O mercado brasileiro do século XIX: uma visão por meio do comércio de cabotagem

The Brazilian market in the XIX century: an approach through the cabotage commerce. The maritime commerce consisted of the main way of circulation of the goods between the Brazilian provinces until the second half of century XIX. Although the relatively big importance of the flows of commerce with the exterior, we note significant exchange of goods by sea between the Brazilian regions since the colonial period. A part of these exchanges derived from products destined in last instance to the foreigner or imported of the exterior. However, another part elapsed of national goods that had not arrived at be exported to the international market. Many goods for the colonial and imperial consumption had circulated by the Brazilian coasts in expressive sums. From the information raised for the imperial period, especially the decades of 1860 and 1870, we verify that most of the goods commercialized between the provinces consisted of national products destined to the internal consumption.

Spatial competition induces the mobilization of morula cells in the colonial ascidian Didemnum perlucidum (Tunicata: Didemnidae)

The effects of spatial competition among colonial marine organisms are often evident in the contact zones between colonies. These effects are especially pronounced when the interaction results in overgrowth or necrosis of one of the competitors. Ascidians, one of the dominant taxonomic groups in subtidal sessile communities, have specialized morula cells that provide a defense against microbial infections. Injuries resulting from interspecific competitive interactions might also act as a stimulus for this defensive mechanism. Therefore, we expected to see the recruitment of morula cells in tissues near competitor contact zones. To test the hypothesis that spatial competition elicits this immune response, we placed colonies of the ascidian Didemnum perlucidum from southeastern Brazil in four different types of competitive situations: (1) overgrowth of the competitor, (2) stand-off interactions, (3) overgrowth by the competitor, and (4) free of competitors. Our results indicate that competitive interactions increase the population of morula cells in contact zones, as more cells were observed in interactions that resulted in the overgrowth of individuals of D. perlucidum, and fewer cells were observed in colonies that were free of competitors. We identified the defensive function of the morula cells by showing the presence of the enzyme phenoloxidase within its vacuoles. Phenoloxidase is a widespread enzyme among animals and plants, and is frequently used in defense by synthesizing toxic quinones from polyphenol substrates. This is the first study to document the presence of morula cells in didemnid ascidians and the mobilization of these cells by spatial competition by heterospecifics, and one of the first studies to identify phenoloxidase activity in morula cells.

PXRF and multivariate statistics analysis of pre-colonial pottery from northeast of Brazil

Portable system of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence was used to determine the elemental composition of 68 pottery fragments from Sambaqui do Bacanga, an archeological site in Sao Luis, Maranhao, Brazil. This site was occupied from 6600 BP until 900 BP. By determining the element chemical composition of those fragments, it was possible to verify the existence of engobe in 43 pottery fragments. Obtained from two-dimensional graphs and hierarchical cluster analysis performed in fragments of stratigraphies from surface and 113-cm level, and 10 to 20, 132 and 144-cm level, it was possible to group these fragments in five distinct groups, according to their stratigraphies. The results of data grouping (two-dimensional graphics) are in agreement with hierarchical cluster analysis by Ward method. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sistema de produção da arquitetura na cidade colonial brasileira: mestres de ofício, "riscos" e "traças"

O texto versa sobre o papel dos mestres-construtores na produção da arquitetura nas vilas e cidades coloniais brasileiras, focalizando o sistema de empreitada em etapas e o papel dos riscos e traças na concepção, execução, louvação e prestação de contas das edificações. Questiona a ideia de autoria única, apontando atores e assinaturas múltiplas. Analisa os conhecimentos necessários, especialmente relacionados à geometria prática, discutindo a relação dialética entre teoria e prática, e as fronteiras tênues entre erudição e costume.