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Background: In Brazil, human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) is caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum, primarily transmitted by the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis, with dogs acting as the main urban reservoir. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of 4% deltamethrin-impregnated dog collars (DMC) on HVL incidence. Methods: This is a community intervention study carried out from 2012 to 2015 in the municipalities of Araguaína, State of Tocantins, and Montes Claros, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Two areas in each were randomly allocated to either (1) culling seropositive dogs + residual insecticide spraying (control area—CA) or (2) culling seropositive dogs + residual insecticide spraying + DMC fitted to dogs every six months for two years (intervention area—IA). Cases of HVL (n = 1202) occurring from 2008 to 2020 were identified from the Brazilian Reportable Diseases Information System and georeferenced to the control and intervention areas. The HVL cases from 2008 to 2012 were considered as occurring in the "pre-intervention" period. Those cases from 2013 to 2016 and from 2017 to 2020 were regarded as occurring in the "intervention" and "post-intervention" periods, respectively. We used a mixed-effects Poisson regression model to estimate the effectiveness of the intervention, comparing the changes from the pre-intervention period to the intervention and post-intervention periods in the control and intervention areas. Results: In Araguaína, there was a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of HVL in both the control and intervention areas, comparing both the intervention and post-intervention periods with the pre-intervention period. The intervention with DMC was significantly associated with a reduction in HVL when comparing the intervention and pre-intervention periods, yielding an effectiveness estimate of the DMC of 27% (IC95% 1–46%, p = 0.045). No differences were observed when comparing the pre- and post-intervention periods (p = 0.827). In Montes Claros, cases reduced in both the control and intervention areas from the pre-intervention period to the intervention period (p = 0.913). In the post-intervention period, the incidence increased in the control area, while cases continued to decrease in the DMC area (p = 0.188). Conclusions: The use of DMC was associated with a reduction of 27% in the incidence of HVL during the period of DMC delivery, indicating that DMC is effective as an additional strategy for controlling visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. However, no significant reduction associated with DMC was detected after the intervention period, suggesting that a control program based on the large-scale deployment of DMC might have to be maintained for more extended periods without interruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 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.)

It is assumed that the literature review is fundamental for any research, thus, the present study aims to analyze the discussions of articles of Brazilian scientific journals referring to the theme accounting conservatism in the from 2007 to 2018. In this sense, a systematic bibliographic review was carried out with a complement of bibliometric analysis of the journals found. As for the results, it allows us to conclude that, in Brazil, accounting conservatism is still discussed, and that the process of convergence to international accounting standards has leveraged the discussions. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the discussion of accounting conservatism and its relationship with international norms are recent and that the theme and questions were not ended with the removal of conservatism from the conceptual structure. Regarding the relevance, it is believed that studies of this type help the academy to analyze and reflect in relation to its productions, in this case, reflect on accounting conservatism, a theme taken from the accounting conceptual structure adopted in Brazil but that is still present in brazilian scientific production. As contributions, it is possible to highlight that the theme under discussion was not forgotten by researchers in the accounting area. Another point to consider is the findings of the surveys up to 2018, where they sometimes show benefits from the use of international standards in the quality of accounting information, sometimes they show insignificance, a fact that confronts the objectives of international standards and the quality of accounting information, which highlights a theme full of concerns and an opportune environment for further discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Higiene e Sanidade Animal is the property of Associacao Cientifica dos Medicos Veterinarios do Ceara 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.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 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.)

Leishmania infantum is the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Americas with domestic dogs being its major reservoir hosts. The main VL vector is the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis, while other Lutzomyia species may play a role in disease transmission. Although the genetic structure of L. infantum populations has been widely evaluated, only a few studies have addressed this subject coupled to the genetic structure of the respective sandfly vectors. In this study, we analyzed the population structure of L. infantum in three major VL endemic areas in Brazil and associated it with Lutzomyia longipalpis geographic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the effect of insecticide spraying for vector control and elimination of infected dogs on the incidence of human infection with L. infantum, a randomized community intervention trial was carried out in the city of Teresina, Brazil. Methods/Principal Findings: Within each of ten localities in the city, four blocks were selected and randomized to 4 interventions: 1) spraying houses and animal pens with insecticide; 2) eliminating infected dogs; 3) combination of spraying and eliminating dogs, and 4) nothing. The main outcome is the incidence of infection assessed by the conversion of the Montenegro skin test (MST) after 18 months of follow-up in residents aged ≥1 year with no previous history of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Reactions were measured at 48–72 h, induration of ≥5 mm considered positive. Interventions were executed after the baseline interview and repeated 6 and 12 months later. The effects of each type of intervention scheme on the incidence of infection were assessed by calculating relative risks and 95% confidence intervals using Poisson population-averaged regression models with robust variance. Among the 1105 participants, 408 (37%) were MST positive at baseline. Of the 697 negatives, only 423 (61%) were reexamined at the end of the follow-up; 151 (36%) of them converted to a positive MST. Only dog culling had some statistically significant effect on reducing the incidence of infection, with estimates of effectiveness varying between 27% and 52%, depending on the type of analysis performed. Conclusions/Significance: In light of the continuous spread of VL in Brazil despite the large scale deployment of insecticide spraying and dog culling, the relatively low to moderate effectiveness of dog culling and the non-significant effect of insecticide spraying on the incidence of human infection, we conclude that there is an urgent need for revision of the Brazilian VL control program. Author Summary: Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) constitutes a serious public health problem in the Americas, particularly in Brazil. The disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum, which is transmitted by the bite of female sand flies, and dogs are the main source of infection. To decrease the risk of transmission, the Brazilian VL control program recommends residual insecticide spraying and environmental management for vector control, and culling of seropositive dogs in areas with moderate to high levels of transmission. Because there is a lack of scientific evidence supporting such interventions, we designed a study to assess the effectiveness of dog culling and residual insecticide spraying in the reduction of incidence of human VL infection. The results show that only dog culling had some statistically significant effect on reducing the incidence of infection, with estimates of effectiveness varying between 27% and 52%. In light of the continuous spread of VL in Brazil despite the large scale deployment of insecticide spraying and dog culling, the relatively low to moderate effectiveness of dog culling and the non-significant effect of insecticide spraying on the incidence of human infection, we conclude that there is an urgent need for revision of the Brazilian VL control program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 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 first analytic groups formed in Brazil were a psychiatrist initiative in the late 1950s to meet the substantial demand for psychotherapeutic care for a large population with inadequate access to material resources. Although group-analytic psychotherapy arrived in private practice a few years later with great success, such therapy has always been a privilege in public institutions that provide free care for low-income populations. This article reports the development of a group-analytic psychotherapy process performed for over 4 years with a neurotic low-income patient group in the psychiatric ward of a major urban hospital in Rio de Janeiro. The department is responsible for clinical education and training of psychiatrists and psychologists. The treatment provided is preferably performed in the group setting. The group report illustrates how group-analytic psychotherapy is delivered in public institutions in Brazil, presenting both its difficulties and specificities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although cervical cancer remains a major public health problem in Brazil, knowledge of cervical cytological abnormalities among HIV-infected women remains scarce. At baseline evaluation of a cohort followed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 703 HIV-infected women underwent cytology-based cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing. Poisson regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of factors with the presence of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). Cervical cytology was abnormal in 24.3% of the women; 4.1% had HSIL. Beyond HPV infection, factors independently associated with the presence of HSIL was age (≥25 and ≤40 years, prevalence ratio [PR] 2.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-6.10), and more than three pregnancies was protective (PR 0.33, 95% CI 0.11-0.94). High coverage of cervical cancer screening is warranted to prevent morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public awareness about Benthic Harmful Algal Blooms (BHABs) and their negative impacts has increased substantially over the past few decades. Even so, reports of BHABs remain relatively scarce in South America (SA). This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on BHABs in the continent, by integrating data from published articles, books, and technical reports. We recorded ∼300 different occurrences of potentially toxic BHAB species over the Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific coasts, mostly in marine (>95%) but also in estuarine areas located from 12⁰36' N to 54⁰53' S. Over 70% of the data was published/released within the past 10 years, and ∼85% were concentrated in Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. Benthic species were mainly associated with macroalgae, seagrass and sediment. Incidental detection in the plankton was also relevant, mainly in places where studies targeting BHAB species are still rare, like Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Peru. The study listed 31 infrageneric taxa of potentially toxic benthic dinoflagellates and eight of estuarine cyanobacteria occurring in SA, with the greatest species diversity recorded in the equatorial-tropical zone, mainly in northeastern Brazil (Atlantic), Venezuela and Colombia (Caribbean), and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador (Pacific). Local strains of Amphidinium, Gambierdiscus, Coolia and Prorocentrum spp. produced toxic compounds of emerging concern. Prorocentrum lima species complex was the most common and widely distributed taxon, followed by Ostreopsis cf. ovata. In fact, these two dinoflagellates were associated with most BHAB events in SA. Whereas the former has caused the contamination of multiple marine organisms and cases of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning in subtropical and temperate areas, the latter has been associated with faunal mortalities and is suspected of causing respiratory illness to beach users in tropical places. Ciguatera Poisoning has been reported in Colombia (∼240 cases; no deaths) and Venezuela (60 cases; two deaths), and may be also a risk in other places where Gambierdiscus spp. and Fukuyoa paulensis have been reported, such as the Galapagos Islands and the tropical Brazilian coast. Despite the recent advances, negative impacts from BHABs in SA are intensified by limited research/training funding, as well as the lack of official HAB monitoring and poor analytical capability for species identification and toxin detection in parts of the continent., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Brazilian Nutritional Consensus in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Children and Adolescents was developed by dietitians, physicians, and pediatric hematologists from 10 Brazilian reference centers in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The aim was to emphasize the importance of nutritional status and body composition during treatment, as well as the main characteristics related to patient´s nutritional assessment. This consensus is intended to improve and standardize nutrition therapy during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The consensus was approved by the Brazilian Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation.

American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) is a zoonosis caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. In Brazil, the disease is caused by Leishmania infantum and the main vector is the phlebotomine sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis, found both in natural ecotopes and in the rural and urban environments, being very well adapted to the peridomestic environment. The domestic dog has been incriminated as the main reservoir of the parasite in the urban environment, but the control measures based on culling seropositive dogs have not shown to be effective to contain the spread of the disease throughout the country. Many studies evaluated risk factors for human visceral leishmaniasis but few focused on the socioeconomic and environmental factors associated with infection among dogs. Knowledge of these factors might help identify the conditions that contribute to the maintenance of transmission cycles in the urban environment and identify new targets for intervention. The objective of this study was to assess the association between socioeconomic and environmental factors and the occurrence of canine leishmaniasis at Teresina city, Brazil. This cross-sectional study was developed in ten districts of Teresina, involving 532 houses and 810 dogs. Peripheral blood samples were collected by vein punction using vacutainer tubes without anticoagulant for performing serological test (indirect immunofluorescence - IFI). Serum samples with IFI titers ≥1: 80 were considered positive. Owners of the selected dwellings were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire addressing socioeconomic and environment aspects. The association between variables and seropositivity was assessed through multilevel logistic regression models. Global seropositivity was 39%. There was no statistically significant difference between seropositivity and age and sex of animals, literacy of the household head, presence of other domestic animals or with household characteristic like water supply, inadequate sewage disposal system, type of floor and roof. Mixed-breed dogs and those living for a long time in houses with absence of masonry walls and presence of a kennel showed higher odds of seropositivity. These results suggest that some peridomestic characteristics, especially the absence of barriers that allow dogs to have free access to the street, in association with the presence of a kennel, might contribute to maintaining the infection cycle in urban areas. Intervention measures oriented to the management of the peridomestic environment and responsible dog possession could be useful tools for reducing disease burden in endemic area., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite the wide variety of variables commonly employed to measure the success of rehabilitation, the assessment and subsequent definition of indicators of environmental rehabilitation status are not simple tasks. The main challenges are comparing rehabilitated sites with target ecosystems as well as integrating individual environmental and eventually collinear variables into a single tractable measure for the state of a system before effective indicators that track rehabilitation may be modeled. Furthermore, a consensus is lacking regarding which and how many variables need to be surveyed for a reliable estimation of rehabilitation status. Here, we propose a multivariate ordination to integrate variables related to ecological processes, vegetation structure, and community diversity into a single estimation of rehabilitation status. As a case, we employed a curated set of 32 environmental variables retrieved from nonrevegetated, rehabilitating and reference sites associated with iron ore mines from the Urucum Massif, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. By integrating this set of environmental variables into a single estimation of rehabilitation status, the proposed multivariate approach is straightforward and able to adequately address collinearity among variables. The proposed methodology allows for the identification of biases towards single variables, surveys or analyses, which is necessary to rank environmental variables regarding their importance to the assessment. Furthermore, we show that bootstrapping permitted the detection of the minimum number of environmental variables necessary to achieve reliable estimations of the rehabilitation status. Finally, we show that the proposed variable integration enables the definition of case-specific environmental indicators for more rapid assessments of mineland rehabilitation. Thus, the proposed multivariate ordination represents a powerful tool to facilitate the diagnosis of rehabilitating sites worldwide provided that sufficient environmental variables related to ecological processes, diversity and vegetation structure are gathered from nonrehabilitated, rehabilitating and reference study sites. By identifying deviations from predicted rehabilitation trajectories and providing assessments for environmental agencies, this proposed multivariate ordination increases the effectiveness of (mineland) rehabilitation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The implantation of Long-Term Central Venous Catheters (LTCVC) in cancer patients has been essential to conduct the oncological treatments of today. The complexity of the protocols requires accuracy on the management of such devices in order to keep them long-functioning. The article focuses on such subject from an oncological perspective, pointing out threats of the disease to the central venous system (CVS) and the ways to face them successfully. The most salient points related to surgical techniques and the insights to follow-up long-term inserted catheters are discussed. An anatomical classification is suggested to help understand occurrence of malpositions and to north the necessary maneuvers of repositioning. Such matters are based on 3000 LTCVC-placements performed by the author at the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) between 1999 and 2011. As nearly 30% of the patients presented some sort of anatomical disorder at the moment of the surgery, it was judged worthy to address such experience to those young surgical oncologists willing to tackle LTCVCs in Cancer Units., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of first-line combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) between premenopausal and postmenopausal women., Methods: ART-naïve women initiating cART between January 2000/June 2010 at the Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas Cohort were studied. Women were defined as postmenopausal after 12 consecutive months of amenorrhea. CD4 cell counts and HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL) measurements were compared between pre- and postmenopausal at 6, 12 and 24 months after cART initiation. Women who modified/discontinued a drug class or died due to an AIDS defining illness were classified as ART-failures. Variables were compared using Wilcoxon test, χ2 or Fisher's exact test. The odds of cART effectiveness (VL<400 copies/mL and/or no need to change cART) were compared using logistic regression. Linear model was used to access relationship between CD4 change and menopause., Results: Among 383 women, 328 (85%) were premenopausal and 55 (15%) postmenopausal. Median pre cART CD4 counts were 231 and 208 cells/mm(3) (p = 0.14) in pre- and postmenopausal women, respectively. No difference in the median pre cART VL was found (both 4.8 copies/mL). Median CD4 changes were similar at 6 and 12 months. At 24 months after cART initiation, CD4 changes among postmenopausal women were significantly lower among premenopausal women (p = 0.01). When the analysis was restricted to women with VL<400 copies/mL, no statistical difference was observed. Overall, 63.7% achieved cART effectiveness at 24 months without differences between groups at 6, 12 and 24 months., Conclusion: Menopause status at the time of first-line cART initiation does not impact CD4 cell changes at 24 months among women with a virologic response. No relationship between menopause status and virologic response was observed.

We investigated the occurrence of Leishmania infantum chagasi in Didelphis albiventris opossums at a wild animal rehabilitation center in the city of Campo Grande, Brazil. A total of 54 opossums were tested for L. i. chagasi infection in peripheral blood and bone marrow samples. The samples were analyzed by direct examination, culturing in a specific medium, and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Leishmania i. chagasi DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 11 (20.37%) animals. A total of 81.81% of positive opossums were captured in areas of known visceral leishmaniasis transmission. These results suggest a role for D. albiventris in the urban transmission of visceral leishmaniasis.

Introduction: Many studies have evaluated risk factors for human visceral leishmaniasis, but few have focused on the infection among dogs. The objective of this study was to assess the association between peridomestic socioeconomic and environmental factors and the presence of dogs seropositive for Leishmania chagasi in the City of Teresina, Brazil., Methods: This case-control study was based on the results of a routine seroepidemiological survey among domestic dogs carried out in 2007. Serological tests were performed by means of indirect immunofluorescence antibody test. All dwellings in which at least one seropositive dog was detected were considered cases, and controls were a random sample of dwellings in which only seronegative dogs were identified. Associations between variables were expressed as odds ratios (OR) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) estimated using multivariate logistic regression., Results: Dwellings with a history of dogs removed by the visceral leishmaniasis control program in the last 12 months had five-fold higher odds of having at least one seropositive dog as compared with dwellings having no history of dog removal (OR = 5.19; 95%CI = 3.20-8.42). Dwellings with cats had 58% increased odds of dog infection as compared with those having no cats (OR = 1.58; 95%CI = 1.01-2.47)., Conclusions: Identification of factors associated with canine visceral leishmaniasis might be used for the delimitation of areas of higher risk for human visceral leishmaniasis, since infection in dogs generally precedes the appearance of human cases.

Introduction: Despite the availability of preventive strategies (screening tests and vaccines), cervical cancer continues to impose a significant health burden in low- and medium-resourced countries. HIV-infected women are at increased risk for infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and thus development of cervical squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)., Methods: Study participants included HIV-infected women enrolling the prospective open cohort of Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IPEC/FIOCRUZ). At cohort entry, women were subjected to conventional Papanicolaou test, HPV-DNA test and colposcopy; lesions suspicious for CIN were biopsied. Histopathology report was based on directed biopsy or on specimens obtained by excision of the transformation zone or cervical conization. Poisson regression modeling was used to assess factors associated with CIN2+ diagnosis., Results: The median age of the 366 HIV-infected women included in the study was 34 years (interquartile range: 28-41 years). The prevalence of CIN1, CIN2 and CIN3 were 20.0%, 3.5%, and 2.2%, respectively. One woman was found to have cervical cancer. The prevalence of CIN2+ was 6.0%. Factors associated with CIN2+ diagnosis in the multivariate model were age < years compared to ≥ 35 years (aPR  =  3.22 95%CI 1.23-8.39), current tobacco use (aPR  =  3.69 95%CI 1.54-8.78), nadir CD4 T-cell count <350 cells/mm3 when compared to ≥ 350 cells/mm3 (aPR  =  6.03 95%CI 1.50-24.3) and concomitant diagnosis of vulvar and/or vaginal intraepithelial lesion (aPR  =  2.68 95%CI 0.99-7.24)., Discussion: Increased survival through wide-spread use of highly active antiretroviral therapy might allow for the development of cervical cancer. In Brazil, limited cytology screening and gynecological care adds further complexity to the HIV-HPV co-infection problem. Integrated HIV care and cervical cancer prevention programs are needed for the prevention of cervical cancer mortality in this group of women.

Objective: To determine impediments to the effective reduction of maternal-infant transmission of HIV in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil., Methods: This is a cohort study, with medical follow-up, of pregnant women with confirmed diagnosis of HIV infection, and their infant children, assisted at the Municipal Specialized Service of Sexually Transmitted Diseases/AIDS from January 2004 to April 2007. Information regarding exposure and outcome variables was collected from their medical records. Frequencies of variables were determined and bivariate analysis performed for exposure factors and transmission of HIV. Relative risks of HIV transmission associated with exposure variables were calculated using 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance of risk associations was evaluated., Results: Seventy-eight mother-child pairs were studied; the rate of maternal-infant transmission of HIV was 7.7%. Variables showing significant association with maternal-infant transmission of HIV were the non-utilization of antiretrovirals for prophylaxis or treatment during pregnancy (RR = 21.00; 95%CI 2.64-166.74, p = 0.001) and diagnosis of maternal disease after pregnancy (RR = 6.80; 95%CI 1.59-29.17, p = 0.025). New pregnancies in women with other children also exposed to HIV occurred in 19.12% (15/78) of cases., Conclusions: There was no reduction in the rate of maternal-infant transmission of HIV in the period 2004-2007 in relation to the preceding triennium. The following were recognized as impediments to the effective reduction of maternal-infant transmission of HIV: low prenatal screening coverage of maternal HIV infection, impairing maternal treatment or prophylaxis; and the incorrect use of the rapid screening test at admission for delivery.

In this work, the moisture adsorption and desorption isotherms were determined with the aim of defining the range of moisture content for storage of sludge powder. Equilibrium moisture content provides the basis for information not only on how much water has been taken out of a system but also on how fast drying is taking place (drying rate). Once the drying process is accomplished, the main concern rests on the storage of the dried final product. Still, the equilibrium moisture content is valuable information in that it has a major effect on the product physical and chemical properties. The present work also addresses the problem of selecting the best fit for equilibrium moisture content of sludge powder out of six well-known correlations for moisture sorption isotherms of solids: Henderson, Henderson-Thompson, Chung-Pfost, Chen-Clayton, Modified Halsey and Oswin. The equilibrium moisture content was determined by the static method (saturated salt solutions), in which the atmosphere surrounding the product is in equilibrium with the product without mechanical movement of the air or the product. Experiments were carried out under isothermal conditions at 20 and 40 degrees C. By calculating the regression coefficient, the residuals and the bias measure of Box for the equilibrium moisture content, the study showed that the Oswin Model was the most suitable. The range enclosed within the adsorption isotherm at 40 degrees C and the desorption isotherm at 20 degrees C defines the moisture extremes for storage in most tropical areas of the world.

In Brazil, control of the vector Lutzomyia longipalpis is one of the main strategies used to limit the expansion of American visceral leishmaniasis. However, studies on the ecology of this sand fly are rare, especially regarding its natural infection with species of Leishmania. A study of the natural infection of Lu. longipalpis by Leishmania sp. was carried out in the Bela Vista neighborhood in the city of Teresina, Piauí State, Brazil, an important area of American visceral leishmaniasis transmission. From February 2004 to January 2005, sand flies were captured with CDC light traps. Approximately 10 female sand flies in each capture were dissected and examined for the presence of evolutionary forms of Leishmania sp. Two sand fly species were identified: 1,832 were Lu. longipalpis and six Lu. whitmani. Twenty female sand flies (1.1%), all Lu. longipalpis, were infected with procyclic and nectomonad forms of Leishmania sp., found mostly in the hindgut. Higher proportions of infected sand flies were found four months after the rainy season, suggesting that environmental factors may predict not only vector abundance (as already known) but also their level of infection.

In spite of their abundance, widespread distribution and medical importance, the phylogenetic relationships among Biomphalaria snails have received relatively little attention. We have collected and studied 29 populations of snails obtained from different localities from Brazil. We have sequenced the ribosomal DNA second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) from the following Biomphalaria species: B. glabrata, B. tenagophila tenagophila, B. occidentalis, B. straminea, B. peregrina, B. kuhniana, B. schrammi, B. amazonica, B. oligoza, B. intermedia and an outgroup species Helisoma duryi. The sequence from each species is unique. Three different methods of phylogenetic reconstruction were used (distance, maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood). The resulting phylogenetic trees obtained by these methods basically support current systematic relationships based on morphological characters alone. This study demonstrates that the ITS2 region contains markers useful for identification and determination of relationships among Biomphalaria species.

Studies based on shell or reproductive organ morphology and genetic considerations suggest extensive intraspecific variation in Biomphalaria snails. The high variability at the morphological and genetic levels, as well as the small size of some specimens and similarities between species complicate the correct identification of these snails. Here we review our work using methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification for analysis of genetic variation and identification of Biomphalaria snails from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Arbitrarily primed-PCR revealed that the genome of B. glabrata exhibits a remarkable degree of intraspecific polymorphism. Low stringency-PCR using primers for 18S rRNA permitted the identification of B. glabrata, B. tenagophila and B. occidentalis. The study of individuals obtained from geographically distinct populations exhibits significant intraspecific DNA polymorphism, however, specimens from the same species, exhibit some species specific LSPs. We also showed that PCR-restriction fragment of length polymorphism of the internal transcribed spacer region of Biomphalaria rDNA, using Ddel permits the differentiation of the three intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni. the molecular biological techniques used in our studies are very useful for the generation of new knowledge concerning the systematics and population genetics of Biomphalaria snails.

The effectiveness of the Quality Control System (QCS) implemented by the Fundação de Assistência ao Escolar (FAE) for quality control of food products from different types and origins purchased by the National School-Feeding Programme (NSFP) in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil, was evaluated. Physicochemical, microbiological, microscopical and organopetical analyses were performed in 4,860 food samples and the main causes of alterations were detected. Perishability was the characteristic used for distribution of food items into 3 main groups: A, B, and C. In accordance with 972 Quality Certificates between 1985 and 1988, 31.89 of the samples were rejected. The main reasons for rejection were innacuracies of net weight and drained weight and high moisture contents. Group B presented the smallest number of altered samples (27%); for Groups A and C these values were 33% and 44%, respectively. Our data lead to the conclusion that the QCS implemented by FAE is of paramount importance for an adequate quality control of foods provided to beneficiaries and for a good cost effectiveness of the school-feeding programme.