Northeastern Brazilian State Research Articles

Serological survey of porcine circovirus 2 antibodies in Northeastern Brazil by immunoperoxidase monolayer assay

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) specific antibodies were evaluated in pigs at 15 to 25 weeks of age by immunoperoxidase monolayer assay. Serum samples (n = 575) were obtained from 16 commercial farms located in six states of northeastern Brazil, including two in Ceará (n = 85), three in Rio Grande do Norte (n = 92), two in Paraíba (n = 49), three in Pernambuco (n = 107), two in Alagoas (n = 39), and four in Bahia (n = 203). Out of the 575 evaluated sera, 470 (81.74%) were reagents with antibody titers ranging from 20 to 5,120. All farms presented reactive animals. There was a statistically significant difference in reactivity proportions between the states of Bahia and Ceará (p < 0.05) and between Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte (p < 0.05). This study provides the first serological investigation for PCV2 in pigs from commercial farms in Northeastern Brazil.

Serological survey of porcine circovirus 2 antibodies in Northeastern Brazil by immunoperoxidase monolayer assay

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) specific antibodies were evaluated in pigs at 15 to 25 weeks of age by immunoperoxidase monolayer assay. Serum samples (n = 575) were obtained from 16 commercial farms located in six states of northeastern Brazil, including two in Ceará (n = 85), three in Rio Grande do Norte (n = 92), two in Paraíba (n = 49), three in Pernambuco (n = 107), two in Alagoas (n = 39), and four in Bahia (n = 203). Out of the 575 evaluated sera, 470 (81.74%) were reagents with antibody titers ranging from 20 to 5,120. All farms presented reactive animals. There was a statistically significant difference in reactivity proportions between the states of Bahia and Ceará (p < 0.05) and between Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte (p < 0.05). This study provides the first serological investigation for PCV2 in pigs from commercial farms in Northeastern Brazil.

Dancing between Pedagogy and Performance: Guerreiros do Passo and the Case of Brazilian Frevo

Frevo dance comes from the cities of Recife and Olinda in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco. We expand on previous research by Valéria Vicente to apply Homi Bhabha’s concepts of pedagogy and performativity to a study of how frevo dancers fight for multiplicity and individuality. We explore how the group Guerreiros do Passo (Frevo Dance Warriors) preserves and disseminates frevo through distinct teaching methods and performance projects, arguing that their work enables the performative enactment of popular memory and the subversion of frevo’s own official discourse. We examine how Guerreiros do Passo provides a new perspective on common challenges in dance pedagogy and performance, including the tensions between tradition/innovation and cultural/individual expression.

Power, Privilege, and the (Extrajudicial) Punishment of Rape in Brazil

When suspected rapists are detained in Brazil, they are frequently subject to brutal punishments: sodomy, torture, or summary execution. This article examines the competing logics of gender and justice that intersect in Brazilian prisons as authorities sometimes attempt to protect, and inmates almost always endeavor to punish, men who have been put behind bars in cases involving rape. Drawing on years of fieldwork conducted in multiple courtrooms and prisons in a small state in northeastern Brazil, the article describes the strategies of concealment prison administrators and court officials use—or deliberately fail to use—to shield prisoners from being identified as rapists. At the same time, the essay documents the brutal ways that inmates punish peers who have been revealed as perpetrators of sexual assault. Ultimately, the article argues that power in Brazil’s male prisons, like power in Brazilian society more broadly, cannot be understood without considering who has the authority to define and to punish acts of sexual violence.

GERMINATIVE POWER OF OITICICA SEEDS WITH DIFFERENT SIZES OF WHOLE FRUITS AND WITHOUT EPICARP / PODER GERMINATIVO DE SEMENTES DE OITICICA COM DIFERENTES TAMANHOS DE FRUTOS INTEIROS E SEM EPICARPA

Oiticica (Licania rigida Benth) is considered an oilseed plant present in several states in northeastern Brazil. Its seeds are rich in good quality oil and performs various functions for the lubricants and textile industry. This work aims to evaluate the germination power of oiticica seeds in different sizes of whole fruits and without epicarp. The study was conducted from February to June 2015 using oiticica seeds from matrices located in the city of Dona Ines, PB. A randomized block design was adopted, with factorial 2 ×2 ×2, corresponding to two evaluation periods, two seed sizes (35 mm and 42 mm), with and without the presence of epicarp. Plant height, stem diameter, total chlorophyll and Dickson quality index (IDQ) were evaluated. Oiticica seeds with 42 mm have a larger kaolin diameter regardless of the presence of epicarp. Chlorophylls are not influenced by fruit length. Dickson's quality index (DQI) is not influenced by fruit length, however, oiticica seedlings with epicarp and length of 42 mm increase their performance in relation to those without epicarp.

A botanical census on pyrrolizidine alkaloid-producing species in Brazilian herbaria: data set for a potential health risk indication

Abstract This study accessed the informational potential of herbaria collections as a tool for establishing an indication of the distribution of species that produce pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), which are considered natural toxins, in Brazil. A total of 55,480 registered exsiccates were recorded, comprising species belonging to 17 genera, including Ipomoea (33.2%) (Convolvulaceae), Crotalaria (23.8%) (Fabaceae), Eupatorium (16.4%), Senecio (13.4%), Erechtites (3.97%) (Asteraceae) and Pleurothallis (8.28%) (Orchidaceae). These records were more densely distributed in the herbaria of the southeastern (30%), southern (28%) and northeastern (24%) Brazilian states. PAs are toxic to animals in general and display high potential for contamination of human food-production chains. A qualitative relationship was evidenced when carrying out a simultaneous compilation of cases of livestock intoxicated by the ingestion of these species, evidencing risks associated with PA-contaminated foodstuffs such as cereals, meats, milks and honey. The botanical census carried out herein is aimed at supporting a prospective study on the health risk presented by PA-producing species while bringing about indicators for their distribution in Brazil. This previously unpublished approach highlights the value of multidisciplinary information incorporated into herbaria botanical collections, with possible impacts on public health.

Characterization of goat production systems in five states of northeastern Brazil

Goat farming is a very important activity contributing to the social and economic development of northeastern (NE) Brazil. The objective of the present study was to characterize the goat farming production system in five of the nine states that constitute the Brazilian NE (Ceará, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe). Research was carried out in 230 rural properties located in 62 municipalities of the NE of Brazil, in regions exhibiting a productive arrangement and significant goat population density. An epidemiological questionnaire seeking information on economic, productive, and social aspects of owners/properties was supplied to all properties. The results described the goat farming system in the Brazilian NE as family and subsistence, directed towards domestic consumption and local commerce, and exhibiting a low technological level. The farmers' education level, investments, and technical assistance were all considered low, and thus insufficient or inadequate for a full development of the activity in the region. Therefore, such aspects are suggested to be taken into account in the planning of future goat farming development policies—particularly financing and technical assistance, better preparation of farmers, administrative aspects, forage production and conservation, and the implementation of actions towards reproductive and frequent disease control.

Sexual Patterns Among Medical Students - A Bioethical Look

There are few empirical studies on the teaching of human sexuality in medical curricula, lacking in knowledge of how sexuality is taught, what content is used and how it is offered. The emergence of sexuality for a significant portion of university students occurs in college, which increases the importance of sexual education for this group, even though it constitutes only a small portion of our younger population. This is especially important for health students who should address the issue with their future patients. This research aimed to establish sexual differences between students of both sexes in an entire class of medical students. Evaluating the prevalence of sexual behaviors and sexual dysfunctions in this community was investigated, and finally the sexual patterns of students from a bioethical point of view were analyzed. General and specific questionnaires for both genders were used to evaluate and confront them. As a result, 120 questionnaires were applied in a 3rd year medical class of public universities of a northeastern Brazilian state, representing 100% of the sample. According to the Sexual Exposure Index (SEI), 35% of females predominated in the low risk exposure range. The male gender predominated in the medium exposure range, corresponding to 24.16% of the total target population. Applying the chi-squared test for group B versus A there was a p=8x10-4, X2=15 and OR=1.7. Finally, there is a need to approach this theme in the agenda for inserting it in the curriculum, but more studies are needed to apply this model.

Which Species of Coconut Moth Occurs in Brazil: Atheloca subrufella vs. Atheloca bondari (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)?

The moths, Atheloca subrufella (Hulst 1887) and A. bondari, (Heinrich 1956) are species known for their economic impact on coconut production, which Brazil is the fourth largest global producer. The first record of Atheloca in Brazil was reported by Bondar in 1940, where the author registered it being A. subrufella. The studies performed by C. Heinrich in 1956 related the existence of divergence in specimens of Brazilian Atheloca suggesting the presence of morphological differences between the males of A. bondari and A. subrufella. In this study, Atheloca specimens from the five states of northeastern Brazil were used. Samples from Pernambuco state were sent to taxonomist Dr. V. O. Becker (Uiraçu Institute-BA) for identification. Male individuals from the other states were mounted for photographic documentation, highlighting the characteristics that differentiate the two species. A fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene was sequenced and then compared with that of the Atheloca spp. deposited in GenBank. An analysis was conducted to evaluate the genetic distance between A. bondari and A. subrufella. The results indicate greater interspecific (0.030-0.034) than intraspecific (0.000-0.002) genetic variation between the groups, reinforcing the hypothesis of two distinct species. A geographic distribution map and a table with the host plants were constructed based on a literature review. This study concluded that the species occurring in Brazil is A. bondari, as suggested by C. Heinrich. Atheloca bondari and A. subrufella have only been reported in plants of the family Arecaceae, but only the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera L.) is shared by the two species.

Neospora caninum DNA in feces of crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous – Linnaeus, 1776) from northeastern Brazil

Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular tissue cyst-forming coccidian parasite and it was first described in dogs. Despite the relevance of wild canids in the transmission chain of N. caninum, there are few studies in Brazil. The aim of the present study was to detect N. caninum DNA in feces of free-range and captive crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) from different states of northeastern Brazil. Fecal samples of eighteen crab-eating foxes (fifteen individually and three pools) were collected in sterile containers and were kept cool at −20 °C until further processing. All fecal samples were subjected to DNA extraction. A nested PCR targeting the ITS-1 gene was performed for N. caninum. All the positive bands were extracted from the gel and purified. Forward and reverse strands were sequenced and the nucleotide sequences obtained were compared with N. caninum sequences deposited in Genbank. The alignment was edited and phylogenetic reconstruction was based on the ITS1 gene sequences. Thirteen stool samples were PCR-positive for N. caninum DNA. Nine out of thirteen positive samples showed similarity between 99%–100% for N. caninum in relation to the sequence U25044.1 stored at GenBank. The crab-eating fox could have an important role in the sylvatic cycle of Neospora caninum in Brazil. Experimental infections studies involving these wild canids may confirm if the crab-eating foxes are definitive hosts of N. caninum.

Measuring the Efficiency of Tax Collection among Economic Sectors in Paraíba State Northeastern Brazil (2013-2015)

This study investigates the efficiency of tax collection on operations related to the circulation of goods and interstate services (ICMS) in far east of Brazil, Paraíba State. The efficiency was estimated using quarterly data of the electronic invoices from the period of January 2013 to December 2015. In addition, we aim to identify levy’s key factors among distinct sectors, disaggregated into 489 sub-classes, according to the national classification of economic activities. It was used a stochastic frontier analysis which suggests that the average of the technical efficiency of the tax collection among sectors was 73.75% of the potential tax revenues. The amount of uncollected tax during the studied period were approximately US$7 billion. There is technical inefficiency of tax levy among important sectors of the economy of the state of Paraíba, demonstrated by 88.88% of inefficiency of tax collection itself. The sector comprehends clothing, wholesale of personal care products and leather shoes, among others. We verify that an increase of oversight actions by the tax collection agency helps to inhibit the inefficiency of tax levy.

Conservation Priorities for Woody Species Used by a Quilombo Community on the Coast of Northeastern Brazil

Traditional communities, such as quilombos, often make use of a variety of plant resources. This study aims to describe and classify the state of conservation of woody species of surviving forest remnants used by the quilombo community of Ipiranga, on the Southern coast of Paraíba state in northeastern Brazil. Data on plant use were obtained through semi-structured interviews using the snowball sampling method. Plant availability in nature was determined through a phytosociological survey. Species were grouped into categories by use and their use value (UV), conservation priority index (CPI), and phytosociological parameters were calculated. A total of 64 species (27 families, 44 genera) were cited as useful. The informants attributed 48 types of uses to the plants, with the technology category being the richest. Many of the uses involve extracting the trunk, used mainly to make support stakes for yam plantations and handicrafts. Based on their CPI scores, 16 species fell into category 1 (high priority for conservation), 41 fell into category 2 (intermediary priority for conservation), and seven fell into category 3 (species suitable for extraction with few restrictions). Plants with the highest CPI scores are those with the greatest use value and lowest density in the forest inventory. Most of the plants used need a plan of management considering means of extraction and the frequency with which they are collected. Initial conservation efforts should focus on Handroanthus impetiginosus (pau d'arco) and Bowdichia virgilioides (sucupira), as these have the highest CPI ranking, low density, and uses primarily related to the extraction of bast fibers and wood.

Incidence and spatial distribution of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia by regions of economic development in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil

BackgroundThe establishment of regional development poles in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil was characterized by industrial expansion and consequent concerns about the increase in the occurrence of diseases, specifically those having long latency periods, as is the case of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. MethodsThe study included 367 patients diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia over a ten-year period at a reference treatment center. Records of patient charts and the TerraView software were used, respectively, for data collection and geographic mapping of the cases from the twelve established State development regions. ResultsA total incidence of 3.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants was found, with a predominance of the disease among males, a median age of 47 years, a mestizo ethnicity, with elementary schooling and residence in urban area. Microregional incidence varied, but there was no significant variation in numbers over the years, and no relevant socio-environmental determinants were identified. ConclusionThe present study determined the incidence and characterized the spatial distribution of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia cases over a decade in a northeastern Brazilian state. The variation in the incidence rate by region of development is compatible with a homogeneous distribution of the cases. The work is a baseline study to be used for present and future analyses of the impact of the state economic development poles and the occurrence of this chronic malignant disease.

Temporal trend of the homicide rate of Brazilian women

Objective: to analyze the temporal trend of the homicide rate of women in the states of Northeastern Brazil. Methods: ecological study of temporal trend. Data were the 25,332 feminicide deaths recorded in the Mortality Information System. A temporal trend analysis was performed using negative binomial regression. Results: after the correction steps, there was an increase of approximately 17.0% in deaths, corresponding to the standardized average rate of 4.7/100,000 women. There were higher mortality rates in women in the second and third decades of life. Higher average rates per 100,000 women were observed in the states of Pernambuco (8.25) and Alagoas (6.32). An increase in mortality rates in all the states of the analyzed region, in the period verified was evidenced, with the exception of Sergipe. Conclusion: a high magnitude of feminicide rates and ascendant trends were observed in most states in the Northeast Region of Brazil.

Maternal characteristics and type of prenatal care associated with peregrination before childbirth

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE To analyze the maternal characteristics and type of prenatal care associated with peregrination before childbirth among pregnant women in a northeastern Brazilian state.METHODS Quantitative and transversal study, with descriptive and analytical approaches, part of the Nascer em Sergipe research held between June 2015 and April 2016. A total of 768 puerperal women proportionally distributed across all maternities of the state (n = 11) were evaluated. Data were collected in interviews and from prenatal records. The associations between antepartum peregrination and the exposure variables were described in absolute and relative frequencies, crude and adjusted odds ratios and their respective confidence intervals.RESULTS Antepartum peregrination was reported by 29.4% (n = 226) of the interviewees, most of whom sought care in a single service before the current one (87.6%; n = 198). It should be noted that antepartum peregrination was less frequent among women aged ≥ 20 years old (OR = 0.50; 95%CI 0.34–0.71), with high education level (OR = 0.42; 95%CI 0.31–0.59) and a paid job (adjusted OR = 0.59; 95%CI 0.41–0.82), who had been instructed during prenatal care about the referral maternity for childbirth (adjusted OR = 0.88; 95%CI 0.42–0.92), and who used the private service to receive prenatal (adjusted OR = 0.44; 95%CI 0.18–0.86) or childbirth (adjusted OR = 0.96; 95%CI 0.66–0.98) care. No statistical evidence of associations between gestational characteristics and the occurrence of peregrination was observed.CONCLUSIONS Antepartum peregrination suffers interference from the mother’s socioeconomic characteristics, the type of prenatal care received and the source of funding for childbirth.

Prevalência de Transtornos Mentais Comuns e Uso de Álcool e Drogas entre Agentes Penitenciários

Resumo Investigou-se a prevalência de Transtornos Mentais Comuns e uso de drogas entre Agentes Penitenciários de um estado da região Nordeste do Brasil. Um total de 403 trabalhadores respondeu ao SRQ-20, ASSIST e ao roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada. Os resultados apontam para a prevalência de 23,57% de TMC e consumo abusivo/dependente em tabaco (35,9%), álcool (88,3%), maconha (10,5%), cocaína (3,6%), anfetamina (1,1%), inalantes (7,6%), hipnóticos (4,4%) e alucinógenos (0,3%). Apresentam-se como determinantes desse quadro: tipo de unidade prisional, ter outra ocupação na área de segurança, ter mais de 10 anos de profissão e trabalhar em turnos dobrados. Esse quadro é desafiador, tanto para as políticas de saúde do trabalhador no âmbito prisional quanto para os psicólogos que atuam nesse âmbito, devido aos impactos na vida dos agentes.

Boraginales (Boraginaceae s.l.) and Lamiales (Lamiaceae and Verbenaceae) in a Conservation Area in the Semiarid Region of Northeastern Brazil

Abstract A taxonomic treatment for Boraginales (Boraginaceae s.l.) and Lamiales (Lamiaceae and Verbenaceae) in the Engenheiro Avidos Ecological Park, a full-protection reserve located in the semiarid region of Paraíba State in northeastern Brazil is presented in this study. At the Park, a total of 22 species were encountered, including nine species of Boraginaceae s.l., six species of Lamiaceae, and seven species of Verbenaceae. Vitex orinocensis (Lamiaceae) was found for the first time for Caatinga and also represents a new record for Paraíba state. Morphological descriptions, keys for separating the families and respective species; data concerning flowering, fruiting, geographic distributions, and of the preferred habitats of the species found in the study area are also provided.

Historical biogeography of fishes from coastal basins of Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT The Amazonian ichthyofauna is one of the most diverse in the world, yet fishes from the adjacent coastal basins of Maranhão State in Northeastern Brazil remain poorly known. We use phylogeographic, community phylogenetic and phylogenetic beta diversity methods to study the biogeographic history of fishes from the coastal basins of Maranhão State. We report a total of 160 fish species from the basins of the Maranhão region, representing a 93% increase over results of previous studies. All the fish species assemblages from Maranhão are polyphyletic, with only a few putative sister species pairs inhabiting the region. The modern watershed divides among Maranhão basins do not form substantial barriers to dispersal for freshwater fish species, and are more effectively modelled as biogeographic islands than as biogeographic provinces. In combination these results suggest that the Maranhão ichthyofauna was assembled under the influence of several macroevolutionary (extinction, dispersal) and landscape evolution processes, during the Miocene and Pliocene, as well as by the modern ecological characteristics of the region. The results indicate that the distinctive geological and climatic conditions and history of Northeastern Brazil strongly constrained the formation of aquatic faunas in coastal basins of Maranhão State.

Isolation of Clostridium perfringens and C. difficile in crab-eating fox ( Cerdocyon thous - Linnaeus 1776) from Northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to isolate Clostridium perfringens and C. difficile in crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) from Northeastern Brazil. Stool samples of 18 captive crab-eating foxes from four states of Northeastern Brazil (Alagoas, Bahia, Paraíba e Pernambuco) were collected and subjected to C. perfringens and C. difficile isolation. Suggestive colonies of C. perfringens were then analyzed for genes encoding the major C. perfringens toxins (alpha, beta, epsilon and iota), beta-2 toxin (cpb2), enterotoxin (cpe), and NetB- (netB) and NetF- (netF) encoding genes. C. difficile strains were analyzed by multiplex-PCR for a housekeeping gene (tpi), toxins A (tcdA) and B (tcdB) and a binary toxin gene (cdtB). Unthawed aliquots of stool samples positive for toxigenic C. difficile were subjected to a commercial ELISA to evaluate the presence of A/B toxins. Clostridium perfringens (type A) was isolated from five (27%) samples, and only one sample was positive for beta-2 enconding gene (cpb2). Two (11%) stool samples were positive for C. difficile, but negative for A/B toxins. These two wild canids were also positive for C. perfringens type A. This is the first report of C. difficile in crab-eating fox.

Oral Paracoccidioidomycosis in Northeastern Brazil: Report of Six Cases

Oral paracoccidioidomycosis is rare in Northeastern Brazil. The aim was to report 6 cases of oral paracoccidioidomycosis diagnosed in a Northeastern Brazilian state. Clinical data, such as age, gender, origin, site of the oral lesion, type of complaint, and number of lesions were recorded. All of the patients were male, with a mean age of 53.8 years (ranging from 40-73 years). Four cases exhibited multiple ulcers and 2 presented with single lesions (in the buccal mucosa and hard palate). Clinically, in 5 cases, squamous cell carcinoma was considered in the differential diagnosis. The common histopathological features consisted of hyperplastic epithelium, and in the adjacent connective tissue, a granulomatous chronic inflammatory reaction composed of multinucleated giant cells with numerous rounded structures compatible with fungal yeasts. Although rare in Northeastern Brazil, oral paracoccidioidomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of oral chronic ulcers, mainly those that are multiple.