Activity Anti-Inflammatory and in silico Study of New Thiazolidinedione Derivatives.

Aims: Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory properties of new thiazolidine-2,4-diones derivatives. Study Design: Study the effects of new thiazolidine-2,4-diones derivatives on the inflammatory process. Place and Duration of Study: Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), between June 2011 and July 2012. Methodology: Compounds thiazolidine-2,4-diones were tested for anti-inflammatory activity by air pouch model. Swiss albino mice were used for the study. Air cavities were produced by subcutaneous injection of 2.5 mL of sterile air into the intrascapular area of the back. An additional 2.5 mL of air was injected into the cavity every 3 days to keep the space open. Seven days after the initial air injection, 1 mL of a 1% solution of carrageenan dissolved in saline was injected directly into the pouch to produce an inflammatory response. The compoundsthiazolidine-2,4-diones and standard piroxicam were tested at doses of 3 mg/kg body weight. The total number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) was countedusing an improved. Results: The results support the use of these derivatives in inflammatory process. Among the compounds tested the ones that showed a greater effect in inhibiting the migration of neutrophils were the 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and 3e. The anti-inflammatory effects showed by 3a-j were promising, probably due to the duality of action on PPAR alpha and gamma. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study has shown that the thiazolidine derivatives do possess significant anti-inflammatory effects in laboratory animals. The exact mechanism and the bioactive principles responsible for these actions remain to be explained.

Lack of efficacy of a herbal preparation (RCM-102) for seasonal allergic rhinitis: a double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND: A herbal preparation, known as RMIT Chinese Medicine 102 (RCM-102) consisting of eight herbs which demonstrates inhibition of the release of key inflammatory mediators associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) was used. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of RCM-102 for SAR. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of RCM-102 for SAR. METHODS: This randomised placebo-controlled trial involved subjects aged between 18 and 65 who were randomly assigned to either RCM-102 or a placebo group. After a two-week baseline period, all subjects took either RCM-102 or placebo capsules (two capsules each time, three times daily with a four hour interval) for a period of eight weeks. The primary end-points were the Five-Point Scale symptom scores. Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire, relief medication usage, adverse events, kidney and liver function tests and full blood examination were secondary end-points. Intention-to-treat analysis was applied. RESULTS: One hundred and four subjects were randomised with 52 in each group. Ninety-five subjects (47 and 48 subjects in RCM-102 and placebo groups) completed the trial. Nine subjects withdrew from the study prior to the end of the second treatment week. At the end of the trial, there were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to all outcome measures. There were no liver or kidney function abnormalities reported. CONCLUSION: This mechanism-based RCM-102 was safe but not more beneficial than placebo for patients with SAR.

Importância da valorizaçäo da queixa principal das crianças e adolescentes de famílias de baixa renda da periferia da cidade de Recife-PE / Importance of giving value to the main complaint of children and teenagers of low-income families of the outskirts of the city of Recife-PE-Brazil

Objetivo: correlacionamos os achados oculares encontrados durante projeto de prevençäo da cegueira, realizado em bairro da periferia da cidade do Recife, em 727 paciente carente, de 6 a 18 anos, com queixa referida pela própria criança e adolescente, sem resposta induzida. Método: realizamos um estudo baseado em protocolo elaborado previamente que constava de: anamnese, dando ênfase à queixa principal referida pelo paciente sem resposta induzida, aferiçäo da acuidade visual, inspeçäo, avaliaçäo da motilidade ocular, biomicroscopia e, nos pacientes com acuidade visual inferior a 20/30, realizavamos refraçäo estática e fundoscopia ocular. Resultados: a idade dos pacientes variou de 6 a 18 anos, média de 11 anos. 40,85 por cento dos pacientes eram do sexo masculino e 59,15 por cento do sexo feminino. 21 por cento haviam sido examinados previamente por oftalmologista. Dos principais

A psicologia no Rio Grande do Norte: caracterizaçäo geral da formaçäo acadêmica e do exercício profissional / The Psychology in Rio Grande do Norte: general data on academic background and professional activity

O objetivo do presente estudo foi empreender um mapeamento preliminar da situaçäo da psicologia no estado, no sentido de atualizar informaçöes gerais sobre as condiçöes da profissäo e do ensino de psicologia no Rio Grande do norte. Um questionário padronizado foi enviado por via postal a todos os profissionais inscritos no Conselho Regional de Psicologia, 2ª Regiäo, residentes no RN (um total de 448, em agosto de 1995), com uma amostra final de 190 psicólogos. Dentre os principais resultados - que confirmam dados nacionais (Conselho Federal de Psicologia, 1988) e locais (Yamamoto, 1988) - figuram o marcante predomínio da área da psicologia da saúde (67,5 por cento), seguida pela psicologia do trabalho (14,4 por cento), educacional (10,1 por cento) e outras, em uma profissäo essenciamente feminina (88,4 por cento). Säo sugeridas algumas linhas de interpretaçäo dos dados, dentro dos limites permitidos por um mapeamento amplo, primeira etapa de um projeto inclusivo que visa um datalhamento do exercício profissional dos psicólogos do estado - enfatizado-se as atividades desenvolvidas nas diversas áreas associadas às condiçöes da formaçäo acadêmica