Asistencia técnica básica a pequeños productores, ganaderos y junta defensora de animales del municipio de Tibacuy.

TablasDentro del marco legal las Unidades Municipales de Asistencia Técnica (UMATA), fueron creadas en Abril de 1993 con el fin de dar solución al pequeño productor de las deficiencias tecnológicas en sus actividades agropecuarias, en vista de que el ICA era el que anteriormente realizaba dicha actividad pero que por disposición presidencial desde ese momento debía y tenía que cumplir otro tipo de asuntos. En la mayoría de los municipios de Cundinamarca sin lugar a dudas la UMATA cumple una función vital dentro del marco de las funciones administrativas de una alcaldía, es por ello que es la misma comunidad la que robustece a esta dependencia al solicitar y confiar en los servicios que ella presta.No Abstrac

Impacts of a warmer world on space cooling demand in Brazilian households

Air Conditioning (AC) appliances are a highly effective adaptation strategy to rising temperatures, thus making future climate conditions an important driver of space cooling energy demand. The main goal of this study is to assess the impacts of climate change on Cooling Degree Days computed with wet-bulb temperature (CDDwb) and household space cooling demand in Brazil. We compare the needs under three specific warming levels (SWLs) scenarios (1.5 °C, 2 °C and 4 °C) to a baseline with historically observed meteorological parameters by combining CDDwb projections with an end-use model to evaluate the energy requirements of air conditioning. The effects of the climate change were isolated, and no future expansion in AC ownership considered. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with AC energy demand are also calculated. Results show an increase in both average CDDwb and AC electricity consumption for the global warming scenarios in all Brazilian regions. The Northern region shows the highest increase in CDDwb (187% in CDDwb for SWL 4 °C), while the Southeast presents the highest AC energy consumption response (326% in the AC energy consumption for SWL 4 °C) compared to the baseline. At the national level, CDDwb and the AC energy consumption in all SWLs scenarios grow by 70%, 99% and 190%, respectively

Refractory Angina Cell Therapy (ReACT) Involving Autologous Bone Marrow Cells in Patients Without Left Ventricular Dysfunction: A Possible Role for Monocytes

Autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMC) transplantation has emerged as a potential therapeutic option for refractory angina patients. Previous studies have shown conflicting myocardium reperfusion results. the present study evaluated safety and efficacy of CellPraxis Refractory Angina Cell Therapy Protocol (ReACT). in which a specific BMMC formulation was administered as the sole therapy for these patients. the phase I/IIa noncontrolled, open label. clinical trial, involved eight patients with refractory angina and viable ischemic myocardium, without left ventricular dysfunction and who were not suitable for conventional myocardial revascularization. ReACT is a surgical procedure involving a single series of multiple injections (40-90 injections, 0.2 ml each) into ischemic areas of the left ventricle. Primary endpoints were Canadian Cardiovascular Society Angina Classification (CCSAC) improvement at 18 months follow-up and myocardium ischemic area reduction (assessed by scintigraphic analysis) at 12 months follow-up, in correlation with a specific BMMC formulation. Almost all patients presented progressive improvement in angina classification beginning 3 months (p = 0.008) postprocedure which was sustained at 18 months follow-up (p = 0.004), as well as objective myocardium ischemic area reduction at 12 months (decrease of 84.4%, p < 0.004). A positive correlation was found between monocyte concentration and CCSAC improvement (r = -0.759, p < 0.05). Improvement in CCSAC, followed by correlated reduction in scintigraphic myocardium ischemic area, strongly suggests neoangiogenesis as the main stem cell action mechanism. the significant correlation between number of monocytes and improvement strongly supports a cell-related effect of ReACT. ReACT appeared safe and effective.Cryopraxis Crobiologia Ltda.Cellpraxis BiogenhariaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Dept Surg, Div Cardiovasc Surg, São Paulo, BrazilCryopraxis Criobiol Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilCellpraxis Bioengn, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Div Hematol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Coll Med, Inst Heart, São Paulo, BrazilUniv S Florida, Coll Med, Dept Neurosurg & Brain Repair, Ctr Excellence Aging & Brain Repair, Tampa, FL USAUniv S Florida, Off Res & Innovat, Tampa, FL USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Dept Surg, Div Cardiovasc Surg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Div Hematol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

A Wear Analysis Carried On Connecting Rod Bearings From Internal Combustion Engines

In the present work, an analysis was carried out to know the wear modes present in connecting rod bearings from internal combustion engines. These mechanical elements were selected since they are exposed to different engineering failures such as incorrect assembly, severe loads, extreme temperatures, inadequate conditions, and loss of lubricity. In this particular case, the bearings that were selected had a service life of approximately 8 years. Different techniques such as SEM and optical microscopy, EDS analysis, hardness testing, and surface profilometry were used to characterize the unworn and worn bearings. Wear mechanisms such as sliding wear (scoring), fatigue wear with cracks where torn out material was clearly observed, discoloration areas, and two- and three-body abrasion wear (rubbing marks) were identified on the bearing surfaces

Crack-cocaine users have less family cohesion than alcohol users

Objective: Many studies correlate characteristics of family functioning and the development of drug addiction. This study sought to evaluate and compare the family environment styles of two groups of psychoactive substance users: 1) alcohol-only users and 2) crack-cocaine users. Methods: Three hundred and sixty-four users of alcohol, crack-cocaine, and other drugs, recruited from research centers in four Brazilian capitals participated in this study. Subjects were evaluated through the Family Environment Scale and the Addiction Severity Index, 6th version (ASI-6). ASI-6 t-scores were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc tests. A final model was obtained using a logistic regression analysis. All analyses were adjusted for partner, age, and psychiatric t-score. Results: We found a significant difference between groups in the cohesion subscale (p = 0.044). The post-hoc test revealed a difference of 1.06 points (95% CI 0.11-2.01) between groups 1 (6.45 +/- 0.28) and 2 (5.38 +/- 0.20). No significant between-group differences were observed in the other subscales. However, categorical analyses of variables regarding family dynamic showed that crack users more often reported that sometimes people in their family hit each other (30.4% vs. 13.2%, p = 0.007) and that people in their family frequently compared each other regarding work and/or school achievement (57.2% vs. 42.6%, p = 0.041). Conclusion: These results suggest that families of crack-cocaine users are less cohesive than families of alcohol users. This type of family environment may affect treatment outcome, and should thus be adequately approached.SENADNational Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug AbuseUniv Fed Rio do Grande UFRGS, HCPA, CPAD, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilHCPA, Unidade Bioestat, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Lab Biossinais Fenomenol & Cognicao, Inst Psicol, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psicobiol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro UFRJ, Inst Psiquiatria, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psicobiol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilSENAD: TC 005/2005Web of Scienc

Genetic susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus protects against cerebral malaria in mice.

Plasmodium falciparum has exerted tremendous selective pressure on genes that improve survival in severe malarial infections. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that is six to eight times more prevalent in women of African descent than in women of European descent. Here we provide evidence that a genetic susceptibility to SLE protects against cerebral malaria. Mice that are prone to SLE because of a deficiency in FcγRIIB or overexpression of Toll-like receptor 7 are protected from death caused by cerebral malaria. Protection appears to be by immune mechanisms that allow SLE-prone mice better to control their overall inflammatory responses to parasite infections. These findings suggest that the high prevalence of SLE in women of African descent living outside of Africa may result from the inheritance of genes that are beneficial in the immune control of cerebral malaria but that, in the absence of malaria, contribute to autoimmune disease

Trypanosoma cruzi loop-mediated isothermal amplification (Trypanosoma cruzi loopamp) kit for detection of congenital, acute and chagas disease reactivation

A Trypanosoma cruzi Loopamp kit was recently developed as a ready-to-use diagnostic method requiring minimal laboratory facilities. We evaluated its diagnostic accuracy for detection of acute Chagas disease (CD) in different epidemiological and clinical scenarios. In this retrospective study, a convenience series of clinical samples (venous blood treated with EDTA or different stabilizer agents, heel-prick blood in filter paper or cerebrospinal fluid samples (CSF)) from 30 infants born to seropositive mothers (13 with congenital CD and 17 noninfected), four recipients of organs from CD donors, six orally–infected cases after consumption of contaminated guava juice and six CD patients coinfected with HIV at risk of CD reactivation (N = 46 patients, 46 blood samples and 1 CSF sample) were tested by T. cruzi Loopamp kit (Tc LAMP) and standardized quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). T. cruzi Loopamp accuracy was estimated using the case definition in the different groups as a reference. Cohen’s kappa coefficient (κ) was applied to measure the agreement between Tc LAMP (index test) and qPCR (reference test). Sensitivity and specificity of T. cruzi Loopamp kit in blood samples from the pooled clinical groups was 93% (95% CI: 77–99) and 100% (95% CI: 80–100) respectively. The agreement between Tc LAMP and qPCR was almost perfect (κ = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.62–1.00). The T. cruzi Loopamp kit was sensitive and specific for detection of T. cruzi infection. It was carried out from DNA extracted from peripheral blood samples (via frozen EDTA blood, guanidine hydrochloride-EDTA blood, DNAgard blood and dried blood spots), as well as in CSF specimens infected with TcI or TcII/V/VI parasite.Fil: Besuschio, Susana Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Picado, Albert. Foundation For Innovative New Diagnostics; SuizaFil: Muñoz Calderon, Arturo Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Wehrendt, Diana Patricia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Marisa. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Infecciosas "Dr. Francisco Javier Muñiz"; Argentina. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud "Dr. C. G. Malbrán". Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben"; ArgentinaFil: Benatar, Alejandro Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Diaz Bello, Zoraida. Universidad Central de Venezuela; VenezuelaFil: Irurtia, Cecilia. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Cruz Mata, Israel. Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics; SuizaFil: Ndungu, Joseph M.. Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics; SuizaFil: Cafferata, María L.. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Montenegro, Graciela. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Sosa-Estani, Sergio Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública; Argentina. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud "Dr. C. G. Malbrán". Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben"; ArgentinaFil: Lucero, Raúl H.. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Instituto de Medicina Regional; ArgentinaFil: Alarcón de Noya, Belkisyole. Universidad Central de Venezuela; VenezuelaFil: Longhi, Silvia Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Schijman, Alejandro Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentin