Abstract INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease is a health problem that affects approximately 7 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Vector transmission is one of the most important routes in South and Central American countries. Between 2013 and 2019, municipalities of Sergipe sent 507 triatomines for analysis, unveiling the largest records found in the south in the villages of Poço da Clara, Alagoinhas and Pilões, and the municipality of Tobias Barreto. The high prevalence of infected vectors in these localities motivated this epidemiological study. METHODS: After educational lectures on the vectors and risks of the disease, a structured questionnaire was administered to identify areas and risk factors for transmission of the parasite. The data guided the collection of vectors and blood samples from domestic reservoirs. RESULTS: The studied region is considered endemic for triatomines infected by Trypanosoma cruzi with three species of vectors; the highest prevalence was Panstrongylus lutzi (54.83%), followed by Triatoma pseudomaculata (43.54%), and Triatoma tibiamaculata (1.61%). In the villages in this study, 100% of the vectors were found intradomically. The coexistence of residents with domestic animals was reported by 62.04% (255) of those surveyed. Forty-one small animals that were actively living with humans at home in the localities were evaluated serologically. No infection was observed in the domestic animals. CONCLUSIONS: There are favorable conditions for the domiciliation of triatomines in the evaluated locations, contributing to the risk of vectorial transmission of Chagas disease.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease is caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, being one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Americas with an estimated six to seven million infected people worldwide. In Brazil, the improvement in vector control and blood donor screening has evidenced the important epidemiological role of congenital transmission of Chagas disease. METHODS: A serological survey for Chagas disease was performed in 3,952 newborns in the southern region of Sergipe using paper filter disks of dried blood samples. The newborns were screened using the Sergipe State Neonatal Screening Program between July 2015 and July 2016, and 3,749 and 750 blood samples were obtained for the IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence assay, respectively. In addition, mothers of the children who presented initial reagent serology were examined. RESULTS: Among 3,749 blood samples, samples of two children were positive for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; however, their confirmation test results were negative, suggesting passive transfer of the mother’s antibody. One puerpera was identified with Chagas disease, with a prevalence of 0.02%. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital Chagas disease was not observed in newborns in the Southern region of Sergipe. However, Chagas disease was observed in women of reproductive age. Therefore, effective measurements for monitoring and systematic evaluation should be conducted. The Neonatal Screening Program proved to be an effective public health strategy for the prevention and control of Chagas disease.

Introduction Schistosomiasis is endemic in 74 countries and is considered a serious public health problem in some locations. Methods A transverse study was performed of 13 landless settlements in southern Sergipe from February to December 2009. The study included 822 settlers, of whom 601 underwent stool testing. Results The prevalence of schistosomiasis in landless workers was 4.3%. The population has a low education level, and basic sanitation services are not available to all residents. Conclusions The prevalence of schistosomiasis was low in the population and among different settlements, possibly because of different forms of water use by the settlers.

OBJETIVO: Dados internacionais apontaram o câncer de próstata como o mais incidente e o terceiro em mortalidade entre os homens. O aumento da incidência tem sido observado nas últimas décadas, provavelmente por causa da detecção precoce, principalmente em homens assintomáticos, através do rastreamento regular com dosagem do antígeno prostático específico (PSA). O objetivo do estudo foi contribuir com as informações sobre as tendências de incidência e mortalidade por câncer de próstata a partir de extratos populacionais. MÉTODOS: Tratou-se de um estudo ecológico exploratório de tendências temporais, visando descrever as mudanças de incidência e mortalidade por câncer de próstata em Aracaju, SE, Brasil, no período de 1996 a 2006. As taxas foram calculadas a partir dos dados do Registro de Câncer de Base Populacional de Aracaju e as tendências temporais foram determinadas pelo Joinpoint Regression Program. RESULTADOS: No período do estudo, 1490 casos incidentes e 334 mortes foram incluídos. Os casos incidentes foram mais frequentes a partir de 50 anos de idade e as mortes a partir de 55 anos. Taxas padronizadas de incidência de 46,6 e 50,0/100.000 foram observadas nos primeiros anos da série, e um aumento progressivo acima de 100,0/100.000 foi observado nos últimos anos. Para a mortalidade, as taxas padronizadas variaram de 21,6 e 16,6/100.000 para 24,1 e 28,9/100.000. A análise do Joinpoint identificou duas tendências para a incidência, a primeira com percentual de mudança de 34,0% e a segunda com percentual de 5,8%; para a mortalidade, a análise resultou em uma tendência com percentual de 2,1%. CONCLUSÃO: Houve um grande aumento nas taxas de incidência, provavelmente devida ao rastreamento, durante o período de estudo. A mortalidade, entretanto, mesmo com uma pequena tendência de aumento, não apresentou grandes mudanças no tempo estudado.

OBJECTIVE: International data have reported prostate cancer as the most frequent among men, and the third highest in mortality. A rise in incidence has been observed in the course of recent decades, probably influenced by early detection, mainly in asymptomatic men, through regular screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. The purpose of this study was to contribute to information on trends in prostate cancer incidence and mortality using population-based data. METHODS: This was an exploratory ecological study of time trends, aiming at describing changes in prostate cancer incidence and mortality in Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil, from 1996 to 2006. Rates were calculated from data of the Registro de Câncer de Base Populacional de Aracaju. Trends were calculated using the Joinpoint Regression Program. RESULTS: For the study period, 1,490 incident cases and 334 deaths were included. Incident cases were more common after 50 years of age, and deaths after 55 years. Age-standardized incidence rates of 46.6 and 50.0/100,000 were observed in the early years of the series, and then progressively increased, with rates higher than 100.0/100,000 in later years. For mortality, age-standardized rates varied from 21.6 and 16.6/100,000 to 24.1 and 28.9/100,000 in later years. Joinpoint analysis identified one joinpoint for the incidence series, resulting in two trends, the first with annual percent change of 34% and the second with 5.8%; for the mortality series no joinpoint was identified, and the annual percent change was 2.1%. CONCLUSION: There was a sharp increase in incidence rates during the study period, probably due to screening. Mortality rates had a small upward trend, and did not show major changes during the study period.

O estudo sobre a diversidade das diatomáceas do reservatório do Iraí ampliou o conhecimento da flora diatomológica perifítica de ambientes eutróficos do estado do Paraná e contribuiu para subsidiar futuros trabalhos que utilizem diatomáceas como bioindicadoras das condições tróficas da água. Coletas trimestrais foram realizadas no reservatório durante um ano. As amostras perifíticas foram obtidas pela remoção do biofilme aderido a caules da macrófita Polygonum sp. e a lâminas de vidro. Estas foram colocadas em complexos de madeira e deixadas submersas durante 30 dias para colonização. O estudo taxonômico resultou na identificação de 11 citações pioneiras para o estado do Paraná entre as 96 espécies de diatomáceas determinadas. Maior diversidade de espécies foi registrada para o substrato macrófita. Achnanthidium minutissimum foi dominante na maior parte das amostras analisadas, sendo considerada tolerante às condições eutróficas do reservatório do Iraí. Fragilaria rumpens, Fragilaria vaucheriae var. capitellata e Gomphonema gracile foram abundantes. Informações ecológicas sobre as espécies foram obtidas em literatura, sendo 35% características de sistemas aquáticos em processo avançado de eutrofização, 18% de ambientes mesotróficos e 19% classificadas como tolerantes e indiferentes ao estado trófico dos ambientes.

This floristic survey contributed to our knowledge of periphytic diatoms in a eutrophic reservoir in Paraná state, and provided a basis for future works using diatoms as bioindicators of trophic water conditions. Samples were collected quarterly, over a year, by removing the biofilm attached to Polygonum sp. stems and to glass slides. The slides were placed in wooden frames and remained submersed for 30 days to colonize. The taxonomic study resulted in 11 new taxonomic records for Paraná state among the 96 identified diatoms. The highest species diversity was found in the macrophyte samples. Achnanthidium minutissimum was dominant in most samples analyzed and considered tolerant of the eutrophic conditions in Iraí reservoir. Fragilaria rumpens, Fragilaria vaucheriae var. capitellata and Gomphonema gracile were abundant. Ecological information on the species was obtained from the literature; 35% of the species were characteristic of aquatic systems in an advanced state of eutrophication, 18% of mesotrophic environments and 19% were classified as tolerant and indifferent to the trophic state of the environment.

Focalizase neste trabalho, a anatomia foliar de Plumeria rubra L. var. alba. Observou-se no pecíolo e na lâmina foliar a presença de feixes vasculares bico laterais e de canais laticíferos, característicos da família. A iâmina foliar tem estrutura dorsiventral, anfiestomática, tendo-se detectado a ocorrência de estômatos anomocíticos e paracíticos e de pêlos simples, unicelulares, sendo que estes ocorrem somente sobre as nervuras ao nível da epiderme adaxial.

Abstract This work is a study of the foliar anatomy of Plumeria rubra L. var. alba. We observed the presence of bicollateral vascular bundle in the petiole as well as laticiferous canals. The foliar lamina (the expanded surface of the leaf) presents an anphiestomatic dorsiventral structure in which we observed the presence of stomats of a paracytic and anomocitcs and simple unicellular hair that appear only of the vein of the adaxial epiderm. The median veins presents the same structural pattern of the petiole: the presence of vascular bicollateral bundles and the presence of lacticiferous canals.