Angiotensin II inhibits Na+/K+ATPase activity in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells via glutathionylation and with the involvement of a 15.6 kDa inhibitor protein.

The role of angiotensin II in regulating Na+/K+-ATPase activity has been investigated in bovine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (BPASMCs). Our study reveals that angiotensin II inhibits the Na+/K+ATPase activity via glutathionylation of the pump with the involvement of an increase in NADPH oxidase-derived O2.-. Additionally, angiotensin II treatment to the cells increases the inhibitory potency of the 15.6 kDa inhibitor towards the Na+/K+ATPase activity.

Adherence to standard precautions from the standpoint of the Health Belief Model: the practice of recapping needles / Adesão às precauções padrão sob o prisma do Modelo de Crenças em Saúde: a prática de reencapar agulhas

The aim of this study was to applythe Health Belief Model to explain the adherence to the recommendation not to recap needles by dentists and dental assistants of the public health system in a municipality in the State of São Paulo. A questionnaire validated and adapted for the oral health area was used, which included variables related to the frequency of recapping and health beliefs using Likert-type scales. The relationship between beliefs and adherence to the recommendation not to recap needles was obtained by regression analysis. Of all the professionals in this study (n=79), the majority (83.5%) reported recapping needles at least once in the last month. Through regression analysis, it was observed that the relationship between the beliefs described by the model and the attitude whether or not to follow the recommendation not to recap needles was explained by a lower perception of psychological barriers and a greater perception of stimuli not to recap needles. The conclusion reached is that the acceptance of recommendations to prevent working accidents with biological material was explained by some dimensions of the Health Belief Model, enabling discussion about reformulation of training offered to professionals of the public health system.

Objetivou-se neste estudo aplicar o Modelo de Crenças em Saúde a fim de explicar a adesão à recomendação de não reencapar agulhas por cirurgiões-dentistas e auxiliares de saúde bucal da rede pública de um município paulista. Utilizou-se um questionário validado e adaptado para a área de saúde bucal, que contemplava variáveis relativas à frequência do reencape e crenças em saúde, por meio de escalas tipo Likert. A relação entre as crenças e a adesão à recomendação de não reencapar agulhas foi obtida por meio da análise de regressão. Da amostra de profissionais obtida por adesão ao estudo (n = 79), a maioria (83,5%) relatou ter reencapado agulhas pelo menos alguma vez no último mês. Por meio da análise de regressão, foi observado que a relação entre as crenças descritas pelo modelo e a atitude de aderir ou não à recomendação de não reencapar agulhas foi explicada por uma menor percepção de barreiras psicológicas e por uma maior percepção de estímulos para não reencapar agulhas. Conclui-se que a aceitação das recomendações para prevenir acidentes do trabalho com material biológico foi explicado por algumas dimensões do Modelo de Crenças em Saúde, possibilitando a discussão sobre a reformulação de capacitações oferecidas para profissionais do sistema público de saúde.

Role of serine esterase in hydrogen peroxide-mediated activation of phospholipase A2 in rabbit pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells.

Exposure of rabbit pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells to hydrogen peroxide cause dose-dependent stimulation of [14C] arachidonic acid (AA) release and enhancement of the cell membrane-associated phospholipase A2 activity as well as of the cell membrane-bound serine esterase activity tested against synthetic substrate p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester. While pretreatment of cells with serine protease inhibitors, viz. phenyl methyl sulphonyl fluoride, diisopropyl fluorophosphate and alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor, and antioxidant vitamin E prevents H2O2 stimulation of AA release and the cell membrane-bound serine esterase and PLA2 activities, that with actinomycin D and cycloheximide is devoid of any effect on H2O2 caused stimulation of AA release and the smooth muscle cell membrane associated serine esterase and PLA2 activities. Treatment of the smooth muscle cell membrane suspension with the serine protease trypsin markedly stimulates PLA2 activity. These results suggest that on exposure to H2O2 the smooth muscle cell membrane-bound serine esterase plays an important role in stimulating the cell membrane associated PLA2 activity thereby resulting in an increase in AA release.