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The Pact for Life program was one of Brazil's most successful initiatives in coping with an elevated incidence of deliberate lethal violent crimes (CVLI) within the jurisdiction of Pernambuco. It delineated the state into 26 Integrated Security Areas (AIS) and applied strategies to combine investigative and ostensive policing. Nevertheless, the pandemic shifted the production possibility of public security in directions that justify empirical investigations, not sufficiently covered in the current literature. This study employs variable returns to scale data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist productivity index (MPI) models to measure police efficiency and technology changes from 2019 to 2020. The proposed framework can be particularly suitable to capture changes in the production frontier resulting from technological advancements or regressions, which might otherwise be overlooked. Through a quantitative analysis, this research offers a comprehensive assessment of AISs and the operational performance of the Civil Police, emphasizing efficiency metrics and avenues for enhancement within a production-oriented context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Milk is one of the main components of the human diet, mainly due to its mineral and protein content. But its contamination by heavy metals could produce a serious public health problem. In this study, we have determined the levels of toxic (Cd and Pb) and essential (Cu, Fe, and Zn) elements in raw milk from cows raised in the State of Pernambuco (Brazil). A high percentage of the samples had Pb levels above the tolerance limit established by Brazilian legislation, and the proximity of the farms to major roads is the main cause. Therefore, the consumption of milk produced under these conditions can be considered a risk to public health. The aim of this study was to provide information on the levels of toxic (Cd and Pb) and essential (Cu, Fe, and Zn) elements in cow's milk produced in the State of Pernambuco (Brazil). A total of 142 samples of raw milk were collected, and the concentrations of essential and toxic elements were determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. In almost 30% of the samples analyzed, the Pb content exceeded the maximum level established in the Brazilian legislation (0.05 mg/L). By contrast, in all the samples, the Cd content was below the maximum allowable level (0.02 mg/L). The essential trace elements Cu, Fe, and Zn were generally present at lower concentrations than reported in other studies and can be considered within the deficient range for cow's milk. Statistical and chemometric procedures were used to evaluate the main factors influencing the metal concentrations (proximity to major roads, presence of effluents, and milking method). The study findings demonstrate that the proximity of the farms to major roads influences the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Cu and that this is the main factor explaining the Pb content of milk. In addition, the presence of effluents influenced the concentrations of Cu, while no relationship between the metal content and the milking method was observed. Thus, in accordance with the study findings, the consumption of cow's milk produced in the region can be considered a risk to public health due to the high concentrations of Pb and the low concentrations of other essential minerals such as Cu, Zn, and Fe in some of the milk samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agroalimentaria is the property of Alejandro Antonio Gutierrez Socorro and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This work discusses the issue on how to include data about property and violent crimes in the production technology for the assessment of police technical efficiency. It applies recent advances in Directional Distances and Nonparametric Estimators. We claim that crime is an external variable not under the control of the decision units in view of the fact that it is exogenously determined. The results from the Conditional Directional Distance Analysis can be relevant to cities with high property misdemeanors and homicide rates. Our analysis may be helpful to obtain a more robust and fair classification of police and justice units under similar circumstances, determine the empirical effect of crime on police productivity, their optimal input–output relationship, explore potential associations and compensation effects, and rewarding efficient policy makers in the prevention of crime based on measures of police efficiency and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the issue of private investment in the seventeenth-century Dutch colony in Brazil. For the first time, new archival discoveries allow for a reconstruction of the size of private investment in the colony, as well as a breakdown into distinct investment activities. The article argues that private investment was an absolute necessity for the West India Company in the hope of making its colony successful, as it could not provide the required funds by itself. Private individuals claimed to have invested over eleven million guilders in the colony, nearly one-and-a-half times the WIC’s original capitalization. A number of case studies elaborate the overall figures presented and show that Dutch investors did indeed move into sugar cultivation and even moved into agricultural property development. Presenting these data and sources will, it is posited, allow for a fuller picture of the role of former inhabitants of Dutch Brazil in the development of plantation systems in the wider Caribbean from the mid-1640s onwards.

The aim of this study was to provide information on the levels of toxic (Cd and Pb) and essential (Cu, Fe, and Zn) elements in cow’s milk produced in the State of Pernambuco (Brazil). A total of 142 samples of raw milk were collected, and the concentrations of essential and toxic elements were determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. In almost 30% of the samples analyzed, the Pb content exceeded the maximum level established in the Brazilian legislation (0.05 mg/L). By contrast, in all the samples, the Cd content was below the maximum allowable level (0.02 mg/L). The essential trace elements Cu, Fe, and Zn were generally present at lower concentrations than reported in other studies and can be considered within the deficient range for cow’s milk. Statistical and chemometric procedures were used to evaluate the main factors influencing the metal concentrations (proximity to major roads, presence of effluents, and milking method). The study findings demonstrate that the proximity of the farms to major roads influences the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Cu and that this is the main factor explaining the Pb content of milk. In addition, the presence of effluents influenced the concentrations of Cu, while no relationship between the metal content and the milking method was observed. Thus, in accordance with the study findings, the consumption of cow’s milk produced in the region can be considered a risk to public health due to the high concentrations of Pb and the low concentrations of other essential minerals such as Cu, Zn, and Fe in some of the milk samples.

The rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic parasite and the main cause of eosinophilic meningitis in the world. Its main source of nutrients originates from the degradation of host hemoglobin in blood-feeding helminths, such as A. cantonensis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the ultrastructure of the intestinal cells by using of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A. cantonensis worms obtained from Rattus norvegicus (norway rats) from endemic area were used for TEM. The ultrastructural analysis was performed using fragments cut from the middle part of the worms, and the TEM study revealed the cells with microvilli and nuclei containing areas of loose and condensed chromatin and the presence of macrovesicles and microvesicles of digestion and it was observed in this study that intestinal epithelium is look like a syncytium. The ultrastructural aspects of the intestinal cells surface of A. Cantonensis the indicate that the intestinal epithelium is a multinucleate mosaic or syncytium.

Background: Despite the fluoridation of public water supply being recognized as an excellent preventive measure for the control of dental caries, it is known that the state of Pernambuco does not carry out systematic monitoring of the fluoride levels in its waters. Purpose: The aim of this study is to describe and analyze fluoride (F) levels in the water sources and public water supply in municipalities of the first health macro-region of Pernambuco, with 50,000 inhabitants or more. Methods: This is a descriptive study that combines information from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and the National Sanitation Information System with data from Companhia Pernambucana de Saneamento, the VIGIFLUOR project and the Water Quality Surveillance Information System for Human consumption. Results: The analysis of the data indicated the presence of natural F in insignificant or minimal contents in most of the studied municipalities. In addition, three levels of maximum benefit for caries prevention were found, but this concentration does not reach the population via public supply. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the F levels of the public supply network of thirteen municipalities analyzed do not contribute to the protection of the population. This approach stresses the need for the water supply to the municipalities of the 1st macro-region of health to be fluoridated artificially; and may also be good, to assure the population access to quality treated and fluoridated water, that a surveillance mechanism be established through hetero-control programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale farmers who depend on natural resources for subsistence in rural areas are especially vulnerable to climate change and may develop adaptive responses once they understand the nature of the risks and their consequences. We examine the effects of schooling, experience in agriculture, and the number and severity of risks perceived by farmers on the number and type of adaptive responses developed. Ninety-four farmers were surveyed in six rural communities in Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco, Brazil, to obtain socioeconomic data about major drought events and perceived related risks. Participants were asked to classify risks according to their severity. We argue that understanding the degree of vulnerability of social-ecological systems in semi-arid regions may facilitate actions at different scales to mitigate risks arising from climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil was the most important destination for enslaved Africans forced into the Atlantic between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. While Rio de Janeiro became the country's leading slave port, the regions north of Rio were no small players in the business. This article uses the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database to analyze the evolution of the traffic to Amazonia and Northeast Brazil. It provides an assessment of its volume, orientation, and organization. Rio may have eventually dominated the traffic, but the participation of its northern neighbors laid down the foundations for this most notorious trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Clio: Revista de Pesquisa Histórica (01024736) is the property of Universidad Federal de Pernambuco / Revista Clio and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The epidemiological situation of bovine tuberculosis was studied in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The state was divided into three regions, and a predetermined number of properties was randomly sampled in each region. In each property, females aged 24 months or older were randomly selected and subjected to the cervical comparative tuberculin test. Altogether, 5,728 animals from 906 properties were tested. In the evaluated properties, an epidemiological questionnaire was applied to identify risk factors related to bovine tuberculosis. The prevalence of infected herds and infected animals and in the state was 2.87% [1.82–4.50] and 0.62% [0.29–1.29], respectively. There was a predominance trend of infected herds in the properties located in the dry areas of Pernambuco, where most dairy properties are found. The risk factors related to the occurrence of positive herds were: presence of 18 or more cows in the herd, milking the cows two or three times a day, and sharing the grazing area. In conclusion, the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in Pernambuco is low, and the best strategy to be adopted is the implementation of a surveillance system for detection and sanitation of infected herds, preferably by incorporating risk-based surveillance strategies. In addition, the State should implement an effective sanitary program to enable producers to test their animals for bovine tuberculosis before inserting them into the herds, as well as avoid sharing the grazing areas with properties that are not free of bovine tuberculosis.

This study was conducted to characterize the epidemiology of bovine brucellosis in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The state was divided into three regions, and in each region, approximately 300 properties were randomly sampled. From these selected properties, a pre-established number of animals were randomly selected and blood serum samples were obtained. A total of 3,901 animals were selected from 900 properties. For each selected property, an epidemiological questionnaire was administered to assess the type of farming, the animal husbandry practices and the sanitary practices that could be associated with the presence of brucellosis infection. The testing protocol consisted of screening the samples with a buffered acidified plate antigen test and retesting the positive samples with a complement fixation test (CF). One positive animal was enough to define an infected herd. The prevalence rates of infected herds and animals in the state were 4.5% [3.2; 6.4%] and 1.4% [0.7; 2.7%], respectively. By region, the prevalence rates of infected herds and animals, respectively, were as follows: Zona da Mata, 3.3% [1.8; 6.1%] and 1.7% [0.5; 3.0%]; Agreste, 7.4% [4.9; 10.9%] and 1.9% [0.8; 3.0%]; and Sertão, 1.3% [0.5; 3.5%] and 0.7% [0.0; 1.6%]. Flooded pastures (OR = 2.86 [1.37; 6.42]) and the presence of 13 or more females in the herd (3rd quartile) (OR = 2.65 [1.19; 5.89]) were identified as risk factors. The existence of veterinary care emerged as a protective factor against bovine brucellosis in the state of Pernambuco (OR = 0.24 [0.10; 0.58]).

We analyze trend and persistence in Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) time series derived from monthly rainfall data at 133 gauging stations in Pernambuco state, Brazil, using a suite of complementary methods to address the spatially explicit tendencies, and persistence. SPI was calculated for 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month time scales from 1950 to 2012. We use Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope to determine sign and magnitude of the trend, and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) method to quantify long-term correlations. For all time scales significant negative trends are obtained in the Sertão (deep inland) region, while significant positive trends are found in the Agreste (intermediate inland), and Zona da Mata (coastal) regions. The values of DFA exponents show different scaling behavior for different time scales. For short-term conditions described by SPI-1 the DFA exponent is close to 0.5 indicating weak persistency and low predictability, while for medium-term conditions (SPI-3 and SPI-6) DFA exponents are greater than 0.5 and increase with time scale indicating stronger persistency and higher predictability. For SPI-12 that describes long-term precipitation patterns, the values of DFA exponents for inland regions are around 1, indicating strong persistency, while in the shoreline the value of the DFA exponent is between 1.0 and 1.5, indicating anti-persistent fractional Brownian motion. These results should be useful for agricultural planning and water resource management in the region.

Sugar cane rural workers’ condition in Brazil, and particularly in Pernambuco, was considerably improved in the early 1960’s. Newly voted labor legislation finally raised them to the level of the other wage earners categories. Besides, Labor courts were installed in some medium-sized towns in the region, thus offering them the concrete possibility of defending their rights. The military regime, from 1964 on, questioned many of those benefits, but nevertheless maintained legal framework and trade-unions. Judicial archives provide data permitting to draw a profile of the plaintiffs, and add many details about their lives and labor as rural workers on sugar cane plantations.

INTRODUCTION: Control strategies to eliminate the transmission of Chagas disease by insect vectors have significantly decreased the number of reported acute cases in Brazil. However, data regarding the incidence and distribution of acute Chagas disease cases in the State of Pernambuco are unavailable in the literature. METHODS: A geographical information system was used to delineate the spatiotemporal distribution profile of the cases from 2002 to 2013 in 185 municipalities of Pernambuco based on the municipality where notification occurred. The results were presented in digital maps generated by the TerraView software (INPE). RESULTS: A total of 302 cases of acute disease were recorded in 37.8% of the municipalities, for a total of 0.13 cases per 1,000,000 inhabitants per year. Out of the 302 cases, 99.3% were reported between 2002 and 2006. The most affected municipalities were Carnaubeira da Penha, Mirandiba and Terra Nova. The risk maps showed a significant decrease in the number of notifications and a concentration of cases in the Midwest region. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a significant decrease in new cases of acute Chagas disease in Pernambuco starting in 2006 when Brazil received an international certification for the interruption of vectorial transmission by Triatoma infestans. However, control strategies should still be encouraged because other triatomine species can also transmit the parasite; moreover, other transmission modes must not be neglected.

This article explores transnational dialogues between peoples of color in Brazil, Spanish-speaking South America, Haiti, and North America on issues relating to revolution, abolitionism, diplomacy, and civil rights in the nineteenth century. By focusing on Emiliano Felipe Benício Mundrucu (1791–1863), a Brazilianpardowho traveled and lived in Brazil, Venezuela, Haiti, and the United States, this paper discusses the unique socio-economic, racial, and political perspectives that educated, polyglot, and unusually well-traveled peoples of color brought to debates on abolition, civil rights, and broader hemispheric-wide questions of black identity in this period. It also explores their involvement in transnational revolutionary activity in the early nineteenth century, discussing how Mundrucu, along with other Brazilian secessionists, solicited the help of the young, radical republics of Haiti and Gran Colombia to challenge the Brazilian monarchy in Rio de Janeiro and establish a federalist republic in the north east of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

If institutions are important for regulating violence, can institutional reforms make societies less violent? This article examines the north-east Brazilian state of Pernambuco primarily between 2007 and 2013, proposing that patterns of declining lethal violence can be explained by changes in both the accountability and effectiveness of formal state institutions and informal social norms. Drawing on two months of qualitative fieldwork, findings suggest that social and political mobilisation enabled a political coalition to initiate substantial changes under the Pacto pela Vida (Pact for Life) public-security programme, which improved the legitimacy and operational effectiveness of the criminal justice system, and coincided with a marked reduction in homicide rates. While showing that these reforms were central in reducing lethal violence in Pernambuco between 2007 and 2013, the article concludes by discussing the challenges of policy continuity in light of increasing rates of lethal violence since 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Beachrocks observed along coastal lines in tropical regions throughout the world are known by reflect a higher sea level during Holocene Epoch, simultaneously acting as natural erosional protectors. A straight line of sandstone beachrocks along the coastal line in northeastern Brazil adds to that a historical value documented in cartography since the colonial period. These rocks helped in the anchorage of ships since the discovery of the country by the Portuguese navigators. Charles Darwin mentioned these rocks in 1841. This work shows that the patrimonial significance of the beachrocks in the southern portion of the coast of the State of Pernambuco surpasses its geological importance. Composed by sandstones, these rocks were used, since the colonial period, as building material for churches, fortifications, gravestones, roads and sidewalk paving, among others. Several of these edifications, some nowadays in ruins, still represent important historical and architectural heritage. On the other hand, the seawater barrier formed by these belts of sandstone allow the development of ponds, used nationwide and internationally as touristic attraction, generating important financial incomes for the region. However, it is very important to associate the scientific information to the pleasure tourism, aiming to promote the awareness for the conservation and valorization of the beachrocks of the southern coastal zone of Pernambuco as an important geological and historical heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new amphipod species of the genus Elasmopus Costa, 1853 is described based on material collected from intertidal rocky shore, near the Suape Harbor, coast of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. The new species may be recognized by the propodus of gnathopod 2 suboval, slightly tapering distally, palmar margin not defined by a stout seta, spine, or palmar corner, with a subdistal blunt tubercle, posterior margin covered by a dense fringe of plumose setae, and posterior margin of basis of pereopod 7 castelloserrate. This is the ninety-fifth species of the genus Elasmopus described worldwide, the most diverse genus in the family Maeridae Krapp-Schickel, 2008, and the eighth species recorded from Brazilian waters. An identification key to Brazilian species of Elasmopusis also provided.Uma nova espécie Amphipoda do gênero Elasmopus Costa, 1853 é descrita com base em material coletado da zona entre marés de um costão rochoso, próximo ao Porto de Suape, costado estado brasileiro de Pernambuco. A nova espécie pode ser reconhecida pelo própodo do gnatópo de 2 suboval, estreitando-se de forma suave distalmente, margem palmar não definida por uma cerda grossa, espinho, ou ângulo palmar, comum tubérculo subdistal não agudo, margem posterior coberta por uma franja densa de cerdas plumosas, e margem posterior da base do pereópodo 7 castelosserrado. Esta é a nonagésima quinta espécie do gênero Elasmopus descrita ao redor do mundo, o mais diverso gênero na família Maeridae Krapp-Schickel, 2008, e a oitava espécie registrada para as águas brasileiras. É fornecida também uma chave de identificação para as espécies brasileiras de Elasmopus.

School-aged children (6-15 years) from the endemic area of Pernambuco were evaluated both as a target group for and an indicator of schistosomiasis control in the community. Parasitological data were drawn from baseline stool surveys of whole populations that were obtained to diagnose Schistosoma mansoni infection. Nineteen representative localities were selected for assessing the prevalence of schistosomiasis among individuals in the following age groups: 0-5, 6-15, 16-25, 26-40 and 41-80 years. For each locality, the prevalence in each age group was compared to that of the overall population using contingency table analysis. To select a reference group, the operational difficulties of conducting residential surveys were considered. School-aged children may be considered to be the group of choice as the reference group for the overall population for the following reasons: (i) the prevalence of schistosomiasis in this age group had the highest correlation with the prevalence in the overall population (r = 0.967), (ii) this age group is particularly vulnerable to infection and plays an important role in parasite transmission and (iii) school-aged children are the main target of the World Health Organization in terms of helminth control. The Schistosomiasis Control Program should consider school-aged children both as a reference group for assessing the need for intervention at the community level and as a target group for integrated health care actions of the Unified Health System that are focused on high-risk groups.

No presente trabalho são tratadas as espécies de Paspalum que ocorrem no Estado de Pernambuco. O estudo foi baseado em trabalho de campo, com duração de dois anos, e em espécimes analisados em 18 herbários do Brasil. Foram registradas 32 espécies do gênero, classificadas em dois subgêneros: Paspalum subg. Paspalum, com 29 espécies e P. subg. Harpostachys (Trin.) S. Denham, com três espécies. Dentre as espécies confirmadas, apenas P. notatum não é nativa de Pernambuco. Dez espécies são novas citações para Pernambuco, sendo o registro de P. calliferum o primeiro para o Brasil. São fornecidas informações sobre relações taxonômicas, distribuição geográfica e uso econômico das espécies.In this paper is showed a taxonomic study of Paspalum species from Pernambuco. Morphological study was supported by fieldwork and analyses of specimens from 18 Brazilian herbaria. The genus is represented in Pernambuco by 32 species distributed with two subgenera: Paspalum subg. Paspalum and P. subg. Harpostachys, with 29 and three species, respectively. Only P. notatum is not native. Ten species are new from Pernambuco state and the occurrence of the P. calliferum is the first record to Brazil. Information about taxonomic relationships, geographic distribution and economic use are given.

Este estudo foi baseado na análise morfológica de material herborizado e observação dos espécimes em seu habitat natural. Foram registradas nove espécies diferenciadas, principalmente, pelo sistema caulinar, filotaxia, tipo de folha, cor das flores, tipologia das inflorescências e morfologia das cápsulas. Destas espécies, duas (Oxalis corniculata L. e O. cratensis Oliver ex Hooker) possuem distribuição preferencial nas zonas do Litoral e Mata até a subzona do Agreste. Oxalis psoraleoides Kunth apresenta ampla distribuição em todo Estado. Oxalis triangularis A. St.-Hil. e O. frutescens L. distribuem-se desde as zonas do Litoral e Mata até a subzona do Sertão. Oxalis divaricata Mart. ex Zucc. distribui-se nas subzonas do Agreste e Sertão, ocorrendo também no Arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha. Oxalis hedysarifolia Raddi habita a zona da Mata e a subzona do Agreste apenas em regiões serranas. Oxalis debilis Kunth é restrita a subzona do Agreste e Oxalis glaucescens Norlind é a única com distribuição exclusiva nas caatingas, geralmente, em áreas sedimentares na subzona do Sertão. Chave para identificação, comentários sobre afinidades e distribuição geográfica, bem como ilustrações, são fornecidas.This study was based on morphological analyses from both herbaria and field material. Nine species were recorded, distinguished from each other mainly by the root system, phyllotaxis, leaf type, color of the flowers and inflorescence and capsule morphology. Of these species, two (Oxalis corniculata L. and O. cratensis Oliver ex Hooker) showed preferential distribution from the Litoral and Forest zones to the Agreste subzone. Oxalis psoraleoides Kunth is widely distributed over the entire state. Oxalis triangularis A. St.-Hil. and O. frutescens L. are distributed from the Littoral and Forest zones to the Sertão subzone. Oxalis divaricata Mart. ex Zucc. is distributed in the Agreste and Forest subzones, occurring also at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago. Oxalis hedysarifolia Raddi occurs in the Forest zone and in the Agreste subzone, where it is restrict to the mountains. Oxalis debilis Kunth is restricted to the Agreste zone, and Oxalis glaucescens Norlind is the only one found exclusively in sandy caatingas, in the Sertão subzone. Identification keys, comments on the affinities and geographic distribution, as well as illustrations, are presented.

This work had the objective of assessing the present epidemiological situation regarding schistosomiasis through performing Kato-Katz coproscopic tests on representative samples of schoolchildren from each of the 43 municipality of endemic area of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The methodology is recommended by the World Health Organization to conduct sampled surveys among children at elementary school levels, ideal target group for baseline surveys: (i) schools are accessible; (ii) the greatest prevalence of schistosomiasis is found within this group; (iii) the data gathered from this age group can be used for intervention within the community as a whole. The following infection indicators were utilized: positivity (percentage of individuals examined with eggs of Schistosoma mansoni in the feces) and severity (geometric mean number of eggs per gram of feces, epg). These indicators allowed the area in general and the municipalities in particular to be categorized into prevalence and severity classes for S. mansoni. The prevalence classes were: low ( 10 and < 50%), and high (> 50%); the severity classes were: low (1-99 epg), moderate (100-399 epg), and severe (> 400 epg). For the geohelminthic diseases, the following indicators were used: positivity for each geohelminth (percentage of individuals examined with eggs of geohelminths), and cumulative positivity (percentage of individuals examined with eggs of at least one geohelminth). The municipalities were categorized by means of their cumulative positivity into the following geohelminth prevalence classes (WHO 2002): low (< 50%), medium (> 50 and < 70%), and high (> 70%). The study covered 271 schools in 179 different localities, thus giving a total of 11,234 examinations performed. The overall positivity for S. mansoni was 14.4% and the egg count for this parasite in the feces gave a geometric mean of 67.9 epg which suggests a low general state of infection. These results allow this mesoregion to be categorized as presenting medium prevalence and low severity of schistosomiasis. The overall positivity rates for the geohelminths, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostomidae, and Trichuris trichiura were, respectively, 30.4, 10.1, and 27.8%; the cumulative positivity was 45.4%. These results allow this mesoregion to be categorized as presenting low prevalence of geohelminthic diseases. The data show some municipalities in Pernambuco with prevalence greater than 20%, while others presented parasite loads greater than 100 epg. These indicators attest to the significant morbidity due to schistosomiasis regarding to the severity of infections established in young populations.

The Program for Schistosomiasis Control within the Unified Health System (PCE-SUS) was implemented by 1999 in the Rainforest Zone or "Zona da Mata" of Pernambuco (ZMP) aiming to carry out biennial stool surveys of whole populations through municipal health organs followed by treatment of the positives through the local units of the Family Health Program (PSF). Yearly reports from the Health Department of Pernambuco State (SES/PE) from 2002 to 2004 on the PCE-SUS surveys were assessed to evaluate whether the current estimates of prevalence in the municipalities of the ZMP are based on reliable samples so as to allow considerations on the real situation of schistosomiasis in that area. The surveys carried out in that period did not follow the major principles underlying sampling design, thus posing problems in both precision and validity of the estimates. Only 12 out of 43 municipalities had minimally reliable estimates: five with moderate prevalence (10-50%) and seven with low prevalence (< 10%). Surveys with appropriate sampling procedures aimed either at representative target groups (school-aged children) or communities are recommended for the ZMP and other endemic areas not only to provide reliable information on the current situation of schistosomiasis but also to plan adequate control strategies.

Resolution 19 of the 54th World Health Assembly (WHA-54.19) urged member nations to promote preventive measures, ensure treatment and mobilize resources for control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH). The minimum target is to attend 75% of all school-age children at risk by year 2010. The Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) recommends biennial surveys of whole communities and treatment of the positives through the Schistosomiasis Control Program within the Unified Health System (PCE-SUS). However, by 2004 the PCE-SUS had covered only 8.4% of the 1.2 million residents in the Rainforest Zone of Pernambuco (ZMP). Six of the 43 municipalities still remained unattended. Only three of the municipalities already surveyed reached coverage of 25% or more. At least 154 thousand children in the 7-14 years old range have to be examined (and treated if positive) within the next five years to attend the minimum target of the WHA 54.19 for the ZMP. To make this target feasible, it is suggested that from 2006 to 2010 the PCE-SUS actions should be complemented with school-based diagnosis and treatment, involving health and educational organs as well as community associations to include both children in schools and non-enrolled school-age children.

Background: Seahorses are endangered teleost fishes under increasing human pressures worldwide. In Brazil, marine conservationists and policy-makers are thus often skeptical about the viability of sustainable human-seahorse interactions. This study focuses on local ecological knowledge on seahorses and the implications of their non-lethal touristic use by a coastal community in northeastern Brazil. Community-based seahorse-watching activities have been carried out in Maracaípe village since 1999, but remained uninvestigated until the present study. Our goal is to provide ethnoecological understanding on this non-extractive use to support seahorse conservation and management. Methods: We interviewed 32 informants through semi-structured questionnaires to assess their socioeconomic profile, their knowledge on seahorse natural history traits, human uses, threats and abundance trends. Results: Seahorse-watching has high socioeconomic relevance, being the primary income source for all respondents. Interviewees elicited a body of knowledge on seahorse biology largely consistent with up-to-date research literature. Most informants (65.5 %) perceived no change in seahorse abundance. Their empirical knowledge often surpassed scientific reports, i.e. through remarks on trophic ecology; reproductive aspects, such as, behavior and breeding season; spatial and temporal distribution, suggesting seahorse migration related to environmental parameters. Conclusions: Seahorse-watching operators were aware of seahorse biological and ecological aspects. Despite the gaps remaining on biological data about certain seahorse traits, the respondents provided reliable information on all questions, adding ethnoecological remarks not yet assessed by conventional scientific surveys. We provide novel ethnobiological insight on non-extractive modes of human-seahorse interaction, eliciting environmental policies to integrate seahorse conservation with local ecological knowledge and innovative ideas for seahorse sustainable use. Our study resonates with calls for more active engagement with communities and their local ecologies if marine conservation and development are to be reconciled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siphonops paulensis Boettger, 1892 is a Neotropical siphonopid caecilian widely distributed in South America. Herein, we fill knowledge gaps in the distribution of S. paulensis mostly in northeastern Brazil, including four new state records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine cutaneous leishmaniasis by Leishmania braziliensis is a neglected, but widespread disease of dogs in South America. This paper describes clinical and hematological alterations in 17 L. braziliensis-infected dogs from Brazil. The most common hematological findings were thrombocytopenia (82.4%), anemia (70.6%), low packed cell volume (52.9%) and eosinophilia (41.2%). Twelve (70.6%) dogs displayed at least one evident physical alteration; 11 dogs (64.7%) presented skin lesions, four (23.5%) had weight loss and two (11.8%) onychogryphosis. L. braziliensis-infected dogs present clinical and hematological signs often observed in dogs infected by other pathogens. This indicates that veterinarians and public health workers should not consider the presence of non-specific clinical signs as diagnostic criteria for visceral leishmaniasis in dogs living endemic areas to avoid misdiagnosis and subsequent elimination of dogs infected by L. braziliensis.A leishmaniose cutânea canina causada por Leishmania braziliensis é uma doença negligenciada, mas disseminada entre cães na America do Sul. Este artigo descreve alterações clínicas e hematológicas em 17 cães infectados por L. braziliensis do Brasil. As alterações hematológicas mais comuns foram trombocitopenia (82,4%), anemia (70,6%), baixo valor de hematócrito (52,9%) e eosinofilia (41,2%). Doze (70,6%) cães apresentaram pelo menos uma alteração física; 11 (64,7%) apresentaram lesões cutâneas, quatro (23,5%) perda de peso e dois (11,8%) onicogrifose. Cães infectados por L. braziliensis apresentaram alterações clínicas e hematológicas inespecíficas que são comumente observadas em cães infectados por outros patógenos. Isso indica que veterinários e profissionais de saúde pública não deveriam considerar a presença de tais sinais clínicos como critério de diagnóstico para leishmaniose visceral em cães, em áreas endêmicas, no intuito de evitar um diagnóstico equivocado e a subsequente eliminação de cães infectados por L. braziliensis.

The abundance of snail hosts and the rates of infection with Schistosoma mansoni were monitored monthly for four years in two representative localities subjected to repeated chemotherapy of infected persons. Snail abundance varied from 1.0 to 4.4 collected per person/minute/station for Biomphalaria straminea and from 0.1 to 7.0 for B. glabrata. Infection rates of snails in nature varied from 0% to 15% for the former and from 0% to 70% for the latter species. Human infection increased from 35.5% to 61.9% in the locality occupied by B. straminea, and decreased from 40.3% to 20.8% in that occupied by B. glabrata. No relationship could be detected between human infection and the snail variables. Despite seasonal variations, natural infection persisted throughout the monitoring period in both snail species. It reached remarkably high levels in B. straminea when compared to those obtained by other authors probably because of differences in methodology. It is recommended that longitudinal studies should be carried out focally and periodically to avoid underestimating the prevalence of schistosome infection in snails.

O presente trabalho consiste de um estudo taxonômico sobre a família Bombacaceae no Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil. Constatou-se a ocorrência de sete espécies distribuídas em seis gêneros: Bombacopsis retusa (Mart. & Zucc.) A. Robyns, Ceiba glaziovii (Kuntze) K. Schum., Eriotheca crenulaticalyx A. Robyns, Pachira aquatica Aubl., Pseudobombax marginatum (A. St.-Hil.) A. Robyns, Pseudobombax simplicifolium A. Robyns e Quararibea turbinata (Sw.) Poir. Chave para identificação das espécies, descrições, material examinado, ilustrações e comentários sobre distribuição geográfica e habitat são apresentados. Bombacopsis retusa e Pseudobombax marginatum são referidas pela primeira vez para Pernambuco.The present work is a taxonomic study on the family Bombacaceae in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. Seven species were found , distributed in six genera: Bombacopsis retusa (Mart. & Zucc.) A. Robyns, Ceiba glaziovii (Kuntze) K. Schum., Pachira aquatica Aubl., Pseudobombax marginatum (A. St.-Hil.) A. Robyns, Pseudobombax simplicifolium A. Robyns and Quararibea turbinata (Sw.) Poir. Species, Key descriptions, examined material, illustrations and comments on the geographic distribution and habitat are presented. Bombacopsis retusa and Pseudobombax marginatum are recorded for the first time in the State of Pernambuco.

The present work reports on two epidemiological episodes resulting in acute schistosomiasis involving wealthy persons living in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. The authors discuss the epidemiological, clinical and serologic characteristics of the acute infections and also the way in which the conditions for transmission occurred.

De coletas efetuadas em três remanescentes de Mata Atlântica de Pernambuco, no período de outubro/1997 a setembro/1998, foram identificadas, entre outras espécies de Aphyllophorales, duas espécies que estão sendo referidas pela primeira vez para o Brasil: Phellinus aureobruneus Wright & Blumenfeld e Trichaptum abietinum (Dicks.: Fr) Ryv. Descrições macro e microscópicas, distribuição geográfica, discussão e ilustrações das espécies são fornecidas.Aphyllophorales was collected between October/1997 and September/1998 in three Atlantic Rain Forest remnants in the State of Pernambuco, northeast Brazil. Two species are new records for Brazil: Phellinus aureobruneus Wright & Blumenfeld and Trichaptum abietinum (Dicks.: Fr) Ryv. Macro and microscopic descriptions, geographyc distribution, discussion and species illustrations are provided.