Effects of propranolol on the QT dispersion in congestive heart failure

OBJECTIVE - Studies have shown that therapy with beta-blockers reduces mortality in patients with heart failure. However, there are no studies describing the effects of propranolol on the QT dispersion in this population. The objective of this study was to assess the electrophysiological profile, mainly QT dispersion, of patients with heart failure regularly using propranolol. METHODS - Fifteen patients with heart failure and using propranolol were assessed over a period of 12 months. Twelve-lead electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded prior to the onset of beta-blocker therapy and after 3 months of drug use. RESULTS - A significant reduction in heart rate, in QT dispersion and in QTc dispersion was observed, as was also an increase in the PR interval and in the QT interval, after the use of propranolol in an average dosage of 100 mg/day. CONCLUSION - Reduction in QT dispersion in patients with heart failure using propranolol may explain the reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death with beta-blocker therapy, in this specific group of patients.

On the frictional contacts in multibody system dynamics

"Series title: Computational methods in applied sciences, ISSN1871-3033, vol. 42"

Influence of Quality of Sleep on the Nocturnal Decline in Blood Pressure During Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of the quality of sleep on the nocturnal physiological drop in blood pressure during ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. METHODS: We consecutively assessed ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the degree of tolerance for the examination, and the quality of sleep in 168 patients with hypertension or with the suspected "white-coat" effect. Blood pressure fall during sleep associated with a specific questionnaire and an analogical visual scale of tolerance for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were used to assess usual sleep and sleep on the day of examination. Two specialists in sleep disturbances classified the patients into 2 groups: those with normal sleep and those with abnormal sleep. RESULTS: Fifty-nine (35 %) patients comprised the abnormal sleep group. Findings regarding the quality of sleep on the day of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring as compared with those regarding the quality of sleep on a usual day were different and were as follows, respectively: total duration of sleep (-12.4±4.7 versus -42.2±14.9 minutes, P=0.02), latency of sleep (0.4±2.7 versus 17±5.1 minutes, P<0.001), number of awakenings (0.1±0.1 versus 1.35±0.3 times, P<0.001), and tolerance for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (8±0.2 versus 6.7±0.35, P=0.035). An abnormal drop in blood pressure during sleep occurred in 20 (18%) patients in the normal sleep group and in 14 (24%) patients in the abnormal sleep group, P=0.53. CONCLUSION: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring causes sleep disturbances in some patients, and a positive association between quality of sleep and tolerance for the examination was observed.

A note on the separability principle in economies with single-peaked

We consider the problem of allocating an infinitely divisible commodity among a group of agents with single-peaked preferences. A rule that has played a central role in the analysis of the problem is the so-called uniform rule. Chun (2001) proves that the uniform rule is the only rule satisfying Pareto optimality, no-envy, separability, and continuity (with respect to the social endowment). We obtain an alternative characterization by using a weak replication-invariance condition, called duplication-invariance, instead of continuity. Furthermore, we prove that Pareto optimality, equal division lower bound, and separability imply no-envy. Using this result, we strengthen one of Chun's (2001) characterizations of the uniform rule by showing that the uniform rule is the only rule satisfying Pareto optimality, equal división lower bound, separability, and either continuity or duplication-invariance.

Observations on the dipteran fauna in a focus of dermal leishmaniasis in the State of Minas Gerais: II. The distribution of families in relation to their medical, veterinary and economic importance

Miniature light traps used to collect Phlebotominae in a focus of dermal leishmaniasis in the eastern part of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Over a period of seven months, the other Diptera captured in 179 light trap samples were identified to family level. The traps were placed in eight localities which constituted three different biotopes: three woodland aresas, cultivated land, and a peridomestic site. A comparison is made between the totals of Dipeterans collected in each biotope, the total numbers of families collected in each biotope and the estimated indices of diversity. Dendograms representing the degrees of association between families of Diptera in different biotopes are presented. Some families of Diptera are uniformly distributed throughout the study area; a few families seem to have become adapted to areas where human activity has induced the greatest ecological changes. The impact between Dipterans and human well-being is discussed. The availabel evidence indicates that transmission of dermal leishmaniasis does not occur in areas where sand flies can be captured in greatest densities.

Effect of precocene II, ecdysone and juvenile Hormone on the glicogen concentration in pupae of Stomocys calcitram (Diptera muscidae)

Third instar larvae of Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) were treated with precocene II, ecdysone and juvenile hormone. The larvae were allowed to develop until pupation and when it occurred, determination of glycogen levels was assayed. The administration of those three substances have interfered on the clycogen concentration. the precocene II causing a decrease whereas the ecdysone and juvenile hormone causing an increase. The ecdysone administered together withprecocene II reverses the effect of the latter. This does not happen when precocene II is administered together with the juvenile hormone. Ecdysone administered together with juvenilehormone causes reduction of the glycogen concentration.

Study of the influence of grain size and precipitates on the electromagnetic losses in different grades of non-oriented fully processed electrical steel

The study was performed in the installations of OCAS, a Steel Research Centre of ArcelorMittal. Taking M32 steel (3.25%Si+0.9%Al) as the basis chemical composition and three different thicknesses (0.35, 0.5 and 0.65mm), different annealing conditions (temperature and time) have been applied in the laboratory simulator at St. Chély, France. The aim was to link annealing parameters, grain size and energy loss. It was determined the optimum annealing parameters to reach the lowest power losses for three different grades of non-oriented fully processed electrical steel. In addition, M250-50 samples having different magnetic behaviour (high and low losses) but the same grain size and texture, have been analyzed in terms of TEM observations of their precipitates, in the University of Marseille. The results reveal that a high amount of medium and big precipitates (&10 nm) worsen the magnetic properties of the material. The small precipitates (&10nm) do not have a strong influence on the magnetic properties. The presence of precipitates can have a great influence on the power losses and further work is clearly necessary.

Effect of deltamethrin spraying on the sandfly populations in a focus of American cutaneous leismaniasis

The effect of deltamethrin of the sandfly population in a focus of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Viana, Espírito Santo State is desvribed. The phlebotomine population density was determined inside and outside houses during a one year period in a treated and untreated area. The results showed a significant reduction in the number of sandflies inside houses in the treated area compared with both the untreated area and the same area before sparying. Despite having a residual action for 12 months after spraying the insecticide was ineffective outside houses. It is concluded therefore that deltamethrin is an efficient insecticide for reducing the number of phlebotomine sandflies inside houses.

Quality of life depends on the drinking pattern in alcohol-dependent patients.

AIMS: In patients with alcohol dependence, health-related quality of life (QOL) is reduced compared with that of a normal healthy population. The objective of the current analysis was to describe the evolution of health-related QOL in adults with alcohol dependence during a 24-month period after initial assessment for alcohol-related treatment in a routine practice setting, and its relation to drinking pattern which was evaluated across clusters based on the predominant pattern of alcohol use, set against the influence of baseline variables METHODS: The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Survey (MOS-SF-36) was used to measure QOL at baseline and quarterly for 2 years among participants in CONTROL, a prospective observational study of patients initiating treatment for alcohol dependence. The sample consisted of 160 adults with alcohol dependence (65.6% males) with a mean (SD) age of 45.6 (12.0) years. Alcohol use data were collected using TimeLine Follow-Back. Based on the participant's reported alcohol use, three clusters were identified: 52 (32.5%) mostly abstainers, 64 (40.0%) mostly moderate drinkers and 44 (27.5%) mostly heavy drinkers. Mixed-effect linear regression analysis was used to identify factors that were potentially associated with the mental and physical summary MOS-SF-36 scores at each time point. RESULTS: The mean (SD) MOS-SF-36 mental component summary score (range 0-100, norm 50) was 35.7 (13.6) at baseline [mostly abstainers: 40.4 (14.6); mostly moderate drinkers 35.6 (12.4); mostly heavy drinkers 30.1 (12.1)]. The score improved to 43.1 (13.4) at 3 months [mostly abstainers: 47.4 (12.3); mostly moderate drinkers 44.2 (12.7); mostly heavy drinkers 35.1 (12.9)], to 47.3 (11.4) at 12 months [mostly abstainers: 51.7 (9.7); mostly moderate drinkers 44.8 (11.9); mostly heavy drinkers 44.1 (11.3)], and to 46.6 (11.1) at 24 months [mostly abstainers: 49.2 (11.6); mostly moderate drinkers 45.7 (11.9); mostly heavy drinkers 43.7 (8.8)]. Mixed-effect linear regression multivariate analyses indicated that there was a significant association between a lower 2-year follow-up MOS-SF-36 mental score and being a mostly heavy drinker (-6.97, P < 0.001) or mostly moderate drinker (-3.34 points, P = 0.018) [compared to mostly abstainers], being female (-3.73, P = 0.004), and having a Beck Inventory scale score ≥8 (-6.54, P < 0.001), at baseline. The mean (SD) MOS-SF-36 physical component summary score was 48.8 (10.6) at baseline, remained stable over the follow-up and did not differ across the three clusters. Mixed-effect linear regression univariate analyses found that the average 2-year follow-up MOS-SF-36 physical score was increased (compared with mostly abstainers) in mostly heavy drinkers (+4.44, P = 0.007); no other variables tested influenced the MOS-SF-36 physical score. CONCLUSION: Among individuals with alcohol dependence, a rapid improvement was seen in the mental dimension of QOL following treatment initiation, which was maintained during 24 months. Improvement was associated with the pattern of alcohol use, becoming close to the general population norm in patients classified as mostly abstainers, improving substantially in mostly moderate drinkers and improving only slightly in mostly heavy drinkers. The physical dimension of QOL was generally in the normal range but was not associated with drinking patterns.

On the writer identification in old handwritten music scores

Report for the scientific sojourn at the University of Bern, Swiss, from Mars until June 2008. Writer identification consists in determining the writer of a piece of handwriting from a set of writers. Even though an important amount of compositions contains handwritten text in the music scores, the aim of the work is to use only music notation to determine the author. It’s been developed two approaches for writer identification in old handwritten music scores. The methods proposed extract features from every music line, and also features from a texture image of music symbols. First of all, the music sheet is first preprocessed for obtaining a binarized music score without the staff lines. The classification is performed using a k-NN classifier based on Euclidean distance. The proposed method has been tested on a database of old music scores from the 17th to 19th centuries, achieving encouraging identification rates.

Role of Particle Shape on the Stress Propagation in Granular Packings

We present an experimental and numerical study on the influence that particle aspect ratio has on the mechanical and structural properties of granular packings. For grains with maximal symmetry (squares), the stress propagation in the packing localizes forming chainlike forces analogous to the ones observed for spherical grains. This scenario can be understood in terms of stochastic models of aggregation and random multiplicative processes. As the grains elongate, the stress propagation is strongly affected. The interparticle normal force distribution tends toward a Gaussian, and, correspondingly, the force chains spread leading to a more uniform stress distribution reminiscent of the hydrostatic profiles known for standard liquids

The influence of Bone Morphogenic Protein-2 on the consolidation phase in a distraction osteogenesis model.

We asked whether locally applied recombinant-Bone Morphogenic Protein-2 (rh-BMP-2) with an absorbable Type I collagen sponge (ACS) carrier could enhance the consolidation phase in a callotasis model. We performed unilateral transverse osteotomy of the tibia in 21 immature male rabbits. After a latency period of 7 days, a 3-weeks distraction was begun at a rate of 0.5mm/12h. At the end of the distraction period (Day 28) animals were randomly divided into three groups and underwent a second surgical procedure: 6 rabbits in Group I (Control group; the callus was exposed and nothing was added), 6 rabbits in Group II (ACS group; receiving the absorbable collagen sponge soaked with saline) and 9 rabbits in Group III (rh-BMP-2/ACS group; receiving the ACS soaked with 100μg/kg of rh-BMP-2, Inductos(®), Medtronic). Starting at Day 28 we assessed quantitative and qualitative radiographic parameters as well as densitometric parameters every two weeks (Days 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84). Animals were sacrificed after 8 weeks of consolidation (Day 84). Qualitative radiographic evaluation revealed hypertrophic calluses in the Group III animals. The rh-BMP-2/ACS also influenced the development of the cortex of the calluses as shown by the modified radiographic patterns in Group III when compared to Groups I and II. Densitometric analysis revealed the bone mineral content (BMC) was significantly higher in the rh-BMP-2/ACS treated animals (Group III).