Impact of Oxidative Changes and Possible Effects of Genetics Polymorphisms of Glutathione S-Transferase in Diabetics Patients with Complications

Pancreatic β cells are more sensitive to cytotoxic stress than several other cells due to the expression of very low levels of antioxidant enzymes. Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) is a detoxification enzyme essential for a cellular protection against oxidative damage. Thus, the objective of this chapter is to verify the impact of the hypothesis of all effects of Glutathione S-transferase polymorphism in patients with diabetic complications. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the main secondary complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Notably, the expression of GST genes has been described in different variations as ethnic populations. Some studies have suggested association between genetic polymorphism for GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 and DN, but others do not. The results are still inconsistent and, therefore, more studies are needed to be performed

Uma análise do setor de distribuição de flores e plantas ornamentais no estado do Rio de Janeiro

Uma das principais características da produção de flores e plantas ornamentais é que esta constitui atividade típica de pequenos produtores. Embora a floricultura brasileira venha se expandindo em áreas menos tradicionais como o Nordeste do país, a maior parte da produção ainda se concentra nas regiões Sul e Sudeste, e os dados sobre a distribuição de flores no Brasil indicam o estado de São Paulo como principal centro da produção nacional. O estado do Rio de Janeiro tem-se destacado, nesse contexto, como região potencial de expansão da produção e comercialização de flores e plantas ornamentais, com destaque para as variedades tropicais, de crescente aceitação internacional.Este trabalho analisa o segmento de distribuição de flores e plantas ornamentais no Rio de Janeiro, tendo por referência conceitual o enfoque sistêmico de produto (Commodity Systems Approach). Para consecução da pesquisa, foram realizados amplos levantamentos secundário e primário junto aos principais agentes que atuam no segmento de distribuição de flores no Rio de Janeiro. Os resultados obtidos indicam que os principais entraves ao desempenho do setor estão relacionados com as relações de mercado vigentes e com os aspectos gerenciais.Floricultura, Cadeias produtivas, Rio de Janeiro, Marketing,

Perfil físico funcional de indivíduos atendidos em um centro de atenção psicossocial: importância da inserção fisioterapêutica

Introdução: Em geral, indivíduos com transtornos mentais apresentam dificuldade no autocuidado, o que pode levar ao aparecimento ou agravamento de outras morbidades. Objetivo: Identificar evidências da importância da atuação fisioterapêutica na atenção de indivíduos com transtornos mentais, através de alterações físico-funcionais em participantes de oficinas ofertadas por um Centro de Atenção Psicossocial. Métodos: Estudo quantitativo transversal avaliou 15 sujeitos. Foram realizados os seguintes testes: Teste de Sentar e Alcançar, dinamometria de preensão palmar, Escala Visual Analógica, Teste de Romberg, Timed Up and Go, index-index, index-nariz, index-nariz-dedo, joelho-calcanhar e goniometria. As análises das variáveis de alterações físico funcionais foram realizadas em mediana e intervalo interquartil para dados contínuos e frequência absoluta para dados categóricos. Resultados: Na avaliação da flexibilidade, as categorias encontradas foram ‘precisa melhorar’ (n = doze) e ‘regular’ (n = três).  Oito participantes relataram dores corporais. No equilíbrio estático, dois terços dos sujeitos apresentaram oscilações durante a manobra, enquanto no equilíbrio dinâmico um participante apresentou resultado que indica necessidade de intervenção. Para coordenação motora, pelo menos dois terços dos sujeitos apresentaram positivação no teste e na goniometria metade dos sujeitos apresentaram alguma redução de amplitude de movimentos. Conclusão: Considerando as alterações físico funcionais, especialmente de flexibilidade, equilíbrio e coordenação motora, fica evidente a importância da inclusão do fisioterapeuta em serviços que atendem sujeitos com transtornos mentais

BRAZILIAN ARCHIVES OF BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY AN I N T E R N A T I O N A L J O U R N A L Land Use and Environmental Zoning of Mixed Ombrophilous Forests for Sustainable Use (Irati National Forest, Brazil Southern Region)

ABSTRAC

Predictors of the risk of falls among elderly with chronic atrial fibrillation

OBJECTIVES: Though elderly persons with chronic atrial fibrillation have more comorbidities that could limit indications for the chronic use of anticoagulants, few studies have focused on the risk of falls within this particular group. To evaluate the predictors of the risk of falls among elderly with chronic atrial fibrillation, a cross-sectional, observational study was performed. METHODS: From 295 consecutive patients aged 60 years or older with a history of atrial fibrillation who were enrolled within the last 2 years in the cardiogeriatrics outpatient clinic of the Instituto do Coracao do Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, 107 took part in this study. Their age was 77.9 +/- 6.4 years, and 62 were female. They were divided into two groups: a) no history of falls in the previous year and b) a history of one or more falls in the previous year. Data regarding the history of falls and social, demographic, anthropometric, and clinical information were collected. Multidimensional assessment instruments and questionnaires were applied. RESULTS: At least one fall was reported in 55 patients (51.4%). Among them, 27 (49.1%) presented recurrent falls, with body lesions in 90.4% and fractures in 9.1% of the cases. Multivariate logistic regression showed that self-reported difficulty maintaining balance, use of amiodarone, and diabetes were independent variables associated with the risk of falls, with a sensitivity of 92.9% and a specificity of 44.9%. CONCLUSION: In a group of elderly patients with chronic atrial fibrillation who were relatively independent and able to attend an outpatient clinic, the occurrence of falls with recurrence and clinical consequences was high. Difficulty maintaining balance, the use of amiodarone and a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of the risk for falls. Thus, simple clinical data predicted falls better than objective functional tests

Association of quality of life and disease control with cigarette smoking in patients with severe asthma

More information is needed on asthma control and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in smokers with severe asthma. The main study objective was to characterize the association of HRQoL and disease control with cigarette smoking in individuals with severe asthma. A secondary objective was to analyze subject characteristics according to asthma onset: asthma that developed before smoking initiation versus asthma that developed after smoking initiation. This cross-sectional study included subjects with severe asthma aged 18-65 years. HRQoL was assessed using the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) and asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) criteria. Of the 87 patients studied, 58 (66.7%) were classified as asthmatics who had never smoked and 29 (33.3%) as asthmatics with smoking exposure. The proportion of subjects with uncontrolled asthma was higher in the asthma and smoking group (GINA criteria: P=0.032 and ACT criteria: P=0.003. There were no between-group differences in overall AQLQ score (P=0.475) or AQLQ domain scores (P>0.05). Fifty-eight subjects (66.7%) were nonsmokers, 20 (23%) had asthma onset before smoking, and 9 (10.3%) had asthma onset after smoking. Asthma onset before smoking was associated with uncontrolled asthma (P=0.013). In subjects with severe asthma, smoking was associated with a higher rate of uncontrolled disease but not with HRQoL scores

Therapeutic itineraries for patients with cerebrovascular accident: fragmentation of care in a regionalized health network

Objectives: to analyze the itineraries of patients with cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in the Interstate health region in San Francisco Valley. Methods: this study uses the qualitative approach through the construction of Therapeutic Itineraries (IT). In the IT mapping the observation was prioritized on the different points and forms to access health service in search of care.. Results: sixteen semi-structured interviews with healthcare users were conducted. There were diverse forms to access and provide services at the Rede Interestadual de Atenção à Saúde do Vale do Médio São Francisco–PEBA (Interstate Healthcare Network Region in the San Francisco Valley), which could be characterized by disorganized and uncoordinated care in the analyzed cases, despite the guarantee of hospital care. The Primary Health Care (APS) teams are present at a care point with most of the patients' itineraries, however, little integration to the regionalized network and they were unable to perform their functions and coordinate the care. It is observed pilgrimage assistance, fragmented care and difficulties in receiving care after post hospitalization which is essential for the patients’ rehabilitation. Conclusions: traces of fragments of the regional health system are important warning signs that points out fragility in PEBA and demonstrate persistent gaps in the public health system to fulfil the responsibility and guarantee individuals’ right for health.

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF LEAVES AND STEM BARK EXTRACTS OF Dasyphyllum tomentosum (Spreng.) Cabrera

Dasyphyllum tomentosum (Spreng) Cabrera é conhecida popularmente por açucará, agulheira, espinho-de-agulha e goiapá, pertence à família Asteraceae cujos representantes destacam-se principalmente pelas propriedades terapêuticas. O objetivo deste estudo foi uma investigação qualitativa do perfil químico da planta  a fim de se identificar as principais classes de constituintes presentes nas folhas e casca do caule, além da avaliação preliminar da atividade antibacteriana, tendo em vista a inexistência de estudos na espécie. Para a análise fitoquímica o extrato hidro alcoólico 20% e extrato aquoso foram submetidos reações clássicas de caracterização dos grupamentos químicos, e para avaliação da atividade antibacteriana, o extrato etanólico bruto foi submetido ao ensaio de determinação da Concentração Inibitória Mínima.  A análise fitoquímica apontou a presença de triterpenos e/ou esteroides, flavonoides, alcaloides, heterosídeos antociânicos e taninos. Os extratos etanólicos das folhas e casca do caule de Dasyphyllum tomentosum mostraram ausência de atividade inibitória frente aos microorganismos testados

P2X7 receptor contributes to long-term neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in sepsis-surviving mice

Introduction: sepsis is defined as a multifactorial debilitating condition with high risks of death. The intense inflammatory response causes deleterious effects on the brain, a condition called sepsis-associated encephalopathy. Neuroinflammation or pathogen recognition are able to stress cells, resulting in ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) release and P2X7 receptor activation, which is abundantly expressed in the brain. The P2X7 receptor contributes to chronic neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases; however, its function in long-term neurological impairment caused by sepsis remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the effects of P2X7 receptor activation in neuroinflammatory and behavioral changes in sepsis-surviving mice. Methods: sepsis was induced in wild-type (WT), P2X7−/− , and BBG (Brilliant Blue G)-treated mice by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). On the thirteenth day after the surgery, the cognitive function of mice was assessed using the novel recognition object and Water T-maze tests. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, microglial and astrocytic activation markers, and cytokine production were also evaluated. Results: Initially, we observed that both WT and P2X7−/− sepsis-surviving mice showed memory impairment 13 days after surgery, once they did not differentiate between novel and familiar objects. Both groups of animals presented increased AChE activity in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. However, the absence of P2X7 prevented partly this increase in the cerebral cortex. Likewise, P2X7 absence decreased ionized calcium-binding protein 1 (Iba−1 ) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) upregulation in the cerebral cortex of sepsis-surviving animals. There was an increase in GFAP protein levels in the cerebral cortex but not in the hippocampus of both WT and P2X7−/− sepsis-surviving animals. Pharmacological inhibition or genetic deletion of P2X7 receptor attenuated the production of Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and Interleukin-10 (IL-10). Conclusion: the modulation of the P2X7 receptor in sepsis-surviving animals may reduce neuroinflammation and prevent cognitive impairment due to sepsisassociated encephalopathy, being considered an important therapeutic target

IMAGENS DIGITAIS NO ESTUDO DO ENVELHECIMENTO DO QUEIJO MINAS FRESCAL: UM ESTUDO COMPARATIVO SOBRE DIFERENTES EMBALAGENS

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a influência de sacos plásticos de Polietileno de Baixa Densidade (PEBD) e embalagens a vácuo sobre a cor, a qualidade físico-química e microbiológica do queijo Minas frescal. Foram avaliados 10 queijos provenientes de 5 produtores artesanais da cidade de Belo Horizonte, adquiridos 2 dias após a fabricação. Os queijos foram divididos em dois grupos, cada qual com 15 unidades (três pedaços de cinco queijos), e acondicionados em geladeira a temperatura de 6 ºC até o momento dos testes. As análises de pH, teor de umidade, teor de gordura, microbiológicas e o estudo da cor foram feitos nos dias 0, 10 e 20, tanto da parte interna, quanto da parte externa do produto. O uso de ferramentas quimiométricas, como o Image Principal Componente Analysis (PCA de imagens), permitiu evidenciar alterações de cor das amostras no período de observação e correlacioná-las com os dois tipos de embalagens utilizados e com os valores obtidos nas análises físico-químicas. Os resultados apontaram que as características das embalagens relacionadas à permeabilidade a gases e vapor d’água propiciaram alterações físico-químicas e microbiológicas nas amostras, resultando em diferentes tonalidades de amarelo perfeitamente evidenciadas pelo PCA, sendo que a embalagem a vácuo se demonstrou mais eficaz na conservação das propriedades avaliadas. A contaminação microbiológica das amostras ressaltou a importância das boas práticas de fabricação (BPF) na qualidade do queijo Minas frescal.AbstractThe purpose of this paper was to evaluate the influence of Low Density Polyethylene plastic bags (LDPE) and vacuum packaging on the color, physicochemical and microbiological quality of Minas fresh cheese. 10 cheeses from 5 artisan producers from the city of Belo Horizonte were acquired two days after fabrication. The cheeses were divided into two groups, each one with 15 units (three pieces of five chesses), and stored in a refrigerator at 6 ° C until the day of analysis. The analysis of pH, humidity content, fat content, microbiological and the study of color were made on days 0, 10 and 20, both in the inner and the outer part of the product. The use of chemometric tools, such as Principal Component Image Analysis (Image PCA), was able to detect the color changes of the samples during the observation period and correlate them with the two types of packaging and the variations on the physical chemical parameters. The results showed that the characteristics of the packages related to gases and water vapor permeability have provided physical, chemical and microbiological changes in the samples, resulting in different shades of yellow, perfectly highlighted by the PCA. Microbiological contamination of the samples stressed the importance of good manufacturing practices (GMP) on the quality of Minas fresh cheese