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Abstract Recombinant multiepitope proteins (RMPs) are a promising alternative for application in diagnostic tests and, given their wide application in the most diverse diseases, this review article aims to survey the use of these antigens for diagnosis, as well as discuss the main points surrounding these antigens. RMPs usually consisting of linear, immunodominant, and phylogenetically conserved epitopes, has been applied in the experimental diagnosis of various human and animal diseases, such as leishmaniasis, brucellosis, cysticercosis, Chagas disease, hepatitis, leptospirosis, leprosy, filariasis, schistosomiasis, dengue, and COVID-19. The synthetic genes for these epitopes are joined to code a single RMP, either with spacers or fused, with different biochemical properties. The epitopes’ high density within the RMPs contributes to a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The RMPs can also sidestep the need for multiple peptide synthesis or multiple recombinant proteins, reducing costs and enhancing the standardization conditions for immunoassays. Methods such as bioinformatics and circular dichroism have been widely applied in the development of new RMPs, helping to guide their construction and better understand their structure. Several RMPs have been expressed, mainly using the Escherichia coli expression system, highlighting the importance of these cells in the biotechnological field. In fact, technological advances in this area, offering a wide range of different strains to be used, make these cells the most widely used expression platform. RMPs have been experimentally used to diagnose a broad range of illnesses in the laboratory, suggesting they could also be useful for accurate diagnoses commercially. On this point, the RMP method offers a tempting substitute for the production of promising antigens used to assemble commercial diagnostic kits.

Abstract This research aimed to evaluate the resistance to sodium and magnesium sulfates of geopolymeric mortars, prepared with different proportions of alkaline activators of silicate and sodium hydroxide (Ma), Na2O content in relation to metakaolin (MK) and silica modulus (Ms). Additionally, an air-entraining additive was also used in an attempt to mitigate the expansive effects of sulfate attack for 20 weeks. The sulfate resistance properties were evaluated by the change in longitudinal length, mass variation, compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, and microstructure. SEM/EDS analyses suggest the formation of caminite and a change in the structure of the aluminosilicate gel to M-A-S-(H) in mortars exposed to MgSO4, while thenardite was indicated as a harmful product in mortars subjected to Na2SO4. The experimental results also showed that the greater amount of Na2SiO3 in the geopolymer formulation contributes to a denser structure and lower water absorption rate, but resulted in greater physical deterioration and expansion after immersion in sodium magnesium sulfate. The air-entraining additive did not minimize the tensions generated by the sulfate attack. In mortars synthesized with Na2O/MK = 15% and Ms = 1.5 (GEO-15-1.5) and Na2O/MK = 22% and Ms = 1.0 and 1.5 (GEO-22-1.0 and GEO-22-1.5), the compressive strengths were similar to standard samples when immersed in MgSO4, while in the Na2SO4 solution the increase in strength was attributed to the temporary refinement of the pores by sulfate crystals.

Abstract This study investigated the effect of dolomitic lime incorporation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of metakaolin-based geopolymers activated by alkaline solution. Five geopolymer mixtures were prepared with the addition of 0.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, and 10.0% dolomitic lime. The microstructure of the geopolymers was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD). The compressive strength of the mixtures ranged between 53.2 and 63.0 MPa after 28 days of ambient curing. SEM/EDS analyses showed that the main phases formed were the N-A-S-H gel together with the C-A-S-H and N-M-A-S-H gels in the mixtures with dolomitic lime. In summary, the results showed that the incorporation of dolomitic lime can significantly improve the microstructure and properties of geopolymers.

IntroductionEpidemiology is considered both a field of research and a methodological approach within the broader health sciences. It aims to understand health-related events' causes and effects and provide the evidence necessary to prevent disease and implement effective control and prevention strategies. One of the main focuses of epidemiology is identifying the determinant factors in the health situation of populations since health-related anomalies are not randomly distributed among people. This understanding brings up the necessity of considering each place's particularities and observing the regularity of diseases in a population context.MethodsWe present the Contextual-Compositional Approach (CCA) for the discovery of associations between Health Indicators (HI) and Health Determinants (HD) for neonatal mortality rate monitoring in situations of anomalies. CCA uses time series concepts, anomaly detection, and data distribution between classes for studying HD under expected conditions and comparing them to the anomaly conditions indicated by the anomaly detection in the HI. CCA is evaluated using a neonatal mortality database in health facilities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.ResultsThe results show that CCA can reveal essential associations between the health condition and the population's social, economic, and cultural characteristics on different scales.ConclusionCCA stands out because it is easy to apply and understand, requiring little computational resources and parameters.

The development of prophylactic vaccines is important in preventing and controlling diseases such as visceral leishmaniasis (VL), in addition to being an economic measure for public health. Despite the efforts to develop a vaccine against human VL caused by Leishmania infantum, none is available, and the focus has shifted to developing vaccines against canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). Currently, commercially available vaccines are targeted at CVL but are not effective. Different strategies have been applied in developing and improving vaccines, such as using chimeric proteins to expand vaccine coverage. The search for patents can be a way of tracking vaccines that have the potential to be marketed. In this context, the present work presents a summary of immunological aspects relevant to VL vaccine development with a focus on the composition of chimeric protein vaccines for CVL deposited in patent banks as an important approach for biotechnological development. The resulting data could facilitate the screening and selection of antigens to compose vaccine candidates with high performance against VL.

Abstract Carbonation curing differs from weathering carbonation since it is performed intentionally at the early ages of cement hydration. This cure involves applying different levels of CO2 (5% to 99%) to concrete for a short period of time, usually followed by conventional hydration. The objective of this article was to evaluate the carbonation curing in metakaolin-based geopolymer concretes, activated with NaOH and Na2SiO3, and compare them with Portland cement (PC) concrete. The following tests were applied: determination of pH, carbonation depth, water absorption by immersion, void index, and compressive strength. The results showed that after the carbonation curing, the geopolymer concrete had compressive strength and carbonation depth equivalent to the concrete with PC, but with a lower absorbed CO2 content. Although this type of cement absorbs less CO2 but is more sensitive to carbonation. The effect on the void ratio was not remarkable. Furthermore, the alkalinity of concretes can be partially recovered after subsequent curing by water immersion.

# Background Lower limb injuries generate a significant health burden in basketball. Landing technique and ankle-dorsiflexion range of motion have been suggested as risk factors for lower limb injuries among youth athletes, but studies conducted specifically with basketball athletes are lacking. # Hypothesis/Purpose To describe the period prevalence of basketball-related injuries and to examine the association of the history of lower limb injuries with landing technique and ankle-dorsiflexion range of motion asymmetry among youth basketball athletes. # Study Design Cross-Sectional Survey. # Methods Youth basketball athletes were asked to complete a paper-based survey to investigate personal characteristics, training characteristics and their three-month history of basketball-related injuries. The Landing Error Scoring System and the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test were used to evaluate landing technique and ankle-dorsiflexion range of motion. Binary logistic regression was utilized to examine the association of the investigated variables with the presence of history of lower limb injuries among the athletes. # Results A total of 534 athletes participated. The three-month prevalence of basketball-related injuries was 23.2% (95% CI 19.7 -- 27), and the majority of the reported injuries affected the lower limbs (69.7%; n=110). Sprains were the most frequent type of injury (29.1%; n=46), and the ankle (30.4%; n=48) and knee (21.5%; n=34) were the most affected anatomic locations. Landing technique (p = 0.105) and ankle-dorsiflexion range of motion asymmetry (p = 0.529) were not associated with the history of lower limb injuries. # Conclusion The three-month prevalence of basketball-related injuries was 23.2%. Although ankle sprains were the most frequent injury, landing technique and ankle-dorsiflexion range of motion asymmetry were not associated with the history of lower limb injuries among youth basketball athletes. # Level of Evidence 3

Este artigo objetiva investigar a tentativa de cobrar da pessoa monitorada o pagamento das despesas oriundas da tornozeleira eletrônica sob o ponto de vista da expansão econômica do direito penal. A partir de uma pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, observa-se que normas nesse intuito decorrem de um sentimento repressor impregnado em parte da sociedade, somado à austeridade estatal em matéria prisional. Nesse sentido, estados-membros vêm aprovando leis do tipo alegando a competência legislativa concorrente em Direito Penitenciário, incorrendo no vício da inconstitucionalidade formal. Noutro ponto, um enfoque criminológico do problema demonstra que tal obrigação pecuniária prejudica a ressocialização do monitorado, pelo dispêndio de recursos que seriam destinados à subsistência. A pesquisa conclui que a tentativa de cobrança pela tornozeleira eletrônica resulta de um interesse social e estatal na redução de gastos e do garantismo dessa medida cautelar.

abstract: The shrinkage of cementitious materials is a complex phenomenon of volume reduction that can result in cracking, affecting the durability of these materials. The Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 15261 addresses long-term shrinkage without emphasis on the initial phase (< 24h) of hydration, which contains the plastic state of the cementitious material. Therefore, a method was proposed to measure the shrinkage in the first 24h of mortar hydration, on a laboratory scale, from prismatic samples, using molds from the Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 15261 (285x25x25mm) and rigid elements that transmit horizontal displacements of the sample to dial gauges. Cement mortar specimens were studied with the water/dry materials ratio fixed at 0.168 and varying the binder/aggregates ratio linearly: 33% (1:3); 25% (1:4); and 17% (1:6). Different exposures to the environment (sealed, open and wind) were applied. The analysis indicated that the proposed method was sensitive enough to indicate statistically significant relationships between the maximum initial shrinkages and the variation in the concentration of the binders, as well as indicating variations in the behavior of the initial shrinkage. The increase in cement concentration caused an increase in the average initial shrinkage of 76% in the samples exposed to air, 54% in those exposed to 5 m/s wind, and 22% in the sealed samples.

RESUMO: O objetivo central deste artigo é apresentar uma reflexão acerca do processo de encarceramento da população LGBT no Brasil, no contexto da Ditadura Civil-Militar, tomando como fonte de análise o documentário “Temporada de Caça” (1988), de Rita Moreira, que aborda a questão da violência, do encarceramento e do extermínio de homossexuais na cidade de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, nos finais da década de 1980. As discussões estão ancoradas em autores e autoras que discutem gênero e sexualidade sob uma perspectiva não normatizadora.

# Background Throwing athletes present alterations in shoulder rotation range of motion (ROM), but not much is known about the relationship between these alterations and performance measurements in volleyball practitioners. # Purpose To compare the passive ranges of motion of internal rotation (IR), external rotation (ER), and total rotation motion (TRM) of the shoulder in dominant and nondominant limbs of young volleyball athletes and to investigate their relationship with ball speed during serves with and without precision (inside and outside court, respectively). The possible association of anthropometrics and competitive practice time with these velocities was also investigated. # Study Design Cross-sectional study. # Methods Fifty-seven male volleyball athletes (mean age 17.11 ± 1.88 y; weight 74.68 ± 9.7 kg; height 1.87 ± 0.09 cm) were evaluated for shoulder IR and ER with a bubble goniometer and serve speed inside and outside court was measured with a radar gun. Simple and multiple regression analyses were applied to investigate associations of ROM, anthropometrics, and competitive practice time with serve speed. # Results Dominant shoulders had diminished IR ROM compared to nondominant shoulders (59.1º ± 16.7º vs 66.4º ± 16.9º; *p* < 0.001) as well as diminished TRM (173.5º ± 31.8º vs 179.1º ± 29.9º; *p* < 0.001). Simple regression showed negative association between dominant ER and serve speed outside the court (*p* = 0.004). Positive associations existed between age and serve speed in both conditions (*p* < 0.001), BMI and speed inside (*p* = 0.009) and outside the court (*p* = 0.008), and between competitive practice time and speed inside (*p* = 0.008) and outside court (*p* = 0.003). However, multiple analysis confirmed only age (*p* < 0.001) and BMI to be associated with ball velocities (inside court *p* = 0.034; outside court *p* = 0.031). # Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated that young volleyball athletes presented lower IR and TRM of the shoulder in the dominant upper limb. Age and BMI were directly associated with ball velocities when serving. Passive rotation ROM did not have a relationship with this performance measurement. # Level of Evidence 3b

Neste trabalho apresentamos uma visão histórica das atividades e projetos realizados pela Sociedade Brasileira de Matemática no período de 1969-2011. Também apontamos algumas perguntas que poderão nortear trabalhos de pesquisa sobre a sua história. A Sociedade Brasileira de Matemática está sediada no Rio de Janeiro e entre suas ações destacam-se: o estímulo ao ensino de boa qualidade em todos os níveis, produção e divulgação de textos matemáticos (livros e periódicos); a promoção de reuniões científicas periódicas e o incentivo ao intercâmbio entre profissionais de Matemática do Brasil e do exterior.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to describe the effect of genetic composition on body condition score (BCS), on total lactation production, and on metabolic and hormone profiles of Holstein x Gyr cows under the same pre- and postpartum management conditions. The genetic groups ½ (n=8), – (n=10), and ≥⅞ (n=10) Holstein x Gyr (HG) were evaluated within the same farm, and all of them showed typical lactation curves. The time required to reach peak production did not differ between groups. The groups also did not differ as to time to reach the lowest BCS after calving or to recover BCS after calving, nor as to their BCS values in the week of first ovulation, number of weeks required for first ovulation, and service period. However, ½ HG cows had higher BCS at calving, but also greater BCS loss postpartum. Total lactation production and plasma insulin concentrations of – HG cows postpartum were similar to those of cows specifically selected for milk production. Using parameters obtained with Holstein cows to determine management conditions in farms with crossbred cows can have unwanted consequences, since these animals have different metabolic and hormone profiles.

O deslocamento de muitas mulheres de seus países de origem para outros pode estar relacionado a conflitos de guerra, perseguições, situações de extrema pobreza, em que, as mulheres são as maiores vítimas e por muitas vezes, duplamente violadas, pois as violências persistem até mesmo durante o deslocamento forçado, em que se tornam ou voltam a ser vítimas de violência sexual, agressões, assédio, dentre outras violações. Mas tal situação torna-se ainda mais grave quando voltamos o olhar para as mulheres negras, que passam a dispor de diversos fatores contrários à sua inserção no meio social, dentre os quais podemos citar: a questão de gênero, o status de “refugiada”, além da raça. Segundo estudos realizados, dentre as vítimas do refúgio, as meninas e mulheres representam as parcelas com o menor índice de acesso ao sistema educacional; e no que diz respeito à parcela da população negra, esse índice é ainda menor, o que acaba por refletir consequentemente na futura inserção no mercado de trabalho. Dessa forma, entendemos que é indispensável uma atuação efetiva por parte do Estado e bem como da sociedade civil no que condiz ao investimento em políticas de inserção dessas mulheres nos campos educacionais e trabalhistas, como forma de emponderá-las e tornar possível a superação da situação de vulnerabilidade em que se encontram. O trabalho tem como principal finalidade, discutir os instrumentos que devem ser implementados como meio de possibilitar a inserção dessas mulheres no meio social, a fim de lhes proporcionar uma vida digna, de efetivação dos seus direitos, superação das violências sofridas e rompimento com as desigualdades.

This research confronts the following concrete properties: water absorptions (by immersion and capillarity), electrical resistivity and compressive strength. Concrete mixtures with two types of cement were tested. Results showed that concretes with higher content of pozzolan had higher resistivity and greater absorption by capillarity, for water/cement ratios lower than 0,60. This behavior is attributed to reduced pore diameters and microstructure densification. However, for water/cement ratio of 0,60, concrete with lower content of pozzolan presented higher absorption by capillarity. It was observed that the compressive strength and the electrical resistivity behaved inversely proportional to the water/cement ratio, and the absorption by immersion and capillarity are directly proportional to the water/cement ratio. Correlations with high determination coefficients were found between tests.

BACKGROUND Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is an infectious disease that is a significant cause of death among infants aged under 1 year and the elderly in Brazil. Serodiagnosis is a mainstay of VL elimination programs; however, it has significant limitations due to low accuracy. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate three recombinant Leishmania infantum proteins (rFc, rC9, and rA2) selected from previous proteomics and genomics analyses to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunochromatographic tests (ICT) for the serodiagnosis of human VL (HVL) and canine VL (CVL). METHODS A total of 186 human (70 L. infantum-infected symptomatic, 20 other disease-infected, and 96 healthy) and 185 canine (82 L. infantum-infected symptomatic, 27 L. infantum-infected asymptomatic, and 76 healthy) sera samples were used for antibody detection. FINDINGS Of the three proteins, rA2 (91.5% sensitivity and 87% specificity) and rC9 (95.7% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity) displayed the best performance in ELISA-HVL and ELISA-CVL, respectively. ICT-rA2 also displayed the best performance for HVL diagnosis (92.3% sensitivity and 88.0% specificity) and had high concordance with immunofluorescence antibody tests (IFAT), ELISA-rK39, IT-LEISH®, and ELISAEXT. ICT-rFc, ICT-rC9, and ICT-rA2 had sensitivities of 88.6%, 86.5%, and 87.0%, respectively, with specificity values of 84.0%, 92.0%, and 100%, respectively for CVL diagnosis. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The three antigens selected by us are promising candidates for VL diagnosis regardless of the test format, although the antigen combinations and test parameters may warrant further optimisation.

Resumo: Este artigo objetiva analisar, sob a perspectiva da teoria dos Novos Movimentos Sociais, as condições de emergência do Movimento Nacional da Luta Antimanicomial enquanto um movimento social. Realizou-se um estudo de caso em uma perspectiva histórica, no qual conjugaram-se informações oriundas de fontes orais, escritas e documentais acerca do painel de eventos sociais, políticos e econômicos da conjuntura brasileira em que surgiu o MNLA. Tudo isso refletido em uma perspectiva de análise conjuntural e à luz das teorizações de Touraine (2006, 2012) e Gohn (2004, 2010, 2011). Constatou-se que o MNLA configura-se como um movimento social na medida em que reúne os aspectos e as características para que uma ação coletiva seja considerada como tal. Palavras-chave: Movimento Nacional da Luta Antimanicomial. Teoria dos Novos Movimentos Sociais. Movimento Social. Abstract: This article aims to analyze, from the perspective of the theory of the New Social Movements, emergency conditions of the National Anti-Asylum Movement while a social movement. We conducted a case study in a historical perspective, in which conjugated to information from oral sources, written and documentary about the social events panel, Brazilian political and economic environment in which the MNLA emerged. All this reflected in a perspective of conjunctural analysis and in the light of theories of Touraine (2006, 2012) and Gohn (2004, 2010, 2011). It wasfound that the MNLA is configured as a social movement in that it brings togetherthe aspects and characteristics for collective action to be considered as such. Keywords: National Movement Anti-Asylum. Theory of New Social Movements. Social movement.

In Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Rad51 (TcRad51) is a central enzyme for homologous recombination. Here we describe the different roles of TcRad51 in DNA repair. Epimastigotes of T. cruzi overexpressing TcRAD51 presented abundant TcRad51-labeled foci before gamma irradiation treatment, and a faster growth recovery when compared to single-knockout epimastigotes for RAD51. Overexpression of RAD51 also promoted increased resistance against hydrogen peroxide treatment, while the single-knockout epimastigotes for RAD51 exhibited increased sensitivity to this oxidant agent, which indicates a role for this gene in the repair of DNA oxidative lesions. In contrast, TcRad51 was not involved in the repair of crosslink lesions promoted by UV light and cisplatin treatment. Also, RAD51 single-knockout epimastigotes showed a similar growth rate to that exhibited by wild-type ones after treatment with hydroxyurea, but an increased sensitivity to methyl methane sulfonate. Besides its role in epimastigotes, TcRad51 is also important during mammalian infection, as shown by increased detection of T. cruzi cells overexpressing RAD51, and decreased detection of single-knockout cells for RAD51, in both fibroblasts and macrophages infected with amastigotes. Besides that, RAD51-overexpressing parasites infecting mice also presented increased infectivity and higher resistance against benznidazole. We thus show that TcRad51 is involved in the repair of DNA double strands breaks and oxidative lesions in two different T. cruzi developmental stages, possibly playing an important role in the infectivity of this parasite.

O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever a população, as características do treinamento e o histórico de lesões musculoesqueléticas em atletas de handebol do gênero feminino e investigar possíveis associações entre as características de treinamento com lesões musculoesqueléticas relacionadas ao handebol. Participaram deste estudo transversal 220 atletas, que responderam a um questionário autorreportado que abordava dados pessoais, características do treinamento e lesões prévias relacionadas ao handebol nos últimos 12 meses. Os dados foram analisados por estatística descritiva e modelos de regressão logística. Os resultados demonstram que a maioria era constituída de atletas com idade aproximada de 15 anos, com índice de massa corpórea classificado como normal, que realizavam 3 treinos por semana, com carga horária semanal de aproximadamente 8 horas e 30 minutos. As principais lesões encontradas foram as entorses e as tendinopatias, sendo o tornozelo e o joelho as regiões mais acometidas. Somente a experiência no esporte acima de 6 anos mostrou relação estatística com lesões prévias (p=0,032). A prevalência de lesões nos últimos 12 meses nesta população foi de 53,60%.

O presente artigo científico visa analisar a realidade do sistema carcerário brasileiro e a sua relação com o direito fundamental à saúde no interior das unidades de internação. Objetivamos verificar o efetivo cumprimento da Lei de Execução Penal e do Plano Nacional de Saúde Penitenciária que busca a assistência e inclusão das pessoas encarceradas; identificar as condições sanitárias dos presídios brasileiros a partir de dados coletados em pesquisas referenciadas e nos meios de comunicação social; promover o conhecimento do problema público que envolve a saúde no cárcere e, por fim, identificar meios para melhorar o sistema penitenciário brasileiro no que se relaciona ao Direito Sanitário dos encarcerados. Enfatiza-se que a pesquisa foi fundamentada nos seguintes métodos: dedutivo, pois se partiu de premissas já existentes no que se relaciona ao tema, chegando assim a novas respostas relacionadas à realidade do sistema prisional no Brasil; e qualiquantitativo, pois se primou por analisar dados estatísticos e exploratórios provenientes do serviço de saúde prestado nos presídios brasileiros. Evidencia que a técnica da pesquisa foi à bibliográfica, na qual teve como embasamento diversos livros de autores referências no tema e a legislação pertinente, em especial a Lei de Execução Penal, onde se destacam o direito da assistência à saúde, e a Portaria Interministerial nº 1777/2003/GM, que instituiu o Plano Nacional de Saúde no Sistema Penitenciária, e a Constituição Federal de 1988, tendo como ponto de partida o princípio da dignidade da pessoa humana, assegurando ao preso a sua saúde, a integridade física e moral. A partir de como tratamos a saúde dos reclusos nos sistemas penitenciários e quais os princípios a serem respeitados, poderemos traçar elementos distintivos para efetivar esse direito fundamental que tantos problemas trazem não só para a vida dos encarcerados, mas também para dar efetividade a função reintegradora da pena, visto que o direito que está limitado é o exercício pleno de sua liberdade.

O tema da aprendizagem aparece como estratégico no processo gerencial, ainda que se apresente de modo fragmentado e disperso na literatura organizacional. Considerando isso, o trabalho pretende resgatar as abordagens a respeito da aprendizagem no âmbito das teorias das organizações. Procura-se alinhar o texto ao processo de evolução teórica histórica, da teoria clássica à pós-moderna, bem como do ponto de vista da discussão sociológica mais ampla dos paradigmas de análise propostos por Burrel e Morgan. O fio condutor também segue as narrativas analíticas em análise organizacional, conforme apontado por Michael Reed, com o objetivo de contribuir para a consolidação do conceito de aprendizagem em organizações e destacar a importância do tema para as teorias organizacionais. Conclui-se que ainda há espaço de afirmação dos conceitos e pressupostos básicos desse campo a ser explorado na integração da teoria de aprendizagem no contexto organizacional.

Bovine cysticercosis, caused by Taenia saginata metacestodes, is the cause of significant economic losses to the meat production chain by condemnation and downgrading of infected carcasses. It is also a public health issue causing human taeniasis. This study evaluated the occurrence of bovine cysticercosis at the meat inspection procedures in slaughterhouses of south and north regions of the Tocantins State in Brazil. Specimens identified as cysts of T. saginata were collected and analyzed by molecular (PCR) and histopathological techniques. The cysts were collected from March to December of 2010 in slaughterhouses located in the cities of Alvorada (South) and Araguaína (North). The frequency of cystic lesions during the study was 0.033% (53/164,091) with 69.81% of calcified lesions and 30.9% of live cysts at meat inspection. From 14 samples submitted to molecular analysis, 28.57% (4/14) were positive for T. saginata. The histopathological analysis of the non-T. saginata samples showed lesions suggestive of granuloma and hydatid disease. The results indicated that the identification of the etiological agent is difficult by macroscopic inspection, emphasizing the need to associate specific diagnostic methods at meat inspection in abattoirs. In addition, species-specific PCR would be an effective tool for diagnosis, monitoring, and identifying cysticercosis, assisting the conventional tests.

This study evaluated the effect of different salt concentrations on growth, synthesis of organic solutes and ionic balance (Na+, Cl- and K+) of Jatropha curcas L. for 28 days. Seven treatments were established: 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 mol m-3 NaCl in a completely randomized design with five replicates per treatment. The largest concentrations of NaCl the addition of the salt was made gradually to avoid osmotic shock. The number of leaves and leaf area were reduced in plants subjected to salinity from 30 to 45 mol m-3 NaCl, respectively. The production of fresh and dry matter were reduced from 60 mol.m-3 NaCl up to 36%. The concentration of soluble carbohydrates and total soluble proteins increased significantly only in plants exposed to 15 and 30 mol.m-3 and 30 mol.m-3 NaCl, respectively. The total phenol content increased in plants subjected to salinity from 30 mol.m-3 NaCl. The increase in the levels of total phenols, soluble carbohydrates and soluble proteins and the absence of reduced growth in seedlings subjected to 30 mol.m-3 NaCl indicates the activation of an efficient mechanisms of acclimatization of this stress magnitude. The levels of Na+ and Cl- increased in all parts of the plant were increased concentrations of salt in the nutrient solution. The high levels of Na+ and Cl- indicate the absence of extrusion mechanisms of these ions.

The effects of different light quality treatments on in vitro growth and multiplication of sugarcane (RB867515) were investigated. The plantlets were cultivated on MS medium containing 1.3 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and exposed to five light treatments: three combinations of blue/red LED (70:30, 50:50, 30:70), white-LED and fluorescent lamps, during 24 days. Among the LED light treatments, blue/red combination in 50:50 proportions proved to have the best results for stem length, fresh mass, leaf number and shoot multiplication. Higher content of photosynthetic pigments was also obtained with LEDs. Results suggested that the light quality emitted by LEDs was suitable for plant growth and development and it may be used as alternative and economic light source for micropropagation of sugarcane variety under analysis.

O ensino dos conceitos da Geologia e da Geomorfologia no ensino básico é de grande importância para a compreensão dos processos espaciais, mas as noções básicas ligadas a essas ciências são mais complexas, o que exige dos professores uma preocupação maior com o conteúdo de Geografia Física. E uma das preocupações mais prementes dos educadores diz respeito à necessidade de se ensinar a Geografia Física dentro de um contexto que considera a realidade dos alunos. Nessa perspectiva os educandos têm um interesse maior na matéria e aprendem o conteúdo de uma maneira em que se sentem como parte do processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Assim, faz-se necessário que as pesquisas que estejam dentro desta proposta sejam valorizadas no sentido de se criar o maior número possível de dados e informações que possam ser usados nas escolas. Nesse sentido, procurou-se neste artigo fazer algumas considerações acerca dos conceitos básicos da Geologia e da Geomorfologia na tentativa de disponibilizar uma base teórica que possa ajudar os professores do Norte de Minas a ensinarem a Geografia Física a partir da realidade da região. A metodologia utilizada baseia-se em referencial teórico e observações de campo.

A internet, meio de comunicação amplamente difundido, favorece hoje diferentes grupos de usuários, inclusive os deficientes visuais. Para que este grupo em especial possa se favorecer desta ferramenta em suas atividades diárias, de forma eficaz, é necessário que haja atenção especial no desenvolvimento da interface das páginas Web. O W3C, órgão que visa normatizar internacionalmente o conteúdo da Web, disponibiliza através da WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), diretrizes que visam orientar o desenvolvedor na tarefa de criar um projeto com os níveis de acessibilidade adequados para conteúdo Web. Essa pesquisa tem por objetivo apresentar a atual situação de acessibilidade de sites comumente utilizados por usuários, visando identificar a utilização dos padrões de acessibilidade do W3C por parte dos desenvolvedores de paginas Web. Para tanto, foi utilizada a ferramenta DaSilva, avaliador em português, baseando nas regras de acessibilidade do WCAG, em 10 sites divididos entre sites de notícias online, instituições de ensino, lojas virtuais, bancos e organizações públicas. Analisando os resultados dos testes, nota-se que o processo de implantação das adaptações para acessibilidade ainda está em fase inicial. Os resultados obtidos mostram que 20% dos sites testados foram desenvolvidos usando as recomendações de acessibilidade da WCAG, o que pode ser considerado razoável, pelo tamanho da amostra, porém pouco satisfatório levando em consideração o universo de sites atualmente disponibilizados na internet.

O Brasil destaca-se por ser o maior produtor de cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum officinarum L.) e por dominar todos os estágios da tecnologia de produção de açúcar e etanol. Atualmente se observa a expansão dessa cultura para a região semiárida brasileira, a qual apresenta solos propensos à salinização. O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar a resposta à salinidade de duas variedades de cana-de-açúcar. O ensaio foi implantado em casa de vegetação, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2 x 8 com cinco repetições, correspondendo a duas variedades de cana-de-açúcar (RB867515 e RB863129) e oito níveis de NaCl (0; 25; 50; 75; 100; 125; 150; 200 mM de NaCl). A salinidade induziu aumento na fluorescência e diminuição na concentração de clorofila em ambas as variedades. A redução da clorofila, entretanto, foi maior na variedade RB867515. Observou-se, nesta mesma variedade, aumento da atividade da peroxidase do ascorbato (APX) e da catalase (CAT), enquanto na variedade RB863129 ocorreu redução na atividade dessas enzimas. Esses resultados indicam que a variedade RB867515 apresenta um mecanismo mais eficiente na proteção da planta contra danos no aparato fotoquímico e contra a ação de espécies reativas de oxigênio, em particular o H2O2.Brazil is seen as being the largest producer of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and of mastering all stages in the production of sugar and ethanol. Currently this production is being expanded into the semi-arid regions of Brazil, where there are soil-types prone to salinity. This study aimed to evaluate the response to salinity in two sugarcane genotypes, RB867515 and RB863129. Salinity caused an increase in chlorophyll fluorescence and a reduction of chlorophyll concentration in both varieties. The reduction of chlorophyll however was higher in RB867515. In this same type, an increase in the activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) was observed, while in genotype RB863129 there was a reduction in the activity of these two enzymes. These results show that RB867515 has a mechanism which better protects the plant against damage to the photochemical system and the action of reactive oxygen species, particularly H2O2.

The bromeliads are hardy plants with exotic beauty, appreciated by consumers worldwide. The species Ananas porteanus Hort ex C. Veitch Koch, in particular, shows great potential for floriculture. These plants acclimate easily to adverse environmental conditions like those found in semi-arid areas. To assess the salinity tolerance of A. porteanus there were two treatments, one without the addition of NaCl (control) and the other with 80 mmol L-1 NaCl. The experiment lasted 90 days and were evaluated in the shoot: shoot dry matter, chloride, sodium and potassium contents, Na + / K + rate, proline content, total soluble carbohydrates, total soluble proteins, total phenols, peroxidase activity, levels of chlorophyll "a" and "b" and membrane damage. Plants of A. porteanus treated with sodium chloride were able to maintain the integrity of the membrane at levels similar to those found in control plants and the maintenance of membrane integrity result in part from increased activity of peroxidase. The increase in proline and protein content also appears to be one of the strategies of this species to cope with damage caused by the excess of NaCl as well as the increase in levels of chlorophyll. Soluble carbohydrates are not used to adjust the osmotic potential in plants subjected to 80 mmol L-1 NaCl. The metabolic changes occurring in plants of A. porteanus treated with sodium chloride led to a new homeostasis that resulted in the plant tolerance to salt stress imposed.

Este trabalho objetiva avaliar a susceptibilidade de deslizamentos, a partir da análise das características físicas do solo nos taludes da Avenida Sidney Chaves, em Montes Claros/MG. A correlação foi desenvolvida a partir da análise da Argila Dispersa em Água (ADA), Grau de Floculação (GF), matéria orgânica e granulometria dos horizontes do solo. Os valores da argila dispersa em água nos dois primeiros horizontes não foram elevados se analisados isoladamente, mas ao se considerar os valores da argila total e o grau de floculação (GF), a argila dispersa em água nos horizontes A1 e A2 foi muito alta e quanto maiores os valores de ADA, maior é a tendência a processos erosivos e escorregamentos; Em todos os horizontes constataram-se valores de silte relativamente altos, fato preocupante, pois essa partícula é muito instável devido à sua leveza e ao fato de não apresentar carga; Os maiores teores de matéria orgânica foram registrados nos horizontes A1 e A2 que os horizontes superiores são mais susceptíveis a escorregamentos em situações marcadas por eventos pluviométricos extremos; Embora a possibilidade de movimentos de massa seja pouco provável, em virtude da cobertura vegetal não está sendo retirada, favorecendo a manutenção da estabilidade dos taludes, se recomenda a construção de muros de arrimo ao longo de toda a encosta.

The search toward the establishment of novel serological tests for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis and proper differential diagnosis may represent one alternative to the invasive parasitological methods currently used to identify infected individuals. In the present work, we investigated the potential use of recombinant peroxidoxin (rPeroxidoxin) of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis as a potential antigen for the immunodiagnosis of human tegumentary (TL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). Linear B-cell epitope mapping was performed to identify polymorphic epitopes when comparing orthologous sequences present in Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent for Chagas disease (CD), and the Homo sapiens and Canis familiaris hosts. The serological assay (ELISA) demonstrated that TL, VL and CVL individuals showed high levels of antibodies against rPeroxidoxin, allowing identification of infected ones with considerable sensitivity and great ability to discriminate (specificity) between non-infected and CD individuals (98.46% and 100%; 98.18% and 95.71%; 95.79% and 100%, respectively). An rPeroxidoxin ELISA also showed a greater ability to discriminate between vaccinated and infected animals, which is an important requirement for the public campaign control of CVL. A depletion ELISA assay using soluble peptides of this B-cell epitope confirmed the recognition of these sites only by Leishmania-infected individuals. Moreover, this work identifies two antigenic polymorphic linear B-cell epitopes of L. braziliensis. Specific recognition of TL and VL patients was confirmed by significantly decreased IgG reactivity against rPeroxidoxin after depletion of peptide-1- and peptide-2-specific antibodies (peptide 1: reduced by 32%, 42% and 5% for CL, ML and VL, respectively; peptide-2: reduced by 24%, 22% and 13% for CL, ML and VL, respectively) and only peptide-2 for CVL (reduced 9%). Overall, rPeroxidoxin may be a potential antigen for the immunodiagnosis of TL, VL or CVL, as it has a higher agreement with parasitological assays and is better than other reference tests that use soluble Leishmania antigens for diagnosing CVL in Brazil (EIE-LVC, Bio-manguinhos, FIOCRUZ).

Este artigo aborda os investimentos com Segurança Pública realizados pelas três esferas federativas, entre 2000 e 2009.Procura-se identificar a evolução dos gastos da União com Segurança Pública nesse período, bem como comparar essesdispêndios com aqueles efetuados pelos países da União Europeia. Além disso, apresenta-se a relação dos investimentoscom Segurança Pública de estados e municípios em relação às respectivas populações, ao Produto Interno Bruto – PIB eao total dos gastos de cada ente público. A investigação se deu por meio de uma abordagem quantitativa com objetivoexploratório.

The burning of pasture and crop residues in the period prior to the rains in the semi-arid region is a practice usually applied by farmers to facilitate cleaning of the area and renew pasture. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of fire in chemical and biological soil properties in different areas in the hinterland of Paraíba. The treatments consisted in the use of fire and grazing in an area of growing with and no use of fire in grassland and preserved savanna area that served as a witness. Samples were collected bimonthly from September 2008 to July/2009. Samples were collected at depth of 0-20 cm in each area, for analysis of chemical indicators. To determine the biological indicators were installed traps "Provid" which consisted in the use of plastic bottles for collection of soil macrofauna, the soil samples without problems to determine the mesofauna were extracted using the type extractors modified Berlese-Tullgren (Oliveira 1999). Composed of rectangular boards, each containing structure, 25W lamps divided in two upper compartments contains rings with the samples and the lamps, while in the lower compartment are funnels and bottles of glass with a solution of ethyl alcohol 80% to the collection of organisms. The largest number of individuals of the mesofauna was collected in the areas of native grassland and savanna preserved without burning. As for the macrofauna, the capture of the organisms was higher in the area of native pasture without burning. The pH values were analyzed were near the neutrality, mainly suffering major reductions in CCQ. In burned areas (PNQ and CCQ) showed increased levels of P and K after burning and then there was a reduction in the levels.