Employment and sociodemographic characteristics: a study of increasing precarity in the health districts of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The fundamental importance of human resources for the development of health care systems is recognized the world over. Health districts, which constitute the middle level of the municipal health care system in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, deal with demands from all parts of the system. This research seeks to provide the essential features required in order to understand the phenomenon of increase in precarity of employment in these health districts.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The legal and human resource management documents used by the Municipal Health Secretariat of the City of Belo Horizonte were adopted as the corpus for this research. In order to analyse the changes in employment (2002–2006), the data were collected from ArteRH, a computerized database dealing specifically with data related to human resources, which began operating in 2001. The workers were classified into permanent and non-permanent groups, and their contractual rights were described. Employment dynamics and changes were examined, concentrating on the incorporation of workers and on their social and employment rights during the period under study. The comparative data for the two groups obtained were presented in frequency distribution tables according to type of employment, sex, age group, level of education and wages from 2002 to 2006.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a clear difference between the permanent worker and non-permanent worker groups as regards existing guaranteed employment rights and social security. The increase in the number of non-permanent workers in the workforce, the growing proportion of older workers among the permanently employed and the real wage reductions during the period from 2002 to 2006 are indicative of the process of growing precarity of employment in the group studied.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is a plausible supposition that the demand for health reforms, along with the legal limits imposed on financial expenditure, gave rise to the new types of contract and the present employment situation in the health districts in Belo Horizonte.</p

DNA Vaccines against Dengue Virus Type 2 Based on Truncate Envelope Protein or Its Domain III

Two DNA vaccines were constructed encoding the ectodomain (domains I, II and III) of the DENV2 envelope protein (pE1D2) or only its domain III (pE2D2), fused to the human tissue plasminogen activator signal peptide (t-PA). The expression and secretion of recombinant proteins was confirmed in vitro in BHK cells transfected with the two plasmids, detected by immunofluorescence or immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled gene products, using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against DENV2. Besides, results reveal that the ectodomain of the E protein can be efficiently expressed in vivo, in a mammalian system, without the prM protein that is hypothesized to act as a chaperonin during dengue infection. Balb/c mice were immunized with the DNA vaccines and challenged with a lethal dose of DENV2. All pE1D2-vaccinated mice survived challenge, while 45% of animals immunized with the pE2D2 died after infection. Furthermore, only 10% of pE1D2-immunized mice presented some clinical signs of infection after challenge, whereas most of animals inoculated with the pE2D2 showed effects of the disease with high morbidity degrees. Levels of neutralizing antibodies were significantly higher in pE1D2-vaccinated mice than in pE2D2-immunized animals, also suggesting that the pE1D2 vaccine was more protective than the pE2D2

Avaliação do pico de fluxo expiratório em indivíduos pós acidente vascular cerebral - AVC

Introduction: Stroke is a neurological disorder characterized by a deficit of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Post-stroke individuals tend to have respiratory muscle weakness, resulting in decreased lung capacities and volumes. Objective: to assess the peak expiratory flow (PEF) of these individuals. Methodology: this is a cross-sectional, observational, descriptive and quantitative study, which measured the PEF of residents of the city of Beberibe (CE) with a clinical diagnosis of stroke. The population included post-stroke individuals living in the city of Beberibe (CE). The sample consisted of ten participants. Participated in the study, people with a confirmed diagnosis of stroke, with at least six months of involvement, preserved cognitive, regardless of sex, age equal and / or above 55 years, absence of associated respiratory disorders, or neurological impairment, not active smokers. Individuals who used medication with respiratory action, restricted to the bed, and who currently participated in some physical therapy treatment were excluded. The measurement of PEF was made using Peak Flow Meters. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, “Student's t test” and linear regression and were tabulated in tables. Results: there is a predominance of Ischemic Stroke, gender homogeneity, systemic arterial hypertension as the most prevalent comorbidity; the PEF values of the female and male sample proved to be statistically significant (p &lt;0.002) when compared to the reference values. Conclusion: in this sample of individuals with chronic stroke, there was a statistically significant reduction in PEF.Introducción: El accidente cerebrovascular es un trastorno neurológico caracterizado por un déficit de oxígeno y nutrientes en el cerebro. Las personas que han sufrido un accidente cerebrovascular tienden a tener debilidad de los músculos respiratorios, lo que provoca una disminución de las capacidades y los volúmenes pulmonares. Objetivo: evaluar el flujo espiratorio máximo (PEF) de estos individuos. Metodología: se trata de un estudio transversal, observacional, descriptivo y cuantitativo, que midió el PEF de residentes de la ciudad de Beberibe (CE) con diagnóstico clínico de ictus. La población incluyó a personas que habían sufrido un ictus que vivían en la ciudad de Beberibe (CE). La muestra estuvo formada por diez participantes. Participaron en el estudio personas con diagnóstico confirmado de ictus, con al menos seis meses de afectación, cognitivo conservado, independientemente del sexo, edad igual y / o mayor de 55 años, ausencia de trastornos respiratorios asociados, o deterioro neurológico, fumadores activos. Se excluyeron los individuos que usaban medicación con acción respiratoria, restringidos a la cama, y que actualmente participaban en algún tratamiento de fisioterapia. La medición de PEF se realizó utilizando medidores de flujo máximo. Los datos obtenidos se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva, “prueba t de Student” y regresión lineal y se tabularon en tablas. Resultados: hay predominio del ictus isquémico, homogeneidad de género, hipertensión arterial sistémica como la comorbilidad más prevalente; los valores de PEF de la muestra femenina y masculina resultaron ser estadísticamente significativos (p &lt;0,002) cuando se compararon con los valores de referencia. Conclusión: en esta muestra de individuos con ictus crónico, hubo una reducción estadísticamente significativa del PEF.  Introdução: O Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) é uma afecção neurológica caracterizada por déficit de oxigênio e nutrientes ao cérebro. Indivíduos pós AVC tendem a ter fraqueza da musculatura respiratória, repercutindo em diminuição das capacidades e volumes pulmonares. Objetivo: avaliar o Pico de Fluxo Expiratório (PFE) desses indivíduos. Metodologia: trata-se de um estudo transversal, observacional, descritivo e quantitativo, que mensurou o PFE de moradores da cidade de Beberibe (CE) com diagnóstico clínico de AVC. A população abrangeu indivíduos pós AVC, moradores da cidade de Beberibe (CE). A amostra foi constituída por dez participantes. Participaram do estudo, pessoas com diagnóstico confirmado de AVC, com pelo menos seis meses de acometimento, cognitivo preservado, independente do sexo, idade igual e/ou acima de 55 anos, ausência de afecções respiratórias associadas, ou neurológicas que comprometessem o cognitivo, não fumantes ativos. Foram excluídos indivíduos que faziam uso de medicamentos com ação respiratória, restritos ao leito, e que atualmente participavam de algum tratamento fisioterapêutico. A mensuração do PFE foi feita através do Peak Flow Meters. Os dados obtidos foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva, “teste t de Student” e regressão linear e foram tabulados em tabelas. Resultados: percebe-se um predomínio de AVC Isquêmico, homogeneidade de gênero, hipertensão arterial sistêmica como comorbidade mais prevalente; os valores de PFE da amostra feminina e masculina demonstraram-se estatisticamente significativo (p&lt; 0,002) quando comparados aos valores de referência. Conclusão: nessa amostra de indivíduos com AVC crônico, houve redução estatisticamente significativa do PFE