Clinical impact of transesophageal echocardiography in patients with stroke without clinical evidence of cardiovascular sources of emboli

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of transeophageal echocardiography on management of patients at low-risk for cardiogenic embolism to prevent new potential cardiovascular sources of emboli. METHODS: We studied 69 patients with ischemic stroke at low-risk for cardiogenic embolism. Transeophageal echocardiography was performed to access: left atrium enlargement; communication or aneurysm of the interatrial septum; patent foramen ovale; spontaneous echo contrast or intracavitary thrombi; the presence of intraaortic atherosclerotic plaques or thrombi; significant valvar morphologic alteration or dysfunction; left ventricle enlargement, hypertrophy, or contractile abnormality. Transesophageal echocardiography altered clinical management, and we adopted anticoagulant therapy or another procedure apart from the use of acetylsalicylic acid. RESULTS: Transeophageal echocardiography detected at least one abnormality in 40 cases (58%). Clinical conduct was adjusted after the performance of transesophageal echocardiography in 11 patients (15.9%); anticoagulation was added in 10 cases and surgical correction in one patient. CONCLUSION: Transeophageal echocardiography was a very useful tool in the secondary prevention for stroke in patients at low risk for cardiogenic embolism.

Ocorrência de aflatoxina em pastas de amendoim (Arachis hypogaea L.)

No presente trabalho os autores analisaram, para aflatoxina, 30 amostras de pasta de amendoim (Arachis hypogaea L.), sendo 10 de urna firma nacional (A), 10 de outra firma nacional (B) e 10 procedentes de 7 firmas dos EE.UU. A extração da aflatoxina foi feita com cloroformio, separada por cromatografia em camada delgada de silicagel-G e quantificada sob luz ultra-violeta. Os resultados mostraram que apenas 3 amostras (10%) não acusaram aflatoxina e eram de procedencia norte-americana; 6 (20%) tinham-na abaixo de 0,05 ppm; 15 (50%) estavam entre 0,05 e 0,25 ppm; 5 outras (16,6%) entre 0,25 e 1,00 ppm e 1 (3,3%) acima de 1,00 ppm. Estes dados exprimem a toxidez total, em termos de Bl. Os autores concluem, que, das amostras nacionais de pasta de amendoim, apenas 3 estariam em condições de serem con sumidas, ainda assim, com restrições. Ressaltam que, uma das amostras da Fabrica B, apresentou um nível de aflatoxina bastante elevado.

Spirura delicata sp. n. (Spiruridae, Spirurinae) from Leontocebus mystax (Callithrichidae) and a check list of other Nematodes of some brazilian primates

Spirura delicata sp. n. from Leontocebus mystax (Six) is proposed and compared to S. guianensis (Ortlepp, 1924) Chitwood, 1938, S. michiganensis Sandground, 1935 and S. nayarani Mirza & Basir, 1938. Their differentiation is based mainly on the size and shape of spicules. Identification of nematode samples recovered from primates along 60 years and presently deposited in the Oswaldo Cruz Helmintological Collection is provided herein through a check list. Some of them are reported in new hsots and/or geographical regions.

Field optimisation of MosquiTRAP sampling for monitoring Aedes aegypti Linnaeus (Diptera: Culicidae)

A sticky trap designed to capture gravid Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti mosquitoes, MosquiTRAP, has been evaluated for monitoring this species in Brazil. However, the effects of trap densities on the capture rate of Ae. aegypti females and the sensitivity of vector detection are still unknown. After a preliminary study has identified areas of high and low female mosquito abundance, a set of experiments was conducted in four neighbourhoods of Belo Horizonte (state of Minas Gerais, Brazil) using densities of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 traps per block. Trap sensitivity (positive MosquiTRAP index) increased significantly when 1-8 MosquiTRAPs were installed per block in both high and low abundance areas. A strong fit was obtained for the total number of mosquitoes captured with increasing trap densities through a non-linear function (Box-Lucas) (r² = 0,994), which likely exhibits saturation towards an equilibrium level. The capacity of the Mean Female Aedes Index to distinguish between areas of high and low Ae. aegypti abundance was also investigated; the achieved differentiation was shown to be dependent on the MosquiTRAP density.

The impact of CO2 on collection of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Culex quinquefasciatus Say by BG-Sentinel(r) traps in Manaus, Brazil

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important component for activating and attracting host-seeking mosquitoes. The BG-Sentinel(r) trap is a well-established monitoring tool for capturing Culicidae, but CO2 role for the trap effectiveness has not been evaluated in highly urbanised areas. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of BG-Sentinel traps baited with and without CO2 for capturing urban mosquitoes. Fifteen areas were selected within the city of Manaus, Brazil, where four BG-Sentinels were operated for 24 h, two of them with CO2 and two without CO2. Captured Aedes aegypti females were dissected for the determination of their parity status. A significantly higher proportion of traps (from 32-79%) were positive for female Ae. aegypti when using the BG-Sentinel with CO2 (χ2 = 11.0271, p ≤ 0.001). Catches of female Culex spp were six times higher in CO2 traps (Mann-Whitney U test = 190.5; p = 0.001). Parity rates were similar for both traps. This study showed that CO2 has primarily an enhancing effect on the efficacy of BG-Sentinel for capturing Culex spp in Manaus. For Ae. aegypti, the positivity rate of the trap was increased, when CO2 was added.

Temporal abundance of Aedes aegypti in Manaus, Brazil, measured by two trap types for adult mosquitoes

A longitudinal study was conducted in Manaus, Brazil, to monitor changes of adult Aedes aegypti (L.) abundance. The objectives were to compare mosquito collections of two trap types, to characterise temporal changes of the mosquito population, to investigate the influence of meteorological variables on mosquito collections and to analyse the association between mosquito collections and dengue incidence. Mosquito monitoring was performed fortnightly using MosquiTRAPs (MQT) and BG-Sentinel (BGS) traps between December 2008-June 2010. The two traps revealed opposing temporal infestation patterns, with highest mosquito collections of MQTs during the dry season and highest collections of BGS during the rainy seasons. Several meteorological variables were significant predictors of mosquito collections in the BGS. The best predictor was the relative humidity, lagged two weeks (in a positive relationship). For MQT, only the number of rainy days in the previous week was significant (in a negative relationship). The correlation between monthly dengue incidence and mosquito abundance in BGS and MQT was moderately positive and negative, respectively. Catches of BGS traps reflected better the dynamic of dengue incidence. The findings help to understand the effects of meteorological variables on mosquito infestation indices of two different traps for adult dengue vectors in Manaus.

Mass trapping with MosquiTRAPs does not reduce Aedes aegypti abundance

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Aedes aegyptimass trapping using the sticky trap MosquiTRAP (MQT) by performing a cluster randomised controlled trial in Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil. After an initial questionnaire and baseline monitoring of adultAe. aegyptiabundance with BG-Sentinel (BGS) traps in six clusters, three clusters were randomly assigned to the intervention arm where each participating household received three MQTs for mass trapping during 17 months. The remaining three clusters (control arm) did not receive traps. The effect of mass trapping on adult Ae. aegyptiabundance was monitored fortnightly with BGS traps. During the last two months of the study, a serological survey was conducted. After the study, a second questionnaire was applied in the intervention arm. Entomological monitoring indicated that MQT mass trapping did not reduce adult Ae. aegyptiabundance. The serological survey indicated that recent dengue infections were equally frequent in the intervention and the control arm. Most participants responded positively to questions concerning user satisfaction. According to the results, there is no evidence that mass trapping with MQTs can be used as a part of dengue control programs. The use of this sticky trap is only recommendable for dengue vector monitoring.

O valor do diploma nas práticas de recrutamento de grandes empresas

Estudos mostram que diplomas de nível superior facilitam o acesso a posições de trabalho mais bem remuneradas e são uma fonte importante de prestígio e honra social no Brasil. Não obstante, uma ampla literatura afirma hoje a diminuição da importância do diploma nos processos de contratação, argumentando que ele seria cada vez menos suficiente para se conseguir um emprego. Este artigo examina os processos de seleção de engenheiros recém-formados por oito grandes empresas da região de Campinas. Com base em entrevistas com os principais atores da seleção e em observações das rodadas iniciais de uma seleção realizada por firma de consultoria contratada por uma das empresas, o estudo mostra que o peso do diploma obtido em uma universidade de prestígio ainda é a variável mais importante na decisão de contratação, definindo não apenas a obtenção do emprego, mas também o acesso às vagas que levam às posições gerenciais, mais bem remuneradas e mais prestigiosas. Ao final, discute as implicações teóricas e o que esses resultados sugerem em termos de políticas públicas.

Substâncias húmicas: sistema de fracionamento sequencial por ultrafiltração com base no tamanho molecular

A sequential system for fractionation by ultrafiltration (SSFU) equipped with advanced membranes filters (molecular size cut-off: 5, 10, 30, 50 and 100 kDalton) of the polyethersulfone type was developed for analytical fractionation of humic substances (HS) extracted from aquatic systems or soils. The device consists of five membrane filters (Sartocon® Micro) operated by a multi-channel peristaltic pump, enabling an easy handling, working in a closed system and with simple collection of the six obtained fractions (F1>100; F2: 100-50; F3: 50-30; F4:30-10; F5: 10-5 and F6 <5 kDalton). Then, the HS sample (250 mL solution 1.0 mg/mL, pH 5.0 to 6.0) to be fractionated is pumped by pump through the series of membrane filters with a tangential flow of 85 mL/min, initial pressure 0.2 to 0.3 bar and permeation flux through the membranes of 0.8 to 1.4 mL/min. The overall time for fractionation and cleaning of the device is about 10 h and 25 mL of each fraction is obtained.

Substâncias húmicas aquáticas: fracionamento molecular e caracterização de rearranjos internos após complexação com íons metálicos

The aquatic humic substances (AHS) investigated in this study were conventionally isolated from Rio Negro waters - Amazonas State/Brazil by means of the collector XAD 8. A special five-stage tangential-flow ultrafiltration device was used for analytical fractionation of AHS. The fractionation patterns (6 fractions each) showed that metal traces remaining in AHS after their XAD 8 isolation have different size distributions. For instance, the major percentage of traces of Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb (determined using ICP-AES) was preferably complexed by molecules with relatively high molecular size (30-100 kDa) and the following complexation order was characterized: F2 >> F1 = F4 = F5 > F3 > F6. Moreover, the species formed between AHS and metals prepared by spiking, showed distribution patterns changing as a function of the complexation time (ageing process), indicating a slow transformation process and an inner rearrangements in the binding sites within the AHS molecules.

Extração de matéria orgânica aquática por abaixamento de temperatura: uma metodologia alternativa para manter a identidade da amostra

In this work was developed an alternative methodology to separation of aquatic organic matter (AOM) present in natural river waters. The process is based in temperature decreasing of the aqueous sample under controlled conditions that provoke the freezing of the sample and separation of the dark extract, not frozen and rich in organic matter. The results showed that speed of temperature decreasing exerts strongly influence in relative recovery of organic carbon, enrichment and time separation of the organic matter present in water samples. Elemental composition, infrared spectra and thermal analysis results showed that the alternative methodology is less aggressive possible in the attempt of maintaining the integrity of the sample.

Distribuição de Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd e Pb em frações húmicas de diferentes tamanhos moleculares extraídas de amostras de água e de sedimentos do reservatório de captação de água superficial Anhumas - Araraquara-SP

Estudou-se a distribuição de Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd e Pb em frações de substâncias húmicas (SH) de diferentes tamanhos moleculares. As SH foram extraídas de amostras de água (SHA) e de sedimentos de superfície (SHSS), interface/água (SHSI) e fundo (SHSF) coletados no reservatório de captação de água superficial Anhumas, localizado no município de Araraquara-SP. Para a extração das SH utilizaram-se os procedimentos recomendados pela Sociedade Internacional de Substâncias Húmicas. Após purificação por diálise, as SH foram fracionadas com base no tamanho molecular utilizando-se sistema de fracionamento seqüencial por ultrafiltração e fluxo tangencial. O fracionamento das amostras de SHA permitiu caracterizar uma distribuição de massa relativamente uniforme dentre as frações de diferentes tamanhos moleculares, com valores maiores nas frações F2 (20,8%) e F4 (23,8%). Exceto para os íons Pb(II) e Cu(II) os quais apresentaram concentrações relativamente mais altas nas frações F2 e F4, respectivamente, de maneira geral, crômio, níquel, cádmio e chumbo têm distribuições similares nas cinco frações com tamanhos moleculares maiores e médios (F1 a F5). Quanto às distribuições de massa nas diferentes frações de substâncias húmicas extraídas de amostras de sedimento de superfície (SHSS), sedimento interface/água (SHSI) e sedimento de fundo (SHSF), as três amostras apresentaram 42-48% das SH nas frações com maiores tamanhos moleculares (F1 e F2), 29-31% nas frações intermediárias (F3 e F4) e 13-20% nas frações com menores tamanhos moleculares (F5 e F6). De modo geral, caracterizaram-se para os íons metálicos, distribuições similares dentre as respectivas frações F1 a F6. Exceções para Pb(II) e Ni(II) em sedimento de superfície com concentrações relativamente menores nas frações F2 e F4, respectivamente.

Análise dos resíduos madeireiros gerados nas marcenarias do município de Viçosa - Minas Gerais

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os resíduos gerados nas marcenarias do município de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, e propor ações potencializadoras para o seu melhor aproveitamento. Foram coletados dados sobre os resíduos de madeira gerados em 17 marcenarias da cidade, por intermédio da aplicação de questionários. Os resultados mostraram que a serragem, os sarrafos, as maravalhas e os cavacos foram os principais tipos de resíduos produzidos, sendo a serragem o resíduo mais abundante. As máquinas que mais geraram resíduos foram a desengrossadeira e a desempenadeira. A maioria das marcenarias doava ou vendia os resíduos produzidos. Constatou-se que não havia preocupação por parte dos proprietários das marcenarias quanto à agregação de valor ao resíduo gerado e quais os danos ambientais que estes poderiam ocasionar. A partir dos resultados, propuseram-se as seguintes medidas de melhor aproveitamento dos resíduos gerados: geração de energia através da queima direta de resíduos oriundos da madeira sólida, fabricação de briquetes, fertilizantes e de "pequenos objetos de madeira" (POM).

PYRENE MORPHOLOGY OF THREE SPECIES OF Byrsonima Rich. ex Kunth (Malpighiaceae)1

ABSTRACT The species of the genus Byrsonima Rich. ex Kunth are of great medicinal and economic importance, but they are still poorly studied with respect to their propagules. This study describes, illustrates and comparse morphological aspects of the pyrenes of Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth, Byrsonima verbascifolia (L.) DC. and Byrsonima coccolobifolia Kunth occurring in areas of savannah of Boa Vista, Roraima. The pyrenes are globoid, obovoid to ovoid, with endocarp dark brown in color, with a corrugated and reticulate surface and corneous consistency. They possess distinctly septate locules with or without seeds, the outer wall of which are dark brown in color with corneous consistency and thin black inner walls also with corneous consistency. The number of locules and seeds per pyrene among the species varies. The seeds are exalbuminous, globoid, obovoid to ovoid, with a thin, smooth integument and are light-brown in color. They have radicular lobes and hypostasis. The embryo is continuous and axial with cylindrical spirally rolled cotyledons. The diameter of pyrenes of Byrsonima crassifolia is greater than in the other two species. The pyrenes of B. coccolobifolia are longer and heavier, while those of B. verbascifolia are lighter and the seeds have greater lengths, widths and thickness compared to the other two species studied. The three species have similar morphologies, differing in the size and weight of pyrenes and seeds.