Evaluation of thermal plasma process for treatment disposal of solid radioactive waste.

The management of radioactive waste is a worldwide activity based on the guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and all stages of management require scientifically proven methods for possible deployment. The management of radioactive waste is a huge challenge due to the high risk in the collection, gathering, transport, handling, and storage. In this study, a thermal plasma treatment process was evaluated for its efficiency to process solid radioactive waste. Experiments were carried out with the application of stable isotopes of Lead, Iodine, Cobalt, and Cesium. After the thermal plasma treatments, the slag and the residual gas were analyzed to verify the influence of process time and discharge power on the efficiency of the process. The treatment for 25 min and 10 kW was sufficient to reduce the mass by 50% of the slag. When the applied power was increased to 15 kW, an expressive reduction in the treatment time (10 min) was able to promote the same mass reduction. The results indicated that the treatment of radioactive waste by thermal plasma is a promising method to manage and reduce the mass and volume for the final disposal.

Frequency of ABO blood group system polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients and blood donors from the Brazilian Amazon region.

We investigated the ABO genotypes and heterogeneity of the O alleles in Plasmodium falciparum-infected and non-infected individuals from the Brazilian Amazon region. Sample collection took place from May 2003 to August 2005, from P. falciparum malaria patients from four endemic regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The control group consisted of donors from four blood banks in the same areas. DNA was extracted using the Easy-DNA(TM) extraction kit. ABO genotyping was performed using PCR/RFLP. There was a high frequency of ABO*O01O01. ABO*AO01 was the second most frequent genotype, and the third most frequent genotype was ABO*BO01. There were low frequencies of the ABO*O01O02, ABO*AA, ABO*AB, ABO*BB, and ABO*O02O02 genotypes. We analyzed the alleles of the O phenotype; the O(1variant) allele was the most frequent, both in malaria and non-malaria groups; consequently, the homozygous genotype O(1)(v)O(1)(v) was the most frequently observed. There was no evidence of the homozygous O(2) allele. Significant differences were not detected in the frequency of individuals with the various alleles in the comparison of the malaria patients and the general population (blood donors).

Seasonal abundance of anopheline mosquitoes and their association with rainfall and malaria along the Matapí River, Amapá, [corrected] Brazil.

Three communities separated by 1.5-7.0 km, along the Matapí River, Amapá State, Brazil, were sampled monthly from April 2003 to November 2005 to determine relationships between seasonal abundance of host-seeking anophelines, rainfall and malaria cases. Out of the 759 821 adult female anophelines collected, Anopheles darlingi Root (Diptera: Culicidae) was the most abundant (56.2%) followed by An. marajoara Galvão & Damasceno (24.6%), An. nuneztovari Gabaldón (12.4%), An. intermedius (Chagas) (4.4%) and An. triannulatus (Neiva and Pinto) (2.3%). Vector abundance, as measured by human landing catches, fluctuated during the course of the study and varied in species-specific ways with seasonal patterns of rainfall. Anopheles darlingi and An. triannulatus were more abundant during the wet-dry transition period in June to August, whereas An. marajoara began to increase in abundance in February in two villages, and during the wet-dry transition in the other village. Anopheles nuneztovari and An. intermedius increased in abundance shortly after the rains began in January to February. A generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) analysis of 32 consecutive months of collections showed significant differences in abundance for each species by village and date (P < 0.0001). Correlations between lagged rainfall and abundances also differed among species. A strong positive correlation of An. darlingi abundance with rainfall lagged by 4 and 5 months (Pearson's r = 0.472-0.676) was consistent among villages and suggests that rainfall may predict vector abundance. Significant correlations were detected between numbers of malaria cases and abundances of suspected vector species. The present study shows how long-term field research may connect entomological and climatological correlates with malaria incidence.

Frequency of the HFE C282Y and H63D polymorphisms in Brazilian malaria patients and blood donors from the Amazon region.

Malaria is an endemic parasitosis and its causitive agent, Plasmodium, has a metabolism linked to iron supply. HFE is a gene with the polymorphisms C282Y and H63D, which are associated with a progressive iron accumulation in the organism leading to a disease called hereditary hemochromatosis. The aim of the present study was to determine the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the HFE gene polymorphisms in malaria patients and blood donors from the Brazilian Amazon region. We screened 400 blood donors and 400 malaria patients for the HFE C282Y and H63D polymorphisms from four states of the Brazilian Amazon region by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. We did not find any C282Y homozygous individuals, and the only five heterozygous individuals detected were from Pará State. The most frequent genotype in the North region of Brazil was the H63D heterozygote, in both study groups. Our results contribute to the concept that the Brazilian Amazon region should not be regarded as a single entity in South America. These polymorphisms did not influence the symptoms of malaria in the population studied, as neither severe signs nor high parasitemia were observed. Therefore, different hereditary hemochromatosis diagnostic and control measures must be developed and applied within its diverse locations. Investigations are currently being carried out in our laboratory in order to determine the importance of the coexistence of hereditary hemochromatosis in patients affected by parasitic diseases, such as malaria.

Frequency of the HFE C282Y and H63D polymorphisms in Brazilian malaria patients and blood donors from the Amazon region

Malaria is an endemic parasitosis and its causitive agent, Plasmodium, has a metabolism linked to iron supply. HFE is a gene with the polymorphisms C282Y and H63D, which are associated with a progressive iron accumulation in the organism leading to a disease called hereditary hemochromatosis. The aim of the present study was to determine the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the HFE gene polymorphisms in malaria patients and blood donors from the Brazilian Amazon region. We screened 400 blood donors and 400 malaria patients for the HFE C282Y and H63D polymorphisms from four states of the Brazilian Amazon region by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. We did not find any C282Y homozygous individuals, and the only five heterozygous individuals detected were from Pará State. The most frequent genotype in the North region of Brazil was the H63D heterozygote, in both study groups. Our results contribute to the concept that the Brazilian Amazon region should not be regarded as a single entity in South America. These polymorphisms did not influence the symptoms of malaria in the population studied, as neither severe signs nor high parasitemia were observed. Therefore, different hereditary hemochromatosis diagnostic and control measures must be developed and applied within its diverse locations. Investigations are currently being carried out in our laboratory in order to determine the importance of the coexistence of hereditary hemochromatosis in patients affected by parasitic diseases, such as malaria.

Estado atual dos diuréticos no tratamento da hipertensão arterial sistêmica / Diuretics: actual stage in the treatment of the systemic arterial hypertension

Embora as linhas mestras do tratamento da hipertensão arterial sistêmica variem amplamente em todo o mundo, os diuréticos representam as drogas de primeira linha. Entretanto, o seu uso deve ser extremamente cuidadoso, já que em dose mais elevada determina distúrbios metabólicos que podem agravar o prognóstico.

[The evolution over time of the in-vitro resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarial drugs in 2 areas of the Brazilian Amazonia with distinct socioeconomic and geographic characteristics]. / Evolução temporal da resistência in vitro do Plasmodium falciparum às drogas antimaláricas em duas áreas da Amazônia Brasileira com distintas características sócio-econômicas e geográficas.

We evaluated the temporal progression of in vitro P. falciparum resistance to chloroquine, amodiaquine, quinine and mefloquine in two areas with distinct socioeconomical and geographical characteristics: Lourenço, in Amapá state and Paragominas, in Pará state. The former region is essentially an "open" gold mining camp, whereas the latter is one currently undergoing a colonization settlement process, in addition to expanding economical activities which mainly include cattle raising and wood exploitation. Our results show high resistance rates to chloroquine in the two study areas: 79.8% and 68.4% in Lourenço and Paragominas, respectively. Variations in the response of P. falciparum to both amodiaquine and quinine were recorded throughout the study period. On the other hand, no mefloquine P. falciparum resistant strains could be identified, despite the tact we had noted a decrease in sensitivity to this antimalarial drug throughout the study period.

Evoluçäo da resistência in vitro do Plasmodium falciparum a antimaláricos em área de prospecçäo de ouro no estado do Amapá, entre 1983-1990 / The evolution of in vitro resistance in Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarials in a gold-prospecting area in the state of Amapá between 1983 and 1990

Este estudo avalia a evoluçäo da sensibilidade in vitro do Plasmodium falciparum em uma área de prospecçäo de ouro no Estado do Amapá no período de 1983 a 1990. Foram efetuados 75 testes para cloroquina e quinino, 74 para amodiaquina e 76 para nefloquina. Os resultados revelaram 81 por cento de resistência à cloroquina e 27 por cento para a amodiaquina, enquanto que para quinino e mefloquina näo foram evidenciadas cepas resistentes. Contudo, para estas duas últimas drogas identificou-se uma crescente perda da sensibilidade ao longo do tempo. Aparentemente observa-se uma associaçäo entre resistência à cloroquina e a diminuiçäo da sensibilidade ao quinino

[The evolution of in-vitro resistance in Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarials in a gold-prospecting area in the state of Amapá between 1983 and 199)]. / Evolução da resistência in vitro do Plasmodium falciparum a antimaláricos em area de prospecção de ouro no Estado do Amapá, entre 1983 e 1990.

This study evaluates the sensitivity of P. falciparum in vitro to antimalarial drugs in an area of gold mining exploration in Amapá State during the period of 1983 to 1990. The following tests were done, 75 in vitro studies with chloroquine and quinine, 74 with amodiaquine and 76 with mefloquine. The results showed 81% of resistance to chloroquine and 27% to amodiaquine while resistant strains to quinine and mefloquine were found. Also for these two quinolinomethanols a loss of sensitivity was noticed in the period of study. An association between resistance to chloroquine and decrease of sensitivity to quinine was also evident with the same strains.

[Pulse therapy (high doses of venous methylprednisolone) in children with rheumatic carditis. Prospective study of 40 episodes]. / Pulsoterapia (altas doses de metil-prednisolona venosa) em crianças com cardite reumática. Estudo prospectivo de 40 episódios.

PURPOSE: To use corticosteroids in a shorter period to treat rheumatic carditis, keeping the patient in the hospital; and verify the time interval of normalization of rheumatic activity tests with this method. METHODS: In 36 patients (40 episodes) intravenous methyl-prednisolone (1g/day) was administered. The number of series ranged from two to four, according to severity of the disease. The ages ranged from 6 to 17 years old, all of them fulfilled the criteria of Jones for diagnosis of rheumatic fever. They were submitted to treatment to eradicate the streptococcus, worms, PPD and dental focus extraction, before use of corticosteroids. RESULTS: In all patients the signals and symptoms of heart failure improved. In six cases occurred complications during pulse therapy that were easily controlled with clinical measures. Two series of methylprednisolone were used in 10 children, three in nine and four in 21 episodes. Eight patients were sent to valve replacement. The interval of time that laboratory tests of rheumatic activity became negative was 41.2 +/- 13.3 days. CONCLUSION: Using this IV corticotherapy it was possible decrease the amount of days of this medication, keeping the patient in the hospital. In this way we eliminate the problem of interruption of the treatment. There was not significative difference between oral and IV corticotherapy in order to the laboratory tests become negative.

Resistência in vitro de cepas do Plasmodium falciparum isolodas no sul do estado do Pará, em diferentes períodos: emergência de casos de multirresistência / In vitro resistence of Plasmodium falciparum strains isolated in the south of the Pará state, in different periods: occurrence of cases of multiple resistence

O presente estudo avalia a resposta de cepas de Plasmodium falciparum às drogas antimaláricas, através de testes in vitro, isoladas em 7 municípios do sul do Estado do Pará. Foram efetuados 69 testes para cloroquina e mefloquina, 62 para amodiaquina e 61 para quinino. Os resultados mostram elevada resistência para cloroquina (71 por cento) relativamente baixa resistência para amodiaquina com (25,8 por cento) e para o quinino apenas 8,2 por cento. Mefloquina revela ampla sensibilidade (100 por cento), mas demonstrando perda da mesma quando comparada em dois períodos distintos. Evidenciou-se também cepas multirresistentes em dois dos municípios estudados

[In vitro resistance of Plasmodium falciparum strains isolated in the south of the Pará state, in different periods: occurrence of cases of multiple resistance]. / Resistência in vitro de cepas do Plasmodium falciparum isoladas no sul do Estado do Pará, em diferentes períodos: emergência de casos de multirresistência.

The responses of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarial drugs were evaluated through the in vitro test using blood sample collected from patients of 7 municipalities of the south of Pará State. Sixty nine microtests for chloroquine and mefloquine, 62 for amodiaquine and 61 for quinine were performed. The results showed a high resistance for chloroquine (71%), a relatively low resistance level for amodiaquine (25.8%) and little resistance to quinine (8.2%). For mefloquine 100% of sensitivity was found.

[Isradipine: a Brazilian multicenter study for the evaluation of the efficacy and safety in the treatment of mild and moderate arterial hypertension]. / Isradipina: estudo multicêntrico brasileiro de avaliação de eficácia e tolerabilidade no tratamento da hipertensão arterial leve e moderada.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of isradipine, a new dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, in the treatment of mild-to-moderate hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty outpatients with different races, who had supine and orthostatic diastolic blood pressure (DBP) > or = 95 mmHg and < or = 115 mmHg, with a mean age of 52.03 +/- 11.47 years, 70 men, 110 women; underwent the study. After a two-week wash-out period patients received isradipine 2.5 mg b.i.d. for 90 days. Follow-up visits were performed at the 30th, 60th and 90th days of treatment. RESULTS: At the end of treatment (90 days), a statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) in SBP and DBP in supine position was observed. A mean SBP was reduced from 159.28 +/- 16.99 to 142.51 +/- 15.12, and mean DBP declined from 101.49 +/- 6.82 to 86.63 +/- 7.40. Heart rate, weight, electrocardiograms and laboratory tests did not shows significant changes during treatment when compared to baseline evaluation. The most frequent related side effects (headache and dizziness with nausea) were transient, and at the end of the study 96.7% of the patients did not have any complaint. However, two patients were withdrawn from the trial because of important headache. CONCLUSION: Isradipine 2.5 mg by oral route, b.i.d. has shown to be effective and well tolerated in the treatment of mild-to-moderate hypertension in patients of both sexes and several ages and races.