Factors that influence healing of chronic venous leg ulcers: a retrospective cohort

BACKGROUND: Venous ulcers have a significant impact on patient quality of life, and constitute a worldwide public health problem. Treatment is complex, with high failure rates.OBJECTIVES: To identify clinical and therapeutic factors that influence healing of venous ulcers.METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of patients with venous ulcers. Ulcer area was measured at the first visit (T0) and after 6 months (T6) and 1 year (T12). A reduction in ulcer area of 50% or more at T6 and T12 was the outcome of interest, weighted by clinical, demographic and treatment aspects.RESULTS: Ninety-four patients were included (137 ulcers). A reduction in ulcer area of 50% or more was seen in 40.1% of patients (95% CI 31.9 to 48.4%) at T6 and 49.6% (95% CI 41.2 to 58.1%) at T12. Complete healing occurred in 16.8% (95% CI 10.5 to 23.1%) at T6 and 27% (95% CI 19.5 to 39.5%) at T12. The lowest ulcer area reductions at T6 were associated with longstanding ulcer (RR=0.95; 95% CI 0.91 to 0.98), poor adherence to compression therapy (RR=4.04; 95% CI 1.31 to 12.41), and infection episodes (RR=0.42; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.76). At T12, lower reductions were associated with longstanding ulcer (RR=0.95; 95% CI 0.92 to 0.98), longer topical antibiotic use (RR=0.93; 95% CI 0.87 to 0.99), and systemic antibiotic use (RR=0.63; 95% CI 0.40 to 0.99).CONCLUSIONS: Longstanding ulcer, infection, poor adherence to compression therapy, and longer topical and systemic antibiotic use were independently correlated with worse healing rates.

Characterization of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) expression in soft tissue sarcomas: distinct prognostic impact of MCT1 sub-cellular localization

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are a group of neoplasms, which, despite current therapeutic advances, still confer a poor outcome to half of the patients. As other solid tumors, STSs exhibit high glucose consumption rates, associated with worse prognosis and therapeutic response. As highly glycolytic tumors, we hypothesized that sarcomas should present an increased expression of lactate transporters (MCTs).Methods: Immunohistochemical expression of MCT1, MCT2, MCT4 and CD147 was assessed in a series of 86 STSs and the expression profiles were associated with patients' clinical-pathological parameters.Results: MCT1, MCT4 and CD147 were mainly observed in the plasma membrane of cancer cells (around 60% for MCTs and 40% for CD147), while MCT2 was conspicuously found in the cytoplasm (94.2%). Importantly, we observed MCT1 nuclear expression (32.6%). MCT1 and MCT4, alone or co-expressed with CD147 in the plasma membrane, were associated with poor prognostic variables including high tumor grade, disease progression and shorter overall survival. Conversely, we found MCT1 nuclear expression to be associated with low grade tumors and longer overall survival.Conclusions: The present work represents the first report of MCTs characterization in STSs. We showed the original finding of MCT1 expression in the nucleus. Importantly, opposite biological roles should be behind the dual sub-cellular localization of MCT1, as plasma membrane expression of MCT1 is associated with worse patients' prognosis, while nuclear expression is associated with better prognosis.

A new experimental model of cigarette smoke-induced emphysema in Wistar rats

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Intra-abdominal pressure as a predictor of acute kidney injury in postoperative abdominal surgery

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) could predict acute renal injury (AKI) in the postoperative period of abdominal surgeries, and which would be its cutoff value. Patients and methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in the period from January 2010 to March 2011 in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of the University Hospital of Botucatu Medical School, UNESP. Consecutive patients undergoing abdominal surgery were included in the study. Initial evaluation, at admission in ICU, was performed in order to obtain demographic, clinical surgical and therapeutic data. Evaluation of IAP was obtained by the intravesical method, four times per day, and renal function was evaluated during the patient's stay in the ICU until discharge, death or occurrence of AKI. Results: A total of 60 patients were evaluated, 16 patients developed intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH), 45 developed an abnormal IAP (>7 mmHg) and 26 developed AKI. The first IAP at the time of admission to the ICU was able to predict the occurrence of AKI (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.669; p=0.029) with the best cutoff point (by Youden index method) >= 7.68 mmHg, sensitivity of 87%, specificity of 46% at this point. The serial assessment of this parameter did not added prognostic value to initial evaluation. Conclusion: IAH was frequent in patients undergoing abdominal surgeries during ICU stay, and it predicted the occurrence of AKI. Serial assessments of IAP did not provided better discriminatory power than initial evaluation.

Opinião de profissionais da educação e da saúde sobre o uso da prancha ortostática para o aluno com paralisia cerebral

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

Influência do programa Escola da Coluna em agentes comunitários

Introduction: Low back pain is characterized as a musculoskeletal disorder responsible for loss of productivity and high absenteeism of the affected individuals. Objectives: To analyze the effects of short-and long-term program of health education and therapeutic exercise in relation to quality of life, flexibility and pain intensity of community agents in Marilia city, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methods: A total of 17 women community workers (40.29+9.97 years) were analysed. Evaluations were made in relation to quality of life, flexibility and intensity of pain before, immediately and 30 weeks after the intervention. Results: We observe the positive results of programs in six domains of quality of life questionnaire and flexibility in the short-and long-term (p<0.005). The intensity of pain showed significant reduction only in the short-term. Conclusion: The methodology used was able to improve the quality of life, flexibility and reduce pain intensity of community agents.

Perfil das condições sistêmicas e bucais de usuários de próteses removíveis atendidos em um Serviço de Medicina Bucal

A presença de doenças sistêmicas, uso de medicamentos, e uso de próteses removíveis, entre outros fatores, podem alterar o equilíbrio fisiológico da cavidade bucal favorecendo o estabelecimento de diversas alterações e/ou patologias bucais. Assim, o estudo das prevalências destes fatores, nos pacientes odontológicos, tornam-se importantes pois devem ser considerados para elaborar o diagnóstico e definir a conduta terapêutica. Com o objetivo de delinear um perfil, avaliamos os prontuários de 500 usuários de próteses removíveis atendidos no Serviço de Medicina Bucal da Faculdade de Odontologia de Araraquara - UNESP. Analisamos os dados referentes a: características da população e das próteses removíveis, prevalência das doenças sistêmicas, uso de medicamentos e diagnóstico final das patologias ou alterações bucais. Os resultados obtidos nos permitem concluir que a maioria (74%) dos usuários de próteses removíveis eram mulheres brancas; metade da população pertencia a faixa etária de 41 a 60 anos e, quase a metade (49,2%) usava a combinação de prótese total superior e inferior. As doenças sistêmicas foram relatadas por 57,2% da amostra e a prevalência maior foi de doenças do sistema cardiovascular (25,4%). A maioria (60,4%) da população relatou uso de medicamentos e, dentre os mais freqüentes, a prevalência maior foram dos cardiovasculares (26,4%). A prevalência de patologias ou alterações bucais foi de 99,6%, sendo as relacionadas ao uso de próteses removíveis as mais freqüentes. Dentre estas, a candidose crônica atrófica ocorreu em 81,8% da população estudada e a hiperplasia fibrosa em 29,2%.

Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems for treatment of oral cancer: a review

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

Aplicação dos princípios de radioproteção em medicina nuclear

The Nuclear Medicine is a medical specialty which uses different radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The isotopes are radioactive elements which are administered in vivo and present distribution to specific organs or cell types. The knowledge of radioactivity and notions related to ionizing radiation allow to contextualize the radiological protection measures to be taken in Nuclear Medicine. So it is possible to minimize unnecessary exposure to patients, the public, and individuals occupationally exposed and the environmental. For this it is necessary to relate the physical and technological bases apply to this mode with the standards established by regulatory agencies, including the CNEN (National Nuclear Energy Commission) and ANVISA (National Agency for Sanitary Vigilance). In this scenario, it is important that the theoretical endorse the activities which are periodically audited for verification of compliance with the standards that aim to radioprotection. One role of the Medical Physicist in these services is, therefore, act as Radiation Protection Supervisor exerting numerous activities and ensuring compliance with these standards. In this context the stage in the area of Nuclear Medicine was developed in many customers of the enterprise Rad Dimenstein & Associados LTDA, among them the hospitals Israelita Albert Einstein (HIAE), Nossa Senhora de Lourdes (HNSL), Santa Paula (HSP), Cruz Azul (CRAZ), Grupo Fleury, among other clinics. Following the routine and then carrying out various activities pertaining to the Medical Physicist in the area, it was noted that the measures and actions are extremely effective and fundamental in terms of radiological protection

Endoscopia do trato gastrointestinal de cães e gatos

Endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract is a specialized minimally invasive diagnostic method and with both diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities. It is divided into two major groups, the rigid and flexible endoscopy. The first most widely used for visualization of body cavities that do not have a light, like the chest, for example, and the second for those with light as the gastrointestinal tract. In Brazil there are few professionals, veterinary hospitals or clinics that offer this type of service. Thus, endoscopy is an area of expertise of the veterinarian who is in huge expansion and has shown great applicability with excellent results in both clinical medicine and surgical small animals

O ensino de oncologia em enfermagem: um panorama do Brasil, Estados Unidos e outros países

The incidence of neoplasias has increased worldwide every year, and the training of qualified nurses for quality care provision to oncologic patients is necessary. This study aimed at identifying, in the literature, how oncology has been taught in the curricula of several undergraduate nursing programs in Brazil, the United States and other countries. The articles were located on Internet-based databases, namwly Lilacs and Scopus, from which 35 publications were found, and 18 articles were included. In Brazil, oncology is taught in undergraduate nursing programs in an isolated and punctual fashion, and it is not included in curricula. Parallelly, in the other countries included in the study, similarity was found as to this aspect; however, there is evidence of the implantation of elective and extracurricular courses. It is noteworthy that, in Brazil, there is evidence of government policies for oncology teaching and cancer control; nevertheless, such guidelines have not been concretized in curricula. The study showed a scenario in which oncology teaching in undergraduate nursing programs is insufficient or inexistent both in Brazil and in other countries, which compromises the training of future qualified professionals that will be attentive to that theme, since cancer is a frequent pathology, and the presence of nurses is fundamental for the care of such patients from diagnosis to cure, or even during occasional death

Avaliação do Efeito Fotodinâmico sobre o Crescimento in vitro de Pythium insidiosum

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a therapeutic method which employs a photosensitizer and light to cause cellular death. The chemical compounds have low or none toxicity for hosts cells. Under the incidence of light, in an appropriated wavelength, these chemical compounds produce reactive oxygen which affects the biomolecules of the target-cells. The specific illumination of the affected area increases the selectivity of the therapy, since the photodynamic process occurs only in the irradiated area. Pythiosis, for instance, is a life-threatening emerging disease caused by a fungus-like organism called Pythium insidiosum. The disease occurs in man and other animals, being mostly observed in horses. Human pythiosis may present as ophthalmic, cutaneous-subcutaneous and systemic forms of lesions. Due to the fact that P. insidiosum is not a true fungus, it is refractory to most antifungal drugs and the treatment of the disease is difficult. Extensive surgery procedures, such as limb amputation, are the treatment of choice, however relapses may occur frequently. Although not totally effective, the use of immunotherapy associated to surgery have shown some results. Considering that pythiosis is an emerging disease few explored in its etiological and therapeutic aspects, which are limited and few effective, it is of great importance to encourage the development of researches for new strategies of treatment. In this sense, it was evaluated the effect of PDT on in vitro growth of the pathogen employing two chemical compounds as photosensitizer, porphyrin and chlorine, at different concentrations in combination with several energetic dosages. Porphyrin showed inhibition of growth at 25mg/mL with 100J/cm2 of energetic dosage and chlorine showed similar results employing low concentrations (0,7, 1,0 and 1,3mg/mL) with 70J/cm2 of energetic dosage... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Células T reguladoras em sangue periférico de cães portadores de mastocitoma cutâneo

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Incidência, fatores de risco e consequências de defeitos congênitos em recém-nascidos e natimortos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Genetic variability of inflammatory genes in the brazilian population

Inflammatory gene variants have been associated with several diseases, including cancer, diabetes, vascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, arthritis, and others. Therefore, determining the population genetic composition of inflammation-related genes can be useful for the determination of general risk, prognostic and therapeutic strategies to prevent or cure specific diseases. We have aimed to identify polymorphism genotype frequencies in genes related to the inflammatory response in the Brazilian population, namely, IjBL - 62AT, IjBL - 262CT, tumor necrosis factors alpha (TNFa) - 238GA, TNFa - 308GA, lymphotoxin-alpha (LTa) + 80AC, LTa + 252AG, FAS - 670AG, and FASL - 844TC, considering the white, black, and Pardo ethnicities of the Sa˜o Paulo State. Our results suggest that the Brazilian population is under a miscegenation process at the current time, since some genotypes are not in the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. In addition, we conclude that the Pardo ethnicity is derived from a complex mixture of ethnicities, including the native Indian population.