Species structure of sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) fauna in the Brazilian western Amazon

We surveyed areas of the state of Rondônia in western Amazon for phlebotomine, which are potential vectors of leishmaniasis. A total of 5,998 specimens were captured, resulting in the identification of 48 species within the Lutzomyia (99.98%) and Brumptomyia (0.02%) genera. The predominant species was Lutzomyia davisi, followed by Lutzomyia umbratilis, Lutzomyia llanosmartinsi, Lutzomyia c. carrerai, Lutzomyia dendrophyla, Lutzomyia nevesi and Lutzomyia whitmani. All sand flies identified as vectors for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil, i.e., Lu. davisi, Lu. umbratilis, Lu. c. carrerai and Lu. whitmani, were found in the surveyed areas.

Laboratorial atopy markers in children with human immunodeficiency virus

Changes in immune system functions are one of the most important consequences of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Studies have reported a higher prevalence of disease mediated by immunological hypersensitivity mechanisms in HIV-positive patients. This study aims to observe how immunological changes in HIV-infected children interfere in atopy determinants. Fifty-seven HIV-positive children were studied between June 2004-August 2005 to evaluate the possible modifications in atopy diagnosis from prick test environmental allergen reactivity. Patients were subjected to two evaluations: on both occasions, atopic and non-atopic groups were correlated with immunological (CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte concentrations and serum levels of IgA, IgM, IgG and IgE) and viral parameters (HIV viral load). The percent atopy was 20.05 in the first and 29.82 in the second evaluation and atopy was diagnosed in patients without immunosuppression or with moderate immunosuppression. Six patients changed from a negative to a positive atopy profile. One patient with a decreased CD4+ T lymphocyte concentration failed to demonstrate prick test positivity between evaluations. Multivariate analysis showed that the variables associated with atopy diagnosis included a personal history of allergic diseases as well as elevated IgE for age and elevated IgE levels. Atopy development in HIV-infected children seems to be modulated by genetic and environmental factors as well as immunological condition.

Asymptomatic infection with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in the Brazilian Amazon Basin: to treat or not to treat?

In this study, we determined whether the treatment of asymptomatic parasites carriers (APCs), which are frequently found in the riverside localities of the Brazilian Amazon that are highly endemic for malaria, would decrease the local malaria incidence by decreasing the overall pool of parasites available to infect mosquitoes. In one village, the treatment of the 19 Plasmodium falciparum-infected APCs identified among the 270 residents led to a clear reduction (Z = -2.39, p = 0.017) in the incidence of clinical cases, suggesting that treatment of APCs is useful for controlling falciparum malaria. For vivax malaria, 120 APCs were identified among the 716 residents living in five villages. Comparing the monthly incidence of vivax malaria in two villages where the APCs were treated with the incidence in two villages where APCs were not treated yielded contradictory results and no clear differences in the incidence were observed (Z = -0.09, p = 0.933). Interestingly, a follow-up study showed that the frequency of clinical relapse in both the treated and untreated APCs was similar to the frequency seen in patients treated for primary clinical infections, thus indicating that vivax clinical immunity in the population is not species specific but only strain specific.

Cross-reactive anti-PfCLAG9 antibodies in the sera of asymptomatic parasite carriers of Plasmodium vivax

The PfCLAG9 has been extensively studied because their immunogenicity. Thereby, the gene product is important for therapeutics interventions and a potential vaccine candidate. Antibodies against synthetic peptides corresponding to selected sequences of the Plasmodium falciparum antigen PfCLAG9 were found in sera of falciparum malaria patients from Rondônia, in the Brazilian Amazon. Much higher antibody titres were found in semi-immune and immune asymptomatic parasite carriers than in subjects suffering clinical infections, corroborating original findings in Papua Guinea. However, sera of Plasmodium vivax patients from the same Amazon area, in particular from asymptomatic vivax parasite carriers, reacted strongly with the same peptides. Bioinformatic analyses revealed regions of similarity between P. falciparum Pfclag9 and the P. vivax ortholog Pvclag7. Indirect fluorescent microscopy analysis showed that antibodies against PfCLAG9 peptides elicited in BALB/c mice react with human red blood cells (RBCs) infected with both P. falciparum and P. vivax parasites. The patterns of reactivity on the surface of the parasitised RBCs are very similar. The present observations support previous findings that PfCLAG9 may be a target of protective immune responses and raises the possibility that the cross reactive antibodies to PvCLAG7 in mixed infections play a role in regulate the fate of Plasmodium mixed infections.

Mansonella ozzardi in the municipality of Tefé, Amazonas, Brazil, 60 years after the first report: an epidemiologic study

The prevalence of mansonelliasis was studied in the municipality of Tefé, state of Amazonas, Brazil. The prevalence (thick blood smear method) was 13.6% (147/1,078), higher in the Solimões River region (16.3%) than in the Tefé River region (6.3%). In the sampled communities in the Solimões River region, a higher density of cases was observed, as indicated by a kernel analysis (odds ratio 0.34; 95% confidence interval: 0.20-0.57). Males had a higher prevalence (χ2 = 31.292, p < 0.001) than women. Mansonella ozzardi prevalence was higher in retirees and farmers (28.9% and 27%, respectively). Prevalence also significantly increased with age (χ2 = -128.17, p < 0.001), with the highest numbers occurring in persons older than 67 years.

Discourse, knowledge, power and politics: towards critical epistemic discourse analysis

Although both are fundamental terms in the humanities and social sciences, discourse and knowledge have seldom been explicitly related, and even less so in critical discourse studies. After a brief summary of what we know about these relationships in linguistics, psychology, epistemology and the social sciences, with special emphasis on the role of knowledge in the formation of mental models as a basis for discourse, I examine in more detail how a critical study of discourse and knowledge may be articulated in critical discourse studies. Thus, several areas of critical epistemic discourse analysis are identified, and then applied in a study of Tony Blair’s Iraq speech on March 18, 2003, in which he sought to legitimatize his decision to go to war in Iraq with George Bush. The analysis shows the various modes of how knowledge is managed and manipulated of all levels of discourse of this speech.

Implementação da Vertente Educação Especial no Plano Curricular do Curso de Ciências da Educação e Praxis Educativa na Universidade Jean Piaget de Cabo Verde: Realidades e Desafios

Este estudo foi realizado na Universidade Jean Piaget de Cabo Verde com o propósito de conhecer a percepção dos alunos e professores sobre a respectiva Universidade em matéria do cumprimento das Culturas, Políticas e Práticas inclusivas, vistas como fundamentais para a implementação da vertente Educação Especial no plano curricular do curso de Ciências da Educação e Praxis Educativa (CED). Sendo assim, questionamos aos professores e alunos se a Universidade Jean Piaget de Cabo Verde reúne as condições necessárias para o propósito acima referido, bem como procurámos saber até que ponto os actuais e potenciais estudantes de Ciências da Educação e Praxis Educativa estarão interessados em seguir a vertente Educação Especial. Na tentativa de respondermos a estas questões, formulamos 3 hipóteses que se seguem:  Na percepção de professores e alunos, a UniPiaget reúne as condições necessárias para a implementação da vertente Educação Especial;  Os estudantes do curso de Ciência da Educação e Praxis Educativa revelam grande interesse em candidatar-se à Vertente Educação Especial;  De entre os alunos e professores, a maioria avaliam favoravelmente que a UniPiaget dispõe de um corpo docente capacitado para trabalhar com alunos com Necessidades Educativas Especiais. Os dados foram recolhidos através de inquéritos por questionários, estes que foram adaptados dos modelos do Index for Inclusion de Tony Booth e Mel Aiscow, e a análise foi com auxílio dos programas Excel e SPSS versão 15.0 for Windows. Enfim de referir que com este estudo conseguimos apurar que a UniPiaget tem trabalhado muito para proporcionar a todos um ensino de qualidade, tornando-se numa instituição educativa procedentes em matéria da inclusão.

Anomalías del perfil vertical de temperatura del punto fijo Paita como indicador de la propagación de Ondas Kelvin

La propagación frecuente de ondas Kelvin de hundimiento o “downwelling” atrapadas a la costa, suele caracterizar la ocurrencia de El Niño costero frente al Perú. Estas ondas causan la elevación del nivel del mar y se asocian a la profundización de la estructura vertical sub-superficial de la columna de agua, influenciando en la fertilidad del afloramiento costero. En el presente estudio se describe la variabilidad mensual de la estructura vertical de la columna de agua frente a la costa de Paita-Piura y se comparan con anomalías del nivel del mar frente a Galápagos y en la costa norte del país. Para tal propósito se calculó una climatología con la base de datos histórica de temperatura del punto fijo de Paita, puesta a disposición por el Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), para el periodo 1994-2010. Luego de la remoción de datos extremos dudosos, se realizó una interpolación vertical de los datos cada 10 m y una climatología de los datos a frecuencia mensual. La serie de tiempo de anomalía de temperatura muestra una gran consistencia con el arribo de ondas Kelvin a las costa de Sudamérica, por lo cual su monitoreo es de gran utilidad para la alerta temprana de El Niño.

Variabilidad de las condiciones oceanográficas en el punto fijo Paita (05°04’S – 81°16´W), abril 2014 – octubre 2015

En los años 2014 y 2015 el mar peruano ha presentado marcadas alteraciones que repercutieron positiva o negativamente en la concentración y distribución de los recursos vivos del mar. Estas alteraciones ocasionadas por factores océano-atmosféricos (ondas, vientos etc.) se reflejan claramente en la serie de parámetros oceanográficos del Punto Fijo Paita, lo que nos permite el seguimiento del arribo, intensidad y posibles efectos de las ondas en la costa peruana. En estos 2 últimos años, el IMARPE viene realizando un monitoreo continuo en el Punto Fijo Paita a través del programa: Proyecto por Resultados El Niño (PpR 068 EN), y se ha podido catalogar en el año 2014 el desarrollo de un evento El Niño costero de intensidad moderada según el Índice Costero El Niño (ICEN; ENFEN 2012), asimismo, a partir de mayo del 2015 a la actualidad, se viene desarrollando otro evento El Niño costero de intensidad fuerte; este último asociado a las anomalías en el acoplamiento océano-atmosfera en el Pacífico Central, a la propagación de ondas Kelvin hacia el Pacífico Oriental y a las fluctuaciones que vienen presentando los vientos en el Pacífico Ecuatorial Oriental y Sudoriental.

Soil organic matter and fertility of anthropogenic dark earths (Terra Preta de Índio) in the Brazilian Amazon basin

Fertility properties, total C (Ctot), and chemical soil organic matter fractions (fulvic acid fraction - FA, humic acid fraction - HA, humin fraction - H) of anthropogenic dark earths (Terra Preta de Índio) of the Amazon basin were compared with those of Ferralsols with no anthropogenic A horizon. Terra Preta soils had a higher fertility (pH: 5.1-5.4; Sum of bases, SB: 8.93-10.33 cmol c kg-1 , CEC: 17.2-17.5 cmol c kg-1 , V: 51-59 %, P: 116-291 mg kg-1) and Ctot (44.6-44.7 g kg-1) than adjacent Ferralsols (pH: 4.4; SB: 2.04 cmol c kg-1, CEC: 9.5 cmol c kg-1, V: 21 %, P 5 mg kg-1, C: 37.9 g kg-1). The C distribution among humic substance fractions (FA, HA, H) in Terra Preta soils was also different, as shown by the ratios HA:FA and EA/H (EA=HA+FA) (2.1-3.0 and 1.06-1.08 for Terra Preta and 1.2 and 0.72 for Ferralsols, respectively). While the cation exchange capacity (CEC), of Ferralsols correlated with FA (r = 0.97), the CEC of Terra Preta correlated with H (r = 0.82). The correlation of the fertility of Terra Preta with the highly stable soil organic matter fraction (H) is highly significant for the development of sustainable soil fertility management models in tropical ecosystems.

Ácidos Húmicos em solo fertirrigado no Vale do São Francisco

A aplicação de ácidos orgânicos, principalmente húmicos (AH), associada à adubação mineral e orgânica pode levar a alterações nas propriedades dos AH do solo. No Vale do São Francisco, o uso de ácidos orgânicos vem despertando o interesse de produtores que usam sistema de irrigação. Entretanto, não são conhecidas as modificações que podem ocorrer nas características das substâncias húmicas do solo quando são aplicados ácidos orgânicos associados à fertilização mineral e estercos. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar e caracterizar, por métodos espectroscópicos (UV-Vis, Infravermelho, Fluorescência e RPE), as possíveis mudanças qualitativas no AH extraído de solo fertirrigado com duas fontes de fertilizantes (orgânica e mineral), associadas à aplicação de ácidos orgânicos comerciais na cultura da goiabeira. O experimento foi conduzido na Embrapa Semiárido, em Petrolina - PE. Os tratamentos utilizados foram: F - fertirrigação com fertilizantes minerais (ureia, fosfato monoamônio, cloreto de potássio); FE - F + aplicação de 20 dm³/planta de esterco; FH - F + fertirrigação com 30 dm³ ha-1 de Codahumus 20®; FEH - fertirrigação mineral + aplicação de 20 dm³/planta de esterco + fertirrigação com 30 dm³ ha-1 de Codahumus 20®, e R- tratamento testemunha, sem adubação. A relação E4/E6 dos AH variou de 4,8 a 5,4 para os tratamentos FEH e F. Os dados obtidos por meio da espectroscopia FTIR sugerem mistura de características aromático-alifáticas, grande quantidade de grupos carboxílicos e menor número de grupos nitrogenados para os AH dos tratamentos FEH, FH e FE. Os valores obtidos do índice A465 variaram de 1,04 a 1,74, referentes aos AH dos tratamentos FEH e FE. Verificou-se uma concentração de radicais livres orgânicos no AH do tratamento FEH (2,66 spins g-1 10(17)) três vezes maior do que o AH do tratamento F (0,95 spins g-1 10(17)). O esterco foi o responsável pelo maior de policondensação e grau de humificação do ácido húmico dos tratamentos FE e FHE.

[Illustrations de Histoires ou contes du temps passé avec des moralités] / [Non identifié] ; Charles Perrault, aut. du texte

Comprend : [Frontispice : Devant une cheminée, une vieille dame fait le récit de contes à trois enfants.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Pl. en reg. p. 1 : La rencontre dans la forêt du Petit Chaperon rouge et du Loup.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte Le Petit Chaperon rouge, p. 1 : Le Loup dévorant Mère-grand.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte Les Fées, p. 5 : Jeune fille donnant à boire à une fée déguisée en vieille femme.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte La Barbe bleue, p. 10 : Les deux frères de la dernière épouse de Barbe bleue viennent à la rescousse de celle-ci et terrassent d'un coup d'épée le mari assassin.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R. 24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte La Belle au bois dormant, p. 18 : Le jeune prince découvre la princesse endormie.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte Le Maître Chat ou Le Chat botté, p. 32 : Le Chat botté montrant le château du Marquis de Carabas à son maître accompagné de la Princesse du royaume et d'une escorte royale.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte Cendrillon ou La petite pantoufle de verre, p. 40 : Cendrillon quitte précipitamment la salle de bal.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte Riquet à la Houpe, p. 51 : Dans la forêt, le prince Riquet à la Houpe demande sa main à la Princesse. En arrière plan les gens du prince s'activent à la préparation du banquet de noce.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte Le Petit Poucet, p. 62 : Le Petit Poucet retire les bottes de sept lieues au géant endormi.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829] ; [Bandeau au titre du conte L'Adroite princesse ou les Aventures de Finette, p. 77 : Intrusion de Riche-Cautelle, prince indigne, dans les appartements des trois princesses.] [Cote : BnF-Impr. microfilm R.24829]