The Interplay between Magnesium and Testosterone in Modulating Physical Function in Men

The role of nutritional status as determinant of successful aging is very well recognized. There is recent evidence that nutrition may exert its beneficial effects through the modulation of the hormonal anabolic milieu. Under-nutrition and anabolic hormonal deficiency frequently coexist in older individuals determining an increased risk of mobility impairment and adverse outcomes. Mineral dietary assessment has received attention as key component of the nutritional modulation of anabolic status and physical performance. There is evidence that several minerals, including magnesium, exert a positive influence on Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) secretion in both sexes, and Testosterone (T) in men. In this review we summarize the existing knowledge about the mechanisms by which magnesium can affect T bioactivity in older men. Particular attention will be also devoted to the preliminary observational and intervention studies addressing the relationship between magnesium and T in adult and older individuals. We believe that, if larger studies will confirm these pivotal data, hormonal and mineral strategies might be adopted as synergistic treatment to approach the multifactorial nature of accelerated aging

Aborto micótico en ganado bovino.

El aborto de origen micótico ha cobrado importancia debido a que está siendo reconocido por los servicios de diagnóstico de rutina de todos los países como una de las causas más importantes de este problema. El rango de especies de hongos involucrados en el aborto se ha venido incrementando lo mismo que sus relaciones con otras enfermedades micóticas en los animales. En este trabajo se hace una revisión de literatura sobre la etiología, epidemiología, patología, diagnóstico y tratamiento del aborto por hongos y sus toxinas con el fin de brindar a los médicos veterinarios una revisión de literatura lo más completa posible sobre el tema de los problemas reproductivos producidos por estos microorganismosGanado de leche-Ganadería lech

Un brote de beriberi en una cárcel colombiana

A field-study was carried out in Leticia (Amazonas department) in order to clarify the cause of death of a young man imprisoned in the municipal jail. After reviewing the clinical and epidemiological evidence, it was concluded that the cause of death was a heart attack, very probably caused by thiamine deficiency (wet beri-beri). Another four cases of mixed beri-beri were found amongst the prisoners, these having moderate manifestations, which had not been diagnosed. The diet given regularly to those incarcellated covered only half of the daily thiamine requirement for an adult population exposed to a tropical climate. This is the second report published recently in Colombia concerning beri-beri and should serve to tighten-up supervision of dietary control measures amongst high-risk populations, such as those confined to institutions.Se realizó una investigación de campo en Leticia (Amazonas) con el fin de esclarecer la causa del fallecimiento de un joven recluso en la cárcel municipal. Después de revisar la evidencia clínica y epidemiológica, concluimos que la causa de muerte fue una insuficiencia cardiaca con gasto alto, causada muy probablemente por déficit de tiamina (beriberi húmedo). Se hallaron cuatro casos más de beriberi mixto con manifestaciones moderadas, que pasaron sin diagnóstico, dentro de los reclusos. La dieta suministrada regularmente a los internos solo cubría la mitad de los requerimientos diarios de tiamina para personas adultas expuestas a un clima tropical. Este es el segundo informe publicado recientemente en Colombia sobre casos de beriberi y debe servir para que se extremen la vigilancia y las medidas dietarias de control en poblaciones altamente expuestas tales como aquellas institucionalizadas

Granulomatous-like immune reaction and hepatic fibrosis induced by Schistosoma haematobium immature worms

Golden hamsters were inoculated with Schistosoma haematobium cercariae to examine histological lesions at different time points over an 18 month period of infection. Hamsters were sacrificed 26 weeks and 82 weeks after inoculation. The parasite was found in the blood and in the liver of infected animals as was expected, but we found exclusively male worms, no female worms nor eggs. Interestingly we observed unexpected hepatic lesions induced by S. haematobium immature male worms alone in the golden hamster, characteristic of schistosome eggs. Samples from liver, kidneys, lungs, bladder and gastrointestinal tract were collected during necropsy to evaluate injuries induced by S. haematobium. Notably we observed hepatitis in the liver of infected hamsters, no lesions were found in other organs. We also found liver fibrosis in infected hamsters. This study provides further experimental evidence for the role that schistosome worms, and their derived antigens, may play in the pathology of the infection and modulation of liver chronic inflammation in the murine model of schistosomiasis

Alcohol and early mortality (before 65 years) in the ‘seguimiento Universidad de Navarra’ (SUN) cohort: does any level reduce mortality?

The aim of this study was to assess the association between alcohol intake and premature mortality (younger than 65 years) and to explore the effect of potential alcohol underreporting by heavy drinkers. We followed-up 20 272 university graduates. Four categories of alcohol intake were considered (abstainer, light, moderate and heavy consumption). Repeated measurements of alcohol intake and updated information on confounders were used in time-dependent Cox models. Potential underreporting of alcohol intake by some heavy drinkers (likely misclassified as light or moderate drinkers) was explicitly addressed in an attempt to correct potential underreporting by using indirect information. During 12·3 years of median follow-up (interquartile range: 6·8–15·0), 226 participants died before their 65th birthday. A higher risk of early mortality was found for the highest category of alcohol intake (≥50 g/d) in comparison with abstention (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 2·82, 95 % CI 1·38, 5·79). In analyses of alcohol as a continuous variable, the multivariable-adjusted HR was 1·17 (95 % CI 1·08, 1·26), for each 10 g/d of alcohol. This harmful linear association was present both in uncorrected models and in models corrected for potential underreporting. No significant inverse association between light or moderate alcohol intake and premature mortality was observed, even after correcting for potential misclassification. Alcohol intake exhibited a harmful linear dose–response association with premature mortality (<65 years) in this young and highly educated Mediterranean cohort. Our attempts to correct for potential misclassification did not substantially change these results

Prevalência de auto-anticorpos antinucleares no soro de doadores de sangue normais

OBJECTIVE:To examine the presence of serum antinuclear autoantibodies in a healthy population. METHODS: Serum of 500 normal blood donors between 18 and 60 years of age were tested for the presence of autoantibodies. Antinuclear antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence technique using HEp-2 epithelial cells as the substrate. The presence of dnaN was detected by indirect immunofluorescence technique using Critidia lucillae as the substrate. Anti-SSA (RO), anti-SSB (LA), anti-Sm, and anti-RNP were determined by double radial immunodiffusion. RESULTS: In the evaluation of the presence of serum antibodies, antinuclear antibodies were detected in 22.6% of the sera. The presence of other antibodies was not significant. The majority of the titers were 1:40. CONCLUSION: The presence of autoantibodies is not necessarily pathologic and has to be related to the age group, gender, and clinical condition of the patient.OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi detectar a presença de autoanticorpos em pessoas sadias. MÉTODOS: Foi estudado o soro de 500 doadores de sangue sadios, com idade entre 18 e 60 anos. Anticorpo antinuclear foi detectado por imunofluorescência indireta usando células Hep-2 como substrato. A pesquisa de anti-DNA-nativo (DNA-n) foi feita com a técnica de imunofluorescência indireta usando Critidia lucillae como substrato. A pesquisa de anti-SSA, anti-SSB, anti-Sm e anti-RNP foi feita utilizando a técnica de imunodifusão radial dupla. REUSLTADOS: A presença de anticorpo antinuclear foi detectada em 22,6% das amostras estudadas. A maioria apresentou títulos 1/40. A presença de outros anticorpos não foi significativa. CONCLUSÃO: A presença de autoanticorpos não é necessariamente patológica e deve ser correlacionada à idade, sexo e condição clínica do paciente

MATEMÁTICAS E ARQUITETURA GUARANI TAMBEOPÉ: UMA INVESTIGAÇÃO NA EDUCAÇÃO BÁSICA

This article presents an excerpt of a master's research in Science and Mathematics Education defended in 2019, developed with a class of Elementary School of Basic Education in dialogue with knowledge and practices of the Guarani Tambeopé indigenous culture. Reinforced by the enactment of Law nº 11.645/08 and based on the Ethnomathematics Program, the project's main objective was to promote a (re)signification of the Guarani Tambeopé indigenous culture through the insertion of their knowledge and practices in Mathematics classes in Basic Education. To achieve the objective, we developed a Teaching Unit in a Municipal Elementary School located in Vitória – Espírito Santo, which addressed, in particular, an investigation about the mba'eitxa oo djadjapo (construction techniques) of the Guarani Tambeopé people and the possibilities and strategies more suitable for its incorporation into Basic Education Mathematics classes. The objective of this article is the observation that the intervention meetings in the non-indigenous school contributed to the (re)signification of the students' knowledge about the Guarani Tambeopé people and their knowledge/doings.Este artículo presenta un extracto de investigación de la Maestría en Educación Científica y Matemática defendida en 2019, desarrollada con una clase de la Escuela Primaria de Educación Básica en diálogo con los conocimientos y prácticas de la cultura indígena guaraní Tambeopé. Reforzado por la promulgación de la Ley N ° 11.645 / 08 y con base en el Programa de Etnomatemática, el objetivo principal del proyecto fue promover una (re) significación de la cultura indígena guaraní Tambeopé a través de la inserción de sus conocimientos y prácticas en las clases de Matemática Educacion Basica. Para lograr el objetivo, desarrollamos una Unidad Docente en una Escuela Primaria Municipal ubicada en Vitória - Espírito Santo, que abordó, en particular, una investigación sobre las mba'eitxa oo djadjapo (técnicas de construcción) del pueblo guaraní Tambeopé y las posibilidades y estrategias más adecuadas para su incorporación a las clases de Matemática de Educación Básica. El objetivo de este artículo es observar que las reuniones de intervención en la escuela no indígena contribuyeron a la (re) significación del conocimiento de los estudiantes sobre el pueblo guaraní Tambeopé y sus saberes / hacer.Este artigo apresenta um recorte de uma pesquisa de mestrado em Educação em Ciências e Matemática defendida em 2019, desenvolvida com uma turma de Ensino Fundamental, em diálogo com saberes e fazeres da cultura indígena Guarani Tambeopé. Reforçado pela efetivação da Lei nº 11.645/2008 e embasado pelo Programa Etnomatemática, o estudo teve por objetivo principal fomentar a (re)significação da cultura indígena Guarani Tambeopé por meio da inserção de seus saberes e fazeres nas aulas de Matemática. Para tanto, desenvolvemos uma Unidade Didática em uma escola da rede municipal de Vitória – Espírito Santo, abordando, especialmente, uma investigação acerca das mba’eitxa oo djadjapo (técnicas de construções) do povo Guarani Tambeopé e das possibilidades e estratégias mais adequadas à sua incorporação às aulas de Matemática da Educação Básica. Conforme constatamos, os encontros de intervenção na escola não indígena contribuíram para a (re)significação dos conhecimentos dos educandos sobre o povo Guarani Tambeopé e seus saberes/fazeres

Oxidative stress and immunosenescence in spleen of obese mice can be reversed by 2-hydroxyoleic acid.

We aimed to investigate the effects of obesity on oxidative stress and leukocyte function in spleen of mice, and to assess whether supplementation with 2-hydroxyoleic acid (2-OHOA) or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) could reverse those effects. Female ICR/CD1 mice (8 weeks old, n = 24) received an obesogenic diet (22% fat for 4 weeks and 60% fat for 14 weeks). After 6 weeks, mice were split in three groups (n = 8/group): no supplementation, 2-OHOA supplementation (1500 mg kg(-1) ) and n-3 PUFA supplementation (EPA + DHA, 3000 mg kg(-1) diet). Eight mice were fed standard diet for the whole duration of the study (control group). At the end of the experiment, the following variables were assessed in spleens: levels of reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, GSH/GSSG, xanthine oxidase (XO) activity, lipid peroxidation, lymphocyte chemotaxis, natural killer (NK) activity and mitogen (ConA and LPS)-induced lymphocyte proliferation. Obese animals presented higher GSSG levels (P = 0.003), GSSG/GSH ratio (P = 0.013), lipid peroxidation (P = 0.004), XO activity (P = 0.015) and lymphocyte chemotaxis (P < 0.001), and lower NK activity (P = 0.003) and proliferation in response to ConA (P < 0.001) than controls. 2-OHOA reversed totally or partially most of the changes (body weight, fat content, GSSG levels, GSH/GSSG, lipid peroxidation, chemotaxis and proliferation, all P < 0.05), while n-3 PUFA reversed the increase in XO activity (P = 0.032). In conclusion, 2-OHOA, and to a lesser extent n-3 PUFA, could ameliorate the oxidative stress and alteration of leukocyte function in spleen of obese mice. Our findings support a link between obesity and immunosenescence and suggest a potential therapeutic tool for obesity-related immune dysfunction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved