ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Rheumatic diseases are considered public health problems affecting millions of people worldwide resulting in high and rising health-care costs. In this work, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy associated to Partial Least Square regression (PLS) analysis was used to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from human serum. METHODS: The sera of 94 individuals were collected, which included 47 from rheumatic patients and 47 from healthy individuals. The results from PLS analysis were compared to standard clinical trials such as anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies, C- Reactive protein, and Rheumatoid factor. RESULTS: For clinical diagnosis, the anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies of second generation proved to be the most specific to diagnosis rheumatoid arthritis even after long periods of drug therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The qualitative PLS analysis has shown higher values of IgM of RA group, but the difference was very small. The RA patients were under medication, which interfered with the IgM concentration.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of Brassica oleracea herbal balsam on the healing of skin wounds in rats. METHODS: Twenty four rats (Wistar, 60 days, 250 g) were divided into four groups: untreated animals (C) and treated with the ointment (T), subdivided into two experimental times (seven and 16 days). A 3cm² skin wound was made in the back of all animals. 100 ml of the Brassica oleracea was applied twice a day in T group. Biometric analysis was made with images captured at one, four, seven, ten, 13, and 16 days. At seven and 16 days, animals of each group were euthanized. The wound area removed was processed for histological and histomorphometric analysis to quantify birefringent collagen fibers. Statistical analysis was made considering p < 0.05 as significant. RESULTS: Biometric analysis revealed no significant differences between groups in both experimental times studied. However, histomorphometric analysis showed that the number of type I collagen fibers was significantly higher in the specimens of the group T16 compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION: Brassica oleracea accelerated the wound healing process increasing the number of type I collagen fibers and the maturity of the newly formed tissue.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Brassica/chemistry , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Skin/injuries , Wound Healing/drug effects , Biometry , Collagen/analysis , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Rats, Wistar , Reproducibility of Results , Tensile Strength , Time Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: Comparar a percepção subjetiva de qualidade de vida e bem-estar de idosos que vivem sozinhos, com a família e institucionalizados, por meio dos instrumentos WHOQOL-BREF e WHOQOL-OLD. MÉTODO: Foram avaliados, em corte transversal, 51 idosos de ambos os sexos, com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, frequentadores do centro de convivência Casa do Idoso, em São José dos Campos (SP) e moradores das instituições Lar São Vicente de Paulo e Lar de Amparo à Velhice e à Infância de Barra Bonita, ambos localizados na cidade de Barra Bonita (SP), no período de novembro de 2010 a fevereiro de 2011. RESULTADOS: Os idosos analisados apresentaram bons níveis de qualidade de vida em todos os domínios do WHOQOL-BREF e facetas do WHOQOL-OLD, quando comparados à pontuação máxima (100%) dos escores para cada domínio e/ou faceta. Somente foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas no que diz respeito ao WHOQOL-BREF em seu domínio físico, quando se comparou o grupo de idosos que vivem com a família com aqueles institucionalizados, sendo que este último apresentou maior grau de satisfação. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo permitiu verificar que, apesar do esperado, os idosos institucionalizados não apresentaram pior percepção de sua qualidade de vida quando comparados aos indivíduos não-institucionalizados. Além disso, reforçou ainda mais a importância do convívio social, do bem-estar psicológico, da prática de atividade física, entre outros fatores, para uma melhor percepção de qualidade de vida.
OBJECTIVE: Compare the subjective perception of quality of life and well-being of older people living alone, with the family and institutionalized, by means of instruments WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD. METHOD: We evaluated, in cross section, 51 elderly of either sex, aged over 60 years, attending the daycare center Casa do Idoso, in São José dos Campos city, State of São Paulo, Brazil, and residents of institutions Lar São Vicente de Paulo and Lar de Amparo à Velhice e à Infância de Barra Bonita, both in the city of Barra Bonita-SP, from November 2010 to February 2011. RESULTS: The group analyzed had high levels of quality of life in all domains of WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD facets, compared to the maximum score (100%) for each domain and/or facet. Only statistically significant differences were found regarding the WHOQOL-BREF in its physical domain, comparing the group of elderly living with their families with those institutionalized, being that the latter showed a higher degree of satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The study shows that despite the expected, the institutionalized elderly did not show worse perception of their quality of life when compared to non-institutionalized individuals. In addition, it strengthened the importance of social conviviality, psychological well-being, physical activity, among other factors, for a better perception of the quality of life.