Developing a research agenda for promoting physical activity in Brazil through environmental and policy change

Objective. To identify the highest priorities for research on environmental and policy changes for promoting physical activity (PA) in Brazil; to uncover any gaps between researchers' and practitioners' priorities; and to consider which tools, methods, collaborative strategies, and actions could be useful to moving a research agenda forward.Methods. This was a mixed-methods study (qualitative and quantitative) conducted by Project GUIA (Guide for Useful Interventions for Activity in Brazil and Latin America) in February 2010-January 2011. A total of 240 individuals in the PA field (186 practitioners and 54 researchers) were asked to generate research ideas; 82 participants provided 266 original statements from which 52 topics emerged. Participants rated topics by "importance" and "feasibility;" a separate convenience sample of 21 individuals categorized them. Cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling were used to create concept maps and pattern matches.Results. Five distinct clusters emerged from the concept mapping, of which " effectiveness and innovation in PA interventions" was rated most important by both practitioners and researchers. Pattern matching showed a divergence between the groups, especially regarding feasibility, where there was no consensus.Conclusions. The study results provided the basis for a research agenda to advance the understanding of environmental and policy influences on PA promotion in Brazil and Latin America. These results should stimulate future research and, ultimately, contribute to the evidence-base of successful PA strategies in Latin America.

Committees for ethics in research involving human subjects

In Brazil since October 1996 there have been guidelines for research involving human subjects. Now human subjects know when their treatment is part of research. Deceit is no longer tolerated. But is not enough to say we offer an explanation to the potential subject and we offer a choice before he or she is confronted with an informed consent form. As in all professional activity, scientific investigation needs social controls. In Brazil, the ultimate responsibility of an investigation lies on the investigator, but in every institution where research is carried out there is a Committee for Ethics in Research. All Committees are subordinated to the National Commission of Ethics in Research, which is submitted to the Brazilian Institute of Health. During 2005 around 17,000 protocols involving 700,000 human subjects were revised by 475 Committees distributed all over the country. Approximately 7,000 people are now working in these Committees.

Validation of Fingernail Fluoride Concentration as a Predictor of Risk for Dental Fluorosis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Teor de flúor na água de poços superficiais

Most of the water supplies in Brasil have a low Fluoride concentration, however there are some places where these concentrations are above the recommended as suitable for human consumption, causing chronicle intoxication, more specifically, dental Fluorosis. This study aimed to know the Fluoride content naturally present in water from 175 shallow wells located in the rural zone of Gabriel Monteiro city, in São Paulo state, in 2004, and to verify if these contents could prevent dental decay. Armed with a map of the city were located and visited all households in which a sample of water used was collected in a polyethylene bottle, then sent to NEPESCO (Collective Health Research Nucleus) laboratory of the Post-Graduation Program of Preventive and Social Dentistry of the Ara atuba Dental School-UNESP, The method used was the Fluoride ion-specific electrode (Orion 9609 BN), coupled to an ion-analyzer (Orion 710 A). The results showed that in 73.36% of the samples in the Fluoride concentrations was considered despicable (<0.10 ppm F). The Fluoride concentration in water sources do not exceed the values recommended by Brazilian legislation, however, considering the low concentrations of Fluoride found in the sources analyzed, it is important to recommend the use of Fluoride products, if used with proper care, aiming to promote oral health in this population.

Effect of alpha-tocopherol on superoxide radical and toxicity of cadmium exposure

Contamination with cadmium compounds poses high potential risk for the health of populations and for this reason the treatment of their toxic effects should urgently be established. The present study was carried out to determine whether or-tocopherol intake can protect tissues against damage induced by cadmium, and to clarify the contribution of superoxide radicals (O-2(-)) in this process. Cadmium chloride was tested for tissue damage by a single intraperitoneal injection of Cd2+ ions (2 mg Kg(-1)). To determine the potential therapeutic effect of Vitamin E, a group of Cd2+-treated rats received a drinking solution of or-tocopherol (40 mg l(-1)) for 15 days. Cadmium induced increased serum creatinine and total lactate dehydrogenase, reflecting renal and cardiac damage. The increased lipoperoxide and decreased Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase levels indicated the generation of superoxide radicals in cadmium-treated rats. Tocopherol induced increased serum high-density lipoprotein and depressed the toxic effects of Ca2+ alone, since creatinine and lactate dehydrogenase determinations were recovered to the control values. Tocopherol decreased lipoperoxide and led the superoxide dismutase activities to approach those of the control values. We concluded that superoxide radicals are produced as mediators of cadmium toxicity. Tocopherol possesses a significant anti-radical activity and inhibits the cadmium effect on superoxide dismutase activity. Tocopherol also protected tissues from the toxic effects of cadmium by a direct antioxidant action which decreased lipoperoxide formation.

Superoxide radical and nephrotoxic effect of cadmium exposure

Pollution and industrial practices result in concentrations of metals and other environmental agents that are related to environmental toxicity. Concentrations of metals are widely related to biochemicals values which are used in disease diagnosis due to environmental toxicity. This work was carried out in order to verify the nephrotoxic effect of cadmium and to clarify the contribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this process. Cadmium chloride was tested for nephrotoxic damage in rats by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection Cd 2+ (2 mg/kg) and oral intake (Cd2 +-100 mg/l-from CdCl 2). The cadmium-induced biochemical alterations included significant increased levels of serum creatinine concentrations, in rats with i.p. injection. Total urinary protein concentrations were only increased in rats with cadmium intake. Lipoperoxide was also increased after 3 and 7 days of the Cd 2+ treatment. No changes were observed in glutathione peroxidase activities. Cadmium-induced damage might be due to superoxide radicals (O 2 -), since Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase activities were decreased by Cd 2+ treatment. This study allows tentative conclusions to be drawn regarding which reactive oxygen metabolites play a role in cadmium nephrotoxicity. We concluded that the superoxide radical may be produced as a mediator of nephrotoxic action of cadmium.

Effect of α-tocopherol on superoxide radical and toxicity of cadmium exposure

Contamination with cadmium compounds poses high potential risk for the health of populations and for this reason the treatment of their toxic effects should urgently be established. The present study was carried out to determine whether α-tocopherol intake can protect tissues against damage induced by cadmium, and to clarify the contribution of superoxide radicals (O 2 -) in this process. Cadmium chloride was tested for tissue damage by a single intraperitoneal injection of Cd 2+ ions (2 mg Kg -1). To determine the potential therapeutic effect of vitamin E, a group of Cd 2+-treated rats received a drinking solution of α-tocopherol (40 mg l -1) for 15 days. Cadmium induced increased serum creatinine and total lactate dehydrogenase, reflecting renal and cardiac damage. The increased lipoperoxide and decreased Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase levels indicated the generation of superoxide radicals in cadmium-treated rats. Tocopherol induced increased serum high-density lipoprotein and depressed the toxic effects of Ca 2+ alone, since creatinine and lactate dehydrogenase determinations were recovered to the control values. Tocopherol decreased lipoperoxide and led the superoxide dismutase activities to approach those of the control values. We concluded that superoxide radicals are produced as mediators of cadmium toxicity. Tocopherol possesses a significant anti-radical activity and inhibits the cadmium effect on superoxide dismutase activity. Tocopherol also protected tissues from the toxic effects of cadmium by a direct antioxidant action which decreased lipoperoxide formation.

Caring for organ donors: The intensive care unit nurses' view

The nursing care for patients who are pronounced brain-dead but kept alive to serve as organ donors demands technical-scientific skills and the ability to handle situations that are often in conflict with the traditional concepts of nursing care. Based on the phenomenological approach in this article, essential themes of the lived experience of caring for these patients, including the technical and specific nursing care, the relationship with organ donors and their families, and the nurses' perception of themselves in this professional situation are described. The results point to the contradictions and ambiguities of this type of nursing, especially in regards to the affective and philosophical aspects.

Relações entre o tempo atmosférico e doenças cardiorespiratórias na cidade de Cordeirópolis-SP

Pós-graduação em Geografia - IGCE

Indicadores objetivos e subjetivos no estudo da qualidade de vida em doença respiratória crônica

Pós-graduação em Geografia - FCT

Desenvolvimento de sistema para gerenciamento de dados de pesquisa

Pós-graduação em Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (Biotecnologia Médica) - FMB

Humanização da saúde na formação de profissionais da fisioterapia

Introduction: the relationship between professional and patient oriented by humanization standards is a current issue in health research, since this relationship influences the processes of physical recovery, pain reduction and quality of life of individuals. However, this is not observed in most graduate programs in health, which emphasize knowledge and methods in the traditional Cartesian thinking. Objective: to evaluate the importance of contents and practices with a focus on issues of embodiment and alterity, from the perspective of the humanization of health in Physiotherapy courses. Method: we used a qualitative method and data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted by five randomly selected physiotherapists, aged between 23 and 36 years, with professional experience between two and thirteen years. The questions were on: physical therapy, physical therapist and patient relationship, work pace, involvement in trade associations, field and insert content and practices of the humanization of health in undergraduate courses. Result: the Physiotherapy graduate courses do not prepare the professional to take a close bond with patients. The application of techniques and protocols are focused on knowledge and do not apply to skills related to living together. Conclusion: the curriculum of graduating courses in health should be revised to expand the capacity of the students to become a professional who take care of patients and act as mediator between techniques and protocols, from the perspective of humanization of health, which requires contents and procedures based on embodiment and alterity.