Understanding the experience of psychopathology after intimate partner violence: The role of personality

Objectives: To fully understand the dynamics of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) it is necessary to understand the role of personality. The current understanding of which personality characteristics are associated with IPV victimization is, however, far from comprehensive. Given this gap in the literature, our objective was to examine the associations between the dimensions of the psychobiological model of personality and psychopathological symptoms in women who had experienced IPV. Methods: Using a case-control design, a group of women who had experienced IPV and who were living in shelters ( Results: Victims of IPV showed significantly higher levels of Harm Avoidance and Self-Transcendence, and lower levels of Reward Dependence and Self-Directedness, than the non-IPV control group. Victims of IPV also reported elevated levels of psychopathological symptoms. Personality dimensions showed a broadly consistent pattern of associations across different psychopathological symptoms. A regression analysis indicated that Novelty Seeking was negatively associated with psychopathological symptoms in victims of IPV, but not significantly associated in non-victims. Conclusions: The study highlights the important role of Harm Avoidance and Self-Directedness for understanding psychopathological symptoms. Novelty Seeking appears to play an important role in the expression of individuals\u27 experiences of IPV. These results have important implications for research and practice, particularly the development and implementation of interventions

Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd. Leaves: Mechanical Antinociceptive Properties of a Standardized Dried Extract and Its Chemical Markers

Seeking to develop a new analgesic phytomedicine, a spray-dried extract (SDE) of Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd. leaves was developed in scale up (5 kg). The SDE was standardized at 3% w/w in relation to the flavonoid 2′′-O-rhamnosylswertisin. The SDE batches were evaluated in relation to their physical, physiochemical, and pharmacological characteristics. The results demonstrated the reproducibility of the scale up SDE process which, when dosed orally, reduced carrageenan-induced mechanical hypernociception, with an ID50% of 443 mg/kg. Similar results were obtained with animals injected with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), in which SDE caused inhibition of 48 ± 4%. SDE was effective in preventing prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-induced mechanical hypernociception (inhibition of 26 ± 10% and 33 ± 3%, at 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively). Swertisin and 2′′-O-rhamnosylswertisin isolated from the own extract were effective in inhibiting the hypernociceptive response induced by carrageenan (70 ± 2% and 50 ± 5%, resp.). Furthermore, 2′′-O-rhamnosylswertisin was capable of significantly inhibiting the mechanical sensitization induced by CFA or PGE2, with inhibitions of 25 ± 3% and 94 ± 6%, respectively. These results suggest that the effects of SDE are related, at least in part, to the presence of these flavonoids

Prevalence, geographic and seasonal distribution of protozoan and myxozoan parasites of jaú (Zungaro jahu) in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Estudo realizado no Pantanal Matogrossense, avaliou a prevalência, a distribuição geográfica e sazonal de protozoários e mixozoários parasitos de jaú (Zungaro jahu). Os peixes foram capturados no Sul do Pantanal, na região dos rios Aquidauana, Miranda e Paraguai, em 2001, 2002 e 2003, na região Central (Parque Nacional do Pantanal - PARNA Pantanal) em 2003, 2004, 2005 e 2008, e na região Norte (rios Cuiabá e Manso, no município de Nobres) em 2003, 2004 e 2005. Foi identificado Trichodina sp. parasitando pele e brânquias de jaú nas três regiões estudadas. Ocorrência de Epistylis sp. na pele e Cryptobia sp. nas brânquias foram restritas às coletas da região Central, enquanto Ichthyophthirius multifiliis foi identificado parasitando a pele nas três regiões estudadas. Também foi observada a ocorrência de mixozoários, Myxobolus cordeiroi parasitando vários órgãos e Henneguya sp. parasitando brânquias de jaú das três regiões estudadas

Phylogeny, ultrastructure, histopathology and prevalence of Myxobolus oliveirai sp. nov., a parasite of Brycon hilarii (Characidae) in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil

This paper presents the morphological, histological and ultrastructural characteristics of Myxobolus oliveirai sp. nov., a parasite of the gill filaments in Brycon hilarii from the Brazilian Pantanal. Out of 216 B. hilariispecimens examined (126 wild and 90 cultivated), 38.1% of wild specimens (n = 48) were infected. The parasites form elongated plasmodia primarily in the tip of gill filaments, reaching about 3 mm in length. A thorough comparison with all the Myxobolus species described from South American hosts, as well as nearly all the Myxobolus species described so far is provided. Partial sequencing of the 18S rDNA gene revealed a total of 1,527 bp. The Myxobolus species parasite of B. hilarii did not match any of the Myxozoa available in GenBank. In the phylogenetic analysis, M. oliveirai sp. nov. composed a monophyletic group with eight other species: five species of Myxobolus parasites of mugilid fishes, two parasites of pangasiid and one of centrarchid. Infection prevalence values of the parasite revealed no significant differences between wet and dry seasons or between males and females. The importance of the infection to the farming of the host species is emphasized.FAPESPCEPTA - ICMBioCoordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES

A importância da religião afro no processo de resistência da cultura ancestralizada no Brasil

This article discusses the importance of the Afro religion for the African people as a starting point to keep their history, culture and ancestry alive. The mother religion, which projects the search for long-lost and separated family ties in the face of the condition of enslaved people, maintains its relevance in the construction of the social, political and economic process in our country. We seek, therefore, a sensitive look at the Afro religion here in our country: how it materialized from its beginning in the terreiros of the big houses and flourished over the long years of our history, emphasizing our traditional communities of yards and our struggles with social movements. We bring Exu to these discussions as a great potentiator of these struggles from mother Africa to our current sheds. Exu as the one who opens the way, the one who watches over the gates and the first one who comes to our rescue.O presente artigo discute a importância da religião afro para o povo africano como ponto de partida para manter viva sua história, sua cultura e sua ancestralidade. A religião mãe que projeta busca de entrelaces familiares há muito perdidos e separados diante da condição de povo escravizado, mantém sua relevância na construção do processo sócio, político e econômico em nosso país. Buscamos, então, um olhar sensível acerca da religião afro aqui em nosso país: como se concretizou desde seu início nos terreiros das casas grandes e floresceu aos longos anos da nossa história, enfatizando nossas comunidades tradicionais de terreiros e nossas lutas junto aos movimentos sociais. Trazemos para essas discussões Exu como grande potencializador dessas lutas desde a mãe África até nossos barracões atuais. Exu como o que abre os caminhos, o que vigia as porteiras e o primeiro que chega em nosso socorro

Effects of zinc supplementation on 1- to 5-year old children

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto da suplementação com zinco sobre os parâmetros nutricionais e bioquímicos entre crianças de 12 a 59 meses de idade. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo clínico randomizado unicego com 58 crianças entre 12 e 59 meses participantes do Programa Governamental de Combate a Carências Nutricionais, que fornecia mensalmente 2 kg de leite fortificado com ferro. O grupo intervenção (n = 28) foi suplementado com 10 mg/dia de sulfato de zinco por 4 meses, e o grupo controle (n = 30) recebeu solução placebo. Para avaliação do estado nutricional, utilizaram-se os indicadores peso por estatura e estatura por idade, expressos em escores z, do padrão de referência NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics), parâmetros bioquímicos de ferro e zinco séricos e concentração de hemoglobina e hematócrito. RESULTADOS: A suplementação com zinco não interferiu significativamente sobre as condições antropométricas das crianças. Ambos os grupos apresentavam concentrações iniciais baixas de zinco sérico. Após o término do período de intervenção, a variação nos níveis médios de hemoglobina (p = 0,002) e as concentrações de hematócrito (p = 0,001), zinco (p = 0,023) e ferro séricos (p = 0,013) foram significativamente mais elevadas no grupo suplementado. CONCLUSÃO: A suplementação com zinco promoveu melhora na resposta hemoglobínica e normalizou a concentração sérica de zinco. Os resultados mostram a importância de se estabelecer políticas de combate a carências nutricionais que também possam dar atenção à carência de zinco.OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of zinc supplementation on nutritional and biochemical parameters among children aged 12 to 59 months. METHODS: A blinded randomized clinical trial was carried out with 58 children aged 12 to 59 months included in the National Child Nutritional Program, which provided them with 2 kg of iron-fortified milk. The supplementation group (n = 28) received 10 mg/day of zinc sulfate for four months, and the control group (n = 30) received placebo. The following parameters were used to assess the nutritional status: weight-for-height and height-for-age expressed as z scores, according to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards, biochemical measurements of serum iron and serum zinc, and hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. RESULTS: Zinc supplementation did not have a remarkable influence on anthropometric parameters. Baseline serum zinc levels were low in both groups. After supplementation, variations in mean hemoglobin (p = 0.002), hematocrit (p = 0.001), serum zinc (p = 0.023), and serum iron (p = 0.013) levels significantly increased in the zinc supplementation group. CONCLUSION: Zinc supplementation improved hemoglobin response and normalized serum zinc concentration. The results show the importance of establishing policies for nutritional care that can tackle zinc deficiency as well