Integridade da pele prejudicada em idosos: estudo de ocorrência numa comunidade atendida pelo Programa Saúde da Família Integridad de la piel perjudicada en ancianos: estudio de incidencia en una comunidad atendida por el Programa Salud de la Família Impaired skin integrity in the elderly: study of incidence from a community attending a Family Health Program

OBJETIVO: esta pesquisa teve como objetivo estudar a ocorrência de integridade da pele prejudicada em idosos de uma comunidade atendida pelo Programa Saúde da Família. MÉTODOS: participaram deste estudo descritivo 40 idosos. A coleta de dados ocorreu de janeiro a junho de 2004 e constou de entrevista e exame clínico. RESULTADOS: A integridade da pele prejudicada foi encontrada em 20 idosos (50%). A característica definidora de maior freqüência foi rompimento da superfície da pele (85%). Os fatores relacionados identificados com freqüência maior ou igual a 50% foram: extremos de idade (100%), fatores imunológicos (100%), alteração do turgor (100%), fatores mecânicos (85%), medicação em uso (50%). CONCLUSÃO: a integridade de pele prejudicada atingiu metade dos sujeitos desta pesquisa, indicando necessidade de intervenções de enfermagem para prevenção e recuperação de lesões, além de promoção da saúde, buscando a integridade tegumentar.<br>OBJETIVO: esta investigación tuvo como objetivo estudiar la ocurrencia de integridad de la piel perjudicada en ancianos de una comunidad atendida por el Programa Salud de la Familia. MÉTODOS: participaron de este estudio descriptivo 40 ancianos. La recolección de los datos ocurrió de enero a junio del 2004 y constó de entrevista y examen clínico. DISCUSIÓN: la integridad de la piel perjudicada fue encontrada en 20 ancianos (50%). La característica que definió la mayor frecuencia fue la ruptura de la superficie de la piel (85%). Los factores relacionados identificados con mayor o igual frecuencia a 50% fueron: extremos de edad (100%), factores inmunológicos (100%), alteración de la turgencia (100%), factores mecánicos (85%), medicación en uso (50%). CONCLUSIÓN: la integridad de la piel perjudicada alcanzó a la mitad de los sujetos de esta investigación, indicando la necesidad de intervenciones de enfermería para la prevención y recuperación de las lesiones, además de la promoción de la salud, buscando la integridad tegumentaria.<br>OBJECTIVE: this descriptive study has the general objective of studying the occurrence of impaired skin integrity in the elderly from a community attending a Family Health Program in Goiânia, Brazil. METHODS: forty elders participated in this study. The data collection occurred from January until June at 2004, at the participants' residences, where we conducted interviews and clinical exams. RESULTS: the skin integrity impaired was found in 20 participants (50%). The defining characteristic of a higher frequency was the disruption of the skin surface (85%). The related factors identified with a higher or equal frequency of 50% were: age extremes (100%), immunological factors (100%), alteration in turgor (100%), mechanical factors (85%), usual medication (50%). CONCLUSION: these results point to the necessity of nursing interventions for prevention and recovery of lesions, besides promotion of the health as a whole, looking for the skin integrity

A murine model of diarrhea, growth impairment and metabolic disturbances with Shigella flexneri infection and the role of zinc deficiency

Shigella is one of the major enteric pathogens worldwide. We present a murine model of S. flexneri infection and investigate the role of zinc deficiency (ZD). C57BL/6 mice fed either standard chow (HC) or ZD diets were pretreated with an antibiotic cocktail and received S. flexneri strain 2457T orally. Antibiotic pre-treated ZD mice showed higher S. flexneri colonization than non-treated mice. ZD mice showed persistent colonization for at least 50 days post-infection (pi). S. flexneri-infected mice showed significant weight loss, diarrhea and increased levels of fecal MPO and LCN in both HC and ZD fed mice. S. flexneri preferentially colonized the colon, caused epithelial disruption and inflammatory cell infiltrate, and promoted cytokine production which correlated with weight loss and histopathological changes. Infection with S. flexneri ΔmxiG (critical for type 3 secretion system) did not cause weight loss or diarrhea, and had decreased stool shedding duration and tissue burden. Several biochemical changes related to energy, inflammation and gut-microbial metabolism were observed. Zinc supplementation increased weight gains and reduced intestinal inflammation and stool shedding in ZD infected mice. In conclusion, young antibiotic-treated mice provide a new model of oral S. flexneri infection, with ZD promoting prolonged infection outcomes

Zinc and glutamine improve brain development in suckling mice subjected to early postnatal malnutrition.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of zinc and glutamine on brain development was investigated during the lactation period in Swiss mice. METHODS: Malnutrition was induced by clustering the litter size from 6-7 pups/dam (nourished control) to 12-14 pups/dam (undernourished control) following birth. Undernourished groups received daily supplementation with glutamine by subcutaneous injections starting at day 2 and continuing until day 14. Glutamine (100 mM, 40-80 microL) was used for morphological and behavioral studies. Zinc acetate was added in the drinking water (500 mg/L) to the lactating dams. Synaptophysin and myelin basic protein brain expressions were evaluated by immunoblot. Zinc serum and brain levels and hippocampal neurotransmitters were also evaluated. RESULTS: Zinc with or without glutamine improved weight gain as compared to untreated, undernourished controls. In addition, zinc supplementation improved cliff avoidance and head position during swim behaviors especially on days 9 and 10. Using design-based stereological methods, we found a significant increase in the volume of CA1 neuronal cells in undernourished control mice, which was not seen in mice receiving zinc or glutamine alone or in combination. Undernourished mice given glutamine showed increased CA1 layer volume as compared with the other groups, consistent with the trend toward increased number of neurons. Brain zinc levels were increased in the nourished and undernourished-glutamine treated mice as compared to the undernourished controls on day 7. Undernourished glutamine-treated mice showed increased hippocampal gamma-aminobutyric acid and synaptophysin levels on day 14. CONCLUSION: We conclude that glutamine or zinc protects against malnutrition-induced brain developmental impairments

Zinc and glutamine improve brain development in suckling mice subjected to early postnatal malnutrition.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of zinc and glutamine on brain development was investigated during the lactation period in Swiss mice. METHODS: Malnutrition was induced by clustering the litter size from 6-7 pups/dam (nourished control) to 12-14 pups/dam (undernourished control) following birth. Undernourished groups received daily supplementation with glutamine by subcutaneous injections starting at day 2 and continuing until day 14. Glutamine (100 mM, 40-80 microL) was used for morphological and behavioral studies. Zinc acetate was added in the drinking water (500 mg/L) to the lactating dams. Synaptophysin and myelin basic protein brain expressions were evaluated by immunoblot. Zinc serum and brain levels and hippocampal neurotransmitters were also evaluated. RESULTS: Zinc with or without glutamine improved weight gain as compared to untreated, undernourished controls. In addition, zinc supplementation improved cliff avoidance and head position during swim behaviors especially on days 9 and 10. Using design-based stereological methods, we found a significant increase in the volume of CA1 neuronal cells in undernourished control mice, which was not seen in mice receiving zinc or glutamine alone or in combination. Undernourished mice given glutamine showed increased CA1 layer volume as compared with the other groups, consistent with the trend toward increased number of neurons. Brain zinc levels were increased in the nourished and undernourished-glutamine treated mice as compared to the undernourished controls on day 7. Undernourished glutamine-treated mice showed increased hippocampal gamma-aminobutyric acid and synaptophysin levels on day 14. CONCLUSION: We conclude that glutamine or zinc protects against malnutrition-induced brain developmental impairments