Sexual and Reproductive Health Assessment in a Group of Female Renal Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Fertility and sexual health are impaired in individuals with chronic kidney disease and can be restored after a successful renal transplant. This is a single-center prospective study about the sexual and reproductive health (including contraceptive methods and gynecologic cancer screening) in renal transplant recipients. METHODS: Female renal transplant recipients, aged 18 to 49 years at transplant, were interviewed about their gynecologic history, sexual health, and use of contraceptive methods. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority of women maintained menstrual cycles during dialysis therapy, being almost 60% of the women in an irregular rhythm. Pregnancies were reported for 51 women, 20% after transplant, and associated with low-weight newborns. The incidence of spontaneous abortion was 12.5%. Thirty-one patients were denied contraceptive methods due to the vasectomy of the partner (n = 16) or the belief that they would not become pregnant (n = 15). The most common contraceptive method was a condom, and the use of an intrauterine device was rare. Gynecologic assessment and cancer screening were out-of-date in almost one-third of patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the majority of women were from low-income areas and had low levels of education. Despite access to public universal health care, adherence to yearly screening tests and use of contraceptive methods were lower than expected.

Precariado: conceito em ebulição / Precariate: boiling concept

Este artigo advém de uma pesquisa de doutoramento e se propôs a problematizar acerca do conceito precariado diante das alterações no mundo do trabalho um contexto de crise estrutural do capital. Destaca-se que o precariado é um termo conjuntural, polissêmico e encontra-se em disputa. Utilizou-se como base autores que discutem em profundidade tal categoria: Guy Standing (2015), Ruy Braga (2013/2017) e Alves (2012/2015). A metodologia utilizada é de caráter qualitativo, a partir de análise documental e resultada de pesquisa empírica, com vistas a indicar a premência do precariado e a sua relação com a Educação. Logo, indagar o precariado é dar visibilidade e significado a essa nova camada proletária que emerge no mundo do trabalho e que se encontra em plena ebulição. Por fim, afirma-se que vivemos em tempos flexíveis de direitos e nessa fluidez emerge o conceito do precariado que se encontra em maturação e está inserido no olho do furacão, no qual se revela a crise estrutural do capital

This article comes from a PhD research and proposed to problematize about the precarious concept in the face of changes in the world of work in a context of structural crisis of capital. It is noteworthy that the precariat is a conjunctural, polysemic term and is in dispute. Based on authors that discuss this category in depth: Guy Standing (2015), Ruy Braga (2013/2017) and Alves (2012/2015) were used. The methodology used is of a qualitative character, based on documentary analysis and results of empirical research, with a view to indicating the urgency of the precariat and its relationship with education. Therefore, to inquire about the precariat is to give visibility and meaning to this new proletarian layer that emerges in the world of work and that is in full swing. Finally, it is affirmed that we live in flexible times of rights and in that fluidity the concept of precariousness that is maturing and inserted in the eye of the hurricane emerges, in which the structural crisis of capital is revealed

Cystatin C as an indicator of renal damage in pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive abilities of serum and urinary cystatin C levels for glomerular lesions in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia. METHODS: In this study, kidney function markers were compared between38 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and 22 healthy pregnant women. RESULTS: The serum and urine levels of cystatin C and urea were significantly higher in the pre-eclampsia group than in the control group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the serum cystatin C level (91.7%) had a superior diagnostic accuracy for pre-eclampsia than the other markers. CONCLUSION: Serum cystatin C level maybe a significant marker of pre-eclampsia.

Avaliação da Cistatina C como marcador de Lesão Glomerular em mulheres portadoras de pré-eclâmpsia / Evaluation of Cystatin C as a marker of Glomerular Injury in women with pre-eclampsia

A função renal alterada é um componente essencial do processo fisiopatológico que está relacionado ao pior prognóstico materno-fetal. Os rins estão entre os órgãos centrais afetados na pré-eclâmpsia, e desempenham um papel significativo na síntese e degradação das substâncias de baixo peso molecular, como creatinina, ureia e cistatina C. A cistatina C vem sendo apontada como uma substância promissora para avaliar a função renal, e alterações da filtração glomerular precocemente. O presente trabalho foi realizado para investigar a cistatina C sérica e urinária como marcador de lesão glomerular em grávidas portadoras de PE, e correlacionar com a dosagem de creatinina e uréia. Trata-se de um estudo transversal com 44 gestantes com diagnóstico da pré-eclâmpsia e 24 normotensas. Os níveis de cistatina C plasmáticos e urinárias apresentam-se elevados e estatisticamente significativos (respectivamente, p=0,001, p=0,012) nas mulheres portadoras de PE quando comparadas com as normotensas. Comparando-se com outros marcadores, a cistatina C sérica demonstrou melhor capacidade de identificar a função renal, com valor percentual de área da curva ROC de 91,7%. Nesse estudo, a cistatina C mostra-se um bom marcador de lesão glomerular em gestantes portadoras de pré eclâmpsia, comparável aos marcadores tradicionais uréia e creatinina. Sua vantagem sobre estes marcadores refere-se a sua menor influência de diversos aspectos biológicos não relacionados a doença gestacional propriamente dita.

Renal function is an essential component of the pathophysiological process that is related to the worst maternal-fetal prognosis. The kidneys are among the major levels of affection in PE, and play a significant role in the turnover of most low molecular weight substances such as creatinine, urea and cystatin C. Cystatin C has been shown to be a promising substance for assessing renal function and glomerular filtration changes earlier. The present study was carried out to investigate serum and urinary cystatin C as marker of glomerular lesion in pregnant women with PE, and correlate with creatinine and urea. It is a cross-sectional study with 44 pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia and 24 normotensive women. Plasma and urinary cystatin C levels were elevated and statistically significant (p = 0.001, p = 0.012) in women with PE compared to normotensive women, respectively. Compared with other markers, serum cystatin C demonstrated a better ability to identify renal function, with a percentage of area of the ROC curve of 91.7%. Cystatin C is a good marker of glomerular lesion in pregnant women with preeclampsia, comparable to traditional urea and creatinine markers. Their advantage over these markers is their lower influence of several biological aspects unrelated to gestational disease itself.

Postharvest conservation of the tuberous roots of Pachyrhizus Ahipa (Wedd) Parodi.

This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of storage periods on the conservation of Pachyrhizus ahipa roots at different temperatures and packaging materials. The roots were harvested, washed, packed in PVC, plastic bags, without wrappings (control) and stored in polystyrene trays in refrigerators, or cold chambers, or at room temperature. Total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, as well as their ash, lipid, total carbohydrate and protein (dry basis) contents were analyzed. The lowest loss of root fresh weight was observed in the cold chamber and plastic bags. The TTA remained higher among roots stored in the cold chamber and in PVC packaging. The lowest TSS contents were observed for roots stored in the cold chamber, and these did not vary among the packing materials. The average carbohydrate content percentage for all treatments was 84.9%. The percentage of lipids was highest in roots stored at room temperature while protein and ash contents were highest in roots under refrigeration. The best storage conditions for roots are plastic bags packaging in a cold chamber, with the roots retaining appropriate quality for commercialization for up to 30 days.