Entre o passado europeu e o futuro americano: dois ensaios sobre o Brasil da década de 1930 / Between the European past and the American future: two papers about Brazil in the 1930s

O artigo explora a ideia de Europa concebida por Stefan Zweig e Hermann Ullmann nos livros quase homônimos sobre o Brasil, escritos no final da década de 1930 e início de 1940. No contexto político do entreguerras marcado pela ascensão do nazismo, pergunta-se em que sentido a Europa continua a servir de modelo civilizatório e qual a dimensão crítica que se expressa em concepções que invertem os papéis da Europa e do Brasil. Observa-se ruptura parcial com visões dicotômicas e hierárquicas acerca das relações entre o Velho e o Novo Mundo e sugerem-se novas formas de relação entre essas regiões no contexto mundial.

The article examines the idea of Europe conceived by Stefan Zweig and Hermann Ullmann in the similarly titled books about Brazil written in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In the political context between the great wars marked by the rise of Nazism, the question is posed regarding to what extent Europe continues to serve as a model of civilization and what the critical dimension is that is expressed in concepts reversing the roles of Europe and Brazil. One detects a partial rupture with dichotomous and hierarchical viewpoints about the relationship between the Old World and the New World, and new forms of relationship between these regions within the worldwide context are suggested.

Migrantes na periferia: indígenas, europeus e japoneses no Paraná durante as primeiras décadas do século XX / Migrants on the periphery: Indigenous Brazilians, European and Japanese immigrants in the state of Paraná during the early decades of the twentieth century

Analisa os processos de transformação cultural no Brasil realizados por imigrantes europeus e japoneses, que trouxeram padrões culturais e identidades distintas e se transformaram pela interação com a(s) cultura(s) da sociedade receptora. Tomando como exemplo o estado do Paraná, o artigo oferece um mosaico de culturas em transição por meio do estudo de micro-histórias. Aborda o enfrentamento entre austro-poloneses e austro-ucranianos com os índios botocudos; o discurso de Alberto Frič sobre as perseguições bugreiras no 16o Congresso Internacional de Americanistas em Viena; a colonização no norte do Paraná por europeus; a imigração japonesa como um elemento do “outro exótico”, assim como os conflitos políticos na colônia pluriétnica de Rolândia.

This paper analyzes the processes of cultural transformation in Brazil resulting from European and Japanese immigrants, who brought cultural patterns and distinct identities and were transformed by interaction with the culture of the host country. Taking the example of the state of Paraná, the article offers a mosaic of cultures in transition through the study of micro-stories. It addresses the clash between Austro-Polish and Austro-Ukrainian immigrants with Botocudos Indians; the discourse of Alberto Frič on persecution against indigenous Brazilian Indians at the 16th International Congress of Americanists in Vienna; the colonization in northern Paraná by Europeans; Japanese immigration as an element of the “exotic other,” as well as political conflicts in the pluriethnic colony of Rolândia.

Comparison of common carotid artery intima-media thickness between Brazilian Euro-descendants and Afro-descendants with atherosclerosis risk factors

OBJECTIVE: To compare common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) between the two major Brazilian ethnic groups (those of African descent and those of European descent) among individuals with one or more risk factors for atherosclerotic disease. METHOD: Two hundred and six patients with one or more risk factors for atherosclerotic disease were evaluated in a cross-sectional study in which their clinical, ethnic and Demographic characteristics were collected. All patients underwent duplex ultrasound examination of their carotid vessels to obtain IMT measurements. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-three patients (74.3%) had a carotid IMT greater than 1.0 mm at one or more point of measurement in at least one common carotid artery. There was a significant correlation between older age and mean carotid wall thickness (R=0.479 / P<0.01). Multivariate analysis identified male sex, arterial hypertension and older age as variables associated with increased IMT (P<0.05 for all variables). When IMT was compared between the two ethnic groups in this study, no significant differences were noted. Euro-descendants and Afro-descendants had similar IMT values, even when the groups were stratified by degree of IMT (normal vs. increased) and presence of stroke and/or transient ischemic attack (yes vs. no). CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors associated with increased common carotid artery IMT in Brazilian individuals are similar to those in previously described populations. No differences were observed between the two main Brazilian ethnic groups. Longitudinal studies are required for a better evaluation of the incidence, etiologic factors and evolution of carotid intimomedial thickening in this population.

Mezcla genica en una muestra poblacional de la ciudad de Buenos Aires / Gene mixture in a population sample from Buenos Aires City

Este estudio tiene como objetivo estimar la mezcla génica en la población de la Ciudad de BuenosAires, a partir de muestras de dadores de sangre provenientes de un centro público de salud (Hospitalde Clínicas). Los estudios se realizaron sobre 218 personas no emparentadas que donaron su sangre duranteel año 2002. Se analizaron 8 sistemas genéticos eritrocitarios y los alotipos GM/KM. Se realizó una encuestacon la finalidad de obtener información sobre lugar de nacimiento, residencia actual y datos genealógicosde los dadores. Las frecuencias génicas se determinaron empleando métodos de máxima verosimilitud. Paracalcular la mezcla génica se aplicó el programa ADMIX (trihíbrido). Se registró un 15.8% de aporte indígena(AI) y 4.3% de africano (AA). Estos datos se compararon con un estudio previo realizado en un centro privado(Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires), no observándose diferencias significativas salvo en el sistema Km. Los resultadosobtenidos se corresponden con la información histórica y demográfica de la ciudad de Buenos Aires.

The aim of this study is to estimatethe gene admixture in the population of Buenos Aires City from samples of blood donors, whichcome from a public health centre (Hospital de Clínicas). These studies were performed on 218 unrelated people,who donated blood during the year 2002. Eight erythrocyte genetic systems and GM/KM allotypes were analysed.A survey to obtain information about place of birth, present residence and genealogical data of the donors wasperformed. The gene frequencies were determined using a method of maximum likelihood. The genetic admixturewas calculated through the ADMIX program (trihibride). The Amerindian and African contributions were 15.8%and 4.3% respectively. These data were compared with those obtained in a previous study performed in a privatecentre (Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires) and significant differences were observed, except in the KM system.The results obtained are in concordance with the demographic and historic information of Buenos Aires City.

Seroprevalence of HIV infection among the foreign students at Agra during a fifteen year period (1988-2002).

The present study reports a retrospective analysis of data of HIV testing of foreign students from Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and Europe, studying as well as staying at Agra, over a period of 15 yr (1988 to 2002). Of the 2653 [2092 (78.85%) were from the Sub-Saharan African countries, 377 (14.21%) from the South-East Asian countries, and 184 (6.93%) from the European countries], foreign students tested for HIV, only 26 were found to be positive for HIV-1/2 antibodies by the ELISA, rapid and Western Blot assays. Out of 26 HIV-positive, 17 males and 7 females were from Sub-Saharan Africa and 2 males were from the European countries. The range of HIV-positivity over a period of 15 yr varied greatly. When the five-year (1988-1992, 1993-1997 and 1998-2002) results were compared, the HIV-seropositivity showed a decline from 1.85, 0.50 to 0.36 per cent in the first, second and third 5 yr slots, respectively. While the data were not representative of all foreign students in India, this reflected the population tested in this centre was not a growing focus of HIV infection in this part of the country.

Enfermedad de Paget en Chile: una serie de 15 pacientes / Paget disease of bone in Chile: report of 15 cases

BACKGROUND: Paget disease of bone (PD) is a localized disorder of bone remodeling, which leads to bone fragility and deformity. In Chile PD is uncommon. AIM: To study clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with PD seen in the Clinical Hospital of the Catholic University. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with typical radiological and clinical features of PD referred to our institution during the last decade were included in this review. RESULTS: We obtained data from 15 patients with PD (ten males, eight Chilean, six European and one Asian), eleven of them were diagnosed during the last 3 years. The mean age at diagnosis was 68.7 +/- 11.1 years old. No one had first degree relatives with PD. Bone pain was the main complaint in 13 patients and elevated total alkaline phosphatases in the other two. The average duration of the symptoms prior to diagnosis was 38.8 months. Eight patients had monostotic lesions; the most commonly involved sites were the pelvis, spine and femur. Radiological evaluation disclosed sclerotic changes in all patients as well as bone deformity and osteoarthritis in eight patients. Total alkaline phosphatases were elevated in 14 cases (mean: 4 times over the upper normal limit). CONCLUSIONS: When compared to series of the Northern hemisphere, PD in Chile is characterized by an older age at diagnosis, a higher frequency of symptomatic presentation, advanced radiological involvement and greater proportion of complications. PD should be suspected in every patient, Chilean or foreigner, with bone pain or elevated alkaline phosphatases.

Differences in risk factors, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease between ethnic groups in Canada: the study of health assessment and risk in ethnic groups (SHARE).

Cardiovascular disease rates vary greatly between ethnic groups in Canada. To establish whether this variation can be explained by differences in disease risk factors and subclinical atherosclerosis, we undertook a population-based study of three ethnic groups in Canada: South Asians, Chinese and Europeans. A total of 985 participants were recruited from three cities (Hamilton, Toronto and Edmonton) by stratified random sampling. Clinical cardiovascular disease was defined by history or electrocardiographic findings. Carotid atherosclerosis was measured with B-mode ultrasonography. Conventional (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, raised cholesterol) and novel risk factors (markers of a prothrombotic state) were measured. Within each ethnic group and overall, the degree of carotid atherosclerosis was associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease. South Asians had the highest prevalence of this condition compared with Europeans and Chinese (11%, 5% and 2%, respectively; p=0.0004). Despite this finding, Europeans had more atherosclerosis (mean of the maximum intimal medial thickness 0.75 [0.16] mm) than South Asians (0.72 [0.15] mm) and Chinese (0.69 [0.16] mm). South Asians had an increased prevalence of glucose intolerance, higher total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, higher triglycerides and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and much greater abnormalities in novel risk factors including higher concentrations of fibrinogen, homocysteine, lipoprotein(a), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Although there are differences in conventional and novel risk factors between ethnic groups, this variation and the degree of atherosclerosis only partly explains the higher rates of cardiovascular disease among South Asians compared with Europeans and Chinese. The increased risk of cardiovascular events could be due to factors affecting plaque rupture, the interaction between prothrombotic factors and atherosclerosis, or as yet undiscovered risk factors.

Simbiosis médica entre Europa y América indígena en el siglo XVIII / Medical simbyosis between Europe and native America

La presente comunicación, gira en torno al trabajo del Doctor en Medicina Gregorio de Losa Avila y Palomares escrito en el siglo XVIII, titulada "De los árboles; frutos, plantas; aves y de otras cosas medicinales...tiene este reyno...", entre 1727 y 1780 cuya versión paleográfica, estudios y análisis por Gregorio Loza-Balza está publicada por la Sociedad Geográfica de La Paz Bolivia en el año 1983