ABSTRACT Brazilian frog farming has a history of production that began in the state of Rio de Janeiro in 1935. Over the years, this activity has spread throughout Brazil, with technological advances that have improved the productivity and health of enterprises. However, structuring the production chain has presented moments of growth and decline, culminating in low production compared with other aquaculture activities. Despite efforts focused on restructuring the chain, data on enterprises and their actors remain scarce. To obtain information on the current scenario of frog farming in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in this study, an online survey of data on frog producers in Rio de Janeiro was conducted. In general, frog farming in Rio de Janeiro has not shown substantial improvements in terms of structuring. Its dynamics are still linked to lowproduction, family run enterprises, little insertion into the market, and not being formalized, encompassing aspects related to fiscal, environmental, and health issues. Therefore, the restructuring process of the frog chain in the state depends on overcoming the bottlenecks mentioned in this study. These predominantly refer to the availability of information on the relevant aspects of management and regularization of production.

RESUMO A ranicultura brasileira apresenta um histórico de produção que se iniciou no estado do Rio de Janeiro em 1935. Com o passar dos anos essa atividade se difundiu para todo o Brasil, apresentando avanços tecnológicos que melhoraram o manejo sanitário e a produtividade dos empreendimentos. Contudo, a estruturação da cadeia produtiva apresentou momentos de crescimento e declínio, culminando com uma baixa produção em comparação com outras atividades aquícolas. Apesar dos esforços focados na reestruturação da cadeia, ainda são escassos dados sobre os empreendimentos e seus atores. Com o objetivo de obter informações acerca do cenário atual da ranicultura no estado do Rio de Janeiro, o presente trabalho executou levantamento de dados referentes aos produtores de rã fluminense por meio de formulário online. De uma maneira geral, a ranicultura no Rio de Janeiro não conseguiu apresentar grandes melhorias em termos de estruturação. Sua dinâmica ainda está atrelada a empreendimentos com baixa produção, familiar, pouca inserção no mercado e não formalizados, englobando aspectos relacionados às questões fiscais, ambientais e sanitárias. Assim, o processo de reestruturação da cadeia ranícola no estado depende da superação dos gargalos apontados neste estudo, principalmente referentes à disponibilização de informação acerca dos aspectos de manejo e regularização da produção.

Biochar from slow pyrolysis under controlled conditions is favorable in the transformation of waste into materials that serve as soil conditioners, and/or environmental remediation. Thus, this work aimed to produce and characterize biochar from cassava waste under different temperature conditions and evaluate interactions with Ca2+ and Pb2+ for agricultural and environmental applications. To investigate the efficiency of the interaction of biochar with nutrients (Ca) and contaminants (Pb), the influence of pH and contact time were evaluated. There was an increase in pH, pHzpc (zero point charge), and condensed aromatic structures in BC, due to the increase in pyrolysis temperature. Also, biochar demonstrated a Pb2+ adsorbed amount of 2.03 to 2.37 mg g-1 and a Ca2+ release capacity of 0.655 to 0.765 mg g-1. In this way, biochar produced from residues of cassava waste can be a viable strategy to enhance agricultural production and reduce environmental contaminants.

ABSTRACT Extensive pastures are commonly converted to sugarcane areas in Brazil. In soils cultivated with sugarcane, tillage and fertilization are management practices commonly carried out. Soil management practices alter the physical and chemical properties increasing or decreasing metal availability. The purpose of this study was to quantify soil metal concentrations during pasture-to-sugarcane conversion correlating these changes with physical and chemical properties. The results showed that the concentration of metals in soil samples occurred according to the following order Fe > Mn > Cr > Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd. Significant increases in soil metal concentrations due the sugarcane cultivation were observed to Cd and Cu. The soil physical and chemical properties presented correlations with soil metal concentrations. There was a strong relationship on inorganic fertilization to change in soil metal concentrations. The principal component analysis (PCA) explained 55.4% of the total data variance, separating factors in two groups that pointed to an influence of fertilization on metal grouping. Inorganic fertilizer application may input 1.06 g·ha–1·year–1 Cd. The Cd concentration ranged from 0.15 to 1.07 mg·kg–1, representing addictions of 9.54 mg·ha–1·year–1 Cd in soil. The metal concentrations observed after five years of pasture-to-sugarcane conversion did not represent environmental risks since the concentrations remained below the Brazilian official determinations.

Alkaline extractions from humic material are used to risk assessment in soils. However, there are questions about the type of extraction most suitable for this evaluation. Thus, this work evaluated different soil extractions in search of realistic environmental conditions (simulated rain). The parameters obtained revealed significant differences between the levels and structural characteristics of organic matter, depending on the extractant used, reinforcing the importance of developing methodologies and analytical procedures that minimize structural changes and may be more representative of the molecular structures of organic matter found in soils. The results showed that the material extracted by simulated rain is similar to the fulvic acids of the soil organic matter extracted by alkaline extraction showing the importance of this type of extraction for risk assessment studies in soils.

The suspended particulate material (SPM) present in waters has fundamental importance for a better understanding of environmental behaviors of aquatic pollutants. This work determined the physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature, conductivity, total organic carbon and metals concentration) in water samples from Mundaú-Manguaba estuarine-lagoon system, Alagoas, Brazil. This work extracted and characterized the organic matter present in SPM in this estuary and studied the interaction of this organic matter with potentially toxic metals (Cd2+ and Pb2+). The results of the physical-chemical parameters evaluated showed influence of the tide and also of anthropic contributions close to the estuary. In fact, the lead concentrations determined (0.10-1.32 mg L-1) are well above that allowed by Brazilian legislation (< 0.010 mg L-1). The organic matter present in the SPM showed a high degree of humification being similar to the organic matter extracted from water and showed strong interaction by Pb2+ ions.

The Mundaú-Manguaba lagoon estuary complex is the most important ecosystem in the state of Alagoas, and a source of sustenance for a large number of the state’s inhabitants. However, degradation by anthropic sources has been causing impacts on this ecosystem. Understanding the characteristics of the natural organic material of the waters of the mundaú-manguaba lagoon complex is extremely important to understand the interaction dynamics of the contaminants in these lagoons. Thus, the objective of this work was to extract and characterize aquatic humic substances from the Mundau-Manguaba lagoon complex and to evaluate the interaction of this organic material with mercury ions. The profile of the aquatic humic substances of the respective lagoons evidenced the greater influence of aliphatic groups in their structures. The interactions of aquatic humic substances and mercury ions are directly related to the oxygen groups in their structures, corroborated by Principal Component Analysis. Thus, understanding the water and organic matter characteristics present in the Mundaú-Manguaba estuarine lagoon complex is fundamental for establishing strategies, seeking the preservation of this ecosystem and remediation of environmental contamination.

Resumo Objetivo Comparar dois tratamentos distintos—o uso de lanolina anidra altamente purificada (HPA, na sigla em inglês) e o próprio leite materno—para mulheres com dor e trauma mamilar durante o processo de amamentação. Métodos Participaram do estudo 180 puérperas randomizadas para 2 grupos: um utilizou tratamento com lanolina HPA e o outro o próprio leite materno. Todas receberam a mesma orientação quanto à técnica de amamentação e rigor terapêutico e foram avaliadas em três momentos: na inclusão no estudo (após a randomização), em 48 horas e em 7 dias. Em todos os momentos, foram colhidos dados em relação à dor e ao trauma. Para a variável dor, utilizou-se escala de categoria numérica/nerbal e, para a variável trauma, a pontuação de traumas mamilares. Os testes estatísticos utilizados foram: Qui-quadrado, teste exato de Fisher, t de Student, e Kolmogorov-Smirnov, sendo que os modelos de equações de estimação generalizadas foram calculados por meio dos pacotes STATA 12 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX, EUA) e IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Versão 20.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, EUA). Resultados Houve melhora da dor da segunda para a terceira avaliação no grupo que utilizou a lanolina HPA, enquanto que no grupo que usou leite materno a dor permaneceu inalterada entre esses dois momentos (p< 0,001). Quanto ao trauma, foi identificada melhora em sua extensão e profundidade, da primeira para a terceira avaliação, e a melhora foi maior no grupo tratado com lanolina HPA do que no grupo tratado com leite materno (p= 0,025). Conclusão O tratamento da dor e do trauma mamilar com lanolina HPA teve melhor resultado comparado com o leite materno, com base em um período de tratamento de 7 dias.

Abstract Objective To compare two different treatments—the use of highly purified anhydrous (HPA) lanolin and expressed breast milk—for women with pain and nipple trauma during the breastfeeding process. Method A total of 180 puerperal women were randomly assigned to 2 groups: one was treated with HPA lanolin and the other with their own expressed breast milk. All of the participants received the same breastfeeding technique instructions and therapeutic care standard. Three assessments were performed: at the time of inclusion in the study (after randomization); after 48 hours; and after 7 days. At each interval, data was collected in relation to pain and trauma. A numerical/verbal category scale was used for the pain variable, and the nipple trauma score for the trauma variable. The results were subjected to statistical analysis using the chi-squared test, the Fisher exact test, the student t-test, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Generalized estimating equations were calculated using the STATA 12 statistical software package (StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX, USA) and IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA). Results There was pain improvement from the second to the third assessment in the group that used HPA lanolin, while the pain remained unchanged between these two periods (p< 0.001) in the breast milk group. In terms of trauma, improvement was identified in its extension and depth from the first to the third assessment, and it was higher in the HPA lanolin group than in the breast milk group (p= 0.025). Conclusion The treatment of pain and nipple trauma with HPA lanolin achieved better results than the one with breast milk, based on a 7-day treatment period.

So far Macrobrachium acanthurus reproduction studies are poorly advanced being important if there is the possibility of cultivation. The aim of this study was to identify the most suitable voltage for the extraction of spermatophores and the smaller size at which these prawns produce them, as a prior step to develop in vitro fertilization techniques. Voltages of 4.5 and 6.0 were used, performing sperm count based on survival of sperm smears, colored with eosin-nigrosine. In the study of size, prawns were separated into class intervals and analyzed for production of spermatophore and sperm survival. The best voltage for the extraction of seminal material due to lower mortality was 6.0 volts and from 5 g of body weight, and 18 mm of length prawns could be used for the extraction of spermatophores.

Hasta el momento los estudios sobre reproducción en Macrobrachium acanthurus están poco avanzados siendo importantes si se prevé la posibilidad de su cultivo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar el voltaje más adecuado para la extracción de los espermatóforos y la menor talla con que estos langostinos los producen, como paso previo a desarrollar técnicas de fecundación in vitro. Se utilizaron voltajes de 4,5 y 6,0 voltios, realizándose el conteo de los espermatozoides en base a la supervivencia espermática en frotis coloreados con eosina-nigrosina. En el estudio de las tallas, los langostinos fueron separados en intervalos de clases y analizados en cuanto a la producción de espermatóforos y la supervivencia espermática. El mejor voltaje para la extracción del material seminal debido a menores mortalidades fue 6,0 voltios, a partir de 5 g de peso corporal y 18 mm de longitud de caparazón, cuando los langostinos pueden ser utilizados para la extracción de espermatóforos.

The clinical manifestations and prognosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) can be influenced by the immune response of the patient and the species of the parasite. A case of atypical clinical presentation of CL, with development of non-characteristic lesions, poor response to therapy, and a long time to resolution is reported. Confirmatory laboratory tests included parasite detection, indirect immunofluorescence, Montenegro skin test, polymerase chain reaction, and parasite identification by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. The parasite was identified as Leishmaniabraziliensis. The lesion was unresponsive to three complete courses of N-methylglucamine antimoniate intramuscular, and to treatment with pentamidine. The patient did not tolerate amphotericin B. The lesion finally receded after treatment with intravenous N-methylglucamine antimoniate. It is essential to ensure the accuracy of diagnosis and the appropriate treatment, which can include the use a second choice drug or a different route of administration.

A simple, fast and inexpensive method was developed to determine essential elements in pellets of rice samples using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF). The accuracy and precision were evaluated using Standard Reference Material (rice flour NIST 1568a), and yielding relative standard deviation below 5%. The paired t-test showed good agreement within 95% confidence values. The detection limits (3σ) of Mn and Zn were 5.1 and 2.2 mg kg-1, respectively. The proposed method proved to be effective when used to determine Mn and Zn in commercial samples of rice without go by stage of decomposition.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical, epidemiological and laboratorial aspects for the understanding of the disease characteristics and its relationship with diagnostic tests. METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive and analytical study involving 2,660 American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) suspected patients from southern Brazil was undertaken between April 1986 and December 2005. Data on population characteristics and laboratory tests were obtained. Diagnostic laboratory tests used were direct search for Leishmania spp. (DS), Montenegro skin test (MST) and indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA). RESULTS: 62.3% of patients were positive for at least one laboratory test. DS test was positive in 65.1%; MST in 92.3% and IFA in 70.0%. Although Cohen's Kappa test did not reveal any agreement with laboratory diagnosis for ACL, the association between MST and IFA tests increased positiveness to 98.9%; MST and DS to 97.2%; and IFA and DS to 85%. IFA and MST positiveness were higher among patients with < 2-month lesion-evolution time. Most ACL patients were male (72.6%) in the age range of 15-49 years, featuring lesions during two months or less (53.9%) and a cutaneous form of the disease (88.0%). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that for the adequate identification of ACL cases a combination of laboratory tests that involves the association of MST with at least another test should be used.

O gênero Zephyranthes Herb. é um grupo taxonômicamente complexo e cariologicamente variável, compreende cerca de 65 espécies de distribuição predominantemente neotropical. O presente trabalho aborda a variabilidade cariológica em um total de 32 indivíduos de Z. sylvatica obtidas em uma única população do Nordeste do Brasil. Todos os indivíduos apresentaram núcleo interfásico reticulado e complemento cromossômico bimodal, pela ocorrência de um par cromossômico metacêntrico e os demais submetacêntricos. Foram observados três citotipos: 2n = 12 (um par metacêntrico, quatro submetacêntricos e um acrocêntricos) em 24 indivíduos; 2n = 12 + 1B, em cinco, além de um citotipo triplóide com 2n = 18 em três indivíduos. Todos os citotipos diplóides exibiram polimorfismo cromossômico para os pares um e dois, enquanto nos triplóides esse mesmo polimorfismo foi observado nas trincas correspondente aos pares cromossômicos diplóides, geralmente com dois cromossomos homórficos e um cromossomo heteromórfico maior que os dois anteriores. Esses dados confirmam a variabilidade cariológica anteriormente registrada para o gênero. São discutidos os mecanismos de evolução cariotípica envolvidos nessa variabilidade.

Zephyranthes Herb. is a taxonomically complex and cytologically variable group, with about 65 species of Neotropical distribution. Chromosome number variability in 32 individuals of a Zephyranthes sylvatica population from Northeast Brazil was investigated. Three cytotypes were found: 2n = 12 (one metacentric, four submetacentric and one acrocentric pairs), in 24 individuals; 2n = 12 + 1B, in five and three individuals with 2n = 18, a triploid cytotype. All diploid individuals showed chromosomes with polymorphism in pair one and two, while in triploids this polymorphism was observed in all chromosome triplets, generally with two homomorphic chromosomes and a higher or lower heteromorphic chromosome. All individuals had reticulated interfasic nucleus and a slightly asymmetric chromosome complement, with one metacentric chromosome pair and the others more submetacentric to acrocentric. These data confirm the cytological variability previously registered for the genus. Mechanisms involved in karyotypic evolution in this population are discussed.

Chilaiditi syndrome is a rare abnormality, uncommon in children, whith an incidence increasing with the age, ranging from 0.025% to 0.28% in the general population usually affecting males. The patients are usually asymptomatics and the syndrome is incidently discover through radiologic exams. However, abdominal pain and distention, nauseas, vomits and changes in intestinal habits, and even intestinal obstruction can occur. The authors report a case of a patient with Chilaiditi's syndrome associated to megastomach, megaduodenum and megacolon.