CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS CASE INVESTIGATION IN THE JACARE REGION OF NITEROI, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

SUMMARY American visceral leishmaniasis is a vector-borne zoonosis in expansion in Brazil. Dogs are the main urban reservoir. Departing from a case of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in Jacaré, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, an epidemiological canine and entomological study was performed to assess the extension of the disease at the location. Sample was collected around the case and the dogs identified by serological tests (rapid double platform immunochromatographic exams, immunoenzymatic assay/ELISA, indirect immunofluorescence/IFAT). The parasitological diagnosis was performed in animals positive in at least one of these tests. The entomological study was carried out by using light traps and manual collection. The associations between canine variables and outcome (ELISA and IFAT reagents) were assessed by the chi-square test and adjusted by multivariate logistic regression for those associations with p < 0.1 in the bivariate analysis. Seventeen cases of CVL were detected among 110 evaluated dogs (prevalence of 15.5%). Presence of ectoparasites (OR 6.5; 95% CI 1.1-37.4), animals with clinical signs (OR 9.5; 95% CI 1.2-76.6), and previous cases of CVL in the same house (OR 17.9; 95% CI 2.2-147.1) were associated with the outcome. Lutzomyia longipalpiswas not detected. Our results are indicative of an ongoing transmission in the area.

The performance of an in-house nested-PCR technique for pleural tuberculosis diagnoses

Introduction This study evaluated the performance of an in-house nested-PCR system for the detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in pleural fluid, blood and urine samples from pleural effusion tuberculosis patients by health services physicians in Pernambuco, Brazil. Methods A prospective double-blind study with 37 hospitalized patients of both sexes, aged over 15, was used to investigate the diagnosis of pleural effusion. The criteria used to define the cases included the demonstration of bacillus in biological samples by smear or culture or by a granulomatous finding in the histopathological examination, associated with an evident response to specific treatments to each clinical situation. Pleural fluid, blood and urine samples were collected and subjected to routine tests and the nested PCR technique to assess for M. tuberculosis amplification. Results In total, 37 pleural effusion patients took part in the study, of whom 19 (51.3%) had tubercular etiologies and 18 (48.7%) had etiologies from other causes. When the pleural fluid, blood and/or urine sample in-house nested-PCR sensitivities were evaluated simultaneously, the results were positive regardless of the biological specimen (the sensitivity was 84.2%); however, when the blood and/or urine samples were analyzed together, the sensitivity was 72.2%. When the pleural fluid samples were evaluated alone, the sensitivity was only 33.3%. Conclusions The performance of the diagnostic pleural tuberculosis nested-PCR was directly related to the diversity of the samples collected from the same patient. Additionally, this study may identify a need to prioritize non-invasive blood and urine collection for this diagnosis.

The Need for Pedagogical Qualifications for Teaching Cardiology to Undergraduate Students

OBJECTIVE: To report a training program in cardiology emphasizing changes in its pedagogical practice. These changes were put into practice by some teachers at the Medical School of Porto Alegre of the University of Rio Grande do Sul (FAMED/UFRGS) aiming to make faculty and student activities more dynamic and to promote more efficacious learning. The training program is directed at 5th semester medical students and aims at a behavioral change in teachers and students to promote more interaction, to favor exchanges, and to make the teaching-learning process easier, always maintaining the patient in the center of the medical activity. METHODS: The program emphasizes the definition of general and specific objectives for each activity to be developed by the students, with training in the area of admission to the cardiology service, with special emphasis on behavioral change in the cognitive, motor, affective, and attitudinal areas. Knowledge was developed by means of interactive seminars with initial and final assessment tests to identify students' and teachers' performance. The students were evaluated in an immediate, continuous, and progressive way in their daily activities and through comparison of the results of 2 tests, one applied at the beginning of the training and the other at its end. These 2 tests contained the same questions. RESULTS: We systematically assessed 560 students over 4 years. The mean grades of the tests performed prior to and after the 244 seminars were 7.38±1.66 and 9.17± 0.82, respectively (p<0.0001). For the tests applied at the beginning and at the end of the training, the mean grades were 5.61±1.61 and 9.37±0.90, respectively (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The program proved to be efficient both for the students' learning and for assessing their performance in a systematic and objective way.

Nota sobre os Ixodideos da Republica Argentina

A study of and addicional collection of Argentine ixodidae is made on material send to the Author by Professor Salvador Mazza of Departamento de pathologia do Norte - Jujuy and Professor Doello Jurado of the Museu Rivadavia. There was examined 37 lots of Ixodidae. Among them there were found the nymph of Ixodes auritulus Nn. and 3 other species already known on the South American fauna and from which there was til yet no record in Argentine; they are Ixodes ricinus, Amblyomma parvum and Amblyomma pseudo-concolor.

Terceira contribuicäo ao conhecimento do gênero Archytas Jaennicke, 1867: (Diptera, Tachinidae)

Twelve species of the genus Archytas Jennicke, 1867, eight of which described as new are studied and figured in detail. Definitions of the species are based mainly on characters of male genitalia. The male genital characters are the most significant for separation of the species and most demonstrative of their affinities. By examining a long series of species of this genus we came to the conclusion that the presence of one pair of median marginal bristles on the third abdominal tergite seems to be characteristic of the genus. This caracter apparently so important, is not however considered fundamental. The most significant example is found in Archytas lenkoi sp. n. and Archytas vexor Curran, 1928. In A. lenkoi we can find one or two pairs or thay may, less frquently, be absent. In A. vexor these bristles are lacking. The shape of the male copulatory apparatus of Jurinia nitidiventris Curran, 1928 refered to by CURRAN in his "Revision of Archytas", is not characteristic of any species of the group and so, is not considered in this paper. To help in the identification, the species studied here are divided into groups. The analis group" includes: A. apicifer (Walker, 1894), A. californiae (Walker, 1856), A. nivalis Curran, 1928, a. giacomellii (Blanchard, 1941), A. basifulvus (Walker, 1849), A. incasanus Townsend, 1912 and A. cirphis Curran, 1927. The identification of members of these group is extremely difficult owing both to their similarity in colour pattern and to their variability. They all have black testaceous or dark brown abdomen, the last segment pale or brownish pollinose; second segment without bristles; third with a pair of strong marginals, fourth and fifth with two rows of discals on apical third. The final determination often rests upon the structure of the male copulatory apparatus. Fortunately in this group, many of the forcipes superiores and palpi genitalium are strikingly different from one another. The "zikani group" includes: A. zikani sp. n., A seabrai sp. n., A. duckei sp. n. and A. vernalis Curran, 1928. This group may be characterized as follows: forcipes interiores absent; forcipes superiores strongly chitinized an dilated at anex. Within this group, the forcipes of. A. seabrai sp. n. do not present an aberrant form. The "dissimilis group" will be studied in forthcoming papers. The limits of the genus Archyta Jaen. are not as yet sharply difined, the evaluation of the significance of each character used in the definition remaining as most difficult problem. The distinction between Archytas and other related genera is very difficult, chiefly because it is based on variable characters. In this paper we place the genera Parafabricia Towsend, 1931, Itachytas Blanchard, 1940, Archynemochaeta Blanchard, 1941, Proarchytoides Blanchard, 1941 and Archytodejeania Blanchard, 1941 in the synonymy of Archytas Jaen. The detailed examination of the characters used in their definition, proved them to be fundamentally proposed on basis of chaetotasy, these characters alone being precarious, because of the considerabel intraspecifical variation. The type of the new species are in the Oswaldo Cruz Institute collection. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and paratypes in the collections of the followings institutions: Departamento de Zoologia da Secretaria de Agricultura do Estado de São Paulo; Instituto de Ecologia e Experimemtação Agrícolas; Departamento de Defesa Sanitária Vegetal; Campos Seabra collection; and Barbiellini collection.

Epidemiological risk sratification of malaria in the Américas

During the last years, malaria had a significant increase in Latin America, emerging again as one critical health problem in the Region of the Americas. More than 1.04 million new cases were reported in 1990. This resurgence of malaria needed a comprehensive strategy for its prevention and control. National malaria control programs recognized the epidemiological stratification of malaria as a valuable method to assist them in the recognition of local variations and factors that specifically contribute to the level and intensity of transmission in critical malarious areas. Also it serves as a useful instrument for the selection of needed malaria prevention and control activities. The principal feature of this approach is to provide a dynamic and ongoing process for assessing in the epidemiological importance of different risk factors (socio-economic, ecological, organizatuion of health services) in malaria transmission. health interventions are based on this assesment and are aimed directly at the reduction or elimination of the identified risk factors operating at the local level. Intersectorial co-participation and the integration of malaria programs in local health services are also important aspects of this public health approach.

Manson's schistosomiasis in the undernourished mouse: some recent findings

This paper deals with current knowledge of the interrelationships between Schistosoma infection and malnutrition. It emphasizes the relevance of these investigations in the face of dynamic and evolving changes occurring in population diets and changes in the epidemiological patterns of schistosomiasis in endemic countries. The paper further discusses the basis for continuing the studies on this subject and the reasons why it represents a misunderstood association. This review also focuses on the cellular and humoral immune responses in the undernourished mouse model infected with Schistosoma mansoni, with updated information on the immune response in wild-type and iNOS knockout mice concerning soluble egg antigen specific antibodies and kinetics of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 cytokines, in the chronic phase of Manson's schistosomiasis. There is indication that schistosome-infected undernourished mice are able to develop a humoral immune response, but antibody titres are much lower than in the control animals. Cytokine production (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10) is lower in the undernourished mice, but as infection progresses to the chronic phase its kinetics run an antagonistic course when compared to that of well-nourished animals. Marked variation in the secretion of IL-13 (a fibrogenic cytokine) could explain why undernourished mice do not develop liver "pipe-stem" fibrosis described in previous papers on well-nourished animals.

Effectiveness of prayer in reducing anxiety in cancer patients

Objective: To evaluate the effect of prayer on anxiety in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Method: Quasi-experimental study, with pre and post-intervention. Twenty patients admitted to treatment of continuous intravenous chemotherapy were recruited. The volunteers were evaluated through interviews using a questionnaire of sociodemographic, clinical and spiritual characteristics, the Index of Religiosity Duke University and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Vital signs were measured and collected salivary cortisol. The intervention was applied prayer and data collection occurred in three phases: first collection (baseline), pre and post-intervention. Results: The data found between the pre and post-intervention samples showed different statistically significant for state anxiety (p= <0.00), blood pressure (systolic, p=0.00, diastolic, p=<0.00) and respiratory rate (p=0.04). Conclusion: Prayer, therefore, proved to be an effective strategy in reducing the anxiety of the patient undergoing chemotherapy.




Implementation methodology of practices based on scientific evidence for assistance in natural delivery: a pilot study

AbstractOBJECTIVEPresenting methodology for transferring knowledge to improve maternal outcomes in natural delivery based on scientific evidence.METHOD: An intervention study conducted in the maternity hospital of Itapecerica da Serra, SP, with 50 puerperal women and 102 medical records from July to November 2014. The PACES tool from Joanna Briggs Institute, consisting of pre-clinical audit (phase 1), implementation of best practice (phase 2) and Follow-up Clinical Audit (phase 3) was used. Data were analyzed by comparing results of phases 1 and 3 with Fisher's exact test and a significance level of 5%.RESULTSThe vertical position was adopted by the majority of puerperal women with statistical difference between phases 1 and 3. A significant increase in bathing/showering, walking and massages for pain relief was found from the medical records. No statistical difference was found in other practices and outcomes. Barriers and difficulties in the implementation of evidence-based practices have been identified. Variables were refined, techniques and data collection instruments were verified, and an intervention proposal was made.CONCLUSIONThe study found possibilities for implementing a methodology of practices based on scientific evidence for assistance in natural delivery.

Participation of nurses in the execution of clinical research protocol about technological innovation

AbstractOBJECTIVETo report the nurse's experience of inclusion in interdisciplinary clinical study about technological innovation, involving people with spinal cord injury.METHODDescriptive experience report. The empirical support was based on notes about perspectives and practice of clinical research, with a multi-professional nursing, physical education, physiotherapy and engineering staff.RESULTThe qualification includes the elaboration of the document for the Ethics Committee, familiarization among the members of staff and with the studied topic, and also an immersion into English. The nurse's knowledge gave support to the uptake of participants and time adequacy for data collection, preparation and assistance of the participants during the intervention and after collection. Nursing theories and processes have contributed to reveal risky diagnoses and the plan of care. It was the nurse's role to monitor the risk of overlapping methodological strictness to the human aspect. The skills for the clinical research must be the object of learning, including students in multidisciplinary researches.CONCLUSIONTo qualify the nurse for clinical research and to potentialize its caregiver essence, some changes are needed in the educational system, professional behavior, attitude and educational assistance.

Coleoptera species of forensic importance from Brazil: an updated list

ABSTRACT A list of the Coleoptera of importance from Brazil, based on published records was compiled. The checklist contains 345 species of 16 families allocated to 16 states of the country. In addition, three species of two families are registered for the first time. The fauna of Coleoptera of forensic importance is still not entirely known and future collection efforts and taxonomic reviews could increase the number of known species considerably in the near future.

Carbon content in Amazonian Oxisols after forest conversion to pasture

Soil plays an important role in the C cycle, and substitution of tropical forest by cultivated land affects C dynamic and stock. This study was developed in an area of expansion of human settlement in the Eastern Amazon, in Itupiranga, State of Pará, to evaluate the effects of native forest conversion to Brachiaria brizantha pasture on C contents of a dystrophic Oxisol. Soil samples were collected in areas of native forest (NF), of 8 to 10 year old secondary forest (SF), 1 to 2 year old SF (P1-2), 5 to 7 year old SF (P5-7), and of 10 to 12 year old SF (P10-12), and from under pastures, in the layers 0-2, 2-5 and 5-10 cm, to evaluate C levels and stocks and carry out separation of OM based on particle size. After deforestation, soil density increased to a depth of 5 cm, with greater increase in older pastures. Variation in C levels was greatest in the top soil layer; C contents increased with increasing pasture age. In the layers 2-5 and 5-10 cm, C content proved to be stable for the types of plant cover evaluated. Highest C concentrations were found in the silt fraction; however, C contents were highest in the clay fraction, independent of the plant cover. An increase in C associated with the sand fraction in the form of little decomposed organic residues was observed in pastures, confirming greater sensitivity of this fraction to change in soil use.

FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM FOR MELON BASED ON NUTRITIONAL BALANCE

Melon is one of the most demanding cucurbits regarding fertilization, requiring knowledge of soils, crop nutritional requirements, time of application, and nutrient use efficiency for proper fertilization. Developing support systems for decision-making for fertilization that considers these variables in nutrient requirement and supply is necessary. The objective of this study was parameterization of a fertilizer recommendation system for melon (Ferticalc-melon) based on nutritional balance. To estimate fertilizer recommendation, the system considers the requirement subsystem (REQ), which includes the demand for nutrients by the plant, and the supply subsystem (SUP), which corresponds to the supply of nutrients through the soil and irrigation water. After determining the REQtotal and SUPtotal, the system calculates the nutrient balances for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S, recommending fertilizer application if the balance is negative (SUP < REQ), but not if the balance is positive or zero (SUP ≥ REQ). Simulations were made for different melon types (Yellow, Cantaloupe, Galia and Piel-de-sapo), with expected yield of 45 t ha-1. The system estimated that Galia type was the least demanding in P, while Piel-de-sapo was the most demanding. Cantaloupe was the least demanding for N and Ca, while the Yellow type required less K, Mg, and S. As compared to other fertilizer recommendation methods adopted in Brazil, the Ferticalc system was more dynamic and flexible. Although the system has shown satisfactory results, it needs to be evaluated under field conditions to improve its recommendations.

Estudo da influência do diluente reativo PGE na cinética de cura de resina epóxi utilizada em compósitos estruturais

Phenil glycidyl ether (PGE), a monofunctional diluent, has been used in epoxy resins formulations in order to increase the toughness of the epoxy molded composite. In a systematic study concerning its influence in the cure kinetics of the epoxy resin, it was used in concentrations of 2,5; 5,0; 10 and 20% in relation to a diglycidyl ether bisphenol-A (DGEBA)/diamino diphenil-sulfone (DDS) base matrix. Dynamic and isothermal scanning analysis were carried out using a differential scanning calorimety (DSC) equipment. For all the concentrations of PGE, a n order kinetics was observed, with n varing between 0,35 -- 0,91 as a function of the increase in the PGE concentration.

Utilizando o monitoramento ambiental para o ensino da química: pedagogia de projeto

The article shows how the monitoring of the water quality can be utilized in an inter-disciplinary pedagogical project involving Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Microbiology making the apprenticeship more dynamic and consolidating the link between the student and the community.