NONSPECIFIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN PREHISTORIC SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA, NORTHERN CHILE

The region of San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile, has undergone several cultural and social changes after humans settled in Atacama Desert around 500 BC. The Atacameno people experienced the highest degree of social and cultural changes between 400 and 900 AD when they were assimilated into the Tiwanaku trade and political web that influenced most of the Central-Southern Andes. Under the influence of Tiwanaku, San Pedro de Atacama experienced its greatest economic development. Prior analyses of local human skeletal remains have shown a significant increase in the stature of the local population during the same period. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the Tiwanaku influence on the local epidemiological profile using the incidence of periostitis and osteomyelitis as indicators of biological stress. Surprisingly, the best epidemiological condition occurred during the final phase of influence of Tiwanaku (910-960 AD), and not during the apex influence (480-920 AD), as expected by the archaeological context. We suggest that population growth and aggregation may have counteracted the benefits of improved nutrition during the peak Tiwanaku influence. A severe drought occurred between 1,100 and 1,400 AD in Northern Chile. This could also explain the marked increase of bone infections in the post-Tiwanaku period (920-1,240 AD).

A New Species of Fissurella from Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo Archipelago, Brazil (Vetigastropoda, Fissurellidae)

Fissurella mesoatlantica n. sp. is endemic to the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Brazil, located approximately in the middle Atlantic (00 degrees 55N. 29 degrees 20W). The species is very similar to F. clenchi from the mainland Brazilian coast, differing in having a taller. more richly sculptured shell and by anatomical details. such its the papillae of mantle border and epipodial tentacles. A complete anatomical description is included.

Trends in aortic aneurysm- and dissection-related mortality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, 1985–2009: multiple-cause-of-death analysis

Background: Aortic aneurysm and dissection are important causes of death in older people. Ruptured aneurysms show catastrophic fatality rates reaching near 80%. Few population-based mortality studies have been published in the world and none in Brazil. The objective of the present study was to use multiple-cause-of-death methodology in the analysis of mortality trends related to aortic aneurysm and dissection in the state of Sao Paulo, between 1985 and 2009. Methods: We analyzed mortality data from the Sao Paulo State Data Analysis System, selecting all death certificates on which aortic aneurysm and dissection were listed as a cause-of-death. The variables sex, age, season of the year, and underlying, associated or total mentions of causes of death were studied using standardized mortality rates, proportions and historical trends. Statistical analyses were performed by chi-square goodness-of-fit and H Kruskal-Wallis tests, and variance analysis. The joinpoint regression model was used to evaluate changes in age-standardized rates trends. A p value less than 0.05 was regarded as significant. Results: Over a 25-year period, there were 42,615 deaths related to aortic aneurysm and dissection, of which 36,088 (84.7%) were identified as underlying cause and 6,527 (15.3%) as an associated cause-of-death. Dissection and ruptured aneurysms were considered as an underlying cause of death in 93% of the deaths. For the entire period, a significant increased trend of age-standardized death rates was observed in men and women, while certain non-significant decreases occurred from 1996/2004 until 2009. Abdominal aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections prevailed among men and aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms of unspecified site among women. In 1985 and 2009 death rates ratios of men to women were respectively 2.86 and 2.19, corresponding to a difference decrease between rates of 23.4%. For aortic dissection, ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysms, the overall mean ages at death were, respectively, 63.2, 68.4 and 71.6 years; while, as the underlying cause, the main associated causes of death were as follows: hemorrhages (in 43.8%/40.5%/13.9%); hypertensive diseases (in 49.2%/22.43%/24.5%) and atherosclerosis (in 14.8%/25.5%/15.3%); and, as associated causes, their principal overall underlying causes of death were diseases of the circulatory (55.7%), and respiratory (13.8%) systems and neoplasms (7.8%). A significant seasonal variation, with highest frequency in winter, occurred in deaths identified as underlying cause for aortic dissection, ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysms. Conclusions: This study introduces the methodology of multiple-causes-of-death to enhance epidemiologic knowledge of aortic aneurysm and dissection in São Paulo, Brazil. The results presented confer light to the importance of mortality statistics and the need for epidemiologic studies to understand unique trends in our own population.

Videocirurgia na criança: estado da arte. Experiência com 1408 procedimentos no Instituto da Criança "Pedro de Alcântara"

A videocirurgia em Cirurgia Pediátrica encontra um imenso campo de aplicações ainda, infelizmente, pouco explorado. São poucos os serviços que utilizam rotineiramente essa via de acesso e são escassas as referências nacionais publicadas. O Instituto da Criança do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (ICr) há uma década e meia a utiliza e hoje a videocirurgia é a via de primeira escolha para tratar, entre outras doenças, o refluxo gastresofagiano, a colecistopatia calculosa, o testículo não palpável e o megaesôfago. Neste artigo relataremos a experiência em videocirurgia pediátrica do ICr, adquirida com 1408 pacientes operados, para divulgar e popularizar esta via de acesso, útil e benéfica para um grande número de situações e ainda subutilizada em Cirurgia Pediátrica.

Seasonal distribution of airborne trace elements and water-soluble ions in São Paulo Megacity, Brazil

This study deals with the seasonal distribution of Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Pb and Zn and water soluble ions (Cl-, PO4(3-), NO3-, SO4(2-), HCOO-, CH3COO-, oxalate, succinate, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+) found in PM10 samples (particulate matter less than 10 mm in diameter) São Paulo City, Brazil, (April 2003-May 2004). Higher atmospheric levels were found for SO4(2-), NO3-, Cl- and PO4(3-) while the main organic anions were oxalate and formate. Atmospheric levels for elements were: Fe > Al > Ca > K > Na > Mg > Zn > Cu > Pb. Some sources were predominant for some species: (i) fuel burning and/or biomass burning (NO3-, HCOO-, C2O4(2-), K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Fe, Pb, Zn, Al, Ca, K and Mg), (ii) gas-to-particle conversion (SO4(2-) and NH4+) and (iii) sea salt spray (Cl-, Na+ and Na).

Molecular typing of Clostridium perfringens isolated from swine in slaughterhouses from São Paulo State, Brazil

Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium known as common pathogen for humans, for domestic and wildlife animals. Although infections caused by C. perfringens type C and A in swine are well studied, just a few reports describe the genetic relationship among strains in the epidemiological chain of swine clostridioses, as well as the presence of the microorganism in the slaughterhouses. The aim of the present study was to isolate C. perfringens from feces and carcasses from swine slaughterhouses, characterize the strains in relation to the presence of enterotoxin, alpha, beta, epsilon, iota and beta-2 toxins genes, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and comparing strains by means of Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Clostridium perfringens isolation frequencies in carcasses and finishing pig intestines were of 58.8% in both types of samples. According to the polymerase chain reaction assay, only alfa toxin was detected, being all isolates also negative to enterotoxin and beta2 toxin. Through PFGE technique, the strains were characterized in 35 pulsotypes. In only one pulsotype, the isolate from carcass sample was grouped with fecal isolate of the same animal, suggesting that the risk of cross-contamination was low. Despite the high prevalence of C. perfringens in swine carcasses from the slaughterhouses assessed, the risk of food poisoning to Brazilian pork consumers is low, since all strains were negative to cpe-gene, codifying enterotoxin.

QUALIDADE AMBIENTAL DE ÁREAS VERDES: ANÁLISE SONORA DA PRAÇA DA LUZ – SÃO PAULO

A proposta deste artigo é questionar a qualidade ambiental das áreas verdes inseridas no contexto urbano de uma grande cidade. Primeiro, apresenta-se o papel dos parques e praças públicas na cidade contemporânea, ou seja, como esses espaços são benéficos para a população, e de que forma podem melhorar a qualidade de vida. É necessário compreender a importância desses locais para os habitantes, e com esse intuito, busca-se analisar os aspectos que agregam qualidade a um espaço verde. Depois apresenta-se um breve histórico do Jardim da Luz, que se tratada área verde mais antiga da cidade de São Paulo. Através da descrição de sua história, pode-se perceber a mudança da compreensão do papel das áreas verdes para a cidade, e as mudanças no meio de utilização da mesma. Dentre todos os aspectos ambientais que podem caracterizar uma área verde, este artigo irá se aprofundar no impacto dos ruídos urbanos sobre a mesma. Segundo a Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMC), “a poluição sonora é hoje, depois da poluição do ar e da água, o problema ambiental que afeta o maior número de pessoas” (LACERDA, 2005). Em razão da abrangência do problema, é necessário pesquisar formas de avaliar corretamente as paisagens sonoras urbanas, e seu impacto na qualidade de vida da população. Por essa razão, demonstra-se como avaliar acusticamente os espaços públicos, através da comparação dos resultados obtidos em medições in loco com sonômetros com os critérios para avaliação de áreas verdes propostos pela metodologia de avaliação de Antônio Pedro Carvalho, professor na Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, em Portugal.

Pedro Damián y la defensa ética del principio de no contradicción

Intentaremos desentrañar uno de los aspectos centrales del De divina omnipotentia de Pedro Damián: la relación entre omnipotencia divina y principio de no contradicción. Para ello, refutaremos una de las hipótesis de lectura más tradicionales que se han hecho del tema, según la cual Pedro Damián considera que la omnipotencia divina es incompatible con el principio de no contradicción, y por tanto éste pierde toda vigencia. Por nuestra parte, afirmaremos que Pedro Damián nunca cuestionó seriamente la validez de la lógica, sino que procuró afianzarla sobre premisas de raigambre ético-metafísica. Para iluminar el sentido de nuestra interpretación, debemos contextualizar la discusión y explicar diversos conceptos del pensamiento damianeano (i.e. voluntas Dei, omnipotentia divina, aeternitas y bondad divina).