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Teacher immediacy and classroom communication apprehension have been well researched in the United States. Instructional communication research in Brazil is limited, and several topics still demand investigation among the population of Brazil. This study extends current research on teacher immediacy and classroom communication apprehension to the Brazilian population. We should extend the analysis to the Brazilian context instead of relying on previous investigations from other regions as the basis for cross-cultural theorizing. A total of 221 students participated in the survey. This study reports four significant findings: (1) Brazilian students' perceptions of teacher immediacy are greater than American students' perceptions of teacher immediacy; (2) American students have higher levels of Classroom Communication Apprehension than Brazilian students; (3) Classroom communication apprehension is negatively correlated with American students' perceptions of teacher immediacy; and (4) Classroom communication apprehension is not significantly correlated with Brazilian students' perceptions of teacher immediacy. Highly immediate teachers will have less apprehensive students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of GB virus C (GBV-C) varies widely throughout the world. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, to estimate the prevalence of GBV-C infection and to identify associated risk factors, using a large sampling of the general population rather than blood donors or an illness-related group of subjects. GBV-C RNA was detected by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction using primers directed to the 5′ noncoding region (NCR) and nonstructural 5A region (NS5A) in serum samples from 1,039 healthy individuals 2 years of age or more. Fifty-two individuals were positive for both sets of primers and one was positive for NS5A only (prevalence of GBV-C infection, 5.1%; 95%CI, 3.9–6.7%). No child under 5 years of age was found positive. Among subjects aged 5 years or more, the prevalence of infection increased consistently with age, up to 30–39 years (8.3%), and decreased from then on. The number of sexual partners in the last 3 years (2 or more: OR, 2.6; 95%CI, 1.3–5.5) and history of contact with blood-sucking insects (OR, 2.5; 95%CI 1.2–5.4) were independently associated with GBV-C infection. In conclusion, the prevalence of GBV-C infection is high in São Paulo. In addition to parenteral transmission, another route, e.g. sexual or vertical, may be involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]