Effect of the essential oil of Achillea millefolium L. in the production of hydrogen peroxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in murine macrophages

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

Sistemas de liberação de fármaco intrabolsa periodontal

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ontogênese, estresse e dependência de substâncias psicoativas

O estudo da dependência de substâncias psicoativas apresentou grandes avanços conceituais nas últimas décadas. A evolução dos conceitos foi paralela às evidências científicas que têm revelado os aspectos comportamentais e os mecanismos neurais envolvidos nesse fenômeno. Contudo, um grande desafio que permanece na pesquisa sobre a dependência de substâncias psicoativas é a identificação de quais fatores são responsáveis pela transição do uso controlado para o uso compulsivo. Está demonstrado que muitas variáveis interagem para influenciar a probabilidade de que qualquer indivíduo inicie o uso abusivo de substâncias psicoativas ou se torne dependente. Nos últimos anos, o estresse tem sido destacado como um fator importante na iniciação, manutenção e recaída da utilização de substâncias psicoativas. Neste trabalho analisamos os conceitos e teorias da farmacodependência e as principais evidências comportamentais pré-clínicas que demonstram a relação entre estresse e a vulnerabilidade ao abuso e dependência de psicoestimulantes.

Effect of cosurfactant on the supramolecular structure and physicochemical properties of non-ionic biocompatible microemulsions

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

Avaliação da genotoxicidade das águas do lençol freático sob a Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The groundwater represents the most important freshwater supply of planet. Dailly, in all world a great amount of toxic and genotoxic material reaches the aquatic systems, mainly the aquifers. The Barreiras aquifer through of five water wells is responsible for the supplying of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). All water wells are polluted with nitrate and some heavy metals, two of them were disabled. The genotoxicity of groundwater samples from Barreiras Aquifer in UFRN was assessed using the Allium cepa test, the Ames test and the Salmonella typhymurium microsuspension test (Kado test). For the Allium cepa test the influence of the groundwater samples collected on macroscopic (root length, colour and form) and microscopic (root tip mitotic index, chromosome aberrations and micronucleus) parameters was examined. All water samples caused a significant increase of the chromosome and mitotic aberration frequency and reduction on the rooth growth compared to negative control. Bridges and chromosome stickness were the most frequent kind of aberration in dividing cells. Furthermore, breaks were also observed. No significant increase in the number of micronuclei was found in relation to the negative controls. For Ames test were used the Salmonella typhymurium strains TA98 and TA100 without metabolic activation, applying the direct method. Prior to the Kado test, organic fractions from the water samples were obtained through XAD resin concentration. The mutagenicity organic extracts were evaluated by Kado test using TA98 and TA100 strains, in the absence and presence of S9 mix (metabolic activation). The concentrations of seven heavy metal ions were measured in water samples, but only Ni, Cu and Cr levels exceeded the permissible maximum concentration for the natural reservoirs. The results obtained for mutagenic activity using the Ames test were negative in all raw water samples analyzed. Positive results in XAD4 extracts of water samples were obtained for TA98 in the presence of S9 mix for two stations. Concentrations of heavy metals and nitrate can be correlated with the toxicity and genotoxicity of water analyzed. The mutagenic effect detected with TA98 strain suggested that organic compounds (after metabolization) are involved with the mutagenicity detected in the samples analyzed. The data set obtained in this work indicated the presence of at least two classes of mutagens: organic and inorganic compounds

Estudo in vitro dos efeitos da BMP-2 e do seu antagonista Noggin sobre a proliferação e migração celulares em carcinoma epidermóide de língua

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent malignancy in the oral cavity and reach a large number of individuals, has become an important public health problem. Studies have demonstrated changes in pathway components BMP in various types of cancers as prostate, colon, breast, gastric and OSCCs. Is the current knowledge that these proteins may exert pro-tumor effect in more advanced stages of neoplastic development coming to favor progression and invasion tumor. The inhibition of the signaling pathway BMP-2 through its antagonists, have shown positive results of antitumor activity and use of Noggin may be a novel therapeutic target for cancer. Given this evidence and the few studies with BMP-2, Noggin and OSCC, the objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of BMP-2 and its antagonist Noggin on proliferation and migration cell in line of cell cultures of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC25). The study was divided in three groups, a control group, where SCC25 cells suffered no treatment, a BMP-2 group, in which cells were treated with 100ng/ml of BMP-2 and a group of cells that were treated with 100ng/ml of Noggin. For the proliferation assay and cell cycle were established three time intervals (24, 48 and 72 hours). Proliferative activity was investigated by trypan blue and cell cycle analysis by staining with propidium iodide flow cytometry. The potential for migration / invasion of SCC25 cells was performing by a cell invasion assay using Matrigel in a 48-hour interval. The proliferation curve showed a higher proliferation in cells treated with BMP-2 in 72 hours (p < 0.05), and lower overgrowth and cell viability in Noggin group. Recombinant proteins favored a greater percentage of cells in cell cycle phase Go/G1 with a statistically significant difference in the interval of 24 hours (p < 0.05). BMP- 2 produced a greater invasion of cells studied as well as its antagonist Noggin inhibits invasion of cells (p < 0.05). Thus, these results indicate that BMP-2 promotes malignant phenotype, dues stimulates proliferation and invasion of SCC25 cells and, its antagonist Noggin may be an alternative treatment, due to inhibit the tumor progression

A Zona Incerta no sagüi (Callithrix jacchus): Análise Citoarquitetônica, Neuroquímica e Projeção Retiniana

The retinal projections in mammals usually reach, classically, three major functional systems: the primary visual system, the accessory optic system, and the circadian timing system. But the retinal projections also reach areas classically considered non-visual, one of which groups the neurons of the zona incerta (ZI), target this study. The primary visual system includes thalamic lateral geniculate complex is formed by the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, intergeniculate leaflet and the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus and other Components. The accessory optic system is composed of the small nuclei: nuclei terminal dorsal, lateral, medial and the interstitial nucleus of the superior posterior fasciculus. These nuclei are involved in visuo-motor activities. The circadian timing system is comprised of the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, that act as master circadian pacemaker, entraining pathways and efferents pathways to the efectors, and the intergeniculate leaflet, that seems to act as a modulator of the pacemaker. The retinal projections too reach classically considered non-visual areas, including the zona incerta. This region is localized in the ventral thalamus and has been implicated in various functional properties including nociceptive and somatosensory processing, motor response, sociosexual behaviour, feeding and drinking, in symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases, arousal and attention. It also displays connection with several areas of central nervous system. The aim of this study was characterize the retinal projection in the zona incerta of Callithrix jacchus (sagüi), a primate of the New World through the anterograde axonal transport of the cholera toxin subunit b and analyze the citoarchicteture using Nissl and NeuN, and neurochemical substances such as serotonin, GABA, VIP, VP, GFAP and binding-calcium proteins. The zona incerta showed a different division of the literature in citoarquitetura, both by means of Nissl as neurochemical by NeuN, with a subdivision ventrolateral and dorsomedial. The neurochemical to the other substances corroborate with this subdivision. The GFAP was almost completely negative for the zona incerta, result non evidenced in previous studies yet. The 16 retinal projection in sagüi, unlike other primates and rodents, reached the caudal portion only. This work helps to make further studies are conducted based on this subdivision and the localization of the neurochemical substances associated with possible behaviors that the zona incerta is involved

O Núcleo genuíno lateral dorsal do tálamo do sagüi (callithrix jacchus): Pprojeção retiniana, caracterização citoarquitetônica e neuroquimica da principal estação visual primária.

The thalamus plays an important role in the sensorial processing information, in this particular case, the visual information. Several neuronal groups have been characterized as conductors and processors of important sensorial information to the cerebral cortex. The lateral geniculate complex is one to them, and appears as a group very studied once it is responsible, in almost all totality, for the processing of visual information. Among the nuclei that constitute the lateral geniculate complex we highlight the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus (DLG), the main thalamic relay for the visual information. This nucleus is located rostral and lateral to medial geniculate nucleus and ventral to thalamic pulvinar nucleus in most of the mammals. In the primates humans and non-humans, it presents as a laminate structure, arranged in layers, when observed in coronal sections. The objective of this work was to do a mapping of the retinal projections and a citoarchictetonic and neurochemical characterization of DLG in the marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a New World primate. The retinal projections were traced by anterograde transport of subunit b of cholera toxin (CTb), the citoarchicteture was described by Nissl method, and to neurochemical characterization immunohistochemicals technical were used to examine the main neurotransmitters and neuroatives substances present in this neural center. In DGL of marmoset thalamus, in coronal sections labeled by Nissl method, was possible to visualize the division of this nucleus in four layers divided in two portions: magnocellular and parvocellular. The retinal projections were present being visualized fibers and terminals immunorreactives to CTb (IR-CTb) in the DLG ipsilateral and contralateral. And through the immunohistochemicals techniques was observed that DLG contain cells, fibers and/or terminals immunoreactives against neuronal nuclear protein, subunits of AMPA 15 glutamate receptors (GluR1, GluR2/3, GluR4), choline acetyltransferase, serotonin, glutamic acid decarboxylase, binding calcium proteins (calbindin, parvalbumin and calretinin), vasopressin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and an astrocyte protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein.

Estimativa populacional e uso do hábitat do boto-cinza (Sotalia guianensis) no litoral sul do Rio Grande do Norte

Four areas are known as of frequent usage by Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte state, northeast Brazil: Tabatinga, Pipa, Lagoa de Guaraíras and Baia Formosa. This extension of 40 km of shoreline is under increasing anthropogenic impacts due to continuous development of the coastal areas and vessel traffic. The objective of this study was to investigate aspects of population biology and habitat use of the population of Sotalia guianensis in the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte. It was applied the photo-identification technique and posterior methods of capture-recapture for population estimation (POPAN extension in MARK). The distribution, movement and site fidelity of the dolphins were analyzed trough the geographic information system (GIS) and group characteristics and behavior trough non-parametric statistics. Field work was conducted on board a 10m motor vessel from March 2008 to March 2009. Photo-identification effort was 329h with 113h of direct observation of the dolphins. The population estimatives for each area: Tabatinga: 75 (63-92); Pipa 105 (88-129); Lagoa de Guaraíras: 27 (18-54) e Baia Formosa: 112 (89-129) individuals. Total population estimative was: 223 (192 a 297). High site fidelity was detected for only part of the population (<15%) as low site fidelity and transients individuals were also detected (>20%). It was observed frequent movements between Tabatinga, Lagoa de Guaraíras and Pipa, but not Baía Formosa. This suggests a division in two communities along this shore extension: one in Pipa and other in Baía Formosa. Group size was small, most groups with up to 10 dolphins. The areas were use intensively, only in Lagoa de Guaraíras dolphins were not seen in all field trips. Lagoa de Guaraíras is an area used by small groups exclusively for foraging. In Tabatinga and Pipa dolphins concentrated close to the shore, in the inner sector of the area and the main activity is also foraging. Significant larger groups were seen in socializing behavior but there was no difference in group size between the inner and external sectors of the area. The presence of calves and juveniles were significant greater in the inner areas of Tabatinga and Pipa, confirming the hypothesis that these beaches are also used for parental care. In Baia Formosa dolphins concentrated in the outer sector and foraging was also predominant. Significant larger groups were seen in the outer sector, mainly engaged in mixed behaviors of travel/foraging, possibly in some kind of group foraging. Calves and juveniles were significant more present in the outer sector where group size was also larger. In general there was no difference in area usage and period of the day. Sotalia guianensis has characteristics that make the species vulnerable to human activities such as small population concentrated in patches of suitable habitats restrict to coastal areas. We hope that this study bring new information for the species and help for the adequate management of the area in order to assure the presence of the dolphins as well as its behavior pattern and gene flow betweencommunities.

A influência do feedback verbal na cooperação em crianças

Human cooperation is a hallmark of this species due to its wide extension to genetically unrelated individuals and complex division of labor. It is considered an evolutionary puzzle, because the theory of evolution by natural selection predicts that self-interested individuals tend to be selected. Different theories have been proposed to explain the evolution of cooperation, which the most important are kin selection and reciprocal altruism. Considering the evolutionary continuity between species, humans and other primates have several common traits that help to promote cooperation between individuals of these species. Two features, however, seem to be particularly humans: inequality aversion and preferences in relation to others. Although human cooperation is not necessarily related to morality, cooperative traits are the basis for moral tendencies. The development of human morality is a combination of early prosocial tendencies, cooperative skills displayed at different ages, social learning and cultural transmission of norms. The social stimulus seems to be particularly important in promoting cooperative behavior in children and adults. In order to study the influence of social stimuli, as verbal feedback, on children cooperation, a study was conducted with children in a public goods game. 407 children from public schools in Natal / RN, divided into 21 groups, between six and nine years, participated in eight rounds of this game. After each round, seven groups received praise for larger donations, seven groups have been criticized by smaller donations, and the other seven received no comment. Children cooperated more when criticized, without significant differences between sexes, although young children have cooperated more negative than older children. The results are likely related to the anticipation and avoidance of punishment associated with the feedback (although this did not occur), and greater sensitivity to the authority in younger children. Nevertheless, the cooperation decreased in all groups until the last day of play. The results suggest an early sensitivity to moral punishment, whose role in the maintenance of social relations must have been important in the evolution of cooperation in humans

As relações de gênero no trabalho: uma análise da inserção das mulheres e homens na rede de fast food

The purpose of this study was investigate the sexual division of the work in a chain of fast food, in Natal, RN. These aspects were analyzed with the ways of organization of the work, being made a case study. The main objective of this survey was to analyze the influence of gender relations in the insertion of men and women in the job market and to analyze the question of feminine submission in the professional world. These questions were analyzed considering the current period of the worldwide capitalism, from the characteristics of productive process and the growth of the service sectors. The research was made with a group of workers on the production sectors; attendance, management and human resources at restfood store, where six clerks were interviewed. Through our research, it is possible to perceive the permanence of the sexual division at the job in the interior of the productive processes at Restfood, that puts the woman in a subordinate position in relation to the man. This result can be confirmed if we considerate that the women, on this chain of food, occupy in first place the function of waitress and on this, trere s no functional progression, while her workmates (the men) for occupying other functions can progress inside the company. It was also evidenced that in a context of globalization of the capital, deregulation and disrespect of labor laws, the capital acts without any respect to workers. That was what we observed at the interviewer speech; the scarcity of the conditions of work and the constant disrespect of the labor laws. This way, we could evidence that the scarcity of work conditions hit men and women, but it has a crueler face with the women, and this one reproduces itself, day by day in the process of social reproduction, through family life, insertion in the world of the work, information and received social education. So, the capital explores all of them, but the gender relations create to the capital, the possibility of a different degree of exploration, becoming this way, the women main victims herself

Família e subjetividade: tendências e particularidades das classes trabalhadoras no capitalismo contemporâneo

This work problematizes the inflections of the offensive of the capital on the work, having as a social-historical context the relation between the productive restructuring and the social reproduction of the working families classes. Part of the presupposition that the reproduction of the capital, to raise deep transformations in the productions, organization of the work and in the social relationships, it also produces determinations in the life and work conditions, in the affectionate relationships and in the family coexistence expressing, so, a subjective way. Thereby, the conditions of reproductions of the work in the scenery aimed by the contemporary capitalism have been demonstrating the crescent impoverishment of the workers, the alimentary insecurity, the shortage of the work, the weakness of the political organization and the regression of the State in the conduction of public policy that characterize the daily violation of human and social rights. In this approach, we seek to contemplate the several configurations of affectionate-sexual coexistence expressed by the family, articulating it to the contemporary work division, pondering about the forms of satisfaction of the needs engendered by the group for preservation of their bonds, in face to the daily adversity which translates to the growing responsibility to assist social d mands and in the impediments to the enrichment of the individuality and human diversity.

A Construção/reconstrução das competências profissionais do assistente social diante da gestão do serviço social da indústria SESI a partir dos anos 90

L´étude du processus de construction / reconstruction des compétences de l´assistant social sous la gestion du SESI (Service Social de l´ Industrie), Natal/RN, dès la moitié des années 90 a réaffirmer la perspective que ce processus est le résultat de déterminations macrosociétaires qui sont présents, particulièrement au Brésil, aussi que, la façon par laquelle l´assistant social, le professionnel inscrit dans la division sociale et technique du travail, fait développer son perfectionement technique et intelectuel dans un milieu de nouvelles structures productives qui éxigent un nouveau profil du professionnel face à la crise du capital et de l´État. Cette recherche, de nature qualitative et quantitative, a eu lieu par de combinaisons de recherche bibliographique et empirique. Les sujets ont été huit assistants sociaux et six travailleurs administratifs du SESI, Natal/RN. Les donnés ont été obtenus par des interviews semi-structrées. On a analisé les changements qui sont arrivés dans les gestions du SESI et les compétences qui sont éxigées de l´assistant social ; l´influence du milieu socio-occupationel sur l´action professionnelle et sur le processus de construction/reconstruction de compétences; l´agrandissement de demandes institutionnelles pour l´assistant social par rapport à la prestation de services ; aussi que la constatation de l´importance de ce professionnel, sa hardiesse, mais aussi quelques limites et défis affrontés face à la qualification stimulé par le SESI, en amenant le professionnel dans un processus contradictoire de qualification et disqualification professionelle

As Mulheres e as Muralhas do Patriarcado e do Capitalismo: Terceirização e Precarização do Trabalho no Sistema do Capital

Our dissertation deals with the material living conditions of women workers and the relations of the wage who undergo in the hospital scope, taking as the locus of empirical research the Hospital Dr. João Machado, located in Natal / RN. Its purpose is to analyze the main implications of precarious work contracts in the economic and social dimensions from life of workers, explaining the main conditionings. The majority presence of women in wage relations not only in the hospital service, as well as in the service sector in general has motivated us to appreciation of the form of participation of women in health services and, in particular, at the hospital space. From the critical dialectical method, through processes of successive approximations to the reality, we analyze the patriarchal system of social relations and their repercussions for the Social and Sexual Division of Labor in the context of contemporary capitalist society, explaining the determinants of inequality, founded in social relations of sex, to the predominance of women in the hospital service and unveiling these participation trends in the labor market. The analyzes are based on bibliographic research - theoretical and methodological basis of research - combined with reflections that emerged from the field. The systematized and analyzed information reveal the uniqueness of the current social and economic situation of workers women with ties outsourced, paradoxically expresses on the expansion of the insertion in universe of labor, in overexploitation, in the precariousness of work and living conditions and persistent inequality in and in the social relations and in relations between the sexes

Diretrizes para conservação da espécie Mimosa Caesalpiniifolia Benth., Macaíba-RN

About 40% of the earth is occupied by tropical and subtropical forests, including 42% of dry forests, where there is Caatinga Bioma, contemplating tree forests and shrubs, with xerophytic characteristics. Study and conservations of Caatinga biologic diversity is one of the greatest challenges of Brazilian science because those are, proportionally, the less studied among natural areas, with most of the scientific effort centered in very few points around the main cities in the area and also because it is the less protected natural Brazilian area. The environmental degradation is constantly increasing and has its rhythm accelerated by the men appropriation to meet or not their own needs. Therefore, species conservation should be based in three principles: the use of natural resources by present generation, waste prevention and use of the natural resources to benefit the majority of the citizens. Among the strategies to species conservation, we can mention the ex situ conservation , in which the conservation of genetic resources may be realized outside of the natural environment in which the species occur, and in situ conservation , or, in other words, in the places where the species occur. In ex situ conservation, the germplasm collections are maintained in the field and/or in laboratories (conservation chambers), and this mainly conserves intraspecific diversity (genetic variance), the ex situ collections are continuously enriched by collection activities, introduction and germplasm interchange; the in situ conservation preserving ecosystems and habitats, maintaining and recovering native population of species of interest. So, the objective of this paper is the search for strategies to the conservation of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia B. (sabiá) using instruments of environmental perception and plant biotechnology, as mechanisms of in situ and ex situ conservation. To environmental perception, were realized open, semi-structured and qualitative interviews. The questions included socioeconomic data and knowledge of Sabiá specie. To plant biotechnology, Sabiá seed collection were realized in different location to formation of a germplasm bank. The specie micropropagation was made from nodal segment of plants from the matrizeiro. About the knowledge of rural populations and the use of Sabiá plant, some preferences occurred from speeches that the plant possesses a firm wood, not attacked by termites, legalized for exploration by the Brazilian environmental organ (IBAMA), and is a native specie. This research found the rural population has knowledge about Sabiá specie and the natural resources are exhausting. The proposal that the rural community brought was the donation of the Sabiá specie seeding initiating on the rain season, in which the seeding would be plated between the lots, in individual plantations. To the formation of a matrix bank, plant biothecnology brought answers favorable to Sabiá specie seeding, with the formation of multiple shoots