Hypertensives' Knowledge About High-Sodium Foods and Their Behavior

Abstract Background: In Brazil, the prevalence of systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is approximately 30% of the total population. In 2010, SAH was the cause of death of about 9.4 million people worldwide. A healthy dietary pattern is important to maintain proper blood pressure levels and, consequently, disease control. Objectives: To describe the knowledge and practices of hypertensive patients cared for at a public hypertension outpatient clinic, and its relationship with high-sodium food. Methods: We applied a questionnaire to patients with questions related to sociodemographics, dietary pattern, frequency of ingestion of certain foods, and knowledge about their own disease. Results: We studied 221 patients, 56.1% of whom were women, and 53.8% had only elementary education. Their mean age was 57.7 ±13.5 years, and 75.6% of them reported having high blood pressure, and 11.3%, diabetes mellitus. Regarding dietary pattern, 62% used ready-to-use seasonings, but 94.1% reported not adding extra salt to their ready meals. Regarding patients' knowledge about high-sodium foods and SAH, only 8 patients had 100% of right answers, 37 patients had 73.8%, and 42 patients, 57% of right answers. Conclusion: Knowledge about SAH prevention and high-sodium foods was insufficient. Based on this study's findings, more effective educational strategies targeted at this population can be developed.

Seasonal variation of the effect of high-carbohydrate and high-protein diets on the intermediate metabolism of Parastacus brasiliensis (Crustacea, Decapoda, Parastacidae) maintained in the laboratory

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of a high-carbohydrate diet (HC) and a high-protein diet (HP) on the metabolism of the crayfish Parastacus brasiliensis (Von Martens, 1869), collected in different seasons and maintained in the laboratory for 15 days. Crayfish were collected monthly from January 2002 to January 2004 at São Francisco de Paula, Southern Brazil, in Guarapirá stream. In the laboratory, the animals were kept submerged in aquariums under controlled conditions. They were fed ad libitum, for 15 days with either a HC or HP diet. At the end of this period, haemolymph samples were collected, as were hepatopancreas, gills, and abdominal muscle that were removed for determination of glycogen, free glucose, lipids, and triglycerides. The haemolymph samples were used for determination of glucose, proteins, lipids, and triglycerides. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) revealed significant seasonal differences in biochemical composition in crayfish maintained on HC or HP diets. Independent of the diets offered to the animals and the controlled conditions for 15 days, the indications of seasonality were unchanged. The observed changes seemed to be related to the reproductive period. Moreover, the HC diet increased all energy reserves in adult parastacids, which may aid in reproduction.

Prevalence of antibodies to Hepatitis C virus in populations at low and high risk for sexually transmited diseases in Rio de Janeiro

In order to investigate the sexual transmission of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), the prevalence of specific antibodies in populations at high and low risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was evaluated. The population at low risk for STDs was composed of persons who voluntarity donated blood at the Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho (HUCFF) between July and November, 1990 (n = 2494). The population at high risk for STDs was drawn from an ongoing study on the natural history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection (n = 210, 187 with sexual risk factors for HIV infection). All samples were screened using a first generation ELISA. Repeat reactive samples were then tested in a second generation RIBA. For all ELISA positive samples, two sex and age-matched ELISA negative controls were selected. Data pertaining to the presence of antibodies to the Hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBC antibodies) and to Treponema pallidum were abstracted from the medical records. The prevalence of RIBA 2 confirmed HCV infection among the blood donors was 2.08%, which is well above the reported prevalence in similar populations from developed western countries. Among the HIV infected homosexuals, the encountered prevalence was 7.96% (p < 0.0005). For the whole group with sexually acquired HIV infection, the prevalence was 8.02% (p < 0.000005). Anti-HBc antibodies were more frequently present in anti-HCV RIBA-2 confirmed positive blood donors than in controls (p < 0.001). 33.3% of the HCV-positive blood donors and 11.04% controls were found to be anti-HBc positive (p < 0.0005). As for the FTA-ABs, 17.6% HCV-positive donors and 4,9% controls were positive (p < 0.01). 5.9% samples from blood donors were both anti-HBc and FTA-ABS positive, whereas none of the controls reacted in both tests (p < 0.05). The association between HCV, Hepatitis B infection and syphilis in individuals at low risk for parenterally transmitted diseases suggests that sexual transmission contributes to the maintenance of the endemicity of HCV in the local population.

Parasite and egg burden, hepatic collagen and histologic pattern of liver granulomas in selection III high and low antibody responder mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni

Selection III mice have particular immunological characteristics: they are high (H III) or low (L III) antibody producer animals, yet both lines display similar T cell responses and macrophage activities. We submittedthese mice to infection with Schistosoma mansoni to assess in vivo parasite and egg burden, hepatic collagen and cellular composition of granulomas in both lines. Titration of anti-Schistosoma IgG by ELISA showed remarkably higher values inH III line, at both studied periods (8th and 12th weeks post-infection). Nevertheless, the number of adult worms recovered from the portal system was similar inboth lines, being not associated with anti-Schistosoma antibody levels. There isan increase in hepatic collagen from the 8th to the 12th weeks post-infection, which is paralleled by an increase in the number of eggs in the liver. This association apparently occurs at the same radio in H III and L III animals. The most important difference found between the two lines was the outstanding contrast interms of volume and eosinophil counts in the granulomas, with lesions from H IIImice clearly being larger and containing more of these cells than LIII lesions.

High and low doses of antimony (Sb v) in American cutaneous leishmaniasis: a five years follow-up study of 15 patients

Seventeen patients proceeding from the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil presenting with the cutaneous ulcerative form of American leishmaniasis were treated with one ampoule of pentavalent antimony daily for 30 days. With this regimen the individuals doses varies greatly: from 3.8 mg/kg of body weight to 22.3 mg/kg. After five years, patients receiving either a smaller dose or a bigger one, showed the same therapeutic result: cutaneous scars and no mucosal lesions.

Structure and diversity of endoparasitic infracommunities and the trophic level of Pseudoplatystoma corruscans and Schizodon borelli (Osteichthyes) of the high Paraná river

One hundred and ten specimens of Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (Pimelodidae) and 582 specimens of Schizodon borelli (Anostomidae) collected in the high Paraná River were analyzed. On necropsy 74% of P. corruscans were found to be parasitized; proteocephalidean cestodes presented the greatest number. With regard to S. borelli, the percentage of parasitism reached 19.42% and the nematode Cucullanus pinnai was the most abundant. The absence of correlation between the endoparasitic diversity and the standard length of the two host species indicates that each one presents homogeneity in alimentary behaviour during all its life time, permiting the uniform recruitment of the same species of endoparasites during all its ontogenetic development. Independence of diversity values in relation to sex of P. corruscans and S. borelli evidences that the ecological relationships are similar between males and females in these species. Both host's infrapopulations presented a typical overdispersed pattern of distribution with isolationist characteristics.

Acidic ribosomal proteins and histone H3 from Leishmania present a high rate of divergence

Another additional peculiarity in Leishmania will be discussed about of the amino acid divergence rate of three structural proteins: acidic ribosomal P1 and P2b proteins, and histone H3 by using multiple sequence alignment and dendrograms. These structural proteins present a high rate of divergence regarding to their homologous protein in Trypanosoma cruzi. At this regard, L. (V.) peruviana P1 and T. cruzi P1 showed 57.4% of divergence rate. Likewise, L. (V.) braziliensis histone H3 and acidic ribosomal P2 protein exhibited 31.8% and 41.7% respectively of rate of divergence in comparison with their homologous in T. cruzi.

A New Species of Kritskyia (Dactylogyridae, Ancyrocephalinae) Parasite of Urinary Bladder of Prochilodus lineatus (Prochilodontidae, Characiformes) from the Floodplain of the High Paraná River, Brazil

A new species of Kritskyia inhabits the urinary bladder of the "curimba", Prochilodus lineatus in the floodplain of the high Paraná river. The new species resembles others members of Kritskyia in the following features: haptor lacking anchors and with 14 hooks marginal, posterior male copulatory organ non articulated with the accessory piece and vagina a sclerotized tube. However, it differs from the known species mainly by the shape of the copulatory complex. This is the third endoparasitic monogenean species reported from freshwater Neotropical fish.

High prevalence anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies, among blood donors in the State of Puebla, a non-endemic area of Mexico

Blood transfusion is the second most common transmission route of Chagas disease in many Latin American countries. In Mexico, the prevalence of Chagas disease and impact of transfusion of Trypanosoma cruzi-contaminated blood is not clear. We determined the seropositivity to T. cruzi in a representative random sample, of 2,140 blood donors (1,423 men and 647 women, aged 19-65 years), from a non-endemic state of almost 5 millions of inhabitants by the indirect hemagglutination (IHA) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests using one autochthonous antigen from T. cruzi parasites, which were genetically characterized like TBAR/ME/1997/RyC-V1 (T. cruzi I) isolated from a Triatoma barberi specimen collected in the same locality. The seropositivity was up to 8.5% and 9% with IHA and ELISA tests, respectively, and up to 7.7% using both tests in common. We found high seroprevalence in a non-endemic area of Mexico, comparable to endemic countries where the disease occurs, e.g. Brazil (0.7%), Bolivia (13.7%) and Argentina (3.5%). The highest values observed in samples from urban areas, associated to continuous rural emigration and the absence of control in blood donors, suggest unsuspected high risk of transmission of T. cruzi, higher than those reported for infections by blood e.g. hepatitis (0.1%) and AIDS (0.1%) in the same region.