Health of women living near oil wells and oil production stations in the Amazon region of Ecuador]

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the environmental conditions in and the state of health of women who live in rural communities surrounded by oil wells and oil production stations in the Amazon region of Ecuador. METHOD: We used a comparative cross-sectional design, classifying exposure according to the location of the communities with respect to the oil wells and production stations. Water samples from the local rivers were analyzed to determine total petroleum hydrocarbons, and a structured questionnaire was used with the head of each family in the study. The study was performed in rural communities in northeastern Ecuador from November 1998 through April 1999. The study included 9 communities in the exposed area (368 participants) and 14 communities in the unexposed area (291 participants). RESULTS: The rivers of the exposed communities showed contamination levels much above the limits acceptable for human use. Statistically significant differences between the exposed communities and the unexposed communities were found for the prevalence of skin fungi for the two weeks prior to the study (odds ratio (OR) = 1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.86) as well as for nasal irritation (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.64-2.91) and for throat irritation (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.02-2.75) in the preceding 12 months. Also associated with exposure in the two preceding weeks were fatigue and the category of "other symptoms"; similarly associated with exposure in the preceding 12 months were headaches, eye irritation, earaches, diarrhea, and gastritis. CONCLUSIONS: The symptoms found among the participants in the exposed communities match the toxicity symptoms caused by oil. There is an urgent need to establish an adequate environmental control and remediation program in order to prevent unnecessary and unacceptable health hazards for these populations.     

Accuracy of the smear technique in the cytological diagnosis of 650 lesions of the central nervous system

The authors analyzed the results of 650 lesions of the central nervous system submitted to intraoperative cytological diagnosis by the smear technique. Cytological and paraffin section diagnoses were compared. The following statistical values were obtained: accuracy of 97.3%, sensitivity of 97.9%, specificity of 95%, positive predictive value of 99.1%, and negative predictive value of 89.6%. The authors comment on their main pitfalls using this cytological diagnostic procedure.     

Relationship between body mass index and self-perception among university students

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between body mass index and self-perception of body image. METHODS: A study was carried out in a sample comprising 106 female and male university students aged 18 years or more in Ribeir?o Preto, Southeastern Brazil, in 2003. The Contour Drawing Rating Scale and Visual Analogue Scale were used to evaluate body image perception; the former was applied using two different psychometric methods. A body image questionnaire was used to assess the subjective component of body image. Subjects were classified according to body mass index. Statistical analyses were performed through variance analysis and Newman-Keuls post-hoc test. RESULTS: Most normal weight or overweight women (87%) overestimated their body size while obese women and all men (73%), regardless of their BMI, underestimated their body size. The differences of body image perception between men and women were statistically significant as well as the overall dissatisfaction with their perceived body size, revealed by a desired lower body mass index. Overweight women were more concerned and uncomfortable with their own body. CONCLUSIONS: Both men and women had a distorted self-perception of body image, underestimating or overestimating it. The study results suggest dissatisfaction of subjects with their body image as they desire to have leaner bodies.     

Linking feeding activity and maturation of Daphnia magna following short-term exposure to fenvalerate

Feeding activity and maturation were investigated in Daphnia magna exposed to fenvalerate for 24 h. The feeding activity was monitored by measuring filtration rates and 15N-traced food assimilation. Exposure resulted in individuals with reduced feeding activity and smaller body size at concentrations of 0.3 microg/L or greater as well as delayed maturation at concentrations of 0.61microg/L or greater. Filtration rates recovered within 2 d of the exposure, but long-term effects of reduced feeding activity, such as growth retardation, occurred. Because D. magna needs to reach a minimum size to mature, growth retardation may explain the observed delay in maturity. The proposed causal relationships suggest that exposure to fenvalerate reduces feeding activity, resulting in growth retardation, which leads to delayed maturity. In cases of exposure to such toxicants, the monitoring of feeding activity may predict long-term effects on population parameters.     

Influence of sperm pretreatment on the efficiency of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in pigs

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of sperm pretreatment on the efficiency of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in pigs. This was done by examining the effect of 1) the conservation method (fresh vs frozen); 2) the sperm treatment preinjection (resuspension in Dulbecco phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS) vs selection by a Percoll gradient); and 3) the acrosomal and live or dead status of the spermatozoa (by incubation with or without calcium ionophore, 1 muM and 5 muM). In vitro matured porcine oocytes were injected with treated spermatozoa according to each experiment. All the experiments were done with non-artificially activated oocytes. The percentages of activation and cleavage were higher (68% vs 43% and 63% vs 43%, respectively, P < .05) in oocytes injected with fresh vs frozen spermatozoa. The DPBS treatment allowed higher cleavage proportions than the Percoll treatment (P < .05). Moreover, a boar effect was observed in the percentage of developing blastocysts. None of the studied parameters was affected by the acrosomal or the live or dead status of the spermatozoa injected. In conclusion, the use of fresh semen is recommended for porcine ICSI, as well as careful selection of the boar; Percoll treatment is only recommended for poor-quality samples or for removing toxic agents, and no exogenous form of activation or induction of the acrosome reaction is necessary for porcine oocytes to develop a male pronucleus and cleave up to the 2-cell stage after ICSI, although experimental conditions to reach the blastocyst stage need to be investigated further.     

Short communication. Baseline factors associated with haematological toxicity that leads to a dosage reduction of pegylated interferon-alpha2a and ribavirin in HIV- and HCV-coinfected patients on HCV antiviral therapy

OBJECTIVE: To assess the baseline factors associated with haematological toxicity that lead to ribavirin or pegylated interferon (peginterferon) dosage reductions in hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HCV/HIV)-coinfected patients. DESIGN: Multicentre, prospective, observational study. Setting: Eleven hospitals in Spain during the period 2002-2003. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One-hundred and forty-two HIV/HCV-coinfected patients received peginterferon-alpha2a plus ribavirin. Baseline characteristics and haematological parameters were recorded at baseline, week 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48. Cox's regression model was used to study the factors associated with the appearance of a haemoglobin level below 10g/dl (haemoglobin-endpoint), a neutrophil count below 750/mm(3) (neutrophil-endpoint) and a platelet count below 50,000/mm(3) (platelet-endpoint). RESULTS: Nineteen patients (13.4%) reached the haemoglobin-endpoint, 22.5% the neutrophil-endpoint and 7% the platelet-endpoint. Mean time of follow-up was 8 months (+/-3.5). A baseline haemoglobin level below 14g/dl [hazard ratio (HR): 3.65; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.46-9.06] and treatment with zidovudine (HR: 3.25; 95% CI: 1.31-8.11) were the independent factors associated with the appearance of the haemoglobin-endpoint. A baseline neutrophil below 2050/mm(3) (HR: 3.59; 95% CI: 1.77-7.28) and baseline weight <60 kg (HR: 2.21; 95% Cl: 1.04-4.56) were independently associated with the appearance of the neutrophil-endpoint. Baseline platelet count (x1000/mm(3) decrease) (HR: 1.074; 95% CI: 1.04-1.11) was independently associated with the appearance of the platelet-endpoint. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline factors allow the identification of a subset of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who are prone to experience haematological toxicity during HCV antiviral therapy.     

Influence of the respiratory physiotherapy on intracranial pressure in severe head trauma patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate influence of the respiratory physiotherapy on intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with severe head trauma. METHOD: Thirty five patients with severe head trauma were included in the study.The patients were divided into three groups: ICP 0-10, 11-20 and 21-30 mmHg. The following variables were measured: ICP and mean arterial pressure. Cerebral perfusion pressure was calculated as the difference between mean arterial and intracranial pressure. RESULTS: Endotracheal aspiration increased ICP in all patients. The mean arterial pressure didn't change and cerebral perfusion pressure decreased, but remaining normal value. CONCLUSION: Respiratory physiotherapy maneuvers can be safely applied in patients with severe head trauma with ICP below 30 mmHg. More attention should be taken during endotracheal aspiration.