Health services users with diabetes mellitus: from knowledge to the use of healthcare rights

This descriptive study with qualitative approach analyzes the knowledge of individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) concerning their health rights. Open interviews were conducted with 12 individuals with DM in a university center in the interior of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Content analysis enabled the identification of two categories: the users’ (lack of) knowledge concerning their rights and the unaware exercise of their rights. The results revealed that despite the legal advancements achieved in public policies, most users with DM are unaware of their rights, although they use the benefits that accrue from law in an unconscious way. Providing complete and sufficient information is essential so that individuals are able to make the best decision in relation to their treatment, preserving their autonomy.Se trata de un estudio descriptivo de abordaje cualitativo, con el objetivo de analizar el conocimiento de los usuarios de los servicios de salud con diabetes mellitus (DM) acerca de sus derechos. Participaron 12 personas con DM atendidas en un centro universitario del interior paulista en 2008, por medio de entrevista abierta. El análisis de contenido temático de los datos posibilitó identificar dos categorías: el (des)conocimiento de los usuarios de los servicios de salud con diabetes sobre sus derechos y el ejercicio no consciente de sus derechos por las personas con DM. Fue posible constatar que, a pesar de los avances legalmente alcanzados por las políticas públicas, la mayoría de los usuarios de los servicios de salud con DM desconoce sus derechos, a pesar de que utilizan los beneficios provenientes de la legislación, de manera no consciente. Se resalta como punto fundamental proveer informaciones completas y suficientes para que la persona pueda tomar la mejor decisión en relación a su tratamiento, preservando su autonomía en los servicios de salud.Estudo descritivo de abordagem qualitativa, e teve como objetivo analisar o conhecimento dos usuários dos serviços de saúde com diabetes mellitus (DM), acerca dos seus direitos. Participaram 12 pessoas com DM, atendidas em um centro universitário do interior paulista, em 2008, por meio de entrevista aberta. A análise de conteúdo temática dos dados possibilitou identificar duas categorias: o (des)conhecimento dos usuários dos serviços de saúde com diabetes sobre seus direitos e o exercício não consciente dos seus direitos pelas pessoas com DM. Foi possível constatar que, apesar dos avanços legalmente alcançados pelas políticas públicas, a maioria dos usuários dos serviços de saúde com DM desconhece seus direitos, embora utilize, de maneira não consciente, os benefícios advindos da legislação. Ressalta-se como ponto fundamental prover informações completas, suficientes para que a pessoa possa tomar a melhor decisão em relação ao seu tratamento, preservando sua autonomia, nos serviços de saúde

Consistency analysis of a nonbirefringent Lorentz-violating planar model

In this work analyze the physical consistency of a nonbirefringent Lorentz-violating planar model via the analysis of the pole structure of its Feynman propagators. The nonbirefringent planar model, obtained from the dimensional reduction of the CPT-even gauge sector of the standard model extension, is composed of a gauge and a scalar fields, being affected by Lorentz-violating (LIV) coefficients encoded in the symmetric tensor $\kappa_{\mu\nu}$. The propagator of the gauge field is explicitly evaluated and expressed in terms of linear independent symmetric tensors, presenting only one physical mode. The same holds for the scalar propagator. A consistency analysis is performed based on the poles of the propagators. The isotropic parity-even sector is stable, causal and unitary mode for $0\leq\kappa_{00}<1$. On the other hand, the anisotropic sector is stable and unitary but in general noncausal. Finally, it is shown that this planar model interacting with a $\lambda|\varphi|^{4}-$Higgs field supports compactlike vortex configurations.Comment: 11 pages, revtex style, final revised versio

DETC Induces Leishmania Parasite Killing in Human In Vitro and Murine In Vivo Models: A Promising Therapeutic Alternative in Leishmaniasis

Background: Chemotherapy remains the primary tool for treatment and control of human leishmaniasis. However, currently available drugs present serious problems regarding side-effects, variable efficacy, and cost. Affordable and less toxic drugs are urgently needed for leishmaniasis. Methodology/Principal Findings: We demonstrate, by microscopy and viability assays, that superoxide dismutase inhibitor diethyldithiocarbamate (DETC) dose-dependently induces parasite killing (p,0.001) and is able to ??????sterilize?????? Leishmania amazonensis infection at 2 mM in human macrophages in vitro. We also show that DETC-induced superoxide production (p,0.001) and parasite destruction (p,0.05) were reverted by the addition of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine, indicating that DETC-induced killing occurs through oxidative damage. Furthermore, ultrastructural analysis by electron microscopy demonstrates a rapid and highly selective destruction of amastigotes in the phagosome upon DETC treatment, without any apparent damage to the host cell, including its mitochondria. In addition, DETC significantly induced parasite killing in Leishmania promastigotes in axenic culture. In murine macrophages infected with Leishmania braziliensis, DETC significantly induced in vitro superoxide production (p = 0.0049) and parasite killing (p = 0.0043). In vivo treatment with DETC in BALB/C mice infected with Leishmania braziliensis caused a significant decrease in lesion size (p,0.0001), paralleled by a 100-fold decrease (p = 0.0087) in parasite burden. Conclusions/Significance: Due to its strong leishmanicidal effect in human macrophages in vitro, its in vivo effectiveness in a murine model, and its previously demonstrated in vivo safety profile in HIV treatment, DETC treatment might be considered as a valuable therapeutic option in human leishmaniasis, including HIV/Leishmania co-infection

Social distancing measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic: potential impacts and challenges in Brazil.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged researchers and policy makers to identify public safety measures forpreventing the collapse of healthcare systems and reducingdeaths. This narrative review summarizes the available evidence on the impact of social distancing measures on the epidemic and discusses the implementation of these measures in Brazil. Articles on the effect of social distancing on COVID-19 were selected from the PubMed, medRXiv and bioRvix databases. Federal and state legislation was analyzed to summarize the strategies implemented in Brazil. Social distancing measures adopted by the population appear effective, particularly when implemented in conjunction with the isolation of cases and quarantining of contacts. Therefore, social distancing measures, and social protection policies to guarantee the sustainability of these measures, should be implemented. To control COVID-19 in Brazil, it is also crucial that epidemiological monitoring is strengthened at all three levels of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). This includes evaluating and usingsupplementary indicators to monitor the progression of the pandemic and the effect of the control measures, increasing testing capacity, and making disaggregated notificationsand testing resultstransparentand broadly available