Search

The purpose of this study is to understand institutional violence (IV) in the relationships between health professionals, hospitalized children, and family members. This is a qualitative study developed at the pediatric inpatient unit of a university hospital in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The research participants consisted of 39 health professionals who specialized in pediatrics and 10 family members of hospitalized children. Semi‐structured interviews were the method used for data collection. Using discourse analysis as a basis and taking a Foucauldian perspective, the researchers observed that the expressions of IV could be traced to abusive power relations within the system. We found four discursive forms within the data set: communication problems as IV, violence through inattention and neglect, violence as an action and consequent materialization on the body, and psychological violence as a submission mechanism. Based on these findings, we argue that professionals, managers, the scientific community, and users might be able to better guarantee the safety of children by recognizing IV and effectively intervening in it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Health & Society is the property of Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa Periodicojs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Acacia mearnsii De Wild. is one of the most widely cultivated forest species in Brazil. Despite its importance, studies on breeding strategies for this species are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the progeny and develop early selection strategies for A. mearnsii. Individuals of half-sib progenies were classified according to their genotypic value and selected based on their relative performance. The additive effect was only significant for plant height. The best progenies and plants should be selected based on plant height after approximately 60 days of being in nursery and 2 years of field cultivation. This strategy eliminates the worse progenies, discards inferior genotypes in the nursery, eliminates unselected genotypes based on plant height before flowering, and intercrosses only the best plants in field cultivation. This resulted in an annual genetic gain of 3% for plant height and 2% for diameter at breast height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UN "Decade on ecosystem restoration" demands urgent actions to bring back native ecosystems from degraded lands. Tree seedlings are widely available for restoration plantings. However, the lack of other life forms available in commercial nurseries constraints grassy biomes restoration. The use of fertilizers is widely common to grow tree seedlings in nurseries and the current technology could be useful to grow native grasses in nurseries and turn the planting technique feasible to restore grassy biomes, such as the Cerrado in Brazil. In this study, we examined the growth and nutritional responses to nutrient availability of the native grass Schizachyrium sanguineum produced in nursery. We produced seedlings by germinated seeds of S. sanguineum on seedbeds containing sand and, after emergence, transferring the plants to 290‐cm3 plastic tubes containing commercial substrate (CS) added with 0, 1, 3, 5, or 7 g/L of controlled‐release fertilizer (CRF, NPK 15‐09‐12) and non‐fertilized native soil (NS). After 90 days, we found high seedling survival (>98%) in all trials. In spite of lower nutrient availability, the NS promoted higher seedling tillering and relative height and biomass growths than the non‐fertilized CS. However, in general, seedlings showed increased growth, and shoot P and K concentrations with an increase in CRF rates, up to approximately 5 g/L. In addition, higher CRF rates allowed faster grow of S. sanguineum seedlings. Ultimately, we found that S. sanguineum responds positively to fertilization, despite being native from nutrient‐poor soil of Cerrado. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tectona grandis L.f. (teak) is an important forest species with high economy value in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In Latin America, Brazil is one of the countries with the most cultivated areas. The cultivation of teak turns out to be challenging because of its high nutritional demand and the need for seedling production by clonal propagation that includes about 90 days in the nursery phase. The optimization of seedling production is necessary for better results in the nursery and to enhance growth in the field. In this way, the well-known advantage of using microorganisms that promote plant development appears as a potential biotechnological approach to be explored and for the implantation of new areas of wood production. In this study, the inoculation of Bacillus subtilis as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) was evaluated, and Rhizophagus clarus , an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), and the co-inoculation of these microorganisms in the teak seedling production phase can improve the development of commercial plantations under field conditions. Experiments were carried out under greenhouse and field conditions to evaluate four treatments based on the substrate inoculation of the seedlings. Treatments consisted of a non-inoculated control, PGPR inoculation, AMF inoculation, and PGPR + AMF inoculation. The results of the biometric evaluation of seedlings in the greenhouse showed that there was a significant difference in AMF inoculation and PGPR + AMF inoculation in terms of the specific root length and root density treatments, there was also a positive correlation between these two treatments and the absorption of some nutrients, such as P, N, K, Mg, Cu, Mn, and Zn. This response led to an increase between 4.75 and 11.04% in the field growth rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent statements from the Brazilian federal government indicate thatimpacting economic activities, particularly commercial shrimp farming, are being encouraged inmangrove areas in the near future.Alterations of the NationalAction Plan and legal instruments that partially protected mangrove ecosystems have created an even weaker legal framework than previously existed. Such changes are leading Brazil far from the global call to conserve mangroves and from the Aichi targets and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Unfortunately, the loss of mangrove ecosystems and their ecosystem services will negatively impact living standards for Brazilians in coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyculture systems are an alternative to promote better use of environmental resources, as well as in for prevention of diseases in aquaculture, however, its effects on the physiological status of fish are little known. This study evaluated the effect of the polyculture system in brackish water with Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannameij on the hematological parameters of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) on nursery and growth stages. Healthy Nile tilapia in nursery (n=50) and growth (n=50) phase were collected from polyculture ponds in Laguna, Southern Brazil, and analyzed for condition factor and hematological parameters. The condition factor was similar in both stages, with values next to 1. Significantly higher (P<0.05) values of total plasmatic protein (TPP), hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), total leukocytes and thrombocytes occurred in growth phase, compared to nursery, while the other parameters remained unaltered. These differences are probably due to the growth of fish. All the values were close to those previously reported for healthy Nile tilapia, indicating that this kind of polyculture system is appropriate and safe for the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients’ data during daily clinical care are extremely important for improving the allocation of healthcare resources and for assessing healthcare demands. The prospective gathering of these data over decades allowed us to describe the trends of infectious diseases in a tertiary hospital. The results concerning the period between 1965 and 1994 described the exponential increase in the incidence of HIV infection and its important effects on our institutional mortality. The present study describes the demand for the same hospital between 1995 and 2016. There were 4,691 admissions and the main causes of admissions were, in descending order, HIV infection (1,312, 28.0%), noninfectious diseases (447, 9.5%), meningoencephalitis (432, 9.2%), soft tissue infections (427; 9.1%), tuberculosis (272, 5.8%), pneumonias (212, 4.5%) and leptospirosis (212, 4.5%). There were 864 readmissions; most due to HIV infections (65.2%). The institutional mortality fell from 16.9% in the first two years to 5.0% in the last two years of the study. The case-fatality rates among the HIV patients decreased from more than 40% to approximately 5% over the study period. In the last two decades, the hospital experienced a decrease in demand due to vaccine-preventable diseases. The demand for children has fallen and the demand for patients over the age of 50 has increased. These results reflect the improvement in public health standards over more than half a century and the positive effects of the National Immunization Program. They also illustrate the sharp decline in the HIV case-fatality rate after the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the temporal and bathymetric distribution of the speckled swimming crab Arenaeus cribrarius from coastal waters of southern Brazil. Monthly samples were taken at five distinct depths throughout one year in the adjacent area from Babitonga Bay, Southern Brazil. Data on environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, granu- lometry and organic matter) were collected and their association was tested using Multiple Linear Regression and Principal Component Analysis. Juveniles and adults showed different distribution patterns according to depth, with juveniles being more abundant in the shallower areas. The increase in temperature favors the juvenile distribution, while the distribution of adults was related to finer sediments. The pattern of distribution observed for adults might be associated with burrowing habits, or with the search for colder (and consequently deeper) waters, which are richer in nutrients. The high abundance of juveniles in shallower areas might be influenced by the Coastal Water mass that provides higher water temperatures in the summer, and by the Babitonga Bay estuarine complex, which can be an important source of organic matter. We conclude that this region represents a nursery ground for the studied species and is essential to preserve Babitonga Bay in order to maintain A. cribrarius in this region, since this area has suffered from anthropic impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared fish community structure in Guaratiba Mangrove, SE Brazil, among three seasons of the hydrological cycle [(i) spring, increasing temperature and rainfall, decreasing salinity; (ii) summer/early fall, high temperature and rainfall, intermediate salinity; (iii) late fall/winter, low temperature and rainfall, high salinity] and between the years 2002-2003 and 2008-2009. The aim was to test the hypothesis that the fish community structure changes seasonally, associated with seasonal changes in environmental conditions, and that changes occurred between the two yearly periods because of increased anthropogenic activities. The sampling protocol for the two surveys was identical. A total of 63 species was recorded, with 38 species occurring in 2002-2003, and 53 species in 2008-2009. The main changes in the mangrove's fish assemblage between 2002-2003 and 2008-2009 were (i) an increase in species richness, fish density and total biomass; and (ii) an increase in the zoobenthivorous species of gerreids Eucinostomus argenteus, Diapterus rhombeus and Ulaema lefroyi, and a decrease in the planktivorous clupeid Harengula clupeola. Other abundant species, such as the opportunistic atherinopsid. Atherinella brasiliensis, the detritivorous mullet Mugil liza and the zoobenthivorous pufferfish Sphoeroides testudineus did not differ in abundance between the two yearly periods. Ten species occurred only in 2002-2003, and 23 species only in 2008-2009, indicating significant changes in community structure over the 6-year period. Seasonal changes in community structure were more conspicuous in 2008-2009, when species abundance and richness were greatest. The highest fish abundance was recorded in spring and in summer/early fall, and the lowest in late fall/winter. The increased abundance and richness over time may be at least partially attributable to protection policies because of the effective implementation of a biological reserve in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although mojarra species usually demonstrate a wide distribution in tropical and subtropical estuaries, relatively little is known about the process influencing the spatial resource partitioning to nearshore habitats. Therefore, the aim of this study was check the existence of habitat and food partitioning among confamiliar species in a hypersaline estuary. The dietary compositions of three co-occurring species of mojarras were determined, using samples collected with a beach seine from an inverse tropical estuary in Northeastern Brazil, during the rainy and the dry seasons of 2012. Eucinostomus argenteus and Ulaema lefroyi were abundant throughout the year, while Eugerres brasilianus was most abundant during the rainy season. Although these mojarras were found together in all areas of the estuary, there was evidence of habitat partitioning: E. argenteus and E. brasilianus were dominant in areas with submerged vegetation, while U. lefroyi was most abundant in areas with little habitat complexity and minimal shelter. All mojarras consumed, to different degrees, zooplankton, Bivalvia and Polychaeta. However, E. brasilanus also consumed a considerable amount of algae. Although the niches of the mojarra species appeared to significantly overlap, some resource partitioning patterns were apparent. While E. brasilanus was clearly different along the trophic niche, segregation of the other species was more important with respect to the spatial dimension. The different feeding strategies appear to minimize inter-specific overlap and allow the co-occurrence of these species in this hypersaline tropical estuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Investigacion & Educacion en Enfermeria is the property of Universidad de Antioquia, Facultad de Enfermeria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The composition and magnitude of the catches of the life stages of both sexes of the blue shark Prionace glauca were recorded at sea from 2004 to 2006 during seven commercial longline fishing cruises off Southern Brazil between latitudes of 24°S and 38°S and longitudes 29°W and 52°W. P. glauca occurred in all sets and constituted 63% of the pooled catch in numbers. Fork length (FL) ranged from 84 to 262cm in the males and from 73 to 247cm in the females. Sea surface temperature ranged from 16.2 to 28.3°C. The Subtropical Convergence (STC) of the Southwest Atlantic occurred in the sampling area from autumn to spring (June–December). Small juveniles (FL, 70–129cm) of both sexes were abundant only in the area of the STC. Of the large juveniles (FL, 130–179cm), males were abundant south of latitude 23°S and females were scarce in the entire study area. Of the small adults (FL, 180–219cm), males occurred in the entire study area without a seasonal pattern and females were abundant only in the summer (March) north of latitude 26°S. Large adults (FL, 220–262cm) of both sexes were scarce at all times. In analogy with the spatial distribution of the life stages of P. glauca in other oceans, the distribution patterns of the life stages in the study area justify the hypothesis that the STC comprises a nursery area of P. glauca in the Southwest Atlantic, where small juveniles of both sexes remain until they reach FL of 130cm. After that stage the large juvenile males disperse northwards, whereas the large juvenile females move to the south of the STC or to the Southeast Atlantic off Africa. The subadult females move northwards in late summer (March) to areas beyond latitude 25°S. Because of the limitations of the fishery-dependent data and patchy coverage of the study area, no definitive conclusions are presented, but the above hypotheses may orient further study of the spatial distribution of the blue shark in the Southwest Atlantic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lemon sharks Negaprion brevirostris were sampled in the Atol das Rocas, a nursery area, on nine occasions from March 1999 to October 2003, during which 157 individuals were tagged and 35 were recaptured. The male : female sex ratio of captured individuals was 1 : 1·12. Mean ± s.d. growth rates were 24·7 ± 3·4 cm year−1 in total length ( LT), 20·7 ± 3·2 cm year−1 in fork length, and 19·5 ± 2·7 cm year−1 in precaudal length. There was no significant difference in growth rates between males and females. Mean ± s.d. increase in mass was 2565 ± 762 g year−1. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters estimated by the Fabens method based on LT were: k = 0·077, L∞ = 399·9 cm and t0 = −2·16. Despite the large variation of environmental conditions, particularly of tidal range and currents, and the lack of protective mangrove cover in the nursery area at Atol das Rocas, juvenile lemon sharks grew relatively faster than at other nurseries. Such rapid growth could be a response to abundant food availability or high risk of predation by adults that enter the nursery area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensification of pig production in developing countries has resulted in increased number of animals per unit area leading to welfare and growth performance issues. This study was then performed to evaluate the effects of space allowance and dietary energy and amino acid content on growth performance and physiological parameters of piglets reared under tropical conditions. A total of 1280 piglets (castrated males and females) with initial body weight of 5.9 ± 0.4 kg were used. Animals were distributed in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement composed by two space allowances (0.30 and 0.22 m 2 /animal) and two diets during 43 to 63 days of age (control and experimental diet with increased ME and AA content). The experimental period lasted 42 days subdivided into four phases according to the growth stage of the animals: pre-initial I (21 to 27 days of age), pre-initial II (28 to 34 days), initial I (35 to 42 days), and initial II (43 to 63 days). During pre-initial I and II, and initial I phases, pigs housed at a space allowance of 0.30 and 22 m 2 /animal had similar (P > 0.05) feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion. During initial phase II, space allowance did not affect (P > 0.05) feed intake nor weight gain of the animals. Whereas, pigs fed the experimental diet had greater weight gain when compared to the control group (530 vs. 515 g/day, P = 0.03). According to our results, reducing space allowance from 0.30 to 22 m 2 /animal during the nursery phase (21 to 63 days of age) had negligible effects on piglet feed intake and weight gain, whereas feeding piglets with diets containing higher energy and amino levels resulted in greater weight gain.

Brazilian codling Urophycis brasiliensis is one of the main commercial coastal fish species from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Regardless of its economic relevance, its stock structure remains largely unknown. In this study, we used the otolith shape and the core/outer edge multi-elemental fingerprints (Li:Ca, Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, Fe:Ca, Zn:Ca, Rb:Ca, Sr:Ca, and Ba:Ca ratios) to evaluate the spatial segregation of young (nursery areas) and adult (stocks) stages of fish from the coast of northern Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. Otolith edge chemistry showed that several elemental ratios were significantly different between catching areas. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) (p < 0.05) and quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), with jackknifed classification of 80.0 and 68.2% for otolith core and edge, respectively, were effective in discriminating between sampling sites considering young and adult life stages. PERMANOVA analysis of otolith shape revealed multivariate significant differences between Argentina and Brazil (p = 0.0001) individuals, whereas no differences were found between fish from Uruguay and Argentina (p > 0.05). QDA classification rates were relatively low for Uruguay (48.0%) and values of 66.7 and 70.0% were found for Brazil and Argentina, respectively. Our results not only show the presence of at least two fish stocks (Argentina and Brazil), with a third potential stock in Uruguay, but also suggest a strong spatial segregation during ontogeny. • Spatial segregation in young and adult stages of Urophycis brasiliensis was studied. • Otolith microchemisty and shape are potential tools for stock identification. • Results suggest the presence of at least 2 fish stocks and nursery areas. • High percentages of classification suggest low connectivity between populations. • The populations should be managed as separate groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the knowledge of local artisanal fishermen and on direct observations, this study presents evidence that the giant manta ray Manta birostris uses the Paranaguá estuarine complex in south Brazil, south-western Atlantic Ocean, in a predictable seasonal pattern. Behavioural observations suggest that the estuary can act as a nursery ground for M. birostris during the summer., (© 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

The use of intertidal sandy beaches by fish and macrocrustaceans was studied at different temporal scales at the mouth of a tropical estuary. Samples were taken along the lunar and diel cycles in the late dry and rainy seasons. Fish assemblage (number of species, density and biomass), crustaceans and wrack biomass, showed significant interactions among all studied factors, and the combination of moon phase and diel cycle, resulting in different patterns of environmental variables (depth, water temperature and dissolved oxygen), affected habitat use by the different species. Variances in faunal community were detected between seasons, stimulated by salinity fluctuations from freshwater input during the rainy season. These differences suggest an important cycling of habitats and an increase in connectivity between adjacent habitats (estuary and coastal waters). Moreover, the results showed that this intertidal sandy beach also provides an alternative nursery and protected shallow-water area for the initial development phase of many marine and estuarine species. In addition, this intertidal habitat plays an important role in the maintenance of the ecological functioning of the estuarine-coastal ecosystem continuum., (© 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isless.)