Three decades of reference evapotranspiration estimates for a tropical watershed in the eastern Amazon.

This study estimated the reference evapotranspiration rate (ETo) for the Itacaiúnas River Watershed (IRW), Eastern Amazonia, and measured the accuracy of eight empirical equations: Penman-Monteith (PM), Priestley-Taylor (PT), Hargreaves and Samani (HS), Camargo (CAM), Thornthwaite (TH), Hamon (HM), Kharrufa (KF) and Turc (TC) using monthly data from 1980 to 2013. In addition, it verifies the regional applicability to the IRW using a for the Marabá-PA station. The methods TC and PM (FAO56) presented the best results, which demonstrate that radiation and higher temperatures are the dominant drivers in the Evapotranspiration process, while relative humidity and wind speed have a much smaller impact. The temporal and spatial variability of ETo for IRW show has strong seasonality, increasing during the dry season and decreasing during the rainy season. The statistical analyses at 1% level of significance, indicates that there is no correlation of the residuals between the dry and rainy seasons, and test of the physical parameters such as mean temperature, solar radiation and relative air humidity explains the variations of ETo.

Serum zinc levels in New Zealand children.

A report is made of serum zinc levels in 518 children with an age range of nine days to 17 years. There were significant differences in normal levels between fasting and non-fasting children, Europeans and Maoris, Europeans and Polynesians, and Indians and Polynesians. Lower levels were also found in those under the age of 13 but may be due to variation in serum proteins in these children who were all anaesthetised.

Three decades of reference evapotranspiration estimates for a tropical watershed in the eastern Amazon

ABSTRACT This study estimated the reference evapotranspiration rate (ETo) for the Itacaiúnas River Watershed (IRW), Eastern Amazonia, and measured the accuracy of eight empirical equations: Penman-Monteith (PM), Priestley-Taylor (PT), Hargreaves and Samani (HS), Camargo (CAM), Thornthwaite (TH), Hamon (HM), Kharrufa (KF) and Turc (TC) using monthly data from 1980 to 2013. In addition, it verifies the regional applicability to the IRW using a for the Marabá-PA station. The methods TC and PM (FAO56) presented the best results, which demonstrate that radiation and higher temperatures are the dominant drivers in the Evapotranspiration process, while relative humidity and wind speed have a much smaller impact. The temporal and spatial variability of ETo for IRW show has strong seasonality, increasing during the dry season and decreasing during the rainy season. The statistical analyses at 1% level of significance, indicates that there is no correlation of the residuals between the dry and rainy seasons, and test of the physical parameters such as mean temperature, solar radiation and relative air humidity explains the variations of ETo.

Abnormal neutrophil chemotaxis in a syndrome of unusual facies, proportionate small stature and sensorineural deafness-mutism.

Two of 5 children in one family presented with unique facies, proportionate small stature and sensorineural deafness-mutism. One of the children who had a history of recurrent infections, was shown to have a defect of leukocyte chemotaxis. Although impairment of chemotaxis could not be demonstrated in the other affected sibling, it is unlikely that the association of a previously undescribed syndrome and a rare disorder of chemotaxis is a chance occurrence.

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: a cause of gastric metaplasia in the mid-ileum.

Following neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in a premature Aboriginal baby, a stricture developed in the distal small intestine. At laparotomy a 1.0 cm stricture was found in a 25 cm thick-walled, oedematous segment of the mid-ileum. Biopsy demonstrated antropyloric-type ectopic mucosa and, therefore, the oedematous segment was removed. The resected specimen contained several distinct areas of flat antropyloric gastric mucosa as well as ileal mucosa. Although no acid-producing cells could be demonstrated, mucosal ulceration was prominent in several areas. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated gastric pits. Immunoperoxidase technique for gastrin failed to demonstrate gastrin-containing cells. It is believed that this mucosa represents a metaplasia that has been induced in response to mucosal damage, which in turn was initiated by necrotizing enterocolitis. It is believed this would represent the first reported case.