Biosorbents in the Metallic Ions Determination

This chapter provides an overview and discusses analytical strategies for metallic ions determination using solid phase extraction. Solid phase extraction (SPE) is a much-used technique for extraction and/or concentration of complex samples, so that the analytes present in low concentration were detected mainly using chromatographic methods. However, in recent years, this technique has been widely used in the development of methodologies for metallic ions determination in the deferential samples. This technique shows simplicity and rapidity comparing with other conventional techniques, liquid–liquid extraction, cloud point extraction and others. Solid phase extraction procedures become even more interesting when commercial adsorbents are exchanged for others with higher adsorptive capacity, selectivity, flexibility, economy and low environmental impacts. For this purpose, some inorganic, organic and several natural adsorbents are used. New approaches to obtain adsorbent materials from natural sources such as fungi, bacteria, industrial residues and composting materials have received attention. These materials have been used in the development of analytical methods with varied proposals, such as preconcentration or speciation of metal ions

A new cryptic species of Echinostoma (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) closely related to Echinostoma paraensei found in Brazil

Echinostoma paraensei, described in Brazil at the end of the 1960s and used as a biological model for a range of studies, belongs to the ‘revolutum’ complex of Echinostoma comprising species with 37 collar spines. However, molecular data are available only for a few isolates maintained under laboratory conditions, with molecular prospecting based on specimens originating from naturally infected hosts virtually lacking. The present study describes Echinostoma maldonadoi Valadão, Alves & Pinto n. sp., a species cryptically related to E. paraensei found in Brazil. Larval stages (cercariae, metacercariae and rediae) of the new species were found in the physid snail Stenophysa marmorata in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, the same geographical area where E. paraensei was originally described. Adult parasites obtained experimentally in Meriones unguiculatus were used for morphological (optical microscopy) and molecular [28S, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), nad1 and cox1] characterization. The morphology of larval and adult parasites (most notable the small-sized dorsal spines in the head collar), associated with low (0–0.1%) molecular divergence for 28S gene or ITS region, and only moderate divergence for the mitochondrial cox1 gene (3.83%), might suggest that the newly collected specimens should be assigned to E. paraensei. However, higher genetic divergence (6.16–6.39%) was found in the mitochondrial nad1, revealing that it is a genetically distinct, cryptic lineage. In the most informative phylogenetic reconstruction, based on nad1, E. maldonadoi n. sp. exhibited a strongly supported sister relationship with E. paraensei, which may indicate a very recent speciation event giving rise to these 2 species

Health services performance for TB treatment in Brazil: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Researches to evaluate Primary Health Care performance in TB control in Brazil show that different cities aggregate local specificities in the dynamics of coping with the disease. This study aims to evaluate health services' performance in TB treatment in cities across different Brazilian regions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cross-sectional study was conducted in five cities that are considered priorities for TB control in Brazil: Itaboraí (ITA), Ribeirão Preto (RP) and São José do Rio Preto (SJRP) in the Southeast; Campina Grande (CG) and Feira de Santana (FS) in the Northeast. Data were collected through interviews with 514 TB patients under treatment in 2007, using the <it>Primary Care Assessment Tool </it>adapted for TB care in Brazil. Indicators were constructed based on the mean response scores (Likert scale) and compared among the study sites.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>"Access to treatment" was evaluated as satisfactory in the Southeast and regular in the Northeast, which displayed poor results on 'home visits' and 'distance between treatment site and patient's house'. "Bond" was assessed as satisfactory in all cities, with a slightly better performance in RP and SJRP. "Range of services" was rated as regular, with better performance of southeastern cities. 'Health education', 'DOT' and 'food vouchers' were less offered in the Northeast. "Coordination" was evaluated as satisfactory in all cities. "Family focus" was evaluated as satisfactory in RP and SJRP, and regular in the others. 'Professional asking patient's family about other health problems' was evaluated as unsatisfactory, except in RP.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Two types of obstacles are faced for health service performance in TB treatment in the cities under analysis, mainly in the Northeast. The first is structural and derives from difficulties to access health services and actions. The second is organizational and derives from the way health technologies and services are distributed and integrated. Incentives to improve care organization and management practices, aimed at the integration of primary, secondary and tertiary services, can contribute towards a better performance of health services in TB treatment.</p

A morphological, molecular and life cycle study of the capybara parasite Hippocrepis hippocrepis (Trematoda: Notocotylidae).

Hippocrepis hippocrepis is a notocotylid that has been widely reported in capybaras; however, the molluscs that act as intermediate hosts of this parasite remain unknown. Furthermore, there are currently no molecular data available for H. hippocrepis regarding its phylogenetic relationship with other members of the family Notocotylidae. In the present study, we collected monostome cercariae and adult parasites from the planorbid Biomphalaria straminea and in the large intestine of capybaras, respectively, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We subjected them to morphological and molecular (amplification and sequencing of partial regions of 28S and cox-1 genes) studies. Adult parasites collected from the capybaras were identified as H. hippocrepis and the sequences obtained for both molecular markers showed 100% similarity with monostome cercariae found in B. straminea. The sequences obtained for H. hippocrepis were compared with data available in public databases; analysis revealed this species differs from other notocotylids with available sequences (1.5-3.8% with respect to 28S and 11.4%-13.8% with respect to cox-1). On the phylogenetic analyses, H. hippocrepis appeared to be a distinct lineage in relation to other notocotylids. Some ecological aspects related to the infection of capybaras with H. hippocrepis are briefly discussed

Booster dose after 10 years is recommended following 17DD-YF primary vaccination

Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiologicos Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiologicos Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Governo do Estado de Minas Gerais. Secretaria de Estado de Saúde. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiologicos Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiologicos Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiologicos Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Universidade Federal de Alfenas. Alfenas, MG, Brasil.Instituto de Biologia do Exercito. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Instituto de Biologia do Exercito. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Instituto de Biologia do Exercito. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Instituto de Biologia do Exercito. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Instituto de Biologia do Exercito. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Instituto de Biologia do Exercito. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Assessoria Clínica de Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiologicos Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiologicos Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Assessoria Clínica de Bio-Manguinhos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Ministerio da Saude. Secretaria de Vigilancia em Saude. Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Brasil.Universidade de Brasília. Brasilia, DF, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.US Food and Drug Administration. Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Silver Spring, MD USAFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Diretoria Regional de Brasília. Brasília, DF, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Publica. Rio de Janeiro, DF, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Renê Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.A single vaccination of Yellow Fever vaccines is believed to confer life-long protection. In this study, results of vaccinees who received a single dose of 17DD-YF immunization followed over 10 y challenge this premise. YF-neutralizing antibodies, subsets of memory T and B cells as well as cytokine-producing lymphocytes were evaluated in groups of adults before (NVday0) and after (PVday30-45, PVyear1-4, PVyear5-9, PVyear10-11, PVyear12-13) 17DD-YF primary vaccination. YF-neutralizing antibodies decrease significantly from PVyear1-4 to PVyear12-13 as compared to PVday30-45, and the seropositivity rates (PRNT≥2.9Log10mIU/mL) become critical (lower than 90%) beyond PVyear5-9. YF-specific memory phenotypes (effector T-cells and classical B-cells) significantly increase at PVday30-45 as compared to na've baseline. Moreover, these phenotypes tend to decrease at PVyear10-11 as compared to PVday30-45. Decreasing levels of TNF-α(+) and IFN-γ(+) produced by CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells along with increasing levels of IL-10(+)CD4(+)T-cells were characteristic of anti-YF response over time. Systems biology profiling represented by hierarchic networks revealed that while the na've baseline is characterized by independent micro-nets, primary vaccinees displayed an imbricate network with essential role of central and effector CD8(+) memory T-cell responses. Any putative limitations of this cross-sectional study will certainly be answered by the ongoing longitudinal population-based investigation. Overall, our data support the current Brazilian national immunization policy guidelines that recommend one booster dose 10 y after primary 17DD-YF vaccination