Ionospheric Studies with the Differential Doppler Technique

This report is essentially a review of the measurements related to the ionosphere utilizing the differential Doppler technique. A brief study of the theory is presented, in which the error incurred in measurements of ionospheric electron content, caused by the assumption of common-path propagation, is shown as a function of the zenith angle of observation for different values of the critical frequency foF2. Some measurements of electron densities, electron content, horizontal gradients, irregularities, and magnetic-storm effects are discussed. Comments are also made about the method of combining the differential Doppler with the Faraday rotation measurements to establish a necessary constant of integration in the measurements made with satellites. It is concluded that the differential Doppler technique, with harmonically related frequencies transmitted to or from rockets or satellites, can provide accurate information about the electron density or electron content of the medium, and that the knowledge of these quantities is valuable in understanding the morphology of the ionospheric processes

Crescimento dos vales do Tietê e Paraná: um enfoque de estoques de capitais

The study aimed at identifying factors limiting the Tietê and Paraná valleys economic growth. Specifically, it analyzed the importance of the capital stocks for economic growth of these and the other counties in São Paulo State. Nine factors were generated by Principal Components Method to represent the capital stocks and were denominated: Human Capital I; Physical Capital; Social Capital I; Human Capital II; Financial Capital I; Social Capital II; Natural Capital I; Financial Capital II; Natural Capital II. The percentage of the total variance explained by each stock of capital was 19.5% (human); 8.3% (social); 6.0% (financial); 5.9% (physical), and 4.8% (natural). The study indicated that there are two different groups concerning the income index in the Estate of São Paulo and they must not be considered together. Linear regressions were adjusted with these factors explaining the income index that is part of the Human Development Index (HDI). Social Capital I (Associationism) was not in the solution in any group. The variable created to differentiate municipalities located close the rivers (dummy) did not enter the equations. This result suggests no difference between such municipalities and the others of the State, in the same income group, concerning the role oft the stocks of capital.Economic growth, Economic development, Regional development, Capital stocks, Income, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Long-term Results after CT-Guided Percutaneous Ethanol Ablation for the Treatment of Hyperfunctioning Adrenal Disorders

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and long-term efficacy of computed tomography-guided percutaneous ethanol ablation for benign primary and secondary hyperfunctioning adrenal disorders. METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated the long-term results of nine patients treated with computed tomography-guided percutaneous ethanol ablation: eight subjects who presented with primary adrenal disorders, such as pheochromocytoma, primary macronodular adrenal hyperplasia and aldosterone-producing adenoma, and one subject with Cushing disease refractory to conventional treatment. Eleven sessions were performed for the nine patients. The patient data were reviewed for the clinical outcome and procedure-related complications over ten years. RESULTS: Patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma had clinical improvement: symptoms recurred in one case 96 months after ethanol ablation, and the other patient was still in remission 110 months later. All patients with pheochromocytoma had clinical improvement but were eventually submitted to surgery for complete remission. No significant clinical improvement was seen in patients with hypercortisolism due to primary macronodular adrenal hyperplasia or Cushing disease. Major complications were seen in five of the eleven procedures and included cardiovascular instability and myocardial infarction. Minor complications attributed to sedation were seen in two patients. CONCLUSION: Computed tomography-guided ethanol ablation does not appear to be suitable for the long-term treatment of hyperfunctioning adrenal disorders and is not without risks

Infestação pré-histórica por Pediculus humanus capitis: análise quantitativa e por microscopia de varredura de baixo vácuo

A pre-Columbian Peruvian scalp was examined decades ago by a researcher from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Professor Olympio da Fonseca Filho described nits and adult lice attached to hair shafts and commented about the origin of head lice infestations on mankind. This same scalp was sent to our laboratory and is the subject of the present paper. Analysis showed a massive infestation with nine eggs/cm2 and an impressive number of very well preserved adult lice. The infestation age was roughly estimated as nine months before death based on the distance of nits from the hair root and the medium rate of hair growth. A small traditional textile was associated with the scalp, possibly part of the funerary belongings. Other morphological aspects visualized by low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy are also presented here for adults and nits.Há décadas um escalpo peruano, datado do período pré-colombiano, foi examinado por um pesquisador da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. O Professor Olympio da Fonseca Filho descreveu lêndeas e adultos fixos a fios de cabelos e fez comentários sobre a origem da infecção por piolhos na espécie humana. Este mesmo escalpo foi enviado ao nosso laboratório e é objeto deste artigo. Sua análise mostrou maciça infestação, com nove lêndeas/cm2 em impressionante número de adultos muito bem preservados. O tempo de infestação foi estimado em cerca de nove meses antes da morte, baseado na maior distância entre lêndeas e o couro cabeludo, levando em consideração taxa média de crescimento capilar de 1 cm por mês. Um pequeno pedaço de tecido tradicional peruano foi encontrado associado ao escalpo, provavelmente pertencente ao conjunto de peças usado no ritual funerário. Aqui, apresentamos alguns aspectos morfológicos de adultos e lêndeas vizualizados por microscopia eletrônica de varredura de baixo vácuo

O ensino superior nos territórios ocupados da Palestina.

O presente artigo é um documento com características essencialmente de informação sobre uma região singular do mundo - a Palestina. Mais especificamente, os Territórios Ocupados por Israel (excluindo os Montes Golan, uma parcela do território nacional sírio), frequentemente apresentados de forma parcial e, portanto, inquinada

Effects of the administration of pentoxifylline and prednisolone on the evolution of portal fibrogenesis secondary to biliary obstruction in growing animals: immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of TGF-BETA; and VEGF

OBJECTIVE: During the neonatal and infancy periods, some chronic liver diseases may lead to progressive hepatic fibrosis, which is a condition that can ultimately result in the loss of organ function and severe portal hypertension necessitating hepatic transplantation. In a previous report, pharmacological interventions were demonstrated to modulate hepatic fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation in young rats. The administration of pentoxifylline or prednisolone, or the combination of both, resulted in reduced fibrogenesis in portal spaces. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the expression of transforming growth factor beta and vascular endothelial growth factor after bile duct ligation in young rats and to assess the effect of those same drugs on cytokine expression. METHODS: In this experimental study, 80 young rats (21 or 22 days old) were submitted either to laparotomy and common bile duct ligation or to sham surgery. The animals were allocated into four groups according to surgical procedure, and the following treatments were administered: (1) common bile duct ligation + distilled water, (2) sham surgery + distilled water, (3) common bile duct ligation + pentoxifylline, or (4) common bile duct ligation + prednisolone. After 30 days, a hepatic fragment was collected from each animal for immunohistochemical analysis using monoclonal antibodies against transforming growth factor beta and vascular endothelial growth factor. Digital morphometric and statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: The administration of pentoxifylline reduced the transforming growth factor beta-marked area and the amount of transforming growth factor beta expressed in liver tissue. This effect was not observed after the administration of prednisolone. There was a significant reduction in vascular endothelial growth factor expression after the administration of either drug compared with the non-treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of pentoxifylline to cholestatic young rats resulted in the diminished expression of transforming growth factor beta and vascular endothelial growth factor in liver tissue. The administration of steroids resulted in the diminished expression of vascular endothelial growth factor only. These pathways may be involved in hepatic fibrogenesis in young rats submitted to bile duct ligation and exposed to pentoxifylline or prednisolone.FAPESP (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo) [2009/07225-2]Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP

Brazilian consensus on guidelines for diagnosis and treatment for restless legs syndrome

The Consensus on restless legs syndrome is an effort of neurologists from several Brazilian states, which tirelessly reviewed the literature of recent years in search of evidence, both in regard to diagnosis and treatment, according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine.Serv Neurol & Neurocirurgia, Passo Fundo, RS, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP, BrazilClin Carlos Bacelar, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psicobiol, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Moinhos Vento, BR-90560030 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Alagoas, Fac Med, Maceio, AL, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Recife, PE, BrazilClin Rio Sono, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Fac Med, Hosp Clin, São Paulo, BrazilPontificia Univ Catolica Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv Brasilia, Fac Med, Brasilia, DF, BrazilHosp Clin Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilProSSono Ctr Med Sono, Ribeirao Preto, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psicobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

The Brazilian Registry of Adult Patient Undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery, the BYPASS Project: Results of the First 1,722 Patients

Objective: To report the early results of the BYPASS project - the Brazilian registrY of adult Patient undergoing cArdiovaScular Surgery - a national, observational, prospective, and longitudinal follow-up registry, aiming to chart a profile of patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery in Brazil, assessing the data harvested from the initial 1,722 patients. Methods: Data collection involved institutions throughout the whole country, comprising 17 centers in 4 regions: Southeast (8), Northeast (5), South (3), and Center-West (1). The study population consists of patients over 18 years of age, and the types of operations recorded were: coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), mitral valve, aortic valve (either conventional or transcatheter), surgical correction of atrial fibrillation, cardiac transplantation, mechanical circulatory support and congenital heart diseases in adults. Results: 83.1% of patients came from the public health system (SUS), 9.6% from the supplemental (private insurance) healthcare systemsand 7.3% from private (out-of-pocket) clinic. Male patients comprised 66%, 30% were diabetics, 46% had dyslipidemia, 28% previously sustained a myocardial infarction, and 9.4% underwent prior cardiovascular surgery. Patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery were 54.1% and 31.5% to valve surgery, either isolated or combined. The overall postoperative mortality up to the 7th postoperative day was 4%for CABG was 2.6%, and for valve operations, 4.4%. Conclusion: This first report outlines the consecution of the Brazilian surgical cardiac database, intended to serve primarily as a tool for providing information for clinical improvement and patient safety and constitute a basis for production of research protocols.Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP EPM, Hosp Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilHosp Caridade Sao Vicente Paulo, Jundiai, SP, BrazilInst Med Integral Prof Fernando Figueira IMIP, Recife, PE, BrazilHosp Base FUNFARME & FAMERP, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, BrazilIMC, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, BrazilIrmandade Santa Casa Sao Paulo INCT HPV, Fac Ciencias Med Santa Casa Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilFundacao Univ Cardiol, Inst Cardiol Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilInst Coracao Natal, Natal, RN, BrazilInst Cardiol Dist Fed, Brasilia, DF, BrazilUniv Fed Maranhao HU UFMA, Univ Hosp, Sao Luis, MA, BrazilHosp Evangelico, Cachoeiro De Itapemirim, ES, BrazilHosp Coracao Sergipe, Aracaju, SE, BrazilHosp Nossa Senhora Salete, Inst Cirurgia Cardiovasc ICCV, Cascavel, PR, BrazilHosp Wilson Rosado, Mossoro, RN, BrazilHosp Bosque Saude, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilHosp Univ Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, BrazilHosp Coracao HCor, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilHosp Coracao IP HCor, Ins Pesquisa, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilInst Coracao InCor, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP EPM, Hosp Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Updated cardiovascular prevention guideline of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology: 2019

Sem informação113478788