ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to assess the effects of A. brasilense inoculation on seeds on the yield performance of maize and black oat as a function of nitrogen rate over a 3-year succession. The experiment was conducted from 2015 to 2018 under field conditions. Maize was grown for three growing seasons in rotation with two seasons of black oat at the same experimental site. A randomized block design with a split-plot arrangement was used. Main plots consisted of A. brasilense inoculation (inoculated and uninoculated plants) and subplots of four nitrogen rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha−1). Maize plants were evaluated for biometric parameters, yield, and yield components at flowering. Black oat plants were analyzed for dry matter yield at flowering. The inoculation of A. brasilense in maize and black oat seeds in succession does not promote productivity nor does it favor the nitrogen fertilization of these cultures.

Abstract Importance: Despite ambulation capacity being associated with a decreased level of physical activity and survival may be influenced by the functional capacity, studies have not addressed the association between ambulation capacity and death in patients hospitalized by COVID-19. Objective: To verify the functional, clinical, and sociodemographic risk factors associated with in-hospital death in individuals with severe COVID-19. Methods: It is a cohort retrospective study performed at a large tertiary hospital. Patients 18 years of age or more, of both sexes, hospitalized due to severe COVID-19 were included. Cases with dubious medical records and/or missing essential data were excluded. Patients were classified according to their ambulation capacity before the COVID-19 infection. Information regarding sociodemographic characteristics, in-hospital death, total hospital stays, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stays, and the necessity of Mechanical Ventilation (MV) were collected from medical records and registered in a RedCap database. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify possible factors associated with the in-hospital death rate. Results: Data from 1110 participants were included in the statistical analysis. The median age of the patients was 57 (46‒66) years, 58.42% (n = 590) were male, and 61.73% (n = 602) were brown or black. The case fatality rate during hospitalization was 36.0% (n = 363). In-hospital death was associated with ambulation capacity; dependent ambulators (OR = 2.3; CI 95% = 1.2-4.4) and non-functional ambulation (OR = 1.9; CI 95% = 1.1-3.3), age [older adults (OR = 3.0; CI 95% = 1.9‒4.), ICU stays (OR = 1.4; CI 95% = 1.2‒1.4), immunosuppression (OR = 5.5 CI 95% = 2.3‒13.5) and mechanical ventilation (OR = 27.5; CI 95% = 12.0-62.9). Conclusion and relevance: Decreased ambulation capacity, age, length of ICU stay, immunosuppression, and mechanical ventilation was associated with a high risk of in-hospital death due to COVID-19.

RESUMO CONTEXTO: A pandemia da COVID-19 tem alterado o funcionamento de serviços de endoscopia digestiva pelo mundo. OBJETIVO: O presente estudo tem por objetivo medir o número de exames endoscópicos de urgência/emergência realizados em um hospital público brasileiro, comparando-o ao mesmo período do ano anterior, além de avaliar os fatores de risco dos pacientes com COVID-19 que realizaram exame endoscópico por hemorragia digestiva alta (HDA). MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo, transversal, observacional e unicêntrico. Foram avaliados todos os exames endoscópicos de urgência/emergência realizados em pacientes acima de 18 anos, nos períodos de março a agosto dos anos de 2019 e 2020. Os pacientes com COVID-19 incluídos foram diagnosticados por RT-PCR, acima de 18 anos, com informações completas em prontuário. As variáveis avaliadas foram: tipo de exame endoscópico, idade, sexo, comorbidades, tempo de internação, d-dímero, necessidade de UTI e ventilação mecânica durante a internação. A comparação dos grupos em relação a variáveis quantitativas foi feita através do teste t de Student para amostras independentes ou o teste não-paramétrico de Mann-Whitney. As variáveis categóricas foram avaliadas pelo teste exato de Fisher. Valores de P<0,05 indicaram significância estatística. RESULTADOS: Observaram-se 130 exames endoscópicos de urgência/emergência no período avaliado em 2020, e 97 em 2019. No período do estudo foram internados 631 pacientes por COVID-19, dos quais 16 realizaram exame endoscópico de urgência/emergência, sendo 1,6% por HDA. Dentre as variáveis analisadas, necessidade de UTI e/ou ventilação mecânica durante o internamento foram estatisticamente significativos como risco para desenvolvimento de HDA. CONCLUSÃO: O presente estudo mostra que para a realidade local houve incremento de exames endoscópicos de urgência/emergência durante a pandemia. Dentre os pacientes internados com o novo coronavírus, há maior risco de HDA naqueles que necessitam de UTI e/ou ventilação mecânica.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed digestive endoscopy services around the world. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to measure the number of urgent/emergency endoscopic procedures performed in a Brazilian hospital, comparing it to the same period in the previous year, and to identify risk factors in COVID-19 patients undergoing endoscopic procedures for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational, single-center study. The study evaluated urgent/emergency endoscopic procedures performed on adult patients from March to August in 2019 and 2020. The COVID-19 patients included were diagnosed using RT-PCR, aged over 18 years with complete medical record information. The variables evaluated were age, sex, comorbidities, length of stay, D-dimer, need for intensive care unit (ICU) and mechanical ventilation. Student’s t-test for independent samples or the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used to compare quantitative variables. Categorical variables were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. A P-value <0.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 130 urgent/emergency endoscopic procedures were performed in 2020 and 97 in 2019. During the study period, 631 patients were hospitalized due to COVID-19, of whom 16 underwent urgent/emergency endoscopic procedures, 10 (1.6%) due to UGIB. Of the variables analyzed, the need for ICU and/or mechanical ventilation during hospitalization was statistically significant as a risk factor for UGIB. CONCLUSION: This study showed increased urgent/emergency endoscopic procedures during the pandemic at the study site. Among the patients hospitalized with the novel coronavirus, there is a higher risk for UGIB in those needing ICU and/or mechanical ventilation.

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the effect of winter cover crops on the agronomic performance of maize during five crop seasons in a clayey Inceptisol with reduced mineral nitrogen (N) inputs. The treatments were seven single cover crops: white oats (Avena sativa L.), black oats (Avena strigose Schreb.), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), vetch (Vicia sativa L.), fodder radish (Raphanus sativus L. and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.); a mix (black oats + vetch and a fallow. During summer, in succession to the cover crops, maize was grown under no-tillage. The attributes were evaluated in two stages of maize development: flowering (morphological components and physiological maturation (yield components). Differences in morphologica and yield variables were observed in all crop seasons, with emphasis on grain yield, number of grains per row (NGR and ear length (EL). The use of vetch showed greater contribution to the development of maize in relation to the other cover crops used, promoting an increase in stem diameter (SD), E and NGR in all crop season and directly reflecting in higher grain yield. On the other hand, when maize was grown under cover crops commonly used in southern Brazil, such as ryegras and white oats, the yield was similar to fallow. The results showed that vetch promoted higher maize yields, probably by N mineralization and reinforce the hypothesis that cover crops in the off-season can aggregate benefits to crops in succession, especially in terms of nutrition.

Resumo O estudo investigou a influência de variáveis cognitivas na leitura de crianças com desenvolvimento típico e em crianças com Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade (TDAH). Participaram 70 crianças do 2° ao 7° anos do Ensino Fundamental, divididas nos grupos: TDAH e controle. Foram aplicadas tarefas de consciência fonológica, memória de trabalho fonológica, nomeação seriada rápida, vocabulário, quociente de inteligência (QI), atenção, flexibilidade cognitiva e leitura (precisão, fluência e compreensão). Análises de regressão linear múltipla indicaram que a nomeação seriada rápida e a consciência fonológica contribuíram fortemente para a precisão, a fluência e a compreensão de leitura. O TDAH influenciou somente na compreensão. Argumentou-se que provavelmente os componentes da função executiva são os responsáveis pela relação entre TDAH e compreensão de leitura.

Abstract This study investigated the influence of cognitive variables on reading in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and children with typical development. Seventy children from 2th to 7th grade took part in this study and were divided into two groups: ADHD and control. Tasks of phonological awareness, phonological work memory, rapid automatized naming, vocabulary, intelligence quotient (IQ), attention, cognitive flexibility and reading (accuracy, fluency, and comprehension) were applied. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that rapid serial naming and phonological awareness strongly contributed to reading accuracy, reading fluency, and comprehension. ADHD only influenced comprehension, probably because of its relation to executive function.

O objetivo desse estudo foi revisar sistematicamente as publicações sobre engajamento escolar nas bases SciELO, PsycINFO e ERIC com os seguintes descritores: school engagement , engajamento escolar e envolvimento escolar . Foram selecionados os estudos que atendiam aos critérios de inclusão: (a) artigos cujos descritores supracitados constavam no título, resumo ou palavras-chave; (b) estudos publicados na modalidade artigo científico e (c) no período de 2014 a 2018. Como critérios de exclusão: (a) artigos com foco em outros temas, (b) não disponíveis na íntegra e (c) duplicados. Foram encontrados 410 estudos e 203 selecionados. A maioria dos estudos é correlacional e a produção sobre engajamento se concentra no eixo América do Norte/Europa. O engajamento foi tratado na maioria dos estudos como um constructo tridimensional e foram encontradas 35 escalas que avaliam o engajamento. Faz-se necessário mais estudos experimentais e quasi-experimentais devido à importância destes para a avaliação e desenvolvimento de intervenções que visem melhorar o engajamento escolar e também estudos que avaliem a relação entre o engajamento escolar e outras variáveis pertinentes ao contexto escolar.

L'objectif de cette étude était de faire une révision systématique des publications sur l'engagement scolaire, dans les bases de données SciELO, PsycINFO et ERIC, à partir des descripteurs suivants: school engagement , engajamento escolar et envolvimento escolar . Ainsi, les études ont été sélectionnées selon les critères d inclusion: (a) articles dont les descripteurs sont mentionnés dans le titre, dans le résumé ou dans les mots-clés; (b) études publiées sous la modalité d'article scientifique et (c) avec parution entre 2014 et 2018. Et selon les critères d'exclusion: (a) articles traitant d'autres thèmes, (b) juste partiellement disponibles et (c) en double. À partir de ces critères, 203 études ont été sélectionnées entre les 410 études trouvées. Entre les sélectionnées, la plupart des études sont corrélationnelles et la production sur le thème de l'engagement est concentrée sur l'axe Amérique du Nord/Europe. L'engagement a été traité dans la plupart de ces études comme une construction tridimensionnelle et 35 échelles évaluant l'engagement ont été trouvées. D'autres études expérimentales et quasi expérimentales sont nécessaires, en raison de leur importance pour l'évaluation et le développement d'interventions visant à améliorer l'engagement scolaire, ainsi que des études qui évaluent la relation entre l'engagement scolaire et d'autres variables pertinentes au contexte scolaire.

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the publications on school engagement in the SciELO, PsycINFO and ERIC databases with the following descriptors: school engagement , engajamento escolar and envolvimento escolar . The studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected: (a) articles with the abovementioned descriptors in the title, abstract or keywords; (b) studies published in the scientific article modality and (c) in the period from 2014 to 2018. As exclusion criteria: (a) articles focusing on other topics, (b) not fully available and (c) duplicates. There were 410 studies and 203 selected. Most of the studies are correlational and the production on engagement is concentrated on the North America/Europe axis. The engagement was treated in most of the studies as a three-dimensional construct and 35 scales were found to assess engagement. Further experimental and quasi-experimental studies are necessary due to their importance for the evaluation and development of interventions aimed at improving school engagement, and also studies that evaluate the relationship between school engagement and other relevant variables to the school context.

Resumo Fundamentos: A insuficiência cardíaca é uma doença de alta prevalência, responsável por grande número de hospitalizações e altas taxas de mortalidade em nosso país. O tratamento instituído tem influência nos índices de mortalidade e na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Objetivo: Identificar e comparar o perfil clínico-epidemiológico e o tratamento instituído entre os pacientes sobreviventes e não sobreviventes internados com insuficiência cardíaca aos dados da literatura internacional. Métodos: Estudo transversal, retrospectivo, de 816 pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca que sobreviveram ou não à internação. Foram registradas características clínicas, epidemiológicas, dados laboratoriais, ecocardiográficos e o tratamento instituído. Resultados: A maioria dos pacientes encontrava-se em classe funcional III/IV. A idade média foi de 66,5 ± 13,8 anos. Metade era do sexo masculino e 88,3%, brancos. A mortalidade intra-hospitalar foi de 11,2%. Idade avançada, etnia branca, classe funcional elevada, reinternações, internações prolongadas, presença de doença arterial coronariana, fibrilação atrial crônica, insuficiência mitral grave, disfunção diastólica do tipo restritivo, disfunção renal e peptídeo natriurético elevado tiveram associação com maior mortalidade, assim como pacientes que, durante a internação, apresentaram tromboembolismo pulmonar, síndrome isquêmica aguda, infecção pulmonar ou necessidade de diálise. O uso de inibidores da enzima conversora de angiotensina ou de bloqueadores dos receptores da angiotensina na admissão hospitalar foi significativamente maior entre os sobreviventes. Conclusão: A mortalidade intra-hospitalar foi elevada quando comparada à média internacional, mas foi semelhante a de outros serviços de referência brasileiros. Vários indicadores de maior gravidade foram observados no grupo não sobrevivente.

Abstract Background: Heart failure is a highly prevalent disease, responsible for many admissions and high mortality rates in our country. The treatment influences patient's mortality and quality of life. Objective: To identify and compare the clinical and epidemiological survivor's and non-survivor's profiles and treatment of patients hospitalized with heart failure with the international literature. Methods: Cross-sectional, retrospective study of 816 survivors and non-survivors with heart failure. All patients had their clinical and epidemiological, laboratory and echocardiographic data and treatment recorded. Results: Most patients were in functional class III/IV. Mean age was 66.5 ± 13.8 years. Half of the patients were men and 88.3% were Caucasians. In-hospital mortality was 11,2%. Highly mortality was associated with old age, Caucasian ethnicity, high functional class, readmissions, prolonged hospitalization, presence of coronary artery disease, chronic atrial fibrillation, severe mitral regurgitation, restrictive diastolic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and elevated natriuretic peptide levels, as well as with patients who had pulmonary embolism, acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary infection or required dialysis during hospitalization. The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers at admission was significantly higher among survivors. Conclusion: In-hospital mortality was high when compared to international averages, but it was similar to other Brazilian referral services. Numerous higher severity indicators were observed in the non-survivor group.

O objetivo deste estudo foi construir e validar de forma preliminar um instrumento de avaliação do desempenho técnico-tático individual nas categorias de formação do basquetebol (IAD-BB). A elaboração dos indicadores baseou-se na literatura e em instrumentos de avaliação de desempenho. O processo de validação de conteúdo foi efetivado por 10 profissionais de Educação Física, especialistas da área dos esportes coletivos. A fidedignidade intra-avaliador e interavaliadores foi testada a partir da observação das ações de jogo desempenhadas por duas atletas. A análise dos dados ocorreu por meio de percentual, coeficientes de correlação (Spearman, intraclasse) e índices de concordância (Kappa). Os resultados apresentaram elevados percentuais de aceitação entre os avaliadores, tanto nos indicadores das ações quanto nas componentes técnico-táticos. Os dados de fidedignidade intra e interavaliadores evidenciaram índices de correlação e concordância considerados satisfatórios. Conclui-se que o IAD-BB revelou-se um instrumento cientificamente válido e útil como técnica de avaliação dentro dos estudos da análise do jogo.

The present study aimed to develop and validate preliminarily a Basketball individual technical-tactical performance assessment instrument in the initial Basketball categories (IAD-BB). The items selection was based upon specific literature and other performance assessment instruments. Ten Physical Education professionals have validated the instrument content. The intra-rater and inter-raters reliabilities were tested through two players games' actions observation. Data analysis included percentage calculation, correlation coefficients (Spearman, intra-class) and Kappa's inter-raters agreement index. Results presented high inter-raters agreement percentage both in action items and in technical-tactical components. The intra and inter-raters reliability data presented satisfactory correlation and agreement indexes. It was possible to conclude that the IAD-BB revealed itself to be a scientific valid instrument and an useful assessment technique in the game analysis researches.

OBJETIVO: A doença de Wilson (DW) é um erro inato do metabolismo causado por abnormalidades no gene ATP7B, que codifica uma proteína transportadora de cobre. Neste estudo, avaliamos as mutações do gene ATP7B em um grupo de pacientes do sul do Brasil. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 36 pacientes com DW e classificados do ponto de vista clínico e epidemiológico. Em 23 pacientes, o gene ATP7B foi analisado. RESULTADOS: A substituição c.3207C>A no éxon 14 foi a mutação mais comum seguida pela mutação c.3402delC no éxon 15 . A mutação c.2018-2030del13 no éxon 7 e a c.4093InsT no éxon 20 são relatadas pela primeira vez na literatura. CONCLUSÃO: A mutação do gene ATP7B, com a substituição c.3207C>A no éxon 14 foi a mais frequente. Esta mutação é a mais comumente encontrada em pacientes europeus.

OBJECTIVE: Wilson's disease (WD) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by abnormalities of the copper-transporting protein encoding gene ATP7B. In this study, we examined ATP7B for mutations in a group of patients living in southern Brazil. METHODS: 36 WD subjects were studied and classified according to their clinical and epidemiological data. In 23 subjects the ATP7B gene was analyzed. RESULTS: Fourteen distinct mutations were detected in at least one of the alleles. The c.3207C>A substitution at exon 14 was the most common mutation (allelic frequency=37.1%) followed by the c.3402delC at exon 15 (allelic frequency=11.4%). The mutations c.2018-2030del13 at exon 7 and c.4093InsT at exon 20 are being reported for the first time. CONCLUSION: The c.3207C>A substitution at exon 14, was the most common mutation, with an allelic frequency of 37.1%. This mutation is the most common mutation described in Europe.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de variações no arranjo espacial de plantas sobre o perfilhamento, a área foliar e a produtividade do milho. Os experimentos foram implantados na primavera/ verão dos anos agrícolas 2007/2008 e 2008/2009. Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro densidades (três, cinco, sete e nove plantas por metro quadrado) e de três espaçamentos entre linhas (0,4, 0,7 e 1,0 m). Foram avaliados o índice de área foliar (IAF) e a produtividade de grãos do híbrido P30F53, além da contribuição dos perfílhos para esses caracteres. Em 2007/2008, não houve deficiência hídrica, o IAF na floração foi superior a 7 e os perfilhos contribuíram com 65% do IAF total, na menor densidade de plantas. Nesse ano, a produtividade de grãos (13,7 Mg ha-1) não foi afetada pelos tratamentos, e os perfilhos contribuíram com 44% da produtividade, na densidade de três plantas por metro quadrado. Em 2008/2009, houve restrição hídrica na pré‑floração e no enchimento de grãos, o que diminuiu o perfilhamento e a contribuição dos perfilhos ao IAF. A produtividade de grãos, nesse ano, aumentou de 9,7 para 11,7 Mg ha-1 com o aumento na densidade de plantas, mas a contribuição dos perfilhos à produtividade foi menor. O perfilhamento aumenta a estabilidade fenotípica da produtividade de grãos frente a variações no arranjo de plantas.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of plant spatial arrangement on maize tillering, leaf area, and grain productivity. The experiments were carried out in the spring/summer of the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 growing seasons. Treatments consisted of four plant densities (three, five, seven, and nine plants per square meter) and three row spacings (0.4, 0.7, and 1.0 m). The leaf area index (LAI) and grain yield of hybrid P30F53 were assessed, as well as the tiller contribution to these characters. In 2007/2008, there was no water deficit, LAI values were higher than 7, and tillers contributed with 65% of total LAI at the lowest plant density. In this year, grain yield average (13.7 Mg ha-1) was not affected by treatments, and tillers contributed with 44% of total yield at the density of three plants per square meter. In 2008/2009, there was water deficit before flowering and during grain filling, which decreased tillering and tiller contribution to LAI. Grain yield in this year increased from 9.7 to 11.7 Mg ha-1 with increasing plant densities, but tiller contribution to grain yield was lower. Tillering increases phenotypic stability of grain productivity to variations in plant spatial arrangement.

BACKGROUND: Long-term data on the clinical follow-up and the treatment effectiveness of Wilson's disease are limited because of the low disease frequency. This study evaluated a retrospective cohort of Wilson's disease patients from southern Brazil during a 40-year follow-up period. METHODS: Thirty-six Wilson's disease patients, diagnosed from 1971 to 2010, were retrospectively evaluated according to their clinical presentation, epidemiological and social features, response to therapy and outcome. RESULTS: Examining the patients' continental origins showed that 74.5% had a European ancestor. The mean age at the initial symptom presentation was 23.3 ± 9.3 years, with a delay of 27.5 ± 41.9 months until definitive diagnosis. At presentation, hepatic symptoms were predominant (38.9%), followed by mixed symptoms (hepatic and neuropsychiatric) (30.6%) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (25%). Kayser-Fleischer rings were identified in 55.6% of patients, with a higher frequency among those patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms (77.8%). Eighteen patients developed neuropsychiatric features, most commonly cerebellar syndrome. Neuroradiological imaging abnormalities were observed in 72.2% of these patients. Chronic liver disease was detected in 68% of the patients with hepatic symptoms. 94.2% of all the patients were treated with D-penicillamine for a mean time of 129.9 ± 108.3 months. Other treatments included zinc salts, combined therapy and liver transplantation. After initiating therapy, 78.8% of the patients had a stable or improved outcome, and the overall survival rate was 90.1%. CONCLUSION: This study is the first retrospective description of a population of Wilson's disease patients of mainly European continental origin who live in southern Brazil. Wilson's disease is treatable if correctly diagnosed, and an adequate quality of life can be achieved, resulting in a long overall survival.

Patients with schizophrenia have a two- to three-fold increased risk of premature death as compared to patients without this disease. It has been established that patients with schizophrenia are at a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Moreover, an important issue that has not yet been explored is a possible existence of a "cerebral" focus that could trigger sudden cardiac death in patients with schizophrenia. Along these lines, several structural and functional alterations in the thalamic complex are evident in patients with schizophrenia and have been correlated with the symptoms manifested by these patients. With regard to abnormalities on the cellular and molecular level, previous studies have shown that schizophrenic patients have fewer neuronal projections from the thalamus to the prefrontal cortex as well as a reduced number of neurons, a reduced volume of either the entire thalamus or its subnuclei, and abnormal glutamate signaling. According to the glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia, hypofunctional corticostriatal and striatothalamic projections are directly involved in the pathophysiology of the disease. Animal and post-mortem studies have provided a large amount of evidence that links the sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) that occurs in patients with schizophrenia and epilepsy to thalamic changes. Based on the results of these prior studies, it is clear that further research regarding the relationship between the thalamus and sudden cardiac death is of vital importance.

INTRODUÇÃO: O estado de Santa Catarina está localizado na Região Sul do Brasil. O coeficiente de mortalidade nesse estado é um dos maiores do país. Estudos preliminares indicam que a região do extremo oeste de Santa Catarina apresenta os maiores índices estaduais. Inexistem estudos descritivos sobre o perfil epidemiológico do suicídio nessa região. MÉTODO: Estudo descritivo, calculando o coeficiente bruto de mortalidade por suicídio no extremo oeste catarinense, assim como os coeficientes padronizados por gênero e faixa etária no período entre 1980 e 2005. Descrição dos meios empregados para o suicídio. Os dados foram coletados do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde. RESULTADOS: O coeficiente médio de suicídios no extremo oeste foi de 10 casos para cada 100.000 habitantes. A proporção entre homens e mulheres foi de 3:1. Os índices apresentaram aumento de mais de 50% em ambos os sexos e em todas as faixas etárias no período estudado. O enforcamento representa 76% dos casos entre os homens e 73% entre as mulheres. CONCLUSÕES: O extremo oeste catarinense apresenta coeficientes de mortalidade por suicídio acima da média nacional e estadual, sendo comparável aos maiores do país. O perfil epidemiológico da região guarda semelhanças com o Rio Grande do Sul que devem ser investigadas em estudos seguintes.

INTRODUCTION: The State of Santa Catarina is located in Southern Brazil. The suicide rate in this state is one of the largest in the country. Preliminary studies showed that the westernmost region of Santa Catarina has the largest rate in the state. Descriptive studies about suicide epidemiological profile in this area are not available. METHOD: A descriptive study of suicide rate in the west of Santa Catarina was performed, stratified by gender and age from 1980 to 2005. Methods of suicide are also described. The data were collected from the Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (Information Technology Department of the Brazilian Unified Health System - DATASUS). RESULTS: Mean suicide rate was 10 cases/100,000 inhabitants in western Santa Catarina. The male rate was three times higher than that of females. There was a 50% increase in suicide rates during the study period, independent of gender or age. Hanging accounted for 76% of male and 73% of female deaths. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that the westernmost region of Santa Catarina has suicide rates higher than the state and national levels, comparable to the highest rates in the country. The epidemiological profile has similarities with the State of Rio Grande do Sul and it should be investigated in further studies.

RACIONAL: A hipertensão portal é a causa principal das complicações da cirrose hepática, traduzidas clinicamente por circulação colateral visível na parede abdominal, ascite e varizes esofágicas. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a capacidade do ecodoppler do sistema porta no diagnóstico de alterações esôfago-gástricas endoscópicas secundárias à hipertensão porta em pacientes com cirrose hepática. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Cento e oitenta e seis pacientes dos ambulatórios de gastroenterologia e hepatologia do Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, foram selecionados para avaliação. Destes, 145 completaram todas as etapas e 133 puderam ser incluídos na análise final dos dados. Todos foram submetidos a endoscopia digestiva alta, visando determinar presença e grau de varizes esofágicas e gástricas e de gastropatia congestiva e ao ecodoppler do sistema porta para medir/aferir pico de velocidade sistólica da veia porta, diâmetro das veias porta e esplênica, tamanho do baço, presença de recanalização da veia umbilical e de fluxo hepatofugal. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes com varizes esofágicas e gástricas tiveram diferença significativa do tamanho do baço quando comparados com os pacientes sem essas alterações. No entanto, a exatidão e a especificidade deste parâmetro não foi adequada. O diagnóstico de gastropatia congestiva pode ser predito de maneira significativa, tanto pelo diâmetro da veia porta, quanto pelo da esplênica e também pelo tamanho do baço. Da mesma forma, todavia, a exatidão e especificidade destes parâmetros foram ruins. As medidas foram validadas pela construção de curvas ROC ("Receiver Operating Characteristic"), cujas áreas sob as curvas foram sempre menores que 0,8. CONCLUSÃO: Nesta série de pacientes não houve boa correlação dos parâmetros do ecodoppler do sistema porta com a presença das principais alterações endoscópicas (varizes esofágicas, varizes gástricas, gastropatia congestiva) em pacientes com cirrose hepática.

BACKGROUND: The portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients is the main cause of this illness complication, that are clinically translated to visible collateral circulation in the abdominal wall, ascites and esophageal varices. AIM: To evaluate if the portal system echodoppler is able to estimate the presence of esophageal varices, gastric varices and congestive gastropathy in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty six patients of the gastroenterology and hepatology ambulatory of the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil, had been selected for evaluation. Of those, 145 had completed all the stages of the evaluation and 133 had been enclosed in the final analysis. All had been submitted to high digestive endoscopy for evaluation of esophagogastric varices and congestive gastropathy and then to Doppler ultrasound of the portal system with study of the systolic peak speed of the portal vein, diameter of the portal and splenic vein and spleen size, presence of the umbilical vein recanalization and hepatofugal flow. RESULTS: The patients with esophagogastric varices had significant difference of the spleen size when compared to patients without these change. However, none of the Doppler ultrasound parameters showed good accuracy and specificity in this group of cirrhotic patients. Congestive gastropathy patients had their diagnosis predict with significant manner not only by the portal and splenic vein diameter but also by the spleen size. Similarly to that described above, they do not have a good accuracy and specificity. These evaluations were validated by the construction of ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curves, whose areas below the curves had always been less than 0,8. CONCLUSION: There was not a good correlation of the Doppler ultrasound parameters of the portal system to the presence of the main endoscopic alterations (esophagogastric varices and congestive gastropathy) in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.