Photosynthetic quantum efficiency in south-eastern Amazonian trees may be already affected by climate change.

Tropical forests are experiencing unprecedented high-temperature conditions due to climate change that could limit their photosynthetic functions. We studied the high-temperature sensitivity of photosynthesis in a rainforest site in southern Amazonia, where some of the highest temperatures and most rapid warming in the Tropics have been recorded. The quantum yield (Fv /Fm ) of photosystem II was measured in seven dominant tree species using leaf discs exposed to varying levels of heat stress. T50 was calculated as the temperature at which Fv /Fm was half the maximum value. T5 is defined as the breakpoint temperature, at which Fv /Fm decline was initiated. Leaf thermotolerance in the rapidly warming southern Amazonia was the highest recorded for forest tree species globally. T50 and T5 varied between species, with one mid-storey species, Amaioua guianensis, exhibiting particularly high T50 and T5 values. While the T50 values of the species sampled were several degrees above the maximum air temperatures experienced in southern Amazonia, the T5 values of several species are now exceeded under present-day maximum air temperatures.

Tropical forest lianas have greater non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in the stem xylem than trees.

Lianas (woody vines) are important components of tropical forests and are known to compete with host trees for resources, decrease tree growth and increase tree mortality. Given the observed increases in liana abundance in some forests and their impacts on forest function, an integrated understanding of carbon dynamics of lianas and liana-infested host trees is critical for improved prediction of tropical forest responses to climate change. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are the main substrate for plant metabolism (e.g., growth, respiration), and have been implicated in enabling tree survival under environmental stress, but little is known of how they vary among life-forms or of how liana infestation impacts host tree NSC. We quantified stem total NSC (NSC) concentrations and its fractions (starch and soluble sugars) in trees without liana infestation, trees with more than 50% of the canopy covered by lianas, and the lianas infesting those trees. We hypothesized that i) liana infestation depletes NSC storage in host trees by reducing carbon assimilation due to competition for resources; ii) trees and lianas, which greatly differ in functional traits related to water transport and carbon uptake, would also have large differences in NSC storage, and that As water availability has a significant role in NSC dynamics of Amazonian tree species, we tested these hypotheses within a moist site in western Amazonia and a drier forest site in southern Amazonia. We did not find any difference in NSC, starch or soluble sugar concentrations between infested and non-infested trees, in either site. This result suggests that negative liana impact on trees may be mediated through mechanisms other than depletion of host tree NSC concentrations. We found lianas have higher stem NSC and starch than trees in both sites. The consistent differences in starch concentrations, a long term NSC reserve, between life forms across sites reflect differences in carbon gain and use of lianas and trees. Soluble sugar concentrations were higher in lianas than in trees in the moist site but indistinguishable between life forms in the dry site. The lack of difference in soluble sugars between trees and lianas in the dry site emphasize the importance of this NSC fraction for plant metabolism of plants occurring in water limited environments. Abstract in Portuguese and Spanish are available in the supplementary material.

Functional susceptibility of tropical forests to climate change.

Tropical forests are some of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world, yet their functioning is threatened by anthropogenic disturbances and climate change. Global actions to conserve tropical forests could be enhanced by having local knowledge on the forests' functional diversity and functional redundancy as proxies for their capacity to respond to global environmental change. Here we create estimates of plant functional diversity and redundancy across the tropics by combining a dataset of 16 morphological, chemical and photosynthetic plant traits sampled from 2,461 individual trees from 74 sites distributed across four continents together with local climate data for the past half century. Our findings suggest a strong link between climate and functional diversity and redundancy with the three trait groups responding similarly across the tropics and climate gradient. We show that drier tropical forests are overall less functionally diverse than wetter forests and that functional redundancy declines with increasing soil water and vapour pressure deficits. Areas with high functional diversity and high functional redundancy tend to better maintain ecosystem functioning, such as aboveground biomass, after extreme weather events. Our predictions suggest that the lower functional diversity and lower functional redundancy of drier tropical forests, in comparison with wetter forests, may leave them more at risk of shifting towards alternative states in face of further declines in water availability across tropical regions.

Acetaminophen Oxidation and Inflammatory Markers - A Review of Hepatic Molecular Mechanisms and Preclinical Studies.

Acetaminophen is a widely used analgesic for pain management, especially useful in chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. However, easy access to this medicine has increased the occurrence of episodes of poisoning. Patients often develop severe liver damage, which may quickly lead to death. Consequently, numerous studies have been conducted to identify new biomarkers that allow the prediction of the degree of acetaminophen intoxication and thus intervene in a timely manner to save patients' lives. This review highlights the main mechanisms of the induction and progression of liver damage arising from acetaminophen poisoning. In addition, we have discussed the possibility of using new clinical biomarkers for detecting acetaminophen poisoning.

Determination of irinotecan and its metabolite SN-38 in dried blood spots using high-performance liquid-chromatography with fluorescence detection.

Irinotecan (IRI) is an antineoplastic drug widely used for the treatment of colorectal and advanced pancreatic cancer. Despite its clinical utility, the clinical use of IRI is associated with potentially severe hematopoietic and gastrointestinal toxicities. The quantification of IRI and its active metabolite SN-38 in dried blood spots (DBS) may be an alternative to individualize the drug dose through a minimally invasive and easy collection method. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simple and fast HPLC-FL assay for simultaneous IRI and SN-38 measurement in DBS, with adequate analytical performance for clinical use. The method employs liquid extraction of one 8mm disk of whole blood, followed by separation in a reversed phase Eclipse Plus C8 column (150×4.6mm, 5µm). Detection was performed with a fluorescence detector, with excitation wavelength of 370 and emission of 420 for IRI and 540nm for SN-38 and internal standard (camptothecin). Total analytical run time was 17min. Mobile phase was a mixture of 0.1M phosphate buffer pH 4.0 and acetonitrile (80:20, v/v), at 1mLmin-1. The assay was linear in the range 10-3,000ngmL-1 and from 0.5 to 300ngmL-1 for IRI and SN-38, respectively. Precision assays presented CV% of 2.71-5.65 and 2.15-10.07 for IRI and SN-38, respectively, and accuracy in the range of 94.26-100.93 and 94.24-99.33%. IRI and SN-38 were stable at 25 and 42°C for 14days in DBS samples. The method was applied to DBS samples obtained from fingerpicks from 19 volunteers receiving IRI in single or combined chemotherapy regimens, collected 1 and 24h after beginning of the infusion. The estimated plasma concentration of IRI and SN-38 in sample collected 1h after star of infusion had 16 of 19 values within the ±20% range of the measured plasma concentrations. On the other hand, predictions of IRI and SN-38 plasma concentrations from DBS measurements obtained 24h after the beginning of the infusion were poor. AUC of IRI that was calculated using plasma and DBS-estimated concentrations, with a high correlation (r=0.918). The method presented suitable characteristics for the clinical use. However, translation of IRI and SN-38 DBS to plasma concentrations is challenging due to the compound's variable plasma/blood partition.

[Geographical and organizational aspects of primary health care services in detecting tuberculosis cases in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 2012]. / Aspectos geográficos e organizacionais dos serviços de atenção primária à saúde na detecção de casos de tuberculose em Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, 2012.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the geographical and organizational aspects of primary health care services in detecting tuberculosis cases in Pelotas-RS, Brazil. METHODS: this was a descriptive evaluation study involving 276 health professionals in 2012; data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering geographical and organizational aspects which received a score using a Likert scale of 1 to 5. RESULTS: average use of motorized transport by symptomatic respiratory patients having a cough for more than three weeks to get to a healthcare service was considered regular by respondents; although there was satisfactory availability of health professionals, human resource turnover and time-keeping were considered unsatisfactory; average time of more than 60 minutes waiting to see the doctor and average time spent with the doctor were considered regular. CONCLUSION: organizational and geographic characteristics identified as unsatisfactory may interfere with the detection of tuberculosis cases in Pelotas-RS.

Examining variation in the leaf mass per area of dominant species across two contrasting tropical gradients in light of community assembly.

Understanding variation in key functional traits across gradients in high diversity systems and the ecology of community changes along gradients in these systems is crucial in light of conservation and climate change. We examined inter- and intraspecific variation in leaf mass per area (LMA) of sun and shade leaves along a 3330-m elevation gradient in Peru, and in sun leaves across a forest-savanna vegetation gradient in Brazil. We also compared LMA variance ratios (T-statistics metrics) to null models to explore internal (i.e., abiotic) and environmental filtering on community structure along the gradients. Community-weighted LMA increased with decreasing forest cover in Brazil, likely due to increased light availability and water stress, and increased with elevation in Peru, consistent with the leaf economic spectrum strategy expected in colder, less productive environments. A very high species turnover was observed along both environmental gradients, and consequently, the first source of variation in LMA was species turnover. Variation in LMA at the genus or family levels was greater in Peru than in Brazil. Using dominant trees to examine possible filters on community assembly, we found that in Brazil, internal filtering was strongest in the forest, while environmental filtering was observed in the dry savanna. In Peru, internal filtering was observed along 80% of the gradient, perhaps due to variation in taxa or interspecific competition. Environmental filtering was observed at cloud zone edges and in lowlands, possibly due to water and nutrient availability, respectively. These results related to variation in LMA indicate that biodiversity in species rich tropical assemblages may be structured by differential niche-based processes. In the future, specific mechanisms generating these patterns of variation in leaf functional traits across tropical environmental gradients should be explored.

Estratégia de patenteamento de derivados de Cannabis sativa para obtenção da anuência prévia da ANVISA / Cannabis sativa derivatives patenting strategy for ANVISA's previous annuity

O uso de Cannabis sativa de forma medicinal tem aumentado a cada ano, principalmente pela capacidade de proporcionar alívio imediato dos sintomas de problemas de saúde, tais como convulsões, depressão e insônia. A potencialidade dos fitocanabinoides da espécie para regulação da saúde mental e física tem sido comprovada por meio de estudos publicados em artigos científicos e patentes. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar estratégias de patenteamento de produtos e processos à base de fitocanabinoides para obtenção da anuência prévia de pedidos de patentes, pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) e prosseguimento ao exame pelo Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI). A busca foi realizada na base de dados do INPI, por meio de palavras-chaves Cannabis e fitocanabinoides. Foram triados os pedidos depositados no INPI e encaminhados para anuência prévia da ANVISA, no período de janeiro de 2018 a julho de 2019. Foram encontrados 87 documentos, sendo apenas 5 pedidos enviados para análise da ANVISA. Ficou demonstrado que as tecnologias pleiteadas estão entrando em domínio público pela não anuência da ANVISA e consequente arquivamento definitivo dos pedidos de patentes pelo INPI, o que pode acarretar em perda de informação e de oportunidades de mercado.

Effect of ischemia/reperfusion on telomere length and CDKI genes expression in a concordant ex-vivo hemoperfusion model of primate kidneys.

OBJECTIVES: The telomere (T) length, p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p27(Kip1) cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) genes are considered the markers of cell senescence and DNA damage. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) on the value of above-mentioned markers. METHODS: 13 Macaque cynomolgus monkey kidneys were harvested and placed in Eurocollins solution. 9 kidneys were ex-vivo perfused with human blood and 4 kidneys were not perfused at all (control group). Tissue expression of p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p27(Kip1) was evaluated immunohistochemically and the T lengths were measured by southern blotting technique. RESULTS: Significantly higher levels of p21 and p27 were expressed by the glomeruli (p = 0.001 and 0.0001), tubules (p = 0.0065 and 0.0006) and interstitial cells (p = 0.0017 and 0.0022, respectively) of the xenoperfused kidneys. The mean T length was higher in the control group (5.56 +/- 0.60 kbp) than in the study group kidneys (5.46 +/- 0.36 kbp) (P = NS). CONCLUSION: Renal I/R is associated with telomere shortening and an over-expression of p21 and p27 genes indicating substantial DNA damage and/or accelerated tissue senescence.

Autopercepção corporal e o consumo de recursos ergôgenicos por frequentadores de academia / Body self-perception and the consumption of ergonomic resources by academic frequenters

Objetivo: caracterizar o perfil de praticantes de musculação quanto ao uso de recursos ergogênicos e relacioná-lo à autopercepção corporal. Método: estudo quantitativo, transversal, realizado em academias de musculação de duas cidades de Minas Gerais com entrevistas estruturadas utilizando um questionário e o conjunto de silhuetas. A análise foi pelo Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS15.0), General Linear Model de medidas repetidas e a correlação de Pearson. Resultados: a prática de musculação, em ambos os sexos, foi pela melhora da saúde. A maioria afirmou que realiza as atividades físicas e consome suplementos sem orientação médica ou nutricional. O mais utilizado é o de proteínas, sendo que os homens consomem mais em relação às mulheres. Conclusão: não houve evidências de alterações de autoimagem relacionadas ao uso de suplementos, apesar da falta de orientação.(AU)

[Laboratory performance of primary care units in tuberculosis diagnosis in Pelotas, Brazil]. / Desempeño laboratorial de las unidades de atención primaria en el diagnóstico de tuberculosis en Pelotas, Brasil.

In order to assess laboratory performance of Primary Care Units (UAP, Spanish acronym) in TB diagnosis though the sputum smear test in Pelotas, Brazil, a descriptive study was completed which included all sputum smear tests requested at eleven primary care units from 2007 to 2010. To assess laboratory performance, the number of sputum smear tests requested was quantified as well as the time between the request and the reading of the glass slides at the lab. 477 requests were registered at UAP. Of this total, only 51,8% were found in the laboratory’s record book, the lowest performance was 24,2% and the highest 71,4%. Regarding the reading of glass slides, it was determined that 27,7% readings took 8 days or more. It is concluded that the primary care units in Pelotas have a low laboratory performance in TB diagnosis by sputum smear tests.

Aspectos geográficos e organizacionais dos serviços de atenção primária à saúde na detecção de casos de tuberculose em Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, 2012 / Geographical and organizational aspects of primary health care services in detecting tuberculosis cases in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 2012 / Aspectos geográficos y organizacionales de servicios de atención primaria en salud para la detección de casos de tuberculosis en Pelotas, Rio Grade do Sul, 2012

Objetivo: avaliar os aspectos geográficos e organizacionais dos serviços de atenção primária à saúde na detecção de casos de tuberculose em Pelotas-RS, Brasil. Métodos: estudo de avaliação com desenho descritivo, realizado com 276 profissionais de saúde em 2012; os dados foram coletados mediante aplicação de questionário estruturado, contemplando aspectos geográficos e organizacionais, valorados utilizando-se escala Likert de cinco pontos. Resultados: a média de uso do transporte motorizado pelos sintomáticos respiratórios para o deslocamento até o serviço de saúde foi considerada regular pelos entrevistados; embora exista disponibilidade satisfatória de profissionais, a rotatividade de recursos humanos e o cumprimento de horário foram considerados insatisfatórios; já o tempo médio destinado aos atendimentos e de espera pela consulta médica superior a 60 minutos foram considerados regulares. Conclusão: as características organizacionais e geográficas identificadas como insatisfatórias podem interferir na detecção de casos de tuberculose em Pelotas-RS.

Objective: to evaluate the geographical and organizational aspects of primary health care services in detecting tuberculosis cases in Pelotas-RS, Brazil. Methods: this was a descriptive evaluation study involving 276 health professionals in 2012; data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering geographical and organizational aspects which received a score using a Likert scale of 1 to 5. Results: average use of motorized transport by symptomatic respiratory patients having a cough for more than three weeks to get to a healthcare service was considered regular by respondents; although there was satisfactory availability of health professionals, human resource turnover and time-keeping were considered unsatisfactory; average time of more than 60 minutes waiting to see the doctor and average time spent with the doctor were considered regular. Conclusion: organizational and geographic characteristics identified as unsatisfactory may interfere with the detection of tuberculosis cases in Pelotas-RS.

Objetivo: evaluar los aspectos geográficos y organizacionales de los servicios de atención primaria en salud para la detección de tuberculosis en Pelotas-RS, Brasil. Métodos: estudio de evaluación, descriptivo, realizado con 276 profesionales de salud en 2012; los datos se recogieron mediante un cuestionario estructurado con aspectos geográficos y de organización, utilizando una escala de Likert de 1 a 5. Resultados: el uso medio de transporte motorizado, por síntomas respiratorios para el desplazamiento al servicio de salud fue considerado regular por los entrevistados; aunque existe disponibilidad satisfactoria de los profesionales, el intercambio de los recursos humanos y el cumplimiento con el tiempo fueron considerados insatisfactorios; el promedio de tiempo dedicado al cuidado y el retraso de más de 60 minutos para obtener una consulta médica se considera regular. Conclusión: características organizativas y geográficas identificadas como insatisfactorias pueden interferir con la detección de casos de tuberculosis en Pelotas-RS.

Resilience of savanna forest after clear-cutting in the cerrado-amazon transition zone / Resiliência de cerradão após corte raso da vegetação na transição cerrado-amazônia

The dynamics of the natural process of recuperation of the structure and diversity of native vegetation following anthropogenic disturbance has been the subject of a great deal of controversy in restoration ecology research. The present study evaluates the natural regeneration of savanna forest (cerradão) 32 and 36 years after the clearcutting of the vegetation. We compared species diversity, and the structure and dynamics of the vegetation in two communities, one representing preserved cerradão (PC), and the other, the regenerating cerradão (RC), which was clearcut in 1976. Surveys were conducted in 2008 and 2012, 32 and 36 years after clear-cutting, respectively. In 2008, we demarcated 81 permanent 10 m x 10 m plots, 50 in the RC and 31 in the PC, and measured all live plants with a diameter at soil level > 5 cm. In 2012, the plots were resampled, including the original plants and all the recruits. The species were classified as specialists in savanna (SA) or forest habitat (FO), or as generalists (SA/FO). The RC presented the highest species richness and diversity, density, annual increment, and mortality rates. However, no significant differences were found between communities in the distribution of specialist or generalist species, or between years (2008 and 2012) in basal area or recruitment rates. While the species composition of the two communities is highly similar, the RC was characterized by a higher frequency of SA species, and was more similar to nearby savanna communities (cerrado sensu stricto). Trees in the RC were smaller and suffered higher rates of mortality than those in the PC, but also higher annual increments. While the RC demonstrated a high degree of resilience following clear-cutting, it was still found to be at an intermediate stage of succession, even after almost four decades, indicating that regeneration is a slow process.

A dinâmica de recuperação da diversidade e estrutura da vegetação nativa, a partir de processos naturais, após distúrbios antrópicos, tem sido objeto de controvérsias em estudos de ecologia da restauração. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar a regeneração natural de cerradão em 32 e 36 anos, após corte raso da vegetação. Comparamos os parâmetros florísticos e estruturais e a dinâmica da vegetação (entre 2008 e 2012) de duas comunidades de cerradão, sendo uma de cerradão preservado (CP) e outra em regeneração desde 1976 (CR). Demarcamos em 2008, 81 parcelas permanentes (10 x 10 m), sendo 50 no CR e 31 no CP e medimos todas as plantas vivas com diâmetro a altura do solo > 5 cm. Em 2012, reamostramos todas as plantas e incluímos os recrutas. Classificamos as espécies como especialistas em habitats savânicos (SA), florestal (FO) ou generalistas em habitats savânicos e florestais (SA/FO). O CR apresentou maior riqueza e diversidade de espécies, densidade de indivíduos, incremento periódico anual e taxa de mortalidade. Porém, as duas áreas não apresentaram diferenças na distribuição das espécies entre os habitats (SA, FO, SA/FO) e área basal (em 2008 e 2012) e taxa de recrutamento (entre 2008 e 2012). Apesar do CR e CP apresentarem elevada similaridade florística, o CR apresentou maior frequência de indivíduos de espécies com habitat SA bem como maior similaridade com duas outras comunidades savânicas (cerrado sentido restrito) próximas. Ainda, o CR possui indivíduos com menores diâmetros e consequentemente maiores taxas de mortalidade e incremento periódico anual. Apesar da resiliência do cerradão em relação ao corte raso esse ainda se encontra em estágio intermediário de sucessão, mesmo quase quatro décadas após o distúrbio, indicando que a regeneração é um processo lento.

A descoberta da tuberculose no território: análise qualitativa do trabalho do agente comunitário de saúde / The discovery of tuberculosis in territory: qualitative analysis of work of community health workers / El descubrimiento de la tuberculosis en el territorio: analisis cualitativo del trabajo del agente comunitario de salud

Objetivo: Analisar as ações de busca de casos de tuberculose no território pelo agente comunitário de saúde, bem como a sua articulação com o serviço de saúde para a continuidade das ações de diagnóstico da doença. Material e método: Estudo de abordagem qualitativa com doze agentes comunitários de saúde de quatro equipes de saúde da família de Pelotas que responderam a entrevista semiestruturada em julho de 2012. A análise do conteúdo das entrevistas seguiu os passos da Análise Temática. Resultados: O agente comunitário de saúde reconhece a necessidade do enfrentamento da situação social dos sintomáticos respiratórios e valoriza a formação de vínculo para a resolução das necessidades de saúde. Quanto à articulação com o serviço, identificaram-se fatores que limitam a sua efetivação, tais como a deficiência de estrutura e recursos humanos das unidades de saúde. Conclusão: Identificou-se que os agentes comunitários de saúde são atores fundamentais no controle da tuberculose, com potencial para construir pontes entre os serviços de saúde e a comunidade; além da capacidade de desenvolver uma abordagem baseada no vínculo, na responsabilização e resolutividade dos problemas de saúde do indivíduo e família; e ainda produzir ações de saúde permeadas por aspectos culturais, sociais e de percepção do processo saúde doença, promovendo a união entre o conhecimento científico em saúde e as crenças locais.

Objective: To analyze the search actions of tuberculosis cases within the community health worker as well as its linkages with the health service to the continuity of the actions of diagnosis. Method: A qualitative study with twelve community health workers from four teams of family health in Pelotas who responded to the semi structured interview in July 2012. A content analysis of the interviews followed the steps of thematic analysis. Results: The community health worker recognizes the need for addressing the social situation of respiratory symptoms and values the bond for the resolution of health needs. Concerning the relationship with the service, identifying factors that limit its effectiveness, such as the disability in the structure and in the human resources of health facilities. Conclusion: It was found that the community health workers respondents are vital to the control of tuberculosis, with potential to build bridges between the health services and community, plus the ability to develop an approach based on relationship, accountability and solving health problems of individuals and family, and still produce health actions permeated by cultural, social and perceptions of health disease, promoting the union between the use of scientific knowledge in health and local beliefs.

Objetivo: Analizar las acciones de búsqueda de casos de tuberculosis en el territorio por el agente comunitario de salud y su articulación con el servicio de salud para la continuidad de acciones de diagnóstico de la enfermedad. Material y método: Estudio de abordaje cualitativo con doce agentes comunitarios de salud de cuatro equipos de salud de la familia de Pelotas/RS que respondieron entrevista semiestructurada en julio del 2012. El análisis de contenido de las entrevistas siguieron los pasos del Análisis Temático. Resultados: El agente comunitario de salud reconoce la necesidad de enfrentamiento de la situación social de los sintomas respiratorios y valoriza la formación de vínculo para la resolutividad de las necesidades de salud. Sobre la articulación con el servicio, se identificaron factores que la limitan, tales como deficiencia de estructura y recursos humanos de las unidades de salud. Conclusión: Se identificó que los agentes comunitarios de salud son actores fundamentales en el control de la tuberculosis, con potencial para construir puentes entre los servicios de salud y la comunidad; además de la capacidad de desarrollar un abordaje basado en el vínculo, en el compromiso y solución de problemas de salud del individuo y familia; y aún más, producir acciones de salud contemplando aspectos culturales, sociales y de percepción del proceso salud-enfermedad, promoviendo una unión entre el conocimiento científico en salud y las creencias locales.

Desempeño laboratorial de las unidades de atención primaria en el diagnóstico de tuberculosis en Pelotas, Brasil / Laboratory performance of primary care units in tuberculosis diagnosis in Pelotas, Brazil

Con el objetivo de evaluar el desempeño laboratorial de las unidades de atención primaria (UAP) en el diagnóstico de tuberculosis por baciloscopía en Pelotas, Brasil, se realizó un estudio descriptivo en el cual se incluyó todas las baciloscopías solicitadas en once UAP entre 2007 y 2010. Para la evaluación del desempeño laboratorial se cuantificó el número de baciloscopías solicitadas y el tiempo entre la solicitud y la lectura de la lámina de examen en el laboratorio de referencia. Se encontraron 477 solicitudes registradas en las UAP. De ese total, apenas 51,8% fueron encontradas en el libro de registro del laboratorio, el desempeño más bajo fue de 24,2% y el más alto de 71,4%. Se identificó, en relación al tiempo de lectura de las láminas, que el 27,7% de las lecturas demoraban 8 días o más. Se concluye que las UAP evaluadas de la ciudad de Pelotas tienen un bajo desempeño laboratorial en el diagnóstico de TB por baciloscopías.

In order to assess laboratory performance of Primary Care Units (UAP, Spanish acronym) in TB diagnosis though the sputum smear test in Pelotas, Brazil, a descriptive study was completed which included all sputum smear tests requested at eleven primary care units from 2007 to 2010. To assess laboratory performance, the number of sputum smear tests requested was quantified as well as the time between the request and the reading of the glass slides at the lab. 477 requests were registered at UAP. Of this total, only 51,8% were found in the laboratory’s record book, the lowest performance was 24,2% and the highest 71,4%. Regarding the reading of glass slides, it was determined that 27,7% readings took 8 days or more. It is concluded that the primary care units in Pelotas have a low laboratory performance in TB diagnosis by sputum smear tests.

Ocorrência simultânea de síndrome de Evans e anemia falciforme em uma criança de 2 anos / Simultaneous occurrence of Evans syndrome and sickle cell anemia in a 2 year-old child

A associação entre anemia falciforme (AF) e síndrome de Evans (SE) parece ser rara. Esse estudo objetivou relatar o caso de uma criança com AF e SE. A paciente R. M. S. S., 2 anos de idade, foi admitida em um centro hematológico apresentando hemorragia de mucosa, leucometria 20,3 × 10(9)/l, hemoglobina 4,6 g/dl e plaquetas 28 × 10(9)/l. Posteriormente, realizou-se mielograma, que evidenciou hipercelularidade eritroide, sugerindo hemólise. Teste positivo da antiglobulina direcionou o diagnóstico para SE. Iniciou-se pulsoterapia com corticoide até regularização da plaquetometria. Hemácias em foice foram visualizadas no esfregaço sanguíneo; eletroforese de hemoglobina revelou fenótipo SS. A associação parece ter sido fortuita e gerou quadro grave, que deve ser reconhecido prontamente.

The association of sickle cell anemia (SCA) and Evans syndrome (ES) seems to be uncommon. This study aimed to report a case of a child with SCA and SE. 2 year-old R. M. S. S. was admitted into a hematologic center with mucosal bleedings. Exam results revealed leucocyte 20.3 × 10(9)/l, hemoglobin 4.6 g/dl, and platelets 28 × 10(9)/l. Subsequently, myelogram was performed and showed erythroid-hypercellularity, which suggested hemolysis. Positive antiglobulin test corroborated the diagnosis of ES. Corticosteroid pulse therapies were conducted until normalization of platelet count. Sickle cells were detected in blood smears and hemoglobin electrophoresis revealed SS phenotype. Despite the fact the association appears to occur randomly, it causes severe clinical symptoms, which must be promptly recognized.

Manejo de pragas em cultivo de roseira de sistema de produção integrada e sistema convencional / Pest management in rose crop in integrated production system and conventional system

A cultura da roseira é suscetível ao ataque de várias pragas e o uso de práticas agrícolas menos agressivas à natureza têm sido incentivadas como alternativa ao controle químico. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o uso de agentes de controle biológico e defensivos alternativos no manejo de pragas na produção integrada de rosas e comparálo com o uso de defensivos químicos no sistema convencional. O experimento foi conduzido de fevereiro de 2010 a janeiro de 2011 em cultivo de roseira em casa de vegetação (18 x 6 m) em São João Del Rei (MG). Foram utilizadas mudas de rosas da cultivar 'Carolla' (espaçamento de 1,20 m x 0,20 m). Foram separadas duas áreas na casa de vegetação, sendo uma com controle químico convencional e outra de produção integrada. Cada área continha quatro linhas com 50 plantas por linha. Foram feitas amostragens semanais através da contagem dos artrópodes fitófagos e inimigos naturais presentes nas plantas. Os principais artrópodes fitófagos encontrados foram ácaros, pulgões, moscas brancas e tripes. Não foi constatado dano nas plantas em ambas as áreas avaliadas. Não foram utilizados defensivos químicos na área de produção integrada. Na área de produção integrada foram encontrados 84,2% dos inimigos naturais quantificados. Os resultados obtidos nesse estudo permitem concluir que o cultivo de rosas em sistema de produção integrada possibilita a redução da aplicação de defensivos químicos e o aumento da população de inimigos naturais na área.

The culture of the rose is susceptible to attack by various pests and the use of agricultural practices less aggressive to nature has been encouraged as an alternative to chemical control. The objective was to evaluate the use of biological control agents and alternative pesticides in pest management in integrated production of roses and compare it with the use of pesticides in the conventional system. The experiment was conducted from february 2010 to january 2011 rose cultivation in greenhouse (18 x 6 m) in São João Del Rei (MG). Was used rose variety 'Carolla' (1.20 m x 0.20 m). Two areas were separated in a greenhouse, one with conventional chemical control and other integrated production. Each area contained four lines with 50 plants per row. Samples were collected weekly by counting the insects present in plants. The mains phytophagous arthropods were found mites, aphids, whiteflies and thrips. Damage was not observed in plants in both areas studied. No pesticides were used in the area of Integrated Production. In the area of integrated production found 84.2% of natural enemies quantified. The results of this study support the conclusion that the cultivation of roses in an integrated production system allows the reduction of the application of pesticides and increased population of natural enemies in the area.

Vigilância sanitária: recolhimento de medicamentos na legislação brasileira / Sanitary surveillance: recollection of medications in Brazilian legislation

O artigo decorre de pesquisa exploratória e transversal que levantou dados sobre o recolhimento de medicamentos, ação prevista na legislação sanitária brasileira que deve ser adotada pelas empresas em casos de cancelamento de registro ou desvio de qualidade dos produtos. O estudo foi realizado entre março e outubro de 2005 e este artigo descreve seusresultados a partir de quatro casos-chave, que forneceram elementos para discussão por destacar o tipo de procedimento adotado em cada um. Os dados mostram que dos 57 casos de recolhimento iniciados no período, 22 ocorreram de forma voluntária (38,6 por cento) seis por cancelamento de registro (10,5 por cento) e 29 por determinação da Anvisa (50,9 por cento). Os 35 caracterizados como não voluntários (29 +6) representaram 61,4 por cento do total, em relação aos quais o Estado foi obrigado a intervir. A discussão utiliza o princípio da beneficência, as éticas da proteção e da responsabilidade e a bioética de intervenção. Conclui apontando que embora exista regulamentação para o recolhimento voluntário de medicamentos este procedimento requer a intervenção responsável do órgão regulador, objetivando o bem maior: beneficiar e proteger a população. Considera que nestes casos é ética a intervenção do Estado.

Influence of ischaemia/reperfusion and LFA-1 inhibition on telomere lengths and CDKI genes in ex vivo haemoperfusion of primate kidneys.

The telomere (T) length, p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p27(Kip1) cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) genes are the markers of cell senescence and DNA damage. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of renal ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) and anti-lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment on the value of the above-mentioned markers. Significantly higher levels of p21 and p27 were expressed by the glomeruli (P=0.001 and P=0.0001), tubules (P=0.0065 and P=0.0006), and interstitial cells (P=0.0017 and P=0.0022, respectively) of the xenoperfused kidneys. The mean T length of non-perfused renal specimens (5.56+/-0.60 kbp) was longer than that of the xenoperfused kidneys (5.46+/-0.36 kbp) [P= non-significant (NS)]. Addition of anti-LFA-1 mAb did not significantly influence the gene expression profile in the xenoperfused kidneys. The mean T length was longer in the kidneys with anti-LFA-1 mAb than in those without the medication (5.7+/-0.11 vs 5.13+/-0.31 kbp) (P=0.0661). Kidney I/R is associated with telomere shortening and an over-expression of p21 and p27 CDKIs, which indicates substantial DNA damage and/or accelerated tissue senescence. Although anti-LFA-1 mAb had some protective effect on the telomeres, it did not influence the gene expression profile in this study.

Rituximab and alemtuzumab induce a nonclassic, caspase-independent apoptotic pathway in B-lymphoid cell lines and in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells.

The monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) alemtuzumab (anti-CD52) and rituximab (anti-CD20) produce objective clinical responses in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, their mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Therefore, we investigated the mechanisms of lymphoma and CLL cell killing by two anti-CD20 antibodies (rituximab, B1) and by alemtuzumab. All antibodies induced complement-independent cell death in B-lymphoid cell lines Raji, Ramos, and Mec-1. The efficiency of cell killing was increased by the addition of human complement in Raji but not Ramos cells. Both alemtuzumab and rituximab also killed freshly isolated CLL cells, with a much stronger response for alemtuzumab (from eight of eight patients) compared to rituximab (from two of six patients). Cell morphology and Western blot analyses revealed that the antibody-induced cell death lacked some typical features of apoptosis such as chromatin condensation or poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Taken together, the results suggest that the tumor killing activity of these MoAbs is not only mediated by complement-mediated cytotoxicity (CDC) or antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC), but also by a nonclassic, caspase-independent apoptotic pathway.