Effect of intravenous alizapride on spinal morphine-induced pruritus

Background. This double-blind study was undertaken to determine whether alizapride inhibits spinal morphine-induced pruritus.Methods. Eighty-four patients undergoing Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia (100 mg of hyperbaric lidocaine 5% plus morphine 0.2 mg) were randomly allocated to one of two groups. just after birth, alizapride-50 mg (alizapride group) or metoclopramide 10 mg (metoclopramide group) were injected i.v. Patients were assessed after surgery for pruritus (absent, mild, moderate or severe) or other untoward symptoms.Results. In the metoclopramide group, pruritus was absent in 5 (12%) patients, mild in 23 (55%), moderate in 11 (26%), and severe in 3 (7%), while in the alizapride group, these incidences were, respectively, 5 (12%), 33 (79%), 4 (10%), and 0 (P=0.045, chi(2)-test). There was no difference in the incidence of side-effects, which were all minor.Conclusions. Alizapride reduced the severity of morphine-induced pruritus.

Edema cerebral crônico na neurocisticercose

Neste estudo retrospectivo, relatam-se as características clínicas do edema cerebral crônico (ECCr) em 34 pacientes com neurocisticercose (NCC), que apresentavam edema cerebral difuso, à tomografia computadorizada (TC), como característica comum. Todos foram tratados com dextroclorofeniramina e, 32 deles, com albendazol. O ECCr predominou no sexo feminino (73,5%) na faixa etária dos 11 - 40 anos (92,3%). A cefaléia ocorreu em 94,1% dos pacientes, náuseas/vômitos em 47,1%, crises epilépticas em 41,1% e distúrbios psíquicos em 38,2%. A hiperreflexia ocorreu em 82,3% e o papiledema em 58,8% e o exame neurológico normal em 11,8%. Na TC, o edema esteve associado a calcificações em 61,8% dos casos. As pressões liquóricas foram mais elevadas (p< 0,05) antes do tratamento. Atualmente, estão assintomáticos, ou com melhora clínica, 79,4% dos pacientes (57,1% deles sem medicação). Discute-se a possibilidade do ECCr, na NCC, ser uma manifestação antigênica, sem a presença concomitante de cistos parasitários, e poder representar mais uma condição clínica associada à hipertensão intracraniana benigna.

Polinização do dendezeiro por besouros no sul da Bahia

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a taxa de fecundação de dendezeiros, após introdução de Elaeidobius kamerunicus, no Sul da Bahia, e a flutuação populacional, distribuição espacial e a influência de fatores meteorológicos sobre E. kamerunicus e E. subvittatus. Análises físicas de 12 mil espiguetas de dendezeiros foram realizadas em 2004-2006. Na avaliação da relação entre a temperatura média mensal e o total mensal de indivíduos de E. kamerunicus e E. subvittatus, utilizou-se a correlação de Pearson. A taxa de fecundação foi de 79,4%, um incremento de 19% quando comparado aos dendezeiros polinizados apenas por E. subvittatus. Plantios comerciais de dendezeiros em Ituberá e Nazaré, BA, apresentaram taxas médias de fecundações de 76%. E. kamerunicus foi dominante nos plantios de dendezeiro de Una, BA. Populações de E. kamerunicus sobrepujaram as de E. subvittatus, em todos os municípios onde existem grandes maciços de dendezeiros subespontâneos. No entanto, em Itapebi, BA, as populações de E. subvittatus superaram as de E. kamerunicus. A temperatura e a precipitação pluvial afetam a atividade de vôo e densidade populacional de E. subvittatus.

Results of prostate cancer screening in non-symptomatic men

Objectives: To verify prostate cancer prevalence in non-symptomatic men between 50 and 70 years old as well as cancer characteristics. Material and Methods: 2815 non-symptomatic men had total PSA and digital rectal examination performed between March 1998 and April 1998. Racial distribution was: 2331 Caucasians (83.9%), 373 Blacks (13.4%) and 75 Asiatic (2.7%). PSA was normal in 2554 (91.4%), 4 to 10 in 177 (6.3%) and greater than 10 in 64 (2.3%). DRE was normal in 2419 (86.3%), suspicious in 347 (12.4%) and characteristic for cancer in 37 (1.3%). Men with abnormal DRE and/or PSA had transrectal prostate biopsy indicated. Results: 461 biopsies were done and 78 tumors was detected (prevalence = 2.8%). Prevalence was progressively higher with age (p < 0.001), PSA level (p < 0.0001) and DRE findings (p = 0.0216). Cancer prevalence in Blacks was 1.65 times higher than in Caucasians (p > 0.05) and 94.9% of detected tumors were moderately or poorly differentiated. Sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and total accuracy for PSA were respectively: 66.6%; 89.7%; 51.7%; 94.2% and 86.5%. For DRE, the respective values were: 49.1%; 79.4%; 50.9%; 78.3% and 70.3%. Conclusions: prostate cancer prevalence in the studied population (2.8%) was similar to that of other countries populations. Cancer prevalence in blacks was 1.65 times higher than in Caucasians (difference was not statistically significant). Cancer prevalence becomes higher with aging. The association of DRE and PSA is of paramount importance for cancer diagnosis. The great majority of detected tumors (94.9%) was moderately and poorly differentiated. Brazil probably needs regional studies to better characterize prostate cancer epidemiology due to population heterogeneity.

Disponibilidade, composição bromatológica e consumo de matéria seca em pastagem consorciada de Brachiaria decumbens com Stylosanthes guianensis

The objective of this work was to evaluate the herbage availability, nutritive value, dry matter intake and grass and legume percentage in diet of crossbred Holstein-Zebu cows, in pasture with Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, Stylosanthes guianensis var. vulgaris cv. Mineirão and tree legumes. To estimate the fecal output, it was used 10 g cow -1 day -1 of chromium oxide during ten consecutive days. Extrusa samples were used to determine the chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility. B. decumbens availability varied with climatic conditions, while S. guianensis availability decreased linearly along the experimental period. Dry matter intake was higher in May/2001 (1.9% body weight) and did not differ among other months (1.5% body weight). Low dry matter intake values were related to low in vitro dry matter digestibility coefficients (42.1 % to 48.0%) and high neutral detergent fiber content (70.2% to 79.4%). Dry matter intake was directly related to legume percentage in the pasture. This observation could indicate the potential of mixed pasture for improving nutritive value in dairy cattle diet.

The Development of a Universal In Silico Predictor of Protein-Protein Interactions

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are essential for understanding the function of biological systems and have been characterized using a vast array of experimental techniques. These techniques detect only a small proportion of all PPIs and are labor intensive and time consuming. Therefore, the development of computational methods capable of predicting PPIs accelerates the pace of discovery of new interactions. This paper reports a machine learning-based prediction model, the Universal In Silico Predictor of Protein-Protein Interactions (UNISPPI), which is a decision tree model that can reliably predict PPIs for all species (including proteins from parasite-host associations) using only 20 combinations of amino acids frequencies from interacting and non-interacting proteins as learning features. UNISPPI was able to correctly classify 79.4% and 72.6% of experimentally supported interactions and non-interacting protein pairs, respectively, from an independent test set. Moreover, UNISPPI suggests that the frequencies of the amino acids asparagine, cysteine and isoleucine are important features for distinguishing between interacting and non-interacting protein pairs. We envisage that UNISPPI can be a useful tool for prioritizing interactions for experimental validation. © 2013 Valente et al.

Efeito da densidade de estocagem na sobrevivência e crescimento do pampo (Trachinotus carolinus) em tanques-rede marinhos

Pós-graduação em Aquicultura - FCAV

Programa de exercícios físicos: análise dos fatores de risco cardiovaculares e biomarcadores de inflamação e estresse oxidativo em diabéticas exercitadas e não exercitadas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Polinização de dendezeiro por Elaeidobius subvittatus Faust e Elaeidobius kamerunicus Faust (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) no sul do Estado da Bahia

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Vitrificação de ovócitos e embriões bovinos utilizando-se etilenoglicol, dimetilsulfóxido e dimetilformamida como agentes crioprotetores

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

Frequency of HLA-B27 alleles in Brazilian patients with psoriatic arthritis

This prospective study analyzed the frequency of HLA-B27 and its alleles in 102 Brazilian patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The association of the HLA-B27 alleles with these variants was compared to a control healthy HLA-B27 positive group of 111 individuals. There was a predominance of male gender (59.8%), Caucasian race (89.2%), and negative HLA-B27 (79.4%) patients. Asymmetric oligoarthritis (62.7%) was the most frequently observed clinical PsA subgroup, followed by spondylitis (16.7%), and polyarthritis (15.7%). Male gender and the spondylitis subgroup were statistically associated to the positive HLA-B27, and the oligoarthritis subgroup was associated to the negative HLA-B27. Among the 21 HLA-B27-positive PsA patients, there was a significant prevalence of the HLA-B*2705 allele (90.5%), similar to that observed in the control group (80.2%); HLA-B*2703 and HLA-B*2707 were statistically associated to the control group.

Validação dos parâmetros aeróbio e anaeróbio a partir de protocolo não invasivo aplicado ao exercício resistido - supino reto

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of critical force test from maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) during resistance test using straight bench press. Five healthy male volunteers aged (22.6 ± 2.88 years), weight (76.3 ± 11.49 kg) e height (182.6 ± 7.54cm), trained in resistance exercise, and performed four diferent test to determine: one maximal effort (1RM), critical force using the critical power model (force vs 1/time limit - 20, 25 and 30% 1RM). The CF was the linear coefficient and the anaerobic impulse capacity (CIA) was the angular. MLSS was determined using loads of 80, 90, 100 and 110% of critical force. Blood lactate samples were abtained at each 300sec between each stage of total 1200sec. Maximal 30s test (M30) was accomplished with load of 25% of body weight in SBP. The results showed that the 1 RM was 79.4 Kgf (± 16.98), CF 10.1N (± 2.25), CIA 1756.82 N.s (± 546.96) and the R² 0.984 (± 0,02). The MLSS occurs at 100% CF load. The lactate concentration at the MLSS was 2.2 mmol/L (± 0.77). Significant correlation was observed between MLSS and CF on SBP (r = 0.88 p = 0.05). In M30 the minimum, mean and peak power were (25.0 ± 4.9, 28.0 ± 4.9, and 30.0 ± 4.6 kgf.rps, respectively). The fatigue index was 18.0% (± 6,8). The M30 was significantly correlated with Ppeak and Pmean (r = 0.98 for both, p = 0.003). The CF means has been validated to predict the resistance training and the CIA show to be a representative anaerobic parameter in straight bench press.

Satisfação dos Usuários do Ambulatório Geral do Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu

The searches for a health service it’s a part of a process, searches for a qualified evaluation can arise the perception, in form of irritating factors taking for an alert state. The personal expectation, it makes influence in its perceptions, too. The objective was to evaluate the satisfaction degree of the users of “Seção Técnica de Ambulatório Geral do Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu”. The work is about a quantitative and transversal study, with calculated sample of 366 users, chosen randomly and invited to participate through a questionnaire. The population was compounded by a majority of women (64,5%), between 50 to 59 years old and average degree of education (38,3%). 25 specialties were cited. The evaluate about comfort, cleaning, reception, waiting time, medical attention and nursing vary between “very good” and “good”. Obtained significant “regular” assessment, the comfort in the waiting rooms (24%), silence (25%) and cleaning bathroom (63%). Others negative evaluation was the reception about the waiting time (26%), waiting time between arrival and the consultation (34%), waiting time between the request and consultation (27%). 30,6% report to know the place for complaints and 79,4% of these pointed to the ombudsman. 62% consider their problems solved, 84,4% would indicate the hospital, 57,4% would consider the hospital better than imagined. 42,62% used the opened area for thanking, critical for staff, suggestion infrastructure improvements, cleaning and waiting time. The biggest complaint was the staff turnover in the treatment. There was disharmony between the objective and subjective questions, but, all of them must be considered to propose improvements. The satisfaction evaluation makes the service more effective, bringing credibility to the health service and the patients adhere better to the treatment

Bioactive compounds of the lipid fractions of agro-industrial waste

This study aimed at evaluating the oils extracted from seeds originating from agro-industrial waste, in order to identify the presence of bioactive compounds. Therefore, determinations of fatty acid profile, triacylglycerols, tocopherol composition, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, total carotenoids, and antioxidant capacity were performed in the oils of grape, guava, melon, passion fruit, pumpkin, soursop, and tomato seeds. Antioxidant capacity analysis was performed by the methods DPPH• , ABTS•+, FRAP, and β-carotene/linoleic acid, besides measure of oxidative stability in the oils. The oils showed to be predominantly unsaturated with high percentage of linoleic essential fatty acid (38.8 to 79.4%), besides presenting significant quantities of tocopherols, phytosterols, and phenolic compounds. Tomato and guava oils showed better results in the antioxidant capacity tests and pumpkin oil had higher induction period in the oxidative stability test (65.3 h). The results obtained in this study collect information that enables the use of new alternative sources of vegetable oils, obtained from agroindustrial waste, which may serve as raw material for food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries.

Estimativa da radiação solar global em estufa de polietileno a partir do brilho solar

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)