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Background and Aim: Lepidium meyenii Walp (Maca) is an herbaceous plant that grows in the Peruvian Andes and it has been widely used as a nutritional supplement and fertility enhancer and has been used in the treatment of a variety of diseases, such as rheumatism, respiratory disorders, and anemia. The most notable feature of Maca is its potent antioxidant capacity, which helps in the scavenging of free radicals and protection of cells from oxidative stress. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effect of Maca extract on thawed sperm cells from bulls. Materials and Methods: Three dilutions of 1, 10, and 100 mg/mL of Maca extract were incubated with frozen-thawed bovine semen and analyzed at 1, 3, and 24 h of exposure time, evaluating the activity of the extract on the DNA, motility, morphology, viability, integrity of the membrane and acrosome of spermatozoa. Results: The Maca extract improved the studied sperm parameters of motility, acrosome integrity, vitality, and DNA integrity of sperm cells at a concentration of 10 mg/mL, and at 1 mg/mL, an improvement was observed in the morphology and integrity of the membrane. However, the best activity of the Maca extract was observed on the DNA integrity of the sperm, which was effective at the three concentrations evaluated after 24 h of incubation. Conclusion: The results indicate that L. meyenii can help in maintaining spermatozoa cellular integrity after the frozen-thaw process, especially in the protection against DNA fragmentation. Therefore, Maca would be a feasible supplementation to protect sperm to maintain their fertile ability after thawing.

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Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth (Euphorbiaceae), whose occurrence has already been registered in the most varied Brazilian biomes, is commonly found in the Chapada do Araripe, Ceará. The species is traditionally used to treat fungal, parasitic, and degenerative diseases. This study investigated the chemical composition and pharmacological potential (antioxidant, antifungal, antiparasitic, and cytotoxic) of an aqueous extract obtained from the roots of C. heliotropiifolius. Following a qualitative phytochemical screening, the chemical constituents were identified by ultra-efficiency liquid chromatography coupled witha quadrupole/time-of-flight system (UPLC-QTOF). The antioxidant potential was verified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The direct and combined antifungal activity of the extract against opportunistic Candida strains was investigated using the microdilution method. The minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) was determined by subculture, while the modulation of the morphological transition (fungal virulence) was evaluated by light microscopy. The in vitro antiparasitic activity was analyzed using epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi and promastigotes of Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum, while cytotoxicity was determined in cultures of mouse fibroblasts. The phytochemical analysis identified the presence of acids, terpenes, flavonoids, lignans, and alkaloids. Among these constituents, the presence of polar and non-polar phenolic compounds with known antioxidant action was highlighted. While the extract showed clinically ineffective antifungal effects, it could enhance the effectiveness of fluconazole, in addition to inhibiting the morphological transition associated with increased virulence in Candida strains. Although the extract showed low cytotoxicity against fibroblasts, it also had weak antiparasitic effects. In conclusion, Croton heliotropiifolius is a source of natural products with antifungal and antioxidant potential.

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The intravascular parasitic worm Schistosoma mansoni is a causative agent of schistosomiasis, a disease of great global public health significance. Praziquantel is the only drug available to treat schistosomiasis and there is an urgent demand for new anthelmintic agents. Adopting a phenotypic drug screening strategy, here, we evaluated the antiparasitic properties of 46 commercially available cardiovascular drugs against S. mansoni. From these screenings, we found that amiodarone, telmisartan, propafenone, methyldopa, and doxazosin affected the viability of schistosomes in vitro, with effective concentrations of 50% (EC50) and 90% (EC90) values ranging from 8 to 50 µM. These results were further supported by scanning electron microscopy analysis. Subsequently, the most effective drug (amiodarone) was further tested in a murine model of schistosomiasis for both early and chronic S. mansoni infections using a single oral dose of 400 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg daily for five consecutive days. Amiodarone had a low efficacy in chronic infection, with the worm and egg burden reduction ranging from 10 to 30%. In contrast, amiodarone caused a significant reduction in worm and egg burden in early infection (>50%). Comparatively, treatment with amiodarone is more effective in early infection than praziquantel, demonstrating the potential role of this cardiovascular drug as an antischistosomal agent.

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Introdução: A radioterapia é uma modalidade terapêutica principal e coadjuvante muito utilizada no tratamento das neoplasias malignas, incluindo as que acometem a região de Cabeça e Pescoço. Os danos da radiação aos tecidos normais podem se manifestar gradativamente ao longo de muitos meses ou anos após a conclusão do tratamento. Objetivos: Avaliar os efeitos adversos da radioterapia (mucosite e xerostomia) e suas associações em relação à dose total de radiação, localização do tumor e radioterapia isolada ou associada à quimioterapia. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo de 110 pacientes todos portadores de carcinoma espinocelular de boca e orofaringe submetidos a tratamento radioquimioterápico. O protocolo foi constituído por análise de prontuários com atenção ao gênero, idade, tumor (localização e o estadiamento TNM, 2002/UICC), terapêutica (cirurgia, radioterapia e quimioterapia) e os efeitos adversos (mucosite e xerostomia). Resultados: Verificou-se uma frequência de 83,6% de pacientes que apresentaram mucosite e 75,5% com xerostomia. Em relação ao grau de mucosite, houve predominância de G1 45 pacientes (40,9%). Quando da associação entre a localização do tumor e dose da radioterapia e os efeitos adversos (mucosite e xerostomia), as diferenças encontradas não se mostraram estatisticamente significativas (p<0,05). A mucosite mostrou-se estatisticamente significativa (p=0,028) quando da associação entre a radioterapia isolada e a associação à quimioterapia. Conclusões: Os efeitos adversos da radioterapia (mucosite e xerostomia), quando associados com a dose total de radiação e a localização do tumor, não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas. A mucosite foi efeito adverso significativo quando a quimioterapia foi associada à radioterapia.

Introduction: The radiation therapy is a main or adjuvant therapeutic modality widely used in the treatment of neoplasms, including those involving the head and neck. The radiation damage to normal tissue can occur gradually, over many months or years after completion of treatment. Objectives: To evaluate the adverse effects of radiotherapy (mucositis and xerostomia) and their associations in relation to total dose of radiation, tumor site and radiotherapy alone or combined with chemotherapy. Methods: A retrospective study of 110 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth and oropharynx submitted to treatment radiochemotherapy. The protocol was established by analysis of records with attention directed to gender, age, tumor (location and TNM staging, 2002/UICC), therapy (surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy) and adverse effects (mucositis and xerostomia). Results: There was a frequency of 83.6% of patients with mucositis and 75.5% with xerostomia. Regarding the grade of mucositis, there was a predominance of G1 45 patients (40.9%). When the association between the location of the tumor and the radiation dose and adverse effects (mucositis and xerostomia), the differences were not statistically significant (p <0.05). The mucositis was statistically significant (p = 0028) when the association between radiotherapy alone and combination to chemotherapy. Conclusions: The adverse effects of radiotherapy (mucositis and xerostomia) when associated with the total dose of radiation and location of the tumor, showed no statistically significant differences. Mucositis was the significant adverse effect when chemotherapy was combined with radiotherapy.

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Belo Horizonte tem experimentado um intenso processo de urbanização e acentuado crescimento populacional nas últimas décadas, seguidos de crescimento econômico e avanços tecnológicos. Disto advém profundo impacto sobre o espaço físico da cidade, segmentando-a, dividindo-a em múltiplos territórios marcados pela disputa de espaços e por crescente onda de violência. Por sua vez, a morfologia da cidade denuncia um crescimento irregular, entremeado ora por uma ocupação planejada, ora por ocupação desorganizada assentada em área de risco, com sua forma singular que, como um selo, destaca-se por toda a cidade. Isto propicia indagar sobre o que há de comum entre essa dinâmica espacial e a disputa territorial, no trato da violência e da criminalidade. É interessante, nesse sentido, fazer uma aproximação entre a morfologia urbana e as teorias ecológicas da desorganização social com o crime de homicídio consumado. Para tanto, este trabalho propõe, por meio de revisão bibliográfica, identificar a priori quais são esses aspectos e fatores ligados à forma urbana relacionados com essa criminalidade violenta exponencial.

Belo Horizonte has been going through an intense process of urbanization and a marked population growth in the last decades, followed by economic growth and technological advancements. These changes generate a deep impact on the physical space of the city, which segments it into multiple territories characterized by disputes of space and an increasing violence wave. In its turn, the morphology of the city shows an irregular growth, intermingled sometimes by a planed occupation and other times by a disordered occupation settled in risky areas, with a unique form which, like a seal, outstands throughout the city. This line of thought leads us to ask what is common among such space dynamics and the territorial dispute, when it comes to violence and criminality. It is interesting, in this sense, to approach the relationship of urban morphology and the ecological theories of social disorganization to accomplished homicide. For such, this work intends to identify, a priori, and by means of a bibliographic review, which are such aspects and factors connected to the urban form that are related to the exponential violent criminality.

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Uma empresa recicladora de baterias chumbo-ácido localizada no município de Bauru, Estado de São Paulo, contaminou o solo de chácaras e de conjuntos residenciais no seu entorno. A exposição ao chumbo pode ocorrer diretamente por inalação de material particulado emitido pelo processo industrial ou ingestão de poeira, água e alimentos produzidos em áreas contaminadas. Este estudo visou determinar as concentrações de chumbo em amostras de alimentos ( hortaliças, raízes/tubérculos, frutas, ovos e leite) produzidos e consumidos em área situada ao redor da empresa, antes e após a remediação do solo. A primeira coleta foi realizada em 2002, após a interdição da empresa, e a segunda em 2003, após a remediação de algumas áreas.As determinações de Pb foram realizadas por espectrometria e absorção atômica com chama. Na primeira coleta,39,3% das amostras analisadas apresentaram-se contaminadas e na segunda coleta 13,9%, sendo que o leite foi o alimento que apresentou maior porcentagem de amostras acima do limite estabelecido pela legislação em vigor. A redução da contaminação por chumbo nos alimentos da região foi observada após as intervenções realizadas no ambiente, com a retirada de camada de 5 cm do solo superficial. Nas áreas onde não foram implementadas ações corretivas, os níveis de chumbo nos alimentos permaneceram elevados, indicando a importânica da continuidade do programa de monitoramento da área

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O trabalho constitui um estudo sobre o ensino da Introdução para Ciência da Enfermagem e Fundamentos de Enfermagem em um currículo integrado, desenvolvido de forma experimental pela EEAN/UFRJ. O enfoque principal deste programa de ensino é a reorganização das experiências curriculares visando favorecer o preparo do aluno face às novas características da prática profissional, preparando-o, deste modo, para uma atuação multidisciplinar e interdisciplinar. São evidenciadas as competências a serem alcançadas pelos alunos nas etapas do curso de graduação, sendo também apresentado em quadro demonstrativo do conteúdo da disciplina Fundamentos de Enfermagem e dos Planos Curriculares interdepartamentais.

This work is a study about the teaching of Nursing Science Introduction and Nursing Fundamental in an integrated curriculum developed in an experimental form by the Ana Nery Nursing School at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The main approach this teaching program is the reorganization of the curricular experiences in order to benefit the students prepare regard to the new characteristics of the profissional practice and for their multidisciplinar and interdisciplinar participation. The competences to be acquired by the students in the stages of the graduation course are showed. Moreover, the content program of Nursing Fundamental and the interdepartamental curricular plan are presented.