994 resultados para Cereus jamacaru. Citotoxic. Kidney diseases
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Background: Few cohort studies have been conducted in low and middle-income countries to investigate non-communicable diseases among school-aged children. This article aims to describe the methodology of two birth cohorts, started in 1994 in Ribeirao Preto (RP), a more developed city, and in 1997/98 in Sao Luis (SL), a less developed town. Methods: Prevalences of some non-communicable diseases during the first follow-up of these cohorts were estimated and compared. Data on singleton live births were obtained at birth (2858 in RP and 2443 in SL). The follow-up at school age was conducted in RP in 2004/05, when the children were 9-11 years old and in SL in 2005/06, when the children were 7-9 years old. Follow-up rates were 68.7% in RP (790 included) and 72.7% in SL (673 participants). The groups of low (<2500 g) and high (>= 4250 g) birthweight were oversampled and estimates were corrected by weighting. Results: In the more developed city there was a higher percentage of non-nutritive sucking habits (69.1% vs 47.9%), lifetime bottle use (89.6% vs 68.3%), higher prevalence of primary headache in the last 15 days (27.9% vs 13.0%), higher positive skin tests for allergens (44.3% vs 25.3%) and higher prevalence of overweight (18.2% vs 3.6%), obesity (9.5% vs 1.8%) and hypertension (10.9% vs 4.6%). In the less developed city there was a larger percentage of children with below average cognitive function (28.9% vs 12.2%), mental health problems (47.4% vs 38.4%), depression (21.6% vs 6.0%) and underweight (5.8% vs 3.6%). There was no difference in the prevalence of bruxism, recurrent abdominal pain, asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness between cities. Conclusions: Some non-communicable diseases were highly prevalent, especially in the more developed city. Some high rates suggest that the burden of non-communicable diseases will be high in the future, especially mental health problems.
T cells, adhesion molecules and modulation of apoptosis in visceral leishmaniasis glomerulonephritis
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Background: Immune complex deposition is the accepted mechanism of pathogenesis of VL glomerulopathy however other immune elements may participate. Further in the present study, no difference was seen between immunoglobulin and C3b deposit intensity in glomeruli between infected and non-infected dogs thus T cells, adhesion molecules and parameters of proliferation and apoptosis were analysed in dogs with naturally acquired VL from an endemic area. The dog is the most important domestic reservoir of the protozoa Leishmania (L.) chagasi that causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The similarity of VL manifestation in humans and dogs renders the study of canine VL nephropathy of interest with regard to human pathology. Methods: From 55 dogs with VL and 8 control non-infected dogs from an endemic area, kidney samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for immunoglobulin and C3b deposits, staining for CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, ICAM-1, P-selectin and quantified using morphometry. Besides proliferation marker Ki-67, apoptosis markers M30 and TUNEL staining, and related cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1 alpha were searched and quantified. Results: We observed similar IgG, IgM and IgA and C3b deposit intensity in dogs with VL and non-infected control dogs. However we detected the Leishmania antigen in cells in glomeruli in 54, CD4+ T cells in the glomeruli of 44, and CD8+ T cells in 17 of a total of 55 dogs with VL. Leishmania antigen was absent and T cells were absent/scarse in eight non-infected control dogs. CD 4+ T cells predominate in proliferative patterns of glomerulonephritis, however the presence of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were not different in intensity in different patterns of glomerulonephritis. The expression of ICAM-1 and P-selectin was significantly greater in the glomeruli of infected dogs than in control dogs. In all patterns of glomerulonephritis the expression of ICAM-1 ranged from minimum to moderately severe and P-selectin from absent to severe. In the control animals the expression of these molecules ranged from absent to medium intensity. It was not observed any correlation between severity of the disease and these markers. There was a correlation between the number of Leishmania antigen positive cells and CD4+ T cells, and between the number of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. In dogs presenting different histopathological patterns of glomerulonephritis, parameters of proliferation and apoptosis were studied. Ki-67, a proliferative marker, was not detected locally, but fewer apoptotic cells and lower TNF-alpha expression were seen in infected animals than in non-infected controls. Conclusion: Immunopathogenic mechanisms of VL glomerulonephritis are complex and data in the present study suggest no clear participation of immunoglobulin and C3b deposits in these dogs but the possible migration of CD4+ T cells into the glomeruli, participation of adhesion molecules, and diminished apoptosis of cells contributing to determine the proliferative pattern of glomerulonephritis in VL.
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This study aimed to evaluate the effects of physical exercise on body weight reduction. For 12 weeks, 22 obese women (BMI>30 kg/m(2)) were submitted to a physical exercise program. At the beginning and at the final of the program there were evaluated: BMI, waist (WC) and hip circumferences (HC), and waist-hip ratio (WHR); body composition by DEXA; hemoglobin and erythroctye, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL, triacylglycerol and blood glucose; aerobic power. At the final of the program, aerobic power, hemoglobin and erythrocyte values were significantly increased, confirming the physical training effects. Related to anthropometric values, only the visceral fat (WC, HC and WHR) were reduced. The exercise shows to be an important supporting in the body weight loss program, not exactly promoting body weight loss, but lowering risk factors to develop chronic diseases.
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There are several ways of controlling the propagation of a contagious disease. For instance, to reduce the spreading of an airborne infection, individuals can be encouraged to remain in their homes and/or to wear face masks outside their domiciles. However, when a limited amount of masks is available, who should use them: the susceptible subjects, the infective persons or both populations? Here we employ susceptible-infective-recovered (SIR) models described in terms of ordinary differential equations and probabilistic cellular automata in order to investigate how the deletion of links in the random complex network representing the social contacts among individuals affects the dynamics of a contagious disease. The inspiration for this study comes from recent discussions about the impact of measures usually recommended by health public organizations for preventing the propagation of the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus. Our answer to this question can be valid for other eco-epidemiological systems. (C) 2010 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved.
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A new digital computer mock circulatory system has been developed in order to replicate the physiologic and pathophysiologic characteristics of the human cardiovascular system. The computer performs the acquisition of pressure, flow, and temperature in an open loop system. A computer program has been developed in Labview programing environment to evaluate all these physical parameters. The acquisition system was composed of pressure, flow, and temperature sensors and also signal conditioning modules. In this study, some results of flow, cardiac frequencies, pressures, and temperature were evaluated according to physiologic ventricular states. The results were compared with literature data. In further works, performance investigations will be conducted on a ventricular assist device and endoprosthesis. Also, this device should allow for evaluation of several kinds of vascular diseases.
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The purposes of this workwere to characterize postharvest injuries and to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of`Nra` and `Lima`oranges and `Murcott` tangor at Ceagesp market, as well as to characterize the environmental mycoflora in retail points at Ceagesp in 2006. Fruits collected at retail points were stored for 14 days at 25 degrees C and 85-90% RH. The incidence of injuries was visually evaluated every three days. The physicochemical characteristics analyzed were titratable acidity and soluble solids amount. The environmental mycoflora was sampled according to the gravimetric method, using Petri dishes containing potato-dextrose-agar medium+pentabiotic opened for two minutes. The average rot incidences in `Pera` and `Lima` oranges and `Murcott` tangor were 12.8, 14.9 and 25.8%, respectively, at the end of the storage period, and green mold was the main postharvest disease. Associations between physicochemical parameters and rot incidence was, in general, not significant. The environmental fungal population varied significantly between the sampling months in retail points with an average of 25.3 cfu/plate. Penicillium and Cladosporium were the most recorded genera of fungi. Positive correlation (r=0.96) was observed between frequency of P digitatum found in the environment of retail points and the green mold in on-sale fruits of `Pera` orange. However, for `Lima` orange and `Murcott` tangor such a correlation was not verified.
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Renal diseases are common in older cats. Decreased renal blood flow may be the first sign of dysfunction and can be evaluated by Doppler ultrasound. But previous studies suggest that the resistive index (RI) has a low sensitivity for detecting renal disease. Doppler waveforms of renal and intrarenal arteries demonstrate decreased blood flow before there are any changes in the RI. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the normal Doppler flowmetrics parameters of renal arteries (RAs), interlobar arteries (IAs) and abdominal aorta (AO) in adult healthy, Persian cats. Twenty-five Persian cats (13 females and 12 males with mean age of 30 months and an age range 12-60 months) with normal clinical examinations and biochemical tests and normal systemic blood pressure were given B-mode ultrasonographies in order to exclude all nephropathies, including polycystic kidney disease. All measurements were performed on both kidneys. Both kidneys (n = 50) were examined by color mapping of the renal vasculature. Pulsed Doppler was used to examine both RAs, the IAs at cranial, middle and caudal sites, and the AO. The RI was calculated for all of the vessels. Early systolic acceleration (ESA) of RA and IA was obtained with Doppler spectral analysis. Furthermore, the ratio indices between RA/AO, and IA/RA velocities were calculated. The mean values of peak systolic velocity (PSV) and the diameter for AO were 53.17 +/- 13.46 cm/s and 0.38 +/- 0.08 cm, respectively. The mean RA diameter for all 50 kidneys was 0.15 +/- 0.02 cm. Considering the velocimetric values in both RAs, the mean PSV and RI that were obtained were 41.17 +/- 9.40 cm/s and 0.54 +/- 0.07. The RA had a mean ESA of 1.12 +/- 1.14 m/s(2) and the calculated upper limit of the reference value was 3.40 m/s(2). The mean renal-aortic ratio was 0.828 +/- 0.296. The IA showed PSV and RI values of 32.16 +/- 9.33 cm/s and 0.52 +/- 0.06, respectively. The mean ESA of all IAs was 0.73 +/- 0.61 m/s(2). The calculated upper limit of the reference value was 2.0 m/s(2). The mean renal-interlobar artery ratio was 1.45 +/- 0.57. The RI values obtained in this study were similar to values reported in the literature. Some conditions that lead to a decrease in compliance and to an increase in vascular resistance can affect the Doppler spectral waveforms without changes in RI. To our knowledge, there are no studies that were directed toward to the normal ESA values of the renal vasculature in Persian cats. This study introduced a new ratio between the PSV of the RA and the IA. This index was developed based on the well-known effects of Doppler on the detection of stenosis, regardless of the cause. Further studies are necessary to verify the hemodynamic behavior of this index under pathological conditions in cats as well as the effect of aging, nephropathies and systemic pressure on Doppler velocimetric parameters. (C) 2010 ISFM and AAFP. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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In Brazil. the incidence of Bacillus cereus outbreaks is unknown, and there is little information about B. cereus occurrence in food. In addition, data on toxin production and genetic characterization of the B. cereus isolates cannot be found. This pathogen causes two distinct types of toxin-mediated foodborne illnesses known as diarrheal and emetic syndromes. Diarrheal syndrome has been linked to three different enterotoxins: two protein complexes, hemolysin BL (HBL) and nonhemolytic enterotoxin (NHE); and an enterotoxic protein, cytotoxin K (cytK). Emetic syndrome is related to cereulide, a toxin encoded by the ces gene. In this study, NHE and HBL production capacities of 155 strains of B. cereus isolated from Brazilian food products were evaluated with an immunoassay. Strains were also tested for the presence of the genes of the HBL and NHE complexes, cytK, cytK-1, cytK-2, and ces, using PCR. HBL was detected in 105 (67.7%) strains and NHE in 154 (99.4%) strains. All the strains harbored at least one gene of the NHE complex, while 96.1% of them were positive for at least one of those of the HBL complex. Genes cytK1 and ces were not detected. All strains showed toxigenic capacity and could represent a risk for consumers if good practices are not followed. This is the first report on toxigenic and genetic profiles of B. cereus strains isolated in Brazil.
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Background and purpose: The contribution of endothelin-1 (ET-1) to vascular hyper-reactivity associated with chronic ethanol intake, a major risk factor in several cardiovascular diseases, remains to be investigated. Experimental approach: The biphasic haemodynamic responses to ET-1 (0.01-0.1 nmol kg(-1), i.v.) or to the selective ET(B) agonist, IRL1620 (0.001-1.0 nmol kg(-1), i.v.), with or without ET(A) or ET(B) antagonists (BQ123 (c(DTrp-Dasp-Pro-Dval-Leu)) at 1 and 2.5 mg kg(-1) and BQ788 (N-cis-2,6-dimethyl-piperidinocarbonyl-L-gamma-methylleucyl1-D-1methoxycarbonyltryptophanyl-D-norleucine) at 0.25 mg kg(-1), respectively) were tested in anaesthetized rats, after 2 weeks` chronic ethanol treatment. Hepatic parameters and ET receptor protein levels were also determined. Key results: The initial hypotensive responses to ET-1 or IRL1620 were unaffected by chronic ethanol intake, whereas the subsequent pressor effects induced by ET-1, but not by IRL1620, were potentiated. BQ123 at 2.5 but not 1 mg kg(-1) reduced the pressor responses to ET-1 in ethanol-treated rats. Conversely, BQ788 (0.25 mg kg(-1)) potentiated ET-1-induced increases in mean arterial blood pressure in control as well as in ethanol-treated rats. Interestingly, in the latter group, increases in heart rate, induced by ET-1 at a dose of 0.025 mg kg(-1) were enhanced following ET(B) receptor blockade. Finally, we observed higher levels of ET(A) receptor in the heart and mesenteric artery and a reduction of ET(B) receptor protein levels in the aorta and kidney from rats chronically treated with ethanol. Conclusions and implications: Increased vascular reactivity to ET-1 and altered protein levels of ET(A) and ET(B) receptors could play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular complications associated with chronic ethanol consumption.
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Iron and oxidative stress have a regulatory interplay. During the oxidative burst, phagocytic cells produce free radicals such as hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Nevertheless, scarce studies evaluated the effect of either iron deficiency anemia (IDA) or anemia of chronic disease (ACD) on phagocyte function in the elderly. The aim of the present study was to determine the oxidative burst, phagocytosis, and nitric oxide ((aEuro cent)NO) and HOCl, reactive species produced by monocytes and neutrophils in elderly with ACD or IDA. Soluble transferrin receptor, serum ferritin, and soluble transferrin receptor/log ferritin (TfR-F) index determined the iron status. The study was constituted of 39 patients aged over 60 (28 women and 11 men) recruited from the Brazilian Public Health System. Oxidative burst fluorescence intensity per neutrophil in IDA group and HOCl generation in both ACD and IDA groups were found to be lower (p < 0.05). The percentages of neutrophils and monocytes expressing phagocytosis in ACD group were found to be higher (p < 0.05). There was an overproduction of (aEuro cent)NO from monocytes, whereas the fundamental generation of HOCl appeared to be lower. Phagocytosis, oxidative burst, and (aEuro cent)NO and HOCl production are involved in iron metabolism regulation in elderly patients with ACD and IDA.
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Kidney function and the role of the cloacal complex in osmoregulation was investigated in estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) exposed to three environmental salinities: hypo-, iso- and hyperosmotic to the plasma. Plasma homeostasis was maintained over the range of salinities. Antidiuresis occurred with increased salinity. Although urine from the kidneys retained an osmotic pressure between 77% and 82% of the plasma, over 93% and 98% of plasma chloride filtered at the glomeruli was reabsorbed during passage through the kidneys under hypo and hyperosmotic conditions, respectively, and only 64% in iso-osmotic water. The kidneys were the primary site of sodium reabsorption under hypo-and hyperosmotic conditions. Secondary processing of urine during storage in the cloaca varied with salinity. During post renal storage of urine, the difference in urine osmotic pressure increased from -26.1 +/- 15.5 to 35.66 +/- 9.29 mOsM with increased salinity, and potassium concentration of urine increased over 3-fold in C. porosus from freshwater. The almost complete reabsorption of both sodium and chloride under hyperosmotic conditions indicates the necessity for secretory activity by the lingual salt glands. The osmoregulatory response of the kidneys and cloacal complex to environmental salinity is both plastic and complementary. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.
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Objective: To design, introduce, and evaluate STD syndrome packets containing recommended drugs for each syndrome, four condoms, a partner treatment card, and a patient information leaflet, with the goal of improving sexually transmitted disease (STD) case management. Methods: Packet design evolved around available packaging technology, informed by pilot testing with nurses working in primary care clinics, doctors in private medical practices, and patients with an STD, in Hlabisa, South Africa. Evaluation 1 year later included analysis of distribution records and interviews with 16 nurses and 61 patients. Results: A cheap packet (2 U, S, cents each, excluding contents) compatible with current legislation was designed and introduced to six public sector clinics and as a short pilot to five private medical practices, Four thousand eighty-five packets were distributed to the clinics, equivalent to approximately 115% of the STDs reported over that period. All 16 nurses reported using the packets, but only 63% did so all the time because of occasional supply problems, All believed the packets improved treatment by saving time (75%), improving supply of condoms and partner cards (44%), and making treatment easier (56%), Patients also responded positively, and most said they would buy a packet (up to $5) at a pharmacy (84%) or store (63%) if available. Conclusions: The STD syndrome packets have the potential to improve STD syndromic management by standardizing therapy and improving the supply of condoms, partner cards, and information leaflets. Packets are popular with practitioners and patients, but consistent supply is essential for maximal impact, There may be scope for social marketing of the packets, which could further increase use.
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The present article identifies, for children living in developing countries, the major causes of ill-health that are inadequately covered by established health programmes. Injuries and noncommunicable diseases, notably asthma, epilepsy, dental caries, diabetes mellitus and rheumatic heart disease, are growing in significance. In countries where resources are scarce it is to be expected that increasing importance will be attached to the development and implementation of measures against these problems. Their control may benefit from the application of elements of programmes directed against infectious, nutritional and perinatal disorders, which continue to predominate.
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This is an overview of the first burden of disease and injury studies carried out in Australia. Methods developed for the World Bank and World Health Organization Global Burden of Disease Study were adapted and applied to Australian population health data. Depression was found to be the top-ranking cause of non-fatal disease burden in Australia, causing 8% of the total years lost due to disability in 1996. Mental disorders overall were responsible for nearly 30% of the non-fatal disease burden. The leading causes of total disease burden (disability-adjusted life years [DALYs]) were ischaemic heart disease and stroke, together causing nearly 18% of the total disease burden. Depression was the fourth leading cause of disease burden, accounting for 3.7% of the total burden. Of the 10 major risk factors to which the disease burden can be attributed, tobacco smoking causes an estimated 10% of the total disease burden in Australia, followed by physical inactivity (7%).