O crescimento da Nectandra megapotamica Mez., em floresta nativa na depressão central do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul The growth of the Nectandra megapotamica Mez., in natural forest in the central depression of the State of the Rio grande do Sul, Brazil

Este trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de estudar o crescimento em diâmetro, volume comercial, fator de forma comercial e incremento corrente anual do volume comercial em porcentagem (ICA%) para duas árvores dominantes de canela-preta (Nectandra megapotamica), em uma Floresta Estacional Decidual, localizada no município de Santa Maria na depressão central do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Os dados foram obtidos mediante análise de tronco e as tendências de crescimento em diâmetro, volume comercial, fator de forma e ICA%, foram ajustados com a utilização dos modelos de Mitscherlich & Sontag (1982), Backman (1943), Richards (1959), e um modelo parabólico do segundo grau. O ajuste dos modelos indicou que, para as variáveis diâmetro e volume comercial, o melhor modelo foi o de Mitscherlich & Sontag, para a árvore 1,sendo que, para a árvore 2, o modelo de Richards apresentou melhor ajuste. Para o incremento corrente anual do volume comercial em porcentagem, o melhor modelo foi o de Backmam, sendo o modelo parabólico, o de melhor ajuste para o fator de forma comercial.<br>This work was carried out with the objective of studying the growth in diameter, commercial volume, form factor, mean annual increment of the commercial volume in percentage for two dominant trees of Nectandra megapotamica, in a Decidual Seasonal Forest, located in the municipal district of Santa Maria in the central depression of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The data were obtained from stem analysis and the growth trend in diameter, commercial volume, form factor and mean annual increment of the commercial volume in percentage, were fitted using the models of Mitscherlich & Sontag (1982), Backman (1943), Richards (1959), and a second degree parabolic model. The adjustment of the models indicated that for the diameter and commercial volume, the best model was that one from Mitscherlich & Sontag, for tree number one and for tree number two, the Richard's model presented better adjustment. For the mean annual increment of the commercial volume in percentage, the best model was that one from Backmam, being the parabolic model better for the form factor

The cost of childhood epilepsy in Italy: comparative findings from three health care settings

PURPOSE: To determine the direct costs of epilepsy in a child neurology referral population, stratified by disease, duration, and severity, comparing three different health care settings [i.e., teaching or clinical research (CR) hospitals, general hospitals, and outpatient services]. METHODS: Patients were accepted if they had confirmed epilepsy and were resident in the center catchment area. Eligible subjects were grouped in the following categories: (a) newly diagnosed patients; (b) patients with epilepsy in remission; (c) patients with active non-drug-resistant epilepsy; and (d) those with drug-resistant epilepsy. Over a 12-month period, data regarding the consuming of all resources (i.e., consultations, tests, hospital admissions, drugs), were collected for each patient. Using the Italian National Health Service tariffs, the unit cost of each resource was calculated and indicated in Euros, the European currency. RESULTS: A total of 189 patients was enrolled by two teaching-CR hospitals, two general hospitals, and two outpatient services. The patients were evenly distributed across the four categories of epilepsy. The mean annual cost per person with epilepsy was 1,767 Euros. Drug-resistant epilepsy was the most expensive category (3,268 Euros) followed by newly diagnosed epilepsy (1,907 Euros), active non-drug-resistant epilepsy (1,112 Euros), and epilepsy in remission (844 Euros). Costs were generally highest in teaching-CR hospitals and lowest in outpatient services. Hospital services were the major cost in all epilepsy groups, followed by drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The cost of epilepsy in children and adolescents in Italy tends to vary significantly depending on the severity and duration of the disease Hospitals services and drugs are the major sources of costs. The setting of health care plays a significant role in the variation of the costs, even for patients in the same category of epilepsy

The costs of childhood epilepsy in Italy: comparative findings from three health care settings.

PURPOSE: To determine the direct costs of epilepsy in a child neurology referral population, stratified by disease, duration, and severity, comparing three different health care settings [i.e., teaching or clinical research (CR) hospitals, general hospitals, and outpatient services]. METHODS: Patients were accepted if they had confirmed epilepsy and were resident in the center catchment area. Eligible subjects were grouped in the following categories: (a) newly diagnosed patients; (b) patients with epilepsy in remission; (c) patients with active non-drug-resistant epilepsy; and (d) those with drug-resistant epilepsy. Over a 12-month period, data regarding the consuming of all resources (i.e., consultations, tests, hospital admissions, drugs), were collected for each patient. Using the Italian National Health Service tariffs, the unit cost of each resource was calculated and indicated in Euros, the European currency. RESULTS: A total of 189 patients was enrolled by two teaching-CR hospitals, two general hospitals, and two outpatient services. The patients were evenly distributed across the four categories of epilepsy. The mean annual cost per person with epilepsy was 1,767 Euros. Drug-resistant epilepsy was the most expensive category (3,268 Euros) followed by newly diagnosed epilepsy (1,907 Euros), active non-drug-resistant epilepsy (1,112 Euros), and epilepsy in remission (844 Euros). Costs were generally highest in teaching-CR hospitals and lowest in outpatient services. Hospital services were the major cost in all epilepsy groups, followed by drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The cost of epilepsy in children and adolescents in Italy tends to vary significantly depending on the severity and duration of the disease Hospitals services and drugs are the major sources of costs. The setting of health care plays a significant role in the variation of the costs, even for patients in the same category of epilepsy