Abstract INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasmosis is an asymptomatic disease that can lead to systemic disease in the fetus of pregnant women with primary infection. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis, associated factors, and correlation between the serology of pregnant women and their pets, in the municipality of Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 196 pregnant women and their cats or dogs (n=89). Semi-structured interviews were conducted and serum samples from the pregnant women were tested to detect IgM and IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, and avidity tests were performed for IgM-positive samples. The serum collected from pets were tested for IgG antibodies, and IgM antibodies in cats. A non-conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to identify infection-associated factors. RESULTS: IgG and IgM antibodies were detected in 67.9% (133/196) and 1.5% (3/196) samples, respectively, for women with an avidity of over 60%. Age ≥ 25 and the presence of cats in the vicinity were found to be associated with infection, while the level of education and previous orientation toward prevention of toxoplasmosis were protective factors in pregnant women. IgG antibodies were detected in 46.1% (41/89) of the animals, and cats were found to be negative for IgM. For the animals, age ≥ 1 year was a factor associated with infection. There was no correlation between serology of the pregnant women and the animals (p=0.15). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated prevalence of toxoplasmosis was detected in the region. Therefore, the adoption of preventive measures by public healthcare bodies is recommended.

Resumo OBJETIVO: descrever o processo de medição da massa corporal de crianças menores de sete anos assistidas pelos agentes comunitários de saúde (ACS) nas unidades básicas de saúde da Estratégia Saúde da Família em Macaé-RJ, Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo com ACS que mediram a massa corporal de crianças entre agosto de 2010 e agosto de 2011. RESULTADOS: do total de ACS da Atenção Básica de Macaé, ¾ (n=65) foram observados em 196 medições de crianças; detectou-se a utilização de 66,8% de balanças de uso doméstico pelos profissionais (p<0,001); 65,3% das balanças foram posicionadas em chão desnivelado; o procedimento ‘despir a criança’ foi realizado em 18,4% das medições, e destas, 72,2% adequadamente (p<0,001). CONCLUSÃO: detectaram-se falhas nos procedimentos técnicos de medição, indicando a necessidade de ampliar a reflexão e discussão sobre o impacto das medidas geradas na determinação dos diagnósticos nutricionais do público infantil.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: to describe the measurement process of the body mass in children under seven years old, assisted by community health agents in primary health care units of the Family Health Strategy, in Macaé-RJ, Brazil. METHODS: a descriptive study with community health agents who measured the body mass of children, from August 2010 to August 2011. RESULTS: ¾ (n=65) of the community health agents from Macaé Primary Health Care were observed in 196 measurements; in 66.8% of measurements, the professionals used domestic scales (p<0.001); 65.3% of the scales were put on uneven floor; the procedure ‘undress the child’ was followed in 18.4% of cases; of those, 72.2% were performed properly (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: failures in the technical procedures of measurement were detected, pointing to the need to expand the reflection and discussion on the impact of the measurements, which help determine the nutritional diagnose of children.

Resumen OBJETIVO: describir el proceso de medición de la masa corporal de los niños menores de siete años por trabajadores comunitarios de salud (TCS) en unidades básicas con Estrategia de Salud de la Familia en Macaé-RJ, Brasil. MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio descriptivo con TCS que midieron la masa corporal de niños, entre agosto 2010-2011. RESULTADOS: del total de ACS de Atención Primaria de Macaé, ¾ (n=65) fueron observados en 196 mediciones; se detectó que 66,8% de los TCS usaba las balanzas de uso doméstico (p<0,001); 65,3% colocándola en un terreno irregular; el procedimiento de ‘desvestir al niño’ se realizó en 18,4% de las veces; siendo que 72,2% lo realizaba correctamente (p<0,001). CONCLUSIÓN: se detectaron fallas en los procedimientos técnicos de acuerdo con la literatura; hay una necesidad de ampliar la reflexión y el debate sobre el impacto de las medidas generadas en la determinación del diagnóstico nutricional y la formulación de políticas públicas para la infancia.

Resumo OBJETIVO: descrever o processo de medição da massa corporal de crianças menores de sete anos assistidas pelos agentes comunitários de saúde (ACS) nas unidades básicas de saúde da Estratégia Saúde da Família em Macaé-RJ, Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo com ACS que mediram a massa corporal de crianças entre agosto de 2010 e agosto de 2011. RESULTADOS: do total de ACS da Atenção Básica de Macaé, ¾ (n=65) foram observados em 196 medições de crianças; detectou-se a utilização de 66,8% de balanças de uso doméstico pelos profissionais (p<0,001); 65,3% das balanças foram posicionadas em chão desnivelado; o procedimento ‘despir a criança’ foi realizado em 18,4% das medições, e destas, 72,2% adequadamente (p<0,001). CONCLUSÃO: detectaram-se falhas nos procedimentos técnicos de medição, indicando a necessidade de ampliar a reflexão e discussão sobre o impacto das medidas geradas na determinação dos diagnósticos nutricionais do público infantil.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: to describe the measurement process of the body mass in children under seven years old, assisted by community health agents in primary health care units of the Family Health Strategy, in Macaé-RJ, Brazil. METHODS: a descriptive study with community health agents who measured the body mass of children, from August 2010 to August 2011. RESULTS: ¾ (n=65) of the community health agents from Macaé Primary Health Care were observed in 196 measurements; in 66.8% of measurements, the professionals used domestic scales (p<0.001); 65.3% of the scales were put on uneven floor; the procedure ‘undress the child’ was followed in 18.4% of cases; of those, 72.2% were performed properly (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: failures in the technical procedures of measurement were detected, pointing to the need to expand the reflection and discussion on the impact of the measurements, which help determine the nutritional diagnose of children.

Resumen OBJETIVO: describir el proceso de medición de la masa corporal de los niños menores de siete años por trabajadores comunitarios de salud (TCS) en unidades básicas con Estrategia de Salud de la Familia en Macaé-RJ, Brasil. MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio descriptivo con TCS que midieron la masa corporal de niños, entre agosto 2010-2011. RESULTADOS: del total de ACS de Atención Primaria de Macaé, ¾ (n=65) fueron observados en 196 mediciones; se detectó que 66,8% de los TCS usaba las balanzas de uso doméstico (p<0,001); 65,3% colocándola en un terreno irregular; el procedimiento de ‘desvestir al niño’ se realizó en 18,4% de las veces; siendo que 72,2% lo realizaba correctamente (p<0,001). CONCLUSIÓN: se detectaron fallas en los procedimientos técnicos de acuerdo con la literatura; hay una necesidad de ampliar la reflexión y el debate sobre el impacto de las medidas generadas en la determinación del diagnóstico nutricional y la formulación de políticas públicas para la infancia.

Objective: The aim was to assess the effect of dietary patterns on postpartum body weight change (BWC). Methods: A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) with 81 items was applied in 278 women having the first six months after delivery as the time frame. Body weight (BW) was measured at 15 days (baseline) and at 2.6 and 9 months postpartum. Principal components analysis was used to extract the dietary patterns. Linear mixed models were performed having BWC as the outcome and the dietary patterns as independent variables. Results: Two major dietary patterns were identified: healthy and mixed. Energy intake was 2,838 kcal (DP = 624) and 2,233 kcal (DP = 455), for women classified in the highest quartiles of mixed and healthy dietary patterns, respectively. Mean BWC declined -0.151 kg/ month (SE = 0.02) independently of the dietary pattern. Predicted values of BWC among women that have adhered to mixed dietary pattern indicated a lower BWC of 0.830 kg/month (SE = 0.24; p < 0.001) at 6 months and 0.938 kg/month (SE = 0.24; p < 0.001) at 9 months postpartum. Conclusion: The mixed dietary pattern was associated with a slower rate of BWC during postpartum, compared the healthy dietary pattern.

Objetivo: El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto del patrón dietético sobre el cambio de peso corporal (CPC) en el puerperio. Métodos: Se aplicó una Cuestionario de frecuencia de alimentos (CFA) con 81 ítemes a 278 mujeres en el marco temporal de los siguientes 6 meses después del parto. El peso corporal (PC) se midió a los 15 días (basal) y a los 2,6 y 9 meses posparto. Se utilizó el análisis de los componentes principales para extraer los patrones dietéticos. Se realizaron modelos lineares mixtos, siendo el CPC el resultado y los patrones dietéticos las variables independientes. Resultados: Se identificaron dos patrones dietéticos principales: saludable y mixto. El consumo de energía fue de 2.838 kcal (DP = 624) y 2.233 kcal (DP = 455), para las mujeres clasificadas en los cuartiles más altos de los patrones dietéticos mixto y saludable, respectivamente. El decremento promedio del CPC fue de -0,151 kg/mes (EE = 0,02) independientemente del patrón dietético. Los valores predictivos del CPC en las mujeres con un patrón dietético mixto indicaron un menor CPC de 0,830 kg/mes (EE = 0,24; p < 0,001) a los 6 meses y de 0,938 kg/mes (EE = 0,24; p < 0,001) a los 9 meses posparto. Conclusión: El patrón dietético mixto se asoció con un ritmo de pérdida de peso más lento durante el puerperio en comparación con el patrón dietético saludable.

Mangrove forests encompass a group of trees species that inhabit the intertidal zones, where soil is characterized by the high salinity and low availability of oxygen. The phyllosphere of these trees represent the habitat provided on the aboveground parts of plants, supporting in a global scale, a large and complex microbial community. The structure of phyllosphere communities reflects immigration, survival and growth of microbial colonizers, which is influenced by numerous environmental factors in addition to leaf physical and chemical properties. Here, a combination of culture-base methods with PCR-DGGE was applied to test whether local or plant specific factors shape the bacterial community of the phyllosphere from three plant species (Avicenia shaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle), found in two mangroves. The number of bacteria in the phyllosphere of these plants varied between 3.62 x 10(4) in A. schaeriana and 6.26 x 10³ in R. mangle. The results obtained by PCR-DGGE and isolation approaches were congruent and demonstrated that each plant species harbor specific bacterial communities in their leaves surfaces. Moreover, the ordination of environmental factors (mangrove and plant species), by redundancy analysis (RDA), also indicated that the selection exerted by plant species is higher than mangrove location on bacterial communities at phyllosphere.

This study describes the characterization of nine Cuban Bacillus thuringiensis strains based on crystal morphology, SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresis (PAGE) and insecticidal activity against Spodoptera frugiperda and Anticarsia gemmatalis.Ultrastructural analysis of parasporal bodies of the nine strains showed the typical bipyramidal crystal and cubic inclusion partially embedded in the middle of the bipyramidal crystal. The PAGE analysis showed two bands of 130 kDa and 70 kDa belongs to Cry 1 and Cry 2 protein present to HD1 standard strains B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki.The strains LBT 4 and LBT 7 analyzed in this report showed potential as biological insecticide against S. frugiperda and LBT 4, LBT 7, LBT13 and LBT47 strains showed 100% of mortality to Anticarsia gemmatalis.

Se realizó la caracterización de nueve cepas cubanas de Bacillus thuringiensis según la morfología del cristal, la determinación del patrón de proteínas Cry y la actividad biológica frente a los insectos lepidópteros Spodoptera frugiperda y Anticarsia gemmatalis. Se observó la típica morfología bipiramidal en todas las cepas, y además la presencia de inclusiones cúbicas. El patrón de proteínas Cry obtenido correspondió con el de la cepa estándar internacional de B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki cepa HD1, en el que se observan dos bandas bien definidas correspondientes a la proteína Cry 1 (130 kDa) y Cry 2 (70 kDa). En la evaluación de la actividad biológica las cepas LBT 4 y LBT 7 causaron el 100% de mortalidad frente a S. frugiperda, mientras que las LBT 4, LBT 7, LBT 13 y LBT 47 provocaron el 100% de mortalidad para A. gemmatalis.

Com o objetivo de investigar a infecção natural por Leishmania em fêmeas de flebotomíneos, em um foco de leishmaniose visceral, no município de Antônio João, Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, no período de junho a outubro de 2003, dissecou-se o trato digestivo de 81 fêmeas de cinco espécies de flebotomíneos capturadas em três localidades: Aldeia Campestre, Aldeia Marangatu e Povoado Campestre. Após dissecção estas foram divididas em 13 grupos monoespecíficos e armazenadas em etanol 70%. Para identificação das espécies de Leishmania pela técnica de PCR, esses grupos foram analisados por meio da amplificação dos genes de DNA ribossômico e mini-exon. Das fêmeas analisadas, Lutzomyia longipalpis foi a espécie mais freqüente com 95% (77/81) dos espécimes e apenas um exemplar das demais espécies, Brumptomyia avellari, Evandromyia cortelezzii, Evandromyia lenti e Nyssomyia whitmani, foi encontrado. Tripanosomatídeos foram identificados em oito dos nove grupos de L. longipalpis (10,39%), sendo um da Aldeia Campestre, seis do Povoado Campestre e um da Aldeia Mangaratu. Desses, dois (2,6%) foram identificados, por PCR, como Leishmania chagasi sendo um proveniente da Aldeia Mangaratu e outro, que em dissecção apresentou formas promastigotas (1,23%), proveniente de Povoado Campestre. Os demais grupos foram negativos. Esses resultados apontam para um alto risco de transmissão de leishmaniose na área.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate natural infection by Leishmania in phlebotomine females in a visceral-leishmaniasis focus in Antonio João county in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. Between June and October 2003, the digestive tracts of 81 females captured in Aldeia Campestre, Aldeia Marangatu and Povoado Campestre were dissected. The females were separated by species, location, area and date of capture into 13 groups and kept in ethanol 70%. To identify the Leishmania species using the PCR technique, amplifications of the ribosomal-DNA (rDNA) and mini-exon genes were analyzed. Of the 81 specimens, 77 (95%) were Lutzomyia longipalpis, making this the most common species; only one specimen of each of the species Brumptomyia avellari, Evandromyia cortelezzii, Evandromyia lenti and Nyssomyia whitmani was found. Trypanosomatids were identified in eight of the nine groups of Lutzomyia longipalpis (10.39%) one group from Aldeia Campestre, one from Aldeia Marangatu and six from Povoado Campestre; of the eight groups, one from Aldeia Marangatu and another, with promastigotes forms also confirmed by dissection (1.23%) from Povoado Campestre, were identified by PCR as Leishmania chagasi (2.6%). The other groups gave negative results. These findings indicate that there is a high risk of leishmaniasis transmission in this area.