Quality of life and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in a community health care program population

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate quality of life in a population that attended a specific community event on health care education, and to investigate the association of their quality of life with the presence of cardiovascular risk factors INTRODUCTION: Interest in health-related quality of life is growing worldwide as a consequence of increasing rates of chronic disease. However, little is known about the association between quality of life and cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: This study included 332 individuals. Demographics, blood pressure, body mass index, and casual glycemia were evaluated. The brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire on quality of life was given to them. The medians of the scores obtained for the physical, psychological, emotional, and environmental domains were used as cutoffs to define higher and lower scores. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to define the parameters associated with lower scores. RESULTS: Diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and obesity were associated with lower scores in the physical domain. Dyslipidemia was also associeted with lower scores in the psychological domain. Male gender and regular physical activity had protective effects on quality of life. Aging was inversely associated with decreased quality of life in the environmental domain. CONCLUSION: The presence of cardiovascular risk factors is related to a decreased quality of life. Conversely, male gender and regular physical activity had protective effects on quality of life. These findings suggest that exercising should be further promoted by health-related public programs, with a special focus on women.

Evaluation of low intensity laser's action on silicone mammary implant pseudocapsules in rats

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito do laser de baixa intensidade sobre a contração da pseudocápsula que ocorre ao redor de implantes de silicone. MÉTODOS: 60 ratos machos divididos em dois grupos receberam implante de silicone. Grupo I: implante no subcutâneo da região dorsal, sem tratamento após a cirurgia; Grupo II: animais receberam sete sessões de irradiação com laser de baixa intensidade após o implante. Trinta, 60 e 180 dias após a cirurgia, foi feita a tonometria dos implantes, em seguida, os animais foram sacrificados, removendo-se o material de estudo que foi preparado para exame histológico, avaliando-se morfometricamente a espessura da pseudocápsula e a reação inflamatória. A análise estatistica pela técnica da Análise de Variância e Teste de Tukey (P<0.0 5). RESULTADOS: Pressões significativamente menores foram encontradas nos animais do grupo Grupo II. O estudo histológico não mostrou diferença significativa entre os grupos, destacando-se apenas maior quantidade de vasos intumescidos no Grupo II. A espessura da pseudocápsula foi menor no Grupo II. CONCLUSÃO: O laser de baixa intensidade altera o processo de reparação tecidual ao redor dos implantes, sugerindo que o mesmo possa ser útil para a modelação das contraturas que se estabelecem ao redor dos implantes de silicone.

Studies of gastric mucosa regeneration and safety promoted by Mouriri pusa treatment in acetic acid ulcer model

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Mouriri pusa Gardn. (Melastomataceae) is a medicinal plant commonly used by people living in the Cerrado to treat gastrointestinal disturbances. This medicinal plant has shown intense gastroprotective action in rodent gastric lesion, but still there are no data about its healing effect on gastric mucosa.Aim of the Study: To evaluate the methanolic extract (MeOH) obtained from Mouriri pusa leaves for its effect on the cicatrisation process of gastric ulcer.Mterials and Methods: The healing effects on gastric ulcers inducted by subserosal injection of acetic acid were evaluated by macroscopic and microscopic measures, imunohistochemistry and cell counting in rats treated with MeOH extract of Mouriri pusa (250 mg/kg, p.o./daily) for 14 or 30 days. The toxicity of Mouriri pusa was also evaluated by body and organ weight measure and clinical biochemical parameters.Results: Mouriri pusa treatments lasting 14 and 30 days showed elevated mucus secretion (PAS) and thicker regenerative gastric mucosa, denoting increased cell proliferation, which was confirmed by PCNA immunohistochemical analysis. Moreover, there was important cell recruitment (neutrophils and mast cells) to the site of the ulcer, which is an important factor in ulcer healing. No toxic effect was observed in all parameters evaluated. Phenolic compounds present in the MeOH extract like tannins, flavonoids and epicatechin are the probable agents involved in the healing effects of this medicinal plant.Conclusions: These findings showed a potential effect of Mouriri pusa in increasing regeneration of damaged gastric mucosa with safety for human use. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vitro antibacterial action of Tetraclean, MTAD and five experimental irrigation solutions

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

EFFECTS of CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION DURING RESISTANCE TRAINING on MYOSIN HEAVY CHAIN (MHC) EXPRESSION IN RAT SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Rosmarinic acid, a new snake venom phospholipase A(2) inhibitor from Cordia verbenacea (Boraginaceae): antiserum action potentiation and molecular interaction

Many plants are used in traditional medicine as active agents against various effects induced by snakebite. The methanolic extract from Cordia verbenacea (Cv) significantly inhibited paw edema induced by Bothrops jararacussu snake venom and by its main basic phospholipase A(2) homologs, namely bothropstoxins I and II (BthTXs). The active component was isolated by chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 and by RP-HPLC on a C18 column and identified as rosmarinic acid (Cv-RA). Rosmarinic acid is an ester of caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid [2-O-cafeoil-3-(3,4-di-hydroxy-phenyl)-R-lactic acid]. This is the first report of RA in the species C. verbenacea ('baleeira', 'whaler') and of its anti-inflammatory and antimyotoxic properties against snake venoms and isolated toxins. RA inhibited the edema and myotoxic activity induced by the basic PLA(2)s BthTX-I and BthTX-II. It was, however, less efficient to inhibit the PLA(2) activity of BthTX-II and, still less, the PLA(2) and edema-inducing activities of the acidic isoform BthA-1-PLA(2), from the same venom, showing therefore a higher inhibitory activity upon basic PLA(2)s. RA also inhibited most of the myotoxic and partially the edema-inducing effects of both basic PLA(2)s, thus reinforcing the idea of dissociation between the catalytic and pharmacological domains. The pure compound potentiated the ability of the commercial equine polyvalent antivenom in neutralizing lethal and myotoxic effects of the crude venom and of isolated PLA(2)s in experimental models. CD data presented here suggest that, after binding, no significant conformation changes occur either in the Cv-RA or in the target PLA(2). A possible model for the interaction of rosmarinic acid with Lys49-PLA(2) BthTX-I is proposed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can a Strychnos species be used as antiulcer agent? Ulcer healing action from alkaloid fraction of Strychnos pseudoquina St. Hil. (Loganiaceae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Antiulcerogenic action of ethanolic extract of the resin from Virola surinamensis Warb. (Myristicaceae)

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Virola surinamensis (Myristicaceae), popularly known as mucuiba, ucuuba or ucuuba do igapo is a large tree that grows abundantly in Varzea forest and on river banks in the Brazilian states of Amazonas and Tocantins. The resin obtained by cuts on the stem bark is a reputed folk remedy in its natural form for the treatment of ulcer, gastritis inflammation and cancer.Aim of the study: The present work evaluated the pharmacological activity of the resin obtained from bark of V surinamensis as antiulcerogenic in experimental in vivo model in order to observe whether its traditional use is justified.Materials and methods: The preventive action of ethanolic extract of V surinamensis was evaluated in experimental in vivo models in rodents that simulated this disease in human gastric mucosa.Results: Oral administration of acidified ethanol solution produced severe hemorrhagic lesions in glandular mucosa with ulcerative lesion of 50 +/- 11.5 mm. In animals pretreated with V surinamensis (500 mg/kg, p.o.) a significant inhibition of mucosal injury of 2.40 +/- 0.56 mm (95% inhibition) was detected. The V. surinamensis, at the same dose, also reduced significantly (p < 0.05) the formation of gastric lesions induced by indomethacin (39%), stress (45%) and by pylorus ligature in mice (31%) when compared to animals treated with vehicle. The extract from V surinamensis exerts gastroprotective action only when this extract contacts gastric mucosa (oral route) with. increased pH values and reduced H(+) concentration of gastric contents. The ethanolic extract of V surinamensis resin was analyzed by TLC and spectrometric methods (NMR and ES-MS) and the main constituent of this extract was epicatechin.Conclusions: We suggest that the epicatechin present in V surinamensis resin may be among active principles responsible for the antiulcer activity shown by the tested resin but their used suggest carefulness because toxicological symptoms mentioned by population. (C) Published by Elsevier B.V.

Mechanisms of action underlying the gastric antiulcer activity of the Rhizophora mangle L.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A simplified Fermi Accelerator Model under quadratic frictional force

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Annexin 1 peptides protect against experimental myocardial ischemia-reperfusion: analysis of their mechanism of action

Myocardial reperfusion injury is associated with the infiltration of blood-borne polymorphonuclear leukocytes. We have previous described the protection afforded by annexin 1 (ANXA1) in an experimental model of rat myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. We examined the 1) amino acid region of ANXA1 that retained the protective effect in a model of rat heart IR; 2) changes in endogenous ANXA1 in relation to the IR induced damage and after pharmacological modulation; and 3) potential involvement of the formyl peptide receptor (FPR) in the protective action displayed by ANXA1 peptides. Administration of peptide Ac2-26 at 0, 30, and 60 min postreperfusion produced a significant protection against IR injury, and this was associated with reduced myeloperoxidase activity and IL-1 beta levels in the infarcted heart. Western blotting and electron microscopy analyses showed that IR heart had increased ANXA1 expression in the injured tissue, associated mainly with the infiltrated leukocytes. Finally, an antagonist to the FPR receptor selectively inhibited the protective action of peptide ANXA1 and its derived peptides against IR injury. Altogether, these data provide further insight into the protective effect of ANXA1 and its mimetics and a rationale for a clinical use for drugs developed from this line of research.

Interactions of mast cell degranulating peptides with model membranes: A comparative biophysical study

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Efficiency of extrinsic and intrinsic charge-carrier photogeneration processes obtained from the steady-state photocurrent action spectra of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) derivatives

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

New Insight into the Mechanism of Action of Wasp Mastoparan Peptides: Lytic Activity and Clustering Observed with Giant Vesicles

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Femur bone repair in ovariectomized rats under the local action of alendronate, hydroxyapatite and the association of alendronate and hydroxyapatite

P>An evaluation was made of the local action of alendronate sodium (A), hydroxyapatite (HA) and the association of both substances (A + HA), in different molar concentrations, on the femur bone repair of ovariectomized rats. Ninety-eight animals were divided into seven groups: control (C), starch (S), alendronate 1 mol (A1), alendronate 2 mols (A2), hydroxyapatite 1 mol (HA1), hydroxyapatite 2 mols (HA2) and the association of alendronate + hydroxyapatite (A + HA). Rats weighing about 250 g were ovariectomized and 2.5-mm diameter bone defects were made on the left femur 30 days later. Each experimental group had defects filled with appropriate material, except for group C (control). The animals were killed 7 and 21 days after surgery. Histological, histomorphometric and statistical analyses of bone neoformation in the bone defect site were performed. From the histological standpoint, the major differences occurred after 21 days. All specimens in groups C, S, HA1 and HA2 presented linear closure of the bone defect, and most animals in groups A1, A2 and A + HA showed no bone neoformation in the central area of the defect. No statistically significant difference was found among the experimental groups after 7 days; after 21 days, group HA2 presented the highest amount of neoformed bone. There was no significant difference among groups A1, A2 and A + HA in the two study periods. It was concluded that alendronate, either isolated or in association with hydroxyapatite, had an adverse effect on bone repair in this experimental model. Moreover, the hydroxyapatite used here proved to be biocompatible and osteoconductive, with group HA2 showing the best results.