The organophosphate temephos has been the main insecticide used against larvae of the dengue and yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) in Brazil since the mid-1980s. Reports of resistance date back to 1995; however, no systematic reports of widespread temephos resistance have occurred to date. As resistance investigation is paramount for strategic decision-making by health officials, our objective here was to investigate the spatial and temporal spread of temephos resistance in Ae. aegypti in Brazil for the last 12 years using discriminating temephos concentrations and the bioassay protocols of the World Health Organization. The mortality results obtained were subjected to spatial analysis for distance interpolation using semi-variance models to generate maps that depict the spread of temephos resistance in Brazil since 1999. The problem has been expanding. Since 2002-2003, approximately half the country has exhibited mosquito populations resistant to temephos. The frequency of temephos resistance and, likely, control failures, which start when the insecticide mortality level drops below 80%, has increased even further since 2004. Few parts of Brazil are able to achieve the target 80% efficacy threshold by 2010/2011, resulting in a significant risk of control failure by temephos in most of the country. The widespread resistance to temephos in Brazilian Ae. aegypti populations greatly compromise effective mosquito control efforts using this insecticide and indicates the urgent need to identify alternative insecticides aided by the preventive elimination of potential mosquito breeding sites.

RESUMO Estimulação cerebral profunda tem sido utilizada para controle das alterações motoras e melhorar qualidade de vida dos pacientes com Doença de Parkinson (DP). Mais recentemente, DBS em núcleo subtalâmico (STN) tem sido o alvo preferencialmente escolhido para sintomas mistos. Apesar da melhora motora e da qualidade de vida, o procedimento tem sido associado com declínio cognitivo, principalmente na linguagem e distúrbios psiquiátricos. Objetivo: Avaliar a influência do DBS em NST na cognição, humor e qualidade de vida. Métodos: Nós estudamos 20 pacientes submetidos a DBS em NST no período de Maio de 2008 a Junho de 2012, por meio de uma extensa avaliação neuropsicológica incluindo testes de memória, linguagem, praxia, funções executivas, funções atencionais, Parkinsons Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39) e Escala Hospitalar de depressão e ansiedade (HAD) na fase pré e pós-operatória. Nós analisamos os dados usando o SPSS versão 17.0 e os resultados foram comparados através do teste pareado t-Student. Resultados: Houve melhora estatisticamente significativa no escore total e nas dimensões de mobilidade, atividades de vida diária e bem estar emocional do PDQ-39 (P=0,009, 0,025, 0,001 e 0,034, respectivamente). Diferenças significativas não foram encontradas na bateria cognitiva e nem na escala de humor. Conclusão: DBS em SNT melhorou a qualidade de vida nos pacientes com DP sem trazer impacto negativo nas funções cognitivas e humor.

ABSTRACT Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been widely used to control motor symptoms and improve quality of life in patients with Parkinsons disease (PD). Recently, DBS in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has become the preferred target for patients with mixed motor symptoms. Despite resultant motor and quality of life improvements, the procedure has been associated with cognitive decline, mainly in language skills, and also with psychiatric symptoms. Objective: To evaluate the influence of DBS in the STN on cognition, mood and quality of life. Methods: We studied 20 patients with PD submitted to DBS in the STN from May 2008 to June 2012 with an extensive battery of cognitive tests including memory, language, praxis, executive functions and attention assessments; the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39); and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), were applied both before and after the surgery. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 and results compared using the paired Student's t test. Results: A total of 20 patients with pre and post-operative assessments were included. A statistically significant improvement was found in total score and on subscales of mobility, activities of daily living and emotional well-being from the PDQ-39 (P=0.009, 0.025, 0.001 and 0.034, respectively). No significant difference was found on the cognitive battery or mood scale. Conclusion: DBS in the SNT improved quality of life in PD with no negative impact on cognitive skills and mood.

The family Dromiidae, erected by De Haan in the past century, is formed by primitive crabs which are distributed in the tropical and temperate waters of the main oceans. Until now, four species of the family have been recognized from the Brazilian coast: Dromia erythropus (G. Edwards), Cryptodromiopsis antillensis (Stimpson), Hypoconcha arcuata Stimpson and H. parasitica (Linnaeus). A fifth species, Dromia gouveai sp.n., is herein described and illustrated.