Dopamina, óxido nítrico e suas interações em modelos para o estudo da esquizofrenia

Modelos experimentais baseados no aumento da neurotransmissão dopaminérgica mimetizam aspectos comportamentais e neuroquímicos característicos da esquizofrenia. Psicoestimulantes, como a anfetamina, são utilizados com esta finalidade, pois aumentam os níveis de dopamina extracelular nas vias mesocorticolímbica e mesoestriatal. As limitações da manipulação direta do sistema dopaminérgico nos modelos animais incentivam abordagens complementares. O óxido nítrico (NO), um neurotransmissor atípico que inibe a recaptação de dopamina e estimula sua liberação, parece modular comportamentos controlados pelo sistema dopaminérgico. O teste de inibição pré-pulso revela uma deficiência no filtro sensório-motor, verificada em esquizofrênicos ou após tratamentos com psicotomiméticos, podendo ser prevenida pela inibição do NO. Esta revisão apresenta evidências da interação do NO com o sistema dopaminérgico em modelos para o estudo da esquizofrenia como uma nova ferramenta de investigação desta patologia.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy in the oral cavity and head and neck region

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of submucous nodules from the oral cavity and head and neck region as an auxiliary diagnostic tool. Fifty patients with nodule lesions in the oral cavity and the head and neck region were selected. All of them were submitted to FNAB and to either incisional or excisional biopsy. The diagnoses from the FNABs were compared with the biopsy diagnosis as the gold standard. All the cases of FNAB were analyzed by a single oral pathologist prior to the biopsy diagnosis. The results showed that the sensitivity of FNAB was 75%, its specificity was 96% and its accuracy was 58.8%. The false positive and false negative rates were 6.7% and 13.3%, respectively. The positive predictive value was 86% and the negative predictive value was 93%. The inconclusive rate was 16/50. FNAB displayed a high success rate for identifying both malignant and benign lesions, but a low accuracy for making a final diagnosis.

Reliability and discriminatory power of methods for dental plaque quantification

OBJECTIVE: This in situ study evaluated the discriminatory power and reliability of methods of dental plaque quantification and the relationship between visual indices (VI) and fluorescence camera (FC) to detect plaque. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six volunteers used palatal appliances with six bovine enamel blocks presenting different stages of plaque accumulation. The presence of plaque with and without disclosing was assessed using VI. Images were obtained with FC and digital camera in both conditions. The area covered by plaque was assessed. Examinations were done by two independent examiners. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Kappa tests to compare different conditions of samples and to assess the inter-examiner reproducibility. RESULTS: Some methods presented adequate reproducibility. The Turesky index and the assessment of area covered by disclosed plaque in the FC images presented the highest discriminatory powers. CONCLUSION: The Turesky index and images with FC with disclosing present good reliability and discriminatory power in quantifying dental plaque.

Características de carcaça de suínos de três linhagens genéticas em diferentes idades ao abate

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as características da carcaça de suínos de diferentes linhagens genéticas, em diferentes idades ao abate. Foram utilizados 88 suínos por linhagem, fêmeas e machos castrados, com idade e peso médio iniciais de 74 dias e 30kg, respectivamente, pertencentes a três linhagens genéticas distintas, designadas de AgroceresPic, Dalland e Seghers. A etapa experimental foi dividida em quatro fases (Crescimento I, Crescimento II, Terminação I e Terminação II). Ao final de cada etapa, foram abatidos 60 animais (10 por linhagem/sexo), para as caracterizações: Peso (PCQ) e Rendimento de Carcaça Quente (RCQ), Área de Olho de Lombo (AOL) e Espessura de Toucinho (ET). Na análise dos resultados foi utilizado um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com desdobramento dos graus de liberdade em esquema fatorial 4 x 3 x 2, sendo quatro idades ao abate (90, 119, 150 e 186 dias), três linhagens (AgroceresPic, Dalland e Seghers) e dois sexos (fêmea e macho castrado), com 10 repetições por tratamento, sendo utilizado o pacote PROC MIXED do Softwear SAS. Os valores médios de peso vivo apresentaram diferença entre as linhagens e interação entre fase e linhagem (P<0,05). Os valores médios das demais variáveis estudadas apresentaram diferença e a interação (P<0,05) entre fase, linhagem e sexo, sendo que de maneira geral as principais diferenças ocorreram a partir da fase de Terminação I, em que as fêmeas das linhagens AgroceresPic e Dalland apresentaram melhores resultados (P<0,05) de RCQ (80,4 e 80,7%, respectivamente) em comparação com os machos (78,8 e 78,7%, respectivamente) e além disso as fêmeas Dalland apresentaram valores superiores (P<0,01) de AOL e ET (45,7cm² e 11,4mm x 38,3cm² e 18,3mm). Conclui-se que as linhagens genéticas avaliadas apresentaram características de carcaça muito interessantes para o mercado atual e que as fêmeas suínas podem ser utilizadas em programas que visem o abate de animais mais pesados.

Novas espécies de Esthlogena s. str. Thomson (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae)

New species of Esthlogena s. str. Thomson (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae). New species described of Pteropliini: Esthlogena (E.) nigrosuturalis from Mexico and Panama; E. (E.) chicacaoensis and E. (E.) amaliae from Guatemala; E. (E.) dissimilis from Peru. All species are illustrated.

Abuso sexual na infância e adolescência: perfil das vítimas e agressores em município do sul do Brasil

Estudo descritivo e de corte transversal que objetivou conhecer as características do abuso sexual em crianças e adolescentes de zero a 14 anos, a partir dos casos registrados nos Conselhos Tutelares e programas de atendimento do município de Londrina-PR, em 2006. Os dados foram coletados por meio de formulário e posteriormente analisados por frequência (absoluta e relativa) e proporção. Dos 186 casos, as vítimas foram predominantemente do sexo feminino (74,2%) e o risco de incidência foi maior na idade de 10 anos entre as meninas (coeficiente de cinco por 1.000); 97,3% dos agressores eram do sexo masculino; maior parte dos abusos ocorreu na residência das vítimas (52,7%) e durou menos de seis meses (57%). Houve lesão corporal em 90,3% dos casos, com seqüela física e psicológica em 97,8%. O abuso sexual entre crianças e adolescentes constitui-se um problema de saúde pública, além da estreita interface com as questões policiais e jurídicas.

Negligência e abandono de crianças e adolescentes: análises dos casos notificados em município do Paraná, Brasil

A negligência e abandono constituem-se uma das formas mais frequentes de maus tratos. No entanto, seu conhecimento ainda está em processo de construção. Objetivo: analisar as características da negligência/abandono contra menores de 15 anos residentes em Londrina, PR, cujo evento foi notificado aos Conselhos Tutelares e serviços de atendimento, em 2006. Método: Estudo transversal e descritivo, cujos dados foram processados pelo programa EPI Info. Resultados: Foram obtidos 308 casos, cuja notificação se deu, principalmente, por profissionais de saúde (67,2 por cento). As vítimas do sexo feminino predominaram (72,7 por cento) e maiores coeficientes foram aos 4 anos (13,8 e 5,0 por 1.000 no sexo feminino e masculino, respectivamente). Os agressores foram mãe (69,5 por cento) e madrasta (22,2 por cento). As quesões da maternidade, ou seja, presença de filho não natural (32,8 por cento) e a pouca idade da mãe (20,8 por cento) foram as características mais associadas. As vítimas sofreram o abuso por 1 a 2 anos antes da notificação (62,7 por cento). Conclusões: O estudo contribui para ampliar o conhecimento acerca da negligência e abandono praticada contra menores. É preciso que os órgãos competentes trabalhem para a detecção precoce, a fim de possibilitar tratamento e acompanhamento adequados que possam reduzir as importantes sequelas decorrentes

Sobre as dores e temores do parto: dimensões de uma escuta

OBJETIVOS: desenvolver algumas reflexões sobre os possíveis efeitos benéficos de uma escuta responsiva à verbalização da presença de dor, medos e seus correlatos na cena do parto tomando como base dados empíricos de pesquisa realizada em maternidade situada na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo, de metodologia qualitativa, referenciado no quadro teórico da Psicologia Social, Psicanálise e Lingüística, utilizando entrevistas semi-estruturadas com 20 parturientes e sete doulas e observação de rotinas da maternidade. RESULTADOS: a análise, apoiada em categorias estabelecidas (subjetividade auto-referida, intersubjetividade, acolhimento, apropriação da experiência) mostrou, entre outros pontos, a importância e a valorização da interlocução qualificada no processo da parturição. Processo esse referido pelas parturientes como experiência de elevado grau de estresse, com vivências de dor, medos e ansiedades, porém mitigados pelo apoio recebido. CONCLUSÕES: a análise permitiu compreender as relações interpessoais como campo de interlocução e acolhimento percebidos pelas mulheres do estudo capazes de produzir efeitos favoráveis sobre as vivências do estresse materno, configurando-se como recurso técnico, qualificado e valioso, oferecido à parturiente

Comércio varejista de alimentos no município de São Paulo: a evolução da legislação sanitária

O código Sanitário Municipal de Alimentos, Decreto Municipal nº 25.544, de 14 de março de 1988, regulamentou a fiscalização sanitária de g~eneros alimentícios no varejo até 26 de novembro de 2002, data em que entrou em vigor a Lei Estadual nC 10.083, de 23 de setembro de 1998, Código Sanitário do estado de São Paulo, utilizado pelos serviços municipais de vigilância, em caráter temporário, até a promulgação do atual Código Sanitário do Município de São Paulo nº 13.735, em 9 de janeiro de 2004. Este código regulamenta todos os serviços e produtos de interesse da saúde, inclusive a produção e distribuição de alimentos e água para consumo humano. Por meio do estudo dos diferentes códigos vigentes no município e de legislações esparsas, foi possível identificar as nmudanças ocorridas na legislação e nos procedimentos administrativos da vigilância sanitária do varejo de alimentos no Município de São Paulo. Concluiu-se que o Código Sanitário do Município de São Paulo é uma legislação completa e atualizada, com previsão legal de utilização de regulamentos técnicos modernos de forma combinada, especialmente os que tratam da produção e distribuição de alimentos, com ênfase nas Boas Práticas de Fabricação (BPFs)

Determination of banana fruit susceptibility to post-harvest diseases: wound anthracnose, quiescent anthracnose and crown rot

Introduction. This protocol aims at ( a) evaluating the resistance to post-harvest diseases within different genotypes of bananas, and ( b) comparing different origins of bananas ( geographic origin, physiological stage, etc.) for their susceptibility to post-harvest diseases. The principle, key advantages, starting plant material, time required and expected results are presented. Materials and methods. Materials required and details of the twelve steps of the protocol ( fruit sampling and inoculum preparation, wound anthracnose resistance study, quiescent anthracnose resistance study and crown-rot resistance study) are described. Results. Typical symptoms of the different diseases are obtained after artificial inoculation.

Differential expression of genes in salivary glands of male Rhipicephalus (Boophilus)microplus in response to infection with Anaplasma marginale

Background: Bovine anaplasmosis, caused by the rickettsial tick-borne pathogen Anaplasma marginale (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), is vectored by Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. A. marginale undergoes a complex developmental cycle in ticks which results in infection of salivary glands from where the pathogen is transmitted to cattle. In previous studies, we reported modification of gene expression in Dermacentor variabilis and cultured Ixodes scapularis tick cells in response to infection with A. marginale. In these studies, we extended these findings by use of a functional genomics approach to identify genes differentially expressed in R. microplus male salivary glands in response to A. marginale infection. Additionally, a R. microplus-derived cell line, BME26, was used for the first time to also study tick cell gene expression in response to A. marginale infection. Results: Suppression subtractive hybridization libraries were constructed from infected and uninfected ticks and used to identify genes differentially expressed in male R. microplus salivary glands infected with A. marginale. A total of 279 ESTs were identified as candidate differentially expressed genes. Of these, five genes encoding for putative histamine-binding protein (22Hbp), von Willebrand factor (94Will), flagelliform silk protein (100Silk), Kunitz-like protease inhibitor precursor (108Kunz) and proline-rich protein BstNI subfamily 3 precursor (7BstNI3) were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR to be down-regulated in tick salivary glands infected with A. marginale. The impact of selected tick genes on A. marginale infections in tick salivary glands and BME26 cells was characterized by RNA interference. Silencing of the gene encoding for putative flagelliform silk protein (100Silk) resulted in reduced A. marginale infection in both tick salivary glands and cultured BME26 cells, while silencing of the gene encoding for subolesin (4D8) significantly reduced infection only in cultured BME26 cells. The knockdown of the gene encoding for putative metallothionein (93 Meth), significantly up-regulated in infected cultured BME26 cells, resulted in higher A. marginale infection levels in tick cells. Conclusions: Characterization of differential gene expression in salivary glands of R. microplus in response to A. marginale infection expands our understanding of the molecular mechanisms at the tick-pathogen interface. Functional studies suggested that differentially expressed genes encoding for subolesin, putative von Willebrand factor and flagelliform silk protein could play a role in A. marginale infection and multiplication in ticks. These tick genes found to be functionally relevant for tick-pathogen interactions will likely be candidates for development of vaccines designed for control of both ticks and tick-borne pathogens.

Atenolol blunts blood pressure increase during dynamic resistance exercise in hypertensives

center dot Dynamic resistance exercise promotes a sizeable increase in blood pressure during its execution in non medicated hypertensives. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS center dot Atenolol not only decreases blood pressure level but also mitigates the increase of blood pressure during dynamic resistance exercise in hypertensive patients. An increase in blood pressure during resistance exercise might be at least in part attributed to an increase in cardiac output. AIMS This study was conducted to determine whether atenolol was able to decrease BP level and mitigate BP increase during dynamic resistance exercise performed at three different intensities in hypertensives. METHODS Ten essential hypertensives (systolic/diastolic BP between 140/90 and 160/105 mmHg) were blindly studied after 6 weeks of placebo and atenolol. In each phase, volunteers executed, in a random order, three protocols of knee-extension exercises to fatigue: (i) one set at 100% of 1 RM; (ii) three sets at 80% of 1 RM; and (iii) three sets at 40% of 1 RM. Intra-arterial radial blood pressure was measured throughout the protocols. RESULTS Atenolol decreased systolic BP maximum values achieved during the three exercise protocols (100% = 186 +/- 4 vs. 215 +/- 7, 80% = 224 +/- 7 vs. 247 +/- 9 and 40% = 223 +/- 7 vs. 252 +/- 16 mmHg, P < 0.05). Atenolol also mitigated an increase in systolic BP in the first set of exercises (100% = +38 +/- 5 vs. +54 +/- 9; 80% = +68 +/- 11 vs. +84 +/- 13 and 40% = +69 +/- 7 vs. +84 +/- 14, mmHg, P < 0.05). Atenolol decreased diastolic BP values and mitigated its increase during exercise performed at 100% of 1 RM (126 +/- 6 vs. 145 +/- 6 and +41 +/- 6 vs. +52 +/- 6, mmHg, P < 0.05), but not at the other exercise intensities. CONCLUSIONS Atenolol was effective in both reducing systolic BP maximum values and mitigating BP increase during resistance exercise performed at different intensities in hypertensive subjects.

A comparative study of speed expressed by the number of throws between heavier and lighter categories in judo

Objective. - The objective of this work was to verify if there was a difference in throwing speed performance between heavier and lighter weight categories in judo. Methods and subjects. - Sixteen (16) judoists 18 +/- 3 years old, eight considered in the lightweight category (< 66 kg) and eight considered in the heavyweight (> 73 kg) category, participated in the study after signing a term of informed consent. A force-velocity test was used to determine the anaerobic power, strength, and pedal speed for each subject. In addition, three trials of Nage-komi exercise, each comprised of a set of Osoto-gari (15s), Uchi-mata (15s) and Seoi-nage (15s) throws were performed by each subject to ascertain throwing speed. Throws within the sets were intersected by one period of three minutes passive rest, while the trials were separated by one period of 10 minutes passive rest. Heart rate and the greatest number of throws within each set were measured for three trials. One-way analysis of variance (Anova) was used to compare the number of throws between the two weight categories and a ""Student"" test when the difference was significant. A correlation was used to examine the link between the different parameters. Results. - The force-velocity test did not show a significant difference in pedal speed between the two categories. However, there was a significant difference between the two categories when throwing speed was measured by the number of throws (p < 0.05) executed during the Seoi-nage (p < 0.01) and Uchi-mata (p <0.05) techniques. There was however, no significant difference between the two categories in Osoto-gari technique. Conclusion. - The throwing speed of judoists represented by the number of throws is significantly different between the two categories. The lighter category has more speed than the heavier category using the arm technique (Seoi-nage), while the heavier category has more speed using the leg technique with half turn of the attacker`s body (Uchi-mata). As a result, throwing speed is related to the type of technique used and not weight category. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Influence of laser surface texturing on surface microstructure and mechanical properties of adhesive joined steel sheets

This work discusses the resultant microstructure of laser surface treated galvanised steel and the mechanical properties of adhesively bonded surfaces therein. The surface microstructure obtained at laser intensities between 170 and 1700 MW cm 22 exhibit zinc melting and cavity formation. The wavy surface morphology of the treated surface exhibits an average roughness Ra between 1.0 and 1.5 mu m, and a mean roughness depth R(z) of 8.6 mu m. Atomic force microscopic analyses revealed that the R(z) inside the laser shot cavities increased from 68 to 243 nm when the incident laser intensity was increased from 170 to 1700 MW cm(-2). X-ray fluorescence analyses were used to measure Zn coating thicknesses as a function of process parameters. Both X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction analyses demonstrated that the protective coating remains at the material surface, and the steel structure beneath was not affected by the laser treatment. Tensile tests under peel strength conditions demonstrated that the laser treated adhesively joined samples had resistance strength up to 88 MPa, compared to a maximum of only 23 MPa for the untreated surfaces. The maximum deformation for rupture was also greatly increased from 0.07%, for the original surface, to 0.90% for the laser treated surfaces.

Equivalence between hot tensile and creep testing data for Kanthal A1 alloy

Hot tensile and creep tests were carried out on Kanthal A1 alloy in the temperature range from 600 to 800 degrees C. Each of these sets of data were analyzed separately according to their own methodologies, but an attempt was made to find a correlation between them. A new criterion proposed for converting hot tensile data to creep data, makes possible the analysis of the two kinds of results according to usual creep relations like: Norton, Monkman-Grant, Larson-Miller and others. The remarkable compatibility verified between both sets of data by this procedure strongly suggests that hot tensile data can be converted to creep data and vice-versa for Kanthal A1 alloy, as verified previously for other metallic materials.