Modelação do risco de incêndio florestal com redes neuronais artificiais: aplicação ao Parque Natural de Montesinho

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ciência e Sistemas de Informação Geográfica

Infecção natural de Equus caballus por Leishmania sp - São Paulo, Brasil (Breve comunicação científica)

E assinalado, pela primeira vez, o encontro de um cavalo (Equus caballus) infeclado por Leishmania sp, no Estado de São Paulo.

Colangiopancreatografia por ressonância magnética com contraste oral negativo natural: chá preto

São conhecidos alguns ensaios acerca da administração de contrastes orais alternativos, de origem natural, nos estudos de Colangiopancreatografia por Ressonância Magnética (CPRM). Através da administração dum contraste oral negativo (chá preto), o objetivo deste estudo foi a otimização do protocolo de aquisição da CPRM com vista à melhor evidência das estruturas anatómicas em estudo, relativamente à supressão das imagens indesejadas de fundo causadas pelos fluídos do sistema gastrointestinal. Pretendeu-se também minimizar os artefactos causados pelos movimentos respiratórios ocorridos durante a aquisição das imagens.

Natural Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs of endemic areas of the Argentine Republic

The population dynamics and the prevalence of chagasic infection of 352 dogs living in 108 rural houses infested by triatomines were studied. The region was divided into three sections according to increasing distances to an urban area. Each animal was identified by means of its particular characteristics and built, and its owners gave information about its habits. By means of xenodiagnosis, serology and ECG studies, prevalences of infection, parasitological-serological correlation, percentage of altered electrocardiographic outlines and percentage of houses with parasitemic dogs, were determined. The rural area showed a characteristic T. cruzi infection pattern and differences in the canine population parameters with respect to the other areas were observed: a higher proportion of puppies than adult dogs, a more sedentary population, higher prevalences of infection, as measured by xenodiagnosis, in dogs, and the highest proportion of bedroom insects infected with T. cruzi. It is assumed that the sedentary characteristics of the human population in that rural area impinge in the blood offer to the triatomine population, and the high percentage of parasitemic dogs of the area, contribute to the rise of "kissing ougs" infected with T. cruzi found in bedrooms.

Novos polímeros conjugados baseados em calixarenos contendo fontes quirais de origem natural: síntese, propriedades e aplicações sensoriais

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Biológica

Estudo, ao microscópio óptico e eletrônico, do rim de caes natural e experimentalmente infectados com Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi

Os autores estudam os rins de 4 cães infectados com Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi. Dois animais (um macho e uma fêmea) naturalmente infectados foram sacrificados 18 meses após sua permanência no laboratório. Dois machos foram inoculados por via endovenosa, com lxlO6 promastigotas da cepa MHO/BR/70/BH46 e sacrificados após 18 meses e 2 anos, respectivamente. Em todos os animais os rins estavam lesados. As alterações encontradas foram: (1) glomerulonefrite mesangioproliferativa focal ou difusa, com pronunciada hipertrofia e hiperplasia das células mesangiais e com alargamento da matriz; (2) espessamento da membrana basal com depósitos eletrondensos; (3) nefrite intersticial intertubular crônica com exsudação plasmocitária intensa. (4) degeneração albuminosa dos túbulos renais. Baseados nos achados os autores discutem os prováveis mecanismos patogenéticos.

Ventilação natural (estudo de um caso de ventilação natural)

Dissertação apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

Infeccion natural de Speothos venaticus (Carnivora: Canidae) por estadios adultos de Lagochilascaris sp.

Un ejemplar adulto macho de Speothos venaticus Lund, 1842 fue muerto accidentalmente en una vía de penetración rural, situada en la región Noroeste del Estado Bolívar, Venezuela, en el Municipio donde desde hace 16 años vive una paciente con lagochilascariasis. El animal conservado durante un mes por congelación y desprovisto de su piel y cabeza fue autopsiado, hallándose en la tráquea dos especímenes adultos hembras y grávidos de Lagochilascaris sp., los cuales presentaban algunas características morfológicas de sus partes blandas diferentes a Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909; entretanto, distintivos estables como son la forma de los interlabios, la localización de la vulva y particularmente el tamaño y número de las depresiones de la cáscara de los huevos, inclinan a pensar que se trata de aquel parásito, a pesar de no haberse hallado vermes machos que permitiesen el estudio de las espículas y su ducto eyaculador. Fueron localizadas en cortes histológicos de laringe y tráquea profundamente situadas, secciones de formas degeneradas con características atribuíbles a Lagochilascaris sp.

Natural and experimental infection of planorbids from the Island of Santa Catarina (Brazil)

Studies on eight localities on the Island of Santa Catarina revealed the presence of three species of the molluscan family Planorbidae: Biomphalaria tenagophila, Drepanotrema cimex and Biomphalaria oligoza, the first one being naturally infected by Cercaria ocellifera, a furcocercaria with morphological characteristics of Cercaria caratinguensis, and by an unknown furcocercaria. Drepanotrema cimex was infected by a furcocercaria with characteristics of C. caratinguensis and by C. macrogranulosa. No natural infection was found in B. oligoza. B. tenagophila showed no susceptibility to the experimental infection by the BH-MG strain of Schistosoma mansoni from Belo Horizonte and maintained at laboratory in B. glabrata snails.

Phenylketonuria: Protein content and amino acids profile of dishes for phenylketonuric patients. The relevance of phenylalanine

Phenylketonuria is an inborn error of metabolism, involving, in most cases, a deficient activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase. Neonatal diagnosis and a prompt special diet (low phenylalanine and natural-protein restricted diets) are essential to the treatment. The lack of data concerning phenylalanine contents of processed foodstuffs is an additional limitation for an already very restrictive diet. Our goals were to quantify protein (Kjeldahl method) and amino acid (18) content (HPLC/fluorescence) in 16 dishes specifically conceived for phenylketonuric patients, and compare the most relevant results with those of several international food composition databases. As might be expected, all the meals contained low protein levels (0.67–3.15 g/100 g) with the highest ones occurring in boiled rice and potatoes. These foods also contained the highest amounts of phenylalanine (158.51 and 62.65 mg/100 g, respectively). In contrast to the other amino acids, it was possible to predict phenylalanine content based on protein alone. Slight deviations were observed when comparing results with the different food composition databases.

Nutritional composition of low protein and phenylalanine-restricted dishes prepared for phenylketonuric patients

Nutritional management is essential for Phenylketonuria (PKU) treatment, consisting in a semi-synthetic and low phenylalanine (Phe) diet, which includes strictly controlled amounts of low protein natural foods (essentially fruits and vegetables) supplemented with Phe-free protein substitutes and dietetic low-protein products. PKU diet has to be carefully planned, providing the best ingredient combinations, so that patients can achieve good metabolic control and an adequate nutritional status. Hereupon, it is mandatory to know the detailed composition of natural and/or cooked foodstuffs prepared specifically for these patients. We intended to evaluate sixteen dishes specifically prepared for PKU patients, regarding the nutritional composition, Phe and tyrosine (Tyr) contents, fatty acids profile, and vitamins E and B12 amounts. The nutritional composition of the cooked samples was 15.5–92.0 g/100 g, for moisture; 0.7–3.2 g/100 g, for protein; 0.1–25.0 g/100 g, for total fat; and 5.0–62.0 g/100 g, for total carbohydrates. Fatty acids profile and vitamin E amount reflected the type of fat used. All samples were poor in vitamin B12 (0.3–0.8 μg/100 g). Boiled rice presented the highest Phe content: 50.3 mg/g of protein. These data allow a more accurate calculation of the diet portions to be ingested by the patients according to their individual tolerance.

Targeting specific nutrient deficiencies in proteinrestricted diets: some practical facts in PKU dietary management

Among aminoacidopathies, phenylketonuria (PKU) is the most prevalent one. Early diagnosis in the neonatal period with a prompt nutritional therapy (low natural-protein and phenylalanine diet, supplemented with phenylalanine-free amino acid mixtures and special low-protein foods) remains the mainstay of the treatment. Data considering nutrient contents of cooked dishes is lacking. In this study, fourteen dishes specifically prepared for PKU individuals were analysed, regarding the lipid profile and iron and zinc contents. These dishes are poor sources of essential nutrients like Fe, Zn or n-3 fatty acids, reinforcing the need for adequate supplementation to cover individual patients’ needs. This study can contribute to a more accurate adjustment of PKU diets and supplementation in order to prevent eventual nutritional deficiencies. This study contributes to a better understanding of nutrient intake from PKU patients’ meals, showing the need for dietary supplementation.

Dispersion Modelling of Natural Radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K Released from Coal-fired Power Plants Operations

The aim of this work was to simulate the radionuclides dispersion in the surrounding area of a coal-fired power plant, operational during the last 25 years. The dispersion of natural radionuclides (236Ra, 232Th and 40K) was simulated by a Gaussian plume dispersion model with three different stability classes estimating the radionuclides concentration at ground level. Measurements of the environmen-tal activity concentrations were carried out by γ-spectrometry and compared with results from the air dispersion and deposition model which showed that the stabil-ity class D causes the dispersion to longer distances up to 20 km from the stacks.

The ecology of Triatoma sordida in natural environments in two different regions of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

A study was undertaken about T. sordida in the natural environment in two different regions of the state of Minas Gerais: Itapagipe (Triângulo), an area of cerrado modified by the formation of fields of pasture and agriculture, and Mato Verde (north) an area of transition between caatinga and cerrado with profound deforestation in the last years due to the expansion of cotton cultivation. In both regions the principal ecotopes identified were hollow trees and the bark of live or dead trees, where the occurrence of a food source is not frequent. In this environment, the triatomines utilize various food sources; opposums appear to represent an important source of infection. In the north of Minas, a greater concentration of reservoirs and vectors was observed than in the Triángulo which could explain the higher level of infection of the triatomines in the north. Close attention to the process of domiciliation of T. sordida in the north of Minas is recommended where an extensive intervention by man in the natural environment has occurred and where a rise in the population of triatomines in the peridomestic environment has been observed in recent years.