[The information system and tuberculosis control on prioritary cities of Paraiba - Brazil].

This article had the purpose to understand the perception of the coordinators of the Tuberculosis Control Program regarding the use of the Notification Aggravation Information System - Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN) as an instrument of the DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment) Strategy. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews, with eight coordinators of the Tuberculosis Control Program in six cities of the state of Paraiba. The results showed that the cities use the SINAN to evaluate actions to control tuberculosis, pointing to difficulties such as failure to fill out the tuberculosis notification sheets, precarious computer infrastructure, insufficient qualification of human resources, lack of integration between professionals from different sectors and deficiencies in the information flow between healthcare units and cities.

Difficulties in the accessibility to health services for tuberculosis diagnoses in Brazilian municipalities.

Objective: To assess difficulties in the accessibility to tuberculosis diagnoses in the health services in Brazil.

Methods: The study was carried out in 2007 and surveyed tuberculosis patients treated in the primary care services in the cities of Ribeirão Preto, São José do Rio Preto, Itaboraí (these three in Southeastern Brazil), Campina Grande and Feira de Santana (these two in Northeastern Brazil). The instrument 'Primary Care Assessment Tool' was used, adapted to assess tuberculosis care in Brazil.

Role of TolC in Klebsiella oxytoca resistance to antibiotics.

Objectives: The Gram-negative human pathogen Klebsiella oxytoca is often resistant to several antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones, erythromycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and others. The aim of this study was to look at the mechanisms leading to this resistance and particularly the role of TolC and efflux mechanisms in determining resistance.

Methods: Ciprofloxacin accumulation was measured spectrofluorometrically.

[The performance of health services in providing DOTs in households to control tuberculosis].

Exploratory study of qualitative and quantitative nature that evaluates the performance of the health services in providing DOT in households of a big city in Brazil. For the quantitative analysis, indexes were created to evaluate the optimization of material/human resources and the observation of the medicine ingestion. It was observed that performance of services is influenced by the availability of human/material resources, the internal organization of services and the absence of the ill person in the household.

Visual attention in children with migraine: a controlled comparative study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the visual attention of children with migraine and compare it with a control group. Thirty migrainous children and 30 controls without headache were subjected to a visual attention assessment with Trail Making Tests (TMT) A/B, Letter Cancellation Test, and the Brazilian computerized test Visual Attention Test, third edition. The migraine group was evaluated after 2 days without headache.

Cloning and expression of buffalo active chymosin in Pichia pastoris.

To date, only recombinant chymosin has been obtained in its active form from supernatants of filamentous fungi, which are not as good candidates as yeasts for large-scale fermentations. Since Bos taurus chymosin was cloned and expressed, the world demand for this protease has increased to such an extent that the cheesemaking industry has been looking for novel sources of chymosin. In this sense because buffalo chymosin has properties that are more stable than those of B.

Phosphorylation of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain dictates transcription termination choice.

Cryptic unstable transcripts (CUTs) are short, 300-600-nucleotide (nt) RNA polymerase II transcripts that are rapidly degraded by the nuclear RNA exosome in yeast. CUTs are widespread and probably represent the largest share of hidden transcription in the yeast genome. Similarly to small nucleolar and small nuclear RNAs, transcription of CUT-encoding genes is terminated by the Nrd1 complex pathway.

HIV testing and care of the patient co-infected with tuberculosis and HIV.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection poses one of the greatest challenges to tuberculosis (TB) control, with TB killing more people with HIV infection than any other condition. The standards in this chapter cover provider-initiated HIV counselling and testing and the care of HIV-infected patients with TB. All TB patients who have not previously been diagnosed with HIV infection should be encouraged to have an HIV test.

Genetic stabilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae oenological strains by using benomyl.

Wild-type oenological strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are usually aneuploid and heterozygotes; thus, when they are used as starters in must fermentation the resulting wine characteristics may vary from year to year. Treatment of a wild-type S. cerevisiae oenological strain with benomyl (methyl-l-butylcarbamoyl-2-benzimidazole carbamate), an antifungal agent shown to cause chromosome loss in yeasts, resulted in a stable starter strain in which the parental oenological traits were unchanged.

Nuclear quality control of RNA polymerase II ribonucleoproteins in yeast: tilting the balance to shape the transcriptome.

From the very first time they set foot in the nuclear landscape till the end of their life, RNAs are packaged in ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) and face numerous processing steps to achieve function. To avoid the catastrophic consequences of naturally occurring processing errors, cells employ numerous quality control strategies. Focusing on yeast as a model system, we will review here how nuclear mechanisms ensure the proper assembly and maturation of mRNPs for their release in the cytoplasm, and highlight how these mechanisms are exploited to shape the RNA polymerase II transcriptome.

[Involvement of health primary care teams in the control of tuberculosis].

This study was aimed at analyzing the involvement of Health Primary Care teams in the tuberculosis control actions in the perception of the Tuberculosis Control Program coordinators of nine priority municipalities of the State of São Paulo. It is a qualitative research whose data were collected in June of 2005 through semistructured interviews with nine coordinators. The content thematic modality was used for the analysis of the data.

Care during the continuation phase.

As the patient's treatment progresses, symptoms start to disappear and he or she becomes more familiar with the treatment. The standards in this section focus on the types of elements that need to be considered as the patient progresses from the intensive to the continuation phase of tuberculosis (TB) treatment, leading to less contact with the TB service and a resumption of 'normal' activities. Social and psychological as well as physical factors need to be assessed to plan effective care and treatment for the continuation phase.

[A preliminar mathematical model for patients with a previous negative prostate biopsy].

Introduction And Objectives: It is usual to identify patients with a negative prostate biopsy who are still at risk of prostate cancer. We try to analyse if the classical variables used in the prostate cancer screening are useful for those patients with a previous negative prostate biopsy, and if there is a possibility for making a nomogram witch would help us in the decision to repeat the biopsy.

Material And Methods: We studied 179 patients with at least 1 initial negative biopsy.

Tuberculosis contact control in Brazil: a literature review (1984-2004).

This study aims to review plans for tuberculosis control through the analysis of measures for tuberculosis contact tracing in Brazil from 1984 to 2004. This article presents a literature review on tuberculosis control published in manuals of the Ministry of Health and the State Department of Health of Sao Paulo, and in Medline and Lilacs databases. There was a gap in the standardization of control measures in the decade from 1984 to 1994.

Care during the intensive phase: promotion of adherence.

The standards in this chapter focus on maximising the patient's ability to adhere to the treatment prescribed. Many people are extremely shocked when they are told they have TB, some refuse to accept it and others are relieved to find out what is wrong and that treatment is available. The reaction depends on many factors, including cultural beliefs and values, previous experience and knowledge of the disease.

mRNA journey to the cytoplasm: attire required.

In eukaryotes, copying the genetic information from a DNA template into RNA is not sufficient itself to confer functional competence to the DNA-encoded message. mRNAs have to be processed by enzymes and packaged with proteins within nuclei to generate mRNP (messenger ribonucleoprotein) particles, before these can be exported to the cytoplasm. Processing and packaging factors are believed to interact with the nascent mRNA co-transcriptionally, which protects the highly reactive RNA molecule from a presumably aggressive nuclear environment while providing early commitment to its functional fate.

[Coverage of directly observed treatment (DOTS) of tuberculosis in the state of São Paulo (1998-2004)].

The Supervised Treatment (ST) in the 36 priority municipalities for TB control of the State of São Paulo between 1998 and 2004 was analyzed with the aim of describing the coverage of the DOTS. This exploratory study used information from the State of São Paulo's Health Secretary's EPI-TB database. An instrument of data collection was elaborated and the coverage of the ST was calculated.

City tuberculosis control coordinators' perspectives of patient adherence to DOT in São Paulo State, Brazil, 2005.

Setting: Thirty-six priority cities in São Paulo State, Brazil, with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB) cases, deaths and treatment default.

Objective: To identify the perspectives of city TB control coordinators regarding the most important components of adherence strategies adopted by health care teams to ensure patient adherence in 36 priority cities in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.

Design: Qualitative research with semi-structured interviews conducted with the coordinators of the National TB Control Programme involved in the management of TB treatment services in the public sector.

Starting treatment: caring for patients and their families.

The standards presented in this section focus on providing physical, social and psychological care for the patient at the point he or she is diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) and starts treatment. Detailed guidance is included with regard to organising directly observed treatment (DOT) safely and acceptably for both the patient and the management unit. The aim is to give the patient the best possible chance of successfully completing treatment according to a regimen recommended by the World Health Organization.

Performance indicators of DOT at home for tuberculosis control in a large city, SP, Brazil.

The study had the objective to analyze the performance of the health services that implement the Directly Observed Therapy at home for tuberculosis control. This study analyzed four Tuberculosis Control Programs, referred to as A, B, C, and D, using the following indicators: Resource use; Performance quickness; Monitoring medication administration; Time spent per home visit. Data were collected during visits to 47 patients receiving DOT at home.

Identifying an active case of tuberculosis.

The best practice standards set out in chapter 2 of the Best Practice guide focus on the various aspects of identifying an active case of TB and aim to address some of the challenges associated with case detection. The importance of developing a good relationship with the patient from the start, when he or she is often most vulnerable, is emphasised. The first standard focuses on the assessment of someone who might have TB and the second gives detailed guidance about the collection of sputum for diagnosis.

Guidance for the implementation of best practice for the care of patients with tuberculosis.

The first two chapters of Best practice for the care of patients with tuberculosis: a guide for low-income countries include an introduction and guidance regarding implementation of best practice. The background to how the guide was developed is significant, as it was developed in collaboration with nurses and other health workers working in the most challenging settings. It therefore provides realistic and practical guidance for best practice where patient loads are large and resources are stretched.

Time series of tuberculosis mortality in Brazil (1980-2001).

This descriptive study aimed to describe Tuberculosis-related mortality in Brazil between 1980 and 2001, through time series analysis of data from the DATASUS related to cases in which Tuberculosis was the basic cause of death. The mortality rates were calculated per 100,000 inhabitants according to gender and age. We found a decrease in Tuberculosis mortality of approximately 42% for men and 54% for women across the period analyzed.