Ethical dilemmas in scientific publication: pitfalls and solutions for editors

Editores de revistas científicas precisam estar atentos aos mecanismos de disseminação de condutas inadequadas no processo de publicação. Este artigo fornece definições, formas de documentar a extensão do problema e exemplos de iniciativas para conter fraudes editorias. Fabricação, falsificação, duplicação, autoria-fantasma, autoria concedida, falta de ética na aprovação de manuscritos, não-divulgação desses fatos, publicação "salami", conflitos de interesse, autocitação, submissão e publicação duplicadas, e plágio são problemas comuns. A conduta editorial inadequada inclui: falha em seguir o processo devido, atraso nas decisões e comunicação com os autores, falhas na revisão, e confundir o conteúdo de um periódico com seu potencial promocional e de propaganda. Os editores podem ser advertidos por seus pares por não investigar comportamento científico suspeito, por não se retratar quando indicado ou não obedecer as seis principais fontes internacionais de orientação em pesquisa, publicação e política editorial. Os editores estão em posição privilegiada para promover práticas adequadas, adotando orientações éticas e claras sobre os procedimentos adotados nos periódicos. Assim, revisores, editores, autores e leitores terão condições de compreender e seguir as normas de publicação.

The zymovars of Vibrio cholerae: multilocus enzyme electrophoresis of Vibrio cholerae

Zymovars analysis also known as multilocus enzyme electrophoresis is applied here to investigate the genetic variation of Vibrio cholerae strains and characterise strains or group of strains of medical and epidemiological interest. Fourteen loci were analyzed in 171 strains of non-O1 non-O139, 32 classical and 61 El Tor from America, Africa, Europe and Asia. The mean genetic diversity was 0.339. It is shown that the same O antigen (both O1 and non-O1) may be present in several geneticaly diverse (different zymovars) strains. Conversely the same zymovar may contain more than one serogroup. It is confirmed that the South American epidemic strain differs from the 7th pandemic El Tor strain in locus LAP (leucyl leucyl aminopeptidase). Here it is shown that this rare allele is present in 1 V. mimicus and 4 non-O1 V. cholerae. Non toxigenic O1 strains from South India epidemic share zymovar 14A with the epidemic El Tor from the 7th pandemic, while another group have diverse zymovars. The sucrose negative epidemic strains isolated in French Guiana and Brazil have the same zymovar of the current American epidemic V. cholerae

Biting indices, host-seeking activity and natural infection rates of anopheline species in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil from 1996 to 1998

The epidemiology of the transmission of malaria parasites varies ecologically. To observe some entomological aspects of the malaria transmission in an urban environment, a longitudinal survey of anopheline fauna was performed in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil. A total of 7,263 anophelines was collected in human bait at 13 de Setembro and Caranä districts: Anopheles albitarsis sensu lato (82.8 percent), An. darlingi (10.3 percent), An. braziliensis (5.5 percent), An. peryassui (0.9 percent) and An. nuneztovari (0.5 percent). Nightly 12 h collections showed that An. albitarsis was actively biting throughout the night with peak activities at sunset and at midnight. An. darlingi bit during all night and did not demonstrate a defined biting peak. Highest biting indices, entomological inoculation rates and malaria cases were observed seasonally during the rainy season (April-November). Hourly collections showed host seek activity for all mosquitoes peaked during the first hour after sunset. An. darlingi showed the highest plasmodial malaria infection rate followed by An. albitarsis, An. braziliensis and An. nuneztovari (8.5 percent, 4.6 percent, 3 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively). An. albitarsis was the most frequently collected anopheline, presented the highest biting index and it was the second most frequently collected infected species infected with malaria parasites. An. albitarsis and An. darlingi respectively, are the primary vectors of malaria throughout Boa Vista

Leishmanial antigens in the diagnosis of active lesions and ancient scars of American tegumentary leishmaniasis patients

Cutaneous biopsies (n = 94) obtained from 88 patients with American tegumentary leishmaniasis were studied by conventional and immunohistochemical techniques...

Speculations on the origin and evolution of the genus Leishmania

Recently two hypotheses have been proposed for the evolution of Leishmania involving respectively a Neotropical or Paleartic origin for the species. Here an alternative proposal on the phylogeny of Leishmania based on the major divisions within the genus is presented. In this hypothesis a Neotropic origin is retained for L. (Viannia) and Paraleishmania, a recently desribed section within the genus Leishmania, while an African origin is proposed for L. (Leishmania) and possibly Sauroleishmania. The current distribution of Leishmania in the Neotropics is explained as the product of multiple introductions of Leishmania parasites into the New World. Problems with organismal identity in Sauroleishmania and the use of molecular sequence data in inferring phylogenies are also discussed.

Genetic diversity in natural populations of New World Leishmania

Our results have shown the wide diversity of parasites within New World Leishmania. Biochemical and molecular characterization of species within the genus has revealed that much of the population heterogeneity has a genetic basis. The source of genetic diversity among Leishmania appears to arise from predominantly asexual, clonal reproduction, although occasional bouts of sexual reproduction can be ruled out. Genetic variation is extensive with some clones widely distributed and others seemingly unique and localized to a particular endemic focus. Epidemiological studies of leishmaniasis has been directed to the ecology and dynamics of Leishmania species/variants, particularly in localized areas. Future research using molecular techniques should aim to identify and following Leishmania types in nature and correlate genetic typing with important clinical characteristics such as virulence, pathogenicity, drug resistance and antigenic variation. The epidemiological significance of such variation not only has important implications for the control of the leishmaniases, but would also help to elucidate the evolutionary biology of the causative agents.

Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis study of Bacillus sphaericus

Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) has been used in the study of some Bacillus species. In this work we applied MLEE and numerical analysis in the study of the Bacillus sphaericus group. B. sphaericus can be distinguished from other entomopathogenic Bacillus by a unique allele (NP-4). Within the species, all insect pathogens were recovered in the same phenetic cluster and all of these strains have the same band position (electrophoresis migration) on the agarose gel (ADH-2). The entomopathogenic group of B. sphaericus seems to be a clonal population, having two widespread frequent genotypes (zymovar 59 and zymovar 119).

Molecular evidence for the importation of Old World Leishmania into the Americas

A brief review of work carried out by the laboratory on the systematics of trypanosomatids during the last three years is given. The principal line of research has been on the taxonomy of New World Leishmania and one of the topics studied has been the determination of the autochthonous origin of certain Leishmania species found in the New World. Controversy exists as to whether the etiological agent of American Visceral Leishmaniasis is indigenous. Here, we present evidence from enzyme electrophoresis and schizodeme analysis indicating that L. chagasi has a recent origin and that it is similar to L. infantum. We also describe L. major-like isolates which have been found in the New World and present evidence suggesting that some of these populations may have been imported into the Americas. Reference strains from the subgenus Viannia are examined and compared with other Old World and New World species by enzyme electrophoresis. The results are analyzed numerically and we show that the Viannia species are a group of parasites indigenous to the New World that cluster separately from other Leishmania species. The numerical analyses also indicate that the subgenus forms a monophyletic group in contrast to the subgenus Leishmania which appears to be polyphyletic

A morphological, isoenzymatic and behavioural study of ten populations of Anopheles(Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis Lynch-Arribalzaga, 1878 (Diptera: culicidae) including from the type-locality - Baradero, Argentina

Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis Lynch-Arribalzaga, 1878 shows morphological and behavioural variations which results in it being sometimes considered as a major malaria vector and at other times as playing no important role in epidemiology. With the aim of clarifying the taxonomy of the species, comparative morphological and isoenzymatic studies were made in populations from the type-locality, Baradero, Argentina and from 9 different localities inBrazil. Morphological studies consisted of the observation of eggs in scanning electron microscopy, of complete chaetotaxy of larvae and pupae and of the detailed drawing of male and female adults. Only Guajara-Mirim and Rio Branco populations, described previously as Anopheles deaneorum sp.n., showed morphological differences. Isoenzymes were studied using 4th instar larvae homogenate and agarosegel electrophoresis. Eleven enzymatic loci were analyzed. By calculation of Nei's Genetic Distance (D), the populations could be separated into 5 groups: i)Baradero, ii)Marajo, iii)Boa Vista, iv)Angra, Itaguai and Paraipaba and v)Guajara-Mirim and Rio Branco. These groups belong to 2 major clusters called I and II, separated by D = 0.345. In the I cluster are groups i, ii and iii and in II clusteriv and v. In I, D=0.246 separates i and ii from iii, while i is separated by D =0.181 from ii. In II, D = 0.223 between iv and v. Only the population of group vcould be distinguished morphologically from the others, leading to the description of an independent species An. deaneorum