Pleurotus pulmonarius: a protease-producing white rot fungus in lignocellulosic residues.

The production of proteases by white rot fungi, such as those of the genus Pleurotus, is related to the degradation of wood proteins, the substrate on which these fungi grow in the environment. From the point of view of production, they are still little explored for this purpose. A selection of agro-industrial residues highlighted corn bagasse as the best substrate for solid-state protease production using the basidiomycete Pleurotus pulmonarius. The enzyme production was maximized through a factorial design, where the enzyme activity increased from 137.8 ± 1.9 to 234.1 ± 2.7 U/mL. Factors such as temperature stability, pH, and chemical reagents were evaluated. The optimum temperature was 45 °C, showing low thermal stability at higher temperatures. The enzyme inhibition occurred by Mn2+ (50.3%) and Ba2+ (76.4%); SDS strongly inhibited the activity (82.4%), while pepstatin A partially inhibited (56%), suggesting an aspartic protease character. Regarding pH, the highest protease activity was obtained at pH 5.5. Partial characterization resulted in apparent values of the KM and Vmax constants of 0.61 mg/mL and 1.79 mM/min, respectively.

Effects of combined use of keratinolytic enzymes and sugarcane fibre on the hairball excretion in cats.

Grooming is a natural hygienic behaviour of cats that favours the formation of hairballs. Increased fibre concentration in the diets is a strategy to minimize hairball formation, but it is not fully effective. Because cat hair is formed mostly by keratin, the addition of keratinases in the diets might be an alternative for hairball control. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the effect of the combined use of sugarcane fibre and a protease complex to reduce the hairball excretion in cats. Twenty-four adult cats were divided into four treatment groups (n = 6 per treatment) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments were as follows: control diet (Control; containing low concentration of insoluble fibre, 5.34% of total dietary fibre), control diet plus enzyme (Co-e), high-fibre diet (HF; containing high amounts of insoluble fibre, 17.8% of total dietary fibre), and HF diet plus enzyme (HF-e). Proteases from Bacillus licheniformis PWD-1 were administered orally (5 mg/day) as gastro-resistant capsules. Total collection of faeces was carried out to determine the number of excreted hairballs and the coefficient of total tract apparent digestibilities (CTTAD) of the diets. Separate addition of insoluble fibre (HF; p = .5947) or enzyme complex (Co-e; p = .3633) had no effect on the hairballs excreted in the faeces. However, the combined use of insoluble fibre and enzymes (HF-e) reduced (p = .0344) the total number of hairballs excreted. The size distribution of hairballs (small, medium, or large) was not affected by treatments (p = .3763). The CTTAD of crude protein was not affected by protease addition (p = .781) but was reduced by HF and HF-e treatments. Sugarcane fibre associated to keratinolytic enzymes reduces the hairball excretion in cats. This strategy can be adopted for this purpose; however, methods for faecal hairball quantification must be improved. If you have not already completed a Copyright Transfer Agreement, please log on to Wiley Author Serivices, https://authorservices.wiley.com/bauthor/, sign-in and complete the License Agreement form".

Development and Validation of Standard Area Diagrams as Assessment Aids for Estimating the Severity of Citrus Canker on Unripe Oranges.

Asiatic citrus canker (ACC) is an important disease of citrus in Brazil and elsewhere in the world. Infection with the causal pathogen, Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, can cause severe disease on the fruit. Visual estimation of severity is the usual method used to quantify ACC on diseased fruit. The objective of this research was to construct and validate standard area diagram (SAD) sets as assessment aids for raters to improve the accuracy and reliability of visual estimates of ACC on unripe (green) fruit of sweet orange. Two SAD sets were constructed. A five-diagram SAD set had five severities depicted (0.5, 2.0, 8.0, 27.0, and 40.0%) and a six-diagram SAD set had six severities depicted (0.5, 1.0, 3.0, 9.0, 20.0, and 40.0%). Fifteen raters evaluated 40 images of cankered, unripe fruit. Both the five- and six-diagram SAD sets significantly improved the accuracy and reliability of estimates. Agreement, measured by Lin's concordance correlation coefficient, was 0.220 to 0.913 when not using SADs, 0.814 to 0.955 when using five-diagram SAD sets, and 0.863 to 0.925 when using six-diagram SAD sets. The five-diagram SAD set was significantly more accurate and reliable compared with the six-diagram set. Possible reasons for this are discussed. Based on the results, the five-diagram SAD set is preferable to use. Although the SAD set was developed for sweet orange, it doubtless has applicability to other citrus, including grapefruit. These SAD sets should be useful for research endeavors where accurate and reliable estimates of the severity of ACC are required.

Enhanced removal of bisphenol A using pine-fruit shell-derived hydrochars: Adsorption mechanisms and reusability.

We synthesized NaOH-activated hydrochars via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of Brazilian pine fruit shells at HTC residence times of 24, 48, and 72 h. The hydrochars were used as adsorbents to remove bisphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solutions. The surface area of the samples can reach up to 2220 m2 g-1, and the maximum adsorption of BPA onto the surfaces was achieved at a pH of 7.0 (708 mg g-1). Adsorption occurred mainly via monolayer formation with a low retention time of the adsorbate (τ) on the surfaces, indicating that the BPA molecules reached the already occupied active sites and returned after undergoing heat exchange (τ > 0). Adsorption is an endothermic spontaneous process that results in a balance between entropic and enthalpic contributions. In such a reaction, ΔG°< 0, even with ΔH°> 0, the process occurs with an important increase in the entropy. The desorption was more efficient with ethanol and methanol than with HCl, NaOH, and NaCl owing to the dipole-dipole forces between the adsorbate and the alcohols. Additionally, the low desorption efficiency using acid, base, and salts can be attributed to competitive effects between the desorption agents and the active sites of the adsorbents.

Factors affecting the results of food preference tests in cats.

The aim of this study was to (i) gain an overview of the protocols of food preference tests in cats through a systematic review, (ii) assess the effects of test duration, time of day, and sex, and (iii) propose a statistical approach based on power analysis to determine sample size and analyze the results. The manuscripts included in this review had marked variations in the number of days (2-56), sample size (9-60 cats), feeding times (2.5-1440 min), and number of meals per day (1-2) during the test. Additionally to the literature review, three palatability tests (lasting 10 days each) were conducted with 40 cats (22 males and 18 females, 1.8 ± 0.16 years, 3.73 ± 0.90 kg) to assess the effects of test duration, time of day, and gender on the results. From the second day of the test, the sensitivity of the results was higher, because on the first day the results in one of the tests differed from the others (p = .0058). There was no difference (p > .05) between times of day (morning vs afternoon) or gender (males vs females) on the results of the feed intake ratio. For a SD of 0.20, p < .05, and delta of 0.10, the minimum number of cats for two-bowl assays is 23 (test power higher than 0.75).The sample size and test duration are critical factors in the decision making by the investigators about the design of food preference tests in cats. The use of a power test is recommended upon planning a food preference test protocol in cats.

Treatment of hospital laundry wastewater by UV/H2O2 process.

Hospitals consume a large volume of water to carry out their activities and, hence, generate a large volume of effluent that is commonly discharged into the local sewage system without any treatment. Among the various sectors of healthcare facilities, the laundry is responsible for the majority of water consumption and generates a highly complex effluent. Although several advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are currently under investigation on the degradation of a variety of contaminants, few of them are based on real wastewater samples. In this paper, the UV/H2O2 AOP was evaluated on the treatment of a hospital laundry wastewater, after the application of a physicochemical pretreatment composed of coagulation-flocculation and anthracite filtration. For the UV/H2O2 process, a photoreactor equipped with a low-pressure UV-C lamp was used and the effects of initial pH and [H2O2]/chemical oxygen demand (COD) ratio on COD removal were investigated through a randomized factorial block design that considered the batches of effluent as blocks. The results indicated that the initial pH had no significant effect on the COD removal, and the process was favored by the increase in [H2O2]/COD ratio. Color and turbidity were satisfactorily reduced after the application of the physicochemical pretreatment, and COD was completely removed by the UV/H2O2 process under suitable conditions. The results of this study show that the UV/H2O2 AOP is a promising candidate for hospital laundry wastewater treatment and should be explored to enable wastewater reuse in the washing process.

Prevalence of non-adherence to antihypertensive pharmacotherapy and associated factors.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of non-adherence to antihypertensive drug treatment and its association with factors bio-socio-economic and welfare. METHOD: It was a descriptive, cross-sectional study, performed with 422 hypertensive individuals. Data were collected through home interviews, conducted between December 2011 and March 2012. RESULTS: The results showed that the respondents were mostly female, married, elderly, low income and little time of diagnosis. Were considered non adherent to medication 42.65% of participants. Non-Caucasian hypertensive patients, with fewer than eight years of schooling, who did not regularly attend doctor's appointments, took more than two anti-hypertensive medications and did not have private health insurance, showed higher likelihood of not complying with the drug treatment. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that hypertensive patients with unfavorable socioeconomic characteristics and difficulty of access to the service require different interventions in order to encourage them to adhere to medication treatment.

Mortalidade infantil por câncer no Brasil / Cancer-caused child mortality in Brazil

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a mortalidade por diferentes tipos de cânceres em crianças de 0 a 4 anos, e a distribuição destes óbitos para as cinco regiões brasileiras. Os números de casos registrados e de óbitos foram provenientes do Instituto Nacional do Câncer (INCA) e Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade (SIM/DATASUS). As informações sobre nascidos vivos foram coletadas no SINASC. O período de análise foi de 1996 a 2017. Os tipos de neoplasias com maior número de óbitos notificados foram as leucemias e as neoplasias do Sistema Nervoso Central. O número de óbitos em crianças na faixa etária estudada por neoplasias malignas foram foi de 2.597 mortes, sendo as leucemias, as neoplasias do Sistema Nervoso Central e os neuroblastomas responsáveis por aproximadamente 70% destas mortes. A frequência de mortes em relação ao tipo de câncer indicou que as neoplasias do sistema nervoso central apresentam mortalidade de 36,27%; seguida por neuroblastomas com 32,13%; leucemias, com 29,31%; e neoplasias dos tecidos moles, 21,56%. As regiões Sudeste e Nordeste apresentaram maior número de casos. Os resultados desta pesquisa indicaram elevado número de casos de câncer e óbito de crianças de 0-4 anos, reforçando a necessidade de constantes investimentos para um melhor acesso destes pacientes ao sistema de saúde, considerando que diagnóstico e tratamento são importantes para a redução da mortalidade infantil.

Mortality by different types of cancer in 0 - 4 year-old children and its distribution for the five Brazilian regions are investigated. Method: number of registered cases and deaths were retrieved derived from the National Institute of Cancer (INCA) and from the Mortality Information System (SIM/DATASUS). Information on live births was retrieved from SINASC for the period of analysis between 1996 and 2017. Results: types of cancer with the highest number of deaths notified were leukemia and cancers of the Central Nervous System. Number of death in children within the age bracket, with malignant cancer, reached 2,597, with leukemia, cancers of the Central Nervous System and neuroblastomas causing approximately 70% of deaths. Frequency of deaths with regard to cancer type indicates that cancers of the central nervous system had a 36.27% of deaths, followed by neuroblastomas, with 32.13%, leukemias, with 29.31% and cancers of the soft tissues, with 21.65%. The southeastern and northeastern regions of Brazil had the highest indexes. Conclusions: Results reveal high incidence of cancer cases and deaths in 0 ­ 4 year-old children, requiring constant investments for better access of patients to health systems where diagnosis and treatment are essential for the decrease of child mortality.

Analyzing weight evolution in mice infected by Trypanosoma cruzi

Concerning the specificities of a longitudinal study, the trajectories of a subject's mean responses not always present a linear behavior, which calls for tools that take into account the non-linearity of individual trajectories and that describe them towards associating possible random effects with each individual. Generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) have come to solve this problem, since, in this class of models, it is possible to assign specific random effects to individuals, in addition to rewriting the linear term by summing unknown smooth functions, not parametrically specified, then using the P-splines smoothing technique. Thus, this article aims to introduce this methodology applied to a dataset referring to an experiment involving 57 Swiss mice infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, which had their weights monitored for 12 weeks. The analyses showed significant differences in the weight trajectory of the individuals by treatment group; besides, the assumptions required to validate the model were met. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that this methodology is satisfactory in modeling data of longitudinal sort, because, with this approach, in addition to the possibility of including fixed and random effects, these models allow adding complex correlation structures to residuals.

Pleurotus pulmonarius: a protease-producing white rot fungus in lignocellulosic residues / Pleurotus pulmonarius: un hongo de podredumbre blanca productor de proteasa en residuos lignocelulósicos

The production of proteases by white rot fungi, such as those of the genus Pleurotus, is related to the degradation of wood proteins, the substrate on which these fungi grow in the environment. From the point of view of production, they are still little explored for this purpose. A selection of agro-industrial residues highlighted corn bagasse as the best substrate for solid-state protease production using the basidiomycete Pleurotus pulmonarius. The enzyme production was maximized through a factorial design, where the enzyme activity increased from 137.8 ± 1.9 to 234.1 ± 2.7 U/mL. Factors such as temperature stability, pH, and chemical reagents were evaluated. The optimum temperature was 45 °C, showing low thermal stability at higher temperatures. The enzyme inhibition occurred by Mn2+ (50.3%) and Ba2+ (76.4%); SDS strongly inhibited the activity (82.4%), while pepstatin A partially inhibited (56%), suggesting an aspartic protease character. Regarding pH, the highest protease activity was obtained at pH 5.5. Partial characterization resulted in apparent values of the KM and Vmax constants of 0.61 mg/mL and 1.79 mM/min, respectively.(AU)

Inhibitory effect of the essential oil of Curcuma longa L. and curcumin on aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus Link.

Aflatoxins are highly toxic, mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic mycotoxins. Consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated food and commodities poses serious hazards to the health of humans and animals. Turmeric, Curcuma longa L., is a native plant of Southeast Asia and has antimicrobial, antioxidant and antifungal properties. This paper reports the antiaflatoxigenic activities of the essential oil of C. longa and curcumin. The medium tests were prepared with the oil of C. longa, and the curcumin standard at concentrations varied from 0.01% to 5.0%. All doses of the essential oil of the plant and the curcumin standard interfered with mycotoxin production. Both the essential oil and curcumin significantly inhibited the production of aflatoxins; the 0.5% level had a greater than 96% inhibitory effect. The levels of aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) production were 1.0 and 42.7 µg/mL, respectively, for the samples treated with the essential oil of C. longa L. and curcumin at a concentration of 0.5%.

Adult carbohydrate feeding affects reproduction of Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

Reproduction of most insects depend on nutrients accumulated during the larval stage, but many lepidopteran species will also depend on nutrients obtained at the adult stage. Feeding at the adult stage allows the intake of carbohydrate and amino acid rich solutions, which may have an effect on the species reproduction and population growth. The objectives of the current study were to characterize the effects of sugar consumption by adults of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), on its reproduction. To initially test the food intake by adults, a 10% honey solution or water (control), both containing a liquid dye were offered to adult insects 24 h after emergence, and the presence of the dye was observed by analysis of their digestive system. The effects of adult feeding on a 10% honey solution on the reproductive performance of P. operculella were evaluated by assessing the oviposition rate, fecundity and fertility. Adult feeding was proved by the presence of the dye within the digestive system of adults of P. operculella. Although the oviposition rate and fertility were not affected by adult feeding, female fecundity was higher in honey-fed females as compared to the water-fed females.

Prevalência de não adesão à farmacoterapia anti-hipertensiva e fatores associados / Prevalencia de no adhesión a la farmacoterapia antihipertensiva y factores asociados / Prevalence of non-adherence to antihypertensive pharmacotherapy and associated factors

Objetivo: verificar a prevalência da não adesão ao tratamento medicamentoso anti-hipertensivo e sua associação com fatores biosócio-econômicos e assistenciais. Método: pesquisa descritiva de corte transversal, realizada com 422 indivíduos hipertensos. As informações foram coletadas, por meio de entrevistas domiciliares realizadas entre dezembro de 2011 e março de 2012. Resultados: os resultados demonstraram que os entrevistados eram, em sua maioria, do sexo feminino, casados, idosos, com baixa renda familiar e pouco tempo de diagnóstico. Foram considerados não aderentes ao tratamento medicamentoso 42.65% dos participantes. Os hipertensos não brancos, com menos de oito anos de estudo, que não frequentavam as consultas médicas; utilizavam mais de duas medicações anti-hipertensivas e que não possuíam plano de saúde apresentaram maiores chances de não aderirem à farmacoterapia. Conclusão: esses achados reforçam que hipertensos com características socioeconômicas desfavoráveis e dificuldade de acesso ao serviço necessitam de intervenções diferenciadas, a fim de estimulá-los a aderirem ao tratamento medicamentoso. .

Objetivo: el objetivo del estudio fue determinar la prevalencia de la no adhesión al tratamiento farmacológico antihipertensivo y su asociación con factores bio-socio-económicos y de asistencia. Método: se trata de un estudio descriptivo transversal realizado con 422 hipertensos. Las informaciones fueron recolectadas, por medio de entrevistas domiciliarias realizadas entre diciembre de 2011 y marzo de 2012. Resultados: los resultados mostraron que la mayoría de los encuestados eran mujeres, casados, ancianos, de baja renta y poco tiempo del diagnóstico. Se consideraron no adherentes a la medicación 42,65%. Los hipertensos no-blancos, con menos de ocho anos de estudio, que no frecuentaban asiduamente las consultas médicas; utilizaban más de dos medicaciones antihipertensivas y que no poseían convenio particular presentan mayores posibilidades de no adherir al tratamiento medicamentoso. Conclusión: estos hallazgos sugieren que los hipertensos con situación socioeconómica desfavorable y dificultad de acceso al servicio requieren diferentes intervenciones con el fin de alentarlos a adherirse a la medicación. .

Objective: the aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of non-adherence to antihypertensive drug treatment and its association with factors bio-socio-economic and welfare. Method: it was a descriptive, cross-sectional study, performed with 422 hypertensive individuals. Data were collected through home interviews, conducted between December 2011 and March 2012. Results: the results showed that the respondents were mostly female, married, elderly, low income and little time of diagnosis. Were considered non adherent to medication 42.65% of participants. Non-Caucasian hypertensive patients, with fewer than eight years of schooling, who did not regularly attend doctor's appointments, took more than two anti-hypertensive medications and did not have private health insurance, showed higher likelihood of not complying with the drug treatment. Conclusion: these findings suggest that hypertensive patients with unfavorable socioeconomic characteristics and difficulty of access to the service require different interventions in order to encourage them to adhere to medication treatment. .

Pesticide use and cholinesterase inhibition in small-scale agricultural workers in southern Brazil

A controlled cross-sectional study of family growers of fruit and vegetables was conducted between October 2009 and October 2010 to characterize the use of pesticides, establish the socio-demographic profile, and analyze cholinesterase activity in small-scale agricultural workers in Southern Brazil. Data was collected for 173 workers and 179 controls. A structured questionnaire was applied collecting socio-demographic information and determining knowledge and work practices in relation to pesticide use. The benchmarks for total cholinesterase (ChEs) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) were obtained from the average enzymatic activity of the occupationally unexposed group (control). The mean age of the exposed population was 40.0 ± 11.2 years. The symptoms differed significantly (p<0.05) between the exposed and unexposed populations. Forty (23.1%) workers showed symptoms associated with exposure to pesticides. The average value of enzymatic activity in the occupationally unexposed group for ChEs was 6.3 μmol/mL/min among males and 5.6 μmol/mL/min among females while for BuChE was 2.4 μmol/mL/min among males and 2.0 μmol/mL/min among females. Eight (4.6%) workers had high inhibition (>30%) of ChEs activity, whereas no workers showed high inhibition (>50%) of BuChE. Potential factors involved include gender, education, pesticide orientation, exposure, and hygiene measures.

Realizou-se um estudo transversal controlado, com hortifruticultores, durante o período de outubro de 2009 a outubro de 2010, a fim de caracterizar o uso de praguicidas, estabelecer o perfil sócio demográfico e analisar a atividade das colinesterases em trabalhadores rurais do sul do Brasil. Os dados foram obtidos de 173 trabalhadores e 179 controles. Um formulário estruturado foi aplicado obtendo informações sócio demográficas, conhecimento e práticas de trabalho relacionadas com o uso de praguicidas. Os valores de referência para colinesterases totais (ChEs) e butirilcolinesterase (BuChE) foram obtidos a partir da média da atividade enzimática do grupo controle. A idade média da população exposta foi de 40,0±11,2 anos. Os sinais/sintomas foram significativamente diferentes (p<0,05) entre a população exposta e não exposta. Quarenta trabalhadores (23,1%) apresentaram sinais/sintomas relacionados com a exposição aos praguicidas. O valor médio do grupo controle foi de 6,3 μmol/mL/min para o gênero masculino e 5,6 μmol/mL/min para o gênero feminino na ChEs; 2,4 μmol/mL/min para o gênero masculino e 2,0 μmol/mL/min para o gênero feminino na BuChE. Do total de trabalhadores (n=173), 08 (4,6%) apresentaram inibição elevada (>30%) das atividades das ChEs, e para BuChE nenhum trabalhador apresentou alta inibição (>50%). Dentre os fatores que poderiam estar envolvidos destacam-se o gênero, escolaridade, orientação para trabalhar com praguicidas, exposição e medidas de higiene.

Biologia de Dichomeris famulata Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) em milho / Biology of Dichomeris famulata Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in maize

Dichomeris famulata Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) é uma nova praga da espiga de milho no Brasil, sendo seu estudo importante em áreas de produção de sementes porque os grãos atacados pelas lagartas não germinam. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a sua biologia em condições de laboratório (25±2°C, UR de 65±10 por cento e fotofase de 14 horas). O ciclo biológico (ovo-adulto) foi de 35,2 dias. O período de incubação foi de 4,1 dias. A duração média da fase larval foi de 21,1 dias, sendo observados cinco ínstares larvais. A fase pupal durou 8,4 dias e o peso de pupa de machos e fêmeas foi de 12,4 e 11,3mg, respectivamente. As fêmeas colocaram, em média, 118 ovos, apresentando um período de pré-oviposição de 10,7 dias e de oviposição de 14,0 dias. A longevidade média de machos e fêmeas foi de 37,02 e 44,16 dias, respectivamente, e a razão sexual de 0,48. As lagartas danificam os estilo-estigmas e os grãos em estado leitoso por meio de pequenos orifícios de entrada, prejudicando o endosperma e principalmente a região do embrião, inutilizando-os para sementes. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho fornecem subsídios para o estabelecimento de estratégias de manejo do inseto, especialmente em áreas de produção de sementes.

The caterpillar Dichomeris famulata Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a new pest of corn ear in Brazil, and its study is important in seed fields. The aim of this was to study the biology of this pest under laboratory conditions (25±2°C, 65±10 percent of RH and 14-hours of photophase). The biological cycle (egg-adult) was of 35.2 days. The incubation period was of 4.1 days. The average larval development time was of 21.1 days, and 5 instars were observed. The pupal period was of 8.4 days and the pupae weight was of 12.4 and 11.3 mg for males and females, respectively. The females laid an average of 118 eggs with a pre-oviposition period of 10.7 days and an oviposition time of 14.0 days. The mean longevity of males and females was of 37.02 and 44.16 days, respectively, and sex ratio was of 0.48. The caterpillars damage the silks and grains at the milk stage through little entry orifices, damaging the endosperm and, more importantly, the embryo, reducing the seed germination. These results can support the establishment of strategies to manage this new corn ear pest, especially in seed fields.

Adult carbohydrate feeding affects reproduction of Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Reproduction of most insects depend on nutrients accumulated during the larval stage, but many lepidopteran species will also depend on nutrients obtained at the adult stage. Feeding at the adult stage allows the intake of carbohydrate and amino acid rich solutions, which may have an effect on the species reproduction and population growth. The objectives of the current study were to characterize the effects of sugar consumption by adults of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), on its reproduction. To initially test the food intake by adults, a 10 percent honey solution or water (control), both containing a liquid dye were offered to adult insects 24h after emergence, and the presence of the dye was observed by analysis of their digestive system. The effects of adult feeding on a 10 percent honey solution on the reproductive performance of P. operculella were evaluated by assessing the oviposition rate, fecundity and fertility. Adult feeding was proved by the presence of the dye within the digestive system of adults of P. operculella. Although the oviposition rate and fertility were not affected by adult feeding, female fecundity was higher in honey-fed females as compared to the water-fed females.

Ocorrência e distribuição espacial de parasitos intestinais em polo agrícola, Estado do Paraná, Brasil / Occurrence and spatial distribution of intestinal parasites in an agricultural center in Paraná State, Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a ocorrência de casos humanos e a distribuição espacial de parasitos intestinais em município agroindustrial do Estado do Paraná, Sul do Brasil. Foram investigados resultados de 5.219 exames coproparasitológicos realizados em 2003 e 2004, em laboratórios de Análises Clínicas da rede pública e privada. A ocorrência de parasitos intestinais foi de 19,8%, sendo Entamoeba coli (7,2%) e Giardia duodenalis (5,2%) as espécies mais encontradas. Entre os resultados positivos E. coli estava presente em 36,4%, G. duodenalis em 26,2% e E. nana em 13,6%. A mais alta ocorrência de parasitos intestinais foi observada na área do Piquiri/Guarujá (p < 0,05) e a mais baixa no CSU, Urupês e Paulista. No Piquiri/Guarujá, as espécies mais frequentes foram G. duodenalis (22,2%) e E. coli (7,4%). Diferenças significativas na ocorrência de enteroparasitos foram observadas para o gênero feminino (p < 0,05) e para a faixa etária de zero a dez anos (p < 0,05). A ocorrência de parasitos intestinais no município está mais relacionada às crianças, ao gênero feminino e à área que apresenta características rurais e de periferia de centros urbanos onde o risco de infecção é maior. Esta informação irá permitir o desenvolvimento de medidas apropriadas para prevenir doenças e otimizar recursos

We determined the occurrence of human cases of intestinal parasites and their spatial distribution in an agricultural center of the state of Paraná in southern Brazil. Results from 5,219 stool examinations carried out in 2003 and 2004 in public and private clinical-pathology laboratories were analyzed. The overall occurrence of intestinal parasites was 19.8%. Entamoeba coli (7.2%) and Giardia duodenalis (5.2%) were the most frequent species. E. coli was present in 36.4%, G. duodenalis in 26.2% and E. nana in 13.6% of positive cases. According to spatial distribution, the highest occurrence of intestinal parasites was observed in the Piquiri/Guarujá area (p < 0.05), and the lowest in the CSU, Urupês and Paulista areas. In Piquiri/Guarujá, the most common species were G. duodenalis (22.2%) and E. coli (7.4%). Significant differences in the occurrence of enteroparasites were observed for females (p < 0.05) and children 0 to 10 years of age (p < 0.05). The occurrence of intestinal parasites in the municipality was mostly related to children, females, and residence in rural areas and the peripheries of urban centers, where the risk of infection is greater. This information will allow the development of appropriate measures for disease prevention and optimization of resources

Variables associated with the post-treatment healing of lesions in patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Paraná state, Brazil / As variáveis associadas com a cicatrização pós-tratamento de lesões em pacientes com leishmaniose tegumentar americana no estado do Paraná, Brasil

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of several variables to the healing of lesions in patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). The patients with clinical and/or laboratorial diagnoses of the disease were followed up for varying periods after treatment by clinical evaluation and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), from September 2000 to December 2003. The lesions of 85.3 percent of the 163 patients had healed by their last return for clinical evaluation, and of these, 82.7 percent had negative IFA results, indicating an association between the healing of lesions and IFA negativity (p=0.000). In patients evaluated up to 120 days after treatment, there was a significant association between negative IFA results and the healing of lesions (p=0.0000). Logistic regression analysis showed that negative IFA results on patients' first return after treatment predicted a 2.175 fold greater chance of lesion healing (p=0.0001). These results indicate an association between IFA negativity at the first return up to a period of 120 days, and the healing of lesions, and that the chances of healing are significantly higher in patients with negative IFA results at their first return after treatment.

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a associação de algumas variáveis para a cicatrização de lesões em pacientes com leishmaniose tegumentar americana (LTA). Os pacientes com diagnóstico clínico e laboratorial foram acompanhados depois do tratamento por avaliação clínica e reação de imunofluorescência indireta (IFI), de setembro de 2000 a dezembro de 2003. Dos 163 pacientes 85,3 por cento apresentaram cicatrização das lesões no último retorno para a avaliação clínica e 82,7 por cento destes tiveram a IFI negativa indicando uma associação entre a cicatrização das lesões e a negativação da IFI (p=0,000). Nos pacientes acompanhados até 120 dias depois do tratamento houve associação significativa entre os resultados negativos da IFI e a cicatrização das lesões (p=0,0000). A análise pela regressão logística mostrou que quando a IFI do primeiro retorno após o tratamento foi negativa, o paciente tinha 2,175 mais chance de cicatrização (p=0,0001). Os resultados mostram associação entre a negativação da IFI e a cicatrização das lesões quando o primeiro retorno foi até 120 dias e que as chances de cicatrização são significativamente maiores nos pacientes que apresentaram IFI negativa no primeiro retorno depois do tratamento.

N-acetil-β-D-glicosaminidase como biomarcador precoce de disfunção renal para a exposição ocupacional ao chumbo inorgânico / N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase as an early biomarker of renal dysfunction due to occupational exposure to inorganic lead

OBJETIVO: Este estudo teve como objetivo averiguar a atividade enzimática da N-acetil-β-D-glicosaminidase (NAG) como possível biomarcador precoce de disfunção renal para a exposição ocupacional ao chumbo inorgânico. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foi selecionado um grupo de 30 pessoas do sexo masculino expostas ao chumbo inorgânico em uma fábrica de baterias localizada no estado do Paraná. Fizeram parte do grupo os funcionários que mostraram valores de chumbo sanguíneo inferiores a 40 mg/dl. O grupo controle foi representado por 15 adultos saudáveis com similaridade em relação à idade e ao gênero do grupo exposto. Foram determinados os níveis de plumbemia, do ácido d-aminolevulínico urinário e a atividade da NAG urinária. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: Foi evidenciado que a atividade urinária da NAG foi significativamente maior (p < 0,05; teste U de Mann-Whitney) no grupo exposto ao chumbo inorgânico quando comparado ao grupo controle, e houve uma correlação negativa com significância (p < 0,05; correlação de Spearman Rank Order) entre o indicador biológico de exposição plúmbica e a atividade urinária da NAG. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados demonstraram que o aumento da atividade urinária da NAG pode ser utilizado como um biomarcador precoce da exposição ao chumbo inorgânico.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to verify the enzymatic activity of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) as a possible early biomarker of renal dysfunction due to occupational exposure to inorganic lead. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected a group of 30 males that had been exposed to inorganic lead in a battery factory in the state of Paraná. This group comprised those employees whose blood lead levels were below 40 mg/dl. The control group consisted of 15 healthy adults of similar age and gender compared with the exposed group. Blood lead concentrations, d-aminolevulinic acid levels and urinary NAG activity were measured. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: It was shown that urinary NAG activity was significantly higher (p < 0.05, U test of Mann-Whitney) in the exposed group in comparison to the control group, and there was a significant negative correlation (p < 0.05, Spearman Rank Order correlation) between the biological indicator of lead exposure and urinary NAG activity. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the increase of urinary NAG activity may be used as an early biomarker of the exposure to inorganic lead.

Odontologia do trabalho: avaliação da percepção e conhecimento de formandos e profissionais sobre a nova especialidade odontológica / Labour dentistry: evaluation of the perception and knowledge of the graduating students and professionals about the new dentistry specialty

Ao longo da história, a odontologia pautou-se na evolução do processo saúde/doença e, nas últimas décadas, vem assistindo ao declínio da principal doença bucal, a cárie dentária. Assim, surge a necessidade de uma mudança da filosofia odontológica, com novas especialidades sendo criadas para inserir o profissional na esfera de promoção de saúde. O Conselho Federal de Odontologia criou a especialidade "odontologia do trabalho", que tem como objetivo a busca permanente da compatibilidade entre a atividade laboral e a preservação da saúde bucal do trabalhador. Com o objetivo de avaliar a percepção e o conhecimento desta nova especialidade por cirurgiões-dentistas e acadêmicos de odontologia, utilizou-se um questionário para avaliação quali-quantitativa de dois grupos, ambos do Paraná: formandos do curso de Odontologia de instituições públicas e privadas e cirurgiões-dentistas clínicos gerais e especialistas. Os resultados evidenciaram que 88,55 por cento dos profissionais e 89,51 por cento dos formandos concordaram com a criação da especialidade. Na avaliação do conhecimento sobre a especialidade, 58,90 por cento dos profissionais se abstiveram de responder, ao passo que 26,64 por cento demonstraram coerência com as resoluções do CFO que definem e delimitam a especialidade. No que se refere ao conhecimento da especialidade, numa escalça de 0 a 10, a média geral da amostra ficou em 5,5. Pôde-se, então, concluir que a criação da área de odontologia do trabalho ainda não foi suficientemente absorvida pelos profissionais e formandos da classe odontológica, haja vista o conflito de opiniões obtido neste estudo. Sugere-se assim, maior divulgação dessa especialidade para que os profissionais modifiquem suas opiniões a respeito da odontologia do trabalho