RESUMO Introdução: O Comitê Brasileiro de Tratamento e Pesquisa em Esclerose Múltipla (EM) (BCTRIMS) lançou uma iniciativa para determinar a prevalência da EM no Brasil, com base em cidades-chave, consideradas representativas de suas regiões em termos de características demográficas e ambientais. Objetivo: Investigar a taxa de prevalência de EM na cidade de Joinville. Métodos: Foram revisados os prontuários médicos dos pacientes residentes de Joinville e que atendiam aos critérios de diagnóstico McDonald's 2010 revisados para EM no dia da prevalência (11 de março de 2016). Os pacientes em potencial com EM incluíam todos os neurologistas em atividade na cidade, a associação de pacientes e o banco de dados da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde. Anúncios sobre a pesquisa também foram veiculados no rádio e na televisão. Foram excluídos os pacientes que não moravam em Joinville no dia do estudo. Todos os casos potenciais de EM foram convidados para uma revisão presencial do diagnóstico clínico realizada por um painel de neurologistas experientes em EM no dia 11 de março de 2016. Resultados: A prevalência da EM foi de 13,5 por 100.000 habitantes (intervalo de confiança de 95% [IC95%] 12,9–14,0/100.000). 51 pacientes (66,2%) eram do sexo feminino e 26 pacientes (33,7%) do sexo masculino (razão mulher:homem de 1,9:1). Dos 77 pacientes com EM, 73 (94,8%) eram caucasianos e 4 (5,1%) se declararam como pardos. Conclusões: Apesar da colonização europeia, a taxa de prevalência foi abaixo da expectativa, possivelmente devido à elevada taxa de imigração interna associada ao perfil econômico de Joinville. Estudos de prevalência em outras cidades da região sul do Brasil sem imigração interna significativa, e como parte desse amplo projeto, podem esclarecer essa questão.

ABSTRACT Background: The Brazilian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (BCTRIMS) has launched an initiative to determine the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Brazil, based on key cities deemed representative of their regions in terms of demographic and environmental features. Objective: To investigate the prevalence rate of MS in Joinville. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of all patients who lived in Joinville and met the 2010 McDonald's diagnostic criteria revised for MS on the prevalence day (March 11, 2016). Potential MS patients included individuals treated by all practicing neurologists in the city and the ones found in patients’ association and the database of the Municipal Department of Health. Advertisements about the survey were also broadcast on radio and television. Patients who were not living in Joinville on the prevalence day were excluded. All potential MS patients were invited to an in-person diagnostic review, carried out by a panel of experienced neurologists with special expertise in MS on March 11, 2016. Results: The MS prevalence rate was 13.5 per 100,000 inhabitants (95% confidence interval [95%CI] 12.9–14.0/100,000). A total of 51 (66.2%) participants were females, and 26 (33.7%) were males (female to male ratio=1.9:1). Out of the 77 patients, 73 (94.8%) were Caucasians, and four (5.1%) were mixed-race. Conclusions: Despite its latitude location and European colonization, the prevalence rate was below expectation. The intense internal migration from regions with lower MS prevalence rates to Joinville may have played a role in attenuating the increased risk of MS associated with latitude gradient and European ancestry. Prevalence studies in other cities from Southern Brazil with no significant internal migration and taking part in this broad project may clarify this issue.

An alternative route to obtain bulk metallic glasses is by consolidation of metallic glass powders by deforming these materials in the temperature interval between the crystallization temperature and the glass transition temperature, where the material flows with a reduced viscosity. In the present work, bulk parts of the Fe43.2Co28.8B19.2Si4.8Nb4 alloy were produced by hot-pressing gas-atomized powders (GAP) under different uniaxial pressures. Different microstructural analysis revealed that the initial powder as well as the consolidated parts were mostly amorphous, with similar transformation temperatures, showing that bulk samples of this alloy can be produced by conformation in the supercooled liquid region. The sample conformed under the highest pressure (1GPa) exhibited the highest relative density of 96.1±0.5%. These results show that hot pressing of Fe-based gas-atomized powders is a promising route for producing Fe-based bulk metallic glasses.

The present study was carried out in Circeo National Park (Lazio region, Central Italy), in order to collect data about mosquito (Diptera, Culicidae) fauna in a protected area for biodiversity. From 2003 to 2004 seasonal surveys allowed to collect and to identify 380 larvae and 713 adult mosquitoes in 6 sites. A total of 15 mosquito species belonging to 6 genera were recorded; the most abundant species were Culex pipens Linnaeus, 1758 known as the main West Nile virus vector, Ochlerotatus detritus (Haliday, 1933) and Culiseta annulata (Dhrank, 1776). Present data show a noteworthy number of other mosquito species, even if less abundant, reflecting the considerable environmental richness. Respect to the past collections of Anophelinae mosquitoes carried out in the same area once affected by malaria, the present research represents the first monitoring of the whole Culicidae Family in Circeo National Park, up to now. This paper reports the collected data as a first base for a future checklist in this protected area.

Os amidos de trigo e milho foram fosforilados com tripolifosfato de sódio (TPS) em 4 diferentes níveis de adição. As viscosidades máximas da pasta de trigo aumentaram e as temperaturas de pasta diminuíram à medida que cresceram os graus de substituição de grupos fosfato, enquanto que, para o amido de milho, as viscosidades máximas aumentaram e as temperaturas de pasta mantiveram-se constantes. Os amidos fosforilados (amido/água 1:10) foram submetidos à cocção (100,0 ºC/1,0 minuto), secagem (40,0 ºC/~4,0% de umidade) e moagem (diâmetro de partícula, Φ = 0,149 mm) para determinar o teor de amido resistente (AR). Para o menor grau de substituição de grupos fosfato no amido de trigo (0,0029), foi encontrado um teor de amido resistente de 30,46% e no amido de milho de 24,36%. Para o maior grau de substituição no amido de trigo (0,0127), foi encontrado um teor de AR de 46,69%, enquanto para o amido de milho, 28,40%. O aumento do grau de substituição, em ambos os casos, parece induzir um aumento no teor de amido resistente, e a fosforilação com TPS mostrou ser um excelente método para produzir quantidades significativas de amido resistente tanto no amido de trigo como no amido de milho.

Wheat and maize starches were phosphorylated with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPS) at 4 different levels of addition. The maximum viscosities of the wheat doughs formed were increased and the dough temperatures decreased as the degrees of substitution of phosphate groups were increased; while for the maize starch the viscosities were increased and the dough temperatures remained constant. The phosphorylated starches (starch/water, 1:10) were subjected to cooking (100 ºC/1 minute), followed by drying (40 ºC/~ 4.0 per cent moisture) and milling (particle diameter, Φ = 0.149 mm) to determine the resistant starch (RS) content. For the lowest degree of substitution of phosphate groups in wheat starch (0.0029), resistant starch content of 30.46 per cent was found, while for maize starch RS content of 24.36 per cent was found. For the highest degree of substitution in wheat starch (0.0127) 46.69 per cent of RS content was found; while for maize starch, RS content of 28.40 per cent was found. According to the results, the increase in the degree of substitution in both cases seems to induce an increase in the resistant starch content, and phosphorylation with TPS was shown to be an excellent method for producing significant quantities of resistant starch in both wheat and maize starch.

No período de agosto de 1989 a fevereiro de 1992, 32 pacientes foram submetidos a reconstruções vasculares utilizando-se condutos de pericárdio bovino corrugado preservado em glutaraldeído. A incorporação do principio crimping utilizado nas próteses vasculares sintéticas proporcionou tubos que mantêm sua forma cilíndrica, mesmo quando submetidos a curvaturas. Vinte e nove pacientes (Grupo I) eram portadores de doenças da aorta torácica e/ou abdominal, incluindo aneurismas, dissecções agudas, coarctação da aorta e lesão oclusiva aorto-ilíaca. A reconstrução da aorta torácica foi realizada em 25 pacientes (incluindo a substituição da valva aórtica em 10), da aorta abdominal em 2 e aorto-ilíaca em 2. Três pacientes (Grupo II), portadores de cardiopatias congênitas complexas, foram submetidos a reconstrução da via de saída do ventrículo direito em 2 e a operação de Fontan em 1. A mortalidade hospitalar no Grupo I foi 24% (7 pacientes), causada por baixo débito cardíaco em 4, recidiva precoce da dissecção em dois e infecção respiratória em 1. Seis destes óbitos ocorreram em pacientes operados na fase aguda de dissecção aórtica. Não houve nenhum óbito no Grupo II. Houve um óbito tardio no Grupo I devido a complicações metabólicas relacionadas a diabetes e insuficiência renal crônica. Esta experiência clínica inicial registrou um seguimento médico de 16 meses por paciente, com um máximo de 32 meses e não se verificou nenhuma complicação tardia relacionada ao conduto de pericárdio bovino corrugado.

From August 1989 to February 1992, 32 patients underwent vascular reconstructions using crimped bovine pericardial conduits processed in glutaraldehyde. The introduction of the crimping process used for synthetic vascular prosthesis provided circular tubes, which retain their shape with bending and avoid kinking. Twenty-nine patients (Group I) presented vascular lesions involving the thoracic and/or abdominal aorta, including aneurysms, acute dissections, coarctation and aorto-iliac lesion. The thoracic aortic reconstruction was performed in 25 patients, including aortic valve replacement in 10, the abdominal aorta in 2, and the aortic bifurcation in 2. Three patients (Group II) with complex congenital heart lesions underwent reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract in 2, and the Fontan operation in 1. Hospital mortality in Group I was 24% (7 patients). Causes of death were low cardiac output in 4, recurrence of aortic dissection in 2 and respiratory infection in 1. Six of them had been operated upon as emergencies due to acute aortic dissection. All patients in group II survived the operation. There was 1 late death in group I due to methabolic complications related to diabetes and chronic renal failure. This initial clinical experience showed a mean follow-up of 16 months per patient and the longest follow-up was 32 months. It was not observed any late complication related to the crimped bovine pericardial conduit up-to-date.