Strategies for Prevention of Pertussis

Introdução: Nos últimos 30 anos, em vários países, tem sido relatado um aumento da incidência de tosse convulsa, sobretudo em adolescentes e adultos, apesar das altas taxas de cobertura de imunização primária. Objectivos: Rever aspectos da epidemiologia da tosse convulsa, descrever algumas estratégias de controlo, com ênfase nas que incluem a utilização de vacinas com menores quantidades do toxóide diftérico e de alguns componentes pertussis (dTpa), e a avaliação da eficácia e efectividade destas vacinas. Métodos: Selecção de artigos relevantes, através da base de dados PubMed e sítios de acesso livre da internet, publicados entre 1991 e 2011. Resultados: As alterações do padrão epidemiológico são atribuídas, principalmente, à diminuição da imunidade ao longo dos anos, após a vacinação ou infecção natural. Os adolescentes e adultos foram identificados como importantes fontes de transmissão da doença para lactentes muito jovens que, uma vez não imunizados ou parcialmente imunizados, são mais vulneráveis às complicações relacionadas com a doença e apresentam maior mortalidade. A vacina (dTpa), formulada para o uso em adolescentes e adultos é segura e eficaz. A sua utilização também reduz a transmissão da tosse convulsa para os grupos etários com alto risco de complicações. Conclusão: A disponibilidade da dTpa oferece novas oportunidades para reduzir o impacto da tosse convulsa. A modificação das estratégias preventivas pode levar a um melhor controlo global da doença

Stability of Affine G-varieties and Irreducibility in Reductive Groups

Let $G$ be a reductive affine algebraic group, and let $X$ be an affine algebraic $G$-variety. We establish a (poly)stability criterion for points $x\in X$ in terms of intrinsically defined closed subgroups $H_{x}$ of $G$, and relate it with the numerical criterion of Mumford, and with Richardson and Bate-Martin-R\"ohrle criteria, in the case $X=G^{N}$. Our criterion builds on a close analogue of a theorem of Mundet and Schmitt on polystability and allows the generalization to the algebraic group setting of results of Johnson-Millson and Sikora about complex representation varieties of finitely presented groups. By well established results, it also provides a restatement of the non-abelian Hodge theorem in terms of stability notions.Comment: 29 pages. To appear in Int. J. Math. Note: this version 4 is identical with version 2 (version 3 is empty

Splenomegaly impacts prognosis in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera: A single center study

Splenomegaly is one of the major clinical manifestations of primary myelofibrosis and is common also in other chronic Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms, causing symptoms and signs and affecting quality of life of patients diagnosed with these diseases. We aimed to study the impact that such alteration has on thrombotic risk and on the survival of patients with essential thrombocythemia and patients with Polycythemia Vera (PV). We studied the relationship between splenomegaly (and its grade), thrombosis and survival in 238 patients with et and 165 patients with PV followed at our center between January 1997 and May 2019

Endarterite infecciosa de canal arterial clinicamente silencioso

Infective Endocarditis is caused by bacteria or fungi involving the heart or the great vessels (Endarteritis). It is a rare and potentially ominous disease, with increasing incidence. Despite technological advances it remains difficult to diagnose and treat, particularly in children below two years. Congenital heart disease is the main risk factor for Infective Endocarditis in children. A patent ductus arteriosus clinically silent is infrequently implied. Over two-month-old Streptococci spp and Staphylococcus aureus are the main agents, responsible for 62-77% of cases. Gram negative rods count for 4-6%, being Klebsiella pneumoniae a rare pathogen. The authors report a case of a previously healthy four-months-old infant, admitted for bronchiolitis. He developed a Klebsiella pneumoniae persistent bacteremia related to Endarteritis of a silent patent ductus arteriosus. After prolonged and successful antibiotic therapy, the ductus arteriosus was surgically closed. He suffered no complication during the disease process and recovered uneventfully

Multicriterial threshold binarization of clustered matrices as exemplified by export sector’s competitiveness of the Subsaharan African economies

The paper offers the methodology of the matrix clustering consisting of multicriteria threshold binarization of the initial matrix of states of objects and clustering the resulting binary matrix into submatrices with different densities of zero and unit elements. Using hand calculation, the methodology was fine-tuned on the export competitiveness indicators of all the Sub-Saharan African countries for the Fresh Food sector of the Trade Competitiveness Map databas

Reverse osmosis powered by concentrating solar power (CSP): a case study for Trapani, Sicily

The objective of this paper is to analyse the physical performance of two technologies in a water and electricity co-generation scheme: Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant coupled to a Reverse Osmosis (RO) unit for a location in the city of Trapani, in southern Italy. The modelled system is compared with the results of another study [2], in which a Multi-Effect Desalination (MED) is powered by a CSP plant for the same location in Italy, using as reference an existing stand-alone gas powered MED plant located at Trapani [3] (which has operated until very recently). The overall aim is to assess and compare these two cogeneration schemes, using as reference the existing MED plant. This work was conducted using as the main simulation tool: the System Advisor Model (SAM) developed by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); a recent upgrade to SAM made available to this work through Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia I.P. (LNEG); and the Reverse Osmosis System Analysis (ROSA) developed by the Dow Chemical Company. A technical visit to a real commercial RO plant in the south of Portugal (Alvor) was conducted, and the data gathered was used in the validation of the ROSA model. The results for the Trapani case study show that the CSP-RO arrangement has the capability to produce ~50% of the total production of the full scale plant at Trapani, if operated at nominal capacity, year round. Also, the CSP-RO system provides ~20% more electricity and water than the CSP-MED system throughout the studied period of one year. The two co-generation schemes provide promising potential to fight the issues related to fresh water shortages and dependency on fossil fuelled desalination. Thus, they can aid in decreasing the effects associated with CO2 emissions and climate change

Indicadores agrícolas das lavouras de subsistência financiadas pelo PRONAF no estado do Ceará.

Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a influência do PRONAF-Programa Nacional de Fortalecimento da Agricultura Familiar sobre os indicadores agrícolas: produção, área plantada e produtividade das lavouras de subsistências beneficiadas pelo Programa no Estado do Ceará, no período de 1999 a 2005. A pesquisa aplicou análises tabular e gráfica para estudar o comportamento das variáveis. Os resultados registraram que as lavouras de subsistência mais beneficiadas pelo Programa foram: algodão, arroz, cana-de-açúcar, feijão, mandioca e milho. Uma comparação destas lavouras com outras não beneficiadas: banana, castanha de caju e mamona revelou que apesar do financiamento as lavouras beneficiadas pelo PRONAF obtiveram um desempenho inferior ao das não beneficiadas em relação aos indicadores agrícolas analisados. Concluiu-se que a influência do PRONAF no desempenho dos indicadores agrícolas das lavouras de subsistência é muito pequena. Abstract: The objective of this study was to analyze influence the PRONAF-National Program of Fortifies of Familiar Agriculture on the agricultural pointers: production, planted area and productivity of subsistences the farmings benefited for the Program in the State of the Ceará, the period 1999 to 2005. The research applied tabulate analyses and graphical. The subsistences of farmings more benefited by the Program had been: cotton, rice, sugar cane-of-sugar, beans, cassava and maize. A comparison with others benefited not of these farmings: banana, chestnut and mamona disclosed that despite benefited the farmings financing for the PRONAF they had gotten an inferior performance to the one of not benefited in relation to the analyzed agricultural pointers. One concluded that the influence of the PRONAF in the performance of the agricultural pointers of the subsistence farmings is very small

Chitosan/PVA Based Membranes Processed by Gamma Radiation as Scaffolding Materials for Skin Regeneration

Some of the current strategies for the development of scaffolding materials capable of inducing tissue regeneration have been based on the use of polymeric biomaterials. Chitosan, in particular, due to its recognized biological activity has been used in a number of biomedical applications. Aiming the development of chitosan-based membranes with improved cell adhesion and growth properties to be used as skin scaffolds allowing functional tissue replacement, different formulations with chitosan of different molecular weight, poly (vinyl alcohol) and gelatin, were evaluated. To meet the goal of getting ready-to-use scaffolds assuring membranes’ required properties and sterilization, preparation methodology included a lyophilization procedure followed by a final gamma irradiation step. Two radiation dose values were tested. Samples were characterized by TGA, FTIR, and SEM techniques. Their hydrophilic properties, in vitro stability, and biocompatibility were also evaluated. Results show that all membranes present a sponge-type inner structure. Chitosan of low molecular weight and the introduction of gelatin are more favorable to cellular growth leading to an improvement on cells’ morphology and cytoskeletal organization, giving a good perspective to the use of these membranes as potential skin scaffolds.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio