Evolution of the hypoxia-sensitive cells involved in amniote respiratory reflexes

The evolutionary origins of the hypoxia-sensitive cells that trigger amniote respiratory reflexes - carotid body glomus cells, and 'pulmonary neuroendocrine cells' (PNECs) - are obscure. Homology has been proposed between glomus cells, which are neural crest-derived, and the hypoxia-sensitive 'neuroepithelial cells' (NECs) of fish gills, whose embryonic origin is unknown. NECs have also been likened to PNECs, which differentiate in situ within lung airway epithelia. Using genetic lineage-tracing and neural crest-deficient mutants in zebrafish, and physical fate-mapping in frog and lamprey, we find that NECs are not neural crest-derived, but endoderm-derived, like PNECs, whose endodermal origin we confirm. We discover neural crest-derived catecholaminergic cells associated with zebrafish pharyngeal arch blood vessels, and propose a new model for amniote hypoxia-sensitive cell evolution: endoderm-derived NECs were retained as PNECs, while the carotid body evolved via the aggregation of neural crest-derived catecholaminergic (chromaffin) cells already associated with blood vessels in anamniote pharyngeal arches

Long-term outcome and prognosis of dissociative disorder with onset in childhood or adolescence

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the majority of cases short-term treatment outcome of juvenile dissociative disorder is rather favourable. In contrast, the long-term course seems to be less positive, but meaningful results are still fragmentary. The aim of this follow-up study is to bridge this gap to some extent describing the long-term outcome of juvenile dissociative disorder in a clinical sample. To our knowledge there is no comparable other long-term follow-up study which is based on a case definition according to actual classification systems using standardized interviews for individual assessment of the patients at the time of follow-up.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The total study group was made up of all patients treated for dissociative disorder at our department for child and adolescent psychiatry between 1983 and 1992 (<it>N </it>= 62). Two of these former patients committed suicide during the follow-up period (3%). We got information on the clinical course of 27 former patients (44%). 17 out of these 27 former patients were female (63%). The mean age of onset of dissociative disorder was11.7 years and the mean follow-up time was 12.4 years. Most of the patients were reassessed personally (n = 23) at a mean age of 24.8 years using structured interviews covering dissociative disorders, other Axis I disorders and personality disorders (Heidelberg Dissociation Inventory HDI; Expert System for Diagnosing Mental Disorders, DIA-X; Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, SCID-II). Social adjustment was assessed by a semi-structured interview and by patient self report (Social Adjustment Scale – Self Report, SAS-SR). Psychosocial outcome variables were additionally assessed in 36 healthy controls (67% female, mean age = 22.9 years).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At the time of follow-up investigation 82.6% of the patients met the criteria for some form of psychiatric disorder, while 26.1% were still suffering from dissociative disorder. A total of 56.5% presented with an Axis I disorder (especially anxiety, dissociative and somatoform disorders). Personality disorders were seen in 47.8% (especially borderline, obsessive-compulsive and negativistic personality disorders). More dissociative symptoms and inpatient treatment in childhood or adolescence were significantly related to a lower level of psychosocial adjustment in adulthood.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Treatment strategies have to consider that in a significant portion of young patients initial recovery may not be stable over time. Limitations of the study refer to the small sample size and the low rate of former patients taking part in the follow-up investigation.</p

Reflexões sobre avaliação de políticas de saúde no Brasil

O presente texto tem como objetivo trazer contribuições para o debate sobre a avaliação de políticas públicas, especificamente no que concerne ao setor saúde no Brasil. Busca-se apresentar e tematizar algumas das questões fundamentais que perpassam esse campo de estudo, mediante o levantamento ou revisão bibliográfica sobre avaliação de políticas no setor saúde numa conceituada e reconhecida base de dados, o SciELO. Foram selecionados 66 artigos com os descritores "Avaliação em Saúde" e "Avaliação de Programas e Projetos de Saúde", de publicações brasileiras indexadas na área da saúde coletiva, desde o ano de 1994 até o ano de 2009. O artigo explora aspectos da produção acadêmica numa tipologia estabelecida e em correlação com as possibilidades de desenvolvimento do tema da avaliação de políticas, articulado a intervenções voltadas para o enfrentamento eficaz, eficiente e efetivo de agravos da população

Instituições psiquiátricas e comunidades: um estudo de demanda em saúde mental no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil Psychiatric institutions and communities: a study of the demand for mental health care in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Os hospitais psiquiátricos têm sido freqüentemente denunciados como espaços ineficazes e são apontados como um dos principais responsáveis pela cronificação dos doentes mentais. Faltam, porém, estudos que verifiquem a influência destes asilos sobre as comunidades que os abrigam e sobre os serviços extra-hospitalares próximos a eles, podendo ser sua presença mais um fator gerador de demanda psiquiátrica. Esta pesquisa pretende verificar a associação entre a existência destes hospitais em dadas comunidades e o aumento de internações e de demanda aos serviços de atenção primária em saúde. Para tanto, procuramos verificar se a existência destes hospitais poderia estar modificando o perfil da clientela atendida, comparando a demanda que procurava os serviços extramanicomiais em cidades semelhantes que tivessem e que não tivessem hospitais psiquiátricos. Foram encontradas algumas evidências de que, nas cidades com hospitais, houve um aumento expressivo não somente das internações, mas também do número de consultas em saúde mental.<br>Psychiatric hospitals have been accused of being both ineffective institutions and the main parties responsible for the chronic status of the mentally ill. However, there is a lack of research on the influence of mental health care facilities on either the communities in which they are located or the nearby out-patient services. Their presence may be a cause for increased psychiatric demand. This study investigates a possible association between the existence of such hospitals in given communities and an increase in hospitalization and demand for primary care services. The author compares the demand and client profile of out-patient services in similar communities, both with and without psychiatric hospitals Some evidence was found that in communities with such hospitals there is an increase in both hospital admittance and consultations in mental health care

An ergonomic approach to reorganize parking inspection agents` work productivity, health and safety in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Objective: The Traffic Engineering Company of the City of Sao Paulo (Brazil) observed a decrease in productivity, and an increase in sick leave, accidents and psychological distress among their parking inspection agents. To document this situation, qualitative research was undertaken to obtain an in-depth comprehension of work activity. Participants: Workers, managers and health and safety professionals contributed to the documentation of the problem and to the proposal of possible solutions. Methods: Ergonomic work analysis focusing on real work activity, as well as interviews with individual or groups of stakeholders, were conducted. Results: This research revealed that political-economic factors gradually contributed to: 1) an increasing work load; 2) growing fatigue throughout the day, increasing the workers` vulnerability to incidents and accidents and their tendency to react inappropriately to violence experienced on the street; and 3) excessive individual responsibility to manage dangerous situations. Conclusions: Recommendations to ameliorate the situation are proposed. These suggestions are discussed in terms of feasibility given the impact of macro social factors upon micro work activity, and the associated potential expansion of the ergonomist`s role

Endoderm Jagged induces liver and pancreas duct lineage in zebrafish

The hepatopancreatic duct cells connect liver hepatocytes and pancreatic acinar cells to the intestine, but the mechanism for their lineage specification is unclear. Here, the authors reveal that Notch ligands Jagged1b and Jagged2b induce duct cell lineage in the liver and pancreas of the zebrafish