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Altamira possui apenas 44,3% de vias públicas arborizadas, pouco para um dos componentes fundamentais na regulação do clima, na conservação da qualidade do ar e na promoção da saúde e bem-estar da população. Diante do crescimento acelerado no município, culminado com a implementação de um grande empreendimento local, teve como consequência a supressão de grandes áreas florestais e o surgimento de cinco novos bairros planejados, contudo seu projeto de arborização é desconhecido por parte da população. Quais espécies foram plantadas? São adequadas para o local? Poderão causar algum dano nas estruturas das casas, calçadas, ruas, rede elétrica, rede de águas pluviais e esgoto? O objetivo do estudo é inventariar e avaliar as espécies arbóreas existentes nos Reassentamentos Urbano Coletivo em Altamira-PA, a fim de obter subsídios para avaliar os parâmetros qualitativos e quantitativos da arborização, bem como acompanhar o processo de podas, plantio, remoção. Foi realizado o inventário florístico do tipo censo das plantas com hábitos arbustivo e/ou arbóreo, percorrendo todas as ruas dos cinco RUCs, no período de maio a setembro.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) regulate metabolism and energy balance by mediating physiological and behavioural responses to stress. Vertebrates respond to environmental challenges by increasing GC levels, which mediate the reallocation of resources from delayable activities such as reproduction to immediate survival necessities. However, when future reproductive potential is low, it has been hypothesized (and evidenced in a few semelparous species) that stress should adaptively promote reproduction rather than suppress it, even at the expense of wellbeing. Due to their unique life cycle and particular habitat, annual fishes (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheiloidei) are ideal unexplored model systems to test the prediction that GCs promote reproduction. Annual fishes are among the most remarkable extremophile species with the shortest vertebrate life span. They inhabit ephemeral ponds, and after reaching sexual maturity in few weeks, they breed continuously. As the breeding season progresses, and pond dry-out is imminent, future mating opportunities decrease together with the impoverishment of environmental conditions. In this study, we evaluate, for the first time in annual fishes, how reproduction is affected by high GC levels. We first show that male Austrolebias reicherti increase their cortisol levels as the breeding season progresses and environmental conditions deteriorate in the wild. Furthermore, increased cortisol levels in males were associated with increases in female gonadosomatic (GSI) and hepatosomatic (HSI) indices and a decrease in male HSI. Secondly, we show that cortisol treatment induces (1) an increase in male courtship behaviour and in the intensity of male typical coloration, (2) a weight loss in males and (3) an increase in female HSI. Overall, we demonstrate that cortisol promotes reproduction in both sexes of A. reicherti with sexually distinct effects, representing a clear exception to the traditional role of the stress response impairing reproduction.

Millerichthys robustus is the only annual killifish distributed in America with phenotypic color variations, not yet described. Accordingly, we first describe the color pattern in both sexes to define its phenotypical variations. We then analyze the frequency of these phenotypes on a geographical scale, in four localities that represent opposite points of Millerichthys’s distribution in the Mexican southeast. Color analysis based on the RGB system allowed us to define five-color phenotypes in males continuously distributed in various perceptual units between two extreme colors (yellow-red): yellow, moderate orange, dark orange, strong orange and red. These color patterns found in M. robustus could be attributed to melanin, carotenoid, and pteridine pigments. The orange phenotypes was present in all localities studied. The yellow phenotype was present only in northeastern and northwestern locations, and the red phenotype was present only in northern populations. Female color variations were observed in the number of ocelli (from 1 to 15) at the base of the caudal peduncle and dorsal region. Ocelli have been associated with anti-predator functions because they resemble the eyes of vertebrates, thus shifting the target of predator attacks to less vital body parts. Females with 3 ocelli were the most frequent phenotype, and females with 13–15 ocelli occurred only in the northern populations. We concluded that male and female of M. robustus are not randomly distributed along their distribution range, which suggest that color phenotypes may react differently to biotic and abiotic factors that probably determine their distribution and frequency within the studied population.

In the classic theory of sexual roles, females are more careful in their choice of a mate because their reproductive investment is relatively higher. However, increasing evidence shows that males c...

While the importance of male mate choice is increasingly recognized, it continues to be an understudied aspect of sexual selection. Here, the effect of female body size on male mate choice was evaluated in the annual killifish Austrolebias reicherti, a species with marked sexual dimorphism in which males are more conspicuous than females. In dual-choice mate choice trials with unequal sized females we found that males spent significantly more time with larger females. Furthermore, larger females spawned more and larger eggs when spawning was allowed in non-choice trials. Therefore, male selection is probably attributable to the higher reproductive success of larger females. To our knowledge, this is the first study that provides evidence of both male mate choice in annual fishes and its possible fitness advantages. The implications of male mate choice for sexual selection in these fish highlight the need for further studies.

Lead zirconatetitanate solid solutions, Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 – PZT, are widely recognized for representing a special group of ferroelectric materials with various potential applications in electroceramics and (micro)electronic devices. The PZT ceramics is produced by solid state reaction (conventional route) and temperatures frequently above 1200 °C. As a consequence, the cost of ceramic product is expensive. Herein, we present the synthesis and processing conditions of PZT52/48 (x = 0.48) ceramics in which it was possible to lower the sintering temperature down to around 900°C. We have applied a route for PZT52/48 obtaining ferroelectric ceramics through sintering of nanometric powders prepared by the polymeric precursor synthesis method (modified Pechini’s method). The sintering was achieved with a temperature of 900ºC for 2 hours and the samples got 96% of their theoretical density and 1.3 mm mean grain size. The electrical permittivity of the ceramic plates, studied by impedance spectroscopy, presented Curie temperature around 390 ºC. Ferroelectric hysteresis measurements revealed that the remnant polarization is 3.2 μC/cm2 and coercive field is 10 kV/cm at 60 Hz. All results and characterizations have shown that the PZT samples obtained with the polymeric route are efficient as the ones prepared in the conventional SSR protocol. RESUMO As soluções sólidas de titanato de zirconato de chumbo, Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 – PZT, são amplamente reconhecidas por representar um grupo especial de materiais ferroelétricos com várias aplicações potenciais em eletro-cerâmica e (micro) dispositivos eletrônicos. A cerâmica PZT é produzida por reação em estado sólido (via convencional) e temperaturas frequentemente acima de 1200 °C. Como conseqüência, o custo do produto cerâmico é caro. Apresentamos aqui as condições de síntese e processamento da cerâmica PZT 52/48 (x = 0,48), na qual foi possível reduzir a temperatura de sinterização para cerca de 900 ° C. Aplicamos uma rota para a obtenção de cerâmica ferroelétrica PZT52/48 através da sinterização de pós nanométricos preparados pelo método de síntese de precursores poliméricos (método de Pechini modificado). A sinterização foi realizada a uma temperatura de 900ºC por 2 horas e as amostras obtiveram 96% de sua densidade teórica e tamanho médio de grão de 1,3 µm. A permissividade elétrica das cerâmicas, estudada por espectroscopia de impedância, apresentou temperatura de Curie em torno de 390 ºC. As curvas da histerese ferroelétrica revelaram que a polarização remanescente é de 3,2 μC/cm2 e o campo coercitivo é de 10 kV/cm a 60 Hz. Todos os resultados e caracterizações mostraram que as amostras de PZT obtidas com a via polimérica são eficientes como as preparadas no protocolo SSR convencional.

Olfactory abilities to discriminate conspecifics can be determinant to prevent hybridization between closely-related species in many taxa. Annual killifish Austrolebias reicherti and A. charrua are sister species inhabiting temporary ponds within Eastern Wetlands of Uruguay with an overlapping area in their distributions. Herein, we assess species recognition sensory abilities in females of A. reicherti in classic dual-choice tests. We exposed two different groups of females, one to olfactory but not visual cues, and the other to visual but not olfactory cues, from conspecific and heterospecific A. charrua males. Austrolebias reicherti females preferred conspecific males when based solely on olfactory cues, and showed no discrimination when exposed to visual traits only. Austrolebias inhabit shallow, muddy and highly turbid ponds that may promote the use of non-visual cues. Although preliminary, the results of this study suggest the importance of chemical communication in species mate recognition in A. reicherti and points annual fishes as a promising model to study the role of mate choice in reproductive isolation and speciation.

Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência da periodontite em pacientes portadores de doença isquêmica do coração (DIC) no Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal da Bahia (HUPES). Materiaisemétodos: A profundidade de sonda- gem (PS) foi realizada em seis sítios de todos os dentes presentes, por um periodontista calibrado (kappa > 0,9) em 131 indivíduos (75 homens 56 mu- lheres) na faixa etária de 35 a 99 anos. Periodontite foi considerada presente quando houve perda do nível de inserção clínica (PNIC) ³ 4 mm associada à PS ³ 4 mm em pelo menos quatro sítios em dentes diferentes. Os registros de sexo, idade, etnia, estado civil, tabagismo, frequência de escovação dental, sedentarismo, dislipidemia, hipertensão, insuficiência cardíaca congestiva (ICC), diabetes mellitus (DM), índice de placa (IPL) e índice gengival (IG) foram coletados. Resultados: A população de estudo (N=135) apresentou taxa de edentulismo total de 2,9% (N = 4). Dos 131 pacientes dentados, 73 (55,7 %) apresentaram periodontite. Houve associação positiva significativa entre periodontite e ICC, IPL e IG (p

Background: Paravalvular regurgitation (paravalvular leak) is a serious and rare complication associated with valve replacement surgery. Studies have shown a 3% to 6% incidence of paravalvular regurgitation with hemodynamic repercussion. Few studies have compared surgical and percutaneous approaches for repair. Objectives: To compare the surgical and percutaneous approaches for paravalvular regurgitation repair regarding clinical outcomes during hospitalization and one year after the procedure. Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive and observational study that included 35 patients with paravalvular leak, requiring repair, and followed up at the Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology between January 2011 and December 2013. Patients were divided into groups according to the established treatment and followed up for 1 year after the procedure. Results: The group submitted to percutaneous treatment was considered to be at higher risk for complications because of the older age of patients, higher prevalence of diabetes, greater number of previous valve surgeries and lower mean creatinine clearance value. During hospitalization, both groups had a large number of complications (74.3% of cases), with no statistical difference in the analyzed outcomes. After 1 year, the percutaneous group had a greater number of re-interventions (8.7% vs 20%, p = 0.57) and a higher mortality rate (0% vs. 20%, p = 0.08). A high incidence of residual mitral leak was observed after the percutaneous procedure (8.7% vs. 50%, p = 0.08). Conclusion: Surgery is the treatment of choice for paravalvular regurgitation. The percutaneous approach can be an alternative for patients at high surgical risk. Resumo Fundamento: Regurgitação ou escape paravalvar é uma complicação grave e incomum associada ao implante de prótese valvar. Estudos mostram incidência de 3% a 6% com repercussão hemodinâmica. Existem poucos estudos na literatura que comparam as abordagens cirúrgica e percutânea para sua correção. Objetivos: Comparar as abordagens cirúrgica e percutânea de correção da regurgitação paravalvar quanto a desfechos clínicos durante a internação e após 1 ano do procedimento. Métodos: Este é um estudo retrospectivo, descritivo e observacional, que incluiu 35 pacientes com escape paravalvar acompanhados no Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia entre janeiro de 2011 e dezembro de 2013 e que necessitaram de correção. Os pacientes foram divididos de acordo com o tratamento estabelecido e acompanhados por um período 1 ano após o procedimento. Resultados: O grupo submetido ao tratamento percutâneo foi considerado como de maior risco para complicações por apresentar pacientes mais idosos, com maior prevalência de diabetes, maior quantidade de cirurgias valvares prévias e menor valor médio de clearance de creatinina. Durante a evolução intra-hospitalar, observou-se grande número de complicações nos dois grupos (74,3% dos casos), sem diferença estatística nos desfechos analisados. Após 1 ano, o grupo percutâneo teve maior número de reintervenções (8,7% vs. 20%, p = 0,57) e mortalidade maior (0% vs. 20%, p = 0,08). Uma alta incidência de escape residual mitral foi verificada após procedimento percutâneo (8,7% vs. 50%, p = 0,08). Conclusão: A cirurgia é o tratamento de escolha da regurgitação paravalvar. A abordagem percutânea pode ser uma alternativa para os pacientes com risco cirúrgico elevado.