Qualidade de Vida, Saúde Geral e Ansiedade em pacientes com diferentes tipos e níveis de disfunção temporomandibular

Some studies reported in the literature that emotional factors and quality of life may be involved both in aetiology, as in the progression of Temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Proposition: The purpose of this study is to observe a possible association between different forms of anxiety, quality of life and general health of patients diagnosed as carriers of various types and levels of Temporomandibular Dysfunction. Methodology: The sample consisted of 60 patients diagnosed as carriers of TMJD origin of muscle, joint, or both, with different levels of severity (mild TMD, moderate and severe). The patients were diagnosed with TMD-RDC (Research Diagnostic Criteria) to assess the type of dysfunction (muscle or joint) and by the Protocol of Fonseca to verify the degree of dysfunction (mild, moderate or severe). To evaluate the psychosocial aspects were used three self-applied, with the purpose of obtaining information about the general health (General Health Questionnaire - GHQ), the type of anxiety (Trait Anxiety Inventory-State - STAI) and quality of life (World Health Organization Quality Of Life Short WHOQOL-brief). Results: There was a correlation between all indicators studied in several forms of TMD with varying degrees of commitment. Quality of life appeared linked to the type and the level of TMD: Muscular and Articular TMD (p = 0,037), Disk Displacement With Reduction (p = 0.01) and Mild TMD (p = 0.042). The General Health showed association with the level of TMD, with the exception of the stress factor (p = 0.78). For the analysis of the types and levels to Severe Muscular TMD had a statistically significant indicator of the quality of life (p = 0049). The anxiety only showed association with the level of TMD (p = 0,047 for anxiety-trait). Conclusion: Besides the limitations of the study, it was concluded that anxiety, quality of life and general health are important psychosocial indicators, which are linked to several forms of TMD in different levels of severity

Análise de fatores clínico-demográficos, psicológicos, hormonais e genéticos na síndrome da ardência bucal e ardor bucal secundário

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Qualidade de sono e qualidade de vida em trabalhadores submetidos a diferentes esquemas de trabalho de uma empresa petroquímica

One of the largest problems of the present time resulting from the economic globalization and the modern technology, of the point of view of the biological rhytms of our organism, it is offering services and production of goods available in 24 o'clock, that it demands organized workers in several work schedules besides the hours of the day. Those schedules cause a series of biopsychosocial consequences in the worker's health, in function of circadian, homeostatic and psychosocial alterations. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to accomplish an evaluation of the effects of several works schedules in the pattern of the sleep wake cycle, anxiety, stress and in the health. We counted with a sample of 274 workers subdivided in 49 daytime worker groups and 225 workers in different shift work schedules with different speeds (rotating shift group, slower day shift group, faster day shift group). From the results analysis it is verified irregularities of the daily activities, stress and alterations in the workers' health in all schedules. It was also verified thata the workers thata presented irregularities in the daily activities were the mroe stressed. On the other hand, the shift works were considered more ansious and associated with bad sleep quality. It was verified that the workers with bad sleep quality were those presented larger levels of dispocional anxiety. There was no statistically significant correlation between bad sleep quality and irregular daily lifestyle. However, it can be affirmed thata shift work schendules doesn't are the main determinant for the circadian alterations, but the answers of the individuals to the shifts work; and that the inadequate behavioural strategies to work with the effects of the shift schedules. In conclusion, individual strategies related to the coping of the work in shift (adaptation and tolerance) should be extolled as indispensable tool in the ergonomic evaluation of the work

Influência de fatores individuais e sociais sobre as respostas endócrina e comportamental de callithrix jacchus a desafios ambientais físicos e sociais

Regarding the growing number of human beings with physical and mental pathologies associated to different stressor agents, attempts are being made to validate animal models with a close phylogenetic resemblance to man, to study stress response. Callithrix jacchus has been widely used in biomedical research, including on stress, but there is scarce information in the literature about how individual and social factors modulate stressor response in this species. This study uses 4 approaches to investigate the response of male and female adult C. jacchus, under situations of stress, and in the first we show evidence of the importance of this animal as an experimental model in research involving the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. And we investigate if sex and baseline cortisol levels modulate the behavioral and hormonal response to separation. In two additional approaches investigate if type of social support (co-specific parent or non-parent) and social rank interfere in behavioral and hormonal when the animal are exposure to a new environment, paired with a co-specific (F2), exposure of the animal to a new environment, isolated (F3) or during reunion (F4). Finally, we also investigated the androgen levels in the males, with a focus on the challenge hypothesis, referring to environmental responsiveness and male-male exposure to relatives and non-relatives of C. jacchus. It was observed that: (1) the baseline cortisol of the animal is predictive of cortisol reactivity at separation; (2) males and females do not show dimorphism in the response of cortisol to stressors, although the females have higher baseline levels of this hormone and exhibit higher frequencies of anxiety-related behaviors; (3) only social support provided by relatives proved to be effective in buffering the cortisol response. In behavioral terms this response was dimorphic, showing that only the male dyads displayed an attenuated response to stress; (4) the males showed differences in cortisol levels as a function of social rank and study phases, whereas in the females no such alterations were observed. The males with indefinite dominance hierarchy (IDH) had reduced cortisol in F2 and F4, while the IDH females showed an increase in F3 and F4; (5) the males of relative and non-relative dyads did not exhibit variations in androgen levels as a function of a new environment. These results, taken together, (a) corroborate the use of C. jacchus as a good animal model for stress-related studies, given that they exhibit similar behavioral and physiological alterations to those of human beings in response to stressor agents; (b) point to the importance of considering individual and social modulating factors during experiments with stressors; (c) provide more reliable comparison parameters in studies where these primates are used as animal models, and (d) show that androgens vary as a function of genetic proximity (relative or non-relative) when the animals are faced with physical and social environmental challenges, thus providing important information for studying the challenge hypothesis in this species

Influência da salinidade e temperatura da água nas respotas comportamental e fisiológica de camarões marinhos Litopenaeus vannamei(BOONE 1931)

The shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei has been grown in highly variable environments, especially in relation to salinity and water temperature. The adjustment to such conditions mainly involves changes in behavior, physiology, particularly in the immune response. This may consequently reduce the welfare of these animals. Despite the widespread farming of the species, little is known about their behavioral and physiological responses under stressful conditions. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the influence of different salinities and temperatures in the behavior of the marine shrimp L. vannamei, and its relation to the total hemocytes count. In the laboratory, juvenile shrimp were kept in glass aquaria with a closed water recirculation system, continuous aeration and filtration, and under a 12:12 h light/dark cycle. Behavioral observations occurred 1, 4, 7 and 10 h after the start of each phase (light or dark). To assess the influence of salinity, shrimp were first acclimated and then observed at 2, 30 or 50 ppm salinity water, while temperatures tested were 18, 28 and 33 ° C. At the end of each experiment (30 days), shrimp hemolymph was collected for subsequent total hemocytes count (THC), a parameter used to assess stress. In general, feeding behavior was modified under lower salinity and temperature, with reduced values in feeding, exploration and digestive tract filling. Inactivity and burrowing were prevalent under extreme conditions water salinity and temperature, respectively: 2 and 50 ppm and 18 and 33 ° C; crawling was also less frequent under these conditions. In regards to light/dark cycle, shrimp were more active during the dark phase (crawling and swimming), while burrowing was higher during the light phase, regardless of salinity or temperature of the water. Inactivity behavior did not vary according to the light/dark cycle. Moreover, the total hemocytes count (THC) was reduced under 2 and 50 ppm salinity and 18 ° C temperature. Farming of L. vannamei under extremely low or high salinities and low temperatures is harmful. This suggests the species must be cultivated in salinities closer to those of the sea as well as at high temperatures, which seems to be ideal for a management focused on animal welfare, therefore, producing healthier shrimp

Administração repetida de baixas doses de reserpina: um possível modelo para o estudo de déficits cognitivos e motores associados à Doença de Parkinson

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative brain disorders and is characterized primarily by a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons nigroestriatais. The main symptoms of this disease are motor alterations (bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor at rest), which can be highly disabling in advanced stages of the condition. However, there are symptomatic manifestations other than motor impairment, such as changes in cognition, mood and sensory systems. Animal models that attempt to mimic clinical features of PD have been used to understand the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying neurophysiological disturbance of this disease. However, most models promote an intense and immediate motor impairment, consistent with advanced stages of the disease, invalidating these studies for the evaluation of its progressive nature. The administration of reserpine (a monoamine depletor) in rodents has been considered an animal model for studying PD. Recently we found that reserpine (in doses lower than those usually employed to produce the motor symptoms) promotes a memory deficit in an aversive discrimination task, without changing the motor activity. It was suggested that the administration of this drug in low doses can be useful for the study of memory deficits found in PD. Corroborating this data, in another study, acute subcutaneous administration of reserpine, while preserving motor function, led to changes in emotional context-related (but not neutral) memory tasks. The goal of this research was to study the cognitive and motor deficits in rats repeatedly treated with low doses of reserpine, as a possible model that simulates the progressive nature of the PD. For this purpose, 5-month-old male Wistar rats were submitted to a repeated treatment with vehicle or different doses of reserpine on alternate days. Cognitive and motor parameters and possible changes in neuronal function were evaluated during treatment. The main findings were: repeated administration of 0.1 mg / kg of reserpine in rats is able to induce the gradual appearance of motor signs compatible with progressive features found in patients with PD; an increase in striatal levels of oxidative stress and changes in the concentrations of glutamate in the striatum were observed five days after the end of treatment; in animals repeatedly-treated with 0. 1 mg/kg, cognitive deficits were observed only after the onset of motor symptoms, but not prior to the onset of these symptoms; 0.2 mg / kg reserpine repeated treatment has jeopardized the cognitive assessment due to the presence of severe motor deficits. Thus, we suggest that the protocol of treatment with reserpine used in this work is a viable alternative for studies of the progressive appearance of parkinsonian signs in rats, especially concerning motor symptoms. As for the cognitive symptoms, we suggest that more studies are needed, possibly using other behavioral models, and / or changing the treatment regimen

Efeitos da prática de Yoga na memória e em parâmetros psicológicos e fisiológicos de indivíduos saudáveis

Techniques of mind & body control seem to benefit human organism in general and cognition in particular, because they involve a mindfulness practice. However, there is still a scarcity of studies with well-controlled methods to investigate the possible effects of Yoga practice. In this study, we investigated the effects of regular Yoga practice, based on Yoga postures (asanas), breathing techniques, and meditation exercises, on memory and physiologic and psychological parameters related to quality of life. There were significant improvements on performance tasks of short term memory and long term memory. We also observed significant beneficial effects on psychological and physiological parameters such as mood, anxiety, depression, stress, and modulation of the autonomic nervous system in Yoga practitioners group compared to the conventional physical exercises group. The results suggest the possible influences of stress, emotional state and mental training on cognitive effects of yoga practice. Our results support the indication of practice of Yoga for the treatment or prevention of stress, psychological disorders and their possible cognitive consequences

Aspectos epidemiológicos, cognitivo-comportamentais e neurofisiológicos do sonho lúcido

Lucid dreaming (LD) is a mental state in which the subject is aware of being dreaming while dreaming. The prevalence of LD among Europeans, North Americans and Asians is quite variable (between 26 and 92%) (Stepansky et al., 1998; Schredl & Erlacher, 2011; Yu, 2008); in Latin Americans it is yet to be investigated. Furthermore, the neural bases of LD remain controversial. Different studies have observed that LD presents power increases in the alpha frequency band (Tyson et al., 1984), in beta oscillations recorded from the parietal cortex (Holzinger et al., 2006) and in gamma rhythm recorded from the frontal cortex (Voss et al., 2009), in comparison with non-lucid dreaming. In this thesis we report epidemiological and neurophysiological investigations of LD. To investigate the epidemiology of LD (Study 1), we developed an online questionnaire about dreams that was answered by 3,427 volunteers. In this sample, 56% were women, 24% were men and 20% did not inform their gender (the median age was 25 years). A total of 76.5% of the subjects reported recalling dreams at least once a week, and about two-thirds of them reported dreaming always in the first person, i.e. when the dreamer observes the dream from within itself, not as another dream character. Dream reports typically depicted actions (93.3%), known people (92.9%), sounds/voices (78.5%), and colored images (76.3%). The oneiric content was related to plans for upcoming days (37.8%), and memories of the previous day (13.8%). Nightmares were characterized by general anxiety/fear (65.5%), feeling of being chased (48.5%), and non-painful unpleasant sensations (47.6%). With regard to LD, 77.2% of the subjects reported having experienced LD at least once in their lifetime (44.9% reported up to 10 episodes ever). LD frequency was weakly correlated with dream recall frequency (r = 0.20, p <0.001) and was higher in men (χ2=10.2, p=0.001). The control of LD was rare (29.7%) and inversely correlated with LD duration (r=-0.38, p <0.001), which is usually short: to 48.5% of the subjects, LD takes less than 1 minute. LD occurrence is mainly associated with having sleep without a fixed time to wake up (38.3%), which increases the chance of having REM sleep (REMS). LD is also associated with stress (30.1%), which increases REMS transitions into wakefulness. Overall, the data suggest that dreams and nightmares can be evolutionarily understood as a simulation of the common situations that happen in life, and that are related to our social, psychological and biological integrity. The results also indicate that LD is a relatively common experience (but not recurrent), often elusive and difficult to control, suggesting that LD is an incomplete stationary stage (or phase transition) between REMS and wake state. Moreover, despite the variability of LD prevalence among North Americans, Europeans and Asians, our data from Latin Americans strengthens the notion that LD is a general phenomenon of the human species. To further investigate the neural bases of LD (Study 2), we performed sleep recordings of 32 non-frequent lucid dreamers (sample 1) and 6 frequent lucid dreamers (sample 2). In sample 1, we applied two cognitive-behavioral techniques to induce LD: presleep LD suggestion (n=8) and light pulses applied during REMS (n=8); in a control group we made no attempt to influence dreaming (n=16). The results indicate that it is quite difficult but still possible to induce LD, since we could induce LD in a single subject, using the suggestion technique. EEG signals from this one subject exhibited alpha (7-14 Hz) bursts prior to LD. These bursts were brief (about 3s), without significant change in muscle tone, and independent of the presence of rapid eye movements. No such bursts were observed in the remaining 31 subjects. In addition, LD exhibited significantly higher occipital alpha and right temporo-parietal gamma (30-50 Hz) power, in comparison with non-lucid REMS. In sample 2, LD presented increased frontal high-gamma (50-100 Hz) power on average, in comparison with non-lucid REMS; however, this was not consistent across all subjects, being a clear phenomenon in just one subject. We also observed that four of these volunteers showed an increase in alpha rhythm power over the occipital region, immediately before or during LD. Altogether, our preliminary results suggest that LD presents neurophysiological characteristics that make it different from both waking and the typical REMS. To the extent that the right temporo-parietal and frontal regions are related to the formation of selfconsciousness and body internal image, we suggest that an increased activity in these regions during sleep may be the neurobiological mechanism underlying LD. The alpha rhythm bursts, as well as the alpha power increase over the occipital region, may represent micro-arousals, which facilitate the contact of the brain during sleep with the external environment, favoring the occurrence of LD. This also strengthens the notion that LD is an intermediary state between sleep and wakefulness

Caracterização comportamental endócrina das fases ontogenéticas de sagüi comum (Callithrix jacchus)

The use of animal models in biomedical research is ever increasing. Models that use primates might also have advantages in terms of low maintenance costs and availability of biological knowledge, thereby favoring their use in different experimental protocols. Many current stress studies use animal models at different developmental stages since biological response differs during ontogeny. The aims of this study were to perform a detailed characterization of the developmental stages of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), a very important animal model used in biomedical research. Ten subjects, 6 females and 4 males, were followed from birth to initial adult age (16 months). Behavioral and fecal collection for measurement of adrenal (cortisol) and sex (progesterone, estradiol and androgens) hormones took place twice a week during the first month of life and once a week for the remainder of the study. Behavior was observed for 30 minutes in the morning (0700-09:00h) and afternoon (12:00-14:00h). Behavioral profile showed changes during ontogeny, characterizing the 4 developmental stages and the respective phases proposed by Leão et al (2009).. Differentiation of developmental stages was considered using the onset, end, change and stabilization of the behavioral profile parental care (weaning and carrying), ingestion (solid food), affiliation (social grooming) and autogrooming, agonism (scent marking and piloerection) and play behavior and endocrine profile. Infant weaning and carrying terminated within the infantile stage and the peak of solid food ingestion was recorded in the infantile III phase. Receiving grooming was recorded earlier than grooming performed by the infant and autogrooming. The first episode of scent marking was recorded in the 4th week and it was the least variable behavior, in terms of its onset, which, in almost all animals, was between the 5th and 7th week of life. Solitary play and play with the twin started around the 7th week and play with other members of the group started 8 weeks later. Sex hormone secretion started to differ from basal levels between the 21st and 23rd week of life, in males and females, suggesting that puberty occurs simultaneously in both sexes. Basal cortisol, even at an early age, was higher in females than in males. However, cortisol was not correlated with the juvenile stage, as expected, since this stage corresponds to the transition between infancy and adult age and most behaviors are intensified by this time. The behavioral and endocrine profile of subadult animals did not differ from that of the adults. These results provide more detailed parameters for the developmental process of C. jacchus and open new perspectives for the use of experimental approaches focused on the intermediate ontogenetic phases of this species

Antidepressivos modificam a extinção de uma memória aversiva em ratas

Treatment of major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and other psychopathologies with antidepressants can be associated with improvement of the cognitive deficits related to these disorders. Although the mechanisms of these effects are not completely elucidated, alterations in extinction of aversive memories are believed to be present in these psychopathologies. Moreover, researches with laboratory animals usually focus on male subjects, and we have recently verified that extinction of an aversive task is reduced in female rats when compared to males. In the present study, female rats were long-term treated with clinically used antidepressants (fluoxetine, nortriptyline or mirtazapine) and tested in the plus-maze discriminative avoidance and forced swimming tests in order to evaluate learning, memory, extinction, anxiety and depression-related behaviors. All groups learned the task, but learning was somewhat faster in nortriptyline and mirtazapine-treated animals . Task retrieval was also showed by all experimental groups. Chronic treatment with fluoxetine, but not with the other antidepressants, increased extinction of the discriminative task. In the forced swimming test, animals treated with fluoxetine and mirtazapine showed decreased immobility duration. In conclusion, antidepressants interfere with learning and female rats treated with fluoxetine presented increased extinction of the aversive memory task. On the other hand, both fluoxetine and mirtazapine were effective in the forced swimming test, suggesting dissociation between the antidepressant effects and the extinction of aversive memories

A influência da prática meditativa sobre parâmetros psicofisiológicos e tarefas de memória operacional em indivíduos saudáveis

Meditation is described as a method for improving attention and promoting psychological and emotional stability, presenting favourable results on memory and stress tolerance as well. Studies have shown differences in physiological and psychological measurements between meditators and non-meditators. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of regular meditation practice on working memory, psychological measurements and quality of life of healthy practitioners. We carried out a comparative study with meditators and non-meditators. Working memory tests and standard inventories of life quality, anxiety, mood, sleep quality, depression and stress were applied. Our study showed that meditators presented better scores in parameters indicative of life quality, mood, depression and stress when compared with non-meditators. Moreover, there was a trend in best performance of meditators in memory tasks (forward digit span task and Hanoi tower). These findings corroborate other studies showing that regular meditation can provide an improvement in general quality of life and affecting positively the behavioral and attentional functions in individuals

Influência da prática de yoga sobre os sintomas da menopausa

Yoga has been studied and practiced for over three thousand years and nowadays it is widely adopted as a mean to assist the health of individuals. Additionally, numerous benefits to the health rehabilitation and quality of life of elderly individuals has been attributed to this set of techniques. In women, the aging process is characterized by the interruption on ovarian follicular activity (menopause) characterized by a number of neuroendocrine and physiologic changes. Those changes are frequently accompanied by uncomfortable and occasionally debilitating symptoms. Although there is profuse clinical information about menopause, studies on the potential therapeutic application of yoga during the climacteric period are scarce. The objective of this research was to investigate the psychophysiological effects of 12 weeks of yoga practice in 88 postmenopausal women. The volunteers were divided into a control group (no intervention), exercise group and yoga group. Instruments were applied for the evaluation of climacteric syndrome, stress, depression, quality of life, and anxiety. In addition, the determination of hormonal levels of FSH, LH, estradiol, cortisol and progesterone, and biochemical levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, urea, creatinine, AST and ALT were conducted. Our results showed that the yoga group had significantly lower scores after the regular practice of yoga for menopausal symptoms. Besides, those changes were accompanied by a statistical significant improvement in the stress levels, decrease in depression scores, and higher scores in quality of life when compared with the control group and the exercise group. As well, the regular practice of yoga promoted the maintenance of cortisol levels compared to control group after 12 weeks. Regarding the biochemical parameters yoga practitioners presented lower levels of LDL in the blood. These results are supported by previous studies which found that regular practice of yoga improves quality of life of subjects, Thus, herein we propose that yoga can be a non-pharmacological alternative to management of menopausal symptoms and stress in postmenopausal women

Efeitos de diferentes tipos estressores sobre a memória e aprendizagem de ratas

The exposure to stressors produces physiological changes of the organism in order to adapt the individual to the environment. Depending on the type, intensity and duration, stress can affect some cognitive functions, particularly processes of learning and memory. Several studies have also proposed that some level of anxiety would be necessary for memory formation. In this context, memories of previously aversive experiences may determine the manner and intensity with which are expressed fear responses, which explains the great interest in analyzing both anxiety and memory in animals. In addition, males and females demonstrate different reactions in relation to stressful stimuli, showing different levels of anxiety and differences in processing of the acquisition, retention and recall of information. Based on this information, the present study aimed to verify the effect of stress on learning, memory and anxiety behavioral parameters in rats exposed at different types of stressors of long duration (seven consecutive days): restraint (4h/day), overcrowding (18h/day) and social isolation (18h/day) in the different phases of the estrous cycle. Our results showed that the stress induced by restraint and social isolation did not cause changes in the acquisition process, but impaired the recall of memory in rats. Furthermore, it is suggested a protective effect of sex hormones on retrieval of aversive memory, since female rats in proestrus or estrus phase, characterized by high estrogen concentrations, showed no aversive memory deficits. Furthermore, despite the increased plasma levels of corticosterone observed in female rats subjected to restraint stress and social isolation, anxiety levels were unaltered, compared to those various stress conditions. Animal models based on psychological and social stress have been extensively discussed in the literature. Correlate behavioral responses, physiological and psychological have contributed in increasing the understanding of stress-induced psychophysiological disorders

Efeitos do substrato e da densidade populacional sobre as atividades comportamentais e níveis de homócitos em relação à densidade em Litopenaeus vannamei (BOONE, 1931)

Carciniculture in Brazil occupies world-wide prominence due to shrimp culture, and the state of Rio Grande do Norte has presented the best results in the culture of the Litopenaeus vannamei in the last decade. This species has been shown to adapt easily to different environments and is between the five most cultivated penaeids of the world. The ponds are usually constructed in areas close to water courses and estuaries. Stock density and substrate ponds can pollute environment, causing losses in the growth and survival of the shrimps, being considered stress factors. Shrimps in inadequate densities and substrates can result reduced productivity of the farm; and favor diseases. So, it is important to verify how these variables influence the development of the animals in the culture farms. Our objective was to study the influence of the type of substrate and the stock density on the behavior and haemocyte count of the L. vannamei. Individually marked juvenile shrimps were kept in aquaria with 30 L of seawater and continuous aeration, in 12L-12D photoperiod. They were observed through Ad libitum and focal sampling instantaneous methods during thirty days, five times per week, six times per day (8:00 to 18:00) in windows of 15 minutes every two hours. The marking of carapace permitted quantifying molting and the feeding was supplied three times a day. Two experiments were carried out: the first one tested animals in the three different substrates (fine sand, smaller rocks-SPP and biggest rocks-SGR) with 33 shrimp/m2. In the second one, the animals were tested in three stock densities (26, 52 and 66 shrimp/m2) in fine sand substrate. At the end of experiment, biometry (first and second ones) and haemocyte count (second one) were made. The behavior of the L. vannamei seems to have been influenced by substrate and stocking density. In low granulometry of the substrate; the exploratory behavior became more frequent and inactivity of the shrimps was reduced. Burrowing was registered in sand substrate, specially in the initial period of the day. Cleaning was gradually higher along the day, presenting the biggest levels as the dark phase approached. The ingestion of feeding was more frequent in low density, and the animals were bigger and heavier at the end of the experiment. In the fine sand condition, the animals presented better growth, probably associated with the burrowing. The molting was equivalent in all types of substrate, but it was more frequent in high densities. Mortality of the shrimps was more frequent in high densities, and cannibalism and diseases were also registered in that condition. The clinical signals were similar to the ones of infectious mionecrosis (IMNV), generally associated with environment and physical stress. The haemocyte count was low for the hematologic standards of the penaeid, which we attributed for greater dilution of haemolymph in the postmolting phase. Smaller shrimps presented lower levels of haemocytes in relation to the bigger animals, count was also low in 26 shrimp/m2 density. The study demonstrates that stocking density and the granulometry of the substrate can affect the welfare, the health and the behavior of the L. vannamei. The sand substrate and low stocking density can be important tools in the management systems of shrimp production

O médico diante da morte na urgência e emergência:reflexões sobre o ser médico

The literature pointed that the way which people deal with death have been changing along centuries, and nowadays what is realized it is that, each time more, the human being have difficulties to deal with death. Due to the fact that the main function of the physician is to save their patients lives; responsibility that is aggravated by the necessity of to take decisions quickly, once he need to deal with the unexpected situations of the urgency and emergency, many times these professional have to face of impotency and fail situations, when he lose a patient. The main goal of this study was to understand the experience of physicians that work in the urgency and emergency, in front of death. These questioning it justified by the fact of the physicians do not have, many times, a space to express their suffering and anguish about the issues related to death in their work routine, despite lifedeath question to be often present their everyday. It is still possible to verify in the literature, an appointment of the necessity of to include in the curriculum of Medicine courses, subjects that approach such questions. The method used was based on the existential-phenomenological perspective, using as instrument the participant observation, to the intent of understand the routine in the urgency and emergency context, and semi-structured interview. It was interviewed six physicians that work in the urgency and emergency of the most important hospital of public health system of Natal-RN. The results showed that the physicians reported pleasure in work in the urgency and emergency, despite of they presented stress and the difficulties that they deal with in the public system. Despite of the fact that the death to be considered as a phenomenon that make part of the physician s routine, sometimes, deals with these one is more difficult. Many times losses generate an impotency and guilty feeling, as well as questionings about their performance during the attempts to save lives. We verified, from this study, the importance of the existence of some kind of intervention in the emergency, in order to the physicians can elaborate the questions about death and die emerged in their work. We consider yet that this study corroborates and reiterates the discussions concerning the importance of this thematic to be approached in a more effective way, during the academic formation of these professionals, as well as, the importance of a larger investment from the part of Government in the urgency and emergency sector, in order to propitiate to these professionals a work that brings less harmful for their health