A new species of Caenis Stephens, 1836 (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae) from Southern Brazil

A new species of the genus Caenis Stephens is described based on the male imago, female imago and egg stages from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The male imago of Caenis gaucha sp. nov. is diagnosed as follows: body length of male 2.0–2.5 mm; base of antennal flagellum not dilated; forceps apically rounded, not fused to lateral margins of styliger plate; styliger plate short with posterior margin slightly sub-triangular; ratio of foreleg 1.7–2.2 × the length of hind leg, forceps length 4.4–6.0 × the width ½ from base, and distance between the extreme lateral points of the forceps bases 1.7–1.8 × forceps length.Fil: Lima, Lucas R. C.. Universidade Estadual do Piauí; BrasilFil: Molineri, Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Tucuman. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Pinheiro, Ulisses. Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Brasi

Saúde na Amazônia: um modelo conceitual para a análise de paisagens e doenças

A REVIEW is made of the epidemiological profile of the human population in the Brazilian Amazon region, as related to the social and environmental dynamics of the region. A conceptual model for analysis is proposed including three major categories of landscapes: Natural, Anthropic and Built. Each of these macro landscapes is associated to a well defined set of health outcomes. Using an original concept of Disease Landscape, adapted from the classical Landscape Epidemiology, a comparative analysis of the epidemiological dynamics is made in six malaria landscapes, defined on the basis of land use strategies.NESTE TRABALHO faz-se uma revisão do perfil epidemiológico das populações amazônicas em relação com a dinâmica socioambiental da região. Propõe-se um modelo conceitual de análise que inclui três grandes categorias de paisagens na Amazônia: naturais, antropizadas e construídas. A cada uma destas macropaisagens identifica-se um conjunto bem definido de agravos à saúde. Utilizando-se um conceito próprio de paisagem de doença, modificado da epidemiologia paisagística clássica, é feita uma análise comparativa da dinâmica epidemiológica da malária em seis tipos de paisagens, definidas com base em formas de usos da terra

Role of protein kinase R in the killing of Leishmania major by macrophages in response to neutrophil elastase and TLR4 via TNF and IFN

In cutaneous leishmaniasis, Leishmania amazonensis activates macrophage double-stranded, RNA-activated protein kinase R (PKR) to promote parasite growth. In our study, Leishmania major grew normally in RAW cells, RAW-expressing dominant-negative PKR (PKR-DN) cells, and macrophages of PKR-knockout mice, revealing that PKR is dispensable for L. major growth in macrophages. PKR activation in infected macrophages with poly I:C resulted in parasite death. Fifty percent of L. major-knockout lines for the ecotin-like serine peptidase inhibitor (ISP2; Δisp2/isp3), an inhibitor of neutrophil elastase (NE), died in RAW cells or macrophages from 129Sv mice, as a result of PKR activation. Inhibition of PKR or NE or neutralization of Toll-like receptor 4 or 2(TLR4 or TLR2) prevented the death of Δisp2/isp3. Δisp2/isp3 grew normally in RAW-PKR-DN cells or macrophages from 129Sv pkr−/−, tlr2−/−, trif−/−, and myd88−/− mice, associating NE activity, PKR, and TLR responses with parasite death. Δisp2/isp3 increased the expression of mRNA for TNF-α by 2-fold and of interferon β (IFNβ) in a PKR-dependent manner. Antibodies to TNF-α reversed the 95% killing by Δisp2/isp3, whereas they grew normally in macrophages from IFN receptor–knockout mice. We propose that ISP2 prevents the activation of PKR via an NE-TLR4-TLR2 axis to control innate responses that contribute to the killing of L. major.—Faria, M. S., Calegari-Silva, T. C., de Carvalho Vivarini, A., Mottram, J. C., Lopes, U. G., Lima, A. P. C. A. Role of protein kinase R in the killing of Leishmania major by macrophages in response to neutrophil elastase and TLR4 via TNFα and IFNβ

Selection bias: neighbourhood controls and controls selected from those presenting to a Health Unit in a case control study of efficacy of BCG revaccination.

BACKGROUND: In most case control studies the hardest decision is the choice of the control group, as in the ideal control group the proportion exposed is the same as in the population that produced the cases. METHODS: A comparison of two control groups in a case control study of the efficacy of BCG revaccination. One group was selected from subjects presenting to the heath unit the case attended for routine prevention and care; the second group was selected from the neighbourhood of cases. All Health Units from which controls were selected offered BCG revaccination. Efficacy estimated in a randomized control trial of BCG revaccination was used to establish that the neighbourhood control group was the one that gave unbiased results. RESULTS: The proportion of controls with scars indicating BCG revaccination was higher among the control group selected from Health Unit attenders than among neighbourhood controls. This excess was not removed after control for social variables and history of exposure to tuberculosis, and appears to have resulted from the fact that people attending the Health Unit were more likely to have been revaccinated than neighbourhood controls, although we can not exclude an effect of other unmeasured variables. CONCLUSION: In this study, controls selected from people presenting to a Health Unit overrepresented exposure to BCG revaccination. Had the results from the HU attenders control group been accepted this would have resulted in overestimation of vaccine efficacy. When the exposure of interest is offered in a health facility, selection of controls from attenders at the facility may result in over representation of exposure in controls and selection bias

Acceptance of fish and fish products by Portuguese young consumers: an exploratory study based on mothers’ evaluation

Portugal is one of the major fish consuming countries in the World, from where one may collect experiences in order to improve fish consumption in other countries. The aim of this research is to explore the factors that influence the consumption of fish and seafood among 8-14 year old children from the Oporto metropolitan area. A focus group was conducted with mothers of children to gain insights into their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions regarding the inclusion of fish and fish products as a regular part of their children’s diet. Narrative analysis was conducted based on Bardin content analysis. Findings indicated that children eat fish regularly, integrated into the family meal, and that mothers feel confident about their fish buying and preparation skills, leading them to incorporate fish regularly into family meals, with a choice of tastier easy to eat options.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wood-Logging Process Management in Eastern Amazonia (Brazil)

In this work, the wood-logging process of four federal conservation units (FCUs) in the Eastern Amazonia forest are described and compared. The approach focused on on-site observation of activities and tasks performed during the process. As an outcome, it was observed that companies implement activities similarly, regardless of their specific know-how. The most significant difference was identified in the cross-cutting operation, which is carried out in several steps and which interferes with the efficiency of the activity and the exposure of workers to occupational risks. The use of geographic information systems (GIS) during planning and management activities, and the use of modern machinery equipped with safety devices, in combination with workers’ theoretic and practical continuous training, were identified as crucial measures that assure operational efficiency in the four companies assessed. Seeking to contribute to the sustainable development of the Amazon forest, a generic model for wood logging is proposed, which brings together best practices identified in the companies studied and makes it possible to obtain the best benefit at the lowest workers’ exposure to the risk of occupational accidentThis research was funded by CERENA’s strategic project FCT-UIDB/04028/2020, by the Biomechanics and Health Unit of the Associated Laboratory for Energy, Transports and Aeronautics (LAETA/INEGI), and by the Doctoral Program in Occupational Safety and Health of the University of Porto.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Otimização da produção de biodiesel a partir de óleo de coco babaçu com aquecimento por microondas

As reações sob aquecimento por microondas geralmente apresentam significativa redução no tempo de reação e elevados rendimentos. Portanto, o objetivo desse trabalho foi adaptar um forno de microondas doméstico de forma adequada e segura para realização de reações de transesterificação, e otimizar o processo de produção de biodiesel por microondas usando óleo de coco babaçu como matéria prima. Para este fim, foi usado um planejamento composto central no qual se variou o tempo de irradiação, concentração de KOH e razão óleo:metanol. Análises estatísticas foram feitas para avaliarem a significância do modelo usado. As condições experimentais ótimas foram: razão óleo:metanol, 8,59, concentração de KOH, 2,19%, tempo de irradiação, 70 segundos, dando rendimento de aproximadamente 100%.Reactions under microwave heating present reduced reaction times and larger yields. Therefore, this work is aimed at adapting a domestic microwave oven and optimizing the transesterification reaction used in biodiesel production with microwave heating, using babaçu coconut oil as raw material. It was used a central composite design for varying irradiation time, KOH concentration, and oil:methanol ratio. Statistical analyses were performed in order to assess the significance of the model used. The optimized experimental conditions were: oil:methanol ratio, 8.59; KOH concentration, 2.19 %; and irradiation time, 70 seconds, giving an yield of approximately 100% regarding esters formation.FAPEM

Agronomic Evaluation of 324 Intraspecific Hybrids of \u3cem\u3eBrachiaria decumbens\u3c/em\u3e in Brazil

Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk is the most planted pasture grass in the tropics owing to its adaptation to poor and acid soils, typical of the tropics, plus good animal performance. This cultivar was responsible for a radical change of scenario in central Brazil in the early 1970s and is the only cultivar available commercially. Efforts to breed this species have been recent, as the successful somatic chromosome duplication of sexually reproducing diploid plants of B. decumbens was accomplished only in 2009 (Simioni and Valle 2009). Subsequently, intraspecific crosses with natural apomictic tetraploid accessions were carried out. Breeding is needed since cv. Basilisk is susceptible to grassland spittlebugs, which limit its widespread use. A recurrent selection scheme has been devised to improve the species and the first progeny are now under evaluation. This paper reports the preliminary results of the agronomic evaluation of 324 intraspecific hybrids of B. decumbens

An Application of Simple and Compact Genetic Algorithms for Estimating Harmonic Components

This work presents an approach for the harmonic components estimation problem present in electrical power systems by making use of evolutionary algorithms. The referential data were obtained by the ATP (Alternative Transients Program) software. Compact and simple genetic algorithms were applied to estimate the parameters of non-linear function to generate a waveform as similar as possible to the one provided by the ATP software. The results yielded by the aforementioned evolutionary algorithms were then compared with one another in a number of scenarios, using the values obtained by the waveform of reference generated by the ATP software. The comparisons were used to seek evidence of which algorithm solved the problem in a setting with limited availability of computational resources. Based on the generated results, it has been found that compact genetic algorithm satisfactorily solves the proposed problem and it is the most indicated method, when less computational effort is required

Tide-induced variations in the bacterial community, and in the physical and chemical properties of the water column of the Mondego estuary

The bacterioplankton is a key component of the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. Yet, present understanding of the controls on microbial abundance and activity only highlights their complexity. In estuaries, the problem is further complicated by the high variability of environmental properties (salinity, temperature, pH, organic loading and other factors). The present study investigates the dynamics of three main metabolic groups of planktonic bacteria involved in the cycling of organic matter (aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, sulphate-reducing bacteria, and nitrate-reducing bacteria), over one tidal cycle in the estuary of the Mondego. The association of various physical, chemical and biological parameters with the composition of the bacterial community was assessed by multivariate analysis in order to identify key factors controlling the composition and tidal dynamics of the bacterial communities in the Mondego estuary. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified the sources of variability for the bacterial communities in the estuary, as being, on one hand, the different dynamics in the two stations under study (Foz and Pranto) and, on the other hand, the flood and ebb tide fluxes, by their effects in the environmental parameters.PRAXIS/P/MGS/11238/1998 - Impacto humano sobre a dinâmica estuarina de matéria e energia – bases para a gestão integrada de ecossistemas estuarinos - PROGRAMA PRAXIS XXI/98.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio