High-amplitude lake-level changes in tectonically active Lake Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan) revealed by high-resolution seismic reflection data

A total of 84 seismic profiles, mainly from the western and eastern deltas of Lake Issyk-Kul, were used to identify lake-level changes. Seven stratigraphic sequences were reconstructed, each containing a series of delta lobes that were formed during former lake-level stillstands or during slow lake-level increase or decrease. The lake level has experienced at least four cycles of stepwise rise and fall of 400 m or more. These fluctuations were mainly caused by past changes in the atmospheric circulation pattern. During periods of low lake levels, the Siberian High was likely to be strong, bringing dry air masses from the Mongolian steppe blocking the midlatitude Westerlies. During periods of high lake levels, the Siberian High must have been weaker or displaced, and the midlatitude Westerlies could bring moister air masses from the Mediterranean and North Atlantic regions

Prevalence and risk factors for vaginal Candida colonization in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus increases the rate of vaginal colonization and infection with Candida species METHODS: We surveyed women with diabetes receiving care at either an urban or suburban diabetes clinic to examine the relationship between vaginal Candida colonization, diabetes type and duration, and HbA(1c) level. 101 participants completed the self-administered questionnaire and self-collected a vaginal swab for Candida culture. Candida colonization was similar by age and race. RESULTS: Type 1 diabetics were three times as likely as type 2 diabetics to be colonized with any Candida species (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.03, 11.41; p = 0.04); even after adjusting for abnormal HbA(1c), which had an independent effect (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.76; p = 0.02). Recent antibiotic use (OR = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.18, 16.79; p = 0.03), lifetime history of chlamydia (OR = 5.8; 95% CI: 1.09, 30.54; p = 0.04), and performing oral sex during the past 2 weeks (OR = 4.9; 95% CI:0.84, 28.27; p = 0.08) were also associated with Candida carriage after adjusting for diabetic type and abnormal HbA(1c). C. albicans was isolated from the majority of colonized type 1 participants (56%), while C. glabrata was the most common isolate among colonized type 2 participants (54%). CONCLUSIONS: Improving glucose control and possibly modifying sexual behavior may reduce risk of Candida colonization, and potentially symptomatic infection, among women with diabetes

EVOLUÇÃO E CARACTERIZAÇÃO DOS NÍVEIS DE POBREZA DO NORDESTE ENTRE 1995 E 2005.

Existe um amplo consenso entre cientistas, políticos, pesquisadores e intelectuais de todo o mundo de que a redução da pobreza deve ser vista como uma das prioridades das políticas públicas. Deste modo, a mensuração do nível de pobreza se torna alvo de um intenso debate, na medida em que é necessário primeiramente identificar onde ela está localizada para, em seguida, ter-se condições de combatê-la. Hoje no Brasil esta preocupação se torna mais evidente quando as análises enfocam o espaço econômico do Nordeste, pois esta região é reconhecidamente a mais carente do país. Ao mesmo tempo, é sabido que a partir de meados de 1994 uma nova realidade política foi imposta ao país, acarretando em uma série de conseqüências sobre a população nacional e, automaticamente, também sobre a nordestina. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo geral mensurar e analisar, por meio de uma série de indicadores, a evolução da pobreza nos nove estados da região Nordeste entre os anos de 1995 a 2005, expondo os principais atributos que influenciaram na dinâmica observada. De uma maneira geral, observou-se que, embora em 2005 os indicadores de pobreza ainda se encontrassem em patamares alarmantes, houve uma tendência semelhante na sua evolução na região – um considerável declínio entre 1995 e 2005 – contudo, com pequenas divergências nas intensidades de comportamento dos diferentes estados. -----------------------------------------------All over the world, an ample consensus exists between scientists, political, researchers and intellectuals that poverty reduction should be seen as one of the public policies priorities. Therefore, poverty level mensuration becomes the target of an intense debate, when it is necessary firstly to identify where poverty is located to have, afterwards, conditions of combatting it. Nowadays, in Brazil, this concern is more evident when the analyses focus the economical space of the Northeast, because this region is considered the poorest of the country. At the same time, it is known that, starting from middles of 1994, a new political reality was imposed to the country resulting in several consequences for the national population and, automatically, the Northeaster population too. In this sense, this article has as general objective to measure and analyze, through several indicators, poverty evolution in the nine states of the Brazilian Northeast Region among the 1995 and 2005, exposing the main attributes that influenced in the observed dynamics. In general, it was observed that, although in 2005 the poverty indicators were in high levels, there was a similar tendency in the poverty evolution in the region – a considerable decline between 1995 and 2005 – however, with some divergences in the behaviors intensities of different States.Medidas de Pobreza, Nordeste, Políticas Públicas Nacionais, Poverty Measures, Northeast, National Public Politics, Food Security and Poverty,

DIVISÃO REGIONAL DO DESENVOLVIMENTO HUMANO EM PERNAMBUCO: UMA APLICAÇÃO DE ANÁLISE DE CLUSTER.

Com um caráter exploratório, este trabalho tem como objetivo geral estudar a divisão regional do desenvolvimento humano dentro do Estado de Pernambuco, a partir dos dados do Atlas de Desenvolvimento Humano da Fundação João Pinheiro e da aplicação da análise de cluster. Neste sentido, foi possível delinear os principais aspectos regionais do desenvolvimento humano pernambucano. De um modo geral, observou-se que os municípios do interior do Estado encontram-se em pior situação, com destaque negativo para os localizados no sertão. Por outro lado, a Região Metropolitana de Recife pode ser considerada a mesorregião mais desenvolvida do Estado, seguido pelo Vale do São Francisco.---------------------------------------------With an exploratory character, this paper has as general objective to study the regional division of the human development inside of Pernambuco State, starting from data of the Atlas of Human Development of the João Pinheiro Foundation and of the cluster analysis application. Therein, it was possible to describe the main regional aspects of the Pernambuco human development. In general, it was observed that the municipal districts of the interior of the State are in worse situation, standing out negatively those located in the sertão. On the other hand, the Recife Metropolitan Area can be considered the most developed area of the State, followed for the San Francisco Valley.Desenvolvimento Humano, Pernambuco, Análise de Cluster, Human Development, Pernambuco, Cluster Analysis, Labor and Human Capital,