Segurança e defesa no Cone Sul: Transições com transformações?

The new conditions of international security don't only attach importance to sovereignty and interstate relations. This new framework has led to changes in the scope and requirements for Politics of Defense. Countries of the Southern Cone seek to establish new parameters in the definition of their policies, but need to define between dissuasive policies, as in the past, or establish mechanisms for cooperation with their neighbors. Furthermore, these policies, by their nature and size, are not exclusively militaries. The purpose of this article is to examine the definitions constraints on strategic deterrence and cooperation in international security, and identify the degree of autonomy and the nature of the concepts derived from the armed forces in shaping Politics of Defense. Finally, we try to check the level of civil policy direction in defining those policies.

Farmacovigilância no Brasil: A relação entre polimorfismo de fármacos, efetividade e segurança dos medicamentos

In spite of the stated Brazilian policy on medicines that their quality, effectiveness and safety should be ensured at reasonable cost, hospitals in the ANVISA Surveillance Network have been receiving notifications of technical complaints, adverse reactions and suspected therapeutic ineffectiveness (STI) of medicines. The purpose of this study was to identify the medicines notified for suspicion of therapeutic ineffectiveness, at a university hospital participating in the national Surveillance Network, and to investigate the existence of polymorphs of any of the drugs involved, by examining the literature. There were 31 notifications of STI in a period of 18 months, concerning 11 different drugs, all of which were 'similar' drugs (neither original nor licensed by originator); five of these could contain polymorphs, according to the literature. However, this does not mean that the other drugs could not contain some unknown polymorphs, more studies being needed on polymorphism, especially in the cases of reported therapeutic ineffectiveness. Therefore, tests of polymorphism should be made part of the routine quality control of the raw materials during the development of medicines and in the studies of pharmaceutical equivalence to 'reference' medicines (innovative brands). The stability test should also involve a study of polymorphism, in order to confirm the solid state stability of the drug. All these measures will assure the effectiveness of medicines, since the reproducibility in the quality of pharmaceutical products could be monitored, as well as the equivalence of each production batch with the batch selected to determine the bioequivalence with the reference brand.

Ensaios biológicos para avaliação de segurança de produtos cosméticos

Despite efforts to the contrary, some cosmetic products can cause undesirable side effects in the users. These may often be due to individual factors or inappropriate use of the product. Thus, biological assays to assess the safety of a new cosmetic must precede its being placed on the market. Historically, these tests have always been carried out in vivo, in animals, since such tests can be used to evaluate many of the potential risks, such as irritation, allergy or systemic effects; but, recently, some research centers have been adopting in vitro alternatives, in order to replace the animal tests. This review emphasizes the need to employ biological assays to test the safety of cosmetic products, and reviews the main in vivo and in vitro tests used, focusing on the need to develop and use alternatives to the in vivo assays of product safety, so as to offer the consumers the maximum safety with the least possible risk, while ensuring the best conditions of use of the product.

Estudo clínico randomizado, aberto e comparativo para avaliação de segurança, tolerabilidade e eficácia analgésica de duas diferentes apresentações de medicamento tópico na realização de curetagem dermatológica de molusco contagioso em pacientes pediátricos

Aim: This study aimed to compare the safety and analgesic efficacy of a new topical drug (in two different presentations: cream and aerosol) consisting of benzocaine, menthol and triclosan, in the curettage of molluscum contagiosum. Method: The study included 296 volunteers in different stages: 256 healthy adult volunteers for the safety evaluation, and 40 volunteers between 2 and 12 years old who presented Molluscum contagiosum, for the evaluation of tolerability and efficacy. Each volunteer represented two experimental units (left and right) where it was applied randomly the tested products (cream or aerosol) 30 minutes before the dermatological curettage, immediately after and twice a day during 7 days. Dermatological evaluations of safety and efficacy were performed immediately after the procedure, 3 and 7 days after the curettage. Results: During safety evaluation, the tested products showed no irritant, sensitizing, phototoxic or photosensitizing potential. Both presentations, cream and aerosol, were considered safe with no statistically significant differences between them. With respect to analgesic efficacy, the results showed that the medication promoted the reduction of painful symptoms and there was no statistically significant difference (p <0.05) between the two presentations. Conclusion: The tested product, in two different presentations, was considered safe and effective in controlling pain symptoms during and after the curettage of molluscum contagiosum. © Copyright Moreira Jr. Editora.

Avaliação da segurança e eficácia de novo preenchedor à base de ácido hialurônico no tratamento dos sulcos nasolabiais e contorno dos lábios

Introduction: The use of dermal filling techniques for soft tissue augmentation has greatly increased in recent years. Hyaluronic acid is one of the most used temporary dermal fillers in the treatment of facial wrinkles, furrows, and folds due to its effectiveness and safety. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Perfectha®, a new hyaluronic acid filler, for nasolabial folds and lip correction. Methods: Open, multicenter study comprising 87 women. Efficacy was evaluated by the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale and the Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale. Safety was evaluated through observation and the reporting of side effects. Results: One week after the injection of the filler, improvement in nasolabial folds and lips was observed in 86% and 89% of the women, respectively. Mild or moderate transient inflammatory reaction and ecchymoses occurred in 15% and 9% of patients, respectively, mainly in nasolabial folds. Two patients presented labial herpes simplex after treatment of the lips. The good results were maintained in 76% and 57% of women for nasolabial folds and in 72% and 45% of women for lips after 3 and 6 months, respectively. Conclusion: Perfectha® was effective and safe for these indications.

Uso do AHP na avaliação do desempenho do sistema de gestão da qualidade, meio ambiente e segurança e saúde ocupacional integrados

The paper analyses the application of the AHP method together with the attach A of ISO 9004:2000 in order to evaluate the performance of two industrial organizations, both possessing quality management systems with ISO 9001:2000 certifications, based on the specific requirements of quality, environment, occupational health and management systems. The evaluated organizations were a government-owned company from the science and technology sector that works in the nuclear area, and a private company that works in the automotive and railroad area. The open software Web-Hipre version 1.22 from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland, was used. The results demonstrated that the AHP method together with the attach A of ISO 9004:2000 is adequate to evaluate organizational performances. Both organizations presented similar performance levels.

Reprodutibilidade de medidas antropométricas estáticas de graduandos de odontologia e de mochos odontológicos

Objective: To evaluate the intraexaminer reproducibility of static anthropometric measurements of undergraduate dental students as well as the characteristics and regulating measurements of the dental stools used by them. Methods: Forty volunteers and 6 types of dental stools were evaluated. For the anthropometric measurements the employed equipments were: an adapted office chair, aflexible measuring tape with two adapted rods, a metallic device with a 90 degree central angle, string, a 35 x 24 cm rectangular wooden board, isolating tape and crepe tape. In order to standardize the position of the adapted office chair and the volunteers' feet, the floor was marked with the isolating and crepe tapes. A string was attached to the waist of each volunteer to mark the area corresponding to the kidney region making it possible to measure the seat-renal region area. The examined anthropometric measurements were height, trunkcephalic heigh, sacral-popliteal distance (OK?), hip width, popliteal height and the seat-renal region height. The evaluated characteristics of the dental stools relative to the seat were depth, horizontal width and minimum/maximum height. The back of the dental stool was evaluated as for the minimum/ maximum height adjustment. The anthropometric and dental stool measurements were obtained by a single examiner at two moments with a 1-week interval between the evaluations. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to estimate the intraexaminer reproducibility. Results: Excellent reproducibility was observed for all anthropometric measurements obtained (ρ=0.99) as well as for all dental stools evaluated (ρ=0.99). Conclusion: The method used to obtain the anthropometric and dental stools measurements was reproducible and can be used reliably.

Sistema para realização de medidas de luminescência com excitação por raios X

In this work is presented a versatile system for X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) measurements. The apparatus was assembled from a sample holder connected to an optical fiber responsibly for the acquisition of the scintillation signal. The spectrum is registered with a CCD coupled in a spectrograph provided with diffraction gratings. The system performance was analyzed by exciting GdAlO3:Eu3+ 3.0 at.% with X-rays from a diffractometer and measuring the emission spectra. The system can be used to obtain precise and reliable spectroscopic properties of samples with various conformations without the loss of the required safety when dealing with ionizing radiations.

Estimativa do tempo de produção de chorume em aterro controlado por meio de medidas de resistividade elétrica

Landfill is an engineering work that aims at to accommodate residues in the smallest possible space in the soil, with minimum damages to the environment and the public health. One in the constructive forms of a controlled landfill is the excavation of ditches with appropriate dimensions, for disposition of solid residues without compactation or impermeabilization. Liquid effluents generated for similar volumes of residues, disposed in ditches with ages different from closing, it should result in physical and chemical alterations you correlated at the time of residence materials. With base in this hypothesis, measures of electric resistivity were accomplished through the of Eletrical Resistivity geophysical method, on residues ditches closed annually between 12/2001 and 12/2007, localized in control landfill of the Cordeirópolis city (SP). The leachate is a liquid effluent generated by the decomposition of organic matter and characterized by high content in total dissolved solids, whose interaction with geological environment results in alterations in terms of electrical resistivity susceptible to detection for the geophysical instrumental. The results suggest a resistivity reduction for leachate percolation produced for ditches recently and increase progressive of the resistivity for older ditches. The statistical comparative analysis with reference values for the area suggests ages of the finish production and percolation leachate for soil and rock below the ditches.

Estudo da segurança de cosméticos: Presente e futuro

Cosmetics have been used since ancient times and, recently, their consumption has increased greatly in many countries, including brazil, which is the third largest consumer market in the world. Thus, concern for the safety and efficacy of these products should be heightened, even though these products are rarely related to adverse reactions that damage the health. Brazilian law requires manufacturers to subject their products to safety testing, to assess the possible reactions that could be caused by them (irritation, sensitization, systemic effects). To this end, in general, animals have been used as the experimental model, but this practice is being increasingly controlled, so that the scientific community is looking for alternative tests that do not require experimental in vivo models. Thus, this review aims to describe the main biological assays used to assess the safety of cosmetics, as well as in vitro assays that can replace them.