Exposure to microplastics contaminated with pharmaceuticals and personal care products: Histological effects on Ucides cordatus.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are known to interact with microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments, with substances such as the antimicrobial triclosan (TCS) and the synthetic hormone 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) being prevalent. These persistent contaminants are linked to toxic effects in aquatic organisms. This study aimed to investigate histological and morphometric changes in the gills of Ucides cordatus exposed to microplastics alone and microplastics contaminated with PPCPs.

Speciation in savanna birds in South America: The case of the Least Nighthawk Chordeiles pusillus (Aves: Caprimulgidae) in and out of the Amazon.

The Least Nighthawk Chordeiles pusillus is widespread wherever there are savannas in the South American tropics, often in isolated patches, such as white-sands savannas in the Amazon rainforest realm. Here, we investigate genetic relationships between populations of the Least Nighthawk to understand historical processes leading to its diversification and to determine dispersal routes between northern and southern savannas by way of three hypothesized dispersal corridors by comparing samples from white-sand savannas to samples from other savannas outside of the Amazon rainforest region. We use 32 mtDNA samples from the range of C.

Critical transitions in the Amazon forest system.

The possibility that the Amazon forest system could soon reach a tipping point, inducing large-scale collapse, has raised global concern. For 65 million years, Amazonian forests remained relatively resilient to climatic variability. Now, the region is increasingly exposed to unprecedented stress from warming temperatures, extreme droughts, deforestation and fires, even in central and remote parts of the system.

Intramedullary Metastatic Endometrial Adenocarcinoma in a Goat.

A 7-year-old female goat developed progressive ataxia, which progressed to sternal recumbency. Clinical examination revealed a slight elevation in the sacral spine (S1-S2), tetraparesis, perineal hypoaesthesia and absent tail and anal reflexes. Due to unresponsiveness to treatment with corticosteroids, the goat was euthanized.

Family Conferences in Prenatal Palliative Care.

Fetal malformations are diagnosed prenatally in nearly 3% of pregnancies, and ∼1.2% are major malformations. After prenatal diagnosis, it is imperative to consider families' values and to support their decision-making process.

Breaking Bad News: A Study on Formal Training in a High-Risk Obstetrics Setting.

Breaking bad news is a frequent task in high-risk obstetrics clinics. Few studies have examined the role of training in improving such a difficult medical task. To evaluate the influence of a training program on the participants' perceptions of bad news communication at a high-risk obstetrics center.

Urban expansion and its impact on water security: The case of the Paraíba do Sul River Basin, São Paulo, Brazil.

Increasing demand for water is one of the most challenging problems that human societies face today and has encouraged new studies to examine water security and water management. Seeking to discuss this important issue in the Brazilian context, we analyzed the impacts of urban expansion on water security in a basin located in the most populated region of Brazil. To quantify increased water demand, we combined urban sprawl and regional population increase projections.