Perception of hypertensive patients about their non-adherence to the use of medication

Estudio cualitativo que se propone a analizar la percepción del portador de hipertensión arterial sobre su no adhesión al tratamiento medicamentoso. Fueron entrevistados trece participantes clasificados como no adherente. El análisis fue realizado por la técnica de análisis de contenido modalidad temática. Los datos apuntan para contradicciones en el abordaje sobre lo que es ser o no adherente, la dificultad de adherir al uso de los medicamentos debido al hábito de vida, que el olvido se comprende como una justificativa para la no adhesión, además de reforzar factores que dificultan tal práctica, como el uso de muchos medicamentos, presencia de señales y síntomas y mudanzas en la rutina diaria. Las complejas condiciones que involucran la no adhesión al tratamiento y al actual contexto de predominio de enfermedades crónicas, es primordial que se invierta en estrategias innovadoras de cuidado a tales personas.Estudo qualitativo que se propõe a analisar a percepção do portador de hipertensão arterial sobre a sua não adesão ao tratamento medicamentoso. Foram entrevistados treze participantes classificados como não aderente. A analise foi realizada pela técnica de analise de conteúdo modalidade temática. Os dados apontam para contradições na abordagem sobre o que é ser ou não aderente, a dificuldade de aderir ao uso dos medicamentos devido ao hábito de vida, que o esquecimento é compreendido como uma justificativa para a não adesão, além de reforçarem fatores que dificultam tal prática, como o uso de muitos medicamentos, presença de sinais e sintomas e mudanças na rotina diária. As complexas condições que envolvem a não adesão ao tratamento e ao o atual contexto de predomínio de doenças crônicas, é primordial que se invista em estratégias inovadoras de cuidado a tais pessoas.This qualitative study aims to analyze the perception of patients with hypertension on their non-adherence to medication. 13 participants were interviewed, classified as non-adherent.The analysis was performed using the technique of thematic content analysis. Data points to contradictions in the approach of what is being adherent or not, the difficulty of adhering to the use of medication due to lifestyle habits, that forgetting is understood as a justification for non-compliance, and reinforces factors that hinder such practice, such as the use of many drugs, the presence of signs and symptoms and changes in daily routine. With complex conditions that involve non-adherence to treatment and the current context of the predominance of chronic diseases, it is essential to invest in innovative strategies of care for such people

Agreement, correlation, and kinetics of the alveolar bone-loss measurement methodologies in a ligature-induced periodontitis animal model

Periodontal research involves the use of animal models to better understand the biological processes of periodontal diseases and the potential of new or existing therapies. Currently, ligature-induced periodontitis in rats is the main model used in periodontal research, in this model, alveolar bone loss (ABL) is the main parameter evaluated by radiographic, morphometric, and histological techniques. Interestingly, although these methodologies are widely used, it is not totally clarified neither the kinetics of ABL over the induction time nor the agreement degree (repeatability and reproducibility) of these techniques. Objective: To characterize ABL kinetics at 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days after ABL induction by ligature and to evaluate the intra- (repeatability) and inter-examiner (reproducibility) agreement and the correlation among the radiographic, morphometric, and histological methodologies. Material and Methods: 60 male Wistar rats with induced ABL were randomly divided into 6 experimental groups (n = 10 animals/group). After 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days, the animals were euthanized and their hemimandibles were removed for ABL determination using radiographic, morphometric and histological techniques. Results: Radiographic and morphometric/linear techniques allowed the detection of statistically significant ABL on the third day, while histological and morphometric/area techniques could only detect ABL after the seventh day (ANOVA/Tukey, p;0.9,

Cytotoxic Activity of Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC. Essential Oil in Tumor Cell Lines and its Role in Associated Death Mechanisms

This study evaluated the potential of Baccharis trimera essential oil (EO) and its components in cancer therapy through the application of cytotoxicity and cell death assays. Using gas chromatography analysis, the major components of the aerial parts of the essential oil were identified as (E)-caryophyllene (18.9%), bicyclogermacrene (15.6%), and germacrene D (10.5%). Baccharis trimera essential oil (5.8 μg/mL) and α-humulene (7.8 μg/mL) presented strong cytotoxic activity, while (E)-caryophyllene (11.5 μg/mL) and caryophyllene oxide (> 100.0 μg/mL) showed moderate and low activities, respectively, against MCF-7 cell lines. Against HepG2 cell lines, B. trimera essential oil (10.4 μg/mL), α-humulene (17.1 μg/mL), and caryophyllene oxide (19.4 μg/mL) exhibited moderate activity, while (E)-caryophyllene (52.3 μg/mL) displayed low activity against HepG2 cell lines. The selectivity index values of EO (MCF-7 and HepG2), α-humulene and (E)-caryophyllene (MCF-7), and caryophyllene oxide (HepG2) were found between 1.1 and 2.8, compared with MCF-10A cells. The annexin-V and Hoechst / propidium iodide assays performed with essential oil, (E)-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and caryophyllene oxide showed apoptosis and necrosis mechanisms for all cell lines. Based on these findings, B. trimera essential oil and its components can be considered as potential therapeutic agents against cancer

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Estudo Doppler-ecocardiográfico em atletas de diferentes modalidades esportivas

A expressão ‘‘coração de atleta’’ é normalmente usada para caracterizar os efeitos cardiovasculares do condicionamento físico à longo prazo, em atletas competitivos e altamente treinados. Sabe-se que o exercício físico é um fator estimulante para o desenvolvimento de hipertrofia ventricular esquerda, podendo esta variar de acordo com a característica do esporte. Assim, o coração do atleta apresenta alterações morfológicas e funcionais resultantes de intenso treinamento físico. Embora muitos estudos mostrem alterações cardíacas induzidas pelo exercício, há poucos relatos sobre a adaptação dos ventrículos esquerdo (VE) e direito (VD) em atletas de futebol, ciclismo e corridas de longa distância. Portanto, o objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar por meio da Doppler-ecocardiografia, a estrutura e funções sistólica e diastólica do coração de atletas dessas modalidades esportivas, comparando-as entre si e com indivíduos não-atletas. Neste estudo prospectivo, observacional e transversal, foi realizado ecocardiograma transtorácico, provido da técnica do Doppler tissular, e eletrocardiograma de 12 derivações em repouso em futebolistas profissionais, ciclistas e corredores de longa distância. Foram estudados 57 atletas e 36 indivíduos não-atletas, todos homens, com idades de 32,9±8,4 e 30,4±11,1 anos, respectivamente. As comparações foram realizadas por ANCOVA (idade como covariante) complementada pelo teste de Tukey (p<0,05). As comparações das freqüências de alterações eletrocardiográficas entre os grupos foram realizadas pelo teste de Goodman para contrastes entre populações multinomiais. Os atletas apresentaram aumento do volume do átrio esquerdo, da espessura do VE e dos diâmetros diastólicos do VE (DDVE) e VD (DDVD) em relação aos sedentários. O volume do átrio esquerdo e o DDVE foram maiores nos ciclistas em relação...The expression “athlete’s heart” is normally used to characterize the cardiovascular effects of physical conditioning in competitive and highly trained athletes. It’s known that physical exercise stimulates the development of left ventricular hypertrophy according to the sports modalities. Thus, the athlete’s heart presents some morphological and functional alterations resultants of the intense physical training. Although many studies have demonstrated cardiac alterations induced by exercise, there are just a few that describe adaptations of left (LV) and right (RV) ventricles in soccer players, bicyclists and long distance runners. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the structure, systolic and diastolic functions of these athletes by Doppler echocardiography, and compare them among each other and with nonathletes individuals. In this transversal, observational, and prospective study, it was performed a transtoracic ecocardiographic evaluation with tissue Doppler interrogation and a 12-lead electrocardiogram at rest on professional soccer players, bicyclists and long distance runners. Fifty seven athletes and 36 non-athletes men, aged 32.9±8.4 and 30.4±11.1 years, respectively, were studied. Comparisons among the groups were done by ANCOVA (age as co-variate) and complemented by Tukey’s test (p<0.05). Electrocardiographic alterations was analyzed by Goodman’s test for contrasts among multinomial populations. The athletes showed increased left atrial volume, LV wall thickness and enlargement of left (LVDD) and right (RVDD) ventricular diastolic diameters in comparison with non-athletes group. Bicyclists showed larger left atrial volume and LVDD than long distance runners, and also larger RVDD than soccer players. LV mass index was greater in athletes, and the bicyclists showed a greater index than long distance runners and soccer players. Systolic... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Evaluation of antimicrobial, cytotoxic and chemopreventive activities of carvone and its derivatives

Considering the reported activity of carvone in the literature, this study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial, cytotoxic and chemopreventive activities of (+)- and (-)-carvone, (+)- and (-)- hydroxydihydrocarvone and α,β-epoxycarvone. (+)-Hydroxydihydrocarvone (HC+), (-)-hydroxydihydrocarvone (HC-) and α,β-epoxycarvone (EP) were obtained by synthesis using (+)-carvone (C+) or (-)-carvone (C-) as precursors. The antifungal activity (MIC and MFC) were evaluated against Candida parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. krusei and C. albicans and the antibacterial activity (MIC and MBC) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The cytotoxicity assays were performed with human cancer cell lines HepG-2 and SiHa and the normal strain MRC-5 through sulphorrodamine B assay. Chemoprevention was evaluated through quinone reductase assay. Our results showed no cytotoxicity on tumor and normal cell lines and no induction of the quinone reductase enzyme. C- and HC- presented activity against E. coli. All compounds presented weak antifungal activity against C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis. EP and C+ showed moderate activity against C. krusei. Results suggest the potential use of carvones and its derivatives as antifungal agents against Candida yeasts. The absence of cytotoxicity in cell lines indicates safety in the use of these compounds