Response patterns of young children from two contrasting SES contexts to different numerical tasks with numbers 1-5.

This study contributes to a multifaceted picture of young children's emergent number knowledge by focusing on the variety of ways in which children express and use quantitative information. The authors' aims are to (a) explore the extent to which quantifying collections 1-5 and using that information pose different levels of difficulty to children from 33 to 47 months old, (b) identify intra- and intertask response patterns, and (c) analyze the influence of socioeconomic status and age on these response patterns. Sixty-six children from two contrasting socioeconomic status groups (very low and middle) were asked to solve tasks with 1-5 elements in the context of a game. Using quantitative information turned out to be more complex than quantification. Intra- and intertask response patterns showed that children gradually come to understand the first five numerical values according to the numerical sequence in a much less strict way than that proposed by the cardinal-knowers model that posits that children progress in an orderly way in their number knowledge. Children in different ages and socioeconomic status groups were found to be more similar to each other when the whole arc of responses provided was considered than when solely correct performance was measured.

Early Understanding of Cardinal Number Value: Semiotic, Social, and Pragmatic Dimensions in a Case Study with a Child from 2 to 3 Years Old.

Studies on cardinality date back many years, and it remains a current research issue today. Indeed, despite the many findings on the topic, there is still controversy surrounding when and how children understand cardinality. The main studies on this understanding employs the "how many" question in situations involving the quantification of objects, analyzing the relationship between counting and cardinality. In the present study, we argue that it is essential to consider how cardinality is used in the context in which it arises, including the in- depth consideration of semiotic, social, and pragmatic dimensions, in order to fully comprehend the topic. We analyze in microgenesis the interaction between a two-year-old girl and her mother when they are playing a game requiring the understanding and use of cardinality through five sessions conducted over the course of a year. Our findings suggest that, in the proposed situation, cardinal understanding develops slowly and gradually requires an integrated body of resources (such as gestures and the use of objects). In highlighting the role of semiotics and social interactions in the development of cardinal understanding, this research underscores the fundamental role that early education should play in its development.

Hepatitis B virus markers among teenagers in the Araguaia region, Central Brazil: assessment of prevalence and vaccination coverage.

The Brazilian hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination program for neonates was implemented in 1998 and broadened to include young people up to 20 years of age in 2001. However, HBV coverage of teenagers has not been systematically assessed in Brazil. A cross-sectional study was performed to estimate the magnitude of HBV infection and vaccine coverage among adolescent students regularly enrolled in the public schools of Barra do Garças, a city located in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. A representative sample was randomly obtained and participants were interviewed and had blood samples collected to test for HBV markers. The sample was composed of 576 subjects, 51% of which were females. The average age was 15, with the group ranging from 12 to 20 years of age. There were 29 anti-HBc reactive participants (5.0%). Four out of 29 were HBsAg positive (0.7%). Anti-HBs alone (vaccinated profile) showed in 323 (56.1%) students and 224 (38.9%) were negative for all HBV markers. Increasing age was associated with HBV exposure in a χ(2) for trend analysis (p=0.004). The prevalence of anti-HBs alone decreased as the subjects' age increased. Multivariate analysis showed independent association between HBV infection and the start of sexual activity. Another associated variable was the fact that the some students were enrolled in two low-income neighborhood schools. Our findings classify this area as low endemic for HBV and suggest that there is a progressive decrease in the spread of HBV in the region due to the introduction of universal vaccination of neonates. Approximately half of the adolescents 15 years or older were not immunized, which raises a concern in terms of the need to increase the vaccination rate for this segment of the population.

Encuesta serológica sobre el dengue entre escolares de Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 1986 y 1987 / Serological survey of dengue among schoolchildren in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1986 and 1987

En marzo de 1986 se inició en Rio de Janeiro y en varias ciudades cercanas una epidemia de dengue por el serotipo 1. Hasta 1987, se habían notificado alrededor de 80 000 casos en esa zona. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados preliminares de una encuesta serológica sobre el dengue efectuada en 1986 y 1987 en cohortes de alumnos de las escuelas públicas primarias de 5 distritos de la ciudad de Rio de Janeiro. Se estudiaron 402 niños de ambos sexos de 4 a 14 años de edad en el primer año y 384 en el segundo. Las muestras de sangre se obtuvieron mediante punción de la yema del dedo y el suero obtenido se analizó con la técnica de inhibición de la hemaglutinación para detectar anticuerpos contra el virus del dengue 1. El porcentaje de niños con anticuerpos contra este virus fue 24,9 por ciento en 1986 y 44,5 por ciento en 1987. El porcentaje más alto de alumnos con anticuerpos contra dicho virus se observó en el distrito de Penha (75,7 por ciento), y el menor, en Copacabana (19,4 por ciento). En 1987, la tasa de ataque fue 22,4 por ciento. Cuando se formuló la pregunta, tuvo dengue su hijo? a 266 padres de los niños participantes en la encuesta serológica de 1987 se obtuvieron respuestas afirmativas y negativas de 263. Los valores predictivos de la respuesta afirmativa (71,2 por ciento) y de la negativa (67,9 por ciento) sugieren que la población conocía la enfermedad y su cuadro clínico. Los datos obtenidos indican que en esa epidemia se infectaron más de un millón de personas

Encuesta serológica sobre el dengue entre escolares de Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 1986 y 1987 / Serological survey of dengue among schoolchildren in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1986 and 1987

En marzo de 1986 se inició en Rio de Janeiro y en varias ciudades cercanas una epidemia de dengue por el serotipo 1. Hasta 1987, se habían notificado alrededor de 80 000 casos en esa zona. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados preliminares de una encuesta serológica sobre el dengue efectuada en 1986 y 1987 en cohortes de alumnos de las escuelas públicas primarias de 5 distritos de la ciudad de Rio de Janeiro. Se estudiaron 402 niños de ambos sexos de 4 a 14 años de edad en el primer año y 384 en el segundo. Las muestras de sangre se obtuvieron mediante punción de la yema del dedo y el suero obtenido se analizó con la técnica de inhibición de la hemaglutinación para detectar anticuerpos contra el virus del dengue 1. El porcentaje de niños con anticuerpos contra este virus fue 24,9 por ciento en 1986 y 44,5 por ciento en 1987. El porcentaje más alto de alumnos con anticuerpos contra dicho virus se observó en el distrito de Penha (75,7 por ciento), y el menor, en Copacabana (19,4 por ciento). En 1987, la tasa de ataque fue 22,4 por ciento. Cuando se formuló la pregunta, tuvo dengue su hijo? a 266 padres de los niños participantes en la encuesta serológica de 1987 se obtuvieron respuestas afirmativas y negativas de 263. Los valores predictivos de la respuesta afirmativa (71,2 por ciento) y de la negativa (67,9 por ciento) sugieren que la población conocía la enfermedad y su cuadro clínico. Los datos obtenidos indican que en esa epidemia se infectaron más de un millón de personas

Disponible en inglés en: Bull. PAHO 24(2), 1990

Ototoxicidade: diagnóstico, prevençäo e tratamento / Ototoxicity: diagnosis, prevention and treatment

O uso de medicamentos ototóxicos produziu inúmeros deficientes auditivos. Os efeitos colaterais atingem o ouvido interno além de outros órgäos, principalmente o rim säo antibióticos, diuréticos e substâncias usadas como armas no combate a várias doenças. Os otorrinolaringologistas devema alertar seus colegas médicos sobre os riscos da ototoxicidade. Deveriam ainda estar aptos a avaliar e acompanhar os pacientes que tiveram comcprometimento do ouvido interno durante ou após a terapia. O presente trabalho apresenta uma sumária revisäo sobre o tema, seus aspectos clínicos, patologia e tratamento. Tem como objetivo salientar importantes aspectos de interesse do especialista e do médico generalista. Destaca, à luz dos recentes avanços da farmacologia e à partir da melhor compreensäo da histofisiologia do ouvido interno, com o advento da microscopia eletrônica, as alteraçöes histopatológicas presentes no fenômeno da ototoxicidade

Tumores neuroectodérmicos olfatórios: relato de três casos tratados no HNMD / Olfactory neuroectodermal tumors: report of 3 cases treated in Hospital Naval Marcílio Dias, Brazil

Tumores neuroectodérmicos olfatórios säo blastomas malignos raros compostos de tecido neuroectodérmico idiferenciado localizado na regiäo olfativa das fossas nasais. Foram descritos pela primeira vez em 1924 por Berger, Luc e Richard com poucos casos registrados na literatura mundial. Os autores referem-se a 3 casos diagnosticados no HNMD e discorrem sobre seu quadro clínico e terapêutica empregada. Correlacionam estes dados com os aspectos radiológicos, em tomografia computadorizada e simples e com os achados histopatológicos. Apresentam o "follow-up" dos pacientes, discutindo as classificaçöes até entäo propostas, salientando a natureza, o comportamento agressivo deste tumor precoce

Dengue serologic survey of schoolchildren in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1986 and 1987

This article will also be published in spanish in the Boletín de la Oficina Sanitaria Panamericana, Vol. 109, 1990