Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role as a leishmanicidal agent in murine macrophages. NO resistant Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been associated with poor outcomes of their resulting diseases. NO resistant Leishmania braziliensis has also been identified and exacerbates the clinical course of human leishmaniasis. We report, for the first time, natural resistance of Leishmania chagasi promastigotes to NO. These parasites were isolated from humans and dogs with visceral leishmaniasis. We also demonstrate that this resistance profile was associated with a greater survival capacity and a greater parasite burden in murine macrophages, independent of activation and after activation by IFN-γ and LPS.

BackgroundBreast cancer incidence within an area is usually proportional to the area’s income level. High-income areas have shown the highest incidence rates and since 2003, negative trends. As for mortality, rates are often higher in low-income regions. The purpose of this study was to analyze trends in incidence and mortality in a capital city of a northeastern Brazilian state with an intermediate human development index.MethodsIncidence data from the Population-Based Cancer Registry of Aracaju and mortality data from the Official State Database for the period 1996–2006 were used. Incidence and mortality crude and age-standardized rates were calculated. Time trends were obtained using the Joinpoint Regression Model.ResultsFor the period studied, invasive breast cancer age-standardized incidence rates increased annually with an annual percentage change (APC) of 2.9 (95% CI: 1.2-4.6). Significant increasing trends were observed in groups aged 45–54 years (APC: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.4 to 6.6), and 55–64 years (APC: 5.6, 95% CI: 1.8 to 9.6). Age-standardized mortality rates did not show an increasing trend (APC: 3.0, (95% CI: -2.8 to9.1), except for the group aged 55–64 years (APC: 11.3, 95% CI: 1.1 to 22.4).ConclusionsIn the study community, breast cancer showed increasing incidence among women in the peri- and postmenopausal periods. However, mortality did not present increasing overall trends, except for among the group aged 55–64 years. For better outcomes, screening policies should focus on the peri- and postmenopausal periods of women’s lives to diagnose disease.

Introdução e objetivos: O principal propósito dos registros de câncer de base populacional é avaliar o impacto do câncer em uma determinada população. Conhecendo a epidemiologia do câncer em determinada região, é possível determinar a necessidade de campanhas de prevenção, implantação de novos métodos diagnósticos, unidades de tratamento e reabilitação. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar e apresentar os dados referentes à incidência, sobrevida e mortalidade de 239 casos de câncer em pacientes de zero a 19 anos cadastrados no RCBP de Aracaju, Sergipe, Brasil no período de 1996-2004.Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, descritivo e retrospectivo.  Fontes de dados : Registro de Câncer de Base Populacional (RCBP) de Aracaju, Registro de Óbitos de Sergipe, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), Ministério da Saúde/INCA/Conprev/Divisão de Informação e a População Padrão Mundial, modificada por Doll et al (1960). Para o cálculo da probabilidade de sobrevida foi utilizado o método de Kaplan-Meier no programa SPSS versão 19.0 com intervalo de confiança (IC) de 95% e p< 0,05.Resultados e conclusões: As taxas ajustadas de incidência foram de 116,3 por milhão de habitantes para o gênero feminino e 142,1 no masculino.  A sobrevida em cinco anos foi de 56,9%, sendo maior no grupo dos 5-9 anos, nos pacientes considerados de etnia branca, no gênero feminino e nos tumores sólidos. Melhorou ao longo dos anos, passando de 45,8% em 1996 para 60,0% em 2000 e 62,2% em 2004. A Taxa de mortalidade foi de 69,0 por milhão de habitantes no período estudado.

There was a sharp increase in incidence rates during the study period, probably due to screening. Mortality rates had a small upward trend, and did not show major changes during the study period.

Pediatric cancer is the second leading cause of death in children and adolescents, and its survival rates are important indicators of the health care quality offered to this population. Objectives: Analyze the survival rate of patients with malignant neoplasms from zero to 19 years old treated in two cancer hospitals in Aracaju. Method: A descriptive study based on data from hospital records of Pediatric Oncology Services of Aracaju and Mortality Rate System of the State of Sergipe. For this study, 1203 cases from 1980 to 2004 were selected. The survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The estimated overall five years survival was 46.4%. Patients with epithelial, germ cell, trophoblastic, gonadal and central nervous system neoplasms had the highest survival rates. Patients with soft tissue sarcomas and leukemia had the lowest rates. A comparison of the two services included survival showed significant differences. Survival rates increased progressively from 35.9% during 1980-1984 to 54.7% in the period 1995-1999, however it fell to 50.6% in 2000-2004. Conclusions: Overall, there was significant improvement in survival rates over the years, although there was a decrease in the final period.