Universidade Estadual de Londrina

About: Universidade Estadual de Londrina is a education organization based out in Londrina, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Toxoplasma gondii. The organization has 13052 authors who have published 19291 publications receiving 212123 citations.

Antifungal activity of pomegranate peel extract and isolated compound punicalagin against dermatophytes

Abstract: Dermatophyte species infect the epidermis and appendages, often with serious social and health-economic consequences. The hydroalcoholic extract of pomegranate fruit peel showed activity against the dermatophyte fungi Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. rubrum, Microsporum canis and M. gypseum. Hydroalcoholic extract was prepared with pomegranate peels. This crude extract was fractionated and submitted to liquid-liquid partition, resulting in an active fraction which was fractionated in a Sephadex LH-20 column, followed by a Lobar column. The structure of the active compound was established with the use of spectroscopic methods. The crude extract of pomegranate fruit peel showed activity against the dermatophytes Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. rubrum, Microsporum canis, and M. gypseum, with MICs values of 125μg/ml and 250μg/ml, respectively for each genus. Punicalagin was isolated and identified by spectroscopic analysis. The crude extract and punicalagin showed activity against the conidial and hyphal stages of the fungi. The cytotoxicity assay showed selectivity for fungal cells than for mammalian cells. These results indicated that the crude extract and punicalagin had a greater antifungal activity against T. rubrum, indicating that the pomegranate is a good target for study to obtain a new antidermatophyte medicine.

Diversidade e estrutura de espécies arbóreas em área alagável do município de Londrina, Sul do Brasil

Abstract: Um levantamento fitossociologico em area alagavel do Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoy, Londrina, PR, sul do Brasil (23°27'S e 51o15'W) determinou a diversidade e a estrutura das especies arboreas. O levantamento foi realizado em 0,5ha utilizando-se 50 parcelas de 10m×10m, tendo-se como criterio de inclusao o perimetro minimo a altura do peito de 15cm. Para cada especie foram calculadas a densidade, a frequencia e a dominância. Foram amostrados 912 individuos vivos e 58 mortos em pe. Os individuos vivos se distribuiram em 26 familias, 49 generos e 64 especies, e o indice de diversidade de Shannon (3,44) foi menor que de outras areas do Parque. Leguminosae e Myrtaceae apresentaram o maior numero de especies, enquanto que Nectandra megapotamica (Spreng.) Mez, Chrysophyllum gonocarpum (Mart. & Eichler), Actinostemon concolor (Spreng.) Mull. Arg., Ruprechtia laxiflora Meisn. e Trichilia catigua A. Juss. apresentaram os maiores valores de importância neste ambiente. O alagamento esta relacionado com a menor diversidade e com a estrutura da area, onde as especies com estrategias mais eficientes tornam-se dominantes e caracterizam esta comunidade.

Validation of the Omron HEM 742 blood pressure monitoring device in adolescents.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Accurate blood pressure measurement is fundamental for scientific investigation or clinical decision-making. In this sense, it is important to verify the values provided by electronic devices. OBJECTIVE To validate the Omron HEM 742 blood pressure monitoring device in adolescents according to criteria suggested by the British Hypertension Society. METHODS A total of 150 adolescents aged between 10 and 16 years participated in the study. The automated Omron HEM 742 monitor was connected in Y to the mercury column auscultatory device, then three simultaneous measurements were taken, and the differences between the readings of the two devices were calculated. The intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plot (agreement) were used to verify the relationship between both devices. Specificity and sensitivity of the device were determined by using the ROC curve. RESULTS The comparison between the measurements showed an equal to or lower than 5mmHg difference in 67.3% of the systolic values, and 69.3% of the diastolic values; an equal to or lower than 10mmHg difference occurred in 87.3% and 90.6% of the systolic and diastolic values, respectively; an equal to or lower than 15mmHg difference was found in 96.6% of the systolic values and 97.3% of the diastolic values. These findings are consistent with a grade A according to the British Hypertension Society protocol. A marked consonance was observed between the values obtained by the automated monitor and this device was proven to be capable of identifying the presence or absence of high blood pressure. CONCLUSION The Omron HEM 742 monitor was proved valid for blood pressure measurement in adolescents according to the criteria suggested by the British Hypertension Society.

Potential consequences for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients who do not get the recommended minimum daily amount of physical activity.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE The present study attempted to determine whether patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) get the minimum daily amount of physical activity recommended in the guidelines established by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), as well as to characterize the consequences of noncompliance with those guidelines. METHODS This study involved 23 patients (median age: 61--range, 59-69 years; FEV1: 39% of predicted--range, 34-53%; BMI: 24 kg/m(2)--range, 21-27 kg/m(2)). The following parameters were evaluated: daily physical activity (DynaPort activity monitor); pulmonary function; muscle force; exercise tolerance; quality of life; functional status; and various indices of disease severity (GOLD, BODE and MRC). RESULTS Based on compliance with the guidelines (minimum of 30 minutes of walking per day), 12 patients were considered "physically active", and 11 were considered "physically inactive". No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of age, gender, BMI, muscle force, ventilatory reserve, hyperinflation or quality of life. The inactive group presented more impaired pulmonary function and lower exercise tolerance, as well as lower MRC and BODE scores (p < 0.05). In their daily life, patients in the inactive group also walked for less time and more slowly than did those in the active group (p < 0.05). The MRC and BODE indices were superior to the GOLD index in predicting compliance with the guidelines, both presenting a specificity of 0.83, compared with 0.50 for the GOLD index. The BODE index score increased significantly with each day of inactivity. CONCLUSION A large number of COPD patients do not walk more than 30 minutes per day and are therefore not getting the minimum daily amount of physical activity recommended by the ACSM. Inactivity correlates with a higher mortality rate. The MRC and BODE indices proved superior to the GOLD index in predicting whether patients are physically inactive in their daily lives.