Serosurvey of antibodies against spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. in horse farms in Northern Paraná, Brazil

Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is an emerging disease most likely caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. The objective of the present study was to estimate the seroprevalence of BSF rickettsia infections in equines from six horse farms located in Londrina County, Paraná, Southern Brazil. Six owners of horse farms situated in Cambé, Santa Fé, Guaraci and Londrina municipalities participated in the study. All farms were located in areas where BSF has not been reported. A total of 273 horses were sampled and their sera were tested by indirect Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using R. rickettsii and R. parkeri antigens. Titers equal to and greater than 64 were considered positive. Of 273 sera tested, 15 (5.5%) reacted to R. rickettsii and 5 (1.8%) to R. parkeri. Five out of the six farms studied revealed seropositive animals and seropositivity rate ranged from 0 to 13%. The titers ranged from 64 to 512, and four samples had a titer of 512. Nine animals reacted to R. rickettsii with titers four-fold higher than those for R. parkeri. These results suggest that horses in Northern Paraná may have been exposed to rickettsiae identical or closely related to R. rickettsii.

Study of infection by Rickettsiae of the spotted fever group in humans and ticks in an urban park located in the City of Londrina, State of Paraná, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Spotted fevers are emerging zoonoses caused by Rickettsia species in the spotted fever group (SFG). Rickettsia rickettsii is the main etiologic agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) and it is transmitted by Amblyomma spp. ticks. METHODS: The study aimed to investigate SFG rickettsiae in the Arthur Thomas Municipal Park in Londrina, PR, by collecting free-living ticks and ticks from capybaras and blood samples from personnel working in these areas. Samples from A. dubitatum and A. cajennense were submitted for PCR in pools to analyze the Rickettsia spp. gltA (citrate synthase gene). RESULTS: All the pools analyzed were negative. Human sera were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay with R. rickettsii and R. parkeri as antigens. Among the 34 sera analyzed, seven (20.6%) were reactive for R. rickettsii: four of these had endpoint titers equal to 64, 2 titers were 128 and 1 titer was 256. None of the samples were reactive for R. parkeri. An epidemiological questionnaire was applied to the park staff, but no statistically significant associations were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The serological studies suggest the presence of Rickettsiae related to SFG that could be infecting the human population studied; however, analysis of the ticks collected was unable to determine which species may be involved in transmission to humans.

Diet and cancer in Northeast Brazil: evaluation of eating habits and food group consumption in relation to breast cancer

Realizou-se um estudo do tipo caso-controle de base hospitalar no Município de João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brasil. Participaram 183 indivíduos (89 casos e 94 controles) na faixa etária entre 30 e 80 anos, com pareamento por idade. O consumo alimentar de casos e controles foi avaliado por alimentos e grupos de alimentos categorizados em tercis de consumo. A estimativa dos valores da odds ratio (OR) e intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%) foi realizada por regressão logística múltipla não-condicional. O consumo de frutas e sucos, feijão e leite e derivados apresentou uma forte associação com a redução no risco de câncer de mama. O consumo de carnes vermelhas e de carnes fritas esteve positivamente associado ao risco de câncer de mama (carne vermelha - OR = 4.30; IC95%: 1,74-10,67; p = 0,00). Não foi observada associação entre o consumo dos grupos de vegetais e embutidos com o câncer de mama. Carne vermelha e carnes fritas podem ser fatores de risco, e o consumo de frutas, feijão e leite e derivados pode atuar como protetor do câncer de mama

Prevalence of inadequate nutrient intake in a group of adolescents using dietary reference intake- based methods

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a prevalência de ingestão inadequada de nutrientes em um grupo de adolescentes de São Bernardo do Campo-SP. Dados de consumo de energia e nutrientes foram obtidos por meio de recordatórios de 24 horas aplicados em 89 adolescentes. A prevalência de inadequação foi calculada utilizando o método EAR como ponto de corte, após ajuste pela variabilidade intrapessoal, utilizando o procedimento desenvolvido pela Iowa State University. As Referências de Ingestão Dietética (IDR) foram os valores de referência para ingestão. Para os nutrientes que não possuem EAR estabelecida, a distribuição do consumo foi comparada com a AI. As maiores prevalências de inadequação em ambos sexos foram observadas para o magnésio (99,3 por cento para o sexo masculino e 81,8 por cento para o feminino), zinco (44,0 por cento para o sexo masculino e 23,5 por cento para o feminino), vitamina C (57,2 por cento para o sexo masculino e 59,9 por cento para o feminino) e folato (34,8 por cento para o sexo feminino). A proporção de indivíduos com ingestão superior à AI foi insignificante (menor que 2,0 por cento) em ambos os sexos

Novel Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis, Brazil

We report a clinical case of spotted fever group rickettsiosis acquired in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Definitive diagnosis was supported by seroconversion between acute-phase and convalescent-phase serum samples. Molecular analysis of skin samples indicated the agent was a novel spotted fever group strain closely related to Rickettsia africae, R. parked, and R. sibirica.

Searching for star formation outside galaxies: Multiwavelength analysis of the intragroup medium of Hickson Compact Group 100

We use multiwavelength data (H I, FUV, NUV, R) to search for evidence of star formation in the intragroup medium of the Hickson Compact Group 100. We find that young star-forming regions are located in the intergalactic H I clouds of the compact group which extend to over 130 kpc away from the main galaxies. A tidal dwarf galaxy (TDG) candidate is located in the densest region of the H I tail, 61 kpc from the brightest group member and its age is estimated to be only 3.3 Myr. Fifteen other intragroup H II regions and TDG candidates are detected in the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) FUV image and within a field 10' x 10' encompassing the H I tail. They have ages <200 Myr, H I masses of 10(9.2-10.4) M(circle dot), 0.001

REVISITING THE FOSSIL GROUP CANDIDATES UGC 842 AND NGC 6034

We present a new insight on NGC 6034 and UGC 842, two groups of galaxies previously reported in the literature as being fossil groups. The study is based on optical photometry and spectroscopy obtained with the CTIO Blanco telescope and Sloan Digital Sky Survey archival data. We find that NGC 6034 is embedded in a large structure, dominated by three rich clusters and other small groups. Its first and next four ranked galaxies have magnitude differences in the r band and projected distances which violate the optical criteria to classify it as a fossil group. We confirm that the UGC 842 group is a fossil group, but with about half the velocity dispersion that is reported in previous works. The velocity distribution of its galaxies reveals the existence of two structures in its line of sight, one with sigma(nu) similar to 223 km s(-1) and another with sigma(nu) similar to 235 km s(-1), with a difference in velocity of similar to 820 km s(-1). The main structure is dominated by passive galaxies, while these represent similar to 60% of the second structure. The X-ray temperature for the intragroup medium of a group with such a velocity dispersion is expected to be kT similar to 0.5-1 keV, against the observed value of kT similar to 1.9 keV reported in the literature. This result makes UGC 842 a special case among fossil groups because (1) it represents more likely the interaction between two small groups, which warms the intragroup medium and/or (2) it could constitute evidence that member galaxies lost energy in the process of spiraling toward the group center, and decreased the velocity dispersion of the system. As far as we know, UGC 842 is the first low-mass fossil group studied in detail.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Changes in the Ocotea indecora Group (Lauraceae)

Following a recent revision of the Ocotea indecora (Schott) Meisn. ex Mez group (Lauraceae), some taxonomic and nomenclatural changes have been made. We present here the resulting synonyms, together with typifications, and one new combination. Seven new synonyms are proposed. The following seven names are lectotypified: Mespilodaphne indecora (Schott) Meisn. var. cannella Meisn.. M. indecora var. intermedia Meisn., M. indecora var. laxa Meisn., indecora var. stricta Meisn., O. complicata (Meisn.) Maz, O. elegans Mez, and O. fasciculata (Nees) Mez. Mespilodaphne leucophloea Nees & Mart, is transferred as O. leacophloea (Nees & Mart.) L. C. S. Assis & Mello-Silva.

Group I introns and associated homing endonuclease genes reveals a clinal structure for Porphyra spiralis var. amplifolia (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) along the Eastern coast of South America

Background: Group I introns are found in the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rDNA) of some species of the genus Porphyra (Bangiales, Rhodophyta). Size polymorphisms in group I introns has been interpreted as the result of the degeneration of homing endonuclease genes (HEG) inserted in peripheral loops of intron paired elements. In this study, intron size polymorphisms were characterized for different Porphyra spiralis var. amplifolia (PSA) populations on the Southern Brazilian coast, and were used to infer genetic relationships and genetic structure of these PSA populations, in addition to cox2-3 and rbcL-S regions. Introns of different sizes were tested qualitatively for in vitro self-splicing. Results: Five intron size polymorphisms within 17 haplotypes were obtained from 80 individuals representing eight localities along the distribution of PSA in the Eastern coast of South America. In order to infer genetic structure and genetic relationships of PSA, these polymorphisms and haplotypes were used as markers for pairwise Fst analyses, Mantel's test and median joining network. The five cox2-3 haplotypes and the unique rbcL-S haplotype were used as markers for summary statistics, neutrality tests Tajima's D and Fu's Fs and for median joining network analyses. An event of demographic expansion from a population with low effective number, followed by a pattern of isolation by distance was obtained for PSA populations with the three analyses. In vitro experiments have shown that introns of different lengths were able to self-splice from pre-RNA transcripts. Conclusion: The findings indicated that degenerated HEGs are reminiscent of the presence of a full-length and functional HEG, once fixed for PSA populations. The cline of HEG degeneration determined the pattern of isolation by distance. Analyses with the other markers indicated an event of demographic expansion from a population with low effective number. The different degrees of degeneration of the HEG do not refrain intron self-splicing. To our knowledge, this was the first study to address intraspecific evolutionary history of a nuclear group I intron; to use nuclear, mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA for population level analyses of Porphyra; and intron size polymorphism as a marker for population genetics.

Systematic Revision of the granulatus Group of Urophonius Pocock, 1893 (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae), with Description of a New Species from Central Chile

A systematic revision of the granulatus group of the bothriurid scorpion genus Urophonius Pocock, 1893 is presented. Urophonius pizarroi, n. sp., a new species from central Chile, is described. Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898, Urophonius somuncura Acosta, 2003, and Urophonius tregualemuensis Cekalovic, 1981, are redescribed using modern standards. The adult males of U. somuncura and U. tregualemuensis are described for the first time. A distribution map and key to the species of the granulatus group are provided, along with a discussion of their phenology.

Spin Hall effect due to intersubband-induced spin-orbit interaction in symmetric quantum wells

We investigate the intrinsic spin Hall effect in two-dimensional electron gases in quantum wells with two subbands, where a new intersubband-induced spin-orbit coupling is operative. The bulk spin Hall conductivity sigma(z)(xy) is calculated in the ballistic limit within the standard Kubo formalism in the presence of a magnetic field B and is found to remain finite in the B=0 limit, as long as only the lowest subband is occupied. Our calculated sigma(z)(xy) exhibits a nonmonotonic behavior and can change its sign as the Fermi energy (the carrier areal density n(2D)) is varied between the subband edges. We determine the magnitude of sigma(z)(xy) for realistic InSb quantum wells by performing a self-consistent calculation of the intersubband-induced spin-orbit coupling.

Universal zero-bias conductance through a quantum wire side-coupled to a quantum dot

A numerical renormalization-group study of the conductance through a quantum wire containing noninteracting electrons side-coupled to a quantum dot is reported. The temperature and the dot-energy dependence of the conductance are examined in the light of a recently derived linear mapping between the temperature-dependent conductance and the universal function describing the conductance for the symmetric Anderson model of a quantum wire with an embedded quantum dot. Two conduction paths, one traversing the wire, the other a bypass through the quantum dot, are identified. A gate potential applied to the quantum wire is shown to control the current through the bypass. When the potential favors transport through the wire, the conductance in the Kondo regime rises from nearly zero at low temperatures to nearly ballistic at high temperatures. When it favors the dot, the pattern is reversed: the conductance decays from nearly ballistic to nearly zero. When comparable currents flow through the two channels, the conductance is nearly temperature independent in the Kondo regime, and Fano antiresonances in the fixed-temperature plots of the conductance as a function of the dot-energy signal interference between them. Throughout the Kondo regime and, at low temperatures, even in the mixed-valence regime, the numerical data are in excellent agreement with the universal mapping.

Universal zero-bias conductance for the single-electron transistor

The thermal dependence of the zero-bias conductance for the single electron transistor is the target of two independent renormalization-group approaches, both based on the spin-degenerate Anderson impurity model. The first approach, an analytical derivation, maps the Kondo-regime conductance onto the universal conductance function for the particle-hole symmetric model. Linear, the mapping is parametrized by the Kondo temperature and the charge in the Kondo cloud. The second approach, a numerical renormalization-group computation of the conductance as a function the temperature and applied gate voltages offers a comprehensive view of zero-bias charge transport through the device. The first approach is exact in the Kondo regime; the second, essentially exact throughout the parametric space of the model. For illustrative purposes, conductance curves resulting from the two approaches are compared.

INFERENCE FOR EIGENVALUES AND EIGENVECTORS OF GAUSSIAN SYMMETRIC MATRICES

This article presents maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) and log-likelihood ratio (LLR) tests for the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of Gaussian random symmetric matrices of arbitrary dimension, where the observations are independent repeated samples from one or two populations. These inference problems are relevant in the analysis of diffusion tensor imaging data and polarized cosmic background radiation data, where the observations are, respectively, 3 x 3 and 2 x 2 symmetric positive definite matrices. The parameter sets involved in the inference problems for eigenvalues and eigenvectors are subsets of Euclidean space that are either affine subspaces, embedded submanifolds that are invariant under orthogonal transformations or polyhedral convex cones. We show that for a class of sets that includes the ones considered in this paper, the MLEs of the mean parameter do not depend on the covariance parameters if and only if the covariance structure is orthogonally invariant. Closed-form expressions for the MLEs and the associated LLRs are derived for this covariance structure.

Pseudodifferential operators with C*-algebra-valued symbols: Abstract characterizations

Given a separable unital C*-algebra C with norm parallel to center dot parallel to, let E-n denote the Banach-space completion of the C-valued Schwartz space on R-n with norm parallel to f parallel to(2)=parallel to < f, f >parallel to(1/2), < f, g >=integral f(x)* g(x)dx. The assignment of the pseudodifferential operator A=a(x,D) with C-valued symbol a(x,xi) to each smooth function with bounded derivatives a is an element of B-C(R-2n) defines an injective mapping O, from B-C(R-2n) to the set H of all operators with smooth orbit under the canonical action of the Heisenberg group on the algebra of all adjointable operators on the Hilbert module E-n. In this paper, we construct a left-inverse S for O and prove that S is injective if C is commutative. This generalizes Cordes' description of H in the scalar case. Combined with previous results of the second author, our main theorem implies that, given a skew-symmetric n x n matrix J and if C is commutative, then any A is an element of H which commutes with every pseudodifferential operator with symbol F(x+J xi), F is an element of B-C(R-n), is a pseudodifferential operator with symbol G(x - J xi), for some G is an element of B-C(R-n). That was conjectured by Rieffel.