Sexual behavior, neuroendocrine, and neurochemical aspects in male rats exposed prenatally to stress

The present study was designed to examine some short- and long-term effects of maternal restraint stress-during the period of sexual brain differentiation-on reproductive and endocrine systems, sexual behavior, and brain neurotransmitters in male rat descendants. Pregnant rats were exposed to restraint stress for 1 h/day from gestational days (GDs) 18 to 22. Prenatal stress did not influence the wet weight of sexual organs and the quantity of germ cells in adult male pups; however, these animals showed reduced testosterone levels, delayed latency to the first mount and first intromission, and also decreased number of ejaculations. Additionally, there was an increase in the dopamine and serotonin levels in the striatum. Our results indicate that prenatal stress had a long-term effect on neurotransmitter levels and sexual behavior. In this sense, reproductive problems caused by injuries during the fetal period can compromise the later success of mating as well as the capacity to generate descendants. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of prenatal hydrocortisone acetate exposure on fertility and sexual behavior in male rats

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of hydrocortisone during the prenatal period and its later repercussions on the fertility and sexual behavior of male rats. Pregnant rats were treated (s.c.) with hydrocortisone acetate, at 1.5 mg/day on the 17th, 18th, and 19th days of gestation. Decreased body weight and no alteration in anogenital distance were observed in male offspring. Adulthood, presented reductions of body weight, plasma testosterone levels, and seminal-vesicle wet weight without secretion as well as no alteration in the wet weights of the testes, epididymis, and seminal vesicle with secretion in the treated group. Males exposed to hydrocortisone during the prenatal period were able to mate with normal females, which became pregnant but exhibited an increased number of post-implantation losses. In spite of this, these treated males exhibited decreased male sexual behavior and the appearance of female sexual behavior after these male rats were castrated and pretreated with exogenous estrogen. These results indicate that exposure to hydrocortisone in the later stages of pregnancy may have a long-term effect on the fertility and sexual behavior of mate rats, suggesting an incomplete masculinization and defeminization of the central nervous system. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. (USA). All rights reserved.

Quality of life (QoL) in relation to disease severity in Brazilian Parkinson's patients as measured using the WHOQOL-BREF

This study aimed at evaluating and describing the QoL and its association with the severity of disease among Brazilian Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. In this cross-sectional study 68 PD patients were interviewed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Hoehn-Yahr (HY) scale. Analysis of variance, chi(2), Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests, Spearman and Cronbach reliability coefficients were used to analyze the data. The results indicate: (1) physical capacity was the domain that showed the most deterioration; (2) severity of PD is associated with QoL measured by WHOQOL-BREF; (3) overall QoL, working capacity, activities of daily living (ADL) and self-esteem are affected in both transitional periods in the progression of PD (mild to moderate and moderate to advanced). Satisfaction with general health, pain, energy, positive feelings, personal relationship and satisfaction with home are affected in the first period of transition while mobility, body image, sexual activity and access to information are affected in the second. This study mainly shows specific facets that are affected depending on the specific periods of PD progression, which can help to understand the impact of the disease, the effectiveness of care, and the demand for health care resources. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Avaliação da qualidade de vida de mulheres com HIV/AIDS através do HAT-QoL

Com objetivo de avaliar qualidade de vida entre mulheres portadoras de HIV/AIDS, aplicou-se o HIV/AIDS ­ Quality of Life test (HAT-QoL), instrumento específico para indivíduos infectados pelo HIV. Compõe-se de 42 questões e divide-se em nove domínios com questões sobre diversos aspectos de vida dos portadores. A escala foi submetida à tradução reversa e pré-teste. Sua forma definitiva foi aplicada entre 73 mulheres com HIV/AIDS. Os resultados, após análise estatística, indicaram que os domínios mais comprometidos foram: Preocupações financeiras, Preocupação com sigilo sobre a infecção, Atividades sexuais e Preocupações com a saúde. Esses resultados foram atribuídos ao fato das mulheres apresentarem, além da infecção, uma situação sócio-econômica precária que, provavelmente, também interferiu negativamente em sua qualidade de vida. Concluímos que a escala HAT-QoL foi adequada para a população de mulheres portadoras de HIV deste estudo, apesar de ser originária de uma cultura diferente da brasileira, já que sua aplicação produziu resultados semelhantes aos da literatura internacional.

Reproductive physiology, and physical and sexual development of female offspring born to diabetic dams

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

RAPID analysis reveals genetic variability among sexual and apomictic Paspalum dilatatum poiret biotypes

Paspalum dilatatum is a valuable forage grass in the subtropics. This species consists of several sexual (tetraploid) and apomict (penta- and hexaploid) biotypes. It has been proposed that the presence of a genome of unknown origin, the X genome, is responsible for apomixis in penta- and hexaploid biotypes. Here we evaluated the utility of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers for discriminating sexual and apomictic P dilatatum biotypes. DNA samples from nine accessions, including P. intermedium, P. juergensh, and P dilatatum (ssp. flavescens, and the common and Uruguayan biotypes) were analyzed with 86 RAPID primers. Three hundred sixty-two fragments were scored and genetic similarity estimates revealed that the penta- and hexaploid biotypes were highly similar (S,, greater than or equal to 0.913). Forty RAPDs were unique to the penta- and hexaploid biotypes. Overall RAPID markers were useful for assessing genetic variation among closely related P dilatatum genotypes as well as generating putative X genome markers.

LIFE QUALITY of PEOPLE INFECTED BY HIV WITH OR WITHOUT ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT

The "HIV/Aids-Quality of Life" (HAT-Qol) is a specific multifunctional instrument used to measure the life quality of HIV infected persons. It is divided into nine domains: general activity, sexual activity, secrecy about HIV seropositivity, concern about health, financial concern, awareness about HIV, satisfaction with life, issues about medications and belief in the doctor. The current study analyzed the life quality of HIV infected individuals-who attended the DST/Aids Program in Maringa city, Parana state-regarding the use or not of antiretroviral therapy (TARV) and their demographic, epidemiological and clinical characteristics. Data were collected by retrospective analysis from 1,200 medical charts of patients registered in the program. The HAT-Qol instrument was applied before routine medical consultation. One hundred and sixty-nine patients, who had HIV infection confirmed, were divided into two groups, G1 with 118 individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy and G2 with 51 individuals who were not under this therapy.Result analysis, regarding social and demographic characteristics, revealed no difference among responses related to gender, educational degree and sexual option. Age influenced satisfaction with sexual activity and marital status. Regarding HIV awareness, the lowest response index or worst quality of life came from, respectively, men between 50 and 69 years old and patients who did not have regular partners compared with the ones who did. Additionally, it was observed that the time of diagnosis influenced general activities, HIV awareness, concern about health and financial issues, satisfaction with life and topics about medications. The variables were compared in both groups. There was no influence on the use or not of antiretroviral therapy regarding age, sexual activity, HIV diagnosis time and the domains that evaluated general activities, financial concern, awareness of HIV and satisfaction with life. In relation to time of diagnosis, there was an influence only in persons who had been diagnosed two or three years before, in which a lower quality of life was observed among individuals who were not under antiretroviral therapy. It was not possible to compare variables about medication use, HIV plasmatic viral rate ant time of diagnosis, because G2 individuals were not receiving the antiretroviral therapy. Furthermore, no comparison was made regarding marital status and HIV awareness, because there were no married individuals in G2. Thus, the analysis of the results showed that the use of antiretroviral treatment did not influence the life quality of HIV patients studied by the HAT-Qol scale.

Estudo citogenético e imunocitoquímico em Triatomíneos (Heteroptera, Reduviidae)

Pós-graduação em Genética - IBILCE

Estudo do perfil epidemiológico da violência contra crianças, adolescentes e idosos em registros policiais

Pós-graduação em Odontologia Preventiva e Social - FOA

Sexualidade e envelhecimento na percepção de pessoas idosas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Qualidade de vida de indivíduos infectados pelo HIV com ou sem tratmento anti-retroviral

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Soroprevalência de HTLV/II, e fatores de risco, em gestantes do município de Botucatu atendidas em unidades básicas de saúde

Pós-graduação em Doenças Tropicais - FMB

The relative growth and sexual maturity of the freshwater crab Dilocarcinus pagei (Brachyura, Trichodactylidae) in the northwestern region of the state of São Paulo

The aim of the present study was to determine the size at sexual maturity in the freshwater crab Dilocarcinus pagei Stimpson, 1861, from a population located in Mendonça, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The crabs were sampled monthly (July 2005 to June 2007), at Barra Mansa reservoir. The specimens were captured manually or in sieves passed through the aquatic vegetation. The crabs were captured and separated by sex based on morphology of the pleon and on the number of pleopods. The following dimensions were measured: carapace width (CW); carapace length (CL); propodus length (PL); and abdomen width (AW). The morphological analysis of the gonads was used to identify and categorize individuals according to their stage of development. The morphological maturity was estimated based on the analysis of relative growth based on the allometric equation y = ax b. The gonadal maturity was based on the morphology of the gonads by the method CW50 which indicates the size at which 50% of the individuals in the population showed gonads morphologically mature to reproduction. The biometric relationships that best demonstrated the different patterns of growth for the juvenile and adult stages were CW vs. PL for males and CW vs. AW for females (p<0.001). Based on these relationships, the estimated value to morphological sexual maturity was 21.5 mm (CW) in males and 19.7 mm (CW) in females. The determination of the size at sexual maturity and the adjustment of the data based on the logistic curve (CW50) resulted in a size of 38.2 mm for males and 39.4 mm for females (CW). Based on the data obtained for sexual maturity for D. pagei, we can estimate a minimum size for capture of 40 mm (CW). This minimum size allows at least half of the population to reproduce and retains the juveniles and a portion of the adults in the population.

Tornar-se pai na adolescência: vivências e representações

Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva - FMB

As políticas educacionais do Brasil: a (in)visibilidade da sexualidade e das relações de gênero

The present study, theoretical, aims to talk about educational policies in Brazil, aiming to unveil what they say these policies, the legitimacy and visibility that give coverage of sexuality in schools. Both sexuality and gender relations have gained attention in a Brazilian educational research in the mid-90th century. These policies have been the National Curricular Parameters (PCN). They present the cross-cutting themes: ethics, health, environment, cultural diversity and sexual orientation, which should be integrated into conventional areas of the school said. Another document of this same decade of education is the National Education Plan (PNE), however this encompasses so hidden sexuality and gender relations. In fact, both the new Law of Directives and Bases (LDB), the PNE in these subjects are veiled. An interesting initiative is happening in Brazil is the project Gender and Sexual Diversity (GDE) for the training of professionals in education issues of gender, sexuality and sexual orientation and ethnic-racial relations, is entering the national perspective of implementation public policy of equality and respect for diversity. However, much remains to be done thinking about the effectiveness of public policies that are effective with respect to space and visibility for the treatment of sexuality. We must also articulate the integration of these themes in these policies, strategies to raise awareness of education professionals in order to secure that they are actually implemented.