Abstract. Visceral leishmaniasis, or kala azar (KA), affects the rural poor, causing significant morbidity and mortality. We examined the epidemiologic, social, and economic impact of KA in a village in Bangladesh. A populationbased survey among 2,348 people demonstrated a KA incidence of 2% per year from 2000 to 2002, with a case-fatality rate of 19% among adult women, compared with 6−8% among other demographic groups. Kala azar cases were geographically clustered in certain sections of the village. Anti-leishmanial drug shortages and the high cost of diagnosis and treatment caused substantial emotional and economic hardship for affected families. Communities wanted to learn more about KA, and were willing to take collective action to confront the problems it causes. To decrease the KA burden in endemic areas, community efforts should be supplemented with effective treatment programs to ensure access to appropriate and affordable diagnosis and case management.

The anatomical features of growth rings of 13 representative species of the swamp forests within the Atlantic rain forest of the State of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, were studied. Most species showed distinct rings. The growth ring boundaries were marked by fibrous zones frequently associated with marginal parenchyma bands, and growth ring boundary features were characteristic of the particular families and genera analysed. Leaf fall can be related to the occurrence of growth rings in seven species, whereas in evergreen species growth rings can be related to flooding. In Euphorbiaceae species, flooding regime differences (periodical or permanent) are related to the shape and distribution of new cells produced by the cambium and, thus, growth ring structure.

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RESUMO -(Anatomia foliar de quatro espécies do gênero Cattleya Lindl. (Orchidaceae) do Planalto Central Brasileiro). As espécies analisadas (Cattleya araguaiensis Pabst, C. bicolor Lindl., C. nobilior Rchb. e C. walkeriana Gardn.) apresentam epiderme uniestratificada em ambas as faces da lâmina foliar, ocorrendo estômatos na face abaxial; deposição de cera epicuticular em crostas, escamas, flocos e plaquetas; em C. araguaiensis ocorrem estegmatas incrustados nas células epidérmicas; em todas as espécies ocorre hipoderme com células de paredes espessadas; mesofilo bifacial, compacto; células paliçádicas atípicas, com barras de espessamento; feixes vasculares colaterais dispostos alternadamente, acompanhados por bainha de fibras; cordões fibrosos acompanhados por estegmatas ocorrem longitudinalmente na lâmina foliar; presença de ráfides. Os aspectos descritos revelam acentuada xeromorfia, em função de economia de água.Palavras-chave -Orchidaceae, Cattleya, anatomia foliar, epifitismo ABSTRACT -(Foliar anatomy of four species of genus Cattleya Lindl. (Orchidaceae) of the Brazilian Central Planalt). The analyzed species (Cattleya araguaiensis Pabst, C. bicolor Lindl., C. nobilior Rchb. e C. walkeriana Gardn.) present unistratified epidermis at both surfaces with stomata at abaxial surface; deposition of epicuticular wax in crusts, scales, granules and plates; C. araguaiensis presents stegmata at epidermal cells; others characteristics present at all species are: hypodermis cells with thick walls; bifacial and compact mesophyll; atipic cells of palisade parenchyma with thichness bars; collateral vascular bundles alternate accompanied by sheath fibers; cordon fibers accompanied by stegmata in the foliar blade; raphids. The described aspects reveal accentuate xeromorphy for water economy.

RESUMO O trabalho propõe a utilização dos caracteres anatômicos da madeira na interpretação da estrutura da comunidade arbórea da Reserva Biológica de Poço das Antas, RJ, Brasil (22º30' e 22º33'S e 42º15' e 42º19'W). Foram analisadas 26 espécies de 14 famílias, totalizando 72 espécimens. A alta incidência de características anatômicas comuns - camadas de crescimento distintas, porosidade difusa, placas de perfuração simples, fibras de paredes delgadas a espessas, raios com freqüência de 4 a 12/mm', com 1-3 células de largura, - foi corroborada pelas análises estatísticas, o que sugere a ocorrência de um padrão anatômico. Os resultados descritos se enquadram nas tendências ecológicas para espécies de planícies tropicais, que se caracterizam por uma menor freqüência de elementos de vaso mais largos e com placas de perfuração simples. Tais caracteres propiciam o transporte de grandes volumes de água por unidade de tempo e área transversal da madeira.

The bark anatomy of28 species of arborescent Leguminosae of 'cerrado' and gallery forest in the Brazilian Federal District was examined. The most significant characteristics for taxonomic purposes were determined to be: delimitation between collapsed and non-collapsed phloem; phloem stratification; type and position of sieve plates; dilatation patterns; arrangement and contents of sc1ereids; and presence of secretory cells. The bark data support the idea that Papilionoideae is the most advanced group of the Leguminosae.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar (KA) affects the rural poor, causing significant morbidity and mortality. We examined the epidemiological and social impact of KA in an affected village in Bangladesh. A population-based survey of the village residents showed a case fatality rate of 14.7% among females and 5.3% among males. Before initiation of the study, female patients were ill longer than males before they received treatment. Future work needs to focus on understanding the implications of KA on women and to develop sustainable strategies for appropriate and timely access to treatment.

RESUMO -A lamina foliar de Eugenia suicata Spring ex Marl. e analisada, ressaltando-se aspectos de suas epidermes, 11 luz da microscopia 6ptica e da microscopia eletronica de transmissao e de varredura. As paredes anticlinais destas celulas sao sinuosas e as periclinais externas tern espessura nao uniforme, em decorrencia de proje .. iies internas destas paredes. Ao microsc6pio eletronico de transmissiio tais paredesapresentam-se constituidas por 3 camadas distintas. 0 microsc6pio eletronico de varredura mostra completa ausencia de estria .. iies na superffcie externa da epiderme abaxial. Os estomatos sao classificados como anomoestaurocfticos quanto ao mimero e arranjo das celulas subsidiarias e considerados gramin6ides em fun .. ao do espessamento desigual das celulas estomaticas. A lamina foliar tern estrutura dorsi ventral, ocorrendo no mesofilo bolsas secretoras em posi .. ao subepidermica.ABSTRACT -The leaf blade of Eugenia suicata Spring ex Man. is examined with special attention to the epidermis, using light and electron microscopy (transmission and scanning). The anticlinal walls of the adaxial epidermis are wavy and the external periclinal walls do not have a uniform thickness on account of internal projections. Transmission electron microscopy shows in this wall three distinct layers. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrates that the outer surface of the abaxial epidermis does not exhibit striations. Number and arrangement of subsidiary cells permit the stomata to be classified in the anomostaurocytic type; according to the unequal thickening of guard cells they can be considered graminoid. The leaf blade is dorsi ventral and includes subepidermic secretory cavities. Key-words: Mynaceae, leaf anatomy. Introduc;aoA famnia Myrtaceee e uma das mais representativas das restil"gas brasileiras, nao s6 pelo grande numero de especies, como pela importfmcia e utili7a~ao de muitas, dado seu valor ornamental, alimenticio ou medicinal.Entretanto, como ressalta Barroso (1984), as especies americanas das Myrtaceae sao muito semelhantes morfologicamente, 0 que dificulta sobremaneira 0 trabalho de sua identifica~ao.Com a finalidade de solucionar problemas dessa natureza, a Sistematica vem lanando mao de outros ramos da ciEmcia botanica e a esse respeito os estudos anatomicos tem-se revelado de grande valia. Assim, a observa~ao de caracteristicas epidermicas,.tais como 0 arranjo e a forma das celulas, aspecto de suas paredes anticlinais, relevo dos limites celulares, curvatura das paredes periclinais externas, escultura cuticular, secre~6es epicuticulares, tipos de estomatos, etc., conduzem muitas vezes a resultados conc\usivos em termos de diagn6stico generico e especifico (Barthlott 1981).