1,361 research outputs found
Parents' understanding about newborn screening
A Triagem Neonatal, mais conhecida como o Teste do Pezinho, é uma estratégia de saúde pública que visa à prevenção de seqüelas, como o retardo mental provocado por hipotireoidismo congênito e fenilcetonúria. Estas patologias apresentam-se freqüentemente assintomáticas nos primeiros meses de vida da criança. Entretanto, se forem diagnosticadas precocemente, existe alta probabilidade do tratamento prevenir suas graves conseqüências. O público-alvo da triagem são os recém-nascidos de 0 a 30 dias de vida, e os seus cuidadores primários desempenham papel crucial para que a prevenção ocorra. O objetivo desse trabalho foi fazer um levantamento das características da clientela atendida por um serviço de referência em Triagem Neonatal localizado na cidade de Belém-PA, e avaliar a compreensão dos pais e/ou cuidadores sobre a importância da realização do Teste do Pezinho. Aplicou-se um questionário para 200 participantes que concordaram em responder a um roteiro de entrevista e foi verificado se houve retorno para buscar o resultado do teste. Os resultados indicaram que a maioria dos participantes não possuía um bom entendimento sobre a importância do teste como recurso para promover prevenção em saúde da criança.Newborn screening, known mainly as PKU and CH screening or Guthrie test, is a public health strategy which aims at the prevention of mental sequels provoked by congenital hypothyroidism and phenylketonuria. These diseases do not usually cause symptoms during the first months of the child's life. However, if they are diagnosed precociously, there is a high probability that the treatment prevents its serious consequences. The test is performed in infants during their first 30 days of life, and their primary caregivers play a crucial role so that prevention occurs. The objective of this work was to study the characteristics of the people being assisted by a service of excellence in Newborn Screening located in the city of Belém, state of Pará, and to evaluate the understanding of parents and/or caregivers about the importance of the Guthrie Test. A questionnaire was applied to 200 participants, who had previously agreed to answer an interview script, and it was verified whether they returned to check the result of the test. The results indicated that most of the participants were not aware of the importance of the test as a resource to promote prevention in child's health
Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of hydroalcoholic extracts and fractions from Erythrina mulungu
Phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity and acute toxicity of Annona vepretorum Mart (Annonaceae) leaf extracts
Purpose: To investigate the phytochemistry, cytotoxicity and acute toxicity of leaf extracts from Annona vepretorum.Methods: The crude extracts were obtained by maceration with hexane and methanol. The crude methanol extract was suspended in a 3:7 (v/v) mixture of methanol (MeOH) and water (H2O) and partitioned with hexane, chloroform (CHCl3) and ethyl acetate (AcOEt) in ascending order of polarity to obtain the respective extracts. In the investigation of phytochemical profile, the extracts were evaluated on thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates of silica gel. Cytotoxicity was tested using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) (MTS) assays against tumor cell lines, viz,HCT-116 (colon), SF-295 (brain), HL-60 (leukemic) and Sarcoma-180. Acute toxicity study was performed by administration of a single oral dose of 2 g/kg body weight of the extracts to mice and the animals were observed for 14 days.Results: Phytochemical screening results showed that A. vepretorum extracts contain alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenes. Methanol and chloroform extracts exhibited high cytotoxic activity against HCT-116, HL-60 and Sarcoma-180. Moreover, the extracts displayed low toxicity in mice, as no deaths and pronounced toxic effects were observed.Conclusion: A. vepretorum contains a variety of secondary metabolites which may confer on this species high cytotoxic activity. In addition, the oral administration of the extracts produced low toxicity in mice.Keywords: Annonaceae, Annona vepretorum, Phytochemistry, Tumor cell lines, Acute toxicit
Limited risk of Zika virus transmission by five Aedes albopictus populations from Spain
Background: Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is an exotic invasive species in Europe. It has substantial
public health relevance due to its potential role in transmitting several human pathogens. Out of the European coun‑
tries, Spain has one of the highest risk levels of autochthonous arbovirus transmission due to both the high density of
Ae. albopictus and the extensive tourist infux from vector-endemic areas. This study aims to investigate the suscep‑
tibility of fve Ae. albopictus populations from mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands to a Brazilian Zika virus (ZIKV)
strain.
Methods: The F1 generation of each Ae. albopictus population was orally challenged with a ZIKV-infected blood meal
(1.8×106 PFU/ml). At 7 and 14 days post-infection (dpi), mosquito bodies (thorax and abdomen) and heads were
individually analysed through RT-qPCR to determine the infection rate (IR) and dissemination rate (DR), respectively.
The saliva of infected mosquitoes was inoculated in Vero cells and the transmission rate was assessed by plaque assay
or RT-qPCR on ~33 individuals per population.
Results: The IR and DR ranged between 12–88%, and 0–60%, respectively, suggesting that ZIKV is capable of cross‑
ing the midgut barrier. Remarkably, no infectious viral particle was found in saliva samples, indicating a low ability of
ZIKV to overcome the salivary gland barrier. A subsequent assay revealed that a second non-infective blood meal 48 h
after ZIKV exposure did not infuence Ae. albopictus vector competence.
Conclusions: The oral experimental ZIKV infections performed here indicate that Ae. albopictus from Spain become
infected and disseminate the virus through the body but has a limited ability to transmit the Brazilian ZIKV strain
through biting. Therefore, the results suggest a limited risk of autochthonous ZIKV transmission in Spain by Ae.
albopictusinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Perillyl alcohol in Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN-PA): Cytotoxicity and antitumor potential in sarcoma 180 mice model
Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells. These cells invade organs and tissues by extension or direct dissemination and can spread to other regions of the body.
Nanomedicine offers many possibilities to prevent the spread of cancer tissue and help cure the disease.
In this work, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were used to encapsulate perillyl alcohol (PA), a volatile
monoterpene with proven anticancer activity. Encapsulation of PA into SLN (SLN-PA) is expected to
promote controlled release, increase PA bioavailability, and impair the volatility of the monoterpene.
SLN-PA prepared by high-shear homogenization showed average particle diameter around 254 nm,
polydispersity index ~ 0.35, zeta potential ~ -14.7 mV, and encapsulation efficiency 84.6%. Scanning
electron microscope analysis revealed a decrease in crystallinity, suggesting the encapsulation of PA in
the SLN, confirming the spherical shape and the loading of the monoterpene in the SLN. In vitro cytotoxicity
assays against murine fibroblasts (L929) showed that SLN-PA in both treated doses did not
induce any cytotoxicity on non-tumoral cells. In vivo antitumor effect of the SLN-PA was evaluated in
sarcoma 180-transplanted mice. The in vivo results demonstrated a significant tumor inhibition rate of
51.76 and 54.49% via intraperitoneal application of SLN-PA at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg/day (p <
0.05), respective when compared to the negative control (dimethyl sulfoxide). Adverse side effects of
SLN-PA were not noticed in the liver, the kidney, or spleen tissue. The developed SLN-PA can be
considered as a safe approach for site-specific antitumor effect in vivo, reinterpreting new nanoparticles-
based cancer therapy.This work was supported by the Banco do Nordeste (grant FUNDECI/2016.0015), Conselho Nacional
de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa e à Inovação
Tecnológica do Estado de Sergipe (Fapitec) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível
Superior (CAPES). Eliana B. Souto would like to acknowledge the Portuguese Science and Technology
Foundation (FCT/MCT) and from European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) for the project
UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund), co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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Retrospective analysis of risk factors and gaps in prevention strategies for mother-to-child HIV transmission in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Background
Despite great progress made in methods to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT), delivery and uptake of these measures remains a challenge in many countries. Although the Brazilian Ministry of Health aimed to eliminate MTCT by 2015, infection still occured in 15–24% of infants born to HIV-infected mothers. We sought to identify remaining factors that constrain MTCT elimination.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective, matched case-control study by reviewing hospital charts of infants born to HIV-infected mothers between 1997 and 2014 at three MTCT reference hospitals in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. Cases were defined as HIV-exposed children with two positive HIV tests before 18 months of age; controls were defined as HIV-exposed children with two negative HIV tests before 18 months of age. We performed bivariate and MTCT cascade analyses to identify risk factors for MTCT and gaps in prevention services.
Results
We included 435 infants and their mothers (145 cases, 290 controls). Bivariate analyses of MTCT preventative care (PMTCT) indicated that cases were less likely to complete all individual measures in the antenatal, delivery, and postnatal period (p < 0.05). Assessing completion of the PMTCT cascade, the sequential steps of PMTCT interventions, we found inadequate retention in care among both cases and controls, and cases were significantly less likely than controls to continue receiving care throughout the cascade (p < 0.05). Motives for incompletion of PMTCT measures included infrastructural issues, such as HIV test results not being returned, but were most often due to lack of care-seeking. Over the course of the study period, PMTCT completion improved, although it remained below the 95% target for antenatal care, HIV testing, and antenatal ART set by the WHO. Adding concern, evaluation of co-infections indicated that case infants were also more likely to have congenital syphilis (OR: 4.29; 95% CI: 1.66 to 11.11).
Conclusions
While PMTCT coverage has improved over the years, completion of services remains insufficient. Along with interventions to promote care-seeking behaviour, increased infrastructural support for PMTCT services is needed to meet the HIV MTCT elimination goal in Brazil as well as address rising national rates of congenital syphilis
Diagnóstico da pesquisa em biodiversidade no Brasil
Biodiversity is a result of millions of years of biological evolution, and is the component of the system which supports life on our planet. Besides the intrinsic value of each species, all of them as a whole, as well as of the interactions among the species, and their interaction with the physical and chemical environment, result in ecosystem services vital for supporting life on Earth. Because of that, the science of biodiversity is largely recognized as a priority area of scientific investigation both in developed and developing countries. In Brazil, the research on biodiversity can be divided in three parts: 1) discovery and characterization of biodiversity - including marine and human-altered landscapes - systematics and taxonomy; 2) understanding the functioning of ecosystems and environmental services, including in marine and human-altered landscapes; 3) bioprospecting of the chemical diversity of the Brazilian biota.A biodiversidade resulta de milhões de anos de evolução biológica e é o componente do sistema de suporte à vida de nosso planeta. Além do valor intrínseco de cada espécie, seu conjunto, bem como o de interações entre espécies e destas com o meio físico-químico, resultam em serviços ecossistêmicos imprescindíveis para manter a vida na Terra. Sendo assim, a ciência da biodiversidade é amplamente reconhecida como área prioritária de investigação científica, tanto nos países desenvolvidos como naqueles em desenvolvimento. No Brasil, a pesquisa em biodiversidade pode ser dividida em três principais vertentes: 1) descoberta e caracterização da biodiversidade, inclusive marinha e em paisagens alteradas - sistemática e taxonomia; 2) compreensão do funcionamento de ecossistemas e serviços ambientais, inclusive marinhos e em paisagens alteradas; 3) bioprospecção da quimiodiversidade da biota brasileira
Latex fluids are endowed with insect repellent activity not specifically related to their proteins or volatile substances
MACROECOLOGIA, BIOGEOGRAFIA E ÁREAS PRIORITÁRIAS PARA CONSERVAÇÃO NO CERRADO
revista vol 13 nº 3.indd Há consenso entre os cientistas de que a há atualmente uma “crise da biodiversidade”, resultado da constante e intensa perda de habitat natural causada pela expansão da ocupação. Como a biologia da conservação tem sido muitas vezes reconhecida como uma ciência da crise, ela deve fornecer informações capazes de mediar, de forma mais científica possível, as tomadas de decisão que são necessárias. Dentre estas, uma das mais importantes é indicar regiões prioritárias para a conservação, já que por motivos óbvios não é possível preservar todos os ecossistemas por inteiro. Nesse contexto, recentemente sugeriu-se que a aplicação de princípios, teorias e análises provenientes da biogeografia e da macroecologia seriam importantes na Biologia da Conservação, formalizando uma abordagem que tem sido denominada “Biogeografia da Conservação”. Assim, o objetivo deste artigo é discutir e revisar esses componentes da biogeografia da conservação, utilizando uma abordagem macroecológica para desenvolver e aplicar métodos de planejamento sistemático em conservação, utilizando o bioma Cerrado como um modelo de estudo. Foram discutidos inicialmente os padrões de riqueza e diversidade beta e, em um segundo momento, como esses padrões podem ser correlacionados à ocupação humana do Bioma. Essa relação é fundamental para subsidiar a aplicação de modelos de planejamento sistemático de conservação em escala regional (análises de insubstituibilidade, complementaridade e de lacunas). É preciso considerar também que há sérias falhas de conhecimento sobre os padrões de biodiversidade na região e que a escolha de grupos indicadores pode ser importante para minimizar problemas gerados pela falta de conhecimento. Assim, essa abordagem é interessante em um cenário de grandes incertezas (ausência de dados detalhados) e de rápida transformação da paisagem, possibilitando a otimização de estudos em grandes escalas e depois transferir os resultados para escalas espaciais mais locais e realmente relevantes para a conservação. Nessas regiões, podem ser realizados, em um segundo momento, estudos mais detalhados a fim de avaliar padrões de viabilidade populacional, fragmentação de habitat e regiões potenciais de manutenção da diversidade genética
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