Operários da undécima hora : os Agostinianos Recoletos no Brasil: criação da província de Santa Rita de Cássia e o impacto do Concílio Vaticano II

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

O universo imaginário dos holandeses no Brasil seiscentista: um estudo da narrativa do viajante Joan Nieuhof

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

As muitas plumagens do pássaro vermelho: resistência e assimilação na obra de Zitkala-Sa

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

O enteado, de Juan Saer: narrativa poética e romance histórico?

Em O enteado (2002), de Juan José Saer, tem-se um velho narrador que conta de forma poética a sua história, uma singular experiência de vida. Quando jovem, ele viajava como grumete num navio que costeava a Bacia do Rio da Prata, quando presenciou o ataque súbito e posterior massacre da tripulação do barco pelos índios da região. Como único sobrevivente da carnificina, é praticamente adotado pelos selvagens, passando a conviver com eles, sem saber ao certo a razão de ter sido poupado. Mas a maneira de viver daqueles índios revelou-se bem estranha, pois eram antropófagos, faziam sexo em grupo (orgias), morriam muito cedo, e a peculiar linguagem que praticavam dificultava o aprendizado da língua, e, conseqüentemente, da própria cultura. Assim, esse livro tacitamente promove um debate sobre a Conquista Hispânica da América, do ponto de vista particular de um narrador que constrói poeticamente a sua visão daquele passado, que não diz respeito a nenhum fato histórico preciso. Mas, enquanto a historicidade desse texto transparece nas suas entrelinhas, a sua imanente poesia define o seu aspecto de prosa poética, senão de narrativa poética, traços que apontam para um possível hibridismo literário nesse romance.

Temperature and Scarification Effects on the Germination of Syagrus picrophylla Seeds, a Brazilian Native Palm

Syagrus picrophylla belongs to the Arecaceae family. Its propagation is made by seeds; however there is a lack of information in the literature about its seed germination. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of temperature and scarification on the germination of S. picrophylla seeds. The experiment was carried out at the State University of São Paulo, Jaboticabal Campus, Brazil. The experimental design was entirely randomized in a factorial arrangement 5 x 2 (five temperature conditions combined with or without mechanical scarification. The number of germinated seeds that showed primary root protrusion was noted daily, and when the germination was stabilized, the germination (%G) and germination rate (GR) were calculated. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out for means comparing by the Tukey test at 5% confidence level. It was concluded that the greatest %G were obtained at 20-30 degrees C (62%) and 25-35 degrees C (59%) alternated temperatures; %G and GR were similar for both scarified and non-scarified seeds, and there was a faster germination at 20-30 degrees C alternated temperature.

Alien fishes in lakes of the Doce river basin (Brazil): Range, new occurrences and conservation of native communities

The present study shows the distribution of alien fish species in tropical lakes in the middle Doce river basin, southeastern Brazil, obtained from a rapid assessment program. The causes for their introductions were sport-fishing improvement in some specific lakes and aquaculture in the studied basin. Presently, these species have a wide distribution occurring in 41 of the 54 lakes studied, representing an actual threat to regional native fish community. The natural connection among lakes and streams during the rainy season and the dispersal mediated by local people are the main invasion agents for alien fishes. The success of these invaders is probably due to absence of pre-existing effective competitors or top-predators in the invaded communities. We consider that the eradication of alien fishes by means of the available management tools may be very difficult due to the large number of lakes invaded and to the wide spectrum of lake conditions and resources exploited by these alien species. We recommend the use of environmental education as a tool to stop the human-mediated dispersion of aliens and to improve conservation of native fish community in lakes where these alien species are not present yet. © 2004 Instituto de Ciências Biológicas - UFMG.

An ethnobotanical study of anti-malarial plants among indigenous people on the upper Negro River in the Brazilian Amazon

In this article we present the plants used for the treatment of malaria and associated symptoms in Santa Isabel do Rio Negro in the Brazilian Amazon. The region has important biological and cultural diversities including more than twenty indigenous ethnic groups and a strong history in traditional medicine. The aims of this study are to survey information in the Baniwa, Baré, Desana, Piratapuia, Tariana, Tukano, Tuyuca, Yanomami ethnic communities and among caboclos (mixed-ethnicity) on: a) plant species used for the treatment of malaria and associated symptoms; b) dosage forms and c) distribution of these anti-malarial plants in the Amazon. Information was obtained through classical ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological methods from interviews with 146 informants in Santa Isabel municipality on the upper Negro River, Brazil. Fifty-five mainly native neotropical plant species from 34 families were in use. The detailed uses of these plants were documented. The result was 187 records (64.4%) of plants for the specific treatment of malaria, 51 records (17.5%) of plants used in the treatment of liver problems and 28 records (9.6%) of plants used in the control of fevers associated with malaria. Other uses described were blood fortification ('dar sangue'), headache and prophylaxis. Most of the therapeutic preparations were decoctions and infusions based on stem bark, root bark and leaves. These were administered by mouth. In some cases, remedies were prepared with up to three different plant species. Also, plants were used together with other ingredients such as insects, mammals, gunpowder and milk. This is the first study on the anti-malarial plants from this region of the Amazon. Aspidosperma spp. and Ampelozizyphus amazonicus Ducke were the most cited species in the communities surveyed. These species have experimental proof supporting their anti-malarial efficacy. The dosage of the therapeutic preparations depends on the kind of plant, quantity of plant material available, the patient's age (children and adults) and the local expert. The treatment time varies from a single dose to up to several weeks. Most anti-malarial plants are domesticated or grow spontaneously. They are grown in home gardens, open areas near the communities, clearings and secondary forests, and wild species grow in areas of seasonally flooded wetlands and terra firme (solid ground) forest, in some cases in locations that are hard to access. Traditional knowledge of plants was found to be falling into disuse presumably as a consequence of the local official health services that treat malaria in the communities using commercial drugs. Despite this, some species are used in the prevention of this disease and also in the recovery after using conventional anti-malarial drugs.