The relationship between the volumetric water content (θ) and the water potential (ψ) is represented by the function θ = f (ψ) which depicts a water retention curve representing the process of water desorption in a porous media. This model, according to van-Genuchten, represents the pore-size distribution associated with air-water steady state. However, water availability for root uptake is a function of substrate resistance to water flowing. In this framework, the objectives of this study are to 1) determine the parameters which indicate both the static and dynamic properties referred to the air-water relationship in two substrates and 2) select the basic criteria for the proper timing of irrigation as well as the selection of the substrate-container height. Water holding capacity, available water and water buffering capacity were determined in: M1: 80% of perlite + 20% Sphagnum peat moss from Tierra del Fuego and M2: 20% of perlite + 80% of Sphagnum peat moss from Tierra del Fuego. The water retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity curves were graphed according to the volumetric water content and adjusted according to the van-Genuchten model. The physical parameters of both substrates were used to estimate their air-water behavior. However, when the adjusted curves were drawn, more detailed information was obtained on the air-entry tension, higher in M2 than in M1, associated to the ''water table'' which is formed in the container bottom. Thus, the water retention curve was also used in modeling the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity which allowed quantifying the irrigation thresholds. All information obtained was appropriate for the selection of the substrate and the proper container and irrigation management scheme. Thewater retention curve is a good tool for selecting both factors with a systematic view. These results should be calibrated for every crop.

La relación entre el contenido hídrico volumétrico (θ) y potencial mátrico (ψ) se grafica como una curva de retención de agua (CR) que expresa el proceso de desorción del agua de un medio poroso. La modelización según van-Genuchten representa la distribución del tamaño de poros relacionada con aspectos estáticos del agua-aire. Sin embargo, la disponibilidad de agua para las raíces tiene que ver con aspectos dinámicos de resistencias del sustrato al flujo de agua. Dentro de este marco, los objetivos del trabajo fueron 1) Determinación de los parámetros que identifican las propiedades del equilibrio estático y dinámico referidas a la relación agua aire en dos sustratos y 2) Definición de los criterios básicos para el momento de aplicación del riego y elección de la altura del contenedor según los sustratos evaluados. Se determinaron la capacidad de retención de agua, agua fácilmente disponible y agua de reserva en M1: 80% perlita + 20% turba de Tierra del Fuego y M2: 20% perlita + 80% turba de Tierra del Fuego, se trazaron las CR y las curvas de conductividad hidráulica no saturada, según van-Genuchten. Los parámetros determinados en M1 y M2 han servido de base para conocer su relación agua-aire, sin embargo al trazar las CR se obtuvo información acerca de la presión de entrada de aire, mayor en M2 que en M1, asociadas a la ''tabla de agua'' que se forma en la base del contenedor. La CR sirvió de base para estimar la conductividad hidráulica no saturada, permitiendo cuantificar los umbrales de riego. Toda la información conjunta resultó apropiada para la elección del sustrato y del contenedor adecuado, y del criterio de manejo del riego, demostrando que la CR es una buena herramienta para estimar estos factores dentro de una visión sistémica. Los resultados deberían ser calibrados para cada cultivo.

Respiratory rehabilitation (RR) is a multidisciplinary program of care for patients with chronic respiratory impairment, individually tailored, designed to optimize physical and social performance and patient autonomy. It is particularly indicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with exercise intolerance. The objectives of respiratory rehabilitation are: reduction in symptoms and exercise intolerance, improvement of health-related quality of life, and reduction of health costs. A group of neumonologists, nutritionists and physical therapists performed a systematic review of the evidence in RR to update previous local guidelines. Inclusion and exclusion criteria, guidelines for initial evaluation and follow up and resources needed are defined. Training characteristics are recommended regarding frequency of the visits, intensity, progression and duration of the exercise training. Aerobic training was recommended for lower limb (1A), upper limb (1B). Strength training must be added (1B). Respiratory muscle training and other physiotherapy techniques were recommended only for specific patients (1C). In addition recommendations have been made for educational objectives of the program including smoking cessation, nutritional and psychological support. The positive impact of RR on reductions of health care costs and reductions on hospitalizations (Evidence A) and mortality (Evidence B) were analized. Respiratory rehabilitation is a key component in the modern treatment of COPD patients. This consensus statement was prepared based on the most recent scientific evidence and adjusted to the local environment with the aim of being implemented nationally.

La rehabilitación respiratoria (RR) es un tratamiento multidisciplinario para pacientes con enfermedad respiratoria crónica, adaptado individualmente y diseñado para optimizar la capacidad física, la actividad social y la autonomía de los mismos. Está especialmente indicado en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC). Los objetivos de la RR son: reducir los síntomas, mejorar la tolerancia al ejercicio físico y la calidad de vida. Un grupo de neumonólogos, nutricionistas y kinesiólogos realizó un análisis sistemàtico de la evidencia científica con el objetivo de actualizar las normativas anteriores de RR. Se definieron los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, la evaluación inicial y de seguimiento como así también los elementos y material necesarios. Las características del entrenamiento en cuanto a la frecuencia de las visitas, la intensidad, progresión y duración del ejercicio han sido revisadas. Se recomendó el entrenamiento de los miembros inferiores (1A), miembros superiores (1B), complementando el entrenamiento de fuerza (1B). El entrenamiento de músculos respiratorios, otras técnicas kinesiológicas y pautas nutricionales se recomiendan sólo para casos particulares (1C). Se fijan también objetivos educativos para los programas de rehabilitación que incluyen la cesación de fumar, aspectos nutricionales y apoyo psicológico. La RR ha demostrado reducir las exacerbaciones, hospitalizaciones y costos (Evidencia A), y mejoraría la sobrevida (Evidencia B). La RR es un componente fundamental en el tratamiento moderno de la EPOC. Estas pautas basadas en la más reciente evidencia científica, adaptadas al medio local tienen por objetivo que la RR pueda aplicarse en todo el país.

The wear resistance of denture teeth is important to the longevity of removable prostheses of edentulous patients. The ability of denture teeth to maintain a stable occlusal relationship over time may be influenced by this property. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the wear resistance of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) denture teeth based on their chemical composition when opposed by a ceramic antagonist. The maxillary canines (n=10) of 3 PMMA denture teeth (Trubyte Biotone, cross-linked PMMA; Trilux, highly cross-linked IPN (interpenetrating polymer network)-PMMA; and Vivodent, highly cross-linked PMMA) were secured in an in vitro 2-body wear-testing apparatus that produced sliding contact of the specimens (4.5 cycles/s, sliding distance of 20 mm, under 37°C running water) against glazed or airborne particle abraded ceramic. Wear resistance was measured as height loss (mm) under 300 g (sliding force) after 100,000 cycles, using a digital measuring microscope. Mean values were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (a=0.05). The wear of Trubyte Biotone (0.93 ± 0.14 mm) was significantly higher than that of both other types of teeth tested against abraded ceramic (p<0.05). The Vivodent tooth (0.64 ± 0.17 mm) exhibited the best wear resistance among the denture teeth tested against airborne particle abraded ceramic. There were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in wear among the 3 denture teeth evaluated against glazed ceramic. Trilux and Vivodent teeth tested against either glazed or airborne particle abraded ceramic did not differ significantly from each other (p<0.05). All teeth showed significantly more wear against airborne particle abraded ceramic than against glazed ceramic (p<0.05). In conclusion, the three types of PMMA denture teeth presented significantly different wear resistance against the abraded ceramic. The high-strength PMMA denture teeth were more wear-resistant than the conventional PMMA denture tooth.

Foi realizado estudo experimental com a finalidade de avaliar a influência da decorticação óssea na incorporação de enxerto ósseo autólogo. Foram utilizados 15 cães mestiços adultos de ambos os sexos, fornecidos pelo Biotério Geral da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeiro Preto. A primeira vértebra lombar foi selecionada para o estudo, tendo sido realizado a decorticação superficial da lâmina vertebral pelo lado direito. Enxerto ósseo oriundo dos processos espinhosos de L 1 e vértebras adjacentes foram aposicionados sobre a lâmina de L1 bilateralmente. Os animais foram divididos em grupos experimentais de acordo com o período de sacrifício (1 mês, 3 meses e 6 meses), sendo cada grupo formado por 5 animais.A avaliação histológica por meio da microscopia foi o método empregado no estudo, e demonstrou diferenças na incorporação do enxerto ósseo, entre as superfícies decorticadas e não decorticadas da lâmina vertebral. As diferenças foram observadas nos animais sacrificados com 1 mês e 3 meses após a cirurgia, tendo sido observado integração óssea mais intensa do enxerto no local em que a lâmina vertebral foi decorticada. Com 6 meses de pós- operatório não foi observado diferenças entre as faces da lâmina vertebral (decorticada e não decorticada), sendo que houve reparação óssea completa em ambas as superfícies.

An experimental study was conducted aiming to evaluate the influence of bone decortication for autologous bone graft integration. Fifteen undefined-race adult dogs of both genders, supplied by the General Animal Lab of the Medical School, University of São Paulo, in Ribeirão Preto, were used. The first lumbar vertebra was selected for study purposes, with surface decortication of the vertebral layer through the right side. Bone grafts removed from L1 and adjacent vertebrae's spinous processes were bilaterally apposed on the L1 layer. The animals were divided into experimental groups according to the period of sacrifice (1 month, 3 months, and 6 months), with each group comprising 5 animals. Histological evaluation by means of microscopy was the method employed in the study, and it has shown differences in bone graft incorporation between decorticated and non-decorticated surfaces of the vertebral layer. Those differences were seen on animals sacrificed within 1 month and 3 months postoperatively, with a stronger bone integration seen at the place where the vertebral layer was decorticated. Within 6 months postoperatively, no differences were seen among vertebral layers' surfaces (decorticated and non-decorticated), with full bone repair on both surfaces.

O artigo analisa, em primeiro lugar, a importância da informação para a geração do conhecimento e o papel e as especificidades das estatísticas socioeconômicas nesse processo. A seguir apresenta a forma como a produção dessas estatísticas está organizada e as mais significativas e recentes transformações pelas quais ela passou nas duas principais agências públicas dessa área, no pais, o IBGE e a Fundação Seade. Aborda também a questão dos diferentes padrões de financiamento nelas existentes e os motivos pelos quais eles foram adotados. Na sua partefinal discute a questão da disseminação desde o modelo vigente antes dos advento da Internet, os impactos da revolução tecnológica e os novos desafios decorrentes da mudança no modelo de financiamento.

The article analysis, infirst place, the importance ofinformationfor knowledge generation and the role and specificities of social-economic statistics in this process. The following presents how the production of these statistics is organized and the most important and recent transformations of which it went through the two main public agencies of this area in the country: the IBGE and Seade Foundation. It also deals with the issue of different standards offinancing existent and the motives of why they were adopted. In the final part, it discusses the issue of dissemination from the model existent before Internet, the impact of technological revolution and the new challenges deriving from the changes of the financing model.

The opossum of the genus Didelphis is one of the principal wild reservoirs of Trypanosoma cruzi and is widely distributed in the Western Hemisphere. Didelphis albiventris is the most common marsupial in Amamá and Trinidad, two communities in the province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. The D. albiventris population is replaced every year, and the opossum normally has two reproductive periods, one at the beginning of the spring and another at the beginning of the summer. The two litters are weaned, and they leave the mother's marsupial pouch to join the population, the first (G1) at the beginning of the summer and the second (G2) at the beginning of the fall. Between 1988 and 1991 409 D. albiventris opossums were studied, and xenodiagnoses showed that 35% of them were infected with T. cruzi. Annual cycles of renewed infection were observed, with prevalences that ranged between 22% and 43%. The acquisition of the parasite occurred over the entire year, from the summer through the spring. The prevalence of infection increased with age. The G1 individuals tended to present higher prevalences than the G2 individuals, probably from being exposed to transmission for a longer period of time. In the first two (younger) age categories for the opossums, G2 individuals showed higher prevalences than did the G1 individuals. This indicates a significant increase in transmission intensity during the fall. Opossums should be regarded as a potential source of T. cruzi entry to the domestic transmission cycle.

Entre los principales reservorios silvestres de Trypanosoma cruzi se encuentran las zarigüeyas del género Didelphis, ampliamente distribuidas por el continente americano. En Amamá y Trinidad, Provincia de Santiago del Estero, Argentina, Didelphis albiventris es el marsupial más frecuente. Su población se renueva cada año y normalmente hay dos períodos reproductivos: uno a principios de la primavera y otro a principios del verano. Estas dos camadas son destetadas y abandonan la bolsa marsupial para incorporarse a la población, la primera (G1) a principios del verano y la segunda (G2) a principios del otoño. Entre 1988 y 1991 se estudiaron 409 individuos distintos de D. albiventris y los xenodiagnósticos revelaron que 35% de ellos estaban infectados por T. cruzi. Se observaron ciclos de renovación anual de la infección con prevalencias que oscilaron entre 22 y 43%. La adquisición del parásito ocurría a lo largo de todo el año, desde el verano hasta la primavera. La prevalencia de la infección aumentó con la edad. Los individuos G1 tuvieron tendencia a presentar mayores prevalencias que los G2, probablemente debido a un mayor tiempo de exposición a la transmisión. En las dos primeras categorías de edad, los individuos G2 mostraron mayores prevalencias que los G1, lo cual indica un aumento significativo de la intensidad de la transmisión durante el otoño. Las zarigüeyas deberían considerarse como una fuente potencial de ingreso de T. cruzi al ciclo doméstico.

This paper attempts to prove if a high Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence of opossums might be reached with few potential infective contacts. One non-infected Didelphis albiventris to T. cruzi and 10 infected nymphs of Triatoma infestans were left together during 23 hr in a device that simulated a natural opossum burrow. Twenty-six replicates were perfomed using marsupials and triatomines only once. Potentially infective contacts occurred in all the trials. From the 26 opossums used in trials, 54% did not eat any bug. Of the 260 bugs used, 21% were predated. In the 25 trials involving 205 surving bugs, 36 % of them did not feed. In 15/25 cases, maior ou igual a 60% of the triatomines were able to feed. The parasitological follow-up of 24 opossums showed that among 10 that had eaten bugs, 4 turned out infected and among the 14 that had not predate, 3 (21%) became positive. In sum, 7/24 (29%) of the marsupials acquired the infection after the experiment. This infection rate was similar to the prevalences found for the opossum population of Santiago del Estero, Argentina, suggesting that the prevalences observed in the field might be reached if each marsupial would encounter infected bugs just once in its lifetime.

This paper compares the predation pressure that ducks and chickens exert on triatomines. For the tests, these birds were placed in individual boxes together with a known number of Triatoma infestans and left to interact from 6 p.m. till the next morning, involving a long lasting period of complete darkness limited by two short-term periods of semi-darkness. There was a shelter which could prevent the bugs from being predated. The number of live and dead triatomines was recorded, considering missing bugs as predated by the birds. Ducks exhibited a greater predatory activity than chickens, that could be due to a long term active period at night while chickens sleep motionless from sunset to dawn. Surviving triatomines that had fed on chickens outnumbered those fed on ducks suggesting that these were less accessible to the triatomine biting. If ducks are better than chickens to detect and eat bugs and to interfere with their feeding in the field, an increase in duck number might help to diminish triatomine density. Further research is needed to determine the feasibility of application of these experimental results.

To identify wild hosts of Trypanosoma cruzi, surveys were conducted in the subandean valleys of Jujuy Province, Argentina, between June 1986 and March 1987. Seventy two mammals from 13 different species were examined by xenodiagnosis. Fifty two of them were mostly roedents trapped at the localities of Maimará, León and Tilcara, and the remainder had been kept in captivity at the Estación Biológica Experimental, in Jujuy. Trypanosoma cruzi infection was detected only in 2 Octodontomys gliroides (2 pos./8 exam. 25%) from all 72 examined mammals. Isolates were called Octodontomys Argentina 1 and 2 (OA1 and OA2). Both infected animals were caught at the archaelogical ruin of Pucará, at Tilcara. Repeated searches for triatomines in the ruin itself and in neighbour houses rendered negative results. Groups of mice inoculated with either OA1 or OA2 isolates became infected between 7 (OA1) to 12 days (OA2) postinoculation PI. Parasitemia peaks were observed between day 12th - 14th PI. Scarce amastigote nests were found in myocardium and skeletal muscle. Mortality was observed only for mice inoculated with OA1. Isoenzyme patterns of OA1 and OA2 were identical to one found in dogs and slightly different from that of human parasites in Argentina. Bones from Octodontomys sp., were recently found in a cave, dated 10200-8600 BC, in Pumamarca, near Tilcara, Jujuy. There are evidences that O. gliroides cohabited with man in ancient times and was associated to the domestic cycle of T. cruzi transmission, playing a role like that of domestic cavies. in Bolivia.