Malaria respiratory manifestations by Plasmomodium falciparum and P

A group of 110 patients (101 male, 9 female with mean age ± SD: 31,1 ± 11,0 years) with fever, coming from an endemic malaria region, was studied at SUCAM-CUIABÁ, for diagnosis and treatment of possible protozoal infection. For this group a simplified questionnaire on respiratory symptoms was applied and laboratory tests consisting of peripheral blood film, arterial blool gas analysis and pulmonary function test rwere done. 62 patients had a positive test of malaria (41 P. vivax, 20 P. falciparum 1 F + V) a¡rd 48 were negative, We conclude that there is an association between malarial infection and the presence of respiratory problems.Foram selecionados 110 pacientes que procuraram a SUCAM/CUIABÁ para diagnóstico e tratamento de malária, com queixa de febre e procedente de área malarígena. Nestes pacientes foram realizados: gota espessa para a pesquisa de Plasmodium; aplicação de questionário padronizado para detectar sintomas respiratórios presentes no momento da entrevista; gasometria arterial e espirometria para avaliar a função pulmonar. Desta amostra, 62 pacientes foram positivos para malária sendo 41 P. vivax, 20 P. falciparum e 01 forma mista (grupo Malárico); 48 mostraram-se negativos à pesquisa de hematozoários através da gota espessa (grupo Não Malárico). As manifestações respiratórias encontradas nesta população quando comparadas os grupos Malárico e Não Malárico, foram respectivamente: 1º) Sintomáticos Respiratórios de 46,8% para 22 9% (p < 0,05); 2°) Alterações Espirométricas de 53,2% para 20,8% (p < 0,05); 3°) Alterações Gasométricas de 62,9% para 25,0% (p < 0,05). Com estes resultados concluímos que há nítida associação entre a Malária produzida pelo P. vivax e P. falciparum e as manifestações respiratórias apresentadas, nesta população de estudo

Acidez do óleo de pracaxi extraído artesanalmente.

O pracaxi [Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Kuntz] é uma espécie oleaginosa com grande importância na indústria fitoterápica e cosmética, além de ser trabalhado pelo projeto Bem Diverso. O óleo extraído tradicionalmente das sementes do pracaxizeiro é conhecido na Amazônia por ter um odor bem singular. Um dos grandes problemas da extração artesanal de óleos é a acidez elevada (indicativo de primeiro estágio de decomposição do óleo), que diminui consideravelmente a possibilidade de comercialização para fins cosméticos. Após a realização de uma oficina de boas práticas, foi aplicado um formulário semiestruturado para obter informações como: coleta das sementes, preparo da massa, utensílios utilizados e envasamento do óleo, tudo isso para identificar as condições de extração

Interval simulation of Narmax models based on computer arithmetic.

System identification is an important area of science, which aims to describe the characteristics of the system, representing them by mathematical models. Since many of these models can be seen as recursive functions, it is extremely important to control the errors in these functions, because small errors introduced in each computational step can grow exponentially due to the sensitivity to initial conditions present in this type of functions. One of the ways to control rounding and truncation errors is through interval arithmetic, since it is not possible to represent all numbers in the computer because of the finite representation in them. Thus, in arithmetic interval a number is represented by an interval in which the true number is within that interval. In this manuscript we developed an algorithm that performs the operations of interval arithmetic using basic functions. We have compared compared our results with the Matlab-toolbox Intlab. Numerical experiments have shown that our method is superior producing narrower intervals. Resumo— Identifica¸c˜ao de sistemas ´e uma ´area importante da ciˆencia, tendo como objetivo descrever as caracter´ısticas do sistema, representando-as por equa¸c˜oes matem´aticas. Como muitas dessas equa¸c˜oes podem ser vistas como fun¸c˜oes recursivas, ´e de extrema importˆancia controlar os erros nessas fun¸c˜oes, j´a que pequenos erros introduzidos a cada passo computacional pode crescer exponencialmente devido a sensibilidade a condi¸c˜oes iniciais presente nessas fun¸c˜oes. Uma das formas de controlar erros de arredondamento e truncamento ´e atrav´es da aritm´etica intervalar, uma vez que n˜ao ´e poss´ıvel representar todos os n´umeros no computador devido `a representa¸c˜ao finita dos mesmos. Ent˜ao, na aritm´etica intervalar, um n´umero ´e representado por um intervalo em que o verdadeiro n´umero se encontra nesse intervalo. Foi desenvolvido um algoritmo que realiza as opera¸c˜oes da aritm´etica intervalar a partir de fun¸c˜oes b´asicas do Matlab. Os resultados foram comparados com o toolbox do Matlab, Intlab. Experimentos num´ericos mostraram que os intervalos obtidos pelo nosso m´etodos s˜ao menores do que aqueles obtidos no Intlab

Development of an urban molecular xenomonitoring system for lymphatic filariasis in the Recife Metropolitan Region, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Molecular xenomonitoring (MX)-pathogen detection in the mosquito rather than human-is a promising tool for lymphatic filariasis (LF) surveillance. In the Recife Metropolitan Region (RMR), the last LF focus in Brazil, Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes have been implicated in transmitting Wuchereria bancrofti parasites. This paper presents findings on the ideal mosquito collection method, mosquito dispersion, W. bancrofti infection in mosquitoes and W. bancrofti antigen in humans to aid MX development. METHODS: Experiments occurred within two densely populated urban areas of Olinda, RMR, in July and August 2015. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps were compared to battery-powered aspirators as collection methods, and mosquito dispersion was measured by mosquito mark release recapture (MMRR). Female Cx. quinquefasciatus were tested by PCR for W. bancrofti infection, and study area residents were screened by rapid tests for W. bancrofti antigen. RESULTS: Aspirators caught 2.6 times more total Cx. quinquefasciatus, including 38 times more blood-fed and 5 times more gravid stages, than CDC light traps. They also collected 123 times more Aedes aegypti. Of the 9,644 marked mosquitoes released, only ten (0.01%) were recaptured, nine of which were < 50m (34.8m median, 85.4m maximum) from the release point. Of 9,169 unmarked mosquitoes captured in the MMR, 38.3% were unfed, 48.8% blood-fed, 5.5% semi-gravid, and 7.3% gravid. PCR on 182 pools (1,556 mosquitoes) found no evidence of W. bancrofti infection in Cx. quinquefasciatus. Rapid tests on 110 of 111 eligible residents were all negative for W. bancrofti antigen. CONCLUSIONS: Aspirators were more effective than CDC light traps at capturing Ae. aegypti and all but unfed stages of Cx. quinquefasciatus. Female Cx. quinquefasciatus traveled short (< 86m) distances in this urban area. Lack of evidence for W. bancrofti infection in mosquitoes and antigen in humans in these fine-scale studies does not indicate that LF transmission has ceased in the RMR. A MX surveillance system should consider vector-specific collection methods, mosquito dispersion, and spatial scale but also local context, environmental factors such as sanitation, and host factors such as infection prevalence and treatment history

One maternal lineage leads the expansion of Thaumastocoris peregrinus (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae) in the new and old worlds.

The bronze bug, Thaumastocoris peregrinus, an Australian native insect, has become a nearly worldwide invasive pest in the last 16 years and has been causing signifcant damage to eucalypts (Myrtaceae), including Eucalyptus spp. and Corymbia spp. Its rapid expansion leads to new questions about pathways and routes that T. peregrinus used to invade other continents and countries. We used mtDNA to characterize specimens of T. peregrinus collected from 10 countries where this species has become established, including six recently invaded countries: Chile, Israel, Mexico, Paraguay, Portugal, and the United States of America. We then combined our mtDNA data with previous data available from South Africa, Australia, and Europe to construct a world mtDNA network of haplotypes. Haplotype A was the most common present in all specimens of sites sampled in the New World, Europe, and Israel, however from Australia second more frequently. Haplotype D was the most common one from native populations in Australia. Haplotype A difers from the two major haplotypes found in South Africa (D and G), confrming that at least two independent invasions occurred, one from Australia to South Africa, and the other one from Australia to South America (A). In conclusion, Haplotype A has an invasion success over many countries in the World. Additionally, analyzing data from our work and previous reports, it is possible to suggest some invasive routes of T. peregrinus to predict such events and support preventive control measures

Burden, coping, physical symptoms and psychological morbidity in caregivers of functionally dependent family members

Objectives: this study assessed burden, coping, physical symptoms and psychological morbidity in caregivers of functionally dependent family members. Methods: fifty family caregivers completed self-reported measures of burden, physical symptoms, psychological morbidity and coping strategies. Results: there was a significant negative correlation between coping strategies and the different clinical variables, as well as a significant positive correlation between coping strategies and duration of care. It appears that the stronger bond between caregiver and family member leads to a poorer use of adaptive coping strategies. It also appears that the deterioration of the relationship between them and the lower perceived self-efficacy are more prominente in caregivers of family members with cognitive impairment, indicating that caregivers with family members without cognitive impairment face fewer difficulties. Conclusion: these results emphasize the need for interventions to include coping strategies, since they are important in reducing caregivers’ burden, psychological morbidity and physical symptoms

The Pierre Auger Observatory III: Other Astrophysical Observations

Astrophysical observations of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays with the Pierre Auger ObservatoryComment: Contributions to the 32nd International Cosmic Ray Conference, Beijing, China, August 201

Measurement of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers above 10^18 eV

We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of the longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost four thousand events above 10^18 eV observed by the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory in coincidence with at least one surface detector station are selected for the analysis. The average shower maximum was found to evolve with energy at a rate of (106 +35/-21) g/cm^2/decade below 10^(18.24 +/- 0.05) eV and (24 +/- 3) g/cm^2/decade above this energy. The measured shower-to-shower fluctuations decrease from about 55 to 26 g/cm^2. The interpretation of these results in terms of the cosmic ray mass composition is briefly discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication by PR