Seasonal variation and natural infection of Lutzomyia antunesi (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), an endemic species in the Orinoquia region of Colombia

Lutzomyia antunesi has been commonly reported in outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the Orinoquia region of Colombia. The bionomics of this species were studied in the municipality of Villavicencio (Meta, Colombia). Sandflies were captured over the course of one week per month for one year in intradomiciliary, peridomiciliary and extradomiciliary housing areas. The captures were performed from 06:00 pm-06:00 am using CDC light traps and the females were processed for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Leishmania spp. A total of 22,097 specimens and 19 species were captured of which Lu. antunesi (89%) and Lutzomyia walkeri (5%) were the most abundant. Other species recognised as anthropophilic (Lutzomyia panamensis, Lutzomyia gomezi, Lutzomyia flaviscutellata and Lutzomyia fairtigi) were present in very low abundance (< 2%). Natural infection with Leishmania spp was detected using PCR in Lu. antunesi, Lu. panamensis and Lu. flavicutellata, showing infection rates of 1%, 4.8% and 7.5%, respectively. The present paper provides information on various ecological aspects of Lu. antunesi. An analysis of seasonality shows that this species increases in abundance in the hottest months (December, January and February), directly correlating with the maximum temperature and inversely correlating with precipitation. The natural infection rate is associated with the peaks of highest abundance.

Genetic variability in G2 and F2 region between biological clones of human respiratory syncytial virus with or without host immune selection pressure

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is an important respiratory pathogens among children between zero-five years old. Host immunity and viral genetic variability are important factors that can make vaccine production difficult. In this work, differences between biological clones of HRSV were detected in clinical samples in the absence and presence of serum collected from children in the convalescent phase of the illness and from their biological mothers. Viral clones were selected by plaque assay in the absence and presence of serum and nucleotide sequences of the G2 and F2 genes of HRSV biological clones were compared. One non-synonymous mutation was found in the F gene (Ile5Asn) in one clone of an HRSV-B sample and one non-synonymous mutation was found in the G gene (Ser291Pro) in four clones of the same HRSV-B sample. Only one of these clones was obtained after treatment with the child's serum. In addition, some synonymous mutations were determined in two clones of the HRSV-A samples. In conclusion, it is possible that minor sequences could be selected by host antibodies contributing to the HRSV evolutionary process, hampering the development of an effective vaccine, since we verify the same codon alteration in absence and presence of human sera in individual clones of BR-85 sample.

Maternal mortality from hemorrhage in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Hemorrhage represents a set of causes that focuses on women during the pregnancy and puerperal period, and that, with improper attention, results in death. The authors aimed to analyze maternal deaths related to hemorrhage that occurred in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The data were obtained from the Mortality Information System and Live Births Information System from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. This was a descriptive study, in which 491 maternal deaths that occurred in the period 1997-2010 were analyzed. Of these, 61 were related to hemorrhage, corresponding to 12.42%; postpartum hemorrhage was the most prevalent cause, with 26 deaths, followed by placental abruption with 15, representing 67.21% of the cases. The maternal mortality from hemorrhage is a public health problem in the state of Santa Catarina, due to its high prevalence and the fact that its underlying causes are preventable.

Systematics and distribution of the genus Johnsonius Marsh (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Doryctinae) with description of two new species from Brazil

The genus Johnsonius Marsh includes five species, most of them known from Costa Rica and one known from Venezuela, Peru and Costa Rica. Two of these species and two new species were recently collected in Atlantic rain forest. Description of the new species, illustrations of some morphological characters, a key for identification of all known species and the new geographic records are presented.

Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) parasitoids of Lepidoptera caterpillars feeding on Croton floribundus Spreng (Euphorbiaceae)

Parasitoids of the family Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) were obtained during an inventory of Lepidoptera larvae caught feeding in the wild on Croton floribundus (Euphorbiaceae). The Lepidoptera larvae were collected from host plants along trails inside three preserved forest areas in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Fifteen different species of Ichneumonidae belonging to five subfamilies (Banchinae, Campopleginae, Cremastinae, Mesochorinae and Metopiinae) were obtained. Seven species of Ichneumonidae were reared from leaf rollers: Meniscomorpha sp. (Banchinae) and Leurus caeruliventris (Cresson) (Metopiinae) from Dichomeris sp. (Gelechiidae); Mesochorus sp.1 (Mesochorinae) [as a parasitoid of Hypomicrogaster sp. (Braconidae, Microgastrinae)], Campoplex sp. (Campopleginae) and Leurus sp. from Olethreutinae sp. (Tortricidae); Sphelodon annulicornis Morley (Banchinae) and Eutanygaster brevipennis Cameron (Cremastinae) were also reared from two unidentified species of Gelechiidae. The other eight species were reared from the larvae of exposed feeders: Diradops sp. (Banchinae) from Miselia albipuncta Hampson (Noctuidae), Casinaria sp. (Campopleginae) from Hymenomima conia Prout (Geometridae), Charops sp. (Campopleginae) from Bagisara paulensis Schaus (Noctuidae) and Oxydia vesulia (Cramer) (Geometridae), two species of Hyposoter Förster (Campopleginae) from Semaeopus sp. (Geometridae) and H. conia, two species of Microcharops Roman (Campopleginae) from B. paulensis and an unidentified species of Limacodidae and Mesochorus sp. 2 [reared from what was probably Aleiodes sp. (Braconidae, Rogadinae)] from an unidentified species of Noctuidae.

Diversity of Braconidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) of the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, Rondonia, Brazil

Braconidae is a highly diversified family of Hymenoptera and usually known by their role in biological control both in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Despite of that, little is known about its diversity in the Amazon region. The present work inventoried the braconid fauna of an Open Ombrophylous Forest with Palm Trees of the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, RO. Insects were collect from June/2008 to May/2009 using six Malaise traps in different parts of the reserve. A total of 377 wasps were captured, 17 subfamilies and 56 genera identified. Braconinae, Microgastrinae, Doryctinae and Rogadinae subfamilies were very abundant, and also the genera Aleiodes, Bracon, Capitonius, Compsobracon, Heterospilus, Hymenochaonia, Opius, Pedinotus, Rogas and Stantonia. The calculated Shannon diversity index was 2.15 and 3.3 for subfamily and genera, respectively, which were, generally, higher than the values found for other regions in Brazil. Generally, parasitoids were more abundant during the rainy season. The present work contributes with new genera records and faunistic data of Braconidae in Rondonia State, western Amazon.

Influence of ionization state on the activation of temocapril by hCES1: a molecular-dynamics study.

Temocapril is a prodrug whose hydrolysis by carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) yields the active ACE inhibitor temocaprilat. This molecular-dynamics (MD) study uses a resolved structure of the human CES1 (hCES1) to investigate some mechanistic details of temocapril hydrolysis. The ionization constants of temocapril (pK1 and pK3) and temocaprilat (pK1, pK2, and pK3) were determined experimentally and computationally using commercial algorithms. The constants so obtained were in good agreement and revealed that temocapril exists mainly in three ionic forms (a cation, a zwitterion, and an anion), whereas temocaprilat exists in four major ionic forms (a cation, a zwitterion, an anion, and a dianion). All these ionic forms were used as ligands in 5-ns MS simulations. While the cationic and zwitterionic forms of temocapril were involved in an ion-pair bond with Glu255 suggestive of an inhibitor behavior, the anionic form remained in a productive interaction with the catalytic center. As for temocaprilat, its cation appeared trapped by Glu255, while its zwitterion and anion made a slow departure from the catalytic site and a partial egress from the protein. Only its dianion was effectively removed from the catalytic site and attracted to the protein surface by Lys residues. A detailed mechanism of product egress emerges from the simulations.

Determinação das propriedades hidráulicas do solo utilizando tensiômetros de polímeros em experimentos de evaporação

O tensiômetro de polímeros é um equipamento recentemente desenvolvido que permite medir o potencial matricial da água no solo desde a saturação até condições mais secas do que o ponto de murcha permanente. Nesta nota descreve-se a utilização de tensiômetros de polímeros em experimentos de evaporação de cilindros com solo deformado, para determinar as propriedades hidráulicas do material. Nos experimentos foi utilizada terra da camada superficial de um Nitossolo Vermelho. O uso de tensiômetros de polímeros em experimentos de evaporação com colunas de solo permitiu a determinação das relações entre condutividade hidráulica, teor de água e potencial matricial na faixa de potenciais matriciais entre -1 e -150 m.

Soil thermal diffusivity estimated from data of soil temperature and single soil component properties

Under field conditions, thermal diffusivity can be estimated from soil temperature data but also from the properties of soil components together with their spatial organization. We aimed to determine soil thermal diffusivity from half-hourly temperature measurements in a Rhodic Kanhapludalf, using three calculation procedures (the amplitude ratio, phase lag and Seemann procedures), as well as from soil component properties, for a comparison of procedures and methods. To determine thermal conductivity for short wave periods (one day), the phase lag method was more reliable than the amplitude ratio or the Seemann method, especially in deeper layers, where temperature variations are small. The phase lag method resulted in coherent values of thermal diffusivity. The method using properties of single soil components with the values of thermal conductivity for sandstone and kaolinite resulted in thermal diffusivity values of the same order. In the observed water content range (0.26-0.34 m³ m-3), the average thermal diffusivity was 0.034 m² d-1 in the top layer (0.05-0.15 m) and 0.027 m² d-1 in the subsurface layer (0.15-0.30 m).

Pontificale parisiense [Pontifical dit de Poitiers ou de Vierzon].

Sur le feuillet de garde A, cette note autographe de Mabillon : « Hic codex optimae notae scriptus est ante annos circiter octingentos. Multa scitu digna continet, maxime in triduo ante Pascha. In litaniis sabbati sancti fit supplicatio pro congregatione S. Petri, quem patronum habet Pictavensis ecclesia. Invocantur etiam in iisdem sanctus Hilarius et sancta Radegundis, qui praecipue ad ecclesiam Pictavensem pertinent ; sed nulla mentio de aliis sanctis ejusdem dioecesis. Haec scripsi XI kal. decembris an. 1695. — F. J. M. » Fol. 1 : « Benedictio episcoporum. — Consecratio ». Fol. 2 : « Oratio ad ordinandum praesbiterum. — Consecratio. ». Fol. 3 : « Oratio ad ordinandum diaconum. — Consecratio. » Fol. 4 : « Ordo qualiter in Romana ecclesia praesbiteri, diaconi, subdiaconi ordinandi sunt. » Fol. 5 : « Ordinatio subdiaconi ». Fol. 5v° : « Ordinatio ostiarii. » Fol. 6 : « Ordinatio lectoris ». Fol. 6v° : « Ordinatio exorcistae ». Fol. 7 : « Ordinatio acoliti ». Fol. 7v° : « Incipit ordo qualiter publice vel specialiter agitur modus paenitentiae secundum censuram ecclesiasticam, quod quarta feria quinquagesime inchoatur ». Fol. 8v° : « Confessio pura coram Deo et angelis et coram omnibus sanctis » : — de superbia (fol. 12) ; de inani gloria (fol. 13) ; de invidia (fol. 13 vo) ; de ira (fol. 14 vo) ; de tristitia (fol. 15) ; de avaricia (fol. 16) ; de ventris ingluvie (fol. 20) ; de luxuria (fol. 23). Fol. 40v° : « Missa pro paenitentibus et confitentibus, sive unus sive plures fuerint ». Fol. 43 : « Denunciatio scrutinii quod tertia ebdomada in quadragesima secunda feria iniciatur ». Fol. 43v° : « Oratio super electos ad catecuminum faciendum ». Fol. 44 : « Benedictio salis dandi caticuminis. » — Prières et exhortations aux catéchumènes. Explication des évangiles. Fol. 54-56 : Le Credo, en grec avec traduction latine au-dessus. La traduction est faite de mot à mot. Pour l'article grec, le traducteur s'est contenté de mettre au-dessus, dans le texte latin, ces lettres ar. (articulus). Fol. 58v° : Explication du Pater. Fol. 60v° : « Incipit missa primi scrutinii ». Fol. : 63 : « Alia missa de secundo scrutinio ». Fol. 66v° : « Missa de tertio scrutinio ». Fol. 70 : « Sabbato ante diem Palmarum ». Fol. 72 : « Dominica indulgentiae quae est dies Palmarum ». Fol. 73 : Les 36 premiers vers de la pièce Gloria, laus de Théodulfe, évêque d'Orléans (Henry Martin signale l'éd. qu'en a fait Duemmler dans les Poetae latini aevi carolini, t. I, p. 558 : « Gloria, laus et honor tibi sit, Christe redemptor, Cui puerile decus promsit osanna pium. Israhel es tu rex Davidis et inclita proles, Nomine qui in Domini, rex benedicte, venis... » Fol. 95 :« Feria II post Palmas ». Fol. 98v° : « Feria tertia ». Fol. 130 : « Feria V, quae est cena Domini ». Fol. 141v° : « Alia missa eodem die, si plures ad reconciliandum venerint ». Fol. 154 : « Missa chrismalis ». Fol. 160 : Litanies. A noter : SS. Denys, Quentin, Julien, Géréon, Hilaire, Martin, Aignan, Benoît, Cloud [Clodoald], Ste Geneviève. Fol. 170v° : « Benedictio chrismatis principalis ». Fol. 171 : « Exorcismus olei ad baptizandos ». Fol. 173v° : In cena Domini de Flavius, évêque: « Versus Flavii episcopi ad mandatum in cena Domini ». « Tellus a cethra jubilent in magni cena principis, Que protoplasti pectora vite purgavit ferculo ; Hac nocte factor omnium potenti sat mysterio Carnem suam cum sanguine in escam transfert anime. — Tellus. » Fol. 174 : « Item versus Bedae » (Bède). « Fuit Domini dilectus languens a Bethania Lazarus beatus sacris olim cum sororibus quas Jhesus eternus Amor diligebat plurimum Martham simul et Mariam, felices per secula. » Fol. 174v° : « Feria VI quae est Parasceve ». Fol. 192v° : « Pange lingua gloriosi Proelium certaminis ». Fol. 193 : « Incipit de sabbato sancto. — Ordo baptisterii ». Fol. 200v° : Litanies. A noter : SS. Quentin, Cucuphat, Julien, Lucien, Hilaire, Martin, Benoît, Germain, Columban, Samson ; SStes Geneviève, Brigitte, Colombe, Radegonde, Aldegonde. — A noter aussi (fol. 201 vo) : « Ut exercitum Francorum conservare digneris. — Ut illum abbatem et cunctam congregationem sancti illius in tuo apto servitio conservare digneris... » Fol. 202 : « Benedictio cerei. — Exultet jam angelica turba coelorum. Exultent divina mysteria... », avec neumes. Fol. 208 : Litanies. A noter : SS. Hilaire, Martin, Ambroise, Maur, Maurille, Lezin, évêque d'Angers ; SStes Blandine, Nathalie. Fol. 210 : « Inde canitur hic versus : »« Urbs beata Hierusalem, dicta pacis visio, que construitur in celis vivis ex lapidibus... » Fol. 210v° : « Benedictio fontis ». Fol. 213 : vers « Tibi laus perennis auctor baptismatis... » Fol. 213v° : Litanies. A noter : SS. Martin, Brice, Médard, Vaast, Germain, Marcel, Hilaire ; SStes Reine, Julienne, Gertrude, Colombe, Geneviève, Afre, Radegonde, Aldegonde, Darie, Brigitte, Paule. — A noter (fol. 215) : « Ut exercitum Francorum conservare digneris. — Ut congregationem sancti Petri in tuo apto servitio conservare digneris ». Fol. 223 : « Finit ordo baptisterii ». Fol. 227 : Le jour de Pâques. Fol. 230v° : « Feria II ». Fol. 241 : « Feria quinta ». Fol. 245v° : « Feria VI ». Fol. 248 : « Sabbato ». Fol. 252v° : « In octavis Paschae ». Fol. 256v° : « Missa in octavis Paschae pro baptizatis ». Fol. 257v° : « Missa pro parroechias in diebus paschalibus... ». Fol. 258v° : « Fides catholica continens credulitatem... » Fol. 269 : « Missa pro conjugibus sterilitate infecundis in procreatione prolis ». Fol. 273v° : « Orationes ad benedicendam aquam aspergendam in domo. — Exorcismus salis ». Fol. 274 : « Benedictio salis. — Exorcismus aque. — Benedictio aque ». Fol. 274v° : « Benedictio salis et aquae... » etc. Fol. 275 : « Exorcismus salis et aquae contra fulgura ». Fol. 276 : « Benedictio salis ad pecora. — Orationes ad clericum faciendum ». Fol. 276v° : « Benedictio putei ». Fol. 277 : « Benedictio frugum novarum ». Fol. 277v° : « Benedictio panis. — Oratio ad capillarum (sic). — Alia ad tonsorandum puerum ». Fol. 278 : « Oratio post tonsionem. — Oratio ad barbas tondendas ». Fol. 278 : « lncipit actio pontificalis ad... » . Le verso du feuillet 279 est tout à fait effacé. Neumes français, du IXe s., aux f. 202-204 (l'Exultet) ; addition du Xe s. au f. 203 v° (Bernard).

Forecasting the Earth"s radiation belts and modeling solar energetic particle events: Recent results from SPACECAST

High-energy charged particles in the van Allen radiation belts and in solar energetic particle events can damage satellites on orbit leading to malfunctions and loss of satellite service. Here we describe some recent results from the SPACECAST project on modelling and forecasting the radiation belts, and modelling solar energetic particle events. We describe the SPACECAST forecasting system that uses physical models that include wave-particle interactions to forecast the electron radiation belts up to 3 h ahead. We show that the forecasts were able to reproduce the >2 MeV electron flux at GOES 13 during the moderate storm of 7-8 October 2012, and the period following a fast solar wind stream on 25-26 October 2012 to within a factor of 5 or so. At lower energies of 10- a few 100 keV we show that the electron flux at geostationary orbit depends sensitively on the high-energy tail of the source distribution near 10 RE on the nightside of the Earth, and that the source is best represented by a kappa distribution. We present a new model of whistler mode chorus determined from multiple satellite measurements which shows that the effects of wave-particle interactions beyond geostationary orbit are likely to be very significant. We also present radial diffusion coefficients calculated from satellite data at geostationary orbit which vary with Kp by over four orders of magnitude. We describe a new automated method to determine the position at the shock that is magnetically connected to the Earth for modelling solar energetic particle events and which takes into account entropy, and predict the form of the mean free path in the foreshock, and particle injection efficiency at the shock from analytical theory which can be tested in simulations.

Forecasting the Earth"s radiation belts and modeling solar energetic particle events: Recent results from SPACECAST

High-energy charged particles in the van Allen radiation belts and in solar energetic particle events can damage satellites on orbit leading to malfunctions and loss of satellite service. Here we describe some recent results from the SPACECAST project on modelling and forecasting the radiation belts, and modelling solar energetic particle events. We describe the SPACECAST forecasting system that uses physical models that include wave-particle interactions to forecast the electron radiation belts up to 3 h ahead. We show that the forecasts were able to reproduce the >2 MeV electron flux at GOES 13 during the moderate storm of 7-8 October 2012, and the period following a fast solar wind stream on 25-26 October 2012 to within a factor of 5 or so. At lower energies of 10- a few 100 keV we show that the electron flux at geostationary orbit depends sensitively on the high-energy tail of the source distribution near 10 RE on the nightside of the Earth, and that the source is best represented by a kappa distribution. We present a new model of whistler mode chorus determined from multiple satellite measurements which shows that the effects of wave-particle interactions beyond geostationary orbit are likely to be very significant. We also present radial diffusion coefficients calculated from satellite data at geostationary orbit which vary with Kp by over four orders of magnitude. We describe a new automated method to determine the position at the shock that is magnetically connected to the Earth for modelling solar energetic particle events and which takes into account entropy, and predict the form of the mean free path in the foreshock, and particle injection efficiency at the shock from analytical theory which can be tested in simulations.

Currículo integrado: entre o discurso e a prática

O Ministério da Saúde, em parceria com o Ministério da Educação, em 2002, criou o Programa de Incentivo a Mudanças Curriculares nos Cursos de Medicina (Promed), com o objetivo de apoiar financeiramente a escola médica que elaborasse e implantasse as mudanças curriculares nos cursos de Medicina na direção proposta pelas Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais (DCN), sob três eixos: orientação teórica, cenários de práticas e abordagem pedagógica. O objetivo deste estudo é identificar mudanças curriculares ocorridas nas escolas médicas contempladas com o Promed. Foi elaborado e aplicado um questionário aos coordenadores do Promed, sendo os dados submetidos a uma análise descritiva. Observou-se que 12 escolas implantaram um modelo curricular modular como base. A inserção ensino-serviço na atenção primária exige um esforço político gerencial. Também é preciso haver mudanças nas concepções acadêmicas e preparar a rede de saúde como campo de estágio, já que as mudanças nas grandes áreas da atenção básica ainda têm pouca expressão. Está havendo uma mudança de estrutura, embora não se possa dizer que seja significativa no grau que se deseja atingir.