Differences in the Prevalence of Non-Communicable Disease between Slum Dwellers and the General Population in a Large Urban Area in Brazil.

Residents of urban slums are at greater risk for disease than their non-slum dwelling urban counterparts. We sought to contrast the prevalences of selected non-communicable diseases (NCDs) between Brazilian adults living in a slum and the general population of the same city, by comparing the age and sex-standardized prevalences of selected NCDs from a 2010 survey in Pau da Lima, Salvador Brazil, with a 2010 national population-based telephone survey. NCD prevalences in both populations were similar for hypertension (23.6% (95% CI 20.9⁻26.4) and 22.9% (21.2⁻24.6), respectively) and for dyslipidemia (22.7% (19.8⁻25.5) and 21.5% (19.7⁻23.4)). Slum residents had higher prevalences of diabetes mellitus (10.1% (7.9⁻12.3)) and of overweight/obesity (46.5% (43.1⁻49.9)), compared to 5.2% (4.2⁻6.1) and 40.6% (38.5⁻42.8) of the general population in Salvador. Fourteen percent (14.5% (12.1⁻17.0)) of slum residents smoked cigarettes compared to 8.3% (7.1⁻9.5) of the general population in Salvador. The national telephone survey underestimated the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, overweight/obesity, and smoking in the slum population, likely in part due to differential sampling inside and outside of slums. Further research and targeted policies are needed to mitigate these inequalities, which could have significant economic and social impacts on slum residents and their communities

Copaiba oil-resin (Copaifera reticulata Ducke) modulates the inflammation in a model of injury to rats' tongues.

A method for the separation, identification and quantification of 24 phenolic compounds using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed and validated. Six species of traditional medicinal plants from the Brazilian Amazon region were studied (Mansoa alliacea, Bauhinia variegata var. variegata, Bauhinia variegata var. alboflava, Connarus perrottetii var. angustifolius, Cecropia obtusa and Cecropia palmata). The analytes were separated by a reversed-phase SB-C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.8 μm) using a gradient elution of 7 min composed of 0.1% acetic acid in water (v/v) and acetonitrile, at a constant flow rate of 0.8 mL min−1. The limit of detection for the analytes ranged between 0.5 and 130.3 μg L−1. Intra- and inter-day precision showed satisfactory results and the recoveries obtained for the 24 analytes varied between 91.7 and 111.9% for most of the evaluated matrices. Quantifications were performed with the standard addition method (r > 0.99) using the data acquired in a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Rutin, apigenin, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid and trans-cinnamic acid were found in all the studied plants. However, we highlight the high contents of rutin in varieties of Bauhinia variegata (up to 2.52 mg g−1 of plant), chlorogenic acid in species of genus Cecropia (up to 0.57 mg g−1 of plant) and catechin in Connarus perrottetii var. angustifolius (1.77 mg g−1 of plant)

The filamentous fungi culture collection of the Department of Food Science (CCDCA), Federal University of Lavras, Brazil

Brazil has one of the highest levels of biological diversity due to its large geographical area, high coverage by rainforests, and endemic biomes, such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga. Of the estimated 1.5 million species of fungi only 5% are known. Much of this unknown biodiversity is in the tropics, which is seriously threatened by some agricultural activities, reinforcing the urgent need for biodiversity studies in these areas. The maintenance and preservation of fungal cultures are important elements for such a requirment. The establishment of a culture collection of filamentous fungi in the Mycotoxins and Mycology Laboratory, Department of Food Science (CCDCA), Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) commenced from the bases of species maintenance, taxonomy, biotechnology and toxigenicity. The laboratory was established in 2007 to preserve potentially mycotoxigenic fungi, especially ochratoxin A and aflatoxins producers, which were isolated from food. Currently the CCDCA has more than 1000 isolates of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Alternaria, Chaetomium, Mucor, Eurotium, and Neosartorya. A total of 66 species are represented which were isolated from food, cave environments, and soils of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga. A total of 328 cultures are preserved and maintained by periodic subculture, 137 by mineral oil preservation, and 550 by filter paper preservation. The staff trains graduate students in the taxonomy of major taxa of importance to agricultural research and food science. Finally, the CCDCA and UFLA, Brazil, in collaboration with the IBB-Biological Engineering Centre, Micoteca da Universidade do Minho, Portugal, intend to develop a project on polyphasic studies of Aspergillus and Penicillium isolated from various substrates, sources, and environments in Brazil. To pursue this aim CCDCA intends to: a) preserve Aspergillus and Penicillium strains for comparative studies between Brazilian regions and worldwide; b) foster the study of Aspergillus and Penicillium for biotechnological and toxigenic potential, and training in identification, preservation and distribution; c) establish quality control of fungal assays; and d) establish the CCDCA as a member of the global network of culture collections and participate in the international forums and organisations related to culture collections

Effect of chronic treatment with Rosiglitazone on Leydig cell steroidogenesis in rats: In vivo and ex vivo studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The present study was designed to examine the effect of chronic treatment with rosiglitazone - thiazolidinedione used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus for its insulin sensitizing effects - on the Leydig cell steroidogenic capacity and expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) in normal adult rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twelve adult male Wistar rats were treated with rosiglitazone (5 mg/kg) administered by gavage for 15 days. Twelve control animals were treated with the vehicle. The ability of rosiglitazone to directly affect the production of testosterone by Leydig cells <it>ex vivo </it>was evaluated using isolated Leydig cells from rosiglitazone-treated rats. Testosterone production was induced either by activators of the cAMP/PKA pathway (hCG and dbcAMP) or substrates of steroidogenesis [22(R)-hydroxy-cholesterol (22(R)-OH-C), which is a substrate for the P450scc enzyme, and pregnenolone, which is the product of the P450scc-catalyzed step]. Testosterone in plasma and in incubation medium was measured by radioimmunoassay. The StAR and P450scc expression was detected by immunocytochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The levels of total circulating testosterone were not altered by rosiglitazone treatment. A decrease in basal or induced testosterone production occurred in the Leydig cells of rosiglitazone-treated rats. The ultrastructural and immunocytochemical analysis of Leydig cells from rosiglitazone-treated rats revealed cells with characteristics of increased activity as well as increased StAR and P450scc expression, which are key proteins in androgen biosynthesis. However, a number of rosiglitazone-treated cells exhibited significant mitochondrial damage.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results revealed that the Leydig cells from rosiglitazone-treated rats showed significant reduction in testosterone production under basal, hCG/dbcAMP- or 22 (R)-OH-C/pregnenolone-induced conditions, although increased labeling of StAR and P450scc was detected in these cells by immunocytochemistry. The ultrastructural study suggested that the lower levels of testosterone produced by these cells could be due to mitochondrial damage induced by rosiglitazone.</p

Diagnósticos de enfermagem identificados em pacientes internados em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adulto

Estudo descritivo para identificar nos registros de prontuários de pacientes internados em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva de Adultos os diagnósticos de enfermagem e mapear os diagnósticos mais frequentes às Necessidades Humanas Básicas. Obteve-se uma amostra de 44 prontuários. Identificaram-se 1.087 diagnósticos de enfermagem. Após exclusão de repetições, encontraram-se 28 diferentes títulos de diagnósticos. Vinte e cinco diagnósticos estavam relacionados às necessidades psicobiológicas, e três, às necessidades psicossociais. Sugere-se a realização de estudos que identifiquem, entre os diagnósticos de enfermagem formulados e as necessidades humanas afetadas, quais foram solucionados e para quais necessidades são predominantemente elaborados os cuidados. Os resultados deste estudo são importantes para a organização de conteúdos de ensino para alunos e enfermeiros, preparando-os para que, ao prestar o cuidado, considerem o ser humano, tanto nos aspectos biológicos, como emocionais e espirituais