FITOTERAPIA NO CONTROLE DE PARASITOS GASTRINTESTINAIS DE RUMINANTES: ÊNFASE NO GÊNERO MENTHA E SEUS COMPONENTES BIOATIVOS

Essa revisão apresenta considerações acerca da relevância das infecções de parasitos gastrintestinais (PGI) em ruminantes, abordando a importância de fármacos antiparasitários no controle das helmintoses e demais alternativas. Foi realizada uma abordagem conceitual e histórica sobre o controle de PGI e o processo de desenvolvimento da resistência parasitária. Como alternativa da baixa eficácia de medicamentos, foi feita uma descrição detalhada sobre o uso de óleos essenciais (OE) e de componentes bioativos no controle das PGI em ruminantes. A produção de OE de plantas, passa pela composição química, técnicas de extração dos componentes, mecanismo de ação e ensaios para validação da sua atividade terapêutica, incluindo sua ação anti-helmíntica. Este artigo traz, na sua segunda parte, uma descrição detalhada de duas espécies do gênero Mentha, com foco em sua biologia, composição química e mecanismos de ação de seus OE. Dentro desse tópico, as espécies Mentha vilosa e M. piperita são as mais estudadas, bem como os seus componentes majoritários e bioativos; carvone e limoneno. Ao final do documento, discutimos sobre a técnica de cromatografia gasosa e espectrometria de massas, que se faz obrigatória para a identificação de compostos presentes em OE. Incluímos ainda, o detalhamento sobre tecnologias de nanoemulsão e suas vantagens na confecção de formulações mais estáveis, menos tóxicas aos hospedeiros e com potencial de aumentar a eficácia de fármacos contra as PGI, para o desenvolvimento de novos compostos fitoterápicos ecosustentáveis.This review presents considerations about the relevance of gastrointestinal parasite (GIP) infections in ruminants, covering also the importance of antiparasitic drugs in the control of helminth infections and some other alternatives. This document describes a conceptual and historical view of the development of routine GIP control and the process of development of drug resistance. As an alternative to the low efficacy of some products, a detailed description was made of the use of essential oils (EO) and their bioactive compounds in the control of GIP in ruminants. The production of EO from plants, goes through the chemical composition, techniques of extraction of components, mechanism of action and assays for the validation of their activity, including the anthelmintic activity. The present document brings, in its second part, a more detailed description of two species of the genus Mentha, focusing on their biology, chemical composition and the mechanism of action of their EO. Within this topic, the species of Mentha vilosa and M. piperita are better studied, as well as their chemical composition and bioactive components carvone and limonene. At the end, it is discussed the gas chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques that are useful to identify compounds present in EO. It was also included the details about nanoemulsion technologies and their advantages in obtaining a more stable formulation, less toxic to the host, with a great potential to increase anthelmintic efficacy against GIP, for the development of new herbal bioactive and ecofriendly compounds

Gustavson, Marguerite May

Background: Recent studies have reported improvement of outcomes (progression-free survival, overall survival, and prolongation of androgen deprivation treatment-free survival) with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in non-small cell lung cancer and prostate cancer. The aim of this retrospective, multicenter study (MITO RT-01) was to define activity and safety of SBRT in a very large, real-world data set of patients with metastatic, persistent, and recurrent ovarian cancer (MPR-OC). Materials and Methods: The endpoints of the study were the rate of complete response (CR) to SBRT and the 24-month actuarial local control (LC) rate on \u201cper-lesion\u201d basis. The secondary endpoints were acute and late toxicities and the 24-month actuarial late toxicity-free survival. Objective response rate (ORR) included CR and partial response (PR). Clinical benefit (CB) included ORR and stable disease (SD). Toxicity was evaluated by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) scales, according to center policy. Logistic and Cox regression were used for the uni- and multivariate analysis of factors predicting clinical CR and actuarial outcomes. Results: CR, PR, and SD were observed in 291 (65.2%), 106 (23.8%), and 33 (7.4%) lesions, giving a rate of CB of 96.4%. Patient aged 6460 years, planning target volume (PTV) 6418 cm3, lymph node disease, and biologically effective dose \u3b1/\u3b210 > 70 Gy were associated with higher chance of CR in the multivariate analysis. With a median follow-up of 22 months (range, 3\u2013120), the 24-month actuarial LC rate was 81.9%. Achievement of CR and total dose >25 Gy were associated with better LC rate in the multivariate analysis. Mild toxicity was experienced in 54 (20.7%) patients; of 63 side effects, 48 were grade 1, and 15 were grade 2. The 24-month late toxicity-free survival rate was 95.1%. Conclusions: This study confirms the activity and safety of SBRT in patients with MPR-OC and identifies clinical and treatment parameters able to predict CR and LC rate. Implications for Practice: This study aimed to define activity and safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in a very large, real life data set of patients with metastatic, persistent, recurrent ovarian cancer (MPR-OC). Patient age <60 years, PTV <18 cm3, lymph node disease, and biologically effective dose \u3b1/\u3b210 >70 Gy were associated with higher chance of complete response (CR). Achievement of CR and total dose >25 Gy were associated with better local control (LC) rate. Mild toxicity was experienced in 20.7% of patients. In conclusion, this study confirms the activity and safety of SBRT in MPR-OC patients and identifies clinical and treatment parameters able to predict CR and LC rate

Organizing Engineering Work - A Comparative-Analysis

This article analyzes the organization of engineering work in six industrial capitalist countries. It identifies four major models for the organization of engineering work; the engineering profession did not succeed in achieving professional “closure” in any of the six countries under review. A review of the historical evolution of the organization of engineering work in each of the six countries reveals that engineering has been shaped by a complex interaction among the profession itself, employers, the state, labor, and preindustrial forces. However, none of the national variations on the four models for organizing engineering labor is stable or without internal contradiction because of the ambiguous “intermediate” position of engineers

Breast cancer "tailored follow-up" in Italian oncology units: a web-based survey

urpose: Breast cancer follow-up procedures after primary treatment are still a controversial issue. Aim of this study was to investigate, through a web-based survey, surveillance methodologies selected by Italian oncologists in everyday clinical practice. Methods: Referents of Italian medical oncology units were invited to participate to the study via e-mail through the SurveyMonkey website. Participants were asked how, in their institution, exams of disease staging and follow-up are planned in asymptomatic women and if surveillance continues beyond the 5th year. Results: Between February and May 2013, 125 out of 233 (53.6%) invited referents of Italian medical oncology units agreed to participate in the survey. Ninety-seven (77.6%) referents state that modalities of breast cancer follow-up are planned according to the risk of disease progression at diagnosis and only 12 (9.6%) oncology units apply the minimal follow-up procedures according to international guidelines. Minimal follow-up is never applied in high risk asymptomatic women. Ninety-eight (78.4%) oncology units continue follow-up in all patients beyond 5 years. Conclusions: Our survey shows that 90.4% of participating Italian oncology units declare they do not apply the minimal breast cancer follow-up procedures after primary treatment in asymptomatic women, as suggested by national and international guidelines. Interestingly, about 80.0% of interviewed referents performs the so called "tailored follow-up", high intensity for high risk, low intensity for low risk patients. There is an urgent need of randomized clinical trials able to determine the effectiveness of risk-based follow-up modalities, their ideal frequency and persistence in time