Influenza among the elderly in the Americas: A consensus statement

Influenza exacts a heavy burden on the elderly, a segment of the population that is estimated to experience rapid growth in the near future. In the past decade most developed and several developing countries have recommended influenza vaccination for those > 65 years of age. The World Health Organization (WHO) set a goal of 75% influenza vaccination coverage among the elderly by 2010, but it was not achieved. In 2011, the Technical Advisory Group at the Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office of WHO for the Americas, reiterated the influenza vaccine recommendation for older adults. Relatively little information has been compiled on the immunological aspect of aging or on reducing its impact, information particularly relevant for clinicians and gerontologist with firsthand experience confronting its effects. To fill this data gap, in 2012 the Americas Health Foundation (Washington, D.C., United States) and the nonprofit, Fighting Infectious Diseases in Emerging Countries (Miami, Florida, United States), convened a panel of Latin American clinicians and gerontologists with expertise in influenza to discuss key issues and develop a consensus statement. The major recommendations were to improve influenza surveillance throughout Latin America so that its impact can be quantified; and to conduct laboratory confirmation of influenza for all patients who have flu-like symptoms and are frail, immunosuppressed, have comorbidities, are respiratory compromised, or have been admitted to a hospital. The panel also noted that: since evidence for antivirals in the elderly is unclear, their use should be handled on a case-by-case basis; despite decreased immunological response, influenza vaccination in older adults is still crucial; indirect immunization strategies should be encouraged; and traditional infection control measures are essential in long-term care facilities.

Genotoxic evaluation of the antimalarial drugs artemisinin and artesunate in human HepG2 cells and effects on CASP3 and SOD1 gene expressions

The malaria treatment recommended by the World Health Organization involves medicines derived from artemisinin, an active compound extracted from the plant Artemisia annua, and some of its derivatives, such as artesunate. Considering the lack of data regarding the genotoxic effects of these compounds in human cells, the objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity, and expressions of the CASP3 and SOD1 genes in a cultured human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2 cells) treated with artemisinin and artesunate. We tested concentrations of 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, and 20 μg/mL of both substances with a resazurin cytotoxicity assay, and the concentrations used in the genotoxicity experiments (2.5, 5, and 10 μg/mL) and gene expression analysis (5 mg/mL) were determined. The results of the comet assay in cells treated with artemisinin and artesunate showed a significant dosedependent increase (P < 0.001) in the number of cells with DNA damage at all concentrations tested. However, the gene expression analysis revealed no significant change in expression of CASP3 or SOD1. Our data showed that although artemisinin and artesunate exhibited genotoxic effects in cultured HepG2 cells, they did not significantly alter expression of the CASP3 and SOD1 genes at the doses tested. ©FUNPEC-RP.

Intra-abdominal fat is related to metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fat liver disease in obese youth

Background: Previous studies have shown an association between adiposity, especially intra-abdominal adipose tissue, and hemodynamic/metabolic comorbidities in adults, however it is not clear in pediatric population. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and components of metabolic syndrome (MS) with values of intra-abdominal (IAAT) and subcutaneous (SCAT) adipose tissue in obese children and adolescents.Methods: Cross-sectional study. Subjects: 182 obese sedentary children and adolescents (aged 6 to 16 y), identified by the body mass index (BMI). Measurements: Body composition and trunk fat by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry- DXA; lipid profile, blood pressure and pubertal stage were also assessed. NAFLD was classified as absent (0), mild (1), moderate (2) and severe (3), and intra-abdominal and subcutaneous abdominal fat thickness were identified by ultrasound. The MS was identified according to the cut offs proposed by World Health Organization adapted for children and adolescents. The chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables, and the binary logistic regression indicated the magnitude of the associations adjusted by potential cofounders (sex, age, maturation, NAFLD and HOMA-IR).Results: Higher quartile of SCAT was associated with elevated blood pressure (p = 0.015), but not associated with NAFLD (p = 0.665). Higher IAAT was positively associated with increased dyslipidemia (p = 0.001), MS (p = 0.013) and NAFLD (p = 0.005). Intermediate (p = 0.007) and highest (p = 0.001) quartile of IAAT were also associated with dyslipidemia, independently of age, sex, maturation, NAFLD and HOMA-IR (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance).Conclusion: Obese children and adolescents, with higher IAAT are more prone to develop MS and NAFLD than those with higher values of SCAT, independent of possible confounding variables. © 2013 Silveira et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Efeito genotóxico da artemisinina e do artesunato em células de mamíferos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Análise prospectiva do padrão de metilação nos genes associados a doenças cardíacas SCN5A e MTR para aplicação na genética forense

Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia - IQ

Estado nutricional de indivíduos alcoolistas crônicos na internação e na alta médica, em um hospital psiquiátrico, Araçatuba/SP

Pós-graduação em Alimentos e Nutrição - FCFAR

Avaliação do sinal insulínico em ratos adultos com doença periodontal

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

A ocorrência do Aedes aegypti na região noroeste do Paraná: um estudo sobre a epidemia da dengue em Paranavaí - 1999, na perspectiva da geografia médica

Pós-graduação em Geografia - FCT

Evaluación preliminar del impacto en México de la influenza AH1N1: documento elaborado por el equipo conjunto CEPAL

Incluye Bibliografía

Data collection system for domestic violence

Includes bibliography

Emigration of nurses from the Caribbean: causes and consequences for the socio-economic welfare of the country, Trinidad and Tobago: a case study

Includes bibliography

Tendência da tuberculose em pacientes internados no hospital Nestor Goulart Reis de Américo Brasiliense-SP no período de 1994 a 2004 e prevalência da infecção entre os funcionários deste hospital em 2005

Pós-graduação em Biociências e Biotecnologia Aplicadas à Farmácia - FCFAR

Prática de atividade física e qualidade de vida de pacientes com osteoporose e osteopenia

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo citogenético comparativo entre Triatoma maculata e triatoma pseudomaculata (Triatominae, Heteroptera)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Análise citogenética e molecular do gene FOXO3 em síndrome mielodisplásica

Pós-graduação em Genética - IBILCE