Prevalence of human T cell leukemia virus-I (HTLV-I) antibody among populations living in the Amazon region of Brazil (preliminary report)

Forty-tree (31.4%) out of 137 serum samples obtained from two Indian communities living in the Amazon region were found to be positive for HTLV-I antibody, as tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa). Eighty-two sera were collected from Mekranoiti Indians, yielding 39% of positivity, whereas 11 (20.0%) or the 55 Tiriyo serum samples had antibody to HTLV-I. In addition, positive results occurred in 10 (23.2%) out of 43 sera obtained from patients living in the Belem area, who were suffering from cancer affecting different organs. Five (16.7%) out of 30 Elisa positive specimens were also shown to be positive by either Western blot analysis (WB) or indirect immunogold electron microscopy (IIG-EM).

Identification of Human T-lymphotropic Virus Type I (HTLV-I) Subtypes Using Restrited Fragment Length Polymorphism in a Cohort of Asymptomatic Carriers and Patients with HTLV-I-associated Myelopathy/tropical Spastic Paraparesis from São Paulo, Brazil

Although human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) exhibits high genetic stability, as compared to other RNA viruses and particularly to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), genotypic subtypes of this human retrovirus have been characterized in isolates from diverse geographical areas. These are currently believed not to be associated with different pathogenetic outcomes of infection. The present study aimed at characterizing genotypic subtypes of viral isolates from 70 HTLV-I-infected individuals from São Paulo, Brazil, including 42 asymptomatic carriers and 28 patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), using restricted fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of long terminal repeat (LTR) HTLV-I proviral DNA sequences. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell lysates were amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and amplicons submitted to enzymatic digestion using a panel of endonucleases. Among HTLV-I asymptomatic carriers, viral cosmopolitan subtypes A, B, C and E were identified in 73.8%, 7.1%, 7.1% and 12% of tested samples, respectively, whereas among HAM/TSP patients, cosmopolitan A (89.3%), cosmopolitan C (7.1%) and cosmopolitan E (3.6%) subtypes were detected. HTLV-I subtypes were not statistically significant associated with patients' clinical status. We also conclude that RFLP analysis is a suitable tool for descriptive studies on the molecular epidemiology of HTLV-I infections in our environment.

Highlands of the upper Jequitinhonha valley, Brazil: I - characterization and classification

In the upper Jequitinhonha valley, state of Minas Gerais, Brazi, there are large plane areas known as "chapadas", which are separated by areas dissected by tributaries of the Jequitinhonha and Araçuaí rivers. These dissected areas have a surface drainage system with tree, shrub, and grass vegetation, more commonly known as "veredas", i.e., palm swamps. The main purpose of this study was to characterize soil physical, chemical and morphological properties of a representative toposequence in the watershed of the Vereda Lagoa do Leandro, a swamp near Minas Novas, MG, on "chapadas", the highlands of the Alto Jequitinhonha region Different soil types are observed in the landscape: at the top - Typic Haplustox (LVA), in the middle slope - Xanthic Haplustox (LA), at the footslope - Xanthic Haplustox, gray color, here called "Gray Haplustox" ("LAC") and, at the bottom of the palm swamp - Typic Albaquult (GXbd). These soils were first morphologically described; samples of disturbed and undisturbed soils were collected from all horizons and subhorizons, to evaluate their essential physical and chemical properties, by means of standard determination of Fe, Al, Mn, Ti and Si oxides after sulfuric extraction. The contents of Fe, Al and Mn, extracted with dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate and oxalate treatments, were also determined. In the well-drained soils of the slope positions, the typical morphological, physical and chemical properties of Oxisols were found. The GXbd sample, from the bottom of the palm swamp, is grayish and has high texture gradient (B/A) and massive structure. The reduction of the proportion of crystalline iron compounds and the low crystallinity along the slope confirmed the loss of iron during pedogenesis, which is reflected in the current soil color. The Si and Al contents were lowest in the "LAC" soil. There was a decrease of the Fe2O3/TiO2 ratio downhill, indicating progressive drainage restriction along the toposequence. The genesis and all physical and chemical properties of the soils at the footslope and the bottom of the palm swamp of the "chapadas" of the Alto Jequitinhonha region are strongly influenced by the occurrence of ground water on the surface or near the surface all year long, at present and/or in the past. Total concentrations of iron oxides, Fe d and Fe o in soils of the toposequence studied are related to the past and/or present soil colors and drainage conditions.

Physiological responses of two tropical weeds to shade: I. Growth and biomass allocation

Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) Roem. & Schultz (Convolvulaceae) and Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Rich) Vahl. (Verbenaceae), two weeds found in pastures and crop areas in Brazilian Amazonia, were grown in controlled environment cabinets under high (800-1000 µmol m-² s-¹) and low (200-350 µmol m-² s-¹) light regimes during a 40-day period. For both species leaf dry mass and leaf area per total plant dry mass, and leaf area per leaf dry mass were higher for low-light plants, whereas root mass per total plant dry mass was higher for high-light plants. High-light S. cayennensis allocated significantly more biomass to reproductive tissue than low-light plants, suggesting a probably lower ability of this species to maintain itself under shaded conditions. Relative growth rate (RGR) in I. asarifolia was initially higher for high-light grown plants and after 20 days started decreasing, becoming similar to low-light plants at the last two harvests (at 30 and 40 days). In S. cayennensis, RGR was also higher for high-light plants; however, this trend was not significant at the first and last harvest dates (10 and 40 days). These results are discussed in relation to their ecological and weed management implications.

Porcine follicular fluid concentration of free insulin-like growth factor-I collected from different diameter ovarian follicles

The study aimed to quantify the concentrations of free IGF-I in serum and fluid of ovarian follicles in pre-pubertal gilts and describe the ovarian morphology by measuring the size of the ovaries and counting the number of surface follicles. Ovaries (n=1,000) from pre-pubertal gilts were obtained immediately after slaughter. A total of 10 samplings were performed, with ovaries obtained from 50 females for each collection. The follicles situated on the surface of each ovary were classified as small (SFs, 2 to 5mm in diameter) or large (LFs 6 to 10mm in diameter) and the follicular fluid was obtained by follicle aspiration. The collection of serum samples was performed after the gilts exsanguination using sterile tubes. From the pool of serum and follicular fluid obtained from 50 females, the concentration of free IGF-I was determined in each sample using an enzyme immunoassay kit (ELISA). The description of ovarian morphometry was performed in 100 ovaries from randomly selected gilts. The larger and smaller lengths of ovaries were measured, and the total number of SFs and LFs present on the surface of each ovary were also counted. The IGF-I concentration was greater (P<0.05) in LFs (170.92±88.29 ng/mL) compared with SFs (67.39±49.90ng/mL) and serum (73.48±34.63ng/mL). The largest and smallest length of the ovaries was 26.0±3.0 and 19.0mm ±2.0mm, respectively. The number of SFs (70.86±25.76) was greater (P<0.01) than LFs (6.54±5.26). The study concluded that LFs present greater levels of IGF-I when compared with SFs and blood, which is related to increased activity of the LFs and its differentiation to ovulation. In addition, ovaries of pre-pubertal gilts have a higher number of SFs compared to LFs. Therefore, our study demonstrated unique data regarding the physiological concentration of free IGF-I in ovarian follicles, that can be used in future research to evaluate the addition of this hormone in the in vitro production media of porcine embryos with the goal to improve the technique efficiency.

Ecology of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a restricted focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis en Northern Venezuela: I. Description of the study area, catching methods and species composition

A study on the ecology of phlebotomine sandfly fauna in a restricted focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in northern Venezuela was undertaken in order to investigate the species responsible for the transmission. The study area and catching methods for phlebotomine sandflies are described. A total of 9,061 females and 1,662 males were collected during a year-term study. 12 species of Lutzomya and 1 species of Brumptomya sp. were identified. Absolute and relative abundance and ocurrence for each species were determined. The rel ative occurrence allowed to distinguish the common species, viz. L. panamensis, L. ovallesi, L. gomezi, L. tinidadensis, L. atroclavata, L. cayennensis, L. shannoni and L. olmeca bicolor from the rare species vis., L. punctigeniculata, L. rangeliana, L. evansi and L. dubitans. General comments on the species composition of the sandfly fauna in this locality are made.

Circulation flow of enteropathogenia bacteria in institutionalized children. I. An epidemiologic study

The circulation flow and maintenance of enteropathogenic bacteria were studied from May 1982 to april 1983 in a population of institutionalized children and adult staff contacts in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Subjects were assigned to three groups; A and B, included, respectively, 105 and 46 children with diarrhea who were admitted in the institution in different periods, and group C with 82 adult contacts. Faecal cultures were positive in 35.2%, 39.1% and 19.7% of subjects of groups A, B and C, respectively. It suggests that the transmission was probably fostered by the environment because of as high as 30% of faecal contamination was found in environmental samples. Higher rate of isolation and elevated antibodies levels pointed out that Escherichia coli (EPEC) was the prevalent agent. Shigella predominated in the serological tests. These findings suggest that the institution itself may play an important role in the epidemiology and transmission of enteric infections in the community.

Bionomics of Anopheles aquasalis Curry 1932, in Guaraí, state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil: I. Seasonal distribution and parity rates

From a total of 12,721 anophelines collected in a lowland area in Guaraí, Rio de Janeiro, from November 1991 to October 1992, 99.7% (12,688) were Anopheles aquasalis. This species occurred throughout the year, but in higher numbers from April to September, when rainfall was low or moderate. The proportion of parous females in June was significantly higher than the annual rate. An. aquasalis was weakly attracted by a light-trap, and no significant differences in abundance were detected between nights with and without moonlight.

Evaluation of the natural killer cytotoxicity and the levels of cytokines in rats with type I diabetes mellitus

Type I diabetes mellitus (insulin-dependent DM = IDDM) is a chronic disease characterized by specific destruction of pancreatic beta cells, resulting in an absolute lack of insulin. Immune mechanisms, genetic susceptibility, and environmental factors are all implicated in the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes. This study was aimed at determining the efficiency of cytokines, natural killer (NK) cells in the pathophysiology of IDDM. Therefore, we evaluated the plasma levels of cytokines by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the cytotoxicity activity of NK cells by anti-candididal index in rats with type I diabetes. We found that the cytotoxicity activity of NK cells in IDDM groups significantly decreased compared to the control groups. The levels of interferon-g (IFN-g) in IDDM groups were slightly higher than in healthy controls. These results indicate that the changes of T H1 type cytokines such as IFN-g and NK cell activity can play a role in the etiology of IDDM. The data may provide new strategies for the treatment of IDDM.

Production, characterization, and application of antibodies against heat-labile type-I toxin for detection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are responsible for significant rates of morbidity and mortality among children, particularly in developing countries. The majority of clinical and public health laboratories are capable of isolating and identifying Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 from stool samples, but ETEC cannot be identified by routine methods. The method most often used to identify ETEC is polymerase chain reaction for heat-stable and heat-labile enterotoxin genes, and subsequent serotyping, but most clinical and public health laboratories do not have the capacity or resources to perform these tests. In this study, polyclonal rabbit and monoclonal mouse IgG2b antibodies against ETEC heat-labile toxin-I (LT) were characterized and the potential applicability of a capture assay was analyzed. IgG-enriched fractions from rabbit polyclonal and the IgG2b monoclonal antibodies recognized LT in a conformational shape and they were excellent tools for detection of LT-producing strains. These findings indicate that the capture immunoassay could be used as a diagnostic assay of ETEC LT-producing strains in routine diagnosis and in epidemiological studies of diarrhea in developing countries as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay techniques remain as effective and economical choice for the detection of specific pathogen antigens in cultures.

Discourses of cyberspace securitization in Brazil and in the United States

Abstract This paper uses the framework of the Copenhagen School to understand the process of securitization of cyberspace, exploring how something in such sphere becomes a threat. Seeking to contribute to the debate, this study analyses the securitization discourses of Brazil and of the United States from Hansen and Nissenbaum's (2009) theorization about the existence of a specific sector for cybersecurity. To comprehend the securitization of cyberspace in these terms allows not only to identify distinct levels of securitization, but also to capture the dynamics of cyber threats, distinguishing them from those existent in other sectors, as well as to trace distinctions between tendencies of securitization and militarization.

Growth and yield of Coffea arabica L. in Northwest Fluminense: 2nd harvest

In recent years, several new coffee cultivars recommended for different regions have been released. However, the performance of these varieties in many traditionally producing regions is unknown. Difference of climate and soil may jeopardize the productivity of the new cultivars and cause losses to farmers. The objective of this study is to evaluate the vegetative growth and productive genotypes of C. arabica in the conditions of the Northwestern Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The experiment was settled in 2007, in Panorama 1 Farm, located in the municipality of Varre Sai, RJ. Twenty-five genotypes of C. arabica were planted in a spacing of 2.5 × 0.8 m, using a completely randomized design with five replications and eight plants per plot. There were eight measurements of vegetative growth represented by plant height, stem diameter and number of plagiotropic branches. Assessments of productivity were also performed in years 2009 and 2010. There was a positive phenotypic correlation among vegetative characteristics and between vegetative characteristics and yield in the first harvest, while in the second harvest only the number of plagiotropic branches was positively correlated with yield. Up to date, the genotypes Catucaí amarelo 2 SL, Catiguá MG 02, Acauã, Palma II, Sabiá 398, IPR 103/ Iapar, IPR 100/Iapar, H 419-10-6-2-12-1, Catucaí amarelo 24 / 137, Iapar 59, Catucaí amarelo 20/15, H 419-10-6-2-5-10-1 and H 419-10-6-2-5-1 had the highest average yield after two harvests.

Production and photosynthetic activity of Mimosa Verde and Mimosa Roxa lettuce in two farming systems

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is the most commonly consumed leaf vegetable in the Brazilian diet, and it is a good source of vitamins and minerals. It is widely grown in the conventional farming system. However, the hydroponic farming system has been gaining importance in the market, wining confidence from consumers, who are becoming increasingly more demanding on food quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of two lettuce cultivars on hydroponic and conventional farming systems for the production of fresh mass (FM) and dry mass (DM), photosynthesis, contents of chlorophyll and anthocyanin. The following two experiments were carried out: hydroponics farming (HF) and conventional farming (CF), performed in protect and unprotect environments, respectively, in Florianópolis, SC. Mimosa Verde cultivar (MV) showed greater fresh mass than Mimosa Roxa (MR), in both farming systems and the two cultivars presented better performance in the hydroponic system (287.7 g MV and 139.1 g MR) than the conventional system (129.7 g MV and 111.8 g MR). Mimosa Verde cultivar presented lower average contents of total chlorophyll (7.7 mg g-¹ FM) than Mimosa Roxa (11.8 mg g-¹FM), and both cultivars displayed higher means for this variable in the hydroponic farming system. Mimosa Roxa presented higher contents of anthocyanin in the conventional system (88.24 mg g-¹ FM) than the ones in the hydroponic system (36.89 mg g-¹ FM). The best results for CO2 net assimilation rate regarded to photosyntheticaly active photon flux density were found in the hydroponic system, for both lettuce cultivars. Variation in the contents of chlorophyll were also found. Those variations were higher in the protected system than in the hydroponic system and contents of anthocyanin were higher in the conventional system.

Theory of reasoned action for continuous improvement capabilities: a behavioral approach

The importance of interaction between Operations Management (OM) and Human Behavior has been recently re-addressed. This paper introduced the Reasoned Action Theory suggested by Froehle and Roth (2004) to analyze Operational Capabilities exploring the suitability of this model in the context of OM. It also seeks to discuss the behavioral aspects of operational capabilities from the perspective of organizational routines. This theory was operationalized using Fishbein and Ajzen (F/A) behavioral model and a multi-case strategy was employed to analyze the Continuous Improvement (CI) capability. The results posit that the model explains partially the CI behavior in an operational context and some contingency variables might influence the general relations among the variables involved in the F/A model. Thus intention might not be the determinant variable of behavior in this context.

Peroral susceptibility of Aedes albifasciatus and Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from Argentina to western equine encephalitis virus

The transmission cycle of western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus in South America is unknown. A WEE virus strain was isolated from Aedes albifasciatus in Argentina during the WEE epizootic of 1982-83. Also, Culex pipiens from Argentina was reported to be able to transmit WEE virus experimentally, but other results indicate that Cx. pipiens from the USA is refractory to this virus. We determined the susceptibility of Argentina strains of Ae. albifasciatus and Culex pipiens complex mosquites to infection by WEE virus by the oral route. Adult females were fed on chicks infected with a WEE virus strain isolated in Cordoba Province, Argentina, or were fed on a blood/virus suspension. Each mosquito ingested between 10(1.6) to 10(6.4) vero cell plaque-forming units of virus. Each of 28 Ae. albifasciatus was positive for virus from the fourth day postfeeding, and there was evidence for virus replication. In contrast, 0/44 Cx. p. quinquefasciatus and only 1/15 Cx. p. pipiens was positive. Aedes albifasciatus is susceptible to infection by WEE virus and should be considered a potential vector of this virus in Argentina. Both subspecies of Cx. pipiens are refractory to peroral infection by WEE virus and probably do not play a role in the WEE virus cycle in Argentina.