Composição de Heteroptera aquáticos e semi-aquáticos na área de abrangência da U.H.E. Dona Francisca, RS, Brasil: fase de pré-enchimento

Neste estudo, foi analisada a composição dos Heteroptera do curso médio da bacia do rio Jacuí, RS, Brasil, previamente à construção da U.H.E. Dona Francisca, bem como alguns fatores abióticos que poderiam afetar a distribuição e a abundância destes organismos. Nos ambientes lênticos, amostragens quantitativas foram realizadas utilizando-se peneiras, em seis localidades (janeiro 2000). Nos ambientes lóticos, as coletas foram feitas através de amostrador de Surber (de maio a outubro de 2000), privilegiando-se a captura de espécies tipicamente bentônicas. Em cada estação, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, precipitação mensal, temperatura do ar e da água e profundidade foram medidos. Nos rios e riachos, a velocidade da corrente também foi registrada. Quinze espécies foram registradas nos ambientes lênticos, sendo Belostoma sp. e Notonecta sp. as dominantes (70%). A abundância, a riqueza e os índices de diversidade foram mais altos nos locais com maiores dimensões. Nos ambientes lóticos, foram assinaladas duas espécies de Naucoridae, Ambrysus teutonius La Rivers, 1951 e Cryphocricus vianai De Carlo, 1951, sendo a primeira dominante (65%). A abundância foi maior nos pontos com maior sombreamento, presença de árvores e/ou com detritos vegetais, ou com a macrófita Podostemum sp. (Podostemaceae) no fundo, e mais baixa em locais com curso semi-regulado. Possivelmente, fatores como temperatura e precipitação acumulada estejam relacionados com a abundância mensal dos Naucoridae. Os resultados deste estudo servirão de subsídio para futuros estudos de impacto ambiental após o enchimento do reservatório da U.H.E. Dona Francisca.

Crescimento somático do caranguejo-uçá Ucides cordatus (Crustacea, Brachyura, Ocypodidae) em laboratório

Em crustáceos, o aumento de tamanho ocorre imediatamente após a muda, quando o animal está com a carapaça mole. O crescimento de Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) foi observado em laboratório, através da ocorrência de muda, incremento de muda e período de intermuda. O estudo foi realizado durante os meses de outubro/2000 a março/2002 e um total de 91 caranguejos (15 machos, 33 fêmeas e 43 juvenis) foi coletado no manguezal de Itacuruçá - Coroa Grande, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Os animais foram mantidos em dois tipos de tanques: os caranguejos adultos foram mantidos em tanques de 1000 l, durante 18 meses, enquanto os juvenis foram mantidos em tanques plásticos de 20 l de capacidade durante oito meses. Os animais foram mantidos em sistema aberto de circulação de água do mar e alimentados duas vezes por semana com folhas de Rhizophora mangle (L.) (Rhizophoraceae) e Laguncularia racemosa (Gaertn.) (Combretaceae). A largura da carapaça variou entre 50,1 a 70,0 mm nos machos, 40,2 a 80,0 mm entre as fêmeas e 1,1 a 40,1 mm entre os juvenis. A sobrevivência dos espécimes estudados foi de 46,7% entre os machos, 39,4% entre as fêmeas após dezoito meses e 67,4% entre os juvenis, após oito meses de observação. Os machos e as fêmeas realizaram três mudas durante o experimento, enquanto os juvenis realizaram até duas mudas. As mudas ocorreram entre agosto e abril, mostrando maior freqüência durante a primavera e o verão. O incremento na largura da carapaça diminuiu com o tamanho do indivíduo, com média de 2,21 ± 1,39% para os machos, 1,28 ± 0,84% para as fêmeas e 2,89 ± 2,13% para os juvenis. A relação entre o incremento percentual e a largura da carapaça pode ser expresso pela equação IM = -0.0707LC + 4.645 (r²= 0.40). O período de intermuda foi de 191 ± 140 dias entre os machos, 216 ± 76,2 dias entre as fêmeas e 54 ± 1,41 dia entre os juvenis. O incremento de muda foi estatisticamente significativo (p<0,05) quando comparados machos e fêmeas, e adultos e juvenis.

Sôbre u'a modificação do meio de Monteverde

It is well known that the culture media used in the presumptive diagnosis of suspiciuous colonies from plates inoculated with stools for isolation of enteric organisms do not always correctly indicate the major groups of enterobacteria. In an effort to obtain a medium affording more exact indications, several media (1-9) have been tested. Modifications of some of these media have also been tested with the result that a satisfactory modification of Monteverde's medium was finaly selected. This proved to be most satisfactory, affording, as a result of only one inoculation, a complete series of basic indications. The modification involves changes in the formula, in the method of preparation and in the manner of storage. The formulae are: A. Thymol blue indicator: NaOH 0.1/N .............. 34.4 ml; Thymol blue .............. 1.6 g; Water .................... 65.6 ml. B. Andrade's indicator. C. Urea and sugar solution: Urea ..................... 20 g; Lactose ................... 30 g; Sucrose ................... 30 g; Water .................... 100 ml. The mixture (C.) should be warmed slightly in order to dissolve the ingredients rapidly. Sterilise by filtration (Seitz). Keep stock in refrigeratior. The modification of Monteverde's medium is prepared in two parts. Semi-solid part - Peptone (Difco) 2.0 g; NaCl 0.5 g; Agar 0.5 g; Water 100.0 ml. Boil to dissolve the ingredients. Adjust pH with NaOH to 7.3-7.4. Boil again for precipitation. Filter through cotton. Ad indicators "A" 0.3 ml and "B" 1.0 ml. Sterilise in autoclave 115ºC, 15 minutes in amounts not higher than 200 ml. Just before using, add solution "C" asseptically in amounts of 10 ml to 200 ml of the melted semi-solid medium, maintained at 48-50ºC. Solid part - Peptone (Difco) 1.5 g; Trypticase (BBL) 0.5 g; Agar 2.0 g; Water 100,00 ml. Boil to dissolve the ingredients. Adjust pH with NaOH to 7.3-7.4. Boils again. Filter through cotton. Add indicators "A" 0.3 ml and "B" 1.0 ml; ferrous ammonium sulfate 0.02 g; sodiun thiosulfate 0.02 g. Sterilise in autoclave 115ºC, 15 minutes in amounts not higher than 200 ml. Just before using, add solution "C" asseptically in amounts of 10 ml to 200 ml of the melted solid medium, maintained at 48-50ºC. Final medium - The semi-solid part is dispensed first (tubes about 12 x 120 mm) in 2.5 ml amounts and left to harden at room temperature, in vertical position. The solid part is dispensed over the hardened semi-solid one in amounts from 2.0 ml to 2.5 ml and left to harden in slant position, affording a butt of 12 to 15 mm. The tubes of medium should be subjected to a sterility test in the incubator, overnight. Tubes showing spontaneous gas bubbles (air) should then be discarded. The medium should be stored in the incubator (37ºC), for not more than 2 to 4 days. Storage of the tubes in the ice-box produces the absorption of air which is released as bubbles when the tubes are incubated at 37ºC after inoculation. This fact confirmed the observation of ARCHAMBAULT & McCRADY (10) who worked with liquid media and the aplication of their observation was found to be essential to the proper working conditions of this double-layer medium. Inoculation - The inoculation is made by means of a long straight needle, as is usually done on the triple sugar, but the needel should penetrate only to about half of the height of the semi-solid column. Indol detection - After inoculation, a strip of sterelized filter papaer previously moistened with Ehrlich's reagent, is suspended above the surface of the medium, being held between the cotton plug and the tube. Indications given - In addition to providing a mass of organisms on the slant for serological invetigations, the medium gives the following indications: 1. Acid from lactose and/or sucrose (red, of yellowsh with strains which reduce the indicators). 2. Gas from lactose and/or sucrose (bubbles). 3. H[2]S production, observed on the solid part (black). 4. Motility observed on the semi-solid part (tubidity). 5. Urease production, observed on solid and semi-solid parts (blue). 6. Indol production, observed on the strip of filter paper (red or purplish). Indol production is not observed with indol positive strains which rapidly acidify the surface o the slant, and the use of oxalic acid has proved to give less sensitive reaction (11). Reading of results - In most cases overnight incubation is enough; sometimes the reactions appear within only a few hours of incubation, affording a definitive orientation of the diagnosis. With some cultures it is necessary to observe the medium during 48 hours of incubation. A description showing typical differential reaction follows: Salmonella: Color of the medium unchanged, with blackening of the solid part when H[2]S is positive. The slant tends to alkalinity (greenish of bluish). Gas always absent. Indol negative. Motility positive or negative. Shigella: Color of the medium unchanged at the beginning of incubation period, but acquiring a red color when the strain is late lactose/sucrose positive. Slant tending to alkalinity (greenish or purplish). Indol positive or negative. Motility, gas and H[2]S always negative. Proteus: Color of the medium generally changes entirely to blue or sometimes to green (urease positive delayed), with blackening of solid part when H[2]S is positive. Motility positive of negative. Indol positive. Gas positive or negative. The strains which attack rapidly sucrose may give a yellow-greenish color to the medium. Sometimes the intense blue color of the medium renders difficult the reading of the H[2]S production. Escherichiae and Klebsiellae: Color of the medium red or yellow (acid) with great and rapid production of gas. Motility positive or negative. Indol generally impossible to observe. Paracoli: Those lactose of sucrose positive give the same reaction as Esherichia. Those lactose or sucrose negatives give the same reactions as Salmonellae. Sometimes indol positive and H[2]S negative. Pseudomonas: Color of the medium unchanged. The slant tends to alkalinity. It is impossible to observe motility because there is no growth in the bottom. Alkaligenes: Color of the medium unchanged. The slant tends to alkalinity. The medium does not alter the antigenic properties of the strains and with the mass of organisms on the slant we can make the serologic diagnosis. It is admitted that this medium is somewhat more laborious to prepare than others used for similar purposes. Nevertheless it can give informations generally obtained by two or three other media. Its use represents much saving in time, labor and material, and we suggest it for routine laboratory work in which a quick presumptive preliminary grouping of enteric organisms is needed.

The state of the art of paleoparasitological research in the old world

Paleoparasitology in the Old World has mainly concerned the study of latrine sediments and coprolites collected from mummified bodies or archaeological strata, mostly preserved by natural conditions. Human parasites recovered include cestodes, trematodes, and nematodes. The well preserved conditions of helminth eggs allowed paleoepidemiological approaches taking into account the number of eggs found by archaeological stratum. Tentatively, sanitation conditions were assessed for each archaeological period.

Interruption of vector transmission by native vectors and “the art of the possible”

In a recent article in the Reader’s Opinion, advantages and disadvantages of the certification processes of interrupted Chagas disease transmission (American trypanosomiasis) by native vector were discussed. Such concept, accepted by those authors for the case of endemic situations with introduced vectors, has been built on a long and laborious process by endemic countries and Subregional Initiatives for Prevention, Control and Treatment of Chagas, with Technical Secretariat of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization, to create a horizon target and goal to concentrate priorities and resource allocation and actions. With varying degrees of sucess, which are not replaceable for a certificate of good practice, has allowed during 23 years to safeguard the effective control of transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi not to hundreds of thousands, but millions of people at risk conditions, truly “the art of the possible.”

Biomarkers of therapeutic responses in chronic Chagas disease: state of the art and future perspectives

The definition of a biomarker provided by the World Health Organization is any substance, structure, or process that can be measured in the body, or its products and influence, or predict the incidence or outcome of disease. Currently, the lack of prognosis and progression markers for chronic Chagas disease has posed limitations for testing new drugs to treat this neglected disease. Several molecules and techniques to detect biomarkers inTrypanosoma cruzi-infected patients have been proposed to assess whether specific treatment with benznidazole or nifurtimox is effective. Isolated proteins or protein groups from different T. cruzistages and parasite-derived glycoproteins and synthetic neoglycoconjugates have been demonstrated to be useful for this purpose, as have nucleic acid amplification techniques. The amplification of T. cruziDNA using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method is the leading test for assessing responses to treatment in a short period of time. Biochemical biomarkers have been tested early after specific treatment. Cytokines and surface markers represent promising molecules for the characterisation of host cellular responses, but need to be further assessed.

Draft genome of the Leptospira interrogans strains, Acegua, RCA, Prea, and Capivara, obtained from wildlife maintenance hosts and infected domestic animals

In the present paper, we announce new draft genomes of four Leptospira interrogans strains named Acegua, RCA, Prea, and Capivara. These strains were isolated in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from cattle, dog, Brazilian guinea pig, and capybara, respectively.

U.S. subprime financial crisis contagion on BRIC and European Union stock markets

ABSTRACTThe Copula Theory was used to analyze contagion among the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and European Union stock markets with the U.S. Equity Market. The market indexes used for the period between January 01, 2005 and February 27, 2010 are: MXBRIC (BRIC), MXEU (European Union) and MXUS (United States). This article evaluated the adequacy of the main copulas found in the financial literature using log-likelihood, Akaike information and Bayesian information criteria. This article provides a groundbreaking study in the area of contagion due to the use of conditional copulas, allowing to calculate the correlation increase between indexes with non-parametric approach. The conditional Symmetrized Joe-Clayton copula was the one that fitted better to the considered pairs of returns. Results indicate evidence of contagion effect in both markets, European Union and BRIC members, with a 5% significance level. Furthermore, there is also evidence that the contagion of U.S. financial crisis was more pronounced in the European Union than in the BRIC markets, with a 5% significance level. Therefore, stock portfolios formed by equities from the BRIC countries were able to offer greater protection during the subprime crisis. The results are aligned with recent papers that present an increase in correlation between stock markets, especially in bear markets.

Efetividade no diagnóstico da tuberculose em Foz do Iguaçu, tríplice fronteira Brasil, Paraguai e Argentina

Objetivou-se avaliar a efetividade dos serviços de saúde no diagnóstico da tuberculose em Foz do Iguaçu-PR. Realizou-se uma pesquisa avaliativa, com desenho epidemiológico transversal. Foram entrevistados 101 doentes de tuberculose em 2009, utilizando um instrumento baseado no Primary Care Assessment Tool . A análise ocorreu a partir de proporções e respectivos intervalos de confiança (95%) e mediana. O Pronto Atendimento (37%) e a Atenção Básica à Saúde (ABS) (36%) foram os locais mais buscados. O acesso à consulta no mesmo dia alcançou 70%, mas a suspeição da doença foi menor que 47%; a baciloscopia realizada em 50% dos doentes. Concluiu-se que apesar desses serviços atenderem rapidamente, isso não determinou alcance do diagnóstico, levando o doente a procurar os serviços especializados, mais efetivos na descoberta dos casos. A busca pela ABS gerou maior tempo e maior número de retornos para o diagnóstico da tuberculose na tríplice fronteira.

The art and learning patterns of knowing in nursing

Objective To identify the perception of the students about the use of art as a pedagogical strategy in learning the patterns of knowing in nursing; to identify the dimensions of each pattern valued in the analysis of pieces of art. Method Descriptive mixed study. Data collection used a questionnaire applied to 31 nursing students. Results In the analysis of the students’ discourse, it was explicit that empirical knowledge includes scientific knowledge, tradition and nature of care. The aesthetic knowledge implies expressiveness, subjectivity and sensitivity. Self-knowledge, experience, reflective attitude and relationships with others are the subcategories of personal knowledge and the moral and ethics support ethical knowledge. Conclusion It is possible to learn patterns of knowledge through art, especially the aesthetic, ethical and personal. It is necessary to investigate further pedagogical strategies that contribute to the learning patterns of nursing knowledge.

Necrophagous species of Diptera and Coleoptera in northeastern Brazil: state of the art and challenges for the Forensic Entomologist

Inventories on necrophagous insects carried out in Brazil encompass mostly species from the southeastern and central-western regions of the country. This review aims to produce the first checklist of necrophagous Diptera and Coleoptera species of forensic relevance in northeastern Brazil, an area that concentrates high rates of homicides. We performed a literature survey on scientific articles, theses and dissertations regarding necrophagous insect species in the region, and contacted scientists who develop research on forensic entomology. Fifty-two species of Diptera belonging to eight families with previous record of necrophagy were reported in the region: Sarcophagidae, Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Fanniidae, Piophilidae, Phoridae, Anthomyiidae and Stratiomyidae. Coleopteran species from six families of forensic relevance were registered, although taxonomical identification remained superficial. Bait traps were the most frequent methodology used, followed by collection on animal carcasses. Seven Dipteran species from two families were registered on human cadavers. All species had been previously reported in other Brazilian states and/or other countries, although none has been effectively used in legal procedures in the region. The status of research on forensic entomology in northeastern Brazil is incipient, and the checklist produced here contributes to the knowledge on the local diversity of necrophagous insects.