Pilocytic astrocytoma following radiotherapy for craniopharyngioma: case report

Administration of fractionated doses of irradiation is part of the adjutant therapy for CNS tumours such as craniopharyngiomas and pituitary adenomas. It can maximise cure rates or expand symptom-free period. Among the adverse effects of radiotherapy, the induction of a new tumour within the irradiated field has been frequently described. The precise clinical features that correlate irradiation and oncogenesis are not completely defined, but some authors have suggested that tumors are radiation induced when they are histologically different from the treated ones, arise in greater frequency in irradiated patients than among normal population and tend to occur in younger people with an unusual aggressiveness. In this article, we report a case of a papillary astrocytoma arising in a rather unusual latency period following radiotherapy for craniopharyngioma.

Levotiroxina e o problema da permutabilidade de drogas de estreito intervalo terapêutico

The exchange of a prescribed drug by other similar, by generic products and even by custom products has become common practice in our country, often ignoring basic tenets of bioequivalence, interchangeability, stability and characteristics of the pharmaceutical compounds. In the case of drugs of narrow therapeutic index, such as levothyroxine, these problems are intensified, putting the effectiveness of treatment and patient health at serious risk. We review the pertinent legislation, emphasizing the characteristics of levothyroxine and adverse effects that limit the interchangeability of the compound.

Hormônio de crescimento em crianças e adolescentes com fibrose cística

The recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) can improve weight gain, physical growth, clinical and lung in cystic fibrosis (CF). However, the routine use, although promising, is not established in the literature. The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of rhGH in children and adolescents with CF. We conducted a systematic review in the database PubMed, Lilacs, SciELO and Cochrane, in the period 2000-2010, using the keywords: cystic fibrosis, growth hormone, children and adolescents. We found 77 articles and included 11 randomized controlled trials, with 290 children and adolescents with CF. The short-term use (1-24 months) of rhGH improved the height, weight, growth rate, bone mineral content and components of pulmonary function. Adverse effects, like diabetes, were not observed in the studies. The short-term use of rhGH improved growth and body composition in patients with CF.

Efeitos da temperatura do ar, linhagem e período do dia nas freqüências de ocorrências e tempos de expressão comportamental de matrizes pesadas

Behavioral adjustments may occur fast and with less cost than the physiological adaptations. Considering the social behavior is suggestive that the frequency and the intensity of aggressive interactions, the total social cohesion and the extent of vicious attitudes may be used to evaluate welfare. This research presents an analysis of the interactions between the experimental factors such as temperature, genetic and time of the day in the behavior of female broiler breeders under controlled environment in a climatic chamber in order to enhance the different reaction of the birds facing distinct environmental conditions. The results showed significant differences between the behaviors expressed by the studied genetics presenting the need of monitoring them in real-time in order to predict their welfare in commercial housing, due to the complexity of the environmental variables that interfere in the well being process. The research also concluded that the welfare evaluation of female broiler breeders needs to consider the time of the day during the observation of the behaviors.

Competição larval em Chrysomya megacephala (F.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae): efeitos de diferentes níveis de agregação larval sobre estimativas de peso, fecundidade e investimento reprodutivo

In insects that utilize patchy and ephemeral resources for feeding and egg laying, the outcome of larval competition for food resources depends on the amount of resources and the spatial distribution of immatures among patches of food. In the present study, the results of larval competition for food in Chrysomya megacephala, in traits such as female weight, fecundity and reproductive investment, were different in situations where the level of larval aggregation (proportion of competitors per amount of food) was the same, but with densities of competitors and amounts of food proportionally different. These results are indicative that the larval competition may depend both on the larval density and the amount of food, in different situations with the same proportion of larvae per gram of food.

Educação a distância e efeitos em cadeia

This article is divided into two parts. The first presents two abstract arguments that constitute the starting point for the development of the second part, which is directed towards discussing some aspects of the distance learning policies, i.e., the role of public authorities in encouraging and shaping this type of education. First of all, it is intended to establish some assumptions to understand the emergence of this phenomenon and some of its conditioning factors and consequences; then to suggest some analytical tools to allow us to reflect on public policy in this area.

Alteração da atividade enzimática em organismos aquáticos por poluentes de origem agrícola: uma abordagem geral e sobre a suscetibilidade da fosfatase ácida

The input of agrochemicals in the aquatic compartment can results in biochemical injuries for living organisms. In this context, the knowledge of alterations of enzymatic activities due the presence of agriculture pollutants contributes for the elucidation of the mechanisms of toxicity, implementation of economic methods for monitoring purposes and establishment of maximum allowed concentrations. In the present work, the above considerations are discussed, and data concerning changes in enzymatic function by pesticides and fertilizer contaminants are reviewed. Also, we focused on the acid phosphatase due its susceptibility to several pollutants and diversity in cellular functions.

Aplicações de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência para o estudo de poluentes orgânicos emergentes

Emerging organic pollutants (EOP) include many environmental contaminants based on commercial products such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, detergents, gasoline, polymers, etc. EOP may be candidates for future regulation as they offer potential risk to environmental and human health due to their continual entrance into the environment and to the fact that even the most modern wastewater treatment plants are not able to totally transform / remove these compounds. High performance liquid chromatography is recommended to separate emerging organic pollutants with characteristics of high polarity and low volatility, especially pharmaceuticals, from environmental matrices.

Modelagem matemática e simulação numérica do resfriamento rápido de morango com ar forçado

This work approaches the forced air cooling of strawberry by numerical simulation. The mathematical model that was used describes the process of heat transfer, based on the Fourier's law, in spherical coordinates and simplified to describe the one-dimensional process. For the resolution of the equation expressed for the mathematical model, an algorithm was developed based on the explicit scheme of the numerical method of the finite differences and implemented in the scientific computation program MATLAB 6.1. The validation of the mathematical model was made by the comparison between theoretical and experimental data, where strawberries had been cooled with forced air. The results showed to be possible the determination of the convective heat transfer coefficient by fitting the numerical and experimental data. The methodology of the numerical simulations was showed like a promising tool in the support of the decision to use or to develop equipment in the area of cooling process with forced air of spherical fruits.

Efeitos da cobertura do solo com filme de polietileno azul no consumo de água da cultura da alface cultivada em estufa

The covering of the soil is an agricultural practice that intends to control the harmful herbs, to reduce the losses of water by evaporation of the soil, and to facilitate the harvest and the commercialization, once the product is cleaner and healthier. However, when the soil is covered important microclimatic parameters are also altered, and consequently the germination of seeds, the growth of roots, the absorption of water and nutrients, the metabolic activity of the plants and the carbohydrates storage. The current trial intended to evaluate the effect of soil covering with blue colored film on consumptive water-use in a lettuce crop (Lactuca sativa, L.). The experiment was carried out in a plastic greenhouse in Araras - São Paulo State, Brazil from March 3rd, 2001 to May 5th, 2001. The consumptive water-use was measured through two weighing lysimeter installed inside the greenhouse. Crop spacing was 0.25 m x 0.25 m and the color of the film above soil was blue. Leaf area index (IAF), was measured six times (7; 14; 21; 28; 35; 40 days after transplant) and the water-use efficiency (EU) was measured at the end. The experimental design was subdivided portions with two treatments, bare soil and covered soil. The average consumptive water-use was 4.17 mm day-1 to the bare soil treatment and 3.11 mm day-1 to the covered soil treatment. The final leaf area index was 25.23 to the bare soil treatment and 24.39 to the covered soil treatment, and there was no statistical difference between then.

Utilização de 1-metilciclopropeno e resfriamento rápido na conservação de pêssegos

Postharvest losses vary among the different vegetable products. However, among fruits and vegetables the losses generally range from 30% to 50%. Thus, this paper aimed the application of 1-methylcycloprene (1-MCP) and fast cooling with forced air (PC) on peaches, in order to estimate their effects in the ripening process of this fruit. Physiological analyses were performed, such as loss of fresh mass, firmness, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, ratio and CO2 production, as well as sensorial analyses such as color, texture and flavor. The experiment was divided in two phases. In the first one, concentrations of 30, 60, and 90 nL/L 1-MCP, applied at 0 ºC and 20 ºC, were tested. The fruits treated without 1-MCP were denominated control for both temperatures studied. The second phase was composed by the following treatments: cold storage (CS) or control, cooling with forced air (CFA), cooling with forced air followed by 1-MCP application (CFA + 1-MCP) and 1-MCP application (1-MCP). Among these, the CFA + 1-MCP treatment provided more firmness of the fruits in comparison to the control fruits. The respiratory rate of peaches under CFA and CFA + 1-MCP treatments decreased in comparison to the control fruit respiratory rates.

Ambiência aérea em alojamento de frangos de corte: poeira e gases

Air quality in animal production environment has been refereed as an interesting point for studies in environmental control systems with the focus both to the animal health which live in total confinement, as to the workers. The objective of this research was to determine the variation on the aerial environmental quality in two types of broiler housing: conventional (Gc) and tunnel type (Gt). The total dust values in both houses offered adequate rearing conditions to the birds; however, regarding the inhale dust in the air was above the limits recommended for humans. Carbon monoxide concentration in the heating phase during the evaluated period was above the 10 ppm maximum recommended, and it was higher during the cold season in Gt house (30 ppm) when compared to the Gc house (18 ppm). Ammonia concentration peaks in the air were above the 20 ppm recommended from the 20th day of production in both houses and in daily average, for a period higher in Gt (4h30) when compared to Gt (2h45). Only traces of nitrate oxide and methane were found while carbonic dioxide gas concentration evaluated during daytime met the limits allowed for both birds and labor.

Estimativa de bem-estar de frango de corte em função da concentração de amônia e grau de luminosidade no galpão de produção

Brazil is an important poultry meat export country, and large parts of its destination are countries with specific rearing restrictions related to broiler s welfare. One of the aerial pollutants mostly found in high concentrations in closed poultry housing environment is ammonia. There are evidences that broilers welfare may be compromised by the continuous exposition to this pollutant in rearing housing. This research aimed to estimate broilers welfare reared under specific thermal environmental attributes and bird s density, as function of the ammonia concentration and light intensity inside the housing environment using the Fuzzy Theory. Results showed that the best welfare value (0.89 in the scale: 0-1) approximately 90% of the ideal was found in the conditions that associated the ideal thermal environment, with bird s density between 13-15 birds m-2, with values of the ammonia concentration in the environment below 5 ppm, and light intensity near 1 lx. Using the predictive method it was possible to estimate broilers welfare with relation to the ammonia concentration and light intensity in the housing.

Eficiência do processo de recobrimento de sementes de brócolos recobertas com polímero em leito de jorro

Broccoli seeds were coated in a conical-cylindrical spouted bed with an aqueous suspension of hydroxy ethyl cellulose aiming to improve the seeds coating technique using a fluid-dynamic process. An experimental design was applied to investigate the effects of the operating variables: gas temperature, atomizing air pressure and suspension flow rate on the germination of the seeds and on the process efficiency. Results indicated that the operating variables affect both the coating process efficiency and the germination ability. However, the analysis didn t identify differences between the germination potential of coated and uncoated seeds. Coated seeds absorbed up to 10 percent less moisture than the uncoated ones, when the environment temperature and humidity were controlled over a period of time.

Influência da temperatura do ar de secagem no calor latente de vaporização de água em feijão macassar (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), variedade sempre-verde

In order to determine the energy needed to artificially dry an agricultural product the latent heat of vaporization of moisture in the product, H, must be known. Generally, the expressions for H reported in the literature are of the form H = h(T)f(M), where h(T) is the latent heat of vaporization of free water, and f(M) is a function of the equilibrium moisture content, M, which is a simplification. In this article, a more general expression for the latent heat of vaporization, namely H = g(M,T), is used to determine H for cowpea, always-green variety. For this purpose, a computer program was developed which automatically fits about 500 functions, with one or two independent variables, imbedded in its library to experimental data. The program uses nonlinear regression, and classifies the best functions according to the least reduced chi-squared. A set of executed statistical tests shows that the generalized expression for H used in this work produces better results of H for cowpea than other equations found in literature.