Some studies suggest that behavioral variation among animals destined for reintroduction programs could influence their post-release survival and overall reintroduction success. Therefore, we aimed to test whether individual behavioral differences in white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari - WLPs) influence their exploratory and dispersal behavior after reintroduction. Using a standard ethological approach, we described the behavioral traits of 17 captive WLPs along three dimensions: aggressiveness, exploration, and sociability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has revolutionized ecological and environmental research by describing communities without relying on direct observations, making it a powerful, non-invasive, and cost-effective tool in biodiversity monitoring. However, the adoption of eDNA as a standard protocol in long-term monitoring programs, which have traditionally relied on capture-based methods, presents challenges in terms of data comparability. Here, we compared freshwater fish communities assessed through eDNA metabarcoding and electrofishing, across 35 sampling sites in the lower Tagus River basin, Portugal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Melipona fasciculata popularly known as Tiúba, is a specie of stingless bee that is distributed in the north of Brazil, over-represented in Maranhão State. This bee is of great importance to stingless bees (SLB) beekeepers, as it produces a large quantity of honey with an excellent taste. The genetic diversity of the Tiúba populations was examined with molecular approach using the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) marker.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis paper proposes the use of artificial intelligence techniques, specifically the nnU-Net convolutional neural network, to improve the identification of left ventricular walls in images of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, with the objective of improving the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. The methodology included data collection in a clinical environment, followed by data preparation and analysis using the 3D Slicer Platform for manual segmentation, and subsequently, the application of artificial intelligence models for automated segmentation, focusing on the efficiency of identifying the walls of the left ventricular. A total of 83 clinical routine exams were collected, each exam containing 50 slices, which is 4,150 images.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is the main chronic pain that affects the face, and it is associated with dietary changes due to pain and dysfunction. However, there is a scarcity of studies on its impact on nutrition and vice versa.
Objectives: To assess and compare the intake of energy and nutrients among chronic TMD myalgia and asymptomatic women and to evaluate data according to dietary reference intakes (DRI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) values.