Aplicabilidade da classifica��ão de alcoolismo tipo A/tipo B

OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a aplicabilidade da tipologia e caracterizar os subtipos identificados. MÉTODOS: Características de 300 homens alcoolistas atendidos em um programa ambulatorial foram submetidas à análise de cluster para separá-los em dois subgrupos de acordo com a tipologia de Babor et al. Efetivaram-se cruzamentos de dados (significância avaliada pelo Teste do qui-quadrado de Pearson) para se verificar a associa��ão dos clusters com variáveis clínicas e demográficas. RESULTADOS: Comparado ao outro grupo e pacientes, um dos clusters identificados foi caracterizado por um perfil de maior gravidade clínica. Pacientes do subtipo menos grave foram mais frequentemente (65,3%) encaminhados a tratamentos simb��licos, enquanto pacientes do subtipo mais grave foram atendidos predominantemente (58,5%) por abordagem exclusivamente farmacológica e aderiram mais ao tratamento proposto. CONCLUSÕES: Como os resultados identificaram subtipos de alcoolistas com distintas características, este estudo evidenciou a aplicabilidade clínica da tipologia de Babor et al. em nosso meio sociocultural¹. Tamb��m aponta para a relevância de estudos tipológicos que possam contribuir para uma mais ampla compreensão dos aspectos etiológicos, preventivos e terapêuticos do alcoolismo.

In vitro digestion and stability assessment of b-lactoglobulin/riboflavin nanostructures

B-Lactoglobulin (b-Lg) is the major protein fraction of bovine whey serum and a primary gelling agent. b-Lg has a high nutritional value, is stable at low pH being highly resistant to proteolytic degradation in the stomach, besides, it has the ability of acting as an encapsulating agent. This study aims at assessing the ability of b-Lg nanostructures to associate a nutraceutical - i.e. riboflavin - and release it in a controlled manner throughout an in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) system. For this reason b-Lg nanostructures loaded with riboflavin were critically characterized in terms of their morphology (i.e. size, polydispersity, -potential and shape) by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and efficiency to associate to riboflavin through spectrofluorimetry. Furthermore, these nanocomplexes were evaluated in an in vitro GI model, simulating the physiological conditions. Stable b-Lg nanostructures were obtained at pH 6, of spherical shape, characterized by particle size of 172±1 nm, low polydispersity (i.e. PDI of 0.06±0.02), -potential of -32±3 mV and association efficiency (AE) of 26±1 %. b-Lg nanostructures showed to be stable upon their passage throughout stomach (i.e. particle size, PDI and potential of 248±10 nm, 0.18±0.03 and 18±3 mV, respectively). Concerning their passage throughout the intestine, such nanostructures were mostly degraded in the duodenum. Regarding riboflavin, a release of about 11 % was observed after their passage through stomach, while 35 %, 38 % and 5 % were the released percentages of the total riboflavin associated observed after passage through duodenum, jejunum and ileum, respectively. Hence,b-Lg nanostructures showed to be suitable carriers for riboflavin until the intestine, where their degradation occurs. b-Lg also showed to be structurally stable, under food simulant conditions (yoghurt simulant, composed of 3 % acetic acid), over 14 days, with a protective effect upon riboflavin activity, releasing it in a 7 day period.

Are apolipoproteins A and B better than lipoproteins for assessing risk of obstructive coronary heart disease?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether apolipoproteins A-I (Apo A-I) and B (Apo B) have, higher ensitivity (SN), specificity (SP) and positive predictive value (PPV) than lipoproteins (LP), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), and triglycerides (TGL) in assessing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: This is a transversal case-control study of 241 patients, who were divided into two groups: 1) 145 patients with CHD, and 2) 96 patients without coronary disease. A model of logistic regression to evaluate the relation between the LPs and CHD was developed in which variables with a p-alpha <0.1 were included. RESULTS: Apo A-I levels were higher in the patients without CHD, (OR 2.08, CI 1.20-3.57). There were no statistical differences between the values of Apo A-I and the remaining lipid fractions (Apo A-I: 67%; Apo B: 100%; PPV: TC= 71%; TGC=71%; HDL=71%; LDL=71%). The costs of the tests in Reais were as follows: Apo A-I: R$ 56.60; Apo B-100: R$ 56.60; TC: R$ 9.94; HDL: R$ 21.30; LDL: R$ 28.40; TGL: R$ 14.20. CONCLUSION: Levels of Apo A-I and Apo B have no advantage over conventional lipoproteins in predicting the risk of CHD, despite the statistical association between Apo A-I and CHD; in addition, their costs are higher than those of the conventional lipoproteins.

Síntese de novas tieno[3,2-b]piridinas com potencial atividade biológica contendo 1,2,3-triazoles 1,4-dissubstituídos obtidos por rea��ão "click" de ciclioadição azida-alquino catalisada por Cu(I)-CuAAC

Disserta��ão de mestrado em Química Medicinal

The Role of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in the Diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure in Patients Presenting to an Emergency Department with Dyspnea

OBJECTIVE: To determine the utility of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in the diagnosis of congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients presenting with dyspnea to an emergency department (ED). METHODS: Seventy patients presenting with dyspnea to an ED from April to July 2001 were included in the study. Mean age was 72±16 years and 33 (47%) were male. BNP was measured in all patients at the moment of admission to the ED. Emergency-care physicians, blinded to BNP values, were required to assign a probable initial diagnosis. A cardiologist retrospectively reviewed the data (blinded to BNP measurements) and assigned a definite diagnosis, which was considered the gold standard for assessing the diagnostic performance of BNP. RESULTS: The mean BNP concentration was higher in patients with CHF (n=36) than in those with other diagnoses (990±550 vs 80±67 pg/mL, p<0.0001). Patients with systolic dysfunction had higher BNP levels than those with preserved systolic function (1,180±641 vs 753±437 pg/mL, p=0.03). At a blood concentration of 200 pg/mL, BNP showed a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 97.1%, positive predictive value of 97.3%, and negative predictive value of 100%. The application of BNP could have potentially corrected all 16 cases in which the diagnosis was missed by the emergency department physician. CONCLUSION: BNP measurement is a useful tool in the diagnosis of CHF in patients presenting to the ED with dyspnea.

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.1 (1840)

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.2 (1843)

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.3 (1846)

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.4 (1850)

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.5 (1852)

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.6 (1853)