Validation of the Forced Oscillation Technique in the diagnostic of respiratory changes in patients with silicosis.

Silicosis is a typical occupational respiratory disease characterized by irreversible alterations throughout the alveolar and interstitial structure. The objectives of this study were (1) investigate the potential of the Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) in the analysis of the patients with silicosis, and (2) evaluate the ability of FOT to identify early alterations in the respiratory mechanics of these patients. Sixty-one volunteers were analyzed: 20 healthy subjects and 41 with silicosis; these, were divided into 4 groups according to spirometric results: normal spirometric exam (n = 11); mild obstruction (n = 20); moderate and severe obstruction (n = 10.). A significant (p〈0.0001) increase in total resistance (R0) and mean resistance (Rm) were observed, as well as a decrease in the dynamic compliance (p〈0.0003) and mean reactance (p〈0.000004). R0 and Rm obtained adequate accuracy for clinical use (>80%). FOT parameters adequately described the pathophysiological changes associated with silicosis and presented adequate accuracy for clinical use, indicating that this technique can be helpful in the evaluation respiratory mechanics in this disease.

Diagnostic performance of the Forced Oscillation Technique in the detection of early respiratory changes in rheumatoid arthritis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical potential of the Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) in the detection of the early alterations in respiratory mechanics of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients. A total of 36 individuals were analyzed, 18 healthy and 18 with RA. The clinical usefulness of the parameters was evaluated investigating sensibility (Se), specificity (Sp) and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). In the RA group, all the 3 studied parameters obtained high accuracy for clinical use (AUC>0.9), while in spirometric parameters, no parameter obtained appropriate accuracy for clinical use (AUC < 0.7). In conclusion, the parameters obtained by FOT presented adequate Se and Sp, indicating that this technique can be helpful in the evaluation of the early respiratory mechanical alterations in patients with RA.

Avaliação da atividade tóxica em Artemia salina e Biomphalaria glabrata de extratos de quatro espécies do gênero Eleocharis (Cyperaceae) / Toxic evaluation of four species of the genus Eleocharis (Cyperaceae) in Artemia salina and Biomphalaria glabrata

O gênero Eleocharis R. Br. compreende cerca de 200 espécies, ocorrendo em ambientes úmidos tais como brejos e margens de rios e lagos. Procurando novos agentes moluscicidas, os extratos de Eleocharis acutangula (Roxb.) Schult., Eleocharis interstincta (Vahl) Roem. & Schult., Eleocharis maculosa (Vahl) Roem. & Schult. e Eleocharis sellowiana Kunth foram testados para atividade moluscicida, contra caramujos adultos e desovas, e toxicidade (ensaio de letalidade com Artemia salina). O extrato hexânico de Eleocharis acutangula (parte subterrânea fresca) foi ativo contra Artemia salina (CL50 = 476,00 mg/mL), enquanto os demais extratos apresentaram CL50 >> 10³ mg/mL, sugerindo baixa toxicidade. O extrato hidro-etanólico de Eleocharis sellowiana (parte subterrânea fresca) foi ativo contra desovas de Biomphalaria glabrata (CL50 = 24,27 mg/mL) mas inativo contra indivíduos adultos. Os demais extratos testados não apresentaram atividade moluscicida.

The genus Eleocharis R. Br. comprises about 200 species, occurring in wet environments like swamps, lakes and river margins. In the search for new molluscicides, extracts from Eleocharis acutangula (Roxb.) Schult., Eleocharis interstincta (Vahl) Roem. & Schult., Eleocharis maculosa (Vahl) Roem. & Schult. and Eleocharis sellowiana Kunth were tested for molluscicidal activity (spawns and adult snails) and toxicity (Brine Shrimp Lethality - BSL - bioassay). The hexane extract of Eleocharis acutangula (fresh subterraneous parts) was active in the BSL bioassay (LC50 = 476 mg/mL), while the other extracts showed LC50 >> 10³ mg/mL, suggesting they have low toxicity. The aqueous ethanol extract of Eleocharis sellowiana (fresh subterraneous parts) was active against Biomphalaria glabrata spawns (LC50 = 24.27 mg/mL) but it was not lethal to adult snails. No other plant extract tested in this study showed molluscicidal activity.