The energy and water balance of a Eucalyptus plantation in southeast Brazil

The eddy covariance method was used to measure energy and water balance of a plantation of Eucalyptus (grandis x urophylla) hybrids over a 2 year period. The average daily evaporation rates were 5.4 (+/- 2.0) mm day(-1) in summer, but fell to 1.2 (+/- 0.3) mm day(-1) in winter. In contrast, the sensible heat flux was relatively low in summer but dominated the energy balance in winter. Evaporation accounted for 80% and 26% of the available energy, in summer and winter respectively. The annual evaporation was 82% (1124 mm) and 96% (1235 mm) of the annual rainfall recorded during the first and second year, respectively. Daily average canopy and aerodynamic conductance to water vapour were in the summer 51.9 (+/- 38.4) mm s(-1) 84.1 (+/- 25.6) mm s(-1), respectively; and in the winter 6.0 (+/- 10.5) mm s(-1) and 111.6 (+/- 24.6) mm s(-1), respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.EmbrapaUniversidade de São Paulo USPFAPESPCNPqVC

Empirical Use Of Aztreonam Associated With Ampicillin Or Vancomicin For Treatment Of Severe Infections: Multicenter Study [uso Empírico De Aztreonam Associado à Ampicilina Ou Vancomicina No Tratamento De Infecções Severas: Estudo Multicêntrico]

Objective: To analyze the treatment of patient with severe infections with aztreonam as monotherapy or in association with ampicillin or vancomicin. Setting: Thirteen Brazilian centers. Study design: Open multicenter and non comparative study. Casuistic: Patients above 18 years old, with severe infections and in need of empirical treatment were included. The infections were sepsis, infection of inferior respiratory tract, intra-abdominal infection and urinary tract infection. Neutropenic patients were excluded. The follow up was until the hospital discharge date and the patients were analyzed according to clinical or microbiological response to treatment. Results: 27 patients were studied with a mean age of 48 years. The male gender was more frequent (74%). There were a total of 31 infections and the most frequent was the infection of inferior respiratory tract (15), followed by urinary tract infection (7), sepsis (8), and intra-abdominal infection (1). P. aeruginosa was the most frequent etiologic agent isolated (14), followed by E. coli (10). The average duration of therapy with aztreonam was 11.7 days. The clinical cure was found in 19 patients (70%), the partial cure in six (22%) and failure was found in one patient (3.7%). The microbiological cure was found in 17 (68%) patients. There were two (7.4%) adverse effects, both were thrombophlebitis. Conclusion: The empirical therapy with aztreonam in patients with severe infections were found to be efficacious for the majority of indications.706327331Almeida, F.A., Narvaez, G.A., Lopes, H.V., Godoy, I., Pasternak, Baldy, J.L.S., Szpeiter, Badaro, R., Avaliação da eficácia do aztreonam no tratamento de infecções graves Estudo de 55 casos (1993) Rev Bras Cir, 83Stutman, H.R., Aztreonam: Clinical pharmacology (1989) Pediatr Infect Dis J, 8, pp. S104-108Fried, J., Hinthorn, D.R., New antibiotics. 1985: A review of recently developed betalactams (1985) Hosp Formul, 20, pp. 1154-1160Mattie, H., Clinical pharmacokinetics of aztreonam (1988) Clin Pharmcokinetics, 14, pp. 148-155Goldoni, S., Galassi, P., Gandolfi, P., Di Francesco, E., Simonella, A., Torreli, L., Miano, L., (1987) Curr Therap Res, 42, pp. 880-888Shibl, A.M., Ishag, A.H., Durgham, S.M., (1983) Chemotherapy, 35, pp. 72-76Bjornson, H.S., Randa-Ramirez, C., Saavedra, S., Rivera-Vázquez, C.R., Liu, C., Hinthorn, D.R., Comparison of empiric aztreonam and aminoglycoside regimens in the treatment of serious gram-negative lower respiratory infectons (1993) Clin Therpeut, 15, pp. 65-78Pasternak, J., Ganme, A.P.P., Ritchman, R., Rodrigues, E.A., Aztreonam-ceftriaxone em infecções severas (1994) Arq Bras Med, 68, pp. 353-355Fekete, T., Castellano, M., Ramirez, J., Siefkin, A., Martin, M., Redington, J.J., North, D., Gagnon, S., A randomized comparative trial of aztreonam plus cefazolin versus ceftazidime for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia (1994) Drug Infect, 7, pp. 117-126Birolini, D., Moraes, M.F., Souza, O.S., Estudo comparativo entre as associações aztreonam/clindamicina e tobramicina/clindamicina no tratamento de infecções intra-abdominals (1992) Arq Bras Med, 6

Feeding habits of the spider crab Libinia spinosa H. Milne Edwards, 1834 (Decapoda, Brachyura) in Ubatuba bay, São Paulo, Brazil

The main goal of this study was the identification of the items of the diet of the L. spinosa, based on the stomach contents analysis. The crabs were obtained from Ubatuba region north-eastern shore of São Paulo State. In the laboratory, all the individuals were dissected, the stomach was retreated and fixed in 10% formaline. The alimentary items were identified under stereomicroscope and analysed by the method of Frequency of Occurrence. A total of 194 stomachs was analysed and nine alimentary items were obtained. Unindentified material was found in 98% of analysed stomach and poriferan were present in less then 1% of stomachs. These results pointed a diversified diet explored by this crab, as well as the employment of some different methods for food intake. This suggested that these crabs could occupy different position in the trophic chain.<br>O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar os itens alimentares que compõem a dieta de L. spinosa, por meio da análise do conteúdo estomacal. Os caranguejos foram coletados no litoral norte paulista (23º25’S-45º00’W). No laboratório, todos indivíduos foram dissecados, os estômagos foram retirados e fixados em formol 10%. Os itens alimentares foram identificados sob estereomicroscópio, sendo que para a análise foi utilizado o método Freqüência de Ocorrência. Foram analisados 194 estômagos, nos quais foram encontrados nove itens alimentares. A maior freqüência foi para material não identificado, ocorrendo em 98% dos estômagos analisados e Porifera foi o item com a menor freqüência, ocorrendo em menos de 1% dos estômagos. Com base nos resultados obtidos, sugere-se que o caranguejo L. spinosa apresenta uma dieta diversificada, sugerindo a utilização de diferentes métodos para a obtenção de alimento e por conseqüência podendo ocupar vários níveis na cadeia trófica

Políticas públicas no meio rural: visibilidade e participação social como perspectivas de cidadania solidária e saúde Public policies in rural areas: visibility and social participation as perspectives of supportive citizenship and health

O artigo visa estimular o debate sobre o papel que o Estado vem assumindo na construção de uma cidadania mais solidária e na promoção da saúde. Propõe pensar essas relações por meio da Teoria da Dádiva e de categorias analíticas como participação e visibilidade. Parte-se do pressuposto de que, ao circularem bens materiais e imateriais nas políticas públicas, dá-se visibilidade e reconhecimento às necessidades dos usuários, possibilitando abertura para participação e alargamento das parcerias e solidariedades entre Estado-sociedade e sociedade-sociedade. Isso, por sua vez, contribuiria para a concretização de direitos, a potencialização de programas e a materialização da saúde, pensada de uma forma mais ampla. As reflexões aqui apresentadas partem de estudos realizados com abordagem qualitativa, tendo como lócus uma comunidade rural do Rio Grande do Sul. Os dados foram produzidos por meio de entrevistas, observações participantes e grupos focais; na apreciação das informações adotou-se a análise temática. Foi possível apreender que, por um lado, as políticas, ao propiciarem a visibilidade e a participação, permitem o exercício da cidadania, vínculos mais solidários e o enfrentamento do cotidiano na busca das necessidades sociais e em saúde; por outro, elas também podem, ao atuar na contramão da cidadania, contribuir com o imobilismo e clientelismo, (re)produzindo desigualdades. Por fim, muito se tem avançado em termos de políticas públicas; porém, para alcançarmos uma cidadania mais solidária e a saúde, parece ser necessário, por parte do Estado, superar práticas pouco democráticas e, pelo lado da sociedade, um civismo tutelado e conformista.<br>This paper aims to stimulate the debate on the role the State takes in the development of a more supportive citizenship and health promotion. It proposes to analyze those relationships through the Theory of Donation and analytical categories such as participation and visibility. It is believed that the use of material and immaterial goods in public policies gives visibility and recognition to the users' needs, enabling the participation and the enlargement of partnerships and solidarity between State-society and society-society. This, in turn, would contribute in achieving rights, empowering health programs and materializing health conceived in a broader way. The reflections here presented come from studies of qualitative approach, which have as locus a rural community of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Data were produced through interviews, participating observations and focus groups; in the assessment of information it was adopted a thematic analysis. It was possible to see that, on one hand, when policies favor visibility and participation they allow the exercise of citizenship, the development of solidarity ties, and coping in the search of health and social needs. On the other, when they are against citizenship they can also favor immobility and clientelism, (re)producing inequalities. Finally, there has been much progress in terms of public policies, but to achieve a more supportive citizenship, the State must overcome its undemocratic practices, and society must overcome its tutored and conformist public spirit

Filariose bancroftiana no Brasil Bancroftian filariasis in Brazil

Foi feita revisão dos estudos sobre a distribuição geográfica e prevalências da filariose linfática bancroftiana no Brasil. Entre 1951 a 1958 foram realizados inquéritos hemoscópicos e entomológicos no País, sendo a transmissão autóctone comprovada em apenas 11 Municípios: Ponta Grossa (SC), 14,5%; Belém (PA), 9,8%; Barra de Laguna (SC), 9,4%; Recife (PE), 6,9%; Castro Alves (BA), 5,9%; Florianópolis (SC), 1,4%; São Luís (MA), 0,6%; Salvador (BA), 0,4%; Maceió (AL), 0,3%; Manaus (AM), 0,2% e Porto Alegre (RS), 0,1%. A distribuição da parasitose era urbana e focal, principalmente em cidades litorâneas. As ações de controle implementadas levaram a uma apreciável queda nas taxas de microfilarêmicos sendo consideradas, a partir de então, áreas endêmicas para filariose linfática no Brasil somente as cidades de Belém e Recife. Estudos recentes mostram transmissão ativa da parasitose, com prevalências superiores às detectadas no passado, em Maceió, cujo foco era considerado extinto, e em Recife. O conhecimento da situação atual da bancroftose no Brasil é de fundamental importância para a implementação de ações de controle da endemia envolvendo o Ministério da Saúde e órgãos de saúde pública.<br>The past and present distribution of Bancroftian filariasis in Brazil is reviewed. Parasitological and entomological surveys were conducted between 1951 and 1958, the autochthonous transmission of Wuchereria bancrofti having been found only in 11 places in the country as follows, with the corresponding prevalences: Ponta Grossa (SC), 14.5%; Belém (PA), 9.8%; Barra de Laguna (SC), 9.4%; Recife (PE), 6.9%; Castro Alves (BA), 5.9%; Florianópolis (SC), 1.4%; São Luis (MA), 0.6%; Salvador (BA), 0.4%; Maceió (AL), 0.3%; Manaus (AM), 0.2% and Porto Alegre (RS), 0.1%. The distribution of infection was urban and focal, occurring mainly along the coast. Control measures carried out against filariasis achieved considerable success, reducing infection and transmission, only Belém and Recife being considered endemic areas. Recent studies show the active transmission of filariasis with higher prevalences than those observed in the past,in Maceió, considered to be free from infection, and in Recife. The knowledge of the present status of Bancroftian filariasis in Brazil is important as baseline information, because it will allow for the establishment of control measures by Public Health organizations