Mosquito host-feeding patterns and implications for Japanese encephalitis virus transmission in northern Australia and Papua New Guinea

Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus spread to northern Australia during the 1990s, transmitted by Culex annulirostris Skuse and other mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). To determine the relative importance of various hosts for potential vectors of JE virus, we investigated the host-feeding patterns of mosquitoes in northern Australia and Western Province of Papua New Guinea, with particular attention to pigs, Sus scrofa L. - the main amplifying host of JE virus in South-east Asia. Mosquitoes were collected by CDC light traps baited with dry ice and 1-octen-3-ol, run 16.00-08.00 hours, mostly set away from human habitations, if possible in places frequented by feral pigs. Bloodmeals of 2569 mosquitoes, representing 15 species, were identified by gel diffusion assay. All species had fed mostly on mammals: only 30%) were trapped where domestic pigs were kept close to human habitation. From seven of eight locations on the Australian mainland, the majority of Cx. annulirostris had obtained their bloodmeals from marsupials, probably the Agile wallaby Macropus agilis (Gould). Overall proportions of mosquito bloodmeals identified as marsupial were 60% from the Gulf Plains region of Australia, 78% from the Cape York Peninsula and 64% from the Daru area of Papua New Guinea. Thus, despite the abundance of feral pigs in northern Australia, our findings suggest that marsupials divert host-seeking Cx. annulirostris away from pigs. As marsupials are poor JE virus hosts, the prevalence of marsupials may impede the establishment of JE virus in Australia.

The Australian paralysis may be the missing link tick in the transmission of Hendra virus from bats to horses to humans

Hendra virus is a new virus of the family Paramyxoviridae. This virus was first detected in Queensland, Australia, in 1994; although, it seems that the virus has infected fruit-eating bats (flying-foxes) for a very long time. At least 2 humans and 15 horses have been killed by this virus since it first emerged as a virus that may infect mammals other than flying-foxes. Hendra virus is thought to have moved from flying-foxes to horses, and then from horses to people. There is a reasonably strong hypothesis for horse-to-human transmission: transmission of virus via nasal discharge, saliva and/or urine. In contrast, there is no strong hypothesis for flying-fox-to-human transmission. I present evidence that the Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, which has apparently only recently become a parasite of flying-foxes, may transmit Hendra virus and perhaps related viruses from flying-foxes to horses and other mammals. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visual Biology of Hawaiian Coral Reef Fishes. I. Ocular Transmission and Visual Pigments

The visual biology of Hawaiian reef fishes was explored by examining their eyes for spectral sensitivity of their visual pigments and for transmission of light through the ocular media to the retina. The spectral absorption curves for the visual pigments of 38 species of Hawaiian fish were recorded using microspectrophotometry. The peak absorption wavelength (lambda(max)) of the rods varied from 477-502 nm and the lambda(max) of individual species conformed closely to values for the same species previously reported using a whole retina extraction procedure. The visual pigments of single cone photoreceptors were categorized, dependent on their lambda(max)-values, as ultraviolet (347-376 nm), violet (398-431 nm) or blue (439-498 nm) sensitive cones. Eight species possessed ultraviolet-sensitive cones and 14 species violet-sensitive cones. Thus, 47% of the species examined displayed photosensitivity to the short-wavelength region of the spectrum. Both identical and nonidentical paired and double cones were found with blue sensitivity or green absorption peaks (> 500 nm). Spectrophotometry of the lens, cornea, and humors for 195 species from 49 families found that the spectral composition of the light transmitted to the retina was most often limited by the lens (73% of species examined). Except for two unusual species with humor-limited eyes, Acanthocybium solandri (Scombridae) and the priacanthid fish, Heteropriacanthus cruentatus, the remainder had corneal-limited eyes. The wavelength at which 50% of the light was blocked (T50) was classified according to a system modified from Douglas and McGuigan (1989) as Type I, T50 < = 355 nm, (32 species); Type IIa, 355 < T50 < = 380 nm (30 species); Type IIb, 380 < T50 405 nm (84 species). Possession of UV-transmitting ocular media follows both taxonomic and functional lines and, if the ecology of the species is considered, is correlated with the short-wavelength visual pigments found in the species. Three types of short-wavelength vision in fishes are hypothesized: UV-sensitive, UV-specialized, and violet-specialized. UV-sensitive eyes lack UV blockers (Type I and IIa) and can sense UV light with the secondary absorption peak or beta peak of their longer wavelength visual pigments but do not possess specialized UV receptor cells and, therefore, probably lack UV hue discrimination. UV-specialized eyes allow transmission of UV light to the retina (Type I and IIa) and also possess UV-sensitive cone receptors with peak absorption between 300 and 400 nm. Given the appropriate perceptual mechanisms, these species could possess true UV-color vision and hue discrimination. Violet-specialized eyes extend into Type IIb eyes and possess violet-sensitive cone cells. UV-sensitive eyes are found throughout the fishes from at least two species of sharks to modern bony fishes. Eyes with specialized short-wavelength sensitivity are common in tropical reef fishes and must be taken into consideration when performing research involving the visual perception systems of these fishes. Because most glass and plastics are UV-opaque, great care must be taken to ensure that aquarium dividers, specimen holding containers, etc., are UV-transparent or at least to report the types of materials in use.

Are thiazide diuretics preferred as first-line therapy for hypertension? An appraisal of The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT)

No Abstract

Multilayer transverse gradient coil design

In small, cylindrical gradient coils consisting of a single layer of wires, the limiting factor in achieving large magnetic field gradients is the rapid increase in coil resistance with efficiency. This behavior results from the decrease in the maximum usable wire diameter as the number of turns is increased. By adopting a multilayer design in which the coil wires are allowed to spread out into multiple layers wound at increasing radii, a more favorable scaling of resistance with efficiency is achieved, thus allowing the design of more powerful gradient coils with acceptable resistance values. By extending the theory used to design standard cylindrical gradient coils, mathematical expressions have been developed that allow the design of multilayer coils. These expressions have previously been applied to the design of a four-layer z-gradient coil. As a further development, the equations have now been modified to allow the design of multilayer transverse gradient coils. The variation in coil performance with the number of layers employed has been investigated for coils of a size suitable for use in NMR microscopy, and the effect of constructing the coil using wires or cuts in a continuous conducting surface has also been assessed. We find that at fixed resistance a small wire-wound two-layer coil offers an increase in efficiency of a factor of about 1.5 compared with a single-layer coil. In addition, a two-layer coil of 10-mm inner diameter has been designed and built. This coil had an efficiency of 0.41 Tm-1 A(-1), a resistance of 0.96 +/- 0.01 Omega, and an inductance of 22.3 +/- 0.2 muH. The coil produces a gradient that deviates from linearity by less than 5% over a central cylindrical region of interest of height and length 6.2 mm. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sistema de coleta on-line do Censo Escolar da Educa????o B??sica (Educacenso)

O Educacenso ?? um sistema eletr??nico de coleta de informa????es educacionais composto por um aplicativo web, que permite a coleta, migra????o e altera????o de dados educacionais das escolas em todo o territ??rio nacional, e por um banco de dados relacional, que armazena de forma sistem??tica todas estas informa????es. O Educacenso representa uma inova????o, pois se trata de um banco de dados ??nico, de base nacional, alimentado por dados e informa????es que v??m diretamente das escolas, por meio da internet. Constitui-se no mais completo cadastro de escolas, alunos e docentes do pa??s. A constru????o de um banco de dados com informa????es individualizadas amplia as possibilidades de comunica????o com outras bases de dados do governo federal. O novo desenho metodol??gico e a utiliza????o de recursos de tecnologia da informa????o permitiram ampliar a precis??o e a fidedignidade dos dados do Censo Escolar, o que possibilita realiza????o de ajustes na pol??tica educacional e maior efetividade do gasto p??blico com a educa????o b??sica

Planejamento participativo na implanta????o do sistema da concess??o on-line na Previd??ncia

Os Postos de Seguro Social do INSS processavam os dados dos segurados da Previd??ncia em lotes, acarretando demora na Concess??o de Benef??cios e perda de tempo por parte dos segurados, com muitas idas e vindas aos postos. As criticas aos dados eram realizadas uma vez por semana e em conseq????ncia os segurados eram obrigados a voltar ao posto para resolver as pend??ncias posteriormente informadas e at?? que os dados passassem pelas cr??ticas do computador central. Havia necessidade de implantar um novo sistema para melhorar o atendimento no INSS. Foi implementado no Paran?? um projeto piloto, desenvolvido pela Dataprev e a pedido de seu cliente INSS, denominado ???Concess??o de Benef??cios On Line???. Com a utiliza????o desta tecnologia, por exemplo, passou a ser poss??vel entrar com um pedido de aposentadoria e imprimir imediatamente a Carta de Concess??o, informando o valor e o banco em que ser??o feitos os pagamentos ao Segurado da Previd??ncia Social. O novo sistema ap??ia a melhoria no atendimento do segurado do INSS, porque permite informar ao Segurado imediatamente se o Benef??cio est?? concedido ou se h?? pend??ncias que devam ser atendidas

M??dulo 1 - atua????o do professor-tutor em organiza????es p??blicas: curso tutoria on-line em organiza????es p??blicas

Este documento trata de: a educa????o continuada do servidor p??blico, desenvolvimento de compet??ncias nas organiza????es p??blicas, o papel das escolas de governo na forma????o do servidor p??blico, a EaD como estrat??gia de educa????o continuada, educa????o a dist??ncia na Enap, bases de atua????o da cgead, o desenvolvimento das compet??ncias de tutoria

M??dulo 2 - o professor-tutor e as tecnologias: tutoria on-line em organiza????es p??blicas

Este documento trata de M??dulo 2 - o professor-tutor, Introdu????o, as tecnologias da intelig??ncia e o ciberespa??o, mapeando as tecnologias da educa????o a dist??ncia, ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem (AVA) e sistemas de gerenciamento de aprendizagem (SGA), o Moodle, compet??ncias tecnol??gicas da tutoria, refer??ncias, finalizando o m??dulo

M??dulo 3 - o professor-tutor e os aprendizes: tutoria on-line em organiza????es p??blicas

Este documento trata de m??dulo 3 - O professor-tutor e os aprendizes, objetivos do m??dulo, introdu????o, a evolu????o da educa????o a dist??ncia e as novas possibilidades de intera????o, o perfil do aluno da educa????o a dist??ncia, implica????es pr??ticas para o trabalho do professor-tutor, compet??ncias sociais do professor tutor da Enap, refer??ncias, finalizando o m??dulo

M??dulo 4 - o professor-tutor e a aprendizagem: tutoria on-line em organiza????es p??blicas

Este documento trata de M??dulo 4 - o professor-tutor e a aprendizagem, objetivos do m??dulo, introdu????o, articulando teorias e m??todos com o contexto educacional mais amplo, a perspectiva construtivista da aprendizagem, contribui????es da heutagogia e do conectivismo, implica????es para a atua????o do tutor, a avalia????o da aprendizagem, compet??ncias pedag??gicas do professor-tutor da Enap, refer??ncias, finalizando o m??dulo

M??dulo 5 - o professor-tutor e a institui????o: tutoria on-line em organiza????es p??blicas

Este documento trata de M??dulo 5 - o professor-tutor e a institui????o, objetivos do m??dulo, introdu????o, aprendizagem organizacional, comunidades de pr??tica, o profissional reflexivo, implica????es para a atua????o do professor-tutor, programa de forma????o de professores-tutores para educa????o continuada a dist??ncia, compet??ncias gerenciais do professor-tutor da Enap, refer??ncias, finalizando o m??dulo

Tutoria on-line em organiza????es p??blicas

Este documento trata de m??dulo 1 - atua????o do professor-tutor em organiza????es p??blicas, m??dulo 2 - o professor-tutor e as tecnologias, m??dulo 3 - o professor-tutor e os aprendizes, m??dulo 4 - o professor-tutor e a aprendizagem, m??dulo 5 - o professor-tutor e a institui????o

A educa????o on-line como estrat??gia para a forma????o do servidor p??blico brasileiro: o desenvolvimento de curso a dist??ncia para a melhor gest??o das transfer??ncias volunt??rias de recursos p??blicos

Este artigo relata a experi??ncia da ENAP com a educa????o on-line como estrat??gia para a forma????o do servidor p??blico brasileiro. ?? dado destaque ao desenvolvimento do curso a dist??ncia Gest??o de Conv??nios e de Contratos de Repasse para Convenentes, desenvolvido em parceria com a Casa Civil da Presid??ncia da Rep??blica e a Secretaria de Tecnologia e Log??stica da Informa????o do Minist??rio do Planejamento, Or??amento e Gest??o brasileiro. A iniciativa teve como objetivo contribuir para a melhor gest??o das transfer??ncias volunt??rias de recursos p??blicos no Brasil. Ao final s??o apresentadas reflex??es sobre a apropria????o de tecnologias de informa????o e de comunica????o em processos de forma????o de servidores p??blicos que se traduzem como investimentos para o ??xito da a????o governamental.