Ill-defined causes of death in Brazil: a redistribution method based on the investigation of such causes

OBJETIVO: Propor método de redistribuição de causas mal definidas de óbito baseado na investigação dessas causas. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados os resultados das investigações dos óbitos notificados como causas mal definidas (CMD) do capítulo XVIII da Classificação Estatística Internacional de Doenças (CID-10), no Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade em 2010. Os coeficientes de redistribuição foram calculados segundo a distribuição proporcional das causas mal definidas reclassificadas após investigação em qualquer capítulo da CID-10, exceto o capítulo XVIII, e utilizados para redistribuir as causas mal definidas não investigadas e remanescentes, segundo sexo e idade. O coeficiente de redistribuição-CMD foi comparado com dois métodos usuais de redistribuição: a) coeficiente de redistribuição-Total, baseado na distribuição proporcional de todas as causas definidas notificadas; b) coeficiente de redistribuição-Não externas, similar ao anterior, com exclusão das causas externas. RESULTADOS: Dos 97.314 óbitos por causas mal definidas notificados em 2010, 30,3% foram investigados. Desses, 65,5% foram reclassificados em causas definidas após investigação. As doenças endócrinas, transtornos mentais e causas maternas tiveram representação maior entre as causas mal definidas reclassificadas, ao contrário das doenças infecciosas, neoplasias e doenças do aparelho geniturinário, com proporções maiores entre causas definidas notificadas. As causas externas representaram 9,3% das causas mal definidas reclassificadas. A correção das taxas de mortalidade pelos critérios coeficiente de redistribuição-Total e coeficiente de redistribuição-Não externas aumentou a magnitude das taxas por fator relativamente semelhante para a maioria das causas, ao contrário do coeficiente de redistribuição-CMD, que corrigiu as diferentes causas de óbito com pesos diferenciados. CONCLUSÕES: A distribuição proporcional de causas entre as causas mal definidas reclassificadas após investigação não foi semelhante à distribuição original de causas definidas. Portanto, a redistribuição das causas mal definidas remanescentes com base nas investigações permite estimativas mais adequadas do risco de mortalidade por causas específicas.OBJECTIVE: To propose a method of redistributing ill-defined causes of death (IDCD) based on the investigation of such causes. METHODS: In 2010, an evaluation of the results of investigating the causes of death classified as IDCD in accordance with chapter 18 of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) by the Mortality Information System was performed. The redistribution coefficients were calculated according to the proportional distribution of ill-defined causes reclassified after investigation in any chapter of the ICD-10, except for chapter 18, and used to redistribute the ill-defined causes not investigated and remaining by sex and age. The IDCD redistribution coefficient was compared with two usual methods of redistribution: a) Total redistribution coefficient, based on the proportional distribution of all the defined causes originally notified and b) Non-external redistribution coefficient, similar to the previous, but excluding external causes. RESULTS: Of the 97,314 deaths by ill-defined causes reported in 2010, 30.3% were investigated, and 65.5% of those were reclassified as defined causes after the investigation. Endocrine diseases, mental disorders, and maternal causes had a higher representation among the reclassified ill-defined causes, contrary to infectious diseases, neoplasms, and genitourinary diseases, with higher proportions among the defined causes reported. External causes represented 9.3% of the ill-defined causes reclassified. The correction of mortality rates by the total redistribution coefficient and non-external redistribution coefficient increased the magnitude of the rates by a relatively similar factor for most causes, contrary to the IDCD redistribution coefficient that corrected the different causes of death with differentiated weights. CONCLUSIONS: The proportional distribution of causes among the ill-defined causes reclassified after investigation was not similar to the original distribution of defined causes. Therefore, the redistribution of the remaining ill-defined causes based on the investigation allows for more appropriate estimates of the mortality risk due to specific causes

Hidden Sylvatic Foci of the Main Vector of Chagas Disease Triatoma infestans: Threats to the Vector Elimination Campaign?

Triatoma infestans, a highly domesticated species and historically the main vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, is the target of an insecticide-based elimination program in the southern cone countries of South America since 1991. Only limited success has been achieved in the Gran Chaco region due to repeated reinfestations. We conducted full-coverage spraying of pyrethroid insecticides of all houses in a well-defined rural area in northwestern Argentina, followed by intense monitoring of house reinfestation and searches for triatomine bugs in sylvatic habitats during the next two years, to establish the putative sources of new bug colonies. We found low-density sylvatic foci of T. infestans in trees located within the species' flight range from the nearest infested house detected before control interventions. Using multiple methods (fine-resolution satellite imagery, geographic information systems, spatial statistics, genetic markers and wing geometric morphometry), we corroborated the species identity of the sylvatic bugs as T. infestans and found they were indistinguishable from or closely related to local domestic or peridomestic bug populations. Two sylvatic foci were spatially associated to the nearest peridomestic bug populations found before interventions. Sylvatic habitats harbor hidden foci of T. infestans that may represent a threat to vector suppression attempts

Grandisin induces apoptosis in leukemic K562 cells

Abstract In this study, the potential antileukemic activity of grandisin, a lignan extracted from Piper solmsianum, was evaluated against the leukemic line K562. The cytotoxicity of grandisin (0.018 to 2.365 µM) was evaluated in K562 and normal peripheral blood lymphocytes by Trypan Blue Exclusion and MTT methods after 48h exposure to the drug. In both methods, cellular viability was concentration-dependent and the IC50 values were lower than 0.85µM. Analysis of K562 cells after treatment with grandisin showed that the cell cycle was arrested in the G1 phase with a 12.31% increase, while both S and G2 phases decreased. Morphological studies conducted after the exposure of K562 to grandisin revealed changes consistent with the apoptosis process, which was confirmed by anexin V stain and caspase activation. Thus, lignan grandisin showed antileukemic activities against the K562 cell line and the cell death process occurred via apoptosis