Targeting of G-quadruplex DNA with 99mTc(I)/Re(I) Tricarbonyl Complexes Carrying Pyridostatin Derivatives.

The main goal of this work was to elucidate the potential relevance of (radio)metal chelates of 99mTc and Re targeting G-quadruplex structures for the design of new tools for cancer theranostics. 99mTc provides the complexes with the ability to perform single-photon-emission computed tomography imaging studies, while the Re complexes should act as anticancer agents upon interaction with specific G4 DNA or RNA structures present in tumor tissues. Towards this goal, we have developed isostructural 99mTc(I) and Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes anchored by a pyrazolyl-diamine (Pz) chelator carrying a pendant pyridostatin (PDS) fragment as the G4-binding motif. The interaction of the PDF-Pz-Re (8) complex with different G4-forming oligonucleotides was studied by circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy and FRET-melting assays. The results showed that the Re complex retained the ability to bind and stabilize G4-structures from different DNA or RNA sequences, namely those present on the SRC proto-oncogene and telomeric RNA (TERRA sequence). PDF-Pz-Re (8) showed low to moderate cytotoxicity in PC3 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, as typically observed for G4-binders. Biodistribution studies of the congener PDF-Pz-99mTc (12) in normal mice showed that the complex undergoes a fast blood clearance with a predominant hepatobiliary excretion, pointing also for a high in vitro stability.

Parkinson's Disease-Cognitive Rating Scale (PD-CRS): Normative Data and Mild Cognitive Impairment Assessment in Brazil.

Background: The Parkinson's Disease-Cognitive Rating Scale (PD-CRS) assesses posterior-cortical and frontal-subcortical cognitive functioning and distinguishes mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD-MCI); however, it was not evaluated in Brazil. Objectives: To investigate PD-CRS's reliability, validity, normative data, and accuracy for PD-MCI screening in Brazil. Methods: The effects of age, education, and sex on PD-CRS scores were explored. The instrument was tested in 714 individuals (53% female, 21-94 years), with a broad range of education and no neurodegenerative disorder. Trail Making, Consonant Trigrams, Five-Point, and semantic fluency tests were administered for comparison. A second study enrolled patients with PD and intact cognition (n = 44, 59.75 ± 10.79 years) and with PD-MCI (n = 25, 65.76 ± 10.33 years) to investigate criterion validity. PD-CRS subtests were compared with the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Battery memory and executive tasks. Results: PD-CRS was unidimensional and reliable (McDonald's ω = 0.83). Using robust multiple regressions, age, and education predicted the total and derived scores in the normative sample. At the 85-point cutoff, PD-MCI was detected with 68% sensitivity and 86% specificity (area under the curve = 0.870). PD-CRS scores strongly correlated with executive and verbal/visual memory tests in both normative and clinical samples. Conclusions: This study investigated the applicability of PD-CRS in the Brazilian context. The scale seems helpful in screening for PD-MCI, with adequate internal consistency and construct validity. The PD-CRS variance is influenced by age and educational level, a critical issue for cognitive testing in countries with educational and cultural heterogeneity.

Determinants of Political Trust during the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Putting Policy Performance into Evidence.

Basing on the previous and early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, this article analysis the main determinants of citizens' trust in the prime minister over that period. Prior research on the political effects of the pandemic has mostly focused on identifying a rally around the flag effect, and little is known about other reasons behind the increase in trust after the outbreak of the pandemic. Based on survey data from February to July 2020 for Spanish citizens, we argue that the reasons for the increased trust in the prime minister following the pandemic outbreak are due more to performance evaluations than to emotional-related factors regarding COVID-19 health issues. We also argue that among performance evaluations, the assessment of policy performance in fighting the COVID-19 crisis is of preeminent relevance in explaining trust in the prime minister during the pandemic period. Findings widely support our argument. By comparing the effects of conventional to emotional-related factors, we extend scholarship on political trust in the context of an exogenous crisis.

Correction: Belchior et al. Repair Kinetics of DSB-Foci Induced by Proton and α-Particle Microbeams of Different Energies. Life 2022, 12, 2040.

In the original publication [...].

Repair Kinetics of DSB-Foci Induced by Proton and α-Particle Microbeams of Different Energies.

In this work, the induction and repair of radiation-induced 53BP1 foci were studied in human umbilical vein endothelial cells irradiated at the PTB microbeam with protons and α-particles of different energies. The data were analyzed in terms of the mean number of 53BP1 foci induced by the different ion beams. The number of 53BP1 foci found at different times post-irradiation suggests that the disappearance of foci follows first order kinetics. The mean number of initially produced foci shows the expected increase with LET. The most interesting finding of this work is that the absolute number of persistent foci increases with LET but not their fraction. Furthermore, protons seem to produce more persistent foci as compared to α-particles of even higher LET. This may be seen as experimental evidence that protons may be more effective in producing severe DNA lesions, as was already shown in other work, and that LET may not be the best suited parameter to characterize radiation quality.

Exploring the Physical and Biological Aspects of BNCT with a Carboranylmethylbenzo[b]acridone Compound in U87 Glioblastoma Cells.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a re-emerging technique for selectively killing tumor cells. Briefly, the mechanism can be described as follows: after the uptake of boron into cells, the thermal neutrons trigger the fission of the boron atoms, releasing the α-particles and recoiling lithium particles and high-energy photons that damage the cells. We performed a detailed study of the reactor dosimetry, cellular dose assessment, and radiobiological effects induced by BNCT in glioblastoma (GBM) cells. At maximum reactor power, neutron fluence rates were ϕ0 = 6.6 × 107 cm−2 s−1 (thermal) and θ = 2.4 × 104 cm−2 s−1 with a photon dose rate of 150 mGy·h−1. These values agreed with simulations to within 85% (thermal neutrons), 78% (epithermal neutrons), and 95% (photons), thereby validating the MCNPX model. The GEANT4 simulations, based on a realistic cell model and measured boron concentrations, showed that >95% of the dose in cells was due to the BNC reaction. Carboranylmethylbenzo[b]acridone (CMBA) is among the different proposed boron delivery agents that has shown promising properties due to its lower toxicity and important cellular uptake in U87 glioblastoma cells. In particular, the results obtained for CBMA reinforce radiobiological effects demonstrating that damage is mostly induced by the incorporated boron with negligible contribution from the culture medium and adjacent cells, evidencing extranuclear cell radiosensitivity.

Searching for a Paradigm Shift in Auger-Electron Cancer Therapy with Tumor-Specific Radiopeptides Targeting the Mitochondria and/or the Cell Nucleus.

Although 99mTc is not an ideal Auger electron (AE) emitter for Targeted Radionuclide Therapy (TRT) due to its relatively low Auger electron yield, it can be considered a readily available "model" radionuclide useful to validate the design of new classes of AE-emitting radioconjugates. With this in mind, we performed a detailed study of the radiobiological effects and mechanisms of cell death induced by the dual-targeted radioconjugates 99mTc-TPP-BBN and 99mTc-AO-BBN (TPP = triphenylphosphonium; AO = acridine orange; BBN = bombesin derivative) in human prostate cancer PC3 cells. 99mTc-TPP-BBN and 99mTc-AO-BBN caused a remarkably high reduction of the survival of PC3 cells when compared with the single-targeted congener 99mTc-BBN, leading to an augmented formation of γH2AX foci and micronuclei. 99mTc-TPP-BBN also caused a reduction of the mtDNA copy number, although it enhanced the ATP production by PC3 cells. These differences can be attributed to the augmented uptake of 99mTc-TPP-BBN in the mitochondria and enhanced uptake of 99mTc-AO-BBN in the nucleus, allowing the irradiation of these radiosensitive organelles with the short path-length AEs emitted by 99mTc. In particular, the results obtained for 99mTc-TPP-BBN reinforce the relevance of targeting the mitochondria to promote stronger radiobiological effects by AE-emitting radioconjugates.

Dose Rate Effects on the Selective Radiosensitization of Prostate Cells by GRPR-Targeted Gold Nanoparticles.

For a while, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been recognized as potential radiosensitizers in cancer radiation therapy, mainly due to their physical properties, making them appealing for medical applications. Nevertheless, the performance of AuNPs as radiosensitizers still raises important questions that need further investigation. Searching for selective prostate (PCa) radiosensitizing agents, we studied the radiosensitization capability of the target-specific AuNP-BBN in cancer versus non-cancerous prostate cells, including the evaluation of dose rate effects in comparison with non-targeted counterparts (AuNP-TDOTA). PCa cells were found to exhibit increased AuNP uptake when compared to non-tumoral ones, leading to a significant loss of cellular proliferation ability and complex DNA damage, evidenced by the occurrence of multiple micronucleus per binucleated cell, in the case of PC3 cells irradiated with 2 Gy of γ-rays, after incubation with AuNP-BBN. Remarkably, the treatment of the PC3 cells with AuNP-BBN led to a much stronger influence of the dose rate on the cellular survival upon γ-photon irradiation, as well as on their genomic instability. Overall, AuNP-BBN emerged in this study as a very promising nanotool for the efficient and selective radiosensitization of human prostate cancer PC3 cells, therefore deserving further preclinical evaluation in adequate animal models for prostate cancer radiotherapy.

Radiolabeled Gold Nanoseeds Decorated with Substance P Peptides: Synthesis, Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation in Glioblastoma Cellular Models.

Despite some progress, the overall survival of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) remains extremely poor. In this context, there is a pressing need to develop innovative therapy strategies for GBM, namely those based on nanomedicine approaches. Towards this goal, we have focused on nanoparticles (AuNP-SP and AuNP-SPTyr8) with a small gold core (ca. 4 nm), carrying DOTA chelators and substance P (SP) peptides. These new SP-containing AuNPs were characterized by a variety of analytical techniques, including TEM and DLS measurements and UV-vis and CD spectroscopy, which proved their high in vitro stability and poor tendency to interact with plasma proteins. Their labeling with diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides was efficiently performed by DOTA complexation with the trivalent radiometals 67Ga and 177Lu or by electrophilic radioiodination with 125I of the tyrosyl residue in AuNP-SPTyr8. Cellular studies of the resulting radiolabeled AuNPs in NKR1-positive GBM cells (U87, T98G and U373) have shown that the presence of the SP peptides has a crucial and positive impact on their internalization by the tumor cells. Consistently, 177Lu-AuNP-SPTyr8 showed more pronounced radiobiological effects in U373 cells when compared with the non-targeted congener 177Lu-AuNP-TDOTA, as assessed by cell viability and clonogenic assays and corroborated by Monte Carlo microdosimetry simulations.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 99mTc(I) Tricarbonyl Complexes Dual-Targeted at Tumoral Mitochondria.

For effective Auger therapy of cancer, the Auger-electron emitters must be delivered to the tumor cells in close proximity to a radiosensitive cellular target. Nuclear DNA is considered the most relevant target of Auger electrons to have augmented radiotoxic effects and significant cell death. However, there is a growing body of evidence that other targets, such as the mitochondria, could be relevant subcellular targets in Auger therapy. Thus, we developed dual-targeted 99mTc(I) tricarbonyl complexes containing a triphenylphosphonium (TPP) moiety to promote accumulation of 99mTc in the mitochondria, and a bombesin peptide to provide specificity towards the gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPr) overexpressed in prostate cancer cells. The designed dual-targeted complex, 99mTc-TPP-BBN, is efficiently internalized by human prostate cancer PC3 cells through a specific GRPr-mediated mechanism of uptake. Moreover, the radioconjugate provided an augmented accumulation of 99mTc in the mitochondria of the target tumor cells, most probably following its intracellular cleavage by cathepsin B. In addition, 99mTc-TPP-BBN showed an enhanced ability to reduce the survival of PC3 cells, in a dose-dependent manner.

Radiobiological and dosimetric assessment of DNA-intercalated 99mTc-complexes bearing acridine orange derivatives.

BACKGROUND: Recently, a new family of 99mTc(I)-tricarbonyl complexes bearing an acridine orange (AO) DNA targeting unit and different linkers between the Auger emitter (99mTc) and the AO moiety was evaluated for Auger therapy. Among them, 99mTc-C3 places the corresponding radionuclide at a shortest distance to DNA and produces important double strand breaks (DSB) yields in plasmid DNA providing the first evidence that 99mTc can efficiently induce DNA damage when well positioned to the double helix. Here in, we have extended the studies to human prostate cancer PC3 cells using the 99mTc-C3 and 99mTc-C5 complexes, aiming to assess how the distance to DNA influences the radiation-induced biological effects in this tumoral cell line, namely, in which concerns early and late damage effects. RESULTS: Our results highlight the limited biological effectiveness of Auger electrons, as short path length radiation, with increasing distances to DNA. The evaluation of the radiation-induced biological effects was complemented with a comparative microdosimetric study based on intracellular dose values. The comparative study, between MIRD and Monte Carlo (MC) methods used to assess the cellular doses, revealed that efforts should be made in order to standardize the bioeffects modeling for DNA-incorporated Auger electron emitters. CONCLUSIONS: 99mTc might not be the ideal radionuclide for Auger therapy but can be useful to validate the design of new classes of Auger-electron emitting radioconjugates. In this context, our results highlight the crucial importance of the distance of Auger electron emitters to the target DNA and encourage the development of strategies for the fine tuning of the distance to DNA for other medical radionuclides (e.g., 111In or 161Tb) in order to enhance their radiotherapeutic effects within the Auger therapy of cancer.

Unravelling the antitumoral potential of novel bis(thiosemicarbazonato) Zn(II) complexes: structural and cellular studies.

The development of pharmacologically active compounds based on bis(thiosemicarbazones) (BTSC) and on their coordination to metal centers constitutes a promising field of research. We have recently explored this class of ligands and their Cu(II) complexes for the design of cancer theranostics agents with enhanced uptake by tumoral cells. In the present work, we expand our focus to aliphatic and aromatic BTSC Zn(II) complexes bearing piperidine/morpholine pendant arms. The new complexes ZnL1-ZnL4 were characterized by a variety of analytical techniques, which included single-crystal X-ray crystallography for ZnL2 and ZnL3. Taking advantage of the fluorescent properties of the aromatic complexes, we investigated their cellular uptake kinetics and subcellular localization. Furthermore, we tried to elucidate the mechanism of action of the cytotoxic effect observed in human cancer cell line models. The results show that the aliphatic complexes (ZnL1 and ZnL2) have a symmetrical structure, while the aromatic counterparts (ZnL3 and ZnL4) have an asymmetrical nature. The cytotoxic activity was higher for the aromatic BTSC complexes, as well as the cellular uptake, evaluated by measurement of intracellular Zn accumulation. Among the most active complexes, ZnL3 presented the fastest uptake kinetics and lysosomal localization assessed by live-cell microscopy. Detailed studies of its impact on cellular production of reactive oxygen species and impairment of lysosomal membrane integrity reinforced the influence of the pendant piperidine in the biological performance of aromatic BTSC Zn(II) complexes.

Evaluation of Acridine Orange Derivatives as DNA-Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals for Auger Therapy: Influence of the Radionuclide and Distance to DNA.

A new family of 99mTc(I)- tricarbonyl complexes and 125I-heteroaromatic compounds bearing an acridine orange (AO) DNA targeting unit was evaluated for Auger therapy. Characterization of the DNA interaction, performed with the non-radioactive Re and 127I congeners, confirmed that all compounds act as DNA intercalators. Both classes of compounds induce double strand breaks (DSB) in plasmid DNA but the extent of DNA damage is strongly dependent on the linker between the Auger emitter (99mTc or 125I) and the AO moiety. The in vitro evaluation was complemented with molecular docking studies and Monte Carlo simulations of the energy deposited at the nanometric scale, which corroborated the experimental data. Two of the tested compounds, 125I-C5 and 99mTc-C3, place the corresponding radionuclide at similar distances to DNA and produce comparable DSB yields in plasmid and cellular DNA. These results provide the first evidence that 99mTc can induce DNA damage with similar efficiency to that of 125I, when both are positioned at comparable distances to the double helix. Furthermore, the high nuclear retention of 99mTc-C3 in tumoral cells suggests that 99mTc-labelled AO derivatives are more promising for the design of Auger-emitting radiopharmaceuticals than the 125I-labelled congeners.

Novel (188)Re multi-functional bone-seeking compounds: Synthesis, biological and radiotoxic effects in metastatic breast cancer cells.

INTRODUCTION: Radiolabeled bisphosphonates (BPs) have been used for bone imaging and delivery of ß(-) emitting radionuclides for bone pain palliation. As a ß(-) emitter, (188)Re has been considered particularly promising for bone metastases therapy. Aimed at finding innovative bone-seeking agents for systemic radiotherapy of bone metastases, we describe herein novel organometallic compounds of the type fac-[(188)Re(CO)3(k(3)-L)], (L=BP-containing chelator), their in vitro and in vivo stability, and their cellular damage in MDAMB231 cells, a metastatic breast cancer cell line. METHODS: After synthesis and characterization of the novel organometallic compounds of the type fac-[(188)Re(CO)3(k(3)-L)] their radiochemical purity and in vitro stability was assessed by HPLC. In vivo stability and pharmacokinetic profile were evaluated in mice and the radiocytotoxic activity and DNA damage were assessed by MTT assay and by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay, respectively. RESULTS: Among all complexes, (188)Re3 was obtained with high radiochemical purity (>95%) and high specific activity and presented high in vitro and in vivo stability. Biodistribution studies of (188)Re3 in Balb/c mice showed fast blood clearance, high bone uptake (16.1 ± 3.3% IA/g organ, 1h p.i.) and high bone-to-blood and bone-to-muscle radioactivity ratios, indicating that it is able to deliver radiation to bone in a very selective way. The radiocytotoxic effect elicited by (188)Re3 in the MDAMB231 cells was dependent on its concentration, and was higher than that induced by identical concentrations of [(188)ReO4](-). Additionally, (188)Re3 elicited morphological changes in the cells and induced DNA damage by the increased number of MN observed. CONCLUSION: Altogether, our results demonstrate that (188)Re3 could be considered an attractive candidate for further preclinical evaluation for systemic radionuclide therapy of bone metastases considering its ability to deliver radiation to bone in a very selective way and to induce radiation damage.

Prevalence and risk factors for bovine tuberculosis in Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and regional spread of bovine tuberculosis in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, to identify herd-level risk factors, and to provide guidance for disease control and mitigation of its impact in public health. The study comprised a large-scale random sample survey of 22,990 animals and 1586 herds, distributed in seven regions. A questionnaire was applied on each farm to collect epidemiological and herd management data. Overall, 5.04 % of herds and 0.81 % of animals were positive for bovine tuberculosis. The highest herd prevalence was found in Alto Paranaíba, an expanding dairy region. The more technologically advanced dairy herds showed a prevalence ratio of 2.83 compared to others and are obvious candidates for risk-based surveillance and herd accreditation schemes. Small farms cannot be left out of disease control efforts because they are the vast majority of herds, albeit with lower individual risk. With regard to public health, there is widespread practice of producing homemade fresh cheese with raw milk and of slaughtering culled cows in places without sanitary inspection. This poses a risk to consumers and limits the efficacy of surveillance at slaughter.

Human exposure to indoor radon: a survey in the region of Guarda, Portugal.

Radon ((222)Rn) is a radioactive gas, abundant in granitic areas, such as the city of Guarda at the northeast of Portugal. This gas is recognised as a carcinogenic agent, being appointed by the World Health Organization as the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. Therefore, the knowledge of radon concentrations inside the houses (where people stay longer) is important from the point of view of radiological protection. The main goal of this study was to assess the radon concentration in an area previously identified with a potentially high level of residential radon. The radon concentration was measured using CR-39 detectors, exposed for a period of 2 months in 185 dwellings in the Guarda region. The radon concentration in studied dwellings, ranged between 75 and 7640 Bq m(-3), with a geometric mean of 640 Bq m(-3) and an arithmetic mean of 1078 Bq m(-3). Based on a local winter-summer radon concentration variation model, these values would correspond to an annual average concentration of 860 Bq m(-3). Several factors contribute to this large dispersion, the main one being the exact location of housing construction in relation to the geochemical nature of the soil and others the predominant building material and ventilation. Based on the obtained results an average annual effective dose of 15 mSv y(-1) is estimated, well above the average previously estimated for Portugal.

Confiabilidade dos testes especiais para diagnóstico de tendinopatia do supra-espinhoso / Reliability of tests for diagnosis of special tendinopathy supraspinatus

Introdução: A lesão mais frequente no ombro acomete o tendão do supra-espinhoso, ocorrendo por: estiramento, inflamação, fibroses associada ou não a degeneração articular. Objetivo: Investigar a confiabilidade intra-examinador e inter-examinador de três testes (Teste para Tendinite do Supra-espinhoso, Colisão de Hawkins-Kennedy, Coçar de Apley). Método: Foram avaliados 20 indivíduos alocados em dois grupos: G1 com lesão e G2 sem lesão, foram realizados testes nos indivíduos em ambos os grupos, para a confiabilidade intra-examinador utilizou-se o teste Qui-quadrado e a confiabilidade inter-examinador utilizou-se a confiabilidade Kappa com nível de significância das comparações p:50,OS. Resultados: A confiabilidade intra-examinador apresentou resultado moderado, os testes especiais inter-examinadores apresentou confiabilidade que varia de moderada a fraca para ~s dois grupos, a exceção do Teste Coçar de Apley no G1 (100% de concordância). Conclusão: Os resultados sugerem que a presença de lesão exerce dependência significativa no resultado intra-examinadores, o teste Coçar de Apley apresentou 100% de confiabilidade inter-examinador e para o teste do Supra-espinhoso e Colisão de Hakins-Kennedy apresentou confiabilidade moderada e fraca.

Introduction: The most frequent shoulder injury affects the supraspinatus tendon, occurring by: stretching, inflammation, fibrosis associated or not to articulation degeneration. Objective: To investigate the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of 3 tests (Supraspinatus, Hawkins-Kennedy Collision, Apley's Scratch). Method: Twenty (20) individuais were evaluated placed in two groups: G1 with injury and G2 without injury, the tests were performed in the individuais of both groups, to verify the intra-rater reliability the test Chi-square was used and the inter-rater reliability used Kappa reliability with significance levei of the comparisons p:50.0S. Results: The intra-rater reliability presented moderate result, the inter-rater special tests showed reliability varying from moderate to weak for both groups, except the Apley's Scratch Test in G1 (100% agreement). Conclusion: The results suggest that the presence of injury exerts noticeable dependence in the intra-rater result, the Apley's Scratch Test presented 100% of inter-rater reliability and for the Supraspinatus Test and the Hakins-Kennedy Collision presented moderate and weak reliability.

Low-level laser therapy attenuates creatine kinase levels and apoptosis during forced swimming in rats.

Studies suggest that high-intensity physical exercise can cause damage to skeletal muscles, resulting in muscle soreness, fatigue, inflammatory processes and cell apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on a decrease in creatine kinase (CK) levels and cell apoptosis. Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two equal groups: group 1 (control), resistance swimming; group 2 (LLLT), resistance swimming with LLLT. They were subjected to a single application of indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP) laser immediately following the exercise for 40 s at an output power of 100 mW, wavelength 660 nm and 133.3 J/cm(2). The groups were subdivided according to sample collection time: 24 h and 48 h. CK was measured before and both 24 h and 48 h after the test. Samples of the gastrocnemius muscle were processed to determine the presence of apoptosis using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling. (There was a significant difference in CK levels between groups (P < 0.0001) as well as between the 24 h and 48 h levels in the control group, whereas there was no significant intra-group difference in the LLLT group at the same evaluation times. In the LLLT group there were 66.3 +/- 13.2 apoptotic cells after 24 h and 39.0 +/- 6.8 apoptotic cells after 48 h. The results suggest that LLLT influences the metabolic profile of animals subjected to fatigue by lowering serum levels of CK. This demonstrates that LLLT can act as a preventive tool against cell apoptosis experienced during high-intensity physical exercise.

O efeito do treinamento utilizando o método pilates sobre a flexibilidade de musculatura posterior de coxa / The effect of the training using the pilates method on the flexibility of the hamstrings

Introdução: Nos dias atuais, percebe-se uma enorme expansão de adeptos ao método Pilates por todo o mundo, no entanto, há uma carência de evidências científicas sobre os reais resultados do método sobre a flexibilidade. Objetivo: Analisar o incremento da flexibilidade do músculo isquiotibial após 30 sessões utilizando o método Pilates. Métodos: Foram avaliadas 15 participantes, sexo feminino, idade média de 23,93 (±4,32) anos, peso médio de 55,11 (±3,46) e altura média de 1,63 (±0,02), com Índice de Massa Corporal médio de 20,67 (±1,17), foram realizados exercícios de Pilates no solo durante 10 semanas com duração de 50 minutos e freqüência semanal de três vezes. O instrumento utilizado para as mensurações do ângulo poplíteo (AP) foi o goniômetro universal, sendo as medidas realizadas previamente ao início do experimento e após as 10 semanas pelo mesmo examinador clínico. O nível de rejeição da hipótese de nulidade adotado foi de p < 0,05 e utilizou-se o teste t de Student para tratamento estatístico. Resultados: Houve aumento da flexibilidade estatisticamente significamente (p < 0,0001) após a utilização do método Pilates como treinamento para ganho de flexibilidade. Conclusão: Concluiu-se que o protocolo de treinamento utilizando o método Pilates foi eficaz para o incremento da flexibilidade na musculatura posterior da coxa.

Introduction: Nowadays, we find a huge expansion of the Pilates method adepts around the world; however, there is alack of scientific evidence about the actual results of the method on flexibility. Purpose: To analyze the increase in the flexibility of the muscle hamstring after 30 sessions using the Pilates method. Methods: It was evaluated 15 females participants, with an average age of 23.93 (± 4.32) years, average weight of 55.11 (± 3.46) and average height of 1.63 (± 0.02), with average Body Mass Index of 20.67 (±1.17), were made mat Pilates exercises for 10 weeks withduration of 50 minutes and frequency of three times weekly. The instrument used for measuring the popliteal angle(PA) was the universal goniometer, and the previously measures undertaken to the beginning of the experiment and after 10 weeks by the same clinical examiner. The level of rejection of the invalidation hypothesis adopted was p <0.05 and using the test t Student for statistical treatment. Results: There was an increase of the flexibility statistic all y significantly (p < 0.0001) after the use of Pilates Method as a training to gain flexibility. Conclusion: It was concluded that the protocol of training using the Pilates method is effective to the increase of flexibility in the hamstrings.

Avaliação dos sintomas e capacidade física em indivíduos com osteoartrose de joelho / Evaluation of symptoms and physical capacities of people with knee osteoarthrosis

A osteoartrose (OA) é uma doença articular crônico-degenerativa de caráter inflamatório que provoca destruição da cartilagem articular levando a deformidade da articulação e quando sintomática progride em um padrão que inclui dor articular, perda de força, incapacidade para marcha e redução da aptidão física. O presente estudo teve o objetivo de avaliar os sintomas e a capacidade física em indivíduos portadores de OA de joelho. Foram avaliados 30 voluntários, provenientes do Centro de Reabilitação da Universidade para o Desenvolvimento do Estado e da Região do Pantanal – UNIDERP, com média de idade de 64,5 (±10,8) de ambos os sexos. A avaliação foi feita por meio de questionário algo funcional de Lequesne. Pôde-se observar maior número de voluntários (33,3%) com índice de gravidade classificado como grave. Quando testada a hipótese de correlação entre idade e capacidade física, observouse dependência positiva, no coefi ciente de correlação linear de Pearson mostrando que quanto maior a idade, pior o índice de gravidade obtido pelo score (p=0,0242). O peso e a relação peso/altura caracterizada pelo IMC não demonstrou correlação no resultado final do score de Lequesne. Com os resultados obtidos neste estudo, conclui-se que o maior número de pacientes (33,3) encontra-se com índice de gravidade classificado como grave; e que quanto maior a idade, pior o índice de gravidade de lesão da osteoartrose.

Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, degenerative joint disease of infl ammatory character that causes destruction of articular cartilage leading to joint deformities and when symptomatic progresses in a pattern that includes joint pain, loss of strength, inability to walk and reduced physical exercises. This study aimed to evaluate the symptoms and physical capacity in individuals with OA of the knee. We assessed 30 volunteers from the Rehabilitation Center of the University for Development of the State and the Region of the Pantanal - UNIDERP, with a mean age of 64.5 (± 10.8) of both sexes. The evaluation was made through a questionnaire algo funcional of Lequesne. It was possible to observethat most of volunteers (33,3%) with severity index, classifi ed as serious. When tested the hypothesis of correlation between age and physical ability, there was positive dependence in coefi ciente linear correlation of Pearson showing that the greater the age, the worst rate of gravity obtained by the score (p = 0.0242). With the weight and the weight / height characterized by BMI showed no correlation in the fi nal score of the Lequesne. The results from this study, itappears that the largest number of patients (33.3) is to index of severity classifi ed as serious, and that the greater the age, the worst index of severity of injury of osteoarthritis.