MILHO (ZEA MAYS) UMA CULTURA ENERGÉTICA

Este trabalho teve por objetivo analisar a geração energética do milho “Zea Mays” também conhecido como Abati, Auati e Avati, possibilitando analisar as recentes produções visando à implantação na agricultura familiar verificando assim a produtividade desta planta. Esta espécie é utilizada como alimento humano ou ração para animal sendo uma das culturas economicamente mais importante no Brasil já que o país é um dos maiores produtores deste grão. O milho devido à facilidade em cultivar pode ser plantado no verão e no outono, e ainda contém uma viabilidade econômica favorável

Phase 1 Trials of rVSV Ebola Vaccine in Africa and Europe.

BACKGROUND: The replication-competent recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based vaccine expressing a Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) glycoprotein was selected for rapid safety and immunogenicity testing before its use in West Africa. METHODS: We performed three open-label, dose-escalation phase 1 trials and one randomized, double-blind, controlled phase 1 trial to assess the safety, side-effect profile, and immunogenicity of rVSV-ZEBOV at various doses in 158 healthy adults in Europe and Africa. All participants were injected with doses of vaccine ranging from 300,000 to 50 million plaque-forming units (PFU) or placebo. RESULTS: No serious vaccine-related adverse events were reported. Mild-to-moderate early-onset reactogenicity was frequent but transient (median, 1 day). Fever was observed in up to 30% of vaccinees. Vaccine viremia was detected within 3 days in 123 of the 130 participants (95%) receiving 3 million PFU or more; rVSV was not detected in saliva or urine. In the second week after injection, arthritis affecting one to four joints developed in 11 of 51 participants (22%) in Geneva, with pain lasting a median of 8 days (interquartile range, 4 to 87); 2 self-limited cases occurred in 60 participants (3%) in Hamburg, Germany, and Kilifi, Kenya. The virus was identified in one synovial-fluid aspirate and in skin vesicles of 2 other vaccinees, showing peripheral viral replication in the second week after immunization. ZEBOV-glycoprotein-specific antibody responses were detected in all the participants, with similar glycoprotein-binding antibody titers but significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers at higher doses. Glycoprotein-binding antibody titers were sustained through 180 days in all participants. CONCLUSIONS: In these studies, rVSV-ZEBOV was reactogenic but immunogenic after a single dose and warrants further evaluation for safety and efficacy. (Funded by the Wellcome Trust and others; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT02283099, NCT02287480, and NCT02296983; Pan African Clinical Trials Registry number, PACTR201411000919191.)

Epidemiology of Measles in Tanzania: A Hospital-Based Survey of Measles Morbidity and Mortality

Objective: To estimate measles morbidity and mortality in selected regions on mainland Tanzania Design: Cross-sectional study Setting: Hospital-based review of existing records on measles morbidity and mortality in the selected district hospitals on mainland Tanzania. Methods: Review of records on measles morbidity and mortality was performed using a standard instrument adopted from the Ministry of Health. The instrument was pre-tested before use. Researchers were recruited from the Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences and were trained on how to collect data from the hospital records. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ministry of Health in Dar es Salaam. Upon arrival in the respective regions, the researchers recruited and trained local research assistants on methods of data collection. Completed questionnaire forms were entered into a computer and data cleaning was done before data analysis. Results: Measles was found to occur in individuals of over 15 years of age and beyond. Overall 35% (N=2277) of all measles cases were reported from the Iringa region while Mara region had the lowest number of cases. On the other hand Shinyanga had the highest case fatality rate (6%) compared with other regions. Mortality was higher in children below two years of age and among individuals who had no history of measles vaccination. Conclusion: We conclude that despite high measles vaccination coverage, measles is still a public health problem in Tanzania. Efforts should be made to give several booster doses up to the age of 15 years

Health Sector Reforms and Decentralization in Tanzania: The Case of Expanded Program on Immunization at National Level

Following successful establishment of Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in the 1970's as vertical program, the burden of disease for many of the vaccine preventable diseases was pushed to low levels. The current round of health reforms in Tanzania calls for decentralization and integration of vertical programs. This has the potential to assist or erode generally good performance of EPI. Reforms on the programme have been undertaken in Tanzania since 1996, and have included 1) integration of the procurement, storage, and distribution of vaccine and related equipment into the operations of a quasi-autonomous drug procurement agency. 2) government financing of procurement of the oral polio vaccine, cold chain kerosene, and 3) the integration of kerosene and vaccine distribution, supervision and monitoring to district health system. Our analysis shows that the integration of the procurement and distribution of vaccines into the operations of the drug procurement agency, and privatization of the distribution of the cold chain kerosene initially stalled EPI reforms for several reasons and had an adverse effect on EPI decentralization and coverage. The major cause of the problems was opposition from the EPI providers at district level who had to accept decreased income consequent to the reforms. We conclude that greater involvement of all stakeholders in the planning of the programme, would have presented an opportunity for forecasting the opposition and developing mitigating strategies