Resumo Este trabalho tem por objetivo caracterizar os ciclos diurno e sazonal médios no entorno da Central Nuclear de Angra dos Reis. As condições médias são derivadas de dados horários, do período de janeiro de 2005 a dezembro de 2012. O local conta com quatro torres A, B, C e D. A Torre A mede vento e temperatura do ar a 10, 60 e 100 m e também precipitação, enquanto as demais torres medem somente vento a 15 m de altura. A atmosfera apresenta condições predominantemente estáveis ao longo do dia, com redução a partir das 6 e 7 h, sendo que condições instáveis predominam entre às 8 e 16 h no verão e primavera. Os ventos da região são predominantemente fracos, a maior frequência ocorre nas intensidades entre 1,5 e 2 m/s. O mínimo de intensidade dos ventos a 10 m ocorre no momento da entrada da brisa marítima, às 9 h. Os ventos catabáticos produzem um forte cisalhamento vertical dos ventos na região. Nas demais torres a máxima intensidade ocorre entre 13 e 15 h local. Ventos mais intensos e chuvas mais intensas foram registrados no outono (MAM), o que sugere ser este o período de tempestades mais intensas.

Abstract The objective of this work is to characterize the mean diurnal and seasonal cycles around the Nuclear Power Plant in Angra dos Reis, RJ. The averages were taken for an hourly dataset in the period January 2005 and December 2012, based on four towers. Tower A measures air temperature and wind at three levels: 10, 60, and 100 m. Towers B, C, and D measure only wind at 15 m. The diurnal cycle of static stability show stable conditions prevailing during most of the day. The static stability starts to reduce at about 6 and 7 LT, whereas the most unstable conditions occur between 8 and 16 LT. Winds are predominantly weak, with the most frequent intensity between 1.5 and 2 m/s. The minimum of 10-m winds occur when the sea breeze starts, at about 9 LT. The catabatic winds are a strong feature of the Tower A-10 m winds, and reveals strong vertical shear. The other towers do not show a clear minimum in the diurnal cycle of the wind, but the maximum occurs between 13 and 15 LT. Stronger wind and heavier precipitations were registered in autumn, MAM, which suggests the period of stronger storms.

OBJECTIVES: Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3, myxovirus resistance protein and osteopontin gene polymorphisms may influence the therapeutic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C, and an association with IL28 might increase the power to predict sustained virologic response. Our aims were to evaluate the association between myxovirus resistance protein, osteopontin and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 gene polymorphisms in combination with IL28B and to assess the therapy response in hepatitis C patients treated with pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin. METHOD: Myxovirus resistance protein, osteopontin, suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 and IL28B polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism, direct sequencing and real-time PCR. Ancestry was determined using genetic markers. RESULTS: We analyzed 181 individuals, including 52 who were sustained virologic responders. The protective genotype frequencies among the sustained virologic response group were as follows: the G/G suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (rs4969170) (62.2%); T/T osteopontin (rs2853744) (60%); T/T osteopontin (rs11730582) (64.3%); and the G/T myxovirus resistance protein (rs2071430) genotype (54%). The patients who had ≥3 of the protective genotypes from the myxovirus resistance protein, the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 and osteopontin had a greater than 90% probability of achieving a sustained response (p<0.0001). The C/C IL28B genotype was present in 58.8% of the subjects in this group. The sustained virological response rates increased to 85.7% and 91.7% by analyzing C/C IL28B with the T/T osteopontin genotype at rs11730582 and the G/G suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 genotype, respectively. Genetic ancestry analysis revealed an admixed population. CONCLUSION: Hepatitis C genotype 1 patients who were responders to interferon-based therapy had a high frequency of multiple protective polymorphisms in the myxovirus resistance protein, osteopontin and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 genes. The combined analysis of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 and IL28B genotypes more effectively predicted sustained virologic response than IL28B analysis alone.

Este estudo prospectivo avaliou os métodos semiquantitativo e qualitativo de cultura de cateter para o diagnóstico de infecção relacionada a cateter (IRC) em recém-nascidos (RN). Foram incluídas pontas de cateteres provenientes de recém-nascidos internados na Unidade Neonatal do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, UNESP. Foram utilizadas as técnicas semiquantitativa e qualitativa de cultura de cateter. Para o diagnóstico de IRC, os microrganismos isolados das culturas de cateteres e de hemoculturas periféricas foram identificados e submetidos ao teste de sensibilidade a antimicrobianos. O padrão ouro correspondeu ao diagnóstico de certeza de IRC, com o isolamento do mesmo microrganismo (espécie e perfil de sensibilidade a antimicrobianos) isolado em hemocultura periférica. Foram estudados 85 cateteres provenientes de 63 RN. A cultura semiquantitativa, embora tenha apresentado menor sensibilidade (90%), apresentou uma maior especificidade (71%) em comparação à sensibilidade de 100% e especificidade de 60% encontradas na cultura qualitativa. Através da identificação dos microrganismos obtidos nas culturas de cateteres, observou-se uma predominância de espécies de Estafilococos coagulase-negativa (ECN). A espécie Staphylococcus epidermidis foi a prevalente (77,5%) nos cateteres com culturas semiquantitativas positivas. Dos 11 episódios de IRC diagnosticados, 8 (72,7%) foram associados a espécies de ECN, dos quais 6 eram da espécie S. epidermidis. Também foram detectados dois casos de IRC por S. aureus e um caso por Candida parapsilosis. O método de cultura semiquantitativo cateter apresentou vantagens para o diagnóstico de IRC em RN quando comparado com o método qualitativo tradicional.

This prospective study evaluated semiquantitative and qualitative catheter-culture methods for diagnosis of catheter-related infection (CRI) in newborns. Catheter tips from newborns admitted to the Neonatal Unit of the University Hospital of the Botucatu Medical School, UNESP were included in the study. Catheter cultures were performed with both semiquantitative and qualitative techniques. For CRI diagnosis, microorganisms isolated from catheter cultures and from peripheral blood cultures were identified and submitted to agent susceptibility test. The gold standard was the certain CRI diagnosis when same microorganism (specie and profile of susceptibility to agents) was isolated from both catheter tips and peripheral blood culture. A total of 85 catheters from 63 newborns were included in the study. The semiquantitative culture method, despite presenting lower sensitivity (90%), showed higher specificity (71%) when compared to 100% of sensitivity and 60% of specificity in the qualitative method. The identification of the microorganisms obtained from the catheter cultures showed a prevalence of coagulase-negative staphylococci(CNS) species. The specie Staphylococcus epidermidis (77.5%) was the prevalent in the catheters with positive semiquantitative cultures. Among 11 episodes with CRI diagnosis, 8 (72.7%) were associated with CNS species, of which 6 were S. epidermidis. Two episodes of CRI by S. aureus and one by Candida parapsilosis were also detected. The semiquantitative catheter-culture method showed advantages for CRI diagnosis in newborns when compared to the conservative qualitative method.

INTRODUÇÃO: Esteatose ocorre com freqüência na hepatite crônica pelo vírus C (HCV) e parece estar relacionada a fatores clínicos e/ou virológicos. Contudo, a presença de esteato-hepatite, uma condição indutora de fibrose, tem sido pouco estudada. OBJETIVO: Estudar a associação de HCV com esteato-hepatite em material de biópsia hepática, correlacionando-a com dados clínicos. MÉTODOS: As biópsias hepáticas de pacientes com HCV foram avaliadas quanto a atividade, estádio e presença de alterações morfológicas de esteato-hepatite. Os dados morfológicos foram correlacionados a parâmetros clínicos que incluíam: consumo alcoólico, IMC, colesterol, triglicérides, glicemia, exposição a petroquímicos e genótipo viral. RESULTADOS: Esteato-hepatite foi encontrada em 42 de 252 (16,6%) pacientes com HCV. Entre os 42 casos, critérios para obesidade, diabetes e dislipidemia foram encontrados em 16,7%; 16,7% e 21,4%, respectivamente. O genótipo 3 esteve presente em 38,1% dos casos. Fatores de risco para esteato-hepatite não-alcoólica (NASH) foram encontrados em 73% dos casos em genótipos diferentes do 3, enquanto tais fatores foram presentes em 37,5% dos casos com genótipo 3 (p = 0,05). O padrão morfológico mais freqüente foi a esteatose macrovacuolar de moderada intensidade (61,9%) com distribuição difusa (64,3%). Tanto o padrão de fibrose de NASH quanto o de HCV foram notados: fibrose perissinusoidal (87,8%), portal (87,8%), septal (69,0%) e cirrose (30,9%). CONCLUSÕES: Esteato-hepatite é freqüente em pacientes com HCV, apresentando padrão peculiar de distribuição da esteatose e alta freqüência de cirrose. Em genótipos diferentes do 3, a esteato-hepatite parece estar relacionada à sobreposição de fatores de risco para NASH.

INTRODUCTION: Steatohepatitis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been related to several clinical and virological factors and fibrosis progression. OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical and morphological aspects of steatohepatitis associated to HCV. METHODS: The study included patients with HCV without treatment. Biopsies were evaluated by METAVIR score and steatohepatitis was evaluated according to criteria of Sociedade Brasileira de Patologia (SBP). Clinical parameters included alcoholic intake history and determination of risk factors for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). RESULTS: Steatohepatitis was observed in 42 out of 252 patients (16.6%) with HCV, and 76.2% were male. Risk factors for NASH were present in 37.5% of the patients with genotype 3 and in 73% of the patients with other genotypes (p = 0.05). Obesity was present in 16.7%, diabetes in 16.7%, hyperlipidemia in 21.4%, and genotype 3 in 38.1%. Macrovacuolar steatosis presented mild intensity in 61.9% and was diffuse in 64.3%. Cirrhosis was present in 33.3% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Diffuse steatosis and ballooning of mild to moderate intensity characterized steatohepatitis related to HCV. Patients with genotype different from genotype 3 presented with known risk factors for NASH, whereas most of the patients with genotype 3 had only viral genotype as risk factor for steatosis. The frequency of cirrhosis was relevant and suggests that the association of steatohepatitis with HCV contribute to fibrosis progression.