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The presence of helminths and protozoans in public squares and lawns of the city of Maringá, southern Brazil, during winter and summer was assessed in order to evaluate their seasonal fluctuations in relation to edaphic and climatic factors. Samples were collected from January 2003 through June 2004 in 90% (13) of all public squares covered by sand, and in 30% (4) of all lawns used as leisure areas. The samples were analysed quantitatively by modified centrifugal-flotation and sedimentation in water techniques, and qualitatively by a method based on positive larval thermo-hydrotropism. Meteorological data were recorded, and physical, chemical and structural characteristics of the soil were analysed. One hundred and thirty samples of sand from squares, 65 in summer and 65 in winter, and 40 samples of grass from lawns, 20 in each season, were collected. All samples from lawns, 62 (95.38%) from squares in winter and 45 (69.23%) in summer, contained protozoans and/or helminths. Eggs of Toxocara spp. were the most frequently observed parasites in both winter and summer in squares (P < 0.0001) and in lawns (P = 0.6142), being equally distributed among the different locations (P = 0.2038). Species diversity was lower in winter; fewer parasites were found in summer. This region, with a tropical climate and a mild winter dry season, has favourable edaphic and climatic conditions for soil contaminants to persist year-round. In addition, the high frequency of animals such as dogs and cats and the poor sanitary measures in force made it possible for zoonoses to be transmitted in the public spaces.

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Greenhouse bedding plant production of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert) Bertoni. Can. J. Plant Sci. 77: 473-474. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of 14 growing media on greenhouse bedding plant production of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert) Bertoni. The best mixture consisted of sand clay (LEd 2 ) soil, laying hen manure (10% vol/vol), and lime.

The preservation of Bacillus firmus strain 37 cells by lyophilization was evaluated and response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) production by cells immobilized on loofa sponge. Interactions were studied with the variables temperature, pH and dextrin concentration using a central composite design (CCD). Immobilization time influence on β-CD production was also investigated. B. firmus strain 37 cells remained viable after one year of storage, showing that the lyophilization is a suitable method for preservation of the microorganism. From the three-dimensional diagrams and contour plots, the best conditions for β-CD production were determined: temperature 60 °C, pH 8, and 18% dextrin. Considering that the amount of dextrin was high, a new assay was carried out, in which dextrin concentrations of 10, 15, and 18% were tested and the temperature of 60 °C and pH 8 were maintained. The results achieved showed very small differences and therefore, for economic reasons, the use of 10% dextrin is suggested. Increasing the immobilization time of cells immobilized on synthetic sponge the β-CD production decreased and did not change for cells immobilized on loofa sponge. The results of this research are important for microorganism preservation and essential in the optimization of the biosynthesis of CD.

-This paper shows the Bayesian approach as an alternative to the classical analysis of nonlinear models for ruminal degradation data. The data set was obtained from a Latin square experimental design, established for testing the ruminal degradation of dry matter, crude protein and fiber in neutral detergent of three silages: elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) with bacterial inoculant or enzyme-bacterial inoculant and corn silage (Zea mays L.). The incubation times were 0, 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. The parameter estimates of the equations fitted by both methods showed small differences, but by the Bayesian approach it was possible to compare the estimates correctly, that does not happen with the frequentist methodology because it is much more restricted in the applications due to the demand for a larger number of presuppositions.Key Words: bayesian inference, degradability, nonlinear models Metodologia Bayesiana para comparação de parâmetros de modelos de regressão não-linear: uma aplicação a dados de degradabilidade ruminal RESUMO -Neste trabalho a abordagem Bayesiana é apresentada como alternativa à abordagem clássica na modelagem não-linear de dados de degradação ruminal. Foram utilizados dados provenientes de um experimento em delineamento quadrado latino para avaliar a degradabilidade da matéria seca, da proteína bruta e da fibra em detergente neutro de três silagens: silagem de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) com inoculante bacteriano, com inoculante enzimobacteriano e silagem de milho (Zea mays L.), nos tempos de incubação: 0, 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 e 96 horas. Obtidas as estimativas dos parâmetros do modelo ajustado, pelos dois métodos, observou-se que não há diferenças marcantes entre as mesmas para nenhuma das variáveis estudadas. No entanto, por meio da metodologia Bayesiana, foi possível comparar as estimativas dos parâmetros para cada tratamento, o que não ocorre com a metodologia frequentista, por ser muito mais restrita nas aplicações devido à exigência de maior número de pressuposições.Palavras-chave: degradabilidade, inferência bayesiana, modelos não-lineares

Thousands of women all over the world annually suffer of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), an infection caused by yeasts, which mainly affect the mucosa of the vulva and vagina. The adherence of the yeasts to the mucosae is an essential step for colonization and predisposes the start of the infectious process. In this study, a technique capable of evaluating the adhesion of yeasts to human vaginal epithelial cells (HVEC) was employed. Twenty-five vaginal yeast isolates (10 Candida albicans, nine C. glabrata, two C. parapsilosis, one C. tropicalis, two Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and one Trichosporon sp.) were evaluated. A suspension of each yeast was co-incubated with HVEC obtained from a healthy donor in the ovulatory phase. After 1 hr, smears were made, stained with crystal violet and Papanicolaou, and the number of yeasts that adhered to 600 HVEC was evaluated. The adhesion of C. albicans was significantly greater than that of the other species and occurred mainly in the intermediate HVEC, rather than the superficial. In addition, the proposed technique, easy to execute and of low cost showed to be reproducible and enables the determination of the adherence capacity of different isolates, whose adhesion was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy.