ABSTRACT
Nos assentamentos rurais há maiores concentrações de reservatórios e vetores da leishmaniose visceral canina (LVC) devido às transformações ambientais resultantes da ação antrópica pela ocupação do território, no entanto, não há estudos no Brasil acerca de informações epidemiológicas da LVC em assentamentos rurais. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar a soroprevalência para Leishmania sp. em cães de assentamentos rurais, bem como identificar os fatores de risco associados a infecção. Foram utilizados 306 cães e o diagnóstico sorológico da LVC foi realizado através do ELISA S7. Dos 306 cães investigados, 118 apresentaram anticorpos anti-Leishmania sp., resultando em frequência de 38,6%. Idade de 12 - 24 meses (OR=2,97), idade de 24--48 meses (OR=4,83), idade de 4-6 anos (OR=4,40), idade >6 anos (OR=3,62), contato com aves (OR=1,67) e sexo (fêmea) (OR=1,97) foram apontados como fatores de risco para LVC. Cães de assentamentos rurais do semiárido paraibano apresentaram frequência elevada de anticorpos anti-Leishmania sp., o que torna a população desses locais susceptíveis à infecção. Isso evidencia a necessidade de alerta aos órgãos de vigilância epidemiológica para estabelecer medidas de prevenção e controle dessa zoonose, incluindo ações educacionais e sanitárias nesses assentamentos, já que os mesmos estão situados em áreas com características propícias à instalação da LVC.(AU)
In rural settlements there are higher concentrations of reservoirs and vectors of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) due to environmental changes resulting from human action by occupation of the territory, however, there are no surveys in Brazil on epidemiological information of CVL in these areas. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Leishmania sp. in dogs from rural settlements, as well as to identify the risk factors associated with infection. A total of 306 dogs were tested, and the serological diagnosis of CVL was performed by ELISA S7. Of the 306 dogs, 118 presented anti-Leishmania sp. antibodies., resulting in a frequency of 38.6%. The risk factors identified for CVL seropositivity were: age of 12-24 months (OR=2.97), age of 24-48 months (OR=4.83), age of 4-6 years (OR=4.40), age >6 years (OR=3.62), contact with poultry (OR=1.67) and gender (female) (OR=1.97). Dogs from rural settlements in the semiarid of Paraiba showed high anti-Leishmania sp. antibody frequency, what makes the population of those settlements susceptible to infection. This highlights for the need to alert the epidemiological surveillance agencies to stablish prevention and control methods for that zoonosis, including educational and health activities on these settlements, as they are located in areas with favorable characteristics for CVL installation.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Dogs , Zoonoses , Rural Population , Dogs/parasitology , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/veterinary , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Nos assentamentos rurais há maiores concentrações de reservatórios e vetores da leishmaniose visceral canina (LVC) devido às transformações ambientais resultantes da ação antrópica pela ocupação do território, no entanto, não há estudos no Brasil acerca de informações epidemiológicas da LVC em assentamentos rurais. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar a soroprevalência para Leishmania sp. em cães de assentamentos rurais, bem como identificar os fatores de risco associados a infecção. Foram utilizados 306 cães e o diagnóstico sorológico da LVC foi realizado através do ELISA S7. Dos 306 cães investigados, 118 apresentaram anticorpos anti-Leishmania sp., resultando em frequência de 38,6%. Idade de 12 - 24 meses (OR=2,97), idade de 24--48 meses (OR=4,83), idade de 4-6 anos (OR=4,40), idade >6 anos (OR=3,62), contato com aves (OR=1,67) e sexo (fêmea) (OR=1,97) foram apontados como fatores de risco para LVC. Cães de assentamentos rurais do semiárido paraibano apresentaram frequência elevada de anticorpos anti-Leishmania sp., o que torna a população desses locais susceptíveis à infecção. Isso evidencia a necessidade de alerta aos órgãos de vigilância epidemiológica para estabelecer medidas de prevenção e controle dessa zoonose, incluindo ações educacionais e sanitárias nesses assentamentos, já que os mesmos estão situados em áreas com características propícias à instalação da LVC.(AU)
In rural settlements there are higher concentrations of reservoirs and vectors of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) due to environmental changes resulting from human action by occupation of the territory, however, there are no surveys in Brazil on epidemiological information of CVL in these areas. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Leishmania sp. in dogs from rural settlements, as well as to identify the risk factors associated with infection. A total of 306 dogs were tested, and the serological diagnosis of CVL was performed by ELISA S7. Of the 306 dogs, 118 presented anti-Leishmania sp. antibodies., resulting in a frequency of 38.6%. The risk factors identified for CVL seropositivity were: age of 12-24 months (OR=2.97), age of 24-48 months (OR=4.83), age of 4-6 years (OR=4.40), age >6 years (OR=3.62), contact with poultry (OR=1.67) and gender (female) (OR=1.97). Dogs from rural settlements in the semiarid of Paraiba showed high anti-Leishmania sp. antibody frequency, what makes the population of those settlements susceptible to infection. This highlights for the need to alert the epidemiological surveillance agencies to stablish prevention and control methods for that zoonosis, including educational and health activities on these settlements, as they are located in areas with favorable characteristics for CVL installation.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Dogs , Zoonoses , Rural Population , Dogs/parasitology , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/veterinary , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/epidemiologyABSTRACT
AIM: The present study evaluated the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of nebivolol enantiomers in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in patients undergoing haemodialysis. METHODS: Forty-three adult patients were distributed into three groups: healthy volunteers and hypertensive patients with normal kidney function (n = 22); patients with stage 3 and 4 CKD (n = 11); and patients with stage 5 CKD undergoing haemodialysis (n = 10). The subjects received a single oral dose of 10 mg racemic nebivolol. Serial blood samples were collected up to 48 h after administration of the drug and heart rate variation was measured over the same interval during the isometric handgrip test. The nebivolol enantiomers in plasma were analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The pharmacokinetics of nebivolol is enantioselective, with a greater plasma proportion of l-nebivolol. CKD increased the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of l-nebivolol (6.83 ng.h ml(-1) vs. 9.94 ng.h ml(-1) ) and d-nebivolol (4.15 ng.h ml(-1) vs. 7.30 ng.h ml(-1) ) when compared with the control group. However, the AUC values of l-nebivolol (6.41 ng.h ml(-1) ) and d-nebivolol (4.95 ng.h ml(-1) ) did not differ between the haemodialysis and control groups. The administration of a single dose of 10 mg nebivolol did not alter the heart rate variation induced by isometric exercise in the investigated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Stage 3 and 4 CKD increases the plasma concentrations of both nebivolol enantiomers, while haemodialysis restores the pharmacokinetic parameters to values similar to those observed in the control group. No significant difference in heart rate variation induced by isometric exercise was observed between the investigated groups after the administration of a single oral dose of 10 mg nebivolol.
Subject(s)
Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Agonists/administration & dosage , Nebivolol/administration & dosage , Renal Dialysis/methods , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/metabolism , Administration, Oral , Adolescent , Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Agonists/chemistry , Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Agonists/pharmacokinetics , Adult , Aged , Area Under Curve , Case-Control Studies , Chromatography, Liquid , Female , Heart Rate/drug effects , Humans , Hypertension/drug therapy , Male , Middle Aged , Nebivolol/chemistry , Nebivolol/pharmacokinetics , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/therapy , Stereoisomerism , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , Young AdultABSTRACT
Laboratory ergometers have high costs, becoming inaccessible for most of the population, hence, it is imperative to develop affordable devices making evaluations like cardiorespiratory fitness feasible and easier. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an Automated Step Ergometer (ASE), adjusted according to the height of the subject, for predicting VO2max through a progressive test. The development process was comprised by three steps, the theoretical part, the prototype assembly and further validation. The ASE consists in an elevating platform that makes the step at a higher or lower level as required for testing. The ASE validation was obtained by comparing the values of predicted VO2max (equation) and direct gas analysis on the prototype and on a, treadmill. For the validation process 167 subjects with average age of 31.24 ± 14.38 years, of both genders and different degrees of cardiorespiratory fitness, were randomized and divided by gender and training condition, into untrained (n=106), active (n=24) and trained (n=37) subjects. Each participant performed a progressive test on which the ASE started at the same height (20 cm) for all. Then, according to the subject's height, it varied to a maximum of 45 cm. Time in each stage and rhythm was chosen in accordance with training condition from lowest to highest (60-180 s; 116-160 bpm, respectively). Data was compared with the student's t test and ANOVA; correlations were tested with Pearson's r. The value of α was set at 0.05. No differences were found between the predicted VO2max and the direct gas analysis VO2max, nor between the ASE and treadmill VO2max (p= 0.365) with high correlation between ergometers (r= 0.974). The values for repeatability, reproducibility, and reliability of male and female groups measures were, respectively, 4.08 and 5.02; 0.50 and 1.11; 4.11 and 5.15. The values of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) among measures were all >0.90. It was verified that the ASE prototype was appropriate for a step test, provided valid measures of VO2max and could therefore, be used as an ergometer to measure cardiorespiratory fitness.
ABSTRACT
A mean-shift clustering (MSC) algorithm is introduced as a valuable alternative to perform materials phase classification from multispectral images. As opposed to other multivariate statistical techniques, such as factor analysis or principal component analysis (PCA), clustering techniques directly assign a class label to each pixel, so that their outputs are phase segmented images, i.e., there is no need for an additional segmentation algorithm. On the other hand, as compared to other clustering procedures and classification methods, such as segmentation by thresholding of multiple spectral components, MSC has the advantages of not requiring previous knowledge of the number of data clusters and not assuming any shape for these clusters, i.e., neither the number nor the composition of the phases must be previously known. This makes MSC a particularly useful tool for exploratory research, assisting phase identification of unknown samples. Visualization and interpretation of the results are also simplified, since the information content of the output image does not depend on the particular choice of the content of the color channels.We applied MSC to the analysis of two sets of X-ray maps acquired in scanning electron microscopes equipped with energy-dispersive detection systems. Our results indicate that MSC is capable of detecting additional phases, not clearly identified through PCA or multiple thresholding, with a very low empirical reject rate.
ABSTRACT
O estresse é fenômeno de crescente interesse científico no qual se evidência a inter-relação entre os sistemas fisiológicos na manutenção da hemeostase. Muitos dados demonstram que informações (na forma de citocinas, neurotransmissores ou mesmo impulsos nervosos) são permutados entre os diveros órgãos durante o estresse. O estresse assim como a resposta imune são mecanismos de adaptação que apresentam elementos comuns na filogênese. são discutidos alguns pontos polêmicos do estresse e a importante interação, observada durante o fenômeno, entre o sistema nervoso, o sistema endócrino e, em particular, o sistema imune. Procura-se demonstrar que além da intuição e do empirismo a relação do estresse com a resposta imune e baseada em evidências sólidas das ciências contemporâneas