Estudo imuno-histoquímico da expressão da glut-1 e mensuração do índice angiogênico (CD34) em adenomas pleomórficos, carcinomas adenóides císticos e carcinomas mucoepidermóides de glândulas salivares

The expression of glucose transporter protein 1 (GLUT-1), as well the angiogenesis has been associated to clinical behavior and aggressiveness in tumors of various origin. It is believed that the expression of this protein denotes metabolic demand of the tumor cells and, thus its influence upon the formation of new blood vessels. Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and the adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) represent, respectively, the most commom benign and malignant tumors of salivary glands. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the immunohistochemical expression of GLUT-1 and its correlation with angiogenesis in cases of PAs, ACCs and MECs considering their histological grades. The sample consisted of 20 PAs, 20 ACCs and 10 MECs. The cases were analyzed and classified according to their histological grades. The expression of GLUT-1 was evaluated in the parenchyma lesions, establishing the percentage of immunopositive cells, according to the following scores: 0 (no cell immunomarked), 1 (up to 25% of tumor cells immunostained), 2 (25 - 50% of tumor cells immunostained) and 3 (more than 50% of tumor cells immunostained). The angiogenic index was analyzed by counting the microvessels immunostained by anti-CD34 antibody, in 5 fields (200X). The analysis of the expression of GLUT-1 in tumor parenchyma showed statistically significant differences between benign and malignant groups (p = 0.022). The average number of microvessels in PAs was 40.4, 21.2 in ACCs and 66.5 in MECs, with significant differences between groups (p <0.001). When compared to the expression of GLUT-1 and angiogenic index as a whole, there was no significant correlation between the number of microvessels and the expression of GLUT-1 (r = 0.211, p = 0.141). In conclusion, the results of this study suggest not only that differences in biological behavior between PAs, ACCs and MECs may be associated to the expression of GLUT-1, but also that benign and malignant salivary gland present differences in the average number of microvessels, with higher levels considered more aggressive tumors. Furthermore, the number of newly formed microvessels can be independent of the metabolic demand of the tumor cells

Estudo da imunoexpressão de RANKL e OPG, do índice angiogênico (CD34) e da presença de miofibroblastos (α-SMA) em ceratocistos odontogênicos isolados e associados à síndrome de Gorlin

The odontogenic keratocysts are distinguished from other odontogenic cystic lesions by their potentially aggressive clinical behavior and association, in some cases, with Gorlin syndrome. Studies have suggested that syndrome keratocysts, in comparison with sporadic lesions, have higher growth and infiltration capacity and higher recurrence tendency. The aim of this study was to analyze, by means of immunohistochemistry, the expressions of receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG), the angiogenic index (CD34) and the presence of myofibroblasts (α-SMA) in primary and recurrent sporadic keratocysts and in keratocysts associated with Gorlin syndrome. The sample was composed by 30 sporadic keratocysts (22 primary and 8 recurrent) and 22 syndrome keratocysts. In the epithelium and in the fibrous capsule of the lesions, the immunoexpression of RANKL and OPG was evaluated by determination of the percentage of positive cells, according to the following scores: 0 (less than 10% of positive cells), 1 (11% - 50% of positive cells), 2 (51% - 75% of positive cells) and 3 (more than 76% of positive cells). In addition, cases were classified according to the RANKL score/ OPG score ratio, as follows: RANKL > OPG, RANKL < OPG, and RANKL = OPG. The angiogenic index was analyzed by counting the microvessels immunoreactive to anti-CD34 antibody in 5 fields (200). The analysis of myofibroblasts was performed by counting the cells immunoreactive to anti-α-SMA antibody in 10 fields (400). The analysis of the expressions of RANKL and OPG in the epithelial lining and in the fibrous capsule did not reveal significant differences between groups (p > 0.05). Regarding the RANKL/ OPG ratio in the epithelial lining, most sporadic primary (54.5%) and syndrome lesions (59.1%) showed RANKL < OPG ratio and RANKL = OPG ratio, respectively (p > 0.05). With respect to the RANKL/ OPG ratio in the fibrous capsule, the majority of sporadic primary (81.8%) and sporadic recurrent lesions (75.0%) and most syndrome lesions (45.5%) showed RANKL = OPG ratio (p > 0.05). The mean number of microvessels was 69.2 in sporadic primary lesions, 67.6 in recurrent lesions, and 71.6 in syndrome lesions, with no significant differences between groups (p > 0.05). The mean number of myofibroblasts was 34.4 in sporadic primary lesions, 29.3 in recurrent lesions, and 33.7 in syndrome lesions, with no significant differences between groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that the differences in the biological behavior between sporadic keratocysts and keratocysts associated with Gorlin syndrome may not be related to the expressions of RANKL and OPG, the RANKL/ OPG ratio, the angiogenic index or the number of myofibroblasts in these lesions

Relação amorosa e tentativa de suicídio na adolescência : uma questão de (des)amor

Suicide rates have been rising all over the world. In Rio Grande do Norte state, a study carried out by Dutra (1999) investigated suicide rates among youngsters and found that in 1997 alone 244 cases of suicide attempt were registered. The author took an interest in studying this phenomenon among adolescents after reviewing Dutra s study and the technical literature on suicide. In addition to that, another topic caught her attention and raised new research questions: suicide attempts motivated by love, i.e., the end of a relationship, the fantasy of being abandoned by a partner. These have made the author to question how love manifested itself among adolescents and how it could become a reason for adolescents to give up their lives. Based on the data she analyzed and the research questions she developed, her research objective was to understand how adolescents who have attempted suicide because of love-related reasons have gone through this experience. The theoretical reference for the research was the Client-centered Therapy and more specifically, the construct self , according to Carl Rogers. The methodological strategy was inspired by the existential-phenomenological strategy. It used the narrative as a research instrument, inspired by the work of Walter Benjamim (1994) which was developed into a research strategy by Schmidt (1990). Four youngsters (three male and one female) have participated in this study. They have attempted suicide for love-related reasons during dolescence, when they were 12 to 18 years old. The interviews were recorded on cassette tapes, transcribed and literalized into narratives. The understanding of the narratives was based on the meanings that emerged from the youngsters speeches, as well as from the moments that touched the author. These moments highlighted the meaning of the experience of giving up life and the experience of love-based relationship as experienced by the youngsters. The study detected, among the adolescents who were interviewed, the existence of impulsiveness related to the suicide attempt. Also, the majority of the interviewees came from unstructured family backgrounds and had lost of one of their parents or had to face their parents divorce. The suicide was attempted by these youngsters through the ingestion of medicines. The research also revealed that the youngsters had regretted attempting suicide and felt guilty about it. With regards to their self-evaluation, the author observed that the youngsters had low self-esteem, negative perceptions about themselves and distorted views of themselves. These findings helped the author to reflect on the close relationship between the construct self and the suicide attempt. She also observed that a few factors, i.e., family context, education, social and cultural values, have influenced the way the youngsters perceived themselves . The results of this research confirm the idea that we have to understand the suicide attempt as a multi-determined phenomenon. This study contributed to the analysis and reflection on the factors that contribute to suicide attempts thus providing a foundation for the development of public health programs and policies to deal with this topic

Monitoramento das águas da bacia hidrográfica pirangi pela determinação dos índices de qualidade da água-iqa e índice de toxidez-it

The problems of water supply in Northeast Brazil are severe and require more focused studies. This work was intended to assess water quality in the watershed Pirangi, located in the Northeastern state of the newborn using the Water Quality Index, AQI associated with the Index of Toxicity-IT. The data presented in this study were collected in November 2008, June 2009 and March 2010 at eight sampling stations distributed throughout the basin. The study covered nine parameters, based on guidelines established by CETESB, and seven members of Metal Toxicity index-IT. These waters are framed in the classification between GOOD and BAD showing AQI 41.34 minimum and a maximum of 76.23. Virtually all seven metals analyzed were below the detection limits of ICP-OES giving IT a water equal to one when they are absent and 0 when there are levels of trace metals

Índice de aromaticidade baseado na deslocalização, degenerescência e densidade (D3BIA) para acenos e moléculas homoaromáticas

The aromaticity index is an important tool for the investigation of aromatic molecules. This work consists on new applications of the aromaticity index developed by teacher Caio Lima Firme, so-called D3BIA (density, delocalization, degeneracy-based index of aromaticity). It was investigated its correlation with other well-known aromaticity indexes, such as HOMA (harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity), NICS (nucleus independent chemical shielding), PDI (para-delocalization index), magnetic susceptibility (), and energetic factor in the study of aromaticity of acenes and homoaromatic species based on bisnoradamantanyl cage. The density functional theory (DFT) was used for optimization calculations and for obtaining energetic factors associated with aromaticity and indexes HOMA and NICS. From quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) it was obtained the indexes D3BIA, PDI and . For acenes, when the over-mentioned indexes were applied it was observed no correlation except for D3BIA and HOMA (R2=0.752). For bisnoradamantenyl dication and its derivatives, it was obtained a good correlation between D3BIA and NICS. Moreover, it was evaluated solely one of the factors used on D3BIA calculation, the delocalization index uniformity (DIU), so as to investigate its possible influence on stability of chemical species. Then, the DIU was compared with the formation Gibbs free energy of some pairs of carbocations, isomers or not, which each pair had small difference in point group symmetry and no difference among other well-known stability factors. The obtained results indicate that DIU is a new stability factor related to carbocations, that is, the more uniform the electron density delocalization, the more stable the is carbocation. The results of this work validate D3BIA and show its importance on the concept of aromaticity, indicating that it can be understood from degeneracy of atoms belonging the aromatic site, the electronic density in the aromatic site and the degree of uniformity of electron delocalization

Impacto da cárie precoce severa na infância na qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal de pré-escolares sob privação social

Early childhood caries, especially in its severe form, which is characterized by an acute and aggressive nature, can have negative impacts on thequality of life of a child, due to effects such as difficulty in chewing, decreased appetite, weight loss, insomnia, changes in behavior and a decreased performance in school, among others. Moreover, the quality of life of the child`s family can also be affected, as the pain and discomfort caused by this type of caries result in loss of working days of parents, spending on dental treatments, changes in sleep patterns and stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of severe early childhood caries in the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of public daycares`s preschool children through the Escala de Impacto da Saúde Bucal na Primeira Infância, a Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). A single calibrated examiner (kappa=1.0) evaluated, through the dmfs index, the oral health of 116 children aged between 3 and 5, which were included in one of three study groups: "caries-free", "not-severe early childhood caries" and "severe early childhood caries". The parents responded to ECOHIS, to assess their perception regarding the OHRQoL of their children, and a questionnaire on socioeconomic conditions. The OHRQoL was measured through the total scores and domains of ECOHIS. Descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, chi-square test and Poisson multiple regression with robust variance were used. Among the children observed, 38.8% were caries-free, 27.6% showed not-severe early childhood caries and 33.6% showed severe early childhood caries. Regarding the total score of ECOHIS, severe early childhood caries had a greater negative impact on OHRQoL, compared to caries-free and not-severe early childhood caries groups (p <0.001). Regarding the child subscale, there was significant difference between the "severe early childhood caries" group and the other groups in all domains, except for theone of self-image / social interaction. In the family subscale domains, there was statistical significance between the severe early childhood caries and the caries-free groups in all domains (p <0.001), whereas between the "severe early childhood caries and not-severe early childhood caries groups there was a statistically significant difference only in the domain of parental anguish (p <0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that early childhood caries and the parent`s age were significantly associated to OHRQoL (p <0.05), independently of the other variables in the model. The presence of severe early childhood caries resulted in greater negative impact on OHRQoL (AdjPR= 6.016; 95%CI = 3.12 11.56; p<0.001), while older parents reported better OHRQoL (AdjPR = 0.603; 95%CI = 0.428 - 0.850; p = 0.004). The presence of severe early childhood caries had a negative impact on OHRQoL of preschool children and their families.

Algoritmos de agrupamentos fuzzy intervalares e índice de validação para agrupamento de dados simbólicos do tipo intervalo

Symbolic Data Analysis (SDA) main aims to provide tools for reducing large databases to extract knowledge and provide techniques to describe the unit of such data in complex units, as such, interval or histogram. The objective of this work is to extend classical clustering methods for symbolic interval data based on interval-based distance. The main advantage of using an interval-based distance for interval-based data lies on the fact that it preserves the underlying imprecision on intervals which is usually lost when real-valued distances are applied. This work includes an approach allow existing indices to be adapted to interval context. The proposed methods with interval-based distances are compared with distances punctual existing literature through experiments with simulated data and real data interval