Unforeseen Plasmodium infections in the Atlantic Forest of Brazilian Extra-Amazonian region could jeopardise malaria elimination. A human malaria case was registered in Três Forquilhas, in the Atlantic Forest biome of Rio Grande do Sul, after a 45 years’ time-lapsed without any malaria autochthonous notification in this southern Brazilian state. This finding represents the expansion of the malaria distribution areas in Brazil and the southernmost human malaria case record in South America in this decade. The coexistence of the bromeliad-breeding vector Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii and non-human primates in the Atlantic Forest regularly visited by the patient claimed for the zoonotic origin of this infection. The reemergence of Atlantic Forest human malaria in Rio Grande do Sul was also discussed.

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the thermal, morphological and mechanical behavior of polypropylene (PP) composite with different natural fibers. The fibers used were wood, sugarcane, bamboo, babassu, coconut and kenaf with and without coupling agent. The thermal, morphological and mechanical properties were evaluated, and a composite PP+GFPP (glass fiber) was used as reference. The interaction at the interface fiber-polymer matrix was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at the fractured surface of the composites, as expected the presence of maleic anhydride (MA) as coupling agent increasedthe interaction at the interface. The influence of natural fiber in the degree of crystallinity of the composites was evaluated by DSC analysis. The samples of PP+GFPP and PP+(PP-MA)+WF (wood flour) showed better temperature stability. PP+GF also presented superior flexural modulus. The thermal dynamic mechanical behavior was evaluated by DMA, a decrease in storage modulus with increasing temperature was observed, the PP+GF and the composite containing maleic anhydride and sugarcane fiber showed higher modulus. The natural fiber biocomposites studied, consistently presented lower flexural modulus and tensile strength than the reference composite, with and without the use of coupling agent. As expected the use of natural fibers lowered the density compared to the reference material.

O presente trabalho busca avaliar o comportamento de compósitos que contêm em sua formulação um biopolímero originário de indústrias da agricultura sustentável. O biopolímero selecionado, poli(ácido lático), (PLA) e um polímero termoplástico (poliuretano), (TPU), foram misturados a fibras naturais (madeira e coco). Em um primeiro momento, foram preparadas formulações contendo 10, 20 e 30% em massa de fibra vegetal em relação à blenda de PLA-TPU (na proporção de 70/30% em massa). Em um segundo momento, manteve-se a mesma proporção em massa de fibra vegetal em relação à blenda de PLA-TPU, porém foram adicionados 5% em massa de anidrido maleico. Na sequência, as formulações foram avaliadas através de caracterizações físico-mecânicas, térmicas e microscópica. De um modo geral, as análises mostraram evidências bastante conclusivas sobre a baixa adesão interfacial entre a blenda polimérica e as fibras vegetais. Deve-se salientar a fraca atuação do anidrido maleico como agente de acoplamento, haja vista que as formulações que o continham não apresentaram melhoras em suas propriedades. Portanto, os resultados indicam que os biocompósitos formulados possam atender à necessidade de nichos específicos de mercados populares, como o de decoração, os quais não demandam alto desempenho de seus produtos, viabilizando o uso de fibras vegetais devido à redução de custo do compósito final.

This work evaluates the behavior of composites containing a biopolymer derived from sustainable agriculture industries. The biopolymer selected, poly(lactic acid) - PLA - , in combination with a thermoplastic polymer (polyurethane) - TPU - was mixed with natural fibers, wood and coconut. In a first step, formulations containing 10, 20 and 30% by weight of fiber in relation to the blend of PLA-TPU (in the ratio 70/30 wt%) were prepared. In the second step, the same set of formulations was maintained but with addition of 5 wt% of the coupling agent maleic anhydride. These composites were characterized by means of physical-mechanical, thermal and microscopic techniques. The results indicated a low interfacial bonding between the polymeric blend and the vegetal fibers. It is important to emphasize the poor performance of the coupling agent, because the formulations containing maleic anhydride did not show any improvement in their properties in comparison to the standard material. Therefore, the biocomposites studied in this paper can be used when high-performance materials are not required, as in home decoration articles, making it feasible to use vegetal fibers in order to reduce the cost of the final composite.

A cardiopatia induzida por estresse (precipitada por estresse emocional), também chamada de balonamento apical transitório do ventrículo esquerdo, síndrome do coração partido e, no Japão, síndrome de takotsubo, é caracterizada pela presença de movimento discinético transitório da parede anterior do ventrículo esquerdo, com acentuação da cinética da base ventricular. O curso clínico da cardiomiopatia de takotsubo pode se assemelhar ao do infarto agudo do miocárdio, com dor torácica típica e alterações eletrocardiográficas, sendo a cineangiocoronariografia realizada para distinguir as duas condições na fase aguda.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy, also know as reversible left ventricular apical ballooning, " Broken-Heart" syndrome, and in Japan, Takotsubo, is characterized by the presence of a transient left ventricular dyskinetic movement of the anterior wall of with hypercontraction of the ventricular basilar segments precipitated by emotional stress. The clinical course of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is similar to that of an acute myocardial infarct with typical chest pain and electrocardiographic changes, and during the acute phase, coronary angiography is used to distinguish between the two conditions.

Os liquens são reconhecidos por serem muito sensíveis à poluição atmosférica, sendo assim sua utilização como indicadores biológicos da qualidade ambiental, tem sido um procedimento cada vez mais amplo. Este trabalho apresenta os resultados do monitoramento passivo realizado na área de abrangência de uma usina termoelétrica, na região sul do Brasil. Os liquens foram avaliados em cinco pontos da usina onde foi amostrado um total de 50 forófitos. Foram registrados 45 táxons, cinco destes são citados na literatura como bioindicadores da qualidade do ar. As áreas amostradas não apresentam condições adequadas para o estabelecimento e desenvolvimento da micota liquenizada, pois sofrem influência antrópica direta. A ocorrência de espécies tolerantes à poluição pode ser explicada pelo desaparecimento das espécies mais sensíveis, proporcionando mais espaço para o seu desenvolvimento.

Lichens are recognized for being very sensitive to atmospheric pollution, so their use as biological indicators of environmental quality has been an ampler procedure. This work shows the results of the passive monitoring realized within the area of a thermoelectric power plant, in the Southern region of Brazil. The lichens were evaluated in five points of the power plant and a total of 50 host-trees were sampled. There were 45 taxa registered, five of them are cited in the literature as bioindicators of air quality. The sampled areas have not presented appropriate conditions for the establishment and development of the lichenized mycota, as they suffer direct anthropic influence. The occurrence of pollution tolerant species can be explained by the disappearance of most sensitive species, providing more space for their development.