Temporal changes in fish species composition of headwater streams of the upper Paraguay and Paraná basins, Brazil / Alteração temporal na composição de espécies de peixes em riachos de cabeceira das bacias do alto Paraguai e Paraná, Brasil

This study was carried out in headwater streams in the Paraguay and Paraná river basins, with bi-monthly samples from January to November 2004, aiming to quantify the influence of environmental factors on the temporal rate of turnover in species composition of the fish communities. The environmental variables explained 73.5% of the variation in beta diversity and 52.5% of the variation in mean dissimilarity. Altitude was the only environmental descriptor that significantly explained the variation in beta diversity and mean dissimilarity in both basins.

O presente estudo foi realizado em riachos de cabeceira nas bacias dos rios Paraguai e Paraná, por amostragens bimestrais de janeiro a novembro de 2004, com o objetivo de se quantificar a influência dos fatores ambientais sobre a taxa de alteração temporal na composição de espécies nas comunidades de peixes. As variáveis ambientais utilizadas explicaram 73,5% da variação na taxa de alteração na composição de espécies, utilizando a diversidade beta e 52,5% da variação na taxa de alteração pelo coeficiente de Jaccard. A altitude dos locais amostrados foi o único preditor significativo da taxa de alteração temporal na composição de espécies para ambas as bacias.

Cambio climático y salud humana / Climatic change and human health

El cambio climático presenta un abanico de desafíos a la salud humana, aunque muchas de las relaciones son complejas de demostrar, ya que un conjunto amplio de otros factores sociales, conductuales y medioambientales puede afectar también a los resultados sanitarios en cuestión. Es necesario propiciar un mayor reconocimiento de las implicaciones sanitarias del cambio climático para el hombre, a fin de adoptar medidas eficaces y de movilizar a la población...(AU)

The climatic change comprehends a wide spectrum of challenges to human health, although many of the relations are difficult to prove, because a big group of social, behavioral and environmental facts may also affect the sanitary results. It is necessary to propitiate a bigger knowledge of the sanitary complications of the climatic change for the humankind, to adopt efficacious measures and to organize the population...(AU)

Triggers in adult asthma: are patients aware of triggers and doing right?

Background: As triggers have a potential to induce asthma exacerbations, awareness of the patients to inividual triggers as well as protective measures might be helpful to prevent asthma attacks. Though allergens and allergen avoidance have been studied extensively, there are only few studies on non-allergic triggers and their avoidance for adult patients with asthma. In this study, we wanted to investigate asthma triggers and compliance to the preventive measures in an adult population. Methods: One hundred and thirty one adult asthma patients were enrolled into the study. A face to face interview was done by using a questionnaire including individual asthma triggers, prevention measures against major modifiable triggers and knowledge sources of the cases. Results: Regardless of asthma severity, 59.5 % of the subjects reported to be triggered by more than 10 factors. The most common triggers were air pollutants (89.3 %) and weather changes (81.7 %). Severe group was more frequently affected by medications, emotional stress, weather changes and indoor pollutants than other severity groups (p = 0.017, 0.014, 0.049 and 0.018,respectively) whereas stress was reported more frequently by females than males. Prevention measures were insufficient regarding some major triggers. Conclusion: Adult patients are vulnerable to several triggers regardless from underlying severity of the illness. Insufficient compliance to the major preventive measures indicates that new strategies are needed to prevent asthma attacks caused by modifiable triggers (AU)

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Efeitos das condições climáticas no trimestre de nascimento sobre asma e pneumonia na infância e na vida adulta em uma coorte no Sul do Brasil / The effects of season at time of birth on asthma and pneumonia in childhood and adulthood in a birth cohort in southern Brazil

Avaliaram-se os efeitos do clima no trimestre do nascimento e nos seis primeiros meses de vida (temperatura média em tercis) sobre as hospitalizações por asma e pneumonia em pré-escolares e sobre o diagnóstico de asma em adultos pertencentes ao estudo de coorte de nascimento de 1982 de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Essa coorte incluiu todos os 5.914 nascidos vivos naquele ano, dos quais, 77 por cento foram acompanhados até a idade adulta (23-24 anos). Os resultados demonstraram que os nascidos entre abril e junho (outono) apresentaram risco de hospitalização por pneumonia e asma/bronquite 1,31 (IC95 por cento: 0,99-1,73) a 2,35 (IC95 por cento: 1,11-4,99) vezes maior do que os nascidos entre janeiro-março (verão). O risco de hospitalizações conforme a temperatura média nos seis primeiros meses de vida foi 1,64 (IC95 por cento: 1,26-2,13) a 3,16 (IC95 por cento: 1,63-6,12) vezes maior no tercil frio do que no quente. Os efeitos da sazonalidade diminuíram com a idade, sendo pouco evidente a associação com asma aos 23-24 anos. As hospitalizações foram mais freqüentes entre crianças pobres, mas os efeitos da sazonalidade sobre a pneumonia foram mais evidentes entre os ricos.

This study evaluated the effects of seasonal weather at time of birth and ambient temperature during the first six months of life on hospitalizations due to asthma and pneumonia in preschool children and on diagnosis of asthma in adulthood among individuals from the 1982 birth cohort in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The cohort included 5,914 live births, of which 77 percent were followed up until adulthood (23-24 yr). The risk of hospitalization due to pneumonia and asthma among children born from April to June (autumn) was 1.31 (95 percentCI: 0.99-1.73) to 2.4 (95 percentCI: 1.11-4.99) times higher than that of children born from January to March (summer). For temperature in the first six months of life, risk of hospitalization was 1.64 (95 percentCI: 1.26-2.13) to 3.16 (95 percentCI: 1.63-6.12) times higher for children born in the coldest as compared to the hottest temperature tertile. The effects of seasonality decreased with age, and the association with asthma in adulthood was weak. Hospitalizations in poor children were more frequent, but the effects of seasonality on pneumonia were more evident among the wealthiest.

Aspectos climáticos em áreas de transmissão de hantavirose no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil / Climatic aspects in hantavirus transmission areas in São Paulo State, Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a distribuição espacial dos casos notificados de hantavirose (n = 80) no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, de 1993 a 2005, e identificar os padrões climáticos locais nos anos de registro da doença. Foi utilizado o estimador de densidade de pontos de kernel que apontou maior concentração nas regiões de Ribeirão Preto, São Carlos, Franca, Tupi Paulista e Grande São Paulo. O aumento do número de casos no período sugere disseminação da doença, embora se considere o aumento da capacidade diagnóstica e maior sensibilidade do sistema de saúde. Registrou-se marcada sazonalidade da hantavirose nas áreas de cerrado, com padrão comum, isto é, maior incidência em meses com baixa pluviosidade, comparados com médias dos últimos quarenta anos. Esses períodos coincidem com épocas de maior disponibilidade de alimentos a roedores em cultura de grãos, cana e outros. A colheita e armazenamento desses grãos aumentam a exposição de populações humanas aos roedores. Indicadores climáticos em conjunto com variáveis ecológicas podem compor marcadores de risco de transmissão local a serem valorizados nas ações de vigilância epidemiológica e controle da doença.

The objective of this study was to investigate the spatial distribution of reported hantavirus cases in São Paulo State, Brazil (n = 80), from 1993 to 2005 and identify local climatic patterns during this period. Kernel point estimation of density was used to show the highest concentrations in Ribeirão Preto, São Carlos, Franca, Tupi Paulista, and Greater São Paulo. Increase in the number of cases during this period suggests disease dissemination even when considering increased diagnostic capacity and higher sensitivity of the health services. There was a marked seasonal variation in hantavirus in the cerrado (savannah) areas; the common pattern is a higher incidence in drier months as compared to mean levels in the last 40 years. These coincide with periods of high rodent food source levels in grains, sugarcane, and other crops. Harvesting and storing grains increases human exposure to rodents. Climatic indicators together with ecological variables can be local transmission risk markers and should receive more attention in epidemiological monitoring and control of the disease.