Birds of Parque Estadual Ilha do Cardoso: ecology, conservation and natural history

The Parque Estadual Ilha do Cardoso (PEIC), located on extreme South of São Paulo’s cost, in Brazil, holds an important Atlantic Forest remnant which still in a good state of conservation, but lack a deepen study about the avian community that habits the island. This study aimed to elaborate a census of avian species that occur in the park approaching richness, occurrence frequency, occurrence status and the structure of trophic guilds. A total of 25 field expedictions occurred between September 2015 and September 2017 during five days each, the field work included different ecosystems as mangrove, restinga, forest, sandbank, beach and marine. The census was made combine three different techniques used in ornithological studies: visual identification, auditory identification and catch by mist-nets (with five fixed sites in mangrove, restinga and forest). Were recorded 335 avian species, with 28 of them endemic from Brazil and 33 being threatened with extinction. Seventy-three species were recorded in all sampled months (FO 100%), while 46 were recorded in just one month (FO = 4%). About occurrence status, 55% of species are residents, 20% occasional visitors, 13% unusual residents, 6% migratory and 6% visitors. According the recorded species were recognized 25 trophic guilds based on food items, corporal size and strata that commonly forage, which of most representative in the community, the guild of “of insectivorous of medium-strata” (N = 55), “canopy omnivorous” (N = 33), “aquatic invertebrates consummers” and “piscivorous” (N = 31). Finally, with the current study, we aimed through a significative field effort bring a better knowledge about avifauna of PEIC, which could be a good base when is necessary take actions that aim to park management and the Conservation Unities around it.

A New Radiological Risk Containment Procedure in Potentially Contaminated Areas

A new radiological risk containment procedure, developed to manage the radiological risk in potentially contaminated areas, is presented here. This new methodological approach, systematically employed in sampling and site inspection activities in unknown areas from an environmental point of view, allowed the discovery of eight 226Ra orphan sources buried under the road surface, in a good state of conservation, in an industrial area of the Calabrian territory, southern Italy, and they are reported here as a case study. For workers performing sampling activities in areas for which information regarding the possible presence of contaminated material is missing, an in situ radiometric check is usually carried out as a potential radiological risk prevention, by measuring the levels of environmental radioactivity. Other than this, the procedure described in this article includes, as novelty, a series of progressive operations never carried out before all together for outdoor activities: the assessment of the presence (if any) of hot spots by recording radiometric anomalies, outdoor gamma spectrometry measurements in order to identify the radionuclides generating those anomalies, the sources unearthing activities, the management of the material found and the application of a risk containment protocol.

Self-efficacy in Breastfeeding Predicts How Mothers Perceive Their Preterm Infant’s State-Regulation

Background: Mothers of preterm infants often perceive the infant as having problems with crying, sleeping and feeding, sometimes summarised as ‘state-regulation’. Breastfeeding rates are lower among preterm infants, and the mother’s self-efficacy in breastfeeding is central to understanding which mothers are going to breastfeed their infants. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the late preterm infant’s mother’s self-efficacy in breastfeeding was associated with how the mother experienced her infant’s state-regulation at three months of corrected age.Methods: The study had a prospective and longitudinal design with a consecutive data collection through questionnaires. Results: The analyses showed that being an older mother, perceiving breastfeeding support, and having a higher breastfeeding self-efficacy were all significantly associated with identifying the infant as having better state-regulation. Conclusion: There was an association between mothers’ self-efficacy in breastfeeding and her perceptions of how good state-regulation the infant had. This is an important finding, as self-efficacy is a manageable factor that could positively affect how the mother perceives taking care of her infant.Clinical implication: Health care professionals should target mother’s self-efficacy in breastfeeding to improve mother-infant relationship.

Results of intercomparison and calibration of Dobson spectrophotometer no.112, Japan-1996

An international comparison of Dobson spectrophotometer operated in the RA II and V regions was conducted in Japan during 1996. Countries participating with Dobson instruments were India, Japan, Korea, Philippines and Thailand. The reference standard instrument for the comparison was regional standard Dobson instrument no.116 maintained by Japan. The comparisons confirmed that the Indian standard no.112 was in good state of calibration and the data derived from the instrument was reliable.

WMO/GAW inter-comparison of Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometer in Tsukuba, Japan-2006 and inter-comparison of National standard 112 with Delhi Dobson 36

ok;q foKku os/k’kkyk] lqdqck] tkiku esa 6 ekpZ ls 24 ekpZ 2006 rd MkWclu vkstksu LisDVªksa QksVks ehVj ijLij rqyuk djus ds fy, ,d MCY;w-,e-vks-@th-,-MCY;w- vfHk;ku pyk;k x;kA bl ijLij rqyukRed vfHk;ku ds nkSjku Hkkjrh; ekud MkWclu vkst+ksu LisDVªksQksVksehVj la[;k 112 dh rqyuk {ks=h; ekud MkWclu vkstksu LisDVªksQksVksehVj la[;k 116 ds lkFk dh xbZA bu rqyukvksa ls bl ckr dh iqf"V gqbZ gS fd Hkkjrh; MkWCklu vkstksu LisDVªksQksVksehVj la[;k 112 va’kkdu dh lgh fLFkfr esa Fkk vkSj midj.k ls izkIr vk¡dM+sa lgh FksA 36 ds lkFk 112 ls izkir ifj.kke Hkh ,d nwljs ls lgh esy [kk jgs gSaA The WMO/GAW campaign for inter-comparison of Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometer was held from 6 to 24 March 2006 at the Aerological Observatory, Tsukuba, Japan. During the inter-comparison campaign, the Indian standard Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometer no.112 was compared with the regional standard Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometer no.116. The comparisons confirmed that the Indian standard Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometer no.112 was in good state of calibration and the data derived from the instrument was reliable. The results of 112 with 36 are also in good agreement with each other.

Fragmentation of Coastal Grasslands by Plantations and Spontaneous Spread of Invasive Pines in the Southern Pampa

Coastal dunes of the southern Buenos Aires province, in Argentina, are one of the last remnants of biodiversity in the southern Pampa unit, within the Rio de la Plata Grasslands. While the direct loss of grasslands due to the advance of cities and afforestation is conspicuous, the negative effects of the subdivision of the remaining environments on biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics are less considered. Our work aimed to analyze the combined effect of fires and subdivision of grasslands by invasive alien trees. Our results suggest that fragmentation affects the resilience of coastal grasslands after fire and affects the course of succession, promoting the establishment of invasive alien plants. We also suggest that fires favor the advance of pines and acacias towards the interior of grassland remnants, further reducing their area. The effective conservation of the components of Pampas biodiversity that still persist in these coastal ecosystems will depend on preventing, mitigating and compensating the insularization effects associated with forest plantations and the expansion of invasive trees, by means of adequate territorial planning that allows remnants to be maintained in a good state of conservation.

Effects of Physical Exercise Motives on Physical Health and Aerobic Fitness of Teenagers

Background: A good level of physical fitness helps teenagers maintain a good state in daily study and life and enables them to cope well with emergencies. We aimed to explore the influences of physical exercise motives on the physical health and aerobic fitness of teenagers. Methods: A total of 982 teenagers aged between 13 and 16 years in the four districts of Guangzhou City, China from January to December 2019 were selected randomly with the assistance of communities. Their physical exercise motives and exercise behaviors were investigated using a questionnaire survey, and their physical health indexes and aerobic fitness were assessed. The relationships of physical exercise motives and behaviors with physical health and aerobic fitness were analyzed. Results: Teenagers who have higher physical health scores show significantly increasing trends in their scores in exercise motives and different dimensions, exercise behaviors, and aerobic fitness scores (P<0.05). Physical exercise motives show significant correlations with exercise behaviors, physical health, and aerobic fitness. Moreover, exercise behaviors show significantly positive correlations with physical health and aerobic fitness (P<0.05). Physical exercise motives have a positive effect on exercise behaviors, physical health, and aerobic activities, and exercise behaviors have a positive effect on physical health and aerobic activities (P<0.05). Conclusion: The physical exercise motives of teenagers have positive and prediction effects on exercise behaviors, physical health, and aerobic fitness. Exciting physical exercise motives can promote the physical exercise behaviors of teenagers and improve their physical health and aerobic fitness.

HISTORIC AND CONSTRUCTIONAL ASPECTS OF STONE SCHOOLS IN GREECE: THE CASE OF THE ARISTOTLE MUNICIPALITY IN CHALKIDIKI

Historic schools, built during the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century, were evolved according to the wider socio-economic changes that took place at regional, national and international level. Their construction usually followed specific principles, governed by their functional role and structural safety requirements. In this study, the historical background of school buildings in Greece is given, in an effort to assess their evolution and physiognomy. To this direction, 14 historic school buildings, located in the Aristotle Municipality of Chalkidiki, N. Greece, were studied, taking into account their architectural and constructional characteristics. These buildings were erected from 1871 up to 1958 and are nowadays mostly used as elementary schools. In some cases, they are in second use or abandoned. They concerned 1 up to 3 storeys buildings, with rectangular ground plan, symmetrically organized around a main corridor. Their size and dimensions varied according to their capacity. From the beginning of the 30’s, supplementary elements of reinforced concrete (slabs, beams) were added, in combination with the existing building techniques. Nowadays, they are generally preserved in good state, due to the consecutive interventions taken place during their service life. However, their documentation and identification as heritage structures should be further assessed, in order to convey the tangible and intangible values they incorporate in the next generations.

Research on Control Method of Athletes’ Physical Fitness Training Based on Clustering Algorithms

Objectives: Modern sports training attaches more and more importance to the combination of its own characteristics and the use of multi-disciplinary knowledge and methods to improve the athletes’ abilities most needed in the competition. Scientific physical training is an important training section to improve the body’s sports quality, and is an indispensable part of following athletes’ career. Methods: Athletes with outstanding physical fitness can maintain a good state of competition and self-confidence, good physical fitness can also make up for technical deficiencies. Training methods and means are highly targeted. Athletes’ nutrition and recovery are regarded as an important part of physical training. Results: In the usual technical and tactical training, the coaches should pay attention to the normative nature of the basic technical movements of the athletes. Based on the clustering algorithm, this paper analyzes the concept of football physical training. Establish a comprehensive assessment system for athlete training. Conclusion: Combined with physical training practice, the coaches athletes will be given a theoretical lecture on physical training, which will enable the coaches to have a more profound subjective understanding of physical training.