"Espantosa mortandade": desembarques, demografias e enfermidades africanas / "Appalling mortality": disembarkation, demographics, and African diseases

Resumo Este artigo contribui para conhecermos melhor as condições a que africanos estavam submetidos no imediato desembarque, estendendo o estudo para além do navio. Destaca a importância dos africanos orientais no Sudeste brasileiro no início do século XIX, o que deve ser considerado para o aprofundamento da análise sobre reinvenções identitárias, doenças e práticas de cura. As dores dessas pessoas tiveram como pano de fundo os debates e as negociações políticas em torno da proibição do tráfico atlântico e da independência do Brasil.

Abstract This article contributes to a better understanding of the conditions which Africans endured immediately after landing in Brazil, taking the study beyond what happened in the slave ships. It highlights the importance of Eastern Africans in the southeast of Brazil, in the beginning of the nineteenth century, something that must be considered in order to do a deeper analysis of identity reinventions, diseases, and healing practices. The background of the suffering of those people can be found in the debates and political negotiations surrounding the prohibition of the Atlantic slave trade and the independence of Brazil.

Dinâmica comparada: fluxos dos escravizados africanos em São Paulo, Minas Gerais e Maranhão (1804-1848) / Comparative dynamics: flows of enslaved Africans in São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Maranhão (1804-1848) / Dinámica comparada: flujos de africanos esclavizados en São Paulo, Minas Gerais y Maranhão (1804-1848)

Analisamos comparativamente informes demográficos de qualidade aceitável acerca dos escravizados nascidos na África para Minas Gerais, São Paulo e Maranhão de 1804 a 1848. As parcelas dos nascidos na África em relação aos escravizados e às razões de sexo de todos os cativos, de acordo com as idades, auxiliaram-nos a remontar a dinâmica retrospectiva da chegada dos africanos às regiões. Supondo certas hipóteses e procedimentos, a partir das coortes etárias, estimamos as proporções de africanos e as razões de sexo da população cativa para os períodos anteriores aos das listas nominativas de habitantes. A dinâmica retrospectiva da introdução de africanos reconstruída mostrou-se bastante correlacionada à história econômica das diferentes regiões estudadas.

We compare the surviving enslaved people present in demographic censuses of acceptable quality for Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Maranhão from 1804 to 1848. The share of those born in Africa in relation to slaves and the sex ratio of all captives according to their ages helped us find the retrospective dynamics of the arrival of Africans to these regions. When using age cohorts, we estimate, assuming certain hypotheses and procedures, the proportions of Africans and the sex ratios of the captive population for periods prior to those of the nominative lists of inhabitants. The retrospective dynamics of the reconstructed introduction of these Africans proved to be closely correlated with the economic history of the different regions analyzed.

Analizamos comparativamente a los sobrevivientes esclavizados presentes en los informes demográficos evaluados como de calidad aceptable para Minas Gerais, São Paulo y Maranhão entre 1804 y 1848. La proporción de los nacidos en África en relación con los esclavizados y la proporción de sexos de todos los cautivos, según las edades, nos ayudaron a trazar la dinámica retrospectiva de la llegada de africanos a estas regiones. Utilizando las cohortes de edad, estimamos, asumiendo ciertas hipótesis y procedimientos, las proporciones de africanos y las proporciones de sexos de la población cautiva para períodos anteriores a las listas nominativas de habitantes. La dinámica retrospectiva de la introducción reconstruida de africanos demostró estar altamente correlacionada con la historia económica de las diferentes regiones estudiadas.

"Hipnóticos" na metrópole: africanos no Hospital Colonial de Lisboa nas primeiras décadas do século XX / "Hypnotics" in the metropolis: Africans in the Colonial Hospital of Lisbon during the early twentieth century

Resumo No início do século XX, alguns médicos portugueses foram à África estudar a chamada doença do sono. Entre eles estava Ayres Kopke, membro da primeira missão médica à África Ocidental Portuguesa. De regresso a Lisboa, o professor da Escola de Medicina Tropical continuou suas pesquisas, inclusive por meio da observação de doentes trazidos para a metrópole. Desde 1903, as repartições de saúde nas colônias estavam incumbidas de enviar doentes com determinadas patologias exóticas para o Hospital Colonial de Lisboa. Com base em documentos desse hospital, incluindo fotografias dos doentes, então chamados de hipnóticos, o artigo aborda a importância das experiências com humanos na metrópole para o avanço da medicina tropical durante o colonialismo.

Abstract At the start of the twentieth century, some Portuguese physicians traveled to Africa to study sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis). One was Ayres Kopke, a member of the first medical mission to Portuguese West Africa and professor at the School of Tropical Medicine. After returning to Lisbon, Kopke continued his research, which included observation of patients brought to the metropolis. Starting in 1903, health departments in the colonies were responsible for sending patients with certain exotic diseases to the Colonial Hospital of Lisbon. Based on documents from this hospital including photographs of patients (who at that time were called "hypnotics"), this article discusses the importance of human experiments in Lisbon for advances in tropical medicine during the colonial period.

Anatomical Study And Morphometric Predictive Factors Of The Supratrochlear Foramen Of The Humerus In A West African Sample

Background: The supratrochlear foramen (STF) is the most important anatomical variation of the humerus withgreat significance. However, in our environment, studies are rare and the FST remains almost unknown. Thisresearch aimed to study the prevalence of STF in a West African sample, its morphological characteristics andpredictive factors of its presence.Material and methods: We investigated the presence, shape, side, situation and dimensions of the STF in 142human adult humeri from West African cadavers. The morphometric measurements of the humeri were taken andwe analyzed the predictive factors of the presence of the STF by binary logistic regression.Results: The prevalence of the STF was 36.6%. In the depth of the olecranon fossa, the STF was closer to the medialepicondyle (24.9 ± 2.9 mm) than to the lateral epicondyle (26, 1 ± 2.8mm). The STF occurred in oval (50%), round(25%) triangular (23.1%) and irregular (1.9%) shapes. The mean transverse diameter of the STF was 6.5 ± 2.7 mmand 4.5 ± 1.5 mm for the vertical diameter. Humeri with STF had a significantly lower inter-epicondylar width;higher olecranon fossa width and height; and were significantly predominant on the left. The inter-epicondylarwidth (OR=1.10, P<0.001) and the width of the olecranon fossa (OR=0.81 P<0.001) were associated with theabsence of STF.Conclusion: A third of humeri in our population have STF. This implies that anatomists, anthropologists, orthopedistsand radiologists should be aware of this frequent anatomical variation with great implications.

Lipid disorders among Black Africans non-users of lipid-lowering medication

ABSTRACT Objective: Angola is a sub-Saharan African country where the population has scarce access to lipidlowering medication. We sought to determine the frequency of lipid disorders among Angolan nonusers of lipid-lowering medication. Material and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in a sample of 604 workers from the public sector. Blood pressure and anthropometric data were measured along with biochemical parameters including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). LDL-C to HDL-C ratio (LDL-C/HDL-C) was obtained from LDL-C and HDL-C levels. Results: High frequencies of elevated blood pressure (44.8%), metabolic syndrome (20.2%), increased TC (39.2%) and increased LDL-C (19.3%) were found. Low HDL-C was more frequent in women (62.4% vs. 36.1%, p < 0.001). Isolated hypercholesterolemia was more frequent in men (9.6% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.001). Among men TC, TG, LDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were higher and HDL-C was lower in obese than in low-weight and normal-weight participants. Among women TC, TG, LDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were higher in obese than in normal-weight participants. Significant linear trend of increasing TC and LDL-C levels as age increased was detected for both genders (p for trend < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study showed a high frequency of lipid disorders in Angolan non-users of lipid-lowering medication.

Geometric features of vertebrobasilar arterial system in adult black Kenyans / Características geométricas del sistema arterial vertebrobasilar en kenianos negros adultos

Geometric features of vertebrobasilar system influence occurrence of posterior circulation atherosclerosis, aneurysms, stroke and neuroradiological procedures. These features show ethnic variation, but data from black Africans in Sub Saharan Africa are scarce. This study aimed to describe geometric features of vertebrobasilar system in a black Kenyan population. It was a descriptive cadaveric study at Department of Human Anatomy, University of Nairobi. One hundred and seventy three formalin-fixed adult brains of individuals (99 male; 74 female; Age range 20 - 79) who had died of non cerebrovascular causes were studied. Level and angle of confluence of vertebral artery; diameter, length and bifurcation angles of basilar artery were measured. Data were analysed by SPSS version 21 for windows. The student t - test was used to determine the sex differences at 95 % confidence interval. Data are presented in macrographs, tables and bar charts. Confluence of vertebral arteries occurred at the sulcus bulbopontinus in 79.8 %; rostral to it in 11.5 % and caudal to it in 8.7 % of cases. Mean angle of vertebral artery confluence was 46.7º and 68.9º in males and females respectively (p£0.042). Mean length of the basilar artery was 26.8 mm; 26.3 mm in males and 27.1 mm in females (p=0.465). Mean diameter was 3.52 mm; 3.32 mm in males and 3.72 mm in females (p=0.002). The mean angle of basilar artery bifurcation was 120.3º ± 15.2; 99.3º ± 32.9 in males and 140.3º ± 16.1 in females (p=0.024). It was wider than 90º in 82.9 % of males and 95.9 % females (p=0.032). In 85 (49.1 %) it was wider than 120º. The vertebrobasilar system in the Kenyan population has geometric features that constitute risk factors for atherosclerosis. These features display sex dimorphism which may explain differences in prevalence of atherosclerosis and aneurysms. Neurosurgeons and neurologists should be aware of these differences. Individuals with risk prone geometric features should be followed up for atherosclerosis.

Las características geométricas del sistema vertebrobasilar influyen en la aparición de aterosclerosis en la circulación posterior, aneurismas, apoplejía, detectados durante procedimientos neurorradiológicos. Estas características muestran variación étnica, pero los datos de los africanos negros en el África Subsahariana son escasos. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir las características geométricas del sistema vertebrobasilar en una población negra de Kenia. Fue un estudio descriptivo cadavérico en el Departamento de Anatomía Humana de la Universidad de Nairobi. Se estudiaron 173 cerebros adultos (99 varones, 74 mujeres, rango de edad 20-79), fijados en formalina, de individuos que habían fallecido por causas no cerebrovasculares. Se midieron el nivel y ángulo de confluencia de la arteria vertebral, diámetro, longitud y bifurcación de la arteria basilar. Los datos fueron analizados por SPSS versión 21 para Windows. La prueba t de Student se utilizó para determinar las diferencias de sexo con un intervalo de confianza del 95 %. Los datos se presentan en macrografías, tablas y gráficos de barras. La confluencia de las arterias vertebrales se produjo en el surco bulbopontino en el 79,8 %; rostral al surco en 11,5 % y caudal al surco en 8,7 % de los casos. El ángulo medio de la confluencia de la arteria vertebral fue 46,70 y 68,90 en hombres y mujeres, respectivamente (p£0,042). La longitud media de la arteria basilar fue de 26,8 mm; 26,3 mm en hombres y 27,1 mm en mujeres (p=0,465). El diámetro promedio fue de 3,52 mm; 3,32 mm en hombres y 3,72 mm en mujeres (p=0,002). El ángulo medio de la bifurcación de la arteria basilar fue de 120,30 ± 15,2; 99.30 ± 32,9 en hombres y 140,30 ± 16,1en mujeres (p=0,024). Era más amplio que 90º. En un 82,9 % de los hombres y 95,9 % de las mujeres (p=0,032) se observó un ángulo más amplio que 90°. En 85 (49,1 %) fue más amplio que 120°. El sistema vertebrobasilar en la población de Kenia tiene características geométricas que constituyen factores de riesgo para la aterosclerosis. Estas características muestran dimorfismo sexual que puede explicar las diferencias en la prevalencia de aterosclerosis y aneurismas. Los neurocirujanos y los neurólogos deben tener en cuenta estas diferencias. Las personas con características geométricas propensas al riesgo deben ser seguidas por aterosclerosis.

Corneal parameters and their correlations with refractive error, axial length, anterior chamber depth and lens thickness in black South Africans / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM:To establish profiles of corneal diameter(CD), curvature(ACC), corneal central thickness(CCT)and investigate their correlations with refractive errors' spherical equivalent(SE), axial length(AL), anterior chamber depth(ACD)and crystalline lens thickness(LT)in black South Africans with healthy eyes. We also investigated the intercorrelation among the three corneal parameters.<p>METHODS:Eyes of six hundred subjects that included 305 males and 295 females(mean age: 28.15±13.1y, range: 10-66y)underwent a complete ophthalmic examination including refraction, slit lamp and ophthalmoscopy. CD and ACC were measured using the Oculus Keratograph 4(OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH), and the CCT was measured with the iVue-100(Optovue, Inc.)optical coherence tomography. Refractive errors were assessed with the Nidek AR-310A auto-refractor and then subjective refraction. The AL, ACD and LT were measured with the Nidek US-500 A-scan ultrasound device. <p>RESULTS:There are no statistically significant between the parameters of the right and left eyes assessed, and therefore only the results of the right eyes are presented here. The mean corneal parameter values were: CD=11.77±0.32 mm(range=10.30-13.70 mm), ACC=7.88±0.29 mm(range=7.13-8.88 mm)and CCT=493.05±33.2 μm(range=412-590 μm). CD did not correlate with SE(r=0.05, <i>P</i>=0.24). However, CD was correlated significantly with AL(<i>r</i>=0.58, <i>P</i>=0.00)and ACD(<i>r</i>=0.63, <i>P</i>=0.00)but inversely correlated with LT(<i>r</i>=-0.40, <i>P</i>=0.00). There was no significant correlations between ACC and SE(<i>r</i>=-0.03, <i>P</i>=0.48). ACC correlated positively with AL(<i>r</i>=0.40, <i>P</i>=0.00). There were no significant correlations between ACC and ACD(<i>r</i>=0.04, <i>P</i>=0.56), and LT(<i>r</i>=-0.03, <i>P</i>=0.88). Also, there was no correlation between CCT and other ocular dimensions assessed. However, correlations among corneal parameters showed that CD correlated with ACC(<i>r</i>=0.71, <i>P</i>=0.00)and CCT(<i>r</i>=-0.68, <i>P</i>=0.00).<p>CONCLUSION:While CD correlated with AL, ACD and LT, the ACC correlated with AL. CCT did not correlate with any of the metrics studied here, suggesting that it is an independent factor unrelated to other ocular dimensions. Among corneal parameters, CD correlated with ACC and CCT.

Sair da África para estudar no Brasil: fluxos em discussão / Dejar África para estudiar en Brasil: flujos en discusión / Leaving Africa to study in Brazil: flows in debate

Resumo Trata-se de um estudo exploratório de natureza qualitativa, orientado pelo construcionismo social e pela psicologia social discursiva. Teve como principal objetivo analisar os significados que circunscrevem a experiência migratória para fins de estudo através dos relatos de africanos(as) vinculados(as) ao Programa de Convênio Estudantil- PEC-G numa universidade localizada no interior do Nordeste brasileiro. Foi realizada observação participante durante seis meses e entrevistas semiestruturadas com oito acadêmicos. As construções discursivas sinalizaram que a migração era uma forma de adquirir formação acadêmica em outro país; nesse sentido, o PEC-G facilitava a concretização desse projeto migratório, além de ser vantajoso por possibilitar o acesso ao ensino superior gratuito, também representava possibilidade de promoção social. Nesse deslocamento, em que há um projeto individual e familiar evidente, os estudantes tiveram contato com outras visões de mundo e comportamentos que lhes permitiram elaborar novos significados, colaborando assim no processo de adaptação.

Resumen Presentamos aquí un estudio exploratorio cualitativo guiado por el construccionismo social y la psicología social discursiva. Su principal objetivo es analizar los significados que cirscuncriben a la experiencia migratoria de los estudiantes africanos vinculados al programa PEC-G. Esta investigación se realizó en una universidad del Nordeste del Brasil, utilizando observación participante durante seis meses y entrevistas semiestructuradas con ocho individuos académicos. Las construcciones discursivas señalaron que la migración es un modo de adquirir la formación académica en otro país, en este sentido el PEC-G facilitó la realización de este proyecto de migración, Además de ser ventajoso por permitir el acceso a la educación superior gratuita, también representa la posibilidad de promoción social. En este desplazamiento, en el que hay un proyecto individual y familiar evidente, los estudiantes tuvieron contacto con otras visiones del mundo y comportamientos que les permitieron elaborar nuevos significados, colaborando así en el proceso de adaptación.

Abstract Here we present an exploratory qualitative study guided by social constructionism and discursive psychological approach. Its main objective is to analyze the meanings around the migratory experience on African students linked to the PEC-G partnership program. This research took place at a Northeast Brazilian university, using participant observation for six months and semi-structured interviews with eight academic individuals. Among the main results we highlight the facilitated access to higher education through PEC-G (at a low cost in Brazil) as well as the aspiration of social promotion. Within this process there's an evidence of individual and family investment, the contact with other worldviews and behaviors that enable them to elaborate new meanings, and playing an influence on their process of adaptation.

Association of Alcohol Consumption with Specific Biomarkers: A Cross-sectional Study in South Africa.

Alcohol consumption plays an important role in the health transition associated with urbanization in developing countries. Thus, reliable tools for assessing alcohol intake levels are necessary. We compared two biological markers of alcohol consumption and self-reported alcohol intakes in participants from urban and rural South African communities. This cross-sectional epidemiological survey was part of the North West Province, South African leg of the 12-year International Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study which investigates the health transition in urban and rural subjects. A total of 2,010 apparently healthy African volunteers (35 years and older) were recruited from a sample of 6,000 randomly-selected households. Alcohol consumption was assessed through self-reports (24-hour recalls and quantitative food frequency questionnaire) and by two biological markers: percentage carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%CDT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). Of the 716 men and 1,192 women volunteers, 64% and 33% respectively reported regular alcohol consumption. Reported mean habitual intakes of drinker men and women were 29.9 (±30.0) and 23.3 (±29.1) g of pure alcohol per day. Reported habitual intake of the whole group correlated positively and significantly with both %CDT (R=0.32; p≤0.01) and GGT (R=0.43; p≤0.01). The correlation between the two biomarkers was low (0.211; p≤0.01). GGT and %CDT values should be interpreted with care in Africans as self-reported non-drinker men and women had elevated levels of GGT (19% and 26%) and %CDT (48% and 38%). A need exists for a more specific biological marker for alcohol consumption in black Africans.

A demografia atlântica dos africanos no Rio de Janeiro, séculos XVII, XVIII e XIX: algumas configurações a partir dos registros eclesiásticos / The Atlantic demographics of Africans in Rio de Janeiro in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries: some patterns based on parish registers

Apresentam-se agregações seriais sobre a demografia atlântica africana no Rio de Janeiro nos séculos XVII, XVIII e nas primeiras décadas do XIX, destacando os registros eclesiásticos de óbitos, casamentos e batizados. Representam resultados parciais (e locais) de um estudo demográfico mais amplo em andamento sobre diversas regiões urbanas e rurais do Brasil escravista a partir de variados registros históricos nos quais são analisados os padrões sociodemográficos (idade, ocupação, parentesco, doença, sexo, preço) e as variações dos etnônimos africanos entre 1650-1870.

The article presents serial data on African Atlantic demographics in Rio de Janeiro in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and early decades of the nineteenth century, highlighting parish death, marriage, and baptismal registers. These represent partial, local findings from a broader demographic study underway on various urban and rural regions of slaveholding Brazil, based on a variety of historical registers, which are used in an analysis of sociodemographic patterns (age, occupation, kinship, disease, gender, price) and variations in African ethnonyms from 1650 through 1870.

Posterior slope of tibial plateau in adult Nigerian subjects / Inclinación posterior de la meseta tibial en sujetos nigerianos adultos

Normal values of the tibial slope are necessary for realignment of displaced fractures of the tibia crest, repair of cruciate ligaments and correction of knee deformities. True lateral radiographs of normal knees were obtained in 119 males and 93 female Nigerian subjects. The tibial slope was then measured according to the anterior tibial cortex method. Mean angle in sampled subjects was 12.3 +/- 4.90 (range: 0-240). Sex differences were statistically insignificant (p>0.05). This study provides reference values of tibial slope among indigenous adult Nigerians. It also highlights on the clinical relevance of the angle and the need to establish normal ranges in other African populations.

Los valores normales de la inclinación tibial son necesarios para conocer el reajuste de las fracturas desplazadas de la cresta tibial, reparación de los ligamentos cruzados y corrección de deformidades de la rodilla. Radiografías laterales de rodillas normales fueron obtenidas de 119 hombres y 93 mujeres de Nigeria. La inclinación tibial fue medida de acuerdo al método de la corteza tibial anterior. La media del ángulo de la muestra de los sujetos estudiados fue 12,3 +/- 4,90 (rango: 0-240). Diferencias por sexo fueron estadísticamente significativas (p> 0,05). Este estudio proporciona valores de referencia de pendiente tibial en adultos indígenas nigerianos. También se destaca la relevancia clínica del ángulo y la necesidad de establecer los rangos normales en otras poblaciones africanas.

The STR polymorphism (AAAAT)n within the intron 1 of the tumor protein 53 (TP53) locus in 17 populations of different ethnic groups of Africa, America, Asia and Europe

The STR (AAAAT)n within intron 1 of the TP53 locus was screened in 17 populations from 3 main ethnic groups: Europeans, Asiatics, and Africans, and from the hybrid population of Costa Rica (1968 samples). Three alleles, 126/7 (bp/copies of the repeat), 131/8 and 136/9 were the most prevalent in all populations. Other alleles rarely reached frequencies of 10% or higher. Observed heterozygosities ranged between 0.351 and 0.829. Patterns of diversity fit well with both the geographic origin of the samples and the history of the populations screened. A statistical test suggests that single-step mutational events have been the main mechanism producing new alleles at this locus. Fixation indexes (R(ST)) for this marker showed an effect of population subdivision on divergence only within the Asiatic group; they were insensitive at the level of major ethnic groups as well as within Africans and within Europeans.