New loci of Lychnophora ericoides and transferability to Lychnophora pinaster, endangered medicinal species from Brazil

Lychnophora ericoides and Lychnophora pinaster are species used in popular medicine as analgesic or anti-inflammatory agents to treat contusions, rheumatism, and insect bites. In this study, 21 simple sequence repeat loci of L. ericoides were developed and transferred to L. pinaster. Three populations of L. ericoides and 2 populations of L. pinaster were evaluated; they were collected in the State of Minas Gerais. Population parameters were estimated, and the mean values of observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.297 and 0.408 (L. ericoides) and 0.228 and 0.310 (L. pinaster), respectively. Greater genetic variability was observed within populations than between populations of L. ericoides (62 and 37%) and L. pinaster (97 and 2.8%). These results provide information for genetic conservation and taxonomic studies of these endangered species.

Eficiência energética de sistemas de produção de mamona no Estado de Minas Gerais

The objective of this study is to determine the economical and energetic efficiency of the castor bean culture in "Zona da Mata" and South of Minas Gerais. Through the method of simulation "Monte Carlo", we verified the probabilities of occurrence of the economical, cultural and energetic efficiency indexes. In relation to the production systems of castor bean in Minas Gerais in the season 2005/2006, we established that the variables price and productivity were the most noticeable for the producers from "Zona da Mata", while in the South of Minas it was productivity. We verified that the probability of the economical efficiency index to be lower than one was 43,26% for the producers from "Zona da Mata" and 39,57% for the ones from the South of Minas. The medium price received covered the medium costs of production. However, we observed that the medium costs in these regions of Minas Gerais, were over the minimum price. Regarding the energetic analysis, the results showed that the systems in the regions studied in Minas Gerasi, presented average of cultural efficiency indexes of 8,26 and 18,89. We concluded that despite the result being favorable from the energetic point of view, from the economical sustainability point of view there is the need of a more effective support policy for the castor bean, taking into consideration that the expectations of the producers with PNPB were not confirmed.

State of the Arctic October 2006

This State of the Arctic Report presents a review of recent data by an international group of scientists who developed a consensus on the information content and reliability. The report highlights data primarily from 2000 to 2005 with a first look at winter 2006, providing an update to some of the records of physical processes discussed in the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA, 2004, 2005). Of particular note: • Atmospheric climate patterns are shifting (Fig. 1). The late winter/spring pattern for 2000–2005 had new hot spots in northeast Canada and the East Siberian Sea relative to 1980–1999. Late winter 2006, however, shows a return to earlier climate patterns, with warm temperatures in the extended region near Svalbard. • Ocean salinity and temperature profiles at the North Pole and in the Beaufort Sea, which changed abruptly in the 1990s, show that conditions since 2000 have relaxed toward the pre-1990 climatology, although 2001–2004 has seen an increase in northward ocean heat transport through Bering Strait (Fig. 2), which is thought to impact sea ice loss. • Sea ice extent continues to decrease. The sea ice extent in September 2005 was the minimum observed in summer during the satellite era (beginning in 1979), marking an unprecedented series of extreme ice extent minima beginning in 2002 (Fig. 3). The sea ice extent in March 2006 was also the minimum observed in winter during the satellite era. • Tundra vegetation greenness increased, primarily due to an increase in the abundance of shrubs. Boreal forest vegetation greenness decreased, possibly due to drought conditions (Fig. 4). • There is increasing interest in the stability of the Greenland ice sheet. The velocity of outlet glaciers increased in 2005 relative to 2000 and 1995, but uncertainty remains with regard to the total mass balance. • Permafrost temperatures continue to increase. However, data on changes in the active layer thickness (the relatively thin layer of ground between the surface and permafrost that undergoes seasonal freezing and thawing) are less conclusive. While some of the sites show a barely noticeable increasing trend in the thickness of the active layer, most of them do not. • Globally, 2005 was the warmest year in the instrumental record (beginning in 1880), with the Arctic providing a large contribution toward this increase. Many of the trends documented in the ACIA are continuing, but some are not. Taken collectively, the observations presented in this report indicate that during 2000–2005 the Arctic system showed signs of continued warming. However, there are a few indications that certain elements may be recovering and returning to recent climatological norms (for example, the central Arctic Ocean and some wind patterns). These mixed tendencies further illustrate the sensitivity and complexity of the Arctic physical system. They underline the importance of maintaining and expanding efforts to observe and better understand this important component of the climate system to provide accurate predictions of its future state.

Carboxymethyl lignin as stabilizing agent in aqueous ceramic suspensions

Identifying new uses for residues of industries that process large quantities of biomass, as in bioethanol production, is essential for a sustainable development with reduced impact on the environment, which is the reason why many efforts have been devoted to find noble uses for lignins. in this study, a lignin obtained from sugarcane bagasse in a bioethanol producing plant was carboxymethylated to yield the water-soluble carboxymethyl lignin (CML), which was then used as stabilizing agent in aqueous alumina (Al2O3) suspensions. CML had a degree of substitution 0.46 +/- 0.01, in relation to the C9 unit of lignin, and behaved as a polyelectrolyte in a large pH range owing to the dissociation of carboxylic groups. The action of CML as stabilizing agent of alumina aqueous suspensions was investigated using viscometry, zeta potential, and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) measurements, mainly as a function of pH and time. Overall, the results showed that CML had a good performance as a deflocculating agent, because it led to dispersions with low viscosity and small change in particle size as a function of time. The positive effect from the addition of CML was confirmed in the morphological features of the material obtained from the alumina suspensions after elimination of water, as indicated by scanning electron microscopy. The stabilization of alumina suspensions afforded by CML opens the way for similar applications of modified lignins, whose electrical and structural properties may be tuned for specific uses in various industries, including the ceramic industry. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new species of Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro (Leiuperinae: Leptodactylidae: Anura) from the Cerrado of southeastern Brazil with a distinctive advertisement call pattern

A new species of Pseudopaludicola is described from the Cerrado of southeastern Brazil. The new taxon is diagnosed from the P. pusilla species group by the absence of either T-shaped terminal phalanges or toe tips expanded, and promptly distinguished from all (13) recognized taxa currently assigned to Pseudopaludicola by possessing isolated (instead of regular call series), long (117-187 ms) and non-pulsed advertisement calls.

The effects of professional factors on the quality of life of family health team nurses

The objective of this study was to identify the professional factors affecting the quality of life of nurses working in the family health teams in the Macro Health Region, referred to as the South Triangle, in the State of Minas Gerais. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The participants were 90 nurses, who answered a questionnaire containing the professional variables and the Quality of Life assessment instrument - WHOQOL-100. The results showed a negative impact regarding the number of jobs, unstable jobs, excessive workload and job dissatisfaction in the nurses' Quality of Life domains. There is a need to (re)define the public policies that control the working conditions of these professionals. Actions that contribute towards improving nurses' Quality of Life are important, considering their strong influence on the quality of the healthcare that is delivered.

Molecular characterization of group A bovine rotavirus in southeastern and central-western Brazil, 2009-2010

Rotavirus is an important cause of neonatal diarrhea in humans and several animal species, including calves. A study was conducted to examine 792 fecal samples collected from calves among 65 dairy and beef herds distributed in two of Brazil's major livestock producing regions, aiming to detect the occurrence of rotavirus and perform a molecular characterization of the rotavirus according to G and P genotypes in these regions. A total of 40 (5.05%) samples tested positive for rotavirus by the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) technique. The molecular characterization was performed by multiplex semi-nested RT-PCR reactions, which indicated that the associations of genotypes circulating in herds in Brazil's southeastern region were G6P[11], G10P[11], G[-]P[5] + [11], G[-]P[6] in the state of Sao Paulo and G6P[11], G8P[5], G11P[11], G10P[11] in the state of Minas Gerais. In the central-western region, the genotypes G6P[5] + [11], G6P[5], G8P[-], G6P[11], G [-] P[1], G[-] P[11], and G[-] P[5] were detected in the state of Goias, while the genotypes G6P[5], G8[P11], G6[P11], G8[P1], G8[P5], G6[P1] were circulating in herds in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The genotypic diversity of bovine rotavirus found in each region under study underlines the importance of characterizing the circulating samples in order to devise the most effective prophylactic measures.

Hematological alterations during experimental canine infection by Trypanosoma cruzi

To confirm that Beagle dogs are a good experimental model for Chagas disease, we evaluated hematological alterations during the acute and chronic phases in Beagle dogs infected with the Y, Berenice-78 (Be-78) and ABC strains of Trypanosoma cruzi, correlating clinical signs with the parasitemia curve. We demonstrate that the acute phase of infection was marked by lethargy and loss of appetite. Simultaneously, we observed anemia, leukocytosis and lymphocytosis. Also,we describe hematological alterations and clinical signs that were positively correlated with the parasitemia during the experimental infection with the three strains of T cruzi, and demonstrate that experimental infection of Beagle is a trustworthy model for Chagas disease.

AVALIAÇÃO DOS INCÊNDIOS FLORESTAIS OCORRIDOS NO PARQUE NACIONAL DA SERRA DA CANASTRA - MINAS GERAIS

Neste trabalho, objetivou-se estabelecer o perfil dos incêndios florestais ocorridos no Parque Nacional da serra da Canastra, utilizando dados contidos nos Relatórios de Ocorrências de Incêndios de 1988 até 2008, cedidos pela unidade de conservação. Foram registradas 219 ocorrências, totalizando 415572,50 ha de área queimada, com média de 10,43 incêndios e 19789,17 ha queimados por ano. Em relação à área queimada, os incêndios causados por incendiários apresentaram o maior valor, seguido por queimas para limpeza de pastagens, raios e causa desconhecida. Considerando-se número de ocorrências, os incêndios decorrentes de raios apresentaram a maior frequência. Nos meses de setembro e agosto predominaram os incêndios causados por incendiários e de causa desconhecida, enquanto os incêndios naturais ocorreram principalmente nos meses de outubro e fevereiro e os decorrentes da queima para limpeza de pastagens se concentraram em julho. Os incêndios que atingiram maiores áreas foram observados em locais com maior declividade, enquanto os de menores proporções ocorreram em áreas planas e ou de relevos suaves. Quanto à localização, registrou-se o maior número de focos na área regularizada do parque, provavelmente por ser esta área a mais fiscalizada.

A new species of the Bokermannohyla circumdata group (Anura: Hylidae) from southeastern Brazil, with bioacoustic data on seven species of the genus

We describe a new species of the Bokermannohyla circumdata group from the Estacao de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Ambiental Galheiro (EPDA-Galheiro) (19 degrees 12'S; 47 degrees 08'W), Municipality of Perdizes, State of Minas Gerais, a mid-altitudinal (similar or equal to 850 m above sea level) riparian forest environment in the Cerrado of southeastern Brazil. Bokermannohyla napolii sp. nov. is allied to the large-sized species of the group, diagnosed on the basis of adult morphology/morphometrics, and mainly vocalizations. Adult specimens of the new species are most closely related to those of B. luctuosa and B. circumdata, but can be differentiated from the former by having distal subarticular tubercle of finger III bifid/divided in males, and finger IV bifid/divided in males and females; and from both B. luctuosa and B. circumdata by a distinctive advertisement call structure. We also provide bioacoustic data on seven other species of the genus, including previously unknown advertisement calls of B. circumdata and B. carvalhoi, and re-description of the advertisement calls of B. luctuosa, B. ibitiguara, B. nanuzae, B. sazimai, and B. hylax.

Economia solidária e trabalho coletivo : Um olhar sobre a Cooperativa do Riachão no Norte de Minas Gerais - Brasil

It is intended to discuss the prospect of collective work in solidarity economy, from experiences with those of the Cooperative Riachao workers, located in a rural community in the municipality of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais / Brazil, this approximately 240 farming families extractive are benefited with the generation of jobs and income through initiatives grounded in associations, cooperatives and collectives. Among the 80 to 90 years, appeared inBrazil experiences of solidarity, resulting economy of the labor market crisis and rising unemployment, and an important response to the workers in relation to changes in the world of work. It is grounded in the organization of groups of workers, by way of solidarity, community, cooperation, and self-management reactions. In this sense, we intend to present the achievements, challenges and dilemmas of workers COOPERIACHAO, around a project that aims at empowerment of social actors and social transformation of the subject

A Importância do Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) nos territórios da cidadania dos Estados de Minas Gerais e da Bahia : Criação de novos mercados a partir da visão dos Agentes de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (ATER)

This article aims to identify how the Foodstuff Acquisition Program has influenced market creation for family farmers in two Brazilian states - Minas Gerais e Bahia and also the limitations and benefits of the program from the point of view of the extension agents. A bibliographic research and a quantitative exploratory study were conducted, questionnaires were sent to extension agents who work for public rural extension agencies, municipalities, NGOs, cooperatives and producers' associations, during the year 2010-2011.

A Importância do Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) nos territórios da cidadania dos Estados de Minas Gerais e da Bahia : Criação de novos mercados a partir da visão dos Agentes de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (ATER)

This article aims to identify how the Foodstuff Acquisition Program has influenced market creation for family farmers in two Brazilian states - Minas Gerais e Bahia and also the limitations and benefits of the program from the point of view of the extension agents. A bibliographic research and a quantitative exploratory study were conducted, questionnaires were sent to extension agents who work for public rural extension agencies, municipalities, NGOs, cooperatives and producers' associations, during the year 2010-2011.

Economia solidária e trabalho coletivo : Um olhar sobre a Cooperativa do Riachão no Norte de Minas Gerais - Brasil

It is intended to discuss the prospect of collective work in solidarity economy, from experiences with those of the Cooperative Riachao workers, located in a rural community in the municipality of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais / Brazil, this approximately 240 farming families extractive are benefited with the generation of jobs and income through initiatives grounded in associations, cooperatives and collectives. Among the 80 to 90 years, appeared inBrazil experiences of solidarity, resulting economy of the labor market crisis and rising unemployment, and an important response to the workers in relation to changes in the world of work. It is grounded in the organization of groups of workers, by way of solidarity, community, cooperation, and self-management reactions. In this sense, we intend to present the achievements, challenges and dilemmas of workers COOPERIACHAO, around a project that aims at empowerment of social actors and social transformation of the subject

A Importância do Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) nos territórios da cidadania dos Estados de Minas Gerais e da Bahia : Criação de novos mercados a partir da visão dos Agentes de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (ATER)

This article aims to identify how the Foodstuff Acquisition Program has influenced market creation for family farmers in two Brazilian states - Minas Gerais e Bahia and also the limitations and benefits of the program from the point of view of the extension agents. A bibliographic research and a quantitative exploratory study were conducted, questionnaires were sent to extension agents who work for public rural extension agencies, municipalities, NGOs, cooperatives and producers' associations, during the year 2010-2011.