ABSTRACT
The classical renin-angiotensin system (RAS) consists of enzymes and peptides that regulate blood pressure and electrolyte and fluid homeostasis. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is one of the most important and extensively studied components of the RAS. The beneficial effects of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure, among other diseases, are well known. However, it has been reported that patients chronically treated with effective doses of these inhibitors do not show suppression of Ang II formation, suggesting the involvement of pathways alternative to ACE in the generation of Ang II. Moreover, the finding that the concentration of Ang II is preserved in the kidney, heart and lungs of mice with an ACE deletion indicates the important role of alternative pathways under basal conditions to maintain the levels of Ang II. Our group has characterized the serine protease elastase-2 as an alternative pathway for Ang II generation from Ang I in rats. A role for elastase-2 in the cardiovascular system was suggested by studies performed in heart and conductance and resistance vessels of normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. This mini-review will highlight the pharmacological aspects of the RAS, emphasizing the role of elastase-2, an alternative pathway for Ang II generation.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Mice , Rats , Angiotensin II/biosynthesis , Cardiovascular System/metabolism , Renin-Angiotensin System/physiology , Serine Endopeptidases/physiology , Angiotensin I/biosynthesis , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Chymases/metabolism , Serine Endopeptidases/pharmacologyABSTRACT
INTRODUÇÃO: A literatura aponta o alto risco de distúrbios biológicos e psicossociais aos quais o bebê pré-termo está susceptível, necessitando de atenção diferenciada daquela dada ao bebê a termo. OBJETIVO: Elaborar um guia de orientação e acompanhamento do desenvolvimento no primeiro ano de vida para pais que freqüentam um serviço de acompanhamento do desenvolvimento de bebês. MÉTODO: Os critérios para inclusão dos participantes foram: ser pais de bebê pré-termo de zero a seis meses de idade corrigida que não apresentavam doença neurológica e não necessitaram de intervenção fisioterápica. O presente estudo, de caráter qualitativo, empregou, na etapa de coleta de dados, a observação direta e a entrevista, efetivadas com as mães e profissionais deste serviço de acompanhamento do desenvolvimento de bebês. A elaboração do Guia baseou-se nas análises das observações dos atendimentos no serviço, na freqüência das respostas das entrevistas com profissionais e mães sobre necessidades e dúvidas no manuseio e cuidado com o bebê e a associação com a literatura. RESULTADOS: Obteve-se um guia contendo informações sobre o desenvolvimento do bebê, distribuído nos quatro primeiros trimestres de vida, e o alerta sobre a importância de calcular a idade corrigida para o acompanhamento adequado dos marcos do desenvolvimento. CONCLUSÃO: A utilização deste guia pode ser feita por diferentes profissionais da saúde e por aqueles que desenvolvem atividades educativas para pais.
INTRODUCTION: The literature shows that preterm infants are at high risk of biological and psychological disorders and consequently require a higher level of care than is provided for full-term infants. OBJECTIVE: To draw up a guide advising on development follow-up during the first year of life, for parents who attend a child development follow-up service. METHOD: The inclusion criteria were that participants should be parents of preterm infants with a corrected age between zero and six months that did not present neurological diseases and did not require physiotherapeutic intervention. This study was of qualitative nature. Data collection was by means of direct observation and interviews with mothers and with the professionals at this infant development follow-up service. The guide was produced based on analysis of the observations on attendance at the service, frequency of responses in the interviews with professionals and mothers regarding needs and doubts about handling and caring for infants, and associations with the literature. RESULTS: A guide was produced containing information on infant development, divided into the first four trimesters of life. It draws attention to the importance of calculating corrected ages in order to adequately follow up development markers. CONCLUSIONS: This guide may be used by a variety of health professionals and by professionals who develop educational activities for parents.
Subject(s)
Infant, Newborn , Child Development , Early Intervention, Educational , Infant, NewbornABSTRACT
Carotenoids are 40-carbon molecules with conjugated double bonds, making them particularly effective for quenching free radicals. They have always been believed to possess anticancer properties, which could be due to their antioxidant potential. Norbixin is an unusual dicarboxylic water-soluble carotenoid present as a component in the pericarp of the seeds of Bixa orellana L. (from the Bixaceae family), a tropical shrub commonly found in Brazil. The main carotenoids present in these seeds, bixin and norbixin, form a coloring material, known as annatto, which is mainly used in the food industry. As annatto is only used as a coloring material, most studies of annatto pigments have focused on the determination of annatto levels in food. However, little attention has been given to the biological properties of bixin and norbixin. We evaluated the effect of norbixin on the response of Escherichia coli cells to DNA damage induced by UV radiation, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anions (O2*-)) and found that norbixin protects the cells against these agents. Norbixin enhanced survival at least 10 times. The SOS induction by UVC was inhibited 2.3 times more when cells were grown in the presence of norbixin. We also found that norbixin has antimutagenic properties, with a maximum inhibition of H2O2-induced mutagenic activity of 87%, based on the Salmonella mutagenicity test
Subject(s)
Antimutagenic Agents/pharmacology , Carotenoids/pharmacology , DNA Damage/drug effects , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Bixaceae/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/drug effects , DNA, Bacterial/radiation effects , DNA Damage/radiation effects , Escherichia coli/cytology , Hydrogen Peroxide/toxicity , SOS Response, Genetics , Superoxides/toxicity , Mutagenicity Tests/methods , Ultraviolet RaysABSTRACT
Using a short-term bulk culture protocol designed for an intracellular-staining method based on a flow cytometry approach to the frequencies of cytokine-producing cells from tuberculosis and leprosy patients, we found distinct patterns of T cell subset expression. The method also reveals the profile of peak cytokine production and can provide simultaneous information about the phenotype of cytokine-producing cells, providing a reliable assay for monitoring the immunity of these patients. The immune response of Mycobacterium leprae and purified protein derivative (PPD) in vitro to a panel of mycobacteria-infected patients from an endemic area was assessed in primary mononuclear cell cultures. The kinetics and source of the cytokine pattern were measured at the single-cell level. IFN-gamma-, TNF-alpha-, IL-4- and IL-10-secreting T cells were intracytoplasmic evaluated in an attempt to identify M. leprae- and PPD-specific cells directly from the peripheral blood. The analysis by this approach indicated that TNF-alpha was the first (8 h) to be produced, followed by IFN-gamma (16 h), IL-10 (20 h) and IL-4 (24 h), and double-staining experiments confirmed that CD4+ were a greater source of TNF-alpha than of CD8+ T cells (P < 0.05). Both T cell subsets secreted similar amounts of IFN-gamma. We conclude that the protocol permits rapid evaluation of cytokine production by different T cell populations. The method can also be used to define immune status in non-infected and contact individuals.
Subject(s)
Humans , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes , Cytokines , Leprosy , Mycobacterium leprae , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary , Cytoplasm , Flow Cytometry , TuberculinABSTRACT
Durante o período de abril à julho de 1995, 18 amostras de queijo de coalho comercializado à temperatura ambiente e sob refrigeraçäo foram coletadas ao acaso em estabelecimentos comerciais e feiras livres em Campina Grande e submetidas à contagem padräo em placas de bactérias mesófilas, bolores e leveduras, contagem presuntiva de Staphylococcus aureus (log UFC/g), número mais provável de coliformes totais e fecais (log NMP/g) e pesquisa de Salmonella sp (ausência ou presença em 25g). Os valores estatísticos indicaram valores médios respectivos de 8.2, 6.6, 7.7, 5.5, 4.6, ausência em 25g para queijo de coalho à temperatura ambiente e 7.8, 6.9, 7.1, 4.8, 4.2 e ausência em 25 g para queijo de coalho sob refrigeraçäo. A análise estatística demonstrou que para bactérias mesófilas, bolores e leveduras, S. aureus e coliformes totais, näo havia diferença significativa entre o queijo de coalho comercializado à temperatura ambiente e o comercializado sob refrigeraçäo. Houve, no entanto, diferença significativa entre as duas populaçöes para coliformes fecais. Os resultados permitem concluir que todas as amostras estavam fora dos padröes estabelecidos pelo Ministério da Saúde (Portaria 001/87) para coliformes fecais e S. aureus, indicando um produto em condiçöes higiênico-sanitárias insatisfatórias para o consumo. Por outro lado, todas as amostras analisadas estavam dentro dos padröes para Salmonella sp e das 31 colônias típicas e atípicas isoladas e suspeitas de S. aureus, 3, correspondendo à 9,7 por cento, foram coagulase positivos.
Subject(s)
Cheese/analysis , Food Contamination , Food Preservation , DairyingABSTRACT
Partial characterization ot the suppressive component(s) of A. suum extract that is (are) responsible for damping production of IgE antibody to ovalbumin was performed by physical and chemical methods. Digestion of the whole extract with trypsin and chymotrypsin completely abolished the suppressive activity. Oxidation with sodium metaperiodate or heating at 56-C, however, had no effect. These results indicate that the integrity of heat-stable proteins(s) present in the crude extract is essential for its suppressive effect. In addition, the carbohydrate moiety does not seem to play an important role in this effect