Assessment on nutrient levels in the aerial biomass of irrigated guava in São Francisco Valley, Brazil

In perennial crops, fertilizers are applied to restore the amount of nutrient removed from the plant by harvesting. Nevertheless, the immobilized nutrient inside the whole plant should be considered. Based on it, the nutrient concentrations in the guava leaf and fruit and the nutrient contents removed by fruits and post-harvest pruning were evaluated in an irrigated orchard, in Petrolina, State of Pernambuco, Brazil. The greatest contents removed by fruits were N and K among the macronutrients, while Fe, Zn and Mn presented higher levels among the micronutrients. More than 60% of the total content of N, P, K, Mg, Fe, and B removed by pruning were immobilized in the leaf and non-marketable fruit.

The influence of nationalism in Mercosur and in South America: can the regional integration project survive?

The article discusses if nationalism is getting in the way of regional integration through a Brazilian prism due to Brazil’s pivotal role in regional integration in Mercosur and South America.

Never before seen in Brazil: Luis Inácio Lula da Silva's grand diplomacy

Critical assessment of Luis Inácio Lula da Silva's diplomacy, which departed from the previous patterns of the Brazilian Foreign Service, to align itself with the political conceptions of the Workers' Party. This diplomacy has neither consolidated the position of Brazil as a regional leader, nor attained its declared goal of inserting Brazil into the United Nations Security Council, although it has reinforced Brazil's image in the international scenarios; but this was achieved much more through the personal activism of the President himself, than through normal diplomatic work.

Desenvolvimento e qualidade da lima ácida Tahiti em Colorado do Oeste, RO

Os aspectos de crescimento, desenvolvimento e qualidade de frutos cítricos na região de Colorado do Oeste, RO, não têm sido explorados. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento e a qualidade fisico-química de frutos de lima ácida Tahiti em diferentes épocas de desenvolvimento, sem irrigação, na região de Colorado do Oeste, RO. O experimento foi realizado no Instituto Federal de Rondônia (IFRO), Campus de Colorado do Oeste, durante os anos de 2006, 2007 e 2008, com o acompanhamento das safras de 2006/07 e 2007/08. Para cada safra foram avaliadas oito épocas de desenvolvimento dos frutos, da fase de chumbinho à colheita. Determinaram-se soma térmica em graus-dia, unidades fototérmicas e precipitação pluviométrica. Houve influência das condições meteorológicas na duração das épocas de desenvolvimento dos frutos e na qualidade dos frutos na safra 2006/07, mas na safra 2007/08 não houve diferença significativa para peso, tamanho médio dos frutos, acidez e rendimento médio de suco. Tamanho e peso dos frutos, pH, sólidos solúveis, acidez, relação SS/AT e teor de vitamina C do suco dos frutos apresentaram valores médios adequados aos padrões comerciais exigidos pelo mercado in natura e pela indústria. O rendimento de suco dos frutos colhidos na safra 2006/07 apresentou qualidade satisfatória para atender às necessidades do mercado in natura ou industrial, mas não para a safra 2007/08, devido ao baixo rendimento de suco dos frutos, provavelmente em razão da menor precipitação pluviométrica ocorrida nessa safra. O índice tecnológico encontrado nas safras avaliadas está abaixo do exigido pela indústria.

Desfolha e posição do fruto em meloeiro cv. Don Luis, cultivado em ambiente protegido

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito do número de folhas e da posição de fixação do fruto na planta sobre a produção de biomassa e a qualidade de frutos de meloeiro tipo Cantaloupe. O experimento foi constituído de quatro tratamentos, delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 15 repetições. Os tratamentos foram: 1) 14 folhas/planta, com fruto fixado na posição intermediária da planta; 2) 14 folhas/planta, com fruto fixado no alto da planta; 3) 14 folhas/planta até a fixação do fruto no alto da planta, quando foram retiradas as sete folhas imediatamente abaixo do fruto; e 4) 14 folhas/planta até a fixação do fruto no alto da planta, quando foram retiradas as sete folhas na base da planta. Avaliaram-se: área foliar; área foliar específica; razão de área foliar; dias para colheita; ciclo cultural; diâmetro, comprimento, massa da matéria fresca, espessura do pericarpo, diâmetro da cavidade e teor de sólidos solúveis de fruto; e massa da matéria seca de folhas, caule, pecíolo e fruto. A condução das plantas com maior número de folhas (tratamentos 1 e 2) proporcionou maior área foliar, massa da matéria seca de folhas, massa das matérias fresca e seca de fruto, espessura do pericarpo e sólidos solúveis de fruto, comparado aos tratamentos 3 e 4. Maior área foliar/fruto proporciona frutos com maiores massa, espessura de pericarpo e teor de sólidos solúveis. A fixação do fruto na porção intermediária, comparada à fixação no topo da planta, tem como vantagem o menor ciclo cultural. O meloeiro ajusta a produção de massa dos órgãos à área foliar disponível na planta.

Ecological aspects of American cutaneous leishmaniasis: 4. Observations on the endophilic behavior of the sandfly and the vectorial role of Psychodopygus intermedius in the Ribeira Valley region of the S.Paulo State, Brazil

The invasive tendency of Psychodopygus intermedius in the home environment, observed initially by Forattini et al. (1976), has now been confirmed by the demonstration of its high endophilic ability and by the use of human residences for shelter. Populations such as Lutzomyia migonei and Pintomyia fischeri were also present in that environment, though their low densities registered during this investigation could be an indication of their poor ability to overcome the barriers raised by the artificial environment. An objective epidemiological analysis based on the variables here given showed that human infection takes place in the extraforest environment, and the principal vectorial function falls, without doubt, on P. intermedius.

Trends in the use of antidepressants among older adults: Bambuí Project

OBJECTIVE To analyze the trends and factors associated with the antidepressant use among older adults. METHODS This population-based study evaluated older adults in 1997 (n = 351, baseline) and the survivors at the 15th follow-up year (n = 462, in 2012) among the aging cohort of Bambuí. The prevalence of antidepressant use was estimated, and the most commonly used antidepressants each year were identified. Prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance to investigate differences in the prevalence of use between 1997 and 2012. RESULTS The overall consumption of antidepressants (PR = 2.87, 95%CI 1.94;4.25) and of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (PR = 7.50, 95%CI 3.74;15.02) was significantly higher in 2012. However, no significant difference was observed in the use of tricyclic antidepressants between the two cohorts (PR = 0.89, 95%CI 0.49;1.62). In the 2012 cohort, antidepressant use was associated with females, increased age, increased income (≥ 4 minimum wages), self-assessment of health as reasonable, and attending ≥ 5 medical consultations in the last 12 months. CONCLUSIONS The increased consumption of antidepressants in the period due to increased use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors was consistent with results observed in international studies of different population groups and contexts. The positive correlation observed between antidepressant use and family income may be a warning of possible inequalities in access to mental health services.

Intra-hospital organ and tissue donation coordination project: cost-effectiveness and social benefits

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the viability of a professional specialist in intra-hospital committees of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. METHODS Epidemiological, retrospective and cross-sectional study (2003-2011 and 2008-2012), which was performed using organ donation for transplants data in the state of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. Nine hospitals were evaluated (hospitals 1 to 9). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the differences in the number of brain death referrals and actual donors (dependent variables) after the professional specialist started work (independent variable) at the intra-hospital committee of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. To evaluate the hospital invoicing, the hourly wage of the doctor and registered nurse, according to the legislation of the Consolidation of Labor Laws, were calculated, as were the investment return and the time elapsed to do so. RESULTS Following the nursing specialist commencement on the committee, brain death referrals and the number of actual donors increased at hospital 2 (4.17 and 1.52, respectively). At hospital 7, the number of actual donors also increased from 0.005 to 1.54. In addition, after the nurse started working, hospital revenues increased by 190.0% (ranging 40.0% to 1.955%). The monthly cost for the nurse working 20 hours was US$397.97 while the doctor would cost US$3,526.67. The return on investment was 275% over the short term (0.36 years). CONCLUSIONS This paper showed that including a professional specialist in intra-hospital committees for organ and tissue donation for transplantation proved to be cost-effective. Further economic research in the area could contribute to the efficient public policy implementation of this organ and tissue harvesting model.

Human disease in ribeira valley, brazil caused by caraparu, a group c arbovirus - Report of a case

The clinical and laboratory data of a disease in a resident of Ribeira Valley, São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil, caused by an agent close or identical to Caraparu, a Group C arbovirus, was described. Although there is evidence of an intensive circulation of several arboviruses in the area, no diagnosis of human disease by these agents has been made, except the encephalitis cases caused by Rocio virus during an epidemic in 1975-1977. An antigenic difference between Caraparu strains isolated in São Paulo and in Pará States and a close antigenic relationship between Caraparu strain from São Paulo and Bruconha virus were suggested by the serological tests.

Recent occurence of human infection by Rocio arbovirus in Ribeira Valley, Brazil

The presence of IgM antibodies to Rocio in sera of two children from rural area of Ribeira Valley, Brazil, was detected by MAC-ELISA. This new arbovirus of the Flaviviridae family was responsible for an extensive encephalitis epidemic that occurred in the region in 1975-1977. Since 1980 no human disease caused by this virus has been diagnosed. An improvement on surveillance of Rocio infections and on the researches for virus identification in suspected vectors and reservoirs is necessary.