Alcohol consumption among patients with hepatitis B infection in northern Portugal considering gender and hepatitis B virus genotype differences

Alcohol. 2010 Mar;44(2):149-56. Epub 2010 Jan 29. Alcohol consumption among patients with hepatitis B infection in northern Portugal considering gender and hepatitis B virus genotype differences. Mota A, Guedes F, Areias J, Pinho L, Cardoso MF. SourceInstituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Portugal. Abstract Alcohol abuse is an important public health problem. In Portugal with a population of 10 millions of inhabitants, there are around 10% of alcoholics or excessive alcohol drinkers and 1% of chronically infected patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV). To examine the characteristics of patients with higher levels of alcohol consumption and to investigate the association between alcohol consumption and liver damage a total of 298 chronically infected individuals, with HBV genotyped and submitted to liver biopsy, were classified with Child's grading and separated by habits of alcohol intake, less and greater than 20g/day. No significant differences were observed about genotype but genotypes A and D were predominant in both of them. A higher percentage of males (P<.001) were observed in the group with alcohol intake above 20g/day, as well a lower proportion of patients with HBeAg negativity (P< or =.035). In this group, biochemistry parameters, such as alanine aminotransferase (P=.006), aspartate aminotransferase (P=.001), gamma-glutamyl transferase (P<.001) were elevated in a significantly higher proportion than in the other group. The analysis of hematological parameters showed significantly lower values of platelets (P=.042) and mean corpuscular volume (P<.001) and significantly higher values of prothrombin time (P<.001) in the group with higher levels of alcohol consumption. The characteristics of biopsy (P<.001) and Child-Phug's classification (P=.002) revealed more severe results in this group. Logistic regression showed a positive association between liver damage and alcohol intake, increasing with age. In female patients, a strong positive association between alcohol intake and liver damage was also found (odds ratio: 9.379; 95% confidence interval: 0.859-468.422; P = .037); however, the most severe cases were only observed in women older than 45 years. In patients with HBV infection, alcohol is associated with a more severe liver disease. No evidence was found concerning association with HBV genotype. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

IMUNOTERAPIA COM VENENO DE HIMENÓPTEROS: A EXPERIÊNCIA DE UMA CONSULTA

Resumo: Na Europa a prevalência de alergia ao veneno de himenópteros estima-se em 20%. As reacções sistémicas graves são indicação para imunoterapia específica com veneno de himenópteros após confirmação de atopia. Esta é eficaz em 91-100% dos casos de alergia ao veneno de vespa e 77-80% dos casos de alergia ao veneno de abelha. Apresentamos quatro casos clínicos de doentes com reacções sistémicas ao veneno de himenópteros que efectuaram imunoterapia. Três crianças apresentavam alergia ao veneno de abelha e uma ao veneno de vespa. Tinham IgE específica para o veneno de himenópteros, classes IV a VI. A duração da imunoterapia variou entre quatro e sete anos, com diminuição da classe de IgE específica em todos os doentes no final do tratamento. Três crianças tiveram contacto com o alergénio, durante ou após terminarem a imunoterapia, e nenhuma delas desencadeou uma reacção sistémica. A duração da imunoterapia continua a ser controversa. A ausência de reacção após contacto com o alergénio é sugestiva de sucesso do tratamento

Epidemiological study of genotypes of hepatitis B virus in northerm Portugal

ed Virol. 2009 Jul;81(7):1170-6. Epidemiological study of genotypes of hepatitis B virus in northern Portugal. Mota A, Guedes F, Areias J, Pinho L, Cardoso MF. SourceInstituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. Abstract While the overall prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Portugal is around 1%, there are no published studies examining HBV genotypes in this country. This study aimed to survey HBV genotypes in the northern Portugal and to examine the possible associations between genotypes and gender, viral transmission routes, viral markers, viral load, and biochemical tests of liver function. The study sample consists of 340 patients with HBV infection of whom 42.9% were women. Tests were carried out for HBV genotypes and biochemical liver function while demographic information, including alcohol intake, was obtained from the patient files. The results indicate the predominance of genotype D (60.3%) and genotype A (31.5%). Intrafamilial transmission was predominant in female patients, while males were infected in equal proportions by perinatal, sexual, and intrafamilial transmission. Absence of HBeAg was found in a significantly smaller proportion of female patients with genotype D as compared to A (56.6% vs. 82.1%, P = 0.028). High viral load was associated significantly and independently with genotype D and HBeAg. Both alanine and aspartate aminotransferases (ALT and AST) were associated with gender and HBeAg. Thus, genotypes A and D were found to be the most prevalent in the north of Portugal. Patients infected with genotype D had higher levels of HBV DNA. HBeAg was associated with genotype D, viral load, and ALT and AST

Vacuum infiltration of copper aluminate by liquid aluminium

This paper studies attained microstructures and reactive mechanisms involved in vacuum infiltration of copper aluminate preforms with liquid aluminium. At high temperatures, under vacuum, the inherent alumina film enveloping the metal is overcome, and aluminium is expected to reduce copper aluminate, rendering alumina and copper. Under this approach, copper aluminate toils as a controlled infiltration path for aluminium, resulting in reactive wetting and infiltration of the preforms. Ceramic preforms containing a mixture of Al2O3 and CuAl2O4 were infiltrated with aluminium under distinct vacuum levels and temperatures, and the resulting reaction and infiltration behaviour is discussed. Copper aluminates stability ranges depend on vacuum level and oxygen partial pressure, which determine both CuAl2O4 and CuAlO2 ability for liquid aluminium infiltration. At 1100 °C and 0.76 atm vacuum level CuAl2O4 is stable, indicating pO2 above 0.11 atm. Reactive infiltration is achieved via reaction between aluminium and CuAl2O4; however, fast formation of an alumina film blocking liquid aluminium wicking results in incipient infiltration. At 1000 °C and 3.8 × 10−7 atm vacuum level, CuAlO2 decomposes to Cu and Al2O3 indicating a pO2 below 6.0 × 10−7 atm; infiltration of the ceramic is hindered by the non-wetting behaviour of the resulting metal alloy. At 1000 °C and 1.9 × 10−6 atm vacuum level CuAlO2 is stable, indicating pO2 above 6.0 × 10−7 atm. Extensive infiltration is achieved via redox reaction between aluminium and CuAlO2, rendering a microstructure characterised by uniform distribution of alumina particles amid an aluminium matrix. This work evidences that liquid aluminium infiltration upon copper aluminate-rich preforms is a feasible route to produce Al–matrix alumina-reinforced composites. The associated reduction reaction renders alumina, as fine particulate composite reinforcements, and copper, which dissolves in liquid aluminium contributing as a matrix strengthener.The authors are grateful to Teresa Marcelo (LNEG) for helpful discussions and use of lab facilities, and to Paulo Machado (EST/IPS) for assistance in experimental issues. MG acknowledges FCT for financial support under contract SFRH/BD/25711/2005

Response of CFRP laminates under high strain rate compression until failure

This work describes an experimental characterization: the non-linear rate-dependent mechanical behavior of a composite material under compression. Fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites exhibit non-linear mechanical behavior, except in fiber direction, which is rate-dependent. In this work the Texipreg (R) HS160 REM material system was used, comprising high strength carbon fiber and epoxy resin. Unidirectional laminates were tested under uniaxial compression tests on a universal testing machine. The stress/strain curves of several specimens were obtained at three different strain rates of 0.07, 0.001 and 0.0001/s. In all cases tests were continued until failure was reached to measure the strain rate effect on strength. A 3-parameter constitutive viscoplastic model /6,7/ was used to describe the mechanical behavior. This model was developed based on data for strain rate between 0.0001 and 0.07/s. In transverse direction the viscoplastic model was able to predict the high strain rate experiments conducted on a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar

Uso de coletores para estimar a produção de sementes de andiroba na APA da Fazendinha, Macapá - AP.

O presente estudo foi realizado na Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) da Fazendinha com o objetivo de quantificar a produção de sementes de andiroba por meio de coletores suspensos do solo, verificando a efetividade dos coletores em estimar a produção total das andirobeiras. Para a análise da produção foram selecionadas trinta andirobeiras produtivas, sendo estas cercadas com tela plástica de 1,20 m. Dessas trinta, foram sorteadas vinte andirobeiras para instalação dos coletores. Em cada uma foram colocados dez coletores de 1m2 suspensos do solo. As coletas foram realizadas quinzenalmente durante o período de 'maio a julho de 2009, sendo que após cada coleta era realizada a triagem, contagem e pesagem das sementes. No total, foram coletadas 8955 sementes, sendo 730 nos coletores e 8225 no chão. Houve uma relação significativa entre o total de sementes coletado sob as andirobeiras e o total de sementes calculado usando o número de sementes que caiu nos coletores de cada andirobeira multiplicado pela sua respectiva área de copa. A análise de variância da regressão linear mostrou que a significância da relação pode ser constatada tanto quando foram utilizadas todas as coletas, quanto quando foram utilizados os totais por andirobeira. Apesar do pouco tempo de coleta de dados e do ajuste das equações ainda não estar otimizado, os resultados permitem inferir que o uso dos coletores para estimar a produção de sementes de andiroba pode gerar resultados confiáveis. No entanto, a metodologia necessita de alguns ajustes, principalmente em relação ao número e posicionamento dos coletores, para melhorar sua capacidade preditiva

Pré-melhoramento do sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth): indução precoce do florescimento.

Resumo: A presença de acúleos em sabiá é uma característica dominante na espécie, que dificulta sua exploração. Torna-se necessário aplicar técnicas de melhoramento genético, para selecionar plantas que não apresentem essa característica indesejável. Para acelerar o melhoramento, a utilização de biorreguladores pode ser uma alternativa, como o paclobutrazol (PBZ), cujo objetivo é induzir o florescimento, o que diminuirá o tempo para seleção dos genótipos desejados. Foram testadas quatro doses: 0,5 mL, 1,0 mL, 1,5 mL e 2,0 mL de PBZ, diluídos em 1000 mL de água, aplicado mensalmente durante cinco meses a partir do quarto mês após o plantio. Quatro plantas floresceram precocemente aos onze meses, esses resultados foram obtidos nas épocas de aplicação aos 5 e 6 meses de idade com doses de 1 mL e 2 mL de PBZ. Existem evidências que o PBZ contribuiu para o florescimento precoce, uma vez que as testemunhas não apresentaram resultado similar. A ausência de acúleos no Sabiá é um caráter recessivo, pois muitas plantas após a germinação exibiram a presença de acúleos, mesmo sendo coletadas de uma população sem acúleo. E a indução do florescimento aos onze meses de idade, está relacionada com a utilização do PBZ. [Pre-breeding the sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth) - Early induction of flowering]. Abstract: The presence of thorns dominant character in sabiá, makes it difficult their exploitation which makes it necessary to apply genetic improvement techniques, to select plants that do not show this trait. To expedite the improvement, the use of biorreguladores may be an alternative, as the paclobutrazol (PBZ), to induce flowering, aiming to reduce the time for selection. Were tested four doses of PBZ that was applied for five months from the fourth month after sowing. Four plants early flowering at eleven months, these results were obtained in seasons 5 and 6 with doses of 1 mL and 2 mL of PBZ. There is evidence that the PBZ contributed to the early flowering, since the check did not show similar results. We conclude that the absence of thorns on Sabia is a recessive character, because many plants after germination exhibited the presence of thorns, even collected from a population without thorns. The induction of flowering at eleven months of age is related to the use of PBZ