Artisanal fisheries of the Xingu River basin in Brazilian Amazon.

The present study characterises the commercial fisheries of the basin of the Xingu River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, between the towns of Gurupá (at the mouth of the Amazon) and São Félix do Xingu. Between April, 2012, and March, 2014, a total of 23,939 fishing trips were recorded, yielding a total production of 1,484 tons of fish, harvested by almost three thousand fishers. The analysis of the catches emphasizes the small-scale and artisanal nature of the region's fisheries, with emphasis on the contribution of the motorised canoes powered by "long-tail" outboard motors. Larger motorboats operate only at the mouth of the Xingu and on the Amazon. Peacock bass (Cichla spp.), croakers (Plagioscion spp.), pacu (a group containing numerous serrasalmid species), aracu (various anostomids), and curimatã (Prochilodus nigricans) together contributed more than 60% of the total catch. Mean catch per unit effort was 18 kg/fisher-1.day-1, which varied among fishing methods (type of vessel and fishing equipment used), river sections, and time of the year. In most cases, yields varied little between years (2012 and 2013). The technical database provided by this study constitutes an important resource for the regulation of the region's fisheries, as well as for the evaluation of future changes resulting from the construction of the Belo Monte dam on the Xingu River.

Artisanal fisheries of the Xingu River basin in Brazilian Amazon / Pescarias artesanais da bacia do Rio Xingu na Amazônia Brasileira

The present study characterises the commercial fisheries of the basin of the Xingu River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, between the towns of Gurupá (at the mouth of the Amazon) and São Félix do Xingu. Between April, 2012, and March, 2014, a total of 23,939 fishing trips were recorded, yielding a total production of 1,484 tons of fish, harvested by almost three thousand fishers. The analysis of the catches emphasizes the small-scale and artisanal nature of the region’s fisheries, with emphasis on the contribution of the motorised canoes powered by “long-tail” outboard motors. Larger motorboats operate only at the mouth of the Xingu and on the Amazon. Peacock bass (Cichla spp.), croakers (Plagioscion spp.), pacu (a group containing numerous serrasalmid species), aracu (various anostomids), and curimatã (Prochilodus nigricans) together contributed more than 60% of the total catch. Mean catch per unit effort was 18 kg/fisher–1.day–1, which varied among fishing methods (type of vessel and fishing equipment used), river sections, and time of the year. In most cases, yields varied little between years (2012 and 2013). The technical database provided by this study constitutes an important resource for the regulation of the region’s fisheries, as well as for the evaluation of future changes resulting from the construction of the Belo Monte dam on the Xingu River.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar a pesca comercial de consumo na bacia do rio Xingu, afluente do rio Amazonas, no trecho entre a cidade de Gurupá (localizada na foz do Rio Amazonas) até São Félix do Xingu, no estado do Pará, Brasil. No período de abril de 2012 a março de 2014 foram registradas 23.939 viagens de pesca, totalizando uma produção de 1.484 toneladas de pescado, obtidas por quase 3.000 pescadores. A análise dos dados oriundos do monitoramento dos desembarques demonstrou que a pesca na região tem caráter artesanal de pequena escala, destacando-se a participação de canoas motorizadas que utilizam um motor de popa chamado “rabeta”. Os barcos motorizados atuam somente na foz do rio Xingu e no rio Amazonas. Tucunaré (Cichla spp), pescada-branca (Plagioscion spp), pacu (várias espécies de Serrasalmidae), aracu (várias espécies de Anostomidae) e curimatã (Prochilodus nigricans) perfazem mais de 60% do total capturado. A captura média por unidade de esforço é de 18 kg.pescador–1.dia–1 e muda dependendo da modalidade de pesca (tipo de embarcação e arte de pesca), do pesqueiro utilizado e da época do ano. Na maior parte dos casos, não encontramos diferenças nos rendimentos de 2012 e 2013. As informações técnicas geradas são importantes para subsidiar ações de ordenamento pesqueiro, bem como para avaliar futuras mudanças que possam ocorrer na atividade frente à construção da barragem de Belo Monte no Rio Xingu.

Targeted inhibition of IL-18 attenuates irinotecan-induced intestinal mucositis in mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intestinal mucositis is a common side-effect of irinotecan-based cancer chemotherapy regimens. This mucositis is associated with cytokine activation and NO synthesis. Production of IL-18 is up-regulated in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. Therefore, we have investigated the role of IL-18 in the pathogenesis of irinotecan-induced intestinal mucositis. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Wild type (WT), IL-18 or caspase-1 knockout mice were treated with either saline or irinotecan (60 mg·kg⁻¹ per 4 days, i.p.) or the IL-18 binding protein (IL-18bp, 10 mg·kg⁻¹) before irinotecan. On day 5, diarrhoea was monitored and proximal intestinal strips were obtained for histopathology, in vitro gut contractility, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and inducible NOS (iNOS) activity, and detection of IL-18 expression. KEY RESULTS: Irinotecan induced severe diarrhoea accompanied by intestinal injury (villi shortening and increased crypt depth). Additionally, irinotecan treatment increased MPO and iNOS activity, iNOS immunostaining and IL-18 expression in WT mice compared with saline treatment. The IL-18 production was associated with macrophages. In vitro, intestinal smooth muscle strips were hyperresponsive to ACh after irinotecan treatment. Increases in MPO and iNOS activity, intestinal contractility and diarrhoea were prevented in caspase-1 knockout and IL-18 knockout mice, and in IL-18bp-treated WT mice. Furthermore, the Survival of irinotecan-treated mice was increased and iNOS immunoexpression and IL-18 production prevented in IL-18 knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Targeting IL-18 function may be a promising therapeutic approach to decreasing the severity of intestinal mucositis during irinotecan treatment regimens.

The effect of nitrous oxide on the inhibition of somatosensory evoked potentials by sevoflurane in children.

Inhalational anaesthetics inhibit somatosensory evoked potentials. The present study examined the effect of nitrous oxide in anaesthetic mixture with sevoflurane on the somatosensory evoked potential in children. Forty-five patients aged between 6 months and 6 years undergoing club foot surgery were studied to verify the influence of sevoflurane alone (21 patients) and sevoflurane with nitrous oxide (24 patients) on the somatosensory evoked potential. Fractional inspired concentration of nitrous oxide and fractional end-tidal (alveolar) sevoflurane were measured to estimate the multiples and submultiples of the minimal alveolar concentration (age corrected). The somatosensory evoked potential signals were obtained by stimulation of the median nerve. Nitrous oxide (FI = 0.63 +/- 2.5) with sevoflurane caused more reduction in the amplitude of somatosensory evoked potential waves and a greater increase in the latency of somatosensory evoked potential waves in comparison with sevoflurane alone. The results show that it is possible to obtain the inhibition of somatosensory evoked potential with smaller concentrations of sevoflurane, when it is used with nitrous oxide.