Características clínicas e demográficas de pacientes idosos com demência atendidos em uma clínica do sul do Brasil

The aging of the population is a worldwide phenomenon, where 60% of elders live in developing areas of the world such as Brazil, regions in which few studies have been carried out. Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate the clinical and demographic profile of patients with dementing disorders seen at a specialized outpatient clinic in South Brazil. Methods: A sample of 105 demented patients seen at the Dementia Outpatient Clinic from Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Brazil between June 2004 and June 2008. Evaluation of patients consisted of medical history, cognitive testing, assessment of functional status (Activities of Daily Living Scale - ADL; Instrumental Activities Daily Living - IADL) and application of the Neuropsychiatry Inventory (NPI) for behavioral symptoms. Severity of dementia was evaluated based on the CDR scale. All patients underwent laboratory screening tests and brain imaging exams to define etiology of dementia. Results: Of the whole sample, 71% were female. Age was 79±8 years (mean±SD). Educational level was 4±3 years (mean±SD). Sixty-four patients (60%) presented the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Of the whole sample, 26.7% were classified as CDR=1, 44% as CDR=2 and 29. 3% as CDR=3. A significant difference on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and functional status scores was observed among the CDR categories (severity). No significant association was found between severity and impairment on memory tests and behavioral symptoms. Conclusions: Alzheimer’s disease was the most common etiology, followed by vascular dementia. At diagnosis, most patients presented mild to moderate severity of dementia, independent of cause.O envelhecimento da população é um fenômeno mundial, 60% destas pessoas moram em áreas em desenvolvimento do mundo, como no Brasil, onde poucos estudos têm sido conduzidos. Objetivos: O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o perfil clínico e demográfico de pacientes com demência vistos em uma clínica especializada em demência do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Brasil, durante o período de junho de 2004 a junho de 2008. A avaliação dos pacientes consistiu de história médica, testes cognitivos, avaliação do estado funcional (Atividades de vida diária - AVD; atividades instrumentais de vida diária - AIVD) e Inventário Neuropsiquiátrico (INP) para avaliação comportamental. A gravidade da demência foi avaliada com a escala CDR. Todos os pacientes realizaram testes laboratoriais de rastreio e exames de imagem para definir a etiologia da demência. Resultados: Da amostra 71% eram mulheres; idade de 79±8 anos (média±DP) e escolaridade de 4±3 anos. Sessenta e quatro pacientes (60%) apresentavam diagnóstico de doença de Alzheimer; dentro da amostra 26.7% foram classificados como CDR=1; 44% como CDR=2 e 3% como CDR=3. Uma diferença significativa nos escores do MMSE e nos escores funcionais foi observada entre as categorias de CDR (gravidade). Não houve associação significativa entre gravidade e comprometimento nos testes de memória e sintomas comportamentais. Conclusões: Doença de Alzheimer foi a etiologia mais comum, e a seguir demência vascular. No diagnóstico, a maioria dos pacientes apresentou gravidade da demência de grau leve a moderado, independente da causa

Structure of an Odorant-Binding Protein from the Mosquito Aedes aegypti Suggests a Binding Pocket Covered by a pH-Sensitive “Lid”

Background: The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is the primary vector for the viruses that cause yellow fever, mostly in tropical regions of Africa and in parts of South America, and human dengue, which infects 100 million people yearly in the tropics and subtropics. A better understanding of the structural biology of olfactory proteins may pave the way for the development of environmentally-friendly mosquito attractants and repellents, which may ultimately contribute to reduction of mosquito biting and disease transmission. Methodology: Previously, we isolated and cloned a major, female-enriched odorant-binding protein (OBP) from the yellow fever mosquito, AaegOBP1, which was later inadvertently renamed AaegOBP39. We prepared recombinant samples of AaegOBP1 by using an expression system that allows proper formation of disulfide bridges and generates functional OBPs, which are indistinguishable from native OBPs. We crystallized AaegOBP1 and determined its three-dimensional structure at 1.85 angstrom resolution by molecular replacement based on the structure of the malaria mosquito OBP, AgamOBP1, the only mosquito OBP structure known to date. Conclusion: The structure of AaegOBP1 (= AaegOBP39) shares the common fold of insect OBPs with six alpha-helices knitted by three disulfide bonds. A long molecule of polyethylene glycol (PEG) was built into the electron-density maps identified in a long tunnel formed by a crystallographic dimer of AaegOBP1. Circular dichroism analysis indicated that delipidated AaegOBP1 undergoes a pH-dependent conformational change, which may lead to release of odorant at low pH (as in the environment in the vicinity of odorant receptors). A C-terminal loop covers the binding cavity and this ""lid"" may be opened by disruption of an array of acid-labile hydrogen bonds thus explaining reduced or no binding affinity at low pH.National Science Foundation (NSF) [0918177]National Institutes of Health (NIH) NIAIDBrazilian National Institutes of Science and Technology: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) [573607/2008-7]Brazilian National Institutes of Science and Technology: FAPESP [08/57910-0

4-Methyl-3-(2-phenoxy­acet­yl)-5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazinan-2-one

The 1,3,4-oxadiazinane ring in the title compound, C18H18N2O4, is in a twisted boat conformation. The two carbonyl groups are orientated towards the same side of the mol­ecule. The dihedral angle between the planes of the benzene rings is 76.6 (3)°. Mol­ecules are sustained in the three-dimensional structure by a combination of C—H⋯O, C—H⋯π and π–π [shortest centroid–centroid distance = 3.672 (6) Å] inter­actions

Redetermination of 2,4,6-tricyclo­hexyl-1,3,5-trioxane

The title compound, C21H36O3, was obtained by treatment of cyclo­hexa­necarbaldehyde with catalytic toluene-4-sulfonic acid monohydrate. This redetermination results in a crystal structure with significantly higher precision than the original determination [Diana & Ganis (1963 ▶). Atti Accad. Naz. Lincei, 35, 80–88]. The asymmetric unit contains one sixth of the mol­ecule, the formula unit being generated by crystallographic 3m symmetry. In the mol­ecule, the trioxane and cyclo­hexane rings are in chair conformations. In the crystal structure, mol­ecules are linked by weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds along the [001] direction

Neoaustin: a meroterpene produced by Penicillium sp.

The title meroterpene neoaustin {systematic name: (1′S,2′R,3S,7′R,9′S,11′S,12′R)-11′-hydr­oxy-2,2,2′,9′,12′-penta­methyl-6′,15′-dimethyl­ene-2,6-dihydro-13′-oxaspiro­[pyran-3,5′-tetra­cyclo­[7.5.1.01,11.02,7]penta­deca­ne]-6,10′,14′-trione}, C25H30O6, comprises five rings, three six-membered and two five-membered. The absolute configuration was established based on [αD] = +166.91° (c 1.21, CH2Cl2). In the crystal, the mol­ecules are connected into a supra­molecular helical chain via O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds reinforced by C—H⋯O contacts

2-(4-Methoxy­phenyl­sulfin­yl)cyclo­hexan-1-one

The cyclo­hexa­none ring in the title compound, C13H16O3S, is in a distorted chair conformation. The intra­molecular S⋯Ocarbon­yl distance is 2.814 (2) Å. Mol­ecules are connected into a two-dimensional array via C—H⋯O contacts involving the carbonyl and sulfinyl O atoms

1-Benzyl-2,5-dioxopyrrolidine-3,4-diyl diacetate

The pyrrolidine-2,5-dione ring in the title compound, C15H15NO6, is in a twisted conformation with the acetyl C atoms projecting to opposite sides of the ring. The acetyl groups lie to opposite sides of the five-membered ring. The benzene ring is roughly perpendicular to the heterocyclic ring, forming a dihedral angle of 76.57 (14)° with it. In the crystal, mol­ecules are connected through a network of C—H⋯O and C—H⋯π inter­actions