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Q&A: Tashia Bradley on Kentucky, Tortola, The Pugh Center mission, and the mild winter she brought with her to Maine Weather Report: Senior speaks at meteorological meeting, challenges historians' take on the history of forecasting Finding Community: Projects for Peace documentary explores a different, and for many, more rewarding way of life Literary Peaks: At Whitefish Review, Colby trio (plus one) gives art and literature a mountain home Sadoff Invites Us To Love Life Despite Hardship and Injustice (Review) Marketing Experts Say Plain Talk Beats Social Media Considering Life's Stepping Stones: For Debra Spark's characters, it's the journey, not the destination (Review) Finding Home Amid Myth and Mystery (Review) Recent Releases Concussion Impact: Colby-based project helps Maine schools reduce sports injuries Quiet Powerhouse: Rachael Mack ends career with 1,241 points, leads team turnaround Sports Shorts The Nation's Fastest: Dominique Kone '13 wins NCAA DIII 60-meter dash, coming back from 2011 injury

Números cromossômicos em espécies de Acosmium Schott e Leptolobium Vogel (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae)

A cytotaxonomic analysis of species of Acosmium Schott e Leptolobium Vogel was carried out, by determining their chromosome numbers. The three species of Acosmium and five species of Leptolobium (representing 50% of the genus) were studied from seeds obtained from different regions of Brazil. Chromosome counts were new for all Acosmium species and for four Leptolobium species. For Acosmium cardenasii, 2n = 18 was constantly observed, while occurring at the same meristem were found 2n = 18, 24 e 32 in A. diffusissimum and 2n = 18 e 32 in A. lentiscifolium. For Leptolobium, all studied species had 2n = 18, confirming a previous count for L. dasycarpum. The results showed that chromosome numbers of Acosmium and Leptolobium species are homogeneous, confirming the basic number x = 9 for both genera. Therefore, chromosome numbers do not provide a useful taxonomic character distinguishing Acosmium from Leptolobium.

Chemical composition, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory and antifungal activities of Pera glabrata (Schott) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae)

Pera glabrata (Schott) Baill. was selected for this study after showing a preliminary positive result in a screening of Atlantic Forest plant species in the search for acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and antifungal compounds. The bioassays were conducted with crude ethanol extract of the leaves using direct bioautography method for acetylcholinesterase and antifungal activities. This extract was partitioned with hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate solvents. The active chloroform fraction was submitted to silica gel chromatography column affording 12 groups. Caffeine, an alkaloid, which showed detection limits of 0.1 and 1.0 µg for anticholinesterasic and antifungal activities, respectively, was isolated from group nine. After microplate analyses, only groups four, nine, 10, 11 and 12 showed acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of 40% or higher. The group 12 was purified by preparative layer chromatography affording four sub-fractions. Two sub-fractions from this group were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. The first sub-fraction showed anticholinesterasic activity and contained two major compounds: 9-hydroxy-4-megastigmen-3-one (84%) and caffeine (6%). The second sub-fraction presented five major compounds identified as 9-hydroxy-4-megastigmen-3-one, isololiolide, (-) loliolide, palmitic acid and lupeol and did not show activity.

Um método alternativo e eficiente de propagação vegetativa de inhame (Colocasia esculenta (L.) SCHOTT) e de taioba (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) SCHOOT)

O experimento foi conduzido em casa-de-vegetação por um período de 30 dias, com o objetivo de testar o método de propagação rápida de inhame e taioba através de divisão de rizomas centrais. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pela divisão dos rizomas em quatro, oito e doze partes e pela utilização de rizomas laterais inteiros. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em quatro repetições. O número de mudas produzidas e de pedaços de rizoma apodrecidas de inhame e taioba aumentaram de forma linear com o aumento do número de divisões dos rizomas.

Changes in the amount of soluble carbohydrates and polyphenols contents during decomposition of Montrichardia arborescens (L.) Schott

This study describes the aerobic and anaerobic decay of soluble carbohydrates (CH) and polyphenols (PH) during decomposition of Montrichardia arborescens. Plant and water samples were collected in the Cantá stream (2º 49' 11" N and 60º 40' 24" W), Roraima, Brazil. Decomposition chambers with plant fragments and stream water were incubated. Particulate organic matter was separated from dissolved organic matter and concentrations of CH and PH were determined. The results were fitted to 1st order kinetics models. CH and PH comprised a labile fraction (LCH and LPH) and a refractory fraction (RCH and RPH). The global coefficient associated with LCH weight loss was 1.4 times higher under aerobic conditions (3.4 day-1) higher than for anaerobic conditions. On the other hand, the RCH decay rate in the anaerobic process (0.0074 day-1) was 1.39 times higher. LCH was estimated to be 92% while RCH amounted to 8%. The LPH anaerobic decay was 5.2 times the value for the aerobic decay (0.67 day-1). For both conditions, RPH decay coefficients were similar (» 0.011 day-1). In the aerobic experiments LPH and RPH corresponded to 92.5% and 7.5%, respectively. For the anaerobic process these contents were 85.5% and 14.5%, respectively. From these results, we concluded that in the Cantá stream, the anaerobic degradation of phenols is more efficient than the aerobic counterpart. The aerobic condition provides a faster decay of carbohydrates of this plant.

Bildnerische Analyse eines Krieges : Philip Jones Griffiths’ Vietnam Inc. als Gegenerzählung zur damaligen offiziellen Deutung des Vietnamkrieges

Anhand von Bildanalysen wird die ungleiche Kräfteverteilung zwischen amerikanischen Soldaten und vietnamesischen Zivilisten deutlich, die sich in einem "asymmetrischen Krieg" gegenüberstanden. Diese Bildwirkung wird anhand spezifischer Stilmittel, die die Bildsprache ausmachen, verdeutlicht. Der Bildband gilt als "Meisterwerk des Fotojournalismus", weil es Griffiths damit gelingt, die Wahrheit über Krieg zu visualisieren.

Développement de l'Afrique. Traduit de l'anglais sur la 2e édition par le Dr E. Verrier,... Mlle L. Lindsay,... Avec 14 cartes gravées et coloriées par M. E.-G. Ravenstein,... et une 15e carte sur la valeur des terres africaines, par M. A. Silva White

Comprend : Cartes

Comparison of Griffiths-II and Bayley-II tests for the developmental assessment of high-risk infants.

INTRODUCTION: Two important risk factors for abnormal neurodevelopment are preterm birth and neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. The new revisions of Griffiths Mental Development Scale (Griffiths-II, [1996]) and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II, [1993]) are two of the most frequently used developmental diagnostics tests. The Griffiths-II is divided into five subscales and a global development quotient (QD), and the BSID-II is divided into two scales, the Mental scale (MDI) and the Psychomotor scale (PDI). The main objective of this research was to establish the extent to which developmental diagnoses obtained using the new revisions of these two tests are comparable for a given child. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 18-months-old high-risk children examined with both tests in the follow-up Unit of the Clinic of Neonatology of our tertiary care university Hospital between 2011 and 2012. To determine the concurrent validity of the two tests paired t-tests and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were computed. Using the BSID-II as a gold standard, the performance of the Griffiths-II was analyzed with receiver operating curves. RESULTS: 61 patients (80.3% preterm, 14.7% neonatal asphyxia) were examined. For the BSID-II the MDI mean was 96.21 (range 67-133) and the PDI mean was 87.72 (range 49-114). For the Griffiths-II, the QD mean was 96.95 (range 60-124), the locomotors subscale mean was 92.57 (range 49-119). The score of the Griffiths locomotors subscale was significantly higher than the PDI (p<0.001). Between the Griffiths-II QD and the BSID-II MDI no significant difference was found, and the area under the curve was 0.93, showing good validity. All correlations were high and significant with a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient >0.8. CONCLUSIONS: The meaning of the results for a given child was the same for the two tests. Two scores were interchangeable, the Griffiths-II QD and the BSID-II MDI.

Constituintes químicos de Philodendron imbe Schott

The chemical composition of the ethanolic extract of the leaves and roots from Philodendron imbe Schott was investigated. The main constituents isolated the leaves were beta-sitosterol one polyprenoid hexaprenol, and 6beta-hydroxy-stigmast-4-en-3-one, a steroid, not yet reported in the Philodendron gender. A mixture of constituents, namely, ethyl myristoleate, alpha-bisabolol, ethyl isopalmitate, 3-octadecenyl-phenol and the major component ethyl palmitate, were isolated from the roots. Structure elucidation of these secondary metabolites was accomplished by spectrometric analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR experiments such as ¹H, ¹H and ¹H,13C-COSY.

Avaliação da composição mineral do chá da folha senescente de Montrichardia linifera (arruda) schott (araceae) por espectrometria de absorção atômica com chama (FAAS)

Levels of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn were determinated by FAAS in the tea and dry matter from senescent leaf from Montrichardia linifera, plant used in folk medicine Amazon. The content of these metals that are transferred of the leaf to the infusions have presented significant reductions, however, the Mn values in the infusion may exceed the tolerable daily intake (11 mg) if consumption of this tea is greater than 1.0 L per day. So the tea of senescent leaves of M. linifera may be considered as a toxic beverage and thus its use is not advised.

Efeitos da rochagem e de resíduos orgânicos sobre aspectos químicos e microbiológicos de um subsolo exposto e sobre o crescimento de Astronium fraxinifolium Schott

Áreas degredadas, como as oriundas da construção da Usina Hidrelétrica de Ilha Solteira, de onde as camadas superficiais do solo foram removidas, apresentam baixa regeneração natural e subsolo desnudo, com problemas de compactação, alta densidade global, alta resistência à penetração de raízes e falta de matéria orgânica. Para revegetar essas áreas, torna-se necessário melhorar as condições gerais do subsolo. Este trabalho objetivou verificar os efeitos da rochagem (basalto) e da aplicação de diferentes resíduos orgânicos sobre aspectos químicos e microbiológicos de um subsolo exposto e sobre o crescimento de Gonçalo Alves (Astronium fraxinifolium Schott), uma espécie arbórea nativa de Cerrado. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação e constou de 17 tratamentos, como se segue: subsolo de "área de empréstimo" com quatro doses de basalto (0, 2, 4 e 8 t ha-1), combinadas ou não com 8 t ha-1 de três resíduos orgânicos (aguapé, esterco de curral e lodo doméstico), gerando 16 tratamentos, além de um adicional, com solo de Cerrado preservado, utilizado como referência, com quatro repetições por tratamento. Foram realizadas análises químicas e microbiológicas do subsolo, além de medidas de altura, massa seca e fresca da parte aérea e do sistema radicular das plantas. Os resultados indicam que os procedimentos com esterco e aguapé, adicionados ou não de basalto, foram os que mais contribuíram para melhorar as condições químicas do subsolo e proporcionar os maiores resultados para as variáveis microbiológicas, enquanto as plantas apresentaram o maior crescimento nos tratamentos em que foram adicionados lodo de esgoto e basalto. A rochagem, realizada com basalto, proporcionou resultados positivos.

Aspectos da ecologia reprodutiva de Pera glabrata (Schott) Poepp. ex Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) em uma área de Cerrado no estado de São Paulo

Pera glabrata é uma árvore que apresenta ampla distribuição no Brasil. A espécie vegetal é de importância para a conservação e recuperação de áreas degradadas, pois está presente em áreas impactadas, produz e dispersa grande quantidade de sementes e constitui-se em fonte alimentar para elevado número de espécies animais. Apesar da importância fitossociológica da espécie, ainda não existem estudos que abordem a sua ecologia reprodutiva. Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar aspectos da fenologia reprodutiva, da morfologia floral, dos sistemas reprodutivo e de polinização e da dispersão de sementes da espécie. O estudo foi realizado em uma área de Cerrado no município de São Carlos, SP. Verificou-se que Pera glabrata é dioica e apresenta floração massiva e as flores dos dois sexos são pequenas, involucradas, amarelas e de antese diurna. As flores masculinas apresentam néctar e emitem odor adocicado, e as femininas não oferecem recursos perceptíveis aos visitantes florais. As flores foram visitadas por 32 espécies de Diptera e Hymenoptera de pequeno porte. Ocorre a formação de frutos e sementes por autogamia. Foram identificadas 25 espécies de aves visitando indivíduos com frutos maduros, das quais 16 ingeriram as sementes ariladas. Pera glabrata é autogâmica, com síndrome de polinização por diversos pequenos insetos e com dispersão ornitocórica de suas sementes.