Naturally fragmented but not genetically isolated populations of Podocarpus sellowii Klotzsch (Podocarpaceae) in southeast Brazil.

In southeastern Brazil, the majority of the riparian ecosystems are fragmented and degraded mainly due to human activities. The perennial gymnosperm Podocarpus sellowii Klotzch is a typical tree species from a gallery forest in the rupestrian area. Ten alloenzymatic loci were used to estimate the allelic frequency of 232 individuals distributed in eight subpopulations naturally divided by rock outcrops. The results indicated high genetic variability for the species in all subpopulations, with HO varying from 0.593 to 0.658, and HE, from 0.484 to 0.502. No endogamy was observed within (f = -0.292) and for the population set (f = -0.264). Genetic divergence of the species between subpopulations was 2.1%. Historic gene flow was low between subpopulations located in different water streams, corroborating the positive and significant correlation between genetic and geographical distance (rm = 0.496, P = 0.022). Co-ancestry revealed that only population A presents continuous distribution of the genotypes up to 94 m. Sp statistics did not indicate significant spatial genetic structure in the populations. In all the subpopulations, values of effective sizes were higher than the numbers of sampled individuals. The balance between mutation and drift was not verified, indicating the occurrence of a recent population bottleneck. These data can be used to determine the most effective strategies for the genetic conservation of this species.

Disinfection of sludge using lime stabilisation and pasteurisation in a small wastewater treatment plant.

Removal efficiency of faecal coliforms and helminth eggs was evaluated in a small wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) serving a population of 1,000. This system was formed by the association in series of a UASB reactor and four submerged aerated biofilters. The density of faecal coliforms and the count of helminth eggs were estimated in the liquid and solid phases of the system. Two different methods of disinfecting sludge were investigated: (a) chemical treatment with lime and (b) a physical treatment by pasteurisation. As expected, the association UASB + BF was very efficient at removal of helminth eggs from the final tertiary effluent, but coliforms were still present at high densities. Lime treatment and pasteurisation of sludge were very effective methods of disinfection and produced a sludge safe for final disposal.

Zidovudine therapy and left ventricular function and mass in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.

Human immunodeficiency virus-infected (HIV) patients frequently present left ventricular dysfunction. Its etiology is not elucidated but zidovudine has been postulated as a possible cause factor. This study is an attempt to clarify this issue by evaluating the effect of zidovudine therapy on left ventricular function in these patients. We prospectively studied by echocardiographic examination 11 consecutive HIV-infected patients who were assigned for zidovudine therapy. We excluded patients that had a history or a physical examination suggestive of ischemic, rheumatic, congenital, or hypertensive heart disease. Patients with diabetes mellitus, excessive ethanol intake and patients on potentially cardiodepressant drugs were also excluded. Echocardiographic examination was performed immediately before the initiation of zidovudine therapy and 1 and 3 months later. Left ventricular diameters, mass and fractional shortening showed no significant difference from baseline, at 1 or 3 months after the initiation of zidovudine therapy. Our results suggest that zidovudine therapy has no effect on left ventricular diameters, mass or fractional shortening during a short term.

[Clinical trial with isradipine in the treatment of mild and moderate arterial hypertension]. / Ensaio clínico da isradipina no tratamento da hipertensão arterial ligeira e moderada.

A short-term trial of isradipine was conducted in order to assess its effectiveness and tolerability in the treatment of mild to moderate HT. The study took place in general practice on 2702 patients, aged 18 to 70, with diastolic BP (dBP) from 95 to 114 mmHg. It included a pretreatment phase of up to four weeks out of antihypertensive drugs and on placebo and a twelve week treatment phase on isradipine 2.5 mg or 5.0 mg/day. After treatment with isradipine sBP fell from 168.0 to 148.1 and dBP from 102.7 to 86.7 mmHg. The majority of patients (89.6%) had a fall in dBP over 10 mmHg; 86.2% had normal dBP (= less than 90 mmHg) in the end. Adverse effects were referred by 2.8% of the patients. Satisfaction with the drug reached 90% among patients and physicians. Thus, isradipine proved effective and very well tolerated and may deserve a place as first line treatment for hypertension.

Three-dimensional analysis of infarct size reduction after administration of gallopamil in dogs.

Several interventions have been shown to protect the ischemic myocardium from evolving to necrosis. However, three-dimensional evaluation of infarct size reduction using anatomical measurements is lacking. Therefore, Tc-99m labeled albumin microspheres were injected into the left atrium of 16 dogs, 1 min after coronary artery occlusion, to assess the hypoperfused zone. After 15 min, 8 dogs received, intravenously, gallopamil (Procorum) (Ga: 0.08 mg/k as a bolus + 0.2 mg/k/h for 6 h) and the remaining 8 dogs served as controls. At sacrifice (6 h), the left ventricle was cut into 3 mm slices, stained with triphenyltetrazolium chloride to delineate the size of infarction and autoradiographed to delineate the hypoperfused zone. Lateral reduction was calculated by the difference distance between hypoperfused zone and infarct size on the endocardium, mid-myocardium and epicardium; radial reduction was calculated by the difference of the transmural distance taken at mid-infarction and mid-hypoperfusion and the longitudinal reduction was calculated by the distance of the hypoperfused slices that did not infarct. With this technique it could be demonstrated that gallopamil reduced the size of infarction in all three dimensions.

Diagnostico da apendicite aguda pelo enema opaco. / Diagnosis of acute appendicitis with the we of barium enema

Os autores apresentam a experiencia com o uso do enema opaco em 13 pacientes com suspeita clinica de apendicite aguda. A tecnica e interpretacao de exame sao apresentados e relatam uma serie de casos em que o exame foi empregado. Concluem o enema opaco e de valor diagnostico nos casos atipicos de apendicite aguda e isento de riscos quando empregado de acordo a tecnica descrita