The level of ascorbate peroxidase is enhanced in benznidazole-resistant populations of Trypanosoma cruzi and its expression is modulated by stress generated by hydrogen peroxide

Ascorbate peroxidases (APX) are class I heme-containing enzymes that convert hydrogen peroxide into water molecules. The gene encoding APX has been characterized in 11 strains of Trypanosoma cruzi that are sensitive or resistant to benznidazole (BZ). Bioinformatic analysis revealed the presence of two complete copies of the T. cruzi APX (TcAPX) gene in the genome of the parasite, while karyotype analysis showed that the gene was present in the 2.000-kb chromosome of all of the strains analyzed. The sequence of TcAPX exhibited greater levels of similarity to those of orthologous enzymes from Leishmania spp than to APXs from the higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Northern blot and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses revealed no significant differences in TcAPX mRNA levels between the T. cruzi strains analyzed. On the other hand, Western blots showed that the expression levels of TcAPX protein were, respectively, two and three-fold higher in T. cruzi populations with in vitro induced (17 LER) and in vivo selected (BZR) resistance to BZ, in comparison with their corresponding susceptible counterparts. Moreover, the two BZ-resistant populations exhibited higher tolerances to exogenous hydrogen peroxide than their susceptible counterparts and showed TcAPX levels that increased in a dose-dependent manner following exposure to 100 and 200 µM hydrogen peroxide

Percepção de agentes comunitários de saúde sobre os riscos à saúde fonoaudiológica Perception of community health workers regarding risks for hearing and communication disorders

OBJETIVO: Investigar a percepção dos agentes comunitários sobre os aspectos relacionados à saúde fonoaudiológica da população usuária de um programa de saúde da família. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo observacional transversal com aplicação de questionário a 85 agentes comunitários. Foram investigadas 20 situações hipotéticas abordando os temas fonoaudiológicos na rotina de trabalho dos agentes. As variáveis analisadas foram: idade, tempo de atuação, escolaridade, percepção dos riscos à saúde da população nas áreas de voz, motricidade orofacial, linguagem e audiologia. RESULTADOS: A média de idade dos agentes foi de 38 anos (±9,1), e o tempo de médio de atuação no programa 5,0 anos (±2,9). Observou-se que 80 profissionais (94%) possuíam pelo menos o Ensino Médio completo, e todos eram do gênero feminino. Entre as situações hipotéticas investigadas, os agentes demonstraram ter a percepção do risco e atitude de levá-lo para discussão da equipe em 49% das situações envolvendo o risco à saúde auditiva, 53% saúde vocal, 60% e 62% os riscos relacionados à motricidade orofacial e linguagem, respectivamente. Não foi encontrada relação entre o tempo de atuação e a percepção do risco à saúde fonoaudiológica. CONCLUSÃO: Os agentes comunitários mostraram ter percepção de muitas situações de risco à saúde fonoaudiológica dos usuários, especialmente no que se refere à saúde vocal e das estruturas e funções orofaciais. É necessário ao agente comunitário ir além das habilidades e competências conceituais e procedimentais no que se refere à saúde da comunicação humana, pois se almeja um profissional com habilidades atitudinais.<br>PURPOSE: To investigate the perception of community health workers about the aspects related to hearing and communication health of users of a family health program. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study with questionnaire application to 85 community health workers. Twenty hypothetical situations were investigated, addressing issues related to Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology present in their routine. The variables analysed were: age, work experience, education, perception of health risks in the areas of voice, orofacial myology, language and audiology. RESULTS: The mean age of the agents was 38 years (±9.1), and their mean time of experience in the family health program was 5 years (±2.9). It was observed that 80 professionals (94%) had at least complete high school education, and all were female. Among the hypothetical situations investigated, the workers showed to have the perception of risk and attitude to take it to discussion with the team in 49% of the situations involving risks to hearing health, 53% risk to vocal health, 60% and 62% risks related to orofacial myology and language, respectively. There was no relationship between time of experience and the perception of risks. CONCLUSION: The community health workers have perception of many risk situations to hearing and communication health of the population, especially regarding voice and orofacial structures and functions. Community health workers need to go beyond the conceptual and procedural abilities and competencies regarding the health of human communication, because of the idea of professionals with attitudinal skills