All mixed up in the terrain: The geographic knowledge of mamelucos applied by Jesuits in the cartographic production of Paraguayan Backlands (1746-1753)

Cartographic images made by Jesuits in the 18th century turned out to be transnational and locally mixed cognitive experiences, as these missionary agents of a global institution were forced to establish a collaborative relationship with the multicultural spaces where they settled and undertook their activities. One of the cartographic genres developed by the missionaries, the Paraquariae Provinciae, combined information and geographical knowledge of the mamelucos, a mestizo social type of Amerindian with white Portuguese settler which has been widely acknowledged but poorly elucidated by the historiography making process. The present paper aims to address these issues by applying concepts and methods of critical cartography in order to compare maps built by the Jesuits.Las imágenes cartográficas realizadas por los jesuitas en el siglo XVIII resultaron ser experiencias cognitivas transnacionales y localmente mixtas, ya que estos agentes misioneros de una institución global se vieron obligados a establecer una relación de colaboración con los espacios multiculturales donde se asentaron y desarrollaron sus actividades. Uno de los géneros cartográficos desarrollados por los misioneros, el Paraquariae Provinciae, combinó información y conocimiento geográfico de los mamelucos, ampliamente reconocido pero poco dilucidado por el proceso de elaboración historiográfico. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo abordar estos temas aplicando conceptos y métodos de cartografía crítica para comparar los mapas construidos por los jesuitas

Desenhos de itinerário

Desenhos de itinerário são um tipo de imagem cartográfica que mostram que um mapa não é uma imagem-objeto genérica, mas variável nas suas características formais, finalidades e formas de produção. Por terem sido produzidos em campo e em circunstância de mapeamento alguns destes desenhos demonstram marcas de etnogeografias nativas, derivadas da maneira como grupos indígenas ocupavam, usavam e percorriam os espaços. Apesar de estudos anteriores admitirem a contribuição da geografia indígena no processo de expansão territorial do Brasil e de pesquisas recentes defenderem a figura do índio como agente ativo na história ainda não são feitas conexões consistentes entre etnogeografias e imagens cartográficas. Este texto mostra como um desenho de itinerário feito por um padre durante expedições de mapeamento dos sertões do sul do Brasil flexibiliza o conceito de mapa normatizado pela cultura moderna. Para traçar as características essenciais de um desenho de itinerário e verificar seu diálogo com etnogeografias nativas foram lidos em conjunto um desenho e diários de jornada escritos pelos agentes sociais envolvidos na circunstância de produção deste desenho. Os resultados alcançados foram interpretados à luz de questões colocadas pela história sociocultural da cartografia mais recente e pela proposta teórico-metodológica que propõe a identificação dos diferentes gêneros da imagem cartográfica.Los dibujos del itinerario son un tipo de imagen cartográfica que muestran que un mapa no es una imagen de objeto genérica, sino que varía en sus características formales, propósitos y formas de producción. Debido a que se produjeron en el campo y bajo condiciones de mapeo, algunos de estos dibujos muestran las marcas de las etnogeografías nativas, derivadas de la forma en que los grupos indígenas ocuparon, usaron y viajaron por los espacios. Aunque los estudios anteriores admiten la contribución de la geografía indígena en el proceso de expansión territorial de Brasil y las investigaciones recientes sostienen que la figura del indio como agente activo en la historia, todavía no hay conexiones constantes entre las etnogeografías y las imágenes cartográficas. Este texto muestra cómo un dibujo de itinerario realizado por un sacerdote durante las expediciones de mapeo en el interior del sur de Brasil hace que el concepto de mapa estandarizado por la cultura moderna sea más flexible. Para rastrear las características esenciales de un diseño de itinerario y para verificar su diálogo con las etnogeografías nativas, se leyeron juntos un dibujo y revistas escritas por los agentes sociales involucrados en las circunstancias de producción de este diseño. Los resultados obtenidos se interpretaron a la luz de las preguntas planteadas por la historia sociocultural de la cartografía más reciente y por la propuesta teórico-metodológica que propone la identificación de los diferentes géneros de la imagen cartográfica.Itinerary drawings are a type of cartographic image that show that a map is not a generic object image, but variable in its formal characteristics, purposes and forms of production. Because they were produced in the field and under mapping conditions, some of these drawings demonstrate the marks of native ethnogeographies, derived from the way indigenous groups occupied, used, and traveled the spaces. Although previous studies admit the contribution of indigenous geography in the process of territorial expansion of Brazil and recent research advocates the figure of the Indian as an active agent in history, there are still no consistent connections between ethnogeographies and cartographic images. This text shows how an itinerary drawing made by a priest during mapping expeditions in the hinterlands of southern Brazil makes the concept of map standardized by modern culture more flexible. In order to trace the essential characteristics of an itinerary drawing and to verify its dialogue with native ethnogeographies, a drawing and journals written by the social agents involved in the production circumstance of this design were read together. The results obtained were interpreted in the light of questions posed by the socio-cultural history of the most recent cartography and by the theoretical-methodological proposal that propose the identification of the different genera of the cartographic image.Les dessins de routage sont un type d'image cartographique qui montre qu'une carte n'est pas une image d'objet générique, mais qu'elle présente des caractéristiques formelles, des objectifs et des formes de production variables. Comme ils ont été réalisés sur le terrain et dans des conditions cartographiques, certains de ces dessins montrent les marques des ethnogéographies autochtones, dérivées de la manière dont les groupes autochtones occupaient, utilisaient et parcouraient les espaces. Bien que des études antérieures aient admis la contribution de la géographie autochtone au processus d'expansion territoriale du Brésil et des recherches récentes pour défendre la figure de l'Indien en tant qu'agent actif de l'histoire, il n'y a toujours pas de liens cohérents entre ethnogéographies et images cartographiques. Ce texte montre comment un itinéraire tracé par un prêtre au cours d'expéditions cartographiques dans l'arrière-pays du sud du Brésil assouplit le concept de carte normalisé par la culture moderne. Afin de retracer les caractéristiques essentielles d'un projet d'itinéraire et de vérifier son dialogue avec les ethnogéographies autochtones, un dessin et des journaux écrits par les agents sociaux impliqués dans les conditions de production de ce projet ont été lus ensemble. Les résultats obtenus ont été interprétés à la lumière des questions posées par l'histoire socioculturelle de la cartographie la plus récente et par la proposition théorico-méthodologique proposant l'identification des différents genres de l'image cartographique

Hypotensive effect and endothelium-dependent vascular action of leaves of Alpinia purpurata (Vieill) K. Schum

The aims of this study were to evaluate the chemical profile, vascular reactivity, and acute hypotensive effect (AHE) of the ethanolic extract of leaves of Alpinia purpurata (Vieill) K. Schum (EEAP). Its chemical profile was evaluated using HPLC-UV, ICP-OES, and colorimetric quantification of total flavonoids and polyphenols. The vascular reactivity of the extract was determined using the mesenteric bed isolated from WKY. AHE dose-response curves were obtained for both EEAP and inorganic material isolated from AP (IAP) in WKY and SHR animals. Cytotoxic and mutagenic safety levels were determined by the micronucleus test. Rutin-like flavonoids were quantified in the EEAP (1.8 ± 0.03%), and the total flavonoid and polyphenol ratios were 4.1 ± 1.8% and 5.1 ± 0.3%, respectively. We observed that the vasodilation action of EEAP was partially mediated by nitric oxide (·NO). The IAP showed the presence of calcium (137.76 ± 4.08 μg mg-1). The EEAP and IAP showed an AHE in WKY and SHR animals. EEAP did not have cytotoxic effects or cause chromosomic alterations. The AHE shown by EEAP could result from its endothelium-dependent vascular action. Rutin-like flavonoids, among other polyphenols, could contribute to these biological activities, and the calcium present in EEAP could act in a synergistic way

Environmental and sanitary conditions of guanabara bay, Rio de Janeiro

Guanabara Bay is the second largest bay in the coast of Brazil, with an area of 384 km2. In its surroundings live circa 16 million inhabitants, out of which 6 million live in Rio de Janeiro city, one of the largest cities of the country, and the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. Anthropogenic interference in Guanabara Bay area started early in the XVI century, but environmental impacts escalated from 1930, when this region underwent an industrialization process. Herein we present an overview of the current environmental and sanitary conditions of Guanabara Bay, a consequence of all these decades of impacts. We will focus on microbial communities, how they may affect higher trophic levels of the aquatic community and also human health. The anthropogenic impacts in the bay are flagged by heavy eutrophication and by the emergence of pathogenic microorganisms that are either carried by domestic and/or hospital waste (e.g., virus, KPC-producing bacteria, and fecal coliforms), or that proliferate in such conditions (e.g., vibrios). Antibiotic resistance genes are commonly found in metagenomes of Guanabara Bay planktonic microorganisms. Furthermore, eutrophication results in recurrent algal blooms, with signs of a shift toward flagellated, mixotrophic groups, including several potentially harmful species. A recent large-scale fish kill episode, and a long trend decrease in fish stocks also reflects the bay’s degraded water quality. Although pollution of Guanabara Bay is not a recent problem, the hosting of the 2016 Olympic Games propelled the government to launch a series of plans to restore the bay’s water quality. If all plans are fully implemented, the restoration of Guanabara Bay and its shores may be one of the best legacies of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro

Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above 4×10184{\times}10^{18} eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding $4{\times}10^{18}$ eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers with zenith angles greater than $60^{\circ}$ detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above $5.3{\times}10^{18}$ eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law $E^{-\gamma}$ with index $\gamma=2.70 \pm 0.02 \,\text{(stat)} \pm 0.1\,\text{(sys)}$ followed by a smooth suppression region. For the energy ($E_\text{s}$) at which the spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence of suppression, we find $E_\text{s}=(5.12\pm0.25\,\text{(stat)}^{+1.0}_{-1.2}\,\text{(sys)}){\times}10^{19}$ eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Energy Estimation of Cosmic Rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30 to 80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy -- corrected for geometrical effects -- is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Measurement of the Radiation Energy in the Radio Signal of Extensive Air Showers as a Universal Estimator of Cosmic-Ray Energy

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8 \pm 0.7 (stat) \pm 6.7 (sys) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principle calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the direct calibration of any cosmic-ray radio detector against the well-established energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Supplemental material in the ancillary file