Fingerprint Patterns in Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Computerized Dermatoglyphic Analysis

Dermatoglyphics can be used as a supporting tool in the early detection of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in women. The present study aims to investigate the fingerprints of women with type 2 diabetes mellitus through the dermatoglyphic method, and to compare them with women without the disease. It was conducted by obtaining the fingerprints of all 10 fingers of 268 women – which is known as the dermatoglyphic method –, using the Dermatoglyphic Reader®, with data processed in SPSS (IBM SPSS), version 20.0, and a significance level of p< 0.05. The researched groups are homogeneous for the age, weight and height variables. The group of women with diabetes had a higher average number of lines on the left thumb, as well as the highest total number of lines on the left hand. Moreover, they had a greater number of deltas, in addition to presenting the whorl shape on fingers 1 to 5 of the left hand, and 1 to 4 of the right hand. We concluded that women with type 2 diabetes had a mark of observation concerning their biological individuality on their fingerprints that differs from that of women without the disease

Práctica de actividad física en tiempos de pandemia del nuevo Covid-19: sus beneficios y cuidados: Körperliche Aktivität und COVID-19

A COVID-19 surgiu no final do ano de 2019 na China. Trata-se de uma doença infecciosa causada por coronavírus da síndrome respiratória aguda grave 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A doença se espalhou rapidamente pelo mundo e causou colapso nos sistemas de saúde de diversos países. Uma das poucas medidas eficazes para conter seu avanço, enquanto não surgem vacinas, é o distanciamento social. No entanto isso tem causado mais sedentarismo e consumo energético excessivo, pelo confinamento em casa e pela ansiedade gerada pela própria pandemia, aumentando o risco de obesidade e ocorrência de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis, ou seu agravamento. A prática de atividade física pode prevenir o surgimento dessas doenças, além de ser um grande aliado na prevenção e tratamento de diversas doenças do trato respiratório. Contudo, a prática de atividade física torna-se um desafio entre seguir os protocolos e recomendações das autoridades sanitárias, o que pode influenciar no rendimento físico. Este estudo, por meio de uma revisão da literatura, pontua sobre os benefícios que a prática de atividades físicas pode trazer às pessoas em relação a pandemia de COVID-19 e os cuidados que devem ser tomados para sua prática mais segura.COVID-19 entstand Ende 2019 in China. Es ist eine Infektionskrankheit, die durch das Coronavirus des schweren akuten respiratorischen Syndroms 2 (SARS-CoV-2) verursacht wird. Die Krankheit verbreitete sich schnell auf der ganzen Welt und verursachte in mehreren Ländern den Zusammenbruch der Gesundheitssysteme. Eine der wenigen wirksamen Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung ihres Fortschritts, bis Impfstoffe verfügbar sind, ist die soziale Distanz. Dies hat jedoch zu einem sitzenderen Lebensstil und einem übermäßigen Energieverbrauch geführt, was auf die Beschränkung zu Hause und die durch die Pandemie selbst verursachte Angst zurückzuführen ist und das Risiko für Fettleibigkeit und das Auftreten chronischer nicht übertragbarer Krankheiten oder deren Verschlechterung erhöht. Die Ausübung körperlicher Aktivität kann das Auftreten dieser Krankheiten verhindern und ist ein großer Verbündeter bei der Prävention und Behandlung verschiedener Erkrankungen der Atemwege. Die Ausübung körperlicher Aktivität wird jedoch zu einer Herausforderung zwischen der Befolgung der Protokolle und Empfehlungen der Gesundheitsbehörden, die die körperliche Leistungsfähigkeit beeinflussen können. Diese Studie zeigt anhand einer Literaturrecherche auf, welche Vorteile die Ausübung körperlicher Aktivitäten für die Menschen im Zusammenhang mit der COVID-19-Pandemie haben kann und welche Vorsichtsmaßnahmen für eine sicherere Ausübung getroffen werden müssen.La Covid-19 surgió al final del año de 2019 en China. Es una enfermedad infecciosa causada por coronavirus del síndrome respiratorio agudo grave 2 (SARS-CoV-2). La enfermedad se esparció rápidamente por el mundo y causó colapso en los sistemas de salud de diversos países. Una de las pocas medidas eficaces para contener su avanzo, mientras no surgen vacunas, es el distanciamiento social. Sin embargo, eso ha provocado más sedentarismo y consumo energético excesivo, por el confinamiento en casa y por la ansiedad generada por la propia pandemia, aumentando el riesgo de obesidad y ocurrencia de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, o su agravamiento. La práctica de actividad física puede prevenir el surgimiento de esas enfermedades, además de ser una gran aliada en la prevención y tratamiento de diversas enfermedades del trato respiratorio. Pero, la práctica de actividad física se convierte en un desafío entre seguir los protocolos y recomendaciones de las autoridades sanitarias. Este estudio, por medio de una revisión de literatura, hace apuntamientos sobre los beneficios que la práctica de actividades físicas puede traer a las personas en relación a la pandemia de Covid-19 y los cuidados que deben ser tomados para su práctica más segura.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged at the end of 2019 in China. It is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The disease spread rapidly around the world and caused the collapse of health systems in several countries. As a vaccine is not available, one of the few effective measures to curb its advancement is social distancing. However, this has led to an increased sedentary lifestyle and excessive energy consumption as a result of home confi nement and the anxiety generated by the pandemic itself, increasing the risk of obesity and the occurrence of chronic non-communicable diseases, or their worsening. The practice of physical activity can prevent the onset of these diseases, besides being great ally in the prevention and treatment of several diseases of the respiratory tract. However, the practice of physical activity becomes a challenge between following the protocols and  recommendations from the health authorities. This study, through a literature review, lists the benefits that the practice of physical activities can bring to individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic

Acute brain inflammation and oxidative damage are related to long-term cognitive deficits and markers of neurodegeneration in sepsis-survivor rats

Survivors from sepsis present long-term cognitive deficits and some of these alterations resemble the pathophysiological mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. For this reason, we analyzed beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and synaptophysin levels in the brain of rats that survived from sepsis and their relation to cognitive dysfunction and to acute brain inflammation. Sepsis was induced in rats by cecal ligation and puncture, and 30 days after surgery, the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex were isolated just after cognitive evaluation by the inhibitory avoidance test. The immunocontent of Aβ and synaptophysin were analyzed by Western blot analysis. Aβ increased and synaptophysin decreased in septic animals both in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex concurrent with the presence of cognitive deficits. Prefrontal levels of synaptophysin correlated to the performance in the inhibitory avoidance. Two different treatments known to decrease brain inflammation and oxidative stress when administered at the acute phase of sepsis decreased Aβ levels both in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, increased synaptophysin levels only in the prefrontal cortex, and improved cognitive deficit in sepsis-survivor animals. In conclusion, we demonstrated that brain from sepsis-survivor animals presented an increase in Aβ content and a decrease in synaptophysin levels and cognitive impairment. These alterations can be prevented by treatments aimed to decrease acute brain inflammation and oxidative stress

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 and metalloproteinase-9 activities are associated with blood–brain barrier dysfunction in an animal model of severe sepsis

There is no description on the mechanisms associated with blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption during sepsis development. Thus, we here determined changes in permeability of the BBB in an animal model of severe sepsis and the role of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 in the dysfunction of the BBB. Sepsis was induced in Wistar rats by cecal ligation and perforation. BBB permeability was assessed using the Evans blue dye method. The content of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the cerebral microvessels was determined by western blot. The activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was determined using zymography. An inhibitor of MMP-2 and MMP-9 or specific inhibitors of MMP-2 or MMP-9 were administered to define the role of MMPs on BBB permeability, brain inflammatory response, and sepsis-induced cognitive alterations. The increase of BBB permeability is time-related to the increase of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in the microvessels, both in cortex and hippocampus. Using an MMP-2 and MMP-9 inhibitor, or specific MMP-2 or MMP-9 inhibitors, the increase in the permeability of the BBB was reversed. This was associated with lower brain levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and lower oxidative damage. In contrast, only the inhibition of both MMP-9 and MMP-2 was able to improve acute cognitive alterations associated with sepsis. In conclusion, MMP-2 and MMP-9 activation seems to be a major step in BBB dysfunction, but BBB dysfunction seems not to be associated with acute cognitive dysfunction during sepsis development