The aim of this study was to describe spatial patterns of the distribution of leprosy and to investigate spatial clustering of incidence rates in the state of Ceará, Northeast Brazil. The average incidence rate of leprosy for the period of 1991 to 1999 was calculated for each municipality of Ceará. Maps were used to describe the spatial distribution of the disease, and spatial statistics were applied to explore large- and small-scale variations of incidence rates. Three regions were identified in which the incidence of leprosy was particularly high. A spatial gradient in the incidence rates was identified, with a tendency of high rates to be concentrated on the North-South axis in the middle region of the state. Moran's I statistic indicated that a significant spatial autocorrelation also existed. The spatial distribution of leprosy in Ceará is heterogeneous. The reasons for spatial clustering of disease rates are not known, but might be related to an heterogeneous distribution of other factors such as crowding, social inequality, and environmental characteristics which by themselves determine the transmission of Mycobacterium leprae.

A <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</font>-galactosidase ou <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</font>-D-galactosídeo-galactohidrolase (EC. 3.2.1.23) é uma importante enzima utilizada industrialmente na hidrólise da lactose do leite e soro de leite para diversas aplicações. Ultimamente, sua importância foi realçada por sua atividade de galactosiltransferase responsável pela síntese de oligossacárides transgalactosilados (TOS) que atuam como alimentos funcionais, trazendo diversos efeitos benéficos para seus consumidores. Penicillium simplicissimum, uma linhagem isolada do solo, mostrou grande produtividade de <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</font>-galactosidase com atividade de galactosiltransferase quando crescida em meio semi-sólido. Seu pH ótimo para hidrólise está na faixa de 4,0-4,6 e para a atividade de galactosiltransferase na faixa de 6,0-7,0. A temperatura ótima para hidrólise e transferase foram encontradas a 55-60°C e 50°C, respectivamente e a enzima mostrou maior termoestabilidade para a atividade de hidrolase. A enzima mostrou potencialidade para diversas aplicações industriais como a remoção de 67% da lactose do leite e 84% da lactose do soro de leite quando incubada nos respectivos pHs oroginais (4,5 e 6,34, respectivamente) em condições ideais de temperatura. Quando incubada com uma solução a 40% em tampão de McIlvaine 150 mM, pH 4,5 a 55°C a enzima converteu 86,5% da lactose em seus monossacarídeos componentes. Quando aplicada a uma solução com 60% de lactose no mesmo tampão mas em pH 6,5 e 50°C, a enzima pode sintetizar até 30,5% de TOS, deixando 39,5% de lactose residual e 30% de monossacárides.

<FONT FACE="Symbol">b</font>-Galactosidase or <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</font>-D-galactoside-galactohydrolase (EC. 3.2.1.23) is an important enzyme industrially used for the hydrolysis of lactose from milk and milk whey for several applications. Lately, the importance of this enzyme was enhanced by its galactosyltransferase activity, which is responsible for the synthesis of transgalactosylated oligosaccharides (TOS) that act as functional foods, with several beneficial effects on consumers. Penicillium simplicissimum, a strain isolated from soil, when grown in semi-solid medium showed good productivity of <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</font>-galactosidase with galactosyltransferase activity. The optimum pH for hydrolysis was in the 4.04.6 range and the optimum pH for galactosyltransferase activity was in the 6.07.0 range. The optimum temperature for hydrolysis and transferase activity was 55-60°C and 50°C, respectively, and the enzyme showed high thermostability for the hydrolytic activity. The enzyme showed a potential for several industrial applications such as removal of 67% of the lactose from milk and 84% of the lactose from milk whey when incubated at their original pH (4.5 and 6.34, respectively) under optimum temperature conditions. When incubated with a 40% lactose solution in 150 mM McIlvaine buffer, pH 4.5, at 55°C the enzyme converted 86.5% of the lactose to its component monosaccharides. When incubated with a 60% lactose solution in the same buffer but at pH 6.5 and 50°C, the enzyme can synthetize up to 30.5% TOS, with 39.5% lactose and 30% monosaccharides remaining in the preparation.

Aspergillus niger - 245, isolado do solo mostrou boa atividade de b-frutosidase meio formulado com extrato de tubérculos de dahlia. A enzima foi purificada por precipitação em sulfato de amônia e percolada em colunas de DEAE-Sephadex A-50 e CM-celulose, produzindo um único pico em todas as fases de purificação e mantendo a relação I/S entre 0,32 a 0,39. O pH ótimo para a atividade de inulinase (I) foi encontrado entre 4,0 - 4.5 e para a atividade de invertase (S) em 2,5 e 5,0. A temperatura ótima foi de 60O.C para ambas as atividades e nenhuma perda foi observada quando mantida nesta temperatura por 30 min. Os valores de Km foram de 1,44 e 5,0, respectivamente, para I e S e os valores de Vm de 10,48 e 30,55, respectivamente. A atividade I foi fortemente inibida por Hg2+, Ag+ e 2 x 10-3 M de glicose, mas não por frutose na mesma concentração. A enzima mostrou um mecanismo de exo-ação, atuando sobre a inulina de diferentes origens. Em condições de ensaio foi obtida hidrólise total de frutanas, apesar de ter mostrado maior atividade sobre a inulina de chicória que sobre as de alcachofra de Jesrusalém e dahlia, nos primeiros 30 minutos de reação. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a enzima apresenta bom potencial para aplicações industriais na preparação de xaropes de frutose.

Aspergillus niger - 245, a strain isolated from soil samples showed good β-fructosidase activity when inoculated in medium formulated with dahlia extract tubers. The enzyme was purified by precipitation in ammonium sulphate and percolated in DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and CM-cellulose columns, witch showed a single peack in all the purification steps, maintaining the I/S ratio between 0.32 to, 0.39. Optimum pH for inulinase activity (I) was between 4.0 - 4.5 and for invertase activity (S) between 2.5 and 5.0. The optimum temperature was 60O.C for both activities and no loss in activity was observed when it was maintained at this temperature for 30 min. The Km value was 1.44 and 5.0, respectively, for I and S and Vm value 10.48 and 30.55, respectively. The I activity was strongly inhibited by Hg2+ and Ag+ and 2 x 10-3 M of glucose, but not by fructose at the same concentration. The enzyme showed an exo-action mechanism, acting on the inulin of different origins. In assay conditions total hydrolysis of all the frutans was obtained, although it has shown larger activity on the chicory inulin than that one from artichoke Jerusalem and dahlia, in the first 30 min. The obtained results suggested that the enzyme presented good potential for industrial application in the preparing the fructose syrups