Erythroderma: analysis of 247 cases

The profile of 247 patients with erythroderma during a 23 year period from January, 1962 through March, 1985, with a follow-up period ranging from 1 to 26 years were analysed. The patients presented with diffuse erythema, scaling and pruritus of more than 2 months' duration, and the age ranged from 16 to 60 years. Psoriasis was the most frequent underlying disease with an estimated frequency of 44.9%, the reaction to the use of drugs appeared in 7.3% of total cases and association with reticulosis showed a frequency of 4.1%. The cause of the erythroderma could not be determined in 29.2% of the cases. Sex differences in terms of underlying diseases were not observed. One or more skin biopsies along with the clinical findings were diagnostic or suggestive of the underlying disease in 63.6% of the cases. Repeated skin biopsies are recommended as the best method for etiologic diagnosis of erythroderma. At P=0.05 significance level, masculine/feminine ratio of 2 : 1 was found. The question arises wether causal agent of erythroderma may not be somehow related to different exposure by sex to environmental antigens.

Cryptosporidiosis occurrence in HIV+ patients attended in a hospital, Brazil

Cryptosporidiosis occurrence was determined in HIV+ patient assisted in the Clinic of Infect-parasitic Diseases in a hospital of Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the period from Juy/1998 to March/1999. In order to research, seventy-five patient, carriers of diarrhea or not, were appraised. The samples of feces were collected and placed in saline solution with formaldehyde (5%). The Modified Ritchie technique was used for the oocysts research, and the smears were stained with Safranine O methylene blue. The results verified 9.33% of positive samples, with higher frequency of cases in patients of the masculine sex from 20 to 50 years old, however without significant difference.

Desreguladores endócrinos no meio ambiente: efeitos e conseqüências

There is an increasing interest in micropollutants in the environment that can interfere with the endocrine system, affecting health, growth and reproduction of animals and humans. These substances are known as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and can be found in domestic sewage, domestic wastewater treatment plant effluents, and in natural and potable waters. There are numerous chemicals classified as EDCs, such as pesticides, chemicals used and produced by chemical industries and natural and synthetic estrogens. EDCs can be related to the increase of the incidence of anomalies in the reproductive system of animals, cancer in humans and reduction of the masculine fertility.

Sade est-il un philosophe des Lumières ?

Dans les romans de Sade, on n’accomplit que des crimes qui sont longuement expliqués, commentés et surtout légitimés. Ces dissertations ont conduit les critiques à rapprocher le marquis des philosophes du XVIIIe siècle et parfois même à l’assimiler à ces derniers. Le présent article indique que ce rapprochement n’est pas fondé et prouve que Sade n’a pas cautionné mais a au contraire stigmatisé les raisonnements des philosophes et de leurs épigones qui tendaient à instiller chez les Français du XVIIIe siècle l’illusion que tout était légitime et que tout était permis.

Subjetividade e verdade no último Foucault

A constituição do sujeito na investigação do último Foucault geralmente é conhecida pela perspectiva de sua estética da existência. Tal abordagem deve-se sobremaneira à leitura dos dois últimos volumes de Histoire de la sexualité (1984). No entanto, o presente artigo aponta que nos cursos no Collège de France intitulados Subjectivité et verité (1981) e L'herméneutique du sujet (1982) outra leitura pode ser elaborada. A relação entre subjetividade e verdade evidencia-se como central em seu pensamento e seus desdobramentos são apresentados a partir das diferenças estabelecidas entre filosofia e espiritualidade, das articulações entre cuidado de si e conhecimento de si, conhecimentos úteis e inúteis, cuidado de si e conversão a si, ascese e verdade.