Search

Objective: To analyze the association between vulnerabilities to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/HIV/AIDS) of adolescents in poverty and their level of resilience., Method: Cross-sectional study with 287 students between 11 and 17 years old in a school in the outskirts of Fortaleza-Ce. The study was conducted from August to October 2016. Three instruments related to characterization, vulnerability to STIs/HIV/AIDS and resilience were used. The association between the instruments was calculated using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Association between vulnerability to STIs/HIV/AIDS and resilience was assessed through the Spearman's correlation coefficient. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05., Results: There was a significant association between the factors "housing" (p=0.022), "family income" (p=0.037) and vulnerability to STIs/HIV/AIDS. Adolescents whose father has completed high school (p=0.043) have moderately high resilience., Conclusion: Adolescents with low socioeconomic status and who live on less than a minimum wage tends to be more susceptible to vulnerabilities to STIs/HIV/AIDS and to have low resilience.

Dermatophytes belonging to Trichophyton ssp. are important anthropophilic and zoophilic pathogens, which developed resistance to griseofulvin, the common antifungal drug used to treat dermatophytosis. In this context, Moringa oleifera seed proteins have been described as antifungal agents with potential applications. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the antidermatophytic in vitro, focusing on mechanisms, and in vivo potential of Mo-CBP 4 , purified from M. oleifera seeds. Mo-CBP 4 was purified after protein extraction with 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.0, and chromatography on chitin and CM Sepharose™ columns and antidermatophytic potential of Mo-CBP 4 evaluated in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, Mo-CBP 4 reduced in 50% the germination of microconidia of Trichophyton mentagrophytes at 45 μM; but did not show inhibition of mycelial growth. Mo-CBP 4 (45 μM) presents the inhibitory activity even when incubated with N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (NAG). Analysis of the mechanisms of Mo-CBP 4 revealed an increase in membrane permeability, ROS overproduction and damage to cell wall leading to microconidia death. Furthermore, using in vivo models, Mo-CBP 4 (5, 10 and 20 mg g -1 ) reduced the severity and time of dermatophytosis. Altogether, these findings indicate that Mo-CBP 4 has great potential for the development of novel antifungal drugs for the clinical treatment of dermatophytosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prevalence of depressive symptoms (DS) before cosmetic breast surgery was analyzed in the public (PbI) and private (PrI) institutions, comparing types of surgery and patients' sociodemographic characteristics., Methods: A cross-sectional, observational, analytical study to evaluate the prevalence of DS in 185 patients of 18-71 years of age requesting 4 different cosmetic breast surgeries (with and without implants) at public and private institutions. Patients were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory and analyzed for statistical comparison., Results: The most common surgical procedures were reduction mammoplasty in the PbI and augmentation mammoplasty in the PrI. The prevalence of the positive risk for depressive disorder (≥15 points in Beck Depression Inventory) in the PbI was 25.8%, whereas in the PrI: 11.4% ( P = 0.012). Moderate and severe DS were, respectively, 120% and 242% higher in the PbI than in the PrI. No patients requesting mastopexy without implants had DS. The highest prevalence (51.4%) of DS occurred in patients with breast implants indications (augmentation mammoplasty and mastopexy with implants). The presence ( P = 0.12) or absence ( P = 0.33) of implant did not demonstrate a higher risk of DS. Among all patients, 7% answered positively to the statements on suicide ideation, with predominance within the group of implants (54.5%). There were significant differences between the PbI and PrI., Conclusions: The prevalence of DS was high (18.9%), with the risk being 2.3 times greater in the PbI. Patients from PbI and PrI showed significant different profiles. Patients for breast implants showed a higher score for suicide ideation.

Background: The quality of life theme is much studied in the area of plastic surgery; however, there are few studies on the quality of life of plastic surgeons. The main aim of this study was to describe the quality of life of the plastic surgeon in Center-West of Brazil., Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed of plastic surgeons in the greater state of Goias, Center-West of Brazil, registered until January 2015. A sample with power of 80%, 115 surgeons from 163 WHOQOL-BREF, and a social-demographic and professional questionnaire were used as instruments. The data were compared between qualitative variables of the questionnaire and WHOQOL-BREF using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests., Results: One hundred sixteen surgeons answered; for WHOQOL-BREF, domain statistics were as follows: physical, 57.85; psychological, 62.9; social, 74.13; and environment, 68.56. The higher scores in each domain were related: physical: monthly income higher than US$ 11,200, more than 10 years of experience, weekly work hours lower than 40, being an associate or full member, and more than 4 surgeries/week; psychological: man, married, and having only private patients; social: man, monthly income higher than US$15,000, more than 20 years of experience, and weekly work hours lower than 40; and environment: monthly income higher than US$15,000, more than 10 years of experience, weekly work hours lower than 60, and more than 4 surgeries/week., Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the youngest surgeon, with a duration of less than 10 years, has the worst quality of life.

Moringa oleifera has been used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes. However, few studies have been conducted to relate its antidiabetic properties to proteins. In this study, a leaf protein isolate was obtained from M. oleifera leaves, named Mo -LPI, and the hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects on alloxan-induced diabetic mice were assessed. Mo -LPI was obtained by aqueous extraction, ammonium sulphate precipitation and dialysis. The electrophoresis profile and proteolytic hydrolysis confirmed its protein nature. Mo -LPI showed hemagglutinating activity, cross-reaction with anti-insulin antibodies and precipitation after zinc addition. Single-dose intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of Mo -LPI (500 mg/kg·bw) reduced the blood glucose level (reductions of 34.3%, 60.9% and 66.4% after 1, 3 and 5 h, respectively). The effect of Mo -LPI was also evidenced in the repeated dose test with a 56.2% reduction in the blood glucose level on the 7th day after i.p. administration. Mo -LPI did not stimulate insulin secretion in diabetic mice. Mo- LPI was also effective in reducing the oxidative stress in diabetic mice by a decrease in malondialdehyde level and increase in catalase activity. Mo -LPI (2500 mg/kg·bw) did not cause acute toxicity to mice. Mo -LPI is a promising alternative or complementary agent to treat diabetes.

Aim: Studies in animals show a relationship between extracellular volume and gastrointestinal motility. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients present fluid overload and frequent dyspeptic symptoms. We looked for an association between volaemic status and dyspepsia among ESRD patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD)., Methods: We studied 155 ESRD patients on HD. Their volaemic status was evaluated using bioimpedance analysis. Fluid overload (FO) in litres and relative fluid overload (rFO) in percentage were calculated. rFO > 15% was classified as hypervolaemia. Dyspepsia was assessed through the Porto Alegre Dyspeptic Symptoms Questionnaire (PADYQ). PADYQ scores equal to or greater than 6 classified patients as dyspeptic. Characteristics of patients with and without dyspepsia were compared. Pearson's test was used to test the correlation between continuous variables. Multivariate linear and logistic regressions were performed to test FO as predictor of dyspepsia score and the presence of dyspepsia., Results: There were 64 (41.2%) patients with dyspepsia. Dyspeptics presented higher FO (2.5 ± 1.8 L vs 1.0 ± 1.8 L; P < 0.001) and higher rFO (16 ± 9.9% vs 4.8 ± 12.0%; P < 0.001). Dyspepsia score was positively correlated with FO (r = 0.300; P < 0.001) and with rFO (r = 0.256; P = 0.001). There were more patients with hypervolaemia among dyspeptics compared to non-dyspeptics (65.6% vs 17.6%; P < 0.001). FO was an independent predictor of dyspepsia score (b = 1.036; P < 0.001) and the presence of dyspepsia (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.55-2.50; P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Hypervolaemia is associated with dyspepsia among ESRD patients on HD., (© 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.)

Background: Dyspepsia is highly prevalent and easily assessed in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and is not a traditional predictor of malnutrition. We sought to establish an association between dyspeptic symptoms and nutritional status in ESRD patients undergoing maintenance HD., Methods: We studied 106 ESRD patients on HD. Dyspepsia was assessed through the Porto Alegre Dyspeptic Symptoms Questionnaire (PADYQ). Scores equal to or greater than 6 classified patients as dyspeptic. Nutritional status was evaluated using serum chemistry, total body mass, muscle mass, and dietary intake. Nutritional status was compared between dyspeptic and non-dyspeptic patients. The association of PADYQ scores and the presence of dyspepsia with nutritional variables were tested. Multivariate analysis was performed to test dyspepsia as an independent predictor for dietary intake., Results: There were 41 (38.7 %) dyspeptics. Protein intake (g/kg/day) and calorie intake (kcal/kg/day) were lower among dyspeptics compared to non-dyspeptics, 1.0 ± 0.5 vs 1.3 ± 0.5 (p = 0.01) and 23.0 ± 9.2 vs 27.4 ± 10.0 (p = 0.02), respectively. More dyspeptics than non-dyspeptics presenting protein-energy wasting based on protein and calorie intake, 41.4 vs 15.3 % (p = 0.01) and 68.2 vs 38.4 % (p = 0.02), respectively. PAQYQ score was negatively correlated with protein intake (r = - 0.20; p = 0.03) and calorie intake (r = - 0.19; p = 0.04). Dyspepsia was able to predict protein (b = - 0.26; p = 0.01) and calorie (b = - 4.42; p = 0.02) intake., Conclusions: Dyspepsia is associated with low protein and calorie intake. Screening of dyspeptic symptoms can be routinely performed aiming to improve HD patients' nutritional status.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome is rare. Although its diagnosis depends on cardinal clinical manifestations which appear in childhood, we report four cases of Bardet-Biedl syndrome lately diagnosed in a dialysis center. Three cases were diagnosed in end-stage renal disease patients when they started maintenance hemodialysis, and one case was diagnosed through screening among hemodialysis patients' relatives. Although pediatricians have more opportunity to diagnose the syndrome, nephrologists are important during the treatment, since renal failure is the main cause of death among Bardet-Biedl syndrome patients. Moreover, late diagnosis of the syndrome among patients with end-stage renal disease can help to detect new cases through the screening among hemodialysis patients' relatives.