Terapia cognitivo-comportamental em grupo e sertralina no tratamento do transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo

Fundamentação: A terapia cognitivo-comportamental em grupo (TCCG) e os inibidores da recaptação da serotonina (IRS) apresentam eficácia comprovada em reduzir os sintomas do transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo (TOC). Ainda é uma questão em aberto qual destas modalidades de tratamento é a mais efetiva. Este estudo foi conduzido para avaliar a eficácia da TCCG em relação à da sertralina na redução dos sintomas do TOC. Metodologia: Cinqüenta e seis pacientes com diagnóstico de TOC, de acordo com os critérios do DSM-IV, participaram do ensaio clínico randomizado: 28 recebendo 100 mg/dia de sertralina e 28 realizando TCC em grupo por 12 semanas. A eficácia dos tratamentos foi avaliada pela redução nos escores das escalas Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) e Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Resultados: Ambos os tratamentos foram efetivos, havendo uma tendência de superioridade da TCCG em relação à sertralina na redução dos sintomas obsessivo-compulsivos (F= 3,1; GL= 1; p= 0,083). Os pacientes tratados com TCCG obtiveram uma redução percentual média dos sintomas de 43%, enquanto os tratados com sertralina obtiveram somente 28% de redução (p= 0,039). A TCCG também foi significativamente mais eficaz na redução na intensidade das compulsões (p= 0,030). Além disso, oito pacientes (32%) tratados com TCCG apresentaram remissão completa de sintomas do TOC (Y-BOCS ≤8) contra apenas 1 (4%) entre os que receberam sertralina (p= 0,023).

Bronquiolite viral aguda fatores prognóticos em lactentes hospitalizados previamente hígidos

A bronquiolite viral aguda (BVA) é uma doença respiratória que acomete crianças principalmente no primeiro ano de vida. O Vírus Sincicial Respiratório é responsável por aproximadamente 75% dos casos de bronquiolite viral aguda; entretanto, outros agentes também podem desencadear doença semelhante, como Adenovirus1, 7,3 e 21, Rinovírus, Parainfluenza, Influenza, Metapneumovirus e, menos freqüentemente, o Mycoplasma pneumoniae. A BVA é uma doença com padrão sazonal, de evolução benigna na maioria dos lactentes hígidos, entretanto 0,5% a 2% necessitam hospitalização, dos quais 15% necessitam cuidados intensivos, e destes apenas 3 a 8% desenvolvem falência ventilatória necessitando de ventilação mecânica. A mortalidade entre crianças previamente hígidas está em torno de 1% dos pacientes internados. O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar fatores de prognóstico na BVA e correlacionar com tempo de internação em lactentes previamente hígidos. Durante o inverno de 2002, foram acompanhados em estudo de coorte 219 pacientes menores de um ano de idade com diagnóstico clínico de bronquiolite viral aguda. Estes pacientes foram avaliados e classificados conforme escore clinico modificado (DE BOECK et al., 1997) na internação, no terceiro dia e no momento da alta hospitalar. O tempo de internação real foi registrado e foi estimado o tempo de internação ideal, conforme critérios de alta clínica definidos por Wainwright e cols. , em 2003, como não uso de oxigênio por mais de 10 horas, tiragem intercostal mínima ou ausente, sem uso de medicação parenteral e com capacidade de alimentação via oral. O escore clinico na internação foi 3,88±1, 81, o tempo médio de uso de oxigênio 5,3±3,83 dias. Estes pacientes apresentaram tempo de internação real de 7,02±3,89 dias e tempo de internação ideal de 5,92±3,83 dias (p<0,001). Considerando tempo de internação ideal como variável dependente em um modelo de regressão logística, observa-se que para cada ponto de aumento no escore clinico aumenta em 1,9 a chance de o paciente permanecer internado por mais de três dias. Conclui-se, então, que se pode predizer o tempo de internação de lactentes hígidos com BVA através do escore clínico, indicando seu uso na avaliação inicial destes pacientes.

O papel da educação financeira na contratação de crédito em mercados informais

O artigo examina os determinantes para o uso de fontes informais de crédito com uma base de dados com 2.023 observações. São analisados os financiamentos contratados através de amigos/conhecidos, com ou sem a cobrança de juros, e via agiotas. Um logit multinomial é usado para comparar os efeitos da tomada de crédito na informalidade com as famílias que não contrataram nenhum tipo de crédito e com as que utilizaram crédito bancário. Os títulos de capitalização são usados como proxy para identificar aqueles com baixos níveis de educação financeira. Os resultados indicam que além da questão da restrição de crédito, o analfabetismo financeiro desempenha um papel significante na seleção desse tipo de fonte de financiamento.

Perceção do envolvimento face à atividade física e consumo de frutas e hortícolas, aptidão aeróbia e a sua relação com a obesidade: um estudo em alunos do 7º ano da RAA e da RAM

A alteração do nosso quotidiano levou a uma mudança nos hábitos alimentares, padrões e níveis de actividade física, o que pode explicar o aumento das taxas de prevalência de excesso de peso e obesidade. No entanto, para podermos intervir, é necessário compreender a influência dos factores explicativos. Com o presente estudo, pretendemos comparar duas escolas, uma de cada Região Autónoma, da Madeira (RAM) e dos Açores (RAA), nos seguintes aspectos: a) caracterizar o nível de obesidade, aptidão aeróbia, participação desportiva, hábitos alimentares e a sua percepção do envolvimento físico, e b) identificar quais das variáveis em estudo são predictores de uma percentagem de massa gorda (%MG) alta e muito alta. Participaram no estudo 326 sujeitos de ambos os sexos, da RAA (n=123) e da RAM (n=203). Os níveis de obesidade foram determinados segundo os valores referenciados por Cole et al. (2000, 2007), a %MG foi calculada através da fórmula de Slaughter et al. (1988) e categorizados segundo Lohman (1987). A aptidão aeróbia foi avaliada através do teste vaivém da bateria de testes Fitnessgram (The Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, 2007). Foram utilizados questionários para avaliação da participação desportiva, comportamentos alimentares (Wilson et al., 2008) e percepção do envolvimento físico (Evenson et al., 2006). Verificamos que 29% dos sujeitos avaliados apresentam excesso de peso ou obesidade, 30,4% apresentam %MG alta ou muito alta, 61% apresentam uma aptidão aeróbia abaixo da zona saudável, e 64,7% indicam a Educação Física como única actividade física organizada e regular em que participam. Foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as duas escolas (RAA e RAM) na participação desportiva e na percepção do envolvimento físico. Foi possível constatar que a percepção de disponibilidade de frutos e hortícolas (OR: 0,854; 95%CI 0,746 – 0,977) e a percepção de envolvimento físico com barreiras geográficas (OR: 1,127; 95%CI 1,023-1,240) são predictores de uma %MG alta ou muito alta.

Analytical characterization of the aroma of Tinta Negra Mole red wine: Identification of the main odorants compounds

A method for the simultaneous determination of major and minor volatiles composition in different types (dry, medium dry, sweet and medium sweet) of a young Tinta Negra Mole (TNM) monovarietal red wine from 2003 harvest has been validated. Wine samples preparation includes a dichloromethane liquid–liquid extraction followed by concentration under a nitrogen atmosphere. The extracted fraction was analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and give quantitative information for more than 86 analytes whose concentration range from few μg l−1 to 259.1 mg l−1. The method enables high recovery of volatile compounds in wine good linearity with (r2) values higher than 0.980 and good sensitivity. The limits of detection range from 0.003 to 0.534 mg l−1 and limits of quantification from 0.009 to 1.170 mg l−1. The method allows satisfactory determination of more than 80 compounds in the TNM red wines. These wines are characterized by a high content of higher alcohols, ethyl esters, fatty acids and lactones. The levels of sulphur compounds in Tinta Negra Mole medium sweet wines are very low, but they have the highest concentration of carbonyl compounds. Quantitative analysis of the main odorants followed by the determination of aroma index allow us elucidate the aroma of these varieties. On the basis of their odour description and odour threshold, the most powerful odorants of Tinta Negra Mole wines were tentatively established.

Development of a novel microextraction by packed sorbent-based approach followed by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography as a powerful technique for quantification phenolic constituents of biological interest in wines

A novel analytical approach, based on a miniaturized extraction technique, the microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), followed by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) separation combined with a photodiode array (PDA) detection, has been developed and validated for the quantitative determination of sixteen biologically active phenolic constituents of wine. In addition to performing routine experiments to establish the validity of the assay to internationally accepted criteria (linearity, sensitivity, selectivity, precision, accuracy), experiments are included to assess the effect of the important experimental parameters on the MEPS performance such as the type of sorbent material (C2, C8, C18, SIL, and M1), number of extraction cycles (extract-discard), elution volume, sample volume, and ethanol content, were studied. The optimal conditions of MEPS extraction were obtained using C8 sorbent and small sample volumes (250 μL) in five extraction cycle and in a short time period (about 5 min for the entire sample preparation step). The wine bioactive phenolics were eluted by 250 μL of the mixture containing 95% methanol and 5% water, and the separation was carried out on a HSS T3 analytical column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.8 μm particle size) using a binary mobile phase composed of aqueous 0.1% formic acid (eluent A) and methanol (eluent B) in the gradient elution mode (10 min of total analysis). The method gave satisfactory results in terms of linearity with r2-values > 0.9986 within the established concentration range. The LOD varied from 85 ng mL−1 (ferulic acid) to 0.32 μg mL−1 ((+)-catechin), whereas the LOQ values from 0.028 μg mL−1 (ferulic acid) to 1.08 μg mL−1 ((+)-catechin). Typical recoveries ranged between 81.1 and 99.6% for red wines and between 77.1 and 99.3% for white wines, with relative standard deviations (RSD) no larger than 10%. The extraction yields of the MEPSC8/UHPLC–PDA methodology were found between 78.1 (syringic acid) and 99.6% (o-coumaric acid) for red wines and between 76.2 and 99.1% for white wines. The inter-day precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD%), varied between 0.2% (p-coumaric and o-coumaric acids) and 7.5% (gentisic acid) while the intra-day precision between 0.2% (o-coumaric and cinnamic acids) and 4.7% (gallic acid and (−)-epicatechin). On the basis of analytical validation, it is shown that the MEPSC8/UHPLC–PDA methodology proves to be an improved, reliable, and ultra-fast approach for wine bioactive phenolics analysis, because of its capability for determining simultaneously in a single chromatographic run several bioactive metabolites with high sensitivity, selectivity and resolving power within only 10 min. Preliminary studies have been carried out on 34 real whole wine samples, in order to assess the performance of the described procedure. The new approach offers decreased sample preparation and analysis time, and moreover is cheaper, more environmentally friendly and easier to perform as compared to traditional methodologies.

Allergic asthma exhaled breath metabolome: a challenge for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

Allergic asthma represents an important public health issue, most common in the paediatric population, characterized by airway inflammation that may lead to changes in volatiles secreted via the lungs. Thus, exhaled breath has potential to be a matrix with relevant metabolomic information to characterize this disease. Progress in biochemistry, health sciences and related areas depends on instrumental advances, and a high throughput and sensitive equipment such as comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time of flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC–ToFMS) was considered. GC × GC–ToFMS application in the analysis of the exhaled breath of 32 children with allergic asthma, from which 10 had also allergic rhinitis, and 27 control children allowed the identification of several hundreds of compounds belonging to different chemical families. Multivariate analysis, using Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis in tandem with Monte Carlo Cross Validation was performed to assess the predictive power and to help the interpretation of recovered compounds possibly linked to oxidative stress, inflammation processes or other cellular processes that may characterize asthma. The results suggest that the model is robust, considering the high classification rate, sensitivity, and specificity. A pattern of six compounds belonging to the alkanes characterized the asthmatic population: nonane, 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane, decane, 3,6-dimethyldecane, dodecane, and tetradecane. To explore future clinical applications, and considering the future role of molecular-based methodologies, a compound set was established to rapid access of information from exhaled breath, reducing the time of data processing, and thus, becoming more expedite method for the clinical purposes.

Análise de cDNAs identificados em bibliotecas substrativas de cDNA para floração de variedades de cana-de-açúcar cultivadas no Rio Grande do Norte(RN): fator de transição NAC, Calmodulina e Fosfatidiltransferase

The flowering is a physiological process that it is vital for plants. This physiological process has been well studied in the plant model Arabidopsis, but in sugarcane this process is not well known. The transition of the shoot apical meristem from vegetative to flowering is a critical factor for plant development. At Brazil northeastern region, the transition to flowering in sugarcane has an important effect as it may reduce up to 60% its production. This is a consequence of the sugar translocation from stalks to the shoot apical meristem which is necessary during the flowering process. Therefore, the aim of this work was to explore and analyze cDNAs previously identified using subtractive cDNA libraries. The results showed that these cDNAs showed differential expression profile in varieties of sugarcane (early x late flowering). The in silico analysis suggested that these cDNAs had homology to calmodulin, NAC transcription factor and phosphatidylinositol, a SEC14, which were described in the literature as having a role in the process of floral development. To better understand the role of the cDNA homologous to calmodulin, tobacco plants were transformed with overexpression cassettes in sense and antissense orientation. Plants overexpressing the cassette in sense orientation did not flowered, while plants overexpressing the cassette in the antissense orientation produced flowers. The data obtained in this study suggested the possible role from CAM sequence, SEC14 and NAC in the induction/floral development pathway in sugarcane, this is the first study in order to analyze these genes in the sugarcane flowering process.

Nenneguya garavelli n. sp and Myxobolus peculiaris n. sp (Myxozoa : Myxobolidae) in the gills of Cyphocharax nagelli (Osteichthyes : Curimatidae) from Rio do Peixe Reservoir, Sao Jose do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, Brazil

The present work describes myxozoans found in Cyphocharax nagelli (Characiformes: Curimatinae) commonly called saguiru collected from Rio do Peixe Reservoir, Sao Jose do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, Brazil. From a total of 38 examined fish, 24 were infected with Henneguya garavelli n. sp. (63% prevalence) and two with Myxobolus peculiaris n. sp. (5% prevalence) in the gills. Spores were studied by staining and fresh spores were observed by differential interference contrast optics. Henneguya garavelli n. sp. differs from Henneguya iheringi , Henneguya occulta, Henneguya cesarpintoi, Henneguya santae, Henneguya pisciforme, Henneguya amazonica, Henneguya striolata, Henneguya leporinicola and Henneguya chydadea in spore length and from Henneguya travassosi, Henneguya adherens, Henneguya malabarica, Henneguya piaractus and also Henneguya chydadea in polar capsule length and tail length. Myxobolus peculiaris n. sp. was very different when compared to other species of Myxobolus in its morphology and the biggest size of spore body. The authors present tables with comparative measurements of Brazilian myxozoan parasites. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Population structure of pond-raised Macrobrachium amazonicum with different stocking and harvesting strategies

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

Africanized honey bee (Apis mellifera) venom profiling: Seasonal variation of melittin and phospholipase A(2) levels

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

Caracterização molecular e laboratorial da talassemia beta e da interação hemoglobina s/talassemia beta

Beta thalassemia arises as a consequence of the reduction (β+, β++, βsilent) or absence (β0) of beta globin chain synthesis and results from a number of mechanisms that lead to genetic defects. The inheritance of beta thalassemia is characterized by the existence of heterozygous individuals, compound heterozygotes, homozygotes and those with coinheritance of beta thalassemia allele and other thalassemias and/or hemoglobin variants. The aim of this study was to perform molecular and laboratory characterization of beta thalassemia in heterozygous and homozygous individuals and in those with coinheritance of S beta thalassemia. A total of 48 individuals were included (35 heterozygotes, 4 homozygotes and 9 S beta thalessemia carriers) referred to the Integrated Laboratory of Clinical Analyses of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) and the Hematology Ambulatory Facility of the Dalton Barbosa Cunha Hemocenter (Hemonorte Natal, Brazil). Peripheral blood samples form each patient underwent the following laboratory examinations: erythrogram, hemoglobin electrophoresis at alkaline pH, measurements of Hb A2, Fetal Hb and serum ferritin. DNA was extracted using the illustra blood genomicPrep Mini Spin Kit and molecular characterization was performed by the PCR/RFLP technique, which involves digestion with specific restriction enzymes for IVS-1 nt 1 (G®A), IVS-1 nt 6 (T®C) and codon 39 (CAG®TAG) mutations. Of the 35 heterozygotes, 37.1% showed IVS-1 nt 6 mutation, 42.9% IVS-1 nt 1 and 20% were carriers of other mutations not identified by the technique used. The four homozygous patients presented with the IVS-1 nt 6 mutation, while 66.7% of the individuals with S beta thalassemia had the IVS-1 nt 1 mutation. Codon 39 was not detected in any of the patients investigated. Of the thallasemic alleles found, 40.4% were IVS- 1 nt 1, 40.4% IVS-1 nt 6 and 19.2% were not identified. Laboratory data showed that the heterozygotes exhibited microcytosis and hypochromia, evidenced by MCV ranging from 57 to 75fL and MCH from 15.9 to 23.6 pg. Hemoglobin A2 varied between 3.7 and 7.2%. The homogygotes also showed reduced MCV and MCH and elevated HbA2.. Comparison of laboratory data between heterozygous individuals with IVS-1 nt 1 and IVS-1 nt 6 mutations showed that heterozygotes for the IVS1-1 mutation had significantly lower mean MCV and MCH (p = 0.023 and 0.007, respectively) and significantly higher hemoglobin A2 (p < 0.001) when compared to heterozygotes for the IVS-1 nt 6 mutation. PCR/RFLP was useful in identifying the presence or absence of IVS-1 nt 6, IVS-1 nt 1 and codon 39 mutations in most of the patients investigated here. This is the first study conducted in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil aimed at identifying beta thalassemia mutations and represents an important contribution to the knowledge regarding the molecular profile of beta thalassemia in our country

Qualidade de vida de pessoas com úlceras venosas atendidos no ambulatório de um hospital universitário

Descriptive study aimed to analyze the quality of life (QOL) of patients with venous ulcers (UV) outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Natal / RN. The aim of the study population was composed of 50 patients with UV treated at the cardiology clinic of a university teaching hospital at the tertiary level. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Protocol 279/09). Data collection was performed over a period of two months by the very a masters degree and an academic nursing through the application of a form concerning the socio-demographic, clinical, and health care, and the instruments WHOQOL and WHOQOL - old. The data were analyzed with SPSS 15.0, using descriptive and inferential statistics presented in the form of tables, charts and graphs. Of the surveyed, female predominance, age range 59 years, Catholic, low education, married, with up to 03 children, not working, retired, or with occupations requiring long periods in one position, wage income of up to 02 minimum wages, inadequate sleep, patients with chronic venous insufficiency and other chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, were taking medications for treatment, being a minority to IVC. In patients with predominant only one injury, time of injury up to five years, inadequate rest, pain, edema and lesions colonized. The assistance the UV patients began treatment of the injury until four months after the onset of the ulcer, and services primary health care most wanted, access to angiologist by reference form, commuted by public transportation, received support regarding the treatment of injuries. The topical product most used in the lesion was healing, and few were using compression therapy. respondents suffer discrimination in society, showed changes in quality of life after the occurrence of ulcer in relation to leisure, pain, restriction of social / school / transportation; barring employment / financial / social ladder; Physical appearance / discrimination and restriction of domestic activity. These changes were related to the time of injury and found that the more chronic injury is the most negative changes occur in their QV (ρ = 0.000). Analyzing the characteristics of QV measured by the WHOQOL-bref, we found for the two general questions they are dissatisfied with their health (ρ = 0.023) and all areas have significant difference compared with the worst QV have the injury of more than 5 years (ρ = 0.000). The QV measured by the WHOQOL-old, we found that these patients had no changes from the time of injury. We conclude that the QV of patients with UV was considered unsatisfactory when compared to the time of injury on more than 5 years which shows that the quality of life worsens with time the chronic UV.

Genetic parameters and relationships of heifer pregnancy and age at first calving with weight gain, yearling and mature weight in Nelore cattle

The objectives of the current study were to investigate the additive genetic associations between heifer pregnancy at 16 months of age (HP16) and age at first calving (AFC) with weight gain from birth to weaning (WG), yearling weight (YW) and mature weight (MW), in order to verify the possibility of using the traits measured directly in females as selection criteria for the genetic improvement of sexual precocity in Nelore cattle. (Co)variance components were estimated by Bayesian inference using a linear animal model for AFC, WG, YW and MW and a nonlinear (threshold) animal model for HP16. The posterior means of direct heritability estimates were: 0.45 +/- 0.02; 0.10 +/- 0.01; 023 +/- 0.02; 0.36 +/- 0.01 and 0.39 +/- 0.04, for HP16, AFC, WG, YW and MW, respectively. Maternal heritability estimate for WG was 0.07 +/- 0.01. Genetic correlations estimated between HP16 and WG, YW and MW were 0.19 +/- 0.04; 0.25 +/- 0.06 and 0.14 +/- 0.05, respectively. The genetic correlations of AFC with WG, YW and MW were low to moderate and negative, with values of -0.18 +/- 0.06; -0.22 +/- 0.05 and -0.12 +/- 0.05, respectively. The high heritability estimated for HP16 suggests that this trait seem to be a better selection criterion for females sexual precocity than AFC. Long-term selection for animals that are heavier at young ages tends to improve the heifers sexual precocity evaluated by HP16 or AFC. Predicted breeding values for HP16 can be used to select bulls and it can lead to an improvement in sexual precocity. The inclusion of HP16 in a selection index will result in small or no response for females mature weight. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.