Associação Brasileira de Estatística
Repositório da Produção USP (Univ. de São Paulo)Not a member yet
45573 research outputs found
Sort by
Effectiveness of Aquatic Therapy vs Land-based Therapy for Balance and Pain in Women with Fibromyalgia: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
No full textAbstract\ud
\ud
Background\ud
Fibromyalgia is a disease with an increasing incidence. It impairs the quality of life of patients and decreases their functional capacity. Aquatic therapy has already been used for managing the symptoms of this syndrome. However, aquatic therapy has only recently been introduced as a treatment modality for improving proprioception in fibromyalgia. The main objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of two physiotherapy protocols, one in and one out of water, for improving balance and decreasing pain in women with fibromyalgia.\ud
\ud
\ud
Methods/Design\ud
The study protocol will be a single-blind randomised controlled trial. Forty women diagnosed with fibromyalgia will be randomly assigned into 2 groups: Aquatic Therapy (n = 20) or Land-based Therapy (n = 20). Both interventions include 60-min therapy sessions, structured into 4 sections: Warm-up, Proprioceptive Exercises, Stretching and Relaxation. These sessions will be carried out 3 times a week for 3 months. Primary outcomes are balance (static and dynamic) and pain (intensity and threshold). Secondary outcomes include functional balance, quality of life, quality of sleep, fatigue, self-confidence in balance and physical ability. Outcome measures will be evaluated at baseline, at the end of the 3-month intervention period, and 6-weeks post-treatment. Statistical analysis will be carried out using the SPSS 21.0 program for Windows and a significance level of p ≤ 0.05 will be used for all tests.\ud
\ud
\ud
Discussion\ud
This study protocol details two physiotherapy interventions in women with fibromyalgia to improve balance and decrease pain: aquatic therapy and land-based therapy. In current literature there is a lack of methodological rigour and a limited number of studies that describe physiotherapy protocols to manage fibromyalgia symptoms. High-quality scientific works are required to highlight physiotherapy as one of the most recommended treatment options for this syndrome.\ud
\ud
\ud
Trial registration\ud
Date of publication in ClinicalTrials.gov: 18/02/2016. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: \ud
NCT02695875\ud
\ud
Di Cavalcanti: Rio de Janeiro, 6 de setembro de 1897 - Rio de Janeiro, 26 de outubro de 1976
No full textFolheto de exposição realizada no MAC USP em 2017
Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells protect against premature renal senescence resulting from oxidative stress in rats with acute kidney injury
No full textAbstract\ud
\ud
Background\ud
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) represent an option for the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI). It is known that young stem cells are better than are aged stem cells at reducing the incidence of the senescent phenotype in the kidneys. The objective of this study was to determine whether AKI leads to premature, stress-induced senescence, as well as whether human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (huMSCs) can prevent ischaemia/reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced renal senescence in rats.\ud
\ud
\ud
Methods\ud
By clamping both renal arteries for 45 min, we induced IRI in male rats. Six hours later, some rats received 1 × 106 huMSCs or human adipose-derived MSCs (aMSCs) intraperitoneally. Rats were euthanised and studied on post-IRI days 2, 7 and 49.\ud
\ud
\ud
Results\ud
On post-IRI day 2, the kidneys of huMSC-treated rats showed improved glomerular filtration, better tubular function and higher expression of aquaporin 2, as well as less macrophage infiltration. Senescence-related proteins (β-galactosidase, p21Waf1/Cip1, p16INK4a and transforming growth factor beta 1) and microRNAs (miR-29a and miR-34a) were overexpressed after IRI and subsequently downregulated by the treatment. The IRI-induced pro-oxidative state and reduction in Klotho expression were both reversed by the treatment. In comparison with huMSC treatment, the treatment with aMSCs improved renal function to a lesser degree, as well as resulting in a less pronounced increase in the renal expression of Klotho and manganese superoxide dismutase. Treatment with huMSCs ameliorated long-term kidney function after IRI, minimised renal fibrosis, decreased β-galactosidase expression and increased the expression of Klotho.\ud
\ud
\ud
Conclusions\ud
Our data demonstrate that huMSCs attenuate the inflammatory and oxidative stress responses occurring in AKI, as well as reducing the expression of senescence-related proteins and microRNAs. Our findings broaden perspectives for the treatment of AKI.This study was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado\ud
de São Paulo (FAPESP, São Paulo Research Foundation; grant no. 2010/\ud
19012-0)
Immune and biochemical responses in skin differ between bovine hosts genetically susceptible and resistant to the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus
No full textAbstract\ud
\ud
Background\ud
Ticks attach to and penetrate their hosts’ skin and inactivate multiple components of host responses in order to acquire a blood meal. Infestation loads with the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, are heritable: some breeds carry high loads of reproductively successful ticks, whereas in others, few ticks feed and reproduce efficiently.\ud
\ud
\ud
Methods\ud
In order to elucidate the mechanisms that result in the different outcomes of infestations with cattle ticks, we examined global gene expression and inflammation induced by tick bites in skins from one resistant and one susceptible breed of cattle that underwent primary infestations with larvae and nymphs of R. microplus. We also examined the expression profiles of genes encoding secreted tick proteins that mediate parasitism in larvae and nymphs feeding on these breeds.\ud
\ud
\ud
Results\ud
Functional analyses of differentially expressed genes in the skin suggest that allergic contact-like dermatitis develops with ensuing production of IL-6, CXCL-8 and CCL-2 and is sustained by HMGB1, ISG15 and PKR, leading to expression of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines that recruit granulocytes and T lymphocytes. Importantly, this response is delayed in susceptible hosts. Histopathological analyses of infested skins showed inflammatory reactions surrounding tick cement cones that enable attachment in both breeds, but in genetically tick-resistant bovines they destabilized the cone. The transcription data provided insights into tick-mediated activation of basophils, which have previously been shown to be a key to host resistance in model systems. Skin from tick-susceptible bovines expressed more transcripts encoding enzymes that detoxify tissues. Interestingly, these enzymes also produce volatile odoriferous compounds and, accordingly, skin rubbings from tick-susceptible bovines attracted significantly more tick larvae than rubbings from resistant hosts. Moreover, transcripts encoding secreted modulatory molecules by the tick were significantly more abundant in larval and in nymphal salivary glands from ticks feeding on susceptible bovines.\ud
\ud
\ud
Conclusions\ud
Compared with tick-susceptible hosts, genes encoding enzymes producing volatile compounds exhibit significantly lower expression in resistant hosts, which may render them less attractive to larvae; resistant hosts expose ticks to an earlier inflammatory response, which in ticks is associated with significantly lower expression of genes encoding salivary proteins that suppress host immunity, inflammation and coagulation.This work was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado\ud
de São Paulo - FAPESP (grant number 2009/53645-3 to IKFMS), by the\ud
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnologico - CNPq\ud
(grant numbers 490498/2007-8, 471946/2010-9, 300873/2010-7 and 559603/\ud
2009-6 to IKFMS) and by the Intramural Research Program of the Division of\ud
Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,\ud
National Institutes of Health. AMF was supported by a scholarship from the\ud
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES;\ud
SRM. and GRG were supported by scholarships from FAPESP (2012/04087-0\ud
and 2009/51212-2, respectively). Because JMCR is a U.S. government employee\ud
and this is a government work, the work is in the public domain in the United\ud
States. Notwithstanding any other agreements, the NIH reserves the right to\ud
provide the work to PubMedCentral for display and use by the public, and\ud
PubMedCentral may tag or modify the work consistent with its customary\ud
practices. You can establish rights outside of the U.S. subject to a government\ud
use license
Phenotype and multipotency of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) amniotic stem cells
No full textAbstract\ud
\ud
Background\ud
Stem cells are capable of unlimited self-renewal and are able to remain undifferentiated for extended periods of time prior to their differentiation into specific cell lineages. Because of the issues (ethical and religious) involved in the use of embryonic stem cells and the limited plasticity of adult stem cells, an alternative cell source could be foetal stem cells derived from extra-embryonic tissue, which are highly proliferative, grow in vitro and possess interesting immunogenic characteristics. As a result, the amniotic membrane of several species has been studied as an important new source of stem cells.\ud
\ud
\ud
Methods\ud
Here, we cultured and characterized mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from the rabbit amniotic membrane, and investigated their differentiation potential. In total, amniotic membranes were collected from eight rabbit foetuses and were isolated by the explant technique. The obtained cells were cultured in DMEM-HIGH glucose and incubated at 37 °C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2.\ud
\ud
\ud
Results\ud
The cells adhered to the culture plates and showed a high proliferative capacity with fibroblast-like morphologies. The cells showed a positive response for markers for the cytoskeleton, mesenchymal stem cells and proliferation, pluripotency and haematopoietic precursor stem cells. However, the cells were negative for CD45, a marker of haematopoietic cells. Furthermore, the cells had the capacity to be induced to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages. In addition, when the cells were injected into nude mice, we did not observe the formation of tumours.\ud
\ud
\ud
Conclusions\ud
In summary, our results demonstrate that multipotent mesenchymal stem cells can be obtained from the rabbit amniotic membrane for possible use in future cell therapy applications
Diversity and distribution of avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites in captive birds from a Brazilian megalopolis
No full textAbstract\ud
\ud
Background\ud
The role of zoos in conservation programmes has increased significantly in last decades, and the health of captive animals is essential to guarantee success of such programmes. However, zoo birds suffer from parasitic infections, which often are caused by malaria parasites and related haemosporidians. Studies determining the occurrence and diversity of these parasites, aiming better understanding infection influence on fitness of captive birds, are limited.\ud
\ud
\ud
Methods\ud
In 2011–2015, the prevalence and diversity of Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. was examined in blood samples of 677 captive birds from the São Paulo Zoo, the largest zoo in Latin America. Molecular and microscopic diagnostic methods were used in parallel to detect and identify these infections.\ud
\ud
\ud
Results\ud
The overall prevalence of haemosporidians was 12.6%. Parasites were mostly detected by the molecular diagnosis, indicating that many birds harbour subclinical or abortive infections. In this project, birds of 17 orders (almost half of all the orders currently accepted in taxonomy of birds), 29 families, and 122 species, were tested, detecting positive individuals in 27% of bird species. Birds from the Anatidae were the most prevalently infected (64.7% of all infected animals). In all, infections with parasites of the genus Plasmodium (overall prevalence 97.6%) predominated when compared to those of the genus Haemoproteus (2.4%). In total, 14 cytochrome b (cytb) lineages of Plasmodium spp. and 2 cytb lineages of Haemoproteus spp. were recorded. Eight lineages were new. One of the reported lineages was broad generalist while others were reported in single or a few species of birds. Molecular characterization of Haemoproteus ortalidum was developed.\ud
\ud
\ud
Conclusion\ud
This study shows that many species of birds are at risk in captivity. It is difficult to stop haemosporidian parasite transmission in zoos, but is possible to reduce the infection rate by treating the infected animals or/and while keeping them in facilities free from mosquitoes. Protocols of quarantine should be implemented whenever an animal is transferred between bird maintaining institutions. This is the first survey of haemosporidians in captive birds from different orders maintained in zoos. It is worth emphasizing the necessity of applying practices to control these parasites in management and husbandry of animals in captivity.We thank Prof. Dr. Claudio Marinho and Erika Machado for kindly providing\ud
the use of Zeiss Axio Imager M2 light microscope equipped with a Zeiss Axio\ud
Carm HRc in which the photographs of this paper were produced. We thank\ud
the São Paulo Zoo Foundation (Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo) for\ud
the support provided to this research. This research was funded by Fundação\ud
de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP 2012/51427-1)
Associations among osteocalcin, leptin and metabolic health in children ages 9–13 years in the United States
No full textAbstract\ud
\ud
Background\ud
This study aimed to investigate the relationships among osteocalcin, leptin and metabolic health outcomes in children ages 9–13 years.\ud
\ud
\ud
Methods\ud
This was a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 161 boys and 157 girls (ages 9–13 years) who previously participated in a double-blinded randomized placebo controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation. Relationships among fasting serum total osteocalcin (tOC), undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), leptin, and metabolic health outcomes were analyzed.\ud
\ud
\ud
Results\ud
Approximately 52% of study participants were obese based on percent body fat cutoffs (>25% for boys and >32% for girls) and about 5% had fasting serum glucose within the prediabetic range (i.e. 100 to 125 mg/dL). Serum tOC was not correlated with leptin, glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, or HOMA-β after adjusting for percent body fat. However, serum ucOC negatively correlated with leptin (partial r = −0.16; p = 0.04) and glucose (partial r = −0.16; p = 0.04) after adjustment for percent body fat. Leptin was a positive predictor of insulin, glucose, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-β after adjusting for age, sex and percent body fat (all p < 0.001).\ud
\ud
\ud
Conclusions\ud
These data depict an inverse relationship between leptin and various metabolic health outcomes in children. However, the notion that tOC or ucOC link fat with energy metabolism in healthy children was not supported.\ud
\ud
\ud
Clinical trial registration number\ud
\ud
\ud
NCT00931580\ud
\ud
.This study was funded by NIH grants HD057126 (PI: Lewis) and RR025761\ud
(Indiana CTSI, PI: Shekhar). K.V.G. had fellowship support from the São Paulo\ud
Research Foundation (FAPESP) 2013/15823-2. K.M.H.G. is supported through\ud
NIH K01 DK102864. The funding sources had no involvement in the preparation\ud
of the manuscript
Harm Reduction and Tensions in Trust and Distrust in a Mental Health Service: A Qualitative Approach
No full textAbstract\ud
\ud
Background\ud
People seeking care for substance use (PSCSU) experience deep social and health inequities. Harm reduction can be a moral imperative to approach these persons. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships among users, health care providers, relatives, and society regarding harm reduction in mental health care, using a trust approach rooted in feminist ethics.\ud
\ud
\ud
Methods\ud
A qualitative study was conducted in a mental health service for PSCSU, and included fifteen participants who were health care providers, users, and their relatives. Individual in-depth and group interviews, participant observation, and a review of patients’ records and service reports were conducted.\ud
\ud
\ud
Results\ud
Three nested levels of (dis)trust were identified: (dis)trust in the treatment, (dis)trust in the user, and self-(dis)trust of the user, revealing the interconnections among different layers of trust. (Dis)trust at each level can amplify or decrease the potential for a positive therapeutic response in users, their relatives’ support, and how professionals act and build innovations in care. Distrust was more abundant than trust in participants’ reports, revealing the fragility of trust and the focus on abstinence within this setting.\ud
\ud
\ud
Conclusion\ud
The mismatch between wants and needs of users and the expectations and requirements of a society and mental health care system based on a logic of “fixing” has contributed to distrust and stigma. Therefore, we recommend policies that increase the investment in harm reduction education and practice that target service providers, PSCSU, and society to change the context of distrust identified.This study was supported by three Brazilian public funding agencies: 1)\ud
Health Ministry - SGTES/Pró-Saúde/PET-Saúde – document n. 24, December\ud
15, 2011; 2) Health Ministry - PPSUS MS/CNPq/FAPAC/SESACRE – document\ud
n.18/2013; and 3) Education Ministry – CAPES - process n. 99999.010807/2014-\ud
04. The views expressed in this article are entirely the views of the authors\ud
and do not represent the view of any service, organization, or department