Proinflammatory profile of in vitro monocytes in the ageing is affected by lymphocytes presence

Background: Aging is associated with complex and constant remodeling of the immune function, resulting in an increasing susceptibility to infection and others diseases. The infections caused by Gram-negative microorganisms, present in nursing homes and hospitals, constitute one of the most common infections in the elderly, and are mainly combated by innate immune cells. Although the functions of innate immunity seem more preserved during aging than of adaptive immune mechanisms, two systems operate in an integrated way in the body, so that injury in one part of the immune system inevitably affects the other as they are part of a defensive network. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro production of proinflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, CXCL-8 and MCP-1) and anti-inflammatory (TGF-β and IL-10) cytokines by monocytes, stimulated or not (basal) with lipopolysaccharide, from healthy young and elderly subjects. By means of PBMCs, we also studied if cytokine profile is altered in these different patient groups, in the presence of lymphocytes, under the same experimental conditions.Results: The monocytes from elderly presented higher basal production of TNF-α, MCP-1 and lower of TGF-β than young monocytes. PBMC showed similar cytokines production, irrespective age or stimulation presence. In the presence of lymphocytes, the spontaneous production of IL-10 was higher and of TGF-β was lower than monocytes, regardless of age. After LPS-stimulation, the presence of lymphocytes resulted in increased IL-6, IL-1β, MCP-1 and IL-10 and decreased CXCL-8 and TGF-β in comparison to pure culture of monocytes from young patients. With age, the same differences were observed, except for CXCL-8 and TGF-β which production was the same between monocytes and PBMC stimulated with LPS.Conclusion: These findings reinforce the systemic state of inflamm-aging frequently reported in elderly and considered a factor of susceptibility to numerous diseases. Still, the cytokine production from just monocytes of the elderly showed alterations, while in the lymphocyte presence not, suggesting an immunomodulator role of lymphocytes on monocytes. In addition, the differences between the production patterns by LPS-stimulated PBMC between young and elderly volunteers can be related with an imbalance in response against Gram-negative bacteria in throughout life. © 2013 Pinke et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Algunas reflexiones sobre los censos del 90: posibles áreas de colaboración = Some thoughts concerning the 1990 censuses: possible areas for co-operation

Incluye Bibliografía

Informe de la Reunión sobre Crisis Externa: Proceso de Ajuste y su Impacto Inmediato y de Largo Plazo en el Desarrollo Social. ¿Qué Hacer? = Report of the Meeting on Possible Measures to deal with the Immediate and Long-Term Impact on Social Development of the External Crisis and the Adjustment Process

Informe de la reunión que tuvo por objetivo: 1) considerar estrategias y propuestas de acción para superar la pobreza y lograr un desarrollo social armónico con el desarrollo económico; y 2) promover un análisis de la situación del desarrollo social en la región, y específicamente de la naturaleza y características de la pobreza en el marco de los factores estructurales y de los factores derivados del proceso de ajuste a la crisis externa.

The book is still on the table: uma análise do uso do livro didático de inglês na escola pública paulista

Pós-graduação em Planejamento e Análise de Políticas Públicas - FCHS

When the Romance is Over: Follower Perspectives of Aversive Leadership

While leadership is indisputably one of the most pervasive topics in our society, the vast majority of existing research has focused on leadership as a positive force. Taking a follower- centric approach to the study of leadership, we integrate research on the Romance of Leadership and the dark side of leadership by examining followers’ perceptions of aversive leadership in the context of public high schools. Although Meindl, Ehrlich, and Dukerich (1985) demonstrated that the Romance of Leadership also includes the overattribution of negative outcomes to leaders, subsequent research has failed to explore the implications of this potentially darker side of romanticizing leaders. Specifically, we examine perceptions of principals’ aversive leadership and traditional affective, behavioral, and performance outcomes of followers in a sample of 342 dyads. Followers assessed their principals’ leadership behaviors and self-rated their levels of job satisfaction, self-efficacy, and resistance, while principals assessed their followers’ citizenship behaviors, complaining behaviors, and job performance. Results show that perceptions of aversive leadership are positively related to follower resistance and negatively related to followers’ job satisfaction. In addition, a usefulness analysis revealed that follower-rated variables were significantly related to perceptions of aversive leadership above and beyond leader-rated variables, suggesting that the relationship between negative outcomes and aversive leadership may be more constructed than real. In sum, the tendency to romanticize leadership may also lead to a proclivity to readily misattribute or overattribute blame to leadership as a convenient scapegoat for negative outcomes. Alors que le leadership est incontestablement l’un des thèmes les plus envahissants de notre société, la grande majorité des recherches existantes a porté sur le leadership en tant que force positive. En adoptant une approche centrée sur le suiveur dans l’étude du leadership, nous examinant la perception qu’ont les collaborateurs du leadership insupportable dans le contexte des lycées publics. Quoique Meindl, Ehrlich, et Dukerich (1985) aient montré que la Romance du Leadership inclut aussi la surattribution de résultats négatifs aux leaders, les recherches ultérieures ont méconnu les implications de cet aspect potentiellement plus sombre des leaders idylliques. Nous analysons en particulier sur un échantillon de 342 dyades la perception du leadership répulsif du proviseur et les résultats habituels des collaborateurs en rapport avec l’affectivité, le comportement et les performances. Les collaborateurs ont noté les comportements de leadership de leur proviseur et auto-évalué leur niveau de satisfaction au travail, d’efficience et de résistance, alors que les proviseurs appréciaient les conduites de citoyenneté et de revendication, ainsi que la performance professionnelle. Les résultats montrent que la perception du leadership répulsif est Positivement reliée à la résistance du suiveur et négativement à sa satisfaction professionnelle. En outre, une analyse des plus fructueuses a révélé que les variables évaluées par les collaborateurs étaient significativement en relation avec la perception du leadership répulsif, bien plus qu’avec les variables évaluées par les leaders, ce qui indique que la relation entre les résultats médiocres et le leadership négatif serait plus construite que réelle. Au total, le penchant à l’idéalisation du leadership peut aussi bien conduire à une propension à trop facilement condamner à tort et à travers le leadership qu’à la désignation d’un bouc émissaire tout trouvé pour expliquer de mauvais résultats.

TOMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF ANATOMICAL PARAMETERS OF THE AXIS IN CHILDREN

Objective: To carry out an anatomical study of the axis with the use of computed tomography (CT) in children aged from two to ten years, measuring the lamina angle, lamina and pedicle length and thickness, and lateral mass length. Methods: Sixty-four CTs were studied from patients aged 24 to 120 months old, of both sexes and without any cervical anomaly. The measurements obtained were correlated with the data on age and sex of the patients. Statistical analysis was performed using the Students "t" tests. Results: We found that within the age range 24-48 months, 5.5% of the lamina and 8.3% of the pedicles had thicknesses of less than 3.5mm, which is the minimum thickness needed for insertion of the screw. Between 49 and 120 months, there were no lamina thicknesses of less than 3.5mm, and 1.2% of the pedicle thicknesses were less than 3.5mm values. Neither of the age groups had any lamina and pedicle lengths of less than 12mm, or lateral mass lengths greater than 12mm. Conclusion: The analysis of the data obtained demonstrates that most of the time, is possible to use a 3.5mm pedicle screw in the laminas and pedicles of the axis in children. Level of Evidence: II, Development of diagnostic criteria in consecutive patients.

Leishmania amazonensis Arginase Compartmentalization in the Glycosome Is Important for Parasite Infectivity

In Leishmania, de novo polyamine synthesis is initiated by the cleavage of L-arginine to urea and L-ornithine by the action of arginase (ARG, E.C. 3.5.3.1). Previous studies in L. major and L. mexicana showed that ARG is essential for in vitro growth in the absence of polyamines and needed for full infectivity in animal infections. The ARG protein is normally found within the parasite glycosome, and here we examined whether this localization is required for survival and infectivity. First, the localization of L. amazonensis ARG in the glycosome was confirmed in both the promastigote and amastigote stages. As in other species, arg(-) L. amazonensis required putrescine for growth and presented an attenuated infectivity. Restoration of a wild type ARG to the arg(-) mutant restored ARG expression, growth and infectivity. In contrast, restoration of a cytosol-targeted ARG lacking the glycosomal SKL targeting sequence (arg Delta SKL) restored growth but failed to restore infectivity. Further study showed that the ARG Delta SKL protein was found in the cytosol as expected, but at very low levels. Our results indicate that the proper compartmentalization of L. amazonensis arginase in the glycosome is important for enzyme activity and optimal infectivity. Our conjecture is that parasite arginase participates in a complex equilibrium that defines the fate of L-arginine and that its proper subcellular location may be essential for this physiological orchestration.

Totally implantable venous catheters: insertion via internal jugular vein with pocket implantation in the arm is an alternative for diseased thoracic walls

Purpose: Insertion of totally implantable catheters via deep vessels that drain into the superior vena cava results in a lower incidence of venous thrombosis and infection as compared to catheters inserted into femoral and arm veins. Superior vena cava obstruction and inadequacy of the thoracic wall are conditions that prevent reservoir implantation in the chest wall. In this article, we describe a technical innovation that enables the pocket to be fixed in the arm while still allowing access to be achieved via the internal jugular vein. Method: The procedure reported maintains the use of the internal jugular vein for access even when the patient's chest is not suited for reservoir implantation, which is localized in the arm. Results: The procedure was successful and no complications occurred. The position of the catheter tip did not alter with arm movement. Conclusion: The implantation of a port reservoir in the arm following venous access via the internal jugular vein is both safe and convenient.

Proinflammatory profile of in vitro monocytes in the ageing is affected by lymphocytes presence

Background: Aging is associated with complex and constant remodeling of the immune function, resulting in an increasing susceptibility to infection and others diseases. The infections caused by Gram-negative microorganisms, present in nursing homes and hospitals, constitute one of the most common infections in the elderly, and are mainly combated by innate immune cells. Although the functions of innate immunity seem more preserved during aging than of adaptive immune mechanisms, two systems operate in an integrated way in the body, so that injury in one part of the immune system inevitably affects the other as they are part of a defensive network. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro production of proinflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1α, CXCL-8 and MCP-1) and antiinflammatory (TGF-α and IL-10) cytokines by monocytes, stimulated or not (basal) with lipopolysaccharide, from healthy young and elderly subjects. By means of PBMCs, we also studied if cytokine profile is altered in these different patient groups, in the presence of lymphocytes, under the same experimental conditions. Results: The monocytes from elderly presented higher basal production of TNF-α, MCP-1 and lower of TGF-α than young monocytes. PBMC showed similar cytokines production, irrespective age or stimulation presence. In the presence of lymphocytes, the spontaneous production of IL-10 was higher and of TGF-α was lower than monocytes, regardless of age. After LPS-stimulation, the presence of lymphocytes resulted in increased IL-6, IL-1α, MCP-1 and IL-10 and decreased CXCL-8 and TGF-α in comparison to pure culture of monocytes from young patients. With age, the same differences were observed, except for CXCL-8 and TGF-α which production was the same between monocytes and PBMC stimulated with LPS.