Universidade Positivo

About: Universidade Positivo is a education organization based out in Curitiba, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Biodiversity. The organization has 1290 authors who have published 1237 publications receiving 9335 citations. The organization is also known as: Positive University.

Ibuprofen Genotoxicity in Aquatic Environment: An Experimental Model Using Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract: Medicines and their metabolites have been found as water contaminants at very low concentrations; moreover, there is no extensive toxicological data to determine the risks associated with their occurrence in water resources. The ibuprofen genotoxicity potential to the Oreochromis niloticus fish (Tilapia), due to nanograms per liter exposure, was evaluated using the micronucleus test. Acute (48 h) and sub-chronic assays (10 days) were carried out at 300 ng/L ibuprofen aquatic concentration comparing with the negative control group (without treatment), with eight animals per group. The results were assessed from the average of triplicate analyses. The micronucleus frequency in peripheral blood of fish was determined using a sample size of 3,000 erythrocytes per animal. Significance was defined using t test (p ≤ 0.05). The bioassay results showed a statistically significant increase in the frequency of micronuclei for both exposure times in comparison to the negative control. The micronucleus frequency observed for the sub-chronic tests was higher than the one identified in the acute assays. The observed ibuprofen genotoxic effects demonstrated an aquatic environmental risk of this pharmaceutical, which occurs for the used fish experimental model in lower concentration than previously described for other aquatic organisms.

Por uma crítica ao conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável

Abstract: This paper critically assesses the concept of sustainable development. It articulates arguments that challenge the dominant view of the concept by exposing its ideological essence, which falsely represents the possibility of reconciling capitalism and solutions to the ecological crisis. The methodological basis for this reflection draws upon the critical perspective of the Frankfurt School. The paper discusses major contradictions of the concept in the capitalist system, and argues about the impossibility of reconciling an alleged ecologically responsible practice with the logics and aims of such system.

Resurgence of pertussis at the age of vaccination: clinical, epidemiological, and molecular aspects

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Report the incidence, epidemiology, clinical features, death, and vaccination status of patients with whooping cough and perform genotypic characterization of isolates of B. pertussis identified in the state of Parana, during January 2007 to December 2013.METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 1,209 patients with pertussis. Data were obtained through the Notifiable Diseases Information System (Sistema de Informacao de Agravos de Notificacao - SINAN) and molecular epidemiology was performed by repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR; DiversiLab(r), bioMerieux, France).RESULTS: The incidence of pertussis in the state of Parana increased sharply from 0.15-0.76 per 100,000 habitants between 2007-2010 to 1.7-4.28 per 100,000 between 2011-2013. Patients with less than 1 year of age were more stricken (67.5%). Fifty-nine children (5%) developed pertussis even after receiving three doses and two diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) boosters vaccine. The most common complications were pneumonia (14.5%), otitis (0.9%), and encephalopathy (0.7%). Isolates of B. pertussis were grouped into two groups (G1 and G2) and eight distinct patterns (G1: P1-P5 and G2: P6-P8).CONCLUSION: The resurgence of pertussis should stimulate new research to develop vaccines with greater capacity of protection against current clones and also encourage implementation of new strategies for vaccination in order to reduce the risk of disease in infants.

Quality of life in chronic renal patients on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis: a comparative study in a referral service of Curitiba - PR

Abstract: Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) compromises the health and routine of the patient. On the fifth stage of CKD, the patient becomes eligible to start renal replacement therapy: hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) or kidney transplantation. The type of CKD treatment is essential to improving quality of life of the patient. Objective: To compare the quality of life of CKD stage 5 patients who perform HD and home PD. Methods: Cross-sectional study with data collection, by convenience, through the application of socioeconomic and KDQOL SF-36 questionnaires in HD and PD patients of the Pro-Renal Foundation and satellite clinics in Curitiba-PR. Results: The sample was 338 patients, 222 HD and 116 PD. Average age: 54.4 years for HD group (± 15.28) and 58.00 for the DP group (± 13.99). The variables: work status (p < 0.05), encouragement by dialysis staff (p < 0.01) and patient satisfaction (p < 0.001) were in favor of DP; while physical functioning (p < 0.05) and emotional function (p < 0.01) were to HD. Conclusion: Objectively, PD was more favorable regarding quality of life, for the large number of items with significant results when compared to HD. However, the two variables of greatest significance found in HD (physical functioning and emotional functioning) ended up having a much greater impact on well-being and daily-life of the patient in the environment external to the clinic than those who were higher in DP, making HD the most favorable for patient quality of life.