Health and fitness benefits of a resistance training intervention performed in the workplace

Zavanela, PM, Crewther, BT, Lodo, L, Florindo, AA, Miyabara, EH, and Aoki, MS. Health and fitness benefits of a resistance training intervention performed in the workplace. J Strength Cond Res 26(3): 811-817, 2012-This study examined the effects of a workplace-based resistance training intervention on different health-, fitness-, and work-related measures in untrained men (bus drivers). The subjects were recruited from a bus company and divided into a training (n = 48) and control (n = 48) groups after initial prescreening. The training group performed a 24-week resistance training program, whereas the control group maintained their normal daily activities. Each group was assessed for body composition, blood pressure (BP), pain incidence, muscular endurance, and flexibility before and after the 24-week period. Work absenteeism was also recorded during this period and after a 12-week follow-up phase. In general, no body composition changes were identified in either group. In the training group, a significant reduction in BP and pain incidence, along with improvements in muscle endurance and flexibility were seen after 24 weeks (p < 0.05). There were no changes in these parameters in the control group, and the between-group differences were all significant (p < 0.05). A reduction in worker absenteeism rate was also noted in the training (vs. control) group during both the interventional and follow-up periods (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it was found that a periodized resistance training intervention performed within the workplace improved different aspects of health and fitness in untrained men, thereby potentially providing other work-related benefits. Thus, both employers and employees may benefit from the setup, promotion, and support of a work-based physical activity program involving resistance training.

Muscarinic and Nicotinic Modulation of Thalamo-Prefrontal Cortex Synaptic Pasticity In Vivo

The mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MD) is a rich source of afferents to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Dysfunctions in the thalamo-prefrontal connections can impair networks implicated in working memory, some of which are affected in Alzheimer disease and schizophrenia. Considering the importance of the cholinergic system to cortical functioning, our study aimed to investigate the effects of global cholinergic activation of the brain on MD-mPFC synaptic plasticity by measuring the dynamics of long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD) in vivo. Therefore, rats received intraventricular injections either of the muscarinic agonist pilocarpine (PILO; 40 nmol/mu L), the nicotinic agonist nicotine (NIC; 320 nmol/mu L), or vehicle. The injections were administered prior to either thalamic high-frequency (HFS) or low-frequency stimulation (LFS). Test pulses were applied to MD for 30 min during baseline and 240 min after HFS or LFS, while field postsynaptic potentials were recorded in the mPFC. The transient oscillatory effects of PILO and NIC were monitored through recording of thalamic and cortical local field potentials. Our results show that HFS did not affect mPFC responses in vehicle-injected rats, but induced a delayed-onset LTP with distinct effects when applied following PILO or NIC. Conversely, LFS induced a stable LTD in control subjects, but was unable to induce LTD when applied after PILO or NIC. Taken together, our findings show distinct modulatory effects of each cholinergic brain activation on MD-mPFC plasticity following HFS and LFS. The LTP-inducing action and long-lasting suppression of cortical LTD induced by PILO and NIC might implicate differential modulation of thalamo-prefrontal functions under low and high input drive.

Genetic transformation of three sweet orange cultivars from explants of adult plants

The difficulty in adult tissue genetic transformation in woody species is still an obstacle to be overcome, including in most sweet orange cultivars of the Brazilian citrus industry. This work reports that, after in vitro culture adjustments, transgenic adventitious buds of 'Hamlin', 'Pra', and 'Valencia' sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) were recovered using adult material as explant source, in genetic transformation experiments via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The transgenic buds were identified by the GUS histochemical analysis and confirmed by PCR analysis, which indicated the presence of an amplified fragment of 817 bp corresponding to the uidA gene sequence. The efficiencies of genetic transformation for 'Hamlin', 'Pra', and 'Valencia' sweet orange cultivars were 2.5, 1.4, and 3.7%, respectively. Media supplemented with auxins and cytokinins during co-culture, and media with high concentrations of cytokinins (3 mg L-1) during transgenic selection led to the transformation and, consequently, the regeneration of adequate number of adventitious buds for the three cultivars. The use of sonication during the explant disinfection was not effective to reduce endophytic contamination and reduced transformation efficiency.

The Carmaphycins: New Proteasome Inhibitors Exhibiting an alpha,beta-Epoxyketone Warhead from a Marine Cyanobacterium

Two new peptidic proteasome inhibitors were isolated as trace components from a Curacao collection of the marine cyanobacterium Symploca sp. Carmaphycin A (1) and carmaphycin B (2) feature a leucine-derived a,beta-epoxyketone warhead directly connected to either methionine sulfoxide or methionine sulfone. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive NMR and MS analyses and confirmed by total synthesis, which in turn provided more material for further biological evaluations. Pure carmaphycins A and B were found to inhibit the beta 5 subunit (chymotrypsin-like activity) of the S. cerevisiae 20S proteasome in the low nanomolar range. Additionally, they exhibited strong cytotoxicity to lung and colon cancer cell lines, as well as exquisite antiproliferative effects in the NCI60 cell-line panel. These assay results as well as initial structural biology studies suggest a distinctive binding mode for these new inhibitors.

Prediction of enzymatic infarct size in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Objectives Predictors of adverse outcomes following myocardial infarction (MI) are well established; however, little is known about what predicts enzymatically estimated infarct size in patients with acute ST-elevation MI. The Complement And Reduction of INfarct size after Angioplasty or Lytics trials of pexelizumab used creatine kinase (CK)-MB area under the curve to determine infarct size in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or fibrinolysis. Methods Prediction of infarct size was carried out by measuring CK-MB area under the curve in patients with ST-segment elevation MI treated with reperfusion therapy from January 2000 to April 2002. Infarct size was calculated in 1622 patients (PCI=817; fibrinolysis=805). Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between baseline demographics, total ST-segment elevation, index angiographic findings (PCI group), and binary outcome of CK-MB area under the curve greater than 3000 ng/ml. Results Large infarcts occurred in 63% (515) of the PCI group and 69% (554) of the fibrinolysis group. Independent predictors of large infarcts differed depending on mode of reperfusion. In PCI, male sex, no prior coronary revascularization and diabetes, decreased systolic blood pressure, sum of ST-segment elevation, total (angiographic) occlusion, and nonright coronary artery culprit artery were independent predictors of larger infarcts (C index=0.73). In fibrinolysis, younger age, decreased heart rate, white race, no history of arrhythmia, increased time to fibrinolytic therapy in patients treated up to 2 h after symptom onset, and sum of ST-segment elevation were independently associated with a larger infarct size (C index=0.68). Conclusion Clinical and patient data can be used to predict larger infarcts on the basis of CK-MB quantification. These models may be helpful in designing future trials and in guiding the use of novel pharmacotherapies aimed at limiting infarct size in clinical practice. Coron Artery Dis 23:118-125 (C) 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Administração de antibióticos por via subcutânea: uma revisão integrativa da literatura

OBJETIVO: Caracterizar os artigos científicos relacionados ao uso de antibióticos por via subcutânea em pacientes com difícil acesso venoso em cuidados paliativos quanto à tolerância local e eficácia terapêutica. MÉTODOS: Revisão integrativa da literatura realizada nas bases de dados LILACS, CINAHL, PUBMED, EMBASE e Biblioteca Cochrane, utilizando-se como referencial teórico a Prática Baseada em Evidências. RESULTADOS: 17 artigos foram selecionados com dez antibióticos diferentes, sendo o Ceftriaxona, o antibiótico mais estudado. Constatou-se a eficácia terapêutica com base nos parâmetros farmacocinéticos e clínicos. A tolerância local esteve associada à maior diluição dos antibióticos. Com administração de aminoglicosídeos, observaram-se lesões graves e necrose tecidual. A baixa tolerância reforça a restrição de uso apenas para essa classe de antibióticos. CONCLUSÃO: As previsões de eficácia terapêutica e a boa tolerância sugerem uma possibilidade a ser considerada quando se deseja uma via de administração parenteral alternativa, porém recomenda-se cautela, visto que nenhum dos estudos avaliou pacientes em cuidados paliativos.

Polifarmácia entre idosos do Município de São Paulo - Estudo SABE

Foi avaliado o uso de cinco ou mais medicamentos (polifarmácia) e seus fatores associados por idosos do município de São Paulo. Realizou-se estudo transversal de base populacional: Estudo SABE - Saúde, Bem-estar e Envelhecimento, no ano de 2006. A amostra foi composta por 1.115 idosos com 65 anos e mais, que correspondiam a 422.377 indivíduos do Município de São Paulo. Utilizou-se regressão logística múltipla. A prevalência de polifarmácia foi de 36%. Sexo feminino (OR = 1,7; IC 95%: 1,0; 2,9), idade igual ou superior a 75 anos (OR = 1,9; IC 95%: 1,3; 2,7), maior renda (OR = 1,8; IC 95%: 1,2; 2,8), estar trabalhando (OR = 1,8; IC 95%: 1,1; 2,9), auto avaliação de saúde regular (OR = 1,6; IC 95%: 1,1; 2,3) ou ruim (OR = 2,6; IC 95%: 1,4; 4,9), hipertensão (OR = 2,0; IC 95%: 1,4; 2,9), diabetes (OR = 4,1; IC 95%: 2,2; 7,5), doença reumática (OR = 2,3; IC 95%: 1,5; 3,6) e problemas cardíacos (OR = 2,9; IC 95%: 1,9; 4,5) apresentaram associação positiva com polifarmácia. Usar apenas o sistema público de saúde (OR = 0,5; IC 95%: 0,3; 0,7) associou-se inversamente à polifarmácia. Os medicamentos mais utilizados foram os de ação no sistema cardiovascular e trato alimentar e metabolismo. No âmbito da farmacoepidemiologia, o conhecimento dos fatores associados a polifarmácia, como os identificados nesse estudo, pode ser útil para alertar os profissionais da saúde quanto à importância de identificar e monitorar os grupos de idosos mais vulneráveis a polifarmácia.