Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2B6*6, CYP2C8*3 and CYP2D6*4 in vivax malaria patients from Brazilian Amazon

Abstract Genetic variability in the host metabolism of antimalarial drugs influenced by the polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 (CYP) could lead to significant changes in antimalarial treatment response. However, little is known about the frequency of alleles CYP2B6, CYP2C8, and CYP2D6 in an Amazonian population, especially with vivax malaria. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the frequency of CYP alleles CYP2B6*6, CYP2C8*3, and CYP2D6*4 in patients with vivax malaria. The study included 231 patients with vivax malaria treated at a health care reference in Manaus, northern Brazil. A sample of peripheral blood from each subject was collected to perform DNA extraction and genotypic analysis. Genotyping of polymorphisms was performed by allelic discrimination using Real-time polymerase chain reaction. The CYP2D6*4 allele was the most prevalent among patients who developed severe malaria. The frequencies of the CYP2B6*6 and CYP2D6*4 were not different between the severe and uncomplicated malaria. There was a significant association between heterozygous CYP2D6*4 and severe cases of malaria. The results are in agreement with other reports described in the literature for different populations. Future studies are needed to understand the clinical implications of the polymorphisms in patients with vivax malaria.

Diversity of metallo-b-lactamase-encoding genes found in distinct species of Acinetobacter isolated from the Brazilian Amazon Region

BACKGROUND The multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype is frequently observed in Acinetobacter baumannii, the most clinically relevant pathogenic species of its genus; recently, other species belonging to the A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex have emerged as important MDR nosocomial pathogens. OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to verify the occurrence of metallo-β-lactamase genes among distinct Acinetobacter species in a hospital located in the Brazilian Amazon Region. METHODS Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were determined by broth microdilution. The genetic relationships among these isolates were assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Pyrosequencing reads of plasmids carrying the bla NDM-1 gene were generated using the Ion Torrent™ platform sequencing. FINDINGS A total of six isolates carried bla NDM-1: A. baumannii (n = 2), A. nosocomialis (n = 3), and A. pittii (n = 1); three carried bla IMP-1: A. baumannii, A. nosocomialis, and A. bereziniae. Resistance to colistin was observed for an NDM-1-producing A. nosocomialis isolate. Diverse PFGE patterns and sequence types were found among A. nosocomialis and A. baumannii isolates. The bla NDM-1 sequence was inserted in a Tn125 transposon, while the bla IMP-1 was found as a gene cassette of the class 1 integron In86. MAIN CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the dissemination of bla NDM-1 among distinct Acinetobacter species recovered from the same hospital in South America.

Prolonged use of Kinesiotaping does not enhance functional performance and joint proprioception in healthy young males: Randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of continuous (48-hour) use of Kinesiotaping (KT) on functional and proprioceptive performance in healthy, physically active men. Method Twenty-six healthy, physically active men (21.8±2.2 years old) were randomly allocated into two groups: 1) Kinesiotaping group (KG, tape applied with 40% tension for rectus femoris activation); 2) Control (CG, tape applied over rectus femoris without additional tension). Subjects attended the laboratory on five separate occasions: 1) familiarization; 2) baseline measurement without tape (BL); 3) immediately post-tape application (T0); 4) 24h (T24); and 5) 48h (T48) post-tape application. The outcomes were distance in the single (SHT) and triple hop tests (THT), vertical jump height (VJH), vertical jump power (VJP), and rate of force development (RFD). A mixed-model ANOVA was applied to verify differences between and within groups. Results No significant (p >0.05) differences were found in the SHT and THT between groups and moments. Likewise, the main effects for VJH, VJP, and RFD were not significant (p >0.05). Conclusion The present study demonstrated no significant immediate or prolonged (48h) effects of KT on functional and proprioceptive performance.

Efeitos de diferentes intervalos de recuperação no volume completado e na percepção subjetiva de esforço em homens treinados / Effects of different rest intervals in volume completed and perceived exertion in trained men

O objetivo do estudo foi comparar o efeito de dois intervalos de recuperação (IR) na cadeira extensora unilateral sobre o volume completado em três séries, no volume total de treino e na percepção subjetiva de esforço (PSE). Doze homens jovens, todos com pelo menos um ano de experiência no treinamento resistido. Os indivíduos realizaram 4 sessões de testes com intervalos de 48hs entre elas. Nas sessões 1 e 2 foram realizados teste e re-teste de 10RM. Nas sessões 3 e 4 realizaram três séries de 10RM. O IR entre as séries foram de 90 e 120s, contrabalanceados entre os dias de teste. A análise estatística foi a ANOVA de medidas repetidas. O teste T-Student para variáveis dependentes foi utilizado para comparar o somatório do volume total de treino nos dois intervalos distintos. Tanto 120 como 90s não conseguiram manter o volume ao longo das três séries, no entanto, com a utilização do IR de 120s foi possível realizar um maior volume total de treino. Em relação a PSE foram encontradas diferenças significativas intraseqüências apenas no IR90s na 3ª série quando comparada com 1ª e 2ª série de 90s, e inter sequências foram encontradas diferenças apenas com a 1ª série de 120s comparada com a 3ª série de 90s. O estudo indicou que o IR de 120s é superior ao de 90s no volume total de treino, entretanto, para manutenção do volume entre ás séries um IR superior deve ser realizado. E a utilização da PSE para identificar intensidade de esforço realizado, parece ser um bom método, visto que o IR de 90s acarretou diferenças entre as séries, o mesmo não aconteceu quando o IR de 120s foi utilizado.

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of two intervals of recovery (IR) in the unilateral knee extension on the volume completed in three series, the total volume of training and perceived exertion (RPE). Twelve young men, all with at least one year of experience in resistance training. The subjects performed 4 test sessions at intervals of 48 hours between them. In sessions 1 and 2 were tested and re-test of 10RM. In sections 3 and 4 had three sets of 10RM. The IR series were between 90 and 120s, counterbalanced between test days. Statistical analysis was ANOVA with repeated measures. The T-Student test for dependent variables was used to compare the sum of the total volume of training in two distinct ranges. Both 120 and 90s failed to maintain the volume along the three series, however, using the IR 120s could carry a greater volume of training. For RPE significant differences were found only in intrasequence IR90s in 3rd grade when compared with 1st and 2nd series of 90s and between sequences differences were found only with the 1st series of 120 compared with the 3rd set of 90s. The study indicated that the IR of 120 is higher than the 90s in the total volume of training, however, to keep volume between sets an IR system must be done. And the use of the RPE to identify intensity of effort appears to be a good method, since the IR 90s caused differences between the series, it did not happen when the IR of 120 was used.

Uso de psicotrópicos entre universitários da área da saúde da Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Brasil / Use of psychoactive drugs by health sciences undergraduate students at the Federal University in Amazonas, Brazil

Foi realizado um levantamento sobre uso de psicotrópicos entre estudantes da Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brasil, em uma amostra de 521 alunos. O "uso na vida" de álcool foi relatado por 87,7 por cento dos estudantes (IC95 por cento: 85,34-90,06) e o de tabaco por 30,7 por cento (IC 95 por cento: 27,39-34,01), sendo o último maior entre estudantes do sexo masculino (39,7 por cento; IC95 por cento: 33,33-46,01). As substâncias ilegais mais usadas foram: solventes (11,9 por cento; IC95 por cento: 9,57-14,23), maconha (9,4 por cento; IC95 por cento: 7,30-11,50), anfetamínicos e ansiolíticos (ambos com 9,2 por cento; IC95 por cento: 7,12-11,28), cocaína (2,1 por cento; IC95 por cento: 1,07- 3,13) e alucinógenos (1,2 por cento; IC95 por cento: 0,42-1,98). O principal motivo relatado para o uso de drogas ilegais foi a curiosidade. O "uso na vida" de esteróides anabolizantes foi citado por 2,1 por cento dos estudantes. O uso abusivo de álcool nos últimos 30 dias foi relatado por 12,4 por cento dos universitários. Entre os eventos ocorridos após a ingestão de bebidas alcoólicas, os estudantes citaram envolvimento em briga (4,7 por cento), acidentes (2,4 por cento), faltaà escola (33,7 por cento), falta ao trabalho (11,8 por cento) e conducão de veículos (47,3 por cento). A opinião sobre as drogas e o padrão de uso dos estudantes não diferem muito dos estudos semelhantes em outras regiões do Brasil.