State ofMinas Gerais Research Articles

Spatio-temporal visualization and forecasting of {text {PM}}_{10} in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais

Air pollution due to air contamination by gases, liquids, and solid particles in suspension, is a great environmental and public health concern nowadays. An important type of air pollution is particulate matter with a diameter of 10 microns or less ({text {PM}}_{10}) because one of the determining factors that affect human health is the size of particles in the atmosphere due to the degree of permanence and penetration they have in the respiratory system. Therefore, it is extremely interesting to monitor and understand the behavior of {text {PM}}_{10} concentrations so that they do not exceed the established critical levels. In this work, we will study the {text {PM}}_{10} concentrations in all available monitoring stations in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. To better understand its behavior, we will provide a spatio-temporal visualization of the {text {PM}}_{10} concentrations. Besides the descriptive and visualization analysis, we consider six standard and advanced time series models that will be used to fit and forecast {text {PM}}_{10} concentrations, with application to three locations, one in Belo Horizonte, the Minas Gerais state capital, and the monitoring stations with the lowest and highest average {text {PM}}_{10} concentration levels.

American visceral leishmaniasis in an ecotourism area

Visceral Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease that represents one of the most important public health problems in the world. This neglected tropical zoonosis shows an increasing urbanization process, since the end of the 1980s. The increase in ecotourism practices, mainly in regions nearby urban areas facilitates the interaction between companion animals, humans, and wildlife. Known as the land of the waterfalls, Carrancas is a 728 km² Brazilian municipality located at 1052m, in the southeast of Brazil. The region is surrounded by urban areas with autochthonous cases of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis and lacking studies on the presence of vectors of Leishmania spp. The municipality is part of the most important ecotourism area, a renowned tourist destination in Brazil and abroad called Royal Road or “Estrada Real – ER. Due to the increasing number of travelers involved in ecotourism and exposing them to risk factors for diseases, we propose to investigate the presence of phlebotomine sandflies in a protected area in the southern state of Minas Gerais, which is constantly visited by tourists over the world. Six specimens of Lutzomyia longipalpis were captured in Carrancas. This is the first report of L. longipalpis in an ecotourism area south of Minas Gerais State. This record contributes to our knowledge of the geographical distribution of the main vector of American Visceral Leishmaniasis in Carrancas and alerts us to the need for permanent surveillance and health education at this location.

Risk Evaluation of Chemical Clogging of Irrigation Emitters via Geostatistics and Multivariate Analysis in the Northern Region of Minas Gerais, Brazil

In this study, we analyzed the hydrogeochemistry of 350 underground wells in the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, for water-chemical parameters that may contribute to the chemical clogging of emitters in drip irrigation systems. Risk class maps were generated for each parameter, and the area was classified based on the water characteristics, considering the degree of water-use restriction in micro-irrigation (i.e., no, moderate, and severe restriction). Inverse distance-weighted, random forest, and ordinary kriging methods were used as interpolation methods. Moreover, a multivariate analysis was conducted to analyze the results. Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed a strong and significant correlation between pH and carbonates, hardness, total dissolved solids (TDS), and electrical conductivity (EC) and between TDS and EC. Principal component analysis revealed that most of the variations in the water quality of the wells could be explained by water–rock interactions with the consequent dissolution of minerals. The principal components were natural sources of ionic salt groups, dissolution of minerals rich in alkaline cations, chemical weathering of iron–magnesium minerals, and increased pH with the conversion of bicarbonates into carbonates. In the parameter cluster analysis, three possible mechanisms that contribute to emitter clogging in the study area were identified: precipitation of calcium and magnesium salts; oxidation of iron and manganese ions forming oxides and insoluble hydroxides; an increase in pH, which converts bicarbonates into carbonates. Clustering analysis revealed the wells that are susceptible to clogging with the exact cause.

Factors Associated With Elevated Blood Pressure in Nursing Workers

Introduction Nurses from the night shift are exposed to sleep deprivation, which is associated with circadian rhythm alteration, lifestyle changes, psychosocial stress, and, consequently, increased risk of blood pressure (BP) deregulation and hypertension. Objective To analyze risk factors associated with elevated BP levels in nursing workers. Methods A transversal, quantitative study was conducted with 172 nursing professionals of a large hospital in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The following data were collected: anthropometric and BP measurements, sociodemographic characteristics, [...]

Gestão de atrativos culturais: O Museu Ferroviário de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais [Brasil

The theme heritage management appeared at first time in American museums and gain shape and importance over the years. In Brazil, mainly through tourism, it has an important role in socioeconomic development, but unfortunately the lack of diagnosis and planning, which are effective, is a detrimental factor. The museums, as cultural attractions, do not escape from this reality, and that is why one of the key pieces in museum management is the Museological Planning. Thus, the purpose of this work was to perform the initial stages of the Museological Planning process of the Railway Museum of Juiz de Fora, State of Minas Gerais, namely the Diagnosis and the Vocation, to then analyze how they relate to museological management and management of cultural attractions. In 2018, an action-research was conducted in loco, consisting of two central parts: a diagnosis of the museum, based on a survey aiming to identify the profile of the visiting public, and on the analysis of its resources and potentialities; and, a vocational study of the equipment. The work resulted in a conclusive detailed diagnosis that will be a material for the better future development of the Museum, as well as in intervention strategies, which were partially implemented, already in the period immediately after the action research was carried out.

Nutritional aspects of non-conventional edible plants from Brazil: Caruru (Amaranthus spinosus L) and trapoeraba (Commelina benghalensis)

Caruru (Amaranthus spinosus L) and trapoeraba (Commelina benghalensis) are NCEPs introduced into Brazil and are widely used by certain communities. Given the lack of information on carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals present in A. spinosus and C. benghalensis grown in Brazil, this study aimed to determine the proximate composition and the micronutrient profile of these two NCEPs obtained from family farming in the Middle Doce River (Médio Rio Doce) region in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The proximate composition was evaluated using AOAC methods, vitamin E by HPLC with fluorescence detection, vitamin C and carotenoids by HPLC-DAD, and minerals by atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma. In summary, the leaves of A. spinosus exhibited a high content of dietary fiber (10.20 g.100 g−1), potassium (708.8 mg·100 g−1), iron (4.0 mg·100 g−1) and β-carotene (6.94 mg·100 g−1), while the leaves of C. benghalensis were sources of potassium (1399.31 mg·100 g−1), iron (5.7 mg·100 g−1), calcium (163 mg·100 g−1), zinc (1.3 mg·100 g−1), ascorbic acid (23.61 mg·100 g−1), and β-carotene (31.33 mg·100 g−1). It was therefore concluded that C. benghalensis and A. spinosus, especially, presented excellent potential as important nutritional sources for human consumption, highlighting the gap existing between the available technical and scientific material, thus making them an important and necessary axis of research.

Leisure, Culture and Territory: A Social Cartography in Two Suburbs of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

The objective of this study was to investigate the articulation among leisure, culture and territory in the urban contexts of the suburbs, through the social and affective bonds that people establish with the place where they live, work and enjoy leisure. The focus of this analysis is the appropriation of leisure by people who work and attend events at cultural associations that are recognized as “Culture Point” in Belo Horizonte, which is the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, in Brazil. The methodology had a qualitative approach and included bibliographic and field research in two neighborhoods in the outskirts of that city, which included observations and interviews with eight people connected with the two cultural associations surveyed. The results were organized through the discussion of four categories: Territory Identity, Collective Memory, Sense of Place (Belonging) and Community Leisure. The survey showed that leisure and culture play a crucial role in connecting human beings with the territory. In this context, each social subject expresses, both consciously and unconsciously, their subjectivity in close relationship with the peripheral areas in which they live.

THE DRAMA OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING INVOLVING WOMEN AND GIRLS: THE HOTSPOTS AREAS AND BRAZIL’S LEGISLATION

The present study presents a discussion on human trafficking of women and female children, which occurs mostly for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The general objective is to analyze the internal and external trafficking of persons in Brazil, with specific objectives to map the hotspot areas of trafficking of women and female children; to study the necessary measures to combat this crime; and to examine human trafficking in light of Brazilian legislation. To this end, the deductive and bibliographic methods were used based on articles from the WoS (Web of Science) and the Chicago Press databases. The approach method was mixed, as the research was based on data from the Brazilian report on human trafficking, IPEA data, and the Brazilian forum on public security. It was determined that women and girls are easy targets, given their greater social and economic vulnerability. From the mapping of the hotspot zones in Brazil, it was found that the state of Minas Gerais leads in the ranking. The Brazilian criminal legislation that addresses trafficking underwent a revision in 2016, when legislators began treating the criminal conduct under examination in a more comprehensive way, according to International Resolution no. 217a, of the III United Nations General Assembly of 10.12.1948 and signed by Brazil on the same date. Furthermore, preventive measures must be adopted by the Brazilian State in order to curb the rates of this offense. As the crime of human trafficking is a transnational conduct, it requires greater cooperation between countries.

New Spectral Index and Machine Learning Models for Detecting Coffee Leaf Miner Infestation Using Sentinel-2 Multispectral Imagery

The coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffeella) is a key coffee pest in Brazil that can cause severe defoliation and a negative impact on the productivity. Thus, it is essential to identify initial pest infestation for the sake of appropriate time control to avoid further economic damage to the coffee crops. A fast non-destructive method is an important tool that can be used to monitor the occurrence of the coffee leaf miner. The present work aims to identify the occurrence of coffee leaf miner infestation through a new vegetation index, using multispectral images from the Sentinel-2 satellite and the Google Earth Engine platform. Coffee leaf miner infestation was measured in the field in four cities in the state of Minas Gerais. The largest infestations occurred in September, October, and November but particularly in October 2021, in which the rate of infestation reached 85%, followed by September 2020 with a maximum infestation of 76%. The calculation steps of the vegetation indices and mappings were carried out in the Google Earth Engine cloud processing platform through the development of a script in JavaScript programming language. Combinations of two sensitive bands were selected to detect coffee leaf miner infestation, and from these, the “Coffee-Leaf-Miner Index” was developed, which was compared with other existing vegetation indices in terms of their performance for coffee leaf miner detection. The combination of the NIR–BLUE and NIR–RED bands was more sensitive for the detection of coffee leaf miner infestation; therefore, the NIR, BLUE, and RED bands were selected to develop the new index. The “Coffee-Leaf-Miner Index” presented the best performance among those evaluated, with a coefficient of determination of about 0.87, a root mean square error of 4.92% coffee leaf miner infestation, accuracy of 89.47%, and kappa coefficient of 95.39. The R2 range of other spectral indices which exist in the literature and which were used in this study was from 0.017 to 0.867, and the root mean square error ranged from 4.996 to 13.582% coffee leaf miner infestation. The machine learning method was then adopted using the supervised Random Forest and Support Vector Machine algorithms to recognize patterns of coffee leaf miner infestation in the field, only the Coffee-Leaf-Miner Index was used for the identification test of the coffee leaf miner infestation. The Support Vector Machine with linear Kernel type was applied to establish a discrimination model. The number of trees for the Random Forest classifier was 100. The Support Vector Machine presented a lower performance than the Random Forest algorithm, but the performance of both were above 80% for user and producer precision. Three bands (Blue, Red, NIR) were selected for the creation of the new index, which showed capacity for remote detection of coffee leaf miner infestation on a regional scale. Thus, “Coffee-Leaf-Miner Index” can identify coffee leaf miner infestation thanks to all the complexity involved in detecting pests via orbital remote sensing.

The future of suitable habitats of an endangered Neotropical grassland bird: A path to extinction?

Global changes increasingly worry researchers and policymakers and may have irreversible impacts on Earth's biodiversity. Similar to other phytophysiognomies, natural grasslands suffer from the effects of land use changes and rising temperatures, threatening animal and plant communities. Birds, being very sensitive to these changes, are widely studied and fundamental to understand the dynamics of ecosystems in relation to climate and land use changes. The Campo Miner Geositta poeciloptera is a grassland bird endemic to the Brazilian Cerrado and threatened with extinction that has been widely studied in recent years. We analyze the decrease in its extent of occurrence (EOO) and the effects of climate and land use change to understand the environmental suitability of the species in current and future scenarios. We used 5 common algorithms to produce ecological niche models. For future predictions, we use two general circulation models for two different greenhouse gas emission scenarios with different climate policies, an optimistic (ssp245) and a pessimistic (ssp585), plus two land use models focusing on increasing farmlands and reducing native grasslands. The current EOO represents ~45% of that presented by the IUCN EOO. The models generated for the present were satisfactory (TSS=0.77 and ROC=0.90) and showed high environmental suitability in areas where the species is currently found and low suitability where it is already extinct. All future scenarios have reduced suitable areas for the species, and the models of a greater increase in temperature and increase in farmlands and a greater decrease in grasslands were the worse. Our results reinforce the need to care about biome awareness disparity and the importance of actively preserving grassy-shrub areas. Apparently, the state of Minas Gerais will be the only stronghold of the species in the coming years; however, the lack of protected areas that guarantee its survival needs attention.

Germline Mutations Landscape in a Cohort of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in Patients Who Underwent Genetic Counseling for Gynecological and Breast Cancer.

The present study evaluated the profile of germline mutations present in patients who underwent genetic counseling for risk assessment for breast cancer (BC), ovarian cancer (OC), and endometrial cancer (EC) with a possible hereditary pattern. Medical records of 382 patients who underwent genetic counseling after signing an informed consent form were analyzed. A total of 55.76% of patients (213/382) were symptomatic (personal history of cancer), and 44.24% (169/382) were asymptomatic (absence of the disease). The variables analyzed were age, sex, place of birth, personal or family history of BC, OC, EC, as well as other types of cancer associated with hereditary syndromes. The Human Genome Variation Society (HGVS) nomenclature guidelines were used to name the variants, and their biological significance was determined by comparing 11 databases. We identified 53 distinct mutations: 29 pathogenic variants, 13 variants of undetermined significance (VUS), and 11 benign. The most frequent mutations were BRCA1 c.470_471delCT, BRCA1 c.4675 + 1G > T, and BRCA2 c.2T> G. Furthermore, 21 variants appear to have been described for the first time in Brazil. In addition to BRCA1/2 mutations, variants in other genes related to hereditary syndromes that predispose to gynecological cancers were found. This study allowed a deeper understanding of the main mutations identified in families in the state of Minas Gerais and demonstrates the need to assess the family history of non-gynecological cancer for risk assessment of BC, OC, and EC. Moreover, it is an effort that contributes to population studies to evaluate the cancer risk mutation profile in Brazil.

A Framework for Geoconservation in Mining Landscapes: Opportunities for Geopark and GEOfood Approaches in Minas Gerais, Brazil

The continuous processes of mining development, since the very beginning of Minas Gerais State’s development, have been giving new attention and meaning to valuable pre-existing features (i.e., cultural, social, and physical-environmental), impacting and recharacterizing not only its municipalities but their essential local or native sociocultural components. At the same time, mining, as one of the central pillars of the Brazilian development model, has put different communities, natural and cultural heritage, and mineral and water resources at risk. The wide concept of geodiversity and the related geoheritage emerge as an alternative for conservation, territorial planning, and sustainable development, to reconcile these spheres. This study developed a comprehensive framework for geoconservation within selected areas of mining landscapes, contributing to insights for the creation of a catalog about geoheritage in the state of Minas Gerais, discussing and analyzing well-established strategies and opportunities based on UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) and the GEOfood brand. We concluded that the mining landscapes of Minas Gerais must be administered as a viable possibility for economic and environmental dynamic actions and activities, strengthening the maintenance of municipalities from the very beginning to after the end of operational activities. Heritage programs such as UGGp and GEOfood enable knowledge sharing and engagement with geoheritage, improving the comprehension and management of the short- and long-term impacts of mining, while elevating geodiversity as a major source of information in the “greening” of mining policies.

Artisanal Gem Mining in Brazil: A Source of Genotoxicity and Exposure to Toxic Elements.

Environmental and occupational exposure to toxic metals has led many people around the world to have serious health problems. Mining activities contribute to an increased risk of exposure to these elements. In this work, a study of environmental biomonitoring and routes of exposure to toxic metals in a region of artisanal mining was performed. This study was carried out in the district of Taquaral de Minas, located in the Jequitinhonha Valley in the state of Minas Gerais. The valley is one of the wealthiest and highest gem-producing areas in Brazil. Five artisanal mines were sampled (Bode, Pirineu, Pinheira, Lajedo, and Marmita). Several potentially toxic metals (Be, Zn, Mn, Ba Cd, Hg, and U) were investigated in the soils and dust over the rocks and the soils. Samples from 22 individuals occupationally exposed and 17 unexposed persons, who formed the reference group, were analyzed for trace elements by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. The genotoxicity was evaluated by the micronucleus test in buccal mucosa epithelial cells, where the following changes were scored: micronuclei (MN) binucleate (BN) cells and kariolytic (KL) cells. The MN test showed significantly increased frequencies in all alterations of exposed individuals compared to the controls (p < 0.05, Student's t-test). The urine analysis showed levels of Cr, Ni Ba, Pb, and As in the blood, which were higher than the ATSDR recommended levels. The association between the MN test and the trace element concentrations found in the blood and urine was significant (p < 0.05). The higher the number of years of working, the higher the concentrations in the blood were, due to chronic exposure. The results of the present study indicate environmental contamination and a potential risk to the health of miners, suggesting an intervention.

Analysis of Permanent Preservation Areas Surrounding Springs Through Satellite Images

The use of remote sensing and digital processing of images is increasingly present in the monitoring and analysis of environmental data, mainly due to the ease of obtaining orbital images and the advanced methods of image classification. Temporal evaluation of restoration of native vegetation surrounding springs is important for the protection of water resources. A project named Water Conserver (Conservador das Águas) was developed between 2005 and 2015, involving 380 springs in Extrema, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, focused on the preservation of water sources. The present study was carried out to quantify and analyze Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA) surrounding these water bodies. Free orbital images with spatial resolution of 30 m were acquired from the satellites Landsat-7 and Landsat-8 in 2003 and 2021, respectively. Object-oriented classification was used to evaluate the total PPA of restored springs over 18 years. The success of the Water Conserver Project resulted in a total restoration of more than 82% of areas surrounding springs up to 2021.

Regression of a Merkel cell carcinoma in the hypothenar region: a case report

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive cutaneous neuroendocrine neoplasm with a poor prognosis. It usually affects white-skinned old individuals in areas chronically exposed to solar radiation. MCC’s spontaneous regression is a mechanism not yet clearly understood. It is a known fact and a rare occurrence in MCC, after biopsy or incomplete resection has been performed. Considering the rarity of this type of occurrence, we will describe a clinical case treated at Hospital da Baleia, Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The report will address a male patient, 72 years old, leukodermic, with systemic arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and vitiligo. He was referred to the surgery department with a lesion in the right hypothenar region with an onset 4 months before admission, and presented with tumor regression after biopsy. Data was assembled through the analysis of the patient’s medical record, after declared authorization, open interview with the patient at the time of follow-up appointments to the hospital’s outpatient clinic, and analysis of photographic records of the injury before and after the instituted therapy

Profile of hillbilly pork producers and consumers from Alto São Francisco region of Minas Gerais state

Small rural properties are common in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, making the production of animals in a rustic system expressive, such as the raising of swine in an extensive or semi-extensive system. The objective was to evaluate the profile of producers and consumers of redneck swine in the Alto São Francisco Region - MG. The research was carried out in the municipality of Bambuí - MG, located in the center west of Minas Gerais. Participated in the questionnaire 16 rural producers in the region of Bambuí and 40 Bambuí residents approached at the open-air market who agreed to participate in the research. A questionnaire containing 21 questions was used, consisting of 17 open questions and 4 multiple-choice closed questions. Data analysis was carried out with the help of spreadsheets in Microsoft Office Excel® 2019. The lack of technical assistance and the dissemination of products through marketing are the main factors that negatively influence the growth of the activity. The analysis of the data obtained allows us to affirm that it is necessary to promote and structure the rustic pig farming, where 70% of the producers are unaware of the subject. 50% of the producers say they do not have technical assistance due to the price and difficulty of access to the properties, which would otherwise favor the best production and commercial rates in alternative systems. Consumers point out that pig’s meat is purchased through the local fair (50%), where the price and origin of the products are the most relevant factors at the time of purchase and 90% of consumers believe that pork can be a vector for disease transmission.

Intestinal schistosomiasis-related mortality in Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2000-2019: Temporal trends and spatial patterns for determining priority areas.

To identify priority areas for schistosomiasis control, we analysed the epidemiological characteristics, temporal trends and spatial patterns of schistosomiasis-related mortality in the state of Minas Gerais from 2000 to 2019. Ecological and time-series study with spatial analysis techniques on deaths from Schistosomiasis mansoni. A log-linear regression model was used to identify changes in mortality rates. Moran's global index, local indicators of spatial association and a retrospective spatio-temporal permutation model were applied to identify the spatial and temporal distribution of mortality rates and assist in identifying priority areas for interventions. A total of 1290 deaths from schistosomiasis were recorded between 2000 and 2019, with an average mortality rate of 0.33 deaths/100,000. Although the overall mortality rate in the state of Minas Gerais decreased significantly over time (average annual percentage change=-9.6; 95% confidence interval=-14.4 to -4.6; p < 0.001), it increased in the mesoregions of Jequitinhonha, Mucuri Valley, and Rio Doce Valley. Spatial analysis identified the displacement and emergence of high-risk clusters from the central region of the state to the mesoregion of Rio Doce Valley. Temporal changes and shifting of high-risk areas from the central region to the mesoregion of Rio Doce Valley may indicate possible failures in early diagnosis and treatment of the schistosomiasis control program in these areas. Our research contributes to a better understanding of the spatio-temporal dynamics of death rates due to schistosomiasis infections and might help health authorities to direct resources most efficiently to avoid serious clinical outcomes in Minas Gerais.

Analysis of heat sources: Alternatives for improving environmental conditions in an underground gold mine

Heat generation in underground mines is a factor of extreme influence on the production, safety and comfort of workers. This article aims to analyze heat sources in an underground mine and propose, as one of the alternatives to improve ventilation conditions, replace the diesel fleet with electric. The case study shows that this is the second source of heat, being the first autocompression, the second diesel equipment and the third are the fans. The heat emitted by the rock then stabilizes a certain time having no significance in the temperature in the year of 2019, but in 2026 it will be a significant heat source. This evaluation was carried out in a gold mine near Belo Horizonte, capital of the State of Minas Gerais using the software Ventsim. In the study, sensitive heat and latent heat would be reduced by about 56% and 80%, respectively, if the change is made. This reduction in the heat generated by the system may improve working conditions because of lower temperature and gas concentration, which reflect on the safety conditions for higher worker's efficiency.

A new cryptic species of Echinostoma (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) closely related to Echinostoma paraensei found in Brazil.

Echinostoma paraensei, described in Brazil at the end of the 1960s and used as a biological model for a range of studies, belongs to the ‘revolutum’ complex of Echinostoma comprising species with 37 collar spines. However, molecular data are available only for a few isolates maintained under laboratory conditions, with molecular prospecting based on specimens originating from naturally infected hosts virtually lacking. The present study describes Echinostoma maldonadoi Valadão, Alves & Pinto n. sp., a species cryptically related to E. paraensei found in Brazil. Larval stages (cercariae, metacercariae and rediae) of the new species were found in the physid snail Stenophysa marmorata in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, the same geographical area where E. paraensei was originally described. Adult parasites obtained experimentally in Meriones unguiculatus were used for morphological (optical microscopy) and molecular [28S, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), nad1 and cox1] characterization. The morphology of larval and adult parasites (most notable the small-sized dorsal spines in the head collar), associated with low (0–0.1%) molecular divergence for 28S gene or ITS region, and only moderate divergence for the mitochondrial cox1 gene (3.83%), might suggest that the newly collected specimens should be assigned to E. paraensei. However, higher genetic divergence (6.16–6.39%) was found in the mitochondrial nad1, revealing that it is a genetically distinct, cryptic lineage. In the most informative phylogenetic reconstruction, based on nad1, E. maldonadoi n. sp. exhibited a strongly supported sister relationship with E. paraensei, which may indicate a very recent speciation event giving rise to these 2 species.

Home visits in rural areas: demands in primary care.

The rural population suffers from important limitations in accessing health care, often lacking a public policy approach to the health and sanitation conditions of their environment. In this sense, primary care emerges with the objective of offering comprehensive care to the population, applying some of its principles as territorialization, person-centered care, longitudinality, and resolution in health care. The goal is to offer the basic health needs of the population considering the determinants and conditions of health in each territory. The present study is an experience report that aimed to raise the main health demands of the rural population in the areas of nursing, dentistry, and psychology of a village in the state of Minas Gerais through home visits carried out as part of primary care. Depression and psychological exhaustion were identified as the main psychological demands. Related to nursing, the difficulty of controlling chronic diseases was notable. Regarding dental care, the high prevalence of tooth loss was evident. In an attempt to minimize the limitations of access to health care, some strategies were created targeting the rural population. A radio program that aimed to disseminate basic health information in an accessible way was the main one. Therefore, the importance of home visits is evident, especially in rural areas, favoring educational health and preventive practices in primary care and considering the adoption of more effective care strategies for rural populations.