Hypertension and Stroke: Update on Treatment

Stroke is the second most common cause of mortality worldwide and the third most common cause of disability. Hypertension is the most prevalent risk factor for stroke. Stroke causes and haemodynamic consequences are heterogeneous which makes the management of blood pressure in stroke patients complex requiring an accurate diagnosis and precise definition of therapeutic goals. In this article, the authors provide an updated review on the management of arterial hypertension to prevent the first episode and the recurrence. They also present a discussion on blood pressure management in hypertensive urgencies and emergencies, especially in the acute phase of hypertensive encephalopathy, ischaemic stroke and haemorrhagic stroke

PAÍSES EMERGENTES, CRISES E A DINÂMICA DOS FLUXOS DE CAPITAIS NO SISTEMA MONETÁRIO INTERNACIONAL

Um dos aspectos fundamentais do sistema monetário e financeiro internacional (SMFI) contemporâneo é a alta volatilidade dos fluxos de capitais. Nesse cenário, os fluxos de capitais para os países emergentes são condicionados fundamentalmente pelos ciclos internacionais de liquidez e pelo caráter hierárquico do sistema monetário internacional (SMI). Como consequência, a experiência dos países emergentes que optaram pela estratégia de ampla abertura financeira tem se mostrado insatisfatória frente ao caráter instável dos fluxos. Três fases distintas foram observadas desde a eclosão da crise financeira global de 2008 (CFG): i) a CFG e suas respectivas fases; ii) a política monetária não convencional (PMNC) adotada pelas economias avançadas e a decorrente abundância de liquidez internacional; e iii) as taper talks e o posterior fim das PMNC nos EUA. Constatou-se também que os países emergentes que mantiveram ou acentuaram a opção pela abertura financeira não foram capazes de se proteger adequadamente das oscilações dos fluxos, mesmo aqueles cujos indicadores sugeriam uma baixa vulnerabilidade externa. Em contraste, o emprego de técnicas de gestão de capitais mostrou-se efetivo para atenuar os impactos dos ciclos de liquidez internacional nessas economias

Bidirectional Ventricular Tachycardia: A Hallmark of Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia is a familial cardiac arrhythmia that is related to RYR2 or CASQ2 gene mutation. It occurs in patients with structurally normal heart and causes exercise-emotion triggered syncope and sudden cardiac death. We present a 13 year-old girl with recurrent episodes of exercise-related syncope and prior history of sudden death in a first degree relative

Políticas públicas inclusivas no Brasil e o contexto internacional: diálogos sobre inclusão e deficiência

Trata este artigo acerca das relações existentes no diálogo que atualmente se trava sobre inclusão e deficiência, fenômenos estes norteadores do debate que destaca aqui o papel das Políticas Públicas, ressaltando-se as políticas internacionais de inclusão educacional no Brasil. Assim, objetivamos analisar o papel dos agentes responsáveis por esse movimento que incrementa a construção e aplicação das políticas públicas na perspectiva da Educação Inclusiva; refletir sobre o fenômeno da inclusão, dentro do panorama atual de discussões, estudos e práticas voltadas para o que se entende como diminuição das desigualdades, e ainda, tratar sobre aspectos específicos a esse processo, considerando propostas que façam parte das diretrizes sócio-inclusivas, definidoras de ações voltadas a tais objetivos sociais. Em relação ao ûltimo caso, evidenciamos no contexto da educação inclusiva no Brasil, a proposta da difusão da Lîngua Brasileira de Sinais nas escolas da educação bâsica, como política de inclusão de pessoas surdas.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: inclusão, deficiência, políticas públicas, educação

Homeologous regulation of Frigida-like genes provides insights on reproductive development and somatic embryogenesis in the allotetraploid Coffea arabica

Coffea arabica is an allotetraploid of high economic importance. C. arabica transcriptome is a combination of the transcripts of two parental genomes (C. eugenioides and C. canephora) that gave rise to the homeologous genes of the species. Previous studies have reported the transcriptional dynamics of C. arabica. In these reports, the ancestry of homeologous genes was identified and the overall regulation of homeologous differential expression (HDE) was explored. One of these genes is part of the FRIGIDA-like family (FRL), which includes the Arabidopsis thaliana flowering-time regulation protein, FRIGIDA (FRI). As nonfunctional FRI proteins give rise to rapid-cycling summer annual ecotypes instead of vernalization-responsive winter-annuals, allelic variation in FRI can modulate flowering time in A. thaliana. Using bioinformatics, genomic analysis, and the evaluation of gene expression of homeologs, we characterized the FRL gene family in C. arabica. Our findings indicate that C. arabica expresses 10 FRL homeologs, and that, throughout flower and fruit development, these genes are differentially transcribed. Strikingly, in addition to confirming the expression of FRL genes during zygotic embryogenesis, we detected FRL expression during direct somatic embryogenesis, a novel finding regarding the FRL gene family. The HDE profile of FRL genes suggests an intertwined homeologous gene regulation. Furthermore, we observed that FLC gene of C. arabica has an expression profile similar to that of CaFRL genes9FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP2013/17544-

Improvement of fluconazole flowability and its effect on dissolution from tablets and capsules

The aim of this work was to improve fluconazole flowability by wet granulation and to study the effect of granulation on drug dissolution from tablets and capsules. Fluconazole was submitted to a process of wet granulation in a high-speed granulator using Plasdone® K29/32 or K90. Flow properties of granules and dissolution profiles for tablets and capsules produced with them were determined. Fluconazole granules demonstrated better flowability, calculated by angle of repose and compressibility index data, compared with powder. Additionally, it was observed that the granulation process improved the dissolution efficiency (ED) of fluconazole from tablets and capsules, which could also suggest an increase in bioavailability. Higher dissolution efficiencies were achieved with Plasdone® K29/32.O objetivo deste trabalho foi melhorar as características de fluxo do fluconazol com o emprego da granulação úmida e estudar o efeito desse processo na dissolução do fármaco em cápsulas e comprimidos. O fluconazol foi submetido ao processo de granulação úmida num granulador de alta velocidade empregando Plasdone K29/32 e K90. Foram determinadas as propriedades de fluxo dos grânulos e obtidos os perfis de dissolução de cápsulas e comprimidos obtidos com os granulados em estudo. Os grânulos de fluconazol apresentaram melhores características de fluxo após o processamento, demonstradas por meio das determinações do ângulo de repouso e do índice de compressibilidade, comparativamente à matéria-prima. Adicionalmente, observou-se que o processo de granulação melhorou a eficiência de dissolução (ED) do fluconazol nos comprimidos e cápsulas

Cultivation of soybean with swine wastewater

This study evaluates the cultivation of soybean under the use of swine wastewater (SWW). The SWW used was diluted in water at 0, 25, 50 and 75%. At 15, 30 and 45 days after sowing, plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, leaf area, concentrations of NPK on leaf and productivity were determined. The results show that plant height was not affected by SWW concentrations, being higher for T1 (water only). Dilutions of SWW showed the highest values of fresh and dry weight at 25 and 75%. T2 treatment, with 25% of dilution, responded better to the leaf area parameter. The average values for the levels of NPK in the leaves of soybean with application of SWW diluted in concentrations of 25, 50 and 75% were below those recommended. Treatments T4 and T3 showed higher productivity; an increase of 16% compared to control.Keywords: Wastewater, reuse, productivityAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(3), pp. 423-429, 15 January, 201

Dinâmica de carbono e nitrogênio em um sistema agroflorestal sucessional na região neotropical

The present study aimed to assess the effect of fourteen years of implementation of a successional and biodiverse agroforestry system (AFS) in a degraded agricultural field located in the Cerrado region of Central Brazil on the carbon and nitrogen dynamics. To track short term soil N dynamics we sampled instantaneous soil N rates in four seasonal periods (wet-dry, dry, dry-wet, wet) and to track long term C and N dynamics we measured C and N stable isotopes in the plant-litter-soil system. As additional data we determined the aboveground biomass; resorption rates of foliar and, soil C and N stocks.  The measured aboveground biomass was 19.2 Mg C ha-1. The mean resorption rate of foliar N was 49.3%. C:N ratio was 20.4 ± 1.4 and 14.2 ± 0.32 in the litter layer and the topsoil, respectively. Soil N-NH4+ was predominant over N-NO3-. After 40 days, the cumulative N-N2O emission was 0.33 kg ha-1. The mean C and N stocks were 3.8 Mg N ha-1 and 43.6 Mg C ha-1, respectively. The averaged soil δ15N was 6.8‰. Soil δ13C was -20.3‰. After 14 years of implementation, approximately 40% of the total C in the topsoil (0-20 cm depth) was derived from the AFS biomass input, predominantly from the C3 photosynthetic pathway. The studied biodiverse AFS that replaced a degraded agricultural field in the Cerrado region showed to be responsive both in terms of soil and plant C and N pools and fluxes.O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de quatorze anos de implementação de um sistema agroflorestal (SAF) sucessional e biodiverso em uma área agrícola degradada localizada na região de Cerrado do Brasil Central sobre a dinâmica de carbono e nitrogênio. Para verificar a dinâmica de N no curto prazo foram feitas medidas das taxas de transformação de N no solo em quatro períodos sazonais (chuva-seca, seca, seca-chuva e chuva) e para determinar a dinâmica de C e N no longo prazo foram analisadas as razões isotópicas de C e N no sistema planta-serapilheira-solo. Além disso, os seguintes parâmetros foram medidos: biomassa acima do solo, taxas de retranslocação de N foliar, e estoques de C e N no solo. A biomassa acima do solo foi de 19,2 Mg C ha-1. A taxa média de reabsorção de N foliar foi de 49,3%. A relação C:N foi de 20,4 ± 1,4 e 14,2 ± 0,32 na camada de serapilheira e na camada superficial do solo, respectivamente. O N-NH4 + do solo foi predominante sobre o N-NO3-. Após 40 dias, a emissão cumulativa de N-N2O foi de 0,33 kg ha-1. Os estoques médios de C e N foram de 3,8 Mg N ha-1 e 43,6 Mg C ha-1, respectivamente. O valor médio de δ15N do solo foi de 6,8‰, enquanto o valor médio de δ13C no solo foi de -20,3‰. Após 14 anos de implementação, aproximadamente 40% do C total na camada superficial do solo (0-20 cm de profundidade) mostrou ser derivado da entrada de biomassa oriunda do SAF, que é predominantemente do tipo fotossintético C3. O SAF estudado, que substituiu um campo agrícola degradado na região do Cerrado, mostrou-se responsivo tanto em termos de estoques e fluxos de C e N do solo e da planta

Issues and trends on sustainable transportation: the case of Brazilian cities (2003-2010)

Brazilian transport system accounts for negative externalities in terms of energy consumption, carbon dioxide, local pollution emissions, social costs and infrastructure expenditures. These elements results on unsustainable mobility system. Resources usage is considerable and trend lines depict growing concerns in the following years. Brazilian cities continuous expansion increasing passenger mobility demand as well as social improvements (including C social level group) combined with public transportation low quality causes exponential increments on external transport system costs. For methodological means, the Brazilian cities case study was based on documental and literature research within public administration in Brazil. Therefore, this paper purpose is to present external costs and urban transportation tendencies in Brazil. Research data states significant growth in public infrastructure expenditures provoked by exaggerated energy consumption in the last years. In conclusion, based on literature and the aforementioned data basis, it can be inferred that sustainable transport system relies on public transportation. Pursuing such scenario will lead Brazilian cities to save relevant amount of financial and natural resources