Concentration in liner shipping: its causes and impacts for ports and shipping services in developing regions

Includes bibliography

Management procedures for sustainable development (applicable to municipalities, micro-regions and river basins)

Includes bibliography

Molecular studies of Callithrix pygmaea (Primates, Platyrrhini) based on transferrin intronic and ND1 regions: implications for taxonomy and conservation

As classificações tradicionais envolvendo os macacos da infraordem Platyrrhini, principalmente baseadas em características morfológicas, têm sido contestadas por dados moleculares recentes. A subfamília Callitrichinae (Platyrrhine, Primates) engloba um diverso grupo de espécies, muitas das quais consideradas em perigo de extinção. A presente análise de duas regiões do DNA, um gene mitocondrial (ND1) e um gene nuclear (regiões intrônicas da transferrina), sugerem que Callithrix pygmaea apresenta variabilidade suficiente para justificar a existência de subespécies ou até mesmo de espécies distintas. As árvores filogenéticas baseadas na região do ND1 indicam que esta espécie está relacionada mais proximamente aos marmosets amazônicos do que aos da mata Atlântica. Estes resultados reabrem a discussão sobre diversidade e programas de conservação baseados apenas em classificações taxonômicas tradicionais.

Reference range for T lymphocytes populations in blood donors from two different regions in Brazil

ABSTRACT: This study defined the normal variation range for different subsets of T-lymphocyte cells count in two different Brazilian regions. We analysed the T-lymphocytes subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) in blood donors of two Brazilian cities, located in North (Belem, capital state of Para, indian background) and Northeast (Salvador, capital state od Bahia, African background) regions of Brazil. Results were compared according to gender, stress level (sleep time lower than 8 hours/day), smoking, and alcohol intake. Lymphocytes subpopulations were measured by flow cytometry. Five hundred twenty-six blood donors from two Brazilians cities participated in the study: 450 samples from Bahia and 76 samples from Pará. Most (60%) were men, 59% reported alcohol intake, 12% were smokers, and 80% slept at least 8 h/day. Donors from Bahia presented with significantly higher counts for all parameters, compared with Para. Women had higher lymphocytes levels, in both states, but only CD4+ cells count was significantly higher than men's values. Smokers had higher CD4+ counts, but sleep time had effect on lymphocytes levels only for Para's donors (higher CD3+ and CD4+ counts). That state had also, a higher proportion of donors reporting sleep time <8 h/day. The values for CD3, CD4 and CD8+ cells count were significantly higher in blood donors from Bahia than among those from Pará. Female gender, alcohol intake, stress level, and smoking were associated with higher lymphocyte counts. The use of a single reference range for normal lymphocytes count is not appropriate for a country with such diversity, like Brazil is.

Sequence characterization of coding regions of the myostatin gene (GDF8) from Brazilian Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and comparison with the Bos taurus sequence

Within about 30 years the Brazilian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) herd will reach approximately 50 million head as a result of the great adaptive capacity of these animals to tropical climates, together with the good productive and reproductive potential which make these animals an important animal protein source for poor and developing countries. The myostatin gene (GDF8) is important in the physiology of stock animals because its product produces a direct effect on muscle development and consequently also on meat production. The myostatin sequence is known in several mammalian species and shows a high degree of amino acid sequence conservation, although the presence of non-silent and silent changes in the coding sequences and several alterations in the introns and untranslated regions have been identified. The objective of our work was to characterize the myostatin coding regions of B. bubalis (Murrah breed) and to compare them with the Bos taurus regions looking for variations in nucleotide and protein sequences. In this way, we were able to identify 12 variations at DNA level and five alterations on the presumed myostatin protein sequence as compared to non double-muscled bovine sequences.

Genomic regions harboring insecticide resistance-associated Cyp genes are enriched by transposable element fragments carrying putative transcription factor binding sites in two sibling Drosophila species

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A study of low velocities regions near the Roche lobe during the gas giant planets formation

In this paper were studied regions close to the Roche lobe of a planet like Jupiter, in order to find regions with low velocities. We simulated a two dimensional and non-self-gravitating disk, where tidal and viscous torques are considered, using the hydrodynamic numerical integrator FARGO 2D. As stated earlier we are interested in find low velocities regions for in future works study the possibility of satellites formation in these regions.

Worldwide HLA-E nucleotide and haplotype variability reveals a conserved gene for coding and 3 ' untranslated regions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Using phenology to assess urban heat islands in tropical and temperate regions

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Genotype by environment interaction for post-weaning weight gain, scrotal circumference, and muscling score of composite beef cattle in different regions of Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Characterization of the Exonic Regions of the JY-1 Gene in Zebu Cattle and Buffaloes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Clinical aspects of envenomation caused by Tityus obscurus (Gervais, 1843) in two distinct regions of Para state, Brazilian Amazon basin: a prospective case series

Background: Scorpion envenomations are a major public health problem in Brazil, whose most dangerous cases are attributable to the genus Tityus. This study was designed to compare the clinical and demographic features of envenomations by Tityus obscurus in two areas of the state of Para located in the Amazon basin. Were compared demographic findings, local and systemic signs and symptoms of human envenomations caused by T. obscurus that occurred in western and eastern areas of the state.Results: Forty-eight patients with confirmed envenomation by T. obscurus were evaluated from January 2008 to July 2011. Most of them came from the eastern region, where male and female patients were present in similar numbers, while males predominated in the west. Median age groups were also similar in both areas. Most scorpion stings took place during the day and occurred significantly more frequently on the upper limbs. The time between the sting and admission to the health center was less than three hours in both areas. Most eastern patients had local manifestations while in the west, systemic manifestations predominated. Local symptoms were similar in both areas, but systemic signs and symptoms were more common in the west. Symptoms frequently observed at the sting site were local and radiating pain, paresthesia, edema, erythema, sweating, piloerection and burning. The systemic manifestations were significantly higher in patients from the west. Futhermore, neurological symptoms such as general paresthesia, ataxia, dysarthria, myoclonus, dysmetria, and electric shock-like sensations throughout the body were reported only by patients from the west.Conclusion: The present study shows that two regions of Para state differ in the clinical manifestations and severity of confirmed envenomation by T. obscurus which suggests a toxicity variation resulting from the diversity of T. obscurus venom in different areas of the Brazilian Amazon basin, and that T. serrulatus antivenom can be successfully used against T. obscurus.

Defining functional urban regions in Bahia, Brazil, using roadway coverage and population density variables

The concept of Functional Urban Regions (FURs), also called Metropolitan Regions (MRs), is not simple. It is clear, though, that they are not simply a combination of adjacent municipalities or areas. Different methods can be used for their definition. However, especially in developing countries, the application of some methods is not possible, due to the unavailability of detailed data. Alternative approaches have been developed based on spatial analysis methods and using variables extracted from available data. The objective of this study is to compare the results of two spatial analysis methods exploring two variables: population density and an indicator of transport infrastructure supply. The first method regards Exploratory Spatial Data Analyses tools, which define uniform regions based on specific variables. The second method used the same variables and the spatial analysis technique available in the computer program SKATER - Spatial 'K'luster Analysis by Tree Edge Removal. Assuming that those classifications of regions with similar characteristics can be used for identifying potential FURS, the results of all analyses were compared with one another and with the 'official' MR. A combined approach was also considered for comparison, but none of the results match the existing MR boundaries, what challenges the official definitions. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discovering promising regions to help global numerical optimization algorithms

We have developed an algorithm using a Design of Experiments technique for reduction of search-space in global optimization problems. Our approach is called Domain Optimization Algorithm. This approach can efficiently eliminate search-space regions with low probability of containing a global optimum. The Domain Optimization Algorithm approach is based on eliminating non-promising search-space regions, which are identifyed using simple models (linear) fitted to the data. Then, we run a global optimization algorithm starting its population inside the promising region. The proposed approach with this heuristic criterion of population initialization has shown relevant results for tests using hard benchmark functions.