Polymorphism In Lep And Lepr May Modify Leptin Levels And Represent Risk Factors For Thyroid Cancer.

Purpose. To understand the role of polymorphisms in the LEP (rs7799039 and rs2167270) and LEPR (rs1137101 and rs1137100) genes in DTC susceptibility and their effect on leptin levels. Methods. We studied 153 patients with DTC and 234 controls through TaqMan SNP Genotyping and ELISA, comparing these data to the clinicopathological data of patients with DTC. Results. Patients with AA genotype of rs7799039 had higher levels of serum leptin (9.22 ± 0.98 ng/mL) than those with AG genotype (10.07 ± 0.60 ng/mL; P = 0.005). Individuals with AG genotype of rs2167270 also produced higher serum leptin levels (10.05 ± 0.59 ng/mL) than the subjects with GG genotype (9.52 ± 0.79 ng/mL; P < 0.05). A multivariate logistic regression adjusted for gender, age, and BMI showed that the AG genotype of rs7799039 was an independent risk for DTC (OR, 11.689; P = 0.0183; 95% CI, 1.516-90.119). Similarly, AG and GG genotypes of rs1137101 increased the susceptibility to DTC (OR, 3.747; P = 0.027; 95% CI, 1.161-12.092 and OR, 5.437; P = 0.013; 95% CI, 1.426-20.729). Conclusions. We demonstrated that rs7799039 and rs2167270 polymorphisms modify the serum leptin concentrations in patients with DTC. Furthermore, polymorphisms rs7799039 and rs1137101 increase the risk of DTC development, although they do not correlate with tumor aggressiveness.

Contribution Of Antepartum And Intrapartum Hemorrhage To The Burden Of Maternal Near Miss And Death In A National Surveillance Study.

To evaluate the occurrence of severe obstetric complications associated with antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage among women from the Brazilian Network for Surveillance of Severe Maternal Morbidity. Multicenter cross-sectional study. Twenty-seven obstetric referral units in Brazil between July 2009 and June 2010. A total of 9555 women categorized as having obstetric complications. The occurrence of potentially life-threatening conditions, maternal near miss and maternal deaths associated with antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage was evaluated. Sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics and the use of criteria for management of severe bleeding were also assessed in these women. The prevalence ratios with their respective 95% confidence intervals adjusted for the cluster effect of the design, and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to identify factors independently associated with the occurrence of severe maternal outcome. Antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage occurred in only 8% (767) of women experiencing any type of obstetric complication. However, it was responsible for 18.2% (140) of maternal near miss and 10% (14) of maternal death cases. On multivariate analysis, maternal age and previous cesarean section were shown to be independently associated with an increased risk of severe maternal outcome (near miss or death). Severe maternal outcome due to antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage was highly prevalent among Brazilian women. Certain risk factors, maternal age and previous cesarean delivery in particular, were associated with the occurrence of bleeding.

Investigation Of Genetic Factors Underlying Typical Orofacial Clefts: Mutational Screening And Copy Number Variation.

Typical orofacial clefts (OFCs) comprise cleft lip, cleft palate and cleft lip and palate. The complex etiology has been postulated to involve chromosome rearrangements, gene mutations and environmental factors. A group of genes including IRF6, FOXE1, GLI2, MSX2, SKI, SATB2, MSX1 and FGF has been implicated in the etiology of OFCs. Recently, the role of the copy number variations (CNVs) has been studied in genetic defects and diseases. CNVs act by modifying gene expression, disrupting gene sequence or altering gene dosage. The aims of this study were to screen the above-mentioned genes and to investigate CNVs in patients with OFCs. The sample was composed of 23 unrelated individuals who were grouped according to phenotype (associated with other anomalies or isolated) and familial recurrence. New sequence variants in GLI2, MSX1 and FGF8 were detected in patients, but not in their parents, as well as in 200 control chromosomes, indicating that these were rare variants. CNV screening identified new genes that can influence OFC pathogenesis, particularly highlighting TCEB3 and KIF7, that could be further analyzed. The findings of the present study suggest that the mechanism underlying CNV associated with sequence variants may play a role in the etiology of OFC.

Factors Controlling The Deposition Of Silk Fibroin Nanofibrils During Layer-by-layer Assembly.

The layer-by-layer technique has been used as a powerful method to produce multilayer thin films with tunable properties. When natural polymers are employed, complicated phenomena such as self-aggregation and fibrilogenesis can occur, making it more difficult to obtain and characterize high-quality films. The weak acid and base character of such materials provides multilayer systems that may differ from those found with synthetic polymers due to strong self-organization effects. Specifically, LbL films prepared with chitosan and silk fibroin (SF) often involve the deposition of fibroin fibrils, which can influence the assembly process, surface properties, and overall film functionality. In this case, one has the intriguing possibility of realizing multilayer thin films with aligned nanofibers. In this article, we propose a strategy to control fibroin fibril formation by adjusting the assembly partner. Aligned fibroin fibrils were formed when chitosan was used as the counterpart, whereas no fibrils were observed when poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) was used. Charge density, which is higher in PAH, apparently stabilizes SF aggregates on the nanometer scale, thereby preventing their organization into fibrils. The drying step between the deposition of each layer was also crucial for film formation, as it stabilizes the SF molecules. Preliminary cell studies with optimized multilayers indicated that cell viability of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts remained between 90 and 100% after surface seeding, showing the potential application of the films in the biomedical field, as coatings and functional surfaces.

Azul de metileno imobilizado na celulose/TiO2 e SiO2/TiO2: propriedades eletroquímicas e planejamento fatorial

The electrochemical properties of methylene blue immobilized on cellulose/TiO2 and mixed oxide SiO2/TiO2 matrices were investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry. The electron mediator property of the methylene blue was optimized using a factorial design, consisting of four factors in two levels. The experimental observations and data analyses on the system indicate that the lowest peak separation occurs for Sil/TiOAM, 1.0 mol L-1 KCl solution and 20 mV s-1 scan rate, while values of current ratio closest to unity were found for Cel/TiOAM independent of electrolyte concentration, 0.2 or 1.0 mol L-1, and scan rate, 20 mV s-1 or 60 mV s-1.

Conseqüências da análise incorreta de experimentos blocados

Errors are always present in experimental measurements so, it is important to identify them and understand how they affect the results of experiments. Statistics suggest that the execution of experiments should follow random order, but unfortunately the complete randomization of experiments is not always viable for practical reasons. One possible simplification is blocked experiments within which the levels of certain factors are maintained fixed while the levels of others are randomized. However this has a cost. Although the experimental part is simplified, the statistical analysis becomes more complex.

Otimização das condições de extração de saponinas em Ampelozizyphus amazonicus usando planejamento experimental e metodologia de superfície de resposta

This works describes the use of experimental design and surface response methodology for optimization of saponin extraction from Ampelozizyphus amazonicus. For this purpose, a method employing extraction based on maceration assisted by ultrasound technique was utilized. The following factors were studied: extraction length of time and solvent composition. The total saponin was determined by using a gravimetric method and the results expressed by their relative proportion to total crude extract. For the specific condition, 60% hydro-alcoholic solution and 18 minutes extraction length of time has shown the best results. This method can be useful for extraction of substances with biological importance

Rigidez do papelão ondulado: comparação entre resultados experimentais e os obtidos por cálculo analítico

Cardboard packing for horticultural products has as main function to protect them. The design of a cardboard packing request the knowledge of the bending stiffens which is depending on the modulus of elasticity. The objective of this work was to calculate the cardboard modulus of elasticity from data obtained in laboratory using physical characterization test, with different methods, and comparing the results with the values obtained experimentally. Ten samples of each cardboard selected for this study were tested in the paper fabrication direction and in its transverse direction. The papers liner and medium resistance to the traction, used to calculate the bending stiffness, was determined in a universal machine test. To obtaining of the bending stiffens the four points test was accomplished. Expressive variations among the methods from which the modulus of elasticity is obtained were observed and that influence the bending stiffness of the structure. The stiffness values obtained experimentally were always greater than the values obtained from analytical method. This difference can be attributed to two factors, the production processes that assurance a larger rigidity than the components separately and the addition of the adhesive layer that is not taken in consideration in the analytic calculations.

Factors associated with the prevalence of hypertension and control practices among elderly residents of São Paulo city, Brazil

The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of hypertension and control practices among the elderly. The survey analyzed data from 872 elderly people in São Paulo, Brazil, through a cluster sampling, stratified according to education and income. A Poisson multiple regression model checked for the existence of factors associated with hypertension. The prevalence of self-reported hypertension among the elderly was 46.9%. Variables associated with hypertension were self-rated health, alcohol consumption, gender, and hospitalization in the last year, regardless of age. The three most common measures taken to control hypertension, but only rarely, are oral medication, routine salt-free diet and physical activity. Lifestyle and socioeconomic status did not affect the practice of control, but knowledge about the importance of physical activity was higher among those older people with higher education and greater income. The research suggests that health policies that focus on primary care to encourage lifestyle changes among the elderly are necessary.

Factors associated with low life life satisfaction in community-dwelling elderly: FIBRA Study

The objectives were to identify factors associated with decreased life satisfaction in community-dwelling elderly and describe such factors according to gender and age bracket. The study interviewed 2,472 elderly individuals 65 years or older without cognitive deficits suggestive of dementia, in probabilistic samples from seven Brazilian cities. All measures were self-reported except for functional performance, indicated by handgrip and gait speed. Women had more chronic diseases, worse functional performance, and greater social involvement when compared to men. The oldest participants showed worse functional performance and less social involvement when compared to the youngest. Low satisfaction was associated with three or more diseases, memory problems, low social involvement, low handgrip strength, and urinary incontinence. The authors conclude that health, functional performance, and social involvement interact with well-being, so interventions targeting these areas can favor quality of life for the elderly.

Brazilian multicentre study of common mental disorders in primary care: rates and related social and demographic factors

Mental health problems are common in primary health care, particularly anxiety and depression. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders and their associations with socio-demographic characteristics in primary care in Brazil (Family Health Strategy). It involved a multicenter cross-sectional study with patients from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza (Ceará State) and Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul State), assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The rate of mental disorders in patients from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza and Porto Alegre were found to be, respectively, 51.9%, 53.3%, 64.3% and 57.7% with significant differences between Porto Alegre and Fortaleza compared to Rio de Janeiro after adjusting for confounders. Prevalence proportions of mental problems were especially common for females, the unemployed, those with less education and those with lower incomes. In the context of the Brazilian government's moves towards developing primary health care and reorganizing mental health policies it is relevant to consider common mental disorders as a priority alongside other chronic health conditions.

A dimensão prática na preparação profissional em educação física : concepção e organização acadêmica

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Tempo de reação, tempo de movimento e aquisição de timing antecipatorio em idosos

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Contribution Of Antepartum And Intrapartum Hemorrhage To The Burden Of Maternal Near Miss And Death In A National Surveillance Study

Objective To evaluate the occurrence of severe obstetric complications associated with antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage among women from the Brazilian Network for Surveillance of Severe Maternal Morbidity.Design Multicenter cross-sectional study.Setting Twenty-seven obstetric referral units in Brazil between July 2009 and June 2010.Population A total of 9555 women categorized as having obstetric complications.Methods The occurrence of potentially life-threatening conditions, maternal near miss and maternal deaths associated with antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage was evaluated. Sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics and the use of criteria for management of severe bleeding were also assessed in these women.Main outcome measures The prevalence ratios with their respective 95% confidence intervals adjusted for the cluster effect of the design, and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to identify factors independently associated with the occurrence of severe maternal outcome.Results Antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage occurred in only 8% (767) of women experiencing any type of obstetric complication. However, it was responsible for 18.2% (140) of maternal near miss and 10% (14) of maternal death cases. On multivariate analysis, maternal age and previous cesarean section were shown to be independently associated with an increased risk of severe maternal outcome (near miss or death).Conclusion Severe maternal outcome due to antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage was highly prevalent among Brazilian women. Certain risk factors, maternal age and previous cesarean delivery in particular, were associated with the occurrence of bleeding.