Vivências do familiar frente ao diagnóstico de diabetes mellitus na criança/adolescente / Family experiences in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in children/adolescents

Objetivo: identificar as vivências do familiar frente ao diagnóstico de Diabetes Mellitus na criança/adolescente. Métodos: pesquisa qualitativa, realizada com 15 familiares de crianças/adolescentes do Centro Integrado de Diabetes de um Hospital Universitário do sul do Brasil. Coletou-se os dados no primeiro semestre de 2014 por entrevistas semiestruturadas, tratadas pela análise de Conteúdo. Resultados: os familiares identificam os sinais/sintomas, mas não associados com diabetes ou confundidos com outras patologias. O diagnóstico ocorre em consultas de rotina ou quando ocorre o agravamento da situação. Os sentimentos comuns são culpa e medo, por não saber como agir. Primeiro ocorre a negação e depois a busca por conhecimento acerca da doença. Considerações Finais: ao conhecer esse processo, os profissionais de enfermagem podem contribuir para diminuir o impacto do diagnóstico, apoiando a família e criança/adolescente no enfrentamento de mudanças.

Objective: to identify the experiences of the relative in the diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus in the child/adolescent. Methods: qualitative research, carried out with 15 family members of children/adolescents from the Integrated Diabetes Center of a University Hospital in southern Brazil. Data was collected in the first half of 2014 through semi-structured interviews, handled by Content analysis. Results: family members identify the signs/symptoms, but they do not associate it with diabetes, or they are confused with other pathologies. The diagnosis occurs in routine consultations or when the situation worsens. Common feelings are guilt and fear, for not knowing how to act. First there is denial and then the search for knowledge about the disease. Final considerations: by knowing this process, nursing professionals can contribute to decrease the impact of diagnosis, supporting the family and child/adolescent in coping with changes.

Accurate monitoring of promoter gene methylation with high-resolution melting polymerase chain reaction using the ABCB1 gene as a model.

Multidrug resistance is the major cause of cancer chemotherapy failure. This phenotype is mainly due to the overexpression of the human ABCB1 gene. Several studies have shown that the transcriptional regulation of this gene is complex. Yet, the impact of this transcriptional regulation has not been well studied in a clinical setting. The acquired expression of ABCB1 is associated with the genomic instability of cancer cells. This includes the occurrence of mutational events that alter chromatin structures through epigenetic modifications such as promoter methylation. Therefore, it is important to introduce new clinical methods to monitor the methylation status of ABCB1 and determine its association with gene expression in order to be able to predict response to therapies. The high-resolution melting (HRM) method has emerged as a highly accurate and sensitive method to quantify methylation status at specific sites of DNA. Here, we established HRM parameters to evaluate the promoter methylation status of the ABCB1 gene. Our study is the first to standardize the HRM dissociation curve to evaluate ABCB1 gene methylation. The association between ABCB1 methylation status and gene expression in established cancer cell lines shows that this method is accurate and reliable.

Relationships between bacterial diversity, microbial biomass, and litter quality in soils under different plant covers in northern Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

Microbial populations are primarily responsible for the decomposition of organic residues, the nutrients cycle, and the flow of energy inside of soil. The present study was undertaken to link soil microbiological and soil biochemical parameters with soil- and litter-quality conditions in the surface layer from 5 sites differing in plant cover, in stand age, and in land-use history. The aim was to see how strongly these differences affect the soil microbial attributes and to identify how microbiological processes and structures can be influenced by soil and litter quality. Soil and litter samples were collected from 5 sites according to different land use: preserved forest, nonpreserved forest, secondary forest, pasture, and eucalyptus plantation. Soil and litter microbial biomass and activity were analysed and DNA was extracted from soil. The DNA concentrations and soil microbial C and N correlated positively and significantly, suggesting that these are decisive nutrients for microbial growth and time required for microbial biomass renewal. The litter microbial biomass represented a source of C and N higher than soil microbial biomass and can be an important layer to contribute to tropical soil with low C and N availability. The litter quality influenced the litter and soil microbial biomass and activity and the soil bacterial diversity. The chemical and nutritional quality of the litter influenced the structure and microbial community composition in the eucalyptus plantation.