Efficacy of Narrowband UVB vs. PUVA in Patients with Early-Stage Mycosis Fungoides

INTRODUCTION: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a non-Hodgkin's T-cell lymphoma of the skin that often begins as limited patches and plaques with slow progression to systemic involvement. Narrowband ultraviolet (UV) B therapy has been proven to be an effective short-term treatment modality for clearing patch-stage MF. The effect of psoralen plus long-wave ultraviolet A (PUVA) in the treatment of patch- and plaque-type MF has also been thoroughly documented. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of narrowband UVB and PUVA in patients with early-stage MF. METHODS: We analysed the response to treatment, relapse-free survival and irradiation dose in 114 patients with histologically confirmed early-stage MF (stage IA, IB and IIA). RESULTS: A total of 95 patients were treated with PUVA (83.3%) and 19 with narrowband UVB (16.7%). With PUVA, 59 patients (62.1%) had a complete response (CR), 24 (25.3%) had a partial response (PR) and 12 (12.6%) had a failed response. Narrowband UVB led to CR in 12 (68.4%) patients, PR in 5 (26.3%) patients and a failed response in 1 (5.3%) patient. There were no differences in terms of time to relapse between patients treated with PUVA and those treated with narrowband UVB (11.5 vs. 14.0 months respectively; P = 0.816). No major adverse reactions were attributed to the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that phototherapy is a safe, effective and well-tolerated, first-line therapy in patients with early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, with prolonged disease-free remissions being achieved. It suggests that narrowband UVB is at least as effective as PUVA for treatment of early-stage MF.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mapeamento da severidade da ferrugem asiática da soja na região sul do Brasil em cenários de clima atual e futuro.

Dentre as doenças que ocorrem na cultura da soja no Brasil destaca-se em importância a ferrugem asiática, causada pelo fungo Phakopsora pachyrhizi. O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o impacto potencial de alterações nos padrões de precipitação em cenários de clima futuro na severidade da ferrugem asiática na Região Sul do Brasil. Um modelo de predição da severidade foi integrado a um sistema de informação geográfica alimentado com dados de clima atual (1961-90) e futuro (2020, 2050 e 2080) predito pelos modelos do IPCC (cenários futuros A2 e B1) para a geração de mapas de severidade. Em cada um dos oito cenários possíveis, foi gerado um mapa mensal com a severidade delineada em cinco classes (0-100%) com base na chuva acumulada para os meses de outubro a abril. Os resultados mostram que, no período de maior ocorrência da ferrugem (dezembro a fevereiro), no cenário atual, o maior percentual de área da região (de 70 a 80% da área) apresentou severidade média entre 40 e 60%. Já nos cenários futuros, os modelos projetam um pequeno incremento na área geográfica nessa mesma classe, variando de 70 a 90%, para o mesmo período, sendo mais alto na década de 2080

Mapeamento da favorabilidade da temperatura para Euschistus heros F. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) em soja na região sul do Brasil em cenários de clima atual e futuro.

Dentre as pragas que acometem a cultura da soja no Brasil destaca-se o percevejo-marrom Euschistus heros. O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar os impactos potenciais das mudanças climáticas sobre E. heros a partir da determinação de faixas de favorabilidade para o aumento populacional deste, por meio do mapeamento de áreas favoráveis na região sul do Brasil em cenários de clima futuros projetados pelos modelos do IPCC. Faixas de temperatura variando de desfavorável a muito favorável foram propostas e integradas a um sistema de informações geográficas alimentados com dados de clima atual e projetados para as décadas de 2020, 2050 e 2080 para a confecção de mapas nos cenários A2 e B1. Com base em dados bibliográficos da biologia da praga, foi determinada a faixa de 26 a 28ºC como a mais favorável ao seu ciclo biológico. Abaixo de 14ºC foi determinado como desfavorável e entre 14 e 20ºC e acima de 30ºC como pouco favorável. Uma vez que os cenários futuros indicam incremento nas condições médias de temperatura, foi predito um aumento na área muito favorável ao estabelecimento de E. heros em relação ao clima atual no sul do Brasil, o qual foi mapeado como favorável entre os meses de dezembro a abril

Moderating effect of economic instability in the relationship between concentration of control and market value: empirical evidence in Latin America

This paper investigates the moderating effect of economic instability in the relationship between the concentration of control and market value of firms. For this purpose, we built an unbalanced panel dataset composed of 341 Latin American companies from six countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. The results of the dynamic models, estimated using the systemic generalized method of moments, indicate, in general, that concentration of control only reduces the market value of firms in environments with high economic instability. Thus, this study provides empirical evidence that times of economic instability encourage controlling shareholders to act even more strongly in their own interests, which may result in the expropriation of the wealth of smaller shareholders.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Zoroastro o el azote de la teología cristiana: análisis de una intervención de un filósofo dualista en la obra de madurez de Pierre Bayle (1647-1706)

Analizo una digresión en una obra póstuma de Pierre Bayle, en la que un “discípulo de Zoroastro” formula una crítica de la teología reformada arminiana de Isaac Jaquelot a partir del problema del mal y del pecado. Pondero igualmente en qué medida esta intervención del discípulo de Zoroastro se asemeja a otras que se encuentran en obras anteriores de Bayle. Finalmente, estudio las implicaciones que tiene para Bayle el argumento que establece que no se puede juzgar a Dios en base a los principios de la razón humana o “nociones comunes”.Palabras clave: Pierre Bayle, Isaac Jaquelot, calvinismo, arminianismo, nociones comunes, Teodicea, mal.AbstractI analyze a reflection of a posthumous work by Pierre Bayle, in which a “disciple of Zoroaster” proposes a criticism of the Apologetics of Isaac Jaquelot by an appeal to the problem of evil and sin. I also consider the similarities of this dissertation with other discussions which appeared in Bayle’s earlier works. I finally examine the consequences for Bayle of the argument that claims that God cannot be judged with the principles of human reason or “common notions”.Keywords: Pierre Bayle, Isaac Jaquelot, Calvinism, Arminianism, common notions, Theodicy, evil.</p

Heterogeneidade da relação entre produtividade da soja e severidade da ferrugem asiática: uma análise exploratória.

This work aimed to conduct an exploratory, prior to meta-analysis, assessment of the heterogeneity of the linear relationship between soybean yield (Y) and the severity (X) of a foliar fungal disease (soybean rust) from 144 fungicide trials conducted in five years and 45 locations in Brazil. We used graphical analysis to explore the within- and between-trial variability of model parameter estimates (effect sizes) and summary measures for model goodness-of-fit and influence analysis. In the estimation of the weighted mean regression coefficients, following the metaanalysis concept, we propose a method that takes into account the magnitude of influence measures as well as the uncertainties of parameters estimates, usually the inverse of the standard error of for the parameter estimate. High between-trial heterogeneity was observed for parameter estimates, standard errors (within trial variability), determination coefficient and influence measures. Graphical analysis suggested influence of timing of disease onset and control yield class on model slope, which will be quantified further using a meta-analytical approach

Taxidermia en el Museo de La Plata.

En esta edición se intenta documentar en orden cronológico de incorporación laboral, la actividad de aquellos preparadores que desarrollaron tareas en el Taller de Taxidermia, el que, a partir de la década de los 30 del pasado siglo, pasó a depender de la División Zoología Vertebrados; se incluyen la imágenes de algunas de las piezas por ellos realizadas y la documentación disponible. Probablemente habrá omisiones y desde luego existen huecos que no pudimos completar, debido a que nos basamos en documentación incompleta y relatos de integrantes de la División Zoología Vertebrados, algunos que ya cesaron en sus funciones, sin la posibilidad de recurrir a más fuentes. Es nuestra intención plasmar una parte importante de la historia de nuestra institución, de la que se desconoce la dedicación y paciencia necesarias por parte de los involucrados para efectuar una tarea casi artística, para que al fin los ejemplares puedan exhibirse o pasar a formar parte de las colecciones científicas, además de la posterior conservación y tratamiento especial que requieren

Borderline CD30+ Cutaneous Lymphoproliferative Disorder: Report of a Case with Expression of Cytotoxic Markers and Response to Clarithromycin

CD30+ cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders (CLPDs) are usually characterized by a benign clinical course. The prognostic value of cytotoxic markers in these lymphomas has not been evaluated in large series. We describe a case of borderline CD30+ CLPD with cytotoxic phenotype, presenting in a 22-year-old male patient as an ulcer on the forearm. He reported having had similar ulcers on the buttock and thigh that spontaneously regressed over the course of 1 year. The lesion resolved with a single course of clarithromycin; a subsequent lesion, too, responded to clarithromycin, and no recurrences or systemic involvement have been documented in the 9-month follow-up. A conservative approach in the management of CD30+ CLPD is recommended. We believe that the anti-inflammatory and apoptotic effects of clarithromycin on T cells may have hastened the remission process

Ionospheric error analysis in gps measurements

The results of an experiment aimed at evaluating the effects of the ionosphere on GPS positioning applications are presented in this paper. Specifically, the study, based upon a differential approach, was conducted utilizing GPS measurements acquired by various receivers located at increasing inter-distances. The experimental research was developed upon the basis of two groups of baselines: the first group is comprised of "short" baselines (less than 10 km); the second group is characterized by greater distances (up to 90 km). The obtained results were compared either upon the basis of the geometric characteristics, for six different baseline lengths, using 24 hours of data, or upon temporal variations, by examining two periods of varying intensity in ionospheric activity respectively coinciding with the maximum of the 23 solar cycle and in conditions of low ionospheric activity. The analysis revealed variations in terms of inter-distance as well as different performances primarily owing to temporal modifications in the state of the ionosphere