Health management in the State of S. Paulo, Brazil

The shared management put into effect by the Ações Integradas de Saúde (Integrated Health Actions) in the State of S. Paulo (Brazil), in the early 80s is analysed. The relevant data were collected from the minutes of the meetings of the Comissão Interinstitutional de Saúde (Interinstitucional Health Commitee). The data collected show the most frequent subjects discussed by the members at the meetings, the number of members related to each of the different government levels, in addition to the kind of resolutions taken at the meetings. The data analysis has demonstrated that important changes took place in public health management in the State of S. Paulo in the decade in question. The shared management process was replaced by one in which government powers were clearly divided a towards the end of the 80s. Those changes have led the public health members from each level of governmental administration to give up the common goals and the shared negociations among them.Foi analisado o processo de gerenciamento colegiado implementado pelas Ações Integradas de Saúde (AIS), no Estado de São Paulo, na década de 80. A base de dados foi constituída por informações coletadas junto à Comissão Interinstitucional de Saúde (CIS-SP). Foram também investigadas a participação dos diversos representantes, as decisões e as resoluções originadas nessa instância de gerenciamento do sistema de saúde. A análise conjunta das informações coletadas mostrou que houve mudança substancial no papel de gerenciamento do setor saúde no Estado, principalmente a partir de 1987. O processo de gestão colegiada, iniciada com as AIS, foi sendo substituído paulatinamente pela gestão única, com a separação nítida das responsabilidades entre os níveis de governo municipal, estadual e federal. Esta mudança dificultou o processo de negociação e de definição de objetivos comuns entre os responsáveis pela política de saúde, que vinham sendo constituídos no Estado desde as AIS.Universidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Saúde Pública Departamento de Saúde Materno-InfantilEscola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de EnfermagemPontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas Faculdade de EnfermagemUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Saúde PúblicaUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências HumanasUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de EnfermagemSciEL

A novel phage-library-selected peptide inhibits human TNF-α binding to its receptors

We report the identification of a new human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) specific peptide selected by competitive panning of a phage library. Competitive elution of phages was obtained using the monoclonal antibody adalimumab, which neutralizes pro-inflammatory processes caused by over-production of TNF-α in vivo, and is used to treat severe symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The selected peptide was synthesized in monomeric and branched form and analyzed for binding to TNF-α and competition with adalimumab and TNF-α receptors. Results of competition with TNF-α receptors in surface plasmon resonance and melanoma cells expressing both TNF receptors make the peptide a candidate compound for the development of a novel anti-TNF-α drug

Reconstructing the recent West Nile virus lineage 2 epidemic in Europe and Italy using discrete and continuous phylogeography

West Nile virus lineage 2 (WNV-2) was mainly confined to sub-Saharan Africa until the early 2000s, when it was identified for the first time in Central Europe causing outbreaks of human and animal infection. The aim of this study was to reconstruct the origin and dispersion of WNV-2 in Central Europe and Italy on a phylodynamic and phylogeographical basis. To this aim, discrete and continuous space phylogeographical models were applied to a total of 33 newly characterised full-length viral genomes obtained from mosquitoes, birds and humans in Northern Italy in the years 2013-2015 aligned with 64 complete sequences isolated mainly in Europe. The European isolates segregated into two highly significant clades: a small one including three sequences and a large clade including the majority of isolates obtained in Central Europe since 2004. Discrete phylogeographical analysis showed that the most probable location of the root of the largest European clade was in Hungary a mean 12.78 years ago. The European clade bifurcated into two highly supported subclades: one including most of the Central/East European isolates and the other encompassing all of the isolates obtained in Greece. The continuous space phylogeographical analysis of the Italian clade showed that WNV-2 entered Italy in about 2008, probably by crossing the Adriatic sea and reaching a central area of the Po Valley. The epidemic then spread simultaneously eastward, to reach the region of the Po delta in 2013, and westward to the border area between Lombardy and Piedmont in 2014; later, the western strain changed direction southward, and reached the central area of the Po valley once again in 2015. Over a period of about seven years, the virus spread all over an area of northern Italy by following the Po river and its main tributaries

West Nile virus transmission. results from the integrated surveillance system in Italy, 2008 to 2015

IIn Italy a national Plan for the surveillance of imported and autochthonous human vector-borne diseases (chikungunya, dengue, Zika virus disease and West Nile virus (WNV) disease) that integrates human and veterinary (animals and vectors) surveillance, is issued and revised annually according with the observed epidemiological changes. Here we describe results of the WNV integrated veterinary and human surveillance systems in Italy from 2008 to 2015. A real time data exchange protocol is in place between the surveillance systems to rapidly identify occurrence of human and animal cases and to define and update the map of affected areas i.e. provinces during the vector activity period from June to October. WNV continues to cause severe illnesses in Italy during every transmission season, albeit cases are sporadic and the epidemiology varies by virus lineage and geographic area. The integration of surveillance activities and a multidisciplinary approach made it possible and have been fundamental in supporting implementation of and/or strengthening preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk of transmission of WNV trough blood, tissues and organ donation and to implementing further measures for vector control

Modelo Conceptual Geotermico Preliminar del Volcán Socompa, Departamento de los Andes, Provincia de Salta, Argentina

Fil: Conde Serra, A. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Seggiaro, R. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Apaza, F. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas - Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina.Fil: Castro Godoy, S. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Marquetti, C. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Masa, S. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Cozzi, G. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Tecnología Minera; Argentina.Fil: Carrizo, N. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Azcurra, D. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Carballo, F. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Lelli, M. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. Istituto di Geoscienze e Giorisorse; Italia.Fil: Raco, B. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. Istituto di Geoscienze e Giorisorse; Italia.Fil: Guevara, L. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto Nacional de Geología Isotópica. Departamento de Geofísica; Argentina