Denudation history of the Bocaina Plateau, Serra do Mar, southeastern Brazil: Relationships to Gondwana breakup and passive margin development

The Bocaina Plateau, which is situated on the eastern flank of the continental rift of southeastern Brazil, is the highest part of the Serra do Mar. Topographic relief in this area is suggested to be closely related to its complex tectono-magmatic evolution since the breakup of Western Gondwana and opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. Apatite fission track ages and track length distributions from 27 basement outcrops were determined to assess these hypotheses and reconstruct the denudation history of the Bocaina Plateau. The ages range between 303 +/- 32 and 46 +/- 5 Ma, and are significantly younger than the stratigraphic ages. Mean track lengths vary from 13.44 +/- 1.51 to 11.1 +/- 1.48 mu m, with standard deviations between 1.16 and 1.83 mu m. Contrasting ages within a single plateau and similar ages at different altitudes indicate a complex regional tectonothermal evolution. The thermal histories inferred from these data imply three periods of accelerated cooling related to the Early Cretaceous continental breakup, Early Cretaceous alkaline magmatism, and the Paleogene evolution of the continental rift of southeastern Brazil. The oldest fission track ages (>200 Ma) were obtained in the Serra do Mar region, suggesting that these areas were a long-lived source of sediments for the Parana, Bauru, and Santos basins. (C) 2010 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geology and geochronology of the Betara region in south-southeastern Brazil: Evidence for possible Statherian (1.80-1.75 Ga) and Calymmian (1.50-1.45 Ga) extension events

The results of geological mapping, chemical analysis and radiometric dating of metabasic rocks of Betara Formation, and mapping and dating of those present in the Betara basement nucleus together with mylonitic granodiorite and syenogranite are reported here. U-Pb analysis of bulk zircon fractions from the metabasic rocks of the basement nucleus yielded a Statherian age of 1790 +/- 22 Ma, while the metabasic rocks from the upper part of the Betara Formation yielded a Calymmian age between 1500 and 1450 Ma. This age is a minimum for the deposition of the Betara Formation. The older metabasic rocks are associated with post-tectonic, possibly anorogenic syenogranite, while the younger ones are gabbro or very porphyritic ankaramite whose REE patterns are consistent with crystallization from an N-MORB parent magma. The observations and data point to the probable events associated with extensional processes of the end of Paleoproterozoic and early Mesoproterozoic. Similar registers of Statherian (1.80-1.75 Ga) and Calymmian (1.50-1.45 Ga) extensional events are recorded in other parts of the South American and African continents. The Neoproterozoic witnessed the formation and junction of the tectonic slices which formed the Apiai domain during the assemblage of western Gondwana. (C) 2010 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nd and Pb isotope signatures on the Southeastern South American upper margin: Implications for sediment transport and source rocks

Neodymium and lead isotope values in sediment samples were used to interpret sediment transport and source rocks on the Southeastern South American upper margin. The sediments of the Argentinian margin exhibit an average epsilon(Nd) value of -1.9, indicating the influence of the Andean rocks as sediment sources. Sediments from the Rio de La Plata estuary show an average epsilon(Nd) value of -9.6 which is similar to that of the Southern Brazilian Upper Margin. Finally, sediments of Southeastern Brazil, which are associated with the transport of the Brazil Current exhibit an average epsilon(Nd) of -13.0. The Pb isotope signatures also confirm the differentiation of source rocks in the sedimentation of the study area. In addition, Pb isotopes helped to establish the extent of the influence of the Rio de La Plata on the sedimentation of the Southern Brazilian margin. In terms of Pb isotopes the sediments from the Rio de La Plata estuary and Southern Brazil are more radiogenic than those of Southeastem Brazil and the Argentinian margin. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anti-Toxocara spp. antibodies in sheep from southeastern Brazil

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of anti-Toxocara antibodies in sheep from Presidente Prudente, southeastern Brazil. Serum samples were obtained from 365 sheep of diverse breeds and different ages. Samples were collected at a slaughterhouse and at farms located in Presidente Prudente. Three groups of animal of different ages were evaluated according to age: Group I: between 1 and 6 months old; Group II: between 7 and 10 months old; and Group III: between 11 and 15 months old. An ELISA test was carried out to detect anti-Toxocara antibodies (IgG) using the excretory-secretory antigens of Toxocara canis (TES) larvae. In total, 183 out of 365 animals (50.1%) were positive for anti-Toxocara antibodies. The frequency of antibody detection was directly proportional to the age of the animals (p<0.0001). indicating a relationship between infection and aging. In Group III, there was a higher prevalence in females (p = 0.0041). The relevance of these animals to the epidemiology of toxocariasis in pets and human should be considered. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Essential Oil from Leaves and Stem Bark of Southeastern Drimys brasiliensis Miers (Winteraceae)

The chemical composition of essential oils obtained from fresh leaves and stem bark of Southeastern Brazilian native Drimys brasiliensis Miers were analyzed by GC and GC/MS and 37 compounds were identified. The oils from fresh leaves showed the presence of monoterpenes (53.9%) and sesquiterpenes (38.4%), with sabinene (9.5%), myrcene (10.5%), limonene (10.6%) and cyclocolorenone (16.0%) being the most abundant. The stern bark oil was characterized by predominance of sesquiterpenoids (87.6%) and the absence of monoterpenes, the main components being cyclocolorenone (28.3%) and spathuleneol (22.9%). A small amount of phenylpropanes (6.8-6.9%) was also detected in both oil samples.

"We Are All Homeless Wanderers". Transculturality and Modernism in the Works of Edith Södergran, Elias Canetti, Henry Parland and Marguerite Duras

This article investigates the notion of transculturality and applies it to four modernist authors of the 20th century: Edith Södergran, Elias Canetti, Henry Parland and Marguerite Duras. The concept of transculturality is used to reach a better – or at least different – understanding of the selected writers and their respective body of work.