Empirical studies have pointed out that academic mobility can increase social capital, contribute to collaborations, and directly influence overall career success (Dueñas-Fernández, Iglesias-Fernández & Llorente-Heras, 2013). However, it is also known that both academic mobility and international scientific collaborations can be negatively impacted by gender inequality. Regarding international mobility, women are underrepresented in all areas of knowledge (Momeni et al., 2022). In science, immobility or low mobility is commonly associated with slower career progression; scarce opportunities to hold coordination and management positions ("glass ceiling"); less insertion in international collaboration networks; and even abandonment of science (Delicado & Alves, 2013; van der Wal, 2021).   The overload of family functions and the partnering effect (Ackers, 2004) are among the obstacles that women may face, which can limit researchers' displacement opportunities (Momeni et al., 2022). This scenario justifies the importance of exploring the international mobility undertaken by Brazilian researchers to analyze, among other aspects, the possible gender imbalances in academic mobility.  The population investigated in this research will be comprised of Brazilians who have done postdoctoral studies abroad. This selection is because they are more advanced in their professional and training trajectories. The phase after the doctorate makes the researcher more independent and responsible for their research agenda, which would leave them better able to conduct high-impact studies (Nerad et al., 2022). The work aims to design research that evaluates the effect of postdoctoral mobility abroad on employment in the academic career, considering gender inequality and institutional and systemic aspects (such as area of knowledge, academic productivity, and career position) (Aksnes et al., 2019). For this, a consolidated database will be built based on former postdoctoral fellows of the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and the triangulation of a set of data sources since there is no consolidated database on mobility and employment ties in the Brazilian case. Next, a comparative study with a descriptive and exploratory design will be carried out between those who had postdoctoral fellowships abroad and those who had postdoctoral fellowships in Brazil without an internship abroad, and which aims, in the future, to enable the carrying out of a quasi-experiment. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research design is descriptive and exploratory, in which a consolidated database is built with information about employment, academic production and curriculum, as well as the completion of internships abroad. Thus, possible patterns and differentiations between the academic trajectories and the characteristics of the individuals will be investigated. The consolidated database is constructed by exploring, collecting and cross-referencing information from various data sources with quality control of the selected variables. First, we will explore the databases made available by FAPESP regarding former postdoctoral fellows to obtain information about the individuals funded between 2012 and 2017, such as name, institutional affiliation and area of knowledge. Such information is necessary for cross-referencing with other databases. In addition, other information from the researchers' records will be checked regarding the percentage of missing values such as gender, race/color, sexual orientation, and age, among others. The time frame will allow the verification of scientific production and insertion in the labor market in the post-doctorate conclusion years. Subsequently, the FAPESP database will be used for triangulation with three other data sources: (i) formal employment records from the Annual Social Information Report (RAIS) of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security; (ii) the résumés available on the Lattes platform of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq); and (iii) the institutional affiliation in the scientific production of a bibliometric study.  FINDINGS OR EXPECTED OUTCOMES:  The results found so far show a discrepant distribution of completed fellowships by knowledge area and a high concentration of destination countries in the Global North. The expected outcomes are the obtaining of different patterns between the effects of mobility of postdoctoral fellows abroad and the effects of the characteristics of individuals (gender) in scientific production and in employment. Thus, enabling the generation and substantiation of hypotheses for future work. ORIGINALITY/VALUE:  The originality of this research is grounded on three factors. Firstly, the increase in knowledge on international mobility, emphasizing the impacts of mobility on the careers of Brazilian scientists and academics and on gender inequality, which is still little explored. Secondly, the increase in the knowledge areas studied and in the number of destination countries. Previous studies usually focused on a few areas, favoring those with low female presence (exact and biological sciences and engineering) and a small group of destination countries (mainly countries of the Global North). Thus, comprehensiveness is one of the innovations of this research, without the prior selection of areas of knowledge or countries of destination. Thirdly, the results will be based on a triangulation of four sets of information, which will complement different types of academic links, validation of research data, and greater reliability.  PRACTICAL/SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS:  Gender asymmetries in access to academic mobility highlight the disparities between men and women in career advancement possibilities, considering the relevance of international experiences in the researchers' curriculum. Along with the discussions of Responsible Research Assessment (RRA), global initiatives from groups such as the Research on Research Institute (RoRI) and the Global Research Council (GRC) are bringing the need to consider Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in research practices and activities to the debate. Thus, it is essential to expand the understanding of gender inequalities in international mobility and academic careers, especially in the Brazilian context. This will contribute to implement EDI plans and policies and create mechanisms aimed at gender equity in the generation of academic mobility opportunities in funding agencies. DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH/LIMITATIONS:  It is anticipated that there will be two main limitations in the research. The first is the difficulty in obtaining information on the characteristics of individuals. Even with the triangulation of several data sources, the information is often low quality or non-existent. The second limitation stems from the need for more robust methodologies that allow greater inferences about the results, which demands future research advances, where methodologies such as the Generalized Propensity Score (GPS) are implemented.

Estudos empíricos têm apontado que a mobilidade acadêmica pode aumentar o capital social, contribuir para colaborações e influenciar diretamente o sucesso geral na carreira (Dueñas-Fernández, Iglesias-Fernández & Llorente-Heras, 2013). No entanto, também se sabe que tanto a mobilidade acadêmica quanto as colaborações científicas internacionais podem ser impactadas negativamente pela desigualdade de gênero. No que diz respeito à mobilidade internacional, as mulheres estão sub-representadas em todas as áreas do conhecimento (Momeni et al., 2022). Na ciência, a imobilidade ou baixa mobilidade é comumente associada a uma progressão de carreira mais lenta; escassas oportunidades de ocupar cargos de coordenação e gerenciamento ("teto de vidro"); menor inserção em redes de colaboração internacional; e até mesmo abandono da ciência (Delicado & Alves, 2013; van der Wal, 2021). A sobrecarga de funções familiares e o efeito de parceria (Ackers, 2004) estão entre os obstáculos que as mulheres podem enfrentar, o que pode limitar as oportunidades de deslocamento dos pesquisadores (Momeni et al., 2022). Esse cenário justifica a importância de explorar a mobilidade internacional realizada por pesquisadores brasileiros para analisar, entre outros aspectos, os possíveis desequilíbrios de gênero na mobilidade acadêmica. A população investigada nesta pesquisa será composta por brasileiros que realizaram estudos de pós-doutorado no exterior. Essa seleção ocorre porque eles estão mais avançados em suas trajetórias profissionais e de formação. A fase após o doutorado torna o pesquisador mais independente e responsável por sua agenda de pesquisa, o que os capacita a conduzir estudos de alto impacto (Nerad et al., 2022). O trabalho tem como objetivo elaborar uma pesquisa que avalie o efeito da mobilidade de pós-doutorado no exterior no emprego na carreira acadêmica, considerando a desigualdade de gênero e aspectos institucionais e sistêmicos (como área de conhecimento, produtividade acadêmica e posição na carreira) (Aksnes et al., 2019). Para isso, será construído um banco de dados consolidado com base em ex-bolsistas de pós-doutorado da Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) e na triangulação de um conjunto de fontes de dados, uma vez que não existe um banco de dados consolidado sobre mobilidade e vínculos de emprego no caso brasileiro. Em seguida, será realizado um estudo comparativo com um desenho descritivo e exploratório entre aqueles que tiveram bolsas de pós-doutorado no exterior e aqueles que tiveram bolsas de pós-doutorado no Brasil sem estágio no exterior, com o objetivo de possibilitar a realização de um quasi-experimento no futuro. DESENHO/METODOLOGIA/ABORDAGEM: O desenho da pesquisa é descritivo e exploratório, no qual será construído um banco de dados consolidado com informações sobre emprego, produção acadêmica e currículo, bem como a realização de estágios no exterior. Assim, serão investigados possíveis padrões e diferenciações entre as trajetórias acadêmicas e as características dos indivíduos. O banco de dados consolidado é construído explorando, coletando e cruzando informações de várias fontes de dados com controle de qualidade das variáveis selecionadas. Primeiramente, exploraremos as bases de dados disponibilizadas pela FAPESP referentes a ex-bolsistas de pós-doutorado para obter informações sobre os indivíduos financiados entre 2012 e 2017, como nome, afiliação institucional e área do conhecimento. Essas informações são necessárias para cruzar com outras bases de dados. Além disso, outras informações dos registros dos pesquisadores serão verificadas em relação à porcentagem de valores ausentes, como gênero, raça/cor, orientação sexual e idade, entre outros. O período permitirá a verificação da produção científica e inserção no mercado de trabalho nos anos de conclusão do pós-doutorado. Em seguida, a base de dados da FAPESP será utilizada para a triangulação com outras três fontes de dados: (i) registros formais de emprego do Relatório Anual de Informações Sociais (RAIS) do Ministério do Trabalho e Previdência Social; (ii) currículos disponíveis na plataforma Lattes do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq); e (iii) a afiliação institucional na produção científica de um estudo bibliométrico. RESULTADOS OU RESULTADOS ESPERADOS: Os resultados encontrados até o momento mostram uma distribuição discrepante de bolsas concluídas por área do conhecimento e uma alta concentração de países de destino no Norte Global. Os resultados esperados são a obtenção de diferentes padrões entre os efeitos da mobilidade de bolsistas de pós-doutorado no exterior e os efeitos das características dos indivíduos (gênero) na produção científica e no emprego. Isso permitirá a formulação e a fundamentação de hipóteses para trabalhos futuros. ORIGINALIDADE/VALOR: A originalidade desta pesquisa está fundamentada em três fatores. Primeiramente, o aumento do conhecimento sobre a mobilidade internacional, enfatizando os impactos da mobilidade nas carreiras de cientistas e acadêmicos brasileiros e na desigualdade de gênero, que ainda é pouco explorada. Em segundo lugar, o aumento nas áreas de conhecimento estudadas e no número de países de destino. Estudos anteriores geralmente se concentravam em algumas áreas, favorecendo aquelas com baixa presença feminina (ciências exatas, biológicas e engenharias) e um pequeno grupo de países de destino (principalmente países do Norte Global). Assim, a abrangência é uma das inovações desta pesquisa, sem a pré-seleção anterior de áreas de conhecimento ou países de destino. Em terceiro lugar, os resultados serão baseados em uma triangulação de quatro conjuntos de informações, que complementarão diferentes tipos de vínculos acadêmicos, validação dos dados de pesquisa e maior confiabilidade. IMPLICAÇÕES PRÁTICAS/SOCIAIS: As assimetrias de gênero no acesso à mobilidade acadêmica destacam as disparidades entre homens e mulheres nas possibilidades de avanço na carreira, considerando a relevância das experiências internacionais no currículo dos pesquisadores. Juntamente com as discussões sobre Avaliação Responsável da Pesquisa (RRA), iniciativas globais de grupos como o Research on Research Institute (RoRI) e o Global Research Council (GRC) estão trazendo a necessidade de considerar a Equidade, Diversidade e Inclusão (EDI) nas práticas e atividades de pesquisa para o debate. Portanto, é essencial ampliar a compreensão das desigualdades de gênero na mobilidade internacional e nas carreiras acadêmicas, especialmente no contexto brasileiro. Isso contribuirá para implementar planos e políticas de EDI e criar mecanismos voltados para a equidade de gênero na geração de oportunidades de mobilidade acadêmica em agências de financiamento. DIREÇÕES PARA PESQUISAS FUTURAS/LIMITAÇÕES: Antecipa-se que haverá duas limitações principais na pesquisa. A primeira é a dificuldade em obter informações sobre as características dos indivíduos. Mesmo com a triangulação de várias fontes de dados, as informações muitas vezes são de baixa qualidade ou inexistentes. A segunda limitação decorre da necessidade de metodologias mais robustas que permitam maiores inferências sobre os resultados, o que exige avanços em pesquisas futuras, onde metodologias como o Escore de Propensão Generalizada (GPS) são implementadas.

Abstract Background Hand eczema (HE) is a highly prevalent, recurrent, and multifactorial disease. It encompasses a group of eczematous diseases that affect the hands, etiologically classified into irritant contact dermatitis (ICD), allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and atopic dermatitis (AD). Few epidemiological studies in Latin America have investigated the characteristics of patients with this condition and the origin of the disease. Objectives To analyze the profile of patients diagnosed with HE submitted to patch tests aiming to determine its etiology. Methods A retrospective descriptive study was carried out on epidemiological data and patch tests of patients with HE treated at a tertiary hospital in the city of São Paulo from January 2013 to December 2020. Results A total of 173 patients were studied, whose final diagnosis was 61.8% of ICD, 23.1% of ACD and 5.2% of AD, with diagnostic overlap in 42.8% of the cases. The main positive and relevant patch tests were: Kathon CG (42%), nickel sulfate (33%), and thiuram mix (18%). Study limitations The number of treated cases and socioeconomic profile was limited to a vulnerable population group. Conclusion HE is a diagnosis in which overlapping etiologies are frequent, with the main sensitizers identified in ACD being Kathon CG, nickel sulfate and thiuram mix.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Cancer imposes a profound burden on low- and middle-income countries where 65% of the global cancer deaths occurred in 2020. The objective of the present review was to describe female cancer epidemiology in Brazil, barriers to prevention, screening, and treatment, and to propose strategies to a better control. METHODS: For the process of literature search and scientific acquisition, we have utilized the terms “female cancer” AND “breast cancer,” AND “cervical cancer” AND “endometrial cancer” AND “ovarian cancer” AND “Brazil” in PubMed. References of the articles included in this review were manually searched in order to identify relevant studies on the topic. The official Brazilian epidemiology data were extensively analyzed at the governmental site www.inca.gov.br. RESULTS: Considering cases of breast and gynecologic cancers together, 105,770 new cases are expected to be diagnosed yearly, positioning female cancer as the highest cancer incidence in Brazil. Female breast cancer is the most common and the leading cause of death from cancer in the female population in all regions of Brazil, except in the North, where cervical cancer ranks first. Cervical cancer, a preventable disease, corresponds to the third-most common neoplasia in women, with higher incidences in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. An upward trend has been observed in endometrial cancer incidence, a tendency that follows the increase of its two most common risk factors: population aging and obesity. Ovarian cancer currently occupies the eighth position among female cancers in Brazil, but it is the most lethal gynecologic cancer. The main strategies to reduce female cancer mortality rates are the reduction of inequalities in healthcare services and the early diagnosis of cases. The lack of a specific national cancer program results in a reactive and unplanned approach to healthcare provision, ultimately leading to suboptimal resource utilization and higher expenditure. CONCLUSION: Analyzed together, breast and gynecologic cancers correspond to the leading cause of cancer in Brazil. A heterogeneous group, female cancer includes diseases with a high primary and secondary prevention potential. The organization of a female cancer program in Brazil prioritizing primary and secondary prevention strategies, such as adequate mammography screening and human papillomavirus vaccination coverage, could significantly improve female cancer control in the country.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the clinical, bronchoscopic, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects between children and adults. Methods This retrospective study compared the clinical and bronchoscopic characteristics of adults and children who underwent bronchoscopy for suspected foreign body aspiration. Data on sex, outpatient or emergency origin, bronchoscopy results, characteristics of the aspirated foreign body, and complications were analyzed. Results In total, 108 patients were included in the analysis, with foreign body aspiration diagnosed in 69% of patients (30 children and 44 adults). In 91% of patients, there was a clinical history suggestive of aspiration. The mean age of the adults was 65.89 (±19.75) years, and that of the children was 2.28 (±1.78) years. Most of the children were under 3 years of age (80%), while adults were mostly 70 years of age or older (54.5%). Emergency care was more common among children than adults. The most common foreign bodies found in both age groups were organic bodies, primarily seeds. The most frequent locations of foreign bodies were the lobar bronchi in adults and the main bronchi in children. Flexible bronchoscopy is the primary method for diagnosis and treatment. Transient hypoxemia occurred particularly frequently in children (5%). Conclusion Foreign body aspiration, particularly that involving seeds, is more common in the extremes of age. A clinical history suggestive of aspiration is crucial in determining the need for bronchoscopy, which should be performed as early as possible. Flexible bronchoscopy is an effective and safe diagnostic technique.

Plant relocation resulting from vegetation removal is an important conservation strategy. This work aimed to investigate the simultaneous relocation of the bromeliads Aechmea distichantha Lem. and Wittrockia cyathiformis (Vell.) Leme in epiphytic and terricolous form. These bromeliads were rescued from deforested areas due to the construction of a highway. Both were fixed onto tree trunks or pitchforks or in the soil in a Montane Dense Ombrophilous Forest area of Parque da Estadual Cantareira, São Paulo State, Brazil. After one year A. distichantha maintained 100% survival rate, when transplanted in terricolous and 83.33 % in epiphytic form, while W. cyathiformis was 60% for both relocation forms. We concluded that both bromeliad species could be simultaneously relocated as epiphytes or terricolous. Direct relocation to the ground guarantees practicality, as it is difficult to find trees with forks located at small heights from the ground in which the manual fixing of the plant could be done without equipment.

A realocação de plantas resultante da remoção da vegetação é uma importante estratégia de conservação. Este trabalho objetivou investigar a realocação simultânea das bromélias Aechmea distichantha Lem. e Wittrockia cyathiformis nbsp;(Vell.) Leme na forma epífita e terrícola, resgatadas de áreas desmatadas devido à construção de uma rodovia. Ambas foram fixadas em troncos de árvores ou forquilhas ou transplantadas para o solo em uma área de Floresta Ombrófila Densa Montana do Parque Estadual da Cantareira, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Após um ano, A. distichantha manteve 100% de sobrevida, quando transplantada na forma terrícola e 83,33% na forma epífita, enquanto W. cyathiformis foi de 60% para ambas as formas de realocação. Concluímos que ambas as espécies de bromélias podem ser realocadas simultaneamente como epífitas ou terrícolas. A realocação direta ao solo garante praticidade, pois é difícil encontrar árvores com forquilhas localizadas a pequenas alturas do solo em que a fixação manual da planta possa ser feita sem equipamentos.

ABSTRACT Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an opportunistic disease in immunosuppressed individuals, who may present severe clinical conditions, such as the ones described in this patient. She lived in an endemic region for VL, and was possibly infected with L. (L.) infantum chagasi through the bite of a contaminated sand fly. This initial infection has triggered a pemphigus vulgaris condition by immunogenic proteins present in the mosquito's saliva. The immunosuppression caused by the use of high doses of corticosteroids to control the disease promoted a severe VL condition, with hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia and hemorrhages, requiring hospitalization and the onset of a subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Due to the intensity of clinical manifestations related to VL, aggravated by COVID-19, she died two days after admission to the Clinical Hospital of Marilia Medical School (HC–Famema).

RESUMO A realocação de plantas resultante da remoção da vegetação é uma importante estratégia de conservação. Este trabalho objetivou investigar a realocação simultânea das bromélias Aechmea distichantha Lem. e Wittrockia cyathiformis (Vell.) Leme na forma epífita e terrícola, resgatadas de áreas desmatadas devido à construção de uma rodovia. Ambas foram fixadas em troncos de árvores ou forquilhas ou transplantadas para o solo em uma área de Floresta Ombrófila Densa Montana do Parque Estadual da Cantareira, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Após um ano, A. distichantha manteve 100% de sobrevida, quando transplantada na forma terrícola e 83,33% na forma epífita, enquanto W. cyathiformis foi de 60% para ambas as formas de realocação. Concluímos que ambas as espécies de bromélias podem ser realocadas simultaneamente como epífitas ou terrícolas. A realocação direta ao solo garante praticidade, pois é difícil encontrar árvores com forquilhas localizadas a pequenas alturas do solo em que a fixação manual da planta possa ser feita sem equipamentos.

ABSTRACT Plant relocation resulting from vegetation removal is an important conservation strategy. This work aimed to investigate the simultaneous relocation of the bromeliads Aechmea distichantha Lem. and Wittrockia cyathiformis (Vell.) Leme in epiphytic and terricolous form. These bromeliads were rescued from deforested areas due to the construction of a highway. Both were fixed onto tree trunks or pitchforks or in the soil in a Montane Dense Ombrophilous Forest area of Parque da Estadual Cantareira, São Paulo State, Brazil. After one year A. distichantha maintained 100% survival rate, when transplanted in terricolous and 83.33 % in epiphytic form, while W. cyathiformis was 60% for both relocation forms. We concluded that both bromeliad species could be simultaneously relocated as epiphytes or terricolous. Direct relocation to the ground guarantees practicality, as it is difficult to find trees with forks located at small heights from the ground in which the manual fixing of the plant could be done without equipment.

Abstract Purpose To assess the knowledge of students from public high schools in poor communities about HPV and Sexually Transmitted Infections and their attitude towards and prevention of such diseases. Patients and methods Cross-sectional study with adolescents from public schools of São Paulo - Brazil. Participants were selected for an interview by a randomization program. A questionnaire about knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding STIs, including HPV, according to sex was administered and answers were analyzed by the Poisson regression model with robust variance. Results Median age of the 269 participants was 16 years. The majority was of African descent (68.8%, n = 185), most (74%, n = 199) were religious and the vast majority (90.7%, n = 244) lived with their parents. The Poisson regression revealed statistically significant sex-related differences regarding the following questions: “Do you know how it is prevented?” (PR = 1.12 [1.03‒1.23], p = 0.007); “Have you ever been concerned with HPV?” (PR = 1.10 [1.02‒1.19], p = 0.011); “Have you ever sought health care due to concerns about HPV?” (PR = 1.09 [1.04‒1.14], p < 0.001); “Do you know what a Pap Smear is?” (PR = 1.24 [1.13‒1.36], p < 0.001); “Do you know what the cervix is?” (PR = 1.23 [1.13‒1.34], p < 0.001); “Do you know what cervical cancer is?” (PR = 1.13 [1.04‒1.22], p = 0.004). Conclusions The present results show that adolescents from public schools in poor communities in São Paulo City know little about HPV and cervical cancer. Male adolescents know less than female adolescents and are less concerned with health care.

RESUMO A Mata Atlântica é um bioma constantemente ameaçado por perturbações antrópicas. A supressão da vegetação por obras rodoviárias ressalta a necessidade de projetos de conservação das espécies que nela ocorrem. O sucesso do resgate e realocação de plantas, como a palmeira Syagrus romanzoffiana pode contribuir para a conservação dessas espécies. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o crescimento de mudas de S. romanzoffiana resgatadas de áreas de supressão da obra do Rodoanel Mário Covas - Trecho Norte e transplantadas em áreas naturais do Parque Estadual da Cantareira, São Paulo -SP. Foram obtidas medidas de altura, diâmetro do coleto, número de folhas e volume do torrão das mudas. O transplante foi realizado em três condições de luminosidade depois de separadas em três classes de volume de torrão e três classes de diâmetro do coleto. Foram avaliadas a porcentagem de sobrevivência, incremento em altura, diâmetro do coleto, número de folhas e pigmentos fotossintéticos após 4, 8 e 12 meses. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 3 x 3 x 3 (luminosidade x diâmetros do coleto x volumes do torrão) com três repetições de cinco plantas cada. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias comparadas entre si através do teste de Tukey (5%). A sobrevivência foi superior a 80% em todos os ambientes. Houve maior crescimento, principalmente quanto ao diâmetro do coleto, na clareira pequena. A quantificação de clorofila a, b e carotenoides mostrou maior teor para as plantas mantidas no sombreamento. Quanto à razão clorofila a/b, os resultados evidenciaram maiores valores nas plantas mantidas no sombreamento, com valores crescentes até os 12 meses. Pode-se concluir que S. romanzoffiana apresenta pouca restrição quanto ao ambiente de realocação, porém, com preferência às clareiras pequenas, sendo dispensável que sejam realocadas com torrão de porte grande.

ABSTRACT The Atlantic Forest is a biome constantly threatened by human disturbances. The suppression of vegetation by road works highlights the need for conservation projects for the species that occur there. The success of rescuing and relocating plants, such as the Syagrus romanzoffiana palm, can contribute to the conservation of these species. The objective of this work was to study the growth of S. romanzoffiana seedlings rescued from areas of suppression of the “Rodoanel Mário Covas” - North Section - and transplanted in natural areas of the Cantareira State Park, São Paulo, SP state. Measurements of height, stem diameter, number of leaves and clod volume of seedlings were obtained. The transplant was carried out in three light conditions after being separated into three clod volume classes and three crown diameter classes and observed for one year. The percentage of survival increase in height, crown diameter, number of leaves and photosynthetic pigments were evaluated. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3 x 3 x 3 factorial scheme (luminosity x crown diameters x clod volumes) with three replications of five plants each. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance and the means compared to each other using the Tukey test (5%). Survival was over 80% in all environments. There was greater growth, mainly regarding the stem diameter, in the small clearing. The quantification of chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids, showed higher pigments content for plants kept in the shade. As for the chlorophyll a/b ratio, the results showed a greater relationship in plants kept in shade, with increasing values up to 12 months. It can then be concluded that S. romanzoffiana has little restriction on the relocation environment, but with preference for small clearings, and it is unnecessary that they are relocated with large clod.

The influence of Fe2O3 additions on the microstructure, mechanical properties and translucence of zirconia with 3 mol-% or 5 mol-% Y2O3 was evaluated. Samples were pressed with different thickness and sintered at 1475, 1500, 1550 and 1600°C for 2 h. Density, phases, microstructure, roughness, strength and translucency were analyzed. All samples showed densification greater than 99%. After sintering at 1600°C, the phase analysis revealed only tetragonal ZrO2 in samples with 3% Y2O3, while in samples with 5% Y2O3 the cubic ZrO2 phase was identified. Significant increase in the grain size was noted, when increasing the Y2O3 content from 3% to 5% from 0.8 µm to 2.3 µm for sintered samples at 1600°C. The strength was affected with Y2O3 content and no relevant influence of the Fe2O3 on density, microstructure or mechanical properties. Visible reflectance spectroscopy analyses, related to the CIELab scale, indicate variation in the contrast ratio as function of thickness of samples and coloring agent Fe2O3 content.

ABSTRACT Dengue virus, the etiological agent of dengue fever (DF) occurs in four genetically distinct serotypes (DENV1-4), being transmitted by female Aedes mosquitoes. DF incidence is increasing in Brazil, following vector dispersal, proliferation and DENV serotypes introduction, co-circulation and substitution. Medium- and small-sized cities in Sao Paulo State, such as Marilia (Midwest region), have been affected by huge epidemics. To understand the evolution of DENV epidemics in medium-sized cities, in this study a historical data on DENV incidence (2000-2015) in Marilia, was evaluated. Previous studies disclosed regional and specific DF outcomes associated with 2007 outbreak in that city, when co-circulating DENV1 and DENV3 presented different hematological profiles. In this study, characteristics of 2007 DENV epidemics were compared to the epidemiological, hematological and demographic outlines of the major outbreak of DENV1 in Marilia in 2015. DENV1 genetic diversity was assessed through capsid and pre-membrane junction encoding gene (CprM) sequencing. The results revealed circulation of DENV1 serotype from 2007 to 2015, with epidemics occurring every three-years until 2013 and then, increasing yearly. There were significant differences in hematological profiles of DENV1 patients between 2015 and 2007. CprM showed DENV1 genetic variability in 2015, contrasting with the unique sequence pattern in 2007. These results reinforce the regional and temporal characteristics of DENV epidemics that need local public health research to improve care for people and to limit the spread of new serotypes/genotypes to uninfected areas.

ABSTRACT Finding the proper shaking setting to ensure total particle dispersion without altering the content of sand, silt and clay in soils composed of fragile particles such as saprolite fragments is still a research gap. This study aimed to identify the best shaking setting to optimize particle dispersion and minimize particle change in samples of Entisol (Neossolos). Samples were dispersed using an electric mixer at 12,000 rpm for 5, 15, 30 and 60 min, a horizontal shaker at 150 cycles min-1 for 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 h with and without the use of nylon spheres, and an ultrasonic shaker at 70 and 110 J mL-1 for approximately 20 and 30 min, respectively. All the treatments affected particle distribution. Coarse sand reduced up to 14 % and clay content increased up to 18 % with the horizontal shaker with nylon spheres and the electric mixer. These changes were attributed to the breakdown of saprolite fragments, which represented around 1/3 of the coarse sand. Our results showed that the best setting was the horizontal shaker at 150 cycles min-1 for 1 to 2 h without using nylon spheres. This option allowed optimizing particle dispersion and minimizing changes in particle size distribution.

Abstract Since the early 20th century, the detection of intestinal parasites has improved with the development of several techniques for parasitic structures recovery and identification, which differ in sensitivity, specificity, practicality, cost, and infrastructure demand. This study aims to review, in chronological order, the stool examination techniques and discuss their advantages, limitations, and perspectives, and to provide professionals and specialists in this field with data that lays a foundation for critical analysis on the use of such procedures. The concentration procedures that constitute the main techniques applied in routine research and in parasitological kits are a) spontaneous sedimentation; b) centrifugation-sedimentation with formalin-ethyl acetate; and c) flotation with zinc sulfate solution. While selecting a technique, one should consider the purpose of its application and the technical-operational, biological, and physicochemical factors inherent in the procedures used in stool processing, which may restrict its use. These intrinsic limitations may have undergone procedural changes driven by scientific and technological development and by development of alternative methods, which now contribute to the improvement of diagnostic accuracy.

ABSTRACT Leishmaniasis comprises a group of zoonotic diseases caused by protozoa belonging to the Leishmania genus, noting that the visceral form is the most severe and lethal, if untreated. Nowadays visceral leishmaniasis is widespread in Brazil and the Adamantina microregion, located in the west of Sao Paulo State, has been affected by Human American Visceral Leishmaniasis (HAVL) since 2004. We evaluated the epidemiological profile of HAVL in the Adamantina microregion through a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and established its incidence rate by location and time. Notified cases were provided by the Sao Paulo State Epidemiological Surveillance Center. Home addresses of patients who tested positive to HAVL were converted into geographic coordinates through the Google Geocoding Application Programming Interface submitted to ArcMap 10.5 System for georeferencing. Kernel spatial analyses were performed to obtain the incidence distribution and the total area involvement rate. From 2004 to 2018, 325 cases of HAVL were diagnosed in 11 of the 12 municipalities belonging to the of Adamantina microregion. The disease has disseminated to the Northwest and East-Southeast directions, taking place along the Comandante Joao Ribeiro de Barros highway, with higher incidences rates in the municipalities where the highway passes. HAVL incidence was higher in children aged between 0 to 9 years and in the elderly; there was no difference in relation to sex and the majority of cases were located in urban areas. The determination of the epidemiological profile and the the spread of disease patterns can indicate possible areas of vulnerability, in order to contribute to the management and prevention of the disease through a strategic resources optimization.

ABSTRACT Simple, low-cost and effective diagnostic tests for tuberculosis (TB) are needed especially in TB-high burden settings. The present study evaluated the performance of an in-house loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for diagnosing TB by comparing it to Xpert MTB/RIF, microscopy and culture. In Thailand, a total of 204 excess sputum samples volume after the processing of cultures were used for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) detection by Xpert MTB/RIF and LAMP. Based on culture results as the gold standard, the overall sensitivity of LAMP and Xpert MTB/RIF were 82.1% (126/153; 95% confidential interval [CI]: 75.4-88.98%) and 86.9 % (133/153; 95% CI: 80.5-90.8%) respectively, and the specificity of both tests was 100% (51/51; 95% CI: 93.0-100.0%). In comparison with Xpert MTB/RIF, the sensitivity and specificity of LAMP were 94.7% (126/133; 95% CI: 89.5-97.9%), and 100.0% (73/73; 95% CI: 94.9-100.0%), respectively. The average threshold cycle (Ct) of Xpert MTB/RIF detection for positive and negative LAMP results was statistically different, of 18.4 and 27.0, respectively (p < 0.05). In comparison with the acid-fast staining technique, and analyzing LAMP and Xpert MTB/RIF in smear-negative/culture-positive specimens, there was an increase of the detection rate by 47.7% (21/44) and 54.6% (24/44). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of LAMP appeared to be comparable to those of Xpert MTB/RIF. We claim that this LAMP has potential to provide a sensitive diagnostic test for the rapid TB diagnosis. It allowed a fast detection of MTB before the cultures and it could be used in resource-limited laboratory settings.