Efeito dos antioxidantes ascorbato e n-acetil-cisteína associados à terapia antirretroviral em pacientes HIV positivos

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências de Saúde. Programa de Pós-Graduação em FarmáciaA infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV) resulta em alterações efetivas e complexas no sistema imunológico, caracterizada por uma depleção de linfócitos CD4+, as quais acompanham o aumento progressivo dos níveis plasmáticos da carga viral. Entre os mecanismos envolvidos nesta progressão, está a produção de espécies reativas de oxigênio (EROs), proveniente do estresse oxidativo gerado pela própria ativação crônica do sistema imune. A ação de EROs, assim como por constituintes virais, favorece a replicação viral via ativação de NF-kB e a depleção de linfócitos por apoptose, com conseqüente comprometimento do sistema imune. O objetivo desse estudo, duplo cego, controlado por placebo, foi investigar e comparar o possível efeito dos compostos antioxidantes ascorbato (CewinÒ, 2g/dia) e N-Acetil-Cisteína (NAC)(FluimucilÒ,600mg/dia), quando associados ao efeito inibidor da replicação viral dos antirretrovirais, através de parâmetros virológicos e celulares em pacientes soropositivos para o HIV-1. Foram avaliados: a carga viral do HIV-1, linfócitos CD4+, CD8+, relação CD4/CD8, percentual de células vivas, em apoptose e mortas, globulinas, IgA, IgG, IgM e b-2 microglobulina. Participaram do estudo 38 pacientes; destes, 13 foram suplementados com ascorbato 2g/dia, 10 suplementados com NAC, 800 mg/dia, e 15 fizeram uso de placebo. As análises foram realizadas antes do início do tratamento e após 60, 120 e 180 dias. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram significativa diminuição da carga viral em todos os grupos, em decorrência da terapia antirretroviral, acompanhada de um aumento significativo no número de linfócitos CD4+ e relação CD4/CD8, bem como diminuição significativa dos níveis de globulinas, IgA, IgG, IgM. Os resultados demonstraram ainda, um efeito significativo da suplementação com ascorbato sobre o percentual de linfócitos vivos, em apoptose, e sobre os níveis de b-2 Microglobulina. Neste estudo, conclui-se que a suplementação com ascorbato, 2g/dia, via oral, associada à terapia antirretroviral, propiciou um aumento na viabilidade dos linfócitos circulantes em pacientes HIV+, o que sugere um efeito benéfico na reconstituição do sistema imune nos pacientes que fazem uso do ascorbato. A NAC, entretanto, não apresentou nenhum resultado significante

Technological innovations in the work environment and the career of the millennium generation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationship of career anchors with three aspects: themillennials’ professional skills, the millennials’ awareness of the replacement of jobs with new technologiesand the technological stress in the millennials’ working environment.Design/methodology/approach – The responses of 200 questionnaires were analyzed using descriptiveand variance analysis techniques.Findings – Among the three hypotheses raised, two were confirmed, showing that these young peoplerecognize the development of professional skills through new technologies, but are not highly sensitive to thestress associated with technological innovations.Originality/value – The paper contributes to a recent debate, which emphasizes the impact of theapplication of new technologies on the nature of study and employment levels

The use of traditional and non-traditional career theories to understand the young’s relationship with new technologies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to, which involved 123 students in their last year of an administration course at a private university in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, evaluate the importance of analyzing the pressure from new technologies on the careers of young university students from a career theory perspective. Design/methodology/approach – From the perspective of traditional theories, the authors used “career anchors,” and from the perspective of non-traditional theories, “intelligent careers,” in which people develop three competency groups that are transferable between organizations: knowing why; knowing how; and knowing whom. The hypotheses the authors raised were analyzed using statistical techniques and the following results were obtained: young people do not see new technologies as a threat to their current job; people who see the “Knowing How” competence as being more developed feel less pressure from new technologies; non-traditional theories show a greater potential to analyze technological pressure than traditional theories; and, finally, the nature of people’s jobs produces different impacts on the pressure of new technologies on their careers, since people who occupy positions involving more human interaction with internal or external clients feel less threatened. Findings – It was found that the lowest mean among the constructs analyzed was the pressure from technology on career. The correlations between the competencies of intelligent careers and the perception of the pressure from technology on career were weak, but significant, whereas the “Knowing How” competency was negatively correlated with the pressure caused by technology. There was no significant influence of the anchors on the pressure from technology on career. However, incorporating the competencies of intelligent careers improved the statistical model’s fit. In associating job positions with the pressure from technology on career, administrative and operational positions showed higher averages than sales associate and management positions. Originality/value – Broadly speaking, it can be noted that traditional career theories, especially the vocational counseling approach, are not sufficient to explain the impact of new technologies on careers. At the same time, one way of coping with the pressure brought about by technological advances may be in using technology itself to develop “useful professional skills,” in a manner consistent with “intelligent careers.

Regulatory T Lymphocytes (Treg): Modulation and Clinical Application

Treg cells CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ have a specific function in the tolerance of autoantigens and regulation of the immune response. Modulation of differentiation pathways and the use of Treg cells in cell therapy have been reported in autoimmune diseases, systemic lupus erythromatosis, autoimmune hepatitis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, graft-versus-host disease, bone marrow transplantation and solid organs. The expansion of Treg cells in vivo occurs through low-dose IL-2 treatment. However, because of the heterogeneity and variability of Treg cells, the isolation of peripheral blood cells, through the technique of leucopheresis by GMP (good manuring practice), for in vitro expansion is difficult, necessitating a large combination of specific and reliable cellular markers. Currently, two specific markers, Helios and neuropilin-1, are being studied to facilitate the differentiation of thymus Treg cells and peripheral Treg cells. However, Treg cells induced in vitro are unstable. Modulation of the FOXP3 gene in the CNS1 and CNS2 region is an alternative to maintaining the stability of expanded Treg cells in vitro

Hepcidin: SNP-Like Polymorphisms Present in Iron Metabolism and Clinical Complications of Iron Accumulation and Deficiency

The metabolism of iron is regulated by the peptide hormone hepcidin. Genetic alterations in the proteins involved in the signalling pathway and hepcidin transcription cause damage to the organism. Mutations and polymorphisms in the hepcidin antimicrobial peptide(HAMP), HFE, HJV, ferroportin and matriptase-2 genes influence serum hepcidin concentration. Genetic deficiency of hepcidin increases iron overload in tissues, leading to haemochromatosis. However, genetics changes in the TMPRSS6 gene promote an increase in serum hepcidin, with the development of severe anaemia and resistance to iron treatment, as observed in IRIDA. Making the flow and efflux of extracellular and intracellular iron is impossible. To date, no drug that works by inhibiting or enhancing hepcidin transcription is available, largely because of the cytotoxicity described in vitro models. The proposed therapeutic targets are still in the early stages of clinical trials, some are good candidates, such as heparin derivatives and mini-hepcidins

Corrosion resistance and tribological behavior of ZK30 magnesium alloy coated by plasma electrolytic oxidation

The rapid bio-corrosion of magnesium-based alloys, the formation of hydrogen gas and, consequently, the premature loss of biomechanical functions hinder their applications as biodegradable implant materials. The corrosion becomes even accelerated, when fretting wear occurs at implant junctions, as a result of repeated disruptions of the magnesium (hydr)oxide layer formed on implant surfaces. To improve the overall performance of these materials in a bio-relevant environment, especially corrosion resistance and wear resistance, in this research, plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) was applied to create a coating on a magnesium alloy, ZK30. The resulting gains in corrosion resistance and wear resistance were evaluated. In vitro immersion tests in Hank’s solution at 37 ◦C showed a reduction in hydrogen release from the PEO-treated alloy. The results obtained from applying the scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) indicated a decreased susceptibility of the PEO- treated alloy to localized corrosion, accounting for the improved corrosion resistance. In addition, PEO was found to change the surface topography and roughness, in addition to surface chemistry, which contributed to an increased but stable coefficient of friction and a decreased material removal rate, as revealed by the tribological tests with a ball-on-plate configuration. The results indicate an enlarged opportunity of magnesium-based ma-terials for orthopedic applications, where friction and wear are involved, by applying PEO

Os impactos da terapia quimioterápica e as implicações para a manutenção do cuidado. Um estudo de representações sociais / Impacts of therapy chemotherapy and implications for maintenance care. A social representations study

O estudo tem por objetivo compreender os impactos da terapia quimioterápica, as implicações para a manutenção do cuidado e analisar as representações sociais desses pacientes. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo com abordagem qualitativa, utiliza como aporte teórico o fenômeno da Teoria das Representações Sociais desenvolvida com embasamento nos achados relativos às falas dos 26 pacientes em tratamento quimioterápico a análise aplicou-se a técnica de análise temática em psicologia. O estudo possui aprovação do Comitê e atende a Resolução nº 466/12. Nos resultados do estudo evidenciamos o quanto é necessário compreender as representações dos sujeitos em tratamento quimioterápico, reconhecendo, dessa forma, sua complexidade. Vivenciar além do cotidiano e a vida diár™ia dos pacientes em quimioterapia, avaliar as suas tristezas, angústias, vitorias, assim como ter contato direto com o mesmo assim surgindo a necessidade de conhecer melhor a realidade dos pacientes

Os impactos da terapia quimioterápica e as implicações para a manutenção do cuidado. Um estudo de representações sociais / Impacts of therapy chemotherapy and implications for maintenance care. A social representations study

O estudo tem por objetivo compreender os impactos da terapia quimioterápica, as implicações para a manutenção do cuidado e analisar as representações sociais desses pacientes. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo com abordagem qualitativa, utiliza como aporte teórico o fenômeno da Teoria das Representações Sociais desenvolvida com embasamento nos achados relativos às falas dos 26 pacientes em tratamento quimioterápico a análise aplicou-se a técnica de análise temática em psicologia. O estudo possui aprovação do Comitê e atende a Resolução nº 466/12. Nos resultados do estudo evidenciamos o quanto é necessário compreender as representações dos sujeitos em tratamento quimioterápico, reconhecendo, dessa forma, sua complexidade. Vivenciar além do cotidiano e a vida diár™ia dos pacientes em quimioterapia, avaliar as suas tristezas, angústias, vitorias, assim como ter contato direto com o mesmo assim surgindo a necessidade de conhecer melhor a realidade dos pacientes

A Massive Galaxy in its Core Formation Phase Three Billion Years After the Big Bang

Most massive galaxies are thought to have formed their dense stellar cores at early cosmic epochs. However, cores in their formation phase have not yet been observed. Previous studies have found galaxies with high gas velocity dispersions or small apparent sizes but so far no objects have been identified with both the stellar structure and the gas dynamics of a forming core. Here we present a candidate core in formation 11 billion years ago, at z=2.3. GOODS-N-774 has a stellar mass of 1.0x10^11 Msun, a half-light radius of 1.0 kpc, and a star formation rate of 90[+45-20]Msun/yr. The star forming gas has a velocity dispersion 317+-30 km/s, amongst the highest ever measured. It is similar to the stellar velocity dispersions of the putative descendants of GOODS-N-774, compact quiescent galaxies at z~2 and giant elliptical galaxies in the nearby Universe. Galaxies such as GOODS-N-774 appear to be rare; however, from the star formation rate and size of the galaxy we infer that many star forming cores may be heavily obscured, and could be missed in optical and near-infrared surveys.Comment: To appear in Natur