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Previous evidences support that increased oxidative stress (OxS) may play an important role in metabolic syndrome (MetS) and both are closely linked to vascular dysfunction. This study determined whether there is a relationship between endothelial function and relative telomere length (RTL) in MetS subjects. In this cross-sectional study from the LIPGENE cohort, a total of 88 subjects (36 men and 52 women) were divided into four groups by quartiles of telomere length. We measured ischemic reactive hyperemia (IRH), total nitrite (NO) and protein carbonyl (PC) plasma levels, F2-isoprostanes urinary levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) plasma activities. IRH and NO plasma levels were higher in subjects with longer RTL (quartiles 3 and 4), while PC plasma levels, F2-isoprostanes urinary levels, and GPx and SOD plasma activities were lower in quartile 4 subjects (longest RTL). Additionally, MetS subjects with longer RTL had greater homeostatic model assessment-β level and lower triglycerides plasma levels. Our results suggest that endothelial dysfunction, associated with high levels of OxS, could be entailed in an increment of telomere attrition. Thus, further support of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in vascular dysfunction may contribute to the development of strategies to decelerate vascular aging or prevent cardiovascular disease.

Background Characterization of the variations in the metabolomic profiles of elderly people is a necessary step to understand changes associated with aging. This study assessed whether diets with different fat quality and supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) affect the metabolomic profile in urine analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy from elderly people. Methods Ten participants received, in a cross-over design, four isocaloric diets for 4-week periods each: Mediterranean diet supplemented with CoQ (Med + CoQ diet); Mediterranean diet; Western diet rich in saturated fat diet; low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet enriched in n-3 polyunsaturated fat. Results Multivariate analysis showed differences between diets when comparing Med + CoQ diet and saturated fat diet, with greater hippurate urine levels after Med + CoQ diet and higher phenylacetylglycine levels after saturated fat diet in women. Following consumption of Med + CoQ, hippurate excretion was positively correlated with CoQ and β-carotene plasma levels and inversely related to Nrf2, thioredoxin, superoxide dismutase 1, and gp91(phox) subunit of NADPH oxidase gene expression. After saturated fat diet consumption, phenylacetylglycine excretion was inversely related to CoQ plasma level and positively correlated with isoprostanes urinary level. Conclusions The association between hippurate excretion and antioxidant biomarkers along with the relationship between phenylacetylglycine excretion and oxidant biomarkers suggests that the long-term consumption of a Med + CoQ diet could be beneficial for healthy aging and a promising challenge in the prevention of processes related to chronic oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease.

The addition of antioxidants to frying oil reduces postprandial oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. ER stress may trigger both inflammation and oxidative stress processes. We aimed to determine the biological effects of the intake of four models of frying oils on postprandial ER stress in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Twenty obese people received four breakfasts following a randomized crossover design, consisting of muffins made with different oils (virgin olive oil (VOO), sunflower oil (SFO), and a mixture of seed oils (SFO/canola oil) with either dimethylpolysiloxane (SOD) or natural antioxidants from olives (SOP) added), which were previously subjected to 20 heating cycles. ER stress was assessed by measuring the mRNA levels of sXBP1, BiP, CRT, and CNX in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our study showed that the intake of the muffins made with SFO induced the postprandial increase of the mRNA levels of the ER stress-sensor sXBP1, and the ER stress related chaperones BiP and CRT (all p-values

Toxocara spp. infection and the seroconversion rate in the Amazon have been poorly investigated. This study analyzed individual and household-level risk factors for the presence of IgG antibodies to Toxocara spp. in urban Amazonian children over a period of 7 years and evaluated the seroconversion rates over a 1-year follow-up. In children < 59 months of age, the overall prevalence rate was 28.08% in 2003 and 23.35% in 2010. The 2010-2011 seroconversion rates were 13.90% for children 6-59 months of age and 12.30% for children 84-143 months of age. Multilevel logistic regression analysis identified child age, previous wheezing, and current infection with hookworm as significant associated factors for Toxocara spp. seropositivity in 2003. In 2010, age, previous helminthiasis, and having a dog were associated with seropositivity, whereas having piped water inside the household was a protective factor. Control programs mainly need to target at-risk children, water quality control, and animal deworming strategies.

Despite the process of nutritional transition in Brazil, in some places, such as the Amazon region, stunting is still an important public health problem. We identified the prevalence and factors associated with stunting in children under five years old residing in the urban area of Assis Brasil. A survey was conducted in which a questionnaire on socioeconomic, maternal and children’s conditions was applied, and height or length was measured. The children with height for age index below -2 Z-scores were considered stunted, according to the criteria by the World Health Organization. Four hundred and twenty-eight children were evaluated. Of these, 62 were stunted. Factors associated with stunting, according to adjusted models, were: the presence of open sewer, the wealth index for households, the receipt of governmental financial aid and the mother’s height, age and education. Therefore, it was observed that family and the mother’s characteristics as well as environmental and socioeconomic factors were closely related to the occurrence of stunting in the population studied, and such nutritional disturbance is still a health problem in the Brazilian Amazon.

Our aim was to assess the use of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as an in vivo cellular model to evaluate diet-induced changes in the oxidative stress status by analyzing the gene expression pattern of NADPH-oxidase subunits and antioxidant genes. A randomized, controlled trial assigned metabolic syndrome patients to 4 diets for 12 weeks each: (i) high-saturated fatty acid (HSFA), (ii) high-monounsaturated fatty acid, and (iii), (iv) two low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diets supplemented with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or placebo. A fat challenge reflecting the fatty acid composition as the original diets was conducted post-intervention. The mRNA levels of gp91(phox) (P

A child living in the Brazilian Amazon region who had had vivax malaria at the age of 11 months was admitted three months later with a history of progressive dyspnoea and fever, which culminated in respiratory distress and severe dilated cardiomyopathy at hospital admission in a malaria-free area. She received treatment for cardiac insufficiency and was tested for malaria with two thick blood smears, which were negative. There was general improvement of cardiorespiratory function in the next two weeks, but in the third week of hospital admission, there was re-appearance of fever, severe anaemia, severe plaquetopaenia, and respiratory distress. A third thick blood smear was positive for Plasmodium vivax mono-infection, which was confirmed by molecular methods. A serological panel with the most prevalent infectious agents known to cause myocarditis was performed, and specific anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgM and elevated levels of anti-CMV IgG were also detected in the serum. After treatment for malaria, there was improvement of respiratory distress, although cardiac function did not recover. She was discharged home with drugs for cardiac insufficiency and is currently under follow-up with a paediatric cardiologist as an outpatient. This report presents a young child with several episodes of vivax malaria who suffers from cardiac insufficiency, probably related to CMV-induced myocarditis.

Adipose tissue (AT) is a key organ in the regulation of total body lipid homeostasis, which is responsible for the storage and release of fatty acids according to metabolic needs. We aimed to investigate the effect of the quantity and quality of dietary fat on the lipogenesis and lipolysis processes in the AT of metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients. A randomized, controlled trial conducted within the LIPGENE study assigned MetS patients to one of four diets: (a) high-saturated fatty acid (HSFA) (b) high-monounsaturated fatty acid, and (c, d) two low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diets supplemented with long chain (LC) n-3 (LFHCC n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) or placebo (LFHCC), for 12 weeks each. A fat challenge reflecting the same fatty acid composition as the original diets was conducted post-intervention. Long-term consumption of the LFHCC diet induced an increase in the fasting expression levels of the sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 and stearoyl-CoA desaturase D9-desaturase genes, whereas the supplementation of this diet with n-3 PUFA reversed this effect (p = 0.007). In contrast, long-term consumption of the HSFA diet increased the expression of the adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) gene, at both fasting and postprandial states (both, p

Background We examined the degree of postprandial triglyceride (TG) response over the day, representing a highly dynamic state, with continuous metabolic adaptations, among normal-weight, overweight and obese patients, according to their metabolically healthy or abnormal status. Materials and methods A total of 1002 patients from the CORDIOPREV clinical trial (NCT00924937) were submitted to an oral fat load test meal with 0·7 g fat/kg body weight (12% saturated fatty acids (SFA), 10% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), 43% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 10% protein and 25% carbohydrates). Serial blood test analysing lipid fractions and inflammation markers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)) were drawn at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h during postprandial state. We explored the dynamic response according to six body size phenotypes: (i) normal weight, metabolically healthy; (ii) normal weight, metabolically abnormal; (iii) overweight, metabolically healthy; (iv) overweight, metabolically abnormal; (v) obese, metabolically healthy; and (vi) obese, metabolically abnormal. Results Metabolically healthy patients displayed lower postprandial response of plasma TG and large triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins (TRLs)-TG, compared with those metabolically abnormal, independently whether or not they were obese (P

Oxidative stress is produced by an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or a decrease in the antioxidant defenses, causing damage to all components of the cell, including proteins, lipids, and DNA. Coenzyme Q 10 (CoQ 10 ) shows unique biochemical characteristics as a lipid-soluble antioxidant; it is synthesized endogenously, is present in all membranes, and exceeds other antioxidants in both amount and efficiency. CoQ 10 can neutralize ROS and may decrease or even help to prevent some of the damage they cause.Genetic mutations can reduce CoQ 10 biosynthesis, and many neurodegenerative disorders, as well as diabetes and renal and cardiovascular diseases, have been associated with low CoQ 10 levels, as has aging. Because dietary uptake of this lipid is limited, CoQ 10 supplementation is causing considerable clinical interest as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of these human diseases and for use in the elderly. More research is needed to determine the appropriate dose, effectiveness, and bioavailability of orally administered CoQ 10 , especially in the elderly. There may even be the possibility of designing therapeutic agents that increase the endogenous synthesis of CoQ 10.

Food and nutrition security is the regular and permanent access to quality food in suf fi cient quantity. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with food insecurity in households with children under fiv e in the Amazon frontier Brazil - Peru. The study was conducted in 352 households in Assis Brasil (Brazil) and 89 households Inapari (Peru), fi nding a prevalence of food insecurity of 40.6 % and 38.2 % , respectively ( p = 0.856 ) . In Assis Brasil, having domicile with wood fl oors or land increased by 2.47 times the odds of food insecurity compared to cement fl oors, ceramic or quarry tiles . Belonging to the poorest tertile increased the chance of food insecurity in 6.04 times ( p < 0.001 ), and the increment of each new resident increased by 37 % the chance of food insecurity in the household . In Inapari, only living in house made of wood or with a wood fl oor was associated with food insecurity, showing that income is still the main factor associated with food insecurity in the Amazonian borders.

O ensino médico há alguns anos vem passando por uma transição do modelo clássico teórico para abordagens práticas e baseadas em problemas. Fundamentando-se em uma abordagem prática ambulatorial, criou-se um projeto de extensão para o ensino simultâneo a alunos de diferentes anos do curso médico com uma população ribeirinha, em que cada acadêmico utilizou suas habilidades adquiridas no curso para a criação de um serviço ambulatorial (acolhimento, pré-consulta, consulta médica, vacinação e dispensação de medicamentos), de forma a promover um serviço de saúde. Esta ação ocorreu em áreas remotas da Amazônia brasileira, mostrando que é possível unir extensão e ensino na formação de médicos mais conscientes das diferentes realidades socioeconômicas e culturais brasileiras. The model of medical education has been undergoing a transition between classical theory and problem-oriented teaching based in the past years. Relying on an outpatient practice, we created an outreach project for the simultaneous teaching of students from different years of the medical course integrated with the consultation of a riverside population, where each used their academic skills already acquired in the course to create an outpatient service (pre-consultation, medical consultation, vaccination and drug dispensing) in order to promote a health service. This action occurred in the most remote areas of the Brazilian Amazon, showing that it is possible to combine community outreach projects and teaching while making future medical doctors more aware of the different Brazilian socioeconomic and cultural realities.

Scope To determine whether the insulin resistance that exists in metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients is modulated by dietary fat composition. Methods and results Seventy-five patients were randomly assigned to one of four diets for 12 wk: high-saturated fatty acids (HSFAs), high-MUFA (HMUFA), and two low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate (LFHCC) diets supplemented with long-chain n-3 (LFHCC n-3) PUFA or placebo. At the end of intervention, the LFHCC n-3 diet reduced plasma insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, and nonsterified fatty acid concentration (p < 0.05) as compared to baseline Spanish habitual (BSH) diet. Subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) analysis revealed decreased EH-domain containing-2 mRNA levels and increased cbl-associated protein gene expression with the LFHCC n-3 compared to HSFA and HMUFA diets, respectively (p < 0.05). Moreover, the LFHCC n-3 decreased gene expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase with respect to HMUFA and BSH diets (p < 0.05). Finally, proteomic characterization of subcutaneous WAT identified three proteins of glucose metabolism downregulated by the LFHCC n-3 diet, including annexin A2. RT-PCR analysis confirmed the decrease of annexin A2 (p = 0.027) after this diet. Conclusion Our data suggest that the LFHCC n-3 diet reduces systemic insulin resistance and improves insulin signaling in subcutaneous WAT of MetS patients compared to HSFA and BSH diets consumption.

Rationale: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a high-prevalence condition characterized by altered energy metabolism, insulin resistance, and elevated cardiovascular risk. Objectives: Although many individual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been linked to certain MetS features, there are few studies analyzing the influence of SNPs on carbohydrate metabolism in MetS. Methods: A total of 904 SNPs (tag SNPs and functional SNPs) were tested for influence on 8 fasting and dynamic markers of carbohydrate metabolism, by performance of an intravenous glucose tolerance test in 450 participants in the LIPGENE study. Findings: From 382 initial gene-phenotype associations between SNPs and any phenotypic variables, 61 (16% of the preselected variables) remained significant after bootstrapping. Top SNPs affecting glucose metabolism variables were as follows: fasting glucose, rs26125 (PPARGC1B); fasting insulin, rs4759277 (LRP1); C-peptide, rs4759277 (LRP1); homeostasis assessment of insulin resistance, rs4759277 (LRP1); quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, rs184003 (AGER); sensitivity index, rs7301876 (ABCC9), acute insulin response to glucose, rs290481 (TCF7L2); and disposition index, rs12691 (CEBPA). Conclusions: We describe here the top SNPs linked to phenotypic features in carbohydrate metabolism among approximately 1000 candidate gene variations in fasting and postprandial samples of 450 patients with MetS from the LIPGENE study.

The Chicxulub impact in Mexico has been linked to the mass extinction of species at the end of the Cretaceous period. From seismic data collected across the offshore portion of the impact crater, the diameter of the transient cavity is determined to be about 100 km. This parameter is critical for constraining impact-related effects on the Cretaceous environment, with previous estimates of the cavity diameter spanning an order of magnitude in impact energy. The offshore seismic data indicate that the Chicxulub crater has a multi-ring basin morphology, similar to large impact structures observed on other planets, such as Venus.

This study describes the epidemiological profile of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Assis Brasil, a town located at the border of Brazil, Peru and Bolivia, between 2003 and 2010. Leishmaniasis case files were reviewed and frequencies compared using the Fisher Exact Test or Chi-square. There were 579 cases recorded, with a detection coefficient of 191 and 82 cases per 10,000 inhabitants in 2003 and 2010, respectively. Cases were more frequent in males (63.0%), in persons living in rural areas (72.3%), and in those with environment-related jobs (52.5%). Around 81% of patients resided in Assis Brasil, 3.6% lived in neighboring Brazilian towns, 10.4% in Peru, 1.7% in Bolivia and 3.8% had an unknown address. The cutaneous form was more prevalent (53.5%), and there were few cases of relapse (1.7%) recorded during this period. The diagnosis was most commonly confirmed by the intradermal test, while the direct microscopic test was seldom used. Treatment deficiencies occurred due to inadequate prescribed doses (56.3% of mucosal cases) and shortened length of treatment (2.6% of cases). There is an apparent lack of human resources for diagnosis and case notification, and therefore improvements in the basic public health system are needed for efficient disease control.

We investigated the molecular mechanisms by which phenolic compounds (phenols) in virgin olive oil reduce the postprandial inflammatory response with the aim of identifying the transcription factor involved and the downstream effects. Olive oil-based breakfasts prepared with virgin olive oil (VOO) with high (398 ppm), intermediate (149 ppm) and low (70 ppm) phenol content were administered to 49 metabolic syndrome patients following a randomized crossover design. The consumption of a high-phenol VOO-based breakfast limited the increase of lipopolysaccharide plasma levels, TLR4, and SOCS3 proteins (p

We have investigated whether dietary fat modifies the postprandial oxidative stress in adipose tissue of elderly people. Twenty participants received three diets for 4 weeks each: SFA-rich diet, Mediterranean (Med) diet enriched in MUFA with virgin olive oil, and a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet enriched in n-3 PUFA (α-linolenic acid from plant origin) (CHO-PUFA diet). After 12 h of fasting, volunteers received a breakfast reflecting the fatty acid composition of the diet ingested in the preceding dietary period. Med diet induced higher postprandial SOD2 and TrxR mRNA levels, and CHO-PUFA diet induced higher GPx1 and TrxR mRNA levels compared with SFA-rich diet. Med and CHO-PUFA breakfasts induced a postprandial increase in plasma reduced glutathione (GSH), and a greater postprandial GSH/oxidized glutathione ratio compared to the SFA-rich diet. Our study suggests that the consumption of Med and CHO-PUFA diets may reduce postprandial oxidative stress compared to an SFA-rich diet, which may be due to higher antioxidant enzymes gene expression in adipose tissue.

Summary Background & aims Genetic background may interact with habitual dietary fat composition, and affect development of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene ( PCK1 ) plays a significant role regulating glucose metabolism, and fatty acids are key metabolic regulators, which interact with transcription factors and influence glucose metabolism. We explored genetic variability at the PCK1 gene locus in relation to degree of insulin resistance and plasma fatty acid levels in MetS subjects. Moreover, we analyzed the PCK1 gene expression in the adipose tissue of a subgroup of MetS subjects according to the PCK1 genetic variants. Methods Insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, glucose effectiveness, plasma concentrations of C-peptide, fatty acid composition and three PCK1 tag-single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined in 443 MetS participants in the LIPGENE cohort. Results The rs2179706 SNP interacted with plasma concentration of n − 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ( n − 3 PUFA), which were significantly associated with plasma concentrations of fasting insulin, peptide C, and HOMA-IR. Among subjects with n − 3 PUFA levels above the population median, carriers of the C/C genotype exhibited lower plasma concentrations of fasting insulin ( P = 0.036) and HOMA-IR ( P = 0.019) as compared with C/C carriers with n − 3 PUFA below the median. Moreover, homozygous C/C subjects with n − 3 PUFA levels above the median showed lower plasma concentrations of peptide C as compared to individuals with the T-allele ( P = 0.006). Subjects carrying the T-allele showed a lower gene PCK1 expression as compared with carriers of the C/C genotype ( P = 0.015). Conclusions The PCK1 rs2179706 polymorphism interacts with plasma concentration of n − 3 PUFA levels modulating insulin resistance in MetS subjects.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with high oxidative stress, which is caused by an increased expression of NADPH-oxidase and a decreased expression of antioxidant enzymes in the adipose tissue. Our aim was to evaluate whether the quality and quantity of dietary fat can modify that process. A randomized, controlled trial conducted within the LIPGENE study assigned MetS patients to one of four diets for 12 wk each: (i) high-saturated fatty acid (HSFA), (ii) high-monounsaturated fatty acid (HMUFA), (iii) and (iv) two low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet supplemented with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LFHCC n3), or placebo (LFHCC). A fat challenge reflecting the same fatty acid composition as the original diets was conducted post-intervention. The intake of an HSFA meal induced a higher postprandial increase in gp91phox and p67phox mRNA levels than after the intake of HMUFA, LFHCC and LFHCC n-3 meals (all p-values

This paper was done based on Charles Maguerez "Problematization Theory" framework at the Didactic and Teaching Foundations at graduate level. It aims at showing a new direction for Fine Art course, at the Art Department by means of pedagogical tools and comparing the traditional and the no traditional means of art teaching, especially about the curricular organization of the Fine Arts Course at University. Este trabalho foi realizado através da "Metodologia da Problematização" de Charles Maguerez no curso de Didática e Fundamentos do Ensino. Nele procuramos mostrar novas direções para o curso de arte, do Departamento de Arte da UEL, através de instrumentos pedagógicos comparando os meios tradicionais e não tradicionais para ensino de arte, especialmente sobre a organização curricular do curso de Educação Artística da Universidade Estadual de Londrina.

Introdução: A cidade de Iñapari localiza-se no Peru e faz fronteira com a região Amazônica brasileira pelos estados do Acre e Amazonas. As crianças peruanas menores de 5 anos padecem com moderado percentual de anemia e a desnutrição crônica infantil constitui um dos principais problemas de saúde pública no país. O objetivo deste estudo foi levantar a prevalência das principais morbidades da infância, como anemia, desnutrição infantil, parasitoses intestinais, toxocaríase e hepatite A, e investigar a associação entre elas e as condições socioeconômicas e ambientais encontradas em Iñapari. Métodos: Foram realizadas entrevistas com base em questionários, assim como a relação das medidas antropométricas, a coleta de amostra de fezes e a coleta de sangue venoso. Resultados: Dentre os resultados encontrados, destaca-se a prevalência de anemia de 20%, desnutrição crônica avaliada pelo déficit de altura para a idade de 8,5%, presença de patógenos em 24,5% das amostras de fezes tendo como principal patógeno Giardia intestinalis (14,7%), prevalência de toxocaríase de 33,3% e de hepatite A de 23,3%. Conclusão: Neste estudo ficou evidenciada a associação entre os desfechos e as más condições de moradia e higiene da população. A baixa renda mostrou-se claramente associada à presença de desnutrição e anemia.

Discordant phenotypes, metabolically healthy obese and unhealthy normal-weight individuals, are always interesting to provide important insights into the mechanistic link between adipose tissue dysfunction and associated metabolic alterations. Macrophages can release factors that impair the proper activity of the adipose tissue. Thus, studying subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues, we investigated for the first time the differences in monocyte/macrophage infiltration, inflammation, and adipogenesis of normal-weight subjects who differed in their degree of metabolic syndrome. The study included 92 normal-weight subjects who differed in their degree of metabolic syndrome. Their anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured. RNA from subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues was isolated, and mRNA expression of monocyte/macrophage infiltration (CD68, CD33, ITGAM, CD163, EMR-1, CD206, MerTK, CD64, ITGAX), inflammation (IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFα], IL-10, IL-1b, CCL2, CCL3), and adipogenic and lipogenic capacity markers (PPARgamma, FABP4) were measured. Taken together, our data provide evidence of a different degree of macrophage infiltration between the adipose tissues, with a higher monocyte/macrophage infiltration in subcutaneous adipose tissue in metabolically unhealthy normal-weight subjects, whereas visceral adipose tissue remained almost unaffected. An increased macrophage infiltration of adipose tissue and its consequences, such as a decrease in adipogenesis function, may explain why both the obese and normal-weight subjects can develop metabolic diseases or remain healthy.

A malária é uma doença parasitária que constitui um grave problema de saúde pública. No Brasil, os casos estão concentrados principalmente na Amazônia Legal. As manifestações clínicas da malária dependem de vários fatores e a doença está relacionada com o desenvolvimento de anemia. Neste estudo, foi avaliada a prevalência de anemia em casos de malária e fatores associados. O estudo foi realizado em Mâncio Lima, no Acre. Os participantes foram escolhidos com base na detecção dos casos de malária pelos postos de saúde do município. Foi aplicado um questionário e amostras de sangue foram analisadas para a pesquisa de plasmódios e para a quantificação de hemoglobina. Valeu-se do SPSS 13.0, software para análise estatística. O estudo identificou 120 pessoas com o diagnóstico de malária, sendo 58,3% do sexo masculino e 41,7% do sexo feminino. A prevalência de anemia foi de 25%, associada com sexo feminino, tempo de sintomas superior a quatro dias e presença de cefaleia. A prevalência de anemia e os fatores associados a esses pacientes com diagnóstico de malária podem estar relacionados não somente à infecção, mas também à presença de doenças prévias ou sobrepostas.

We have investigated the effects of the intake of oils heated at frying temperature in order to find an oil model for deep-frying that prevents postprandial oxidative stress. Twenty obese people received four breakfasts following a randomised crossover design consisting of different oils (virgin olive oil (VOO), sunflower oil (SFO), and a mixed seed oil (SFO/canola oil) with added dimethylpolysiloxane (SOX) or natural antioxidants from olives (SOP)), which were subjected to 20 heating cycles. The intake of SFO-breakfast reduced plasma GSH levels and the GSH/GSSG ratio, increased protein carbonyl levels, and induced a higher gene expression of the different NADPH-oxidase subunits, Nrf2-Keap1 activation, gene expression of the antioxidant enzymes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and antioxidant plasma activities than the intake of the breakfasts prepared with VOO, SOP and SOX. Oils with phenolic compounds, whether natural (VOO) or artificially added (SOP), or with artificial antioxidant (SOX), could reduce postprandial oxidative stress compared with sunflower oil.

Adipose tissue is now recognized as a highly active metabolic and endocrine organ. Our aim was to investigate the effect of the dietary fat on the two main adipose tissue functions, endocrine and lipid store, by analyzing the adipose tissue gene expression from metabolic syndrome patients. A randomized, controlled trial conducted within the LIPGENE study assigned 39 metabolic syndrome patients to 1 of 4 isoenergetic diets: (1) high-saturated fatty acid (HSFA), (2) high-monounsaturated fatty acid (HMUFA), (3) low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet supplemented with long-chain n-3 fatty acids (LFHCC n-3), and (4) low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet supplemented with placebo (LFHCC), for 12 weeks each. A fat challenge reflecting the fatty acid composition as the original diets was conducted post-intervention. The long-term consumption of HSFA, LFHCC, and LFHCC n-3 diets, but not HMUFA diet, decreased the perilipin fasting mRNA levels. LFHCC diet consumption increased fasting FABP4 expression, while it was reduced by the consumption of LFHCC n-3 diet. LFHCC meal reduced, while LFHCC n-3 meal intake increased postprandial CAV1 expression. The quantity and quality of dietary fat induce differential lipid storage and processing related gene expression, which may interact with the expression of adipokines through common regulatory mechanisms.

Malaria is a disease that generates a broad spectrum of clinical features. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical spectrum of malaria in semi-immune populations. Patients were recruited in Mâncio Lima, a city situated in the Brazilian Amazon region. The study included 171 malaria cases, which were diagnosed via the use of a thick blood smear and confirmed by molecular methods. A questionnaire addressing 19 common symptoms was administered to all patients. Multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were performed to identify clusters of symptoms, and logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the occurrence of symptoms. The cluster analysis revealed five groups of symptoms: the first cluster, which included algic- and fever-related symptoms, occurred in up to 95.3% of the cases. The second cluster, which comprised gastric symptoms (nausea, abdominal pain, inappetence, and bitter mouth), occurred in frequencies that ranged between 35.1% and 42.7%, and at least one of these symptoms was observed in 71.9% of the subjects. All respiratory symptoms were clustered and occurred in 42.7% of the malaria cases, and diarrhea occurred in 9.9% of the cases. Symptoms constituting the fifth cluster were vomiting and pallor, with a 14.6% and 11.7% of prevalence, respectively. A higher parasitemia count (more than 300 parasites/mm3) was associated with the presence of fever, vomiting, dizziness, and weakness (P< 0.05). Arthralgia and myalgia were associated with patients over the age of 14 years (P< 0.001). Having experienced at least eight malaria episodes prior to the study was associated with a decreased risk of chills and fever and an increased risk of sore throat (P< 0.05). None of the symptoms showed an association with gender or with species ofPlasmodium. The clinical spectrum of malaria in semi-immune individuals can have a broad range of symptoms, the frequency and intensity of which are associated with age, past exposure to malaria, and parasitemia. Understanding the full spectrum of nonsevere malaria is important in endemic areas to guide both passive and active case detection, for the diagnosis of malaria in travelers returning to non-endemic areas, and for the development of vaccines aimed to decrease symptom severity.

Santa Marta es una de las ciudades de Colombia con mayor recepción de víctimas del desplazamiento forzado en relación con su población regular. En la actualidad, uno de cada cinco habitantes es una persona desplazada por la violencia. Pese a las dimensiones del fenómeno y al gran impacto que este ha tenido en la ciudad, la problemática social y humanitaria implícita en él ha sido y sigue siendo poco visible ante la opinión pública. En este artículo se dan a conocer los factores de índole político, económico, administrativo y profesional que han venido incidiendo de manera más notoria para que la prensa y la radio samarías no hayan logrado hacer suficientemente visible ante la opinión local, regional y nacional el drama humanitario que viven más de 15.000 familias que han llegado a la ciudad durante los últimos diez años. Estos factores pudieron ser establecidos a través de un cuidadoso estudio que implicó el examen de las ediciones realizadas diariamente por los periódicos durante cinco años, así como de las emisiones noticiosas diarias de una estación de radio, durante dos años. La información documental se contrastó y complementó con la obtenida mediante entrevistas a periodistas y directivos de los medios locales objeto del estudio. Santa Marta is one of the cities in Colombia with higher reception of victims of forced displacement in conjunction with the regular population. Today, one of five residents is a person displaced by violence. Despite the sheer scale and the great impact this has had on the city, the implicit social and humanitarian issues has been and remains barely visible to the public. This article discusses the political, economic, administrative and professional factors that influenced the Samarían press and radio to failed making visible enough in the eyes of local, regional and national opinion the humanitarian drama that are living more than 15.000 families arrived at the city during the past ten years. These factors may be established through a careful study involving an examination of the editions made daily by the newspapers for five years, as well as daily news broadcasts of a radio station for two years. Documentary information was compared and supplemented with information obtained through interviews with journalists and local media executives in the study Santa Marta est l'une des plus grandes villes de la Colombie à recevoir des victimes des déplacements forcés en comparaison avec sa population normale. Aujourd'hui, un habitant sur cinq est une personne déplacée par la violence. Malgré l'ampleur et l'impact considérable que cela a eu sur la ville, les questions sociales et humanitaires implicite dans les faits ont été et demeurent à peine visible au public. Cet article décrit les facteurs d'ordre politique, économique, administratif et professionnel qui ont fait que la presse et la radio Samaries n’ont pas réussi a rendre suffisamment visible pour le drame général local, régional et national humanitaire que vivent plus de 15.000 familles arrivées dans la ville au cours des dix dernières années. Ces facteurs peuvent être établies par une étude minutieuse comprenant un examen des modifications effectuées quotidiennement par les journaux pendant cinq ans, ainsi que les bulletins de nouvelles par jour à partir d'une station de radio pendant deux ans. L'information documentaire a été comparé et complété avec les informations obtenues au moyen d'entrevues avec des journalistes locaux et responsables de médias interrogés.

Scope: Insulin resistance, a condition associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, results from the interaction of environmental and genetic factors. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of the G972R polymorphism at the insulin receptor substrate 1 gene on insulin sensitivity in a healthy young population. Furthermore, we examined whether the presence of this single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; GR or GG) interacts with dietary fat to modulate insulin sensitivity. Methods and results: Fifty-nine healthy volunteers consumed three diets during 4 wk each following a randomized crossover design: a saturated fatty acid diet, a low-fat and high carbohydrate (CHO) diet or a MUFA diet. For each diet, we investigated peripheral insulin sensitivity with the insulin suppression test. Steady-state plasma glucose and plasma-free fatty acids concentrations were significantly lower in GR subjects after the intake of a CHO diet, than did homozygous GG subjects (p

Background Previous studies have shown that acute intake of high-phenol virgin olive oil reduces pro-inflammatory, pro-oxidant and pro-thrombotic markers compared with low phenols virgin olive oil, but it still remains unclear whether effects attributed to its phenolic fraction are exerted at transcriptional level in vivo. To achieve this goal, we aimed at identifying expression changes in genes which could be mediated by virgin olive oil phenol compounds in the human. Results Postprandial gene expression microarray analysis was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells during postprandial period. Two virgin olive oil-based breakfasts with high (398 ppm) and low (70 ppm) content of phenolic compounds were administered to 20 patients suffering from metabolic syndrome following a double-blinded, randomized, crossover design. To eliminate the potential effect that might exist in their usual dietary habits, all subjects followed a similar low-fat, carbohydrate rich diet during the study period. Microarray analysis identified 98 differentially expressed genes (79 underexpressed and 19 overexpressed) when comparing the intake of phenol-rich olive oil with low-phenol olive oil. Many of these genes seem linked to obesity, dyslipemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Among these, several genes seem involved in inflammatory processes mediated by transcription factor NF-κB, activator protein-1 transcription factor complex AP-1, cytokines, mitogen-activated protein kinases MAPKs or arachidonic acid pathways. Conclusion This study shows that intake of virgin olive oil based breakfast, which is rich in phenol compounds is able to repress in vivo expression of several pro-inflammatory genes, thereby switching activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to a less deleterious inflammatory profile. These results provide at least a partial molecular basis for reduced risk of cardiovascular disease observed in Mediterranean countries, where virgin olive oil represents a main source of dietary fat. Admittedly, other lifestyle factors are also likely to contribute to lowered risk of cardiovascular disease in this region.

We investigated whether APOA1 and APOA4 genotypes interact with diet to determine changes in LDL size and their susceptibility to oxidative modifications. A total of 97 healthy volunteers each consumed 3 diets for 4 wk: a SFA diet (38% fat, 20% SFA) followed by a low-fat and high-carbohydrate (CHO) diet (30% fat, 55% carbohydrate) or a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) diet (38% fat, 22% MUFA) following a randomized crossover design. For each diet, we determined susceptibility to oxidative modifications and LDL size. To investigate the combined effects of the APOA1 G-76A and APOA4 Thr347Ser single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), we defined 4 combined genotype groups: GG/ThrThr, GG/ThrSer, GA/ThrThr, and GA/ThrSer. After participants consumed the CHO diet, there was a significant decrease in LDL size with respect to high-fat diets in GG homozygotes for the APOA1 G-76A SNP. However, LDL size did not differ in GA carriers among participants consuming the 3 diets. Carriers of the A allele for this polymorphism had smaller LDL size as well as increased susceptibility to oxidation after the SFA diet than the GG homozygous. Moreover, the interaction between the APO A1 and APOA4 genotypes revealed that individuals with the GA/ThrSer genotype had larger LDL particle size during consumption of the MUFA diet than when they consumed the CHO diet. No differences in LDL oxidation were found in this analysis. Our study supports the concept that SNP in APOA1and APOA4 genes influences atherogenic characteristics of LDL particles in response to diet.

Este artigo expõe os conceitos centrais do estudo de múltiplos casos: "Promoção de Saúde na Atenção Básica". O estudo foi conduzido pelo Nescon-UFMG em 2005 em doze experiências de promoção da saúde realizadas por equipes do Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF) em diversas regiões do Brasil. Após revisão teórica e pesquisa de campo, a definição de promoção da saúde adotada foi a atuação para a melhoria da saúde, anterior e independente a qualquer patologia ou agravo, ampliando-se o controle das pessoas sobre a própria saúde. Também concluímos que a ampliação da autonomia, vista como ampliação das capacidades e possibilidades de escolha das pessoas, é a categoria central e o critério definidor da atuação em promoção de saúde. This article presents the central concepts of the multiple case study "Health Promotion in Primary Care" conducted by Nescon-UFMG in 2005. Teams of the Family Health Program developed twelve health promotion experiences in different Brazilian regions. After a conceptual revision and field research, health promotion was defined as the process of improving the health of people independently of any previous disease or injury, helping them to increase control over their health. We also concluded that an increased autonomy, understood as the capacity and possibility of the persons to choose, is the central category and criterion for defining health promotion practices.

Nitrate is an essential nutrient, and is involved in many adaptive responses of plants, such as localized proliferation of roots, flowering or stomatal movements. How such nitrate-specific mechanisms are regulated at the molecular level is poorly understood. Although the Arabidopsis ANR1 transcription factor appears to control stimulation of lateral root elongation in response to nitrate, no regulators of nitrate assimilation have so far been identified in higher plants. Legume-specific symbiotic nitrogen fixation is under the control of the putative transcription factor, NIN, in Lotus japonicus. Recently, the algal homologue NIT2 was found to regulate nitrate assimilation. Here we report that Arabidopsis thaliana NIN-like protein 7 (NLP7) knockout mutants constitutively show several features of nitrogen-starved plants, and that they are tolerant to drought stress. We show that nlp7 mutants are impaired in transduction of the nitrate signal, and that the NLP7 expression pattern is consistent with a function of NLP7 in the sensing of nitrogen. Translational fusions with GFP showed a nuclear localization for the NLP7 putative transcription factor. We propose NLP7 as an important element of the nitrate signal transduction pathway and as a new regulatory protein specific for nitrogen assimilation in non-nodulating plants.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo pesquisar e identificar a melhor configuração de rede SOM - Self-Organizing Maps, capaz de apontar a partir das memórias de massa retiradas dos medidores de clientes de alta tensão da concessionária Enersul, potenciais fraudadores. Uma vez determinada a melhor configuração da rede SOM, esta poderá orientar a área de perdas das concessionárias, quais os clientes que apresentem características de fraudadores e que deverão sofrer inspeções. The actual presentation target is to research and identify the best configuration for the SOM (Self Organizing Maps) network, ready to show from the mass memories taken from the service provider (Enersul) high tension consumers’ meters’, potential fraudulent consumers. Once established the best SOM network configuration it will be one which will guide the service provider losses department in pointing customers that hint fraudulent characteristics behavior that must go through mandatory inspections.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is associated with a high risk of coronary heart disease. Pharmacological treatment and diet are both essential for the management of FH. Foods rich in plant sterols (PS) may play an important role in the treatment of patients with these disorders.To test the effect of the intake of PS on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration, endothelial function (EF) and LDL particle size in 30 patients with FH.Randomized and crossover dietary intervention study.Tertiary outpatient care.Thirty-eight were recruited, but only 30 were subjected to four low-fat dietary intervention periods, each of 4 weeks.Each intervention had a different content of cholesterol (150 or 300 mg/day) and sitosterol (1 or 2 g/day). Lipid response, EF and LDL particle size were analysed after the intervention.Plasma sitosterol/cholesterol ratio was higher during both plant sterol-rich periods than during the low plant sterols periods. Basal sitosterol concentrations predicted the LDL-cholesterol response during the intake of plant sterol-enriched diets. The change in LDL-cholesterol was significantly greater in subjects in the upper and intermediate tertiles of basal plasma sitosterol concentrations (-21+/-8 mg/dl, P=0.03; -19+/-7 mg/dl, P=0.04, respectively) than in subjects in the lower tertile (8+/-5 mg/dl) when they changed from a low cholesterol diet to a low cholesterol plus plant sterol diet.Our study demonstrates that basal sitosterol values can predict hypolipidemic response in patients with FH.