Estudo comparativo preliminar entre os alongamentos proprioceptivo e estático passivo em pacientes com seqüelas de hanseníase

A proposta deste estudo foi comparar a aplicação de alongamento estático passivo e alongamento proprioceptivo no tratamento de seqüelas de hanseníase. Doze pacientes com essas seqüelas participaram da pesquisa, separados aleatoriamente em dois grupos: o grupo FNP, tratado com facilitação neuromuscular proprioceptiva, e o grupo AEP, com alongamento estático passivo. Ambos realizaram dez sessões de alongamentos, sendo submetidos à avaliação inicial e final nas quais foram aplicados o questionário SF-36, mensuradas a amplitude de movimento (ADM) do punho e tornozelo, testados os reflexos e a sensibilidade. No grupo FNP foi observada melhora na ADM do tornozelo e em três domínios do SF-36; no grupo AEP, em cinco domínios do SF-36. Quando comparados os grupos, o FNP obteve melhora significativa na extensão do punho, dorsiflexão e plantiflexão em relação ao AEP. A facilitação neuromuscular proprioceptiva parece ser um método mais eficaz para ganhar alongamento muscular e ADM de tornozelo e punho em pacientes com seqüelas de hanseníase. Não foi observada relação entre acréscimo na ADM e melhora na qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde nos pacientes dos dois grupos.The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two kinds of stretching - passive, static stretching, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) - in patients with leprosy sequel. Twelve patients were randomly assigned into two groups: the PNF group and the SS group, that was submitted to static stretching. Both groups attended ten stretching sessions, being submitted to initial and final evaluations in which were assessed: health-related quality of life, by means of he SF-36 questionnaire; ankle and wrist range of motion (ROM); and sensitivity and reflex testing. Improvements in ankle movement and in three SF-36 domains were observed in PNF group; and in five SF-36 domains in SS group. PNF group showed better improvement in wrist extension and ankle movement than SS group. PNF seems to be a more effective method to increase flexibility and ankle and wrist range of motion in patients with leprosy sequelae. No relation was found between ROM improvement and perception of better health-related quality of life in any of the groups

Short-Lived Trace Gases in the Surface Ocean and the Atmosphere

The two-way exchange of trace gases between the ocean and the atmosphere is important for both the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere and the biogeochemistry of the oceans, including the global cycling of elements. Here we review these exchanges and their importance for a range of gases whose lifetimes are generally short compared to the main greenhouse gases and which are, in most cases, more reactive than them. Gases considered include sulphur and related compounds, organohalogens, non-methane hydrocarbons, ozone, ammonia and related compounds, hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Finally, we stress the interactivity of the system, the importance of process understanding for modeling, the need for more extensive field measurements and their better seasonal coverage, the importance of inter-calibration exercises and finally the need to show the importance of air-sea exchanges for global cycling and how the field fits into the broader context of Earth System Science

Photochemical trajectory modeling studies of the North Atlantic region during August 1993

A Lagrangian photochemical trajectory model has been used to assess the factors affecting O-3 production during transport of polluted air masses across the North Atlantic Ocean. Sensitivity studies have been performed along idealized trajectories, and it is found that the potential impact of North American emission sources is maximized by transport of air at high altitudes, in drier conditions and in conditions where mixing of the air with background air masses is relatively limited. Measurements taken from the NCAR King Air aircraft as part of the North Atlantic Regional Experiment (NARE) August 1993 intensive have been used to initialize forward trajectories, calculated using European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting analyzed wind fields, from eastern North America to assess O-3 production over the Atlantic during this period. The effects of dilution of a polluted air parcel with air from the upper troposphere have also been studied, and the contribution of photochemical O-3 production to the air mass composition is found to be smaller than that of dilution, particularly for long trajectories and for conditions where dilution is relatively rapid or involves air from the stratosphere. Measurements taken from the Meteorological Research Flight Hercules aircraft over the eastern Atlantic as part of the Oxidizing Capacity of the Tropospheric Atmosphere campaign have been examined in the light of these studies. A backward trajectory analysis has been performed from one of the vertical profiles taken off the coast of Portugal on August 31, 1993, to assess the origin of the different air masses intercepted. While the lower levels are characteristic of air from the European boundary layer advected over the ocean, the upper levels show strong evidence for anthropogenic influence from North American sources, with elevated levels of O-3, NOy, CO, and aerosol. Although it cannot be concluded that this air mass definitely originated from over North America, the measured concentrations are shown to be consistent with those for an air mass from this source region experiencing some mixing with air masses in the upper troposphere

Anastomosis group and pathogenicity of isolates of Rhizoctonia solani from potato crops in South Australia

Isolates of Rhizoctonia collected from the stems, roots, tuber sclerotia and soil of potato crops in Virginia and Lenswood, South Australia, were identified to anastomosis groups (AG). Of the 301 multinucleate isolates of Rhizoctonia solani tested, 90% were AG-3, 7% were AG-4 and 2% were AG-5; 12 isolates were binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. This is the first report of isolates of AG-4 and AG-5 causing disease in potato crops in South Australia. All AG-3, AG-4 and AG-5 isolates tested caused rhizoctonia disease symptoms on the potato cultivar Coliban in pathogenicity trials conducted under glasshotise conditions. Both AG-3 and AG-5 isolates caused black scurf and stem cankers, although symptoms of black scurf were less severe with AG-5. AG-4 isolates produced the most severe stem and stolon cankers of all isolates tested. The pathogenicity of tuber-borne inoculum was confirmed by growing plants from sclerotia-infested tubers. AG-8 isolates from diseased barley and wheat produced severe root cankers and caused loss of feeder roots on inoculated potato plants. Results suggest that rhizoctonia disease in potato fields in South Australia is caused by a combination of different anastomosis groups and this has important implications for crop rotations.G. R. Balali, S. M. Neate, E. S. Scott, D. L. Whisson, T. J. Wick