Genetic toxicity of dillapiol and spinosad larvicides in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster.

BACKGROUND: Higher rates of diseases transmitted from insects to humans led to the increased use of organophosphate insecticides, proven to be harmful to human health and the environment. New, more effective chemical formulations with minimum genetic toxicity effects have become the object of intense research. These formulations include larvicides derived from plant extracts such as dillapiol, a phenylpropanoid extracted from Piper aduncum, and from microorganisms such as spinosad, formed by spinosyns A and D derived from the Saccharopolyspora spinosa fermentation process. This study investigated the genotoxicity of dillapiol and spinosad, characterising and quantifying mutation events and chromosomal and/or mitotic recombination using the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in wings of Drosophila melanogaster. RESULTS: Standard cross larvae (72 days old) were treated with different dillapiol and spinosad concentrations. Both compounds presented positive genetic toxicity, mainly as mitotic recombination events. Distilled water and doxorubicin were used as negative and positive controls respectively. CONCLUSION: Spinosad was 14 times more genotoxic than dillapiol, and the effect was found to be purely recombinogenic. However, more studies on the potential risks of insecticides such as spinosad and dillapiol are necessary, based on other experimental models and methodologies, to ensure safe use.

Assessment of the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and antigenotoxic activities of Celtis iguanaea (Jacq.) in mice.

Ethnobotanical surveys of Cerrado native plants show that leaves of Celtis iguanaea (Jacq.) Sargent (Cannabaceae), popularly known in Brazil as "esporão de galo", are used in folk medicine for body pain, asthma, cramps, poor digestion, urinary infection, kidney dysfunctions, as well as a stimulant and diuretic. This work aimed at evaluating possible C. iguanaea aqueous leaf extract (CALE) cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and antigenotoxicity using the mouse bone marrow micronucleous test. To assess CALE genotoxicity, Swiss mice were orally treated with three different extract concentrations (100, 300, and 500 mgkg-1). To evaluate its antigenotoxicity, the same doses were used simultaneously with a single i.p. dose of mitomycin C (MMC, 4mg.kg-1). The frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE) were evaluated 24 h and 48 h after administration except for the negative control (24 h). Genotoxicity was evaluated using the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE), whereas cytotoxicity was assessed by the polychromatic and normochromatic erythrocytes ratio (PCE/NCE). The results showed that CALE did not exhibit a significant reduction in the PCE/NCE ratio, neither a considerable increase in the frequency of MNPCE. Nonetheless, CALE reduced bone marrow toxicity (increased PCE/NCE ratio) and decreased the micronuclei frequency induced by MMC. We can conclude that CALE presented no cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, but showed antigenotoxic and anticytotoxic actions under the experimental conditions applied in this study.

Antimutagenic and antirecombinagenic activities of noni fruit juice in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster.

Noni, a Hawaiian name for the fruit of Morinda citrifolia L., is a traditional medicinal plant from Polynesia widely used for the treatment of many diseases including arthritis, diabetes, asthma, hypertension and cancer. Here, a commercial noni juice (TNJ) was evaluated for its protective activities against the lesions induced by mitomycin C (MMC) and doxorrubicin (DXR) using the Somatic Mutation and Recombination Test (SMART) in Drosophila melanogaster. Three-day-old larvae, trans-heterozygous for two genetic markers (mwh and flr3 ), were co-treated with TNJ plus MMC or DXR. We have observed a reduction in genotoxic effects of MMC and DXR caused by the juice. TNJ provoked a marked decrease in all kinds of MMC- and DXR-induced mutant spots, mainly due to its antirecombinagenic activity. The TNJ protective effects were concentration-dependent, indicating a dose-response correlation, that can be attributed to a powerful antioxidant and/or free radical scavenger ability of TNJ.

Produção de conhecimento em um curso de mestrado em enfermagem no brasil / Producción del conocimiento en un curso de maestría en enfermería en Brasil / Knowledge production in a brazilian master's degree course in nursing

Trata da análise documental, quantitativa-descritiva, das 60 dissertações defendidas no Curso de Mestrado do Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem (PEn) da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC, Brasil, de 2005 a 2008. Teve por objetivo conhecer algumas características do conhecimento produzido no Curso de Mestrado, no tocante a área temática, tipo de estudo, linhas de pesquisa e participantes dos estudos. Os dados foram coletados mediante a leitura dos resumos do texto completo das dissertações, arquivadas no PEN/ UFSC. Para o registro dos dados foi elaborado um instrumento para classificar as dissertações quanto às variáveis em estudo. Os dados foram analisados por meio de medidas estatísticas (números absolutos e relativos) e apresentados em forma de tabelas e gráficos. Os resultados evidenciam a consolidação de um conhecimento voltado para o cuidado à saúde e para a educação e a predominância de estudos qualitativos, distribuídos predominantemente em três linhas de pesquisa: O cuidado e processo de viver, ser saudável e adoecer, Educação, saúde e enfermagem e Processo de trabalho em saúde e enfermagem. Com relação aos participantes evidenciou-se a predominância de enfermeiros e da equipe de enfermagem, seguidos por familiares/ acompanhantes/ clientes e mulheres e gestantes como sujeitos envolvidos nos estudos.

This is a descriptive, quantitative documentary analysis, considering 60 theses defended at the Master Degree Course from the Graduate Program in Nursing (PEN) of the Federal University of Santa Catarina - UFSC, Brazil, from 2005 to 2008. Its purpose was to know some knowledge's characteristics produced at the Master's course in relation to the subject area, type of study, research agenda and study participants. Data were collected by reading the abstracts, full text of theses, available on file at the PEN / UFSC. For data recording a tool was developed for classifying the study variables. Data were analyzed using statistical measures (absolute and relative numbers) and presented in tables and graphs. Results show the consolidation of knowledge addressed to health care and education as well as the predominance of qualitative studies, distributed predominantly in three lines of research: The care and the process of living, being healthy and sick, education, health and nursing work process in health and nursing. As for subjects of study the predominance of nurses and nursing staff, were identified followed by relatives / escorts / clients, and pregnant women, as well.

Se trata de un análisis documental, cuantitativo-descriptivo, de las 60 tesis defendidas en el Curso de Maestría del Programa de Posgrado en Enfermería (PEn) de la Universidad Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC, Brasil, de 2005 a 2008. Tuvo por objetivo conocer algunas características del conocimiento producido en el curso de Maestría, en relación al área temática, tipo de estudio, líneas de investigación y participantes de los estudios. Los datos fueron recolectados mediante la lectura de los resúmenes y texto completo de las tesis disponibles en archivo en el PEN/ UFSC. Para el registro de los datos fue elaborado un instrumento para clasificar las tesis en base a las variables de estudio. Los datos fueron analizados por medio de medidas estadísticas (números absolutos y relativos) y presentados en forma de tablas y gráficos. Los resultados evidencian la consolidación del conocimiento dirigido al cuidado en salud y la educación, así como el predominio de estudios cualitativos, distribuidos predominantemente en tres líneas de investigación: El cuidado y el proceso de vivir, ser saludable y enfermar; educación, salud y enfermería; proceso de trabajo en salud y enfermería. En cuanto a los sujetos de estudio, se identificó el predominio de enfermeros y del equipo de enfermería, seguido por familiares/ acompa-ñantes/ clientes, además de mujeres y embarazadas.

Can community health workers improve adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy in the USA? A review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has transformed HIV infection into a manageable chronic illness, yet AIDS mortality among ethnic minorities persists in the USA. HAART nonadherence is associated with increased HIV viral load, low CD4 cell count and racial disparities in HIV outcomes. While there is no universal consensus on how to improve medical adherence in HIV-positive populations, the community health worker (CHW) model is emerging as an effective strategy to overcome barriers to HAART adherence. Although utilized in international settings, there is little evidence regarding the effects of CHWs on HIV outcomes in the USA. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive search from May 2010 to November 2010 to identify studies carried out in the USA that utilized CHWs to improve HAART adherence and measured HIV viral loads and CD4 cell counts to assess intervention effects. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed for this article. All studies reported clinical HIV outcomes. RESULTS: Interventions that lasted at least 24 weeks, provided frequent contact with participants, and focused on medication management were associated with improved HAART adherence, as indicated by reduced HIV viral load and increased CD4 cell count. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with current standards of care, CHW programmes may offer a practical and cost-effective alternative to improve HAART adherence, which may lead to reduced HIV viral load and increased CD4 cell counts among HIV-positive populations in the USA.

Micronuclei induced by reverse transcriptase inhibitors in mononucleated and binucleated cells as assessed by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay.

This study evaluated the clastogenic and/or aneugenic potential of three nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (zidovudine - AZT, lamivudine - 3TC and stavudine - d4T) using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocyte cultures. All three inhibitors produced a positive response when tested in binucleated cells. The genotoxicity of AZT and 3TC was restricted to binucleated cells since there was no significant increase in the frequency of micronuclei in mononucleated cells. This finding indicated that AZT and 3TC caused chromosomal breakage and that their genotoxicity was related to a clastogenic action. In addition to the positive response observed with d4T in binucleated cells, this drug also increased the frequency of micronuclei in mononucleated cells, indicating clastogenic and aneugenic actions. Since the structural differences between AZT and 3TC and AZT and d4T involve the 3' position in the 2'-deoxyribonucleoside and in an unsaturated 2',3',dideoxyribose, respectively, we suggest that an unsaturated 2', 3', dideoxyribose is responsible for the clastogenic and aneugenic actions of d4T.

Micronuclei induced by reverse transcriptase inhibitors in mononucleated and binucleated cells as assessed by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay

This study evaluated the clastogenic and/or aneugenic potential of three nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (zidovudine - AZT, lamivudine - 3TC and stavudine - d4T) using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocyte cultures. All three inhibitors produced a positive response when tested in binucleated cells. The genotoxicity of AZT and 3TC was restricted to binucleated cells since there was no significant increase in the frequency of micronuclei in mononucleated cells. This finding indicated that AZT and 3TC caused chromosomal breakage and that their genotoxicity was related to a clastogenic action. In addition to the positive response observed with d4T in binucleated cells, this drug also increased the frequency of micronuclei in mononucleated cells, indicating clastogenic and aneugenic actions. Since the structural differences between AZT and 3TC and AZT and d4T involve the 3' position in the 2'-deoxyribonucleoside and in an unsaturated 2',3',dideoxyribose, respectively, we suggest that an unsaturated 2', 3', dideoxyribose is responsible for the clastogenic and aneugenic actions of d4T.

Possibilidades de conhecimento e arte na produçäo de inventos de enfermagem / Knowledge and arts in nursing inventions

Esta pesquisa desenvolveu-se na intencional busca da localizaçäo de inventores de enfermagem e seus inventos, perseguindo aquilo que se mostra subjacente ao processo de criaçäo desses inventos, bem como a busca do desvelamento do significado desse saber na prática assistencial. Como metodologia, utilizou-se a amostragem de conveniência (Polit & Hungler), tipificando uma ramificaçäo de autores de produtos inventivos que receberam um questionário sobre inspiraçäo, criaçäo, divulgaçäo e outras informaçöes da tecnologia criativa. Os resultados alcançados encaminharam para uma convergência do conhecimento e da arte expressos nos produtos criados pelos enfermeiros.

Grupos de pesquisa / Research groups

Este trabalho corresponde a uma das etapas do processo de avaliaçäo da Pós Graduaçäo em Enfermagem da UFSC, cujo objetivo é o de apresentar o diagnóstico dos grupos de pesquisa vinculados a este programa, através de seus componentes e suas linhas de pesquisa. Dos resultados apresentados destaca-se o crescimento da produçäo científica de modo articulado na perspectiva da interdisciplinaridade e a necessidade do fortalecimento da articulaçäo inter-grupos, bem como, da infra-estrutura de apoio.

Repensando a formaçäo de enfermeiros em Santa Catarina / Thinking over nursing formation in Santa Catarina

Com vistas a contribuir para registrar o processo de formaçäo de enfermeiros no Estado de Santa Catarina e gerar subsídios para discussöes atuais como a adequaçäo dos currículos e programas à legislaçäo do ensino e do exercício profissional da enfermagem e a implantaçäo do Sistema Unico de Saúde (SUS), foram coletados e analisados dados quantitativos e qualitativos relativos às quatro escolas de enfermagem existentes no ano de 1993. Conclui pela necessidade de maior unidade entre as escolas e aproximaçöes curriculares que possibilitem preparar enfermeiros conforme as necessidades prescritas pelos citados documentos legais.

A pratica da enfermagem para a construção da cidadania / The nursing practice to the citizenship construction

Condensado produzido a partir da pesquisa ôA Prática da Enfermagem re(velada), o texto reproduz em parte a análise em torno da prática da enfermagem em Santa Catarina em relação ao SUS. Os enfermeiros mostram um discurso ôholísticoõ e uma prática colada ao modelo médico vigente. São apresentadas, ainda, as teses propostas para um redirecionamento do projeto profissional para a construção da cidadania...

This is a condensed paper produced on the research The reveaied Chidden) nursing practiceõ, and reproduces part of the anaiysis about the nursing practice in Santa Catarina with regard to SUS. The nurses have a ôholisticÆ speech and a practice very near of the medical model. The text has three thesis proponed to a new direction to the professional project for a citizenship construction...

Avaliaçäo do curso de graduaçäo em enfermagem da UFSC

Este trabalho de Avaliaçäo de Curso está sendo desenvolvido pela Coordenadoria do Curso de Enfermagem e pelo Departamento de Enfermagem da UFSC, dentro de uma proposta democrática, no qual se estimula e favorece a participaçäo de professores, de alunos e da comunidade. Fundamenta-se este estudo na formulaçäo de uma filosofia de Curso e de Pefil do Graduando, voltados para a melhoria das condiçöes de saúde da populaçäo