The aim was to identify the normal mycoflora in wine grapes from Argentina and Brazil. We collected 50 grapes samples from Malbec and Chardonnay varieties in each country during the 1997-98 harvest. Yeasts were a major component of the fungal population, and the most frequent genera of filamentous fungi isolated were: Aspergillus, Penicillium and Botrytis. Other genera identified (in decreasing order) were: Phythophthora, Moniliella, Alternaria and Cladosporium. From grapes, the mean frequency of filamentous fungi ranged from 1.3 x 10(4) to 5.4 x 10(6) CFU g(-1). We isolated 48 Aspergillus niger strains from Argentinian grape, of which eight could produce ochratoxin A. Sixteen of 53 A. niger strains from Brazilian grapes produced ochratoxin A. The results indicate that similar mycobiota were isolated from Argentinian and Brazilian wine grapes and there could be ochratoxin A production in this substrate.

The Brazilian Association for the Study of Alcohol and other Drugs [Associação Brazileira de Estudos do Alcool e outras Drogas (ABEAD)] is a non-profit entity with the purpose of encouraging discussions and exchanges on advances in the prevention, treatment and research of addition. It currently brings together 840 professionals from different areas, such as Psychiatry, Social Assistance, Nursing, Psychology, Sociology, Law, in addition to community leaders, thus having an innovative and dynamic character. It organises annual national congresses and regional meetings hosting foreign guests. The society has a style that is innovative and dynamic. After more than 20 years of work, ABEAD exerts significant national influence and its members have been invited to participate in the main decisions regarding issues linked to drug abuse in Brazil. Among other achievements, it has contributed to the proposals on prevention and treatment policies and the standardization of the different levels of assistance provided by public health-care. In addition, its members have worked closely with the initiatives made by the government and medical entities in the search for a consensus on the treatment of the different types of dependence, including alcohol dependence and smoking. ABEAD's goal for the future is to broaden its participation in the national drug policy arena and to intensify the work with other medical organizations and with the community.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aim was to update the clinical analysis of hemodynamic performance, structural failure and survival in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) with a composite aortic, aldehyde tanned, stentless porcine bioprosthesis. METHODS: Between January 1990 and March 2001, 247 patients underwent AVR with aortic stentless valves. Patient demographic and clinical analysis included age, sex, valve lesion, valve size, pre- and postoperative NYHA class, hospital morbidity, mortality, operative data and duration of hospitalization. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 47.3 years; 71% of patients were males, and 45% had aortic insufficiency. The incidence of rheumatic heart disease requiring surgery was 41.7%. In 23% of patients surgery was indicated due to aortic stented bioprosthetic dysfunction. Preoperatively, 81% of patients were in NYHA classes III and IV. Mean follow up was 5.9+/-2.8 years (range: 1 month to 11.4 years); total follow up was 1,392 patient-years (98% complete). The valve size used was < or =25 mm in 75.3% of patients. The mean intensive care unit stay was 2.6 days; mean hospital stay was 10.7 days. Hospital mortality was 4.0% and late death 6.1%. There were no valve-related deaths. Postoperatively, the mean aortic effective orifice area (EOA) was 1.71 cm2, the mean peak transvalvular gradient 17.1 mmHg, and the mean transvalvular gradient 9.0 mmHg; the left ventricular mass index (g/m2) was 174 and 117 before and after surgery respectively. The rate of leaflet tissue degeneration was 0.9%, and seen as mild by echocardiographic follow up. Actuarial survival at almost 12 years was 91%, and freedom from reoperations was approximately 99%. CONCLUSION: Patients with aortic stentless valves have hemodynamic benefits seen as larger aortic EOA, low transvalvular gradients, satisfactory left ventricular remodeling with significant reduction of left ventricular mass, low complication rate, low reoperation rate, lower leaflet tissue degeneration rate, and no valve-related mortality. A longer follow up is required to confirm these benefits.

The function of the autonomic nervous system was assessed in 23 patients with dysmotility-like functional dyspepsia and 12 healthy volunteers by analysis of 24-hr heart rate variability and a battery of five standardized sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiovascular reflex tests. Measures of heart rate variability were obtained by analysis of ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings using both the time and the frequency domain methods. The values of parameters reflecting vagal activity (HF, rMSSD) were significantly lower in patients with functional dyspepsia. Individual analysis of heart rate variability data identified at least one abnormal parameter of vagal function in seven (30.4%) patients, and in five of these the results of parasympathetic cardiovascular reflex tests were also abnormal. Our results suggest impaired efferent vagal function in a subgroup of patients with functional dyspepsia. This abnormality may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease in these patients.