Rheumatic Disease Autoantibodies in Patients with Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases.

BACKGROUND: Patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATD) such as Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) may have non-organ specific autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and rheumatoid factor (RF). AIM: To study the prevalence of rheumatic autoantibodies in a group of ATD patients without known rheumatic diseases and to evaluate its association with the patients' epidemiological and treatment profiles. To follow positive non-organ specific autoantibody-positive ATD individuals to investigate whether they will develop a rheumatic disorder. METHODS: A sample of 154 ATD patients (70 HT and 84 GD; mean age 45.3 ± 14.2) had determination of ANA by immunofluorescence, using hep-2 cells as substrate, extractable nuclear antigen profile by ELISA kits and RF by latex agglutination. Epidemiological and treatment profiles were obtained through chart review. These patients were followed for the mean period of 5 years, between 2010 and 2015. RESULTS: Positive ANA was found in 17.5% (27/154) of the patients: anti-Ro/SS-A in 4/154 (2.5%); anti-RNP in 4/154 (2.5%), and anti-La/SS-B in 3/154 (1.9%). None had anti-Sm antibodies. RF was detected in 12/154 (7.7%) of ATD patients and was more common in older individuals (p = 0.007). There was a positive association between the presence of RF and ANA (p = 0.03; OR 3.89; 95% CI 1.1-13.3). None of the patients with positive autoantibodies developed clinical rheumatic diseases during the period of observation. CONCLUSION: We found rheumatic autoantibodies in 17.5% of ATD patients without rheumatic diseases. None of them were associated with the appearance of clinical rheumatic disorder during the period of 5 years.

Determination of ketoconazole in capsules by high-performance liquid chromatography and microbiological assay.

The development and validation of an HPLC-UV method and a microbiological assay were performed for the analysis of ketoconazole in capsule formulations. The bioassay was developed using a specific agar diffusion technique with the strain of Candida albicans ATCC 18804 as the test organism. The effect of the mobile phase pH in the range of 2.5-7.5 on the retention and tailing factors of the ketoconazole peak was analyzed in the chromatography method and a pH value of 4.5 was considered to be adequate. A prospective validation of both methods showed adequate linearity (r2 > 0.99 for the two methods), precision, (RSD = 2.42% for intraday and 2.69% for interday precision for bioassay; RSD = 0.74% for intraday and 0.66% for interday precision for HPLC-UV), and accuracy (mean recoveries were 103 +/- 1.0% for bioassay and 99 +/- 1.0% for HPLC-UV). Student's t-test revealed no significant difference between the results obtained by the two methods (P < 0.05). The contents found for three capsule samples showed a strong correlation, as attested by Pearson's coefficient value (r = 0.9998), which also evidenced the concordance between the studied methodologies.

Awareness on oral cancer among patients attending dental school clinics in Brazil

BACKGROUND: Oral cancer is considered a public health problem worldwide. Dental schools may play an important role in educating patients about oral cancer. This study aimed at evaluating the knowledge of patients attending clinics at two dental schools in Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From March 2017 to April 2017, 251 patients who were attending clinics at two dental schools in Recife, Brazil, were included in the study. Patients were contacted in the waiting rooms of the clinic. Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire, which consists of 21 questions, including socio-demographic and specific information on the disease. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and a chi-square test (with a 5% significance level) was used to assess the correlation between the variables, education and family income and other variables. RESULTS: Most participants were women (64.9%) with a mean age of 42.72 years. Most participants were knowl-edgeable about oral cancer and identified tobacco use (48.6%), alcohol consumption (25.1%), and solar radiation (12%) as the primary risk factors for the disease. Only 36.7% of the participants reported having received counsel-ling on oral cancer, of which 18.3% received the information from a dentist. All patients with an income higher than six minimum wages were aware about oral cancer (p = 0.001).CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasize the importance of educational programs in dental schools as well provid-ing integrated services for patients seeking care at school clinics, including population's awareness on oral cancer

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Coanálise do trabalho em uma UTI pediátrica: relato de experiência de construção de um dispositivo ergológico / Co-analysis of work in a pediatric ICU: report of experience in the construction of an ergological device / Coanálisis del trabajo en una UTI pediátrica: relato de experiência de construcción de un dispositivo ergológico

Neste artigo discutem-se os resultados de uma experiência de intervenção realizada em ação de extensão universitária em um hospital pediátrico da rede pública de saúde, localizado na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. A problemática demandada para análise foi o sofrimento psíquico relacionável ao trabalho em UTI. Com base nos referenciais da Ergologia, procedeu-se à construção de um dispositivo de intervenção, denominado Encontros sobre o Trabalho, com vistas à coanálise e transformação das condições e organização do trabalho no sentido da promoção da saúde dos trabalhadores. Identificam-se algumas regras de ofício e estratégias produzidas pelos profissionais individual e coletivamente. Tecem-se considerações sobre o processo de construção, as dificuldades de operacionalização e potencialidades do dispositivo construído. (AU)

This article discusses the results of an intervention experiment performed within a university extension action. It tookplace in a pediatric hospital of the public health system in Rio de Janeiro. The problem under analysis was the psychic suffering from the work in the ICU. Based on Ergology benchmarks, we made an intervention device, called ''Meetings on Work''. The aim of such a device was the co-analysis and transformation of the work conditions. Besides, another objective was the organization of work to promote workers' health. We identified some rules and strategies created individually and collectively by the professionals. Finally, we make considerations about the construction process, operationalization difficulties and potentialities of the device. (AU)

Este artículo aborda los resultados de un experimento de intervención realizado em una acción de extensión universitária. Tuvo lugar e nun hospital pediátrico del sistema de salud pública, ubicado en la ciudad de Río de Janeiro. El problema que se estaba analizando era el sufrimiento psíquico del trabajo en la UCI. Basándonos en los puntos de referencia de la Ergología, cream o sun dispositivo de intervención, llamado "Encuentros de Trabajo". El objetivo de tal dispositivo era elco-análisis y latransformación de las condiciones de trabajo. Además, otro objetivo era la organización del trabajo para promover la salud de los trabajadores. Identificamos algunas reglas y estrategias laboral escreadas individual y colectivamente por los profesionales. Por último, hacemos consideraciones sobre el proceso de construcción, las dificultades de operacionalización y las potencialidades del dispositivo. (AU)

Comparison of microbiological assay and HPLC-UV for determination of fluconazole in capsules / Comparação de ensaios microbiológicos e CLAE-UV para determinação de fluconazol em cápsulas

The development of a specific agar diffusion bioassay for the quantitative determination of fluconazole formulated in capsules was carried out using a strain of Candida albicans ATCC 18804 as the test organism. A prospective validation of the method showed adequate linearity (r²=0.9995), precision (R.S.D. = 4.0 percent for intra-day and 4.5 percent for inter-day precision) and accuracy (mean recovery = 102.9 percent). High performance liquid chromatography was chosen as a comparison method for the fluconazole determination. The contents of fluconazole determined by both methods, for four capsule samples, showed a strong correlation, confirmed by Pearson's correlation coefficient value (r = 0.9884). The bioassay is a suitable method for both research and pharmaceutical industry laboratories.

Este trabalho visou ao desenvolvimento e validação de um método microbiológico por difusão em ágar para quantificação de fluconazol em cápsulas utilizando o isolado Candida albicans ATCC 18804 como reagente biológico. O método foi validado e foi verificada linearidade (r²=0,9995), precisão (D.P.R. = 4.0 por cento para precisão intra-dia e 4,5 por cento para precisão inter-dia) e exatidão (recuperação média = 102,9 por cento). Concomitantemente, foi realizado o doseamento de fluconazol nas cápsulas por meio de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência. Os teores encontrados por ambos os métodos demonstraram alta correlação, confirmada pelo Coeficiente de Correlação de Pearson (r = 0,9884). O ensaio microbiológico desenvolvido pode ser considerado ferramenta valiosa tanto para a pesquisa científica quanto para a rotina da indústria farmacêutica.