Paula Martins - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Paula Martins

PLoS ONE, 2014

The herbicides ametryn and clomazone are widely used in sugarcane cultivation, and following micr... more The herbicides ametryn and clomazone are widely used in sugarcane cultivation, and following microbial degradation are considered as soil and water contaminants. The exposure of microorganisms to pesticides can result in oxidative damage due to an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study investigated the response of the antioxidant systems of two bacterial strains tolerant to the herbicides ametryn and clomazone. Bacteria were isolated from soil with a long history of ametryn and clomazone application. Comparative analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain CC07 is phylogenetically related to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and strain 4C07 to P. fulva. The two bacterial strains were grown for 14 h in the presence of separate and combined herbicides. Lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione content (GSH) and antioxidant enzymes activities were evaluated. The overall results indicated that strain 4C07 formed an efficient mechanism to maintain the cellular redox balance by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequently scavenging ROS in the presence of the herbicides. The growth of bacterium strain 4C07 was inhibited in the presence of clomazone alone, or in combination with ametryn, but increased glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione Stransferase (GST) activities, and a higher GSH concentration were detected. Meanwhile, reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and GST activities and a lower concentration of GSH were detected in the bacterium strain CC07, which was able to achieve better growth in the presence of the herbicides. The results suggest that the two bacterial strains tolerate the ametryn and clomazone herbicides with distinctly different responses of the antioxidant systems.

Communications in Algebra, 2008

A subgroup H of a regular semigroup S is said to be an associate subgroup of S if for every s ∈ S... more A subgroup H of a regular semigroup S is said to be an associate subgroup of S if for every s ∈ S, there is a unique associate of s in H. An idempotent z of S is said to be medial if czc = c, for every c product of idempotents of S. Blyth and Martins established a structure theorem for semigroups with

Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2014

Background: In cocaine-dependent individuals, executive function (EF) deficits are associated wit... more Background: In cocaine-dependent individuals, executive function (EF) deficits are associated with poor treatment outcomes. Psychological interventions and pharmacological approaches have produced only modest effect sizes. To date, studies of this topic have been few and limited. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a new model of intervention, which integrates chess and Motivational Interviewing, Motivational Chess (MC) Methods: We evaluated 46 cocaine-dependent inpatients (aged 18-45), in two groups-MC (n = 26); and active comparison-AC (n = 20). Using neuropsychological tests and an impulsivity scale, we assessed the subjects before and after the study period (one month of abstinence monitored by urine toxicology screening). Results: The MC and AC groups did not differ at baseline. In the post-intervention assessment (after one month), both groups showed significant improvements in attention, mental flexibility, inhibitory control, abstraction abilities, and decision-making (p < 0.01). In addition, the improvement in working memory was more significant in the MC group than in the AC group (group-by-time interaction, p = 01). Conclusions: One month of abstinence was sufficient to improve various attentional and executive domains in cocaine-dependent subjects. The MC intervention was associated with greater improvements in EFs, especially working memory, suggesting that tailored interventions focusing on complex EFs accelerate the process of cognitive recovery during the initial period of abstinence.

Semigroup Forum, 2009

By an associate inverse subsemigroup of a regular semigroup S we mean a subsemigroup T of S conta... more By an associate inverse subsemigroup of a regular semigroup S we mean a subsemigroup T of S containing a least associate of each x ∈ S, in relation to the natural partial order ≤S. We describe the structure of a regular semigroup with an associate inverse subsemigroup, satisfying two natural conditions. As a particular application, we obtain the structure of regular semigroups with an associate subgroup with medial identity element.

Current obesity reports, 2014

The food environment has a great impact on the nutritional health of the population. Food environ... more The food environment has a great impact on the nutritional health of the population. Food environment interventions have become a popular strategy to address the obesity epidemic. However, there are still significant gaps in our understanding of the most effective strategies to modify the food environment to improve health. In this review, we examine key gaps in the food environment intervention literature, including the need for: developing appropriate formative research plans when addressing the food environment; methods for selecting intervention domains and components; incorporating food producers and distributors in intervention strategies; strengthening evaluation of environmental interventions; building the evidence base for food environment interventions in diverse settings; engaging policy makers in the process of modifying the food environment; and creating systems science models to examine the costs and benefits of a potential program or policy on the food environment pri...

Appetite, 2014

A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with mothers living in the city of Santos,... more A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with mothers living in the city of Santos, Brazil, in order to investigate their eating practices, and the interface between those practices and the concept of habitus. From a cluster analysis of the scores for dietary pattern and for food preparation and consumption, the mothers were categorised into five clusters of eating practices: practical mothers (19.8%), symbiotic mothers (3.2%), health-conscious hedonists (17.3%), traditionalists (34.6%), and family cooks (25.1%). To access the habitus of the eating-practice clusters, the following variables were compared: location of residence, profession, socioeconomic status, weight-loss practices, risk behaviours for eating disorders, disordered eating attitudes, body dissatisfaction, and cultural and technological consumption. For all the groups, the observed eating practices were permeated by responsibility for the family's diet, but with different manifestations. For symbiotic mothers, practical mothers, and family cooks, the primary function of their relation with food was to nourish their families, with little expression of their own tastes and preferences. The traditionalists and the health-conscious hedonists, on the other hand, manifested their role as mothers by providing food considered 'nutritionally proper' to their family members. Furthermore, aspects of contemporary lifestyles, such as little time for food, individualisation of meals, and consumption of processed foods, were found to coexist with the valorisation and maintenance of the traditional meals within some groups. The variety of eating practices could not be understood as a linear association between economic and cultural capitals; however, eating practices seemed to interact with those capitals, composing a habitus.

British Journal of Nutrition - BRIT J NUTR, 2006

The objective of the present study was to investigate the changes in glucose and insulin metaboli... more The objective of the present study was to investigate the changes in glucose and insulin metabolism in nutritionally stunted children that can be involved in the appearance of chronic diseases in adulthood. For this purpose, sixty-one children were selected, thirty-five boys and twenty-six girls, residents of slums in São Paulo, Brazil. The children were classified according to the height-for-age as stunted (# 2 1·5 Z-score; n 21) or non-stunted (.21·5 Z-score; n 40). The glucose and insulin plasma levels were determined and, from these values, the indexes that evaluate the pancreatic b-cell function homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-B)) and insulin sensitivity (HOMA-S) were assessed. Stunted children showed lower values of fasting insulin than those of the non-stunted group (boys: 29·7 (SD 14·9) v. 50·4 (SD 29·2) pmol/l, P¼ 0·019; girls: 34·4 (SD 12·6) v. 62·3 (SD 28·7) pmol/l, P¼ 0·016) but the glucose levels were similar (boys: 4·6 (SD 0·3) v. 4·5 (SD 0·3) mmol/l; girls: 4·2 (SD 0·3) v. 4·4 (SD 0·3) mmol/l). Stunted children showed lower HOMA-B values (boys: 83 (SD 22) % v. 115 (SD 36) %, P¼ 0·011; girls: 107 (SD 23) % v. 144 (SD 46) %, P¼0·045) and higher HOMA-S values (boys: 196 (SD 92) % v. 120 (SD 62) %, P¼ 0·014; girls: 159 (SD 67) % v. 98 (SD 57) %, P¼ 0·016). The results show a decreased activity of b-cell function and increased insulin sensitivity in stunted children. The decreased b-cell function of this group may strongly predict type 2 diabetes. Stunting: Undernutrition: Insulin sensitivity: b-Cell function: HOMA * Corresponding author: Dr Paula A. Martins, fax 55 11 5576427, email paulamartins@ecb.epm.br Abbreviations: HOMA, homeostasis model assessment; HOMA-B, HOMA for pancreatic b-cell function; HOMA-S, HOMA for insulin sensitivity.

British Journal of …, 2008

Protein -energy malnutrition promotes adaptive hormonal changes that result in stunting. A previo... more Protein -energy malnutrition promotes adaptive hormonal changes that result in stunting. A previous study showed that stunted children had increased insulin sensitivity and diminished pancreatic b-cell function. The objectives of the present study were to analyse the glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin sensitivity (HOMA-S) and homeostasis model assessment of pancreatic b-cell function (HOMA-B) levels after nutritional recovery. The recovered group (n 62) consisted of malnourished children after treatment at a nutrition rehabilitation centre. At the beginning of treatment their age was 2·41 (SD 1·28) and 2·31 (SD 1·08) years, weight-for-age Z score 22·09 (SD 0·94) and 2 2·05 (SD 0·55) and height-for-age Z score 21·85 (SD 1·11) and 2 1·56 (SD 0·90), for boys and girls respectively. The control group consisted of well-nourished children without treatment (n 26). After treatment, boys of the recovered group gained 1·29 (SD 1·06) Z scores of height-for-age and 1·14 (SD 0·99) Z scores of weight-for-age, and girls, 1·12 (SD 0·91) and 1·21 (SD 0·74) Z scores respectively. No differences were found between control and recovered groups in insulin levels for boys (P¼0·704) and girls (P¼0·408), HOMA-B for boys (P¼0·451) and girls (P¼0·330), and HOMA-S (P¼ 0·765) for boys and girls (P¼ 0·456) respectively. The present study shows that the changes observed previously in glucose metabolism and insulin were reverted in children who received adequate treatment at nutritional rehabilitation centres and showed linear catch-up. Stunting: Nutritional recovery: Insulin sensitivity: Homeostasis model assessment * Corresponding author: Dr Vinicius José Baccin Martins, fax þ55 11 5576 4275, email vifisio@ecb.epm.br Abbreviations: CREN, Nutrition Education and Recovery Center; HOMA-B, homeostasis model assessment of pancreatic b-cell function; HOMA-S, homeostasis model assessment of insulin sensitivity.

Maternal & Child …, 2005

In developing countries nutritional deficit during prenatal and continuing in post-natal life is ... more In developing countries nutritional deficit during prenatal and continuing in post-natal life is very common. This condition leads to stunting and important metabolic changes. Over 30% of children in the world are stunted. The metabolic resultants of nutritional deficit during growth are classically known to aim at energy conservation. This review summarizes data from Brazil, a developing country undergoing the double burden of obesity and undernutrition, especially among the poor, and suggests that stunting or chronic undernutrition increases the risk of obesity and hypertension later in life. Around 60 million people are under the poverty line in Brazil. In São Paulo, the richest city of the country, 20% of the population live in slums and in Maceió, the capital of one of the poorest states, this percentage reaches 50%. Undernutrition in this population is around 20% among children, with high frequency of infections, anemia, and parasitic infestations, associated with poor sanitation. Among stunted adolescents, we found a high prevalence of hypertension (21%) that is a considerably higher estimate compared to non-stunted adolescents (less than 10%). The prevalence of hypertension in undernourished pre-school children, or in those who recovered from undernutrition, was higher than that in controls (29%, 20% and 2%, respectively, P < 0.001). Among stunted adults eating no more than 66% of the requirements (adjusted for stature), overweight/obesity was 35% in women and 25% in men. The prevalence of hypertension was 44% among stunted women and 18% among stunted men. Fifty per cent of stunted and obese women had hypertension. These data reinforce the important association between undernutrition and hypertension from childhood through adulthood. Health policies for preventing and combating childhood undernutrition should have an impact on the morbidity and mortality related to hypertension during adulthood.

Nutrition …, 2004

Malnutrition is still highly prevalent in developing countries. Studies have shown an increase in... more Malnutrition is still highly prevalent in developing countries. Studies have shown an increase in the number of obese individuals in very poor urban communities. This review shows a co-existence between malnutrition and obesity in households of slums in Brazil and a higher prevalence of stunted/overweight or obese individuals (30%) in comparison with stunted/underweight (16%). These conditions are associated with important metabolic changes. Results from stunted children showed higher susceptibility to the effects of higher fats diets, lower fat oxidation, higher central fat, and higher body fat gain. A model to explain how early malnutrition alters energy balance in adults is outlined. In the presence of a relative food intake insufficiency, a higher cortisol:insulin ratio, associated with lower levels of IGF-1 will lead to lower muscle gain and linear growth, impaired lypolysis and fat oxidation. When these hormonal changes are combined with a higher fat/carbohydrate and/or marked decreased in physical activity, obesity with short stature will occur.

Emerging Societies- …, 2009

Kalhan SC, Prentice AM, Yajnik CS (eds): Emerging SocietiesCoexistence of Childhood Malnutrition... more Kalhan SC, Prentice AM, Yajnik CS (eds): Emerging SocietiesCoexistence of Childhood Malnutrition and Obesity. Nestlé Nutr Inst Workshop Ser Pediatr Program, vol 63, pp 95108, Nestec Ltd., Vevey/S. Karger AG, Basel,© 2009. Malnutrition, Long-Term Health and the Effect of ...

Acta cirúrgica brasileira / Sociedade Brasileira para Desenvolvimento Pesquisa em Cirurgia, 2014

To investigate the sedative and clinical effects of the pharmacopuncture with xylazine, compared ... more To investigate the sedative and clinical effects of the pharmacopuncture with xylazine, compared to the conventional dose of a intramuscular injection in dogs. Twelve dogs were randomly distributed in two groups of six animals and treated as follows: control group (X-IM): 1mg kg(-1) of xylazine given intramuscularly (IM); pharmacopuncture group (X-Yintang): 0.1mg kg(-1) of xylazine diluted to 0.5 mL of saline injected into the Yin Tang acupoint. Heart rate, cardiac rhythm (ECG), systolic arterial blood pressure (SABP), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), blood glucose concentration, degree of sedation and adverse effects were evaluated. Sedative effect was observed in both groups. The degree of sedation was greater in X-IM only at 15 min when compared with X-Yintang group. Cardiovascular established was observed in X-Yintang group, while marked reduction in the HR and increased incidence of ECG abnormalities were detected in X-IM. In both treatment groups, minimal change...

Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the species distribution, antibiotic-resistance profile and... more The aim of this study was to evaluate the species distribution, antibiotic-resistance profile and presence of enterotoxin (SE) genes in staphylococci isolated from the Dilúvio stream in South Brazil. Eighty-eight staphylococci were identified, 93.18% were identified as coagulase-negative (CNS) and 6.82% coagulase-positive (CPS). Fourteen Staphylococcus species were detected and the most frequently were Staphylococcus cohnii (30.48%) and S. haemolyticus (21.95%). Resistance to erythromycin was verified in 37.50% of the strains, followed by 27.27% to penicillin, 12.50% to clindamycin, 6.81% to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 5.68% to chloramphenicol and 2.27% to norfloxacin. None of the investigated strains showed gentamicin and ciprofloxacin resistance. The strains were tested for the presence of sea, seb, sec, sed and see genes by PCR and only CNS strains (43.18%) showed positive results to one or more SE genes. The scientific importance of our results is due to the lack of data abou...

Cardiology in the young, 2008

When there is obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract, there are several surgical appro... more When there is obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract, there are several surgical approaches to the repair of discordant ventriculo-arterial connections in the setting of concordant atrioventricular connections. Choosing the optimal technique demands not only knowledge of the different surgical procedures, but also the understanding of the particular anatomic features present in a specific patient. These requisites are then essential to plan the operation, to foresee some difficult situations, and to avoid post-operative complications. In this review, we assess all these surgical and anatomic aspects, focussing on their relative importance in clinical assessment.

Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention, 2012

Information regarding the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on pulmonary function (PF), ar... more Information regarding the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on pulmonary function (PF), arterial blood gases (ABG), and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) in patients with bronchiectasis is scant in the literature. To evaluate the effects of PR on these indices in this population, a retrospective evaluation of those who attended PR from 2007 to 2010, was made. Pulmonary rehabilitation lasted a mean of 12 weeks and included cycle ergometer exercise for 30 minutes, 3 times per week, with additional upper limbs and quadriceps training. PF, ABG, and 6MWD were evaluated before and after PR to determine the potential influence of gender, exacerbations, underlying cause of bronchiectasis, severity of obstruction, and colonization with bacteria. Forty-one patients (48.8% males; median age, 54 years) were included; 25 had severe obstruction and 19 were colonized with bacteria. Following PR, no significant changes were detected in PF or ABG. Median 6MWD before PR was 425 m and post-PR was 450 m (P = .431). Outcomes did not show any interaction with gender, colonization, or exacerbations. However, patients with idiopathic bronchiectasis did show a significant improvement in forced vital capacity in percent of predicted and residual volume after PR (P = .016 and .048, respectively). Patients with severe obstruction showed a statistically significant decrease in percent of predicted residual volume (P = .025). There appears to be a beneficial impact of PR on PF in certain groups of patients with bronchiectasis. In addition, PR indications and protocols for patients with bronchiectasis may need to be adapted to accommodate specific patients, so that expressive exercise capacity improvement can be achieved.

Toxicon, 1991

MAIA . Acute gastric mucosal injury induced by toxins from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom: a no... more MAIA . Acute gastric mucosal injury induced by toxins from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom: a novel experimental model in the rat. Toxicon 29, 1395Toxicon 29, -1401Toxicon 29, , 1991The effect of a partially purified fraction (TI) and toxin y purified from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom, on gastric mucosa were investigated in anesthetized rats. The animals were injected i.v. with the TI fraction (37.S~g/100g) or with saline and 60 min later were sacrificed and the stomachs resécted. The gastric juice was measured and stereoscopic examination of the stomachs made . In animals injected with the TI fraction there was an increase in volume, acidity and pepsin output of rat stomach. The TI fraction also induced acute gastric injuries in the glandular mucosa, consisting of circular or linear ulcers, and punctiform lesions. Intravenous injection of 20 ßg/100 g of a pure toxin obtained from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom (toxin y) also induced similar lesions in the rat stomach . Our data indicate that the injection of TI fraction or toxin y are good models to induce acute gastric ulcers in a short period of time in anesthetized rats.

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, 2013

Coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) cause staphylococcal food poisoning. Recently, these bacte... more Coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) cause staphylococcal food poisoning. Recently, these bacteria have received increasing attention due to their potential role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance markers. The present study aimed to evaluate coagulase-positive staphylococci counts, species distribution, enterotoxin genes prevalence, and the antibiotic resistance profile of CPS isolated from in natura chicken meat. Fifteen frozen and 15 chilled industrialized, uncooked chicken parts or entire carcasses were used. Staphylococcal counts revealed that frozen chicken meat samples displayed the lowest CPS count compared with chilled chicken meat samples ( p < 0.01). Staphylococcus aureus (62%) was the most common species, followed by S. intermedius, S. delphini, and S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans (10% each) and S. hyicus (8%). The polymerase chain reaction identification of sea, seb, sec, sed, and see genes revealed that 70% of the isolates harbored at least one enterotoxin gene, with sea and sed being the most frequently encountered ones. Two of the 50 investigated strains harbored three different enterotoxin genes. A high frequency of isolates resistant to penicillin, teicoplanin, oxacillin, and clindamycin was observed, and 80% of CPS were found to be resistant to at least one of the 11 tested antimicrobials. Vancomycinresistant S. aureus and S. intermedius showed minimum inhibitory concentrations of 512 and 64 lg/mL, respectively. These isolates might indicate the dissemination of vancomycin resistance in the community and imply food safety hazards.

The Journal of …, 2010

Experimental studies of uncontrolled hemorrhage demonstrated that permissive hypotension (PH) red... more Experimental studies of uncontrolled hemorrhage demonstrated that permissive hypotension (PH) reduces blood loss, but its effect on clot formation remains unexplored. Desmopressin (DDAVP) enhances platelet adhesion promoting stronger clots. We hypothesized PH and DDAVP have additive effects and reduce bleeding in uncontrolled hemorrhage. Rabbits (n = 42) randomized as follows: sham; normal blood pressure (NBP) resuscitation; PH resuscitation-60% baseline mean arterial pressure; NBP plus DDAVP 1 hour before (DDAVP NBP) or 15 minutes after beginning of shock (DDAVP T1 NBP); and PH plus DDAVP 1 hour before (DDAVP PH) or 15 minutes after beginning of shock (DDAVP T1 PH). Fluid resuscitation started 15 minutes after aortic injury and ended at 85 minutes. Intraabdominal blood loss was calculated, aortic clot sent for electron microscopy. Activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, thromboelastometry, arterial blood gases, and complete blood count were performed at baseline and 85 minutes. Analysis of variance was used for comparison. NBP received more fluid volume and had greater intraabdominal blood loss. DDAVP, when administered preshock, significantly reduced blood loss in NBP and fluid requirement when given postshock. Platelets, arterial blood gas, complete blood count, and activated partial thromboplastin time were similar at 85 minutes. NBP delayed clot formation and worsened thrombodynamic potential on thromboelastometry, whereas PH and DDAVP improved. Electron microscopy showed lack of fibrin on NBP clots, whereas DDAVP and PH clots displayed exuberant fibrin/platelet aggregates. DDAVP NBP presented intermediate clots. PH reduced bleeding and improved hemostasis compared with normotensive resuscitation. DDAVP given preshock exerted similar effects with normotensive resuscitation.