Professionalization of nursing aides at the State of Sao Paulo: a study of supply/demand regarding training

The purpose of this exploratory study was to verify the problem of nursing aides professionalization and to analyze the offer of courses and demand regarding technical level capacitation at the state of S?o Paulo, Brazil. Data were obtained through the analysis of documents on professional capacitation in the area in the 1990s. Authors identified a scenario of conceptual and political changes regarding the professionalization and the existence of a great number of aides being professionalized. They also verified a tendency to increase the offer of courses and the demand regarding the capacitation and specialization at the technical level.     

Hypolipidaemic activity of methanol extract of Aleurites moluccana

The lipid-lowering action of the leaves of the Aleurites moluccana methanol extract was studied in Triton W-1339 and high-fat-diet fed rats. The serum lipids (total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides) and body weight were found to be lowered by A. moluccana (300 mg/kg, b.w.) in rats with Triton-induced hypercholesterolaemia and on a hyperlipaemic diet. The results suggest that the lipid lowering action of this natural product is mediated through inhibition of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis and reduction of lipid absorption in the intestine.     

CDH1 c-160a promotor polymorphism is not associated with risk of stomach cancer

We have combined data from case control studies designed to test the hypothesis that the c-160a promotor polymorphism in the gene coding for the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin (CDH1) is associated with stomach cancer. A total of 899 individuals (433 patients and 466 controls) were analyzed. The genotype frequencies did not differ significantly between cases and controls, and the genotype-specific risks were not significantly different from unity, with an odds ratio for heterozygotes compared with the common homozygote of 1.3 (95% CI 0.98-1.8) and 1.2 (0.68-2.0) for rare homozygotes compared with common homozygotes. We found no evidence for differences in risk for the intestinal- and diffuse-type histopathologic subgroups.     

Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy: a case report in the Japanese population living in Brazil

INTRODUCTION: We present herein clinical, histological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a patient with Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD). He is the first case report in the Japanese population living in Brazil. CASE REPORT: The child presented with neonatal hypotonia, delayed motor abilities and speech, seizures, cerebral and cerebellar gyrus abnormalities with signal intensity change in the white matter by MRI, high serum level of creatinephosphokinase (CK), and dystrophic skeletal muscle with normal merosin, alpha-sarcoglycan and dystrophin expression. The fukutin gene study showed one founder 3-kb retrotransposal insertion in the 3'-non-coding region, and in the other allele no mutation was detected after screening all exons and flanking introns by sequencing. DISCUSSION: This case report emphasizes the importance to consider FCMD in Japanese people living in other countries.     

Eye-hand preference dissociation in obsessive-compulsive disorder and dyslexia

Dyslexia may be a development disturbance in which there are alterations in visual-spatial and visual-motor processing, while obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disease in which there are alterations in memory, executive function, and visual-spatial processing. Our hypothesis is that these disturbances may be, at least partially, the result of a crossed eye and hand preference. In the present study 16 controls, 20 OCD (DSM-IV criteria) and 13 dyslexic adults (Brazilian Dyslexia Association criteria) were included. All had a neurological examination, the Yale-Brown scale for obsessive-compulsive symptoms application and the Zazzó evaluation for laterality, abridged by Granjon. Results showed a right hand preference for 100% of controls, 84.6% of dyslexics, and 75% of OCD patients and a right eye preference for 73.3% of controls, 69.2% of dyslexics, and 35% of OCD patients. The left eye preference was significantly higher in OCD when compared with the two other groups (p = 0.01) and the left hand preference of OCD patients (25%) was also significant when compared to Brazilian population (4%) or British population (4.5%). It is possible that this crossed preference may be partially the reason for visual-spatial and constructive disturbances observed in OCD.     

Stereologic study of the cerebellar Purkinje cells submitted to alcoholic intoxication in Wistar rats

BACKGROUND: to analyze the effect of the alcohol on the cells of Purkinje. METHOD: Wistar rats received alcoholic solutions orally in different concentrations 4%, 12% and 24%. The animals were sacrificed with 4, 8 and 12 weeks and the cerebella were randomly cut and embedded in paraffin. Sections of 6 micrometer (H&E) were stereologically analyzed. RESULTS: The differences among the density for area and density of surface of the cells of Purkinje of all of the experimental groups (E) and the respective controls (C) were significant. With 12 weeks the cell of Purkinje volume density decreased among the groups C and E in the concentrations of 4% and 12%, but not for the concentration of 24%, probably due to smaller liquid ingestion by the animals. CONCLUSION: The alcohol has toxic effect on the Purkinje cellular body in the three studied concentrations from 4 weeks.     

Cerebral trypanosomiasis and AIDS

A 36 year-old black female, complaining of headache of one month's duration presented with nausea, vomiting, somnolence, short memory problems, loss of weight, and no fever history. Smoker, intravenous drugs abuser, promiscuous lifestyle. Physical examination: left homonimous hemianopsia, left hemiparesis, no papilledema, diffuse hyperreflexia, slowness of movements. Brain CT scan: tumor-like lesion in the splenium of the corpus calosum, measuring 3.5 x 1.4 cm, with heterogeneous enhancing pattern, suggesting a primary CNS tumor. Due to the possibility of CNS infection, a lumbar puncture disclosed an opening pressure of 380 mmH(2)0; 11 white cells (lymphocytes); glucose 18 mg/dl (serum glucose 73 mg/dl); proteins 139 mg/dl; presence of Trypanosoma parasites. Serum Elisa-HIV tests turned out to be positive. Treatment with benznidazole dramatically improved clinical and radiographic picture, but the patient died 6 weeks later because of respiratory failure. T. cruzi infection of the CNS is a rare disease, but we have an increasing number of cases in HIV immunocompromised patients. Diagnosis by direct observation of CSF is uncommon, and most of the cases are diagnosed by pathological examination. It is a highly lethal disease, even when properly diagnosed and treated. This article intends to include cerebral trypanosomiasis in the differential diagnosis of intracranial space-occupying lesions, especially in immunocompromised patients from endemic regions.