Estudos dos agrupamentos vegetativos relacionados com as áreas onde foram efetuadas as pesquisas sôbre a febre amarela silvestre no Município de Passos, Estado de Minas Gerais

The work reported here was carried-out on the invitation of Dr. Henry Kumm, Director of the Rockefeller Foundation, and by appointment from Dr. Henrique Aragão, Director of the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. It was done during the investigation of sylvan yellow fever, in June 1947, with a view to establishing the phyto-ecological conditions of the county of Passos. The pe¬riod was, however, too short for definite conclusions to be reached. Thanks are due to Dr. O. R. Causey, Chief of Research on Yellow Fever for transpor¬tation and other help. THE REGIONAL VEGETATION. Aerial photographs of the county of Passos shoto that it is covered by three great types of vegetation: Rain Forest, Secondary Pasture Land and Scrub.1 Detailed investigation, however, brings out the fact that these correspond to different seres; furthermore, each type presents not only the specific, characteristics of the biological form dominant for the climate, but also are at various stages, which express HABITATS differing from those of the normal sere. The phytogeographic survey of the region shows that most of it is now covered by secondary pasture land (disclimax) in which Melinis minutiflora, v. "fat grass" (fig. 1), predominates. The mosaic of Rain Forest and of small patches of Scrub reveals the effects of human intervention (BARRETO, H. L. de Mello 1); consequently, all the formations have to be regarded as secon¬dary, though some of them probably include relicts of the primitive climax (WARMING, E. 2). On close examination, the Scrub cannot be considered as the climax, because of the following facts: 1. In the zone of Rain-Forest stretches of forest are present in very varied topographic conditions and the reconstitution of the associations show that man has destroyed an ecological unit (fig. 2). 2. In the zone of Scrub the characteristic patches are small. The banks of rivers and brooks, the valleys and ravine and whatever the soil has retained some humidity, is being invaded fry Rain Forest, which seems to be growing under optimum conditions. The Scrub is thus limited to small belts on the calcareous mountains and on sandy soils with alcaline depths (pH abo¬ve 7) which do not retain enough moisture for the Rain Forest that is progres¬sively restricting the area occupied by Scrub. In view of the topographic and present climatic conditions the Rain Forest must consequently be regarded as the regional climax. The presence of ecologically contradictory elements and associations shows that the real problem is that of the fluctuations of the climate of Passos or even of Minas Geraes during the quaternary and recent periods (DAN-SEREAU, P. : 3), a subject on which little is known and which is tied to the evolution of the climate of Brazil (OLIVEIRA, E. : 4) . The transformation of Scrub into Rain Forest has been - observed by the author before, in other parts of Brazil (VELOSO, PL P.: 5) . It seems probable that the Rio Grande has also greatly influenced the change of the regional vegetation, by invading areas of Scrub and dislocating the limit of the Pluvial climate towards the Canastra Range, though there are remnants of Scrub (postclimax) transfor¬med into secondary open country (disclimax, fig. 5) by human devastation and the setting of fire to the land. VEGETATION GROUPS OF THE PLUVIAL TYPE. The map of the region also shows that at the present time the small patches of forest (whether devasted or intact) occupy the least accessible places, such as valleys, peaks and abrupt slopes (fig. 2). Even these are now being destroyed, so that in the near future this forested region will be en¬tirely reduced to poor pasture land unless energetic measures of conservation are undertaken in time. The Special Service for Prophylaxis against Yellow Fever installed two of their four Stations for the Capture of Mosquitos in this area, one of them at Batatal and the other at Cachoeira, which have separate formations each of them composed of several associations. Other vegetation formations were also analysed, from the synecological point of view, so as to ascertain of which degree of succession their associations belong. These phytosociological sur¬veys give an idea of the principal characteristics of each station. BATATAL FORMATION. The abrupt nature of the valley has rendered this location inappropriate for agricultural purposes since colonial times. The relict of the primitive forest climax saved by this circumstance has expanded gradually to zones whose paedologic conditions favour the eatablishment of mesophilous species. The aerial photograph shows two small stretches of forest, one apparently primi¬tive, the other composed of associations belonging to the subclimax of the subsere. CACHOEIRA FORMATION. Aerial photographs show that this station is crossed by a small river, which divides it into two separate parts. The first, which presents ecological conditions similar, though not identical to those of Batatal, is favoured by topography and apparently remains primitive forest. Though the topography of the other, on the whole, favours the establishment of groups belonging to the normal sere of the climax, is has been partly devastated recently and the aspect of the associations has been completely modified. It was is this part that the four posts for the capturing of mosquitos were set up. The first forest is favoured by deposition of organic matter, washed out from the nearby devasted areas by torrential rains, and thus provides, an appropriate HABITAT for the climax species with certain hygrophilous trends of the ecological quasiclimax type. This association seems to have reached a biological equilibrium, as the dominates. Gallesia gorarema and Cariniana legalis (fig. 10), present an optimum vitality with a vigorous habit and a normal evolutionary cycle. The Cariniantum legalis Gallesiosum equilibrium, corresponds however, to a provisory association, because if the moving of soil by torrential rains should cease it would become possible…

A surgery for American cuteneous and visceral leishmaniasis among 1,342 dogs from areas in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) where the human diseases occur

There are areas in the periphery of Rio de Janeiro city where human cases of Visceral and/or Cutaneous Leishmaniasis occur. The parasites have been identified as Leishmania donovani and Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis respectively. A survey for Leishmaniasis was done among 1,342 dogs from those areas using an indirect immunofluorescent test. From the dogs, 616 came from areas where only human cases of Visceral Leishmaniasis occurred, 373 from an area where all human cases were of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and 353 from a third area (Campo Grande) where both visceral and cutaneous human cases were detected. The prevalence of parasite antibody titers among dogs from areas of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis was significantly higher than that of Visceral Leishmaniasis (8.6% vs. 4.3%, p < 0.02). The highest prevalence was observed among dogs from the area where both diseases are present (12.7%).

Experimental infection of Lutzomyia longipalpis fed on a patient with cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania mexicana amazonensis

The authors were able to infect phlebotomine sandflies on a human case of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis by feeding females of Lutzomyia longipalpis on a patient with a lesion due to Leishmania mexicana amazonensis.

Maladies infectieuses [Infectious diseases]

In 2008, several publications have highlighted the role of climate change and globalization on the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Studies have shown the extension towards Europe of diseases such as Crimea-Congo fever (Kosovo, Turkey and Bulgaria), leismaniosis (Cyprus) and chikungunya virus infection (Italy). The article also contains comments on Plasmodium knowlesi, a newly identified cause of severe malaria in humans, as well as an update on human transmission of the H5NI avian influenza virus. It also mentions new data on Bell's palsy as well as two vaccines (varicella-zoster and pneumococcus), and provides a list of recent guidelines for the treatment of common infectious diseases.

The tectonically controlled emplacement of a vertically sheeted gabbro-pyroxenite intrusion: Feeder-zone of an ocean-island volcano (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands)

The Miocene PX1 gabbro-pyroxenite pluton, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, is a 3.5 x 5.5 km shallow-level intrusion (0.15-0.2 GPa and 1100-1120 degrees C), interpreted as the feeder-zone to an ocean-island volcano. It displays a vertical magmatic banding expressed in five 50 to 100 metre-wide NNE-SSW trending alkaline gabbro sequences alternating with pyroxenites. This emplacement geometry was controlled by brittle to ductile shear zones, generated by a regional E-W extensional tectonic setting that affected Fuerteventura during the Miocene. At a smaller scale, the PX1 gabbro and pyroxenite bands consist of metre-thick differentiation units, which suggest emplacement by periodic injection of magma pulses as vertical dykes that amalgamated, similarly to a sub-volcanic sheeted dyke complex. Individual dykes underwent internal differentiation following a solidification front parallel to the dyke edges. This solidification front may have been favoured by a significant lateral/horizontal thermal gradient, expressed by the vertical banding in the gabbros, the fractionation asymmetry within individual dykes and the migmatisation of the wall rocks. Pyroxenitic layers result from the fractionation and accumulation of clinopyroxene +/- olivine +/- plagioclase crystals from a mildly alkaline basaltic liquid. They are interpreted as truncated differentiation sequences, from which residual melts were extracted at various stages of their chemical evolution by subsequent dyke intrusions, either next to or within the crystallising unit. Compaction and squeezing of the crystal mush is ascribed to the incoming and inflating magma pulses. The expelled interstitial liquid was likely collected and erupted along with the magma flowing through the newly injected dykes. Clinopyroxene mineral orientation - as evidenced by EBSD and micro X-ray tomography investigations - displays a marked pure-shear component, supporting the interpretation of the role of compaction in the generation of the pyroxenites. Conversely, gabbro sequences underwent minor melt extraction and are believed to represent crystallised coalesced magma batches emplaced at lower rates at the end of eruptive cycles. Clinopyroxene orientations in gabbros record a simple shear component suggesting syn-magmatic deformation parallel to observed NNE-SSW trending shear zones induced by the regional tensional stress field. This emplacement model implies a crystallisation time of 1 to 5 years for individual dykes, consistent with PX1 emplacement over less than 0.5 My. A minimum amount of approximately 150 km(3) of magma is needed to generate the pluton, part of it having been erupted through the Central Volcanic Centre of Fuerteventura. If the regional extensional tectonic regime controls the PX1 feeder-zone initiation and overall geometry, rates and volumes of magma depend on other, source-related factors. High injection rates are likely to induce intrusion growth rates larger than could be accommodated by the regional extension. In this case, dyke intrusion by propagation of a weak tip, combined with the inability of magma to circulate through previously emplaced and crystallised dykes could result in an increase of non-lithostatic pressure on previously emplaced mushy dyke walls; thus generating strong pure-shear compaction within the pluton feeder-zone and interstitial melt expulsion. These compaction-dominated processes are recorded by the cumulitic pyroxenite bands. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Joint estimates of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy for the OECD

Official calculations of automatic stabilizers are seriously flawed since they rest on the assumption that the only element of social spending that reacts automatically to the cycle is unemployment compensation. This puts into question many estimates of discretionary fiscal policy. In response, we propose a simultaneous estimate of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy. This leads us, quite naturally, to a tripartite decomposition of the budget balance between revenues, social spending and other spending as a bare minimum. Our headline results for a panel of 20 OECD countries in 1981-2003 are .59 automatic stabilization in percentage-points of primary surplus balances. All of this stabilization remains following discretionary responses during contractions, but arguably only about 3/5 of it remains so in expansions while discretionary behavior cancels the rest. We pay a lot of attention to the impact of the Maastricht Treaty and the SGP on the EU members of our sample and to real time data.

Joint estimates of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy: the OECD 1981-2003

Official calculations of automatic stabilizers are seriously flawed since they rest on the assumption that the only element of social spending that reacts automatically to the cycle is unemployment compensation. This puts into question many estimates of discretionary fiscal policy. In response, we propose a simultaneous estimate of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy. This leads us, quite naturally, to a tripartite decomposition of the budget balance between revenues, social spending and other spending as a bare minimum. Our headline results for a panel of 20 OECD countries in 1981-2003 are .59 automatic stabilization in percentage-points of primary surplus balances. All of this stabilization remains following discretionary responses during contractions, but arguably only about 3/5 of it remains so in expansions while discretionary behavior cancels the rest. We pay a lot of attention to the impact of the Maastricht Treaty and the SGP on the EU members of our sample and to real time data.

Joint estimates of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy: the OECD 1981-2003

Official calculations of automatic stabilizers are seriously flawed since they rest on the assumption that the only element of social spending that reacts automatically to the cycle is unemployment compensation. This puts into question many estimates of discretionary fiscal policy. In response, we propose a simultaneous estimate of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy. This leads us, quite naturally, to a tripartite decomposition of the budget balance between revenues, social spending and other spending as a bare minimum. Our headline results for a panel of 20 OECD countries in 1981-2003 are .59 automatic stabilization in percentage-points of primary surplus balances. All of this stabilization remains following discretionary responses during contractions, but arguably only about 3/5 of it remains so in expansions while discretionary behavior cancels the rest. We pay a lot of attention to the impact of the Maastricht Treaty and the SGP on the EU members of our sample and to real time data.

Technique for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii antigens in mouse urine

A simple and rapid staphylococcal coagglutination test for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii antigens in mice urine is described. A suspension of protein-A containing Staphylococcus aureus coated with rabbit hyperimmune serum was used as reagent. The sensitivity of the antigen assay was found to be at least 118 ng of the antigen protein per ml. No coagglutination was observed when the reagent was challenged against antigenic solutions of other parasites. The suitability of the method for detecting antigens of T. gondii in urine samples was studied by experimental toxoplasma infection in mice. Before the staphylococcal test, the urine samples were double serially diluted in 0.1 M PBS. From the second day on all samples from infected mice were positive at 1/16 dilution. At this dilution, all samples from non infected mice were negative or did not produce coagglutination. This method might be used in the rapid etiological diagnosis also in human cases of acute toxoplasmosis.

Desarrollo de biomarcadores del grado de exposición y activación para la evaluación de la neurotoxicidad de la MDMA en humanos

La 3,4-Metilendioximetanfetamina (MDMA, éxtasis) es un derivado anfetamínico sintético ampliamente usado como droga recreativa, que produce neurotoxicidad serotonérgica en animales y posiblemente también en humanos. El mecanismo subyacente de neurotoxicidad, incluye la formación de especies reactivas de oxigeno (ROS), pero la fuente de generación de estos es un punto de controversia. Se postula que la neurotoxicidad inducida por la MDMA es mediada por la formación de metabolitos bioreactivos. Específicamente, los metabolitos primarios de tipo catecol, la 3,4- dihidroximetanfetamina (HHMA) y la 3,4-dihidroxianfetamina (HHA), que luego dan lugar a la formación de conjugados con el glutatión y la N-acetilcisteína, y que conservan la capacidad de entrar en el ciclo redox y presentan neurotoxicidad serotonérgica en ratas. Aunque la presencia de dichos metabolitos se demostró recientemente en microdialisados de cerebros de ratas, su formación en humanos no se ha reportado aun. Este trabajo describe la detección de N-acetil-cisteína-HHMA (NAC-HHMA) y N-acetil-cisteína-HHA (NAC-HHA) en orina humana de 15 consumidores recreacionales de MDMA (1.5 mg/kg) en un entorno controlado. Los resultados revelan que en las primeras 4 horas después del consumo de MDMA aproximadamente el 0.002% de la dosis administrada es recuperada como aductos tioéter. Los polimorfismos genéticos en la expresión de las enzimas CYP2D6 y COMT, que en conjunto son las principales determinantes de los niveles estables de HHMA y HHA, posiblemente expliquen la variabilidad interindividual observada en la recuperación de la NAC-HHMA y la NAC-HHA en orina. Resumiendo, por primera vez se demuestra la formación de aductos tioéteres neurotóxicos de la MDMA en humanos. Estos resultados apoyan la hipótesis de que la bioactivación de la MDMA a metabolitos neurotóxicos es el mecanismo relevante para la generación de la neurotoxicidad en humanos.

Trypanosoma cruzi: experimental Chagas' disease in Rhesus monkeys. II. Ultraestructural and cytochemical studies of peroxidase and acid phosphatase activities

Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies of peroxidase and acid phosphatase were performed in skin, lymph node and heart muscle tissue of thesus monkeys with experimental Chagas's disease. At the site of inoculation ther was a proliferative reaction with the presence of immature macrophages revealed by peroxidase technique. At the lymph node a difuse inflammatory exudate with mononuclear cells, fibroblasts and immature activated macrophages reproduces the human patrtern of acute Chagas' disease inflamatory lesions. The hearth muscle cells present different degrees of degenerative alterations and a striking increase in the number of lysosomal profiles that exhibit acid hydrolase reaction product. A strong inflammatory reaction was present due to lymphocytic infiltrate or due to eosinophil granulocytes associated to ruptured cells. The present study provides some experimental evidences that the monkey model could be used as a reliable model to characterize histopathological alterations of the human disease.

Income stratification and the measurement of interdistributional inequality between multiple groups

This paper proposes a new class of stratification indices that measure interdistributional inequality between multiple groups. The class is based on a conceptualisation of stratification as a process that results in a hierarchical ordering of groups and therefore seeks to capture not only the extent to which groups form well-defined strata in the income distribution but also the scale of the resultant differences in income standards between them, where these two factors play the same role as identification and alienation respectively in the measurement of polarisation. The properties of the class as a whole are investigated as well as those of selected members of it: zeroth and first power indices may be interpreted as measuring the overall incidence and depth of stratification respectively, while higher power indices members are directly sensitive to the severity of stratification between groups. An illustrative application provides an empirical analysis of global income stratification by regions in 1993.

La variació de la mida i forma del crani al llarg de l'evoluació dels homínids: aplicació a les restes de Dmanisi (Geòrgia)

Treball de recerca realitzat per un alumne d'ensenyament secundari i guardonat amb un Premi CIRIT per fomentar l'esperit cientí­fic del Jovent l'any 2009. El treball que es presenta és un estudi sobre la mida i la forma del crani en diferents espècies d'homínids. El treball es va realitzar a la Facultat de Biologia de la Universitat de Barcelona, a la Unitat d Antropologia. L'estudi de la mida es va realitzar a partir de mesures craniomètriques utilitzades en antropologia física clàssica. L'estudi de la forma es va realitzar aplicant una tècnica novedosa en aquest camp, la morfometria geomètrica. Es van estudiar 52 cranis de 12 espècies diferents d'homínids des dels més antics, els Australopithecus, fins formes modernes d'Homo sapiens. L'estudi de les diferents espècies d'homínids va servir de base per intentar classificar uns individus trobats a Europa, al jaciment de Dmanisi. Aquests individus es troben immersos en una gran debat en quant a la seva assignació taxonòmica ja que són les restes més antigues trobades al continent europeu (1,8 milions d'anys). Els resultats de l'estudi indiquen que els individus de Dmanisi es troben entre les formes africanes i asiàtiques, podriem parlar doncs d'una espècie de transició.

Assessing the quality of alternative energy sources: Energy Return On the Investment (EROI), the metabolic pattern of societies and energy statistics

This paper presents an initial challenge to tackle the every so "tricky" points encountered when dealing with energy accounting, and thereafter illustrates how such a system of accounting can be used when assessing for the metabolic changes in societies. The paper is divided in four main sections. The first three, present a general discussion on the main issues encountered when conducting energy analyses. The last section, subsequently, combines this heuristic approach to the actual formalization of it, in quantitative terms, for the analysis of possible energy scenarios. Section one covers the broader issue of how to account for the relevant categories used when accounting for Joules of energy; emphasizing on the clear distinction between Primary Energy Sources (PES) (which are the physical exploited entities that are used to derive useable energy forms (energy carriers)) and Energy Carriers (EC) (the actual useful energy that is transmitted for the appropriate end uses within a society). Section two sheds light on the concept of Energy Return on Investment (EROI). Here, it is emphasized that, there must already be a certain amount of energy carriers available to be able to extract/exploit Primary Energy Sources to thereafter generate a net supply of energy carriers. It is pointed out that this current trend of intense energy supply has only been possible to the great use and dependence on fossil energy. Section three follows up on the discussion of EROI, indicating that a single numeric indicator such as an output/input ratio is not sufficient in assessing for the performance of energetic systems. Rather an integrated approach that incorporates (i) how big the net supply of Joules of EC can be, given an amount of extracted PES (the external constraints); (ii) how much EC needs to be invested to extract an amount of PES; and (iii) the power level that it takes for both processes to succeed, is underlined. Section four, ultimately, puts the theoretical concepts at play, assessing for how the metabolic performances of societies can be accounted for within this analytical framework.

Identification of two steroid-responsive promoters of different strength controlled by the same estrogen-responsive element in the 5'-end region of the Xenopus laevis vitellogenin gene A1.

A structural and functional analysis of the 5'-end region of the Xenopus laevis vitellogenin gene A1 revealed two transcription initiation sites located 1.8 kilobases apart. A RNA polymerase II binding assay indicates that both promoters form initiation complexes efficiently. In vitro, using a transcription assay derived from a HeLa whole-cell extract, the upstream promoter is more than 10-fold stronger than the downstream one. In contrast, both promoters have a similar strength in a HeLa nuclear extract. In vivo, that is in estrogen-stimulated hepatocytes, it is the downstream promoter homologous to the one used by the other members of the vitellogenin gene family, which is 50-fold stronger than the upstream promoter. Thus, if functional vitellogenin mRNA results from this latter activity, it would contribute less than 1% to the synthesis of vitellogenin by fully induced Xenopus hepatocytes expressing the four vitellogenin genes. In contrast, both gene A1 promoters are silent in uninduced hepatocytes. Transfection experiments using the Xenopus cell line B3.2 in which estrogen-responsiveness has been introduced reveal that the strong downstream promoter is controlled by an estrogen responsive element (ERE) located 330 bp upstream of it. The upstream promoter can also be controlled by the same ERE. Since the region comprising the upstream promoter is flanked by a 200 base pair long inverted repeat with stretches of homology to other regions of the X. laevis genome, we speculate that it might have been inserted upstream of the vitellogenin gene A1 by a recombination event and consequently brought under control of the ERE lying 1.5 kilobases downstream.