Burden Of Focal Cryoablation Versus Brachytherapy Versus Active Surveillance In The Treatment Of Very Low-risk Prostate Cancer: A Preliminary Head-to-head Comprehensive Assessment.

Focal cryoablation (FC), brachytherapy (B) and active surveillance (AS) were offered to patients diagnosed with very low-risk prostate cancer (VLRPC) in an equal access protocol. Comprehensive validated self-report questionnaires accessed patients' erectile (IIEF-5) and voiding (IPSS) functions, Beck scales measured anxiety (BAI), hopelessness (BHS) and depression (BDI), SF-36 reflected patients' quality of life added to the emotional thermometers including five visual analogue scales (distress, anxiety, depression, anger and need for help). Kruskal-Wallis or ANOVA tests and Spearman's correlations were obtained among groups and studied variables. Thirty patients were included, median follow-up 18 months (15-21). Those on AS (n = 11) were older, presented higher hopelessness (BHS) and lower general health perceptions (SF-36) scores than patients opting for FC (n = 10) and B (n = 9), P = 0.0014, P = 0.0268 and P = 0.0168 respectively. Patients on B had higher IPSS scores compared to those under FC and AC, P = 0.0223. For all 30 included patients, Spearman's correlation (rs ) was very strong between BHS and general health perceptions (rs  = -0.800, P < 0.0001), and weak/moderate between age and BHS (rs  = 0.405, P = 0.026) and age and general health perceptions (rs  = -0.564, P = 0.001). The sample power was >60%. To be considered in patients' counselling and care, current study supports the hypothesis that even VLRPC when untreated undermines psychosocial domains.

Tradução, adaptação cultural e validação da escala Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) para o português no Brasil = : Translation, cultural adaptation and validation of Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) into Brazilian Portuguese

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

An Isoflavone From Dipteryx Alata Vogel Is Active Against The In Vitro Neuromuscular Paralysis Of Bothrops Jararacussu Snake Venom And Bothropstoxin I, And Prevents Venom-induced Myonecrosis.

Snakebite is a neglected disease and serious health problem in Brazil, with most bites being caused by snakes of the genus Bothrops. Although serum therapy is the primary treatment for systemic envenomation, it is generally ineffective in neutralizing the local effects of these venoms. In this work, we examined the ability of 7,8,3'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone (TM), an isoflavone from Dipteryx alata, to neutralize the neurotoxicity (in mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations) and myotoxicity (assessed by light microscopy) of Bothrops jararacussu snake venom in vitro. The toxicity of TM was assessed using the Salmonella microsome assay (Ames test). Incubation with TM alone (200 μg/mL) did not alter the muscle twitch tension whereas incubation with venom (40 μg/mL) caused irreversible paralysis. Preincubation of TM (200 μg/mL) with venom attenuated the venom-induced neuromuscular blockade by 84% ± 5% (mean ± SEM; n = 4). The neuromuscular blockade caused by bothropstoxin-I (BthTX-I), the major myotoxic PLA2 of this venom, was also attenuated by TM. Histological analysis of diaphragm muscle incubated with TM showed that most fibers were preserved (only 9.2% ± 1.7% were damaged; n = 4) compared to venom alone (50.3% ± 5.4% of fibers damaged; n = 3), and preincubation of TM with venom significantly attenuated the venom-induced damage (only 17% ± 3.4% of fibers damaged; n = 3; p < 0.05 compared to venom alone). TM showed no mutagenicity in the Ames test using Salmonella strains TA98 and TA97a with (+S9) and without (-S9) metabolic activation. These findings indicate that TM is a potentially useful compound for antagonizing the neuromuscular effects (neurotoxicity and myotoxicity) of B. jararacussu venom.

A Microleakage Study Of Gutta-percha/ah Plus And Resilon/real Self-etch Systems After Different Irrigation Protocols.

The development and maintenance of the sealing of the root canal system is the key to the success of root canal treatment. The resin-based adhesive material has the potential to reduce the microleakage of the root canal because of its adhesive properties and penetration into dentinal walls. Moreover, the irrigation protocols may have an influence on the adhesiveness of resin-based sealers to root dentin. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigant protocols on coronal bacterial microleakage of gutta-percha/AH Plus and Resilon/Real Seal Self-etch systems. One hundred ninety pre-molars were used. The teeth were divided into 18 experimental groups according to the irrigation protocols and filling materials used. The protocols used were: distilled water; sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl)+eDTA; NaOCl+H3PO4; NaOCl+eDTA+chlorhexidine (CHX); NaOCl+H3PO4+CHX; CHX+eDTA; CHX+ H3PO4; CHX+eDTA+CHX and CHX+H3PO4+CHX. Gutta-percha/AH Plus or Resilon/Real Seal Se were used as root-filling materials. The coronal microleakage was evaluated for 90 days against Enterococcus faecalis. Data were statistically analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival test, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. No significant difference was verified in the groups using chlorhexidine or sodium hypochlorite during the chemo-mechanical preparation followed by eDTA or phosphoric acid for smear layer removal. The same results were found for filling materials. However, the statistical analyses revealed that a final flush with 2% chlorhexidine reduced significantly the coronal microleakage. A final flush with 2% chlorhexidine after smear layer removal reduces coronal microleakage of teeth filled with gutta-percha/AH Plus or Resilon/Real Seal SE.

Low-density Three-dimensional Foam Using Self-reinforced Hybrid Two-dimensional Atomic Layers.

Low-density nanostructured foams are often limited in applications due to their low mechanical and thermal stabilities. Here we report an approach of building the structural units of three-dimensional (3D) foams using hybrid two-dimensional (2D) atomic layers made of stacked graphene oxide layers reinforced with conformal hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) platelets. The ultra-low density (1/400 times density of graphite) 3D porous structures are scalably synthesized using solution processing method. A layered 3D foam structure forms due to presence of h-BN and significant improvements in the mechanical properties are observed for the hybrid foam structures, over a range of temperatures, compared with pristine graphene oxide or reduced graphene oxide foams. It is found that domains of h-BN layers on the graphene oxide framework help to reinforce the 2D structural units, providing the observed improvement in mechanical integrity of the 3D foam structure.

[gait Speed, Grip Strength And Self-rated Health Among The Elderly: Data From The Fibra Campinas Network, São Paulo, Brazil].

The article seeks to investigate patterns of performance and relationships between grip strength, gait speed and self-rated health, and investigate the relationships between them, considering the variables of gender, age and family income. This was conducted in a probabilistic sample of community-dwelling elderly aged 65 and over, members of a population study on frailty. A total of 689 elderly people without cognitive deficit suggestive of dementia underwent tests of gait speed and grip strength. Comparisons between groups were based on low, medium and high speed and strength. Self-related health was assessed using a 5-point scale. The males and the younger elderly individuals scored significantly higher on grip strength and gait speed than the female and oldest did; the richest scored higher than the poorest on grip strength and gait speed; females and men aged over 80 had weaker grip strength and lower gait speed; slow gait speed and low income arose as risk factors for a worse health evaluation. Lower muscular strength affects the self-rated assessment of health because it results in a reduction in functional capacity, especially in the presence of poverty and a lack of compensatory factors.

Bacterial Diversity Assessment In Soil Of An Active Brazilian Copper Mine Using High-throughput Sequencing Of 16s Rdna Amplicons.

Mining activities pose severe environmental risks worldwide, generating extreme pH conditions and high concentrations of heavy metals, which can have major impacts on the survival of organisms. In this work, pyrosequencing of the V3 region of the 16S rDNA was used to analyze the bacterial communities in soil samples from a Brazilian copper mine. For the analysis, soil samples were collected from the slopes (geotechnical structures) and the surrounding drainage of the Sossego mine (comprising the Sossego and Sequeirinho deposits). The results revealed complex bacterial diversity, and there was no influence of deposit geographic location on the composition of the communities. However, the environment type played an important role in bacterial community divergence; the composition and frequency of OTUs in the slope samples were different from those of the surrounding drainage samples, and Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Gammaproteobacteria were responsible for the observed difference. Chemical analysis indicated that both types of sample presented a high metal content, while the amounts of organic matter and water were higher in the surrounding drainage samples. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (N-MDS) analysis identified organic matter and water as important distinguishing factors between the bacterial communities from the two types of mine environment. Although habitat-specific OTUs were found in both environments, they were more abundant in the surrounding drainage samples (around 50 %), and contributed to the higher bacterial diversity found in this habitat. The slope samples were dominated by a smaller number of phyla, especially Firmicutes. The bacterial communities from the slope and surrounding drainage samples were different in structure and composition, and the organic matter and water present in these environments contributed to the observed differences.

Self-reported Diabetes In Older People: Comparison Of Prevalences And Control Measures.

The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of diabetes in older people and the adopted control measures. Data regarding older diabetic individuals who participated in the Health Surveys conducted in the Municipality of Sao Paulo, SP, ISA-Capital, in 2003 and 2008, which were cross-sectional studies, were analyzed. Prevalences and confidence intervals were compared between 2003 and 2008, according to sociodemographic variables. The combination of the databases was performed when the confidence intervals overlapped. The Chi-square (level of significance of 5%) and the Pearson's Chi-square (Rao-Scott) tests were performed. The variables without overlap between the confidence intervals were not tested. The age of the older adults was 60-69 years. The majority were women, Caucasian, with an income of between > 0.5 and 2.5 times the minimum salary and low levels of schooling. The prevalence of diabetes was 17.6% (95%CI 14.9;20.6) in 2003 and 20.1% (95%CI 17.3;23.1) in 2008, which indicates a growth over this period (p at the limit of significance). The most prevalent measure adopted by the older adults to control diabetes was hypoglycemic agents, followed by diet. Physical activity was not frequent, despite the significant differences observed between 2003 and 2008 results. The use of public health services to control diabetes was significantly higher in older individuals with lower income and lower levels of education. Diabetes is a complex and challenging disease for patients and the health systems. Measures that encourage health promotion practices are necessary because they presented a smaller proportion than the use of hypoglycemic agents. Public health policies should be implemented, and aimed mainly at older individuals with low income and schooling levels. These changes are essential to improve the health condition of older diabetic patients.

The Characterization Of The Endoglucanase Cel12a From Gloeophyllum Trabeum Reveals An Enzyme Highly Active On β-glucan.

The basidiomycete fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum causes a typical brown rot and is known to use reactive oxygen species in the degradation of cellulose. The extracellular Cel12A is one of the few endo-1,4-β-glucanase produced by G. trabeum. Here we cloned cel12A and heterologously expressed it in Aspergillus niger. The identity of the resulting recombinant protein was confirmed by mass spectrometry. We used the purified GtCel12A to determine its substrate specificity and basic biochemical properties. The G. trabeum Cel12A showed highest activity on β-glucan, followed by lichenan, carboxymethylcellulose, phosphoric acid swollen cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and filter paper. The optimal pH and temperature for enzymatic activity were, respectively, 4.5 and 50 °C on β-glucan. Under these conditions specific activity was 239.2 ± 9.1 U mg(-1) and the half-life of the enzyme was 84.6 ± 3.5 hours. Thermofluor studies revealed that the enzyme was most thermal stable at pH 3. Using β-glucan as a substrate, the Km was 3.2 ± 0.5 mg mL(-1) and the Vmax was 0.41 ± 0.02 µmol min(-1). Analysis of the effects of GtCel12A on oat spelt and filter paper by scanning electron microscopy revealed the morphological changes taking place during the process.

Self-etch Adhesive Systems: A Literature Review.

This paper presents the state of the art of self-etch adhesive systems. Four topics are shown in this review and included: the historic of this category of bonding agents, bonding mechanism, characteristics/properties and the formation of acid-base resistant zone at enamel/dentin-adhesive interfaces. Also, advantages regarding etch-and-rinse systems and classifications of self-etch adhesive systems according to the number of steps and acidity are addressed. Finally, issues like the potential durability and clinical importance are discussed. Self-etch adhesive systems are promising materials because they are easy to use, bond chemically to tooth structure and maintain the dentin hydroxyapatite, which is important for the durability of the bonding.

The Psychedelic State Induced By Ayahuasca Modulates The Activity And Connectivity Of The Default Mode Network.

The experiences induced by psychedelics share a wide variety of subjective features, related to the complex changes in perception and cognition induced by this class of drugs. A remarkable increase in introspection is at the core of these altered states of consciousness. Self-oriented mental activity has been consistently linked to the Default Mode Network (DMN), a set of brain regions more active during rest than during the execution of a goal-directed task. Here we used fMRI technique to inspect the DMN during the psychedelic state induced by Ayahuasca in ten experienced subjects. Ayahuasca is a potion traditionally used by Amazonian Amerindians composed by a mixture of compounds that increase monoaminergic transmission. In particular, we examined whether Ayahuasca changes the activity and connectivity of the DMN and the connection between the DMN and the task-positive network (TPN). Ayahuasca caused a significant decrease in activity through most parts of the DMN, including its most consistent hubs: the Posterior Cingulate Cortex (PCC)/Precuneus and the medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC). Functional connectivity within the PCC/Precuneus decreased after Ayahuasca intake. No significant change was observed in the DMN-TPN orthogonality. Altogether, our results support the notion that the altered state of consciousness induced by Ayahuasca, like those induced by psilocybin (another serotonergic psychedelic), meditation and sleep, is linked to the modulation of the activity and the connectivity of the DMN.

The Metabolic Syndrome And Sexual Function In Climacteric Women: A Cross-sectional Study.

Studies have associated the metabolic syndrome with poor sexual function; the results, however, are controversial. To evaluate the relationship between the metabolic syndrome and sexual function and to identify the factors associated with poor sexual function. A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional cohort study including 256 women of 40-60 years of age receiving care at the outpatient department of a university teaching hospital. A specific questionnaire was applied to collect sociodemographic and behavioral data, and the Short Personal Experience Questionnaire was used to evaluate sexual function, with a score ≤ 7 being indicative of poor sexual function. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting glucose, high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, triglycerides, follicle-stimulating hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone levels were determined. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, as defined by the International Diabetes Federation, was 62.1%, and the prevalence of poor sexual function was 31.4%. The only factor related to female sexual function that was associated with the metabolic syndrome was sexual dysfunction in the woman's partner. The factors associated with poor sexual function in the bivariate analysis were age >50 years (P=0.003), not having a partner (P<0.001), being postmenopausal (P=0.046), the presence of hot flashes (P=0.02), poor self-perception of health (P=0.04), partner's age ≥ 50 years, and time with partner ≥ 21 years. Reported active (P=0.02) and passive (P=0.01) oral sex was associated with an absence of sexual dysfunction. In the multiple regression analysis, the only factor associated with poor sexual function was being 50 years of age or more. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was high and was not associated with poor sexual function in this sample of menopausal women. The only factor associated with poor sexual function was being over 50 years of age.

Thermolysed and active yeast to reduce the toxicity of aflatoxin

Aflatoxins are hepatotoxic metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus on a number of agricultural commodities. This research was carried out to evaluate the ability of thermolysed and active Saccharomyces cerevisiae to attenuate liver damage caused by aflatoxin. Diets were prepared containing 0 aflatoxin; 400 mug kg-1 aflatoxin; 400 mug kg-1 aflatoxin plus 1% of dehydrated active yeast, and 400 mug kg-1 aflatoxin plus 1% of thermolysed yeast. A bioassay with Wistar rats was conducted for 28 days, and body organs were weighted and analyses of the liver tissue of the animals were performed. The relative weight of heart, kidneys and liver from animals submitted to the different treatments did not show any difference, and liver tissue of animals feeding on the aflatoxin-free diet was adopted as a toxicity-free pattern. Hepatic tissue of animals feeding on diets containing 400 mug kg-1 aflatoxin or the diet supplemented with 1% thermolysed yeast showed clear signs of toxicity and damage. Hepatic tissue of animals feeding on the diet containing 1% of dehydrated active yeast showed less toxicity signs and damage than those receiving the diet containing 400 mug kg-1 aflatoxin. Active, dehydrated yeast had the ability to reduce toxic effects caused by aflatoxin, but thermolysed yeast was not able to alleviate the effects of aflatoxin toxicity.

Torcidas organizadas e seus jovens torcedores : diversidades e normativas do torcer = Torcidas organizadas and their young supporters : diversities and normatives of supporting

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Análise do perfil de humor e da enzima alfa-amilase salivar em indivíduos fisicamente ativos = : Analysis of profile of mood states and salivary alpha amylase enzyme in physically active individuals

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física