initiative is to develop and disseminate a Brazilian software process model (named MPS Model) aiming to establish a feasible pathway for organizations to achieve benefits from implementing software process improvement at reasonable costs, especially small and medium-size enterprises. This paper presents the main components of the MPS Model and discusses the strategy executed to establish and maintain a community of MPS Model practitioners. The results of MPS Model adoption and dissemination in Brazilian software industry are also presented in this paper. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has 31,362 species of vascular plants, more than any country on the planet except Brazil and Colombia, and this number represents 8%–12% of the world diversity of vascular plants. With the two largest completed floristic projects in the world, a full documentation of the vascular plants of China has been published twice over the past 54 years: the Chinese‐language Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae (FRPS), 1959–2004, and the English‐language Flora of China (FOC), 1994–2013. With the advent of molecular phylogenetics the past half century has witnessed dramatical changes of classifications of vascular plants. In this paper, we compare the circumscriptions of all families of vascular plants occurring within China in FRPS, FOC, and the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) III system when applicable, and summarize familial assignments of all controversial genera in the different classifications. Such comparison to some extent reflects the history of classification of vascular plants and differences between classical morphology‐based classifications and modern DNA (mainly chloroplast) sequence data‐based classifications of vascular plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the spatial decision‐making of loggers and implications for forest fragmentation in the Amazon basin. It provides a behavioral explanation for fragmentation by modeling how loggers build road networks, typically abandoned upon removal of hardwoods. Logging road networks provide access to land, and the settlers who take advantage of them clear fields and pastures that accentuate their spatial signatures. In shaping agricultural activities, these networks organize emergent patterns of forest fragmentation, even though the loggers move elsewhere. The goal of the article is to explicate how loggers shape their road networks, in order to theoretically explain an important type of forest fragmentation found in the Amazon basin, particularly in Brazil. This is accomplished by adapting graph theory to represent the spatial decision‐making of loggers, and by implementing computational algorithms that build graphs interpretable as logging road networks. The economic behavior of loggers is conceptualized as a profit maximization problem, and translated into spatial decision‐making by establishing a formal correspondence between mathematical graphs and road networks. New computational approaches, adapted from operations research, are used to construct graphs and simulate spatial decision‐making as a function of discount rates, land tenure, and topographic constraints. The algorithms employed bracket a range of behavioral settings appropriate for areas of terras devolutas, public lands that have not been set aside for environmental protection, indigenous peoples, or colonization. The simulation target sites are located in or near so‐called Terra do Meio, once a major logging frontier in the lower Amazon Basin. Simulation networks are compared to empirical ones identified by remote sensing and then used to draw inferences about factors influencing the spatial behavior of loggers. Results overall suggest that Amazonia's logging road networks induce more fragmentation than necessary to access fixed quantities of wood. The paper concludes by considering implications of the approach and findings for Brazil's move to a system of concession logging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses information from the 2,875 angiosperm species described from Brazil between the years 1990 and 2006 to provide insights into the present status of botanical collections and taxonomic research in this country. The analysis shows that approximately one new species is described every two days, mostly from the Atlantic rainforest and cerrado biomes. Most species described belong to Orchidaceae (297 species), Fabaceae (288), Bromeliaceae (280), Asteraceae (166) or Poaceae (126). The average number of collections per square kilometer in Brazil is 0.59, a number well below with the ideal index of three collections per square kilometer and indicates a need for more intensive collection efforts, especially in view of the land-use pressures causing loss of vegetational types before their floristic composition is known. We conclude that reaching an adequate knowledge of the Brazilian flora is a goal that can only be achieved through intensive investment in improving scientific collections and training human resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small software companies face similar issues regarding software quality improvement and process assessments as larger companies. The main difference is that smaller companies seldom have specialized or competent resources to solve the problems. Therefore, the development of assessment methods from the viewpoint of small companies can also support the software industry. Based on experiences applying ISO/IEC 15504 in small software companies in Finland and Brazil, we present a flexible approach to efficient process assessments. Flexibility requires a continuous assessment model, so that the scope of process improvement and assessment can be defined on the basis of the prioritized needs of an organization. Our experiences show that 15504 can also be applied with success in small software organizations. This paper presents how the assessments were run and lessons learned on applying 15504 in this kind of organization. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of stem cell disorders characterized by a reduction in one or more elements of the peripheral blood. Oral manifestations of the disease and oral complications of medical management may result in significant symptoms and have an impact on the systemic condition of the patient. The removal of the infectious focus, such active teeth infection or severe periodontal disease, remains controversial in these patients, due to the increased risk of bleeding and systemic infection. Methods: This paper reports a case of MDS with spontaneous gingival hemorrhage and generalized gingival hyperplasia associated with periodontal disease. This patient underwent several platelet transfusions due to these oral complications. The patient received periodontal therapy, resulting in an improvement of the oral clinical situation and a decrease of gingival hyperplasia. Results: The patient did not present any episode of gingival hemorrhage after the periodontal treatment. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that periodontal therapy should be performed in MDS patients presenting thrombocytopenia, gingival hyperplasia, and gingival bleeding, with the intent of preventing further hemorrhagic episodes and possible systemic infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the author's observation on the social conditions of women in Brazilian society. In the first century of Brazil's life, that is, in the sixteenth century, the family as a social unity was not yet organized. But with time the colonization took a firm character and the family developed and organized itself on a solid basis deriving its force from rural property, economic independence and the influence of the Catholic religion which spread vigorously its rules and practices among the new social nuclei. The family then large and patriarchal had a sort of clan organization. Little by little Brazilian women have won their road to freedom. In 1932 for the first time in the history of Brazil was granted to the women the privilege of vote. Another fact then illustrated how Brazilian women had developed an opinion of their own. We have not yet divorce in Brazil due to the persisting influence of the Catholic Church. Brazilian women today, in 1942, have reached posts in all professions and we can say that the boundary lines which separated the feminine sector from various activities have been obliterated. We have maternity laws compulsory throughout the country: Each woman has three months of absence with full pay in case of childbirth and the guarantee of her job when she comes back.