RESUMO Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel, janaguba, produz um látex em seu caule que é usado para o tratamento de alguns tipos de câncer, vermes intestinais, febre, menstruações irregulares, infertilidade feminina e úlceras gástricas. Estudos fitoquímicos revelaram a presença de acetato de lupeol e proteínas; e estudos farmacológicos, os efeitos antiúlcera, antitumoral, imunomodulador, analgésico e anti-inflamatório. O presente trabalho objetivou realizar levantamento etnobotânico e etnofarmacológico sobre H. drasticus como contribuição ao conhecimento científico da referida espécie. Foi elaborado um questionário, que foi aplicado em entrevista a 21 raizeiros nos mercados das cidades de Crato, Fortaleza e Pacajus do estado do Ceará (CE). Observou-se que 38,1% dos raizeiros têm mais de 10 anos de serviço e 47,6%, estão na faixa etária de 40 a 59 anos, o que representa um fator positivo quanto à experiência com plantas medicinais. Aproximadamente 85,7% dos raizeiros relataram o uso do látex da H. drasticus para tratamento de úlcera; 66,7% para inflamação; 66,7% para câncer. Verificou-se que as principais indicações terapêuticas relatadas pelos raizeiros sobre esta espécie estão de acordo com as informações científicas. Os levantamentos etnobotânicos e etnofarmacológicos exercem um papel primordial no resgate do conhecimento tradicional, nos meios rurais e urbanos, tanto por seu valor histórico-cultural, como também pela necessidade de confirmação das indicações de uso.

ABSTRACT The Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel, janaguba, produces a latex whose stem is used to treat some types of cancer, intestinal worms, fever, irregular menses, female infertility and gastric ulcers. Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of lupeol acetate and proteins in the latex; and pharmacological studies indicated antiulcer, anti-tumor, immunomodulating, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to conduct surveys on ethnopharmacological and ethnobotanical species H. drasticus as a contribution to the scientific knowledge about the species. A questionnaire and interviews were made with 21 healers in the markets of the cities of Crato, Fortaleza and Pacajús, in state of Ceara (CE). It was observed that 38.1% of the healers have more than 10 years of service, and 47.6% are between 40-59 years old, which is a positive factor about the experience with medicinal plants. Approximately 85.7% of the healers reported to apply latex H. drasticus for the treatment of ulcers, 66.7% for inflammation, and 66.7% for cancer. It was found that the main therapeutic indications mentioned by the healers about this species are consistent with the scientific information available. The ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological surveys play an essential role on keeping the traditional knowledge in rural and urban areas, both for its historical and cultural value, but also for the need of confirmation of the intended use.

Neste trabalho investigou-se a modificação de superfície do titânio pela irradiação com feixe de Laser Nd:YAG. Os parâmetros do laser como a potência, o comprimento de onda, a frequência, a velocidade de varredura e a área de exposição foram mantidos constantes, exceto o espaçamento da matriz, o qual foi de 0,01 e 0,02 mm. A caracterização da superfície foi realizada por Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura (MEV) e Difração de Raios X (DRX), sendo que os espectros foram refinados pelo método Rietveld. Pela análise de MEV, observou-se uma mudança na topografia, obtendo uma superfície rugosa produzida pelo fenômeno de ablação. As análises por Rietveld dos espectros de difração de raios X detectaram TiN, Ti2N, TiO2 (anatásio e rutilo), sendo que a amostra com espaçamento 0,01 mm apresentou uma maior quantidade de óxidos e nitretos. Isso pode ser devido à sobreposição do feixe, induzindo à formação de uma superfície com maior estabilidade termodinâmica. Os óxidos e nitretos obtidos são de grande importância, pois são responsáveis por produzir uma maior interação entre o osso-implante.

In this work the titanium surface modification by Laser Nd:YAG irradiation was investigated. Laser parameters such as power, wavelength, frequency, scanning speed and the exposure area were maintained constant, except the matrix spacing, which was equal 0,01 and 0,02 mm. Characterization was carried out by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, for which the spectra were refined by the Rietveld method. In the analysis by SEM, a change in the topography was observed, with a rough surface obtained by ablation phenomenon. The Rietveld analysis of the spectra presented the phases TiN, Ti2N, TiO2 (anatase and rutile), and the sample with spacing equal to 0,01 mm presented a larger amount of oxides and nitrides. This may be due to the beam overlapping, which induces a surface with larger thermodynamic stability. The oxides and nitrides are of great importance, because they are responsible for producing a satisfactory interaction between the bone and the implant.

INTRODUCTION: Aponeurotic sling surgeries can evolve with obstruction or voiding dysfunction in 5 to 20% of patients. There are few studies on factors that could possibly predispose to voiding difficulties or urinary retention. The objective of this work is to identify these potential clinical or urodynamic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records from 130 patients who underwent aponeurotic sling surgeries were reviewed. All patients underwent a throughout urodynamic study during pre-operative investigation. The variables studied were age above 65 years, previous pelvic surgeries, concomitant surgeries, post-voiding residue higher than 100 mL, vesical obstruction (according to Blaivas-Groutz nomogram) and urinary flow under 12 mL/s. Post-voiding residue was assessed on the seventh post-operative day through vesical catheterization. Recovering of spontaneous voiding after 7 post-operative days or with a residue higher than 100 mL, was regarded as voiding dysfunction. Univariate analysis was performed with qui-square test and Fisher's exact test, and multivariate analysis was performed by logistic regression with alpha = 5%. RESULTS: Age in the studied group ranged from 41 to 83 years (mean 56.7 years), with 69 (53%) patients having urethral hypermobility and 61 (47%) having intrinsic urethral lesion. Normal voiding occurred in 97 (75.6 %) women with 7 post-operative days. The only significant variable in the univariate (p = 0.014) and multivariate (p = 0.017) analysis was post-voiding residue higher than 100 mL. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative presence of a post-voiding residual urine higher than 100 mL was the only variable predictive of voiding dysfunction.

Dopamine constitutes about 80% of the content of central catecholamines and has a crucial role in the etiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease, depression and schizophrenia. Several dopaminergic drugs are used to treat these pathologies, but many problems are attributed to these therapies. Within this context, the search for new more efficient dopaminergic agents with less adverse effects represents a vast research field. The aim of the present study was to report the structural design of two N-phenylpiperazine derivatives, compound 4: 1-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-4-pyrazolylmethyl]-4-phenylhexahydropyrazine and compound 5: 1-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-ylmethyl]-4-phenylhexahydropyrazine, planned to be dopamine ligands, and their dopaminergic action profile. The two compounds were assayed (dose range of 15-40 mg/kg) in three experimental models: 1) blockade of amphetamine (30 mg/kg, ip)-induced stereotypy in rats; 2) the catalepsy test in mice, and 3) apomorphine (1 mg/kg, ip)-induced hypothermia in mice. Both derivatives induced cataleptic behavior (40 mg/kg, ip) and a hypothermic response (30 mg/kg, ip) which was not prevented by haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg, ip). Compound 5 (30 mg/kg, ip) also presented a synergistic hypothermic effect with apomorphine (1 mg/kg, ip). Only compound 4 (30 mg/kg, ip) significantly blocked the amphetamine-induced stereotypy in rats. The N-phenylpiperazine derivatives 4 and 5 seem to have a peculiar profile of action on dopaminergic functions. On the basis of the results of catalepsy and amphetamine-induced stereotypy, the compounds demonstrated an inhibitory effect on dopaminergic behaviors. However, their hypothermic effect is compatible with the stimulation of dopaminergic function which seems not to be mediated by D2/D3 receptors.

We describe a modification of the cadaveric prolapse repair and sling - CaPS technique that uses the sling surgery principles to correct grade IV cystocele. In this modification, the central and paravaginal defects reconstitution are performed using cadaveric fascia lata fixed over rectus abdominis muscle, eliminating the need of pubic fixation by screws, as proposed by the original technique. The modification described, besides presenting the benefits of CaPS, i.e., not using impaired tissues to reconstruct vesical support, and lower risks of perineal hypercorrection, also reduces the probability of complications of bone fixation.