The Opposition Effect of the Asteroid 4 Vesta

We present the results of photometric observations carried out with four small telescopes of the asteroid 4 Vesta in the $B$, $R_{\rm C}$, and $z'$ bands at a minimum phase angle of 0.1 \timeform{D}. The magnitudes, reduced to unit distance and zero phase angle, were $M_{B}(1, 1, 0) = 3.83 \pm 0.01, M_{R_{\rm C}}(1, 1, 0) = 2.67 \pm 0.01$, and $M_{z'}(1, 1, 0) = 3.03 \pm 0.01$ mag. The absolute magnitude obtained from the IAU $H$--$G$ function is $\sim$0.1 mag darker than the magnitude at a phase angle of 0\timeform{D} determined from the Shevchenko function and Hapke models with the coherent backscattering effect term. Our photometric measurements allowed us to derive geometric albedos of 0.35 in the $B$ band, 0.41 in the $R_{\rm C}$ band, and 0.31 in the $z'$ bands by using the Hapke model with the coherent backscattering effect term. Using the Hapke model, the porosity of the optically active regolith on Vesta was estimated to be $\rho$ = 0.4--0.7, yielding the bluk density of 0.9--2.0 $\times$ $10^3$ kg $\mathrm{m^{-3}}$. It is evident that the opposition effect for Vesta makes a contribution to not only the shadow-hiding effect, but also the coherent backscattering effect that appears from ca. 1\timeform{D}. The amplitude of the coherent backscatter opposition effect for Vesta increases with a brightening of reflectance. By comparison with other solar system bodies, we suggest that multiple-scattering on an optically active scale may contribute to the amplitude of the coherent backscatter opposition effect ($B_{C0}$).Comment: 31 pages, 13 figures, and 6 tables, accepted for publication in PAS

Implications of extubation failure and prolonged mechanical ventilation in the postoperative period following elective intracranial surgery

Patients undergoing neurosurgery are predisposed to a variety of complications related to mechanical ventilation (MV). There is an increased incidence of extubation failure, pneumonia, and prolonged MV among such patients. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of extubation failure and prolonged MV on the following variables: postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC), mortality, reoperation, tracheostomy, and duration of postoperative hospitalization following elective intra-cranial surgery. The study involved a prospective observational cohort of 317 patients submitted to elective intracranial surgery for tumors, aneurysms and arteriovenous malformation. Preoperative assessment was performed and patients were followed up for the determination of extubation failure and prolonged MV (>48 h) until discharge from the hospital or death. The occurrence of PPC, incidence of death, the need for reoperation and tracheostomy, and the length of hospitalization were assessed during the postoperative period. Twenty-six patients (8.2%) experienced extubation failure and 30 (9.5%) needed prolonged MV after surgery. Multivariate analysis showed that extubation failure was significant for the occurrence of death (OR = 8.05 [1.88; 34.36]), PPC (OR = 11.18 [2.27; 55.02]) and tracheostomy (OR = 7.8 [1.12; 55.07]). Prolonged MV was significant only for the occurrence of PPC (OR = 4.87 [1.3; 18.18]). Elective intracranial surgery patients who experienced extubation failure or required prolonged MV had a higher incidence of PPC, reoperation and tracheostomy and required a longer period of time in the ICU. Level of consciousness and extubation failure were associated with death and PPC. Patients who required prolonged MV had a higher incidence of extubation failure.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de FisioterapiaSanta Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória Escola Superior de Ciências Departamento de FisioterapiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de MedicinaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de NeurocirurgiaUNIFESP, Depto. de FisioterapiaUNIFESP, Depto. de MedicinaUNIFESP, Depto. de NeurocirurgiaSciEL

Possible Involvement of cAMP and Protein Phosphorylation in the Cell Signaling Pathway for Resting Cyst Formation of Ciliated Protozoan Colpoda cucullus

Possible Involvement of cAMP and Protein Phosphorylation in the Cell Signaling Pathway for Resting Cyst Formation of Ciliated Protozoan Colpoda cucullu

Current findings on the molecular mechanisms underlying anhydrobiosis in Polypedilum vanderplanki

© 2016 Elsevier Inc.Water is an essential molecule for living organisms. However, some organisms can survive in environments which receive no rainfall for months and in which ordinary life cannot survive. How do they endure the extended dry season? The sleeping chironomid Polypedilum vanderplanki, which inhabits sub-Saharan Africa, exhibits extreme tolerance to complete desiccation, a process termed anhydrobiosis. During anhydrobiosis these organisms dry up and entirely shut down their metabolism. However, when the dried larvae are immersed in water, their metabolism is resumed. Interestingly, anhydrobiosis allows these organisms to tolerate not only desiccation but also high and low temperatures, the absence of oxygen, radiation, and chemical stresses. Here, we describe the mechanisms by which P. vanderplanki achieves anhydrobiosis revealed in our recent research

コレラの治療におけるクロラムフェニコールの研究 : 第1編

In the recent the investigation of the pathophysiology and pathogenesis on cholera has made remarkable progress. However, the mechanism of diarrhea has not been completely clarified. It has been well known that antibiotics is considerably effective for treatment of cholera patient. Some problems, however, for instance, regarding the mechanism of effectiveness or a reasonable route of treatment still remain unsolved. In the present study, CP given orally and intravenously on cholera patients was hourly determined by bioassay as an approach to clarify the mechanism of antibiotics and also comprehension of pathophysiology of cholera. Twenty-seven cholera cases, confirmed bacteriologically, admitted at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila during the period from August through November 1968 were investigated for this study. Fourteen cases were intravenously treated with CP, and thirteen cases orally. CP was determined in blood and stool consecutively. In the majority of cases treated by mouth, CP did not appear in stool and also was not proven in blood in half of cases; in others the blood level of CP was lower or elevated later than normal. On the contrary, in most cases treated with intravenous CP, higher concentration of CP in stool than in blood was proven; some of them showed twice higher concentration in stool than in blood. The number of vibrios in stool was inversely related to the concentration of CP in stool; namely, the majority of cases treated orally showed no reduce of vibrios, while marked decrease of the number was found in most cases with intravenous CP. As, in the study, CP determination was done only by bioassay not by chemical assay, the problem whether CP may be inactivated remains unsolved. The comparative study of different preparation of CP has not been accomplished. These questions will be investigated in our further studies. It has been suggested that the peculiar distribution of CP may be correlated to particular pathophysiological condition of cholera. In the therapeutic point of view, it has been noticed that intravenous treatment indicated more accurate effectiveness for discontinuing excretion of vibrios in stool than oral treatment, as far as the cases with severe diarrhea are concerned.コレラに関してその病態生理並びに発症機序に関する研究は近年著しく進歩したが,下痢の発症機序に関しては必ずしも全貌が明らかにされていない.また抗生物質がコレラの治療に著明な効果を示すことは一般に認められているがその作用機序に関しては不明の点が残されておりかつ薬剤の投与方法に関する疑問もある.こうした問題点の解決の一っのアプローチとしてクロラムフェニコールをコレラ患者に経口的及び経静脈的に与えその血液並びに便中における時間的消長を検討することによって抗生物質の作用機転およびコレラの特異な病態生理を理解しようと試みた.患者は1968年8月から11月まで,マニラのサン・ラザロ病院に入院し,細菌学的にエルトールコレラと診断された27名を選んだ.そのうち14名は静脈内に,13名は経口的にクロラムフェニコ―ルを与え血中並びに便中のクロラムェフニコールの出現および消長を時間的に追究した.その結果,経口的に与えた13例のうち大半の例においてはクロラムフェニコールは便中に出現することなく,血中濃度は半数は全く上昇せず他は正常よりも遅延しあるいは低濃度に証明されたにすぎなかった.静脈内に投与した14例については大多数において投与2時間后に血中よりも高濃度に便中への出現がみられ,中には血中濃度の2倍に達するものもあった.便中のコレラ菌数は便中のクロラムフェニコール濃度に逆比例した消長がみられた。即ち経口投与例の大多数においては菌数の減少は殆どみられなかったが静注例ではその大多数においてコレラ菌数の著明な減少がみられた.以上の観察例の中で,クロラムフェニコールの定量は生物学的方法にのみ頼ったためにその不活性化という点に問題を残している.また静注したものと経口的に与えたものではクロラムフェニコールの剤形が異なり,腸管内における溶解度その他について更に検討すべき余地がある.しかし全般的にみて経口的に投与されたクロラムフェニコールが血中に出現せず静注したものが高濃度に便中に出現したという事実はコレラの下痢あるいは腸内に大量に貯留する液体の成因についていろいろな意味の示唆を含んでいる.また抗生剤療法における排菌に対しては,急性期のコレラに関する限り静脈内投与が経口投与に比較してより適確な効果を示すことが実証された

Transição Demográfica e o Histórico das Políticas de atenção á saúde do idoso no Brasil

O envelhecimento populacional é um fenômeno mundial que requer atenção governamental. Este estudo objetivou descrever o processo histórico das políticas de atenção ao idoso no Brasil e demonstrou o longo e árduo caminho percorrido pela população idosa no Brasil, desde o período em que a assistência aos longevos era prestada por instituições filantrópicas até a conquista dos direitos legais, concedidos pelo Estado. Dentre elas, temos a Política Nacional de Saúde da Pessoa Idosa que propõe o desenvolvimento de ações de promoção e proteção da saúde para garantir a autonomia e independência da população idosa

Condições socioeconômicas e de saúde associados à funcionalidade familiar de idosos

Objetivo: Verificar a associação das condições socioeconômicas, hábitos de vida e condições de saúde com funcionalidade familiar de idosos assistidos por uma Unidade de Saúde da Família (USF) de Manhuaçu/Minas Gerais.Método: Trata-se de estudo observacional analítico e transversal realizado com 166 idosos de uma USF com dados do perfil socioeconômico, hábitos de vida e condições de saúde. A funcionalidade familiar foi avaliada com o Apgar Familiar e as famílias classificadas em boa funcionalidade ou moderada/alta disfunção. Realizou-se o teste do Chi-quadrado.Resultados: Verificou-se boa funcionalidade em 89,7% das famílias. Ter entre 60-69 anos, ser casado, possuir 3-4 filhos, não ser pensionista e ser independente se associaram à boa funcionalidade familiar (p<0,05).Conclusão: As famílias possuem boa funcionalidade e condições socioeconômicas e de saúde, as quais se associaram a funcionalidade familiar, o que reforça a importância de estudar as famílias a fim de promover um envelhecimento de maior qualidade para a população. Palavras-chave: Idoso. Relações familiares. Estratégia de saúde da família. Enfermagem

Tolerance of Colpoda cucullus Nag-1 wet resting cysts to extreme pH (pH 1 and 13): Implications of less permeability of the cyst membrane to H+ and OH

application/pdfIn parasitic unicellular eukaryotes, the tolerance to the pH (1-1.5) of gastric acid is a crucial survival strategy so that they can proliferate in the intestinal tract. We found that the resting cysts of non-parasitic soil ciliate Colpoda cucullus Nag-1 showed a strong tolerance to both extremely low and high pH. The purpose of this study was to explore the tolerance mechanism to extreme pH. Most cysts were alive after exposure to 0.1 M HCl (pH 1) for 4 h, or after exposure to 0.1 M NaOH (pH 13) for 3 h. Such tolerance to extreme pH is acquired gradually over several days after encystment induction. The resting cysts were reversibly dehydrated by osmotic pressure when they were transferred from water to 0.1 M HCl or 0.1 M NaOH. This result suggests that H+/Cl- and Na+/OH- may diffuse through the cyst wall to reach the plasma membrane. Acid tolerance was reduced in the presence of protonophore (CCCP), suggesting that less permeability of the cyst plasma membrane to H+ may be responsible for acid tolerance.journal articl

O ADOECIMENTO MENTAL NO TRABALHO

Saúde e Trabalho têm uma relação estreita. É através do trabalho que o indivíduo muitas vezes encontra satisfação e parte do sentido de sua vida. Com as transformações econômicas vividas pela humanidade nos últimos séculos, o modelo capitalista neoliberal emergiu institucionalizando a precarização do trabalho. Esta pesquisa objetivou estudar a relação indivíduo-trabalho ao longo da história e suas consequências no adoecimento mental. Observamos que adoecimento mental no trabalhador é um fenômeno complexo e de etiologia multifatorial, incluindo fatores psicossociais, do ambiente de trabalho e econômicos, e que possibilita fornecer informações relevantes sobre o estado de saúde dos trabalhadores.Palavras-chaves: Trabalho; Transtornos Mentais; Saúde do trabalhador

Prevalence and factors associated with functional dependency in homebound elderly people in Brazil

Introduction: Population ageing is a worldwide reality that requires attention, and a concern for healthy and functional ageing is increasingly the focus of government policies and programmes.Objective: To identify the prevalence of homebound elderly people, and the influence of sociodemographic and economic characteristics on their functional dependency.Methods: Cross-sectional study with 178 homebound elderly people assisted by a family healthcare unit in Vitória, ES, Brazil. Functional independence was measured by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the sociodemographic and economic variables were collected by a questionnaire developed by the authors. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the influence of the sociodemographic and economic characteristics on the risk of being functionally dependent.Results: Forty-eight percent of the participants were functional dependents, 80% were female, 72% belonged to the fourth age, 74% were white, 63% were widowed, 78% had retired, 90% had children, 83% had a caregiver, 52% had low education and 40% had low income. Logistic regression indicated that having a caregiver increased by 40 times the chance of being functionally dependent (OR = 40.2; 95%CI 4.8–355.4) and having between one to eight years of education decreased the chance of functional dependency (OR = 0.2; 95%CI 0.04-0.9).Conclusions: The prevalence of functional dependency was very high in this sample, and since the presence of a caregiver was the strongest and significant predictor of functional dependency, we suggest that guidance and support should be offered to caregivers, followed   by a family healthcare strategy, to make consistent efforts with the objective of improving  functional recovery and independence of homebound elderly.Introduction: Population ageing is a worldwide reality that requires attention, and a concern for healthy and functional ageing is increasingly the focus of government policies and programmes.Objective: To identify the prevalence of homebound elderly people, and the influence of sociodemographic and economic characteristics on their functional dependency.Methods: Cross-sectional study with 178 homebound elderly people assisted by a family healthcare unit in Vitória, ES, Brazil. Functional independence was measured by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the sociodemographic and economic variables were collected by a questionnaire developed by the authors. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the influence of the sociodemographic and economic characteristics on the risk of being functionally dependent.Results: Forty-eight percent of the participants were functional dependents, 80% were female, 72% belonged to the fourth age, 74% were white, 63% were widowed, 78% had retired, 90% had children, 83% had a caregiver, 52% had low education and 40% had low income. Logistic regression indicated that having a caregiver increased by 40 times the chance of being functionally dependent (OR = 40.2; 95%CI 4.8–355.4) and having between one to eight years of education decreased the chance of functional dependency (OR = 0.2; 95%CI 0.04-0.9).Conclusions: The prevalence of functional dependency was very high in this sample, and since the presence of a caregiver was the strongest and significant predictor of functional dependency, we suggest that guidance and support should be offered to caregivers, followed   by a family healthcare strategy,  to make consistent efforts with the objective of improving  functional recovery and independence of homebound elderly