A doença como ponto de mutação :os processos de significação em mulheres portadores de lúpus eritematoso sistêmico

Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a chronic and auto-immune disease that can affect several systems of one´s body, including the nervous system, causing several clinical evidences, which can put in risk the person´s life. Although the illness could manifest itself at any age or sex, studies indicate higher incidence among women. Its etiology points to the combination of genetic, hormonal and environmental factors. Due to the disease´s complexity, it is evident that it affects all the person´s life as a whole and not only its organic dimension. It is believed that the signification attributed to all the process of sickening influences its treatment, as well as the person´s capacity to cope with the difficulties and implicit profits involved in the process.In this study, eight women who were affected by SLE were interviewed, with the aim of examining carefully the processes of signification as well as the generation of meanings which permeate these women´s sickening processes. The analysis of their speeches evidences distinct forms of giving meaning to the process, regardless of the time of the diagnosis. The fact that the disease is incurable was shocking to all the participants, and it demanded changes in their lives, in order to detain a relative control of their condition. The majority of the participants were able to deal with these modifications, since strategies have been created to face the difficulties and thus to preserve their social life, without damaging their health. However, some of the participants did not obtain strenght to cope with the disease, eventually developing a depressive state. It is observed that not only SLE has innumerable ways of manifestation, but the experience of the illness is very subjective and dynamic. There are also several ways of expressing this experience, according to the implications in the social, cultural and economic context where the participants are inserted. This ratifies the necessity of a interdisciplinary approach to embrace SLE complexity. (310 words, 1.610 characters)

Avaliação clínica da saúde bucal de crianças com neoplasias malignas atendidas no Hospital Infantil Varela Santiago em Natal-RN

The childhood cancer is characterized by a predominance of hematogenic and lymphatic system neoplasm, although a fTequency of the central nervous system tumors and sarcomas are widely common. Particularities of many childhood cancers and the adverses effect of the antineoplastic agents can change radically the oral environrnent and predisposes to the risk of oral complications. This study assessment clinically the oral health of 40 children on treatment for different types of malignant neoplasm with age range of O to 1S years old (Group I) and compared to 38 nonnal children in the same age range (Group lI). The results shown that nonnal patients had a gingival bleeding index (GBI) and caries experience minar than patients of Group lI, the visivel plaque index (VPI) was lightly higher in patients of Group 1. There was not difference statistically significant in the variables. Sixteen patients of Group I developed together 61 oral complications with predominance of mucositis, followed by spontaneous oral bleeding, candidiasis and xerostomy, that complication were most commons in patients with systemic neoplasm. Its was concluded that patients submitted to antineoplastic therapy with poor oral health had a higher risk to develop oral complications

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

A Zona Incerta no sagüi (Callithrix jacchus): Análise Citoarquitetônica, Neuroquímica e Projeção Retiniana

The retinal projections in mammals usually reach, classically, three major functional systems: the primary visual system, the accessory optic system, and the circadian timing system. But the retinal projections also reach areas classically considered non-visual, one of which groups the neurons of the zona incerta (ZI), target this study. The primary visual system includes thalamic lateral geniculate complex is formed by the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, intergeniculate leaflet and the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus and other Components. The accessory optic system is composed of the small nuclei: nuclei terminal dorsal, lateral, medial and the interstitial nucleus of the superior posterior fasciculus. These nuclei are involved in visuo-motor activities. The circadian timing system is comprised of the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, that act as master circadian pacemaker, entraining pathways and efferents pathways to the efectors, and the intergeniculate leaflet, that seems to act as a modulator of the pacemaker. The retinal projections too reach classically considered non-visual areas, including the zona incerta. This region is localized in the ventral thalamus and has been implicated in various functional properties including nociceptive and somatosensory processing, motor response, sociosexual behaviour, feeding and drinking, in symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases, arousal and attention. It also displays connection with several areas of central nervous system. The aim of this study was characterize the retinal projection in the zona incerta of Callithrix jacchus (sagüi), a primate of the New World through the anterograde axonal transport of the cholera toxin subunit b and analyze the citoarchicteture using Nissl and NeuN, and neurochemical substances such as serotonin, GABA, VIP, VP, GFAP and binding-calcium proteins. The zona incerta showed a different division of the literature in citoarquitetura, both by means of Nissl as neurochemical by NeuN, with a subdivision ventrolateral and dorsomedial. The neurochemical to the other substances corroborate with this subdivision. The GFAP was almost completely negative for the zona incerta, result non evidenced in previous studies yet. The 16 retinal projection in sagüi, unlike other primates and rodents, reached the caudal portion only. This work helps to make further studies are conducted based on this subdivision and the localization of the neurochemical substances associated with possible behaviors that the zona incerta is involved

Investigação da capacidade intelectiva de pacientes pediátricos diagnosticados com tumores de fossa posterior

Central Nervous System are the most common pediatric solid tumors. 60% of these tumors arise in posterior fossa, mainly in cerebellum. The first therapeutic approach is surgical resection. Malignant tumors require additional strategies - chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The increasing survival evidences that childhood brain tumors result in academic and social difficulties that compromise the quality of life of the patients. This study investigated the intellectual functioning of children between 7 to 15 years diagnosed with posterior fossa tumors and treated at CEHOPE - Recife / PE. 21 children were eligible - including 13 children with pilocytic astrocytoma (G1) who underwent only surgery resection, and eight children with medulloblastoma (G2) - submitted to surgical resection, chemotherapy and craniospinal radiotherapy. Participants were evaluated by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - WISC-III. Children of G1 scored better than children of G2. Inferential tools (Mann-Whitney Ü Test) identified significant diferences (p ≤ 0.05) between the Performance IQ (PIQ) and Processing Speed Index (PSI) as a function of treatment modality; Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), PIQ and PSI as a function of parental educational level; PIQ, FSIQ, IVP and Freedom from Distractibility (FDI) as a function of time between diagnosis and evaluation. These results showed the late and progressive impact of radiotherapy on white matter and information processing speed. Furthermore, children whose parents have higher educational level showed better intellectual performance, indicating the influence of xxii socio-cultural variables on cognitive development. The impact of cancer and its treatment on cognitive development and learning should not be underestimated. These results support the need to increase the understanding of such effects in order to propose therapeutic strategies which ensure that, in addition to the cure, the full development of children with this pathology