Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in chronic chagasic patients, and in the rural and urban population from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

As patients with chronic Chagas disease exhibit morphological and functional changes of the stomach (hypomotility and hypochlorhydria), malnutrition, immunological deficiency and high prevalence of peptic disease associated to Helicobater pylori infection, the purpose of this study was to evaluate if the prevalence of H. pylori infection in chronic chagasic is higher than in non-chagasic individuals in the urban and rural population from Uberlândia, MG, Brazil. Serological determination of IgG antibodies to H. pylori was performed using a second-generation ELISA. Thus, 598 people were evaluated: 128 chagasic (CG), 222 non-chagasic living in urban area (U-NCG) and 248 non-chagasic living in rural area (R-NCG). Regarding the age range from 21 to 50 years, the prevalence of H. pylori infection in the CG (85.1%) was significantly higher than in the U-NCG (56.3%, p < 0.01) and the R-NCG (67.4%, p < 0.05). In the patients over 50 years, the prevalence in the CG (86.4%) was similar to the U-NCG (78.8%) and R-NCG (86.1%). Similar results were also found between the U-NCG and R-NCG for all age ranges, with prevalence rates of 29.1% and 35.3% for the age range from 5 to 13 years, and 47.2% and 40% for that from 14 to 20 years, respectively. We conclude that chagasic patients showed a higher seroprevalence of H. pylori infection than non-chagasic individuals, in the age range from 21 to 50 years, and that the prevalence of this infection was similar in the studied urban and rural non-chagasic population.

Abordagem histórica e institucional da mudança em contabilidade de gestão: o caso da normalização nos hospitais públicos portugueses

A teoria institucional constituiu o enquadramento no qual foi suportada a pergunta geral desta investigação: como e porquê a Normalização da Contabilidade de Gestão (NCG) nos hospitais públicos portugueses surgiu e evoluiu? O objetivo geral foi compreender de forma profunda o surgimento e a mudança nas regras de NCG dos hospitais públicos portugueses no período histórico 1954-2011. Face ao enquadramento institucional que justificou uma investigação interpretativa, foi usado como método de investigação um estudo de caso explanatório. A evidência sobre o caso da NCG nos hospitais públicos portugueses foi recolhida em documentos e através de 58 entrevistas realizadas em 47 unidades de análise (nos serviços centrais de contabilidade do Ministério da Saúde e em 46 hospitais públicos, num total de 53 existentes). Quanto aos principais resultados obtidos, no período 1954-1974, as regras criadas pelo poder político para controlo dos gastos públicos e a contabilidade orçamental de base de caixa estiveram na génese dos primeiros conceitos de Contabilidade de Gestão (CG) para os serviços públicos de saúde portugueses. A transição de um regime ditatorial para um regime democrático (25 de Abril de 1974), a criação do Plano Oficial de Contabilidade (POC/77) e a implementação de um estado social com Serviço Nacional de Saúde (SNS) criaram a conjuntura crítica necessária para o surgimento de um Plano Oficial de Contabilidade para os Serviços de Saúde (POCSS/80) que incluiu regras de CG. A primeira edição do Plano de Contabilidade Analítica dos Hospitais (PCAH), aprovada em 1996, não foi uma construção de raiz, mas antes uma adaptação para os hospitais das regras de CG incluídas no POCSS/91 que havia revisto o POCSS/80. Após o início da implementação do PCAH, em 1998, ocorreram sequências de autorreforço institucionalizadoras destas normas, no período 1998-2011, por influência de pressões isomórficas coercivas que delinearam um processo de evolução incremental cujo resultado foi uma reprodução por adaptação, num contexto de dependência de recursos. Vários agentes internos e externos pressionaram, no período 2003-2011, através de sequências reativas para a desinstitucionalização do PCAH em resposta ao persistente fenómeno de loose coupling. Mas o PCAH só foi descontinuado nos hospitais com privatização da governação e rejeição dos anteriores sistemas de informação. Ao nível da extensão da teoria, este estudo de caso adotou o institucionalismo histórico na investigação em CG, quanto se sabe pela primeira vez, que se mostra útil na interpretação dos processos e dos resultados da criação e evolução de instituições de CG num determinado contexto histórico. Na condição de dependência de recursos, as sequências de autorreforço, via isomorfismo coercivo, tendem para uma institucionalização com fenómeno de loose coupling. Como resposta a este fenómeno, ocorrem sequências reativas no sentido da desinstitucionalização. Perante as pressões (políticas, funcionais, sociais e tecnológicas) desinstitucionalizadoras, o fator governação privada acelera o processo de desinstitucionalização, enquanto o fator governação pública impede ou abranda esse processo.

Valores de referência para macronutrientes em eucalipto obtidos pelos métodos DRIS e chance matemática

Informações de 1.213 árvores de plantios comerciais foram obtidas, entre os anos de 1988 a 1994, de híbridos de Eucalyptus grandis x E. urophylla, da Aracruz Celulose S.A., cultivados no estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil. Os resultados da produtividade e concentração dos macronutrientes em quatro órgãos das árvores foram utilizados na obtenção dos valores de referência para a concentração dos nutrientes, pelos métodos da Chance Matemática e do DRIS. Empregou-se, no cálculo dos índices DRIS, a fórmula de Jones (1981), a divisão da população-base em estratos de idade e a seleção das relações entre os nutrientes pelo teste F. O nível crítico dos nutrientes foi atingido pelo DRIS por meio de dois critérios: pela concentração média dos nutrientes nos talhões nutricionalmente balanceados e produtivos (NCO) e pelo critério gráfico (NCG). O primeiro critério mostrou-se mais promissor, inclusive em relação ao método da Chance Matemática, o qual foi adequado principalmente para a determinação de faixa ótima que poderia ser adotada como referência para o limite inferior e o superior de árvores com níveis adequados dos nutrientes.

Behavior of black liquor nitrogen in combustion : formation of cyanate

The Kraft pulping process is the dominant chemical pulping process in the world. Roughly 195 million metric tons of black liquor are produced annually as a by-product from the Kraft pulping process. Black liquor consists of spent cooking chemicals and dissolved organics from the wood and can contain up to 0.15 wt% nitrogen on dry solids basis. The cooking chemicals from black liquor are recovered in a chemical recovery cycle. Water is evaporated in the first stage of the chemical recovery cycle, so the black liquor has a dry solids content of 65-85% prior to combustion. During combustion of black liquor, a portion of the black liquor nitrogen is volatilized, finally forming N2 or NO. The rest of the nitrogen remains in the char as char nitrogen. During char conversion, fixed carbon is burned off leaving the pulping chemicals as smelt, and the char nitrogen forms mostly smelt nitrogen (cyanate, OCN-). Smelt exits the recovery boiler and is dissolved in water. The cyanate from smelt decomposes in the presence of water, forming NH3, which causes nitrogen emissions from the rest of the chemical recovery cycle. This thesis had two focuses: firstly, to determine how the nitrogen chemistry in the recovery boiler is affected by modification of black liquor; and secondly, to find out what causes cyanate formation during thermal conversion, and which parameters affect cyanate formation and decomposition during thermal conversion of black liquor. The fate of added biosludge nitrogen in chemical recovery was determined in Paper I. The added biosludge increased the nitrogen content of black liquor. At the pulp mill, the added biosludge did not increase the NO formation in the recovery boiler, but instead increased the amount of cyanate in green liquor. The increased cyanate caused more NH3 formation, which increased the NCG boiler’s NO emissions. Laboratory-scale experiments showed an increase in both NO and cyanate formation after biosludge addition. Black liquor can be modified, for example by addition of a solid biomass to increase the energy density of black liquor, or by separation of lignin from black liquor by precipitation. The precipitated lignin can be utilized in the production of green chemicals or as a fuel. In Papers II and III, laboratory-scale experiments were conducted to determine the impact of black liquor modification on NO and cyanate formation. Removal of lignin from black liquor reduced the nitrogen content of the black liquor. In most cases NO and cyanate formation decreased with increasing lignin removal; the exception was NO formation from lignin lean soda liquors. The addition of biomass to black liquor resulted in a higher nitrogen content fuel mixture, due to the higher nitrogen content of biomass compared to black liquor. More NO and cyanate were formed from the fuel mixtures than from pure black liquor. The increased amount of formed cyanate led to the hypothesis that black liquor is catalytically active and converts a portion of the nitrogen in the mixed fuel to cyanate. The mechanism behind cyanate formation during thermal conversion of black liquor was not clear before this thesis. Paper IV studies the cyanate formation of alkali metal loaded fuels during gasification in a CO2 atmosphere. The salts K2CO3, Na2CO3, and K2SO4 all promoted char nitrogen to cyanate conversion during gasification, while KCl and CaCO3 did not. It is now assumed that cyanate is formed when alkali metal carbonate or an active intermediate of alkali metal carbonate (e.g. -CO2K) reacts with the char nitrogen forming cyanate. By testing different fuels (bark, peat, and coal), each of which had a different form of organic nitrogen, it was concluded that the form of organic nitrogen in char also has an impact on cyanate formation. Cyanate can be formed during pyrolysis of black liquor, but at temperatures 900°C or above, the formed cyanate will decompose. Cyanate formation in gasifying conditions with different levels of CO2 in the atmosphere was also studied. Most of the char nitrogen was converted to cyanate during gasification at 800-900°C in 13-50% CO2 in N2, and only 5% of the initial fuel nitrogen was converted to NO during char conversion. The formed smelt cyanate was stable at 800°C 13% CO2, while it decomposed at 900°C 13% CO2. The cyanate decomposition was faster at higher temperatures and in oxygen-containing atmospheres than in an inert atmosphere. The presence of CO2 in oxygencontaining atmospheres slowed down the decomposition of cyanate. This work will provide new information on how modification of black liquor affects the nitrogen chemistry during thermal conversion of black liquor and what causes cyanate formation during thermal conversion of black liquor. The formation and decomposition of cyanate was studied in order to provide new data, which would be useful in modeling of nitrogen chemistry in the recovery boiler.

Sulfaattisellutehtaan hajukaasujen keräily ja käsittely

Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena on selvittää sulfaattisellutehtaan hajukaasujen syntyminen, tyypilliset keräilykohteet, keräilyjärjestelmät sekä hajukaasujen käsittely. Työn aihepiiri on ajankohtainen ja tärkeä uuden BAT-asiakirjan voimaan tulon myötä. BAT-asiakirja määrit-telee parhaiten käytettävissä olevan tekniikan näiden kaasujen keräilylle, käsittelylle ja määrää päästötason. Asiakirja määrittelee Euroopan Unionin jäsenmaiden alueella toimivien tehtaiden ympäristöluvat päästötasojen osalta. Uuden BAT-asiakirjan myötä tehtaat jou-tuvat tarkastelemaan päästötasonsa ja mahdollisesti lisäämään hajukaasujen keräilykohteita, joka avaa markkinapotentiaalia hajukaasujärjestelmien toimittajille. Työn kirjallisuusosassa selvitetään hajukaasujen muodostumista, tyypillisiä keräilykohteita sekä käsittelyä ja turvallisuutta. Lisäksi kirjallisuusosuudessa perehdytään tarkemmin BAT-asiakirjaan ja käydään läpi uusimman version tuomia muutoksia ja vaatimuksia hajukaasujen käsittelylle ja keräilylle. Työn tutkimusosuus pohjautuu erääseen Aasiassa sijaitsevaan sulfaattisellutehtaaseen. Tut-kimusosuutta varten tehtaalle toteutettiin vierailu, jonka aikana perehdyttiin tehtaan ole-massa olevaan laimeiden hajukaasujen järjestelmään. Tarkoituksena oli selvittää nykyinen keräilyjärjestelmä, järjestelmän toimivuus, mahdolliset puutteet ja puuttumattomat keräily-kohteet. Lisäksi tavoitteena oli käydä läpi järjestelmän turvallisuuteen liittyviä seikkoja. Diplomityön lopuksi, toteutetun tutkimusosuuden pohjalta, esitellään vaihtoehtoja ja mah-dollisuuksia kyseisen tehtaan järjestelmän parantamiseksi. Tutkimustuloksena selvisi, että tehtaalla on ongelmia tietyissä kohdin järjestelmää, jotka vaatisivat järjestelmän päivittä-mistä nykyisten suositusten mukaisiksi.

The effects of the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptives on the central thermoeffector threshold temperatures and width of the interthreshold zone

Basal body temperature (BBT) and thermoeffector thresholds increase following ovulation in many women. This study investigated if solely central thermoregulatory alterations are responsible. Seven females in a non-contraceptive group (NCG) were compared with 5 monophasic contraceptive users (HCG) on separate accounts: pre-ovulation (Trial I; d 2-5) and post-ovulation (Trial 2; 4-8 d post-positive ovulation) for NCG, and active phase for HCG (d 2-5, d 18-21). During immersion in 28°C water to the axilla, participants exercised for 20-30 min on an underwater ergometer. After steadily sweating, immersion continued until metabolism increased two-fold due to shivering. Rectal (Tre) BBT was not different between trials for neither NCG (1: 37.34±0.16°C; 2: 37.35±0.27°C) nor HCG. At exercise termination, Tre forehead sweating cessation increased (P<0.05) in trial 2 irrespective of group (1: 37.55±0.39°C; 2: 37.90±0,46°C). Tre shivering onset did not increase (P>0.05) in trial 2 (1: 36.91±0.50°C; 2: 37.07±0,45°C). The widths of the interthreshold zone increased (P<0.05) in trial 2 (1: 0.64±0.22°C; 2: 0.82±0.37°C) due to the increased sweating threshold only. HCG cooled quicker (1: -l.15±0,43°C; 2: -1.00±0.50°C) than NCG participants (1: - 0.58±0.22°C; 2: -0.52±O.29°C), and tympanic (Tty) sweat thresholds were significantly (P<0.05) decreased (1: 34.76±0.54°C; 2: 35.39±0.61°C) versus NCG (l: 35.57±0.77°C; 2: 35.89±1.04°C). Lastly, Tre and Tty thresholds were significantly different (P

Aplicación de una técnica mínimamente invasiva para la reparación de ruptura del tendón de Aquiles

Introducción Las rupturas agudas del tendón de Aquiles se presentan en pacientes entre 40 y 50 años. Las causas más comunes son actividades deportivas. Se han descrito técnicas mínimamente invasivas, con complicaciones como infección del sitio operatorio, adherencias y la lesión del nervio sural. El propósito de este estudio es determinar el desenlace clínico y funcional, de los pacientes con rupturas agudas del tendón de Aquiles llevados a reparación quirúrgica mínimamente invasiva entre 2011 y 2013 en nuestra institución. Materiales y métodos. Estudio tipo Serie de casos. Se realizó evaluación de fuerza muscular, fatiga muscular, arcos de movilidad con respecto a la extremidad contralateral, la escala AOFAS y se describieron las complicaciones. Resultados. Se evaluaron 21 pacientes de 31 elegibles, diecisiete hombres y cuatro mujeres. Edad promedio de 42,7 años, duración promedio de seguimiento de 17,47 meses. Como complicación hubo una dehiscencia de sutura treinta días después del procedimiento. Los pacientes regresaron a actividades laborales 48 días después de cirugía. El tiempo promedio de retorno a actividades deportivas fue de 8.47 meses. El puntaje promedio en la escala AOFAS fue 90. Los arcos de movilidad del tobillo fueron en promedio de 52° para el lado afectado y 56° en el no intervenido. El número de repeticiones de elevación de talón de la extremidad afectada fue de 58 en promedio. Discusión. Estos resultados sugieren que la técnica mínimamente invasiva para reparación del tendón de Aquiles provee resultados funcionales satisfactorios a corto y mediano plazo con bajas tasas de complicación.

Hyperlipidemia as a risk factor of renal allograft function impairment

In this study, the graft outcome in renal allograft recipients with [high cholesterol group (HCG), n = 30] or without [normal cholesterol group (NCG), n = 42] hypercholesterolemia and with [high triglyceride group (HTG), n = 33] or without [normal triglyceride group (NTG), n = 36] hypertriglyceridemia were prospectively compared. At 6 months post-transplantation, no significant difference was observed between the groups (NTG compared with HTG, and NCG compared with HCG) regarding age, presence of arterial hypertension, kind of donor (living related or cadaveric), immunosuppressive therapy, number of rejection episodes per patient, frequency of patients with acute cellular rejection, prevalence of patients with diabetes mellitus or proteinuria > 3 g/24 h, and mean serum creatinine. The probability of doubling serum creatinine during follow-up was statistically different between NTG and HTG (12 months: NTG = 0.03, HTG = 0.15; 36 months: NTG = 0.08, HTG = 0.33; 60 months: NTG = 0.08, HTG = 0.48; and 120 months: NTG = 0.18, HTG = 0.48), but not between NCG and HCG (12 months: NCG = 0.05, HCG = 0.13; 36 months: NCG = 0.13, HCG = 0.24; 60 months: NCG = 0.19, HCG = 0.31; 84 months: NCG = 0.27, HCG = 0.31). There was no significant difference in actuarial graft survival between HCG and NCG or between NTG and HTG. Hypertriglyceridemia, but not hypercholesterolemia, was associated with loss of graft function.

REDUCTION OF URINE VOLUME AMELIORATES ADRIAMYCIN-INDUCED NEPHROPATHY

1. Adriamycin, a commonly used antineoplastic antibiotic, induces glomerular lesions in rats, resulting in persistent proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis.2. The effect of urine volume on the progression of adriamycin-induced nephropathy was studied in 70 male Wistar rats (180-200 g) observed for 30 weeks and separated into 4 groups: healthy control group (HCG, N = 10) inoculated iv with 1 ml of saline, and nephrotic groups inoculated iv with a single dose of adriamycin of 3 mg/kg body weight. The nephrotic rats were separated into 3 groups (N = 20): nephrotic control group (NCG) receiving only adriamycin; dehydrated nephrotic group (DNG) water deprived for 36 h within each 48-h period, and furosemide nephrotic group (FNG) treated with 12 mg/dl furosemide, and 0.9 g/dl NaCl in the drinking water.3. The 30-week survival rates of the DNG (100%) and HCG (100%) were significantly higher than those of the NCG (85%) and FNG (55%).4. The proteinuria observed in the HCG (range, 7.38 +/- 0.7 to 13.6 +/- 1.27 mg/24 h) was significantly lower than that observed for all the nephrotic groups throughout the experiment. The DNG presented significantly less proteinuria (range, 42.71 +/- 6.83 to 140.10 +/- 19.22 mg/24 h) than the NCG (range, 35.32 +/- 7.64 to 250.00 +/- 25.91 mg/24 h) from week 10 on. There was no significant difference between the mean 24-h proteinuria of the NCG (range, 35.32 +/- 7.64 to 250.00 +/- 25.91 mg/24 h) and the FNG (range, 35.82 +/- 7.91 to 221.54 +/- 26.74).5. The mean frequency of damaged glomeruli was 0.3% +/- 0.3 for HCG, 42% +/- 6% for CNG, 40.8% +/- 8% for DNG, and 47% +/- 14% for FNG. The median value of the tubulointerstitial lesion, evaluated by a semiquantitative method, was 0 in HCG, 10 in CNG, 8.5 in DNG and 9.5 in FNG(P<0.05 for all groups compared to HCG).6. The data indicate that reduction of urine volume has a protective effect on adriamycin-induced nephropathy.

Effect of allopurinol in the course of adriamycin induced nephropathy

The role of superoxide in adriamycin-induced nephropathy (single dose; i.v. 3 mg/kg) has been studied by blocking superoxide synthesis through the administration of allopurinol (500 mg/L in drinking water). In Experiment I (EI), allopurinol administration was started 3 days prior to nephropathy induction and continued until day 14. In Experiment II (EII) allopurinol administration was started 2 weeks after nephropathy induction and was maintained until the end of the experiment (26 weeks). Affected glomeruli frequency and tubulointerstitial lesion index (TILI) were determined at Weeks 2 and 4 (EI) and Week 26 (EII). In EI, and 24 h mean proteinuria in the nephrotic control group (NCG-I) differed from that of the treated nephrotic group (TNG-I) at Week 1 (TNG = 33.3 ± 6.39 mg/24 h; NCG = 59.8 ± 6.3 mg/24 h; p < 0.05) and 2 (NCG-I = 80.0 ± 17.5 mg/24h; TNG-I = 49.1 ± 8.4 mg/24 h; p < 0.05). No glomerular alterations were observed and TILI medians were not different in both nephrotic groups at week 2 (NCG-I = 1+: TNG = 1+) and 4 (NCG = 4+; TNG = 4+). In EII, NCG-II and TNG-II presented different 24 h proteinuria values only at Week 6, (136.91 ± 22.23 mg/24 h ad 72.66 ± 10.72 mg/24 h, respectively; p < 0.05). Between nephrotic groups, there was no statistical difference in the median of affected glomeruli (CNG-II = 56%; TNG-II = 48% and TILI (NCG-II = 8+; TNG-II = 9+). Thus, allopurinol was associated with a transient reduction in proteinuria and it did not alter the progression of the nephropathy.

Risco de crédito: uma abordagem utilizando análise discriminante, regressão logística e redes neurais artificiais

Considering the relevance of researches concerning credit risk, model diversity and the existent indicators, this thesis aimed at verifying if the Fleuriet Model contributes in discriminating Brazilian open capital companies in the analysis of credit concession. We specifically intended to i) identify the economic-financial indicators used in credit risk models; ii) identify which economic-financial indicators best discriminate companies in the analysis of credit concession; iii) assess which techniques used (discriminant analysis, logistic regression and neural networks) present the best accuracy to predict company bankruptcy. To do this, the theoretical background approached the concepts of financial analysis, which introduced themes relative to the company evaluation process; considerations on credit, risk and analysis; Fleuriet Model and its indicators, and, finally, presented the techniques for credit analysis based on discriminant analysis, logistic regression and artificial neural networks. Methodologically, the research was defined as quantitative, regarding its nature, and explanatory, regarding its type. It was developed using data derived from bibliographic and document analysis. The financial demonstrations were collected by means of the Economática ® and the BM$FBOVESPA website. The sample was comprised of 121 companies, being those 70 solvents and 51 insolvents from various sectors. In the analyses, we used 22 indicators of the Traditional Model and 13 of the Fleuriet Model, totalizing 35 indicators. The economic-financial indicators which were a part of, at least, one of the three final models were: X1 (Working Capital over Assets), X3 (NCG over Assets), X4 (NCG over Net Revenue), X8 (Type of Financial Structure), X9 (Net Thermometer), X16 (Net Equity divided by the total demandable), X17 (Asset Turnover), X20 (Net Equity Profitability), X25 (Net Margin), X28 (Debt Composition) and X31 (Net Equity over Asset). The final models presented setting values of: 90.9% (discriminant analysis); 90.9% (logistic regression) and 97.8% (neural networks). The modeling in neural networks presented higher accuracy, which was confirmed by the ROC curve. In conclusion, the indicators of the Fleuriet Model presented relevant results for the research of credit risk, especially if modeled by neural networks.

A formação de professores no curso de história da Universidade Federal do Pará: uma análise do projeto político pedagógico

O presente estudo apresenta como temática a formação de professores e busca investigar a seguinte problemática: qual o tratamento dado à formação o de professores para atuar na educação o básica a partir do atual projeto político pedagógico do curso de História da UFPA Buscamos compreender como se organiza a proposta curricular desse curso e como abordada a formação para a docência no referido PPP deste curso. A investigação se constituiu num estudo qualitativo com subsídio teórico de autores do campo historiográfico, do currículo e da formação docente. Adotamos uma análise documental e utilizamos documentos oficiais do CNE, como as DCN para os Cursos de Graduação em História, as DCN para os cursos de Formação de Professores da Educação o Básica e outros com abrangência interna na UFPA, para compreender as suas influências sobre o PPP do curso investigado, que carrega as proposições formativas para o profissional de História nesta IES. Analisando o PPP do curso de História verificamos que a perspectiva formativa no curso investigado ancora-se na formação do professor-historiador, aproximando-se do modelo de formação do professor-pesquisador, preconizado pelas DCN, para a Formação de Professores; entretanto, não identificamos os meios epistemológicos e práticos para a execução deste propósito de formação docente na configuração da estrutura curricular, principalmente quanto ao desenvolvimento de pesquisas sobre o fenômeno educacional. Identificamos, também, que o tratamento do conhecimento pedagógico, imprescindível na formação docente para atuar na Educação Básica, aparece de maneira secundária na estrutura curricular analisada. Portanto, inferimos que o conhecimento histórico assume a prioridade no desenvolvimento do curso investigado nos remetendo que a importância da formação se concentra no historiador, em detrimento da formação do professor.

Ein, zwei Punkte zu Nichtkommutativer Geometrie und Quantenfeldtheorie auf diskreten Räumen

Über viele Jahre hinweg wurden wieder und wieder Argumente angeführt, die diskreten Räumen gegenüber kontinuierlichen Räumen eine fundamentalere Rolle zusprechen. Unser Zugangzur diskreten Welt wird durch neuere Überlegungen der Nichtkommutativen Geometrie (NKG) bestimmt. Seit ca. 15Jahren gibt es Anstrengungen und auch Fortschritte, Physikmit Hilfe von Nichtkommutativer Geometrie besser zuverstehen. Nur eine von vielen Möglichkeiten ist dieReformulierung des Standardmodells derElementarteilchenphysik. Unter anderem gelingt es, auch denHiggs-Mechanismus geometrisch zu beschreiben. Das Higgs-Feld wird in der NKG in Form eines Zusammenhangs auf einer zweielementigen Menge beschrieben. In der Arbeit werden verschiedene Ziele erreicht:Quantisierung einer nulldimensionalen ,,Raum-Zeit'', konsistente Diskretisierungf'ur Modelle im nichtkommutativen Rahmen.Yang-Mills-Theorien auf einem Punkt mit deformiertemHiggs-Potenzial. Erweiterung auf eine ,,echte''Zwei-Punkte-Raum-Zeit, Abzählen von Feynman-Graphen in einer nulldimensionalen Theorie, Feynman-Regeln. Eine besondere Rolle werden Termini, die in derQuantenfeldtheorie ihren Ursprung haben, gewidmet. In diesemRahmen werden Begriffe frei von Komplikationen diskutiert,die durch etwaige Divergenzen oder Schwierigkeitentechnischer Natur verursacht werden könnten.Eichfixierungen, Geistbeiträge, Slavnov-Taylor-Identität undRenormierung. Iteratives Lösungsverfahren derDyson-Schwinger-Gleichung mit Computeralgebra-Unterstützung,die Renormierungsprozedur berücksichtigt.

Favourable long-term outcome after immediate treatment of neonatal hyperammonemia due to N-acetylglutamate synthase deficiency

INTRODUCTION: N-Acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS) deficiency is a rare urea cycle disorder, which may present in the neonatal period with severe hyperammonemia and marked neurological impairment. CASE REPORT: We report on a Turkish family with a patient who died due to hyperammonemia in the neonatal period. Reduced activity of NAGS and carbamyl phosphate synthetase were found at autopsy. A second child who developed hyperammonemia on the second day of life was immediately treated with arginine hydrochloride, sodium benzoate and protein restriction. After NAGS deficiency was suspected by enzyme analysis, sodium benzoate was replaced by N-carbamylglutamate (NCG). A third child who developed slight hyperammonemia on the third day of life was treated with NCG before enzyme analysis confirmed reduced NAGS activity. Neither of the patients developed hyperammonemia in the following years. After the human NAGS gene was identified, mutation analysis revealed that the older sibling on NCG therapy was homozygous for a 971G>A (W324X) mutation. The parents and the younger sibling were heterozygous. Therapy was continued in the older sibling until now without any adverse effects and favourable neurodevelopment outcome. In the younger sibling, therapy was stopped without any deterioration of urea cycle function. CONCLUSION: NAGS deficiency can be successfully treated with NCG and arginine hydrochloride with favourable outcome. Molecular diagnostic rather than enzyme analysis should be used in patients with suspected NAGS deficiency.