Diabetes Mellitus constitutes an important public health problem. Among the late complications resulting from this illness, one of the most serious is the neuropathic complication that attacks the inferior limbs. The proposed objectives were: To identify the profile of patients with Diabetes Mellitus care for in a basic health unit and to evaluate the level of knowledge of the patients with Diabetes about feet self care, aiming at the prevention of complications. This descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, was carried out with 197 patients cared for in the nursing office in a basic health unit. The results showed that most of the clients studied were females, more than 40 years old, had high blood pressure and on average had been 8 years since the diagnosis of diabetes. The patients had high glycemia, problems in their feet such as calluses and fissures, and reported having self care knowledge. In conclusion the knowledge of the characteristics of the carriers of diabetes cared for in basic health services, is of great relevance to the nurses' actions in regards to the management and control of this illness in the population.

O Diabetes mellitus constitui em um importante problema de saúde pública. Dentre as complicações tardias deste agravo, uma das mais incapacitantes é a complicação neuropática que acomete os membros inferiores. Os objetivos propostos foram: identificar o perfil dos clientes portadores de Diabetes mellitus atendidos em uma unidade básica de saúde e avaliar o grau de conhecimento da clientela portadora de Diabetes sobre as práticas de autocuidado com os pés, visando a prevenção de complicações. O estudo do tipo descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa, foi realizado com 197 clientes atendidos em consulta de enfermagem em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria os clientes estudados eram do sexo feminino, possuíam acima de 40 anos, apresentavam Hipertensão Arterial e possuíam um tempo médio de diagnóstico de Diabetes equivalente há 8 anos. Os clientes apresentaram ainda, glicemia elevada, problemas nos pés, como calosidades e fissuras e referiram ter conhecimento sobre práticas de autocuidado. Conclui-se que o conhecimento das características apresentadas pelos portadores de Diabetes atendidos nos serviços básicos de saúde, é de grande relevância para subsidiar as ações dos enfermeiros voltadas para o manejo e controle deste agravo na população.

La Diabetes mellitus constituye un importante problema de salud pública. De entre las complicaciones tardías de esta enfermedad, una de las más graves es la complicación neuropática que ataca los miembros inferiores. Los objetivos propuestos fueron: identificar el perfil de los pacientes portadores de Diabetes atendidos en una unidad básica de salud y evaluar el grado del conocimiento de la clientela portadora de Diabetes sobre las prácticas del autocuidado de los pies, para la prevención de complicaciones. El estudio de tipo descriptivo, con enfoque cuantitativo, fue realizado con 197 pacientes atendidos en la consulta de enfermería en una Unidad Básica de Salud. Los resultados mostraron que la mayoría de los pacientes investigados eran del sexo femenino, tenían más de 40 años, presentaban Hipertensión Arterial y tenían un tiempo medio de diagnóstico de Diabetes de 8 años. Los pacientes presentaban glicemia elevada, problemas en los pies, como callos, y fisuras, referían tener conocimiento sobre prácticas de autocuidado. Se concluye que el conocimiento de las características presentadas por los portadores de Diabetes atendidos en los servicios básicos de salud, es de gran importancia para subvencionar las acciones de los enfermeros dirigidas al manejo y control de esta enfermedad en la población.

RESUMO Ustilago operta, agente causal do carvão, constitui séria ameaça para a produção de sementes de braquiária. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a incidência deste patógeno em sementes comerciais de Brachiaria spp. Foram analisados lotes de sementes de cultivares de B. brizantha, B. decumbens, B. humidicola e B. ruziziensis, produzidos em BA, GO, MG, MS, MT e SP, nas safras 20042005 e 2005-2006, e destinados ao comércio interno. Também foi verificada a ocorrência de carvão em alguns lotes de alta pureza, destinados à exportação. Para detecção do patógeno, foram analisadas 400 sementes/lote/safra, em quatro repetições de 100, as quais foram cortadas longitudinalmente e observadas sob lupa para a presença de massa pulverulenta negra, composta por estruturas do fungo. U. operta foi detectado em 32% e 28% dos lotes de sementes de braquiária produzidos em 2004-2005 e 2005-2006, respectivamente. Em 2004-2005, as maiores incidências de carvão nas sementes de ‘Marandu’ foram verificadas nos lotes produzidos em Barreiras, BA (7,3%) e Paraíso, MS (2,3%). Na safra seguinte, lotes de ‘Marandu’ produzidos em Rio Verde, GO, apresentaram a maior porcentagem de sementes com sinais de carvão. Sinais de carvão foram verificados nas sementes de ‘Xaráes’ produzidas em regiões de MG e MS, em ambas as safras (incidência ≤ 1%). Em um lote de ‘Basilisk’ (origem: Paraíso, MS, 2004-2005) constatou-se incidência de carvão nas sementes (1%), constituindo o primeiro registro da interação U. operta B. decumbens. O carvão não foi detectado em sementes de ‘Humidicola’ e ‘Ruziziensis’. A presença de U. operta em lotes de sementes de ‘Marandu’ com alta pureza foi confirmada.

ABSTRACT Ustilago operta, causal agent of smut, represents a serious risk to the seed production of brachyaria grass. The objective of this work was to evaluate the incidence of smut in commercial seeds of Brachiaria spp. seeds of cultivars of B. brizantha, B. decumbens, B. humidicola, andB. ruziziensis, destined for the internal market, produced in BA, GO, MG, MS, MT and SP, Brazil, during 2004–2005 and 2005–2006. The occurrence of smut in lots of high purity, destined for the external market, was also analyzed. After a longitudinal cut, 400 seeds/lot/harvest, divided in 4 repetitions of 100, were examined under a stereomicroscope for the presence of a black pulverulent mass, composed of fungal structures. The frequency of U. operta in lots produced in 2004–2005 and 2005–2005 was 32% and 28%, respectively. In the 2004–2005 harvest, the highest incidences of smut in Marandu seeds were observed in lots produced in Barreiras, BA (7.3%) and Paraíso, MS (2.3%). In the next harvest, the highest number of smut-contaminated seeds was detected in lots of Marandu seeds produced in Rio Verde, GO. Smut signals were detected in Xaraés seeds produced in regions of MG and MS (incidence ≤ 1%), in both harvests. In one lot of Basilisk (origin: Paraíso, MS, 2004–2005) there was observed an incidence of smut in seeds (1%). This constitutes the first report of the U. operta – B. decumbens interaction. The smut was not visualized in Humidicola and Ruziziensis seeds. The occurrence of U. operta in lots of high-purity Marandu seeds was confirmed.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar os efeitos de doses do herbicida glyphosate, utilizadas na dessecação de manejo de Brachiaria decumbens, no sistema aplique-plante, sobre o desenvolvimento inicial da cultura do milho. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação. As unidades experimentais foram constituídas por vasos com capacidade de 5 dm³, preenchidos com amostras de solo de textura franca, provenientes da camada de 0-20 cm de profundidade. Cada vaso foi semeado com 0,15 g de B. decumbens. Trinta e oito dias após a semeadura (DAS), procedeu-se à aplicação do glyphosate em sete doses (0, 540, 1.080, 1.620, 2.160, 2.700 e 3.240 g ha-1). Adotou-se uma testemunha absoluta (TA) sem glyphosate e sem B. decumbens. Foram estabelecidos dois tipos de manejo, denominados não-recepado e recepado. No manejo não-recepado, 48 horas após a aplicação deu-se a semeadura da cultura, enquanto no manejo recepado, nessa mesma época, foi feito um corte rente ao solo das plantas de B. decumbens, com posterior retirada destas, seguido da semeadura da cultura. O sombreamento promovido pela presença da palha ereta de B. decumbens, quando esta não é roçada, causou estiolamento no milho, e as maiores doses de glyphosate aplicadas sobre B. decumbens apresentaram tendência de gerar reduções no desenvolvimento inicial da cultura, independentemente da presença ou ausência da palhada.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of glyphosate rates used in the management desiccation of Brachiaria decumbens on the initial development of corn, under the apply-plant system, under greenhouse conditions. The experimental units consisted of poliethylene vases with a capacity of 5 dm³ filled with soft soil from a 0-20 cm depth layer. In each vase 0.15 g of B. decumbens were sown. Thirty-eight days after sowing (DAS), glyphosate was applied at seven rates (0, 540, 1.080, 1.620, 2.160, 2.700 and 3.240 g a.i ha-1), plus an absolute control without glyphosate or B.decumbens. Two types of management were studied, namely: no- pruning, where the crop was sown 48 hours after application, and pruning, where 48 hours after application, the B. decumbens plants were cut at soil level and the subsequent straw was removed. Shading promoted by the presence of the straw covering B. decumbens plants in the absence of cutting, weakened the corn. The higher rates of glyphosate applied over B. decumbens plants tended to generate reductions at the initial development of the crop, regardless of the presence or absence of straw.

The role of airway inflammation in ventilated preterm newborns and the risk factors associated with the development of chronic lung disease are not well understood. Our objective was to analyze the association of the airway inflammatory response in ventilated preterm infants by serial measurements of TNF-a and IL-10 in tracheobronchial lavage (TBL) with perinatal factors and lung function measured early in life. A series of TBL samples were collected from ventilated preterm infants (less than 32 weeks of gestational age) and concentrations of TNF-a and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. Pulmonary function tests were performed after discharge by the raised volume rapid compression technique. Twenty-five subjects were recruited and 70 TBL samples were obtained. There was a significant positive association between TNF-a and IL-10 levels and length of time between the rupture of the amniotic membranes and delivery (r = 0.65, P = 0.002, and r = 0.57, P < 0.001, respectively). Lung function was measured between 1 and 22 weeks of corrected age in 10 patients. Multivariable analysis with adjustment for differences in lung volume showed a significant negative association between TNF-a levels and forced expiratory flow (FEF50; r = -0.6; P = 0.04), FEF75 (r = -0.76; P = 0.02), FEF85 (r = -0.75; P = 0.03), FEF25-75 (-0.71; P = 0.02), and FEV0.5 (r = -0.39; P = 0.03). These data suggest that TNF-a levels in the airways during the first days of life were associated with subsequent lung function abnormalities measured weeks or months later.

Wheezing associated with respiratory viral infections in infancy is very common and results in high morbidity worldwide. The Th1/Th2 pattern of immune response in these patients remains unclear and previous studies have shown controversial results. The aim of the present study was to compare the type of Th1/Th2 cytokine response between infants with acute bronchiolitis, recurrent wheezing and upper respiratory infections from a developing country. Infants younger than 2 years of age admitted to Hospital São Lucas, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, between May and November 2001, with an acute episode of wheezing associated with viral respiratory infection were selected. Subjects with upper respiratory infections from the emergency department were selected for the control group. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels from nasal aspirates were determined by ELISA from peripheral mononuclear cell cultures. Twenty-nine subjects with acute bronchiolitis, 18 with recurrent wheezing and 15 with upper respiratory infections were enrolled. There were no differences in family history of atopy or parental smoking between groups. Oxygen requirement was similar for the acute bronchiolitis and recurrent wheezing groups. The percentage of positive tests for the cytokines studied and the IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio was similar for all groups. Comparison of the polarized Th1/Th2 cytokine results for the various groups showed no specific pattern of cytokine production. Infants with wheezing from a developing country do not show any specific predominant pattern of Th1/Th2 cytokine production, suggesting that multiple factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of this illness.

This article discusses some questions related to human resources that act on Brazilian health system. At the beginning, it identifies the trends on health human resources in the last years. Then it shows on a brief discussion the health system reform, pointing out changes in the health model design through the implementation of the Family Health Program. This program tries to reorder the health care model, bringing the primary health care, in order to substitute the traditional model, designed to the cure of diseases and centered on hospitals. It also points out important changes on work conditions, such as: doctors' and dentists' no liberal work, low salaries, consultations paid by the HMO's, flexibilization of work, loss of work guarantees. Finally, it identifies serious problems in the Family Health Program, especially those related to the instability of work process and decreasing of social protection of workers who act on this program.

El presente artículo examina algunas cuestiones relacionadas con los recursos humanos que actúan en el sistema de salud brasileño. Identifica, inicialmente, cuestiones de recursos humanos que se expresan como tendencia en el sector salud en los últimos años. A continuación, se hace un breve comentario sobre la reforma del sistema de salud, apuntando cambios en el diseño del modelo de salud por medio de la implementación del Programa de Salud de la Familia, que busca reorientar el modelo asistencial a partir de la atención básica, en sustitución del modelo tradicional de asistencia dirigido hacia la cura de enfermedades y el hospital. Señala cambios importantes en las condiciones de trabajo de médicos, odontólogos, etc., tales como bajos salarios, pluriempleo, consultas pagadas por seguro-salud, flexibilización de los contratos de trabajo o pérdida de las garantías laborales. Por último, identifica problemas serios con relación a este Programa de Salud de la Familia, especialmente los que se refieren a la inestabilidad del proceso de trabajo y a la disminución de la protección social de los trabajadores que actúan en el programa.

This article discusses some questions related to human resources that act on Brazilian health system. At the beginning, it identifies the trends on health human resources in the last years. Then it shows on a brief discussion the health system reform, pointing out changes in the health model design through the implementation of the Family Health Program. This program tries to reorder the health care model, bringing the primary health care, in order to substitute the traditional model, designed to the cure of diseases and centered on hospitals. It also points out important changes on work conditions, such as: doctors' and dentists' no liberal work, low salaries, consultations paid by the HMO's, flexibilization of work, loss of work guarantees. Finally, it identifies serious problems in the Family Health Program, especially those related to the instability of work process and decreasing of social protection of workers who act on this program.

El presente artículo examina algunas cuestiones relacionadas con los recursos humanos que actúan en el sistema de salud brasileño. Identifica, inicialmente, cuestiones de recursos humanos que se expresan como tendencia en el sector salud en los últimos años. A continuación, se hace un breve comentario sobre la reforma del sistema de salud, apuntando cambios en el diseño del modelo de salud por medio de la implementación del Programa de Salud de la Familia, que busca reorientar el modelo asistencial a partir de la atención básica, en sustitución del modelo tradicional de asistencia dirigido hacia la cura de enfermedades y el hospital. Señala cambios importantes en las condiciones de trabajo de médicos, odontólogos, etc., tales como bajos salarios, pluriempleo, consultas pagadas por seguro-salud, flexibilización de los contratos de trabajo o pérdida de las garantías laborales. Por último, identifica problemas serios con relación a este Programa de Salud de la Familia, especialmente los que se refieren a la inestabilidad del proceso de trabajo y a la disminución de la protección social de los trabajadores que actúan en el programa.