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Saturnalia tupiniquim is a sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Late Triassic (Carnian–c. 233 Ma) Santa Maria Formation of Brazil. Due to its phylogenetic position and age, it is important for studies focusing on the early evolution of both dinosaurs and sauropodomorphs. The osteology of Saturnalia has been described in a series of papers, but its cranial anatomy remains mostly unknown. Here, we describe the skull bones of one of its paratypes (only in the type-series to possess such remains) based on CT Scan data. The newly described elements allowed estimating the cranial length of Saturnalia and provide additional support for the presence of a reduced skull (i.e. two thirds of the femoral length) in this taxon, as typical of later sauropodomorphs. Skull reduction in Saturnalia could be related to an increased efficiency for predatory feeding behaviour, allowing fast movements of the head in order to secure small and elusive prey, a hypothesis also supported by data from its tooth and brain morphology. A principal co-ordinates analysis of the sauropodomorph jaw feeding apparatus shows marked shifts in morphospace occupation in different stages of the first 30 million years of their evolutionary history. One of these shifts is observed between non-plateosaurian and plateosaurian sauropodomorphs, suggesting that, despite also having an omnivorous diet, the feeding behaviour of some early Carnian sauropodomorphs, such as Saturnalia, was markedly different from that of later Triassic taxa. A second shift, between Late Triassic and Early Jurassic taxa, is congruent with a floral turnover hypothesis across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine environments are visual domains restricted regarding light characteristics. Overall, blue monochromatic spectrum prevails in offshore areas especially below 15m depth, since long wavelengths are quickly attenuated. Light intensity is even more constrained in coastal waters, particularly those of tropical estuaries and bays, because further scattering through dissolved and suspended materials. Biofluorescence, which is the ability of organisms to absorb light and reflect it in a different wavelength, has been reported for many marine fish. In this paper, biofluorescence was recorded for the first time for the longsnout seahorse Hippocampus reidi, under natural conditions at Ilha Grande bay, Brazil, and both adult, juvenile and fry individuals kept in captivity. Although displaying the same colour emissions, seahorses differed in relation to body lighting, colour patterns, and age wherein fluorescence occurs. Newborn seahorses exhibit green biofluorescence only in the eyes and stomach. Further experiments are necessary to address whether H. reidi can change the patterns of biofluorescence emission for sensorial and social purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obligate river dolphins occur only in the rivers of Asia and South America, where they are increasingly subject to damaging pressures such as habitat degradation, food competition and entanglement in fishing gear as human populations expand. The Amazon basin hosts two, very different, dolphins—the boto or Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) and the smaller tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis). Both species have wide geographical ranges and were once considered to be relatively abundant. Their IUCN Red List conservation status of Data Deficient (DD), due to limited information on threats, ecology, population numbers and trends, did not initially cause alarm. However, the development of dolphin hunting to provide fish bait at around the beginning of this millennium broadly coincided with the onset of a widespread perception that numbers of both species were in decline. Consequently, the need for population trend data to inform conservation advice and measures became urgent. This paper presents a 22-year time series of standardised surveys for both dolphins within the Mamirauá Reserve, Amazonas State, Brazil. Analysis of these data show that both species are in steep decline, with their populations halving every 10 years (botos) and 9 years (tucuxis) at current rates. These results are consistent with published, independent information on survival rates of botos in this area, which demonstrated a substantial drop in annual survival, commencing at around the year 2000. Mamirauá is a protected area, and is subject to fewer environmental pressures than elsewhere in the region, so there is no reason to suspect that the decline in dolphins within the Reserve is more pronounced than outside it. If South America's freshwater cetaceans are to avoid following their Asian counterparts on the path to a perilous conservation status, effective conservation measures are required immediately. Enforcement of existing fishery laws would greatly assist in achieving this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection of value chain strategies by development practitioners and value chain participants themselves has been restricted to preset types of upgrading. This paper argues for an extension of the range of strategy solutions to value chains. An empirical application identifies successful strategies for honey value chains in Brazil for 2015–2020. Strategy and performance indicators were selected using the value chain Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) framework. Experts’ opinion was elicited in a Delphi for business scenarios, and adaptive conjoint analysis was used to identify strategies for increasing production growth and local value-added. This study identifies important strategies beyond upgrading typologies, and finds that important strategies differ by performance goal and scenario. The value chain SCP allows searching for promising strategies towards performance–the “better deal”–in an integrated way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study analysed clinical and sociodemographic aspects and follow-up for notified cases of tuberculosis (TB) and explored inequalities in incidence rates and outcome by colour or race and the geographic macro-regions of Brazil. Methods: This paper reports the results of a population-based descriptive epidemiological study of all notified cases of TB in Brazil during the period from 01/01/2008 to 31/12/2011. We analysed sociodemographic and clinical variables according to colour or race (white, black, Asian, mixed, and indigenous) and geographic macro-regions of the country (North, Northeast, Central-West, South, and Southeast). Results: During the study period, the average incidence of TB in Brazil was 36.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest rates occurring in the North and Southeast regions. The analysis of TB notifications by colour or race revealed that the indigenous population presented the highest incidence rates in all macro-regions except the South, where higher rates were reported in black patients. ‘Cured’ was the most frequently reported treatment outcome for all skin colour categories. The highest cure rate occurred among the indigenous population (76.8%), while the lowest cure rate occurred among the black population (70.7%). Rates of treatment default were highest among blacks (10.5%) and lowest among the indigenous population (6.9%). However, the fatality rate was similar across race categories, varying between 2.8% and 3.8% for whites and the indigenous population, respectively. The lowest cure rates were observed when follow-up was inadequate (58.3%), and the highest was observed when the follow-up was classified as excellent (96.8%). Conclusions: This study revealed that—apart from the heterogeneous distribution of TB among the Brazilian macro-regions—ethnic-racial inequalities exist in terms of clinical-epidemiological characteristics and incidence rates as well as follow-up for cases undergoing treatment. The highest rates of TB occurred among the indigenous people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to evaluate vaginal temperature as a thermoregulatory response of Nellore heifers under different microclimatic conditions. The study was conducted during one year in an experimental area located at 54°37′W, 20°27′S, and 530 m of altitude in Brazil. Twenty-four Nellore females were reared in integrated crop-livestock-forestry systems with different shading patterns. The randomized complete block experimental design was utilized with a sub subdivided plots scheme, with plot corresponding to the production systems, the subplot to the season of the year, and the sub subplot, the hours of the day. To characterize the microclimate, data regarding air and black globe temperatures, and air relative humidity were collected and from them, temperature-humidity index was calculated. Vaginal temperature was obtained by using a bottom-type temperature logger (i-button) attached to an adapted intravaginal device. The black-globe temperature explained the variation on vaginal temperature. Increases on vaginal temperature were only observed, on average, two hours after the increase of black-globe temperature. The microclimatic conditions found in the systems, resulting from the various tree densities, modify the vaginal temperature in different degrees, demonstrating that the shading effect is not always accompanied by improvements in thermal comfort. The system with intermediate density showed a better microclimatic condition and, consequently, a lower increase in vaginal temperature. The interaction between air temperature, humidity and solar radiation resulted in adverse environmental conditions, however, Nellore heifers showed good adaptation to the environment. In conclusion, vaginal temperature is a good indicator to evaluate the thermoregulatory response in Nellore heifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Protease inhibitors (PI) are especially important in salvage therapy. Previous treatment failure with a PI containing regimen may elicit resistance mutations, reducing PI susceptibility and limiting treatment options. The aim of this study was to describe major PI mutations among patients exposed to at least one PI to evaluate predictors of mutation emergence and the impact of subtypes on resistance. Methodology: Partial HIV-1 pol sequences (Sanger Sequencing) from patients exposed to PI with virological failure were genotyped from January 2014 to December 2017. Drug resistance mutations (DRM), antiretroviral susceptibility (GSS) and subtypes, along clinical and laboratory parameters, were evaluated using logistic regression to access the predictors of mutation emergence. Results: In 27.5% (466/1696) of the cases at least one major PI mutations was identified, most commonly M46 (14.7%), V82 (13.8%) and I54 (13.3%). Mutations to NRTI and NNRTI were observed in 69.6% and 59.9%, respectively, of the 1696 sequences. Full activity to darunavir was predicted in 88% (1496/1696), but was only 57% among those with at least one PI-DRM. Subtype C sequences had less major PI-DRMs (10%, 9/87) compared to B (28%, 338/1216) or F (35%, 58/168) (p <0.001) but adjusted analysis suggested that this association is not independent from a shorter treatment time and fewer regimens (OR 0.59, Confidence Interval 95: 0.2–2.5, p = 0.48). Subtype F, together with NRTI mutations and longer time on treatment was associated to presence of PI-DRM, to a lower darunavir GSS and to mutations at codon I50. Conclusions: Among patients with PI-DRM, full activity to darunavir was compromised in almost half of the cases and efforts to detect failure at earlier time are warranted, particularly for HIV-1 subtype F that showed association to the emergence of resistance, with potential impact in protease inhibitors sequencing. Furthermore, NRTI mutations may serve as an indicative of sufficient adherence to allow PI-DRM emergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcephaly and Zika Virus infection (ZIKV) were declared Public Health Emergencies of International Concern by the World Health Organization in 2016. Brazil was considered the epicenter of the outbreak. However, the occurrence of both ZIKV and microcephaly in Brazil was not evenly distributed across the country. To better understand this phenomenon, we investigate regional characteristics at the municipal level that can be associated with the incidence of microcephaly, our response variable, and its relationship with ZIKV and other predictors. All epidemiological data in this study was provided by the Ministry of Health official database (DATASUS). Microcephaly was only confirmed after birth and the diagnostic was made regardless of the mother’s ZIKV status. Using exploratory spatial data analysis and spatial autoregressive Tobit models, our results show that microcephaly incidence is significantly, at 95% confidence level, related not only to ZIKV, but also to access to primary care, population size, gross national product, mobility and environmental attributes of the municipalities. There is also a significant spatial autocorrelation of the dependent variable. The results indicate that municipalities that show a high incidence of microcephaly tend to be clustered in space and that incidence of microcephaly varies considerably across regions when correlated only with ZIKV, i.e. that ZIKV alone cannot explain the differences in microcephaly across regions and their correlation is mediated by regional attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports on observations carried out in the Tropical North Atlantic in summer and autumn 2017, documenting Sargassum aggregations using both ship-deck observations and satellite sensor observations at three resolutions (MSI-10 m, OLCI-300 m, VIIRS-750 m and MODIS-1 km). Both datasets reported that in summer, Sargassum aggregations were mainly observed off Brazil and near the Caribbean Islands, while they accumulated near the African coast in autumn. Based on in situ observations, we propose a five-class typology allowing standardisation of the description of in situ Sargassum raft shapes and sizes. The most commonly observed Sargassum raft type was windrows, but large rafts composed of a quasi-circular patch hundreds of meters wide were also observed. Satellite imagery showed that these rafts formed larger Sargassum aggregations over a wide range of scales, with smaller aggregations (of tens of m2 area) nested within larger ones (of hundreds of km2). Match-ups between different satellite sensors and in situ observations were limited for this dataset, mainly because of high cloud cover during the periods of observation. Nevertheless, comparisons between the two datasets showed that satellite sensors successfully detected Sargassum abundance and aggregation patterns consistent with in situ observations. MODIS and VIIRS sensors were better suited to describing the Sargassum aggregation distribution and dynamics at Atlantic scale, while the new sensors, OLCI and MSI, proved their ability to detect Sargassum aggregations and to describe their (sub-) mesoscale nested structure. The high variability in raft shape, size, thickness, depth and biomass density observed in situ means that caution is called for when using satellite maps of Sargassum distribution and biomass estimation. Improvements would require additional in situ and airborne observations or very high-resolution satellite imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Auditory processing disorders can negatively affect academic performance in children. They can result from a number of aetiologies, including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although studies in paediatrics are limited, research suggests that HIV-infected children display poorer auditory processing skills than uninfected children. Methods: The aims of this study were to scan the peer-reviewed literature on auditory processing skills in HIV-infected children, to describe how auditory processing was tested, how auditory processing skills were reported, and to identify gaps in current evidence. This systematic scoping review was conducted using a modified version of Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. Key words comprised ‘HIV’, ‘auditory processing’, ‘hearing’ and ‘child’. Electronic databases were searched for relevant articles published from 1 January 2000 to 30 April 2018, and reference lists of included studies were pearled. Two researchers reviewed the articles and extracted data on sample descriptors, auditory processing testing procedures, and auditory processing skills. A third author collated the results and resolved discrepancies. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association description of auditory processing skills framed the analysis. Results: Five articles were included in this review (three from Brazil, one each from Mexico and Tanzania). Samples, and methods of testing were heterogeneous. Three studies reported on localization abilities, while gap detection thresholds, performance on dichotic tasks and speech discrimination scores were reported in one article each. No one study tested all areas of auditory processing skills and there was limited information about the auditory processing skills required for learning. Conclusion: This review highlighted the current sparse evidence-base for auditory processing in HIV-infected children. It identified the need to standardise testing procedures, measures of auditory processing skills, and sample selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to study Brazilian consumer attitudes towards cell-based meat and related issues. From 408 respondents from Curitiba and 218 from Joinville, the majority was women with higher level of education; 65.2% and 70.2% frequently consumed meat and 50.7% and 50.9% would not stop eating meat; 81.6% and 82.6% had little or no knowledge about cell-based meat. After watching an explanatory video, 41.9% and 34.4% stated they would eat cell-based meat without restrictions; 24.5% and 23.9% stated they would try depending on conditionals. Overall, 63.6% declared they would eat cell-based meat; among vegetarians and vegans, 24% and 8% stated they would eat cell-based meat, with additional 25.0% and 27.0% stating “it depends”; thus, the major public for cell-based meat seems to be meat eaters. Animal welfare was the principal reason for considering not eating meat and a major benefit of cell-based meat. In conclusion, the majority of respondents would not stop eating meat; additionally, they would eat cell-based meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to establish effective conservation strategy, drivers of local and regional patterns of biodiversity need to be understood. The composition of local biodiversity is dependent on a number of factors including evolution and redistribution of lineages through dispersal and environmental heterogeneity. Brazilian canga is characterised by a ferrugineous substrate, found both in the Iron Quadrangle of Minas Gerais and in the Carajás mountains in Amazonia. Canga is one of several specialised habitat types comprising Brazilian campo rupestre, a montane vegetation found within or adjacent to several major Brazilian bioregions, including the Atlantic Forest and Amazonia, with exceptionally high levels of diversity and endemism arising from both history of dispersal and environmental variation. In order to inform biodiversity conservation for canga, and more broadly for campo rupestre, we performed floristic and phylogenetic analyses investigating affinities between 28 sites on different substrates (canga and quartzite) and geographic locations (Carajás, Pará [Amazonia]; Cadeia do Espinhaço, Minas Gerais; Chapada Diamantina, Bahia). Through analysis of 11204 occurrences of 4705 species of angiosperms, we found that Amazonian Carajás canga plant communities formed a cohesive group, distinct from species assemblages found in Eastern Brazil (Minas Gerais, Bahia), either on canga or quartzite. The phylogenetic megatree of species across all sites investigated shows associations between certain clades and Amazonian canga, with few shared species between the Amazonian Carajás and Eastern Brazil sites, while the floristic comparison shows high levels of heterogeneity between sites. The need for reserves for Amazonian Carajás canga has been recognized and addressed by the creation of a national park. However, current sampling does not provide sufficient reassurance that the canga areas now benefitting from full legal protection adequately represent the regional canga flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crossbreeding has been used to improve performance in beef cattle, however the effects of breed composition on methane (CH4) production, yield and intensity from cattle raised in tropical intensive and integrated systems remain unknown. To assess the impact of breed composition on performance and methane emissions, Nellore (NEL; yr 1: BW = 171.5 ± 19.4 kg; n = 10; yr 2: BW = 215.8 ± 32.3 kg, n = 25) and Angus x Nellore crossbred (AN; yr 1: BW = 214.2 ± 26.4 kg, n = 10; yr 2: BW = 242.5 ± 32.2 kg, n = 25) were compared. The animals grazed on integrated crop-livestock system in the growing phase (stocking rate 2452 kg BW/ha, herbage mass 4,884 kg dry matter (DM)/ha, forage allowance 5.9 kg DM/100kg BW) and then were finished in a feedlot. Steers (n = 8) from each breed composition were randomly selected in each phase to measure CH4 production using a sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique and DM intake (DMI) using titanium dioxide. Compared with NEL, AN had both superior total gain and average daily gain (ADG) in the grazing period. The AN presented greater ADG in the feedlot with a shorter finishing period and resulted in greater carcass yield and carcass ADG. Methane production (kg/period) was lower in NEL (19% less) than AN in grazing (P<0.01), and no difference was observed in feedlot. The NEL had less CH4 intensity (CH4/BW) in grazing but greater CH4 per unit of ADG in the feedlot compared to AN. Breed composition did not influence the CH4 yield (CH4/DMI) in either phase, despite the difference in feedlot DMI (kg/day). In conclusion, crossbreeding may be an option to improve performance and reduce the CH4 per ADG in tropical climate conditions, resulting in lower methane emission per kg of meat produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg isolates are frequently recovered in the Netherlands from poultry meat imported from South America. Our aim was to retrospectively assess the characteristics of the antimicrobial determinants, gene content and the clonal relatedness of 122 unique S. Heidelberg isolates from chicken meat from Brazil (n = 119) and Argentina (n = 3) that were imported between 2010 and 2015. These isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PCR and Illumina HiSeq2500 whole genome sequencing. Draft genomes were assembled to assess the gene content, and the phylogenetic relationships between isolates were determined using single nucleotide polymorphisms. Ciprofloxacin-resistance was identified in 98.4% of the isolates and 83.7% isolates showed resistance to the extended-spectrum cephalosporins cefotaxime and ceftazidime (83.6% and 82.8% respectively). Of the latter, 97.1% exhibited an AmpC phenotype and contained blaCMY-2, whereas the remaining three isolates contained an extended spectrum beta-lactamase. Of the 99 extended-spectrum cephalosporins-resistant isolates harboring CMY-2 plasmids, 56.6% contained the incompatibility group I1 replicon. Phylogenetic cluster analysis showed that all isolates from Brazil clustered together, with 49% occurring in clusters larger than 5 isolates that revealed intra-cluster similarities based on geographical location and/or resistance profiles. The remaining isolates were classified in smaller clusters or as singletons, highlighting the large diversity of S. Heidelberg in the poultry chain in Brazil that was revealed by this study. Considering the potential public health risk associated with multidrug-resistant S. Heidelberg in imported poultry, collaborative whole genome sequencing-based surveillance is needed to monitor the spread, pathogenic properties and epidemiological distribution of these isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male piglets are commonly castrated to eliminate the risk of boar taint. Surgical castration is the commonly used procedure and is known to induce pain. Gene modification targeted at eliminating boar taint in male pigs has been proposed as a possible alternative to surgical castration. The aims of this study were to explore public acceptability of this biotechnology using a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data to assess acceptability of 570 participants from southern Brazil were analysed with multinomial logistic regression models and Spearman correlations; qualitative responses of the reasons provided in support of their position were coded into themes. Just over half of the participants (56%) considered gene modification of male pigs acceptable. Acceptability was lower among participants who grew up in an agricultural environment (ρ = 0.02), but was not influenced by sex, age, religion, urban or rural living, or level of education. Acceptability of gene modification of male pigs as an alternative to surgical castration was positively related to the perception of benefits (r = -0.56, ρ<0.0001) and negatively related to the participant’s perception of risks (r = -0.35, ρ<0.0001). Acceptability was not related to knowledge of basic concepts of genetic biotechnologies (r = 0.06, ρ<0.14), or to awareness of issues related to pig castration or boar taint (r = 0.03, ρ<0.44), both of which were low among participants. Participants that considered gene modification of pigs acceptable justified their position using arguments that it improved animal welfare. In contrast, those that were not in favour were generally opposed to genetic modification. Unforeseen downstream consequences of using genetic modification in this manner was a major concern raised by over 80% of participants. Our findings suggest that perceived animal welfare may encourage public support of gene editing of food animals. However, potential risks of the technology need to be addressed and conveyed to the public, as many participants requested clarification of such risks as a condition for support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Sciaenidae comprises about 300 species. The black drum Pogonias cromis was the only valid species of the genus. Herein, Pogonias courbina Lacepède 1803 is redescribed based on morphological and molecular evidence and a neotype is designated. Pogonias courbina is distinguished by the following characters: the occurrence of characteristic thickening of the dorsal spines VII to XI in all specimens larger than 250 mm SL; all pterygiophores in the dorsal-fin laminar, thin; anal-fin pterygiophores slender excluded those of spines; lateral projections of gas bladder with few finger-like projections; genetic distance between both species 1%; exclusive occurrence of characters in six informative sites of COI (58 G; 214 G; 328 A; 331 A; 553C; 580 G). The method Automatic Barcode gap Discovery detected gaps in nucleotid distance congruent with the NJ, MP, and ML tree analysis. Also, advertisement calls are three times shorter in duration in P. courbina than in P. cromis. In addition, two monophyletic groups for P. cromis and P. courbina appear in trees obtained with different methodologies, emphasizing the absence of shared haplotypes. A gap of about 8000 km occurs in the distribution of both species along coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to reverse the decline of endangered golden lion tamarin monkeys have been relatively successful because the Brazilian organization dedicated to the species’ conservation (Associação Mico-Leão-Dourado, AMLD) relies on science-based computer modeling to determine the number of tamarins necessary to achieve demographic and genetic goals, and a process of strategic planning to achieve those goals. Accurate estimates of the numbers of tamarins in forest fragments are essential to evaluate progress in achieving goals and adapt strategies as necessary. In this report we present the results of a new method to survey the number of tamarins in the wild, a modification of the point transect with lures procedure. Using this method, we estimate that in 2014 there were approximately 3,700 golden lion tamarins in 41,400 hectares of Atlantic Forest. Of these, 59% are from remnant wild populations, 34% are descendants of captive-born reintroduced animals and 7% are descendants of wild translocated groups. The number of tamarins and amount of forest estimated in this survey exceeded values necessary to meet AMLD’s definition of a viable population, determined to be 2,000 tamarins in 25,000 hectares of connected and protected forest. However, the seven forest blocks and their tamarin populations are not yet adequately connected and protected. AMLD’s strategic plan to achieve a viable population of golden lion tamarins includes 12 strategies that mitigate these and other threats or contribute directly to the conservation goal. The point transect with lures survey method provides a way to evaluate progress in achieving that goal and adapt strategies as appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change alters the dynamic of natural ecosystems and directly affects species distributions, persistence and diversity. The impacts of climate change may lead to dramatic changes in biotic interactions, such as pollination and seed dispersal. Life history traits are extremely important to consider the vulnerability of a species to climate change, producing more robust models than those based primarily on species distributions. Here, we hypothesized that rising temperatures and aridity will reduce suitable habitats for the endemic flora of the Caatinga, the most diverse dry tropical forest on Earth. Specifically, species with specialized reproductive traits (e.g. vertebrate pollination, biotic dispersal, obligatory cross-pollination) should be more affected by climate change than those with generalist traits. We performed two ecological niche models (current and future) to simulate the effects of climate change on the distribution area of endemic species in relation to life-history traits. We used the MIROC-ESM and CCSM4 models for both intermediate (RCP4.5) and highest predicted (RCP8.5) GHG emission scenarios, with a resolution of 30' (~1 km2). Habitat with high occurrence probability (>80%) of endemic species will be reduced (up to ~10% for trees, ~13% for non-arboreous, 10–28% for species with any pollination/reproductive system), with the greatest reductions for species with specialized reproductive traits. In addition, the likely concentration of endemic plants in the extreme northeastern portion of the Caatinga, in more mesic areas, coincides with the currently most human-modified areas of the ecosystem, which combined with climate change will further contract suitable habitats of endemic species. In conclusion, plant species endemic to the Caatinga are highly vulnerable to even conservative scenarios of future climate change and may lose much of their climatic envelopes. New protected areas should be located in the northeastern portion of the Caatinga, which hosts a more favorable climate, but is currently exposed to escalating agricultural intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market demand for octopus grows each year, but landings are decreasing, and prices are rising. The present study investigated (1) diversity of Octopodidae in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and (2) connectivity and genetic structure of Octopus cyanea and O. vulgaris populations in order to obtain baseline data for management plans. A fragment of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was sequenced in 275 octopus individuals from Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania. In addition, 41 sequences of O. vulgaris from South Africa, Brazil, Amsterdam Island, Tristan da Cunha, Senegal and Galicia were retrieved from databases and included in this study. Five different species were identified using DNA barcoding, with first records for O. oliveri and Callistoctopus luteus in the WIO. For O. cyanea (n = 229, 563 bp), 22 haplotypes were found, forming one haplogroup. AMOVA revealed shallow but significant genetic population structure among all sites (ϕST = 0.025, p = 0.02), with significant differentiation among: (1) Kanamai, (2) southern Kenya, Tanzania, North and West Madagascar, (3) Southwest Madagascar and (4) East Madagascar (ϕCT = 0.035, p = 0.017). For O. vulgaris (n = 71, 482 bp), 15 haplotypes were identified, forming three haplogroups. A significant genetic population structure was found among all sites (ϕST = 0.82, p ≤ 0.01). Based on pairwise ϕST-values and hierarchical AMOVAs, populations of O. vulgaris could be grouped as follows: (1) Brazil, (2) Madagascar and (3) all other sites. A significant increase in genetic distance with increasing geographic distance was found (Z = 232443, 81 r = 0.36, p = 0.039). These results indicate that for O. cyanea four regions should be considered as separate management units in the WIO. The very divergent haplogroups in O. vulgaris from Brazil and Madagascar might be evolving towards speciation and therefore should be considered as separate species in FAO statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly interactive nature of predator-prey relationship is essential for ecosystem conservation; predators have been extirpated, however, from entire ecosystems all over the Earth. Reintroductions comprise a management technique to reverse this trend. Species Distribution Models (SDM) are preemptive tools for release-site selection, and can define levels of habitat quality over the species distribution. The Atlantic Forest of South America has lost most of its apex predators, and Harpy Eagles Harpia harpyja—Earth’s largest eagle—are now limited to few forest pockets in this domain. Harpy Eagles are supposedly widespread in the Amazon Forest, however, where habitat loss and degradation is advancing at a rapid pace. We aim to describe the suitability of threatened Amazonian landscapes for this eagle. We also aim to assess the suitability of remaining Atlantic Forest sites for Harpy Eagle reintroductions. Here we show that that considerable eagle habitat has already been lost in Amazonia due to the expansion of the “Arc of Deforestation”, and that Amazonian forests currently represent 93% of the current distribution of the species. We also show that the Serra do Mar protected areas in southeastern Brazil is the most promising region for Harpy Eagle reintroductions in the Atlantic Forest. Reintroduction and captive breeding programs have been undertaken for Harpy Eagles, building the technical and biological basis for a successful restoration framework. Our distribution range for this species represents a 41% reduction of what is currently proposed by IUCN. Furthermore, habitat loss in Amazonia, combined with industrial logging and hunting suggest that the conservation status of this species should be reassessed. We suggest researchers and conservation practitioners can use this work to help expand efforts to conserve Harpy Eagles and their natural habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brasilodon quadrangularis (Cynodontia, Probainognathia) is an iconic non-mammaliaform cynodont from the Late Triassic of Brazil (Riograndia Assemblage Zone, Candelária Sequence), being considered as the sister taxon of Mammaliaformes. Although its phylogenetic position is very important, several aspects of its postcranial anatomy remain unclear or unstudied. Here, we present a detailed description of the postcranial elements referred to Brasilodon, including previously mentioned specimens and new ones, which add relevant information about its postcranial morphology and provide a new insight into the anatomical transition between advanced non-mammaliaform cynodonts and early mammaliaforms. Functional and ecological implications are also investigated, based on the postcranial morphology and muscular reconstructions. The postcranium of Brasilodon differs from most non-mammaliaform cynodonts and presents similarities with tritylodontids, early mammaliaforms and extant therians, such as a ventrally oriented scapular glenoid facet, a distinct and ossified greater humeral tubercle, lack of ectepicondylar foramen, olecranon process, hemispherical humeral and femoral heads and a prominent intertrochanteric crest. The humeral torsion, the length of the deltopectoral crest, the large bicipital groove and the well-developed lesser tubercle, indicate that the forelimb of Brasilodon was hold in a semi-sprawling position, with well-developed adductor muscles to maintain the body off the ground. The short femoral neck and the strong medial projection of the femoral head indicate the femur was held in a more erect posture than in basal non-mammaliaform cynodonts. The anterodorsally projected iliac blade with reduced postacetabular process, reduction of the anterior part of the pubis, medially located lesser trochanter indicate a basically mammalian pattern of pelvic musculature, able to swing the femur in a nearly parasagittal plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of Mato Grosso is Brazil’s agribusiness powerhouse with a cattle herd of 30.2 million head in 2017. With land use patterns heavily influenced by beef production, which requires substantial land inputs, the state is a key target for environmental conservation. Yet the spatial and temporal dynamics of slaughterhouses in Mato Grosso remain largely unknown due to data limitations. Here, we provide a novel method to map slaughterhouse expansion and contraction. We analyzed the opening and closing of 133 plants between 1967 and 2016 in Mato Grosso and estimated the geographic locations and slaughter volumes. This was achieved by triangulating across multiple data sources including a registry of 21 million companies, government records of three million slaughter transactions (Portuguese acronym GTA), and high resolution satellite imagery. Our study is the first to include longitudinal information and both inspected (for food quality) and uninspected slaughterhouses. The results show that 72 plants operated in 2016 through 52 holding companies. By measuring geographic distances between active plants and pasture areas, we documented a 29% increase in the density of plants during 2000–2016, showing an expansion of the cattle slaughter infrastructure. We identified three periods of expansion: 1967–1995, with 15.1% of the plant openings; 1996–2003, with 24.6%; and 2004–2016, with 60.3%. While closings likely occurred throughout the period studied, no data were available prior to 2002. We estimated a minimum value for the volume of uninspected slaughter as 2–3% for 2013–2016. We conclude by discussing potential applications of the data, a deidentified version of which is made available through an online repository. The method developed here can be replicated for the whole country, which would increase our understanding of the dynamics of cattle slaughter and their impact on land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct road mortality and the barrier effect of roads are typically identified as one of the greatest threats to wildlife. In addition, collisions with large mammals are also a threat to human safety and represent an economic cost to society. We documented and explored the effects of animal-vehicle crashes on human safety in São Paulo State, Brazil. We estimated the costs of these crashes to society, and we summarized the legal perspectives. On average, the Military Highway Police of São Paulo reported 2,611 animal-vehicle crashes per year (3.3% of total crashes), and 18.5% of these resulted in human injuries or fatalities. The total annual cost to society was estimated at R$ 56,550,642 (US $ 25,144,794). The average cost for an animal-vehicle crash, regardless of whether human injuries and fatalities occurred, was R$ 21,656 (US $ 9,629). The Brazilian legal system overwhelmingly (91.7% of the cases) holds the road administrator liable for animal-vehicle collisions, both with wild and domestic species. On average, road administrators spent R$ 2,463,380 (US $ 1,005,051) per year compensating victims. The logical conclusion is that the Brazilian legal system expects road administrators to keep animals, both wild and domestic species, off the road. We suggest an improved coordination between the laws that relate to animal-vehicle collisions and human safety, and the process for environmental licenses that focusses on reducing collisions with wildlife and providing habitat connectivity. In addition, we suggest better management practices, raising awareness and social change with regard to abandoned domesticated animals including horses, cattle, and dogs. This should ultimately result in a road system with improved human safety, reduced unnatural mortality for both domestic and wild animal species, safe crossing opportunities for wildlife, and reduced monetary costs to society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding biological community distribution patterns and their drivers across different scales is one of the major goals of community ecology in a rapidly changing world. Considering natural forest-grassland ecotones distributed over the south Brazilian region we investigated how ant communities are assembled locally, i.e. considering different habitats, and regionally, i.e. considering different physiographic regions. We used taxonomic and phylogenetic approaches to investigate diversity patterns and search for environmental/spatial drivers at each scale. We sampled ants using honey and tuna baits in forest and grassland habitats, in ecotones distributed at nine sites in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Overall, we found 85 ant species belonging to 23 genera and six subfamilies. At the local scale, we found forests and grasslands as equivalent in ant species and evolutionary history diversities, but considerably different in terms of species composition. In forests, the soil surface air temperature predicts foraging ant diversity. In grasslands, while the height of herbaceous vegetation reduces ant diversity, treelet density from forest expansion processes clearly increases it. At a regional scale, we did not find models that sufficiently explained ant taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity based on regional environmental variables. The variance in species composition, but not in evolutionary histories, across physiographic regions is driven by space and historical processes. Our findings unveil important aspects of ant community ecology in natural transition systems, indicating environmental filtering as an important process structuring the communities at the local scale, but mostly spatial processes acting at the regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout evolutionary history, humans have been exposed to a wide variety of diseases, some of which have serious and even lethal consequences. Memorizing medicinal plants for the treatment of serious diseases likely maximized the chances of survival and reproduction and was instrumental in the evolutionary success of our species. In the present study, we used the idea of adaptive memory to understand whether human memory evolved to recall information about medicinal plants for the treatment of serious diseases. We considered plant-disease pairs of words as units of information available in a medical system based on the use of medicinal plants. The pairs included in the categories of chronic infectious diseases and transmissible infectious diseases were considered to be of higher adaptive value, whereas those included in the category of common conditions were considered to be of lower adaptive value. Pairs grouped into the category of emerging and reemerging diseases were employed to investigate conformity bias; pairs belonging to the category esthetic uses were considered to be of little adaptive relevance and utilized as an experimental control. Our results revealed that plant-disease pairs associated with the category of common conditions, considered by us to be of lower severity and less adaptive relevance for humans, were better remembered and retained in the participants' memory. We believe that prior experience with common conditions and the frequency of these conditions in the population may have intensified the ability to remember the plant-disease pairs associated with this group of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypostomus subcarinatus Castelnau, 1855 is rediscovered in the Lagoa da Pampulha, an urban lake in the Rio das Velhas basin (Rio São Francisco system) in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Herein, H. subcarinatus is redescribed and diagnosed from its congeners based on characters such as blue-tan dorsal fin in live specimens, slender bicuspid teeth, dentaries angled more than 90 degrees, moderate keels along lateral series of plates, small roundish dark spots, one plate bordering supraoccipital, by having nuptial odontodes mainly on pectoral, dorsal and caudal-fin rays, and long anal-fin unbranched ray. The rediscovery of H. subcarinatus more than 160 years after its original description was an unexpected event, because the Lagoa da Pampulha is an artificial, silted and polluted urban lake. The lake is located in downtown Belo Horizonte, the third largest urban agglomeration in Brazil with a population exceeding 5.9 million inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sauropodomorphs are the most abundant and diverse clade of Triassic dinosaurs, but the taxonomy of their earliest (Carnian) representatives is still poorly understood. One such taxon is Pampadromaeus barberenai, represented by a nearly complete disarticulated skeleton recovered from the upper part of the Santa Maria Formation of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Here, the osteology of Pam. barberenai is fully described for the first time. Detailed comparisons with other Carnian sauropodomorphs reveal a unique anatomy, corroborating its status as a valid species. Potential autapomorphies of Pam. barberenai can be seen in the articulation of the sacral zygapophyses, the length of the pectoral epipodium, the shape of the distal articulation of the femur and the proximal articulation of metatarsal 1. A novel phylogenetic study shows that relationships among the Carnian sauropodomorphs are poorly constrained, possibly because they belong to a “zone of variability”, where homoplasy abounds. Yet, there is some evidence that Pam. barberenai may nest within Saturnaliidae, along with Saturnalia tupiniquim and Chromogisaurus novasi, which represents the sister group to the larger sauropodomorphs, i.e. Bagualosauria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization has recommended the introduction of HPV vaccines into national immunization programme (NIP), but vaccination coverage remains low worldwide. We assessed the coverage and the parental acceptance of female and male HPV vaccination in Brazil after its introduction into the NIP. Methods: We conducted a random-digit-dial survey of parents in seven major Brazilian cities from July-2015 to October-2016. A knowledge, attitude and practices questionnaire was developed and validated by expert analysis, semantic analysis, and pre-testing. Results: 826 out of 2,324 (35.5%) eligible parents completed the interview. Parental acceptance of the HPV vaccine for daughters and sons 18 years of age or less was high (92% and 86%, respectively). Parents refusing vaccination were less likely to know that: HPV is sexually transmitted and causes genital warts, HPV vaccination is more beneficial before sexual debut, and HPV vaccine reactions are minor, and they were more likely to believe HPV vaccination can cause severe adverse events. Parents accepting HPV vaccine for daughters but not forsons were more likely to ignore that the vaccine is recommended for boys. Attitudes associated with HPV vaccine acceptance included: general belief in vaccines, trust in the NIP and in the HPV vaccine efficacy. Among girls eligible for HPV vaccination through the NIP, 58.4% had received a two-dose scheme and 71.1% at least one dose. “No vaccination/missed vaccination at school” was the most common reason for missed HPV vaccination in theNIP. Conclusions: One year after introduction in the NIP, most parents surveyed in Brazil accepted HPV vaccination for their daughters and sons. Low coverage in the NIP seemed to be due to challenges in adolescent vaccine delivery and HPV vaccination barriers at health-care centers, rather than to vaccine refusal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyphorynchus spirurus (GSP), also called the Wedge-billed Woodcreeper (Furnariidae) has an extensive distribution in the Americas, including the Atlantic coast of Brazil. Nevertheless, there is no information about its karyotype or genome organization. To contribute to the knowledge of chromosomal evolution in Passeriformes we analysed the karyotype of Glyphorynchus spirurus by classic and molecular cytogenetics methods. We show that Glyphorynchus spirurus has a 2n = 80 karyotype with a fundamental number (FN) of 84, similar to the avian putative ancestral karyotype (PAK). Glyphorynchus spirurus pair 1 was heteromorphic in the Tapajós population whereby the short arms varied in sizes, possibly due to a pericentric inversion, as described in other Furnariidae birds. FISH with the Histone H5 probe revealed a signal in the pericentromeric region of G. spirurus chromosome 5 and rDNA 18S showed interstitial signal in GSP-1. Chromosome painting with Gallus gallus (GGA) macrochromosomes 1–9 probes showed disruption of chromosome syntenies of GGA-1, 2 and 4 by fission in Glyphorynchus spirurus. Our results confirm that the GGA1 centric fission is a synapomorphic character for the phylogenetic branch composed of Strigiformes, Passeriformes, Columbiformes and Falconiformes. On the other hand, the GGA-2 fission is reported here for the first time in Passeriformes. Chromosome painting with BOE whole chromosome probes confirmed these rearrangements in Glyphorynchus spirurus revealed by Gallus gallus 1–9 probes, in addition to enabling the establishment of genome-wide homology map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide, about 11% of Tuberculosis (TB) cases occur in people living with HIV (PLHIV) and it is the leading cause of death in this population. An important step towards reducing the incidence and mortality of TB in PLHIV is to reduce the time from onset of symptoms to treatment. Factors related to TB treatment delay therefore need to be understood. Methods: Using data from a prospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with TB at the National Institute of Infectious Disease, at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil we conducted a survival analysis to identify factors associated with patient and health care treatment delay. In our analysis we included patients who were co-infected with TB and HIV (n = 201). Patients were followed during the course of their TB treatment and information regarding duration of symptoms, sociodemographics and clinical characteristics were collected at the baseline visit. Results: The median time from onset of initial symptoms to prescription of TB treatment (total delay) was 82 days. From initiation of symptoms to first visit at INI clinic (patient delay), the median was 51 days. From first visit to initiation of treatment (health care delay) the median was 16 days. Illiteracy was associated with greater patient delay [Hazard Ratio (HR) = 2.25, CI 95% 1.29–3.94]. Having had a previous episode of TB (HR = 0.53, CI 95% 0.37–0.74) and being married (HR = 0.71, CI 95% 0.54–0.94) were inversely related to patient delay. Illiteracy was also associated with greater health care delay (HR = 2.83, CI 95% 1.25–5.47) in contrast to high viral load (HR = 0.37, CI 95% 0.24–0.54) and weight loss greater than 10% (HR = 0.54, CI 95% 0.37–0.8), both of which were inversely related to health care delay. Conclusions: This study highlights the existence of factors that lead to greater risk of delayed treatment of TB among patients co-infected with HIV and TB. These include factors that can be assessed through targeted interventions which have implications for improving treatment outcomes and, through reduced duration of infectiousness, reduce the incidence of TB in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing fishing effort has caused declines in shark populations worldwide. Understanding biological and ecological characteristics of sharks is essential to effectively implement management measures, but to fully understand drivers of fishing pressure social factors must be considered through multidisciplinary and integrated approaches. The present study aimed to use fisher and trader knowledge to describe the shark catch and product supply chain in Northeastern Brazil, and evaluate perceptions regarding the regional conservation status of shark species. Non-systematic observations and structured individual interviews were conducted with experienced fishers and traders. The demand and economic value of shark fins has reportedly decreased over the last 10 years while the shark meat trade has increased slightly, including a small increase in the average price per kilogram of meat. Several threatened shark species were reportedly often captured off shore and traded at local markets. This reported and observed harvest breaches current Brazilian environmental laws. Fishing communities are aware of population declines of several shark species, but rarely take action to avoid capture of sharks. The continuing capture of sharks is mainly due to a lack of knowledge of environmental laws, lack of enforcement by responsible authorities, and difficulties encountered by fishers in finding alternative income streams. National and regional conservation measures are immediately required to reduce overfishing on shark populations in Northeastern Brazil. Social and economic improvements for poor fishing communities must also be implemented to achieve sustainable fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital dermatitis (DD) is one of the main causes of lameness in dairy cattle worldwide, and it is frequently reported in high-yielding, free stall dairy herds from regions with a temperate climate. However, DD is also observed with high prevalence in grazing cattle with a low milk yield in tropical regions. To clarify whether these differences have an impact on the etiology of the disease, we studied DD lesions from all year round grazing cattle of mixed breed in Brazil using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and fluorescent in situ hybridization. The study included samples from 66 skin lesions and 5 healthy skins collected from five farms. Both techniques showed Treponema spp. to be the most abundant bacteria, present in all but one of the samples with minimal epidermal alterations. We identified eleven different Treponema strains belonging to the six major phylotypes of Treponema which have all previously been identified in DD lesions. Furthermore, we identify Dichelobacter nodosus in DD lesions by gene sequencing and also by fluorescent in situ hybridization in almost half of biopsy specimens in areas with mild epithelial damage and together with Treponema. The present data support the hypothesis that Treponema constitutes the main pathogen responsible for DD, independent of the environment and region where cows are kept, and it further suggests D. nodosus as another potentially important pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: to estimate the mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV among infected pregnant women identified in the "Birth in Brazil" study and to evaluate care practices provided in order to identify missed opportunities at preventing the MTCT of HIV infection in the country. Methods: Descriptive study using data obtained from the consultation of different databases: the “Birth in Brazil” study database and the Brazilian National Information Systems (NIS) databases. We used cases of pregnant women infected with HIV identified in the “Birth in Brazil” study, and cases of AIDS in children under 5 years old identified in the NIS, to estimate the MTCT of HIV infection in the country, with a 95% confidence interval. We also estimated the HIV cascade (HIV diagnosis; use of antiretroviral treatment (ART) during pregnancy, labour, and for the newborn; adequate care during childbirth considering viral load at birth; and no breastfeeding) using data from the same sources. Results: MTCT of HIV of 2.0% (95% CI 0.3%-13.8%). At birth, 84.0% of HIV infected woman showed a positive HIV diagnosis, 74.9% received combined ART during pregnancy, 80.7% received ART during childbirth, 77.1% received adequate care during childbirth, 86.8% of newborns received ART within the first 24 hours after birth, and 2.8% of newborns were breastfed. Considering all steps, 61.3% of the women (95% CI 48.3%-72.8%) received all available medical interventions. In the analysis restricted to women identified in the NIS, 65.3% (95% CI 48.0%-79.3%) of HIV infected women received all available medical interventions. Conclusion: Brazil has healthcare policies that guarantee free access to tests, ART and substitutes for maternal milk. However, missed opportunities to prevent MTCT of HIV were identified in at least one-third of women and may be making it difficult to reach HIV-elimination targets especially in the less developed country regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the knowledge, uses, and abundance of natural resources in local communities can provide insight on conservation status and conservation strategies in these locations. The aim of this research was to evaluate the uses, knowledge and conservation status of plants in two Quilombolas (descendants of slaves of African origin) communities in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil, São Sebastião da Boa Vista (SSBV) and São Bento (SB). We used a combination of ethnobotanical and ecological survey methods to ask: 1) What ethnobotanical knowledge do the communities hold? 2) What native species are most valuable to them? 3) What is the conservation status of the native species used? Thirteen local experts described the names and uses of 212 species in SSBV (105 native species) and 221 in SB (96 native species). Shannon Wiener diversity and Pielou’s Equitability indices of ethnobotanical knowledge of species were very high (5.27/0.96 and 5.28/0.96, respectively). Species with the highest cultural significance and use-value indexes in SSBV were Dalbergia hortensis (26/2.14), Eremanthus erythropappus (6.88/1), and Tibouchina granulosa (6.02/1); while Piptadenia gonoacantha (3.32/1), Sparattosperma leucanthum (3.32/1) and Cecropia glaziovii (3.32/0.67) were the highest in SB. Thirty-three native species ranked in the highest conservation priority category at SSBV and 31 at SB. D. hortensis was noteworthy because of its extremely high cultural importance at SSBV, and its categorization as a conservation priority in both communities. This information can be used towards generating sustainable use and conservation plans that are appropriate for the local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding latitudinal variation in avian life-history traits has been a focus of many demographic studies around the world. However, we still know little about annual or intra-annual demographic variation within tropical regions or about how factors such as breeding season and precipitation influence demographic rates. In this study, we estimated intra-annual apparent survival of the White-lined Tanager (Tachyphonus rufus) using capture-mark-recapture data from northeastern Brazil. We tested whether survival varied seasonally (breeding vs. non-breeding), with rainfall, by age and residence status in our study area. Intra-annual apparent survival was correlated with the reproductive cycle, being lower during the breeding (0.65 ± 0.16 SE) vs. the non-breeding season (0.97 ± 0.05 SE). The annual apparent survival (~0.6) was relatively low for a tropical species. In both years, we observed highest abundance in spring (November, 3.1–3.7 birds/ha) and lowest abundance in autumn-winter periods (May-August, 1.1–1.4 bird/ha). The low survival during the breeding season probably reflects the trade-off between survival and reproduction and the cost of reproduction. Our findings represent an advance in the understanding of the demography of tropical birds because we did not find a predicted high annual apparent survival, and we elucidated some aspects of intra-annual variation in survival. Further exploration of latitudinal variation in demographic traits, especially in diverse, but poorly known habitats is needed to fully vet and develop life history theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propolis is a complex bioactive mixture produced by bees, known to have different biological activities, especially in countries where there is a rich biodiversity of plant species. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition and evaluate the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of Brazilian propolis from the species Plebeia droryana and Apis mellifera found in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. In the ethanolic extracts of P. droryana propolis (ExEP-P) and A. mellifera (ExEP-A) acids, phenolic compounds, terpenes and tocopherol were identified as major compounds. Both extracts presented antioxidant activity against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, the maximum activities being 500 μg/mL (ExEP-P) and 300 μg/mL (ExEP-A). However, only ExEP-A was able to inhibit lipid peroxidation induced by the oxidizing agent 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), which inhibited oxidative hemolysis and reduced the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in human erythrocytes for 4 h of incubation. The extracts also reduced the cell viability of the K562 erythroleukemia tumour line, with a predominance of necrotic death. Thus, it is concluded that the propolis produced by P. droryana and A. mellifera contain important compounds capable of minimizing the action of oxidizing substances in the organism and reducing the viability of erythroleukemia cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive species are one among many threats to biodiversity. Brazil has been spared, generically, of several destructive invasive species. Reports of invasive snakes’ populations are nonexistent, but the illegal pet trade might change this scenario. Despite the Brazilian laws forbid to import most animals, illegal trade is frequently observed and propagules are found in the wild. The high species richness within Brazilian biomes and accelerated fragmentation of natural reserves are a critical factors facilitating successful invasion. An efficient way to ease damages caused by invasive species is identifying potential invaders and consequent prevention of introductions. For the identification of potential invaders many factors need to be considered, including estimates of climate matching between areas (native vs. invaded). Ecological niche modelling has been widely used to predict potential areas for invasion and is an important tool for conservation biology. This study evaluates the potential geographical distribution and establishment risk of Lampropeltis getula (Linnaeus, 1766), Lampropeltis triangulum (Lacépède, 1789), Pantherophis guttatus (Linnaeus, 1766), Python bivittatus Kuhl, 1820 and Python regius (Shaw, 1802) through the Maximum Entropy modelling approach to estimate the potential distribution of the species within Brazil and qualitative evaluation of specific biological attributes. Our results suggest that the North and Midwest regions harbor major suitable areas. Furthermore, P. bivittatus and P. guttatus were suggested to have the highest invasive potential among the analyzed species. Potentially suitable areas for these species were predicted within areas which are highly relevant for Brazilian biodiversity, including several conservation units. Therefore, these areas require special attention and preventive measures should be adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal pollination can impact food security since many crops depend on pollinators to produce fruits and seeds. However, the effects of projected climate change on crop pollinators and therefore on crop production are still unclear, especially for wild pollinators and aggregate community responses. Using species distributional modeling, we assessed the effects of climate change on the geographic distribution of 95 pollinator species of 13 Brazilian crops, and we estimated their relative impacts on crop production. We described these effects at the municipality level, and we assessed the crops that were grown, the gross production volume of these crops, the total crop production value, and the number of inhabitants. Overall, considering all crop species, we found that the projected climate change will reduce the probability of pollinator occurrence by almost 0.13 by 2050. Our models predict that almost 90% of the municipalities analyzed will face species loss. Decreases in the pollinator occurrence probability varied from 0.08 (persimmon) to 0.25 (tomato) and will potentially affect 9% (mandarin) to 100% (sunflower) of the municipalities that produce each crop. Municipalities in central and southern Brazil will potentially face relatively large impacts on crop production due to pollinator loss. In contrast, some municipalities in northern Brazil, particularly in the northwestern Amazon, could potentially benefit from climate change because pollinators of some crops may increase. The decline in the probability of pollinator occurrence is found in a large number of municipalities with the lowest GDP and will also likely affect some places where crop production is high (20% to 90% of the GDP) and where the number of inhabitants is also high (more than 6 million people). Our study highlights key municipalities where crops are economically important and where pollinators will potentially face the worst conditions due to climate change. However, pollinators may be able to find new suitable areas that have the potential to improve crop production. The results shown here could guide policy decisions for adapting to climate change and for preventing the loss of pollinator species and crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of the MosqTent® trap was evaluated in endemic area to onchocerciasis in Brazil. This study seeks to provide subsidies for the monitoring of the onchocerciasis transmission in the country. The study was carried out at the Homoxi and Thirei villages, located in the Yanomami Indigenous Land, in the state of Roraima. This area presents hyperendemicity, high blackflies densities, large population migrations and mining activities. The Homoxi and Thirei villages are assisted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. To conduct the present study, the village leader, health leaders and the Brazilian Ethics Committee were consulted. Blackflies captures were carried out simultaneously at the Homoxi and Thirei, using systematized methods to allow for comparisons between the traditional Human Landing Catch (HLC) and HLC protected by the MosqTent®. The female blackflies were captured at two equidistant capture stations per locality, by two collectors per station, for five consecutive days. Individuals captured by interval/station/day were counted, identified and maintained at -20°C. The underlying probability distributions and the differences between the methods for the independent sample data were verified in a comparative statistical analysis between the use of the MosqTent® and the HLC. A total of 10,855 antropophilic blackflies were captured by both methodologies. A total of 7,367 (67.87%) blackflies belonging to seven species were captured by MosqTent® —Simulium incrustatum s.l (99.06%); S. guianense s.l (0.74%), S. oyapockense s.l (0.01%), S. exiguum (0.10%), S. metallicum (0.05%), S. ochraceum (0.03%) and S. minusculum s.l (0.01%). Moreover, 3,488 (32.14%) blackflies belonging to four species were captured by HLC—S. incrustatum s.l (98.33%); S. guianense s.l (1.38%), S. oyapockense s.l (0.26%) and S. metallicum (0.03%). The MosqTent® was more effective and efficient when compared to HLC. When comparing total blackflies captured/day, the MosqTent® was more efficient than HLC (p = 0.031) with a means of 799.4 blackflies/day versus 217.6 blackflies/day by HLC. The results demonstrated improved performance and high reliability of the MosqTent® compared to the traditional HLC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue infection plays a central role in our society, since it is the most prevalent vector-borne viral disease affecting humans. We statistically investigated patterns concerning the spatial spreading of dengue epidemics in Brazil, as well as their temporal evolution in all Brazilian municipalities for a period of 12 years. We showed that the distributions of cases in municipalities follow power laws persistent in time and that the infection scales linearly with the population of the municipalities. We also found that the average number of dengue cases does not have a clear dependence on the longitudinal position of municipalities. On the other hand, we found that the average distribution of cases varies with the latitudinal position of municipalities, displaying an almost constant growth from high latitudes until reaching the Tropic of Capricorn leveling to a plateau closer to the Equator. We also characterized the spatial correlation of the number of dengue cases between pairs of municipalities, where our results showed that the spatial correlation function decays with the increase of distance between municipalities, following a power-law with an exponential cut-off. This regime leads to a typical dengue traveling distance. Finally, we considered modeling this last behaviour within the framework of a Edwards-Wilkinson equation with a fractional derivative on space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Providing HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) to men who attend their partner's prenatal care is an intervention with potential to reduce HIV transmission to women and infants during the vulnerable period of pregnancy. Little is known about the acceptability of this intervention in global settings outside of Africa. Methods: We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews to evaluate potential barriers and facilitators to prenatal care attendance for HIV VCT with 20 men who did and 15 men who did not attend prenatal care with their partners at Hospital Conceiçao in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Men were recruited at the labor and delivery unit at Hospital Conceiçao via a scripted invitation while visiting their newborn infant. Interviews lasted from 35–55 minutes and were conducted in Portuguese by a local resident trained extensively in qualitative methods. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, translated, and then analyzed using Atlast.ti software. An analysis of themes was then conducted using direct quotes and statements. We applied and adapted the AIDS Risk Reduction Theoretical Model and HIV Testing Decisions Model to the qualitative data to identify themes in the 35 interviews. Results: If offered HIV testing during prenatal care, all men in both groups stated they would accept this intervention. Yet, individual, relationship and systemic factors were identified that affect these Brazilian men's decision to attend prenatal care, informing our final conceptual model. The men interviewed had a general understanding of the value of HIV prevention of mother to child transmission. They also described open and communicative relationships with their significant others and displayed a high level of enthusiasm towards optimizing the health of their expanding family. The major barriers to attending prenatal care included perceived stigma against HIV infected individuals, men’s lack of involvement in planning of the pregnancy as well as inconvenient scheduling of prenatal care, due to conflicting work schedules. Conclusions: Brazilian men displayed high levels of HIV-related knowledge as well as open communication about HIV testing; especially when compared to findings from African studies. Future efforts should reorient prenatal care towards providing care to the entire family with a clear focus on protecting the infant from preventable diseases. Formally inviting men to prenatal care and providing them an acceptable medical excuse from work may enhance male involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 80% of available malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are based on the detection of histidine-rich protein-2 (PfHRP2) for diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Recent studies have shown the genes that code for this protein and its paralog, histidine-rich protein-3 (PfHRP3), are absent in parasites from the Peruvian Amazon Basin. Lack of PfHRP2 protein through deletion of the pfhrp2 gene leads to false-negative RDT results for P. falciparum. We have evaluated the extent of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene deletions in a convenience sample of 198 isolates from six sites in three states across the Brazilian Amazon Basin (Acre, Rondonia and Para) and 25 isolates from two sites in Bolivia collected at different times between 2010 and 2012. Pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene and their flanking genes on chromosomes 7 and 13, respectively, were amplified from 198 blood specimens collected in Brazil. In Brazil, the isolates collected in Acre state, located in the western part of the Brazilian Amazon, had the highest percentage of deletions for pfhrp2 25 (31.2%) of 79, while among those collected in Rondonia, the prevalence of pfhrp2 gene deletion was only 3.3% (2 out of 60 patients). In isolates from Para state, all parasites were pfhrp2-positive. In contrast, we detected high proportions of isolates from all 3 states that were pfhrp3-negative ranging from 18.3% (11 out of 60 samples) to 50.9% (30 out of 59 samples). In Bolivia, only one of 25 samples (4%) tested had deleted pfhrp2 gene, while 68% (17 out of 25 samples) were pfhrp3-negative. Among the isolates tested, P. falciparum pfhrp2 gene deletions were present mainly in those from Acre State in the Brazilian Amazon. These results indicate it is important to reconsider the use of PfHRP2-based RDTs in the western region of the Brazilian Amazon and to implement appropriate surveillance systems to monitor pfhrp2 gene deletions in this and other parts of the Amazon region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudofrenelopsis and Brachyphyllum are two conifers that were part of the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) taphoflora of the Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. The former genus includes, so far, P. capillata and indeterminate species, whilst the latter is mainly represented by B. obesum, the most common plant megafossil recovered from that stratigraphic unit. Here, the stem and leaf anatomy of Pseudofrenelopsis sp. and B. obesum specimens is revisited, including the first report of some epidermal and vascular traits for both taxa from the Crato Formation. Along with its paleoecological significance, the new data suggest the presence of more than one Pseudofrenelopsis species in the Aptian taphoflora of the Araripe Basin and further support the taxonomic placement of B. obesum within Araucariaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyze the factors associated with the occurrence of pregnancies after the diagnosis of infection by HIV. Methods: Cross-sectional study with women of a reproductive age living with HIV/AIDS cared for in the public services of the city of Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil. The data was analyzed from a comparison between two groups: women with and women without pregnancies after the diagnosis of HIV. Poisson regression models were used to estimate the reasons of prevalence (RP). Results: The occurrence of pregnancies after the diagnosis of HIV is associated with a lower level of education (RP adjusted = 1.31; IC95%: 1.03–1.66), non-use of condoms in the first sexual intercourse (RP = 1.32; IC95%: 1.02–1.70), being 20 years old or less when diagnosed with HIV (RP = 3.48; IC95%: 2.02–6.01), and experience of violence related to the diagnosis of HIV (RP = 1.28; IC95%: 1.06–1.56). Conclusions: The occurrence of pregnancies after the diagnosis of infection by HIV does not indicate the exercise of the reproductive rights of the women living with HIV/AIDS because these pregnancies occurred in contexts of great vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the home range size, habitat selection, as well as the spatial and activity overlap, of four mid-sized carnivore species in the Central Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. From December 2005 to September 2008, seven crab-eating foxes Cerdocyon thous, seven brown-nosed coatis Nasua nasua, and six ocelots Leopardus pardalis were radio-collared and monitored. Camera trap data on these species were also collected for the crab-eating raccoon Procyon cancrivorus. We hypothesized that there would be large niche differentiation in preferred habitat-type or active period between generalist species with similar diet, and higher similarity in habitat-type or activity time between the generalist species (crab-eating foxes and coatis) and the more specialized ocelot. Individual home ranges were estimated using the utilization distribution index (UD– 95% fixed Kernel). With data obtained from radio-collared individuals, we evaluated habitat selection using compositional analysis. Median home range size of ocelots was 8 km2. The proportion of habitats within the home ranges of ocelots did not differ from the overall habitat proportion in the study area, but ocelots preferentially used forest within their home range. The median home range size of crab-eating foxes was 1.4 km2. Foxes showed second-order habitat selection and selected savanna over shrub-savanna vegetation. The median home range size for coati was 1.5 km2. Coati home ranges were located randomly in the study area. However, within their home range, coatis occurred more frequently in savanna than in other vegetation types. Among the four species, the overlap in activity period was the highest (87%) between ocelots and raccoons, with the least overlap occurring between the ocelot and coati (25%). We suggest that temporal segregation of carnivores was more important than spatial segregation, notably between the generalist coati, crab-eating fox and crab-eating raccoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing trophic networks is fundamental to many questions in ecology, but this typically requires painstaking efforts, especially to identify the diet of small generalist predators. Several attempts have been devoted to develop suitable molecular tools to determine predatory trophic interactions through gut content analysis, and the challenge has been to achieve simultaneously high taxonomic breadth and resolution. General and practical methods are still needed, preferably independent of PCR amplification of barcodes, to recover a broader range of interactions. Here we applied shotgun-sequencing of the DNA from arthropod predator gut contents, extracted from four common coccinellid and dermapteran predators co-occurring in an agroecosystem in Brazil. By matching unassembled reads against six DNA reference databases obtained from public databases and newly assembled mitogenomes, and filtering for high overlap length and identity, we identified prey and other foreign DNA in the predator guts. Good taxonomic breadth and resolution was achieved (93% of prey identified to species or genus), but with low recovery of matching reads. Two to nine trophic interactions were found for these predators, some of which were only inferred by the presence of parasitoids and components of the microbiome known to be associated with aphid prey. Intraguild predation was also found, including among closely related ladybird species. Uncertainty arises from the lack of comprehensive reference databases and reliance on low numbers of matching reads accentuating the risk of false positives. We discuss caveats and some future prospects that could improve the use of direct DNA shotgun-sequencing to characterize arthropod trophic networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) epidemic in Brazil is mainly driven by the subtype B pandemic lineage (BPANDEMIC), while Caribbean non-pandemic subtype B clades (BCAR) seem to account for a very low fraction of HIV-infections in this country. The molecular characteristics of the HIV-1 subtype B strains disseminated in the Northern and Northeastern Brazilian regions, however, have not been explored so far. In this study, we estimate the prevalence of the HIV-1 BPANDEMIC and BCAR clades across different Brazilian regions and we reconstruct the spatiotemporal dynamics of dissemination of the major Brazilian BCAR clades. A total of 2,682 HIV-1 subtype B pol sequences collected from 21 different Brazilian states from the five country regions between 1998 and 2013 were analyzed. Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses revealed that the BCAR strains reached 16 out 21 Brazilian states here analyzed. The BCAR clades comprise a low fraction (<10%) of subtype B infections in most Brazilian states analyzed, with exception of Roraima (41%), Amazonas (14%) and Maranhão (14%). Bayesian phylogeographic analyses indicate that BCAR strains originally from the Hispaniola and Trinidad and Tobago were introduced at multiple times into different states from all Brazilian regions and a few of those strains, probably introduced into Roraima, Maranhão and São Paulo between the late 1970s and the early 1980s, established secondary outbreaks in the Brazilian population. These results support that the HIV-1 subtype B epidemics in some Brazilian states from the Northern and Northeastern regions display a unique molecular pattern characterized by the high prevalence of BCAR lineages, which probably reflects a strong epidemiological link with the HIV-1 epidemics in the Caribbean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk of exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) compared with the general population. This study aims to assess the epidemiological and virological characteristics of HBV infection in a sample of MSM in Brazil, where data are scarce. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among MSM in the City of Goiânia, Central Brazil, from March to November 2014, using Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS). After signing the consent form, participants were interviewed and a blood sample collected. All samples were tested for HBV serological markers and HBV DNA. HBV nucleotide sequence analysis was also performed. Results: A total of 522 MSM were recruited in the study. The prevalence of HBV infection (current or past [presence of anti-HBc marker]) was 15.4% (95% CI: 8.7–25.8) and the rate of HBsAg carriers was 0.6% (95% CI: 0.2–1.6). About 40% (95% CI: 32.3–48.8) of the participants had serological evidence of previous HBV vaccination (reactive for isolated anti-HBs). In addition, 44.3% (95% CI: 36.1–52.9) were seronegative for all HBV markers. Age over 25 years old, receptive anal intercourse, previous sex with women, and history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were factors associated with HBV infection. HBV DNA was detected only in HBsAg-positive individuals. HBV isolates were classified into genotype A (subgenotypes A1 and A2), and some mutations were identified throughout the genome. Therefore, occult HBV infection was not observed in the study population. Conclusions: Public health strategies should be improved for the MSM population in order to prevent HBV and other STIs, as well as to provide appropriate management of patients with active infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis found worldwide. Its incidence has increased in Brazil in recent years, representing a serious public and animal health problem. The strategies applied in Brazil are questionable and are not sufficient to control the disease. Thus, we have compared the efficacy of some of the currently available strategies focused on dogs to prevent and control zoonotic VL in endemic areas by optimizing a mathematical model. The simulations showed that the elimination of seropositive dogs, the use of insecticide-impregnated dog collars, and the vaccination of dogs significantly contribute to reducing the prevalence of infection in both canines and humans. The use of insecticide-impregnated collars presented the highest level of efficacy mainly because it directly affected the force of infection and vector-dog contact. In addition, when used at a coverage rate of 90%, insecticide-impregnated collar was able to decrease the prevalence of seropositive dogs and humans to zero; moreover, because of the easy application and acceptance by the targeted population, these collars may be considered the most feasible for inclusion in public policies among the three simulated measures. Vaccination and euthanasia were efficacious, but the latter method is strongly criticized on ethical grounds, and both methods present difficulties for inclusion in public policies. When we compared the use of euthanasia and vaccination at coverages of 70 and 90%, respectively, the proportion of infected populations were similar. However, on evaluating the implications of both of these methods, particularly the negative aspects of culling dogs and the proportion of animals protected by vaccination, the latter measure appears to be the better option if the total cost is not significantly higher. The comparison of complications and advantages of different control strategies allows us to analyze the optimal measure and offer strategies to veterinary and public health authorities for making decisions to prevent and control zoonotic VL. Hence, improvements in both public and animal health can be achieved in regions with scenarios similar to that considered in the present study; such scenarios are characteristically found in some areas of Brazil and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida albicans caused 44% of the overall candidemia episodes from 2006 to 2010 in our university tertiary care hospital. As different antifungal agents are used in therapy and also immunocompromised patients receive fluconazole prophylaxis in our institution, this study aimed to perform an antifungal susceptibility surveillance with the C.albicans bloodstream isolates and to characterize the fluconazole resistance in 2 non-blood C.albicans isolates by sequencing ERG11 gene. The study included 147 C. albicans bloodstream samples and 2 fluconazole resistant isolates: one from oral cavity (LIF 12560 fluconazole MIC: 8μg/mL) and one from esophageal cavity (LIF-E10 fluconazole MIC: 64μg/mL) of two different patients previously treated with oral fluconazole. The in vitro antifungal susceptibility to amphotericin B (AMB), 5-flucytosine (5FC), fluconazole (FLC), itraconazole (ITC), voriconazole (VRC), caspofungin (CASP) was performed by broth microdilution methodology recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute documents (M27-A3 and M27-S4, CLSI). All blood isolates were classified as susceptible according to CLSI guidelines for all evaluated antifungal agents (MIC range: 0,125–1.00 μg/mL for AMB, ≤0.125–1.00 μg/mL for 5FC, ≤0.125–0.5 μg/mL for FLC, ≤0.015–0.125 μg/mL for ITC, ≤0.015–0.06 μg/mL for VRC and ≤0.015–0.125 μg/mL for CASP). In this study, we also amplified and sequenced the ERG11 gene of LIF 12560 and LIF-E10 C.albicans isolates. Six mutations encoding distinct amino acid substitutions were found (E116D, T128K, E266D, A298V, G448V and G464S) and these mutations were previously described as associated with fluconazole resistance. Despite the large consumption of antifungals in our institution, resistant blood isolates were not found over the trial period. Further studies should be conducted, but it may be that the very prolonged direct contact with the oral antifungal agent administered to the patient from which was isolated LIF E-10, may have contributed to the development of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]