Efeitos da reabilitação respiratória nos mediadores do sistema imune detetados na saliva de pessoas com DPOC

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the world. It is characterised by persistent and progressive airway obstruction associated with a chronic inflammatory response in the airways and lungs. These patients have altered levels of pro / anti-inflammatory cytokines and of secretory IgA (SIgA). Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is the most effective therapeutic intervention in improving the daily symptoms, exercise tolerance, functionality, muscle strength and quality of life of people with COPD, but its impact of on the levels of inflammatory mediators and SIgA is not consensual. Aim: To compare the levels of inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10) and SIgA in saliva samples from people with COPD and from healthy people. To evaluate the impact of PR on these mediators and SIgA and correlate their levels with clinical data. Methods: People with COPD were recruited from primary health care and enrolled in a community PR programme twice a week during three months. Sociodemographic (age, sex), anthropometric (height, weight) and clinical data (lung function- FEV1pp, six minute walking test- 6MWT, quadriceps and handgrip muscle strength, functionality- 1 min sit-to-stand) were collected three months before, immediately before, immediately after and three months after PR. Saliva samples of people with COPD were collected every month and stored at -80 ° C. Healthy people were recruited from senior academies and surrounding community, and evaluated once. Inflammatory mediators and SIgA were quantified by ELISA. Results: Twenty people with COPD (n=14, 70% male; 71 [67.3-76] years; FEV1pp= 48.2±16.4) and eleven healthy people (n=6, 54.5% male; 73 [68-74] years; FEV1pp=109.6±27.6) participated in the study. No significant differences were found in the levels of analysed cytokines and SIgA between patients with COPD and healthy people. IL-10 was not detected in most samples. In the last PR session, a significant increase in IL-6 was observed. It was observed a trend towards an increase of SIgA during PR. Before PR we found a significant positive correlation between TNF-α and quadriceps muscle strength in responder patients (p=0.0026; r=0.9580) and between IL-6 and 6MWT in all patients (p=0.0191; r=0.6222). After PR a significant positive correlation between IL-6 and quadriceps muscle strength (p=0.0463; r=0.5269) was observed. Significant correlations were found (0.0025≤ p ≥ 0.0438; -0.8009 ≤ r ≥ 0.9539) between SIgA and FEV1pp, handgrip strength, 1 minute STS, 6MWT and quadriceps muscle strength at different times of the study. Conclusion: This study suggest that PR leads to a significant increase in IL-6 and to a variation of SIgA levels, although not significant. Furthermore, IL-6, TNF-α, but mostly SIgA seem to correlate with clinical parameters of people with COPD. Further studies are needed to confirm some trends observed and to increase our knowledge on the variation of the inflammatory response during PR.Enquadramento: A doença pulmonar obstrutiva crónica (DPOC) é a terceira causa de morte no mundo. É caracterizada por uma obstrução persistente e progressiva das vias aéreas, associada a uma resposta inflamatória crónica nas vias aéreas e pulmões. Estas pessoas apresentam níveis alterados de citocinas pró / anti-inflamatórias e de IgA secretada (IgAS). A reabilitação respiratória (RR) é a intervenção terapêutica mais eficaz na melhoria dos sintomas, da tolerância ao exercício, da funcionalidade, força muscular e qualidade de vida de pessoas com DPOC, mas o seu impacto nos níveis dos mediadores inflamatórios e IgAS destas pessoas não é, ainda, consensual. Objetivo: Comparar os níveis de mediadores inflamatórios (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10) e IgAS na saliva de pessoas com DPOC com os de pessoas saudáveis. Avaliar o impacto da RR nesses mediadores e na IgAS e correlacionar os seus níveis com dados clínicos. Métodos: As pessoas com DPOC foram recrutadas nos cuidados de saúde primários e participaram num programa de RR comunitário duas vezes por semana durante três meses. Os dados sociodemográficos (idade, sexo), antropométricos e clínicos (função pulmonar- FEV1pp, teste de marcha dos 6 minutos-TM6M, força muscular dos quadricípetes e handgrip, funcionalidade- teste de sentar e levantar 1-min) foram recolhidos três meses antes, imediatamente antes, imediatamente após e três meses após a RR. As amostras de saliva das pessoas com DPOC foram recolhidas todos os meses e armazenadas a -80ºC. As pessoas saudáveis foram recrutadas de academias séniores e comunidade envolvente e avaliadas uma vez. Os mediadores inflamatórios e a IgAS foram quantificados nas amostras de saliva através do método ELISA. Resultados: Vinte pessoas com DPOC (n=14, 70% do sexo masculino; 71 [67.3-76] anos; FEV1pp= 48.2± 16.4) e onze pessoas saudáveis (n=6, 54.5% do sexo masculino; 73 [68-74] anos; FEV1pp= 109.6±27.6) participaram no estudo. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nos níveis dos mediadores inflamatórios e IgAS entre pessoas com DPOC e saudáveis. A IL-10 não foi detetado na maioria das amostras de saliva. Na última sessão de RR, foi observado um aumento significativo de IL-6. Foi observada uma tendência de aumento na IgAS durante a RR. Antes da RR, foi observada uma correlação significativa positiva entre o TNF-α e a força muscular do quadricípete nos doentes responsivos (p=0.0026; r=0.9580), e entre a IL-6 e o TM6M em todos os doentes (p=0.0191; r=0.6222). Após a RR, foi observada uma correlação significativa positiva entre a IL-6 e a força muscular do quadricípete (p=0.0463; r=0.5269). Foram encontradas correlações significativas (0.0025≤ p ≥ 0.0438; -0.8009 ≤ r ≥ 0.9539) entre a IgAS e o teste de sentar e levantar 1-min, FEV1pp, a força handgrip, TM6M e a força muscular dos quadricípetes em diferentes momentos do estudo. Conclusão: Este estudo sugere que a RR leva a um aumento significativo nos níveis de IL-6 e a uma alteração, ainda que não significativa, nos níveis de IgAS. Além disso, a IL-6, o TNF-α, mas principalmente a IgAS parecem correlacionar-se com parâmetros clínicos de pessoas com DPOC. Mais estudos são necessários para confirmar algumas tendências observadas e aumentar o conhecimento sobre a evolução da resposta inflamatória durante RR.Mestrado em Biomedicina Molecula

Simulated LSST Survey of RR Lyrae Stars throughout the Local Group

We report on a study to determine the efficiency of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) to recover the periods, brightnesses, and shapes of RR Lyrae stars' light curves in the volume extending to heliocentric distances of 1.5 Mpc. We place the smoothed light curves of 30 type ab and 10 type c RR Lyrae stars in 1007 fields across the sky, each of which represents a different realization of the LSST sampling cadences, and that sample five particular observing modes. A light curve simulation tool was used to sample the idealized RR Lyrae stars' light curves, returning each as it would have been observed by LSST, including realistic photometric scatter, limiting magnitudes, and telescope downtime. We report here the period, brightness, and light curve shape recovery as a function of apparent magnitude and for survey lengths varying from 1 to 10 years. We find that 10 years of LSST data are sufficient to recover the pulsation periods with a fractional precision of ~10^(–5) for ≥90% of ab stars within ≈360 kpc of the Sun in Universal Cadence fields and out to ≈760 kpc for Deep Drilling fields. The 50% completeness level extends to ≈600 kpc and ≈1.0 Mpc for the same fields, respectively. For virtually all stars that had their periods recovered, their light curve shape parameter φ_31 was recovered with sufficient precision to also recover photometric metallicities to within 0.14 dex (the systematic error in the photometric relations). With RR Lyrae stars' periods and metallicities well measured to these distances, LSST will be able to search for halo streams and dwarf satellite galaxies over half of the Local Group, informing galaxy formation models and providing essential data for mapping the Galactic potential. This study also informs the LSST science operations plan for optimizing observing strategies to achieve particular science goals. We additionally present a new [Fe/H]-φ_31 photometric relation in the r band and a new and generally useful metric for defining period recovery for time domain surveys

Can The Intermittent Training Generate Alterations On The Liver Tissue Of Rats Submitted To A Hyperlipidic Diet?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Studies indicate that increasing physical activity and decreasing levels of fat in the liver help to decrease the risk of morbidity from liver conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an eight week intermittent training program on the liver tissue of rats subjected to a hyperlipidic diet. The study consisted of 30 male Wistar rats, divided into the following groups: Sedentary Control (SC) Exercise Control (EC) (fed on standard feed and water) Sedentary Obese (SO) and Exercise Obese (EO) (fed on bacon, ham, sausage, biscuits, soda and standard feed), which performed intermittent training through electrically stimulated jumps, with three sets of 12 repetitions, three times per week for eight weeks. At the end of the training period, the animals were euthanized, and their livers removed for histological processing and hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE). Soon afterwards, caryometric analysis of the hepatocyte nuclei was performed. From the presented results it can be seen that the hepatocyte nuclei of the obese animals were smaller in relation to those of the control animals, therefore, exercise combined with an appropriate diet proved to be efficient in not causing alterations in the hepatocyte nuclei, conserving normal cell function and reducing the chances of the appearance of tissue damage. Furthermore, exercise in isolation cannot be considered a protective factor against the alteration of the liver cells.349096National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Cost-Effective Trap qPCR Approach to Evaluate Telomerase Activity: an Important Tool for Aging, Cancer, and Chronic Disease Research

OBJECTIVES: Telomeres are a terminal "DNA cap" that prevent chromosomal fusion and degradation. However, aging is inherent to life, and so is the loss of terminal sequences. Telomerase is a specialized reverse transcriptase encoded by self-splicing introns that counteract chromosome erosion. Telomerase activity is observed during early embryonic development, but after the blastocyst stage, the expression of telomerase reduces. The consequences of either insufficient or unrestrained telomerase activity underscore the importance of ongoing studies aimed at elucidating the regulation of telomerase activity in humans. In the present study, we aimed to standardize a simplified telomerase repeat-amplification protocol (TRAP) assay to detect telomerase activity in unstimulated and PHA-stimulated mononuclear cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: Our optimized qPCR-based can efficiently evaluate telomerase activity. Quantification of protein and DNA between unstimulated and PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed cellular activation and cell-cycle entry. The assay also showed that relative telomerase activity is significantly different between these two conditions, supporting the applicability of the assay. Furthermore, our findings corroborated that telomerase activity decreases with age. CONCLUSIONS: Telomeres and telomerase are implicated in aging and development of chronic diseases and cancer; however, difficulty in accessing commercial kits to investigate these aspects is a critical constraint in health surveillance studies. Our optimized assay was successfully used to differentiate telomerase activity between unstimulated and stimulated cells, clearly showing the reactivation of telomerase upon cell activation. This assay is affordable, reproducible, and can be executed in resource-limited settings

LSST Science Book, Version 2.0

A survey that can cover the sky in optical bands over wide fields to faint magnitudes with a fast cadence will enable many of the exciting science opportunities of the next decade. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will have an effective aperture of 6.7 meters and an imaging camera with field of view of 9.6 deg^2, and will be devoted to a ten-year imaging survey over 20,000 deg^2 south of +15 deg. Each pointing will be imaged 2000 times with fifteen second exposures in six broad bands from 0.35 to 1.1 microns, to a total point-source depth of r~27.5. The LSST Science Book describes the basic parameters of the LSST hardware, software, and observing plans. The book discusses educational and outreach opportunities, then goes on to describe a broad range of science that LSST will revolutionize: mapping the inner and outer Solar System, stellar populations in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, the structure of the Milky Way disk and halo and other objects in the Local Volume, transient and variable objects both at low and high redshift, and the properties of normal and active galaxies at low and high redshift. It then turns to far-field cosmological topics, exploring properties of supernovae to z~1, strong and weak lensing, the large-scale distribution of galaxies and baryon oscillations, and how these different probes may be combined to constrain cosmological models and the physics of dark energy.Comment: 596 pages. Also available at full resolution at http://www.lsst.org/lsst/sciboo

Phenolic Compounds in Cork-Closed Bottle-Fermented Sparkling Wines

Bottle fermented sparkling wine in South Africa is known as Méthode Cap Classique which is based onthe method used in France for Champagne. The use of cork, instead of a crown cap during the secondfermentation in sparkling wine was investigated for its effect on the phenolic profile of wines. Phenolicacids susceptible to migration from cork into wine were studied in two-disc corks from three differentcommercial suppliers, coded as Cork A, Cork R and Cork C and a crown cap closure. Gallic, caftaric,caffeic and p-coumaric acids were quantified in all samples using a liquid chromatographic technique.Physicochemical parameters were also measured in the wine using a spectrophotometric technique. Totalacidity and pH were not significantly different among the wines. Cork R wines were however significantlydifferent in alcohol. Residual sugar for all samples was below the limit of detection. Gallic acid wassignificantly highest in Cork A wines, which indicates the contribution of Cork A to the concentration ofthis compound in the wine. Different cork types are assumed to release different concentrations of phenoliccompounds. This may be due to differences in surface roughness of cork that would increase the surfacearea in contact with the wine. Therefore, corks from different origins (suppliers) could be used to bringabout subtle differences to the wine. &nbsp

Importância dos relevos residuais para a conservação da biodiversidade em áreas antropizadas: o triângulo mineiro como estudo de caso

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Graduação)Relevos residuais (RR) representam diferentes formações geológicas, como morros testemunhos (MT) e inselbergs, que se projetam acima da superfície circundante, por terem uma resistência maior à erosão. Podem manter mecanismos ecológicos essenciais para o funcionamento dos ecossistemas, fornecendo refúgios para muitas espécies, resguardando, portanto, a biota adaptada às condições desses ambientes, além de contribuírem para a regulação da hidrografia regional. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o estado da arte da cobertura vegetal no Triângulo Mineiro (TM), Brasil, região usada como estudo de caso, especificamente das coberturas savânicas localizadas em RR. E propor, ainda, incrementos para a conservação, através da proteção de RR. Sustenta essa proposta, o fato de muitos RR serem áreas com uma proteção insuficiente e com uma baixa ocupação por atividades agropecuárias devido a afloramentos rochosos que dificultam essas atividades. Para tanto, foi feito uma revisão bibliográfica e processamento de imagens de satélite, que resultou no mapeamento de 90 morros na região do TM. Foi possível observar maior ocupação de formações florestais nas encostas dos MT, seguida de fisionomias savânicas nas mesas. Foi possível também observar que, se essas elevações no TM forem protegidas efetivamente, aumentaria em 87% as áreas savânicas conservadas nessa região. Dessa forma, nosso trabalho indicou que o potencial de RR, para esforços conservacionistas regionais é elevado, devendo ser considerado nas tomadas de decisão para a proteção da biodiversidade do TM

Posterior Arthroscopic Subtalar Arthrodesis: Clinical and Radiologic Review of 19 Cases

Arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis has recently gained popularity in the treatment of primary subtalar or post-traumatic arthritis, coalition, or inflammatory diseases with subtalar arthritis. The present study reports the clinical and radiologic results of 19 patients (19 feet) who underwent posterior arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis using 2 posterior portals. A total of 19 posterior arthroscopic subtalar arthrodeses (minimum follow-up of 24 months) performed without a bone graft and with 2 parallel screws were prospectively evaluated. The fusion rate was 94% (mean time to fusion 9.8 weeks). Modified American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot scale score (maximum 94 points) improved significantly from 43 to 80 points and the visual analog scale for pain score improved from 7.6 to 1.2. The 12-item short-form physical and mental scores at the last follow-up point were 52.5 and 56.4, respectively. One (5.3%) patient underwent open repeat fusion for nonunion, 2 (10.5%) patients required a second procedure for implant removal, and 1 (5.3%) experienced reversible neuropraxia. In conclusion, posterior arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis is a safe technique with a good union rate and a small number of complications in patients with no or very little hindfoot deformity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chagas Disease Diagnostic Applications: Present Knowledge and Future Steps

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a lifelong and debilitating illness of major significance throughout Latin America and an emergent threat to global public health. Being a neglected disease, the vast majority of Chagasic patients have limited access to proper diagnosis and treatment, and there is only a marginal investment into R&D for drug and vaccine development. In this context, identification of novel biomarkers able to transcend the current limits of diagnostic methods surfaces as a main priority in Chagas disease applied research. The expectation is that these novel biomarkers will provide reliable, reproducible and accurate results irrespective of the genetic background, infecting parasite strain, stage of disease, and clinical-associated features of Chagasic populations. In addition, they should be able to address other still unmet diagnostic needs, including early detection of congenital T. cruzi transmission, rapid assessment of treatment efficiency or failure, indication/prediction of disease progression and direct parasite typification in clinical samples. The lack of access of poor and neglected populations to essential diagnostics also stresses the necessity of developing new methods operational in point-of-care settings. In summary, emergent diagnostic tests integrating these novel and tailored tools should provide a significant impact on the effectiveness of current intervention schemes and on the clinical management of Chagasic patients. In this chapter, we discuss the present knowledge and possible future steps in Chagas disease diagnostic applications, as well as the opportunity provided by recent advances in high-throughput methods for biomarker discovery.Fil: Balouz, Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Fernandez Aguero, Maria Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Buscaglia, Carlos Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); Argentin