Temporal trend of mortality from infectious respiratory diseases in childhood in Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2000-2020.

MAIN RESULTS: From 2000 to 2020, there was a downward trend in mortality due to infectious respiratory disease in children living in Minas Gerais - even in 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. IMPLICATIONS FOR SERVICES: There was a reduction in child deaths due to respiratory infections; health services should be alerted as to the considerable presence of ill-defined or inconclusive codes (garbage codes) on death certificates. PERSPECTIVES: It is necessary to maintain the effectiveness of health actions among the mother and child population and to improve the records held on the Mortality Information System, in order to enable better monitoring of mortality as well as to enable analytical studies to be conducted. OBJECTIVE: to analyze temporal trends in mortality due to infectious respiratory disease in children under 12 years old in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2000 to 2020. METHODS: this was an ecological study using data on infectious respiratory disease in children under 12 years old registered on the Mortality Information System; the variables studied were etiological agent, anatomical site of infection and sex; trends were analyzed by joinpoint regression. RESULTS: of the 4,688 registered deaths, the etiological agent of the disease was unspecified for 84.5% of them, and 88% were due to lower respiratory tract infections; there was a decreasing trend in deaths and in the proportion of deaths due to unspecified etiologic agents; in 2020, there was an increase in deaths with viral etiology and systemic involvement. CONCLUSION: in addition to the change in the etiologic profile, there was a reduction in mortality due to infectious respiratory diseases in children, even considering 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

First Report on the Use of Larvae of Cochliomyia macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae) for Wound Treatment in Veterinary Practice.

Factors contributing to the delay or prevention of the natural wound healing process include infection and ineffective conventional treatment. Alternative therapies, such as the maggot debridement therapy (MDT), may be helpful for successful treatment in these cases. Aiming to disseminate information about the possibility of using other species of flies for wound treatment, besides the best known Lucilia sericata Meigen, 1826 (Diptera, Calliphoridae), we report here a successful MDT case with the application of Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius, 1775) larvae to treat an infected wound with extensive area of necrotic tissue in a dog. Five sterile larvae were applied to each square-cm of lesion and kept on the animal for only 48 h. The healing was successful, from both qualitative and quantitative points of view. The ratio of wound healing (RWH) reached almost 50% on the 5th day and 100% on the 14th day after MDT. Although the overall animal prognosis had been unfavorable, mainly due to the sepsis, the patient began to recover and had improved clinical condition from the fifth day after MDT. This study shows the importance and effectiveness of MDT in promoting faster and more complete healing of a complex wound.

Remediation of mining soils by combining Brassica napus growth and amendment with chars from manure waste.

Mining activities lead to important physical, chemical and biological effects on soil properties, generating severe impacts in the establishment and maintenance of vegetation. Assisted phytoremediation can be considered an environmentally friendly approach for soil remediation. In this study, two mining soils (PORT and GAM) were treated with 10%, by mass, of the following amendments: manure biochars prepared at 450 °C (BMW450) and 600 °C (BMW600), hydrochars prepared by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of manure at 190 °C (HWM190) and 240 °C (HMW240) and manure waste (MW). Brassica napus was used as a phytoextraction species. After 45 days of plant growth, soil samples were widely characterized, including microbial biomass carbon, enzymatic activity and metal content. In addition, plant biomass production, bioconcentration factor, translocation factor and metal uptake were determined. Experimental results showed that addition of biochars improved the As uptake by Brassica napus in both soils but just in the roots increasing bioconcentration factor between 22.1 and 39.5% for GAM soil and between 28.6 and 53.4% for PORT soil. Brassica napus cannot be considered as Zn accumulator in GAM soil samples and in the case of PORT samples, only the addition of BMW600 and HMW240 enhanced the phytoextraction process of Zn on the roots. Soil enzyme activity improved in hydrochar amended soils.

Linear and volumetric gain after vertical bone augmentation in the posterior mandible using an autologous cortical tenting method.

This study was performed to evaluate the linear and volumetric effects of a technique for reconstruction of the posterior atrophic mandible, including the final bone gain of the graft, by three-dimensional assessment. Thirteen individuals were recruited into the study and submitted to a total of 15 mandibular autogenous bone block surgeries. Cone beam computed tomography images were obtained at three different times. Bone graft length and thickness, and the volume, height, and width of the graft were measured. Data were compared statistically among the time points using the Friedman test, and cluster analysis was performed to identify the association between the study variables and the resorption rate (α = 0.05). Linear analysis of the width and height of the recipient area at the different time points revealed a statistically significant difference. The final average increase in height was 1.6 mm; all subjects showed an average volume gain of 3.412mm3, and 77% of the subjects showed an average graft resorption of 0.688mm3 construction of three-dimensional vertical defects of the posterior mandible resulted in good healing with minimal complications and minimal bone graft resorption, favouring vertical bone gain.

Acute and Cumulative Effects With Whole-Body Vibration Exercises Using 2 Biomechanical Conditions on the Flexibility and Rating of Perceived Exertion in Individuals With Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial Pilot Study.

This study evaluated the effects of 6 weeks of whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise on flexibility and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) in metabolic syndrome (MetS) individuals using 2 biomechanical conditions (fixed frequency [FF] and variable frequency [VF]). Nineteen MetS individuals were randomly allocated in FF-WBV (n = 9, 7 women and 2 men) and VF-WBV (n = 10, 8 women and 2 men) groups. Anterior trunk flexion (ATF) and RPE were determined before and after each session. The acute cumulative exposure effects were analyzed. The FF-WBV group was exposed to 5 Hz on a side alternating vibrating platform (SAVP), exposed to 10 and 50 seconds with the SAVP turned off. The VF-WBV group individuals were intermittently exposed (1 minute WBV exercise/1 minute rest) to 5 to 16 Hz, increased by 1 Hz per session and the peak-to-peak displacement (PPD) were 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mm. Regarding to ATF, significant improvements (P < .05) were observed in the in the acute (VF group) and cumulative intervention (FF and VF-WBV groups). The RPE significantly (P < .05) improved only in VF-WBV (cumulative intervention). In conclusion, WBV exercise improved the flexibility and decreased the RPE in MetS individuals. These findings suggest that WBV exercise can be incorporated into physical activities for MetS individuals.

Tendência temporal da mortalidade por doenças respiratórias infecciosas na infância, em Minas Gerais, 2000-2020 / Tendencia temporal de la mortalidad por enfermedades respiratorias infecciosas en la infancia en Minas Gerais, Brasil, 2000-2020 / Temporal trend of mortality from infectious respiratory diseases in childhood in Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2000-2020

Objective: to analyze temporal trends in mortality due to infectious respiratory disease in children under 12 years old in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2000 to 2020. Methods: this was an ecological study using data on infectious respiratory disease in children under 12 years old registered on the Mortality Information System; the variables studied were etiological agent, anatomical site of infection and sex; trends were analyzed by joinpoint regression. Results: of the 4,688 registered deaths, the etiological agent of the disease was unspecified for 84.5% of them, and 88% were due to lower respiratory tract infections; there was a decreasing trend in deaths and in the proportion of deaths due to unspecified etiologic agents; in 2020, there was an increase in deaths with viral etiology and systemic involvement. Conclusion: in addition to the change in the etiologic profile, there was a reduction in mortality due to infectious respiratory diseases in children, even considering 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objetivo: analizar las tendencias temporales de mortalidad por enfermedades respiratorias infecciosas en niños de hasta 12 años incompletos en Minas Gerais, Brasil, de 2000 a 2020. Métodos: estudio ecológico con datos de muertes en niños de hasta 12 años incompletos, registradas en el Sistema de Información de Mortalidad; las variables estudiadas fueron: agente etiológico, sitio anatómico de infección y género; las tendencias se analizaron mediante la regresión jointpoint. Resultados: de las 4.688 muertes registradas, el 84,5% tenía un agente etiológico de la enfermedad no especificado y el 88% se debía a infecciones de las vías respiratorias bajas; hubo una tendencia decreciente en las muertes y en la proporción de muertes por agente no especificado; en 2020, hubo un aumento en el número de muertes de etiología viral y acometimiento sistémico. Conclusión: además del cambio en el perfil etiológico, hubo una reducción de la mortalidad por enfermedades respiratorias infecciosas en niños, incluso considerando 2020, año de la pandemia de Covid-19.

Objetivo: analisar as tendências temporais de mortalidade por doença respiratória infecciosa em crianças com até 12 anos incompletos, Minas Gerais, Brasil, de 2000 a 2020. Métodos: estudo ecológico dos óbitos por doença respiratória infecciosa em crianças com até 12 anos incompletos, registrados no Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade; as variáveis estudadas foram o agente etiológico, o sítio anatômico da infecção e o sexo; as tendências foram analisadas por regressão joinpoint. Resultados: dos 4.688 óbitos registrados, 84,5% tiveram agente etiológico não especificado e 88% decorreram de infecções nas vias aéreas inferiores; observou-se tendência decrescente nos óbitos e na proporção de óbitos provocados por agente etiológico não especificado; em 2020, houve incremento do número de óbitos de etiologia viral e de acometimento sistêmico. Conclusão: além da alteração no perfil etiológico, notou-se redução da mortalidade por doenças respiratórias infecciosas em crianças - mesmo em 2020, ano de pandemia de covid-19.

MARCOnI-ConvNet-Based MARker-Less Motion Capture in Outdoor and Indoor Scenes.

Marker-less motion capture has seen great progress, but most state-of-the-art approaches fail to reliably track articulated human body motion with a very low number of cameras, let alone when applied in outdoor scenes with general background. In this paper, we propose a method for accurate marker-less capture of articulated skeleton motion of several subjects in general scenes, indoors and outdoors, even from input filmed with as few as two cameras. The new algorithm combines the strengths of a discriminative image-based joint detection method with a model-based generative motion tracking algorithm through an unified pose optimization energy. The discriminative part-based pose detection method is implemented using Convolutional Networks (ConvNet) and estimates unary potentials for each joint of a kinematic skeleton model. These unary potentials serve as the basis of a probabilistic extraction of pose constraints for tracking by using weighted sampling from a pose posterior that is guided by the model. In the final energy, we combine these constraints with an appearance-based model-to-image similarity term. Poses can be computed very efficiently using iterative local optimization, since joint detection with a trained ConvNet is fast, and since our formulation yields a combined pose estimation energy with analytic derivatives. In combination, this enables to track full articulated joint angles at state-of-the-art accuracy and temporal stability with a very low number of cameras. Our method is efficient and lends itself to implementation on parallel computing hardware, such as GPUs. We test our method extensively and show its advantages over related work on many indoor and outdoor data sets captured by ourselves, as well as data sets made available to the community by other research labs. The availability of good evaluation data sets is paramount for scientific progress, and many existing test data sets focus on controlled indoor settings, do not feature much variety in the scenes, and often lack a large corpus of data with ground truth annotation. We therefore further contribute with a new extensive test data set called MPI-MARCOnI for indoor and outdoor marker-less motion capture that features 12 scenes of varying complexity and varying camera count, and that features ground truth reference data from different modalities, ranging from manual joint annotations to marker-based motion capture results. Our new method is tested on these data, and the data set will be made available to the community.

Growth inhibition of sourgrass as a function of period of darkness after diquat application

Photosystem-inhibiting herbicides, such as diquat, act by inducing oxidative stress. However, oxidative damage impairs translocation, resulting in regrowth of the plants. The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of diquat in controlling the growth of sourgrass exposed to different periods of darkness after application of the herbicide, as well as to evaluate the photosynthetic activity and the production of reactive oxygen species. Two experiments (field and greenhouse) were conducted by applying diquat (200 g a.i. ha-1) on sourgrass plants at the 3 to 4 tiller stage. The treated plants were subjected to different periods of darkness after diquat application (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 h), in addition to the control treatment without any application. Growth inhibition and mass evaluations of the sourgrass plants were performed in both experiments, whereas photosynthetic activity and H2O2 accumulation in the leaves were evaluated in the greenhouse experiment. The results showed an increase in the sourgrass growth inhibition with an increase in the period of darkness after application. There was a need for a minimum of 6 h of darkness after diquat application to fully inhibit growth (100%) of the sourgrass, whereas plants that remained in the sun since application exhibited less than 50% inhibition. The increase in the period of darkness after diquat application resulted in a reduction in photosynthetic activity and, consequently, lower accumulation of H2O2. Thus, the maintenance of sourgrass in the dark for at least 6 h enables total control of the growth of the plants, preventing regrowth.

Nanosilicalites as Support for ß-Glucosidases Covalent Immobilization.

Many different materials have been tested for ß-glucosidases immobilization. Such materials, however, often show a poor activity related to a low surface area of the support or even enzyme hindrance caused by entrapment inside porous matrix. In this context, the use of nanosized zeolites as enzymes support is quite new and may be an interesting alternative. The present work evaluates the immobilization of ß-glucosidases in nanosized silicalites by covalent coupling. The new biocatalyst was able to convert 100% of cellobiose into glucose in 18 h at 50 °C and pH 5, retaining 85% of its activity after five cycles of reuse. A detailed investigation of the published literature indicates that, apparently, this is the first work concerning the immobilization of ß-glucosidases on nanosized zeolites ever reported.

Epidemiologia da dengue em Minas Gerais de 2009 a 2019: uma análise descritiva / Epidemiology of dengue in Minas Gerais from 2009 to 2019: a descriptive analysis

Introdução: Atualmente, a dengue gera um importante impacto sobre o bem-estar dos pacientes e a economia do sistema público de saúde. Nesse sentido, evidencia-se a necessidade da realização de estudos epidemiológicos de modo a auxiliar nas análises acerca da realidade estadual. Objetivo: Caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico da dengue em Minas Gerais, de 2009 a 2019. Material e Métodos: Estudo observacional de caráter descritivo e quantitativo utilizando dados de notificações e internações obtidos do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação e do Sistema de Informações Hospitalares, a partir do TABNET. Calcularam-se taxas de letalidade, incidência e internação, utilizando dados demográficos do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde para os cálculos de incidência e internação. As variáveis de estudo foram: ano de ocorrência, macrorregião de residência, faixa etária, evolução e classificação clínica da doença, sexo, escolaridade e raça. Resultados: A dengue possui um caráter cíclico de incidência, e as taxas de letalidade e internação oscilam anualmente. As macrorregiões Centro, Triângulo do Sul, Noroeste, Oeste, Triângulo do Norte e Vale do Aço obtiveram elevadas taxas de incidência, e a macrorregião Leste a maior taxa de internação. A maioria dos casos de dengue foram classificados como "dengue clássica", e a classificação "dengue grave" foi a de menor incidência. Em relação à faixa etária, o intervalo de 15 a 39 anos apresentou maior taxa de incidência e menores taxas de letalidade e de internação, quando comparado à população idosa. Ademais, a evolução a óbito ocorreu mais frequentemente em indivíduos analfabetos. Conclusão: Os achados desse estudo elucidam o perfil epidemiológico da dengue em Minas Gerais, que se caracteriza por apresentar um padrão nacional cíclico de casos, manifestando-se principalmente de forma branda, mas com um acréscimo da morbimortalidade em analfabetos e idosos.

Introduction: Currently, dengue has an important impact on the well-being of patients and the economy of the public health system. In this sense, the need to carry out epidemiological studies is highlighted in order to assist in the analysis of the state's reality. Objective: To characterize the epidemiological profile of dengue in Minas Gerais, from 2009 to 2019. Material and Methods: Observational descriptive and quantitative study based on data on notifications and admissions obtained from the Notifiable Diseases Information System and the Hospital Information System, from TABNET. Rates of lethality, incidence and hospitalization were calculated using demographic data from the information technology department of the Unified Health System to calculate incidence and hospitalization. The study variables were: the year of occurrence, macro-region of residence, age group, evolution and clinical classification of the disease, gender, education and race. Results: Dengue has a cyclical nature of incidence, and lethality and hospitalization rates fluctuate annually. The Central, Southern Triangle, Northwest, West, Northern Triangle and Vale do Aço macro-regions had high incidence rates, and the Eastern macro-region had the highest hospitalization rate. Most dengue cases were classified as 'classic dengue', and the classification 'severe dengue' had the lowest incidence. Regarding the age group, the 15 to 39-year age group had a higher incidence rate and lower mortality and hospitalization rates, when compared to the elderly population. Furthermore, the evolution to death occurred more frequently in illiterate individuals. Conclusion: The findings of this study elucidate the epidemiological profile of dengue in Minas Gerais, which is characterized by presenting a cyclical national pattern of cases, manifesting itself mainly in a mild form, but with an increase in morbidity and mortality in illiterate and elderly people.

Enrichment diets of pigs with oil blends and its effects on performance, carcass characteristics and fatty acid profile / Dietas enriquecidas com blends de óleos para suínos em terminação e seus efeitos sobre o desempenho, as características de carcaça e o perfil de ácidos graxos

The addition of different oil blends in the feed of finishing pigs was evaluated. Twenty-four castrated male finishing pigs were used in a randomized block design containing four treatments and six replicates. The treatments consisted of: Reference ration (RR) - 100% soybean oil feed; and the combination of the different oils: Blend1 - 50.0% soybean oil (SO), 25.0% flaxseed oil (FO), 12.5% olive oil (OO) and 12.5% canola oil (CO); Blend2 - 25.0% SO, 50.0% FO, 12.5% OO and 12.5% CO; and Blend3 - 25.0% SO, 12.5% FO, 12.5% OO and 50.0% CO. The performance, quantitative and qualitative carcass parameters, fatty acids profile and economic feasibility of the diets were evaluated. The use of blends in the diets did not influence the performance or carcass quality, but increased marbling and carcass yield. The fatty acid profile of the loin presented greater amounts of stearic acid in Blend3 and higher percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in animals fed with Blend1. The fatty tissue presented greater amounts of myristic acid in Blend1 and oleic acid in Blend3. The reference ration was the most economic. The Blends did not affect performance or carcass characteristics and improved the fatty acid profile.(AU)

Foi avaliada a utilização de diferentes blends de óleo em dietas de suínos em terminação. Foram utilizados 24 suínos, machos, castrados, distribuídos em delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos e seis repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de: ração referência (RR) - 100% de ração com utilização de óleo de soja; e a combinação de diferentes óleos: Blend1 - 50,0% de óleo de soja (OS), 25,0% de óleo de linhaça (OL), 12,5% de óleo de oliva (OO) e 12,5% de óleo de canola (OC); Blend2 - 25,0% OS; 50,0% OL; 12,5% OO e 12,5% OC; e Blend3 - 25,0% OS; 12,5% OL; 12,5% OO e 50,0% OC. Foram avaliados os parâmetros de desempenho, a qualidade de carcaça, o perfil de ácidos graxos e a viabilidade econômica. O uso de blends nas dietas não influenciou o desempenho ou a qualidade da carcaça, mas aumentou o marmoreio e o rendimento de carcaça. O perfil de ácidos graxos do lombo apresentou maiores quantidades de ácido esteárico com a utilização do Blend3 e maior porcentagem de ácidos graxos insaturados nos animais alimentados com o Blend1. O tecido adiposo apresentou maiores quantidades de ácido mirístico quando se forneceu o Blend1 e de ácido oleico com o Blend3. A ração testemunha foi a mais econômica. As misturas não afetaram o desempenho e as características de carcaça e melhoraram o perfil de ácidos graxos da carne.(AU)

Economic impact of regression of left ventricular hypertrophy by antihypertensive drugs.

We examined the long-term cost effectiveness of treating hypertensive patients aged 47 to 65 yrs with agents that promote regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and ACE inhibitors were compared with standard therapy. To estimate the effect of drug therapy on LVH regression, we pooled data from 25 studies. We estimated the effects of LVH regression on cardiovascular outcomes using Framingham data and the studies of Devereux. The estimated costs of differing treatment strategies included average costs of drug therapy and follow-up care, and direct costs of lost productivity owing to untoward outcomes. Patients were classified by initial left ventricular mass index (LVMI) as low (< 95 g/m2), moderate (95-125 g/m2) and high risk (> 125 g/m2). The data suggested that all three agents reduce LVMI in moderate- and high-risk groups. The respective average reductions in LVMI in high risk and moderate risk were 20% and 12% for ACE inhibitors, 18% and 8% for beta-blockers, and 5% and 6% for calcium channel blockers. We estimated the relative improvement in cardiovascular morbidity/mortality from LVH reversal required for overall cost savings with each drug class compared with a standard regimen. Patients treated with calcium channel blockers needed to realise at least 72% of the expected reduction in cardiovascular outcomes from LVH regression for this strategy to be less costly. For ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, only 32% and 26%, respectively, of the expected reduction in poor outcomes from LVH reversal were required for these agents to be more cost effective. Long-term costs of treatment with ACE inhibitors versus beta-blockers were similar. A 25% higher treatment cost of ACE inhibitors was offset by a greater effectiveness in reversing LVH with attendant lower rates of cardiovascular complications.

Kikuchi's disease: report of 2 cases and a brief review of the literature.

Kikuchi's lymphadenitis is a histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis without granulocytic infiltration, with fever and generally with a benign course, despite its pathologic resemblance to malignant lymphoma. The illness usually begins with localized cervical adenopathy in young adult females, predominantly before the fourth decade of life. Clinically, several agents could be the cause of such an illness--toxoplasmosis, herpes group viral infection, cat scratch disease, lymphoma, SLE and other infectious agents. The diagnosis is made by using a histological technique. The lymph node biopsy reveals fibrinoid necrosis, loss of lymph node structure with many histiocytes and an absence of granulomatous reaction. The immunohistochemical analysis shows that the main affected cellular components are the T cells. Laboratory exams show an erythrocyte sedimentation increase, neutropenia, leukopenia and lymphocytosis. We describe two cases that were followed since 1994 and 1996, respectively. Both were females under 25 years old, who developed a febrile disease with lymphadenopathy. Lymph node biopsies showed necrotizing lymphadenitis without granulocytic infiltrations. The patients had no evidence of other systemic diseases. Our objectives are to present a rare cause of febrile disease with enlargement of cervical lymph nodes, to review Kikuchi's disease, and to alert the medical community to this rare cause of fever and lymphadenopathy.

Neutralizing antirabies antibodies in urban terrestrial wildlife in Brazil.

The prevalence of rabies neutralizing antibodies (NA) in sera of wild animals from São Paulo City (Brazil) was investigated using the Rapid Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test between 1994 and 1997. Sera from 547 specimens were examined. Marsupials represented 45% of the sample and primates 37%; carnivores, rodents, deer and edentates represented 6, 6, 3 and 2%, respectively. The overall prevalence of NA was 14%. The prevalence of NA was 18% in primates; whereas in marsupials, carnivores, edentates and rodents it was 13, 9, 8 and 6%, respectively. The stratification according to sex, age, and site of capture of the marsupials and primates showed a small predominance in males versus females and a large predominance of adults versus juveniles. The same relationship was seen in specimens captured near human habitations versus specimens captured in their own habitat. It is evident that there is circulation of rabies virus in wild animals, which are not recommended as pets since they represent a potential risk of exposure to rabies virus for both humans and domestic animals.

[Risk of development of false aneurysm and graft infection after aorta-femoral bypass graft. Retrospective study. Report of 211 cases]. / Le risque de survenue de faux anévrysme et d'infection prothétique après pontage prothétique aorto-fémoral. Etude rétrospective. A propos de 211 cas.

Anastomotic aneurysm and infection of arterial graft are complications that occur late after aorto-femoral bypass graft surgery. The objective of this paper is to calculate the percentage of patients free of these complications after 10 years. From 1966 to 1983, 211 patients were operated on consecutively to treat aortoiliac atherosclerotic obstructive disease. There were 173 (82%) men and 38 (18%) women of mean age 54.7 +/- 9.1 years. Forty-one percent of patients were operated on for limb salvage. Aorto-bi-femoral bypass was performed in 196 (92.9%) patients; the unilateral aorto-femoral bypass in 8 (3.8%) and the aorto-femoral to one side and aorto-iliac to the order in 7 (3.3%). In 28 patients, the bypass was associated with femoro-popliteal bypass (21 patients) or reconstruction of visceral arteries (7 patients). The anastomosis was end-to-side both in the aorta and in the femoral arteries, made of synthetic sutures. Diagnosis of the complications was made by physical examination, ultrasonography, CT scan or arteriography. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine the percentage of patients without complications. After 24, 60 and 120 months, 98.5%, 92.6% and 85.4% of the patients were free of anastomotic aneurysm, respectively and after the same periods, 97.3%, 90.4% and 75.2% of the patients respectively were free of graft infection (table 2). We conclude that the risk of developing complications is a permanent risk and increases with time, but the use of grafts cannot be invalidated.

[Role of the process of endothelium formation on the wall of the aortic prosthesis in protection against infection. Experimental study in dogs]. / Rôle du processus de formation d'endothélium sur les parois de la prothèse de l'aorte dans la protection contre l'infection. Etude expérimentale sur des chiens.

An experimental canine model was developed in order to evaluate the role of endothelialization of aortic prostheses for protection against septicemic infection and the utilization of 131I radiolabeled bacteria for vascular experimentation. Two groups of dogs were submitted to insertion of a dacron prosthesis segment in the abdominal aorta with subsequent infusion of inert 131I radiolabeled bacteria. In the first group ("A"), formed by five dogs, the infusion was made 30 minutes after the insertion of the prosthesis and in the second group ("B"), formed by four dogs, in a new surgery performed 12 weeks after. Fragments of the animals' prostheses and aortas were collected after 30 minutes of septicemia and analyzed by scan electron microscopy and submitted to reading of radioactivity uptake by a well-type counter. The microscopy recognized a complete endothelialization of the prostheses of dogs of group "B" 12 weeks after their insertion. Statistical analysis comparing fragments of non-endothelialized prostheses, of endothelialized prostheses and aortas demonstrated that the lower radioactivity uptake of the endothelialized prostheses in relation to non-endothelialized ones was significant (p = 0.0143) and that there was no significant statistical difference in uptake in the aortas and in endothelialized prosthesis (p = 0.3173). It was, therefore, concluded that prosthesis endothelialization fully protected them against septicemic infection; bacteremia contaminated all the non-endothelialized prostheses; there was no bacterial adhesion in the endothelialized prostheses and the use of bacteria labeled with radioisotope 131I is appropriate for the study of infections in vascular prosthetic devices.

How partial nitrification could improve reclaimed wastewater transport in long pipes.

Reclaimed wastewater transport is studied in a concrete-lined cast iron pipe, where a nitrification-denitrification process occurs. The pipe is part of the Reuse System of Reclaimed Wastewater of South Tenerife (Spain), 0.6 m in diameter and 61 km long. In order to improve wastewater quality, at 10 km from the inlet there is injection of fresh water saturated in dissolved oxygen (DO), after which a fast nitrification process usually appears (less than two hours of space time). The amount of oxidized nitrogen compounds produced varies between 0.8 and 4.4 mg/l NOx(-)-N. When DO has disappeared, a denitrification process begins. The removal of nitrite is complete at the end of the pipe, whereas the nitrate does not disappear completely, leaving a concentration of about 0.4-0.5 mg/l. For a COD/NOx(-)-N ratio higher than 5, a first order nitrification rate in NOx(-)-N has resulted, with the constant k20 = 0.079 h-1, for a NOx(-)-N concentration range of 0.8-4.4 mg/l. Finally the following temperature dependency for the first order denitrification rate constant has been found: k = k20 x 1 x 15T-20. Although nitrogen could be used as nutrient in the agricultural reuse, its removal from reclaimed wastewater could be useful in order to diminish the chlorine needs for reclaimed wastewater disinfection.

[Isolation of rabies virus from the insectivorous bat Myotis nigricans]. / Isolamento do vírus rábico de morcego insetívoro Myotis nigricans.

The following is a case study of the natural infection by the rabies virus of an insectiverous bat belonging to the species Myotis nigricans in the municipality of Ribeirão Pires, Greater S. Paulo. Diagnosis was made by means of immunofluorescence and intracerebral innoculation of mice with nervous and intrascapular muscular tissues.

[Laboratory diagnosis of rabies in chiroptera carried out in a metropolitan area of southeastern region Brazil]. / Diagnóstico laboratorial de raiva em quirópteros realizado em área metropolitana na região sudeste do Brasil.

Between January, 1988 and December, 1992 the S. Paulo Animal Disease Control Center subjected 289 bats to rabies examinations, utilizing the direct immunofluorescence and biological techniques. Two insectiverous bats belonging to the species Nyctinomops macrotis, representing 0.69% of the total sample, tested positive. Both animals had been captured alive in residential neighborhoods of the city, one in 1988 in the living room of a 7th floor apartment and the other in 1990 on top of a wall surrounding a private house. In the biological tests, the disease showed incubation periods of 13 and 11 days respectively. Although the existence of infected insectiverous bats in urban areas is cause for concern, indiscriminate predatory action against such species can in no way be justified-particularly bearing in mind their importance in preserving the ecological balance of the insect population so prevalent in cities.

[Humoral immune response of dogs to the inactivated suckling mouse brain vaccine used in anti-rabies campaigns in Brazil]. / Resposta imune humoral de cães à vacina inativada, de cérebro de camundongos lactentes, utilizada nas campanhas anti-rábicas no Brasil.

INTRODUCTION: An anti-rabies campaign is undertaken annually in Brazil with of the Fuenzalida & Palacios vaccine. The humoral immune response of dogs vaccinated during the campaigns was researched with the objective of evaluating whether the dogs presented a protective titer (0.5 UI/ml) 12 months after vaccination and how many of these achieved this titer 30 days after a buttressing vaccination. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Three hundred and forty-one specimens of serum of dogs domicilied, 259 in the S. Paulo and 82 in the Paulinia counties, were analyzed utilizing the Rapid Fluorescence Focus Inhibition Test. The immune response was evaluated taking into consideration the nutritional state of the animal and the number of previous vaccinations. RESULTS: The larger number of the dogs had not achieved the 0.5 UI/ml titer after 12 months, independently of the nutritional state and the response to the buttressing vaccination was more apparent in dogs with two or more previous vaccinations. DISCUSSION: The cut off of 0.5 UI/ml as protective titer in dogs and the influence of the nutritional state and health conditions of the animals as responsible for humoral immune response are discussed.