Shifts in Mycobacterial Populations and Emerging Drug-Resistance in West and Central Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florian Gehre

Full Text Available In this study, we retrospectively analysed a total of 605 clinical isolates from six West or Central African countries (Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Guinea-Conakry, Niger and Senegal. Besides spoligotyping to assign isolates to ancient and modern mycobacterial lineages, we conducted phenotypic drug-susceptibility-testing for each isolate for the four first-line drugs. We showed that phylogenetically modern Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains are more likely associated with drug resistance than ancient strains and predict that the currently ongoing replacement of the endemic ancient by a modern mycobacterial population in West/Central Africa might result in increased drug resistance in the sub-region.

West and Central African Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, Child ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

High rates of maternal death and teen pregnancy persist in West and Central Africa. Research and programming efforts are not sustainably reducing these rates. The challenge is how to link the evidence on useful health interventions with evidence on how to deliver the interventions effectively. This project aims to build the ...

Caribou, individual-based modeling and mega-industry in central West Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raundrup, Katrine; Nymand, Josephine; Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob

in West Greenland. In a newly started PhD-project the focus will be the implementation of spatially explicit individual based modeling (IBM). The project relies on existing knowledge on caribou behavior and feeding ecology along with data on variations in the vegetation. By relating vegetation, snow......Spatial distribution of caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) in West Greenland is a result of both short and long term changes in the Arctic landscape. To understand present distribution 40 satellite collars were deployed on 40 female caribou in the Akia-Maniitsoq herd, central West Greenland...... in an area. Further, enhanced or lowered hunting pressure, and changed weather conditions can be studied using IBM. Thus, both short and long term changes in the landscape will be studied and provide insights in how the specific spatial changes impact caribou in West Greenland....

Hydrogeology and Analysis of Aquifer Characteristics in West-Central Pinellas County, Florida

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Broska, James C; Barnette, Holly L

1999-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Pinellas County, Florida, conducted an investigation to describe the hydrogeology and analyze the aquifer characteristics in west-central Pinellas County...

Spatiotemporal dynamics of the HIV-1 subtype G epidemic in West and Central Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Delatorre, Edson; Mir, Daiana; Bello, Gonzalo

2014-01-01

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype G is the second most prevalent HIV-1 clade in West Africa, accounting for nearly 30% of infections in the region. There is no information about the spatiotemporal dynamics of dissemination of this HIV-1 clade in Africa. To this end, we analyzed a total of 305 HIV-1 subtype G pol sequences isolated from 11 different countries from West and Central Africa over a period of 20 years (1992 to 2011). Evolutionary, phylogeographic and demographic parameters were jointly estimated from sequence data using a Bayesian coalescent-based method. Our analyses indicate that subtype G most probably emerged in Central Africa in 1968 (1956-1976). From Central Africa, the virus was disseminated to West and West Central Africa at multiple times from the middle 1970s onwards. Two subtype G strains probably introduced into Nigeria and Togo between the middle and the late 1970s were disseminated locally and to neighboring countries, leading to the origin of two major western African clades (G WA-I and G WA-II). Subtype G clades circulating in western and central African regions displayed an initial phase of exponential growth followed by a decline in growth rate since the early/middle 1990 s; but the mean epidemic growth rate of G WA-I (0.75 year-1) and G WA-II (0.95 year-1) clades was about two times higher than that estimated for central African lineages (0.47 year-1). Notably, the overall evolutionary and demographic history of G WA-I and G WA-II clades was very similar to that estimated for the CRF06_cpx clade circulating in the same region. These results support the notion that the spatiotemporal dissemination dynamics of major HIV-1 clades circulating in western Africa have probably been shaped by the same ecological factors.

Herbicide hardwood crop tree release in central West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey D. Kochenderfer; Shepard M. Zedaker; James E. Johnson; David W. Smith; Gary W. Miller

2001-01-01

Chemical crop tree release treatments were applied to young hardwood stands at three sites in central West Virginia to evaluate the effectiveness of glyphosate as Accord (41.5% SL), imazapyr as Arsenal AC (53.1% SL) and Chopper (27.6% EC), and triclopyr as Garlon 3A (44.4% triethylamine salt SL), and Garlon 4 (61.6% butoxyethyl ester EC) using hack-and-squirt injection...

Gas-charged sediments in shallow waters off Redi along the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Subbaraju, L.V.; Wagle, B.G.

This study reports the occurrence of gas-charged sediments in the nearshore areas of the west coast of India. High resolution shallow seismic reflection profiles on the nearshore area along central west coast of India, at water depths of 11-18 m...

CRED 10 m Gridded multibeam bathymetry of Wake Island, West Central Pacific

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Gridded bathymetry shelf, bank and slope environments of Wake Island, West Central Pacific, under joint management of the United States Dept. of Interior and Air...

CRED 60 m Gridded multibeam bathymetry of Wake Island, West Central Pacific

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Gridded bathymetry shelf, bank and slope environments of Wake Island, West Central Pacific, under joint management of the United States Dept. of Interior and Air...

CWRD: ICT in Education: Central and West Asia Executive

OpenAIRE

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

2012-01-01

This publication presents and analyzes the major conclusions of research conducted in Central and West Asia in 2006 through 2011 to ascertain the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) investments on education. It presents a critical overview of the effectiveness of ICT policies and strategies in basic education in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with shorter studies on Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, and Pakistan. Among its many impo...

Are there co-occurrence patterns that structure snake communities in Central Brazil?

Science.gov (United States)

França, F G R; Araújo, A F B

2007-02-01

The main factors that structure Neotropical animal communities have been the subject of discussion in ecology communities. We used a set of null models to investigate the existence of structure in snake communities from the Cerrado in Central Brazil in relation to the co-occurrence of species and guilds concerning specific resources. We used fragments (conservation units) inside the Distrito Federal and neighbor municipalities. In spite of recent human colonization in the region from the end of the 1950s, intense habitat modification and fragmentation has taken place. Sixty three snake species are present in the Distrito Federal. Co-occurrence analysis of species and guilds associated to snake diets and habitats suggested a lack of organization. The homogeneity of habitats in Central Brazil and the minor importance of ecological effects can lead to random arrangement.

REGIONAL CENTRALITIES, ACADEMIC CENTRALITIES: TERRITORIAL RECONFIGURATIONS IN BRAZIL AND THEIR INFLUENCES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GEOGRAPHY IN BAHIA (1870-1970

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Nunes de Sousa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This article aims to demonstrate the connections between regional and academic centralities. The investigations were focused on the changes in Brazilian national territory, contemplating its movements of configuration and reconfiguration. In the article was analyzed the period between 1870 to 1970, because it is known that it held major changes in Brazilian social life and in there definition of its spatial and regional situations. This historical review intents to demonstrate that the academic centrality of Geography in Brazil followed the shift of the political and economic centralities, which moved from the Northeast region to the Southeast region, especially to the state of São Paulo. The article also seeks to bring into light part of the history of Geography that was developed in Bahia and its contributions to the progress of Geography in Brazil considering that it is largely unknown to most of Brazilian geographers.

Population genetics and conservation strategies for the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus Linnaeaus,1758) in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Luna, Fábia de Oliveira

2013-01-01

The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) and the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) belong to the mammalian Order Sirenia, classified respectively as critically endangered and as vulnerable in Brazil. Both species have been hunted commercially since the sixteenth century, resulting in a drastic reduction or elimination of manatees in some places. This hunting pressure may have caused isolation of the populations resulting in geographic genetic isolation, with a reduction of their gen...

Raw material studies of West Central Serbia

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Vera Bogosavljević Petrović

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with raw material problems in the territory of West Central Serbia geologically determined as the Čačak-Kraljevo (or West Morava basin. Our research is presented through the most striking case studies, Lojanik, Vlaška Glava and Lazac.  The Lojanik hill is a silicified forest by origin. It has occasionally been in use from the earliest periods of prehistory until today as a source of black and ochre-coloured flint, opal and silicified wood. A detailed prospection, including the mapping of surface finds using square nets, was conducted during two research campaigns.The Vlaška Glava is an open-air Palaeolithic site at which artefacts made of white, ochre, red, brown and black chert, silicified magnesite, volcanic and metamorphic rocks were found. Our research of primary and secondary geological deposits in the vicinity of the site showed equivalent raw material. We also found an interesting primary deposit of high quality bluish grey flint with outcrop activities (Workshop 1.The Lazac shaft is a contemporary magnesite mine, recently abandoned because of the high percentage of silicon-dioxide. We determined the same raw material in collections found at nearby Neolithic sites. Certain similarities between the wooden support systems of ore exploration in the Middle Ages and modern times were established at the entrance of the shaft.Our research in the territory of the West Morava basin resulted in reconstruction of some links between geological deposits and settlements and also creation of a relevant base for future raw material studies.

Tidal propagation off the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Unnikrishnan, A.S.

. [Keywords: Tidal propagation, Mumbai high, Global tidal model, Shelf model, Central west coast of India] Introduction In coastal regions, tides play an important role in determining circulation and hydrography. Barotropic tides coming from the open... with increase in the width of the shelf. Materials and Methods Global tidal models Schwiderski5 used a hydrodynamic interpolation technique to determine the amplitude and phase of tidal constituents of global ocean. Since the availability of satellite...

Soil Water Dynamics In Central Europe and Brazil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klein, Markus; Mahler, Claudio F.; Trapp, Stefan

2000-01-01

The comprehension of the soil water dynamics is important for the study of environmental processes. Precipitation, temperature, and water balance of Rio de Janeiro, Southeast Brazil and locations in Germany, Central Europe, are significantly different. Experience from one region could not be used...... on both approaches are applied to an actual case with the conditions in Germany. This case is also analyzed under the conditions of Rio de Janeiro. The effects of tropical environmental conditions on water transport in unsaturated soils are also discussed....

Seroprevalence of human cysticercosis in Jataí, Goiás state, Brazil

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Kaliny Xavier da Guarda

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The Taenia solium cysticercosis affects millions of people worldwide and is considered a public health problem, especially in developing countries. The diagnosis of neurocysticercosis is complex and involves the analysis of epidemiological, clinical, neuroimaging, and immunological host data. Neurocysticercosis is endemic in Brazil, and is related to the cause of death mainly in the Southeast, South, and Central-West regions. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of cysticercosis in inhabitants of the city of Jataí, Goiás, in the Central-West region of Brazil from April to August 2012. A total of 529 serum samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting IgG antibodies against T. solium larvae, and Western blotting was used for confirming the diagnosis through the recognition of at least two specific peptides from their serum antibodies. The 351/529 (66.3% reactive samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting confirmed the diagnosis in 73 samples that recognized at least two of the following peptides specific IgG antibodies for cysticercosis: 18, 24, 28–32, 39–42, 47–52, 64–68, and 70 kDa. The seroprevalence of cysticercosis was 13.8% (95% CI 5.9–21.7, demonstrating that the studied area is endemic to this disease. Keywords: Cysticercosis, Taenia solium, Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Brazil

Successful and unsuccessful attempts to resolve caribou management and timber harvesting issues in west central Alberta

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David Hervieux

1996-01-01

Full Text Available Research studies of woodland caribou in west central Alberta began in 1979 in response to proposed timber harvesting on their winter ranges. Using results from initial studies, timber harvest guidelines were developed. A recent review of these guidelines, and the assumptions on which they were based, has resulted in a renegotiation by government and industry of timber harvesting on caribou range in west central Alberta. Caribou range in west central Alberta overlaps many jurisdictional boundaries: federal and provincial lands, four Forest Management Agreement Areas, three Alberta Land and Forest Service Regions and two Alberta Fish and Wildlife Service Regions. This jurisdictional complexity in combination with other factors such as total allocation of the timber resources, high levels of petroleum, natural gas and coal extraction activities, a high level of concern by public groups for caribou conservation and recent understanding of woodland caribou needs for abundant space has made resolution of caribou/timber harvest conflicts exceedingly slow and often relatively unproductive. This paper reviews 10 years of trying to resolve conflicts between timber harvesting and caribou conservation through meetings, committees, integrated resource planning, policy papers and public consultation. We describe what might be learned by other jurisdictions that are trying to resolve similar caribou/timber harvesting issues. We conclude with an overview of recent timber harvest planning initiatives on caribou range in west central Alberta.

Timber resource statistics for non-Federal forest land in west-central Oregon.

Science.gov (United States)

Donald R. Gedney; Patricia M. Bassett; Mary A. Mei

1987-01-01

This report summarizes a 1985-86 timber resource inventory of the non-Federal forest land in the four counties (Benton, Lane, Lincoln, and Linn) in west-central Oregon. Detailed tables of forest area, timber volume, growth, mortality, and harvest are presented.

Decentralization and centralization in a federal system: the case of democratic Brazil

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Maria Hermínia Tavares de Almeida

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the contradictory impulses towards decentralization and centralization in Brazil during the 1990s and early 2000s. After discussing the analytical issues related to the specific nature of decentralization in federal systems, the paper examines two sets of policy issues: those regulating the fiscal relations between national and sub-national governments and those redefining responsibilities for social services provision (basic education, health care, social assistance. Against conventional academic wisdom, it sustains that although there has been some re-centralization of fiscal decisions and of targeted income transfer programs, a clear re-centralization tendency cannot be siad to exist. Decentralization and centralization trends coexist propelled by different forces, with different motives and different outcomes.

Caracterização de amostras do vírus da raiva, isoladas nas regiões Norte e Centro-Oeste do Brasil, com anticorpos monoclonais antilissavírus Antigenic characterization of Brazilian rabies virus isolate North and Central West regions of Brazil with anti-lyssavirus monoclonal antibodies

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H.B.C.R. Batista

2008-02-01

Full Text Available The occurrence of rabies virus antigenic variants in North and Central West regions of Brazil was studied using 61 rabies viruses isolated from different species: 30 from domestic dogs, 20 from cattle, four from horses, two from cats, one from a human and four from unidentified species. The isolates were submitted to antigenic analyses by indirect immunofluorescence with a panel of 12 monoclonal antibodies (Mabs to lyssavirus antigens. Antigenic analyses revealed consistent differences between isolates whose natural hosts were dogs and those of haematophagous bats, often isolated from cattle. Three out of four isolates from horses and one from a domestic dog showed patterns of reactivity found only in viruses of insectivorous bats, indicating that non-haematophagous bats do play a unique role in the transmission of the virus to other species.

Assessment of coastal wetland resources of central west coast, India, using LANDSAT data

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jagtap, T.G.; Naik, S.; Nagle, V.L.

The part of central west coast (Maharashtra and Goa) of India has been classified and quantified for coastal wetlands using LANDSAT data of 1985-86. The classification accuracy of the maps and area estimates achieved was 84% at 90% confidence level...

Anthropogenic influence on recent bathymetric change in west-central San Francisco Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Barnard, Patrick L.; Kvitek, Rikk G.

2010-01-01

Two multibeam sonar surveys of west-central San Francisco Bay, California, were conducted in 1997 and 2008. Bathymetric change analysis between the two surveys indicates a loss of 14.1 million cubic meters (-3.1 cm/yr-1) of sediment during this time period, representing an approximately three-fold acceleration of the rate that was observed from prior depth change analysis from 1947 to 1979 for all of Central Bay, using more spatially coarse National Ocean Service (NOS) soundings. The portions of the overlapping survey areas between 1997 and 2008 designated as aggregate mining lease sites lost sediment at five times the rate of the remainder of west-central San Francisco Bay. Despite covering only 28% of the analysis area, volume change within leasing areas accounted for 9.2 million cubic meters of sediment loss, while the rest of the area lost 4.9 million cubic meters of sediment. The uncertainty of this recent analysis is more tightly constrained due to more stringent controls on vertical and horizontal position via tightly coupled, inertially aided differential Global Positioning Systems (GPS) solutions for survey vessel trajectory that virtually eliminate inaccuracies from traditional tide modeling and vessel motion artifacts. Further, quantification of systematic depth measurement error can now be calculated through comparison of static surfaces (e.g., bedrock) between surveys using seafloor habitat maps based on acoustic backscatter measurements and ground-truthing with grab samples and underwater video. Sediment loss in the entire San Francisco Bay Coastal System during the last half-century,as estimated from a series of bathymetric change studies, is 240 million cubic meters, and most of this is believed to be coarse sediment (i.e., sand and gravel) from Central Bay and the San Francisco Bar, which is likely to limit the sand supply to adjacent, open-coast beaches. This hypothesis is supported by a calibrated numerical model in a related study that indicates

Diurnal bird visiting of Caryocar brasiliense Camb. in Central Brazil

OpenAIRE

MELO, C.

2001-01-01

Nectar of nocturnal flowers may be used by diurnal species that occasionally accomplish secondary pollination. Thirteen bird species visited Caryocar brasiliense flowers in central Brazil. There is a temporal separation between nectarivores and non-nectarivores species. Nectarivores birds visited flowers late in the morning, while other species appear earlier. C. brasiliense nectar may be an alternative resource to birds visitors during the dry season. O néctar de flores noturnas pode ser ...

Achatina fulica infected by Angiostrongylus cantonensis on beaches, in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bechara, André H; Simões, Raquel O; Faro, Marta Júlia; Garcia, Juberlan S

2018-01-01

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is considered the main etiological agent of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. At present, this zoonosis is considered an emerging disease mainly in the Americas. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Achatina fulica infected by Angiostrongylus cantonensis in restinga areas along beaches in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. The study areas included the following beaches: Barra da Tijuca, Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Reserva, Prainha and Grumari. Ninety specimens of Achatina fulica were collected. Positive molluscs were found only in Barra da Tijuca. Infection prevalence was 5.5%. The presence of this parasite in the beachfront areas, in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro city demonstrates the potential risk of infection for visitors and the expansion of this helminth in the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Graphic pattern of foraminiferal dominance in nearshore region of central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Setty, M.G.A.P.; Nigam, R.; Ambre, N.V.

Within the inner neritic zone (0-55 m depth) along the central west coast of India, some foraminiferal groups such as @iAmmonia, Elphidium, Trochammina, Bulimina, Bolivina, Nonion, Nonionella@@ and Florilus@@ individually (total foraminiferal number...

Cataract prevalence in Central-West region of São Paulo State, Brazil Prevalência de catarata na região centro-oeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

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Gabriel Arantes Carlos

2009-06-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Cataract is considered the main preventable cause of blindness and visual impairment mainly in poor countries. This study was done to evaluate if cataract is still an important cause of blindness in Central-West region of State of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a systematically randomized sample of households in five cities located in Central-West region of São Paulo State, Brazil. The sample consisted of 4,229 individuals (8,458 eyes of all ages. All household members were considered eligible. They were submitted to a complete ophthalmological examination (visual acuity with and without visual correction, biomicroscopy, fundoscopy, tonometry, and refractometry. Cataract diagnosis was given to eyes presenting lens opacity in biomicroscopy exam, according to Lens Opacities Classification System II (LOCS II. Eye with a best correction, presenting visual deficiency or blindness caused by cataract was considered after excluded other pathologies that decrease visual acuity (VA. We considered as visual deficiency eyes with 0.05 OBJETIVO: A catarata é a principal causa tratável de cegueira e deficiência visual em países subdesenvolvidos. Este estudo foi realizado para avaliar se a catarata continua sendo uma importante causa de cegueira no centro-oeste do Estado de São Paulo. MÉTODOS: Um estudo transversal, de caráter observacional, realizado em cinco cidades da região centro-oeste do Estado de São Paulo, para as quais o centro de referência é a cidade de Botucatu. A amostra estabelecida para este estudo, de forma aleatória, seria composta por 5.555 indivíduos, sendo que foram examinados 4.229 indivíduos (8.458 olhos, ou seja, 78% da amostra pretendida. Os indivíduos foram submetidos a um exame oftalmológico completo que consistia em avaliação da acuidade visual (com e sem correção, tonometria, biomicroscopia, fundoscopia e exame refracional. O diagnóstico de catarata foi dado aos

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, West-Central Florida, May 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2007-01-01

Introduction Hydrologic Conditions in West-Central Florida The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing fresh water are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in May 2006. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly-cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the dry season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual low and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are high. The cumulative average rainfall of 50.23 inches for west-central Florida (from June 2005 through May 2006) was 2.82 inches below the historical cumulative average of 53.05 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2006). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water

Rare earths, thorium, and other minor elements in sphene from some plutonic rocks in West-Central Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staatz, M.H.; Conklin, N.M.; Brownfield, I.K.

1977-01-01

Sphene is an abundant accessory mineral in some abnormally radioactive plutonic rocks in west-central Alaska. Seven samples of sphene from four different areas in west-central Alaska contained from 20,350 to 39,180 parts per million total rare earths and 390 to 2000 ppM thorium. The lanthanide content in six of the seven sphenes is chiefly the light rare earths and is similar to that of crystal abundance; a seventh sphene from the Darby Mountains, however, contains above average amounts of the heavy rare earths. A comparison of the lanthanide distribution in sphene from several areas indicates that the structure of sphene will accommodate whatever lanthanides are available when the mineral crystallizes. The amount of thorium and rare earths in sphene is also affected by the presence of other accessory minerals. Sphene in rocks containing either allanite or zircon has a lower thorium content than in rocks that do not contain allanite or zircon. Sphene, because of its abundance, may contain the greater part of the rare earths and thorium in some of the plutonic rocks of west-central Alaska

Herbaceous vegetation in thinned and defoliated forest stands in north central West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

S. L. C. Fosbroke; D. Feicht; R. M. Muzika

1995-01-01

Herbaceous vegetation was inventoried in 1992 and 1993 in eight Appalachian mixed hardwood stands ( 50% basal area/acre in oak species) in north central West Virginia. Vegetation was sampled on 20 6-foot radius plots per stand twice each growing season (once during late spring to sample spring ephemeral...

Institutional stakeholders’ views on jaguar conservation issues in central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yennie K. Bredin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Large carnivore management is typically a source of heated controversy worldwide and, in the Americas, jaguars (Panthera onca are at the centre of many human–wildlife conflicts. Although findings suggest that social, rather than economic, factors are important reasons for why humans kill jaguars, few studies focus on stakeholder attitudes towards jaguar conservation beyond quantifying livestock depredation. Yet insights from other large carnivore conflicts demonstrate the importance of the political landscape and stakeholder attitudes in carnivore conservation. To explore the extent to which stakeholder views about jaguar conservation aligned with institutional arrangements, we conducted a stakeholder analysis among personnel working for key institutions in central Brazil. Using Q methodology, we identified three stakeholder perspectives focusing on: A jaguars’ intrinsic right to exist; B wider ecocentric values; and C contesting jaguar-focused conservation. The three institutional stakeholder groups all accepted the jaguar’s fundamental right to exist and agreed that it was important to establish protected areas for jaguars. Yet, institutional stakeholder views diverged regarding the desired distribution of jaguars in Brazil, hunting policies, and the effects of hunting and development projects on jaguar conservation. These differences and their underlying motivations are important to consider for successful jaguar conservation strategies in Brazil.

Achatina fulica infected by Angiostrongylus cantonensis on beaches, in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André H. Bechara

2018-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Angiostrongylus cantonensis is considered the main etiological agent of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. At present, this zoonosis is considered an emerging disease mainly in the Americas. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Achatina fulica infected by Angiostrongylus cantonensis in restinga areas along beaches in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. The study areas included the following beaches: Barra da Tijuca, Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Reserva, Prainha and Grumari. Ninety specimens of Achatina fulica were collected. Positive molluscs were found only in Barra da Tijuca. Infection prevalence was 5.5%. The presence of this parasite in the beachfront areas, in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro city demonstrates the potential risk of infection for visitors and the expansion of this helminth in the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Genetic diversity, evolutionary history and implications for conservation of the lion (Panthera leo) in West and Central Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bertola, L.D.; Hooft, van W.F.; Vrieling, K.; Weerd, de D.R.U.; York, D.S.; Bauer, H.; Prins, H.H.T.; Funston, P.J.; Haes, de H.A.U.; Leirs, H.; Haeringen, van W.A.; Sogbohossou, E.; Tumenta, P.N.; Iongh, de H.H.

2011-01-01

Aim In recent decades there has been a marked decline in the numbers of African lions (Panthera leo), especially in West Africa where the species is regionally endangered. Based on the climatological history of western Africa, we hypothesize that West and Central African lions have a unique

Nuclear Power in South-Central Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cintra do Prado, L.

1966-01-01

The region of South-Central Brazil includes the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Guanabara and Minas Gerais. The most recent power study was made by Canambra Engineering Consultants Limited. This group reported that the public-grid electricity output for the area in 1962 was 2.16 GW (average generation), with an installed capacity of 3.41 GW and annual mean load factor of 63.4; an increase in power requirements for 1970 was forecast, corresponding to an average output of 5.37 GW and an installed capacity of 8.3 GW. This forecast was based on an annual growth rate of 11.9% in generation. ''The energy requirements have grown at an average annual rate of 10.9% since 1955; however, the present forecast is based on the assumption of power being available as required, and hence includes the suppressed demand resulting from existing restrictions in generating and distribution capacity''

THE LBA PROJECT: NUTRIENT CYCLES AND TRACE GAS EXCHANGE IN SAVANNAS OF CENTRAL BRAZIL

Science.gov (United States)

The Cerrado of central Brazil is one of the largest savannah regions on Earth. The stressors affecting ecosystems in this region, including deforestation, fire, soil degradation, unwise agricultural practices, climate change, and urbanization, are all experienced in many U. S. ec...

Decapod crustacean assemblages off the West coast of central Italy (western Mediterranean

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Emanuela Fanelli

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Community structure and faunal composition of decapod crustaceans off the west coast of central Italy (western Mediterranean were investigated. Samples were collected during five trawl surveys carried out from June 1996 to June 2000 from 16 to 750 m depth. Multivariate analysis revealed the occurrence of five faunistic assemblages: 1 a strictly coastal community over sandy bottoms at depths

An illustrated key to nymphs of Perlidae (Insecta, Plecoptera genera in Central Amazonia, Brazil

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Hamada Neusa

2003-01-01

Full Text Available An illustrated key to nymphs of Perlidae collected in streams of Central Amazonia, Brazil is provided. Three genera are reported for this region: Macrogynoplax Enderlein, Anacroneuria Klapálek and Enderleina Jewett. Additional diagnostic characters are provided for Enderleina nymphs.

Observations on the ecology of Pseudis bolbodactyla (Anura, Pseudidae in central Brazil.

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Reuber A. Brandão

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Data on diet, activity, habitat use, and anti-predator behavior are presented for a population of Pseudis bolbodactyla in central Brazil. The most common diet items were diurnal plant-associated insects. Pseudis bolbodactyla shows both diurnal and nocturnal activity and uses mainly areas with aquatic vegetation (submerged and emergent. Individuals detect predators Visually and through vibrations in the water.

Shores of the central west coast of India - a case study using remote sensing data

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Wagle, B.G.

Geomorphological studies along the Central West Coast of India extending between Bombay to Goa, have been undertaken, using aerial photographs and LANDSAT imagery. Coastal features like active and abandoned cliffs, spits, bars, beach rock, beach...

Novel flavivirus or new lineage of West Nile Virus, central Europe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bakonyi, T.; Hubálek, Zdeněk; Rudolf, Ivo; Nowotny, N.

2005-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 2 (2005), s. 225-231 ISSN 1080-6040. [International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases . Al Ain, 26.02.2005-01.03.2005] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA206/03/0726 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519 Keywords : epidemiology * West Nile virus * Central Europe Subject RIV: FN - Epidemiology, Contagious Diseases ; Clinical Immunology Impact factor: 5.308, year: 2005 http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no02/04-1028.htm

Benthic foraminifera as proxy for oxygen-depleted conditions off the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nigam, R.; Mazumder, A.; Henriques, P.J.; Saraswat, R.

In order to study the response of benthic foraminifera, especially the rectilinear bi- and tri-serial benthic foraminifera (RBF) to oxygen-depleted conditions from the Arabian Sea off central west coast of India, 103 surface sediment samples...

Hepatitis E virus IgG seroprevalence in HIV patients and blood donors, west-central Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maciej Bura

2017-08-01

Conclusions: Wielkopolska Region in west-central Poland is an area hyperendemic for HEV infection. In this part of Poland, the exposure of HIV-positive persons to this virus is not greater than that of healthy blood donors.

Nuclear futures for sale: to Brazil from West Germany, 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowrance, W.W.

1977-01-01

On June 27, 1975, Brazil and West Germany signed a fifteen-year Agreement of Cooperation in the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy. The United States termed the deal ''nuclear madness'' with Brazil in its ''backyard'', and it also observed that it was heavily engaged in Germany's backyard to guard it against such peril. The author reviews these events that marked the crossing of major thresholds both in technology transfer and in international politics. He draws a general description of the political territory in which they are bound to remain prominent landmarks. The agreement provided for the largest industrial nuclear sale ever transacted, its total value exceeding $US 5 billion. More importantly, it was the first time a complete, self-sufficient nuclear fuel cycle ''package sale'' had ever been made between nations. Its most controversial feature was the inclusion of the two ''sensitive technologies'' for enriching uranium and reprocessing spent fuel, both of which, if sufficient effort is expended, can be applied to the making of nuclear-weapons-grade fissile material. The supplier nation is a signatory of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and has long been a supporting strand in the web of nations committed to retarding the spread of nuclear weapons; the recipient nation, a nuclear newcomer, has refused to sign that treaty and in the past has made few such commitments. Pervading the international debate over these events are issues of the developing nations' rights of access to the political, military, technical, and economic wealth that nuclear technology holds, on the one hand, and on the other, management of the export competition in such a way that the technology can be shared without compromising international stability. Proliferation is inevitable, Mr. Lowrance says, so these issues ''should be accorded much higher political attention.''

Ecosystem carbon stocks of mangroves across broad environmental gradients in West-Central Africa: Global and regional comparisons.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Boone Kauffman

Full Text Available Globally, it is recognized that blue carbon ecosystems, especially mangroves, often sequester large quantities of carbon and are of interest for inclusion in climate change mitigation strategies. While 19% of the world's mangroves are in Africa, they are among the least investigated of all blue carbon ecosystems. We quantified total ecosystem carbon stocks in 33 different mangrove stands along the Atlantic coast of West-Central Africa from Senegal to Southern Gabon spanning large gradients of latitude, soil properties, porewater salinity, and precipitation. Mangrove structure ranged from low and dense stands that were 35,000 trees ha-1 to tall and open stands >40m in height and 1,000 Mg C ha-1. The lowest carbon stocks were found in the low mangroves of the semiarid region of Senegal (463 Mg C ha-1 and in mangroves on coarse-textured soils in Gabon South (541 Mg C ha-1. At the scale of the entirety of West-Central Africa, total ecosystem carbon stocks were poorly correlated to aboveground ecosystem carbon pools, precipitation, latitude and soil salinity (r2 = ≤0.07 for all parameters. Based upon a sample of 158 sites from Africa, Asia and Latin America that were sampled in a similar manner to this study, the global mean of carbon stocks for mangroves is 885 Mg C ha-1. The ecosystem carbon stocks of mangroves for West-Central Africa are slightly lower than those of Latin America (940 Mg C ha-1 and Asia (1049 Mg C ha-1 but substantially higher than the default Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC values for mangroves (511 Mg C ha-1. This study provides an improved estimation of default estimates (Tier 1 values of mangroves for Asia, Latin America, and West Central Africa.

Origin of amphibole-rich beach sands from Tila-Mati, Karwar, central-west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mislankar, P.G.; Iyer, S.D.

The pocket beach at Tila-Mati, Karwar, central west coast of India, is characterised by the occurrence of amphibole-rich (chiefly tremolite-actinolite) coarse sand in the zone of minimal impact of waves and currents. In the total sediment, grain...

Cabira rangarajani n. sp. (Polychaeta: Pilargidae) from the Goa coast, central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mandal, Sumit; Harkantra, S.N.; Salazar-Vallejo, S.I.

Cabira rangarajani n. sp., is described from the Goa coast, in central west coast of India. It differs from C. brevicirris (Rangarajan, 1964), by having a single type of neurochaetae while the other species has three types. The new species also...

CRED 1 meter resolution Reson 8101 multibeam backscatter data of Wake Island, West Central Pacific, 2007.

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Multibeam backscatter imagery extracted from gridded bathymetry of Wake Island, West Central Pacific.These data provide coverage between 0 and 200m meters. The...

Geologic history and hydrogeologic setting of the Edwards-Trinity aquifer system, west-central Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, R.A.; Bush, P.W.; Baker, E.T.

1994-01-01

The Edwards-Trinity aquifer system underlies about 42,000 square miles of west-central Texas. Nearly flat-lying, mostly Comanche (Lower Cretaceous) strata of the aquifer system thin northwestward atop massive pre-Cretaceous rocks that are comparatively impermeable and structurally complex. From predominately terrigenous clastic sediments in the east and fluvialdeltaic (terrestrial) deposits in the west, the rocks of early Trinitian age grade upward into supratidal evaporitic and dolomitic strata, intertidal limestone and dolostone, and shallow-marine, openshelf, and reefal strata of late Trinitian, Fredericksburgian, and Washitan age. A thick, downfaulted remnant of mostly open-marine strata of Eaglefordian through Navarroan age composes a small, southeastern part of the aquifer system.

Nitrous oxide fluxes and nitrogen cycling along a pasturechronosequence in Central Amazonia, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

B. Wick; E. Veldkamp; W. Z. de Mello; M. Keller; P. Crill

2005-01-01

We studied nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes and soil nitrogen (N) cycling following forest conversion to pasture in the central Amazon near Santarém, Pará, Brazil. Two undisturbed forest sites and 27 pasture sites of 0.5 to 60 years were sampled once each during wet and dry seasons. In addition to soil-atmosphere fluxes of N...

Astragalus kongrensis Benth. Ex Baker (Fabaceae, a New Record for Central and North-West Himalayas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lal Babu Chaudhary

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Astragalus kongrensis Benth. Ex Baker is reported for the first time from Central (Nepal and North-West Himalayas (India. Earlier the species was known from East Himalaya (Sikkim-India, Bhutan and China. The description and illustrations of the species are provided.

Autosomal and mtDNA markers affirm the distinctiveness of lions in West and Central Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bertola, L.D.; Tensen, Laura; Hooft, Van Pim; White, P.A.; Driscoll, C.A.; Henschel, Philipp; Caragiulo, Anthony; Dias-Freedman, Isabela; Sogbohossou, E.A.; Tumenta, Pricelia N.; Jirmo, T.H.; Snoo, De G.R.; Iongh, De H.H.; Vrieling, Klaas

2015-01-01

The evolutionary history of a species is key for understanding the taxonomy and for the design of effective management strategies for species conservation. The knowledge about the phylogenetic position of the lion (Panthera leo) in West/Central Africa is largely based on mitochondrial markers.

Autosomal and mtDNA Markers Affirm the Distinctiveness of Lions in West and Central Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bertola L.D., Tensen, L., Hooft P. van, White P.A., Driscoll C.A., Henschel P., Caragiulo A., Dias-Freedman I., Sogbohossou E.A., Tumenta P.M., Jirmo T.H., Snoo G.R. de, Iongh H.H. de, Vrieling K.

2015-01-01

The evolutionary history of a species is key for understanding the taxonomy and for the design of effective management strategies for species conservation. The knowledge about the phylogenetic position of the lion ( Panthera leo ) in West/Central Africa is largely based on mitochondrial markers.

Phylogeographic implications for release of critically endangered manatee calves rescued in Northeast Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Luna, Fábia O.; Bonde, Robert K.; Attademo, Fernanda L.N.; Saunders, Jonathan W.; Meigs-Friend, Gaia; Passavante, José Zanon O.; Hunter, Margaret E.

2012-01-01

1. The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, is a large-bodied marine mammal found in fresh, brackish, and marine habitats throughout the Caribbean Islands and Central and South America. Antillean manatees in Brazil are classified as critically endangered, with a census size of approximately 500 individuals. The population in the Northeast region of Brazil is suspected to have approximately 300 manatees and is threatened by habitat alteration and incidental entanglement in fishing gear. 2. A high incidence of dependent calf strandings have been identified near areas of altered critical manatee habitat. The majority of the calves are neonates, discovered alive, with no potential mothers nearby. These calves typically require human intervention to survive.

Longshore sediment transport rate-measurement and estimation, central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

SanilKumar, V.; Anand, N.M.; Chandramohan, P.; Naik, G.N.

rate—measurement and estimation, central west coast of India V. Sanil Kumar * , N.M. Anand, P. Chandramohan, G.N. Naik Ocean Engineering Division, National Institute of Oceanography, Donapaula, Goa 403 004, India Received 26 October 2001; received... engineering designs. The longshore current generated by obliquely incident breaking waves plays an important role in transporting sediment in the surf zone. The longshore current velocity varies across the surf zone, reaching a maximum value close to the wave...

Agro-pastoral expansion and land use/land cover (LU/LC) change dynamics in Central-western Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Sanga-Ngoie, K.; Yoshikawa, S.; Kanae, S.

2011-12-01

In Brazil, large-scale land cover changes following extensive deforestations are expected to generate big impacts onto the climate and the environment over this area, with eventually many negative feedbacks on the global scale. Mato Grosso State, located in the central western Brazil, is known to be the Brazilian state with the highest deforestation rate. Land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes have been reported to occur over large areas in this state due to the introduction of large-scale mechanized agriculture, extensive cattle ranching and uncontrolled slash-and-burn cultivation since the 1980s. In this study, we specifically aim at doing more detailed analysis for the causes of deforestation and savannization in this area, with special attention to agriculture and cattle ranching industry at the municipal district level in this state. Using GIS techniques and remotely-sensed NOAA/AVHRR data, we created 5-year Digital Vegetation Model Maps characterizing LU/LC features for every five years during the 1981-2001 periods using the PCA first components of the NOAA/AVHRR multi-spectral data. Our results make it clear that: (1) LU/LC changes among the phases are of the following 3 major types: degradation, recovery or transition; (2) The changes in LU/LC features are concomitant with the advance of cattle ranching and corn production activities toward the northern parts of the state, and with the expansion of soybean production in the central and western Mato Grosso; (3) Most of the agro-pastoral business are found in the southern Mato Grosso where about 46% of the state's deforestation during the 1981-2001 period occurred; (4) Rates of vegetation change are larger over non-inhabited areas (56%), especially in the north, than over the populated zones in the south (42%). Moreover, this work sheds some new light on the patterns of the changes in LU/LC features (deforestation and savannization) for each municipal district of Mato Grosso. In general, the following activities

Soil health assessment and maintenance in Central and South Central Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Brazil has evolved from a food insecure country in the early 1970´s into one of the most important food producers and exporters in the world. During the past 45 years, a science-based advanced tropical agriculture was developed throughout Brazil. Production has increased steadily and productivity ga...

Metal distribution in Halophila beccarii (Aschers) and sorrounding environment along the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jagtap, T.G.

Halophila beccarii (Aschers), the surrounding water and the sediments showed varying concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Sr and Li at different localities along central west coast of India. Iron was found to be maximum in both the plant...

SOURCES OF GROWTH OF SUGAR CANE PRODUCTION IN WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST OF BRAZIL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geraldo Moreira Bittencourt

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This study aims at assessing the determinants of variations in the production of sugar cane in Southeast and Midwest of the Brazil, between 1990 and 2009, measuring the effects area, productivity and composition. The theoretical framework consists of the conceptualization of the modernization of agriculture and the description of the theory of induced innovation. The empirical analysis is based on the work of the Shift-Share model, also known as a differential structure. In the results from 1990 to 2009 (total period, there is the hypothesis of the higher average yield of sugarcane in the Southeast and of the pattern of growth production by area in the Midwest. On the other hand, in the period 2005 to 2009, where the two regions in question had the highest growth rates of production of sugar cane, the composition effect revealed the most significant values, showing that the expansion of sugarcane production has occurred in these regions, mainly by substituting other crops by land less profitable.

Potentiometric surface of the upper Floridan aquifer, west-central Florida, May 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, Anita G.

2011-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing freshwater are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in May 2011. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly-cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the dry season, when groundwater levels usually are at an annual low and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are high. The cumulative average rainfall of 45.74 inches for west-central Florida (from June 2010 through May 2011) was 6.85 inches below the historical cumulative average of 52.59 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2011). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September from 1975 through 2010. Water-level data are collected in May and September each year to

Vascular species composition of a contact zone between Seasonal and Araucaria forests in Guaraciaba, Far West of Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil

OpenAIRE

Gnigler, Luciana; Caddah, Mayara

2015-01-01

A floristic survey was carried out in a contact area between Araucaria Forest and Seasonal Forest areas, in the municipality of Guaraciaba, Far West of Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. We provide a checklist containing 108 species and 42 plant families for the area. Families with the most encountered number of species were Myrtaceae (eight species), Solanaceae (eight), Euphorbiaceae (seven) and Poaceae (six). Two species are classified as endangered of extinction, following IUCN criteri...

Granulomatous pneumonia due to Spirocerca lupi in two free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) from central Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

This case report describes the anatomic pathology findings in two free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) from central-western region of Brazil presenting granulomatous pneumonia associated with intralesional infection by Spirocerca lupi. Both wolves had multiple, white, 1-1.5 cm in diamet...

Serosurvey Reveals Exposure to West Nile Virus in Asymptomatic Horse Populations in Central Spain Prior to Recent Disease Foci.

Science.gov (United States)

Abad-Cobo, A; Llorente, F; Barbero, M Del Carmen; Cruz-López, F; Forés, P; Jiménez-Clavero, M Á

2017-10-01

West Nile fever/encephalitis (WNF) is an infectious disease affecting horses, birds and humans, with a cycle involving birds as natural reservoirs and mosquitoes as transmission vectors. It is a notifiable disease, re-emerging in Europe. In Spain, it first appeared in horses in the south (Andalusia) in 2010, where outbreaks occur every year since. However, in 2014, an outbreak was declared in horses in central Spain, approximately 200 km away from the closest foci in Andalusia. Before that, evidence of West Nile virus (WNV) circulation in central Spain had been obtained only from wildlife, but never in horses. The purpose of this work was to perform a serosurvey to retrospectively detect West Nile virus infections in asymptomatic horses in central Spain from 2011 to 2013, that is before the occurrence of the first outbreaks in the area. For that, serum samples from 369 horses, collected between September 2011 and November 2013 in central Spain, were analysed by ELISA (blocking and IgM) and confirmed by virus neutralization, proving its specificity using parallel titration with another flavivirus (Usutu virus). As a result, 10 of 369 horse serum samples analysed gave positive results by competitive ELISA, 5 of which were confirmed as positive to WNV by virus neutralization (seropositivity rate: 1.35%). One of these WNV seropositive samples was IgM-positive. Chronologically, the first positive samples, including the IgM-positive, corresponded to sera collected in 2012 in Madrid province. From these results, we concluded that WNV circulated in asymptomatic equine populations of central Spain at least since 2012, before the first disease outbreak reported in this area. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Simulation of coastal winds along the central west coast of India using the MM5 mesoscale model

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Pushpadas, D.; Vethamony, P.; Sudheesh, K.; George, S.; Babu, M.T.; Nair, T.M.B.

A high-resolution mesoscale numerical model (MM5) has been used to study the coastal atmospheric circulation of the central west coast of India, and Goa in particular. The model is employed with three nested domains. The innermost domain of 3 km...

Extraction of uranium and copper from sulphate leach liquors of West Central Sinai uraniferrous siltstone of Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amer, T.E.; Mahdy, M.A.; El-Hazek, N.T.; El Bayoumi, R.M.; Hassanein, S.

2000-01-01

Extraction of uranium and copper from sulphate leach liquors of west central Sinai ore samples were performed using solvent extraction technique. Sulphate leach solutions were processed for the extraction of copper using 3% v/v LIX 973N. Copper extractions higher than 98.1% were obtained. Then, uranium was extracted using a tertiary amine. Two amines have been studied 2% v/v tri-n-octyl amine and 1.5% Alamine 336. Parameters studied included solvents concentration, contact time and solution pH. Stripping of uranium and copper were studied using sodium carbonate and sulphuric acid, respectively. Conditions were established for determining the number of stages required for extraction and stripping of copper and uranium through the construction of the corresponding McCabe-Theile diagrams. The results obtained have been utilized to formulate a proposed flowsheet for the production of uranium and copper from west central Sinai ore samples. (author)

Prevalence of hepatitis C Virus infection among hemophiliacs in Central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana P Barbosa

2002-07-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the hepatitis C virus (HCV infection prevalence and risk factors in hemophiliacs in Central Brazil, 90 patients were interviewed and serum samples tested for HCV RNA and anti-HCV antibodies. An overall prevalence of 63.3% (CI 95%: 53.0-72.7 was found. Multivariate analysis of risk factors showed that number of blood transfusions was significantly associated with this infection. Most hemophiliacs received locally produced cryoprecipitate. All infected patients were transfused before the screening of blood units for anti-HCV. However, hemophiliacs who received exclusively screened cryoprecipitate were HCV negative. It confirms the expected decline in transfusion-acquired hepatitis C.

IAU South West and Central Asian Regional Office of Astronomy for Development

Science.gov (United States)

Mickaelian, A. M.; Hakopian, S. A.; Farmanyan, S. V.; Mikayelyan, G. A.

2017-12-01

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced its Strategic Plan on Astronomy for Development in 2009, during the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). One of its main components was the creation of the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) and corresponding Regional Offices (ROADs) for implementation and coordination of its aims. The OAD was created in Cape Town, South Africa and later on ROADs were created in 8 regions. Since 2015, Armenia hosts one of them, IAU South West Asian (SWA), later renamed to South West and Central Asian (SWCA) ROAD. At present, already 6 countries have officially joined (Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkey), but the Office serves for a rather broad region, from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. Armenia's geographical location and its historical role in astronomy (both for well-known archaeoastronomical heritage and the presence of the famous Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) founded by Viktor Ambartsumian in 1946) serve as a link between Europe and Eastern Partnership countries, Middle East and Asia in general. We run activities in 3 directions, Task Forces (TF): TF1 Universities and Research, TF2 Children and Schools and TF3 Public Outreach. We present our projects and all other accomplishments and discuss the role of our ROAD in maintaining contacts and development of astronomy in the region, as well as contacts between Europe and the Eastern Partnership countries. Most up-to-date information about the IAU SWCA ROAD is available on its webpage at http://iau-swa-road.aras.am/eng/index.php.

The snakes of the genus Atractus Wagler (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae) from the Manaus region, central Amazonia, Brazil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martins, M.; Oliveira, M.E.

1993-01-01

Taxonomic and natural history data are presented on eight species of Atractus from the Manaus region, central Amazonia, Brazil, namely: A. alphonsehogei, A. latifrons, A, major, A. poeppigi, A. schach, A. snethlageae, A. torquatus, and A. trilineatus. Four of these species are recorded for the first

Sulfur impacts on forest health in west-central Alberta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maynard, D.G.; Stadt, J.J.; Mallett, K.I.; Volney, W.J.A.

1994-01-01

A study was conducted to evaluate forest health and tree growth in relation to sulfur deposition in mature and immature lodgepole pine and mature trembling aspen. Soil samples were taken in forests near two sour gas processing plants in west-central Alberta. The soil sample sites were classified into high, medium and low deposition classes. The impact of sulfur deposition on soil and foliar chemistry, tree growth, and forest health was evaluated. The analysis of tree growth, using radial increments, revealed no impact associated with the sulfur deposition class. The only indicators of extensive sulfur impacts on major forest communities detected to date are elevated sulfur concentrations in the surface organic horizon and foliage, the proportion of healthy lodgepole pines, and a depression in the annual specific volume increment. No evidence of widespread forest decline has been found. 42 refs., 35 tabs., 29 figs

A new distributional record of alligator pipefish, Syngnathoides biaculeatus (Bloch, 1785) along Goa, central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sanaye, S.V.; Rivonker, C.U.; Ansari, Z.A; Sreepada, R.A

Present study is based on a single male specimen of alligator pipefish, Syngnathoides biaculeatus (Bloch, 1785) collected from the bay-estuarine system of, Goa (central west coast of India) which is the new distributional record for this species. A...

Community structure and coral health status across the depth gradients of Grande Island, Central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Manikandan, B.; Ravindran, J.; Mohan, H.; Periasamy, R.; ManiMurali, R.; Ingole, B.S.

The Grande Island, located at the central west coast of India is one of the less studied coral reef systems in India. In this study, we provide a comprehensive description of the coral community structure and health status of corals across...

Mortality of vertebrates in irrigation canals in an area of west-central Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Garcia

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Mortality patterns of vertebrates in irrigation canals have been poorly studied despite their potential impact on wildlife. Concrete irrigation canals in a cropland area in west-central Spain were monitored over 13 months to assess their impact on small fauna. A total of 134 vertebrates were found dead. Most were amphibians (86.46% or mammals (20.90%, though fishes, reptiles and a bird were also recorded. Mortality peaked in autumn months. Corrective measurements are needed to reduce this cause of non-natural mortality.

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, West-Central Florida, September 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2007-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing freshwater are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in September 2006. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the wet season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual high and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are low. The cumulative average rainfall of 46.06 inches for west-central Florida (from October 2005 through September 2006) was 6.91 inches below the historical cumulative average of 52.97 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2006). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water-level data are collected in May and September each

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, West-Central Florida, September 2007

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2008-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing fresh water are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in September 2007. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly-cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the wet season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual high and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are low. The cumulative average rainfall of 39.50 inches for west-central Florida (from October 2006 through September 2007) was 13.42 inches below the historical cumulative average of 52.92 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2007). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water-level data are collected in May and September each

Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer, west-central Florida, September 2005

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2006-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing freshwater are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public-supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish-water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000).This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in September 2005. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface, connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the wet season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual high and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are low. The cumulative average rainfall of 55.19 inches for west-central Florida (from October 2004 through September 2005) was 2.00 inches above the historical cumulative average of 53.19 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2005). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water-level data are collected in May and September each year

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, West-Central Florida, May 2007

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2008-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing fresh water are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in May 2007. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly-cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the dry season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual low and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are high. The cumulative average rainfall of 41.21 inches for west-central Florida (from June 2006 through May 2007) was 11.63 inches below the historical cumulative average of 52.84 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2007). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water-level data are collected in May and September each year to show the

Placing Brazil's heavy acid oils on international markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szklo, Alexandre Salem; Machado, Giovani; Schaeffer, Roberto; Felipe Simoes, Andre; Barboza Mariano, Jacqueline

2006-01-01

This paper identifies the international market niches of Brazil's heavy acid oils. It analyzes the perspectives for making wider use of heavy acid oils, assessing their importance for certain oil-producing regions such as Brazil, Venezuela, West Africa, the North Sea and China. Within this context, the oil produced in the Marlim Field offshore Brazil is of specific interest, spurred by the development of its commercial brand name for placement on international markets and backed by ample production volumes. This analysis indicates keener international competition among acid oils produced in Brazil, the North Sea and the West Coast of Africa, through to 2010. However, over the long term, refinery conversion capacity is the key factor for channeling larger volumes of heavy acid oils to the international market. In this case, the future of acid oil producers will depend on investments in refineries close to oil product consumption centers. For Brazil, this means investments in modifying its refineries and setting up partnerships in the downstream segment for consumer centers absorbing all products of high added value, such as the USA and even Southeast Asia and Western Europe

Improvement of Low-Grade Silica Sand Deposits in Um Bogma Area-West Central Sinai, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Rahman, I.F.; El Shennawy, A.A.

2012-01-01

There are several silica sand deposits in Sinai, but they require upgrading to provide a raw materials acceptable for the glass manufacture. This study records beneficiation of low-grade silica sand deposits near Um Bogma at west central Sinai. The improvement techniques of ore dressing involving wet sieving, attrition scrubbing, decantation, gravimetric and magnetic separations have been applied depending on the physical properties of the constituents.

Stratigraphic framework of Cambrian and Ordovician rocks in the central Appalachian Basin from Medina County, Ohio, through southwestern and south-central Pennsylvania to Hampshire County, West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Ryder, Robert T.; Harris, Anita G.; Repetski, John E.; revised and digitized by Crangle, Robert D.

2003-01-01

A 275-mi-long restored stratigraphic cross section from Medina County, Ohio, through southwestern and south-central Pennsylvania to Hampshire County, W. Va., provides new details on Cambrian and Ordovician stratigraphy in the central Appalachian basin and the structure of underlying Precambrian basement rocks. From west to east, the major structural elements of the block-faulted basement in this section are (1) the relatively stable, slightly extended craton, which includes the Wooster arch, (2) the fault-controlled Ohio-West Virginia hinge zone, which separates the craton from the adjoining Rome trough, (3) the Rome trough, which consists of an east-facing asymmetric graben and an overlying sag basin, and (4) a positive fault block, named here the South-central Pennsylvania arch, which borders the eastern margin of the graben part of the Rome trough. Pre-Middle Ordovician structural relief on Precambrian basement rocks across the down-to-the-west normal fault that separates the Rome trough and the adjoining South-central Pennsylvania arch amounted to between 6,000 and 7,000 ft. The restored cross section shows eastward thickening of the Cambrian and Ordovician sequence from about 3,000 ft near the crest of the Wooster arch at the western end of the section to about 5,150 ft at the Ohio-West Virginia hinge zone adjoining the western margin of the Rome trough to about 19,800 ft near the depositional axis of the Rome trough. East of the Rome trough, at the adjoining western edge of the South-central Pennsylvania arch, the Cambrian and Ordovician sequence thins abruptly to about 13,500 ft and then thins gradually eastward across the arch to about 12,700 ft near the Allegheny structural front and to about 10,150 ft at the eastern end of the restored section. In general, the Cambrian and Ordovician sequence along this section consists of four major lithofacies that are predominantly shallow marine to peritidal in origin. In ascending stratigraphic order, the lithofacies

Nuclear proliferation. I. Atoms for Brazil, dangers for all

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gall, N.

1976-01-01

West Germany and Brazil, by seeking to establish their independence in the transfer of nuclear technology to a developing country, have raised international anxieties over how to finance and manage nuclear trade in a way that will secure peace. The deal, which commits the two countries to a program of uranium exploration and mining, enrichment, fuel fabrication and reprocessing, and power plant construction, means food supplies, jobs, and contracts for Germany and economic development for Brazil. Of concern to the rest of the world are the opportunities for diverting nuclear materials to weapons. Both countries have agreed to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards agreement, but Brazil is not bound by it. Brazil's development is making her the dominant power in South America and altering her relationship with the United States. A review of the West German-Brazilian agreement focuses on the historical competition for export markets and the lessening of U.S. control over the enriched uranium market

West Nile virus in overwintering mosquitoes, central Europe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rudolf, I.; Betášová, L.; Blažejová, H.; Venclíková, Kristýna; Straková, P.; Šebesta, O.; Mendel, J.; Bakonyi, T.; Schaffner, F.; Nowotny, N.; Hubálek, Z.

2017-01-01

Roč. 10, 2 October (2017), s. 1-4, č. článku 452. ISSN 1756-3305 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : West Nile fever * West Nile virus * Flavivirus Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Virology Impact factor: 3.080, year: 2016

THE BRAZILIAN BIODIESEL PROGRAM AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: CASES FROM NORTHERN BRAZIL

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Marcus Vinicius Alves Finco

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Biofuel production has been greatly discussed in Brazil. In 2004, these debates led the country to develop new policies and implement a national program for biodiesel use and production (PNPB with the intent to increase the share of renewable energy and foster regional development. In this context, the present study aims to assess the impacts of PNPB on regional development in Tocantins State, northern Brazil. For this purpose, ranges of socio-economic indicators were collected among national and regional stakeholders, as well as specific literature. The preliminary results point out that distribution logistics appears to be a considerable constraint to the success of the PNPB. The concentration of biodiesel industries in the central-west region of the country, and the large distances to deliver biodiesel in the northern Brazil make biodiesel prices non-competitive when compared to fossil diesel. The results also suggest that the PNPB is not succeeding in promoting the integration of family agriculture in the Tocantins state, especially due to the structural difficulty of the agricultural sector, as well as the technical and political shortcomings presented by the mechanism of incentives.

Trend and variability in a new, reconstructed streamflow dataset for West and Central Africa, and climatic interactions, 1950-2005

Science.gov (United States)

Sidibe, Moussa; Dieppois, Bastien; Mahé, Gil; Paturel, Jean-Emmanuel; Amoussou, Ernest; Anifowose, Babatunde; Lawler, Damian

2018-06-01

Over recent decades, regions of West and Central Africa have experienced different and significant changes in climatic patterns, which have significantly impacted hydrological regimes. Such impacts, however, are not fully understood at the regional scale, largely because of scarce hydroclimatic data. Therefore, the aim of this study is to (a) assemble a new, robust, reconstructed streamflow dataset of 152 gauging stations; (b) quantify changes in streamflow over 1950-2005 period, using these newly reconstructed datasets; (c) significantly reveal trends and variability in streamflow over West and Central Africa based on new reconstructions; and (d) assess the robustness of this dataset by comparing the results with those identified in key climatic drivers (e.g. precipitation and temperature) over the region. Gap filling methods applied to monthly time series (1950-2005) yielded robust results (median Kling-Gupta Efficiency >0.75). The study underlines a good agreement between precipitation and streamflow trends and reveals contrasts between western Africa (negative trends) and Central Africa (positive trends) in the 1950s and 1960s. Homogenous dry conditions of the 1970s and 1980s, characterized by reduced significant negative trends resulting from quasi-decadal modulations of the trend, are replaced by wetter conditions in the recent period (1993-2005). The effect of this rainfall recovery (which extends to West and Central Africa) on increased river flows are further amplified by land use change in some Sahelian basins. This is partially offset, however, by higher potential evapotranspiration rates over parts of Niger and Nigeria. Crucially, the new reconstructed streamflow datasets presented here will be available for both the scientific community and water resource managers.

A new species of Calomys Waterhouse (Rodentia, Sigmodontinaefrom the Cerrado of Central Brazil

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Cibele R. Bonvicino

2003-06-01

Full Text Available A new Brazilian Calomys Waterhouse, 1837 species is described based on morphologic and karyologic data. This species is endemic to the Cerrado of Central Brazil and allopatric with all other species of the genus Calomys. Its chromosome complement (2n = 46, AN = 66 is different from those described in other Calomys species. Morphometric analysis significantly distinguished this new species from other Calomys of the Brazilian fauna like C. callosus (Renger, 1830, C. expulsus (Lund, 1841 and C. tener (Winge, 1887 and placed it among the large-sized Calomys.

Report on ticks collected in the Southeast and Mid-West regions of Brazil: analyzing the potential transmission of tick-borne pathogens to man

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Figueiredo Luiz Tadeu Moraes

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Specimens of ticks were collected in 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998, mostly from wild and domestic animals in the Southeast and Mid-West regions of Brazil. Nine species of Amblyommidae were identified: Anocentor nitens, Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma fulvum, Amblyomma striatum, Amblyomma rotundatum, Boophilus microplus, Boophilus annulatus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The potential of these tick species as transmitters of pathogens to man was analyzed. A Flaviviridade Flavivirus was isolated from Amblyomma cajennense specimens collected from a sick capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris. Amblyomma cajennense is the main transmitter of Rickettsia rickettsii (=R. rickettsi, the causative agent of spotted fever in Brazil. Wild mammals, mainly capybaras and deer, infested by ticks and living in close contact with cattle, horses and dogs, offer the risk of transmission of wild zoonosis to these domestic animals and to man.

Invasion of the Indo-Pacific blenny Omobranchus punctatus (Perciformes: Blenniidae on the Atlantic Coast of Central and South America

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Oscar Lasso-Alcalá

Full Text Available We examined 308 specimens of the Indo-Pacific blenniid Omobranchus punctatus deposited in four museum collections, and analyzed data on their collection locations to assess its invasion on the Atlantic coast of Central and South America. This species occurs in shoreline estuarine and marine habitats in the Indo-West Pacific. Previous sampling and recent records in the Tropical West Atlantic from 1930 to 2004 produced 20 records for: Panamá, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Brazil. In this work, we provide data on 17 new records for the Gulfs of Venezuela and Paria in Venezuela, as well as four records for Maranhão and Pará states in NE Brazil. The temporal pattern of collections (1930 - 2009 and the proximity of most localities to ports and zones of ship traffic indicate that O. punctatus was initially introduced to the Atlantic by ships travelling from India to Trinidad. Within Brazil the introduction is linked to shipping connected to petroleum platforms. In Maranhão and Pará the introduction may have occurred as a result of fish sheltering in fouling on hulls of ships moving between ports around the mouth of the Amazon River. Alternatively, the spread of this species along of the American coast may reflect the expansion of the range of O. puntactus through larval dispersal in northward flowing currents. We recommend monitoring of this introduced species, and studies of its ecology in West Atlantic areas.

Is West Nile virus a potential cause of central nervous system infection in Brazil? Seria o vírus do Oeste do Nilo causa potencial de infecção no sistema nervoso central no Brasil?

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Cristiane N Soares

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Meningitis and encephalitis are complications of West Nile virus (WNV infection. Although WNV is endemic in North America, the virus has recently been reported in Colombia and Argentina. Investigation of WNV in Brazil is important since this virus has never been studied previously in this country. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of WNV infection in viral encephalitis/meningitis cases of unknown etiology in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHOD: Thirty-seven adults with viral meningitis/encephalitis had their serum and CSF tested for WNV antibodies using the ELISA method. RESULTS: Only one case was WNV-positive, but this case was also positive for dengue. The plaque reduction neutralization test distinguished infections, and was negative for WNV. CONCLUSION: WNV can be confused with dengue infection. Their symptoms and neurological picture are similar. We did not find WNV in any patients with encephalitis and meningitis in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Up to now, it has not been detected in BrazilMeningite e encefalite são complicações da infecção pelo vírus do Oeste do Nilo (VON. Embora o VON seja endêmico na América do Norte, recentemente o vírus foi descrito na Colômbia e Argentina. Sua pesquisa no Brasil é importante uma vez que o vírus nunca fora estudado antes em nosso país. OBJETIVO: Investigar a presença do VON em casos de meningite e encefalite viral de etiologia desconhecida, na cidade no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. MéTODO: Trinta e sete adultos com quadro de meningite/encefalite tiveram seu LCR e soro testados para anticorpos anti-VON, pelo método ELISA. RESULTADOS: Apenas um caso obteve sorologia positiva para VON, mas a sorologia para dengue também fora positiva. O teste da neutralização por redução de placa foi utilizado para distinção entre as infecções, sendo negativo para VON. CONCLUSÃO: A infecção por VON pode ser confundida com a infecção pelo vírus da dengue, seus sintomas e quadro neurol

Effect of physical inactivity on major noncommunicable diseases and life expectancy in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

de Rezende, Leandro Fornias Machado; Rabacow, Fabiana Maluf; Viscondi, Juliana Yukari Kodaira; Luiz, Olinda do Carmo; Matsudo, Victor Keihan Rodrigues; Lee, I-Min

2015-03-01

In Brazil, one-fifth of the population reports not doing any physical activity. This study aimed to assess the impact of physical inactivity on major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), all-cause mortality and life expectancy in Brazil, by region and sociodemographic profile. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) for physical inactivity associated with coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, colon cancer, and all-cause mortality. To calculate the PAF, we used the physical inactivity prevalence from the 2008 Brazilian Household Survey and relative risk data in the literature. In Brazil, physical inactivity is attributable to 3% to 5% of all major NCDs and 5.31% of all-cause mortality, ranging from 5.82% in the southeastern region to 2.83% in the southern region. Eliminating physical inactivity would increase the life expectancy by an average of 0.31 years. This reduction would affect mainly individuals with ≥ 15 years of schooling, male, Asian, elderly, residing in an urban area and earning ≥ 2 times the national minimum wage. In Brazil, physical inactivity has a major impact on NCDs and mortality, principally in the southeastern and central-west regions. Public policies and interventions promoting physical activity will significantly improve the health of the population.

Effects of Different Treatments of Pasture Restoration on Soil Trace Gas Emissions in the Cerrados of Central Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Planted pastures ( mainly Brachiaria spp) are the most extensive land use in the cerrado (savannas of central Brazil) with an area of approximately 50 x 10(6) ha. The objective of the study was to assess the effects of pasture restoration on the N dynamics ( net N mineralization/...

Positive correlation between pesticide sales and central nervous system and cardiovascular congenital abnormalities in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Froes Asmus, Carmen I R; Camara, Volney M; Raggio, Ronir; Landrigan, Philip J; Claudio, Luz

2017-10-01

This study investigated the association between pesticide exposure in Brazil (2005-2013) with rates of central nervous system (CNS) and cardiovascular system (CVS) congenital abnormalities in 2014. An exposure variable was established from data on production and sales of pesticides (kg) per crop area (ha) for 2012 and 2013 years. The Brazilian states were divided into three categories: high, medium, and low pesticide use and rate ratios were estimated for each group of states (CI: 95 %). In 2013 and 2014, the high use group presented a 100 and a 75 % increase, and the medium group a 65 and 23 % increase, respectively, in the risk of CNS and CVS congenital abnormalities at birth, compared to the low use group. These findings suggest that pesticide exposure could be associated with increased risk of congenital malformations at birth in Brazil.

Genetic and stratigraphic significance of the Upper Devonian Frasnian Z Marker, west-central Alberta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wendte, J. [Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, AB (Canada); Stoakes, F. [Stoakes Consulting Group Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada); Bosman, M. [Canadian Hunter Exploration Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada); Bernstein, L. [Talisman Energy Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada)

1995-12-01

The stratigraphic model from the west-central Alberta basin was provided. It defined the Z Marker as a distinctive and widespread wireline log marker within the thick Frasnian Ireton shale basin succession. The marker represents an interval of condensed sedimentation and corresponds to an abrupt change from a calcareous signature below to an argillaceous character above. Toward the shelf, in the West Pembina area, the Z Marker correlates to a level within a conformable succession of nodular lime wackestones and corresponds to the base of a depositional cycle near the middle of the Lobstick member of the Nisku Formation. Further shelfward, the Z Marker continues as a well-defined log marker until the Nisku shelf margin. The stratigraphic significance of the Z Marker in delineating various oil bearing formations in Alberta were explained in great detail. The correct recognition and correlation of this marker was claimed to permit an understanding of basin evolution beyond that discernable from the existing lithostratigraphic nomenclature alone. 17 refs., 13 figs.

Stonefly (Plecoptera fauna in a mountainous area of Central Brazil: composition and adult phenology

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Pitágoras C. Bispo

2002-07-01

Full Text Available A survey of the stonefly (Plecoptera fauna of streams of the Almas River basin, Pirenópolis, Goiás State, Central Brazil, is presented as well as data of some factors that could affeet the temporal distribution of the adults. For checking adult phenology, light sources were used in three stations from June 1993 to Jully 1994. The sampled individuais were identified to species or morphospecies, as possible. In this study, 301 individuais belonging to the perlid genera Anacroneuria Klapálek, 1909, Kempnyia Klapálek, 1916 and Macrogynoplax Enderlein, 1909 were collected. Adults of most species were collected along the studied period, except for those of Kempnyia that were restricted to the warm-rainy season, the same pattern for this genus in southeastern Brazil. Although adults of most species were collected along most of the studied period, the largest number of adults was collected in the months with larger mean temperatures, showing a clear seasonality in abundance.

Analysis of magnetic anomalies in relation to Placer deposits and basement configuration off Mirya bay, Central West coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramana, M.V.

The offshore ilmenite placers off Konkan, central west coast of India, have been surveyed by echosounding, shallow seismic profiling, magnetics, and seabed sampling. The magnetic data show two different types of anomalies: (1) N-S trending high...

On the distribution of fluoride, calcium and magnesium in the waters off the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Naik, S.; Dias, C.F.M.

The distribution of fluoride, calcium and magnesium was studied in the waters off the central west coast of India. The averages F/Cl, Ca/Cl and Mg/Cl ratios observed are (6.83 plus or minus 0.023) x 10@u-5@@, (0.02194 plus or minus 0.00068) and (0...

Tracing the origin of the east-west population admixture in the Altai region (Central Asia.

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Mercedes González-Ruiz

Full Text Available A recent discovery of Iron Age burials (Pazyryk culture in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia may shed light on the mode and tempo of the generation of the current genetic east-west population admixture in Central Asia. Studies on ancient mitochondrial DNA of this region suggest that the Altai Mountains played the role of a geographical barrier between West and East Eurasian lineages until the beginning of the Iron Age. After the 7th century BC, coinciding with Scythian expansion across the Eurasian steppes, a gradual influx of East Eurasian sequences in Western steppes is detected. However, the underlying events behind the genetic admixture in Altai during the Iron Age are still unresolved: 1 whether it was a result of migratory events (eastward firstly, westward secondly, or 2 whether it was a result of a local demographic expansion in a 'contact zone' between European and East Asian people. In the present work, we analyzed the mitochondrial DNA lineages in human remains from Bronze and Iron Age burials of Mongolian Altai. Here we present support to the hypothesis that the gene pool of Iron Age inhabitants of Mongolian Altai was similar to that of western Iron Age Altaians (Russia and Kazakhstan. Thus, this people not only shared the same culture (Pazyryk, but also shared the same genetic east-west population admixture. In turn, Pazyryks appear to have a similar gene pool that current Altaians. Our results further show that Iron Age Altaians displayed mitochondrial lineages already present around Altai region before the Iron Age. This would provide support for a demographic expansion of local people of Altai instead of westward or eastward migratory events, as the demographic event behind the high population genetic admixture and diversity in Central Asia.

Tracing the origin of the east-west population admixture in the Altai region (Central Asia).

Science.gov (United States)

González-Ruiz, Mercedes; Santos, Cristina; Jordana, Xavier; Simón, Marc; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; Gigli, Elena; Aluja, Maria Pilar; Malgosa, Assumpció

2012-01-01

A recent discovery of Iron Age burials (Pazyryk culture) in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia may shed light on the mode and tempo of the generation of the current genetic east-west population admixture in Central Asia. Studies on ancient mitochondrial DNA of this region suggest that the Altai Mountains played the role of a geographical barrier between West and East Eurasian lineages until the beginning of the Iron Age. After the 7th century BC, coinciding with Scythian expansion across the Eurasian steppes, a gradual influx of East Eurasian sequences in Western steppes is detected. However, the underlying events behind the genetic admixture in Altai during the Iron Age are still unresolved: 1) whether it was a result of migratory events (eastward firstly, westward secondly), or 2) whether it was a result of a local demographic expansion in a 'contact zone' between European and East Asian people. In the present work, we analyzed the mitochondrial DNA lineages in human remains from Bronze and Iron Age burials of Mongolian Altai. Here we present support to the hypothesis that the gene pool of Iron Age inhabitants of Mongolian Altai was similar to that of western Iron Age Altaians (Russia and Kazakhstan). Thus, this people not only shared the same culture (Pazyryk), but also shared the same genetic east-west population admixture. In turn, Pazyryks appear to have a similar gene pool that current Altaians. Our results further show that Iron Age Altaians displayed mitochondrial lineages already present around Altai region before the Iron Age. This would provide support for a demographic expansion of local people of Altai instead of westward or eastward migratory events, as the demographic event behind the high population genetic admixture and diversity in Central Asia.

Ocean climate data for user community in West and Central Africa: Needs, opportunities, and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Ojo, S. O.

1992-01-01

The urgent need to improve data delivery systems needed by scientists studying ocean role in climate and climate characteristics has been manifested in recent years because of the unprecedented climatic events experienced in many parts of the world. Indeed, there has been a striking and growing realization by governments and the general public indicating that national economies and human welfare depend on climate and its variability. In West and Central Africa, for instance climatic events, which have resulted in floods and droughts, have caused a lot of concern to both governments and people of the region. In particular, the droughts have been so widespread that greater awareness and concern have become generated for the need to find solutions to the problems created by the consequences of the climatic events. Particularly in the southern border regions of the Sahara Desert as well as in the Sahel region, the drought episodes considerably reduced food production and led to series of socioeconomic problems, not only in the areas affected by the droughts, but also in the other parts of West Africa. The various climatic variabilities which have caused the climatic events are no doubt related to the ocean-atmosphere interactions. Unfortunately, not much has been done on the understanding of these interactions, particularly as they affect developing countries. Indeed, not much has been done to develop programs which will reflect the general concerns and needs for researching into the ocean-atmosphere systems and their implications on man-environmental systems in many developing countries. This is for example, true of West and Central Africa, where compared with the middle latitude countries, much less is known about the characteristics of the ocean-atmosphere systems and their significance on man-environmental systems of the area.

West Nile virus in overwintering mosquitoes, central Europe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rudolf, Ivo; Betášová, Lenka; Blažejová, Hana; Venclíková, Kristýna; Straková, Petra; Šebesta, Oldřich; Mendel, Jan; Bakonyi, T.; Schaffner, F.; Nowotny, N.; Hubálek, Zdeněk

2017-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 452 (2017), č. článku 452. ISSN 1756-3305 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA16-20054S EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 261504 - EDENEXT Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : West Nile fever * West Nile virus * Flavivirus * Hibernation * Overwintering * Culex pipiens * Anopheles maculipennis * Culiseta annulata * Czech Republic Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Parasitology Impact factor: 3.080, year: 2016

'Then give him to the crocodiles' : violence, State formation, and cultural discontinuity in west central Zambia, 1600-2000

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Binsbergen, van W.M.J.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the extent to which violence can be said to underlie any form of Stae formation in precolonial Africa. This is done by examining the role of violence in State formation in west central Zambia from the 17th century onwards. The chapter shows that State

Environmental implications of jatropha biofuel from a silvi-pastoral production system in central-west Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailis, Rob; Kavlak, Goksin

2013-07-16

We present a life cycle assessment of synthetic paraffinic kerosene produced from Jatropha curcas. The feedstock is grown in an intercropping arrangement with pasture grasses so that Jatropha is coproduced with cattle. Additional innovations are introduced including hybrid seeds, detoxification of jatropha seedcake, and cogeneration. Two fuel pathways are examined including a newly developed catalytic decarboxylation process. Sensitivities are examined including higher planting density at the expense of cattle production as well as 50% lower yields. Intercropping with pasture and detoxifying seedcake yield coproducts that are expected to relieve pressure on Brazil's forests and indirectly reduce environmental impacts of biofuel production. Other innovations also reduce impacts. Results of the baseline assessment indicate that innovations would reduce impacts relative to the fossil fuel reference scenario in most categories including 62-75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, 64-82% reduction in release of ozone depleting chemicals, 33-52% reduction in smog-forming pollutants, 6-25% reduction in acidification, and 60-72% reduction in use of nonrenewable energy. System expansion, which explicitly accounts for avoided deforestation, results in larger improvements. Results are robust across allocation methodologies, improve with higher planting density, and persist if yield is reduced by half.

Changes in Intense Precipitation Events in West Africa and the central U.S. under Global Warming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cook, Kerry H. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Vizy, Edward [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

2016-02-08

The purpose of the proposed project is to improve our understanding of the physical processes and large-scale connectivity of changes in intense precipitation events (high rainfall rates) under global warming in West Africa and the central U.S., including relationships with low-frequency modes of variability. This is in response to the requested subject area #2 “simulation of climate extremes under a changing climate … to better quantify the frequency, duration, and intensity of extreme events under climate change and elucidate the role of low frequency climate variability in modulating extremes.” We will use a regional climate model and emphasize an understanding of the physical processes that lead to an intensification of rainfall. The project objectives are as follows: 1. Understand the processes responsible for simulated changes in warm-season rainfall intensity and frequency over West Africa and the Central U.S. associated with greenhouse gas-induced global warming 2. Understand the relationship between changes in warm-season rainfall intensity and frequency, which generally occur on regional space scales, and the larger-scale global warming signal by considering modifications of low-frequency modes of variability. 3. Relate changes simulated on regional space scales to global-scale theories of how and why atmospheric moisture levels and rainfall should change as climate warms.

Screening for Intellectual Disability Using High-Resolution CMA Technology in a Retrospective Cohort from Central Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Rodrigo Roncato; Pinto, Irene Plaza; Minasi, Lysa Bernardes; de Melo, Aldaires Vieira; da Cruz e Cunha, Damiana Mirian; Cruz, Alex Silva; Ribeiro, Cristiano Luiz; da Silva, Cláudio Carlos; de Melo e Silva, Daniela; da Cruz, Aparecido Divino

2014-01-01

Intellectual disability is a complex, variable, and heterogeneous disorder, representing a disabling condition diagnosed worldwide, and the etiologies are multiple and highly heterogeneous. Microscopic chromosomal abnormalities and well-characterized genetic conditions are the most common causes of intellectual disability. Chromosomal Microarray Analysis analyses have made it possible to identify putatively pathogenic copy number variation that could explain the molecular etiology of intellectual disability. The aim of the current study was to identify possible submicroscopic genomic alterations using a high-density chromosomal microarray in a retrospective cohort of patients with otherwise undiagnosable intellectual disabilities referred by doctors from the public health system in Central Brazil. The CytoScan HD technology was used to detect changes in the genome copy number variation of patients who had intellectual disability and a normal karyotype. The analysis detected 18 CNVs in 60% of patients. Pathogenic CNVs represented about 22%, so it was possible to propose the etiology of intellectual disability for these patients. Likely pathogenic and unknown clinical significance CNVs represented 28% and 50%, respectively. Inherited and de novo CNVs were equally distributed. We report the nature of CNVs in patients from Central Brazil, representing a population not yet screened by microarray technologies. PMID:25061755

Morphological diversity of cassava accessions of the south-central mesoregion of the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Zago, B W; Barelli, M A A; Hoogerheide, E S S; Corrêa, C L; Delforno, G I S; da Silva, C J

2017-08-17

Genetic variability of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in Brazil is wide, being this the result of natural and cultural selection during pre- and post-domestication of the species in different environments. Given the number of species of the genus found in the region (38 of a total of 98 species), the central region of Brazil was defined as the primary center of cassava diversity. Therefore, genetic diversity characterization of cassava accessions is fundamental, both for farmers and for plant breeders, because it allows the organization of genetic resources and better utilization of available genetic diversity. This research aims to assess genetic divergence of cassava accessions from the south-central region of the State of Mato Grosso, based on multi-categorical morphological traits. For this purpose, 38 qualitative and quantitative morphological descriptors were used. Genetic diversity was expressed by the genetic similarity index, with subsequent clustering of accessions by the modified Tocher's procedure and UPGMA. Of 38 descriptors, only growth habit of stem showed no variability. Tocher and UPGMA methods were efficient and corroborated on group composition. Both methods were able to group accessions of different localities in distinct group consistency.

Cephalopods and cetaceans as indicators of offshore bioavailability of cadmium off Central South Brazil Bight

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorneles, Paulo Renato [Laboratorio de Radioisotopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), 21941-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil) and Laboratorio de Mamiferos Aquaticos, Dept. Oceanografia, UERJ, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: dorneles@biof.ufrj.br; Lailson-Brito, Jose [Laboratorio de Radioisotopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), 21941-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil) and Laboratorio de Mamiferos Aquaticos, Dept. Oceanografia, UERJ, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: lailson@uerj.br; Aguiar dos Santos, Roberta [Centro de Pesquisa e Gestao de Recursos Pesqueiros do Litoral Sudeste e Sul, IBAMA, 88301-700 Itajai, SC (Brazil)]. E-mail: gibteuthis@yahoo.com.br; Silva da Costa, Paulo Alberto [Laboratorio de Dinamica de Populacoes Marinhas, UNIRIO, 22290-240 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: pauloascosta@uol.com.br; Malm, Olaf [Laboratorio de Radioisotopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), 21941-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: olaf@biof.ufrj.br; Azevedo, Alexandre Freitas [Laboratorio de Mamiferos Aquaticos, Dept. Oceanografia, UERJ, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: azevedo.alex@uol.com.br; Machado Torres, Joao Paulo [Laboratorio de Radioisotopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), 21941-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: jptorres@biof.ufrj.br

2007-07-15

Regarding Brazilian coast, industrial and urban developments are concentrated along Central South Brazil Bight. Samples from inshore and offshore species from the concerned area were analyzed, comprising 24 cetaceans (9 species) and 32 squids (2 species). Cadmium was determined by GFAAS and our results were in agreement with certified values (DOLT-2, NRCC). Mean cadmium concentration (in {mu}g/g, wet weight) observed in the digestive gland of sexually mature Argentine short-finned squids (Illex argentinus) was 1002.9. To our knowledge this is the highest cadmium level ever reported for a cephalopod. Concerning cetaceans, our results include one of the highest renal cadmium concentrations described for striped dolphins (71.29 {mu}g/g, wet weight). Anthropogenic action, upwelling and cannibalism of Argentine short-finned squid on the studied area are possible reasons for such remarkable cadmium concentrations. - Cd levels in ommastrephid squids from Brazil are the highest ever reported for cephalopods.

Cephalopods and cetaceans as indicators of offshore bioavailability of cadmium off Central South Brazil Bight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorneles, Paulo Renato; Lailson-Brito, Jose; Aguiar dos Santos, Roberta; Silva da Costa, Paulo Alberto; Malm, Olaf; Azevedo, Alexandre Freitas; Machado Torres, Joao Paulo

2007-01-01

Regarding Brazilian coast, industrial and urban developments are concentrated along Central South Brazil Bight. Samples from inshore and offshore species from the concerned area were analyzed, comprising 24 cetaceans (9 species) and 32 squids (2 species). Cadmium was determined by GFAAS and our results were in agreement with certified values (DOLT-2, NRCC). Mean cadmium concentration (in μg/g, wet weight) observed in the digestive gland of sexually mature Argentine short-finned squids (Illex argentinus) was 1002.9. To our knowledge this is the highest cadmium level ever reported for a cephalopod. Concerning cetaceans, our results include one of the highest renal cadmium concentrations described for striped dolphins (71.29 μg/g, wet weight). Anthropogenic action, upwelling and cannibalism of Argentine short-finned squid on the studied area are possible reasons for such remarkable cadmium concentrations. - Cd levels in ommastrephid squids from Brazil are the highest ever reported for cephalopods

Passeriformes: nest predators and prey in a Neotropical Savannah in Central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo F. França

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The identification of predators of birds' nests, crucial to a better understanding of predator-prey interactions, remains poorly known. Here we provide evidence that birds, and especially passerines, may depredate birds' nests in the Cerrado (Neotropical Savannah of Central Brazil. Data was collected primarily in a Conservation Unit (Estação Ecológica de Águas Emendadas during the breeding season, between 2003 and 2007. We report and discuss details on 14 events of nest predation, 12 of which by passerines, mostly by curl-crested jays - Cyanocorax cristatellus (Temminck, 1823. The results of our study suggest that the role of birds as nest predators in the Cerrado has been underestimated and needs to be further investigated.

Sintopy of two Tropidurus lizard species (Squamata: Tropiduridae) in a rocky Cerrado habitat in Central Brazil

OpenAIRE

Faria,R. G.; Araujo,A. F. B.

2004-01-01

We studied the ecology of Tropidurus itambere and T. oreadicus that occur syntopically in rocky habitats of Cerrado vegetation in central Brazil during the dry season (April to September 2000). The two species are ecologically similar, but somewhat differentiated in vertical microhabitat use. The two species preferred rocky surface microhabitat. Both species demonstrated a unimodal activity pattern, with a peak between 10 and 15 h. Their diets were similar in composition and prey size. The mo...

Recharge estimation in semi-arid karst catchments: Central West Bank, Palestine

Science.gov (United States)

Jebreen, Hassan; Wohnlich, Stefan; Wisotzky, Frank; Banning, Andre; Niedermayr, Andrea; Ghanem, Marwan

2018-03-01

Knowledge of groundwater recharge constitutes a valuable tool for sustainable management in karst systems. In this respect, a quantitative evaluation of groundwater recharge can be considered a pre-requisite for the optimal operation of groundwater resources systems, particular for semi-arid areas. This paper demonstrates the processes affecting recharge in Palestine aquifers. The Central Western Catchment is one of the main water supply sources in the West Bank. Quantification of potential recharge rates are estimated using chloride mass balance (CMB) and empirical recharge equations over the catchment. The results showing the spatialized recharge rate, which ranges from 111-216 mm/year, representing 19-37% of the long-term mean annual rainfall. Using Water Balance models and climatological data (e. g. solar radiation, monthly temperature, average monthly relative humidity and precipitation), actual evapotranspiration (AET) is estimated. The mean annual actual evapotranspiration was about 66-70% of precipitation.

Ancient Maya Regional Settlement and Inter-Site Analysis: The 2013 West-Central Belize LiDAR Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arlen F. Chase

2014-09-01

Full Text Available During April and May 2013, a total of 1057 km2 of LiDAR was flown by NCALM for a consortium of archaeologists working in West-central Belize, making this the largest surveyed area within the Mayan lowlands. Encompassing the Belize Valley and the Vaca Plateau, West-central Belize is one of the most actively researched parts of the Maya lowlands; however, until this effort, no comprehensive survey connecting all settlement had been conducted. Archaeological projects have investigated at least 18 different sites within this region. Thus, a large body of archaeological research provides both the temporal and spatial parameters for the varied ancient Maya centers that once occupied this area; importantly, these data can be used to help interpret the collected LiDAR data. The goal of the 2013 LiDAR campaign was to gain information on the distribution of ancient Maya settlement and sites on the landscape and, particularly, to determine how the landscape was used between known centers. The data that were acquired through the 2013 LiDAR campaign have significance for interpreting both the composition and limits of ancient Maya political units. This paper presents the initial results of these new data and suggests a developmental model for ancient Maya polities.

Occurrence and Probability Maps of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia cruzi (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade-Filho, J D; Scholte, R G C; Amaral, A L G; Shimabukuro, P H F; Carvalho, O S; Caldeira, R L

2017-09-01

Leishmaniases are serious diseases caused by trypanosomatid protozoans of the genus Leishmania transmitted by the bite of phlebotomine sand flies. We analyzed records pertaining to Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz and Neiva, 1912) and Lutzomyia cruzi (Mangabeira, 1938) in Brazil from the following sources: the collection of phlebotomine sand flies of the Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/Fiocruz (FIOCRUZ-COLFLEB), the "SpeciesLink" (CRIA) database, from systematic surveys of scientific articles and gray literature (dissertations, theses, and communications), and disease data obtained from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases/Ministry of Health (SINAN/MS). Environmental data and ecological niche modeling (ESMS) using the approach of MaxEnt algorithm produced maps of occurrence probability for both Lu. longipalpis and Lu. cruzi. Lutzomyia longipalpis was found in 229 Brazilian municipalities and Lu. cruzi in 27. The species were sympatric in 16 municipalities of the Central-West region of Brazil. Our results show that Lu. longipalpis is widely distributed and associated with the high number of cases of visceral leishmaniasis reported in Brazil. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An Exploration of the Associations among Hearing Loss, Physical Health, and Visual Memory in Adults from West Central Alabama

Science.gov (United States)

Hay-McCutcheon, Marcia J.; Hyams, Adriana; Yang, Xin; Parton, Jason; Panasiuk, Brianna; Ondocsin, Sarah; James, Mary Margaret; Scogin, Forrest

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the associations among hearing loss, physical health, and visual memory in adults living in rural areas, urban clusters, and an urban city in west Central Alabama. Method: Two hundred ninety-seven adults (182 women, 115 men) from rural areas, urban clusters, and an urban city of west…

Deforestation trends of tropical dry forests in central Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Carlos A.; Haig, Susan M.

2013-01-01

Tropical dry forests are the most threatened forest type in the world yet a paucity of research about them stymies development of appropriate conservation actions. The Paranã River Basin has the most significant dry forest formations in the Cerrado biome of central Brazil and is threatened by intense land conversion to pastures and agriculture. We examined changes in Paranã River Basin deforestation rates and fragmentation across three time intervals that covered 31 yr using Landsat imagery. Our results indicated a 66.3 percent decrease in forest extent between 1977 and 2008, with an annual rate of forest cover change of 3.5 percent. Landscape metrics further indicated severe forest loss and fragmentation, resulting in an increase in the number of fragments and reduction in patch sizes. Forest fragments in flatlands have virtually disappeared and the only significant forest remnants are mostly found over limestone outcrops in the eastern part of the basin. If current patterns persist, we project that these forests will likely disappear within 25 yr. These patterns may be reversed with creation of protected areas and involvement of local people to preserve small fragments that can be managed for restoration.

Just words?: A quantitative analysis of the communication of the Central Bank of Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Carvalho

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We quantify the informational content of statements issued by the interest-rate setting committee of the Central Bank of Brazil (COPOM, building on the methodology developed by Lucca and Trebbi (2011. Using Google search queries, we measure the extent to which each CO-POM statement is perceived to be associated with more "hawkish" or "dovish" language. This allows us to construct a time-series of the informational content of COPOM statements, which we then use in regressions to explain changes in the term-structure of interest rates around COPOM meetings - together with a market-based measure of interest-rate surprises. We find that, during Governor Tombini's tenure, interest-rate surprises started to be "passed through" one-to-one (or more even at long maturities, as markets seem to have bought into the idea that the interest-rate cuts that began in mid-2011 would lead to lower yields in Brazil into the foreseeable future. Most importantly, changes in the informational content of COPOM statements seem to have meaningful effects on yields at short-to-medium maturities. However, this result only holds for the period prior to Tombini's tenure.

The metallogenic role of east-west fracture zones in South America with regard to the motion of lithospheric plates (with an example from Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Kutina, J.; Carter, William D.; Lopez, F.X.

1978-01-01

The role of east-west fracture zones in South America is discussed with regard to global fracturing and the motion of lithospheric plates. A set of major NW-trending lineaments has been derived which show a tendency to be spaced equidistantly and may correspond to a set of east-west fractures in the "pre-drift" position of the South American plate. Statistical analysis of linears in the ERTS-mosaics shows that NW-fractures are also among the most important ones in the Andes region, suggesting that the above major lineaments extend into the basement of the Andes. Some of the old major fractures, trending east-west in the present orientation of South America, are discussed and their NE orientation in the pre-drift position of the plate is considered. An example of structural control of ore deposition in the Brazilian Shield is presented, using the maps of the RADAM Project. It is concluded that the small tin-bearing granitic bodies concentrated in the region of Sao Felix do Xingu in the state of Para represent upper parts of an unexposed granitoid massif which is controlled by the intersection of a major east-west fracture zone probably represents westward extension of the Patos Lineament of the easternmost part of Brazil, connected with the east-west fracture zone of the Para state through the basement of the Maranhao Basin (Sineclise do Maranhao-Piaui). It is expected that the proposed "Patos-Para Lineament" extends further westward and may similarly control, at intersections with fractures of other trends, some mineralization centers in the western part of the state of Para and in the state of Amazonas.

Distribution of knock-down resistance mutations in Anopheles gambiae molecular forms in west and west-central Africa

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Caccone Adalgisa

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Knock-down resistance (kdr to DDT and pyrethroids in the major Afrotropical vector species, Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, is associated with two alternative point mutations at amino acid position 1014 of the voltage-gated sodium channel gene, resulting in either a leucine-phenylalanine (L1014F, or a leucine-serine (L1014S substitution. In An. gambiae S-form populations, the former mutation appears to be widespread in west Africa and has been recently reported from Uganda, while the latter, originally recorded in Kenya, has been recently found in Gabon, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. In M-form populations surveyed to date, only the L1014F mutation has been found, although less widespread and at lower frequencies than in sympatric S-form populations. Methods Anopheles gambiae M- and S-form specimens from 19 sites from 11 west and west-central African countries were identified to molecular form and genotyped at the kdr locus either by Hot Oligonucleotide Ligation Assay (HOLA or allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR. Results The kdr genotype was determined for about 1,000 An. gambiae specimens. The L1014F allele was found at frequencies ranging from 6% to 100% in all S-form samples (N = 628, with the exception of two samples from Angola, where it was absent, and coexisted with the L1014S allele in samples from Cameroon, Gabon and north-western Angola. The L1014F allele was present in M-form samples (N = 354 from Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon, where both M- and S-forms were sympatric. Conclusion The results represent the most comprehensive effort to analyse the overall distribution of the L1014F and L1014S mutations in An. gambiae molecular forms, and will serve as baseline data for resistance monitoring. The overall picture shows that the emergence and spread of kdr alleles in An. gambiae is a dynamic process and that there is marked intra- and inter-form heterogeneity in resistance allele frequencies. Further studies are needed to

Central Chile

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

The beginning of spring in central Chile looked like this to SeaWiFS. The snow-covered Andes mark the country's eastern border, and phytoplankton blooms and river sediment plumes fill the waters off its west coast. A large eddy due west of Concepcion is highlighted by the phytoplankton it contains.

Mortality by Heart Failure and Ischemic Heart Disease in Brazil from 1996 to 2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaui, Eduardo Nagib; Oliveira, Gláucia Maria Moraes de; Klein, Carlos Henrique

2014-01-01

Circulatory system diseases are the first cause of death in Brazil. To analyze the evolution of mortality caused by heart failure, by ischemic heart diseases and by ill-defined causes, as well as their possible relations, in Brazil and in the geoeconomic regions of the country (North, Northeast, Center-West, South and Southeast), from 1996 to 2011. Data were obtained from DATASUS and death declaration records with codes I20 and I24 for acute ischemic diseases, I25 for chronic ischemic diseases, and I50 for heart failure, and codes in chapter XIII for ill-defined causes, according to geoeconomic regions of Brazil, from 1996 to 2011. Mortality rates due to heart failure declined in Brazil and its regions, except for the North and the Northeast. Mortality rates due to acute ischemic heart diseases increased in the North and Northeast regions, especially from 2005 on; they remained stable in the Center-West region; and decreased in the South and in the Southeast. Mortality due to chronic ischemic heart diseases decreased in Brazil and in the Center-West, South and Southeast regions, and had little variation in the North and in the Northeast. The highest mortality rates due to ill-defined causes occurred in the Northeast until 2005. Mortality due to heart failure is decreasing in Brazil and in all of its geoeconomic regions. The temporal evolution of mortality caused by ischemic heart diseases was similar to that of heart failure. The decreasing number of deaths due to ill-defined causes may represent the improvement in the quality of information about mortality in Brazil. The evolution of acute ischemic heart diseases ranged according to regions, being possibly confused with the differential evolution of ill-defined causes

Mortality by Heart Failure and Ischemic Heart Disease in Brazil from 1996 to 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Nagib Gaui

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Circulatory system diseases are the first cause of death in Brazil. Objective: To analyze the evolution of mortality caused by heart failure, by ischemic heart diseases and by ill-defined causes, as well as their possible relations, in Brazil and in the geoeconomic regions of the country (North, Northeast, Center-West, South and Southeast, from 1996 to 2011. Methods: Data were obtained from DATASUS and death declaration records with codes I20 and I24 for acute ischemic diseases, I25 for chronic ischemic diseases, and I50 for heart failure, and codes in chapter XIII for ill-defined causes, according to geoeconomic regions of Brazil, from 1996 to 2011. Results: Mortality rates due to heart failure declined in Brazil and its regions, except for the North and the Northeast. Mortality rates due to acute ischemic heart diseases increased in the North and Northeast regions, especially from 2005 on; they remained stable in the Center-West region; and decreased in the South and in the Southeast. Mortality due to chronic ischemic heart diseases decreased in Brazil and in the Center-West, South and Southeast regions, and had little variation in the North and in the Northeast. The highest mortality rates due to ill-defined causes occurred in the Northeast until 2005. Conclusions: Mortality due to heart failure is decreasing in Brazil and in all of its geoeconomic regions. The temporal evolution of mortality caused by ischemic heart diseases was similar to that of heart failure. The decreasing number of deaths due to ill-defined causes may represent the improvement in the quality of information about mortality in Brazil. The evolution of acute ischemic heart diseases ranged according to regions, being possibly confused with the differential evolution of ill-defined causes.

Mortality by Heart Failure and Ischemic Heart Disease in Brazil from 1996 to 2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaui, Eduardo Nagib, E-mail: engaui@cardiol.br; Oliveira, Gláucia Maria Moraes de [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Klein, Carlos Henrique [Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2014-06-15

Circulatory system diseases are the first cause of death in Brazil. To analyze the evolution of mortality caused by heart failure, by ischemic heart diseases and by ill-defined causes, as well as their possible relations, in Brazil and in the geoeconomic regions of the country (North, Northeast, Center-West, South and Southeast), from 1996 to 2011. Data were obtained from DATASUS and death declaration records with codes I20 and I24 for acute ischemic diseases, I25 for chronic ischemic diseases, and I50 for heart failure, and codes in chapter XIII for ill-defined causes, according to geoeconomic regions of Brazil, from 1996 to 2011. Mortality rates due to heart failure declined in Brazil and its regions, except for the North and the Northeast. Mortality rates due to acute ischemic heart diseases increased in the North and Northeast regions, especially from 2005 on; they remained stable in the Center-West region; and decreased in the South and in the Southeast. Mortality due to chronic ischemic heart diseases decreased in Brazil and in the Center-West, South and Southeast regions, and had little variation in the North and in the Northeast. The highest mortality rates due to ill-defined causes occurred in the Northeast until 2005. Mortality due to heart failure is decreasing in Brazil and in all of its geoeconomic regions. The temporal evolution of mortality caused by ischemic heart diseases was similar to that of heart failure. The decreasing number of deaths due to ill-defined causes may represent the improvement in the quality of information about mortality in Brazil. The evolution of acute ischemic heart diseases ranged according to regions, being possibly confused with the differential evolution of ill-defined causes.

Effects of surface coal mining and reclamation on the geohydrology of six small watersheds in west-central Indiana. Chapter B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, J.D.; Duwelius, R.F.; Crawford, C.G.

1990-01-01

Coal has been and will continue to be a major source of energy in the United States for the foreseeable future. Surface mining is presently the most efficient method of extracting coal. The mining practice, however, usually has a detrimental effect on the environment by altering topography and ecologic systems. Surface coal mining also can degrade surface- and ground-water quality and quantity. The U.S. Geological Survey began a study in 1979 to identify changes in the quantity of surface- and ground-water resources caused by surface coal mining in Indiana. As part of the study, six small watersheds in west-central Indiana were instrumented for the collection of hydrologic and meteorologic data. The Water-Supply Paper comprises two reports resulting from the investigation. The physical environment and coal mining history of west-central Indiana and the six small watersheds selected for intensive study are described in chapter A. The surface- and ground-water systems of each of the small watersheds and the hydrologic effects of coal mining and reclamation are described in chapter B

Regional gravity and magnetic studies over the continental margin of the Central West Coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

SubbaRaju, L.V.; KameshRaju, K.A.; Subrahmanyam, V.; Rao, D.G.

Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India Abstract Gravity studies over the continental margin of the central west coast of India show a sediment thickness of 2-3 km on the shelf associated with deeper hoest and graben structures, of 6 km... sequence ranges from Palaeocene to Recent. Stratigraphy as obtained from the explor atory wells BH-I, DCS-IA, HI2-1, and R6-110cated in the Bombay offshore basin is shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 depicts the seismogeological section of the Bombay offshore...

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International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Topic: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY, INNOVATIONS, COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POVERTY MITIGATION, SOCIAL INEQUALITY, COOPERATION BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS. Region: Brazil ... Region: Brazil, South America, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, North and Central America, West Indies. Program: ...

Geophysical Measurements in the Beaver Basin, West-Central Utah; Part 1--Slingram, Magnetic, and Self-Potential Profiles

OpenAIRE

Flanigan, Vincent J.; Campbell, David L.; U.S. Geological Survey

1981-01-01

This report consists of figures showing profile locations (fig. 1, table 1) in the Beaver Basin, west-central Utah, and ground geophysical data collected in September 1980 along these traverses (figs. 2-11). These data consist of slingram electromagnetic (real and imaginary components at 222, 444, 888, 1777, and 3555 Hz), ground magnetic and self-potential measurements collected at 200-foot (61-m) intervals along about 8.8 miles (14.2 km) of survey line. Table 2 lists equipment used. The r...

Geologic map of the west-central Buffalo National River region, northern Arkansas

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Mark R.; Turner, Kenzie J.

2014-01-01

This map summarizes the geology of the west-central Buffalo National River region in the Ozark Plateaus region of northern Arkansas. Geologically, the region lies on the southern flank of the Ozark dome, an uplift that exposes oldest rocks at its center in Missouri. Physiographically, the map area spans the Springfield Plateau, a topographic surface generally held up by Mississippian cherty limestone and the higher Boston Mountains to the south, held up by Pennsylvanian rocks. The Buffalo River flows eastward through the map area, enhancing bedrock erosion of an approximately 1,600-ft- (490-m-) thick sequence of Ordovician, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian carbonate and clastic sedimentary rocks that have been mildly deformed by a series of faults and folds. Quaternary surficial units are present as alluvial deposits along major streams, including a series of terrace deposits from the Buffalo River, as well as colluvium and landslide deposits mantling bedrock on hillslopes.

Multiscale habitat suitability index models for priority landbirds in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions

Science.gov (United States)

John M. Tirpak; D. Todd Jones-Farrand; Frank R., III Thompson; Daniel J. Twedt; William B., III Uihlein

2009-01-01

Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models were developed to assess habitat quality for 40 priority bird species in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions. The models incorporated both site and landscape environmental variables from one of six nationally consistent datasets. Potential habitat was first defined from unique...

Physical characteristics of stream subbasins in the Pomme de Terre River Basin, west-central Minnesota

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenz, D.L.; Payne, G.A.

1994-01-01

Data describing the physical characteristics of stream subbasins upstream from selected points on streams in the Pomme de Terre River Basin, located in west-central Minnesota, are presented in this report. The physical characteristics are the drainage area of the subbasin, the percentage area of the subbasin covered only by lakes, the percentage area of the subbasin covered by both lakes and wetlands, the main-channel length, and the main-channel slope. The points on the stream include outlets of subbasins of at least 5 square miles, outfalls of sewage treatment plants, and locations of U.S. Geological Survey low-flow, high-flow, and continuous-record gaging stations.

Upslope deposition of extremely distal turbidites: An example from the Tiburon Rise, west-central Atlantic

Science.gov (United States)

Dolan, James; Beck, Christian; Ogawa, Yujiro

1989-11-01

Terrigenous silt and sand turbidites recovered from the crest of the Tiburon Rise in the west-central Atlantic represent an unprecedented example of upslope turbidite deposition in an extremely distal setting. These Eocene-Oligocene beds, which were derived from South America more than 1000 km to the southeast, were probably deposited by extremely thick (>1500 m) turbidity currents that flowed parallel to the southern margin of the rise. We suggest that flow thickness was the dominant control on deposition of these beds, rather than true upslope flow. This interpretation points out the importance of local bathymetry on the behavior of even extremely distal turbidity currents.

Are there co-occurrence patterns that structure snake communities in Central Brazil? Existem padrões de coocorrência que estruturam comunidades de serpentes no Brasil Central?

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FGR. França

2007-02-01

Full Text Available The main factors that structure Neotropical animal communities have been the subject of discussion in ecology communities. We used a set of null models to investigate the existence of structure in snake communities from the Cerrado in Central Brazil in relation to the co-occurrence of species and guilds concerning specific resources. We used fragments (conservation units inside the Distrito Federal and neighbor municipalities. In spite of recent human colonization in the region from the end of the 1950’s, intense habitat modification and fragmentation has taken place. Sixty three snake species are present in the Distrito Federal. Co-occurrence analysis of species and guilds associated to snake diets and habitats suggested a lack of organization. The homogeneity of habitats in Central Brazil and the minor importance of ecological effects can lead to random arrangement.Os processos que levam à estruturação de comunidades animais neotropicais têm sido sujeito de ampla discussão em ecologia de comunidades. Usou-se um conjunto de modelos nulos para investigar a existência de estrutura em comunidades de serpentes presentes no Cerrado do Brasil Central, em relação à coocorrência de espécies e de guildas relacionadas a recursos específicos. As localidades utilizadas para as análises representam fragmentos de habitats dentro do Distrito Federal e em municípios vizinhos. Apesar da recente colonização humana da região, datada para o final da década de 50, a intensidade da modificação e fragmentação dos habitats no Brasil Central têm sido enorme. Sessenta e três espécies de serpentes estão presentes no Distrito Federal. As análises dos padrões de coocorrência tanto para as espécies quanto para guildas relativas à dieta e ao uso do ambiente sugeriram ausência de organização. A homogeneidade dos ambientes no Brasil Central e a baixa importância de efeitos ecológicos podem levar ao arranjo randômico.

Protecting breastfeeding in West and Central Africa: over 25 years of implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokol, Ellen; Clark, David; Aguayo, Victor M

2008-09-01

In 1981 the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes out of concern that inappropriate marketing of breastmilk substitutes was contributing to the alarming decline in breastfeeding worldwide and the increase in child malnutrition and mortality, particularly in developing countries. To document progress, challenges, and lessons learned in the implementation of the International Code in West and Central Africa. Data were obtained by literature review and interviews with key informants. Twelve of the 24 countries have laws, decrees, or regulations that implement all or most of the provisions of the Code, 6 countries have a draft law or decree that is awaiting government approval or have a government committee that is studying how best to implement the Code, 3 countries have a legal instrument that enacts a few provisions of the Code, and 3 countries have not taken any action to implement the Code. International declarations and initiatives for child nutrition and survival have provided impetus for national implementation of the Code. National action to regulate the marketing of breastmilk substitutes needs to be linked to national priorities for nutrition and child survival. A clearly defined scope is essential for effective implementation of national legislation. Leadership and support by health professionals is essential to endorse and enforce national legislation. Training on Code implementation is instrumental for national action; national implementation of the Code requires provisions and capacity to monitor and enforce the legislative framework and needs to be part of a multipronged strategy to advance national child nutrition and survival goals. Nations in West and Central Africa have made important progress in implementing the International Code. More than 25 years after its adoption by the WHA, the Code remains as important as ever for child survival and development in West and Central Africa.

FACTORS AFFECTING HEAT TOLERANCE IN CROSSBRED CATTLE IN CENTRAL BRAZIL

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Concepta Margaret McManus

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This study compared the adaptation traits in common crosses of crossbred dairy cattle in central Brazil. Twenty animals of each of three genetic groups were used: zebu (Bos indicus, Simmental x Zebu (SZ and Holstein x Zebu (HZ. The test measured variations in rectal temperature (RT, respiration rate (RR and heart rate (HR of animals in the shade and after exposure to the sun, as well as mean daily milk production throughout the lactation period. The procedure was repeated three times. There were significant interactions between test group and genetic group for the traits investigated and the correlations among traits were low. The RR of the crossbred groups may be controlling body temperature in such a way as not to cause an increase in RT. Milk production influenced RR in crossbred cows exposed to the sun, confirming their poorer adaptation in comparison with zebu cows. We observed that the adaptation can be measured in terms of production within the same genetic group. In conclusion, the crosses with European breeds produced more milk than zebu, although they were influenced by heat/solar radiation.

Associations between women's perceptions of domestic violence and contraceptive use in seven countries in West and Central Africa.

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Olorunsaiye, Comfort Z; Brunner Huber, Larissa; Laditka, Sarah B; Kulkarni, Shanti; Boyd, A Suzanne

2017-10-01

This study examined associations of women's attitudes toward domestic violence (DV) and contraceptive use in West and Central Africa. We used data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys for women in seven countries in West and Central Africa (2009-2011, n=80,055). We measured contraceptive use as none, traditional, or modern contraceptives. DV approval was measured as no, low, or high tolerance of wife beating. Multinomial logistic regression estimated odds of using traditional or modern methods versus none, adjusting for age, education, wealth, residence, parity, marital structure, spousal age-difference, and religion. Many women had no or low DV tolerance (41%, 44%, respectively); most used no contraception (81%). In adjusted results, women with low DV tolerance had lower odds of using traditional contraceptive methods (odds ratio, OR=0.87; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.78-0.98) or modern methods (OR=0.86; 95% CI: 0.78-0.95) compared to women with no tolerance. Women with high DV tolerance had 28% lower odds of traditional contraceptive use (95% CI: 0.60-0.90), and 38% lower odds of modern contraceptive use (95% CI: 0.59-0.88) compared to women with no tolerance. The high prevalence of DV approval may threaten the success of programs aimed at improving women's reproductive health, including contraceptive use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Situation Reports--Brasil, Cambodia, Fiji, Malaysia (West), Thailand, and Uganda.

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International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in six foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Brazil, Cambodia, Fiji, Malaysia (West), Thailand, and Uganda. Information is provided, where appropriate and available, under two topics, general background and family planning situation. General background…

Environmental impacts of precision feeding programs applied in pig production.

Science.gov (United States)

Andretta, I; Hauschild, L; Kipper, M; Pires, P G S; Pomar, C

2017-12-04

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect that switching from conventional to precision feeding systems during the growing-finishing phase would have on the potential environmental impact of Brazilian pig production. Standard life-cycle assessment procedures were used, with a cradle-to-farm gate boundary. The inputs and outputs of each interface of the life cycle (production of feed ingredients, processing in the feed industry, transportation and animal rearing) were organized in a model. Grain production was independently characterized in the Central-West and South regions of Brazil, whereas the pigs were raised in the South region. Three feeding programs were applied for growing-finishing pigs: conventional phase feeding by group (CON); precision daily feeding by group (PFG) (whole herd fed the same daily adjusted diet); and precision daily feeding by individual (PFI) (diets adjusted daily to match individual nutrient requirements). Raising pigs (1 t pig BW at farm gate) in South Brazil under the CON feeding program using grain cultivated in the same region led to emissions of 1840 kg of CO2-eq, 13.1 kg of PO4-eq and 32.2 kg of SO2-eq. Simulations using grain from the Central-West region showed a greater climate change impact. Compared with the previous scenario, a 17% increase in climate change impact was found when simulating with soybeans produced in Central-West Brazil, whereas a 28% increase was observed when simulating with corn and soybeans from Central-West Brazil. Compared with the CON feeding program, the PFG and PFI programs reduced the potential environmental impact. Applying the PFG program mitigated the potential climate change impact and eutrophication by up to 4%, and acidification impact by up to 3% compared with the CON program. Making a further adjustment by feeding pigs according to their individual nutrient requirements mitigated the potential climate change impact by up to 6% and the potential eutrophication and acidification impact

South America Monsoon variability on millennial to multi-centennial time scale during the Holocene in central eastern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Strikis, N. M.; Cruz, F. W.; Cheng, H.; Karmann, I.; Vuille, M.; Edwards, R.; Wang, X.; Paula, M. S.; Novello, V. F.; Auler, A.

2011-12-01

A paleoprecipitation reconstruction based on high resolution and well-dated speleothem oxygen isotope records shows that the monsoon precipitation over central eastern Brazil underwent to strong variations on millennial to multi-centennial time-scales during the Holocene. This new record indicates that abrupt events of increase in monsoon precipitation are correlated to Bond events 6, 5 and 4 and also with 8.2 ky event during the early and mid-Holocene, with a mean amplitude of 1.5 % (PDB). The pacing and structure of such events are general consistent with variations in solar activity suggested by atmospheric Δ14 C records. In the late-Holocene, abrupt events of increase in monsoon precipitation peaking at 3.2, 2.7 and 2.3 ky B.P. are approximately synchronous with periods of low solar minima. In this regard, the most prominent event occurred during the late Holocene occurred at ~2.7 ky B.P. In addition, these positive anomalies of the precipitation recorded in central eastern Brazil are also in good agreement with variations in Titicaca lake level. The good correspondence between the speleothem and marine records imply that the variations in the north Atlantic sea surface temperature is the main forcing for abrupt millennial to multi-centennial precipitations variation within the region under influence of South American Monsoon.

Mixed-severity fire history at a forest-grassland ecotone in west central British Columbia, Canada.

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Harvey, Jill E; Smith, Dan J; Veblen, Thomas T

2017-09-01

This study examines spatially variable stand structure and fire-climate relationships at a low elevation forest-grassland ecotone in west central British Columbia, Canada. Fire history reconstructions were based on samples from 92 fire-scarred trees and stand demography from 27 plots collected over an area of about 7 km 2 . We documented historical chronologies of widespread fires and localized grassland fires between AD 1600 and 1900. Relationships between fire events, reconstructed values of the Palmer Drought Severity Index, and annual precipitation were examined using superposed epoch and bivariate event analyses. Widespread fires occurred during warm, dry years and were preceded by multiple anomalously dry, warm years. Localized fires that affected only grassland-proximal forests were more frequent than widespread fires. These localized fires showed a lagged, positive relationship with wetter conditions. The landscape pattern of forest structure provided further evidence of complex fire activity with multiple plots shown to have experienced low-, mixed-, and/or high-severity fires over the last four centuries. We concluded that this forest-grassland ecotone was characterized by fires of mixed severity, dominated by frequent, low-severity fires punctuated by widespread fires of moderate to high severity. This landscape-level variability in fire-climate relationships and patterns in forest structure has important implications for fire and grassland management in west central British Columbia and similar environments elsewhere. Forest restoration techniques such as prescribed fire and thinning are oftentimes applied at the forest-grassland ecotone on the basis that historically high frequency, low-severity fires defined the character of past fire activity. This study provides forest managers and policy makers with important information on mixed-severity fire activity at a low elevation forest-grassland ecotone, a crucial prerequisite for the effective management

Towards sustainable groundwater management in Karst aquifers in semi-arid environments: Central West Bank, Palestine

Science.gov (United States)

Jebreen, H.; Banning, A.; Wohnlich, S.

2017-12-01

The Central West Bank (CWB) is characterized by karstified carbonate aquifers in the semiarid climate zone, where groundwater resources are frequently threatened by overexploitation and pollution. Despite often limited system knowledge, quantitative and qualitative factors such as groundwater recharge rate, aquifer parameters, flow and transport dynamics, anthropogenic impacts, and groundwater vulnerability need to be assessed. Therefore, sustainable groundwater use in the CWB is of critical importance. In the present study, we explore the scale of the groundwater problems in CWB as well as the possibility of sustainable management through different scenarios: 1) Managed aquifer recharge using a water balance model, stable isotopes (2H & 18O) and chloride mass balance, 2) Geochemical evolution and renewability of groundwater, and 3) Anthropogenic impacts. A total of 20 spring water samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, major-ion chemistry (Cl-, HCO3-, SO42-, Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+), trace elements (Li, Be, Al, Ba, Tl, Pb, Bi, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag and Cd), microbiological data (total and fecal coliforms bacteria), and stable isotopes (2H & 18O). The results show a spatialized recharge rate, which ranges from 111-211 mm/year, representing 17-33 % of the long-term mean annual rainfall. The mean annual actual evapotranspiration was about 19-37 % of precipitation. The chemical composition of groundwater of the study area is strongly influenced by rock-water interaction, dissolution and deposition of carbonate and silicate minerals. Stable isotopes show that precipitation is the source of recharge to the groundwater system. All analyzed spring waters are suitable for irrigation but not for drinking purposes. This studýs results can serve as a basis for decision makers, and will lead to an increased understanding of the sustainable management of the Central West Bank

Geothermal investigations in West Virginia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hendry, R.; Hilfiker, K.; Hodge, D.; Morgan, P.; Swanberg, C.; Shannon, S.S. Jr.

1982-11-01

Deep sedimentary basins and warm-spring systems in West Virginia are potential geothermal resources. A temperature gradient map based on 800 bottom-hole temperatures for West Virginia shows that variations of temperature gradient trend northeasterly, parallel to regional structure. Highest temperature gradient values of about 28/sup 0/C/km occur in east-central West Virginia, and the lowest gradients (18/sup 0/C/km) are found over the Rome Trough. Results from ground-water geochemistry indicate that the warm waters circulate in very shallow aquifers and are subject to seasonal temperature fluctuations. Silica heat-flow data in West Virginia vary from about 0.89 to 1.4 HFU and generally increase towards the west. Bouguer, magnetic, and temperature gradient profiles suggest that an ancient rift transects the state and is the site of several deep sedimentary basins.

Age and provenance of Triassic to Cenozoic sediments of West and Central Sarawak, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Breitfeld, H. Tim; Galin, Thomson; Hall, Robert

2015-04-01

Sarawak is located on the northern edge of Sundaland in NW Borneo. West and Central Sarawak include parts of the Kuching and Sibu Zones. These contain remnants of several sedimentary basins with ages from Triassic to Cenozoic. New light mineral, heavy mineral and U-Pb detrital zircon ages show differences in provenance reflecting the tectonic evolution of the region. The oldest clastic sediments are Triassic (Sadong Formation and its deep marine equivalent Kuching Formation). They were sourced by a Triassic (Carnian to Norian) volcanic arc and reworked Paleoproterozoic detritus derived from Cathaysialand. The Upper Jurassic to Cretaceous Pedawan Formation is interpreted as forearc basin fill with distinctive zircon populations indicating subduction beneath present-day West Sarawak which initiated in the Late Jurassic. Subsequent subduction until the early Late Cretaceous formed the Schwaner Mountains magmatic arc. After collision of SW Borneo and other microcontinental fragments with Sundaland in the early Late Cretaceous, deep marine sedimentation (Pedawan Formation) ceased, and there was uplift forming the regional Pedawan-Kayan unconformity. Two episodes of extension followed and were responsible for basin development on land in West Sarawak from the latest Cretaceous onwards, probably in a pull-apart setting. The first episode is associated with sediments of the Kayan Group, deposited in the Latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to Eocene, and the second episode with Upper Eocene sediments of the Ketungau Basin. Zircon ages indicate volcanic activity throughout the Early Cenozoic in NW Borneo, and inherited zircon ages indicate reworking of Triassic and Cretaceous rocks. A large deep marine basin, the Rajang Basin, was north of the Lupar Line Fault in Central Sarawak (Sibu Zone) from the Late Cretaceous to the Late Eocene. Zircons from sediments of the Rajang Basin indicate they have similar ages and provenance to contemporaneous terrestrial sediments of the Kayan

Geologic sources and concentrations of selenium in the West-Central Denver Basin, including the Toll Gate Creek watershed, Aurora, Colorado, 2003-2007

Science.gov (United States)

Paschke, Suzanne S.; Walton-Day, Katherine; Beck, Jennifer A.; Webbers, Ank; Dupree, Jean A.

2014-01-01

Toll Gate Creek, in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, is a perennial stream in which concentrations of dissolved selenium have consistently exceeded the Colorado aquatic-life standard of 4.6 micrograms per liter. Recent studies of selenium in Toll Gate Creek identified the Denver lignite zone of the non-marine Cretaceous to Tertiary-aged (Paleocene) Denver Formation underlying the watershed as the geologic source of dissolved selenium to shallow ground-water and surface water. Previous work led to this study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Aurora Utilities Department, which investigated geologic sources of selenium and selenium concentrations in the watershed. This report documents the occurrence of selenium-bearing rocks and groundwater within the Cretaceous- to Tertiary-aged Denver Formation in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, including the Toll Gate Creek watershed. The report presents background information on geochemical processes controlling selenium concentrations in the aquatic environment and possible geologic sources of selenium; the hydrogeologic setting of the watershed; selenium results from groundwater-sampling programs; and chemical analyses of solids samples as evidence that weathering of the Denver Formation is a geologic source of selenium to groundwater and surface water in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, including Toll Gate Creek. Analyses of water samples collected from 61 water-table wells in 2003 and from 19 water-table wells in 2007 indicate dissolved selenium concentrations in groundwater in the west-central Denver Basin frequently exceeded the Colorado aquatic-life standard and in some locations exceeded the primary drinking-water standard of 50 micrograms per liter. The greatest selenium concentrations were associated with oxidized groundwater samples from wells completed in bedrock materials. Selenium analysis of geologic core samples indicates that total selenium

Detection of Ehrlichia canis in domestic cats in the central-western region of Brazil

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Ísis Assis Braga

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Ehrlichiosis is a worldwide distributed disease caused by different bacteria of the Ehrlichia genus that are transmitted by arthropod vectors. Its occurrence in dogs is considered endemic in several regions of Brazil. Regarding cats, however, few studies have been done and, consequently, there is not enough data available. In order to detect Ehrlichia spp. in cats from the central-western region of Brazil, blood and serum samples were collected from a regional population of 212 individuals originated from the cities of Cuiabá and Várzea Grande. These animals were tested by the Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR designed to amplify a 409 bp fragment of the dsb gene. The results obtained show that 88 (41.5% cats were seropositive by IFA and 20 (9.4% cats were positive by PCR. The partial DNA sequence obtained from PCR products yielded twenty samples that were found to match perfectly the Ehrlichia canis sequences deposited on GenBank. The natural transmission of Ehrlichia in cats has not been fully established. Furthermore, tick infestation was not observed in the evaluated cats and was not observed any association between age, gender and positivity of cats in both tests. The present study reports the first serological and molecular detection of E. canis in domestic cats located in the endemic area previously mentioned.

Geochemical mapping using stream sediments in west-central Nigeria: Implications for environmental studies and mineral exploration in West Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapworth, Dan J.; Knights, Katherine V.; Key, Roger M.; Johnson, Christopher C.; Ayoade, Emmanuel; Adekanmi, Michael A.; Arisekola, Tunde M.; Okunlola, Olugbenga A.; Backman, Birgitta; Eklund, Mikael; Everett, Paul A.; Lister, Robert T.; Ridgway, John; Watts, Michael J.; Kemp, Simon J.; Pitfield, Peter E.J.

2012-01-01

This paper provides an overview of regional geochemical mapping using stream sediments from central and south-western Nigeria. A total of 1569 stream sediment samples were collected and 54 major and trace elements determined by ICP-MS and Au, Pd and Pt by fire assay. Multivariate statistical techniques (e.g., correlation analysis and principal factor analysis) were used to explore the data, following appropriate data transformation, to understand the data structure, investigate underlying processes controlling spatial geochemical variability and identify element associations. Major geochemical variations are controlled by source geology and provenance, as well as chemical weathering and winnowing processes, more subtle variations are a result of land use and contamination from anthropogenic activity. This work has identified placer deposits of potential economic importance for Au, REE, Ta, Nb, U and Pt, as well as other primary metal deposits. Areas of higher As and Cr (>2 mg/kg and >70 mg/kg respectively) are associated with Mesozoic and younger coastal sediments in SW Nigeria. High stream sediment Zr concentrations (mean >0.2%), from proximal zircons derived from weathering of basement rocks, have important implications for sample preparation and subsequent analysis due to interferences. Associated heavy minerals enriched in high field strength elements, and notably rare earths, may also have important implications for understanding magmatic processes within the basement terrain of West Africa. This study provides important new background/baseline geochemical values for common geological domains in Nigeria (which extend across other parts of West Africa) for assessment of contamination from urban/industrial land use changes and mining activities. Regional stream sediment mapping is also able to provide important new information with applications across a number of sectors including agriculture, health, land use and planning.

Permafrost distribution in peatlands of west-central Canada during the Holocene warm period 6000 years BP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zoltai, S.C. [Canadian Forest Service, Edmonton, AB (Canada)

1995-12-31

The extent and timing of permafrost development in peatlands of west-central Canada are examined. The floristic composition of the permafrost peatlands was determined from macrofossil samples of cores drilled at 161 locations. Radiocarbon dating of substantial changes in the peat sequences and of basal peat deposition was used to provide chronological control. The reconstructed paleoenvironments show the presence or absence of permafrost at the time of peat formation. Permafrost distribution in peatlands is estimated during the warm period 6000 years BP. It is estimated that the mean annual temperature was approximately 5{degree}C warmer than at present. 42 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.

The Genetic Contribution of West-African Ancestry to Protection against Central Obesity in African-American Men but Not Women: Results from the ARIC and MESA Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Klimentidis, Yann C; Arora, Amit; Zhou, Jin; Kittles, Rick; Allison, David B

2016-01-01

Over 80% of African-American (AA) women are overweight or obese. A large racial disparity between AA and European-Americans (EA) in obesity rates exists among women, but curiously not among men. Although socio-economic and/or cultural factors may partly account for this race-by-sex interaction, the potential involvement of genetic factors has not yet been investigated. Among 2814 self-identified AA in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, we estimated each individual's degree of West-African genetic ancestry using 3437 ancestry informative markers. We then tested whether sex modifies the association between West-African genetic ancestry and body mass index (BMI), waist-circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), adjusting for income and education levels, and examined associations of ancestry with the phenotypes separately in males and females. We replicated our findings in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (n = 1611 AA). In both studies, we find that West-African ancestry is negatively associated with obesity, especially central obesity, among AA men, but not among AA women (pinteraction = 4.14 × 10(-5) in pooled analysis of WHR). In conclusion, our results suggest that the combination of male gender and West-African genetic ancestry is associated with protection against central adiposity, and suggest that the large racial disparity that exists among women, but not men, may be at least partly attributed to genetic factors.

Clinical poisoning in bovine the venom of Bothrops atrox the municipality of Oriximiná-Pará, Central Amazonia, Brazil - Case report

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Ubaldo de Almeida Farias Junior

2015-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. Farias Junior U. de A. & Chalkidis H.M. [Clinical poisoning in bovine the venom of Bothrops atrox the municipality of Oriximiná-Pará, Central Amazonia, Brazil - Case report.] Envenenamento clínico de bovino por peçonha de Bothrops atrox no município de Oriximiná-Pará, Amazô- nia Central, Brasil - Relato de caso. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 37(3:264-268, 2015. Laboratório de Pesquisas Zoológicas, Faculdades Integradas do Tapajós, Rua Rosa Vermelha, 335, Aeroporto Velho, Santarém, PA 68010-200, Brasil. E-mail: chalkidis@hotmail.com It explains a case of poisoning bovine by Bothrops atrox, abundant snake family Viperidae, prevalent in northern Brazil, assigned as the etiological agent of over 90% of cases of snakebite in the State of Pará. Report the examination semiological and the clinical symptoms observed due to its evolution as well. Clinical signs are confronted with the findings conferred in similar cases reported by veterinarians and ranchers in the region. The treatment in this particular case was not proceeded in order to examine symptoms presented by the accuracy of these reports.

Raccoon roundworm in raccoons in central West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Sheldon F. Owen; John W. Edwards; W. Mark Ford; James M. Crum; Petra Bohall Wood

2004-01-01

We investigated the occurrence of raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) in common raccoons (Procyon lotor) in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia during spring (n = 9, April-June) and fall (n = 5, August-October) 2001 and spring (n = 1) and fall (n = 4) 2002. We found no evidence of B. procyonis...

Analysis of variables affecting unemployment rate and detecting for cluster in West Java, Central Java, and East Java in 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Samuel, Putra A.; Widyaningsih, Yekti; Lestari, Dian

2016-02-01

The objective of this study is modeling the Unemployment Rate (UR) in West Java, Central Java, and East Java, with rate of disease, infant mortality rate, educational level, population size, proportion of married people, and GDRP as the explanatory variables. Spatial factors are also considered in the modeling since the closer the distance, the higher the correlation. This study uses the secondary data from BPS (Badan Pusat Statistik). The data will be analyzed using Moran I test, to obtain the information about spatial dependence, and using Spatial Autoregressive modeling to obtain the information, which variables are significant affecting UR and how great the influence of the spatial factors. The result is, variables proportion of married people, rate of disease, and population size are related significantly to UR. In all three regions, the Hotspot of unemployed will also be detected districts/cities using Spatial Scan Statistics Method. The results are 22 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed (Most likely cluster) in the study area; 2 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed in West Java; 1 district/city as a regional groups with the highest unemployed in Central Java; 15 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed in East Java.

Public health implications of 4 decades of neoliberal policy: a qualitative case study from post-industrial west central Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Garnham, L M

2017-12-01

The UK has long had a strong commitment to neoliberal policy, the risks of which for population health are well researched. Within Europe, Scotland demonstrates especially poor health outcomes, much of which is driven by high levels of deprivation, wide inequalities and the persistent impacts of deindustrialisation. The processes through which neoliberalism has contributed to this poor health record are the subject of significant research interest. Qualitative case study of a post-industrial town in west central Scotland. Primary data were collected using photovoice (11) and oral history (9) interviews, supplemented by qualitative and quantitative secondary source data. For those who fared poorly after the initial introduction of neoliberal policy in the 1970s, subsequent policy decisions have served to deepen and entrench negative impacts on the determinants of health. Neoliberalism has constituted a suite of rapidly and concurrently implemented policies, cross-cutting a variety of domains, which have reached into every part of people's lives. In formerly industrial parts of west central Scotland, policy developments since the 1970s have generated multiple and sustained forms of deprivation. This case study suggests that a turn away from neoliberal policy is required to improve quality of life and health. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

The nuclear axis. Secret collaboration between West Germany and South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cervenka, Z.; Rogers, B.

1978-01-01

Post-war international politics are examined, with particular reference to international collaboration in the nuclear energy field and to the proliferation of atomic weapons capability. The development of atomic energy programmes in West Germany and in South Africa is discussed. South African uranium resources are described. Reference is made to the British-Dutch-West German collaboration on uranium enrichment, and to the South African enrichment process. Political activities involving atomic energy considerations are also discussed with reference to the countries mentioned and,in addition, to USA, Israel, Iran and Brazil. (U.K.)

West and Central African Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, Child ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Research and programming efforts are not sustainably reducing these rates. ... Bridging gaps and barriers to better health outcomes A partnership of leading West ... International Water Resources Association, in close collaboration with IDRC, ...

Preferences of the central bank of Brazil under the inflation targeting regime: commitment vs. discretion

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Andreza Aparecida Palma

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This work aims to estimate the preferences of the Central Bank of Brazil during the inflation targeting regime, using a standard new keynesian model with forward-looking expectations, as proposed by Givens (2010. The presence of rational expectations in the model makes a distinction between two modes of optimization, commitment and discretion, and thus allows us to evaluate which of these specifications is favored by the data. Using quarterly data for the period from 2000-1 to 2010-4, the obtained results allow us to affirm that the data favor a discretionary policy. Estimates of the loss function show that the monetary authority gives great weight to inflation stabilization, followed by interest rate smoothing and stabilization of the output gap.

Radiation-hazardous objects at the west and central Kazakstan territory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadyrzhanov, K.K.; Kuterbekov, K.A.; Akhmetov, E.Z.; Lukashenko, S.N.; Dzhazairov-Kakhramanov, V.

2001-01-01

In 1965-1987, there were conducted 39 industrial underground explosions in the territory of Kazakhstan Republic, in particular in its west and central region (explosions conducted at Semipalatinsk test site, East-Kazakhstan oblates are not included). These explosions were conducted in terms of the Program 7 Peaceful nuclear explosions for industrial purposes with the purpose of test-industrial investigation conducting for testing a technology for formation of cavities in rock salt in order to be used as multipurpose large volume storage. Energy from underground nuclear explosions was used for peaceful technological purposes, in particular, in the territories of hydrocarbon raw materials mining and industrial developing. It is obvious, that residual radioactivity, even if it is very small, is a factor, that hampers to use nuclear explosions for this purpose. The major problems are the following: safety measures, which are necessary for implementation of the projects on nuclear explosion usage in peaceful purposes, admissible level of environment pollution in whole and possible consequences. All necessary measures must be taken to ensure safety in the regions, where explosions were conducted, including all the least probable accidents (for instance, breach during camuflet explosions). To make sure, that existing admissible standards will not be exceeded, it is necessary to know the level of environment radiation contamination and to forecast probable contamination caused by explosions

Short Communication: Reassessing the Origin of the HIV-1 CRF02_AG Lineages Circulating in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Delatorre, Edson; Velasco-De-Castro, Carlos A; Pilotto, José H; Couto-Fernandez, José Carlos; Bello, Gonzalo; Morgado, Mariza G

2015-12-01

HIV-1 CRF02_AG is responsible for at least 8% of the HIV-1 infections worldwide and is distributed mainly in West Africa. CRF02_AG has recently been reported in countries where it is not native, including Brazil. In a previous study including 10 CRF02_AG Brazilian samples, we found at least four independent introductions and two autochthonous transmission networks of this clade in Brazil. As more CRF02_AG samples have been identified in Brazil, we performed a new phylogeographic analysis using a larger dataset than before. A total of 20 Brazilian (18 from Rio de Janeiro and two from São Paulo) and 1,485 African HIV-1 CRF02_AG pol sequences were analyzed using maximum likelihood (ML). The ML tree showed that the Brazilian sequences were distributed in five different lineages. The Bayesian phylogeographic analysis of the Brazilian and their most closely related African sequences (n = 212) placed the origin of all Brazilian lineages in West Africa, probably Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria. Two monophyletic clades were identified, comprising only sequences from Rio de Janeiro, and their date of origin was estimated at around 1985 (95% highest posterior density: 1979-1992). These results support the existence of at least five independent introductions of the CRF02_AG lineage from West Africa into Brazil and further indicate that at least two of these lineages have been locally disseminated in the Rio de Janeiro state over the past 30 years.

Diagenesis and reservoir properties of Cretaceous-Lower Tertiary sandstones: the GANT-1 well, western Nuussuaq, central West Greenland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kierkegaard, Thomas

1998-08-01

The main purpose of this study is to describe the diagenetic alterations occurring in the Cretaceous to Lower Paleocene sedimentary succession of the GANT-1 well, and to determine the diagenetic and detrital factors which control present porosity and permeability. The GANT-1 well is located on north-western Nuussuaq, central West Greenland. The West Greenland margin is a continental margin subdivided into linked basins where Cretaceous to Lower Tertiary and probably older sediments have been deposited. In the Nuussuaq area these sediments are overlain by a succession of Early Tertiary basaltic volcanic rocks which reaches a combined thickness of around 2-2.5 km. Although the reservoir properties of the sandstone intervals in the GANT-1 and GANE-1 wells are generally relatively poor, it is suggested that moderate to good properties may be found in certain intervals within the Maastrichtian-Paleocene succession. However, the reason for the locally enhanced reservoir properties in GANT-1 was not clarified by this study due to the lack of regional petrographical data. (EG) EFP-96. 41 refs., 3 maps

Runoff measurement and prediction for a watershed under natural vegetation in central Brazil

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C. L. Silva

1999-09-01

Full Text Available This work aimed to measure and analyze total rainfall (P, rainfall intensity and five-day antecedent rainfall effects on runoff (R; to compare measured and simulated R values using the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number method (CN for each rainfall event; and to establish average R/P ratios for observed R values. A one-year (07/01/96 to 06/30/97 rainfall-runoff data study was carried out in the Capetinga watershed (962.4 ha, located at the Federal District of Brazil, 47° 52' longitude West and 15° 52' latitude South. Soils of the watershed were predominantly covered by natural vegetation. Total rainfall and runoff for the period were 1,744 and 52.5 mm, respectively, providing R/P of 3% and suggesting that watershed physical characteristics favored water infiltration into the soil. A multivariate regression analysis for 31 main rainfall-runoff events totaling 781.9 and 51.0 mm, respectively, indicated that the amount of runoff was only dependent upon rainfall volume. Simulated values of total runoff were underestimated about 15% when using CN method and an area-weighted average of the CN based on published values. On the other hand, when average values of CN were calculated for the watershed, total runoff was overestimated about 39%, suggesting that CN method shoud be used with care in areas under natural vegetation.

Deforestation in Brazil: motivations, journeys and tendencies

Science.gov (United States)

Leite, J. C.; Ferreira, A. J. D.; Esteves, T. C. J.; Bento, C. P. M.

2012-04-01

José Carlos Leite1; António José Dinis Ferreira2; Tanya Cristina de Jesus Esteves2; Célia Patrícia Martins Bento2 1Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Brazil; 2IPC - Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra, Portugal Over the last three decades, deforestation in Brazil occurred systematically in the area known as the "arc of deforestation", an extensive geographical area located in the interface of the Cerrado and the Amazon biomes. This work encompasses the reasons, causes and/or motivations of that recent deforestation, focusing on the Central-West and Northern regions. A number of reasons will be presented, seeking to build an approach able to identify the deepest roots of deforestation of those regions. Our actions over the environment are framed by our cultural matrix that stream from a western philosophic attitude. This way, to understand the framework where the deforestation actions are justified requires a multidisciplinary approach to understand the deforestation of the Cerrado and Amazon biomes, since the motivations for forest destruction in Brazil are complex and not entirely understood within the domains of a single disciplinary area. To search for an isolated cause to understand the recent deforestation can only be plausible if we ignore information on what actually happens. The methodology used in this work is based on a bibliographical revision, analysis of georeferrenced information, participative processes implementation and observation of stakeholder behavior, and field research. It departs from a general vision on deforestation that initially occurred at the littoral region, by the Atlantic Rainforest, right after the arrival of the Europeans, and throughout the centuries penetrates towards the interior, hitting the Cerrado and Amazon biomes. In this last case, we focused on the Vale do Alto Guaporé region, near Bolivia, where the intensity of the deforestation was verified from 1970 to 1990. Ultimately, the final result is a mosaic of reasons

Environmental Behavior of Chlorpyrifos and Endosulfan in a Tropical Soil in Central Brazil.

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Dores, Eliana F G C; Spadotto, Claudio A; Weber, Oscarlina L S; Dalla Villa, Ricardo; Vecchiato, Antonio B; Pinto, Alicio A

2016-05-25

The environmental behavior of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan in soil was studied in the central-western region of Brazil by means of a field experiment. Sorption was evaluated in laboratory batch experiments. Chlorpyrifos and endosulfan were applied to experimental plots on uncultivated soil and the following processes were studied: leaching, runoff, and dissipation in top soil. Field dissipation of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan was more rapid than reported in temperate climates. Despite the high Koc of the studied pesticides, the two endosulfan isomers and endosulfan sulfate as well as chlorpyrifos were detected in percolated water. In runoff water and sediment, both endosulfan isomers and endosulfan sulfate were detected throughout the period of study. Observed losses of endosulfan by leaching (below a depth of 50 cm) and runoff were 0.0013 and 1.04% of the applied amount, whereas chlorpyrifos losses were 0.003 and 0.032%, respectively. Leaching of these highly adsorbed pesticides was attributed to preferential flow.

Description of the physical environment and coal-mining history of west-central Indiana, with emphasis on six small watersheds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, J.D.; Crawford, C.G.; Duwelius, R.F.; Renn, D.E.

1990-01-01

West-central Indiana is underlain by coal-bearing Pennsylvanian rocks. Nearly all of the area has been glaciated at least once and is characterized by wide flood plains and broad, flat uplands. The most productive aquifers are confined or unconfined outwash aquifers located along the major rivers. Bedrock aquifers are regionally insignificant but are the sole source of groundwater for areas that lack outwash, alluvium, or sand and gravel lenses in till. Indiana has > 17 billion short tons of recoverable coal reserves; about 11% can be mined by surface methods. More than 50,000 acres in west-central Indiana were disturbed by surface coal mining from 1941 through 1980. Ridges of mine spoil have been graded to a gently rolling topography. Soils are well drained and consist of 6 to 12 inches of silt-loam topsoil that was stockpiled and then replaced over shale and sandstone fragments of the graded mine spoil. Grasses and legumes form the vegetative cover in each watershed. Pond Creek and the unnamed tributary to Big Branch are streams that drain mined and unreclaimed watersheds. Approximately one-half of the Pond Creek watershed is unmined,agricultural land. Soils are very well drained shaly silty loams that have formed on steeply sloping spoil banks. Both watersheds contain numerous impoundments of water and have enclosed areas that do not contribute surface runoff to streamflow. The ridges of mine spoil are covered with pine trees, but much of the soil surface is devoid of vegetation

Time trends for prostate cancer mortality in Brazil and its geographic regions: An age-period-cohort analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Braga, Sonia Faria Mendes; de Souza, Mirian Carvalho; Cherchiglia, Mariangela Leal

2017-10-01

In the 1980s, an increase in mortality rates for prostate cancer was observed in North America and developed European countries. In the 1990s, however, mortality rates decreased for these countries, an outcome related to early detection of the disease. Conversely, an upward trend in mortality rates was observed in Brazil. This study describe the trends in mortality for prostate cancer in Brazil and geographic regions (North, Northeast, South, Southeast, and Central-West) between 1980 until 2014 and analyze the influence of age, period, and cohort effects on mortality rates. This time-series study used data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) and population data from Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The effects on mortality rates were examined using age-period-cohort (APC) models. Crude and standardized mortality rates showed an upward trend for Brazil and its regions more than 2-fold the last 30 years. Age effects showed an increased risk of death in all regions. Period effects showed a higher risk of death in the finals periods for the North and Northeast. Cohort effects showed risk of death was higher for younger than older generations in Brazil and regions, mainly Northeast (RR Adjusted =3.12, 95% CI 1.29-1.41; RR Adjusted =0.28, 95% CI 0.26-0.30, respectively). The increase in prostate cancer mortality rates in Brazil and its regions was mainly due to population aging. The differences in mortality rates and APC effects between regions are related to demographic differences and access of health services across the country. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Description of the physical environment an coal-mining history of West-Central Indiana, with emphasis on six small watersheds

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Jeffrey D.; Crawford, Charles G.; Duwelius, Richard F.; Renn, Danny E.

1990-01-01

This report describes the physical and human environment and coal-mining history of west-central Indiana, with emphasis on six small watersheds selected for study of the hydrologic effects of surface coal mining. The report summarizes information on the geology, geomorphology, soils, climate, hydrology, water use, land use, population, and coal-mining history of Clay, Owen, Sullivan, and Vigo Counties in Indiana. Site-specific information is given on the morphology, geology, soils, land use, coal-mining history, and hydrologic instrumentation of the six watersheds, which are each less than 3 square miles in area.

Radiological re-survey results at 130 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ029)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, M.E.; Johnson, C.A.

1994-01-01

Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) of Maywood, New Jersey, generated process wastes and residues associated with the production and refining of thorium and thorium compounds from 1916 to 1959. During the early years of operation, MCW stored wastes and residues in low-lying areas west of the processing facilities and consequently some of the residuals containing radioactive materials migrated offsite to the surrounding area. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), designated for remedial action the old MCW property and several vicinity properties. Additionally, in 1984, the property at 130 West Central Ave., Maywood, New Jersey and properties in its vicinity were included as a decontamination research and development project under the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. In 1987 and 1988, at the request of DOE, ORNL conducted a radiological survey on this property. A second radiological survey by ORNL was conducted on this property in May, 1993 at the request of DOE after an ad hoc radiological survey, requested by a new property owner and conducted by Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), identified some contamination not previously found by ORNL. The purpose of the survey was to determine if residuals from the old MCW were present on the property, and if so, if any radiological elements present were above guidelines. A certified civil survey was requisitioned by ORNL to determine actual property boundaries before beginning the radiological survey. The radiological re-survey included a surface gamma scan and the collection of a large number of soil samples for radionuclide analyses

Alternative food sources and overwintering feeding behavior of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) under the tropical conditions of Central Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, Paulina de A; Sujii, Edison R; Diniz, Ivone R; Medeiros, Maria A de; Salgado-Labouriau, Maria L; Branco, Marina C; Pires, Carmen S S; Fontes, Eliana M G

2010-01-01

The boll weevil causes serious damage to the cotton crop in South America. Several studies have been published on this pest, but its phenology and behavior under the tropical conditions prevailing in Brazil are not well-known. In this study the feeding behavior and main food sources of adult boll weevils throughout the year in Central Brazil was investigated. The digestive tract contents of insects captured in pheromone traps in two cotton fields and two areas of native vegetation (gallery forest and cerrado sensu stricto) were analyzed. The insect was captured all through the year only in the cerrado. It fed on pollen of 19 different plant families, on Pteridophyta and fungi spores and algae cysts. Simpson Index test showed that the cerrado provided greater diversity of pollen sources. In the beginning of the cotton cycle, the plant families used for pollen feeding were varied: in cotton area 1, the weevil fed on Poaceae(50%), Malvaceae and Smilacaceae (25% each); in cotton area 2 the pollen sources were Malvaceae (50%), Asteraceae (25%) and Fabaceae and Clusiaceae (25% each); in the cerrado they were Chenopodiaceae (67%) and Scheuchzeriaceae (33%). No weevils were collected in the gallery forest in this period. After cotton was harvested, the family Smilacaceae was predominant among the food plants exploited in all the study areas. These results help to explain the survivorship of adult boll weevil during cotton fallow season in Central Brazil and they are discussed in the context of behavioral adaptations to the prevailing tropical environmental conditions.

Future drying of the southern Amazon and central Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, J.; Zeng, N.; Cook, B.

2008-12-01

Recent climate modeling suggests that the Amazon rainforest could exhibit considerable dieback under future climate change, a prediction that has raised considerable interest as well as controversy. To determine the likelihood and causes of such changes, we analyzed the output of 15 models from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report (IPCC/AR4) and a dynamic vegetation model VEGAS driven by these climate output. Our results suggest that the core of the Amazon rainforest should remain largely stable. However, the periphery, notably the southern edge, is in danger of drying out, driven by two main processes. First, a decline in precipitation of 24% in the southern Amazon lengthens the dry season and reduces soil moisture, despite of an increase in precipitation during the wet season, due to the nonlinear response in hydrology and ecosystem dynamics. Two dynamical mechanisms may explain the lower dry season precipitation: (1) a stronger north-south tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature gradient; (2) a general subtropical drying under global warming when the dry season southern Amazon is under the control of the subtropical high pressure. Secondly, evaporation will increase due to the general warming, thus also reducing soil moisture. As a consequence, the median of the models projects a reduction of vegetation by 20%, and enhanced fire carbon flux by 10-15% in the southern Amazon, central Brazil, and parts of the Andean Mountains. Because the southern Amazon is also under intense human influence, the double pressure of deforestation and climate change may subject the region to dramatic changes in the 21st century.

Holocene Dynamics of Temperate Rainforests in West-Central Patagonia

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Virginia Iglesias

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Analyses of long-term ecosystem dynamics offer insights into the conditions that have led to stability vs. rapid change in the past and the importance of disturbance in regulating community composition. In this study, we (1 used lithology, pollen, and charcoal data from Mallín Casanova (47°S to reconstruct the wetland, vegetation, and fire history of west-central Patagonia; and (2 compared the records with independent paleoenvironmental and archeological information to assess the effects of past climate and human activity on ecosystem dynamics. Pollen data indicate that Nothofagus-Pilgerodendron forests were established by 9,000 cal yr BP. Although the biodiversity of the understory increased between 8,480 and 5,630 cal yr BP, forests remained relatively unchanged from 9,000 to 2,000 cal yr BP. The charcoal record registers high fire-episode frequency in the early Holocene followed by low biomass burning between 6,500 and 2,000 cal yr BP. Covarying trends in charcoal, bog development, and Neoglacial advances suggest that climate was the primary driver of these changes. After 2,000 cal yr BP, the proxy data indicate (a increased fire-episode frequency; (b centennial-scale shifts in bog and forest composition; (c the emergence of vegetation-fire linkages not recorded in previous times; and (d paludification in the last 500 years possibly associated with forest loss. Our results therefore suggest that Nothofagus-Pilgerodendron dominance was maintained through much of the Holocene despite long-term changes in climate and fire. Unparalleled fluctuations in local ecosystems during the last two millennia were governed by disturbance-vegetation-hydrology feedbacks likely triggered by greater climate variability and deforestation.

Paleoenvironmental Evolution of Continental Carbonates in West-Central Brazil

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EMILIANO C. OLIVEIRA

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This paper presents a sedimentological and stratigraphical study of Quaternary (Middle to Late Pleistocene/Holocene continental carbonates outcrops inside Pantanal Basin and its surroundings, especially in Serra da Bodoquena, Pantanal do Miranda and Corumbá/Ladário plateau, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, as well as in Serra das Araras, in the state of Mato Grosso. The aim is to understand the depositional paleoenvironments and analyse climate and tectonic influences in their genesis and evolution. The results show that the deposition of these continental carbonates started in the Middle to Late Pleistocene and have continued, with some interruptions, until the present days. Sedimentary successions were identified in the different areas, without complete correlation. Two sedimentary successions separated by an erosional surface were described in Serra da Bodoquena and Serra das Araras. In Corumbá and Pantanal do Miranda, only one succession was described. These successions were deposited in elongated lakes parallel to fault planes; small lakes, related plains and plateaus; springs related to cliffs produced by faulting; rivers conditioned by topographic variation. The climatic interpretation, without proper temporal resolution, obtained by the stable-isotope composition and stratigraphic interpretation, indicates alternation of dry and wet periods. The Neoproterozoic faults with their neotectonics and the subsidence of the Pantanal Basin, are the major control for carbonated water flow and development of depositional areas, gradually turning plateaus into slight tilted areas, allowing the evolution of depositional systems from lakes to rivers.

Surface-water radon-222 distribution along the west-central Florida shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, C.G.; Robbins, L.L.

2012-01-01

In February 2009 and August 2009, the spatial distribution of radon-222 in surface water was mapped along the west-central Florida shelf as collaboration between the Response of Florida Shelf Ecosystems to Climate Change project and a U.S. Geological Survey Mendenhall Research Fellowship project. This report summarizes the surface distribution of radon-222 from two cruises and evaluates potential physical controls on radon-222 fluxes. Radon-222 is an inert gas produced overwhelmingly in sediment and has a short half-life of 3.8 days; activities in surface water ranged between 30 and 170 becquerels per cubic meter. Overall, radon-222 activities were enriched in nearshore surface waters relative to offshore waters. Dilution in offshore waters is expected to be the cause of the low offshore activities. While thermal stratification of the water column during the August survey may explain higher radon-222 activities relative to the February survey, radon-222 activity and integrated surface-water inventories decreased exponentially from the shoreline during both cruises. By estimating radon-222 evasion by wind from nearby buoy data and accounting for internal production from dissolved radium-226, its radiogenic long-lived parent, a simple one-dimensional model was implemented to determine the role that offshore mixing, benthic influx, and decay have on the distribution of excess radon-222 inventories along the west Florida shelf. For multiple statistically based boundary condition scenarios (first quartile, median, third quartile, and maximum radon-222 inshore of 5 kilometers), the cross-shelf mixing rates and average nearshore submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) rates varied from 100.38 to 10-3.4 square kilometers per day and 0.00 to 1.70 centimeters per day, respectively. This dataset and modeling provide the first attempt to assess cross-shelf mixing and SGD on such a large spatial scale. Such estimates help scale up SGD rates that are often made at 1- to 10-meter

Vascular Flora of a Cerrado sensu stricto remnant in Pratânia, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil

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Carvalho, M. B.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The Cerrado (Brazilian savanna has suffered massive destruction in recent years, mainly due tothe expansion of agricultural areas. Many remnants of this vegetation are still poorly studied. Therefore, thepurpose of this study was to carry out a floristic survey in a remnant of Cerrado in the municipality of Pratânia,central-west region of state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. In total, 120 species (38 families, 88 genera wereregistered. The families with greater richness were: Fabaceae (23 species, Asteraceae (15, Myrtaceae (10,Malpighiaceae and Rubiaceae (seven each and Bignoniaceae (five. The shrub component was predominant inthe study area representing 37.5 % of the recorded species. A comparison among eight Cerrado areas showedgreater similarity between areas with similar altitude.

Exposure to hepatitis C virus in homeless men in Central Brazil: a cross-sectional study

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Priscilla Martins Ferreira

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Homeless men are highly vulnerable to acquisition of the hepatitis C virus (HCV compared to the general population. In Brazil, a country of continental dimensions, the extent of HCV infection in this population remains unknown. The objective of this study is to investigate the epidemiological profile of exposure to HCV in homeless men in Central Brazil. Methods A Cross-sectional study was conducted in 481 men aged over 18 years attending therapeutic communities specialized in the recovery and reintegration of homeless people. Participants were tested for anti-HCV markers using rapid tests. Poisson regression analysis was used to verify the risk factors associated with exposure to HCV. Results The prevalence of HCV exposure was 2.5% (95.0% CI: 1.4 to 4.3% and was associated with age, absence of family life, injection drug use, number of sexual partners, and history of sexually transmitted infections (STI. Participants reported multiple risk behaviors, such as alcohol (78.9%, cocaine (37.1% and/or crack use (53.1%, and inconsistent condom use (82.6%. Injection drug use was reported by 8.7% of participants. Conclusions The prevalence of HCV infection among homeless men was relatively high. Several risk behaviors were commonly reported, which shows the high vulnerability of this population. These findings emphasize the need for the development of specific strategies to reduce the risk of HCV among homeless men.

Intoxicação natural por Brachiaria spp. em ovinos no Brasil Central Brachiaria spp. poisoning in sheep in Central Brazil

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Vanessa S. Mustafa

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Brachiaria spp. é a principal forrageira utilizada para ruminantes no Brasil Central, mas a sua toxicidade, devida à presença de saponinas esteroidais, torna-se um importante entrave à sua utilização. Neste trabalho descrevem-se 34 surtos e um foco de intoxicação por Brachiaria spp em ovinos, que ocorreram em diferentes épocas do ano. A morbidade geral foi de 23,2% e a letalidade foi 88,3%. O tempo que os animais permaneceram no pasto até o surgimento dos sinais clínicos da intoxicação por Brachiaria spp. variou de 15 dias até mais de 12 meses. Em 90,1% dos surtos os animais eram menores de 12 meses de idade. O curso clínico da intoxicação variou de 2 a 45 dias. Os sinais clínicos e as lesões macroscópicas foram características de fotossenssibilização hepatógena, no entanto, nos casos mais agudos não foram observadas dermatite nem icterícia, ocorrendo severo edema em face e orelhas. Na histologia do fígado as lesões mais características foram a presença de macrófagos com citoplasma espumoso, encontrados principalmente nos sinusoides hepáticos e, às vezes, com imagens negativas de cristais acutiformes no citoplasma. Em oito das 11 fazendas visitadas os surtos ocorreram em pastagens de Brachiaria decumbens; em duas em pastagens de B. brizantha e uma em pastagem de B. decumbens, B. humidicola e Andropogon sp. As concentrações de saponinas nas pastagens, em 5 surtos, variou de 0.3% a 2.56%. As informações geradas neste trabalho permitem a proposta de medidas para controle e profilaxia da intoxicação por Brachiaria spp. no Brasil Central.Brachiaria spp. is the main pasture for ruminants in Central-Brazil, but the crucial problem for their utilization is the toxicity due to the presence of steroidal saponins. This paper reports 35 outbreaks of poisoning by Brachiaria spp in sheep. The poisoning occurred in different seasons of the year. Mean morbidity was 23.2% and mean lethality was 88.3%. The occurrence of

The Vaigat Rock Avalanche Laboratory, west-central Greenland

Science.gov (United States)

Dunning, S.; Rosser, N. J.; Szczucinski, W.; Norman, E. C.; Benjamin, J.; Strzelecki, M.; Long, A. J.; Drewniak, M.

2013-12-01

Rock avalanches have unusually high mobility and pose both an immediate hazard, but also produce far-field impacts associated with dam breach, glacier collapse and where they run-out into water, tsunami. Such secondary hazards can often pose higher risks than the original landslide. The prediction of future threats posed by potential rock avalanches is heavily reliant upon understanding of the physics derived from an interpretation of deposits left by previous events, yet drawing comparisons between multiple events is normally challenging as interactions with complex mountainous terrain makes deposits from each event unique. As such numerical models and the interpretation of the underlying physics which govern landslide mobility is commonly case-specific and poorly suited to extrapolation beyond the single events the model is tuned to. Here we present a high-resolution LiDAR and hyperspectral dataset captured across a unique cluster of large rock avalanche source areas and deposits in the Vaigat straight, west central Greenland. Vaigat offers the unprecedented opportunity to model a sample of > 15 rock avalanches of various age sourced from an 80 km coastal escarpment. At Vaigat many of the key variables (topography, geology, post-glacial history) are held constant across all landslides providing the chance to investigate the variations in dynamics and emplacement style related to variable landslide volume, drop-heights, and thinning/spreading over relatively simple, unrestricted run-out zones both onto land and into water. Our data suggest that this region represents excellent preservation of landslide deposits, and hence is well suited to calibrate numerical models of run out dynamics. We use this data to aid the interpretation of deposit morphology, structure lithology and run-out characteristics in more complex settings. Uniquely, we are also able to calibrate our models using a far-field dataset of well-preserved tsunami run-up deposits, resulting from the 21

Roundwood markets and utilization in West Virginia and Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

Shawn T. Grushecky; Jan Wiedenbeck; Ben. Spong

2011-01-01

West Virginia and Ohio have similar forest resources and extensive forest-based economies. Roundwood is harvested throughout this central Appalachian region and supports a diverse primary and secondary forest products sector. The objective of this research was to investigate the utilization of the forest resource harvested in West Virginia and Ohio. Utilization and...

Diagenetic history of the Swan Hills Simonette Oil Reservoir (Givetian-Frasnian), deep basin of west-central Alberta, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duggan, J.P.; Mountjoy, E.W. [McGill Univ., Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences

1997-05-01

The geology and diagenetic history of the Swan Hills Simonette oil field of west-central Alberta basin was described. Present-day burial depth is 3900 m; formation temperature is 93 degrees C. Highest porosites (20 per cent) occur in dolostones of the lagoon, ref, and fore-reef depositional environments but limestones still retain porosities up to five per cent. Hydrocarbons are present in saddle dolomite fluid inclusions. Oxygen isotopes for replacement dolomites and late calcite suggest that the carbonate-precipitating fluids were derived from the Precambrian basement or Paleozoic clastics sourced from the basement. Faults may have acted as vertical conduits for fluid migration.

Intraplate earthquake swarms in West Bohemia/Vogtland (Central Europe)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Horálek, Josef; Fischer, Tomáš

2010-01-01

Roč. 60, č. 1 (2010), s. 67-87 ISSN 0449-0576 Grant - others:Norway Grants(NO) A/CZ0046/2/0015 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30120515 Keywords : earthquake swarm * West Bohemia/Vogtland * WEBNET seismic network Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure Impact factor: 1.889, year: 2010

First report of Coelomomyces santabrancae sp. nov. (Blastocladiomycetes: Blastocladiales) infecting mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in central Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Rueda-Páramo, M E; Montalva, C; Arruda, W; Fernandes, É K K; Luz, C; Humber, R A

2017-10-01

A project from 2013 to 2017 sought to discover pathogenic fungi and oomycetes from dipteran species that are vectors of major diseases of humans and animals in central Brazil and to begin evaluating the potential of these pathogens as potential biological control agents concentrated on mosquito larvae. Some collecting sites proved to be especially productive for pathogens of naturally occurring mosquito species and for placements of healthy sentinel larvae of Aedes aegypti in various sorts of containers in a gallery forest in the Santa Branca Ecoturismo Private Reserve of Natural Patrimony (RPPN) near Terezópolis de Goiás (GO). Collections during May-April of 2016 and February 2017 yielded a few dead mosquito larvae of an undetermined Onirion sp. (Culicidae: Sabethini) whose hemocoels contained many ovoid, thick-walled, yellow-golden to golden-brown, ovoid thick-walled resistant sporangia, 38.3±4×22.8±2.3µm, decorated by numerous, closely and randomly spaced punctations of variable size and shape. These were the first indisputable collections from Brazil of any Coelomomyces species. Comparisons of the morphology of these sporangia with those of other species of Coelomomyces, confirmed that this Brazilian fungus represented a new species that is described here as Coelomomyces santabrancae. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Epidemiological analysis of suicide in Brazil from 1980 to 2006].

Science.gov (United States)

Lovisi, Giovanni Marcos; Santos, Simone Agadir; Legay, Letícia; Abelha, Lucia; Valencia, Elie

2009-10-01

The objective of this study was to carry out an epidemiological analysis of the suicide rates found in Brazilian regions and state capitals between 1980 and 2006. Data on mortality rates due to suicide were collected from the Departamento de Informática do Sistema Unico de Saúde (Information Technology Department of the Brazilian Public Health System--DATASUS). A total of 158,952 suicide cases were registered between 1980 and 2006, excluding those cases in which the individual was less than 10 years old (n = 68). In the period under study, the total suicide rate in Brazil increased from 4.4 to 5.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants (29.5%). Higher average rates were found in the South (9.3) and Central-West (6.1) regions. Men were more likely to commit suicide. The highest suicide rates were found in the 70-years or above age range while the highest increases were found in the 20 to 59 year age bracket. The most dominant social-demographic characteristics of the persons who committed suicide in the period under study were low educational level and singlehood. The most common methods of suicide were hanging, fire arms and poisoning. Although in Brazil the rate increased 29.5% in 26 years, the national rate is still considered to be low when compared to worldwide suicide rates (average of 4.9 per 100,000 inhabitants). Suicide rates in Brazilian regions vary broadly, ranging from 2.7 to 9.3.

Alternative food sources and over wintering feeding behavior of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis boheman (coleoptera: curculionidae) under the tropical conditions of central Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribeiro, Paulina de A.; Sujii, Edison R.; Pires, Carmen S.S.; Fontes, Eliana M.G.; Diniz, Ivone R.; Salgado-Labouriau, Maria L.

2010-01-01

The boll weevil causes serious damage to the cotton crop in South America. Several studies have been published on this pest, but its phenology and behavior under the tropical conditions prevailing in Brazil are not well-known. In this study the feeding behavior and main food sources of adult boll weevils throughout the year in Central Brazil was investigated. The digestive tract contents of insects captured in pheromone traps in two cotton fields and two areas of native vegetation (gallery forest and cerrado sensu stricto) were analyzed. The insect was captured all through the year only in the cerrado. It fed on pollen of 19 different plant families, on Pteridophyta and fungi spores and algae cysts. Simpson Index test showed that the cerrado provided greater diversity of pollen sources. In the beginning of the cotton cycle, the plant families used for pollen feeding were varied: in cotton area 1, the weevil fed on Poaceae (50%), Malvaceae and Smilacaceae (25% each); in cotton area 2 the pollen sources were Malvaceae (50%), Asteraceae (25%) and Fabaceae and Clusiaceae (25% each); in the cerrado they were Chenopodiaceae (67%) and Scheuchzeriaceae (33%). No weevils were collected in the gallery forest in this period. After cotton was harvested, the family Smilacaceae was predominant among the food plants exploited in all the study areas. These results help to explain the survivorship of adult boll weevil during cotton fallow season in Central Brazil and they are discussed in the context of behavioral adaptations to the prevailing tropical environmental conditions. (author)

Alternative food sources and over wintering feeding behavior of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis boheman (coleoptera: curculionidae) under the tropical conditions of central Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ribeiro, Paulina de A.; Sujii, Edison R.; Pires, Carmen S.S.; Fontes, Eliana M.G. [EMBRAPA Recursos Geneticos e Biotecnologia (CENARGEN), Brasilia, DF (Brazil)], e-mail: paulina723@hotmail.com, e-mail: sujii@cenargen.embrapa.br, e-mail: cpires@cenargen.embrapa.br, e-mail: eliana@cenargen.embrapa.br; Diniz, Ivone R. [Universidade de Brasilia (UnB), DF (Brazil). Dept. de Zoologia], e-mail: irdiniz@unb.br; Medeiros, Maria A. de; Branco, Marina C. [EMBRAPA Hortalicas, Brasilia, DF (Brazil)], e-mail: medeiros@cnph.embrapa.br, e-mail: marina@cnph.embrapa.br; Salgado-Labouriau, Maria L. [Universidade de Brasilia (UnB), DF (Brazil). Dept. de Geologia], e-mail: mlea@unb.br

2010-01-15

The boll weevil causes serious damage to the cotton crop in South America. Several studies have been published on this pest, but its phenology and behavior under the tropical conditions prevailing in Brazil are not well-known. In this study the feeding behavior and main food sources of adult boll weevils throughout the year in Central Brazil was investigated. The digestive tract contents of insects captured in pheromone traps in two cotton fields and two areas of native vegetation (gallery forest and cerrado sensu stricto) were analyzed. The insect was captured all through the year only in the cerrado. It fed on pollen of 19 different plant families, on Pteridophyta and fungi spores and algae cysts. Simpson Index test showed that the cerrado provided greater diversity of pollen sources. In the beginning of the cotton cycle, the plant families used for pollen feeding were varied: in cotton area 1, the weevil fed on Poaceae (50%), Malvaceae and Smilacaceae (25% each); in cotton area 2 the pollen sources were Malvaceae (50%), Asteraceae (25%) and Fabaceae and Clusiaceae (25% each); in the cerrado they were Chenopodiaceae (67%) and Scheuchzeriaceae (33%). No weevils were collected in the gallery forest in this period. After cotton was harvested, the family Smilacaceae was predominant among the food plants exploited in all the study areas. These results help to explain the survivorship of adult boll weevil during cotton fallow season in Central Brazil and they are discussed in the context of behavioral adaptations to the prevailing tropical environmental conditions. (author)

The politics of power in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazin, M.

1980-01-01

In reviewing the present position concerning Brazil's nuclear energy programme it is shown that it is suffering not only from lack of funds but also from dissent at all levels. The history of the nuclear power plan for the country is outlined reflecting the government's total lack of esteem for its own scientists, its involvement with the United States and later with West Germany and the present position where the programme is years behind schedule and in a state of general disarray. (UK)

Susceptibility of S. pneumoniae to various antibiotics among strains isolated from patients and healthy carriers in different regions of Brazil (1999-2000

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Rossi

Full Text Available Resistance of microbes to commonly used antibiotics became a major concern at the end of the last century. Because Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common pathogen in respiratory infections, we conducted microbiological assessment of drug susceptibility patterns among strains collected from two different population groups: 1 adult and pediatric patients (375 isolates with different infections, and 2 healthy children in day care centers (< 5 years old; 350 isolates. High level resistance to penicillin was not identified in either group. Intermediate resistance levels were similar in both groups (adults: 9.9%; children: 9.2%. The Central West region of Brazil tended to have lower susceptibility of S.pneumoniae from infected adults and children to penicillin (81% vs. 93% in the South and 90% in the Southeast, tetracycline (64% vs. 80% and 76%, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (14% vs. 34%. Susceptibility was similar among strains from nasal cultures of healthy children tested in each of 4 regions of Brazil. All isolates were susceptible to cefaclor, cefotaxime and amoxacillin/clavulanate. This study, in two distinct populations, allowed characterization of local microbiological resistance patterns. This data is expected to be of use in guiding empiric therapy in the different regions of Brazil.

Gender Inequality and Contradictions In West African Development ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The convergence and almost absolute uniformity among communities in West Africa on the issue of gender inequity remains one of the central challenges of globalisation. The centrality of this phenomenon is given that women constitute almost 50% of the population in most of these societies. Hence, any policy or ...

Leprosy-related mortality in Brazil: a neglected condition of a neglected disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins-Melo, Francisco Rogerlândio; Assunção-Ramos, Adriana Valéria; Ramos, Alberto Novaes; Alencar, Carlos Henrique; Montenegro, Renan Magalhães; Wand-Del-Rey de Oliveira, Maria Leide; Heukelbach, Jorg

2015-10-01

Leprosy is a public health problem and a neglected condition of morbidity and mortality in several countries of the world. We analysed time trends and spatiotemporal patterns of leprosy-related mortality in Brazil. We performed a nationwide population-based study using secondary mortality data. We included all deaths that occurred in Brazil between 2000 and 2011, in which leprosy was mentioned in any field of death certificates. Leprosy was identified in 7732/12 491 280 deaths (0.1%). Average annual age-adjusted mortality rate was 0.43 deaths/100 000 inhabitants (95% CI 0.40-0.46). The burden of leprosy deaths was higher among males, elderly, black race/colour and in leprosy-endemic regions. Lepromatous leprosy was the most common clinical form mentioned. Mortality rates showed a significant nationwide decrease over the period (annual percent change [APC]: -2.8%; 95% CI -4.2 to -2.4). We observed decreasing mortality rates in the South, Southeast and Central-West regions, while the rates remained stable in North and Northeast regions. Spatial and spatiotemporal high-risk clusters for leprosy-related deaths were distributed mainly in highly endemic and socio-economically deprived regions. Leprosy is a neglected cause of death in Brazil since the disease is preventable, and a cost-effective treatment is available. Sustainable control measures should include appropriate management and systematic monitoring of leprosy-related complications, such as severe leprosy reactions and adverse effects to multidrug therapy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Compliance with the guidelines of prescription writing in a central hospital in the West Bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Tayem, Y I; Ibrahim, M A; Qubaja, M M; Shraim, R K; Taha, O B; Abu Shkhedem, E

2013-09-01

This retrospective, cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the quality of 2208 outpatient prescriptions in a central hospital in the West Bank, Palestine. The physicians' handwriting was poorly readable or illegible in one-third of the prescriptions. The prescriber's name and signature and patient's name were mentioned in almost all orders whereas the patient's age was stated in 54.9%. The vast majority of physicians (95.5%) prescribed drugs using their trade (brand) names. Drug strength, quantity and dose/frequency were stated in 61.1%, 76% and 73.8% of prescriptions respectively. Only 33 prescriptions (1.5%) contained full directions for use for all drugs. Correlation analysis revealed that the presence of certain prescription elements was statistically significantly associated with the clinic of origin and the number of drugs prescribed. The overall poor legibility and incompleteness of the prescriptions is of concern.

Emerging arboviruses and public health challenges in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Lima-Camara,Tamara Nunes

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Environmental modification by anthropogenic actions, disordered urban growth, globalization of international exchange and climate change are some factors that help the emergence and dissemination of human infectious diseases transmitted by vectors. This review discusses the recent entry of three arboviruses in Brazil: Chikungunya, West Nile, and Zika virus, focusing on the challenges for the Country’s public health. The Brazilian population is exposed to infections caused by th...

Solar radiation at Parsons, West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

James H. Patric; Stanley Caruso

1978-01-01

Twelve years of solar radiation data, measured with a Kipp-Zonen pyranometer, were recorded near Parsons, West Virginia. The data agree well with calculated values of potential and average radiation for the vicinity and are applicable to the central Appalachian region.

Monocyclic supracrustals at far west of Rio Grande do Norte, in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sa, E.F.J. de; Macedo, M.H.F.; Sa, J.M.

1986-01-01

A geochronological study of supracrustals and intrusive rocks from Rio Grande do Norte, in Brazil, is presented. Leucogranites and felsic metavolcanics were dated by Rb-Sr method. A summary of geologic relationship is given to supply the geochronological interpretation. (M.C.K.) [pt

Comprehensive Screening of Some West and Central African Sesame Genotypes for Drought Resistance Probing by Agromorphological, Physiological, Biochemical and Seed Quality Traits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Komivi Dossa

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Sesame is an important crop in West and Central Africa playing a role of an alternative cash crop for smallholders. However, sesame productivity is highly impaired by drought. This study aimed at identifying some drought-resistant genotypes and efficient screening traits in large sesame germplasm. Ten genotypes were examined based on 21 biochemical, physiological, agromorphological and seed quality traits under three weeks of water stress. A high variability for drought resistance was observed among the genotypes. The genotypes WC17, WC18 and WC14 were drought resistant, WC12, WC13, WC06 and WC03 were moderately drought resistant while, WC02, WC10 and WC08 were drought sensitive, based on principal component analysis. The resistant genotypes exhibited both avoidance and tolerance features including increase of the root system, reduced water loss, highest activity of antioxidative enzymes and accumulation of proline. They produced higher biomass and had higher ability to maintain seed quality under drought stress compared with the sensitive genotypes. Strong accumulation (~200% ratio stress/control of biochemical markers including superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and proline could be regarded as an important indicator for selecting drought resistant genotypes. This study represents a reference for future research towards developing new varieties with improved drought resistance in West and Central Africa.

Epidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection in first-time blood donors in the southwestern region of Goiás, central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giulena Rosa Leite Cardoso dos Anjos

2011-02-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the epidemiology of hepatitis B virus (HBV infection in populations from inner cities, especially in Central Brazil. Thus the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HBV infection, and to analyze the factors associated with HBV infection, in a population of first-time blood donors in the southwestern region of Goiás, Central Brazil. METHODS: A total of 984 individuals were interviewed and gave blood samples to detect serological markers of HBV (HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: An overall prevalence of 6.9% was found for HBV, with constituent prevalence rates of 3.6% and 11.6%, in subjects classified as fit and unfit to donate blood according the epidemiological screening, respectively. Only three individuals were positive for anti-HBs alone, suggesting previous vaccination against HBV. The variables of prior blood transfusion (OR = 2.3, tattoo/piercing (OR = 2.1, illicit drug use (OR = 2.3, sex with a partner with hepatitis (OR = 14.7, and history of sexually transmitted diseases (OR = 2.9 were independently associated with HBV-positivity. These data suggested a low endemicity of hepatitis B in the studied population. CONCLUSION: The findings of low hepatitis B immunization coverage and the association of hepatitis B with risky behavior highlight that there is a need to intensify hepatitis B prevention programs in the southwest region of Goiás.

Radiological re-survey results at 146 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ034)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, M.E.; Johnson, C.A.

1994-05-01

Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) of Maywood, New Jersey, generated process wastes and residues associated with the production and refining of thorium and thorium compounds from 1916 to 1959. During the early years of operation, MCW stored wastes and residues in low-lying areas west of the processing facilities and consequently some of the residuals containing radioactive materials migrated offsite to the surrounding area. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) designated for remedial action the old MCW property and several vicinity properties. Additionally, in 1984, the property at 146 West Central Ave., Maywood, New Jersey and properties in its vicinity were included as a decontamination research and development project under the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. In 1987 and 1988, at the request of DOE, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) conducted a radiological survey on this property. A report describing this survey was published in 1989. A second radiological survey by ORNL was conducted on this property in May 1993 at the request of DOE after an ad hoc radiological survey, requested by the property owner and conducted by Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), identified some contamination not previously found by ORNL. The purpose of the second ORNL survey was to determine whether radioactive materials from the old MCW were present on the property, and if so, if radioactive materials present were above guidelines. A certified civil survey was requisitioned by ORNL to determine actual property boundaries before beginning the radiological re-survey. The re-survey included a surface gamma scan and the collection of a large number of soil samples for radionuclide analyses. Results of this survey demonstrated that although elevated residual thorium-232 contamination was present in a few isolated spots on the southern end of the backyard, it did not exceed DOE guidelines

All projects related to Uruguay | Page 3 | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Research on Innovation Systems and Social Inclusion in Emerging Economies and Beyond: RISSI at ... Program: Networked Economies ... Region: Brazil, South America, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, North and Central America, West Indies.

Results of the radiological survey at 136 West Central Avenue (MJ030), Maywood, New Jersey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, R.D.; Crutcher, J.W.; Carrier, R.F.; Floyd, L.M.

1989-02-01

As a result of the Energy and Water Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 1984, the property discussed in this report and properties in its vicinity contaminated with residues from the former Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) were included as a decontamination research and development project under the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. As part of this project, DOE is conducting radiological surveys in the vicinity of the site to identify properties contaminated with residues derived from the MCW. The principal radionuclide of concern is thorium-232. The radiological survey discussed in this report is part of that effort and was conducted, at the request of DOE by members of the Measurement Applications and Development Group of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. A radiological survey of the private, residential property at 136 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey, was conducted during 1987. The survey and sampling of the ground surface and subsurface were carried out on April 29, 1987

Concentrations of Heavy Metals in Commercially Important Oysters from Goa, Central-West Coast of India.

Science.gov (United States)

Shenai-Tirodkar, Prachi S; Gauns, Mangesh U; Ansari, Zakir A

2016-12-01

The major beds of oyster along the central-west coast of India are exposed to different anthropogenic activities and are severely exploited for human consumption. In this viewpoint, tissues of oyster Crassostrea madrasensis, C. gryphoides and Saccostrea cucullata were analyzed for Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb concentrations (dry weight) from Chicalim Bay, Nerul Creek and Chapora Bay in pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. A higher concentration of Cu (134.4-2167.9 mg kg -1 ) and Cd (7.1-88.5 mg kg -1 ) was found, which is greater than the recommended limits in all the three species (and sites). Moreover, significant (p metals concentrations among the species, seasons and sites. The high concentrations of Cd and Cu in tissues of edible oyster pose a threat to human health. Therefore, continuous monitoring, people awareness and a stringent government policy should be implemented to mitigate the metal pollution along the studied sites.

Municipal solid-waste disposal and ground-water quality in a coastal environment, west-central Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Mario

1983-01-01

Solid waste is defined along with various methods of disposal and the hydrogeologic factors to be considered when locating land-fills is presented. Types of solid waste, composition, and sources are identified. Generation of municipal solid waste in Florida has been estimated at 4.5 pounds per day per person or about 7.8 million tons per year. Leachate is generated when precipitation and ground water percolate through the waste. Gases, mainly carbon dioxide and methane, are also produced. Leachate generally contains high concentrations of dissolved organic and inorganic matter. The two typical hydrogeologic conditions in west-central Florida are (1) permeable sand overlying clay and limestone and (2) permeable sand overlying limestone. These conditions are discussed in relation to leachate migration. Factors in landfill site selection are presented and discussed, followed by a discussion on monitoring landfills. Monitoring of landfills includes the drilling of test holes, measuring physical properties of the corings, installation of monitoring wells, and water-quality monitoring. (USGS)

West Nile virus: North American experience

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmeister, Erik K.

2011-01-01

West Nile virus, a mosquito-vectored flavivirus of the Japanese encephalitis serogroup, was first detected in North America following an epizootic in the New York City area in 1999. In the intervening 11 years since the arrival of the virus in North America, it has crossed the contiguous USA, entered the Canadian provinces bordering the USA, and has been reported in the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Central America and, more recently, South America. West Nile virus has been reported in over 300 species of birds in the USA and has caused the deaths of thousands of birds, local population declines of some avian species, the clinical illness and deaths of thousands of domestic horses, and the clinical disease in over 30 000 Americans and the deaths of over 1000. Prior to the emergence of West Nile virus in North America, St. Louis encephalitis virus and Dengue virus were the only other known mosquito-transmitted flaviviruses in North America capable of causing human disease. This review will discuss the North American experience with mosquito-borne flavivirus prior to the arrival of West Nile virus, the entry and spread of West Nile virus in North America, effects on wild bird populations, genetic changes in the virus, and the current state of West Nile virus transmission.

Indigenous burning as conservation practice: neotropical savanna recovery amid agribusiness deforestation in Central Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, James R; Brondízio, Eduardo S; Hetrick, Scott S; Coimbra, Carlos E A

2013-01-01

International efforts to address climate change by reducing tropical deforestation increasingly rely on indigenous reserves as conservation units and indigenous peoples as strategic partners. Considered win-win situations where global conservation measures also contribute to cultural preservation, such alliances also frame indigenous peoples in diverse ecological settings with the responsibility to offset global carbon budgets through fire suppression based on the presumed positive value of non-alteration of tropical landscapes. Anthropogenic fire associated with indigenous ceremonial and collective hunting practices in the Neotropical savannas (cerrado) of Central Brazil is routinely represented in public and scientific conservation discourse as a cause of deforestation and increased CO2 emissions despite a lack of supporting evidence. We evaluate this claim for the Xavante people of Pimentel Barbosa Indigenous Reserve, Brazil. Building upon 23 years of longitudinal interdisciplinary research in the area, we used multi-temporal spatial analyses to compare land cover change under indigenous and agribusiness management over the last four decades (1973-2010) and quantify the contemporary Xavante burning regime contributing to observed patterns based on a four year sample at the end of this sequence (2007-2010). The overall proportion of deforested land remained stable inside the reserve (0.6%) but increased sharply outside (1.5% to 26.0%). Vegetation recovery occurred where reserve boundary adjustments transferred lands previously deforested by agribusiness to indigenous management. Periodic traditional burning by the Xavante had a large spatial distribution but repeated burning in consecutive years was restricted. Our results suggest a need to reassess overreaching conservation narratives about the purported destructiveness of indigenous anthropogenic fire in the cerrado. The real challenge to conservation in the fire-adapted cerrado biome is the long

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics prescription trends at a central west bank hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Tayem, Yasin I; Qubaja, Marwan M; Shraim, Riyad K; Taha, Omar B; Abu Shkheidem, Imadeddin A; Ibrahim, Murad A

2013-11-01

We aimed to reliably describe the pattern of outpatient prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antibiotics (ATBs) at a central hospital in the West Bank, Palestine. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study investigating a cohort of 2,208 prescriptions ordered by outpatient clinics and the emergency room over one year in Beit Jala Hospital in Bethlehem, West Bank. The orders were analysed for the rate and types of NSAIDs and ATBs utilised, and the appropriateness of these drugs to the diagnosis. Of the total prescriptions, 410 contained NSAIDs (18.6%), including diclofenac (40.2%), low dose aspirin (23.9%), ibuprofen (17.8%) and indomethacin (15.1%). A minority of these prescriptions contained a combination of these agents (2.5%). Only one prescription contained cyclooxyeganse-2 inhibitors (0.2%). The appropriateness of NSAID use to the diagnosis was as follows: appropriate (58.3%), inappropriate (14.4%) and difficult to tell (27.3%). The rate of ATB use was 30.3% (669 prescriptions). The ATBs prescribed were amoxicillin (23.3%), augmentin (14.3%), quinolones (12.7%), first and second generation cephalosporins (9.4% and 12.7%, respectively) and macrolides (7.2%). ATB combinations were identified in 9.4%, with the most common being second-generation cephalopsorins and metronidazole (4.3%). Regarding the appropriateness of prescribing ATBs according to the diagnosis, it was appropriate in 44.8%, inappropriate in 20.6% and difficult to tell in 34.6% of the prescriptions. These findings revealed a relatively large number and inappropriate utilisation of ATBs and NSAIDs. An interventional programme needs to be adopted to reinforce physicians' knowledge of the rational prescription of these agents.

[Demographic characteristics and mortality among indigenous peoples in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil].

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Maria Evanir Vicente; Matsuo, Tiemi; Souza, Regina Kazue Tanno de

2011-12-01

The present study aimed to assess mortality rates and related demographic factors among indigenous peoples in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Central-West Brazil, compared to the State's general population. Mortality rates were estimated based on data obtained from the Health Care Database for Indigenous Peoples and monthly patient care records as well as demographic data from the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) and mortality data from the SUS Mortality Database. Compared to the overall population, among indigenous peoples there were proportionally more individuals under 15 years of age and fewer elderly, besides higher mortality rates at early ages and from infectious and parasitic diseases. Indigenous men showed significantly higher mortality rates from external causes and respiratory and infectious diseases, while among women the mortality rates from external causes and infectious diseases were higher. Suicide rates among young indigenous individuals were also particularly alarming. Indigenous people's health conditions are worse than those of the general population in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Numerical simulation of the groundwater-flow system of the Kitsap Peninsula, west-central Washington

Science.gov (United States)

Frans, Lonna M.; Olsen, Theresa D.

2016-05-05

A groundwater-flow model was developed to improve understanding of water resources on the Kitsap Peninsula. The Kitsap Peninsula is in the Puget Sound lowland of west-central Washington, is bounded by Puget Sound on the east and by Hood Canal on the west, and covers an area of about 575 square miles. The peninsula encompasses all of Kitsap County, Mason County north of Hood Canal, and part of Pierce County west of Puget Sound. The peninsula is surrounded by saltwater, and the hydrologic setting is similar to that of an island. The study area is underlain by a thick sequence of unconsolidated glacial and interglacial deposits that overlie sedimentary and volcanic bedrock units that crop out in the central part of the study area. Twelve hydrogeologic units consisting of aquifers, confining units, and an underlying bedrock unit form the basis of the groundwater-flow model.Groundwater flow on the Kitsap Peninsula was simulated using the groundwater-flow model, MODFLOW‑NWT. The finite difference model grid comprises 536 rows, 362 columns, and 14 layers. Each model cell has a horizontal dimension of 500 by 500 feet, and the model contains a total of 1,227,772 active cells. Groundwater flow was simulated for transient conditions. Transient conditions were simulated for January 1985–December 2012 using annual stress periods for 1985–2004 and monthly stress periods for 2005–2012. During model calibration, variables were adjusted within probable ranges to minimize differences between measured and simulated groundwater levels and stream baseflows. As calibrated to transient conditions, the model has a standard deviation for heads and flows of 47.04 feet and 2.46 cubic feet per second, respectively.Simulated inflow to the model area for the 2005–2012 period from precipitation and secondary recharge was 585,323 acre-feet per year (acre-ft/yr) (93 percent of total simulated inflow ignoring changes in storage), and simulated inflow from stream and lake leakage was 43

An assessment of the occupational and environmental health needs in seven Southeastern European and West-Central Asian countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Coman, Alexandru; Cherecheş, Răzvan M; Ungureanu, Marius I; Marton-Vasarhelyi, Emanuela O; Valentine, Marissa A; Sabo-Attwood, Tara; Gray, Gregory C

2015-12-01

Eastern European and Central Asian countries are undergoing rapid socioeconomic and political reforms. Many old industrial facilities are either abandoned, or use outdated technologies that severely impact the environment. Emerging industries have less regulation than in developed countries and environmental and occupational problems seem to be increasing. Under a US National Institutes of Health pilot grant, we developed an interdisciplinary One Health research network in Southeastern Europe and West-Central Asia to identify environmental and occupational problems. From 2012 to 2014, this GeoHealth Hub engaged 11 academic centers and 16 public health institutions in eight different countries: Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Romania, and the United States with a goal of strengthening environmental and occupational research and training capacities. Employing face-to-face interviews and large group meetings, we conducted an evidenced-based needs and opportunities assessment focused on aquatic health, food safety, and zoonotic diseases. Comprehensive reviews of the published literature yielded priority research areas for each of the seven GeoHealth Hub countries including heavy metal and pesticide contamination, tick-borne diseases, rabies, brucellosis, and inadequate public health surveillance. Copyright © 2015 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An assessment of the occupational and environmental health needs in seven Southeastern European and West-Central Asian countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru Coman

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Eastern European and Central Asian countries are undergoing rapid socioeconomic and political reforms. Many old industrial facilities are either abandoned, or use outdated technologies that severely impact the environment. Emerging industries have less regulation than in developed countries and environmental and occupational problems seem to be increasing. Under a US National Institutes of Health pilot grant, we developed an interdisciplinary One Health research network in Southeastern Europe and West-Central Asia to identify environmental and occupational problems. From 2012 to 2014, this GeoHealth Hub engaged 11 academic centers and 16 public health institutions in eight different countries: Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Romania, and the United States with a goal of strengthening environmental and occupational research and training capacities. Employing face-to-face interviews and large group meetings, we conducted an evidenced-based needs and opportunities assessment focused on aquatic health, food safety, and zoonotic diseases. Comprehensive reviews of the published literature yielded priority research areas for each of the seven GeoHealth Hub countries including heavy metal and pesticide contamination, tick-borne diseases, rabies, brucellosis, and inadequate public health surveillance.

West European magnetic confinement fusion research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenney, B.L.; McGrain, M.; Hogan, J.T.; Porkolab, M.; Thomassen, K.I.

1990-01-01

This report presents a technical assessment and review of the West European program in magnetic confinement fusion by a panel of US scientists and engineers active in fusion research. Findings are based on the scientific and technical literature, on laboratory reports and preprints, and on the personal experiences and collaborations of the panel members. Concerned primarily with developments during the past 10 years, from 1979 to 1989, the report assesses West European fusion research in seven technical areas: tokamak experiments; magnetic confinement technology and engineering; fusion nuclear technology; alternate concepts; theory; fusion computations; and program organization. The main conclusion emerging from the analysis is that West European fusion research has attained a position of leadership in the international fusion program. This distinction reflects in large measure the remarkable achievements of the Joint European Torus (JET). However, West European fusion prominence extends beyond tokamak experimental physics: the program has demonstrated a breadth of skill in fusion science and technology that is not excelled in the international effort. It is expected that the West European primacy in central areas of confinement physics will be maintained or even increased during the early 1990s. The program's maturity and commitment kindle expectations of dramatic West European advances toward the fusion energy goal. For example, achievement of fusion breakeven is expected first in JET, before 1995

Circumstantial evidences for mimicry of scorpions by the neotropical gecko Coleodactylus brachystoma (Squamata, Gekkonidae in the Cerrados of central Brazil

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Reuber Albuquerque Brandão

2005-12-01

Full Text Available There are few records of invertebrates mimicry by reptiles. In the Cerrados of central Brazil, the small Coleodactylus brachystoma is an endemic species common in the islands and margins of the Serra da Mesa hydroelectric dam reservoir. When cornered, this lizard folds the tail over the body exposing the pale-orange ventral surface. Lizard behavior, tail length and color pattern confer to this lizard a strong resemblance with syntopic buthid scorpions Rhopalurus agamenon, Tytius matogrossensis, and Anantheris balzani. Lizards and scorpions share the same tail color, size, and shape. Ecologically, they use the same microhabitats, are exposed to the same potential predators, and present similar behaviors when threatened.

Phorcotabanus cinereus (Wiedemann, 1821 (Diptera, Tabanidae, an ornithophilic species of Tabanid in Central Amazon, Brazil

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Limeira-de-Oliveira Francisco

2002-01-01

Full Text Available In Central Amazon, Brazil, the tabanid Phorcotabanus cinereus (Wiedemann was recorded attacking the native duck Cairina moschata (Linnaeus (Anseriformes, Anatidae. The flight and behavior of the tabanid during the attacks and the host's defenses were videotaped and analyzed in slow motion. The tabanid was recorded flying rapidly around the heads of the ducks before landing. Landing always took place on the beak, and then the tabanid walked to the fleshy caruncle on the basal part of the beak to bite and feed. Firstly the duck defends itself through lateral harsh head movements, and then, when it is being bitten, it defends itself by rubbing its head on the body, or dipping the head into water, when swimming. If disturbed, the fly resumed the same pattern of flight as before and would generally try to land again on the same host and bite in the same place. This feeding activity was observed predominantly between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm and always in open areas, near aquatic environments, from June 1996 to January 1997, the dry season in Central Amazon. To test the attractiveness of other animals to P. cinereus, mammals, caimans and domestic and wild birds were placed in suitable habitat and the response of P. cinereus observed. P. cinereus did not attack these animals, suggesting that this species has a preference for ducks, which are plentiful in the region.

The Multiplier Effect of the Gandoriah Beach Marine Tourism to the Coastal Community of Kelurahan Pasir, Central Pariaman District, Pariaman City West Sumatra Province

OpenAIRE

Mazidah, Nurnaini; Nugroho, Firman; Bathara, Lamun

2016-01-01

This research was conducted on March 25, 2016 until 11 April 2016 which is placed in Gandoriah Beach, Kelurahan Pasir, Central Pariaman District, Pariaman City West Sumatra Province. This study aims to identify economic activities and socio-cultural as the impact of the presence of marine tourism and determine the impact of tourism activities on the beach Gandoriah to the economy of coastal communities. The method used in this research is survey method. There are 64 respondents, that consist ...

What the United States can learn from Brazil in response to HIV/AIDS: international reputation and strategic centralization in a context of health policy devolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, Eduardo J

2010-11-01

Contrary to what many may expect, this article argues that Brazil did a better job than the USA when it came to responding to HIV/AIDS. Because of the Brazilian government's concern about its international reputation and the partnerships it has forged with international donors and civil society, the government has been committed to strengthening decentralization processes by introducing both formal and informal re-centralization measures that strengthen health policy devolution, while effectively targeting the biggest at-risk groups. The US, in contrast, has not achieved these objectives, due to its lack of interest in increasing its international reputation and its focus on bi-lateral aid rather than investing in domestic policy. The paper closes by explaining the lessons that Brazil can teach the US and other large federations seeking to ensure that decentralization and prevention policy work more effectively.

A new pale-spotted species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the rio Tocantins and rio Xingu basins in central Brazil

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Cláudio H. Zawadzki

Full Text Available A new species of the genus Hypostomus Lacépède (Siluriformes, Loricariidae from rio Tocantins and rio Xingu basins in central Brazil, is described. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a unique combination of pale blotches over a darker background on head, body and fins, and conspicuous keels on head, predorsal region and lateral plates. Comments on the pale-spotted species of Hypostomus are provided.

Stone sculptures of goddesses on the boats from Goa, west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Gaur, A.S.; Kerkar, R.

Goa situated on the central west coast of India, has served as an overseas trading post since the early historic times. An onshore exploration along the river Mhadei in the north Goa on the west coast of India yielded 13 boat motifs of different...

Results of the radiological survey at 21 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ046)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, R.D.; Floyd, L.M.

1989-11-01

Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) of Maywood, New Jersey, generated process wastes and residues associated with the production and refining of thorium and thorium compounds from monazite ores from 1916 to 1956. MCW supplied rare earth metals and thorium compounds to the Atomic Energy Commission and various other government agencies from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s. Area residents used the sandlike waste from this thorium extraction process mixed with tea and cocoa leaves as mulch in their yards. Some of these contaminated wastes were also eroded from the site into Lodi Brook. At the request of the US Department of Energy (DOE), a group from Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducts investigative radiological surveys of properties in the vicinity of MCW to determine whether a property is contaminated with radioactive residues, principally 232 Th, derived from the MCW site. The survey typically includes direct measurement of gamma radiation levels and soil sampling for radionuclide analyses. The survey of this site, 21 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ046), was conducted during 1988. 5 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs

Climate Change in Central and West Asia. Routes to a More Secure, Low-Carbon Future

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-11-15

ADB's Central and West Asian countries are Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Geoclimatic and environmental factors make this region highly vulnerable to the risks and hazards of climate change. For example, accelerated glacial melt has serious implications for agriculture, water supply, and energy generation - problems exacerbated by overexploitation of natural resources. Countries may find it difficult to shift to low-carbon growth, since many have abundant fossil fuel and tend to use energy inefficiently. ADB is responding to these climate hazards and low-carbon pathways with a comprehensive strategy that strengthens policies, governance, and capacity support; expands the use of clean and renewable energy; encourages sustainable transport and urban development; promotes development that will be more resilient to climate change, especially in water-dependent sectors; and manages land use and forests for carbon sequestration. ADB's support is helping its developing member countries face the challenges of climate change and, with partners, is providing innovative solutions, while continuing to work to reduce poverty.

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This knowledge can be used as a tool for addressing pressing global challenges. We share it ... Siblings paddling to school. Story ... Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, West Indies, North And Central America, South America, Mexico, Paraguay.

U-Pb SHRIMP and Sm-Nd geochronology of the paleoproterozoic Silvania magmatic arc in the neoproproterozoic Brasilia Belt, Goias, Central Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischel, D.P.; Pimentel, M.M.; Fuck, R.A; Armstrong, R

2001-01-01

The Brasilia Belt is a large Neoproterozoic orogen formed along the western margin of the Sao Francisco/Congo Craton in central Brazil. It comprises: (i) a thick Meso-Neoproterozoic metasedimentary/sedimentary pile with eastward tectonic vergence; (ii) a large Neoproterozoic juvenile arc in the west (Goias Magmatic Arc); and (iii) a micro-continent (or exotic sialic terrain) formed by Archean rock units (the Crixas -Goias granitegreenstones) and associated Proterozoic formations (Almeida et al. 1981, Fuck et al. 1993,1994, Pimentel et al. 2000a, b). The sialic basement on which the Brasilia Belt sediments were deposited is poorly understood, despite being well exposed in some areas of Goias and Tocantins. Gneiss and volcano-sedimentary units form most of this basement. Early studies have suggested that these rock units are dominantly Archean ( Danni et al. 1982, Marini et al. 1984). However, recent Sm- Nd isotopic studies have indicated that most of them are Paleoproterozoic (Sato 1998, Pimentel et al. 1999a, 2000b). Granite gneiss to the south and east of the Barro Alto mafic-ultramafic layered complex has been dated at 2128+/- 15 Ma (Correia et al. 1997). Calc-alkaline granite gneiss from Almas-Dianopolis is dated at ca. 2.2-2.45 Ga old (U-Pb SHRIMP on zircon and titanite, Cruz et al. 2000). The latter is probably the western extension of Paleoproterozoic rocks which underlie the San Francisco Craton to the east of the northern part of the Brasilia Belt. In central Goias, a large part of the Brasilia Belt is underlain by high-grade metamorphic rocks known as the Anapolis-Itaucu Complex, together with surrounding greenschist to amphibolite facies Mesoto Neoproterozoic cover metasediments of the Araxa group. These rocks represent the main constituent of the internal zone of the Brasilia Belt (Fuck et al. 1994, Pimentel et al. 2000b). Between the Araxa Group, and the easternmost part of the Anapolis-Itaucu Complex a volcano-sedimentary association known as Silvania

West African Journal of Industrial and Academic Research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prof. Osuagwwu

West African Journal of Industrial and Academic Research December 2016 v0l. ... 1Civil Engineering Department, Collage of Science and Engineering .... P.K. Guha (2009) maintenance and Repairs of Buildings published by new central Book ...

The Quaternary alluvial systems tract of the Pantanal Basin, Brazil

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Mario Luis Assine

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The Pantanal Basin is an active sedimentary basin in central-west Brazil that consists of a complex alluvial systems tract characterized by the interaction between different river systems developed in one of the largest wetlands in the world. The Paraguay River is the trunk river system that drains the water and part of the sediment load received from areas outside of the basin. Depositional styles vary considerably along the river profiles throughout the basin, with the development of entrenched meandering belts, anastomosing reaches, and floodplain ponds. Paleodrainage patterns are preserved on the surface of abandoned lobes of fluvial fans, which also exhibit many degradational channels. Here, we propose a novel classification scheme according to which the geomorphology, hydrological regime and sedimentary dynamics of these fluvial systems are determined by the geology and geomorphology of the source areas. In this way, the following systems are recognized and described: (I the Paraguay trunk-river plains; (II fluvial fans sourced by the tablelands catchment area; (III fluvial fans sourced by lowlands; and (IV fluvial interfans. We highlight the importance of considering the influences of source areas when interpreting contrasting styles of fluvial architectures in the rock record.

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International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Region: Argentina, South America, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, North and Central America ... NETWORKS, ECONOMIC RESEARCH, Economic integration, REGIONAL ... Land Use, Biofuels and Rural Development in the La Plata Basin (Latin America).

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International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Program: Maternal and Child Health ... Program: Employment and Growth ... Research on Innovation Systems and Social Inclusion in Emerging Economies ... Region: Argentina, South America, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, North and Central America.

Communication for Influence : Building ICTD Networks in Central ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This project seeks to help achieve universal affordable access to broadband information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in a number of countries on the East and West coasts of Africa. It will do so by building regional ICT for development (ICTD) research and advocacy networks in Central, East and West ...

Foreign Policy Dimensions of Argentina and Brazill: Emerging Middle Powers Marching to their Own Drum.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-12-01

Third World countries’ support for Britain during the Falklands War, and the day Argentina invaded the Falklands its rugby team was playing in South...manufacturers. 4 2 Brazil resists categorization with common labels - such as Latin American, Third World, nonaligned, East-West, b1 ’ 116 ._ ,%.,V

Institutionalizing Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health in West ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

... research in the areas of water, transmissible diseases and climate change. However, the quality of the curriculums and the pedagogical tools developed did not meet ... The project will involve expert members of the West and Central African ...

Seismic characteristics of central Brazil crust and upper mantle: A deep seismic refraction study

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, J.E.; Berrocal, J.; Fuck, R.A.; Mooney, W.D.; Ventura, D.B.R.

2006-01-01

A two-dimensional model of the Brazilian central crust and upper mantle was obtained from the traveltime interpretation of deep seismic refraction data from the Porangatu and Cavalcante lines, each approximately 300 km long. When the lines were deployed, they overlapped by 50 km, forming an E-W transect approximately 530 km long across the Tocantins Province and western Sa??o Francisco Craton. The Tocantins Province formed during the Neoproterozoic when the Sa??o Francisco, the Paranapanema, and the Amazon cratons collided, following the subduction of the former Goia??s ocean basin. Average crustal VP and VP/VS ratios, Moho topography, and lateral discontinuities within crustal layers suggest that the crust beneath central Brazil can be associated with major geological domains recognized at the surface. The Moho is an irregular interface, between 36 and 44 km deep, that shows evidences of first-order tectonic structures. The 8.05 and 8.23 km s-1 P wave velocities identify the upper mantle beneath the Porangatu and Cavalcante lines, respectively. The observed seismic features allow for the identification of (1) the crust has largely felsic composition in the studied region, (2) the absence of the mafic-ultramafic root beneath the Goia??s magmatic arc, and (3) block tectonics in the foreland fold-and-thrust belt of the northern Brasi??lia Belt during the Neoproterozoic. Seismic data also suggested that the Bouguer gravimetric discontinuities are mainly compensated by differences in mass distribution within the lithospheric mantle. Finally, the Goia??s-Tocantins seismic belt can be interpreted as a natural seismic alignment related to the Neoproterozoic mantle domain. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.

The landscape configuration of zoonotic transmission of Ebola virus disease in West and Central Africa: interaction between population density and vegetation cover

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Michael G. Walsh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Ebola virus disease (EVD is an emerging infectious disease of zoonotic origin that has been responsible for high mortality and significant social disruption in West and Central Africa. Zoonotic transmission of EVD requires contact between susceptible human hosts and the reservoir species for Ebolaviruses, which are believed to be fruit bats. Nevertheless, features of the landscape that may facilitate such points of contact have not yet been adequately identified. Nor have spatial dependencies between zoonotic EVD transmission and landscape structures been delineated. This investigation sought to describe the spatial relationship between zoonotic EVD transmission events, or spillovers, and population density and vegetation cover. An inhomogeneous Poisson process model was fitted to all precisely geolocated zoonotic transmissions of EVD in West and Central Africa. Population density was strongly associated with spillover; however, there was significant interaction between population density and green vegetation cover. In areas of very low population density, increasing vegetation cover was associated with a decrease in risk of zoonotic transmission, but as population density increased in a given area, increasing vegetation cover was associated with increased risk of zoonotic transmission. This study showed that the spatial dependencies of Ebolavirus spillover were associated with the distribution of population density and vegetation cover in the landscape, even after controlling for climate and altitude. While this is an observational study, and thus precludes direct causal inference, the findings do highlight areas that may be at risk for zoonotic EVD transmission based on the spatial configuration of important features of the landscape.

An integrtated approach to the use of Landsat TM data for gold exploration in west central Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Mouat, D. A.; Myers, J. S.; Miller, N. L.

1987-01-01

This paper represents an integration of several Landsat TM image processing techniques with other data to discriminate the lithologies and associated areas of hydrothermal alteration in the vicinity of the Paradise Peak gold mine in west central Nevada. A microprocessor-based image processing system and an IDIMS system were used to analyze data from a 512 X 512 window of a Landsat-5 TM scene collected on June 30, 1984. Image processing techniques included simple band composites, band ratio composites, principal components composites, and baseline-based composites. These techniques were chosen based on their ability to discriminate the spectral characteristics of the products of hydrothermal alteration as well as of the associated regional lithologies. The simple band composite, ratio composite, two principal components composites, and the baseline-based composites separately can define the principal areas of alteration. Combined, they provide a very powerful exploration tool.

Central Asian gas in Eurasian power game

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cobanli, Onur

2014-01-01

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, various gas pipeline projects have been proposed to diversify transit routes and export markets of the landlocked Central Asian states. To evaluate the pipeline project's impact on the players' bargaining power, I apply the cooperate game theory to a quantitative model of the Eurasian gas trade and quantify the bargaining power structure via the Shapley value. Due to ample production capacities in Central Asia, I observe little strategic interaction between the West and China. Thus, demand competition with China is not necessarily a disadvantage for the West, and the Turkmenistan–China pipeline does not affect the impact of the westbound projects aiming Europe and Turkey. For Turkmenistan, i.e., the main supplier in the region, a link via the Caspian Sea to Turkey is the most beneficial westbound option. Although the projects carrying gas from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to Europe enjoy the European Commission's political support, they yield marginal benefits to the European consumers. Thanks to its transit position, Turkey collects a large share of the benefits in the East–West gas trade. - Highlights: • The Eurasian gas trade is represented as a cooperative game which is solved with the Shapley value. • There is no demand competition between the West and China for Central Asian gas. • For Turkmenistan the route via the Caspian Sea is the most beneficial westbound pipeline option. • Turkey emerges as a transit country and collects a large share of the benefits from the East–West gas trade. • A link to Europe yields marginal benefits to Turkmenistan and Europe

A new spiny species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Loricariidae: Hypostominae from thermal waters, upper rio Paraná basin, central Brazil

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Fernanda O. Martins

Full Text Available A new species of Hypostomus is described from the rio Quente, rio Paranaíba drainage, in the upper rio Paraná basin in central Brazil. The rio Quente is a peculiar small and shallow fast water stream with water temperatures around 34ºC. The new species is distinguished from all congeners by having the five lateral series of plates with hypertrophied odontodes not aligned in rows and more conspicuous on flanks of caudal peduncle of the larger specimens. The new species is only known from the rio Quente.

Occurrence of the off-host life stages of Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera) in various environments in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Linardi, P M; Calheiros, C M L; Campelo-Junior, E B; Duarte, E M; Heukelbach, J; Feldmeier, H

2010-06-01

To explore the local transmission dynamics of Tunga penetrans in brazil, 134 soil samples from various environments were collected in three different endemic regions of the country and checked for the presence of the flea's larvae, pupae and adults. the samples, which came from an urban slum in the north-east, a village of xavante indians in the central-west and a community of yanomami indians living in traditional longhouses (malocas) in the north, were categorized as indoor, outdoor or indoor-outdoor (the latter representing samples collected in the malocas). The proportion of samples found positive for T. penetrans was lowest in the slum (9.3%) and highest in the Yanomami village (32.0%; P=0.01). Soil samples collected below bedsteads or hammocks or from the indoor resting places of dogs were significantly more likely to be positive than the indoor samples collected at other sites (65.0% v. 35.0%; P=0.02). There was no evidence indicating that the presence of T. penetrans in a soil sample was markedly affected by soil temperature, air temperature or air humidity. As no life stages of T. penetrans were found in any outdoor sample, it seems likely that, in resource-poor settings in Brazil, most transmission of T. penetrans occurs indoors. Control measures against the off-host life stages of T. penetrans should therefore be targeted at particular indoor micro-environments.

Block the Buzzing, Bites, and Bumps: Preventing Mosquito-Borne Illnesses

Science.gov (United States)

... States.” West Nile tends to be a seasonal epidemic in the U.S. It flares up in late ... Brazil. Zika is another mosquito-borne virus that’s spreading throughout Central and South America. Because the dengue ...

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International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Region: Brazil, South America, Colombia, Haiti, North and Central America, Mexico. Program: Governance ... Open Data for Public Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Project ... Program: Food, Environment, and Health. Total Funding: ...

Tides in the Mandovi and Zuari estuaries, Goa, west coast of India

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea. As a result, the windward side of the Ghats receives high precipitation due to the topographic effect. The rainfall along the central west coast of India is about 250 cm during June–September. The Mandovi and the Zuari are two estuaries that are located along the west coast, in Goa.

Comparison of conventional methods for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children of the Center-West Region of Brazil

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Yvone M. Brustoloni

Full Text Available In Brazil, sophisticated techniques currently employed for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis, such as polymerase chain reaction-based assays, are only available in major research centers, whereas conventional methods are still used in many areas where the disease occurs. In the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the country's Center-West Region, visceral leishmaniasis has recently emerged in many cities, and duration of the disease, from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis, has been short. Considering that results of diagnostic tests may depend on the phase of the disease, we compared direct examination of bone marrow aspirates (BMAs, BMA culture, and serology by Indirect Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT for diagnosis in children, according to time of evolution (30 days and to spleen size ( 5 cm at admission. Duration of the illness did not interfere with test positivity: direct smear examination and IFAT were positive in more than 80% of patients, as was culture in around 60%. Results of positive microscopy, however, where predominant in patients with larger spleens. Thanks to the association of traditional techniques, only a few patients had to begin a treatment trial without confirming the diagnosis. Conventional methods for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis are still indispensable in our region, and training professionals in basic techniques should be incremented. The highest sensitivity in laboratory diagnosis among the cases investigated was that obtained with a combination of BMA direct examination and IFAT, nearing 100%.

Minesoil development in central West Virginia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noll, W.J.; Sencindiver, J.C.

1998-01-01

Immediately after mining and regrading, minesoils usually have little or no horizon development. Over time, horizons begin to form and definite diagnostic properties develop. The purpose of this study was to document the genesis of a 13-year-old minesoil. The study site was a reclaimed surface mine in Upshur County, West Virginia. Transects were established in 1983 across the site immediately after mining and regrading but before revegetation. Soil pits were excavated to 100+ cm at nine points along those transects. Soil profiles were described at each point, and each minesoil horizon was sampled for analyses. In 1983, only C horizons were described because no structure had developed. In 1996, all nine profiles had developed A horizons ranging in thickness from 2 to 9 cm (mean 6.1 cm). Subsurface horizons (AC, Bw, or C/B), ranging in thickness from 7 to 17 cm (mean 11.8 cm), also had formed in each profile. The A horizons were identified by colors that were darker than the subsoil horizons and the presence of weak fine granular or subangular blocky structure. The AC, Bw and C/B horizons had weak fine to very coarse subangular blocky or weak medium to very thick platy structure. Chemical and physical properties of the minesoils supported the morphological properties indicating that definite pedogenic horizons have formed in 13 years

Terrestrial lichen response to partial cutting in lodgepole pine forests on caribou winter range in west-central British Columbia

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Michaela J. Waterhouse

2011-09-01

Full Text Available In west-central British Columbia, terrestrial lichens located in older, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta forests are important winter forage for woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou. Clearcut harvesting effectively removes winter forage habitat for decades, so management approaches based on partial cutting were designed to maintain continuous lichen-bearing habitat for caribou. This study tested a group selection system, based on removal of 33% of the forest every 80 years in small openings (15 m diameter, and two irregular shelterwood treatments (whole-tree and stem-only harvesting methods where 50% of the stand area is cut every 70 years in 20 to 30 m diameter openings. The abundance of common terrestrial lichens among the partial cutting and no-harvest treatments was compared across five replicate blocks, pre-harvest (1995 and post-harvest (1998, 2000 and 2004. The initial loss of preferred forage lichens (Cladonia, Cladina, Cetraria and Stereocaulon was similar among harvesting treatments, but there was greater reduction in these lichens in the openings than in the residual forest. After eight years, forage lichens in the group selection treatment recovered to pre-harvest amounts, while lichen in the shelterwood treatments steadily increased from 49 to 57% in 1998 to about 70% of pre-harvest amounts in 2004. Although not part of the randomized block design, there was substantially less lichen in three adjacent clearcut blocks than in the partial cuts. Regression analysis pre- and post-harvest indicated that increased cover of trees, shrubs, herbs, woody debris and logging slash corresponded with decreased forage lichen abundance. In the short-term, forestry activities that minimize inputs of woody debris, control herb and shrub development, and moderate the changes in light and temperatures associated with canopy removal will lessen the impact on lichen. Implementation of stand level prescriptions is only one aspect of caribou habitat

Ethnic and Racial Inequalities in Notified Cases of Tuberculosis in Brazil.

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Paulo Victor de Sousa Viana

Full Text Available This study analysed clinical and sociodemographic aspects and follow-up for notified cases of tuberculosis (TB and explored inequalities in incidence rates and outcome by colour or race and the geographic macro-regions of Brazil.This paper reports the results of a population-based descriptive epidemiological study of all notified cases of TB in Brazil during the period from 01/01/2008 to 31/12/2011. We analysed sociodemographic and clinical variables according to colour or race (white, black, Asian, mixed, and indigenous and geographic macro-regions of the country (North, Northeast, Central-West, South, and Southeast.During the study period, the average incidence of TB in Brazil was 36.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest rates occurring in the North and Southeast regions. The analysis of TB notifications by colour or race revealed that the indigenous population presented the highest incidence rates in all macro-regions except the South, where higher rates were reported in black patients. 'Cured' was the most frequently reported treatment outcome for all skin colour categories. The highest cure rate occurred among the indigenous population (76.8%, while the lowest cure rate occurred among the black population (70.7%. Rates of treatment default were highest among blacks (10.5% and lowest among the indigenous population (6.9%. However, the fatality rate was similar across race categories, varying between 2.8% and 3.8% for whites and the indigenous population, respectively. The lowest cure rates were observed when follow-up was inadequate (58.3%, and the highest was observed when the follow-up was classified as excellent (96.8%.This study revealed that-apart from the heterogeneous distribution of TB among the Brazilian macro-regions-ethnic-racial inequalities exist in terms of clinical-epidemiological characteristics and incidence rates as well as follow-up for cases undergoing treatment. The highest rates of TB occurred among the

New species and records of the genus Aegla Leach, 1820 (Crustacea, Anomura, Aeglidae from the West-Central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

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Sandro Santos

Full Text Available Aeglidae are anomuran freshwater "crabs" found only in southern South America. In Brazil, the greatest species diversity occurs in hydrographic basins of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Two new species, Aegla georginae and Aegla ludwigi, are described from the Ibicuí and Ijuí Rivers, respectively (Uruguay River Basin. The new taxa can be distinguished from other Aegla species based on both morphological and molecular characters. The two new species have a very restricted distribution and are categorized as endangered (A. georginae and critically endangered (A. ludwigi using IUCN Red List criteria. We also summarize and present new records of the Aegla species occurring in the Uruguay River Basin.

Diet, reproduction and population structure of the introduced Amazonian fish Cichla piquiti (Perciformes: Cichlidae) in the Cachoeira Dourada reservoir (Paranaíba River, central Brazil)

OpenAIRE

Ferraz Luiz, Tatiane; Roquetti Velludo, Marcela; Carvalho Peret, Alberto; Rodrigues Filho, Jorge Luiz; Moldenhauer Peret, André

2011-01-01

The Blue Peacock Bass (Cichla piquiti), native to the Tocantins-Araguaia river basin of the Amazon system, was introduced into the basin of the Paranaíba River, Paraná River system. Cachoeira Dourada reservoir is one of a series of dams on the Paranaíba River in central Brazil, where this fish has become established. A study of its feeding spectrum, combined with information about its reproductive characteristics and population structure, would enable the current state of this species in the ...

Phlebotomines (Diptera, Psychodidae in caves of the Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

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Eunice A. B. Galati

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The present paper deals with the phlebotomine species captured during the period from January 1998 to June 2000 in 12 caves located in the Serra da Bodoquena, situated in the south central region of Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. Three of the caves are situated further north (in Bodoquena county, seven in the central area (Bonito county and two in the south (Jardim county. These last two caves and three of those in Bonito are located at the west side of the ridge. Eighteen species of phlebotomines were captured within the caves: Brumptomyia avellari (Costa Lima, 1932, Brumptomyia brumpti (Larrousse, 1920, Brumptomyia cunhai (Mangabeira, 1942, Brumptomyia galindoi (Fairchild & Hertig, 1947, Evandromyia corumbaensis (Galati, Nunes, Oshiro & Rego, 1989, Lutzomyia almerioi Galati & Nunes, 1999, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912, Martinsmyia oliveirai (Martins, Falcão & Silva, 1970, Micropygomyia acanthopharynx (Martins, Falcão & Silva, 1962, Micropygomyia peresi (Mangabeira, 1942, Micropygomyia quinquefer (Dyar, 1929, Nyssomyia whitmani (Antunes & Coutinho, 1939, Psathyromyia campograndensis (Oliveira, Andrade-Filho, Falcão & Brazil, 2001, Psathyromyia punctigeniculata (Floch & Abonnenc, 1944, Psathyromyia shannoni (Dyar, 1929, Pintomyia kuscheli (Le Pont, Martinez, Torrez-Espejo & Dujardin, 1998, Sciopemyia sordellii (Shannon & Del Ponte, 1927 and Sciopemyia sp. A total of 29,599 phlebotomine sandflies was obtained. Lutzomyia almerioi was absolutely predominant (91.5% over the other species on both sides of the Bodoquena ridge, with the exception of the southern caves in which it was absent. It presents summer predominance, with nocturnal and diurnal activities. The species breeds in the caves and was captured during daytime both in the dark area and in the mouth of the caves. Martinsmyia oliveirai, the second most frequent sandfly, also presents a summer peak and only predominated over the other species in one cave, in which there

Ichthyoplankton assemblages of coastal west-central Lake Erie and associated habitat characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, J.E.; Hunter, R. Douglas; Fabrizio, M.C.; Savino, J.F.; Todd, T.N.; Bur, M.

2008-01-01

Early life stage survival often determines fish cohort strength and that survival is affected by habitat conditions. The structure and dynamics of ichthyoplankton assemblages can tell us much about biodiversity and fish population dynamics, but are poorly understood in nearshore areas of the Great Lakes, where most spawning and nursery habitats exist. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected with a neuston net in waters 2-13 m deep weekly or biweekly from mid-April through August, during 3 years (2000-2002) as part of a study of fish assemblages in west-central Lake Erie. A suite of abiotic variables was simultaneously measured to characterize habitat. Cluster and ordination analyses revealed several distinct ichthyoplankton assemblages that changed seasonally. A lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) dominated assemblage appeared first in April. In May, assemblages were dominated by several percid species. Summer assemblages were overwhelmingly dominated by emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides), with large gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) and alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) components. This seasonal trend in species assemblages was also associated with increasing temperature and water clarity. Water depth and drift processes may also play a role in structuring these assemblages. The most common and widely distributed assemblages were not associated with substratum type, which we characterized as either hard or soft. The timing of hatch and larval growth separated the major groups in time and may have adaptive significance for the members of each major assemblage. The quality and locations (with reference to lake circulation) of spawning and nursery grounds may determine larval success and affect year class strength.

Pedogenetic processes in anthrosols with pretic horizon (Amazonian Dark Earth in Central Amazon, Brazil.

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Rodrigo S Macedo

Full Text Available Anthrosols known as Amazonian Dark Earth (ADE have borne witness to the intensification of sedentary patterns and the demographic increase in Central Amazon. As a result, a recurring pattern has been observed of mounds with ADE arising from domestic activities and the disposal of waste. The objective of this research was to demonstrate the relationship of these anthropic activities with pedogenetic formation processes of ADE in the municipality of Iranduba, Brazil. Disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were taken from two areas of ADE (pretic horizon and from a non-anthropic pedon. Physical, chemical, micromorphological and SEM-EDS analyses were performed. The coarse material of the pretic horizons consisted predominantly of quartz, iron nodules, ceramics and charcoal fragments, and the fine material is organo-mineral. There was a direct relationship between the color of pretic horizons and the number of charcoal fragments. The thickness of the ADE results from the redistribution of charcoal at depth through bioturbation, transforming subsurface horizons into anthropic horizons. ADE presents granular microaggregates of geochemical and zoogenetic origin. Degradation of iron nodules is intensified in pretic horizons, promoting a reverse pedogenic process contributing to the xanthization process. Surprisingly the anthropic activities also favor clay dispersion and argilluviation; clay coatings on the ceramic fragments and in the pores demonstrate that this is a current process. Processes identified as contributing to ADE genesis included: i addition of organic residues and ceramic artifacts (cumulization with the use of fire; ii mechanical action of humans, roots and macrofauna (bioturbation; iii melanization of deeper horizons as a result of bioturbation; iv argilluviation and degradation of iron nodules. This study offers new support to archaeological research in respect to ADE formation processes in Central Amazon and confirmed the hypothesis

Alfalfa nutritive quality for ruminant livestock as influenced by ambient air quality in west-central Alberta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, J.C.; Nosal, M.; Muntifering, R.B.; Krupa, S.V.

2007-01-01

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) nutritive quality response to ambient ozone (O 3 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) were assessed at three locations in west-central Alberta, Canada (1998-2002). Yield data were segregated into high and low relative to overall median yield. Ozone concentrations (hourly median and 95th-percentile) and precipitation (P) contributed 69 and 29%, respectively, to the variability in crude protein (CP) concentration in low-yielding alfalfa, whereas mean temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) collectively influenced 98% of the variation in CP in high-yielding alfalfa. Three-fourths of the accounted variation in relative feed value (RFV) of low-yielding alfalfa was attributable to P, T and RH, whereas median and 95th-percentile hourly O 3 concentrations and SO 2 and NO x exposure integrals contributed 25%. In contrast, air quality, (mainly O 3 ) influenced 86% of the accounted variation in RFV of high-yielding alfalfa, and T and P collectively contributed 14%. - Exposure to ambient concentrations of phytotoxic air pollutants affected nutritive quality of alfalfa for ruminant livestock in a yield-dependent manner

Assessment of the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in the state of Mato Grosso, central Brazil

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Francisco Kennedy Scofoni Faleiros de Azevedo

2012-03-01

Full Text Available In Brazil, the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is funded by the national public health system (SUS. To evaluate treatment results in the state of Mato Grosso, central Brazil, we have consulted the files of the office of the State Department of Health responsible for supplying such medications. We obtained information on 232 treatments of 201 patients who underwent treatment in or prior to 2008. The study was conducted by reviewing medical records, making telephone calls and interviewing the assistant physicians. Thirty-nine patients (19.4% had cirrhosis and HCV genotype 1 predominated (64.3%. Excluding patients with comorbidities or treatment without ribavirin we analysed 175 treatments (sustained virologic response occurred in 32.6% of cases. Twenty-six of these 175 were retreatments and the sustained virological response (SVR rate among them was 30.8%; the SVR rate was 32.9% among those receiving treatment for the first time. The SVR rate of genotype 1 patients was 27.8%, whereas it was 37.5% in non-1 genotype patients. The adjusted multivariate analysis showed association of SVR with the absence of cirrhosis [odds ratio (OR: 7.7; confidence interval (CI 95%: 2.5, 33.3], the use of pegylated interferon (OR: 5.8; CI 95%: 1.5, 21.4, non-1 genotype (OR: 5.3; CI 95%: 1.7, 16.7 and uninterrupted treatment (OR: 9.0; CI 95%: 3.3, 45.4. The SVR rates were similar to those found in other Brazilian studies about HCV, but lower than those found in national and international clinical trials. These data suggest that the treatments of chronic hepatitis C that are made available by SUS does not, under normal conditions, work as well as the original controlled studies indicated.

Migration among individuals with leprosy: a population-based study in Central Brazil

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Christine Murto

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This study investigates social and clinical factors associated with migration among individuals affected by leprosy. A cross-sectional study was conducted among those newly diagnosed with leprosy (2006-2008, in 79 endemic municipalities in the state of Tocantins, Brazil (N = 1,074. In total, 76.2% were born in a municipality different from their current residence. In the five years before diagnosis 16.7% migrated, and 3.6% migrated after leprosy diagnosis. Findings reflect aspects associated with historical rural-urban population movement in Brazil. Indicators of poverty were prominent among before-diagnosis migrants but not after-diagnosis migrants. Migration after diagnosis was associated with prior migration. The association of multibacillary leprosy with migration indicates healthcare access may be an obstacle to early diagnosis among before-diagnosis migrants, which may also be related to the high mobility of this group.

Prevalence and risk factors of obesity and hypertension among students at a central university in the West Bank.

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Tayem, Yasin I; Yaseen, Nagham A; Khader, Wiam T; Abu Rajab, Lama O; Ramahi, Ahmad B; Saleh, Mohammad H

2012-01-01

We aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of obesity and hypertension (HTN) among students at a central university in the West Bank. This cross-sectional study targeted a cohort of 553 students (59.5% males, 40.5% females) aged 17-26 years (median = 21) from Al-Quds University. Body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) were measured. Participants completed a questionnaire on physical activity, sedentary behavior, dietary factors, smoking and family history of obesity, HTN, and coronary artery disease. The magnitude of correlation was assessed by Spearman's rho (r(s)) and Chi-square tests. The prevalence of overweight was 25% (31.1% males, 15.6% females) and obesity 7.2% (9.4% males, 4% females). Obesity and overweight were associated with family history of obesity in both genders (pinterventional program is urgently needed to control these cardiovascular risk factors in this community.

Central Bank independence in Latin America La independencia de la Banca Central en América Latina

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Junguito Bonnet Roberto

1996-06-01

Full Text Available This article describes the origin and evolution of the central banks of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela, and analyzes their respective institutional structures. It also studies the contribution of the central bank to stabilization and the problems for maintaining this independence into the future.Este artículo describe el origen y la evolución de los Bancos Centrales de Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, México y Venezuela, y analiza sus respectivas estructruras institucionales. También estudia la contribución de la banca central a la estabilización y los problemas para que esta independencia se mantenga en el futuro.

The Araguaia River as an Important Biogeographical Divide for Didelphid Marsupials in Central Brazil.

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Rocha, Rita Gomes; Ferreira, Eduardo; Loss, Ana Carolina; Heller, Rasmus; Fonseca, Carlos; Costa, Leonora Pires

2015-01-01

The riverine barrier model suggests that rivers play a significant role in separating widespread organisms into isolated populations. In this study, we used a comparative approach to investigate the phylogeography of 6 didelphid marsupial species in central Brazil. Specifically, we evaluate the role of the mid-Araguaia River in differentiating populations and estimate divergence time among lineages to assess the timing of differentiation of these species, using mitochondrial DNA sequence data. The 6 didelphid marsupials revealed different intraspecific genetic patterns and structure. The 3 larger and more generalist species, Didelphis albiventris, Didelphis marsupialis, and Philander opossum, showed connectivity across the Araguaia River. In contrast the genetic structure of the 3 smaller and specialist species, Gracilinanus agilis, Marmosa (Marmosa) murina, and Marmosa (Micoureus) demerarae was shaped by the mid-Araguaia. Moreover, the split of eastern and western bank populations of the 2 latter species is consistent with the age of Araguaia River sediments formation. We hypothesize that the role of the Araguaia as a riverine barrier is linked to the level of ecological specialization among the 6 didelphid species and differences in their ability to cross rivers or disperse through the associated habitat types. © The American Genetic Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Diversity of medium and large sized mammals in a Cerrado fragment of central Brazil

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F.S. Campos

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Studies related to community ecology of medium and large mammals represent a priority in developing strategies for conservation of their habitats. Due to the significant ecological importance of these species, a concern in relation to anthropogenic pressures arises since their populations are vulnerable to hunting and fragmentation. In this study, we aimed to analyze the diversity of medium and large mammals in a representative area of the Cerrado biome, located in the National Forest of Silvânia, central Brazil, providing insights for future studies on the biodiversity and conservation of Cerrado mammals. Sampling was carried out by linear transects, search for traces, footprint traps and camera traps. We recorded 23 species, among which three are listed in threat categories (e.g., Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Chrysocyon brachyurus and Leopardus tigrinus. We registered 160 records in the study area, where the most frequently recorded species were Didelphis albiventris (30 records and Cerdocyon thous (28 records. Our results indicated that a small protected area of Cerrado can include a large and important percentage of the diversity of mammals in this biome, providing information about richness, abundance, spatial distribution and insights for future studies on the biodiversity and conservation of these biological communities.

Transparência do banco central: uma análise para o caso brasileiro

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Helder Ferreira de Mendonça

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Central Bank transparency: an analysis of the Brazilian case. Nowadays there is a tendency among central banks of increasing transparency in the conduction of the monetary policy. After the adoption of inflation targeting in Brazil there was an increase in the communication of the Central Bank of Brazil with the public. This paper makes a brief review of the recent theoretical and empirical literature concerning this subject. Furthermore, an analysis due to the transparency in the conduction of Brazilian monetary policy on important macroeconomic variables is made. The findings denote that an increase in transparency improves the behavior of several macroeconomic variables.

Women's participation in developing west China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, D

2000-06-01

In China, the underdeveloped economy of the west has limited women's employment opportunities compared with their counterparts in the eastern and central region. Most women workers are engaged in agricultural production offering few opportunities for career development. Education, awareness of participation, fertility level, and health conditions are the compounding factors that hindered women's employment. According to a 10% sampling survey of the 4th population census in 1990, a high percentage of illiterates and semi-illiterates and a high dropout rate among girl students are noted. Moreover, a survey of maternal mortality rates indicated that the rate in west China was still far higher than that in central and eastern areas. In the context of its fertility, it is evident that the average age at first marriages and childbirth for women are considerably lower than the national average, while the percentage of women having multiple children is markedly higher than the national level. The paper proposes the following: improve education for women, especially girls; promote gender equality; publicize and implement the family planning policy; and increase spending on improving young girls' nutrition and on acquisition of medical equipment in western China for a balanced national economic development.

Modelling West Nile virus transmission risk in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vogels, Chantal B.F.; Hartemink, Nienke; Koenraadt, Constantianus J.M.

2017-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus which has caused repeated outbreaks in humans in southern and central Europe, but thus far not in northern Europe. The main mosquito vector for WNV, Culex pipiens, consists of two behaviourally distinct biotypes, pipiens and molestus, which can

Ovis aries (Artiodactyla: Bovidae e Capra hircus (Artiodactyla: Bovidae parasitados por Oestrus ovis (Diptera: Oestridae no Distrito Federal, Brasil

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Edison Cansi

2011-12-01

Abstract. The Oestrosis is an obligatory and cavitary myiasis of sheep and goat, wild and domestic, caused by the larvae of Oestrus ovis (Linnaeus fly. This study records the presence of O. ovis in the West Central region of Brazil as parasites of goats and sheep. We obtained six larvae from sheep and goats with suspects of oestrosis in Brasília (Brazil originate two females adult of O. ovis, after 20 and 23 days respectively of pupation. This finding is probably associated with expansion and diversification of farming in the Cerrado of the Brazilian central plateau.

Autochthonous case of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in a non-endemic area in Minas Gerais, Brazil

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Mariana Teixeira de Faria

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Visceral Leishmaniasis by Leishmania infantum chagasi is an endemic zoonosis present in many areas of Brazil. This parasite needs reservoirs for maintenance of the infection and the presence of dogs in urban areas is a key factor for the spread of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL. The aim of this study was to report the first autochthonous case of CVL in the municipality of Iguatama, in west central region of Minas Gerais State. Dog infection by Leishmania infantum chagasi was confirmed in the municipality, previously considered as non-endemic area to CVL. The canine infection by Leishmania was confirmed by three immunological tests for antibodies: indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA, rapid Dual Path Platform (DPP® CVL immunochromatographic test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, and microscopic demonstration of Leishmania amastigotes in imprints of spleen and bone marrow stained by Giemsa. The species Leishmania infantum chagasi was confirmed by molecular diagnosis (PCR. Studies are being carried out, aiming to describe the importance and the prevalence of this disease in the region and factors associated with its transmission.

Radiochemistry teaching and research activities in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasconcellos, M.B.A.; Saiki, M.

2006-01-01

Much concern has been expressed lately about the decline of teaching and research activities in radiochemistry in many countries, as was discussed in an IAEA Technical Meeting in Antalya, Turkey, in 2002, and also at MTAA-11 in Guildford, UK. In the IAEA meeting, a survey was presented about the current situation in different regions of the world (Eastern Europe, East and West Asia, Africa, North America and Latin America) by experts of each region. In the case of Brazil, which has nuclear research reactors and also cyclotrons in operation, the teaching and research activities in radiochemistry are concentrated in the three main institutes of the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission, in the University of Sao Paulo and in other universities, in different regions of the country. In the present paper, a closer look is given to the radiochemistry teaching and research activities that are being conducted nowadays in Brazil, comprising: number of radiochemistry courses and students being formed, main research areas being conducted, as well as research and production of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine, using nuclear reactors and cyclotrons. (author)

O gênero Strangalia Audinet-Serville no Norte e Centro-Oeste do Brasil (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lepturinae The genus Strangalia Audinet-Serville in northern and central Brazil (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lepturinae

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Marcela L. Monné

2005-06-01

Full Text Available As espécies do gênero Strangalia Audinet-Serville do Norte e Centro-Oeste do Brasil são revistas. Strangalia xanthomelaena sp. nov. é descrita de Rondônia e Mato Grosso, Brasil. Dois novos sinônimos são propostos: Ophistomis irene Gounelle, 1911 = Euryptera albicollis Pascoe, 1860; O. paraensis Bates, 1870 = O. bivittatus Bates, 1870. São fornecidas ilustrações e chave para identificação das espécies.The species of the genus Strangalia from northern and central Brazil are revised. Strangalia xanthomelaena sp. nov. is described from Rondônia and Mato Grosso, Brazil. Two new synonyms are proposed: Ophistomis irene Gounelle, 1911 = Euryptera albicollis Pascoe, 1860; O. paraensis Bates, 1870 = O. bivittatus Bates, 1870. Illustrations and key for identification are provided.

Geothermal and volcanism in west Java

Science.gov (United States)

Setiawan, I.; Indarto, S.; Sudarsono; Fauzi I, A.; Yuliyanti, A.; Lintjewas, L.; Alkausar, A.; Jakah

2018-02-01

Indonesian active volcanoes extend from Sumatra, Jawa, Bali, Lombok, Flores, North Sulawesi, and Halmahera. The volcanic arc hosts 276 volcanoes with 29 GWe of geothermal resources. Considering a wide distribution of geothermal potency, geothermal research is very important to be carried out especially to tackle high energy demand in Indonesia as an alternative energy sources aside from fossil fuel. Geothermal potency associated with volcanoes-hosted in West Java can be found in the West Java segment of Sunda Arc that is parallel with the subduction. The subduction of Indo-Australian oceanic plate beneath the Eurasian continental plate results in various volcanic products in a wide range of geochemical and mineralogical characteristics. The geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of volcanic and magmatic rocks associated with geothermal systems are ill-defined. Comprehensive study of geochemical signatures, mineralogical properties, and isotopes analysis might lead to the understanding of how large geothermal fields are found in West Java compared to ones in Central and East Java. The result can also provoke some valuable impacts on Java tectonic evolution and can suggest the key information for geothermal exploration enhancement.

Paleo magnetism of the Ceara-Mirim dyke swarm, Northeastern Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ernesto, M.; Furtado, M.H.; Martins, G.; Macedo, J.W.P.

1991-01-01

The Mesozoic tholeiitic Ceara-Mirim dyke swarm has a general east-west trend cutting the Precambrian basement of northeastern Brazil. The dykes occur mainly in the State of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) but enter the neighbouring State of Ceara to the west where they trend SW-NE. Available K-Ar radiometric dates vary between 214 and 216 Ma. HORN et al. (1988) used a procedure which allowed the removal of argon-loss effects to conclude that the ages might be situated between Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Paleo magnetic data suggest that the emplacement of the sub-swarms was not simultaneous since they show distinct magnetization directions. New paleo magnetic results that confirm the above conclusion are presented here for the western part of the swarm, where the dykes show a SW-NE structural orientation. (author)

West syndrome associated with administration of a histamine H1 antagonist, oxatomide.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Yushiro; Isagai, Takeo; Seki, Yoshitaka; Ohya, Takashi; Nagamitsu, Shinichiro; Matsuishi, Toyojiro

2004-01-01

We report a 4-month-old female infant who developed West syndrome eleven days after administration of a histamine H1 antagonist, oxatomide, for atopic dermatitis. It has been reported that some histamine H1 antagonists induce seizures in epileptic patients. The age, the interval between oxatomide administration, and the onset of West syndrome and its clinical course were similar to two previously reported 3-month-old infants with West syndrome associated with ketotifen administration. We should be cautious in using the histamine H1 antagonists, oxatomide and ketotifen, in young infants because such agents could potentially disturb the anticonvulsive central histaminergic system.

Enabling affordable access to fibre infrastructure for West and ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in improving access to primary and secondary education in West and Central Africa. At the same time, tertiary education is experiencing increased enrollment and declining investment in infrastructure and human resource development. Consequently, African institutions ...

West Nile virus meningitis in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

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D. Pilalas

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The emergence of West Nile virus lineage 2 in central Macedonia, Greece, in 2010 resulted in large outbreaks for 5 consecutive years. We report a case of viral meningitis in an individual infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1, which preceded the recognition of the outbreak and was confirmed retrospectively as West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease.

Magnetic anomalies in Central Bengal fan

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rao, T.C.S.; Lakshminarayana, S.; Sarma, K.V.L.N.S.

Total magnetic field anomalies recorded over the Central Bengal Fan are analysed and the depths to the magnetic basement are computed using the analytical signal and the Werner deconvolution methods. To the west and east of 85 degrees E...

Simulation of the Lower Walker River Basin hydrologic system, west-central Nevada, using PRMS and MODFLOW models

Science.gov (United States)

Allander, Kip K.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Jeton, Anne E.

2014-01-01

Walker Lake is a terminal lake in west-central Nevada with almost all outflow occurring through evaporation. Diversions from Walker River since the early 1900s have contributed to a substantial reduction in flow entering Walker Lake. As a result, the lake is receding, and salt concentrations have increased to a level in which Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi (Lahontan Cutthroat trout) are no longer present, and the lake ecosystem is threatened. Consequently, there is a concerted effort to restore the Walker Lake ecosystem and fishery to a level that is more sustainable. However, Walker Lake is interlinked with the lower Walker River and adjacent groundwater system which makes it difficult to understand the full effect of upstream water-management actions on the overall hydrologic system including the lake level, volume, and dissolved-solids concentrations of Walker Lake. To understand the effects of water-management actions on the lower Walker River Basin hydrologic system, a watershed model and groundwater flow model have been developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Description of the physical environment and coal-mining history of west-central Indiana, with emphasis on six small watersheds

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Jeffrey D.; Crawford, Charles G.; Duwelius, R.F.; Renn, D.E.

1987-01-01

Information on the geology, geomorphology, soils, climate, hydrology, water use, land use, population, and coal mining history of Clay, Owen, Sullivan, and Vigo Counties in Indiana is summarized. Site-specific information is given on the morphology , geology, soils, land use, coal mining history, and hydrologic instrumentation of the six watersheds which are each less than 3 sq mi in area. The Wabash, White, and Eel Rivers are the major drainages in west-central Indiana. Average annual precipitation is about 39.5 in/yr and average annual runoff is about 13 in/yr. The most productive aquifers are confined or unconfined outwash aquifers located along the major rivers. Bedrock aquifers are regionally insignificant but are the sole source of groundwater for areas that lack outwash, alluvium, or sand and gravel lenses in till. Indiana has more than 17 billion short tons of recoverable coal reserves; about 11% can be mined by surface methods. Almost half of Indiana 's surface reserves are in Clay, Owen, Sullivan, and Vigo Counties. More than 50,000 acres in west-central Indiana have been disturbed by surface coal mining from 1941 through 1980. Big Slough and Hooker Creek are streams that drain unmined, agricultural watersheds. Row-crop corn and soybeans are the principal crops. Soils are moderately well drained silt loams, and the watersheds well developed dendritic drainage systems. Unnamed tributaries drain mined and reclaimed watersheds. Ridges of mine spoil have been graded to a gently rolling topography. Soils are well drained and consist of 6 to 12 inches of silt-loam topsoil that was stockpiled and then replaced over shale and sandstone fragments of the graded mine spoil. Grasses and legumes form the vegetative cover in each watershed. Pond Creek and an unnamed tributary to Big Branch are streams that drain mined and unreclaimed watersheds. Soils are very well drained shaly silty loams that have formed on steeply sloping banks. Both watersheds contain numerous

Brazil : tous les projets | Page 6 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Sujet: DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION, ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS, SOCIAL ... and Central America, South America, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico ... Sujet: MODELS, Fiscal policy, TAX SYSTEMS, TAX REFORM, TAXATION, ... DEMOCRATIZATION, ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION, Economic and ...

Mesozoic dinosaurs from Brazil and their biogeographic implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bittencourt, Jonathas S; Langer, Max C

2011-03-01

The record of dinosaur body-fossils in the Brazilian Mesozoic is restricted to the Triassic of Rio Grande do Sul and Cretaceous of various parts of the country. This includes 21 named species, two of which were regarded as nomina dubia, and 19 consensually assigned to Dinosauria. Additional eight supraspecific taxa have been identified based on fragmentary specimens and numerous dinosaur footprints known in Brazil. In fact, most Brazilian specimens related to dinosaurs are composed of isolated teeth and vertebrae. Despite the increase of fieldwork during the last decade, there are still no dinosaur body-fossils of Jurassic age and the evidence of ornithischians in Brazil is very limited. Dinosaur faunas from this country are generally correlated with those from other parts of Gondwana throughout the Mesozoic. During the Late Triassic, there is a close correspondence to Argentina and other south-Pangaea areas. Mid-Cretaceous faunas of northeastern Brazil resemble those of coeval deposits of North Africa and Argentina. Southern hemisphere spinosaurids are restricted to Africa and Brazil, whereas abelisaurids are still unknown in the Early Cretaceous of the latter. Late Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages of south-central Brazil are endemic only to genus or, more conspicuously, to species level, sharing closely related taxa with Argentina, Madagascar, Indo-Pakistan and, to a lesser degree, continental Africa.

Moral Self-Cultivation East and West: A Critique

Science.gov (United States)

Slote, Michael

2016-01-01

Moral Self-Cultivation plays an important, even a central role, in the Confucian philosophical tradition, but philosophers in the West, most notably Aristotle and Kant, also hold that moral self-cultivation or self-shaping is possible and morally imperative. This paper argues that these traditions are psychologically unrealistic in what they say…

Endemic and threatened tetrapods in the restingas of the biodiversity corridors of Serra do Mar and of the central da Mata Atlântica in Eastern Brazil

OpenAIRE

Rocha, C. F. D; Van Sluys, M; Bergallo, H. G.; Alves, M. A. S.

2005-01-01

Biodiversity corridors comprise a mosaic of land uses connecting fragments of natural forest across a landscape. Two such corridors have been established along the eastern coast of Brazil: the Serra do Mar and the Central da Mata Atlântica corridors, along which most of the coastal plains are restinga areas. In this study, we analyze the present status of the endemic and endangered terrestrial vertebrates of both corridors. We sampled 10 restingas in both corridors, recording species of amphi...

Alfalfa nutritive quality for ruminant livestock as influenced by ambient air quality in west-central Alberta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, J.C. [Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849 (United States); Nosal, M. [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 (Canada); Muntifering, R.B. [Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849 (United States)]. E-mail: muntirb@auburn.edu; Krupa, S.V. [Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108 (United States)

2007-09-15

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) nutritive quality response to ambient ozone (O{sub 3}), sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and oxides of nitrogen (NO {sub x} ) were assessed at three locations in west-central Alberta, Canada (1998-2002). Yield data were segregated into high and low relative to overall median yield. Ozone concentrations (hourly median and 95th-percentile) and precipitation (P) contributed 69 and 29%, respectively, to the variability in crude protein (CP) concentration in low-yielding alfalfa, whereas mean temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) collectively influenced 98% of the variation in CP in high-yielding alfalfa. Three-fourths of the accounted variation in relative feed value (RFV) of low-yielding alfalfa was attributable to P, T and RH, whereas median and 95th-percentile hourly O{sub 3} concentrations and SO{sub 2} and NO {sub x} exposure integrals contributed 25%. In contrast, air quality, (mainly O{sub 3}) influenced 86% of the accounted variation in RFV of high-yielding alfalfa, and T and P collectively contributed 14%. - Exposure to ambient concentrations of phytotoxic air pollutants affected nutritive quality of alfalfa for ruminant livestock in a yield-dependent manner.

Food Insecurity in Urban and Rural Areas in Central Brazil: Transition from Locally Produced Foods to Processed Items.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Livia Penna Firme; Carvalho, Raissa Costa; Maciel, Agatha; Otanasio, Polyanna Nunes; Garavello, Maria Elisa de Paula Eduardo; Nardoto, Gabriela Bielefeld

2016-01-01

Aiming to investigate the effect of diet and food consumption with regard to health, environment, and economy in light of nutrition ecology, we studied the dimensions of nutrition and food security in urban and rural settings in the region of Chapada dos Veadeiros, Central Brazil. We tracked diet and food consumption through carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in fingernails of these inhabitants together with food intake data as a proxy for their diet patterns. We estimated household food insecurity by using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. Nutrition and food insecurity was observed in both urban and rural areas, but was accentuated in rural settings. The diet pattern had high δ(13)C values in fingernails and low δ(15)N. Both urban and rural areas have diets with low diversity and relying on low-quality processed food staples at the same time that nutrition and food insecurity is quite high in the region.

Dengue-specific serotype related to clinical severity during the 2012/2013 epidemic in centre of Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Rocha, Benigno A M; Guilarde, Adriana O; Argolo, Angela F L T; Tassara, Marianna Peres; da Silveira, Lucimeire A; Junqueira, Isabela C; Turchi, Marília D; Féres, Valéria C R; Martelli, Celina M T

2017-08-02

Please see Additional file 1 for translations of the abstract into the five official working languages of the United Nations. Currently, in Brazil, there is a co-circulation of the four dengue (DENV-1 to DENV-4) serotypes. This study aimed to assess whether different serotypes and antibody response patterns were associated with the severity of the disease during a dengue outbreak, which occurred in 2012/2013 in centre of Brazil. We conducted a prospective study with 452 patients with laboratory confirmed dengue in central Brazil, from January 2012 to July 2013. The clinical outcome was the severity of cases: dengue, dengue with warning signs, and severe dengue. The patients were evaluated at three different moments. Blood sampling for laboratory testing and confirmatory tests for dengue infection were performed. We performed a multinomial analysis considering the three categories of the dependent variable, as outlined above. The odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. A multinomial logistic regression model was applied for variables with a P-value Brazil. Our findings contribute to the understanding of clinical differences and immune status related to the serotypes DENV-1 and DENV-4 in central of Brazil.

Policies to improve the local impact from hydrocarbon extraction: Observations on West Africa and possible lessons for Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klueh, Ulrich H.; Pastor, Gonzalo; Segura, Alonso

2009-01-01

The paper offers specific inputs to the debate on local content promotion in the oil industries of West Africa and Central Asia. To this end, we document the international experience with local content promotion to derive best practices in the field. We then use a case study approach to devise a simple analytical framework for rationalizing the selection of viable sectors for local content promotion, in an attempt to make operational one of the best practice principles (efficiency) developed before. By proposing specific rules regarding the acceptability of a project, the analysis seeks to add rigor and address distortions on localization outcomes from rent-seeking. The emphasis is not on supporting efforts to 'pick winners' and subsidize them through a range of by and large discredited instruments. Rather, the paper focuses on the specific public inputs the government would have to provide to support an otherwise market-driven process

A Geochemical Analysis of Rare Earth Elements Associated with Significant Phosphate Deposits of West-Central Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, K. M.; Owens, J. D.

2017-12-01

Rare earth elements (REEs) such as the lanthanide series as well as yttrium, uranium, and thorium are an important industrial resource for expanding technological sectors; therefore, demand and production will continue to increase. Increased market prices resulting in decreased demand has led to new exploration for REE mineral resources in North America. Phosphorite deposits are being investigated as a possible supply but the overall concentrations, depositional environments, and ages are relatively unexplored. Phosphorite is commonly associated with ocean floor sediment deposition and upwelling; however, it may also form in estuarine and supratidal zones with low wave activity, present along Florida's west coast. Interestingly, it seems that major ancient phosphorite deposits are often, if not always, associated with major icehouse conditions (widespread glaciations) and rarely observed during greenhouse conditions. By analyzing a set of sonic drill cores, spatiotemporal REE concentrations can be better constrained for a wide-age range of the Miocene-Pliocene aged Bone Valley Member of the Peace River Formation, the largest North American phosphate deposit. We present concentrations from a depth-transect of samples collected in West-Central Florida, showing the phosphatic sands and silts of the area are highly enriched sedimentary archives for REE, yielding concentrations up to 200 ppm for some REE. The weathering and transport of igneous and metamorphic minerals from the southern Appalachians to the Florida coast where a series of winnowing events occurred may explain the enrichment seen by our data. Sediment cores showing well-rounded quartz sands, dolomitic silts, teeth, bones, and marine fossils commonly found in a near shore depositional environment support this hypothesis. Previous analysis of phosphate grains, teeth, bones, and bulk sediment indicate REE are not associated with and/or sourcing from biogenic components, but rather entering the lattice

Modelling the potential impacts of afforestation on extreme precipitation over West Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Odoulami, Romaric C.; Abiodun, Babatunde J.; Ajayi, Ayodele E.

2018-05-01

This study examines how afforestation in West Africa could influence extreme precipitation over the region, with a focus on widespread extreme rainfall events (WEREs) over the afforestation area. Two regional climate models (RegCM and WRF) were applied to simulate the present-day climate (1971-2000) and future climate (2031-2060, under IPCC RCP 4.5 emission scenario) with and without afforestation of the Savannah zone in West Africa. The models give a realistic simulation of precipitation indices and WEREs over the subcontinent. On average, the regional models projected future decreases in total annual wet day precipitation (PRCPTOT) and total annual daily precipitation greater than or equal to the 95th percentile of daily precipitation threshold (R95pTOT) and increases in maximum number of consecutive dry days (CDD) over Sahel. Over Savannah, the models projected decreases in PRCPTOT but increases in R95pTOT and CDD. Also, an increase in WEREs frequency is projected over west, central and east Savannah, except that RegCM simulated a decrease in WEREs over east Savannah. In general, afforestation increases PRCPTOT and R95pTOT but decreases CDD over the afforestation area. The forest-induced increases in PRCPTOT and decreases in CDD affect all ecological zones in West Africa. However, the simulations show that afforestation of Savannah also decreases R95pTOT over the Guinea Coast. It further increases WEREs over west and central Savannah and decreases them over east Savannah because of the local decrease in R95pTOT. Results of this study suggest that the future changes in characteristics of extreme precipitation events over West Africa are sensitive to the ongoing land modification.

Reptilia, Squamata, Amphisbaenia, Amphisbaena cuiabana (Strussmann and Carvalho, 2001: Range extension in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva, P. C.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Amphisbaena cuiabana (Strüssmann and Carvalho, 2001 is reported from three localities in Mato Grosso,Brazil. These new records extend its known distribution on 275 km northwest, 230 km west, 67 km east of its type-locality.We redefine the diagnosis of the species based on these additional specimens.

Stonefly (Plecoptera fauna of streams in a mountainous area of Central Brazil: abiotic factors and nymph density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pitágoras da Conceição Bispo

2002-07-01

Full Text Available The stonefly (Pleeoptera nymphs of streams of the Almas River basin, Pirenópolis, Goiás State, Central Brazil, and some abiotie factors that might affect their temporal distribution were studied. Nymphs were sampled monthly (June 1993 to July 1994 in five stations with a Surber sampler, and each sample consisted of 20 units totalling 2 m². In each station, stream velocity, discharge, temperature, electrical conductivity and pH were measured in order to assess their influence on the density of nymphs. Nymphs were identified to genus level. In general, the annual variation in density of nymphs, in four stations, showed that the seasonal variation was not clearly influenced by the annual rain cycle. In the case of the one of the stations, where numbers of stonefly nymphs were low and the anthropic action high, there was a density peak in the rainy season. This peak was probably related to dilution of the organie pollution in the rainy season, improving the environmental conditions for the Pleeoptera.

[Identification of wild rodents as hosts of Angiostrongylus costaricencis in southern Brazil].

Science.gov (United States)

Graeff-Teixeira, C; de Avila-Pires, F D; Machado, R de C; Camillo-Coura, L; Lenzi, H L

1990-01-01

Increasing number of human cases of abdominal angiostrongyliasis has been diagnosed in the south of Brazil. The main definitive host of Angiostrongylus costaricensis in Central America is the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) that does not occur in South America, except in the north of Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. Rodents were captured in the endemic area in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and definitive hosts were identified for the first time in Brazil: Oryzomys nigripes and Oryzomys ratticeps. O. nigripes is a small wild rodent and it appears to be the main definitive host of A. costaricensis in the highlands of RS, Brazil's southernmost State.

Habitat suitability mapping of Anopheles darlingi in the surroundings of the Manso hydropower plant reservoir, Mato Grosso, Central Brazil

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Miyazaki Rosina D

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hydropower plants provide more than 78 % of Brazil's electricity generation, but the country's reservoirs are potential new habitats for main vectors of malaria. In a case study in the surroundings of the Manso hydropower plant in Mato Grosso state, Central Brazil, habitat suitability of Anopheles darlingi was studied. Habitat profile was characterized by collecting environmental data. Remote sensing and GIS techniques were applied to extract additional spatial layers of land use, distance maps, and relief characteristics for spatial model building. Results Logistic regression analysis and ROC curves indicate significant relationships between the environment and presence of An. darlingi. Probabilities of presence strongly vary as a function of land cover and distance from the lake shoreline. Vector presence was associated with spatial proximity to reservoir and semi-deciduous forests followed by Cerrado woodland. Vector absence was associated with open vegetation formations such as grasslands and agricultural areas. We suppose that non-significant differences of vector incidences between rainy and dry seasons are associated with the availability of anthropogenic breeding habitat of the reservoir throughout the year. Conclusion Satellite image classification and multitemporal shoreline simulations through DEM-based GIS-analyses consist in a valuable tool for spatial modeling of A. darlingi habitats in the studied hydropower reservoir area. Vector presence is significantly increased in forested areas near reservoirs in bays protected from wind and wave action. Construction of new reservoirs under the tropical, sub-humid climatic conditions should therefore be accompanied by entomologic studies to predict the risk of malaria epidemics.

Interlaboratory comparison of {sup 10}Be concentrations in two ice cores from Central West Antarctica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodruff, Thomas E., E-mail: woodruft@purdue.edu [PRIME Laboratory, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Welten, Kees C. [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Caffee, Marc W. [PRIME Laboratory, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Nishiizumi, Kunihiko [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2013-01-15

To improve sample processing efficiency for cosmogenic radionuclide measurements in samples from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide core, two chemical lines, one at Purdue University and one at University of California, Berkeley, are being used. Sections from two shallow ice cores from West Antarctica were processed at each lab, while all {sup 10}Be accelerator mass spectrometry measurements were performed at PRIME Lab, Purdue University. Duplicate samples gave {sup 10}Be results that are identical to within the AMS measurement uncertainties of 2-3%.

Non-communicable diseases among prison inmates in North-West ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: There is paucity of data on prevalence of non-communicable diseases in prison inmates. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of non-communicable diseases in inmates of Sokoto Central Prison, North-West Nigeria. Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out.

Development first: Linking energy and emission policies with sustainable development for Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garg, A.; Halsnaes, K.; La Rovere, E.L.; Pereira, A.O.; Simoes, A.F.; Pereira, A.S.; Schmidt Dubeux, C.B.; Costa, R.C. da

2007-09-01

The most recent set of information on economic and social indicators evinces that the economic stabilization plan, launched in 1994, had positive results in many areas, such as the control of inflation, better income distribution, and the slow but continuous progress of the main structural variables of the Brazilian social conditions. In 2005, Brazil had a population of 180 million, the literacy rate of 88.2%, average life expectancy of 71.3 years, infant mortality at 27.5 children per thousand and per capita income of over R$ 8,000. Brazil is the 10th largest energy consumer in the world and the third largest in the Western Hemisphere, behind the United States and Canada. Over the past decade, Brazil has made great strides in increasing its total energy production, particularly with regard to oil. In the early 1990s, for example, Brazil was a large net oil importer, but by 2006, the domestic production met domestic demand. Brazil intends to increase its biofuels production and exports. The country case studies highlight the centrality of energy to socio-economic development of Brazil. (au)

Development first: Linking energy and emission policies with sustainable development for Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garg, A.; Halsnaes, K.; La Rovere, E.L.; Pereira, A.O.; Simoes, A.F.; Pereira, A.S.; Schmidt Dubeux, C.B.; Costa, R.C. da

2007-09-15

The most recent set of information on economic and social indicators evinces that the economic stabilization plan, launched in 1994, had positive results in many areas, such as the control of inflation, better income distribution, and the slow but continuous progress of the main structural variables of the Brazilian social conditions. In 2005, Brazil had a population of 180 million, the literacy rate of 88.2%, average life expectancy of 71.3 years, infant mortality at 27.5 children per thousand and per capita income of over R$ 8,000. Brazil is the 10th largest energy consumer in the world and the third largest in the Western Hemisphere, behind the United States and Canada. Over the past decade, Brazil has made great strides in increasing its total energy production, particularly with regard to oil. In the early 1990s, for example, Brazil was a large net oil importer, but by 2006, the domestic production met domestic demand. Brazil intends to increase its biofuels production and exports. The country case studies highlight the centrality of energy to socio-economic development of Brazil. (au)

COPEHs Continue to Sow Partnership Seeds | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-05-09

May 9, 2011 ... CoPEH members exchanged ideas and identified areas for collaboration. ... Practice in EcoHealth—West and Central African region (CoPES-AOC), the Canadian Community of Practice ... Canadian effort to stem transmission and deaths from dengue fever ... Brazil — Mercury contamination in the Amazon.

Sintopy of two Tropidurus lizard species (Squamata: Tropiduridae) in a rocky Cerrado habitat in central Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Faria, R G; Araujo, A F B

2004-11-01

We studied the ecology of Tropidurus itambere and T. oreadicus that occur syntopically in rocky habitats of Cerrado vegetation in central Brazil during the dry season (April to September 2000). The two species are ecologically similar, but somewhat differentiated in vertical microhabitat use. The two species preferred rocky surface microhabitat. Both species demonstrated a unimodal activity pattern, with a peak between 10 and 15 h. Their diets were similar in composition and prey size. The most frequent item used by both species was ants, whereas the most important preys volumetrically were termites and ants. Small morphological differences observed between the two Tropidurus species could explain minor microhabitat divergence: T. itambere is slightly smaller, heavier, and more robust, and uses lower perches. T. oreadicus is larger, lankier, with longer extremities (tail, fore- and hindlegs), and uses a larger vertical microhabitat range. These ecological differences are slight, when compared with those observed between sympatric species of Tropidurus in spatially more heterogeneous landscapes. Considering the slight ecomorphological divergence between the two Tropidurus species and their high abundance in outcrops, we suggest that interspecific territoriality is the mechanism of coexistence.

Random and systematic spatial variability of 137Cs inventories at reference sites in South-Central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Correchel Vladia

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The precision of the 137Cs fallout redistribution technique for the evaluation of soil erosion rates is strongly dependent on the quality of an average inventory taken at a representative reference site. The knowledge of the sources and of the degree of variation of the 137Cs fallout spatial distribution plays an important role on its use. Four reference sites were selected in the South-Central region of Brazil which were characterized in terms of soil chemical, physical and mineralogical aspects as well as the spatial variability of 137Cs inventories. Some important differences in the patterns of 137Cs depth distribution in the soil profiles of the different sites were found. They are probably associated to chemical, physical, mineralogical and biological differences of the soils but many questions still remain open for future investigation, mainly those regarding the adsorption and dynamics of the 137Cs ions in soil profiles under tropical conditions. The random spatial variability (inside each reference site was higher than the systematic spatial variability (between reference sites but their causes were not clearly identified as possible consequences of chemical, physical, mineralogical variability, and/or precipitation.

America’s “Peculiar Children”: Authority and Christian Nationalism at Antebellum West Point

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Michael Graziano

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This essay examines how the United States Military Academy at West Point developed an explicitly “federal” Christianity to help train the antebellum officers of the United States Army. It begins by examining how the Episcopal Church was quietly “established” at West Point, and how the church allied with the federal government and US Army to encourage a potent Christian nationalism that collapsed the sovereignty of the United States into the sovereignty of God. The case of West Point illustrates how federal officials, Army leaders, and Academy administrators understood religion as a central component of national security.

Regeneration in defoliated and thinned hardwood stands of north-central West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

R. M. Muzika; M. J. Twery

1995-01-01

Overstory species regeneration was examined in 1989, prior to gypsy moth defoliation and thinnings, on 16 stands in the West Virginia University Forest. Three stands were thinned and defoliated while five were thinned only and three were defoliated only. Five stands were neither thinned nor defoliated. Data were collected from these stands for three years subsequent to...

First Report of Outbreaks of the Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), a New Alien Invasive Pest in West and Central Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Goergen, Georg; Kumar, P Lava; Sankung, Sagnia B; Togola, Abou; Tamò, Manuele

2016-01-01

The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda is a prime noctuid pest of maize on the American continents where it has remained confined despite occasional interceptions by European quarantine services in recent years. The pest has currently become a new invasive species in West and Central Africa where outbreaks were recorded for the first time in early 2016. The presence of at least two distinct haplotypes within samples collected on maize in Nigeria and São Tomé suggests multiple introductions into the African continent. Implications of this new threat to the maize crop in tropical Africa are briefly discussed.

The Impacts of U.S. Cotton Programs on the World Market: An Analysis of Brazilian and African WTO Petitions

OpenAIRE

Pan, Suwen; Mohanty, Samarendu; Ethridge, Don E.; Fadiga, Mohamadou L.

2004-01-01

Brazil, supported by Australia challenged U.S. cotton programs at the September 2003 meeting of the WTO settlement Body. Brazil complained that U.S. cotton subsidies such as marketing loans, export credits, commodity certificates, direct payments and counter cyclical payments are depressing world prices and are injurious to Brazilian farmers. In addition, the West and Central African Countries (WCA) countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad have filed a petition with the WTO claiming th...

The developmental state in Brazil: comparative and historical perspectives

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BEN ROSS SCHNEIDER

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The record of successful developmental states in East Asia and the partial successes of developmental states in Latin America suggest several common preconditions for effective state intervention including a Weberian bureaucracy, monitoring of implementation, reciprocity (subsidies in exchange for performance, and collaborative relations between government and business. Although Brazil failed to develop the high technology manufacturing industry and exports that have fueled sustained growth in East Asia, its developmental state had a number of important, and often neglected, successes, especially in steel, automobiles, mining, ethanol, and aircraft manufacturing. Where Brazil's developmental state was less successful was in promoting sectors like information technology and nuclear energy, as well as overall social and regional equality. In addition, some isolated initiatives by state governments were also effective in promoting particular local segments of industry and agriculture. Comparisons with East Asia, highlight the central role of state enterprises in Brazil that in effect internalized monitoring and reciprocity and bypassed collaboration between business and government (that was overall rarer in Brazil.

Warm and Dry Spells (WDS in Austral Winter over Central South America

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P. Satyamurty

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The horizontal and vertical structure of unusually warm and dry spells (WDS over the central parts of South America during the winter and post-winter months (JJAS are studied. During WDS the mean temperature and humidity anomalies over central Brazil are about +4.1°C and −13.2%, respectively. The mean duration of WDS is 11 days and their mean frequency is less than one per year during the months of JJAS. Apparently, WDS have no preference for the phase of ENSO. Widespread and persistent subsidence in the middle troposphere is observed in tropical Brazil during WDS, which renders the lower tropospheric air warm and dry. The negative anomalies of the specific humidity are observed to be associated with the subsidence regions. A strong, slow moving ridge in the eastern South Pacific and a low-pressure center in northern Argentina are important surface characteristics during the WDS. A more detailed investigation of two specific WDS events, a strong event (August–September 1999 and a moderate one (June 2002, shows a blocking-like situation in the 500-hPa geopotential and surface pressure fields in the Pacific. The South Atlantic subtropical high somewhat approaches the continent. Strong northerlies over the central and eastern parts of Brazil are also observed in the lower troposphere. During WDS the regional circulation acquires summertime characteristics, except for the absence of precipitation, and the circulation in the meridional plane is in the opposite sense from the Hadley circulation. A frontal system, supported by a 500-hPa trough, advances into central Brazil, causing the dissipation of the anomalous situation.

Implications of food aid and remittances for West African food import demand

OpenAIRE

Kiawu, James; Jones, Keithly G

2013-01-01

The influence of food aid and remittances on West African food import demand is evaluated using a Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) model. Our results show that imports of oilseeds and the rest of the agricultural products category are highly price elastic, and that fruit and vegetables and dairy products are least responsive to price changes. Food aid did not influence West African food imports, but remittances were found to be statistically significant in determining food imports. The infl...

Preferences for Inequality: East vs. West. Innocenti Working Papers.

Science.gov (United States)

Suhrcke, Marc

Do preferences for income inequality differ systematically between the post-socialist countries of central and eastern Europe and the western established market economies? Analyzing 1999 data from a large international survey to address this question, the paper examines whether attitudes to inequality differ between east and west even after the…

Institutional framework in relation to climate change in West and ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2010-12-16

Dec 16, 2010 ... This paper maps the institutions working in West and Central Africa on issues related to climate change, vulnerability, and adaptation, and assesses a range of institutional strengths and weaknesses. Representatives of 16 institutions in the sub region were surveyed and interviewed.

Floristic, edaphic and structural characteristics of flooded and unflooded forests in the lower Rio Purús region of central Amazonia, Brazil

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Haugaasen Torbjørn

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Despite a natural history interest in the early 1900s, relatively little ecological research has been carried out in the Rio Purús basin of central Amazonia, Brazil. Here we describe a new study area in the region of Lago Uauaçú with an emphasis on the climate, forest structure and composition, and soil characteristics between adjacent unflooded (terra firme and seasonally inundated forests; situated within both the white-water (várzea and black-water (igapó drainage systems that dominate the landscape. The climate was found to be typical of that of the central Amazon. Várzea forest soils had high concentrations of nutrients, while terra firme and igapó soils were comparatively nutrient-poor. Terra firme forests were the most floristically diverse forest type, whereas várzea was intermediate, and igapó the most species-poor. The Lecythidaceae was the most important family in terra firme while the Euphorbiaceae was the most important in both várzea and igapó. There were significant differences between forest types in terms of number of saplings, canopy cover and understorey density. In contrasting our results with other published information, we conclude that the Lago Uauaçú region consists of a typical central Amazonian forest macro-mosaic, but is a unique area with high conservation value due to the intimate juxtaposition of terra firme, várzea and igapó forests.

Comparison of tropical nematode communities from three harbours, west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nanajkar, M.; Ingole, B.S.

The three major harbours from the central west coast of India were investigated for their benthic environmental status using nematodes as surrogate community. As these three harbours have shown deteriorated conditions revealed from macrobenthic...

Brazil : tous les projets | Page 3 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Sujet: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, Democracy, URBAN YOUTH, GENDER ANALYSIS, SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, Gender. Région: Brazil, South America, North and Central America. Programme: Gouvernance et justice. Financement total : CA$ 117,300.00. Efficacité des politiques publiques ...

Mantle accretion evidence during the neoproterozoic of the Pernambuco-Alagoas terrane, and its significance to the evolution of the Borborema Province, NE Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva Filho, A.F.; Guimaraes, I.P; Van Schmus, W.R

2001-01-01

The Borborema Province is located in NE Brazil, corresponding to the western part of a major fold belt, which extends from Brazil to West Africa. According to paleogeographic reconstruction, it is located between the Congo, Sao Francisco and West Africa cratons. The Pernambuco-Alagoas Terrane is a major tectonic unit of the Borborema Province and comprises high-grade metamorphic sequences and the greatest granitic batholiths of this province. The granitic batholiths Maribondo-Correntes, Buique-Paulo Afonso and Aguas Belas-Caninde and their ortho derived country rocks show metaluminous and peraluminous compositions, and εNd(0,60 Ga) between +3,2 and -2,0 and T DM between 0,90 Ga and 1,20 Ga. These Nd isotope data favour a crustal evolution hypothesis involving accretion of juvenile material at least during the Brasiliano orogenesis collision and perhaps the formation of a juvenile lithosphere during the end of the Mesoproterozoic (au)

How many species and under what names? Using DNA barcoding and GenBank data for west Central African amphibian conservation.

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Jessica L Deichmann

Full Text Available Development projects in west Central Africa are proceeding at an unprecedented rate, often with little concern for their effects on biodiversity. In an attempt to better understand potential impacts of a road development project on the anuran amphibian community, we conducted a biodiversity assessment employing multiple methodologies (visual encounter transects, auditory surveys, leaf litter plots and pitfall traps to inventory species prior to construction of a new road within the buffer zone of Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. Because of difficulties in morphological identification and taxonomic uncertainty of amphibian species observed in the area, we integrated a DNA barcoding analysis into the project to improve the overall quality and accuracy of the species inventory. Based on morphology alone, 48 species were recognized in the field and voucher specimens of each were collected. We used tissue samples from specimens collected at our field site, material available from amphibians collected in other parts of Gabon and the Republic of Congo to initiate a DNA barcode library for west Central African amphibians. We then compared our sequences with material in GenBank for the genera recorded at the study site to assist in identifications. The resulting COI and 16S barcode library allowed us to update the number of species documented at the study site to 28, thereby providing a more accurate assessment of diversity and distributions. We caution that because sequence data maintained in GenBank are often poorly curated by the original submitters and cannot be amended by third-parties, these data have limited utility for identification purposes. Nevertheless, the use of DNA barcoding is likely to benefit biodiversity inventories and long-term monitoring, particularly for taxa that can be difficult to identify based on morphology alone; likewise, inventory and monitoring programs can contribute invaluable data to the DNA barcode library and

Results of the radiological survey at 130 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ029)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, R.D.; Floyd, L.M.; Carrier, R.F.

1989-10-01

Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) of Maywood, New Jersey, generated process wastes and residues associated with the production and refining of thorium and thorium compounds from monazite ores from 1916 to 1956. MCW supplied rare earth metals and thorium compounds to the Atomic Energy Commission and various other government agencies from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s. Area residents used the sandlike waste from this thorium extraction process mixed with tea and cocoa leaves as mulch in their yards. Some of these contaminated wastes were also eroded from the site into Lodi Brook. At the request of the US Department of Energy (DOE), a group from Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducts investigative radiological surveys of properties in the vicinity of MCW to determine whether a property is contaminated with radioactive residues, principally 232 Th, derived from the MCW site. The survey typically includes direct measurement of gamma radiation levels and soil sampling for radionuclides analyses. The survey of this site, 130 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ029), was conducted during 1987 and 1988. Some radionuclide measurements were greater than typical background levels in the northern New Jersey area. However, results of the survey demonstrated no radionuclide concentrations in excess of the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action program criteria. 4 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs

Seria o vírus do Oeste do Nilo causa potencial de infecção no sistema nervoso central no Brasil?

OpenAIRE

Soares, Cristiane N; Castro, Mauro J. Cabral; Peralta, José M; Freitas, Marcos R.G. de; Puccioni-Sohler, Marzia

2010-01-01

Meningitis and encephalitis are complications of West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Although WNV is endemic in North America, the virus has recently been reported in Colombia and Argentina. Investigation of WNV in Brazil is important since this virus has never been studied previously in this country. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of WNV infection in viral encephalitis/meningitis cases of unknown etiology in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHOD: Thirty-seven adults with viral meni...

The morphology and migration of transverse bars off the west-central Florida coast

Science.gov (United States)

Gelfenbaum, G.; Brooks, G.R.

2003-01-01

A series of migrating shore-normal sandbars with wavelengths of 75-120 m and heights up to 2 m have been identified off the northern tip of Anna Maria Island, a barrier island on the west-central Florida coast. Similar features have been described elsewhere since the 1930s and termed 'transverse bars'. The transverse bars identified off Anna Maria Island are found for about 3 km along the coast and extend 4 km offshore, well outside the normal surf-zone width. No cusps or any other associated beach expression is evident despite the fact that the bars come to within about 75 m of the beach. Sediments on the crests of the bars are a well-sorted fine quartz sand, whereas sediments in the troughs are a poorly sorted coarse carbonate shell hash. Historical aerial photographs and repeated high-resolution bathymetric surveys provide a means of quantifying the migration of the transverse bars. Analyses of orthorectified aerial photographs from the early 1940s through the mid 1990s clearly show movement or migration taking place in the bar field. In the 40-yr period from 1951 to 1991, the southern edge of the bar field moved 200-350 m to the south, with an average long-term migration rate of 8 m/yr. Repeated bathymetric surveys over an 8-month period give an average short-term migration rate of 21 m/yr to the south. Wave and current measurements suggest that southerly winds associated with the passage of cold fronts drive near-bed currents to the south that are strong enough to initiate sediment transport and cause the southerly migration of the transverse bars.

Monitoring and modeling of sinkhole-related subsidence in west-central Florida mapped from InSAR and surface observations

Science.gov (United States)

Kiflu, H.; Oliver-Cabrera, T.; Robinson, T.; Wdowinski, S.; Kruse, S.

2017-12-01

Sinkholes in Florida cause millions of dollars in damage to infrastructure each year. Methods of early detection of sinkhole-related subsidence are clearly desirable. We have completed two years of monitoring of selected sinkhole-prone areas in west central Florida with XXX data and analysis with XXX algorithms. Filters for selecting targets with high signal-to-noise ratio and subsidence over this time window (XX-2015-XX-2017) are being used to select sites for ground study. A subset of the buildings with InSAR-detected subsidence indicated show clear structural indications of subsidence in the form of cracks in walls and roofs. Comsol Multiphysics models have been developed to describe subsidence at the rates identified from the InSAR analysis (a few mm/year) and on spatial scales observed from surface observations, including structural deformation of buildings and ground penetrating radar images of subsurface deformation (length scales of meters to tens of meters). These models assume cylindrical symmetry and deformation of elastic and poroelastic layers over a growing sphering void.

Toward a new tectonic model for the Late Proterozoic Araçuaí (SE Brazil)-West Congolian (SW Africa) Belt

Science.gov (United States)

Pedrosa-Soares, A. C.; Noce, C. M.; Vidal, Ph; Monteiro, R. L. B. P.; Leonardos, O. H.

1992-08-01

The Araçuaí Belt is a Late Proterozoic (Brasiliano Cycle) geotectonic unit which was developed along the southeastern margin of the São Francisco Craton (SE Brazil) and was formerly considered as being an ensialic orogen. It is correlated with the Pan-African West Congolian Belt (SW Africa) in many reports. In the western domain of the belt, the Macaúbas Group—the most important supracrustal sequence related to the evolution of the Araçuaí Belt —comprises the Terra Branca and Carbonita Formations, which consist of littoral glacial sediments to shelf turbidites. These formations grade upward and eastward to the Salinas Formation, consisting of distal turbidites related to submarine fans, pelagic sediments, and a rock association (the Ribeirão da Folha Facies) typical of an ocean-floor environment. Banded iron formations, metacherts, diopsidites, massive sulfides, graphite schists, hyperaluminous schists, and ortho-amphibolites, intercalated with quartz-mica schists and impure quartzites, characterize the most distinctive and restricted volcano-sedimentary facies yet found within the Salinas Formation. Ultramafic slabs were tectonically emplaced within the Ribeirão da Folha Facies. Eight whole rock samples of meta-ultramafic rocks and ortho-amphibolites yielded a SmNd isochronic age of 793 ± 90 Ma ( ɛNd(T) = +4.1 ± 0.6. MSWD = 1.76 ). The structures of the northern Araçuaí Belt are marked by a doen-dip stretching lineation (western domain) related to frontal thrusts which controlled tectonic transport from east to west; stretching lineation rakes decrease in the eastern tectonic domain, indicating dominant oblique to transcurrent motion; the northern arch of the belt is characterized by major high-dip transcurrent shear zones. Our tectonic model starts with marked fracturing, followed by rifting that took place in the São Francisco-Congo Craton around 1000 ± 100 Ma (ages of basic intrusions and alkaline anorogenic granites). A sinistral transfer

Bayesian inversion of surface-wave data for radial and azimuthal shear-wave anisotropy, with applications to central Mongolia and west-central Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Ravenna, Matteo; Lebedev, Sergei

2018-04-01

flow. This is consistent with an upward flow from below the thick lithosphere of the Siberian Craton to below the thinner lithosphere of central Mongolia, likely to give rise to decompression melting and the scattered, sporadic volcanism observed in the Baikal Rift area, as proposed previously. Inversion of phase-velocity data from west-central Italy for azimuthal anisotropy reveals a clear change in the shear-wave fast-propagation direction at 70-100 km depths, near the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. The orientation of the fabric in the lithosphere is roughly E-W, parallel to the direction of stretching over the last 10 m.y. The orientation of the fabric in the asthenosphere is NW-SE, matching the fast directions inferred from shear-wave splitting and probably indicating the direction of the asthenospheric flow.

A digital model for planning water management at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, west-central Montana

Science.gov (United States)

Nimick, David A.; McCarthy, Peter M.; Fields, Vanessa

2011-01-01

Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge is an important area for waterfowl production and migratory stopover in west-central Montana. Eight wetland units covering about 5,600 acres are the essential features of the refuge. Water availability for the wetland units can be uncertain owing to the large natural variations in precipitation and runoff and the high cost of pumping supplemental water. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has developed a digital model for planning water management. The model can simulate strategies for water transfers among the eight wetland units and account for variability in runoff and pumped water. This report describes this digital model, which uses a water-accounting spreadsheet to track inputs and outputs to each of the wetland units of Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Inputs to the model include (1) monthly values for precipitation, pumped water, runoff, and evaporation; (2) water-level/capacity data for each wetland unit; and (3) the pan-evaporation coefficient. Outputs include monthly water volume and flooded surface area for each unit for as many as 5 consecutive years. The digital model was calibrated by comparing simulated and historical measured water volumes for specific test years.

Brazil : tous les projets | Page 7 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Région: North and Central America, South America, Brazil, Chile, Mexico ... partie du Marché commun du cône Sud ou Mercosur (l'Argentine, la Bolivie, le Brésil, le Paraguay, ... Sujet: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, HUMAN RIGHTS, POLICE.

Incidence of cassava mosaic disease and associated whitefly vectors in South West and North Central Nigeria: Data exploration.

Science.gov (United States)

Eni, Angela O; Efekemo, Oghenevwairhe P; Soluade, Mojisola G; Popoola, Segun I; Atayero, Aderemi A

2018-08-01

Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) is one of the most economically important viral diseases of cassava, an important staple food for over 800 million people in the tropics. Although several Cassava mosaic virus species associated with CMD have been isolated and characterized over the years, several new super virulent strains of these viruses have evolved due to genetic recombination between diverse species. In this data article, field survey data collected from 184 cassava farms in 12 South Western and North Central States of Nigeria in 2015 are presented and extensively explored. In each State, one cassava farm was randomly selected as the first farm and subsequent farms were selected at 10 km intervals, except in locations were cassava farms are sporadically located. In each selected farm, 30 cassava plants were sampled along two diagonals and all selected plant was scored for the presence or absence of CMD symptoms. Cassava mosaic disease incidence and associated whitefly vectors in South West and North Central Nigeria are explored using relevant descriptive statistics, box plots, bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts. In addition, correlation analysis, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and multiple comparison post-hoc tests are performed to understand the relationship between the numbers of whiteflies counted, uninfected farms, infected farms, and the mean of symptom severity in and across the States under investigation. The data exploration provided in this data article is considered adequate for objective assessment of the incidence and symptom severity of cassava mosaic disease and associated whitefly vectors in farmers' fields in these parts of Nigeria where cassava is heavily cultivated.

Nitrogen emission and deposition budget in West and Central Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galy-Lacaux, C; Delon, C

2014-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen depends on land surface exchanges of nitrogen compounds. In Sub Saharan Africa, deposition and emission fluxes of nitrogen compounds are poorly quantified, and are likely to increase in the near future due to land use change and anthropogenic pressure. This work proposes an estimate of atmospheric N compounds budget in West and Central Africa, along an ecosystem transect, from dry savanna to wet savanna and forest, for years 2000−2007. The budget may be considered as a one point in time budget, to be included in long term studies as one of the first reference point for Sub Saharan Africa. Gaseous dry deposition fluxes are estimated by considering N compounds concentrations measured in the frame of the IDAF network (IGAC/DEBITS/AFrica) at the monthly scale and modeling of deposition velocities at the IDAF sites, taking into account the bi directional exchange of ammonia. Particulate dry deposition fluxes are calculated using the same inferential method. Wet deposition fluxes are calculated from measurements of ammonium and nitrate chemical content in precipitations at the IDAF sites combined with the annual rainfall amount. In terms of emission, biogenic NO emissions are simulated at each IDAF site with a surface model coupled to an emission module elaborated from an artificial neural network equation. Ammonia emissions from volatilization are calculated from literature data on livestock quantity in each country and N content in manure. NO x and NH 3 emission from biomass burning and domestic fires are estimated from satellite data and emission factors. The total budget shows that emission sources of nitrogen compounds are in equilibrium with deposition fluxes in dry and wet savannas, with respectively 7.40 (±1.90) deposited and 9.01 (±3.44) kgN ha −1 yr −1 emitted in dry savanna, 8.38 (±2.04) kgN ha −1 yr −1 deposited and 9.60 (±0.69) kgN ha −1 yr −1 emitted in wet savanna. In forested ecosystems, the total budget is dominated

Dropout and Functional Illiteracy Rates in Central Appalachia. Appalachian Data Bank Report #1.

Science.gov (United States)

Crew, B. Keith; And Others

Computerized analysis of 1980 Census data documented educational deficiencies in 85 Central Appalachian counties of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Dropout rates among youth ages 16-19 were found to be higher in Central Appalachian counties than in non-Central Appalachian counties, the poorest counties had the highest dropout…

Linking the southern West Junggar terrane to the Yili Block: Insights from the oldest accretionary complexes in West Junggar, NW China

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Rong; Han, Bao-Fu; Guan, Shu-Wei; Liu, Bo; Wang, Zeng-Zhen

2018-06-01

West Junggar is known to tectonically correlate with East Kazakhstan; however, the tectonic link of the southern West Junggar terrane to adjacent regions still remains uncertain. Here, we examined the oldest accretionary complexes, thus constraining its tectonic evolution and link during the Early-Middle Paleozoic. They have contrasting lithologic, geochemical, and geochronological features and thus, provenances and tectonic settings. The Laba Unit was derived from the Late Ordovician-Early Devonian continental arc system (peaking at 450-420 Ma) with Precambrian substrate, which formed as early as the Early Devonian and metamorphosed during the Permian; however, the Kekeshayi Unit was accumulated in an intra-oceanic arc setting, and includes the pre-Late Silurian and Late Silurian subunits with or without Precambrian sources. Integrated with the regional data, the southern West Junggar terrane revealed a tectonic link to the northern Yili Block during the Late Silurian to Early Devonian, as suggested by the comparable Precambrian zircon age spectra between the southern West Junggar terrane and the micro-continents in the southern Kazakhstan Orocline, the proximal accumulation of the Laba Unit in the continental arc atop the Yili Block, and the sudden appearance of Precambrian zircons in the Kekeshayi Unit during the Late Silurian. This link rejects the proposals of the southern West Junggar terrane as an extension of the northern Kazakhstan Orocline and the Middle Paleozoic amalgamation of West Junggar. A new linking model is thus proposed, in which the southern West Junggar terrane first evolved individually, and then collided with the Yili Block to constitute the Kazakhstan continent during the Late Silurian. The independent and contrasting intra-oceanic and continental arcs also support the Paleozoic archipelago-type evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt.

Novas espécies de Diplusodon Pohl (Lythraceae do Planalto Central e Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil New species of Diplusodon Pohl (Lythraceae from Central Brazil and Minas Gerais State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taciana Barbosa Cavalcanti

2007-12-01

Full Text Available (Novas espécies de Diplusodon Pohl (Lythraceae do Planalto Central e Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Quatro novas espécies são descritas e ilustradas para o gênero Diplusodon, que se somam ao alto número de espécies registradas para este gênero no Cerrado brasileiro, mais especificamente para as montanhas que formam a Serra Geral do Paraná, ou Serra Geral de Goiás, reafirmando a região como centro de diversidade genética do gênero. As seguintes espécies são descritas: Diplusodon capitalensis, do Distrito Federal e Goiás, D. chapadensis e D. grahamae, de Goiás, e D. rupestris, de Minas Gerais.(New species of Diplusodon Pohl (Lythraceae from Central Brazil and Minas Gerais State. Four new species are described and illustrated for the genus Diplusodon. These are added to the already high number of species registered for the Brazilian Cerrado, more precisely in the chain of mountains that form the Serra Geral do Parana or Serra Geral de Goiás, confirming this region as the primary center of genetic diversity of the genus. The following species are described: Diplusodon capitalensis, from the Distrito Federal and Goiás, D. chapadensis and D. grahamae from Goiás, and D. rupestris, from Minas Gerais.

Running dry: Where will the West get its water?

Science.gov (United States)

J. Thompson

2007-01-01

Late summer streamflow in western and central Oregon and northern California is almost exclusively due to immense groundwater storage in the Cascade Range. The volume of water stored in permeable lava flows in the Cascades is seven times that stored as snow. Nonetheless, until recently, virtually all examinations of streamflow trends under future climates in the West...

Pollination systems and floral traits in cerrado woody species of the Upper Taquari region (central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Q. Martins

Full Text Available Plant species present flowers with varied morphological and functional features, which may be associated to pollination systems, including species pollinated by wind, beetles, moths, bees, small insects, birds, or bats. We calculated the frequencies of the pollination systems among woody species in five cerrado fragments in central-western Brazil and tested whether the pollination systems were indeed related to floral traits. We sampled 2,280 individuals, belonging to 121 species, ninety-nine of which were described in relation to all floral traits. Most species had diurnal anthesis, pale colors, and open flowers. The most frequent groups were those composed by the species pollinated by bees, small insects, and moths. A Principal Component Analysis of the species and floral traits showed that there was a grouping among species with some pollination systems, such as those pollinated mainly by beetles, moths, birds, and bats, for which inferences based on the floral traits are recommended in cerrado sites. For the species pollinated mainly by bees or small insects, inferences based on the floral traits are not recommended, due to the large dispersion of the species scores and overlapping between these two groups, which probably occurred due to the specificity absence in plant-pollinator relationships.

Soil quality improvement for crop production in semi-arid West Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ouédraogo, E.

2004-01-01

Soil quality maintenance and crop production improvement in semi-arid West Africa require appropriate cropping technologies, which are ecologically sound and economically viable. Thus, on-farm and on-station experiments have been carried out on the central plateau and in the south of Burkina Faso

The PRONUCLEAR role (1976-1986 in the human resource training for the nuclear area in Brazil: science history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmiedecke, Winston Gomes

2006-01-01

In 1975, an agreement between the governments of Brazil and West-Germany was signed for the construction of nuclear power plants in Brazil as well as the extraction, processing and enrichment of uranium. As the result of the first oil crisis and facing the perspective of a continuous world energy crisis, the Brazilian government decided to turn to nuclear power as an alternative supply for the country's energy needs. However, serious limitations were present regarding the transfer of nuclear technology for a third world country. This paper analyzes some aspects of the process involved in the creation of the specialized human resources during the extent of the agreement between Brazil and West Germany. Since its inception, the agreement received harsh criticism from the Brazilian nuclear physics and related fields scientific communities. Because the planning and implementation of the agreement took place during a period of military dictatorship, the decisions relating to the agreement were never debated between the policy makers and the scientific community. Not surprisingly, the agreement received plenty of criticism that ranged from the actual need for nuclear power to technical feasibility and suspicious of possible military uses and even the very policies created to prepare human resources to work in the nuclear area. One of the most important tools of these policies was the Programa de Recursos Humanos para o Setor Nuclear - PRONUCLEAR (Nuclear Sector Human Resources Program), implemented in 1976 and gradually deactivated starting in 1983. (author)

TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE TIGRINA LEOPARDUS TIGRINUS (SCHREBER, 1775 SPECIES GROUP (CARNIVORA, FELIDAE

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FABIO OLIVEIRA DO NASCIMENTO

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The tigrina Leopardus tigrinus (Schreber, 1775 is a small-sized Neotropical spotted cat found from northern Argentina and southern Brazil to Costa Rica. Four subspecies are traditionally recognized: L. t. tigrinus (Schreber, 1775 from northern Brazil, the Guianas and eastern Venezuela; L. t. pardinoides (Gray, 1867 from western Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru; L. t. guttulus (Hensel, 1872 from southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina; and L. t. oncillus (Thomas, 1903 from Costa Rica. We studied external and craniodental morphology in quantitative and qualitative terms from 250 specimens in order to clarify the taxonomic status of tigrina. Based on the characters analyzed in this study, we recognize three diagnosable morphogroups, each with a distinct geographic distribution: northern/northwestern/west (samples from northern Brazil, the Guianas, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, northwestern Argentina and Costa Rica, eastern (samples from northeastern and central Brazil, and southern (samples from southern Brazil, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. Taking into account the morphologic evidence presented here, supported by biogeographic data and molecular studies available, we recognize three full species for tigrinas: L. tigrinus (including the putative subspecies L. t. pardinoides and L. t. oncillus as junior synonyms for northern/northwestern/west group; L. emiliae (Thomas, 1914 for eastern group; and L. guttulus for southern group.

Stillbirth prevalence in Brazil: an exploration of regional differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Taiana Silva; Pellanda, Lucia Campos; Doyle, Pat

Brazil is a large, heterogeneous, and diverse country, marked by social, economic, and regional inequalities. Stillbirth is a global concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated the prevalence and possible determinants of stillbirth in different regions of Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study including all women of reproductive age who had had a pregnancy in the last five years, enrolled in the most recent Brazilian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS/PNDS-2006/07). Logistic regression was used to assess the association between region and other maternal characteristics and stillbirth risk. The prevalence of stillbirth in Brazil was 14.82 per 1000 births, with great variation by region of the country, and a higher prevalence among the most deprived. The North and Northeast regions had the highest odds of stillbirth compared to the Center-West, which persisted after adjustment for multiple confounders - including deprivation level and ethnicity. Low maternal age and maternal obesity were also related to higher odds of stillbirth. In Brazil, the region influences stillbirth risk, with much higher risk in the North and Northeast. Variation in socioeconomic level does not explain this finding. Further research on the subject should explore other possible explanations, such as antenatal care and type of delivery, as well as the role of the private and public health systems in determining stillbirth. Preventive strategies should be directed to these historically disadvantaged regions, such as guaranteeing access and quality of care during pregnancy and around the time of birth. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Brucellosis in West and Central Africa: A review of the current situation in a changing landscape of dairy cattle systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Craighead, L; Meyer, A; Chengat, B; Musallam, I; Akakpo, J; Kone, P; Guitian, J; Häsler, B

2018-03-01

Brucellosis is a neglected endemic zoonosis in West and Central Africa. In this narrative review, evidence of livestock and human infection is presented along with details of past and current control strategies in 14 selected countries. Data from available literature is combined with expert opinion elicited during a regional workshop on brucellosis diagnostics. Demographic changes that affect both the epidemiology of brucellosis and the success of control or surveillance are also considered. The evidence suggests that brucellosis prevalence in emerging peri-urban dairy cattle systems may be higher than that found in traditional transhumant extensive systems. Accurate microbiological and epidemiological evidence across the region is lacking but it appears there is inherent interest in controlling the disease. There are many data gaps which require collaborative future research to evaluate fully the social and economic impact of the disease in an evolving livestock sector heavily influenced by high rates of urbanisation and regional population growth. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shallow gas charged sediments off the Indian west coast: Genesis and distribution

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mazumdar, A.; Peketi, A.; Dewangan, P.; Badesab, F.K.; Ramprasad, T; Ramana, M.V.; Patil, D.J.; Dayal, A.M.

Geophysical and geochemical surveys were carried out off Goa, central west coast of India, to understand the genesis and distribution of shallow gases in marine sediments. Shallow gas charged sediments within the water depths of approx. 15 to 40 m...

Reptilia, Serpentes, Dipsadidae, Gomesophis brasiliensis (Gomes, 1918: Distribution extension in state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

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Fortes, V. B.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The Brazilian burrowing snake, Gomesophis brasiliensis, occurs in aquatic habitats such as swamps, from MinasGerais and Distrito Federal until Rio Grande do Sul. In spite of this wide distribution, the species’ geographic range stillremains unclear. This note reports the occurrence of G. brasiliensis in the municipality of Vargem Bonita, state of SantaCatarina, south Brazil, extending the species’ range ca. 80 km to the west in this state.

Emerging arboviruses and public health challenges in Brazil

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Tamara Nunes Lima-Camara

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Environmental modification by anthropogenic actions, disordered urban growth, globalization of international exchange and climate change are some factors that help the emergence and dissemination of human infectious diseases transmitted by vectors. This review discusses the recent entry of three arboviruses in Brazil: Chikungunya, West Nile, and Zika virus, focusing on the challenges for the Country’s public health. The Brazilian population is exposed to infections caused by these three arboviruses widely distributed on the national territory and associated with humans. Without effective vaccine and specific treatment, the maintainance and integration of a continuos entomological and epidemiological surveillance are important so we can set methods to control and prevent these arboviruses in the Country.

Historic impact of watershed change and sedimentation to reefs along west-central Guam

Science.gov (United States)

Prouty, Nancy G.; Storlazzi, Curt D.; McCutcheon, Amanda L.; Jenson, John W.

2014-01-01

Using coral growth parameters (extension, density, calcification rates, and luminescence) and geochemical measurements (barium to calcium rations; Ba/Ca) from coral cores collected in west-central Guam, we provide a historic perspective on sediment input to coral reefs adjacent to the Piti-Asan watershed. The months of August through December are dominated by increased coral Ba/Ca values, corresponding to the rainy season. With river water enriched in barium related to nearshore seawater, coral Ba/Ca ratios are presented as a proxy for input of fine-grained terrigenous sediment to the nearshore environment. The century-long Ba/Ca coral record indicates that the Asan fore reef is within the zone of impact from discharged sediments transported from the Piti-Asan watershed and has experienced increased terrestrial sedimentation since the 1940s. This abrupt shift in sedimentation occurred at the same time as both the sudden denudation of the landscape by military ordinance and the immediate subsequent development of the Asan area through the end of the war, from 1944 through 1945. In response to rapid input of sediment, as determined from coral Ba/Ca values, coral growth rates were reduced for almost two decades, while calcification rates recovered much more quickly. Furthermore, coral luminescence is decoupled from the Ba/Ca record, which is consistent with degradation of soil organic matter through disturbance by forest fires, suggesting a potential index of fire history and degradation of soil organic matter. These patterns were not seen in the cores from nearby reefs associated with watersheds that have not undergone the same degree of landscape denudation. Taken together, these records provide a valuable tool for understanding the compounding effects of land-use change on coral reef health.

Historic impact of watershed change and sedimentation to reefs along west-central Guam

Science.gov (United States)

Prouty, Nancy G.; Storlazzi, Curt D.; McCutcheon, Amanda L.; Jenson, John W.

2014-09-01

Using coral growth parameters (extension, density, calcification rates, and luminescence) and geochemical measurements (barium to calcium rations; Ba/Ca) from coral cores collected in west-central Guam, we provide a historic perspective on sediment input to coral reefs adjacent to the Piti-Asan watershed. The months of August through December are dominated by increased coral Ba/Ca values, corresponding to the rainy season. With river water enriched in barium related to nearshore seawater, coral Ba/Ca ratios are presented as a proxy for input of fine-grained terrigenous sediment to the nearshore environment. The century-long Ba/Ca coral record indicates that the Asan fore reef is within the zone of impact from discharged sediments transported from the Piti-Asan watershed and has experienced increased terrestrial sedimentation since the 1940s. This abrupt shift in sedimentation occurred at the same time as both the sudden denudation of the landscape by military ordinance and the immediate subsequent development of the Asan area through the end of the war, from 1944 through 1945. In response to rapid input of sediment, as determined from coral Ba/Ca values, coral growth rates were reduced for almost two decades, while calcification rates recovered much more quickly. Furthermore, coral luminescence is decoupled from the Ba/Ca record, which is consistent with degradation of soil organic matter through disturbance by forest fires, suggesting a potential index of fire history and degradation of soil organic matter. These patterns were not seen in the cores from nearby reefs associated with watersheds that have not undergone the same degree of landscape denudation. Taken together, these records provide a valuable tool for understanding the compounding effects of land-use change on coral reef health.

SUPRESSIVIDADE NATURAL DE SOLOS DA REGIÃO CENTRO-OESTE A Rhizoctonia solani KÜHN NATURAL SUPPRESSIVENESS OF SOILS FROM WEST CENTRAL BRAZIL TO Rhizoctonia solani Kühn

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Sheila Andrade Botelho

2007-09-01

some soils previously submitted to different managements from West Central Brazil. Soil samples were collected in Itumbiara, Silvânia, Jussara and Santa Helena de Goiás counties of Goiás State, and classified as: Purple Latosol, Dark-Red Latosol, Sandy Soil and Purple Latosol, respectively. Each soil sample was collected in the layer of 0-20 cm, in contiguous areas with the following characteristics: a soil cultivated with beans irrigated with central pivot, for more than four consecutive years; b soil under native vegetation, and c soil under Brachiaria decubens pasture. Sorghum grains colonized by Rhizoctonia solani, were ground and mixed to the soil samples. Six inoculum densities were used: 0, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000 propagules per gram of soil. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions, using a randomized complete block design, in a factorial scheme 6 x 4 x 3, with four replications. The experimental unit was a plastic tray with 4 kg of soil and 40 plants. Fifteen days after the emergence symptoms severity were evaluated and the McKinney index estimated. The analysis of variance revealed significance of triple interaction and the degrees of freedom were unfolded in regression analyses among the inoculum doses and the disease index in percentage, in the following exponential equation: ID = A x e (-B/dose do inóculo + 1. In the soil samples from Itumbiara and Silvânia the disease index increased with the increment of the number of propagules for gram of soil, reaching values larger than 70%. However, for both soils, there were no significant differences among the natural vegetation, pasture and bean cultivated soils. On the other hand, in soils from Jussara and Santa Helena, in spite of the disease index increment with the increase of the inoculum doses, the natural and pasture soils showed similar disease indexes for all the inoculum doses used. In soil from irrigated beans, the increment in the diseases index was smaller, not surpassing

Results of the radiological survey at 142 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ041)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, R.D.; Crutcher, J.W.

1989-06-01

Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) of Maywood, New Jersey, generated process wastes and residues associated with the production and refining of thorium and thorium compounds from monazite ores from 1916 to 1956. MCW supplied rare earth metals and thorium compounds to the Atomic Energy Commission and various other government agencies from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s. Area residents used the sandlike waste from this thorium extraction process mixed with tea and cocoa leaves as mulch in their yards. Some of these contaminated wastes were also eroded from the site into Lodi Brook. At the request of the US Department of Energy (DOE), a group from Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducts investigative radiological surveys of properties in the vicinity of MCW to determine whether a property is contaminated with radioactive residues, principally 232 Th, derived from the MCW site. The survey typically includes direct measurement of gamma radiation levels and soil sampling for radionuclide analyses. The survey of this site, 142 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ041), was conducted during 1988. Results of the survey indicated scattered radiation or ''shine'' from a storage pile, located off the property, containing residual radioactive material. Lead-shielded measurements showed radioactivity in the range of normal background for the northern New Jersey area. Radiological assessments of soil samples from the site demonstrate no radionuclide concentrations in excess of DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program criteria. 4 refs., 8 figs., 3 tabs

Diptera, Muscidae, Cariocamyia maculosa Snyder: Primeiro Registro para o Nordeste do Brasil

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Thayana Monteiro

2011-12-01

Abstract. Cariocamyia maculosa Snyder, is a muscid fly with records from Colombia and Brazil (Southern, Southeastern and Central-West regions. In a survey of Diptera saprophagous in Feira de Santana, state of Bahia, with animal organic bait were collected 46 specimens of C. maculosa. This is the first record of the species to Bahia and Northeastern of Brazil. The forensic importance and the anthropized status of C. maculosa have not been detached in the specialized literature and new studies should be improved to corroborate these conditions.

Second workshop of participants in the Joint FAO-IOC-WHO-IAEA-UNEP project on monitoring of pollution in the marine environment of the West and Central African Region (WACAF/2 - first phase)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The Second Workshop of Participants in the Joint FAO-IOC-WHO-IAEA-UNEP Project on Monitoring of Pollution in the Marine Environment of the West and Central African Region (WACAF/2) was attended by 29 participants from 10 countries (Senegal, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroun, Congo and Gabon). Levels of metals, chlorinated hydrocarbons and petroleum components in marine biota were discussed in seven scientific reports which were presented by the participating scientists (Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, The Gambia, ghana and Cameroun). Three of the presented reports were on organochlorines and four dealt with trace metal levels in marine organisms. The Representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reviewed the results obtained during the data quality assurance intercalibration exercises carried out in the region during the first phase. The result received are still within acceptable range. However, there seems to be a trend for values to be higher than the range of finally certified concentrations. Considering that most results were clearly better in the second exercise, after equipment service, part of the earlier deviation might be attributed to instrument malfunctions. These results can be regarded as fairly encouraging for the future development in the West and Central African marine pollution monitoring programme. Refs, tabs

Floristics and Reproductive Phenology of Trees and Bushes in Central West Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Assunção, Vivian A; Casagrande, José C; Sartori, Angela L B

2014-04-29

Environmental conditions such as temperature, soil, photoperiodic factors and precipitation can determine the physical environment favoring the occurrence of given species and interfere with the reproductive period of plants. This work involved monthly excursions to a slope in the Serra de Maracaju between December 2009 and November 2010. Samples were collected in eight 25 x 50 m plots, transverse to the slope, totaling 1 ha sampled. Floristic richness included 79 species distributed into 58 genera and 31 families. Floristic Similarity Analysis and Principal Component Analysis showed the occurrence of two plant formations on the slope: seasonal deciduous forest and cerradão on the eutrophic soil of the slope. Flowering and fruiting occured in the rainy season; correlation with rainfall, mean temperature and photoperiod were negative for flowering and positive for fructification. Trees and bushes presented uniform flowering and a moderately seasonal fructification, which is unexpected in seasonal environments. We discuss the implications of the patterns found and make comparisons with others studies.

Shifting shoals and shattered rocks : How man has transformed the floor of west-central San Francisco Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, John L.; Wong, Florence L.; Carlson, Paul R.

2004-01-01

subembayments--north bay (San Pablo and Suisun Bays), central bay, and south bay--each characterized by a central area of open water surrounded by intertidal mudflats and marshes. Central bay includes Alcatraz and Angel Islands and also a number of submerged bedrock knobs that protrude through the sediment of the bay floor and rise to within about 40 feet (12 m) of the water surface. The most prominent of these are Harding, Shag, Arch, and Blossom Rocks. These rocks have been lowered by blasting several times in the past, but they remain a potential hazard to shipping because newer cargo vessels are designed with increasingly deeper drafts. Central bay's location adjacent to two major population and commerce centers, San Francisco and Oakland, subjects it to greater human influences than less developed parts of the estuary. The western part of central San Francisco Bay is adjacent to the Golden Gate, the estuary's outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The changing submarine topography of the west-central bay, as well as its geology, form the main focus of this book.

Full-Genome Characterization and Genetic Evolution of West African Isolates of Bagaza Virus

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Martin Faye

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Bagaza virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, first isolated in 1966 in Central African Republic. It has currently been identified in mosquito pools collected in the field in West and Central Africa. Emergence in wild birds in Europe and serological evidence in encephalitis patients in India raise questions on its genetic evolution and the diversity of isolates circulating in Africa. To better understand genetic diversity and evolution of Bagaza virus, we describe the full-genome characterization of 11 West African isolates, sampled from 1988 to 2014. Parameters such as genetic distances, N-glycosylation patterns, recombination events, selective pressures, and its codon adaptation to human genes are assessed. Our study is noteworthy for the observation of N-glycosylation and recombination in Bagaza virus and provides insight into its Indian origin from the 13th century. Interestingly, evidence of Bagaza virus codon adaptation to human house-keeping genes is also observed to be higher than those of other flaviviruses well known in human infections. Genetic variations on genome of West African Bagaza virus could play an important role in generating diversity and may promote Bagaza virus adaptation to other vertebrates and become an important threat in human health.

West African pholcid spiders: an overview, with descriptions of five new species (Araneae, Pholcidae

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Bernhard A. Huber

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This paper summarizes current knowledge about West African pholcids. West Africa is here defined as the area south of 17°N and west of 5°E, including mainly the Upper Guinean subregion of the Guineo-Congolian center of endemism. This includes all of Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin. An annotated list of the 14 genera and 38 species recorded from this area is given, together with distribution maps and an identification key to genera. Five species are newly described: Anansus atewa sp. nov., Artema bunkpurugu sp. nov., Leptopholcus kintampo sp. nov., Spermophora akwamu sp. nov., and S. ziama sp. nov. The female of Quamtana kitahurira is newly described. Additional new records are given for 16 previously described species, including 33 new country records. Distribution patterns of West African pholcids are discussed, as well as possible explanations for relatively low West African pholcid species diversity as compared to Central and East Africa.

Two new species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Teleostei: Loricariidae from the upper rio Paraná basin, Central Brazil

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Cláudio H. Zawadzki

Full Text Available Two new species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Teleostei: Loricariidae from the rio Paranaíba and rio Grande basins, both in the upper rio Paraná basin, central Brazil, are described herein. One of them is distinguished from all congeners, except H. albopunctatus, by having the pectoral-fin spine length equal to or smaller than the pelvic-fin spine. From H. albopunctatus, it is distinguished by having round dark spots (vs. pale on body and fins. The second species is distinguished from all congeners, except H. multidens and H. ternetzi, by having more than 115 teeth (vs. less than 109 per ramus on dentary and premaxilla. It is distinguished most readily from H. ternetzi by having teeth with two symmetrical (vs. asymmetrical cusps. It is distinguished from H. multidens by having round dark spots (vs. pale over body and fins.

BR-319: Brazil's Manaus-Porto Velho highway and the potential impact of linking the arc of deforestation to central amazonia.

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Fearnside, Philip M; de Alencastro Graça, Paulo Maurício Lima

2006-11-01

Brazil's BR-319 Highway linked Manaus, in the state of Amazonas, to Porto Velho, Rondônia, until it became impassable in 1988. Now it is proposed for reconstruction and paving, which would facilitate migration from the "Arc of Deforestation" in the southern part of the Amazon region to new frontiers farther north. The purpose of the highway, which is to facilitate transport to São Paulo of products from factories in the Manaus Free Trade Zone, would be better served by sending the containers by ship to the port of Santos. The lack of a land connection to Manaus currently represents a significant barrier to migration to central and northern Amazonia. Discourse regarding the highway systematically overestimates the highway's benefits and underestimates its impacts. A variety of changes would be needed prior to paving the highway if these potential impacts are to be attenuated. These include zoning, reserve creation, and increased governance in various forms, including deforestation licensing and control programs. More fundamental changes are also needed, especially the abandonment of the long-standing tradition in Brazil of granting squatters' rights to those who invade public land. Organizing Amazonian occupation in such a way that road construction and improvement cease to lead to explosive and uncontrolled deforestation should be a prerequisite for approval of the BR-319 and other road projects for which major impacts are expected. These projects could provide the impetus that is needed to achieve the transition away from appropriation of public land by both small squatters and by grileiros (large-scale illegal claimants). A delay in reconstructing the highway is advisable until appropriate changes can be effected.

Affirmative Action in Brazil and Building an Anti-Racist University

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Bernardino-Costa, Joaze; De Carli Blackman, Ana Elisa

2017-01-01

This article highlights the black movement's centrality to building anti-racist universities in Brazil. It examines the questioning of the racial democracy myth within Brazilian universities as well as in the Brazilian mainstream media since the beginning of the new millennium. This debate was referred to the Supreme Court, which affirmed the…

Magnitude and frequency of flooding on small urban watersheds in the Tampa Bay area, west-central Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, M.A.; Woodham, W.M.

1983-01-01

Hydrologic data collected on nine small urban watersheds in the Tampa Bay area of west-central Florida and a method for estimating peak discharges in the study area are described. The watersheds have mixed land use and range in size from 0.34 to 3.45 square miles. Watershed soils, land use, and storm-drainage system data are described. Urban development ranged from a sparsely populated area with open-ditch storm sewers and 19% impervious area to a completely sewered watershed with 61% impervious cover. The U.S. Geological Survey natural-basin and urban-watershed models were calibrated for the nine watersheds using 5-minute interval rainfall data from the Tampa, Florida, National Weather Service rain gage to simulate annual peak discharge for the period 1906-52. A log-Pearson Type III frequency analysis of the simulated annual maximum discharge was used to determine the 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year flood discharges for each watershed. Flood discharges were related in a multiple-linear regression to drainage area, channel slope, detention storage area, and an urban-development factor determined by the extent of curb and gutter street drainage and storm-sewer system. The average standard error for the regional relations ranged from + or - 32 to + or - 42%. (USGS)

Milk quality according to the daily range in farm production in the Mesoregion Central Mineira and Oeste of Minas Gerais regions, Brazil

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L.R. Borges

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to characterize milk production from the Central Mineira and Oeste Mesoregions regions in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, according to quality parameters such as somatic cell count, total bacteria count, and composition for specific production ranges. Average results for milk fat, protein, total and nonfat solids were compliant with Brazilian legal requirements (IN-62/2011 in all the production ranges selected. Average somatic cell counts (SCC complied with the legal requirements of 600,000 cells/mL, except for the range with a daily production above 1,000 liters. However, average maximum values of 400,000 cells/mL are recommended for good milk quality. Total bacterial count was the most critical quality factor, with the highest values found in breeds with milk production above 500 liters per day.

Bloodstream infection in patients with end-stage renal disease in a teaching hospital in central-western Brazil

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Tamara Trelha Gauna

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction Vascular access in patients undergoing hemodialysis is considered a critical determinant of bloodstream infection (BSI and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of BSI in patients with end-stage renal disease using central venous catheters for hemodialysis. Methods A cohort study was conducted in a public teaching hospital in central-western Brazil from April 2010 to December 2011. For every patient, we noted the presence of hyperemia/exudation upon catheter insertion, as well as fever, shivering, and chills during hemodialysis. Results Fifty-nine patients were evaluated. Thirty-five (59.3% patients started dialysis due to urgency, 37 (62.7% had BSI, and 12 (20% died. Hyperemia at the catheter insertion site (64.9% was a significant clinical manifestation in patients with BSI. Statistical analysis revealed 1.7 times more cases of BSI in patients with hypoalbuminemia compared with patients with normal albumin levels. The principal infective agents identified in blood cultures and catheter-tip cultures were Staphylococcus species (24 cases, non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli (7 cases of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and 5 cases of Chryseobacterium indologenes, and Candida species (6. Among the Staphylococci identified, 77.7% were methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative Staphylococci. Of the bacteria isolated, the most resistant were Chryseobacterium indologenes and Acinetobacter baumannii. Conclusions Blood culture was demonstrated to be an important diagnostic test and identified over 50% of positive BSI cases. The high frequency of BSI and the isolation of multiresistant bacteria were disturbing findings. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated microorganism, although Gram-negative bacteria predominated overall. These results highlight the importance of infection prevention and control measures in dialysis units.

Anti-Taenia solium metacestode IgG antibodies in serum samples from inhabitants of a central-western region of Brazil

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Oliveira Heliana B. de

2006-01-01

Full Text Available A total of 354 serum samples from inhabitants who frequent the Clinical Laboratory in Catalão, Goiás, in the central-western region of Brazil, were collected from June to August, 2002. The samples were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence antibody tests and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in order to detect anti-Taenia solium metacestode IgG antibodies. Reactive and inconclusive samples were tested by Western blotting (WB. Considering WB as a confirmation, the frequency of antibodies in the serum samples of the above population was 11.3% (CI 5.09 - 17.51. The immunodominant bands most frequently recognized in WB were 64-68 kDa (97.5% and 47-52 kDa (80%. The percentage of seropositivity to cysticercosis was significantly higher for individuals residing in areas without sewage systems (p < 0.0001. In conclusion, the results indicate a probable endemic situation of cysticercosis in this population. These results reinforce the urgent need for control and prevention measures to be taken by the local public health services.

Ecological problems in Central Europe and Eastern Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schreiber, H.

1989-01-01

Owing to the very restrictive information policy of the socialist governments, little is known of the ecological situation in these countries. Attention has been drawn to their ecological problems by a number of accidents (Chernobyl, forest decline along the western frontier of East Germany and Czechoslovakia, pollution of the Elbe river, smog situations in West Germany). Of the Western nations, West Germany is the most concerned as it borders on East Germany and Czechoslovakia. The book intends to help close the information gap concerning ecological problems and environmental policy in the socialist countries. It comprises three sections: Part 1 presents central characteristics of environmental policy in the socialist states, with a view to their specific ideological and administrative aspects. Part 2 compares selected fields of environmental policy in the different socialist countries. Part 3 presents case studies of some countries in Central and Eastern Europe. (orig./HP) [de

Comparison of Migrants in Two Rural and an Urban Area of Central Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkening, E. A.

The goal of this study was to compare the migration and adaptation of settlers in urban areas with settlers in rural areas of Brazil. A sample of 1,255 families, divided into an urban group, a near-urban rural group, and a rural group were interviewed. The migration patterns of the groups were discussed and factors related to migration were…

Tropical Daoism: transplant of Daoism to Brazil through the Taoist Society of Brazil and the Taoist Society of São Paulo

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Matheus Oliva da Costa

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Daoism is a religion of Chinese origins that since the 19th century started to have contact with the Brazilian culture, beneath the Orientalism force.  Since the second half of the 20th century, we see a second wave of Daoism spread, albeit indirectly. In the 1970s the Wǔ family – Wu Jyh Cherng within them (Wǔ Zhìchéng – migrates from Taiwan to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the 1990s, this Taiwanese naturalized Brazilian priest of the Way of the Celestial Masters founded the Daoist Society of Brazil (Sociedade Taoísta do Brasil - STB along Brazilians, and later the Daoist Society in São Paulo (Sociedade Taoísta SP - ST-SP, which is our object of study. The goal here was to analyze the Daoism transplantation process in Brazil through the STB and ST-SP. In addition to a systematization of the authors regarding the transplantation of religions theory, we were based on the theory of cultural hybridization, and a set of interpreters of Brazilian culture and Brazilian religion. We created the central hypothesis that in the STB and ST-SP the Daoism would be increasingly a hybrid result of the Brazilian religious matrix and an ideal model of Daoist linked to China. Methodologically, we conducted an extensive and constant literature review, and we refer to primary printed sources, virtual and audiovisual sources, participatory research, semi-structured interviews and informal conversations. With these data, we performed an analysis using the theoretical framework, which allowed us to confirm the central hypothesis. We also wove systematic contributions on: the presence and the type of Daoism entry in Brazil, identification of socio-historical phases of STB and ST-SP, and several observations about the process and results of transplantation of this Daoist group, such as the accommodation of the Brazilian religious demands on the liturgical rituals of these institutions.

Dengue situation in Brazil by year 2000

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Hermann G Schatzmayr

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Dengue virus types 1 and 2 have been isolated in Brazil by the Department of Virology, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, in 1986 and 1990 respectively, after many decades of absence. A successful continental Aedes aegypti control program in the Americas, has been able to eradicate the vector in most countries in the 60's, but the program could not be sustained along the years. Dengue viruses were reintroduced in the American region and the infection became endemic in Brazil, like in most Central and SouthAmerican countries and in the Caribbean region, due to the weaning of the vector control programs in these countries. High demographic densities and poor housing conditions in large urban communities, made the ideal conditions for vector spreading. All four dengue types are circulating in the continent and there is a high risk of the introduction in the country of the other two dengue types in Brazil, with the development of large epidemics. After the Cuban episode in 1981, when by the first time a large epidemic of dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome have been described in the Americas, both clinical presentations are observed, specially in the countries like Brazil, with circulation of more than one dengue virus type. A tetravalent potent vaccine seems to be the only possible way to control the disease in the future, besides rapid clinical and laboratory diagnosis, in order to offer supportive treatment to the more severe clinical infections.

The Oldest Case of Decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil).

Science.gov (United States)

Strauss, André; Oliveira, Rodrigo Elias; Bernardo, Danilo V; Salazar-García, Domingo C; Talamo, Sahra; Jaouen, Klervia; Hubbe, Mark; Black, Sue; Wilkinson, Caroline; Richards, Michael Phillip; Araujo, Astolfo G M; Kipnis, Renato; Neves, Walter Alves

2015-01-01

We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26), found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7-12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval). An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1-9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval) for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26's isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo's inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death.

Ordovician A-type granitoid magmatism on the Ceará Central Domain, Borborema Province, NE-Brazil

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Castro, Neivaldo A.; Ganade de Araujo, Carlos E.; Basei, Miguel A. S.; Osako, Liliane S.; Nutman, Alan A.; Liu, Dunyi

2012-07-01

We present field relationships, major and trace element geochemistry and U-Pb SHRIMP and ID-TIMS geochronology of the A-type Ordovician Quintas pluton located in the Ceará Central Domain of the Borborema Province, in northeastern Brazil. This pluton presents a concentric geometry and is composed mainly of syenogranite, monzogranite, quartz syenite to quartz monzodiorite, monzogabbro and diorite. Its geochemical characteristics [SiO2 (52-70%), Na2O/K2O (1.55-0.65), Fe2O3/MgO (2.2-7.3), metaluminous to sligthly alkaline affinity, post-collisional type in (Y + Nb) × Rb diagram, and A-type affinity (Ga > 22 ppm, Nb > 20 ppm, Zn > 60 ppm), REE fractioned pattern with negative Eu anomaly] are coherent with post-collisional A2-type granitoids. However, the emplacement of this pluton is to some extent temporally associated with the deposition of the first strata of the Parnaíba intracratonic basin, attesting also to a purely anorogenic character (A1-type granitoid). The emplacement of this pluton is preceded by one of the largest known orogenesis of the planet (Neoproterozoic Pan-African/Brasiliano) and, if it is classified as an A2-type granitoid, it provides interesting constraints about how long can last A2-type magmatic activity after a major collisional episode, arguably triggered by disturbance of the underlying mantle, a topic extensively debated in the geoscience community.

Archaeological significance of trace element analysis of South West African potsherds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boule, G.J.; Peisach, M.; Jacobson, L.

1979-01-01

The archaeological study of early population movements in South West Africa/Namibia has been aided by trace element analysis of potsherds. The results suggest that the central areas of the country were populated by mobile groups of pastoralists and hunter-gatherers, while the northern areas were settled by sedentary peoples [af

Global Potential Distribution of Bactrocera carambolae and the Risks for Fruit Production in Brazil.

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Marchioro, Cesar A

2016-01-01

The carambola fruit fly, Bactrocera carambolae, is a tephritid native to Asia that has invaded South America through small-scale trade of fruits from Indonesia. The economic losses associated with biological invasions of other fruit flies around the world and the polyphagous behaviour of B. carambolae have prompted much concern among government agencies and farmers with the potential spread of this pest. Here, ecological niche models were employed to identify suitable environments available to B. carambolae in a global scale and assess the extent of the fruit acreage that may be at risk of attack in Brazil. Overall, 30 MaxEnt models built with different combinations of environmental predictors and settings were evaluated for predicting the potential distribution of the carambola fruit fly. The best model was selected based on threshold-independent and threshold-dependent metrics. Climatically suitable areas were identified in tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, west and east coast of India and northern Australia. The suitability map of B. carambola was intersected against maps of fruit acreage in Brazil. The acreage under potential risk of attack varied widely among fruit species, which is expected because the production areas are concentrated in different regions of the country. The production of cashew is the one that is at higher risk, with almost 90% of its acreage within the suitable range of B. carambolae, followed by papaya (78%), tangerine (51%), guava (38%), lemon (30%), orange (29%), mango (24%) and avocado (20%). This study provides an important contribution to the knowledge of the ecology of B. carambolae, and the information generated here can be used by government agencies as a decision-making tool to prevent the carambola fruit fly spread across the world.

Global Potential Distribution of Bactrocera carambolae and the Risks for Fruit Production in Brazil.

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Cesar A Marchioro

Full Text Available The carambola fruit fly, Bactrocera carambolae, is a tephritid native to Asia that has invaded South America through small-scale trade of fruits from Indonesia. The economic losses associated with biological invasions of other fruit flies around the world and the polyphagous behaviour of B. carambolae have prompted much concern among government agencies and farmers with the potential spread of this pest. Here, ecological niche models were employed to identify suitable environments available to B. carambolae in a global scale and assess the extent of the fruit acreage that may be at risk of attack in Brazil. Overall, 30 MaxEnt models built with different combinations of environmental predictors and settings were evaluated for predicting the potential distribution of the carambola fruit fly. The best model was selected based on threshold-independent and threshold-dependent metrics. Climatically suitable areas were identified in tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, west and east coast of India and northern Australia. The suitability map of B. carambola was intersected against maps of fruit acreage in Brazil. The acreage under potential risk of attack varied widely among fruit species, which is expected because the production areas are concentrated in different regions of the country. The production of cashew is the one that is at higher risk, with almost 90% of its acreage within the suitable range of B. carambolae, followed by papaya (78%, tangerine (51%, guava (38%, lemon (30%, orange (29%, mango (24% and avocado (20%. This study provides an important contribution to the knowledge of the ecology of B. carambolae, and the information generated here can be used by government agencies as a decision-making tool to prevent the carambola fruit fly spread across the world.

An Education in Gender and Agroecology in Brazil's Landless Rural Workers' Movement

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Schwendler, Sônia Fátima; Thompson, Lucia Amaranta

2017-01-01

This article explores the implications of a blended agroecology and gender education within "Brazil's Landless Rural Workers' Movement" (MST). The discussion is first situated within MST's struggle for land and for peasant families' livelihoods, generally, and under neoliberalism, specifically. Central to the struggle against…

The magnitude of intimate partner violence in Brazil: portraits from 15 capital cities and the Federal District

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Reichenheim Michael Eduardo

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper concerns the prevalence of intimate partner violence in 15 State capital cities and the Federal District of Brazil. A population-based multi-stage survey in 2002/2003 involved 6,760 15-69-year-old women (respondents. Using the Conflict Tactics Scales - Form R, the overall prevalence of psychological aggression and "minor" and severe physical abuse within couples was 78.3%, 21.5%, and 12.9%, respectively. Prevalence rates varied distinctively between cities. For instance, total physical abuse ranged from 13.2% to 34.8%. On the whole, prevalence was higher in the North and Northeast cities than in the Southeast, South, and Central West. Also, all types of intimate partner violence were more frequent in couples including women who were younger (< 25 years and had less schooling (< 8 years. After stratifying by gender, although women tended to perpetrate at least one act of physical abuse more often, scores were consistently higher among male partners who were perpetrators. The results are compared to international findings. Regional, demographic, and gender differentials are discussed in light of the growing role of the Brazilian health sector in relation to intimate partner violence.

First data on the age of rocks from the central part of the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge (Brazil Basin, South Atlantic)

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Skolotnev, S. G.; Bylinskaya, M. E.; Golovina, L. A.; Ipat'eva, I. S.

2011-03-01

Micropaleontological and isotope-geochronological investigations of calcareous sedimentary rocks and volcanites dredged out from the central portion of the submarine Vitoria-Trindade Ridge during the 24th cruise of R/V Akademik Vavilov have been conducted. It has been established based on micropaleontological analysis, which included determination of the species composition of foraminifera and nannoplankton, that the sequence of sedimentary rocks having a pelagic nature formed on the slopes of the volcanic seamounts in the central portion of the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge from the Early to Mid-Miocene to the Holocene; a good correlation between the degree of lithification of these rocks and their age is observed. It has also been established that the carbonate platforms on the abraded tops of the Davis Seamount and the Dogaressa Bank, which are located in the east-central portion of the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge, started forming in the Early Miocene (19-24 Ma). It has been determined using local U-Pb dating of zircon grains with a SHRIMP-II high resolution secondary ion mass spectrometer that the volcanites forming the upper portion of the volcanic rock sequence of the Jaseur Seamount (29.8 ± 6.6 Ma) located in the west-central portion of the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge date to the Oligocene. The investigations conducted have confirmed the opinion that the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge formed in general because of the activity of the hot spot located under the volcanic Trindade and Martin Vaz Islands. However, separate extended lenticular segments of this ridge existed for a long time as single structures, within which the age of the seamounts was not linearly dependent on the distance from the location of the hot spot. Lenses of hot mantle matter that form at the sublithospheric level as a result of impulses of plume activity and move along with the lithospheric plate play a defining role in the development of individual segments forming the Vitoria-Trindade Ridge.

Interactions between sedimentary evolution and prehistoric human occupation in the south-central coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil

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Paulo César Fonseca Giannini

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Since the beginning of the human occupation in the south-central coast of Santa Catarina State, in Brazil, the articulation between natural and anthropic processes modeled a strongly domesticated landscape, shaped by the massive construction of shell mounds of monumental dimensions and millenarian permanence. In the coastal plain between Passagem da Barra (Laguna District and Figueirinha Lake (Jaguaruna District, 76 sambaquis were mapped, 48 of which have been dated. Systematic site surveys and radiocarbon datings allowed identifying patterns of spatial distribution in sambaquis according to the sedimentary context at the time of construction, stratigraphy and age. Based on these criteria, the following groups were recognized: five geological-geomorphological contexts of location; three stratigraphic patterns; and four phases of sambaqui occupation in the area, based on site number and type of constructive pattern. The model for sedimentary evolution and time-space distribution of sambaquis shows that sites were built in already emerged areas and that inland sites, away from the lagoons, may have not be preserved or they are not exposed due to the continuous sedimentary filling that characterized this region after the maximum Holocene transgression. The crossing of data, here proposed, shows the importance of integral approaches between archaeology and geosciences for the study of landscape evolution.

Species Turnover across Different Life Stages from Seedlings to Canopy Trees in Swamp Forests of Central Brazil

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Clarissa G. Fontes

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Processes driving the assembly of swamp forest communities have been poorly explored. We analyzed natural regeneration and adult tree communities data of a swamp gallery forest in Central Brazil to discuss the role of ecological filters in shaping plant species turnover in a successional gradient. Species data of 120 plots were used to assess species turnover between natural regeneration and adult tree communities. Our analyses were based on 4995 individuals belonging to 72 species. Community patterns were discerned using ordination analyses. A clear floristic turnover among plant life stages was distinguished. Regeneration community of swamp forests was richer in species composition than the adult community. Tree species commonly found in nonflooded gallery forests were present in the regeneration plots but not in the adult community. Differences in the floristic composition of these two strata suggest that not all species in the seedling stage can stand permanent flooding conditions and only a few tolerant species survive to become adult trees. We propose that natural disturbances play an important role by altering limiting resources, allowing seeds of nonflooded forest species to germinate. This paper elucidates the turnover between plant life stages in swamp forests and suggests mechanisms that may shape these communities.

Digital geologic map and Landsat image map of parts of Loralai, Sibi, Quetta, and Khuzar Divisions, Balochistan Province, west-central Pakistan

Science.gov (United States)

Maldonado, Florian; Menga, Jan Mohammad; Khan, Shabid Hasan; Thomas, Jean-Claude

2011-01-01

This generalized digital geologic map of west-central Pakistan is a product of the Balochistan Coal-Basin Synthesis Study, which was part of a cooperative program of the Geological Survey of Pakistan and the United States Geological Survey. The original nondigital map was published by Maldonado and others (1998). Funding was provided by the Government of Pakistan and the United States Agency for International Development. The sources of geologic map data are primarily 1:253,440-scale geologic maps obtained from Hunting Survey Corporation (1961) and the geologic map of the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite Complex and Bagh Complex area. The geology was modified based on reconnaissance field work and photo interpretation of 1:250,000-scale Landsat Thematic Mapper photo image. The descriptions and thicknesses of map units were based on published and unpublished reports and converted to U.S. Geological Survey format. In the nomenclature of the Geological Survey of Pakistan, there is both an Urak Group and an Urak Formation.

Characterization of clay of Vitoria da Conquista - BA - Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, O.M.; Zandonadi, A.R.; Martins, M.V. Surmani; Carrio, J.A.G.; Munhoz Junior, A.H.

2011-01-01

Kaolinitic clays are vastly used in ceramic industry. Kaolinitic clay that are not coloured after firing are very useful in the production of ceramics because of their aesthetic aspect after firing. In this work clay material from Vitoria da Conquista (South- West Bahia, Brazil) was characterized by several techniques. The differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) shows a kaolinite characteristic curve with an endothermic peak at 492 deg C, which corresponds to the kaolinite - metakaolinite transformation. The transformation of alpha to beta quartz characterized by a 573 deg C peak was also observed in DSC. The samples were also characterized by water absorption and x rays powder diffraction. The 1100 deg C burned samples were tested by flexural strength. (author)

The Hidden Integration of Eurasia: East-West Relations in the History of Technology

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Per Högselius

2017-12-01

Full Text Available “East” and “West” have long been prominent categories in the history of technology. The historical literature that claims to deal with comparisons or connections between East and West from a technological point of view is rich and fascinating. Yet, so far there has been no attempt to succinctly summarize or synthesize the main findings. This article takes a first step towards such a synthesis. It does so by addressing technological interaction between three broadly defined geographical regions: (1 Western Europe and North America; (2 Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia; and (3 the non-Russian Far East. The article suggests that East–West studies in the history of technology can be divided into three sets, which would benefit from greater interaction with each other: studies of East–West and West– East technology transfer; studies comparing the evolution of Eastern and Western technological levels and technological “styles”; and studies of large technical systems that materially interconnect East and West.

Vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections in women who sell sex on the route of prostitution and sex tourism in central Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

de Matos, Marcos André de; Caetano, Karlla Antonieta Amorim; França, Divânia Dias da Silva; Pinheiro, Raquel Silva; de Moraes, Luciene Carneiro; Teles, Sheila Araujo

2013-01-01

to investigate knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), STD-related risk behaviors, and signs/symptoms of STDs among female sex workers (FSWs). a cross-sectional study was conducted with a probabilistic sample comprising 395 women recruited using a respondent-driven sampling method between 2009 and 2010. The data were collected during face-to-face interviews. most of the participants were young adults, had a low educational level, and had poor knowledge on the transmission paths of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Over one-third of the participants were not able to describe the signs/symptoms of STDs. The prevalence rates of vaginal discharge and wounds/ulcers were 49.0% and 8.6%, respectively, but 41.7% of the women had not sought treatment. the results indicate the need for public health policies focusing on the control and prevention of STDs in this population, especially for the FSWs who are active in an important prostitution and sex tourism route in central Brazil.

Biological aspects of Leucothyreus alvarengai Frey and Leucothyreus aff. semipruinosus Ohaus (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Rutelinae in crop succession at central Brazil

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Alex Furquim Pereira

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Biological aspects of Leucothyreus alvarengai Frey and Leucothyreus aff. semipruinosus Ohaus (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Rutelinae in crop succession at central Brazil. Beetles of the family Melolonthidae make up a large group and some species are considered pests of planted crops. Little information is available on the basic biological aspects of the genus Leucothyreus, such as association with cultivated crops and their occurrence periods. Therefore studies were developed in soybean and corn crops in Tangará da Serra, Mato Grosso, Brazil, with the objective of studying the occurrence and biological aspects of Leucothyreus alvarengai Frey and Leucothyreus aff. semipruinosus Ohaus. For acquisition of immature specimens of both species, in April 2011 sampling was performed in corn fields, in July and October in the fallow area, and in soybeans fields planted in December; in 2012 sampling was performed in January and February in soybean fields and in March in corn fields. In 2011 the total number of larvae obtained in April, July, October and December were 100, 6, 30 and 27, and in January, February and March of 2012 these quantities were 32, 52 and 65 larvae, respectively. In all sampling events the larvae of L. alvarengai were collected in greater quantity. At the beginning of the reproductive period of L. alvarengai and L. aff. semipruinosus, it was observed that the adults began to fly and soon after started oviposition in the field in September. The appearance of larvae coincides with the time of soybean planting in the field, thus the larvae feed on roots of soybean plants at the beginning of their development and the cycle from egg to adult of the two species was completed in one year.

Different Patterns of pfcrt and pfmdr1 Polymorphisms in P. falciparum Isolates from Nigeria and Brazil: The Potential Role of Antimalarial Drug Selection Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Gbotosho, Grace O.; Folarin, Onikepe A.; Bustamante, Carolina; Pereira da Silva, Luis Hildebrando; Mesquita, Elieth; Sowunmi, Akintunde; Zalis, Mariano G.; Oduola, Ayoade M. J.; Happi, Christian T.

2012-01-01

The effect of antimalarial drug selection on pfcrt and pfmdr1 polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from two distinct geographical locations was determined in 70 and 18 P. falciparum isolates from Nigeria and Brazil, respectively, using nested polymerase chain reaction and direct DNA sequencing approaches. All isolates from Brazil and 72% from Nigeria harbored the mutant SVMNT and CVIET pfcrt haplotype, respectively. The pfcrt CVMNT haplotype was also observed in (7%) of the Nigerian samples. One hundred percent (100%) and 54% of the parasites from Brazil and Nigeria, respectively, harbored wild-type pfmdr1Asn86. We provide first evidence of emergence of the CVMNT haplotype in West Africa. The high prevalence of pfcrt CVIET and SVMNT haplotypes in Nigeria and Brazil, respectively, is indicative of different selective pressure by chloroquine and amodiaquine. Continuous monitoring of pfcrt SVMNT haplotype is required in endemic areas of Africa, where artesunate-amodiaquine combination is used for treatment of acute uncomplicated malaria. PMID:22302850

On high interest rates in Brazil

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Francisco Lafaiete Lopes

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This article examines the question of why interest rates are so high in Brazil as compared to the international average. It looks at theoretical arguments based on excessive government deficits, structural lack of private savings, inflation bias, excessive investment demand and fear of floating. An informal look at the evidence does not strongly corroborate any of these arguments. Hence a wise central bank should consider "testing" the market to make sure it is not dealing with an extreme equilibrium configuration or a long standing disequilibrium.

The west-central Florida inner shelf and coastal system: A geologic conceptual overview and introduction to the special issue

Science.gov (United States)

Hine, A.C.; Brooks, G.R.; Davis, R.A.; Duncan, D.S.; Locker, S.D.; Twichell, D.C.; Gelfenbaum, G.

2003-01-01

This paper provides an overview for this special publication on the geologic framework of the inner shelf and coastal zone of west-central Florida. This is a significant geologic setting in that it lies at the center of an ancient carbonate platform facing an enormous ramp that has exerted large-scale control on coastal geomorphology, the availability of sediments, and the level of wave energy. In order to understand the Holocene geologic history of this depositional system, a regional study defined by natural boundaries (north end of a barrier island to the apex of a headland) was undertaken by a group of government and university coastal geologists using a wide variety of laboratory and field techniques. It is the purpose of this introductory paper to define the character of this coastal/inner shelf system, provide a historical geologic perspective and background of environmental information, define the overall database, present the collective objectives of this regional study, and very briefly present the main aspects of each contribution. Specific conclusions are presented at the end of each paper composing this volume. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Controls over spatial and seasonal variations on isotopic composition of the precipitation along the central and eastern portion of Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Gastmans, Didier; Santos, Vinícius; Galhardi, Juliana Aparecida; Gromboni, João Felipe; Batista, Ludmila Vianna; Miotlinski, Konrad; Chang, Hung Kiang; Govone, José Silvio

2017-10-01

Based on Global Network Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) isotopic data set, a review of the spatial and temporal variability of δ 18 O and δ 2 H in precipitation was conducted throughout central and eastern Brazil, indicating that dynamic interactions between Intertropical and South Atlantic Convergence Zones, Amazon rainforest, and Atlantic Ocean determine the variations on the isotopic composition of precipitation over this area. Despite the seasonality and latitude effects observed, a fair correlation with precipitation amount was found. In addition, Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) air mass back trajectories were used to quantify the factors controlling daily variability in stable isotopes in precipitation. Through a linear multiple regression analysis, it was observed that temporal variations were consistent with the meteorological parameters derived from HYSPLIT, particularly precipitation amount along the trajectory and mix depth, but are not dependent on vapour residence time in the atmosphere. These findings also indicate the importance of convective systems to control the isotopic composition of precipitation in tropical and subtropical regions.

Women's status and child survival in West Java, Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Widayatun

1991-03-01

This study is introduced by a literature review of the concept of women's status, and related factors that determine infant and child mortality. Women's status is primarily defined by education, occupation and economic activity, which affect women's decision-making in the home and their independence in larger society. Cluster analysis was used to identify geographical patterns of standardized women's status variables among 20 regencies and 4 municipalities in West Java. Euclidian distances were computed between pairs of regencies across the 13 indicators. Pearson's correlations and multiple regression were used to compare associations between women's status variables and infant and child mortality, after controlling for economic development. Using data from the 1980 census, the study demonstrated large regional variations in women's status in West Java, with higher status in both the household and in society in the south and central highlands than in the north and west. Women's status is closely related to infant and child mortality, independent of the level of development. There was 1 notable exception, the municipality of Bogor, where infant and child mortality were higher than average rates for the cluster of areas with higher women's status. The results suggest that improved education, and increase in age at 1st marriage are key elements for improving the status of women in West Java.

The Oldest Case of Decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil.

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André Strauss

Full Text Available We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26, found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7-12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval. An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1-9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26's isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo's inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death.

Distance Education and Corporate Training in Brazil: Regulations and interrelationships

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Stella C. S. Porto

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Distance education in Brazil has evolved more slowly than distance education offerings in other developing countries. This is because all aspects of Brazil’s publicly-funded educational system are excessively regulated, highly bureaucratic, and tightly centralized. Such highly centralized bureaucracy and strict control has resulted in tremendous hurdles that work to thwart the adoption, provision, and diffusion of distance education. This is not good news: Like many developing countries, Brazil is also characterized by wide gaps in wealth distribution, with 20 percent of its population functionally illiterate and living below the poverty line. Distance education, therefore, could be used to help train Brazil’s citizens. Brazil’s emerging status in the global economy, however, is generating enormous opportunities that are fueling demand for change. For example, in their quest to be competitive in the emerging global economy, Brazil’s corporate sector has addressed this challenge by establishing corporate universities to train and educate their employees; much of this corporate training and education takes place online and at a distance. The established and emerging educational opportunities provided by Brazil’s corporate sector, in turn, is fuelling the demand for the provision of distance education throughout Brazil. Indeed, most Brazilians are ready for distance education. Many Brazilian households own television sets and cellular telephones, and its expanding communication infrastructure has capacity to support distance and continuing education models. Moreover, this capacity is currently being used by Brazil’s rapidly expanding corporate university sector. In spite of Brazil’s emergence in the global marketplace and its private-sector educational success stories, Brazil’s public educational institutions have not kept pace. This is due to Brazil’s long-standing stringent regulation of its public education sector. Recent

Potential of production of biodiesel starting from the chicken oil in the cooperatives of the West of Parana, Brazil; Potencial de producao de biodiesel a partir do oleo de frango nas cooperativas do oeste do Parana

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, Samuel Nelson Melegari de [Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Parana (CCET/UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias Exatas e Tecnologicas], Email: ssouza@unioeste.br; Neitzke, Guilherme [Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Parana (PIBIC/CCET/UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias Exatas e Tecnologicas. Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciacao Cientifica; Gomes, Luis Fernando Souza [Colegio Estadual Presidente Castelo Branco, Toledo, PR (Brazil)], Email: luisfsg@ibest.com.br; Bariccatti, Reinaldo Aparecido [Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Parana (CECE/UNIOESTE), Toledo, PR (Brazil). Centro de Engenharia e Ciencias Exatas], Email: bariccatti@unioeste.br

2006-07-01

Brazil occupies a prominence place in the development and use of sources renovate of energy, due to its great territorial extension, climate and several alternatives. One of these it is the bio diesel,o production which can substitute the oil diesel, decreasing the impacts to the environment. In the productive chain of chicken meat a residue, chicken oil, is generated with potential for biodiesel production. In this work they were certain characteristics physical chemistries, that can influence in the reactions of transesterification of the chicken oil. It was lifted up the potential of production of chicken oil in the cooperatives of the area west of the state of Parana and yield in biodiesel. The bio diesel production by cooperatives could be of 19.525.209,0 kg/year of bio diesel and the yield of 95%. (author)

Shared Value Creation and Crowdfunding in Brazil

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Israel José dos Santos Felipe

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective. Approaching the theory of creating shared value (Porter & Kramer, 2011 with the basic social elements of crowdfunding in Brazil. The idea was to explore the complementarity of the concepts governing the CF in line with the theory of Porter and Kramer. Through literature review and empirical discussion is intended to answer two central questions regarding the theme developed in this essay: i which elements of the theory of creating shared value are found in crowdfunding? ii how occurs the creation of shared value in business developed in crowdfunding platforms?Methodology. Theoretical Essay.Findings.  It is possible to make a theoretical approach of the themes studied in this trial, as we take the social and financial perspective of crowdfunding and their relationships with the creation of value for the company and investors.Originality. So far, was not found another study that addressed the themes of this essay in Brazil.

West Village Student Housing Phase I: Apartment Monitoring and Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

German, A. [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI), Davis, CA (United States); Bell, C. [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI), Davis, CA (United States); Dakin, B. [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI), Davis, CA (United States); Hoeschele, M. [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI), Davis, CA (United States)

2014-06-01

Building America team Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI) worked with the University of California, Davis and the developer partner West Village Community Partnership (WVCP) to evaluate performance on 192 student apartments completed in September, 2011 as part of Phase I of the multi-purpose West Village project. West Village is the largest planned zero net energy community in the United States. The campus neighborhood is designed to enable faculty, staff, and students to affordably live near campus, take advantage of environmentally friendly transportation options, and participate fully in campus life. The aggressive energy efficiency measures that are incorporated in the design contribute to source energy reductions of 37% over the B10 Benchmark. These measures include increased wall and attic insulation, high performance windows, high efficiency heat pumps for heating and cooling, central heat pump water heaters (HPWHs), 100% high efficacy lighting, and ENERGY STAR major appliances. The report discusses how measured energy use compares to modeling estimates over a 10-month monitoring period and includes a cost effective evaluation.

West Village Student Housing Phase I: Apartment Monitoring and Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

German, A.; Bell, C.; Dakin, B.; Hoeschele, M.

2014-06-01

Building America team Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI) worked with the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and the developer partner West Village Community Partnership (WVCP) to evaluate performance on 192 student apartments completed in September, 2011 as part of Phase I of the multi-purpose West Village project. West Village, the largest planned zero net energy community in the United States. The campus neighborhood is designed to enable faculty, staff and students to affordably live near campus, take advantage of environmentally friendly transportation options, and participate fully in campus life. The aggressive energy efficiency measures that are incorporated in the design contribute to source energy reductions of 37% over the B10 Benchmark. The energy efficiency measures that are incorporated into these apartments include increased wall & attic insulation, high performance windows, high efficiency heat pumps for heating and cooling, central heat pump water heaters (HPWHs), 100% high efficacy lighting, and ENERGY STAR major appliances. Results discuss how measured energy use compares to modeling estimates over a 10 month monitoring period and includes a cost effective evaluation.

Revisiting the West Clearwater Lake Impact Structure, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Osinski, G. R.; Brunner, A.; Collins, G.; Cohen, B. A.; Coulter, A.; Elphic, R.; Grieve, R. A. F.; Hodges, K.; Horne, A.; Kerrigan, M.

2015-01-01

The West and East Clearwater Lake impact structures are two of the most distinctive and recognizable impact structures on Earth. Known regionally as the "Clearwater Lake Complex", these structures are located in northern Quebec, Canada (56 deg 10 N, 74 deg 20 W) approximately 125 km east of Hudson Bay. The currently accepted diameters are 36 km and 26 km for the West and East structures, respectively. Long thought to represent a rare example of a double impact, recent age dating has called this into question with ages of approximately 286 Ma and approximately 460-470 Ma being proposed for the West and East structures, respectively. Relatively little is known about the East Clearwater Lake structure. There is no surface exposure and what information there is comes from geophysics and two drill cores obtained in the 1960s. In contrast, the West Clearwater Lake structure is relatively well preserved with large ring of islands in the approximately 30 km diameter lake. Much of the work done on West Clearwater stems from field investigations carried out in 1977 driven by the Apollo program, with a focus on the impact melt rocks and other impactites, which are well exposed on the ring of islands. To our knowledge, the Clearwater Lake impact structures have not been the focus of detailed impact geology field investigations since the 1977 expedition and the only geological map that exists is from the 1960s and is at the reconnaissance level. Our knowledge of impact cratering processes have increased substantially since this time, as have the analytical techniques available for samples. This provided the motivation for a joint Canadian-US-UK expedition to the West Clearwater Lake impact structure in August and September 2015, under the auspices of the FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration) project, part of NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). We focus here on the impactites of the West Clearwater Lake

Toxic Metals (Pb and Cd and Their Respective Antagonists (Ca and Zn in Infant Formulas and Milk Marketed in Brasilia, Brazil

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José G. Dórea

2010-11-01

Full Text Available In non-ideal scenarios involving partial or non-breastfeeding, cow’s milk-based dairy products are mainstream in infant feeding. Therefore, it is important to study the concentrations of potentially neurotoxic contaminants (Pb and Cd and their respective counteracting elements (Ca and Zn in infant dairy products. Fifty-five brands of infant formulas and milk sold in Brasilia, Brazil were analyzed. The dairy products came from areas in the central-west (26%, southeast (29% and south of Brazil (36% extending as far as Argentina (7% and the Netherlands (2%. For toxic Pb and Cd, median concentrations in powdered samples were 0.109 mg/kg and 0.033 mg/kg, respectively; in fluid samples median Pb concentration was 0.084 mg/kg, but median Cd concentration was below the limit of detection and overall values were below reference safety levels. However, 62% of these samples presented higher Pb concentration values than those established by FAO/WHO. Although the inverse correlation between Cd and Zn (Spearman r = −0.116; P = 0.590 was not statistically significant, the positive correlation between Ca and Pb was (Spearman r = 0.619; P < 0.0001. Additionally, there was a significant correlation between Pb and Cd. Furthermore, the study also revealed that provision of the essential trace element Zn in infant formulas can provide adequate amounts of the recommended daily requirements. Infant formulas and milk sold for consumption by infants and children can be an efficient tool to monitor neurotoxic metal risk exposure among young children.

Analysis of the temporal variation of radiation balance components in arid rice (Oryza sativa L.) culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prates, J.E.; Coelho, D.T.; Steinmetz, S.

1988-01-01

The time variation of measured radiation balance components in a cultived rice area (Oryza sativa L.) under arid conditions in the Brazil central-west region was analysed. The relation between global solar radiation, radiation balance, reflected radiation and terrestrial effective radiation in three different stages of the culture development: vegetative stage; blooming and maturation, was determined. (M.C.K.) [pt

Characteristics of peak streamflows and extent of inundation in areas of West Virginia and southwestern Virginia affected by flooding, June 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Samuel H.; Watson, Kara M.; Lotspeich, R. Russell; Cauller, Stephen J.; White , Jeremy S.; Wicklein, Shaun M.

2017-11-17

Heavy rainfall occurred across central and southern West Virginia in June 2016 as a result of repeated rounds of torrential thunderstorms. The storms caused major flooding and flash flooding in central and southern West Virginia with Kanawha, Fayette, Nicholas, and Greenbrier Counties among the hardest hit. Over the duration of the storms, from 8 to 9.37 inches of rain was reported in areas in Greenbrier County. Peak streamflows were the highest on record at 7 locations, and streamflows at 18 locations ranked in the top five for the period of record at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations used in this study. Following the storms, U.S. Geological Survey hydrographers identified and documented 422 high-water marks in West Virginia, noting location and height of the water above land surface. Many of these high-water marks were used to create flood-inundation maps for selected communities of West Virginia that experienced flooding in June 2016. Digital datasets of the inundation areas, mapping boundaries, and water depth rasters are available online.

Chemical composition of the fruit mesocarp of three peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) populations grown in central Amazonia, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuyama, Lúcia K O; Aguiar, Jaime P L; Yuyama, Kaoru; Clement, Charles R; Macedo, Sonja H M; Fávaro, Deborah I T; Afonso, Claudia; Vasconcellos, Marina B A; Pimentel, Sabria A; Badolato, Elsa S G; Vannucchi, Helio

2003-01-01

The percent composition, soluble and insoluble food fibers, oil fatty acids and minerals were determined in the mesocarp of fruits of three peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) populations grown in Central Amazonia, Brazil. Amino acids were also determined in one of the populations. The mean protein levels ranged from 1.8 to 2.7%, lipid levels ranged from 3.5 to 11.1%, the nitrogen free fraction ranged from 24.3 to 35%, food fiber ranged from 5.2% to 8.7%, and energy ranged from 179.1 to 207.4 kcal%. All essential, as well as non-essential, amino acids were present, with tryptophan and methionine presenting the lowest mean concentrations. The mono-unsaturated oleic acid predominated in the oil, ranging from 42.8 to 60.8%, and palmitic acid was the most abundant saturated fatty acid, ranging from 24.1 to 42.3%. Among the essential fatty acids, linoleic acid was the most abundant, with a maximum of 5.4% in Pampa-8. The most important mineral elements were potassium, selenium and chromium, respectively corresponding to 12%, 9% and 9% of daily recommended allowances. Considering the nutritional potential of the fruit, we suggest its more frequent incorporation into the diet of the Amazonian population.

75 FR 27299 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil, India, the People's Republic of China and Thailand...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-14

.../Producers Margin (percent) Brazil Netuno Alimentos S.A./Maricultura Netuno S.A./ 7.94 Netuno USA, Inc. (collectively, Netuno) Central de Industrializacao de Distribuicao de 4.97 Alimentos Ltda./Cia. Exportadora de...

Central Asia’s Shrinking Connectivity Gap: Implications for U.S. Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

2014-11-01

regional integration and protectionism often centered around a number of economic poles represented by established and rising powers like Brazil , Russia...Central Asia, with major investments in construction, food production, hotel management, financial servic- es, energy, information technology (IT), and

Sources of anthropogenic lead in sediments from an artificial lake in Brasilia-central Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gioia, S.M.C.L.; Pimentel, M.M.; Tessler, M.; Dantas, E.L.; Campos, J.E.G.; Guimaraes, E.M.; Maruoka, M.T.S.; Nascimento, E.L.C.

2006-01-01

Pb concentration and Pb isotopic composition are known to represent powerful tools to investigate the history of Pb pollution in water and sediments. In this paper, we present and discuss the results of a detailed study of sediments deposited in the Paranoa Lake, a 44-year-old artificial reservoir in Brasilia, central Brazil. Pb concentration and isotopic composition of the sediments were obtained by ID-TIMS, on three different sample fractions: leachate, residue, and bulk sample. The leachate phase has proven to be most efficient to distinguish between anthropogenic and natural Pb inputs. In the Paranoa lake, important sources of contamination were recognized, producing higher Pb concentrations (max. 37.68 ppm) and significant variations in Pb isotopic composition, relative to the regional geogenic background. Contamination of the sediments due to anthropogenic activity produced less radiogenic Pb isotopic compositions ( 206 Pb/ 207 Pb = 1.15-1.17), compared with the regional natural composition ( 206 Pb/ 207 Pb = 1.19-1.25). 21 Pb analyses along one bore hole which sampled the entire sediment section indicated a sedimentation rate of 8.2 ± 1.8 mm/year. The combined use of the 21 Pb ages and Pb isotopic compositions of these samples revealed three distinct periods in the lake history: (1) the period of the time formation of the lake in 1959 until ca. 1970 was characterized by the deposition of sediments displaying more radiogenic Pb isotopic signature, (2) the time interval from the start of the process of eutrophication at 1970, until 1995, was characterized by the deposition of sediments having less radiogenic average compositions, and (3) from 1995 until the present represents a period of recovery of water quality, after two sewage treatment stations started to operate

En Garde: Fencing at Kansas City's Central Computers Unlimited/Classical Greek Magnet High School, 1991-1995

Science.gov (United States)

Poos, Bradley W.

2015-01-01

Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri is one of the oldest schools west of the Mississippi and the first public high school built in Kansas City. Kansas City's magnet plan resulted in Central High School being rebuilt as the Central Computers Unlimited/Classical Greek Magnet High School, a school that was designed to offer students an…

Microsatellite data suggest significant population structure and differentiation within the malaria vector Anopheles darlingi in Central and South America

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Achee Nicole L

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Anopheles darlingi is the most important malaria vector in the Neotropics. An understanding of A. darlingi's population structure and contemporary gene flow patterns is necessary if vector populations are to be successfully controlled. We assessed population genetic structure and levels of differentiation based on 1,376 samples from 31 localities throughout the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon and Central America using 5–8 microsatellite loci. Results We found high levels of polymorphism for all of the Amazonian populations (mean RS = 7.62, mean HO = 0.742, and low levels for the Belize and Guatemalan populations (mean RS = 4.3, mean HO = 0.457. The Bayesian clustering analysis revealed five population clusters: northeastern Amazonian Brazil, southeastern and central Amazonian Brazil, western and central Amazonian Brazil, Peruvian Amazon, and the Central American populations. Within Central America there was low non-significant differentiation, except for between the populations separated by the Maya Mountains. Within Amazonia there was a moderate level of significant differentiation attributed to isolation by distance. Within Peru there was no significant population structure and low differentiation, and some evidence of a population expansion. The pairwise estimates of genetic differentiation between Central America and Amazonian populations were all very high and highly significant (FST = 0.1859 – 0.3901, P DA and FST distance-based trees illustrated the main division to be between Central America and Amazonia. Conclusion We detected a large amount of population structure in Amazonia, with three population clusters within Brazil and one including the Peru populations. The considerable differences in Ne among the populations may have contributed to the observed genetic differentiation. All of the data suggest that the primary division within A. darlingi corresponds to two white gene genotypes between Amazonia (genotype 1

Anti-leptospirose agglutinins in equine sera, from São Paulo, Goias, and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, 1996-2001

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H. Langoni

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Equine leptospirosis can present a non-symptomatic form, an acute clinical form, or even develop chronically, causing reproductive alterations, such as abortion and recurrent uveitis. Since the prevalence of leptospirosis in several countries and regions is widely reported, the objective of this study was to verify the prevailing equine leptospirosis in different regions of Brazil. Sera from 1402 blood samples from horses of different age, sex, breed, and purpose were examined. These samples came from southeastern and central west states of Brazil. The method utilized was the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT, with 12 different Leptospira serovars. From the sera tested, 754 (54% were positive for one (385 or more (372 serovars. These results were higher when compared to national and international levels. The most commonly found serovars were icterohaemorrhagiae (37.01%, suggesting exposure to rodents, castellonis (16.97%, and djasiman (15.19%. There were significant differences of reagents between sexes, and a tendency toward higher positivity with age. Distribution of sera-reagents related to aptitude showed a markedly higher value for work animals than for sporting ones. Higher rates were found for animals with undefined breed. There were no significant differences related to regional origin. As an indication of multiple exposure, significant associations were observed between the following serovars: castellonis and djasiman; castellonis and grippotyphosa; castellonis and copenhageni; castellonis and icterohaemorrhagiae; castellonis and pomona; canicola and pomona; canicola and djasiman; djasiman and copenhageni; icterohaemorrhagiae and djasiman; icterohaemorrhagiae and pyrogenes; copenhageni and pomona. These results showed the necessity of further studies on the epidemiology of this disease in equines and its relationship to human illness.

West and East

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Alexander Rappaport

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The topic “West-East” has a clear cultural and historical meaning. Orthodox temples face East. The way from West to East and from East to West is tens of thousands of kilometers long and has a special meaning. It differs from the way from North to South: the horizontal axes connect regions, while the vertical axis (Earth-Sky connects the worlds. The expansion of Eurasian tribes occurred along the East-West axis – the world horizontal way. Today the cultural memory of people in the East and West finds itself in the theatre of new dramas of existence and new forces. With the advances in electronic technologies, the world movements seem to have sunk in the depth of the chthonian past to come up anew to the surface of fantastic speeds and momentary connections. A new type of planetary landscape-space relation appears, giving no place for West and East.

Application of GIS-based SCS-CN method in West Bank catchments, Palestine

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Sameer Shadeed

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Among the most basic challenges of hydrology are the prediction and quantification of catchment surface runoff. The runoff curve number (CN is a key factor in determining runoff in the SCS (Soil Conservation Service based hydrologic modeling method. The traditional SCS-CN method for calculating the composite curve number is very tedious and consumes a major portion of the hydrologic modeling time. Therefore, geographic information systems (GIS are now being used in combination with the SCS-CN method. This paper assesses the modeling of flow in West Bank catchments using the GIS-based SCS-CN method. The West Bank, Palestine, is characterized as an arid to semi-arid region with annual rainfall depths ranging between 100 mm in the vicinity of the Jordan River to 700 mm in the mountains extending across the central parts of the region. The estimated composite curve number for the entire West Bank is about 50 assuming dry conditions. This paper clearly demonstrates that the integration of GIS with the SCS-CN method provides a powerful tool for estimating runoff volumes in West Bank catchments, representing arid to semi-arid catchments of Palestine.

A historical overview of leprosy epidemiology and control activities in Amazonas, Brazil

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Carolina Cunha

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Leprosy is an ancient infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. According to comparative genomics studies, this disease originated in Eastern Africa or the Near East and spread with successive human migrations. The Europeans and North Africans introduced leprosy into West Africa and the Americas within the past 500 years. In Brazil, this disease arrived with the colonizers who disembarked at the first colonies, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife, at the end of the sixteenth century, after which it was spread to the other states. In 1854, the first leprosy cases were identified in State of Amazonas in the north of Brazil. The increasing number of leprosy cases and the need for treatment and disease control led to the creation of places to isolate patients, known as leprosaria. One of them, Colonia Antônio Aleixo was built in Amazonas in 1956 according to the most advanced recommendations for isolation at that time and was deactivated in 1979. The history of the Alfredo da Matta Center (AMC, which was the first leprosy dispensary created in 1955, parallels the history of leprosy in the state. Over the years, the AMC has become one of the best training centers for leprosy, general dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases in Brazil. In addition to being responsible for leprosy control programs in the state, the AMC has carried out training programs on leprosy diagnosis and treatment for health professionals in Manaus and other municipalities of the state, aiming to increase the coverage of leprosy control activities. This paper provides a historical overview of leprosy in State of Amazonas, which is an endemic state in Brazil.

Vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Infections in women who sell sex on the route of prostitution and sex tourism in Central Brazil

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Marcos André de Matos

2013-07-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to investigate knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs, STD-related risk behaviors, and signs/symptoms of STDs among female sex workers (FSWs. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was conducted with a probabilistic sample comprising 395 women recruited using a respondent-driven sampling method between 2009 and 2010. The data were collected during face-to-face interviews. RESULTS: most of the participants were young adults, had a low educational level, and had poor knowledge on the transmission paths of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV. Over one-third of the participants were not able to describe the signs/symptoms of STDs. The prevalence rates of vaginal discharge and wounds/ulcers were 49.0% and 8.6%, respectively, but 41.7% of the women had not sought treatment. CONCLUSION: the results indicate the need for public health policies focusing on the control and prevention of STDs in this population, especially for the FSWs who are active in an important prostitution and sex tourism route in central Brazil.

Extensional ductile tectonics of the Sioule metamorphic series (Variscan French Massif Central)

Science.gov (United States)

Faure, M.; Grolier, J.; Pons, J.

1993-09-01

In the Northern part of the Variscan French Massif Central, the Sioule series, from top to bottom, consists of a pre-Viséan granite, migmatite, gneiss and mica schist. Two ductile deformations have been recognized. The earlier phase is characterized by a north-east-south-west trending stretching lineation; the second phase, characterized by a north-west-south-east trending mineral, stretching and crenulation lineation, is better marked in the lower mica schist part than in the upper granito-gneissic part. This second phase occurred during retrogression of the metamorphic rocks; related shear criteria indicate a top to the south-west shear. The Namurian-Westphalian magmatic bodies such as the Echassières leucogranite, Pouzol-Servant microgranite and numerous north-east -south-west trending microgranite dykes are emplaced in extensional fractures related to the same north-west-south-east maximum stretching direction. The asymmetrical shapes of the two granitic massifs indicate that they intruded towards the south-east. The synkinematic retrogression of the metamorphic rocks, the shape of the magmatic bodies and a re-examination of the numerous available data support the interpretation that the deformation is due to the extensional tectonic regime related to the Variscan crustal re-quilibration. This interpretation is in agreement with the correlation of the Sioule series with the Chavanon series. The two series belong to a unique tectono-metamorphic unit left-laterally offset by the Stephanian motion of the Sillon Houiller fault. This study also shows that the Sillon Houiller did not play a significant part during the Namurian-Westphalian extensional tectonics of the Massif Central.

Shrimp and conventional U-Pb age, Sm-Nd isotopic characteristics and tectonic significance of the K-rich Itapuranga suite in Goias, Central Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pimentel, Marcio M.; Dantas, Elton L.; Fuck, Reinhardt A. [Brasilia Univ., DF (Brazil). Inst. de Geociencias. Lab. de Geocronologia]. E-mail: marcio@unb.br; mmp1103@terra.com.br; Armstrong, Richard A. [Australian National Univ., Canberra (Australia). Research School of Earth Sciences

2003-03-15

The Itapuranga alkali granite and Uruana quartz syenite are large K-rich E W-elongated intrusions, in the central part of the Neoproterozoic Brasilia Belt, central Brazil. They are associated with Pireneus lineaments, which cut the regional NNW-SSE structures of the southern part of the belt. SHRIMP and conventional U-Pb data for the Itapuranga and Uruana intrusions indicate crystallization ages of 624 {+-} 10 Ma and 618 {+-} Ma, respectively. Three zircon cores from the Itapuranga granite yielded U-Pb ages between 1.79 and 1.49 Ga. Sm-Nd T{sub DM} ages for both intrusions are 1.44 Ga and epsilon{sub Nd}(T) values are -5.1 and -5.7, suggesting the input of material derived from older (Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic) sialic crust in the origin of the parental magmas. Magma mixing structures indicate co-existence of mafic and felsic end-members. The felsic end-member of the intrusions is dominantly represented by crust-derived melts, formed in response to the invasion of Paleo/Mesoproterozoic sialic crust by alkali-rich mafic magmas at ca. 620 Ma. These intrusions are roughly contemporaneous with, or perhaps slightly younger than, the peak of regional metamorphism in the southern Brasilia Belt. Their emplacement along the Pireneus lineament suggest a syn-tectonic origin for them, most probably in transtensional settings along these faults. (author)

Shrimp and conventional U-Pb age, Sm-Nd isotopic characteristics and tectonic significance of the K-rich Itapuranga suite in Goias, Central Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pimentel, Marcio M.; Dantas, Elton L.; Fuck, Reinhardt A.; Armstrong, Richard A.

2003-01-01

The Itapuranga alkali granite and Uruana quartz syenite are large K-rich E W-elongated intrusions, in the central part of the Neoproterozoic Brasilia Belt, central Brazil. They are associated with Pireneus lineaments, which cut the regional NNW-SSE structures of the southern part of the belt. SHRIMP and conventional U-Pb data for the Itapuranga and Uruana intrusions indicate crystallization ages of 624 ± 10 Ma and 618 ± Ma, respectively. Three zircon cores from the Itapuranga granite yielded U-Pb ages between 1.79 and 1.49 Ga. Sm-Nd T DM ages for both intrusions are 1.44 Ga and epsilon Nd (T) values are -5.1 and -5.7, suggesting the input of material derived from older (Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic) sialic crust in the origin of the parental magmas. Magma mixing structures indicate co-existence of mafic and felsic end-members. The felsic end-member of the intrusions is dominantly represented by crust-derived melts, formed in response to the invasion of Paleo/Mesoproterozoic sialic crust by alkali-rich mafic magmas at ca. 620 Ma. These intrusions are roughly contemporaneous with, or perhaps slightly younger than, the peak of regional metamorphism in the southern Brasilia Belt. Their emplacement along the Pireneus lineament suggest a syn-tectonic origin for them, most probably in transtensional settings along these faults. (author)

The neoproterozoic Goias magmatic arc, central Brazil: a review and new Sm-Nd isotopic data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pimentel, Marcio Martins; Fuck, Reinhardt Adolfo; Gioia, Simone Maria Costa Lima

2000-01-01

In this study we review the main characteristics and geochronological/isotopic data of metaigneous rocks of the juvenile Neoproterozoic Goias Magmatic Arc in central Brazil. Some new Sm-Nd isotopic data are also presented for both the southern (Arenopolis) and northern (Mara Rosa) sections of the arc. In the south, granitoids of the Choupana-Turvania area yielded a Sm-Nd whole-rock isochron age of 863± 97 Ma and e Nd (T) of +4.1 T D M model ages vary between 0.94 and 1.13 Ga. Metavolcanic rocks in the Pontalina region have a Sm-Nd whole rock isochron age of 762 ± 77 Ma and e Nd (T) of +2.9. T DM values are between 0.96 and 1.10 Ga. In the northern section of the Goias Arc, mylonitic gneisses of the Serra Azul ridge, an important N30E shear zone, were investigated and have a Sm-Nd isochron age of 3058 ± 120 Ma and initial e Nd value of ca.+ 2.1. This data suggests that the Serra Azul ridge might represent either a mylonitized fragment of the Archaen terranes exposed just to the south, or the sialic basement of the Araguaia Belt supracrustal, along the eastern margin of the Amazon Craton. The geochronological data available so far indicate a long history of arc formation and amalgamation on the western margin of the Sao Francisco-Congo continent during the Neoproterozoic. The history of convergence of continental masses is partially coeval with the fragmentation of Rodinia, indicating that the western margin (present geographic reference) of that continent occupied a peripheral setting in the Rodinia super continent. (author)

The neoproterozoic Goias magmatic arc, central Brazil: a review and new Sm-Nd isotopic data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pimentel, Marcio Martins; Fuck, Reinhardt Adolfo; Gioia, Simone Maria Costa Lima [Brasilia Univ., DF (Brazil). Inst. de Geociencias]. E-mail: marcio@unb.br

2000-03-01

In this study we review the main characteristics and geochronological/isotopic data of metaigneous rocks of the juvenile Neoproterozoic Goias Magmatic Arc in central Brazil. Some new Sm-Nd isotopic data are also presented for both the southern (Arenopolis) and northern (Mara Rosa) sections of the arc. In the south, granitoids of the Choupana-Turvania area yielded a Sm-Nd whole-rock isochron age of 863{+-} 97 Ma and e{sub Nd} (T) of +4.1 T{sub D}M model ages vary between 0.94 and 1.13 Ga. Metavolcanic rocks in the Pontalina region have a Sm-Nd whole rock isochron age of 762 {+-} 77 Ma and e{sub Nd} (T) of +2.9. T {sub DM} values are between 0.96 and 1.10 Ga. In the northern section of the Goias Arc, mylonitic gneisses of the Serra Azul ridge, an important N30E shear zone, were investigated and have a Sm-Nd isochron age of 3058 {+-} 120 Ma and initial e{sub Nd} value of ca.+ 2.1. This data suggests that the Serra Azul ridge might represent either a mylonitized fragment of the Archaen terranes exposed just to the south, or the sialic basement of the Araguaia Belt supracrustal, along the eastern margin of the Amazon Craton. The geochronological data available so far indicate a long history of arc formation and amalgamation on the western margin of the Sao Francisco-Congo continent during the Neoproterozoic. The history of convergence of continental masses is partially coeval with the fragmentation of Rodinia, indicating that the western margin (present geographic reference) of that continent occupied a peripheral setting in the Rodinia super continent. (author)

A note on inflation targeting and economic growth in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilberto Libânio

2010-03-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the relation between monetary policy and economic performance in Brazil during the period 1999-2006. In particular, it discusses the growth effects of the inflation targeting regime through its effects on aggregate demand. It is argued that monetary policy under IT reacts in a procyclical and asymmetric way to fluctuations in economic activity (too "tight" during recessions, not so "loose" during expansions. Such pattern may generate a downward bias in aggregate demand, with negative real effects on output growth and employment. Our results suggest that monetary policy has been procyclical and asymmetrical in Brazil under inflation targeting. The main economic policy implication of this study is that central banks should consider more seriously the real effects of monetary policy on output and employment.

Empowerment model of biomass in west java

Science.gov (United States)

Mulyana, C.; Fitriani, N. I.; Saad, A.; Yuliah, Y.

2017-06-01

Scarcity of fossil energy accelerates the search of renewable energy sources as the substitution. In West Java, biomass has potential to be developed into bio-briquette because the resources are abundant. The objectives of this research are mapping the potency of biomass as bio-briquette in West Java, and making the model of the empowerment biomass potential involving five fundamental step which are raw material, pre-processing process, conversion mechanism, products, and end user. The main object of this model focused on 3 forms which are solid, liquid, and gas which was made by involving the community component as the owner biomass, district government, academics and researcher communities, related industries as users of biomass, and the central government as the policy holders and investors as a funder. In the model was described their respective roles and mutual relationship one with another so that the bio-briquette as a substitute of fossil fuels can be realized. Application of this model will provide the benefits in renewability energy sources, environmental, socio economical and energy security.

Opening up Brazil's hydrocarbon sector - the Bolivia-Brazil pipeline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Law, P.

2000-01-01

The Bolivia-Brazil natural gas pipeline, which transports natural gas more than 3000 km from Bolivia to Brazil, cost US$2.1 billion to construct. Despite the substantial benefits for both Bolivia and Brazil and the involvement of reputable private partners, the perceived risks and complexities of this large project made financing it major challenge. neither of these countries has had a tradition of independent regulation or economic fuel pricing, and the pipeline was the first major gas infrastructure project involving the private sector in Brazil. The presentation explains the historical features of the project and how the project was used to open up Brazilian oil and gas sector to private investment and competition. (author)

Vírus do Nilo Ocidental: nova ameaça à segurança transfusional? West Nile virus: a new threat to transfusion safety?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Audrey K. Zeinad

2004-01-01

community. Efforts have been made in an attempt to obtain accurate diagnostic tests, to search for an effective therapy, to control the vectors (insects and to develop a vaccine. Cases of West Nile infection have already been reported in Central America. Due the ideal climatic conditions for the spread of this virus in Brazil, we should be aware of the risks of an epidemic here. This article presents the current worldwide picture of West Nile Virus dissemination, ways of transmission, clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment with some preventive measures for the control of this infection.

"A Crucial Sphere for Our Security": Russia in Central Asia after 9/11

OpenAIRE

Opdahl, Ingerid M.

2005-01-01

After 11 September 2001, Russia entered into a strategic alignment with the United States and the West in the war against terrorism, and the alignment included Russian support for a Western military presence in Central Asia. At the same time, Russian policy in Central Asia focused on military and security cooperation, and Russian or Russian-led military bases were established in the region. This study investigates the Russian response to the appearance ofWestern bases in Central Asia....

Spatial and temporal variations of wave energy in the nearshore waters of the central west coast of India

Science.gov (United States)

Amrutha, M. M.; Sanil Kumar, V.

2016-12-01

Assessment of wave power potential at different water depths and time is required for identifying a wave power plant location. This study examines the variation in wave power off the central west coast of India at water depths of 30, 9 and 5 m based on waverider buoy measured wave data. The study shows a significant reduction ( ˜ 10 to 27 %) in wave power at 9 m water depth compared to 30 m and the wave power available at 5 m water depth is 20 to 23 % less than that at 9 m. At 9 m depth, the seasonal mean value of the wave power varied from 1.6 kW m-1 in the post-monsoon period (ONDJ) to 15.2 kW m-1 in the Indian summer monsoon (JJAS) period. During the Indian summer monsoon period, the variation of wave power in a day is up to 32 kW m-1. At 9 m water depth, the mean annual wave power is 6 kW m-1 and interannual variations up to 19.3 % are observed during 2009-2014. High wave energy ( > 20 kW m-1) at the study area is essentially from the directional sector 245-270° and also 75 % of the total annual wave energy is from this narrow directional sector, which is advantageous while aligning the wave energy converter.

A 900-year pollen-inferred temperature and effective moisture record from varved Lake Mina, west-central Minnesota, USA

Science.gov (United States)

St. Jacques, Jeannine-Marie; Cumming, Brian F.; Smol, John P.

2008-04-01

Drought is endemic to the North American Great Plains, causing severe economic consequences. However, instrumental climate data only exist from ca AD 1890, and limited tree-ring, paleolimnological, archeological and eolian records document the last two millennia. To address this lack of monitoring and paleoclimatic data, the pollen preserved in the varved sediments of Lake Mina, Minnesota, on the northeastern border of the Great Plains, were analyzed. May and February mean monthly temperatures and "annual precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration" were reconstructed at a 4-year resolution using a pre-settlement pollen-climate calibration set. The period of the so-called Little Ice Age (LIA) (AD 1500-1870) was colder than the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) (AD 1100-1500) in west-central Minnesota. Winter temperatures in the LIA declined more than summer ones. The pollen record suggests that the LIA occurred in three phases: an initial cold phase from AD 1505 to AD 1575, a warmer phase, and then a very cold phase from AD 1625 to AD 1775. There were severe droughts detected in the Lake Mina record from AD 1660 to AD 1710 and AD 1300 to AD 1400, suggesting that high-resolution pollen records can detect events previously defined from the tree-ring records. This latter century-scale drought is concurrent with the widely reported "AD 1250-1400 mega-drought", which exceeds the severity of 20th century droughts.

Juristocracy in Brazil Ran Hirschl's Perspective About Judicial Empowerment

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Claudia Maria Barbosa

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Within the classical view of separation of powers, the judiciary originally occupied the weaker position. What is observed today, however, is a displacement of power from representative institutions to the judiciary, erecting a new kind of political regime that the Canadian political scientist Ran Hirschl called juristocracy. This paper intends to discuss this movement basing on the idea of hegemonic preservation, presented by Hirschl in his work Towards Juristocracy whose central hypothesis is that the political, economic and social elites voluntarily transfer power to the judiciary, when threatened of losing their hegemony in the political sphere. In Brazil, the 1988 Constitution turned the Supreme Court into one of the world's most powerful courts, which works at the same time as constitutional court, court of appeals and criminal court, responsible for deciding the most fundamental issues for brazilian society. We present at first, the examples used by Hirschl to illustrate his thesis about the judicial empowerment through constitutionalization, analyzing the political and economic changes in recent history of Israel, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa, followed by an analysis of the phenomenon in Brazil. We conclude that it is not possible to determine, in principle, the occurrence of hegemonic preservation in Brazil, but that Hirschl's analysis that offers an answer that challenges the traditional view on the judicialization of politics, contributes to the discussion and analysis of the phenomenon in Brazil.

Asset Substitution, Money Demand, and the Inflation Process in Brazil.

OpenAIRE

Calomiris, Charles W; Domowitz, Ian

1989-01-01

Various domestic financial assets in Brazil have provided relatively liquid nonmonetary alternatives. Monthly money demand estimates, which include domestic asset opportunity costs and take account of T-bill repurchase agreements in a dynamic error-correction model, demonstrate the importance of domestic substitutes in explaining money holdings. Money demand appears responsive and stable. Moreover, T-bills and indexed bonds have acted as an alternative to central bank liabilities as a source ...

Understanding the United States and Brazil's response to obesity: institutional conversion, policy reform, and the lessons learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, Eduardo J

2015-06-10

In the United States (US) and Brazil, obesity has emerged as a health epidemic. This article is driven by the following research questions: how did the US and Brazil's federal institutions respond to obesity? And how did these responses affect policy implementation? The aim of this article is therefore to conduct a comparative case study analysis of how these nations' institutions responded in order to determine the key lessons learned. This study uses primary and secondary qualitative data to substantiate causal arguments and factual claims. Brazil shows that converting preexisting federal agencies working in primary healthcare to emphasize the provision of obesity prevention services can facilitate policy implementation, especially in rural areas. Brazil also reveals the importance of targeting federal grant support to the highest obesity prevalence areas and imposing grant conditionalities, while illustrating how the incorporation of social health movements into the bureaucracy facilitates the early adoption of nutrition and obesity policies. None of these reforms were pursued in the US. Brazil's government has engaged in innovative institutional conversion processes aiding its ability to sustain its centralized influence when implementing obesity policy. The US government's adoption of Brazil's institutional innovations may help to strengthen its policy response.

Molecular variability in the maize grey leaf spot pathogens in Brazil

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Kátia R. Brunelli

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Isolates of Cercospora species from leaves displaying symptoms of grey leaf spot were collected in maize-producing areas of south-central Brazil in 2001 and 2002. Restriction digests of the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA detected the presence of the same two Cercospora species described on maize in the United States, namely C. zeae-maydis and the recently described species, C. zeina . Genetic variability among isolates was assessed by analysing 104 amplified fragment length polymorphism loci. Cluster analysis confirmed the genetic separation of isolates into two species with a mean similarity of 35%. Similarity levels within species were high, averaging 93% and 92% among isolates of C. zeae-maydis and C. zeina , respectively. The mean genetic similarity between C. zeae-maydis and C. zeina and two isolates of C. sorghi f. sp. maydis was 45% and 35%, respectively. Results of this study showed that populations of the grey leaf spot pathogens in Brazil are similar to those in the United States regarding species composition and that C. zeina is also present in Brazil.

the relationships of the avifauna of the south west arid area of africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

came from the north; zoological facts suggest that African birds must have evolved within the continent, with .... discovered one in central Tanganyika, appears to have evolved in the South West Arid but to have left these ... seems to me that leucotis is more similar, in size and plumage pattern, to verticalis than to australis.

Biomass Burning Emissions in the Cerrado of Brazil Computed with Remote Sensing Data and GIS

Science.gov (United States)

Guild, Liane S.; Brass, James A.; Chatfield, Robert B.; Hlavka, Christine A.; Riggan, Philip J.; Setzer, Alberto; Pereira, Joao A. Raposo; Peterson, David L. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Biomass burnin is a common force in much of the developing tropical world where it has wide-ranging environmental impacts. Fire is a component of tropical deforestation and is 0 p often used to clear broad expanses of land for shifting agriculture and cattle ranching. Frequent burning in the tropical savannas is a distinct problem from that of primary forest. In Brazil, most of the burning occurs in the cerrado which occupies approximately 1,800,000 km2, primarily on the great plateau in central Brazil. Wildland and agricultural fires are dramatic sources of regional air pollution in central Brazil. Biomass burning is an important source of a large number of trace gases including greenhouse gases and other chemically active species. Knowledge of trace gas emissions from biomass burning in Brazil is limited by a number of factors, most notably relative emission factors for gases from specific fire types/fuels and accurate estimates of temporal and spatial distribution and extent of fire activity. Estimates of trace gas emissions during September 1992 will be presented that incorporates a digital map of vegetation classes, pyrogenic emission factors calculated from ground and aircraft missions, and Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) fire products derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data. The regional emissions calculated from National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) AVHRR estimates of fire activity will provide an independent estimate for comparison with results obtained by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Transport and Atmospheric Chemistry Near the Equator - Atlantic (TRACE-A) experiments.

Petroleum hydrocarbon concentration in surface sediments in continental shelf region along the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ram, A.; Kadam, A.N.

Gas chromatography revealed that nonpolar material extracted from surface sediments collected along the northern west coast of India was originated from petroleum hydrocarbon residue. Petroleum hydrocarbon levels as determinEd. by fluorescence...

In practice, the theory is different: a processual analysis of breastfeeding in northeast Brazil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scavenius, Michael; van Hulsel, Lonneke; Meijer, Julia; Wendte, Hans; Gurgel, Ricardo

2007-01-01

'Na prática, a teoria è outra' (in practice, the theory is different) is an old Brazilian saying. This phrase summarizes well the general practice of breastfeeding in Brazil: 'Breast is best' is central in the pregnant women's future oriented 'theory' of how their infant should be fed. In the

An optimum condition for attainment of a single currency project in West Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moses Abanyam Chiawa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper examines the primary and secondary convergence conditions for a monetary union in the second monetary zone for West Africa. The focus of the paper is on the primary conditions as they provide the basis for the secondary conditions. The annual panel data used for the research are obtained from the West African Monetary Agency website: www.wami.imao.org. The panel variables are first tested for unit root and stationarity. The panel unit root test results show that all the variables are integrated of order one. The stationarity test confirms the result, as the variables are non-stationarity in level but stationarity after first difference. The Long-run co integration equation is obtained using the pooled group mean estimator. Linear programming is then applied on the result of the long-run equationto obtain the optimal conditions for attainment of single currency project for West Africa. The result shows that the objective value of 0.0462 is obtained with inflation contributing more to the variation in the government external reserves. The Central Banks in West Africa should be cautious in implementing inflation targeting as a way of tackling their economic problem.

Taxonomic key for the genera of Elmidae (Coleoptera, Byrrhoidea occurring in Goiás State, Brazil, including new records and distributional notes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe F. Barbosa

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A taxonomic key for the genera of Elmidae (Coleoptera, Byrrhoidea occurring in Goiás State, Brazil, including new records and distributional notes. Despite their great diversity and high abundance in Neotropical aquatic environments, the fauna of Elmidae remains practically unknown in some areas and even entire biomes in this region. In this work we bring, for the first time, faunistic data for the Elmidae of central Brazil. The aim of this work was to inventory the Elmidae fauna in central, southwestern and southeastern Goiás State, Brazil and to produce a taxonomic key, at genus level, for adults from the studied region. The taxonomic key presented herein offers means for the identification of all the 13 genera known to occur in Goiás, 11 of them being new records for the State. Moreover, the number of named species registered for Goiás increased from one to nine.

Characterization of a clay from Vitoria da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil, by thermal analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, O.M.; Zandonadi, A.R.; Martins, M.V. Surmani; Carrio, J.A.G.; Munhoz Junior, A.H.

2010-01-01

Kaolinitic clays are vastly used in ceramic industry. Light coloration burned clays are very useful in the coatings production because of their aesthetic. In this work clay material from Vitoria da Conquista (south-west Bahia, Brazil) was characterized by various techniques. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) shows a kaolinite characteristic curve with an endothermic peak at 492 deg C, which corresponds to the kaolinite - metakaolinite transformation. Transformation alpha to beta quartz is characterized by a 573 deg C peak. The samples were also characterized by water absorption and x rays powder diffraction. The 1100 deg C burned samples were tested by rupture tension with acceptable results. (author)

An autochthonous case of hepatitis C virus genotype 5a in Brazil: phylogenetic analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ribeiro, L.C.; Souto, F.J.D.; do Espirito-Santo, M.P.

2009-01-01

Genotype 5 of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been rarely identified in South America. A female of African descent who never left Brazil was found to be infected by this genotype in Mato Grosso state, Central Brazil. The patient denied drug injections and revealed that she had received blood...... transfusions several years before. One of her blood donors was identified and tested negative for anti-HCV and HCV RNA, as were her husband and offspring. Phylogenetic analysis of the E1 and NS5B regions confirmed that this HCV strain belonged to genotype 5a. However, the E1 region analysis indicates that our...

EXHUMING INDIGENOUS CORPSES: THE ANACÉ EMERGENCE AND THE NEW ETHNIC AND DEVELOPMENTAL DRAMAS IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

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Potyguara Alencar dos Santos

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Although with few records among studies in political ethnology of indigenous groups in Northeast Brazil, the awakening of the ethnonym anacé, on the west coast of Ceará State, has been especially important to considerations on the new frontiers of development programs and the current mobilization of regimens of memory and political agency around the certification of territorial rights for indigenous peoples in the region. The article analyzes the re-elaboration of the anacé ethnicity from two events that mix a narrative of the indigenous emergence with the national drama that stated Northeast Brazil as a problematic region in what regards development. How is the indigenous presence in a scenario of large-scale projects implementation combined with a region characterized as economically problematic? And how this compound affects the current anacé political mobilization? In order to analyze these issues, this paper proposes reflections shared by authors in political ethnology, development anthropology and anthropology of globalization.

Distribution of throughfall and stemflow in multi-strata agroforestry, perennial monoculture, fallow and primary forest in central Amazonia, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Schroth, Götz; Ferreira da Silva, Luciana; Wolf, Marc-Andree; Geraldes Teixeira, Wenceslau; Zech, Wolfgang

1999-07-01

The partitioning of rain water into throughfall, stemflow and interception loss when passing through plant canopies depends on properties of the respective plant species, such as leaf area and branch angles. In heterogeneous vegetation, such as tropical forest or polycultural systems, the presence of different plant species may consequently result in a mosaic of situations with respect to quantity and quality of water inputs into the soil. As these processes influence not only the water availability for the plants, but also water infiltration and nutrient leaching, the understanding of plant effects on the repartitioning of rain water may help in the optimization of land use systems and management practices. We measured throughfall and stemflow in a perennial polyculture (multi-strata agroforestry), monocultures of peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) for fruit and for palmito, a monoculture of cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum), spontaneous fallow and primary forest during one year in central Amazonia, Brazil. The effect on rain water partitioning was measured separately for four useful tree species in the polyculture and for two tree species in the primary forest. Throughfall at two stem distances, and stemflow, differed significantly between tree species, resulting in pronounced spatial patterns of water input into the soil in the polyculture system. For two tree species, peach palm for fruit (Bactris gasipaes) and Brazil nut trees (Bertholletia excelsa), the water input into the soil near the stem was significantly higher than the open-area rainfall. This could lead to increased nutrient leaching when fertilizer is applied close to the stem of these trees. In the primary forest, such spatial patterns could also be detected, with significantly higher water input near a palm (Oenocarpus bacaba) than near a dicotyledonous tree species (Eschweilera sp.). Interception losses were 6·4% in the polyculture, 13·9 and 12·3% in the peach palm monocultures for fruit and for

Heirloom biodynamic seeds network rescue, conservation and multiplication of local seeds in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Jovchelevich, Pedro

2014-01-01

Structuring a network organic and biodynamic seed involving farmers in the central- southern Brazil. Training, participatory breeding, edition of publications, fairs of exchange seeds, a processing unit and assessment of seed quality, commercial seed multiplication with emphasis on vegetables. This network has garanteed the autonomy of farmers in seed production and enriched agrobiodiversity through exchanges of seed.

Production indices for dual purpose cattle in central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Concepta McManus

2011-07-01

Full Text Available This study examined the effects of crossbreeding low genetic potential cows of Bos indicus origin characterized by Gyr crossed with Holstein-Friesian and Simmental bulls to produce animals in a low input dual purpose system. The farm is situated near Brasilia, in the savannah region of Brazil. The climate of the region is classified as Aw by Köppen. Data was available on 1580 calvings and completed lactations of cows with three genetic types: Gyr, Holstein-Friesian × Gyr and Simmental × Gyr. The bulls ran with the cows all year round and the diet comprised of pasture (mainly Brachiaria and Andropogon during the summer (rainy season and milled sugar cane with added urea during the winter (dry season. A mineral salt mixture was available ad libitum. Data was analysed using Statistical Analysis System. The results show that, under low input management conditions, the crossbred cows produce approximately twice the volume of milk per lactation, calve at a younger age and have a shorter open period, but there are no significant differences between crosses for growth rates of the calves or body condition of the cows. In this system, crossbred cows had production higher indices than zebu cattle. The best indices were found for cows calving in the rainy season (September to December and thinner cows (with body condition 3-5 on a scale of 9.

What's West Nile Virus?

Science.gov (United States)

... for Educators Search English Español What's West Nile Virus? KidsHealth / For Kids / What's West Nile Virus? Print en español ¿Qué es el Virus del Nilo Occidental? What exactly is the West ...

Learning Under the Tree : Evaluating Skillful Parenting Program in West Kenya ICS Full Evaluation Report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Esch, R.P.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/371571502; de Haan, M.J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/074405624

2016-01-01

Summary The central purpose of this evaluation is to determine if and how the Skillful Parenting Program (SPP) effects the parenting of its participants. In addition, it aims to determine how the parenting program was adapted to the West Kenyan setting, and how the specific content and processes of

75 FR 17463 - Key West Bank, Key West, Florida; Notice of Appointment of Receiver

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-06

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of Thrift Supervision Key West Bank, Key West, Florida; Notice... section 5(d)(2) of the Home Owners' Loan Act, the Office of Thrift Supervision has duly appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as sole Receiver for Key West Bank, Key West, Florida, (OTS No...

The effect of smoking on the healthy life expectancy of Palestinian men in the West Bank

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brønnum-Hansen, Henrik; Jonassen, Marie; Shaheen, Amira

2018-01-01

differed between Palestinians living in and outside refugee camps. Methods: The study was based on representative samples of Palestinians living in the occupied Palestinian territory (West Bank and Gaza Strip), aged 25 years and older, collected by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in 2006...

A Transnational World Fractured but Not Forgotten: British West Indian Migration to the Colombian Islands of San Andrés and Providence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharika Crawford

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This article examines British West Indian migration to the Colombian archipelago of San Andrés and Providence in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. While the United Fruit plantations, Panama Canal, oil fields in Venezuela, and railroad projects in Central America generated a strong demand for a large West Indian workforce, no such development took place on San Andrés and Providence. As a result, the profile of West Indian migration looks different than to the Spanish-speaking circum-Caribbean, with more professionals and merchants and fewer unskilled laborers. In the absence of mass migration, there was less hostility toward West Indian newcomers to San Andrés and Providence islands.

Special Issue - A Press Review of The West Normandy Marine Energy Highlights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piquet, Francois; Martin, Geraldine; Bornemann, Brigitte; Longmore, Christopher

2013-01-01

This Special Issue has been undertaken at the initiative of West Normandy that shares the Alderney Race - Europe's second most powerful tidal stream - with the nearby British Channel Island of Alderney. Its objective is to help to understand better the region that by the end of this decade will be home to the first tidal turbines to be deployed in France and some of the first offshore wind-turbines at nearby Courseulles-sur-Mer. Via these articles the reader can discover the depth of the political will locally and nationally to put in place a strong and vibrant French marine renewable energy industry. One hundred and fifty West Normandy SMEs are wanting to be involved in the sector. There are both skills and training directories to assist the energy companies and the developers. This western tip of France has the right industrial infrastructure and experience, with 150 local SMEs already known to be interested in the industry. There are all the necessary R and D as well as education and training facilities. The ports of Cherbourg-Octeville and Caen-Ouistreham offer all tide, and all weather access for installation and/or maintenance vessels. Grid connectivity is already assured. To encourage and facilitate the creation of the industry in West Normandy the region has set up West Normandy Marine Energy - a limited public company which is the primary point of contact for everything relating to marine renewables in West Normandy. Their focus is on offering a special welcome to devices tested in British sites and now interested in using the Alderney Race pilot farms as a first step towards industrialisation. Energy policy in France is being increasingly devolved to the regions, away from central government. West Normandy is now a regional leader in all forms of marine renewables. West Normandy Marine Energy was set up by the West Normandy region, the General Council of the Manche department, and Cherbourg Urban Community

Spectra and gross features of vertical temperature and salinity profiles off the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Varkey, M.J.; Nagarajan, R.

Continuous vertical profiles of temperature and salinity recorded by a CTD-system from the continental slope and the continental rise off Goa, west coast of India, were used for delineating the gross statistical features of the fine structure...

Spatial variability of soil carbon stock in the Urucu river basin, Central Amazon-Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceddia, Marcos Bacis; Villela, André Luis Oliveira; Pinheiro, Érika Flávia Machado; Wendroth, Ole

2015-09-01

The Amazon Forest plays a major role in C sequestration and release. However, few regional estimates of soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in this ecoregion exist. One of the barriers to improve SOC estimates is the lack of recent soil data at high spatial resolution, which hampers the application of new methods for mapping SOC stock. The aims of this work were: (i) to quantify SOC stock under undisturbed vegetation for the 0-30 and the 0-100 cm under Amazon Forest; (ii) to correlate the SOC stock with soil mapping units and relief attributes and (iii) to evaluate three geostatistical techniques to generate maps of SOC stock (ordinary, isotopic and heterotopic cokriging). The study site is located in the Central region of Amazon State, Brazil. The soil survey covered the study site that has an area of 80 km(2) and resulted in a 1:10,000 soil map. It consisted of 315 field observations (96 complete soil profiles and 219 boreholes). SOC stock was calculated by summing C stocks by horizon, determined as a product of BD, SOC and the horizon thickness. For each one of the 315 soil observations, relief attributes were derived from a topographic map to understand SOC dynamics. The SOC stocks across 30 and 100 cm soil depth were 3.28 and 7.32 kg C m(-2), respectively, which is, 34 and 16%, lower than other studies. The SOC stock is higher in soils developed in relief forms exhibiting well-drained soils, which are covered by Upland Dense Tropical Rainforest. Only SOC stock in the upper 100 cm exhibited spatial dependence allowing the generation of spatial variability maps based on spatial (co)-regionalization. The CTI was inversely correlated with SOC stock and was the only auxiliary variable feasible to be used in cokriging interpolation. The heterotopic cokriging presented the best performance for mapping SOC stock. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of remote wind forcing in the subinertial current variability in the central and northern parts of the South Brazil Bight

Science.gov (United States)

Dottori, Marcelo; Castro, Belmiro Mendes

2018-05-01

Data analysis of continental shelf currents and coastal sea level, together with the application of a semi-analytical model, are used to estimate the importance of remote wind forcing on the subinertial variability of the current in the central and northern areas of the South Brazil Bight. Results from both the data analysis and from the semi-analytical model are robust in showing subinertial variability that propagates along-shelf leaving the coast to the left in accordance with theoretical studies of Continental Shelf Waves (CSW). Both the subinertial variability observed in along-shelf currents and sea level oscillations present different propagation speeds for the narrow northern part of the SBB ( 6-7 m/s) and the wide central SBB region ( 11 m/s), those estimates being in agreement with the modeled CSW propagation speed. On the inner and middle shelf, observed along-shelf subinertial currents show higher correlation coefficients with the winds located southward and earlier in time than with the local wind at the current meter mooring position and at the time of measurement. The inclusion of the remote (located southwestward) wind forcing improves the prediction of the subinertial currents when compared to the currents forced only by the local wind, since the along-shelf-modeled currents present correlation coefficients with observed along-shelf currents up to 20% higher on the inner and middle shelf when the remote wind is included. For most of the outer shelf, on the other hand, this is not observed since usually, the correlation between the currents and the synoptic winds is not statistically significant.

Threats to and viability of the giant anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae, in a protected Cerrado remnant encroached by urban expansion in central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milena F. Diniz

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Urbanization poses a serious threat to wildlife populations inhabiting native vegetation remnants surrounded by the expanding urban and suburban sprawl. The close contact with human activities causes not only direct impacts, such as habitat loss, but also indirect negative effects, such as population isolation, roadkills and anthropogenic fires. The Parque Nacional de Brasília is a large Cerrado remnant almost completely surrounded by the city of Brasília, in central Brazil. Here, we use population viability analysis to model the impacts of urbanization on a population of Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Linnaeus, 1758 inhabiting that park. Our results show that roadkill mortality is by far the most serious threat to the long-term persistence of the giant anteater in the study site. The implementation of measures to better control vehicle speed in the vicinity of the park is urgently needed if we expect the giant anteater population to be effectively protected in the Parque Nacional de Brasília.

Cost-effectiveness of USAID's regional program for family planning in West Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Shepard, Donald S; Bail, Richard N; Merritt, C Gary

2003-06-01

Between 1994 and 1996, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) closed 23 country missions worldwide, of which eight were in West and Central Africa. To preserve United States support for family planning and reproductive health in four countries in that region, USAID created a subregional program through a consortium of US-based groups that hired mainly African managers and African organizations. This study assesses cost-effectiveness of the program through an interrupted time-series design spanning the 1990s and compares cost-effectiveness in four similar countries in which mission-based programs continued. Key indicators include costs, contraceptive prevalence rates, and imputed "women-years of protection." The study found that, taking into account all external financing for population and family planning, the USAID West Africa regional approach generated women-years of protection at one-third the cost of the mission-based programs. This regional approach delivered family planning assistance in West Africa cost-effectively, and the findings suggest that regional models may work well for many health and population services in small countries.

Nukuleka as a founder colony for West Polynesian settlement : new insights from recent excavations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burley, D.V.; Barton, A.; Dickinson, W.R.; Connaughton, S.P.; Tache, K.

2010-01-01

Previous archaeological studies in the village of Nukuleka, Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga proposed it as a founder colony for Polynesia. Additional excavation and survey were undertaken in 2007 to evaluate this status further and to gain new insight into the nature of the occupation and its role in the subsequent peopling of west Polynesia. A review of this project and its findings are presented. Decorated ceramics of western Lapita style, the presence of tan paste ceramics foreign to Tonga, and new radiocarbon dates support Nukuleka as a site of first landfall in the interval 2850 to 2900 cal BP. The ceramic assemblage is distinct from west and central Fiji, and an independent origin for Fijian and Polynesian colonizers is argued. The settlement quickly expanded on the Nukuleka Peninsula to 20 ha or more in size, forming a central place for the eastern Lapita province in Tonga, Samoa and the Lau islands of Fiji. Nukuleka, we believe, provides insight into the cultural if not biological base from which ancestral Polynesian society emerged. (author). 35 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs.

Hydrogeologic framework and occurrence, movement, and chemical characterization of groundwater in Dixie Valley, west-central Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Huntington, Jena M.; Garcia, C. Amanda; Rosen, Michael R.

2014-01-01

Dixie Valley, a primarily undeveloped basin in west-central Nevada, is being considered for groundwater exportation. Proposed pumping would occur from the basin-fill aquifer. In response to proposed exportation, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and Churchill County, conducted a study to improve the understanding of groundwater resources in Dixie Valley. The objective of this report is to characterize the hydrogeologic framework, the occurrence and movement of groundwater, the general water quality of the basin-fill aquifer, and the potential mixing between basin-fill and geothermal aquifers in Dixie Valley. Various types of geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical data were compiled from previous studies and collected in support of this study. Hydrogeologic units in Dixie Valley were defined to characterize rocks and sediments with similar lithologies and hydraulic properties influencing groundwater flow. Hydraulic properties of the basin-fill deposits were characterized by transmissivity estimated from aquifer tests and specific-capacity tests. Groundwater-level measurements and hydrogeologic-unit data were combined to create a potentiometric surface map and to characterize groundwater occurrence and movement. Subsurface inflow from adjacent valleys into Dixie Valley through the basin-fill aquifer was evaluated using hydraulic gradients and Darcy flux computations. The chemical signature and groundwater quality of the Dixie Valley basin-fill aquifer, and potential mixing between basin-fill and geothermal aquifers, were evaluated using chemical data collected from wells and springs during the current study and from previous investigations. Dixie Valley is the terminus of the Dixie Valley flow system, which includes Pleasant, Jersey, Fairview, Stingaree, Cowkick, and Eastgate Valleys. The freshwater aquifer in the study area is composed of unconsolidated basin-fill deposits of Quaternary age. The basin-fill hydrogeologic unit

Steady-state exhumation pattern in the central Andes SE Peru

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruiz, G.M.H.; Carlotto, V.; van Heiningen, P.S.; Andriessen, P.A.M.

2009-01-01

The Western Cordillera of SE Peru is part of the Central Andes and is situated to the west of the Eastern Andes from which it is separated by the northern termination of the Altiplano - the Inter-Andean Valley. It is a volcanic-volcano-detrital chain that developed in the Palaeogene, and is

Population characteristics of a central Appalachian white tailed deer herd

Science.gov (United States)

Tyler A. Campbell; Benjamin R. Laseter; W. Mark Ford; Karl V. Miller; Karl V. Miller

2005-01-01

Reliable estimates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population parameters are needed for effective population management. We used radiotelemetrv to compare survival and cause-specific mortality rates between male and female white-tailed deer and present reproductive data for a high-density deer herd in the central Appalachians of West Virginia during...

Soil quality improvement for crop production in semi-arid West Africa

OpenAIRE

Ouédraogo, E.

2004-01-01

Soil quality maintenance and crop production improvement in semi-arid West Africa require appropriate cropping technologies, which are ecologically sound and economically viable. Thus, on-farm and on-station experiments have been carried out on the central plateau and in the south of Burkina Faso The results show that adoption of improved soil fertility technologies such as composting by farmers is determined by soil fertility status, access to the market and social reasons. Organic amendment...

Effect of direct seeding mulch-based systems on soil carbon storage and macrofauna in central Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blanchart, E.; Bernoux, M.; Sarda, X.; Feller, C. [Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, Montpellier (France); Siqueira Neto, M.; Cerri, C.C.; Piccolo, M. [CENA-USP, Piracicaba (Brazil). Lab. Biogeoquimica Ambiental; Douzet, J.M. [CIRAD, Antsirabe (Madagascar); Scopel, E. [CIRAD-CA, Planaltina (Brazil)

2007-07-01

Soils represent a large carbon pool, approximately 1500 Gt, equivalent to almost three times the quantity stored in terrestrial biomass and twice the amount stored in the atmosphere. The management and maintenance of soil carbon is therefore an integral part of the global carbon cycle. Land use change, inappropriate agricultural practices and climate change can all lead to a net release of C from soils to the atmosphere, exacerbating the problems of greenhouse gas release. Any modification of land-use or land management can induce variations in soil carbon stocks, even in agricultural systems that are perceived to be in a steady state. These modifications also alter soil macrofauna that is known to affect soil carbon dynamics. Direct seeding Mulch-based Cropping (DMC) systems with two crops per year without soil tillage have widely been adopted over the last 10 to 15 years in the Cerrado (central region) of Brazil. They are replacing the traditional soybean monocropping with fallow under conventional tillage (CT). Th e objective of this study was to examine how DMC practices affect soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and macrofauna (Rio Verde, Goias State). The approach was to determine soil C stocks and macrofauna in five fi elds under DMC aged 1, 5, 7, 11 and 13 years. In order to compare DMC systems with the native system of the region and previous land-use, a situation under native Cerrado (tree-savanna like vegetation) and a field conducted traditionally (CT) were also studied. Soil C stocks were calculated for the 0-10 and 0-40 cm soil depth and also for the fi rst 400 kg m{sup -2} of soil to compare the same amount of soil and to suppress the potential artefact of soil compaction when sample is based on fix layer depth. Soil macrofauna was hand-sorted from soil monoliths (30 cm depth, TSBF method). In our study, the annual rate of carbon storage was equal to ca. 1.6 MgC ha{sup -1}, which is in the range of values measured for DMC in different areas of Brazil

Estimation of Flood-Frequency Discharges for Rural, Unregulated Streams in West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, Jeffrey B.; Atkins, John T.

2010-01-01

Flood-frequency discharges were determined for 290 streamgage stations having a minimum of 9 years of record in West Virginia and surrounding states through the 2006 or 2007 water year. No trend was determined in the annual peaks used to calculate the flood-frequency discharges. Multiple and simple least-squares regression equations for the 100-year (1-percent annual-occurrence probability) flood discharge with independent variables that describe the basin characteristics were developed for 290 streamgage stations in West Virginia and adjacent states. The regression residuals for the models were evaluated and used to define three regions of the State, designated as Eastern Panhandle, Central Mountains, and Western Plateaus. Exploratory data analysis procedures identified 44 streamgage stations that were excluded from the development of regression equations representative of rural, unregulated streams in West Virginia. Regional equations for the 1.1-, 1.5-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, 200-, and 500-year flood discharges were determined by generalized least-squares regression using data from the remaining 246 streamgage stations. Drainage area was the only significant independent variable determined for all equations in all regions. Procedures developed to estimate flood-frequency discharges on ungaged streams were based on (1) regional equations and (2) drainage-area ratios between gaged and ungaged locations on the same stream. The procedures are applicable only to rural, unregulated streams within the boundaries of West Virginia that have drainage areas within the limits of the stations used to develop the regional equations (from 0.21 to 1,461 square miles in the Eastern Panhandle, from 0.10 to 1,619 square miles in the Central Mountains, and from 0.13 to 1,516 square miles in the Western Plateaus). The accuracy of the equations is quantified by measuring the average prediction error (from 21.7 to 56.3 percent) and equivalent years of record (from 2.0 to 70

Maturity analysis of the innovation system in the livestock industries of West Sumatra, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Suresti, A.; Dinata, U. G. S.; Wati, R.

2018-02-01

The main objective of this study was to analyse the ANIS of Livestock industry in West Sumatera according to its main determinants. This research aims to know and understand the maturity level of the regional innovationsystem of West Sumatra livestock industries, including recommendation for improvements. The maturity level of the regional innovation system was analyzed with the ANIS method by using an opinion survey to some experts from businessmen, government and universities. This expert opinion survey was conducted to measure expert perceptions on the implementations of determinants of west Sumatera regional innovations systems on livestock industries on macro level (innovations policy), mezzo level (innovation institutions and programs) and micro level (innovation capacity). By using Likert method, the result showed maturity level for the West Sumatra livestock industries innovation system was still develop. This is caused by low maturity in the macro and meso determinants which are at the central and regional government side. This research result may be useful as recommendations for the government for improving the maturity level and may be a basic for incoming researches to identify regional innovation system determinants with low maturity to improve.

Trichomycterus dali: a new highly troglomorphic catfish (Silurifomes: Trichomycteridae from Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Central Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Pereira Rizzato

Full Text Available Trichomycterus dali, new species, is described from flooded limestone caves in Serra da Bodoquena karst area, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Central Brazil. The new species is diagnosed by a unique character in the genus, the presence of conspicuous, ridge-like adipose folds lining dorsally throughout the body. Trichomycterus dali can be further distinguished readily from epigean congeners by the reduction of eyes and skin pigmentation (except for T. gorgona, and from remaining congeners (i.e., all hypogean plus T. gorgona by the total loss of eyes, not visible externally (except for T. sandovali and T. spelaeus. Other diagnostic features includes very long barbels, especially the nasal (99.3-143.5% HL and the maxillary (97.0-131.3% HL, pectoral-fin ray count reaching I,9 and a unique cranial fontanel with a conspicuous constriction on the meeting point of supraoccipital and the two frontal bones. The troglobitic status of the species is suggested by the presence of troglomorphisms on an advanced degree, especially the reduction of skin pigmentation, the total loss of eyes and the enlarged barbels. In addition, the presence of a well developed adipose fold in adults may indicate a distinctive adaptation acquired by neoteny to withstand the food scarce conditions of its hypogean habitat.

Small mammals in the diet of barn owls, Tyto alba (Aves: Strigiformes along the mid-Araguaia river in central Brazil

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Rita G. Rocha

2011-12-01

Full Text Available We collected and analyzed 286 Barn owl, Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769, pellets from two nests in different environments along the mid-Araguaia River in central Brazil. Our analyses revealed that these owls feed mainly on small mammals, especially rodents. Owls from the riverbanks at Fazenda Santa Fé had a more diverse diet, preying mainly on rodents that typically inhabit riparian grasslands - Holochilus sciureus Wagner, 1842 - and forests - Hylaeamys megacephalus (Fischer, 1814 and Oecomys spp., which probably also occur in forest borders or clearings. On the other hand, owls from an agroecosystem at Fazenda Lago Verde preyed mostly on rodent species common in these agrarian fields, Calomys tocantinsi Bonvicino, Lima & Almeida, 2003. Additionally, we compared small mammal richness estimates based on the analysis of owl pellets with estimates from live-trapping in the same areas. Owl pellets revealed two rodent species undetected by live traps - Euryoryzomys sp. and Rattus rattus (Linnaeus, 1758 - and four rodent species were trapped, but not found in owl pellets - Oecomys roberti Thomas, 1904, Pseudoryzomys simplex (Winge, 1887, Rhipidomys ipukensis Rocha, B.M.A. Costa & L.P. Costa, 2011, and Makalata didelphoides (Desmarest, 1817. Traps yielded higher species richness, but these two methods complement each other for surveying small rodents.

Paleomagnetism of the Santa Fé Group, central Brazil: Implications for the late Paleozoic apparent polar wander path for South America

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Brandt, Daniele; Ernesto, Marcia; Rocha-Campos, Antonio Carlos; Dos Santos, Paulo Roberto

2009-02-01

Paleomagnetic and rockmagnetic data are reported for the Floresta Formation (Santa Fé Group) of the Sanfranciscana Basin, central Brazil. This formation represents the Permo-Carboniferous glacial record of the basin and comprises the Brocotó (diamictites and flow diamictites), Brejo do Arroz (red sandstones and shales with dropstones and invertebrate trails), and Lavado (red sandstones) members, which crop out near the cities of Santa Fé de Minas and Canabrava, Minas Gerais State. Both Brejo do Arroz and Lavado members were sampled in the vicinities of the two localities. Alternating field and thermal demagnetizations of 268 samples from 76 sites revealed reversed components of magnetization in all samples in accordance with the Permo-Carboniferous Reversed Superchron. The magnetic carriers are magnetite and hematite with both minerals exhibiting the same magnetization component, suggesting a primary origin for the remanence. We use the high-quality paleomagnetic pole for the Santa Fé Group (330.9°E 65.7°S; N = 60; α95 = 4.1°; k = 21) in a revised late Carboniferous to early Triassic apparent polar wander path for South America. On the basis of this result it is shown that an early Permian Pangea A-type fit is possible if better determined paleomagnetic poles become available.

Genetic variability in Melipona quinquefasciata (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) from northeastern Brazil determined using the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1).

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Pereira, J O P; Freitas, B M; Jorge, D M M; Torres, D C; Soares, C E A; Grangeiro, T B

2009-01-01

Melipona quinquefasciata is a ground-nesting South American stingless bee whose geographic distribution was believed to comprise only the central and southern states of Brazil. We obtained partial sequences (about 500-570 bp) of first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) nuclear ribosomal DNA from Melipona specimens putatively identified as M. quinquefasciata collected from different localities in northeastern Brazil. To confirm the taxonomic identity of the northeastern samples, specimens from the state of Goiás (Central region of Brazil) were included for comparison. All sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession numbers EU073751-EU073759). The mean nucleotide divergence (excluding sites with insertions/deletions) in the ITS1 sequences was only 1.4%, ranging from 0 to 4.1%. When the sites with insertions/deletions were also taken into account, sequence divergences varied from 0 to 5.3%. In all pairwise comparisons, the ITS1 sequence from the specimens collected in Goiás was most divergent compared to the ITS1 sequences of the bees from the other locations. However, neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis showed that all ITS1 sequences from northeastern specimens along with the sample of Goiás were resolved in a single clade with a bootstrap support of 100%. The ITS1 sequencing data thus support the occurrence of M. quinquefasciata in northeast Brazil.

Multilevel analysis of hepatitis A infection in children and adolescents: a household survey in the Northeast and Central-west regions of Brazil

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de Alencar Ximenes, Ricardo Arraes; Martelli, Celina Maria Turchi; Merchán-Hamann, Edgar; Montarroyos, Ulisses Ramos; Braga, Maria Cynthia; de Lima, Maria Luíza Carvalho; Cardoso, Maria Regina Alves; Turchi, Marília Dalva; Costa, Marcelo Abrahão; de Alencar, Luiz Cláudio Arraes; Moreira, Regina Célia; Figueiredo, Gerusa Maria; Pereira, Leila Maria Moreira Beltrão

2008-01-01

Background The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis A among children and adolescents from the Northeast and Midwest regions and the Federal District of Brazil and to identify individual-, household- and area-levels factors associated with hepatitis A infection. Methods This population-based survey was conducted in 2004–2005 and covered individuals aged between 5 and 19 years. A stratified multistage cluster sampling technique with probability proportional to size was used to select 1937 individuals aged between 5 and 19 years living in the Federal capital and in the State capitals of 12 states in the study regions. The sample was stratified according to age (5–9 and 10- to 19-years-old) and capital within each region. Individual- and household-level data were collected by interview at the home of the individual. Variables related to the area were retrieved from census tract data. The outcome was total antibodies to hepatitis A virus detected using commercial EIA. The age distribution of the susceptible population was estimated using a simple catalytic model. The associations between HAV infection and independent variables were assessed using the odds ratio and corrected for the random design effect and sampling weight. Multilevel analysis was performed by GLLAMM using Stata 9.2. Results The prevalence of hepatitis A infection in the 5–9 and 10–19 age-group was 41.5 and 57.4%, respectively for the Northeast, 32.3 and 56.0%, respectively for the Midwest and 33.8 and 65.1% for the Federal District. A trend for the prevalence of HAV infection to increase according to age was detected in all sites. By the age of 5, 31.5% of the children had already been infected with HAV in the Northeast region compared with 20.0% in the other sites. By the age of 19 years, seropositivity was ∼70% in all areas. The curves of susceptible populations differed from one area to another. Multilevel modeling showed that variables relating to different levels of

International Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) national favourability studies: Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-06-01

Brazil occupies an area of about 8.5 million square kilometers -- almost half of the South American continent. The dominant geographic feature is the Amazon basin. The Amazon River and its more than 200 tributaries drain about 60 percent of the country. The basin is a vast tropical rain forest, whereas the remainder of Brazil is made up predominantly of highlands. The Central Highlands, which extends into the Amazon basin, occupies nearly all of southern Brazil and includes major mountain chains such as the Serra do Mar, Serra da Mantiqueira, and Serra do Espinhago. The Guiana Highlands fringe the northern Amazon basin and extend into Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, and French Guiana. Lowland areas other than the Amazon basin are found in western Mato Grosso, and along the Atlantic coast from French Guiana to Uruguay. The geology of Brazil is dominated structurally and areally by three major shields composed of crystalline rocks of Archean and Proterozoic age. Collectively they comprise the Brazilian complex which is probably the largest Precambrian outcrop in the world. The complex is made up of gneisses, granites, mica schists, quartzites, dolomites, skarns, diorites, itabirites and gabbros, many of which are deeply metamorphosed. Faults, quartz veins, and dikes are common. Recurrent granitization has occurred from the Precambrian to Late Tertiary. The area of Brazil is large and its geology is favorable, in places, for every known type of uranium deposit. This is not reflected in the amount of 'known' and 'inferred' reserves -- slightly more than 21,000 tons. Rather, it is an indication of the small amount of exploration done, taking into account the large area to be covered. The speculative potential can only be guessed. It is guessed to be 500,000 tons

Geological analysis of paleozoic large-scale faulting in the south-central Pyrenees

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Speksnijder, A.

1986-01-01

Detailed structural and sedimentological analysis reveals the existence of an east-west directed fundamental fault zone in the south-central Pyrenees, which has been intermittently active from (at least) the Devonian on. Emphasis is laid on the stUdy of fault-bounded post-Variscan

[Science and history in the report by the First Republic's Comissão Exploradora do Planalto Central].

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Vergara, Moema de Rezende

2006-01-01

The idea of moving Brazil's capital to the Central Plateau reappeared in the early days of the Republic, having been defended one century earlier by the Viscount of Porto Seguro. Headed by Luiz Cruls, director of Brazil's National Observatory, a commission was formed in 1892 to stake out the area where the new capital would stand. The expedition's 1896 report found space in Brazil's main vehicles of public opinion; it was reviewed in newspapers and also in articles published in Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro, the Brazilian Institute for History and Geography's journal. A number of issues then of concern to certain sectors of Brazilian society converge in the body of the report, including the healthiness of Brazil's climate for European immigrants, the definition of the country's borders, and territorial integration.

Projected Changes in Evapotranspiration Rates over Northeast Brazil

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Costa, Alexandre; Guimarães, Sullyandro; Vasconcelos, Francisco, Jr.; Sales, Domingo; da Silva, Emerson

2015-04-01

Climate simulations were performed using a regional model (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System, RAMS 6.0) driven by data from one of the CMIP5 models (Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model, version 2 - Earth System, HadGEM2-ES) over two CORDEX domains (South America and Central America) for the heavy-emission scenario (RCP8.5). Potential evapotranspiraion data from the RCM and from the CMIP5 global models were analyzed over Northeast Brazil, a semiarid region with a short rainy season (usually February to May in its northern portion due to the seasonal shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone) and over which droughts are frequent. Significant changes in the potential evapotranspiration were found, with most models showing a increasing trend along the 21st century, which are expected to alter the surface water budget, increasing the current water deficit (precipitation is currently much smaller than potential evapotranspiration). Based on the projections from the majority of the models, we expect important impacts over local agriculture and water resources over Northeast Brazil.

Zika puzzle in Brazil: peculiar conditions of viral introduction and dissemination - A Review

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Cristina Possas

Full Text Available This article discusses the peculiar conditions that favoured the unexpected introduction of Zika virus into the poorest northeastern region of Brazil in 2015, its speed of transmission to other Brazilian states, other Latin American countries and other regions, and the severity of related neurological disorders in newborns and adults. Contrasting with evidence that Zika had so far caused only mild cases in humans in the last six decades, the epidemiological scenario of this outbreak in Brazil indicates dramatic health effects: in 2015, an increase of 20-fold in notified cases of microcephaly and/or central nervous system (CNS alterations suggestive of Zika congenital infection, followed by an exponential increase in 2016, with 2366 cumulative cases confirmed in the country by the end of December 2016. A significant increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults has also been reported. Factors involved in viral dissemination, neural pathogenesis and routes of transmission in Brazil are examined, such as the role of social and environmental factors and the controversies involved in the hypothesis of antibody-dependent enhancement, to explain the incidence of congenital Zika syndrome in Brazil. Responses to the Zika outbreak and the development of new products are also discussed.

Zika puzzle in Brazil: peculiar conditions of viral introduction and dissemination - A Review

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Possas, Cristina; Brasil, Patricia; Marzochi, Mauro CA; Tanuri, Amilcar; Martins, Reinaldo M; Marques, Ernesto TA; Bonaldo, Myrna C; Ferreira, Antonio GP; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Nogueira, Rita Maria R; Sequeira, Patricia C; Marzochi, Keyla BF; Homma, Akira

2017-01-01

This article discusses the peculiar conditions that favoured the unexpected introduction of Zika virus into the poorest northeastern region of Brazil in 2015, its speed of transmission to other Brazilian states, other Latin American countries and other regions, and the severity of related neurological disorders in newborns and adults. Contrasting with evidence that Zika had so far caused only mild cases in humans in the last six decades, the epidemiological scenario of this outbreak in Brazil indicates dramatic health effects: in 2015, an increase of 20-fold in notified cases of microcephaly and/or central nervous system (CNS) alterations suggestive of Zika congenital infection, followed by an exponential increase in 2016, with 2366 cumulative cases confirmed in the country by the end of December 2016. A significant increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults has also been reported. Factors involved in viral dissemination, neural pathogenesis and routes of transmission in Brazil are examined, such as the role of social and environmental factors and the controversies involved in the hypothesis of antibody-dependent enhancement, to explain the incidence of congenital Zika syndrome in Brazil. Responses to the Zika outbreak and the development of new products are also discussed. PMID:28443985

ECONOMIC SITUATION OF THE TOURIST ACCOMMODATION CAPACITY ON NORTH-WEST AND CENTER OF ROMANIA

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Daniela Aurelia Duma

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In the present paper we continue the research work that we intended it over the years on regional tourism in recent years, the evolution of certain regions and understanding economic phenomena and disparities between regions. As such, they work in computing capacity and activity status of tourist accommodation in the North West and Centre regions known to me (the author who also develop in terms of tourism quite similar. We used comparative methods to analyze statistical data taken from the Statistical Yearbook of Romania, the study stretching over a period of several years, and last but not least, analysis of land proposed in the two study regions (North-West and Central region.

West Nile virus and hemoparasites in captive snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus)--management strategies to optimize survival.

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Harasym, Carol A

2008-11-01

In August 2005, 2 members of a group of 6 captive snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus) in central Saskatchewan died of West Nile virus infection. One of these owls and 3 of the remaining owls had significant numbers of circulating hemoparasites. Management strategies are suggested to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Central hardwood forests: recent trends in a robust resource

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T. W. Birch; D. A. Gansner; W. H. McWilliams

1993-01-01

Re-inventories completed for each of four Central Hardwood States (Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia) show that forest area is increasing and stocking hit new highs; there is 27 percent more growing-stock volume than a decade ago. Large increases in volume have been recorded for all but the smallest diameter classes. Volume in trees 15 inches in diameter...

Surface-Water and Groundwater Interactions along the Withlacoochee River, West-Central Florida

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Trommer, J.T.; Yobbi, D.K.; McBride, W.S.

2009-01-01

A study of the Withlacoochee River watershed in west-central Florida was conducted from October 2003 to March 2007 to gain a better understanding of the hydrology and surface-water and groundwater interactions along the river. The Withlacoochee River originates in the Green Swamp area in north-central Polk County and flows northerly through seven counties, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. This study includes only the part of the watershed located between the headwaters in the Green Swamp and the U.S. Geological Survey gaging station near Holder, Florida. The Withlacoochee River within the study area is about 108 miles long and drains about 1,820 square miles. The Withlacoochee River watershed is underlain by thick sequences of carbonate rock that are covered by thin surficial deposits of unconsolidated sand and sandy clay. The clay layer is breached in many places because of the karst nature of the underlying limestone, and the degree of confinement between the Upper Florida aquifer and the surficial aquifer is highly variable throughout the watershed. The potential for movement of water from the surface or shallow deposits to deeper deposits, or from deeper deposits to the shallow deposits, exists throughout the Withlacoochee River watershed. Water levels were higher in deeper Upper Floridan aquifer wells than in shallow Upper Floridan aquifer wells or surficial aquifer wells at 11 of 19 paired or nested well sites, indicating potential for discharge to the surface-water system. Water levels were higher in shallow Upper Floridan aquifer or surficial aquifer wells than in deeper Upper Floridan aquifer wells at five other sites, indicating potential for recharge to the deeper Upper Floridan aquifer. Water levels in the surficial aquifer and Upper Floridan aquifer wells at the remaining three sites were virtually the same, indicating little or no confinement at the sites. Potentiometric-surface maps of the Upper Floridan aquifer indicate the pattern of groundwater

Comparative phylogeography of African fruit bats (Chiroptera, Pteropodidae) provide new insights into the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa, 2014-2016.

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Hassanin, Alexandre; Nesi, Nicolas; Marin, Julie; Kadjo, Blaise; Pourrut, Xavier; Leroy, Éric; Gembu, Guy-Crispin; Musaba Akawa, Prescott; Ngoagouni, Carine; Nakouné, Emmanuel; Ruedi, Manuel; Tshikung, Didier; Pongombo Shongo, Célestin; Bonillo, Céline

Both Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus were detected in several fruit bat species of the family Pteropodidae, suggesting that this taxon plays a key role in the life cycle of filoviruses. After four decades of Zaire Ebolavirus (ZEBOV) outbreaks in Central Africa, the virus was detected for the first time in West Africa in 2014. To better understand the role of fruit bats as potential reservoirs and circulating hosts between Central and West Africa, we examine here the phylogeny and comparative phylogeography of Pteropodidae. Our phylogenetic results confirm the existence of four independent lineages of African fruit bats: the genera Eidolon and Rousettus, and the tribes Epomophorini and Scotonycterini, and indicate that the three species suspected to represent ZEBOV reservoir hosts (Epomops franqueti, Hypsignathus monstrosus, and Myonycteris torquata) belong to an African clade that diversified rapidly around 8-7 Mya. To test for phylogeographic structure and for recent gene flow from Central to West Africa, we analysed the nucleotide variation of 675 cytochrome b gene (Cytb) sequences, representing eight fruit bat species collected in 48 geographic localities. Within Epomophorina, our mitochondrial data do not support the monophyly of two genera (Epomops and Epomophorus) and four species (Epomophorus gambianus, Epomops franqueti, Epomops buettikoferi, and Micropteropus pusillus). In Epomops, however, we found two geographic haplogroups corresponding to the Congo Basin and Upper Guinea forests, respectively. By contrast, we found no genetic differentiation between Central and West African populations for all species known to make seasonal movements, Eidolon helvum, E. gambianus, H. monstrosus, M. pusillus, Nanonycteris veldkampii, and Rousettus aegyptiacus. Our results suggest that only three fruit bat species were able to disperse directly ZEBOV from the Congo Basin to Upper Guinea: E. helvum, H. monstrosus, and R. aegyptiacus. Copyright © 2016 Académie des

Endoparasites of horses from the Formiga city, located in center-west region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

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Weslen Fabricio Pires Teixeira

2014-12-01

Full Text Available With the aim of studying the endoparasite fauna of horses from the Formiga city, located in center-west region of the state of Minas Gerais, 25 animals that were naturally infected with helminths were evaluated. By means of parasitological necropsies, different endoparasites were found. The subfamily Cyathostominae presented the highest incidence, followed by Trichostrongylus axei, Oxyuris equi, Triodontophorus serratus, Strongyloides westeri, Strongylus edentatus, Habronema muscae, Parascaris equorum, Probstmayria vivipara, Strongylus vulgaris, Gasterophilus nasalis, Anoplocephala magna and Anoplocephala perfoliata. In the present study, if the species Probstmayria vivipara was not considered in the prevalence, the frequency of Cyathostominae was equivalent to 94.85%. The results obtained in this study allowed us to detect and identify different species of helminths in horses, and confirmed the high incidence of nematodes belonging to the subfamily Cyathostominae in the center-west region of Minas Gerais.

West Greenlandic Eskimo

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trondhjem, Naja Blytmann; Fortescue, Michael David

West Greenlandic Eskimo. The current situation of the West Greenlandic language as principal means of communication among the majority Greenlandic population will be presented with special emphasis on the northwest hunting district of Upernavik, where traditional marine mammal hunting is still...... the principal economic activity. Research projects and language initiatives currently in progress within Greenland will be touched upon, as will the possibilities of communication with North American Inuit. West Greenlandic is unique among the native languages of the North American Arctic and Sub...

Increasing Use of Postpartum Family Planning and the Postpartum IUD: Early Experiences in West and Central Africa.

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Pleah, Tsigue; Hyjazi, Yolande; Austin, Suzanne; Diallo, Abdoulaye; Dao, Blami; Waxman, Rachel; Karna, Priya

2016-08-11

A global resurgence of interest in the intrauterine device (IUD) as an effective long-acting reversible contraceptive and in improving access to a wide range of contraceptive methods, as well as an emphasis on encouraging women to give birth in health care facilities, has led programs to introduce postpartum IUD (PPIUD) services into postpartum family planning (PPFP) programs. We describe strategic, organizational, and technical elements that contributed to early successes of a regional initiative in West and Central Africa to train antenatal, maternity, and postnatal care providers in PPFP counseling for the full range of available methods and in PPIUD service delivery. In November 2013, the initiative provided competency-based training in Guinea for providers from the main public teaching hospital in 5 selected countries (Benin, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, and Senegal) with no prior PPFP counseling or PPIUD capacity. The training was followed by a transfer-of-learning visit and monitoring to support the trained providers. One additional country, Togo, replicated the initiative's model in 2014. Although nascent, this initiative has introduced high-quality PPFP and PPIUD services to the region, where less than 1% of married women of reproductive age use the IUD. In total, 21 providers were trained in PPFP counseling, 18 of whom were also trained in PPIUD insertion. From 2014 to 2015, more than 15,000 women were counseled about PPFP, and 2,269 women chose and received the PPIUD in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. (Introduction of PPIUD services in Chad has been delayed.) South-South collaboration has been central to the initiative's accomplishments: Guinea's clinical centers of excellence and qualified trainers provided a culturally resonant example of a PPFP/PPIUD program, and trainings are creating a network of regional trainers to facilitate expansion. Two of the selected countries (Benin and Niger) have expanded their PPFP/PPUID training

Wave Energy Resource along the Coast of Santa Catarina (Brazil

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Pasquale Contestabile

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Brazil has one of the largest electricity markets in South America, which needs to add 6000 MW of capacity every year in order to satisfy growing the demand from an increasing and more prosperous population. Apart from biomass, no other renewable energy sources, besides hydroelectricity, play a relevant role in the energy mix. The potential for wind and wave energy is very large. Brazil's Santa Catarina state government is starting a clean energy program in the state, which is expected to bring more than 1 GW of capacity. Assessment of wave energy resources is needed along the coastline. This work studied the potential wave energy along the north-central coasts of Santa Catarina, in Southern Brazil, by analysis of the hindcast data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF. The annual offshore wave power was found to be equal to 15.25 kW/m, the bulk of which is provided by southeastern waves. The nearshore energetic patterns were studied by means of a numerical coastal propagation model (Mike21 SW. The mean wave power of 20 m isobaths is 11.43 kW/m. Supplementary considerations are drawn on realistic perspectives for wave energy converters installations.

Standardising visual control devices for tsetse flies: Central and West African species Glossina palpalis palpalis.

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Dramane Kaba

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Glossina palpalis palpalis (G. p. palpalis is one of the principal vectors of sleeping sickness and nagana in Africa with a geographical range stretching from Liberia in West Africa to Angola in Central Africa. It inhabits tropical rain forest but has also adapted to urban settlements. We set out to standardize a long-lasting, practical and cost-effective visually attractive device that would induce the strongest landing response by G. p. palpalis for future use as an insecticide-impregnated tool in area-wide population suppression of this fly across its range. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Trials were conducted in wet and dry seasons in the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola to measure the performance of traps (biconical, monoconical and pyramidal and targets of different sizes and colours, with and without chemical baits, at different population densities and under different environmental conditions. Adhesive film was used as a practical enumerator at these remote locations to compare landing efficiencies of devices. Independent of season and country, both phthalogen blue-black and blue-black-blue 1 m(2 targets covered with adhesive film proved to be as good as traps in phthalogen blue or turquoise blue for capturing G. p. palpalis. Trap efficiency varied (8-51%. There was no difference between the performance of blue-black and blue-black-blue 1 m(2 targets. Baiting with chemicals augmented the overall performance of targets relative to traps. Landings on smaller phthalogen blue-black 0.25 m(2 square targets were not significantly different from either 1 m(2 blue-black-blue or blue-black square targets. Three times more flies were captured per unit area on the smaller device. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Blue-black 0.25 m(2 cloth targets show promise as simple cost effective devices for management of G. p. palpalis as they can be used for both control when impregnated with insecticide and for

Cryptococcosis outbreak in psittacine birds in Brazil.

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Raso, T F; Werther, K; Miranda, E T; Mendes-Giannini, M J S

2004-08-01

An outbreak of cryptococcosis occurred in a breeding aviary in São Paulo, Brazil. Seven psittacine birds (of species Charmosyna papou, Lorius lory, Trichoglossus goldiei, Psittacula krameri and Psittacus erithacus) died of disseminated cryptococcosis. Incoordination, progressive paralysis and difficulty in flying were seen in five birds, whereas superficial lesions coincident with respiratory alterations were seen in two birds. Encapsulated yeasts suggestive of Cryptococcus sp. were seen in faecal smears stained with India ink in two cases. Histological examination of the birds showed cryptococcal cells in various tissues, including the beak, choana, sinus, lungs, air sacs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines and central nervous system. High titres of cryptococcal antigen were observed in the serum of an affected bird. In this case, titres increased during treatment and the bird eventually died. Yeasts were isolated from the nasal mass, faeces and liver of one bird. Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii serovar B was identified based on biochemical, physiological and serological tests. These strains were resistant (minimum inhibitory concentration 64 microg/ml) to fluconazole. This is the first report of C. neoformans var. gattii occurring in psittacine birds in Brazil.

Geographical patterns in climate and agricultural technology drive soybean productivity in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Caetano, Jordana Moura; Tessarolo, Geiziane; de Oliveira, Guilherme; Souza, Kelly da Silva E; Diniz-Filho, José Alexandre Felizola; Nabout, João Carlos

2018-01-01

The impacts of global climate change have been a worldwide concern for several research areas, including those dealing with resources essential to human well being, such as agriculture, which directly impact economic activities and food security. Here we evaluate the relative effect of climate (as indicated by the Ecological Niche Model-ENM) and agricultural technology on actual soybean productivity in Brazilian municipalities and estimate the future geographic distribution of soybeans using a novel statistical approach allowing the evaluation of partial coefficients in a non-stationary (Geographically Weighted Regression; GWR) model. We found that technology was more important than climate in explaining soybean productivity in Brazil. However, some municipalities are more dependent on environmental suitability (mainly in Southern Brazil). The future environmental suitability for soybean cultivation tends to decrease by up 50% in the central region of Brazil. Meanwhile, southern-most Brazil will have more favourable conditions, with an increase of ca. 25% in environmental suitability. Considering that opening new areas for cultivation can degrade environmental quality, we suggest that, in the face of climate change impacts on soybean cultivation, the Brazilian government and producers must invest in breeding programmes and more general ecosystem-based strategies for adaptation to climate change, including the development of varieties tolerant to climate stress, and strategies to increase productivity and reduce costs (social and environmental).

Bio leaching of Uranium - bearing material from Abu Thor area, West Central Sinai, Egypt for recovering uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd El Wahab, G.M.; Amin, M.M.; Aita, S.K.

2012-01-01

A uranium-bearing material was recorded within the Intra-Carboniferous Paleokarst Profile of Um-Bogma Formation at Abu Thor area, West Central Sinai, Egypt. The present paper is concerned with the bio leaching of U and Cu using Aspergillus Niger (A. Niger) followed their proper recovery. The working Abu Thor representative sample assays 0.22% U as the element of interest as well as up to 25% CuO beside the other rock constituents SiO 2 (33%), Al 2 O 3 (10.4%) and CaO(8.5%). The effective bio leaching of U and Cu from Abu Thor ore sample using A.Niger was performed at the following optimum conditions: an incubation time of 6 days, sample/ liquid (S/L) ratio of 1/10, ph value of 1 and a temperature of 60 degree C. The prepared bio leach liquor assays 0.19 g/l of U and 15.8 g/l of Cu with leaching efficiencies of 97% and 79%, respectively. Uranium was recovered using 25% TBP in kerosene at O/A ratio of 1/1 and contact time of 5 min with achieved extraction efficiency of 96%. However the stripping of U was conducted by using 8% Na 2 CO 3 at A/O ratio of 1/1 and contact time of 5 min with stripping efficiency reached 99%. On the other hand, Cu was directly precipitated as CuS using the freshly released H 2 S gas with the addition of solid Na 2 S. The optimum precipitation conditions were S/L ratio of 1/100, ph 1.5 and room temperature where the precipitation efficiency of Cu achieved 99%

Dynamic behavior of sylvatic yellow fever in Brazil (1954-2008

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Fernando Portela Câmara

2011-06-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Sylvatic yellow fever (SYF is enzootic in Brazil, causing periodic outbreaks in humans living near forest borders or in rural areas. In this study, the cycling patterns of this arbovirosis were analyzed. METHODS: Spectral Fourier analysis was used to capture the periodicity patterns of SYF in time series. RESULTS: SYF outbreaks have not increased in frequency, only in the number of cases. There are two dominant cycles in SYF outbreaks, a seven year cycle for the central-western region and a 14 year cycle for the northern region. Most of the variance was concentrated in the central-western region and dominated the entire endemic region. CONCLUSIONS: The seven year cycle is predominant in the endemic region of the disease due the greater contribution of variance in the central-western region; however, it was possible identify a 14 cycle that governs SYF outbreaks in the northern region. No periodicities were identified for the remaining geographical regions.

Deglacial History and Paleoceanography of the Umanak System, West Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sheldon, Christina; Jennings, Anne; Andrews, John

2012-01-01

A record of Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) and ice-stream history, ice-sheet ocean interactions and paleoclimate from the Last Glacial Maximum to present is preserved in the sediments of the Umanak fjord, shelf trough and trough mouth fan system of central West Greenland. The objective of this study....... This evidence of Atlantic Water carried in the WGC precedes lithological evidence of ice stream retreat from the shelf edge (an influx of coarse IRD beginning 62 cm above the first Atlantic Water assemblage) indicating the presence of the WGC at the shelf edge prior to initial deglaciation. Both the slope...... is to document the timing and rate of ice retreat and the role of the West Greenland Current (WGC) in initiating or sustaining ice retreat. During cruise JR175 of the UK ship RRS James Clark Ross in 2009, sediment cores and geophysical data were collected from the Umanak System to document the glacial history...

Geological analysis of paleozoic large-scale faulting in the south-central Pyrenees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Speksnijder, A.

1986-01-01

Detailed structural and sedimentological analysis reveals the existence of an east-west directed fundamental fault zone in the south-central Pyrenees, which has been intermittently active from (at least) the Devonian on. Emphasis is laid on the stUdy of fault-bounded post-Variscan (StephanoPermian)

Occurrence of white-winged vampire bat, Diaemus youngi (Mammalia, Chiroptera, in the Cerrado of Distrito Federal, Brazil Ocorrência de Diaemus youngi (Mammalia, Chiroptera no Cerrado do Distrito Federal

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Ludmilla M. de S. Aguiar

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Authors cite Diaemus youngi (Jentik, 1893 as occurring in all the Brazilian territory. In spite of that, there are no reports of capture sites for D. youngi in the literature for Distrito Federal or Cerrado of Central Brazil. Here we report the first precise record of this species for Central Brazil, rural area of Distrito Federal, and provide information on its biology, conservation and distribution in Brazil, according to our data and information from the literature.A espécie Diaemus youngi (Jentik, 1893 é considerada por alguns autores como ocorrendo para todo o Brasil incluindo o bioma Cerrado e área rural do Distrito Federal. No entanto não há na literatura nenhum registro do local de coleta dessa espécie para essas regiões. Reportamos aqui o primeiro registro no Cerrado do Brasil Central, área rural do Distrito Federal, e alguns dados sobre a biologia, conservação e distribuição geográfica da espécie no Brasil, de acordo com dados desse trabalho e da literatura.

A comparative history of commercial transition in three West African slave trading economies, 1630 to 1860

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dalrymple-Smith, Angus

2017-01-01

The nineteenth century ‘commercial transition’ from export economies based on slaves to ones dominated by commodities like palm oil has been a central theme in West African history. However, most studies have tended to focus on the impact of the change and assumed that its causes were largely a

Estimation of selected seasonal streamflow statistics representative of 1930-2002 in West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, Jeffrey B.; Atkins, John T.

2010-01-01

Regional equations and procedures were developed for estimating seasonal 1-day 10-year, 7-day 10-year, and 30-day 5-year hydrologically based low-flow frequency values for unregulated streams in West Virginia. Regional equations and procedures also were developed for estimating the seasonal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency harmonic-mean flows and the 50-percent flow-duration values. The seasons were defined as winter (January 1-March 31), spring (April 1-June 30), summer (July 1-September 30), and fall (October 1-December 31). Regional equations were developed using ordinary least squares regression using statistics from 117 U.S. Geological Survey continuous streamgage stations as dependent variables and basin characteristics as independent variables. Equations for three regions in West Virginia-North, South-Central, and Eastern Panhandle Regions-were determined. Drainage area, average annual precipitation, and longitude of the basin centroid are significant independent variables in one or more of the equations. The average standard error of estimates for the equations ranged from 12.6 to 299 percent. Procedures developed to estimate the selected seasonal streamflow statistics in this study are applicable only to rural, unregulated streams within the boundaries of West Virginia that have independent variables within the limits of the stations used to develop the regional equations: drainage area from 16.3 to 1,516 square miles in the North Region, from 2.78 to 1,619 square miles in the South-Central Region, and from 8.83 to 3,041 square miles in the Eastern Panhandle Region; average annual precipitation from 42.3 to 61.4 inches in the South-Central Region and from 39.8 to 52.9 inches in the Eastern Panhandle Region; and longitude of the basin centroid from 79.618 to 82.023 decimal degrees in the North Region. All estimates of seasonal streamflow statistics are representative of the period from the 1930 to the 2002 climatic year.

How does network structure affect partnerships for promoting physical activity? Evidence from Brazil and Colombia.

Science.gov (United States)

Parra, Diana C; Dauti, Marsela; Harris, Jenine K; Reyes, Lissette; Malta, Deborah C; Brownson, Ross C; Quintero, Mario A; Pratt, Michael

2011-11-01

The objective of this study was to describe the network structure and factors associated with collaboration in two networks that promote physical activity (PA) in Brazil and Colombia. Organizations that focus on studying and promoting PA in Brazil (35) and Colombia (53) were identified using a modified one-step reputational snowball sampling process. Participants completed an on-line survey between December 2008 and March 2009 for the Brazil network, and between April and June 2009 for the Colombia network. Network stochastic modeling was used to investigate the likelihood of reported inter-organizational collaboration. While structural features of networks were significant predictors of collaboration within each network, the coefficients and other network characteristics differed. Brazil's PA network was decentralized with a larger number of shared partnerships. Colombia's PA network was centralized and collaboration was influenced by perceived importance of peer organizations. On average, organizations in the PA network of Colombia reported facing more barriers (1.5 vs. 2.5 barriers) for collaboration. Future studies should focus on how these different network structures affect the implementation and uptake of evidence-based PA interventions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Slovakia, the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project; and Central European integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lejon, E.

1996-01-01

In this chapter of the book author deals with the economic, social, ecological and cultural problems in connection of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project (GNP) with the integration process of the 12 European Communities countries. Slovakia - sometimes also called the corridor between the East and the West - appears to have great potential as a link in the general east-west integration. Such a role could be further reinforced by the close and purposeful cooperation between Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria and Bavaria, and it could have a positive signal effect for the whole of Central Europe, as well as for Europe in general. However, this is possible only provided that the former COMECON countries will reduce their tendency to compete for western attention and they will begin, to a larger extent, to lay down the foundations for the indisputable benefits accruing to their population from cooperation and integration. In this respect, the GNP appears to be a crucial issue an the social and political decision on the completion of the Project would become a signal that Central Europe has entered the path towards becoming one of the most important regions of Europe

Gone with the Wind of Tarot: John Starr Cooke and the Esoteric Tradition in the US West

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elias, Camelia

2013-01-01

. For example, the growing interest on the East coast in theosophical issues around the late 60s developed in the West as a visual form. Sacred or secret texts are produced or circulated as visual texts, rather than written texts. From coast to coast the word of God itself is thus disseminated differently....... In the East the word is heard and then penned down. In the West the word is seen, and then communicated directly through image. My essay takes a look at one of the central figures in American spiritualism, John Starr Cooke, and his significant contribution to cultural and geographical manifestations...

Spatial and temporal variations of wave energy in the nearshore waters of the central west coast of India

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M. M. Amrutha

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Assessment of wave power potential at different water depths and time is required for identifying a wave power plant location. This study examines the variation in wave power off the central west coast of India at water depths of 30, 9 and 5 m based on waverider buoy measured wave data. The study shows a significant reduction ( ∼  10 to 27 % in wave power at 9 m water depth compared to 30 m and the wave power available at 5 m water depth is 20 to 23 % less than that at 9 m. At 9 m depth, the seasonal mean value of the wave power varied from 1.6 kW m−1 in the post-monsoon period (ONDJ to 15.2 kW m−1 in the Indian summer monsoon (JJAS period. During the Indian summer monsoon period, the variation of wave power in a day is up to 32 kW m−1. At 9 m water depth, the mean annual wave power is 6 kW m−1 and interannual variations up to 19.3 % are observed during 2009–2014. High wave energy ( >  20 kW m−1 at the study area is essentially from the directional sector 245–270° and also 75 % of the total annual wave energy is from this narrow directional sector, which is advantageous while aligning the wave energy converter.

Gold, iron and manganese in central Amapá, Brazil

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Wilson Scarpelli

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Greenstone belts with deposits of gold, iron and manganese are common in the Paleoproterozoic Maroni-Itacaiunas Tectonic Province of the Guiana Shield. In Brazil, in the State of Amapá and northwest of Pará, they are represented by the Vila Nova Group, constituted by a basal unit of metabasalts, covered by metasediments of clastic and chemical origin. The basal metasediments, the Serra do Navio Formation, are made of a cyclothem with lenses of manganese marbles at the top of each cycle. Under the intense weathering of the Amazon, these lenses were oxidized to large deposits of high-grade manganese oxides. The exploitation of these oxides left behind the manganese carbonates and low-grade oxides. The overlaying Serra da Canga Formation presents a calcium and magnesium domain grading to an iron domain with banded silicate and oxide iron formations, mined for iron ores. Overlapping structures and superposed metamorphic crystallizations indicate two phases of dynamothermal metamorphism, the first one with axis to north-northeast and the second one to northwest, with an intermediate phase of thermal metamorphism related to syntectonic granitic intrusions. Shears oriented north-south, possibly formed during the first dynamothermal metamorphism and reactivated in the second, are ideal sites for hydrothermalism and gold mineralization, which is greater when occurs in iron formation and carbonate-bearing rocks, as it happened at the Tucano mine. Layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the greenstones represent a potential for chromite and platinum group elements. Pegmatites are source of cassiterite and tantalite exploited from alluvial deposits.

Engineering geological and geophysical investigations for road construction in the municipality of Sisimiut, West Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingeman-Nielsen, Thomas; Clausen, Helle; Foged, Niels Nielsen

2007-01-01

In connection with a road construction project between the towns of Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq in Central West Greenland, the Arctic Technology Centre has been involved in prospecting and site investigations. This paper presents a selection of results concerning the climatic conditions...... and construction work in order to counter the effects of permafrost degradation and increased active layer thickness....

An Exploration of Supply Chain Management Practices in the Central District Municipality

Science.gov (United States)

Ambe, I. M.

2009-01-01

The main objective of the paper is to explore supply chain management practices in the Central District Municipality, North West province of South Africa, using the grounded theory methodology. Supply chain management was introduced in the South African public sector to alleviate deficiencies related to governance, interpretation and…

Sources and processes affecting the distribution of dissolved Nd isotopes and concentrations in the West Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Behrens, Melanie K.; Pahnke, Katharina; Schnetger, Bernhard; Brumsack, Hans-Jürgen

2018-02-01

In the Atlantic, where deep circulation is vigorous, the dissolved neodymium (Nd) isotopic composition (expressed as ɛNd) is largely controlled by water mass mixing. In contrast, the factors influencing the ɛNd distribution in the Pacific, marked by sluggish circulation, is not clear yet. Indication for regional overprints in the Pacific is given based on its bordering volcanic islands. Our study aims to clarify the impact and relative importance of different Nd sources (rivers, volcanic islands), vertical (bio)geochemical processes and lateral water mass transport in controlling dissolved ɛNd and Nd concentration ([Nd]) distributions in the West Pacific between South Korea and Fiji. We find indication for unradiogenic continental input from South Korean and Chinese rivers to the East China Sea. In the tropical West Pacific, volcanic islands supply Nd to surface and subsurface waters and modify their ɛNd to radiogenic values of up to +0.7. These radiogenic signatures allow detailed tracing of currents flowing to the east and differentiation from westward currents with open ocean Pacific ɛNd composition in the complex tropical Pacific zonal current system. Modified radiogenic ɛNd of West Pacific intermediate to bottom waters upstream or within our section also indicates non-conservative behavior of ɛNd due to boundary exchange at volcanic island margins, submarine ridges, and with hydrothermal particles. Only subsurface to deep waters (3000 m) in the open Northwest Pacific show conservative behavior of ɛNd. In contrast, we find a striking correlation of extremely low (down to 2.77 pmol/kg Nd) and laterally constant [Nd] with the high-salinity North and South Pacific Tropical Water, indicating lateral transport of preformed [Nd] from the North and South Pacific subtropical gyres into the study area. This observation also explains the previously observed low subsurface [Nd] in the tropical West Pacific. Similarly, Western South Pacific Central Water, Antarctic

Study of aerosol direct and indirect effects and auto-conversion processes over the West African monsoon region using a regional climate model

Science.gov (United States)

Salah, Zeinab; Shalaby, Ahmed; Steiner, Allison L.; Zakey, Ashraf S.; Gautam, Ritesh; Abdel Wahab, Mohamed M.

2018-02-01

This study assesses the direct and indirect effects of natural and anthropogenic aerosols (e.g., black carbon and sulfate) over West and Central Africa during the West African monsoon (WAM) period (June-July-August). We investigate the impacts of aerosols on the amount of cloudiness, the influences on the precipitation efficiency of clouds, and the associated radiative forcing (direct and indirect). Our study includes the implementation of three new formulations of auto-conversion parameterization [namely, the Beheng (BH), Tripoli and Cotton (TC) and Liu and Daum (R6) schemes] in RegCM4.4.1, besides the default model's auto-conversion scheme (Kessler). Among the new schemes, BH reduces the precipitation wet bias by more than 50% over West Africa and achieves a bias reduction of around 25% over Central Africa. Results from detailed sensitivity experiments suggest a significant path forward in terms of addressing the long-standing issue of the characteristic wet bias in RegCM. In terms of aerosol-induced radiative forcing, the impact of the various schemes is found to vary considerably (ranging from -5 to -25 W m-2).

Lithostratigraphy and volcanology of the Serra Geral Group, Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province in Southern Brazil: Towards a formal stratigraphical framework

Science.gov (United States)

Rossetti, Lucas; Lima, Evandro F.; Waichel, Breno L.; Hole, Malcolm J.; Simões, Matheus S.; Scherer, Claiton M. S.

2018-04-01

The volcanic rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province, in Brazil, are grouped in the Serra Geral Group. The province can be chemically divided into low-TiO2, and high-TiO2. In southern Brazil, the low-TiO2 lava pile reaches a thickness of 1 km and is formed of heterogeneous lava packages here divided into four lava formations. Torres Formation (TF) is characterized by chemically more primitive basaltic (> 5 wt% MgO) compound pahoehoe flow fields; these lavas stratigraphically overly aeolian sandstones of Botucatu Formation and represent the onset of the volcanic activity. Vale do Sol Formation (VSF) groups vertically stacked sheet-like rubbly pahoehoe basaltic andesites (SiO2 > 51 wt%; MgO < 5 wt%). These lavas covered the former basalts in the Torres Syncline axis and pinch out towards southwest and represent the most voluminous mafic lava flows. Dacites and rhyolites of Palmas Formation (PF) overlay VSF flows in the central and eastern outcrop area and rest directly upon TF lavas in the west. The acidic units were emplaced as lava domes and widespread tabular lava flows. Esmeralda Formation (EF) is the upper stratigraphic unit and it is formed by a basaltic pahoehoe flow field emplaced during the waning phase of volcanic activity of the low-TiO2 lava sequence. Sedimentary interbeds are preserved throughout the whole lava pile and were deposited during quiescence periods of volcanic activity, and represent important stratigraphic markers (e.g. TF-VSF contact). The newly proposed stratigraphy provides promptly recognized stratigraphic units in a regional framework of fundamental importance for future correlations and provide vital information in the understanding of how the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province evolved through time.

West Nile virus and hemoparasites in captive snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus) — management strategies to optimize survival

OpenAIRE

Harasym, Carol A.

2008-01-01

In August 2005, 2 members of a group of 6 captive snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus) in central Saskatchewan died of West Nile virus infection. One of these owls and 3 of the remaining owls had significant numbers of circulating hemoparasites. Management strategies are suggested to reduce morbidity and mortality.

75 FR 38452 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Central Gulf of Alaska License Limitation...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-02

... for the Southeast Outside District (SEO), Central Gulf of Alaska which includes the West Yakutat...). This proposed action does not include modifications to SEO endorsed licenses because fishing in this...

In vitro cytotoxic activity of Brazilian Middle West plant extracts

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Talal Suleiman Mahmoud

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Cytotoxic activity of eight plant extracts, native from the Mid-West of Brazil comprising Cerrado, Pantanal and semideciduous forest, was evaluated for MDA-MB-435, SF-295, and HCT-8 cancer cell strains. A single 100 µg.mL-1 dose of each extract was employed with 72 h of incubation for all tests. Doxorubicin (1 µg.mL-1 was used as the positive control and the MTT method was used to detect the activity. Cytotoxicity of distinct polarities was observed in thirty extracts (46%, from different parts of the following species: Tabebuia heptaphylla (Vell. Toledo, Bignoniaceae, Tapirira guianensis Aubl., Anacardiaceae, Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão, Anacardiaceae, Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, Anacardiaceae, Gomphrena elegans Mart., Amaranthaceae, Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng., Arecaceae, Eugenia uniflora L., Myrtaceae, and Annona dioica A. St.-Hil., Annonaceae. Extracts of at least two tested cell strains were considered to be highly active since their inhibition rate was over 75%.

Genetic structure of the threatened West-Pannonian population of Great Bustard (Otis tarda

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Jose L. Horreo

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The genetic diversity, population structure and gene flow of the Great Bustards (Otis tarda living in Austria-Slovakia-West Hungary (West-Pannonian region, one of the few populations of this globally threatened species that survives across the Palaearctic, has been assessed for the first time in this study. Fourteen recently developed microsatellite loci identified one single population in the study area, with high values of genetic diversity and gene flow between two different genetic subunits. One of these subunits (Heideboden was recognized as a priority for conservation, as it could be crucial to maintain connectivity with the central Hungarian population and thus contribute to keeping contemporary genetic diversity. Current conservation efforts have been successful in saving this threatened population from extinction two decades ago, and should continue to guarantee its future survival.

The 2011 West Bohemia (Central Europe) earthquake swarm compared with the previous swarms of 2000 and 2008

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Čermáková, Hana; Horálek, Josef

2015-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 4 (2015), s. 899-913 ISSN 1383-4649 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP210/12/2336; GA MŠk LM2010008 Institutional support: RVO:67985530 Keywords : West Bohemia/Vogtland * local seismicity * earthquake swarm Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure Impact factor: 1.550, year: 2015

Dengue virus 2 American-Asian genotype identified during the 2006/2007 outbreak in Piauí, Brazil reveals a Caribbean route of introduction and dissemination of dengue virus in Brazil.

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Leandra Barcelos Figueiredo

Full Text Available Dengue virus (DENV is the most widespread arthropod-borne virus, and the number and severity of outbreaks has increased worldwide in recent decades. Dengue is caused by DENV-1, DENV- 2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 which are genetically distant. The species has been subdivided into genotypes based on phylogenetic studies. DENV-2, which was isolated from dengue fever patients during an outbreak in Piaui, Brazil in 2006/2007 was analyzed by sequencing the envelope (E gene. The results indicated a high similarity among the isolated viruses, as well as to other DENV-2 from Brazil, Central America and South America. A phylogenetic and phylogeographic analysis based on DENV-2E gene sequences revealed that these viruses are grouped together with viruses of the American-Asian genotype in two distinct lineages. Our results demonstrate the co-circulation of two American-Asian genotype lineages in northeast Brazil. Moreover, we reveal that DENV-2 lineage 2 was detected in Piauí before it disseminated to other Brazilian states and South American countries, indicating the existence of a new dissemination route that has not been previously described.

West Nile virus circulation in South-Eastern Romania, 2011 to 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinu, S; Cotar, A I; Pănculescu-Gătej, I R; Fălcuţă, E; Prioteasa, F L; Sîrbu, A; Oprişan, G; Bădescu, D; Reiter, P; Ceianu, C S

2015-05-21

Lineage 2 West Nile virus (WNV), previously found only in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, was identified in Hungary in 2004 and has rapidly expanded in Europe in the past decade. Following a significant outbreak of West Nile fever with neurological cases caused by lineage 1 WNV in Romania in 1996, scattered cases have been recorded in the south-east of the country in each transmission season. Another outbreak, affecting a larger area and caused by lineage 2 WNV, was recorded in 2010. We analysed human sera from neuroinvasive West Nile fever cases and mosquitoes, sampled in south-eastern Romania between 2011 and 2013, for the presence of WNV genome, and obtained partial NS5 and envelope glycoprotein sequences. Human- and mosquito-derived WNV sequences were highly similar (99%) to Volgograd 2007 lineage 2 WNV and differed from isolates previously detected in central and southern Europe. WNV was detected in one pool of Culex pipiens s.l. males, documenting vertical transmission. Lineage 4 WNV, of unknown pathogenicity to mammals, was found in the amphibian-feeding mosquito Uranotaenia unguiculata from the Danube Delta. Our results present molecular evidence for the maintenance of the same isolates of Volgograd 2007-like lineage 2 WNV in south-eastern Romania between 2011 and 2013.

Insights into changes in precipitation patterns in Brazil from oxygen isotope ratios on speleothems

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, F.; Mathias, V.; Stephen, B. J.; Wang, X.; Cheng, H.; Werner, M.; Edwards, R. L.; Karmann, I.; Auler, A. S.

2008-12-01

Variations in tropical precipitation on millennial and orbital time scales can reflect a Hadley-cell-related anti- phasing between the Northern and Southern hemispheres due to the influence of insolation on the global summer monsoons. A new δ18O speleothem record from northeastern Brazil shows that insolation- driven changes in monsoon intensity are capable of producing a similar, zonally oriented anti-phasing within the same hemisphere. Comparison of our speleothem record with other precipitation-sensitive proxies from the central Andes and southeastern Brazil shows that precipitation in Northeastern Brazil has been out of phase with insolation and rainfall in the rest of tropical South America south of the equator since the Last Glacial Maximum. Northeastern Brazil experienced humid conditions when summer insolation was reduced and arid conditions when insolation was high. While previous interpretations of past climate change in NE South America have commonly invoked meridional displacements in ITCZ location as the main mechanism for changes in precipitation on millennial time scales, our results suggest that remote monsoon forcing is responsible for much of the observed precipitation changes on orbital time scales during the Holocene. These results demonstrate that orbitally driven out-of-phase relationships in precipitation are not limited to interhemispheric anti-phasing as demonstrated previously, but may well occur within the same hemisphere. Speleothem records also indicate contrasting climatic conditions around the Last Glacial Maximum in Brazil, characterized by marked dry and wet climates in the Nordeste and in southeastern Brazil, respectively. It is likely, however, that these regional differences primarily reflect more distant extratropical teleconnections from the Atlantic Ocean and high northern latitude changes during glacial conditions.

Central nervous system complications in non-Hodgkin-lymphomas and radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liffers, R.

1981-01-01

261 case historys of malignant non-Hodgkin-lymphomas were analysed in the years from 1969 until 1978 in the 'Radiologische Universitaetsklinik Kiel'/West-Germany. 18 Patients got a central nervous complication of Non Hodgkin-Lymphoma earlier or later, a percentage of about 7. There were 7 cases of lymphoblastic lymphoma (LB), a percentage of 10 for this entity. In the group of immunoblastic lymphoma (IB) 6 cases of central nervous infiltration were detected, that is a ratio of 7.7 percent. 4 case histories M. Brill-Symmers (CC/CB) were complicated by central nervous dissemination, a percentage of 5.3. Patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma have the highest risk of central nervous complication. The beginning of central nervous dissemination in the single case histories is very different between the histological groups. Patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma suffered from central nervous complication in an early phase of history, in cases of M. Brill-Symmers central nervous infiltration can occur also in a late phase. The results may determine the discussion about stratifying of radiotherapy. Early radiotherapy including central nervous system may be discussed and investigated in special histological entities of malignant non-Hodgkin-lymphoma. (orig.) [de

A GPS and modelling study of deformation in northern Central America

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, M.; DeMets, C.; Rogers, R.; Tenorio, C.; Hernandez, D.

2009-09-01

We use GPS measurements at 37 stations in Honduras and El Salvador to describe active deformation of the western end of the Caribbean Plate between the Motagua fault and Central American volcanic arc. All GPS sites located in eastern Honduras move with the Caribbean Plate, in accord with geologic evidence for an absence of neotectonic deformation in this region. Relative to the Caribbean Plate, the other stations in the study area move west to west-northwest at rates that increase gradually from 3.3 +/- 0.6 mm yr-1 in central Honduras to 4.1 +/- 0.6 mm yr-1 in western Honduras to as high as 11-12 mm yr-1 in southern Guatemala. The site motions are consistent with slow westward extension that has been inferred by previous authors from the north-striking grabens and earthquake focal mechanisms in this region. We examine the factors that influence the regional deformation by comparing the new GPS velocity field to velocity fields predicted by finite element models (FEMs) that incorporate the regional plate boundary faults and known plate motions. Our modelling suggests that the obliquely convergent (~20°) direction of Caribbean-North American Plate motion relative to the Motagua fault west of 90°W impedes the ENE-directed motion of the Caribbean Plate in southern Guatemala, giving rise to extension in southern Guatemala and western Honduras. The FEM predictions agree even better with the measured velocities if the plate motion west of the Central American volcanic arc is forced to occur over a broad zone rather than along a single throughgoing plate boundary fault. Our analysis confirms key predictions of a previous numerical model for deformation in this region, and also indicates that the curvature of the Motagua fault causes significant along-strike changes in the orientations of the principal strain-rate axes in the fault borderlands, in accord with earthquake focal mechanisms and conclusions reached in a recent synthesis of the structural and morphologic data

Occurrence of pathogenic fungi to Amblyomma cajennense in a rural area of Central Brazil and their activities against vectors of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Alessandro, Walmirton B; Humber, Richard A; Luz, Christian

2012-08-13

Two isolates of Beauveria bassiana and one of Purpureocillium lilacinum (=Paecilomyces lilacinus) were found infecting Amblyomma cajennense engorged females collected on horses (0.15% infection rate from a total of 1982 specimens) and another two isolates of P. lilacinum and one Metarhizium anisopliae detected in soils (2.1% from 144 samples) collected in typical pasture habitats of this tick in Central Brazil from October 2009 to March 2011. Fungi were isolated from soils with Rhipicephalus sanguineus as surrogate baits. No fungi were found in ticks or soils during the driest months (May to August). Testing pathogenicity of fungi all R. sanguineus females were killed regardless of the isolate and fungi sporulated abundantly on the cadavers. A. cajennense was less susceptible to infection with P. lilacinum within 20 days than R. sanguineus. All three fungal species probably act as natural antagonists of A. cajennense particularly in the rainy season and have interest for integrate control of vectors of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial variability of soil carbon stock in the Urucu river basin, Central Amazon-Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceddia, Marcos Bacis; Villela, André Luis Oliveira; Pinheiro, Érika Flávia Machado; Wendroth, Ole

2015-01-01

The Amazon Forest plays a major role in C sequestration and release. However, few regional estimates of soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in this ecoregion exist. One of the barriers to improve SOC estimates is the lack of recent soil data at high spatial resolution, which hampers the application of new methods for mapping SOC stock. The aims of this work were: (i) to quantify SOC stock under undisturbed vegetation for the 0–30 and the 0–100 cm under Amazon Forest; (ii) to correlate the SOC stock with soil mapping units and relief attributes and (iii) to evaluate three geostatistical techniques to generate maps of SOC stock (ordinary, isotopic and heterotopic cokriging). The study site is located in the Central region of Amazon State, Brazil. The soil survey covered the study site that has an area of 80 km 2 and resulted in a 1:10,000 soil map. It consisted of 315 field observations (96 complete soil profiles and 219 boreholes). SOC stock was calculated by summing C stocks by horizon, determined as a product of BD, SOC and the horizon thickness. For each one of the 315 soil observations, relief attributes were derived from a topographic map to understand SOC dynamics. The SOC stocks across 30 and 100 cm soil depth were 3.28 and 7.32 kg C m −2 , respectively, which is, 34 and 16%, lower than other studies. The SOC stock is higher in soils developed in relief forms exhibiting well-drained soils, which are covered by Upland Dense Tropical Rainforest. Only SOC stock in the upper 100 cm exhibited spatial dependence allowing the generation of spatial variability maps based on spatial (co)-regionalization. The CTI was inversely correlated with SOC stock and was the only auxiliary variable feasible to be used in cokriging interpolation. The heterotopic cokriging presented the best performance for mapping SOC stock. - Highlights: • The SOC stocks across 30 and 100 cm depth were 3.28 and 7.32 kg C m −2 , respectively. • SOC stocks were 34 and 16%, respectively

Central Asia in Asia: Charting growing trans-regional linkages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola P. Contessi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available As the so-called ‘Asian Century’ unfolds, Central Asian countries are increasingly directing their foreign relations eastward. Meanwhile, Asian states are equally turning to Central Asia in their search for energy resources and new markets. This dual dynamic is giving rise to closer and deeper ties in three key areas. As far as infrastructures are concerned, various Asian powers have adopted Silk Road policies that see Central Asia as a fundamental transit route for their long-haul connectivity projects. In the field of trade, Central Asia's exchanges with other Asian countries have been growing steadily since the 1990s, in some cases even coming to rival, in comparative terms, exchanges with the West. Lastly, in terms of multilateralism, Central Asia is increasingly enmeshed in a web of overlapping institutions with a strong Asian identity, coexisting with the region's Western institutional references. The article then problematizes this emerging pattern by sketching out some of the possible ramifications that could stem from the sustainment and consolidation of these trends for the international order and the global balance of power.

West Nile virus and hemoparasites in captive snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus) — management strategies to optimize survival

Science.gov (United States)

Harasym, Carol A.

2008-01-01

In August 2005, 2 members of a group of 6 captive snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus) in central Saskatchewan died of West Nile virus infection. One of these owls and 3 of the remaining owls had significant numbers of circulating hemoparasites. Management strategies are suggested to reduce morbidity and mortality. PMID:19183740

Erosion on very stony forest soil during phenomenal rain in Webster County, West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

J. H. Patric; W. E., Jr. Kidd

1982-01-01

On July 15 and 16, 1979, at least 6 inches of rain fell in central West Virginia during 3 hours, a storm of return period longer than 1,000 years. More than 6 miles of logging roads were examined for evidences of soil erosion and sediment delivery to streams. Erosion was negligible on very stony soils where (a) logging roads were litter covered, (b) road grades were...

Brazils Role in environmental governance: Analysis of possibilities for increased Brazil-Norway cooperation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valberg, Anna Helene

2011-07-01

This report examines the role played by Brazil in connection with certain international negotiations, such as the climate negotiations and the CBD. It identifies the driving factors that have influenced environmental politics and standards in Brazil, and take note of conflicts that must be discussed when Norway is seeking expanded cooperation with Brazil. In line with the mandate, FNI identifies areas of particular interest for further collaboration between the two countries, and recommend directions for supplementary Norwegian policy-making in light of a broadened scope for Norway-Brazil interaction. In recent years, the Norwegian government has initiated an extensive process aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). This is the most obvious shared environmental scope between Norway and Brazil. However, given the large body of literature that already exists on this field, this report will concentrate instead on issues more on the outskirts of the REDD discourse, such as biodiversity conservation, biofuel efficiency and challenges concerning hydropower, all of which threaten to impact negatively on the Amazonian areas. In our recommendations, we cite tangible examples to illustrate issues where we believe lessons learnt in Norway may have applicability to Brazil.(auth)

Use of radioactive fallout cesium-137 to estimate soil erosion on three farms in west central Ohio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajracharya, R.M.; Lal, R.; Kimble, J.M.

1998-01-01

Assessment of the impact of soil erosion on productivity and environment quality requires comprehensive and credible estimates of erosion. Measuring concentration of 137 Cs fallout is a relatively simple and rapid technique for determining long-term mean annual rates of soil erosion and deposition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of the 137 Cs activity-soil depth relationship in estimating soil erosion from arable land in west central Ohio. Thus, soil samples obtained from three to four genetic horizons of four erosion phases at three farms in Clark Co., Ohio, (hereafter called Sites A, B, and C) were analyzed for 137 Cs activity. Relationships between 137 Cs activity and soil depth at undisturbed reference sites were used to calculate the depth of soil eroded and mean annual erosion rates. Cumulative 137 Cs activities ranged from 6.8 mBq g-1 for the severely eroded phase at Site C to 16.6 mBq g-1 for the deposition phase at Site A. These activities corresponded to soil erosion rates of 125.9 Mg ha-1 y-1 for severe to 26.6 Mg ha-1 y-1 for deposition phases. A general trend of increasing soil erosion (by 24 to 85%) from slightly to severely eroded phases was observed although the data were highly variable. Estimated soil erosion rates depended on the regression model used and were more than an order of magnitude higher than those determined using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. Sampling rigorously at small depth increments by means of a core sampler, careful selection of reference sites, and calibration or validation of this technique with other models can improve estimation of soil erosion using 137 Cs. The 137 Cs technique is, however, limited to local scale estimates of erosion because the empirical models are site specific

Living conditions and access to health services by Bolivian immigrants in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, Cássio; Carneiro Junior, Nivaldo; Ribeiro, Manoel Carlos Sampaio de Almeida; Barata, Rita de Cássia Barradas

2013-10-01

Bolivian immigrants in Brazil experience serious social problems: precarious work conditions, lack of documents and insufficient access to health services. The study aimed to investigate inequalities in living conditions and access to health services among Bolivian immigrants living in the central area of São Paulo, Brazil, using a cross-sectional design and semi-structured interviews with 183 adults. According to the data, the immigrants tend to remain in Brazil, thus resulting in an aging process in the group. Per capita income increases the longer the immigrants stay in the country. The majority have secondary schooling. Work status does not vary according to time since arrival in Brazil. The immigrants work and live in garment sweatshops and speak their original languages. Social networks are based on ties with family and friends. Access to health services shows increasing inclusion in primary care. The authors conclude that the immigrants' social exclusion is decreasing due to greater access to documentation, work (although precarious), and the supply of health services from the public primary care system.