Alocação eficiente de indicadores de faltas em um sistema de distribuição real usando computação evolutiva

Este trabalho propõe uma abordagem computacional evolutiva para a resolução do problema de alocação de dispositivos indicadores de faltas (IFs) em alimentadores primários de distribuição de energia elétrica. De forma mais específica, o problema de se obter o melhor local de instalação é solucionado por meio da técnica de Algoritmos Genéticos (AGs) que busca obter uma configuração eficiente de instalação de IFs no tronco principal de um alimentador de distribuição. Assim, faz-se a modelagem do mesmo na forma de um problema de otimização orientado à melhoria dos indicadores de qualidade do serviço e ao encontro de uma solução economicamente atraente. Os resultados com dados reais comprovam a eficiência da metodologia proposta.

Eficácia da auriculoterapia para estresse segundo experiência do terapeuta: ensaio clínico

OBJETIVO: Ensaio clínico objetivou avaliar a eficácia da auriculoterapia com agulhas semipermanentes sobre níveis de estresse na equipe de Enfermagem de um hospital-escola, entre janeiro e julho de 2010. MÉTODOS: Quarenta e nove pessoas foram randomizadas em três grupos: grupo 1 (controle), grupo 2 (terapeutas menos experientes) e grupo 3 (terapeutas mais experientes). Os sujeitos receberam oito sessões nos pontos Shen Men, Rim e Tronco Cerebral tendo sido avaliados no início, com quatro e oito, sessões e follow-up (15 dias). RESULTADOS: A ANOVA constatou diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os resultados antes e depois entre os grupos na 3ª avaliação (F=3,404/p=0,042) e follow-up (F=4,106/p=0,023). Tais diferenças foram entre grupo 1/3 na 3ª avaliação (p=0,036) e follow-up (p=0,033). Resultado marginalmente significante foi encontrado no follow-up entre grupo 1/2 (p=0, 059). CONCLUSÃO: A auriculoterapia com terapeutas mais experientes reduziu eficazmente o estresse em profissionais de Enfermagem, no entanto, considera-se a necessidade de mais estudos com este procedimento.

Thrombotic obstruction of the central venous catheter in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

This is an integrative literature review with the aim of summarizing the prevention measures and treatment of thrombotic obstruction of long-term semi-implanted central venous catheters, in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The sample consisted of seven studies, being two randomized controlled clinical trials, three cohort studies and two case series. Regarding the prevention measures, one single study demonstrated effectiveness, which was a cohort study on the oral use of warfarin. In relation to the treatment measures, three studies evidenced effectiveness, one highlighted the efficacy of streptokinase or urokinase, one demonstrated the benefit of using low-molecular-weight heparin and the other treated the obstruction with heparin or urokinase. Catheter patency research shows a restricted evolution that does not follow the evolution of transplantations, mainly regarding nursing care.

In search of mechanisms associated with mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies for acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is classically described as a rapid loss of kidney function. AKI affects more than 15% of all hospital admissions and is associated with elevated mortality rates. Although many advances have occurred, intermittent or continuous renal replacement therapies are still considered the best options for reversing mild and severe AKI syndrome. For this reason, it is essential that innovative and effective therapies, without side effects and complications, be developed to treat AKI and the end-stages of renal disease. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) based therapies have numerous advantages in helping to repair inflamed and damaged tissues and are being considered as a new alternative for treating kidney injuries. Numerous experimental models have shown that MSCs can act via differentiation-independent mechanisms to help renal recovery. Essentially, MSCs can secrete a pool of cytokines, growth factors and chemokines, express enzymes, interact via cell-to-cell contacts and release bioagents such as microvesicles to orchestrate renal protection. In this review, we propose seven distinct properties of MSCs which explain how renoprotection may be conferred: 1) anti-inflammatory; 2) pro-angiogenic; 3) stimulation of endogenous progenitor cells; 4) anti-apoptotic; 5) anti-fibrotic; 6) anti-oxidant; and 7) promotion of cellular reprogramming. In this context, these mechanisms, either individually or synergically, could induce renal protection and functional recovery. This review summarises the most important effects and benefits associated with MSC-based therapies in experimental renal disease models and attempts to clarify the mechanisms behind the MSC-related renoprotection. MSCs may prove to be an effective, innovative and affordable treatment for moderate and severe AKI. However, more studies need to be performed to provide a more comprehensive global understanding of MSC-related therapies and to ensure their safety for future clinical applications.

Cell therapy prevents structural, functional and molecular remodeling of remote non-infarcted myocardium

Background/objectives: Therapy using bone marrow (BM) cells has been tested experimentally and clinically due to the potential ability to restore cardiac function by regenerating lost myocytes or increasing the survival of tissues at risk after myocardial infarction (MI). In this study we aimed to evaluate whether BM-derived mononuclear cell (MNC) implantation can positively influence the post-MI structural remodeling, contractility and Ca(2 +)-handling proteins of the remote non-infarcted tissue in rats. Methods and results: After 48 h of MI induction, saline or BM-MNC were injected. Six weeks later, MI scars were slightly smaller and thicker, and cardiac dilatation was just partially prevented by cell therapy. However, the cardiac performance under hemodynamic stress was totally preserved in the BM-MNC treated group if compared to the untreated group, associated with normal contractility of remote myocardium as analyzed in vitro. The impaired post-rest potentiation of contractile force, associated with decreased protein expression of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2 +-ATPase and phosphorylated-phospholamban and overexpression of Na(+)/Ca(2 +) exchanger, were prevented by BM-MNC, indicating preservation of the Ca(2 +) handling. Finally, pathological changes on remodeled remote tissue such as myocyte hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis and capillary rarefaction were also mitigated by cell therapy. Conclusions: BM-MNC therapy was able to prevent cardiac structural and molecular remodeling after MI, avoiding pathological changes on Ca(2 +)-handling proteins and preserving contractile behavior of the viable myocardium, which could be the major contributor to the improvements of global cardiac performance after cell transplantation despite that scar tissue still exists.

Heparin and penicillamine–hypotaurine–epinephrine (PHE) solution during bovine in vitro fertilization procedures impair the quality of spermatozoa but improve normal oocyte fecundation and early embryonic development

The presence of heparin and a mixture of penicillamine, hypotaurine, and epinephrine (PHE) solution in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) media seem to be a prerequisite when bovine spermatozoa are capacitated in vitro, in order to stimulate sperm motility and acrosome reaction. The present study was designed to determine the effect of the addition of heparin and PHE during IVF on the quality and penetrability of spermatozoa into bovine oocytes and on subsequent embryo development. Sperm quality, evaluated by the integrity of plasma and acrosomal membranes and mitochondrial function, was diminished (P<0.05) in the presence of heparin and PHE. Oocyte penetration and normal pronuclear formation rates, as well as the percentage of zygotes presenting more than two pronuclei, was higher (P<0.05) in the presence of heparin and PHE. No differences were observed in cleavage rates between treatment and control (P>0.05). However, the developmental rate to the blastocyst stage was increased in the presence of heparin and PHE (P>0.05). The quality of embryos that reached the blastocyst stage was evaluated by counting the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cell numbers and total number of cells; the percentage of ICM and TE cells was unaffected (P>0.05) in the presence of heparin and PHE (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that while the supplementation of IVF media with heparin and PHE solution impairs spermatozoa quality, it plays an important role in sperm capacitation, improving pronuclear formation, and early embryonic development

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells increase skin allograft survival and inhibit Th-17 immune response

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSC) exhibit immunosuppressive capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. Their use for therapy in the transplant field is attractive as they could render the use of immunosuppressive drugs unnecessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ADSC therapy on prolonging skin allograft survival. Animals that were treated with a single injection of donor allogeneic ADSC one day after transplantation showed an increase in donor skin graft survival by approximately one week. This improvement was associated with preserved histological morphology, an expansion of CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) in draining lymph nodes, as well as heightened IL-10 expression and down-regulated IL-17 expression. In vitro, ADSC inhibit naïve CD4(+) T cell proliferation and constrain Th-1 and Th-17 polarization. In summary, infusion of ADSC one day post-transplantation dramatically increases skin allograft survival by inhibiting the Th-17 pathogenic immune response and enhancing the protective Treg immune response. Finally, these data suggest that ADSC therapy will open new opportunities for promoting drug-free allograft survival in clinical transplantation.