Gambling and Tourism in South America: an analysis of resort casinos evolution and legislation comparison in the continent

Abstract Gambling and tourism industries have been developed by South American governments as a way of generating jobs and revenues. Of all kinds of gambling activities, casinos are the most commonly associated with the hospitality industry. Hotel and resort casinos can be found in every SA country (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela) except for Brazil, a two hundred million consumers market that prohibited casinos back in 1946. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the resort casinos evolution in these territories and also to compare legislation aiming to predict what might happen to the Brazilian gaming sector in the future as the issue has been strongly debated. The methodology by using internet data and scientific bibliography is presented in a chronological manner, highlighting the correlation between tourism statistics evolution and the number of resort casinos development in the studied countries for the past 20 years. The findings varied significantly by country, legislation and type of casinos enterprises. And considering that Brazil leads tourism statistics in SA, it can be concluded that hotel-casinos in this continent are more related to destination competitiveness, entertainment and an integrated resort image, rather than international travel arrivals and income. So what The originality of this presentation is to identify turning points that have helped to shape the development of South America gambling and tourism industry, so encourages researchers and legislators to compare and to consider future scenarios concerning to the role of these economic activities in each country

AN EMENDATION OF PSILOCYBE LINIFORMANS VAR. LINIFORMANS, AN UNCOMMON SPECIES FOUND IN THE CENTRAL APENNINES (ITALY).

The paper advocates the necessity of an emendation of Psilocybe liniformans, an uncommon European hallucinogenic species first described in 1977 from the Netherlands, later reported from Belgium (1998), Spain (2001), Sardinia (2002) and now, for the first time, collected in peninsular Ital

Malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery in a porcine model. A pilot study

Background and purpose. Interspecies variability and poor clinical translation from rodent studies indicate that large gyrencephalic animal stroke models are urgently needed. We present a proof-of-principle study describing an alternative animal model of malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in the common pig and illustrate some of its potential applications. We report on metabolic patterns, ionic profile, brain partial pressure of oxygen (PtiO2), expression of sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1), and the transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4). Methods. A 5-hour ischemic infarct of the MCA territory was performed in 5 2.5-to-3-month-old female hybrid pigs (Large White x Landrace) using a frontotemporal approach. The core and penumbra areas were intraoperatively monitored to determine the metabolic and ionic profiles. To determine the infarct volume, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining and immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to determine SUR1 and TRPM4 expression. Results. PtiO2 monitoring showed an abrupt reduction in values close to 0 mmHg after MCA occlusion in the core area. Hourly cerebral microdialysis showed that the infarcted tissue was characterized by reduced concentrations of glucose (0.03 mM) and pyruvate (0.003 mM) and increases in lactate levels (8.87mM), lactate-pyruvate ratio (4202), glycerol levels (588 μM), and potassium concentration (27.9 mmol/L). Immunohistochemical analysis showed increased expression of SUR1-TRPM4 channels. Conclusions. The aim of the present proof-of-principle study was to document the feasibility of a large animal model of malignant MCA infarction by performing transcranial occlusion of the MCA in the common pig, as an alternative to lisencephalic animals. This model may be useful for detailed studies of cerebral ischemia mechanisms and the development of neuroprotective strategies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The representative pattern of microdialysis values in the ischemic core and in the penumbra of animal #5.

<p>We used PtiO₂ data from animal #2 to represent the PtiO₂ drop after clipping both MCAs because the probe had been misplaced outside the core in animal #5 (image not shown) and because baseline data was missing in some of the remaining animals. The increase in PtiO₂ in the first 2 hours may be explained by the running time of PtiO₂ probes. The clip illustrated at the top of the diagram shows the time in which clipping of both MCAs was carried out. PtiO₂ data in animal #2 was consistent with the typical PtiO₂ profile observed in all but 1 animal (#5). In the ischemic core, a rapid decrease in [Glu]_brain was observed after occlusion, followed by a significant drop in [Pyr]_brain and a significant increase in [Lac]_brain and in the lactate/pyruvate ratio (LPR). LPR values 2 hours after clipping could not be calculated because [Pyr]_brain levels were undetectable and therefore LPR rose to infinite values. A significant increase in [Pyr]_brain was also observed in the core, reaching a plateau at 5 h post-ischemia. In the penumbra area, [Lac]_brain and the LPR values also increased, but they were not as pronounced as in the core. [Pyr]_brain levels were unstable in the penumbra and at 4 to 7 h after clipping followed the same pattern as [Glu]_brain. Glycerol also increased in the penumbra, reaching levels well above those observed in the samples taken from the core.</p

Ischemic period and infarct volume in pig specimens.

<p>Ischemic period and infarct volume in pig specimens.</p

Expression of SUR1 and TRPM4 in neurons and vessels.

<p>Results are shown as median (min–max) of the percentage of SUR1/TRPM4-positive neurons and vessels versus the total number in these 2 cell types.</p

Malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery in a porcine model. A pilot study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Interspecies variability and poor clinical translation from rodent studies indicate that large gyrencephalic animal stroke models are urgently needed. We present a proof-of-principle study describing an alternative animal model of malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in the common pig and illustrate some of its potential applications. We report on metabolic patterns, ionic profile, brain partial pressure of oxygen (PtiO2), expression of sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1), and the transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4). METHODS:A 5-hour ischemic infarct of the MCA territory was performed in 5 2.5-to-3-month-old female hybrid pigs (Large White x Landrace) using a frontotemporal approach. The core and penumbra areas were intraoperatively monitored to determine the metabolic and ionic profiles. To determine the infarct volume, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining and immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to determine SUR1 and TRPM4 expression. RESULTS:PtiO2 monitoring showed an abrupt reduction in values close to 0 mmHg after MCA occlusion in the core area. Hourly cerebral microdialysis showed that the infarcted tissue was characterized by reduced concentrations of glucose (0.03 mM) and pyruvate (0.003 mM) and increases in lactate levels (8.87mM), lactate-pyruvate ratio (4202), glycerol levels (588 μM), and potassium concentration (27.9 mmol/L). Immunohistochemical analysis showed increased expression of SUR1-TRPM4 channels. CONCLUSIONS:The aim of the present proof-of-principle study was to document the feasibility of a large animal model of malignant MCA infarction by performing transcranial occlusion of the MCA in the common pig, as an alternative to lisencephalic animals. This model may be useful for detailed studies of cerebral ischemia mechanisms and the development of neuroprotective strategies