Description of Micropygomyia (Micropygomyia) ancashensis sp. nov. and the female of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) chavinensis Pérez & Ogusuku (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) from Ancash department, Peru

A male of a new species Micropygomyia (Micropygomyia) ancashensis sp. nov. and a female of the Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) chavinensis Pérez & Ogusuku, 1999 captured in the Antonio Raymondi province, department of Ancash, Peru are described and illustrated. The new species belongs to the cayennensis series, being closest to Mi. lewisi (Feliciangeli Ordoñez & Férnandez) though presenting highly sclerotized pseudotracheae on the labella that seem to constitute an autapomorphy among American Phlebotominae, and a clypeus almost completely covered with setae, as in Warileya. The female of Lu. chavinensis is close to those of Lu. blancasi Galati & Cáceres 1990, Lu. noguchii (Shannon, 1929), and Lu. pallidithorax Galati & Cáceres 1994.

The convergence of the Central American countries to International Accounting Standards

Abstract: In the last few decades, Central American countries are making a significant effort in order to modernize their governments' legislation both on financial management and systems of financial information. In this sense, these countries aim to enhance the quality of public financial information in order to improve decision-making processes, decrease the level of corruption, and keep citizens informed. In this context, the purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to assess the degree of similarity of the financial information that is being developed by Central American governments with regard to the recommendations set up by Ipsas, and secondly, to analyse the efforts and the strategies that those countries are carrying out in the process of implementing those standards. To determine the differences in the information containing the annual financial statements issued by national public authorities and the recommendations set up by Ipsas we conducted a deductive content analysis. In view of the results we can say that the quality of annual financial statements presented by the countries in Central America, in comparison to the recommendations by the Ipsas concerning Ifac information, is not enough. Hence, in order to operate significant changes, it is still necessary to create new strategies for the implementation of the Ipsas.

Perda auditiva induzida por ruído e hipertensão em condutores de ônibus

OBJETIVO: Estimar as prevalências de perda auditiva induzida por ruído e hipertensão arterial em condutores de ônibus urbanos. MÉTODOS: Executou-se estudo transversal em amostra probabilística de 108 motoristas da cidade de Campinas, SP. Aplicou-se questionário sobre história profissional, jornadas de trabalho e repouso, e realizou-se exame físico e laboratorial incluindo medida da pressão arterial, audiometria tonal limiar, logoaudiometria e dados antropométricos, após a obtenção de consentimento. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de perda auditiva induzida por ruído foi de 32,7% do total examinado. Segundo a classificação de Merluzzi, nos 31 casos classificados em primeiro e segundo graus, observou-se que a freqüência audiométrica com perda auditiva mais acentuada foi a de 6 kHz (61,3%), seguida pela de 4 kHz (38,7%), sem diferenças significantes quanto à lateralidade. A prevalência de hipertensão arterial diastólica (PAD³90 mmHG; PAS³140 mmHG) foi de 13,2% dos examinados. CONCLUSÕES: O risco de disacusia induzida por ruído foi maior para os motoristas com mais de seis anos de trabalho, após ajuste para a perda relacionada com a idade, com um odds ratio de 19,25 (1,59

Tamizaje en cáncer cervical: conocimiento de la utilidad y uso de citología cervical en México

OBJETIVO: Identificar y evaluar los factores que predisponen a la utilización de la prueba de Papanicolaou en la población que usa el servicio del Programa Nacional de Detección Oportuna de Cáncer en México. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio del tipo transversal de enero de 1997 a diciembre de 1998, en la Ciudad de México; se incluyeron a 2.107 mujeres en edad reproductiva que acudieron a un servicio de planificación familiar, las cuáles respondieron a un cuestionario con preguntas sobre características: sociodemográficas, factores de riesgo reproductivo asociados a cáncer cervical, historia de vida sexual, uso de métodos anticonceptivos, conocimiento de la utilidad y utilización del Papanicolaou. Para el análisis de los datos se construyeron modelos multivariados de regresión logística no condicional. RESULTADOS: Los predisponentes de utilización del programa de detección oportuna de cáncer en esta población fueron: el conocimiento de la utilidad del Papanicolaou incrementó en seis veces más la posibilidad de utilización (IC 95% 4,70-7,67); el antecedente de utilización de dos o más métodos de planificación familiar (OR=2,38; IC 95% 1,75-3,24); el antecedente de historia de infección vaginal (OR=2,18; IC 95% 1,73-2,75), y la aceptación del esposo para la realización de exploraciones ginecológicas (OR=1,56; IC 95% 1,07-2,29). CONCLUSIONES: La implementación de programas educativos en la prevención de cáncer, deberán incluir la utilidad de las pruebas de detección. En México, en mujeres en edad reproductiva utilización de la prueba de Papanicolaou se ofrece predominantemente en forma oportunista, por lo que el antecedente de utilización de los Servicios de Salud es un determinante para la utilización del Programa de Detección Oportuna de Cáncer Cervical. Estos resultados muestran la necesidad de ampliar la promoción a la salud de este programa a las mujeres de alto riesgo, incluyendo a sus parejas sexuales.

Prevalence and factors associated to the epidemic neuropathy in a population assisted by a family doctor in Cuba

With the outbreak of an epidemic neuropathy (EN) of unknown ethiology, a study of the prevalence and factors associated to the disease was carried out in the Zamora community, municipality of Marianao, Havana City. There were 11 patients identified with EN for a prevalence rate of 1.7/100. The major risk group was the one between 45 and 64 years of age, female sex, black skin. In the univaried analysis, a high prevalence ratio (PR) was found linked to beverage intake (PR=5.32 95%; confidence intervals (CI) = 1.2-24.4), frequent drugs intake (PR=6.59; CI=1.8-24.6), consumption of edible of non certified fats (PR=4.48; CI=1.2-16.7) and the smoking habit (PR=3.6; CI=1.1-12.2). More than73/100 (CI= 68.7-78.3) of the people under serologic study were infected with Coxsakie virus A-9 (strain 47) isolated from a patient still under research. It seems there are many factors like linder intake, antecedents of hemorrhagic conjuntivitis, nutritional aspects and others that, with the virus isolated were associated with this epidemiologic situation.

The Epidemiological Impact of Antimeningococcal B Vaccination in Cuba

The incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) before (1984-1988) and after (1989-1994), a nationwide intervention with VA-MENGOC-BC vaccination started in 1989, was compared. The prevaccination period incidence density (ID> 8.8/ 105 year-person) was higher than the postvaccination ID (ID< 6.5/ 105 year-person). The percentage proportional differences from the start to the end of each period of ID in the vaccinal period was higher (87%) than the prevaccinal (37%) with significant differences among vaccinated groups (< 25 years old). A break-point (Chow test) was confirmed by the decrease in the ID between 1989 and 1990 in children under 1 year old, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19 and 50-54 years. Comparison of ID using maps showed a decrease in IMD in all municipalities during the postvaccination period. These findings support the epidemiological impact of VA-MENGOC-BC vaccination in the reduction of IMD morbidity.

In Vitro and in Vivo Assays of 3,5-Disubstituted-Tetrahydro-2H-1,3,5-Thiadiazin-2-Thione Derivatives against Trypanosoma cruzi

Cytotoxicity assays of 24 new 3,5-disubstituted-tetrahydro-2H-1,3,5-thiadiazin-2-thione derivatives were performed. The 17 compounds with higher anti-epimastigote activity and lower cytotoxicity were, thereafter, screened against amastigote of Trypanosoma cruzi. Out of these 17 derivatives S-2d was selected to be assayed in vivo, because of its remarkable trypanocidal properties. To determine toxicity against J774 macrophages, a method based on quantification of cell damage, after 24 h, was used. Cell respiration, an indicator of cell viability, was assessed by the reduction of MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] to formazan. Anti-amastigote activity was estimated after 48 h by microscopic counts of May Grünwald-Giemsa-stained monolayers. Nifurtimox and benznidazole were used as reference drugs. For the in vivo experiences, mice were infected with 10(4) blood trypomastigotes and then treated during 15 days with S-2d or nifurtimox by oral route. All of the compounds were highly toxic at 100 µg/ml for macrophages and a few of them maintained this cytotoxicity even at 10 µg/ml. Of the derivatives assayed against amastigotes 3k and S-2d showed an interesting activity, that was held even at 1µg/ml. It is demonstrated that the high anti-epimastigote activity previously reported is mainly due to the non-specific toxicity of these compounds. In vivo assays assessed a reduction of parasitemia after administration of S-2d to infected mice.

Anti-leishmanial and structure-activity relationship of ring substituted 3-phenyl-1-(1,4-di-N-oxide quinoxalin-2-yl)-2-propen-1-one derivatives

A series of ring substituted 3-phenyl-1-(1,4-di-N-oxide quinoxalin-2-yl)-2-propen-1-one derivatives were synthesized and tested for in vitro leishmanicidal activity against amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis in axenical cultures and murine infected macrophages. Structure-activity relationships demonstrated the importance of a radical methoxy at position R3', R4' and R5'. (2E)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-1-(3,6,7-trimethyl-1,4-dioxy-quinoxalin-2-yl)-propenone was the most active. Cytotoxicity on macrophages revealed that this product was almost six times more active than toxic.

Comparative serology techniques for the diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in a rural population from the state of Querétaro, Mexico

Immunological diagnostic methods for Trypanosoma cruzi depend specifically on the presence of antibodies and parasitological methods lack sensitivity during the chronic and “indeterminate” stages of the disease. This study performed a serological survey of 1,033 subjects from 52 rural communities in 12 of the 18 municipalities in the state of Querétaro, Mexico. We detected anti-T. cruzi antibodies using the following tests: indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA), indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), ELISA and recombinant ELISA (rELISA). We also performed Western blot (WB) analysis using iron superoxide dismutase (FeSOD), a detoxifying enzyme excreted by the parasite, as the antigen. Positive test results were distributed as follows: ELISA 8%, rELISA 6.2%, IFA and IHA 5.4% in both cases and FeSOD 8%. A comparative study of the five tests was undertaken. Sensitivity levels, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, concordance percentage and kappa index were considered. Living with animals, trips to other communities, gender, age, type of housing and symptomatology at the time of the survey were statistically analysed using SPSS software v.11.5. Detection of the FeSOD enzyme that was secreted by the parasite and used as an antigenic fraction in WBs showed a 100% correlation with traditional ELISA tests.

The efficacy of 2-nitrovinylfuran derivatives againstLeishmania in vitro and in vivo

Despite recent advances in the treatment of some forms of leishmaniasis, the available drugs are still far from ideal due to inefficacy, parasite resistance, toxicity and cost. The wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity of 2-nitrovinylfuran compounds has been described, as has their activity against Trichomonas vaginalis and other protozoa. Thus, the aim of this study was to test the antileishmanial activities of six 2-nitrovinylfurans in vitro and in a murine model of leishmaniasis. Minimum parasiticide concentration (MPC) and 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for these compounds against the promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis, Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis were determined, as were the efficacies of two selected compounds in an experimental model of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by L. amazonensis in BALB/c mice. All of the compounds were active against the promastigotes of the three Leishmania species tested. IC50 and MPC values were in the ranges of 0.8-4.7 µM and 1.7-32 µM, respectively. The compounds 2-bromo-5-(2-bromo-2-nitrovinyl)-furan (furvina) and 2-bromo-5-(2-methyl-2-nitrovinyl)-furan (UC245) also reduced lesion growth in vivo at a magnitude comparable to or higher than that achieved by amphotericin B treatment. The results demonstrate the potential of this class of compounds as antileishmanial agents and support the clinical testing of Dermofural(r) (a furvina-containing antifungal ointment) for the treatment of CL.

Uma espécie nova de Xylocopa Latreille, 1802, e notas sobre Xylocopa transitoria Pérez e X. mordax Smith (Hymenoptera, Apoidea)

A new species of Xylocopa Latreille, 1802, and notes on Xylocopa transitoria Pérez and X. mordax Smith (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) orthogonaspis sp. nov. (Brazil, Amazonas) is described. It is a remarkable species from the Amazonian Region easily recognized by the strong and sharp right angle between upper and posterior portions of the scutellum; the wings are slightly brown with a brassy hue and a little vinaceous apex. Some notes to separate Xylocopa (N.) orthogonaspis sp. nov. from X. (N.) transitoria Pérez, 1901, and X. (N.) mordax Smith, 1874, are given. Xylocopa (N.) submordax Cockerell, 1935, on the other hand, is considered as a new synonym of X. (N.) transitoria Pérez, 1901.