Plasmids of Azotobacter Vinelandii

Nineteen laboratory strains of Azotobacter vinelandii and two organisms of the same species isolated from water samples were screened for the presence of plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Three laboratory strains and both organisms isolated from water samples contained one plasmid each. The migration distances of the plasmids in agarose gel electrophoresis were different molecular weights. The plasmids were cured by SDS or ethidium bromide treatment of the cultures

Avaliação do controle postural na hipofunção vestibular unilateral

INTRODUCTION:Patients with vestibular hypofunction, a typical finding in peripheral vestibular disorders, show body balance alterations.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the postural control of patients with vertigo and unilateral vestibular hypofunction.METHOD:This is a clinical cross-sectional study. Twenty-five patients with vertigo and unilateral vestibular hypofunction and a homogeneous control group consisting of 32 healthy individuals were submitted to a neurotological evaluation including the Tetrax Interactive Balance System posturography in eight different sensory conditions.RESULTS:For different positions, vertiginous patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction showed significantly higher values of general stability index, weight distribution index, right/left and tool/heel synchronizations, Fourier transformation index and fall index than controls.CONCLUSION:Increased values in the indices of weight distribution, right/left and tool/heel synchronizations, Fourier transformation and fall risk characterize the impairment of postural control in patients with vertigo and unilateral vestibular hypofunction.INTRODUÇÃO:Pacientes com hipofunção vestibular, achado típico em vestibulopatias periféricas, apresentam alterações de equilíbrio corporal.OBJETIVO:Avaliar o controle postural de pacientes vertiginosos com hipofunção vestibular unilateral.MÉTODO:Trata-se de um estudo clínico transversal. No total, 25 pacientes vertiginosos com hipofunção vestibular unilateral e um grupo controle homogêneo de 32 indivíduos hígidos foram submetidos à avaliação otoneurológica, incluindo a posturografia do Tetrax Interactive Balance System em oito diferentes condições sensoriais.RESULTADOS:O grupo experimental apresentou valores significantemente maiores do que o grupo controle quanto ao índice de estabilidade geral, índice de distribuição de peso, índice de sincronização da oscilação postural direita/esquerda e dedos/calcanhar, faixas de frequência de oscilação postural (F1, F2-F4, F5-F6, F7-F8) e índice de risco de queda, em diferentes condições sensoriais.CONCLUSÃO:Alterações de distribuição de peso, sincronização da oscilação postural direita/esquerda e dedos/calcanhares, faixas de frequência de oscilação postural e do índice de risco de queda caracterizam o comprometimento do controle postural em pacientes vertiginosos com hipofunção vestibular unilateral.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

DA INCONSTITUCIONALIDADE DA CONDENAÇÃO AO DÉCUPLO DE CUSTAS PROCESSUAIS A AUTORES POPULARES E DIRETORES DE ASSOCIAÇÕES EM AÇÕES CIVIS PÚBLICAS

A ação popular e a ação civil pública se consubstanciam nos principais instrumentos processuais para satisfação de interesses jurídicos metaindividuais, compreendidos como aqueles que extravasam a esfera jurídica do autor da ação, que o faz, então, de maneira hábil a satisfazer anseios difusos ou coletivos da sociedade. Além de instrumentos de participação popular e de instituições organizadas no exercício do poder estatal e gestão das competências públicas, caracterizam-se pela nobreza de espírito através da qual um determinado sujeito, notadamente quando desassociado da estrutura estatal, assume a responsabilidade de propositura de ação judicial buscando interesse que não é só seu, mas, ao contrário, é de uma indeterminação de indivíduos, sem possibilidade de obter singular benefício. A gratuidade destas ações é a regra e as suas hipóteses de exceção devem merecer interpretação restrita, de molde a não subverter a ordem constitucional. O presente trabalho busca avaliar a inconstitucionalidade das previsões normativas que prevejam custeio de décuplo de custas judiciais a autores populares ou diretores de associações que promovem ações civis públicas, mediante análise de doutrina e jurisprudência, sob o método dedutivo

Anti-VEGF for the Management of Diabetic Macular Edema

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an important cause of vision loss around the world, being the leading cause in the population between 20 and 60 years old. Among patients with DR, diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most frequent cause of vision impairment and represents a significant public health issue. Macular photocoagulation has been the standard treatment for this condition reducing the risk of moderate visual loss by approximately 50%. the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in DR and DME pathogenesis has been demonstrated in recent studies. This review addresses and summarizes data from the clinical trials that investigated anti-VEGF for the management of DME and evaluates their impact on clinical practice. the literature searches were conducted between August and October 2013 in PubMed and Cochrane Library with no date restrictions and went through the most relevant studies on pegaptanib, ranibizumab, bevacizumab, and aflibercept for the management of DME. the efficacy and safety of intravitreal anti-VEGF as therapy for DME have recently been proved by various clinical trials providing significantly positive visual and anatomical results. Regarding clinical practice, those outcomes have placed intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF as an option that must be considered for the treatment of DME.Fed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Ophthalmol & Visual Sci, Retina Div, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniv So Calif, Keck Sch Med, Dept Ophthalmol, Doheny Eye Inst, Los Angeles, CA USAGoethe Univ Frankfurt, Dept Ophthalmol, D-60590 Frankfurt, GermanyFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Ophthalmol & Visual Sci, Retina Div, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Self-Reported Dental Fear among Dental Students and Their Patients

The aim of the present study was to compare self-reported dental fear among dental students and patients at a School of Dentistry in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Eighty students ranging in age from 20 to 29 years and 80 patients ranging in age from 18 to 65 years participated in the study. A self-administered pre-tested questionnaire consisting of 13 items was used for data acquisition. The city of Belo Horizonte Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) was employed for socioeconomic classification. The chi-square test and binary and multinomial logistic regression were employed in the statistical analysis, with the significance level set at 0.05. The majority of dental students (76.5%) sought the dentist for the first time for a routine exam, while patients (77.3%) mostly sought a dentist for the treatment of dental pain. Dental fear was more prevalent among the patients (72.5%) than the students (27.5%). A total of 47.1% of the students and 52.9% of the patients reported having had negative dental experiences in childhood. The logistic model revealed an association between dental fear and a pain-related experience (OR: 1.8; 95%CI: 1.3–2.6). Patients were more prone to dental fear (OR: 2.2; 95%CI: 1.0–5.0). Although at different percentages, both students and patients experienced dental fear. Current patient with previous experience of dental pain had more dental fear

The role of drug use sequencing pattern in further problematic use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other drugs

Background: There has been considerable debate regarding what typically occurs after experimentation with drugs throughout the life of young people who used various drugs. Aims: To evaluate the clinical importance of the most common sequence for the first use of a drug by two models (the “gateway model” and the “alternative model”, which is the most popular sequence for Brazilian university students according to a previous study) regarding the problematic use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other illegal drugs, assessed by ASSIST. Method: People who had already experimented with three or more drugs across different stages of the two models were selected from a representative sample of university students from 27 Brazilian capitals (n = 12 711). Findings: There were no differences regarding the problematic use of the most consumed drugs in Brazil (alcohol, tobacco and cannabis) between the models. Multiple drug seekers and violators had more problematic use of illegal drugs other than cannabis than individuals in the model sequence. However, in the case of violators, this was only evident in the alternative model. Conclusions: Multiple drug seekers and violators deserve special attention due to their increased risk of problematic use of other illegal drugs