Análise temporal da dinâmica populacional de Aedes aegypti

Dengue virus is a major public health problem worldwide. Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti is the main dengue vector. Since there is no specific treatment or effective vaccine, control measure is focused on vector control. It is believed that population density is higher in the warmer/rainy season than in cold/dry. The study aimed to genetically characterize population dynamics of Ae. aegypti during climatic variations. Collections were performed at least once in both periods over five years by oviposition traps at Botucatu city. The technique of TaqMan allelic discrimination was used for genetic analysis, in which SNPs from nine genes distributed on three chromosomes of the mosquito were genotyped. Bayesian analysis did not show variance on population structure over the five year period. The percentage of variation among samples in statistical analysis was low (Fst = 0.0028, p = 0.7634), furthermore the allele frequencies were constant. The results show that despite wide variation in the density of adults, population size does not vary. Therefore, there is variation in the prevalence of the species life stages: adults in warmer/rainy, and possibly eggs in cold/dry, resulting in different control strategies for each period. Moreover, estimation of population size should not consider only winged adults, but all other found life stages forms

Estudo fotodinâmico da clorofila a, azul de metileno e rosa bengala como agente inseticida contra Aedes aegypti

Photodynamic therapy, term introduced by von Tapeiner in 1900, can be defined as the administration of a non toxic drug, i.e., a dye, known as photosensitizer (FS), which subsequently will be illuminated with light of specific wavelength. PDT is based on the interaction among FS, oxygen and light, which through photochemical reactions cause cell death. The FS molecules must have a high probability to form the singlet state after the excitation, which can induce chemical changes in the neighborhood in two ways, called reactions type I and type II. The type II reaction is based on the exchange of energy to molecular oxygen, exciting it to its state of higher energy (singlet), which is highly reactive. The proposed mechanisms for cell death are linked to damage to the DNA, mitochondria and to the cytoplasmic membrane. Several pre‐clinical and clinical trials have been carried out and the PDT is already used in many countries for treatment mainly against certain types of cancer. The therapy also has been gaining strength in antimicrobial control, since the microorganisms have appeared increasingly resistant to current antibiotics. Another attempt to use the PDT is for the inactivation of macro‐organisms, such as micro‐crustaceans and mosquitoes. To this end I tested whether the photosensitizers methylene blue, rose Bengal and the chlorophyll a has insecticidal activity against the yellow fever and dengue vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Since these diseases have no effective treatments, its control is linked to the vector control, which has shown resistance to chemical pesticides used. Based on this, this work shows its importance, because it is a new type of mosquito control since all the photosensitizers used are low cost, do not generate toxic products at the concentrations used and showed good results in mortality. The best photosensitizer was rose Bengal... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Relação entre presença de anticorpos anti-leishmania spp. e carga parasitária em sangue de cães de área endêmica para leishmaniose visceral

Pós-graduação em Ciência Animal - FMVA

Ações educativas para o controle de vetores da dengue e leishmaniose visceral

Results of educative actions on the control of vectors for dengue and leishmaniasis were evaluated by using an online semi-present course directed to teachers from Fundamental I Education level in Araçatuba-SP. 40 teachers from municipal schools located on geographical areas of town with higher occurrence of dengue and leishmaniasis cases, attended to the course, which consisted in a conceptual part directed to specific subjects such as vector borne and zoonotic diseases, responsible ownership of pets and health education and a practical phase, directed to execution and application of educative projects in the target schools. Data about the teacher’s specific knowledge, before and after the attendance to the course, were submitted to the Wilcoxon test with a 5% of significant level. The application of practical educative projects was evaluated by multiplicative actions involving target public. Tests showed statistically significant increase in the knowledge about the studied diseases (p<0.0001) after the course, especially on questions related to etiological agent, clinical symptoms on man and animals and prevention. Activities of knowledge multiplication envolved teachers and students which detected the problems and promoted education actions in their neighborhood as stage performing, group cleaning activities and elaboration and distribution of folders during a student pared. In conclusion, educative actions direct to the control of diseases vectors using a semi-present course, provides new knowledge to the teachers, impelling them to motivate their students to adopt vectors control measures and environmental cares and to sensitive the community to collaborate with control diseases.

Projeto de controladores robustos para acionamento de um motor de indução trifásico

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Efeitos do LRP6 e Frizzled6 na diferenciação endotelial de DPSC

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

O paradigma dualista da hanseníase controle ou eliminação: o período crítico de 2000 a 2005

One of the main tendencies of leprosy worldwide is the simultaneous action of non governmental organizations and official agencies operating eventual different strategies. This paper aims to contribute to such question focusing on some outstanding aspects of respective contemporary evolution. METHODS Application of bibliographic review and contents analysis techniques to primary data from a circumstancial set of open circulation specific publications. RESULTS Successive disagreements registered between both parts refer to the objective to be attained by the fight against the disease, if control or elimination. CONCLUSIONS New perspectives of jointed actions are being searched for now when priority on endemics control is more realistically assumed and social determination is been really considered.

Estudo de transcriptomas por RNAseq em tecidos de cabeça e glândula salivar de Rhodnius montenegrensis e Rhodnius robustus (Hemiptera, Reduviidade, Triatominae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

OPENING REMARKS - THIRD VERTEBRATE PEST CONFERENCE

To open this Third Vertebrate Pest Conference is a real privilege. It is a pleasure to welcome all of you in attendance, and I know there are others who would like to be meeting with us, but, for one reason or another cannot be. However, we can serve them by taking back the results of discussion and by making available the printed transactions of what is said here. It has been the interest and demand for the proceedings of the two previous conferen- ces which, along with personal contacts many of you have with the sponsoring committee, have gauged the need for continuing these meetings. The National Pest Control Association officers who printed the 1962 proceedings still are supplying copies of that conference. Two reprintings of the 1964 conference have been necessary and repeat orders from several universities indicate that those proceedings have become textbooks for special classes. When Dr. Howard mentioned in opening the first Conference in 1962 that publication of those papers would make a valuable handbook of animal control, he was prophetic, indeed. We are pleased that this has happened, but not surprised, since to many of us in this specialized field, the conferences have provided a unique opportunity to meet colleagues with similar interests, to exchange information on control techniques and to be informed by research workers of problem solving investigations as well as to hear of promising basic research. The development of research is a two-way street and we think these conferences also identify areas of inadequate knowledge, thereby stimulating needed research. We have represented here a number of types of specialists—animal ecologists, public health and transmissible disease experts, control methods specialists, public agency administration and enforcement staffs, agricultural extension people, manufacturing and sale industry representatives, commercial pest control operators, and others—and in addition to improving communications among these professional groups an equally important purpose of these conferences is to improve understanding between them and the general public. Within the term general public are many individuals and also organizations dedicated to appreciation and protection of certain animal forms or animal life in general. Proper concepts of vertebrate pest control do not conflict with such views. It is worth repeating for the record the definition of "vertebrate pest" which has been stated at our previous conferences. "A vertebrate pest is any native or introduced, wild or feral, non-human spe- cies of vertebrate animal that is currently troublesome locally or over a wide area to one or more persons either by being a general nuisance, a health hazard or by destroying food or natural resources. In other words, vertebrate pest status is not an inherent quality or fixed classification but is a circumstantial relationship to man's interests." I believe progress has been made in reducing the misunderstanding and emotion with which vertebrate pest control was formerly treated whenever a necessity for control was stated. If this is true, I likewise believe it is deserved, because control methods and programs have progressed. Control no longer refers only to population reductions by lethal means. We have learned something of alternate control approaches and the necessity for studying the total environment; where reduction of pest animal numbers is the required solution to a problem situation we have a wider choice of more selective, safe and efficient materials. Although increased attention has been given to control methods, research when we take a close look at the severity of animal damage to so many facets of our economy, particularly to agricultural production and public health, we realize it still is pitifully small and slow. The tremendous acceleration of the world's food and health requirements seems to demand expediting vertebrate pest control to effectively neutralize the enormous impact of animal damage to vital resources. The efforts we are making here at problem delineation, idea communication and exchange of methodology could well serve as both nucleus and rough model for a broader application elsewhere. I know we all hope this Third Conference will advance these general objectives, and I think there is no doubt of its value in increasing our own scope of information.

Comparison of wing geometry data and genetic data for assessing the population structure of Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti is the most important vector of dengue viruses in tropical and subtropical regions. Because vaccines are still under development, dengue prevention depends primarily on vector control. Population genetics is a common approach in research involving Ae. aegypti. In the context of medical entomology, wing morphometric analysis has been proposed as a strong and low-cost complementary tool for investigating population structure. Therefore, we comparatively evaluated the genetic and phenotypic variability of population samples of Ae. aegypti from four sampling sites in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo city, Brazil. The distances between the sites ranged from 7.1 to 50 km. This area, where knowledge on the population genetics of this mosquito is incipient, was chosen due to the thousands of dengue cases registered yearly. The analysed loci were polymorphic, and they revealed population structure (global F-ST = 0.062; p < 0.05) and low levels of gene flow (Nm = 0.47) between the four locations. Principal component and discriminant analyses of wing shape variables (18 landmarks) demonstrated that wing polymorphisms were only slightly more common between populations than within populations. Whereas microsatellites allowed for geographic differentiation, wing geometry failed to distinguish the samples. These data suggest that microevolution in this species may affect genetic and morphological characters to different degrees. In this case, wing shape was not validated as a marker for assessing population structure. According to the interpretation of a previous report, the wing shape of Ae. aegypti does not vary significantly because it is stabilised by selective pressure. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Doenças crônicas não transmissíveis no Brasil: prioridade para enfrentamento e investigação

As Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis representam a maior carga de morbimortalidade no Brasil. Em 2011, o Ministério da Saúde lançou seu Plano de Ações Estratégicas para o Enfrentamento das Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis, enfatizando ações populacionais para controlar as doenças cardiovasculares, diabetes, câncer e doença respiratória crônica, predominantemente pelo controle do fumo, inatividade física, alimentação inadequada e uso prejudicial de álcool. Apesar da produção científica significativa sobre essas doenças e seus fatores de risco no Brasil, poucos são os estudos de coorte nessa temática. Nesse contexto, o Estudo Longitudinal da Saúde do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil) acompanha 15.105 servidores públicos do País. Seus dados espelham a realidade brasileira de altas prevalências de diabetes e hipertensão e dos fatores de risco. A diversidade das informações produzidas permitirá aprofundar o entendimento causal dessas doenças e subsidiar políticas públicas para seu enfrentamento.

Early Diagnosis of Myocardial Dysfunction in Patients With Hematological Malignancies Submitted to Chemotherapy. Preliminary Results.

Early Diagnosis of Miocardial Dysfunction in Patients with Hematological Malignancies Submitted to Chemotherapy. Preliminary Background: Considering the current diagnostic improvements and tl1erapeutic approaches, patients witl 1 cancer can now be healed or keep the disease under control, still, the chemotherapy may cause heart damage, evolving to Congestive Heart Failure. Recognition of those changes increases the chances of control the endpoints; hence, new parameters of cardiac and fluid mechanics analysis have been used to assess the myocardial function, pursuing an earlier diagnosis of the cardiac alterations. This study aimed to detect early cardiac dysfunction consequently to chemotherapy in patients with hematological malignancies (HM). Methods: Patients with leukemia and lymphoma, submitted to chemotherapy, without knowing heart diseases were studied. Healthy volunteers served as the control group. Conventional 2DE parameters of myocardial function were analyzed. The peak global longitudinal, circumferential and radial left ventricular (LV) strain were deternined by 2D and 3D speckle tracking (STE); peak area strain measured by 3D STE and LV torsionn, twisting rate, recoil / recoil rate assessed by 2D STE. The LV vortex formation time (VFT) during the rapid diastolic filling was estimated by the 2D mitral valve (MV) planimetry and Pulsed Doppler LV inflow by: VFT- 4(1-β) / π x α3 x LVEF Where 1- β is the E wave contribution to the LV stroke volume and α3 is a volumetric variable related to the MV area. The statistical level was settled on 5%. Results: See Table. Conclusion: Despite the differences between the two groups concerning the LVESV, LVEF and E´, those parameters still are in the normal range when considering the patients submitted to chemotherapy; thus, in the clinical setting, they are not so noticeable. The 3D GLS was smaller among the patients, oppositely to the 2D GLS, suggesting that the former variable is more accurate to assess tlhe LV systolic function. The VFT is a dimensionless measure of the optimal vortex development inside the LV chamber; reflecting the efficiency of the diastolic filling and, consequently, blood ejection. This index showed to be diminished in patients with HM submitted to chemotherapy, indicating an impairment of the in1pulse and thrust, hence appearing to be a very early marker of diastolic and systolic dysfunction in this group.

Expression and accumulation of the two-domain odorant-binding protein AaegOBP45 in the ovaries of blood-fed Aedes aegypti

BACKGROUND: Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the main vectors of dengue viruses. Despite global efforts to reduce the prevalence of dengue using integrated vector management strategies, innovative alternatives are necessary to help prevent virus transmission. Detailed characterizations of Ae. aegypti genes and their products provide information about the biology of mosquitoes and may serve as foundations for the design of new vector control methods. FINDINGS: We studied the Ae. aegypti gene, AAEL010714, that encodes a two-domain odorant-binding protein, AaegOBP45. The predicted gene structure and sequence were validated, although single nucleotide polymorphisms were observed. Transcriptional and translational products accumulate in the ovaries of blood fed females and are not detected or are at low abundance in other tissues. CONCLUSIONS: We validated the Ae. aegypti AAEL010714 gene sequence and characterized the expression profile of a two-domain OBP expressed in ovaries. We propose that AaegOBP45 function as a component of the mosquito eggshell.

Culex quinquefasciatus storage proteins

Insect storage proteins accumulate at high levels during larval development of holometabolous insects. During metamorphosis they are degraded, supplying energy and amino acids for the completion of adult development. The genome of Culex quinquefasciatus contains eleven storage protein-coding genes. Their transcripts are more abundant in larvae than in pupae and in adults. In fact, only four of these genes are transcribed in adults, two of which in blood-fed adult females but not in adult males. Transcripts corresponding to all Cx. quinquefasciatus storage proteins were detected by RT-PCR, while mass spectrometric analysis of larval and pupal proteins identified all storage proteins with the exception of one encoded by Cq LSP1.8. Our results indicate that the identified Cx. quinquefasciatus storage protein-coding genes are candidates for identifying regulatory sequences for the development of molecular tools for vector control

Controllo Vettoriale generalizzato per Macchine Elettriche Trifase

Nell’ambito della presente tesi verrà descritto un approccio generalizzato per il controllo delle macchine elettriche trifasi; la prima parte è incentrata nello sviluppo di una metodologia di modellizzazione generale, ossia in grado di descrivere, da un punto di vista matematico, il comportamento di una generica macchina elettrica, che possa quindi includere in sé stessa tutte le caratteristiche salienti che possano caratterizzare ogni specifica tipologia di macchina elettrica. Il passo successivo è quello di realizzare un algoritmo di controllo per macchine elettriche che si poggi sulla teoria generalizzata e che utilizzi per il proprio funzionamento quelle grandezze offerte dal modello unico delle macchine elettriche. La tipologia di controllo che è stata utilizzata è quella che comunemente viene definita come controllo ad orientamento di campo (FOC), per la quale sono stati individuati degli accorgimenti atti a migliorarne le prestazioni dinamiche e di controllo della coppia erogata. Per concludere verrà presentata una serie di prove sperimentali con lo scopo di mettere in risalto alcuni aspetti cruciali nel controllo delle macchine elettriche mediante un algoritmo ad orientamento di campo e soprattutto di verificare l’attendibilità dell’approccio generalizzato alle macchine elettriche trifasi. I risultati sperimentali confermano quindi l’applicabilità del metodo a diverse tipologie di macchine (asincrone e sincrone) e sono stati verificate nelle condizioni operative più critiche: bassa velocità, alta velocità bassi carichi, dinamica lenta e dinamica veloce.