Aquatic pollutants are associated with reproductive alterations and genotoxicity in estuarine fish (Sciades herzbergii - Bloch, 1794) from the Amazon Equatorial Coast.

Estuaries are constantly subject to continuous environmental impacts of human activities, such as fisheries, port or industry, and domestic sewage, with fish being one of the most affected aquatic animals, reflecting the impacts directly on their bodies. Thus, the aim of this study was to carry out the biomonitoring of an estuary located on the Amazonian Equatorial Coast through analysis of PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) in the water, in addition to trace metals, histopathological alterations and analysis of erythrocyte micronuclei in Sciades herzbergii. S. herzbergii was used as a model species, due to its estuarine-resident behavior. Gonad and gill samples were subjected to histopathological evaluations. The quantification of trace metals was performed in samples of skeletal muscles of the animals collected, where concentrations of Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), Magnesium (Mg), Iron (Fe) and Aluminum (Al) were found. Except for Cadmium (Cd), all the concentrations were above the recommended limits. The PAHs analysis revealed the presence of Naphthalene and Acenaphthene in the water samples Histopathological and genotoxic analyses revealed of lesions in 100% of the study specimens. Thus, the histological and genotoxic alterations found in 100% of S. herzbergii specimens captured in São José Bay-MA are potentially associated with PAH concentrations present in the water. These results are potentially associated with the presence of PAH and trace metals, both in water and in animal tissues, inferring a general scenario of environmental contamination which directly implies a risk to the health and survival of the local biota. This study shows the relevance of continuous biomonitoring of estuarine ecosystems, in order to guide authorities regarding sewage management and ensure the evolutionary development of estuarine species, especially fishes of importance in the local cuisine, therefore related to human food security.

Biomechanical and functional properties of trophoblast cells exposed to Group B Streptococcus in vitro and the beneficial effects of uvaol treatment.

BACKGROUND: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the main bacteria that infects pregnant women and can cause abortion and chorioamnionitis. The impact of GBS effects on human trophoblast cells remains largely elusive, and actions toward anti-inflammatory strategies in pregnancy are needed. A potent anti-inflammatory molecule, uvaol is a triterpene from olive oil and its functions in trophoblasts are unknown. We aimed to analyze biomechanical and functional effects of inactivated GBS in trophoblast cells, with the addition of uvaol to test potential benefits. METHODS: HTR-8/SVneo cells were treated with uvaol and incubated with inactivated GBS. Cell viability and death were analyzed. Cellular elasticity and topography were accessed by atomic force microscopy. Nitrite production was evaluated by Griess reaction. Nuclear translocation of NFkB p65 was detected by immunofluorescence and Th1/Th2 cytokines by bead-based multiplex assay. RESULTS: GBS at 108 CFU increased cell death, which was partially prevented by uvaol. Cell stiffness, cytoskeleton organization and morphology were changed by GBS, and uvaol partially restored these alterations. Nuclear translocation of NFkB p65 began 15 min after GBS incubation and uvaol inhibited this process. GBS decreased IL-4 secretion and increased IL-1ß, IFN-γ and IL-2, whereas uvaol reverted this. CONCLUSIONS: The increased inflammation and cell death caused by GBS correlated with biomechanical and cytoskeleton changes found in trophoblast cells, while uvaol was effective its protective role. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Uvaol is a natural anti-inflammatory product efficient against GBS-induced inflammation and it has potential to be acquired through diet in order to prevent GBS deleterious effects in pregnancy.

Pathophysiological, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine changes in hypertensive patients during the hemodialysis session.

The pathophysiological mechanisms of arterial hypertension during hemodialysis (HD) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are still poorly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate physiological, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine changes in patients with ESRD and its correlation with changes in blood pressure (BP) during the HD session. The present study included 21 patients with ESRD undergoing chronic HD treatment. Group A (study) consisted of patients who had BP increase and group B (control) consisted of those who had BP reduction during HD session. Echocardiograms were performed during the HD session to evaluate cardiac output (CO) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR). Before and after the HD session, blood samples were collected to measure brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), catecholamines, endothelin-1 (ET-1), nitric oxide (NO), electrolytes, hematocrit, albumin and nitrogen substances. The mean age of the studied patients was 43 ± 4.9 years, and 54.6% were males. SVR significantly increased in group A (P<0.001). There were no differences in the values of BNP, NO, adrenalin, dopamin and noradrenalin, before and after dialysis, between the two groups. The mean value of ET-1, post HD, was 25.9 pg ml(-1) in group A and 13.3 pg ml(-1) in group B (P = < 0.001). Patients with ESRD showed different hemodynamic patterns during the HD session, with significant BP increase in group A, caused by an increase in SVR possibly due to endothelial dysfunction, evidenced by an increase in serum ET-1 levels.

Willingness to work with people with disabilities in future Brazilian professionals.

BACKGROUND: The Quota Law in Brazil determines that the organizations with over 100 workers must hire people with disabilities. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to verify the willingness of future professionals to work with people with disabilities. PARTICIPANTS: A survey was conducted with 341 Brazilian university students. METHODS: The following factors were taken into account: the Quota Law favorability (attitude); the conceptions about disability (beliefs); the evaluation of consequences (positive or negative) which the individual attributes to the fact of working with people with disabilities; and the perception of the level of difficulty to insert these people (beliefs about control). RESULTS: Three patterns of willingness have been identified: willingness guided by the focus on the disability; willingness guided by the instrumental focus; and willingness guided towards accessibility. It has also been verified that these forms of willingness were associated to the perception of difficulties in inserting people with disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: These results empirically reinforce the fact that part of the difficulties in inserting people with disabilities is found in the social environment and conditions, suggesting that these aspects need to be taken into account in the studies on attitudes towards people with disabilities.

¿Quién soy yo? con la palabra, enfermeros supervisores de un hospital privado de Belo Horizonte / No disponible

En este artículo se pretende comprender cómo los enfermeros-supervisores de un gran hospital privado ubicado en Belo Horizonte construyen su identidad. Para ello, se realizó un estudio de caso descriptivo y analítico que incluyó a nueve enfermeros-supervisores. La recolección de datos se llevó a cabo a través de entrevistas con guión semiestructurado y el análisis mediante la técnica de análisis de contenido, que abarcó las siguientes unidades de análisis: la percepción de los enfermeros-supervisores en cuanto al nuevo método de gestión implantado en el hospital; el trabajo cotidiano de los enfermeros-supervisores; la formación en enfermería y la práctica profesional; los requisitos de un enfermero ideal para el puesto de gestión, y las expectativas de carrera de los enfermeros-supervisores. Los resultados mostraron que el nuevo modo de gestión adoptado por el hospital se caracterizó como un espacio significativo de reconfiguración de identidad de los enfermeros-supervisores, en particular, por poner de relieve el desnivel entre la formación académica y la práctica cotidiana del trabajo (AU)

This paper aims to understand how supervisor-nurses of a big private hospital in Belo Horizonte build their professional identity. In order to do that, a descriptive analytical case study was carried out in which nine supervisor nurses were included. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and the analysis by means of the content analysis technique. The analysis focused on: the supervisor nurses’ perception concerning the new management procedure used at the hospital; supervisor-nurses’ routine at work; nursing education and professional practice; qualifications of an ideal nurse for the management position; and supervisor-nurses’ carrier expectations. The results showed that the new management strategy used by the hospital was considered a significant space for the supervisor-nurses’ identity reconfiguration, especially because it demonstrates a disharmony between academic instruction and daily practice at work (AU)

Use of stents for small coronary arteries. Results of the Multi-Link 2.5 Portuguese Registry.

INTRODUCTION: Stents are being used with increasing frequency in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) but their use in small vessels is still controversial, due to the possibility of excessively high rates of adverse events and restenosis. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and clinical efficacy of ACS RX Multi-Link (ML) 2.5 mm stents, in "de novo" coronary stenosis. DESIGN: Prospective Registry, with 6 months clinical follow-up, involving all Portuguese centers of Interventional Cardiology. POPULATION: Between April 7 and November 20 1998, 102 patients were enrolled, 82 male and with ages ranging from 30 to 86 years (average 58 +/- 11). Clinical presentation for PTCA was stable angina in 53%, unstable angina in 36% and silent ischemia in 11%. There was a history of previous myocardial infarction in 29% of patients. The main risk factors were hypertension (58%), hyperlipidemia (57%), smoking (25%) and diabetes (20%). Multivessel coronary artery disease was present in 46% of patients and left ventricular function was normal in 89%. Of the 217 existing lesions, 188 (87%) were treated: 35 with balloon angioplasty and 153 with stent implantation, 114 of which were ML 2.5 mm: 79 of 15 mm in length and 35 of 25 mm. METHODS: Angiographic success with ML stent implantation and major adverse cardiac events (MACE)--myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), new target vessel revascularizations and death--were evaluated during hospital stay, and at 1 and 6 months clinical follow-up. RESULTS: Angiographic success was 97.4%. In one patient it was not possible to cross the lesion, in another there was stent migration and in a third distal coronary flow after stenting was TIMI grade 1. Clinical success was 96.1% and there were no cases of death, Q-wave MI or urgent CABG. Two patients had non-Q wave MI and two required urgent repeat angioplasty. Subacute stent thrombosis occurred in 1 patient. There were no additional MACE at 1 month follow-up. At 6-month follow-up (in 97% of patients) MACE had occurred in 14.1%: 2 deaths (one non-cardiac), 3 MI (one non-Q) and 14 new PTCA (one in a non-ML stent). There was no need for CABG in any patient. Six-month survival rate was 97.9%, 94.9% were free of infarction and 84.8% were free of infarction and new revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-Link 2.5 mm stent implantation appears to be safe and efficient with a low incidence of immediate and 6-month adverse events in the range of centers and operators of the Registry.

Results of the quantitative coronary angiographic analysis in the angiographic subgroup of the Multi-Link 2.5 Portuguese Registry.

INTRODUCTION: The restenosis rate of stents implanted into small coronary arteries is considered higher than that of stents in arteries > or = 3 mm, but could be influenced by clinical parameters and by the type and length of the stents. OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of angiographic restenosis at 6 months after implantation of 2.5 mm ACS RX Multi-Link (ML) stents, 15 and 25 mm length, in de novo coronary stenosis. DESIGN: Angiographic substudy of the Portuguese Multi-Link 2.5 Registry, which included Interventional Cardiology centers with facilities for coronary angiographic recordings allowing quantitative analysis. POPULATION: Between April 7 and November 20 1998 and in the 5 hospitals that agreed to participate, 61 patients were enrolled and 40 selected as having procedural and 6-month angiographies of sufficient quality for quantitative analysis. The only significant differences in the demographic, clinical and angiographic characteristics of the patients relative to those of the Registry were the lower prevalence of unstable angina and smoking in the angiographic substudy. There were 43 lesions and 46 ML stents were implanted. In 37% the lesions were located in the LAD, in 37% in the LCx and 26% in the RCA. 29 stents of 15 mm length and 17 stents of 25 mm were used. METHODS: The morphologic characteristics of the lesions were analyzed subjectively using the AHA/ACC classification. Quantitative coronary analysis (QCA) was performed, in an independent laboratory using the CAAS 2 system, for reference vessel diameter, lesion length, percentage of stenosis, minimum lumen diameter (MLD) and related parameters. Restenosis was defined as > or = 50% lumen obstruction at 6-month angiography. RESULTS: In the subjective analysis, 2 lesions were type B1, 27 type B2 and 14 type C. The overall restenosis rate was 32.6%. Restenosis was 27.7% for 15 mm stents and 36% for 25 mm stents (p = 0.4). For the QCA parameters analyzed, only MLD at the end of stent implantation was a predictor of 6-month restenosis (2.19 +/- 0.30 without vs. 2.03 +/- 0.18 with restenosis, p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: The restenosis rate of the Multi-Link 2.5 mm stents, of 15 and 25 mm length, was similar to that described with other types of stents in small coronary arteries. Minimum lumen diameter after stenting was found to be the best predictor of 6-month restenosis.

[The effect of left ventricular dysfunction on nocturnal desaturation in patients with chronic emphysematous bronchitis and PaO2 55-70 mmHg]. / Influência da disfunção ventricular esquerda na dessaturação nocturna em doentes com bronquite crónica enfisema e PaO2 55-70 mmHg.

The possibility of nocturnal oxygen desaturation (NOD) in patients with chronic bronchitis and emphysema (CBE) even with basal hypoxemia greater that 55 mmHg is well recognised. Nocturnal hypoventilation is admitted as the main cause for this NOD. In this study we evaluate how the presence of left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) could aggravate NOD. Thirty-six patients with CBE and basal stabilised PaO2 55-70 mmHg underwent right heart catheterisation and polysomnographic study. NOD was defined as more than 30% of total sleep time with SaO2 less than 90%; LVD was defined as capillary pressure greater than 15 mmHg. Six patients were excluded from analysis because of sleep apnoea syndrome. In the remaining 30 patients (20 men, 10 women; mean age = 65.88.6 years; mean FEV1 = 0.970.31 litres; 43.316.6% predicted; mean basal PaO2 = 61.83.6 mmHg) 8 had LVD and 18 and NOD. Patients with NOD had a greater diurnal level of hypoventilation (basal PaCO2 = 44.63.8 vs. 414.1 mmHg; p = 0.025). Patients with LVD, despite identical diurnal pulmonary function, showed a significantly p < 0.05) greater degree of NOD (mean nocturnal SaO2 = 84.56.4 vs 89.52.5; minimal nocturnal SaO2= 68.517.3 vs. 79.47.8; Time spent with SaO2 < 90% = 78.833.7 vs. 43.138.7). We conclude that the presence of LVD in patients with CBE and PaO2 55-70 mmHg aggravates the intensity and the time spent with NOD, probably because of aggravation of hypoventilation or ventilation/perfusion mismatching.

Elimination of the copper-zinc interference in anodic stripping voltammetry by addition of a complexing agent.

The addition of cyanide and Triton X-100 suppress the formation of the CuZn intermetallic compound in ASV making it possible to determine traces of zinc(II) in the presence of an excess of copper ions. The precision of the method (5%) and the accuracy (error of 1.4%) in sea water are satisfactory.

A agua de coco e o cultivo de cogumelos. / Coconut water and culture of fungi

Cultivou-se diversos cogumelos em agar agua de coco, comparando-se o seu crescimento nesse meio, com aquele observado nos meios de Sabouraud e Sabhi, a fim de testar a sua eficiencia. Os resultados foram promissores