Plasma inflammatory biomarkers response to aerobic versus resisted exercise training for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a main risk for morbidity, associated with alterations in systemic inflammation. Recent studies proved that morbidity and mortality of COPD is related to systemic inflammation as it contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. However, increase of inflammatory cytokines adversely affects quality of life, alteration in ventilatory and skeletal muscles functions. Moreover, exercise training has many beneficial effects in correction of the adverse effects of COPD. Objective: This study aimed to compare the response of inflammatory cytokines of COPD to aerobic versus resisted exercises. Materials and methods: One hundred COPD diseased patients participated in this study and were randomly included in two groups; the first group received aerobic exercise, whereas the second group received resisted exercise training for 12 weeks. Results: The mean values of TNF-α, Il-2, IL-4, IL-6 and CRP were significantly decreased in both groups. Also; there was a significant difference between both groups at the end of the study with more reduction in patients who received aerobic exercise training. Conclusion: Aerobic exercise is more appropriate than resisted exercise training in modulating inflammatory cytokines level in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Trabalhe com o coração - Redução do Risco Cardiovascular nos funcionários da Câmara Municipal de Viana do Alentejo

Este trabalho visou a prevenção das doenças cardiovasculares através da promoção de estilos de vida saudáveis em adultos em idade ativa. Objetivos: Avaliar o Risco Cardiovascular; identificar os conhecimentos sobre fatores de risco modificáveis; promover a criação de um grupo dinamizador de atividades promotoras de estilos de vida saudáveis. Metodologia: Planeamento em Saúde. Resultados: Dos 71 indivíduos avaliados, 33,8 % apresentaram evidência de risco cardiovascular, sendo que 6 apresentaram um Risco Cardiovascular muito alto, 4 risco alto e 14 risco moderado. Existiram diferenças significativas ao nível dos conhecimentos sobre doenças cardiovasculares e estilos de vida referidos pelos 2 grupos de funcionários avaliados. Conclusões: A adesão a estilos de vida saudáveis contribui para a redução dos fatores de risco modificáveis, cuja avaliação só é possível a médio e longo prazo. O investimento na criação de um grupo dinamizador no local de trabalho e a formalização de parcerias contribuiu para garantir a sustentabilidade do projeto; ABSTRACT: This work aimed the prevention of cardiovascular disease by promoting healthy lifestyles in adults of working age. Aims: Evaluate cardiovascular risk; identify the knowledge of modifiable risk factors; promote the creation of a dynamic group of activities that promote healthy lifestyles. Methodology: Planning in Health. Results: 71 workers evaluated, 33,8% had evidence of Cardiovascular Risk, and 6 showed a very high cardiovascular risk, 4 high risk and 14 moderate risk. There were significant differences in the knowledge of cardiovascular diseases and lifestyles reported by the two groups of evaluated employees. Conclusions: Following healthy lifestyles contributes to the reduction of modifiable risk factors, whose assessment is possible only in the medium and long term. The investment in creating a dynamic group in the workplace and the formalization of partnerships contributed to ensure the sustainability of the project.

Characterization of a new platelet aggregating factor from crotoxin Crotalus durissus cascavella venom

In this article we investigated the platelet aggregating activity of whole crotoxin and its subunits isolated from Crotalus durissus cascavella venom. During the purification protocols of the venom, using HPLC molecular exclusion, we detected the presence of two different serine protease activities in the gyroxin fraction, and another in the crotoxin fraction, which induced strong and irreversible platelet aggregation, in addition to blood coagulation. From crotoxin, we isolated PLA(2), crotapotin (both fractions corresponding approximately 85% of whole crotoxin) and another minor fraction (F20) that exhibited serine protease activity. After a new fractionation on reverse phase HPLC chromatography, we obtained three other fractions named as F201, F202 and F203. F202 was obtained with high degree of molecular homogeneity with molecular mass of approximately 28 kDa and a high content of acidic amino residues, such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Other important amino acids were histidine, cysteine and lysine. This protein exhibited a high specificity for BApNA, a Michaelis-Menten behavior with Vmax estimated in 5.64 mu M/min and a Km value of 0.58 mM for this substrate. In this work, we investigated the ability of F202 to degrade fibrinogen and observed alpha and beta chain cleavage. Enzymatic as well as the platelet aggregation activities were strongly inhibited when incubated with TLCK and PMSF, specific inhibitors of serine protease. Also, F202 induced platelet aggregation in washed and platelet-rich plasma, and in both cases, TLCK inhibited its activity. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of F202 presented a high amino acid sequence homology with other thrombin-like proteins, but it was significantly different from gyroxin. These results showed that crotoxin is a highly heterogeneous protein composed of PLA(2), thrombin-like and other fractions that might explain the diversity of physiological and pharmacological activities of this protein.

Quercetin as an inhibitor of snake venom secretory phospholipase A2

As polyphenolic compounds isolated from plants extracts, flavonoids have been applied to various pharmaceutical uses in recent decades due to their anti-inflammatory, cancer preventive, and cardiovascular protective activities. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the flavonoid quercetin on Crotalus durissus terrificus secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), an important protein involved in the release of arachidonic acid from phospholipid membranes. The protein was chemically modified by treatment with quercetin, which resulted in modifications in the secondary structure as evidenced through circular dichroism. In addition, quercetin was able to inhibit the enzymatic activity and some pharmacological activities of sPLA2, including its antibacterial activity, its ability to induce platelet aggregation, and its myotoxicity by approximately 40%, but was not able to reduce the inflammatory and neurotoxic activities of sPLA2. These results suggest the existence of two pharmacological sites in the protein, one that is correlated with the enzymatic site and another that is distinct from it. We also performed molecular docking to better understand the possible interactions between quercetin and sPLA2. Our docking data showed the existence of hydrogen-bonded, polar interactions and hydrophobic interactions, suggesting that other flavonoids with similar structures could bind to sPLA2. Further research is warranted to investigate the potential use of flavonoids as sPLA2 inhibitors. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.