Unpopulated Area Research Articles

The Production of Empty Space and Deserts in the South-Central Andean Highlands

Imaginaries serve as the foundational framework shaping representations and influencing societal perspectives, subsequently guiding specific practices. Within the realm of geographical imaginaries, this article adopted a geohistorical perspective, using periodicals, secondary sources, and contemporary digital media to shed light on the geography of the highlands of northern Chile. Our objective was to emphasize the representations that have discouraged the occupation of these mountainous regions. Our findings revealed the emergence of a geographic imaginary that attributes desert-like qualities to the entire northern region of Chile, extending beyond the “unpopulated area of Atacama”. This misleading characterization fails to distinguish desert areas from the topographic variations existing between the Andes and the Pacific coast. These representations, which have translated into depopulation practices, have stigmatized the highland areas as synonymous with desolation and inhospitality, seemingly unsuitable for daily life, social production, and reproduction potential. Consequently, both spaces and individuals have been objectified for development, perpetuating the capitalist system as the dominant mode of production.

Characterization of Talcose Rocks Derived from Serpentinite—Pilot Study in the Ultramafic Complex of Cabo Ortegal (Spain) for Potential Use and Commercialization

Cabo Ortegal, in Spain, was declared a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2023. An ultramafic complex makes it a geologically exciting unit, where many research works have been carried out. Serpentinites, formed by the weathering of peridotites, dunites, and other ultramafic rocks, have been described in detail in previous works. Their role as a construction material has been elucidated, although due to their complexity and heterogeneity, the results of using these materials for construction are not always successful. Talcose rocks, related to serpentinites, can also be found in the complex, although it is difficult to distinguish them. Talcose rocks may be a resource to be explored and exploited in an unpopulated area. The use of talc in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and handicrafts makes it a material of growing importance. However, the asbestos and heavy metal content should be severely limited to prevent health issues. The goal of this work is to start the characterization of these talcose rocks before promoting their potential use in different contexts to support the economy of an underpopulated area of Spain.

Sustainable Tourism Development and Ramsar Sites in Serbia: Exploring Residents’ Attitudes and Water Quality Assessment in the Vlasina Protected Area

This study aims to present the potential for sustainable tourism development on Vlasina Lake, which is, along with its surroundings, declared as a Ramsar site, Natural Asset of Exceptional Importance, IBA, IPA, PBA and Emerald area. A survey conducted among the residents indicated that they expressed positive attitudes towards sustainable tourism development, even though a small percentage of them are employed in tourism. Considering the lake as the most valuable part of this area, this study emphasized water quality assessment as the necessary condition for sustainable tourism development. Water quality indices (SWQI, CWQI and WPI) were used for water quality assessment for the period 2013–2022. Based on SWQI, Vlasina Lake has a good to excellent water quality and, according to WPI, has clean water suitable for tourism and recreation. The CWQI for overall water quality ranged from marginal to good. It is the highest for recreation, but it is based on only one parameter (pH), which is the limitation of this methodology. Based on field research, survey, water quality assessment and previous studies, it is concluded that this area has favorable conditions for developing various types of tourism, which could contribute to the future development of this undeveloped and unpopulated area.

UGLYA-IV EARTHQUAKE on June 6, 2017 with KR=9.8, ML=2.7, І0=5 (Ukraine, Transcarpathia)

On June 6, 2017 at 17h27m in the mountains north of Uglya of the Tyachiv district of the Transcarpathian region, at a depth of h=5 km, a significant earthquake with energy class KR=9.8 and local magnitude ML=2.7 occurred. The earthquake was processed by records of 16 seismic stations of the Carpathian network. Immediately after the earthquake, information on its impact was collected through a telephone survey in 23 settlements located at distances of 5–30 km from the epicenter. As a result of processing the survey data from 23 settlements, an isoseismal map of the earthquake was constructed. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in an unpopulated mountainous area, where a calculated intensity was I0=5 by the MSK-64 scale. In the epicentral zone, it was felt with an intensity of 4–5 in 3 settlements: Prygid, Velikaya Ugolka and Fontynasy. According to a comparison with the map of the fault structures of the Solotvinskaya depression of the Transcarpathian trough and adjacent territories, it is clear that this earthquake is located in the zone between the Chernogolovsky and the Penin faults, where a lot of fault structures are noted, including an unclear morphology.

On the Expediency of Laying Cable Power Lines with a Voltage of 6–35 kV Outside Settlements Instead of Overhead Power Lines

. It is noted that at present, 10 and 35 kV overhead power transmission lines are being laid outside the settlements of the Republic of Belarus on reinforced concrete vibrated (10 kV) and centrifuged (35 kV) poles that are characterized by low reliability and damaging the environment (on account of alienation of land for poles, the need to make a wide clearing for laying in the forest, obstructions by poles and wires of lines to the operation of agricultural machinery, the danger of electric shock to personnel and the public). It is possible to avoid these disadvantages if, instead of overhead lines, power transmission cables with cables insulated by cross-linked polyethylene are used which are characterized by a very low failure flow parameter. Contrary to the prevailing opinion about the higher cost of cable power transmission lines compared to overhead ones of the same rated voltage, it turned out that, taking into account reliability, the cost of electricity lost in the lines for a year, damage to the environment and to the power system caused by the need to perform more expensive emergency repairs (as compared to a planned one), laying cable lines with three-core and single-core cables of a voltage of 10 and 35 kV instead of overhead cables outside the populated area is fairly justified. In this connection, the laying of three-core cables is more preferable. It should be also borne in mind that with an increase in the length of cable lines, the capacitive earth fault current increases, to compensate for which additional devices are needed to be installed in power centers, viz. arc-extinguishing reactors or resistors, accounting for the cost of which (up to 22 % of the cost of one kilometer of cable line) does not significantly affect the conclusions we have drawn regarding the effectiveness of using 6–35 kV cable power lines in an unpopulated area instead of overhead ones, however.

From Moscow With a Mushroom Cloud? Russian Public Attitudes to the Use of Nuclear Weapons in a Conflict With NATO

This article presents findings of an original survey experiment on public attitudes toward nuclear use conducted on a representative sample of Russian citizens. We randomly assigned our participants to experimental treatments with vignettes describing a military conflict between Russia and NATO in the Baltics, where Moscow considered a limited nuclear “escalate-to-deescalate” strike to avert defeat. Our findings show that Russians are significantly more averse to nuclear strikes than to the corresponding use of conventional missiles. The participants disapproved similarly of a demonstrative nuclear explosion in an unpopulated area and of nuclear strikes in a more escalated scenario. We also found associations between the moral values of individuals and strike support corresponding to earlier studies in the United States. Finally, our participants reported similar concerns about both nuclear and conventional strikes, with the worry about civilian casualties and the suffering of victims at the top of the list across experimental treatments.

Characterizing Micro-Displacements on Active Faults in the Gobi Desert with Time-Series InSAR

This research investigates small-scale tectonic activity in the Jiujing region in Beishan, northwest China through the application of persistent scatterer (PS) Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). PS InSAR is an effective monitoring tool in this unpopulated, arid, and unvegetated rural area, whose surface geology is dominated by a single large granitic intrusion, and which represents a candidate site for a geological disposal facility (GDF) for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in China. This research demonstrates that faults F16-2, F17, F18, and F20-2 are still active, producing dip-slip motions along the fault planes. The lithological variations in weathering and erosion can be discounted as the cause for these small-scale displacement variations. The work has also identified 11 previously unknown faults, characterising them from vertical (DU) and eastward horizontal (DE) displacements along and across the faults. These newly discovered structures demonstrate how PS InSAR can be used to monitor and measure micro-scale movements on regional-scale faults, which, in many cases, were previously considered to be inactive. Thus, this also improves our understanding of local stress regimes in this area. The Jiujing region is part of a convergent fault zone dominated by NE-SW compression, leading to NE-SW crustal shortening and NW-SE elongation. Through determination of the sense of ground movement measured at irregularly distributed PS points, some faults are reverse and trending NW-SE, while others are normal and trending NE-SW, highlighting how InSAR can be used to resolve fault type and relative movements to monitor tectonic fault blocks at a regional scale.

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in beach sand near the outlet of a major reservoir in north Mississippi, USA

Plastic debris both affects and is affected by the beaches it accumulates on. Most studies of microplastics (MPs) in beach sand are focused on coastal beaches or beaches of large lakes near population centers. Here, we assessed MP pollution at a sandy beach near the outlet of a major flood control reservoir (Sardis Lake) in a relatively unpopulated area in north Mississippi, USA, focusing on two prominent wrack zones and areas in-between. Putative MPs were isolated by density separation and matrix digestion, and then examined using stereomicroscopy, with a subset of samples additionally analyzed by µ-FTIR. MP abundance (particles/kg ± 1 standard error (SE), n = 15) averaged of 590 ± 360, with 950 ± 100 in the lower wrack zone, 540 ± 40 in the upper wrack zone, and 270 ± 30 in areas between; these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.01). The MPs generally had similar size and shape characteristics across sites. The majority were fibers (64%), followed by fragments (23%), beads (7%) and films (6%), with a slightly greater proportion of fibers in the wrack zones compared to areas in-between. The number of MPs rose dramatically with decreasing size. Beads were only found in the < 500 µm size fraction. Clear and blue were the predominant colors for all MPs. A total of 29 different types of polymers were detected, with more than half of the particles being composed of polyethylene and polyamide, followed by poly(methyl methacrylate), polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and others; although this distribution varied some depending on size fraction and location. Because there are no major wastewater discharges into Sardis Lake, the source of the MPs is likely degradation of carelessly discarded plastic, as well as atmospheric fallout. Overall, we found that MP concentrations were highest in the wrack zones and influenced by rates and duration of discharge from the reservoir. Thus, like coastal beaches, wrack zones on freshwater beaches along or downstream of reservoirs accumulate both macro- and micro-plastics and are prime locations for plastic cleanup. Finally, we show that MPs made from naturally weathered LDPE plastic film are prone to fragmentation during pretreatment procedures, which may result in its overestimation.

АРЕАЛЫ НЕНАСЕЛЕННОСТИ: СТРУКТУРА И ФУНКЦИОНАЛЬНОЕ ЗОНИРОВАНИЕ НА ПРИМЕРЕ СЕВЕРНОГО УРАЛА

The article studies unpopulated areas as testing grounds for the development of nature-oriented tourism. The purpose of the research is to investigate the structure and carry out functional zoning of the unpopulated area in the Northern Urals. The tasks are: 1). to define and concretize the term ‘unpopulated area’; 2). to analyze the structure and features of boundary delimitation for such areas; 3). to study the structure and features of the socio-economic functioning of the unpopulated area in the Northern Urals. The paper defines unpopulated areas as territories surrounding the poles of inaccessibility and limited on all sides by boundary objects, which include settlements, year-round roads or railways, the shoreline of navigable water bodies, as well as territories with ongoing economic activity with a change in the landscape type (agricultural land, industrial areas, etc.). The structure of unpopulated areas, expressed in the presence of a center and a periphery, has been studied. Approaches to the delimitation of the boundaries between the periphery and the center in such areas are proposed. There should be qualitative and quantitative differences between them. To reveal those, the impact of economic activity on the natural environment was graded into four levels. Accordingly, the center and the periphery are supposed to belong to different levels. In terms of quantitative differences, it is most logical to use the predominance of a specific level of economic activity in a separate section of the uninhabited area: if more than 50 % of the territory of a particular site belongs to the same level as the center, then this site belongs to the center; if less than 50 %, then ̶ to the periphery. The structure of the unpopulated area in the Northern Urals, which is heterogeneous and has two centers and a periphery, has been studied. The functional zoning of this area showed that there are five types of attendance zones on its territory, and the socio-economic functions of the area include: recreational and tourist, environmental, research, buffer, and economic.

Correspondence of hydrobiological and microbiological parameters in the water quality assessment of the middle course of the Misoča River

The water quality of the Misoča River was analyzed on two sites of the middle course, in a populated and in an unpopulated area. The research included sampling of macrozoobenthos and water for microbiological analysis, identification of macrozoobenthos taxa, application of hydrobiological indices for water quality assessment and microbiological analysis of water quality. The goal was to determine the compatibility and complementarities of different aspects of water quality analysis, and to demonstrate the expediency of a multi-aspect and multi-disciplinary approach for this type of research. Through this, an assessment of the water quality of a selected part of the Misoča River, which is very important for the water supply of the surrounding area, was carried out. According to the results of the macrozoobenthos analysis and the applied diversity and water quality indices, the Misoča River belongs to the β-mesosaprobic category, which indicates moderate pollution. The results of the analysis of microbiological parameters also indicate moderate pollution.

Accumulation of human pharmaceuticals and activity of biotransformation enzymes in fish from two areas of the lower Rio de la Plata Basin

The accumulation of four human pharmaceuticals active compounds (HPhAC) in the muscle of four fish species of the Rio de la Plata Basin were assessed regarding the compound logP and pKa, and fish trophic levels. For Prochilodus lineatus, accumulation was compared to hepatic biotransformation enzymes and fish from two sampling areas with different urbanization degree. Species were the detritivore Prochilodus lineatus, the omnivores Megaleporinus obtusidens and Pimelodus maculatus, and the piscivorous Salminus brasiliensis. Sampling areas were the Inner Rio de la Plata Estuary (RLP), in front of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, and at the Lower Uruguay River (URU), a relatively unpopulated area. Carbamazepine, atenolol, enalapril, and sildenafil concentrations in fish muscle were analyzed by HPLC-MS. EROD, BROD, and GST activities were measured in P. lineatus liver. Average (maximum) concentrations and detection frequency were: Atenolol 24.4 (69.4) μg kg−1, 60%; carbamazepine 5.5 (45.8) μg kg−1, 19%; enalapril 7.0 (56.9) μg kg−1, 28%; sildenafil 17.1 (71.6) μg kg−1, 56%. Enalapril and sildenafil detection in fish was first-time reported. Atenolol and carbamazepine concentrations were positively correlated. No correlation was observed between HPhAC accumulation and logP or pKa. A potential biomagnification trend was observed for atenolol, showing higher accumulation in S. brasiliensis. HPhACs accumulation was higher for P. lineatus collected at URU, but GST and BROD were significantly higher for individuals sampled at RLP and were positively correlated. A significant negative correlation was observed for enalapril and BROD. The study contributes to the knowledge of the accumulation of HPhACs in fish.

Monitoring the final orbital decay and the re-entry of Tiangong-1 with the Italian SST ground sensor network

The uncontrolled re-entry of spacecraft and upper stages is quite common, occurring nearly every week. Among them, intact objects having a mass greater than five metric tons re-enter, on average, 1–2 times per year. Therefore, the re-entry of the first Chinese Space Station, Tiangong-1, was far from unusual, but attracted anyway a great worldwide attention and some concerns. For these reasons, the Italian component of the European SST (Space Surveillance and Tracking) consortium took this opportunity for carrying out a national exercise. According to Chinese official sources, the ground control of Tiangong-1 was lost in March 2016, precluding the planned de-orbiting in the South Pacific Ocean Unpopulated Area (SPOUA). Tiangong-1 consisted of a cylindrical section, 10:5 m in length and 3:4 m in (maximum) diameter, with two rectangular solar panels of 3 m × 7 m. The mass was estimated to be around 7500 kg.The Italian network of sensors activated for the campaign included mono-static and bi-static radars, optical telescopes, a laser ranging station and a network of all-sky cameras, originally deployed for the observation of fireballs and bolides. In addition to providing complementary information, concerning the orbit, the attitude and the photometry of Tiangong-1, this quite heterogeneous collection of national assets provided also the occasion for testing, in an operational environment, the Italian sensor tasking preparedness and the data acquisition, exchange and processing capabilities within the European SST consortium.In this respect, it is important to remember that in 2014 the European Commission, well aware of the topic criticality, took the commitment to implement a European network of sensors for surveillance and tracking of objects in Earth’s orbit by starting a dedicated SST support framework program. Italy, France, Germany, Spain and UK joined it and constituted, together with SatCent, the front desk for SST services, the EUSST Consortium. In this paper, a description of the Tiangong-1 monitoring activities and of the main observations results obtained by the Italian sensor network are reported. Attention is also devoted to the coordination aspects of several Italian entities (military, civil and research organizations) that worked together. Finally, a description of the re-entry prediction and alert procedure for the national civil protection authorities is presented.

Speciation and risk assessment of selected trace metals in bottom sediment of coral reef ecosystems of the Persian Gulf.

To evaluate the hazard assessment of anthropogenic activities on coastal ecosystems, fractionation and bioaccumulation of trace metals were carried out for sediment and coral samples of three distinct habitats including petroleum exploration area of Kharg, the rural harbor of Chirouyeh, and unpopulated area of Hendorabi. Fractionation results suggested that Ni (~ 51%), Pb (~ 49%), and V (~ 45%) in Kharg; Ni (~ 46%), Pb (~ 84%), and Zn (~ 47%) in Chirouyeh; and Cd (~ 51%) in Hendorabi were the predominant metals in the non-resistant fractions of the sediment samples. Risk Assessment Code (RAC), individual contamination factor (ICF), and global contamination factor (GCF) were derived. The highest relative risk for Cd, Cu, and Ti was observed in Kharg, whereas the highest relative risk for Ni, Pb, V, and Zn was recorded in Chirouyeh. The lowest risk for almost all of the trace metals was observed in Hendorabi. Biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) values of coral samples revealed that species examined in the present study are reliable biomonitors for Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn contamination. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) suggested that Pb, Ni, and Zn can be considered the main pollutants of the Persian Gulf which originated mainly from petroleum industries. Furthermore, the metal uptake rates of coral samples seemed to be dependent on bioabsorption pathways and coral species. Overall, the present work constitutes a good basis for further studies on trace metal fractionation, risk assessment, and source apportionment in the Persian Gulf, which could contribute to more effective decisions for reducing the anthropogenic trace metal pollution.

Lápidas nazaríes del siglo XIV: una bifaz y la estela de Yūsuf I

Este trabajo se centra en dos estelas de piedra con formato rectangular aparecidas en Granada a principios del siglo XX y dadas por desaparecidas antes de la Guerra Civil. Una es un fragmento de mármol blanco que contiene parte del epitafio que señaló la tumba del sultán de Granada Yūsuf I (m. 755/1354). La otra es una lápida hallada en el despoblado de Zalia (Alcaucín, Málaga) que se conserva completa, con inscripciones en ambas caras que datan la muerte de un individuo en 746/1345. Además de editarlas y traducirlas, recoge la bibliografía que se ha ocupado de ambas, las discusiones sobre su procedencia y se analizan, junto a posibles paralelos, otras inscripciones semejantes; ambas dan alifatos datados. Se aporta información acerca de las vicisitudes por las que han pasado para dar lugar a que se consideraran perdidas.

SIFSIX-3-Zn/PIM-1 mixed matrix membranes with enhanced permeability for propylene/propane separation

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have showed improved propylene/propane selectivity compared to the pristine polymer membrane, but the industrial-scale propylene purification projects based on membrane separation technology are still restrained by its low permeability. In this work, a new fluorinated MOF-based mixed matrix membrane is developed by incorporating the SIFSIX-3-Zn (or Zn(pyrz)2(SiF6)) nanoparticles into the polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) matrix. The robust SIFSIX-3-Zn with high surface area and suitable aperture size can create new delivery channels to facilitate transport of propylene. 10 wt% SIFSIX-3-Zn/PIM-1 MMMs shows an optimal enhancement of C3H6 permeability from 1701.9 Barrer to 4012.1 Barrer with the ideal C3H6/C3H8 selectivity simultaneously increasing by nearly 120%. This performance is placed in unpopulated high permeability area of the trade-off plot and surpasses the upper bound. This novel fluorinated MOF-based mixed matrix membrane may have great potential for industrial C3H6/C3H8 separation.

ASSOCIATING LAND WITH PEOPLE: LAND AND COLLECTIVE IDENTITY AMONG THE SUKU ASLI OF SUMATRA

This paper explores some of the ways in which the connection between people and space has changed among the Suku Asli (‘Indigenous People’) living in Sumatra. The eastern coasts of Sumatra, Indonesia, are low and marshy lands, which are divided by numerous brackish rivers, and covered by vast mangrove forests. This region was a largely unpopulated area where some orang asli (‘indigenous’) groups and a few Malay people lived before the colonial era. ‘Suku Asli’ are one of the orang asli groups who were known as ‘Orang Hutan’ (Forest People) in the past - they lived along the banks as well as estuaries of rivers. Although their space was always somewhat of a ‘niche’ and did not exhibit any clear boundaries in terms of individual or collective ownership, the Suku Asli were confronted with the necessity to establish the boundaries after the state independence. However, their way of ensuring their land was not a simple one to claim their antecedent right of the land. At first in the 1960s, they joined the government deforestation programmes of hinterland ‘for giving lands to our children and grandchildren’. More recently, through the involvements with the ‘indigenous movement’ and environmentalism, they have tried to claim the rights of economically-worthless coastal marshy lands as their ‘ancestral lands’. In this paper, I try to describe the historical changes in the relation between the Suku Asli and the space surrounding them by focusing on the cultural 'logic' that is used to explain and support their connection to it - a 'logic' that enables the Suku Asli to conceptualize their relationship to land as both an embodiment and a manifestation of their collective identity.

New River Apparel: Trot or Gallop?

Marjorie Burnett, who runs a clothing outlet with lagging revenues in Tennessee, is considering taking a gamble on starting a new business. She has to decide whether expansion—offering even more products—is the answer to increasing her revenue, and whether would that decision be more profitable than her present business, given that the storefront she's considering is in a relatively unpopulated rural area. Would a new business be worth the investment, or should she stick with the business—and the risks—she already knows? Excerpt UVA-ENT-0194 Rev. Aug. 8, 2019 New River Apparel: Trot or Gallop? Introduction Marjorie Burnett sat in her office in Chattanooga, Tennessee, deeply in thought. In a few months, she would no longer be here—she had decided to move her business to Monteagle, a relatively unpopulated location in rural Tennessee. The big question was how to do so: she could either keep the same store format with some product adjustments to fit the new location, or take the gamble to massively expand and change the business model. Was expansion—offering even more products—the answer to increasing revenue, and would that decision be more profitable than her present business? The biggest risk was whether a new store, in a relatively unpopulated location in rural Tennessee, could sell merchandise steadily enough to sustain itself while Burnett figured out how to manage a business related to—yet very different from—her current one. The move would mean a transition from high-end clothing outlet to outdoor outfitter. Burnett even had a potential name change in mind: New River Apparel would become Mountain Outfitters. . . .

Evaporative edge lithography of a liposomal drug microarray for cell migration assays.

Lipid multilayer microarrays are a promising approach to miniaturize laboratory procedures by taking advantage of the microscopic compartmentalization capabilities of lipids. Here, we demonstrate a new method to pattern lipid multilayers on surfaces based on solvent evaporation along the edge where a stencil contacts a surface called evaporative edge lithography (EEL). As an example of an application of this process, we use EEL to make microarrays suitable for a cell-based migration assay. Currently existing cell migration assays require a separate compartment for each drug which is dissolved at a single concentration in solution. An advantage of the lipid multilayer microarray assay is that multiple compounds can be tested on the same surface. We demonstrate this by testing the effect of two different lipophilic drugs, Taxol and Brefeldin A, on collective cell migration into an unpopulated area. This particular assay should be scalable to test of 2000 different lipophilic compounds or dosages on a standard microtiter plate area, or if adapted for individual cell migration, it would allow for high-throughput screening of more than 50,000 compounds per plate.

Hemodynamic Observations of Tumo Yoga Practitioners in a Himalayan Environment

Few attempts have been made to evaluate the physiology of traditional Eastern health practices. The goal of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic effects of the mysterious Buddhist practice of tumo. Tumo is a meditative practice that produces inner heat through the alleged cultivation of body energy-channels. This study was performed by members of an international expedition to the Himalayan Mountains in the Republic of India. The study was performed in an unpopulated outdoor mountainous area at an altitude of 16,400 ft with ambient temperatures between -10 and -15(°)C. Two (2) cohorts of subjects were studied: healthy non-yogi volunteers and tumo practitioners. All of the subjects were stripped down to their underclothes and exposed to the subzero atmospheric temperatures for 5 minutes. The volunteers were then passively rewarmed while the tumo practitioners performed tumo for up to 10 minutes. Blood pressure, heart rate, and stroke volume index (SVI) and cardiac index were measured noninvasively using a NICOM™ hemodynamic monitor, while carotid blood flow and biventricular performance were determined echocardiographically at each stage of the experiment. The total peripheral resistance index (TPRI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) were determined using standard formula. Fourteen (14) subjects (six volunteers and eight tumo practitioners) completed the study. There was one female subject in each group. With cold exposure, the SVI and carotid blood flow decreased while the TPRI increased significantly in both groups. In the volunteer group, these changes retuned to baseline with rewarming. Following tumo, the cardiac index (4.8±0.6 versus 4.0±0.5 l/m(2); p<0.01), carotid blood flow (445±127 versus 325±100 mL/min/m(2), p<0.01), LVEF (68±5 versus 64±7%; p<0.05) and TAPSE (2.9±0.4 versus 2.4±0.5 cm; p<0.01) were significantly higher when compared with baseline, while the TPRI was significantly lower (1786±189 versus 2173±281; p<0.01). Tumo was associated with a hyperdynamic vasodilated state with increased biventricular performance. We postulate that tumo results in a massive increase in sympathetic activity with activation of brown adipose tissue and marked heat production. The increased heat production may explain the paradoxical vasodilatation in tumo practitioners exposed to subzero temperatures.

Allele frequencies for 15 autosomal STRs in a population sample from the Federal District (Brazil)—a territory that arose from nothing

The Federal District (Brazil) was created in 1960 in the Central-West Region of Brazil in a previously unpopulated area. In 2010, this artificially founded district was populated by 2,562,963 inhabitants. In this study, the genetic variations of the 15 Next Generation Multiplex (NGM(TM)) short tandem repeat loci were analyzed. The results indicate that the NGM(TM) is a highly informative genetic system in this population, which is more similar to the southeastern, northeastern, and overall Brazil populations. This conclusion agrees with the population composition reported in the 2010 National Survey Inquiries, in which most of the immigrants were from the northeast and the southeast.