Impact of students assistance policies on quality of life and mental health.

Introduction: Student assistance policies in higher education, in their various modalities, seek to reduce the dropout of a new profile of students, non-traditional, with socioeconomic weaknesses, promoting quality of life (QoL) and mental health during the university journey. In this context, the Student Social Support Center (C.A.S.A) promotes assistance to students who need personal and/or economic support. Objectives: To evaluate the QoL and the presence of minor mental disorders (MMD) in students from the 1st to the 4th year of medicine at a public college in Brazil, comparing C.A.S.A beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study with 283 students. SRQ-20 and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires were used, in addition to a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic data. Results: The general average of QoL was regular in the four evaluated domains (physical, psychological, social relationships, environment) and 55.5% of the students have evidence of MMD, in which the QoL scores are lower in all domains. The environment domain, which discusses socioeconomic conditions, has the worst score among C.A.S.A beneficiaries and the best among C.A.S.A non-beneficiaries. Discussion: The data corroborate the fragile situation of mental health and QoL of medical students. The student assistance modality of the analyzed program possibly presents vulnerabilities in its performance since the environment domain, the one with the lowest score among the program beneficiaries, precisely encompasses financial resources, access to goods and leisure and the individual's physical environment.

Angiotensin involvement in kidney injury induced by rheumatoid arthritis in rat.

Renal injury induced by rheumatoid arthritis is not clear and may be related to the angiotensin II. We aim to investigate the adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) injury in rat kidney, focusing the angiotensin II/AT1 pathway. Male Wistar rats were allocated in to three groups: Control, AIA and AIA plus losartan. The AIA was induced by injection of 100 µL of an emulsion of dissected Mycobacterium tuberculosis (50 mg/mL) on the paw. Treatment with losartan was initiated on the first day of immunization (daily subcutaneous injection, 1 mg/kg). After 60 days post immunization, we evaluated kidney function by plasma creatinine, urea and uric acid levels and creatinine depuration; kidney injury by apoptosis analysis and inflammation markers such as macrophages, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression; oxidative stress by plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); renal expression of angiotensin receptors subtype 1 (AT1 ) and 2 (AT2 ) and plasma concentration of angiotensin II. AIA rats showed elevated plasma levels of creatinine, urea, uric acid, TBARS and Ang II and reduced creatinine depuration, and enhanced kidney macrophage number, TGF-ß, caspase-3, iNOS and AT1 /AT2 receptors expression. The losartan reduced plasma creatinine and its clearance, reduced macrophages and the expression of TGF-ß and iNOS in renal tissues, and reduced plasma TBARS. We conclude that AIA causes kidney injury by a physiopathological mechanism that involves AT1  stimulation in renal tissue, elevating the presence of macrophages, the expression of TGF-ß and iNOS, as well the local oxidative stress, which contribute to renal function deterioration.

Prior intake of Brazil nuts attenuates renal injury induced by ischemia and reperfusion.

INTRODUCTION: Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury results from inflammation and oxidative stress, among other factors. Because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the Brazil nut (BN) might attenuate IR renal injury. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the intake of BN prevents or reduces IR kidney injury and inflammation, improving renal function and decreasing oxidative stress. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were distributed into six groups (N=6/group): SHAM (control), SHAM treated with 75 or 150 mg of BN, IR, and IR treated with 75 or 150 mg of BN. The IR procedure consisted of right nephrectomy and occlusion of the left renal artery with a non-traumatic vascular clamp for 30 min. BN was given daily and individually for 7 days before surgery (SHAM or IR) and maintained until animal sacrifice (48h after surgery). We evaluated the following parameters: plasma creatinine, urea, and phosphorus; proteinuria, urinary output, and creatinine clearance; plasmatic TBARS and TEAC; kidney expression of iNOS and nitrotyrosine, and macrophage influx. RESULTS: Pre-treatment with 75 mg of BN attenuated IR-induced renal changes, with elevation of creatinine clearance and urinary output, reducing proteinuria, urea, and plasmatic phosphorus as well as reducing kidney expression of iNOS, nitrotyrosine, and macrophage influx. CONCLUSION: Low intake of BN prior to IR-induced kidney injury improves renal function by inhibition of macrophage infiltration and oxidative stress.

Prior intake of Brazil nuts attenuates renal injury induced by ischemia and reperfusion / A ingestão prévia de castanha-do-brasil atenua a lesão renal induzida por isquemia e reperfusão

ABSTRACT Introduction: Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury results from inflammation and oxidative stress, among other factors. Because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the Brazil nut (BN) might attenuate IR renal injury. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the intake of BN prevents or reduces IR kidney injury and inflammation, improving renal function and decreasing oxidative stress. Methods: Male Wistar rats were distributed into six groups (N=6/group): SHAM (control), SHAM treated with 75 or 150 mg of BN, IR, and IR treated with 75 or 150 mg of BN. The IR procedure consisted of right nephrectomy and occlusion of the left renal artery with a non-traumatic vascular clamp for 30 min. BN was given daily and individually for 7 days before surgery (SHAM or IR) and maintained until animal sacrifice (48h after surgery). We evaluated the following parameters: plasma creatinine, urea, and phosphorus; proteinuria, urinary output, and creatinine clearance; plasmatic TBARS and TEAC; kidney expression of iNOS and nitrotyrosine, and macrophage influx. Results: Pre-treatment with 75 mg of BN attenuated IR-induced renal changes, with elevation of creatinine clearance and urinary output, reducing proteinuria, urea, and plasmatic phosphorus as well as reducing kidney expression of iNOS, nitrotyrosine, and macrophage influx. Conclusion: Low intake of BN prior to IR-induced kidney injury improves renal function by inhibition of macrophage infiltration and oxidative stress.

RESUMO Introdução: a lesão por isquemia-reperfusão (IR) resulta, entre outros fatores, de inflamação e estresse oxidativo. Devido às suas propriedades anti-inflamatórias e antioxidantes, a castanha-do-brasil (BN) pode atenuar a lesão renal causada por IR. Objetivo: O objetivo foi investigar se a ingestão prévia de BN reduz a lesão e a inflamação renal causadas por IR, melhorando a função renal e o estresse oxidativo. Métodos: Ratos Wistar machos foram distribuídos em seis grupos (N=6/grupo): SHAM (controle), SHAM tratado com 75 ou 150 mg de BN, IR, e IR tratado com 75 ou 150 mg de BN. O procedimento de IR consistiu na nefrectomia à direita e oclusão da artéria renal esquerda por 30 minutos. A castanha foi administrada diariamente e individualmente por sete dias antes da cirurgia (SHAM ou IR), e mantida até o sacrifício (48h pós-cirurgia). Os seguintes parâmetros foram avaliados: creatinina, ureia e fósforo plasmáticos; proteinúria, volume urinário e depuração de creatinina; TBARS e TEAC (capacidade antioxidante) plasmáticos; expressão renal de iNOS e nitrotirosina, e influxo de macrófagos. Resultados: O pré-tratamento com 75 mg de BN atenuou os parâmetros de função renal alterados pela IR, com elevação da depuração de creatinina e o volume urinário, redução da proteinúria, ureia e fósforo plasmáticos, e diminuição da expressão de iNOS, nitrotirosina e da infiltração de macrófagos. Conclusão: A ingestão de baixa quantidade de BN, previamente ao processo de IR, melhora a função renal pela inibição da infiltração de macrófagos e do estresse oxidativo.