Primaquine for all: is it time to simplify malaria treatment in co-endemic areas?

In most areas endemic for malaria, the major species are Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Falciparum malaria is more often lethal, develops resistance to drugs easily, and is responsible for most of the malaria burden in Africa. However, particularly in this second era of malaria elimination efforts,1 P vivax requires increasing attention2 because of the intrinsic challenges related to its control. This species can lead to severe or even life-threatening disease,3 can present variable evidence of resistance to chloroquine in relation to geographical area,4 and has few drug options to prevent relapse. Prevention of relapse is essential because up to 80% of reported cases of P vivax malaria could result from hypnozoite-derived relapses, rather than from newly acquired infections.5 The triggers of relapse are not sufficiently understood, but 8-aminoquinolines (such as primaquine, or the newly registered tafenoquine) are the only effective drugs enabling radical cure

The Formation of the Collisional Family around the Dwarf Planet Haumea

Haumea, a rapidly rotating elongated dwarf planet (~ 1500 km in diameter), has two satellites and is associated with a "family" of several smaller Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) in similar orbits. All members of the Haumea system share a water ice spectral feature that is distinct from all other KBOs. The relative velocities between the Haumea family members are too small to have formed by catastrophic disruption of a large precursor body, which is the process that formed families around much smaller asteroids in the Main Belt. Here we show that all of the unusual characteristics of the Haumea system are explained by a novel type of giant collision: a graze-and-merge impact between two comparably sized bodies. The grazing encounter imparted the high angular momentum that spun off fragments from the icy crust of the elongated merged body. The fragments became satellites and family members. Giant collision outcomes are extremely sensitive to the impact parameters. Compared to the Main Belt, the largest bodies in the Kuiper Belt are more massive and experience slower velocity collisions; hence, outcomes of giant collisions are dramatically different between the inner and outer solar system. The dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt record an unexpectedly large number of giant collisions, requiring a special dynamical event at the end of solar system formation.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 12 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables

Qualidade de vida de jovens de uma paróquia do Distrito Federal

Introdução: O sedentarismo na adolescência é considerado um problema de saúde pública, é comprovado por estudos que a atividade física tem diversos benefícios. Existem evidências que a religião é um fator associado ao bem-estar e a saúde dos jovens. Objetivo: O presente estudo analisou a associação de indicadores de qualidade de vida e religiosidade, e comportamentos sedentários em indivíduos Jovens de Planaltina-DF. Material e Métodos: Foi realizada a coleta de dados através do questionário SF-36. Considerações Finais: No estudo não foi encontrada diferença significativa (p > 0,05), entre as variáveis de qualidade de vida. Apesar de uma tendência a diferença significativa para a variável ‘‘Dor ’’, onde o grupo de 22 a 25 anos apresentou estado de dor melhor quando comparado ao grupo de 18 a 21 anos.Introduction: Physical inactivity in adolescence is considered a public health problem, is proven by studies that physical activity has many benefits. There is evidence that religion is a factor associated with well-being and health of young people. Objective: This study examined the association of religiosity indicators with the quality of life, and sedentary behavior in Youth Planaltina-DF individuals. Material and Methods: The data collection was performed by the SF-36 questionnaire. Final Thoughts: In the study found no difference between the quality of life variables were identified (p> 0.05), despite a tendency to significant differences for the variable pain where the group of 22 to 25 years showed pain state better when compared to the group 18-21 years

Jogos cooperativos no ambiente escolar: intervenção na agressividade infantil

Introdução: atualmente, muito se discute sobre a agressividade preconceito, discriminação, principalmente em ambientes educacionais. Objetivo: Com isso, o presente trabalho de conclusão de curso demonstrou que os jogos cooperativos são mais apropriados para uma intervenção em atos agressivos durante a educação física escolar. Materiais e Métodos: O presente trabalho constou de uma pesquisa de delineamento bibliográfico de natureza exploratória. O material utilizado consistiu em livros e artigos científicos publicados no período entre 1997 a 2013. As informações coletadas para a conclusão deste estudo foram retiradas de consultas em livros presentes na Biblioteca Reitor João Herculino localizado no Centro Universitário de Brasília – UniCEUB e pesquisa em periódicos de artigos disponíveis em revistas científicas. Referencial Teórico: Em suma, os Jogos Cooperativos tem como propósito transformar o jogo em uma ferramenta funcional durante as aulas de educação física para realizar intervenções em manifestações agressivas, no qual o papel do professor é identificar qual é a melhor estratégia para intervir em determinado ato agressivo, pois os alunos possuem diferenças individuais. Considerações Finais: Concluímos que os jogos cooperativos tem ótimas ferramentas para realizar a intervenção necessária para combater a agressividade dentro do ambiente escolar

Raising the red flag for malaria elimination and integrated fever surveillance in the Brazilian amazon

In the past decade, Brazil has achieved considerable progress in malaria control, with 140 000 cases reported in 2015, the lowest numbers since 1980.1 Part of this success has been attributed to the establishment of a large network of around 3000 diagnostic and treatment units for malaria.1 A remarkable feature is that these services are provided for free as part of the public universal health-care system (Sistema Único de Saúde [SUS]) and cover rural and riverine areas in the Amazon region—where more than 83% of malaria transmission occurs

The role of platelet and plasma markers of antioxidant status and oxidative stress in thrombocytopenia among patients with vivax malaria

Malaria remains an important health problem in tropical countries like Brazil. Thrombocytopenia is the most common hematological disturbance seen in malarial infection. Oxidative stress (OS) has been implicated as a possible mediator of thrombocytopenia in patients with malaria. This study aimed to investigate the role of OS in the thrombocytopenia of Plasmodium vivax malaria through the measurement of oxidant and antioxidant biochemical markers in plasma and in isolated platelets. Eighty-six patients with P. vivax malaria were enrolled. Blood samples were analyzed for total antioxidant and oxidant status, albumin, total protein, uric acid, zinc, magnesium, bilirubin, total thiols, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), antibodies against mildly oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL-/nLDL ratio) and nitrite/nitrate levels in blood plasma and GPx and MDA in isolated platelets. Plasma MDA levels were higher in thrombocytopenic (TCP) (median 3.47; range 1.55-12.90 µmol/L) compared with the non-thrombocytopenic (NTCP) patients (median 2.57; range 1.95-8.60 µmol/L). Moreover, the LDL-/nLDL autoantibody ratio was lower in TCP (median 3.0; range 1.5-14.8) than in NTCP patients (median 4.0; range 1.9-35.5). Finally, GPx and MDA were higher in the platelets of TPC patients. These results suggest that oxidative damage of platelets might be important in the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia found in P. vivax malaria as indicated by alterations of GPx and MDA.CNP

Sistema de indicadores de qualidade ambiental urbana para metrópoles costeiras (SIMeC): uma proposta de integração entre os indicadores e as políticas públicas incidentes em aglomerados urbanos costeiros

The present article associate a System of Urban Environmental Quality Indicators for Coastal Metropolis (SIMeC) to the incidents public polices to an effective and systemic analysis of the monitorated results by each indicator.  It is a system of indications already applied in the Metropolitan Regions of Recife (PE), Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and in the coastal urban cluster of Joinville (SC) that, in this study, had their indicators associated with 19 public policies incident in metropolitan regions and coastal urban agglomerations. This kind of relation has the objective of contribute to reduce the gap existent between the monitoring of urban agglomerations located in coastal areas and the eficiency of Public Policies.  From the begining, this article contribuition is at associating the Urban Environmental Quality to the specificities of the coastal areas and present an instrument to the integrated coastal management directly associated to the environmental public policies, urban and sectoral. Keywords: Public Polices. Coastal Management. Urban Environmental Quality. Indicators.El presente artículo asocia un Sistema de Indicadores de Calidad Ambiental Urbana para las Metrópolis Costeras (SIMeC) con las Políticas Públicas incidentes para una análisis sistémica y efectiva de los resultados monitoreados por cada indicador. Este tipo de relación tiene el propósito de contribuir a reducir la brecha existente en lo que se refiere a monitorear los aglomerados urbanos geográficamente localizados en áreas costeras y la eficiencia de la aplicación de las Políticas Públicas. La contribución de este artículo está en asociar la Calidad Ambiental Urbana con las especificidades de las áreas costeras y presentar un instrumento para gestión costera integrada directamente asociado a las políticas públicas ambientales, urbanas y sectoriales. Palabras clave: Gestión Costera. Políticas públicas. Calidad Ambiental Urbana. Indicadores.O presente artigo objetiva associar o Sistema de Indicadores de Qualidade Ambiental Urbana para as Metrópoles Costeiras (SIMeC) com as políticas públicas incidentes para reforçar uma análise sistêmica e efetiva dos resultados monitorados por cada indicador. Trata-se de um sistema já aplicado nas Regiões Metropolitanas do Recife (PE), Rio de Janeiro (RJ) e no aglomerado urbano costeiro de Joinville (SC) e que, neste estudo, os seus indicadores foram associados à 19 políticas públicas incidentes em regiões metropolitanas e aglomerados urbanos costeiros. Este tipo de relação tem o intuito de contribuir para reduzir a lacuna existente no que se refere a monitorar as regiões metropolitanas e aglomerados urbanos geograficamente localizados em áreas costeiras e a eficiência da aplicação das Políticas Públicas. Destarte, a contribuição deste artigo está em associar a Qualidade Ambiental Urbana com as especificidades das áreas costeiras e apresentar um instrumento para gestão costeira integrada diretamente associado às políticas públicas ambientais, urbanas e setoriais. Palavras-chave: Gestão Costeira. Políticas Públicas. Qualidade Ambiental Urbana. Indicadores

Sistema de Indicadores de Qualidade Ambiental Urbana para Metrópoles Costeiras (SIMeC): uma proposta de instrumento de análise territorial | An Urban Environmental Quality Indicator System for Coastal Metropolis (SIMeC): a proposal for territorial analysis

O presente artigo apresenta um Sistema de Indicadores de Qualidade Ambiental Urbana para Metrópoles Costeiras (SIMeC) como proposta de instrumento de análise territorial no processo de gestão costeira integrada. Para tanto, na pesquisa, foram elencados e analisados 1.133 indicadores, provenientes de 22 sistemas nacionais e internacionais. Desse grupo, foram selecionados indicadores avaliados por especialistas residentes nos Estados costeiros brasileiros. Ao final, o estudo obteve 69 identificadores conexos às dimensões da prosperidade urbana: infraestrutura, inclusão e equidade social, qualidade de vida, produtividade e sustentabilidade ambiental, que foram aliados à estrutura DPSIR, isto é, Drivers–Pressures–State–Impacts–Responses. Como resultado, o sistema de indicadores mostrou-se consistente, sendo uma contribuição passível de replicação nas metrópoles costeiras brasileiras. Assim, o uso desses indicadores pode ser um instrumento de tomada de decisão na gestão integrada da zona costeira, constituindo um relatório de qualidade ambiental que possibilitará, além da análise territorial local específica, a comparabilidade com outras regiões costeiras

Characterisation of candidate members of (136108) Haumea's family: II. Follow-up observations

From a dynamical analysis of the orbital elements of transneptunian objects (TNOs), Ragozzine & Brown reported a list of candidate members of the first collisional family found among this population, associated with (136108) Haumea (a.k.a. 2003 EL61). We aim to distinguish the true members of the Haumea collisional family from interlopers. We search for water ice on their surfaces, which is a common characteristic of the known family members. The properties of the confirmed family are used to constrain the formation mechanism of Haumea, its satellites, and its family. Optical and near-infrared photometry is used to identify water ice. We use in particular the CH4 filter of the Hawk-I instrument at the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope as a short H-band (Hs), the (J-Hs) colour being a sensitive measure of the water ice absorption band at 1.6 {\mu}m. Continuing our previous study headed by Snodgrass, we report colours for 8 candidate family members, including near-infrared colours for 5. We confirm one object as a genuine member of the collisional family (2003 UZ117), and reject 5 others. The lack of infrared data for the two remaining objects prevent any conclusion from being drawn. The total number of rejected members is therefore 17. The 11 confirmed members represent only a third of the 36 candidates. The origin of Haumea's family is likely to be related to an impact event. However, a scenario explaining all the peculiarities of Haumea itself and its family remains elusive.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&

The effect of orbital evolution on the Haumea (2003 EL61) collisional family

The Haumea family is currently the only identified collisional family in the Kuiper belt. We numerically simulate the long-term dynamical evolution of the family to estimate a lower limit of the family's age and to assess how the population of the family and its dynamical clustering are preserved over Gyr timescales. We find that the family is not younger than 100 Myr, and its age is at least 1 Gyr with 95% confidence. We find that for initial velocity dispersions of 50-400 m/s, approximately 20-45% of the family members are lost to close encounters with Neptune after 3.5 Gyr of orbital evolution. We apply these loss rates to two proposed models for the formation of the Haumea family, a graze-and-merge type collision between two similarly sized, differentiated KBOs or the collisional disruption of a satellite orbiting Haumea. For the graze-and-merge collision model, we calculate that >85% of the expected mass in surviving family members within 150 m/s of the collision has been identified, but that one to two times the mass of the known family members remains to be identified at larger velocities. For the satellite-break-up model, we estimate that the currently identified family members account for ~50% of the expected mass of the family. Taking observational incompleteness into account, the observed number of Haumea family members is consistent with either formation scenario at the 1 sigma level, however both models predict more objects at larger relative velocities (>150 m/s) than have been identified.Comment: 25 pages, accepted to Icaru