Use of waste frying oil and coconut pulp for the production, isolation, and characterization of a new lipase from Moesziomyces aphidis.

Lipases comprise the third most commercialized group of enzymes worldwide and those of microbial origin are sought for their multiple advantages. Agro-industrial waste can be an alternative culture medium for producing lipases, reducing production costs and the improper disposal of waste frying oil (WFO). This study aimed to produce yeast lipases through submerged fermentation (SF) using domestic edible oil waste as inducer and alternative culture medium. The optimal culture conditions, most effective inducer, and purification method for a new lipase from Moesziomyces aphidis BRT57 were identified. Yeast was cultured in medium containing green coconut pulp and WFO waste for 72 h. The maximum production of lipases in SF occurred in a culture medium containing WFO and yeast extract at 48 and 72 h of incubation, with enzyme activities of 8.88 and 11.39 U mL-1, respectively. The lipase was isolated through ultrafiltration followed by size exclusion chromatography, achieving a 50.46 % recovery rate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the production and purification of lipases from M. aphidis, demonstrating the value of frying oil as inducer and alternative medium for SF, contributing to the production of fatty acids for biodiesel from food waste.

Brain abscesses caused by Listeria monocytogenes in a patient with myasthenia gravis - Case report and systematic review.

Background: Listeriosis is a known cause of community acquired bacterial meningitis/meningoencephalitis. It occurs more frequently in neonates, older people and immunocompromised hosts. Rarely, brain abscesses can complicate the course of infection, which poses a difficulty in the management and elevates morbidity and mortality. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease that often requires immunosuppressive treatment, which increases the risk for invasive infections. Case description: A 75-year-old myasthenic patient, treated with prednisone and pyridostigmine, was diagnosed with invasive listeriosis. He presented with muscle weakness, dyspnea, hemiparesis and altered mental status. Brain imaging revealed multiple abscesses and blood cultures were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Despite combination antibiotic therapy, he died 6 weeks after admission. Systematic review: Ninety-six cases of brain abscesses from 1968 to 2023 were reviewed; the majority of the patients were men, 54 years-old on average, and had at least one risk factor for invasive listeriosis. The mortality exceeded 22%. Blood cultures and CSF/abscess cultures were positive in only 79.2% and 54.6%, respectively. The most common therapeutic approach was a combination regimen that included amoxicillin or ampicillin. Only 8 patients underwent surgery, of which one died. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of L. monocytogenes as a cause of brain abscesses in populations at risk, including myasthenic patients. The challenge of diagnosing and treating this condition is aggravated by the paucity of literature and the high mortality rate.

Dynamic Ex Vivo Porcine Eye Model to Measure Ophthalmic Drug Penetration under Simulated Lacrimal Flow.

Animal models are still used in the research and development of ophthalmic drug products, mainly due to the difficulty in simulating natural physiological conditions with in vitro models, as there is a lack of dynamic protection mechanisms. Therefore, developing alternative ophthalmic models that evaluate drug penetration in the cornea while applying dynamic protection barriers is a contemporary challenge. This study aimed to develop a dynamic ex vivo model using porcine eyes with a simulated lacrimal flow to evaluate the performance of pharmaceutical drug products. A glass donor cell to support a simulated tear flow was designed, optimized, and custom-made. The system was challenged with different formulations (with fluconazole) including excipients with different viscosities (poloxamer 407) and mucoadhesive properties (chitosan). The results were compared to those obtained from a conventional excised cornea model mounted in Franz-type diffusion cells. The dynamic model could differentiate formulations, while the static model did not, overestimating ex vivo drug penetrated amounts. Hence, the dynamic model with simulated tear flow showed to be a simple and promising new alternative method for the drug penetration of ophthalmic formulations that ultimately can reduce the number of animals used in research.

Association between inpatient glycemic variability and COVID-19 mortality: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the association between glycemic variability (GV) and mortality in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: We prospectively analyzed data from inpatients (> 18 years old) with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 admitted between March 2020 and July 2021. All patients were hospitalized for more than 48 h and had at least six point-of-care capillary glucose tests obtained three times daily in the pre-prandial period during hospitalization. GV was measured using the glucose standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV). ROC curve was adjusted to determine the SD and CV cutoff values associated with mortality (44.7 mg/dL and 27.5%, respectively); values above these were considered indicative of high GV. Logistic regression models were fitted to explore the association between GV and mortality in patients with and without diabetes. RESULTS: A total of 628 patients were stratified into SD < 44.7 mg/dL (n = 357) versus ≥ 44.7 mg/dL (n = 271) and CV < 27.5% (n = 318) versus ≥ 27.5% (n = 310) groups. After controlling for age, sex, presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiovascular disease, we found a significant association between high GV and mortality (odds ratio 2.99 [1.88-4.77] for SD and 2.43 [1.54-3.85] for CV; p values < 0.001). The mortality rate was higher with SD ≥ 44.7 mg/dL and CV ≥ 27.5% compared to that with SD < 44.7 mg/dL and CV < 27.5%, regardless of DM (p < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: High glycemic variability was independently associated with mortality in patients with and without DM, who were hospitalized with COVID-19.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in a city of South Brazil: Have they changed through the first year of the pandemic?

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed various challenges to the healthcare system and disease management. This study aimed to describe changes in the clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in a city in southern Brazil. This prospective study was carried out in two tertiary care private hospitals in Curitiba. A total of 1151 patients hospitalized between March 2020 and March 2021 were included. We identified three epidemiological critical periods of the pandemic and compared patients' characteristics and the frequencies of oral intubation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality. Continuous variables were analyzed by variance analysis model (ANOVA) or the Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test and categorical variables by the chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Models for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were adjusted to identify the factors associated with mortality. All p-values were two-tailed and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The average age of the patients was 58 years and 60.9% (n = 701) were males. The most prevalent comorbidities were systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes and obesity. There were no significant variations in the demographic characteristics and previous comorbidities of the patients for the different periods of analysis. Mortality was positively associated with the age ≥65 years and the presence of one or more cardiometabolic comorbidities (p<0.001). March 2021 was the most important critical period of the pandemic since there were higher frequencies of patients admitted later in the course of the disease, with desaturation and more symptoms at hospital admission (p<0.001). There was also an increase in the duration of hospital stay (p<0.001) and the frequencies of all critical outcomes for this period: oral intubation (p<0.001), ICU admission (p = 0.606) and mortality (p = 0.001). Our key findings revealed that, although there were no statistically significant differences between the subgroups of hospitalized patients over time in terms of demographic characteristics and comorbidities, the course of COVID-19 was significantly more severe for patients admitted to the hospital at the end of the first year of the pandemic in Brazil.

Sexual functioning beliefs, sexual satisfaction, and sexual functioning in women: a cross-sectional mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sexual dysfunctional beliefs are known to be negative predictors of women's sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction, but little is known about the role that beliefs about sexual functioning play in women's sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction. AIM: The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating role of sexual functioning in the relationship between women's beliefs about sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction. METHODS: A sample of 301 women was invited to participate in a web survey about female sexuality in May 2020. OUTCOMES: Participants completed the sociodemographic questionnaire, the Beliefs About Sexual Functioning Scale, the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women, and the Female Sexual Functioning Index. RESULTS: Sexual functioning was a significant mediator in the relationship between beliefs about sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in women. When the dimensions of sexual functioning were considered as mediators, only sexual desire and absence of sexual pain were significant mediators in the relationship between beliefs about sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in women. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Negative beliefs about sexual functioning in women are associated with poor sexual functioning and lack of sexual satisfaction. Therefore, beliefs about sexual functioning should be assessed during the intervention for women's sexual difficulties and to increase sexual pleasure and satisfaction. In addition, special attention should be paid to women with problems with sexual desire and sexual pain when beliefs about sexual functioning are being assessed. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This study is one of the first attempts to explore the role of beliefs about sexual functioning in women's sexual satisfaction and to examine the mediating role of sexual functioning. Limitations include the small sample size, the lack of a clinical sample, and the nonlongitudinal methodological approach. CONCLUSION: Beliefs about sexual functioning are a negative predictor of sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in women. In addition, women with sexual pain and lack of sexual desire are more likely to have lower sexual satisfaction if they have more negative beliefs about sexual functioning.

Breaking-Up Sedentary Behavior and Detraining Effects on Glycemic Control: A Randomized Crossover Trial in Trained Older Adults.

In a randomized crossover trial, we examined the effects of interrupting sedentary behavior on glycemic control in trained older adults, before and after 2 weeks of detraining. Fourteen participants (65-90 years old) completed two 7-hr conditions before and after 2 weeks of detraining: (a) uninterrupted sitting (SIT) and (b) sitting plus 2 min of moderate-intensity activity every 30 min (INT). Both before and after detraining, no differences were observed for 7-hr glucose area under the curve (7 hr AUC) and mean glucose between sitting plus 2 min of moderate-intensity activity and uninterrupted sitting conditions. After detraining and for the SIT condition, higher values of 7-hr AUC (p = .014) and mean glucose (p = .015) were observed, indicating worsened glycemic control. No changes were observed in INT condition between both time points. Frequent interruptions in sedentary behavior had no effect on glycemic control, prior to or after detraining. Even so, older adults experiencing a short-term detraining period should avoid prolonged bouts of sedentary behavior that may jeopardize their glycemic control.

Solitary and Dyadic Sexual Desire and Sexual Satisfaction in Women With and Without Sexual Concerns.

Women's sexual difficulties have been associated with sexual-related dimensions. The present study aims to analyze the differences between women with and without sexual concerns, according to the Female Sexual Functioning Index cutoff score, on dyadic and solitary sexual desire and sexual satisfaction dimensions. A total of 314 women participated in the study and answered to a sociodemographic screening, to the Sexual Desire Inventory - 2, to the Female Sexual Functioning Index, and to the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women. Main findings showed that women with sexual concerns revealed lower levels of global sexual desire and partner-related sexual desire, experienced lower levels of communication and compatibility with sexual partner, and have more personal and relational sexual concerns. Overall, results enhance the role of dyadic and relational dimensions that allow to differentiate between women with and without sexual concerns. Clinical implications are discussed.

Quality of life and emotional well-being during COVID-19 as mediators in the relationship between sexual functioning and satisfaction in Portuguese women.

Women's quality of life, emotional well-being, sexual functioning and satisfaction are associated, and little is known about this relationship during COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines the mediating role of quality of life and emotional well-being in the relationship between sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in women during COVID-19 outbreak in Portugal. A sample of 301 women was recruited in May 2020, and women answered to a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Female Sexual Functioning Index, the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women, the brief WHOQOL, and the Positive Affect - Negative Affect Scale (emotional well-being). Results indicated that quality of life was the only significant mediator for the relationship between sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction. Overall, the results emphasize the role of perceived quality of life in women's sexuality, by extending previous knowledge to a crisis context (COVID-19 pandemic), enhancing quality of life promotion during adverse moments to improve women's sexual satisfaction.

Survival Analysis to Predict How Color Influences the Shelf Life of Strawberry Leather.

Color change of fruit-based products during storage is an important quality parameter to determine their shelf life. In this study, a combination of relative humidity (RH) and illumination was evaluated on the stability of strawberry leathers. Samples were conditioned at 25 °C, in chambers with RH of 22.5% and 52.3% and under two levels of illumination (no illumination and with a light-emitting diode (LED) illumination at 1010 lx). Samples were analyzed during storage by instrumental color measurements, total anthocyanin content, and consumers' acceptance/rejection of the product color. Current-status survival analysis was performed to estimate the sensory-based shelf-life of the strawberry leather. The chromatic parameters (a* and ΔE* values) and anthocyanin content changed with increasing storage time and RH, fitting a first-order fractional conversion model. Samples conditioned at the higher RH showed a higher reduction of a* values and anthocyanins losses when stored under LED illumination than those without illumination. The increase of RH resulted in a faster increase of the consumer rejection probability and a shorter shelf life of the strawberry leather. For 50% of consumers' rejection, the sensory shelf life of the strawberry leather equilibrated at 22.5% RH was estimated as at least 54 days, while it was reduced to approximately 2 days at 52.3% RH. The red chromatic parameter (a* value) strongly correlated to the percentage of consumer rejection in all storage conditions, suggesting that this analytical parameter can be useful as a predictor of strawberry leather's shelf life. Therefore, the results of this study show the applicability of an approach that integrates instrumental and sensory data to acquire faster information on color changes during the storage of strawberry leather and product shelf-life prediction.

Application of spectroscopic techniques and chemometric methods to differentiate between true cinnamon and false cinnamon.

The objective of this study was to identify useful chemical markers for the differentiation of true and false cinnamon; to develop a fast and efficient method of differentiation using MIR associated with chemometric methods. A total of 129 cinnamon samples from 3 countries (Brazil, Sri Lanka, and Paraguay) were purchased, being differentiated by visual analysis. The bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, HPLC, and MIR analysis were performed. The data obtained were submitted to PCA and PLS-DA. The results showed that the samples of true cinnamon have a higher concentration of eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, and antioxidant capacity, as well as a lower coumarin content. The PCA showed the separation of two groups of cinnamon samples. PLS-DA was effective in differentiating the studied samples with an accuracy of 94.44% and 100% for the composition and MIR analysis, respectively. The MIR proved to be an alternative for the rapid differentiation of true and false cinnamon.

Quality of Life, Sexual Functioning and Chronic Disease: A Comparative Study with Portuguese Women without Chronic Disease, and Women with Diabetes Type 1 and 2, and Arterial Hypertension.

Aims: Previous research has focused on the impact of chronic diseases on men's sexual functioning and quality of life; however, little is known about the association between chronic disease and women's sexual functioning and quality of life. Current study aimed at exploring the differences in quality of life and sexual functioning between women without chronic disease, and women with type 1 diabetes, with type 2 diabetes, and with arterial hypertension. Methods: A web-survey was completed by 313 Portuguese women (167 without chronic disease, 48 with type 1 diabetes, 48 with type 2 diabetes, and 50 with arterial hypertension). Results: Women without chronic disease scored significantly higher than women with chronic disease in quality of life and sexual functioning, adjusting for age. Conclusions: Quality of life and sexual functioning in women with chronic diseases is impaired.

Hiperplasia de hipófise secundária a hipotireoidismo primário - relato de caso / Pituitary hyperplasia secondary to primary hypothyroidism - case report

A hiperplasia hipofisária é definida como um aumento não neoplásico no número de um dos tipos de células presentes na hipófise. Ela pode ocorrer por um processo fisiológico ou patológico. O hipotireoidismo primário prolongado é uma das causas patológicas desta condição, e ocorre devido a perda do feedback negativo. O objetivo desse relato foi demonstrar a presença de hiperplasia hipofisária em um paciente masculino com características corporais sugestivas de acromegalia. A investigação laboratorial confirmou a presença de hipotireoidismo primário e descartou a acromegalia. Foi instituído tratamento com levotiroxina, levando a regressão da hiperplasia hipofisária. Esse caso ilustra a importância de uma investigação apropriada em pacientes com hiperplasia hipofisária, bem como discute a fisiopatologia e o tratamento dessa doença.

Pituitary hyperplasia is defined as a non-neoplastic increase in the number of one of the cell types present in the pituitary gland. It can occur by a physiological or pathological process. Prolonged primary hypothyroidism is one of the pathological causes of this condition and occurs due to the lack of negative feedback. The objective of this report was to demonstrate the presence of pituitary hyperplasia in a male patient with body characteristics suggestive of acromegaly. Laboratory investigation confirmed the presence of primary hypothyroidism and ruled out acromegaly. Treatment with levothyroxine was instituted, leading to regression of pituitary hyperplasia. This case illustrates the importance of an appropriate investigation in patients with pituitary hyperplasia, as well as discussing the pathophysiology and treatment of this disease.

Impact of Homeopathic Treatment on the Quality of Life of Women with Chronic Diseases: A Randomized Controlled Pragmatic Trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing demand for complementary and integrative medicine, only a few studies have evaluated the effect of these types of treatments on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with chronic diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the QoL of women treated with homeopathy within the Public Health System of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. METHODS: This is a prospective randomized controlled pragmatic trial. The patients were divided into two independent groups, one group underwent homeopathic treatment in the first 6-month period and the other did not receive any homeopathic treatment. In both randomized groups, patients maintained their conventional medical treatment when necessary. The World Health Organization Quality of Life abbreviated questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) was used for QoL analysis prior to treatment and 6 months later. RESULTS: Randomization afforded similar baseline results in three domains of QoL analysis for both groups. After 6 months' treatment, there was a statistically significant difference between groups in the physical domain of WHOQOL-BREF: the average score improved to 63.6 ± (SD) 15.8 in the homeopathy group, compared with 53.1 ± (SD) 16.7 in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Homeopathic treatment showed a positive impact at 6 months on the QoL of women with chronic diseases. Further studies should be performed to determine the long-term effects of homeopathic treatment on QoL and its determinant factors.

The impact of 2 weeks of detraining on phase angle, BIVA patterns, and muscle strength in trained older adults.

BACKGROUND: An intermission in the training routine, in which older adults refrain from regular structured exercise, may have deleterious effects on muscle performance and bioelectric phase angle (PhA), which is a predictive marker for cellular integrity. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of a 2-week detraining period on PhA and muscular strength (MS) in trained older adults. METHODS: A total of 14 trained older adults (6 females) aged ≥65 years (77.2 ± 6.6) were assessed at baseline (i.e. trained condition) and after 2 weeks of detraining, where they refrained from their usual participation in structured exercise sessions. Whole-body resistance (R), reactance (Xc), and PhA were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA, single frequency, 50 kHz ± 1%, NutriLab, Akern). MS was assessed on both lower and upper limbs under isometric conditions. Differences between moments were examined using ANOVA for repeated measures, while adjusting for sex. Bioimpedance vector analysis (BIVA) was performed to evaluate changes in cellular function and body fluid content. RESULTS: Detraining resulted in declines in PhA (-4.34%) (p = 0.017). There was a significant difference in the mean impedance vectors from baseline to post-detraining (p < 0.05), which were driven by decreases in reactance (Xc) relative to height (Xc/H) with little change in resistance (R) relative to height (R/H) for both males and females. No differences were found in MS for both the leg press (p = 0.992) and bench press (p = 0.166) tests. CONCLUSION: A detraining period as short as 2-weeks is enough to cause alterations in the bodies bioelectrical properties, resulting in detrimental changes in PhA, due to alterations in cellular integrity, but not in MS. These results highlight the importance of maintaining structured exercise sessions in older adults, and reinforce the potential role of PhA as a sensitive predictor to detect acute changes in muscle cell integrity following alterations in exercise training.

Saúde sexual e reprodutiva de adolescentes: seria a gravidez a única questão a ser debatida? / Adolescent sexual and reproductive health: is pregnancy the only issue to be debated?

É praticamente consenso que a gravidez na adolescência é tratada como um fenômeno que representa certo grau de ameaça à saúde pública e à vida social. O presente trabalho, partindo da vivência em formações voltadas à implementação do Protocolo de Saúde Sexual e Reprodutiva de Adolescentes com trabalhadores da saúde do município de Franco da Rocha (SP), discute a forma limitada como a saúde sexual e reprodutiva de adolescentes é abordada: com foco apenas na questão da gravidez, colocando-a unicamente como responsabilidade das adolescentes.

Determination of the ideal volume of activating solution and the optimal ratio of spermatozoa per oocyte for Prochilodus brevis fertilization.

Prochilodus brevis is a rheophilic species with a threatened natural population that promotes studies aimed at optimizing reproduction in captivity. The correct quantity of inseminating dose and activating solution volume significantly improves fertilization rates, thereby increasing productivity in captivity. The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of sperm per oocyte and the ideal volume of activating solution to be used in the assisted fertilization of P. brevis. Gametes were collected and fertilization performed in two steps. In step 1, the ideal proportion of spermatozoa was determined based on the fertilization rate:oocyte by testing six doses of semen: D1 = 30 × 103, D2 = 150 × 103, D3 = 300 × 103, D4 = 3 × 106, D5 = 5 × 106, and D6 = 10 × 106. In step 2, the fertilization and hatching rates were evaluated using different volumes of activating solution (V1 - 25 ml, V2 - 50 ml, V3 - 75 ml,V4 - 100 ml, V5 - 125 ml, and V6 - 150 ml). A linear regression equation was estimated from steps 1 and 2. The Student-Newman-Keuls test was used to compare the means. In step 1, the percentage of fertilization increased linearly, reaching a plateau of 51.69%. In step 2, the best fertilization rates were obtained with an estimated ideal volume of 75.64 ml per 2 ml of oocytes. Therefore, the proportion of 928,410.29 sperm:oocyte, associated with the volume of 75.64 ml of water per 2 ml of oocytes, provided the maximum reproductive performance for P. brevis.

Estudo comparativo da ação sanitizantes de uso caseiros em hortaliças contaminadas com Ancilostomídeos / Comparative sanitizers study of domestic aplication in vegetables contaminated with hookworms / Estudio comparativo de la acción higiénica de los cuidadores en vegetales contaminados con anquilostomas

Objetivo: O presente trabalho tem como objetivo verificar a efetividade de sanitizantes de uso caseiros quanto a capacidade de paralisar e desinfetar larvas de Ancilostomídeos. Método Para obtenção das larvas de Ancilostomídeos foi utilizado o método de Hoffman, Pons e Janer (HPJ). Em seguida, foram preparadas lâminas com o sedimento e adicionou-se concentrações diferentes de saneantes empregados na rotina doméstica. Simultaneamente, foi avaliado, através de microscopia óptica, o tempo cronometrado que cada saneante em diferentes concentrações, necessitaria para paralisação completa do helminto. Resultados: O ácido acético e o hipoclorito não apresentaram efetividade em nenhuma das concentrações testadas. Já o vinagre de álcool puro na diluição de 40% paralisou 90% das larvas em um período de 14 minutos e 31 segundos. O vinagre composto de álcool, na concentração de 40% foi capaz de paralisar mais de 90% das larvas em um tempo médio de 9 minutos e 50 segundos. Conclusão: A utilização de 40% de sanitizantes de vinagre se mostraram eficazes na desinfecção de larvas de Ancilostomídeos. No entanto, este estudo alerta que a eliminação de larvas não é segura quando se leva em conta a concentração usada na rotina doméstica atual.

Objective: The present work aims to verify the effectiveness of homemade sanitizers for the ability to paralyze and disinfect hookworm larvae. Method: To obtain hookworm larvae, the method of Hoffman, Pons, and Janer (HPJ) was applied. The next slides were prepared with the sediment, and different sanitizing concentrations, routinely used in the domestic, were added. Simultaneously, we evaluated, by optical microscopy, the chronometer time that each sanitizer in different concentrations, would require for complete helminth paralysis. Results: Acetic acid and hypochlorite were not effective in any of the tested concentrations. Pure alcohol vinegar in the 40% dilution paralyzed 90% of the larvae in 14 minutes and 31 seconds. The vinegar composed of alcohol, in the 40% concentration, was able to paralyze more than 90% of the larvae in an 9,50 minutes average. Conclusion: The use of 40% of vinegar sanitizers proved to be useful in disinfecting hookworms larvae. However, this study cautions that larvae elimination is not safe when taking into account the concentration handled in the current domestic routine.

Objetivo: el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo verificar la efectividad de los desinfectantes caseros para la capacidad de paralizar y desinfectar larvas de anquilostomas. Método: para obtener larvas de anquilostomas, se utilizó el método de Hoffman, Pons y Janer (HPJ). Luego se prepararon los portaobjetos con el sedimento y se agregaron diferentes concentraciones de agentes desinfectantes utilizados en la rutina doméstica. Simultáneamente, se evaluó, usando microscopía óptica, el tiempo cronometrado que cada desinfectante en diferentes concentraciones necesitaría para completar la parálisis del helminto. Resultados: el ácido acético y el hipoclorito no fueron efectivos en ninguna de las concentraciones probadas. El vinagre puro de alcohol en la dilución al 40% paralizó el 90% de las larvas en un período de 14 minutos y 31 segundos. El vinagre compuesto de alcohol, en la concentración del 40%, fue capaz de paralizar más del 90% de las larvas en un tiempo promedio de 9 minutos y 50 segundos. Conclusión: el uso del 40% de desinfectantes de vinagre demostró ser eficaz para desinfectar larvas de anquilostomas. Sin embargo, este estudio advierte que la eliminación de las larvas no es segura cuando se tiene en cuenta la concentración utilizada en la rutina doméstica actual.

Comparação da Quantidade de Células de Langerhans em Neoplasias Intraepiteliais Cervicais e Cervicites Crônicas / Comparison of the Quantity of Langerhans Cells in Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Chronic Cervicitis / Comparación de la Cantidad de Células de Langerhans en Neoplasias Intraepiteliales Cervicales y Cervicites Crónicas

Introdução: O câncer cervical é atribuído ao papilomavírus humano (HPV) cuja infecção, na maioria das vezes, sofre regressão espontânea. A menor porção de casos que evoluem para lesão precursora de baixo e alto graus e invasora pode ter relação com uma falha na atividade das células de Langerhans em eliminar o vírus. Objetivo: Determinar se há redução do número de células de Langerhans em colos uterinos acometidos por neoplasias intraepiteliais cervicais (NIC), graus I e III, comparado ao grupo controle (cervicites crônicas), por imuno-histoquímica, possibilitando correlacionar a ação do sistema imune com o desenvolvimento dessas lesões. Método: Foram analisados 40 casos de cervicite crônica, NIC I e III, com diagnóstico anatomopatológico entre janeiro de 2014 e dezembro de 2015, buscando-se comparar a quantidade de núcleos marcados positivamente como célula de Langerhans pela proteína S-100 por imuno-histoquímica, quantificando-os em áreas padronizadas. Resultados: Dos 40 casos avaliados, 17 foram cervicite crônica, 13 NIC I e 10 NIC III. Na análise comparativa do número de células em cada grupo a média, desvio-padrão e mediana foram maiores no grupo cervicite crônica e menores no grupo NIC III. O valor de p encontrado para a variação do número de células de Langerhans, entre os grupos, foi significativo (p=0,0442); mas, ao comparar os grupos de NIC com o controle, só o grupo NIC III teve variação significativa (p=0,0209). Conclusão:Há diminuição significativa do número de núcleos de células de Langerhans marcados em lesões do tipo NIC III em comparação a cervicites crônicas.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is attributed to human papillomavirus (HPV), whose infection mostly undergoes spontaneous regression. The smaller part of cases that evolve to low and high-grade lesions or invasive lesions may be related to failure of Langerhans cell activity to eliminate the virus. Objective: To determine if there is reduction of Langerhans' cells in cervix uterus affected by cervical intraepithelial neoplasms (CIN) grades I and III compared to control group (chronic cervicitis) by immunohistochemistry, granting the correlation of the immune system action with the development of these lesions. Method: It were analyzed 40 cases of chronic cervicitis, CIN I and III with anatomopathological diagnosis between January 2014 and December 2015, attempting to compare the amount of positively labeled Langerhans cells nuclei by S-100 protein by immunohistochemistry, quantifying them in standard areas. Results: Of the 40 evaluated cases, 17 were chronic cervicitis, 13 CIN I and 10 CIN III. The comparative analysis of the number of cells in each group showed that the mean, standard deviation and median number of Langerhans cells per area were higher in the chronic cervicitis group and lower in the CIN III group. The p value found in the variation of the Langerhans cells number among the groups was significant (p=0.0442). However, when comparing the CIN groups directly with the control group, only the CIN III group had a significant variation (p=0.0209). Conclusion: There is a significant decrease in the number of marked Langerhans cell nuclei in CIN III type lesions compared to chronic cervicitis.

Introducción: El cáncer cervical puede atribuirse al virus del papiloma humano (VPH) cuya infección a menudo sufre regresión espontánea. El menor número de casos que evolucionan a lesiones precursoras de bajo y alto grado o invasivas puede estar relacionado con una falla en la actividad de las células de Langerhans para eliminar el virus. Objetivo: Determinar si hay reducción del número de células de Langerhans en colos uterinos acometidos por neoplasias intraepiteliales cervicales (NIC) grados I y III comparado al grupo control (cervicitis crónicas), por medio de inmunohistoquímica, posibilitando correlacionar la acción del sistema inmune con estas lesiones. Método: Se analizaron 40 casos de cervicitis crónica, NIC I y III, con diagnóstico anatomopatológico entre enero de 2014 y diciembre de 2015, comparando la cantidad de núcleos marcados positivamente como célula de Langerhans por la proteína S-100 por inmuno-histoquímica, cuantificándolos. Resultados: De 40 casos, 17 fueron cervicitis crónica, 13 NIC I y 10 NIC III. En el análisis comparativo del número de células en cada grupo la media, desviación estándar y mediana fueron mayores en el grupo cervicite crónica y menores en el NIC III. El valor de p encontrado para la variación del número de células de Langerhans entre los grupos fue significativo (p=0,0442), pero al comparar los grupos de NIC con el control sólo el grupo NIC III tuvo variación significativa (p=0,0209). Conclusión: Hay disminución significativa del número de núcleos marcados de células de Langerhans en lesiones de tipo CIN III en comparación con cervicitis crónica.

Impact of breast cancer and quality of life of women survivors.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of breast cancer and the quality of life of women survivors and to identify associations between sociodemographic and clinical variables. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional, analytical, quantitative study conducted with women receiving outpatient post-treatment care at a public institution of the city of São Paulo, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Instruments: sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires; Impact of Cancer scale; Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer scale. Descriptive and analytical statistical analysis were performed. RESULTS: One hundred women were included in the study with a mean age of 60 years (SD = 11.3); most with less than 5 years of follow-up, low purchasing power, and low education levels. Negative Impact of Cancer: Health Worry, Body Changes, Feelings, and Meaning of Cancer. Quality of life: 81.9 (18.3), specific: 105.6 (24.6). The following subscales of the impact of cancer scale predicted lower quality of life scores: Body Changes, Negative Self-Evaluation, and Concerns about Cancer (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: Although they presented high scores for quality of life, patients reported negative impacts of cancer, enhanced by vulnerabilities.