Physical disability, recent illnesses and health self-assessment in a population-based study in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Objectives. To investigate health self-assessment and to estimate the prevalence of chronic diseases and recent illnesses in people with and without physical disabilities (PD) in the state of Sao Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Study design. A Cross-sectional study comprising two population-based health surveys conducted in 2002 and 2003. Methods. A total of 8317 persons (165 with PD) were interviewed in the two studies. Variables concerning to health self-assessment; chronic disease and recent illness were compared in the people with and without PD. Negative binomial regression was used in the analysis. Results. Subjects with PD more often assessed their health as poor/very poor compared to non-disabled ones. They reported more illnesses in the 15 days prior to interview as well as more chronic diseases (skin conditions, anaemia, chronic kidney disease, stroke, depression/anxiety, migraine/headache, pulmonary diseases, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis/arthrosis/rheumatic conditions and heart disease). This higher disease prevalence can be either attributed to disability itself or be associated to gender, age and schooling. Conclusions. Subjects with PD had more recent illnesses and chronic diseases and poorer health self-assessment than non-disabled ones. Age, gender, schooling and disability have individual roles in disease development among disabled people.

Evaluation of phenolic compounds in mate (Ilex paraguariensis) processed by gamma radiation

The radiation food processing has been demonstrating great effectiveness in the attack of pathogenic agents, while little compromising nutritional value and sensorial properties of foods. The mate (Ilex paraguariensis), widely consumed product in South America, generally in the form of infusions with hot or cold water, calls of chimarrao or terere, it is cited in literature as one of the best sources phenolic compounds. The antioxidants action of these constituent has been related to the protection of the organism against the free radicals, generated in alive, currently responsible for the sprouting of some degenerative illness as cancer, arteriosclerosis, rheumatic arthritis and cardiovascular clutters among others. The objective of that work was to evaluate the action of the processing for gamma radiation in phenolic compounds of terere beverage in the doses of 0, 3, 5, 7 and 10 kGy. The observed results do not demonstrate significant alterations in phenolic compounds of terere beverage processed by gamma radiation. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One-step reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus in children

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the main cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children. Rapid diagnosis is required to permit appropriate care and treatment and to avoid unnecessary antibiotic use. Reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) methods have been considered important tools for virus detection due to their high sensitivity and specificity. In order to maximize use-simplicity and minimize the risk of sample cross-contamination inherent in two-step techniques, a RT-PCR method using only a single tube to detect HRSV in clinical samples was developed. Nasopharyngeal aspirates from 226 patients with acute respiratory illness, ranging from infants to 5 years old, were collected at the University Hospital of the University of Sao Paulo (HU-USP), and tested using IFA, one-step RT-PCR, and semi-nested RT-PCR. One hundred and two (45.1%) samples were positive by at least one of the three methods, and 75 (33.2%) were positive by all methods: 92 (40.7%) were positive by one-step RT-PCR, 84 (37.2%) by IFA, and 96 (42.5%) by the semi-nested RT-PCR technique. One-step RT-PCR was shown to be fast, sensitive, and specific for RSV diagnosis, without the added inconvenience and risk of false positive results associated with semi-nested PCR. The combined use of these two methods enhances HRSV detection. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Involvement of sensory nerves and TRPV1 receptors in the rat airway inflammatory response to two environment pollutants: diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ)

The environmental chemical 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ) is implicated in the exacerbation of airways diseases induced by exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP), which involves a neurogenic-mediated mechanism. Plasma extravasation in trachea, main bronchus and lung was measured as the local (125)I-bovine albumin accumulation. RT-PCR quantification of TRPV1 and tachykinin (NK(1) and NK(2)) receptor gene expression were investigated in main bronchus. Intratracheal injection of DEP (1 and 5 mg/kg) or 1,2-NQ (35 and 100 nmol/kg) caused oedema in trachea and bronchus. 1,2-NQ markedly increased the DEP-induced responses in the rat airways in an additive rather than synergistic manner. This effect that was significantly reduced by L-732,138, an NK(1) receptor antagonist, and in a lesser extent by SR48968, an NK(2) antagonist. Neonatal capsaicin treatment also markedly reduced DEP and 1,2-NQ-induced oedema. Exposure to pollutants increased the TRPV1, NK(1) and NK(2) receptors gene expression in bronchus, an effect was partially suppressed by capsaicin treatment. In conclusion, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that DEP-induced airways oedema is highly influenced by increased ambient levels of 1,2-NQ and takes place by neurogenic mechanisms involving up-regulation of TRPV1 and tachykinin receptors.

Reduced allergic lung inflammation in rats following formaldehyde exposure: Long-term effects on multiple effector systems

Clinical and experimental evidences show that formaldehyde (FA) exposure has an irritant effect on the upper airways. As being an indoor and outdoor pollutant, FA is known to be a causal factor of occupational asthma. This study aimed to investigate the repercussion of FA exposure on the course of a lung allergic process triggered by an antigen unrelated to FA. For this purpose, male Wistar rats were subjected to FA inhalation for 3 consecutive days (1%, 90-min daily), subsequently sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA)-alum via the intraperitoneal route, and 2 weeks later challenged with aerosolized OVA. The OVA challenge in rats after FA inhalation (FA/OVA group) evoked a low-intensity lung inflammation as indicated by the reduced enumerated number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage as compared to FA-untreated allergic rats (OVA/OVA group). Treatment with FA also reduced the number of bone marrow cells and blood leukocytes in sensitized animals challenged with OVA, which suggests that the effects of FA had not been only localized to the airways. As indicated by passive cutaneous anaphylactic reaction, FA treatment did not impair the anti-OVA IgE synthesis, but reduced the magnitude of OVA challenge-induced mast cell degranulation. Moreover, FA treatment was associated to a diminished lung expression of PECAM-1 (platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1) in lung endothelial cells after OVA challenge and an exacerbated release of nitrites by BAL-cultured cells. Keeping in mind that rats subjected solely to either FA or OVA challenge were able to significantly increase the cell influx into lung, our study shows that FA inhalation triggers long-lasting effects that affect multiple mediator systems associated to OVA-induced allergic lung such as the reduction of mast cells activation, PECAM-1 expression and exacerbation of NO generation, thereby contributing to the decrease of cell recruitment after the OVA challenge. In conclusion, repeated expositions to air-borne FA may impair the lung cell recruitment after an allergic stimulus, thereby leading to a non-responsive condition against inflammatory stimuli likely those where mast cells are involved. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical significance of lifetime panic disorder in the course of bipolar disorder type I

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of lifetime panic disorder (PD) diagnosis in a sample of patients with bipolar disorder type I (BPI), evaluating clinical and demographic variables. Methods: Ninety-five outpatients from the Bipolar Disorder Research Program at the Institute of Psychiatry of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School were enrolled. Twenty-seven BPI patients with PD were compared to 68 BPI patients without any anxiety disorders regarding clinical and demographic variables. Results: Compared to BPI patients without any anxiety disorders, patients with BPI + PD presented significantly higher number of mood episodes (18.9 +/- 13.8 vs 8.5 +/- 7.8; P < .001), depressive episodes (10.8 +/- 8.2 vs 4.6 +/- 4,8; P = .001), and manic episodes (7.4 +/- 7.3 vs 3.6 +/- 3.6; P = .008). Patients with BPI + PD had more frequently a depressive episode as their first one compared to BPI patients without anxiety disorders (94.1% vs 57.5%; P = .011). Patients with BPI + PD had more comorbidity with lifetime diagnosis of drug abuse or dependence (33.3% vs 8.8%; P = .010) and eating disorders (29.6% vs 6.0%; P = .004). Conclusions: The higher number of mood episodes in general presented by patients with BPI + PD when compared with BPI patients without any anxiety disorders, along with the higher frequencies of drug misuse and eating disorders, indicates that PD comorbidity is associated with a poorer Course and outcome of BPI. The higher frequency of depression as the onset mood episode and the higher number of manic episodes in the group with PD may have important treatment implications and should be further investigated. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Severe novel influenza A (H1N1) infection in cancer patients

Patients and methods: Clinical data from all patients admitted with acute respiratory failure due to novel viral H1N1 infection were reviewed. Lung tissue was submitted for viral and bacteriological analyses by real-time RT-PCR, and autopsy was conducted on all patients who died. Results: Eight patients were admitted, with ages ranging from 55 to 65 years old. There were five patients with solid organ tumors (62.5%) and three with hematological malignancies (37.5%). Five patients required mechanical ventilation and all died. Four patients had bacterial bronchopneumonia. All deaths occurred due to multiple organ failure. A milder form of lung disease was present in the three cases who survived. Lung tissue analysis was performed in all patients and showed diffuse alveolar damage in most patients. Other lung findings were necrotizing bronchiolitis or extensive hemorrhage. Conclusions: H1N1 viral infection in patients with cancer can cause severe illness, resulting in acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. More data are needed to identify predictors of unfavorable evolution in these patients.

Proteomic analysis of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex indicates the involvement of cytoskeleton, oligodendrocyte, energy metabolism and new potential markers in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is likely to be a consequence of serial alterations in a number of genes that, together with environmental factors, will lead to the establishment of the illness. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann`s Area 46) is implicated in schizophrenia and executes high functions such as working memory, differentiation of conflicting thoughts, determination of right and wrong concepts, correct social behavior and personality expression. We performed a comparative proteome analysis using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of pools from 9 schizophrenia and 7 healthy control patients` dorsolateral prefrontal cortex aiming to identify, by mass spectrometry, alterations in protein expression that could be related to the disease. In schizophrenia-derived samples, our analysis revealed 10 downregulated and 14 upregulated proteins. These included alterations previously implicated in schizophrenia, such as oligodendrocyte-related proteins (myelin basic protein and transferrin), as well as malate dehydrogenase, aconitase, ATP synthase subunits and cytoskeleton-related proteins. Also, six new putative disease markers were identified, including energy metabolism, cytoskeleton and cell signaling proteins. Our data not only reinforces the involvement of proteins previously implicated in schizophrenia, but also suggests new markers, providing further information to foster the comprehension of this important disease. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.