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Indoor residual spray (IRS), mainly employing pyrethroid insecticides, is the most common intervention for preventing malaria transmission in many regions of Latin America; the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) has been more limited. Knockdown resistance (kdr) is a well-characterized target-site resistance mechanism associated with pyrethroid and DDT resistance. Most mutations detected in acetylcholinesterase-1 (Ace-1) and voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) genes are non-synonymous, resulting in a change in amino acid, leading to the non-binding of the insecticide. In the present study, we analyzed target-site resistance in Nyssorhynchus darlingi, the primary malaria vector in the Amazon, in multiple malaria endemic localities. We screened 988 wild-caught specimens of Ny. darlingi from three localities in Amazonian Peru and four in Amazonian Brazil. Collections were conducted between 2014 and 2021. The criteria were Amazonian localities with a recent history as malaria hotspots, primary transmission by Ny. darlingi, and the use of both IRS and LLINs as interventions. Fragments of Ace-1 (456 bp) and VGSC (228 bp) were amplified, sequenced, and aligned with Ny. darlingi sequences available in GenBank. We detected only synonymous mutations in the frequently reported Ace-1 codon 280 known to confer resistance to organophosphates and carbamates, but detected three non-synonymous mutations in other regions of the gene. Similarly, no mutations linked to insecticide resistance were detected in the frequently reported codon (995) at the S6 segment of domain II of VGSC. The lack of genotypic detection of insecticide resistance mutations by sequencing the Ace-1 and VGSC genes from multiple Ny. darlingi populations in Brazil and Peru could be associated with low-intensity resistance, or possibly the main resistance mechanism is metabolic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main issues related to water conservation in urban centers are the increase in water supply cost, demand growth, pollution and differences in the distribution of water resources. Water conservation, the controlled and efficient use of water, includes both measures as reasonable means of water reuse. Thus, conservation practices are an effective way to meet demand and supply water to new activities and users without jeopardizing the supplying water bodies and preserving the natural environment. This study aims to examine the water management of a shopping mall, the use of rainwater harvesting combined with greywater reuse, to investigate the feasibility of these water reuse systems. For buildings in general, water loss is common due to leaks in the hydraulic and restroom equipment. These losses, which are caused by a high volume of water used and wasted in the system, are often the result of design errors, incorrect maintenance procedures and users' bad habits. In southern Brazil, where there is an abundance of rainwater, water shortages occasionally occur, particularly in the winter. One difficulty that appears on rainwater studies is the proper determination of rainwater volume that can be used to address water supply systems. In this work, the simulation method was used to determine this volume. Thus, simulations with the following variables: rainfall, catchment area and water consumption were performed. For mall's hydraulic systems, segmented alternatives are adopted. That is, focusing on the use of rainwater or greywater reuse. Other alternatives are underutilized due to sanitary issues, those are water from toilets and kitchen sinks. The adoption of greywater may be feasible if there is a significant flow of greywater to comply water demand for toilet flushing. The inspections made in this study found that the quantity of sinks was insufficient to supply an adequate amount of water to toilets and urinals. The greywater reuse system was found to be infeasible. Conversely, the rainwater harvesting system was entirely feasible and easily supplied water to all restrooms and contributed to the cooling of the air conditioning system with a short payback period. One of the challenges of this work was the need to compare the actual water consumption with a water consumption parameter used in buildings. Thus, a method that addresses the generation of specific consumption indexes for specific activity (like a mall) was used. The water consumption indices showed that this mall has a satisfactory water management program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bombay (Oh) phenotype is a rare phenotype in which red blood cells lack the H antigen as a result of a point mutation in the H gene. Oh patients are a challenge in transfusion medicine. We present a case of a pediatric patient with the Bombay phenotype who was carried to the emergency department of the Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación in Medellín, Colombia. The patient presented gastrointestinal hemorrhage and required transfusion therapy. Pretransfusion and molecular immunohematological analyses identified the Bombay phenotype. The patient was transfused with Oh red blood cells imported to Colombia from the Hematology and Hemotherapy Center of Ceará (Hemoce) in Fortaleza, Brazil. This first case of an Oh individual in Colombia highlights the need to look for donors with rare phenotypes to fulfill the transfusion requirements of the population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have disclosed no conflict of interest relevant to the manuscript submitted to Transfusion and Apheresis Science., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The lack of highly-productive Nyssorhynchus darlingi laboratory colonies limits some studies. We report the first well-established laboratory colony of Ny. darlingi in Brazil., Methods: Mosquitoes were collected from Porto Velho and were reared at the Laboratory of Fiocruz/RO. After induced mating by light stimulation in the F1 to F6, the subsequent generations were free mating. Larvae were reared in distilled water and fed daily until pupation., Results: In 11 generations, the colony produced a high number of pupae after the F5 generation., Conclusions: These results demonstrate the potential for permanently establishing Ny. darlingi colonies for research purposes in Brazil.