Proficiency testing for the determination of pesticides in mango pulp: a view of the employed chromatographic techniques and the evaluation of laboratories' performance.

The proficiency testing for determination of pesticides residues in mango pulp was the third work of the partnership established by INMETRO and INCQS/Fiocruz. Three mango pulp samples were sent to each participant laboratory, two being spiked with the pesticides and one exempt of pesticides. The added pesticides were: deltamethrin, ethion, fenitrothion, malathion, and permethrin. The evaluation of the results of the homogeneity and the stability tests, as well as the determination of the assigned value was made in agreement with ISO GUIDE 35 and ISO 13528, assuming the samples were considered homogeneous and stable for the studied period. The assigned values and the standard deviation for proficiency evaluation was calculated using the robust algorithm, according to ISO 13528, and the evaluation of the results was carried through in accordance with ABNT ISO/IEC Guide 43-1. The z-score graphs and confidence ellipse was also used in the evaluation of the results. In the evaluation carried through from the values of the z-scores, 71% of the reported results were considered satisfactory based on the results found for this index. The evaluation of the analytical viability for the determination of each pesticide and of the analytical capacity of the participant laboratories was carried through. A summarized view of the chromatographic techniques and of preparation of sample used by the participant laboratories was also carried through in this work.

[Contact with violence--health professionals and their patients victims of abuse]. / Em contato com a violência--os profissionais de saúde e seus pacientes vítimas de maus tratos.

Using qualitative methods of collecting data and analysis, this article outlines the way health care professionals, mainly pediatricians, feel about violence and their responsibility in denouncing the cases which they were forced to deal with. Although a typical "case study"--the experience in Instituto Fernandes Figueira/FIOCRUZ--the major concern of this work is to offer material for reflexion about procedures that should or could be taken in face to child morbidity caused by "external causes", making suggestions for a health conduct that enhances the relationship between violence and the medical practice related to child and adolescent abuse.

[Social representations and history: theoretical and methodological principles for public health]. / Representações sociais e história: referenciais teórico-metodológicos para o campo da saúde coletiva.

This article discusses the concept of social representations on health and illness from a social/historical point of view, to provide the means for developing research in the public health care domain. To situate this discussion, the analysis was based on field research health issues, attempting to demarcate a theoretical frame of reference with the help of reference literature in sociology and cultural history, while also contemplating cultural anthropological studies conducted in the medical field.

Biodegradation of azo dyes by the yeast Candida zeylanoides in batch aerated cultures.

A number of simple azo dyes was degraded in liquid aerated batch cultures by a strain of the yeast Candida zeylanoides. The standard decolorization medium contained glucose as a carbon and energy source, and its pH was either controlled to 5.0-5.2, or allowed to decrease to 3.2-2.8, in the course of microorganism growth. The extent of colour removal in the culture medium was assessed through the decrease in dye absorbance of the supernatants. The extent of colour removal ranged from 44 to 90%, after 7 days, for 5 out of 6 dyes studied in shaked cultures, without pH control, and from 46 to 67%, after 22 hours, for 6 out of 8 dyes in batch experiments, at controlled pH.