Sexual Dimorphism In Ramphastos Toco And Ramphastos Dicolorus (piciformes, Aves).

Phenotypic sexual dimorphism seems to be rare in the Ramphastidae family, except in Pteroglossus viridis and in the genus Selenidera. Many breeders of wild birds believe that specimens of Ramphastos toco can be sexed using bill characteristics. In this study, various discriminant phenotypic variables were analyzed in birds which were sexed cytogenetically. Fifty-one specimens of R. toco and 20 R. dicolorus were studied. The statistically significant parameters which served to distinguish the sex in these species were the length of the culmen and tomium, length of the lower corneous beak and the cloaca. Using these parameters, captive bird breeders can determine sex of R. toco specimens by phenotypic analysis and form breeding couples more quickly.51241-

Karyotypic characterization of Ramphastidae (Piciformes, Aves)

The karyotypes of nine species of the family Ramphastidae were determined and compared with that of the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), the only ramphastid karyotype so far reported in the literature. Differences in the morphology of the largest chromosomes allowed to identify three karyotype groups. The first group included the species R. toco, Baillonius bailloni, Pteroglossus castanotis, P. aracari and Selenidera maculirostris, in which only the first pair of chromosomes was metacentric. The second group included four Ramphastos species (R. dicolorus, R. ariel, R. vitellinus, R. tucanus cuvieri) with two pairs of metacentric macrochromosomes (the first and the seventh). The third group was represented by a single species, A. laminirostris, in which all the autosomal chromosomes were telocentric. All of the species had subtelocentric Z chromosomes, similar in size to homologues of the first pair. Sex chromosome W was a small chromosome. The chromosome number ranged from 2n = 62 in P. aracari to 114 in R. toco. The cytotaxonomic relationships among toucan species are discussed, based on chromosome analysis.139145Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

O impacto da poliquimioterapia no perfil epidemiológico da hanseníase em Juiz de Fora, Brasil

We investigated the impact of multidrug therapy (MDT) on the epidemiological pattern of leprosy in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, from 1978 to 1995. Evaluation of 1,283 medical charts was performed according to the treatment regimen used in two different periods. Following the introduction of MDT in 1987, prevalence of leprosy decreased from 22 patients/10,000 inhabitants to 5.2 patients/10,000 inhabitants in 1995. Incidence rate of leprosy was lower in period II (1987-1995) than in period I (1978-1986). Decreasing prevalence and incidence appear to be related to drug efficacy rather than decreased case identification, since both self-referred and professionally referred treatment increased markedly from period I to period II. For both periods, multibacillary leprosy was the most frequent clinical form of the disease (±68%), and the main infection risk factor identified was household contact. Leprosy is predominantly manifested in adults, but an increase in the number of very old and very young patients was observed in period II. The MDT program has been effective both in combating leprosy and in promoting awareness of the disease.Investigamos o impacto da poliquimioterapia (PQT) no perfil epidemiológico da hanseníase em Juiz de Fora, Brasil, de 1978 a 1995. Fizemos uma avaliação de 1.283 prontuários, de acordo com o esquema terapêutico adotado em dois diferentes períodos. Desde a introdução da PQT, em 1987, a prevalência da hanseníase caiu de 22 pacientes/dez mil habitantes para 5,2 pacientes/dez mil habitantes em 1995. A incidência da doença foi menor no período II (1987-1995) em comparação ao período I (1978-1986). A diminuição da prevalência e da incidência está mais relacionada à eficácia das drogas que a uma queda na identificação da infecção, já que tanto a procura espontânea quanto os encaminhamentos aumentaram significativamente do período I para o período II. Em ambos os períodos, a forma clínica mais freqüente foi a multibacilar (±68%), e o contato intradomicilicar foi o maior fator de risco conhecido associado à infecção. Um aumento de pacientes muito velhos ou muito novos foi observado no período II. Os resultados indicam que o esquema PQT tem sido eficaz no combate à hanseníase e tem aumentado a conscientização e o conhecimento da doença

Pure cerium dioxide preparation for use as spectrochemical standard and analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF ICP-MS)

Ao longo dos anos, o Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP) tem realizado diversas pesquisas na produção de Terras Raras (RE) de alta pureza. A metodologia apresentada neste trabalho refere-se à produção econômica e de baixo custo de óxido de cério. O cério produzido pode ser utilizado como um padrão espectroquímico. A obtenção desse padrão está associada à precipitação fracionada pelo sistema RECl3/NH4OH/Ar/H2O2, para enriquecer o óxido de cério de 90% a 99,99% em CeO2. O controle de qualidade do padrão produzido é feito através da técnica da espectrometria de massas com fonte de plasma (ICP-MS) e confirmado pela técnica da ativação de nêutrons. Os valores das impurezas de Terras Raras no óxido, em ppm são: La(36), Pr(19), Nd(161), Sm(11), Eu(5,3), Gd(113), Tb(89), Dy(2), Ho(0,05), Er(1), Tm(<0,05), Yb(11), Lu(19) e Y(2,1), respectivamente. Os valores encontrados das impurezas são comparados aos padrões internacionais e confirmam o alto nível de pureza do óxido de cério produzido no IPEN.For several years, IPEN/CNEN-SP has been working in the separation of the Rare Earth (RE) elements. A simple and economic procedure for the purification of technical grade cerium concentrate is described. The highly pure cerium dioxide is designed to be used as spectrochemical standard. It is obtained by association of the fractional precipitation technique, in the system RECl3/NH4OH/ Air/H2O2, to enrich the cerium up to 90% and then it is upgraded by ion exchange technique to 99.99% CeO2. The quality control warranty was accomplished by inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and neutron activation analysis. The collected values for the accompanying Rare Earth elements in a CeO2 sample are the following (ppm): La(36), Pr(19), Nd(161), Sm(11), Eu(5.3), Gd(113), Tb(89), Dy(2), Ho(0.05), Er(1), Tm(<0.05), Yb(11), Lu(19) and Y(2.1), respectively. The purity of this cerium oxide is comparable to the international spectrographic standards