Zika virus infections imported from Brazil to Portugal, 2015

Zika virus is an emerging arbovirus transmitted by Aedes sp. mosquitoes like the Dengue and Chikungunya viruses. Zika virus was until recently considered a mild pathogenic mosquito-borne flavivirus with very few reported benign human infections. In 2007, an epidemic in Micronesia initiated the turnover in the epidemiological history of Zika virus and more recently, the potential association with congenital microcephaly cases in Brazil 2015, still under investigation, led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on February 1, 2016. Here, we present the clinical and laboratory aspects related to the first four imported human cases of Zika virus in Portugal from Brazil, and alert, regarding the high level of traveling between Portugal and Brazil, and the ongoing expansion of this virus in the Americas, for the threat for Zika virus introduction in Europe and the possible introduction to Madeira Island where Aedes aegypti is present.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Non-equilibrium entangled steady state of two independent two-level systems

We determine and study the steady state of two independent two-level systems weakly coupled to a stationary non-equilibrium environment. Whereas this bipartite state is necessarily uncorrelated if the splitting energies of the two-level systems are different from each other, it can be entangled if they are equal. For identical two-level systems interacting with two bosonic heat baths at different temperatures, we discuss the influence of the baths temperatures and coupling parameters on their entanglement. Geometric properties, such as the baths dimensionalities and the distance between the two-level systems, are relevant. A regime is found where the steady state is a statistical mixture of the product ground state and of the entangled singlet state with respective weights 2/3 and 1/3

Frictional drag between non-equilibrium charged gases

The frictional drag force between separated but coupled two-dimensional electron gases of different temperatures is studied using the non-equilibrium Green function method based on the separation of center-of-mass and relative dynamics of electrons. As the mechanisms of producing the frictional force we include the direct Coulomb interaction, the interaction mediated via virtual and real TA and LA phonons, optic phonons, plasmons, and TA and LA phonon-electron collective modes. We found that, when the distance between the two electron gases is large, and at intermediate temperature where plasmons and collective modes play the most important role in the frictional drag, the possibility of having a temperature difference between two subsystems modifies greatly the transresistivity.Comment: 8figure

Family, Households and Women's Empowerment in Bahia, Brazil, Through the Generations: Continuities or Change?

This article identifies changes and continuities in gender relations in a working class neighbourhood in Salvador, Bahia, through the generations. Based on data collected over a period of nearly 20 years, it seeks to identify processes of women's empowerment. It confirms the relevance of women's economic independence to their participation in decision?making and in gaining autonomy; it gave them the power to assert control over their own lives. To this end, female solidarity has also played a special role, propitiating the exercise of power with to bring about the desired changes in one's lives. However, neither economic independence nor female solidarity alone seems to have automatically led to conscious ‘gender rebellion’ and a break with traditional roles in the family. This only becomes possible when new values and attitudes in favour of alternative models, such as those proposed by contemporary feminisms, gain greater expression

Polymorphism In Lep And Lepr May Modify Leptin Levels And Represent Risk Factors For Thyroid Cancer

Purpose. To understand the role of polymorphisms in the LEP (rs7799039 and rs2167270) and LEPR (rs1137101 and rs1137100) genes in DTC susceptibility and their effect on leptin levels. Methods. We studied 153 patients with DTC and 234 controls through TaqMan SNP Genotyping and ELISA, comparing these data to the clinicopathological data of patients with DTC. Results. Patients with AA genotype of rs7799039 had higher levels of serum leptin (9.22 ± 0.98 ng/mL) than those with AG genotype (10.07 ± 0.60 ng/mL; P = 0.005). Individuals with AG genotype of rs2167270 also produced higher serum leptin levels (10.05 ± 0.59 ng/mL) than the subjects with GG genotype (9.52 ± 0.79 ng/mL; P A) polymorphism and disease susceptibility and cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (2011) Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, 29 (2), pp. 293-298Jiang, Y., Wilk, J.B., Borecki, I., Common variants in the 5' region of the leptin gene are associated with bodymass index in men fromthe National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study (2004) The American Journal of Human Genetics, 75 (2), pp. 220-230He, J., Xi, B., Ruiter, R., Association of LEP G2548A and LEPR Q223R polymorphisms with cancer susceptibility: Evidence froma meta-analysis (2013) PLoS ONE, 8 (10)Furusawa, T., Naka, I., Yamauchi, T., The Q223R polymorphism in LEPR is associated with obesity in Pacific Islanders (2010) Human Genetics, 127 (3), pp. 287-294Saukko, M., Kesäniemi, Y.A., Ukkola, O., Leptin receptor Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg polymorphisms are associated with early atherosclerosis (2010) Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, 8 (5), pp. 425-430Lucas, A., Granada, M.L., Olaizola, I., Leptin and thyrotropin relationship is modulated by smoking status in euthyroid subjects (2013) Thyroid, 23 (8), pp. 964-970Duntas, L.H., Biondi, B., The interconnections between obesity, thyroid function, and autoimmunity: Themultifold role of leptin (2013) Thyroid, 23 (6), pp. 646-653Marzullo, P., Minocci, A., Tagliaferri, M.A., Investigations of thyroid hormones and antibodies in obesity: Leptin levels are associated with thyroid autoimmunity independent of bioanthropometric, hormonal, and weight-related determinants (2010) Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 95 (8), pp. 3965-3972Guzel, S., Seven, A., Guzel, E.C., Buyuk, B., Celebi, A., Aydemir, B., Visfatin, leptin, and TNF-α: Interrelated adipokines in insulin-resistant clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism (2013) Endocrine Research, 38 (3), pp. 184-194Mammès, O., Betoulle, D., Aubert, R., Herbeth, B., Siest, G., Fumeron, F., Association of the G-2548A polymorphism in the 5' region of the LEP gene with overweight (2000) Annals of Human Genetics, 64 (5), pp. 391-394Portoles, O., Sorli, J.V., Frances, F., Effect of genetic variation in the leptin gene promoter and the leptin receptor gene on obesity risk in a population-based case-control study in Spain (2006) European Journal of Epidemiology, 21 (8), pp. 605-612Liu, C., Liu, L., Polymorphisms in three obesity-related genes (LEP, LEPR, and PON1) and breast cancer risk: A metaanalysis (2011) Tumour Biology, 32 (6), pp. 1233-1240Hoffsted, J., Eriksson, P., Mottagui-Tabar, S., Arner, P., A polymorphism in the leptin promoter region (-2548 G/A) influences gene expression and adipose tissue secretion of leptin (2002) Hormone and Metabolic Research, 34 (7), pp. 355-359Murugesan, D., Arunachalam, T., Ramamurthy, V., Subramanian, S., Association of polymorphisms in leptin receptor gene with obesity and type 2 diabetes in the local population of Coimbatore (2010) Indian Journal of Human Genetics, 16 (2), pp. 72-77Quinton, N.D., Lee, A.J., Ross, R.J.M., Eastell, R., Blakemore, A.I.F., A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the leptin receptor is associated with BMI, fatmass and leptin levels in postmenopausal Caucasian women (2001) Human Genetics, 108 (3), pp. 233-236Mattevi, V.S., Zembrzuski, V.M., Hutz, M.H., Association analysis of genes involved in the leptin-signaling pathway with obesity in Brazil (2002) International Journal of Obesity, 26 (9), pp. 1179-1185Yiannakouris, N., Yannakoulia, M., Melistas, L., Chan, J.L., Klimis-Zacas, D., Mantzoros, C.S., TheQ223Rpolymorphism of the leptin receptor gene is significantly associated with obesity and predicts a small percentage of bodyweight and body composition variability (2001) Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 86 (9), pp. 4434-4439Stefan, N., Vozarova, B., Del Parigi, A., The Gln223Arg polymorphism of the leptin receptor in Pima Indians: Influence on energy expenditure, physical activity and lipid metabolism (2002) International Journal of Obesity, 26 (12), pp. 1629-1632Chiu, K.C., Chu, A., Chuang, L.-M., Saad, M.F., Association of leptin receptor polymorphism with insulin resistance (2004) European Journal of Endocrinology, 150 (5), pp. 725-729Chu, A., Chuang, L.M., Saad, M., Chiu, K., Association of the Q223R polymorphism of the leptin receptor gene with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (2003) Diabetes, 52, p. A510Pimentel Duarte, S.F., Francischetti, E.A., Genelhu-Abreu, V., P. Q223R leptin receptor polymorphism associated with obesity in Brazilianmultiethnic subjects (2006) The American Journal of Human Biology, 18 (4), pp. 448-453Wauters, M., Mertens, I., Chagnon, M., Polymorphisms in the leptin receptor gene, body composition and fat distribution in overweight and obese women (2001) International Journal of Obesity, 25 (5), pp. 714-720Ogawa, T., Hirose, H., Yamamoto, Y., Relationships between serum soluble leptin receptor level and serum leptin and adiponectin levels, insulin resistance index, lipid profile, and leptin receptor gene polymorphisms in the Japanese population (2004) Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, 53 (7), pp. 879-885Fairbrother, U.L., Tankó, L.B., Walley, A.J., Christiansen, C., Froguel, P., Blakemore, A.I.F., Leptin receptor genotype at Gln223Arg is associated with body composition, BMD, and vertebral fracture in postmenopausal Danish women (2007) Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 22 (4), pp. 544-550Salopuro, T., Pulkkinen, L., Lindström, J., Genetic variation in leptin receptor gene is associated with type 2 diabetes and body weight: The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study (2005) International Journal of Obesity, 29 (10), pp. 1245-1251Wauters, M., Mertens, I., Rankinen, T., Chagnon, M., Bouchardt, C., Van Gaal, L., Leptin receptor gene polymorphisms are associated with insulin in obese women with impaired glucose tolerance (2001) Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 86 (7), pp. 3227-3232Park, K.S., Shin, H.D., Park, B.L., Polymorphisms in the leptin receptor (LEPR)-putative association with obesity and T2DM (2006) Journal of Human Genetics, 51 (2), pp. 85-91Han, C.-Z., Du, L.-L., Jing, J.-X., Associations among lipids, leptin, and leptin receptor geneGin223Arg polymorphisms and breast cancer in China (2008) Biological Trace Element Research, 126 (1-3), pp. 38-48Okobia, M.N., Bunker, C.H., Garte, S.J., Leptin receptor Gln223Arg polymorphism and breast cancer risk in Nigerian women: A case control study (2008) BMC Cancer, 8He, B.-S., Pan, Y.-Q., Zhang, Y., Xu, Y.-Q., Wang, S.-K., Effect of LEPR Gln223Arg polymorphism on breast cancer risk in different ethnic populations: A meta-analysis (2012) Molecular Biology Reports, 39 (3), pp. 3117-3122Lin, D.W., Fitz Gerald, L.M., Fu, R., Genetic variants in the LEPR, CRY1, RNASEL, IL4, and ARVCF genes are prognostic markers of prostate cancer-specific mortality (2011) Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 20 (9), pp. 1928-1936Li, Y.L., Geng, J.L., Wang, Y., The role of leptin receptor gene polymorphisms in determining the susceptibility and prognosis of NSCLC in Chinese patients (2012) Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, 138 (2), pp. 311-316Wazir, U., Al Sarakbi, W., Jiang, W.G., Mokbel, K., Evidence of an autocrine role for leptin and leptin receptor in human breast cancer (2012) CancerGenomics and Proteomics, 9 (6), pp. 383-388Li, L., Lee, K.J., Choi, B.C., Baek, K.H., Relationshipbetween leptin receptor and polycystic ovary syndrome (2013) Gene, 527 (1), pp. 71-74Friedlander, Y., Li, G., Fornage, M., Candidate molecular pathway genes related to appetite regulatory neural network, adipocyte homeostasis and obesity: Results from the CARDIA Study (2010) Annals of Human Genetics, 74 (5), pp. 387-39

Test of CPT Symmetry and Quantum Mechanics with Experimental data from CPLEAR

We use fits to recent published CPLEAR data on neutral kaon decays to $\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\pi e\nu$ to constrain the CPT--violation parameters appearing in a formulation of the neutral kaon system as an open quantum-mechanical system. The obtained upper limits of the CPT--violation parameters are approaching the range suggested by certain ideas concerning quantum gravity.Comment: 9 pages of uuencoded postscript (includes 3 figures

CRESCIMENTO INICIAL DE AROEIRA DO SERTÃO (Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão) EM DIFERENTES SUBSTRATOS

RESUMOEste trabalho buscou avaliar o crescimento de Myracrodruon urundeuvaAllemão produzida em substratos preparados com lodo de esgoto, composto orgânico e esterco bovino. O trabalho foi conduzido em casa de vegetação por 120 dias no Viveiro do Centro de Referência em Conservação da Natureza e Recuperação de Áreas Degradadas – CRAD, Brasília-DF. Foram testados quatro tipos de adubos: (1) Osmocote®; (2) esterco bovino; (3) composto orgânico; e (4) lodo de esgoto seco. Cada adubo foi submetido a três composições diferentes: (1) 25%, (2) 50% e (3) 75%, com exceção da testemunha e do Osmocote®, totalizando 11 tratamentos com 10 repetições cada. As variáveis analisadas foram: Diâmetro do Coleto (DC), Altura da Muda (H), Número de Folhas (NF), Matéria Fresca de Parte Aérea (MFPA), Matéria Seca de Parte Aérea (MSPA), Matéria Fresca de Raiz (MFR), Matéria Seca de Raiz (MSR) e Índice de Qualidade de Dickson (IQD). As médias foram comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. Os resultados indicaram interação significativa entre os tratamentos. As maiores médias foram obtidas nos tratamentos com esterco bovino, seguidas do tratamento com composto. As plantas produzidas apenas com Osmocote® e com lodo de esgoto morreram. O resultado apontou a importância de incorporar matéria orgânica ao substrato para produção de mudas de M. urundeuva e o composto orgânico na proporção de 25% equivale ao esterco bovino na proporção de 25, 50 e 75%