Improvement of older women's sexuality through emancipatory education.

The purpose of this action research (AR) was to explore the ways in which sexuality is experienced daily and to improve the expression of older women's sexuality. The pedagogy of autonomy as proposed by the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire theoretically supported this AR, with the participation of six older adult women living in a rural setting in southwest Brazil. The older women's experiences regarding sexuality, their concerns, and their educational demands could be summarized through five phrases: the improvement of self-esteem as a way to promote sexuality; sexuality impaired by loneliness and lack of affection; men's sexual satisfaction seen as a woman's obligation; women's sexuality controlled by the society; and relinquishment of the companion to attend to the expectations of family members.

Hypothyroidism in the adult rat causes incremental changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neuronal and astrocyte apoptosis, gliosis, and deterioration of postsynaptic density.

Background: Adult hypothyroidism is a highly prevalent condition that impairs processes, such as learning and memory. Even though tetra-iodothyronine (T(4)) treatment can overcome the hypothyroidism in the majority of cases, it cannot fully recover the patient's learning capacity and memory. In this work, we analyzed the cellular and molecular changes in the adult brain occurring with the development of experimental hypothyroidism.

Mechanisms used by virulent Salmonella to impair dendritic cell function and evade adaptive immunity.

Innate and adaptive immunity are inter-related by dendritic cells (DCs), which directly recognize bacteria through the binding of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) to specialized receptors on their surface. After capturing and degrading bacteria, DCs present their antigens as small peptides bound to MHC molecules and prime naive bacteria-specific T cells. In response to PAMP recognition DCs undergo maturation, which is a phenotypic change that increases their immunogenicity and promotes the activation of naive T cells.

Evaluation of amino acid O-phosphoserine as ligand for the capture of immunoglubulin G from human serum.

The amino acid ortho-phosphoserine (OPS) immobilized on agarose gel was evaluated as a ligand for adsorption of polyclonal human immunoglobulin G (IgG) from human serum in the presence of low ionic strength buffers. Screening of buffer systems showed sodium phosphate as the buffer that exhibited higher IgG purity values. Through breakthrough curve analysis for agarose-OPS (feeding of 31.

[Leisure and mental health in people with hypertension: convergence in health education].

People with hypertension constantly deal with issues related to mental health due to the psychosocial determinants of this illness, and leisure is an important control strategy. The objective of this study was to promote health education to a group of hypertensive patients, through research-action, based on critical-social pedagogy, and taking into consideration the participants' perception of leisure. Educational activities were conducted and, following, an evaluation was performed regarding the subjects' opinion about the impact of leisure on their lives and mental health.

IgG keeps virulent Salmonella from evading dendritic cell uptake.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are phagocytic professional antigen-presenting cells that can prime naive T cells and initiate anti-bacterial immunity. However, several pathogenic bacteria have developed virulence mechanisms to impair DC function. For instance, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium can prevent DCs from activating antigen-specific T cells.

Respiratory syncytial virus infection and immunity.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause for childhood hospitalization and respiratory distress, being recognized as a major health and economic burden worldwide. RSV can exploit host immunity and cause a strong inflammatory response that leads to lung damage and virus dissemination. Unfortunately, the immune response elicited by RSV normally fails to protect against subsequent exposures to the virus.

SOS1 over-expression in genital skin fibroblasts from hirsute women: a putative role of the SOS1/RAS pathway in the pathogenesis of hirsutism.

Hirsutism is the development of androgen-dependent terminal body hair in women in places in which terminal hair are normally not found. It is often associated with hyperandrogenemia and/or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but the existence of uncommom hirsutism forms that are not related to altered androgen plasma levels lead also to the definition of - idiopathic hirsutism. Although the pathophysiology of hirsutism has been linked to increasing 5-alpha reductase (SRD5A) activity and to an alteration of the androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional machinery, many aspects remain unclear.

Evasion of host immunity by virulent Salmonella: implications for vaccine design.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) capable of linking innate and adaptive immunity during infection. After recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), DCs can engulf, process and present bacteria-derived antigens on MHC molecules to T cells. Because of the key role that DCs play on the initiation of innate and adaptive immunity, alterations in their function could render the host susceptible to bacterial dissemination.

Excision of an unstable pathogenicity island in Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is induced during infection of phagocytic cells.

The availability of the complete genome sequence of several Salmonella enterica serovars has revealed the presence of unstable genetic elements in these bacteria, such as pathogenicity islands and prophages. This is the case of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis), a bacterium that causes gastroenteritis in humans and systemic infection in mice.

Bioenergetics and neuromuscular determinants of the time to exhaustion at velocity corresponding to VO2max in recreational long-distance runners.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the main bioenergetics and neuromuscular determinants of the time to exhaustion (T(lim)) at the velocity corresponding to maximal oxygen uptake in recreational long-distance runners. Twenty runners performed the following tests on 5 different days: (a) maximal incremental treadmill test, (b) 2 submaximal tests to determine running economy and vertical stiffness, (c) exhaustive test to measured the T(lim), (d) maximum dynamic strength test, and (e) muscle power production test. Aerobic and anaerobic energy contributions during the T(lim) test were also estimated.

Modulation of the dendritic cell-T-cell synapse to promote pathogen immunity and prevent autoimmunity.

The molecular interactions occurring at the interface between dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells play an important role in the immune surveillance against infectious agents, as well as in autoimmune pathogenesis. Therefore, regulation of this interaction arises as an important tool for the prevention and treatment of immune disorders and to improve the protection against pathogens without causing detrimental inflammation. Some of the molecular interactions defining the outcome of the DC-T cell interaction are: T-cell receptor (TCR) binding to the pMHC on the DC surface, which is responsible for the antigenic specificity; and the ratio of activating/inhibitory receptor pairs on the surface of DCs and T cells, which modulate DC immunogenicity and T-cell function, respectively.

[Death education for nursing professors and students: a document review of the scientific literature].

In Western cultures, Death is not among the favorite topics. Nevertheless, how should professionals who deal with Death on a daily basis behave? What meaning does Death have to them? This study consists of a survey on scientific literature about the referred subject in nursing education. Using a qualitative method, a documentary exploratory study was performed, characterized by a survey over a five-year period.

Superolateral dislocation of the intact mandibular condyle associated with panfacial fracture: a case report and literature review.

Superolateral dislocation of the intact mandibular condyle (SDIMC) is rare. This case report focuses on a 15-year-old teenager who was involved in a motor vehicle accident as well a literature review regarding the SDIMC. Clinical examination demonstrated a diffuse edema in the midfacial area and a left lateral deflection of the mandible, including an open bite and a crepitation in the symphyseal region.

Local cytokine response upon respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of childhood hospitalization and respiratory distress and has been recognized for several decades as a major health and economic burden worldwide. This virus has developed several virulence mechanisms to impair the establishment of a protective immune response to re-infection. Accordingly, inefficient immunological memory is usually generated after exposure to this pathogen.

Efficient lung recruitment of respiratory syncytial virus-specific Th1 cells induced by recombinant bacillus Calmette-Guérin promotes virus clearance and protects from infection.

Infection by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause extensive inflammation and lung damage in susceptible hosts due to a Th2-biased immune response. Such a deleterious inflammatory response can be enhanced by immunization with formalin- or UV-inactivated RSV, as well as with vaccinia virus expressing the RSV-G protein. Recently, we have shown that vaccination with rBCG-expressing RSV Ags can prevent the disease in the mouse.

Hif1α down-regulation is associated with transposition of great arteries in mice treated with a retinoic acid antagonist.

Background: Congenital heart defect (CHD) account for 25% of all human congenital abnormalities. However, very few CHD-causing genes have been identified so far. A promising approach for the identification of essential cardiac regulators whose mutations may be linked to human CHD, is the molecular and genetic analysis of heart development.

[Analysis of the frequency of experimentation with and consumption of drugs in high-school students].

The aim of this study was to survey the frequency of experimentation and consumption of drugs in high-school students in Cordoba, Argentina, relating it to socio-demographic variables. An observational-analytical method was employed, on the basis of the records of the Secretary for the Planning of Drug-Addiction Prevention and Fighting of Drug-Trafficking. Statistical.

A new process of IgG purification by negative chromatography: adsorption aspects of human serum proteins onto omega-aminodecyl-agarose.

The adsorbent omega-aminodecyl-agarose was evaluated as to its feasibility for the adsorption of human serum and plasma proteins, aiming at the purification of immunoglobulin G (IgG). The contribution of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions (mixed-mode) and the effects of buffer system on the adsorption of serum proteins were also studied. The adsorption isotherm parameters of human serum albumin (HSA) and IgG were evaluated, pointing to the existence of cooperative effects in the process.

Deletion of a prophage-like element causes attenuation of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and promotes protective immunity.

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) is a wide host range serovar belonging to the S. enterica genus.

[Understanding sexuality and sex in schools according to primary education teachers].

With the objective of identifying how teachers at a primary education level understand sexuality/sex in the school, we sought to collect data relative to these issues in the everyday school life, observing the school's position and how they deal with this issue. This is a qualitative, humanist study, performed by means of research-action. Data collection was performed through participant observation and individual interviews, using a questionnaire containing guiding questions.

Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 differentially modulates bacterial entry to dendritic and non-phagocytic cells.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium can enter non-phagocytic cells, such as intestinal epithelial cells, by virtue of a Type Three Secretion System (TTSS) encoded in the Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1 (SPI-1), which translocates bacterial effector molecules into the host cell. Salmonella can also be taken up by dendritic cells (DCs). Although the role of SPI-1 in non-phagocytic cell invasion is well established, its contribution to invasion of phagocytic cells has not been evaluated.

Virulence mechanisms displayed by Salmonella to impair dendritic cell function.

Dendritic cells (DCs) link innate and adaptive immunity by directly recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) on bacteria. DCs can capture and degrade bacteria and present their antigens on MHC molecules to T cells. PAMP recognition promotes DC maturation, a phenotypic change that empowers them to prime naïve T cells.

Purification of human IgG by negative chromatography on omega-aminohexyl-agarose.

The omega-aminohexyl diamine immobilized as ligand on CNBr- and bisoxirane-activated agarose gel was evaluated for the purification of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) from serum and plasma by negative affinity chromatography. The effects of matrix activation, buffer system, and feedstream on recovery and purity of IgG were studied. A one-step purification process using Hepes buffer at pH 6.