Cubanos e cubanas: registros fotográficos às vésperas do sexagésimo aniversário da Revolução Cubana

Ensaio fotográfico com registros realizados em Cuba durante o mês de outubro de 2018. Buscamos capturar expressões do povo cubano no seu quotidiano às vésperas do aniversário de 60 anos da Revolução Cubana, comemorado no dia primeiro de janeiro de 2019

Levantamento do perfil do aluno no ensino a distância: processo e aplicações

The purpose of this paper is to present the procedures used by distance education tutors at the University Salgado de Oliveira — UNIVERSO, when they raise the social-cultural and educational profile of their students. Such profile is used to adjust the instructional material and the content of the course. Therefore, the whole course flts the student context and his/her intellectual level and interests. This procedure produce many beneflts. First, it identifles previously acquired knowledge by the students. This allows designing distance learning courses for teaching unknown issues for them. Obviously, this provides a real enlargement of knowledge. Second, description of the student context and their recurrent professional problems has shown to be a helpful aid to make tutorial processes more effective. The article describes the process of surveying the student profile and suggests several ways to take advantage of the data collected.O propósito do artigo é apresentar a sistemática de levantamento do perfilsócio-cultural e educacional do aluno adotada, desde a década de 80, por professores que trabalham como tutores nos cursos de pósgraduaçao lato sensu (especializaçao) a distáncia, no modalidade semi-presencial, da Universidade Salgado de Oliveira - UNIVERSO. Além de possibilitar a oferta de um tratamento diferenciado, ao identificar os conhecimentos já dominados pelo aluno, o perfil académico permite que o ensino comece a partir desse ponto em direçao a uma real ampliaçao de conhecimentos. Informaçoes fornecidas pelos alunos sobre o contexto e os problemas que ocorran no ámbito profissionai, também contribuem para tornar mais efetiva a açáo da tutoria. O artigo descreve o modo como é feito o levantamento do perfil, os seus objetivos, e sugere diversas formas de aplicaçáo dos dados e informaçóes obtidas

Progressive Attenuation of the Longitudinal Kinetics in the Common Carotid Artery: Preliminary in Vivo Assessment

Longitudinal kinetics (LOKI) of the arterial wall consists of the shearing motion of the intima-media complex over the adventitia layer in the direction parallel to the blood flow during the cardiac cycle. The aim of this study was to investigate the local variability of LOKI amplitude along the length of the vessel. By use of a previously validated motion-estimation framework, 35 in vivo longitudinal B-mode ultrasound cine loops of healthy common carotid arteries were analyzed. Results indicated that LOKI amplitude is progressively attenuated along the length of the artery, as it is larger in regions located on the proximal side of the image (i.e., toward the heart) and smaller in regions located on the distal side of the image (i.e., toward the head), with an average attenuation coefficient of −2.5 ± 2.0%/mm. Reported for the first time in this study, this phenomenon is likely to be of great importance in improving understanding of atherosclerosis mechanisms, and has the potential to be a novel index of arterial stiffness

Hsp27 (HspB1) and αB-crystallin (HspB5) as therapeutic targets

AbstractHsp27 and αB-crystallin are molecular chaperones that are constitutively expressed in several mammalian cells, particularly in pathological conditions. These proteins share functions as diverse as protection against toxicity mediated by aberrantly folded proteins or oxidative-inflammation conditions. In addition, these proteins share anti-apoptotic properties and are tumorigenic when expressed in cancer cells. This review summarizes the current knowledge about Hsp27 and αB-crystallin and the implications, either positive or deleterious, of these proteins in pathologies such as neurodegenerative diseases, myopathies, asthma, cataracts and cancers. Approaches towards therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the expression and/or the activities of Hsp27 and αB-crystallin are presented

Echocardiographic Evidence for Valvular Toxicity of Benfluorex: A Double-Blind Randomised Trial in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVES: REGULATE trial was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of benfluorex versus pioglitazone in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. METHODS: Double-blind, parallel-group, international, randomised, non-inferiority trial. More than half of the 196 participating centres were primary care centres. Patients eligible had type 2 DM uncontrolled on sulfonylurea. 846 were randomised. They received study treatment for 1 year. 423 patients were allocated to benfluorex (150 to 450 mg/day) and 423 were allocated to pioglitazone (30 to 45 mg/day). Primary efficacy criterion was HbA(1c). Safety assessment included blinded echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac and valvular status. RESULTS: At baseline, patients were 59.1 ± 10.5 years old with HbA1c 8.3 ± 0.8%, and DM duration 7.1 ± 6.0 years. During the study, mean HbA1c significantly decreased in both groups (benfluorex: from 8.30 ± 0.80 to 7.77 ± 1.31 versus pioglitazone: from 8.30 ± 0.80 to 7.45 ± 1.30%). The last HbA1c value was significantly lower with pioglitazone than with benfluorex (p<0.001) and non-inferiority of benfluorex was not confirmed (p = 0.19). Among the 615 patients with assessable paired echocardiography (310 benfluorex, 305 pioglitazone), 314 (51%) had at least one morphological valvular abnormality and 515 (84%) at least one functional valvular abnormality at baseline. Emergent morphological abnormalities occurred in 8 patients with benfluorex versus 4 with pioglitazone (OR 1.99), 95% CI (0.59 to 6.69). Emergent regurgitation (new or increased by one grade or more) occurred more frequently with benfluorex (82 patients, 27%) than with pioglitazone (33 patients, 11%) (OR 2.97), 95% CI (1.91 to 4.63) and were mainly rated grade 1; grade 2 (mild) was detected in 2 patients with benfluorex and 3 with pioglitazone. There was no moderate or severe regurgitation. CONCLUSION: After 1 year of exposure, our results show a 2.97 fold increase in the incidence of valvular regurgitation with benfluorex and provide evidence for the valvular toxicity of this drug

Infections with Avian Pathogenic and Fecal Escherichia coli Strains Display Similar Lung Histopathology and Macrophage Apoptosis

The purpose of this study was to compare histopathological changes in the lungs of chickens infected with avian pathogenic (APEC) and avian fecal (Afecal) Escherichia coli strains, and to analyze how the interaction of the bacteria with avian macrophages relates to the outcome of the infection. Chickens were infected intratracheally with three APEC strains, MT78, IMT5155, and UEL17, and one non-pathogenic Afecal strain, IMT5104. The pathogenicity of the strains was assessed by isolating bacteria from lungs, kidneys, and spleens at 24 h post-infection (p.i.). Lungs were examined for histopathological changes at 12, 18, and 24 h p.i. Serial lung sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), terminal deoxynucleotidyl dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) for detection of apoptotic cells, and an anti-O2 antibody for detection of MT78 and IMT5155. UEL17 and IMT5104 did not cause systemic infections and the extents of lung colonization were two orders of magnitude lower than for the septicemic strains MT78 and IMT5155, yet all four strains caused the same extent of inflammation in the lungs. The inflammation was localized; there were some congested areas next to unaffected areas. Only the inflamed regions became labeled with anti-O2 antibody. TUNEL labeling revealed the presence of apoptotic cells at 12 h p.i in the inflamed regions only, and before any necrotic foci could be seen. The TUNEL-positive cells were very likely dying heterophils, as evidenced by the purulent inflammation. Some of the dying cells observed in avian lungs in situ may also be macrophages, since all four avian E. coli induced caspase 3/7 activation in monolayers of HD11 avian macrophages. In summary, both pathogenic and non-pathogenic fecal strains of avian E. coli produce focal infections in the avian lung, and these are accompanied by inflammation and cell death in the infected areas

Revolução cubana - 60 anos depois: relato de um curso de extensão universitária

O texto apresenta o relato do curso de extensão “Revolução cubana: 60 anos depois”, desenvolvido na modalidade virtual por professores(as) e pesquisadores(as). Compreendeu 3 módulos com um total de 11 encontros formativos e uma média de 42 participantes por encontro. Foram desenvolvidas temáticas no âmbito econômico, político, social, cultural e educacional da revolução cubana no percurso de mais de 60 anos. A modalidade virtual implicou em limites pedagógicos, entretanto, os(as) participantes apontaram uma avaliação bastante positiva da experiência. Além da socialização de conteúdos referentes ao tema do curso, a atividade extensionista aqui relatada propiciou uma interação formativa entre os(as) formuladores(as) da proposta, bem como a possibilidade de ações futuras referentes à produção e à socialização de conhecimentos e pesquisas sobre Cuba e sua revolução

Knock Down of Heat Shock Protein 27 (HspB1) Induces Degradation of Several Putative Client Proteins

Hsp27 belongs to the heat shock protein family and displays chaperone properties in stress conditions by holding unfolded polypeptides, hence avoiding their inclination to aggregate. Hsp27 is often referenced as an anti-cancer therapeutic target, but apart from its well-described ability to interfere with different stresses and apoptotic processes, its role in non-stressed conditions is still not well defined. In the present study we report that three polypeptides (histone deacetylase HDAC6, transcription factor STAT2 and procaspase-3) were degraded in human cancerous cells displaying genetically decreased levels of Hsp27. In addition, these proteins interacted with Hsp27 complexes of different native size. Altogether, these findings suggest that HDAC6, STAT2 and procaspase-3 are client proteins of Hsp27. Hence, in non stressed cancerous cells, the structural organization of Hsp27 appears to be a key parameter in the regulation by this chaperone of the level of specific polypeptides through client-chaperone type of interactions

The role of atmospheric deposition in the biogeochemistry of the Mediterranean Sea

Estimates of atmospheric inputs to the Mediterranean (MED) and some coastal areas are reviewed, and uncertainities in these estimates considered. Both the magnitude and the mineralogical composition of atmospheric dust inputs indicate that eolian deposition is an important (50%) or prevailing (>80%) contribution to sediments in the offshore waters of the entire Mediterranean (MED) basin. Model data for trace metals and nutrients indicate that the atmosphere delivers more than half the lead and nitrogen, one-third of total phosphorus, and 10% of the zinc entering the entire basin. Measured data in sub-basins, such as the north-western MED and northern Adriatic indicate an even greater proportion of atmospheric versus riverine inputs. When dissolved fluxes are compared (the form most likely to impinge on surface water biogeochemical cycles), the atmosphere is found to be 5 to 50 times more important than rivers for dissolved Zn and 15 to 30 times more important for Pb fluxes. Neglecting co-limitation by other nutrients, new production supported by atmospheric nitrogen deposition ranges from 2-4 g C m-2 yr-1, whereas atmospheric phosphorus deposition appears to support less than 1 g C m-2 yr-1. In spite of the apparently small contribution of atmospheric deposition to overall production in the basin it has been suggested that certain episodes of phytoplankton blooms are triggered by atmospheric deposition of N, P or Fe. Future studies are needed to clarify the extent and causal links between these episodic blooms and atmospheric/oceanographic forcing functions. A scientific program aimed at elucidating the possible biogeochemical effects of Saharan outbreaks in the MED through direct sampling of the ocean and atmosphere before and after such events is therefore highly recommended