Technological level and epidemiological aspects of sheep husbandry in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

Epidemiological and health aspects of sheep husbandry were assessed on 213 sheep flocks in 142 municipalities from the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. An updated questionnaire was filled out for each flock, requesting data on the farm, the flock and the farmer by the veterinarians of the State Government Agency for Animal Health (Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária). Thirteen important variables were selected and scored to determine the technological level of the 117 farms; 0.9% of them was classified as high technological level, 45.3% as medium technological level and 53.0% as low technological level. Lamb production was the main objective of the farms and the main features were low-frequencies of individual identification of animals (16.9%), technical assistance (31.9%), use of quarantine for newly acquired animals (0.9%) the separation of animals by age group (3.7%) and requeste the sanitary certificate at purchasing of animals (11.7%). The main health problems reported were abortion (23.9%), keratoconjunctivitis (17.9%), contagious ecthyma (13.6%), pneumonia (10.3%), diarrhea (9.3%) and caseous lymphadenitis (6.1%). Information of the epidemiological situation and the mainly health measures used in the sheep farms are important to improve the productivity and quality of the lamb.

Infecção por Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis em equinos: aspectos microbiológicos, clínicos e preventivos

Resumo: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis é o agente causador da linfadenite caseosa em caprinos e ovinos, sendo responsável por significativas perdas econômicas na ovinocaprinocultura mundialmente. Esta bactéria Gram-positiva também infecta equinos, causando desde quadros assintomáticos até infecções sistêmicas, podendo levar o animal a óbito. Especificamente no Brasil, não foram relatados casos de infecção em equinos, mas acredita-se que, devido à convivência de pequenos ruminantes infectados com equinos em diversas propriedades rurais, seja natural que ocorra a infecção desses animais. A presente revisão tem como objetivo fornecer informações sobre a bactéria C. pseudotuberculosis, sobre os aspectos epidemiológicos e clínicos da infecção em equídeos, bem como sobre técnicas de manejo para sua prevenção.

Highly sensitive C-reactive protein and male gender are independently related to the severity of coronary disease in patients with metabolic syndrome and an acute coronary event

Patients with metabolic syndrome are at high-risk for development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. The objective of this study was to examine the major determinants of coronary disease severity, including those coronary risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, during the early period after an acute coronary episode. We tested the hypothesis that inflammatory markers, especially highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), are related to coronary atherosclerosis, in addition to traditional coronary risk factors. Subjects of both genders aged 30 to 75 years (N = 116) were prospectively included if they had suffered a recent acute coronary syndrome (acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris requiring hospitalization) and if they had metabolic syndrome diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III. Patients were submitted to a coronary angiography and the burden of atherosclerosis was estimated by the Gensini score. The severity of coronary disease was correlated (Spearman’s or Pearson’s coefficient) with gender (r = 0.291, P = 0.008), age (r = 0.218, P = 0.048), hsCRP (r = 0.256, P = 0.020), ApoB/ApoA ratio (r = 0.233, P = 0.041), and carotid intima-media thickness (r = 0.236, P = 0.041). After multiple linear regression, only male gender (P = 0.046) and hsCRP (P = 0.012) remained independently associated with the Gensini score. In this high-risk population, male gender and high levels of hsCRP, two variables that can be easily obtained, were associated with more extensive coronary disease, identifying patients with the highest potential of developing new coronary events.

O mesmo, os outros e o "eles" algumas notas sobre os §§ 25-27 de Sein und Zeit

As palavras que se seguem constituem uma tentativa de explorar os diversos sentidos que revestem a figura do «com» [mit], tal como surge configurada ao longo dos §§ 25-27 de Sein und Zeit. Escutaremos atentamente aquilo que Heidegger tem a dizer a respeito da necessária determinação do ser-no-mundo [in-der-Welt-sein] como ser-com [Mitsein] e veremos, depois, em que medida a sua analítica existencial faz (ou não) depender a constituição do ser-si-mesmo [Selbstsein] da figura do outro. Por último, e em jeito de conclusão, tentaremos mostrar como Heidegger articula a interrogação pela ipseidade ou pelo «quem?» [Wer?] do ser-aí quotidiano [alltägliche Dasein], com uma breve reflexão acerca da inautenticidade [Uneigentlichkeit] fáctica em que o mesmo muitas vezes parece soçobrar. Será então, estamos em crer, o momento apropriado para debatermos o significado da controversa noção heideggeriana de «eles» [das Man], aproveitando também o ensejo para lançarmos a questão relativa à responsabilidade (ética?) do Dasein. Metodologicamente, contornaremos (sempre que possível) os tradicionais comentários a respeito das infinitas modalidades alternativas de tradução do jargão filosófico heideggeriano.