Pequisas físicas e químicas do sistema hidrográfico da região lagunar de Cananéia: I - Cursos de águas

The present elaboration is a "previous note" about two watercourses, Maria Rodrigues and Baguaçú, belonging to Hydrografic System of the Cananeas Lagoon Region in the Southern Part of it he Coast of the Estado de São Paulo, Brazil, which is the objete of our physical and chemical researches. It is based on the first results obtained from our contact with that region, ttfie studies of which are being continued and will still have to confirm or not the previous conclusions, which we are presenting in this "provisional paper". We studied the Maria Rodrigues and the Baguacu under the discussion whether they are to be clasified as a river in the poper sense ot the word or waUer-courses of any other origin. For this purpose we established observatory-stations along their whole course where we collected quantities of water to be analised. The data included in the table nº 1 and 2 refer to the physical and chemical properties of these portions of water. These physical and chemical properties were discussed and compared one with the other according to the observatory-stations, at the same moment and the tide predominating on that occasion. The physical and chemical datas were obtained according to the norms recommended by the Conseil International permanent pour l'Exploration de la Mer, Copenhague. We also presented a sketch of both; we described their relations with regard to the Mar de Cananéia; we inserted comprehensible histograms of the distribution of the observatory-stations, each of them with the respective indices, and at last we tried to correlate the occurrence of the "plancton" with the physical and chemical properties of water as well in the Maria Rodrigues as in the Baguacú. From these researches result the following previous conclusions: 1 - By the data obtained up to now nothing could be formulated as to a cyclical or "seasonal" aspect. 2 - By the comparison of the phenomena which present the rivers in the proper sense of the word and those observed in the Maria Rodrigues and the Baguacú, we are convinced that both are water-courses of the classical type "marigot,". 3 - Their channels are maintained open by the effect of the tide and, more perphaps, by the infiltration-water deriving from the underground-water level owing to the type of the soil of that region, which in mean shows an elevation of 2-4 meters over sea-level. 4 - From tables 1 and 2 and histograms 2 and 3 we stated that the water, not only of the Maria Rodrigues but also of the Baguacú, conserve more or less the same physical and chemical properties, provided that: 1) the localities to be compared are the mouths or equidistant points from them in the lower course, and 2) the moment and tide must be the same. Tables 3a and 3b show sufficiently this supposition.

Determining the concrete stiffness matrix through ultrasonic testing

The determination of the modulus tangent (Eci ) and of the modulus secant (Ecs) of the concrete can be done using compression test but, to be simpler, it is used relations with characteristic strength (f ck). Relations are also used to determine the transversal modulus (Gc) and, in the case of the Poisson's ratio (ν), a fixed value 0.20 is established. The objective of this research was to evaluate the use of the ultrasonic propagation waves to determine these properties. For the tests were used specimens with f ck varying from 10 to 35 MPa. For the ultrasonic tests were used cylindrical and cubic specimens. The modulus of deformation obtained by ultrasound was statistically equivalent to the obtained by compression tests. The results of modules obtained using the relations with f ck was far away from those obtained by ultrasound or by compression tests. The Poisson's ratio obtained by ultrasound was superior to the fixed value. We can conclude that the concrete characterization by ultrasound is consistent and, to this characterization the cylindrical specimen, normally used to determine f ck, can be used.

Erosion factors and magnetic susceptibility in differet compartments of a slope in Gilbués-PI, Brazil

The erosion is the degradation of soil with effects on crop productivity and pollution of the environment. To understand the spatial variability of this phenomenon, geostatistical techniques and concepts of soil-landscape can be used to identify landscape compartments with different potential of erosion. The aim of this study was to understand the factors of erosion in landscape compartments and the relations with the magnetic susceptibility (MS) of the soils in a slope in Gilbués, state of Piauí (PI), Brazil. Sampling meshes were set in compartments I and II with 121 points and in compartment III with 99 points spaced every 10 meters. There was significant difference to erodibility (K) and risk of erosion (RE); the spatial variability of MS was lower than the factors of soil erosion. The soil losses (A), the natural erosion potential (NEP), the RE and the MS had spatial relation with the topographic factor, indicating dependence of the erosion with the relief. We concluded that losses of soil, natural erosion potential and risk of erosion have spatial relation with the topographic factor, showing the dependence of the erosion factors with the relief. The soil magnetic susceptibility can be used as an auxiliary variable in the indirect quantification of the erodibility factor and the risk of soil erosion.

Changes in the behavioral and immunological parameters of the mollusk Biomphalaria tenagophila induced by disruption of the circadian cycle as a consequence of continuous illumination

In the present investigation we studied some behavioral and immunological parameters of adult gastropod mollusk, Biomphalaria tenagophila, which have been reproducing for several generations under laboratory conditions. One group of gastropods was kept on a 14-h light/10-h dark cycle, corresponding to a regular circadian cycle, and another group was exposed to continuous light for 48 h. Animals were studied along (behavioral groups) or immediately after (immunological groups) 48 h of regular circadian cycle or continuous light conditions. Stopping/floating, dragging and sliding were the behavioral aspects considered (N = 20 for regular cycle; N = 20 for continuous illumination) and number of hemocytes/µl hemolymph was the immunological parameter studied (N = 15 for regular cycle, N = 14 for continuous illumination). Animals under continuous illumination were more active (sliding = 33 episodes, dragging = 48 episodes) and displayed a lower number of hemocytes (78.0 ± 24.27/µl) when compared with mollusks kept on a regular circadian cycle (sliding = 18 episodes, dragging = 27 episodes; hemocytes = 157.6 ± 53.27/µl). The data are discussed in terms of neural circuits and neuroimmunological relations with the possible stressful effect of continuous illumination.

The growing competition in Brazilian science: rites of passage, stress and burnout

Brazil's scientific community is under pressure. Each year there is an increase in its contribution to international science and in the number of students who are trained to do research and teach at an advanced level. Most of these activities are carried out in state and federal universities, but with government funding that has decreased by more than 70% since 1996. Interviews with graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and professors in one university department with a strong research tradition illustrate the level of stress engendered by the conflict between increasing competition and diminishing resources, and serve to underscore the negative effects on creativity and on the tendency to choose science as a career.

Effects of acid-base imbalance on vascular reactivity

Acid-base homeostasis maintains systemic arterial pH within a narrow range. Whereas the normal range of pH for clinical laboratories is 7.35-7.45, in vivo pH is maintained within a much narrower range. In clinical and experimental settings, blood pH can vary in response to respiratory or renal impairment. This altered pH promotes changes in vascular smooth muscle tone with impact on circulation and blood pressure control. Changes in pH can be divided into those occurring in the extracellular space (pHo) and those occurring within the intracellular space (pHi), although, extracellular and intracellular compartments influence each other. Consistent with the multiple events involved in the changes in tone produced by altered pHo, including type of vascular bed, several factors and mechanisms, in addition to hydrogen ion concentration, have been suggested to be involved. The scientific literature has many reports concerning acid-base balance and endothelium function, but these concepts are not clear about acid-base disorders and their relations with the three known mechanisms of endothelium-dependent vascular reactivity: nitric oxide (NO/cGMP-dependent), prostacyclin (PGI2/cAMP-dependent) and hyperpolarization. During the last decades, many studies have been published and have given rise to confronting data on acid-base disorder and endothelial function. Therefore, the main proposal of this review is to provide a critical analysis of the state of art and incentivate researchers to develop more studies about these issues.

Estratégia nacional e desenvolvimento

After a review of the concept of economic growth as a historical process beginning with the capitalist revolution and the formation of the modern national states, the author claims that growth is almost invariably the outcome of a national development strategy. Effective economic development occurs historically when the different social classes are able to cooperate and formulate an effective strategy to promote growth and face international competition. It follows a discussion of the main characteristics and of the basic tensions that such strategies face in the central countries which first developed, and in the underdeveloped countries, which, besides their domestic problems, confront major challenges in their relations with the rich countries.