Stereo photo series for quantifying cerrado fuels in Central Brazil—volume I.

Treesearch

R.D. Ottmar; R.E. Vihnanek; H.S. Miranda; M.N. Sata; S.M. Andrade

2001-01-01

The first volume of the Cerrado photo series is a collection of sites that represent a range of physiognomic forms of the Cerrado in central Brazil including campo limpo, campo sujo, cerrado ralo, cerrado sensu stricto, and cerrado denso. Sites include wide-angle and stereo pair photographs supplemented with information on living and dead fuels,...

Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) variation in the Anastrepha fraterculus cryptic species complex (Diptera, Tephritidae) of the Andean region.

PubMed

Sutton, Bruce D; Steck, Gary J; Norrbom, Allen L; Rodriguez, Erick J; Srivastava, Pratibha; Alvarado, Norma Nolazco; Colque, Fredy; Landa, Erick Yábar; Sánchez, Juan José Lagrava; Quisberth, Elizabeth; Peñaranda, Emilio Arévalo; Clavijo, P A Rodriguez; Alvarez-Baca, Jeniffer K; Zapata, Tito Guevara; Ponce, Patricio

2015-01-01

The nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) was sequenced for Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1830) originating from 85 collections from the northern and central Andean countries of South America including Argentina (Tucumán), Bolivia, Perú, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. The ITS1 regions of additional specimens (17 collections) from Central America (México, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panamá), Brazil, Caribbean Colombia, and coastal Venezuela were sequenced and together with published sequences (Paraguay) provided context for interpretation. A total of six ITS1 sequence variants were recognized in the Andean region comprising four groups. Type I predominates in the southernmost range of Anastrepha fraterculus. Type II predominates in its northernmost range. In the central and northern Andes, the geographic distributions overlap and interdigitate with a strong elevational effect. A discussion of relationships between observed ITS1 types and morphometric types is included.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies in Brazil: Lessons from Sustainability and Environmental Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bursztyn, Marcel; Maury, María Beatriz; Litre, Gabriela

2016-01-01

This article analyzes the process of institutionalizing interdisciplinary graduate programs in Brazil, which has over more than four decades of experience implementing masters and doctoral problem-oriented programs designed to operate outside the disciplinary structure of universities. Brazil has a high degree of centrality and government…

A new species of Leptodactylus Fitzinger (Anura, Leptodactylidae, Leptodactylinae) from montane rock fields of the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

De Carvalho, Thiago Ribeiro; Leite Felife Sa Fortes; Pezzuti, Tiago Leite

2013-01-01

In this paper, we describe a new species of the Leptodactylusfuscus group on the basis of adult morphology and advertisement call, occurring restricted to montane rock fields of the Chapada Diamantina, northern portion of the Espinhaço Range, central State of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. In addition, we re-describe the advertisement call ofL. camaquara from its type locality. Leptodactylus oreomantis sp. nov. represents the first species of the genus occurring restricted to montane rock fields of the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil, whereas the other three species of the L. fuscus group assumed to be restricted to montane field environments (L. camaquara, L. cunicularius, and L. tapiti) occur in association with mountain ranges of southeastern or central Brazil.

A new species of Esagonatopus Olmi (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae) from Central Brazil.

PubMed

Martins, AndrÉ Luis

2018-02-15

Esagonatopus antonioi Martins sp. nov. from Central Brazil is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by having the head slightly excavated, almost flat, with granulate sculpture; the frontal line complete; the occipital carina absent; the mesosoma reticulate rugose and the scutum without lateral pointed apophyses. An updated key to the Neotropical species of the genus Esagonatopus Olmi is provided.

Nitrous oxide fluxes and nitrogen cycling along a pasturechronosequence in Central Amazonia, Brazil

Treesearch

B. Wick; E. Veldkamp; W. Z. de Mello; M. Keller; P. Crill

2005-01-01

We studied nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes and soil nitrogen (N) cycling following forest conversion to pasture in the central Amazon near Santarém, Pará, Brazil. Two undisturbed forest sites and 27 pasture sites of 0.5 to 60 years were sampled once each during wet and dry seasons. In addition to soil-atmosphere fluxes of N...

Are there co-occurrence patterns that structure snake communities in Central Brazil?

PubMed

França, F G R; Araújo, A F B

2007-02-01

The main factors that structure Neotropical animal communities have been the subject of discussion in ecology communities. We used a set of null models to investigate the existence of structure in snake communities from the Cerrado in Central Brazil in relation to the co-occurrence of species and guilds concerning specific resources. We used fragments (conservation units) inside the Distrito Federal and neighbor municipalities. In spite of recent human colonization in the region from the end of the 1950s, intense habitat modification and fragmentation has taken place. Sixty three snake species are present in the Distrito Federal. Co-occurrence analysis of species and guilds associated to snake diets and habitats suggested a lack of organization. The homogeneity of habitats in Central Brazil and the minor importance of ecological effects can lead to random arrangement.

Photogeologic mapping in central southwest Bahia, using LANDSAT-1 multispectral images. [Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dejesusparada, N. (Principal Investigator); Ohara, T.

1981-01-01

The interpretation of LANDSAT multispectral imagery for geologic mapping of central southwest Bahia, Brazil is described. Surface features such as drainage, topography, vegetation and land use are identified. The area is composed of low grade Precambrian rocks covered by Mezozoic and Cenozoic sediments. The principal mineral prospects of economic value are fluorite and calcareous rocks. Gold, calcite, rock crystal, copper, potassium nitrate and alumina were also identified.

Geochemical characteristics of Cretaceous carbonatites from Angola

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alberti, A.; Castorina, F.; Censi, P.; Comin-Chiaramonti, P.; Gomes, C. B.

1999-12-01

The Early Cretaceous (138-130 Ma) carbonatites and associated alkaline rocks of Angola belong to the Paraná-Angola-Etendeka Province and occur as ring complexes and other central-type intrusions along northeast trending tectonic lineaments, parallel to the trend of coeval Namibian alkaline complexes. Most of the Angolan carbonatite-alkaline bodies are located along the apical part of the Moçamedes Arch, a structure representing the African counterpart of the Ponta Grossa Arch in southern Brazil, where several alkaline-carbonatite complexes were also emplaced in the Early Cretaceous. Geochemical and isotopic (C, 0, Sr and Nd) characteristics determined for five carbonatitic occurrences indicate that: (1) the overall geochemical composition, including the OC isotopes, is within the range of the Early and Late Cretaceous Brazilian occurrences from the Paraná Basin; (2) the La versus {La}/{Yb} relationships are consistent with the exsolution of CO i2-rich melts from trachyphonolitic magmas; and (3) the {143Nd}/{144Nd} and {87Sr}/{86Sr} initial ratios are similar to the initial isotopic ratios (129 Ma) of alkaline complexes in northwest Namibia. In contrast, the Lupongola carbonatites have a distinctly different {143Nd}/{144Nd} initial ratio, suggesting a different source. The Angolan carbonatites have SrNd isotopic compositions ranging from bulk earth to time-integrated depleted sources. Since those from eastern Paraguay (at the western fringe of the Paraná-Angola-Etendeka Province) and Brazil appear to be related to mantle-derived melts with time-integrated enriched or B.E. isotopic characteristics, it is concluded that the carbonatites of the Paraná-Angola-Etendeka Province have compositionally distinct mantle sources. Such mantle heterogeneity is attributed to 'metasomatic processes', which would have occurred at ca 0.6-0.7 Ga (Angola, northwest Namibia and Brazil) and ca 1.8 Ga (eastern Paraguay), as suggested by Nd-model ages.

Description and identification of two new diseases of guariroba palm (Syagrus oleraceae) in Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Guariroba is a palm species native to central Brazil. Seedlings of guariroba with leaf spots of unknown etiology were found in Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The leaf spots were manifest as two different symptom types: the first lesion type consisted of necrotic spots with a rounded to elonga...

Comparative karyotypic analysis in the Alstroemeria hookeri Lodd. (Alstroemeriaceae) complex sensu Bayer (1987)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Alstroemeria L. (Alstroemeriaceae) is an American genus of monocots with two principal distribution centers in Chile and Brazil. In Chile, it is represented by about 32 species, most of them in central Chile, an area known for its high level of endemism. The “complex” Alstroemeriahookeri is endemic to Chile, where it is distributed from the Coquimbo to the Bío-Bío Region. We analyzed the karyotypes of 36 populations of this complex along its natural distribution. Ten metaphases per population were used for chromosome measurements. All analyzed subspecies presented a well defined asymmetric karyotype. The populations of A. hookeri subsp. hookeri collected in the coastal range of the Bío-Bío Region and the populations from the Central Valley of this Region (Pangal del Laja) presented striking morphological differences in the karyotype, mainly on chromosome 3. The population of A. hookeri subsp. recumbens from Pichicuy showed a polymorphism on chromosome 7, which differed from the other analyzed populations of this subspecies. Phenetic analysis suggested that A. hookeri subsp. cummingiana, which showed a more symmetrical karyotype and did not grow in sandy soil, should be alocated to A. cummingiana rather than considered as part of the hookeri complex. PMID:21637614

Security Assistance to Central America: Assessment of U.S. Involvement in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

Latin America, including such powers as Mexico, Brazil , and Venezuala (17:4-6). 4. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Foreign Military Construction Sales...coastline where it is characterized by swamps and mangrove thickets. Like its counterpart in Nicaragua, the Honduran Mosquitia and adjoining portion of the... Brazil , Columbia, Argentina, and Chile. Other Central American countries have never been strong enough to exert any real influence, although

Health policies and federative gaps in Brazil: an analysis of regional capacity of services delivery.

PubMed

Ribeiro, José Mendes; Moreira, Marcelo Rasga; Ouverney, Assis Mafort; Silva, Cosme Marcelo Furtado Passos da

2017-04-01

This paper analyzes Brazilian health regions according to their service delivery capacity from the debate on the crisis of cooperative federalism in the SUS that resulted from decentralizing process established in the 1988 Constitution. Service delivery capacity tracer indicators were selected by regions and statistical analyses evidenced greater regional capacity in hospital care and large asymmetries with regard to the availability of physicians, high complexity equipment and private insurance coverage. In conclusion,we argue that further solutions are required to strengthen governmental capacity to reduce regional inequalities throughincreased central coordination.

[Science and history in the report by the First Republic's Comissão Exploradora do Planalto Central].

PubMed

Vergara, Moema de Rezende

2006-01-01

The idea of moving Brazil's capital to the Central Plateau reappeared in the early days of the Republic, having been defended one century earlier by the Viscount of Porto Seguro. Headed by Luiz Cruls, director of Brazil's National Observatory, a commission was formed in 1892 to stake out the area where the new capital would stand. The expedition's 1896 report found space in Brazil's main vehicles of public opinion; it was reviewed in newspapers and also in articles published in Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro, the Brazilian Institute for History and Geography's journal. A number of issues then of concern to certain sectors of Brazilian society converge in the body of the report, including the healthiness of Brazil's climate for European immigrants, the definition of the country's borders, and territorial integration.

Congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in central Brazil. A study of 1,211 individuals born to infected mothers

PubMed Central

Luquetti, Alejandro O; Tavares, Suelene Brito do Nascimento; Siriano, Liliane da Rocha; de Oliveira, Rozângela Amaral; Campos, Dayse Elizabeth; de Morais, Cicilio Alves; de Oliveira, Enio Chaves

2015-01-01

Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi during pregnancy is estimated to occur in less than 20% of infected mothers; however, the etiopathogenesis is not completely understood. The Centre for Studies on Chagas Disease provides confirmation of T. cruzi infection for individuals living in central Brazil. In this retrospective hospital-based study, all requests for diagnosis of T. cruzi infection in individuals less than 21 years old from 1994-2014 were searched. We end with 1,211 individuals and their respective infected mothers. Congenital transmission of infection was confirmed in 24 individuals (2%) in central Brazil, an area where the main T. cruzi lineage circulating in humans is TcII. This low prevalence of congenital Chagas disease is discussed in relation to recent findings in the south region of Brazil, where TcV is the main lineage and congenital transmission has a higher prevalence (approximately 5%), similar to frequencies reported in Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. This is the first report to show geographical differences in the rates of congenital transmission of T. cruzi and the relationship between the prevalence of congenital transmission and the type of Tc prevalent in each region. PMID:25993506

Phylogeography and disjunct distribution in Lychnophora ericoides (Asteraceae), an endangered cerrado shrub species.

PubMed

Collevatti, Rosane Garcia; Rabelo, Suelen Gonçalves; Vieira, Roberto F

2009-09-01

Lychnophora ericoides (Asteraceae) presents disjunct geographical distribution in cerrado rupestre in the south-east and central Brazil. The phylogeography of the species was investigated to understand the origin of the disjunct geographical distribution. Populations in the south and centre of Serra do Espinhaço, south-east Brazil and on ten other localities in Federal District and Goiás in central Brazil were sampled. Analyses were based on the polymorphisms at chloroplast (trnL intron and psbA-trnH intergenic spacer) and nuclear (ITS nrDNA) genomes. From 12 populations, 192 individuals were sequenced. Network analysis, AMOVA and the Mantel test were performed to understand the relationships among haplotypes and population genetic structure. To understand better the origin of disjunct distribution, demographic parameters and time to most recent common ancestor (T(MRCA)) were estimated using coalescent analyses. A remarkable differentiation between populations from the south-east and central Brazil was found and no haplotype was shared between these two regions. No significant effect of isolation by distance was detected. Coalescent analyses showed that some populations are shrinking and others are expanding and that gene flow between populations from the south-east and central Brazil was probably negligible. The results strongly support that the disjunct distribution of L. ericoides may represent a climatic relict and that long-distance gene flow is unlikely. With an estimated time to most recent common ancestor (T(MRCA)) dated from approx. 790,655 +/- 36,551 years bp (chloroplast) and approx. 623,555 +/- 55,769 years bp (ITS), it was hypothesized that the disjunct distribution may be a consequence of an expansion of the geographical distribution favoured by the drier and colder conditions that prevailed in much of Brazil during the Kansan glaciation, followed by the retraction of the distribution due to the extinction of populations in some areas as climate became warmer and moister.

Phylogeography and disjunct distribution in Lychnophora ericoides (Asteraceae), an endangered cerrado shrub species

PubMed Central

Collevatti, Rosane Garcia; Rabelo, Suelen Gonçalves; Vieira, Roberto F.

2009-01-01

Background and Aims Lychnophora ericoides (Asteraceae) presents disjunct geographical distribution in cerrado rupestre in the south-east and central Brazil. The phylogeography of the species was investigated to understand the origin of the disjunct geographical distribution. Methods Populations in the south and centre of Serra do Espinhaço, south-east Brazil and on ten other localities in Federal District and Goiás in central Brazil were sampled. Analyses were based on the polymorphisms at chloroplast (trnL intron and psbA-trnH intergenic spacer) and nuclear (ITS nrDNA) genomes. From 12 populations, 192 individuals were sequenced. Network analysis, AMOVA and the Mantel test were performed to understand the relationships among haplotypes and population genetic structure. To understand better the origin of disjunct distribution, demographic parameters and time to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) were estimated using coalescent analyses. Key Results A remarkable differentiation between populations from the south-east and central Brazil was found and no haplotype was shared between these two regions. No significant effect of isolation by distance was detected. Coalescent analyses showed that some populations are shrinking and others are expanding and that gene flow between populations from the south-east and central Brazil was probably negligible. Conclusions The results strongly support that the disjunct distribution of L. ericoides may represent a climatic relict and that long-distance gene flow is unlikely. With an estimated time to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) dated from approx. 790 655 ± 36 551 years bp (chloroplast) and approx. 623 555 ± 55 769 years bp (ITS), it was hypothesized that the disjunct distribution may be a consequence of an expansion of the geographical distribution favoured by the drier and colder conditions that prevailed in much of Brazil during the Kansan glaciation, followed by the retraction of the distribution due to the extinction of populations in some areas as climate became warmer and moister. PMID:19656805

Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) variation in the Anastrepha fraterculus cryptic species complex (Diptera, Tephritidae) of the Andean region

PubMed Central

Sutton, Bruce D.; Steck, Gary J.; Norrbom, Allen L.; Rodriguez, Erick J.; Srivastava, Pratibha; Alvarado, Norma Nolazco; Colque, Fredy; Landa, Erick Yábar; Sánchez, Juan José Lagrava; Quisberth, Elizabeth; Peñaranda, Emilio Arévalo; Clavijo, P. A. Rodriguez; Alvarez-Baca, Jeniffer K.; Zapata, Tito Guevara; Ponce, Patricio

2015-01-01

Abstract The nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) was sequenced for Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1830) originating from 85 collections from the northern and central Andean countries of South America including Argentina (Tucumán), Bolivia, Perú, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. The ITS1 regions of additional specimens (17 collections) from Central America (México, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panamá), Brazil, Caribbean Colombia, and coastal Venezuela were sequenced and together with published sequences (Paraguay) provided context for interpretation. A total of six ITS1 sequence variants were recognized in the Andean region comprising four groups. Type I predominates in the southernmost range of Anastrepha fraterculus. Type II predominates in its northernmost range. In the central and northern Andes, the geographic distributions overlap and interdigitate with a strong elevational effect. A discussion of relationships between observed ITS1 types and morphometric types is included. PMID:26798259

First fatal case of CNS infection caused by Enterovirus A in Brazil

PubMed Central

Oliveira, D.B.; Machado, G.; Almeida, G.M.F.; Ferreira, P.C.P.; Bonjardim, C.A.; de Souza Trindade, G.; Abrahão, J.S.; Kroon, E.G.

2015-01-01

We describe what is to our knowledge the first fatal case of central nervous system Enterovirus infection in Brazil. Molecular and phylogenetic characterization revealed that Enterovirus A was the aetiologic agent of this case. PMID:26442151

Interpreting participatory Fuzzy Cognitive Maps as complex networks in the social-ecological systems of the Amazonian forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varela, Consuelo; Tarquis, Ana M.; Blanco-Gutiérrez, Irene; Estebe, Paloma; Toledo, Marisol; Martorano, Lucieta

2015-04-01

Social-ecological systems are linked complex systems that represent interconnected human and biophysical processes evolving and adapting across temporal and spatial scales. In the real world, social-ecological systems pose substantial challenges for modeling. In this regard, Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) have proven to be a useful method for capturing the functioning of this type of systems. FCMs are a semi-quantitative type of cognitive map that represent a system composed of relevant factors and weighted links showing the strength and direction of cause-effects relationships among factors. Therefore, FCMs can be interpreted as complex system structures or complex networks. In this sense, recent research has applied complex network concepts for the analysis of FCMs that represent social-ecological systems. Key to FCM the tool is its potential to allow feedback loops and to include stakeholder knowledge in the construction of the tool. Also, previous research has demonstrated their potential to represent system dynamics and simulate the effects of changes in the system, such as policy interventions. For illustrating this analysis, we have developed a series of participatory FCM for the study of the ecological and human systems related to biodiversity conservation in two case studies of the Amazonian region, the Bolivia lowlands of Guarayos and the Brazil Tapajos National forest. The research is carried out in the context of the EU project ROBIN1 and it is based on the development of a series of stakeholder workshops to analyze the current state of the socio-ecological environment in the Amazonian forest, reflecting conflicts and challenges for biodiversity conservation and human development. Stakeholders included all relevant actors in the local case studies, namely farmers, environmental groups, producer organizations, local and provincial authorities and scientists. In both case studies we illustrate the use of complex networks concepts, such as the adjacency matrix and centrality properties (e.g.: centrality, page-rank, betweenness centrality). Different measures of network centrality evidence that deforestation and loss of biodiversity are the most relevant factors in the FCM of the two case studies analyzed. In both cases agricultural expansion emerges as a key driver of deforestation. The lack of policy coordination and a weak implementation and enforcement are also highly influential factors. The analysis of the system's dynamics suggest that in the case of Bolivia forest fires and deforestation are likely to continue in the immediate future as illegal activities are maintained and poverty increases. In the case of Brazil a decrease in available viable economic activities is driving further deforestation and ecosystem services loss. Overall, the research evidences how using FCMs together with complex network analysis can support policy development by identifying key elements and processes upon which policy makers and institutions can take action. Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge the EU project ROBIN (The Role of Biodiversity in Climate Change Mitigation, from the EC FP7, no 283093) and the Spanish project AL14-PID-12 (Biodiversidad y cambio climático en la Amazonía: Perspectivas socio-económicas y ambientales) of the UPM Latin America Cooperation Program for funding this research.

Microsatellite data suggest significant population structure and differentiation within the malaria vector Anopheles darlingi in Central and South America.

PubMed

Mirabello, Lisa; Vineis, Joseph H; Yanoviak, Stephen P; Scarpassa, Vera M; Póvoa, Marinete M; Padilla, Norma; Achee, Nicole L; Conn, Jan E

2008-03-26

Anopheles darlingi is the most important malaria vector in the Neotropics. An understanding of A. darlingi's population structure and contemporary gene flow patterns is necessary if vector populations are to be successfully controlled. We assessed population genetic structure and levels of differentiation based on 1,376 samples from 31 localities throughout the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon and Central America using 5-8 microsatellite loci. We found high levels of polymorphism for all of the Amazonian populations (mean RS = 7.62, mean HO = 0.742), and low levels for the Belize and Guatemalan populations (mean RS = 4.3, mean HO = 0.457). The Bayesian clustering analysis revealed five population clusters: northeastern Amazonian Brazil, southeastern and central Amazonian Brazil, western and central Amazonian Brazil, Peruvian Amazon, and the Central American populations. Within Central America there was low non-significant differentiation, except for between the populations separated by the Maya Mountains. Within Amazonia there was a moderate level of significant differentiation attributed to isolation by distance. Within Peru there was no significant population structure and low differentiation, and some evidence of a population expansion. The pairwise estimates of genetic differentiation between Central America and Amazonian populations were all very high and highly significant (FST = 0.1859 - 0.3901, P < 0.05). Both the DA and FST distance-based trees illustrated the main division to be between Central America and Amazonia. We detected a large amount of population structure in Amazonia, with three population clusters within Brazil and one including the Peru populations. The considerable differences in Ne among the populations may have contributed to the observed genetic differentiation. All of the data suggest that the primary division within A. darlingi corresponds to two white gene genotypes between Amazonia (genotype 1) and Central America, parts of Colombia and Venezuela (genotype 2), and are in agreement with previously published mitochondrial COI gene sequences interpreted as incipient species. Overall, it appears that two main factors have contributed to the genetic differentiation between the population clusters: physical distance between the populations and the differences in effective population sizes among the subpopulations.

Climatic factors influencing triatomine occurrence in Central-West Brazil

PubMed Central

Pereira, Joyce Mendes; de Almeida, Paulo Silva; de Sousa, Adair Vieira; de Paula, Aécio Moraes; Machado, Ricardo Bomfim; Gurgel-Gonçalves, Rodrigo

2013-01-01

We estimated the geographic distributions of triatomine species in Central-West Region of Brazil (CW) and analysed the climatic factors influencing their occurrence. A total of 3,396 records of 27 triatomine species were analysed. Using the maximum entropy method, ecological niche models were produced for eight species occurring in at least 20 municipalities based on 13 climatic variables and elevation. Triatoma sordida and Rhodnius neglectus were the species with the broadest geographic distributions in CW Brazil. The Cerrado areas in the state of Goiás were found to be more suitable for the occurrence of synanthropic triatomines than the Amazon forest areas in the northern part of the state of Mato Grosso. The variable that best explains the evaluated models is temperature seasonality. The results indicate that almost the entire region presents climatic conditions that are appropriate for at least one triatomine species. Therefore, it is recommended that entomological surveillance be reinforced in CW Brazil. PMID:23778666

Environmental impacts of precision feeding programs applied in pig production.

PubMed

Andretta, I; Hauschild, L; Kipper, M; Pires, P G S; Pomar, C

2017-12-04

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect that switching from conventional to precision feeding systems during the growing-finishing phase would have on the potential environmental impact of Brazilian pig production. Standard life-cycle assessment procedures were used, with a cradle-to-farm gate boundary. The inputs and outputs of each interface of the life cycle (production of feed ingredients, processing in the feed industry, transportation and animal rearing) were organized in a model. Grain production was independently characterized in the Central-West and South regions of Brazil, whereas the pigs were raised in the South region. Three feeding programs were applied for growing-finishing pigs: conventional phase feeding by group (CON); precision daily feeding by group (PFG) (whole herd fed the same daily adjusted diet); and precision daily feeding by individual (PFI) (diets adjusted daily to match individual nutrient requirements). Raising pigs (1 t pig BW at farm gate) in South Brazil under the CON feeding program using grain cultivated in the same region led to emissions of 1840 kg of CO2-eq, 13.1 kg of PO4-eq and 32.2 kg of SO2-eq. Simulations using grain from the Central-West region showed a greater climate change impact. Compared with the previous scenario, a 17% increase in climate change impact was found when simulating with soybeans produced in Central-West Brazil, whereas a 28% increase was observed when simulating with corn and soybeans from Central-West Brazil. Compared with the CON feeding program, the PFG and PFI programs reduced the potential environmental impact. Applying the PFG program mitigated the potential climate change impact and eutrophication by up to 4%, and acidification impact by up to 3% compared with the CON program. Making a further adjustment by feeding pigs according to their individual nutrient requirements mitigated the potential climate change impact by up to 6% and the potential eutrophication and acidification impact by up to 5% compared with the CON program. The greatest environmental gains associated with the adoption of precision feeding were observed when the diet combined soybeans from Central-West Brazil with corn produced in Southern Brazil. The results clearly show that precision feeding is an effective approach for improving the environmental sustainability of Brazilian pig production.

Surname complex network for Brazil and Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, G. D.; Viswanathan, G. M.; da Silva, L. R.; Herrmann, H. J.

2018-06-01

We present a study of social networks based on the analysis of Brazilian and Portuguese family names (surnames). We construct networks whose nodes are names of families and whose edges represent parental relations between two families. From these networks we extract the connectivity distribution, clustering coefficient, shortest path and centrality. We find that the connectivity distribution follows an approximate power law. We associate the number of hubs, centrality and entropy to the degree of miscegenation in the societies in both countries. Our results show that Portuguese society has a higher miscegenation degree than Brazilian society. All networks analyzed lead to approximate inverse square power laws in the degree distribution. We conclude that the thermodynamic limit is reached for small networks (3 or 4 thousand nodes). The assortative mixing of all networks is negative, showing that the more connected vertices are connected to vertices with lower connectivity. Finally, the network of surnames presents some small world characteristics.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in captive antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) are aquatic mammals that inhabit marine waters from Central America to the northeastern region of Brazil and they are an endangered species. Infection with Toxoplasma gondii through intake of water or food contaminated with oocysts has been reported am...

An Education in Gender and Agroecology in Brazil's Landless Rural Workers' Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwendler, Sônia Fátima; Thompson, Lucia Amaranta

2017-01-01

This article explores the implications of a blended agroecology and gender education within "Brazil's Landless Rural Workers' Movement" (MST). The discussion is first situated within MST's struggle for land and for peasant families' livelihoods, generally, and under neoliberalism, specifically. Central to the struggle against…

Differential triazole sensitivity among members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex infecting barley grains in Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an important disease of small grains and is caused mainly by members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC). Barley growers in Brazil rely on fungicides, especially triazoles, to suppress the disease and limit mycotoxin contamination of grain. Information on...

Composition and toxigenic potential of the Fusarium graminearum species complex from maize ears, stalks and stubble in Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Detailed knowledge of the composition and toxigenic potential of the Fusarium graminearum species complex affecting maize crops in Brazil is lacking. A multilocus genotype approach was used to identify 539 isolates from three sub-collections: 1) maize kernels (n= 110) from five states spanning sout...

Spatial patterns of leprosy in an urban area of central Brazil.

PubMed

Martelli, C M; Moraes Neto, O L; Andrade, A L; Silva, S A; Silva, I M; Zicker, F

1995-01-01

Reported is the spatial variation of leprosy in an urban area of Brazil and its correlation with socioeconomic indicators. From November 1991 to October 1992 a total of 752 newly diagnosed leprosy patients who were attending all outpatient clinics in Goiânia city, central Brazil, were identified. A database o leprosy cases was set up linking patients' addresses to 64 urban districts. Leprosy cases were detected in 86% of the districts and three risk strata were identified. The highest-risk area for leprosy was in the outskirts of the city and detection rates increased on moving from more developed to poorer areas. The risk of detecting leprosy cases was 5.3-fold greater (95% CI: 3.8-7.4) in the outskirts of the town than in the central zone. Discussed are the methodological issues related to leprosy case ascertainment, completeness and reliability of information, and the interpretation of the spatial distribution of leprosy per unit area. Highlighted also are the lack of leprosy control activities in primary health care units and the usefulness of geographical analysis in planning health services.

Spatial patterns of leprosy in an urban area of central Brazil.

PubMed Central

Martelli, C. M.; Moraes Neto, O. L.; Andrade, A. L.; Silva, S. A.; Silva, I. M.; Zicker, F.

1995-01-01

Reported is the spatial variation of leprosy in an urban area of Brazil and its correlation with socioeconomic indicators. From November 1991 to October 1992 a total of 752 newly diagnosed leprosy patients who were attending all outpatient clinics in Goiânia city, central Brazil, were identified. A database o leprosy cases was set up linking patients' addresses to 64 urban districts. Leprosy cases were detected in 86% of the districts and three risk strata were identified. The highest-risk area for leprosy was in the outskirts of the city and detection rates increased on moving from more developed to poorer areas. The risk of detecting leprosy cases was 5.3-fold greater (95% CI: 3.8-7.4) in the outskirts of the town than in the central zone. Discussed are the methodological issues related to leprosy case ascertainment, completeness and reliability of information, and the interpretation of the spatial distribution of leprosy per unit area. Highlighted also are the lack of leprosy control activities in primary health care units and the usefulness of geographical analysis in planning health services. PMID:7614663

Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in the western-central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: multiresistant tick.

PubMed

Machado, Fabrício Amadori; Pivoto, Felipe Lamberti; Ferreira, Maiara Sanitá Tafner; Gregorio, Fabiano de Vargas; Vogel, Fernanda Silveira Flores; Sangioni, Luís Antônio

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the acaricide resistance of tick populations in the western-central region of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), which has not previously been reported. Fifty-four cattle farms were visited and specimens of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus were collected and subjected to the adult immersion test, using nine commercial acaricides in the amidine, pyrethroid and organophosphate groups. Climatic data, including monthly precipitation, were recorded. The results from the present study demonstrated that seven of the acaricides analyzed presented mean efficacy values of less than 95%, with large differences among the products tested. Nine of them exhibited satisfactory and unsatisfactory acaricide results on at least one farm. In conclusion, the farms located in the western-central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, exhibited populations of R. (Boophilus) microplus with variable degrees of susceptibility to different acaricides, thus suggesting that resistance to the active compounds exists. It is suggested that treatment protocols should be implemented at the beginning of winter and summer, using the acaricides that showed efficacy in the adult immersion test.

Affirmative Action in Brazil and Building an Anti-Racist University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernardino-Costa, Joaze; De Carli Blackman, Ana Elisa

2017-01-01

This article highlights the black movement's centrality to building anti-racist universities in Brazil. It examines the questioning of the racial democracy myth within Brazilian universities as well as in the Brazilian mainstream media since the beginning of the new millennium. This debate was referred to the Supreme Court, which affirmed the…

7 CFR 319.56-25 - Papayas from Central America and Brazil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... continental United States, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands only in accordance with this... shipment to the United States in one of the following locations: (1) Brazil: State of Espirito Santo; all... contain any other fruit, including papayas not qualified for importation into the United States. (f) All...

Heterochromatin variation and LINE-1 distribution in Artibeus (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) from Central Amazon, Brazil.

PubMed

de Souza, Érica Martinha Silva; Gross, Maria Claudia; Silva, Carlos Eduardo Faresin E; Sotero-Caio, Cibele Gomes; Feldberg, Eliana

2017-01-01

Species in the subgenus Artibeus Leach, 1821 are widely distributed in Brazil. Conserved karyotypes characterize the group with identical diploid number and chromosome morphology. Recent studies suggested that the heterochromatin distribution and accumulation patterns can vary among species. In order to assess whether variation can also occur within species, we have analyzed the chromosomal distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in A. planirostris (Spix, 1823) and A. lituratus (Olfers, 1818) from Central Amazon (North Brazil) and contrasted our findings with those reported for other localities in Brazil. In addition, Ag-NOR staining and FISH with 18S rDNA, telomeric, and LINE-1 probes were performed to assess the potential role that these different repetitive markers had in shaping the current architecture of heterochromatic regions. Both species presented interindividual variation of constitutive heterochromatin. In addition, in A. planirostris the centromeres of most chromosomes are enriched with LINE-1, colocated with pericentromeric heterochromatin blocks. Overall, our data indicate that amplification and differential distribution of the investigated repetitive DNAs might have played a significant role in shaping the chromosome architecture of the subgenus Artibeus.

Heterochromatin variation and LINE-1 distribution in Artibeus (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) from Central Amazon, Brazil

PubMed Central

de Souza, Érica Martinha Silva; Gross, Maria Claudia; Silva, Carlos Eduardo Faresin e; Sotero-Caio, Cibele Gomes; Feldberg, Eliana

2017-01-01

Abstract Species in the subgenus Artibeus Leach, 1821 are widely distributed in Brazil. Conserved karyotypes characterize the group with identical diploid number and chromosome morphology. Recent studies suggested that the heterochromatin distribution and accumulation patterns can vary among species. In order to assess whether variation can also occur within species, we have analyzed the chromosomal distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in A. planirostris (Spix, 1823) and A. lituratus (Olfers, 1818) from Central Amazon (North Brazil) and contrasted our findings with those reported for other localities in Brazil. In addition, Ag-NOR staining and FISH with 18S rDNA, telomeric, and LINE-1 probes were performed to assess the potential role that these different repetitive markers had in shaping the current architecture of heterochromatic regions. Both species presented interindividual variation of constitutive heterochromatin. In addition, in A. planirostris the centromeres of most chromosomes are enriched with LINE-1, colocated with pericentromeric heterochromatin blocks. Overall, our data indicate that amplification and differential distribution of the investigated repetitive DNAs might have played a significant role in shaping the chromosome architecture of the subgenus Artibeus. PMID:29114357

Neurotuberculosis in cattle in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Konradt, Guilherme; Bassuino, Daniele Mariath; Bianchi, Matheus Viezzer; Bandinelli, Marcele Bettim; Driemeier, David; Pavarini, Saulo Petinatti

2016-06-01

Tuberculosis in cattle is a chronic infectious-contagious disease characterized by the development of nodular lesions (granulomas) in mainly the lungs and regional lymph nodes. It is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, an acid-fast bacillus (AFB). Tuberculosis in the central nervous system is a rare condition in cattle. Herein, we describe the clinical and pathological findings of six neurotuberculosis cases in cattle diagnosed in Southern Brazil. The average age of the cattle affected was 12 months, and they varied in breed and sex. The clinical history ranged from 5 to 30 days and was characterized by motor incoordination, opisthotonus, blindness, and progression to recumbency. The cattle were euthanized, and grossly, the leptomeninges at the basilar brain showed marked and diffuse expansion, with nodular yellowish lesions ranging in size. On microscopic examination, there were multifocal granulomas located mainly in the meninges, though sometimes extending to adjacent neuropil or existing as isolated granulomas in neuropil. AFBs were observed in the cytoplasm of epithelioid macrophages and multinucleated giant cells through Ziehl-Neelsen histochemical staining and identified as Mycobacterium sp. through immunohistochemistry.

Multi-cereal molecular surveys suggest host preference among members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex from southern Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study aimed to assess the extent and distribution of members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) associated with cereals grown in southern Brazil between 2009 and 2012. The total collection comprised 1,127 isolates, which were divided into four collections obtained from: 1) disea...

Distribution of physical therapists working on public and private establishments in different levels of complexity of health care in Brazil.

PubMed

Costa, Larissa R; Costa, José L R; Oishi, Jorge; Driusso, Patricia

2012-01-01

The Brazilian Health System is organized on a regional and hierarchical form with three levels of complexity of health care. The Primary Care represents the first element of a continuing health care process, complemented by specialized actions. However, the centrality of the specialized care is still a problem in Brazil, especially in the private sector. Studies on the distribution of professionals in the health system allowing the formulation of appropriate policies are needed. To investigate the distribution of physical therapists in the levels of complexity of health care and between public and private establishments, according to data from the National Register of Health Service Providers (NRHSP). A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed considering NRHSP-national bank data collected in March 2010 and demographic census 2010 data. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics techniques. We identified 53,181 registries of physical therapists, 60% linked to the private sector. Only 13% of all entries were linked to primary care. The predominance in specialized care occurred in the public sector (65%) and private sector (100%). The specialized establishments of private sector linked to the southeast region (16,043) were the main sites of physical therapists. Only the public sector in the south had a majority in the Primary Care. When considering the sizes of the cities, there is focus on specialist care in bigger cities. This study identified the concentration of physical therapists in the specialized care, mostly in metropolis and big cities and in the private sector, with restricted to participation in the primary care.

What the United States can learn from Brazil in response to HIV/AIDS: international reputation and strategic centralization in a context of health policy devolution.

PubMed

Gómez, Eduardo J

2010-11-01

Contrary to what many may expect, this article argues that Brazil did a better job than the USA when it came to responding to HIV/AIDS. Because of the Brazilian government's concern about its international reputation and the partnerships it has forged with international donors and civil society, the government has been committed to strengthening decentralization processes by introducing both formal and informal re-centralization measures that strengthen health policy devolution, while effectively targeting the biggest at-risk groups. The US, in contrast, has not achieved these objectives, due to its lack of interest in increasing its international reputation and its focus on bi-lateral aid rather than investing in domestic policy. The paper closes by explaining the lessons that Brazil can teach the US and other large federations seeking to ensure that decentralization and prevention policy work more effectively.

Geographic Variation in Daily Temporal Activity Patterns of a Neotropical Marsupial (Gracilinanus agilis)

PubMed Central

Vieira, Emerson M.; de Camargo, Nícholas F.; Colas, Paul F.; Ribeiro, Juliana F.; Cruz-Neto, Ariovaldo P.

2017-01-01

The temporal activity of animals is an outcome of both biotic and abiotic factors, which may vary along the geographic range of the species. Therefore, studies conducted with a species in different localities with distinct features could elucidate how animals deal with such factors. In this study, we used live traps equipped with timing devices to investigate the temporal activity patterns of the didelphid Gracilinanus agilis in two dry-woodland areas of the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado). These areas were located about 660 km apart, one in Central Brazil and the other in Southeastern Brazil. We compared such patterns considering both reproductive and non-reproductive periods, and how it varies as a function of temperature on a seasonal basis. In Central Brazil, we found a constant, and temperature-independent activity during the night in both reproductive and non-reproductive periods. On the other hand, in Southeastern Brazil, we detected a constant activity during the reproductive period, but in the non-reproductive period G. agilis presented a peak of activity between two and four hours after sunset. Moreover, in this latter we found a relation between temporal activity and temperature during the autumn and spring. These differences in temporal activity between areas, observed during the non-reproductive period, might be associated with the higher seasonal variability in temperature, and lower mean temperatures in the Southeastern site in comparison to the Central one. In Southeastern Brazil, the decrease in temperature during the non-reproductive season possibly forced G. agilis to be active only at certain hours of the night. However, likely due to the reproductive activities (intensive foraging and searching for mates) this marsupial showed constant, temperature-independent activity during the night in the reproductive period at both sites. PMID:28052077

Current knowledge of the species complex Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera, Tephritidae) in Brazil

PubMed Central

Vaníčková, Lucie; Hernández-Ortiz, Vicente; Bravo, Iara Sordi Joachim; Dias, Vanessa; Roriz, Alzira Kelly Passos; Laumann, Raul Alberto; Mendonça, Adriana de Lima; Paranhos, Beatriz Aguiar Jordão; do Nascimento, Ruth Rufino

2015-01-01

Abstract The study of the species complex Anastrepha fraterculus (Af complex) in Brazil is especially important in a taxonomical, evolutionary and pest management context, because there are evidences that some of them may occur in sympatry. In this review, we analyzed the main results supporting evidences that three cryptic species occur in Brazil. The taxonomical and phylogenetic relationships based on eggshell morphology, adult morphometrics, as well as cytotaxonomy and genetic differentiations are discussed. We also review available information on sexual behavior including acoustic communication of males during courtship and sexual incompatibility; and chemical signals involved in the communication between sexes, with a special focus on sex pheromones. We examined the role of long- and short-range pheromones (male-produced volatiles and cuticular hydrocarbons, respectively), their implications in sexual isolation, and their possible use for chemotaxonomic differentiation of the putative species of the Af complex. PMID:26798261

Description and biology of Paectes longiformis Pogue, a new species from Brazil (Lepidoptera: Euteliidae) as a potential biological control agent of Brazilian peppertree in Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae), a native weed from South America, has invaded different habitats throughout south and central Florida. In recent surveys of natural enemies conducted in Salvador, Brazil (native range), a new euteliid species in the genus Paectes ...

The Hybridization of Distance Learning in Brazil: An Approach Imposed by Culture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litto, Fredric Michael

2002-01-01

Higher education institutions in Brazil are seriously behind in the use of distance education largely because of the highly centralized control by the Ministry of Education. Hybridization, or the combination of face-to-face and distance learning techniques, is not motivated by pedagogical choice, but rather the only legally permitted approach in…

SOIL EMISSIONS OF CO2 AND CO IN TROPICAL SAVANNAS OF CENTRAL BRAZIL UNDER DIFFERENT FIRE REGIMES

EPA Science Inventory

The Cerrado is a tropical savanna in which herbaceous vegetation (mainly C4 grasses) coexists with trees and shrubs. It covers more than two million square kilometers and accounts for 22% of the total area of Brazil. In general, cerrado soils are old, deep, well drained, well s...

Remote measurement of energy and carbon flux from wildfires in Brazil

Treesearch

P.J. Riggan; R.G. Tissell; R.N. Lockwood; J.A. Brass; J.A.R. Pereira; H.S. Miranda; A.C. Miranda; T. Campos; R. Higgins

2004-01-01

Temperature, intensity, spread, and dimensions of fires burning in tropical savanna and slashed tropical forest in central Brazil were measured for the first time by remote sensing with an infrared imaging spectrometer that was designed to accommodate the high radiances of wildland fires. Furthermore, the first in situ airborne measurements of sensible heat and carbon...

Corrupting Learning: Evidence from Missing Federal Education Funds in Brazil. NBER Working Paper No. 18150

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferraz, Claudio; Finan, Frederico; Moreira, Diana B.

2012-01-01

This paper examines if money matters in education by looking at whether missing resources due to corruption affect student outcomes. We use data from the auditing of Brazil's local governments to construct objective measures of corruption involving educational block grants transferred from the central government to municipalities. Using variation…

Ichnology of deglaciation deposits from the Upper Carboniferous Rio do Sul Formation (Itararé Group, Paraná Basin) at central-east Santa Catarina State (southern Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, João Henrique Dobler; Netto, Renata Guimarães; Corrêa, Camila Graziele; Lavina, Ernesto Luiz Corrêa

2015-11-01

Trace fossil assemblages dominated by arthropod trackways are common in sediments deposited during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age. Ichnofaunas preserved in glacially-influenced sedimentary successions were previously reported from Paraná Basin in southern Brazil. The ichnofauna of the Rio do Sul Formation preserved in the rhythmites exposed in Trombudo Central quarries (Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil) is revised in this paper. Cruziana problematica, Diplichnites gouldi, Diplopodichnus biformis, Glaciichnium liebegastensis, Gluckstadtella elongata isp. nov., Helminthoidichnites tenuis, Mermia carickensis, Protovirgularia dichotoma, Treptichnus pollardi and Umfolozia sinuosa were recorded. Two trace fossil suites were recognized. The undermat miners suite is dominated by H. tenuis, indicating the presence of surface grazers (insect larvae, isopods and amphipods). C. problematica, D. gouldi and U. sinuosa dominate the overmat grazers suite, as result of displacement of terrestrial and aquatic arthropods. The integrated sedimentological and ichnological data from Trombudo Central region suggests colonization of ephemeral, shallow water bodies filled by freshwater from glacier melting. The deposition of the rhythmites took place in a glaciolacustrine context represented by shallow ponds in marginal marine settings.

Morphological diversity of cassava accessions of the south-central mesoregion of the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

PubMed

Zago, B W; Barelli, M A A; Hoogerheide, E S S; Corrêa, C L; Delforno, G I S; da Silva, C J

2017-08-17

Genetic variability of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in Brazil is wide, being this the result of natural and cultural selection during pre- and post-domestication of the species in different environments. Given the number of species of the genus found in the region (38 of a total of 98 species), the central region of Brazil was defined as the primary center of cassava diversity. Therefore, genetic diversity characterization of cassava accessions is fundamental, both for farmers and for plant breeders, because it allows the organization of genetic resources and better utilization of available genetic diversity. This research aims to assess genetic divergence of cassava accessions from the south-central region of the State of Mato Grosso, based on multi-categorical morphological traits. For this purpose, 38 qualitative and quantitative morphological descriptors were used. Genetic diversity was expressed by the genetic similarity index, with subsequent clustering of accessions by the modified Tocher's procedure and UPGMA. Of 38 descriptors, only growth habit of stem showed no variability. Tocher and UPGMA methods were efficient and corroborated on group composition. Both methods were able to group accessions of different localities in distinct group consistency.

Particle Fluxes and Bulk Geochemical Characterization of the Cabo Frio Upwelling System in Southeastern Brazil: Sediment Trap Experiments between Spring 2010 and Summer 2012.

PubMed

Albuquerque, Ana Luiza S; Belém, André L; Zuluaga, Francisco J B; Cordeiro, Livia G M; Mendoza, Ursula; Knoppers, Bastiaan A; Gurgel, Marcio H C; Meyers, Philip A; Capilla, Ramsés

2014-05-14

Physical and biogeochemical processes in continental shelves act synergistically in both transporting and transforming suspended material, and ocean dynamics control the dispersion of particles by the coastal zone and their subsequent mixing and dilution within the shelf area constrained by oceanic boundary currents, followed by their gradual settling in a complex sedimentary scenario. One of these regions is the Cabo Frio Upwelling System located in a significantly productive area of Southeastern Brazil, under the control of the nutrient-poor western boundary Brazil Current but also with a wind-driven coastal upwelling zone, inducing cold-water intrusions of South Atlantic Central Water on the shelf. To understand these synergic interactions among physical and biogeochemical processes in the Cabo Frio shelf, a series of four experiments with a total of 98 discrete samples using sediment traps was performed from November 2010 to March 2012, located on the 145 m isobath on the edge of the continental shelf. The results showed that lateral transport might be relevant in some cases, especially in deep layers, although no clear seasonal cycle was detected. Two main physical-geochemical coupling scenarios were identified: singular downwelling events that can enhance particles fluxes and are potentially related to the Brazil Current oscillations; and events of significant fluxes related to the intrusion of the 18°C isotherm in the euphotic zone. The particulate matter settling in the Cabo Frio shelf area seems to belong to multiple marine and terrestrial sources, in which both Paraiba do Sul River and Guanabara Bay could be potential land-sources, although the particulate material might subject intense transformation (diagenesis) during its trajectory to the shelf edge.

Lutzomyia umbratilis, the Main Vector of Leishmania guyanensis, Represents a Novel Species Complex?

PubMed Central

Scarpassa, Vera Margarete; Alencar, Ronildo Baiatone

2012-01-01

Background Lutzomyia umbratilis is an important Leishmania guyanensis vector in South America. Previous studies have suggested differences in the vector competence between L. umbratilis populations situated on opposite banks of the Amazonas and Negro Rivers in the central Amazonian Brazil region, likely indicating a species complex. However, few studies have been performed on these populations and the taxonomic status of L. umbratilis remains unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings Phylogeographic structure was estimated for six L. umbratilis samples from the central Amazonian region in Brazil by analyzing mtDNA using 1181 bp of the COI gene to assess whether the populations on opposite banks of these rivers consist of incipient or distinct species. The genetic diversity was fairly high and the results revealed two distinct clades ( = lineages) with 1% sequence divergence. Clade I consisted of four samples from the left bank of the Amazonas and Negro Rivers, whereas clade II comprised two samples from the right bank of Negro River. No haplotypes were shared between samples of two clades. Samples within clades exhibited low to moderate genetic differentiation (F ST = −0.0390–0.1841), whereas samples between clades exhibited very high differentiation (F ST = 0.7100–0.8497) and fixed differences. These lineages have diverged approximately 0.22 Mya in the middle Pleistocene. Demographic expansion was detected for the lineages I and II approximately 30,448 and 15,859 years ago, respectively, in the late Pleistocene. Conclusions/Significance The two genetic lineages may represent an advanced speciation stage suggestive of incipient or distinct species within L. umbratilis. These findings suggest that the Amazonas and Negro Rivers may be acting as effective barriers, thus preventing gene flow between populations on opposite sides. Such findings have important implications for epidemiological studies, especially those related to vector competence and anthropophily, and for vector control strategies. In addition, L. umbratilis represents an interesting example in speciation studies. PMID:22662146

Genetic variability in Melipona quinquefasciata (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) from northeastern Brazil determined using the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1).

PubMed

Pereira, J O P; Freitas, B M; Jorge, D M M; Torres, D C; Soares, C E A; Grangeiro, T B

2009-01-01

Melipona quinquefasciata is a ground-nesting South American stingless bee whose geographic distribution was believed to comprise only the central and southern states of Brazil. We obtained partial sequences (about 500-570 bp) of first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) nuclear ribosomal DNA from Melipona specimens putatively identified as M. quinquefasciata collected from different localities in northeastern Brazil. To confirm the taxonomic identity of the northeastern samples, specimens from the state of Goiás (Central region of Brazil) were included for comparison. All sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession numbers EU073751-EU073759). The mean nucleotide divergence (excluding sites with insertions/deletions) in the ITS1 sequences was only 1.4%, ranging from 0 to 4.1%. When the sites with insertions/deletions were also taken into account, sequence divergences varied from 0 to 5.3%. In all pairwise comparisons, the ITS1 sequence from the specimens collected in Goiás was most divergent compared to the ITS1 sequences of the bees from the other locations. However, neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis showed that all ITS1 sequences from northeastern specimens along with the sample of Goiás were resolved in a single clade with a bootstrap support of 100%. The ITS1 sequencing data thus support the occurrence of M. quinquefasciata in northeast Brazil.

An evaluation of direct seeding for reforestation of degraded lands in central São Paulo State, Brazil

Treesearch

Vera L. Engel; John A. Parrotta

2001-01-01

As part of a larger study evaluating several silvicultural techniques for restoring tropical moist forests on abandoned agricultural lands in southeastern Brazil, direct seeding with five early-successional Atlantic forest species was tested at three degraded sites, characterized by different soil types and land-use histories, within the Environmental Protection Area...

The role of SST on the South American atmospheric circulation during January, February and March 2001

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drumond, Anita Rodrigues De Moraes; Ambrizzi, Tércio

2005-06-01

Precipitation deficits were observed over southeastern, northeastern and Central Brazil during the 2001 Austral Summer. They contributed to the worsening of the energy crisis that was occurring in the country. A low-level anomalous anticyclonic circulation observed over eastern Brazil enhanced the deviation of moisture transport that usually occurs from the Amazon Basin to southeastern Brazil and inhibited the occurrence of South Atlantic Convergence Zone events in that period. However, an anomalous low-level northerly moisture flux was observed over the La Plata Basin, and positive precipitation anomalies occurred over Bolivia, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina and southern Brazil. Using the ensemble technique, a numerical study was carried out to investigate the role of different sea surface temperature (SST) forcings observed over this anomalous South American atmospheric circulation. Reynolds SST monthly means were used as boundary conditions to study the influence of South Atlantic, South Indian, South Pacific and Equatorial Pacific oceans. The simulations were run from September 2000 to April 2001 using the Community Climate Model version 3.6 General Circulation Model. Ten integrations using different initial conditions were done to each experiment. Numerical experiments suggested that the combined influence of South Pacific and Equatorial Pacific oceans could be responsible for the drought observed over Central Brazil. These experiments simulated the low-level anticyclonic anomaly observed over eastern Brazil. However, both experiments have poorly reproduced the intensity of the anomalous low-level northerly moisture flux observed over the La Plata Basin. Therefore, the intensity of the simulated precipitation anomalies over the subtropical regions was much weaker than observed.

Diversity and potential impact of Calonectria species in Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil

PubMed Central

Alfenas, R.F.; Lombard, L.; Pereira, O.L.; Alfenas, A.C.; Crous, P.W.

2015-01-01

Species in the genus Calonectria (Hypocreales) represent an important group of plant pathogenic fungi that cause serious losses to plant crops in tropical and subtropical climates. Calonectria leaf blight is currently one of the main impediments to Eucalyptus cultivation in Brazil, and various species of Calonectria have been associated with this disease. Since most previous identifications were solely based on morphological characters, much of the published literature needs to be re-evaluated. The aim of this study was thus to identify and determine the phylogenetic relationships among species that occur in the Eucalyptus growing regions of Brazil by using partial sequences of the β-tubulin, calmodulin, translation elongation factor 1-α and histone H3 gene regions. Based on extensive collections from soil and infected eucalypt leaf samples from plantations, phylogenetic inference revealed the Ca. pteridis complex to be the most common species complex present in Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. By elucidating taxa in the Ca. pteridis, Ca. cylindrospora and Ca. candelabra species complexes, 20 novel Calonectria species were identified, and a new name in Calonectria provided for Cylindrocladium macrosporum as Ca. pseudopteridis. PMID:26955192

Diversity and potential impact of Calonectria species in Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil.

PubMed

Alfenas, R F; Lombard, L; Pereira, O L; Alfenas, A C; Crous, P W

2015-03-01

Species in the genus Calonectria (Hypocreales) represent an important group of plant pathogenic fungi that cause serious losses to plant crops in tropical and subtropical climates. Calonectria leaf blight is currently one of the main impediments to Eucalyptus cultivation in Brazil, and various species of Calonectria have been associated with this disease. Since most previous identifications were solely based on morphological characters, much of the published literature needs to be re-evaluated. The aim of this study was thus to identify and determine the phylogenetic relationships among species that occur in the Eucalyptus growing regions of Brazil by using partial sequences of the β-tubulin, calmodulin, translation elongation factor 1-α and histone H3 gene regions. Based on extensive collections from soil and infected eucalypt leaf samples from plantations, phylogenetic inference revealed the Ca. pteridis complex to be the most common species complex present in Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. By elucidating taxa in the Ca. pteridis, Ca. cylindrospora and Ca. candelabra species complexes, 20 novel Calonectria species were identified, and a new name in Calonectria provided for Cylindrocladium macrosporum as Ca. pseudopteridis.

A new species of inseminating seasonal killifish of the Cynopoecilus melanotaenia complex from southern Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae)

PubMed Central

Amorim, Pedro F

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The Cynopoecilus melanotaenia complex is a morphologically homogeneous killifish group, endemic from an area encompassing southern Brazil and northeastern Uruguay. It presently comprises four valid species: C. melanotaenia, the type species of the genus, and C. fulgens, C. intimus, and C. nigrovittatus. New information Cynopoecilus feltrini, n. sp., from the lower Tubarão river basin, southern Brazil, is distinguished from all congeners of the C. melanotaenia complex by having frontal E-scales medially overlapped, branchiostegal region orangish red in males and dorsum with few dark brown spots above opercular region. A phylogenetic tree derived from the analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (681 bp) indicates that C. feltrini is a member of the clade that includes all species of the C. melanotaenia complex except C. melanotaenia, as well as that C. feltrini is the sister group of a clade comprising C. fulgens and C. nigrovittatus. PMID:27099548

Central nervous system tumours profile at a referral center in the Brazilian Amazon region, 1997–2014

PubMed Central

Semblano, Aluízio Augusto Pereira; Moreira, Matheus Acácio; de Lemos, Manuela Nascimento; de Mello, Vanessa Jóia; Hamoy, Moisés; Nazareth Junior, Mario Hermes; Paschoal Junior, Fernando Mendes; Adami, Fernando

2017-01-01

Tumours of the Central Nervous System (CNS) are an important cause of mortality from cancer. Epidemiological data on neoplams affecting the CNS are scarce in Brazil, especially in the Amazon region. The study aims at describing the histopathological profile of CNS tumours cases at a high-complexity referral cancer center. This study has described a 17-year-series profile of CNS tumours, registered at a high-complexity referral cancer center in Pará state, from January 1997 until July 2014 in the Brazilian Amazon Region. Data was gathered from histopathology reports kept in the hospital’s cancer registry and 949 cases of CNS tumours were analyzed. The most common histopathology were neuroepithelial tumours (approx. 40%) and meningioma was the most frequent especific tumor histologic subtype (22.2%). Neuroepithelial tumours were more frequent in patients with ages ranging from less than a year to 19 years, whereas metastatic tumours were prevalent in patients over 40 years of age. It was not found temporal trends during the studied period. The knowledge of these tumours profile is valuable for the understanding of cancer epidemiology in the region, since its prevalence is currently underreported and more awareness on the disease is needed. PMID:28369089

On the presence of five species of naupactini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) damaging soybean in Brazil.

PubMed

Lanteri, A A; Bigolin, M; del Río, M G; Guedes, J V C

2013-06-01

We report five broad-nosed weevils of the tribe Naupactini, Naupactus leucoloma Boheman, Naupactus minor (Buchanan), Naupactus peregrinus (Buchanan), Naupactus tremolerasi Hustache and Pantomorus viridisquamosus (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) damaging soybean plants in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Some of these species are recorded for the first time in Brazil, and they all belong to species groups naturally distributed in the prairies of southern Brazil, Uruguay, Central Argentina and Paraguay. Three of them have been introduced, established and expanded in other countries outside South America. The five species in conjunction with other native species of Naupactini could cause severe damages to soybean crops if the root-feeding larvae attack young growing plants.

Stem cell research in Brazil: the production of a new field of science.

PubMed

Zorzanelli, Rafaela Teixeira; Speroni, Angela Vasconi; Menezes, Rachel Aisengart; Leibing, Annette

2017-01-01

Based on a review of the literature published in the early twenty-first century by Brazilian researchers, the article offers an overview of stem cell research in Brazil. Three central topics were detected in these papers: (1) the funding of stem cell research in Brazil; (2) preclinical and clinical trials in Brazil; and (3) social anthropological analysis focused on ethical and legal matters. Our review identifies controversial questions in the construction of this scientific field, especially issues involving the media as a disseminator of values and of certain social representations, where new kinds of hope figure large. Within this climate of uncertainty, we find patients and their families energized by the promises of the "medicine of the future."

Crustal structure beneath the Paleozoic Parnaíba Basin revealed by airborne gravity and magnetic data, Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

de Castroa, David L.; Fuck, Reinhardt A.; Phillips, Jeffrey D.; Vidotti, Roberta M.; Bezerra, Francisco H. R.; Dantas, Elton L.

2014-01-01

The Parnaíba Basin is a large Paleozoic syneclise in northeastern Brazil underlain by Precambrian crystalline basement, which comprises a complex lithostructural and tectonic framework formed during the Neoproterozoic–Eopaleozoic Brasiliano–Pan African orogenic collage. A sag basin up to 3.5 km thick and 1000 km long formed after the collage. The lithologic composition, structure, and role in the basin evolution of the underlying basement are the focus of this study. Airborne gravity and magnetic data were modeled to reveal the general crustal structure underneath the Parnaíba Basin. Results indicate that gravity and magnetic signatures delineate the main boundaries and structural trends of three cratonic areas and surrounding Neoproterozoic fold belts in the basement. Triangular-shaped basement inliers are geophysically defined in the central region of this continental-scale Neoproterozoic convergence zone. A 3-D gravity inversion constrained by seismological data reveals that basement inliers exhibit a 36–40.5 km deep crustal root, with borders defined by a high-density and thinner crust. Forward modeling of gravity and magnetic data indicates that lateral boundaries between crustal units are limited by Brasiliano shear zones, representing lithospheric sutures of the Amazonian and São Francisco Cratons, Tocantins Province and Parnaíba Block. In addition, coincident residual gravity, residual magnetic, and pseudo-gravity lows indicate two complex systems of Eopaleozoic rifts related to the initial phase of the sag deposition, which follow basement trends in several directions.

Rise in the frequency of cloud cover in LANDSAT data for the period 1973 to 1981. [Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator); Mendonca, F. J.; Neto, G. C.

1983-01-01

Percentages of cloud cover in LANDSAT imagery were used to calculate the cloud cover monthly average statistic for each LANDSAT scene in Brazil, during the period of 1973 to 1981. The average monthly cloud cover and the monthly minimum cloud cover were also calculated for the regions of north, northeast, central west, southeast and south, separately.

SOIL FLUXES OF CO2, CO, NO AND N2O FROM AN OLD-PASTURE AND FROM NATIVE SAVANNA IN BRAZIL

EPA Science Inventory

We compared fluxes of CO2, CO, NO and N2O, soil microbial biomass, and N-mineralization rates in a 20-year old Brachiaria pasture and a native cerrado area (savanna in Central Brazil). In order to assess the spatial variability of CO2 fluxes, we tested the relation between elect...

Alternative food sources and overwintering feeding behavior of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) under the tropical conditions of Central Brazil.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Paulina de A; Sujii, Edison R; Diniz, Ivone R; Medeiros, Maria A de; Salgado-Labouriau, Maria L; Branco, Marina C; Pires, Carmen S S; Fontes, Eliana M G

2010-01-01

The boll weevil causes serious damage to the cotton crop in South America. Several studies have been published on this pest, but its phenology and behavior under the tropical conditions prevailing in Brazil are not well-known. In this study the feeding behavior and main food sources of adult boll weevils throughout the year in Central Brazil was investigated. The digestive tract contents of insects captured in pheromone traps in two cotton fields and two areas of native vegetation (gallery forest and cerrado sensu stricto) were analyzed. The insect was captured all through the year only in the cerrado. It fed on pollen of 19 different plant families, on Pteridophyta and fungi spores and algae cysts. Simpson Index test showed that the cerrado provided greater diversity of pollen sources. In the beginning of the cotton cycle, the plant families used for pollen feeding were varied: in cotton area 1, the weevil fed on Poaceae(50%), Malvaceae and Smilacaceae (25% each); in cotton area 2 the pollen sources were Malvaceae (50%), Asteraceae (25%) and Fabaceae and Clusiaceae (25% each); in the cerrado they were Chenopodiaceae (67%) and Scheuchzeriaceae (33%). No weevils were collected in the gallery forest in this period. After cotton was harvested, the family Smilacaceae was predominant among the food plants exploited in all the study areas. These results help to explain the survivorship of adult boll weevil during cotton fallow season in Central Brazil and they are discussed in the context of behavioral adaptations to the prevailing tropical environmental conditions.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, central plateau, southeastern, and southern Brazil.

PubMed

Figueiredo, Luiz T M; Moreli, Marcos L; de-Sousa, Ricardo L M; Borges, Alessandra A; de-Figueiredo, Glauciane G; Machado, Alex M; Bisordi, Ivani; Nagasse-Sugahara, Teresa K; Suzuki, Akemi; Pereira, Luiz E; de-Souza, Renato P; de-Souza, Luiza T M; Braconi, Carla T; Harsi, Charlotte M; de-Andrade-Zanotto, Paolo M

2009-04-01

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an increasing health problem in Brazil because of encroachment of sprawling urban, agricultural, and cattle-raising areas into habitats of subfamily Sigmodontinae rodents, which serve as hantavirus reservoirs. From 1993 through June 2007, a total of 884 cases of HPS were reported in Brazil (case-fatality rate 39%). To better understand this emerging disease, we collected 89 human serum samples and 68 rodent lung samples containing antibodies to hantavirus from a 2,500-km-wide area in Brazil. RNA was isolated from human samples and rodent tissues and subjected to reverse transcription-PCR. Partial sequences of nucleocapsid protein and glycoprotein genes from 22 human and 16 rodent sources indicated only Araraquara virus and Juquitiba virus lineages. The case-fatality rate of HPS was higher in the area with Araraquara virus. This virus, which may be the most virulent hantavirus in Brazil, was associated with areas that have had greater anthropogenic changes.

A Complex Web of Education Policy Borrowing and Transfer: Education for All and the Plan for the Development of Education in Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rambla, Xavier

2014-01-01

This article analyses how Education for All policies were transferred to Brazil and Latin America by means of ambitious educational strategic plans such as the Plan for the Development of Education and the National Education Plans -- promoted by the Federal Government of Brazil, and the Latin American Educational Goals -- promoted by the…

Assessing response of local moisture conditions in central Brazil to variability in regional monsoon intensity using speleothem 87Sr/86Sr values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wortham, Barbara E.; Wong, Corinne I.; Silva, Lucas C. R.; McGee, David; Montañez, Isabel P.; Troy Rasbury, E.; Cooper, Kari M.; Sharp, Warren D.; Glessner, Justin J. G.; Santos, Roberto V.

2017-04-01

Delineating the controls on hydroclimate throughout Brazil is essential to assessing potential impact of global climate change on water resources and biogeography. An increasing number of monsoon reconstructions from δ18O records provide insight into variations in regional monsoon intensity over the last millennium. The strength, however, of δ18O as a proxy of regional climate limits its ability to reflect local conditions, highlighting the need for comparable reconstructions of local moisture conditions. Here, speleothem 87Sr/86Sr values are developed as a paleo-moisture proxy in central Brazil to complement existing δ18O-based reconstructions of regional monsoon intensity. Speleothem 87Sr/86Sr values are resolved using laser ablation and conventional solution mass spectrometry at high resolution relative to existing (non-δ18O-based) paleo-moisture reconstructions to allow comparisons of centennial variability in paleo-monsoon intensity and paleo-moisture conditions. Variations in speleothem 87Sr/86Sr values from Tamboril Cave are interpreted to reflect varying extents of water interaction with the carbonate host rock, with more interaction resulting in greater evolution of water isotope values from those initially acquired from the soil to those of the carbonate bedrock. Increasing speleothem 87Sr/86Sr values over the last millennium suggest progressively less interaction with the carbonate host rock likely resulting from higher infiltration rates, expected under wetter conditions. Increasingly wetter conditions over the last millennium are consistent with an overall trend of increasing monsoon intensity (decreasing δ18O values) preserved in many existing δ18O records from the region. Such a trend, however, is absent in δ18O records from our site (central Brazil) and Cristal Cave (southeast Brazil), suggesting the existence of divergent (relevant to δ18Oprecip) shifts in the climate patterns within and outside the core monsoon region.

Linking Field and Satellite Observations to Reveal Differences in Single vs. Double-Cropped Soybean Yields in Central Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffries, G. R.; Cohn, A.

2016-12-01

Soy-corn double cropping (DC) has been widely adopted in Central Brazil alongside single cropped (SC) soybean production. DC involves different cropping calendars, soy varieties, and may be associated with different crop yield patterns and volatility than SC. Study of the performance of the region's agriculture in a changing climate depends on tracking differences in the productivity of SC vs. DC, but has been limited by crop yield data that conflate the two systems. We predicted SC and DC yields across Central Brazil, drawing on field observations and remotely sensed data. We first modeled field yield estimates as a function of remotely sensed DC status and vegetation index (VI) metrics, and other management and biophysical factors. We then used the statistical model estimated to predict SC and DC soybean yields at each 500 m2 grid cell of Central Brazil for harvest years 2001 - 2015. The yield estimation model was constructed using 1) a repeated cross-sectional survey of soybean yields and management factors for years 2007-2015, 2) a custom agricultural land cover classification dataset which assimilates earlier datasets for the region, and 3) 500m 8-day MODIS image composites used to calculate the wide dynamic range vegetation index (WDRVI) and derivative metrics such as area under the curve for WDRVI values in critical crop development periods. A statistical yield estimation model which primarily entails WDRVI metrics, DC status, and spatial fixed effects was developed on a subset of the yield dataset. Model validation was conducted by predicting previously withheld yield records, and then assessing error and goodness-of-fit for predicted values with metrics including root mean squared error (RMSE), mean squared error (MSE), and R2. We found a statistical yield estimation model which incorporates WDRVI and DC status to be way to estimate crop yields over the region. Statistical properties of the resulting gridded yield dataset may be valuable for understanding linkages between crop yields, farm management factors, and climate.

Rust disease of eucalypts, caused by Puccinia psidii, did not originate via host jump from guava in Brazil

Treesearch

Rodrigo N. Graca; Amy L. Ross-Davis; Ned B. Klopfenstein; Mee-Sook Kim; Tobin L. Peever; Phil G. Cannon; Cristina P. Aun; Eduardo G. Mizubuti; Acelino C. Alfenas

2013-01-01

The rust fungus, Puccinia psidii, is a devastating pathogen of introduced eucalypts (Eucalyptus spp.) in Brazil where it was first observed in 1912. This pathogen is hypothesized to be endemic to South and Central America and to have first infected eucalypts via a host jump from native guava (Psidium guajava). Ten microsatellite markers were used to genotype 148 P....

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among recyclable waste collectors in Central-West Brazil

PubMed Central

Marinho, Thaís Augusto; Lopes, Carmen Luci Rodrigues; Teles, Sheila Araújo; Reis, Nádia Rúbia Silva; Carneiro, Megmar Aparecida dos Santos; de Andrade, Andreia Alves; Martins, Regina Maria Bringel

2013-01-01

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a population of recyclable waste collectors (n = 431) was assessed using a cross-sectional survey in all 15 cooperatives in the city of Goiânia, Central-West Brazil. The HCV prevalence was 1.6% (95% confidence interval: 0.6-3.6) and a history of sexually transmitted infections was independently associated with this infection. HCV RNA (corresponding to genotype 1; subtypes 1a and 1b) was detected in five/seven anti-HCV-positive samples. Although the study population reported a high rate (47.3%) of sharps and needle accidents, HCV infection was not more frequent in recyclable waste collectors than in the general Brazilian population. PMID:23828009

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among recyclable waste collectors in Central-West Brazil.

PubMed

Marinho, Thaís Augusto; Lopes, Carmen Luci Rodrigues; Teles, Sheila Araújo; Reis, Nádia Rúbia Silva; Carneiro, Megmar Aparecida dos Santos; de Andrade, Andreia Alves; Martins, Regina Maria Bringel

2013-06-01

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a population of recyclable waste collectors (n = 431) was assessed using a cross-sectional survey in all 15 cooperatives in the city of Goiânia, Central-West Brazil. The HCV prevalence was 1.6% (95% confidence interval: 0.6-3.6) and a history of sexually transmitted infections was independently associated with this infection. HCV RNA (corresponding to genotype 1; subtypes 1a and 1b) was detected in five/seven anti-HCV-positive samples. Although the study population reported a high rate (47.3%) of sharps and needle accidents, HCV infection was not more frequent in recyclable waste collectors than in the general Brazilian population.

Understanding the United States and Brazil's response to obesity: institutional conversion, policy reform, and the lessons learned.

PubMed

Gómez, Eduardo J

2015-06-10

In the United States (US) and Brazil, obesity has emerged as a health epidemic. This article is driven by the following research questions: how did the US and Brazil's federal institutions respond to obesity? And how did these responses affect policy implementation? The aim of this article is therefore to conduct a comparative case study analysis of how these nations' institutions responded in order to determine the key lessons learned. This study uses primary and secondary qualitative data to substantiate causal arguments and factual claims. Brazil shows that converting preexisting federal agencies working in primary healthcare to emphasize the provision of obesity prevention services can facilitate policy implementation, especially in rural areas. Brazil also reveals the importance of targeting federal grant support to the highest obesity prevalence areas and imposing grant conditionalities, while illustrating how the incorporation of social health movements into the bureaucracy facilitates the early adoption of nutrition and obesity policies. None of these reforms were pursued in the US. Brazil's government has engaged in innovative institutional conversion processes aiding its ability to sustain its centralized influence when implementing obesity policy. The US government's adoption of Brazil's institutional innovations may help to strengthen its policy response.

An application of sample entropy to precipitation in Paraíba State, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xavier, Sílvio Fernando Alves; da Silva Jale, Jader; Stosic, Tatijana; dos Santos, Carlos Antonio Costa; Singh, Vijay P.

2018-05-01

A climate system is characterized to be a complex non-linear system. In order to describe the complex characteristics of precipitation series in Paraíba State, Brazil, we aim the use of sample entropy, a kind of entropy-based algorithm, to evaluate the complexity of precipitation series. Sixty-nine meteorological stations are distributed over four macroregions: Zona da Mata, Agreste, Borborema, and Sertão. The results of the analysis show that intricacies of monthly average precipitation have differences in the macroregions. Sample entropy is able to reflect the dynamic change of precipitation series providing a new way to investigate complexity of hydrological series. The complexity exhibits areal variation of local water resource systems which can influence the basis for utilizing and developing resources in dry areas.

Biomass Burning Emissions in the Cerrado of Brazil Computed with Remote Sensing Data and GIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guild, Liane S.; Brass, James A.; Chatfield, Robert B.; Hlavka, Christine A.; Riggan, Philip J.; Setzer, Alberto; Pereira, Joao A. Raposo; Peterson, David L. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Biomass burnin is a common force in much of the developing tropical world where it has wide-ranging environmental impacts. Fire is a component of tropical deforestation and is 0 p often used to clear broad expanses of land for shifting agriculture and cattle ranching. Frequent burning in the tropical savannas is a distinct problem from that of primary forest. In Brazil, most of the burning occurs in the cerrado which occupies approximately 1,800,000 km2, primarily on the great plateau in central Brazil. Wildland and agricultural fires are dramatic sources of regional air pollution in central Brazil. Biomass burning is an important source of a large number of trace gases including greenhouse gases and other chemically active species. Knowledge of trace gas emissions from biomass burning in Brazil is limited by a number of factors, most notably relative emission factors for gases from specific fire types/fuels and accurate estimates of temporal and spatial distribution and extent of fire activity. Estimates of trace gas emissions during September 1992 will be presented that incorporates a digital map of vegetation classes, pyrogenic emission factors calculated from ground and aircraft missions, and Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) fire products derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data. The regional emissions calculated from National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) AVHRR estimates of fire activity will provide an independent estimate for comparison with results obtained by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Transport and Atmospheric Chemistry Near the Equator - Atlantic (TRACE-A) experiments.

Deforestation in Brazil: motivations, journeys and tendencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leite, J. C.; Ferreira, A. J. D.; Esteves, T. C. J.; Bento, C. P. M.

2012-04-01

José Carlos Leite1; António José Dinis Ferreira2; Tanya Cristina de Jesus Esteves2; Célia Patrícia Martins Bento2 1Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Brazil; 2IPC - Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra, Portugal Over the last three decades, deforestation in Brazil occurred systematically in the area known as the "arc of deforestation", an extensive geographical area located in the interface of the Cerrado and the Amazon biomes. This work encompasses the reasons, causes and/or motivations of that recent deforestation, focusing on the Central-West and Northern regions. A number of reasons will be presented, seeking to build an approach able to identify the deepest roots of deforestation of those regions. Our actions over the environment are framed by our cultural matrix that stream from a western philosophic attitude. This way, to understand the framework where the deforestation actions are justified requires a multidisciplinary approach to understand the deforestation of the Cerrado and Amazon biomes, since the motivations for forest destruction in Brazil are complex and not entirely understood within the domains of a single disciplinary area. To search for an isolated cause to understand the recent deforestation can only be plausible if we ignore information on what actually happens. The methodology used in this work is based on a bibliographical revision, analysis of georeferrenced information, participative processes implementation and observation of stakeholder behavior, and field research. It departs from a general vision on deforestation that initially occurred at the littoral region, by the Atlantic Rainforest, right after the arrival of the Europeans, and throughout the centuries penetrates towards the interior, hitting the Cerrado and Amazon biomes. In this last case, we focused on the Vale do Alto Guaporé region, near Bolivia, where the intensity of the deforestation was verified from 1970 to 1990. Ultimately, the final result is a mosaic of reasons for deforestation - that has been done by both large and small land owners - that incorporates other views that have been absent in the explanations given by so-called specialized literature of Brazil's deforestation.

Paleoamerican Diet, Migration and Morphology in Brazil: Archaeological Complexity of the Earliest Americans

PubMed Central

Eggers, Sabine; Parks, Maria; Grupe, Gisela; Reinhard, Karl J.

2011-01-01

During the early Holocene two main paleoamerican cultures thrived in Brazil: the Tradição Nordeste in the semi-desertic Sertão and the Tradição Itaparica in the high plains of the Planalto Central. Here we report on paleodietary singals of a Paleoamerican found in a third Brazilian ecological setting – a riverine shellmound, or sambaqui, located in the Atlantic forest. Most sambaquis are found along the coast. The peoples associated with them subsisted on marine resources. We are reporting a different situation from the oldest recorded riverine sambaqui, called Capelinha. Capelinha is a relatively small sambaqui established along a river 60 km from the Atlantic Ocean coast. It contained the well-preserved remains of a Paleoamerican known as Luzio dated to 9,945±235 years ago; the oldest sambaqui dweller so far. Luzio's bones were remarkably well preserved and allowed for stable isotopic analysis of diet. Although artifacts found at this riverine site show connections with the Atlantic coast, we show that he represents a population that was dependent on inland resources as opposed to marine coastal resources. After comparing Luzio's paleodietary data with that of other extant and prehistoric groups, we discuss where his group could have come from, if terrestrial diet persisted in riverine sambaquis and how Luzio fits within the discussion of the replacement of paleamerican by amerindian morphology. This study adds to the evidence that shows a greater complexity in the prehistory of the colonization of and the adaptations to the New World. PMID:21935369

Paleoamerican diet, migration and morphology in Brazil: archaeological complexity of the earliest Americans.

PubMed

Eggers, Sabine; Parks, Maria; Grupe, Gisela; Reinhard, Karl J

2011-01-01

During the early Holocene two main paleoamerican cultures thrived in Brazil: the Tradição Nordeste in the semi-desertic Sertão and the Tradição Itaparica in the high plains of the Planalto Central. Here we report on paleodietary singals of a Paleoamerican found in a third Brazilian ecological setting--a riverine shellmound, or sambaqui, located in the Atlantic forest. Most sambaquis are found along the coast. The peoples associated with them subsisted on marine resources. We are reporting a different situation from the oldest recorded riverine sambaqui, called Capelinha. Capelinha is a relatively small sambaqui established along a river 60 km from the Atlantic Ocean coast. It contained the well-preserved remains of a Paleoamerican known as Luzio dated to 9,945±235 years ago; the oldest sambaqui dweller so far. Luzio's bones were remarkably well preserved and allowed for stable isotopic analysis of diet. Although artifacts found at this riverine site show connections with the Atlantic coast, we show that he represents a population that was dependent on inland resources as opposed to marine coastal resources. After comparing Luzio's paleodietary data with that of other extant and prehistoric groups, we discuss where his group could have come from, if terrestrial diet persisted in riverine sambaquis and how Luzio fits within the discussion of the replacement of paleamerican by amerindian morphology. This study adds to the evidence that shows a greater complexity in the prehistory of the colonization of and the adaptations to the New World.

South America Monsoon variability on millennial to multi-centennial time scale during the Holocene in central eastern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strikis, N. M.; Cruz, F. W.; Cheng, H.; Karmann, I.; Vuille, M.; Edwards, R.; Wang, X.; Paula, M. S.; Novello, V. F.; Auler, A.

2011-12-01

A paleoprecipitation reconstruction based on high resolution and well-dated speleothem oxygen isotope records shows that the monsoon precipitation over central eastern Brazil underwent to strong variations on millennial to multi-centennial time-scales during the Holocene. This new record indicates that abrupt events of increase in monsoon precipitation are correlated to Bond events 6, 5 and 4 and also with 8.2 ky event during the early and mid-Holocene, with a mean amplitude of 1.5 % (PDB). The pacing and structure of such events are general consistent with variations in solar activity suggested by atmospheric Δ14 C records. In the late-Holocene, abrupt events of increase in monsoon precipitation peaking at 3.2, 2.7 and 2.3 ky B.P. are approximately synchronous with periods of low solar minima. In this regard, the most prominent event occurred during the late Holocene occurred at ~2.7 ky B.P. In addition, these positive anomalies of the precipitation recorded in central eastern Brazil are also in good agreement with variations in Titicaca lake level. The good correspondence between the speleothem and marine records imply that the variations in the north Atlantic sea surface temperature is the main forcing for abrupt millennial to multi-centennial precipitations variation within the region under influence of South American Monsoon.

Evaluacion de Programas de Alfabetizacion. Consulta Tecnica Regional (Maracaibo, Venezuela, 30 Noviembre-6 Diciembre 1987) Informe Final. (Evaluation of Literacy Programs. Regional Technical Meeting (Maracaibo, Venezuela, November 30-December 6, 1987).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Santiago (Chile). Regional Office for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The objectives of this seminar were to identify problems in evaluating literacy programs and to design a working strategy to confront them. Four presentations included national case studies from Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Central questions asked concerned who and what were evaluated and how were the results to be used. In Brazil,…

Prevalence of crown trauma in free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) in central Brazil.

PubMed

Furtado, Mariana Malzoni; Kashivakura, Cyntia Kayo; Ferro, Claudia; Jácomo, Anah Tereza de Almeida; Silveira, Leandro; Astete, Samuel; Lopes, Fernanda Maria

2007-12-01

Nineteen free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) were captured in central Brazil from April through November 2003. Oral cavity examination revealed 34 teeth with crown trauma in twelve animals. Canine teeth were most commonly affected (44.2%), followed by premolar (29.4%) and incisor teeth (26.5%). Trauma to maxillary teeth (67.7%) was more frequent compared with mandibular teeth (32.3 %). The majority of dental fractures were located at the cuspid portion of the crown (56.0%). Slab fractures were the most frequent type (37.0%), followed by horizontal (24.0%), oblique (24.0%) and longitudinal fractures (15.0%). Complicated crown fracture (pulp exposure) was diagnosed in 13 (38.2%) of these teeth while pulpitis noted by tooth discoloration was diagnosed in 8 (23.5%) teeth.

Protective effect of intradermal BCG against leprosy; a case-control study in central Brazil.

PubMed

Rodrigues, M L; Silva, S A; Neto, J C; de Andrade, A L; Martelli, C M; Zicker, F

1992-09-01

A case-control study was undertaken to evaluate the protective efficacy of intradermal BCG against leprosy in a high-endemic area of leprosy in central Brazil. Sixty-two cases and 186 controls were included in the study. Cases were all newly diagnosed leprosy patients under 16 years of age attending an outpatient health service, and all of them were schoolchildren. Three controls under 16 years old, frequency matched by sex and age group, were selected from schools geographically located in the area from which the cases came. The presence of BCG was negatively associated with leprosy, indicating a 5.3 risk of leprosy for those nonvaccinated and protective efficacy of 81%. Paucibacillary patients were more likely to have a BCG scar than multibacillary patients.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication System (AAC) for Social Inclusion of People With Complex Communication Needs in the Industry.

PubMed

Krüger, Simone; Berberian, Ana Paula

2015-01-01

Inclusion of people with special needs in the labor market has been increasing in some regions of Brazil as a result of the Articles 6 and 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Brazil and the Quota Law (No. 8.213/91, Art. 93) which entitle people with disabilities to work in order to improve their social condition. To support persons with complex communication needs in the workplace, 40 graphic symbols termed "symbols of industrial expressions" were developed within the framework of the COMMUNIS package. The symbols were developed for a company of the food sector in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba, Brazil. Individual interviews were held with the human resources professionals, as well as with employees with complex communication needs in order to identify problems, assess requirements, and generate a list of specific symbols to develop. The symbols were then validated with regard to their ease of recognition. Only five symbols needed revision. The results suggest that it is possible to develop a set of symbols for the workplace that are judged to be iconic by human resources professionals and employees with complex communication needs.

Oil and gas developments in South Africa, Central America, Caribbean Area, and Mexico in 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tappmeyer, D.M.

1985-10-01

For the 25 countries described in the region, exploration activity continued to be centered in proven petroleum provinces in 1984. Exploration activity increased in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. Important, successful exploration efforts continued in areas around Cano Limon field in Colombia, and Guafita and La Victoria fields in Venezuela. Notable discoveries in South America included the 42-46-1X San Martin Cretaceous discovery by Shell in the Ucayali basin in Peru, the significant oil and gas discovery at Palmar Largo ES-1 by YPF in Argentina, and the first offshore gas discovery, the Pecten 1-SPS-20 wildcat in the Santo basin in Brazil. Oilmore » production increased in Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. A notable increase (40%) in oil production occurred in Brazil. Gas production increased in Argentina, Barbados, Colombia, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. 8 figures, 8 tables.« less

Oil and gas developments in South America, Central America, Caribbean Area, and Mexico in 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tappmeyer, D.M.

1985-10-01

For the 25 countries described in the region, exploration activity continued to be centered in proven petroleum provinces in 1984. Exploration activity increased in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. Important, successful exploration efforts continued in areas around Cano Limon field in Colombia, and Guafita and La Victoria fields in Venezuela. Notable discoveries in South America included the 42-461X San Martin Cretaceous discovery by Shell in the Ucayali basin in Peru, the significant oil and gas discovery at Palmar Largo ES-1 by YPF in Argentina, and the first offshore gas discovery, the Pecten 1-SPS-20 wildcat in the Santo basin in Brazil. Oilmore » production increased in Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. A notable increase (40%) in oil production occurred in Brazil. Gas production increased in Argentina, Barbados, Colombia, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago.« less

U.S.-Latin American Trade: Recent Trends

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-05-11

Export growth fell by 9.7% to Brazil, 37.8% to Venezuela , and 2.3% to the Dominican Republic. It rose, however, by 5.6% to Colombia, 3.8% to Chile...crisis in Venezuela , and the economic rebound in Argentina. Central America, as a region, escaped South America’s recent round of economic...from Mexico, 13.3% from Brazil, 7.1% from the Dominican Republic, 14.3% from Colombia, 13.2% from Venezuela , 9.7% from Costa Rica, and 7.1% from

Diagnosing Cervical Neoplasia in Rural Brazil Using a Mobile Van Equipped with In Vivo Microscopy: A Cluster-Randomized Community Trial.

PubMed

Hunt, Brady; Fregnani, José Humberto Tavares Guerreiro; Schwarz, Richard A; Pantano, Naitielle; Tesoni, Suelen; Possati-Resende, Júlio César; Antoniazzi, Marcio; de Oliveira Fonseca, Bruno; de Macêdo Matsushita, Graziela; Scapulatempo-Neto, Cristovam; Kerr, Ligia; Castle, Philip E; Schmeler, Kathleen; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca

2018-06-01

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death in underserved areas of Brazil. This prospective randomized trial involved 200 women in southern/central Brazil with abnormal Papanicolaou tests. Participants were randomized by geographic cluster and referred for diagnostic evaluation either at a mobile van upon its scheduled visit to their local community, or at a central hospital. Participants in both arms underwent colposcopy, in vivo microscopy, and cervical biopsies. We compared rates of diagnostic follow-up completion between study arms, and also evaluated the diagnostic performance of in vivo microscopy compared with colposcopy. There was a 23% absolute and 37% relative increase in diagnostic follow-up completion rates for patients referred to the mobile van (102/117, 87%) compared with the central hospital (53/83, 64%; P = 0.0001; risk ratio = 1.37, 95% CI, 1.14-1.63). In 229 cervical sites in 144 patients, colposcopic examination identified sites diagnosed as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or more severe (CIN2+; 85 sites) with a sensitivity of 94% (95% CI, 87%-98%) and specificity of 50% (95% CI, 42%-58%). In vivo microscopy with real-time automated image analysis identified CIN2+ with a sensitivity of 92% (95% CI, 84%-97%) and specificity of 48% (95% CI, 40%-56%). Women referred to the mobile van were more likely to complete their diagnostic follow-up compared with those referred to a central hospital, without compromise in clinical care. In vivo microscopy in a mobile van provides automated diagnostic imaging with sensitivity and specificity similar to colposcopy. Cancer Prev Res; 11(6); 359-70. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

First Report of the East-Central South African Genotype of Chikungunya Virus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

PubMed Central

Souza, Thiara Manuele Alves; Azeredo, Elzinandes Leal; Badolato-Corrêa, Jessica; Damasco, Paulo Vieira; Santos, Carla; Petitinga-Paiva, Fabienne; Nunes, Priscila Conrado Guerra; Barbosa, Luciana Santos; Cipitelli, Márcio Costa; Chouin-Carneiro, Thais; Faria, Nieli Rodrigues Costa; Nogueira, Rita Maria Ribeiro; de Bruycker-Nogueira, Fernanda; dos Santos, Flavia Barreto

2017-01-01

Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus that causes an acute febrile syndrome with a severe and debilitating arthralgia. In Brazil, the Asian and East-Central South African (ECSA) genotypes are circulating in the north and northeast of the country, respectively. In 2015, the first autochthonous cases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were reported but until now the circulating strains have not been characterized. Therefore, we aimed here to perform the molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of CHIKV strains circulating in the 2016 outbreak occurred in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. Methods: The cases analyzed in this study were collected at a private Hospital, from April 2016 to May 2016, during the chikungunya outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All cases were submitted to the Real Time RT-PCR for CHIKV genome detection and to anti-CHIKV IgM ELISA. Chikungunya infection was laboratorially confirmed by at least one diagnostic method and, randomly selected positive cases (n=10), were partially sequenced (CHIKV E1 gene) and analyzed. Results: The results showed that all the samples grouped in ECSA genotype branch and the molecular characterization of the fragment did not reveal the A226V mutation in the Rio de Janeiro strains analyzed, but a K211T amino acid substitution was observed for the first time in all samples and a V156A substitution in two of ten samples. Conclusions: Phylogenetic analysis and molecular characterization reveals the circulation of the ECSA genotype of CHIKV in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and two amino acids substitutions (K211T and V156A) exclusive to the CHIKV strains obtained during the 2016 epidemic, were reported. PMID:28286701

First Report of the East-Central South African Genotype of Chikungunya Virus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

PubMed

Souza, Thiara Manuele Alves; Azeredo, Elzinandes Leal; Badolato-Corrêa, Jessica; Damasco, Paulo Vieira; Santos, Carla; Petitinga-Paiva, Fabienne; Nunes, Priscila Conrado Guerra; Barbosa, Luciana Santos; Cipitelli, Márcio Costa; Chouin-Carneiro, Thais; Faria, Nieli Rodrigues Costa; Nogueira, Rita Maria Ribeiro; de Bruycker-Nogueira, Fernanda; Dos Santos, Flavia Barreto

2017-02-14

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus that causes an acute febrile syndrome with a severe and debilitating arthralgia. In Brazil, the Asian and East-Central South African (ECSA) genotypes are circulating in the north and northeast of the country, respectively. In 2015, the first autochthonous cases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were reported but until now the circulating strains have not been characterized. Therefore, we aimed here to perform the molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of CHIKV strains circulating in the 2016 outbreak occurred in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The cases analyzed in this study were collected at a private Hospital, from April 2016 to May 2016, during the chikungunya outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All cases were submitted to the Real Time RT-PCR for CHIKV genome detection and to anti-CHIKV IgM ELISA. Chikungunya infection was laboratorially confirmed by at least one diagnostic method and, randomly selected positive cases (n=10), were partially sequenced (CHIKV E1 gene) and analyzed. The results showed that all the samples grouped in ECSA genotype branch and the molecular characterization of the fragment did not reveal the A226V mutation in the Rio de Janeiro strains analyzed, but a K211T amino acid substitution was observed for the first time in all samples and a V156A substitution in two of ten samples. Phylogenetic analysis and molecular characterization reveals the circulation of the ECSA genotype of CHIKV in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and two amino acids substitutions (K211T and V156A) exclusive to the CHIKV strains obtained during the 2016 epidemic, were reported.

Teachers' social representations on drug use in a secondary school.

PubMed

Martini, Jussara Gue; Furegato, Antonia Regina Ferreira

2008-01-01

Increased concern regarding drug abuse among adolescents contributes to the elaboration of prevention programs at schools. This investigation aims to know teachers' social representations, regarding drug abuse, in a secondary school in Florianopolis, SC, Brazil. A total of 16 teachers of the 5th to 8th grades participated in the study. Data were collected through associations elaborated by teachers in response to the expression: drugs use/abuse. The teacher's representations are organized around a central concept - the vulnerable other: a needy adolescent, who becomes drugs user, highlighting the family, everyday coping, and the school's (in)visibility in prevention actions, as factors related. The complexity of factors involving drugs production, distribution and its commercialization, demands the implementation of actions that go beyond the scopes of education and health. The elaboration of inter-sector prevention programs considering local characteristics is necessary.

Assessing fire emissions from tropical savanna and forests of central Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riggan, Philip J.; Brass, James A.; Lockwood, Robert N.

1993-01-01

Wildfires in tropical forest and savanna are a strong source of trace gas and particulate emissions to the atmosphere, but estimates of the continental-scale impacts are limited by large uncertainties in the rates of fire occurrence and biomass combustion. Satellite-based remote sensing offers promise for characterizing fire physical properties and impacts on the environment, but currently available sensors saturate over high-radiance targets and provide only indications of regions and times at which fires are extensive and their areal rate of growing as recorded in ash layers. Here we describe an approach combining satellite- and aircraft-based remote sensing with in situ measurements of smoke to estimate emissions from central Brazil. These estimates will improve global accounting of radiation-absorbing gases and particulates that may be contributing to climate change and will provide strategic data for fire management.

Living conditions and access to health services by Bolivian immigrants in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Silveira, Cássio; Carneiro Junior, Nivaldo; Ribeiro, Manoel Carlos Sampaio de Almeida; Barata, Rita de Cássia Barradas

2013-10-01

Bolivian immigrants in Brazil experience serious social problems: precarious work conditions, lack of documents and insufficient access to health services. The study aimed to investigate inequalities in living conditions and access to health services among Bolivian immigrants living in the central area of São Paulo, Brazil, using a cross-sectional design and semi-structured interviews with 183 adults. According to the data, the immigrants tend to remain in Brazil, thus resulting in an aging process in the group. Per capita income increases the longer the immigrants stay in the country. The majority have secondary schooling. Work status does not vary according to time since arrival in Brazil. The immigrants work and live in garment sweatshops and speak their original languages. Social networks are based on ties with family and friends. Access to health services shows increasing inclusion in primary care. The authors conclude that the immigrants' social exclusion is decreasing due to greater access to documentation, work (although precarious), and the supply of health services from the public primary care system.

The Zika Virus Outbreak in Brazil: Knowledge Gaps and Challenges for Risk Reduction.

PubMed

Garcia Serpa Osorio-de-Castro, Claudia; Silva Miranda, Elaine; Machado de Freitas, Carlos; Rochel de Camargo, Kenneth; Cranmer, Hilarie Hartel

2017-06-01

We analyzed uncertainties and complexities of the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, and we discuss risk reduction for future emergencies. We present the public health situation in Brazil and concurrent determinants of the epidemic and the knowledge gaps that persist despite building evidence from research, making public health decisions difficult. Brazil has adopted active measures, but producing desired outcomes may be uncertain because of partial or unavailable information. Reducing population group vulnerabilities and acting on environmental issues are medium- to long-term measures. Simultaneously dealing with information gaps, uncontrolled disease spread, and vulnerabilities is a new risk scenario and must be approached decisively to face emerging biothreats.

Determinants of Demand in the Public Dental Emergency Service.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Maria Sa; Gatti, Marcia An; de Conti, Marta Hs; de Ap Simeão, Sandra F; de Oliveira Braga Franzolin, Solange; Marta, Sara N

2017-02-01

Although dental emergencies are primarily aimed at pain relief, in practice, dental emergency services have been overwhelmed by the massive inflow of patients with less complex cases, which could be resolved at basic levels of health care. They frequently become the main gateway to the system. We investigated the determinant factors of demand at the Central Dental Emergency Unit in Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. The questionnaire was applied to 521 users to evaluate sociodemographic profile; factors that led users to seek the service at the central dental emergency; perception of service offered. About 80.4% of users went directly to the central dental emergency, even before seeking basic health units. The reasons were difficulty to be attended (34.6%) and incompatible time (9.8%). To the perception of the necessity of the service, responses were problem as urgent (78.3%) and pain was the main complaint (69.1%). The profile we found was unmarried (41.5%), male (52.2%), white (62.8%), aged 30 to 59 (52.2%), incomplete basic education (41.6%), family income up to 2 minimum wages (47.4%), and no medical/dental plan (88.9%). It was concluded that the users of central dental emergency come from all sectors of the city, due to difficult access to basic health units; they consider their complaint urgent; and they are satisfied with the service offered. To meet the profile of the user urgency's service so that it is not overloaded with demand that can be fulfilled in basic health units.

Contextualizing Obesity and Diabetes Policy: Exploring a Nested Statistical and Constructivist Approach at the Cross-National and Subnational Government Level in the United States and Brazil

PubMed Central

Gómez, Eduardo J.

2017-01-01

Background: This article conducts a comparative national and subnational government analysis of the political, economic, and ideational constructivist contextual factors facilitating the adoption of obesity and diabetes policy. Methods: We adopt a nested analytical approach to policy analysis, which combines cross-national statistical analysis with subnational case study comparisons to examine theoretical prepositions and discover alternative contextual factors; this was combined with an ideational constructivist approach to policy-making. Results: Contrary to the existing literature, we found that with the exception of cross-national statistical differences in access to healthcare infrastructural resources, the growing burden of obesity and diabetes, rising healthcare costs and increased citizens’ knowledge had no predictive affect on the adoption of obesity and diabetes policy. We then turned to a subnational comparative analysis of the states of Mississippi in the United States and Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil to further assess the importance of infrastructural resources, at two units of analysis: the state governments versus rural municipal governments. Qualitative evidence suggests that differences in subnational healthcare infrastructural resources were insufficient for explaining policy reform processes, highlighting instead other potentially important factors, such as state-civil societal relationships and policy diffusion in Mississippi, federal policy intervention in Rio Grande do Norte, and politicians’ social construction of obesity and the resulting differences in policy roles assigned to the central government. Conclusion: We conclude by underscoring the complexity of subnational policy responses to obesity and diabetes, the importance of combining resource and constructivist analysis for better understanding the context of policy reform, while underscoring the potential lessons that the United States can learn from Brazil. PMID:29179290

Comparative assessment of genetic and morphological variation at an extensive hybrid zone between two wild cats in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Trigo, Tatiane C; Tirelli, Flávia P; de Freitas, Thales R O; Eizirik, Eduardo

2014-01-01

Increased attention towards the Neotropical cats Leopardus guttulus and L. geoffroyi was prompted after genetic studies identified the occurrence of extensive hybridization between them at their geographic contact zone in southern Brazil. This is a region where two biomes intersect, each of which is associated with one of the hybridizing species (Atlantic Forest with L. guttulus and Pampas with L. geoffroyi). In this study, we conducted in-depth analyses of multiple molecular markers aiming to characterize the magnitude and spatial structure of this hybrid zone. We also performed a morphological assessment of these species, aiming to test their phenotypic differentiation at the contact zone, as well as the correlation between morphological features and the admixture status of the individuals. We found strong evidence for extensive and complex hybridization, with at least 40% of the individuals sampled in Rio Grande do Sul state (southernmost Brazil) identified as hybrids resulting from post-F1 generations. Despite such a high level of hybridization, samples collected in this state still comprised two recognizable clusters (genetically and morphologically). Genetically pure individuals were sampled mainly in regions farther from the contact zone, while hybrids concentrated in a central region (exactly at the interface between the two biomes). The morphological data set also revealed a strong spatial structure, which was correlated with the molecular results but displayed an even more marked separation between the clusters. Hybrids often did not present intermediate body sizes and could not be clearly distinguished morphologically from the parental forms. This observation suggests that some selective pressure may be acting on the hybrids, limiting their dispersal away from the hybrid zone and perhaps favoring genomic combinations that maintain adaptive phenotypic features of one or the other parental species.

Comparative Assessment of Genetic and Morphological Variation at an Extensive Hybrid Zone between Two Wild Cats in Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

Trigo, Tatiane C.; Tirelli, Flávia P.; de Freitas, Thales R. O.; Eizirik, Eduardo

2014-01-01

Increased attention towards the Neotropical cats Leopardus guttulus and L. geoffroyi was prompted after genetic studies identified the occurrence of extensive hybridization between them at their geographic contact zone in southern Brazil. This is a region where two biomes intersect, each of which is associated with one of the hybridizing species (Atlantic Forest with L. guttulus and Pampas with L. geoffroyi). In this study, we conducted in-depth analyses of multiple molecular markers aiming to characterize the magnitude and spatial structure of this hybrid zone. We also performed a morphological assessment of these species, aiming to test their phenotypic differentiation at the contact zone, as well as the correlation between morphological features and the admixture status of the individuals. We found strong evidence for extensive and complex hybridization, with at least 40% of the individuals sampled in Rio Grande do Sul state (southernmost Brazil) identified as hybrids resulting from post-F1 generations. Despite such a high level of hybridization, samples collected in this state still comprised two recognizable clusters (genetically and morphologically). Genetically pure individuals were sampled mainly in regions farther from the contact zone, while hybrids concentrated in a central region (exactly at the interface between the two biomes). The morphological data set also revealed a strong spatial structure, which was correlated with the molecular results but displayed an even more marked separation between the clusters. Hybrids often did not present intermediate body sizes and could not be clearly distinguished morphologically from the parental forms. This observation suggests that some selective pressure may be acting on the hybrids, limiting their dispersal away from the hybrid zone and perhaps favoring genomic combinations that maintain adaptive phenotypic features of one or the other parental species. PMID:25250657

Molecular genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii from Central and South America revealed highly diverse populations and suggested possible different origins of the three archetypal lineages

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Most T. gondii strains in North America and Europe belong to three archetypal clonal lineages including the Type I, II and III but, isolates from Brazil are highly diverse. Here, we analyzed 164 T. gondii isolates from three countries in Central America (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica), from one c...

Description of evandromyia spelunca, a new phlebotomine species of the cortelezzii complex, from a cave in Minas Gerais State, Brazil (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae).

PubMed

Carvalho, Gustavo M L; Brazil, Reginaldo P; Sanguinette, Cristiani C; Filho, José D Andrade

2011-08-09

The cave fauna of the Brazil is poorly documented, and among the insects those live or frequent caves and their adjacent environments phlebotomine sand flies call for special attention because several species are vectors of pathogens among vertebrates hosts. A new species of sand fly from Minas Gerais is described based in females and males collected in a cave of the municipality of Lassance. The morphological characters of the new species permit to include in the Evandromyia genus, cortelezzii complex. This complex consists of three species: Evandromyia corumbaensis (Galati, Nunes, Oshiro & Rego, 1989), Evandromyia cortelezzii (Brethes, 1923) and Evandromyia sallesi (Galvao & Coutinho, 1940). The new species can be separate from the others of the cortelezzii complex through morphological characters of the male terminalia and female spermathecae.

First report of Fusarium graminearum, F. asiaticum and F. cortaderiae as head blight pathogens of annual ryegrass in Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) cause Fusarium head blight (FHB) of small grains and several grasses, including annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), an important forage crop, but also a common weed in wheat, rice and maize agroecosystem in southern Brazil. Although i...

Molecular identification of Sporothrix species involved in the first familial outbreak of sporotrichosis in the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Manoel Marques Evangelista; Maifrede, Simone Bravim; Ribeiro, Mariceli Araújo; Zancope-Oliveira, Rosely Maria

2013-01-01

Sporotrichosis is a widespread subcutaneous mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungi now known as the Sporothrix schenckii complex. This complex is comprised of at least six species, including Sporothrix albicans, Sporothrix brasiliensis, Sporothrix globosa, Sporothrix luriei, Sporothrix mexicana and S. schenckii. Cases of sporotrichosis have significantly increased in Brazil over the past decade, especially in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), where an epidemic among cat owners has been observed. The zoonotic transmission from cats to humans suggests a common source of infection and indicates that animals can act as vectors. We performed a molecular characterisation of samples collected during the first outbreak of familial sporotrichosis caused by S. brasiliensis in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. These results represent the first description of such an outbreak outside the endemic area of zoonotic sporotrichosis in RJ. PMID:24141957

Molecular identification of Sporothrix species involved in the first familial outbreak of sporotrichosis in the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Oliveira, Manoel Marques Evangelista; Maifrede, Simone Bravim; Ribeiro, Mariceli Araújo; Zancope-Oliveira, Rosely Maria

2013-11-01

Sporotrichosis is a widespread subcutaneous mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungi now known as the Sporothrix schenckii complex. This complex is comprised of at least six species, including Sporothrix albicans, Sporothrix brasiliensis, Sporothrix globosa, Sporothrix luriei, Sporothrix mexicana and S. schenckii. Cases of sporotrichosis have significantly increased in Brazil over the past decade, especially in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), where an epidemic among cat owners has been observed. The zoonotic transmission from cats to humans suggests a common source of infection and indicates that animals can act as vectors. We performed a molecular characterisation of samples collected during the first outbreak of familial sporotrichosis caused by S. brasiliensis in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. These results represent the first description of such an outbreak outside the endemic area of zoonotic sporotrichosis in RJ.

Species limits within the widespread Amazonian treefrog Dendropsophus parviceps with descriptions of two new species (Anura, Hylidae).

PubMed

Rivadeneira, C Daniel; Venegas, Pablo J; Ron, Santiago R

2018-01-01

The genus Dendropsophus is one of the most speciose among Neotropical anurans and its number of described species is increasing. Herein, molecular, morphological, and bioacoustic evidence are combined to assess species limits within D. parviceps , a widely distributed species in the Amazon Basin. Phylogenetic relationships were assessed using 3040 bp sequences of mitochondrial DNA, genes 12S, ND1, and CO1. The phylogeny shows three well-supported clades. Bioacoustic and morphological divergence is congruent with those clades demonstrating that Dendropsophus parviceps is a species complex. Dendropsophus parviceps sensu stricto occurs in the Amazon basin of Ecuador, northern Peru, southern Colombia and northwestern Brazil. It is sister to two previously undescribed species, D. kubricki sp. n. from central Peru and D. kamagarini sp. n. from southern Peru, northeastern Bolivia, and northwestern Brazil. Genetic distances (uncorrected p , gene 12S) between D. parviceps and the new species is 3 to 4%. Dendropsophus kamagarini sp. n. can be distinguished from D. parviceps by having a prominent conical tubercle on the distal edge of the upper eyelid (tubercle absent in D. parviceps ). Dendropsophus kubricki sp. n. differs from D. parviceps by having scattered low tubercles on the upper eyelids (smooth in D. parviceps ). Dendropsophus parviceps and both new species differ from all their congeners by their small size (adult maximum SVL = 28.39 mm in females, 22.73 mm in males) and by having a bright orange blotch on the hidden areas of the shanks and under arms. The advertisement call of the two new species has lower dominant frequency relative to D. parviceps . Probable speciation modes are discussed. Available evidence indicates that ecological speciation along an elevation gradient is unlikely in this species complex.

Species limits within the widespread Amazonian treefrog Dendropsophus parviceps with descriptions of two new species (Anura, Hylidae)

PubMed Central

Rivadeneira, C. Daniel; Venegas, Pablo J.; Ron, Santiago R.

2018-01-01

Abstract The genus Dendropsophus is one of the most speciose among Neotropical anurans and its number of described species is increasing. Herein, molecular, morphological, and bioacoustic evidence are combined to assess species limits within D. parviceps, a widely distributed species in the Amazon Basin. Phylogenetic relationships were assessed using 3040 bp sequences of mitochondrial DNA, genes 12S, ND1, and CO1. The phylogeny shows three well-supported clades. Bioacoustic and morphological divergence is congruent with those clades demonstrating that Dendropsophus parviceps is a species complex. Dendropsophus parviceps sensu stricto occurs in the Amazon basin of Ecuador, northern Peru, southern Colombia and northwestern Brazil. It is sister to two previously undescribed species, D. kubricki sp. n. from central Peru and D. kamagarini sp. n. from southern Peru, northeastern Bolivia, and northwestern Brazil. Genetic distances (uncorrected p, gene 12S) between D. parviceps and the new species is 3 to 4%. Dendropsophus kamagarini sp. n. can be distinguished from D. parviceps by having a prominent conical tubercle on the distal edge of the upper eyelid (tubercle absent in D. parviceps). Dendropsophus kubricki sp. n. differs from D. parviceps by having scattered low tubercles on the upper eyelids (smooth in D. parviceps). Dendropsophus parviceps and both new species differ from all their congeners by their small size (adult maximum SVL = 28.39 mm in females, 22.73 mm in males) and by having a bright orange blotch on the hidden areas of the shanks and under arms. The advertisement call of the two new species has lower dominant frequency relative to D. parviceps. Probable speciation modes are discussed. Available evidence indicates that ecological speciation along an elevation gradient is unlikely in this species complex. PMID:29430205

Mesozoic dinosaurs from Brazil and their biogeographic implications.

PubMed

Bittencourt, Jonathas S; Langer, Max C

2011-03-01

The record of dinosaur body-fossils in the Brazilian Mesozoic is restricted to the Triassic of Rio Grande do Sul and Cretaceous of various parts of the country. This includes 21 named species, two of which were regarded as nomina dubia, and 19 consensually assigned to Dinosauria. Additional eight supraspecific taxa have been identified based on fragmentary specimens and numerous dinosaur footprints known in Brazil. In fact, most Brazilian specimens related to dinosaurs are composed of isolated teeth and vertebrae. Despite the increase of fieldwork during the last decade, there are still no dinosaur body-fossils of Jurassic age and the evidence of ornithischians in Brazil is very limited. Dinosaur faunas from this country are generally correlated with those from other parts of Gondwana throughout the Mesozoic. During the Late Triassic, there is a close correspondence to Argentina and other south-Pangaea areas. Mid-Cretaceous faunas of northeastern Brazil resemble those of coeval deposits of North Africa and Argentina. Southern hemisphere spinosaurids are restricted to Africa and Brazil, whereas abelisaurids are still unknown in the Early Cretaceous of the latter. Late Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages of south-central Brazil are endemic only to genus or, more conspicuously, to species level, sharing closely related taxa with Argentina, Madagascar, Indo-Pakistan and, to a lesser degree, continental Africa.

[Health and indigenous peoples in Brazil: notes on some current policy mistakes].

PubMed

Cardoso, Marina Denise

2014-04-01

This article aims to analyze health policies for indigenous peoples in Brazil with reference to the 1988 National Constitution and its consequences for their healthcare. Three components are central to this analysis: the management model, based on the concepts of "autonomy" and "social control", but essentially expressing the forms of indigenous representation and participation in public policies; the concept of "differential care" for establishing an inclusive (but operationally normative) healthcare model; and the relationship between the management model for indigenous healthcare and indigenous therapeutic practices.

Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among unskilled urban workers in central Brazil.

PubMed

Zicker, F; Oliveira, R M; Luquetti, A O; Oliveira, O S; Smith, P G

1989-01-01

A cross-sectional survey of the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection was carried out among urban unskilled workers in an endemic area in central Brazil as part of a study to assess the health impact of Chagas disease and to identify risk factors for the evolution of cardiopathy. Blood samples from 5425 male and female workers, aged 15-61 years, from 5 public institutions, were screened by indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect haemagglutination for antibodies to T. cruzi. Seroprevalence varied from 8.8% to 15.6% in the different institutions and increase with age up to 55 years. More stable jobs were associated with lower seroprevalence. Migrants from São Paulo and Minas Gerais presented higher prevalence and a relative risk associated with seropositivity in relation to workers from Goiás of 2.2 (95% confidence limits, 1.4-3.5) and 1.9 (1.6-2.3), respectively.

Malaria in Brazil: what happens outside the Amazonian endemic region.

PubMed

de Pina-Costa, Anielle; Brasil, Patrícia; Di Santi, Sílvia Maria; de Araujo, Mariana Pereira; Suárez-Mutis, Martha Cecilia; Santelli, Ana Carolina Faria e Silva; Oliveira-Ferreira, Joseli; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Daniel-Ribeiro, Cláudio Tadeu

2014-08-01

Brazil, a country of continental proportions, presents three profiles of malaria transmission. The first and most important numerically, occurs inside the Amazon. The Amazon accounts for approximately 60% of the nation's territory and approximately 13% of the Brazilian population. This region hosts 99.5% of the nation's malaria cases, which are predominantly caused by Plasmodium vivax (i.e., 82% of cases in 2013). The second involves imported malaria, which corresponds to malaria cases acquired outside the region where the individuals live or the diagnosis was made. These cases are imported from endemic regions of Brazil (i.e., the Amazon) or from other countries in South and Central America, Africa and Asia. Imported malaria comprised 89% of the cases found outside the area of active transmission in Brazil in 2013. These cases highlight an important question with respect to both therapeutic and epidemiological issues because patients, especially those with falciparum malaria, arriving in a region where the health professionals may not have experience with the clinical manifestations of malaria and its diagnosis could suffer dramatic consequences associated with a potential delay in treatment. Additionally, because the Anopheles vectors exist in most of the country, even a single case of malaria, if not diagnosed and treated immediately, may result in introduced cases, causing outbreaks and even introducing or reintroducing the disease to a non-endemic, receptive region. Cases introduced outside the Amazon usually occur in areas in which malaria was formerly endemic and are transmitted by competent vectors belonging to the subgenus Nyssorhynchus (i.e., Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles aquasalis and species of the Albitarsis complex). The third type of transmission accounts for only 0.05% of all cases and is caused by autochthonous malaria in the Atlantic Forest, located primarily along the southeastern Atlantic Coast. They are caused by parasites that seem to be (or to be very close to) P. vivax and, in a less extent, by Plasmodium malariae and it is transmitted by the bromeliad mosquito Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii. This paper deals mainly with the two profiles of malaria found outside the Amazon: the imported and ensuing introduced cases and the autochthonous cases. We also provide an update regarding the situation in Brazil and the Brazilian endemic Amazon.

Malaria in Brazil: what happens outside the Amazonian endemic region

PubMed Central

de Pina-Costa, Anielle; Brasil, Patrícia; Santi, Sílvia Maria Di; de Araujo, Mariana Pereira; Suárez-Mutis, Martha Cecilia; Santelli, Ana Carolina Faria e Silva; Oliveira-Ferreira, Joseli; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Daniel-Ribeiro, Cláudio Tadeu

2014-01-01

Brazil, a country of continental proportions, presents three profiles of malaria transmission. The first and most important numerically, occurs inside the Amazon. The Amazon accounts for approximately 60% of the nation’s territory and approximately 13% of the Brazilian population. This region hosts 99.5% of the nation’s malaria cases, which are predominantly caused by Plasmodium vivax (i.e., 82% of cases in 2013). The second involves imported malaria, which corresponds to malaria cases acquired outside the region where the individuals live or the diagnosis was made. These cases are imported from endemic regions of Brazil (i.e., the Amazon) or from other countries in South and Central America, Africa and Asia. Imported malaria comprised 89% of the cases found outside the area of active transmission in Brazil in 2013. These cases highlight an important question with respect to both therapeutic and epidemiological issues because patients, especially those with falciparum malaria, arriving in a region where the health professionals may not have experience with the clinical manifestations of malaria and its diagnosis could suffer dramatic consequences associated with a potential delay in treatment. Additionally, because the Anopheles vectors exist in most of the country, even a single case of malaria, if not diagnosed and treated immediately, may result in introduced cases, causing outbreaks and even introducing or reintroducing the disease to a non-endemic, receptive region. Cases introduced outside the Amazon usually occur in areas in which malaria was formerly endemic and are transmitted by competent vectors belonging to the subgenus Nyssorhynchus (i.e., Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles aquasalis and species of the Albitarsis complex). The third type of transmission accounts for only 0.05% of all cases and is caused by autochthonous malaria in the Atlantic Forest, located primarily along the southeastern Atlantic Coast. They are caused by parasites that seem to be (or to be very close to) P. vivax and, in a less extent, by Plasmodium malariae and it is transmitted by the bromeliad mosquito Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii. This paper deals mainly with the two profiles of malaria found outside the Amazon: the imported and ensuing introduced cases and the autochthonous cases. We also provide an update regarding the situation in Brazil and the Brazilian endemic Amazon. PMID:25185003

Geographical Education in Brazil: Past and Present in "The Country of the Future"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lastoria, Andrea Coelho; Papadimitriou, Fivos

2012-01-01

This paper examines the past, present and future context of geographical education in Brazil and the issues that, in our view, are relevant to understand its ebb and flow in the complex reality of the country. Various trends have affected the development of geographical education since the 1970s. Two pillars of training and school practice reflect…

Description of evandromyia spelunca, a new phlebotomine species of the cortelezzii complex, from a cave in Minas Gerais State, Brazil (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The cave fauna of the Brazil is poorly documented, and among the insects those live or frequent caves and their adjacent environments phlebotomine sand flies call for special attention because several species are vectors of pathogens among vertebrates hosts. A new species of sand fly from Minas Gerais is described based in females and males collected in a cave of the municipality of Lassance. Results The morphological characters of the new species permit to include in the Evandromyia genus, cortelezzii complex. This complex consists of three species: Evandromyia corumbaensis (Galati, Nunes, Oshiro & Rego, 1989), Evandromyia cortelezzii (Brethes, 1923) and Evandromyia sallesi (Galvao & Coutinho, 1940). Conclusions The new species can be separate from the others of the cortelezzii complex through morphological characters of the male terminalia and female spermathecae. PMID:21827682

Brazil-Africa geological links

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torquato, Joaquim Raul; Cordani, Umberto G.

1981-04-01

In this work, the main evidence and conclusions regarding geological links between Brazil and Africa are summarized, with emphasis on the geochronological aspects. Taking into account the geographical position, as well as the similarities in the geochronological pattern, the following main provinces of the two continents are correlated: The Imataca and Falawatra complexes in the Guayana Shield and the Liberian Province of West Africa. The Paraguay-Araguaia and the Rockelide Fold Belts. The Sa˜o Luiz and the West African cratonic areas. The Caririan Fold Belt of northeastern Brazil and the Pan-Africa Belt of Nigeria and Cameroon. The JequiéComplex of Bahia, the Ntem Complex of Cameroon and similar rocks of Gabon and Angola. The Ribeira Fold Belt in Brazil and the West Congo and Damara Belts in West and South Africa. In addition, other geological links are considered, such as some of the major linear fault zones which can be traced across the margins of South America and Africa, in the pre-drift reconstructions. Correlations are also made of the tectonic and stratigraphic evolution of the Paranáand Karroo syneclises, and the Brazilian and African marginal basins around the South Atlantic, during their initial stages. Finally, several similarities in the tectonic evolution of South America and Africa, during and after the onset of drifting, are shown to be compatible with a recent origin for the South Atlantic floor, as required by sea-floor spreading and continental drift between South America and Africa.

A model based on spectrofluorimetry to study the interaction between glyphosate and serum albumin of Salminus brasiliensis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escobar, Marta Araujo Cyrino; Cortez, Celia Martins; Silva, Dilson; Neto, Jayme da Cunha Bastos

2017-11-01

The aim of this work is to initiate an investigation on the albumin of Salminus brasiliensis (gold fish) as a biomarker of environmental actions of glyphosate. We started using a mathematical-computational model based on spectrofluorimetric measurements to study the interaction of glyphosate with gold fish albumin and human serum albumin. Salminus brasiliensis is a migratory freshwater fish species found in southern and central-western Brazil, mainly in the Prata river basin, where most of soybean plantations are set. Glyphosate is a very used herbicide in this type of crop. Differently from the organophosphorate methyl parathion, glyphosate does not form complex with HSA, and the quenching constants estimated for its binding with gold fish albumin at 20 °C and 25 °C is 1.3(± 0.3) × 104 / M e 2.5 (± 0.3) × 104 / M, respectively.

Structural Properties of the Brazilian Air Transportation Network.

PubMed

Couto, Guilherme S; da Silva, Ana Paula Couto; Ruiz, Linnyer B; Benevenuto, Fabrício

2015-09-01

The air transportation network in a country has a great impact on the local, national and global economy. In this paper, we analyze the air transportation network in Brazil with complex network features to better understand its characteristics. In our analysis, we built networks composed either by national or by international flights. We also consider the network when both types of flights are put together. Interesting conclusions emerge from our analysis. For instance, Viracopos Airport (Campinas City) is the most central and connected airport on the national flights network. Any operational problem in this airport separates the Brazilian national network into six distinct subnetworks. Moreover, the Brazilian air transportation network exhibits small world characteristics and national connections network follows a power law distribution. Therefore, our analysis sheds light on the current Brazilian air transportation infrastructure, bringing a novel understanding that may help face the recent fast growth in the usage of the Brazilian transport network.

Oral mucosal diseases in children - casuistics from the Department of Dermatology - University of São Paulo - Brazil.

PubMed

Erthal, Aline; Lourenço, Silvia Vanessa; Nico, Marcello Menta Simonsen

2016-01-01

There are no studies about pediatric oral mucosal diseases performed by dermatologists in Brazil. This study presents the casuistics of oral mucosal diseases in children examined at the Oral Diseases Clinic at the Department of Dermatology - University of São Paulo - Brazil. Cases were retrospectively studied from the hospital records from 2003 to 2015. A hundredsix children have been examined. Commoner lesions examined included mucoceles and aphthae. Rare and difficult cases were also seen and have been published; this clinic is based in a tertiary hospital center that deals mostly with complex cases.

Dengue Virus 2 American-Asian Genotype Identified during the 2006/2007 Outbreak in Piauí, Brazil Reveals a Caribbean Route of Introduction and Dissemination of Dengue Virus in Brazil

PubMed Central

Barcelos Figueiredo, Leandra; Sakamoto, Tetsu; Leomil Coelho, Luiz Felipe; de Oliveira Rocha, Eliseu Soares; Gomes Cota, Marcela Menezes; Ferreira, Gustavo Portela; de Oliveira, Jaquelline Germano; Kroon, Erna Geessien

2014-01-01

Dengue virus (DENV) is the most widespread arthropod-borne virus, and the number and severity of outbreaks has increased worldwide in recent decades. Dengue is caused by DENV-1, DENV- 2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 which are genetically distant. The species has been subdivided into genotypes based on phylogenetic studies. DENV-2, which was isolated from dengue fever patients during an outbreak in Piaui, Brazil in 2006/2007 was analyzed by sequencing the envelope (E) gene. The results indicated a high similarity among the isolated viruses, as well as to other DENV-2 from Brazil, Central America and South America. A phylogenetic and phylogeographic analysis based on DENV-2E gene sequences revealed that these viruses are grouped together with viruses of the American-Asian genotype in two distinct lineages. Our results demonstrate the co-circulation of two American-Asian genotype lineages in northeast Brazil. Moreover, we reveal that DENV-2 lineage 2 was detected in Piauí before it disseminated to other Brazilian states and South American countries, indicating the existence of a new dissemination route that has not been previously described. PMID:25127366

How does network structure affect partnerships for promoting physical activity? Evidence from Brazil and Colombia.

PubMed

Parra, Diana C; Dauti, Marsela; Harris, Jenine K; Reyes, Lissette; Malta, Deborah C; Brownson, Ross C; Quintero, Mario A; Pratt, Michael

2011-11-01

The objective of this study was to describe the network structure and factors associated with collaboration in two networks that promote physical activity (PA) in Brazil and Colombia. Organizations that focus on studying and promoting PA in Brazil (35) and Colombia (53) were identified using a modified one-step reputational snowball sampling process. Participants completed an on-line survey between December 2008 and March 2009 for the Brazil network, and between April and June 2009 for the Colombia network. Network stochastic modeling was used to investigate the likelihood of reported inter-organizational collaboration. While structural features of networks were significant predictors of collaboration within each network, the coefficients and other network characteristics differed. Brazil's PA network was decentralized with a larger number of shared partnerships. Colombia's PA network was centralized and collaboration was influenced by perceived importance of peer organizations. On average, organizations in the PA network of Colombia reported facing more barriers (1.5 vs. 2.5 barriers) for collaboration. Future studies should focus on how these different network structures affect the implementation and uptake of evidence-based PA interventions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zika puzzle in Brazil: peculiar conditions of viral introduction and dissemination - A Review

PubMed Central

Possas, Cristina; Brasil, Patricia; Marzochi, Mauro CA; Tanuri, Amilcar; Martins, Reinaldo M; Marques, Ernesto TA; Bonaldo, Myrna C; Ferreira, Antonio GP; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Nogueira, Rita Maria R; Sequeira, Patricia C; Marzochi, Keyla BF; Homma, Akira

2017-01-01

This article discusses the peculiar conditions that favoured the unexpected introduction of Zika virus into the poorest northeastern region of Brazil in 2015, its speed of transmission to other Brazilian states, other Latin American countries and other regions, and the severity of related neurological disorders in newborns and adults. Contrasting with evidence that Zika had so far caused only mild cases in humans in the last six decades, the epidemiological scenario of this outbreak in Brazil indicates dramatic health effects: in 2015, an increase of 20-fold in notified cases of microcephaly and/or central nervous system (CNS) alterations suggestive of Zika congenital infection, followed by an exponential increase in 2016, with 2366 cumulative cases confirmed in the country by the end of December 2016. A significant increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults has also been reported. Factors involved in viral dissemination, neural pathogenesis and routes of transmission in Brazil are examined, such as the role of social and environmental factors and the controversies involved in the hypothesis of antibody-dependent enhancement, to explain the incidence of congenital Zika syndrome in Brazil. Responses to the Zika outbreak and the development of new products are also discussed. PMID:28443985

Fuel alcohol: some economic complexities in Brazil and in the United States. Energy in developing countries series: Discussion Paper D-73G. [Monograph

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Islam, S.; Ramsay, W.

1982-01-01

Two related papers (one by each author) examine some of the problems and point out some complexities that must be taken into account in evaluating the alcohol option. Islam notes particularly Brazil's dilemma in relinquishing its domination of world sugar markets in favor of fuel-alcohol programs that will offer more resilience to future oil shocks. Ramsay stresses the practicability of alcohol for fuel import replacement compared to other synthetic fuels; he prefers the alcohol-from-grain option, especially when considered within the context of government incentives and availability of idle land. 24 references. (DCK)

First report of Coelomomyces santabrancae sp. nov. (Blastocladiomycetes: Blastocladiales) infecting mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in central Brazil.

PubMed

Rueda-Páramo, M E; Montalva, C; Arruda, W; Fernandes, É K K; Luz, C; Humber, R A

2017-10-01

A project from 2013 to 2017 sought to discover pathogenic fungi and oomycetes from dipteran species that are vectors of major diseases of humans and animals in central Brazil and to begin evaluating the potential of these pathogens as potential biological control agents concentrated on mosquito larvae. Some collecting sites proved to be especially productive for pathogens of naturally occurring mosquito species and for placements of healthy sentinel larvae of Aedes aegypti in various sorts of containers in a gallery forest in the Santa Branca Ecoturismo Private Reserve of Natural Patrimony (RPPN) near Terezópolis de Goiás (GO). Collections during May-April of 2016 and February 2017 yielded a few dead mosquito larvae of an undetermined Onirion sp. (Culicidae: Sabethini) whose hemocoels contained many ovoid, thick-walled, yellow-golden to golden-brown, ovoid thick-walled resistant sporangia, 38.3±4×22.8±2.3µm, decorated by numerous, closely and randomly spaced punctations of variable size and shape. These were the first indisputable collections from Brazil of any Coelomomyces species. Comparisons of the morphology of these sporangia with those of other species of Coelomomyces, confirmed that this Brazilian fungus represented a new species that is described here as Coelomomyces santabrancae. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Disappearing in the Night: An Overview on Trade and Legislation of Night Monkeys in South and Central America.

PubMed

Svensson, Magdalena S; Shanee, Sam; Shanee, Noga; Bannister, Flavia B; Cervera, Laura; Donati, Giuseppe; Huck, Maren; Jerusalinsky, Leandro; Juarez, Cecilia P; Maldonado, Angela M; Martinez Mollinedo, Jesus; Méndez-Carvajal, Pedro G; Molina Argandoña, Miguel A; Mollo Vino, Antonietta D; Nekaris, K A I; Peck, Mika; Rey-Goyeneche, Jennifer; Spaan, Denise; Nijman, Vincent

2016-01-01

The international trade in night monkeys (Aotus spp.), found throughout Central and South America, has been regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1975. We present a quantitative analysis of this trade from all 9 range countries, over 4 decades, and compare domestic legislation to CITES regulations. Night monkeys were exported from 8 of the 9 habitat countries, totalling 5,968 live individuals and 7,098 specimens, with trade of live individuals declining over time. In terms of species, the most commonly traded was Aotus nancymaae (present in Brazil, Colombia, Peru) followed by A. vociferans (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) and A. zonalis (Colombia, Panama). There was no significant correlation between levels of trade and species' geographic range size or the number of countries in which a species occurs. Five countries have legislation that meets CITES requirements for implementation, whereas the other 4 countries' legislation showed deficiencies. Research conducted in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil suggests significant cross-border trade not captured in official international trade registers. Although international trade has diminished, current trends suggest that populations of rarer species may be under unsustainable pressure. Further research is needed to quantify real trade numbers occurring between habitat countries. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Scientific production in clinical medicine and international collaboration networks in South American countries].

PubMed

Huamaní, Charles; González A, Gregorio; Curioso, Walter H; Pacheco-Romero, José

2012-04-01

International collaboration is increasingly used in biomedical research. To describe the characteristics of scientific production in Latin America and the main international collaboration networks for the period 2000 to 2009. Search for papers generated in Latin American countries in the Clinical Medicine database of ISI Web of Knowledge v.4.10 - Current Contents Connect. The country of origin of the corresponding author was considered the producing country of the paper. International collaboration was analyzed calculating the number of countries that contributed to the generation of a particular paper. Collaboration networks were graphed to determine the centrality of each network. Twelve Latin American countries participated in the production of 253,362 papers. The corresponding author was South American in 79% of these papers. Sixteen percent of papers were on clinical medicine and 36% of these were carried out in collaboration. Brazil had the highest production (22,442 papers) and the lower percentage of international collaboration (31%). North America accounts for 63% of collaborating countries. Only 8% of collaboration is between South American countries. Brazil has the highest tendency to collaborate with other South American countries. Brazil is the South American country with the highest scientific production and indicators of centrality in South America. The most common collaboration networks are with North American countries.

Two-Winged Cloeodes in Brazil: New Species, Stage Description, and Key to South American Species

PubMed Central

Massariol, Fabiana Criste; Lima, Lucas Ramos Costa; Pinheiro, Ulisses Dos Santos; Quieroz, Luciano Lopes; Oliveira, Leandro Gonçalves; Salles, Frederico Falcão

2013-01-01

The present work, based on material from northern, central-western, and northeastern Brazil, contributes to the knowledge of the two-winged Cloeodes Traver (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) in South America. Two new species, C. maracatu, sp. nov. and C. spaceki, sp. nov., are described, the former based on nymphs and reared adults and the latter only on nymphs; the male and female imago of C. auwe and the female imago of C. redactus are described. Based on these findings, an updated key for South American nymphs and male adults of the two-winged Cloeodes is provided. PMID:23906240

Dengue-specific serotype related to clinical severity during the 2012/2013 epidemic in centre of Brazil.

PubMed

Rocha, Benigno A M; Guilarde, Adriana O; Argolo, Angela F L T; Tassara, Marianna Peres; da Silveira, Lucimeire A; Junqueira, Isabela C; Turchi, Marília D; Féres, Valéria C R; Martelli, Celina M T

2017-08-02

Please see Additional file 1 for translations of the abstract into the five official working languages of the United Nations. Currently, in Brazil, there is a co-circulation of the four dengue (DENV-1 to DENV-4) serotypes. This study aimed to assess whether different serotypes and antibody response patterns were associated with the severity of the disease during a dengue outbreak, which occurred in 2012/2013 in centre of Brazil. We conducted a prospective study with 452 patients with laboratory confirmed dengue in central Brazil, from January 2012 to July 2013. The clinical outcome was the severity of cases: dengue, dengue with warning signs, and severe dengue. The patients were evaluated at three different moments. Blood sampling for laboratory testing and confirmatory tests for dengue infection were performed. We performed a multinomial analysis considering the three categories of the dependent variable, as outlined above. The odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. A multinomial logistic regression model was applied for variables with a P-value <0.20. Statistical analysis was performed with STATA 12.0 software. Four hundred fifty-two patients (452/632, 71.5%) were diagnosed with dengue. The dengue virus (DENV) serotypes were identified in 243 cases. DENV-4 was detected in 135 patients (55.6%), DENV-1 in 91 (37.4%), DENV-3 in 13 (5.3%), and DENV-2 in 4 (1.6%). Patients with the DENV-1 serotype were more prone to present with several clinical and laboratory features as compared with DENV-4 patients, including spontaneous bleeding (P = 0.03), intense abdominal pain (P = 0.004), neurological symptoms (P = 0.09), and thrombocytopenia (P = 0.01). Secondary infection was more predominant among DENV-4 cases (80.0%) compared with DENV-1 cases (62.3%) (P = 0.03). The univariate analysis showed that females (OR = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.44-3.13; P < 0.01) had a higher risk of having dengue with warning signs. The multinomial analysis showed that severe dengue cases with secondary infection had an adjusted OR of 2.80 (95% CI: 0.78-10.00; P = 0.113) as compared with dengue fever with primary infection when adjusted for age and sex. The current data show that 5.8% of patients recruited for treatment in healthcare centres and hospitals during the study period had severe dengue. DENV-4 was the predominant serotype, followed by DENV-1, in a large outbreak of dengue in central Brazil. Our findings contribute to the understanding of clinical differences and immune status related to the serotypes DENV-1 and DENV-4 in central of Brazil.

Neutralization of crotaline snake venoms from Central and South America by antivenoms produced in Brazil and Costa Rica.

PubMed

Bogarín, G; Morais, J F; Yamaguchi, I K; Stephano, M A; Marcelino, J R; Nishikawa, A K; Guidolin, R; Rojas, G; Higashi, H G; Gutiérrez, J M

2000-10-01

A study was performed on the ability of antivenoms, produced in Brazil and Costa Rica, to neutralize lethal, hemorrhagic and coagulant activities of the venoms of 16 species of Central and South American snakes of the subfamily Crotalinae. Neutralization of lethality was studied by two different methods routinely used in the quality control of antivenoms at Instituto Butantan (IB) and Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP). Both antivenoms neutralized the majority of the venoms studied, but the values of effective doses 50% (ED(50)) differed markedly depending on the method used. In general, higher potencies were obtained with the method of ICP, where a challenge dose corresponding to 4 LD(50)s is used, than with the method of IB, where a challenge dose of 5 LD(50)s is employed. All venoms induced hemorrhagic activity in the mouse skin test, which was effectively neutralized by the two antivenoms. All venoms, except those of Porthidium nasutum and Bothriechis lateralis, induced coagulation of human plasma in vitro and both antivenoms were effective in the neutralization of this activity. In conclusion, our results provide evidence of an extensive cross reactivity between these antivenoms and Central and South American crotaline snake venoms.

Zika: what we do and do not know based on the experiences of Brazil.

PubMed

Possas, Cristina

2016-01-01

Zika virus, which was first discovered in 1947, has become a global threat to human health as it is rapidly spreading through Latin America, the Caribbean, the US and Asia, after causing a large outbreak in the Northeast region of Brazil in 2015. There is ample evidence to support that Zika virus is associated with neurological complications such as microcephaly. The review aims to provide an overview on the complex issues involved in the emergence of Zika virus's neurological disorders and to discuss possible explanations of Zika virus introduction and dissemination in Brazil. We also suggest national and global strategies to adequately respond to the Zika virus emergence. We provide an analytical evaluation of the main issues related to the Zika outbreak in Brazil, based on available scientific literature, including government documents, and on epidemiological information from national surveillance databases. The studies on the clinical manifestations of the Zika virus infection coupled with the epidemiological surveillance information in Brazil have provided significant evidence that the Zika virus is associated with neurological disorders such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Based on phylogenetic and molecular analysis, the hypothesis regarding the introduction of Zika virus in the country is that it took place following international events in 2013 and 2014, when many foreign visitors could have brought Zika virus into Brazil. The immunologically naïve status of populations in the Americas, previous infection with dengue virus, and the increased activity of Aedes aegypti might be the contributing factors for such an outbreak in Brazil. The Zika virus emergence emphasized the importance of cross-disciplinary perspective. Besides the scientific-based vector control strategies, it is important to understand the nature of the evolutionary processes involved in the viral evolution in complex ecosystems and to have social and anthropological knowledge on the conditions related to the spread of the disease in order to properly respond to the spread of the Zika virus. The experiences of Brazil have demonstrated the significance of multi-disciplinary approach in response to new and resurgent arboviral diseases and provided important lessons that could be applied to other developing countries.

Zika: what we do and do not know based on the experiences of Brazil

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Zika virus, which was first discovered in 1947, has become a global threat to human health as it is rapidly spreading through Latin America, the Caribbean, the US and Asia, after causing a large outbreak in the Northeast region of Brazil in 2015. There is ample evidence to support that Zika virus is associated with neurological complications such as microcephaly. The review aims to provide an overview on the complex issues involved in the emergence of Zika virus’s neurological disorders and to discuss possible explanations of Zika virus introduction and dissemination in Brazil. We also suggest national and global strategies to adequately respond to the Zika virus emergence. METHODS: We provide an analytical evaluation of the main issues related to the Zika outbreak in Brazil, based on available scientific literature, including government documents, and on epidemiological information from national surveillance databases. RESULTS: The studies on the clinical manifestations of the Zika virus infection coupled with the epidemiological surveillance information in Brazil have provided significant evidence that the Zika virus is associated with neurological disorders such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Based on phylogenetic and molecular analysis, the hypothesis regarding the introduction of Zika virus in the country is that it took place following international events in 2013 and 2014, when many foreign visitors could have brought Zika virus into Brazil. The immunologically naïve status of populations in the Americas, previous infection with dengue virus, and the increased activity of Aedes aegypti might be the contributing factors for such an outbreak in Brazil. The Zika virus emergence emphasized the importance of cross-disciplinary perspective. Besides the scientific-based vector control strategies, it is important to understand the nature of the evolutionary processes involved in the viral evolution in complex ecosystems and to have social and anthropological knowledge on the conditions related to the spread of the disease in order to properly respond to the spread of the Zika virus. CONCLUSIONS: The experiences of Brazil have demonstrated the significance of multi-disciplinary approach in response to new and resurgent arboviral diseases and provided important lessons that could be applied to other developing countries. PMID:27283140

Study of the scientific production on leishmaniasis in Latin America.

PubMed

Perilla-Gonzalez, Yuliana; Gomez-Suta, Daniela; Delgado-Osorio, Nathalia; Hurtado-Hurtado, Natalia; Baquero-Rodriguez, Juan D; Lopez-Isaza, Andres F; Lagos-Grisales, Guillermo J; Villegas, Soraya; Rodriguez-Morales, Alfonso J

2014-01-01

Leishmaniasis is a highly relevant neglected tropical disease. It has important consequences in affected populations, including a high fatality rate in its visceral form. It is present in Latin America, then it is necessary to promote more research on it. A bibliometric assessment of the Latin American scientific production in leishmaniasis was done. Bibliometric study at SCI (1980-2013), MEDLINE/GOPUBMED (1802-2013), Scopus (1959-2013), SCIELO (2004-2013), LILACS (1980-2013). Different study types, characterized by years, city/country of origin, journals and more productive authors, by country, cites and H index. At SCI, 2857 articles were found (17.7% of the total). Brazil was the highest producer (58.1%), followed by Colombia (9.9%) and Venezuela (5.6%); the region received 41186 citations, 54.2% of Brazil (H index=62), 12.1% Colombia (H index=30) and 4.5% of Venezuela (H index=25). At Scopus, there are 3681 (14.7% of the total), 53.2% Brazil, 6.8% Colombia and 6.0% Venezuela; 38.46% at Brazil were from Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; 30.6% of Colombia corresponded to Universidad de Antioquia; 31.34% at Venezuela were from Universidad Central de Venezuela. At Medline there are 4525 records (60.6% of Brazil). At SciELO there are 1068 records (67.5% Brazil). At LILACS, there are 1740 records (56.0% Brazil). Scientific production of Brazil predominates in the region, with one single institution generating more articles than Colombia and Venezuela together. Scientific production in bibliographical data bases, particularly regional, is still relatively low, and the disease neglected when compared to other tropical conditions such as dengue and malaria.

New arenavirus isolated in Brazil

PubMed Central

Coimbra, Terezinha Lisieux M; Nassar, Elza S; Burattini, Marcelo N; de Souza, Luiza Terezinha Madia; Ferreira, Ivani B; Rocco, Iray M; Travassos da Rosa, Amelia P A; Vasconcelos, Pedro F C; Pinheiro, Francisco P; LeDuc, James W; Rico-Hesse, Rebeca; Gonzalez, Jean-Paul; Jahrling, Peter B

2012-01-01

A new arenavirus, called Sabiá, was isolated in Brazil from a fatal case of haemorrhagic fever initially thought to be yellow fever. Antigenic and molecular characterisation indicated that Sabiá virus is a new member of the Tacaribe complex. A laboratory technician working with the agent was also infected and developed a prolonged, non-fatal influenza-like illness. Sabiá virus is yet another arenavirus causing human disease in South America. PMID:7905555

Outreach hepatitis B vaccination of female sex workers in central-west Brazil: immunization status, compliance, and immune response.

PubMed

Carneiro, Luciene Moraes; Mousquer, Gina Jonasson; Pinheiro, Raquel Silva; Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra Motta; França, Divânia Dias Da Silva; Caetano, Karlla Antonieta Amorim; Carneiro, Megmar Aparecida dos Santos; Martins, Regina Maria Bringel; Matos, Marcos André de; Castro, Lisie; Rezende, Grazielli; Teles, Sheila Araujo

2014-01-01

To evaluate the hepatitis B immunization status of female sex workers (FSWs) in Central-West Brazil and to evaluate their compliance with and immune response to hepatitis B vaccination delivered using outreach strategies. A total of 721 FSWs recruited in 2 large cities in Central-West Brazil were interviewed and screened for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers. Hepatitis B vaccine was offered to all women susceptible to HBV, using outreach strategies. The immune response of FSWs who received a full course of vaccine was assessed following the final vaccine dose. We found that 27.6% of FSWs, the majority of whom were aged 18 to 25 years, had serological evidence of previous hepatitis B vaccination. A total of 434 FSWs were eligible for vaccination, 389 (89.6%) of whom accepted the first hepatitis B vaccine dose. Of those, 64% received a second dose and 37.5% received all three doses. Through the outreach strategy, there was a 52.2% increase in the number of women who received the second dose and a 67% increase in the number who received the third dose. Of the 146 women who received a full course of vaccine, 105 accepted testing for quantitative anti-HBs (hepatitis B surface antibody) following the final vaccine dose, and 92.4% of those tested had developed protective levels of anti-HBs. Lower education level, workplace, and length of prostitution were predictors of full-vaccine acceptance. The present findings illustrate the benefits of using outreach strategies to overcome the difficulties of vaccinating hard-to-reach populations such as FSWs.

Centralities in simplicial complexes. Applications to protein interaction networks.

PubMed

Estrada, Ernesto; Ross, Grant J

2018-02-07

Complex networks can be used to represent complex systems which originate in the real world. Here we study a transformation of these complex networks into simplicial complexes, where cliques represent the simplices of the complex. We extend the concept of node centrality to that of simplicial centrality and study several mathematical properties of degree, closeness, betweenness, eigenvector, Katz, and subgraph centrality for simplicial complexes. We study the degree distributions of these centralities at the different levels. We also compare and describe the differences between the centralities at the different levels. Using these centralities we study a method for detecting essential proteins in PPI networks of cells and explain the varying abilities of the centrality measures at the different levels in identifying these essential proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Centralized, capacity-building training of Lichtenstein hernioplasty in Brazil.

PubMed

Moore, Alexandra M; Datta, Néha; Wagner, Justin P; Schroeder, Alexander D; Reinpold, Wolfgang; Franciss, Maurice Y; Silva, Rodrigo A; Chen, David C; Filipi, Charles J; Roll, Sergio

2017-02-01

In Brazil, access to healthcare varies widely by community. Options for repair of surgically correctable conditions, such as inguinal hernias, are limited. A training program was instituted to expand access to Lichtenstein hernioplasty. Between September, 2014 and September, 2015, 3 orders of training series took place in São Paulo, Brazil. Participating surgeons received training and assessments from expert trainers using the Operative Performance Rating Scale (OPRS). Those who completed training successfully were invited to become trainers. OPRS scores were compared between training series. Outcomes were documented up to 6 months post-training. The 3 orders of training series resulted in 45 surgeons trained and 213 hernias repaired. Eleven trainees subsequently became trainers. Mean post-training OPRS scores were 4.4 (scale of 5) and did not vary significantly between training series. The overall complication rate was 4.7%, with no hernia recurrences or reoperations at 6 months. Competency-based training generates a regional network of surgeons proficient in Lichtenstein hernioplasty. Each training session progressively expands patient access to high quality operations in underserved communities in Brazil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Zika virus and pregnancy in Brazil: What happened?

PubMed Central

Pereira, Alessandra Mendelski; Monteiro, Denise Leite Maia; Werner, Heron; Daltro, Pedro; Fazecas, Tatiana; Guedes, Bianca; Tonni, Gabriele; Peixoto, Alberto Borges; Júnior, Edward Araujo

2018-01-01

The recent epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in Central and South America is one of the most serious global public health emergencies since the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. In Brazil, especially in the north, northeast, and southeast parts of the country, the ZIKV outbreak is a cause of concern for pregnant women because ZIKV intrauterine infection has been found to be associated with multiple brain malformations and microcephaly. In Brazil, the number of newborns with confirmed microcephaly per year recorded during the ZIKV outbreak, has been approximately 15 times greater than previously reported. Considering that the infection is self-limiting and symptomatic, it is usually diagnosed at the time of routine prenatal scan, especially in the third trimester. In other cases, the disease is detected after childbirth through neuroimaging. This study provides an insight into the history and evolution of ZIKV in Brazil, including current knowledge concerning the transmission, diagnosis, and pathogenesis of the infection. In addition, this review describes the pre- and postnatal neuroimaging findings obtained using ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography. PMID:29503261

Mortality trends due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Brazil.

PubMed

Graudenz, Gustavo Silveira; Gazotto, Gabriel Pereira

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to update and analyze data on mortality trend due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Brazil. Initially, the specific COPD mortality rates were calculated from 1989 to 2009 using data collected from DATASUS (Departamento de Informática do SUS - Brazilian Health System Database). Then, the polynomial regression models from the observed functional relation were estimated based on mortality coefficients and study years. We verified that the general mortality rates due to COPD in Brazil showed an increasing trend from 1989 to 2004, and then decreased. Both genders showed the same increasing tendencies until 2004 and decreased thereafter. The age group under 35 years old showed a linear decreasing trend. All other age groups showed quadratic tendencies, with increases until the years of 1998-1999 and then decreasing. The South and Southeast regions showed the highest COPD mortality rates with increasing trends until the years 2001-2002 and then decreased. The North, Northeast and Central-West regions showed lower mortality rates but increasing trend. This is the first report of COPD mortality stabilization in Brazil since 1980.

SEROPREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN CAPTIVE ANTILLEAN MANATEE (TRICHECHUS MANATUS MANATUS) IN BRAZIL.

PubMed

Attademo, Fernanda L N; Ribeiro, Vanessa O; Soares, Herbert S; Luna, Fábia O; Sousa, Glaucia P; Freire, Augusto C B; Gennari, Solange M; Alves, Leucio C; Marvulo, Maria Fernanda V; Dubey, Jitender P; Silva, Jean C R

2016-06-01

Antillean manatees ( Trichechus manatus manatus) are aquatic mammals that inhabit marine waters from Central America to the northeastern region of Brazil, and they are an endangered species. Infection with Toxoplasma gondii through intake of water or food contaminated with oocysts has been reported among marine mammals. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii in West Indian manatees living in captivity in northeastern Brazil. Serum samples from 55 West Indian manatees from three different captive groups were tested for T. gondii antibodies by means of the modified agglutination test using a cutoff of 1:25. The samples were screened at dilutions of 1:25, 1:50, and 1:500, and positive samples were end-titrated using twofold serial dilutions; antibodies were found in six Antillean manatees (10.9%) with titers of 1:50 in three, 1:500 in one, 1:3,200 in one, and 1:51,200 in one manatee. This study is the first report of T. gondii antibodies in captive Antillean manatees in Brazil.

Linking knowledge with action in the pursuit of sustainable water-resources management

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Katharine; Lebel, Louis; Buizer, James; Addams, Lee; Matson, Pamela; McCullough, Ellen; Garden, Po; Saliba, George; Finan, Timothy

2016-01-01

Managing water for sustainable use and economic development is both a technical and a governance challenge in which knowledge production and sharing play a central role. This article evaluates and compares the role of participatory governance and scientific information in decision-making in four basins in Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, and the United States. Water management institutions in each of the basins have evolved during the last 10–20 years from a relatively centralized water-management structure at the state or national level to a decision structure that involves engaging water users within the basins and the development of participatory processes. This change is consistent with global trends in which states increasingly are expected to gain public acceptance for larger water projects and policy changes. In each case, expanded citizen engagement in identifying options and in decision-making processes has resulted in more complexity but also has expanded the culture of integrated learning. International funding for water infrastructure has been linked to requirements for participatory management processes, but, ironically, this study finds that participatory processes appear to work better in the context of decisions that are short-term and easily adjusted, such as water-allocation decisions, and do not work so well for longer-term, high-stakes decisions regarding infrastructure. A second important observation is that the costs of capacity building to allow meaningful stakeholder engagement in water-management decision processes are not widely recognized. Failure to appreciate the associated costs and complexities may contribute to the lack of successful engagement of citizens in decisions regarding infrastructure. PMID:20080611

Effect of physical inactivity on major noncommunicable diseases and life expectancy in Brazil.

PubMed

de Rezende, Leandro Fornias Machado; Rabacow, Fabiana Maluf; Viscondi, Juliana Yukari Kodaira; Luiz, Olinda do Carmo; Matsudo, Victor Keihan Rodrigues; Lee, I-Min

2015-03-01

In Brazil, one-fifth of the population reports not doing any physical activity. This study aimed to assess the impact of physical inactivity on major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), all-cause mortality and life expectancy in Brazil, by region and sociodemographic profile. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) for physical inactivity associated with coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, colon cancer, and all-cause mortality. To calculate the PAF, we used the physical inactivity prevalence from the 2008 Brazilian Household Survey and relative risk data in the literature. In Brazil, physical inactivity is attributable to 3% to 5% of all major NCDs and 5.31% of all-cause mortality, ranging from 5.82% in the southeastern region to 2.83% in the southern region. Eliminating physical inactivity would increase the life expectancy by an average of 0.31 years. This reduction would affect mainly individuals with ≥ 15 years of schooling, male, Asian, elderly, residing in an urban area and earning ≥ 2 times the national minimum wage. In Brazil, physical inactivity has a major impact on NCDs and mortality, principally in the southeastern and central-west regions. Public policies and interventions promoting physical activity will significantly improve the health of the population.

Factors Influencing Decomposition of Surface Litter from the Cerrado in Central Brazil

EPA Science Inventory

It is well-established that light-induced decomposition can accelerate the decomposition of the organic matter in aquatic environments. In this study, using the production of carbon monoxide as an indicator of decomposition, we investigated the wavelength dependence of the photod...

Chapter 8. Avocado history, biodiversity and production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.). Avocado has been grown in the neotropics as far back as 10,000 BC. The species are scattered from northern Mexico through the southeastern United States, east through the West Indies and south through Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Guiana, Brazil, Ecuador, Pe...

SEASONAL SOIL FLUXES OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN BURNED AND UNBURNED BRAZILIAN SAVANNAS

EPA Science Inventory

Soil-atmosphere fluxes of carbon monoxide (CO) were measured from September 1999 through November 2000 in savanna areas in central Brazil (Cerrado) under different fire regimes using transparent and opaque static chambers. Studies focused on two vegetation types, cerrado stricto...

Environmental Behavior of Chlorpyrifos and Endosulfan in a Tropical Soil in Central Brazil.

PubMed

Dores, Eliana F G C; Spadotto, Claudio A; Weber, Oscarlina L S; Dalla Villa, Ricardo; Vecchiato, Antonio B; Pinto, Alicio A

2016-05-25

The environmental behavior of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan in soil was studied in the central-western region of Brazil by means of a field experiment. Sorption was evaluated in laboratory batch experiments. Chlorpyrifos and endosulfan were applied to experimental plots on uncultivated soil and the following processes were studied: leaching, runoff, and dissipation in top soil. Field dissipation of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan was more rapid than reported in temperate climates. Despite the high Koc of the studied pesticides, the two endosulfan isomers and endosulfan sulfate as well as chlorpyrifos were detected in percolated water. In runoff water and sediment, both endosulfan isomers and endosulfan sulfate were detected throughout the period of study. Observed losses of endosulfan by leaching (below a depth of 50 cm) and runoff were 0.0013 and 1.04% of the applied amount, whereas chlorpyrifos losses were 0.003 and 0.032%, respectively. Leaching of these highly adsorbed pesticides was attributed to preferential flow.

Association between leprosy and hepatitis B infection. A survey in Goiânia, central Brazil.

PubMed

Rosa, H; Costa, A P; Ferraz, M L; Pedroza, S C; Andrade, A L; Martelli, C M; Zicker, F

1992-01-01

This investigation presents the results of hepatitis B virus screening among leprosy patients conducted in central Brazil as a preliminary information for a HBV vaccination programme. The main objectives were to assess the seroprevalence of HBV serum markers among lepromatous patients and to analyse institutionalization as risk factor for HBV infection in this population. Two groups of lepromatous patients were studied, 83 outpatients and 171 institutionalized ones. Screening for HBV serum markers included the detection of HBsAg, anti-HBc by radioimmune assay (RIA). The prevalence of carrier state (HBsAg) was 4.8% and 8.8% among outpatients and institutionalized, respectively, (p > 0.05). Seroprevalence of exposure (all markers) was statistically significant different between outpatients (16.9%) and institutionalized ones (50.3%). Institutionalized patients had an almost four fold risk of HBV infection when compared to the outpatients, and the highest risks were among patients with more than 21 years of residence in the colony, after adjusting for age and sex.

Vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections in women who sell sex on the route of prostitution and sex tourism in central Brazil.

PubMed

de Matos, Marcos André de; Caetano, Karlla Antonieta Amorim; França, Divânia Dias da Silva; Pinheiro, Raquel Silva; de Moraes, Luciene Carneiro; Teles, Sheila Araujo

2013-01-01

to investigate knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), STD-related risk behaviors, and signs/symptoms of STDs among female sex workers (FSWs). a cross-sectional study was conducted with a probabilistic sample comprising 395 women recruited using a respondent-driven sampling method between 2009 and 2010. The data were collected during face-to-face interviews. most of the participants were young adults, had a low educational level, and had poor knowledge on the transmission paths of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Over one-third of the participants were not able to describe the signs/symptoms of STDs. The prevalence rates of vaginal discharge and wounds/ulcers were 49.0% and 8.6%, respectively, but 41.7% of the women had not sought treatment. the results indicate the need for public health policies focusing on the control and prevention of STDs in this population, especially for the FSWs who are active in an important prostitution and sex tourism route in central Brazil.

Food Insecurity in Urban and Rural Areas in Central Brazil: Transition from Locally Produced Foods to Processed Items.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Livia Penna Firme; Carvalho, Raissa Costa; Maciel, Agatha; Otanasio, Polyanna Nunes; Garavello, Maria Elisa de Paula Eduardo; Nardoto, Gabriela Bielefeld

2016-01-01

Aiming to investigate the effect of diet and food consumption with regard to health, environment, and economy in light of nutrition ecology, we studied the dimensions of nutrition and food security in urban and rural settings in the region of Chapada dos Veadeiros, Central Brazil. We tracked diet and food consumption through carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in fingernails of these inhabitants together with food intake data as a proxy for their diet patterns. We estimated household food insecurity by using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. Nutrition and food insecurity was observed in both urban and rural areas, but was accentuated in rural settings. The diet pattern had high δ(13)C values in fingernails and low δ(15)N. Both urban and rural areas have diets with low diversity and relying on low-quality processed food staples at the same time that nutrition and food insecurity is quite high in the region.

Spatial analysis of American Visceral Leishmaniasis in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Central Brazil.

PubMed

Correa Antonialli, Suely Aparecida; Torres, Thais Gisele; Paranhos Filho, Antonio Conceição; Tolezano, José Eduardo

2007-05-01

To map American Visceral Leishmaniasis (AVL) in Mato Grosso do Sul State (Central Brazil). The distribution of AVL was mapped, using the Geographic Information System. The disease was endemic to the Corumbá Region from 1913 to 1998. Spatial and temporal analysis indicated that the expansion route and dissemination through the State of the disease has been from west to east, coinciding with three different human interventions; two of them, a federal highway and a rail-road, were constructed in the early twentieth century, from east to west, from Bauru city, in São Paulo State, to Corumbá city, in Mato Grosso do Sul State. The third anthropogenic intervention was the construction of a gas pipeline that started in 1998, and attracted thousands of workers. This construction route has the same direction, west to east, and timescale as the observed expansion and dissemination of AVL. The results relate the expansion of the disease to intense human traffic along the route of spread.

New records of mites (Acari: Spinturnicidae) associated with bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in two Brazilian biomes: Pantanal and Caatinga.

PubMed

de Almeida, Juliana Cardoso; Martins, Mayara Almeida; Guedes, Patrícia Gonçalves; Peracchi, Adriano Lucio; Serra-Freire, Nicolau Maues

2016-01-01

A first survey of mite species that ectoparasitize bats in the states of Ceará and Mato Grosso was conducted. The specimens of bats and their mites were collected in areas of the Caatinga and Pantanal biomes. A total of 450 spinturnicids representing two genera and ten species was collected from 15 bat species in the Private Reserve of the Natural Patrimony Serra das Almas, Ceará State, Northeast Brazil and 138 spinturnicids represented by two genera and four species were found in seven bats species collected in Private Reserve of the Natural Patrimony Sesc Pantanal, Mato Grosso State, Central-Western Brazil. The occurrence of Cameronieta genus and the species Mesoperiglischrus natali as well as four new associations (Periglischrus iheringi - Chiroderma vizottoi; P. micronycteridis - Micronycteris sanborni; P. paracutisternus - Trachops cirrhosus; Spinturnix americanus - Myotis riparius) are registered for the first time in Brazil.

Public Health and Social Ideas in Modern Brazil

PubMed Central

Lima, Nísia Trindade

2007-01-01

Public health in Brazil achieved remarkable development at the turn of the 20th century thanks in part to physicians and social thinkers who made it central to their proposals for “modernizing” the country. Public health was more than a set of medical and technical measures; it was fundamental to the project of nation building. I trace the interplay between public health and social ideas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Physicians and social thinkers challenged the traditional belief that Brazil’s sociocultural and ethnic diversity was an obstacle to modernization, and they promoted public health as the best prescription for national unity. Public health ideas in developing countries such as Brazil may have a greater impact when they are intertwined with social thought and with the processes of nation building and construction of a modern society. PMID:17538074

A new species of Telenomus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) egg parasitoid of Parides ascanius (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), a threatened species from Brazil.

PubMed

De Almeida, Gilberto De Souza Soares; Loiácono, Marta Susana; Margaría, Cecilia Beatriz; Monteiro, Ricardo Ferreira

2015-07-17

Telenomus parides Loiácono et Margaría sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on specimens reared from the eggs of Parides ascanius (Cramer). Parides ascanius is a threatened papilionid, which is endemic to the restingas of the Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The new Telenomus species is gregarious endoparasitoid and belongs to the Telenomus californicus species complex.

The characterization of Bordetella pertussis strains isolated in the Central-Western region of Brazil suggests the selection of a specific genetic profile during 2012-2014 outbreaks.

PubMed

Rocha, E L; Leite, D; Camargo, C H; Martins, L M; Silva, R S N; Martins, V P; Campos, T A

2017-05-01

Pertussis is a worldwide acute respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Despite high vaccine coverage, the bacterium continues to circulate in populations and is still one of the most common vaccine-preventable diseases. In Brazil, pertussis incidence has presented a significant decrease since 1990 but since 2011 a sudden increase in incidence has been observed. Thus, the aim of this study was to perform a molecular epidemiological characterization of B. pertussis strains isolated in the Central-Western region (specifically in Distrito Federal) of Brazil from August 2012 to August 2014. During this period, 92 B. pertussis strains were isolated from the outbreaks. All strains were characterized by serotyping and XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles. From August to December 2012, the most prevalent serotype observed was 1,3 (13/17). During 2013 the prevalence of serotype 1,3 decreased (13/30) and from January 2014 to August 2014 the most prevalent serotype was 1,2 (33/45). Fourteen PFGE profiles were identified. Of these, BP-XbaI0039 prevalence increased from 3/17 in 2012 to 10/30 in 2013, and 35/45 in 2014. These results evidence the selection of a specific genetic profile during this period, suggesting the occurrence of a bacterial genomic profile with high circulation potential.

Morphological and acoustic characterization of Proceratophrys goyana (Lissamphibia: Anura: Odontophrynidae), with the description of a sympatric and related new species.

PubMed

Martins, Lucas Borges; Giaretta, Ariovaldo Antonio

2013-12-20

Proceratophrys goyana was until recently the only species of the genus described from central Brazil. In this paper we characterize the adult morphology and advertisement call of this species, based on data collected at its type-locality (Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás, Brazil). These new data allowed us to recognize a new species of Proceratophrys, sympatric to P. goyana, which is described herein. Proceratophrys goyana is mainly characterized by the male SVL = 38.8-46.5 mm; a well-developed and continuous pair of dorsal sagittal ridges; upper eyelids triangular; developed frontoparietal crests, delimiting a shallow depression between them; overall color pattern browned, with the symmetrical dorsal ridges bordered laterally by dark brown undulations. Proceratophrys rotundipalpebra sp. nov. is characterized by the male SVL = 30.4-39.3 mm; the pair of symmetrical dorsal ridges well-developed anteriorly and somewhat interrupted in the sacral region; upper eyelids short and rounded; frontoparietal crests not well-developed; overall color pattern stained by 3-4 tonalities of gray, without a clear background color. The advertisement calls of both species are emitted in a multi-note pattern, each note pulsed, the first and last notes differing from each other and from those amidst the call in temporal features. The description of this new species is another example of the underestimated diversity of Proceratophrys in the Cerrado of central Brazil. 

Taxonomic circumscription of Adenomera martinezi (Bokermann, 1956) (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leptodactylinae) with the recognition of a new cryptic taxon through a bioacoustic approach.

PubMed

De Carvalho, Thiago Ribeiro; Giaretta, Ariovaldo Antonio

2013-01-01

In this paper, we provide a taxonomic circumscription of Adenomera martinezi from its type locality (Cachimbo, southwestern State of Pará) since its description (57 years ago) based on a newly collected series of eleven adult topotypes, and through a bioacoustic approach, recognize an undescribed cryptic taxon under this nominal species, which is widely distributed in central and northern Brazil. Adenomera martinezi and Adenomera saci sp. nov. can be diagnosed from all congeners by their distinctive 4-6 symmetrically arranged rows of longitudinal dark-colored spots on dorsum. They differ from each other through advertisement call structure, pulsed in Adenomera martinezi (audibly pulsed to the human ear), and non-pulsed in Adenomera saci sp. nov. (a whistle to the human ear). The recognition of Adenomera saci sp. nov. has conservation implications. Based on our assumed distribution of A. martinezi and A denomera saci sp. nov., the IUCN conservation status of A. martinezi requires a reassessment, inasmuch as we herein reconsider this species, as far as we know, as endemic to Cachimbo, southwestern State of Pará, Brazil. The 2004 extinction risk assessment included both A. martinezi and Adenomera saci sp. nov., and the conservation status category of 'Least Concern' might only be applied to Adenomera saci sp. nov., a widely distributed and abundant species in central and northern Brazil.

Exposure to hepatitis C virus in homeless men in Central Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ferreira, Priscilla Martins; Guimarães, Rafael Alves; Souza, Christiane Moreira; Guimarães, Lara Cristina da Cunha; Barros, Cleiciane Vieira de Lima; Caetano, Karlla Antonieta Amorim; Rezza, Giovanni; Spadoni, Lila; Brunini, Sandra Maria

2017-01-18

Homeless men are highly vulnerable to acquisition of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) compared to the general population. In Brazil, a country of continental dimensions, the extent of HCV infection in this population remains unknown. The objective of this study is to investigate the epidemiological profile of exposure to HCV in homeless men in Central Brazil. A Cross-sectional study was conducted in 481 men aged over 18 years attending therapeutic communities specialized in the recovery and reintegration of homeless people. Participants were tested for anti-HCV markers using rapid tests. Poisson regression analysis was used to verify the risk factors associated with exposure to HCV. The prevalence of HCV exposure was 2.5% (95.0% CI: 1.4 to 4.3%) and was associated with age, absence of family life, injection drug use, number of sexual partners, and history of sexually transmitted infections (STI). Participants reported multiple risk behaviors, such as alcohol (78.9%), cocaine (37.1%) and/or crack use (53.1%), and inconsistent condom use (82.6%). Injection drug use was reported by 8.7% of participants. The prevalence of HCV infection among homeless men was relatively high. Several risk behaviors were commonly reported, which shows the high vulnerability of this population. These findings emphasize the need for the development of specific strategies to reduce the risk of HCV among homeless men.

Occurrence of Platypus mutatus Chapuis (Coleoptera: Platypodidae) in a brazilwood experimental plantation in Southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Girardi, Graziele S; Giménez, Rosana A; Braga, Márcia R

2006-01-01

The hardwood of Caesalpinia echinata Lam. (brazilwood, Pernambuco, ibirapitanga) is currently the most profitable material used for violin bow due to the unique vibrational properties and dimensional stability. Although this species is resistant to the wood decay caused by termites and rot fungi, an experimental plantation in Southeastern Brazil has been attacked by the ambrosia beetle Platypus mutatus Chapuis (= Megaplatypus mutatus and P. sulcatus). This species invaded ca. 3% of the individuals, mainly in the central part of the plantation. Infestation by larvae and adults was higher during the dry season (winter) when compared to the rainy period (spring and summer).

RELATIONSHIP OF MICROBIAL COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND CARBON DYNAMICS IN SOILS FROM BRAZILIAN SAVANNAS

EPA Science Inventory

Fertilization is a widespread management practice in savanna areas of central Brazil (Cerrado) that are undergoing rapid agricultural land use changes. We conducted field and laboratory studies in soils with added fertilizers to determine the effect that fertilization of native a...

[Obesity among the poor in Brazil: female vulnerability].

PubMed

Ferreira, Vanessa Alves; Magalhães, Rosana

2011-04-01

The increase in obesity among women in the lower income bracket in Brazil has been singled out as a priority issue in the field of Public Health today. Concern about future repercussions of obesity in the less privileged groups calls for an in-depth theoretical approach and the energetic definition of public policy for prevention and control of the affliction in these segments. In this respect, the scope of this work is to attempt to pinpoint some analytical categories in the phenomenon of obesity among the underprivileged female population in Brazil. Biological, socioeconomic and cultural factors appear to interact in the dynamics of female obesity in the context of poverty revealing the complexity of this problem. Public policies of job creation, social inclusion and gender equality in the labor market would appear to be more promising ways of tackling obesity in underprivileged females in Brazil.

Extensive 200-million-year-Old continental flood basalts of the central atlantic magmatic province

PubMed

Marzoli; Renne; Piccirillo; Ernesto; Bellieni; De Min A

1999-04-23

The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) is defined by tholeiitic basalts that crop out in once-contiguous parts of North America, Europe, Africa, and South America and is associated with the breakup of Pangea. 40Ar/39Ar and paleomagnetic data indicate that CAMP magmatism extended over an area of 2.5 million square kilometers in north and central Brazil, and the total aerial extent of the magmatism exceeded 7 million square kilometers in a few million years, with peak activity at 200 million years ago. The magmatism coincided closely in time with a major mass extinction at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary.

Immune response in Mansonella ozzardi infection modulated by IL-6/IL-10 axis in Amazon region of Brazil.

PubMed

Costa, Allyson Guimarães; Sadahiro, Aya; Monteiro Tarragô, Andréa; Pessoa, Felipe Arley Costa; Pires Loiola, Bruna; Malheiro, Adriana; Medeiros, Jansen Fernandes

2018-04-01

Mansonellosis is an endemic disease in the South and Central America. In Brazil, one of the etiological agents is Mansonella ozzardi. This filarial infection is yet poorly understood, with a controversial morbity, presenting since a oligosymptoms, malaria-like signs or without complaint in humans. The knowledge of the human immune response to microfilariae infection is limited mainly by different evolutionary cycles of the parasite in the host. In addition, the prevalence of this filarial parasite infection is high in several regions of Amazonas State. A cross-sectional study was conducted in an endemic area for microfilariae of M. ozzardi (MF) infection in the Amazonas State, Brazil. Proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF, IFN-gamma, and IL-17A) were measured in cryopreserved serum using the Cytometric Bead Array techniques (CBA) in 54 patients diagnosed with M. ozzardi infection and 55 individuals without the infection were included in the study (Controls). The IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 level increased in infected patients with MF infection, while IL-17A increased in control only. When we compared controls to patients with high or low parasite load, the increased level of IL-6 and IL-10 were maintained. IL-6 contributes to the proinflammatory activity and IL-10 modulates Th1, Th2 and Th17 immune response. Furthermore, IL-4 was detected as a marker in the MF infection and MF patients with low parasite load, indicating the action of the Th2 cell response. The complex network of cytokines acting during M. ozzardi infection depends on a fine balance to determine a host protective effect or filarial persistence. Therefore, these results suggest that the immune response in MF infection is modulated by IL-6/IL-10 axis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dissolution along faults-fractures and hypogenic karst in carbonates: examples from Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ennes-Silva, Renata; Cazarin, Caroline; Bezerra, Francisco; Auler, Augusto; Klimchouk, Alexander

2015-04-01

Dissolution along faults-fractures and hypogenic karst in carbonates: examples from Brazil Ennes-Silva, R.A; Cazarin, C.L.; Bezerra, F.H.; Auler, A.S.; Klimchouk, A.B. Dissolution along zones of preferential flow enhances anisotropy in geological media and increases its complexity. Changes in parameters such as porosity and permeability due to diagenesis and presence of ascendant fluids along fractures and faults can be responsible for hypogenic karstic system. The present study investigates the relationship between lithofacies, tectonics and karstification in the Neoproterozoic Salitre Formation, located in the central-eastern Brazil. This unit comprises several systems of caves including the Toca da Boa Vista and da Barriguda hypogenic caves, the largests in South America, and focus of this study. We focused on cave mapping and morphogenetic analysis, determination of petrophysical properties, thin-section description, micro-tomography, and isotopic analysis. The Salitre Formation, deposited in an epicontinental sea, comprises mud/wakestones, grainstones, microbial facies, and fine siliciclastic rocks. Passages occur in several levels within ca. 60 m thick cave-forming section, limited at the top by lithofacies with low permeability and fractures. Cave development occurred in phreatic sluggish-flow environment with overall upwelling flow. Fluids rise via cross-formational fractures and were distributed laterally within the cave-forming section using geological heterogeneities to eventually discharge up through outlets breaching across the upper confining beds. Maps of conduits show preferred directions for development of conduits: NNE-SSW and E-W. These two directions represents a relation between structures and hypogenic morphology. Joints, axis fold and fractures allowed pathways to the fluid rises, and then development of channels of entrance (feeders), outputs (outlets) and some cupolas, which are clearly aligned to fractures. Our data indicate several events of porosity evolution, such as subaerial exposure, folds and fractures, hydrothermal events (exotic minerals assemblage), sulfuric acid dissolution, dissolution at the water table, condensation corrosion, and faults and fractures reactivation. The major enhancement of secondary porosity was due to hypogene speleogenesis.

EVALUATION OF CIRCUMSPOROZOITE PROTEIN OF Plasmodium vivax TO ESTIMATE ITS PREVALENCE IN OIAPOQUE , AMAPÁ STATE, BRAZIL, BORDERING FRENCH GUIANA.

PubMed

Gomes, Margarete do Socorro Mendonça; Vieira, José Luiz Fernandes; Cassiano, Gustavo Capatti; Musset, Lise; Legrand, Eric; Nacher, Mathieu; Couto, Vanja Suely Calvosa D'Almeida; Machado, Ricardo Luiz Dantas; Couto, Álvaro Augusto Ribeiro D'Almeida

2016-09-22

Malaria is a major health problem for people who live on the border between Brazil and French Guiana. Here we discuss Plasmodium vivax distribution pattern in the town of Oiapoque, Amapá State using the circumsporozoite (CS) gene as a marker. Ninety-one peripheral blood samples from P. vivax patients have been studied. Of these, 64 individuals were from the municipality of Oiapoque (Amapá State, Brazil) and 27 patients from French Guiana (August to December 2011). DNA extraction was performed, and a fragment of the P. vivax CS gene was subsequently analyzed using PCR/RFLP. The VK210 genotype was the most common in both countries (48.36% in Brazil and 14.28% in French Guiana), followed by the P. vivax-like (1.10% in both Brazil and French Guiana) and VK247 (1.10% only in Brazil) in single infections. We were able to detect all three CS genotypes simultaneously in mixed infections. There were no statistically significant differences either regarding infection site or parasitaemia among individuals with different genotypes. These results suggest that the same genotypes circulating in French Guiana are found in the municipality of Oiapoque in Brazil. These findings suggest that there may be a dispersion of parasitic populations occurring between the two countries. Most likely, this distribution is associated with prolonged and/or more complex transmission patterns of these genotypes in Brazil, bordering French Guiana.

Insights into changes in precipitation patterns in Brazil from oxygen isotope ratios on speleothems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz, F.; Mathias, V.; Stephen, B. J.; Wang, X.; Cheng, H.; Werner, M.; Edwards, R. L.; Karmann, I.; Auler, A. S.

2008-12-01

Variations in tropical precipitation on millennial and orbital time scales can reflect a Hadley-cell-related anti- phasing between the Northern and Southern hemispheres due to the influence of insolation on the global summer monsoons. A new δ18O speleothem record from northeastern Brazil shows that insolation- driven changes in monsoon intensity are capable of producing a similar, zonally oriented anti-phasing within the same hemisphere. Comparison of our speleothem record with other precipitation-sensitive proxies from the central Andes and southeastern Brazil shows that precipitation in Northeastern Brazil has been out of phase with insolation and rainfall in the rest of tropical South America south of the equator since the Last Glacial Maximum. Northeastern Brazil experienced humid conditions when summer insolation was reduced and arid conditions when insolation was high. While previous interpretations of past climate change in NE South America have commonly invoked meridional displacements in ITCZ location as the main mechanism for changes in precipitation on millennial time scales, our results suggest that remote monsoon forcing is responsible for much of the observed precipitation changes on orbital time scales during the Holocene. These results demonstrate that orbitally driven out-of-phase relationships in precipitation are not limited to interhemispheric anti-phasing as demonstrated previously, but may well occur within the same hemisphere. Speleothem records also indicate contrasting climatic conditions around the Last Glacial Maximum in Brazil, characterized by marked dry and wet climates in the Nordeste and in southeastern Brazil, respectively. It is likely, however, that these regional differences primarily reflect more distant extratropical teleconnections from the Atlantic Ocean and high northern latitude changes during glacial conditions.

[Polyphenol availability in fruits and vegetables consumed in Brazil].

PubMed

Faller, Ana Luísa Kremer; Fialho, Eliane

2009-04-01

To estimate total polyphenol availability in fruits and vegetables commonly consumed in Brazil and its regions, and to identify the main food sources that constitute food habits in this country. Total polyphenols were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and the availability estimated according to the Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares 2002/ 2003 (2002/2003 Family Budget Survey). Twelve highly consumed food items were chosen, of which six were 'tropical fruits' and six were vegetables under the categories of 'leafy and flower vegetables', 'fruit vegetables' and 'tuberous vegetables'. Polyphenol quantification was performed with three independent experiments, each one in duplicate. The national polyphenol availability was estimated in grams per fresh weight of each analyzed food. Daily per capita availability in Brazil and its regions was calculated using the amount of polyphenol provided by the consumption of the 12 foods analyzed. Polyphenol contents of foods varied from 15.35 to 214.84 mg GAE/ 100 g of fresh weight. Polyphenol availability in Brazil, based on the amount in kilograms that is annually acquired in Brazil, of the 12 selected foods was 48.3 mg/ day, and the Southeast and Central-West regions had the highest and lowest values, respectively. Banana was the main polyphenol source consumed in Brazil, even though this pattern varied among regions. The estimated daily polyphenol availability in Brazil was similar to other countries. Differences observed among regions could be directly related to distinct cultural habits. Although there is no recommended daily availability of polyphenols, consumption of the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables can increase the availability of polyphenols 16 times, showing a clear relationship between the consumption of these food groups and the availability of beneficial bioactive compounds.

Persistent Pb Pollution in Central East Antarctic Snow: A Retrospective Assessment of Sources and Control Policy Implications.

PubMed

Chang, Chaewon; Han, Changhee; Han, Yeongcheol; Hur, Soon Do; Lee, Sanghee; Motoyama, Hideaki; Hou, Shugui; Hong, Sungmin

2016-11-15

Well-defined variations in the enrichments and isotopic compositions of Pb have been observed in snow from Dome Fuji and Dome A in the central East Antarctic Plateau (EAP) over the past few decades. The Pb isotopic fingerprints indicate that the rapid increase in Pb enrichments from the mid-1970s, reaching a peak in ∼1980, is due to the massive use of leaded gasoline in northern South America, especially Brazil. Since then, they show a continuous decline, mostly due to the significant removal of the Pb additives from gasoline in Brazil in the 1980s and, subsequently, in Argentina and Chile in the 1990s. After the phase-out of Pb in gasoline, Cu smelting in Chile has become the major source of Pb, contributing ∼90% to the total Pb emissions in northern South America in 2005. Nevertheless, Pb pollution in the central EAP declined substantially until recently as a result of the regulatory efforts to curb toxic trace metal emissions from the Cu industry in Chile. However, more than 90% of the Pb in the most remote places on Earth are still of anthropogenic origin, highlighting the need for the continuation of environmental regulations for the further reduction of Pb emissions.

Vulnerability of Amazon forests to storm-driven tree mortality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Negrón-Juárez, Robinson I.; Holm, Jennifer A.; Magnabosco Marra, Daniel; Rifai, Sami W.; Riley, William J.; Chambers, Jeffrey Q.; Koven, Charles D.; Knox, Ryan G.; McGroddy, Megan E.; Di Vittorio, Alan V.; Urquiza-Muñoz, Jose; Tello-Espinoza, Rodil; Alegria Muñoz, Waldemar; Ribeiro, Gabriel H. P. M.; Higuchi, Niro

2018-05-01

Tree mortality is a key driver of forest community composition and carbon dynamics. Strong winds associated with severe convective storms are dominant natural drivers of tree mortality in the Amazon. Why forests vary with respect to their vulnerability to wind events and how the predicted increase in storm events might affect forest ecosystems within the Amazon are not well understood. We found that windthrows are common in the Amazon region extending from northwest (Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and west Brazil) to central Brazil, with the highest occurrence of windthrows in the northwest Amazon. More frequent winds, produced by more frequent severe convective systems, in combination with well-known processes that limit the anchoring of trees in the soil, help to explain the higher vulnerability of the northwest Amazon forests to winds. Projected increases in the frequency and intensity of convective storms in the Amazon have the potential to increase wind-related tree mortality. A forest demographic model calibrated for the northwestern and the central Amazon showed that northwestern forests are more resilient to increased wind-related tree mortality than forests in the central Amazon. Our study emphasizes the importance of including wind-related tree mortality in model simulations for reliable predictions of the future of tropical forests and their effects on the Earth’ system.

Responding to obesity in Brazil: understanding the international and domestic politics of policy reform through a nested analytic approach to comparative analysis.

PubMed

Gómez, Eduardo J

2015-02-01

Why do governments pursue obesity legislation? And is the case of Brazil unique compared with other nations when considering the politics of policy reform? Using a nested analytic approach to comparative research, I found that theoretical frameworks accounting for why nations implement obesity legislation were not supported with cross-national statistical evidence. I then turned to the case of Brazil's response to obesity at three levels of government, national, urban, and rural, to propose alternative hypotheses for why nations pursue obesity policy. The case of Brazil suggests that the reasons that governments respond are different at these three levels. International forces, historical institutions, and social health movements were factors that prompted national government responses. At the urban and rural government levels, receiving federal financial assistance and human resource support appeared to be more important. The case of Brazil suggests that the international and domestic politics of responding to obesity are highly complex and that national and subnational political actors have different perceptions and interests when pursuing obesity legislation. Copyright © 2015 by Duke University Press.

Diversity and associations between coastal habitats and anurans in southernmost Brazil.

PubMed

Oliveira, Mauro C L M; Dos Santos, Maurício B; Loebmann, Daniel; Hartman, Alexandre; Tozetti, Alexandro M

2013-01-01

This study aimed to verify the relationship between habitat and the composition of anuran species in dune and restinga habitats in southernmost Brazil. The habitats were sampled between April 2009 and March 2010 using pitfalls with drift fence. We have captured 13,508 individuals of 12 anuran species. Species richness was lower in the dunes and dominance was higher in the resting. Apparently the less complex plant cover, water availability, and wide daily thermal variation in dunes act as an environmental filter for frogs. This hypothesis is reinforced by the fact that the most abundant species (Physalaemus biligonigerus and Odonthoprynus maisuma) bury themselves in the sand, minimizing these environmental stresses. Despite being in the Pampa biome, the studied community was more similar to those of coastal restinga environment of southeast Brazil than with other of the Pampa biome. The number of recorded species is similar to those observed in other open habitats in Brazil, showing the importance of adjacent ones to the shoreline for the maintenance of the diversity of anurans in southernmost Brazil.

EFFECTS OF FERTILIZER ADDITION ON MICROBIAL RESPIRATION AND UPTAKE OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN A CERRADO SOIL

EPA Science Inventory

The savanna area in central Brazil (Cerrado) is undergoing rapid agricultural land use changes and these changes are often accompanied by fertilization of the land. Because fertilization is a widespread management practice in the Cerrado, it is important to understand the effect...

Poisonous plants affecting the central nervous system of horses in Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Poisoning by Indigofera pascuori was recently reported in horses in the state of Roraima. It causes chronic signs of sleepiness, unsteady gait, severe ataxia, and progressive weight loss. Some animals are blind. Young horses are more affected than adults. After the end of plant consumption the anima...

STRUCTURE OF MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN NATIVE AND CONVERTED SAVANNA AREAS OF CENTRAL BRAZIL

EPA Science Inventory

Brazilian savannas (Cerrado) have suffered drastic changes in land use with major conversion of native areas to agriculture since 1960. Burning, both due to natural conditions and as a human-induced practice, is a common event during the dry season (April to September) and plays ...

Reproductive Characteristics of Rodent Assemblages in Cultivated Regions of Central Argentina

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

tuvieron el mayor nfimero de BRONSON, F. H. 1989. Mammalian reproductive bi- ology. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago. embriones por prefiez. Las...Rosenkranz, andl~rdida de masa en animales adultos frente A. Moura Duarte, eds.). International Council forLaboratory Animal Science. Sao Paulo, Brazil, 331 a

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-living Amazon river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) from central Amazon, Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Toxoplasma gondii is an important pathogen in aquatic mammals and its presence in these animals may indicate water contamination of aquatic environment by oocysts. Serum samples from 95 dolphins from free-living Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) from Sustainable Development Reserve Mamirauá (...

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-living amazon river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) from central Amazon, Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Toxoplasma gondii is an important pathogen in aquatic mammals and its presence in these animals may indicate water contamination of aquatic environment by oocysts. Serum samples from 95 dolphins from free-living Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) from Sustainable Development Reserve Mamirauá (...

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study Newsletter Number 39, BSCS Biology: A World View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, George M.

Included are progress reports from forty-two countries, ranging from accounts of complete adaptation and implementation of Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) materials to notes of preliminary contact with BSCS programs. Countries represented are: Afganistan, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Central America, Ceylon, Chile,…

77 FR 31676 - Sunshine Act Meeting Notice-June 14, 2012 Board of Directors Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-29

... a.m.): 1. Finance Project--Kenya, Tanzania and East Africa. 2. Finance Project--Peru. 3. Finance Project--Jordan. 4. Finance Project--Botswana. 5. Finance Project--South Africa. 6. Finance Project--Central/Eastern Europe. 7. Finance Project--Brazil. 8. Finance Project--Sub-Saharan Africa. 9. Finance...

Genomic sequences of Piezodorus guildinii from the southern United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Redbanded Stink Bug, Piezodorus guildinii, is native to Central and South America and a well-studied pest of soybeans in Brazil. Recently, it has been become economically important in the southern U.S. states, damaging soybeans from South Carolina to Texas. We cloned the partial genomic DNA from...

Studies of Phlebotomine Sand Flies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-08-31

wellcomei, a proven vector of leishmaniasis elsewhere in Brazil, was found by the Principal Investigator and colleagues in rainforest north of the Amazon ...and Sycoracinae). Technical Bull. 806. Agr. Exp. Stat., Univ. of Fla. 166 p. 15. Arias, J. and D.G. Young. 1980. Sand flies of the central Amazon of

Hydraulic lift in a neotropical savanna.

Treesearch

M.Z. Moreira; F.G. Scholz; S.J. Bucci; L.S. Sternberg; G. Goldstein; F.C. Meinzer; A.C. Franco

2003-01-01

We report hydraulic lift in the sawmlia vegetation of central Brazil (Cerrado). Both heat-pulse measurements and isotopic (deuterium) labelling were used to determine whether hydraulic lift occurred in two common species, and whether neighbouring small shrubs and trees were utilizing this water.Both techniques showed water uptake by tap-...

[From anthropocentrism to ecocentrism: educating for ecological care in health].

PubMed

Backes, Marli Terezinha Stein; Backes, Dirce Stein; Drago, Lívia Crespo; Koerich, Magda Santos; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini

2011-06-01

The focus of the paper is the meaning of ecological care as understood by students and educators and how this issue is addressed in programs in the fields of health sciences and health care in a federal public institution in southern Brazil. Our goal is to discuss the central category. The methodology adopted was Grounded Theory. Ten interviews were carried out among two sample groups between September, 2008, and April, 2009. The results led to the design of the theory: considering ecological care as broad and complex phenomenon, and the core category: the ecological care that results from relations, interactions and associations within the global environment. We concluded that rejecting anthropocentrism is not enough for the survival of all forms of life in the planet. This survival demands educating for ecocentrism and for systemic-functional interactivity and adaptability. We must go beyond speeches and world conferences and redo the web of interdependence of all beings and elements of nature.

Cytogenetic damage in the buccal epithelium of Brazilian aviators occupationally exposed to agrochemicals.

PubMed

Minasi, L B; Costa, E O A; Silva, D M; Melo, C O A; de Almeida, J G; Vieira, T C; Silva Júnior, R L; Ribeiro, C L; da Silva, C C; da Cruz, A D

2011-12-12

The frequency of micronuclei in both buccal cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes is extensively used as a biomarker of chromosomal damage and genome stability in human populations. We examined whether prolonged exposure to complex mixtures of pesticides leads to an increase in cytogenetic damage. The exposed group comprised 50 agricultural aviators, mainly from Central and Southeast regions of Brazil, who had inhaled agrochemicals for more than 10 years without personal protection equipment; the control group consisted of 17 men from the same regions, without indication of exposure to pesticides, There were three times higher frequencies of micronuclei (P < 0.05) and 2.5 times higher frequencies of binucleated cells in the aviators when compared to controls. However, cytotoxic alterations such as broken eggs and karyorrhexis did not present statistically significant differences between the exposed and control groups. Therefore, diverse agrochemicals used to combat pests in agriculture possess genotoxic effects in the oral mucosa of the agricultural pilots, as showed in this study.

The impact of sporotrichosis in HIV-infected patients: a systematic review.

PubMed

Moreira, José A S; Freitas, Dayvison F S; Lamas, Cristiane C

2015-06-01

Sporotrichosis is a fungal infection of man and animals caused by Sporothrix complex. It usually presents as a lymphocutaneous form, but disseminated disease may occur. Given the paucity of data about HIV/AIDS and sporotrichosis co-infection, a systematic review of reported cases of HIV-associated sporotrichosis found via Pubmed (1984-2013) was done. A total of 39 papers were included, and 58 patients' data analyzed. Thirty-three (56.9 %) cases were from Brazil and 18 (31 %) from the USA. Patients' mean age was 37.8 ± 10.4 years; males predominated (84.5 %). The median CD4(+) cell count was 97 cells/mm(3). The most common clinical forms were disseminated and disseminated cutaneous with 33 (56.9 %) and 10 (17.5 %) patients, respectively. There was a correlation between CD4(+) count and clinical categories (p = 0.002). Mortality was 30 % and there was a correlation between central nervous system involvement and death (p < 0.001).

Geographical patterns in climate and agricultural technology drive soybean productivity in Brazil

PubMed Central

Caetano, Jordana Moura; Tessarolo, Geiziane; de Oliveira, Guilherme; Souza, Kelly da Silva e; Diniz-Filho, José Alexandre Felizola

2018-01-01

The impacts of global climate change have been a worldwide concern for several research areas, including those dealing with resources essential to human well being, such as agriculture, which directly impact economic activities and food security. Here we evaluate the relative effect of climate (as indicated by the Ecological Niche Model—ENM) and agricultural technology on actual soybean productivity in Brazilian municipalities and estimate the future geographic distribution of soybeans using a novel statistical approach allowing the evaluation of partial coefficients in a non-stationary (Geographically Weighted Regression; GWR) model. We found that technology was more important than climate in explaining soybean productivity in Brazil. However, some municipalities are more dependent on environmental suitability (mainly in Southern Brazil). The future environmental suitability for soybean cultivation tends to decrease by up 50% in the central region of Brazil. Meanwhile, southern-most Brazil will have more favourable conditions, with an increase of ca. 25% in environmental suitability. Considering that opening new areas for cultivation can degrade environmental quality, we suggest that, in the face of climate change impacts on soybean cultivation, the Brazilian government and producers must invest in breeding programmes and more general ecosystem-based strategies for adaptation to climate change, including the development of varieties tolerant to climate stress, and strategies to increase productivity and reduce costs (social and environmental). PMID:29381755

Geographical patterns in climate and agricultural technology drive soybean productivity in Brazil.

PubMed

Caetano, Jordana Moura; Tessarolo, Geiziane; de Oliveira, Guilherme; Souza, Kelly da Silva E; Diniz-Filho, José Alexandre Felizola; Nabout, João Carlos

2018-01-01

The impacts of global climate change have been a worldwide concern for several research areas, including those dealing with resources essential to human well being, such as agriculture, which directly impact economic activities and food security. Here we evaluate the relative effect of climate (as indicated by the Ecological Niche Model-ENM) and agricultural technology on actual soybean productivity in Brazilian municipalities and estimate the future geographic distribution of soybeans using a novel statistical approach allowing the evaluation of partial coefficients in a non-stationary (Geographically Weighted Regression; GWR) model. We found that technology was more important than climate in explaining soybean productivity in Brazil. However, some municipalities are more dependent on environmental suitability (mainly in Southern Brazil). The future environmental suitability for soybean cultivation tends to decrease by up 50% in the central region of Brazil. Meanwhile, southern-most Brazil will have more favourable conditions, with an increase of ca. 25% in environmental suitability. Considering that opening new areas for cultivation can degrade environmental quality, we suggest that, in the face of climate change impacts on soybean cultivation, the Brazilian government and producers must invest in breeding programmes and more general ecosystem-based strategies for adaptation to climate change, including the development of varieties tolerant to climate stress, and strategies to increase productivity and reduce costs (social and environmental).

Projected climate change impacts in rainfall erosivity over Brazil.

PubMed

Almagro, André; Oliveira, Paulo Tarso S; Nearing, Mark A; Hagemann, Stefan

2017-08-15

The impacts of climate change on soil erosion may bring serious economic, social and environmental problems. However, few studies have investigated these impacts on continental scales. Here we assessed the influence of climate change on rainfall erosivity across Brazil. We used observed rainfall data and downscaled climate model output based on Hadley Center Global Environment Model version 2 (HadGEM2-ES) and Model for Interdisciplinary Research On Climate version 5 (MIROC5), forced by Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 and 8.5, to estimate and map rainfall erosivity and its projected changes across Brazil. We estimated mean values of 10,437 mm ha -1  h -1 year -1 for observed data (1980-2013) and 10,089 MJ mm ha -1  h -1 year -1 and 10,585 MJ mm ha -1  h -1 year -1 for HadGEM2-ES and MIROC5, respectively (1961-2005). Our analysis suggests that the most affected regions, with projected rainfall erosivity increases ranging up to 109% in the period 2007-2040, are northeastern and southern Brazil. Future decreases of as much as -71% in the 2071-2099 period were estimated for the southeastern, central and northwestern parts of the country. Our results provide an overview of rainfall erosivity in Brazil that may be useful for planning soil and water conservation, and for promoting water and food security.

Occurrence and Probability Maps of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia cruzi (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in Brazil.

PubMed

Andrade-Filho, J D; Scholte, R G C; Amaral, A L G; Shimabukuro, P H F; Carvalho, O S; Caldeira, R L

2017-09-01

Leishmaniases are serious diseases caused by trypanosomatid protozoans of the genus Leishmania transmitted by the bite of phlebotomine sand flies. We analyzed records pertaining to Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz and Neiva, 1912) and Lutzomyia cruzi (Mangabeira, 1938) in Brazil from the following sources: the collection of phlebotomine sand flies of the Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/Fiocruz (FIOCRUZ-COLFLEB), the "SpeciesLink" (CRIA) database, from systematic surveys of scientific articles and gray literature (dissertations, theses, and communications), and disease data obtained from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases/Ministry of Health (SINAN/MS). Environmental data and ecological niche modeling (ESMS) using the approach of MaxEnt algorithm produced maps of occurrence probability for both Lu. longipalpis and Lu. cruzi. Lutzomyia longipalpis was found in 229 Brazilian municipalities and Lu. cruzi in 27. The species were sympatric in 16 municipalities of the Central-West region of Brazil. Our results show that Lu. longipalpis is widely distributed and associated with the high number of cases of visceral leishmaniasis reported in Brazil. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Field Biology of the Beetle Aegopsis bolboceridus in Brazil, with a List of Host Plants

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Charles M.; Frizzas, Marina R.

2013-01-01

The white grub, Aegopsis bolboceridus (Thomson) (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae), is an important vegetable and corn pest in central Brazil. The objective of this study was to examine the biology of A. bolboceridus in the field and to update the list of its host plants. The study was conducted in an area with vegetable crops and corn located in the Federal District of Brazil. Samplings were taken to observe the biological stages of A. bolboceridus, preferred oviposition sites, and the adult swarming period. A. bolboceridus exhibited a univoltine cycle that lasted approximately 12 months from egg to active adults. Its eggs were found from October to November. The larval stage lasted approximately eight months, occurring between October and May. Pre-pupae were observed between April and June, and pupae were found between May and July. Inactive adults were observed in July and August, and the swarming period was between September and October. The females preferred to oviposit in sites with taller plants. Four new plant species were identified as hosts for this pest, and two new locations were recorded for its occurrence. This study is the first to describe the biology of a representative of the tribe Agaocephalini in Brazil. PMID:23909396

[Technology and disciplinary fields: cytotechnicians and implementation of the Pap test in Brazil].

PubMed

Teixeira, Luiz Antonio; Pumar, Leticia

2014-01-01

The implementation of the Pap test as a primary technology in the control of cervical cancer in Brazil was the result of choices, agreements and disputes among certain professional groups, including physicians from various specialisations, pharmacists, biologists, biomedical scientists and cytotechnologists. The first part of the paper describes the process of formulating Brazil's first screening campaigns using the Pap smear, and the subsequent emergence of the profession of cytotechnology, whose practitioners interpret this test. Second, based on questions raised by international historiography in the field of science and technology, we explore in detail how the adoption of the Pap smear transpired within the Brazilian context, focussing on the debates among the various professional groups with an interest in the suitability of the test and on the relationships between the public and private healthcare sectors. We show that the professional career of cytotechnologists and the way in which the Pap smear has been implemented as a central technology for cervical cancer screening in Brazil have been shaped by the conflicting views of this technology held by different disciplines as well as by the relationship between these disciplines and labour market dynamics.

Composition of the Fusarium graminearum species complex populations in wheat cropping environments in Southern Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) comprises several toxigenic species that cause Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat. In this study, high number (n=671 isolates) of pathogenic isolates (isolated from infected spikes) was obtained from a 3-year large-scale survey (2009-2011) conducted o...

Emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clonal complex 398 with no livestock association in Brazil

PubMed Central

André, Egidio Domingos; Pereira, Renata Freire Alves; Snyder, Robert Eugene; Machado, Thamiris Santana; André, Lialyz Soares Pereira; Cardoso, Claudete Aparecida Araújo; Aguiar-Alves, Fábio

2017-01-01

CC398 is a livestock-associated Staphylococcus aureus. However, it has also been isolated from humans with no previous contact with livestock. A surveillance of methicillin-resistant S. aureus colonisation among children attending public day care centres and hospitals in Niterói and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2011 and 2013, resulted in the isolation of six cases of CC398 from individuals with no previous exposure to livestock. These isolates showed a high frequency of the erm(C) gene (4/6, 66.7%) with induced resistance to clindamycin, and a relatively high frequency of SEs and lukS/lukF genes. These results suggest the emergence of a non-LA-CC398 in Brazil. PMID:28902291

Understanding the Two-Photon Absorption Spectrum of PE2 Platinum Acetylide Complex

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-09

Materials Division Marcelo G. Vivas - Instituto de Ciência de Tecnologia , Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Cidade Universitári, BR Leonardo De Boni...Instituto de Ciência de Tecnologia , Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Cidade Universitári, BR 267 Km 533, 37715- 400 Poços de Caldas, MG Brazil...Saõ Paulo, CP 369, 13560-970, Saõ Carlos, SP Brazil ‡Instituto de Cien̂cia de Tecnologia , Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Cidade UniversitaŕiaBR

Identification of Species Related to Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (Diptera: Culicidae)

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-11-01

Instituto de Biologia do ExCrcito, Rua Francisco Manuel 102, 2091 l-270 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil Species-specific Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA...da Panela Manaus Ilha Comprida 6 km SW Registro Ponte Melo Peixoto Capanema Ilha de Marajo Santa Helena nr. Guaira Aguia Branca Rio Socuavo...Brazil; 11, Ponte Melo Peixoto, Brazil. Fig. 3: RAPD amplifications of Albitarsis Complex species A with primer B05. Arrow on left indicates fragment

Unchanging pattern of prevalence of esophageal cancer, overall and by histological subtype, in the endoscopy service of the main referral hospital in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul State, in Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Fagundes, R B; de Carli, D; Xaubet, R V; Cantarelli, J C

2016-08-01

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (ADC) are the two main histological types of esophageal cancer. Southern Brazil has the highest rates of esophageal cancer in South America, and the most prevalent subtype of esophageal cancer has been SCC. This study assessed the trend changes in the histological types of esophageal cancer, in a 20-year period, in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. We searched all cases of esophageal cancer from 1993 to 2012 by their histological diagnosis, grouping the patients in 4-year time periods to evaluate time trends. Among 18 441 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies we identified 686 cases of esophageal cancer. Histological study confirmed the diagnosis of SCC in 640 (93.3%) patients and ADC in 46 (6.7%). Overall, 522 men were diagnosed with esophageal carcinoma; from these, 489 (93.6%) presented SCC, and 33 (6.3%) ADC. Among women, 164 had the diagnosis of esophageal cancer, 151 (92%) SCC, and 13 (7.9%) ADC. The proportion found among men and women was 3.1:1, respectively. The prevalence rate of esophageal cancer, along a 20 year-period, remained stable, as well as the rates of SCC and ADC. SCC was the most common type of esophageal cancer, and ADC presented very low prevalence. © 2015 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

3D gravimetric investigation of the Cerro do Jarau structure, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacomini, Bruno B.; Leite, Emilson P.; Crósta, Alvaro P.

2017-04-01

The Cerro do Jarau structure is possibly the third Brazilian basaltic crater formed in continental flood basalt of the Serra Geral Formation, Paraná Basin, a large igneous province (LIP) in southern Brazil. It is a nearly circular landform with a diameter of approximately 13 km that rises 200 m above the plains of the "pampas" in southern Brazil. In this work, Bouguer anomalies were calculated from gravity accelerations measured on the area of this structure. The residual Bouguer map shows a strong positive anomaly trending NE-SW, located in the northeastern part of the structure, a feature not commonly associated with impact structures. However, the negative anomaly present in its center and the circular positive anomaly surrounding the central portion are typical of impact structures. The residual Bouguer anomaly varies from -2 mGal to 8 mGal. The positive circular anomaly is not spatially coincident with the rim of the structure. Based on the interpretation of our gravimetric data, the estimated diameter of the structure is 12 km and the central portion has a diameter of approximately 5 km, both slightly smaller than previously suggested. The Bouguer anomaly map was inverted into a 3D density model using a constrained inversion method with a maximum density contrast of 0.5 g cm-3. This model was interpreted to associate densities with rock types, resulting in a geological model. This geological model is in accordance with the meteorite impact nature of Cerro do Jarau.

A remarkable new genus and a new species of chewing louse (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera, Philopteridae) from Brazil

PubMed Central

Valim, Michel P.; Cicchino, Armando C.

2015-01-01

Abstract A new genus of chewing louse as Bobdalgleishia, and its type species Bobdalgleishia stephanophallus sp. n. (Phthiraptera) belonging to the Brueelia-complex (Ischnocera: Philopteridae) are described. Adults of the new species are fully described, illustrated and compared morphologically with the type species of Motmotnirmus Mey & Barker, 2014, which is its closest relative. The type host of Bobdalgleishia stephanophallus is a subspecies of the great jacamar Jacamerops aureus ridgwayi Todd, 1943, an endemic Amazonian bird distributed in northern Brazil, and the type locality is the State of Pará. Bobdalgleishia is a remarkable genus with unique morphological and chaetotaxic characters which readily separate it from other members of the Brueelia-complex, in particular by having the first two marginal temporal and ocular setae very long. PMID:26798280

On slaves and genes: "origins" and "processes" in genetic studies of the Brazilian population.

PubMed

Calvo-González, Elena

2014-01-01

In this article I examine how contemporary geneticists investigating the history and configuration of the Brazilian population engage with other academic disciplines. To do so I use as a case study some articles published by geneticists researching the presence of hemoglobin S variants in Brazil, in which there is a clear pretension to contribute to the analysis of issues such as slavery or Brazil's ethnic identity. By contrasting these studies with contemporary works from history and the social science, the explanatory centrality of "origin" in the genetic studies analyzed is problematized, as is the lack of interaction with the epistemological characteristics of other areas of knowledge.

A review of the Southern Oscillation - Oceanic-atmospheric circulation changes and related rainfall anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kousky, V. E.; Kagano, M. T.; Cavalcanti, I. F. A.

1984-01-01

The region of South America is emphasized in the present consideration of the Southern Oscillation (SO) oceanic and atmospheric circulation changes. The persistence of climate anomalies associated with El Nino-SO events is due to strong atmosphere-ocean coupling. Once initiated, the SO follows a certain sequence of events with clearly defined effects on tropical and subtropical rainfall. Excessive rainfall related to the SO in the central and eastern Pacific, Peru, Ecuador, and southern Brazil, are complemented by drought in Australia, Indonesia, India, West Africa, and northeast Brazil. El Nino-SO events are also associated with dramatic changes in the tropospheric flow pattern over a broad area of both hemispheres.

Numerical Modeling of Transport of Biomass Burning Emissions on South America

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

RibeirodeFreitas, Saulo

2001-01-01

Our research efforts have addressed theoretical and numerical modeling of sources emissions and transport processes of trace gases and aerosols emitted by biomass burning on the central of Brazil and Amazon basin. For this effort we coupled all Eulerian transport model with the mesoscale atmospheric model RAMS (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System).

Linking Community Communication to Conservation of the Maned Wolf in Central Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bizerril, Marcelo Ximenes A.; Soares, Carla Cruz; Santos, Jean Pierre

2011-01-01

This article describes the environmental education (EE) program developed in the neighboring community of Serra da Canastra National Park based on a research project focused on the maned wolf conservation. The article assesses three tools used to foster the community's participation in discussing local issues: (1) communal production of a book…

Debtor States and the World Market: Explaining Mexican and Brazilian Foreign Economic Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gayle, Dennis John

The ways in which world market instabilities affect indebted developing countries and explanations of their differential policy responses are the central issues addressed in this paper. The development of Brazil and Mexico is examined as examples of middle-income developing nations whose economies have assumed dependent development. Dependent…

Regional variations in biomass distribution in Brazilian savanna woodland

Treesearch

S.d.C. de Miranda; M. Bustamente; M. Palace; S. Hagen; M. Keller; L.G. Ferreira

2014-01-01

The Cerrado, the savanna biome in central Brazil, mostly comprised of woodland savanna, is experiencing intense and fast land use changes. To understand the changes in Cerrado carbon stocks, we present an overview of biomass distribution in different Cerrado vegetation types (i.e., grasslands, shrublands and forestlands). We surveyed 26 studies including 170 Cerrado...

A new species of Rock-Dwelling Scinax Wagler (Anura: Hylidae) from Chapada dos Veadeiros, Central Brazil.

PubMed

Araujo-Vieira, Katyuscia; Brandão, Reuber Albuquerque; Faria, Daniele Carvalho Do Carmo

2015-02-02

A new species of the Scinax ruber clade is described from Chapada dos Veadeiros region, Central Brazil. The new species is diagnosed by having SVL 21.9-27.7 mm in males and 26.7-31.7 mm in females; snout acuminate in dorsal view and rounded in profile; medium-sized tympanum; vocal sac single, median, subgular, that does not reach the pectoral region; iris iridescent yellow, with some thin, darker reticulations; tadpoles with ventral oral disc; P-3 regular and unmodified as a labial arm; absence of keratinized and colored plates on the sides of the lower jaw-sheath; presence of a keratinized and colored spur on each side behind the lower jaw-sheath; dorsolateral eyes, ventrally invisible; and advertisement call composed of 8-14 notes each with 4-18 pulses, and duration of 290-420 ms. The new species uses temporary creeks in rock meadows above 1.000 m a.s.l. and males calls from rock outcrops. The dorsal color pattern enables this species to camouflage in this kind of surfaces. 

Occurrence of pathogenic fungi to Amblyomma cajennense in a rural area of Central Brazil and their activities against vectors of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

PubMed

D'Alessandro, Walmirton B; Humber, Richard A; Luz, Christian

2012-08-13

Two isolates of Beauveria bassiana and one of Purpureocillium lilacinum (=Paecilomyces lilacinus) were found infecting Amblyomma cajennense engorged females collected on horses (0.15% infection rate from a total of 1982 specimens) and another two isolates of P. lilacinum and one Metarhizium anisopliae detected in soils (2.1% from 144 samples) collected in typical pasture habitats of this tick in Central Brazil from October 2009 to March 2011. Fungi were isolated from soils with Rhipicephalus sanguineus as surrogate baits. No fungi were found in ticks or soils during the driest months (May to August). Testing pathogenicity of fungi all R. sanguineus females were killed regardless of the isolate and fungi sporulated abundantly on the cadavers. A. cajennense was less susceptible to infection with P. lilacinum within 20 days than R. sanguineus. All three fungal species probably act as natural antagonists of A. cajennense particularly in the rainy season and have interest for integrate control of vectors of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Siphonaptera associated with wild mammals from the Central Atlantic Forest Biodiversity Corridor in southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Pinto, Israel de S; Botelho, José R; Costa, Leonora P; Leite, Yuri L R; Linardi, Pedro M

2009-09-01

We collected 379 samples of eight flea species from 235 specimens of wild mammals captured in three areas of the Central Atlantic Forest Corridor in the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, between August 2006 and February 2008. Among the 22 mammal species, we found eight species of marsupials (order Didelphimorphia), 13 species of rodents (order Rodentia), and one species of wild cat (order Carnivora). The total prevalence of infestation was 28.1%, with similar percentages in rodents (26.4%) and marsupials (29.5%). The infestation in the southern area was 3 times higher than that observed in the northern area. The infestation by single flea species was > 6 times higher than the total number of double and triple infestations. The mean abundance of fleas was 1.61. The flea female/male ratio was 1.38, ranging from 0.95 in Adoratopsylla (Tritopsylla) intermedia intermedia (Wagner) to 1.81 in Hechtiella nitidus (Johnson) in the most flea species infested. We report three new records of flea species in the state of Espírito Santo, and eight new host records.

Controls over spatial and seasonal variations on isotopic composition of the precipitation along the central and eastern portion of Brazil.

PubMed

Gastmans, Didier; Santos, Vinícius; Galhardi, Juliana Aparecida; Gromboni, João Felipe; Batista, Ludmila Vianna; Miotlinski, Konrad; Chang, Hung Kiang; Govone, José Silvio

2017-10-01

Based on Global Network Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) isotopic data set, a review of the spatial and temporal variability of δ 18 O and δ 2 H in precipitation was conducted throughout central and eastern Brazil, indicating that dynamic interactions between Intertropical and South Atlantic Convergence Zones, Amazon rainforest, and Atlantic Ocean determine the variations on the isotopic composition of precipitation over this area. Despite the seasonality and latitude effects observed, a fair correlation with precipitation amount was found. In addition, Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) air mass back trajectories were used to quantify the factors controlling daily variability in stable isotopes in precipitation. Through a linear multiple regression analysis, it was observed that temporal variations were consistent with the meteorological parameters derived from HYSPLIT, particularly precipitation amount along the trajectory and mix depth, but are not dependent on vapour residence time in the atmosphere. These findings also indicate the importance of convective systems to control the isotopic composition of precipitation in tropical and subtropical regions.

The aggressive call of Dendropsophus cruzi (Pombal Bastos, 1998) (Anura; Hylidae) in Central Brazil.

PubMed

Andreani, Tainà Lucas; Oliveira, Seixas Rezende; Guerra, VinÍcius; Bastos, RogÉrio Pereira; De Morais, Alessandro Ribeiro

2018-02-13

Dendropsophus cruzi (Pombal Bastos, 1998) is a small hylid (male snout-to-vent length = 16.3-19.4 mm; female SVL = 21.3-25.0 mm) that is allocated in the D. microcephalus group (Faivovich et al. 2005). It is commonly found in Open and forested areas from Central Brazil to Provincia Velasco, Departamento de Santa Cruz, Bolivia (Frost 2017; Tessarolo et al. 2016). Pombal Bastos (1998) described the advertisement call of D. cruzi as a single pulsed note. Posteriorly, studies uncovered relationships between dominant frequency variation in the advertisement calls of D. cruzi and variation in the SVL and mass of males (Bastos et al. 2003), as well as the existence of a clinal geographic pattern in the variation of acoustic parameters of these calls (Tessarolo et al. 2016). However, the acoustic communication in anurans is usually mediated by more than one vocalization type (Toledo et al. 2015). Due the importance of call types in the social context of anurans (e.g., Reichert 2011; Forti et al. 2017), we expand the vocal repertoire of D. cruzi by describing its aggressive call.

A study of weeds as potential inoculum sources for a tomato-infecting begomovirus in central Brazil.

PubMed

Barreto, S S; Hallwass, M; Aquino, O M; Inoue-Nagata, A K

2013-05-01

Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV) is the most important begomovirus species in Brazilian tomato production. Many weeds are associated with tomato, and some are hosts of begomoviruses. Only one species of weed, Nicandra physaloides, has been found to be infected with ToSRV. In this study, four weed species were investigated for their capacity to be infected by ToSRV and serve as a potential source of inoculum for tomato. Begomoviruses from naturally infected Crotalaria spp., Euphorbia heterophylla, N. physaloides, and Sida spp. were successfully transferred to tomato plants by biolistic inoculation. ToSRV was the major virus transferred to tomato. In contrast, other begomoviruses were transferred to weeds, such as Sida micrantha mosaic virus and Euphorbia yellow mosaic virus. Furthermore, a new strain of Sida micrantha mosaic virus is reported. We also confirmed that Crotalaria spp., E. heterophylla, and Sida spp. are infected with ToSRV but at low viral titers and in mixed infections with weed-infecting begomoviruses. Thus, it was demonstrated that weeds are potential sources of ToSRV for tomato in central Brazil.

Helminth fauna of Leptodactylus syphax (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Caatinga biome, northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Lins, Aline Gouveia de Souza; Aguiar, Aline; Morais, Drausio Honorio; Firmino da Silva, Lidiane Aparecida; Ávila, Robson Waldemar; Silva, Reinaldo José da

2017-01-01

Leptodactylus syphax is distributed in central, southeastern and northeastern Brazil, eastern Bolivia and southern Paraguay, occupying open areas and rock outcrops, in rock cavities and termite burrows. We collected 21 frogs from the Caatinga region of the state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil, and 7,021 helminths were recovered from 18 of these hosts (overall prevalence = 85.7%). Six helminth taxa were recovered, as follows: Aplectana membranosa (n = 3,756); Schrankiana formosula (n = 3,176); larvae of Physaloptera sp. (n = 43); unidentified nematode larvae (n = 7); digenean metacercariae of Lophosicyadiplostomum sp. (n = 2); and cystacanths of Acanthocephala (n = 37). The similarity of helminth composition between L. syphax from the Caatinga and other species of the L. fuscus group showed that some anurans were clustered according to parasite species and others according to geographic locality. This study presents new helminth records for the Neotropical region, thus helping in understanding the pattern of species distribution, and it increases the knowledge of parasites associated with amphibians.

Echinococcus canadensis (G7) and Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (G1) in swine of southern Brazil.

PubMed

Monteiro, D U; Botton, S A; Tonin, A A; Azevedo, M I; Graichen, D A S; Noal, C B; de la Rue, M L

2014-05-28

The cystic echinococcosis (CE) is an important zoonotic disease caused by the parasite Echinococcus spp. In Brazil, this parasite is present in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, border with Argentina and Uruguay, causing several damages to human and animal health. This study aimed to identify Echinococcus spp. in hydatid cysts of swine and evaluate the similarity of the genotypes through the phylogenetic analysis. A total of 3,101,992 swine were slaughtered in the central/northern region of RS/Brazil, during 2008-2012. Five isolates were characterized as hydatid cyst by molecular analysis, based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox-I). The genotypes E. granulosus sensu stricto (G1) (n=2) and E. canadensis (G7) (n=3) were identified in the hydatid cysts. The swine represents a potential intermediate host for different genotypes of Echinococcus spp., besides it can contribute to the perpetuation of the parasite's life cycle in rural areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Projected Changes in Evapotranspiration Rates over Northeast Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, Alexandre; Guimarães, Sullyandro; Vasconcelos, Francisco, Jr.; Sales, Domingo; da Silva, Emerson

2015-04-01

Climate simulations were performed using a regional model (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System, RAMS 6.0) driven by data from one of the CMIP5 models (Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model, version 2 - Earth System, HadGEM2-ES) over two CORDEX domains (South America and Central America) for the heavy-emission scenario (RCP8.5). Potential evapotranspiraion data from the RCM and from the CMIP5 global models were analyzed over Northeast Brazil, a semiarid region with a short rainy season (usually February to May in its northern portion due to the seasonal shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone) and over which droughts are frequent. Significant changes in the potential evapotranspiration were found, with most models showing a increasing trend along the 21st century, which are expected to alter the surface water budget, increasing the current water deficit (precipitation is currently much smaller than potential evapotranspiration). Based on the projections from the majority of the models, we expect important impacts over local agriculture and water resources over Northeast Brazil.

[Health and indigenous peoples in Brazil: reflections based on the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition].

PubMed

Carlos, E A Coimbra

2014-04-01

The current configuration of indigenous peoples' health in Brazil results from a complex historical trajectory, responsible for major delays for this population segment in the countrywide social advances seen in recent decades, particularly in the fields of health, education, housing, and sanitation. The main focus of this contribution is to review synthetically a selection of the main results of the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition, conducted in the period 2008-2009, which visited 113 villages across the Brazil and interviewed 6,692 women and 6,128 children. Among the results, emphasis is given to the observed poor sanitation conditions in villages, high prevalence of chronic malnutrition, anemia, diarrhea, and acute respiratory infections in children, and the emergence of non-communicable chronic diseases in women. The scenario depicted by this survey requires urgent critical review of indigenous health policy in order to better meet the health needs of Brazil's indigenous population.

Bioacoustics reveals two new syntopic species of Adenomera Steindachner (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leptodactylinae) in the Cerrado of central Brazil.

PubMed

De Carvalho, Thiago Ribeiro; Giaretta, Ariovaldo Antonio

2013-11-01

In this paper, we describe two syntopic species of Adenomera from the Chapada dos Veadeiros microregion, northern State of Goiás, central Brazil, recognized based on morphology, color patterns, and bioacoustics. Specimens and calls were obtained in the Municipality of Teresina de Goiás, central Brazil. Adenomera cotuba sp. nov. is diagnosed from the other 16 congeneric species by its 1) small size (adult male SVL 18.6-20.5 mm) and very robust body; 2) dorsum glandular/granular with no distinctive dorsal granular rows or dorsolateral folds; 3) black or very dark dorsal coloration with no distinctive color patterns (e.g., dorsolateral or vertebral stripes); 4) toe tips not developed into flattened disks; 5) presence of antebrachial tubercle; and 6) advertisement call consisting of a well-defined series of pulsed calls (7-32 calls/series) with progressive increment in amplitude in the first third of each call series when it reaches a sustained plateau. Adenomera juikitam sp. nov. is diagnosed from the other 16 congeneric species by its 1) dorsum profusely glandular/granular with no distinctive dorsal granular rows or dorsolateral folds; 2) dorsum with a marble-like and red coloration with no distinctive color patterns (e.g., dorsolateral or vertebral stripes); 3) toe tips not developed into flattened disks; 4) small size (adult male SVL 19.1-19.5 mm) and very robust body; and 5) long (148-202 ms) advertisement call composed of 16-21pulses. Both new taxa occur in syntopy, and our data allow us to differentiate them both in temporal (pulses/call) and spectral (frequency peaks) traits of their advertisement calls. Besides, dorsal coloration is distinctive, Adenomera cotuba sp. nov. has a black or very dark-colored dorsum, whereas Adenomera juikitam sp. nov. has a marble-like and red-colored dorsum, in addition to the presence (A. cotuba sp. nov.) or absence (A. juikitam sp. nov.) of antebrachial tubercle.

Epidemiological Trends of Dengue Disease in Brazil (2000–2010): A Systematic Literature Search and Analysis

PubMed Central

Teixeira, Maria Glória; Siqueira,, João Bosco; Ferreira, Germano L. C.; Bricks, Lucia; Joint, Graham

2013-01-01

A literature survey and analysis was conducted to describe the epidemiology of dengue disease in Brazil reported between 2000 and 2010. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42011001826: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42011001826). Between 31 July and 4 August 2011, the published literature was searched for epidemiological studies of dengue disease, using specific search strategies for each electronic database. A total of 714 relevant citations were identified, 51 of which fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The epidemiology of dengue disease in Brazil, in this period, was characterized by increases in the geographical spread and incidence of reported cases. The overall increase in dengue disease was accompanied by a rise in the proportion of severe cases. The epidemiological pattern of dengue disease in Brazil is complex and the changes observed during this review period are likely to have been influenced by multiple factors. Several gaps in epidemiological knowledge regarding dengue disease in Brazil were identified that provide avenues for future research, in particular, studies of regional differences, genotype evolution, and age-stratified seroprevalence. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD42011001826. PMID:24386496

The effect of the Family Health Strategy on usual source of care in Brazil: data from the 2013 National Health Survey (PNS 2013).

PubMed

Dourado, Inês; Medina, Maria Guadalupe; Aquino, Rosana

2016-11-17

A usual source of care (USC) has been conceptualized as having a health provider or place available for patients to consult when sick or in need of medical care. Having a USC is a means to achieve longitudinality of care with Primary Health Care (PHC) providers. Brazil has made enormous progress in PHC and thus provides an important opportunity to investigate USC in a middle-income country context. This study uses data from a nationally representative household survey, the 2013 National Health Survey (n = 62,986), to describe the prevalence of having a USC in Brazil and to investigate to what extent the Family Health Strategy (FHS) has contributed to USC prevalence. Analyses include descriptive, bivariate and multivariable Poisson regression. Show very high rates of people reporting any type of USC (74.4 %) and more than one third reporting PHC as their USC. Household enrolment in the FHS was positively associated with having any USC (PR:1.09; 95 % CI: 1.07-1.12) and a stronger association with having PHC as the regular source of care (PR:1.63;95 % CI:1.54-1.73). FHS enrolment was negatively associated with reporting emergency/urgent care facilities as one's USC (PR: 0.67; 95 % CI: 0.59-0.76). The association between the more consolidated FHS with having a USC was strongest in the poorest regions of the country (North, Northeast and Central-West). Having PHC as one's USC showed a positive dose-response relationship with the FHS in all regions, especially in the Central-West. Our results have important implications for the health care model in Brazil and in other countries, especially those seeking to base their national health systems more strongly on primary health care. The study suggests expanding primary health care can increase the establishment of a USC which can help assure better monitoring of chronic conditions and attention to patient needs.

Head and neck cancer burden and preventive measures in Central and South America.

PubMed

Perdomo, Sandra; Martin Roa, Guillermo; Brennan, Paul; Forman, David; Sierra, Mónica S

2016-09-01

Central and South America comprise one of the areas characterized by high incidence rates for head and neck cancer. We describe the geographical and temporal trends in incidence and mortality of head and neck cancers in the Central and South American region in order to identify opportunities for intervention on the major identified risk factors: tobacco control, alcohol use and viral infections. We obtained regional- and national-level incidence data from 48 population-based cancer registries in 13 countries and cancer deaths from the WHO mortality database for 18 countries. Age-standardized incidence (ASR) and mortality (ASMR) rates per 100,000 person-years were estimated. Brazil had the highest incidence rates for oral and pharyngeal cancer in the region for both sexes, followed by Cuba, Uruguay and Argentina. Cuba had the highest incidence and mortality rates of laryngeal cancer in the region for males and females. Overall, males had rates about four times higher than those in females. Most countries in the region have implemented WHO recommendations for both tobacco and alcohol public policy control. Head and neck squamous-cell cancer (HNSCC) incidence and mortality rates in the Central and South America region vary considerably across countries, with Brazil, Cuba, French Guyana, Uruguay and Argentina experiencing the highest rates in the region. Males carry most of the HNSCC burden. Improvement and implementation of comprehensive tobacco and alcohol control policies as well as the monitoring of these factors are fundamental to prevention of head and neck cancers in the region. Copyright © 2015 International Agency for Research on Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Using spatial statistics to identify emerging hot spots of forest loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Nancy L.; Goldman, Elizabeth; Gabris, Christopher; Nordling, Jon; Minnemeyer, Susan; Ansari, Stephen; Lippmann, Michael; Bennett, Lauren; Raad, Mansour; Hansen, Matthew; Potapov, Peter

2017-02-01

As sources of data for global forest monitoring grow larger, more complex and numerous, data analysis and interpretation become critical bottlenecks for effectively using them to inform land use policy discussions. Here in this paper, we present a method that combines big data analytical tools with Emerging Hot Spot Analysis (ArcGIS) to identify statistically significant spatiotemporal trends of forest loss in Brazil, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between 2000 and 2014. Results indicate that while the overall rate of forest loss in Brazil declined over the 14-year time period, spatiotemporal patterns of loss shifted, with forest loss significantly diminishing within the Amazonian states of Mato Grosso and Rondônia and intensifying within the cerrado biome. In Indonesia, forest loss intensified in Riau province in Sumatra and in Sukamara and West Kotawaringin regencies in Central Kalimantan. Substantial portions of West Kalimantan became new and statistically significant hot spots of forest loss in the years 2013 and 2014. Similarly, vast areas of DRC emerged as significant new hot spots of forest loss, with intensified loss radiating out from city centers such as Beni and Kisangani. While our results focus on identifying significant trends at the national scale, we also demonstrate the scalability of our approach to smaller or larger regions depending on the area of interest and specific research question involved. When combined with other contextual information, these statistical data models can help isolate the most significant clusters of loss occurring over dynamic forest landscapes and provide more coherent guidance for the allocation of resources for forest monitoring and enforcement efforts.

Genetic Structure of Lutzomyia longipalpis Populations in Mato Grosso Do Sul, Brazil, Based on Microsatellite Markers

PubMed Central

Santos, Mirella F. C.; Ribolla, Paulo E. M.; Alonso, Diego P.; Andrade-Filho, José D.; Casaril, Aline E.; Ferreira, Alda M. T.; Fernandes, Carlos E. S.; Brazil, Reginaldo P.; Oliveira, Alessandra G.

2013-01-01

Background Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the major vector of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and thus plays a crucial role in the epidemiology of American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL). This vector is the best studied species of sand fly in the Neotropical region. Many studies claim that this vector is in fact a species complex; however there is still no consensus regarding the number of species that belong into this complex or the geographical distribution of sibling species. The aim of the present study was to analyze the genetic relationships within Lu. longipalpis populations in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Brazil. Methodology/Principal Findings We collected 30 Lu. longipalpis (15 females and 15 males) from five localities (Campo Grande, Três Lagoas, Aquidauana, Miranda and Bonito) and 30 Lu. Cruzi from Corumbá, totaling 180 sandflies from MS, and 30 Lu. longipalpis from Estrela de Alagoas, state of Alagoas (AL), Northeast Brazil. We show that eight previously described microsatellite loci were sufficient in distinguishing Lu. longipalpis from Lu. Cruzi, which is a closely related species, and in differentiating between Lu. longipalpis collected in MS versus Estrela de Alagoas. Analyses of the genotypes revealed introgression between sympatric Lu. longipalpis and Lu. Cruzi. Conclusions/Significance Our findings support the hypothesis of cryptic species within the Lu. longipalpis complex. Furthermore, our data revealed introgression between Lu. longipalpis and Lu. cruzi. This phenomenon should be further investigated to determine the level and incidence of hybridization between these two species. We also demonstrated that microsatellite markers are a powerful tool for differentiating sand fly populations and species. The present study has elucidated the population structure of Lu. longipalpis in MS and, by extension, the Neotropical Lu. longipalpis complex itself. PMID:24066129

Phenotypic differentiation in love song traits among sibling species of the Lutzomyia longipalpis complex in Brazil.

PubMed

Vigoder, Felipe M; Souza, Nataly A; Brazil, Reginaldo P; Bruno, Rafaela V; Costa, Pietra L; Ritchie, Michael G; Klaczko, Louis B; Peixoto, Alexandre A

2015-05-28

Brazilian populations of Lutzomyia longipalpis may constitute a complex of cryptic species, and this report investigates the distribution and number of potential sibling species. One of the main differences observed among Brazilian populations is the type of acoustic signal produced by males during copulation. These copulation song differences seem to be evolving faster than neutral molecular markers and have been suggested to contribute to insemination failure observed in crosses between these sibling species. In previous studies, two main types of copulation songs were found, burst-type and pulse-type. The latter type can, in turn, be further subdivided into five different patterns. We recorded male song from 13 new populations of the L. longipalpis complex from Brazil and compared the songs with 12 already available. Out of these 25 populations, 16 produce burst-type and 9 produce pulse-type songs. We performed a principal component analysis in these two main groups separately and an additional discriminant analysis in the pulse-type group. The pulse-type populations showed a clear separation between the five known patterns with a high correspondence of individuals to their correct group, confirming the differentiation between them. The distinctiveness of the burst-type subgroups was much lower than that observed among the pulse-type groups and no clear population structure was observed. This suggests that the burst-type populations represent a single species. Overall, our results are consistent with the existence in Brazil of at least six species of the L. longipalpis complex, one with a wide distribution comprising all the populations with burst-type songs, and five more closely related allopatric siblings with different pulse-type song patterns and more restricted distribution ranges.

Geographical patterns of human diet derived from stable-isotope analysis of fingernails

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nardoto, G.B.; Silva, S.; Kendall, C.; Ehleringer, J.R.; Chesson, L.A.; Ferraz, E.S.B.; Moreira, M.Z.; Ometto, Jean P. H. B.; Martinelli, L.A.

2006-01-01

Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of human fingernails were measured in 490 individuals in the western US and 273 individuals in southeastern Brazil living in urban areas, and 53 individuals living in a moderately isolated area in the central Amazon region of Brazil and consuming mostly locally grown foods. In addition, we measured the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of common food items to assess the extent to which these isotopic signatures remain distinct for people eating both omnivorous and vegetarian diets and living in different parts of the world, and the extent to which dietary information can be interpreted from these analyses. Fingernail ??13C values (mean ?? standard deviation) were -15.4 ?? 1.0 and -18.8 ?? 0.8??? and ??15N values were 10.4 ?? 0.7 and 9.4 ?? 0.6??? for southeastern Brazil and western US populations, respectively. Despite opportunities for a "global supermarket" effect to swamp out carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in these two urbanized regions of the world, differences in the fingernail isotope ratios between southeastern Brazil and western US populations persisted, and appeared to be more associated with regional agricultural and animal production practices. Omnivores and vegetarians from Brazil and the US were isotopically distinct, both within and between regions. In a comparison of fingernails of individuals from an urban city and isolated communities in the Amazonian region, the urban region was similar to southeastern Brazil, whereas individuals from isolated nonurban communities showed distinctive isotopic values consistent with their diets and with the isotopic values of local foods. Although there is a tendency for a "global supermarket" diet, carbon and nitrogen isotopes of human fingernails hold dietary information directly related to both food sources and dietary practices in a region. ?? 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Time trends for prostate cancer mortality in Brazil and its geographic regions: An age-period-cohort analysis.

PubMed

Braga, Sonia Faria Mendes; de Souza, Mirian Carvalho; Cherchiglia, Mariangela Leal

2017-10-01

In the 1980s, an increase in mortality rates for prostate cancer was observed in North America and developed European countries. In the 1990s, however, mortality rates decreased for these countries, an outcome related to early detection of the disease. Conversely, an upward trend in mortality rates was observed in Brazil. This study describe the trends in mortality for prostate cancer in Brazil and geographic regions (North, Northeast, South, Southeast, and Central-West) between 1980 until 2014 and analyze the influence of age, period, and cohort effects on mortality rates. This time-series study used data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) and population data from Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The effects on mortality rates were examined using age-period-cohort (APC) models. Crude and standardized mortality rates showed an upward trend for Brazil and its regions more than 2-fold the last 30 years. Age effects showed an increased risk of death in all regions. Period effects showed a higher risk of death in the finals periods for the North and Northeast. Cohort effects showed risk of death was higher for younger than older generations in Brazil and regions, mainly Northeast (RR Adjusted =3.12, 95% CI 1.29-1.41; RR Adjusted =0.28, 95% CI 0.26-0.30, respectively). The increase in prostate cancer mortality rates in Brazil and its regions was mainly due to population aging. The differences in mortality rates and APC effects between regions are related to demographic differences and access of health services across the country. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geographical patterns of human diet derived from stable-isotope analysis of fingernails.

PubMed

Nardoto, Gabriela B; Silva, Steven; Kendall, Carol; Ehleringer, James R; Chesson, Lesley A; Ferraz, Epaminondas S B; Moreira, Marcelo Z; Ometto, Jean P H B; Martinelli, Luiz A

2006-09-01

Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of human fingernails were measured in 490 individuals in the western US and 273 individuals in southeastern Brazil living in urban areas, and 53 individuals living in a moderately isolated area in the central Amazon region of Brazil and consuming mostly locally grown foods. In addition, we measured the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of common food items to assess the extent to which these isotopic signatures remain distinct for people eating both omnivorous and vegetarian diets and living in different parts of the world, and the extent to which dietary information can be interpreted from these analyses. Fingernail delta13C values (mean +/- standard deviation) were -15.4 +/- 1.0 and -18.8 +/- 0.8 per thousand and delta15N values were 10.4 +/- 0.7 and 9.4 +/- 0.6 per thousand for southeastern Brazil and western US populations, respectively. Despite opportunities for a "global supermarket" effect to swamp out carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in these two urbanized regions of the world, differences in the fingernail isotope ratios between southeastern Brazil and western US populations persisted, and appeared to be more associated with regional agricultural and animal production practices. Omnivores and vegetarians from Brazil and the US were isotopically distinct, both within and between regions. In a comparison of fingernails of individuals from an urban city and isolated communities in the Amazonian region, the urban region was similar to southeastern Brazil, whereas individuals from isolated nonurban communities showed distinctive isotopic values consistent with their diets and with the isotopic values of local foods. Although there is a tendency for a "global supermarket" diet, carbon and nitrogen isotopes of human fingernails hold dietary information directly related to both food sources and dietary practices in a region. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The central element of the synaptonemal complex in mice is organized as a bilayered junction structure.

PubMed

Hernández-Hernández, Abrahan; Masich, Sergej; Fukuda, Tomoyuki; Kouznetsova, Anna; Sandin, Sara; Daneholt, Bertil; Höög, Christer

2016-06-01

The synaptonemal complex transiently stabilizes pairing interactions between homologous chromosomes during meiosis. Assembly of the synaptonemal complex is mediated through integration of opposing transverse filaments into a central element, a process that is poorly understood. We have, here, analyzed the localization of the transverse filament protein SYCP1 and the central element proteins SYCE1, SYCE2 and SYCE3 within the central region of the synaptonemal complex in mouse spermatocytes using immunoelectron microscopy. Distribution of immuno-gold particles in a lateral view of the synaptonemal complex, supported by protein interaction data, suggest that the N-terminal region of SYCP1 and SYCE3 form a joint bilayered central structure, and that SYCE1 and SYCE2 localize in between the two layers. We find that disruption of SYCE2 and TEX12 (a fourth central element protein) localization to the central element abolishes central alignment of the N-terminal region of SYCP1. Thus, our results show that all four central element proteins, in an interdependent manner, contribute to stabilization of opposing N-terminal regions of SYCP1, forming a bilayered transverse-filament-central-element junction structure that promotes synaptonemal complex formation and synapsis. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Assessing fire emissions from tropical savanna and forests of central Brazil

Treesearch

Philip J. Riggan; James A. Brass; Robert N. Lockwood

1993-01-01

Wildfires in tropical forest and savanna are a strong source of trace gas and particulate emissions to the atmosphere, but estimates of the continental-scale impacts are limited by large uncertainties in the rates of fire occurrence and biomass combustion. Satellite-based remote sensing offers promise for characterizing fire physical properties and impacts on the...

Tracking down worldwide Puccinia psidii dispersal

Treesearch

Rodrigo Neves Graca; Amy Ross-Davis; Ned Klopfenstein; Mee Sook Kim; Tobin Peever; Phil Cannon; Janice Uchida; Acelino Couto Alfenas

2011-01-01

Puccinia psidii causes rust disease on many host species in the Myrtaceae [1]. First reported in 1884 on guava in Southern Brazil [2], the rust has since been detected on several myrtaceous in South America, Central America, Caribbean, Mexico, USA: in Florida, California, and Hawaii. More recently, P. psidii was reported in Japan infecting M. polymorpha[3]. Of special...

First record of epizootics in the ocola skipper, Panoquina sp. (Lepidopera: Hesperiidae), caused by Isaria tenuipes in flooded rice fields of Central Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fungal entomopathogens serve an important ecological function by naturally regulating insect pest populations in agricultural crops worldwide. We report the first occurrence of an epizootic of the ascomycetous fungus Isaria tenuipes on rice skipper Panoquina sp. (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), a major p...

76 FR 17391 - Applications for New Awards; United States-Brazil Higher Education Consortia Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-29

... Number (TIN); b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant database; c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and d..., agency, institution, or organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. If you are...

Processes preventing nocturnal equilibration between leaf and soil water potential in tropical savanna woody species.

Treesearch

Sandra Bucci; Fabian G. Scholz; Guillermo Goldstein; Frederick C. Meinzer; Jose A. Hinojosa; William A. Hoffman; Augusto C. Franco

2004-01-01

The impact of nocturnal water loss and recharge of stem water storage on predawn disequilibrium between leaf (ΨL) and soil (Ψ S) water potentials was studied in three dominant tropical savanna woody species in central Brazil (Cerrado). Sap flow continued throughout the night during the dry season and...

The Centrality of the "Mediation" Concept in the Participatory Management of Water Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

dos Santos, Irenilda Angela; Berlinck, Christian Niel; de Santana Araujo, Symone Christine; Steinke, Ercilia Torres; Steinke, Valdir Adilson; Pianta, Taissa Ferreira; Graebner, Ivete Teresinha; Saito, Carlos Hiroo

2005-01-01

This work presents questions related to the viability and the requirements for the implementation of a National Policy of Water Resources in Brazil, and identifies the means to bring about active participation by the population in the management of water resources. While social inequalities may be an impediment to the implementation of full…

Remote measurement of the 1992 Tapera prescribed fire at the Reserva Ecologica do IBGE

Treesearch

P.J. Riggan; R.G. Tissell; R.N. Lockwood

2010-01-01

Across the 2 million km2 of the Cerrado ecosystem in central Brazil, open burnings of vegetation are a common and frequent disturbance. Their origins predominantly are human today, but evidence of frequent burnings extends millennia into records from lacustrine sediments (Ferraz-Vicentini 1999). Burning is a visible source of extensive...

SOIL EMISSIONS OF N2O, NO AND CO2 IN BRAZILIAN SAVANNAS: EFFECTS OF VEGETATION TYPE, SEASONALITY, AND PRESCRIBED FIRES

EPA Science Inventory

Using closed chamber techniques, soil fluxes of NO, N20 and C02 were measured from September 1999 through October 2000 in savanna areas in central Brazil (Cerrado) subjected to prescribed fires. Our studies focused on two vegetation types, cerrado stricto sensu (20-50% canopy cov...

Paridris Kieffer of the New World (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea, Platygastridae)

PubMed Central

Talamas, Elijah J.; Masner, Lubomír; Johnson, Norman F.

2012-01-01

Abstract Paridris in the New World is revised (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae). Fifteen species are described, of which 13 are new. Paridris aenea (Ashmead)(Mexico (Tamaulipas) and West Indies south to Bolivia and southern Brazil (Rio de Janeiro state)), Paridris armata Talamas, sp. n. (Venezuela), Paridris convexa Talamas, sp. n. (Costa Rica, Panama), Paridris dnophos Talamas, sp. n. (Mexico (Vera Cruz) south to Bolivia and central Brazil (Goiás)), Paridris gongylos Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (United States: Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina), Paridris gorn Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (United States: Ohio south to Alabama, Georgia), Paridris invicta Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Brazil: São Paulo), Paridris isabelicae Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Cuba, Dominican Republic), Paridris lemete Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Puerto Rico), Paridris minor Talamas, sp. n. (Cuba), Paridris nayakorum Talamas, sp. n. (Costa Rica), Paridris pallipes (Ashmead)(southeastern Canada, United States south to Costa Rica, also Brazil (São Paulo), Paridris psydrax Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay, United States, Venezuela), Paridris saurotos Talamas, sp. n. (Jamaica), Paridris soucouyant Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela). Paridris brevipennis Fouts, Paridris laeviceps (Ashmead), and Paridris nigricornis (Fouts) are treated as junior synonyms of Paridris pallipes; Paridris opaca is transferred to Probaryconus. Lectotypes are designated for Idris aenea Ashmead and Caloteleia aenea Ashmead. PMID:23226959

A Comparative Review of Demographics, Incidence, and Epidemiology of Histologically Confirmed Intracranial Tumors in Brazil and Bulgaria

PubMed Central

Sarraf, Jonathan S; Matev, Boyko K; Dzhenkov, Deyan L; Kitanova, Martina; Iliev, Bogomil; Ghenev, Peter; Tonchev, Anton B; Enchev, Yavor; Adami, Fernando; De Carvalho, Luis Eduardo W

2018-01-01

Intracranial tumors (ICTs) attract numerous scientific teams and tremendous financial resources worldwide. These lesions of the central nervous system (CNS) can be both benign and malignant in biological behavior as well as local or metastatic in origin. We compared data from two studies on primary and metastatic ICTs from Brazil and Bulgaria, based on histopathologically confirmed ICTs from tertiary health centers. Primary ICTs significantly outweigh the frequency of metastatic ICTs. Primary ICTs represent 86.45% in Brazil and 69.17% in Bulgaria, with around 60% of their totals being malignant. There is a statistical dominance of tumors from the neuroepithelial origin, with the most common entry being glioblastoma multiforme. The second-most common primary ICT group comprises tumors of meningeal origin. Metastatic ICTs show great variance; 13.55% in Brazil and 31.38% in Bulgaria of all ICT cases being attributed to them. However, metastatic ICTs are even a more diverse group than neuroepithelial tumors, with the majority of this group comprising metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma (almost exclusively in males), metastatic breast adenocarcinoma in females, metastatic pulmonary carcinomas (primarily from the non-small cell group with a male predominance), and metastatic melanoma with an even gender ratio. PMID:29682433

Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among Bolivian immigrants in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

PubMed Central

Luna, Expedito JA; Furucho, Celia R; Silva, Rubens A; Wanderley, Dalva M; Carvalho, Noemia B; Satolo, Camila G; Leite, Ruth M; Silveira, Cassio; Silva, Lia MB; Aith, Fernando M; Carneiro, Nivaldo; Shikanai-Yasuda, Maria A

2016-01-01

With the urbanisation of the population in developing countries and the process of globalisation, Chagas has become an emerging disease in the urban areas of endemic and non-endemic countries. In 2006, it was estimated that the prevalence of Chagas disease among the general Bolivian population was 6.8%. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among Bolivian immigrants living in São Paulo, Brazil. This study had a sample of 633 volunteers who were randomly selected from the clientele of primary care units located in the central districts of São Paulo, Brazil. Infection was detected by two different ELISA assays with epimastigote antigens, followed by an immunoblot with trypomastigote antigens as a confirmatory test. The prevalence of the infection was 4.4%. Risk factors independently associated with the infection were: a history of rural jobs in Bolivia, knowledge of the vector involved in transmission, and having relatives with Chagas disease. Brazil has successfully eliminated household vector transmission of T. cruzi, as well as its transmission by blood transfusion. The arrival of infected immigrants represents an additional challenge to primary care clinics to manage chronic Chagas disease, its vertical transmission, and the blood derivatives and organ transplant programs. PMID:27849221

Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among Bolivian immigrants in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Luna, Expedito Ja; Furucho, Celia R; Silva, Rubens A; Wanderley, Dalva M; Carvalho, Noemia B; Satolo, Camila G; Leite, Ruth M; Silveira, Cassio; Silva, Lia Mb; Aith, Fernando M; Carneiro, Nivaldo; Shikanai-Yasuda, Maria A

2017-01-01

With the urbanisation of the population in developing countries and the process of globalisation, Chagas has become an emerging disease in the urban areas of endemic and non-endemic countries. In 2006, it was estimated that the prevalence of Chagas disease among the general Bolivian population was 6.8%. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among Bolivian immigrants living in São Paulo, Brazil. This study had a sample of 633 volunteers who were randomly selected from the clientele of primary care units located in the central districts of São Paulo, Brazil. Infection was detected by two different ELISA assays with epimastigote antigens, followed by an immunoblot with trypomastigote antigens as a confirmatory test. The prevalence of the infection was 4.4%. Risk factors independently associated with the infection were: a history of rural jobs in Bolivia, knowledge of the vector involved in transmission, and having relatives with Chagas disease. Brazil has successfully eliminated household vector transmission of T. cruzi, as well as its transmission by blood transfusion. The arrival of infected immigrants represents an additional challenge to primary care clinics to manage chronic Chagas disease, its vertical transmission, and the blood derivatives and organ transplant programs.

Attacks by jaguars (Panthera onca) on humans in central Brazil: report of three cases, with observation of a death.

PubMed

Neto, Manoel Francisco Campos; Garrone Neto, Domingos; Haddad, Vidal

2011-06-01

Conflicts between humans and big cats have been known for centuries throughout the world, but have intensified in recent decades. Recently, attacks by Panthera onca on humans in Brazil have been brought to the forefront through exposure in the press and because of the severity of the attacks. We report 3 cases of patients attacked by jaguars in provoked and predatory situations. Two patients survived the attacks and one died. Attack mechanisms and lesions in victims are discussed. The attacks demonstrate a real risk of accidents from jaguars in certain regions, such as the Pantanal and the Amazon. Copyright © 2011 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The advertisement call and geographic distribution of Proceratophrys dibernardoi Brandão, Caramaschi, Vaz-Silva & Campos 2013 (Anura, Odontophrynidae).

PubMed

Ferreira, Cláudia Márcia Marily; Sugai, José Luiz Massao Moreira; DE Souza, Franco Leandro; DE Andrade, Sheila Pereira; Vaz-Silva, Wilian; Bastos, Rogério Pereira; DE Morais, Alessandro Ribeiro

2016-12-09

Proceratophrys dibernardoi Brandão, Caramaschi, Vaz-Silva & Campos 2013 has recently been described and allocated into the P. cristiceps species group, but no information about its advertisement calls has been provided (Brandão et al. 2013). Here, we describe for the first time the advertisement calls of P. dibernardoi based on specimens from Central Brazil. We also expand P. dibernardoi´s geographic distribution by reporting a new population in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, constituting the westernmost record for this species, and extending its known range approximately 330 km westward of the municipality of Aporé, State of Goiás (P. dibernardoi´s former westernmost record).

Helminths of the teiid lizard Kentropyx calcarata (Squamata) from an Amazonian site in western Brazil.

PubMed

Avila, R W; da Silva, R J

2009-09-01

Despite being conspicuous members of neotropical lizard communities, aspects of the life history of many teiid lizard species are poorly known, especially endoparasites infecting the genus Kentropyx. We studied seven specimens of K. calcarata collected at an Amazonian site in Mato Grosso state, Central Brazil in 2007. Four species of helminth were recovered: Oswaldocruzia sp., Piratuba digiticauda, Physaloptera retusa and Physalopteroides venancioi. Piratuba digiticauda, a body-cavity, parasite had the highest prevalence (42.9%), whereas the stomach parasites P. venancioi and P. retusa presented the highest intensity of infection and abundance, respectively. Moreover, this is the first report of Oswaldocruzia sp., P. digiticauda and P. venancioi in K. calcarata and new locality records for all nematodes were assigned.

Habitat suitability mapping of Anopheles darlingi in the surroundings of the Manso hydropower plant reservoir, Mato Grosso, Central Brazil

PubMed Central

Zeilhofer, Peter; Santos, Emerson Soares dos; Ribeiro, Ana LM; Miyazaki, Rosina D; Santos, Marina Atanaka dos

2007-01-01

Background Hydropower plants provide more than 78 % of Brazil's electricity generation, but the country's reservoirs are potential new habitats for main vectors of malaria. In a case study in the surroundings of the Manso hydropower plant in Mato Grosso state, Central Brazil, habitat suitability of Anopheles darlingi was studied. Habitat profile was characterized by collecting environmental data. Remote sensing and GIS techniques were applied to extract additional spatial layers of land use, distance maps, and relief characteristics for spatial model building. Results Logistic regression analysis and ROC curves indicate significant relationships between the environment and presence of An. darlingi. Probabilities of presence strongly vary as a function of land cover and distance from the lake shoreline. Vector presence was associated with spatial proximity to reservoir and semi-deciduous forests followed by Cerrado woodland. Vector absence was associated with open vegetation formations such as grasslands and agricultural areas. We suppose that non-significant differences of vector incidences between rainy and dry seasons are associated with the availability of anthropogenic breeding habitat of the reservoir throughout the year. Conclusion Satellite image classification and multitemporal shoreline simulations through DEM-based GIS-analyses consist in a valuable tool for spatial modeling of A. darlingi habitats in the studied hydropower reservoir area. Vector presence is significantly increased in forested areas near reservoirs in bays protected from wind and wave action. Construction of new reservoirs under the tropical, sub-humid climatic conditions should therefore be accompanied by entomologic studies to predict the risk of malaria epidemics. PMID:17343728

Habitat suitability mapping of Anopheles darlingi in the surroundings of the Manso hydropower plant reservoir, Mato Grosso, Central Brazil.

PubMed

Zeilhofer, Peter; dos Santos, Emerson Soares; Ribeiro, Ana L M; Miyazaki, Rosina D; dos Santos, Marina Atanaka

2007-03-07

Hydropower plants provide more than 78 % of Brazil's electricity generation, but the country's reservoirs are potential new habitats for main vectors of malaria. In a case study in the surroundings of the Manso hydropower plant in Mato Grosso state, Central Brazil, habitat suitability of Anopheles darlingi was studied. Habitat profile was characterized by collecting environmental data. Remote sensing and GIS techniques were applied to extract additional spatial layers of land use, distance maps, and relief characteristics for spatial model building. Logistic regression analysis and ROC curves indicate significant relationships between the environment and presence of An. darlingi. Probabilities of presence strongly vary as a function of land cover and distance from the lake shoreline. Vector presence was associated with spatial proximity to reservoir and semi-deciduous forests followed by Cerrado woodland. Vector absence was associated with open vegetation formations such as grasslands and agricultural areas. We suppose that non-significant differences of vector incidences between rainy and dry seasons are associated with the availability of anthropogenic breeding habitat of the reservoir throughout the year. Satellite image classification and multitemporal shoreline simulations through DEM-based GIS-analyses consist in a valuable tool for spatial modeling of A. darlingi habitats in the studied hydropower reservoir area. Vector presence is significantly increased in forested areas near reservoirs in bays protected from wind and wave action. Construction of new reservoirs under the tropical, sub-humid climatic conditions should therefore be accompanied by entomologic studies to predict the risk of malaria epidemics.

First description and evaluation of SNPs in the ADH and ALDH genes in a population of alcoholics in Central-West Brazil.

PubMed

Teixeira, Thallita Monteiro; da Silva, Hugo Delleon; Goveia, Rebeca Mota; Ribolla, Paulo Eduardo Martins; Alonso, Diego Peres; Alves, Alessandro Arruda; Melo E Silva, Daniela; Collevatti, Rosane Garcia; Bicudo, Lucilene Arilho; Bérgamo, Nádia Aparecida; de Paula Silveira-Lacerda, Elisângela

2017-12-01

Worldwide, different studies have reported an association of alcohol-use disorder (AUD) with different types of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes for aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). In Brazil, there is little information about the occurrence of these SNPs in the AUD population and an absence of studies characterizing the population in the Central-West Region of Brazil. Actually, in Brazil, there are more than 4 million people with AUD. Despite the major health hazards of AUD, information on alcohol consumption and its consequences are not well understood. Therefore, it is extremely important to characterize these SNPs for the better understanding of AUD as a genetic disease in the Brazilian population. The present study, unlike other studies in other countries, is done with a subject population that shows a significant amount of racial homogenization. We evaluated the presence of SNPs in the ADH (ADH1B, ADH1C, and ADH4) and ALDH (ALDH2) genes in alcohol users of Goiânia, State of Goiás - Brazil, and then we established a possible relationship with AUD by allelic and genotypic study. This study was conducted with a population of people with AUD (n = 99) from Goiás Alcohol Dependence Recovery Center (GO CEREA) and Psychosocial Care Center for Alcohol and Drugs (CAPS AD), and with a population of people without AUD as controls (n = 100). DNA was extracted from whole-blood samples and the genotyping was performed using TaqMan ® SNP genotyping assays. For characterization and evaluation of SNPs in the population, genotype frequency, allele frequency, haplotype frequency, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and linkage disequilibrium were analyzed. Statistical analyses were calculated by GENEPOP 4.5 and Haploview software. The allele 1 was considered as "wild" (or *1) and allele 2 as mutant (or *2). Significant differences were found for ADH1B*, ADH4*2, and ALDH2*2 SNPs when the genotype and allele frequencies were analyzed. In addition, four haplotypes were observed between ADH1B*2 and ADH1C*2 through linkage disequilibrium analysis. The genetic variants may be associated with protection against AUD in the population studied. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Technological development: a weak link in vaccine innovation in Brazil].

PubMed

Homma, Akira; Martins, Reinaldo M; Jessouroum, Ellen; Oliva, Otavio

2003-01-01

In very recent years, the federal government has launched important initiatives mean to strengthen science, technology, and innovation in Brazil and thus enhance the results of technological innovation in key areas of the country's economy. Yet these initiatives have not been enough to reduce Brazil's heavy dependence on goods and technology from more developed nations. The article describes the current state of vaccination, production, and technological development of vaccines both internationally and nationally. Some thoughts are also offered on the complexity of vaccine innovation and the various stages whose completion is essential to the whole process of technological development. An analysis is made of the parameters and factors involved in each stage; technical requirements for facilities and equipment; good manufacturing practice guidelines; organizational, infrastructural, and managerial needs; and the lengthy time periods adn high costs entailed in these activities.

Histophilus somni-associated syndromes in sheep from Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Headley, Selwyn A; Pereira, Alfredo H T; Balbo, Luciana C; Di Santia, Giovana W; Bracarense, Ana P F R L; Filho, Luiz F C Cunha; Schade, Jackson; Okano, Werner; Pereira, Priscilla F V; Morotti, Fábio; Preto-Giordano, Lucienne G; Marcasso, Rogério A; Alfieri, Alice F; Lisbôa, Júlio A N; Alfieri, Amauri A

2018-03-15

Histophilus somni is a Gram-negative bacterium that is associated with a disease complex (termed histophilosis) that can produce several clinical syndromes predominantly in cattle, but also in sheep. Histophilosis is well described in North America, Canada, and in some European countries. In Brazil, histophilosis has been described in cattle with respiratory, reproductive, and systemic disease, with only one case described in sheep. This report describes the occurrence of Histophilus somni-associated disease in sheep from Southern Brazil. Eight sheep with different clinical manifestations from five farms were investigated by a combination of pathological and molecular diagnostic methods to identify additional cases of histophilosis in sheep from Brazil. The principal pathological lesions were thrombotic meningoencephalitis, fibrinous bronchopneumonia, pulmonary abscesses, and necrotizing myocarditis. The main clinical syndromes associated with H. somni were thrombotic meningoencephalitis (n=4), septicemia (n=4), bronchopneumonia (n=4), and myocarditis (n=3). H. somni DNA was amplified from multiple tissues of all sheep with clinical syndromes of histophilosis; sequencing confirmed the PCR results. Further, PCR assays to detect Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica were negative. These findings confirmed the participation of H. somni in the clinical syndromes investigated during this study, and adds to the previous report of histophilosis in sheep from Brazil. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

[Investigative police work in relation to youth homicides in Belo Horizonte].

PubMed

Zilli, Luís Felipe; Vargas, Joana Domingues

2013-03-01

Over the course of the past 30 years, Brazil has experienced an exponential increase in its homicide rates, which is a problem that has been aggravated by the slaughter of young nonwhite, poor, males living in the shantytowns and communities. Given the complexity and the resurgence of the homicide phenomenon in Brazil, this article seeks to discuss some of the main effects that these trends have had on investigative police work. For this purpose, a long process of ethnographic research in six Specialized Homicide Police Units of Belo Horizonte (BH) was conducted between the years 2009 and 2010. During this period, researchers accompanied the daily routine of these units and conducted several in-depth interviews with investigators and civil police chiefs. Among the results, the mismatch between the increasing complexity of the homicide phenomenon and the legal procedures established for investigating the problem in BH should be stressed.

Policies for fostering health science, technology and innovation in Brazil and the role of clinical research.

PubMed

Tenório, Marge; Mello, Guilherme Arantes; Viana, Ana Luiza D'Ávila

2017-05-01

The purpose of this article is to highlight a number of underlying issues that may be useful for a comprehensive review of the management of Health-Related Science, Technology and Innovation policies (ST&I/H), and its strategies and priorities. It is an analytical study supported by an extensive review of the technical and journalistic literature, clippings, legislation and federal government directives. The results show that the Healthcare Production Complex undeniably and increasingly needs science to maintain itself. One may infer that a framework of institutional milestones is being built in Brazil, to strengthen, guide and encourage Research and Development, and that clinical research creates scientific knowledge to address public healthcare issues by generating new inputs or enhancing existing techniques, processes and technologies that will be produced, marketed and used in the different segments, thus feeding the Healthcare Productive Complex.

“Almost invisible scars”: medical tourism to Brazil.

PubMed

Edmonds, Alexander

2011-01-01

Along with a handful of other nations in the developing world, Brazil has emerged as a top destination for medical tourism. Drawing on the author's ethnographic fieldwork in plastic surgery wards, this article examines diverse factors - some explicitly promoted in medical marketing and news sources, others less visible - contributing to Brazil's international reputation for excellence in cosmetic plastic surgery. Brazil's plastic surgery residency programs, some of which are housed within its public health system, attract overseas surgeons, provide ample opportunities for valuable training in cosmetic techniques, and create a clinical environment that favors experimentation with innovative techniques. Many graduates of these programs open private clinics that, in turn, attract overseas patients. High demand for Brazilian plastic surgery also reflects an expansive notion of female health that includes sexual realization, mental health, and cosmetic techniques that manage reproduction. Medical tourism is sometimes represented as being market-driven: patients in wealthier nations travel to obtain quality services at lower prices. This article ends by reflecting on how more complex local and transnational dynamics also contribute to demand for elective medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery.

Field data observed during the geological excursion in the west-central region of the Sul-Riogrande Shield

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator); Ohara, T.

1984-01-01

Outcrops are studied in the Copper Project test area of the Rio Grande do Sul State of Brazil. The accuracy of LANDSAT-MSS data is checked against field data. A preliminary geological map is included on a scale of 1:500,000 that describes 820 outcrop over an area of 1,700 kilometers.

Occurrence of pathogenic fungi to Amblyomma cajennense in a rural area of central Brazil and their activities against vectors of Rocky Mountain spotted fever

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Two isolates of Beauveria bassiana and one of Purpureocillium lilacinum (=Paecilomyces lilacinus) were found affecting A. cajennense engorged females collected on horses (0.15 percent infection rate from a total of 1982 specimens) and another two isolates of P. lilacinum and one M. anisopliae detect...

Size-dependent mortality in a Neotropical savanna tree: the role of height-related adjustments in hydraulic architecture and carbon allocation

Treesearch

Yong-Jiang Zhang; Frederick C. Meinzer; Guang-You Hao; Fabian G. Scholz; Sandra J. Bucci; Frederico S.C. Takahashi; Randol Villalobos-Vega; Juan P. Giraldo; Kun-Fang Cao; William A. Hoffmann; Guillermo Goldstein

2009-01-01

Size-related changes in hydraulic architecture, carbon allocation, and gas exchange of Sclerolobium paniculatum (Leguminosae), a dominant tree species in Neotropical savannas of central Brazil (Cerrado), were investigated to assess their potential role in the dieback of tall individuals. Trees greater than ~6 m tall exhibited more branch damage,...

Conservative nutrient use by big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) planted under contrasting environmental conditions

Treesearch

E. Medina; E. Cuevas; A.E. Lugo; E. Terezo; J. Jimenez-Osornio; P.A. Macario-Mendoza; P. Montanez

2014-01-01

We analyzed the nutritional composition and isotope ratios (C and N) of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) leaves in plantations established on contrasting soils and climates in Central America (State of Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Mexico) and South America (State of Para, Brazil). The objective was to determine the adaptability of this species to large...

IMPACTS OF LAND USE CHANGE AND FIRE ON NUTRIENT AND CARBON CYCLES AND TRACE GAS EXCHANGE IN SOILS OF THE CERRADO IN CENTRAL BRAZIL

EPA Science Inventory

The Brazilian cerrado is experiencing rapid land use changes that are often accompanied by fire. Here we report initial studies of the effects of fire and land use change on the composition and persistence of litter and soil organic carbon and nitrogen and related changes in the ...

INTERACTIONS OF NUTRIENT AND CARBON CYCLES AND TRACE GAS EXCHANGE WITH LAND USE CHANGE AND FIRE IN THE CERRADO OF CENTRAL BRAZIL

EPA Science Inventory

Land use changes accompanied by fire frequently occur in the Brazilian cerrado. Here we report measurements in the cerrado of the effects of fire and land use change on the composition and persistence of litter and soil organic carbon and nitrogen and related changes in the soil-...

The Aripuana Park and the Polonoroeste Programme. IWGIA Document No. 59.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Junqueira, Carmen; Mindlin, Betty

The Polonoroeste program is a World Bank-funded colonization project in central Brazil. This document looks at the indigenous peoples of the Aripuana Park which lies in the path of the development plan. The main objective of the $1.5 billion project is to pave a highway from Cuiaba to Porto Velho. The project consists of the highway, colonization…

Functional convergence in hydraulic architecture and water relations of tropical savanna trees: from leaf to whole plant.

Treesearch

S.J. Bucci; G. Goldstein; F.C. Meinzer; F.G. Scholz; A.C. France; M. Bustamante

2004-01-01

Functional convergence in hydraulic architecture and water relations, and potential trade-offs in resource allocation were investigated in six dominant neotropical savanna tree species from central Brazil during the peak of the dry season. Common relationships between wood density and several aspects of plant water relations and hydraulic architecture were observed....

Allele frequencies of combined DNA index system (CODIS) and non-CODIS short tandem repeat loci in Goiás, Central Brazil.

PubMed

Rodovalho, R G; Santos, G S; Cavalcanti, L M; Moura, B F S M; Rodrigues, E L; Lima, P R; Gigonzac, M A D; Vieira, T C

2015-07-03

In studies of human identification, obtaining a high standard of outcomes and satisfactory conclusions are directly related to the use of highly polymorphic molecular markers. In addition to the combined DNA index system (CODIS) group, it is also important to implement non-CODIS markers into the analysis, as they increase the power of discrimination. During the identification process, it is essential to consider the genetic variation among distinct groups of populations, as the allele frequencies are directly associated with the power of discrimination. However, the population of Goiás, a State located in Central Brazil, is characterized by a highly mixed population due to its diverse ethnic origins. In this study, a survey of the allelic frequencies in the Goiás population was carried out using a molecular assembly composed of 21 autosomal loci both from and external to the CODIS group. The new data, for some of the markers used, were statistically similar to those from previous studies. This consistency means that the use of these markers might serve as a parameter for future population comparisons. The results from these analyses further our knowledge of the study of human identification.

Risk factors for Trypanosoma cruzi infection among blood donors in central Brazil.

PubMed

Martelli, C M; Andrade, A L; Silva, S A; Zicker, F

1992-01-01

Characteristics and possible risk factors associated with Trypanosoma cruzi infection among blood donors were assessed within a routine screening programme in blood banks in an endemic area of Chagas disease. 6,172 voluntary blood donors were interviewed and tested for anti-T. cruzi antibodies by Haemagglutination and Complement Fixation tests in six blood banks in Goiânia-Central Brazil from October 1988 to April 1989. An overall prevalence of 2.3% for T. cruzi infection was obtained, being 3.3% for first-time blood donors and 1.9% for regular ones (p < 0.01). Considering this seropositivity among regular blood donors, selection of candidates relying only on the history of previous donation was found to be inadequate. The risk of infection increased inversely with the degrees of education and monthly income. There was a 9.2 risk of infection (95% CI 3.8-22.6) for those who had lived more than 21 years in an endemic area compared to subjects who had never lived in rural settings, after multivariate analysis. These informations may help to review the criteria of selection of donors in order to improve quality of blood products in endemic areas.

Sintopy of two Tropidurus lizard species (Squamata: Tropiduridae) in a rocky Cerrado habitat in central Brazil.

PubMed

Faria, R G; Araujo, A F B

2004-11-01

We studied the ecology of Tropidurus itambere and T. oreadicus that occur syntopically in rocky habitats of Cerrado vegetation in central Brazil during the dry season (April to September 2000). The two species are ecologically similar, but somewhat differentiated in vertical microhabitat use. The two species preferred rocky surface microhabitat. Both species demonstrated a unimodal activity pattern, with a peak between 10 and 15 h. Their diets were similar in composition and prey size. The most frequent item used by both species was ants, whereas the most important preys volumetrically were termites and ants. Small morphological differences observed between the two Tropidurus species could explain minor microhabitat divergence: T. itambere is slightly smaller, heavier, and more robust, and uses lower perches. T. oreadicus is larger, lankier, with longer extremities (tail, fore- and hindlegs), and uses a larger vertical microhabitat range. These ecological differences are slight, when compared with those observed between sympatric species of Tropidurus in spatially more heterogeneous landscapes. Considering the slight ecomorphological divergence between the two Tropidurus species and their high abundance in outcrops, we suggest that interspecific territoriality is the mechanism of coexistence.

[Reliability of birth defect data on birth certificates of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2004].

PubMed

Guerra, Fernando Antônio Ramos; Llerena, Juan Clinton; Gama, Silvana Granado Nogueira da; Cunha, Cynthia Braga da; Theme Filha, Mariza Miranda

2008-02-01

This study assessed the reliability of birth certificate data related to birth defects in Brazil's Live Birth Information System (SINASC). We selected 24 maternity hospitals in the Unified National Health System (SUS) and compared the reports of birth defects from birth certificates with medical records of mothers and live born infants in the city of Rio de Janeiro for the year 2004. After transposing the data to a specific form, the birth defects were coded by types and organ systems and compared to the SINASC data. The most commonly affected organs involved the central nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Agreement was more than 50% for the digestive, genitourinary, and musculoskeletal systems and chromosomal anomalies. Prevalence-adjusted kappa varied according to 2 or 3-digit ICD-10 analysis, with better results for the musculoskeletal, digestive, and genitourinary systems and congenital anomalies, and worse for the central nervous and cardio-circulatory systems, eye, neck, and ear malformations, and cleft lip and palate. The results were unsatisfactory, suggesting the need for more investments to train the persons responsible for completing birth certificates in maternity hospitals and develop a model for coding birth defects on these documents.

Epidemiological study of hepatitis B virus among prisoners with active tuberculosis in Central Brazil.

PubMed

Iglecias, L M M; Puga, M A M; Pompílio, M A; Teles, S A; Croda, J; Lima, L A; Lago, B V; Martins, R M B; Motta-Castro, A R C

2016-11-01

Due to environmental and social conditions inherent to incarceration, tuberculosis (TB) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are major diseases among prison inmates. To determine overall and occult HBV infection (OBI) prevalence rates, risk factors and genotype distribution among inmates with active TB. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 216 inmates with active TB recruited at the largest prisons in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Central Brazil. The participants were interviewed and tested for the presence of serological markers for HBV infection. The overall prevalence of HBV infection (total hepatitis B core antibodies) was 10.2% (95%CI 6.2-14.2). HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence was 1.4% (3/216). HBV DNA was detected in all three HBsAg-positive samples and in 10.5% (2/19) of the anti-HBc-positive samples (OBI), giving a HBV-TB co-infection prevalence of 2.3% (5/216). A multivariate analysis of risk factors showed that history of sharing cutting instruments, length of incarceration and homosexual sex were associated with HBV infection. Our findings indicate that HBV remains an important public health concern among prison inmates and active TB-HBV co-infection needs to be addressed for effective treatment.

Deforestation trends of tropical dry forests in central Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bianchi, Carlos A.; Haig, Susan M.

2013-01-01

Tropical dry forests are the most threatened forest type in the world yet a paucity of research about them stymies development of appropriate conservation actions. The Paranã River Basin has the most significant dry forest formations in the Cerrado biome of central Brazil and is threatened by intense land conversion to pastures and agriculture. We examined changes in Paranã River Basin deforestation rates and fragmentation across three time intervals that covered 31 yr using Landsat imagery. Our results indicated a 66.3 percent decrease in forest extent between 1977 and 2008, with an annual rate of forest cover change of 3.5 percent. Landscape metrics further indicated severe forest loss and fragmentation, resulting in an increase in the number of fragments and reduction in patch sizes. Forest fragments in flatlands have virtually disappeared and the only significant forest remnants are mostly found over limestone outcrops in the eastern part of the basin. If current patterns persist, we project that these forests will likely disappear within 25 yr. These patterns may be reversed with creation of protected areas and involvement of local people to preserve small fragments that can be managed for restoration.

Structural framework and Mesozoic Cenozoic evolution of Ponta Grossa Arch, Paraná Basin, southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strugale, Michael; Rostirolla, Sidnei Pires; Mancini, Fernando; Portela Filho, Carlos Vieira; Ferreira, Francisco José Fonseca; de Freitas, Rafael Corrêa

2007-09-01

The integration of structural analyses of outcrops, aerial photographs, satellite images, aeromagnetometric data, and digital terrain models can establish the structural framework and paleostress trends related to the evolution of Ponta Grossa Arch, one of the most important structures of the Paraná Basin in southern Brazil. In the study area, the central-northern region of Paraná State, Brazil, the arch crosses outcropping areas of the Pirambóia, Botucatu, and Serra Geral Formations (São Bento Group, Mesozoic). The Pirambóia and Botucatu Formations are composed of quartz sandstones and subordinated siltstones. The Serra Geral Formation comprises tholeiitic basalt lava flows and associated intrusive rocks. Descriptive and kinematic structural analyses reveal the imprint of two brittle deformation phases: D1, controlled by the activation of an extensional system of regional faults that represent a progressive deformation that generated discontinuous brittle structures and dike swarm emplacement along a NW-SE trend, and D2, which was controlled by a strike-slip (transtensional) deformation system, probably of Late Cretaceous-Tertiary age, responsible for important fault reactivation along dykes and deformation bands in sandstones.

Post-fire reproduction of herbs at a savanna-gallery forest boundary in Distrito Federal, Brazil.

PubMed

Massi, K G; Eugênio, C U O; Franco, A C

2017-11-01

In Cerrado, studies of post-fire vegetation recovery show that some herbaceous species are able to flower shortly after fires. However, these were mainly short-term studies that focused on grasslands and savannas. Little is known about the effects of fire on ground layer of forests that border the savannas in Central Brazil. Thus, an accidental burning gave us the opportunity to describe the reproductive activity of the ground layer vegetation after a fire event along a savanna-forest boundary at the IBGE Ecological Reserve, Brasília, Brazil. During the 16-month of the inventory, we registered 170 herbaceous species flowering or fruiting, of which 52 species (31%) may have been influenced by fire that changed their times of reproduction. In the savanna plots reproduction peaked at the end of the rainy season. Of the total number of reproducing species, 90 species occurred only in the savanna and four in the forest. Five herbs were recorded in the forest, savanna and border environments. Late dry season fire probably lead the majority of herbaceous species to have their reproduction spread throughout the study time.

Catastrophic spending on health care in Brazil: private health insurance does not seem to be the solution.

PubMed

Barros, Aluísio J D; Bastos, João Luiz; Dâmaso, Andréa H

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to estimate catastrophic healthcare expenditure in Brazil, using different definitions, and to identify vulnerability indicators. Data from the 2002-2003 Brazilian Household Budget Survey were used to derive total household consumption, health expenditure and household income. Socioeconomic position was defined by quintiles of the National Economic Indicator using reference cut-off points for the country. Analysis was restricted to urban households. Catastrophic health expenditure was defined as expenditure in excess of 10% and 20% of total household consumption, and in excess of 40% of household capacity to pay. Catastrophic health expenditure varied from 2% to 16%, depending on the definition. For most definitions, it was highest among the poorer. The highest proportions of catastrophic health expenditure were found to be in the Central region of Brazil, while the South and the Southeast had the lowest. Presence of an elderly person, health insurance and socioeconomic position were associated with the outcome, and coverage by health insurance did not protect from catastrophic health expenditure.

Cryptococcosis outbreak in psittacine birds in Brazil.

PubMed

Raso, T F; Werther, K; Miranda, E T; Mendes-Giannini, M J S

2004-08-01

An outbreak of cryptococcosis occurred in a breeding aviary in São Paulo, Brazil. Seven psittacine birds (of species Charmosyna papou, Lorius lory, Trichoglossus goldiei, Psittacula krameri and Psittacus erithacus) died of disseminated cryptococcosis. Incoordination, progressive paralysis and difficulty in flying were seen in five birds, whereas superficial lesions coincident with respiratory alterations were seen in two birds. Encapsulated yeasts suggestive of Cryptococcus sp. were seen in faecal smears stained with India ink in two cases. Histological examination of the birds showed cryptococcal cells in various tissues, including the beak, choana, sinus, lungs, air sacs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines and central nervous system. High titres of cryptococcal antigen were observed in the serum of an affected bird. In this case, titres increased during treatment and the bird eventually died. Yeasts were isolated from the nasal mass, faeces and liver of one bird. Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii serovar B was identified based on biochemical, physiological and serological tests. These strains were resistant (minimum inhibitory concentration 64 microg/ml) to fluconazole. This is the first report of C. neoformans var. gattii occurring in psittacine birds in Brazil.

Structures and lithofacies of inferred silicic conduits in the Paraná-Etendeka LIP, southernmost Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simões, M. S.; Lima, E. F.; Sommer, C. A.; Rossetti, L. M. M.

2018-04-01

Extensive silicic units in the Paraná-Etendeka LIP have been long interpreted as pyroclastic density currents (rheomorphic ignimbrites) derived from the Messum Complex in Namibia. In recent literature, however, they have been characterized as effusive lava flows and domes. In this paper we describe structures and lithofacies related to postulated silicic lava feeder conduits at Mato Perso, São Marcos and Jaquirana-Cambará do Sul areas in southern Brazil. Inferred conduits are at least 15-25 m in width and the lithofacies include variably vesicular monomictic welded and non-welded breccias in the margins to poorly vesicular, banded, spherulitic and microfractured vitrophyres in the central parts. Flat-lying coherent vitrophyres and massive obsidian are considered to be the subaerial equivalents of the conduits. Large-scale, regional tectonic structures in southern Brazil include the NE-SW aligned Porto Alegre Suture, Leão and Açotea faults besides the Antas Lineament, a curved tectonic feature accompanying the bed of Antas river. South of the Antas Lineament smaller-scale, NW-SE lineaments limit the exposure areas of the inferred conduits. NE-SW and subordinate NW-SE structures within this smaller-scale lineaments are represented by the main postulated conduit outcrops and are parallel to the dominant sub-vertical banding in the widespread banded vitrophyre lithofacies. Upper lava flows display flat-lying foliation, pipe-like and spherical vesicles and have better developed microlites. Petrographic characteristics of the silicic vitrophyres indicate that crystal-poor magmas underwent distinct cooling paths for each inferred conduit area. The vitrophyre chemical composition is defined by the evolution of trachydacitic/dacitic vitrophyres with 62-65 wt% SiO2 to rhyodacite and rhyolite with 66-68 wt% SiO2. The more evolved rocks are assigned to the latest intrusive grey vitrophyre outcropping in the center of the conduits. Degassing pathways formed during fragmentation and fracturing episodes within the conduits may have helped to inhibit the explosivity of the eruptions. Based on the documented lithofacies architecture, we attribute the source of the silicic lava flows in the studied localities to tectonic-controlled, local conduits, rather than pyroclastic density currents from distant vent areas.

Inventory of the freshwater fishes from a densely collected area in South America-a case study of the current knowledge of Neotropical fish diversity.

PubMed

Bertaco, Vinicius A; Ferrer, Juliano; Carvalho, Fernando R; Malabarba, Luiz R

2016-07-18

We herein analyse the history of the description of the freshwater fish fauna from three drainages in one of the most densely collected areas of Brazil, and possibly of South America, the Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. An updated inventory of the freshwater fish species from rio Uruguay (partial) in Brazil, Laguna dos Patos (complete) and rio Tramandaí basins (complete) is presented. We found the number of new species described in these drainages increased nearly 56% since 1981, reaching a total of 422 species, but even now 10% of this number still corresponds to undescribed species. This rate of species description suggests that previous estimates of the Neotropical fish fauna are low, and we predict a final number of Neotropical fishes larger than the largest prediction estimate (8,000 species), after other regions of South and Central Americas become densely sampled. We discuss and attempt to demonstrate that species diversity knowledge is historically and strictly related to collecting efforts. We also demonstrate that the ecoregions in eastern South America with the highest density of species per area correspond to the areas more densely sampled in collections, and this may represent a bias in such kinds of analyses. This uneven sampling in Brazilian regions is apparently associated with the uneven distribution of Zoological research centers in different regions of the country. Small-sized species represents an important source of new species, along with little explored regions or little explored habitats, sometimes associated with restricted range species, and species complexes that need revisionary work. In contrast to other Neotropical regions, Atheriniformes are relatively diverse, sharing the fifth place in species richness with Gymnotiformes, and there is a remarkably high number of species of Rivulidae. Eight species are endemic to the rio Tramandaí drainage, 68 to the Laguna dos Patos system, and 78 to the rio Uruguay drainage. Almost 10% of the freshwater fish species are "Critically Endangered", "Endangered" or "Vulnerable" according to the IUCN criteria, with Rivulidae as the family with the largest number of threatened species.

Impact of environmental factors on neglected emerging arboviral diseases

PubMed Central

Azevedo, Thiago S.; Virginio, Flávia; Aguiar, Breno S.

2017-01-01

Background Brazil is a tropical country that is largely covered by rainforests and other natural ecosystems, which provide ideal conditions for the existence of many arboviruses. However, few analyses have examined the associations between environmental factors and arboviral diseases. Thus, based on the hypothesis of correlation between environment and epidemiology, the proposals of this study were (1) to obtain the probability of occurrence of Oropouche, Mayaro, Saint Louis and Rocio fevers in Brazil based on environmental conditions corresponding to the periods of occurrence of the outbreaks; (2) to describe the macroclimatic scenario in Brazil in the last 50 years, evaluating if there was any detectable tendency to increase temperatures and (3) to model future expansion of those arboviruses in Brazil based on future temperature projections. Methodology/Principal findings Our model assessed seven environmental factors (annual rainfall, annual temperature, elevation, seasonality of temperature, seasonality of precipitation, thermal amplitude, and daytime temperature variation) for their association with the occurrence of outbreaks in the last 50 years. Our results suggest that various environmental factors distinctly influence the distribution of each arbovirus, with temperature being the central determinant of disease distribution in all high-risk areas. These areas are subject to change, since the average temperature of some areas has increased significantly over the time. Conclusions/Significance This is the first spatio-temporal study of the Oropouche, Mayaro, Saint Louis, and Rocio arboviruses, and our results indicate that they may become increasingly important public health problems in Brazil. Thus, next studies and control programs should include these diseases and also take into consideration key environmental elements. PMID:28953892

Microcephaly and Zika virus: a clinical and epidemiological analysis of the current outbreak in Brazil.

PubMed

Nunes, Magda Lahorgue; Carlini, Celia Regina; Marinowic, Daniel; Neto, Felipe Kalil; Fiori, Humberto Holmer; Scotta, Marcelo Comerlato; Zanella, Pedro Luis Ávila; Soder, Ricardo Bernardi; da Costa, Jaderson Costa

2016-01-01

This study aimed to critically review the literature available regarding the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil and its possible association with microcephaly cases. Experts from Instituto do Cérebro do Rio Grande do Sul performed a critical (nonsystematic) literature review regarding different aspects of the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, such as transmission, epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, and its possible association with the increase of microcephaly reports. The PubMed search using the key word "Zika virus" in February 2016 yielded 151 articles. The manuscripts were reviewed, as well as all publications/guidelines from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC - United States). Epidemiological data suggest a temporal association between the increased number of microcephaly notifications in Brazil and outbreak of Zika virus, primarily in the Brazil's Northeast. It has been previously documented that many different viruses might cause congenital acquired microcephaly. Still there is no consensus on the best curve to measure cephalic circumference, specifically in preterm neonates. Conflicting opinions regarding the diagnosis of microcephaly (below 2 or 3 standard deviations) that should be used for the notifications were also found in the literature. The development of diagnostic techniques that confirm a cause-effect association and studies regarding the physiopathology of the central nervous system impairment should be prioritized. It is also necessary to strictly define the criteria for the diagnosis of microcephaly to identify cases that should undergo an etiological investigation. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The spectrum of neurological disease associated with Zika and chikungunya viruses in adults in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A case series

PubMed Central

da Silva, Marcus Tulius Texeira; Rosala-Hallas, Anna; Jardim, Marcia Rodrigues; Burnside, Girvan; Pamplona, Luciana; Bhojak, Maneesh; Manohar, Radhika; da Silva, Gabriel Amorelli Medeiros; Adriano, Marcus Vinicius; Brasil, Patricia; Nogueira, Rita Maria Ribeiro; Dos Santos, Carolina Cardoso; Turtle, Lance; de Sequeira, Patricia Carvalho; Brown, David W.; Griffiths, Michael J.; de Filippis, Ana Maria Bispo

2018-01-01

Background During 2015–16 Brazil experienced the largest epidemic of Zika virus ever reported. This arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) has been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in adults but other neurological associations are uncertain. Chikungunya virus has caused outbreaks in Brazil since 2014 but associated neurological disease has rarely been reported here. We investigated adults with acute neurological disorders for Zika, chikungunya and dengue, another arbovirus circulating in Brazil. Methods We studied adults who had developed a new neurological condition following suspected Zika virus infection between 1st November 2015 and 1st June 2016. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum, and urine were tested for evidence of Zika, chikungunya, and dengue viruses. Results Of 35 patients studied, 22 had evidence of recent arboviral infection. Twelve had positive PCR or IgM for Zika, five of whom also had evidence for chikungunya, three for dengue, and one for all three viruses. Five of them presented with GBS; seven had presentations other than GBS, including meningoencephalitis, myelitis, radiculitis or combinations of these syndromes. Additionally, ten patients positive for chikungunya virus, two of whom also had evidence for dengue virus, presented with a similar range of neurological conditions. Conclusions Zika virus is associated with a wide range of neurological manifestations, including central nervous system disease. Chikungunya virus appears to have an equally important association with neurological disease in Brazil, and many patients had dual infection. To understand fully the burden of Zika we must look beyond GBS, and also investigate for other co-circulating arboviruses, particularly chikungunya. PMID:29432457

In silico Interrogation of Insect Central Complex Suggests Computational Roles for the Ellipsoid Body in Spatial Navigation.

PubMed

Fiore, Vincenzo G; Kottler, Benjamin; Gu, Xiaosi; Hirth, Frank

2017-01-01

The central complex in the insect brain is a composite of midline neuropils involved in processing sensory cues and mediating behavioral outputs to orchestrate spatial navigation. Despite recent advances, however, the neural mechanisms underlying sensory integration and motor action selections have remained largely elusive. In particular, it is not yet understood how the central complex exploits sensory inputs to realize motor functions associated with spatial navigation. Here we report an in silico interrogation of central complex-mediated spatial navigation with a special emphasis on the ellipsoid body. Based on known connectivity and function, we developed a computational model to test how the local connectome of the central complex can mediate sensorimotor integration to guide different forms of behavioral outputs. Our simulations show integration of multiple sensory sources can be effectively performed in the ellipsoid body. This processed information is used to trigger continuous sequences of action selections resulting in self-motion, obstacle avoidance and the navigation of simulated environments of varying complexity. The motor responses to perceived sensory stimuli can be stored in the neural structure of the central complex to simulate navigation relying on a collective of guidance cues, akin to sensory-driven innate or habitual behaviors. By comparing behaviors under different conditions of accessible sources of input information, we show the simulated insect computes visual inputs and body posture to estimate its position in space. Finally, we tested whether the local connectome of the central complex might also allow the flexibility required to recall an intentional behavioral sequence, among different courses of actions. Our simulations suggest that the central complex can encode combined representations of motor and spatial information to pursue a goal and thus successfully guide orientation behavior. Together, the observed computational features identify central complex circuitry, and especially the ellipsoid body, as a key neural correlate involved in spatial navigation.

In silico Interrogation of Insect Central Complex Suggests Computational Roles for the Ellipsoid Body in Spatial Navigation

PubMed Central

Fiore, Vincenzo G.; Kottler, Benjamin; Gu, Xiaosi; Hirth, Frank

2017-01-01

The central complex in the insect brain is a composite of midline neuropils involved in processing sensory cues and mediating behavioral outputs to orchestrate spatial navigation. Despite recent advances, however, the neural mechanisms underlying sensory integration and motor action selections have remained largely elusive. In particular, it is not yet understood how the central complex exploits sensory inputs to realize motor functions associated with spatial navigation. Here we report an in silico interrogation of central complex-mediated spatial navigation with a special emphasis on the ellipsoid body. Based on known connectivity and function, we developed a computational model to test how the local connectome of the central complex can mediate sensorimotor integration to guide different forms of behavioral outputs. Our simulations show integration of multiple sensory sources can be effectively performed in the ellipsoid body. This processed information is used to trigger continuous sequences of action selections resulting in self-motion, obstacle avoidance and the navigation of simulated environments of varying complexity. The motor responses to perceived sensory stimuli can be stored in the neural structure of the central complex to simulate navigation relying on a collective of guidance cues, akin to sensory-driven innate or habitual behaviors. By comparing behaviors under different conditions of accessible sources of input information, we show the simulated insect computes visual inputs and body posture to estimate its position in space. Finally, we tested whether the local connectome of the central complex might also allow the flexibility required to recall an intentional behavioral sequence, among different courses of actions. Our simulations suggest that the central complex can encode combined representations of motor and spatial information to pursue a goal and thus successfully guide orientation behavior. Together, the observed computational features identify central complex circuitry, and especially the ellipsoid body, as a key neural correlate involved in spatial navigation. PMID:28824390

Using Remote Sensing, Weather, and Demographic Data to Create Risk Maps for Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manore, C.; Conrad, J.; Del Valle, S.; Ziemann, A.; Fairchild, G.; Generous, E. N.

2017-12-01

Mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya viruses have dynamics coupled to weather, ecology, human infrastructure, socio-economic demographics, and behavior. We use time-varying remote sensing and weather data, along with demographics and ecozones to predict risk through time for Zika, dengue, and chikungunya outbreaks in Brazil. We use distributed lag methods to quantify the lag between outbreaks and weather. Our statistical model indicates that the relationships between the variables are complex, but that quantifying risk is possible with the right data at appropriate spatio-temporal scales.

Demographic stability and high historical connectivity explain the diversity of a savanna tree species in the Quaternary

PubMed Central

Telles, Mariana P. C.; Chaves, Lázaro J.; Lima-Ribeiro, Matheus S.; Collevatti, Rosane G.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background and Aims Cyclic glaciations were frequent throughout the Quaternary and this affected species distribution and population differentiation worldwide. The present study reconstructed the demographic history and dispersal routes of Eugenia dysenterica lineages and investigated the effects of Quaternary climate change on its spatial pattern of genetic diversity. Methods A total of 333 individuals were sampled from 23 populations and analysed by sequencing four regions of the chloroplast DNA and the internal transcribed spacer of the nuclear DNA. The analyses were performed using a multi-model inference approach based on ecological niche modelling and statistical phylogeography. Key Results Coalescent simulation showed that population stability through time is the most likely scenario. The palaeodistribution dynamics predicted by the ecological niche models revealed that the species was potentially distributed across a large area, extending over Central-Western Brazil through the last glaciation. The lineages of E. dysenterica dispersed from Central Brazil towards populations at the northern, western and south-eastern regions. A historical refugium through time may have favoured lineage dispersal and the maintenance of genetic diversity. Conclusions The results suggest that the central region of the Cerrado biome is probably the centre of distribution of E. dysenterica and that the spatial pattern of its genetic diversity may be the outcome of population stability throughout the Quaternary. The lower genetic diversity in populations in the south-eastern Cerrado biome is probably due to local climatic instability during the Quaternary. PMID:28115317

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Brazil. Necropsy findings.

PubMed

Michalany, J; Mattos, A L; Michalany, N S; Filie, A C; Montezzo, L C

1987-01-01

According to the 15 autopsies performed at the Department of Pathological Anatomy, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil, it was confirmed that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occurs preferably in young homosexual males, who die in a short period of time of the disease, which leads to a consumptive state verified by cachexia of the cadavers. The most affected organs of this series were the lungs and encephalum, exactly the ones responsible for the immediate cause of death. In this series of autopsies there were 9 types of microorganisms represented by virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoans and two types of tumors, Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma of the central nervous system. From the microorganisms, the most frequent was the Cytomegalovirus and, from the tumors, Kaposi's sarcoma. The various types of microorganisms were frequently associated, principally in the central nervous and digestive systems. There was also association of microorganisms with tumors. Besides the lesions produced by microorganisms there were other associated alterations as brown atrophy of neuronia, which was related to the infiltration of cerebral lymphoma, and the lymphocytic depletion of lymphoid organs due to immunological exhaustion. Cellular reaction to microorganisms was practically none, principally with Pneumocystis carinii and Cryptococcus neoformans, the first one behaving as an inert mould in the pulmonary alveoli and the second proliferating freely in tissues. In two cases there was no granulomatous reaction to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The primary lymphoma of the central nervous system should be interpreted as a microglioma, i.e., a reticulosarcoma of this system according to Hortega's school.

Explaining weapons proliferation: Going beyond the security dilemma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rattray, G.J.

1994-07-01

Most analyses addressing the subject of why states choose to proliferate focus on external motivations, particularly the security dilemma, facing a country`s leaders. This paper concludes that, other factors, such as prestige, regime type and stability, and economic status, can have impact in determining proliferation outcomes. In the case of Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS), the domestic problems generated by internal conflicts, arms remaining from the Cold War, excess defense industrial capacity, economic difficulties and the breakdown of central authority resulting in a loss of border control and corruption have all made the NIS an extremelymore » fertile ground for weapons proliferation. A more positive `rollback` situation has emerged in Latin America where both Argentina and Brazil have seemingly decided to forgo the acquisition of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. The US must understand the `strategic personality` of each potential proliferation. Not all state behavior can be explained in terms of the security dilemma. One must also keep in mind the complexity of possible motivations. Economic and technological assistance and cooperative efforts at institution-building hold great potential to combating proliferation.« less

Scientists as citizens and knowers in the detection of deforestation in the Amazon.

PubMed

Monteiro, Marko; Rajão, Raoni

2017-08-01

This paper examines how scientists deal with tensions emerging from their role as providers of objective knowledge and as citizens concerned with how their research influences policy and politics in Brazil. This is accomplished through an ethnographic account of scientists using remote sensing technology, of their knowledge-making activities and of the broader socio-political controversies that permeate the detection of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Strategies for mitigating uncertainty are central aspects of the knowledge practices analyzed, bringing controversies 'external' to the laboratory 'into' the lab, making these boundaries conceptually problematic. In particular, the anticipation of alternative interpretations of rainforest cover is a crucial way that scientists bring the world into the lab, helping to shed light on how scientists, usually seen and analyzed as isolated, are in fact often in constant dialogue with the broader political controversies related to their work. These insights help question the idea that the monitoring of deforestation through remote sensing is a form of secluded research, drawing a more complex picture of the dual role of scientists as knowledge producers and concerned citizens.

Evaluation of Possible Consequences of Zika Virus Infection in the Developing Nervous System.

PubMed

Walter, Lais Takata; Higa, Guilherme Shigueto Vilar; Ikebara, Juliane Midori; Vedovello, Danila; Salvador, Felipe Scassi; Takada, Silvia Honda; Kinjo, Erika Reime; Whalley, Benjamin J; Sperança, Márcia Aparecida; Kihara, Alexandre Hiroaki

2018-02-01

The Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak that occurred in the northeast of Brazil in 2015 led to alarming numbers of babies born with microcephaly in this region. Since then, several studies have evaluated the relationship between ZIKV infection and development of the malformation although the specific mechanistic interaction between ZIKV and human physiological processes that ultimately manifest as microcephaly remains debated. Importantly, most current studies did not consider the specificities of the biology and life cycle of ZIKV. As a consequence, specificities of the infection on the developing central nervous system (CNS) were frequently disregarded. In order to begin to address this important gap in our knowledge, we have collated and critically reviewed the existing evidence in this area to identify any emerging consensus on this topic and thereafter describe possible mechanisms by which ZIKV infection could interfere with specific processes of CNS development, such as neuronal proliferation, and the complex interactions of immature neurons with radial glial cells. With this, we were able to present the current knowledge on this important topic in the neurobiology field.

Thoughts on the development of active regional public health systems.

PubMed

Reis, Ademar Arthur Chioro Dos; Sóter, Ana Paula Menezes; Furtado, Lumena Almeida Castro; Pereira, Silvana Souza da Silva

2017-04-01

Decentralization and regionalization are strategic themes for reforms in the health system. This paper analyzes the complex process of health regionalization being developed in Brazil. This paper identifies that the normative framework from the Brazilian National Health System, SUS has made advances with respect to its institutionalization and overcoming the initial centrality involved in municipalization. This has strengthened the development of regionalization and the intergovernmental agreement on health but the evidence points to the need to promote a revision. Based on document analysis, literature review and the views given by the authors involved in management in SUS as well as generating radically different views, the challenges for the construction of a regionalization that is active, is debated. We also discuss: its relations with planning and the dimensioning of service networks, the production of active care networks and shared management spaces, the inter-federative agreements and regional regulations, the capacity to coordinate regional systems and financing and the impact of the political dimension and electoral cycles. Regionalization (and SUS itself) is an open book, therefore ways and possibilities on how to maintain an active form of regionalization can be recommended.

Spatial and temporal abundance of three sylvatic yellow fever vectors in the influence area of the Manso hydroelectric power plant, Mato Grosso, Brazil.

PubMed

Ribeiro, A L M; Miyazaki, R D; Silva, M; Zeilhofer, P

2012-01-01

Human biting catches of sylvatic yellow fever (SYF) vectors were conducted at eight stations in the influence area of the Manso hydroelectric power plant (Central Brazil) in sampling campaigns every 2 mo from July 2000 to November 2001. In total, 206 individuals were captured and classified as one of three species important for the transmission of SYF in Mato Grosso state: Haemagogus (Haemagogus) janthinomys (Dyar, 1921); Haemagogus (Conopostegus) leucocelaenus (Dyar & Shannon, 1924); and Sabethes (Sabethoides) chloropterus (Humboldt, 1819). The highest vector abundance was observed during the rainy season (November through March) and SYF vectors were present in all sampling points throughout the year, mainly in riparian and shadowed transitional forests at shadowed ramps.

3-D inversion of complex magnetotelluric data from an Archean-Proterozoic terrain in northeastern São Francisco Craton, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bologna, Mauricio S.; Egbert, Gary D.; Padilha, Antonio L.; Pádua, Marcelo B.; Vitorello, Ícaro

2017-09-01

We present a magnetotelluric (MT) study in the northeastern part of the São Francisco Craton that encompasses an Archean-Proterozoic terrain, the Serrinha Block, breached by a rift basin developed mostly in Early Cretaceous times during the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. Even though the MT sites are regularly spaced, the profiles have different orientations from one another, making the data distribution over the area highly uneven and therefore non-ideal for 3-D modeling. However, the data set is very complex, with dimensionality analysis indicating prevalence of 3-D geoelectric structure. Results from 3-D inversion are evaluated for robustness and potentiality for yielding tectonic information. At upper crustal depths, the resulting 3-D model is coherent with surface geology, whereas at mid and lower crustal depths more cryptic structures are revealed, likely of Palaeoproterozoic age. The most striking features in the model are several strong (∼1 Ωṡm) crustal conductors beneath the central part of the Serrinha Block, which we attribute to a Palaeoproterozoic oceanic plate subduction and arc-continent collision event involving the Rio Itapicuru Greenstone Belt and the basement of the Serrinha Block. The west-dipping geometry of these conductors provides a constraint on subduction polarity and gives support to tectonic evolutionary models proposing that the Rio Itapicuru Belt was formed in an island arc environment.

Untold muddy tales: Paleoenvironmental dynamics of a ``barren'' mudrock succession from a shallow Permian epeiric sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simões, M. G.; Matos, S. A.; Warren, L. V.; Assine, M. L.; Riccomini, C.; Bondioli, J. G.

2016-11-01

During the late Paleozoic, the intracratonic Paraná Basin, Brazil, in central Gondwanaland, was covered by a huge (>1.600.000 km2), shallow and isolated epeiric sea. Within the Permian succession, oxygen-deficient facies are commonly recorded in the Mesosaurus-bearing Irati Formation (Cisuralian, Artinskian/Kungurian) and the overlaying Serra Alta Formation (Guadalupian, Wordian/Capitanian). Barren, dark-grey mudstones are the main facies preserved in this last unit, which has usually discouraged extensive and detailed stratigraphical and paleontological investigations. However, exhaustive sedimentological, taphonomic and paleontological surveys in those deposits reveal a dynamic and complex depositonal history. Based on sedimentary fabric, autochthonous to parautochthonous occurrences of shelly benthic invertebrates (bivalves) and the presence/absence of concretion-bearing and phosphate-rich layers, we report variations in the oxygen levels of bottom and pore waters, in bathymetry, sedimentation rates, and changes in benthic colonization. Our data indicate that the deposition of this "apparently barren" mudstone-dominated succession was driven by a complex interplay of variations in sedimentation rate and oxygen pulses tied to tectonic and climate changes. Three distinct populations or invertebrate paleocommunities were recorded, which were adapted to (a) normal background low-oxygen (dysoxic) conditions (i.e., minute infaunal suspension-feeding bivalves associated with the trace fossil Planolites), (b) chemically toxic (anoxic/extreme dysoxic) substrates, including gigantic burrowing bivalves (probable chemosymbiotic taxa), and (c) oxic/dysoxic substrates following short-term bottom disruptions.

Circumscribing campo rupestre - megadiverse Brazilian rocky montane savanas.

PubMed

Alves, R J V; Silva, N G; Oliveira, J A; Medeiros, D

2014-05-01

Currently campo rupestre (CR) is a name accepted and used internationally by botanists, zoologists, and other naturalists, usually applied to a very specific ecosystem, despite the lack of a consensual published circumscription. We present a tentative geographic circumscription of the term, combining data on climate, geology, geomorphology, soil, flora, fauna and vegetation. The circumscription of campo rupestre proposed herein is based on the following premises: (1) the classification of vegetation is not an exact science, and it is difficult to attain a high degree of consensus to the circumscription of vegetation names; (2) despite this, vegetation classification is useful for conservation and management. It is thus desirable to circumscribe vegetation types with the greatest attainable precision; (3) there is a need to preserve all montane and rocky vegetation types, regardless of classification, biome, etc; (4) the CRs are formed by a complex mosaic of vegetation types including rock-dwelling, psammophilous, aquatic, epiphytic, and penumbral plant communities. Campos rupestres stricto sensu are a Neotropical, azonal vegetation complex endemic to Brazil, forming a mosaic of rocky mountaintop "archipelagos" inserted within a matrix of zonal vegetation, mainly in the Cerrado and Caatinga provinces of the Brazilian Shield (southeastern, northeastern and central-western regions), occurring mainly above 900 m asl. up to altitudes exceeding 2000 m, having measured annual precipitation between 800 and 1500 mm, and an arid season of two to five months.

Red/near-infrared luminescence tuning of group-14 element complexes of dipyrrins based on a central atom.

PubMed

Yamamura, Masaki; Albrecht, Marcel; Albrecht, Markus; Nishimura, Yoshinobu; Arai, Tatsuo; Nabeshima, Tatsuya

2014-02-03

A dipyrrin complex has been one of the most utilized fluorescent dyes, and a variety of dipyrrin complexes show intriguing functions based on the various coordination structures of the central element. We now report the synthesis, structure, and photophysical properties of germanium and stannane complexes of the N2O2-type tetradentate dipyrrin, L·Ge and L·Sn, which are heavier analogues of the previously reported dipyrrin silicon complex, L·Si. The central group-14 atoms of the monomeric complexes have geometries close to trigonal bipyramidal (TBP), in which the contribution of the square-pyramidal (SP) character becomes higher as the central atom is heavier. Interestingly, L·Sn formed a dimeric structure in the crystal. All complexes L·Si, L·Ge, and L·Sn showed a fluorescence in the red/NIR region. Fluorescence quantum yields of L·Ge and L·Sn are higher than that of L·Si. These results indicated that the central atom on the dipyrrin complexes contributes not only to the geometry difference but also to tuning the fluorescence properties.

Ecosystem responses to biogeochemical fronts in the South Brazil Bight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandini, Frederico P.; Tura, Pedro M.; Santos, Pedro P. G. M.

2018-05-01

Here we described the general hydrography in the South Brazil Bight (23-28°S) with emphasis on frontal processes and their role in the structure and functioning of the regional shelf ecosystem. One of the key roles of fronts for ecosystem dynamics is the injection of nutrients into the euphotic zone increasing primary production. Frontal systems also affect plankton biodiversity and fisheries. Physical mechanisms behind frontogenesis in this region are similar in the analogous western side of oceanic basins; their magnitude and seasonal dynamics, however, may differ due to peculiarities in shelf morphology, wind field, tidal circulation and continental drainage. Here we provide a reassessment of earlier and recent ecological and hydrographic studies for a better evaluation of the spatial and temporal dynamics of fronts and their regional ecological implications. Albeit in a fragmented manner, we give a more detailed conceptual framework about the ecosystem responses to the complex frontal system in the South Brazil Bight.

Morphometric variations of laelapine mite (Acari: Mesostigmata) populations infesting small mammals (Mammalia) in Brazil.

PubMed

Martins-Hatano, F; Gettinger, D; Manhães, M L; Bergallo, H G

2012-08-01

The goal of this study was to evaluate the morphometric variation of laelapine populations (Acari, Mesostigmata) associated with neotropical oryzomyine rodents at different geographic localities in Brazil. Three nominal mite species were selected for study, all infesting the pelage of small mammals at different localities in Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia, and the Federal District, Brazil. To analyse morphometric characteristics, thirty-seven morphological characters distributed across the whole body of each specimen were measured. We use the Analysis of Principal Components, extracting the three first axes and projecting each mite in these axes. Major species level changes in the taxonomy of the host mammals allows an independent examination of morphometric variation of mites infesting a set of distinctly different host species at different geographic localities. Gigantolaelaps vitzthumi and Laelaps differens are associated with oryzomyine rodents of the genus Cerradomys, and consistently showed a tendency to cluster by host phylogeny. Laelaps manguinhosi associated with Nectomys rattus in central Brazil is morphometrically distinct from mites infesting N. squamipes in the coastal restingas of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. The results obtained here indicate that laelapine mite populations can vary among geographic areas and among phylogenetically related host species. Clearly, the study of these mites at the population level can be an important tool for clarifying the taxonomy of both mites and hosts.

[Stingrays in rivers in southeastern Brazil: occurrence localities and impact on the population].

PubMed

Garrone Neto, Domingos; Haddad Junior, Vidal

2010-01-01

In this paper, our aim was to describe the process of colonization of the upper Paraná basin, southeastern Brazil, by stingrays, showing the current situation, likely trend and impact caused and discussing some management actions and mitigation measures. Interviews were held with riverbank people and health professionals, to gather information on occurrences of stingrays and accidents associated with these animals, along with underwater observations and collection of specimens, between 2004 and 2009 in localities in the States of São Paulo, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul, in the southeastern, southern and part of the central-western regions of Brazil. Three species of stingrays were identified in the study area, thus demonstrating that they were using the paths opened by the Tietê-Paraná Waterway to disperse. Sixteen victims of accidents involving these animals were found, mainly bathers and fishermen. Attention was drawn to the fact that these cases had not been reported, yet they presented high morbidity with notable temporary incapacity for work. This is the first report on biological invasion involving species of elasmobranchs in the literature and, because stingrays are colonizing densely populated areas and are expanding their range of distribution each year, it can be expected that their negative interactions with humans will intensify, with important changes in the epidemiological profile of accidents due to venomous animals occurring in southeastern Brazil.

First report of naturally infected Aedes aegypti with chikungunya virus genotype ECSA in the Americas.

PubMed

Costa-da-Silva, André Luis; Ioshino, Rafaella Sayuri; Petersen, Vivian; Lima, Antonio Fernando; Cunha, Marielton Dos Passos; Wiley, Michael R; Ladner, Jason T; Prieto, Karla; Palacios, Gustavo; Costa, Danuza Duarte; Suesdek, Lincoln; Zanotto, Paolo Marinho de Andrade; Capurro, Margareth Lara

2017-06-01

The worldwide expansion of new emergent arboviruses such as Chikungunya and Zika reinforces the importance in understanding the role of mosquito species in spreading these pathogens in affected regions. This knowledge is essential for developing effective programs based on species specificity to avoid the establishment of endemic transmission cycles sustained by the identified local vectors. Although the first autochthonous transmission of Chikungunya virus was described in 2014 in the north of Brazil, the main outbreaks were reported in 2015 and 2016 in the northeast of Brazil. During 5 days of February 2016, we collected mosquitoes in homes of 6 neighborhoods of Aracaju city, the capital of Sergipe state. Four mosquito species were identified but Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti were the most abundant. Field-caught mosquitoes were tested for Chikungunya (CHIKV), Zika (ZIKV) and Dengue viruses (DENV) by qRT-PCR and one CHIKV-infected Ae. aegypti female was detected. The complete sequence of CHIKV genome was obtained from this sample and phylogenetic analysis revealed that this isolate belongs to the East-Central-South-African (ECSA) genotype. Our study describes the first identification of a naturally CHIKV-infected Ae. aegypti in Brazil and the first report of a CHIKV from ECSA genotype identified in this species in the Americas. These findings support the notion of Ae. aegypti being a vector involved in CHIKV outbreaks in northeast of Brazil.

Spirocerca lupi granulomatous pneumonia in two free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) from central Brazil.

PubMed

Blume, Guilherme R; Reis Junior, Janildo L; Gardiner, Chris H; Hoberg, Eric P; Pilitt, Patricia A; Monteiro, Rafael Veríssimo; de Sant'Ana, Fabiano J F

2014-11-01

The current report describes granulomatous pneumonia due to Spirocerca lupi in 2 free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus). Both wolves had multiple, white, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, soft, encapsulated granulomas in the caudal lung lobes, which contained centrally placed parasites on cut sections. Microscopically, there was granulomatous inflammation with numerous intralesional sections of spirurid nematodes. Representative complete adult specimens of nematodes derived from these lesions were submitted for parasitological exam and identified as the spirurid S. lupi. To the authors' knowledge, there have been no published reports of S. lupi in maned wolves. © 2014 The Author(s).

Red and yellow ochres from the archaeological site Pedra do Cantagalo I, in Piripiri, Piauí, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duarte Cavalcante, Luis Carlos; da Silva, Heralda Kelis Sousa Bezerra; Fabris, José Domingos; Ardisson, José Domingos

2017-11-01

The archaeological site Pedra do Cantagalo I is a sandstone shelter displaying rupestrian inscriptions. It is located in the rural area of the municipality of Piripiri, in the northern region of the Piauí state, Brazil. The site was found as being originally decorated with more than 1,900 prehistoric rupestrian paintings, along with engravings, lithics, ceramic fragments and mineral pigments forming reddish and yellowish ochres. Materials of these ochres, collected from recent excavations in this archaeological site, were analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF); backscattering and transmission 57Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy at 298 K and 25 K and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), in an effort to assess the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of these sources of pigments that composed the ancient paint materials of the site. The iron contents (expressed as Fe 2 O 3) for the reddish ochres were found to range from ˜60 to ˜68 mass%; for the yellowish ochres the corresponding content was ˜34 mass%, as determined by EDXRF. From the Mössbauer spectra for these red ochre samples, hematite ( αFe 2 O 3) or a mixture of hematite and goethite ( αFeOOH) were identified. Actually, the spectra at room temperature for the yellow ochres are rather complex, as it is usual for most soil clay materials. At least part of the intense central doublet was assumed to be from superparamagnetic iron oxides in very small particles. The Mössbauer patterns at 25 K allowed confirming this assumption, as the superparamagnetic relaxation effects were virtually suppressed; the spectral contributions due to goethite could be thus more easily separated.

Anemia and hemoglobin levels among Indigenous Xavante children, Central Brazil.

PubMed

Ferreira, Aline Alves; Santos, Ricardo Ventura; Souza, July Anne Mendonça de; Welch, James R; Coimbra, Carlos E A

2017-01-01

To evaluate the prevalence of anemia, mean hemoglobin levels, and the main nutritional, demographic, and socioeconomic factors among Xavante children in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. A survey was conducted with children under 10 years of age in two indigenous Xavante communities within the Pimentel Barbosa Indigenous Reserve. Hemoglobin concentration levels, anthropometric measurements, and socioeconomic/demographic data were collected by means of clinical measurements and structured interviews. The cut-off points recommended by the World Health Organization were used for anemia classification. Linear regression analyses with hemoglobin as the outcome and Poisson regression with robust variance and with the presence or absence of anemia as outcomes were performed (95%CI). Lower mean hemoglobin values were observed in children under 2 years of age, without a significant difference between sexes. Anemia was observed among 50.8% of children overall, with the highest prevalence among children under 2 years of age (77.8%). Age of the child was inversely associated with the occurrence of anemia (adjusted PR = 0.60; 95%CI 0.38-0.95) and mean hemoglobin values increased significantly with age. Greater height-for-age z-score values reduced the probability of having anemia by 1.8 times (adjusted PR = 0.59; 95%CI 0.34-1.00). Presence of another child with anemia within the household increased the probability of the occurrence of anemia by 52.9% (adjusted PR = 1.89; 95%CI 1.16-3.09). Elevated levels of anemia among Xavante children reveal a disparity between this Indigenous population and the national Brazilian population. Results suggest that anemia is determined by complex and variable relationships between socioeconomic, sociodemographic, and biological factors.

Ryegrass cv. Lema and guava cv. Paluma biomonitoring suitability for estimating nutritional contamination risks under seasonal climate in Southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Bulbovas, Patricia; Camargo, Carla Z S; Domingos, Marisa

2015-08-01

The risks posed by nutrient deposition due to air pollution on ecosystems and their respective services to human beings can be appropriately estimated by bioindicator plants when they are well acclimated to the study region environmental conditions. This assumption encouraged us to comparatively evaluate the accumulation potential of ryegrass cv. Lema and guava cv. Paluma macro and micronutrients. We also indicated the most appropriate species for biomonitoring nutrient contamination risks in tropical areas of Southeastern Brazil, which are characterized by marked dry and wet seasons and complex mixtures of air pollutants from different sources (industries, vehicle traffic and agriculture). The study was conducted in 14 sites with different neighboring land uses, within the Metropolitan Region of Campinas, central-eastern region of São Paulo State. The exposure experiments with ryegrass and guava were consecutively repeated 40 (28 days each) and 12 (84 days each) times, respectively, from Oct/2010 to Sept/2013. Macro and micronutrients were analyzed and background concentrations and enrichment ratios (ER) were estimated to classify the contamination risk within the study region. Significantly higher ER suggested that ryegrass were the most appropriate accumulator species for N, S, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn deposition and guava for K, Ca, P and B deposition. Based on these biomonitoring adjustments, we concluded that the nutrient deposition was spatially homogeneous in the study area, but clear seasonality in the contamination risk by nutritional inputs was evidenced. Significantly higher contamination risk by S, Fe, K and B occurred during the dry season and enhanced contamination risk by Mn, Cu and Zn were highlighted during the wet season. Distinctly high contamination risk was estimated for S, Fe and Mn in several exposure experiments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Serologic screening for Trypanosoma cruzi among blood donors in central Brazil.

PubMed

de Andrade, A L; Martelli, C M; Luquetti, A O; de Oliveira, O S; Almeida e Silva, S; Zicker, F

1992-01-01

The study reported here compares results obtained by blood banks screening sera for chagasic (Trypanosoma cruzi) infection with results obtained by the Chagas' Disease Reference Laboratory of the Federal University of Goiás in Goiânia, Brazil. It also evaluates results obtained using the ELISA technique to screen the study sera. The survey used data from six of eight blood banks serving the city of Goiânia, an urban region of Central Brazil where Chagas' disease is highly endemic. The survey population consisted of 1,513 voluntary first-time blood donors whose donations occurred between October 1988 and April 1989. This group included 50% of all the first-time blood donors in that period. The six participating blood banks, which accounted for about 90% of all blood donations in Goiânia during the study period, routinely used indirect hemagglutination (IHA) and complement fixation (CF) tests to screen sera for antibodies to T. cruzi. Comparison of the results provided by the blood banks with the reference laboratory's results indicated a relative sensitivity of 77%, which ranged from 50% to 100% depending on the blood bank studied. The comparison, which found 12 false negative results, indicated that transfusions of infected blood might have occurred despite the serologic screening performed by the blood banks. Relative to the standard of positivity established for the study, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was found to have a sensitivity of 96.3%. Considering as positive only those sera yielding positive IHA and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) test results, the ELISA technique yielded 2 false negative and 41 false positive responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anophelines species and the receptivity and vulnerability to malaria transmission in the Pantanal wetlands, Central Brazil

PubMed Central

Marinho-e-Silva, Mariana; Sallum, Maria Anice Mureb; Rosa-Freitas, Maria Goreti; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Silva-do-Nascimento, Teresa Fernandes

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND Studies on malaria vectors in the Pantanal biome, Central Brazil, were conducted more than half a century ago. OBJECTIVES To update anopheline records and assess receptivity and vulnerability to malaria transmission. METHODS Five-day anopheline collections were conducted bimonthly in Salobra, Mato Grosso do Sul state, for one year. Indoors, mosquitoes were collected from their resting places, while in open fields, they were captured using protected human-baited and horse-baited traps near the house and at the Miranda River margin, respectively. Hourly biting activity outdoors was also assessed. Secondary data were collected on the arrival of tourists, economic projects, and malaria cases. FINDINGS A total of 24,894 anophelines belonging to 13 species were caught. The main Brazilian malaria vector Anopheles darlingi was the predominant species, followed by An. triannulatus s.l. Hourly variation in anopheline biting showed three main peaks occurring at sunset, around midnight, and at sunrise, the first and last being the most prominent. The highest density of all species was recorded near the river margin and during the transition period between the rainy and early dry seasons. This coincides with the time of main influx of outsider workers and tourists, whose activities mostly occur in the open fields and frequently start before sunrise and last until sunset. Some of these individuals originate from neighbouring malaria-endemic countries and states, and are likely responsible for the recorded imported and introduced malaria cases. MAIN CONCLUSION Pantanal is a malaria-prone area in Brazil. Surveillance and anopheline control measures must be applied to avoid malaria re-emergence in the region. PMID:29236930

Prostate cancer burden in Central and South America.

PubMed

Sierra, Mónica S; Soerjomataram, Isabelle; Forman, David

2016-09-01

The incidence of prostate cancer has increased in Central and South America (CSA) in the last few decades. We describe the geographical patterns and trends of prostate cancer in CSA. We obtained regional and national-level cancer incidence data from 48 population-based registries in 13 countries and nation-wide cancer deaths from the WHO mortality database for 18 countries. We estimated world population age-standardized incidence (ASR) and mortality (ASMR) rates per 100,000 person-years for 2003-2007 and the estimated annual percent change (EAPC) to describe time trends. Prostate cancer was the most common cancer diagnosis and one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among males in most CSA countries. From 2003-2007, ASRs varied between countries (6-fold) and within countries (Brazil: 3-6-fold). French Guyana (147.1) and Brazil (91.4) had the highest ASRs whereas Mexico (28.9) and Cuba (24.3) had the lowest. ASMRs varied by 4-fold. Belize, Uruguay and Cuba (24.1-28.9) had the highest ASMRs while Peru, Nicaragua, and El Salvador (6.8-9.7) had the lowest. In Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Costa Rica prostate cancer incidence increased by 2.8-4.8% annually whereas mortality remained stable between 1997 and 2008. The geographic and temporal variation of prostate cancer rates observed in CSA may in part reflect differences in diagnostic and registration practices, healthcare access, treatment and death certification, and public awareness. The incidence of prostate cancer is expected to increase given recent early detection activities and increased public awareness; however, the impact of these factors on mortality remains to be elucidated. Copyright © 2016 International Agency for Research on Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Trends in overall opportunistic illnesses, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, cerebral toxoplasmosis and Mycobacterium avium complex incidence rates over the 30 years of the HIV epidemic: a systematic review.

PubMed

Coelho, Lara; Veloso, Valdiléa Gonçalves; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Luz, Paula Mendes

2014-01-01

The natural history of HIV infection has changed dramatically after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Currently, opportunistic illnesses still represent a major cause of death and hospitalization in this population. In this study, we review the trends in opportunistic illnesses incidence rates and compare the results observed in high-income settings with that for low/middle-income settings, with special attention given to studies from Brazil. We systematically searched Pubmed, Web of Science, Lilacs and Google scholar for publications on HIV associated opportunistic illness. Studies reporting rates based on person-time for all opportunistic illnesses and/or the three opportunistic infections of interest, namely, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, cerebral toxoplasmosis, and Mycobacterium avium complex were included. Significant reductions in the incidence rates were demonstrated for opportunistic illnesses overall and also for the specific opportunistic infections included in the present study, both in high and low/middle-income settings. Out of the 37 studies included in the present review, almost 70% were from high-income settings. All the studies conducted in low/middle-income settings were single center studies and four were from Brazil. We found no study from Brazil reporting annual incidence rates of opportunistic illnesses. Opportunistic illnesses remain an important public health problem. To better guide health policies in low/middle-income settings, multicenter cohort studies should be encouraged. Studies from Brazil are urgently needed to assess the current burden of opportunistic illnesses in our population and to support the planning of HIV/AIDS health care services organization. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Swine Influenza Virus and Association with the Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex in Pig Farms in Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Schmidt, C; Cibulski, S P; Andrade, C P; Teixeira, T F; Varela, A P M; Scheffer, C M; Franco, A C; de Almeida, L L; Roehe, P M

2016-05-01

Despite the putative endemic status of swine influenza A virus (swIAV) infections, data on the occurrence of swine influenza outbreaks are scarce in Brazil. The aim of this study was to detect and subtype swIAVs from six outbreaks of porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) in southern Brazil. Nasal swabs were collected from 66 piglets with signs of respiratory disease in six herds. Lung tissue samples were collected from six necropsied animals. Virus detection was performed by PCR screening and confirmed by virus isolation and hemagglutination (HA). Influenza A subtyping was performed by a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (rRT-PCR) to detect the A(H1N1)pdm09; other swIAV subtypes were determined by multiplex RT-PCR. In lung tissues, the major bacterial and viral pathogens associated with PRDC (Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Haemophilus parasuis and PCV2) were investigated. In some affected pigs, clinico-pathological evaluations were conducted. Influenza A was detected by screening PCR in 46 of 66 swab samples and from five of six lungs. Virus was recovered from pigs of all six herds. Subtype A(H1N1)pdm09 was detected in four of six herds and H1N2 in the other two herds. In lung tissues, further agents involved in PRDC were detected in all cases; Pasteurella multocida was identified in five of six samples and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in three of six. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (1/6), Haemophilus parasuis (1/6) and PCV2 (1/6) were also detected. These findings indicate that subtypes A(H1N1)pdm09 and H1N2 were present in pigs in southern Brazil and were associated with PRDC outbreaks. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Labor redundancy, retraining, and outplacement during privatization : the experience of Brazil's federal railway

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-10-01

As infrastructure privatization experiences in developing countries progress, there is increasing evidence that their impact on employment is one of their most complex and politically challenging elements. In many cases-although not always- the main ...

Temporal dynamics of stem expansion and contraction in savanna trees: withdrawal and recharge of stored water.

Treesearch

Fabian G. Scholz; Sandra J. Bucci; Guillermo Goldstein; Frederick C. Meinzer; Agusto C. Franco; Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm

2008-01-01

Relationships between diel changes in stem expansion and contraction and discharge and refilling of stem water storage tissues were studied in six dominant Neotropical savanna (cerrado) tree species from central Brazil. Two stem tissues were studied, the active xylem or sapwood and the living tissues located between the cambium and the cork, made up predominantly of...

[Rural-urban population redistribution between 1970 and 1980 (a micro-regional analysis)].

PubMed

Costa, M A

1982-01-01

Changes in rural-urban population distribution in Brazil from 1970 to 1980 are analyzed using census data. Trends examined include spatial redistribution throughout the country, rapid urbanization, the decline in the size of the rural population in the state of Parana, agricultural expansion in the northern and central-western regions, and the increase of the rural population within metropolitan areas. (summary in ENG)

Allometric equations for estimating tree biomass in restored mixed-species Atlantic Forest stands

Treesearch

Lauro Rodrigues Nogueira; Vera Lex Engel; John A. Parrotta; Antonio Carlos Galvão de Melo; Danilo Scorzoni Ré

2014-01-01

Restoration of Atlantic Forests is receiving increasing attention because of its role in both biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration for global climate change mitigation. This study was carried out in an Atlantic Forest restoration project in the south-central region of São Paulo State – Brazil to develop allometric equations to estimate tree biomass of...

Greeting, Hospitality, and Naming among the Bororo of Central Brazil. Working Papers in Sociolinguistics Number 37.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viertler, Renate B.

Hospitality patterns of the Bororo Indians are illustrated in two examples: the etiquette due to a visiting chief from another Bororo village, and the etiquette due any common visitor from another Bororo village. Formal hospitality differs greatly from the usual etiquette. At a visiting chief's arrival, he enters as the last of his group and waits…

Tracking the distribution of Puccinia psidii genotypes that cause rust disease on diverse myrtaceous trees and shrubs

Treesearch

Amy L. Ross-Davis; Rodrigo N. Graca; Acelino C. Alfenas; Tobin L. Peever; Jack W. Hanna; Janice Y. Uchida; Rob D. Hauff; Chris Y. Kadooka; Mee-Sook Kim; Phil G. Cannon; Shigetou Namba; Nami Minato; Sofia Simeto; Carlos A. Perez; Min B. Rayamajhi; Mauricio Moran; D. Jean Lodge; Marcela Arguedas; Rosario Medel-Ortiz; M. Armando Lopez-Ramirez; Paula Tennant; Morag Glen; Ned B. Klopfenstein

2014-01-01

Puccinia psidii Winter (Basidiomycota, Uredinales) is a biotrophic rust fungus that was first reported in Brazil from guava in 1884 (Psidium guajava; Winter 1884) and later from eucalypt in 1912 (Joffily 1944). Considered to be of neotropical origin, the rust has also been reported to infect diverse myrtaceous hosts elsewhere in South America, Central America, the...

Brazilian oral herbal medication for osteoarthritis: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Moura, Mariana Del Grossi; Lopes, Luciane Cruz; Biavatti, Maique Weber; Busse, Jason W; Wang, Li; Kennedy, Sean Alexander; Bhatnaga, Neera; Bergamaschi, Cristiane de Cássia

2016-05-21

Osteoarthritis affects 1 % of the world's population and is the most common cause of musculoskeletal impairment in the elderly. Herbal medications are commonly used in Brazil to manage symptoms associated with osteoarthritis, and some of them are financed by the Brazilian government; however, the effectiveness of most of these agents is uncertain. The aim was to systematically review the efficacy and safety of 13 oral herbal medications used in Brazil for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Randomized clinical trials eligible for our systematic review will enroll adults with osteoarthritis treated by a Brazilian herbal medication or a control group (placebo or active control). Using terms to include all forms of osteoarthritis combined with herbal medications, we will search the following electronic databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; Web of Science; Health Star; AMED, the database of the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field, LILACS; CAB abstracts, Clinical trial.gov, WHO trials registry, and Bank of Brazil Thesis (CAPES), to 31 January 2016, without restrictions concerning language or status of publication. Outcomes of interest include the following: symptom relief (e.g., pain), adverse events (gastrointestinal bleeding, epigastric pain, nausea, and allergic reactions), discontinuation due to adverse events, quality of life, and the satisfaction with the treatment. Dichotomous data will be summarized as risk ratios; continuous data will be given as standard average differences with 95 % confidence intervals. A team of reviewers will assess each citation independently for eligibility and in duplicate it. For eligible studies, the same reviewers will perform data extraction, bias risk assessment, and determination of the overall quality of evidence for each of the outcomes using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) classification system. This is the first study that will evaluate the use of herbal medications used in Brazil for the treatment of pain caused by osteoarthritis. The results could guide prescribers in decision-making in clinical practice, to inform the patients with pain caused by osteoarthritis in relation to effective and safe treatment options and to inform the managers of the public health system which of the plants could actually be financed by the Brazilian government. PROSPERO 42015019793.

Upper mantle seismic anisotropy beneath Northern Peru from shear wave splitting analysis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franca, G. S.; Condori, C.; Tavera, H.; Eakin, C. M.; Beck, S. L.

2017-12-01

Beneath much of Peru lies the largest region of flat-slab subduction in the world today. The origins and dynamics of the Peruvian flat-slab however remain elusive, particularly in the north away from the Nazca Ridge. Studies of seismic anisotropy can potentially provide us with insight into the dynamics of recent and past deformational processes in the upper mantle. In this study, we conduct shear wave splitting to investigate seismic anisotropy across the northern extent of the Peruvian flat-slab for the first time. For the analysis, we used arrivals of SKS, SKKS and PKS phases from teleseismic events (88° > Δ < 150°) recorded at 30 broadband seismic stations from the Peruvian permanent and portable seismic networks, and international networks (CTBTO and RSBR-Brazil). The preliminary results reveal a complex anisotropy pattern with variations along strike. In the northernmost region, the average delay times range between 1.0 s and 1.2 s, with fast directions predominantly ENE-WSW oriented in a direction approximately perpendicular to the trench, parallel with subduction of the Nazca plate. Meanwhile towards the central region of Peru, the predominant fast direction changes to SE-NW oblique with the trench, but consistent with the pattern seen previously over the southern extent of the flat-slab by Eakin et al. (2013, 2015). These characteristics suggest a fundamental difference between the anisotropic structures, and therefore underlying mantle processes, beneath the northern and central portions of the Peruvian flat-slab.

Antigenic and genotypic characterization of rabies virus isolated from bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from municipalities in São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Menozzi, Benedito Donizete; de Novaes Oliveira, Rafael; Paiz, Laís Moraes; Richini-Pereira, Virgínia Bodelão; Langoni, Helio

2017-05-01

Bats have aroused growing attention in the public health sphere because they are considered the main reservoir of rabies virus (RABV) in the Americas, in places where canine rabies is under control. Antigenic and genetic studies of RABV isolates have been used to describe the epidemiological profile of rabies and to identify possible hosts/reservoirs for different epidemiological cycles. This study describes the antigenic and genotypic characterization of 19 RABV isolates from central nervous system samples of non-hematophagous bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera). These bats were diagnosed as RABV positive by direct fluorescent antibody and mouse inoculation tests. Antigenic characterization using a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies revealed that 7 of 19 RABV isolates from these bats belonged to variant 3, for which the hematophagous bat species Desmodus rotundus is the main reservoir, and 1 of 19 RABV isolates from an insectivorous bat belonged to variant 4, which is characteristic of these bats. The remaining 11 RABV samples were divided into six non-compatible profiles. The isolates were subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for the N gene and partially sequenced. Genetic characterization of these isolates was performed by grouping the sequences obtained with known RABV lineages. The sequences were grouped in clusters by the phylogenetic inference neighbor-joining method, together with another 89 homologous sequences obtained from GenBank. This analysis grouped the isolates into four known lineages: Nyctinomops Brazil, Myotis Brazil, Eptesicus Brazil and D. rotundus Brazil, as well as another cluster that may define a RABV lineage not yet characterized, here named Myotis Brazil II, for which bats of the genus Myotis apparently act as reservoirs. This assumption of a new lineage is also based on the observation of amino acid substitutions, with an average intraspecific identity of 99.8%, varying from 99.6 to 100.0% for nucleotides and 100.0% for amino acids.

Introduction to the LaRC central scientific computing complex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shoosmith, John N.

1993-01-01

The computers and associated equipment that make up the Central Scientific Computing Complex of the Langley Research Center are briefly described. The electronic networks that provide access to the various components of the complex and a number of areas that can be used by Langley and contractors staff for special applications (scientific visualization, image processing, software engineering, and grid generation) are also described. Flight simulation facilities that use the central computers are described. Management of the complex, procedures for its use, and available services and resources are discussed. This document is intended for new users of the complex, for current users who wish to keep appraised of changes, and for visitors who need to understand the role of central scientific computers at Langley.

High Prevalence of HTLV-1 Infection among Japanese Immigrants in Non-endemic Area of Brazil

PubMed Central

Bandeira, Larissa M.; Uehara, Silvia N. O.; Asato, Marcel A.; Aguena, Gabriela S.; Maedo, Cristiane M.; Benites, Nikolas H.; Puga, Marco A. M.; Rezende, Grazielli R.; Finotti, Carolina M.; Cesar, Gabriela A.; Tanaka, Tayana S. O.; Castro, Vivianne O. L.; Otsuki, Koko; Vicente, Ana C. P.; Fernandes, Carlos E.; Motta-Castro, Ana R. C.

2015-01-01

Background Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has worldwide distribution and is considered endemic in many world regions, including southwestern Japan and Brazil. Japanese immigrants and their descendants have a high risk of acquiring this infection due to intense population exchange between Brazil and Japan. Objective This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of HTLV, analyze the main risk factors associated with this infection, identify the main circulating types and subtypes of HTLV in Japanese immigrants and descendants living in Campo Grande-MS (Middle-West Brazil), as well as analyze the phylogenetic relationship among isolates of HTLV. Study Design A total of 219 individuals were interviewed and submitted to blood collection. All collected blood samples were submitted for detection of anti-HTLV-1/2 using the immunoassay ELISA and confirmed by immunoblot method. The proviral DNA of the 14 samples HTLV- 1 positive were genotyped by nucleotide sequencing. Results The overall prevalence of HTLV-1 was 6.8% (IC 95%: 3,5-10,2). Descriptive analysis of behavioral risk factors showed statistical association between HTLV-1 and age greater than or equal to 45 years. The proviral DNA of HTLV-1 was detected in all HTLV-1 positive samples. Of these, 14 were sequenced and classified as Cosmopolitan subtype, and 50% (7/14) belonged to subgroup A (transcontinental) and 50% (7/14) to the subgroup B (Japanese). Conclusion The high prevalence of HTLV-1 found evidence of the importance of early diagnosis and counseling of individuals infected with HTLV-1 for the control and prevention of the spread of this infection among Japanese immigrants and their descendants in Central Brazil. PMID:25886507

Origins and recent radiation of Brazilian Eupatorieae (Asteraceae) in the eastern Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.

PubMed

Rivera, Vanessa Lopes; Panero, Jose L; Schilling, Edward E; Crozier, Bonnie S; Moraes, Marta Dias

2016-04-01

The remarkable diversity of Eupatorieae in the Brazilian flora has received little study, despite the tribe's very high levels of endemism and importance in the threatened Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspots. Eupatorieae are one of the largest tribes in Asteraceae with 14 of 19 recognized subtribes occurring in Brazil. We constructed the largest phylogeny of Brazilian Eupatorieae to date that sampled the nrITS and ETS, chloroplast ndhI and ndhF genes, and the ndhI-ndhG intergenic spacer for 183 species representing 77 of the 85 Brazilian genera of the tribe. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses showed that these species are not collectively monophyletic, so their distribution reflects multiple introductions into Brazil. A novel clade was found that includes 75% of the genera endemic to Brazil (Cerrado-Atlantic Forest Eupatorieae, "CAFE" clade). This radiation of at least 247 species concentrated in the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes of central eastern Brazil is <7 my old and exhibits several ecologically diverse life forms. Eight subtribes of Brazilian Eupatorieae (Ageratinae, Alomiinae, Ayapaninae, Critoniinae, Disynaphiinae, Eupatoriinae, Gyptidinae and Hebecliniinae) and 16 genera (Ageratum, Agrianthus, Austroeupatorium, Bejaranoa, Chromolaena, Critonia, Disynaphia, Grazielia, Hatschbachiella, Heterocondylus, Koanophyllon, Lasiolaena, Neocabreria, Praxelis, Stylotrichium, and Symphyopappus) were found to be polyphyletic. We attribute incongruities between the molecular phylogenetic results and the current classification of the tribe mostly to convergent evolution of morphological characters traditionally used in the classification of the tribe. We used these phylogenetic results to suggest changes to the classification of some subtribes and genera of Eupatorieae that occur in Brazil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plant-arthropod interaction in the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) of the Araripe Basin, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pires, Etiene Fabbrin; Sommer, Margot Guerra

2009-02-01

Plant-arthropod interactions provide the first relevant data for addressing evidence of phytophagy for an assemblage of coniferous silicified woods from the pre-rift phase in the Araripe Basin, Brazil. A complex system of borings, sometimes filled with small, oval to hexagonal coprolites, allow inferences to be made about the activities of termites (Isoptera). Previous dendrological data indicated that the climate during the Early Cretaceous on the landmasses of the northern Afro-Brazilian Depression was dry and savanna like, where termite borings were common. Features of wood preservation demonstrate that the damage was probably caused by herbivores, not detritivores.

Determining organic pollutants in automotive industry sludge.

PubMed

Munaretto, Juliana S; Wonghon, Audrey L; von Mühlen, Carin

2012-12-01

In Brazil, the policy for disposing industrial sludge is changing from an emphasis on using controlled landfills to other treatment or co-processing methods; however, the monitoring of organic pollutants is not mandatory. The present study evaluated two general screening methods for organic pollutants in sludge generated in an automotive industrial complex in southern Brazil. The screening was performed using Soxhlet and sonication extractions and Gas Chromatograph coupled with Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (GC/qMS). It was concluded that both techniques were effective and that most of the compounds identified were alkanes, phenols and esters. Important pollutants were detected in the sludge, which confirms the necessity of monitoring this type of residue.

On the margins of aid orthodoxy: the Brazil-Mozambique collaboration to produce essential medicines in Africa.

PubMed

Russo, Giuliano; de Oliveira, Lícia; Shankland, Alex; Sitoe, Tânia

2014-09-25

On the back of its recent economic development and domestic success in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Brazil is helping the Government of Mozambique to set up a pharmaceutical factory as part of its South-South cooperation programme. Until recently, a consensus existed that pharmaceutical production in Africa was not viable or sustainable. This paper looks into practicalities and evolution of this collaboration to illustrate the characteristics of Brazilian development cooperation in health, with the aim of drawing lessons for the wider debate on aid and local production of pharmaceuticals in Africa. We show that the project process has been very long and complex, has involved multiple public and private partners, and cost in excess of USD34 million. There have also been setbacks in the process, and although production has already started, it is unclear whether all the project's original objectives will be met. The Brazil-Mozambique's pharmaceutical factory experience illustrates positives as well as limitations of Brazil's unorthodox approach to health development cooperation, highlighting its contribution to pushing the boundaries of the debate on local production of pharmaceuticals in resource-poor settings.

Physiographic, stratigraphic, and structural development of the Quadrilatero Ferrifero, Minas Gerais, Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorr, J.V.N.

1969-01-01

The Quadrilatero Ferrifero is an area of some 7,000 square kilometers in central Minas Gerais, Brazil centered about lat. 20°15' S, long. 43°30' W.  For 250 years the region has poured forth a variety of mineral riches, now totaling more than $2 billion, and future production will undoubtedly be even greater.  The main products are iron ore, manganese ore, and gold.  To assist this development, the Braziliam and American Governments in 1946 jointly undertook the first detailed geologic study of the region: this report is a synthesis of the results of work and mapping by 17 Brazilian and American geologists under this program; other reports discussing the economic geology, the metamorphic geology, and the igneous geology of the region as a whole are being prepared.

[Home care to the elderly who had stroke].

PubMed

Pedreira, Larissa Chaves; Lopes, Regina Lúcia Mendonça

2010-01-01

The purpose was to Identify the knowledge production about the stroke in elderly under home care. Bibliographic research whose data were collected though the abstracts from 1997 to 2007, contained in LILACS and SciELO databases. The following key words were used: home assistance, aged people and cerebrovascular accident. Fifty-two references were found in the LILACS database, nine in the SciELO Brazil, and three in the SciELO Cuba. Most of the researches were carried out in 2000. Regarding the method, qualitative method predominance were observed, and central theme is related to the care giver, as well as to the clinical and epidemiologic aspects of the disease. It was observed that this knowledge is still established in Brazil, and the themes related to the person submitted to home care and violence to the aged are still little explored.

Hospital pharmacy workforce in Brazil.

PubMed

Santos, Thiago R; Penm, Jonathan; Baldoni, André O; Ayres, Lorena Rocha; Moles, Rebekah; Sanches, Cristina

2018-01-04

This study aims to describe the distribution of the hospital pharmacy workforce in Brazil. Data were acquired, during 2016, through the Brazilian National Database of Healthcare Facilities (CNES). The following variables were extracted: hospital name, registry number, telephone, e-mail, state, type of institution, subtype, management nature, ownership, presence of research/teaching activities, complexity level, number of hospital beds, presence of pharmacists, number of pharmacists, pharmacist specialization. All statistical analyses were performed by IBM SPSS v.19. The number of hospitals with a complete registry in the national database was 4790. The majority were general hospitals (77.9%), managed by municipalities (66.1%), under public administration (44.0%), had no research/teaching activities (90.5%), classified as medium complexity (71.6%), and had no pharmacist in their team (50.6%). Furthermore, almost 60.0% of hospitals did not comply with the minimum recommendations of having a pharmacist per 50 hospital beds. The Southeast region had the highest prevalence of pharmacists, with 64.4% of hospitals having a pharmaceutical professional. This may have occurred as this region had the highest population to hospital ratio. Non-profit hospitals were more likely to have pharmacists compared to those under public administration and private hospitals. This study mapped the hospital pharmacy workforce in Brazil, showing a higher prevalence of hospital pharmacists in the Southeast region, and in non-profit specialized hospitals.

Genetic and Morphological Analyses Demonstrate That Schizolecis guntheri (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) Is Likely to Be a Species Complex

PubMed Central

Souza, Camila S.; Costa-Silva, Guilherme J.; Roxo, Fábio F.; Foresti, Fausto; Oliveira, Claudio

2018-01-01

Schizolecis is a monotypic genus of Siluriformes widely distributed throughout isolated coastal drainages of southeastern Brazil. Previous studies have shown that fish groups found in isolated river basins tend to differentiate over time in the absence of gene flow, resulting in allopatric speciation. In this study, we used partial sequences of the mitochondrial gene COI with the analysis of the General Mixed Yule Coalescent model (GMYC) and the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) for single locus species delimitation, and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of external morphology to test the hypothesis that Schizolecis guntheri is a complex of species. We analyzed 94 samples of S. guntheri for GMYC and ABGD, and 82 samples for PCA from 22 coastal rivers draining to the Atlantic in southeastern Brazil from the Paraná State to the north of the Rio de Janeiro State. As a result, the GMYC model and the ABGD delimited five operational taxonomy units (OTUs – a nomenclature referred to in the present study of the possible new species delimited for the genetic analysis), a much higher number compared to the traditional alfa taxonomy that only recognizes S. guntheri across the isolated coastal rivers of Brazil. Furthermore, the PCA analysis suggests that S. guntheri is highly variable in aspects of external body proportions, including dorsal-fin spine length, pectoral-fin spine length, pelvic-fin spine length, lower caudal-fin spine length, caudal peduncle depth, anal width and mandibular ramus length. However, no exclusive character was found among the isolated populations that could be used to describe a new species of Schizolecis. Therefore, we can conclude, based on our results of PCA contrasting with the results of GMYC and ABGD, that S. guntheri represents a complex of species. PMID:29552028

The Bossoroca Complex, São Gabriel Terrane, Dom Feliciano Belt, southernmost Brazil: Usbnd Pb geochronology and tectonic implications for the neoproterozoic São Gabriel Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubert, Mauricio Lemos; Philipp, Ruy Paulo; Stipp Basei, Miguel Angelo

2016-10-01

Usbnd Pb LA-ICPMS geochronological analyses were carried out on zircon grains from metavolcanic rocks of the Bossoroca Complex and for one ash tuff of the Acampamento Velho Formation of the Camaquã Basin, in order to understand the evolution of the Neoproterozoic São Gabriel magmatic arc. A total of 42 analyses of igneous zircon grains were performed in three samples. The results yielded Usbnd Pb ages of 767.2 ± 2.9 Ma for the metavolcanic agglomerate (BOS-02); 765 ± 10 Ma for the metacrystal tuff (BOS-03) and 565.8 ± 4.8 Ma for the ash tuff (BOS-04). The Orogenic Cycle in Brazil is characterized by a set of orogenic belts consisting of petrotectonic associations juxtaposed by two collisional events that occurred at the end of the Neoproterozoic. In southern Brazil this orogeny formed the Dom Feliciano Belt, a unit composed of associations of rocks developed during two major orogenic events called São Gabriel (900-680 Ma) and Dom Feliciano (650-540 Ma). The main São Gabriel associations are tectonically juxtaposed as elongated strips according to the N20-30°E direction, bounded by ductile shear zones. The Bossoroca Complex comprises predominantly metavolcano-sedimentary rocks, characterized by medium-K calc-alkaline association generated in a cordillera-type magmatic arc. The volcanism occurred in sub-aerial environment, developing deposits generated by flow, resurgence and fall, sporadically interrupted by subaqueous epiclastic deposits, suggesting an arc related basin. The São Gabriel Terrane contains the petrotectonic units that represent the closure of the Charrua Ocean associated to the subduction period of the Brasiliano Orogenic Cycle in the Sul-rio-grandense Shield.

Genetic and Morphological Analyses Demonstrate That Schizolecis guntheri (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) Is Likely to Be a Species Complex.

PubMed

Souza, Camila S; Costa-Silva, Guilherme J; Roxo, Fábio F; Foresti, Fausto; Oliveira, Claudio

2018-01-01

Schizolecis is a monotypic genus of Siluriformes widely distributed throughout isolated coastal drainages of southeastern Brazil. Previous studies have shown that fish groups found in isolated river basins tend to differentiate over time in the absence of gene flow, resulting in allopatric speciation. In this study, we used partial sequences of the mitochondrial gene COI with the analysis of the General Mixed Yule Coalescent model (GMYC) and the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) for single locus species delimitation, and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of external morphology to test the hypothesis that Schizolecis guntheri is a complex of species. We analyzed 94 samples of S. guntheri for GMYC and ABGD, and 82 samples for PCA from 22 coastal rivers draining to the Atlantic in southeastern Brazil from the Paraná State to the north of the Rio de Janeiro State. As a result, the GMYC model and the ABGD delimited five operational taxonomy units (OTUs - a nomenclature referred to in the present study of the possible new species delimited for the genetic analysis), a much higher number compared to the traditional alfa taxonomy that only recognizes S. guntheri across the isolated coastal rivers of Brazil. Furthermore, the PCA analysis suggests that S. guntheri is highly variable in aspects of external body proportions, including dorsal-fin spine length, pectoral-fin spine length, pelvic-fin spine length, lower caudal-fin spine length, caudal peduncle depth, anal width and mandibular ramus length. However, no exclusive character was found among the isolated populations that could be used to describe a new species of Schizolecis . Therefore, we can conclude, based on our results of PCA contrasting with the results of GMYC and ABGD, that S. guntheri represents a complex of species.

Magmatism and fenitization in the Cretaceous potassium-alkaline-carbonatitic complex of Ipanema São Paulo State, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guarino, Vincenza; Azzone, Rogério Guitarrari; Brotzu, Pietro; de Barros Gomes, Celso; Melluso, Leone; Morbidelli, Lucio; Ruberti, Excelso; Tassinari, Colombo Celso Gaeta; Brilli, Mauro

2012-01-01

The Ipanema alkaline-carbonatitic complex is part of the Meso-Cenozoic alkaline magmatism located within the southeastern part of the Brazilian Platform. Drill-core and field sampling have indicated the occurrence of glimmerites, with subordinate shonkinites (mela-syenites), clinopyroxene-bearing glimmerites, diorites and syenites. The glimmerites are cross-cut by lamprophyric dykes and calciocarbonatites. Fenitization has deeply affected the country rocks, originating dioritic and syenitic rocks. The Ipanema rocks show a distinct potassic affinity. The initial Sr-Nd- isotopic composition of the Ipanema rocks (87Sr/86Sr = 0.70661-0.70754 and 143Nd/144Nd = 0.51169-0.51181) is similar to that of tholeiitic and potassium-rich-alkaline rocks of the Eastern Paraguay. Stable isotope data for the Ipanema calciocarbonatite suggest interaction with fluids at temperatures typical of hydrothermal stages, as hypothesized for other carbonatite complexes from southeastern Brazil. The chemical differences between the lamprophyre, glimmerites, carbonatites, apatitites and magnetitites, and the absence of marked REE enrichment in the evolved lithologies, all indicate that fractional crystallization and accumulus of liquidus phases in a magma reservoir, likely coupled with liquid immiscibility processes, may have played an important role in the genesis of the Ipanema rocks.

The central nucleus of the amygdala modulates gut-related neurons in the dorsal vagal complex in rats

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xueguo; Cui, Jinjuan; Tan, Zhenjun; Jiang, Chunhui; Fogel, Ronald

2003-01-01

Using retrograde tract-tracing and electrophysiological methods, we characterized the anatomical and functional relationship between the central nucleus of the amygdala and the dorsal vagal complex. Retrograde tract-tracing techniques revealed that the central nucleus of the amygdala projects to the dorsal vagal complex with a topographic distribution. Following injection of retrograde tracer into the vagal complex, retrogradely labelled neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala were clustered in the central portion at the rostral level and in the medial part at the middle level of the nucleus. Few labelled neurons were seen at the caudal level. Electrical stimulation of the central nucleus of the amygdala altered the basal firing rates of 65 % of gut-related neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract and in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. Eighty-one percent of the neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract and 47 % of the neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus were inhibited. Electrical stimulation of the central nucleus of the amygdala also modulated the response of neurons in the dorsal vagal complex to gastrointestinal stimuli. The predominant effect on the neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract was inhibition. These results suggest that the central nucleus of the amygdala influences gut-related neurons in the dorsal vagal complex and provides a neuronal circuitry that explains the regulation of gastrointestinal activity by the amygdala. PMID:14555729

Location Optimization of Mobile Cold-Formed Steel Systems to Provide Humanitarian Relief After Natural Disasters

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

Verde 6 7 9 119 3 5 6 4 7 9 Cameroon 16 13 13...232 500 Cambodia 3 1 550 000 Cameroon 2 0 Canada 5 1 800 Cape Verde 1 30 000 Central African Republic 1 0 Chad 1...0 Brazil 1 280 Bulgaria 1 525 Burundi 1 0 Cameroon 0 0 Cape Verde 0 0 Chile 4 60 463

Leaf functional traits of Neotropical savanna trees in relation to seasonal water deficit.

Treesearch

A.C. Franco; M. Bustamante; L.S. Caldas; G. Goldstein; F.C. Meinzer; A.R. Kozovits; P. Rundel; Vera T.R. Coradin

2005-01-01

The seasonal savannas (cerrados) of Central Brazil are characterized by a large diversity of evergreen and deciduous trees, which do not show a clear differentiation in terms of active rooting depth. Irrespective of the depth of the root system, expansion of new foliage in deciduous species occurs at the end of the dry season. In this study, we examined a suite of leaf...

Paleomagnetism of the Santa Fé Group, central Brazil: Implications for the late Paleozoic apparent polar wander path for South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, Daniele; Ernesto, Marcia; Rocha-Campos, Antonio Carlos; Dos Santos, Paulo Roberto

2009-02-01

Paleomagnetic and rockmagnetic data are reported for the Floresta Formation (Santa Fé Group) of the Sanfranciscana Basin, central Brazil. This formation represents the Permo-Carboniferous glacial record of the basin and comprises the Brocotó (diamictites and flow diamictites), Brejo do Arroz (red sandstones and shales with dropstones and invertebrate trails), and Lavado (red sandstones) members, which crop out near the cities of Santa Fé de Minas and Canabrava, Minas Gerais State. Both Brejo do Arroz and Lavado members were sampled in the vicinities of the two localities. Alternating field and thermal demagnetizations of 268 samples from 76 sites revealed reversed components of magnetization in all samples in accordance with the Permo-Carboniferous Reversed Superchron. The magnetic carriers are magnetite and hematite with both minerals exhibiting the same magnetization component, suggesting a primary origin for the remanence. We use the high-quality paleomagnetic pole for the Santa Fé Group (330.9°E 65.7°S; N = 60; α95 = 4.1°; k = 21) in a revised late Carboniferous to early Triassic apparent polar wander path for South America. On the basis of this result it is shown that an early Permian Pangea A-type fit is possible if better determined paleomagnetic poles become available.

Diet, reproduction and population structure of the introduced Amazonian fish Cichla piquiti (Perciformes: Cichlidae) in the Cachoeira Dourada reservoir (Paranaíba River, central Brazil).

PubMed

Luiz, Tatiane Ferraz; Velludo, Marcela Roquetti; Peret, Alberto Carvalho; Rodrigues Filho, Jorge Luiz; Peret, André Moldenhauer

2011-06-01

The Blue Peacock Bass (Cichla piquiti), native to the Tocantins-Araguaia river basin of the Amazon system, was introduced into the basin of the Paranaíba River, Paraná River system. Cachoeira Dourada reservoir is one of a series of dams on the Paranaíba River in central Brazil, where this fish has become established. A study of its feeding spectrum, combined with information about its reproductive characteristics and population structure, would enable the current state of this species in the reservoir to be assessed and might provide useful data for the management of other species native to this habitat. This study showed that the peacock bass has no predators or natural competitors in the reservoir and that reproduces continuously, with high reproductive rates, and has a smaller median length at first maturity (L50) than other species of Cichla. Its successful establishment in habitats strongly affected by human activity should cause changes in the whole structure of the local fish communities. Nonetheless, in this reservoir, there appears to be some sharing of the functions of this species with native carnivorous fish, a situation that may be sustained by the presence of a wide variety of foraging fish.

Meadow katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalini) from the Central-West Region of Brazil: Morphological, bioacoustic and cytogenetic study.

PubMed

Chamorro-Rengifo, Juliana; Silva, Bruno cansanÇÃo; Olivier, Renan da Silva; Braun, Holger; Araujo, Douglas

2018-03-04

Three species of Conocephalus and two of Euxiphidion from several localities of the Central-West Region of Brazil were studied. Conocephalus goianus Piza, 1977, C. saltator (Saussure, 1859) and C. versicolor (Redtenbacher, 1891) are recorded for the first time from Mato Grosso do Sul, one new species Euxiphidion veroni sp. nov. is described, and a new combination, Euxiphidion caizanum comb. nov. is proposed. The calling songs of C. saltator, C. versicolor, and E. veroni sp. nov. are described. All these three species call very continuously, also in the daytime. The three species of Conocepha-lus have mitotic metaphases with 2n♂ = 33 = 32 + X and 2n♀ = 34 = 32 + XX. Euxiphidion caizanum comb. nov. and    E. veroni sp. nov. have 2n♂ = 31 = 30 + X and 2n♀ = 32 = 30 + XX. Most of the autosomes of C. saltator and C. versicolor are meta/submetacentric, differing from C. goianus that has seven biarmed and nine monoarmed autosomes. Both Euxiphidion species present mostly telo/subtelocentric autosomes. The X chromosome is metacentric, and the largest element of the karyotype in the five species. No interstitial telomeric site (ITS) was observed in mitotic metaphases submitted to telomeric fluorescent in situ hybridization. Ecological aspects of the studied species are discussed.

Analysis of moisture content, acidity and contamination by yeast and molds in Apis mellifera L. honey from central Brazil

PubMed Central

Ananias, Karla Rubia; de Melo, Adriane Alexandre Machado; de Moura, Celso José

2013-01-01

The development of mold of environmental origin in honey affects its quality and leads to its deterioration, so yeasts and molds counts have been used as an important indicator of hygiene levels during its processing, transportation and storage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of yeasts and molds contamination and their correlation with moisture and acidity levels in Apis mellifera L. honey from central Brazil. In 20% of the samples, the yeasts and molds counts exceeded the limit established by legislation for the marketing of honey in the MERCOSUR, while 42.8% and 5.7% presented above-standard acidity and moisture levels, respectively. Although samples showed yeasts and molds counts over 1.0 × 102 UFC.g−1, there was no correlation between moisture content and the number of microorganisms, since, in part of the samples with above-standard counts, the moisture level was below 20%. In some samples the acidity level was higher than that established by legislation, but only one sample presented a yeasts and molds count above the limit established by MERCOSUR, which would suggest the influence of the floral source on this parameter. In general, of the 35 samples analyzed, the quality was considered inadequate in 45.7% of cases. PMID:24516434

Epidemiology of vampire bat-transmitted rabies virus in Goiás, central Brazil: re-evaluation based on G-L intergenic region

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Vampire bat related rabies harms both livestock industry and public health sector in central Brazil. The geographical distributions of vampire bat-transmitted rabies virus variants are delimited by mountain chains. These findings were elucidated by analyzing a high conserved nucleoprotein gene. This study aims to elucidate the detailed epidemiological characters of vampire bat-transmitted rabies virus by phylogenetic methods based on 619-nt sequence including unconserved G-L intergenic region. Findings The vampire bat-transmitted rabies virus isolates divided into 8 phylogenetic lineages in the previous nucleoprotein gene analysis were divided into 10 phylogenetic lineages with significant bootstrap values. The distributions of most variants were reconfirmed to be delimited by mountain chains. Furthermore, variants in undulating areas have narrow distributions and are apparently separated by mountain ridges. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the 619-nt sequence including G-L intergenic region is more useful for a state-level phylogenetic analysis of rabies virus than the partial nucleoprotein gene, and simultaneously that the distribution of vampire bat-transmitted RABV variants tends to be separated not only by mountain chains but also by mountain ridges, thus suggesting that the diversity of vampire bat-transmitted RABV variants was delimited by geographical undulations. PMID:21059233

Analysis of moisture content, acidity and contamination by yeast and molds in Apis mellifera L. honey from central Brazil.

PubMed

Ananias, Karla Rubia; de Melo, Adriane Alexandre Machado; de Moura, Celso José

2013-01-01

The development of mold of environmental origin in honey affects its quality and leads to its deterioration, so yeasts and molds counts have been used as an important indicator of hygiene levels during its processing, transportation and storage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of yeasts and molds contamination and their correlation with moisture and acidity levels in Apis mellifera L. honey from central Brazil. In 20% of the samples, the yeasts and molds counts exceeded the limit established by legislation for the marketing of honey in the MERCOSUR, while 42.8% and 5.7% presented above-standard acidity and moisture levels, respectively. Although samples showed yeasts and molds counts over 1.0 × 10(2) UFC.g(-1), there was no correlation between moisture content and the number of microorganisms, since, in part of the samples with above-standard counts, the moisture level was below 20%. In some samples the acidity level was higher than that established by legislation, but only one sample presented a yeasts and molds count above the limit established by MERCOSUR, which would suggest the influence of the floral source on this parameter. In general, of the 35 samples analyzed, the quality was considered inadequate in 45.7% of cases.

Endemic and threatened tetrapods in the restingas of the biodiversity corridors of Serra do Mar and of the Central da Mata Atlântica in eastern Brazil.

PubMed

Rocha, C F D; Van Sluys, M; Bergallo, H G; Alves, M A S

2005-02-01

Biodiversity corridors comprise a mosaic of land uses connecting fragments of natural forest across a landscape. Two such corridors have been established along the eastern coast of Brazil: the Serra do Mar and the Central da Mata Atlântica corridors, along which most of the coastal plains are restinga areas. In this study, we analyze the present status of the endemic and endangered terrestrial vertebrates of both corridors. We sampled 10 restingas in both corridors, recording species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Some restingas harbor a relatively large number of endemic species,and two main regions of endemism can be identified along the restingas of both corridors: the coastal restingas from northern Espirito Santo State to southern Bahia State (between Linhares, ES, and Tarancoso, BA), and the coastal region between the restingas of Maricá and Jurubatiba, Rio de Janeiro State. Six species of terrestrial vertebrates considered threatened with extinction are found in the restingas of Serra do Mar and Central da Mata Atlântica biodiversity corridors (Liolaemus lutzae, Formicivora littoralis, Mimus gilvus, Schistochlamys melanopis, and Trinomys eliasi). The region located between the restinga of Maricá and that of Jurubatiba is of special relevance for the conservation of vertebrate species of the restingas of the corridors because a considerable number of threatened species of terrestrial vertebrates are found there. We strongly recommend efforts to develop checklists of threatened faunas for the States of Espirito Santo and Bahia.

Fluxes of isoprene and monoterpenes emitted by Tapajos National Forest, eastern central Amazonian rainforest, Santarem-PA, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alves, E. G.; Batalha, S. S. A.; Park, J. H.; Seco, R.; Tota, J.; Santana, R. A. S. D.; Guenther, A. B.; Kim, S.; Smith, J. N.; Souza, R. A. F. D.

2014-12-01

Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs) play an important role in atmospheric chemistry and biogeochemical cycles. It is known that tropical forests are the biggest source of the dominant BVOCs (i.e. isoprene and monoterpenes) emitted to the atmosphere. Nevertheless, Amazonian rainforest, the world's largest tropical rainforest, has been poorly explored for isoprene and monoterpene emissions. Recently (June and July 2014), we deployed a PTR-TOF-MS (Proton Transfer Reaction - Time of Flight - Mass Spectrometer) to quantify isoprene and monoterpene emissions using the eddy covariance flux method at the FLONA Tapajos (Floresta Nacional do Tapajos; Tapajos National Forest) in the eastern central Amazon rainforest, Santarem-PA, Brazil. The sample inlet and a 3D-sonic anemometer were located above the forest canopy (~65m), and the air was sampled through a long Teflon tube (100m) with high flow rate (40L/min) to the PTR-TOF-MS. From preliminary results for the first 3 days, concentrations and fluxes of m/z 69 (isoprene; C5H8-H+) and m/z 137 (total monoterpenes; C10H16-H+) showed a clear circadian cycle (high during daytime and low at nighttime), suggesting the emissions of these compounds are light and temperature dependent. Our study provides the first PTR-TOF-MS flux observations of isoprene and total monoterpenes at the Flona Tapajos. Moreover, since there are variations on the emissions, when comparing different environments of the huge Amazon basin, these results from eastern central Amazonia will contribute to improving regional and global BVOC emission model estimates.

222Rn Measurements at Federal University of Technology (UTFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corrêa, Janine Nicolosi; Paschuk, Sergei A.; Fior, Loriane; Schelin, Hugo R.; da Silva, Ruben D. Flores; Pöttker, Fabiana; de Paula Melo, Vicente

2008-08-01

Numerous studies and reports indicate that the indoor radon inhalation by humans has to be considered as the main source of radiological hazard and probably the second most important cause of lung cancer after that of smoking. During the last decades, many countries have put considerable efforts into direct measurements and monitoring of 222Rn and its progeny exposure, as well as 222Rn concentration mapping. Present measurements were performed with an aim to study possible correlation between used construction materials and 222Rn indoor concentration levels. For this purpose, 50 Lexan track detectors were exposed in the air (indoor as well as outdoor) during two months (June and July) within the central region of Curitiba and Campo Largo (Parana St., Brazil). Since this period of the year is usually rather cold in the South of Brazil, exposition time was chosen to prevent possible saturation of alpha tracks. The second step of measurements was performed during the months of November, December and January, when 50 Lexan track detectors were exposed in the air (indoor and outdoor) within the same urban area. Achieved results are being compared with other experimental data.

Pockmark asymmetry and seafloor currents in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schattner, U.; Lazar, M.; Souza, L. A. P.; ten Brink, Uri S.; Mahiques, M. M.

2016-01-01

Pockmarks form by gas/fluid expulsion into the ocean and are preserved under conditions of negligible sedimentation. Ideally, they are circular at the seafloor and symmetrical in profile. Elliptical pockmarks are more enigmatic. They are associated with seafloor currents while asymmetry is connected to sedimentation patterns. This study examines these associations through morphological analysis of new multibeam data collected across the Santos continental slope offshore Brazil in 2011 (353–865 mbsl). Of 984 pockmarks, 78% are both elliptical and asymmetric. Geometric criteria divide the pockmarks into three depth ranges that correlate with a transition between two currents: the Brazil Current transfers Tropical Water and South Atlantic Central Water southwestwards while the Intermediate Western Boundary Current transfers Antarctic Intermediate Water northeastwards. It is suggested that the velocity of seafloor currents and their persistence dictate pockmark ellipticity, orientation and profile asymmetry. Fast currents (>20 cm/s) are capable of maintaining pockmark flank steepness close to the angle of repose. These morphological expressions present direct evidence for an edge effect of the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre and, in general, provide a correlation between pockmark geometry and seafloor currents that can be applied at other locations worldwide.

{sup 222}Rn Measurements at Federal University of Technology (UTFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Correa, Janine Nicolosi; Paschuk, Sergei A.; Fior, Loriane

2008-08-07

Numerous studies and reports indicate that the indoor radon inhalation by humans has to be considered as the main source of radiological hazard and probably the second most important cause of lung cancer after that of smoking. During the last decades, many countries have put considerable efforts into direct measurements and monitoring of {sup 222}Rn and its progeny exposure, as well as {sup 222}Rn concentration mapping. Present measurements were performed with an aim to study possible correlation between used construction materials and {sup 222}Rn indoor concentration levels. For this purpose, 50 Lexan track detectors were exposed in the air (indoormore » as well as outdoor) during two months (June and July) within the central region of Curitiba and Campo Largo (Parana St., Brazil). Since this period of the year is usually rather cold in the South of Brazil, exposition time was chosen to prevent possible saturation of alpha tracks. The second step of measurements was performed during the months of November, December and January, when 50 Lexan track detectors were exposed in the air (indoor and outdoor) within the same urban area. Achieved results are being compared with other experimental data.« less

Group A streptococcus meningitis in children.

PubMed

de Almeida Torres, Rosângela Stadnick Lauth; Fedalto, Luiz Ernesto; de Almeida Torres, Rômulo Francisco; Steer, Andrew C; Smeesters, Pierre Robert

2013-02-01

To characterize the epidemiologic burden and the molecular determinants of group A streptococcal (GAS) meningitis among the pediatric population of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Clinical and epidemiologic data were gathered by a compulsory notification system during the period 2003 to 2011. Bacterial identification, antibiotic resistance profile, emm-typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing and virulence profile were analyzed by a central reference laboratory. A review of published pediatric cases of GAS meningitis from the last 45 years was undertaken and compared with the Brazilian series. The incidence of GAS meningitis among the pediatric population was 0.06 cases per 100,000 children per year and was associated with a case fatality rate of 43%. Neonatal age and the presence of an associated toxic shock syndrome were identified as risk factors for death. A distant focus of infection was present in more than half of the patients in the literature and in 36% in the Brazilian case series. A high diversity of emm-types was associated with GAS meningitis in Brazil. No single virulence determinant could be associated with death. GAS meningitis is associated with high mortality and with a high diversity of GAS emm-types and virulence determinants in Brazil.

The emergence of human population genetics and narratives about the formation of the Brazilian nation (1950-1960).

PubMed

de Souza, Vanderlei Sebastião; Santos, Ricardo Ventura

2014-09-01

This paper discusses the emergence of human population genetics in Brazil in the decades following World War II, and pays particular attention to narratives about the formation of the Brazilian nation. We analyze the institutionalization of this branch of genetics in the 1950s and 1960s, and look at research on the characteristics of the population of Brazil, which made use of new explanatory models of evolutionary dynamics. These developments were greatly influenced by the activities of the Rockefeller Foundation and by the presence of North American geneticists in Brazil, especially Theodosius Dobzhansky. One of the main points of this paper is to show that explanations of Brazilian human genetic diversity constructed in the mid-twentieth century closely followed interpretations that had been produced since the end of the nineteenth century, in which notions of 'racial mixing' played a central role. Even as population genetics was conditioned by nationalist concerns that had long marked Brazilian history, we argue that its emergence and institutionalization was closely associated with global, post-World War II socio-political contexts, especially with regards to modernization projects and growing scientific internationalization. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Indigenous American species of the Bemisia tabaci complex are still widespread in the Americas.

PubMed

Barbosa, Leonardo da F; Marubayashi, Julio M; De Marchi, Bruno R; Yuki, Valdir A; Pavan, Marcelo A; Moriones, Enrique; Navas-Castillo, Jesús; Krause-Sakate, Renate

2014-10-01

Bemisia tabaci is a complex of at least 36 putative cryptic species. Since the late 1980s, the Middle East-Asia Minor 1 species (MEAM1, formerly known as the B biotype), has emerged in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world and in some areas has displaced the indigenous populations of B. tabaci. Based on analysis of the mtCOI gene, two indigenous species native to America have been reported: New World (NW, formerly the A biotype) and New World 2 (NW2). NW is present at least in Argentina, Brazil, Martinique, Mexico, Texas and Venezuela, and NW2 in Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil. Wild plants (Euphorbia sp. and Ipomoea sp.), as well as important crops such as tomato, bean and cotton, are still hosts for native B. tabaci populations in the Americas. MEAM1 has not completely displaced the native B. tabaci from the Americas. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Closely Spaced Independent Parallel Runway Simulation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

facility consists of the Central Computer Facility, the Controller Laboratory, and the Simulator Pilot Complex. CENTRAL COMPUTER FACILITY. The Central... Computer Facility consists of a group of mainframes, minicomputers, and associated peripherals which host the operational and data acquisition...in the Controller Laboratory and convert their verbal directives into a keyboard entry which is transmitted to the Central Computer Complex, where

Genomic Epidemiology Reconstructs the Introduction and Spread of Zika Virus in Central America and Mexico.

PubMed

Thézé, Julien; Li, Tony; du Plessis, Louis; Bouquet, Jerome; Kraemer, Moritz U G; Somasekar, Sneha; Yu, Guixia; de Cesare, Mariateresa; Balmaseda, Angel; Kuan, Guillermina; Harris, Eva; Wu, Chieh-Hsi; Ansari, M Azim; Bowden, Rory; Faria, Nuno R; Yagi, Shigeo; Messenger, Sharon; Brooks, Trevor; Stone, Mars; Bloch, Evan M; Busch, Michael; Muñoz-Medina, José E; González-Bonilla, Cesar R; Wolinsky, Steven; López, Susana; Arias, Carlos F; Bonsall, David; Chiu, Charles Y; Pybus, Oliver G

2018-06-13

The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in the Americas established ZIKV as a major public health threat and uncovered its association with severe diseases, including microcephaly. However, genetic epidemiology in some at-risk regions, particularly Central America and Mexico, remains limited. We report 61 ZIKV genomes from this region, generated using metagenomic sequencing with ZIKV-specific enrichment, and combine phylogenetic, epidemiological, and environmental data to reconstruct ZIKV transmission. These analyses revealed multiple independent ZIKV introductions to Central America and Mexico. One introduction, likely from Brazil via Honduras, led to most infections and the undetected spread of ZIKV through the region from late 2014. Multiple lines of evidence indicate biannual peaks of ZIKV transmission in the region, likely driven by varying local environmental conditions for mosquito vectors and herd immunity. The spatial and temporal heterogeneity of ZIKV transmission in Central America and Mexico challenges arbovirus surveillance and disease control measures. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Street-level Bureaucracy and Social Policy in Brazil.

PubMed

Costa, Nilson do Rosário

2017-11-01

This paper describes the Brazilian central government bureaucracy and people with disabilities' access to the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC). This access depends on the Ministry of Social Security bureaucracy's evaluation of the condition of vulnerability. We performed a literature review, analysis of secondary data from time series and cross-sectional data to describe street-level federal bureaucracy. Legal documents and indicators describe the expert evaluation regimen of the Ministry of Social Security (MPS). This paper shows the uneven growth of the number of career public servants of the central government in the last two decades. The Brazilian central government has adopted the international concept of person with disabilities in the evaluation of BPC applicants. Despite this decision, it is shown that the Brazilian central government expanded selectively the career bureaucracy to work in the social area. It was found that the result of the evaluation process was quite strict, favoring applicants in conditions of extreme biomedical vulnerability. Despite adopting the social model, BPC eligibility is tied to medical diagnosis.

Molecular and geographic analyses of vampire bat-transmitted cattle rabies in central Brazil

PubMed Central

Kobayashi, Yuki; Sato, Go; Mochizuki, Nobuyuki; Hirano, Shinji; Itou, Takuya; Carvalho, Adolorata AB; Albas, Avelino; Santos, Hamilton P; Ito, Fumio H; Sakai, Takeo

2008-01-01

Background Vampire bats are important rabies virus vectors, causing critical problems in both the livestock industry and public health sector in Latin America. In order to assess the epidemiological characteristics of vampire bat-transmitted rabies, the authors conducted phylogenetic and geographical analyses using sequence data of a large number of cattle rabies isolates collected from a wide geographical area in Brazil. Methods Partial nucleoprotein genes of rabies viruses isolated from 666 cattle and 18 vampire bats between 1987 and 2006 were sequenced and used for phylogenetic analysis. The genetic variants were plotted on topographical maps of Brazil. Results In this study, 593 samples consisting of 24 genetic variants were analyzed. Regional localization of variants was observed, with the distribution of several variants found to be delimited by mountain ranges which served as geographic boundaries. The geographical distributions of vampire-bat and cattle isolates that were classified as the identical phylogenetic group were found to overlap with high certainty. Most of the samples analyzed in this study were isolated from adjacent areas linked by rivers. Conclusion This study revealed the existence of several dozen regional variants associated with vampire bats in Brazil, with the distribution patterns of these variants found to be affected by mountain ranges and rivers. These results suggest that epidemiological characteristics of vampire bat-related rabies appear to be associated with the topographical and geographical characteristics of areas where cattle are maintained, and the factors affecting vampire bat ecology. PMID:18983685

Novel Ehrlichia and Hepatozoon agents infecting the crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) in southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Almeida, Aliny P; Souza, Tayse D; Marcili, Arlei; Labruna, Marcelo B

2013-05-01

This study evaluated infection by vector-borne agents in 58 crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous L.) that were road-killed in an Atlantic rainforest reserve in the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. Spleen, lung, or blood samples collected from the foxes were tested in the laboratory by a battery of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting bacteria of the genera Rickettsia, Borrelia, Coxiella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia; and protozoa of the genera Babesia, Hepatozoon, and Leishmania. Of the targeted organisms, evidence of infection in the foxes was detected for Ehrlichia and Hepatozoon organisms only. Overall, six (10.3%) foxes were infected by an ehrlichial agent closely related to an ehrlichial agent recently detected in free-ranging Jaguars [(Panthera onca (L.)] in central-western Brazil, and to Ehrlichia ruminantium. For Hepatozoon, 28 (48.3%) foxes were infected by an agent closely related to Hepatozoon sp. Curupira 2 and H. americanum; and one (1.7%) fox was infected by an organism closely related to reptile-associated Hepatozoon agents. Finally, 11 (19.0%) foxes were found infested by Amblyomma cajennense (F.) nymphs, which were all PCR negative for the range of vector-borne agents cited above. Because the haplotypes found in free-ranging foxes are genetically closely related to pathogens of great veterinary importance, namely E. ruminantium and H. americanum, it is highly desirable to know if these novel organisms have any important role as agents of diseases in domestic animals and wildlife in Brazil.

Genetic variability in biochemical characters of Brazilian field populations of the Leishmania vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae).

PubMed

Mukhopadhyay, J; Ghosh, K; Rangel, E F; Munstermann, L E

1998-12-01

The phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis is the insect vector of visceral leishmaniasis, a protozoan disease of increasing incidence and distribution in Central and South America. Electrophoretic allele frequencies of 15 enzyme loci were compared among the L. longipalpis populations selected across its distribution range in Brazil. The mean heterozygosity of two colonized geographic strains (one each from Colombia and Brazil) were 6% and 13% respectively, with 1.6-1.9 alleles detected per locus. In contrast, among the seven widely separated field populations, the mean heterozygosity ranged from 11% to 16% with 2.1-2.9 alleles per locus. No locus was recovered that was diagnostic for any of the field populations. Allelic frequency differences among five field strains from the Amazon basin and eastern coastal Brazil were very low, with Nei's genetic distances of less than 0.01 separating them. The two inland and southerly samples from Minas Gerais (Lapinha) and Bahia (Jacobina) states were more distinctive with genetic distances of 0.024-0.038 and 0.038-0.059, respectively, when compared with the five other samples. These differences were the consequence of several high frequency alleles (glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase [Gpd1.69] and phosphoglucomutase [Pgm1.69]) relatively uncommon in other strains. The low genetic distances, absence of diagnostic loci, and the distribution of genes in geographic space indicate L. longipalpis of Brazil to be a single, but genetically heterogeneous, polymorphic species.

Detection of katG and inhA mutations to guide isoniazid and ethionamide use for drug-resistant tuberculosis.

PubMed

Bollela, V R; Namburete, E I; Feliciano, C S; Macheque, D; Harrison, L H; Caminero, J A

2016-08-01

Depending on the presence of mutations that determine isoniazid (INH) susceptibility (katG and inhA), Mycobacterium tuberculosis may be susceptible to high doses of INH or ethionamide (ETH). To describe the INH resistance profile and association of katG mutation with previous INH treatment and level of drug resistance based on rapid molecular drug susceptibility testing (DST) in southern Brazil and central Mozambique. Descriptive study of 311 isolates from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (2011-2014) and 155 isolates from Beira, Mozambique (2014-2015). Drug resistance patterns and specific gene mutations were determined using GenoType(®) MTBDRplus. katG gene mutations were detected in 12/22 (54.5%) Brazilian and 32/38 (84.2%) Mozambican isolates. inhA mutations were observed in 9/22 (40.9%) isolates in Brazil and in 4/38 (10.5%) in Mozambique. Both katG and inhA mutations were detected in respectively 1/22 (5%) and 2/38 (5.2%). The difference in the frequency of katG mutations in Brazil and Mozambique was statistically significant (P = 0.04). katG mutations were present in 68.8% (33/48) of patients previously treated with INH and 31.2% (15/48) of patients without previous INH. This difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.223). INH mutations varied geographically; molecular DST can be used to guide and accelerate decision making in the use of ETH or high doses of INH.

First report of naturally infected Aedes aegypti with chikungunya virus genotype ECSA in the Americas

PubMed Central

Costa-da-Silva, André Luis; Ioshino, Rafaella Sayuri; Petersen, Vivian; Lima, Antonio Fernando; Cunha, Marielton dos Passos; Wiley, Michael R.; Ladner, Jason T.; Prieto, Karla; Palacios, Gustavo; Costa, Danuza Duarte; Suesdek, Lincoln; Zanotto, Paolo Marinho de Andrade

2017-01-01

Background The worldwide expansion of new emergent arboviruses such as Chikungunya and Zika reinforces the importance in understanding the role of mosquito species in spreading these pathogens in affected regions. This knowledge is essential for developing effective programs based on species specificity to avoid the establishment of endemic transmission cycles sustained by the identified local vectors. Although the first autochthonous transmission of Chikungunya virus was described in 2014 in the north of Brazil, the main outbreaks were reported in 2015 and 2016 in the northeast of Brazil. Methodology/Principal findings During 5 days of February 2016, we collected mosquitoes in homes of 6 neighborhoods of Aracaju city, the capital of Sergipe state. Four mosquito species were identified but Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti were the most abundant. Field-caught mosquitoes were tested for Chikungunya (CHIKV), Zika (ZIKV) and Dengue viruses (DENV) by qRT-PCR and one CHIKV-infected Ae. aegypti female was detected. The complete sequence of CHIKV genome was obtained from this sample and phylogenetic analysis revealed that this isolate belongs to the East-Central-South-African (ECSA) genotype. Conclusions Our study describes the first identification of a naturally CHIKV-infected Ae. aegypti in Brazil and the first report of a CHIKV from ECSA genotype identified in this species in the Americas. These findings support the notion of Ae. aegypti being a vector involved in CHIKV outbreaks in northeast of Brazil. PMID:28614394

Application of remote sensing to the geological study of the alkaline complex region of Itatiaia. [Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dejesusparada, N. (Principal Investigator); Rodrigues, J. E.

1980-01-01

The methodology of remote sensing applied to geological study in a complex area was evaluated. Itatiaia was selected as a test area, which covers the alkaline massives and its precambrian basement. LANDSAT-MSS and radar mosaic of the RADAMBRASIL Project were used for photointerpretation. Previous geological works were consulted and many discrepancies in the distribution of stratigraphic units were found. Moreover, structural lineaments and talus deposits were clearly delineated.

Molecular and Behavioral Differentiation among Brazilian Populations of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

PubMed Central

Araki, Alejandra S.; Vigoder, Felipe M.; Bauzer, Luiz G. S. R.; Ferreira, Gabriel E. M.; Souza, Nataly A.; Araújo, Izeneide B.; Hamilton, James G. C.; Brazil, Reginaldo P.; Peixoto, Alexandre A.

2009-01-01

Background Lutzomyia longipalpis is the primary vector of American visceral leishmaniasis. There is strong evidence that L. longipalpis is a species complex, but until recently the existence of sibling species among Brazilian populations was considered a controversial issue. In addition, there is still no consensus regarding the number of species occurring in this complex. Methodology/Principal Findings Using period, a gene that controls circadian rhythms and affects interpulse interval periodicity of the male courtship songs in Drosophila melanogaster and close relatives, we analyzed the molecular polymorphism in a number of L. longipalpis samples from different regions in Brazil and compared the results with our previously published data using the same marker. We also studied the male copulation songs and pheromones from some of these populations. The results obtained so far suggest the existence of two main groups of populations in Brazil, one group representing a single species with males producing Burst-type copulation songs and cembrene-1 pheromones; and a second group that is more heterogeneous and probably represents a number of incipient species producing different combinations of Pulse-type songs and pheromones. Conclusions/Significance Our results reveal a high level of complexity in the divergence and gene-flow among Brazilian populations of the L. longipalpis species complex. This raises important questions concerning the epidemiological consequences of this incipient speciation process. PMID:19172187

Paleoenvironmental evolution based on benthic foraminifera biofacies of the Paraíba do Sul Deltaic Complex, eastern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasparini, Sarah Pereira; Vilela, Claudia Gutterres

2017-12-01

The paleoecology and distribution of benthic foraminiferal assemblages were analyzed in the core 2-MU-1-RJ well, drilled in the Paraíba do Sul Deltaic Complex, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). An abundant assemblage was found in the upper portion of the well core, inferred to be pleistocenic deposits. The coastal dynamic was recognized from five biofacies based on clusters, the Planktonic/Benthic (P/B) ratios and indicator species distribution in the core. Several biofacies were identified along the core depending on the species dominance. From the bottom to the top of the core, the biofacies succession represents the environmental changes in the coastal area associated to sea-level oscillations. The biofacies ABP dominated by Ammonia parkinsoniana and Bolivina spp. and Pararotalia cananeiaensis represents an inner shelf environment; biofacies QP dominated by shelf miliolids species; biofacies PGH, dominated by P. cananeiaensis, Gavelinopsis praegeri, and Hanzawaia nitidula, represents the estuary complex with middle or outer shelf influence; biofacies QL represents hypersaline waters dominated by lagoonal miliolids; and biofacies HP characterized by Haynesina germanica and P. cananeiaensis is associated with paralic environments. Marine ingressions are recorded and those biofacies show the pleistocenic coastal hydrodinamic in the deltaic complex. The foraminiferal biofacies contribute with detailed information to sedimentary facies previously characterized in the study area by the reconstruction of paleoenvironment succession.

Neuroarchitecture and neuroanatomy of the Drosophila central complex: A GAL4-based dissection of protocerebral bridge neurons and circuits.

PubMed

Wolff, Tanya; Iyer, Nirmala A; Rubin, Gerald M

2015-05-01

Insects exhibit an elaborate repertoire of behaviors in response to environmental stimuli. The central complex plays a key role in combining various modalities of sensory information with an insect's internal state and past experience to select appropriate responses. Progress has been made in understanding the broad spectrum of outputs from the central complex neuropils and circuits involved in numerous behaviors. Many resident neurons have also been identified. However, the specific roles of these intricate structures and the functional connections between them remain largely obscure. Significant gains rely on obtaining a comprehensive catalog of the neurons and associated GAL4 lines that arborize within these brain regions, and on mapping neuronal pathways connecting these structures. To this end, small populations of neurons in the Drosophila melanogaster central complex were stochastically labeled using the multicolor flip-out technique and a catalog was created of the neurons, their morphologies, trajectories, relative arrangements, and corresponding GAL4 lines. This report focuses on one structure of the central complex, the protocerebral bridge, and identifies just 17 morphologically distinct cell types that arborize in this structure. This work also provides new insights into the anatomical structure of the four components of the central complex and its accessory neuropils. Most strikingly, we found that the protocerebral bridge contains 18 glomeruli, not 16, as previously believed. Revised wiring diagrams that take into account this updated architectural design are presented. This updated map of the Drosophila central complex will facilitate a deeper behavioral and physiological dissection of this sophisticated set of structures. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reptiles from Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Maranhão, northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Miranda, Jivanildo Pinheiro; Costa, João Carlos Lopes; Rocha, Carlos Frederico D

2012-01-01

We are presenting a list of the reptile species from Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (LMNP), Maranhão, Brazil, obtained during 235 days of field work. The study area is located in the contact zone between three major Neotropical ecosystems: Amazonia, Caatinga, and Cerrado. The PNLM encompasses the largest dune fields in Brazil, wide shrubby areas (restingas), lakes, mangroves, and many freshwater lagoons. We have recorded 42 species of reptiles in the area: 24 snakes, 12 lizards, two worm lizards, three turtles, and one alligator. About 81 % of the recorded species occurred only in restinga areas. Our data highlights the uniqueness of the PNLM in the context of the biomes that surround it and shows the importance of efforts to improve the conservation of reptiles living in the restinga, which currently comprise only about 20 % of the total area protected by the park, but which are the mesohabitat containing most of the reptile species in the Lençóis Maranhenses complex of habitats.

Hantavirus infection prevalence in wild rodents and human anti-hantavirus serological profiles from different geographic areas of South Brazil.

PubMed

Raboni, Sonia M; Delfraro, Adriana; de Borba, Luana; Teixeira, Bernardo R; Stella, Vanessa; de Araujo, Marina R; Carstensen, Suzana; Rubio, Giselia; Maron, Angela; Lemos, Elba R S; D'Andrea, Paulo S; Duarte dos Santos, Claudia N

2012-08-01

Paraná state presents the fourth highest number of accumulated cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Brazil. To map the risk areas for hantavirus transmission we carried out a study based on rodent trapping and determined the anti-hantavirus seroprevalence in these animals and in the inhabitants of these localities. Overall seroprevalence in rodents and humans were 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Eighty-two percent of the seropositive rodents were genetically analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that hantaviruses from rodent samples cluster with Araucária (Juquitiba-like) or Jaborá hantavirus genotypes. The Jaborá strain was identified in Akodon serrensis and Akodon montensis, whereas the Araucária strain was detected in Oligoryzomys nigripes, Oxymycterus judex, A. montensis, and Akodon paranaensis, with the latter species being identified for the first time as a natural host. These findings expose the complex relationships between virus and reservoirs in Brazil, which could have an impact on hantavirus transmission dynamics in nature and human epidemiology.

[The innovative dynamic of the mechanics, electronics and materials subsystem].

PubMed

Maldonado, José; Gadelha, Carlos Augusto Grabois; Costa, Laís Silveira; Vargas, Marco

2012-12-01

The mechanics, electronics and materials subsystem, one of the subsystems of the health care productive complex, encompasses different activities, usually clustered in what is called the medical, hospital and dental equipment and materials industry. This is a strategic area for health care, since it represents a continuous source of changes in care practices, and influences the provision of health care services. It has, moreover, potential for promoting the progress of Brazil's system of innovation and for increasing the competitiveness of the industry as a whole, given that it articulates future technologies. Despite the significant growth of this industry in Brazil in recent years, such equipment and materials have been presenting a growing deficit in the balance of trade. This incompatibility between national health care needs and the productive and innovative basis of the industry points to structural fragilities in the system. Using the framework of political economy, the article aims to discuss the development of this industry in Brazil and its challenges.

Federalism and decentralization: impact on international and Brazilian health policies.

PubMed

Leite, Valéria Rodrigues; de Vasconcelos, Cipriano Maia; Lima, Kenio Costa

2011-01-01

This article discusses the implications of decentralization in the light of international and Brazilian federalism, and its effects on public health policy. In a comparative analysis among countries, the authors find there is no single model; rather, each country has a unique structure of institutions and norms that have important implications for the operation of its health system. Brazil shares some similarities with other countries that have adopted a decentralized system and is assuming features ever closer to U.S. federalism, with a complex web of relationships. The degree of inequality among Brazilian municipalities and states, along with the budgetary imbalances caused by the minimal levels of resource utilization, undermines Brazil's constitutional principles and, consequently, its federalism. To ensure the constitutional mandate in Brazil, it is essential, as in other countries, to create a stable source of funds and increase the volume and efficiency of spending. Also important are investing in the training of managers, improving information systems, strengthening the principles of autonomy and interdependence, and defining patterns of cooperation within the federation.

Carriage Rate and Effects of Vaccination after Outbreaks of Serogroup C Meningococcal Disease, Brazil, 2010

PubMed Central

Carvalhanas, Telma Regina Marques Pinto; Paula de Lemos, Ana; Gorla, Maria Cecilia Outeiro; Salgado, Maristela; Fukasawa, Lucila O.; Gonçalves, Maria Gisele; Higa, Fabio; Brandileone, Maria Cristina Cunto; Sacchi, Claudio Tavares; Ribeiro, Ana Freitas; Sato, Helena Keico; Bricks, Lucia Ferro; Cassio de Moraes, José

2014-01-01

During 2010, outbreaks of serogroup C meningococcal (MenC) disease occurred in 2 oil refineries in São Paulo State, Brazil, leading to mass vaccination of employees at 1 refinery with a meningococcal polysaccharide A/C vaccine. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of meningococci carriage among workers at both refineries and to investigate the effect of vaccination on and the risk factors for pharyngeal carriage of meningococci. Among the vaccinated and nonvaccinated workers, rates of overall meningococci carriage (21.4% and 21.6%, respectively) and of MenC carriage (6.3% and 4.9%, respectively) were similar. However, a MenC strain belonging to the sequence type103 complex predominated and was responsible for the increased incidence of meningococcal disease in Brazil. A low education level was associated with higher risk of meningococci carriage. Polysaccharide vaccination did not affect carriage or interrupt transmission of the epidemic strain. These findings will help inform future vaccination strategies. PMID:24751156

A review of the Paectes arcigera species complex (Guenée) (Lepidoptera, Euteliidae)

PubMed Central

Pogue, Michael G.

2013-01-01

Abstract Five new species of Paectes Hübner [1818] related to Paectes arcigera (Guenée) (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Lucia, Trinidad) and Paectes longiformis Pogue (Brazil) are described: Paectes asper sp. n. (Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Dominica, Colombia), Paectes medialba sp. n. (Argentina), Paectes similis sp. n. (Brazil), Paectes sinuosa sp. n. (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay), and Paectes tumida sp. n. (Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana). Adults and genitalia are illustrated for all species. Taxonomic changes include the rev. stat. of Paectes nana (Walker) (Florida, Greater Antilles, Mexico, Guatemala, Galapagos) as a valid species and revised synonyms Paectes indefatigabilis Schaus and Paectes isabel Schaus as junior synonyms of Paectes nana instead of Paectes arcigera. New host records for Paectes sinuosa and Paectes nana reared on Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, Anacardiaceae) are presented. The holotype and female genitalia of Paectes obrotunda (Guenée) are illustrated. PMID:23730180

[Mental illness in women in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (1870-1910)].

PubMed

Vasconcellos, Cristiane Teresinha de Deus Virgili; Vasconcellos, Silvio José Lemos

2007-05-01

The relationship between female gender and mental illness is complex, remaining largely a product of women's social situation as daughters, wives, and mothers. The main objective of this article is to discuss the historical aspects related to mental illness in women in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from 1870 to 1910. The authors consulted records from several so-called insane asylums as well as periodical articles published during the period. These documents provide good insight into how psychiatrists and lay society interpreted mental disorders in women. The research contributes to an understanding of the historical issues related to diagnosis of mental illness and the implications for current practice.

Interaction between municipal solid waste leachate and Bauru aquifer system: a study case in Brazil.

PubMed

de Faria, Gabriel Messias Moura; Mondelli, Giulliana

2017-12-01

Leachate contamination is a chronic and urgent problem present in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill. Geochemical mathematical models in this work was suitable to study the dynamics of the leachate from an MSW landfill located in the Midwest of Sao Paulo, Brazil, a region with high precipitation and temperature and rich in chalcophile compounds and lithophile compounds, despite contamination with nitrogenous compounds. After 13 years of local aquifer monitoring, some groundwater samplings in Feb. 2004, Aug. 2007, Nov. 2009, and Feb. 2014 were chosen to be simulated. The hydrolysis is the main process at the landfill, together with absorption, adsorption, complexation, dilution, cation exchange, and oxidation, besides nitrification, reoxidation, and reduction.

Mosquito abundance and behavior in the influence area of the hydroelectric complex on the Madeira River, Western Amazon, Brazil.

PubMed

Cruz, Rafael Mesquita Bastos; Gil, Luiz Herman Soares; de Almeida e Silva, Alexandre; da Silva Araújo, Maisa; Katsuragawa, Tony Hiroshi

2009-11-01

Malaria is currently highly prevalent and restricted to the north of Brazil, and its dynamics are severely affected by human environmental changes, such as the large dam construction recently approved by the Brazilian Government in Rondônia. We studied the mosquito fauna and behavior before hydroelectric construction. Mosquitoes were captured by human landing catches on the riversides of the Madeira River in Porto Velho, Rondônia. A total of 3121 mosquitoes from eight different genera were collected; only Mansonia and Anopheles darlingi were found in all 21 collection sites throughout the night. These results suggest that the riverines of the study area are exposed to malaria.

Medicalization, reproductive agency, and the desire for surgical sterilization among low-income women in urban Brazil.

PubMed

de Bessa, Gina Hunter

2006-01-01

This article draws on data from ethnographic fieldwork in an urban housing project to examine the social context and meanings of surgical sterilization for low-income women in Brazil. Low-income women resort to sterilization because they distrust or are unsatisfied with alternative methods and because it helps them to fulfill the requirements of modern, responsible motherhood. Although sterilization is an option among few alternatives, and one that has subjected women to greater medical management and intervention, I argue that sterilization also represents poor women's active struggle to improve their lives and to resist the burdens placed on them by unequal gender relations. This article contributes to a growing anthropological literature that demonstrates how reproduction has become a central site where social values are constituted and contested, and it details women's diverse responses to the process of medicalization.

Molecular detection of Hepatozoon canis and Babesia canis vogeli in domestic dogs from Cuiabá, Brazil.

PubMed

Spolidorio, Mariana Granziera; Torres, Mariana de Medeiros; Campos, Wilma Neres da Silva; Melo, Andréia Lima Tomé; Igarashi, Michelle; Amude, Alexandre Mendes; Labruna, Marcelo Bahia; Aguiar, Daniel Moura

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to report for the first time infection by Hepatozoon spp. and Babesia spp. in 10 dogs from the city of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, central-western Brazil. A pair of primers that amplifies a 574 bp fragment of the 18S rRNA of Hepatozoon spp., and a pair of primers that amplifies a 551 bp fragment of the gene 18S rRNA for Babesia spp. were used. Six dogs were positive for Babesia spp., and 9 were positive for Hepatozoon spp. Co‑infection of Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. was seen in 5 dogs. Sequenced samples revealed 100% identity with B. canis vogeli, and H. canis. This is the first molecular detection of H. canis in domestic dogs from Cuiabá. Additionally, it is described for the first time the presence of B. canis vogeli circulating among dogs in Cuiabá.

A new species of Pseudopaludicola (Anura, Leiuperinae) from Espírito Santo, Brazil

PubMed Central

Baldo, Diego; Pupin, Nadya; Gasparini, João Luiz; Baptista Haddad, Célio F.

2018-01-01

We describe a new anuran species of the genus Pseudopaludicola that inhabits sandy areas in resting as associated to the Atlantic Forest biome in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The new species is characterized by: SVL 11.7–14.6 mm in males, 14.0–16.7 mm in females; body slender; fingertips knobbed, with a central groove; hindlimbs short; abdominal fold complete; arytenoid cartilages wide; prepollex with base and two segments; prehallux with base and one segment; frontoparietal fontanelle partially exposed; advertisement call with one note composed of two isolated pulses per call; call dominant frequency ranging 4,380–4,884 Hz; diploid chromosome number 22; and Ag-NORs on 8q subterminal. In addition, its 16S rDNA sequence shows high genetic distances when compared to sequences of related species, which provides strong evidence that the new species is an independent lineage. PMID:29785347

Guaroa Virus Infection among Humans in Bolivia and Peru

PubMed Central

Aguilar, Patricia V.; Morrison, Amy C.; Rocha, Claudio; Watts, Douglas M.; Beingolea, Luis; Suarez, Victor; Vargas, Jorge; Cruz, Cristhopher; Guevara, Carolina; Montgomery, Joel M.; Tesh, Robert B.; Kochel, Tadeusz J.

2010-01-01

Guaroa virus (GROV) was first isolated from humans in Colombia in 1959. Subsequent isolates of the virus have been recovered from febrile patients and mosquitoes in Brazil, Colombia, and Panama; however, association of the virus with human disease has been unclear. As part of a study on the etiology of febrile illnesses in Peru and Bolivia, 14 GROV strains were isolated from patients with febrile illnesses, and 3 additional cases were confirmed by IgM seroconversion. The prevalence rate of GROV antibodies among Iquitos residents was 13%; the highest rates were among persons with occupations such as woodcutters, fisherman, and oil-field workers. Genetic characterization of representative GROV isolates indicated that strains from Peru and Bolivia form a monophyletic group that can be distinguished from strains isolated earlier in Brazil and Colombia. This study confirms GROV as a cause of febrile illness in tropical regions of Central and South America. PMID:20810845

[Health education in Brazil: from Paulo Freire to today].

PubMed

Masselli, Maria Cecilia; Vieira, Carla Maria; Oliveira, Nayara L S; Smeke, Elizabeth L M

2013-01-01

This paper examines the experience of Brazil in the area of health education integrated in popular education movements. More specifically, the paper discusses the link between health education and popular education, focusing in particular on the work of Paulo Freire. Anti-slavery movements, protest movements against social inequalities and the reconstruction of democracy after the end of the military dictatorship (1965-1984) provided fertile ground for a dynamic process of change--a process illustrated by the creation of the Unified Health System. These developments occurred in a context of social change and unrest. Since then, other actors and other forms of action have emerged, though creativity and popular empowerment remain central to the process of change. However, in popular education, nothing is set in stone and new issues have emerged, as Paulo Freire had predicted. The point is to recognize that popular education applied to health, or rather integrating health, is constantly changing and developing.

The dialog between health and foreign policy in Brazilian cooperation in human milk banks.

PubMed

Pittas, Tiago Mocellin; Dri, Clarissa Franzoi

2017-07-01

Mother's milk is the primary source of nourishment in early infancy. When this source is unavailable, secondary sources may be used, such as human milk banks. The first milk bank in Brazil was created in 1943, and they have been used ever since. A national model was developed through a number of phases, culminating in the Brazilian Network of Human Milk Banks. This gave rise to a number of international cooperation projects, with the Brazilian model particularly relevant for developing nations. The main objective of this analysis is to understand what drives Brazil to promote milk banks internationally. To do this we tried to understand the relationship between health and foreign policy, expressed here as soft power, as here the two areas dialog with one another. The results include gains in both areas and the affirmation of health as a central goal of the national interest cluster of the case.

The challenges of ageism in Brazil

PubMed Central

Goldani, Ana Maria

2013-01-01

The material and symbolic resource flows and obligations between generations leave an indelible imprint on family members. These intergenerational exchanges have increased in recent years with growing human longevity and they thus have become important to current academic and policy agendas. Concurrently, ageism and age discrimination have emerged as important subjects. The main goal of this article is to call attention to these issues and their relationship with the current policy debate on resource allocation by age groups. We argue that ageism and the practice of age discrimination in Brazil should be viewed as part of the multiple forms of discrimination experienced by individuals. While noticing someone’s age is not inherently offensive, acting on age-based stereotypes clearly works against the individual and often goes unchallenged by mainstream society. A central assumption in this paper is that the way we frame ageism and intergenerational relations significantly affects perceived age discrimination and support for age-based social programs. PMID:26401063

Use and Diversity of Palm (Arecaceae) Resources in Central Western Brazil

PubMed Central

Martins, Renata Corrêa; Filgueiras, Tarciso de Sousa

2014-01-01

Arecaceae Schultz-Sch. (Palmae Juss.), a member of the monocotyledon group, is considered one of the oldest extant angiosperm families on Earth. This family is highly valuable because of its species diversity, its occurrence in a wide range of habitats, and its status as an integral part of the culture and the family-based economy of many traditional and nontraditional communities. The main objectives of this study were to perform an ethnobotanical study involving these palms and a “Quilombola” (Maroon) community in the municipality of Cavalcante, GO, Brazil. The variables gender, age, and formal schooling had no influence on the number of species recognized and used by the Kalungas. Ethnobotanical studies based on traditional knowledge in addition to use and management of palms are fundamental aspects for planning and appliance of public policies directed to the use of natural resources and improvement of life quality. PMID:24772040

Trend-surface analysis of morphometric parameters: A case study in southeastern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grohmann, Carlos Henrique

2005-10-01

Trend-surface analysis was carried out on data from morphometric parameters isobase and hydraulic gradient. The study area, located in the eastern border of Quadrilátero Ferrífero, southeastern Brazil, presents four main geomorphological units, one characterized by fluvial dissection, two of mountainous relief, with a scarp of hundreds of meters of fall between them, and a flat plateau in the central portion of the fluvially dissected terrains. Morphometric maps were evaluated in GRASS-GIS and statistics were made on R statistical language, using the spatial package. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was made to test the significance of each surface and the significance of increasing polynomial degree. The best results were achieved with sixth-order surface for isobase and second-order surface for hydraulic gradient. Shape and orientation of residual maps contours for selected trends were compared with structures inferred from several morphometric maps, and a good correlation is present.

Genetic Identification of Rickettsial Isolates from Fatal Cases of Brazilian Spotted Fever and Comparison with Rickettsia rickettsii Isolates from the American Continents

PubMed Central

Santos, Fabiana C. P.; Ogrzewalska, Maria; Nascimento, Elvira M. M.; Colombo, Silvia; Marcili, Arlei; Angerami, Rodrigo N.

2014-01-01

Fifteen bacterial isolates from spotted fever group rickettsiosis in Brazil were genetically identified as Rickettsia rickettsii. In a phylogenetic analysis with other R. rickettsii isolates from GenBank, the Central/South American isolates showed low polymorphism and formed a clade distinct from two North American clades, with the North American clades having greater in-branch polymorphism. PMID:25078908

A picture is worth a thousand words: maps of HIV indicators to inform research, programs, and policy from NA-ACCORD and CCASAnet clinical cohorts.

PubMed

Althoff, Keri N; Rebeiro, Peter F; Hanna, David B; Padgett, Denis; Horberg, Michael A; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Abraham, Alison G; Hogg, Robert; Gill, M John; Wolff, Marcelo J; Mayor, Angel; Rachlis, Anita; Williams, Carolyn; Sterling, Timothy R; Kitahata, Mari M; Buchacz, Kate; Thorne, Jennifer E; Cesar, Carina; Cordero, Fernando M; Rourke, Sean B; Sierra-Madero, Juan; Pape, Jean W; Cahn, Pedro; McGowan, Catherine

2016-01-01

Maps are powerful tools for visualization of differences in health indicators by geographical region, but multi-country maps of HIV indicators do not exist, perhaps due to lack of consistent data across countries. Our objective was to create maps of four HIV indicators in North, Central, and South American countries. Using data from the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) and the Caribbean, Central, and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet), we mapped median CD4 at presentation for HIV clinical care, proportion retained in HIV primary care, proportion prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART), and the proportion with suppressed plasma HIV viral load (VL) from 2010 to 2012 for North, Central, and South America. The 15 Canadian and US clinical cohorts and 7 clinical cohorts in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru represented approximately 2-7% of persons known to be living with HIV in these countries. Study populations were selected for each indicator: median CD4 at presentation for care was estimated among 14,811 adults; retention was estimated among 87,979 adults; ART use was estimated among 84,757 adults; and suppressed VL was estimated among 51,118 adults. Only three US states and the District of Columbia had a median CD4 at presentation >350 cells/mm(3). Haiti, Mexico, and several states had >85% retention in care; lower (50-74%) retention in care was observed in the US West, South, and Mid-Atlantic, and in Argentina, Brazil, and Peru. ART use was highest (90%) in Mexico. The percentages of patients with suppressed VL in the US South and Northeast were lower than in most of Central and South America. These maps provide visualization of gaps in the quality of HIV care and allow for comparison between and within countries as well as monitoring policy and programme goals within geographical boundaries.

A picture is worth a thousand words: maps of HIV indicators to inform research, programs, and policy from NA-ACCORD and CCASAnet clinical cohorts

PubMed Central

Althoff, Keri N; Rebeiro, Peter F; Hanna, David B; Padgett, Denis; Horberg, Michael A; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Abraham, Alison G; Hogg, Robert; Gill, M John; Wolff, Marcelo J; Mayor, Angel; Rachlis, Anita; Williams, Carolyn; Sterling, Timothy R; Kitahata, Mari M; Buchacz, Kate; Thorne, Jennifer E; Cesar, Carina; Cordero, Fernando M; Rourke, Sean B; Sierra-Madero, Juan; Pape, Jean W; Cahn, Pedro; McGowan, Catherine

2016-01-01

Introduction Maps are powerful tools for visualization of differences in health indicators by geographical region, but multi-country maps of HIV indicators do not exist, perhaps due to lack of consistent data across countries. Our objective was to create maps of four HIV indicators in North, Central, and South American countries. Methods Using data from the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) and the Caribbean, Central, and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet), we mapped median CD4 at presentation for HIV clinical care, proportion retained in HIV primary care, proportion prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART), and the proportion with suppressed plasma HIV viral load (VL) from 2010 to 2012 for North, Central, and South America. The 15 Canadian and US clinical cohorts and 7 clinical cohorts in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru represented approximately 2–7% of persons known to be living with HIV in these countries. Results Study populations were selected for each indicator: median CD4 at presentation for care was estimated among 14,811 adults; retention was estimated among 87,979 adults; ART use was estimated among 84,757 adults; and suppressed VL was estimated among 51,118 adults. Only three US states and the District of Columbia had a median CD4 at presentation >350 cells/mm3. Haiti, Mexico, and several states had >85% retention in care; lower (50–74%) retention in care was observed in the US West, South, and Mid-Atlantic, and in Argentina, Brazil, and Peru. ART use was highest (90%) in Mexico. The percentages of patients with suppressed VL in the US South and Northeast were lower than in most of Central and South America. Conclusions These maps provide visualization of gaps in the quality of HIV care and allow for comparison between and within countries as well as monitoring policy and programme goals within geographical boundaries. PMID:27049052

Soil phosphorus compounds in integrated crop-livestock systems of subtropical Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil phosphorus (P) utilization and loss mechanisms may be affected by agricultural complexity, in particular when combining annual and perennial crops and livestock grazing on the same land area and at overlapping time periods. Our objectives were to (i) qualify and quantify soil organic and inorga...

Invasive mutualisms between a plant pathogen and insect vectors in the Middle East and Brazil

PubMed Central

Queiroz, Renan Batista; Silva, Fábio Nascimento; Al-Mahmmoli, Issa Hashil; Al-Sadi, Abdullah Mohammed; Carvalho, Claudine Márcia; Elliot, Simon L.

2016-01-01

Complex multi-trophic interactions in vectorborne diseases limit our understanding and ability to predict outbreaks. Arthropod-vectored pathogens are especially problematic, with the potential for novel interspecific interactions during invasions. Variations and novelties in plant–arthropod–pathogen triumvirates present significant threats to global food security. We examined aspects of a phytoplasma pathogen of citrus across two continents. ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ causes Witches' Broom Disease of Lime (WBDL) and has devastated citrus production in the Middle East. A variant of this phytoplasma currently displays asymptomatic or ‘silent’ infections in Brazil. We first studied vector capacity and fitness impacts of the pathogen on its vectors. The potential for co-occurring weed species to act as pathogen reservoirs was analysed and key transmission periods in the year were also studied. We demonstrate that two invasive hemipteran insects—Diaphorina citri and Hishimonus phycitis—can vector the phytoplasma. Feeding on phytoplasma-infected hosts greatly increased reproduction of its invasive vector D. citri both in Oman and Brazil; suggesting that increased fitness of invasive insect vectors thereby further increases the pathogen's capacity to spread. Based on our findings, this is a robust system for studying the effects of invasions on vectorborne diseases and highlights concerns about its spread to warmer, drier regions of Brazil. PMID:28083099

Effect of rich-club on diffusion in complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berahmand, Kamal; Samadi, Negin; Sheikholeslami, Seyed Mahmood

2018-05-01

One of the main issues in complex networks is the phenomenon of diffusion in which the goal is to find the nodes with the highest diffusing power. In diffusion, there is always a conflict between accuracy and efficiency time complexity; therefore, most of the recent studies have focused on finding new centralities to solve this problem and have offered new ones, but our approach is different. Using one of the complex networks’ features, namely the “rich-club”, its effect on diffusion in complex networks has been analyzed and it is demonstrated that in datasets which have a high rich-club, it is better to use the degree centrality for finding influential nodes because it has a linear time complexity and uses the local information; however, this rule does not apply to datasets which have a low rich-club. Next, real and artificial datasets with the high rich-club have been used in which degree centrality has been compared to famous centrality using the SIR standard.

Cultural Phylogenetics of the Tupi Language Family in Lowland South America

PubMed Central

Walker, Robert S.; Wichmann, Søren; Mailund, Thomas; Atkisson, Curtis J.

2012-01-01

Background Recent advances in automated assessment of basic vocabulary lists allow the construction of linguistic phylogenies useful for tracing dynamics of human population expansions, reconstructing ancestral cultures, and modeling transition rates of cultural traits over time. Methods Here we investigate the Tupi expansion, a widely-dispersed language family in lowland South America, with a distance-based phylogeny based on 40-word vocabulary lists from 48 languages. We coded 11 cultural traits across the diverse Tupi family including traditional warfare patterns, post-marital residence, corporate structure, community size, paternity beliefs, sibling terminology, presence of canoes, tattooing, shamanism, men's houses, and lip plugs. Results/Discussion The linguistic phylogeny supports a Tupi homeland in west-central Brazil with subsequent major expansions across much of lowland South America. Consistently, ancestral reconstructions of cultural traits over the linguistic phylogeny suggest that social complexity has tended to decline through time, most notably in the independent emergence of several nomadic hunter-gatherer societies. Estimated rates of cultural change across the Tupi expansion are on the order of only a few changes per 10,000 years, in accord with previous cultural phylogenetic results in other language families around the world, and indicate a conservative nature to much of human culture. PMID:22506065

Classification of Patient Care Complexity: Cloud Technology.

PubMed

de Oliveira Riboldi, Caren; Macedo, Andrea Barcellos Teixeira; Mergen, Thiane; Dias, Vera Lúcia Mendes; da Costa, Diovane Ghignatti; Malvezzi, Maria Luiza Falsarella; Magalhães, Ana Maria Muller; Silveira, Denise Tolfo

2016-01-01

Presentation of the computerized structure to implement, in a university hospital in the South of Brazil, the Patients Classification System of Perroca, which categorizes patients according to the care complexity. This solution also aims to corroborate a recent study at the hospital, which evidenced that the increasing workload presents a direct relation with the institutional quality indicators. The tools used were the Google applications with high productivity interconnecting the topic knowledge on behalf of the nursing professionals and information technology professionals.

Molecular Phylogeny of Neotropical Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis Species Complex (Diptera: Culicidae)

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-11-01

Insti- tution, National Museum ofNatural History (NMNH) and the Faculdade de Saude Publica, Universidade de Sao Paulo (FSP-USP). DNA voucher...the Albitarsis Complex, was rccenlly recognized as the primary vector of malaria parasites in northeastern Amazonia , Brazil (Conn el aI. 200(2). Other...Museum, Department of7.ool0l(y, Cromwell Rd.• London 5W75Bo. United KinJ(dom. 1 Nlicleo de Pesquisas Taxon&nica e Sistemdtica em Entomologia M~ica

Neuroarchitecture and neuroanatomy of the Drosophila central complex: A GAL4-based dissection of protocerebral bridge neurons and circuits

PubMed Central

Wolff, Tanya; Iyer, Nirmala A; Rubin, Gerald M

2015-01-01

Insects exhibit an elaborate repertoire of behaviors in response to environmental stimuli. The central complex plays a key role in combining various modalities of sensory information with an insect's internal state and past experience to select appropriate responses. Progress has been made in understanding the broad spectrum of outputs from the central complex neuropils and circuits involved in numerous behaviors. Many resident neurons have also been identified. However, the specific roles of these intricate structures and the functional connections between them remain largely obscure. Significant gains rely on obtaining a comprehensive catalog of the neurons and associated GAL4 lines that arborize within these brain regions, and on mapping neuronal pathways connecting these structures. To this end, small populations of neurons in the Drosophila melanogaster central complex were stochastically labeled using the multicolor flip-out technique and a catalog was created of the neurons, their morphologies, trajectories, relative arrangements, and corresponding GAL4 lines. This report focuses on one structure of the central complex, the protocerebral bridge, and identifies just 17 morphologically distinct cell types that arborize in this structure. This work also provides new insights into the anatomical structure of the four components of the central complex and its accessory neuropils. Most strikingly, we found that the protocerebral bridge contains 18 glomeruli, not 16, as previously believed. Revised wiring diagrams that take into account this updated architectural design are presented. This updated map of the Drosophila central complex will facilitate a deeper behavioral and physiological dissection of this sophisticated set of structures. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:997–1037, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:25380328

The influence of the Amazonian floodplain ecosystems on the trace element dynamics of the Amazon River mainstem (Brazil).

PubMed

Viers, Jérôme; Barroux, Guénaël; Pinelli, Marcello; Seyler, Patrick; Oliva, Priscia; Dupré, Bernard; Boaventura, Geraldo Resende

2005-03-01

The purpose of this paper is to forecast the role of riverine wetlands in the transfer of trace elements. One of the largest riverine wetlands in the world is the floodplain (várzea) of the Amazon River and its tributaries (Junk and Piedade, 1997). The central Amazon wetlands are constituted by a complex network of lakes and floodplains, named várzeas, that extend over more than 300,000 km2 (Junk, W.J., The Amazon floodplain--a sink or source for organic carbon? In Transport of Carbon and Minerals in Major World Rivers, edited by E.T. Degens, S. Kempe, R. Herrera, SCOPE/UNEP; 267-283, 1985.) and are among the most productive ecosystems in the world due to the regular enrichment in nutrients by river waters In order to understand if the adjacent floodplain of Amazon River have a significant influence on the trace element concentrations and fluxes of the mainstem, the concentrations of selected elements (i.e., Al, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Mo, Rb, Sr, Ba, and U) have been measured in the Amazon River water (Manacapuru Station, Amazonas State, Brazil) and in lake waters and plants (leaves) from a várzea(Ilha de Marchantaria, Amazonas State, Brazil) during different periods of the hydrological cycle. Four plant species (two perennial species: Pseudobombax munguba and Salix humboldtiana, and two annual herbaceous plants: Echinochloa polystachya and Eichhornia crassipes) were selected to represent the ecological functioning of the site. Time series obtained for dissolved Mn and Cu (<0.20 microm) in Amazon River water could not be explained by tributary mixing or instream processes only. Therefore, the contribution of the waters transiting the floodplains should be considered. These results suggest that the chemical composition of the waters draining these floodplains is controlled by reactions occurring at sediment-water and plant-water interfaces. Trace elements concentrations in the plants (leaves) vary strongly with hydrological seasonality. Based on the concentration data and the biological productivity of floodplain ecosystems, a first order approximation of trace element storage (permanent or temporary) in the vegetation of these floodplains was made. It was found that floodplain-mainstem elemental fluxes make a significant contribution to the dissolved flux of the Amazon River. This study is part of the Brazilian_French joint research program Hybam (Hydrology and Geochemistry of the Amazonian Basin).

Clonal spread and accumulation of β-lactam resistance determinants in Enterobacter aerogenes and Enterobacter cloacae complex isolates from infection and colonization in patients at a public hospital in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.

PubMed

Cabral, Adriane Borges; Maciel, Maria Amélia Vieira; Barros, Josineide Ferreira; Antunes, Marcelo Maranhão; Barbosa de Castro, Célia Maria Machado; Lopes, Ana Catarina Souza

2017-01-01

Enterobacter aerogenes and Enterobacter cloacae complex are the two species of this genus most involved in healthcare-associated infections that are ESBL and carbapenemase producers. This study characterized, phenotypically and genotypically, 51 isolates of E. aerogenes and E. cloacae complex originating from infection or colonization in patients admitted to a public hospital in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, by antimicrobial susceptibility profile, analysis of β-lactamase genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, blaKPC, blaVIM, blaIMP and blaSPM), PCR and DNA sequencing, plasmid profile and ERIC-PCR. In both species, the genes blaTEM, blaCTX-M and blaKPC were detected. The DNA sequencing confirmed the variants blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M-15 and blaKPC-2 in isolates. More than one gene conferring resistance in the isolates, including the detection of the three previously cited genes in strains isolated from infection sites, was observed. The detection of blaCTX-M was more frequent in isolates from infection sites than from colonization. The gene blaKPC predominated in E. cloacae complex isolates obtained from infections; however, in E. aerogenes isolates, it predominated in samples obtained from colonization. A clonal relationship among all of E. aerogenes isolates was detected by ERIC-PCR. The majority of E. cloacae complex isolates presented the same ERIC-PCR pattern. Despite the clonal relation presented by the isolates using ERIC-PCR, different plasmid and resistance profiles and several resistance genes were observed. The clonal dissemination and the accumulation of β-lactam resistance determinants presented by the isolates demonstrated the ability of E. aerogenes and E. cloacae complex, obtained from colonization and infection, to acquire and maintain different resistance genes.

Nutritional status and growth of indigenous Xavante children, Central Brazil

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to characterize the nutritional status of Xavante Indian children less than 10 years of age in Central Brazil and to evaluate the hypothesis of an association between child nutrition and socioeconomic differentiation in this population. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2006 that included all children under the age of 10 from the Xavante village Pimentel Barbosa in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The data collected included weight, height, and sociodemographic information. Sociodemographic data were used to generate two indices ("income" and "wealth") and to determine the proportion of adults in each household. Descriptive analyses were performed for weight-for-age (W/A), height-for-age (H/A), and weight-for-height (W/H) using the NCHS and the WHO growth references. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using H/A and W/A as a response variables. Results Of a total of 246 children under the age of ten residing in the village, 232 (94.3%) were evaluated. Following the NCHS reference, 5.6% of children under the age of ten presented low W/A and 14.7% presented low H/A. Among children under the age of five, deficit percentages for weight and height were 4.5% and 29.9%, respectively, following the WHO curves. Among children < 2 years of age, H/A index variability was found to be directly related to child's age and inversely related to the proportion of adults in the household. Maternal BMI was positively associated with growth for children from 2 to 4 years of age, explaining 11.5% of the z-score variability for the H/A index. For children 5 years of age and older, the wealth index and maternal height were positively associated with H/A. No significant associations were found using W/A as the dependent variable. Conclusion This study demonstrated that undernutrition, in particular linear growth deficit, is a notable health issue for Xavante children. These findings contrast with the nutritional profile observed among Brazilian children nationally, which is characterized by a sharp decline in child undernutrition in recent decades, even in the poorest regions of the country. This discrepancy calls attention to the persistent health disparities that exist between indigenous and non-indigenous people in Brazil. PMID:22236407

Morphological and molecular characterization of Fusarium spp pathogenic to pecan tree in Brazil.

PubMed

Lazarotto, M; Milanesi, P M; Muniz, M F B; Reiniger, L R S; Beltrame, R; Harakava, R; Blume, E

2014-11-11

The occurrence of Fusarium spp associated with pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis) diseases in Brazil has been observed in recent laboratory analyses in Rio Grande do Sul State. Thus, in this study, we i) obtained Fusarium isolates from plants with disease symptoms; ii) tested the pathogenicity of these Fusarium isolates to pecan; iii) characterized and grouped Fusarium isolates that were pathogenic to the pecan tree based on morphological characteristics; iv) identified Fusarium spp to the species complex level through TEF-1α sequencing; and v) compared the identification methods used in the study. Fifteen isolates collected from the inflorescences, roots, and seeds of symptomatic plants (leaf necrosis or root rot) were used for pathogenicity tests. Morphological characterization was conducted using only pathogenic isolates, for a total of 11 isolates, based on the mycelial growth rate, sporulation, colony pigmentation, and conidial length and width variables. Pathogenic isolates were grouped based on morphological characteristics, and molecular characterization was performed by sequencing TEF-1α genes. Pathogenic isolates belonging to the Fusarium chlamydosporum species complex, Fusarium graminearum species complex, Fusarium proliferatum, and Fusarium oxysporum were identified based on the TEF-1α region. Morphological characteristics were used to effectively differentiate isolates and group the isolates according to genetic similarity, particularly conidial width, which emerged as a key morphological descriptor in this study.

Inequities in access to health care in different health systems: a study in municipalities of central Colombia and north-eastern Brazil

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Health system reforms are undertaken with the aim of improving equity of access to health care. Their impact is generally analyzed based on health care utilization, without distinguishing between levels of care. This study aims to analyze inequities in access to the continuum of care in municipalities of Brazil and Colombia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted based on a survey of a multistage probability sample of people who had had at least one health problem in the prior three months (2,163 in Colombia and 2,167 in Brazil). The outcome variables were dichotomous variables on the utilization of curative and preventive services. The main independent variables were income, being the holder of a private health plan and, in Colombia, type of insurance scheme of the General System of Social Security in Health (SGSSS). For each country, the prevalence of the outcome variables was calculated overall and stratified by levels of per capita income, SGSSS insurance schemes and private health plan. Prevalence ratios were computed by means of Poisson regression models with robust variance, controlling for health care need. Results There are inequities in favor of individuals of a higher socioeconomic status: in Colombia, in the three different care levels (primary, outpatient secondary and emergency care) and preventive activities; and in Brazil, in the use of outpatient secondary care services and preventive activities, whilst lower-income individuals make greater use of the primary care services. In both countries, inequity in the use of outpatient secondary care is more pronounced than in the other care levels. Income in both countries, insurance scheme enrollment in Colombia and holding a private health plan in Brazil all contribute to the presence of inequities in utilization. Conclusions Twenty years after the introduction of reforms implemented to improve equity in access to health care, inequities, defined in terms of unequal use for equal need, are still present in both countries. The design of the health systems appears to determine access to the health services: two insurance schemes in Colombia with different benefits packages and a segmented system in Brazil, with a significant private component. PMID:24479581

The role of remote wind forcing in the subinertial current variability in the central and northern parts of the South Brazil Bight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dottori, Marcelo; Castro, Belmiro Mendes

2018-06-01

Data analysis of continental shelf currents and coastal sea level, together with the application of a semi-analytical model, are used to estimate the importance of remote wind forcing on the subinertial variability of the current in the central and northern areas of the South Brazil Bight. Results from both the data analysis and from the semi-analytical model are robust in showing subinertial variability that propagates along-shelf leaving the coast to the left in accordance with theoretical studies of Continental Shelf Waves (CSW). Both the subinertial variability observed in along-shelf currents and sea level oscillations present different propagation speeds for the narrow northern part of the SBB ( 6-7 m/s) and the wide central SBB region ( 11 m/s), those estimates being in agreement with the modeled CSW propagation speed. On the inner and middle shelf, observed along-shelf subinertial currents show higher correlation coefficients with the winds located southward and earlier in time than with the local wind at the current meter mooring position and at the time of measurement. The inclusion of the remote (located southwestward) wind forcing improves the prediction of the subinertial currents when compared to the currents forced only by the local wind, since the along-shelf-modeled currents present correlation coefficients with observed along-shelf currents up to 20% higher on the inner and middle shelf when the remote wind is included. For most of the outer shelf, on the other hand, this is not observed since usually, the correlation between the currents and the synoptic winds is not statistically significant.

The burden of oesophageal cancer in Central and South America.

PubMed

Barrios, Enrique; Sierra, Monica S; Musetti, Carina; Forman, David

2016-09-01

Oesophageal cancer shows marked geographic variations and is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. We described the burden of this malignancy in Central and South America. Regional and national level incidence data were obtained from 48 population-based cancer registries in 13 countries. Mortality data were obtained from the WHO mortality database. Incidence of oesophageal cancer by histological subtype were available from high-quality population-based cancer registries. Males had higher incidence and mortality rates than females (male-to-female ratios: 2-6:1 and 2-5:1). In 2003-2007, the highest rates were in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. Mortality rates followed the incidence patterns. Incidence of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was higher than adenocarcinoma (AC), except in females from Cuenca (Ecuador). SCC and AC incidence were higher in males than females, except in the Region of Antofagasta and Valdivia (Chile), Manizales (Colombia) and Cuenca (Ecuador). Incidence and mortality rates tended to decline in Argentina, Chile, Brazil (incidence) and Costa Rica from 1997 to 2008. The geographic variation and sex disparity in oesophageal cancer across Central and South America may reflect differences in the prevalence of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption which highlights the need to implement and/or strengthen tobacco and alcohol control policies. Maté consumption, obesity, diet and Helicobacter pylori infection may also explain the variation in oesophageal cancer rates but these relationships should be evaluated. Continuous monitoring of oesophageal cancer rates is necessary to provide the basis for cancer prevention and control in the region. Copyright © 2015 International Agency for Research on Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Seismic characteristics of central Brazil crust and upper mantle: A deep seismic refraction study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soares, J.E.; Berrocal, J.; Fuck, R.A.; Mooney, W.D.; Ventura, D.B.R.

2006-01-01

A two-dimensional model of the Brazilian central crust and upper mantle was obtained from the traveltime interpretation of deep seismic refraction data from the Porangatu and Cavalcante lines, each approximately 300 km long. When the lines were deployed, they overlapped by 50 km, forming an E-W transect approximately 530 km long across the Tocantins Province and western Sa??o Francisco Craton. The Tocantins Province formed during the Neoproterozoic when the Sa??o Francisco, the Paranapanema, and the Amazon cratons collided, following the subduction of the former Goia??s ocean basin. Average crustal VP and VP/VS ratios, Moho topography, and lateral discontinuities within crustal layers suggest that the crust beneath central Brazil can be associated with major geological domains recognized at the surface. The Moho is an irregular interface, between 36 and 44 km deep, that shows evidences of first-order tectonic structures. The 8.05 and 8.23 km s-1 P wave velocities identify the upper mantle beneath the Porangatu and Cavalcante lines, respectively. The observed seismic features allow for the identification of (1) the crust has largely felsic composition in the studied region, (2) the absence of the mafic-ultramafic root beneath the Goia??s magmatic arc, and (3) block tectonics in the foreland fold-and-thrust belt of the northern Brasi??lia Belt during the Neoproterozoic. Seismic data also suggested that the Bouguer gravimetric discontinuities are mainly compensated by differences in mass distribution within the lithospheric mantle. Finally, the Goia??s-Tocantins seismic belt can be interpreted as a natural seismic alignment related to the Neoproterozoic mantle domain. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.

The role of remote wind forcing in the subinertial current variability in the central and northern parts of the South Brazil Bight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dottori, Marcelo; Castro, Belmiro Mendes

2018-05-01

Data analysis of continental shelf currents and coastal sea level, together with the application of a semi-analytical model, are used to estimate the importance of remote wind forcing on the subinertial variability of the current in the central and northern areas of the South Brazil Bight. Results from both the data analysis and from the semi-analytical model are robust in showing subinertial variability that propagates along-shelf leaving the coast to the left in accordance with theoretical studies of Continental Shelf Waves (CSW). Both the subinertial variability observed in along-shelf currents and sea level oscillations present different propagation speeds for the narrow northern part of the SBB ( 6-7 m/s) and the wide central SBB region ( 11 m/s), those estimates being in agreement with the modeled CSW propagation speed. On the inner and middle shelf, observed along-shelf subinertial currents show higher correlation coefficients with the winds located southward and earlier in time than with the local wind at the current meter mooring position and at the time of measurement. The inclusion of the remote (located southwestward) wind forcing improves the prediction of the subinertial currents when compared to the currents forced only by the local wind, since the along-shelf-modeled currents present correlation coefficients with observed along-shelf currents up to 20% higher on the inner and middle shelf when the remote wind is included. For most of the outer shelf, on the other hand, this is not observed since usually, the correlation between the currents and the synoptic winds is not statistically significant.

GFT centrality: A new node importance measure for complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Rahul; Chakraborty, Abhishek; Manoj, B. S.

2017-12-01

Identifying central nodes is very crucial to design efficient communication networks or to recognize key individuals of a social network. In this paper, we introduce Graph Fourier Transform Centrality (GFT-C), a metric that incorporates local as well as global characteristics of a node, to quantify the importance of a node in a complex network. GFT-C of a reference node in a network is estimated from the GFT coefficients derived from the importance signal of the reference node. Our study reveals the superiority of GFT-C over traditional centralities such as degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, eigenvector centrality, and Google PageRank centrality, in the context of various arbitrary and real-world networks with different degree-degree correlations.

Isotopic constraints on contamination processes in the Tonian Goiás Stratiform Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giovanardi, Tommaso; Mazzucchelli, Maurizio; Lugli, Federico; Girardi, Vicente A. V.; Correia, Ciro T.; Tassinari, Colombo C. G.; Cipriani, Anna

2018-06-01

The Tonian Goiás Stratiform Complex (TGSC, Goiás, central Brazil), is one of the largest mafic-ultramafic layered complexes in the world, emplaced during the geotectonic events that led to the Gondwana accretion. In this study, we present trace elements and in-situ U/Pb-Lu-Hf analyses of zircons and 87Sr/86Sr ratios of plagioclases from anorthosites and gabbros of the TGSC. Although formed by three isolated bodies (Cana Brava, Niquelândia and Barro Alto), and characterized by a Lower and Upper Sequence (LS and US), our new U/Pb zircon data confirm recent geochemical, geochronological, and structural evidences that the TGSC has originated from a single intrusive body in the Neoproterozoic. New Hf and Sr isotope ratios construe a complex contamination history for the TGSC, with different geochemical signatures in the two sequences. The low Hf and high Sr isotope ratios of the Lower Sequence (εHf(t) from -4.2 down to -27.5; 87Sr/86Sr = 0.706605-0.729226), suggest the presence of a crustal component and are consistent with contamination from meta-pelitic and calc-silicate rocks found as xenoliths within the Sequence. The more radiogenic Hf isotope ratios and low Sr isotope composition of the Upper Sequence (εHf(t) from 11.3 down to -8.4; 87Sr/86Sr = 0.702368-0.702452), suggest a contamination from mantle-derived metabasalts in agreement with the occurrences of amphibolite xenoliths in the US stratigraphy. The differential contamination of the two sequences is explained by the intrusion of the TGSC in a stratified crust dominated by metasedimentary rocks in its deeper part and metavolcanics at shallower levels. Moreover, the differential thermal gradient in the two crystallizing sequences might have contributed to the preservation and recrystallization of inherited zircon grains in the US and total dissolution or magmatic overgrowth of the LS zircons via melt/rock reaction processes.

Need for orthodontic treatment among Brazilian adolescents: evaluation based on public health

PubMed Central

de Freitas, Carolina Vieira; Souza, João Gabriel Silva; Mendes, Danilo Cangussu; Pordeus, Isabela Almeida; Jones, Kimberly Marie; Martins, Andréa Maria Eleutério de Barros Lima

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence and the severity of malocclusions and to analyze factors associated with the need for orthodontic treatment of Brazilian adolescents. METHODS: This exploratory, cross-sectional study was carried out based on secondary data from the national epidemiological survey on oral health in Brazil (2002-2003). Socio-demographic conditions, self-perception, and the existence and degree of malocclusion, using the Dental Aesthetic Index, were evaluated in 16,833 adolescent Brazilians selected by probabilistic sample by conglomerates. The dependent variable need orthodontic treatment was estimated from the severity of malocclusion. The magnitude and direction of the association in bivariate and multivariate analyzes from a Robust Poisson regression was estimated. RESULTS: The majority of the adolescents needed orthodontic treatment (53.2%). In the multivariate analysis, the prevalence of the need for orthodontic treatment was larger among females, non-whites, those that perceived a need for treatment, and those that perceived their appearance as normal, bad, or very bad. The need for orthodontic treatment was smaller among those that lived in the Northeast and Central West macro-regions compared to those living in Southeast Brazil and it was also smaller among those that perceived their chewing to be normal or their oral health to be bad or very bad. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of orthodontic treatment need among adolescents in Brazil and this need was associated with demographic and subjective issues. The high prevalence of orthodontic needs in adolescents is a challenge to the goals of Brazil's universal public health system. PMID:25769190

African gene flow to north Brazil as revealed by HBB*S gene haplotype analysis.

PubMed

Lemos Cardoso, Greice; Farias Guerreiro, João

2006-01-01

Haplotypes linked to the HBB*S gene were analyzed in a sample of 260 chromosomes of Brazilian sickle cell anemia patients from the population of Belém, state of Pará, to evaluate if the present-day haplotype frequencies correlate as well as expected with historical information on the geographic origin of African slaves sent directly to Northern Brazil. The HBB*S gene haplotype distribution (66% Bantu, 21.8% Benin, 10.9% Senegal, and 1.3% Cameroon) is in agreement with those observed for other Brazilian populations regarding the highest proportion of the Bantu type, followed by the Benin type, but it differs significantly concerning the Senegal type as this haplotype is rare or absent in samples from other Brazilian regions already studied. In addition, our results are in accordance with historical records that establish that about 90% of the slaves sent to Northern Brazil were from Angola, Congo, and Mozambique, where the Bantu haplotype predominates, in contrast to 10% of slaves from Senegambia, Guine-Bissau, and Cape Verde, where the Senegal haplotype is the most common. On the other hand, the observed frequency of the Benin haplotype in Belém was much higher than that expected by historical data. This fact corroborates the suggestion that the high prevalence of the Benin type in Belém is due to domestic slave trade and later internal migrations, mainly from the Northeast, since there are no historical records of direct slave trade from Central West Africa to North Brazil. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:93-98, 2006. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Detection of katG and inhA mutations to guide isoniazid and ethionamide use for drug-resistant tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Bollela, V. R.; Namburete, E. I.; Feliciano, C. S.; Macheque, D.; Harrison, L. H.; Caminero, J. A.

2017-01-01

SUMMARY BACKGROUND Depending on the presence of mutations that determine isoniazid (INH) susceptibility (katG and inhA), Mycobacterium tuberculosis may be susceptible to high doses of INH or ethionamide (ETH). OBJECTIVE To describe the INH resistance profile and association of katG mutation with previous INH treatment and level of drug resistance based on rapid molecular drug susceptibility testing (DST) in southern Brazil and central Mozambique. DESIGN Descriptive study of 311 isolates from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (2011–2014) and 155 isolates from Beira, Mozambique (2014–2015). Drug resistance patterns and specific gene mutations were determined using GenoType® MTBDRplus. RESULTS katG gene mutations were detected in 12/22 (54.5%) Brazilian and 32/38 (84.2%) Mozambican isolates. inhA mutations were observed in 9/22 (40.9%) isolates in Brazil and in 4/38 (10.5%) in Mozambique. Both katG and inhA mutations were detected in respectively 1/22 (5%) and 2/38 (5.2%). The difference in the frequency of katG mutations in Brazil and Mozambique was statistically significant (P = 0.04). katG mutations were present in 68.8% (33/48) of patients previously treated with INH and 31.2% (15/48) of patients without previous INH. This difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.223). CONCLUSION INH mutations varied geographically; molecular DST can be used to guide and accelerate decision making in the use of ETH or high doses of INH. PMID:27393546

Public health system and psychiatry in the treatment of 'dangerous' young offenders in Brazil.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Rafael Bernardon; Cordeiro, Quirino; Taborda, José G V

2015-01-01

We describe the Experimental Health Unit, a special forensic mental health facility in Brazil, created by court order and administered by the São Paulo Department of Health. It was designed for young offenders receiving compulsory inpatient treatment for severe personality disorders. All nine patients admitted to date came from Foundation CASA (a socio-educational centre of assistance for adolescents, the juvenile correctional centres managed by the São Paulo state Department of Justice). The court decision is questionable, relying on a new interpretation of the Child and Adolescent Statute and the law that regulates psychiatric treatment in Brazil. The public health system and psychiatry have been supporting the isolation of some individuals from society, based on the seriousness of their crimes and possession of particular personality characteristics. The decision to commit and send a small group of personality disordered individuals to this unit as inpatients is an unfair decision, since jails and correctional centres hold a high number of psychopathic who have also committed barbaric crimes. The central mental health issue is the role that the public health system should play in the custody of dangerous people; the cost-effectiveness of this model, the accuracy of risk assessment and tractability of people with severe personality disorders are also debatable. From a legal perspective, the operation of this facility raises questions about age of legal majority, the maximum period of incarceration of young offenders and use of whole-life sentences for certain types of crimes and criminals in Brazil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is routine dengue vector surveillance in central Brazil able to accurately monitor the Aedes aegypti population? Results from a pupal productivity survey.

PubMed

Pilger, Daniel; Lenhart, Audrey; Manrique-Saide, Pablo; Siqueira, Joao Bosco; da Rocha, Welington Tristão; Kroeger, Axel

2011-09-01

To assess how well the Aedes aegypti infestation rapid survey, Levantamento Rapido de Indice para Aedes aegypti (LIRAa), is able to accurately estimate dengue vector densities and target the most important breeding sites in Goiania, Brazil. In February 2009, a pupal productivity survey was conducted in 2 districts of the city of Goiania, central Brazil. The results were compared to those of LIRAas conducted in the same districts during the months before and after the pupal productivity survey. In the pupal productivity survey, 2,024 houses were surveyed and 2,969 water-holding containers were inspected. Discarded small water containers most frequently contained immature Ae. aegypti. The most pupal-productive containers were elevated water tanks, roof gutters and water holding roofs. Combined, these three containers accounted for <40% of all positive containers but produced >70% of all pupae. In the two districts where the pupal productivity survey was conducted, the house indices were 5.1 and 4.6 and the Breteau indices were 5.9 and 6.0. In contrast, the two LIRAs conducted in the same two districts resulted in an average house index of 1.5 and Breteau index of 2.5, with discarded items identified as the most frequently infested container type. Both the LIRAa and the pupal productivity survey identified discarded items as being most frequently infested with immature stages of Ae. aegypti, but the pupal productivity survey showed that elevated containers produced the greatest proportion of Ae. aegypti pupae (a proxy measure of adult vector density) and that the values of the Stegomyia indices were substantially underestimated by LIRAa. Although both surveys differ considerably in terms of sampling method and manpower, in the case of this study the LIRAa did not accurately identify or target the containers that were the most important to adult mosquito production. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Indigenous burning as conservation practice: neotropical savanna recovery amid agribusiness deforestation in Central Brazil.

PubMed

Welch, James R; Brondízio, Eduardo S; Hetrick, Scott S; Coimbra, Carlos E A

2013-01-01

International efforts to address climate change by reducing tropical deforestation increasingly rely on indigenous reserves as conservation units and indigenous peoples as strategic partners. Considered win-win situations where global conservation measures also contribute to cultural preservation, such alliances also frame indigenous peoples in diverse ecological settings with the responsibility to offset global carbon budgets through fire suppression based on the presumed positive value of non-alteration of tropical landscapes. Anthropogenic fire associated with indigenous ceremonial and collective hunting practices in the Neotropical savannas (cerrado) of Central Brazil is routinely represented in public and scientific conservation discourse as a cause of deforestation and increased CO2 emissions despite a lack of supporting evidence. We evaluate this claim for the Xavante people of Pimentel Barbosa Indigenous Reserve, Brazil. Building upon 23 years of longitudinal interdisciplinary research in the area, we used multi-temporal spatial analyses to compare land cover change under indigenous and agribusiness management over the last four decades (1973-2010) and quantify the contemporary Xavante burning regime contributing to observed patterns based on a four year sample at the end of this sequence (2007-2010). The overall proportion of deforested land remained stable inside the reserve (0.6%) but increased sharply outside (1.5% to 26.0%). Vegetation recovery occurred where reserve boundary adjustments transferred lands previously deforested by agribusiness to indigenous management. Periodic traditional burning by the Xavante had a large spatial distribution but repeated burning in consecutive years was restricted. Our results suggest a need to reassess overreaching conservation narratives about the purported destructiveness of indigenous anthropogenic fire in the cerrado. The real challenge to conservation in the fire-adapted cerrado biome is the long-term sustainability of indigenous lands and other tropical conservation islands increasingly subsumed by agribusiness expansion rather than the localized subsistence practices of indigenous and other traditional peoples.

Indigenous Burning as Conservation Practice: Neotropical Savanna Recovery amid Agribusiness Deforestation in Central Brazil

PubMed Central

Welch, James R.; Brondízio, Eduardo S.; Hetrick, Scott S.; Coimbra, Carlos E. A.

2013-01-01

International efforts to address climate change by reducing tropical deforestation increasingly rely on indigenous reserves as conservation units and indigenous peoples as strategic partners. Considered win-win situations where global conservation measures also contribute to cultural preservation, such alliances also frame indigenous peoples in diverse ecological settings with the responsibility to offset global carbon budgets through fire suppression based on the presumed positive value of non-alteration of tropical landscapes. Anthropogenic fire associated with indigenous ceremonial and collective hunting practices in the Neotropical savannas (cerrado) of Central Brazil is routinely represented in public and scientific conservation discourse as a cause of deforestation and increased CO2 emissions despite a lack of supporting evidence. We evaluate this claim for the Xavante people of Pimentel Barbosa Indigenous Reserve, Brazil. Building upon 23 years of longitudinal interdisciplinary research in the area, we used multi-temporal spatial analyses to compare land cover change under indigenous and agribusiness management over the last four decades (1973–2010) and quantify the contemporary Xavante burning regime contributing to observed patterns based on a four year sample at the end of this sequence (2007–2010). The overall proportion of deforested land remained stable inside the reserve (0.6%) but increased sharply outside (1.5% to 26.0%). Vegetation recovery occurred where reserve boundary adjustments transferred lands previously deforested by agribusiness to indigenous management. Periodic traditional burning by the Xavante had a large spatial distribution but repeated burning in consecutive years was restricted. Our results suggest a need to reassess overreaching conservation narratives about the purported destructiveness of indigenous anthropogenic fire in the cerrado. The real challenge to conservation in the fire-adapted cerrado biome is the long-term sustainability of indigenous lands and other tropical conservation islands increasingly subsumed by agribusiness expansion rather than the localized subsistence practices of indigenous and other traditional peoples. PMID:24349045

DMSP Special Sensor Microwave/Imager Calibration/Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-20

degrade , regardless of the algorithm, seems to be about 2 mm/hr. SSMAI wind speed retrieval accuracy in... the U.S. and ;ome rangeland of the western U.S. at peak vegetation cover. 2. The " cerrado " vegetation regior, of central Brazil. These are savanna tye...presented; with and without the 85 GIIz channels as a con.;_tcuence of the degradation of the 85 GHz channels on the SSM/I on DMSP F-8. The primary data

Chronological, taphonomical, and paleoenvironmental aspects of a Late Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Guanambi, Bahia, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherer, Carolina Saldanha; Pales, Letícia Francielle Moreira; Rosa, Mariane; Silva, Samara de Almeida da

2017-11-01

Bahia state is widely known for the presence of fossiliferous deposits of Late Pleistocene - early Holocene. Although most studies in the state have been carried out on cave environments, studies concerning natural tank deposits have been expanded in the last few years, particularly in other states of Northeast Brazil. Therefore, the present work aims to study two new natural tanks: "Lagoa das Abelhas" and "Lagoa do Rancho", in Guanambi municipality, south-central Bahia, Brazil. The identified taxa include representatives of Xenarthra (Eremotherium laurillardi, cf. Glossotherium sp., Pachyarmatherium brasiliense, Glyptodontinae, Propraopus sulcatus, Pampatherium humboldti, and Holmesina paulacoutoi), Notoungulata (Toxodontidae), Proboscidea, Perissodactyla (Tapirus terrestris and Equus (Amerhippus) neogaeus), and Cetartiodactyla (Camelidae). The taphonomic analysis allowed the fossiliferous deposit from Lagoa das Abelhas to be classified as an ex situ assemblage, while the Lagoa do Rancho deposit was interpreted as a peripheral assemblage. Based on its paleofaunal composition, the landscape of the Guanambi region would have comprised open areas with pastures and patches with arboreal elements. The 14C radiocarbon dating results point to ages of 22,230 ± 55 years for the Lagoa das Abelhas and 16,020 ± 40 years for the Lagoa do Rancho tanks, indicating that the Guanambi paleofauna lived during the Last Glacial Maximum, in a drier phase of the Late Pleistocene.

Paracoccidioidomycosis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus: review of 12 cases observed in an endemic region in Brazil.

PubMed

Paniago, Anamaria Mello Miranda; de Freitas, Ana Carolina Carli; Aguiar, Eliana Setti Albuquerque; Aguiar, José Ivan Albuquerque; da Cunha, Rivaldo Venâncio; Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra Motta; Wanke, Bodo

2005-10-01

To study the clinical characteristics of 12 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of PCM in 12 patients infected with HIV attended at a University Hospital of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, were evaluated. All patients were men, mean age 36.1 years old, and 11 had a diagnosis other than PCM as the aids-defining illness. Lymph nodes were the organs most often involved (10 patients, 83.3%), followed by lung involvement, usually with an interstitial pattern (seven patients, 58.3%), papule-nodular skin lesions with central ulceration in six (50%) and ulcerated lesions of oral mucous membrane in five (41.6%) patients. Pleural involvement occurred in one patient who presented large pleural effusion beside a pathologic rib fracture caused by P. brasiliensis. Seven patients showed involvement in more than one extrapulmonary organ. In eight (66.6%) cases the diagnosis was established by direct microscopy of clinical specimens. All patients used trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and seven patients were also treated with amphotericin B. Eight patients died with progressive PCM manifestations. Our review demonstrates that PCM, an endemic systemic mycosis in Brazil, when associated with AIDS, behaves clinically as an opportunistic disease.

Evaluation of water quality at the source of streams of the Sinos River Basin, southern Brazil.

PubMed

Benvenuti, T; Kieling-Rubio, M A; Klauck, C R; Rodrigues, M A S

2015-05-01

The Sinos River Basin (SRB) is located in the northeastern region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (29º20' to 30º10'S and 50º15' to 51º20'W), southern Brazil, and covers two geomorphologic provinces: the southern plateau and the central depression. It is part of the Guaíba basin, has an area of approximately 800 km 2 and contains 32 counties. The basin provides drinking water for 1.6 million inhabitants in one of the most important industrial centres in Brazil. This study describes different water quality indices (WQI) used for the sub-basins of three important streams in the SRB: Pampa, Estância Velha/Portão and Schmidt streams. Physical, chemical and microbiological parameters assessed bimonthly using samples collected at each stream source were used to calculate the Horton Index (HI), the Dinius Index (DI) and the water quality index adopted by the US National Sanitation Foundation (NSF WQI) in the additive and multiplicative forms. These indices describe mean water quality levels at the streams sources. The results obtained for these 3 indexes showed a worrying scenario in which water quality has already been negatively affected at the sites where three important sub-basins in the Sinos River Basin begin to form.

Forensic entomology and main challenges in Brazil.

PubMed

Gomes, Leonardo; Von Zuben, Cláudio J

2006-01-01

Apart from an early case report from China (13th century), the first observations on insects and other arthropods as forensic indicators were documented in Germany and France during mass exhumations in the 1880s by Reinhard, who is considered a co-founder of the discipline. After the French publication of Mégnin's popular book on the applied aspects of forensic entomology, the concept quickly spread to Canada and United States. At that time, researchers recognized that the lack of systematic observations of insects of forensic importance jeopardized their use as indicators of postmortem interval. General advances in insect taxonomy and ecology helped to fill this gap over the following decades. After World Wars, few forensic entomology cases were reported in the scientific literature. From 1960s to the 1980s, Leclercq and Nuorteva were primarily responsible for maintaining the method in Central Europe, reporting isolated cases. Since then, basic research in the USA, Russia and Canada opened the way to the routine use of Entomology in forensic investigations. Identifications of insects associated with human cadavers are relatively few in the literature of the Neotropical region and have received little attention in Brazil. This article brings an overview of historic developments in this field, the recent studies and the main problems and challenges in South America and mainly in Brazil.

Methods and participant characteristics of a randomized intervention to promote physical activity and healthy eating among brazilian high school students: the Saude na Boa project.

PubMed

Nahas, Markus V; de Barros, Mauro V G; de Assis, Maria Alice A; Hallal, Pedro C; Florindo, Alex A; Konrad, Lisandra

2009-03-01

A cross-cultural, randomized study was proposed to observe the effects of a school-based intervention designed to promote physical activity and healthy eating among high school students in 2 cities from different regions in Brazil: Recife and Florianopolis. The objective of this article is to describe the methodology and subjects enrolled in the project. Ten schools from each region were matched and randomized into intervention and control conditions. A questionnaire and anthropometry were used to collect data in the first and last month of the 2006 school year. The sample (n=2155 at baseline; 55.7% females; 49.1% in the experimental group) included students 15 to 24 years, attending nighttime classes. The intervention focused on simple environmental/organizational changes, diet and physical activity education, and personnel training. The central aspects of the intervention have been implemented in all 10 intervention schools. Problems during the intervention included teachers' strikes in both sites and lack of involvement of the canteen owners in schools. The Saude na Boa study provides evidence that public high schools in Brazil represent an important environment for health promotion. Its design and simple measurements increase the chances of it being sustained and disseminated to similar schools in Brazil.

[Health and disease among Panará (Kreen-Akarôre) Indians in Central Brazil after twenty-five years of contact with our world, with an emphasis on tuberculosis].

PubMed

Baruzzi, R G; Barros, V L; Rodrigues, D; Souza, A L; Pagliaro, H

2001-01-01

The Panará, who had previously lived in isolation from Brazilian national society in the Amazon forest, were first contacted in 1973. Two years later they were moved to another area in Central Brazil. During this same period they were reduced to 82 members, the survivors of a population of 400 to 500 in the mid-1960s. In 1995 they returned to a small area in their old territory still not occupied by outsiders. There, three years later, a health survey showed a presumed diagnosis of tuberculosis in 15 individuals out of a population of 181. Further tests in the town of Colider, based on clinical data and chest X-rays, confirmed the diagnosis in 10 Panará (6 children under 10 years of age and 4 adults from 40 to 50 years old). BCG scars were present in the entire population. The nutritional status of Panará children was better than that of other indigenous groups in the Amazon region. The following measures were introduced for Tb control: a) treatment follow-up in the village, under direct supervision by both a nurse and the local indigenous health worker; b) compliance with defined criteria for ending treatment; c) periodic control of contacts and non-contacts; c) and establishment of a reference system with the health services in Colider.

Exposure of Free-Ranging Wild Carnivores and Domestic Dogs to Canine Distemper Virus and Parvovirus in the Cerrado of Central Brazil.

PubMed

Furtado, Mariana Malzoni; Hayashi, Erika Midori Kida; Allendorf, Susan Dora; Coelho, Claudio José; de Almeida Jácomo, Anah Tereza; Megid, Jane; Ramos Filho, José Domingues; Silveira, Leandro; Tôrres, Natália Mundim; Ferreira Neto, José Soares

2016-09-01

Human population growth around protected areas increases the contact between wild and domestic animals, promoting disease transmission between them. This study investigates the exposure of free-ranging wild carnivores and domestic dogs to canine distemper virus (CDV) and parvovirus in Emas National Park (ENP) in the Cerrado savanna of central Brazil. Serum samples were collected from 169 wild carnivores, including the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), hoary fox (Pseudalopex vetulus), puma (Puma concolor), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), pampas cat (Leopardus colocolo), jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), striped hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus semistriatus) and coati (Nasua nasua), and from 35 domestic dogs living on rural properties bordering ENP. Serological tests showed that 10.6% of wild carnivores (maned wolves, crab-eating foxes and ocelots) and 71.4% of domestic dogs were exposed to CDV, and 56.8% of wild carnivores, including all species sampled except coatis, and 57.1% of domestic dogs were exposed to parvovirus. This report is the first to indicate that the free-ranging pampas cat, jaguarundi and striped hog-nosed skunk are exposed to parvovirus. CDV and parvovirus deserve attention in ENP, and it is extremely important to monitor the health of carnivore populations and perform molecular diagnosis of the viruses to determine the possible involvement of the domestic dog in their transmission.

A novel association between Rhodnius neglectus and the Livistona australis palm tree in an urban center foreshadowing the risk of Chagas disease transmission by vectorial invasions in Monte Alto City, São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Carvalho, Danila B; Almeida, Carlos E; Rocha, Cláudia S; Gardim, Sueli; Mendonça, Vagner J; Ribeiro, Aline R; Alves, Zulimar C P V T; Ruellas, Kellem T; Vedoveli, Alan; da Rosa, João A

2014-02-01

After several public notifications of domiciliary invasions, palm trees were investigated in downtown Monte Alto City, São Paulo State, Brazil, in proximity to the city hall building, the main church, condominiums and marketing establishments. One hundred seventy four palm trees of 10 species were investigated, in which 72 specimens of Rhodnius neglectus, a potential Chagas disease vector, were captured via manual methods. All insects were collected from dead leaves, organic debris and bird nests in the only three Livistona australis palm trees in the central park square. This was the first record of R. neglectus colonizing this palm species. Although no Trypanosoma cruzi was found by abdominal compression followed by light microscopy, the poor nutritional status of the bugs hampered the examination of gut contents for parasite detection. Furthermore, the central crowns of the trees, which shelter bats (Chiroptera: Mammalia), could not be carefully searched for insects due to difficult access. This new finding highlights the sudden alteration in insect behavior, probably as a result of man's interference. This report aims to warn those involved in the health system about this new threat, justifying detailed research of the area to evaluate the magnitude of this emerging public health issue. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Origin and dynamics of admixture in Brazilians and its effect on the pattern of deleterious mutations.

PubMed

Kehdy, Fernanda S G; Gouveia, Mateus H; Machado, Moara; Magalhães, Wagner C S; Horimoto, Andrea R; Horta, Bernardo L; Moreira, Rennan G; Leal, Thiago P; Scliar, Marilia O; Soares-Souza, Giordano B; Rodrigues-Soares, Fernanda; Araújo, Gilderlanio S; Zamudio, Roxana; Sant Anna, Hanaisa P; Santos, Hadassa C; Duarte, Nubia E; Fiaccone, Rosemeire L; Figueiredo, Camila A; Silva, Thiago M; Costa, Gustavo N O; Beleza, Sandra; Berg, Douglas E; Cabrera, Lilia; Debortoli, Guilherme; Duarte, Denise; Ghirotto, Silvia; Gilman, Robert H; Gonçalves, Vanessa F; Marrero, Andrea R; Muniz, Yara C; Weissensteiner, Hansi; Yeager, Meredith; Rodrigues, Laura C; Barreto, Mauricio L; Lima-Costa, M Fernanda; Pereira, Alexandre C; Rodrigues, Maíra R; Tarazona-Santos, Eduardo

2015-07-14

While South Americans are underrepresented in human genomic diversity studies, Brazil has been a classical model for population genetics studies on admixture. We present the results of the EPIGEN Brazil Initiative, the most comprehensive up-to-date genomic analysis of any Latin-American population. A population-based genome-wide analysis of 6,487 individuals was performed in the context of worldwide genomic diversity to elucidate how ancestry, kinship, and inbreeding interact in three populations with different histories from the Northeast (African ancestry: 50%), Southeast, and South (both with European ancestry >70%) of Brazil. We showed that ancestry-positive assortative mating permeated Brazilian history. We traced European ancestry in the Southeast/South to a wider European/Middle Eastern region with respect to the Northeast, where ancestry seems restricted to Iberia. By developing an approximate Bayesian computation framework, we infer more recent European immigration to the Southeast/South than to the Northeast. Also, the observed low Native-American ancestry (6-8%) was mostly introduced in different regions of Brazil soon after the European Conquest. We broadened our understanding of the African diaspora, the major destination of which was Brazil, by revealing that Brazilians display two within-Africa ancestry components: one associated with non-Bantu/western Africans (more evident in the Northeast and African Americans) and one associated with Bantu/eastern Africans (more present in the Southeast/South). Furthermore, the whole-genome analysis of 30 individuals (42-fold deep coverage) shows that continental admixture rather than local post-Columbian history is the main and complex determinant of the individual amount of deleterious genotypes.

Origin and dynamics of admixture in Brazilians and its effect on the pattern of deleterious mutations

PubMed Central

Kehdy, Fernanda S. G.; Gouveia, Mateus H.; Machado, Moara; Magalhães, Wagner C. S.; Horimoto, Andrea R.; Horta, Bernardo L.; Moreira, Rennan G.; Leal, Thiago P.; Scliar, Marilia O.; Soares-Souza, Giordano B.; Rodrigues-Soares, Fernanda; Araújo, Gilderlanio S.; Zamudio, Roxana; Sant Anna, Hanaisa P.; Santos, Hadassa C.; Duarte, Nubia E.; Fiaccone, Rosemeire L.; Figueiredo, Camila A.; Silva, Thiago M.; Costa, Gustavo N. O.; Beleza, Sandra; Berg, Douglas E.; Cabrera, Lilia; Debortoli, Guilherme; Duarte, Denise; Ghirotto, Silvia; Gilman, Robert H.; Gonçalves, Vanessa F.; Marrero, Andrea R.; Muniz, Yara C.; Weissensteiner, Hansi; Yeager, Meredith; Rodrigues, Laura C.; Barreto, Mauricio L.; Lima-Costa, M. Fernanda; Pereira, Alexandre C.; Rodrigues, Maíra R.; Tarazona-Santos, Eduardo

2015-01-01

While South Americans are underrepresented in human genomic diversity studies, Brazil has been a classical model for population genetics studies on admixture. We present the results of the EPIGEN Brazil Initiative, the most comprehensive up-to-date genomic analysis of any Latin-American population. A population-based genome-wide analysis of 6,487 individuals was performed in the context of worldwide genomic diversity to elucidate how ancestry, kinship, and inbreeding interact in three populations with different histories from the Northeast (African ancestry: 50%), Southeast, and South (both with European ancestry >70%) of Brazil. We showed that ancestry-positive assortative mating permeated Brazilian history. We traced European ancestry in the Southeast/South to a wider European/Middle Eastern region with respect to the Northeast, where ancestry seems restricted to Iberia. By developing an approximate Bayesian computation framework, we infer more recent European immigration to the Southeast/South than to the Northeast. Also, the observed low Native-American ancestry (6–8%) was mostly introduced in different regions of Brazil soon after the European Conquest. We broadened our understanding of the African diaspora, the major destination of which was Brazil, by revealing that Brazilians display two within-Africa ancestry components: one associated with non-Bantu/western Africans (more evident in the Northeast and African Americans) and one associated with Bantu/eastern Africans (more present in the Southeast/South). Furthermore, the whole-genome analysis of 30 individuals (42-fold deep coverage) shows that continental admixture rather than local post-Columbian history is the main and complex determinant of the individual amount of deleterious genotypes. PMID:26124090

From Yoknapatawpha to Piratininga and Beyond: Antônio Dutra's "Dias De Faulkner"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valente, Luiz Fernando

2015-01-01

By reimagining William Faulkner's 1954 visit to Brazil, Antônio Dutra's "Dias de Faulkner" (2008) establishes a creative dialogue with Faulkner's "oeuvre" while also inquiring into the author's enigmatic personality. In the process Dutra's narrative invites us to reflect on the complex and contradictory relationship between the…

Evaluation of soil quality in areas of cocoa cabruca, forest and multicropping in southern Bahia, Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Atlantic Rain Forest is one of the most complex natural environments of the earth and, linked with this ecosystem, the cacao-cabruca system is agroforestry cultivation with an arrangement including a range of environmental, social and economical benefits and can protect many features of the biod...

Promoting Ethical and Environmental Awareness in Vulnerable Communities: A Research Action Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Araujo, Ulisses

2012-01-01

Urban populations that live in the outskirts of major Latin American cities usually face conditions of vulnerability attached to complex environmental issues, such as the lack of sewerage, floods, pollution and soil and water contamination. This article reports an intervention research programme in Sao Paulo, Brazil that combines a moral education…

[Tuberculosis lymphadenitis in slaughtered swine from the State of São Paulo, Brazil: microscopic histopathology and demonstration of mycobacteria].

PubMed

Balian, S C; Ribeiro, P; Vasconcellos, S A; Pinheiro, S R; Ferreira Neto, J S; Guerra, J L; Xavier, J G; Morais, Z M; Telles, M A

1997-08-01

As the occurrence of tuberculosis lymphadenitis in swine constitutes a public health risk, especially in immunosuppressed individuals, the distribution of tuberculoid lesions and the presence of microbacteria in lymph nodes and hepatic and muscular tissue in swine for slaughter, in the State of S. Paulo, SP (Brazil), in the period from 1993 to 1994, were studied. MATERIAL E METHOD: Tuberculous lesions in 60 carcasses of swine, slaughtered at abattoirs during the period 1993-1994, were studied. When macroscopic lesions were observed, a representative sampling of lymph nodes, hepatic and muscular tissues (masseter and diaphragm) were examined using histopathological and microbacterial isolation techniques. The macroscopic lesions were found predominantly in mesenteric lymph nodes. The MAI Complex (M.avium-intracellulare) was isolated mainly in the carcass group that showed lesions and was not found in the control group. Microorganisms of the MAI Complex were not isolated from hepatic and muscular tissues. No clear relationship between the type of mycobacteria isolated and the macroscopic lesions observed during the carcass inspection was found.

Influence of habitat structure on fish assemblage of an artificial reef in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Hackradt, Carlos Werner; Félix-Hackradt, Fabiana Cézar; García-Charton, José Antonio

2011-12-01

Habitat complexity strongly influences reef fish community composition. An understanding of the underlying reasons for this relationship is important for evaluating the suitability of artificial reef (AR) habitats as a marine resource management tool. We studied the influence of AR habitat structure on fish assemblage composition off the southern coast of Brazil. We found that reef blocks with greater area and number of holes possessed the greatest fish species richness and abundance. Reef blocks with greater complexity had higher abundance of almost 30% of fish species present. Natural reef (NR) and AR were different in their fish species composition, trophic structure and categories of water column occupancy by fish (spatial categories). Although NR was more diverse and harboured more trophic levels, AR presented the higher abundances and the presence of distinct fish species that underlined their importance at a regional scale. The greater availability of sheltering habitat where hard substrate is scarce, together with their frequent use by economically important species, make AR a useful tool for coastal management when certain ecological conditions are met. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics in the Fitness-Income plane: Brazilian states vs World countries

PubMed Central

Operti, Felipe G.; Pugliese, Emanuele; Andrade, José S.; Pietronero, Luciano

2018-01-01

In this paper we introduce a novel algorithm, called Exogenous Fitness, to calculate the Fitness of subnational entities and we apply it to the states of Brazil. In the last decade, several indices were introduced to measure the competitiveness of countries by looking at the complexity of their export basket. Tacchella et al (2012) developed a non-monetary metric called Fitness. In this paper, after an overview about Brazil as a whole and the comparison with the other BRIC countries, we introduce a new methodology based on the Fitness algorithm, called Exogenous Fitness. Combining the results with the Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDPp), we look at the dynamics of the Brazilian states in the Fitness-Income plane. Two regimes are distinguishable: one with high predictability and the other with low predictability, showing a deep analogy with the heterogeneous dynamics of the World countries. Furthermore, we compare the ranking of the Brazilian states according to the Exogenous Fitness with the ranking obtained through two other techniques, namely Endogenous Fitness and Economic Complexity Index. PMID:29874265

Health conditions and health-policy innovations in Brazil: the way forward.

PubMed

Victora, Cesar G; Barreto, Mauricio L; do Carmo Leal, Maria; Monteiro, Carlos A; Schmidt, Maria Ines; Paim, Jairnilson; Bastos, Francisco I; Almeida, Celia; Bahia, Ligia; Travassos, Claudia; Reichenheim, Michael; Barros, Fernando C

2011-06-11

Brazil is a large complex country that is undergoing rapid economic, social, and environmental change. In this Series of six articles, we have reported important improvements in health status and life expectancy, which can be ascribed largely to progress in social determinants of health and to implementation of a comprehensive national health system with strong social participation. Many challenges remain, however. Socioeconomic and regional disparities are still unacceptably large, reflecting the fact that much progress is still needed to improve basic living conditions for a large proportion of the population. New health problems arise as a result of urbanisation and social and environmental change, and some old health issues remain unabated. Administration of a complex, decentralised public-health system, in which a large share of services is contracted out to the private sector, together with many private insurance providers, inevitably causes conflict and contradiction. The challenge is ultimately political, and we conclude with a call for action that requires continuous engagement by Brazilian society as a whole in securing the right to health for all Brazilian people. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics in the Fitness-Income plane: Brazilian states vs World countries.

PubMed

Operti, Felipe G; Pugliese, Emanuele; Andrade, José S; Pietronero, Luciano; Gabrielli, Andrea

2018-01-01

In this paper we introduce a novel algorithm, called Exogenous Fitness, to calculate the Fitness of subnational entities and we apply it to the states of Brazil. In the last decade, several indices were introduced to measure the competitiveness of countries by looking at the complexity of their export basket. Tacchella et al (2012) developed a non-monetary metric called Fitness. In this paper, after an overview about Brazil as a whole and the comparison with the other BRIC countries, we introduce a new methodology based on the Fitness algorithm, called Exogenous Fitness. Combining the results with the Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDPp), we look at the dynamics of the Brazilian states in the Fitness-Income plane. Two regimes are distinguishable: one with high predictability and the other with low predictability, showing a deep analogy with the heterogeneous dynamics of the World countries. Furthermore, we compare the ranking of the Brazilian states according to the Exogenous Fitness with the ranking obtained through two other techniques, namely Endogenous Fitness and Economic Complexity Index.

[Indigenous peoples' access to health services in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso State, Brazil].

PubMed

Gomes, Silvana Cardoso; Esperidião, Monique Azevedo

2017-06-12

This study aimed to evaluate indigenous peoples' access to medium and high-complexity health services in the municipality of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, through the Casa de Saúde Indígena or Indigenous Peoples' Clinic (CASAI Cuiabá). A single case study with a qualitative approach was conducted at CASAI Cuiabá. Data were obtained from observation of the work routines at CASAI Cuiabá, semi-structured interviews with health professionals and administrators from the Cuiabá Special Indigenous Health District (DSEI) and CASAI Cuiabá, and document analysis. Data analysis used a matrix derived from the theoretical and logical model of accessibility, validated by the Delphi method with a group of experts on indigenous peoples' health. Despite advances achieved by CASAI in improving indigenous peoples' access, there are persistent social, organizational, cultural, and geographic barriers in access to medium and high-complexity health services in Cuiabá. The study highlights the need for specific strategies to improve access to health services by indigenous peoples in Mato Grosso State.

Risk factors for myocardial infarction in Brazil.

PubMed

Piegas, Leopoldo S; Avezum, Alvaro; Pereira, Júlio César R; Neto, João Manoel Rossi; Hoepfner, Clóvis; Farran, Jorge A; Ramos, Rui F; Timerman, Ari; Esteves, José Péricles

2003-08-01

Approximately three-quarters of cardiovascular disease deaths in the world come from developing countries, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an important cause of death. Brazil is one of the largest countries in Latin America and the contemporary evaluation of risk factors for AMI is crucial for a more efficacious disease management. The Acute Myocardial Infarction Risk Factor Assessment in Brazil (AFIRMAR) study is a case-control, hospital-based study involving 104 hospitals in 51 cities in Brazil, designed to evaluate risk factors for a first ST-segment elevation AMI. A total of 1279 pairs, matched by age (+/- 5 years) and sex, were enrolled. The conditional multivariable analysis of 33 variables showed the following independent risk factors for AMI: > or =5 cigarettes per day (odds ratio [OR] 4.90, P <.00001); glucose > or =126 mg/dL (OR 2.82, P <.00001); waist/hip ratio > or =0.94 (OR 2.45, P <.00001); family history of CAD (OR 2.29, P <.00001), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol 100 to 120 mg/dL (OR 2.10, P <.00001); reported hypertension (OR 2.09, P <.00001); <5 cigarettes per day (OR 2.07, P =.0171); low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol >120 mg/dL (OR 1.75, P <.00001); reported diabetes mellitus (OR 1.70, P =.0069); waist/hip ratio 0.90 to 0.93 (OR 1.52, P =.0212); alcohol intake (up to 2 days/week) (OR 0.75, P <.0309); alcohol intake (3-7 days/week) (OR 0.60, P =.0085); family income R$600 to R$1200 and college education (OR 2.92, P =.0499); family income >R$1200 and college education (OR 0.68, P = 0.0239) The independent risk factors for AMI in Brazil showed a conventional distribution pattern (smoking, diabetes mellitus and central obesity among others) with different strengths of association; most of them being preventable by implementation of adequate policies.

Temporal trends and spatial distribution of unsafe abortion in Brazil, 1996-2012

PubMed Central

Martins-Melo, Francisco Rogerlândio; Lima, Mauricélia da Silveira; Alencar, Carlos Henrique; Ramos, Alberto Novaes; Carvalho, Francisco Herlânio Costa; Machado, Márcia Maria Tavares; Heukelbach, Jorg

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE To analyze temporal trends and distribution patterns of unsafe abortion in Brazil. METHODS Ecological study based on records of hospital admissions of women due to abortion in Brazil between 1996 and 2012, obtained from the Hospital Information System of the Ministry of Health. We estimated the number of unsafe abortions stratified by place of residence, using indirect estimate techniques. The following indicators were calculated: ratio of unsafe abortions/100 live births and rate of unsafe abortion/1,000 women of childbearing age. We analyzed temporal trends through polynomial regression and spatial distribution using municipalities as the unit of analysis. RESULTS In the study period, a total of 4,007,327 hospital admissions due to abortions were recorded in Brazil. We estimated a total of 16,905,911 unsafe abortions in the country, with an annual mean of 994,465 abortions (mean unsafe abortion rate: 17.0 abortions/1,000 women of childbearing age; ratio of unsafe abortions: 33.2/100 live births). Unsafe abortion presented a declining trend at national level (R2: 94.0%, p < 0.001), with unequal patterns between regions. There was a significant reduction of unsafe abortion in the Northeast (R2: 93.0%, p < 0.001), Southeast (R2: 92.0%, p < 0.001) and Central-West regions (R2: 64.0%, p < 0.001), whereas the North (R2: 39.0%, p = 0.030) presented an increase, and the South (R2: 22.0%, p = 0.340) remained stable. Spatial analysis identified the presence of clusters of municipalities with high values for unsafe abortion, located mainly in states of the North, Northeast and Southeast Regions. CONCLUSIONS Unsafe abortion remains a public health problem in Brazil, with marked regional differences, mainly concentrated in the socioeconomically disadvantaged regions of the country. Qualification of attention to women’s health, especially to reproductive aspects and attention to pre- and post-abortion processes, are necessary and urgent strategies to be implemented in the country. PMID:25119946

Fronts and Thermohaline Structure of the Brazil Current Confluence System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Severov, Dimitri

and Thermohaline Structure of the Brazil Current Confluence System (BCCS) are stud-ied from climatic data, "Marathon Exp. Leg.8, 1984"data, and two Sea surface temperature (SST) data bases: "Meteor satellite"(1989-1994) and "ds277-Reynolds" (1981-2000).The South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) is divided in two main types: tropical (TW) and subtropical water (ST). Water masses, fronts, inter-frontal and frontal zones are analysed and classified: a) the water masses: Tropical Low-Salinity Water, Tropical Surface Water, Tropical Tropospheric Water, Subtropical Low-Salinity Water, Subtropical Surface Water, Subtropical Tropospheric Water. T,S characteristics of intermediate, deep and bottom water defined by different authors are confirmed and completed; b) the Inter-frontal Zones: Tropical/Brazil Current Zone, Sub-tropical Zone and Subantarctic Zone; c) the Frontal Zones: Subtropical, Subantarctic and Polar, and d) the Fronts: Subtropical Front of the Brazil Current, Principal Subtropical Front, North Subtropical Front, Subtropical Surface Front, South Subtropical Front, Subantarctic Surface Front, Subantarctic Front and Polar Front. Several stable T-S relationships are found below the friction layer and at the Fronts. The maximum gradient of the oceanographic characteris-tics occurs at the Brazil Current Front, which can be any of the subtropical fronts, depending on season. Minimum mean depth of the pycnocline coincides with the fronts of the BCCS, indicating the paths of low-salinity shelf waters into the open ocean. D. N. Severov (a) , V. Pshennikov (b) and A.V. Remeslo (c) a -Sección Oceanologé Facultad de Ciencia, Universidad de la Republica, Igué 4225, 11400 ıa, a Montevideo, Uruguay. Tel. (598-2) 525-8618, Fax (598-2) 525-8617, mail: dima@fcien.edu.uy b -Instituto de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Igué 4225, 11400 Mon-a tevideo, Uruguay, mail: seva@fisica.edu.uy c -Atlantic Research Inst. For Fisheries Oceanology (Atlant/NIRO), Kaliningrad, Russia

Central Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) true-color image was acquired on October 19, 2000, over a region in Brazil large enough to show much of the country's diverse landscape. Spanning some 8.5 million square kilometers (3.2 million square miles), Brazil is by far the largest South American nation--both in terms of land and population. The region known as the Amazon Basin lies to the northwest (upper left) and extends well beyond the northern and western edges of this scene. Typically, from this perspective Amazonia appears as a lush, dark green carpet due to the thick canopy of vegetation growing there. Some of the Amazon Basin is visible in this image, but much is obscured by clouds (bright white pixels), as is the Amazon River. This region is home to countless plant and animal species and some 150,000 native South Americans. The clusters of square and rectangular patterns toward the center of the image (light green or reddish-brown pixels) are where people have cleared away trees and vegetation to make room for development and agriculture. Toward the western side of the scene there is considerable haze and smoke from widespread biomass burning in parts of Brazil and Bolivia, which shares its eastern border with Brazil. Toward the east in this image is the highland, or 'cerrado,' region, which is more sparsely vegetated and has a somewhat drier climate than the Amazon Basin. The capital city, Brasilia, lies within this region just southwest of the Geral de Goias Mountains (orangish pixels running north-south). There are two large water reservoirs visible in this scene--the Sobradinho Reservoir about 800 km (500 miles) northeast of Brasilia, and the Paranaiba about 500 km (300 miles) southwest of Brasilia. MODIS flies aboard NASA's Terra spacecraft. Image courtesy Brian Montgomery, Reto Stockli, and Robert Simmon, based on data from the MODIS Science Team.

Regional differences in the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy: a multi center study in Brazil.

PubMed

Drummond, Karla Rezende Guerra; Malerbi, Fernando Korn; Morales, Paulo Henrique; Mattos, Tessa Cerqueira Lemos; Pinheiro, André Araújo; Mallmann, Felipe; Perez, Ricardo Vessoni; Leal, Franz Schubert Lopes; de Melo, Laura Gomes Nunes; Gomes, Marília Brito

2018-01-01

Diabetic retinopathy has a significant impact in every healthcare system. Despite that fact, there are few accurate estimates in the prevalence of DR in Brazil's different geographic regions, particularly proliferative DR and diabetic macular edema. This study aims to determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in Brazil's five continental regions and its determinant factors. This multi center, cross-sectional, observational study, conducted between August 2011 and December 2014, included patients with type 1 diabetes from the 5 Brazilian geographic regions (South, Southeast, North, Northeast and Midwest). During a clinical visit, a structured questionnaire was applied, blood sampling was collected and each patient underwent mydriatic binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy evaluation. Data was obtained from 1644 patients, aged 30.2 ± 12 years (56.1% female, 54.4% Caucasian), with a diabetes duration of 15.5 ± 9.3 years. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 242 (36.1%) in the Southeast, 102 (42.9%) in the South, 183 (29.9%) in the North and Northeast and 54 (41.7%) in the Midwest. Multinomial regression showed no difference in the prevalence of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy in each geographic region, although, prevalence of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (p = 0.022), and diabetic macular edema (p = 0.003) was higher in the Midwest. Stepwise analyses reviled duration of diabetes, level of HbA1c and hypertension as independent variables. The prevalence of non proliferative diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 1 diabetes was no different between each geographic region of Brazil. The Midwest presented higher prevalence of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. Duration of DM and glycemic control is of central importance to all. Hypertension is another fundamental factor to every region, at special in the South and Southeast. Glycemic control and patients in social and economic vulnerability deserves special attention in the North and Northeast of Brazil.

High diversity of Drosophilidae (Insecta, Diptera) in the Pampas Biome of South America, with descriptions of new Rhinoleucophenga species.

PubMed

Poppe, Jean Lucas; Schmitz, Hermes José; Grimaldi, David; Da Silva Valente, Vera Lúcia

2014-03-14

In the last three decades some faunal surveys of Drosophilidae have been done in several environments in the Neotropical region, especially in Brazil. But approximately 30 to 50% of the drosophilids in Brazil have not yet been described, and the degradation of some biomes causes a profound loss of species diversity, as well as the loss of information about the present structureof their communities. This is the situation with the pampas biome, which covers southernmost Brazil, all of Uruguay, and the central region of eastern Argentina. For the present study, seasonal collections were made in a natural area of pampas within the limits of the municipality of Bossoroca in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (28°45'01"S 54°56'55"W), from April 2011 to April 2012. A total of 7,164 drosophilids of 51 species were collected, comprising 36 species belonging to Drosophila Fallén, ten of Rhinoleucophenga Hendel, two of Amiota Loew, two of Zygothrica Wiedemann and one of Zaprionus Coquillett. Some species were recorded for the first time in pampas: Drosophila briegeri Pavan & Breuer, D. fuscolineata Duda, Rhinoleucophenga obesa (Loew), R. punctulata Duda, R. subradiata Duda and Zygothrica orbitalis (Sturtevant). Furthermore, three new species of genus Rhinoleucophenga were described: R. pampeana sp. nov., R. missionera sp. nov. and R. sulina sp. nov. A dichotomous key is given for the Rhinoleucophenga species recorded in pampas. An intensive literature search is reviewed of drosophilid species recorded in pampas of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, including taxonomic, genetic, evolutionary, and ecological studies. Despite Brazilian pampas being the richest when compared with Uruguay and Argentina, the three countries presented the same problem: huge areas with a barely surveyed Drosophilidae fauna. The combination of this information and the knowledge of the current state of preservation of pampas stress the necessity and importance of creating new conservation areas to preserve the natural biodiversity of pampas.

Structure of homeodomain-leucine zipper/DNA complexes studied using hydroxyl radical cleavage of DNA and methylation interference.

PubMed

Tron, Adriana E; Comelli, Raúl N; Gonzalez, Daniel H

2005-12-27

Homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) proteins, unlike most homeodomain proteins, bind a pseudopalindromic DNA sequence as dimers. We have investigated the structure of the DNA complexes formed by two HD-Zip proteins with different nucleotide preferences at the central position of the binding site using footprinting and interference methods. The results indicate that the respective complexes are not symmetric, with the strand bearing a central purine (top strand) showing higher protection around the central region and the bottom strand protected toward the 3' end. Binding to a sequence with a nonpreferred central base pair produces a decrease in protection in either the top or the bottom strand, depending upon the protein. Modeling studies derived from the complex formed by the monomeric Antennapedia homeodomain with DNA indicate that in the HD-Zip/DNA complex the recognition helix of one of the monomers is displaced within the major groove respective to the other one. This monomer seems to lose contacts with a part of the recognition sequence upon binding to the nonpreferred site. The results show that the structure of the complex formed by HD-Zip proteins with DNA is dependent upon both protein intrinsic characteristics and the nucleotides present at the central position of the recognition sequence.

[Brazil: agricultural modernisation and food production restructuring in the international crisis].

PubMed

Bertrand, J P

1985-01-01

This study examines the complex relationship of capital accumulation, external debt, and food supply in Brazil, a country which has simultaneously increased its food exports and its unsatisfied demand for food imports in the context of the world economic crisis. In Brazil, the substitution of export cash crops for subsistence crops has been accompanied by a profound but incomplete restructuring of the basic food supply and model of consumption, a restructuring made possible by declining real cost of the new foods. The gap between the extremely rapid evolution of consumption, especially in the urban areas, and the possibilities of concomitant transformation of production is the characteristic feature of the change occuring in Brazil. The current diet of the developed countries evolved over a relatively long period and was based on the declining real cost of basic foodstuffs made possible by increasing labor productivity. Between 1800-1900, the real cost of a kilo of bread was halved, while that of meat remained stable. In France and the US respectively, 80 and 90% of the principal cereals are consumed by animals, while in developing countries most grains are directly consumed. Numerous indices suggest that Brazil has begun to differentiate its food regime in the direction of decreased consumption of cereals, tubers, and legumes, and increased consumption of animal products, with grains increasingly consumed indirectly by animals. Since the early 1970s, Brazil has developed a powerful processed food industry which supports intensive breeding of poultry and, to a lesser extent, pork and milk cattle. However, low income population groups have been forced to reduce their consumption of traditional foodstuffs, whose real prices have undergone relative increases, without achieving a satisfactory level of consumption of the new products. Brazilian food problems result not from insufficient production of food but from the choice of a strongly internationalist model of development in the mid-1960s which required insertion into the world economy, notably through a search for new export sectors. The agricultural sector was assigned 3 functions: producing food as cheaply as possible, increasing the proportion of exportable crops, and substituting some of the foods imported. Brazil evolved in 2 decades from a classic agroexporter to a more complex structure reflecting the semiindustrialized state of the economy. The share of processed agricultural goods increased accordingly. The foods produced for the internal market have been changing at the same time that a new hierarchy of exportable products has evolved. Agricultural policy involved recourse to market mechanisms and cheap credit focused on the south and southeastern regions, large and medium sized producers, and a few products including soy, coffee, sugar cane, and cotton. Just 3% of credits went to the traditional foodstuffs beans and manioc. The most serious consequence of the internationalization of the agricultural economy has been a dangerous increase in the vulnerability of low income groups to world food price fluctuations.

THE TRUE IDENTITY OF COPELAND'S AQUATIC SCUTTLE FLY (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE) FROM INDIANA AND RECOGNITION OF A SIBLING SPECIES FROM TEXAS.

PubMed

Disney, R Henry L; Copeland, Robert S; Murrell, Ebony

2009-07-01

Among the insects reported by Copeland (1989) breeding in the waters retained by treeholes in Indiana was a scuttle fly identified by W. H. Robinson as Megaselia scalaris (Loew). It is here reported that in fact this fly, along with fresh material from Illinois and Missouri, is M. imitatrix Borgmeier, whose type series was from Puerto Rico. An aquatic species reported from Texas is recognized as a sibling species of M. imitatrix and is named M. hansonix Disney, sp. nov. A single female from Brazil represents a third species of this complex, thus raising doubts about the identity of specimens from Brazil attributed to M. imitatrix by Benton and Claugher (2000).

THE TRUE IDENTITY OF COPELAND'S AQUATIC SCUTTLE FLY (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE) FROM INDIANA AND RECOGNITION OF A SIBLING SPECIES FROM TEXAS

PubMed Central

Disney, R. Henry L.; Copeland, Robert S.; Murrell, Ebony

2012-01-01

Among the insects reported by Copeland (1989) breeding in the waters retained by treeholes in Indiana was a scuttle fly identified by W. H. Robinson as Megaselia scalaris (Loew). It is here reported that in fact this fly, along with fresh material from Illinois and Missouri, is M. imitatrix Borgmeier, whose type series was from Puerto Rico. An aquatic species reported from Texas is recognized as a sibling species of M. imitatrix and is named M. hansonix Disney, sp. nov. A single female from Brazil represents a third species of this complex, thus raising doubts about the identity of specimens from Brazil attributed to M. imitatrix by Benton and Claugher (2000). PMID:22879679

Fine structure of the epicytoplasmic eimerid coccidium Acroeimeria pintoi Lainson & Paperna, 1999, a gut parasite of the lizard Ameiva ameiva in north Brazil.

PubMed

Paperna, L; Lainson, R

1999-12-01

An account is given of the fine structure of Acroeimerio pintoi, an epicytoplasmic coccidium infecting the small intestine of the teiid lizard Ameiva ameiva in north Brazil. The merozoile becomes encircled by outgrowths of the host-cell wall which then merge to form a parasitophorous sack in which the parasite continues to develop when this bulges out above the epithelium surface. The account includes a description of merozoites, young meronts and young and mature macrogamonts. The parasitophorous vacuole has a complex tubular system connected to its junction with the host-cell. The parasites are coated with a droplet-like glycocalyx and covered by a fine filamentous layer.

Development of the Neurochemical Architecture of the Central Complex

PubMed Central

Boyan, George S.; Liu, Yu

2016-01-01

The central complex represents one of the most conspicuous neuroarchitectures to be found in the insect brain and regulates a wide repertoire of behaviors including locomotion, stridulation, spatial orientation and spatial memory. In this review article, we show that in the grasshopper, a model insect system, the intricate wiring of the fan-shaped body (FB) begins early in embryogenesis when axons from the first progeny of four protocerebral stem cells (called W, X, Y, Z, respectively) in each brain hemisphere establish a set of tracts to the primary commissural system. Decussation of subsets of commissural neurons at stereotypic locations across the brain midline then establishes a columnar neuroarchitecture in the FB which is completed during embryogenesis. Examination of the expression patterns of various neurochemicals in the central complex including neuropeptides, a neurotransmitter and the gas nitric oxide (NO), show that these appear progressively and in a substance-specific manner during embryogenesis. Each neuroactive substance is expressed by neurons located at stereotypic locations in a given central complex lineage, confirming that the stem cells are biochemically multipotent. The organization of axons expressing the various neurochemicals within the central complex is topologically related to the location, and hence birthdate, of the neurons within the lineages. The neurochemical expression patterns within the FB are layered, and so reflect the temporal topology present in the lineages. This principle relates the neuroanatomical to the neurochemical architecture of the central complex and so may provide insights into the development of adaptive behaviors. PMID:27630548

INTEGRATING GEOPHYSICS, GEOLOGY, AND HYDROLOGY TO DETERMINE BEDROCK GEOMETRY CONTROLS ON THE ORIGIN OF ISOLATED MEADOW COMPLEXES WITHIN THE CENTRAL GREAT BASIN, NEVADA

EPA Science Inventory

Riparian meadow complexes found in mountain ranges of the Central Great Basin physiographic region (western United States) are of interest to researchers as they contain significant biodiversity relative to the surrounding basin areas. These meadow complexes are currently degradi...

Stress Field in Brazil with Focal Mechanism: Regional and Local Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, F.; Assumpcao, M.

2013-05-01

The knowledge of stress field is fundamental not only to understand driving forces and plate deformation but also in the study of intraplate seismicity. The stress field in Brazil has been determined mainly using focal mechanisms and a few breakout data and in-situ measurements. However the stress field still is poorly known in Brazil. The focal mechanisms of recent earthquakes (magnitude lower than 5 mb) were studied using waveform modeling. We stacked the record of several teleseismic stations ( delta > 30°) stacked groups of stations separated according to distance and azimuth. Every record was visually inspected and those with a good signal/noise ratio (SNR) were grouped in windows of ten degrees distance and stacked. The teleseismic P-wave of the stacked signals was modeled using the hudson96 program of Herrmann seismology package (Herrmann, 2002) and the consistency of focal mechanism with the first-motion was checked. Some events in central Brazil were recorded by closer stations (~ 1000 km) and the moment tensor was determined with the ISOLA code (Sokos & Zahradnik, 2008). With the focal mechanisms available in literature and those obtained in this work, we were able to identify some patterns: the central region shows a purely compressional pattern (E-W SHmax), which is predicted by regional theoretical models (Richardson & Coblentz, 1996 and the TD0 model of Lithgow & Bertelloni, 2004). Meanwhile in the Amazon we find an indication of SHmax oriented in the SE-NW direction, probably caused by the Caribbean plate interaction (Meijer, 1995). In northern coastal region, the compression rotates following the coastline, which indicates an important local component related to spreading effects at the continental/oceanic transition (Assumpção, 1998) and flexural stresses caused by sedimentary load in Amazon Fan. We determine the focal mechanism of several events in Brazil using different techniques according to the available data. The major difficulty is to determine focal mechanism of low magnitudes events (< 5.0 mb) using distant s seismograph stations. We find examples of stress perturbations induced by local effects (e.g. flexure and continental spreading). The results of this work should be useful for future numerical modeling of intraplate stress field. Assumpção,M.,1998.Seismicity and stresses in the Brazilian passive margin. Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 88(1),160-169. Herrmann, R. B. (2002). Computer programs in seismology, St. Louis University Earthquake Center, St. Louis, Missouri, www.eas.slu .edu/eqc/eqccps.html. Lithgow-Bertelloni, C., & J.H. Guynn, 2004. Origin of the lithospheric stress field. J. Geophys. Res., 109, B01408, doi:10.1029/2003JB002467. Meijer, P.T., 1995. Dynamics of active continental margins: the Andes and the Aegean regions. PhD Thesis, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. Sokos, E., Zahradnik, J., (2008). ISOLA a Fortran code and a Matlab GUI to perform multiple-point source inversion of seismic data, Computers and Geosciences, 34, 967-97. Watts, A. B., M. Rodger, C. Peirce, C. J. Greenroyd, and R. W. Hobbs (2009). Seismic structure, gravity anomalies, and flexure of the Amazon continental margin, NE Brazil, J. Geophys. Res., 114, B07103, doi:10.1029/2008JB006259.

Agro-pastoral expansion and land use/land cover (LU/LC) change dynamics in Central-western Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanga-Ngoie, K.; Yoshikawa, S.; Kanae, S.

2011-12-01

In Brazil, large-scale land cover changes following extensive deforestations are expected to generate big impacts onto the climate and the environment over this area, with eventually many negative feedbacks on the global scale. Mato Grosso State, located in the central western Brazil, is known to be the Brazilian state with the highest deforestation rate. Land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes have been reported to occur over large areas in this state due to the introduction of large-scale mechanized agriculture, extensive cattle ranching and uncontrolled slash-and-burn cultivation since the 1980s. In this study, we specifically aim at doing more detailed analysis for the causes of deforestation and savannization in this area, with special attention to agriculture and cattle ranching industry at the municipal district level in this state. Using GIS techniques and remotely-sensed NOAA/AVHRR data, we created 5-year Digital Vegetation Model Maps characterizing LU/LC features for every five years during the 1981-2001 periods using the PCA first components of the NOAA/AVHRR multi-spectral data. Our results make it clear that: (1) LU/LC changes among the phases are of the following 3 major types: degradation, recovery or transition; (2) The changes in LU/LC features are concomitant with the advance of cattle ranching and corn production activities toward the northern parts of the state, and with the expansion of soybean production in the central and western Mato Grosso; (3) Most of the agro-pastoral business are found in the southern Mato Grosso where about 46% of the state's deforestation during the 1981-2001 period occurred; (4) Rates of vegetation change are larger over non-inhabited areas (56%), especially in the north, than over the populated zones in the south (42%). Moreover, this work sheds some new light on the patterns of the changes in LU/LC features (deforestation and savannization) for each municipal district of Mato Grosso. In general, the following activities are shown to be the main contributors to the deforestation of tropical rainforests in Mato Grosso: cattle ranches or corn croplands in northwestern, and soybean fields in the central areas. On the other side, savannization due to soybean or corn cultivation is found mainly in the west and the southeast, respectively. It has to be noted that corn production seems to bring forth more savannization impacts than soybean cultivation over this Brazilian state. All these findings highlight the non-sustainable characteristics of resources development processes occurring not only in Mato Grosso State, but also over all the tropical rainforests in the Amazonian Basin subcontinent.

PET Radiopharmaceuticals in Brazil and Belarus: Economic Comparison Using the Case of 18FDG.

PubMed

Brinkevich, Sviatoslav; Pires, Leonardo Paredes; Portilho, Filipe Leal; Santos-Oliveira, Ralph

2018-01-01

The production of radiopharmaceuticals, especially the PET ones, is a complex combination of economic and social factors. Despite the social aspects, that are essential, the economic issue must be considered and play an important parameter for the implementation and maintenance of producer centers around the world, with especial regards for countries which face economic crisis and/or belongs to aegis of under development countries. In order to evaluate this scenario with carried out this study, comparing a well-established producer center in Brazil and a new on in Belarus. The results showed that the producer center in Brazil face serious economic problems and all the production logistic must be re-done. On the other hand the new producer center in Belarus started following a new model of production and although it has not been profitable, the perspectives seem to be better than the Brazilian producer center. The Brazilian model for PET radiopharmaceutical productions should be revised in order to avoid waste and create a new perspective for the research area. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Reptiles from Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Maranhão, northeastern Brazil

PubMed Central

Miranda, Jivanildo Pinheiro; Costa, João Carlos Lopes; Rocha, Carlos Frederico D.

2012-01-01

Abstract We are presenting a list of the reptile species from Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (LMNP), Maranhão, Brazil, obtained during 235 days of field work. The study area is located in the contact zone between three major Neotropical ecosystems: Amazonia, Caatinga, and Cerrado. The PNLM encompasses the largest dune fields in Brazil, wide shrubby areas (restingas), lakes, mangroves, and many freshwater lagoons. We have recorded 42 species of reptiles in the area: 24 snakes, 12 lizards, two worm lizards, three turtles, and one alligator. About 81 % of the recorded species occurred only in restinga areas. Our data highlights the uniqueness of the PNLM in the context of the biomes that surround it and shows the importance of efforts to improve the conservation of reptiles living in the restinga, which currently comprise only about 20 % of the total area protected by the park, but which are the mesohabitat containing most of the reptile species in the Lençóis Maranhenses complex of habitats. PMID:23275751

Hantavirus Infection Prevalence in Wild Rodents and Human Anti-Hantavirus Serological Profiles from Different Geographic Areas of South Brazil

PubMed Central

Raboni, Sonia M.; Delfraro, Adriana; de Borba, Luana; Teixeira, Bernardo R.; Stella, Vanessa; de Araujo, Marina R.; Carstensen, Suzana; Rubio, Giselia; Maron, Angela; Lemos, Elba R. S.; D'Andrea, Paulo S.; Duarte dos Santos, Claudia N.

2012-01-01

Paraná state presents the fourth highest number of accumulated cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Brazil. To map the risk areas for hantavirus transmission we carried out a study based on rodent trapping and determined the anti-hantavirus seroprevalence in these animals and in the inhabitants of these localities. Overall seroprevalence in rodents and humans were 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Eighty-two percent of the seropositive rodents were genetically analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that hantaviruses from rodent samples cluster with Araucária (Juquitiba-like) or Jaborá hantavirus genotypes. The Jaborá strain was identified in Akodon serrensis and Akodon montensis, whereas the Araucária strain was detected in Oligoryzomys nigripes, Oxymycterus judex, A. montensis, and Akodon paranaensis, with the latter species being identified for the first time as a natural host. These findings expose the complex relationships between virus and reservoirs in Brazil, which could have an impact on hantavirus transmission dynamics in nature and human epidemiology. PMID:22855773

The potential contribution of the natural products from Brazilian biodiversity to bioeconomy.

PubMed

Valli, Marilia; Russo, Helena M; Bolzani, Vanderlan S

2018-01-01

The development of our society has been based on the use of biodiversity, especially for medicines and nutrition. Brazil is the nation with the largest biodiversity in the world accounting for more than 15% of all living species. The devastation of biodiversity in Brazil is critical and may not only cause the loss of species and genes that encode enzymes involved in the complex metabolism of organisms, but also the loss of a rich chemical diversity, which is a potential source for bioeconomy based on natural products and new synthetic derivatives. Bioeconomy focus on the use of bio-based products, instead of fossil-based ones and could address some of the important challenges faced by society. Considering the chemical and biological diversity of Brazil, this review highlights the Brazilian natural products that were successfully used to develop new products and the value of secondary metabolites from Brazilian biodiversity with potential application for new products and technologies. Additionally, we would like to address the importance of new technologies and scientific programs to support preservation policies, bioeconomy and strategies for the sustainable use of biodiversity.

How can a policy foster local pharmaceutical production and still protect public health? Lessons from the health-industry complex in Brazil.

PubMed

da Fonseca, Elize Massard

2018-04-01

The global health community is increasingly advocating for the local production of pharmaceuticals in developing countries as a way to promote technology transfer, capacity building and improve access to medicines. However, efforts to advance drug manufacturing in these countries revive an old dilemma of fostering technological development versus granting access to social services, such as healthcare. This paper explores the case of Brazil, a country that has developed large-scale health-inspired industrial policies, but is, yet, little understood. Brazil's experience suggests that progressive healthcare bureaucrats can create innovative practices for technology and knowledge transfers. It also demonstrates that highly competitive pharmaceutical firms can collaborate with each other, if a government provides them the right incentives. Reforming regulatory policies is crucial for guaranteeing high-quality products in developing countries, but governments must play a crucial role in supporting local firms to adapt to these regulations. These findings send a strong message to global health policymakers and practitioners on the conditions to create a suitable environment for local production of medical products.

Path of infectious diseases in Brazil in the last 50 years: an ongoing challenge

PubMed Central

Waldman, Eliseu Alves; Sato, Ana Paula Sayuri

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT In this article, we comment on the main features of infectious diseases in Brazil in the last 50 years, highlighting how much of this path Revista de Saúde Pública could portray. From 1967 to 2016, 1,335 articles focusing on infectious diseases were published in Revista de Saúde Pública. Although the proportion of articles on the topic have decreased from about 50.0% to 15.0%, its notability remained and reflected the growing complexity of the research required for its control. It is noteworthy that studies design and analysis strategies progressively became more sophisticated, following the great development of epidemiology in Brazil in the recent decades. Thus, the journal has followed the success of public health interventions that permitted to control or eliminate numerous infectious diseases – which were responsible, in the past, for high rates of morbidity and mortality –, and also followed the reemergence of diseases already controlled and the emergence of until then unknown diseases, with a strong impact on the Brazilian population, establishing a little predictable and very challenging path. PMID:28099652

Analysis of clay smoking pipes from archeological sites in the region of the Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) by FT-IR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freitas, Renato P.; Ribeiro, Iohanna M.; Calza, Cristiane; Oliveira, Ana L.; Silva, Mariane L.; Felix, Valter S.; Ferreira, Douglas S.; Coelho, Felipe A.; Gaspar, Maria D.; Pimenta, André R.; Medeiros, Elanio A.; Lopes, Ricardo T.

2016-06-01

In this study, twenty samples of clay smoking pipes excavated in an 18 km2 area between the Macacu and Caceribu rivers, in the municipality of Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were analyzed by FT-IR technique. The samples, excavated in different archeological sites of the region, are dated between the seventeenth and the nineteenth centuries and are part of the material culture left by Africans and African descendants that lived in the complex. FT-IR analyses and complementary SEM-EDS studies showed that the clay paste used in the manufacture of smoking pipes, mostly handcrafted, is composed of quartz, feldspar, phyllosilicates and iron oxides. Multivariate statistical tests (PCA) were applied to FT-IR data to assess the interactions between the archeological sites. The results indicated that one archeological site - Macacu IV - is greatly related to the other sites. The results obtained have helped archeologists and anthropologists in better understanding the manufacturing process employed in ancient ceramic artifacts produced during the period of colonial Brazil.

Analysis of clay smoking pipes from archeological sites in the region of the Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) by FT-IR.

PubMed

Freitas, Renato P; Ribeiro, Iohanna M; Calza, Cristiane; Oliveira, Ana L; Silva, Mariane L; Felix, Valter S; Ferreira, Douglas S; Coelho, Felipe A; Gaspar, Maria D; Pimenta, André R; Medeiros, Elanio A; Lopes, Ricardo T

2016-06-15

In this study, twenty samples of clay smoking pipes excavated in an 18km(2) area between the Macacu and Caceribu rivers, in the municipality of Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were analyzed by FT-IR technique. The samples, excavated in different archeological sites of the region, are dated between the seventeenth and the nineteenth centuries and are part of the material culture left by Africans and African descendants that lived in the complex. FT-IR analyses and complementary SEM-EDS studies showed that the clay paste used in the manufacture of smoking pipes, mostly handcrafted, is composed of quartz, feldspar, phyllosilicates and iron oxides. Multivariate statistical tests (PCA) were applied to FT-IR data to assess the interactions between the archeological sites. The results indicated that one archeological site - Macacu IV - is greatly related to the other sites. The results obtained have helped archeologists and anthropologists in better understanding the manufacturing process employed in ancient ceramic artifacts produced during the period of colonial Brazil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Clinical and epidemiological aspects of neurocysticercosis in Brazil: a critical approach].

PubMed

Agapejev, Svetlana

2003-09-01

With the objective to show the characteristics of neurocysticercosis (NCC) in Brazil, was performed a critical analysis of national literature which showed a frequency of 1.5% in autopsies and 3.0% in clinical studies, corresponding to 0.3% of all admissions in general hospitals. In seroepidemiological studies the positivity of specific reactions was 2.3%. Brazilian patient with NCC presents a general clinical-epidemilogical profile (31-50 years old man, rural origin, complex partial epileptic crisis, increased protein levels or normal CSF, CT showing calcifications, constituting the inactive form of NCC), and a profile of severity (21-40 years old woman, urban origin, vascular headache and intracranial hypertension, typical CSF syndrome of NCC or alteration of two or more CSF parameters, CT showing vesicles and/or calcifications, constituting the active form of NCC). Although two localities from the state of S o Paulo have 72:100000 and 96:100000/habitants as prevalence coefficients, regional and national prevalences are very underestimated. Some aspects related to underestimation of NCC prevalence in Brazil are discussed.

Lung transplantation: overall approach regarding its major aspects

PubMed Central

de Camargo, Priscila Cilene León Bueno; Teixeira, Ricardo Henrique de Oliveira Braga; Carraro, Rafael Medeiros; Campos, Silvia Vidal; Afonso, José Eduardo; Costa, André Nathan; Fernandes, Lucas Matos; Abdalla, Luis Gustavo; Samano, Marcos Naoyuki; Pêgo-Fernandes, Paulo Manuel

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Lung transplantation is a well-established treatment for patients with advanced lung disease. The evaluation of a candidate for transplantation is a complex task and involves a multidisciplinary team that follows the patient beyond the postoperative period. Currently, the mean time on the waiting list for lung transplantation in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, is approximately 18 months. For Brazil as a whole, data from the Brazilian Organ Transplant Association show that, in 2014, there were 67 lung transplants and 204 patients on the waiting list for lung transplantation. Lung transplantation is most often indicated in cases of COPD, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, and pulmonary hypertension. This comprehensive review aimed to address the major aspects of lung transplantation: indications, contraindications, evaluation of transplant candidates, evaluation of donor candidates, management of transplant recipients, and major complications. To that end, we based our research on the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation guidelines and on the protocols used by our Lung Transplant Group in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. PMID:26785965

The Interaction between Central and Peripheral Processing in Chinese Handwritten Production: Evidence from the Effect of Lexicality and Radical Complexity

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qingfang; Feng, Chen

2017-01-01

The interaction between central and peripheral processing in written word production remains controversial. This study aims to investigate whether the effects of radical complexity and lexicality in central processing cascade into peripheral processing in Chinese written word production. The participants were asked to write characters and non-characters (lexicality) with different radical complexity (few- and many-strokes). The findings indicated that regardless of the lexicality, the writing latencies were longer for characters with higher complexity (the many-strokes condition) than for characters with lower complexity (the few-strokes condition). The participants slowed down their writing execution at the radicals' boundary strokes, which indicated a radical boundary effect in peripheral processing. Interestingly, the lexicality and the radical complexity affected the pattern of shift velocity and writing velocity during the execution of writing. Lexical processing cascades into peripheral processing but only at the beginning of Chinese characters. In contrast, the radical complexity influenced the execution of handwriting movement throughout the entire character, and the pattern of the effect interacted with the character frequency. These results suggest that the processes of the lexicality and the radical complexity function during the execution of handwritten word production, which suggests that central processing cascades over peripheral processing during Chinese characters handwriting. PMID:28348536

Nut Production in Bertholletia excelsa across a Logged Forest Mosaic: Implications for Multiple Forest Use

PubMed Central

Rockwell, Cara A.; Guariguata, Manuel R.; Menton, Mary; Arroyo Quispe, Eriks; Quaedvlieg, Julia; Warren-Thomas, Eleanor; Fernandez Silva, Harol; Jurado Rojas, Edwin Eduardo; Kohagura Arrunátegui, José Andrés Hideki; Meza Vega, Luis Alberto; Revilla Vera, Olivia; Valera Tito, Jonatan Frank; Villarroel Panduro, Betxy Tabita; Yucra Salas, Juan José

2015-01-01

Although many examples of multiple-use forest management may be found in tropical smallholder systems, few studies provide empirical support for the integration of selective timber harvesting with non-timber forest product (NTFP) extraction. Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa, Lecythidaceae) is one of the world’s most economically-important NTFP species extracted almost entirely from natural forests across the Amazon Basin. An obligate out-crosser, Brazil nut flowers are pollinated by large-bodied bees, a process resulting in a hard round fruit that takes up to 14 months to mature. As many smallholders turn to the financial security provided by timber, Brazil nut fruits are increasingly being harvested in logged forests. We tested the influence of tree and stand-level covariates (distance to nearest cut stump and local logging intensity) on total nut production at the individual tree level in five recently logged Brazil nut concessions covering about 4000 ha of forest in Madre de Dios, Peru. Our field team accompanied Brazil nut harvesters during the traditional harvest period (January-April 2012 and January-April 2013) in order to collect data on fruit production. Three hundred and ninety-nine (approximately 80%) of the 499 trees included in this study were at least 100 m from the nearest cut stump, suggesting that concessionaires avoid logging near adult Brazil nut trees. Yet even for those trees on the edge of logging gaps, distance to nearest cut stump and local logging intensity did not have a statistically significant influence on Brazil nut production at the applied logging intensities (typically 1–2 timber trees removed per ha). In one concession where at least 4 trees ha-1 were removed, however, the logging intensity covariate resulted in a marginally significant (0.09) P value, highlighting a potential risk for a drop in nut production at higher intensities. While we do not suggest that logging activities should be completely avoided in Brazil nut rich forests, when a buffer zone cannot be observed, low logging intensities should be implemented. The sustainability of this integrated management system will ultimately depend on a complex series of socioeconomic and ecological interactions. Yet we submit that our study provides an important initial step in understanding the compatibility of timber harvesting with a high value NTFP, potentially allowing for diversification of forest use strategies in Amazonian Perù. PMID:26271042

Nut Production in Bertholletia excelsa across a Logged Forest Mosaic: Implications for Multiple Forest Use.

PubMed

Rockwell, Cara A; Guariguata, Manuel R; Menton, Mary; Arroyo Quispe, Eriks; Quaedvlieg, Julia; Warren-Thomas, Eleanor; Fernandez Silva, Harol; Jurado Rojas, Edwin Eduardo; Kohagura Arrunátegui, José Andrés Hideki; Meza Vega, Luis Alberto; Revilla Vera, Olivia; Quenta Hancco, Roger; Valera Tito, Jonatan Frank; Villarroel Panduro, Betxy Tabita; Yucra Salas, Juan José

2015-01-01

Although many examples of multiple-use forest management may be found in tropical smallholder systems, few studies provide empirical support for the integration of selective timber harvesting with non-timber forest product (NTFP) extraction. Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa, Lecythidaceae) is one of the world's most economically-important NTFP species extracted almost entirely from natural forests across the Amazon Basin. An obligate out-crosser, Brazil nut flowers are pollinated by large-bodied bees, a process resulting in a hard round fruit that takes up to 14 months to mature. As many smallholders turn to the financial security provided by timber, Brazil nut fruits are increasingly being harvested in logged forests. We tested the influence of tree and stand-level covariates (distance to nearest cut stump and local logging intensity) on total nut production at the individual tree level in five recently logged Brazil nut concessions covering about 4000 ha of forest in Madre de Dios, Peru. Our field team accompanied Brazil nut harvesters during the traditional harvest period (January-April 2012 and January-April 2013) in order to collect data on fruit production. Three hundred and ninety-nine (approximately 80%) of the 499 trees included in this study were at least 100 m from the nearest cut stump, suggesting that concessionaires avoid logging near adult Brazil nut trees. Yet even for those trees on the edge of logging gaps, distance to nearest cut stump and local logging intensity did not have a statistically significant influence on Brazil nut production at the applied logging intensities (typically 1-2 timber trees removed per ha). In one concession where at least 4 trees ha-1 were removed, however, the logging intensity covariate resulted in a marginally significant (0.09) P value, highlighting a potential risk for a drop in nut production at higher intensities. While we do not suggest that logging activities should be completely avoided in Brazil nut rich forests, when a buffer zone cannot be observed, low logging intensities should be implemented. The sustainability of this integrated management system will ultimately depend on a complex series of socioeconomic and ecological interactions. Yet we submit that our study provides an important initial step in understanding the compatibility of timber harvesting with a high value NTFP, potentially allowing for diversification of forest use strategies in Amazonian Perù.

γ-Tubulin complex in Trypanosoma brucei: molecular composition, subunit interdependence and requirement for axonemal central pair protein assembly.

PubMed

Zhou, Qing; Li, Ziyin

2015-11-01

γ-Tubulin complex constitutes a key component of the microtubule-organizing center and nucleates microtubule assembly. This complex differs in complexity in different organisms: the budding yeast contains the γ-tubulin small complex (γTuSC) composed of γ-tubulin, gamma-tubulin complex protein (GCP)2 and GCP3, whereas animals contain the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) composed of γTuSC and three additional proteins, GCP4, GCP5 and GCP6. In Trypanosoma brucei, the composition of the γ-tubulin complex remains elusive, and it is not known whether it also regulates assembly of the subpellicular microtubules and the spindle microtubules. Here we report that the γ-tubulin complex in T. brucei is composed of γ-tubulin and three GCP proteins, GCP2-GCP4, and is primarily localized in the basal body throughout the cell cycle. Depletion of GCP2 and GCP3, but not GCP4, disrupted the axonemal central pair microtubules, but not the subpellicular microtubules and the spindle microtubules. Furthermore, we showed that the γTuSC is required for assembly of two central pair proteins and that γTuSC subunits are mutually required for stability. Together, these results identified an unusual γ-tubulin complex in T. brucei, uncovered an essential role of γTuSC in central pair protein assembly, and demonstrated the interdependence of individual γTuSC components for maintaining a stable complex. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Universities in the Business of Repression: The Academic-Military-Industrial Complex and Central America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, Jonathan

This book presents the thesis that U.S. universities have become part of an academic-military-industrial complex that support repression and murder in Central America. Part 1 explains how U.S. policies have been based on murder in Central America and examines the responsibility of transnational corporations and U.S. war planners in this…

Meat consumption in São Paulo-Brazil: trend in the last decade.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Aline Martins; César, Chester Luiz Galvão; Fisberg, Regina Mara; Marchioni, Dirce Maria

2014-01-01

To characterize trends in meat consumption, and verify the percentage of excessive red and processed meat consumption in the last decade in São Paulo, Brazil. Cross-sectional weighted data from the Health Survey for São Paulo, conducted in São Paulo, Brazil among people aged 12 years and older. Diet was assessed by two 24-hour recalls in each survey. Usual meat consumption was estimated by Multiple Source Method. Wald tests were used to compare means across survey years. Data were collected from adolescents, adults, and elderly using a representative, complex, multistage probability-based survey in 2003 and in 2008 in São Paulo, southeast of Brazil. 2631 Brazilians were studied in 2003 and 1662 in 2008. Daily mean of red and processed meat consumption was 100 g/day in 2003, and 113 g/day in 2008. Excessive red and processed meat consumption was observed in almost 75% of the subjects, especially among adolescents in both surveys. Beef represented the largest proportion of meat consumed, followed by poultry, pork and fish in both surveys. Daily red and processed meat consumption was higher in 2008 than in 2003, and almost the entire population consumed more than what is recommended by World Cancer Research Fund. Public health strategies are needed, in order to reduce red and processed meat consumption to the recommended amounts, for a healthy diet.

Genetic identification of rickettsial isolates from fatal cases of Brazilian spotted fever and comparison with Rickettsia rickettsii isolates from the American continents.

PubMed

Labruna, Marcelo B; Santos, Fabiana C P; Ogrzewalska, Maria; Nascimento, Elvira M M; Colombo, Silvia; Marcili, Arlei; Angerami, Rodrigo N

2014-10-01

Fifteen bacterial isolates from spotted fever group rickettsiosis in Brazil were genetically identified as Rickettsia rickettsii. In a phylogenetic analysis with other R. rickettsii isolates from GenBank, the Central/South American isolates showed low polymorphism and formed a clade distinct from two North American clades, with the North American clades having greater in-branch polymorphism. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Guide to the Identification and Geographic Distribution of Lutzomyia Sand Flies in Mexico, the West Indies, Central and South America (Diptera:Psychodidae)

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-31

shown arising from the paramere by Ryan (1986). We studied other males from Amazonas, Brazil (Labrea, Oct. 1972, D.G. Young), and Madre de Dios , Peru...aided ident.). Distribution (Map 59). FRENCH GUIANA (Pajot & Le Pont 1978); PERU (6, 9, Madre de Dios , Tambopata Reserve, canopy fogging collections...with L. brasiliensis or another aragaoi group species. Young et al. (1985) reported L. brasiliensis (1 6) from Tambopata Reserve, Madre de Dios , Peru

Morphological and molecular identification of ticks infesting Boa constrictor (Squamata, Boidae) in Manaus (Central Brazilian Amazon).

PubMed

Fiorini, Leonardo Costa; Craveiro, Adriana Bentes; Mendes, Márcia Cristina; Chiesorin Neto, Laerzio; Silveira, Ronis Da

2014-01-01

The Boa constrictor is one of the world's largest vertebrate carnivores and is often found in urban areas in the city of Manaus, Brazil. The morphological identification of ticks collected from 27 snakes indicated the occurrence of Amblyomma dissimile Koch 1844 on all individuals sampled. In contrast, Amblyomma rotundatum Koch was found on only two snakes. An analysis of the 16S rRNA molecular marker confirmed the morphological identification of these ectoparasites.

A Contemporary Challenge to State Sovereignty: Gangs and Other Illicit Transnational Criminal Organizations in Central America, El Salvador, Mexico, Jamaica, and Brazil

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

Criminal values are derived from norms based on slave holding, sexual activity with minors and their exploitation in prostitution, the farming of humans...values from norms based on slave holding, sexual activity with minors and their exploitation in prostitution, the “farming” of humans for body...de Cocaina, abuso de drogas (Coca Paste and Cocaine: The Abuse of Drugs), Lima: CEDRO, 1990, pp. 301-321; Stephen E. Flynn, The Transnational Drug

Molecular Confirmation of the Specific Status of Anopheles halophylus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Evidence of a New Cryptic Species within An. triannulatus in Central Brazil

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

unbiased genetic dis- tances and characterized using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means ( UPGMA ). Re- Table 1. Gene frequencies for...0.428, and between An. halophylus and the morpho- logical variant was 0.145, supporting the observations seen with allozymes. A UPGMA dendrogram based...and R. C. Wilkerson. 2005. Anopheles tri- annulatus (Neiva and Pinto): a new Anopheles record Fig. 2. UPGMA dendrogram constructed based on RAPD

A Study on the Bionomics of Anopheles darlingi Root (Diptera: Culicidae) in Belize, Central America

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-01

Mosquitoes of medical importance. U.S. Dep. Agric. Agric. Handb. 152. Forattini, O.P. 1962. Entomologia medica vol. I. Faculdade de Higiene e Saude Publica...meridional do Brasil. Rev. Saude Publ., S. Paulo. 21: 291-304. Forattini, O.P. 1962. Entomologia medica vol. I. Faculdade de Higiene e Saude...152. Forattini, O.P. 1962. Entomologia medica vol. I. Faculdade de Higiene e Saude Publica, Sao Paulo, Brazil. 662 pp. Grieco, J.P. 2001. The

Application of LANDSAT images in the Minas Gerais tectonic division

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dacunha, R. P.; Demattos, J. T.

1978-01-01

The interpretation of LANDSAT data for a regional geological investigation of Brazil is provided. Radar imagery, aerial photographs and aeromagnetic maps were also used. Automatic interpretation, using LANDSAT OCT's was carried out by the 1-100 equipment. As a primary result a tectonic map was obtained, at 1:1,000,000 scale, of an area of about 143,000 square kilometers, in the central portion of Minas Gerais and Eastern Goias States, known as regions potentially rich in mineral resources.

Treatment at scale in Brazil: a physician's perspective.

PubMed

Schechter, Mauro

2007-07-01

In 1996, Brazil became the first developing country to provide universal access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), based on a strategy that utilizes an individualized approach to treatment and an open formulary. At the time, the number of patients in need of treatment was less than 15% of what it is today, there were six approved drugs for the treatment of HIV infection (compared with 25 today), and the life expectancy of patients was measured in months and years, not in decades. In recent years, preventable and treatable conditions such as cardiovascular diseases increased significantly faster as causes of death among HIV-infected individuals than in the general population. In the near future there will be a substantial increase in the number of patients in need of therapy and in the number of patients using more complex regimens who also have co-morbidities that impact prognosis. Brazil will thus need to expand its network of treatment facilities, increase its capacity to manage more complex clinical conditions, and decide on the proper balance of sophistication that will be required. As the Brazilian scientific output is not commensurate with its successes in the treatment and prevention of HIV infection, there is little empirical basis to inform decisions on how best to allocate finite resources. The Brazilian response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, universal access to ART in particular, is an example to other developing countries. The Brazilian experience also shows that operational research should be an integral part of programmes of access to treatment, if their long-term sustainability is to be ensured.

Measurement and mitigation of methane emissions from beef cattle in tropical grazing systems: a perspective from Australia and Brazil.

PubMed

Berndt, A; Tomkins, N W

2013-06-01

The growing global demand for food of animal origin will be the incentive for countries such as Australia and Brazil to increase their beef production and international exports. This increased supply of beef is expected to occur primarily through on-farm productivity increases. The strategies for reducing resultant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions should be evaluated in the context of the production system and should encompass a broader analysis, which would include the emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon sequestration. This paper provides an insight into CH4 measurement techniques applicable to grazing environments and proposed mitigation strategies, with relevance to the production systems that are predominant in grazing systems of Australia and Brazil. Research and technology investment in both Australia and Brazil is aimed at developing measurement techniques and increasing the efficiency of cattle production by improving herd genetics, utilization of the seasonal feed-base and reducing the proportion of metabolizable energy lost as CH4. Concerted efforts in these areas can be expected to reduce the number of unproductive animals, reduce age at slaughter and inevitably reduce emission intensity (EI) from beef production systems. Improving efficiency of livestock production systems in tropical grazing systems for Australia and Brazil will be based on cultivated and existing native pastures and the use of additives and by-products from other agricultural sectors. This approach spares grain-based feed reserves typically used for human consumption, but potentially incurs a heavier EI than current intensive feeding systems. The determination of GHG emissions and the value of mitigation outcomes for entire beef production systems in the extensive grazing systems is complex and require a multidisciplinary approach. It is fortunate that governments in both Australia and Brazil are supporting ongoing research activities. Nevertheless, to achieve an outcome that feeds a growing population while reducing emissions on a global scale continues to be a monumental challenge for ruminant nutritionists.

Potential worldwide distribution of Fusarium dry root rot in common beans based on the optimal environment for disease occurrence.

PubMed

Macedo, Renan; Sales, Lilian Patrícia; Yoshida, Fernanda; Silva-Abud, Lidianne Lemes; Lobo, Murillo

2017-01-01

Root rots are a constraint for staple food crops and a long-lasting food security problem worldwide. In common beans, yield losses originating from root damage are frequently attributed to dry root rot, a disease caused by the Fusarium solani species complex. The aim of this study was to model the current potential distribution of common bean dry root rot on a global scale and to project changes based on future expectations of climate change. Our approach used a spatial proxy of the field disease occurrence, instead of solely the pathogen distribution. We modeled the pathogen environmental requirements in locations where in-situ inoculum density seems ideal for disease manifestation. A dataset of 2,311 soil samples from commercial farms assessed from 2002 to 2015 allowed us to evaluate the environmental conditions associated with the pathogen's optimum inoculum density for disease occurrence, using a lower threshold as a spatial proxy. We encompassed not only the optimal conditions for disease occurrence but also the optimal pathogen's density required for host infection. An intermediate inoculum density of the pathogen was the best disease proxy, suggesting density-dependent mechanisms on host infection. We found a strong convergence on the environmental requirements of both the host and the disease development in tropical areas, mostly in Brazil, Central America, and African countries. Precipitation and temperature variables were important for explaining the disease occurrence (from 17.63% to 43.84%). Climate change will probably move the disease toward cooler regions, which in Brazil are more representative of small-scale farming, although an overall shrink in total area (from 48% to 49% in 2050 and 26% to 41% in 2070) was also predicted. Understanding pathogen distribution and disease risks in an evolutionary context will therefore support breeding for resistance programs and strategies for dry root rot management in common beans.

Potential worldwide distribution of Fusarium dry root rot in common beans based on the optimal environment for disease occurrence

PubMed Central

Macedo, Renan; Sales, Lilian Patrícia; Yoshida, Fernanda; Silva-Abud, Lidianne Lemes

2017-01-01

Root rots are a constraint for staple food crops and a long-lasting food security problem worldwide. In common beans, yield losses originating from root damage are frequently attributed to dry root rot, a disease caused by the Fusarium solani species complex. The aim of this study was to model the current potential distribution of common bean dry root rot on a global scale and to project changes based on future expectations of climate change. Our approach used a spatial proxy of the field disease occurrence, instead of solely the pathogen distribution. We modeled the pathogen environmental requirements in locations where in-situ inoculum density seems ideal for disease manifestation. A dataset of 2,311 soil samples from commercial farms assessed from 2002 to 2015 allowed us to evaluate the environmental conditions associated with the pathogen’s optimum inoculum density for disease occurrence, using a lower threshold as a spatial proxy. We encompassed not only the optimal conditions for disease occurrence but also the optimal pathogen’s density required for host infection. An intermediate inoculum density of the pathogen was the best disease proxy, suggesting density-dependent mechanisms on host infection. We found a strong convergence on the environmental requirements of both the host and the disease development in tropical areas, mostly in Brazil, Central America, and African countries. Precipitation and temperature variables were important for explaining the disease occurrence (from 17.63% to 43.84%). Climate change will probably move the disease toward cooler regions, which in Brazil are more representative of small-scale farming, although an overall shrink in total area (from 48% to 49% in 2050 and 26% to 41% in 2070) was also predicted. Understanding pathogen distribution and disease risks in an evolutionary context will therefore support breeding for resistance programs and strategies for dry root rot management in common beans. PMID:29107985

Distribution of Lutzomyia longipalpis chemotype populations in São Paulo state, Brazil.

PubMed

Casanova, Claudio; Colla-Jacques, Fernanda E; Hamilton, James G C; Brazil, Reginaldo P; Shaw, Jeffrey J

2015-03-01

American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) is an emerging disease in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Its geographical expansion and the increase in the number of human cases has been linked to dispersion of Lutzomyia longipalpis into urban areas. To produce more accurate risk maps we investigated the geographic distribution and routes of expansion of the disease as well as chemotype populations of the vector. A database, containing the annual records of municipalities which had notified human and canine AVL cases as well as the presence of the vector, was compiled. The chemotypes of L. longipalpis populations from municipalities in different regions of São Paulo State were determined by Coupled Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry. From 1997 to June 2014, L. longipalpis has been reported in 166 municipalities, 148 of them in the Western region. A total of 106 municipalities were identified with transmission and 99 were located in the Western region, where all 2,204 autochthonous human cases occurred. Both the vector and the occurrence of human cases have expanded in a South-easterly direction, from the Western to central region, and from there, a further expansion to the North and the South. The (S)-9-methylgermacrene-B population of L. longipalpis is widely distributed in the Western region and the cembrene-1 population is restricted to the Eastern region. The maps in the present study show that there are two distinct epidemiological patterns of AVL in São Paulo State and that the expansion of human and canine AVL cases through the Western region has followed the same dispersion route of only one of the two species of the L. longipalpis complex, (S)-9-methylgermacrene-B. Entomological vigilance based on the routes of dispersion and identification of the chemotype population could be used to identify at-risk areas and consequently define the priorities for control measures.

Distribution of Lutzomyia longipalpis Chemotype Populations in São Paulo State, Brazil

PubMed Central

Casanova, Claudio; Colla-Jacques, Fernanda E.; Hamilton, James G. C.; Brazil, Reginaldo P.; Shaw, Jeffrey J.

2015-01-01

Background American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) is an emerging disease in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Its geographical expansion and the increase in the number of human cases has been linked to dispersion of Lutzomyia longipalpis into urban areas. To produce more accurate risk maps we investigated the geographic distribution and routes of expansion of the disease as well as chemotype populations of the vector. Methodology/Principal Findings A database, containing the annual records of municipalities which had notified human and canine AVL cases as well as the presence of the vector, was compiled. The chemotypes of L. longipalpis populations from municipalities in different regions of São Paulo State were determined by Coupled Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry. From 1997 to June 2014, L. longipalpis has been reported in 166 municipalities, 148 of them in the Western region. A total of 106 municipalities were identified with transmission and 99 were located in the Western region, where all 2,204 autochthonous human cases occurred. Both the vector and the occurrence of human cases have expanded in a South-easterly direction, from the Western to central region, and from there, a further expansion to the North and the South. The (S)-9-methylgermacrene-B population of L. longipalpis is widely distributed in the Western region and the cembrene-1 population is restricted to the Eastern region. Conclusion/Significance The maps in the present study show that there are two distinct epidemiological patterns of AVL in São Paulo State and that the expansion of human and canine AVL cases through the Western region has followed the same dispersion route of only one of the two species of the L. longipalpis complex, (S)-9-methylgermacrene-B. Entomological vigilance based on the routes of dispersion and identification of the chemotype population could be used to identify at-risk areas and consequently define the priorities for control measures. PMID:25781320

Evolution of antiretroviral drug costs in Brazil in the context of free and universal access to AIDS treatment.

PubMed

Nunn, Amy S; Fonseca, Elize M; Bastos, Francisco I; Gruskin, Sofia; Salomon, Joshua A

2007-11-13

Little is known about the long-term drug costs associated with treating AIDS in developing countries. Brazil's AIDS treatment program has been cited widely as the developing world's largest and most successful AIDS treatment program. The program guarantees free access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for all people living with HIV/AIDS in need of treatment. Brazil produces non-patented generic antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), procures many patented ARVs with negotiated price reductions, and recently issued a compulsory license to import one patented ARV. In this study, we investigate the drivers of recent ARV cost trends in Brazil through analysis of drug-specific prices and expenditures between 2001 and 2005. We compared Brazil's ARV prices to those in other low- and middle-income countries. We analyzed trends in drug expenditures for HAART in Brazil from 2001 to 2005 on the basis of cost data disaggregated by each ARV purchased by the Brazilian program. We decomposed the overall changes in expenditures to compare the relative impacts of changes in drug prices and drug purchase quantities. We also estimated the excess costs attributable to the difference between prices for generics in Brazil and the lowest global prices for these drugs. Finally, we estimated the savings attributable to Brazil's reduced prices for patented drugs. Negotiated drug prices in Brazil are lowest for patented ARVs for which generic competition is emerging. In recent years, the prices for efavirenz and lopinavir-ritonavir (lopinavir/r) have been lower in Brazil than in other middle-income countries. In contrast, the price of tenofovir is US$200 higher per patient per year than that reported in other middle-income countries. Despite precipitous price declines for four patented ARVs, total Brazilian drug expenditures doubled, to reach US$414 million in 2005. We find that the major driver of cost increases was increased purchase quantities of six specific drugs: patented lopinavir/r, efavirenz, tenofovir, atazanavir, enfuvirtide, and a locally produced generic, fixed-dose combination of zidovudine and lamivudine (AZT/3TC). Because prices declined for many of the patented drugs that constitute the largest share of drug costs, nearly the entire increase in overall drug expenditures between 2001 and 2005 is attributable to increases in drug quantities. Had all drug quantities been held constant from 2001 until 2005 (or for those drugs entering treatment guidelines after 2001, held constant between the year of introduction and 2005), total costs would have increased by only an estimated US$7 million. We estimate that in the absence of price declines for patented drugs, Brazil would have spent a cumulative total of US$2 billion on drugs for HAART between 2001 and 2005, implying a savings of US$1.2 billion from price declines. Finally, in comparing Brazilian prices for locally produced generic ARVs to the lowest international prices meeting global pharmaceutical quality standards, we find that current prices for Brazil's locally produced generics are generally much higher than corresponding global prices, and note that these prices have risen in Brazil while declining globally. We estimate the excess costs of Brazil's locally produced generics totaled US$110 million from 2001 to 2005. Despite Brazil's more costly generic ARVs, the net result of ARV price changes has been a cost savings of approximately US$1 billion since 2001. HAART costs have nevertheless risen steeply as Brazil has scaled up treatment. These trends may foreshadow future AIDS treatment cost trends in other developing countries as more people start treatment, AIDS patients live longer and move from first-line to second and third-line treatment, AIDS treatment becomes more complex, generic competition emerges, and newer patented drugs become available. The specific application of the Brazilian model to other countries will depend, however, on the strength of their health systems, intellectual property regulations, epidemiological profiles, AIDS treatment guidelines, and differing capacities to produce drugs locally.

The Effect of Response Time on Conjoint Analysis Estimates of Rainforest Protection Values

Treesearch

Thomas Holmes; Keith Alger; Christian Zinkhan; D. Evan Mercer

1998-01-01

This paper reports the first estimutes of willingness to pay (WTP) for rain forest protection in the threatened Atlantic Coastal Forest ecosystem in northeastern Brazil. Conjoint analysis data were collected from Brazilian tourists for recreational bundles with complex prices. An ordered probit model with time-varying parameters and heteroskedastic errors was...

The γ-tubulin complex in Trypanosoma brucei: molecular composition, subunit interdependence and requirement for axonemal central pair protein assembly

PubMed Central

Zhou, Qing; Li, Ziyin

2015-01-01

The γ-tubulin complex constitutes a key component of the microtubule-organizing center and nucleates microtubule assembly. This complex differs in complexity in different organisms: the budding yeast contains the γ-tubulin small complex (γTuSC) composed of γ-tubulin, GCP2 and GCP3, whereas animals contain the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) composed of γTuSC and three additional proteins, GCP4, GCP5 and GCP6. In Trypanosoma brucei, the composition of the γ-tubulin complex remains elusive, and it is not known whether it also regulates assembly of the subpellicular microtubules and the spindle microtubules. Here we report that the γ-tubulin complex in T. brucei is composed of γ-tubulin and three GCP proteins, GCP2-GCP4, and is primarily localized in the basal body throughout the cell cycle. Depletion of GCP2 and GCP3, but not GCP4, disrupted the axonemal central pair microtubules, but not the subpellicular microtubules and the spindle microtubules. Furthermore, we showed that the γTuSC is required for assembly of two central pair proteins and that γTuSC subunits are mutually required for stability. Together, these results identified an unusual γ-tubulin complex in T. brucei, uncovered an essential role of γTuSC in central pair protein assembly, and demonstrated the interdependence of individual γTuSC components for maintaining a stable complex. PMID:26224545

Aerosol chemistry during the wet season in central Amazonia - The influence of long-range transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Talbot, R. W.; Andreae, M. O.; Berresheim, H.; Artaxo, P.; Garstang, M.

1990-01-01

The temporal variation in the concentration and chemistry of the atmospheric aerosol over central Amazonia, Brazil, during the 1987 wet season is discussed based on ground and aircraft collected data obtained during the NASA GTE ABLE 2B expedition conducted in April/May 1987. It is found that wet-season aerosol concentrations and composition are variable in contrast to the more uniform biogenic aerosol observed during the 1985 dry season; four distinct intervals of enhanced aerosol concentration coincided with short periods (3 to 5 d) of extensive rainfall. It is hypothesized that aerosol chemistry in Amazonia during the wet season is strongly influenced by long-range transport of soil dust, marine aerosol, and possibly biomass combustion products advected into the central Basin by large-scale tropospheric circulation, producing periodic pulses of material input to local boundary layer air. The resultant wet-season aerosol regime is dynamic, in contrast to the uniformity of natural biogenic aerosols during the dry season.

Prevalence of central obesity in a large sample of adolescents from public schools in Recife, Brazil.

PubMed

Griz, Luiz H M; Viégas, Maíra; Barros, Mauro; Griz, Adriana L; Freese, Eduardo; Bandeira, Francisco

2010-10-01

To determine the prevalence and association of central obesity (CO) and hypertension and its associations with alcohol intake, smoking and physical activity in adolescents. Cross sectional study in 1,824 students from 29 public schools in Recife. 89.6% were normal weight, 6.7% overweight and 3.7% obese; 77.2% were normotensive, 5.9% prehypertensive and 16.9% hypertensive; CO was 10.2% when the 90th percentile was used as cutoff and 25.2% when the 75th percentile was used. There was a higher likelihood of central obesity among students aged 18 to 20 years, smoking and alcohol intake. The probability of hypertension increases if the subject is male, has a waist circumference (WC) ≥ 90, WC ≥ 75 and does not practice physical activity. A high prevalence of CO and hypertension was found in adolescents. CO was more frequent in students aged 18 to 20 years, smokers and with alcohol intake and hypertension was associated with male, CO and no physical activity.

Study of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis areas in the central-western state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

PubMed

Nascimento, Bruno Warlley Leandro; Saraiva, Lara; Neto, Rafael Gonçalves Teixeira; Meira, Paula Cavalcante Lamy Serra e; Sanguinette, Cristiani de Castilho; Tonelli, Gabriel Barbosa; Botelho, Helbert Antônio; Belo, Vinícius Silva; Silva, Eduardo Sérgio da; Gontijo, Célia Maria Ferreira; Filho, José Dilermando Andrade

2013-03-01

The transmission of Leishmania involves several species of sand flies that are closely associated with various parasites and reservoirs, with differing transmission cycles in Brazil. A study on the phlebotomine species composition has been conducted in the municipality of Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil, an endemic area for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), which has intense occurrence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases. In order to study the sand flies populations and their seasonality, CDC light traps (HP model) were distributed in 15 houses which presented at least one case of CL or VL and in five urban parks (green areas). Collections were carried out three nights monthly from September 2010 to August 2011. A total of 1064 phlebotomine specimens were collected belonging to two genera and seventeen species: Brumptomyia brumpti, Lutzomyia bacula, Lutzomyia cortelezzii, Lutzomyia lenti, Lutzomyia sallesi, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Lutzomyia migonei, Lutzomyia intermedia, Lutzomyia neivai, Lutzomyia whitmani, Lutzomyia christenseni, Lutzomyia monticola, Lutzomyia pessoai, Lutzomyia aragaoi, Lutzomyia brasiliensis, Lutzomyia lutziana, and Lutzomyia sordellii. L. longipalpis, the main vector of Leishmania infantum in Brazil, was the most frequent species, accounting for 76.9% of the total, followed by L. lenti with 8.3%, this species is not a proven vector. Green and urban areas had different sand flies species composition, whereas the high abundance of L. longipalpis in urban areas and the presence of various vector species in both green and urban areas were also observed. Our data point out to the requirement of control measures against phlebotomine sand flies in the municipality of Divinópolis and adoption of strategies aiming entomological surveillance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leprosy-related mortality in Brazil: a neglected condition of a neglected disease.

PubMed

Martins-Melo, Francisco Rogerlândio; Assunção-Ramos, Adriana Valéria; Ramos, Alberto Novaes; Alencar, Carlos Henrique; Montenegro, Renan Magalhães; Wand-Del-Rey de Oliveira, Maria Leide; Heukelbach, Jorg

2015-10-01

Leprosy is a public health problem and a neglected condition of morbidity and mortality in several countries of the world. We analysed time trends and spatiotemporal patterns of leprosy-related mortality in Brazil. We performed a nationwide population-based study using secondary mortality data. We included all deaths that occurred in Brazil between 2000 and 2011, in which leprosy was mentioned in any field of death certificates. Leprosy was identified in 7732/12 491 280 deaths (0.1%). Average annual age-adjusted mortality rate was 0.43 deaths/100 000 inhabitants (95% CI 0.40-0.46). The burden of leprosy deaths was higher among males, elderly, black race/colour and in leprosy-endemic regions. Lepromatous leprosy was the most common clinical form mentioned. Mortality rates showed a significant nationwide decrease over the period (annual percent change [APC]: -2.8%; 95% CI -4.2 to -2.4). We observed decreasing mortality rates in the South, Southeast and Central-West regions, while the rates remained stable in North and Northeast regions. Spatial and spatiotemporal high-risk clusters for leprosy-related deaths were distributed mainly in highly endemic and socio-economically deprived regions. Leprosy is a neglected cause of death in Brazil since the disease is preventable, and a cost-effective treatment is available. Sustainable control measures should include appropriate management and systematic monitoring of leprosy-related complications, such as severe leprosy reactions and adverse effects to multidrug therapy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Self-affinity in the dengue fever time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azevedo, S. M.; Saba, H.; Miranda, J. G. V.; Filho, A. S. Nascimento; Moret, M. A.

2016-06-01

Dengue is a complex public health problem that is common in tropical and subtropical regions. This disease has risen substantially in the last three decades, and the physical symptoms depict the self-affine behavior of the occurrences of reported dengue cases in Bahia, Brazil. This study uses detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) to verify the scale behavior in a time series of dengue cases and to evaluate the long-range correlations that are characterized by the power law α exponent for different cities in Bahia, Brazil. The scaling exponent (α) presents different long-range correlations, i.e. uncorrelated, anti-persistent, persistent and diffusive behaviors. The long-range correlations highlight the complex behavior of the time series of this disease. The findings show that there are two distinct types of scale behavior. In the first behavior, the time series presents a persistent α exponent for a one-month period. For large periods, the time series signal approaches subdiffusive behavior. The hypothesis of the long-range correlations in the time series of the occurrences of reported dengue cases was validated. The observed self-affinity is useful as a forecasting tool for future periods through extrapolation of the α exponent behavior. This complex system has a higher predictability in a relatively short time (approximately one month), and it suggests a new tool in epidemiological control strategies. However, predictions for large periods using DFA are hidden by the subdiffusive behavior.

Distribution of Blastocystis subtypes isolated from humans from an urban community in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

PubMed

Valença Barbosa, Carolina; de Jesus Batista, Rosemary; Pereira Igreja, Ricardo; d'Avila Levy, Claudia Masini; Werneck de Macedo, Heloisa; Carneiro Santos, Helena Lúcia

2017-10-25

Blastocystis is a cosmopolitan protist parasite found in the human gastrointestinal tract and is highly prevalent in developing countries. Recent molecular studies have revealed extensive genetic diversity, which has been classified into different subtypes (STs) based on sequence analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. Blastocystis is one of the most common fecal parasites in Brazil, but the diversity of subtypes remains unknown in the country. This study aimed to determine the distribution of Blastocystis STs in an urban community in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 64 stool samples positive for Blastocystis in Pavlova's medium were subtyped by PCR and sequenced using primers targeting the small subunit rRNA gene, in addition to phylogenetic analysis and subtype-specific PCR using sequence-tagged-site (STS) primers. Endolimax nana (14%), Entamoeba complex (10.5%), Taenia sp. (0.6%), Trichuris trichiura (1.3%) and Enterobius vermicularis (1.3%) were detected in Blastocystis-positive samples. Of the 64 samples tested by PCR/DNA sequencing, 55 were identified as ST1 (42%), ST3 (49%), ST2 (7%) and ST4 (2%), and the presence of mixed ST (ST1 + ST3) infection was detected in nine samples (14%). DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of Brazilian Blastocystis isolates identified four different subtypes. To our knowledge, this study provided the first genetic characterization of Blastocystis subtypes in an urban area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We also identified ST4 for the first time in Brazil. Further studies are necessary to determine the distribution of STs across human populations in Rio de Janeiro.

Suicide rates and income in São Paulo and Brazil: a temporal and spatial epidemiologic analysis from 1996 to 2008

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In a classical study, Durkheim noted a direct relation between suicide rates and wealth in the XIX century France. Since that time, several studies have verified this relationship. It is known that suicide rates are associated with income, although the direction of this association varies worldwide. Brazil presents a heterogeneous distribution of income and suicide across its territory; however, evaluation for an association between these variables has shown mixed results. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between suicide rates and income in Brazil, State of São Paulo (SP), and City of SP, considering geographical area and temporal trends. Methods Data were extracted from the National and State official statistics departments. Three socioeconomic areas were considered according to income, from the wealthiest (area 1) to the poorest (area 3). We also considered three regions: country-wide (27 Brazilian States and 558 Brazilian micro-regions), state-wide (645 counties of SP State), and city-wide (96 districts of SP city). Relative risks (RR) were calculated among areas 1, 2, and 3 for all regions, in a cross-sectional approach. Then, we used Joinpoint analysis to explore the temporal trends of suicide rates and SaTScan to investigate geographical clusters of high/low suicide rates across the territory. Results Suicide rates in Brazil, the State of SP, and the city of SP were 6.2, 6.6, and 5.4 per 100,000, respectively. Taking suicide rates of the poorest area (3) as reference, the RR for the wealthiest area was 1.64, 0.88, and 1.65 for Brazil, State of SP, and city of SP, respectively (p for trend <0.05 for all analyses). Spatial cluster of high suicide rates were identified at Brazilian southern (RR = 2.37), state of SP western (RR = 1.32), and city of SP central (RR = 1.65) regions. A direct association between income and suicide were found for Brazil (OR = 2.59) and the city of SP (OR = 1.07), and an inverse association for the state of SP (OR = 0.49). Conclusions Temporospatial analyses revealed higher suicide rates in wealthier areas in Brazil and the city of SP and in poorer areas in the State of SP. We further discuss the role of socioeconomic characteristics for explaining these discrepancies and the importance of our findings in public health policies. Similar studies in other Brazilian States and developing countries are warranted. PMID:22928689

Suicide rates and income in São Paulo and Brazil: a temporal and spatial epidemiologic analysis from 1996 to 2008.

PubMed

Bando, Daniel H; Brunoni, Andre R; Benseñor, Isabela M; Lotufo, Paulo A

2012-08-28

In a classical study, Durkheim noted a direct relation between suicide rates and wealth in the XIX century France. Since that time, several studies have verified this relationship. It is known that suicide rates are associated with income, although the direction of this association varies worldwide. Brazil presents a heterogeneous distribution of income and suicide across its territory; however, evaluation for an association between these variables has shown mixed results. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between suicide rates and income in Brazil, State of São Paulo (SP), and City of SP, considering geographical area and temporal trends. Data were extracted from the National and State official statistics departments. Three socioeconomic areas were considered according to income, from the wealthiest (area 1) to the poorest (area 3). We also considered three regions: country-wide (27 Brazilian States and 558 Brazilian micro-regions), state-wide (645 counties of SP State), and city-wide (96 districts of SP city). Relative risks (RR) were calculated among areas 1, 2, and 3 for all regions, in a cross-sectional approach. Then, we used Joinpoint analysis to explore the temporal trends of suicide rates and SaTScan to investigate geographical clusters of high/low suicide rates across the territory. Suicide rates in Brazil, the State of SP, and the city of SP were 6.2, 6.6, and 5.4 per 100,000, respectively. Taking suicide rates of the poorest area (3) as reference, the RR for the wealthiest area was 1.64, 0.88, and 1.65 for Brazil, State of SP, and city of SP, respectively (p for trend <0.05 for all analyses). Spatial cluster of high suicide rates were identified at Brazilian southern (RR = 2.37), state of SP western (RR = 1.32), and city of SP central (RR = 1.65) regions. A direct association between income and suicide were found for Brazil (OR = 2.59) and the city of SP (OR = 1.07), and an inverse association for the state of SP (OR = 0.49). Temporospatial analyses revealed higher suicide rates in wealthier areas in Brazil and the city of SP and in poorer areas in the State of SP. We further discuss the role of socioeconomic characteristics for explaining these discrepancies and the importance of our findings in public health policies. Similar studies in other Brazilian States and developing countries are warranted.

Perception of local inhabitants regarding the socioeconomic impact of tourism focused on provisioning wild dolphins in Novo Airão, Central Amazon, Brazil.

PubMed

Alves, Luiz C P S; Zappes, Camilah A; Oliveira, Rafael G; Andriolo, Artur; Azevedo, Alexandre de F

2013-01-01

Botos (Inia geoffrensis) are currently provisioned for use in tourist attractions in five sites in the Brazilian Amazon. Despite the known negative effects associated with human-wild dolphin interactions, this activity has been regulated and licensed in the Anavilhanas National Park in Novo Airão, Amazonas State, Brazil. We present an updated evaluation of the perception of the local community concerning the possible socioeconomic impacts of this tourism in Novo Airão. In April 2011, 45 interviews were conducted with inhabitants. A small segment of Novo Airão perceives currently itself as being economically dependent on the botos feeding tourism. Despite that, the economic benefits of this controversial activity apparently are not shared among most inhabitants, and botos feeding tourism is perceived as generating diverse negative effects. We conclude that if the activity was banned or modified into a less impacting tourist activity, this action would probably not majorly affect the lives of the general population.

Prevalence of newcastle disease virus in broiler chickens (Gallus gallus) in Brazil

PubMed Central

Orsi, M.A.; Doretto Jr, L.; Camillo, S.C.A.; Reischak, D.; Ribeiro, S.A.M.; Ramazzoti, A.; Mendonça, A.O.; Spilki, F.R.; Buzinaro, M.G.; Ferreira, H.L.; Arns, C.W.

2010-01-01

This study was carried out during 2002/2003, aiming to determine the prevalence of virulent Newcastle disease virus strains (NDV) in Brazilian commercial poultry farms. Clinical samples were obtained from the Southeastern, Southern and Central-Western regions, which comprise the main area of the Brazilian poultry production. Serum samples and tracheal and cloacal swabs of 23,745 broiler chickens from 1,583 flocks, including both vaccinated chickens and those with no vaccination information, were tested for NDV using a diagnostic ELISA kit. The seropositivity was 39.1%, and the isolation percentage by flock varied from 1.0 to 7.6%, and by region from 6.5 to 58.4%. Higher isolation rates (74.3-83.3%) were obtained after three passages in embryonated chicken eggs. All isolates preliminarily identified as NDV were characterized as nonpathogenic strains, as their Intracerebral Pathogenicity Index (ICPI) was below 0.7. Based on results of this study, Brazil can claim a virulent NDV-free status for commercial flocks. PMID:24031503

[Vocational Health Schools (ETSUS) in Brazil: regulation of the integration of teaching-service-administrative sustainability of ETSUS].

PubMed

Borges, Fabiano Tonaco; Garbin, Cléa Adas Saliba; Siqueira, Carlos Eduardo; Garbin, Artênio José Ísper; Rocha, Najara Barbosa da; Lolli, Luíz Fernando; Moimaz, Suzely Adas Saliba

2012-04-01

The scope of this study was to discuss the administrative sustainability of Brazil's Vocational Health Schools (ETSUS) based on the principle of teaching and service integration, which brings a new dimension to healthcare work as yet unregulated by Brazilian public administration. It was a qualitative study using case study methodology. The research involved a semi-structured questionnaire given to ETSUS managers addressing institutional, administrative, and work management aspects. The sample was composed of 6 ETSUS that belong to the Network of Vocational Health Schools (RET-SUS). The ETSUS showed centralized planning and management, and decentralized implementation of their core activities. The majority did not have administrative autonomy and relied heavily on funding from the federal government. According to ETSUS managers, the lack of regulation of teaching activities by civil servants weakens the management of ETSUS. The ETSUS have managerial problems related to teaching-service integration, which has to be regulated in order to guarantee the sustainability of these schools and avoid conflicts with Brazilian legislation.

Smoke and fire characteristics for cerrado and deforestation burns in Brazil - BASE-B experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, D. E.; Susott, R. A.; Kauffman, J. B.; Babbitt, R. E.; Cummings, D. L.; Dias, B.; Holben, B. N.; Kaufman, Y. J.; Rasmussen, R. A.; Setzer, A. W.

1992-01-01

Five test fires were performed during August and September 1990 in the cerrado (savannalike region) in central Brazil (three fires) and tropical moist forest (two fires) in the eastern Amazon. This paper details the gases released, the ratios of the gases to each other and to particulate matter, fuel loads, and the fraction consumed (combustion factors), and the fire behavior associated with biomass consumption. Models are presented for evaluating emission factors for CH4, CO2, CO, H2, and particles less than 2.5 micron diam (PM2.5) as a function of combustion efficiency. The ratio of carbon released as CO2 (combustion efficiency) for the cerrado fires averaged 0.94 and for the deforestation fires it decreased from 0.88 for the flaming phase to less than 0.80 during the smoldering phase of combustion. For tropical ecosystems, emissions of most products of incomplete combustion are projected to be lower than previous estimates for savanna ecosystems and somewhat higher for fires used for deforestation purposes.

[Managerial performance in public health services: a case study in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil].

PubMed

Barbieri, Ana Rita; Hortale, Virginia Alonso

2005-01-01

This paper presents part of a doctoral dissertation that developed a theoretical model capable of identifying managerial performance in various administrative levels of a Municipal Health Secretariat. The methodology was a case study of the Municipal Health Secretariat in Campo Grande, capital of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The theoretical model was based on recent debates emphasizing the need to modernize public administration, with an emphasis on efficacy and efficiency in the organizations as a whole. Some 31 interviews were conducted with the objective of identifying the managers' performance, through questions based on their daily practices in planning, organization, direction, and control. Managers from higher hierarchical levels obtained better results, while those in basic health units generally developed activities and complied with decisions passed down by imposition, with limited capacity to plan, organize, or control activities pertaining to their management sphere. These results stem partially from the charismatic leadership and centralizing administration of the current management in the municipal health system.

INTERMEDIATE ENDEMICITY OF HEPATITIS A VIRUS INFECTION IN RURAL SETTLEMENT PROJECTS OF SOUTHWEST GOIÁS, BRAZIL.

PubMed

Pinheiro, Raquel Silva; Araújo, Lyriane Apolinário de; Caetano, Karlla Antonieta Amorim; Matos, Marcos André de; Carneiro, Megmar Aparecida dos Santos; Teles, Sheila Araújo

2015-01-01

Rural populations present an elevated risk of exposure to hepatitis A virus. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors associated with hepatitis A virus infection among residents of rural settlement projects of southwest Goiás, Central Brazil. A total of 466 residents were interviewed and tested for the detection of anti- hepatitis A virus antibodies by ELISA. The global prevalence of anti- hepatitis A virus was 82.2%. In individuals aged 5-9 years and 10-19 years, the prevalence was 15% and 58.8%, respectively. Persons in the 10-19 age group, with a history of life in encampments, with more than five people per residence consuming well water, were predictors for exposure to hepatitis A virus. Our results suggest that the hepatitis A virus endemicity in rural settlements in southwest Goiás similar to that found in the urban population of the Midwest Region, confirming the implementation of universal hepatitis A vaccination in children.

Hydrodynamically-driven distribution of lanternfish larvae in the Southeast Brazilian Bight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namiki, Cláudia; Katsuragawa, Mario; Napolitano, Dante Campagnoli; Zani-Teixeira, Maria de Lourdes; Mattos, Rafael Augusto de; Silveira, Ilson Carlos Almeida da

2017-06-01

This study analyzes the influence of the Brazil Current and Ekman transport on the distribution of lanternfish larvae in the Southeast Brazilian Bight during summer and winter. Larvae of 19 taxa of lanternfish were identified, and Diaphus spp. and M. affine were the most abundant. Three water masses were present in the area: Coastal Water, Tropical Water and South Atlantic Central Water. Lanternfish larvae were associated with the Tropical Water in both seasons. During summer, species of Lampanyctinae were associated with the shallowest layers and Myctophinae in the deepest layers. In winter most species of both subfamilies were associated with intermediate depths, probably because greater mixing of water masses occurred at the surface and 100 m depth, limiting their distribution. During both cruises, the presence of lanternfish larvae in the continental shelf was related to the pattern of Tropical Water intrusion, which was mostly driven by the mesoscale activity of the Brazil Current and its interaction with the continental shelf.

Increased Hospitalizations for Neuropathies as Indicators of Zika Virus Infection, according to Health Information System Data, Brazil.

PubMed

Barcellos, Christovam; Xavier, Diego Ricardo; Pavão, Ana Luiza; Boccolini, Cristiano Siqueira; Pina, Maria Fatima; Pedroso, Marcel; Romero, Dalia; Romão, Anselmo Rocha

2016-11-01

Evidence is increasing that Zika virus can cause extensive damage to the central nervous system, affecting both fetuses and adults. We sought to identify traces of possible clinical manifestations of nervous system diseases among the registers of hospital admissions recorded in the Brazilian Unified Health System. Time series of several diagnoses from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, were analyzed by using control diagrams, during January 2008-February 2016. Beginning in mid-2014, we observed an unprecedented and significant rise in the hospitalization rate for congenital malformations of the nervous system, Guillain-Barré syndrome, encephalitis, myelitis, and encephalomyelitis. These conditions are compatible with viral infection and inflammation-associated manifestations and may have been due to the entrance of Zika virus into Brazil. These findings show the necessity of adequately diagnosing and treating suspected cases of Zika virus infection and also that health surveillance systems can be improved by using routine data.

Phenolic profile, antioxidant activity and palynological analysis of stingless bee honey from Amazonas, Northern Brazil.

PubMed

da Silva, Isnandia Andréa Almeida; da Silva, Tania Maria Sarmento; Camara, Celso Amorim; Queiroz, Neide; Magnani, Marciane; de Novais, Jaílson Santos; Soledade, Luiz Edmundo Bastos; Lima, Edeltrudes de Oliveira; de Souza, Antonia Lucia; de Souza, Antonio Gouveia

2013-12-15

In this study honey samples produced by Melipona (Michmelia) seminigra merrillae, collected in seven counties distributed in the central and southern region of Amazonas state in Brazil, were analysed for their botanical origin, content and profile of phenolic compounds, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Twenty-two pollen types were identified. The total phenolic content ranged from 17 to 66 mg GAE/g of extract; the highest contents were found in honeys produced from pollen types such as Clidemia and Myrcia. The antioxidant activity was higher in the samples that contained higher quantities of phenolic compounds. In relation to the antibacterial activity, samples CAD3, CAD4 and SAD3 presented the best results. Fourteen phenolic compounds were determined. Among them, we identified the flavonoid taxifolin, which has not previously been described in honeys from stingless bees, and we report the identification of catechol in Brazilian honey samples for the first time. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The political economy of infant mortality in São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Wood, C H

1982-01-01

After the military took power in Brazil in 1964, the government adopted a wide range of policies designed to stimulate economic growth. A central aspect of the Brazilian model of development was the control of wages. From 1964 to 1975 this strategy caused the purchasing power of the minimum wage in the city of Säo Paulo to fall. The decline in the real wage index was associated with a rise in infant mortality during the period. When real wages rose after 1974, the death rate dropped off. The infant mortality trend cannot be explained by other factors that affect the actual or the reported death rate, such as changes in cityward migration, shifts in the distribution of income, and improvements in the quality of vital statistics. The findings of this study indicate a causal relationship between the infant mortality trend and changes in the purchasing power of the urban poor. Additional data on nutrition, changes in household behavior, and shifts in the cause structure of mortality support this conclusion.

[Birth defects in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: an evaluation through birth certificates (2000-2004)].

PubMed

Guerra, Fernando Antônio Ramos; Llerena, Juan Clinton; Gama, Silvana Granado Nogueira da; Cunha, Cynthia Braga da; Theme Filha, Mariza Miranda

2008-01-01

To evaluate the occurrence of birth defects in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, using the Live Birth Information System (SINASC), we performed a cross-sectional study on all live newborns with birth defects from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2004. The variables referred to birth defects (presence and system affected), type of health service, mothers, gestations, live births, and deliveries. Prevalence of birth defects was 83/10,000 live births. The most frequent birth defects involved the musculoskeletal system, central nervous system, cleft lip and palate, and chromosomal anomalies. The majority of cases were born in public (municipal) and private maternity hospitals, with the highest prevalence in the Fernandes Figueira Insitute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Older women and those with less schooling had more live born infants with birth defects. The proportion of reports with missing information was high, reaching 21% in some institutions. Wider dissemination of SINASC data on birth defects should be encouraged. Reliability studies are recommended for better use of these reports.

Ocular Lesions in Congenital Toxoplasmosis in Santa Isabel do Ivaí, Paraná, Brazil.

PubMed

Sanders, Ana Paula; Dos Santos, Tatiane; Felipe, Cleusa Kimie Koike; Estevão, Maria Lucia; Cícero, Caroni; Evangelista, Fernanda; Manrique, Carlos Alexandre; Mizutani, Angélica Sayuri; Falavigna-Guilherme, Ana Lucia

2017-09-01

We verified clinical and psychopedagogic aspects of congenital cases with ocular sequelae, 13 years after toxoplasmosis outbreak in Santa Isabel do Ivaí, and current seroprevalence of this zoonosis in pregnant women. Audiologic and ophthalmologic evaluations were performed in congenital cases, in addition to collection of clinical and psychopedagogic data. In pregnant women, current seroprevalence was observed. Among affected teenagers, 2 of 5 are behind in school grade, and 4 of 5 reported learning difficulties, requiring psychopedagogic monitoring, as well as ocular complaints. We observed predominance of small, scarred, dispersed, type II chorioretinal lesions (hypopigmented halo and hyperpigmented central area), and 1 case of ocular relapse. All patients presented normal audiologic assessment. Among 131 pregnant women, 62 (47.3%) were seronegative and 39 (29.8%) were IgG reactive. Only 1 reported acquiring infection during the outbreak. This is one of the few studies in Brazil showing the outcome of congenital toxoplasmosis, a decade after infection, in one of the world's largest outbreaks.

The American Nurses of the Special Public Health Service and the Formation of Human Resources in Brazilian Nursing.

PubMed

Bonini, Bárbara Barrionuevo; Freitas, Genival Fernandes de; Fairman, Julie; Mecone, Márcia Cristina da Cruz

2015-12-01

Objective To historicize the changes in training human resources in nursing in Brazil during the period from 1942 to 1961 based on the presence of 35 American nurses assigned to work in cooperation with Special Public Health Service. Method The sources used for the study were reports written by American nurses who described their impressions, suggestions, and the activities they carried out in the country. These were analyzed based on the discourse analysis of Michel Foucault. Results The period mentioned was marked by an American presence in nursing projects developed by the Special Public Health Service. The discourses indicated that the period was marked by many changes in Brazilian nursing, particularly with respect to attracting and training human resources for the profession. Conclusion The results indicate that the American nurses, through what they said and their influence, were central to the consolidation of a new paradigm in the training of nursing professionals in Brazil.

[Demographic characteristics and mortality among indigenous peoples in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil].

PubMed

Ferreira, Maria Evanir Vicente; Matsuo, Tiemi; Souza, Regina Kazue Tanno de

2011-12-01

The present study aimed to assess mortality rates and related demographic factors among indigenous peoples in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Central-West Brazil, compared to the State's general population. Mortality rates were estimated based on data obtained from the Health Care Database for Indigenous Peoples and monthly patient care records as well as demographic data from the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) and mortality data from the SUS Mortality Database. Compared to the overall population, among indigenous peoples there were proportionally more individuals under 15 years of age and fewer elderly, besides higher mortality rates at early ages and from infectious and parasitic diseases. Indigenous men showed significantly higher mortality rates from external causes and respiratory and infectious diseases, while among women the mortality rates from external causes and infectious diseases were higher. Suicide rates among young indigenous individuals were also particularly alarming. Indigenous people's health conditions are worse than those of the general population in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Upwelling regime off the Cabo Frio region in Brazil and impact on acoustic propagation.

PubMed

Calado, Leandro; Camargo Rodríguez, Orlando; Codato, Gabriel; Contrera Xavier, Fabio

2018-03-01

This work introduces a description of the complex upwelling regime off the Cabo Frio region in Brazil and shows that ocean modeling, based on the feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) technique, can produce reliable predictions of sound speed fields for the corresponding shallow water environment. This work also shows, through the development of simulations, that the upwelling regime can be responsible for the creation of shadow coastal zones, in which the detection probability is too low for an acoustic source to be detected. The development of the FORMS technique and its validation with real data, for the particular region of coastal upwelling off Cabo Frio, reveals the possibility of a sustainable and reliable forecast system for the corresponding (variable in space and time) underwater acoustic environment.

Small area estimation of obesity prevalence and dietary patterns: a model applied to Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil.

PubMed

Cataife, Guido

2014-03-01

We propose the use of previously developed small area estimation techniques to monitor obesity and dietary habits in developing countries and apply the model to Rio de Janeiro city. We estimate obesity prevalence rates at the Census Tract through a combinatorial optimization spatial microsimulation model that matches body mass index and socio-demographic data in Brazil's 2008-9 family expenditure survey with Census 2010 socio-demographic data. Obesity ranges from 8% to 25% in most areas and affects the poor almost as much as the rich. Male and female obesity rates are uncorrelated at the small area level. The model is an effective tool to understand the complexity of the problem and to aid in policy design. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

DNA Barcoding of Neotropical Sand Flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae): Species Identification and Discovery within Brazil

PubMed Central

Pinto, Israel de Souza; Chagas, Bruna Dias das; Rodrigues, Andressa Alencastre Fuzari; Ferreira, Adelson Luiz; Rezende, Helder Ricas; Bruno, Rafaela Vieira; Falqueto, Aloisio; Andrade-Filho, José Dilermando; Galati, Eunice Aparecida Bianchi; Shimabukuro, Paloma Helena Fernandes; Brazil, Reginaldo Peçanha

2015-01-01

DNA barcoding has been an effective tool for species identification in several animal groups. Here, we used DNA barcoding to discriminate between 47 morphologically distinct species of Brazilian sand flies. DNA barcodes correctly identified approximately 90% of the sampled taxa (42 morphologically distinct species) using clustering based on neighbor-joining distance, of which four species showed comparatively higher maximum values of divergence (range 4.23–19.04%), indicating cryptic diversity. The DNA barcodes also corroborated the resurrection of two species within the shannoni complex and provided an efficient tool to differentiate between morphologically indistinguishable females of closely related species. Taken together, our results validate the effectiveness of DNA barcoding for species identification and the discovery of cryptic diversity in sand flies from Brazil. PMID:26506007

DNA Barcoding of Neotropical Sand Flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae): Species Identification and Discovery within Brazil.

PubMed

Pinto, Israel de Souza; Chagas, Bruna Dias das; Rodrigues, Andressa Alencastre Fuzari; Ferreira, Adelson Luiz; Rezende, Helder Ricas; Bruno, Rafaela Vieira; Falqueto, Aloisio; Andrade-Filho, José Dilermando; Galati, Eunice Aparecida Bianchi; Shimabukuro, Paloma Helena Fernandes; Brazil, Reginaldo Peçanha; Peixoto, Alexandre Afranio

2015-01-01

DNA barcoding has been an effective tool for species identification in several animal groups. Here, we used DNA barcoding to discriminate between 47 morphologically distinct species of Brazilian sand flies. DNA barcodes correctly identified approximately 90% of the sampled taxa (42 morphologically distinct species) using clustering based on neighbor-joining distance, of which four species showed comparatively higher maximum values of divergence (range 4.23-19.04%), indicating cryptic diversity. The DNA barcodes also corroborated the resurrection of two species within the shannoni complex and provided an efficient tool to differentiate between morphologically indistinguishable females of closely related species. Taken together, our results validate the effectiveness of DNA barcoding for species identification and the discovery of cryptic diversity in sand flies from Brazil.