Effect of fire on ant assemblages in brazilian cerrado in areas containing vereda wetlands

Cerrado is a biome whose evolution is intimately influenced by constant fire events. Although many species are capable of dealing with this predictable impact, many others may be negatively affected, resulting in community changes after fire. Using ants as bioindicators of changes in biodiversity and environmental conditions, this study evaluated the effects of fire in two Cerrado vegetation types: "cerrado" sensu stricto, a xeric savanna, and wetland "veredas", a mesic vegetation on floodable soils, where water concentrates and ultimately flows towards rivers. We examined the effects of fire on both habitats in two independent sites, but with special consideration to the wetlands, which are not fully adapted to fire. Ant sampling was conducted twice before and twice after a fire event, using 288 baits and 416 pitfall traps (soil and arboreal), and 16 hand collections along three random replicate transects per area. Ant species richness and abundance were resilient to fire, and exhibited a remarkably consistent seasonal variation at unburned and burned sites. On the other hand, the fire markedly changed the ant species composition. In the wetlands, the fire spread underground due to the high concentration of peat. The impact on ant assemblages was substantial and visually perceptible for some species like Camponotus rufipes, which suffered a considerable reduction in the number of individuals after fire in this habitat. In the cerrado, a similar result was observed for Crematogaster nr. obscurata, which disappeared after fire. The wetland vegetation having little adaptation to fire, plus low resilience in the ant community resulted in a severely changed fauna, both in guild predominance and species composition, and return to an original state is uncertain

An Innovative Enhanced Wall to Reduce the Energy Demand in Buildings

Energy saving in buildings is one of most important issues for European countries. Although in the last years many studies have been carried out in order to reach the zero-consumption house the energy rate due to passive solar heating could be further enhanced. This paper proposes a method for increasing the energy rate absorbed by opaque walls by using a two phase loop thermosyphon connecting the internal and the external façade of a prefabricated house wall. The evaporator zone is embedded into the outside facade and the condenser is indoor placed to heat the domestic environment. The thermosyphon has been preliminary designed and implanted into a wall for a prefabricated house in Italy. An original dynamic thermal model of the building equipped with the thermosyphon wall allowed the evolution of the indoor temperature over time and the energy saving rates. The transient behaviour of the building has been simulated during the winter period by using the EnergyPlusTM software. The annual saving on the heating energy is higher than 50% in the case of a low consumption building

An Innovative Enhanced Wall to Reduce the Energy Demand in Buildings

Energy saving in buildings is one of most important issues for European countries. The 40% of the total European energy consumption is due to building Heating and conditioning. Although in the last years many studies have been carried out in order to reach the zero-consumption house by means of passive solar heating, ventilation or thermal insulation, the energy rate due to passive solar heating could be further enhanced. This paper proposes a method for increasing the energy rate absorbed by opaque walls by using a two phase loop thermosyphon connecting the internal and the external façade of a prefabricated house wall. The evaporator zone is located on the outside face and it is irradiated by the sunlight while the condenser zone is placed on the internal face and releases heat to the domestic environment. The temperature differences between the internal and external wall facades are lower than 30 K and the heat fluxes at the evaporator change during the day from 2 up to 7 x 104 W/m2 K. The thermosyphon has been preliminary designed and implanted into a wall for a prefabricated house in Italy. A thermal model of building equipped with the thermosiphon wall has been used in order to evaluate the impact in terms of energy saving and thermal comfort in a real prefabricated low consumption house. The transient behaviour of the building has been simulated day by day during the winter period by using the EnergyPlusTM software. This solution enhances the thermal comfort of the building by keeping the indoor temperature close to the thermal comfort standard for most of the day. The annual saving on the heating energy is higher than 50% in the case of a low consumption buildin

Propylthiouracil-induced cutaneous vasculitis

The use of propylthiouracil (PTU) is associated with the development of different auto-antibodies, amongst them are antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) that are involved in the pathogenesis of ANCA associated systemic vasculitis. The case of a 46-years old woman who presented cutaneous vasculitis when taking PTU for Graves' disease is reported. Perinuclear ANCA (p-ANCA) was positive with titer > 1/320, but anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies were not detected. Skin biopsy showed leucocytoclastic vasculitis. The patient improved within ten days after withdrawing PTU and the resolution of hyperthyroidism was achieved with radioiodine (131I). The p-ANCA test remained positive > 1/320 eight months and four years after PTU withdrawal.O uso do propiltiouracil (PTU) está associado ao desenvolvimento de diferentes auto-anticorpos, entre eles anticorpos anticitoplasma de neutrófilos (ANCA), que estão envolvidos na patogênese das vasculites sistêmicas ANCA-associadas (VSAA). Será relatado o caso de um paciente do sexo feminino, de 46 anos, que apresentou vasculite cutânea durante o uso de PTU como terapêutica para doença de Graves. O ANCA com padrão perinuclear (p-ANCA) foi positivo em títulos > 1/320, porém anticorpos antimielo-peroxidase (MPO) não foram detectados. A biópsia de pele revelou uma vasculite leucocitoclástica. Houve melhora clínica em dez dias após a retirada do PTU e optou-se pelo iodo radioativo (I131) para o tratamento do hipertireoidismo. O p-ANCA manteve-se positivo em títulos > 1/320 em duas medidas, realizadas oito meses e quatro anos após a suspensão do PTU.Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual Francisco Morato de OliveiraUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Topsy-Turvy Neo-Developmentalism: An Analysis of the Current Brazilian Model of Development*

A B S T R AC T | The paper discusses the similarities and differences between neo-developmentalism and neo-extractivism. The evaluation compares Brazil with nine other Latin American countries and is based on a framework that considers both economic policies and their outcomes. On the policy side, it looks at income, monetary, international trade, industrial and mineral resource policies; on the outcome side, it observes the composition of both exports and the Gross Domestic Product. In the end, we argue that neo-developmentalism and neo-extractivism are actually variations of the same development route and may face similar challenges in the long term. Neodesarrolismo al revés: un análisis del actual modelo brasileño de desarrollo R E S U M E N | El artículo analiza las similitudes y diferencias entre el neodesarrollismo y el neoextractivismo. Esta revisión compara Brasil con otros nueve países de América Latina y utiliza como base un modelo que considera las políticas económicas y sus resultados. Por el lado de la política, considera la política económica, industrial, de comercio internacional, ingresos y recursos minerales. Por el lado de los resultados, observa la composición de las exportaciones y el PIB. Por último, se argumenta que el neodesarrollismo y neoextractivismo en realidad son variaciones de la misma vía de desarrollo y tienden a enfrentar los mismos desafíos en el largo plazo. PA L A B R A S C L AV E | Neodesarrollismo, neoextractivismo, desarrollo, América Latina. Neodesenvolvimento ao contrário: uma análise do atual modelo brasileiro de desenvolvimento R E S U M O | Este artigo analisa as semelhanças e as diferenças entre o neodesenvolvimentismo e o neoextrativismo. Esta revisão compara o Brasil com outros nove países da América Latina e utiliza como base um modelo que considera as políticas econômicas e seus resultados. No que se refere à política, considera as políticas de renda, monetária, de comércio internacional, industrial e de recursos minerais. Quanto aos resultados, observa a composição das exportações e o PIB. Por último, argumenta-se que o neodesenvolvimentismo e o neoextrativismo em realidade são variações da mesma via de desenvolvimento e tendem a enfrentar os mesmos desafios em longo prazo

Topsy-Turvy Neo-Developmentalism: An Analysis of the Current Brazilian Model of Development*

A B S T R AC T | The paper discusses the similarities and differences between neo-developmentalism and neo-extractivism. The evaluation compares Brazil with nine other Latin American countries and is based on a framework that considers both economic policies and their outcomes. On the policy side, it looks at income, monetary, international trade, industrial and mineral resource policies; on the outcome side, it observes the composition of both exports and the Gross Domestic Product. In the end, we argue that neo-developmentalism and neo-extractivism are actually variations of the same development route and may face similar challenges in the long term. Neodesarrolismo al revés: un análisis del actual modelo brasileño de desarrollo R E S U M E N | El artículo analiza las similitudes y diferencias entre el neodesarrollismo y el neoextractivismo. Esta revisión compara Brasil con otros nueve países de América Latina y utiliza como base un modelo que considera las políticas económicas y sus resultados. Por el lado de la política, considera la política económica, industrial, de comercio internacional, ingresos y recursos minerales. Por el lado de los resultados, observa la composición de las exportaciones y el PIB. Por último, se argumenta que el neodesarrollismo y neoextractivismo en realidad son variaciones de la misma vía de desarrollo y tienden a enfrentar los mismos desafíos en el largo plazo. PA L A B R A S C L AV E | Neodesarrollismo, neoextractivismo, desarrollo, América Latina. Neodesenvolvimento ao contrário: uma análise do atual modelo brasileiro de desenvolvimento R E S U M O | Este artigo analisa as semelhanças e as diferenças entre o neodesenvolvimentismo e o neoextrativismo. Esta revisão compara o Brasil com outros nove países da América Latina e utiliza como base um modelo que considera as políticas econômicas e seus resultados. No que se refere à política, considera as políticas de renda, monetária, de comércio internacional, industrial e de recursos minerais. Quanto aos resultados, observa a composição das exportações e o PIB. Por último, argumenta-se que o neodesenvolvimentismo e o neoextrativismo em realidade são variações da mesma via de desenvolvimento e tendem a enfrentar os mesmos desafios em longo prazo

Thermal Contact Conductance at Low Contact Pressures

New correlations are presented for the truncated Gaussian (TG) thermal contact conductance model during first loading. The TG model is also incorporated into existing models for the hysteresis effect of thermal contact conductance and for the plastic contact pressure. The TG models, as well as the existing fully Gaussian models, are compared against new experimental data collected at very low contact pressures. Comparison between the models and the data shows that the fully Gaussian model underpredicts data at low contact pressures, as already extensively reported in the literature. The first-loading TG model predicts the experiments very well over the entire range of the contact pressures tested. The hysteresis effect model proved to be accurate only for contact pressure above 400 kPa, in general. The TG model requires a surface roughness parameter, the level of truncation of the probability density function of surface heights, which cannot be obtained accurately from ordinary surface profilometry. The most accurate and straightforward way to estimate this surface geometry parameter is from thermal tests. The levels of truncation of bead-blasted stainless steel 304 and Ni 200 are obtained and presented. Nomenclature A = area, m2 a = mean contact spot radius, m c1 = Vickers microhardness correlation coefficient, P

Mycobacterium leprae is identified in the oral mucosa from paucibacillary and multibacillary leprosy patients

In leprosy, the nasal mucosa is considered as the principal route of transmission for the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. the objective of this study was to identify M.leprae in the oral mucosa of 50 untreated leprosy patients, including 21 paucibacillary (PB) and 29 multibacillary (MB) patients, using immunohistochemistry (IHC), with antibodies against bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and phenolic glycolipid antigen-1 (PGL-1), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with MntH-specific primers for M.leprae, and to compare the results. the material was represented by 163 paraffin blocks containing biopsy samples obtained from clinically normal sites (including the tongue, buccal mucosa and soft palate) and visible lesions anywhere in the oral mucosa. All patients and 158 available samples were included for IHC study. Among the 161 available samples for PCR, 110 had viable DNA. There was viable DNA in at least one area of the oral mucosa for 47 patients. M.leprae was detected in 70% and 78% of patients using IHC and PCR, respectively, and in 94% of the patients by at least one of the two diagnostic methods. There were no differences in detection of M.leprae between MB and PB patients. Similar results were obtained using anti-BCG and anti-PGL-1 antibodies, and immunoreactivity occurred predominantly on free-living bacteria on the epithelial surface, with a predilection for the tongue. Conversely, there was no area of predilection according to the PCR results. M.leprae is present in the oral mucosa at a high frequency, implicating this site as a potential means of leprosy transmission.Univ Oeste Paulista, Presidente Prudente Reg Hosp, Dermatol Unit, Presidente Prudente, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Dermatol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Multiuser Mol Biol Lab, Div Dermatol, Dept Clin Med,Ribeirao Preto Coll Med, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, BrazilAdolfo Lutz Inst, Dept Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Dermatol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Frequency-coded patterns of sympathetic vasomotor activity are differentially evoked by the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in the Goldblatt hypertension model

IntroductionThe paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) contains premotor neurons involved in the control of sympathetic vasomotor activity. It is known that the stimulation of specific areas of the PVN can lead to distinct response patterns at different target territories. The underlying mechanisms, however, are still unclear. Recent evidence from sympathetic nerve recording suggests that relevant information is coded in the power distribution of the signal along the frequency range. In the present study, we addressed the hypothesis that the PVN is capable of organizing specific spectral patterns of sympathetic vasomotor activation to distinct territories in both normal and hypertensive animals.MethodsTo test it, we investigated the territorially differential changes in the frequency parameters of the renal and splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity (rSNA and sSNA, respectively), before and after disinhibition of the PVN by bicuculline microinjection. Subjects were control and Goldblatt rats, a sympathetic overactivity-characterized model of neurogenic hypertension (2K1C). Additionally, considering the importance of angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1) in the sympathetic responses triggered by bicuculline in the PVN, we also investigated the impact of angiotensin AT1 receptors blockade in the spectral features of the rSNA and sSNA activity.ResultsThe results revealed that each nerve activity (renal and splanchnic) presents its own electrophysiological pattern of frequency-coded rhythm in each group (control, 2K1C, and 2K1C treated with AT1 antagonist losartan) in basal condition and after bicuculline microinjection, but with no significant differences regarding total power comparison among groups. Additionally, the losartan 2K1C treated group showed no decrease in the hypertensive response triggered by bicuculline when compared to the non-treated 2K1C group. However, their spectral patterns of sympathetic nerve activity were different from the other two groups (control and 2K1C), suggesting that the blockade of AT1 receptors does not totally recover the basal levels of neither the autonomic responses nor the electrophysiological patterns in Goldblatt rats, but act on their spectral frequency distribution.DiscussionThe results suggest that the differential responses evoked by the PVN were preferentially coded in frequency, but not in the global power of the vasomotor sympathetic responses, indicating that the PVN is able to independently control the frequency and the power of sympathetic discharges to different territories