No abstract

A laboratory aerobic incubation study was performed during 18 weeks under controlled conditions to assess the effects of applying different doses of pulp mill inorganic wastes on the physical-chemical properties of an acid Dystric Cambissol. Three different inorganic wastes were tested - wood ash, dregs and grits, and an agriculture limestone was used as reference. Results showed that increasing the dose applied of the different inorganic wastes tested always led to significant raises of soil pH at different incubation times demonstrating that its use as alternative-liming materials could be a valid and less expensive option to the use of commercial agricultural limestone. Moreover, no immediate concerns seem to be expected related to soil exchangeable sodium (Na) content, at least for the doses needed to increase soil pH until the targeted value 6.5. Particularly for wood ash a pronounced increase on soil extractable potassium and phosphorous was observed, indicating that besides the liming effect this waste can contribute to improve soil fertility by supplying significant available amounts of these nutrients. Finally, metals do not seem to be a limiting factor for the application to land of these by-products.

Until 2001, the Chinese Territory of Macao had not registered any autochthonous dengue cases, despite the abundance of Aedes albopictus (Skuse), a known vector. This work describes a bioecological characterization of the local Ae. albopictus adult population, with the purpose of estimating the receptivity of Macao to dengue introduction. In the wet seasons of 1997 and 1998 and the dry season of 1998, Ae. albopictus was the most abundant human-biting mosquito. Daily biting rates of 314 mosquitoes per person were recorded in the wet season with a reduction to 94 in the dry season. Ae. albopictus was mainly exophagic and exophilic and had a human blood index of 44%. The parity rate of field-collected mosquitoes was 57%. Daily survival rate ranged from 91 to 97%. Estimates of vectorial capacity ranged from 144 to 880, depending on what parameter values were used. These estimates indicated a great receptivity for the introduction of dengue viruses, as the 2001 outbreak came to prove.

The dynamics of C mineralization in an organically managed Cambic Arenosol amended with hen manure, a stabilized compost (compost), and three different combinations of both fertilizers (varying from a 1:100 to a 1:10 ratio) were studied during an incubation experiment to estimate the potential of such combinations to preserve/restore soil C content relative to single applications. A strong increase of the CO 2 -C emissions relative to the unamended soil (control) was observed after soil application of all five organic-fertilizer treatments. A significantly higher amount of applied C was lost in hen-manure treatment (648 mg CO 2 -C [g C applied] -1 ) when compared to compost (159 mg CO 2 -C [g C applied] -1 ) or to the three combined treatments (176-195 mg CO 2 -C [g C applied] -1 ). The first-order exponential model and the double exponential model were used to fit the C-mineralization data in the treatments considered. Results showed that mixing "small" amounts of hen manure with compost did not affect the total amount of potentially mineralizable C, but significantly increased the mineralization rate constant. Clearly, combinations of both fertilizers promoted an initial faster mineralization of the organic matter, and consequently a faster release of nutrients, without affecting the total amount of C sequestered in soil.

We present the first parasitological, molecular and longitudinal analysis of an isolated outbreak of malaria. This outbreak occurred on Santiago Island (Republic of Cabo Verde), a region where malaria is hypoendemic and controlled, and thus the population is considered non-immune. Blood samples were collected from the inhabitants over 1 month and during cross-sectional surveys in the following year. The presence and nature of the parasites was determined by PCR. Plasmodium falciparum was the only species detected. Genetic analysis revealed that the circulating parasites were genetically homogeneous, and probably clonal. Gametocytes were found throughout this period. Our data suggest that this represented a focal outbreak, resulting in the infection of at least 40 % of the villagers with a clonal parasite line. Thus, P. falciparum infections can persist for at least 1 year in a substantial proportion (10 %) of the hosts. Implications for malaria control and the interpretation of epidemiological data are discussed.