Altruísmo autoinformado e informado por pares: evidências do altruísmo como traço de personalidade / Self and other informed altruísm: evidence of the altruism as a personality trait

Este estudo reuniu evidências acerca do altruísmo como um traço de personalidade. Participaram 438pessoas, divididas igualmente entre respondentes e seus informantes. Estes responderam os seguintesinstrumentos: Escala de Altruísmo Autoinformado, Questionário de Gratidão, Escala de Disposição paraPerdoar e Escala de Desejabilidade Social, além de perguntas demográficas; os informantes deramrespostas aos instrumentos descrevendo quais eram as características dos respondentes. Os resultadosindicaram convergência das estruturas fatoriais e consistência interna da medida de altruísmo,constatando-se correlação entre as medidas auto e heteroinformadas, assim como um padrão deassociação congruente de suas pontuações com disposição para perdoar. Concluiu-se que existemevidências do altruísmo como um traço de personalidade, que independe de contexto situacional, estandosua medida dissociada de desejabilidade social(AU)

Níveis séricos e hepáticos de cobre, zinco, ferro e molibdênio em ovinos e caprinos criados no semiárido da Bahia / Serum and hepatic levels of copper, zinc, iron and molybdenum in sheep and goats raised in the semiarid of Bahia state

Objetivou-se conhecer os teores de cobre, zinco, ferro e molibdênio em soro e fígado de pequenos ruminantes criados nos municípios de Casa Nova e Juazeiro, estado da Bahia, e verificar se há carência primária ou secundária de cobre. Foi avaliado um total de 160 amostras de ovinos e caprinos de ambos os sexos, coletados nos períodos seco e chuvoso. O valor de cobre sérico para caprinos foi de 13,8±0,3±mol/L e para ovinos foi de 12,2±0,4±mol/L, enquanto os teores hepáticos médios foram de 220ppm para caprinos e 238ppm para ovinos. O valor de zinco sérico para caprinos foi de 28,3±1,0±mol/L e para ovinos foi de 28,7±0,8±mol/L, enquanto os teores hepáticos médios foram de 99ppm para caprinos e 92ppm para ovinos. O valor de ferro sérico para caprinos foi de 61±3±mol/L e para ovinos foi de 64±2±mol/L, enquanto os teores hepáticos foram de 172ppm para caprinos e 221ppm para ovinos. Os valores médios de cobre não indicam ocorrência de carência deste elemento nos pequenos ruminantes criados nos municípios estudados. Os teores de zinco encontravam-se dentro dos intervalos de normalidade, não sendo verificada a necessidade de suplementação extra deste mineral. Os teores de ferro sérico apresentavam-se bem elevados, contudo sem que houvesse interferência suficiente no metabolismo do cobre de forma a resultar em uma deficiência cúprica.

The aim of this research was to know the copper, zinc, iron and molybdenum content in serum and liver of small ruminants raised in the cities of Casa Nova and Juazeiro, state of Bahia, and verify the occurrence of primary or secondary copper deficiency. A total of 160 samples of sheep and goats of both sexes collected in the dry and rainy season were evaluated. The values for serum copper in goats was 13.8±0.3±mol/L and in sheep it was 12.2±0.4 ±mol/L, while the mean liver concentration was 220 ppm for goats and 238 ppm for sheep. The serum zinc value for goats was 28.3±1.0±mol/L and for sheep it was 28.7±0.8±mol/L, while the mean liver concentration was 99 ppm for goats and 92 ppm for sheep. Serum iron value for goats was 61±3±mol/L and for sheep it was 64±2±mol/L, while liver levels were 172 ppm for goats and 221 ppm for sheep. Copper mean values do not indicate the occurrence of copper deficiency in small ruminants raised in the cities studied. Zinc levels were within the normal values and do not require extra supplementation of this mineral. The serum iron levels were elevated, however it did not interfere in copper metabolism in order to result in a cupric deficiency.

Validation of methylation markers for diagnosis of oral cavity cancer.

PURPOSE: Activation of proto-oncogenes and inactivation of tumour suppressor genes are the major genetic alterations involved in carcinogenesis. The increase in methylation at the promoter region of a tumour suppressor gene can lead to gene inactivation, selecting cells with proliferative advantage. Thus, promoter hypermethylation is considered a marker in a variety of malignant tumours, including oral cavity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The methylation pattern of eight genes was evaluated in 40 oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) and 40 saliva samples from healthy individuals by Q-MSP. Different combinations of genes were also assessed in order to identify gene panels that could better distinguish between OSCC and saliva samples. RESULTS: CCNA1, DAPK, DCC and TIMP3 methylation were highly specific for being found in the OSCC samples. Moreover, the combination of these genes improved detection when compared with single markers, reaching values of 92.5% for sensitivity and specificity (when using the panel CCNA1, DCC, TIMP3). Moreover, DAPK, DCC and TIMP3 were hypermethylated in nearly 90% of clinically T1 and T2 cases. CONCLUSION: The pursuing of this panel of hypermethylated genes is an important tool for the detection of individuals with OSCC. Moreover, the identification of these markers in early stages of OSCC shows the feasibility of using the panel on saliva as possible biomarkers for early diagnosis. The lack of association between the methylation status of these genes and clinical characteristics shows that they are able to distinguish OSCC cases irrespective of social and clinical factors (gender, age, human papillomavirus (HPV) status, clinical stage, vascular embolisation and perineural invasion).

Assessment of heavy metal residues in Brazilian poultry and swine tissue / Avaliação de resíduos de metais pesados em tecidos de aves e suínos

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of arsenic, lead and cadmium residues in samples of liver, kidney and muscle of poultry and swine during the years from 2002 to 2008. A total of 1978 samples were analyzed: 1031 of poultry and 947 of swine from Brazilian slaughterhouses. The samples were analyzed at the National Agricultural Laboratory using the atomic absorption spectrometry technique. In poultry, the arsenic residues were detected in 53.6% of liver samples, although no results have exceeded the MRL. In kidneys, 39.7% of the samples showed measurable residues and there was no violation of the limits. Regarding lead, there were 5 contaminated liver samples and 24 contaminated kidney samples (1.5 and 3.6% respectively). In muscle tissue there was only one sample with residues...

Objetivou-se investigar a presença de resíduos de arsênico, chumbo e cádmio em amostras de fígado, rins e músculo de aves e suínos, durante os anos de 2002 a 2008. Um total de 1.978 amostras foi analisado: 1031 de aves e 947 de suínos provenientes de matadouros brasileiros. As amostras foram analisadas no Laboratório Nacional Agropecuário (Lanagro), sendo utilizada a técnica de espectrometria de absorção atômica. Em aves, os resíduos de arsênico foram detectados em 53,6% das amostras de fígado, embora sem exceder o LMR. Nos rins, 39,7% das amostras mostraram resíduos mensuráveis e não houve violação dos limites. Em relação ao chumbo, cinco amostras de fígado e 24 de amostras de rins estavam contaminadas (1,5 e 3,6%, respectivamente). No tecido muscular, houve apenas uma amostra com resíduos. Para o cádmio, 3,8% das amostras apresentavam valores abaixo do LMR. Resíduos de cádmio foram encontrados em 110 amostras de rins (16,3% testados), mas apenas uma ultrapassou o limite máximo permitido pela legislação nacional. Em suínos, resíduos de arsênico foram detectados em 15,3% das amostras de fígado, sem exceder o LMR. Nos rins, 14,2% das amostras apresentaram resíduos mensuráveis...

Education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and IL-2 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms in the survival of head and neck cancer

The association of education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and interleukin-2 (IL-2 +114 and -384) and -6 (IL-6 -174) DNA polymorphisms with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was investigated in a cohort study of 445 subjects. IL-2 and IL-6 genotypes were determined by real-time PCR. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 percent confidence intervals (95 percentCI) of disease-specific survival according to anatomical sites of the head and neck. Mean age was 56 years and most patients were males (87.6 percent). Subjects with 5 or more years of schooling had better survival in larynx cancer. Smoking had no effect on HNSCC survival, but alcohol consumption had a statistically significant effect on larynx cancer. IL-2 gene +114 G/T (HR = 0.52; 95 percentCI = 0.15-1.81) and T/T (HR = 0.22; 95 percentCI = 0.02-3.19) genotypes were associated with better survival in hypopharynx cancer. IL-2 +114 G/T was a predictor of poor survival in oral cavity/oropharynx cancer and larynx cancer (HR = 1.32; 95 percentCI = 0.61-2.85). IL-2 -384 G/T was associated with better survival in oral cavity/oropharynx cancer (HR = 0.80; 95 percentCI = 0.45-1.42) and hypopharynx cancer (HR = 0.68; 95 percentCI = 0.21-2.20), but an inverse relationship was observed for larynx cancer. IL-6 -174 G/C was associated with better survival in hypopharynx cancer (HR = 0.68; 95 percentCI = 0.26-1.78) and larynx cancer (HR = 0.93; 95 percentCI = 0.42-2.07), and C/C reduced mortality in larynx cancer. In general, our results are similar to previous reports on the value of education, smoking, alcohol consumption, and IL-2 and IL-6 genetic polymorphisms for the prognosis of HNSCC, but the risks due to these variables are small and estimates imprecise.

Education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and IL-2 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms in the survival of head and neck cancer.

The association of education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and interleukin-2 (IL-2 +114 and -384) and -6 (IL-6 -174) DNA polymorphisms with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was investigated in a cohort study of 445 subjects. IL-2 and IL-6 genotypes were determined by real-time PCR. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of disease-specific survival according to anatomical sites of the head and neck. Mean age was 56 years and most patients were males (87.6%). Subjects with 5 or more years of schooling had better survival in larynx cancer. Smoking had no effect on HNSCC survival, but alcohol consumption had a statistically significant effect on larynx cancer. IL-2 gene +114 G/T (HR = 0.52; 95%CI = 0.15-1.81) and T/T (HR = 0.22; 95%CI = 0.02-3.19) genotypes were associated with better survival in hypopharynx cancer. IL-2 +114 G/T was a predictor of poor survival in oral cavity/oropharynx cancer and larynx cancer (HR = 1.32; 95%CI = 0.61-2.85). IL-2 -384 G/T was associated with better survival in oral cavity/oropharynx cancer (HR = 0.80; 95%CI = 0.45-1.42) and hypopharynx cancer (HR = 0.68; 95%CI = 0.21-2.20), but an inverse relationship was observed for larynx cancer. IL-6 -174 G/C was associated with better survival in hypopharynx cancer (HR = 0.68; 95%CI = 0.26-1.78) and larynx cancer (HR = 0.93; 95%CI = 0.42-2.07), and C/C reduced mortality in larynx cancer. In general, our results are similar to previous reports on the value of education, smoking, alcohol consumption, and IL-2 and IL-6 genetic polymorphisms for the prognosis of HNSCC, but the risks due to these variables are small and estimates imprecise.

Genomics and proteomics approaches to the study of cancer-stroma interactions.

BACKGROUND: The development and progression of cancer depend on its genetic characteristics as well as on the interactions with its microenvironment. Understanding these interactions may contribute to diagnostic and prognostic evaluations and to the development of new cancer therapies. Aiming to investigate potential mechanisms by which the tumor microenvironment might contribute to a cancer phenotype, we evaluated soluble paracrine factors produced by stromal and neoplastic cells which may influence proliferation and gene and protein expression. METHODS: The study was carried out on the epithelial cancer cell line (Hep-2) and fibroblasts isolated from a primary oral cancer. We combined a conditioned-medium technique with subtraction hybridization approach, quantitative PCR and proteomics, in order to evaluate gene and protein expression influenced by soluble paracrine factors produced by stromal and neoplastic cells. RESULTS: We observed that conditioned medium from fibroblast cultures (FCM) inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in Hep-2 cells. In neoplastic cells, 41 genes and 5 proteins exhibited changes in expression levels in response to FCM and, in fibroblasts, 17 genes and 2 proteins showed down-regulation in response to conditioned medium from Hep-2 cells (HCM). Nine genes were selected and the expression results of 6 down-regulated genes (ARID4A, CALR, GNB2L1, RNF10, SQSTM1, USP9X) were validated by real time PCR. CONCLUSIONS: A significant and common denominator in the results was the potential induction of signaling changes associated with immune or inflammatory response in the absence of a specific protein.

Rhinocladiella aquaspersa, proven agent of verrucous skin infection and a novel type of chromoblastomycosis.

We report a case of chromoblastomycosis which resembled sporotrichosis due to the presence of warty nodules and lymphatic distribution on the forearm in a 56-year-old male. Mycological and histopathological investigation of exudates and biopsy tissue samples revealed a granulomatous lesion with muriform cells, the hallmark of chromoblastomycosis. The infection showed only localized expansion with verrucous plaques suggesting a new clinical type of the disease. The causative agent was identified as Rhinocladiella aquaspersa. This case prompted a study of the clinical spectrum of R. aquaspersa, through which we identified a second case caused by this fungus in a 62-year-old Brazilian female. The case was unusual in that R. aquaspersa exhibited hyphae rather than muriform cells in tissue. Given the difficulties treating chromoblastomycosis and other infections caused by melanized fungi, we evaluated the in vitro activities of extended-spectrum triazoles, amphotericin B, and echinocandins against these clinical isolates of R. aquaspersa. Itraconazole (MIC; 0.063 mg/l) and posaconazole (MIC; 0.125 mg/l) had the highest in vitro activities, while voriconazole and isavuconazole had somewhat lower activities (MICs; 2 mg/l) against the isolates. Amphotericin B and anidulafungin each had an MIC of 1 mg/l, whereas the MIC of caspofungin was 8 mg/l.

LHX6 is a sensitive methylation marker in head and neck carcinomas.

Head and neck cancer remains a morbid and often fatal disease and at the present time few effective molecular markers have been identified. The purpose of the present work was to identify new molecular markers for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We applied methylation-sensitive arbitrarily primed PCR (MS/AP-PCR) to isolate sequences differentially methylated in HNSCC. The most frequently hypermethylated fragment we found maps close to a cytosine guanine dinucleotide (CpG) island on chromosome 9q33.2, and hypermethylation of this CpG island was associated with transcriptional silencing of an alternative transcript of the LHX6 gene. Using combined bisulfite restriction analysis (COBRA), hypermethylation of this fragment was detected in 13 of 14 (92.8%) HNSCC cell lines studied and 21 of 32 (65.6%) primary tumors, whereas little or no methylation was seen in 10 normal oral mucosa samples. We extended this investigation to other cancer cell lines and methylation was found in those derived from colon, breast, leukemia and lung, and methylation was also found in 12/14 primary colon tumors. These findings suggest that differentially methylated (DIME)-6 hypermethylation is a good cancer marker in HNSCC as well as in other kinds of neoplasias and confirm the importance of searching for markers of epigenetic dysregulation in cancer.

Low-pump-power, short-fiber copropagating dual-pumped (800 and 1050 nm) thulium-doped fiber amplifier.

Using optical frequency-domain reflectometry to reveal the gain distribution and allow us to optimize a thulium-doped fiber amplifier, we have demonstrated 18-dB gain by employing only 5 m of a 2000-parts-in-10(6)-Tm-doped fiber pumped with 145 mW of power at dual wavelengths of 800 and 1050 nm. The role of the 800-nm pump, which by itself does not permit population inversion, was clearly observed experimentally.

Heparan sulfates and heparins: similar compounds performing the same functions in vertebrates and invertebrates?

The distribution and structure of heparan sulfate and heparin are briefly reviewed. Heparan sulfate is a ubiquitous compound of animal cells whose structure has been maintained throughout evolution, showing an enormous variability regarding the relative amounts of its disaccharide units. Heparin, on the other hand, is present only in a few tissues and species of the animal kingdom and in the form of granules inside organelles in the cytoplasm of special cells. Thus, the distribution as well as the main structural features of the molecule, including its main disaccharide unit, have been maintained through evolution. These and other studies led to the proposal that heparan sulfate may be involved in the cell-cell recognition phenomena and control of cell growth, whereas heparin may be involved in defense mechanisms against bacteria and other foreign materials. All indications obtained thus far suggest that these molecules perform the same functions in vertebrates and invertebrates.

Heparan sulfates and heparins: similar compounds performing the same functions in vertebrates and invertebrates?

The distribution and structure of heparan sulfate and heparin are briefly reviewed. Heparan sulfate is a ubiquitous compound of animal cells whose structure has been maintained throughout evolution, showing an enormous variability regarding the relative amounts of its disaccharide units. Heparin, on the other hand, is present only in a few tissues and species of the animal kingdom and in the form of granules inside organelles in the cytoplasm of special cells. Thus, the distribution as well as the main structural features of the molecule, including its main disaccharide unit, have been maintained through evolution. These and other studies led to the proposal that heparan sulfate may be involved in the cell-cell recognition phenomena and control of cell growth, whereas heparin may be involved in defense mechanisms against bacteria and other foreign materials. All indications obtained thus far suggest that these molecules perform the same functions in vertebrates and invertebrates

Avaliação do tempo de sobrevida pós-operatória em lesão de isquemia normotérmica e reperfusão hepática induzidas em cães / Evaluation of postoperative survival time in normothermic hepatic ischaemia and reperfusion lesion induced in dogs

Prolongamento do tempo de sobrevida em animais de experimentação tem sido requerido para melhor investigação da fisiopatologia e da modulação farmacológica em lesões decorrentes de isquemia e reperfusão hepática. Vinte cães mestiços, pesando 15,25+-1,21Kg, foram distribuídos em dois grupos de investigação: 1. Grupo Teste (n=10) - Os animais foram submetidos a isquemia normotérmica de aproximadamente, 70por cento do fígado, durante 90 minutos, com descompressão venosa esplâncnica translobar, sequida de reperfusão hepática; 2.Grupo controle (n=10)- os cães foram submetidos a operação simulada. O tempo de sobrevida foi analisado estatisticamente através do teste do chi quadrado . Com confiança de 95 por cento, os resultados revelaram que: o índice de sobrevida de 72 horas (30Por cento) verificado no grupo teste foi significativamente inferior aos constatado nos animais do Grupo Controle (100por cento), em igual período. Bem como, observou-se que a causa mais frequente de óbto nos animais do Grupo Teste foi insuficiência hepática diagnosticada clínicamente e com dados da necróspsia, associada a diátese hemorrágica ou peritonite (60por cento) e ocorrida emtre 2 a 96 horas de pós-operatório. No grupo controle, o sangramento digestiavo e deiscência de parede abdominal, ambos associados a peritonite clínica, constituíram causas de óbitos observadas em dois animais, entre o 4§ e o 6§ dia de pós-operatório

The value of therapeutic planning and the degree of experience of the surgical team on the results of cancer treatment of the larynx and hypopharynx.

This is a prospective study supported by 170 cases of epidermoid carcinoma of the larynx or hypopharynx, treated during the period from January of 1981 to January of 1988, at the Head and Neck Surgery Service of the Heliópolis Hospital Complex, São Paulo. The objective of this project was to evaluate the importance of surgeon experience with regard to the rates of post-operative complications and the rates of relapse and survival. The results of the 8 surgical specialists who integrate the permanent staff at the institute and who different varying degrees of experience with regard to time spent exercising their specialties were compared. The results obtained did not show a significant difference among the various surgeons, and this uniformity is explained by the fact that all the therapeutic planning was elaborated through consensus of the whole group, and this could have minimized the effect of experience of a surgeon responsible for the operation. The authors emphasize the importance of pre-operative evaluation for good results and propose that it is in the direction of complete mastery of preliminary work in the area that programs for the formation of new specialists should be directed.

Complete acute occlusion of the portal vein in dogs: I. a study based on hemodynamic and hematologic data aimed at its application in liver transplantation

Como etapa inicial de um plano de pesquisa sobre avaliacao de medidas descompressivas portosistemicas, comumente utilizadas em transplante hepatico experimental, foram estudados 20 caes mesticos, adultos, de ambos os sexos e com peso corporal de 15,2ñ1,7kg. Em dez caes praticou-se oclusao total e aguda da veia porta por um periodo de 2 horas (grupo oclusao portal). Em dez outros desses animais procedeu-se a operacao simulada (grupo controle). Foram investigados de modo sistematico dados hemodinamicos de pressao arterial (PA), pressao venosa central (PVC) e pressao portal (PP), assim como dados hematologicos de concentracao de hemoglobina (cHb) nos animais dos grupos estudados...

Deteccao de antigenos bacterianos em pneumonia aguda: metodos de preparacao das amostras de urina, soro e liquido pleural para os testes de imunodiagnostico / Detection of bacterial antigens in acute pneumonia: methods of preparing the urine, serum and pleural fluid samples for immunodiagnostic assays

Foi desenvolvido um metodo de precipitacao de antigenos polissacaridicos de S. pneumoniae e H influenzae tipo b na urina, atraves do tratamento com uma solucao de etnol-acetona 1:1 seguido de um tratamento a quente com EDTA 0,1M. Foram empregadas as tecnicas de contra-imunoeletroforese e latex aglutinacao para a deteccao de antigenos polissacarideos em amostras pareadas de urina e soro e ainda de liquido pleural, de criancas com diagnostico clinico e radiologico de pneumonia aguda. Contra-imunoeletroforese e latex aglutinacao apresentaram melhores indices de sensibilidade em urina do que em soro e tiveram otimo desempenho tanto para urina de volume inicial relativamente pequeno como de grande volume, colhidas antes ou durante os primeiros dias de antibioticoterapia. Os resultados obtidos em contra-imunoeletroforese e latex aglutinacao mostraram que a solucao etanol-acetona 1:1 fornece melhor rendimento na precipitacao de antigeno polissacaridico enquanto que o aquecimento com EDTA diminui a probabilidade de ocorrencia de resultados falso-positivos e de reatividade cruzada entre S. pneumoniae e H. influenzae tipo b. A urina mostrou-se como importante meio de deteccao de antigenos bacterianos no diagnostico de pneumonia bacteriana aguda, principalmente se a antibioticoterapia previa obstrui o crescimento bacteriano nos meios de cultura.