Abstract Aim: This study evaluated the effects of 10 weeks of combined exercise training on the salivary oxidative profile of hypertensive and normotensive postmenopausal women. Methods: Twenty-six non-obese postmenopausal women were divided into two groups: the hypertensive group (HT; n = 13; 58.9 ± 3.9 years; and BMI of 27.7 ± 4.6 kg/m2) or the normotensive group (NT; n = 13; 52.7 ± 5.2 years; and BMI of 26.9 ± 2.9 kg/m2). They performed 30 sessions of combined exercises over 10 weeks: 45 min per session, three times a week. Resting saliva samples were collected after an overnight fast to evaluate salivary nitrite levels and oxidative stress markers before and after training. Results: Two-way ANOVA showed that there was no difference in the responses over time between the hypertensive and normotensive groups in catalase, superoxide dismutase salivary activity, total antioxidant capacity, or lipid peroxidation. However, superoxide dismutase activity (δHT -0.87 ± 14.53 SOD/mg protein; δNT: 7.13 ± 9.39 SOD/mg protein; p < 0.01) and nitrite levels (δHT 10.32 ± 60.83 mM; δNT 101.92 ± 149.57 mM; p = 0.03) were higher overall in the hypertensive group compared to the normotensive group. Moreover, salivary nitrite levels increased over time (p = 0.04) in both groups. Conclusion: 10 weeks of combined exercise training did not change salivary oxidative stress markers in either normotensive or hypertensive postmenopausal women, although, after exercise training, nitrite levels increased in both groups, even with higher baseline salivary nitrite levels in hypertensive women. Thus, recurrent exercise seems to be a safe strategy after menopause from the standpoint of oxidative stress, regardless of the presence of hypertension.

Objetivo: avaliar se a alteração na atividade da alfa amilase salivar está associada à ansiedade e ao estresse dos profissionais de enfermagem hospitalar e, se a ansiedade e o estresse estão associados aos fatores sociodemográficos, epidemiológicos e laborais. Método: estudo transversal, quantitativo, desenvolvido com 210 profissionais de enfermagem de uma instituição hospitalar. Para a coleta de dados, utilizouse um questionário de caracterização dos trabalhadores, o Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck, o Inventário de Sintomas de Stress para Adultos de Lipp e as amostras de saliva coletadas durante os turnos de trabalho. Os dados foram analisados de forma descritiva e inferencial utilizando os softwares Statistical Package for the Social Science e GraphPad Prism. Resultados: a maioria dos profissionais apresentou estresse e ansiedade. As variáveis faixa etária, quantidade de filhos, uso de medicamentos e carga horária de trabalho estavam associadas à ansiedade; faixa etária, tabagismo e uso de medicamentos estavam associadas ao estresse. Observouse um aumento da atividade da alfa amilase salivar no meio do turno de trabalho. Os profissionais que tinham estresse e ansiedade apresentaram alteração significativa da alfa amilase no turno da noite. Conclusão: as alterações na atividade da alfa amilase estavam associadas à ansiedade e ao estresse dos profissionais de enfermagem, demonstrando que essa enzima pode ser um possível biomarcador de ansiedade e estresse em trabalhadores.

Objective: to assess if changes in salivary alpha-amylase activity are associated with anxiety and stress among hospital nursing professionals and whether anxiety and stress are associated with sociodemographic, epidemiological, and occupational factors. Method: cross-sectional, quantitative study, carried out with 210 nursing professionals from a hospital. For data collection, we used a questionnaire to characterize workers, Beck’s Anxiety Inventory, Lipp’s Stress Symptoms Inventory for Adults and samples and saliva samples collected in work shifts. The data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially using the software Statistical Package for the Social Science and GraphPad Prism. Results: most professionals experienced stress and anxiety. The variables age group, number of children, use of medication and workload were associated with anxiety; age group, smoking and medication use were associated with stress. An increase in the salivary alpha-amylase activity was observed in the middle of the work shift. Professionals who had stress and anxiety had significant changes in alpha-amylase in the night shift. Conclusion: changes in salivary alpha-amylase were associated with anxiety and stress among nursing professionals, indicating that this enzyme can be a possible biomarker of anxiety and stress in workers.

Objetivo: evaluar si la alteración en la actividad de la alfa amilasa salival está asociada a la ansiedad y al estrés de los profesionales de enfermería hospitalaria y, si la ansiedad y el estrés están asociados a factores sociodemográficos, epidemiológicos y laborales. Método: estudio transversal, cuantitativo, desarrollado en 210 profesionales de enfermería, en una institución hospitalaria. Para la recogida de datos, se utilizó un cuestionario de caracterización de los trabajadores, el Inventario de Ansiedad de Beck, el Inventario de Síntomas de Stress para Adultos de Lipp y las muestras de saliva recogidas durante los turnos de trabajo. Los datos fueron analizados de forma descriptiva e inferencial utilizando los softwares Statistical Package for the Social Science y GraphPad Prism. Resultados: la mayoría de los profesionales presentó estrés y ansiedad. Las variables intervalo etario, cantidad de hijos, uso de medicamentos y carga horaria de trabajo estaban asociadas a la ansiedad; el intervalo etario, el tabaquismo y el uso de medicamentos estaban asociados al estrés. Se observó un aumento de la actividad de la alfa amilasa salival en los ambientes de los turnos de trabajo. Los profesionales que tenían estrés y ansiedad presentaron alteración significativa de la alfa amilasa en el turno de la noche. Conclusión: las alteraciones en la actividad de la alfa amilasa estaban asociadas a la ansiedad y al estrés de los profesionales de enfermería, demostrando que esa enzima puede ser un posible biomarcador de ansiedad y estrés en trabajadores.

The present study compared two heating methods currently used for antigen retrieval (AR) immunostaining: the microwave oven and the steam cooker. Myosin-V, a molecular motor involved in vesicle transport, was used as a neuronal marker in honeybee Apis mellifera brains fixed in formalin. Overall, the steam cooker showed the most satisfactory AR results. At 100 ºC, tissue morphology was maintained and revealed epitope recovery, while evaporation of the AR solution was markedly reduced; this is important for stabilizing the sodium citrate molarity of the AR buffer and reducing background effects. Standardization of heat-mediated AR of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections results in more reliable immunostaining of the honeybee brain.