Difference in the in-hospital mortality of unstable angina pectoris between men and women

PURPOSE: To assess differences in the in-hospital mortality (HM) rate between men and women with unstable angina pectoris (UA) according to age, depression of the ST segment, history of previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and risk factors for coronary heart disease. METHODS: From October 96 to March 98, 261 patients with UA were selected. Logistic regression models were developed to adjust the association between sex and HM for possible influence of covariables, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and familial history of early coronary heart disease. RESULTS: HM due to UA was approximately three times higher in women (9.3%; 12/129) than in men (3.0%; 4/132) accounting for a relative risk of 3.07; 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.02-9.27. In logistic regression models, the association between sex and death was not significantly altered when the following parameters were considered: age, depression of the ST segment, history of previous AMI and risk factors for coronary heart disease. The nonadjusted and adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the distinct covariables were 3.28 (CI 95%=1.03-10.45) and 3.14 (CI = 95% = 0.88-11.20), respectively. CONCLUSION: Similarly to AMI, HM in UA is higher in women than in men. Age, risk factors for coronary heart disease, and depression of the ST segment in the electrocardiogram on patients' admission to the hospital did not significantly influence the association between sex and death.

Difference in susceptibility to lysis between clones of the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi

Three clones isolated from the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi - YP1, YP2 and YP3 - were adapted to in vitro cultivation in VERO cells. The recovery of the parasites from the Y strain and clone YP3 was similar after 24 hr of contact with cells (3.2% and 2.7%, respectively) and much lower than the recovery of clones YP1 and YP2 (56.7% and 60.0% of inoculum, respectively). After five days incubation, the ratio Trypomastigotes/Amastigotes released into the supernatants was about 90/10 for clone YP1, YP3 and Y strain, and 50/50 for clone YP2. After nine days, the ratio was 62/38 for clone YP1, 97/3 for clone YP3, 81/19 for Y strain and 50/50 for clone YP2. The susceptibility of tissue culture derived trypomastigotes (TCT) to lysis in the presence of chronic chagasic human sera and human complement was assessed using Complement Mediated Lysis reaction (CML). Trypomastigotes from clone YP2 were consistently less susceptible to CML (% lysis less than 20), than parasites from the other clones and Y strain. Parasites of clone YP3 had susceptibility to CML comparable to that of the Y strain (about 70%), while TCT of clone YP1 had intermediary susceptibility (40%).

Cross-sectional study defines difference in malaria morbidity in two Yanomami communities on Amazonian boundary between Brazil and Venezuela

It is well established that immunity to malaria is short-lived and is maintained by the continuous contact with the parasite. We now show that the stable transmission of malaria in Yanomami Amerindian communities maintains a degree of immunity in the exposed population capable to reduce prevalence and morbidity of malaria. We examined 508 Yanomami Amerindians living along Orinoco (407) and Mucajaí (101) rivers, on the Venezuelan and Brazilian Amazon region, respectively. At Orinoco villages, malaria was hyperendemic and presented stable transmission, while at Mucajaí villages it was mesoendemic and showed unstable transmission. The frequency of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum was roughly comparable in Venezuelan and Brazilian communities. Malaria presented different profiles at Orinoco and Mucajaí villages. In the former communities, malaria showed a lower prevalence (16% x 40.6%), particularly among those over 10 years old (5.2% x 34.8%), a higher frequency of asymptomatic cases (38.5% x 4.9%), and a lower frequency of cases of severe malaria (9.2% x 36.5%). Orinoco villagers also showed a higher reactivity of the immune system, measured by the frequency of splenomegaly (72.4% x 29.7%) and by the splenic index (71.4% over level 1 x 28.6), and higher prevalence (91.1% x 72.1%) and mean titer (1243 x 62) of antiplasmodial IgG antibodies, as well as a higher prevalence (77.4% x 24.7%) and mean titer (120 x 35) of antiplasmodial IgM antibodies. Our findings show that in isolated Yanomami communities the stability of malaria transmission, and the consequent continuous activation of the immune system of the exposed population, leads to the reduction of malaria prevalence and morbidity.

The use of total luminescence spectroscopy in the investigation of the effects of different rice management practices on humic substances of a planosol

In the Earth's carbon cycle, C stocks in the soil are higher than in vegetation and atmosphere. Maintaining and conserving organic C concentrations in the soil by specific management practices can improve soil fertility and productivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of agricultural management techniques and influence of water regime (flooded or drained) on the structure of humic substances by excitation/emission matrix fluorescence. Six samples of a Planosol (Planossolo by the Brazilian System of Soil Classification) were collected from a rice field. Humic substances (HS) were extracted from flooded and drained soil under different agricultural management techniques: conventional tillage, reduced tillage and grassland. Two peaks at a long emission wavelength were observed in the EEM spectra of HA whereas those of the corresponding FA contained a unique fluorophore at an intermediate excitation/emission wavelength pair (EEWP) value. The fluorescence intensity measured by total luminescence (FI TL) of HA was lower than that of the corresponding FA. A comparison of all samples (i.e., the HA values compared to each other) revealed only slight differences in the EEWP position, but the FI TL values were significantly different. In this soil, anoxic conditions and reduced tillage (little plowing) seem to favor a higher degree of humification of the soil organic matter compared with aerated conditions and conventional tillage.

The combined use of reflectance, emissivity and elevation Aster/Terra data for tropical soil studies

Reflectance, emissivity and elevation data of the sensor ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer)/Terra were used to characterize soil composition variations according to the toposequence position. Normalized data of SWIR (shortwave infrared) reflectance and TIR (thermal infrared) emissivity, coupled to a soil-fraction image from a spectral mixture model, were evaluated to separate bare soils from nonphotosynthetic vegetation. Regression relationships of some soil properties with reflectance and emissivity data were then applied on the exposed soil pixels. The resulting estimated values were plotted on the ASTER-derived digital elevation model. Results showed that the SWIR bands 5 and 6 and the TIR bands 10 and 14 measured the clay mineral absorption band and the quartz emissivity feature, respectively. These bands improved also the discrimination between nonphotosynthetic vegetation and soils. Despite the differences in pixel size and field sampling size, some soil properties were correlated with reflectance (R² of 0.65 for Al2O3 in band 6; 0.61 for Fe2O3 in band 3) and emissivity (R² of 0.65 for total sand fraction in the 10/14 band ratio). The combined use of reflectance, emissivity and elevation data revealed variations in soil composition with topography in specific parts of the landscape. From higher to lower slope positions, a general decrease in Al2O3 and increase in total sand fraction was observed, due to the prevalence of Rhodic Acrustox at the top and its gradual transition to Typic Acrustox at the bottom.

Espectroscopia de infravermelho na determinação da textura do solo

A aplicação de técnicas espectroscópicas que utilizam a radiação infravermelha (NIRS-Near Infrared Spectroscopy e DRIFTS-Diffuse Reflectance Fourier Transformed Spectroscopy) na análise inorgânica do solo tem sido proposta desde a década de 1970, mas até os dias atuais são raros os métodos implementados rotineiramente no Brasil. Isso deve-se à dificuldade em construir modelos de calibração, por meio de métodos estatísticos multivariados, utilizando-se amostras reais de solo, de constituição complexa, que varia geograficamente e de acordo com o manejo. Por isso, os objetivos deste trabalho foram construir modelos de calibração em NIRS e DRIFTS para a quantificação das frações de argila e areia, em amostras de solos de classes diferentes - Latossolo Vermelho (predominante), Nitossolo, Argissolo Vermelho e Neossolo Quartzarênico - e avaliar qual dessas duas técnicas é mais adequada para essa finalidade, assim como a interferência do agrupamento de amostras e da seleção de variáveis espectrais na qualidade desses modelos. Para isso, valores de referência obtidos pelo método do densímetro, método largamente utilizado nos laboratórios de análise de solo, foram correlacionados com valores de absorbância em NIRS e DRIFTS pela ferramenta estatística PLS (Partial Least Squares), obtendo-se altos coeficientes de determinação (R²), de 0,95, 0,90 e 0,91 para argila, silte e areia, respectivamente, na validação externa. Isso confirma a aplicabilidade das técnicas espectroscópicas na análise granulométrica do solo para fins agrícolas. O agrupamento das amostras segundo a localização e a seleção de variáveis espectrais pouco influenciou na qualidade dos modelos. A técnica espectroscópica mais indicada para essa finalidade foi a DRIFTS.

Potential of Spectroradiometry to Classify Soil Clay Content

ABSTRACT Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a fast and cheap alternative for soil clay, but needs further investigation to assess the scope of application. The purpose of the study was to develop a linear regression model to predict clay content from DRS data, to classify the soils into three textural classes, similar to those defined by a regulation of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply. The DRS data of 412 soil samples, from the 0.0-0.5 m layer, from different locations in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were measured at wavelengths of 350 to 2,500 nm in the laboratory. The fitting of the linear regression model developed to predict soil clay content from the DRS data was based on a R2 value of 0.74 and 0.75, with a RMSE of 7.82 and 8.51 % for the calibration and validation sets, respectively. Soil texture classification had an overall accuracy of 79.0 % (calibration) and 80.9 % (validation). The heterogeneity of soil samples affected the performance of the prediction models. Future studies should consider a previous classification of soil samples in different groups by soil type, parent material and/or sampling region.

Phosphorus analysis in soil under herbaceous perennial leguminous cover by nuclear magnetic spectroscopy

The availability and the reserves of organic phosphorus are controlled by its mineralization rate and are also influenced by changes in soil management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of soil covering with different leguminous plant on soil organic P by 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Alkaline soil extracts were obtained from two depths (0-5 and 5-10 cm) of an Ultisol cultivated with herbaceous perennial leguminous plants (Arachis pintoi, Pueraria phaseoloides, Macroptilium atropurpureum). In an adjacent area, samples of the same soil cover with a secondary tropical forest and grass (Panicum maximum) were also collected. The leguminous management was divided into with removal and without removal of shoot parts after cut on soil surface. Phosphate monoesters are the dominant P species in all soil samples and P diesters accumulated on the superficial layer of secondary forest soil. The P amount of this fraction is higher for the legume covered soil when compared with the grass covered soil. The permanence of leguminous plants on the topsoil after the cut promoted an increase in P diester/P monoester ratios. These findings can be accounted for an enhancement of P availability to plants in soils cultivated with leguminous plants.

Sugarcane response to nitrogen rates, measured by a canopy reflectance sensor

Abstract:The objective of this work was to evaluate whether a canopy sensor is capable of estimating sugarcane response to N, as well as to propose strategies for handling the data generated by this device during the decision-making process for crop N fertilization. Four N rate-response experiments were carried out, with N rates varying from 0 to 240 kg ha-1. Two evaluations with the canopy sensor were performed when the plants reached average stalk height of 0.3 and 0.5 m. Only two experiments showed stalk yield response to N rates. The canopy sensor was able to identify the crop response to different N rates and the relationship of the nutrient with sugarcane yield. The response index values obtained from the canopy sensor readings were useful in assessing sugarcane response to the applied N rate. Canopy reflectance sensors can help to identify areas responsive to N fertilization and, therefore, improve sugarcane fertilizer management.

Validação de modelos de calibração multivariada: uma aplicação na determinação de pureza polimórfica de carbamazepina por espectroscopia no infravermelho próximo

The application of analytical procedures based on multivariate calibration models has been limited in several areas due to requirements of validation and certification of the model. Procedures for validation are presented based on the determination of figures of merit, such as precision (mean, repeatability, intermediate), accuracy, sensitivity, analytical sensitivity, selectivity, signal-to-noise ratio and confidence intervals for PLS models. An example is discussed of a model for polymorphic purity control of carbamazepine by NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results show that multivariate calibration models can be validated to fulfill the requirements imposed by industry and standardization agencies.

Monomer conversion of composite dental resins photoactivated by a halogen lamp and a LED: a FT-Raman spectroscopy study

Eighteen circular blocks of resins cured either by a LED or a halogen lamp (20, 40 and 60 s), had their top (T) and bottom (B) surfaces studied using a FT-Raman spectrometer. Systematic changes in the intensity of the methacrylate C=C stretching mode at 1638 cm-1 as a function of exposure duration were observed. The calculated degree of conversion (DC) ranged from 45.0% (B) to 52.0% (T) and from 49.0% (B) to 55.0% (T) for the LED and halogen lamp, respectively. LED and halogen light produced similar DC values with 40 and 60 s of irradiation.

The role of fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy (FABMS) in cluster characterization

Fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy has been used to study a large number of cationic phosphine-containing transition-metal-gold clusters, which ranged in mass from 1000 to 4000. Many of these clusters have been previously characterized and were examined in order to test the usefulness of the FABMS technique. Results showed that FABMS is excellent in giving the correct molecular formula and when combined with NMR, IR, and microanalysis gave a reliable characterization for cationic clusters¹. Recently FABMS has become one of the techniques employed as routine in cluster characterization2,3 and also is an effective tool for the structure analysis of large biomolecules4. Some results in the present work reinforce the importance of these data in the characterization of clusters in the absence of crystals with quality for X-ray analysis.

Iron oxide and pyrocatechol: a spectroscopy study of the reaction products

The reaction of 1,2-dihydroxy-benzene (pyrocatechol) (C6H6O2) with iron oxide (Fe2O3) and sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) in aqueous medium (pH 7) was investigated. Pyrocatechol suffers autoxidation and coordinates with Fe3+ in solution. The presence of S2O3(2-) in solution was fundamental to generate and stabilize the pyrocatechol oxidation products as o-semiquinones. This compound was isolated and its structure characterized using FT-IR, EPR and UV-Vis Spectroscopy as [CTA][Fe(SQ)2(Cat)]. A thermal mass loss mechanism was proposed based on Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG) to support the structural characterization.

Photomultiplier nonlinear response in time-domain laser-induced luminescence spectroscopy

A new procedure to find the limiting range of the photomultiplier linear response of a low-cost, digital oscilloscope-based time-resolved laser-induced luminescence spectrometer (TRLS), is presented. A systematic investigation on the instrument response function with different signal input terminations, and the relationship between the luminescence intensity reaching the photomultiplier and the measured decay time are described. These investigations establish that setting the maximum intensity of the luminescence signal below 0.3V guarantees, for signal input terminations equal or higher than 99.7 ohm, a linear photomultiplier response.