The aim of this study was to report on detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in oysters (Crassostrea sp.) in the state of Maranhão. To conduct this study, 200 farmed oysters were acquired in the municipality of Raposa and 100 in Paço do Lumiar; and a further 100 oysters were taken from the natural stock in the municipality of Primeira Cruz. This total of 400 specimens sampled was divided into 80 pools composed of five animals each. The gills and visceral mass of each oyster were removed for DNA extraction (per pool of oysters), using a commercial kit. The nested PCR technique (with the primer SAG-1) was then used to investigate any presence of protozoa. This molecular technique demonstrated the presence of DNA of T. gondii in 2.5% of the pools of oysters (n = 2/80): these oysters were exclusively from farms. The results from this study allow the conclusion that oysters of the genus Crassostrea that are farmed in the state of Maranhão are capable of filtering oocysts of T. gondii and maintaining them in their tissues. They are therefore potential sources of contamination for humans and other animals.

Speech-Language Pathology actions at school: phonological awareness program in the first gradeAcademic failure is one of the most distressing problems of the Brazilian educational system, especially in the literacy process. The reading and writing development requires a set of skills, but phonological awareness has been reported as one of the most relevant. However, Brazilian teachers don´t have enough knowledge about the subject and consequently there are few investments on school environment. The aim of the study was to verify the applicability of a phonological awareness program for students in the first grade. It is a control-type study, non-randomized, double-blind.Sixty-nine students from a public school participated, distributed between Experimental Group (GE=48) and Control Group (GC=21). The program was based on Response to Intervention (RTI -Tier 1), aiming the daily stimulation of syllabic and phonemic skills (synthesis, segmentation, identification and phoneme-grapheme association). The activities were carried out for 12 weeks, lasting up to 25 minutes, conducted by the teachers, supervised by a speech therapist. The students were evaluated before and after the intervention, using standardized tests that investigated phonological awareness skills, reading and writing level. The results demonstrated that the program promoted statistically significant advances (p <0.05) in the EG phonological awareness skills. Approximately 80% of the EG students reached the alphabetical reading and writing level, while only 30% of the GC participants had this performance. Statistical analysis of correlation has demonstrated that phonemic skills are strongly associated with reading and writing progress. The nonresponsiveness rate was approximately 14% (n=7). Five of the EG students were referred specialized institutions and had the diagnosis of learning disorders. The phonological awareness program following RTI Tier 1 is applicable to the school environment because it promoted advances in reading and writing skills. However, the sample size could be considered a limitation of this study, Replication of the study is recommended with larger samples.

Objective: To determine the effects of a phonological remediation reading and writing program in individuals with dyslexia, through behavioral and objective evaluations. Patients and Methods: Twenty children diagnosed with dyslexia, aged 8–14 years, were included in this study. Group I (GI) was composed of 10 children who took part in the program, and group II (GII) consisted of 10 subjects who did not take the remediation. The pre-testing evaluated phonological awareness, rapid naming, working memory, reading and writing of words and nonwords, thematic writing, and auditory evoked potential – P300. The type of stimulus used was the speech (20% of rare stimulus and 80% of frequent stimulus), intensity of 80 dBNa. The rare stimulus was the syllable /da/, and the frequent stimulus was the syllable /ba/. Next, the Phonological Reading and Writing Remediation Program was applied in 24 cumulative sessions, twice a week, each with a duration of 30 min. In the post-testing (at the end of the program), all the tests of the pre-testing were reapplied. Results: There was a statistically significant difference (between pre- and post-testing) in phonological awareness, rapid naming, working memory, thematic writing, writing and reading words and nonwords, as well as in the latency of the P3 component of P300 in GI, while GII maintained the same difficulties. Conclusion: The phonological remediation program showed to be a therapeutic method of fast beneficial effects in written language of individuals with dyslexia. However, the wide age range and the size of the sample could be considered a limitation of this study – it interferes with the generalization of results.

Introduction The Young Doctor Project (YDP) uses Telehealth and Interactive Teleducation instruments to promote the integration of different areas of health and to build knowledge. This methodology can also foster public awareness on various issues related to health. In this context, the objective of this study was to emphasize cleft lip and palate (CLP), which is one of the most common birth defects in Brazil. Objective The study aimed to apply a model of education regarding CLP, based on the dynamics of the YDP, and to evaluate the participants' knowledge acquired after participating in the YDP. Methods The participants were 41 students, 13 to 15 years of age and at the eight- and ninth-grade levels in a private elementary school in Bauru (Brazil). To analyze the performance of the participants, a questionnaire was administered before and after the completion of the training program. The training program was structured in three steps using: (1) interactive teleducation classes, (2) a cybertutor, and (3) practical activities. Results There was a statistically significant difference between the pre- and postparticipation questionnaire results. The improved performance of participants is evidenced by the increase in the rate of correct answers on all issues. Conclusion The YDP on CLP was applied in the school setting following the three steps recommended by the project, and, after the implementation of the training program, there was a significant increase in participants' knowledge of CLP. The YDP on CLP proved an effective tool in promoting health education.

Purpose: to compare signs of depression among children with and without learning disorders, and also to investigate whether there are gender-based differences in depressive signs between these groups. Methods: 20 children with learning disorder and 20 children with typical school performance, aged between 9 and 12 years old, were studied. The investigation of the depression signs was performed by applying the Child Depression Inventory.Results: children diagnosed with learning disorder have a higher frequency of depressive symptoms compared to children without learning difficulties. Conclusion: the signs of depression varied according to age. Gender comparison revealed that girls had a higher incidence of depressive symptoms, especially in the group of children with the disorder. Keywords: Learning Disorders; Depression; Learning RESUMO Objetivo: comparar os sinais de depressão entre crianças com e sem transtornos de aprendizagem, e ainda, investigar se há diferenças nos sinais depressivos em relação ao gênero entre os grupos. Métodos: participaram do estudo 20 crianças com transtorno de aprendizagem e 20 crianças com desempenho escolar típico, entre 9 e 12 anos de idade. A investigação dos sinais de depressão foi realizada por meio da aplicação do Inventário de Depressão Infantil. Resultados: verificou-se que as crianças diagnosticadas com transtorno de aprendizagem apresentam maior frequência de sintomas depressivos em relação às crianças sem dificuldades escolares. Conclusão: os sinais de depressão variaram de acordo com a faixa etária. A comparação entre os gêne-ros revelou que as meninas apresentaram maior incidência dos sintomas depressivos, principalmente no grupo de crianças com o transtorno.