Possible Contribution of PTSD to Altered Cortisol Activity in Young Adult Obese African-American Women.

OBJECTIVE: African-Americans have been found to experience increased rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obesity, and flatter diurnal cortisol slopes compared to other demographic groups. Further exploration, however, is needed to understand how PTSD impacts diurnal cortisol activity in obese African-American women. The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between salivary cortisol levels and PTSD in a sample of obese young adult African-American women and to examine how depression and insomnia influence the relationship. METHODS: Thirty-four young adult African-American women (mean age = 24.0 years; mean BMI = 37.4 kg/m(2), 6/34 of the sample had a score of 40 or above on the PTSD Checklist (PCL) representing clinically significant PTSD) filled out questionnaires assessing PTSD, lifetime exposure to traumatic events, insomnia severity, and depression. A home-based assessment of salivary cortisol was provided upon awakening at 30 min and 1, 3, 6, and 12 h. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between PTSD status and diurnal cortisol activity (p < 0.04). There were trends for higher cortisol levels at awakening (p < 0.051) and 30 min post-awakening (p < 0.059) with PTSD. The significance of the interaction between PTSD and cortisol was attenuated by co-varying for depression and insomnia (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: PTSD, influenced by depression and insomnia symptoms, has an impact on diurnal cortisol activity in obese young adult African-American women.

Investigação dos métodos avaliativos utilizados por fisioterapeutas na especificidade da neurologia funcional / Investigation of the evaluative methods used by physical therapists in the specificity of the functional neurology / Investigación de los métodos de evaluación utilizados por fisioterapeutas en la especificidad de la neurología funcional

A avaliação fisioterapêutica neurofuncional representa uma das ações mais importantes do profissional. Contudo, divergências nos métodos utilizados para elaboração diagnóstica fazem com que haja discrepâncias na prescrição e no prognóstico fisioterapêutico. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar e discutir métodos e técnicas de avaliação utilizados por fisioterapeutas vinculados à atenção à saúde da população, na especificidade da neurologia funcional. Para a concretização desta pesquisa, foi realizado um estudo quali-quantitativo de delineamento transversal. A amostra foi composta por fisioterapeutas registrados no Conselho Regional de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional da comarca de Mato Grosso do Sul (CREFITO-13), especialistas na área da reabilitação neurofuncional, e atuantes em hospitais, universidades e clínicas da cidade de Campo Grande (MS). Os dados foram analisados por meio da estatística descritiva e inferencial (teste do χ2), sob um nível de significância de 5% (p<0,05). Sobre os resultados, todos os fisioterapeutas analisados concluíram a graduação havia mais de cinco anos. As respostas referentes ao exame físico foram semelhantes entre fisioterapeutas docentes e clínicos (p=0,81), não ocorrendo o mesmo com a anamnese (p=0,02). Itens como funções cognitivas e determinantes sociais de saúde foram respondidas por menos de 15% dos entrevistados, e aproximadamente 70% dos entrevistados disseram realizar, mas não registrar, a avaliação do paciente. Em conclusão, ainda não há uma padronização da avaliação fisioterapêutica neurofuncional, tornando difícil unificar a análise prescritiva e prognóstica dos casos clínicos. As respostas apontam para uma dependência da visão profissional nos aspectos da doença, com pouca valorização das questões sociais de saúde.

Neurofunctional clinical evaluation represents one of the most important activities of physical therapists. However, differences in diagnostic methods cause discrepancies between physical therapy prescription and prognosis. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze and discuss the evaluation methods and techniques used by physical therapists bound to popular healthcare assistance, in the specificity of the neurofunctional area. To accomplish this research, a cross-sectional design study was conducted. The sample consisted of physical therapists specialized in neurofunctional rehabilitation registered in the Regional Council for Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy of Mato Grosso do Sul (Conselho Regional de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, CREFITO - 13), who work in hospitals, universities and clinics of the city of Campo Grande, Brazil. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (χ2) statistics, under a 5% level of significance (p<0.05). Regarding the results, all physical therapists had concluded graduation five years before. Responses regarding the physical examination were similar between professors and clinical physical therapists (p=0.81), which did not happen on the anamnesis (p=0.02). Items such as cognitive functions and social determinants of health were answered by less than 15% of subjects, and about 70% of respondents said they do, but do not register, the patients' evaluation. In conclusion, there is not a standardization of the physiotherapeutic neurofunctional evaluation, making it difficult to unify the prescriptive and prognostic analysis of clinical cases. The responses indicate a dependence of professional vision in the disease aspect, with little appreciation of health social issues.

La evaluación fisioterapéutica neuro-funcional representa una de las acciones más importantes del profesional. Sin embargo, los desacuerdos en los métodos utilizados para la elaboración diagnóstica hacen que haya discrepancias en la prescripción y pronóstico fisioterapéutico. Así, el objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar y discutir los métodos y técnicas de evaluación utilizados por fisioterapeutas vinculados a la atención de salud de la población, en la especificidad de la neurología funcional. Para la concretización de esta investigación fue realizado un estudio cuali-cuantitativo de delineamiento transversal. La muestra fue compuesta por fisioterapeutas, especialistas en el área de rehabilitación neuro-funcional, registrados en el Consejo Regional de Fisioterapia y Terapia Ocupacional del estado Mato Grosso do Sul (CREFITO-13). La investigación involucra profesionales presentes en hospitales, universidades y clínicas de la ciudad de Campo Grande/MS. Los datos fueron analizados por medio de estadística descriptiva e inferencial (test χ2), sobre un nivel de significancia de 5% (p<0,05). Sobre los resultados, todos los fisioterapeutas analizados eran formados hace más de 5 años. Las respuestas referentes al examen físico fueron semejantes entre fisioterapeutas docentes y clínicos (p=0,81), no ocurriendo lo mismo en la anamnesis (p=0,02). Ítems como funciones cognitivas y determinantes sociales de salud fueron respondidas por menos del 15% de los entrevistados, y aproximadamente 70% realiza, pero no registra la evaluación del paciente. En conclusión, todavía no hay una normalización de la evaluación fisioterapéutica neuro-funcional, tornando difícil unificar un análisis prescriptivo y pronóstico de los casos clínicos. Las respuestas apuntan para una dependencia de la visión profesional en los aspectos de la enfermedad, con poca valoración de las preguntas sociales de la salud.

Mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition in macrophages of asymptomatic HIV+ persons reverses the decrease in TLR-4-mediated TNF-α release through prolongation of MAPK pathway activation.

TLR-4-mediated signaling is significantly impaired in macrophages from HIV(+) persons, predominantly owing to altered MyD88-dependent pathway signaling caused in part by constitutive activation of PI3K. In this study we assessed in these macrophages if the blunted increase in TLR-4-mediated TNF-α release induced by lipid A (LA) is associated with PI3K-induced upregulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity. mTOR inhibition with rapamycin enhanced TLR-4-mediated TNF-α release, but suppressed anti-inflammatory IL-10 release. Targeted gene silencing of mTOR in macrophages resulted in LA-induced TNF-α and IL-10 release patterns similar to those induced by rapamycin. Rapamycin restored MyD88/IL-1R-associated kinase interaction in a dose-dependent manner. Targeted gene silencing of MyD88 (short hairpin RNA) and mTOR (RNA interference) inhibition resulted in TLR-4-mediated 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase activation and enhanced TNF-α release, whereas IL-10 release was inhibited in both silenced and nonsilenced HIV(+) macrophages. Furthermore, mTOR inhibition augmented LA-induced TNF-α release through enhanced and prolonged phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 MAPK, which was associated with time-dependent MKP-1 destabilization. Taken together, impaired TLR-4-mediated TNF-α release in HIV(+) macrophages is attributable in part to mTOR activation by constitutive PI3K expression in a MyD88-dependent signaling pathway. These changes result in MAPK phosphatase 1 stabilization, which shortens and blunts MAPK activation. mTOR inhibition may serve as a potential therapeutic target to upregulate macrophage innate immune host defense responsiveness in HIV(+) persons.