Physical activity is recommended in the management of individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS), and recent studies have suggested whole-body vibration exercise (WBVe) for this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functionality through the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) in individuals with MetS after WBVe. The SPPB evaluates the balance, the gait speed, and the lower limb strength (five-chair stand [5CS] test). Forty-four individuals with MetS were divided into WBVe (WBVeG) and control (CG) groups. The individuals of the WBVeG performed 10 sessions of WBVe in an oscillating/vibratory platform (OVP), barefoot, for 3 minutes at the peak-to-peak displacements of 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mm, with a resting period of 1 minute (total time: 18 minutes/session). The frequencies ranged from 5 up to 14 Hz. The individuals of the CG performed all the steps of the study, but the OVP was turned off. Before the first and after the tenth session, the individuals performed the SPPB. Significant responses were found in the WBVeG, analyzing the total score of the SPPB (P = .005), the balance test (P = .01), the gait speed (P = .006), and the 5CS test (P = .03), resulting in the improvement of the functionality of individuals with MetS.

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BackgroundThe Neotropical Region is known for its biodiversity and ranks third in number of known termite species. However, biogeographic and phylogeographic information of termites of this region is limited compared to other world geographic regions. Nasutitermes corniger is widely distributed in the region and is of considerable economic importance. The goal of this study was to describe the phylogeography of N. corniger in the Neotropical Region, to better understand its evolutionary processes.ResultsThe sampled populations of N. corniger showed high genetic variation. Results indicated strong geographic structure among N. corniger populations, with most haplotypes not broadly shared among separated locations. Phylogeographic analyses showed a dispersal route for N. corniger from Central America into South America via the Isthmus of Panama, with subsequent dispersal through the highlands east of the Andes and into eastern regions of the continent. The majority of haplotypes were limited in distribution to proximal regions, corresponding to particular biomes (Atlantic Forest, Amazonia, Chaco, Cerrado and Caatinga).Conclusions Nasutitermes corniger is suggested to be a good model for biogeographic and phylogeographic studies in the Neotropical Region. This study clarified the phylogeographic history of N. corniger and can contribute to the understanding of biogeographic dispersion processes in the Neotropical Region.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-017-1079-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The neotropical region ranks third in the number of termites and includes five different families. Of these, Termitidae is the most diverse and includes the species Nasutitermes ephratae, which is widespread in the neotropics. To date, only one study has been published about phylogeography in neotropical termites (N. corniger). Here, we explored the population genetic patterns of N. ephratae and also evaluated the phylogeographical processes involved in the evolutionary history of the species. We used the mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA and COII as molecular markers: these were sequenced for 128 samples of N. ephratae. We estimated the genetic diversity and divergence time as well as the demography and genetic structure. We also performed an ancestral area reconstruction and a haplotype network. The results showed high genetic variability, recent demographic expansion, and strong genetic structure. A dispersal route for the species, that occurred in both directions between South and Central America, was inferred. The results emphasize a temporary separation between the South and Central America populations that affected the origin of the current Central America populations. These populations were formed from different phylogeographic histories.

The species of the genus Ceraeochrysa, known as green lacewings or trash-carriers, are widely distributed along the Americas and its islands. In Brazil, 28 species are found, including Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider), Ceraeochrysa claveri (Navás), and Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen). These species are recorded on many crops, where they are often used for biological control. For this use, knowledge of the genetic features of the species is extremely important because they are associated to the species’ ability to withstand different conditions in new environments, such as variations of temperature and presence of pathogens. However, little is known about the genetic features of Ceraeochrysa species. Here, we analyze and compare the distribution of the genetic variability of C. cincta, C. claveri, and C. cubana in agroecosystem populations of southeast Brazil. We found a high genetic diversity in each of the three species, and no strong genetic structure was detected, such that genetic diversity is broadly shared among the crops and localities analyzed. We can conclude that there was a high gene flow among the sampled Ceraeochrysa populations (natural or driven by anthropic action) since the exchange of seedlings among crops can lead to the distribution of the specimens.