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Simple Summary: Parrot bornavirus (PaBV) causes Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD), a fatal neurological disorder in Psittaciformes. Its diversity in South America is poorly known. We detected the first case of a genotype 2 (PaBV-2) infection in Cacatua galerita in Brazil, which presented severe neuropathies and PDD. Evolutionary analysis estimated a potential Brazilian (or South American) ancestor as the origin of this genotype and possibly other genotypes of the Orthobornavirus alphapsittaciforme species. Additionally, a progressive decline in the size of the effective population was observed, which could be related to various factors, such as biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruption. The emergence or reemergence of PaBVs related to ancestral strains in Brazil and South America is a matter of concern, as the spread of these viruses poses a risk to bird biodiversity and endangered species. These results underscore the need for surveillance studies in this region. Parrot bornavirus (PaBV) is an RNA virus that causes Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD), neurological disorders, and death in Psittaciformes. Its diversity in South America is poorly known. We examined a Cacatua galerita presenting neuropathies, PDD, and oculopathies as the main signs. We detected PaBV through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and partial sequencing of the nucleoprotein (N) and matrix (M) genes. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inferences classified it as PaBV-2. The nucleotide identity of the sequenced strain ranged from 88.3% to 90.3% against genotype PaBV-2 and from 80.2% to 84.4% against other genotypes. Selective pressure analysis detected signs of episodic diversifying selection in both the N and M genes. No recombination events were detected. Phylodynamic analysis estimated the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) as the year 1758 for genotype PaBV-2 and the year 1049 for the Orthobornavirus alphapsittaciforme species. Substitution rates were estimated at 2.73 × 10−4 and 4.08 × 10−4 substitutions per year per site for N and M, respectively. The analysis of population dynamics showed a progressive decline in the effective population size during the last century. Timescale phylogeographic analysis revealed a potential South American ancestor as the origin of genotypes 1, 2, and 8. These results contribute to our knowledge of the evolutionary origin, diversity, and dynamics of PaBVs in South America and the world. Additionally, it highlights the importance of further studies in captive Psittaciformes and the potential impact on endangered wild birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vast areas of lowland neotropical forest have regenerated after initially being cleared for agricultural purposes. The ecological value of regenerating second growth to forest-dwelling birds may largely depend on the age of the forest, associated vegetative structure, and when it is capable of sustaining avian demographics similar to those found in pristine forest. Methods: To determine the influence of second growth age on bird demography, we estimated the annual survival of six central Amazonian bird species residing in pristine forest, a single 100 and a single 10 ha forest fragment, taking into consideration age of the surrounding matrix (i.e. regenerating forest adjacent to each fragment) as an explanatory variable. Results: Study species exhibited three responses: arboreal, flocking and ant-following insectivores (Willisornis poecilinotus, Thamnomanes ardesiacus and Pithys albifrons) showed declines in survival associated with fragmentation followed by an increase in survival after 5 years of matrix regeneration. Conversely, Percnostola rufifrons, a gap-specialist, showed elevated survival in response to fragmentation followed by a decline after 5 years of regeneration. Lastly, facultative flocking and frugivore species (Glyphorynchus spirurus and Dixiphia pipra, respectively) showed no response to adjacent clearing and subsequent regeneration. Conclusions: Our results in association with previous studies confirm that the value of regenerating forest surrounding habitat patches is dependent on two factors: ecological guild of the species in question and second growth age. Given the rapid increase in survival following succession, we suggest that the ecological value of young tropical forest should not be based solely on a contemporary snapshot, but rather, on the future value of mature second growth as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land clearing, low levels of protection, and high biodiversity make the Brazilian Cerrado a hotspot for biological conservation. However, one of the most active agricultural frontiers in Brazil is located in this region. We thus aimed to evaluate the current trends of deforestation and fragmentation of the Cerrado, from 1986 to 2019; and the contribution of land tenure and farm size to the Cerrado conservation. We divided the Cerrado (∼2 Mkm 2 ) into three sub-regions and calculated the distribution and size of the fragments; core areas and edge distance; isolation and importance of the smallest fragments for reducing isolation; and connectivity for the years 1986, 1997, 2008, and 2019. We then evaluated vegetation cover and landscape metrics for public lands and private farms. Since 1986, 22 % of the Cerrado's remnant vegetation was cleared and the number of fragments increased by 20 %. Currently, 10 % of the Cerrado vegetation is under the effect of a 30 m edge. Isolation increased in all the sub-regions and smaller fragments (>100 ha) are important for landscape configuration. 10.82 % of the vegetation is preserved in public lands and 57.9 % in private farms, where 377,901.5 km 2 could be legally cleared. Compared to other Brazilian regions, the northern Cerrado is relatively well connected and less fragmented but land clearing still threatens biodiversity. Public lands are important for connectivity and habitat amount but play a minor role when compared to private lands. Our results highlight that avoiding further land clearing of the Cerrado is a challenge that requires the engagement of different stakeholders at different levels., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This article will discuss the challenges of psychodynamic work in health care organizations, through exploring shifts around the idea of death faced in western societies—and relating them to unconscious cultures and defences erected against the fear of death and fear of annihilation in medical organizations. It will also present the vicissitudes of an inpatient group analytic group conducted in the cardiology ward of a general hospital in Brazil, and introduce discussion on the presence of a ‘ghost matrix’ in these traumatized, regressed and haunted settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Tropical forest mammal assemblages are widely affected by the twin effects of habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. We evaluated the effects of forest patch metrics, habitat structure, age of patch isolation, and landscape metrics on the species richness, abundance and composition of small mammals at 23 forest fragments (ranging in size from 43 to 7,035 ha) in a highly deforested 3,609-km landscape of southwestern Brazilian Amazonia. Using pitfall traps and both terrestrial and arboreal traplines of Sherman, Tomahawk and snap traps, we captured a total of 844 individuals over 34,900 trap-nights representing 26 species and 20 genera of small-mammals, including 13 rodent and 13 marsupial species. We also consider the effects of distance from forest edges on species occupancy and abundance. Overall small mammal abundance, species richness and species composition were primarily affected by the quality of the open-habitat matrix of cattle pastures, rather than by patch metrics such as fragment size. Ultimately, small mammal community structure was determined by a combination of both landscape- and patch-scale variables. Knowledge of the anthropogenic factors that govern small mammal community structure is of critical importance for managing the persistence of forest vertebrates in increasingly fragmented neotropical forest landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The matrix-tolerance hypothesis suggests that the most abundant species in the inter-habitat matrix would be less vulnerable to their habitat fragmentation. This model was tested with leaf-litter frogs in the Atlantic Forest where the fragmentation process is older and more severe than in the Amazon, where the model was first developed. Frog abundance data from the agricultural matrix, forest fragments and continuous forest localities were used. We found an expected negative correlation between the abundance of frogs in the matrix and their vulnerability to fragmentation, however, results varied with fragment size and species traits. Smaller fragments exhibited stronger matrix-vulnerability correlation than intermediate fragments, while no significant relation was observed for large fragments. Moreover, some species that avoid the matrix were not sensitive to a decrease in the patch size, and the opposite was also true, indicating significant differences with that expected from the model. Most of the species that use the matrix were forest species with aquatic larvae development, but those species do not necessarily respond to fragmentation or fragment size, and thus affect more intensively the strengthen of the expected relationship. Therefore, the main relationship expected by the matrix-tolerance hypothesis was observed in the Atlantic Forest; however we noted that the prediction of this hypothesis can be substantially affected by the size of the fragments, and by species traits. We propose that matrix-tolerance model should be broadened to become a more effective model, including other patch characteristics, particularly fragment size, and individual species traits (e.g., reproductive mode and habitat preference). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Habitat loss and fragmentation are global conservation concerns, but animal species do not respond to these threats in the same manner. At the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), located 80km north of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, the distribution and persistence of six native primate species differ among fragments that were isolated in 1980s. We identified both landscape and species characteristics predicting the presence of primates in these forest fragments. Fragment size positively and distance to nearest forested area negatively predicted primate species richness in the fragments; however, these relationships were not straightforward because these two variables were correlated. The proportion of fruit in a species’ diet was the most important factor predicting its presence in the forest fragments, with species relying primarily on frugivory faring poorly. Home range size was the second-best predictor of a species’ presence; however, some species with large home ranges were present in the 10-ha forest fragments. The extent to which the individual primate species traveled in and out of the fragments varied, suggesting that further research is necessary to determine the primary factors that lead to the animals’ use of the matrix. We conclude that in addition to conserving large tracts of habitat, reducing the isolation of the forest fragments through the creation of forest corridors and through the presence of additional forest fragments within the agricultural matrix may increase animal movement across the landscape. Such changes to the matrix may be critical for those species that do not readily traverse non-forested areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mammal abundance, richness, and community structure were examined in fragments of savannah and in gallery forests of south-western Brazil in order to assess the influence of fragment size and habitat on the communities. Five savannah fragments and two gallery forests were sampled. Within the savannah fragments, environmental parameters such as tree and shrub densities were measured. Live-traps and pitfalls were used for trapping small mammals; larger mammals were recorded from footprints and sightings. Seventeen species of small mammal and 15 species of large mammal were recorded. Small mammals were affected by fragment size and isolation, whereas larger mammals were not. Communities of small mammals were better structured in the largest fragments, and those in smaller fragments were subsets of the communities in larger fragments. Gallery forests revealed a rather different assemblage of mammals, but also contained species common to both gallery and large savannah remnants. Data are discussed relating mammal community structure to area size and vegetation structure, in an attempt to understand the present conservation status of this fragmented landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has the objective to present the methodological procedure use to obtain Brazilian Social Accounting Matrix for the year of 2005. The data sources were the Table of the Use of Resources and the Integrated Economics Accountings for institutional sectors, elaborated by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) (Brazilian Institute of Geographic and Statistics). The matrix was obtained with 122 accounts that were compatible with National Accounts. To have a conclusion on the multipliers accountings, that were used to estimate a 10 per cent increase impact, on the final demand for as investment of the civil construction, over the increase of tributes on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and family consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information Technologies represent a primary instrument in all types of organizations. However, their use is not always well planned in the public sector. The research proposes a methodology to build a realistic action plan that improves the use of information technology and its governance in public organizations. We conduct a case study using semi-structured interviews to investigate the different views of 8 decision-makers regarding the use of IT and its governance. The findings were analyzed systematically and synthesized into a set of perspectives on the subject. An interference matrix reveals how each view interferes and receives positive and/or negative interference from the others. Based on the matrix, the methodology applies criteria to prioritize the perspectives with the highest potential to improve the use of IT and its governance. The final product of the methodology is an action plan aligned with the vision of the institution's decision-makers. The plan requires little effort to improve the use of IT and its governance. Seventeen views related to the use of IT and its governance emerged from the interviews. Four views that do not cause or receive harmful interference from other perspectives were selected to guide the plan elaboration. The methodology proved to be efficient for creating an action plan adapted to the institutional reality. According to the managers, the action plan represents with high precision the most urgent needs of the organization, respecting its work capacity and available resources for a project to improve the use of IT and its governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]