Avaliação da combinação da nebulização discreta e processos de microextração aplicados à determinação de molibdênio por espectrometria de absorção atômica com chama (FAAS)

Simple and sensitive procedures for the extraction/preconcentration of molybdenum based on vortex-assisted solidified floating organic drop microextraction (VA-SFODME) and cloud point combined with flame absorption atomic spectrometry (FAAS) and discrete nebulization were developed. The influence of the discrete nebulization on the sensitivity of the molybdenum preconcentration processes was studied. An injection volume of 200 µL resulted in a lower relative standard deviation with both preconcentration procedures. Enrichment factors of 31 and 67 and limits of detection of 25 and 5 µg L-1 were obtained for cloud point and VA-SFODME, respectively. The developed procedures were applied to the determination of Mo in mineral water and multivitamin samples.

Utilisation des suppléments alimentaires chez les athlètes d’élite québécois

Ce projet découle du Canadian Sport Centre Dietary Study qui avait pour objectif d’évaluer les habitudes de consommation de suppléments alimentaires chez les athlètes canadiens et de déterminer si des différences régionales existaient. Un nombre de sujets était prédéterminé pour chaque province en considération du nombre d’athlètes identifiés comme Excellence, Élite ou Relève par les Centres d’entraînement nationaux et les organismes gouvernementaux. Pour ce mémoire, seules les données associées aux athlètes du Québec ont été considérées. Quarante-trois athlètes ont répondu à un questionnaire sur l’utilisation des suppléments alimentaires, 71 ont fourni un journal alimentaire de trois jours et 42 parmi ces derniers ont remis les deux documents. La prévalence d’utilisation des suppléments alimentaires était de 90,7%. Les utilisateurs consommaient en moyenne 3,35 produits différents, particulièrement des boissons énergétiques (48,8%), des multivitamines-minéraux (37,2%), des produits de santé naturels (37,2%) et des suppléments de protéines en poudre (34,9%). Les athlètes souhaitaient maintenir leur santé (27,9%) et améliorer leur niveau d’énergie (27,9%) ou leur récupération (25,6%). Les sources d’information citées étaient les entraîneurs physiques (25,6%), la famille ou les amis (16,3%) et les coéquipiers (16,3%). Les sujets se procuraient ces produits dans les épiceries (16,3%), les pharmacies (14,0%) et les magasins spécialisés (9,3%). Soixante-dix pour cent des sujets croyaient que l’arrêt de l’utilisation des suppléments alimentaires n’aurait aucun impact sur leurs performances ou ne savaient pas comment cela les influencerait. Ils démontraient un vif intérêt au sujet de l’efficacité (69,8%), la légalité (55,8%) et la sécurité (53,5%) de ces produits. Des sujets qui utilisaient un supplément de protéines, 81% présentaient un apport alimentaire supérieur à leurs besoins. L’utilisation de suppléments de multivitaminesminéraux permettait de combler l’apport insuffisant en calcium et en folate, mais pas en potassium. Nos résultats soulignent que ces utilisateurs présentaient des apports dépassant l’apport maximal tolérable pour le sodium, le magnésium, la niacine, le folate, la vitamine A et le fer. Nous pouvons donc conclure que ces deux types de suppléments alimentaires n’étaient pas utilisés d’une façon pertinente.

Búsqueda de selección en el polimorfismo 677C>T (c.665C>T) del gen de la metilentetrahidrofolato reductasa (MTHFR) en una población Colombiana

Se realizó un estudio genético – poblacional en dos grupos etarios de población colombiana con la finalidad de evaluar las diferencias genéticas relacionadas con el polimorfismo MTHFR 677CT en busca de eventos genéticos que soporten la persistencia de este polimorfismo en la especie humana debido que este ha sido asociado con múltiples enfermedades. De esta manera se genotipificaron los individuos, se analizaron los genotipos, frecuencias alélicas y se realizaron diferentes pruebas genéticas-poblacionales. Contrario a lo observado en poblaciones Colombianas revisadas se identificó la ausencia del Equilibrio Hardy-Weinberg en el grupo de los niños y estructuras poblacionales entre los adultos lo que sugiere diferentes historias demográficas y culturales entre estos dos grupos poblacionales al tiempo, lo que soporta la hipótesis de un evento de selección sobre el polimorfismo en nuestra población. De igual manera nuestros datos fueron analizados junto con estudios previos a nivel nacional y mundial lo cual sustenta que el posible evento selectivo es debido a que el aporte de ácido fólico se ha incrementado durante las últimas dos décadas como consecuencia de las campañas de fortificación de las harinas y suplementación a las embarazadas con ácido fólico, por lo tanto aquí se propone un modelo de selección que se ajusta a los datos encontrados en este trabajo se establece una relación entre los patrones nutricionales de la especie humana a través de la historia que explica las diferencias en frecuencias de este polimorfismo a nivel espacial y temporal.  

Oral clefts and vitamin supplementation

Objectives: the evidence linking low levels of folic acid and orofacial clefting (OFC) is presently equivocal, There is stronger evidence for the role of folic acid supplementation in protection against the occurrence and recurrence of neural tube defects. The present investigation tested the hypotheses that cleft lip, cleft palate, or both are inversely associated with maternal intake of dietary and supplemental vitamins during the periconceptional period and first 4 months of pregnancy in a Brazilian population.Design: A population-based, case-control study of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL(P)) and isolated cleft palate (CP) in a Brazilian population. in structured interviews, case histories were taken from the mothers of a consecutive sample of 450 infants born with nonsyndromic OFC,Results: Mothers who had children with CL(P) were less likely to have been supplemented during the periconceptional period. The statistical significance of the difference in prevalence of the use of supplements between mothers of patients and of controls was greater for the CL(P) group: p < .05 for CP and p < .001 for CL(P). Multivariate analysis confirmed this finding of a protective effect for both types of orofacial cleft,Conclusions: the use of vitamin supplements in the first 4 months of pregnancy was suggestive of a protective effect against the occurrence of CP and CL(P) in this population, the significance of an association between multivitamin supplementation and OFC and the possible role of gene/environment interaction are discussed.

Reduction of erythroid progenitors in protein-energy malnutrition

Protein-energy malnutrition is a syndrome in which anaemia together with multivitamin and mineral deficiency may be present. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved have not, however, yet been completely elucidated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pathophysiological processes that occur in this anaemia in animals that were submitted to protein-energy malnutrition, in particular with respect to Fe concentration and the proliferative activity of haemopoietic cells. For this, histological, histochemical, cell culture and immunophenotyping techniques were used. Two-month-old male Swiss mice were submitted to protein-energy malnutrition with a low-protein diet (20g/kg) compared with control diet (400 g/kg). When the experimental group had attained a 20% loss of their original body weight, the animals from both groups received, intravenously, 20IU erythropoietin every other day for 14 d. Malnourished animals showed a decrease in red blood cells, Hb concentration and reticulocytopenia, as well as severe bone marrow and splenic atrophy. The results for serum Fe, total Fe-binding capacity, transferrin and erythropoietin in malnourished animals were no different from those of the control animals. Fe reserves in the spleen, liver and bone marrow were found to be greater in the malnourished animals. The mixed colony-forming unit assays revealed a smaller production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units, erythroid burst-forming units, erythroid colony-forming units and CD45, CD117, CD119 and CD71 expression in the bone marrow and spleen cells of malnourished animals. These findings suggest that, in this protein-energy malnutrition model, anaemia is not caused by Fe deficiency or erythropoietin deficiency, but is a result of ineffective erythropoiesis.

Effects of low doses of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder of children: A systematic review

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

Otimização de protocolos de germinação in vitro de pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas L.)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação dos parâmetros seminais de indivíduos inférteis em uso de polivitamínico e polimineral

Pós-graduação em Ginecologia, Obstetrícia e Mastologia - FMB

Determinação voltamétrica de ácido fólico em superfície de eletrodo sólido com filme intermetálico 'AG IND.2''HG IND.3.02': aplicação em sucos de frutas in natura e industrializados

Pós-graduação em Química - IQ

Holocarboxylase Synthetase-dependent Biotinylation of Histone H4

Holocarboxylase synthetase (HCS) catalyzes the binding of biotin to lysine (K) residues in histones H3 and H4. Histone biotinylation marks play important roles in the repression of genes and retrotransposons. Preliminary studies suggested that K16 in histone H4 is a target for biotinylation by HCS. Here we demonstrated that H4K16bio is overrepresented in repeat regions {pericentromeric alpha satellite repeats; long terminal repeats (LTR)} compared with euchromatin promoters. H4K16bio was also enriched in the repressed interleukin-2 gene promoter. The enrichment at LTR22 and promoter 1 of the sodium-dependent multivitamin transporter (SMVT) depended on biotin supply; and was significantly lower in fibroblasts from an HCS-deficient patient compared with an HCS wild-type control. We conclude that H4K16bio is a real phenomenon and plays a role in the transcriptional repression of repeats and genes. HCS catalyzes the covalent binding of biotin to carboxylases, in addition to its role as a histone biotinyl ligase. HCS null individuals are not viable whereas HCS deficiency is linked to developmental delays and phenotypes such as short life span and low stress resistance. Here, we developed a 96-well plate assay for high-throughput analysis of HCS based on the detection of biotinylated p67 using IRDye-streptavidin and infrared spectroscopy. We demonstrated that the catalytic activity of rHCS depends on temperature and time, and proposed optimal substrate and enzyme concentrations to ensure ideal measurement of rHCS activity and its kinetics. Additionally, we demonstrated that this assay is sensitive enough to detect biotinylation of p67 by endogenous HCS from Jurkat lymphoid cells.

Nutrient Intake of Women 3 Years After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

Nutritional deficiencies, especially micronutrient deficiencies, can occur in obese individuals. Surgical treatment may aggravate or cause these deficiencies, depending on the type of procedure, food intake and the use of multivitamins, minerals or other supplements. The objective of the study was to evaluate the nutrient intake of women who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. A cross-sectional, controlled study was conducted among 44 women after RYGB (operated-group, OG; mean years post-operation = 3.4) and a control group of 38 healthy women (non-operated group, NOG) matched by age and economic condition. The women reported their dietary intake using a 4-day record. The Dietary Reference Intakes was used as a reference. The macronutrient contributions to dietary energy intake presented an acceptable distribution for proteins and carbohydrates. Lipid intake was high among women in the OG and the NOG (43.2 and 55.3 %, respectively). In the evaluation of micronutrients, a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups for iron, zinc and vitamins B1 and B12. Both groups were at high risk for inadequate calcium intake, and the OG was at risk for inadequate zinc, iron and vitamin B1 intake. The nutrient intake of women who had undergone RYGB is very similar to that of non-operated women, with the exception of a reduced intake of iron, zinc and vitamins B1 and B12, which may be due to the difficulty of consuming meat and a balanced diet. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of appropriate nutritional intervention and the regular use of multivitamin and mineral supplements for these patients.

Daily vitamin supplementation and hypovitaminosis after obesity surgery

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether constant daily vitamin supplementation would be sufficient to prevent possible vitamin deficiencies in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: The study was conducted on 58 men and women (mean age 41 +/- 10 y) who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass RYGB and were assessed preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 mo after surgery. During the postoperative period, the patients received a multivitamin-mineral supplement on a daily basis. Results: Serum beta-carotene and vitamin C were lower starting from the third postoperative month and continued to be low after 12 mo, and vitamin A was decreased by the sixth month and increased by 12 mo. Vitamin B12 levels were stable up to 6 mo but were decreased by 12 mo. Folic acid levels increased from the third month and remained higher throughout follow-up. One year after surgery there were 19% and 21% increases in the number of patients with vitamin A and vitamin C deficiency, respectively, and a 4% decreased of patients with folic acid deficiency. Conclusion: Weight loss and improvement in patients' general condition followed surgery, but serum levels of some vitamins were decreased despite the use of a vitamin-mineral supplement. These patients need continuous follow-up and individualized prescription of supplementation after the surgical procedure to prevent and treat vitamin deficiencies. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Benefits of Combinations of Vitamin A, C and E Derivatives in the Stability of Cosmetic Formulations

Chemically stable ester derivatives of vitamins A, C and E have become a focus of interest for their role in the satisfactory results in skin aging treatments. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physical and chemical stability of a cosmetic formulation containing 1% retinyl palmitate, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate and tocopheryl acetate, alone or in combination. In the studies of physical stability, a Brookfield rheometer was used to determine rheological behavior of formulations containing the vitamins. Chemical stability was determined by HPLC on a Shimadzu system with UV detection. Results showed that formulations had pseudoplastic behavior and that vitamins did not alter their apparent viscosity and thixotropy. In the chemical stability studies, first-order reaction equations were used for determinations of the shelf-life of vitamins derivatives considering a remaining concentration of 85%. Combined vitamins in a single formulation had a slightly lower degradation rate as compared to different preparations containing only one of the vitamins. Considering that many cosmetic formulations contain vitamin combinations it is suggested that the present study may contribute to the development of more stable formulations containing liposoluble vitamins.

Micronutrient Supplementation after Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch in the Long Term

Background Malabsorptive bariatric surgery requires lifelongmicronutrientsupplementation.Basedontherecommendations, we assessed the number of adjustments of micronutrientsupplementationandtheprevalenceofvitaminandmineral deficiencies at a minimum follow-up of 5 years after biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS). Methods Between October 2010 and December 2013, a total of 51 patients at a minimum follow-up of 5 years after BPDDS were invited for a clinical check-up with a nutritional blood screening test for vitamins and minerals. Results Forty-three of fifty-one patients (84.3 %) completed the blood sampling with a median follow-up of 71.2 (range 60–102) monthsafter BPD-DS. At that time,all patientswere supplemented with at least one multivitamin. However, 35 patients (81.4 %) showed either a vitamin or a mineral deficiencyoracombinationofit.Nineteenpatients(44.1%)were anemic,and17patients(39.5%)hadanirondeficiency.High deficiency rates for fat-soluble vitamins were also present in 23.2 % for vitamin A, in 76.7 % for vitamin D, in 7.0 % for vitamin E, and in 11.6 % for vitamin K. Conclusions Theresultsofourstudyshowthattheprevalence ofvitaminandmineraldeficienciesafterBPD-DSis81.4%at a minimum follow-up of 5 years. The initial prescription of micronutrientsupplementationandfurtheradjustmentsduring thefirstfollow-upwereinsufficient toavoidlong-term micronutrient deficiencies. Life-long monitoring of micronutrients at a specialized bariatric center and possibly a better micronutrient supplementation, is crucial to avoid a deficient micronutrient status at every stage after malabsorptive bariatric surgery

Effects of a Carbohydrate-restricted Diet on Emerging Plasma Markers for Cardiovascular Disease

BACKGROUND : Increasing evidence supports carbohydrate restricted diets (CRD) for weight loss and improvement in traditional markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD); less is known regarding emerging CVD risk factors. We previously reported that a weight loss intervention based on a CRD (% carbohydrate:fat:protein = 13:60:27) led to a mean weight loss of 7.5 kg and a 20% reduction of abdominal fat in 29 overweight men. This group showed reduction in plasma LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides and elevations in HDL-cholesterol as well as reductions in large and medium VLDL particles and increases in LDL particle size. In this study we report on the effect of this intervention with and without fiber supplementation on plasma homocysteine, lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). METHODS : Twenty nine overweight men [body mass index (BMI) 25-35 kg/m2] aged 20-69 years consumed an ad libitum CRD (% carbohydrate:fat:protein = 13:60:27) including a standard multivitamin every other day for 12 wk. Subjects were matched by age and BMI and randomly assigned to consume 3 g/d of either a soluble fiber supplement (n = 14) or placebo (n = 15). RESULTS : There were no group or interaction (fiber x time) main effects, but significant time effects were observed for several variables. Energy intake was spontaneously reduced (-30.5%). This was accompanied by an increase in protein intake (96.2 +/- 29.8 g/d to 107.3 +/- 29.7 g/d) and methionine intake (2.25 +/- 0.7 g/d, to 2.71 +/- 0.78 g/d; P < 0.001). Trans fatty acid intake was significantly reduced (-38.6%) while dietary folate was unchanged, as was plasma homocysteine. Bodyweight (-7.5 +/- 2.5 kg) was reduced as was plasma Lp(a) (-11.3%). Changes in plasma Lp(a) correlated with reductions in LDL-cholesterol (r = .436, P < 0.05) and fat loss (r = .385, P < 0,05). At wk 12, both CRP (-8.1%) and TNF-alpha (-9.3%) were reduced (P < 0.05) independently of weight loss. IL-6 concentrations were unchanged. CONCLUSION : A diet based on restricting carbohydrates leads to spontaneous caloric reduction and subsequent improvement in emerging markers of CVD in overweight/obese men who are otherwise healthy.