Alcohol usage, football and young fans

Drug usage is a bio-psychosocial phenomenon, composed by the triad substance, individual and social context. Aiming to evaluate the patterns of consumption among young football fans, the study was conducted from a sociological approach combined with bibliographical, document and field research using AUDIT. The intentional sample comprised 263 male subjects, ages between 15 and 25, residents of Sao Paulo city. The subjects were approached randomly, which was done on days with football matches from the Sao Paulo State League (Campeonato Paulista de Futebol). The data indicated a high pattern of beverage consumption. The theme's complexity demands a multifarious look, taking into consideration the fact that the drug is an inanimate product that depends on the user to manifest its effects and consequences, i.e., it is rather the use one makes of leisure and drinking that may represent problems, and not leisure and drinking per se.15354155

Knowledge of family health program practitioners in Brazil about sickle cell disease: a descriptive, cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Although sickle cell disease is an important public health problem in Brazil, there is a gap in the literature on the level of knowledge of primary health care professionals about the treatment and management of sickle cell disease. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge about sickle cell disease of physicians and nurses who work in the Family Health Program in a region of Brazil with a high prevalence of this disease. METHODS: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted at the municipality of Montes Claros, in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Study participants included 96 physicians and nurses who work at the Family Health Program in an urban area of the city. Data was collected using an original, partially tested questionnaire based on health care check points for children with sickle cell disease established in educational protocols from the State Health Secretary of Minas Gerais and the Ministry of Health. The structured questionnaire contained 47 questions addressing three axes: epidemiology (8 questions); clinical manifestations (13 questions); and management of children with sickle cell disease (26 questions). Knowledge was measured through mean correct responses to proposed questions. Ethical principles were respected and this project was approved by the Committee of Ethics in Research. RESULTS: 59.4% (57) of the study participants were nurses and 40.6% (39) were physicians. The median length of training and median length of service in primary health care were 4.3 (2.8-8.0) years and 4.0 (2.0-7.1) years, respectively. The mean performance in knowledge tests was < 75%, with 5.7/8 (SD = 1.4) for the "epidemiology" questions; 8.6/13 (SD = 2.2) for "clinical manifestations"; and 17.0/26 (SD = 2.9) for "management of children with sickle cell disease" questions; resulting in a mean total of 31.4/47 (SD = 5.10) correct responses. A statistically significant association was found between the number of correct responses and family health care qualifications (p = 0.015). CONCLUSION: There is an urgent need to improve primary health care professional training in the care of children with sickle cell disease

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a rare pulmonary toxicity of sirolimus.

Transpl Int. 2007 Mar;20(3):291-6. Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a rare pulmonary toxicity of sirolimus. Pedroso SL, Martins LS, Sousa S, Reis A, Dias L, Henriques AC, Sarmento AM, Cabrita A. Nephrology Department, Hospital Geral de Santo António, Porto, Portugal. [email protected] Abstract The aim of our paper is to describe an unusual pulmonary toxicity of sirolimus (SRL) in a kidney transplant recipient. We present a 34-year-old woman with a second renal transplantation, complicated with steroid-resistant acute rejection and chronic allograft dysfunction. Two years after initiating SRL, she presented complaints of progressive dyspnoea, nonproductive cough, chest pain and low-grade fever of 1 month duration. She had chronic allograft nephropathy and slight elevation of lactic dehydrogenase levels. After exclusion of common reasons of this condition, a computed tomography (CT) of the thorax and bronchoscopy was performed, revealing ground-glass opacification with polygonal shapes on CT and an opaque appearance with numerous macrophages on bronchoalveolar lavage. The alveolar macrophages stained positive by Periodic acid-Schiff. Diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) was made and drug-induced toxicity was suspected. SRL was withdrawn with marked improvement in the patients' clinical and radiological status. PAP resolved within 3 months without further therapy. PAP is a very rare complication of SRL therapy with only a few cases described. Withdrawal of SRL with conversion to another immunosuppressant seems to be an appropriate procedure in this condition. PMID: 17291222 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLIN

Bounded real lemmas for positive descriptor systems

A well known result in the theory of linear positive systems is the existence of positive definite diagonal matrix (PDDM) solutions to some well known linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). In this paper, based on the positivity characterization, a novel bounded real lemma for continuous positive descriptor systems in terms of strict LMI is first established by the separating hyperplane theorem. The result developed here provides a necessary and sufficient condition for systems to possess H?H? norm less than ? and shows the existence of PDDM solution. Moreover, under certain condition, a simple model reduction method is introduced, which can preserve positivity, stability and H?H? norm of the original systems. An advantage of such method is that systems? matrices of the reduced order systems do not involve solving of LMIs conditions. Then, the obtained results are extended to discrete case. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained results

Multi-pumping mechanised determination of selenium in natural waters by light emitting diode (LED) spectrometry

It has been developed a fully mechanised procedure for the determination of selenium in waters employing a LED based spectrometer and solenoid multi-pumps as solution propelling devices. The proposed method is based on the reaction of selenium with potassium iodide in an acidic medium to liberate iodine, which oxidizes Variamine Blue to form a violet-colour species which absorb at 530 nm. The system was mechanised using the multicommutation process and a stopped flow strategy in the final step reaction. The analytical curve was linear between 0.010 and 0.500 mg L-1, with an equation &#916;A = 0.501 (± 0.004) C and r = 0.999. The limit of detection (3&#963;/S) obtained for the proposed method was 0.004 mg L-1. The relative standard deviation for Se solutions of 0.050 and 0.200 mg L-1 (n = 4) were 1.6 and 1.8% respectively, the sampling throughput was 23 determinations per hour, and accuracy was 95% probability level.Um procedimento para determinação de selênio em águas, completamente mecanizado, foi desenvolvido empregando um fotômetro baseado em LED e mini-bombas solenóide como dispositivos de propulsão. O método proposto é baseado na reação de selênio com iodeto de potássio em meio ácido para liberar iodo, o qual oxida a variamina azul formando um composto violeta que absorve em 530 nm. O sistema foi mecanizado empregando o processo de multicomutação em fluxo e uma estratégia de parada de fluxo na etapa final para desenvolvimento da reação. A curva analítica foi linear entre as concentrações de 0,010 a 0,500 mg L-1, segundo a equação &#916;A = 0,501 (± 0,004) C (R = 0,999). O limite de detecção (3&#963;/S) obtido com o método proposto foi de 0,004 mg L-1. Desvios padrão relativo de 1,6 e 1,8% (n = 4) foram obtidos para soluções de Se com concentrações de 0,050 e 0,200 mg L-1, respectivamente. A freqüência de amostragem foi de 23 determinações por hora, e a exatidão foi de 95% de probabilidade.CAPES - MECDMinisterio de Educación y CienciaDirecció General d'Investigació i Transferència Tecnològica de la Generalitat ValencianaAcción Especial de la Universitat de Valenci

Evaluation of a Multicommuted Flow System for Photometric Environmental Measurements

A portable flow analysis instrument is described for in situ photometric measurements. This system is based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a photodiode detector, coupled to a multipumping flow system. The whole equipment presents dimensions of 25  cm × 22  cm × 10  cm, weighs circa 3 kg, and costs 650 €. System performance was evaluated for different chemistries without changing hardware configuration for determinations of (i) Fe3+ with SCN-, (ii) iodometric nitrite determination, (iii) phenol with sodium nitroprusside, and (iv) 1-naphthol-N-methylcarbamate (carbaryl) with p-aminophenol. The detection limits were estimated as 22, 60, 25, and 60 ng mL -1 for iron, nitrite, phenol, and carbaryl at the 99.7% confidence level with RSD of 2.3, 1.0, 1.8, and 0.8%, respectively. Reagent and waste volumes were lower than those obtained by flow systems with continuous reagent addition. Sampling rates of 100, 110, 65, and 72 determinations per hour were achieved for iron, nitrite, phenol, and carbaryl determination

Caracterização morfobiológica, morfométrica e ultraestrutural de isolados silvestres de Trypanosoma cruzi do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Triatoma vitticeps is a triatomine with geographic distribution restrict to Brazil, which exhibits high prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi natural infection. Of special epidemiologic concern, this species often invades households in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. The objective of this study was to evaluate morphological and ultrastructural parameters on three T. cruzi isolates obtained from wild T. vitticeps specimens. The growth and cell differentiation of the parasite was evaluated through epimastigote and trypomastigote forms obtained in the growth curves for three distinct isolates. The maximum growth showed differences at the 20th day of the curve. Our in vitro results show a heterogeneity, regarding these features for samples cultivated under the same conditions. Morphometric analyzes based on the shape of epimastigotes and trypomastigotes corroborated such differentiation. These results highlight the need of better understanding the meaning of this diversity under an eco-epidemiological perspective.Fil: Da Silva, C. Santos. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Brasil. Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Carbajal de la Fuente, Ana Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Almeida, C.E.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Gonçalves, T.C.M.. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Dos Santos Mallet, J. Reis. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Brasi

Exérese laparoscópica de um schwannoma retroperitoneal: um caso clínico e revisão da literatura

ResumoIntroduçãoOs schwannomas retroperitoneais são tumores raros, maioritariamente benignos e com origem na bainha dos nervos periféricos. O diagnóstico pré‐operatório correto é frequentemente impossível. São raras as descrições de exérese laparoscópica de schwannomas nesta topografia. Pretendemos apresentar um caso de um schwannoma retroperitoneal tratado por via laparoscópica.MétodosHomem de 61 anos, com um achado acidental por ecografia de natureza sólida retroperitoneal. A tomografia computadorizada e a ressonância magnética revelaram uma lesão nodular, de contornos bem definidos, heterogénea, com 3cm de diâmetro, junto ao psoas maior. Foi realizada uma exérese do tumor por via laparoscópica transperitoneal.ResultadosO tempo operatório foi de 65 minutos, não se registando qualquer complicação perioperatória. O resultado histopatológico revelou um schwannoma benigno. Ao segundo ano de seguimento o doente encontra‐se sem recidivas.DiscussãoOs schwannomas retroperitoneais são difíceis de diagnosticar pré‐operatoriamente. O diagnóstico e o tratamento de escolha é a exérese cirúrgica. A abordagem laparoscópica dos schwannomas retroperitoniais confere menor invasividade, é segura e reprodutível, sobretudo porque são lesões bem delimitadas e hipovasculares que podem ser facilmente dissecadas das estruturas adjacentes.AbstractIntroductionRetroperitoneal schwannomas are rare, usually benign tumours that originate in the peripheral neural sheath. Preoperative diagnosis is often impossible. Few cases of laparoscopic removal of retroperitoneal schwannoma have been reported to date. We aim to report a case of retroperitoneal schwannoma using laparoscopic surgical technique.MethodsA 61‐year‐old man was found incidentally a solid retroperitoneal tumour by ultrasound. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic ressonance imaging revealed a well‐defined, heterogeneous tumour, 3cm in diameter, in pararrenal space close to psoas major. A transperitoneal laparoscopic resection was performed.ResultsOperative time was 65minutes. The patient had an uneventful perioperative course. Histopathological exam revealed a benign schwannoma. No recurrence was detected after 2 years of follow‐up.DiscussionPreoperative establishment of diagnosis is difficult in case of retroperitoneal schwannomas even with imagiologic or biopsy studies. Complete resection is the diagnosis and treatment of choice. Laparoscopic treatment is minimal invasive, safe and feasible for retroperitoneal schwannomas mainly because these lesions are well limited and hypovascular, allowing a careful dissection from adjacent structures through an improved visualization

The hard to soft spectral transition in LMXBs - affected by recondensation of gas into an inner disk

Soft and hard spectral states of X-ray transient sources reflect two modes of accretion, accretion via a geometrically thin, optically thick disk or an advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF). The luminosity at transition between these two states seems to vary from source to source, or even for the same source during different outbursts, as observed for GX 339-4. We investigate how the existence of an inner weak disk in the hard state affects the transition luminosity. We evaluate the structure of the corona above an outer truncated disk and the resulting disk evaporation rate for different irradiation. In some cases, recent observations of X-ray transients indicate the presence of an inner cool disk during the hard state. Such a disk can remain during quiescence after the last outburst as long as the luminosity does not drop to very low values (10^-4 to 10^-3 of the Eddington luminosity). Consequently, as part of the matter accretes via the inner disk, the hard irradiation is reduced. The hard irradiation is further reduced, occulted and partly reflected by the inner disk. This leads to a hard-soft transition at a lower luminosity if an inner disk exists below the ADAF. This seems to be supported by observations for GX 339-4.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Molecular alterations of KIT and PDGFRA in GISTs: evaluation of a Portuguese series

To assess KIT and PDGFRA mutations frequencies in a Portuguese series of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs)