Associa����es entre rating de cr��dito e estrutura de capitais de empresas listadas na Am��rica Latina

Um rating de cr��dito de baixo (ou alto) risco possibilita uma redu����o (ou eleva����o) do spread pago pelo emissor na ocasi��o da emiss��o de t��tulos de cr��dito, bem como na capta����o de financiamentos e empr��stimos banc��rios. Assim, o rating apresenta-se como um aspecto relevante nas decis��es de estrutura de capitais de uma empresa, sobretudo pela possibilidade de influenciar nos seus n��veis de d��vidas. Todavia, apesar da import��ncia atribu��da pelos agentes de mercado e a exist��ncia de ind��cios emp��ricos do efeito do rating sobre a estrutura de capitais de uma empresa, os poucos estudos j�� realizados acerca das associa����es entre as tend��ncias de reclassifica����es dos ratings de cr��dito e as decis��es de estrutura de capitais de uma firma n��o t��m abordado os mercados latino-americanos. N��o s��o comuns nos mercados da Am��rica Latina estudos analisando se as empresas avaliam internamente a imin��ncia de uma reclassificação do seu rating e, a partir disso, alteram a sua composi����o de estrutura de capitais de modo a evitar que ocorra um downgrade, ou mesmo para estimular a ocorr��ncia de um upgrade, em sua classificação de risco de cr��dito. Nesse sentido, o objetivo desta pesquisa �� analisar o impacto das tend��ncias de reclassifica����es do rating de cr��dito sobre as decis��es de estrutura de capitais de empresas listadas da Am��rica Latina. Para verificar a exist��ncia dessa associa����o foram empregados dados pertencentes a todas as empresas n��o-financeiras listadas da Am��rica Latina, possuidoras de ratings emitidos pelas tr��s principais ag��ncias de ratings internacionais (i.e. Stardand & Poor��s, Moody��s e Fitch) em janeiro de 2010. Desse modo, fizeram parte da pesquisa todas as empresas listadas em seis diferentes pa��ses latino-americanos, no per��odo 2001-2010. Os principais resultados emp��ricos obtidos sugerem que: (i) as reclassifica����es dos ratings de cr��dito n��o possuem conte��do informacional para as decis��es de estrutura de capitais das empresas listadas da Am��rica Latina, ou seja, n��o foi observada associa����o entre as tend��ncias de reclassifica����es do ratings de cr��dito e as decis��es sobre composi����o das estruturas de capitais das empresas listadas da Am��rica Latina; (ii) entre as empresas consideradas na pesquisa, aquelas que se encontravam em n��veis piores de riscos e na imin��ncia de reclassifica����es do rating de cr��dito, tenderam a utilizar mais d��vidas do que as outras empresas analisadas na pesquisa.

Gerenciamento de resultados em institui����es financeiras no Brasil de 2001 a 2012

As diretrizes do provisionamento de cr��dito para Institui����es Financeiras Brasileiras s��o previstas pela Resolu����o 2682/99 do CMN. Dada a certa discricionaridade existente nesta resolu����o, ser�� testado se a conta de provis��o de cr��dito �� utilizada como instrumento de Gerenciamento de Resultado. Foi utilizada uma amostra de 123 Bancos entre 2001 e 2012 para investigar a pr��tica de Gerenciamento de Resultados, utilizando Dados em Painel em 2 Est��gios (2SLS) de forma a evitar o problema de endogeneidade. Foram testadas tr��s pr��ticas de Gerenciamento de Resultado: (i) evitar apresentar lucro l��quido positivo, (ii) apresentar lucro l��quido crescente, e (iii) lucro l��quido crescente em rela����o a respectivo peer group. Tamb��m foi testado se existe uma hierarquia entre estes objetivos. Os resultados encontrados para os Bancos Brasileiros diferiram dos resultados encontrados em estudos efetuados em Bancos no Exterior. No Brasil, foi constatado que a conta de provis��o de cr��dito �� utilizada parcialmente como mecanismo de Gerenciamento de Resultados, e a hierarquia de objetivos que havia sido validada no exterior n��o pode ser confirmada para os Bancos Brasileiros. Utilizamos a conta de provis��o de cr��dito como objeto do estudo, mas a utiliza����o desta conta est�� sujeita a falhas devido ao julgamento do gestor na classificação de risco de cr��dito de um cliente.

Ensaios sobre estrutura a termo da curva de juros e spreads de t��tulos corporativos

Este trabalho �� composto por tr��s cap��tulos que se dedicam a discutir aspectos distintos a respeito do importante mercado de t��tulos corporativos norte-americano. No primeiro cap��tulo, ���Mercado de T��tulos Corporativos Norte-Americano: Evolu����o e Fatos Estilizados���, mostramos como se deu a evolu����o do mercado de cr��dito norte-americano nas ��ltimas d��cadas no que diz respeito �� sua relev��ncia para a economia. Nesse estudo mostramos tamb��m as principais mudan��as regulat��rias que afetaram de forma relevante esse mercado nos ��ltimos anos. Trabalhos recentes encontraram evid��ncias de que mudan��as regulat��rias no mercado de t��tulos corporativos provocam redu����o dos spreads e diminuem a liquidez dos ativos de cr��dito. Finalmente, ilustramos nesse cap��tulo as principais correntes te��ricas e alguns fatos estilizados a respeito de curvas de juros e de spreads de t��tulos corporativos. No segundo cap��tulo, ���Fatores Latentes Globais e Idiossincr��ticos na Estrutura a Termo da Curva de Juros de T��tulos Corporativos���, analisamos a maneira como fatores globais e idiossincr��ticos influenciam a estrutura a termo das curvas de juros de emissores corporativos norte-americanos para diferentes n��veis de classificação de risco, setor de atividade e per��odo de an��lise. Os resultados s��o in��ditos, pois a metodologia utilizada nunca foi aplicada anteriormente para essa classe de ativos, e indicam que a influ��ncia dos componentes latentes globais nos fatores de n��vel �� menor quanto pior a classificação de risco. Um segundo resultado importante �� que as curvas de setores de atividade distintos como o financeiro e industrial s��o influenciadas de maneira distinta pelos fatores globais e idiossincr��ticos no que diz respeito aos componentes de n��vel e inclina����o. No terceiro cap��tulo, ���Estrutura a Termo da Curva de Spreads de T��tulos Corporativos���, estudamos as vari��veis que influenciaram os fatores de n��vel e inclina����o das curvas de spreads corporativos nos Estados Unidos. O modelo estimado nesse estudo incorpora, ao contr��rio de estudos anteriores, fatores latentes das curvas de juros do tesouro e de spreads, vari��veis macroecon��micas e setoriais. Conclu��mos que o componente de n��vel da curva de juros norte-americana afeta positivamente o n��vel dos spreads. Os resultados diferem da literatura tradicional, mas est��o em linha com estudos recentes que controlam per��odos de elevada volatilidade de ativos com quebras estruturais. Palavras-chave: Spreads; Classificação de risco; Curva de juros; T��tulos corporativos

Provisionamento de processos judiciais e administrativos : an��lise cr��tica e propostas de boas pr��ticas

O presente trabalho examina as normas brasileiras relativas ao provisionamento e �� divulga����o de passivos contingentes com vistas especificamente �� sua aplica����o para processos judiciais e administrativos, que representam o tipo de passivo contingente que mais impacta o resultado da maior parte das companhias nacionais, de todos os segmentos. O texto das normas, portanto, �� confrontado com a realidade pr��tica do mercado e as especificidades inerentes aos processos judiciais e administrativos. Al��m de contextualizar e explicar o funcionamento das regras aplic��veis, com destaque para o Pronunciamento T��cnico n��. 25, do Comit�� de Pronunciamentos Cont��beis, que se tornou obrigat��rio para as companhias abertas por meio da Delibera����o CVM n��. 594, de 15 de setembro de 2009, �� realizada sua an��lise cr��tica, identificando omiss��es que podem dificultar o desempenho das atividades de provisionamento de tais demandas pelos profissionais competentes, fomentando a falta de uniformidade desses registros entre as demonstra����es financeiras das companhias, bem como possibilitando o gerenciamento de resultados. Em seguida, s��o avaliadas e propostas solu����es para os problemas identificados, com destaque para o estabelecimento de valores percentuais aos crit��rios de classificação de risco e a defini����o de crit��rios para classificação de risco de perda e mensura����o de valores de passivos contingentes, organizadas em forma de diretrizes de boas pr��ticas de provisionamento e de divulga����o de passivos contingentes decorrentes de processos judiciais e administrativos.

N��cleo museol��gico das tecnologias da sa��de da RAM

O presente trabalho de investiga����o congregou, essencialmente, a execu����o de um projeto museol��gico a implementar na cidade do Funchal, no antigo Laborat��rio de Sa��de P��blica, para o qual se prop��s a denomina����o de N��cleo Museol��gico das Tecnologias da Sa��de da RAM O trabalho centrou-se no estudo do edif��cio e no registo e inventaria����o do esp��lio existente no im��vel, at�� �� presente data sem qualquer tipo de interven����o ou estudo. Nessa medida, pretendeu-se assegurar, em primeiro lugar a preserva����o e conserva����o do patrim��nio material, que se encontrava relativamente esquecido, mas igualmente devolver ao Laborat��rio a dignidade que merece, pelo papel que j�� desempenhou em mat��ria de Sa��de P��blica na Regi��o Aut��noma da Madeira, aproximando-o novamente da popula����o que j�� serviu Conscientes que o legado existente na institui����o podia ser muito mais do que um simples dep��sito de objetos usados na pr��tica m��dica ao longo de mais de 50 anos, agora obsoletos e sem valor, procedeu-se �� inventaria����o de todo o acervo e �� elabora����o de um sistema de classificação, adaptado �� natureza do esp��lio O presente trabalho constituiu, em suma, um contributo preliminar para futuros projetos museol��gicos.

Proposta de m��todo para avalia����o do desempenho t��rmico de resid��ncias unifamiliares em clima quente e ��mido

Nowadays, evaluation methods to measure thermal performance of buildings have been developed in order to improve thermal comfort in buildings and reduce the use of energy with active cooling and heating systems. However, in developed countries, the criteria used in rating systems to asses the thermal and energy performance of buildings have demonstrated some limitations when applied to naturally ventilated building in tropical climates. The present research has as its main objective to propose a method to evaluate the thermal performance of low-rise residential buildings in warm humid climates, through computational simulation. The method was developed in order to conceive a suitable rating system for the athermal performance assessment of such buildings using as criteria the indoor air temperature and a thermal comfort adaptive model. The research made use of the software VisualDOE 4.1 in two simulations runs of a base case modeled for two basic types of occupancies: living room and bedroom. In the first simulation run, sensitive analyses were made to identify the variables with the higher impact over the cases�� thermal performance. Besides that, the results also allowed the formulation of design recommendations to warm humid climates toward an improvement on the thermal performance of residential building in similar situations. The results of the second simulation run was used to identify the named Thermal Performance Spectrum (TPS) of both occupancies types, which reflect the variations on the thermal performance considering the local climate, building typology, chosen construction material and studied occupancies. This analysis generates an index named IDTR Thermal Performance Resultant Index, which was configured as a thermal performance rating system. It correlates the thermal performance with the number of hours that the indoor air temperature was on each of the six thermal comfort bands pre-defined that received weights to measure the discomfort intensity. The use of this rating system showed to be appropriated when used in one of the simulated cases, presenting advantages in relation to other evaluation methods and becoming a tool for the understanding of building thermal behavior

Preval��ncia de oclusopatias e caracter��ticas cefalom��tricas e dentais de escolares cearense da cidade de Fortaleza

The people of Cear�� state are descended from miscegenation between the Portuguese colonizers and the native population, resulting in a different facial pattern from other populations. It is important that this pattern be thoroughly understood, along with its minimum and maximum values so that they can be assessed and respected, allowing professionals who deal with the craniofacial complex to work more efficiently and scientifically. Aim: To characterize the morphological pattern of individuals from Cear�� state, whose father and grandfather are also native from Cear��, in the 10-12 year age group, not submitted to previous orthodontic treatment, in order to determine: 1) the prevalence of occlusal pattern; 2) the prevalence of dental anomalies (DA) and, 3) the skeletal and dental cephalometric characteristics of individuals that present with normal occlusion and harmonious facial pattern. Methodology: A list of 10-12 year-olds was obtained from 515 schools containing 162,713 students (Education Secretariat of Cear�� State), from which 234 individuals were examined (107 boys and 157 girls). The assessment criteria adopted were: 1) Angle s Classification System to determine occlusal pattern. The occlusal characteristics were measured through overbite, overjet, crowding and interincisal diastema. 2) DA are anomalies of number, shape, size, eruption and structure and, 3) in the group that presented with normal occlusion, we used cephalometric analysis measures proposed by Downs, Steiner, Tweed, Holdaway, Jacobson and McNamara. Results: 1) 25.8% of the schoolchildren had normal occlusion, 47.5% class I malocclusion, 22.3% class II malocclusion and 4.2% class III malocclusion. No statistically significant difference was found between the age group studied and sex. Thirty percent of the individuals had normal overbite, while 36.7% and 19.7% had increased and reduced overbite, respectively. Normal overjet was found in 33.7% of the individuals, increased overjet in 50% and reduced in 16.3%. Dental crowding was observed in 62.5% of the individuals and the presence of interincisal diastema in 14.8%. 2) The prevalence of DA was 56.1%, 6.8% in the number, 10.8% in shape, 4.1% in size, 34.5% in eruption, 26.4% in structure and 17.4% had more than one DA. No association was found between DA and sex, but DA was significantly associated to malocclusion (p<0.05); 3) there was no association between sex or facial type between the measures of nasal-labial angle, position and effective maxillary length, effective mandibular length and the sagittal relationship between the molars, overjet and overbite, position of upper incisors, lower incisors and between the incisors themselves. There was a difference between sex, on the VERT index and in lower anterior facial height, upper incisor inclination and line-H, between facial types for the occlusal plane angles, mandibular plane, facial axis, lower incisor inclination, mandibular position, upper incisor position, lower anterior facial height, ANB and line-H. It was concluded that: 1) the most prevalent occlusal type was class I malocclusion, with no distinction for sex or age group, and the assessment of occlusal characteristics showed that excessive overbite and overjet were the most predominant findings, along with a high occurrence of tooth crowding; 2) a high prevalence of DA was found, particularly eruption anomalies, not influenced by sex but significantly associated to malocclusion and 3) individuals from Cear�� are predominantly brachyfacial, exhibiting a number of similarities inherent to their facial pattern, such as a convex profile, retracted jaw, reduced lower third and protruded lower incisors. This study was multidisciplinary, involving researchers from the areas of epidemiology, radiology and dentistry, thereby meeting the multidisciplinarity requirements of the Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences

Tr��nsito de saberes e campo representacional na vis��o dos profissionais da sa��de da fam��lia e do programa de educa����o pelo trabalho e para a sa��de

The Family Health Strategy (ESF) is emerging as a possible restructuring of services and new practices of intervention in health care; it requires skilled professionals to work with that framework. Within this purpose, we established the Education Programme for Work and Health (PET-Sa��de), in order to integrate teaching and service activities, focusing on primary care. On this basis, the aim of this work is to apprehend the social representation of nurse, doctor and dentist (Project PET-Natal Health RN preceptors) on the ESF, while practice field of them. It is a descriptive and exploratory study, with a qualitative approach, carried out in 07 Family Health Units (USF) included in the PET-Sa��de Natal (RN). The population was composed of 35 professional components of the primary care team with bachelor's degree of the USF linked to this project. The sample was composed of 05 nurses, 05 physicians and 05 dentists, for a total of 15 subjects. Data were collected through three instruments: the drawing-themed story, a semi-structured individual interviews and field diary. The data relating to the identification of the subjects were entered and tabulated by the Microsoft Excel software 2007 version. The drawing analysis and interpretation is given by the significance attributed to the resource chart from title and keywords assigned by the subjects, considering the ESF as an inductive term. The stories and interviews were transcribed and typed and then subjected to read/listen the material and a lexical analysis through Alceste. After this process, the discursive material was analyzed and discussed by theoretical and methodological feature of the Social Representations theory. The majority of health professionals were female, aged between 46 and 52 years old, married, income less than six minimum wage, time since graduation ranged from 22 to 29 years and working time in the ESF range from 02 to 11 years. From the classification system ALCESTE were selected categories identified by: Category 1 - ESF: relations and territory; Category 2 - Training and bond profile; Category 3 - Working process in the ESF; Category 4 - Articulation between teaching and service; Category 5 - Health care and disease prevention. The representational field construction, while a process, followed the logic of structural cores in existing categories. In this sense, it is clear that the ESF is an environment rich in diversity, experience and relationships with potential such as the relationship "very subject-subject" and the link established between professional-community, but also has some weaknesses such as poor working conditions, lack of popular participation and management support, thus difficulties in the achievement of teamwork. Being essential to that end, the teaching-service aimed at the formation of a new health professional able to work in the ESF. In this research, the training of the representational field encountered a diversity of structural cores, or thoughts on training, about the ESF because of the greater emphasis on the here and now of the interaction between health professionals, the ESF, the community, PET Health-UFRN and students, emphasizing that such proposals are still considered as concepts in the context of recent health and that, therefore, are not fully realized in the social imaginary

A palavra cantada nos espa��os intersubjetivos de um centro de aten����o psisossocial do munic��pio do Natal/RN

The psychiatric care and mental health are undergoing constant change over the History. The Brazilian Psychiatric Reform, which brings up the deinstitutionalization as a structuring in the restorative care process. The Reform has as one of the mainly substitutive services the Centers for Psychosocial Care (CAPS), which work from the Singular Therapeutic Project (PTS) in order to restore the autonomy and restore the dignity of users. The therapeutic workshop is some of the resources used and work several kinds of activities as: writing, handcraft, music, poetry, and so forth. This study set up to apprehend the social representations of helping of the music workshop carried out in the CAPS II east of Natal/RN, from the reports given by the participants of the workshop, using the focal group as technique. This is a descriptive exploratory study with a qualitative approach. A total of 16 users participated in four musical therapeutic workshops from April to May 2010. The study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of UFRN. The discursive material from the workshop was submitted to the informational resource of Analyse Lexicale par Contexte d um Ensemble de Segments de Texte, ALCESTE, and analyzed based on the Theory of Representations and the Central Core Theory. The majority of subjects were men (62.5%), single (62.5%), aged 40-49 years (37.6%) and elementary school level (56.2 %). The reports were transcribed and submitted to the classification system of ALCESTE, which elected the following categories: Category 1 - Experience in the Word Family Sung, Category 2 - Musical Experiences and Approaches, and Category 3 - Feelings and emotions evoked by music. The representation of these individuals is anchored in the experience they have with the CAPS, lived and socialized by common sense, through this particular social group workshop objectified in music therapy as a therapeutic modality enjoyable. The central core revealed the intrinsic relationship between users and the music, establishing a relationship of openness to use the same while its therapeutic use in workshops of substitute services for mental health. Peripherals elements issues are related to listen, share and experience music in the family. Intermediary Elements relate to the feelings and emotions evoked by music, given her close relationship with it. It was found in the study that music can be construed as an artifact of good therapeutic responsiveness to users, configuring it as an invigorating and enjoyable therapy, confirming the need for continuity of this activity, as well as its expansion into the service

Determina����o de dados de equil��brio l��quido-vapor a altas press��es para sistemas de hidrocarbonetos assim��tricos

Crude oil is a complex liquid mixture of organic and inorganic compounds that are dominated by hydrocarbons. It is a mixture of alkanes from the simplest to more complex aromatic compounds that are present derivatives such as gasoline, diesel, alcohol, kerosene, naphtha, etc.. These derivatives are extracted from any oil, however, only with a very high quality, in other words, when the content of hydrocarbons of low molecular weight is high means that production of these compounds is feasible. The American Petroleum Institute (API) developed a classification system for the various types of oil. In Brazil, the quality of most of the oil taken from wells is very low, so it is necessary to generate new technology to develop best practices for refining in order to produce petroleum products of higher commercial value. Therefore, it is necessary to study the thermodynamic equilibrium properties of its derivative compounds of interest. This dissertation aims to determine vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for the systems Phenilcyclohexane - CO2, and Cyclohexane - Phenilcyclohexane - CO2 at high pressure and temperatures between 30 to 70oC. Furthermore, comparisons between measured VLE experimental data from this work and from the literature in relation to the Peng- Robinson molecular thermodynamic model, using a simulation program SPECS IVCSEP v5.60 and two adjustable interaction parameters, have been performed for modeling and simulation purposes. Finally, the developed apparatus for determination of phase equilibrium data at high pressures is presented

Sistemas microemulsionados aplicados �� remo����o da cor de efluente t��xtil

Effluent color resulting from textile dyeing processes has been one of the biggest environmental problems faced by the textile industry. In particular, reactive dyes are highly resistant to conventional wastewater treatment methods. New technologies have been contemplated, some of which have been applied in industrial treatment plants, but color removal has not been efficiently attained. Since microemulsion systems provide good results in heavy metals and proteins extraction processes, their use in dyes extraction has been suggested and investigated. In this work, a real textile wastewater from an exhaustion dyebath has been treated, which contains the following reactive dyes: Procion Yellow H-E4R (CI Reactive Yellow 84), Procion Blue H-ERD (CI Reactive Blue 160) and Procion Red H-E3B (CI Reactive Red 120), in addition to auxiliary compounds normally found in dyeing processes with reactive dyes. The dyes Remazol Blue RR and Remazol Turquoise Blue G (Reactive Blue 21) have also been examined in view of the presence of heavy metals in these molecules. The microemulsion system comprised dodecyl ammonium chloride (as a cationic surfactant), water or wastewater as aqueous phase, kerosene as oil phase, and one of the following alcohols as cosurfactant: isoamyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol and n-octyl alcohol. The pseudo-ternary diagrams were constructed in order to define Winsor s equilibrium regions. The influence of parameters such as pH, C/S (cosurfactant/surfactant) ratio, distribution coefficient, initial dye concentration, salinity, temperature, phases relative amounts, loading capacity of the microemulsion phase and dye reextraction rate has also been investigated. An experimental planning (Scheff�� Net) was used to optimize the extraction process. The removal of color and metals reached levels as high as 99%

Projetos de letramento na educa����o de jovens e adultos: o ensino da escrita em uma perspectiva emancipat��ria

This ethnographical research-action is included in the Applied Linguistics area and its study object is related to literacy projects (KLEIMAN, 2000), since they bring a new sense to the literacy practices in school and emphasizes the agentive writing character and the role of the discursive genres in the formation of literacy agents who aim at the action and the social change. Considering the emancipatory potential that these didactic organizations have in the civic literacy of those who live in social risk and vulnerability situations our aim in this investigation is: to reflect about the role of the redefinition of the literacy school practices and investigate how the action of teachers and students as literacy agents occur. The specific aims are: to promote literacy events which encourage the writing practice for the action and social change; to comprehend how the identity construction of the literacy student-agent occurs by the reflection of its agency process in the literacy projects; to identify teaching strategies and procedures which enable the development of emancipatory language practices; to investigate the axiological values constructed by the learners in and about the writing work in literacy projects. Our discussion is based on the language conception supported by Bakhtin (BAKHTIN/VOLOSHINOV, 2000; BAKHTIN, 1990, 2003); in literacy studies (KLEIMAN, 1995; BAYNHAM, 1995; BARTON; HAMILTON; IVANIC, 2000, LAZERE, 2005); on critical studies which defend the idea that the texts are ideological instruments able to give power to the individuals (MCLAREN, 1988, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001; FREIRE, 1971, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1992, 1996, 2001a, 2001b, 2009; GIROUX, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1997, 1999, 2003; APPLE, 1989); on the social genre approach inspired by the New Rhetoric (BAZERMAN, 2005, 2006, 2007; MILLER, 1984, 2009). The data were generated between 2006 and 2010 in the Youth and Adult Education (YAE), in public schools in Natal-RN. The research permitted us to deduce, firstly, that the redefinition of the work with discursive genres provide the learner to read and write to act discursively in the social world, earning, thus, empowerment, autonomy and emancipation; secondly, that involving the students in literacy projects goes beyond didactic competence related to specificities and content domain. It is necessary that the teacher is certain about to whom, what, why and how to teach and that he/she gets a reflexive posture, becoming a learner as well; thirdly, that through the literacy practices which were developed, the collaborators of the research have constructed a more conscious and a more critical view in relation to the language and to the world where they live through the social-political writing and they have improved as interventive and politicized citizens

Influ��ncia da adi����o de carga na marcha em esteira de crian��as com paralisia cerebral hemipar��tica esp��stica

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior

Avalia����o imuno-histoqu��mica das galectinas -1, -3 e -7 em displasia epitelial ora

Introdu����o: A displasia epitelial oral (DEO) �� uma les��o potencialmente maligna, cujo diagn��stico e grada����o se baseia na histologia das altera����es arquiteturais e citol��gicas, preconizados pela OMS, que divide a les��o em leve, moderada e severa, o qual �� subjetivo. Maior concord��ncia �� observada no uso do sistema bin��rio (baixo/alto risco), o qual est�� relacionado ao risco de transforma����o maligna. As galectinas constituem uma fam��lia de lectinas e est��o envolvidas na tumorig��nese, sendo a -1, -3 e -7 as mais investigadas, devido a express��o alterada em c��nceres orais. Materiais e m��todos: Foi analisada a express��o imuno-histoqu��mica dessas prote��nas em 50 esp��cimes de DEO (21 baixo/ 29 alto risco) e 5 de mucosa oral normal e relacionamos com a presen��a/aus��ncia de marca����o, padr��o de distribui����o, intensidade, localiza����o epitelial (estratifica����o) (1/3 inferior, m��dio e superior), e localiza����o celular (compartimento) (n��cleo, citoplasma e membrana) . Resultados: Dos 29 casos de alto e dos 21 de baixo risco, 21 (72,4%) e 12 (57,1%) foram positivos para a galectina -1, respectivamente. Dessa forma, de 50 casos, 33 foram positivos. O n��cleo e citoplasma foram positivos em 91,7% nas de baixo risco e em 90,5% nas de alto. Todos os casos de mucosa normal foram negativos. Com rela����o a galectina -3, dos 21 casos das DEOs de baixo risco, 12 (57,1%) apresentaram express��o e dos 29 casos das DEOs de alto risco, 15 (51,7%) foram positivos, havendo imunoexpress��o em um total de 27 casos. O padr��o difuso, assim como a fraca intensidade foram os mais freq��entes para os 2 graus. O n��cleo e o citoplasma foram a localiza����o mais comum tanto nas les��es de baixo (58,3%), quanto nas de alto risco (66,7%). Quatro casos de mucosa normal foram positivos, com marca����o membranar e intensidade fraca. Dos 21 casos das DEOs de baixo risco, 17 (81%) apresentaram express��o imuno-histoqu��mica para a galectina -7 e das 29 DEOs de alto risco, 27 (93,1%) foram positivos. Ent��o, a express��o imuno-histoqu��mica da galectina -7 foi observada em 44 casos, a maioria com intensidade de moderada a forte. O n��cleo e o citoplasma foram a localiza����o mais freq��ente, nas de baixo (70,6%) e alto risco (66,7%). Quatro esp��cimes de mucosa normal marcaram membrana em ter��o m��dio e superior, com intensidade moderada a forte. Conclus��es: Altera����es na express��o das galectinas -3 e -7 e principalmente da -1 sugerem seu envolvimento na fisiopatologia das displasias, participando do processo de transforma����o de fen��tipo normal para o displ��sico.

Cataract prevalence in Central-West region of S��o Paulo State, Brazil

OBJETIVO: A catarata �� a principal causa trat��vel de cegueira e defici��ncia visual em pa��ses subdesenvolvidos. Este estudo foi realizado para avaliar se a catarata continua sendo uma importante causa de cegueira no centro-oeste do Estado de S��o Paulo. M��TODOS: Um estudo transversal, de car��ter observacional, realizado em cinco cidades da regi��o centro-oeste do Estado de S��o Paulo, para as quais o centro de refer��ncia �� a cidade de Botucatu. A amostra estabelecida para este estudo, de forma aleat��ria, seria composta por 5.555 indiv��duos, sendo que foram examinados 4.229 indiv��duos (8.458 olhos), ou seja, 78% da amostra pretendida. Os indiv��duos foram submetidos a um exame oftalmol��gico completo que consistia em avalia����o da acuidade visual (com e sem corre����o), tonometria, biomicroscopia, fundoscopia e exame refracional. O diagn��stico de catarata foi dado aos indiv��duos que apresentassem opacidade de cristalino na biomicroscopia, de acordo com o Sistema de Classificação de Opacidade do Cristalino II (LOCS II). Olhos apresentando defici��ncia visual ou cegueira, com a melhor corre����o e causados por catarata, foram considerados ap��s excluir outras patologias que pudessem causar baixa da acuidade visual (AV). Olhos com defici��ncia visual foram considerados quando 0,05 < AV < 0,3 e olhos cegos quando AV < 0,05. Indiv��duos com defici��ncia visual foram considerados quando 0,05 < AV < 0,3 e indiv��duos cegos quando AV < 0,3, no melhor olho com a melhor corre����o. Foi considerado o n��mero de olhos com catarata, o n��mero de olhos com defici��ncia visual e cegueira e o n��mero de indiv��duos com defici��ncia visual e cegueira. RESULTADOS: A preval��ncia de catarata na popula����o estudada foi de 4,94% (209 indiv��duos), afetando principalmente indiv��duos com mais de 50 anos (92,34%) e do sexo feminino (61,11%). A catarata foi a causa de defici��ncia visual para 0,96% e a causa de cegueira para 0,52% de toda a popula����o estudada. CONCLUS��O: Nossos resultados mostraram que a preval��ncia de catarata na popula����o estudada �� semelhante aos ��ndices de pa��ses desenvolvidos.