Fat as an endocrine organ: Relationship to the metabolic syndrome

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome have both reached pandemic proportions. Together they have the potential to impact on the incidence and severity of cardiovascular pathologies, with grave implications for worldwide health care systems. The metabolic syndrome is characterized by visceral obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, chronic inflammation, and thrombotic disorders contributing to endothelial dysfunction and, subsequently, to accelerated atherosclerosis. Obesity is a key component in development of the metabolic syndrome and it is becoming increasingly clear that a central factor in this is the production by adipose cells of bioactive substances that directly influence insulin sensitivity and vascular injury. In this paper, we review advances in the understanding of biologically active molecules collectively referred to as adipokines and how dysregulated production of these factors in obese states mediates the pathogenesis of obesity associated metabolic syndrome.

Resistance training for the older adult: Manipulating training variables to enhance muscle strength

Resistance training has been shown to reliably and substantially enhance muscle function in older adults and these improvements can be accompanied by improved functional performance. Training variables should be manipulated to enhance muscle strength and minimize injury risks in this population.

The application of counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) in ocular protein studies. Part II:kinin activity in the lens wearing eye

The kinin family are a group of bioactive peptides that are closely involved in the modulation of vascular inflammation and local injury. We have demonstrated here, for the first time, a link between kinin activity and contact lens wear. Protein extracts from daily and extended wear etafilcon A, Group IV, Acuvue lenses (Vistakon), were analysed by counter immunoelectrophoresis. In this way, kinin activity associated with contact lens wear was detected. High molecular weight kininogen was used as the marker protein. In contrast, no kinin activity was detected in the non-lens wearing normal eye. © 2002 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elementary classroom teachers' knowledge of tort liability for negligence

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the legal knowledge of Florida's public elementary classroom teachers in the area of tort liability for negligence. A second purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge of school law in the area of negligence according to specific variables to determine if significant differences in knowledge existed among groups of teachers classified by: years of teaching experience, whether or not teachers took a school law course or inservice, college degree held and whether or not teachers had administrative experience. A validated survey instrument consisting of 22 scenarios based on decided court cases in the United States was utilized. These cases included court decisions ranging from 1938–1994, and represented the categories of duty and standard of care, proper instruction, proper supervision, proper maintenance, field trips, and post-injury treatment. ^ A random sample of 420 elementary classroom teachers were sent the survey instrument to complete, and a total of 309 surveys were returned producing a return rate of 77%. The results of this research study revealed that the overall level of legal knowledge of public elementary classroom teachers in the State of Florida produced a mean percent correct of 53%. The range of scores varied from 18%–82%, with the approximate average of correct answers of 12 out of 22. The category of proper instruction produced the lowest mean percent correct of 35%, and the area of post-injury treatment yielded the highest mean percent correct of 78%. ^ The findings of this study emphasize the necessity of preparing teachers regarding their legal rights, duties and responsibilities. The need for teachers to receive training at the preservice and inservice levels has become clear by this study. ^

Validação do conteúdo do diagnóstico de enfermagem proteção ineficaz para pacientes submetidos à hemodiálise

Methodological study, in order to validate the content of the nursing diagnosis protection ineffective in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The research took place in two stages, namely: concept analysis and content analysis of the instrument by experts. T he first step was operationalized through an integrative review of the databaes LILACS, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane, with the key words protection and hemodialysis, in October and November 2013. The sample consisted of 32 articles, which were analyz ed by a c areful reading to identify the sections that correspond ed to the defining attributes , antecedents and consequences of protection in patients undergoing hemodialysis. T he interpretation for the diagnosis of effective protection was made by transpos ing the components of the diagnosis (definition, defining characteristics and related factors) to the denial form . In the second stage, we elaborated an instrument with the components of the nursing diagnostic s studied and proceeded to the analysis conduct ed in April 2014 by 22 specialists in nephrology and in the terminology of the NANDA International, selected by means of th e Lattes Platform . We used the binomial test to assess the proportion of experts who rated each item as appropriate, considering a si gnificance level of 5%. The project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the institution responsible for the research, an opinion on num b er 387 837 and CAAE 18486413.0.0000.5537. The results show that the proposal for the nursing diagnosis of ineffectiv e protection in patients undergoing hemodialysis is: definition - the same as that presented in the NANDA International Taxonomy II, location - domain safety / protection and class injury. Related factors are: Absence of routine vaccines; Non - adherence to care related to vascular access; Non - adherence to infection control measures; Non - adherence to prescribed diet; Non - adherence to drug therapy; Presence of comorbidities; Drug abuse; Immune disorders; Extremes of age; Abnormal blood profiles; Drugs that red uce immunity; and side effects and adverse treatment - related. The defining characteristics are: Presence of invading the bloodstream; Nutritional disorders; Increase in the number of hospitalizations; Uncontrolled dry weight; Infected vascular access; Vasc ular inadequate access; Increased blood pressure; fever; Bleeding disorder; Disability immunity; fatigue; weakness; itching; and maladaptive response to stress. It follows that the identification of the defining attributes, antecedents and consequences inc reased the wealth of vocabulary, allowing the construction of theoretical and empirical definitions for a broader understanding of the concept protection. Furthermore, the study contributed to the enrichment of nursing specific body of knowledge, as well a s in the direction of nursing care for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Rugby : Epidemiologia lesional. Estudio de caso único en la readaptación y reentrenamiento tras fractura-luxación de maissoneuve

El rugby es un deporte ampliamente estudiado en el área física y técnico-táctica con una tasa lesional elevada, que presenta una relación entre los datos antropométricos y el rol de juego.
En este deporte, la incidencia lesional varía en función del rol de juego, siendo mayor en la posición de delantero, además estas lesiones se caracterizan por ser, predominantemente musculares, siendo más comunes en el miembro inferior. Por consiguiente, los objetivos del trabajo han sido sintetizar toda la información acerca del deporte y su epidemiología lesional, para poder realizar una intervención tras Fractura-Luxación Maissoneuve -caso único-, en la que se procuró recuperar una lesión atípica.
Los resultados obtenidos mostraron una mejora de las variables medidas, tanto objetivas (recorrido articular, fuerza y perímetro), como subjetivas (escala de Borg) conforme avanzó la intervención, lo que verificó la importancia del seguimiento y cuantificación de la recuperación, para su reajuste y optimización.

Rugby : Epidemiologia lesional. Estudio de caso único en la readaptación y reentrenamiento tras fractura-luxación de maissoneuve

El rugby es un deporte ampliamente estudiado en el área física y técnico-táctica con una tasa lesional elevada, que presenta una relación entre los datos antropométricos y el rol de juego.
En este deporte, la incidencia lesional varía en función del rol de juego, siendo mayor en la posición de delantero, además estas lesiones se caracterizan por ser, predominantemente musculares, siendo más comunes en el miembro inferior. Por consiguiente, los objetivos del trabajo han sido sintetizar toda la información acerca del deporte y su epidemiología lesional, para poder realizar una intervención tras Fractura-Luxación Maissoneuve -caso único-, en la que se procuró recuperar una lesión atípica.
Los resultados obtenidos mostraron una mejora de las variables medidas, tanto objetivas (recorrido articular, fuerza y perímetro), como subjetivas (escala de Borg) conforme avanzó la intervención, lo que verificó la importancia del seguimiento y cuantificación de la recuperación, para su reajuste y optimización.

Reassembled, Slightly Askew:Composition & Sound Design

Reassembled, Slightly Askew is an autobiographical, immersive audio-based artwork based on Shannon Sickels’ experience of falling critically ill with a rare brain infection and her journey of rehabilitation with an acquired brain injury. Audience members experience Reassembled individually, listening to the audio via headphones while lying on a bed. The piece makes use of binaural microphone technology and spatial sound design techniques, causing listeners to feel they are inside Shannon’s head, viscerally experiencing her descent into coma, brain surgeries, early days in the hospital, and re-integration into the world with a hidden disability. It is a new kind of storytelling, never done before about this topic, that places the listener safely in the first-person perspective with the aim of increasing empathy and understanding. Reassembled… was made through a 5-year collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of artists led by Shannon Sickels (writer & performer), Paul Stapleton (composer & sound designer), Anna Newell (director), Hanna Slattne (dramaturgy), Stevie Prickett (choreography), and Shannon’s consultant neurosurgeon and head injury nurse. It’s development and production has been made possible with the support of a Wellcome Trust Arts Award, the Arts Council NI, Sonic Arts Research Centre, Belfast's Metropolitan Arts Centre, and grants from the Arts & Disability Award Ireland scheme. In its 2015 premiere year, Reassembled had 99 shows across Northern Ireland, including at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival (the MAC, Belfast) and BOUNCE Arts & Disability Forum Festival (Lyric Theatre, Belfast). It was awarded 5 stars in the Stage, a Hospital Club h100 Theatre & Performance Award, and been shared at medical conferences and trainings across the UK. It continues to be presented in diverse artistic and educational contexts, including as part of A Nation’s Theatre Festival in 2016 at Battersea Arts Centre in London where it was given 4 star reviews in the Guardian, Time Out London and the Evening Standard. "A real-life ordeal, captured by a daring, disorientating artistic collaboration, which works brilliantly on so many levels…It should be available on prescription.” — The Stage ★★★★★ www.reassembled.co.uk Audio clips and documentary footage available here: http://www.paulstapleton.net/portfolio/reassembled-slightly-askew

Modulação pela progesterona da sensibilidade dolorosa a estímulos mecânicos e isquêmicos em mulheres saudáveis e jovens

BRUNO, S. S. ; SOUSA, M. B. C. . Modulação pela progesterona da sensibilidade dolorosa a estímulos mecânicos e isquêmicos em mulheres saudáveis e jovens. RBGO. Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia , v. 30, p. 306-311, 2008

Iowa Immunization Program Annual Report 2013, April 30, 2014

The Bureau of Immunization is part of the Division of Acute Disease Prevention and Emergency Response (ADPER) at the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). The ADPER division provides support, technical assistance and consultation to local hospitals, public health agencies, community health centers, emergency medical service programs and local health care providers regarding infectious diseases, disease prevention and control, injury prevention and public health and health care emergency preparedness and response. The division encompasses the Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology (CADE), the Bureau of Immunization and Tuberculosis (ITB), the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Bureau of Communication and Planning (CAP), the Office of Health Information Technology (HIT), and the Center for Disaster Operations and Response (CDOR). The Bureau of Immunization and Tuberculosis includes the Immunization Program, the Tuberculosis Control Program, and the Refugee Health Program. The mission of the Immunization Program is to decrease vaccine‐preventable diseases through education, advocacy and partnership. While there has been major advancement in expanding immunizations to many parts of Iowa’s population, work must continue with public and private health care providers to promote the program’s vision of healthy Iowans living in communities free of vaccine‐preventable diseases. Accomplishing this goal will require achieving and maintaining high vaccination coverage levels, improving vaccination strategies among under‐vaccinated populations, prompt reporting and thorough investigation of suspected disease cases, and rapid institution of control measures. The Immunization Program is comprised of multiple programs that provide immunization services throughout the state: Adolescent Immunization Program, Adult Immunization Program, Immunization Registry Information System (IRIS), Vaccines for Children Program (VFC), Perinatal Hepatitis B Program, and Immunization Assessment Program.

Protective effect of simvastatin in the cyclophosphamide-induced hemohrragic cystitis in rats

Cyclophosphamide (CYP) is an antineoplastic agent used for the treatment of many neoplastic and inflammatory diseases. Hemorrhagic cystitis is a frequent side effect of CYP. Several studies show that simvastatin has important pleiotropic (anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory) effects. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of simvastatin on bladder, ureter and kidney injury caused by CYP. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. The CYP/SIM group received simvastatin microemulsion by gavage during 7 days (10 mg/kg body wt) before the administration of CYP and the CYP/SAL group rats received saline 0.9%. The control rats were not treated. After that, all rats were treated with a single dose of CYP 200 mg/kg body wt intraperitoneally. The rats were killed 24 h after CYP administration. Plasma cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6) were measured by ELISA. Macro and light microscopic study was performed in the bladder, kidney and ureter. Results: In the bladders of CYP/SIMV treated rats edema of lamina propria with epithelial and sub-epithelial hemorrhage were lower than in CYP/SAL treated rats. The scores for macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of bladder and ureter were significantly lower in CYP/SIMV rats than in CYP/SAL rats. The kidney was not affected. The expression of TNF-a, IL-1b and IL-6 was significatly lower in CF/SINV rats (164.8±22, 44.8±8 and 52.4±13) than in CF/SAL rats (378.5±66, 122.9±26 e 123.6±18), respectively. Conclusion: The results of the current study suggest that simvastatin pretreatment attenuated CYP-induced urotelium inflammation and decreased the activities of cytokines

Dissecting the role of Profilin-1 in microglial cell function: the impact on ROS production

Microglial cells are the resident immune cells of central nervous system (CNS) and the major players in neuroinflammation. These cells are also responsible for surveilling the neuronal microenvironment, and upon injury to the CNS they change their morphology and molecular profile and become activated. Activated status is associated with microglia proliferation, migration to injury foci, increased phagocytic capacity, production and release of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytokines (pro- or anti-inflammatory) and reactive nitrogen species. Microglia activation is crucial for tissue repair in the healthy brain. However, their chronic activation or deregulation might contribute for the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying microglial cell activation is important for defining targets and develop appropriate therapeutic strategies to control the chronic activation of microglia. It has been observed an increase in profilin (Pfn) mRNA in microglial cells in the rat hippocampus after unilateral ablation of its major extrinsic input, the entorhinal cortex. This observation suggested that Pfn might be involved in microglia activation. Pfn1 is an actin binding protein that controls assembly and disassembly of actin filaments and is important for several cellular processes, including, motility, cell proliferation and survival. Here, we studied the role of Pfn1 in microglial cell function. For that, we used primary cortical microglial cell cultures and microglial cell lines in which we knocked down Pfn1 expression and assessed the activation status of microglia, based on classical activation markers, such as: phagocytosis, glutamate release, reactive oxygen species (ROS), pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. We demonstrated that Pfn1 (i) is more active in hypoxia-challenged microglia, (ii) modulates microglia pro- and anti-inflammatory signatures and (iii) plays a critical role in ROS generation in microglia. Altogether, we conclude that Pfn1 is a key protein for microglia homeostasis, playing an essential role in their activation, regardless the polarization into a pro or anti-inflammatory signature.

Modulação pela progesterona da sensibilidade dolorosa a estímulos mecânicos e isquêmicos em mulheres saudáveis e jovens

BRUNO, S. S. ; SOUSA, M. B. C. . Modulação pela progesterona da sensibilidade dolorosa a estímulos mecânicos e isquêmicos em mulheres saudáveis e jovens. RBGO. Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia , v. 30, p. 306-311, 2008

Protective effect of simvastatin in the cyclophosphamide-induced hemohrragic cystitis in rats

Cyclophosphamide (CYP) is an antineoplastic agent used for the treatment of many neoplastic and inflammatory diseases. Hemorrhagic cystitis is a frequent side effect of CYP. Several studies show that simvastatin has important pleiotropic (anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory) effects. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of simvastatin on bladder, ureter and kidney injury caused by CYP. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. The CYP/SIM group received simvastatin microemulsion by gavage during 7 days (10 mg/kg body wt) before the administration of CYP and the CYP/SAL group rats received saline 0.9%. The control rats were not treated. After that, all rats were treated with a single dose of CYP 200 mg/kg body wt intraperitoneally. The rats were killed 24 h after CYP administration. Plasma cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6) were measured by ELISA. Macro and light microscopic study was performed in the bladder, kidney and ureter. Results: In the bladders of CYP/SIMV treated rats edema of lamina propria with epithelial and sub-epithelial hemorrhage were lower than in CYP/SAL treated rats. The scores for macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of bladder and ureter were significantly lower in CYP/SIMV rats than in CYP/SAL rats. The kidney was not affected. The expression of TNF-a, IL-1b and IL-6 was significatly lower in CF/SINV rats (164.8±22, 44.8±8 and 52.4±13) than in CF/SAL rats (378.5±66, 122.9±26 e 123.6±18), respectively. Conclusion: The results of the current study suggest that simvastatin pretreatment attenuated CYP-induced urotelium inflammation and decreased the activities of cytokines

Propagação de Camellia sinensis: efeito do genótipo, estaca, substrato, recipiente e ácido indolbutírico

Tem sido relatado que as estacas de Camellia sinensis possuem baixa capacidade de emitir raízes, motivando assim a realização de estudos básicos para otimização do processo de propagação por estacas. Assim sendo, o presente trabalho objetivou quantificar o potencial rizogênico de diferentes genótipos e o efeito da posição da estaca no ramo e incisão na base, do substrato, tamanho do recipiente e ácido indolbutírico no enraizamento de estacas semi-lenhosas dessa espécie. Para tal, foram coletados ramos dos genótipos IAC 259, F15 e Comum, em Pariquera-Açu-SP, no inverno de 2010. em seguida, preparadas as estacas, contendo uma gema e uma folha, foram mantidas em viveiro com 70% de sombreamento. Estacas da posição basal e mediana dos ramos são as mais adequadas para estaquia devido a menor mortalidade e maior enraizamento. A injúria na base da estaca não afeta a mortalidade e o enraizamento das estacas, porém induz à formação de calo. Também não houve diferenças na mortalidade e no enraizamento das estacas quando as mesmas foram mantidas em recipiente de 50, 90 e 120 cm³. Comparado com vermiculita, areia e casca de arroz carbonizada, o solo foi o melhor substrato para estaquia, que na presença do ferimento, juntamente com o tratamento das estacas com 10 g L-1 de AIB promoveu a maior porcentagem de enraizamento. Todavia, ainda nessa condição a mortalidade média das estacas foi de 42%. O potencial de enraizamento do genótipo Comum foi superior ao do IAC 259 e F15.