A study on health care workers' knowledge, attitudes and experiences of DOTS in the Windhoek District of the Khomas Region (Namibia)

The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the knowledge, attitudes and experiences of health care workers who care for patients receiving treatment under DOTS strategy at public health facilities in the Windhoek District of the Khomas Region. A qualitative explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was used in this study. A purposive sampling was used to select participants who met the inclusion criteria for the study. The inclusion criteria was to be a health care worker who at the time of the study was working with patients who are on DOT for at least 6 months. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. The study was conducted in the Windhoek district of the Khomas region, with a sample of 14 health care workers. Data was analysed by means of content analysis, a process of organizing and integrating narrative, qualitative data according to emerging themes and concepts. The three themes, which emerged from data analysis, were the knowledge of health care workers regarding the implementation of DOTS, the attitudes of health care workers towards patients on DOT which may affect the success of their treatments, and the experiences of health care workers when attending to patients on DOTS. The findings from the study may be used to engage stakeholders to address the shortcomings that exist in the implementation of the DOTS strategy in the district.Health StudiesM.A. (Nursing Science

Performance of a new HPLC-based method for 3-NT quantification in different biological matrices

3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) levels in biological samples have been associated with numerous physiological and pathological conditions. For this reason, throughout the last years, several attempts have been made in order to develop methods that accurately detect and quantify 3-NT in biological samples. In fact, a variety of works have been published on methods that allow the detection of 3-NT in several biological fluids and tissues. However, the accurate quantification of this molecule, which is present at very low concentrations both at physiological and pathological conditions, is always a complex task and a matter of concern.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biomarkers of Nitrosative Stress: Development and validation of a new analytical method for 3-Nitrotyrosine quantification

Background: The nitration of tyrosine residues in proteins is associated with nitrosative stress, resulting in the formation of 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT). 3-NT levels in biological samples have been associated with numerous physiological and pathological conditions. For this reason, several attempts have been made in order to develop methods that accurately quantify 3-NT in biological samples. Regarding chromatographic methods, they seem to be very accurate, showing very good sensibility and specificity. However, accurate quantification of this molecule, which is present at very low concentrations both at physiological and pathological states, is always a complex task and a target of intense research. Objectives: We aimed to develop a simple, rapid, low-cost and sensitive 3-NT quantification method for use in medical laboratories as an additional tool for diagnosis and/or treatment monitoring of a wide range of pathologies. We also aimed to evaluate the performance of the HPLC-based method developed here in a wide range of biological matrices. Material and methods: All experiments were performed on a Hitachi LaChrom Elite® HPLC system and separation was carried out using a Lichrocart® 250-4 Lichrospher 100 RP-18 (5μm) column. The method was further validated according to ICH guidelines. The biological matrices tested were serum, whole blood, urine, B16 F-10 melanoma cell line, growth medium conditioned with the same cell line, bacterial and yeast suspensions. Results: From all the protocols tested, the best results were obtained using 0.5% CH3COOH:MeOH:H2O (15:15:70) as the mobile phase, with detection at wavelengths 215, 276 and 356 nm, at 25ºC, and using a flow rate of 1 mL/min. By using this protocol, it was possible to obtain a linear calibration curve (correlation coefficient = 1), limits of detection and quantification in the order of ng/mL, and a short analysis time (<15 minutes per sample). Additionally, the developed protocol allowed the successful detection and quantification of 3-NT in all biological matrices tested, with detection at 356 nm. Conclusion: The method described in this study, which was successfully developed and validated for 3-NT quantification, is simple, cheap and fast, rendering it suitable for analysis in a wide range of biological matrices

Development of a chromatographic method for simultaneous analysis of glutathione forms

Reduced glutathione (GSH)is the most abundant low molecular weight thiol-containing tripeptide (glycine, cysteine, and glutamate) which is synthesized in the cells. GSHplays critical roles in protecting cells from oxidative damage and the toxicity of xenobiotics. Besides, it is also involved in the regulation of intracellular redox homeostasis, which leads to its oxidation into oxidized glutathione (GSSG). Determining the ratio of GSH/GSSG in different biological samples is a major procedure for the evaluation of an individual’s oxidative status and can be a potential biomarker of oxidative stress.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cyclic voltammetry studies of biotoxins on nanostrutured screen printed electrodes

The methods of analysis recognized for the detection of biotoxins marine in bivalve live molluscs have been modified by the European Commission 15/2011 in January 10 (2011) substituting the Regulation (CE) n º 2074/2005. Concurrently, bioassay's method in mice will not be able to continue used after December 31, 2014, for what it will be necessary that the different laboratories that nowadays carry out these biotoxin analyses, should equip adequately to be able to realize the pertinent controls. In this context, it will be necessary to develop sensitive/selective/cheap methods of analysis with robust instruments to obtain the indispensable requirements to be able to carry out the determination of the marine biotoxins with lower limits of detection (LOD) and to validate them with the standard AOAC method based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)[1]. With this aim, we present the preliminary results of our work on the development of an electrochemical sensor based on the direct interaction between domoic acid (DA) and a “Screen Printed” Carbon Electrode (SPCE) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with acidic (-COOH) functionalities (Figure 1). In these experiments, the voltammetric response of DA is controlled by its adsorption to the nanostructured electrode surface. The concentrations range tested were in the range of ng/l. The influence of several experimental parameters is studied to optimize the uptake processes. Figure 1. “Screen Printed” Carbon Electrode (SPCE) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with acidic (-COOH) functionalities used for the electrochemical studies of Domoic Acid (DA) The methodology employed in this study will be extending to other ones biotoxins and to different types of nanostructured electrode surface upon incorporation of other nanomaterials and nanostructures such as nanoparticles (NPs). Acknowledgements Financial support from AECID-PCI Mediterráneo (A/031592/10). The authors thank to Ana Gago Team (UVigo) for their kind help and DA gift References [1] Gago-Martinez A. et al.,Chromatographia, 53 (2001) S231-S235.Financial support from AECID-PCI Mediterráneo (A/031592/10)

O Regimento dos Auditórios Eclesiásticos do bispado do Funchal (1589)

As autoras analisam o Regimento dos Auditórios Eclesiásticos, documento publicado em 1589 pelo Bispo do Funchal

ST–Segment elevation: Not always an acute coronary syndrome

Cardiac tumors can be primary or metastatic, the latter being more frequent and usually of pulmonary or hematologic origin. These patients’ clinical signs are non-specific and the electrocardiogram (ECG) can assume many patterns, among which, ST-segment elevation. Nevertheless, associated occlusion of the coronary arteries is rare in these situations.We present a 79-year-old woman with a history of pulmonary neoplasia who was admitted to the emergency department due to atypical chest pain, cough and worsening dyspnea in the previous 3 days. The ECG revealed an ST-segment elevation in the anterolateral and inferolateral leads, despite normal blood work, namely normal troponin. Due to the disparity between the patient’s symptoms and the ECG findings, a decision was made not to proceed to primary angioplasty, but to further investigate with echocardiography, which revealed a mass localized in the anterolateral and inferolateral left ventricle walls, confirmed by computed tomography. The patient was admitted in the medical ward for symptomatic management. Her clinical condition gradually deteriorated due to the disease’s natural evolution and she died two weeks later.This case highlights the importance to keep in mind differential diagnoses to acute coronary syndromes, when a ST-segment elevation is encountered on an ECG

Evaluation of the effect of complementary pollination on Actinidia deliciosa 'Hayward' in northwest Portugal

The objective of this research was to study the effect of complementary pollination on kiwifruit production and quality. For 3 years, complementary application of wet or dry pollen have been done at different stages of flower opening on vines in the Portuguese regions of Entre-Douro e Minho and Beira Litoral. Commercial production data were collected and fruit quality attributes were measured at harvest. Complementary pollination did not affect fruit soluble solids content or firmness in any year, and was beneficial for fruit size and commercial production in the third year only, showing that it is important in some conditions, when natural pollination is inadequate

O sonho comanda a vida e a evidência científica deve comandar a prática

Número inaugural - Dia Mundial da Terapia Ocupacional - 27 de Outubro de 2022info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio