Survival and Predictive Factors of Lethality in Hemodyalisis: D/I Polymorphism of The Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme and of the Angiotensinogen M235T Genes

Background: End-stage kidney disease patients continue to have markedly increased cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Analysis of genetic factors connected with the renin-angiotensin system that influences the survival of the patients with end-stage kidney disease supports the ongoing search for improved outcomes. Objective: To assess survival and its association with the polymorphism of renin-angiotensin system genes: angiotensin I-converting enzyme insertion/deletion and angiotensinogen M235T in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: Our study was designed to examine the role of renin-angiotensin system genes. It was an observational study. We analyzed 473 chronic hemodialysis patients in four dialysis units in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and the differences between the curves were evaluated by Tarone-Ware, Peto-Prentice, and log rank tests. We also used logistic regression analysis and the multinomial model. A p value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The local medical ethics committee gave their approval to this study. Results: The mean age of patients was 45.8 years old. The overall survival rate was 48% at 11 years. The major causes of death were cardiovascular diseases (34%) and infections (15%). Logistic regression analysis found statistical significance for the following variables: age (p = 0.000038), TT angiotensinogen (p = 0.08261), and family income greater than five times the minimum wage (p = 0.03089), the latter being a protective factor. Conclusions: The survival of hemodialysis patients is likely to be influenced by the TT of the angiotensinogen M235T gene.

I Brazilian Registry of Heart Failure - Clinical Aspects, Care Quality and Hospitalization Outcomes

Background:Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in adults in Brazil. However, most of the available data is limited to unicenter registries. The BREATHE registry is the first to include a large sample of hospitalized patients with decompensated HF from different regions in Brazil.Objective:Describe the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of hospitalized patients admitted with acute HF.Methods:Observational registry study with longitudinal follow-up. The eligibility criteria included patients older than 18 years with a definitive diagnosis of HF, admitted to public or private hospitals. Assessed outcomes included the causes of decompensation, use of medications, care quality indicators, hemodynamic profile and intrahospital events.Results:A total of 1,263 patients (64±16 years, 60% women) were included from 51 centers from different regions in Brazil. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (70.8%), dyslipidemia (36.7%) and diabetes (34%). Around 40% of the patients had normal left ventricular systolic function and most were admitted with a wet-warm clinical-hemodynamic profile. Vasodilators and intravenous inotropes were used in less than 15% of the studied cohort. Care quality indicators based on hospital discharge recommendations were reached in less than 65% of the patients. Intrahospital mortality affected 12.6% of all patients included.Conclusion:The BREATHE study demonstrated the high intrahospital mortality of patients admitted with acute HF in Brazil, in addition to the low rate of prescription of drugs based on evidence.

Comparação de Proteínas: alimentação das aves I

Beginning an experiment on protein comparisons, at the Poultry and Rabbitry Departament of the Esc. Sup. de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", University of S. Paulo, four groups of growing chicks were submitted during 40 days to the following rations: basal part - 50 corn meal and 30 wheat bran, variable part - R1 - 10 tankage and 10 peanut meal, R2 - 10 tankage and 10 cottonseed meal, R3 - 7 peanut meal, 7 cocoanut meal and 7 cottonseed meal, R4 - 5 tankage, 5 peanut, 5 cocoanut and 5 cottenseed meal, R2 and R3 gave results which may be considered as equal and inferior than those obtained with the others, R4 being the best one. The statistical analises showed no significant differences.

Raça de galinhas "piracicaba" I: hereditariedade dos caracteres pescoço pelado e plumagem preta

The characters naked neck and black plumage proved to be due to single genes in a group of chicks growing at the Poultry Department of "Luiz de Queiroz" School of Agriculture, Piracicaba, Brasil. The two characters segregate independently and the animals with known genetical constitution will be used in the formation of a local breed.

Considerações sôbre o emprego de variedades sintéticas no melhoramento do milho: I - sintéticos simples

1) Inicialmente foi dado um breve resumo dos métodos básicos do melhoramento no milho os quais podem ser reunidos em dois grupos principais: o processo do milho híbrido, com as suas variantes, e os processos dos sintéticos. Estes últimos podem ainda ser subdivididos em duas categorias: os sintéticos simples e os sintéticos balançados. Na obtenção dos sintéticos simples toma-se inicialmente em consideração a capacidade combinatória das linhagens a serem misturadas, e se executa em cada geração de sintético uma seleção massal de conservação. Nos balançados devemos acrescentar uma forte seleção, na fase preparatória, contra todos os híbridos que dão segregações mendelianas fortes demais. 2) No curso de um breve resumo histórico ficou evidente que a idéia de se aproveitarem os sintéticos no melhoramento do milho, formulada pela primeira vez por Hayes e Garber (1919) deu resultados práticos apreciáveis. Assim Hayes, Rinke e Tsinang (1944) obtiveram produções de sintéticos que eram equivalentes de um híbrido duplo, Minhybrid 403. Lonnquist (1949) registrou produções de sintéticos idênticos ao híbrido duplo, US 13. Roberts, Wellhausen, Palácios e Guaves (1949) e Wellhausen (1950) relataram resultados bastante satisfatórios, obtidos no México. 3) Ficou demonstrado que as fórmulas de Sewall Wright (1932) e de Mangelsdorf (1939) não podem ser consideradas como explicações gerais do método, pois pela sua derivação pode-se mostrar facilmente que elas exigem certas premissas que nem sempre são justificáveis. 4) Para eliminar confusões na terminologia foi desenvolvido um esquema básico da constituição de sintéticos supondo que se parte de linhagens autofecundadas e que foram plantadas em conjunto para a reprodução de cruzamento livre. A geração que consiste das plantas autofecundadas, plantadas em mistura, é denominada SyO. A geração seguinte, a qual contém uma maior percentagem de híbridos simples e uma menor per-centagem de descendentes de cruzamentos dentro de mesma linhagem (descendentes consanguíneos) representa assim a geração Syl. A geração que segue depois de novo cruzamento livre, Sy2, será então composta de híbridos entre quatro linhagens (híbridos duplos"), entre três linhagens ("three way crosses"), entre duas linhagens ("híbridos simples") e descendentes de combinações consanguíneas, ("inbreds"). Porém se houver uma seleção em Sy1 que elimina todos os descendentes de combinações consanguíneas, sobrevivendo apenas híbridos simples, então a geração Sy2 será composta de híbridos entre plantas que não tem nenhuma das linhagens originais em comum, os que têm uma linhagem em comum e finalmente aqueles que têm duas linhagens em comum. 5) Empregando esta classificação das gerações, podemos verificar que a geração Sy1 de Lonnquist corresponde à geração Sy1 do esquema básico, a geração Sy1 deHayes et al corresponde à geração Sy2 do esquema básico é a geração Sy1 de Wellhausen et al corresponde aproximadamente à geração Sy3 do esquema básico. 6) Uma teoria mais correta dos sintéticos deve-se basear nas regras da genética em populações, as quais foram empregadas por Brieger para justificar o processo dos sintéticos balançados. Uma discussão mais detalhada desta teoria será assim dada numa outra publicação que se ocupara especialmente com ossintéticos balançados.

Localização do adubo em relação à semente (I)

The authors discuss in the introduction the literature about the distribution and placemement of fertilizers in agricultural experiments in U.S.A. in such crops as cotton, corn, potato, beans and some vegetables. An experiment was carried out with corn in a randomized block with 7 treatments, and 4 repetitions. The plots were 11,2m wide by 10m long. The 7 treatments were the following: one broadcast, 3 applications of fertilizer in hills and 3 in rows. In the latter six treatments application in rows or hills was combined with applications in three different depths: below the seeds without mixing the soil, below the seeds but with mixing of the soil, and above the seeds without mixing the soil. The variation between treatments was significant, and the best treatment was the application of fertilizer in hill, below the seeds and with mixing of the soil. The most unfavorable was application in rows above the seed without mixing of the soil. The second best treatment was the application by broadcasting the fertilizer, with mixing the fertilizer and soil by hoeing. New experiments will be carried out, applying the fertilizer in two rows, parallel on each side to the seed row, at three depths: above, below and level with seeds planted. In their discussion the authors stress the need for more experimentation on the methods of applying fertilizers not only to corn plants, but with respect to all main crops and diferent types of soils.

Vinhaça e adubos minerais(I)

In this paper it is studied the action of vinasse as compared to mineral fertilizers. Beans, corn, cotton and sesame were cultivated in randomized blocks receiving the following treatments: A = mineral fertilizers (N, P, K); V = vinasse at the rate of 1,000,000 liters per Ha; AV = mineral fertilizers + vinasse; T = control. Statistical analysis of the experiments has consistently revealed the superiority of vinasse either combined or not with the mineral fertilizers over the remaining treatments. There was no significant difference between V and AV which shows the surprizing role of vinasse when applied to light soils such as those employed in the present experiments. By employing 1,000,000 liters of vinasse to the hectare the following amounts of nutrientes were applied to the crops in this experiment: 470 Kg of nitrogen 50 Kg of P2O5 and 3,100 Kg of K2O corresponds to 3,133 Kg of Chilean nitrate/ha 250 Kg of superphosphate and 5,160 Kg of muriate of potash Hence one cannot say that the action of vinasse is of a purely physical nature. In our opinion its outstanding action is due to: 1st raise in the pH value of the soil; 2nd addition of a tremendous amount of plant nutrients; 3rd supplying organic matter in a very finely divided state with all its benefical effects in soil structure, water holding capacity, adsorption of nutrients to prevent leaching, etc. A rotation experiment is now being carried out to study the residual effect of vinasse.

Adubação da mandioca (Manihot utilissima Pohl.) I: ensaio em areia lavada (Nota prévia)

This paper deals with the preliminary results of a sand culture experiment carried out to obtain physiological bases to study the fertilization of cassava in the State of São Paulo. On the other hand, the authors are interested in the possible influence of mineral nutrients in the quantity and quality of starch. Cassava (Manihot utilissima Pohl.), "Branca de Sta. Catarina" variety, was grown under the following treatments: NO PO KO, NO P1 K1, N1 P0 Kl, NI P1K0, N2 p1 Kl N1 P2 K1 and N1 P1 K2. A striking response to phosphorus was observed among the treatments. However, once secured the necessary phosphoric level to the plant, the production becomes limited by nitrogen; in other words, increase in yield can be accomplished only by raising the nitrogenous level. The present results suggest that the remarkable effects of phosphates applied to cassava cultures in the State of São Paulo are due not only to the poor quality of our soils, as far phosphorus is concerned: we are facing a positive physiological response showed by the plant.

Contribuição ao estudo da aplicação do método da diagnose foliar ao algodoeiro (Grossypium hirsutum L., var. I. A. C. 817) II

This paper deal with one experiment carried out in order to study the correlation between petioles analysis and seed cotton yield. A 3X3X3 factorial with respect to N, P2 0(5) and K2 O was installed in a sandy soil with low potash content and medium amounts of total N and easily extractable P. Two kinds of petioles, newly mature were collected for analysis: those attached to fruit hearing branches, and petioles located on the stem; the first group is conventionally named "productive petioles"; The second one is called "not productive petioles". Petioles' sampling was done when the first blossoms appeared. Yield date showed a marked response to potash, both nitrogen and phosphorus having no effect. Very good correlation was found between petioles potash and yield. Both types of petioles samples were equally good indicators of the potash status of the plants. By mathematical treatment of the date it followes that the highed yield which was possible under experimental conditions, 1.562 kg of seed cotton per hectare would be reacher by using 128 kg of K2O per hectare. With this amount of potash supplied to the plants the following K levels would be expected in the petioles: "productive petioles" "not productive petioles" 1,93 % K 1,85 % K