The Bambuí health and aging study (BHAS). Prevalence of intermittent claudication in the aged population of the community of Bambuí and its associated factors

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of intermittent claudication in the aged population of Bambuí, Brazil, and to identify the factors associated with this disease. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional study of the aged population ( > or = 60 years of age) of Bambuí. Participants were interviewed and examined, after written consent. Intermittent claudication was defined based on a standardized questionnaire. Analysis was performed using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 1,742 elderly living in Bambuí, 1,485 (85.2%) were enrolled in the study. Thirty-seven individuals (2.5%) with intermittent claudication were identified: 28 (1.9%) males and 9 (0.6%) females. Their age brackets were: 16 (1.08%) individuals between 60 and 69 years of age, 17 (1.15%) between 70 and 79 years, and 4 (0.27%) > or = 80 years. A significant association between intermittent claudication and the following characteristics was found: male sex (OR=5.1; CI 2.4-11.0), smokers (OR=3.1; CI 1.2-8.5), ex-smokers (OR=3.4; CI 1.3-8.7), and more than 2 hospital admissions in the last 12 months (OR=2.8; CI 1.1-7.2). CONCLUSION: Disease prevalence was similar to that of other countries. The association between intermittent claudication and smoking strengthens the significance of tobacco in peripheral artery disease pathogenesis. The association of intermittent claudication and a higher number of hospital admissions suggests greater morbidity in the elderly affected.

La biodiversidad microbiana del suelo y su rol en el manejo de enfermedades causadas por hongos de suelo en soja. Soil microbial diversity and its key role in the management of soybean diseases caused by fungi.

Las poblaciones microbianas juegan un rol fundamental en la estabilidad de los sistemas agrícolas e indican los niveles de salud de un suelo, tanto que pueden ser utilizadas como indicadores de sustentabilidad de un agroecosistema. Los microorganismos reflejan el efecto que tienen las prácticas agrícolas sobre el suelo a través de modificaciones en la abundancia (biodiversidad estructural) y actividades de sus poblaciones (como control biológico de los patógenos, entre otras). Al cuantificarse la biodiversidad microbiana nativa se puede conocer la riqueza de un agroecosistema y utilizarla para el manejo sustentable de hongos patógenos. En este trabajo se evaluará el efecto de la rotación de cultivo (soja-maíz y soja en monocultivo) y los sistemas de labranza (siembra directa y labranzas reducida) sobre la biodiversidad microbiana. Se cuantificarán a partir de suelo: poblaciones de hongos y bacterias totales; agentes potenciales de biocontrol de como Trichoderma spp., Gliocladium spp. y micorrizas vesículo arbusculares (mediante la cuantificación de glomalina), biomasa y respiracion microbiana, y la biodiversidad de comunidades de microorganismos que habitan en el suelo mediante el análisis de perfiles de ácidos grasos (PLFA). Al final del ciclo de cultivo de soja se cuantificará la incidencia de enfermedades causadas por hongos de suelo. Dada la gran abundancia y diversidad de los microorganismos del suelo, las metodologías que se emplearán permitirán obtener información global de la riqueza microbiana de un agro-ecosistema. Se relacionará la biodiversidad microbiana con la incidencia de enfermedades por hongos de suelo, en respuesta a diferentes prácticas de manejo. Esto permitirá aprender a combinar las tecnologías para mejorar los beneficios de la produccion y preservar el agroecosistema en el marco de una agricultura sustentable, y no de una agricultura sostenida por insumos.

La institucionalización de la Comunidad Regional Punilla (Provincia de Córdoba): estudio y promoción de metodologías de diseño participativo y gestión asociada de políticas públicas para el desarrollo. The institution of Punilla Regional Community: study and promotion of participative metodologies for the associated planning and management of development policies.

Durante el período 2006-2008, las actividades de investigación y asistencia técnica de este equipo enfatizaron en la necesaria práctica social y política de horizontalidad en las relaciones, en la 'dimensión intersubjetiva o relacional de la regionalización' (Cáceres, 2006) en el marco de la Comunidad Regional Punilla (CRP), considerando a la identidad regional como un condicionante relevante de la 'construcción de la región como unidad de acción(Boisier, 2003). Así, durante ese período, se ha ido conformando un espacio 'regional' de composición multiactoral, social y gubernamental, para el trabajo asociativo (PROFIM, SIP, UCC 2007, 2008). Con el propósito de profundizar el Programa, este proyecto propone el fortalecimiento institucional de la CRP a través de la formalización del escenario participativo regional (Poggiese, 2001, 2002) para el diseño y gestión asociada de políticas de desarrollo. Tales propósitos y mecanismos están previstos en la Ley Orgánica de Regionalización de la Provincia de Córdoba (9.206/04) y en las normativas regionales derivadas de ésta a través de la figura del 'Consejo de la Sociedad Civil'. Con base en la observación del proceso desarrollado en Punilla desde el año 2006, esta propuesta suscribe el carácter interdisciplinario e intersectorial de la red social y política en la que se sustentará el Consejo y la lógica 'procesal y consensual' de su construcción, considerando, además, la nueva configuración del mapa político de la CRP a partir de los resultados electorales del año 2008 en tanto cambios estructurales en la relación gobierno y oposición que se presentan como una oportunidad para desarrollar los espacios públicos participativos que la sociedad regional puede ocupar para canalizar institucionalmente sus demandas. El proyecto busca 'analizar' pero también 'promover' el proceso de cambio político y social en marcha para facilitar su 'ampliación democrática' (Redín y Moroni, 2003), reflexionado críticamente y poniendo en cuestión algunos de los supuestos que han caracterizado a la retórica de la regionalización provincial: la existencia de una sociedad civil debidamente organizada en cada una de las regiones, cuya concurrencia al proceso decisorio puede asegurarse una vez 'abiertos' -formalizados- los canales de participación; la superación de la dirección bottom up en los procesos de toma de decisiones y la preeminencia de modalidades de 'articulación intermunicipal' para la gestión de políticas allí donde la Ley y las ordenanzas locales declaran establecida una 'Comunidad Regional'. El cuestionamiento de dichos supuestos sustenta, en definitiva, las preguntas que delimitan los temas- problema que se abordarán a partir de este trabajo.

Transitions to fatherhood in East Germany in the 1990s : psychological determinants of childbearing and the meaning of entering into parenthood for young adults from Rostock ; an event-history and qualitative composite investigation within the Rostock longitudinal survey

East Germany, men, fertility, first births, event history analysis, problem-centered interviews, methodical integration, triangulation, social psychology, gender

Imaging beyond structure : novel noninvasive tools for neuroimaging of stem cell function and differentiation

Magdeburg, Univ., Fak. für Naturwiss., Diss., 2013

Reward- and attention-related determinants of color selection in human visual cortex

Magdeburg, Univ., Fak. für Naturwiss., Diss., 2015

The Field naturalist : a review of animals, plants, minerals, the structure of the earth, and appearances of the sky / edited by James Rennie.

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Composition and diversity of Trichoptera (Insecta) larvae communities in the middle section of the Jacuí river and some tributaries, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The taxonomic composition and diversity of Trichoptera larvae communities were studied in four lotic sites in central region of State of Rio Grande do Sul. Sampling was done monthly from June, 2001 to May, 2002 in four sites located at the middle section of Jacuí River (Point 4) and in three tributaries (Carijinho River - Point 1; Lajeado da Gringa - Point 2 and Lajeado do Gringo - Point 3), with a Surber sampler. The total number of larvae collected was 29,143, belonging to 25 genera distributed in nine families; twenty of these genera are new records for the State. The highest abundance was found at Point 2 (n = 12,547). The highest standardized richness, for a 1,177 specimens sample chosen by chance, was recorded at Point 1, followed by Point 4 (17.7 and 16 genera, respectively). The highest diversity was found at Point 1, and the lowest at Point 3 (H' = 1.31 and H' = 0.77, respectively). Point 1 had the lowest anthropic influence and the best preserved riparian vegetation, while Point 3 presented the highest anthropic impact, and a very reduced riparian vegetation. The diversity of Trichoptera observed in this study is low, compared to the estimated maximum theoretical diversity. Low diversity values are related to the low evenness, since the richness was relatively high. The Trichoptera larvae communities seem to be related to the food availability and physical features (riparian vegetation and anthropic influence) of the study sites.

Composition and diversity of Ephemeroptera (Insecta) nymph communities in the middle section of the Jacuí River and some tributaries, southern Brazil

The taxonomic composition and diversity of assemblages of Ephemeroptera nymphs of four lotic environments in the central region of State of Rio Grande do Sul, a subtropical area in southern Brazil, were evaluated. Samplings were done monthly, with a Surber sampler, from June 2001 to May 2002, in the Jacuí River and three of its tributaries. The total number of nymphs collected in the four sampling sites was 11,007 in five families and 19 genera, of these, 11 are new records for the State. The highest diversity occurred in Point 4 (H'=2.41) and the lowest in Point 2 (H'=1.69). Point 4 had the highest environmental stability, conservation of the riparian vegetation and the lowest anthropic impact, while Point 2 presented a large environmental simplification due to a direct anthropic influence (e.g. domestic sewerage, trampling by cattle). The diversity of nymphs observed in the total area is high, compared to the estimated maximum theoretical diversity; a result of the high evenness and richness recorded. Rarefaction curves, calculated for a sample of 1,018 specimens, showed a similar expectation of richness for the four sampling sites. This result seems to be associated with the overall environmental homogeneity of the region caused by long-term alterations (land use and deforestation). In summary, higher diversity of Ephemeroptera nymph assemblages seems to be associated with habitat complexity, a good vegetation cover and a lower anthropic influence.

Diversity and habitat preference of medium and large-sized mammals in an urban forest fragment of southwestern Amazon

We assessed the species composition and abundance of medium and large-sized mammals in an urban forest fragment in the Brazilian Amazon, and recorded the preference of some species for particular phytophysiognomies. We placed nine transects with 20 sand plots each in three phytophysiognomies: open rainforest with a dominance of bamboos (OFB), open rainforest with palm trees (OFP), and dense rainforest (DF). We calculated species abundance as the number of records/plot.day, in a total of 2,700 plots.day. We recorded twelve mammal species; Sylvilagus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Dasyprocta fuliginosa (Wagler, 1831) were the most abundant. The results differed among phytophysiognomies: DF presented the highest mammal diversity, whereas the species composition of OFP was less similar than that of other phytophysiognomies. Rodents showed higher preference for OFP and Sylvilagus brasiliensis was more abundant in OFB. The study area showed high species richness, with the occurrence of mesopredators, but there was a predominance of common species adaptable to disturbed environments, which reflects the severe isolation degree of the forest fragment and the hunting pressure that is still present.

Diversity and population characteristics of terrestrial isopods (Crustacea, Oniscidea) across three forest environments in southern Brazil

Terrestrial isopods are important and dominant component of meso and macrodecomposer soil communities. The present study investigates the diversity and species composition of terrestrial isopods on three forests on the Serra Geral of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The area has two natural formations (Primary Woodland and Secondary Woodland) and one plantation of introduced Pinus. The pitfall traps operated from March 2001 to May 2002, with two summer periods and one winter. There were 14 sampling dates overall. Of the five species found: Alboscia silveirensis Araujo, 1999, Atlantoscia floridana (van Name, 1940), Benthana araucariana Araujo & Lopes, 2003 (Philoscidae), Balloniscus glaber Araujo & Zardo, 1995 (Balloniscidae) and Styloniscus otakensis (Chilton, 1901) (Styloniscidae); only A. floridana is abundant on all environments and B. glaber is nearly exclusive for the native forests. The obtained data made it possible to infer about population characteristics of this species. The Similarity Analysis showed a quantitative difference among the Secondary forest and Pinus plantation, but not a qualitative one. The operational sex ratio (OSR) analysis for A. floridana does not reveal significant differences in male and female proportions among environments. The reproductive period identified in the present study for A. floridana was from spring to autumn in the primary forest and Pinus plantation and during all year for the secondary forest. The OSR analysis for B. glaber reveals no significant differences in abundance between males and females for secondary forest, but the primary forest was a significant difference. The reproductive period for B. glaber extended from summer to autumn (for primary and secondary forest). This is the first record for Brazil of an established terrestrial isopod population in a Pinus sp. plantation area, evidenced by the presence of young, adults and ovigerous females, balanced sex ratio, expected fecundity and reproduction pattern, as compared to populations from native vegetation areas.

An ecological and comparative analysis of parasites in juvenile Mugil liza (Pisces, Mugilidae) from two sites in Samborombón bay, Argentina

ABSTRACT Mugil liza Valenciennes, 1836 is an economically important food fish and has been recommended for aquaculture in South America. A total of 278 fishes were collected in the spring and summer of 2009 and 2010. These fish were sorted into sample groups according to their size class. We used Bayesian statistics and 95% credible intervals for each parameter tested were calculated. Fish studied harbored a total of 15 different species of parasites. Diversity of parasite species found on Mugil liza was greatest at the S.R.C. collection site, but evidenced a lower species richness than at A.R. site. The 1st size fishes of both sites evidenced greater parasite diversity than either 2nd or 3rd size fish. Differences observed could be explained by the different use of habitat types at the two sites or differential susceptibility to infection by parasites. The dominance of D. fastigatainfluenced observed results of lower community diversity indexes. New works elucidating different parasite life cycles within juvenile and adults ofM. liza in Argentina, promise to be important for determining the risk of the parasitism by zoonotic metacercariae A. (P.) longa and use of this fish as food and an economic resource, and the possible use of mullet parasites in other promising fields as indicators of biodiversity, and/ or water contamination.

Inventory of seeds and plants imported / U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry.

62-73, 1923-1924