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This study aimed to investigate the impact of as-received biomass fly ashes (BFA) and green liquor dregs obtained from a pulp and paper plant in Brazil as substitutes for metakaolin in geopolymeric formulations. The properties of this type of waste material vary widely between different industrial plants. This study refrains from subjecting the waste materials to any form of pretreatment, taking into account their organic matter and particle size heterogeneity, requiring extensive characterization to evaluate their influence on the compressive strength, apparent open porosity, and water absorption of the geopolymeric samples. The objective was to assess their potential for upcycling purposes as an alternative to energy-intensive materials, such as ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and advanced ceramics. This potential arises from the ability of alkali-activated materials (AAM) to undergo curing at ambient temperatures, coupled with the possibility of compositions primarily derived from waste materials. To improve the sustainability of the products, the amorphous content of the raw material, which is more reactive than crystalline phases, was quantified and used as the base for mixture ratios. This approach aimed to reduce the requirement for alkaline activators, which have significant environmental impacts, while also increasing the waste content in the formulation. The incorporation of waste materials into the geopolymer matrix generally led to a reduction in the compressive strength compared to the benchmark metakaolin sample (19.4 MPa) but did not present a trend. The dregs led to values of 4.1 MPa at 25 wt% and 7.1 MPa at 50 wt%, a behavior that is somewhat counterintuitive, and BFA at 10 wt% presented 5.7 MPa. Nevertheless, the apparent open porosity remained at high levels for all the samples, close to 50%, and the compressive strength of most of them was over the values obtained for the metakaolin-only samples with mixture ratios calculated from the total composition instead of the amorphous composition. The decrease in strength and the increase in porosity were attributed to the specific characteristics of the waste materials, such as their high crystallinity, presence of organic matter, heterogeneous particle composition, and size. Overall, this study provides insight into the variations in geopolymerization based on the bulk and amorphous content of the aluminosilicate sources and how the characteristics of the waste materials influence the geopolymer matrix. It also highlights how calculating mixture ratios based on the amorphous composition improves the possibility of waste valorization through alkali activation. Additionally, it suggests that BFA and dregs might be effectively utilized in applications other than OPC substitution, such as adsorption, filtration, and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The concept introduced by protocols of enhanced recovery after surgery modifies perioperative traditional care in digestive surgery. The integration of these modern recommendations components during the perioperative period is of great importance to ensure fewer postoperative complications, reduced length of hospital stay, and decreased surgical costs., Aims: To emphasize the most important points of a multimodal perioperative care protocol., Methods: Careful analysis of each recommendation of both ERAS and ACERTO protocols, justifying their inclusion in the multimodal care recommended for digestive surgery patients., Results: Enhanced recovery programs (ERPs) such as ERAS and ACERTO protocols are a cornerstone in modern perioperative care. Nutritional therapy is fundamental in digestive surgery, and thus, both preoperative and postoperative nutrition care are key to ensuring fewer postoperative complications and reducing the length of hospital stay. The concept of prehabilitation is another key element in ERPs. The handling of crystalloid fluids in a perfect balance is vital. Fluid overload can delay the recovery of patients and increase postoperative complications. Abbreviation of preoperative fasting for two hours before anesthesia is now accepted by various guidelines of both surgical and anesthesiology societies. Combined with early postoperative refeeding, these prescriptions are not only safe but can also enhance the recovery of patients undergoing digestive procedures., Conclusions: This position paper from the Brazilian College of Digestive Surgery strongly emphasizes that the implementation of ERPs in digestive surgery represents a paradigm shift in perioperative care, transcending traditional practices and embracing an intelligent approach to patient well-being.

Drugs of abuse are psychoactive substances illicitly distributed and used worldwide. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, they represent a public health issue and are directly related to several social problems. The recent increase in appearances of new psychoactive substances (NPS), derived from structural modifications of existing psychoactive substances, poses a threat to public health and forensic laboratories worldwide, as little is known about these substances. This study aimed to chemically and geographically map drugs of abuse from blotter papers seized by the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro State (PCERJ) between 2006 and 2019. High-performance analytical techniques, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Orbitrap mass spectrometry (Orbitrap-MS), combined with statistical analyses, were employed to characterize the seized samples. The most common chemical compounds in NPS found in this study were synthetic phenethylamines, i.e., molecules from the 25I-NBOH (2-(((4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethyl)amino)methyl)phenol) and 25I-NBOMe (2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine) families. Prior to 2014, the majority of seized blotter papers contained lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and were concentrated in the Metropolitan region. An upsurge in blotter paper seizures was observed from 2014 to 2017; the most common substances during this time were from the NBOMe family. NBOH compounds emerged in 2016 in coastal regions with high tourism, reaching over 1300 items only in 2017. Only one synthetic cannabinoid was found among the blotter papers seized in Rio de Janeiro between 2006 and 2019. The assembled chemical data and statistical analyses allowed the mapping and monitoring of the chemical profiles of the seized blotter papers, providing a strong foundation for the understanding of the origins and movement of these drugs around the RJ State., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pulp and paper mill wastewater (PPMWW) contains high concentrations of recalcitrant compounds that cause toxicity to organisms. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have the ability to degrade these compounds and reduce overall toxicity. Physicochemical characterization and Lactuca sativa toxicity test were conducted to compare the effectiveness of two post-treatments: UV/H 2 O 2 and photo-Fenton. A comparison of four phytotoxicity indexes was carried out. PPMWW from a Brazilian treatment plant was characterized by high values of phenols, color, integrated spectral area (ISA), and chemical oxygen demand (COD), and caused significant inhibition to seedling development. The use of both post-treatments allowed the removal of over 75% of phenols, color, ISA, and COD. Although UV/H 2 O 2 was more effective in removing phenols and ISA, photo-Fenton better reduced phytotoxicity. The most sensitive phytotoxicity indexes were RGIC 0.8 and GIC 80% , whereas SGC 0 , REC -0.25 and REC -0.50 better showed the effectiveness of the post-treatments. We suggest the combined use of two phytotoxicity indexes: one that evaluates the effects on seed germination and, another, on root elongation, e.g., SGC 0 and RGIC 0.8 . Additionally, we recommend the use of ISA for monitoring programs of wastewater treatments because it is a cost-effective approach that allows narrowing down the search and identification of compounds present in complex mixtures., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pulp and paper industries are very important for developing the Brazilian economy. During production processes, many effluents are generated with high polluting potential. The objective of this study is to conduct an extensive literature review on the characteristics of effluents and treatment forms adopted by Brazilian mills in this industrial sector. Most consulted studies address raw (without treatment) and secondary (after biological treatment) effluents, considering their main characteristics like pH, chemical and biochemical oxygen demands (COD and BOD, respectively), color, solids, organochlorines, toxicity, estrogenic activity, and phenols. Raw effluents differ considerably in composition, depending on the type of paper produced, the pulping process employed, and other steps, like pulp bleaching. Raw effluent characteristics indicate that this effluent cannot be directly disposed of into water bodies, because it does not comply with federal and state disposal standards. Secondary effluents normally comply with Brazilian legislations, although some studies have reported COD and total phenol concentrations higher than disposal standards, suggesting that additional treatments are necessary. Treated effluent reuse was verified in some Brazilian mills, while its disposal in eucalyptus plantations has been considered a promising alternative for irrigation purposes., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high-production-volume chemical with endocrine disrupting properties commonly used as color developer in thermal paper. Concerns about the potential hazards of human BPA exposure have led to the increasing utilization of alternatives such as bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF). This study was designed to assess: (i) BPA, BPS, and BPF concentrations in 112 thermal paper receipts from Brazil, France, and Spain by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS); and (ii) hormone-like activities of these receipts using two receptor-specific bioassays, the E-Screen for (anti-)estrogenicity and PALM luciferase assay for (anti-)androgenicity. BPA was present in 95.3% of receipts from Spain, 90.9% of those from Brazil, and 51.1% of those from France at concentrations up to 20.27 mg/g of paper. Only two samples from Brazil, two from Spain, and ten from France had a BPS concentration ranging from 6.46 to 13.29 mg/g; no BPA or BPS was detected in 27.7% of French samples. No BPF was detected in any receipt. Estrogenic activity was observed in all samples from Brazil and Spain and in 74.5% of those from France. Anti-androgenic activity was observed in > 90% of samples from Brazil and Spain and in 53.2% of those from France. Only 25.5% of French samples were negative for both estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity. Estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities per gram of paper were up to 1.411 µM estradiol (E 2 ) equivalent units (E 2 eq) and up to 359.5 mM procymidone equivalent units (Proceq), respectively. BPA but not BPS concentrations were positively correlated with both estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities. BPA still dominates the thermal paper market in Brazil and Spain, and BPS appears to be one of the main alternatives in France. There is an urgent need to evaluate the safety of alternatives proposed to replace BPA as developer in thermal printing. The large proportion of samples with hormonal activity calls for the adoption of preventive measures., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Acute cholecystitis (AC) is an acute inflammatory process of the gallbladder that may be associated with potentially severe complications, such as empyema, gangrene, perforation of the gallbladder, and sepsis. The gold standard treatment for AC is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, for a small group of AC patients, the risk of laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be very high, mainly in the elderly with associated severe diseases. In these critically ill patients, percutaneous cholecystostomy or endoscopic ultrasound gallbladder drainage may be a temporary therapeutic option, a bridge to cholecystectomy. The objective of this Brazilian College of Digestive Surgery Position Paper is to present new advances in AC treatment in high-risk surgical patients to help surgeons, endoscopists, and physicians select the best treatment for their patients. The effectiveness, safety, advantages, disadvantages, and outcomes of each procedure are discussed. The main conclusions are: a) AC patients with elevated surgical risk must be preferably treated in tertiary hospitals where surgical, radiological, and endoscopic expertise and resources are available; b) The optimal treatment modality for high-surgical-risk patients should be individualized based on clinical conditions and available expertise; c) Laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains an excellent option of treatment, mainly in hospitals in which percutaneous or endoscopic gallbladder drainage is not available; d) Percutaneous cholecystostomy and endoscopic gallbladder drainage should be performed only in well-equipped hospitals with experienced interventional radiologist and/or endoscopist; e) Cholecystostomy catheter should be removed after resolution of AC. However, in patients who have no clinical condition to undergo cholecystectomy, the catheter may be maintained for a prolonged period or even definitively; f) If the cholecystostomy catheter is maintained for a long period of time several complications may occur, such as bleeding, bile leakage, obstruction, pain at the insertion site, accidental removal of the catheter, and recurrent AC; g) The ideal waiting time between cholecystostomy and cholecystectomy has not yet been established and ranges from immediately after clinical improvement to months. h) Long waiting periods between cholecystostomy and cholecystectomy may be associated with new episodes of acute cholecystitis, multiple hospital readmissions, and increased costs. Finally, when selecting the best treatment option other aspects should also be considered, such as costs, procedures available at the medical center, and the patient's desire. The patient and his family should be fully informed about all treatment options, so they can help making the final decision.

Background: Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is an essential component of perioperative care. The use of prophylactic regimens of antibiotics is a well-established practice that is encouraged to be implemented in preoperative/perioperative protocols in order to prevent surgical site infections., Aims: The aim of this study was to emphasize the crucial aspects of antibiotic prophylaxis in abdominal surgery., Results: Antibiotic prophylaxis is defined as the administration of antibiotics before contamination occurs, given with the intention of preventing infection by achieving tissue levels of antibiotics above the minimum inhibitory concentration at the time of surgical incision. It is indicated for clean operations with prosthetic materials or in cases where severe consequences may arise in the event of an infection. It is also suitable for all clean-contaminated and contaminated operations. The spectrum of action is determined by the pathogens present at the surgical site. Ideally, a single intravenous bolus dose should be administered within 60 min before the surgical incision. An additional dose should be given in case of hemorrhage or prolonged surgery, according to the half-life of the drug. Factors such as the patient's weight, history of allergies, and the likelihood of colonization by resistant bacteria should be considered. Compliance with institutional protocols enhances the effectiveness of antibiotic use., Conclusion: Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is associated with reduced rates of surgical site infection, hospital stay, and morbimortality.

Silicon (Si) is a chemical element that is not yet considered essential for plants. However, over the past few decades, an increasing number of scientifi c studies have focused on the role of Si in soil-plant interactions. At the same time, many countries are leading the development and use of silicon-based fertilizers. Si can be taken up by plants predominantly in a mobile form (H4SiO4) in the soil through both passive and active uptake mechanisms. Therefore, Scopus data from 2012 to 2022 were used to understand the implementation and current status of research on the benefi cial effects of silicon fertilizers on soil and plants and the role of soil forms of silicon in improving soil quality. A bibliometric study of articles published in the database on the role of Si in soil and silicon fertilizers was carried out. Various tools, such as Microsoft Offi ce Excel 2021, VOS Viewer and Mapchart.net were used in this study. The fi nal literature includes 440 articles, 82% of which are scientifi c. Over the past decade, the number of published articles has increased signifi cantly. For example, in the years 2021–2022, a total of 91 articles were published, which is six times higher than the number of articles published in 2012–2013 (15 articles). This signifi cant increase in publications highlights the growing interest in the role Si and Si fertilizer research. It was found around 32.04% of China, 13.2% of the USA and 9.8% of Brazil the reviewed publications focused on the role of Si and Si fertilizers studies. Among the authors who published the most articles on this topic during the selected period are Wang X. (with 12 articles), Liang Yu., Rizwan M. and Ali S. (each with 8 articles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes how The Language Center at the Espirito Santo Federal University changed from using traditional pencil-andpaper tests to performance testing, based on authentic tasks. The change was prompted because people thought that their testing did not reflect a communicative approach to language teaching. The Assessment Project lasted for two years; the author discusses its participants, goals, stages (including pilot testing), and results. Content and construct validity improved, leading to positive washback. Learning objectives and criteria for passing were clarified.

Recycled paper has the potential to be used as a mulch for vegetable production and can be adopted for the cultivation of Italian zucchini. However, there have been no studies about the water savings or crop coefficient values used in irrigation management in this system; therefore, there is a need for more research. In view of the above, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of recycled paper mulch on evaporation and evapotranspiration in Italian zucchini and to determine the crop coefficients in its developmental stages. The study was carried out in two cultivation cycles conducted at the Lysimetric Station in Viçosa, MG, Brazil. The experiments were installed in a randomized block design with four replicates. Four lysimeter cultivation treatments were applied: without mulch (C); with recycled paper as mulch (CP); with only recycled paper (P); and with Bahia grass (G). Irrigation and drainage measurements were performed daily to calculate the crop and reference evapotranspiration, and thus the crop coefficient (Kc) values. The following characteristics were evaluated: fruit yield, NDVI and water productivity. For the cultivation of Italian zucchini using paper as mulch, Kc values of 0.54, 0.77 and 0.44 and Kcb values of 0.15, 0.45 and 0.18 are recommended for the initial, intermediate and final stages, respectively. NDVI can be used to estimate the Kc values for Italian zucchini. The use of recycled paper as mulch reduces the water consumption of Italian zucchini. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking as an example the very interesting and motivating paper by Sousa Ribeiro et al. (2021) an attempt is made of providing a couple of insights into the decision making process from the point of view of the potentially helpful aspects of data analysis and OR-related modelling. These are just hints and suggestions, meant primarily to emphasise the multifaceted character of the decision making situations and processes, especially when concerning more complex issues. While the course of the procedure proposed and exemplified in Sousa Ribeiro et al. (2021) is treated as fully correctly and successfully carried out to the end, we wish to show the potential use of information, constituting in a sense a "by-product" of such a procedure, or, actually, of any similar procedure, aimed at supporting decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the characteristics of the top 100 most-cited papers related to tooth bleaching. A literature search was performed on the Web of Science up to March 2022. The number of citations was cross-matched with the citation count on Scopus and Google Scholar. The following data were collected: number and density of citations; authorship; year and journal of publication; study design and thematic; keywords; institution and country of origin. Spearman's correlation and Poisson regression were used to determine associations between the number of citations and study characteristics. The VOSviewer software was used to generate collaborative network maps for the authors and keywords. The number of citations ranged from 66 to 450. Papers were published between 1981 and 2020. The most frequent study design and topic were laboratory-based studies and 'interaction of the bleaching agent with dental tissues', respectively. Cochran M, Loguercio AD, Matis B, Reis A, and Suliman M were the authors with the highest number of papers. The countries with the most papers were the United States of America (USA) (28%) and Brazil (20%). Indiana University and State University of Ponta Grossa were the institutions with the most papers (6% each). There was a very strong correlation among the number of citations of the three databases. The 100 most-cited papers related to tooth bleaching were mainly published by the USA and Brazil, with laboratory-based studies addressing topics related to the effects of bleaching agents on tooth structure being the most prevalent.

In July 2015, China's national legislature brought in prosecutor-led civil environmental public interest litigation ("EPIL") for thirteen selected provincial areas of the country. After a two-year legal experiment, this prosecutor-led civil EPIL system was then established nationwide in July 2017. Yet, can it be said that prosecutorial regulators in China are in fact a paper tiger? Drawing upon content analysis of the 655 prosecutor-led civil EPILs and in-depth interviews with twelve frontline prosecutors and judges, this article examines the dynamics of regulatory practice and the motivation of the Chinese prosecutorial organs to engage in environmental regulation through litigation. Based upon the above two legislative landmarks in the law reform of this area, the regulatory practice of prosecutorial organs can be viewed as having occurred in three stages, with each stage featuring a distinct regulatory model: ad hoc regulation through local innovation before July 2015, forced regulation during the legal experiment from July 2015 to July 2017, and perfunctory regulation after the nationwide establishment of the prosecutor-led civil EPIL system in July 2017. The data shows that the Chinese prosecutorial organs have engaged in a larger number of such lawsuits since the second stage, but they have shown a strong preference for cases with less complicated facts, weak and small defendants, and minor environmental violations. Three factors that influence regulatory motivation are employed to analyse the change in regulatory models: the ambiguity of the law, the top-down political pressure for regulation, and the cost of regulation. This study highlights the very limited effectiveness of vertical political pressure in boosting prosecutorial regulation and the strong impacts of the cost of regulation and the ambiguity of the law. In particular, the high cost of regulation that takes weak regulatory capacity, lack of regulatory autonomy, and the winning rate-oriented performance appraisal system into account have significantly weakened the motivation of prosecutorial organs to pursue civil EPIL. The findings of this study echo the conditions present in the successful prosecutorial regulations in Brazil and contribute to the scholarship about prosecutorial regulations in the field of environmental protection in the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subsector of pulp and paper presented in 2013 an electric power consumption of 9.3% of electricity consumption in the industrial sector in Brazil. It experienced a significant growth of production in the last 20 years, exceeding 160%, and their consumption of electricity increased by 130%, reaching the level of 19,594GWh. Due to its characteristics, with a known structure and production processes, and its importance in the country's industrial sector, this subsector was selected for study in this paper, to evaluate the behavior of its long-term annual electricity demand, at the horizon of 20 years ahead, in energy efficiency scenarios through bottom-up approach. This approach is data intensive and requires data with good quality; it consists of a hierarchical structure that enables to check how specific actions can affect the results at each level and its effect on higher levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visceral leishmaniasis remains a serious public health issue, and Brazil was among the seven countries with the highest prevalence of this disease worldwide. The measures to control this disease are not easily developed, and the improvement of its diagnosis, surveillance, and control is still needed. This study aimed to carry out the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis of Leishmania infantum in vector samples in some municipalities of the State of São Paulo, which included two municipalities with human disease transmission and two with dog transmission only. Vectors were collected in traps with luminous bait. Next, they were killed at −4 °C and kept in 70% alcohol. Groups of ten female insects (pools) were mashed on cation exchange paper (fine cellulose phosphate with 18 µEq/cm² ionic exchange capacity) for DNA extraction. The PCR was carried out to identify the natural infection of the Leishmania genus in female Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lu. Longipalpis). Out of the 3,880 Lu. longipalpis phlebotomines, 1060 were female and 2820 were male (3:1). The method used to extract the DNA in pools of ten phlebotomines and the PCR resulted in sensitivity, specificity, practicality, and faster analyses when compared to the individual analysis method. The procedure described can be used on a large scale in the leishmaniasis epidemiological surveillance, enabling a higher number of analyses and the optimization of human resources because the traditional diagnostic method is carried out via desiccation of the insect digestive system and microscopic examination, which is time-demanding and there is the need of manual skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP), São Paulo, Brazil houses the largest and most representative Brazilian collection of Diptera. In the present study, following a recommendation of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, it is presented a catalogue of the type specimens of Diadocidiidae and Ditomyiidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha) held in the collection of the MZUSP. Label data and the condition of preservation of 27 type specimens (nine holotypes, two paralectotypes, and 16 paratypes) of 14 Neotropical species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calls from policymakers to assimilate immigrants through English literacy have grown urgent. Yet the 2007 U.S. Census has reported that one in five U.S. residents speaks a language other than English at home. What's more, new immigrants often settle in long-standing immigrant communities in which these non-English languages are the lingua franca. These demographic trends call for a reconceptualization of the problematic relationship of literacy to immigrant assimilation. To whom, precisely, are immigrants assimilating, especially in multi-ethnic communities? And how exactly does literacy, especially biliteracy, shape this process? Through an ethnographic investigation of how two different immigrant groups form biliterate partnerships in the quest for legal immigration papers, this essay examines how literacy and assimilation function in light of the changing writing demands of contemporary immigrant life. (Contains 8 notes.)

The purpose of this review was to identify and analyze the main characteristics of the 100 most-cited papers in the field of endodontic therapy in primary teeth. A search for the most-cited articles was conducted in the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science 'Core-Collection' (WoS-CC) database up to December 2020. Papers were ranked in descending order, by number of citations, and each paper was matched with the citation count on Scopus and Google Scholar. Two independent reviewers selected the most-cited papers and analyzed it according to the number and density of citations, year and journal of publication, authors, countries and contributing institutions, study design, topic of the paper, and keywords. Spearman's correlation and Poisson regression were used to determine associations between the number of citations and study characteristics. The citation count varied from 15 to 135 (WoS-CC), 8 to 141 (Scopus), and 14 to 317 (Google Scholar). Of the 306 contributing authors, most paper contributions were from Sakai VT, Oliveira TM, and Machado MAAM (5 each). Most of the papers originated from the USA (n=21) and Brazil (n=18). Randomized trials were the most common study design (n=32), and "pulpotomy" was the most frequently used keyword (n=35). Poisson regression showed that the number of citations decreased by 1.5% each year, and increased by 9.7% for each unit of impact factor. This bibliometric analysis highlighted papers, authors, and institutions that have contributed to endodontic therapy in primary teeth. Common terms of interest in this research area was also identified, representing the first bibliometric analysis on this subject.

This paper describes a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of offset paper production in Brazil. The production system is classified into two subsystems: a forest production subsystem, which involves seedling production, soil preparation, seedling planting, forest maintenance, and wood harvesting and transport processes; and an industrial production subsystem, involving wood pulp extraction and bleaching, chemical recovery, and offset paper manufacturing processes. The environmental analysis includes the primary energy demand, environmental impact assessment, and land use indicators. The primary energy demand indicated that the largest amount of both renewable and non-renewable primary energy is consumed by the industrial production subsystem, accounting for 91.0% of the total energy demand. The potential environmental impact assessment included eight impact categories: acidification, ecotoxicity, global warming, human toxicity – cancer effects, human toxicity – non-cancer effects, nutrient enrichment, ozone depletion, and photochemical oxidation. Most of the potential impacts are attributed to the processes of pulp extraction and bleaching, and offset paper manufacturing, mainly due to the production of electricity and thermal energy. As for impacts on land use during the forest activities, a recent developed approach was applied for the regionalized assessment of impacts. Land occupation impacts on erosion resistance, physicochemical filtration, and mechanical filtration showed a reduction in the soil ecological functions, whereas groundwater recharge indicated a credit for the performance of the soil function. With a view to reducing the main life cycle impacts of the industrial production subsystem, an evaluation is made of alternative production scenarios. The best scenario was the substitution of biomass and diesel in the energy generation unit by biomass gasification and optimization of the recovery boiler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiresorptive therapy is the main form of prevention of osteoporotic or fragility fractures. Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a relatively rare but severe adverse reaction to antiresorptive and antiangiogenic drugs. Physicians and dentists caring for patients taking these drugs and requiring invasive procedures face a difficult decision because of the potential risk of MRONJ. The aim of this study was to discuss the risk factors for the development of MRONJ and prevention of this complication in patients with osteoporosis taking antiresorptive drugs and requiring invasive dental treatment. For this goal, a task force with representatives from three professional associations was appointed to review the pertinent literature and discuss systemic and local risk factors, prevention of MRONJ in patients with osteoporosis, and management of established MRONJ. Although scarce evidence links the use of antiresorptive agents in the context of osteoporosis to the development of MRONJ, these agents are considered a risk factor for this complication. Despite the rare reports of MRONJ in patients with osteoporosis, the severity of symptoms and impact of MRONJ in the patients' quality of life make it imperative for health care professionals to consider this complication when planning invasive dental procedures.

Cannabinoids comprehend endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids, and synthetic cannabinoids, with actions both in the central and peripherical nervous systems. A considerable amount of publications have been made in recent years, although cannabis has been known for over a thousand years. Scientific Departments from the Brazilian Academy of Neurology described evidence for medical use in their areas. Literature is constantly changing, and possible new evidence can emerge in the next days or months. Prescription of these substances must be discussed with patients and their families, with knowledge about adverse events and their efficacy.

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The paper recycling process generates a sludge characterized by a high content of cellulose fiber. To understand the behavior of this fibrous material, this article presents an interpretation of the geotechnical behavior of a waste sludge from a paper recycling plant situated in southern Brazil using data from laboratory tests. Engineering properties of compacted paper mill sludges are similar to those of most fibrous organic soils: low hydraulic conductivity upon compression and high compressibility. The waste studied has a water content of approximately 250%, organic content of 48%, mineral charges, and water. The one-dimensional compressibility parameters are indicative of high compressibility. For the determination of the strength parameters of the material, undrained triaxial tests were carried out. An incredibly high effective friction angle ([lowercase_phi_synonym]′=53°) was found, probably because of the fibrous nature of the paper sludge. In addition, hydraulic conductivity tests were performed on a flexible wall permeameter. The hydraulic conductivity of the fibrous paper sludge reached values near10-9 m/s. The results showed that the paper mill sludge is a ductile material with reduced hydraulic conductivity and elevated shear strength that could have multiple applications, such as in the construction of bottom liners, cover liners, and steep side-slope liners for solid-waste landfills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the relative efficiency of graduate programs in terms of the quality of their scientific publications in journals. To this end, we applied Data Envelopment Analysis to the fields of Public and Business Administration, Accounting, and Tourism, using data from the 2017 Quadrennial Evaluation developed by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior ["Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel", CAPES]. The results suggest that efficient graduate programs are concentrated in the center-south axis of Brazil, in the areas of Administration and Accounting. Despite the overall publishing strategy in journals of various ranks (strata), efficient graduate programs allocate their efficiency primarily to Qualis A1 journals, A1 being the excellence rating in the CAPES scale. We conclude that legitimized research practices pressure graduate programs to improve the quality of their publications while threatening the survival of programs that fail to conform to the assessment rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designer drugs or new psychoactive substances (NPS) are a heterogeneous group of substances obtained through the modification of chemical structure of some natural products or drugs. NPS illegally commercialized in blotter papers mimicking the most common form of LSD consumption, with a great variability of colours and symbols, have largely increased worldwide, including in Brazil, becoming an important emerging public health issue. In this study, we have evaluated the presence and profile of NPS in blotters seized in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, over the period of 2011 to 2017. The state government criminal forensics staff has performed gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analyses in order to determine the chemical composition of the blotters. During the evaluated period, there was a considerable increase in the seizing of blotters events, from 87 in 2011, to 301 in 2016 and reaching 277 in 2017. There was also an increase in the number of blotters seized per event. Interestingly, while in 2011, 100% of blotters contained LSD, this number decreased to 0,1% in 2014, and achieved 17,6% in 2017, when up to 25 different substances were detected in blotters seized. Drugs such as DOx, NBOMe, fentanyl, mescaline derivatives, triptamines, cathinones, and synthetic cannabinoids were detected and became the major substances found in blotters. In some cases, more than one substance was found in the same blotter, characterizing a new mixture scenario. The presence of several new psychoactive substances in blotters is a reality in forensic toxicology. In Brazil, it might be related to the fact that most of these substances were not considered illegal by Brazilian legislation by the time they emerged., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Industrial energy efficiency has received increasing attention in many countries because of its importance in the pursuit of energy supply security, increased economic competitiveness and in the mitigation of greenhouse gases emissions. This paper aimed to evaluate the energy consumption development of the Brazilian pulp and paper industry through an energy decomposition analysis and an energy efficiency index approach over a 30 years period. An international comparison with other important paper-producing countries (i.e., Canada, United States of America, Finland and Sweden) was carried out. It was concluded that despite a significant increase in the energy efficiency levels, responsible for 5.6 PJ savings in electricity consumption and for 38.6 PJ savings in fuels consumption between 1979 and 2009, a saving potential of 7.8 PJ and 146.2 PJ related to the annual consumption of electricity and fuels, respectively, could be identified in the Brazilian pulp and paper industry. Among the countries evolved in the international comparison, both the Swedish and Finnish industries were the most efficient, followed by the Brazilian, American and Canadian, the latter being the only one where there was a reduction in the energy efficiency levels from 1979 to 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest sector plays an important role in the circular bioeconomy due to its focus on renewable materials that can substitute fossil or greenhouse gas emissions-intensive materials, store carbon in bio-based products and provide ecosystem services. This study investigates the state of the bioeconomy in Brazil and its forest industry. Specifically, this study presents some examples of novel wood-based products being developed or manufactured in Brazil and discusses possible opportunities for the development of the country's forest sector. The pulp and paper industry plays an important role in the forest sector. It has also been showing advancements in the development of cascading uses of wood invalue-added products, such as nanocrystalline cellulose, wood-based textile fibers, lignin-based products, and chemical derivatives from tall oil. Product and business diversification through the integration of the pulp and paper industry to biorefineries could provide new opportunities. Moreover, biochemicals derived from non-wood forest products, such as resin and tannins could promote diversification and competitiveness of the Brazilian forest industry. Although some engineered wood products are still a novelty in Brazil, the market for such products will likely expand in the future following the global trends in wood construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how the quality of institutions influences the strategic choice of agents in the pulp and paper production system based on the forest plantation sector. In order to proceed with the study, we employ the Economic Analysis of Property Rights (Barzel, 1982, 1989, 2002) as foundation, and test the proposition: in federative states where the institutional environment is fragile and therefore the State has a high cost to enforce property rights, private mechanisms stand out in the protection of property rights. According to Dixit (2009, p. 8), "if the government does not pro tect property rights, at least not as well as owners require, many private arrangements arise to satisfy the owners' needs". The analysis of three business cases of companies with plantations in more than one federative unit revealed the broad range of private mechanisms in place to cope with insecure land rights. In addition to countrywide strategies, in the federative units where government fails to be a good property rights steward, we found geographically specific initiatives being used. Another finding was the identification of variables that are able to evaluate the quality of institutions and employed in the companies' decision-making process for the selection of land rights protection strategies. Findings altogether are empirical evidence of how the quality of institutions influences the strategic choice of land rights protection in the forest plantation sector in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This position statement of the Department of Hypertension of the Brazilian Society of Nephrology (SBN) addresses the controversy surrounding the use or suspension/replacement of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers (particularly inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme or angiotensin II AT1 receptor blockers) prophylactically in individuals using these drugs, due to the possibility of allegedly worsening the prognosis of hypertensive patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The SBN Hypertension Department recommends individualizing treatment and maintaining these medications until better scientific evidence is available.

Vascular accesses for hemodialysis are considered the patient's lifeline and their maintenance is essential for treatment continuity. Following the example of institutions in other countries affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Brazilian Society of Nephrology developed these guidelines for healthcare services, elaborating on the importance of carrying out procedures for the preparation and preservation of vascular accesses. Creating definitive accesses for hemodialysis, grafts and arteriovenous fistulas are non-elective procedures, as well as the transition from the use of non-tunneled catheters to tunneled catheters, which cause less morbidity. In the case of patients with suspected or confirmed coronavirus infection, one may postpone the procedures for the quarantine period, to avoid spreading the disease.

Background: A better understanding of how multicomponent school-based interventions work and their effects on health and education outcomes are needed. This paper described the methods of the Movimente Program, a school-based intervention that aims to increase physical activity (PA) and decrease sedentary behavior (SB) among Brazilian students., Methods: This is a cluster randomized controlled trial with adolescents from 7th to 9th grade in public schools from Florianopolis, Southern Brazil. After agreement, 6 schools were randomly selected to intervention or control groups (3 schools each), and all eligible students were invited to the study. The Movimente intervention program was performed during a school year and included 3 main components: Teacher training (including face-to-face meeting, social media platform, and handbook with lesson plans); improvements in the PA environment in school; and educational strategies. Control schools continued with their traditional schedule. Baseline (March/April 2017), postintervention (November/December 2017), and maintenance (June/July 2018) evaluations included PA and SB as primary outcomes (assessed by self-report and accelerometry). Secondary outcomes included psychosocial factors related to PA and SB (e.g., social support and self-efficacy), as well as health (e.g., quality of life and nutritional status) and education (e.g., academic achievement) outcomes. A program evaluation was performed based on the RE-AIM framework. Participants, intervention staffs, and evaluators were not blinded to group assignment, but a standardized evaluation protocol was applied independently of the trial allocation., Results: Statistical analyses will include a multilevel approach for repeated measurements and mediation analysis. Any side effects of the intervention will be recorded. The sample size close to that expected (n = 1090) was reached (n = 999). The results of this trial will involve valuable information about the effect and the evaluation of a multicomponent intervention carried out in a middle-income country., Conclusion: By creating opportunities for adolescents to be active at school using multicomponent strategies, the Movimente program has the potential to enhance students health and academic performance which may encourage the school community (e.g., teachers, principals) to adopt the program. Also, this trial will provide evidence for practitioners, policy makers, and researchers on how multicomponent program may be implemented in a school setting., Trial Registration: The trial is registered at the Clinical Trial Registry (Trial ID: NCT02944318; date of registration: 18 October 2016).

Objective: To contrast how Brazil's and Canada's different jurisdictional and judicial realities have led to different types of telemedicine and how further scale and improvement can be achieved., Composition of the Committee: A subgroup of the Besrour Centre of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and Canadian telemedicine experts developed connections with colleagues in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and collaborated to undertake a between-country comparison of their respective telemedicine programs., Methods: Following a literature review, the authors collectively reflected on their experiences in an attempt to explore the past and current state of telemedicine in Canada and Brazil., Report: Both Brazil and Canada share expansive geographies, creating substantial barriers to health for rural patients. Telemedicine is an important part of a universal health system. Both countries have achieved telemedicine programs that have scaled up across large regions and are showing important effects on health care costs and outcomes. However, each system is unique in design and implementation and faces unique challenges for further scale and improvement. Addressing regional differences, the normalization of telemedicine, and potential alignment of telemedicine and artificial intelligence technologies for health care are seen as promising approaches to scaling up and improving telemedicine in both countries., (Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.)

Objective: To compare the national health systems of Canada and Brazil and how both countries have addressed similar challenges in their primary care sectors., Composition of the Committee: A subgroup of the Besrour Centre of the College of Family Physicians of Canada developed connections with colleagues in Brazil and collaborated to undertake a between-country comparison, comparing and contrasting various elements of both countries' efforts to strengthen primary care over the past few decades., Methods: Following a literature review, the authors collectively reflected on their experiences in an attempt to explore the past and current state of family medicine in Canada and Brazil., Report: The Brazilian and Canadian primary care systems are faced with similar challenges, including geography, demographic changes, population health inequities, and gaps in universal access to comprehensive primary care services. Although the approaches to addressing these challenges are different in both settings, they highlight the central importance of family physicians in both systems. Both countries continue to face considerable challenges in the context of mental health services in primary care. It remains important for Canada to draw lessons from the primary care systems and reforms of other countries, such as Brazil., (Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.)

Objective: To develop an ethical framework for collaboration in international academic partnerships in family medicine., Composition of the Committee: A subgroup of the Besrour Centre of the College of Family Physicians of Canada including family medicine and bioethics experts began to collaborate in 2014 to undertake the development of an ethical framework and tools for the establishment of ethically sound international academic partnerships., Methods: Following 2 consultative workshops and a wider consultation process with the Besrour Centre global community, the authors developed an ethical framework and tools for approval by the Besrour Centre leadership in November 2017., Report: Partnerships are essential to family practice and to the field of international development. The flawed nature of many North-South research partnerships underlines the importance of and need for delineating core principles for ethically sound partnerships, of which 10 have been identified in this process: accountability, cost and efficiencies, excellence, equity, humility, justice, leadership, reciprocity, respect for self-determination, and transparency. Based on these principles, a decision-making framework was created to translate these values into actions and to promote a cohesive and transparent structure for discussions. Fostering fairness, transparency, and consistency in decision making reduces the potential for inequity in a partnership, leading to lasting relationships that endure beyond the scope of a partnership agreement., (Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.)

Forest based power plants are alternatives in the diversification of domestic energy supply in Brazil, given the growing demand for electricity in recent decades. Evidences of space-time clusters contribute to the understanding of regional development associated with correlated activity. Therefore, this paper analyzed the space-time conglomerates for Brazilian forest-based power plants, from 2000 to 2019. The data used were from the Generation Information System of the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL)-SIGA. It detected the existence of clusters by means of scan statistics via space-time permutation, considering the high level of conglomeration. The results show the Center-South region of Brazil with the highest concentration of conglomerates, with black liquor and forest residues being the most used energy resources. The clusters with the highest installed power were in the early 2010s, with the black liquor plants. The regions with the formation of fast-growing forest plantations promoted the existence of conglomerates associated with the pulp and paper and steel industry complexes. It is concluded that there was a conglomeration of forest power plants in the central-south region of Brazil, in which they help in decision-making and guidance of public policies for forestry projects for energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Actualidades Biológicas is the property of Universidad de Antioquia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Human serofrequency of antibodies against Taenia solium antigens was determined and risk factors for cysticercosis transmission were identified., Methods: Individuals (n=878) from periurban and rural locations of Lages, SC, were interviewed to gather demographic, sanitary and health information. Interviews and blood sample collections by finger prick on Whatman filter paper were performed from August 2004 to May 2005. Observation determined that 850 samples were suitable for analysis and were tested by ELISA using vesicular fluid of Taenia crassiceps heterologous antigen. To ensure the reliability of the results, 77 samples of the dried blood were matched with sera. The reactive samples were submitted to a serum confirmatory immunoblot (IB) test using purified Taenia crassiceps glycoproteins., Results: The ELISA results for the dried blood and serum samples were statistically consistent. ELISA was positive in 186 (21.9%) out of 850 individuals. A group of 213 individuals were asked to collect vein blood for IB (186 with positive result in ELISA and 27 with inappropriate whole blood samples) and 130 attended the request. The IB was positive in 29 (3.4%) out of 850 individuals. A significant correlation (p = 0.0364) was determined among individuals who tested positive in the IB assay who practiced both pig rearing and kitchen gardening., Conclusions: ELISA with dried blood eluted from filter paper was suitable for cysticercosis population surveys. In Lages, human infection was associated with pig rearing and kitchen gardening. The prevalence index was compatible with other Latin American endemic areas.

Objectives: to determine the seroprevalence rate of toxoplasmosis, HIV, syphilis and rubella in a population of puerperal women., Methods: a prospective, cross-sectional study was performed from February 2007 to April 2008 at Hospital Geral, Universidade de Caxias do Sul in a population of 1,510 puerperal women. Women that gave birth to live born or stillborn infants were included in the study; maternal and perinatal variables were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square with occasional Fisher's correction were used for comparisons. Alpha was set in 5%., Results: a total of 148 cases of congenital infection (9.8%) were identified: 66 cases of syphilis (4.4%), 40 cases of HIV (2.7%), 27 cases of toxoplasmosis (1.8%) and 15 cases of rubella (1.0%). In ten cases there was co-infection (four cases of HIV and syphilis, two cases of HIV and rubella, one case of HIV and toxoplasmosis, two cases of rubella and syphilis, and one case of toxoplasmosis and rubella). In a comparison between puerperal women with and without infection there was no statistical significance in relation to incidence of abortions, small for gestational age, prematurity, live births and stillbirths, and prenatal care. Need of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), maternal schooling, maternal age higher than 35 years and drug use (alcohol, cocaine and crack) had statistical significance., Conclusion: the prevalence rate of infections was 9.8%. Need of NICU, maternal schooling lower than eight years, maternal age higher than 35 years and drug use were significantly associated with occurrence of congenital infection.

Abstract: We are investigating the use of natural user interfaces (NUI) applied to information and communication technologies (ICT) supporting workplace dynamics in partnership with mental health providers at a hospital in Brazil. We are using a participatory design (PD) process to uncover their paper-based workflow, defined here as paper user interface workflow (PUI) and their appropriation of mobile technologies supporting patients’ socialization process. We chose this group as they have no experience with graphical user interface (GUI) based interaction, are highly nomadic, have a refined workflow, have a high level of interdependence and are appropriating mobile technologies and social media into their workplace; thus, we believe their perspective within a PD setting provide unique insights into NUI design to provide high fidelity data and real time communication, enhancing data accessibility and fidelity on communication among the professionals. Our PD process has produced workflow representations and we are presenting two scenarios; from them we are proceeding to low- fidelity prototyping. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Over the course of less than a quarter of a century, two Brazilian Heads of State – Fernando Collor in 1992 and Dilma Rousseff in 2016 – have been removed from office by impeachment. There has been much controversy surrounding both proceedings, particularly the latter. The article seeks to discuss briefly the history of the proceeding of impeachment in Brazil and its significance for the country’s political life after 1988. Through an analysis of the impeachment cases of President Fernando Collor and President Dilma Rousseff, and overview of the literature on impeachment in Latin America, the paper will address the similarities and differences present in both cases in which a Brazilian Head of State was removed from office. The last part of the article will further discuss the disputes among Brazilian jurists triggered by differing evaluations of this legal measure and, in particular, the more recent case of its implementation in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific publication landscape is changing quickly, with an enormous increase in options and models. Articles can be published in a complex variety of journals that differ in their presentation format (online-only or in-print), editorial organizations that maintain them (commercial and/or society-based), editorial handling (academic or professional editors), editorial board composition (academic or professional), payment options to cover editorial costs (open access or pay-to-read), indexation, visibility, branding, and other aspects. Additionally, online submissions of non-revised versions of manuscripts prior to seeking publication in a peer-reviewed journal (a practice known as pre-printing) are a growing trend in biological sciences. In this changing landscape, researchers in biochemistry and molecular biology must re-think their priorities in terms of scientific output dissemination. The evaluation processes and institutional funding for scientific publications should also be revised accordingly. This article presents the results of discussions within the Department of Biochemistry, University of São Paulo, on this subject.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of pairs of antagonist teeth (epidemiological criterion) for defining pairs of teeth in occlusal contact (clinical criterion) and to estimate the agreement between the prevalence of "shortened dental arch" (SDA) and "functional dentition" (FD) when occlusal units (OUs) or posterior occluding pairs (POPs) are defined by the epidemiological or clinical criterion. Data were collected in an epidemiological oral health survey conducted in a municipality in Minas Gerais, Brazil. OUs and POPs were defined by the epidemiological criterion (dental crown status) or clinical criterion "gold standard" (carbon paper record of occlusal contacts during habitual maximum intercuspation). SDA corresponded to the presence of an intact anterior region and three to five OUs. FD was based on the concomitant presence of = 1 tooth in each arch, 10 teeth in each arch, 12 anterior teeth, = 3 premolar POPs, and = 1 molar POP bilaterally. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of the epidemiological criterion were calculated. The study included 197 adults. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 88.5, 87.9, 92.5, and 81.9%, respectively, and accuracy was 88.3%. The epidemiological criterion proved to be valid and could be used in epidemiological studies to calculate the prevalence of reduced dental configurations that consider POPs. The assessment of oral functionality is an aspect that should be included in the diagnosis of the clinical condition of patients, contributing to a more effective individual and collective oral health care plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria is the most important vector-borne disease in the world and a challenge for control programs. In Brazil, 99% of cases occur in the Amazon region. In the extra-Amazonian region, a non-endemic area, epidemiological surveillance focuses on imported malaria and on autochthonous outbreaks, including cases with mild symptoms and low parasitemia acquired in the Atlantic Forest biome. In this scenario, cases are likely to be underreported, since submicroscopic parasitemias are not detected by thick blood smear, considered the reference test. Molecular tests are more sensitive, detecting asymptomatic individuals and mixed infections. The aim of this study was to propose a more efficient alternative to detect asymptomatic individuals living in areas of low malaria endemicity, as they are reservoirs of Plasmodium that maintain transmission locally. In total, 955 blood samples from residents of 16 municipalities with autochthonous malaria outbreaks in the Sao Paulo State were analyzed; 371 samples were collected in EDTA tubes and 584 in filter paper. All samples were initially screened by a genus-specific qPCR targeting ssrRNA genes (limit of detection of 1 parasite/µL). Then, positive samples were subjected to a nested PCR targeting ssrRNA and dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase genes (limit of detection of 10 parasites/µL) to determine Plasmodium species. The results showed a statistically significant difference (K = 0.049; p < 0.0001) between microscopy positivity (6.9%) and qPCR (22.9%) for EDTA-blood samples. Conversely, for samples collected in filter paper, no statistical difference was observed, with 2.6% positivity by thick blood smear and 3.1% for qPCR (K = 0.036; p = 0.7). Samples positive by qPCR were assayed by a species-specific nested PCR that was in turn positive in 26% of samples (16 P. vivax and 4 P. malariae). The results showed that molecular protocols applied to blood samples from residents in areas with autochthonous transmission of malaria were useful to detect asymptomatic patients who act as a source of transmission. The results showed that the genus-specific qPCR was useful for screening positives, with the subsequent identification of species by nested PCR. Additional improvements, such as standardization of blood plotting on filter paper and a more sensitive protocol for species determination, are essential. The qPCR-based algorithm for screening positives followed by nested PCR will contribute to more efficient control of malaria transmission, offering faster and more sensitive tools to detect asymptomatic Plasmodium reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]