ABSTRACT Oral problems are common in patients diagnosed with Eating Disorders (ED) and still require better elucidation. We aimed to analyze the prevalence of oral Candida spp in individuals with ED. The sample of the study was comprised of 30 women with purgative habits and 15 without purgative habits. Samples of the oral cavity were collected by sterile cotton swab rubbed on soft tissues and teeth. Yeasts were isolated on Sabouraud dextrose agar. Yeasts were isolated from the oral cavity of 53% of the patients yielding 75 yeast isolates; of these, 43 were identified by conventional mycological methods: C. parapsilosis (n=19), C. glabrata (n=16), Rhodotorula sp (n= 6), C. famata (n=2). The remaining 32 isolates were presumptively identified as C. albicans or C. dubliniensis and required mass spectrometry for the final differentiation: 28 isolates were confirmed as C. albicans and four as C. dubliniensis. Among the control group, only four subjects (26.7%) were found to harbor C. albicans. The four C. dubliniensis isolates were from two patients, one that was only colonized and the other, with severe ED, was diagnosed with an oral candidiasis as demonstrated by the presence of pseudohyphae on the direct mycological exam from different sites. The increased rate of isolation of non-albicans species, such as C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, and C. dubliniensis in the oral cavity from ED patients with nutritional deficiency may suggest that purgative habits of these patients can lead to changes in normal flora and predispose to oral candidiasis.

Abstract J. curcas (physic nut) is one of the most promising oilseeds for biofuel production and the knowledge about genetic parameter estimates is important for its breeding. Here, we evaluated 121 families, from 48 to 60 months of age, aiming genetic evaluation and selection. The trial was set up in an 11 x 11 lattice design, with three replications and 4-plant plot. The traits evaluated were fruit yield (FY), grain (GY) and oil yield (OY), fruit husk percentage (FH) and seed oil content (OC). Individual heritabilities were low (0.19 to 0.23), requiring accurate selection and improvement methods. Moderate repeatabilities were observed for FY (0.54), GY (0.52), OC (0.30) and OY (0.51), indicating that the families evaluated maintained relative superiority over the years. With selection of the 20 best individuals, the predicted genotypic gains (66%) were greater than the additive gains (56%), indicating greater possibilities of success from cultivation of clones.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to assess a collection of yeasts to verify the presence of Candida dubliniensis among strains isolated from the oral mucosa of AIDS pediatric patients which were initially characterized as Candida albicans by the traditional phenotypic method, as well as to evaluate the main phenotypic methods used in the discrimination between the two species and confirm the identification through genotypic techniques, i.e., DNA sequencing. Twenty-nine samples of C. albicans isolated from this population and kept in a fungi collection were evaluated and re-characterized. In order to differentiate the two species, phenotypic tests (Thermotolerance tests, Chromogenic medium, Staib agar, Tobacco agar, Hypertonic medium) were performed and genotypic techniques using DNA sequencing were employed for confirmation of isolated species. Susceptibility and specificity were calculated for each test. No phenotypic test alone was sufficient to provide definitive identification of C. dubliniensis or C. albicans, as opposed to results of molecular tests. After amplification and sequencing of specific regions of the 29 studied strains, 93.1% of the isolates were identified as C. albicans and 6.9% as C. dubliniensis. The Staib agar assay showed a higher susceptibility (96.3%) in comparison with other phenotypic techniques. Therefore, genotypic methods are indispensable for the conclusive identification and differentiation between these species.

Several reports showed outbreaks of histoplasmosis acquired while bat-inhabited caves were visited by tourists, miners or researchers. We evaluated the performance of double immunodifusion (DI) and immunoblotting (IB) assays, employed for the histoplasmosis outbreak elucidation occurred in Vale do Paraíba, São Paulo. The existence of epidemiologic link, four patients with clinical signs suggestive of histoplasmosis and mycological confirmation has made that all 35 individuals involved to the cave visit were subjected to serological evaluation. By DI, we observed reactivity against H. capsulatum antigen in a single serum examined nearly 20 days after exposure to fungal propagules. On the other hand, IB showed reactivity against H and M fractions in 50% of samples evaluated. The analysis of the second sample batch, collected two months after the exposure showed that 96.7% were reactive by DI with antibodies titers ranging from 1 to 16 and 100% of reactivity against H and M fractions, by IB, suggesting an acute infection. The analysis of the overall agreement between the methods showed to be reasonable (κ = 0.37). This study confirms the importance and efficacy of more sensitive methodologies, such as IB assay, to early elucidation of disease, especially in cases of patients without mycological information.

This case reports an immunocompetent 29-year-old woman with suspected pneumonia, suggestive of fungal infection. Immunoblotting analysis reactivity againstHistoplasma capsulatum and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were observed. Nested-PCR in blood employing species-specific primers was positive for H. capsulatum andCryptococcus neoformans. The evaluation of paucisymptomatic patients with positive results for H. capsulatum and C. neoformans could be relevant for the prevention as well as the possible evaluation of the reactivated quiescent foci. In conclusion, the associated methodology may have contributed to the monitoring endogenous reactivation of these diseases.

FUNDAMENTOS: As infecções fúngicas superficiais se correlacionam com o agente etiológico, a resposta imune do hospedeiro, o local da lesão e o tecido lesado, sendo causadas por dermatófitos, leveduras ou fungos filamentosos. OBJETIVO: O objetivo é isolar e identificar os agentes das onicomicoses em idosos institucionalizados. MÉTODO: A identificação dos fungos baseou-se nos resultados combinados do exame micológico, isolamento em cultura e da observação de microculturas sob microscopia de luz, do material subungueal e escamas interdigitais, coletado de 35 idosos com suspeita clínica de onicomicose e de um grupo controle (9 idosos com espaço interdigital e unhas saudáveis). Ambos os grupos eram institucionalizados em duas casas de assistência em São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brasil. RESULTADOS: As unhas raspadas apresentaram 51,40% de positividade. Os dermatófitos foram encontrados em 44,40% de isolados, sendo 27,78% identificados como Trichophyton rubrum e 5,56%, cada, como Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes e Microsporum gypseum. O segundo grupo mais frequente (38,89%) foi o de leveduras, identificadas como 16,67% Candida guilliermondii, 11,11% Candida parapsilosis, 5,56% Candida glabrata e 5,56% Trichosporon asahii. Um terceiro grupo exibia 16,70% fungos filamentosos, como Fusarium sp, Aspergillus sp e Neoscytalidium (5,56% de cada). Os raspados interdigitais exibiram positividade de 14,29%. Os agentes foram coincidentes com os fungos que causaram a onicomicose. No grupo controle, a Candida guilliermondii foi identificada no espaço interdigital em apenas uma pessoa. CONCLUSÃO: Empregando-se a combinação destes métodos de identificação, não houve diferença entre a etiologia da onicomicose dos idosos institucionalizados daquela relatada na literatura para a população em geral.

BACKGROUND: Superficial fungal infections are caused by dermatophytes, yeasts or filamentous fungi. They are correlated to the etiologic agent, the level of integrity of the host immune response, the site of the lesion and also the injured tissue. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to isolate and to identify onychomycosis agents in institutionalized elderly (60 years old +). METHODS: The identification of the fungi relied upon the combined results of mycological examination, culture isolation and micro cultures observation under light microscopy from nail and interdigital scales, which were collected from 35 elderly with a clinical suspicion of onychomycosis and a control group (9 elderly with healthy interdigital space and nails). Both groups were institutionalized in two nursing homes in Sao Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil. RESULTS: The nail scrapings showed 51.40% positivity. Of these, dermatophytes were found in 44.40% isolates, 27.78% identified as Trichophyton rubrum and 5.56% each as Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum gypseum. The second more conspicuous group showed 38.89% yeasts: 16.67% Candida guilliermondii, 11.11% Candida parapsilosis, 5.56% Candida glabrata, and 5.56% Trichosporon asahii. A third group displayed 16.70% filamentous fungi, like Fusarium sp, Aspergillus sp and Neoscytalidium sp (5.56% each). The interdigital scrapings presented a positivity rate of 14.29%. The agents were coincident with the fungi that caused the onychomycosis. In the control group, Candida guilliermondii was found at interdigital space in one person. CONCLUSION: Employing a combination of those identification methods, we found no difference between the etiology of the institutionalized elderly onychomycosis from that reported in the literature for the general population.

Na comunidade de Barra Grande localizada no litoral do Piauí, as mulheres dos pescadores, conhecidas localmente como marisqueiras, extraem do manguezal vários tipos de moluscos para comercialização e em maior escala para a subsistência. Dados sobre a atividade de mariscagem, conceitos de conservação e aspectos socioeconômicos do contexto em que ocorre a atividade de cata dos moluscos, foram revelados após a aplicação de protocolos estruturados e semiestruturados. O molusco bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana (Gmelin, 1791), popularmente denominado de marisco, é caracterizado por ser um importante recurso para a subsistência, sendo o mais coletado pela comunidade, seguido da Mytella charruana (d'Orbigny, 1842), o sururu, explorado para a comercialização por ter o maior valor de mercado. O conhecimento das marisqueiras sobre A. brasiliana foi comparado com literatura especializada, muitas vezes mostrando-se em harmonia com esta. Demonstra-se assim que o conhecimento tradicional deve ser valorizado para delineamento de programas de gestão de recursos pesqueiros da região. Quanto aos modos de pensar, foi revelado que 82,81% das marisqueiras praticam manejo para a conservação da A. brasiliana ao coletar apenas os indivíduos de maior tamanho, e 80,86% consideram que não existe poluição nos pontos de coletas. O surgimento de uma Associação exclusiva e cooperativa para as marisqueiras é necessário para a valorização do trabalho por elas desenvolvido, visto que há uma média estimada de 351 kg de carne sendo extraídos mensalmente.

In the community of Barra Grande located at the coast of Piauí, the wives of fishermen, locally known as "marisqueiras" (female shellfish catcher), extract from the mangrove various kinds of shellfish for commercial purposes and a great amount for subsistence. For a better understanding, data on the activity of "marisqueiras", concepts of conservation and socioeconomic aspects of the context in which occurs the activity of shellfish catching were revealed after the application of semi-structured and structured protocols. The bivalve mussel Anomalocardia brasiliana (Gmelin, 1791), popularly known as "marisco", is characterized as an important resource for subsistence being most of it collected by the community, followed by Mytella charruana (d'Orbigny, 1842) the "sururu", extract for commercial purposes due to its highest market value. The knowledge of the "marisqueiras" about A. brasiliana was compared with literature which proved to be compatible, thus showing that it should be valued for the design of programs for the management of fishing resources in the region. About the way of thinking, it was revealed that 82.81% of "marisqueiras" practice the conservation of the A. brasiliana by collecting only the larger individuals and 80.86% consider that there is no pollution at the collection points. The creation of a unique association and a cooperative for the "marisqueiras" is required to value the work by themselves developed, since there are an estimated average of 351 kg of meat being extracted monthly.

En la comunidad de Barra Grande, situada en la costa del estado de Piaui, las esposas de los pescadores, localmente llamadas de "marisqueiras", extraen de los manglares diversos tipos de moluscos para su comercialización, haciendo de esta actividad en una fuente de subsistencia. Informaciones detalladas y sistemáticas sobre la actividad de cosecha de mariscos, del contexto en el que se desarrolla la recolección y sus aspectos socioeconómicos, asi como la percepción ambiental y los conceptos relacionados a la preservación que tienen las "marisqueiras", sólo fueron conocidas luego de la aplicación de protocolos estructurados y semi-estructurados. El molusco Anomalocardia brasiliana (Gmelin, 1791), popularmente conocido como "marisco", es una importante fuente de recursos, siendo el más cosechado por la comunidad; le sigue en importancia el Mytella charruana (d'Orbigny, 1842), conocido como "sururu", cuya explotación se destina principalmente a la comercialización debido a su superior valor de mercado. El conocimiento que las "marisqueiras" tienen de la A. brasiliana fue comparado con el disponible en la literatura especializada, quedando evidente su compatibilidad, lo cual fundamenta la importancia de su valorización en el diseño de programas de gestión de los recursos pesqueros en la región. Estudios sobre el impacto ambiental de la actividad revelaron que el 82,81% de las "marisqueiras" tienen en cuenta las consecuencias de su actividad sobre la preservación, cosechando sólo los ejemplares más grandes, mientras que 80,86% de las trabajadoras considera que no hay contaminación en las zonas de cosecha. En el contexto actual se hace necesaria la creación de una Asociación de "marisqueiras", así como una cooperativa, con el propósito de jerarquizar la actividad, la cual es responsable por la producción estimada en promedio de 351 kg de carne por mes.

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated fungal organism that can cause disease in apparently immunocompetent, as well as immunocompromised, hosts. Since 1930, successive subculture has been used to preserve C. neoformans isolates in our Fungus Collection. In the 1970s, some of these Fungus Collection samples were selected to be subjected to a different methods of maintenance - that of lyophilized. Our objective was to analyze C. neoformans isolates in order to make a comparative evaluation between these two methods of preservation. The overall aim of this study was to qualify the preservation technique used in our mycology laboratory since the technique used might affect the survival, stability and purity of the primary isolates in culture. The samples were analyzed using classical mycology methods and using the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA technique In the analysis of phenotypes and genotypes, the typical characteristics of C. neoformans were found to differ in relation to the different methods of preservation employed. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the importance of selecting the appropriate method of preservation for fungus collections. This selection can affect the survival and purity of the cultures, and preserve the stability of their physiological, biochemical, and genetic characteristics.

Esse artigo analisa um processo de investigação-ação ocorrido no contexto de um programa de formação continuada de professores de Ciências, no qual constituiu-se um grupo de professoras/pesquisadoras que assumiram a própria prática como referência para o desenvolvimento de diferentes níveis de investigação educativa. Concluímos que as concepções de ensino vigentes no grupo influem de forma decisiva nesses níveis de investigação. Professoras que concebem o ensino como um processo de mera transmissão de conhecimentos parecem compreender as possibilidades de investigação educativa nos moldes da racionalidade técnica. Por outro lado, aquelas que concebem o ensino como um processo dialógico de construção de saberes, acabaram por desenvolver investigações apoiadas na racionalidade prática.

This article analyzes an action research process wich was carried out as a program of Science teachers continuous formation. The researchers/teachers group took their own teaching as reference for the development of different levels of educational investigation, as a consequence of different teaching conceptions. Teachers that conceive the teaching as a process of mere transmission of knowledge seem to understand the possibilities of educational investigation according to technical rationality model. On the other hand, those that conceive the teaching as a dialogic process of construction, they developed investigations based on the practical rationality.

Os Autores registram o primeiro caso de dermatofitose por Trichophyton raubitschekii em paciente do Estado de São Paulo, com lesões de Tinea corporis localizada nas nádegas. O cultivo em ágar-Sabouraud com cicloheximida permitiu o isolamento e identificação do fungo, cujo diagnóstico foi confirmado pela Drª Lynne Sigler, da Universidade de Alberta, Canadá. O tratamento sistêmico com fluconazol, 150mg/semana por 4 semanas, associado ao tratamento tópico com isoconazol ofereceu inicialmente resultados favoráveis, com recidiva das lesões, após suspensão do medicamento. Trata-se do quinto caso publicado na literatura médica nacional.

The authors report the first case of dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton raubitschekii in a patient from the State of São Paulo with Tinea corporis lesions localized on the buttocks. Culture on Sabouraud-agar with cycloheximide permitted the isolation and identification of the fungus, and the diagnosis was confirmed by Dr. Lynne Sigler, University of Alberta, Canada. Systemic treatment with fluconazole, 150 mg/week for 4 weeks, in combination with topical treatment with isoconazole initially yielded favorable results, with recurrence of the lesions after the medication was discontinued. This is the fifth case of this dermatophytosis published in the Brazilian medical literature.

Os Autores registraram dois casos de onicomicose sob forma distrófica, sendo um em paciente HIV-positivo, provocados pelo Scytalidium dimidiatum, no passado considerado como Scytalidium lignicola. Fazem uma revisão da matéria sob o ponto de vista taxonômico, considerado o anamorfo Hendersonula toruloidea como sinônimo de Nattrassia mangiferae, tendo como sinanamorfo principal o Scytalidium dimidiatum. Scytalidium hyalinum seria para muitos micologistas espécie à parte ou mutante hialina do Scytalidium dimidiatum. Scytalidium lignicola Pesante 1957, foi considerada por ELLIS (1971)13 como espécie-tipo do gênero e mais tarde (1976)14, pelo mesmo Autor como "estado conidiano" de Hendersonula toruloidea, atualmente Nattrassia mangiferae. Vive somente em raízes de determinadas plantas (Pinus e Platamus, principalmente). Produz picnidios e até hoje não é considerado como agente patogênico, sem afastá-lo, todavia, como agente emergente, capaz de provocar lesões fúngicas oportunísticas. Salientam a importância do tema como um dos mais importantes na taxonomia fúngica, sujeita a tantas mudanças, bem como seu interesse, principalmente no campo da micologia dermatológica.

The authors report two cases of onychomycosis in the dystrophic form, one of them involving an HIV-positive patient, provoked by Scytalidium dimidiatum, previously called Scytalidium lignicola. The subject is reviewed from the taxonomic viewpoint, considering the anamorph Hendersonula toruloidea as a synonym of Nattrassia mangiferae, and having Scytalidium dimidiatum as the major synanamorph. According to many mycologists, Scytalidium hyalinum may be a separate species or a hyaline mutant of Scytalidium dimidiatum. Scytalidium lignicola Pesante 1957 was considered to be the type-species of the genus by ELLIS (1971)13 and later to be a "conidial state" of Hendersonula toruloidea by the same author, today known as Nattrassia mangiferae. The microorganism lives only on the roots of certain plants (mainly Platanus and Pinus). It produces pycnidia and is not considered to be a pathogen, although it is considered as a possible emerging agent capable of provoking opportunistic fungal lesions. The importance of this topic as one of the most outstanding in fungal taxonomy, so likely to be modified over time, as well as its interest in the field of dermatologic mycology, are emphasized.

Os Autores estudaram do ponto de vista micológico, imunoquímico e de sua biologia molecular, duas amostras de Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, uma isolada do solo, no município de IBIÁ (MG) por Silva-Vergara et al. (l996,1998)20,21 denominada IBIÁ e outra, BAT, cultivada de um caso humano de paracoccidioidomicose em Ribeirão Preto (SP) por Freitas da Silva (l996)6. Tais amostras apresentam colônias cotonosa (M) e leveduriforme (L ou Y), sendo patogênicas para cobaios inoculados por via testicular, produzindo orquite granulomatosa e/ou supurativa. Do ponto de vista imunoquímico, através de provas de Imunodifusão dupla, Imunoeletroforese e Western Blotting, foi demonstrada a presença da gp43. A sequência de nucleotídeos do DNA de tais amostras, através do seqüenciamento de 761 bases, revelou homologia de 100% com amostra padrão de P. brasiliensis, o mesmo ocorrendo com três amostras humanas, uma isolada de fezes de pinguim e outra de ração alimentar para cães contaminada com terra. São discutidos vários aspectos dos resultados obtidos, comparando-os com alguns dados da literatura.

The authors conducted a mycologic, immunochemical and molecular biology study on two strains of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, one of them, called IBIÁ, isolated from soil in the municipality of IBIÁ (Minas Gerais) by Silva-Vergara et al. (l996,1998)20,21, and the other, BAT, cultivated from a human case of paracoccidioidomycosis in Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo/Brazil) by Freitas da Silva (l996)6. Both strains showed cotton-like (M) and yeast-like (Y) forms and were pathogenic for testicularly inoculated guinea pigs, producing granulomatous and/or suppurative orchitis. Immunochemically was demonstrated the presence of gp43 by double immunodiffusion, immunoelectrophoresis and immunoblotting.

O presente trabalho registra um caso de feo-hifomicose subcutânea em paciente do sexo masculino com o diagnóstico de sarcoidose pulmonar, submetido à terapêutica por corticosteróides quando apresentou no dorso da mão direita lesões cutâneas nodulares, eritêmato-violáceas, de aspecto infiltrado, exigindo biópsia para o diagnóstico. O exame histopatológico revelou processo granulomatoso, com a presença de hifas e células arredondadas demácias. Cultivo positivo para fungo identificado com Phoma cava. Os Autores fizeram revisão da literatura sobre as infecções fúngicas provocadas por diversas espécies de Phoma, mostrando a raridade desta observação. A evolução foi favorável com a administração da anfotericina B (via venosa) seguida do itraconazol (via oral)

We report a case of subcutaneous pheohyphomycosis observed in a male patient presenting pulmonary sarcoidosis and submitted to corticosteroid treatment. He presented nodular erythematous-violaceous skin lesions in the dorsum of the right hand. Histopathological examination of the biopsied lesion revealed dematiaceous hyphae and yeast-like cells, with a granulomatous tissual reaction. The isolated fungus was identified as Phoma cava. A review of the literature on fungal infection caused by different Phoma species, is presented. The patient healed after therapy with amphotericin B, followed by itraconazole