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O Parque Nacional do Iguacu e um dos ultimos remanescentes de mata atlântica da regiao Sul, e por possuir as Cataratas do Iguacu, com sua beleza exuberante, atrai anualmente mais de 1.000.000 de turistas, de varios paises, que devido ao contato mais proximo com a natureza, possiveis vetores e potenciais hospedeiros se expoem a um risco de contrair patogenos. Dessa forma, esta pesquisa visou levantar a prevalencia de filarioses em quatis (N. nasua) e caes domesticos no referido Parque. Foram capturados 75 quatis e 50 caes domesticos, posteriormente anestesiados com Zoletil® (5mg/kg) para colheita de amostras por puncao jugular. Foram realizados o teste de Knott, sorologico para Dirofilaria immitis e histoquimica para identificacao das microfilarias. O resultado do teste de concentracao de Knott em quatis e caes domesticos demonstrou prevalencia respectivamente de 81,6% e 17,7%, e total de cinco morfotipos identificados; no teste imunologico para Dirofilaria immitis, demonstrou-se prevalencia de 1,29% em quatis e 22% em caes. A histoquimica das microfilarias dos quatis demonstrou a presenca de sete padroes de marcacao com prevalencia de 1,29% para D.immitis, 10,6% para Dirofilaria repens e Acantocheilonema reconditum, 26,7% para os generos Mansonella sp. e 8% para Brugia sp, alem de dois morfotipos nao identificados. As tres especies identificadas infectando quatis no Parque Nacional do Iguacu, tem potencial zoonotico, com inumeros casos humanos no mundo. Novas especies do genero Brugia vem sendo relatadas nas Americas e incriminadas como causadoras de filarioses humanas nos Estados Unidos, alem do genero Mansonella que possui especies de grande potencial zoonotico no Norte do Brasil. Assim, essa pesquisa relata a diversidade de filarideos com potencial zoonotico infectando quatis no Parque Nacional do Iguacu e afirma a necessidade de uma vigilância ativa para que nao haja subnotificacoes dessas parasitoses em caes domesticos e tambem em humanos residentes nessa regiao. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: CARNIVOROS. POTENCIAL ZOONOTICO. HISTOQUIMICA. AGRADECIMENTOS: FAPESP AREA TEMATICA: Doencas parasitarias

Liposomes, usually assembled from organic/synthetic lipidic compounds, are biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic, and do not induce immune response. Due to their structural versatility in terms of size, composition, surface charge, bilayer fluidity and ability to encapsulate drugs regardless of their solubility, liposomes enable the production of a vast number and type of formulations with potential clinical use. They can be administered through several routes of administration (e.g. i.v., i.m., oral, nasal, etc.). The use of liposomes enables the variation and control retention of drugs in biologic fluids, enhancing blood circulation and specific compartments residence. They can be tailored to target specific tissues and cells. They can play a very important role for imaging diagnosis and/or therapy. After an extensive literature review of the subject, we selected a particular area of potential clinical application: pulmonary ɶdema. This clinical entity has a variety of possible etiologies, conducing to two main types of edema: cardiogenic and non-cardiogenic. At the moment a dedicated technique for the early diagnosis/therapy of this pathology is lacking. We propose a new methodology using a specially designed GUV formulation, encapsulating chosen radiotracers labeled with 99mTc. The aim of the work has been successfully achieved in an experimental animal model of cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. Experiments using an animal model of non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema are in course (simultaneous study with two different drugs), using the same GUV methodology. Preliminary results are very promising.

The processes used to remove heavy metals from inorganic wastewater have in general low efficiency. The use of activated peat obtained by using a process similar to a cation exchange reaction increases the removal efficiency up to five times when compared with peat “in natura”. The main objective of this work is to show the fundamental mathematical model, governed by diffusion process and the algorithms utilized to design the batch and the continuous feed stirred tank reactors or in some cases a fixed bed reactor. The principal dimensions of these equipments are obtained from the knowledge of the activated peat's cation exchange capacity used in the process, and the main chemical characteristics of the heavy metal ion contained in the wastewater. Besides, two important parameters are also included: the ion concentration and the efficiency of the process obtained from laboratory kinetics experiments. For example Pb+2 is removed l:rom a wastewater at a concentration of 50g/m3 in five minutes or less, with an efficiency of 98%.

The reduction of the heavy metals concentration in liquid effluents is difficult and the existing methods available are expensive and their efficiencies ate in general low. The normal procedure adopted is based on the recirculation of the “chorume”, sometimes with a high content of heavy metals, into the liquid effluent flux of the central processing unit having in general a biological treatment. Depending on the heavy metal concentration the efficiency of the biological process decreases, or in certain cases, collapses completely. Activated peat by using the acid process or the one developed by the Universidade Federal de Sergipe and Instituto de Tecnologia e Pesquisas de Sergipe becomes an excellent heavy metals sorbent, which in certain analytical conditions has a very high efficiency. The overall process is controlled by diffusion and is governed by a first order kinetics. The use of activated peat shows in several situations that this process is a feasible alternative to getting the reduction of heavy metals concentrations in simulated effluents with one or more cations. Preliminary results show a significant matrix influence. The organic matter presence in the effluent may alter the sorption efficiency depending on its composition. The optimum analytical condition varies with the effluent quality and promotes the highest efficiency in the reduction of heavy metals concentrations.

Modifications of Azospirillum lipoferum Sp Br17 were observed when it was incubated with the organochloride insecticide Dicofol. In experiments run under non N2 fixing conditions, cellular volume measured in a Coulter Counter Channalyser was reduced immediately after addition of pesticide. Cell counts, made in a Coulter Counter increased during 12 hours after addition of 250 and 500 ppm of Dicofol. Cell viability was reduced by 1 hour incubation in Dicofol concentrations of 10 to 500 ppm, These results suggested that one of the first consequences of Dicofol action was cell disruption, Incubation for 1 to 7 days showed that maximum cell counts, protein content, average cell volume, and viability were lowered by increased Dicofol concentrations. Growth was totally inhibited by 250 and 500 ppm of Dicofol but in some experiments a latent growth was observed, suggesting selection of resistant mutants. Experiments under N2 fixing conditions showed that nitrogenase activity was inhibited by increasing Dicofol concentrations of up to 1000 ppm, but in some experiments was stimulated by a concentration of 1 ppm, Microscopic obser vations of Azospirillum morphology in the presence of Dicofol showed cyst like formations that may be an induced resistance mechanism.