Extra virgin olive oil use is associated with improved post-prandial blood glucose and LDL cholesterol in healthy subjects

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a key component of the Mediterranean diet and seems to account for the protective effect against cardiovascular disease. However, the underlying mechanism is still elusive

Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third Edition - Comments and Statistics

The Catalogue, available at the Centre de Donn\'ees Stellaires de Strasbourg, consists of 13573 records concerning the results obtained from different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. The following data are listed for each star: identifications, apparent magnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radius in solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Comments and statistics obtained from CADARS are given.Comment: A&A, in pres

Evaluation of polygenic determinants of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by a candidate genes resequencing strategy

NAFLD is a polygenic condition but the individual and cumulative contribution of identified genes remains to be established. To get additional insight into the genetic architecture of NAFLD, GWAS-identified GCKR, PPP1R3B, NCAN, LYPLAL1 and TM6SF2 genes were resequenced by next generation sequencing in a cohort of 218 NAFLD subjects and 227 controls, where PNPLA3 rs738409 and MBOAT7 rs641738 genotypes were also obtained. A total of 168 sequence variants were detected and 47 were annotated as functional. When all functional variants within each gene were considered, only those in TM6SF2 accumulate in NAFLD subjects compared to controls (P = 0.04). Among individual variants, rs1260326 in GCKR and rs641738 in MBOAT7 (recessive), rs58542926 in TM6SF2 and rs738409 in PNPLA3 (dominant) emerged as associated to NAFLD, with PNPLA3 rs738409 being the strongest predictor (OR 3.12, 95% CI, 1.8-5.5, P 0.28 was associated with a 3-fold increased risk of NAFLD. Interestingly, rs61756425 in PPP1R3B and rs641738 in MBOAT7 genes were predictors of NAFLD severity. Overall, TM6SF2, GCKR, PNPLA3 and MBOAT7 were confirmed to be associated with NAFLD and a score based on these genes was highly predictive of this condition. In addition, PPP1R3B and MBOAT7 might influence NAFLD severity

D-dimer for risk stratification and antithrombotic treatment management in acute coronary syndrome patients: asystematic review and metanalysis

Background: Data on the prognostic role of D-dimer in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are controversial. Our aim was to summarize current evidence on the association between D-dimer levels and short/long-term poor prognosis of ACS patients. We also investigated the association between D-dimer and no-reflow phenomenon.Methods: Systematic review and metanalysis of observational studies including ACS patients and reporting data on D-dimer levels. PubMed and SCOPUS databases were searched. Data were combined with hazard ratio (HR) and metanalysed. The principal endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular events (CVEs) including myocardial infarction, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.Results: Overall, 32 studies included in the systematic review with 28,869 patients. Of them, 6 studies investigated in-hospital and 26 studies long-term outcomes. Overall, 23 studies showed positive association of high D-dimer levels with CVEs. D-dimer levels predicted poor prognosis in all studies reporting in-hospital outcomes. Five studies satisfied inclusion criteria and were included in the metanalysis, with a total of 8616 patients. Median follow-up was 13.2 months with 626 CVEs. The pooled HR for D-dimer levels and CVEs was 1.264 (95% CI 1.134-1.409). Five out of 7 studies (4195 STEMI patients) investigating the association between D-dimer levels and no-reflow showed a positive correlation of D-dimer levels with no-reflow.Conclusions: In patients with ACS, D-dimer was associated with higher in-hospital and short/long-term complications. D-dimer was also higher in patients with no-reflow phenomenon. The use of D-dimer may help to identify patients with residual thrombotic risk after ACS

Von willebrand and factor VIII portosystemic circulation gradient in cirrhosi. Implications for portal vein thrombosis

OBJECTIVES: Portal vein thrombosis seems to be dependent on local hypercoagulation and venous stasis; data regarding endothelial damage are lacking. METHODS: von Willebrad factor, a marker of endothelial damage/perturbation, factor VIII, and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were studied in the portal and systemic circulation of 20 cirrhotic patients undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic procedure. RESULTS: von Willebrad factor, factor VIII, and LPS were higher in the portal compared with systemic circulation, with a significant correlation between LPS and the other 2 variables. DISCUSSION: Endothelial damage and hypercoagulation coexist in the portal tree of patients with cirrhosis, and both could contribute to portal vein thrombosis. LPS may be a potential trigger of endothelial damage

Feromônios sexuais no manejo de insetos-praga na fruticultura de clima temperado.

bitstream/item/95271/1/Feromonios-ULTIMA-VERSAO-08-07-2013.pdf; bitstream/item/95273/1/Capa-Feromonios.pd

Assessment of SPLAT formulations to control Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera:Tortricidae) in a Brazilian apple orchard.

Mating disruption is a technique that uses synthetic copies of sex pheromones to control insect pests. We aimed to control Oriental fruit moth (OFM) Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) with formulations of SPLAT Grafo (SG) and SPLAT Grafo Attract and Kill (SGAK) in small (1 ha) apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchards. Our experiment was conducted in a commercial orchard with Gala trees (spacing 1.5 × 4.5 m) in Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. We evaluated the effect of four treatments on G. molesta population densities: a) SG at 1 kg ha-1 (300 point sources of 3.3 g each), b) SGAK at 1 kg ha-1 (1000 point sources of 1 g each), c) insecticides as recommended by Integrated Apple Production (IAP), and d) untreated control (no treatment). Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology (SPLAT) treatments were applied on 1 August 2004 and reapplied after 120 d (1 December 2004). The treatment effect was evaluated by weekly counts of males captured in Delta traps baited with commercial synthetic sex pheromone lures (eight traps per treatment). We assessed fruit damage caused by G. molesta in eight replicates of 200 fruits each on 26 October, 30 November 2004, and 5 and 31 January 2005. Applying 1 kg ha-1 of SG and SGAK in August and December 2004 significantly reduced the number of male moths caught in Delta traps. Damage to fruits at harvest, however, did not differ significantly from the control. This indicates a decline in the efficacy of mating disruption when SG and SGAK are used to protect small areas (1 ha) under high Oriental fruit moth pressure

New insights into the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: gut-derived lipopolysaccharides and oxidative stress

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. The intricate NAFLD pathogenesis is summarized by the multiple-hits hypothesis, which combines all the environmental and genetic factors that promote the development of NAFLD into a single scenario. Among these, bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are derived from the overgrowth of Gram-negative bacteria and translocated mainly as a consequence of enhanced intestinal permeability. Furthermore, oxidative stress is increased in NAFLD as a consequence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and a shortage of endogenous antioxidant molecules, and it is promoted by the interaction between LPS and the Toll-like receptor 4 system. Interestingly, oxidative stress, which has previously been described as being overexpressed in cardiovascular disease, could represent the link between LPS and the increased cardiovascular risk in NAFLD subjects. To date, the only effective strategy for the treatment of NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the loss of at least 5% body weight in overweight and/or obese subjects. However, the dose-dependent effects of multispecies probiotic supplementation on the serum LPS level and cardiometabolic profile in obese postmenopausal women were demonstrated. In addition, many antibiotics have regulatory effects on intestinal microbiota and were able to reduce serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in NASH animal models. Regarding the oxidant status, a Mediterranean diet has been reported to reduce oxidant stress, while vitamin E at high daily dosages induced the resolution of NASH in 36% of treated patients. Silymarin had the positive effect of reducing transaminase levels in NAFLD patients and long-term treatment may also decrease fibrosis and slow liver disease progression in NASH. Finally, the influence of nutraceuticals on gut microbiota and oxidant stress in NAFLD patients has not yet been well elucidated and there are insufficient data either to support or refuse their use in these subjects