OBJETIVO: Analisar as opiniões de pais e profissionais sobre a sexualidade de pessoas com Síndrome de Down (SD) e identificar como essas pessoas percebem a própria sexualidade. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de pesquisa que utiliza análises quantitativa e qualitativa. Foram aplicados 809 questionários aos pais e aos profissionais (348). Foram realizados 12 grupos focais, com pais, profissionais e pessoas com SD. Foi realizado o teste qui-quadrado para análise das questões formuladas. RESULTADOS: Os pais tratam os filhos num padrão infantil de comportamento, pois temem assumir as conseqüências de um relacionamento sexual que pode resultar numa gravidez com risco de reincidência da síndrome. Os profissionais sentem-se despreparados para orientar sexualmente a pessoa com SD e harmonizar as atitudes dos pais aos desejos sexuais dos filhos. CONCLUSÕES: A sexualidade das pessoas com SD estrutura-se como nos demais seres humanos, embora seja vivenciada com restrições percebidas por elas mesmas a depender do contexto social no qual estão inseridas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate parents and health professionals' opinions on the sexuality of Down syndrome individuals and to describe how these individuals see their own sexuality. METHODS: Both quantitative and qualitative analyses have been applied in the study. A total of 809 questionnaires were to parents and health professionals (348). Twelve focal groups' sessions were carried out separately with parents, professionals and DS individuals. Chi-square test was performed in the analysis. RESULTS: Parents see their children as eternal kids as they are afraid of the utmost outcome of their children's sexual life: unwanted pregnancy, and risk of syndrome recurrence. Health professionals revealed to be unprepared to provide sexual advice for DS individuals and adequate parents' attitude to their children's sexual drive. CONCLUSIONS: Down syndrome sexuality develops similarly to other individuals, but DS individuals experience restrictions depending on their social context.

OBJETIVO: Analisar as opiniões de pais e profissionais sobre a sexualidade de pessoas com Síndrome de Down (SD) e identificar como essas pessoas percebem a própria sexualidade. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de pesquisa que utiliza análises quantitativa e qualitativa. Foram aplicados 809 questionários aos pais e aos profissionais (348). Foram realizados 12 grupos focais, com pais, profissionais e pessoas com SD. Foi realizado o teste qui-quadrado para análise das questões formuladas. RESULTADOS: Os pais tratam os filhos num padrão infantil de comportamento, pois temem assumir as conseqüências de um relacionamento sexual que pode resultar numa gravidez com risco de reincidência da síndrome. Os profissionais sentem-se despreparados para orientar sexualmente a pessoa com SD e harmonizar as atitudes dos pais aos desejos sexuais dos filhos. CONCLUSÕES: A sexualidade das pessoas com SD estrutura-se como nos demais seres humanos, embora seja vivenciada com restrições percebidas por elas mesmas a depender do contexto social no qual estão inseridas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate parents and health professionals' opinions on the sexuality of Down syndrome individuals and to describe how these individuals see their own sexuality. METHODS: Both quantitative and qualitative analyses have been applied in the study. A total of 809 questionnaires were to parents and health professionals (348). Twelve focal groups' sessions were carried out separately with parents, professionals and DS individuals. Chi-square test was performed in the analysis. RESULTS: Parents see their children as eternal kids as they are afraid of the utmost outcome of their children's sexual life: unwanted pregnancy, and risk of syndrome recurrence. Health professionals revealed to be unprepared to provide sexual advice for DS individuals and adequate parents' attitude to their children's sexual drive. CONCLUSIONS: Down syndrome sexuality develops similarly to other individuals, but DS individuals experience restrictions depending on their social context.

Using longitudinal and transverse anatomical sections, we observed that the three cristae of the mantle of Biomphalaria glabrata (renal, rectal and dorsolateral cristae) divide the mantle cavity into three chambers which we designated air or pulmonary chamber, water inflow chamber and water outflow chamber. Using videotape filming, we observed the inflow and outflow of air and water into and from the mantle cavity and we related their probable functions such as flotation, oxygen reservoir and transport, excreta circulation and elimination, water skeleton, and modification of specific weight. To determine whether the air bubble may function as a physical gill in this species we submitted three groups of snails to different systems in which water contained the same level of dissolved oxygen whereas the gas phases were atmospheric air, pure nitrogen or pure oxygen. We observed the following parameters: time of permanence on the surface, time of immersion, and frequency at which the snails reached the surface. These results did not demonstrate a physical gill function; morphological analysis of the mantle cavity indicates this possibility

The repellent effect of the molluscicides Niclosamide (Bayluscide WP 70 (R)), Anacardium occidentale and the latex of Euphorbia splendens on Biomphalaria glabrata was observed through the investigation of the occurrence of escape behavior among molluscs that were exposed to dosages lower than the LD 50. The total number of individuals out of water among the surviving snails in the control group provided a "Natural Escape Index". The comparison between this total and the total number of surviving snails in each group exposed to the different dosages of the molluscicides after 24 hr provided the "Molluscicide Escape Index" and the detection of a "Repellency Range" to these snails. The escape indexes for Niclosamide, A. occidentale and E. splendens were 10, 6.22 and 6.44 respectively. Repellency occurred at the following concentration ranges: 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 ppm Bayluscide, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 ppm A. occidentale and 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 ppm E. splendens. The Natural Escape Index obtained in the control group was zero.

The present work was carried out in a watercress garden in Alto da Boa Vista, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The investigation was carried out in two phases. The first one (1985-86) involved the sampling of Biomphalaria tenegophila in two areas to determine its relative populational densities. The results showed that the populations presented similar densities and dynamics. The second phase (1988-89) involved the study of the influence of some environmental factors on the establishment of B. tenagophila in watercress garden. Two factors were identified as responsible for the establishment of B. tenagophila in the garden: (1) the quality of the water entering the irrigation system, to which domestic sewage is added, and (2) alterations in the nature of the substrate, due to inadequate fertilization techniques, which employ organic matter from adjacent pigsties. Aquatic plants and hydrological parameters of the irrigation system were subsidiary factors to the establishment of B. tenagophila in the garden.

In order to investigate a possible method of biological control of schistosomiasis, we used the fish Geophagus brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) which is widely distributed throughout Brazil, to interrupt the life cycle of the snail Biomphalaria tenagophila (Orbigny, 1835), an intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni. In the laboratory, predation eliminated 97.6% of the smaller snails (3-8 mm shell diameter) and 9.2% of the larger ones (12-14 mm shell diameter). Very promising results were also obtained in a seminatural environment. Studies of this fish in natural snail habitats should be further encouraged.

In this paper the application of the resin poliester (Polylite 8001) for the inclusion of animals is described.

Efetuou-se, em laboratório, um estudo sobre a fecundidade, fertilidade e duração de vida de casais de Panstrongylus megistus e da fecundidade e duração de vida de fêmeas virgens dessa espécie, submetidos a jejum, após a última ecdise. Das fêmeas acasaladas, 22,2% puseram ovos, dos quais 4,4% estavam férteis. As fêmeas tiveram maior resistência ao jejum que os machos. Das fêmeas virgens em jejum, apenas 10% puseram ovos, com baixa de ovipostura por fêmeas (0,47). A resistência ao jejum foi mais baixa nas fêmeas virgens do que naquelas que permaneceram sempre com os machos.

A laboratory study was conducted on the fecundity, fertility and life span of Panstrongylus megistus pairs and on the fecundity and life span of P. megistus virgin females submitted to starvation after the last moulting. Of the mated females, 22.2% laid eggs, 4.4% of which were fertile. Females resisted starvation more than males. Of the starved virgin females, only 10% laid eggs, with a low egg-laying rate (0.47) per female. Resistance to starvation was lower in virgin than in mated females.

Considerando a importância da informação sobre a esquistossomose para alunos de 7 a 15 anos, faixa etária apontada como de alta prevalência em regiões endêmicas e cujos hábitos colaboram para a disseminação da doença, foi elaborado um material de ensino baseado em um texto de conotação literária, o qual foi aplicado em escolas de região considerada foco isolado da doença no Município do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil). Desenvolveu-se uma metodologia de uso do material a ser empregada pelos professores, que resultou eficaz em promover aprendizagem de conceitos e cuidados básicos em relação à esquistossomose. Propõe-se o uso deste processo para outras doenças parasitárias a serem testadas em áreas caracteristicamente endêmicas.

Considering the importance of information about schistosomiasis for students 7-15 years old, age groups at risk of exposure to the disease and whose habits contribute to its spread, a brochure based on a literary text was elaborated and applied in schools situated within an isolated focus of the disease in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A method to make use of the material to be employed by the teachers was successful in the learning of concepts and primary care of schistosomiasis. The use of this method is proposed also in relation to other parasitic diseases to be applied in characteristically endemic areas.

Considerando a importância da informação sobre a esquistossomose para alunos de 7 a 15 anos, faixa etária apontada como de alta prevalência em regiões endêmicas e cujos hábitos colaboram para a disseminação da doença, foi elaborado um material de ensino baseado em um texto de conotação literária, o qual foi aplicado em escolas de região considerada foco isolado da doença no Município do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil). Desenvolveu-se uma metodologia de uso do material a ser empregada pelos professores, que resultou eficaz em promover aprendizagem de conceitos e cuidados básicos em relação à esquistossomose. Propõe-se o uso deste processo para outras doenças parasitárias a serem testadas em áreas caracteristicamente endêmicas.

Considering the importance of information about schistosomiasis for students 7-15 years old, age groups at risk of exposure to the disease and whose habits contribute to its spread, a brochure based on a literary text was elaborated and applied in schools situated within an isolated focus of the disease in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A method to make use of the material to be employed by the teachers was successful in the learning of concepts and primary care of schistosomiasis. The use of this method is proposed also in relation to other parasitic diseases to be applied in characteristically endemic areas.

Estudou-se, em laboratório, a influência do acasalamento na fecundidade e fertilidade de fêmeas de P. megistus, alimentadas a cada 14 dias. Foram formados dois grupos: I - fêmeas que copularam uma única vez; II - fêmeas que permaneceram sempre com os machos. Das fêmeas do grupo I, apenas 56,7% puseram ovos férteis, enquanto que 90% das fêmeas do grupo II tiveram ovos férteis. A duração da ovipostura fértil foi também maior nas fêmeas do grupo II. Destas últimas, algumas foram capazes de copular até sete vezes ao longo de sua vida, o que inviabiliza o uso de machos estéreis no controle desses insetos. Os autores discutem também a influência na fecundidade e fertilidade das fêmeas dos dois grupos e na longevidade dos insetos, de componentes no sangue dos pombos que serviram de repasto aos triatomíneos.

A study of the effect of mating in the fecundity and fertility of females of P. megistus fed on pigeon blood every 14 days, was carried out in the laboratory. Two groups were constituted: I - females which mated only once; II - females which stayed always with the males. Only 56.7% of group I females laid fertile eggs, while as much as 90% of group II females laid fertile eggs. The duration of the fertile oviposition was greater in the females which stayed always with the males. Some females of this group were able to mate up to seven times throughout their life-span. This fact render useless sterile males in the control of these insects. It is suggested that the components of pigeon's blood used for feeding the triatomines could have an influence upon the fecundity and fertility of the female sof the two groups.

The author studied some protective behaviors of Biomphalaria glabrata (vertical movements, response to molluscicides and response to water currents) and demonstrated how these activities hamper the control of this snail, which is the main vector of schistosomiasis in Brazil.