An exploration of heart rate response to differing music rhythm and tempos

The aim of this study was to investigate acute cardiac response and heart rate variability (HRV) when listening to differing forms of music. Eleven healthy men aged between 18 and 25 years old were included in the study. HRV was recorded at rest for ten minutes with no music, then were asked to listen to classical baroque or heavy metal music for a period of 20 min. It was noted that heart rate variability did not affect HRV indices for time and frequency. In conclusion, music with different tempos does not influence cardiac autonomic regulation in men. However more studies are suggested to explore this topic in greater detail.

Sexualidade na internet: análise de blogs sobre sexualidade e educação sexual

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Gorlin syndrome: Importance of clinical signs and danger of delayed diagnosis A case report with eight years follow-up

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma (NBCCS) or Gorlin-Goltz syndrome (GS) is a multidisciplinary problem, the early diagnosis of which allows secondary prophylaxis that follows an appropriate regimen to delay progression of the syndrome. The aim of this study was to present a case of delayed diagnosis of GS in a young patient who received multidisciplinary treatment 5 years after onset. The patient presented for evaluation with painless swelling of the left maxilla. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a keratocyst odontogenic tumor (KOT) that was enucleated. On presentation, the patient’s symptoms and clinical signs were not related to complications of GS, and the possibility of GS was initially rejected, as he did not have a family history of the syndrome. Four years after the first surgery to remove the lesion, the patient came to our clinic with a brown, pigmented lesion. Computed tomography revealed ectopic lamellar calcification of the falx cerebri, which was the conclusive factor for the diagnosis of GS. It is important that clinicians recognize the clinical signs of GS, which mainly manifests itself as multiple basal cell carcinomas in the skin.

A saúde do homem: doenças crônicas não transmissíveis e vulnerabilidade social

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Obesity does not lead to imbalance between myocardial phospholamban phosphorylation and dephosphorylation

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

Cardiac dysfunction induced by obesity es not related to beta-adrenergic system impairment at the receptor-signalling pathway

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

Utility of inline milk fat and protein ratio to diagnose subclinical ketosis and to assign propylene glycol treatment in lactating dairy cows

The objective was to identify a fat-to-protein ratio (FPR) cut-off to diagnose subclinical ketosis (SCK) and to evaluate the effect of propylene glycol (PPG) treatment of cows with high FPR. The optimized cut-off was > 1.42; sensitivity (Se) = 92%; specificity (Sp) = 65%. A cut-off > 1.5 was selected for the PPG trial for balanced Se-Sp. Fat-to-protein ratio cut-offs > 1.25, 1.35, 1.50, 1.60, and 1.70 resulted in Se-Sp of 100% to 49%, 96% to 59%, 75% to 78%, 33% to 90%, and 8% to 96%, respectively. The proportions of cows with FPR > 1.25, 1.35, 1.42, 1.50, 1.60, and 1.70 were 60%, 50%, 44%, 30%, 14%, and 6%, respectively. Incidences of clinical ketosis and milk yield were similar between cows that received 400 mL of PPG (n = 34) and control cows (n = 38). Prevalence of SCK at enrollment was 29.2%; therefore, FPR > 1.5 is not indicated for treatment. Lower cut-offs should be used for screening.

Mycobacterium bovis–Infected White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus): Detection of Immunoglobulin Specific to Crude Mycobacterial Antigens by ELISA

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have recently emerged as a source of Mycobacterium bovis infection for cattle within North America. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibody response of M. bovis–infected deer to crude mycobacterial antigens. Deer were experimentally inoculated with M. bovis strain 1315 either by intratonsilar instillation or by exposure to M. bovis–infected (i.e., in contact) deer. To determine the time course of the response, including the effects of antigen administration for comparative cervical skin testing, serum was collected periodically and evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for immunoglobulin (i.e., IgG heavy and light chains) reactivity to mycobacterial antigens. The reactivity to M. bovis purified protein derivative (PPDb) exceeded (P < 0.05) the reactivity to M. avium PPD (PPDa) only after in vivo administration of PPDa and PPDb for comparative cervical testing of the infected deer. The mean immunoglobulin response, as measured by ELISA, of intratonsilar-inoculated deer to a proteinase K–digested whole-cell sonicate (WCS-PK) of M. bovis strain 1315 exceeded (P < 0.05) the mean of the prechallenge responses to this antigen at approximately 1 month after inoculation and throughout the remainder of the study (i.e., ~11 months). This response also exceeded (P < 0.05) that of the uninfected deer. Although this is encouraging, further studies are necessary to validate the use of the proteinase K–digested M. bovis antigens in the antibody-based assays of tuberculosis.

Depression, fatigue, and health-related quality of life in head and neck cancer patients: a prospective pilot study

To assess the prevalence of depression and fatigue symptoms in head and neck cancer patients during radiotherapy treatment and relate them symptoms with these patients' quality of life. This is a prospective study. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Piper Fatigue Scale-revised and Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy Head and Neck (FACT-H&N) were applied to 41 head and neck cancer patients at three times: at the start of treatment (T1), approximately 15 days after the start of treatment (T2) and at the end of treatment (T3), approximately 30 days after the start of the radiotherapy. The mean BDI and PIPER increased during the radiotherapy treatment. BDI scores did not demonstrate the presence of depression, although the number of symptoms increased, and the presence of fatigue rose as treatment advanced. The mean FACT H&N decreased in the middle and at the end of treatment, indicating worsening in these patients' Quality of Life. Depression and fatigue symptoms increased during radiotherapy treatment, while QoL levels decreased. This demonstrates that these symptoms are strongly correlated and that their presence negatively influenced QoL. At the start of treatment, nurses need to advise patients and plan care, offering interventions to decrease these symptoms and improve QoL.

Sleep desaturation and its relationship to lung function, exercise and quality of life in LAM

Background: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is characterised by progressive airway obstruction and hypoxaemia in young women. Although sleep may trigger hypoxaemia in patients with airway obstruction, it has not been previously investigated in patients with LAM. Methods: Consecutive women with lung biopsy proven LAM and absence of hypoxaemia while awake were evaluated with pulmonary function test, echocardiography, 6-min walk test, overnight full polysomnography, and Short Form 36 health-related quality-of-life questionnaire. Results: Twenty-five patients with (mean +/- SD) age 45 +/- 10 years, SpO(2) awake 95% +/- 2, forced expiratory volume in the first second (median-interquartile) FEV1 (% predicted) 77 (47-90) and carbonic monoxide diffusion capacity, DLCO (%) 55 (34-74) were evaluated. Six-minute walk test distance and minimum SpO(2) (median-interquartile) were, respectively, 447 m (411 -503) and 90% (82-94). Median interquartile apnoea-hypopnoea index was in the normal range 2 (1-5). Fourteen patients (56%) had nocturnal hypoxaemia (10% total sleep time with SpO(2) <90%), and the median sleep time spent with SpO(2) <90% was 136 (13-201) min. Sleep time spent with SpO(2) <90% correlated with the residual volume/total lung capacity ratio (r(s) = 0.5, p: 0.02), DLCO (r(s) = -0.7, p: 0.001), FEV1 (r(s) = -0.6, p: 0.002). Multivariate linear regression model showed that RV/TLC ratio was the most important functional variable related to sleep hypoxaemia. Conclusion: Significant hypoxaemia during sleep is common in LAM patients with normal SpO(2) while awake, especially among those with some degree of hyperinflation in lung function tests. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS: THE TRANSITION FROM NONEQUILIBRIUM TO EQUILIBRIUM IN INTEGRATE-AND-FIRE DYNAMICS

The transient and equilibrium properties of dynamics unfolding in complex systems can depend critically on specific topological features of the underlying interconnections. In this work, we investigate such a relationship with respect to the integrate-and-fire dynamics emanating from a source node and an extended network model that allows control of the small-world feature as well as the length of the long-range connections. A systematic approach to investigate the local and global correlations between structural and dynamical features of the networks was adopted that involved extensive simulations (one and a half million cases) so as to obtain two-dimensional correlation maps. Smooth, but diverse surfaces of correlation values were obtained in all cases. Regarding the global cases, it has been verified that the onset avalanche time (but not its intensity) can be accurately predicted from the structural features within specific regions of the map (i.e. networks with specific structural properties). The analysis at local level revealed that the dynamical features before the avalanches can also be accurately predicted from structural features. This is not possible for the dynamical features after the avalanches take place. This is so because the overall topology of the network predominates over the local topology around the source at the stationary state.

Glutathione Peroxidase 1 Pro198Leu Polymorphism in Brazilian Alzheimer's Disease Patients: Relations to the Enzyme Activity and to Selenium Status

Background/Aims: Oxidative stress plays a central role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Pro198Leu cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPx1) polymorphism seems to be associated with a lower activity of this enzyme, but there are no studies with AD patients. Thus, the aim was to determine the frequency of the GPx1 Pro198Leu polymorphism in AD patients and to verify its relation to glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and selenium (Se) status. Methods:The study was carried out in a group of AD elderly (n = 28) compared to a control group (n = 29). Blood Se concentrations were measured through hydride generation atomic absorption spectroscopy. GPx activity was determined using a commercial kit, and the polymorphism using amplified DNA sequencing. Results:The distribution of genotypes was not different between groups. The variant allele frequency was 0.179 (AD group) and 0.207 (control group). Although no differences regarding GPx activity were found between individuals with different genotypes, lower blood Se levels were found in Pro/Pro AD patients compared to Pro/Pro control subjects, which was not found in the Pro/Leu groups. Moreover, the association between the erythrocyte Se concentration and GPx activity was affected by the Pro198Leu genotype. Conclusions: Results indicate that this polymorphism had apparently affected Se status in AD patients and that more studies in this field are necessary. Copyright (c) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel

Economic Cost of Air Pollution in Cubatao - SP Based on Health Expenses Related to Diseases of the Respiratory and Circulatory Systems

The aim of this research was to evaluate economic costs of respiratory and circulatory diseases in the municipality of Cubatao, in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Data on hospital admissions and on missed working days due to hospitalization (for age group 14 to 70 years old) from the database of Sistema Unico de Sa de (SUS - Brazilian National Health System) were used. Results: Based on these data, it was calculated that R$ 22.1 million were spent in the period 2000 to 2009 due to diseases of the respiratory and circulatory systems. Part of these expenses can be directly related to the emission of atmospheric pollutants in the city. In order to estimate the costs related to air pollution, data on Cubatao were compared to data from two other municipalities that are also located at the coast side (Guaruja and Peru be), but which have little industrial activity in comparison to Cubatao. It was verified that, in both, average per capita costs were lower when compared to Cubatao, but that this difference has been decreasing in recent years.

Burden of care and its impact on health-related quality of life of caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury

Objective: to analyze the impact and burden of care on the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of caregivers of individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: cross-sectional observational study carried out by reviewing medical records and applying questionnaires. The scale Short Form 36 (SF-36) was used to assess HRQOL and the Caregiver Burden Scale (CBScale) for care burden. Results were analyzed quantitatively. Most patients with SCIs were male, aged 35.4 years old on average, with a predominance of thoracic injuries followed by cervical injuries. Most caregivers were female aged 44.8 years old on average. Results: tetraplegia and secondary complications stand out among the clinical characteristics that contributed to greater care burden and worse HRQOL. Association between care burden with HRQOL revealed that the greater the burden the worse the HRQOL. Conclusion: Preventing care burden through strategies that prepare patients for hospital discharge, integrating the support network, and enabling access to health care services are interventions that could minimize the effects arising from care burden and contribute to improving HRQOL.