ABSTRACT
Osteoarthritis of the knee (kOA) is a disease that mainly affects the elderly and can lead to major physical and functional limitations. However, the specific effects of walking, particularly on the immune system, are unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the effect of 12 weeks of walking (3×/week) on the leukocyte profile and quality of life (QL) of elderly women with kOA. Sixteen women (age: 67±4 years, body mass index: 28.07±4.16 kg/m2) participated in a walking program. The variables were assessed before and after 12 weeks of training with a progressively longer duration (30-55 min) and higher intensity (72-82% of HRmax determined using a graded incremental treadmill test). The QL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and blood samples were collected for analysis with a cell counter and the San Fac flow cytometer. Walking training resulted in a 47% enhancement of the self-reported QL (P<0.05) and a 21% increase in the VO2max (P<0.0001) in elderly women with kOA. Furthermore, there was a reduction in CD4+ cells (pre=46.59±7%, post=44.58±9%, P=0.0189) and a higher fluorescence intensity for CD18+CD4+ (pre=45.30±10, post=64.27±33, P=0.0256) and CD18+CD8+ (pre=64.2±27, post=85.02±35, P=0.0130). In conclusion, the walking program stimulated leukocyte production, which may be related to the immunomodulatory effect of exercise. Walking also led to improvements in the QL and physical performance in elderly women with kOA.
Subject(s)
Blood Cell Count , Exercise Therapy/methods , Lymphocyte Activation/physiology , Osteoarthritis, Knee/rehabilitation , Quality of Life , Walking/physiology , Aged , Disability Evaluation , Female , Flow Cytometry , Humans , Osteoarthritis, Knee/blood , Oxygen Consumption , T-Lymphocytes/cytology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
We developed a procedure for DNA extraction from small volumes of fixed cell suspensions previously prepared for conventional cytogenetic analysis. Good quality DNA was isolated with a fast and simple protocol using DNAzol reagent. This provided suitable DNA for various types of molecular analyses, including polymerase chain reaction, restriction fragment length polymorphism, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, and direct sequencing. This technique provides sufficient material for such test, which are important for diagnosis of neoplastic diseases in pediatric patients.
Subject(s)
Cytogenetics/methods , DNA/analysis , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Exons , Genome , Humans , Karyotyping , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/genetics , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length , Sequence Analysis, DNA/methodsABSTRACT
We developed a procedure for DNA extraction from small volumes of fixed cell suspensions previously prepared for conventional cytogenetic analysis. Good quality DNA was isolated with a fast and simple protocol using DNAzol reagent. This provided suitable DNA for various types of molecular analyses, including polymerase chain reaction, restriction fragment length polymorphism, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, and direct sequencing. This technique provides sufficient material for such test, which are important for diagnosis of neoplastic diseases in pediatric patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Cytogenetics/methods , DNA , Genome , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Sequence Analysis, DNA/methods , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Exons , Karyotyping , Neoplasms/genetics , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment LengthABSTRACT
Fifty AIDS patients were studied. All patients had anti-HIV antibodies (ELISA) present and met OPAS/Caracas punctuation criteria for AIDS cases in adults. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis included pressure, cytology (number of cytomorphological aspects), total protein and electrophoresis, glucose and chloride concentration. Bacteriological and mycological investigations were performed as well as agglutination tests for Cryptococcus. Complement fixation, indirect immunoflorescence, passive hemagglutination and/or ELISA tests were performed for syphilis, toxoplasmosis, viral and fungal infections. All CSF analysis were made in the same laboratory following the same methodology. CSF was altered in 45 cases (90.0%) of the 50 patients studied. The most important alterations observed were: gammaglobulin (55.5%) and total protein (51.1%) increase, hypercytosis (48.9%) and decrease of chloride concentration (40.0%). HIV antibodies were detected in 42 patients (93.3%). Toxomoplamosis, isolated or associated to other agents, was the most frequent opportunistic infection (57.7%). Cerebrospinal fluid should always be examined in AIDS patients with or without neurological symptoms.
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/cerebrospinal fluid , Opportunistic Infections/cerebrospinal fluid , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
Although it has not been definitely proven that the severity of malaria is associated to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) we know that infection through Plasmodium falciparum can favor a rapid evolution of the HIV infection. Besides, association of malaria with HIV/AIDS from a clinical point of view can be clinically severe in the face of the occurrence of other microorganisms or neoplasias, which worsens the evolution and prognosis of the affected patients. The concurrence of HIV with Plasmodium in malaria endemic zones is a possibility which should always be taken into consideration, since transmission is related to risk factors caused by people's behavior which are not always promptly revealed and/or identified. The authors report one case of brain malaria infection by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum in a patient with AIDS. They describe the clinical evolution and therapy.