19 research outputs found
Structural and Functional Diversity of Acidic Scorpion Potassium Channel Toxins
Background: Although the basic scorpion K + channel toxins (KTxs) are well-known pharmacological tools and potential drug candidates, characterization the acidic KTxs still has the great significance for their potential selectivity towards different K + channel subtypes. Unfortunately, research on the acidic KTxs has been ignored for several years and progressed slowly. Principal Findings: Here, we describe the identification of nine new acidic KTxs by cDNA cloning and bioinformatic analyses. Seven of these toxins belong to three new a-KTx subfamilies (a-KTx28, a-KTx29, and a-KTx30), and two are new members of the known k-KTx2 subfamily. ImKTx104 containing three disulfide bridges, the first member of the a-KTx28 subfamily, has a low sequence homology with other known KTxs, and its NMR structure suggests ImKTx104 adopts a modified cystine-stabilized a-helix-loop-b-sheet (CS-a/b) fold motif that has no apparent a-helixs and b-sheets, but still stabilized by three disulfide bridges. These newly described acidic KTxs exhibit differential pharmacological effects on potassium channels. Acidic scorpion toxin ImKTx104 was the first peptide inhibitor found to affect KCNQ1 channel, which is insensitive to the basic KTxs and is strongly associated with human cardiac abnormalities. ImKTx104 selectively inhibited KCNQ1 channel with a Kd of 11.69 mM, but was less effective against the basic KTxs-sensitive potassium channels. In addition to the ImKTx104 toxin, HeTx204 peptide, containing a cystine-stabilized a-helix-loop-helix (CS-a/a) fold scaffold motif
Propriocepção de joelho em jovens e idosas praticantes de exercĂcios fĂsicos Knee proprioception in physically active young and elderly women
A propriocepção Ă© um mecanismo neuromuscular que descreve informações neurais originadas nas articulações, mĂşsculos e tendões. Este estudo verificou a propriocepção de joelho em jovens e idosas praticantes de exercĂcios fĂsicos. Participaram do estudo 44 mulheres - 22 idosas (mĂ©dia de idade 69,4 anos) e 22 jovens, idade mĂ©dia 22,5). A propriocepção foi avaliada pelo senso de posição articular, sendo a participante solicitada a reposicionar o membro inferior dominante previamente estendido ou flexionado pelo avaliador. Os ângulos de flexĂŁo e extensĂŁo do joelho foram sorteado, utilizando-se nos testes um goniĂ´metro fixo Ă perna da participante. Considerou-se como variável o valor absoluto do erro, isto Ă©, a diferença em graus entre o ângulo proposto e o ângulo reproduzido pela avaliada. Os dados foram tratados estatisticamente, com nĂvel de significância de p<0,05. A mĂ©dia de erro das idosas foi 6,75±3,01Âş e, das jovens, 5,73±4,24Âş, nĂŁo havendo diferença estatisticamente significativa (p=0,249) entre os grupos. Concluiu-se que, apesar da propriocepção sofrer um declĂnio com a idade, possivelmente devido Ă prática de exercĂcios fĂsicos o grupo de idosas apresentou resultados similares ao das jovens, sugerindo que a prática de exercĂcios fĂsicos constitui uma estratĂ©gia benĂ©fica para atenuar o declĂnio provocado pelo envelhecimento.<br>Proprioception is a neuromuscular mechanism that describes neural information originating from the joints, muscles and tendons. This study aimed at verifying proprioception of the knee in young and elderly women with regular physical activity. Subjects were 44 women - 22 elderly, mean age 69.4 years old, and 22 young women, mean age 22.5 years old. Proprioception was assessed by the sense of joint position, the subject being asked to reposition the dominant leg previously flexed or extended by the examiner. Flexion and extension angles were randomized, and measured by means of a goniometer attached to the subject's leg. The variable considered was the absolute error value, that is, the difference between the angle proposed and the angle shown by the subject. Data were statistically analysed and significance level set at p<0.05. The elderly group mean error was 6.75±3.01Âş, and the young ladies', 5.73±4.24°; no significant difference (p=0.249) was found between the groups. Hence, although proprioception is known to decline with age, the elderly group showed results similar to the youths, possibly due to the practice of physical exercise, which suggests that the latter constitute a beneficial strategy to lessen the aging natural decline
Perfil dos pacientes com perdas funcionais e dependĂŞncia atendidos pelo PSF no municĂpio de SĂŁo Paulo Perfil de los pacientes con perdidas funcionales y dependencia atendidos por el PSF en el municipio de SĂŁo Paulo Profile of the patients with functional losses and dependence in the family health care program in SĂŁo Paulo
Buscou-se compreender como as desigualdades sociais e de saĂşde expressam-se no perfil saĂşde-doença de pessoas, com perdas funcionais e dependĂŞncia, atendidas no domicĂlio por equipes de SaĂşde da FamĂlia nos distritos administrativos do municĂpio de SĂŁo Paulo. Os distritos foram agrupados em relação ao ĂŤndice de ExclusĂŁo Social por meio de uma análise de cluster, seguida da descrição estatĂstica das variáveis, comparando-as entre si. Para o municĂpio como um todo, verificou-se predominância de mulheres idosas, com incapacidade leve e que requerem cuidados de menor complexidade, compatĂveis com a Atenção Básica. Nos distritos com maior exclusĂŁo social, identificou-se proporção de homens com menos de 60 anos e crianças com incapacidade severa, que necessitam de cuidados de maior complexidade em relação aos de menor exclusĂŁo. Discute-se a necessidade de elaboração de polĂticas de atenção domiciliária que contemplem as especificidades do municĂpio de SĂŁo Paulo em substituição Ă quelas focadas em grupos populacionais especĂficos.<br>Se buscĂł comprender como las desigualdades sociales y de salud se expresan en el perfil salud-enfermedad de personas, con pĂ©rdidas funcionales y dependencia, atendidas en el domicilio por equipos de Salud de la Familia en los distritos administrativos del municipio de SĂŁo Paulo. Los distritos fueron agrupados en relaciĂłn al ĂŤndice de ExclusiĂłn Social por medio de un análisis de cluster, seguida de la descripciĂłn estadĂstica de las variables, comparándolas entre sĂ. Para el municipio como un todo, se verificĂł predominancia de mujeres ancianas, con incapacidad leve y que requieren cuidados de menor complejidad, compatibles con la AtenciĂłn Básica. En los distritos con mayor exclusiĂłn social, se identificĂł proporciĂłn de hombres con menos de 60 años y niños con incapacidad severa, que necesitan de cuidados de mayor complejidad en relaciĂłn a los de menor exclusiĂłn. Se discute la necesidad de elaboraciĂłn de polĂticas de atenciĂłn domiciliaria que contemplen las especificidades del municipio de SĂŁo Paulo en sustituciĂłn aquellas focalizadas en grupo poblacionales especĂficos.<br>The aim of this study was to understand how social and health inequalities are expressed in the health-disease profile of individuals with functional losses and dependence receiving home care by Family Health Care Program's teams in the administrative districts of the city of SĂŁo Paulo. The districts were grouped according to the Social Exclusion Index through a cluster analysis, and a statistical description of the variables was developed in order to compare them. For the city as a whole was verified the prevalence of senior women with light functional losses and dependence requiring low complexity care, compatible with Primary Health Care. Districts with major social exclusion had a larger proportion of males less than 60 years old and children with severe disabilities who need care of greater complexity. The article debates the need for home care policies designed for the specificities of the city of SĂŁo Paulo instead of policies focused on specific population groups
Meningoencefalite tuberculosa: avaliação de 231 casos Tuberculosis meningoencephalitis: exposure of 231 cases
Neste estudo foram avaliados 231 pacientes com meningoencefalite tuberculosa, sendo que 62 casos tiveram diagnĂłstico comprovado e 169 apresentavam quadro clĂnico e laboratorial compatĂveis com este diagnĂłstico. Foram 127 (55%) pacientes do sexo masculino, a idade variou de 1 mĂŞs a 68 anos, com 97 (42%) na faixa etária igual ou inferior a um ano. As caracterĂsticas clĂnicas, demográficas e liquĂłricas foram estudadas e comparadas entre os casos confirmados e os de diagnĂłstico provável. Em conclusĂŁo reafirmamos a gravidade desta doença, com altas taxas de letalidade principalmente na faixa etária de zero a quatro anos e a possibilidade de erros diagnĂłsticos nas apresentações com formas agudas e predominância de neutrĂłfilos no lĂquor.<br>This study assessed 231 cases of tuberculous meningitis of which 62 (26.8%) had diagnostic confirmation against 169 (73.2%) with only clinical picture and laboratorial indication for this diagnosis. Fifty-five percent of the sample was male; ages ranged from one month to 68 years, 42% comprising children below four years.Clinical, demographic and liquoric characteristics were investigated and compared amongst those with likely and confirmed diagnosis. In conclusion, atention is drawn to the severity of this desease with high rates of lethality mainly within the age-range of 0-4 years, and to the possibility of misdiagnosis in the presentation of acute forms and predominance of neutrophils in the liquor