Effects Of Programmed Physical Activity On Body Composition In Post-pubertal Schoolchildren.

To assess body composition modifications in post-pubertal schoolchildren after practice of a physical activity program during one school year. The sample consisted of 386 students aged between 15 and 17 years and divided into two groups: the study group (SG) comprised 195 students and the control group (CG), 191. The SG was submitted to a physical activity program and the CG attended conventional physical education classes. Body composition was assessed using body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat (%BF), fat mass (FM), and lean mass (LM). A positive effect of the physical activity program on body composition in the SG (p<0.001) was observed, as well as on the interaction time x group in all the variables analyzed in both genders. A reduction in %BF (mean of differences = -5.58%) and waist circumference (-2.33cm), as well as an increase in LM (+2.05kg) were observed in the SG for both genders, whereas the opposite was observed in the CG. The practice of programmed physical activity promotes significant reduction of body fat in post-pubertal schoolchildren.

Chemical Composition And Free Radical-scavenging, Anticancer And Anti-inflammatory Activities Of The Essential Oil From Ocimum Kilimandscharicum.

The essential oil from the leaves of Ocimum kilimandscharicum (EOOK), collected in Dourados-MS, was investigated for anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity and chemical composition. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the chemical composition was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The essential oil was evaluated for free radical-scavenging activity using the DPPH assay and was tested in an anticancer assay against ten human cancer cell lines. The response parameter (GI50) was calculated for the cell lines tested. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan-induced pleurisy in mice. The chemical composition showed 45 components with a predominance of monoterpenes, such as camphor (51.81%), 1,8 cineole (20.13%) and limonene (11.23%). The EOOK exhibited potent free radical-scavenging activity by the DPPH assay with a GI50 of 8.31 μg/ml. The major constituents, pure camphor (IC50=12.56 μg/ml) and mixture of the limonene: 1, 8 cineole (IC50=23.25 μg/ml) displayed a potent activity. The oral administration of EOOK (at 30 and 100 mg kg(-1)), as well as the pure camphor or a mixture of 1,8 cineole with limonene, significantly inhibited the carrageenan (Cg) induced pleurisy, reducing the migration of total leukocytes in mice by 82 ± 4% (30 mg kg(-1) of EOOK), 95 ± 4% (100 mg kg(-1) of EOOK), 83 ± 9% (camphor) and 80 ± 5% (mixture of 1,8 cineole:limonene 1:1). In vitro cytotoxicity screening against a human ovarian cancer cell line displayed high selectivity and potent anticancer activity with GI50=31.90 mg ml(-1). This work describes the anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant effects of EOOK for the first time. The essential oil exhibited marked anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer effects, an effect that can be attributed the presence of majorital compounds, and the response profiles from chemical composition differed from other oils collected in different locales.

Ecosystem Engineering Effects On Species Diversity Across Ecosystems: A Meta-analysis.

Ecosystem engineering is increasingly recognized as a relevant ecological driver of diversity and community composition. Although engineering impacts on the biota can vary from negative to positive, and from trivial to enormous, patterns and causes of variation in the magnitude of engineering effects across ecosystems and engineer types remain largely unknown. To elucidate the above patterns, we conducted a meta-analysis of 122 studies which explored effects of animal ecosystem engineers on species richness of other organisms in the community. The analysis revealed that the overall effect of ecosystem engineers on diversity is positive and corresponds to a 25% increase in species richness, indicating that ecosystem engineering is a facilitative process globally. Engineering effects were stronger in the tropics than at higher latitudes, likely because new or modified habitats provided by engineers in the tropics may help minimize competition and predation pressures on resident species. Within aquatic environments, engineering impacts were stronger in marine ecosystems (rocky shores) than in streams. In terrestrial ecosystems, engineers displayed stronger positive effects in arid environments (e.g. deserts). Ecosystem engineers that create new habitats or microhabitats had stronger effects than those that modify habitats or cause bioturbation. Invertebrate engineers and those with lower engineering persistence (<1 year) affected species richness more than vertebrate engineers which persisted for >1 year. Invertebrate species richness was particularly responsive to engineering impacts. This study is the first attempt to build an integrative framework of engineering effects on species diversity; it highlights the importance of considering latitude, habitat, engineering functional group, taxon and persistence of their effects in future theoretical and empirical studies.

Contrasting Effects Of Land Use Intensity And Exotic Host Plants On The Specialization Of Interactions In Plant-herbivore Networks.

Human land use tends to decrease the diversity of native plant species and facilitate the invasion and establishment of exotic ones. Such changes in land use and plant community composition usually have negative impacts on the assemblages of native herbivorous insects. Highly specialized herbivores are expected to be especially sensitive to land use intensification and the presence of exotic plant species because they are neither capable of consuming alternative plant species of the native flora nor exotic plant species. Therefore, higher levels of land use intensity might reduce the proportion of highly specialized herbivores, which ultimately would lead to changes in the specialization of interactions in plant-herbivore networks. This study investigates the community-wide effects of land use intensity on the degree of specialization of 72 plant-herbivore networks, including effects mediated by the increase in the proportion of exotic plant species. Contrary to our expectation, the net effect of land use intensity on network specialization was positive. However, this positive effect of land use intensity was partially canceled by an opposite effect of the proportion of exotic plant species on network specialization. When we analyzed networks composed exclusively of endophagous herbivores separately from those composed exclusively of exophagous herbivores, we found that only endophages showed a consistent change in network specialization at higher land use levels. Altogether, these results indicate that land use intensity is an important ecological driver of network specialization, by way of reducing the local host range of herbivore guilds with highly specialized feeding habits. However, because the effect of land use intensity is offset by an opposite effect owing to the proportion of exotic host species, the net effect of land use in a given herbivore assemblage will likely depend on the extent of the replacement of native host species with exotic ones.

Whey And Soy Protein Supplements Changes Body Composition In Patients With Crohn's Disease Undergoing Azathioprine And Anti-tnf-alpha Therapy.

Crohn´s disease (CD) is a chronic transmural inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract of unknown cause. Malnutrition associated with active CD has been reduced although obesity has increased. Dietary strategies such as those with high-protein have been proposed to reduce body fat. This study compares the effects of two supplements on the nutritional status of CD patients. 68 CD patients were randomized in two groups: whey protein group (WP) and soy protein group (SP). Using bioimpedance analysis, anthropometry and albumin and pre-albumin dosages the nutritional status was measured before starting the intervention and after 8 and 16 weeks. The disease activity was determined by Crohn's Disease Activity Index and serum C-reactive protein dosage and dietary intake by 24h dietary recalls. Forty-one patients concluded the study and both supplements changed body composition similarly. Triceps skin fold thickness (p< 0.001) and body fat percentage (p=0.001) decreased, whereas mid-arm muscle circumference (p=0.004), corrected arm muscle area (p=0.005) and body lean percentage (p=0.001) increased. For Crohn's disease patients undergoing anti TNF-alpha and azatioprine therapies, supplementation with whey and soy proteins changes body composition through reduction of body fat and thus contributes to control inflammation.