[Analysis of the level of knowledge in the population of the teratogenic effect of alcohol and the activities of nurses]. / Análise do grau de conhecimento da população sobre a teratogenia do álcool e a conduta de enfermagem.

Alcohol which, at first, is part of great ceremonies, parties, get-togethers, is now becoming an important issue, for the number of women who consume alcoholic beverages has increased, and consequently the number of pregnant women, considering that not only the mother's body but also the one of the child that is being formed, are under metabolic changes, and inevitably will be a target for acquired alcohol alterations (intake). During the human development, it is important to take into consideration the pregnancy stage and depending on it, the individual becomes susceptible to teratogenic agents. This paper aims at providing some contribution related to this social issue bringing knowledge on the action of alcohol on the fetus alterations, from the slightest (irritability, lack of attention, mobility deficiency) until Fetal Alcoholic Syndrome (F.A.S.) and also tries to analyse the extent of people knowledge on the consequences of alcohol effects over pregnant women bodies and the possible changes that may occur with the fetus. In order to make this study possible, interviews have been made by the use of forms with a population sample of about 100 people living in the northern, western, southern and interior low land regions. We have also visited some public and private institutions (23) on those regions, interviewing nurses in paediatric wards, aiming at identifying the difficulties found related to the diagnosis and management towards F.A.S.

The source of the growth-promoting factor(s) affects the plating efficiency of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

We studied the influence of the growth factor (GF) source, concentration and production time on the plating efficiency of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis yeast cells. The highest plating efficiencies were achieved when the GF was derived from a fast growing P. brasiliensis isolate which was not homologous to the plated samples.