Estudo microbiol��gico do sal (Cloreto de s��dio) de origem marinha

Foram analisadas 19 amostras de SAL (NaCl), tipo grosso, oriundas de diferentes salinas, para verifica����o da flora microbiana e presen��a de bact��rias nocivas em Microbiologia Alimentar. O material apresentou grande contamina����o por microrganismos sapr��fitas, bact��rias aer��bias e anaer��bias, Gram positivas e negativas, proteol��ticas, pigmentadas, esporuladas, leveduras e fungos. A alta incid��ncia das bact��rias halof��licas "vermelhas", respons��veis pela deteriora����o de carnes, pescados e outros produtos salgados foi estudada. A freq����ncia, em 15 amostras de SAL, de bact��rias esporuladas termorresistentes foi calculada em 33%, possuindo um SAL germe termof��lico. Para anaer��bios a positividade foi de 80%, havendo esporula����o em 40% das culturas isoladas. Os ��ndices para leveduras e fungos foram de 73% e 93%, respectivamente.

Use of limitations of radiolabeled anti-CEA antibodies and their fragments for photoscanning detection of human colorectal carcinomas.

Fifty-three patients with histologically proven carcinoma were injected with highly purified [131I]-labeled goat antibodies or fragments of antibodies against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Each patient was tested by external photoscanning 4, 24, 36 and 48 h after injection. In 22 patients (16 of 38 injected with intact antibodies, 5 of 13 with F(ab')2 fragments and 1 of 2 with Fab' fragments), an increased concentration of 131I radioactivity corresponding to the previously known tumor location was detected by photoscanning 36-48 h after injection. Blood pool and secreted radioactivity was determined in all patients by injecting 15 min before scanning, [99mTc]-labeled normal serum albumin and free 99mTc04-. The computerized subtraction of 99mTc from 131I radioactivity enhanced the definition of tumor localization in the 22 positive patients. However, in spite of the computerized subtraction, interpretation of the scans remained doubtful for 12 patients and was entirely negative for 19 additional patients. In order to provide a more objective evaluation for the specificity of the tumor localization of antibodies, 14 patients scheduled for tumor resection were injected simultaneously with [131I]-labeled antibodies or fragments and with [125I]-labeled normal goat IgG or fragments. After surgery, the radioactivity of the two isotopes present either in tumor or adjacent normal tissues was measured in a dual channel scintillation counter. The results showed that the antibodies or their fragments were 2-4 times more concentrated in the tumor than in the normal tissues. In addition, it was shown that the injected antibodies formed immune complexes with circulating CEA and that the amount of immune complexes detectable in serum was roughly proportional to the level of circulating CEA.

Physical activity attenuates the influence of FTO variants on obesity risk: a meta-analysis of 218,166 adults and 19,268 children.

BACKGROUND: The FTO gene harbors the strongest known susceptibility locus for obesity. While many individual studies have suggested that physical activity (PA) may attenuate the effect of FTO on obesity risk, other studies have not been able to confirm this interaction. To confirm or refute unambiguously whether PA attenuates the association of FTO with obesity risk, we meta-analyzed data from 45 studies of adults (n = 218,166) and nine studies of children and adolescents (n = 19,268). METHODS AND FINDINGS: All studies identified to have data on the FTO rs9939609 variant (or any proxy [r(2)>0.8]) and PA were invited to participate, regardless of ethnicity or age of the participants. PA was standardized by categorizing it into a dichotomous variable (physically inactive versus active) in each study. Overall, 25% of adults and 13% of children were categorized as inactive. Interaction analyses were performed within each study by including the FTO��PA interaction term in an additive model, adjusting for age and sex. Subsequently, random effects meta-analysis was used to pool the interaction terms. In adults, the minor (A-) allele of rs9939609 increased the odds of obesity by 1.23-fold/allele (95% CI 1.20-1.26), but PA attenuated this effect (p(interaction)  = 0.001). More specifically, the minor allele of rs9939609 increased the odds of obesity less in the physically active group (odds ratio  = 1.22/allele, 95% CI 1.19-1.25) than in the inactive group (odds ratio  = 1.30/allele, 95% CI 1.24-1.36). No such interaction was found in children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The association of the FTO risk allele with the odds of obesity is attenuated by 27% in physically active adults, highlighting the importance of PA in particular in those genetically predisposed to obesity.

Declaraci�� sobre la crisi econ��mica global i el seu impacte en les compres consorciades (19 de gener de 2009)

Redactada en nom dels molts consorcis de biblioteques de tot el m��n que participen a l'ICOLC, aquesta declaraci�� t�� dos prop��sits. T�� la intenci�� d'ajudar als editors i altres prove��dors de contingut amb els quals tenim acc��s als recursos d'informaci�� electr��nica (d'ara en endavant simplement anomenats editors) a entendre millor com l'actual crisi econ��mica ��nica afecta a la comunitat de la informaci�� de tot el m��n. El segon prop��sit ��s suggerir un ventall de propostes que creiem s��n de benefici com�� per a les biblioteques i els prove��dors de serveis d'informaci��.

Declaraci��n sobre la crisis econ��mica global y su impacto en las compras consorciadas (19 de enero de 2009)

Redactada en nombre de los muchos consorcios de bibliotecas de todo el mundo que participan en ICOLC, esta declaraci��n tiene dos prop��sitos. Tiene la intenci��n de ayudar a los editores y otros proveedores de contenido con los cuales tenemos acceso a los recursos de informaci��n electr��nica (de ahora en adelante simplemente llamados editores) a entender mejor c��mo la actual crisis econ��mica ��nica afecta a la comunidad de la informaci��n de todo el mundo. El segundo prop��sito es sugerir un abanico de propuestas que creemos son de beneficio com��n para las bibliotecas y los proveedores de servicios de informaci��n.

Evaluation of prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of fetal abdominal wall defects by 19 European registries.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the current effectiveness of routine prenatal ultrasound screening in detecting gastroschisis and omphalocele in Europe. DESIGN: Data were collected by 19 congenital malformation registries from 11 European countries. The registries used the same epidemiological methodology and registration system. The study period was 30 months (July 1st 1996-December 31st 1998) and the total number of monitored pregnancies was 690,123. RESULTS: The sensitivity of antenatal ultrasound examination in detecting omphalocele was 75% (103/137). The mean gestational age at the first detection of an anomaly was 18 +/- 6.0 gestational weeks. The overall prenatal detection rate for gastroschisis was 83% (88/106) and the mean gestational age at diagnosis was 20 +/- 7.0 gestational weeks. Detection rates varied between registries from 25 to 100% for omphalocele and from 18 to 100% for gastroschisis. Of the 137 cases of omphalocele less than half of the cases were live births (n = 56; 41%). A high number of cases resulted in fetal deaths (n = 30; 22%) and termination of pregnancy (n = 51; 37%). Of the 106 cases of gastroschisis there were 62 (59%) live births, 13 (12%) ended with intrauterine fetal death and 31 (29%) had the pregnancies terminated. CONCLUSIONS: There is significant regional variation in detection rates in Europe reflecting different policies, equipment and the operators' experience. A high proportion of abdominal wall defects is associated with concurrent malformations, syndromes or chromosomal abnormalities, stressing the need for the introduction of repeated detailed ultrasound examination as a standard procedure. There is still a relatively high rate of elective termination of pregnancies for both defects, even in isolated cases which generally have a good prognosis after surgical repair.

Administering brief motivational interventions to young men: Results from a pilot census transmissible study among 19 year-old francophone Swiss men.

AIMS - To pilot the implementation of brief motivational intervention (BMI) among conscripts, and to test the effectiveness of BMI in young men voluntarily showing up for a single face-to-face alcohol BMI session. Participants were conscripts attending the army recruitment process in Lausanne. This process is mandatory for all Swiss males at age 19 and Lausanne serves all francophone Swiss men. METHODS - Of 3'227 young men that were seen during the army recruitment procedures, 445 voluntarily showed up for a BMI and 367 were included in the study (exclusions were random and unsystematic and related to organizational aspects in the recruitment center). After an initial assessment, subjects were randomized into two groups: an immediate BMI and a 6-month delayed BMI (waiting list design). A 6-month follow-up assessment was conducted in both groups. BMI was a face-to-face 20 minutes counseling session with a psychologist trained in motivational interviewing at baseline and a telephone session for the control group at follow-up. Strategies of BMI included the exploration and evocation of a possible behavior change, importance of future change, readiness to change, and commitment to change. A filmed example of such an intervention is available in French at www.alcoologie.ch. RESULTS - All procedures are now fully implemented and working and the provision of preventive efforts found general approval by the army. 3'227 were eligible for BMI and 445 of them (13.8%) showed up for receiving a BMI. 367 were included in the study, 181 in the BMI group and 186 in the control group. More than 86% of those included were reached at follow-up. With one exception all findings on alcohol use went in the expected direction, i.e. a stronger decrease in alcohol use (or a smaller increase as for usual weekly drinking amount) in the BMI group. The risk for risky single occasion drinking (RSOD) decreased from 57% at-risk users at baseline to 50.6%, i.e. a 6.4% point decrease in the BMI group, while there was only a 0.6% point decrease (from 57.5% to 56.9%) in the control group. Moreover, the study showed that there was a likelihood of crossover effects for other substances like tobacco smoking and cannabis use. Despite these encouraging and consistent positive findings, none reached significance at conventional levels (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION - Data suggest a beneficial impact of BMI on alcohol use outcomes and potential effect on other substance use in 19-year old men attending the army recruitment and showing up voluntarily for BMI. As the main aim was to implement and test feasibility of conducting BMI in this setting none of our findings reached statistical significance. The consistency of findings across measures and substances, however, raises hope that non-significance in the present study does not mean no effect, but mainly insufficient power of this pilot study. [Authors]

Jornada de demostraci�� de maquin��ria de despampolar vinya a la Terra Alta (UETA). Jornada t��cnica i demostraci�� de camp. Gandesa, 19 de juny de 2009

La Unitat Experimental de la Terra Alta (IRTA���INCAVI) cont�� diverses parcel��les experimentals en els tres conreus b��sics de la Terra Alta: vinya, ametller i olivera. L���objectiu de la jornada d���enguany, que tindr�� lloc a les instal��lacions d���aquesta Unitat Experimental ubicada a Gandesa (Tarragona) el proper dia 19 de juny ��s, d���una banda, una demostraci�� de maquin��ria de despampolar vinya (4 m��quines suspeses) i, d���altra banda, con��ixer el que estan fent els investigadors de l���IRTA de Cabrils que ens explicaran els resultats dels seus treballs en patologia de la vinya.