Levantamento pedológico semidetalhado (1:25.000) da microbacia da Água Três Unidos, Município de Vera Cruz (SP).

Este trabalho é um relato dos solos identificados no levantamento pedológico semidetalhado da microbacia da Água Três Unidos. Abrangendo aproximadamente 1.624 hectares, a microbacia situa-se no município de Vera Cruz, localizada a oeste do Estado de São Paulo, entre as coordenadas geográficas 22º13? e 22º17? de latitude sul e 49º49? e 49º52? de longitude oeste. Está inserida no compartimento geomorfológico do Planalto Ocidental Paulista e, geologicamente, é caracterizada pelos arenitos cretácicos do Grupo Bauru, Formações Marília e Adamantina. O relevo varia de plano, nos topos e planícies aluviais, a montanhoso e escarpado, nas escarpas areníticas, predominando os relevos suave ondulado sob domínio dos solos latossolizados e ondulado nas áreas de ocorrência dos Podzólicos abruptos. O tipo climático predominante é Cwa, segundo a classificação de Köppen, com temperatura média anual de 21,4 ºC e pluviosidade média anual próxima a 1.500 mm. A cultura do café está entre as de maior importância nos relevos plano e suave ondulado sob domínio dos solos latossolizados, enquanto as pastagens estendem-se em grandes áreas dominadas com os Podzólicos abruptos eutróficos e álicos. Foram identificadas e cartografadas 9 unidades de solos na microbacia da Água Três Unidos, as quais apresentam uma estreita relação com o relevo. Assim, duas toposseqüências são predominantes na região. A primeira, caracteriza-se pela presença dos Latossolos Vermelho-Amarelos ou Vermelho-Escuros álicos ou distróficos nos topos aplainados, transicionando-se para os Podzólicos abruptos e Podzólicos latossólicos com o aumento da declividade, nas posições de ombro e terço superior das vertentes. Enquanto os abruptos podem ser álicos, distróficos e, predominantemente eutróficos, os Podzólicos latossólicos são essencialmente álicos ou distróficos, de textura binária arenosa/média, mais friáveis e de menor gradiente textural em relação aos Podzólicos abruptos. Sucedendo aos solos com B textural na toposseqüência, são encontrados solos poucos desenvolvidos (Solos Litólicos, Regossolos e Podzólicos abruptos rasos) nas proximidades das escarpas areníticas em relevo, predominantemente, ondulado e forte ondulado. Abaixo da escarpa, os Podzólicos abruptos são dominantes, predominantemente eutróficos, de textura binária arenosa/média e com características semelhantes àqueles localizados a montante da mesma, enquanto nas planícies aluviais predominam os solos hidromórficos (Gleissolos) e os aluviais em menores proporções. A segunda toposseqüência difere da anterior pela predominância dos Podzólicos Vermelho-Amarelos latossólicos nos topos, geralmente, mais estreitos e declivosos em relação aos locais de ocorrência de Latossolos.bitstream/CNPS/11839/1/bp12002lvtomicrobacia.pd

Evaluation of C-reactive protein, Haptoglobin and cardiac Troponin 1 levels in brachycephalic dogs with upper airway obstructive syndrome

Background: Brachycephalic dogs have unique upper respiratory anatomy with abnormal breathing patterns similar to those in humans with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between anatomical components, clinical signs and several biomarkers, used to determine systemic inflammation and myocardial damage (C-reactive protein, CRP; Haptoglobin, Hp; cardiac troponin I, cTnI), in dogs with brachycephalic upper airway obstructive syndrome (BAOS). Results: Fifty brachycephalic dogs were included in the study and the following information was studied: signalment, clinical signs, thoracic radiographs, blood work, ECG, components of BAOS, and CRP, Hp and cTnI levels. A high proportion of dogs with BAOS (88%) had gastrointestinal signs. The prevalence of anatomic components of BAOS was: elongated soft palate (100%), stenotic nares (96%), everted laryngeal saccules (32%) and tracheal hypoplasia (29.1%). Increased serum levels of biomarkers were found in a variable proportion of dogs: 14% (7/50) had values of CRP > 20 mg/L, 22.9% (11/48) had values of Hp > 3 g/L and 47.8% (22/46) had levels of cTnI > 0.05 ng/dl. Dogs with everted laryngeal saccules had more severe respiratory signs (p<0.02) and higher values of CRP (p<0.044). No other statistical association between biomarkers levels and severity of clinical signs was found. Conclusions: According to the low percentage of patients with elevated levels of CRP and Hp, BAOS does not seem to cause an evident systemic inflammatory status. Some degree of myocardial damage may occur in dogs with BAOS that can be detected by cTnI concentration

Zircon ages in granulite facies rocks: decoupling from geochemistry above 850 °C?

Granulite facies rocks frequently show a large spread in their zircon ages, the interpretation of which raises questions: Has the isotopic system been disturbed? By what process(es) and conditions did the alteration occur? Can the dates be regarded as real ages, reflecting several growth episodes? Furthermore, under some circumstances of (ultra-)high-temperature metamorphism, decoupling of zircon U–Pb dates from their trace element geochemistry has been reported. Understanding these processes is crucial to help interpret such dates in the context of the P–T history. Our study presents evidence for decoupling in zircon from the highest grade metapelites (> 850 °C) taken along a continuous high-temperature metamorphic field gradient in the Ivrea Zone (NW Italy). These rocks represent a well-characterised segment of Permian lower continental crust with a protracted high-temperature history. Cathodoluminescence images reveal that zircons in the mid-amphibolite facies preserve mainly detrital cores with narrow overgrowths. In the upper amphibolite and granulite facies, preserved detrital cores decrease and metamorphic zircon increases in quantity. Across all samples we document a sequence of four rim generations based on textures. U–Pb dates, Th/U ratios and Ti-in-zircon concentrations show an essentially continuous evolution with increasing metamorphic grade, except in the samples from the granulite facies, which display significant scatter in age and chemistry. We associate the observed decoupling of zircon systematics in high-grade non-metamict zircon with disturbance processes related to differences in behaviour of non-formula elements (i.e. Pb, Th, U, Ti) at high-temperature conditions, notably differences in compatibility within the crystal structure

Systematic review of antiepileptic drugs’ safety and effectiveness in feline epilepsy

Understanding the efficacy and safety profile of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in feline epilepsy is a crucial consideration for managing this important brain disease. However, there is a lack of information about the treatment of feline epilepsy and therefore a systematic review was constructed to assess current evidence for the AEDs’ efficacy and tolerability in cats. The methods and materials of our former systematic reviews in canine epilepsy were mostly mirrored for the current systematic review in cats. Databases of PubMed, CAB Direct and Google scholar were searched to detect peer-reviewed studies reporting efficacy and/or adverse effects of AEDs in cats. The studies were assessed with regards to their quality of evidence, i.e. study design, study population, diagnostic criteria and overall risk of bias and the outcome measures reported, i.e. prevalence and 95% confidence interval of the successful and affected population in each study and in total

Funções de Base Radial de Suporte Global e Compacto na Aproximação de Superfícies"

Este estudo enfoca as aproximações numéricas através do uso de funções de base radial de suporte compacto (FBRSC). Essas funções têm sido aplicadas de modo crescente na aproximação em multivariáveis, representando potenciais pertinentes às mais diversas áreas da ciência e engenharia, tais como: meteorologia, topografia, sismologia, entre outras. Nestas áreas, comumente aplica-se a construção de um mapeamento superficial a partir de dados experimentais esparsos, na qual certas propriedades são coletadas para finalidades práticas. No entanto, frequentemente tais problemas atingem uma proporção de dados requeridos na ordem de milhões; por isso, procedimentos computacionalmente mais econômicos que reduzam o risco de mau condicionamento do problema e preservem sua exatidão devem ser implementados. Com esse propósito, uma das ações desenvolvidas neste campo consiste na utilização das FBRSCs. Assim, alicerçado na Teoria da Aproximação, este estudo tem por objetivo principal identificar e analisar as regiões do domínio de uma função teste, onde a função de interpolação e/ou de ajuste, hipoteticamente, apresentaria dificuldades de representar parte de uma superfície com determinada característica. Pois, encontrando-se essa região, seria possível eleger um critério para a redução de centros de uma função de base radial a partir do método dos quadrados mínimos. Por fim, o presente estudo está centrado na análise comparativa e interpretação do comportamento dessa classe de funções na representação satisfatória de campos bidimensionais, no que tange à precisão e ao custo computacional. Os resultados apontaram bom desempenho em relação à precisão, tanto em ajuste de curvas quanto em interpolação. Constata-se, também, que o uso de uma malha com pontos igualmente espaçados é a opção mais apropriada para uma aproximação mais precisa. Palavras-chave: Teoria da aproximação; Interpolação; Mínimos quadrados; Funções de base radial

Ultrastructure of the digestive system of Ramazzottius tribulosus and Macrobiotus richtersi (Eutardigrada) in relationship with diet

The ultrastructure of the digestive system of tardigrades was already described in some species, but it has never been studied in relationship to the diet. Therefore, utrastructural analyses of the midgut and hindgut of the phytophagous Ramazzottius tribulosus and the zoophagous Macrobiotus richtersi have been made. In addition, the foregut of R. tribulosus has been also analyzed. For this part new ultrastructural details have been evidenced. Among them, distinct transverse pillar-like structures, lacking in the electron-dense and compact cuticle of the buccal tube; a hole or groups of holes sometime present in the buccal tube; a large cavity within each salivary glands, where secreted mucus is accumulated; one valve made up by folds of the pharynx and located at the transition from pharynx to esophagus, already found in the zoophagous Isohypsibius prosostomus. In both analyzed species the increase of midgut surface is realized by two orders of folds of the gut wall and by microvilli. In R. tribulosus there are many first-order folds and few second-order fold, whereas in M. richtersi we found an opposite pattern. A perithrophic membrane and microvilli with a well developed glycocalix are found only in the midgut lumen of R. tribulosus. The density of microvilli and the ratio between the real surface with microvilli and the hypothetic surface without microvilli is lower in the zoophagous M. richtersi and I. prosostomus than in the phytophagous R. tribulosus. All these data represent an indirect indication of differences in digestion physiology between phytophagous and zoophagous tardigrade species. The shape of the hindgut is similar in both species and in particular the lumen of the hindgut looks as a heart-like cavity with some narrow cell evaginations

An integrated study of the biodiversity within the Pseudechiniscus suillus-facettalis group (Heterotardigrada:Echiniscidae):Echiniscidae)

Pseudechiniscus is the second most species-rich genus in Heterotardigrada and in the family Echiniscidae. However, previous studies have pointed out polyphyly and heterogeneity in this taxon. The recent erection of the genus Acanthechiniscus was another step in making Pseudechiniscus monophyletic, but species identification is still problematic. The present investigation aims at clarifying biodiversity and taxonomy of Pseudechiniscus taxa, with a special focus on species pertaining to the so-called \u2018suillus\u2013facettalis group\u2019, by using an integrated approach of morphological and molecular investigations. The analysis of sequences from specimens sampled in Europe and Asia confirms the monophyly of the genus Pseudechiniscus. Inside the genus, two main evolutionary lineages are recognizable: the P. novaezeelandiae lineage and the P. suillus\u2013facettalis group lineage. Inside the P. suillus\u2013facettalis group, COI molecular data points out a very high variability between sampled localities, but in some cases also among specimens sampled in the same locality (up to 33.3% p-distance). The integrated approach to the study of Pseudechiniscus allows confirmation of its monophyly and highlights the relationships in the taxon, pointing to its global distribution

Simulations of the 2001 Indian Summer Monsoon Onset with a General Circulation Model

Land-atmosphere interactions, in terms of heat and moisture fluxes, are very important processes in the evolution of the Indian monsoon. A series of sensitivity experiments was conducted with a general circulation model of the atmosphere in order to study the influence of vegetation and soil characteristics on the onset of the Indian summer monsoon. Differences in model results are analysed, both in terms of general circulation features and precipitation distribution. The results confirm that the detailed specification of surface boundary conditions is crucial and lead to great differences in the evolution of the monsoon. Soil and vegetation prescription, however, seems to act in a complex and quite conflicting way and can result dissimilar to observations in specific regions

Morphological and molecular analyses on Richtersius (Eutardigrada) diversity reveal its new systematic position and lead to the establishment of a new genus and a new family within Macrobiotoidea

Important contributions have been made to the systematics of Eutardigrada in recent years, but these have also revealed that several taxa are polyphyletic and that cryptic species are present. To shed light on the taxonomy and systematic position of the genus Richtersius (Eutardigrada, Macrobiotoidea), six populations attributed to Richtersius coronifer were collected and analysed from morphological (light and scanning electron microscopy) and molecular (mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1, 18S, 28S) points of view. In particular, a new morphometric index (claw common tract: length of the common tract of the claw/total claw length 9 100) and a new morphological character (stalk system) were introduced. Our integrative study was able to unveil the ‘cryptic’ species diversity within Richtersius, showing that the genus contains more than one evolutionary lineage. A morphological peculiarity in the animals of all lineages is the dimorphism in the morphology of the cuticle. Cuticular pores are present in the newborns and are lost with the first moult; this morphological change represents a novelty in the life cycle of eutardigrades. The phylogenetic analyses carried out on Richtersius populations and other Macrobiotoidea show that Richtersius is closely related to Macrobiotus islandicus, whereas Adorybiotus granulatus is more related to Richtersius and M. islandicus than to other members of the genus Macrobiotus (type genus of Macrobiotidae); therefore, the genus Macrobiotus and the family Macrobiotidae are not monophyletic. Based on these results, the new genus Diaforobiotus (for M. islandicus) and the new family Richtersiidae (composed of Richtersius, Diaforobiotus gen. nov., and Adorybiotus) are established