Slave cowboys in the cattle lands of southern brazil, 1800-1850

Perhaps the most striking feature of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, inthe first part of the nineteenth century was the presence of slave cowboys.Giuseppe Garibaldi, who had fought for many years in RioGrande do Sul alongside the black Ragamuffins in the RagamuffinWar, 1835-1845, considered these recently freed slaves among thefinest busters, ropers, and horse soldiers in all the province, so famousfor its gauchos (1)

Left atrial dimensions – Is left atrial volume calculation always necessary?

Background: Left atrial size may increase with hypertension, diastolic dysfunction, atrial fi brillation, valvular disease, ischaemic heart disease and heart failure. Accurate measurement of left atrial size is importantas it can help in the diagnosis and management of heart diseases. Recently, left atrial volume has been recommended for the accurate measurement of the left atrial size. These measurements are complex andsometimes controversial. In this study we sought to investigate when left atrial volume measurement may not be necessary. Methods: One hundred echocardiographic studies were selected retrospectively according to the left atrial size - diameter and/or left atrial area. Twenty-five patients were included in each of the 4 groups: severe, moderate, mildly dilated and normal left atrium respectively, according to routine 2-dimesional (2D)echo measurements. Then, left atrial size was recalculated and left atrial volume was computed and adjusted to the body size. Results: Initial diagnosis of normal left atrial size and severely dilated left atrium were accurate in 100% of the evaluated studies, according to left atrial diameterand left atrial area. In patients with mild and moderate left atrial dilatation, the left atrial area was usually underestimated. Conclusion: If normal, or severe, left atrial dilatation is found by simple measurements of antero-posterior diameter and area, further calculation of left atrial volume index may not be necessary. In all other cases left atrial volume index should be calculated to accurately grade left atrial dilatation

Vertebral compression fractures in an HIV-positive patient with steroid-induced Cushing syndrome: a case report

The following case describes the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of a 49 year-old patient with back pain in the thoracic spine and lower extremity edema. His initial presentation, coupled with a history of trauma, required an extensive work-up to determine the source of the back pain and edema. The patient was determined to have two thoracic vertebral compression fractures, bilateral lower extremity edema of unknown origin, and osteoporosis. After diagnosis, several specialists were consulted to determine the cause of the patient’s osteoporosis. Treatment consisted of kyphoplasty, physical therapy, and medication to prevent the progression of osteoporosis

ER Stress-Induced eIF2-alpha Phosphorylation Underlies Sensitivity of Striatal Neurons to Pathogenic Huntingtin

A hallmark of Huntington's disease is the pronounced sensitivity of striatal neurons to polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin expression. Here we show that cultured striatal cells and murine brain striatum have remarkably low levels of phosphorylation of translation initiation factor eIF2 alpha, a stress-induced process that interferes with general protein synthesis and also induces differential translation of pro-apoptotic factors. EIF2 alpha phosphorylation was elevated in a striatal cell line stably expressing pathogenic huntingtin, as well as in brain sections of Huntington's disease model mice. Pathogenic huntingtin caused endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and increased eIF2 alpha phosphorylation by increasing the activity of PKR-like ER-localized eIF2 alpha kinase (PERK). Importantly, striatal neurons exhibited special sensitivity to ER stress-inducing agents, which was potentiated by pathogenic huntingtin. We could strongly reduce huntingtin toxicity by inhibiting PERK. Therefore, alteration of protein homeostasis and eIF2 alpha phosphorylation status by pathogenic huntingtin appears to be an important cause of striatal cell death. A dephosphorylated state of eIF2 alpha has been linked to cognition, which suggests that the effect of pathogenic huntingtin might also be a source of the early cognitive impairment seen in patients

Comparison of CIDR-based protocols to synchronize estrus in beef heifers

Estrus synchronization and artificial insemination (AI) are reproductive management techniques that allow beef producers to enhance the reproductive efficiency and genetic composition of their cow herd. However, U.S. beef producers have been reluctant to adopt these reproductive management tools, largely due to time and labor. Recent research to synchronize estrus, therefore, has focused on the development of estrus synchronization protocols that facilitate fixed-time AI (FTAI). Although protocols have been developed that allow the successful use of FTAI in beef cows, the same degree of success in beef heifers has not been realized. Additionally, no published research has focused on characterizing the physiological responses to long- and short-term CIDR-based protocols in beef heifers. Experiment 1 evaluated ovulatory response to GnRH and synchrony of estrus and ovulation after PGF2[alpha] (PG) in beef heifers. The CIDR Select and Select Synch + CIDR protocols were evaluated among estrous cycling and prepubertal beef heifers and the CIDR-PG and Select Synch protocols were evaluated among estrous cycling beef heifers. A reduced variance for the intervals to estrus and ovulation was detected for estrous cycling heifers treated with the CIDR Select protocol in comparison to the other 3 treatments. The combined results of the estrous cycling and prepubertal heifers revealed an increased ovulatory response to GnRH for heifers treated with the CIDR Select protocol compared to the Select Synch + CIDR protocol, which ultimately resulted in a reduced variance for interval to estrus and ovulation after PG. Furthermore, no differences within treatment were detected in the variance for interval to estrus or ovulation among estrous cycling and prepubertal heifers treated with the CIDR Select protocol. These results suggest that the CIDR Select protocol may facilitate FTAI more effectively in mixed groups of estrous cycling and prepubertal beef heifers. Experiments 2 and 3 evaluated modifications to the CIDR Select protocol. Estrous cycling beef heifers were used in Exp. 2. The hypothesis tested was that reducing the interval from CIDR removal to GnRH administration by 2 d would facilitate an improvement in the synchrony of estrus after PG. Although a larger number of heifers that were assigned to the 28 d protocol were on d 5 and 6 at the time GnRH was administered, response to GnRH was not improved and synchrony of estrus was not enhanced following PG. In Exp. 3, a second modification to the CIDR Select protocol was evaluated using estrous cycling and prepubertal beef heifers. The hypotheses tested were: 1) reducing the interval from CIDR removal to GnRH may facilitate an improvement in the synchrony of estrus after PG, and 2) the addition of GnRH following CIDR removal is required to improve the synchrony of estrus after PG. Although no difference in estrous response was detected, mean intervals to estrus and variance for interval to estrus differed based on the interaction of treatment length, GnRH, and estrous cyclicity status. The results from Exp. 3 clearly suggest that further evaluation of long-term CIDR-based protocols is required

Slave cowboys in the cattle lands of southern brazil, 1800-1850

Perhaps the most striking feature of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in the first part of the nineteenth century was the presence of slave cowboys. Giuseppe Garibaldi, who had fought for many years in Rio Grande do Sul alongside the black Ragamuffins in the Ragamuffin War, 1835-1845, considered these recently freed slaves among the finest busters, ropers, and horse soldiers in all the province, so famous for its gauchos (1)

SHADOW ARMIES: GHOST TROOPS IN THE FARROUPILHA, 1835-45

Abstract Armed conflict and politics preceding and during the farroupilha (1835-45), a Republican secessionist movement on Brazil’s southern frontier, were rife with chefes, as they preferred to say, rather than the rapacious caudillos of their South American neighbors. These heroic men on horseback changed sides with seeming ease, and yet, somehow, always had enough troops to go after their enemies. However, these battlefield armies were substantially smaller than those found in the official and personal documents of the day. Throughout the farroupilha, forced conscription, patriotic appeals, and the power of kinship proved the most reliable ways to increase troop size. Many of the well-promoted encounters of what were primarily irregular forces were relatively trifling, although their reports were always epic. Inflating military egos went along with inflating army numbers. Canny chefes developed other means to present more strength: principally by looking to small military pacts (convênios), after which, to armed asylum seekers (emigrados), and in the publication and presentation of projected force tables. At times, the chefes caused great political discomfort among friend and foe alike by their incomprehensible actions, deceptions, and intrigues, which surprisingly were taken in stride. What seemed as erratic and boastful caudillo behavior, which emerged after the post-independence period in the Platine Basin, where government structures were weak and ineffectual, was in effect a response to the difficulties in putting together and maintaining horse armies in thinly populated regions. Keywords: Military Pacts. Banda Oriental. Libertos. Seekers.   Resumo Os conflitos armados e a política anterior e durante a Revolução Farroupilha (1835-45), movimento secessionista republicano na fronteira sul do Brasil, estavam repletos de chefes, como eles preferiam dizer, ao invés dos caudilhos vorazes de seus vizinhos sul-americanos. Esses homens heroicos a cavalo trocavam de lado com aparente facilidade e, no entanto, de alguma forma, sempre tinham tropas suficientes para perseguir seus inimigos. No entanto, esses exércitos de campo de batalha eram substancialmente menores do que os encontrados nos documentos oficiais e pessoais da época. Em toda a Revolução Farroupilha, o alistamento forçado, os apelos patrióticos e o poder do parentesco se mostraram os meios mais confiáveis ​​para aumentar o tamanho das tropas. Muitos dos bem propagandeados encontros, que eram principalmente de forças irregulares, eram relativamente insignificantes, embora seus relatos fossem sempre épicos. A inflação dos egos militares acompanhou a inflação dos números do exército. Os chefes astutos desenvolveram outros meios para apresentar mais força: principalmente olhando para pequenos pactos militares (convênios), após os quais, para requerentes de asilo armados (emigrados), e com a publicação e apresentação de tabelas de força projetadas. Às vezes, os chefes causavam grande desconforto político entre amigos e inimigos por suas ações incompreensíveis, artifícios e intrigas, que surpreendentemente eram tomadas com calma. O que parecia um comportamento caudilho errático e presunçoso, que surgiu após o período pós-independência na Bacia Platina, onde as estruturas governamentais eram fracas e ineficazes, foi na verdade uma resposta às dificuldades de montar e manter exércitos de cavalos em regiões pouco povoadas. Palavras-chave: Convȇnios. Farroupilha. Banda Oriental. Libertos. Emigrados