Cysticercosis of the oral cavity: report of seven cases.

Cysticercosis is a condition in which a human acts as the intermediate host of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium. Although cysticercosis is a common disease in some regions of the world and can occur in any body site, oral lesions are rare. This paper reviews the natural history of the disease and reports on seven cases of oral cysticercosis.

Subcutaneous hydration by hypodermoclysis. A practical and low cost treatment for elderly patients.

As the world's population ages, chronic and degenerative diseases are rising. This scenario demands the development of new treatment techniques with lower costs, which are as efficient as the existing ones. Hypodermoclysis is the infusion of fluids into the subcutaneous tissue with a butterfly needle.

[Activities of the Brazilian Senate in the area of public health, 1995 and 1996].

The objective of this study was to identify and describe the actions of Brazilian senators in the field of public health in 1995 and 1996. We also sought to determine if profession, regional background, or political party influenced the senators' actions. The actions were divided into three types: legislative (proposal and review of bills and petitions); supervisory (information requests to the executive branch and the establishment of inquiry committees and other special committees); and parliamentary (speeches).

Activities of the Pharmaceutical Technology Institute of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation with medicinal, insecticidal and insect repellent plants.

In addition to original research, Far-Manguinhos, the Pharmaceutical Division of the Brazilian Ministry of Health's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), devotes major attention to the finalising of products for use in public health campaigns or, under contract, for private industrial development. Emphasis is on standardisation, adequate supply, safety in use and efficacy. Among the products discussed in this summary of some of its activities in the chemical and pharmaceutical fields are medicinal plants Bidens pilosa, Cymbopogon citratus, Copaifera species, Mentha crispa, Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb.

Oxidative stress in chronic renal failure.

This study focuses on the oxidative stress in patients with severe chronic renal failure who are not undergoing dialysis treatment. The erythocyte levels, creatinine clearing and plasma- and cell activities of the following enzymes were determined: glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione transferase (GT). The concentrations of non-enzyme molecules such as total glutathione in both oxidized and reduced forms, and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) were also measured.

Endoscopic treatment of Zenker's diverticulum.

Background: The most important aspect of the surgical management of Zenker's diverticulum is probably the cricopharyngeal myotomy. Endoscopic diverticulotomy can be performed with a needle-knife papillotome, which allows simultaneous myotomy of the upper esophageal sphincter.

Methods: Since 1978, 47 patients (28 men and 19 women 51 to 81 years of age) underwent endoscopic diverticulotomy.

Colonic proteinases: increased activity in patients with ulcerative colitis.

In order to study the colonic intraluminal proteinase-antiproteinase imbalance under inflammatory conditions, we determined proteolytic activity (PA), alpha-1-antitrypsin and the activities of trypsin, chymotrypsin and neutrophil elastase in feces from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) comparing the results with a control group. A fecal sample was obtained from each 25 patients with ulcerative colitis and 10 control subjects were studied. The severity of the disease was assessed by the Truelove index.

[Teaching perioperative nursing: a comparative study of audiovisual (video) oral resources].

The aim of this study was to compare information on perioperative Nursing regarding audiovisual (video) and oral resources. 104 patients were registered as subjects and divided in two groups, 54 of them in the oral group and 50 in the video group. Authors concluded that the groups were homogeneous and that there was no significant difference between the two resources used.

[Hospital prevalence of kidney failure. Consequences and reflections for the planning of nephrology services].

A prospective prevalence study of Renal Failure (RF) in inhospital patients (creatinine > = 1.7 mg/dl) was carried out during March 1994, in two hospitals covering well defined and mutually exclusive populations. Cases were selected by screening all urea and creatinine blood tests performed in both laboratories, and registered in an individual form for daily follow-up of their nephrologic outcome.

[Transfer of the pronator teres tendon to the extensor carp radialis tendon in wrist flexion deformity in cerebral palsy].

The flexion deformity of the wrist in cerebral palsy is quite common, carrying disability to the effective use of the hands. From 1980 to 1990, 36 transferences of the pronator teres to the extensor carpi radialis were reviewed. The authors describe the operative technique by a unique incision, that may be used in cerebral palsy, and conclude that it is a good method for correction of deformity.

A new method to assess gastric mucosa rewarming time in patients with portal hypertension.

It is possible that the mucosal damage in congestive gastropathy of portal hypertensive patients may have an ischemic basis, since rewarming time in other sites correlates with local blood flow, a method was designed to assess the capacity of the gastric mucosa to rewarm the stomach after a cold challenge, as an index of ischemia. Eleven control subjects and 15 patients with portal hypertension (10 treated with sclerotherapy) were studied with an integrated circuit temperature transducer connected to a digital display. A balloon containing the temperature transducer inside was reversibly fixed 10 cm.

[Do the physical characteristics of radiopaque markers modify the results of the measurement of colonic transit time?].

Unlabelled: This study was performed in 15 healthy control subjects (8 males- age 23-70 and 7 females age 20-74) as a way to compare the total and segmental colonic transit time with two different type of radiopaque markers. One type of markers was 3 mm cut sections of a radiopaque polietilene 14 French Levine tube, with a medium weight of 64.3 mg and a specific gravity (SG) of 1.

[Pulmonary compromise in leptospirosis].

To study the pulmonary complications in leptospirosis case records of 23 such patients admitted at the Hospital Universitário Antônio Pedro, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil, were reviewed. Hemoptysis were seen in 21.7% and sputal blood in 30.

[Gastrointestinal involvement in progressive systemic sclerosis].

25 patients with clinical, radiological and manometrical features of PSS in the gastrointestinal tract were reviewed, looking mainly for the esophageal involvement. All of the data obtained in our serie agreed with those of most of the authors. Outlining: The lack of relationship between the evolution of the skin involvement and GI tract involvement.

[Gastric cancer. 11 years' experience in 8,304 endoscopic studies performed].

8.304 patients have been examined endoscopically in a period of time of eleven years. We found 412 with gastric cancer, a 4.

[Giant duodenal diverticula with heterotopic gastric mucosa. Its demonstration with technetium 99].

The duodenal diverticulum, except for occasional findings, are diagnosed by their complications, these are found in 10% of the cases and they are: 1) diverticulitis 2) haemorrhage 3) mechanic disturbances 4) perforation 5) obstruction 6) malabsorption syndrome. The case that motivated our communication appeared as a massive haemorrhage, that was medically treated considering the high mortality, rate of the surgical procedures. As the duodenal diverticuli can be cause of acute or chronic digestive haemorrhage, and this is frequently due to the erosion produced, by the heterotopic gastric mucosae, we consider that its demonstration with technetium 99 can be a valuable diagnostic method, as has already been demonstrated in other pathologies that present heterotopic mucosae, and as has been demonstrated in our case.