Vulnerabilidade socioambiental no município de Natal, RN

Contemporary society lives surrounded by various types of risks, causing individuals to be taken by a constant feeling of fear and insecurity, as the negative risks, always bring some harm to the population directly or indirectly involved. The city of Natal has several risk areas, especially on the outskirts of the city, due to the occupation of spaces that have laws and / or natural physical limitations as well as the lack of urban organization, thus increasing the vulnerability of the population living in these areas. The principal objective of this research was to map the areas of social vulnerability and natural hazards in Natal, taking into account the interrelationships between social vulnerability and differential exposure to natural hazards. Therefore, it was necessary to establish, according to the methodology used, the degree of social vulnerability and vulnerability to natural hazard in which individuals are subject, to establish the relationship between society/ risks. In this case, the methodology proposed by Crepani (2001) which is based on ecodynamic Tricart (1977), which classifies the areas of risk and the degree of vulnerability of these areas according to the morphodynamic processes for preparation of the Vulnerability Index was used Physical natural, and for organizing the social Vulnerability Index adopted an adaptation of the Paulista social Vulnerability Index, prepared by SEADE (Fundação Sistema Estadual de Análise de Dados) of the State of São Paulo, drawing on data that denote social disadvantage at the census tract level. Then, with the superposition of these two indices, it was elaborated a Socioenvironmental Vulnerability Index. Thus, it is concluded that besides spatialize areas of risk which indicates the degree of vulnerability of individuals potentially exposed to natural hazard.

Avaliação dos efeitos do extrato de Passiflora cincinnata Masters em camundongos: efeito na ansiedade e potencial neuroprotetor

Anxiety disorders and Parkinson’s disease (PD) affect a large portion of the world population. Indeed, therapeutic alternatives available do not contribute to improve most clinical conditions and/or are linked with undesirable side effects. Thus, there is a great demand for the development of new drugs to treatment of these diseases. Passiflora cincinnata Mast. is a native species present in several Brazilian states, popularly known as “maracujá do mato”, “maracujá tubarão” or “maracujá mochila”. Additionally, species of Passiflora genus are traditionally known for their exotic flowers, edible fruits with pronounced flavor and for their sedative, tranquilizer and anxiolytic properties reported by folk medicine. These plants possess important organic compounds such as phenols, cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoids and alkaloids, which are responsible for the anxiolytic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, among others activities when tested in mammals. Despite this fact, only a few studies have been conducted to investigate the possible in vivo biological effects of Passiflora cincinnata Mast extracts. Thereby, in this study we evaluated the effects of the alcoholic extract of this plant in anxiety and PD animal model. Mice acutely or chronically administered with ethanolic extract of P. cincinnata do not showed any anxiogenic- or anxyolitic-like effect in elevated plus maze (EPM). In order to reproduce PD symptom’s in mice, we administered repeated injections of reserpine which progressively induced motor impairments such as increase in catalepsy, oral movements, and reduction of the average speed of the animals in the open field, as well as depleted dopamine prodution in SNpc cells. Furthermore, this treatment resulted in the loss of aversive memory recall in mice when undergoing PMDAT. Yet, passiflora group also show this amnesic profile. However, animals treated concomitantly with the alcoholic extract of Passiflora cincinnata Mast. showed higher latency for the onset of motor impairment evaluated by catalepsy. Thus, our results shows that the alcoholic extract of the plant P. cincinnata was able to delay the onset of the catalepsy induced by reserpine administration, plus reverted the depletion of dopamine production in SNpc cells.

Efeitos da reabilitação vestibular em idosos com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna (VPPB): ensaio clínico controlado e randomizado

Introdução: a Vertigem Posicional Paroxística Benigna (VPPB) é uma das principais causas de tontura em idosos. O tratamento mais empregado para essa afecção é a Manobra de Reposicionamento Canalítico (MRC). Apesar de útil na resolução clínica da sintomatologia vertiginosa e do nistagmo, os pacientes podem continuar demonstrando prejuízo na estabilidade postural após serem submetidos à MRC. Outra opção não farmacológica disponível são os exercícios de Reabilitação Vestibular (RV) que podem ser direcionados à melhora do equilíbrio postural dos idosos, porém há escassez de estudos que avaliem a efetividade da RV no equilíbrio postural de idosos com VPPB. Objetivo: analisar a efetividade da Terapia de Reabilitação Vestibular associada às Manobras de Reposicionamento Canalítico em comparação às Manobras de Reposicionamento Canalítico no tratamento de idosos com Vertigem Posicional Paroxística Benigna (VPPB) crônica. Métodos: participaram do presente ensaio clínico controlado, randomizado e cego 14 idosos de ambos os sexos e idade igual ou superior a 65 anos e com diagnóstico de VPPB crônica. Os idosos foram randomizados em dois grupos, sendo sete (mediana: 69 anos, 65-78) para o grupo experimental e sete (mediana: 73 anos, 65-76) para o grupo controle. Ambos os grupos foram submetidos a Manobras de Reposicionamento Canalítico (MRC) para VPPB e somente o grupo experimental à Terapia de Reabilitação Vestibular (TRV) associada às MRC. Os efeitos da TRV foram mensurados em relação à conversão do teste de Dix-Hallpike de positivo para negativo, recorrência da VPPB, número de manobras para obter a negativação do teste de Dix-Hallpike, sintomatologia da tontura, qualidade de vida e ao equilíbrio estático e dinâmico. Os idosos foram submetidos a uma avaliação inicial (T0), em uma semana (T1), cinco (T5), nove (T9) e treze semanas (T13). Em todas as avaliações o teste de Dix-Hallpike foi realizado com o auxílio do sistema de Videonistagmoscopia (SVNC) da Contronic - Brasil, e em caso positivo, nova MRC foi empregada. As diferenças entre os grupos foram analisadas pelos testes de Mann Whitney e exato de Fisher e para elucidar as diferenças intra-grupo os testes não paramétricos de Friedman e Wilcoxon foram usados. Resultados: nenhuma diferença significativa foi encontrada na conversão do teste de Dix-Hallpike de positivo para negativo, na recorrência da VPPB e no número de manobras para a negativação do teste de Dix-Hallpike, entre os grupos ao longo do ensaio. Também não foram encontradas diferenças entre os grupos na sintomatologia da tontura, qualidade de vida e equilíbrio estático. Contudo, diferenças significativas foram observadas nos aspectos do equilíbrio dinâmico entre os grupos (p< 0,05). Na análise intra-grupo ambos os grupos obtiveram melhora em todas as medidas de desfecho, porém o grupo controle não obteve melhora no equilíbrio dinâmico. Conclusões: a TRV adicional não influenciou na conversão do teste de Dix-Hallpike de positivo para negativo, na recorrência da VPPB, no número de manobras para a negativação do teste de Dix-Hallpike, na redução da sintomatologia da tontura e na qualidade de vida dos idosos com VPPB crônica. Porém, os participantes que receberam a TRV adicional demonstraram melhores resultados no equilíbrio dinâmico do que aqueles que foram submetidos somente às MRC. Os resultados desse estudo deverão repercutir nas estratégias de reabilitação baseadas em evidências nos pacientes idosos com disfunções otoneurológicas.

Alterações hepáticas na expressão gênica e atividade da catalase e superóxido dimutase em ratos diabéticos induzidos por estreptozootocina

The correlation between the type 1 diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress have been described in several studies, however its underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. The present work aimed to evaluate the effects of four weeks of streptozootocin-induced (STZ) diabetes in the redox homeostasis of rat hepatocytes. Thus, the liver of male Wistar rats from control and diabetic groups were collected and the activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes, as well the main markers of oxidative stress and content of H2O2 in these tissues were measured. The diabetes induced the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the gene expression of its mitochondrial isoform, SOD2. However, the expression of SOD1, the cytoplasmic isoform, was reduced by this disease. The activity and expression of catalase (CAT), as well the expression of glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) and peroxiredoxin 4 (PRX4) were drastically reduced in the hepatocytes of diabetics rats. Even with this debility in the peroxidases mRNA expression, the content of H2O2 was reduced in the liver of diabetics rats when compared to the control group. The diabetes caused an increase of lipid peroxidation and a decrease of protein thiol content, showing that this disease causes distinct oxidative effects in different cell biomolecules. Our results indicate that four week of diabetes induced by STZ is already enough to compromise the enzymatic antioxidant systems of the hepatocytes.

Ansiedade social e cooperação em contexto de hierarquia social

The Ultimatum Game is a methodology of the Game Theory that intends to investigate the individuals cooperative behavior in situations of resources division. Studies have shown that half of the subjects don’t accept unfair division of resources, and prefer to bear a momentary cost to revenge the deceivers. However, people who have assertiveness impairment, such as social phobic individuals, could have some difficulties to reject unfair offer division resource, especially in situations that cause over anxiety, like being in the presence of an individual considered to be in a high hierarchical level. A negative perception about his own worth can also make the person thinks that he does not deserve a fair division. These individuals also have a strong desire to convey a positive impression to the others, which could cause them to be more generous in a resource division. The aim of this study was to verify, through the Ultimatum Game, if social anxiety individuals would accept more high confederate’s unfair offers that low confederate’s unfair offers; and if they would be more generous in goods division, in the same game, when compared to individuals without social anxiety. Ninety-five (95) college students participated in this study answering the Social Phobia Inventory, the Factorial Scale of Extroversion, socio-demographic questionnaire, situational anxiety scale and, finally, the Ultimatum Game in four rounds (1st and 3rd – confederate representing high or low ranking using an unfair proposal; 2nd – confederate without social status using fair proposal; 4th – subject’s research proposes the offer). The results showed a significant negative correlation between social anxiety and haughtiness, and social anxiety and assertiveness, and a significant positive correlation between social anxiety and situational anxiety. There was no significant difference in situational anxiety due to the status for anxious individuals. Also we found no significant difference in the amount of donated goods, showing that generous behavior does not differ between groups. Finally, the social status did not influence the decision in response to the game for anxious individuals. These results corroborate to other studies that show the relationship between social anxiety and assertiveness, and social anxiety and negative self-perception capability and value (low haughtiness). As show the results of situational anxiety scale, the high status stimulus was not perceived as threatening to the individual, which may have affected his answer in the game. The results for the Ultimatum Game follow the same direction as the acceptance rate for unfair proposals (approximately 50%) in studies with non-clinical sample.

Ansiedade social e cooperação em contexto de hierarquia social

The Ultimatum Game is a methodology of the Game Theory that intends to investigate the individuals cooperative behavior in situations of resources division. Studies have shown that half of the subjects don’t accept unfair division of resources, and prefer to bear a momentary cost to revenge the deceivers. However, people who have assertiveness impairment, such as social phobic individuals, could have some difficulties to reject unfair offer division resource, especially in situations that cause over anxiety, like being in the presence of an individual considered to be in a high hierarchical level. A negative perception about his own worth can also make the person thinks that he does not deserve a fair division. These individuals also have a strong desire to convey a positive impression to the others, which could cause them to be more generous in a resource division. The aim of this study was to verify, through the Ultimatum Game, if social anxiety individuals would accept more high confederate’s unfair offers that low confederate’s unfair offers; and if they would be more generous in goods division, in the same game, when compared to individuals without social anxiety. Ninety-five (95) college students participated in this study answering the Social Phobia Inventory, the Factorial Scale of Extroversion, socio-demographic questionnaire, situational anxiety scale and, finally, the Ultimatum Game in four rounds (1st and 3rd – confederate representing high or low ranking using an unfair proposal; 2nd – confederate without social status using fair proposal; 4th – subject’s research proposes the offer). The results showed a significant negative correlation between social anxiety and haughtiness, and social anxiety and assertiveness, and a significant positive correlation between social anxiety and situational anxiety. There was no significant difference in situational anxiety due to the status for anxious individuals. Also we found no significant difference in the amount of donated goods, showing that generous behavior does not differ between groups. Finally, the social status did not influence the decision in response to the game for anxious individuals. These results corroborate to other studies that show the relationship between social anxiety and assertiveness, and social anxiety and negative self-perception capability and value (low haughtiness). As show the results of situational anxiety scale, the high status stimulus was not perceived as threatening to the individual, which may have affected his answer in the game. The results for the Ultimatum Game follow the same direction as the acceptance rate for unfair proposals (approximately 50%) in studies with non-clinical sample.

Irish Coffee: efeitos de álcool e cafeína no comportamento e aprendizagem do peixe paulistinha

Substâncias psicoestimulantes vêm sendo utilizadas de forma indiscriminada há muitos anos, e pouco se sabe os efeitos que elas causam a curto e longo prazo no comportamento geral, na aprendizagem e na memória. Essas substâncias são bastante usadas por jovens e adultos e elas possuem efeitos diferentes. Essas substâncias são dose dependente, caso consumidas em baixa quantidade agem como estimulante, aumentando a atividade locomotora, caso consumidas em alta quantidade, causam efeito depressor, diminuindo a atividade locomotora e/ou causando ansiedade. Poucos estudos vêm investigando os efeitos dessas substâncias na atividade locomotora, aprendizagem e memória e grande parte desses estudos são realizados em roedores. Peixe paulistinha é um modelo animal promissor para estudos comportamentais, cognitivos, ontogenéticos, dentre outros. Nossos objetivos foram determinar os efeitos do álcool, cafeína e de seu uso combinado com álcool, na atividade locomotora desses animais, usando para isso doses crônicas durante 27 dias e doses agudas durante um dia. Visto que pouco se sabe sobre os efeitos dessa exposição prolongada. Também investigamos os efeitos das substâncias em teste de reconhecimento de objetos, que se baseia na memória de único evento. Essas memórias são mais vulneráveis que memórias baseadas em várias repetições de eventos. Sendo assim, um teste adequado para utilizar com uso de substâncias psicoativas. Observamos que o uso crônico de cafeína provoca alteração na atividade locomotora dos animais, do mesmo modo, abstinência de álcool combinada com cafeína em dose aguda (dose média) provoca aumento de atividade locomotora. Quando submetidos a testes de memória, os animais exposto a doses altas agudas de álcool e em abstinência dessa droga têm prejuízo na formação e/ou resgate da memória. No entanto, tratamento com cafeína não prejudica a formação de memória. Animais expostos a tratamento com dose crônica moderada de álcool e dose aguda moderada de cafeína tem melhor desempenho na tarefa, indicando que dose aguda moderada de cafeína pode evitar os efeitos deletérios ocasionados pela abstinência do álcool. Em termos do comportamento geral, doses agudas de cafeína aumentam a locomoção, enquanto doses elevadas e a abstinência de cafeína induzem a comportamentos tipo-ansioso. A combinação álcool crônico e cafeína aguda induzem a alto comportamento tipo-ansiedade, enquanto a combinação cafeína crônica e álcool agudo diminuem tanto a locomoção quanto a ansiedade.

Irish Coffee: efeitos de álcool e cafeína no comportamento e aprendizagem do peixe paulistinha

Substâncias psicoestimulantes vêm sendo utilizadas de forma indiscriminada há muitos anos, e pouco se sabe os efeitos que elas causam a curto e longo prazo no comportamento geral, na aprendizagem e na memória. Essas substâncias são bastante usadas por jovens e adultos e elas possuem efeitos diferentes. Essas substâncias são dose dependente, caso consumidas em baixa quantidade agem como estimulante, aumentando a atividade locomotora, caso consumidas em alta quantidade, causam efeito depressor, diminuindo a atividade locomotora e/ou causando ansiedade. Poucos estudos vêm investigando os efeitos dessas substâncias na atividade locomotora, aprendizagem e memória e grande parte desses estudos são realizados em roedores. Peixe paulistinha é um modelo animal promissor para estudos comportamentais, cognitivos, ontogenéticos, dentre outros. Nossos objetivos foram determinar os efeitos do álcool, cafeína e de seu uso combinado com álcool, na atividade locomotora desses animais, usando para isso doses crônicas durante 27 dias e doses agudas durante um dia. Visto que pouco se sabe sobre os efeitos dessa exposição prolongada. Também investigamos os efeitos das substâncias em teste de reconhecimento de objetos, que se baseia na memória de único evento. Essas memórias são mais vulneráveis que memórias baseadas em várias repetições de eventos. Sendo assim, um teste adequado para utilizar com uso de substâncias psicoativas. Observamos que o uso crônico de cafeína provoca alteração na atividade locomotora dos animais, do mesmo modo, abstinência de álcool combinada com cafeína em dose aguda (dose média) provoca aumento de atividade locomotora. Quando submetidos a testes de memória, os animais exposto a doses altas agudas de álcool e em abstinência dessa droga têm prejuízo na formação e/ou resgate da memória. No entanto, tratamento com cafeína não prejudica a formação de memória. Animais expostos a tratamento com dose crônica moderada de álcool e dose aguda moderada de cafeína tem melhor desempenho na tarefa, indicando que dose aguda moderada de cafeína pode evitar os efeitos deletérios ocasionados pela abstinência do álcool. Em termos do comportamento geral, doses agudas de cafeína aumentam a locomoção, enquanto doses elevadas e a abstinência de cafeína induzem a comportamentos tipo-ansioso. A combinação álcool crônico e cafeína aguda induzem a alto comportamento tipo-ansiedade, enquanto a combinação cafeína crônica e álcool agudo diminuem tanto a locomoção quanto a ansiedade.

Análise microestrutural de misturas cerâmicas de grês porcelanato com adição de chamote de telhas cerâmicas

MELO, Maxymme Mendes de ; PINHEIRO, Andrea Santos ; NASCIMENTO, R. M. ; MARTINELLI, Antonio Eduardo ; DUTRA, Ricardo Peixoto Suassuna ; MELO, Marcus Antônio de Freitas . Análise microestrutural de misturas cerâmicas de grês Porcelanato com adição de chamote de telhas cerâmicas. Cerâmica (São Paulo. Impresso), v. 55, p. 356-364, 2009

Espaços especiais em Natal (moradia e meio ambiente): um necessário diálogo entre direitos e espaços na perspectiva de proteção aos direitos fundamentais na cidade contemporânea

Some protected special spaces on behalf of fundamental rights to the environment and the housing at the city of Natal are fragile by facing actions and attempts to suppress and changing (or omission in the implementation) of standards in furtherance of those rights at the local level, which seems to reflect a situation that goes beyond the context of the city. Based on integrated approach of the housing rights and the environment and its protection of special spaces on the field of fundamental rights, the thesis seeks to understand the weaknesses that affect the legal state duty under the realization/implementation of fundamental rights to the environment and housing in cities, focusing on the issues of flexibility of the founding legislation of special spaces to the detriment of the attributes they protected and the lack of implementation of the legal system that allows their effectiveness. So, it looks initially to understand the environment and housing rights and their special protected areas in the brazilian legal system, looking forward the evolution of its legal protection, as well as the weaknesses that emerge in the field of their effectiveness. Analyzing the trajectory of the environment and housing rights and their special protected areas in Natal, considering its standards, attributes, protection indicators, weaknesses and negative evidence within its legal protections and their enforcement by state entity, this thesis proposes to verify the existence of forms to confronting the weaknesses founded in the maintenance of legal protection and its implementation. At this point it discusses the legal basis and safeguard instruments of protection, especially within the juridical field, as part of a (re)discussion about issues of legislative and administrative discretion in the face of objective legal state duty to realization/implementation of fundamental rights in the urban space. With all these issues together the thesis does not ignore the scenario where the dividing line between public and private (economic) are becoming ever more tenuous in the field of state action and where the city stands as a special commodity to the reproduction of real estate, according to the interests of capitalist logic

Investigação do papel modulador do Haloperidol sobre os níveis de proteínas relacionadas à plasticidade e preferência por objetos novos em camudongos

Dopamine (DA) is known to regulate both sleep and memory formations, while sleep plays a critical role in the consolidation of different types of memories. We believe that pharmacological manipulation of dopaminergic pathways might disrupt the sleep-wake cycle, leading to mnemonic deficits, which can be observed in both behavioral and molecular levels. Therefore, here we investigated how systemic injections of haloperidol (0.3 mg/kg), immediately after training in dark and light periods, affects learning assessed in the novel object preference test (NOPT) in mice. We also investigated the hippocampal levels of the plasticity-related proteins Zif-268, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases II (CaMKII-P) in non-exposed (naïve), vehicle-injected controls and haloperidol-treated mice at 3, 6 and 12 hours after training in the light period. Haloperidol administration during the light period led to a subsequent impairment in the NOPT. In contrast, preference was not observed during the dark period neither in mice injected with haloperidol, nor in vehicle-injected animals. A partial increase of CaMKII-P in the hippocampal field CA3 of vehicle-injected mice was detected at 3h. Haloperidol-treated mice showed a significant decrease in the dentate gyrus of CaMKII-P levels at 3, 6 and 12h; of Zif-268 levels at 6h, and of BDNF levels at 12h after training. Since the mnemonic effects of haloperidol were only observed in the light period when animals tend to sleep, we suggest that these effects are related to REM sleep disruption after haloperidol injection

Estudo da viabilidade do processo de reciclagem do material descartado do sistema Zirkonzanh® de produção de próteses dentárias

At present, the material of choice for performing aesthetic dental prosthetic work is in the ceramic. Among them, the ceramic base of stabilized zirconia with 3% yttria (3Y - TZP) stand out for having excellent physical and mechanical properties. During the machining of blocks of zirconia in the laboratory to prepare the various types of prostheses, much of the material is given off in the form of powder, which is subsequently discarded. The waste of this material results in financial loss, reflecting higher final cost treatment for patients, as well as damage to the environment, thanks to the processes involved in the manufacture and disposal of the ceramic. This research, pioneered the recycling of zirconium oxide powder obtained during milling of dental crowns and bridges, we highlight the social and environmental aspects and aims to establish a protocol for the reuse of waste (powder of zirconia Zirkonzahn® system) discarded to obtain a new block of compacted zirconia to maintain the same mechanical and microstructural properties of commercial high-cost imported material. To compare with the commercial material, samples were uniaxially (20 MPa) and isostatically (100 MPa), and its mechanical and microstructural characterization was performed through tests of density, porosity, dilatometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), hardness, fracture toughness, resistance to fracture electron microscopy (SEM) and analysis of grain size. The results observed in the samples were isostatically pressed similiares those obtained with samples from the commercial material demonstrating the viability of the process

Análise comparativa entre simuladores de linha de fluxo e diferenças finitas para um reservatório de petróleo submetido a injeção de água

Water injection is the most widely used method for supplementary recovery in many oil fields due to various reasons, like the fact that water is an effective displacing agent of low viscosity oils, the water injection projects are relatively simple to establish and the water availability at a relatively low cost. For design of water injection projects is necessary to do reservoir studies in order to define the various parameters needed to increase the effectiveness of the method. For this kind of study can be used several mathematical models classified into two general categories: analytical or numerical. The present work aims to do a comparative analysis between the results presented by flow lines simulator and conventional finite differences simulator; both types of simulators are based on numerical methods designed to model light oil reservoirs subjected to water injection. Therefore, it was defined two reservoir models: the first one was a heterogeneous model whose petrophysical properties vary along the reservoir and the other one was created using average petrophysical properties obtained from the first model. Comparisons were done considering that the results of these two models were always in the same operational conditions. Then some rock and fluid parameters have been changed in both models and again the results were compared. From the factorial design, that was done to study the sensitivity analysis of reservoir parameters, a few cases were chosen to study the role of water injection rate and the vertical position of wells perforations in production forecast. It was observed that the results from the two simulators are quite similar in most of the cases; differences were found only in those cases where there was an increase in gas solubility ratio of the model. Thus, it was concluded that in flow simulation of reservoirs analogous of those now studied, mainly when the gas solubility ratio is low, the conventional finite differences simulator may be replaced by flow lines simulator the production forecast is compatible but the computational processing time is lower.