Brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, infestation of susceptible dog hosts is reduced by slow release of semiochemicals from a less susceptible host

Domestic dog breeds are hosts for the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, but infestation levels vary among breeds. Beagles are less susceptible to tick infestations than English cocker spaniels due to enhanced production of 2-hexanone and benzaldehyde that act as volatile tick repellents. We report the use of prototype slow-release formulations of these compounds to reduce the burden of R. sanguineus s. l. on English cocker spaniel dogs. Twelve dogs were randomly assigned to two groups with six dogs each. The treated group received collars with slow-release formulations of the compounds attached, while the control group received collars with clean formulations attached. Five environmental infestations were performed, with the number of ticks (at all stages) on the dogs being counted twice a day for 45 days. The counts on the number of tick stages found per dog were individually fitted to linear mixed effects models with repeated measures and normal distribution for errors. The mean tick infestation in the treated group was significantly lower than in the control group. For larvae and nymphs, a decrease in tick infestation was observed at the fifth count, and for adults, lower average counts were observed in all counts. The compounds did not interfere with the distribution of the ticks on the body of the dogs, as a similar percentage of ticks was found on the anterior half of the dogs (54.5% for the control group and 56.2% for the treated group). The biological and reproductive parameters of the ticks were not affected by the repellents. This study highlights for the first time the potential use of a novel allomone (repellent)-based formulation for reduction of tick infestation on susceptible dogs

Hexavalent chromium in fish from the Sepetiba Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a risk assessment to human health

Introduction: Certain metals, among them hexavalent chromium influence the stability of ecosystems and cause adverse effects on human health. Thus, this study aimed to estimate a risk model of human health associated with fish consumption from the Sepetiba Bay. Methodology: This risk assessment methodology was developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The models were implemented using the USEPA toxicological databases and samples from the Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro. Results: The intoxication and carcinogenic risk estimated for fish consumption of M. furnieri and C. acoupa species were considered small. Conclusion: Based on the analysis, we conclude that the toxicological risk or carcinogenic injury to health due to fish consumption with high levels of cromo6+ coming from Sepetiba Bay is low. Still, it emphasizes the validity of utilizing monitoring methods in coastal environments, for health and environmental control

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Pesticides, brain cancer and hematologic malignancies in the Serrana region of Rio de Janeiro

Submitted by Angelo Silva ([email protected]) on 2017-03-30T17:41:01Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) 83.pdf: 1158179 bytes, checksum: ded16984e0818408a08d2239939d720a (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Maria Arruda ([email protected]) on 2018-02-27T16:17:51Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 83.pdf: 1158179 bytes, checksum: ded16984e0818408a08d2239939d720a (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-27T16:17:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 83.pdf: 1158179 bytes, checksum: ded16984e0818408a08d2239939d720a (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.O impacto do câncer na população mundial continua aumentando, em parte, pelas exposições ambientais. Sabe-se que indivíduos com ocupações agrícolas, assim como não agricultores que residem em comunidades rurais, apresentam maiores taxas de mortalidade para algumas neoplasias específicas, dentre elas câncer de cérebro, e neoplasias hematológicas. Uma das hipóteses apontadasna literatura refere-seàs condições ambientais vivenciadas por esse grupo populacional como,por exemplo,as exposições aos pesticidas eaagentes biológicos.No estado do Riode Janeiro, a região Serrana é o principal polo agrícola, sendo que os agricultores representam o grupo de maior exposição aos pesticidas. Assim, é de grande importância descrever o perfil epidemiológico das neoplasias nessa região.Métodos: Esta tese foi dividida em três partes, sendo que na primeira delas foi analisado o padrão geográfico e temporal da mortalidade por câncer de cérebro na região Serrana e na Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro. Para este estudo foram estimados modelos de regressão de Poisson e de idade-período-coorte. A segunda parte foi um caso-controle de mortalidade de base populacional que investigou a associação entre a ocupação agricultor e a mortalidade por leucemias no estado do Rio de Janeiro, para tal foiestimado a odds ratio a partir de modelo de regressão logística comseus respectivos intervalos de confiança. Aúltima parte apresenta os resultados preliminares de um estudo caso-controle de casos incidentes de base hospitalar em andamento na região Serrana do Rio de Janeiro, que investiga a associação entre exposições a pesticidas e neoplasias hematológicas, assim como câncer de cérebro. Os casos e controles estão sendo recrutados na cidade de Petrópolis. Foram estimados modelos de regressão logística (OR) bruta e ajustada, com intervalo de confiança de 95%. Resultados: No primeiro estudo foi observada uma maior magnitude e tendência crescente na mortalidade por câncer de cérebro na região Serrana 4,2% IC95%: 0,4-8,1. Por sua vez, a tendência na região metropolitana foi de estabilidade, no mesmo período de estudo:-0,5% IC95%: -1,8-0,9. O efeito coorte observado na região Serrana, sugere que as coortes mais recentes apresentaram um risco maior de mortalidade RR 4,0. O segundo trabalho revelou uma associação positiva entre a ocupação agricultor e o óbito por leucemia mielóide com razão de chance de 1,69 IC95% 1,10-2,86;por sua vez para leucemia linfóide a OR foi de 0.87 IC95% 0,34-2,20.Quando se estimou a Mortality Odds Ratio entre a venda percapita de pesticidas e a mortalidade por leucemias mieloide, se observou que aqueles municípios de maior venda em 1996 apresentaram elevada MOR 1,91 IC95%:0,88-4,03. Conclusão: A região Serrana do Rio de Janeiro apresentou taxas crescentes de mortalidade por câncer de cérebro quando o efeito coorte observado nessa região sugere uma mudança no padrão de exposições ambientais pela qual as novas gerações estariam expostas. Também foi possível concluir que os agricultores apresentaram elevada razão de chance para a mortalidade por leucemias.The impact of cancer has increased in the world population, in part due to environmental exposures. It has been observed farmers, as well as those who live in rural regions, have higher mortality rates for some specific kind of cancer in relation to those who live in urban regions, namely, brain cancer and hematological neoplasm. One hypothesis mentioned in the literature refers to the environmental conditions experienced by this population group such as, for instance, exposure to pesticides and biological agents. In Rio de JaneiroState, Serrana region is the major agricultural hub and ithas showed that farmers have higher exposure to pesticides in this region. Therefore, it is important to estimate the impact of cancer in this region. Methods:This thesis was divided into three studies; the first one has described geographical and temporal patterns of brain cancer mortality in Serrana region (agricultural region) and Metropolitan region, both from Rio de Janeiro. A Poisson regression and age-period-cohort analyses was performed. The second study was a population-based mortality case-control aimed estimates the association between farmers and death due to leukemia, by unconditional logistic regression and its 95%confidence interval. Finally, the third study is a hospital-based incidence case-control study inprogress inSerrana Region fromRio de Janeiro that aimsestimatethe association between exposure to pesticides and hematological malignancies, as well as cancer brain.The cases and controls are being recruited in the city of Petropolis.Unconditional logistic regression adjusted and its 95% confidence interval was performed. Results:The first study, a greatermagnitude and increased trend in brain cancer mortality was observed in Serrana region 4.2% 95%CI:2.9-3.5. On the other hand, mortality trends has stabled in Metropolitan regionin the same period: -0.5%95%CI:-1.8-0,9.The cohort effect observed in the Serrana region suggests the most recent cohort had a higher risk of mortality RR 4.0. The second study showed a positive association between the farmer occupation and death dueto myeloid leukemia in relation to non-farmers OR 1.69 95%CI: 1.10-2.86; on the other hand, leukemia lymphoblastic OR was 0.87 95% CI 0.34-2.20. In addition, those cities in higher per capita expenditure of pesticides had higher Mortality Odds Ratio MOR:1.9195%CI 0.88-4.03.Conclusion:It was observed an increased in brain cancer mortality in an agricultural region (Serrana region), suggests changes inthe pattern ofenvironmental exposures over new generations. In the same way, farmers showed a positive association with death due to myeloid leukemi

Mortality from cancers potentially associated with agricultural activity in the state of Rio de Janeiro

Submitted by Gilvan Almeida ([email protected]) on 2016-08-10T18:28:53Z No. of bitstreams: 2 837.pdf: 1716619 bytes, checksum: 4809b38bdb29b8b7a3c55a3abb3b3425 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Maria Arruda ([email protected]) on 2018-02-02T17:50:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 837.pdf: 1716619 bytes, checksum: 4809b38bdb29b8b7a3c55a3abb3b3425 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-02T17:50:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 837.pdf: 1716619 bytes, checksum: 4809b38bdb29b8b7a3c55a3abb3b3425 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Introdução: Alguns estudos sugerem que trabalhadores agrícolas possuem um risco maior de desenvolver certos tipos de câncer, sendo a principal hipótese a intensa exposição aos agrotóxicos a que são submetidos. Uma importante fonte de dados para tais estudos é a mortalidade, sendo relevante avaliar sua qualidade. Objetivos: Estimaro risco da mortalidade por câncer de cérebro em agricultores do estado do Rio de Janeiro e validar a ocupação agricultor e a causa básica de óbito das neoplasias de cérebro, de esôfago, de estômago, leucemias e linfomas, nos municípios de Petrópolis eTeresópolis. Material e Métodos: Foram desenvolvidos dois estudos que deram origem a dois artigos. O estudo caso-controle baseado em DOs de indivíduos do sexo masculino, maiores de 18 anos de idade, residentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro que morreram no período entre 1996 e 2005. Os casos foram indivíduos cuja causa de morte foi neoplasia maligna de cérebro e, para cada caso foram selecionados aleatoriamentedois controles no grupo das DOs elegíveis. O segundo estudo realizou a validação de causa básica de morte informada pelo sistema de mortalidade para neoplasias de cérebro, de esôfago, de estômago, leucemias e linfomas, tendo com referência as informações obtidas no prontuário médico. A população do estudo contemplou 153DOs, selecionadas entre indivíduos de ambos os sexos, maiores de 18 anos de idade, residentes nos municípios de Petrópolis e Teresópolis que faleceram no ano de 2007, tendo alguma das neoplasias acima reportada na DO, como causa básica ou contribuinte; também foram incluídas as DOs que tinham como causa básica neoplasiamaligna sem especificação de localização. A validade da causa básica foi estimada pelo valor preditivo positivo

Comparative age-period-cohort analysis

Abstract Background Cancer surveillance researchers analyze incidence or mortality rates jointly indexed by age group and calendar period using age-period-cohort models. Many studies consider age- and period-specific rates in two or more strata defined by sex, race/ethnicity, etc. A comprehensive characterization of trends and patterns within each stratum can be obtained using age-period-cohort (APC) estimable functions (EF). However, currently available approaches for joint analysis and synthesis of EF are limited. Methods We develop a new method called Comparative Age-Period-Cohort Analysis to quantify similarities and differences of EF across strata. Comparative Analysis identifies whether the stratum-specific hazard rates are proportional by age, period, or cohort. Results Proportionality imposes natural constraints on the EF that can be exploited to gain efficiency and simplify the interpretation of the data. Comparative Analysis can also identify differences or diversity in proportional relationships between subsets of strata (“pattern heterogeneity”). We present three examples using cancer incidence from the United States Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program: non-malignant meningioma by sex; multiple myeloma among men stratified by race/ethnicity; and in situ melanoma by anatomic site among white women. Conclusions For studies of cancer rates with from two through to around 10 strata, which covers many outstanding questions in cancer surveillance research, our new method provides a comprehensive, coherent, and reproducible approach for joint analysis and synthesis of age-period-cohort estimable functions