Diet of Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1840 (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in two periurban areas in southern Brazil / Dieta de Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1840 (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) em duas áreas periurbanas no Sul do Brasil

Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1840 is one of the least known Brazilian marsupials with respect to its feeding habits. Since the white-eared opossum is omnivorous, it occupies several niches and may be found in urban areas as well as in forest fragments. Current analysis aimed at determining and comparing the diet of D. albiventris in two periurban areas of the municipality of Viamão, a conserved forest remnant and a degraded area resulting from agricultural activities. Captures of D. albiventris were carried out for a period of 30 months by a sampling effort of 504 trap -nights. Forty fecal samples were collected from 45 captures corresponding to 18 specimens. Diet was determined by fecal analysis. Fruit was the most representative item, at an occurrence of 77.5%, comprising six species of plants, followed by invertebrates (62.5%) and vertebrates (37.5%). Didelphis albiventris displayed a frugivorous-omnivorous habit, with no difference between the sexes with respect to composition and frequency of the items consumed. Since there was a greater diversity of food items and fruits in the more conserved area, seasonal variations in the diet could be detected. Generalist species, such as D. albiventris, may have an important role in the recovery of degraded areas through the dispersal of seeds of species of initial successional stages.

Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1840 é um dos marsupiais brasileiros menos conhecidos quanto aos hábitos alimentares. De hábito onívoro, ocupa uma variedade de nichos, sendo encontrado tanto em áreas urbanas quanto em fragmentos florestais. Teve-se como objetivo conhecer e comparar a dieta de D. albiventris em duas áreas periurbanas do município de Viamão: um remanescente florestal conservado e uma área degradada por atividades agropastoris. Foram efetuadas capturas de D. albiventris durante um período de 30 meses, resultando em um esforço amostral de 504 armadilhas-noite. Foram coletadas 40 amostras de fezes decorrentes de 45 capturas correspondentes a 18 indivíduos. A dieta foi determinada através de análise fecal. Com ocorrência de 77,5%, os frutos foram o item mais representativo, compreendendo seis espécies de plantas, seguido de invertebrados, com 62,5%, e vertebrados, com 37,5%. Didelphis albiventris apresentou hábito frugívoro-onívoro, não havendo diferença entre os sexos quanto à composição e frequência dos itens consumidos. Na área mais conservada, obteve-se a mais alta diversidade de itens alimentares e de frutos, encontrando-se variações sazonais na dieta. Espécies generalistas, tais como D. albiventris, podem desempenhar importante papel na recuperação de áreas degradadas, efetuando a dispersão de sementes de espécies de estádios sucessionais iniciais.

Progressive resistance training in elderly HIV-positive patients: does it work?

BACKGROUND: Elderly people present alterations in body composition and physical fitness, compromising their quality of life. Chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS, worsen this situation. Resistance exercises are prescribed to improve fitness and promote healthier and independent aging. Recovery of strength and physical fitness is the goal of exercise in AIDS wasting syndrome. OBJECTIVE: This study describes a case series of HIV-positive elderly patients who participated in a progressive resistance training program and evaluates their body composition, muscular strength, physical fitness and the evolution of CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts. METHODS: Subjects were prospectively recruited for nine months. The training program consisted of three sets of 8-12 repetitions of leg press, seated row, lumbar extension and chest press, performed with free weight machines hts, twice/week for one year. Infectious disease physicians followed patients and reported all relevant clinical data. Body composition was assessed by anthropometric measures and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry before and after the training program. RESULTS: Fourteen patients, aged 62-71 years old, of both genders, without regular physical activity who had an average of nine years of HIV/AIDS history were enrolled. The strengths of major muscle groups increased (74%-122%, p=0.003-0.021) with a corresponding improvement in sit-standing and walking 2.4 m tests (p=0.003). There were no changes in clinical conditions and body composition measures, but triceps and thigh skinfolds were significantly reduced (p=0.037). In addition, there were significant increases in the CD4+ counts (N=151 cells; p=0.008) and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (0.63 to 0.81, p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Resistance training increased strength, improved physical fitness, reduced upper and lower limb skinfolds, and were associated with an improvement in the CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ counts in HIV positive elderly patients without significant side effects.

Progressive resistance training in elderly hiv-positive patients: does it work?

BACKGROUND: Elderly people present alterations in body composition and physical fitness, compromising their quality of life. Chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS, worsen this situation. Resistance exercises are prescribed to improve fitness and promote healthier and independent aging. Recovery of strength and physical fitness is the goal of exercise in AIDS wasting syndrome. OBJECTIVE: This study describes a case series of HIV-positive elderly patients who participated in a progressive resistance training program and evaluates their body composition, muscular strength, physical fitness and the evolution of CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts. METHODS: Subjects were prospectively recruited for nine months. The training program consisted of three sets of 8-12 repetitions of leg press, seated row, lumbar extension and chest press, performed with free weight machines hts, twice/week for one year. Infectious disease physicians followed patients and reported all relevant clinical data. Body composition was assessed by anthropometric measures and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry before and after the training program. RESULTS: Fourteen patients, aged 62-71 years old, of both genders, without regular physical activity who had an average of nine years of HIV/AIDS history were enrolled. The strengths of major muscle groups increased (74 percent-122 percent, p=0.003-0.021) with a corresponding improvement in sit-standing and walking 2.4 m tests (p=0.003). There were no changes in clinical conditions and body composition measures, but triceps and thigh skinfolds were significantly reduced (p=0.037). In addition, there were significant increases in the CD4+ counts (N=151 cells; p=0.008) and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (0.63 to 0.81, p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Resistance training increased strength, improved physical fitness, reduced upper and lower limb skinfolds, and were associated with an improvement in the CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ counts in HIV positive elderly patients without ...

Respiratory syncytial virus rhinosinusitis in intensive care unit patients.

This study reported a case of rhinosinusitis for Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Intensive Care Unit patient. The settings were Intensive Care Unit at Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. One female HIV-infected patient with respiratory failure and circulatory shock due to splenic and renal abscesses, who developed rhinosinusitis caused by RSV and bacteria. Respiratory viruses can play a pathogenic role in airways infection allowing secondary bacterial overgrowth.

Respiratory syncytial virus rhinosinusitis in intensive care unit patients

This study reported a case of rhinosinusitis for Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Intensive Care Unit patient. The settings were Intensive Care Unit at Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. One female HIV-infected patient with respiratory failure and circulatory shock due to splenic and renal abscesses, who developed rhinosinusitis caused by RSV and bacteria. Respiratory viruses can play a pathogenic role in airways infection allowing secondary bacterial overgrowth.

Cytogenetic divergence between two sympatric species of Characidium (Teleostei, Characiformes, Crenuchidae) from the Machado River, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Cytogenetic studies were performed on two sympatric species of Characidium, C. gomesi and C. cf. zebra, from the Grande River basin, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Although both species had a chromosome number of 50 with a karyotype exclusively consisting of meta- and submetacentric chromosomes, interspecific diversity was detected concerning the size of the two first chromosome pairs of the karyotypes. Active nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) were located at the terminal position on the long arm of the 17th pair of C. gomesi and at subterminal position on the long arm of the 23rd pair of C. cf. zebra. For both species the fluorochrome CMA3 stained only the NOR-bearing pair of chromosomes. The heterochromatin pattern also showed some differentiation between these species restricted to the centromeric or pericentromeric region of C. cf. zebra and practically absent in C. gomesi. These data are discussed concerning chromosome diversification in this fish group.

Estudo dos reflexos primitivos em pacientes recém-nascidos pré-termo normais no primeiro ano de vida / Primitive reflex in premature healthy newborns during the first year

Foi realizado estudo não controlado, de coorte histórica, com o objetivo de estabelecer marcos do desenvolvimento neurológico, definir o perfil clínico e epidemiológico de recém nascidos prematuros normais aos 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses de idade corrigida quanto à evolução dos reflexos primitivos. RESULTADOS: Aos 3 meses de idade corrigida, todos os reflexos primitivos estavam presentes em diferentes percentuais. Aos 6 meses de idade corrigida, 100 por cento das crianças apresentavam preensão plantar e 2,7 por cento apresentavam reflexo de Moro, apoio plantar e preensão palmar. A preensão plantar foi o único reflexo primitivo observado aos 9 e 12 meses de idade corrigida. CONCLUSÃO: Foi possível avaliar a ocorrência, assim como o desaparecimento dos reflexos primitivos de recém-nascidos prematuros normais. Estes resultados apontam para um atraso no desaparecimento dos reflexos primitivos mesmo com o uso da correção da idade.

Meningite tuberculosa: relato de 29 casos em população pediátrica no Brasil / Tuberculous Meningitis: report of 29 cases in Brazilian pediatric population

A prevalência de meningite tuberculosa (MTB) nos países em desenvolvimento mantém-se alta, e a doença continua a ter uma elevada taxa de morbimortalidade entre crianças. Neste trabalho, relatamos nossa experiência com casos de MTB, mostrando os achados clínicos, laboratoriais e radiológicos, assim como o tratamento e a seqüência após alta hospitalar. Foram revisados os registros de 29 pacientes com MTB ocorridos no período de 1o de janeiro de 1984 a dezembro de 2001. Houve predomínio do sexo masculino e da cor branca. A média de idade do início dos sintomas foi de 43 meses, variando de 2 meses a 12 anos. O esquema terapêutico mais freqüente foi rifampicina, isoniazida e pirazinamida. Seis pacientes evoluíram para óbito. Todos os pacientes realizaram exames culturais de líquido cefalorraquidiano para M tuberculosis, sendo positivos em 5 (17%). TB pulmonar foi detectada em 8 casos. O tempo médio de internação foi de 41 dias. Quinze de 21 pacientes pesquisados fizeram vacina BCG. Dezenove pacientes (66%) tinham história de contato íntimo com familiar com TB. Lesão cerebral motora foi a seqüela mais freqüente. Glicorraquia menor de 40 mg/dl foi relacionado como fator de risco para lesão cerebral motora, assim como idade menor de 4 anos de idade. Nossos achados mostram que a ocorrência de sinais meníngeos pode funcionar como um fator de proteção para a ocorrência de lesão cerebral motora assim como de proteinorraquia maior que 300 mg/dl (AU)

The prevalence of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in the developing countries remains high, and this disease still has a elevated rate of morbimortality among children. In this study,we report our cases of TBM, describing clinical, laboratorial and radiological findings, as well the treatment and outpatient follow up. Medical charts from 29 patients interned with TBM from January 1984 to December 2001 were reviewed. There were predominance of male sex and white race. The mean age at the start of clinical manifestations was 43 months old, ranging from 2 months old to 12 years old. The more frequent tuberculostatic association was rifampin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Six patients died. Cerebrospinal fluid was collected from all patients, and the cultures for M tuberculosis were positive in five cases (17%). Pulmonary disease was detected in 8 cases. The mean time of hospitalization was 41 days. Fifteen from 21 patients has done BCG vaccine. Nineteen patients (66%) had contact with contaminated household. Motor cerebral lesion was the more frequent sequelae. Glucorrachia less than 40 mg/dl was related as a risk factor to motor cerebral lesion, as weel as age less than 4 years old. Our findings also point to the occurrence of meningeal signs and protein from cerebrospinal fluid above 300 mg/dl as protective factors for arising of motor cerebral lesion (AU)

Prevalência de hipertensão intracraniana e seguimento ambulatorial de pacientes com meningite aguda internados em UTI pediátrica / Prevalence of intracranial hypertension and outpatient clinics follow up of patients with acute meningitis at Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Objetivo: Este trabalho tem o objetivo de mostrar a prevalência de hipertensão intracraniana e o seguimento ambulatorial de pacientes com meningite bacteriana internados em UTI pediátrica. Casuística e método: Foram revisados os registros médicos dos pacientes que apresentaram quadro de meningite que necessitaram de internação na UTI Pediátrica do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) no período de janeiro de 1985 a junho de 2001. Além do diagnóstico de meningite e da ocorrência de hipertensão intracraniana (HIC), pesquisou-se também agente etiológico, sexo, cor, idade na época da internação, tempo de internação, tratamento e acompanhamento ambulatorial. Resultados: Houve uma prevalência de 15% de HIC nos 187 casos de meningite bacteriana. Nos pacientes com HIC, o tempo de internação foi maior, assim como a freqüência de convulsões, de etiologia pneumocócica, lesão cerebral motora, glicorraquia diminuída e de proteinorraquia aumentada no líquor (p < 0,05). Discussão: Deve sempre haver uma forte suspeição clínica para a ocorrência de HIC nos casos de meningite, independente do seu agente etiológico ou mesmo quando houver dúvida quanto à natureza bacteriana da meningite. HIC por si só pode estar relacionada a comprometimento do parênquima cerebral bem como pode ser um marcador para forte reação inflamatória ocorrendo no SNC que pode levar a dano neurológico permanente (AU)

Objective: We demonstrate the prevalence and ambulatorial follow up of patients in intensive care unity with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) diagnosis with the appearing of intracranial hypertension (HIC). Method: medical papers from inpatients with acute bacterial meningitis at Pediatric Intensive Care Unit from Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre from January 1985 to June 2001. The outcomes were prevalence of intracranial hypertension, ethiologic agent, sex, race, age of diagnosis, internation time, treatment and ambulatorial follow up. Results: there was 15% of HIC prevalence in the 187 cases of ABM. Internation time, seizures occurrence, pneumococal ethiology, cerebral motor injury, low levels of lichoric glucosis and protein from liquor were elevated in pacients with HIC in comparison to controls (p < 0,05). Discussion: occurrence of HIC must be suspected in the cases of ABM, independent of ethiologic agent. HIC per se migth be related to a cerebral parenchyma injury as well be a reliable inflamatory reaction marker (AU)

Estado epiléptico como manifestação inicial de doença de Kawasaki / Status epilepticus as first manifestation of Kawasaki disease

A doença de Kawasaki é uma vasculite aguda de etiologia desconhecida com variações no quadro clínico. Estudos recentes têm demonstrado um aumento significativo da incidência nos últimos anos. A incidência de acometimento do SNC varia de 0,4 ­ 3,7%, incluindo convulsões, ataxia, infarto cerebral, coleção subdural, hemiplegia e paralisia do nervo facial. Neste estudo mostramos o caso de um paciente de dois anos de idade, branco, masculino, previamente hígido, com acometimento do SNC na forma de estado epiléptico antes da definição clínica da doença de Kawasaki. São relatados os desdobramentos clínicos, tanto durante a internação como durante o seguimento ambulatorial, achados laboratoriais, radiológicos e eletrofisiológicos, com a devida correlação com os dados de revisão da literatura. Conclusão: deve-se sempre pensar no diagnóstico diferencial ao acometimento súbito do SNC, na hipótese diagnóstica de doença de Kawasaki, mesmo antes da ocorrência de sinais e sintomas que compõem o quadro clássico da doença (AU)

Kawasaki disease is na acute vasculitis with unknown ethiology and large range of clinical findings. Recent studies showed higher incidence in the last years. Central nervous system is affected in 0,4 ­ 3,7% of patientes, and include seizures, ataxia, cerebral infarct, sudural effusions, hemiplegia and facial nerve palsy. In our study we show the case of a two years old male, previosly healthy, with occurrence of status epilepicus before the clinical diagnosis of Kawasaki disease. We report the clinical, laboratorial, neuroradiological and electrencephalogram findings comparing with data in medical literature. Conclusion: in the cases of sudden central nervous system involvement, it is necessary include Kawasaki disease in the differential diagnosis, even before the occurrence of classical clinical symptons (AU)

Influence of intracranial hemorrhage and neonatal seizures on the neurological and psychomotor development of premature infants at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil

This study compared the results of neurodevelopmental examination at 6 months' corrected age of premature infants with neonatal seizures and/or intracranial hemorrhage and normal premature infants. There was a statistically significant correlation (p=0.000007) between intracranial hemorrhage and seizures in the group of 68 premature infants seen in the neurodevelopmental outpatient service at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil. Intracranial hemorrhage was significantly associated with multiparity (p=0.02). The neurodevelopmental examination at 6 months' corrected age revealed that patients who suffered neonatal intracranial hemorrhage and/or seizures had inappropriate muscle tone, strength and reflexes, as well as delay in head control. Conclusion: we compared the results of neurodevelopmental examinations of two groups of premature infants at 6 months' corrected age. The difference in neurological development at 6 months' corrected age was statistically significant when comparison was corrected for premature infants who had neonatal seizures and periventricular hemorrhage

Vigabarina no tratamento da epilepsia de difícil controle em pacientes com síndrome de West e esclerose tuberosa / Vigabatrin in the treatment of epilepsy in patients with West syndrome and tuberous sclerosis

OBJETIVO: é relatar a eficácia da vigabatrina no controle das convulsões, bem como as alterações eletrencefalográficas em crianças com esclerose tuberosa e síndrome de West. MÉTODO: Estudo retrospectivo, com dados clínicos, de neuroimagem e de eletrencefalograma. RESULTADOS: Sete pacientes foram acompanhados e o tempo médio de seguimento foi 10 anos. Dos pacientes, quatro eram do sexo feminino e todos eram de cor branca. A média de idade de início das convulsões foi 3,4 meses. Todos usaram associações de vários anticonvulsivantes; no mínimo duas drogas por esquema terapêutico, e cada paciente utilizou pelo menos dois esquemas diferentes. O uso de vigabatrina como monoterapia ou em associação iniciou em média aos 7 anos de idade ou 4 anos após início dos sintomas. Cinco dos sete pacientes que iniciaram vigabatrina ficaram sem crise. CONCLUSÃO: Vigabatrina mostrou-se eficaz no controle das crises, levando a um melhor prognóstico

Achados neurológicos em crianças internadas no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre por meningococcemia: estudo de 34 casos / Neurologic findings in interned children from Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre by meningococemia: a study of 34 cases

O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar os principais sintomas neurológicos ocorridos no momento da admissão no hospital, bem como nas sequelas neurológicas durante o seguimento ambulatorial, correlacionando com dados demigráficos, radiológicos e eletrencefalográficos em crianças que tiveram diagnóstico clínico de meningococcemia. Os pacientes foram acompanhados no Ambulatório de Neurologia Infantil do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. Resulatados: Foram revisados os registros médicos de 34 crianças entre janeiro de 1997 e junho de 2000. Em 11 casos foi isolado "Neisseria meningitis" nos exames culturais, sendo em 3 deles do sorotipo B. Vinte e três pacientes apresentaram sintomas neurológicos (68 por cento dos casos). Ocorreram 3 óbitos; nenhum paciente com sintomas neurológicos foi a óbito (P=0,04). No seguimento ambulatorial encontraram-se alterações neurológicas (um caso de hiperatividade, um de convulsôes e um de lesão auditiva neurosensorial)em pacientes que não tiveram sintomas neurológicos. Conclusões: a menor mortalidade e o melhor prognóstico neurológico visto durante o seguimento ambulatorial reforçam a idéia de que a localização da meningococcemia é fator de melhor prognóstico, não só quanto à mortalidade como também quanto à morbidade. Estudos prospectivos com maior número de pacientes são necessários para validar esta observação. Aliada às estratégias de imunização, a busca de fatores de pior prognóstico abre margem para uma melhor compreensão da fisiopatologia dessa doença, bem como para investigação mais pormenorizada e tratamento adequado capaz de evitar intercorrências neurológicas a curto prazo e sequelas tardias.

Cerebrovascular disease in pediatric patients

Although rare in childhood, stroke may have a serious impact when it happens in this stage of life. Also, it may be the first sign of a systemic disease. We report 12 cases of patients with stroke treated in the Neuropediatrics Unit of Hospital de ClÝnicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) from March 1997 to March 2000. All patients, from term infants to 12-year-old children hospitalized in the Pediatrics Unit of HCPA, had clinical suspicion of stroke, which was later confirmed by radiological studies. Patient follow up ranged from 1 to 6 years (mean = 3.4 years). Presenting symptoms were hemiparesis in 9 patients, seizures in 7, deviation of labial commissure in 3, and loss of consciousness in 1. The increase in the number of cases of childhood stroke identified and later confirmed by noninvasive methods had helped in the determination of different ethiologies of stroke: the most frequent being hematologic, cardiac and genetic diseases. However, our study included 6 newborns with stroke whose ethiology was not identified. Seven children with seizures received phenobarbital. Six term infants had neonatal seizures secondary to stroke and restricted to the first 72 hours of life