URNAS FUNERÁRIAS NO LAGO AMANÃ, MÉDIO SOLIMÕES, AMAZONAS: CONTEXTOS, GESTOS E PROCESSOS DE CONSERVAÇÃO

The Lake Amanã, located near the junction of the Japurá and the Solimões rivers, is in a still poorly known archaeological region. However, since 2006, surveys and excavations have been conducted with the support of the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (IDSM). This pa­per presents preliminary data on the funerary contexts of that region as well as on the potentials of the recovered material. The results obtained from the study of some funerary urns from Bom Jesus do Baré and São Miguel do Cacau indicate unique burial practices. The presence of accompa­nying mortuary furniture inside the vessels, the possibility of being primary burials, the proximity of the urns within the sites, and the vessels’ character­istics suggest a high degree of uniformity during the Caiambé phase, related do the Incised Rim Tradition or Barrancoid Series. Keywords: Funerary urns, Lake Amanã, taphonomy.La région du Lac Amanã, proche de la confluence des fleuves Japurá et Solimões, est encore peu connue archéologiquement. Toutefois, depuis 2006 des prospections et des fouilles ont été menées avec le soutien de l’Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (IDSM). Dans cet article seront présentées quelques données, pré­liminaires, sur les contextes funéraires de la région et le potentiel du matériel retrouvé. Les résultats de l'étude de quelques urnes des sites de Bom Jesus do Baré e São Miguel do Cacau indiquent des pratiques funéraires propres à la région. La présence de maté­riel d'accompagnement dans les urnes, la possibilité d'inhumations primaires,la proximité des vases et leurs caractéristiques, suggèrent un haut degré d'uniformité pendant la Phase Caiambé, la Tradition Bord Incisé ou Barrancoïde. Mots-Clés : Urnes funéraires, Lac Amanã, taphonomie.A região do Lago Amanã, próximo à confluência dos rios Japurá e Solimões é ainda pouco conhecida arqueologicamente. Desde 2006, no entanto, levantamentos e escavações vêm sendo ali realizados com o apoio do Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (IDSM). Nesse artigo serão apresentados alguns dados, ainda incipientes, sobre os contextos funerários da região e os potenciais do material encontrado. Os resultados obtidos a partir do estudo de algumas urnas funerárias dos sítios Bom Jesus do Baré e São Miguel do Cacau indicam práticas funerárias particulares à região. A presença de material de acompanhamento dentro dos vasos, a possibilidade de enterramentos primários, a proximidades das urnas nos sítios a forma e as características dos vasos, levam a pensar num alto grau de uniformidade durante a fase Caiambé, relacionada à Tradição Borda Incisa ou série Barrancóide. Palavras-Chave: Urnas funerárias, Lago Amanã, tafonomia

Qualidade da água para o abastecimento público no municipio do Lobito: Water quality for public supply in the municipality of Lobito

Angola possui um enorme potencial hídrico em África, porém, o problema do acesso à água potável é bastante evidente, a água e o saneamento básico constituem dois dos maiores problemas públicos e sociais em Angola. O presente trabalho visa caracterizar os indicadores da qualidade de água abastecida no Município do Lobito. Trata-se de um estudo de natureza exploratória e descritiva com abordagem qualitativa envolvendo revisão bibliográfica, pesquisa de campo e documental. Conforme os dados obtidos durante o período de pesquisa, houve uma variação da qualidade água, apresentando uma alta em alguns parâmetros de qualidade como: turbidez; alcalinidade; concentração de dióxido de carbono e concentração de bicarbonato, o que foi possível concluir que a qualidade da água abastecida na cidade merece uma atenção, pois, não cumpriu com as diretrizes recomendados pela Organização Mundial da Saúde durante o período avaliado. As irregularidades no abastecimento de água na cidade e a falta de acesso à rede pública de abastecimento em alguns bairros, levam a população na procura por outras fontes alternativas e inseguras de abastecimento de água, e às vezes, sem o devido tratamento, o que implica um risco à saúde dos consumidores

Dynamic, Not Isometric Resistance Training Improves Muscle Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Hypertrophy in Rats

This study aimed to compare the effects of dynamic (DRT) and isometric (IRT) resistance training on blood glucose, muscle redox capacity, inflammatory state, and muscle strength and hypertrophy. Fifteen 12-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into three groups: control group (CTL), DRT, and IRT, n = 5 animals per group. The animals were submitted to a maximal weight carried (MWC; every 15 days) and maximum isometric resistance (MIR; pre- and post-training) tests. Both training protocols were performed five times a week during 12 weeks, consisting of one set of eight uninterrupted climbs for 1 min with a 30% overload of MWC. The animals in the IRT group remained under isometry for 1 min. The DRT group experienced greater MWC from pre- to post-training compared to the CTL and IRT groups (p < 0.0001). The DRT and IRT groups displayed similar gains in MIR (p = 0.3658). The DRT group exhibited improved glycemic homeostasis (p = 0.0111), redox (p < 0.0001), and inflammatory (p < 0.0001) balance as compared with CTL and IRT groups. In addition, the improved glycemic profile was associated with an increase in muscle strength and hypertrophy, improvement in redox balance and inflammation status. We conclude that DRT was more effective than IRT on increasing cross-sectional area, but not muscle strength, in parallel to improved blood glucose, inflammatory status, and redox balance

Portuguese recommendations for the use of biological therapies in patients with psoriatic arthritis - 2015 update

OBJECTIVE: To update recommendationsforthe treatment of psoriatic arthritis with biological therapies, endorsed by the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology (SPR). METHODS: These treatment recommendations were formulated by Portuguese rheumatologists based on literature evidence and consensus opinion. At a national meeting the 16 recommendations included in this document were discussed and updated. The level of agreement among Portuguese Rheumatologists was assessed using an online survey. A draft of the full text of the recommendations was then circulated and suggestions were incorporated. A final version was again circulated before publication. RESULTS: A consensus was achieved regarding the initiation, assessment of response and switching biological therapies in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Specific recommendations were developed for several disease domains: peripheral arthritis, axial disease, enthesitis and dactylitis. CONCLUSION: These recommendations may be used for guidance in deciding which patients with PsA should be treated with biological therapies. They cover a rapidly evolving area oftherapeutic intervention.Asmore evidence becomes available and more biological therapies are licensed, these recommendations will have to be updated

Ruminant fat intake improves gut microbiota, serum inflammatory parameter and fatty acid profile in tissues of Wistar rats

Research Areas: Science & Technology - Other TopicsThis study tested the hypothesis that naturally and industrially produced trans-fatty acids can exert distinct efects on metabolic parameters and on gut microbiota of rats. Wistar rats were randomized into three groups according to the diet: CONT-control, with 5% soybean oil and normal amount of fat; HVF-20% of hydrogenated vegetable fat (industrial); and RUM-20% of ruminant fat (natural). After 53 days of treatment, serum biochemical markers, fatty acid composition of liver, heart and adipose tissue, histology and hepatic oxidative parameters, as well as gut microbiota composition were evaluated. HVF diet intake reduced triglycerides (≈ 39.39%) and VLDL levels (≈ 39.49%). Transfatty acids levels in all tissue were higher in HVF group. However, RUM diet intake elevated amounts of anti-infammatory cytokine IL-10 (≈ 14.7%) compared to CONT, but not to HVF. Furthermore, RUM intake led to higher concentrations of stearic acid and conjugated linoleic acid in all tissue; this particular diet was associated with a hepatoprotective efect. The microbial gut communities were signifcantly diferent among the groups. Our results show that ruminant fat reversed the hepatic steatosis normally caused by high fat diets, which may be related to the remodelling of the gut microbiota and its anti-infammatory potential.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cell walls of the dimorphic fungal pathogens Sporothrix schenckii and Sporothrix brasiliensis exhibit bilaminate structures and sloughing of extensive and intact layers

This work was supported by the Fundação Carlos Chagas de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), grants E-26/202.974/2015 and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), grants 229755/2013-5, Brazil. LMLB is a senior research fellow of CNPq and Faperj. NG acknowledged support from the Wellcome Trust (Trust (097377, 101873, 200208) and MRC Centre for Medical Mycology (MR/N006364/1). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Temporal patterns of cytokine and injury biomarkers in hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with methylprednisolone

BackgroundThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents with complex pathophysiological effects in various organ systems. Following the COVID-19, there are shifts in biomarker and cytokine equilibrium associated with altered physiological processes arising from viral damage or aggressive immunological response. We hypothesized that high daily dose methylprednisolone improved the injury biomarkers and serum cytokine profiles in COVID-19 patients.MethodsInjury biomarker and cytokine analysis was performed on 50 SARS-Cov-2 negative controls and 101 hospitalized severe COVID-19 patients: 49 methylprednisolone-treated (MP group) and 52 placebo-treated serum samples. Samples from the treated groups collected on days D1 (pre-treatment) all the groups, D7 (2 days after ending therapy) and D14 were analyzed. Luminex assay quantified the biomarkers HMGB1, FABP3, myoglobin, troponin I and NTproBNP. Immune mediators (CXCL8, CCL2, CXCL9, CXCL10, TNF, IFN-γ, IL-17A, IL-12p70, IL-10, IL-6, IL-4, IL-2, and IL-1β) were quantified using cytometric bead array.ResultsAt pretreatment, the two treatment groups were comparable demographically. At pre-treatment (D1), injury biomarkers (HMGB1, TnI, myoglobin and FABP3) were distinctly elevated. At D7, HMGB1 was significantly higher in the MP group (p=0.0448) compared to the placebo group, while HMGB1 in the placebo group diminished significantly by D14 (p=0.0115). Compared to healthy control samples, several immune mediators (IL-17A, IL-6, IL-10, MIG, MCP-1, and IP-10) were considerably elevated at baseline (all p≤0.05). At D7, MIG and IP-10 of the MP-group were significantly lower than in the placebo-group (p=0.0431, p=0.0069, respectively). Longitudinally, IL-2 (MP-group) and IL-17A (placebo-group) had increased significantly by D14. In placebo group, IL-2 and IL-17A continuously increased, as IL-12p70, IL-10 and IP-10 steadily decreased during follow-up. The MP treated group had IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-17A and IL-12p70 progressively increase while IL-1β and IL-10 gradually decreased towards D14. Moderate to strong positive correlations between chemokines and cytokines were observed on D7 and D14.ConclusionThese findings suggest MP treatment could ameliorate levels of myoglobin and FABP3, but appeared to have no impact on HMGB1, TnI and NTproBNP. In addition, methylprednisolone relieves the COVID-19 induced inflammatory response by diminishing MIG and IP-10 levels. Overall, corticosteroid (methylprednisolone) use in COVID-19 management influences the immunological molecule and injury biomarker profile in COVID-19 patients

Multiple Myeloma Treatment Guidelines by the Portuguese Group of Multiple Myeloma

The treatment of multiple myeloma has profoundly changed with the introduction of several innovative therapies. The optimization of therapeutic sequencing through the combined use of the various drugs developed in recent years and the attention given to the characteristics of patients have allowed the reduction of toxicities and increased survival and quality of life of patients with multiple myeloma. These treatment recommendations from the Portuguese Multiple Myeloma Group offer guidance for first-line treatment and progression/relapse situations. These recommendations are given highlighting the data that justify each choice and referring to the respective levels of evidence that support these options. Whenever possible, the respective national regulatory framework is presented. These recommendations constitute an advance towards the best treatment of multiple myeloma in Portugal.publishersversionpublishe

Portuguese recommendations for the use of biological therapies in patients with axial spondyloarthritis - 2016 update

Objective: To update the recommendations for the treatment of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) with biological therapies, endorsed by the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology. Methods: These treatment recommendations were formulated by Portuguese rheumatologists based on lite - rature evidence and consensus opinion. At a national meeting, the recommendations included in this document were discussed and updated. A draft of the full text of the recommendations was then circulated and suggestions were incorporated. A final version was again circulated before publication and the level of agreement among Portuguese Rheumatologists was anonymously assessed using an online survey. Results: A consensus was achieved regarding the initiation, assessment of response and switching of biological therapies in patients with axSpA. In total, seven recommendations were produced. The first recommendation is a general statement indicating that biological therapy is not a first-line drug treatment option and should only be used after conventional treatment has failed. The second recommendation is also a ge - neral statement about the broad concept of axSpA adopted by these recommendations that includes both non-radiographic and radiographic axSpA. Recommendations 3 to 7 deal with the definition of active di - sease (including the recommended threshold of 2.1 for the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score [ASDAS] or the threshold of 4 [0-10 scale] for the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI]), conventional treatment failure (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs being the first-line drug treatment), assessment of response to treatment (based on an ASDAS improvement of at least 1.1 units or a BASDAI improvement of at least 2 units [0-10 scale] or at least 50%), and strategy in the presence of an ina - dequate response (where switching is recommended) or in the presence of long-term remission (where a process of biological therapy optimization can be consi - dered, either a gradual increase in the interval between doses or a decrease of each dose of the biological the - rapy). Conclusion: These recommendations may be used for guidance in deciding which patients with axSpA should be treated with biological therapies. They co - ver a rapidly evolving area of therapeutic intervention. As more evidence becomes available and more biological therapies are licensed, these recommendations will have to be updated