Efeito de uma bebida probiótica (Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 e Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707) à base de extrato aquoso de soja no desenvolvimento de colite quimicamente induzida em ratos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação in vivo do potencial estrogênico de amostra de água para consumo humano produzida por estação de tratamento do estado de São Paulo

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Abordagem metodológica para a valuação do petencial desregulador endócrino de água de beber: estudo com amostras reais

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Antidepressivo modula o comportamento e a expressão gênica das cadeias de miosina, serca2 e fosfolambam em ratos com insuficiência aórtica?

Introduction: Aortic insufficiency (AoI), a volume overload, is characterized by the diastolic reflux of blood from the regurgitating aorta to the left ventricle. This effect results from malfunctioning aortic cusps. The main cause of AoI in developing countries is rheumatic fever, including Brazil, and valvar degeneration in developed countries. There is a strong association between cardiovascular diseases and depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are one of the most prescribed antidepressants in the world. Previous studies of our laboratory showed that the utilization of a SSRI, paroxetine, improved cardiac function in rats with sub-chronic AoI and reduced the daily ingestion of hypertonic sodium (NaCl 0,3M). Cardiovascular diseases can determine behavior changes like increase of anxiety, and it is yet unknown if AoI would determine anxiety or anhedonia, incapacity of obtaining pleasure through physical or sensorial experiences. A possible target for SSRI action could be a change in the expression of enzyme isoforms that collaborate in the contractile function of the heart muscle, like the heavy chains of myosine, the sarcoplasmatic reticulum Ca2+/ATPase (SERCA) and its regulator protein, phospholamban (PLB). Objectives: Evaluation of behavior parameters for anxiety and anhedonia state and genic expression of a-myosine, b-myosine, SERCA2a and PLB in the heart tissue of rats with subchronic AoI that received treatment with an SSRI (paroxetine) for 4 weeks. Methods: Surgery to induce AoI was performed on male Wistar rats, anxiety was evaluated by the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and state of anhedonia was tested by ingestion of 2% sucrose solution. After euthanasia the heart tissue was collected and total RNA was extracted to be analyzed by the RT-qPCR method. Results: Heart fractional shortening was preserved in rats with AoI that were treated compared to rats with AoI that were not treated. There was no statistically ...

Influence of a probiotic soy product on fecal microbiota and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in a animal model

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Potential endocrinedisruptor activity of drinking water samples

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human health

Ingestion of vegetables containing heavy metals is one of the main ways in which these elements enter the human body. Once entered, heavy metals are deposited in bone and fat tissues, overlapping noble minerals. Slowly released into the body, heavy metals can cause an array of diseases. This study aimed to investigate the concentrations of cadmium, nickel, lead, cobalt and chromium in the most frequently consumed foodstuff in the Sao Paulo State, Brazil and to compare the heavy metal contents with the permissible limits established by the Brazilian legislation. A value of intake of heavy metals in human diets was also calculated to estimate the risk to human health. Vegetable samples were collected at the Sao Paulo General Warehousing and Centers Company, and the heavy metal content was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. All sampled vegetables presented average concentrations of Cd and Ni lower than the permissible limits established by the Brazilian legislation. Pb and Cr exceeded the limits in 44 % of the analyzed samples. The Brazilian legislation does not establish a permissible limit for Co contents. Regarding the consumption habit of the population in the Sao Paulo State, the daily ingestion of heavy metals was below the oral dose of reference, therefore, consumption of these vegetables can be considered safe and without risk to human health.

Capillary electrophoresis contributions to the hydromorphone metabolism in man

CE-ESI multistage IT-MS (CE-MS(n), n < or = 4) and computer simulation of fragmentation are demonstrated to be effective tools to detect and identify phase I and phase II metabolites of hydromorphone (HMOR) in human urine. Using the same CE conditions as previously developed for the analysis of urinary oxycodone and its metabolites, HMOR and its phase I metabolites produced by N-demethylation, 6-keto-reduction and N-oxidation and phase II conjugates of HMOR and its metabolites formed with glucuronic acid, glucose, and sulfuric acid could be detected in urine samples of a patient that were collected during a pharmacotherapy episode with daily ingestion of 48 mg of HMOR chloride. The CE-MS(n) data obtained with the HMOR standard, synthesized hydromorphol and hydromorphone-N-oxide, and CYP3A4 in vitro produced norhydromorphone were employed to identify the metabolites. This approach led to the identification of previously unknown HMOR metabolites, including HMOR-3O-glucide and various N-oxides, structures for which no standard compounds or mass spectra library data were available. Furthermore, the separation of alpha- and beta-hydromorphol, the stereoisomers of 6-keto-reduced HMOR, was achieved by CE in the presence of the single isomer heptakis(2,3-diacetyl-6-sulfato)-beta-CD. The obtained data indicate that the urinary excretion of alpha-hydromorphol is larger than that of beta-hydromorphol.

Biomass of nanoprotozooplankton in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean

The dynamic of early spring nanoprotozoa was investigated in three characteristic water masses of the Southern Ocean: the Marginal Ice Zone, the intermediate waters of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the Polar Frontal Zone. Biomass and feeding activities of nanoprotozoa were measured, as well as the biomass of their potential prey-bacteria and phototrophic flagellates-on the 6°W meridian in the Southern Ocean along three repetitive transects between 47 and 60° South from October to November 1992. On average, nanoprotozooplankton biomass accounted for 77% of the combined biomass of bacteria and phototrophic flagellates, and was dominated by dinoflagellates and flagellates smaller than 5 µm. As a general trend, low protozoan biomass of 2 mg C/m**3 was typical of the ice covered area, while significantly higher biomasses culminating at 15 mg C/m**3 were recorded at the Polar Front. Biomasses of bacteria and total phytoplankton were distributed accordingly, with larger values at the Polar Front. Phototrophic flagellates did not show any geographical trend. No seasonal trend could be identified in the Marginal Ice Zone and in the intermediate waters of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. On the other hand, at the Polar Front region a three-fold increase was observed within a 2-month period for nanoprotozooplankton biomass. Such a biomass increase was also detected for bacterioplankton and total phytoplankton biomass. Half-saturation constants and maximum specific ingestion of nanoprotozoan taxons feeding on bacteria and phototrophic flagellates were determined using the technique of fluorescent labelled bacteria (FLB) and algae (FLA) over a large range of prey concentrations. Maximum ingestion rates ranged between 0.002 and 0.015/h for bactivorous nanoprotozoa and heterotrophic flagellates larger than 5 µm feeding on phototrophic flagellates. The markedly high maximum ingestion rates of 0.4/h characterising nanophytoplankton ingestion by dinoflagellates evidenced the strong ability of dinoflagellates for feeding on nanophytoplankton. Daily ingestion rates were calculated from nanoprotozoan grazing parameters and carbon biomass of prey and predators. This indicated that nanoprotozoa ingestion of daily bacterioplankton and phytoplankton production in early spring ranged from 32 to 40%.

Respiration rate of Themisto libellula determined experimentally

Daily ingestion rates of the pelagic hyperiid amphipod Themisto libellula were studied in the marginal ice zone of the Arctic Fram Strait by feeding experiments, respiration measurements and an allometric approach based on body mass. Amphipods were collected by stratified multiple opening/closing net hauls and Rectangular Midwater Trawl (RMT 8) in August 2000 during the expedition ARK XVI/2 of R/V "Polarstern". T. libellula occurred with abundances of 0.043 and 0.015 ind/m**3 in the upper 30 m of the water column at two RMT 8 stations. Based on respiration data, the daily ingestion necessary to cover metabolic energy demands measured 1.9±0.6% of body carbon per day. Actual prey consumption during feeding experiments with Calanus copepodids as prey was very similar and accounted for 1.9±1.5%/day, indicating that feeding on Calanus can meet the energy demands of T. libellula. In general, experimental results were slightly lower than the maximum potential ingestion (2%/day for an individual of median body dry mass of 32 mg) estimated by an allometric equation based on body mass, but feeding experiments showed a strong variability. Reduced metabolism and low ingestion rates of T. libellula are consistent with low ambient temperature, large body size, slow growth and long life span of this polar species. The effect of the active pelagic life style of T. libellula on metabolism and ingestion rate is discussed in comparison to the sympagic (i.e. ice-associated) amphipod Gammarus wilkitzkii of similar body size living in the same environment. In relation to the mesozooplankton biomass in the investigation area, the predation impact by T. libellula was low. However, high-Arctic conditions also limit the secondary production of principal prey species, such as Calanus glacialis and Calanus hyperboreus, so that even low predation rates may affect the growth of prey populations.

Avaliação das concentrações hepáticas e séricas de retinol em bovinos e do consumo habitual de fígado por gestantes

The vitamin A is essential to animals because of its participation in a great number of biological functions. The investigation of this vitamin s concentrations is important to serve as reference to normality parameters. This study had as aim to analyse the serics and hepatics concentrations of vitamin A in two groups of bovines and to compare the hepatics concentrations to the present requeriments of vitamin A for pregnant women. It was also appraised the consume habit of bovine liver by pregnant women through of the alimentary frequency quest. Two groups of bovine were studied and the first was formad by Nelore bovine breed and the second by bovine without defined breed (WDB). It was analysed 120 samples: 60 of liver and 60 of serum. The method used to dose retinol was High Performance Liquid Cromatography (HPLC). The average (+ sd) of retinol concentrations in Nelore breed bovine and WDB liver were 16947,8 + 6866,9 and 5213,1 + 2517,2 µg of retinol/100g and at serum 39,6 + 17,9 e 28,6 + 9,4 µg of retinol/dL, respectively. No statistically significant correlation was found between hepatic and the serum retinol. The bovines in this study had adequate vitamin A levels. Independently of animal breed, the daily ingestion of bovine liver is not advised for pregnant women who show adequate support of vitamin A. The consume of bovine liver by pregnant women consulted on school maternity hospital Januário Cicco, UFRN, Natal RN, was considered high

Avaliação das concentrações hepáticas e séricas de retinol em bovinos e do consumo habitual de fígado por gestantes

The vitamin A is essential to animals because of its participation in a great number of biological functions. The investigation of this vitamin s concentrations is important to serve as reference to normality parameters. This study had as aim to analyse the serics and hepatics concentrations of vitamin A in two groups of bovines and to compare the hepatics concentrations to the present requeriments of vitamin A for pregnant women. It was also appraised the consume habit of bovine liver by pregnant women through of the alimentary frequency quest. Two groups of bovine were studied and the first was formad by Nelore bovine breed and the second by bovine without defined breed (WDB). It was analysed 120 samples: 60 of liver and 60 of serum. The method used to dose retinol was High Performance Liquid Cromatography (HPLC). The average (+ sd) of retinol concentrations in Nelore breed bovine and WDB liver were 16947,8 + 6866,9 and 5213,1 + 2517,2 µg of retinol/100g and at serum 39,6 + 17,9 e 28,6 + 9,4 µg of retinol/dL, respectively. No statistically significant correlation was found between hepatic and the serum retinol. The bovines in this study had adequate vitamin A levels. Independently of animal breed, the daily ingestion of bovine liver is not advised for pregnant women who show adequate support of vitamin A. The consume of bovine liver by pregnant women consulted on school maternity hospital Januário Cicco, UFRN, Natal RN, was considered high

Avaliação nutricional dos idosos institucionalizados no concelho de Viseu

O envelhecimento da população, bem como a alteração da dinâmica da família, têm contribuído diretamente para o aumento do número de idosos institucionalizados. A incidência da desnutrição alcança níveis elevados nestes idosos, sendo essencial o seu diagnóstico precoce para a melhoria da sua qualidade de vida. Constitui objetivo primordial do estudo a avaliação do estado nutricional de idosos institucionalizados no concelho de Viseu, Portugal. A amostra (n=120) é constituída por idosos de ambos os sexos, institucionalizados, com idade igual ou superior a 65 anos, com capacidade para se colocar de pé, sem demência e que não sejam portadores de patologia passível de afetar a digestão, absorção ou utilização dos nutrientes. A avaliação do estado nutricional é determinada tendo em conta parâmetros antropométricos, a aplicação do e Mini Nutricional Assessment (MNA) e dietéticos, através da avaliação da ingestão alimentar (registo de 3 dias). Os questionários aplicados estão validados para a população portuguesa idosa e foram aplicados após consentimento informado. Foram realizadas estatísticas descritivas e inferenciais às diferentes variáveis, de acordo com o género e estratos etários. Considerou-se um nível de confiança de 95%. Dos 120 indivíduos estudados 30% eram do sexo masculino e 70% eram do sexo feminino. As médias das idades eram de 82,36 ± 6,34 anos. A determinação do IMC mostrou que 12,5% dos idosos avaliados exibem baixo peso (IMC 19,6±2,1); 46,7% são eutróficos (IMC 25,7±1,3); 11,7% apresentam excesso de peso (IMC 29,0±0,6), sendo 29,2% classificados como obesos (IMC 33,8±2,9).A avaliação da população pelo MNA evidenciou uma percentagem de desnutrição de 1,7% com uma prevalência de risco de desnutrição (33,3%) mas identifica 65% da amostra como bem nutrida. Os 2 instrumentos utilizados para avaliação do estado nutricional, antropometria (IMC) e MNA mostraram uma correlação estatística entre si positiva. Independentemente do género e do grupo etário verificou-se que o Valor Calórico Total (VCT) ingerido diariamente apresentava valores abaixo do recomendado. Já a ingestão diária de hidratos de carbono e de proteínas apresentou valores médios superiores às recomendações nutricionais enquanto os teores de lípidos ingeridos se situava dentro dos limites recomendados estando porém os valores da ingesta média de fibra total (18g/dia) abaixo dos indicados para a população idosa (25g/dia). Quanto aos micronutrientes encontraram-se deficits de ingestão média diária de minerais e oligoelementos como o cálcio, ferro, magnésio selénio, zinco e iodo e também de algumas vitaminas (D, E, ácido fólico). Conclui-se então que no geral a população estudada apresenta um estado de nutrição normal avaliado através de IMC e do MNA dois instrumentos que estão correlacionados entre si e se complementam. Que a ingestão alimentar apresentada pelos idosos desta amostra é apenas ligeiramente inferior ao recomendado, não colocando em risco o aparecimento de desnutrição. Porém é importante a intervenção dietética no sentido de corrigir determinadas carências (vitaminas, minerais) e prevenir o risco de desnutrição detetado assim como a obesidade.

Acute fluid ingestion in the treatment of orthostatic intolerance - important implications for daily practice

Rapid water ingestion improves orthostatic intolerance (OI) in multiple system atrophy (MSA) and postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS). We compared haemodynamic changes after water and clear soup intake, the latter being a common treatment strategy for OI in daily practice.