Efeitos da adição de carga no treino de marcha na esteira em indivíduos com Doença de Parkinson: ensaio clínico controlado randomizado

Introduction: The intrinsic gait disorders in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) are one of the most disabling motor symptoms. Among the therapeutic approaches used in attempts to improve the motor function, especially the gait pattern of individuals, stands out the treadmill gait training associated with the addition of load. However, there are few findings that elucidate the benefits arising from such practice. Objective: To assess the effects of adding load on the treadmill gait training in individuals with PD. Material and Methods: A controlled, randomized and blinded clinical trial, was performed with a sample of 27 individuals (18 men and 9 women) with PD, randomly assigned to three experimental conditions, namely: treadmill gait training (n=9), treadmill gait training associated with addition of 5% load (n=9) and treadmill gait training associated with addition of 10% load (n=9). All volunteers were assessed, during phase on of Parkinson's medication, regarding to demographic, clinical and anthropometric (identification form) data, level of disability (Hoehn and Yahr Modified Scale), cognitive function (Mini Mental State Examination), clinical functional - in those areas activity of daily living and motor examination (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale - UPDRS) and gait cinematic analysis was performed through Qualisys Motion Capture System®. The intervention protocol consisted of gait training in a period of 4 consecutive weeks, with three weekly sessions, lasting 30 minutes each. The post-intervention assessment occurred the next day after the last training session, which was performed cinematic analysis of gait and the UPDRS. Data analysis was performed using the software Statistical Package for Social Sciences® (SPSS) 17.0. Results: The age of volunteers ranged from 41 to 75 years old (62,26 ± 9,07) and the time of clinical diagnosis of PD between 2 to 9 years (4,56 ± 2,42). There was a reduction regarding the score from motor exam domain (p=0,005), only when training with the addition of a 5% load. As for the space-time variables there was no significant difference between groups (p>0,120); however, the training with addition of 5% load presented the following changes: increase in stride length (p=0,028), in step length (p=0,006), in time balance of the most affected member (p=0,006) and reduction in support time of the referred member (p=0,007). Regarding angular variables significant differences between groups submitted to treadmill gait training without addition load and with 5% of load were observed in angle of the ankle at initial contact (p=0,019), in plantar flexion at toe-off (p=0,003) and in the maximum dorsiflexion in swing (p=0,005). While within groups, there was a reduction in amplitude of motion of the ankle (p=0,048), the only workout on the treadmill. Conclusion: The treadmill gait training with addition of 5% load proved to be a better experimental condition than the others because it provided greater gains in a number of variables (space-time and angular gait) and in the motion function, becoming a therapy capable of effectively improving the progress of individuals with PD

Efeitos do treino em esteira na marcha com dupla tarefa de indivíduos com doença de Parkinson: ensaio clínico controlado randomizado

Background: The gait automaticity loss difficults realization of concurrent activities - Dual Task (DT). In these situations, individuals with Parkinson`s disease (PD) show a significant reduction in gait velocity and stride length, as strides variability and asymmetry increased, factors predisposing to falls. However, recent studies have shown that training involving DT may cause subsequent improvements in gait variables with DT in individuals with PD. The treadmill use was adopted by this study, by promoting greater regularity in step and enhance training. Objective:To investigate immediate effects of gait training associated with cognitive tasks on gait in individuals with PD. Methods: Twenty-two volunteers were randomly divided into two groups: control group (n = 11), who performed gait training on a treadmill for 20 minutes, and the experimental group (n = 11), who performed treadmill gait training for 20 minutes associated with cognitive tasks of verbal fluency, memory, and spatial planning. Participants were evaluated in phase on of antiparkinsonian medication as the demographic, clinical and anthropometric (identification form), cognitive status (Montreal Cognitive Assessment - MoCA), executive function (Frontal Assessment Battery), level of physical disability (Hoehn and Yahr Modified), motor and functional status (Unified Rating Scale for Parkinson`s Disease - UPDRS), and kinematics (Qualisys Motion Capture System). Results: There were not differences between groups, but both showed improvement after the intervention. The control group had an increase in velocity (p = 0.008), stride length (p = 0.04), step length (p = 0.02) and decreased double support time(p = 0.03). The experimental group showed an increase in speed (p = 0.002), stride length (p = 0.008), step length (p = 0.02) and cadence (p = 0.01), as well as a decrease in the width stride (p = 0.001) and total support time (p = 0.02). As the angular variables, the experimental group had a significant increase in the initial contact angle of ankle (p = 0.01). Conclusion: The gait training combined with cognitive activities didn`t provide significant improvements in gait variables with DT, but this study was the first to demonstrate that gait training on treadmill as simple task minimized the negative interference of DT in PD

Análise de células t regulatórias foxp3+no líquen plano oral

T regulatory cells have the function of controlling immune responses and maintaining self-tolerance. The FoxP3 has been considered the most specific marker for Treg cells. The aiming of this paper was to evaluate the immunoexpression of FoxP3 in the inflammatory infiltrate from oral lichen planus (OLP) and to compare it with the infiltrate in fibrous inflammatory hyperplasia (FIH) and then, between reticular and erosive forms of OLP. The samples were composed by 32 cases of OLP (17 reticular and 15 erosive) beyond 10 cases of FIH that were submitted to immunohistochemistry staining for FoxP3. Localization of the staining was classified in underepithelial and intraepithelial and the amount of FoxP3+ cells was evaluated through cells counting in 10 consecutive fields, at 400x power magnification. The values were expressed in mean ± standart deviation, and submitted to statistical tests with 5% of significance level. It was observed a statistical significant difference in the amount of FoxP3+ Treg cells between the two combined forms of OLP (1,6 ± 2,2) and the FIH (0,5 ±0,4) (P<0,05). This maybe could be explained by immunological mechanism of OLP, which involves a permanent antigenic induction likely with consequent perpetuation of lesion, eliciting the proliferation and constant recruitment of Treg cells. Otherwise, FIH presents a different etiopathogenesis, in which there is also generation of a variable inflammatory infiltrate, however qualitatively distinct from that seen in OLP. The erosive form of OLP exhibited a greater number (1,7 ± 2,4) of FoxP3+ Treg cells than reticular form (1,5 ± 2,1). These alterations could have relation with the great disease activity verified in erosive OLP, or also, with abnormalities in the regulatory function of Treg cells that could cause the increase observed. Considering the capacity already well established in the literature, both about Treg cells in modulating immune responses, as in the oral mucosa in showing great potential for regeneration, it is suggested that the possibility of development and implantation of immunotherapeutic strategies that regulate the frequency and function of these cells, may help in future treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as OLP

Estudo clínico e níveis de ansiedade em uma série de casos de líquen plano oral

Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) is a relatively common, cronic inflammatory disease. Its etiopathogenesis is no completely understood and several factors have proposed in attempt to explain the appearance, variety of clinical manifestations and periods of exacerbation and remission of the symptons of the lesions. The objective of the present study was to assess the presence of local factors, systemic diseases and levels of anxiety in patients with OLP, investigating their association with the clinical characteristics of the lesions. The sample consisted of 37 patients with histopathologically confirmed OLP that were submitted to a clinical exam to evaluate the presence of smoking habits, consumption of alcoholic beverages, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The existence of skin lesions, as well as the time course, clinical form, symptomatology, number and location of the oral lesions were also registered. The trait anxiety was measured by Spielberger s Stai-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and to associate the variables we used the chi-square or Fisher s exact test. It was observed that females were the most affected (75%) and the mean age of the patients was 53,3 years. Most cases were non-smoker (97,3%) and none was drinker. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension were present in 10,8% e 16,2% of the sample, respectively and only one patient was HCV-seropositive (2,7%). Moderate levels of anxiety were seen in most cases (78,4%) and 21,6% had elevated levels. The oral lesions persisted in 95% of the cases for a period of 6 months to 13 years. The erosive form was the most prevalent (57,1%) and symptons were reported by 45,7% of the patients. Multiple lesions were frequent (60%), affecting mainly the buccal mucosa, followed by gums e tongue. There was no significant association of the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and levels of anxiety with the clinical form or symptomatology of the oral lesions (p>0,005), despite a trend in patients with hypertension to have erosive lesions. It was concluded that, in the sample studied, moderate levels of anxiety were commonly observed, and the HCV infection apparently is not related to the onset of the OLP. In this study, the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and levels of anxiety seem not to be associated with the clinical characteristics of the lesions of OLP

Análise da resposta th17 em líquen plano oral

Th17 cells have been strongly associated with the pathogenesis of several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IL-17 and IL-23 are important cytokines associated with this lineage. The aim of this study was to analyze, through immunohistochemical methods, the immunoexpression of IL-17 and IL-23 in the inflammatory infiltrate of oral lichen planus (OLP) lesion compared to that of inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia (IFH) and between clinical forms reticular and erosive of OLP. The sample included 41 cases of OLP, of which 23 were reticular and 18 erosive and 10 cases of IFH. The results were subjected to nonparametric statistical tests with a 5% significance level. In OLP lesions histomorphological analysis, the most common findings were: hyperparakeratinization, specimens with atrophic epithelium in erosive clinical form (p = 0.011), epithelial projections in most of reticular type of lesions, in addition Civatte bodies were identified in most samples of both clinical forms. For immunohistochemistry analysis, five fields with strong immunoreactivity for IL-17 and IL-23 were photomicrographed at 400x magnification, images were transferred to a computer where with ImageJ software®, lymphocytes that exhibited cytoplasmic immunostaining for these cytokines were counted. A mean was established after for each case. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of imunopositive lymphocytes for IL-17 and IL-23 among the group of OLP and IFH group, however a larger amount of lymphocytes imunopositive for IL-17 was found in the LPO group (p = 0.079) and significantly higher amounts of those lymphocytes were found in the erosive OLP when compared to the group of reticular OLP and IFH (p = 0.019). Furthermore, a marker epithelial immunopositivity for IL-17 was observed in OLP group. Although the results of this study do not permit the forceful assertion about the participation of Th17 lineage in OLP lesions, the findings of immunopositive lymphocytes counting for IL-17 and IL-23, which are potent proinflammatory cytokines, together with the the marked epithelial immunopositivity found for IL-17 in this study, suggest a possible role of this lineage in the pathogenesis of this disorder

Avaliação da angiogênese em lesões de líquen plano oral e pênfigo vulgar

Oral lichen planus and pemphigus vulgaris are chronic diseases mucous membrane immune of unknown aetiology that can be observed affecting to the oral mucous. A relevant as regards neoplasies the role angiogenesis in the inflammatory chronic disease pathogenesis as it provides a substancial interest can be considered as being an activity diseases marker; besides being through specialised research of this angiogenic process to improve of understanding pathogenic mechanism. This research proposes to assess angiogenic active through of antibody immunohistochemistry expression antiCD34 antibody in 26 OLP of reticular cases, 14 OLP erosives cases, 18 of PV cases and 15 specimens of normal oral mucosa. The result was submitted non-parametric tests of 5% significance level. It is not statistically significant correlacion was seen regarding between average vessels. However, only be effectively observed the median of OLP cases was larger than pemphigus vulgaris in fact proved average larger than oral normal mucosa (p=0,280). Regarding the microvascular count of CD34 concerning clinic form oral lichen planus (reticular and erosion) increased emphasis is more cross-border average for the form erosion clinic. Despite of the statistic tests could not be more effective (p=0,720). Even though, the results of the research is not sufficient to enable to consider of angiogenic process in the pathogenesis and lesions progression of oral lichen planus and pemphigus vulgaris, we suggest this process is present in both forms lesion, however, more studies must be made in the near future in order to prepare a well-founded proposal

Expressão de zif-268 durante a aquisição, evocação e extinção de uma memória aversiva

In the behavioral paradigm of discriminative avoidance task, both short and long-term memories have been extensively investigated with behavioral and pharmacological approaches. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, using the abovementioned model, the hippocampal expression of zif-268 - a calcium-dependent immediate early gene involved with synaptic plasticity process - throughout several steps of memory formation, such as acquisition, evocation and extiction. The behavioral apparatus consisted of a modified elevaated plus-maze, with their enclosed arms disposed in "L". A pre-exposure to the maze was made with the animal using all arms enclosed, for 30 minutes, followed by training and test, during 10 minutes each. The between sections interval was 24h. During training, aversive stimuli (bright light and loud noise) were actived whenever the animals entered one of the enclosed armas (aversive arm). Memory acquisiton, retention and extinction were evaluated by the percentage of the total time spent exploring the aversive arm. The parameters evaluated (time spent in the arms and total distance traveled) were estimated with an animal tracking software (Anymaze, Stoelting, USA). Learning during training was estimated by the decrease of the time spent exploring the aversive arm. One hour after the beginning of each section, animals were anaesthetized with sodium-thiopental (i.p.) and perfused with 0.9% heparinized saline solution followed by 4% paraformaldehyde. Brains were cryoprotected with 20% sucrose, separeted in three blocks and frozen. The middle block, containing the hippocampus, was sectioned at 20 micro meters in the coronal plane and the resutant sections were submitted to zif-268 immunohistochemistry. Our results show an increased expression of zif-268 in the dentate gyrus (DG) during the evocation and extinction stages. There is a distinct participation of the DG during the memory evocation, but not during its acquisition. Inaddition, all hippocampal regions (CA1, CA3 and DG) presented an increased zif-268 expression during the process of extinction.

Um estudo algorítmico para otimização do plano de tratamento da radioterapia conformal

This work performs an algorithmic study of optimization of a conformal radiotherapy plan treatment. Initially we show: an overview about cancer, radiotherapy and the physics of interaction of ionizing radiation with matery. A proposal for optimization of a plan of treatment in radiotherapy is developed in a systematic way. We show the paradigm of multicriteria problem, the concept of Pareto optimum and Pareto dominance. A generic optimization model for radioterapic treatment is proposed. We construct the input of the model, estimate the dose given by the radiation using the dose matrix, and show the objective function for the model. The complexity of optimization models in radiotherapy treatment is typically NP which justifyis the use of heuristic methods. We propose three distinct methods: MOGA, MOSA e MOTS. The project of these three metaheuristic procedures is shown. For each procedures follows: a brief motivation, the algorithm itself and the method for tuning its parameters. The three method are applied to a concrete case and we confront their performances. Finally it is analyzed for each method: the quality of the Pareto sets, some solutions and the respective Pareto curves