Sterols and fatty acid biomarkers as indicators of changes in soil microbial communities in a uranium mine area.

Included in the 2nd tier of a site specific risk assessment that is being carried out in an abandoned uranium mine (Cunha Baixa uranium mine, Central Portugal), fatty acids biomarkers and sterols were analyzed to assess the impact of soil contamination with metals and radionuclides in the structure of the microbial community in seven sampling sites located at different distances from the mine. Surface soil samples were collected in those sampling sites in the four different seasons of the year. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on fatty acid biomarkers and sterols.

[Epidemiology of 118 cases of multiple sclerosis after 15 years of follow-up on the reference center of Hospital da Restauração, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil].

Unlabelled: The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) has a considerable variability all over the world. According to Kurtzke, South America is considered to have low prevalence (minor than 5 cases: 100000 habitants).

Objective: To describe the MS epidemiology on a reference center, compared to eight Brazilian series.