Evaluation of plasma homocysteine level according to the C677T and A1298C polymorphism of the enzyme MTHRF in type 2 diabetic adults

Objective: To determine plasma homocysteine levels during fasting and after methionine overload, and to correlate homocysteinemia according to methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism in type 2 diabetic adults. Subjects and methods: The study included 50 type 2 diabetic adults (DM group) and 52 healthy subjects (Control group). Anthropometric data, and information on food intake, serum levels of vitamin B 12, folic acid and plasma homocysteine were obtained. The identification of C677T and A1298C polymorphisms was carried out in the MTHFR gene. Results: There was no significant difference in homocysteinemia between the two groups, and hyperhomocysteinemia during fasting occurred in 40% of the diabetic patients and in 23% of the controls. For the same polymorphism, there was not any significant difference in homocysteine between the groups. In the Control group, homocysteinemia was greater in those subjects with C677T and A1298C polymorphisms. Among diabetic subjects, those with the A1298C polymorphism had lower levels of homocysteine compared with individuals with C677T polymorphism. Conclusion: The MTHFR polymorphism (C677T and A1298C) resulted in different outcomes regarding homocysteinemia among individuals of each group (diabetic and control). These data suggest that metabolic factors inherent to diabetes influence homocysteine metabolism. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2012;56(7):429-34

Cost-effectiveness analysis of universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination in Brazil: Regional analyses according to the endemic context

Objective: To To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of a universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination program in Brazil. Methods: An age and time-dependent dynamic model was developed to estimate the incidence of hepatitis A for 24 years. The analysis was run separately according to the pattern of regional endemicity, one for South + Southeast (low endemicity) and one for the North + Northeast + Midwest (intermediate endemicity). The decision analysis model compared universal childhood vaccination with current program of vaccinating high risk individuals. Epidemiologic and cost estimates were based on data from a nationwide seroprevalence survey of viral hepatitis, primary data collection, National Health Information Systems and literature. The analysis was conducted from both the health system and societal perspectives. Costs are expressed in 2008 Brazilian currency (Real). Results: A universal immunization program would have a significant impact on disease epidemiology in all regions, resulting in 64% reduction in the number of cases of icteric hepatitis, 59% reduction in deaths for the disease and a 62% decrease of life years lost, in a national perspective. With a vaccine price of R$16.89 (US$7.23) per dose, vaccination against hepatitis A was a cost-saving strategy in the low and intermediate endemicity regions and in Brazil as a whole from both health system and society perspective. Results were most sensitive to the frequency of icteric hepatitis, ambulatory care and vaccine costs. Conclusions: Universal childhood vaccination program against hepatitis A could be a cost-saving strategy in all regions of Brazil. These results are useful for the Brazilian government for vaccine related decisions and for monitoring population impact if the vaccine is included in the National Immunization Program. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precision of Usual Food Intake Estimates According to the Percentage of Individuals with a Second Dietary Measurement

Background Statistical methods for estimating usual intake require at least two short-term dietary measurements in a subsample of the target population. However, the percentage of individuals with a second dietary measurement (replication rate) may influence the precision of estimates, such as percentiles and proportions of individuals below cut-offs of intake. Objective To investigate the precision of the usual food intake estimates using different replication rates and different sample sizes. Participants/setting Adolescents participating in the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2008 (n=1,304) who completed two 24-hour recalls. Statistical analyses performed The National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate the usual intake of dark green vegetables in the original sample comprising 1,304 adolescents with a replication rate of 100%. A bootstrap with 100 replications was performed to estimate CIs for percentiles and proportions of individuals below cut-offs of intake. Using the same bootstrap replications, four sets of data sets were sampled with different replication rates (80%, 60%, 40%, and 20%). For each data set created, the National Cancer Institute method was performed and percentiles, Cl, and proportions of individuals below cut-offs were calculated. Precision estimates were checked by comparing each Cl obtained from data sets with different replication rates with the Cl obtained from original data set. Further, we sampled 1,000, 750, 500, and 250 individuals from the original data set, and performed the same analytical procedures. Results Percentiles of intake and percentage of individuals below the cut-off points were similar throughout the replication rates and sample sizes, but the Cl increased as the replication rate decreased. Wider CIs were observed at 40% and 20% of replication rate. Conclusions The precision of the usual intake estimates decreased when low replication rates were used. However, even with different sample sizes, replication rates >40% may not lead to an important loss of precision. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112:1015-1020.

Multivariate analyses of UV-Vis absorption spectral data from cachaca wood extracts: a model to classify aged Brazilian cachacas according to the wood species used

Multivariate analyses of UV-Vis spectral data from cachaca wood extracts provide a simple and robust model to classify aged Brazilian cachacas according to the wood species used in the maturation barrels. The model is based on inspection of 93 extracts of oak and different Brazilian wood species by a non-aged cachaca used as an extraction solvent. Application of PCA (Principal Components Analysis) and HCA (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis) leads to identification of 6 clusters of cachaca wood extracts (amburana, amendoim, balsamo, castanheira, jatoba, and oak). LDA (Linear Discriminant Analysis) affords classification of 10 different wood species used in the cachaca extracts (amburana, amendoim, balsamo, cabreuva-parda, canela-sassafras, castanheira, jatoba, jequitiba-rosa, louro-canela, and oak) with an accuracy ranging from 80% (amendoim and castanheira) to 100% (balsamo and jequitiba-rosa). The methodology provides a low-cost alternative to methods based on liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to classify cachacas aged in barrels that are composed of different wood species.

Different degrees of malnutrition and immunological alterations according to the aetiology of cirrhosis: a prospective and sequential study

Abstract Objectives In this work we investigated how immunological dysfunction and malnutrition interact in alcoholic and viral aetiologies of cirrhosis. Methods To investigate the matter, 77 cirrhotic patients divided in three aetiologies [Alcohol, HCV and Alcohol + HCV) and 32 controls were prospectivelly and sequentially studied. Parameters of humoral immunity (Components 3 and 4 of seric complement and immunoglobulins A M, G and E) and of cellular immunity (total leukocytes and lymphocytes in peripheral blood, T lymphocytes subpopulations, CD4+ and CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and intradermic tests of delayed hypersensitivity), as well as nutrititional parameters: anthropometric measures, serum albumin and transferrin were evaluated. Results Multiple statistical comparisons showed that IgM was higher in HCV group; IgG was significantly elevated in both HCV and Alcohol + HCV, whereas for the Alcohol group, IgE was found at higher titles. The analysis of T- lymphocytes subpopulations showed no aetiologic differences, but intradermic tests of delayed hypersensitivity did show greater frequency of anergy in the Alcohol group. For anthropometric parameters, the Alcohol +HCV group displayed the lowest triceps skinfold whereas creatinine – height index evaluation was more preserved in the HCV group. Body mass index, arm muscle area and arm fat area showed that differently from alcohol group, the HCV group was similar to control. Conclusion Significant differences were found among the main aetiologies of cirrhosis concerning immunological alterations and nutritional status: better nutrition and worse immunology for HCV and vice-versa for alcohol.

Vertical growth of mini watermelon according to the training height and plant density

The watermelon is traditionally cultivated horizontally on the ground. The cultivars of small fruits (1 to 3 kg), which reach better market prices, are also being grown in a greenhouse, where the plants are trained upward on vertical supports, with branches pruning and fruits thinning. These practices make possible an increase of the plant density, fruit quality and yield compared to the traditional growth system. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the influence of three training heights (1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 m) and two planting densities (3.17 and 4.76 plants m-2) over the productive and qualitative characteristics of mini watermelon "Smile" cultivated in greenhouse. The pruning was done at 43, 55 and 66 days after transplanting (DAT), when the plant height reached 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 m, respectively. The dry mass of branches, petioles, leaves and total were affected by the training height, where the highest values were obtained by the plants pruned at 2.2 and 2.7 m. Leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf area index were not affected by the height of the plants. The training height of 2.7 m raised the total yield, however, marketable yield, average fruit mass and all the quality characteristics did not differ significantly from those obtained by the training height of 2.2 m. Regarding to plant density, the best option was 4.76 plants m-2, due to the increasing of marketable yield in 37.4% without reducing the average weight of fruits.

The prevalence of falls and associated factors among the elderly according to ethnicity

The historical and cultural characteristics reflect the Brazilian population. Elderly blacks are disadvantaged in socio-economic and demographic, clinical, functional and psychosocial aspects, reducing their social autonomy and functional independence. The decline in functional status due to variables associated with age and ethnicity can contribute to disabling events, such as falls. Socio-demographic, clinical and functional aspects related to falls were analyzed; Mobility, functional status and cognition were measured, with a statistical significance of pd '' 0.05. The sample of 196 elderly people was 48.5% white, 28% brown, 23.5% black, with an average of 69.9 years. There was reduced mobility classified as a medium risk for falls in 60% (p<0.013) among the elderly. With reference to groups analyzed, there were significant differences between variables for family income (p < 0.029), the occurrence of falls (p < 0.006), fear of falls (p < 0.023) and near-falls (p < 0.000). Blacks fall more often (p < 0.03). Statistical significance was revealed between ethnicity and self-reported occurrence of falls, fear of falling and the occurrence of near-falls, functional limitation and medium risk falls due to reduced mobility, with increased frequency of falls for elderly blacks.

Evaluation of the agreement by examiners according to classifications of third molars

Objectives. This study recorded and evaluated the intra-and inter-group agreement degree by different examiners for the classification of lower third molars according to both the Winter's and Pell & Gregory's systems. Study Design. An observational and cross-sectional study was realized with forty lower third molars analyzed from twenty digital panoramic radiographs. Four examiner groups (undergraduates, maxillofacial surgeons, oral radiologists and clinical dentists) from Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil, classified them in relation to angulation, class and position. The variance test (ANOVA) was applied in the examiner findings with significance level of p<0.05 and confidence intervals of 95%. Results. Intra- and inter-group agreement was observed in Winter's classification system among all examiners. Pell & Gregory's classification system showed an average intra-group agreement and a statistical significant difference to position variable in inter-group analysis with greater disagreement to the clinical dentists group (p<0.05). Conclusions. High reproducibility was associated to Winter's classification, whereas the system proposed by Pell & Gregory did not demonstrate appropriate levels of reliability.

CYP2C9 and VKORC1 Polymorphisms Are Differently Distributed in the Brazilian Population According to Self-Declared Ethnicity or Genetic Ancestry

Background: Warfarin-dosing pharmacogenetic algorithms have presented different performances across ethnicities, and the impact in admixed populations is not fully known. Aims: To evaluate the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 polymorphisms and warfarin-predicted metabolic phenotypes according to both self-declared ethnicity and genetic ancestry in a Brazilian general population plus Amerindian groups. Methods: Two hundred twenty-two Amerindians (Tupinikin and Guarani) were enrolled and 1038 individuals from the Brazilian general population who were self-declared as White, Intermediate (Brown, Pardo in Portuguese), or Black. Samples of 274 Brazilian subjects from Sao Paulo were analyzed for genetic ancestry using an Affymetrix 6.0 (R) genotyping platform. The CYP2C9*2 (rs1799853), CYP2C9*3 (rs1057910), and VKORC1 g.-1639G>A (rs9923231) polymorphisms were genotyped in all studied individuals. Results: The allelic frequency for the VKORC1 polymorphism was differently distributed according to self-declared ethnicity: White (50.5%), Intermediate (46.0%), Black (39.3%), Tupinikin (40.1%), and Guarani (37.3%) (p < 0.001), respectively. The frequency of intermediate plus poor metabolizers (IM + PM) was higher in White (28.3%) than in Intermediate (22.7%), Black (20.5%), Tupinikin (12.9%), and Guarani (5.3%), (p < 0.001). For the samples with determined ancestry, subjects carrying the GG genotype for the VKORC1 had higher African ancestry and lower European ancestry (0.14 +/- 0.02 and 0.62 +/- 0.02) than in subjects carrying AA (0.05 +/- 0.01 and 0.73 +/- 0.03) (p = 0.009 and 0.03, respectively). Subjects classified as IM + PM had lower African ancestry (0.08 +/- 0.01) than extensive metabolizers (0.12 +/- 0.01) (p = 0.02). Conclusions: The CYP2C9 and VKORC1 polymorphisms are differently distributed according to self-declared ethnicity or genetic ancestry in the Brazilian general population plus Amerindians. This information is an initial step toward clinical pharmacogenetic implementation, and it could be very useful in strategic planning aiming at an individual therapeutic approach and an adverse drug effect profile prediction in an admixed population.

SLCO1B1 rs4149056 polymorphism associated with statin-induced myopathy is differently distributed according to ethnicity in the Brazilian general population: Amerindians as a high risk ethnic group

Background Recent studies reported the association between SLCO1B1 polymorphisms and the development of statin-induced myopathy. In the scenario of the Brazilian population, being one of the most heterogeneous in the world, the main aim here was to evaluate SLCO1B1 polymorphisms according to ethnic groups as an initial step for future pharmacogenetic studies. Methods One hundred and eighty-two Amerindians plus 1,032 subjects from the general urban population were included. Genotypes for the SLCO1B1 rs4149056 (c.T521C, p.V174A, exon 5) and SLCO1B1 rs4363657 (g.T89595C, intron 11) polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction followed by high resolution melting analysis with the Rotor Gene 6000® instrument. Results The frequencies of the SLCO1B1 rs4149056 and rs4363657 C variant allele were higher in Amerindians (28.3% and 26.1%) and were lower in African descent subjects (5.7% and 10.8%) compared with Mulatto (14.9% and 18.2%) and Caucasian descent (14.8% and 15.4%) ethnic groups (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Linkage disequilibrium analysis show that these variant alleles are in different linkage disequilibrium patterns depending on the ethnic origin. Conclusion Our findings indicate interethnic differences for the SLCO1B1 rs4149056 C risk allele frequency among Brazilians. These data will be useful in the development of effective programs for stratifying individuals regarding adherence, efficacy and choice of statin-type.

Self-Organizing Maps of Molecular Descriptors for Sesquiterpene Lactones and Their Application to the Chemotaxonomy of the Asteraceae Family

The Asteraceae, one of the largest families among angiosperms, is chemically characterised by the production of sesquiterpene lactones (SLs). A total of 1,111 SLs, which were extracted from 658 species, 161 genera, 63 subtribes and 15 tribes of Asteraceae, were represented and registered in two dimensions in the SISTEMATX, an in-house software system, and were associated with their botanical sources. The respective 11 block of descriptors: Constitutional, Functional groups, BCUT, Atom-centred, 2D autocorrelations, Topological, Geometrical, RDF, 3D-MoRSE, GETAWAY and WHIM were used as input data to separate the botanical occurrences through self-organising maps. Maps that were generated with each descriptor divided the Asteraceae tribes, with total index values between 66.7% and 83.6%. The analysis of the results shows evident similarities among the Heliantheae, Helenieae and Eupatorieae tribes as well as between the Anthemideae and Inuleae tribes. Those observations are in agreement with systematic classifications that were proposed by Bremer, which use mainly morphological and molecular data, therefore chemical markers partially corroborate with these classifications. The results demonstrate that the atom-centred and RDF descriptors can be used as a tool for taxonomic classification in low hierarchical levels, such as tribes. Descriptors obtained through fragments or by the two-dimensional representation of the SL structures were sufficient to obtain significant results, and better results were not achieved by using descriptors derived from three-dimensional representations of SLs. Such models based on physico-chemical properties can project new design SLs, similar structures from literature or even unreported structures in two-dimensional chemical space. Therefore, the generated SOMs can predict the most probable tribe where a biologically active molecule can be found according Bremer classification.

Assignment of Putative Functions to Membrane "Hypothetical Proteins" from the Trypanosoma cruzi Genome

Protozoan parasites cause thousands of deaths each year in developing countries. The genome projects of these parasites opened a new era in the identification of therapeutic targets. However, the putative function could be predicted for fewer than half of the protein-coding genes. In this work, all Trypanosoma cruzi proteins containing predicted transmembrane spans were processed through an automated computational routine and further analyzed in order to assign the most probable function. The analysis consisted of dissecting the whole predicted protein in different regions. More than 5,000 sequences were processed, and the predicted biological functions were grouped into 19 categories according to the hits obtained after analysis. One focus of interest, due to the scarce information available on trypanosomatids, is the proteins involved in signal-transduction processes. In the present work, we identified 54 proteins belonging to this group, which were individually analyzed. The results show that by means of a simple pipeline it was possible to attribute probable functions to sequences annotated as coding for "hypothetical proteins.'' Also, we successfully identified the majority of candidates participating in the signal-transduction pathways in T. cruzi.

THE APPLICABILITY OF AURICULOTHERAPY WITH NEEDLES OR SEEDS TO REDUCE STRESS IN NURSING PROFESSIONALS

This clinical randomized trial was performed with the objective to evaluate the stress levels of the nursing staff of a hospital and analyze the effectiveness of auriculotherapy with needles and seeds. The 75 participants with mean (44/58.7%) and high (31/41.3%) scores according to the Stress Symptoms List were divided into groups (control, needles, and seeds), who received eight sessions on the Shenmen, Kidney and Brainstem points and were evaluated at the baseline, fourth and eighth sessions and on the 15-day follow-up session. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences among the groups at the third assessment (F=3.963/P=0.023) and follow-up (F=6.136/P=0.003). These differences occurred between the control and needle groups. The 'seeds' and needles groups both showed differences (p < 0.05) at the second assessment when compared within the same group. In conclusion, auriculotherapy reduced the stress in the nursing staff, with needles showing better results than seeds for high scores, maintaining the effects for 15 days.

Introduction to the Software-defined Radio Approach

Telecommunications have been in constant evolution during past decades. Among the technological innovations, the use of digital technologies is very relevant. Digital communication systems have proven their efficiency and brought a new element in the chain of signal transmitting and receiving, the digital processor. This device offers to new radio equipments the flexibility of a programmable system. Nowadays, the behavior of a communication system can be modified by simply changing its software. This gave rising to a new radio model called Software Defined Radio (or Software-Defined Radio - SDR). In this new model, one moves to the software the task to set radio behavior, leaving to hardware only the implementation of RF front-end. Thus, the radio is no longer static, defined by their circuits and becomes a dynamic element, which may change their operating characteristics, such as bandwidth, modulation, coding rate, even modified during runtime according to software configuration. This article aims to present the use of GNU Radio software, an open-source solution for SDR specific applications, as a tool for development configurable digital radio.