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Parinaud's Oculoglandular Syndrome (POGS) is a rare and atypical form of granulomatous conjunctivitis, classically composed of a triad: fever, unilateral granulomatous follicular conjunctivitis and preauricular satellite lymphadenopathy or ipsilateral submandibular, commonly related to cat scratch disease caused mainly by Bartonella henselae, or also caused, even if not tipically, by Sporothrix schenckii. In endemic areas, such as in South America, especially Brazil and Peru, ocular sporotrichosis, associated with POGS, should be considered a diagnostic hypothesis of ophthalmic diseases especially if this patient has a history of contact with cats . Itraconazole must be the first choice of medication for treatment and this patient would need assistance until complete clinical improvement, with family members oriented about possible sources of contamination, being important the early and appropriate treatment, due to the risk of eye sequelae . As a neglected public health problem in Brazil, where there has been a large increase in cases in the last decades, an accurate understanding of this disease is essential, with focus in the southeast region, mostly in the state of Rio de Janeiro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of natural radionuclides 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 40 K and man-made radionuclides ( 54 Mn, 60 Co and 137 Cs) in the surface sediments of an inlet of Ribeira Bay were investigated. Sediment samples were collected and analyzed for radionuclides, organic matter, carbonate, sulfate, cationic exchange capacity and grain size composition. The natural radionuclide concentrations ranged from 4.4 to 45, from 10 to 93, from 66 to 1347 Bq·kg − 1 dry weight for 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 40 K, respectively. Natural radionuclide concentrations tend to be higher in the silt fraction, which determines their pattern distributions. Only one sample presented measurable concentration for 137 Cs, while 54 Mn was detected in two samples and 60 Co in four sediment samples. Man-made radionuclides present a maximum value of dose external four times lower than the normal background and the potential risk due to the presence of man-made radionuclides in sediments is lower than the risk provided by the natural radionuclides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We studied the incidence of tuberculosis, AIDS, AIDS deaths and AIDS-TB co-infection at the population level in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where universal and free access to combination antiretroviral therapy has been available since 1997. Methodology/Principal Findings: This was a retrospective surveillance database match of Rio de Janeiro databases from 1995-2004. Proportions of tuberculosis occurring within 30 days and between 30 days and 1 year after AIDS diagnosis were determined. Generalized additive models fitted with cubic splines with appropriate estimating methods were used to describe rates and proportions over time. Overall, 90,806 tuberculosis cases and 16,891 AIDS cases were reported; 3,125 tuberculosis cases within 1 year of AIDS diagnosis were detected. Tuberculosis notification rates decreased after 1997 from a fitted rate (fR per 100,000) of 166.5 to 138.8 in 2004. AIDS incidence rates increased 26% between 1995 and 1998 (30.7 to 38.7) followed by a 33.3% decrease to 25.8 in 2004. AIDS mortality rates decreased dramatically after antiretroviral therapy was introduced between 1995 (27.5) and 1999 (13.4). The fitted proportion (fP) of patients with tuberculosis diagnosed within one year of AIDS decreased from 1995 (24.4%) to1998 (15.2%), remaining stable since. Seventy-five percent of tuberculosis diagnoses after an AIDS diagnosis occurred within 30 days of AIDS diagnosis. Conclusions/Significance: Our results suggest that while combination ART should be considered an essential component of the response to the HIV and HIV/tuberculosis epidemics, it may not be sufficient alone to prevent progression from latent TB to active disease among HIV-infected populations. When tuberculosis is diagnosed prior to or at the same time as AIDS and ART has not yet been initiated, then ART is ineffective as a tuberculosis prevention strategy for these patients. Earlier HIV/AIDS diagnosis and ART initiation may reduce TB incidence in HIV/AIDS patients. More specific interventions will be required if HIV-related tuberculosis incidence is to continue to decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater found near the head of the Buena Lagoon in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has high salinity and low pH values. There is a strong correlation between concentrations of radium and light rare earth elements (LREEs) that suggests the leaching of monazite as a common source. Radium is present predominantly as228Ra. The factors responsible for high radium mobility in groundwater seem to be high levels of salinity resulting in the competition for adsorption sites, and low pH values resulting in the limited adsorption of Ra2+ on the positively-charged surface of adsorbents. The behavior of uranium and thorium is also influenced by their speciation and low pH conditions. Uranium is present as a positively charged uranyl ion UO22+ in low pH samples and is very mobile. Similarly, the presence of positively charged Th4+ and thorium complexes with sulfate result in relatively high thorium concentrations at a low pH range. On the other hand, the mobility of phosphate released by dissolving monazite is probably reduced due to its adsorption and precipitation close to its source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in the south-western part of Brazil, the state of Rio de Janeiro is geotectonically contained within a complex structural province that resulted in the amalgamation of the Western Gondwana Paleocontinent. To undertake an extensive radiological characterization of this complex geological province and investigate the influence of bedrock, soil type and soil chemical-physical characteristics on natural radionuclide levels in soils, 259 surface soil samples were collected that encompassed the main soil types and geological formations throughout the state. Gamma spectrometry analysis of the samples resulted in median values of 114 Bq.kg −1 for 40 K, 32 Bq.kg −1 for 226 Ra and 74 Bq.kg −1 for 228 Ra. The median value for 226 Ra was similar to the world median value for soils, the 40 K value was well below the worldwide value, and that for 228 Ra exceeded the world median value. The intense weathering caused by the high rainfall rates and high temperatures may be responsible for the low levels of 40 K in the soils, of which the strongly acidic and clayey soils are markedly K-depleted. A soil from a high-grade metamorphic rock (granulite) presented the lowest 226 Ra (18 Bq.kg −1 ) content, whereas the highest levels for 226 Ra (92 Bq.kg −1 ) and 228 Ra (139 Bq.kg - 1) were observed in a young soil enriched in primary minerals (Leptsol). A lowland soil (Gleysol) showed the highest median of 40 K (301 Bq.kg −1 ). Strongly acidic soils tended to present high amounts of 226 Ra, and sandy soils tended to contain low levels of 228 Ra. The external radiation dose indicates that the state has a background radiation level within the natural range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]