Differential Modulation of Nitric Oxide Synthases in Aging: Therapeutic Opportunities

Vascular aging is the term that describes the structural and functional disturbances of the vasculature with advancing aging. The molecular mechanisms of aging-associated endothelial dysfunction are complex, but reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and altered vascular expression and activity of NO synthase (NOS) enzymes have been implicated as major players. Impaired vascular relaxation in aging has been attributed to reduced endothelial NOS (eNOS)-derived NO, while increased inducible NOS (iNOS) expression seems to account for nitrosative stress and disrupted vascular homeostasis. Although eNOS is considered the main source of NO in the vascular endothelium, neuronal NOS (nNOS) also contributes to endothelial cells-derived NO, a mechanism that is reduced in aging. Pharmacological modulation of NO generation and expression/activity of NOS isoforms may represent a therapeutic alternative to prevent the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Accordingly, this review will focus on drugs that modulate NO bioavailability, such as nitrite anions and NO-releasing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones (dehydroepiandrosterone and estrogen), statins, resveratrol, and folic acid, since they may be useful to treat/to prevent aging-associated vascular dysfunction. The impact of these therapies on life quality in elderly and longevity will be discussed

Continuous auditing: the USA experience and considerations for its implementation in Brazil

Continuous Auditing, broadly defined as the transformation of internal and external auditing through the application of modern information technology, is being increasingly adopted by firms throughout the world. Organizations ranging from Siemens, HCA, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, BIPOP Bank and the Internal Revenue Service are developing tools and practices that will bring assurance closer to the transaction and reduce through automation, the cost of auditing. A June 2006 PricewaterhouseCoopers survey finds that 50% of U.S. companies now use continuous auditing techniques and 31% percent of the rest have already made plans to follow suit. In this article we introduce the concepts of CA to a Brazilian audience and discuss its further application there

Testosterone and Vascular Function in Aging

Androgen receptors are widely distributed in several tissues, including vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Through classic cytosolic androgen receptors or membrane receptors, testosterone induces genomic and non-genomic effects, respectively. Testosterone interferes with the vascular function by increasing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and arterial thickness. Experimental evidence indicates that sex steroid hormones, such as testosterone modulate the synthesis and bioavailability of NO and, consequently, endothelial function, which is key for a healthy vasculature. Of interest, aging itself is accompanied by endothelial and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction. Aging-associated decline of testosterone levels is accompanied by age-related diseases, such as metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, indicating that very low levels of androgens may contribute to cardiovascular dysfunction observed in these age-related disorders or, in other words, that testosterone may have beneficial effects in the cardiovascular system. However, testosterone seems to play a negative role in the severity of renal disease. In this mini-review, we briefly comment on the interplay between aging and testosterone levels, the vascular actions of testosterone and its implications for vascular aging. Renal effects of testosterone and the use of testosterone to prevent vascular dysfunction in elderly are also addressed

Motorcycle accident mortality time trends in Brazil, 1996-2009

OBJETIVO Analisar a tendência da mortalidade por acidentes de motocicleta no Brasil. MÉTODOS Estudo descritivo de séries temporais sobre a taxa de mortalidade de acidentes de motocicleta no Brasil, segundo unidades federativas e faixas etárias entre 1996 e 2009. Os dados de óbitos foram obtidos no Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade do Ministério da Saúde e da população no Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia Estatística. Taxas de mortalidade padronizadas foram calculadas no período para o Brasil como um todo e Unidades Federativas. Variações anuais das taxas de mortalidade foram estimadas pelo método de Prais-Winsten de regressão linear. RESULTADOS A taxa de mortalidade por acidentes de motocicleta aumentou de 0,5 para 4,5/100.000 habitantes de 1996 a 2009 (aumento de 800% no período e 19% ao ano). Estados com maiores taxas em 2009 foram: Piauí, Tocantins, Sergipe e Mato Grosso. As maiores taxas de crescimento foram observadas nos Estados das regiões Norte, Nordeste e Centro-Oeste. CONCLUSÕES Houve grande aumento das taxas de mortalidade por acidente de motocicleta em todo o Brasil no período, principalmente nos Estados do Nordeste.OBJETIVO Analizar la tendencia de la mortalidad por accidentes en motocicleta en Brasil. MÉTODOS Estudio descriptivo de series temporales sobre la tasa de mortalidad por accidentes en motocicleta en Brasil, por unidades federativas y por grupos etarios entre 1996 y 2009. Los datos de óbitos fueron obtenidos en el Sistema de Información sobre Mortalidad del Ministerio de la Salud y de la población en el Instituto Brasileño de Geografía Estadística. Tasas de mortalidad estandarizadas fueron calculadas en el período para todo Brasil y por Unidades Federativas. Variaciones anuales de las tasas de mortalidad fueron estimadas por el método de Prais-Winsten de regresión linear. RESULTADOS La tasa de mortalidad por accidentes en motocicleta aumentó de 0,5 a 4,5/100.000 habitantes de 1996 a 2009 (aumento de 800,0% en el período y 19,0% al año). Estados con mayores tasas en 2009: Piauí, Tocantins, Sergipe y Mato Grosso. Las mayores tasas de crecimiento fueron observadas en los estados de las regiones Norte, Noreste y Centro-oeste. CONCLUSIONES Hubo gran aumento en las tasas de mortalidad por accidente en motocicleta en todo Brasil en el período, principalmente en los estados del Noreste.OBJECTIVE To analyze motorcycle accidents mortality trends in Brazil. METHODS A descriptive time series study of mortality from motorcycle accidents in Brazil between 1996 and 2009 according to state and age group. The data on mortality were obtained from the National Mortality Information System of Ministry of Health and the population data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Standardized mortality rates were calculated for the entire period for the country as a whole and for each state. Annual variability in mortality rates was estimated using Prais-Winsten generalized linear correlation. RESULTS Between 1996 and 2009 the mortality rate increased from 0.5 to 4.5 per 100.000 habitants (an increase of 800.0% in mortality rates during the period studied and an average annual increase of 19.0%). High mortality rates in 2009 were observed in the states of Piauí, Sergipe and Mato Grosso. The largest increases were observed in states in the North, Northeast and Midwest of Brazil. CONCLUSIONS There was a significant increase in motorcycle accident mortality rates for the country as a whole during the studied period, mainly in states in the Northeast

Analysis of the economic viability of a rural tourism enterprise in Brazil: an application of the Monte Carlo Method

The acquisition of projects aimed at rural tourism represents an alternative for generating income. The objective of this study was to evaluate the viability of purchasing a farm that is structured as a hostel, located in Joanópolis, interior of São Paulo, Brazil. The method was based on exploratory research based on a case study comparing the economic viability of this project. However, this viability is surrounded by uncertainties and risks. With this, the Monte Carlo method was used to analyze this probability. The data were obtained through the Department of Tourism in the city of Joanópolis from primary and secondary data. The calculations were made for work during a year drawn up in a cash flow with the monthly expenses of the hostel. From the results it was concluded that it is feasible to buy this hostel in the real and optimistic scenario and in the Monte Carlo method analyzing the project’s total NPV value

AUDITORIA CONTÍNUA: TENDÊNCIAS NO CENÁRIO BRASILEIRO

O presente estudo objetiva investigar as tendências de pesquisas acadêmicas predominantes no Brasil, na área de Auditoria Contínua, no período de 2006 a 2011, considerando os periódicos brasileiros Qualis Capes A2, B1, B2 e B3. A relevância do estudo consiste em colaborar na identificação da evolução quantitativa e qualitativa da pesquisa em Auditoria Contínua no Brasil. A metodologia utilizada baseou-se em um estudo exploratório e abordagem quanti-qualitativa. Os resultados obtidos contemplando a temática pesquisada apontam que apenas três artigos em periódicos nacionais abordam o assunto Auditoria Contínua, possivelmente justificada pelo desconhecimento do tema ou desinteresse por parte dos auditores e acadêmicos. No entanto, as pesquisas indicam a Auditoria Contínua como tendência de gestão e controle nos negócios devido ao aumento da complexidade dos dados e a preparação para atender aos órgãos reguladores

A sífilis na gestação e os cuidados no pré-natal

Este artigo vem apresentando a partir de revisão bibliográfica a sífilis durante o período gestacional e os cuidados que são necessários durante o pré-natal. A sífilis afeta em média um milhão de gestantes em todo o mundo por ano, o que ocasiona uma morte fetal e neonatal de mais de 300 mil mortes por ano. Colocando em risco mais de 200 mil crianças a morte prematura. Estima-se que em média 300 mil crianças nascem com sífilis congênita todos os anos na América Latina e Caribe, dados estes de acordo com o Boletim Epidemiológico da Sífilis de 2019. Além de abordar como se chegar ao diagnóstico apresentando uma breve revisão sobre os teste treponêmicos e não treponêmicos.&nbsp

PODODERMATITE PLASMOCITÁRIA FELINA

A pododermatite plasmocitária fekina é uma doença rara de pele, cuja etiologia é desconhecida. este artigo relata o caso de um felino, fêmea de três anos de idade com sinais clínicos específicos de pododermatite plasmocitária. A biópsia foi analisada no laboratório de patologia veterinária da UFPR - campus Palotina. Ao exame histopatológico observou-se a presença de uma ulcera com intenso infiltrado inflamatório composto principalmente por plasmócitos, neutrófilos, células de Mott e a presença de corpúsculos de Russell. Após o diagnostico o tratamento foi estabelecido com prednisona sem resultados. O veterinário optou então pelo tratamento cirúrgico com crioterapia. Até agora, um ano após o diagnóstico, o animal não mostrou recorrência dos sinais clínicos

Genetic Vaccination against Experimental Infection with Myotropic Parasite Strains of Trypanosoma cruzi

In earlier studies, we reported that a heterologous prime-boost regimen using recombinant plasmid DNA followed by replication-defective adenovirus vector, both containing Trypanosoma cruzi genes encoding trans-sialidase (TS) and amastigote surface protein (ASP) 2, provided protective immunity against experimental infection with a reticulotropic strain of this human protozoan parasite. Herein, we tested the outcome of genetic vaccination of F1 (CB10XBALB/c) mice challenged with myotropic parasite strains (Brazil and Colombian). Initially, we determined that the coadministration during priming of a DNA plasmid containing the murine IL-12 gene improved the immune response and was essential for protective immunity elicited by the heterologous prime-boost regimen in susceptible male mice against acute lethal infections with these parasites. the prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination of resistant female mice led to a drastic reduction in the number of inflammatory infiltrates in cardiac and skeletal muscles during the chronic phase of infection with either strain. Analysis of the electrocardiographic parameters showed that prophylactic vaccination reduced the frequencies of sinus arrhythmia and atrioventricular block. Our results confirmed that prophylactic vaccination using the TS and ASP-2 genes benefits the host against acute and chronic pathologies caused by T. cruzi and should be further evaluated for the development of a veterinary or human vaccine against Chagas disease.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol CTCMol, BR-04044010 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04044010 São Paulo, BrazilFiocruz MS, Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Lab Biol Celular, BR-21040360 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilFiocruz MS, Ctr Pesquisas Goncalo Moniz, BR-40296710 Salvador, BA, BrazilHosp Sao Rafael, BR-41253190 Salvador, BA, BrazilUNIFESP, Inst Saude Soc, Dept Biociencias, BR-11015020 Santos, SP, BrazilFiocruz MS, Ctr Pesquisas Rene Rachou, BR-30190002 Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Inst Ciencias Biol, Dept Bioquim & Imunol, BR-31270901 Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Massachusetts, Sch Med, Dept Med, Div Infect Dis & Immunol, Worcester, MA 01655 USAUniv Fed Santa Catarina, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-88040900 Florianopolis, SC, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol CTCMol, BR-04044010 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04044010 São Paulo, BrazilUNIFESP, Inst Saude Soc, Dept Biociencias, BR-11015020 Santos, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2009/06820-4FAPESP: 2013/13668/0FAPESP: 2012/22514-3Web of Scienc