Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A C Azevedo

Publications and source records attributed to A C Azevedo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

The aortic valve with two leaflets--a study in 2,000 autopsies.

Our study is based on the examination of 2,000 aortic valves obtained from fresh cadavers (1,499 males, 501 females) at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Rio de Janeiro. We discovered 13 valves having two leaflets, giving a prevalence of 0.65%, much lower than generally reported in the literature. All 13 valves were from males, 10 from whites, three from mulattos, and none from blacks. Special attention was given to the raphe and the leaflets, the calcification of which can lead to stenosis. The only valves with normal texture and flexibility were two obtained from children less than one year old. All the other valves were thickened, and five of them had some degree of calcification. Six valves were judged to be functioning normally, while 7 valves were abnormal, 5 being stenotic and two showing evidence of insufficiency. The insufficiency in one was due to endocarditis, but in the other was due to redundancy of the leaflets. The only other cardiac anomaly discovered in these 13 cases was one patient with aortic coarctation. Bifoliate aortic valve, therefore, is probably the most common cardiac anomaly, although its prevalence as discovered in Brazil is lower than that reported in the literature. It affects mainly white males. After the fourth decade of life, most valves present some thickening, with stenosis being the most common complication. As is well recognised, infective endocarditis and aortic insufficiency are the other frequent complications. It is in general, nonetheless, an isolated anomaly.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[The provision of health services in Chile: historical aspects, dilemmas and perspectives].

The evolution of the health system in Chile, since its beginning and during the National Health Service period is described. The transformations that this system underwent from 1980 on, during the military regime, and the changes introduced by the democratic governments from 1990 on, with the purpose of correcting distortions introduced in the previous period, are commented on. The production of the health services is compared as between the public and private sub-sectors. The indicators used are outpatient attendance per thousand insured inhabitants, use of, lab texts on the same populational basis, hospitalization rates, discharges per thousand insured and surgery rates per thousand. Differences between the two sub-systems are commented on as also are those related to user satisfaction in the two sub-systems. The chief challenges to the public system are considered as well as their possible responses to them on the basis of current policies and the solutions implemented. The present situation in the Public/Private mix in health care in Chile gives rise to the positive expectation that the public subsystem may succeed in maintaining its historical leadership in the orientation and health services offered in this country. This positive view is supported by the rigorous geographic and demographic logic of the public subsystem, the stable availability of financial resources (result of the 7% contribution for health applied on all salaries, complemented by tax funds), a not completely modern but reliable network of public health facilities and the considerable motivation shown by its staff. Some features of the Chilean health system's development are mentioned as potentially useful to the development of health systems in other countries, especially in Latin America, such as organization and management of regional health services, innovative methodologies in health service payment (diagnosed related payment, management agreements and per capita financing for primary care); the health surveilance system (especially for food and drugs) and the state regulation of private health care financers.

Chile↗
PubMed1998

Genetic polymorphism of morphological and biochemical characters in a Natal, Brazil, population of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The phlebotomine sand fly, Lutzomyia longipalpis, is the vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the New World. Variability in its tergal spot morphology has led to conflicting interpretations of the species status of the various forms. An L. longipalpis field population from eastern Brazil was found with three co-occurring morphological variations--1-spot, 2-spot, and an intermediate form. Genetic profiles were established for each form. Fifteen isoenzyme loci provided the data matrix for comparison of genetic variation among the forms. Spot patterns and isoenzyme frequencies fit Hardy-Weinberg expectations, and no significant differences in isoenzyme frequencies were associated with morphological phenotype. The spot phenotype appears to be a polymorphic character not related to genetic isolation or differentiation at the species level.

Alleles↗
PubMed1975

Aortic septal defect and coronary-systemic micro-fistulae.

This report concerns a 32-year-old man, who at the age of 11, had an aortic septal defect with severe pulmonary hypertension. The defect was partially closed and the patient was left with a continuous murmur, an a-v shunt and marked diminution of pulmonary hypertension. Five years later he was asymptomatic, auscultation was normal and no shunt was found at cardiac catheterization. At 32 years of age, although asymptomatic he had abnormal "T" waves, and a selective coronary angiography demonstrated micro-fistulae involving the anterior descending coronary artery. It is suggested that these fistulae may be responsible for the abnormality of ventricular repolarization.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Phlebotomus of Vargem Grande, a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the State of Rio de Janeiro].

In Vargem Grande, an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis in State of Rio de Janeiro, where Lutzomyia intermedia had been found infected with Leishmania braziliensis, we performed a series of captures of sandflies to increase the knowledge on their behaviour. The following species were found among 8,671 sandflies collected: L. intermedia, L. migonei, L. longipalpis, L. lanei, L. fischeri, L. firmatoi, L. monticola, L. schreiberi, L. whitmani, L. pelloni, L. barrettoi e L. (Pi) sp. Inside houses and outdoors close to the houses, on human bait and in light traps, the predominant species was L. intermedia, followed by L. migonei, both being more numerous between 9 and 11 p.m. than from 6 to 8 p.m. In a plantation, L. migonei was predominant. In simultaneous captures on man and dog as baits, L. intermedia was more frequent on the former, L. migonei on the latter.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Studies on sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis in mesquita, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

In a study on vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Mesquita, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, eleven species of sandflies were found: Lutzomyia longipalpis, L. fischeri, L. quinquefer, L. intermedia, L. whitmani, L. shannoni, L. cortelezzii, L. edwardsi, L. migonei, L. lanei and L. firmatoi. Lutzomyia intermedia was the predominant species. It was collected indoors but in much higher numbers outdoors, in the close vicinity of houses. In comparative captures it was found to feed more frequently on equines, and less frequently on man and dogs. Studies, using man and animals as baits, showed that blood-feeding started in the evening, and remained stable during the night, until early morning. June, August and October were the months of highest density.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A study of sandfly species (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the municipality of Baturité, Ceará, Brazil.

In a study on putative vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Baturité, Ceará State, Brazil, six sandfly species were identified: Lutzomyia longipalpis, L. wellcomei, L. peresi, L. whitmani, L. shannoni and L. migonei. In general L. whitmani and L. migonei were the predominant species. They were collected in periodomiciliary areas and were attracted by man and equines. L. whitmani was the most anthropophilic species. Studies using animals as bait showed that blood-feeding occurs throughout the night. Previously L. whitmani had been found infected with a Leishmania species of the braziliensis complex and L. migonei was infected with peripylarian flagellates. In combination these findings suggest that they may be responsible for periodomestic transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Variation between geographical populations of Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) whitmani (Antunes & Coutinho, 1939) sensu lato (Diptera:Psychodidae:Phlebotominae) in Brazil.

Phylogenetic analysis of morphometric and biological characters indicated that there are two distinct forms of Lutzomyia whitmani in Brazil: one is present both north and south of the River Amazonas in the State of Pará while the other occurs in northeast Brazil, in the State of Ceará, and further south, including the type locality in State of Bahia. The Amazonian form is reportedly neither strongly anthropophilic nor synanthropic, and it is the vector of Leishmania shawi; whereas the southern form is often collected peridomestically, while biting man, and has been found infected with Le.(V.) braziliensis. The ratio of the length of the genital filaments to that the genital pump was found to be consistently smaller in males of the Amazonian populations. A middle repetitive DNA element was isolated by differentially screening a genomic library made using Amazonian material, and the sequence was diagnostic for this form of Lu. whitmani (being absent or occurring in low copy number in the southern form). The total evidence suggests there are at least two, geographically-isolated forms of Lu. whitmani, which may represent different cryptic species.

Animals↗