Catálogo sistemático dos pólens das plantas arbóreas do Brasil Meridional: XVIII - Malvaceae

Na presente parte do Catálogo de Pólens do Sul do Brasil, forma estudadas 18 espécies da família MALVACEAE. Seus grãos de pólen apresentam características morfológicas relacionadas aos gêneros, tendo em comum as superfícies cobertas por espinhos bem desenvolvidos, mas de formas variáveis. Os grãos são esferoidais prolato-esferoidais, sendo 3- e 4-colporados para as espécies de Abutilon e Bastardiopsis, 4- e 5-colporados para Malvastrum e pantoporados para Hibiscus, Pavonia, Peltaea e Sida. Segundo a morfologia polínica, é feita uma relação filogenética dos gêneros. Uma chave final para a identificação das espécies estudadas resume as características morfológicas do pólen destas.

Biomphalaria tenagophila: dominant character of the resistance to Schistosoma mansoni in descendants of crossbreedings between resistant (Taim, RS) and susceptible (Joinville, SC) strains

The aim of the present work was to study parasitological, molecular, and genetic aspects in descendants of crossbreedings between a totally resistant Biomphalaria tenagophila strain (Taim, RS) and another one highly susceptible (Joinville, SC) to Schistosoma mansoni. Descendants F1 and F2 were submitted to S. mansoni infection (LE strain). The susceptibility rates for individuals from Group F1 were 0 to 0.6%, and from Group F2 was 7.2%. The susceptible individuals from Group F2 discharged a lower number of cercariae, when compared with the susceptible parental group, and in 2 out of 9 positive snails the cercarial elimination was discontinued. In order to identify genetic markers associated with resistance the genotype of parental snails and their offspring F1 and F2 were analyzed by means of the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA method. Nevertheless, it was not possible to detect any marker associated to resistance, but the results showed that in the mentioned species the resistance character is determined by two dominant genes.

The girl from the Church of the Sacrament: a case of congenital syphilis in XVIII century Lisbon

Syphilis is a sexually or congenitally transmitted infectious disease with an impact on the health of human populations that has undergone important cycles in different countries and periods of history. Its presence was first diagnosed in Europe in the late XIV century. In Portugal, although there are various written records of the infection in the last centuries, there are rare references to it in archeological findings (mummified bodies are also rare in Portugal). The current study describes a probable case of congenital syphilis in an 18-month-old girl buried in the Church of the Sacrament in Lisbon. Her body, dating to the XVIII century, was found mummified together with dozens of others, still not studied. Symmetrical periostitis of the long bones, osteitis, metaphyseal lesions, left knee articular, and epiphyseal destruction, and a rarefied lesion with a radiological appearance compatible with Wimberger's sign all point to a diagnosis of congenital syphilis. The diagnosis of this severe form of the infection, possibly related to the cause of death in this upper-class girl, calls attention to the disease's presence in XVIII century Lisbon and is consistent with the intense mobilization at the time in relation to the risks posed by so-called heredosyphilis. It is the first case of congenital syphilis in a child reported in archeological findings in Portugal, and can be correlated with other cases in skeletons of adults buried in cemeteries in Lisbon (in the XVI to XVIII centuries) and Coimbra (XIX century). Finally, this finding highlights the need to study the entire series of mummified bodies in the Church of the Sacrament in order to compare the paleopathological findings and existing historical documents on syphilis, so as to expand the paleoepidemiological knowledge of this infection in XVIII century Lisbon.

Paleoparasitologic, paleogenetic and paleobotanic analysis of XVIII century coprolites from the church La Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

We present the results of a paleoparasitologic, paleogenetic and paleobotanic analysis of coprolites recovered during the excavation of the church La Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Coprolites (n = 4) were rehydrated and a multidisciplinary analysis was conducted. The paleobotanic analysis showed numerous silicates, seeds and fruits of the family Moraceae. In the paleoparasitologic study, Ascaris sp. eggs (n = 344) were identified. The paleogenetic results confirmed the Ascaris sp. infection as well as the European origin of human remains. These findings contribute to our knowledge of ancient helminthes infections and are the first paleoparasitological record of Ascaris sp. infection in Spain.

A historicidade das teorias interpretativas do processo saúde-doença

As diferentes teorias interpretativas do processo saúde-doença identificáveis ao longo da história têm como decorrência distintos projetos de intervenção sobre a realidade, em resposta a necessidades sociais. Até o século XIX, tais teorias podem ser sintetizadas nas vertentes ontológica e dinâmica. Na concepção ontológica, a doença assume o caráter de uma entidade natural ou sobrenatural, externa ao corpo humano, que se manifesta ao invadi-lo. A concepção dinâmica vê a doença como produto da desarmonia entre forças vitais, sendo que o restabelecimento da saúde advém da restauração do equilíbrio Ao final do século XVIII, predominavam na Europa como forma de explicação para o adoecimento humano os paradigmas sócio-ambientais, vinculados à concepção dinâmica, tendo se esboçado as primeiras evidências da determinação social do processo saúde-doença. Com o advento da Bacteriologia, a concepção ontológica firmou-se vitoriosa e suas conquistas levaram ao abandono dos critérios sociais na formulação e no enfrentamento dos problemas de saúde das populações. Na atualidade, identifica-se o predomínio da multicausalidade, com ênfase nos condicionantes individuais. Como alternativa para a sua superação, propõe-se a articulação das dimensões individual e coletiva do processo saúde-doença, em consonância com a Teoria da Intervenção Práxica de Enfermagem em Saúde Coletiva.