The Effectiveness of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Traditional Brazilian Diet in Reducing the Inflammatory Profile of Individuals with Severe Obesity: A Randomized Clinical Trial

We analyzed the effectiveness of two nutritional interventions alone and together, EVOO and the DieTBra, on the inflammatory profile of severely obese individuals. This study was an RCT with 149 individuals aged from 18 to 65 years, with a body mass index ≥ 35 kg/m2, randomized into three intervention groups: (1) 52 mL/day of EVOO (n = 50); (2) DieTBra (n = 49); and (3) DieTBra plus 52 mL/day of EVOO (DieTBra + EVOO, n = 50). The primary outcomes we measured were the-neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the secondary outcomes we measured were the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR); leukocytes; and C reactive protein (CRP). After 12 weeks of intervention, DieTBra + EVOO significantly reduced the total leucocytes (p = 0.037) and LMR (p = 0.008). No statistically significant differences were found for the NLR in neither the intra-group and inter-group analyses, although a slight reduction was found in the DieTBra group (−0.22 ± 1.87). We observed reductions in the total leukocytes and LMR in the three groups, though without statistical difference between groups. In conclusion, nutritional intervention with DietBra + EVOO promotes a significant reduction in inflammatory biomarkers, namely leukocytes and LMR. CRP was reduced in EVOO and DieTBra groups and NLR reduced in the DieTBra group. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT02463435

International Glossina Genome Initiative 2004-2014: a driver for post-genomic era research on the African continent

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, is a neglected disease that impacts 70 million people distributed over 1.55 million km2 in sub- Saharan Africa and includes at least 50% of the population of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo [1]. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense accounts for more than 98% of the infections in central and West Africa, the remaining infections being from Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in East Africa [2]. The parasites are transmitted to the hosts through the bite of an infected tsetse fly. Disease control is challenging as there are no vaccines, and effective, easily delivered drugs are still lacking. Treatment invariably involves lengthy hospitalization, with both medical and socioeconomic consequences.Web of Scienc

The effect of educational intervention on the disease knowledge of diabetes mellitus patients

The prevention of diabetes and its complications is a challenge for the healthcare team. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of educational action on the disease knowledge of patients with type 2 diabetes. A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 62 patients registered in a service of reference in the treatment of hypertension in 2010. Data were collected through a questionnaire applied to the Intervention (IG) and Control (CG) groups at the beginning and at the end of the study. The IG participated in group educational activities, using problematization methodology. The results showed a significant increase in knowledge about diabetes in the patients of the IG, in all the topics (pLa prevención de diabetes y sus complicaciones es un desafío para el equipo de salud. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar el efecto de acción educativa sobre el conocimiento de la enfermedad en pacientes portadores de diabetes tipo 2. Fue realizado ensayo clínico aleatorizado con 62 pacientes registrados en servicio de referencia en tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial en 2010. Los datos fueron obtenidos a través de un cuestionario aplicado a los grupos Intervención (GI) y Control (GC), al inicio y al final del estudio. El GI participó de actividades educativas grupales, utilizando la metodología problematizadora. Los resultados muestran un aumento significativo del conocimiento sobre la diabetes en pacientes del GI, en todas las cuestiones (pA prevenção do diabetes e suas complicações é um desafio para a equipe de saúde. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar o efeito de ação educativa sobre o conhecimento da doença em pacientes portadores de diabetes tipo 2. Foi realizado ensaio clínico randomizado com 62 pacientes cadastrados em serviço de referência para tratamento da hipertensão arterial, no ano 2010. Os dados foram obtidos através de questionário aplicado aos grupos intervenção (GI) e controle (GC), no momento inicial e no final do estudo. O GI participou de atividades educativas em grupo, utilizando a metodologia problematizadora. Os resultados mostraram aumento significativo do conhecimento sobre diabetes nos pacientes do GI, em todas as questões (p<0,05). No GC, algumas alterações observadas no conhecimento foram bem menores quando comparadas ao GI. Conclui-se que foi possível elevar os conhecimentos sobre a doença por meio da realização de atividades educativas. O registro clínico obteve identificador primário: RBR-58n26

Repertoire, Genealogy and Genomic Organization of Cruzipain and Homologous Genes in Trypanosoma cruzi, T. cruzi-Like and Other Trypanosome Species

Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, is a complex of genetically diverse isolates highly phylogenetically related to T. cruzi-like species, Trypanosoma cruzi marinkellei and Trypanosoma dionisii, all sharing morphology of blood and culture forms and development within cells. However, they differ in hosts, vectors and pathogenicity: T. cruzi is a human pathogen infective to virtually all mammals whilst the other two species are non-pathogenic and bat restricted. Previous studies suggest that variations in expression levels and genetic diversity of cruzipain, the major isoform of cathepsin L-like (CATL) enzymes of T. cruzi, correlate with levels of cellular invasion, differentiation, virulence and pathogenicity of distinct strains. In this study, we compared 80 sequences of genes encoding cruzipain from 25 T. cruzi isolates representative of all discrete typing units (DTUs TcI-TcVI) and the new genotype Tcbat and 10 sequences of homologous genes from other species. The catalytic domain repertoires diverged according to DTUs and trypanosome species. Relatively homogeneous sequences are found within and among isolates of the same DTU except TcV and TcVI, which displayed sequences unique or identical to those of TcII and TcIII, supporting their origin from the hybridization between these two DTUs. In network genealogies, sequences from T. cruzi clustered tightly together and closer to T. c. marinkellei than to T. dionisii and largely differed from homologues of T. rangeli and T. b. brucei. Here, analysis of isolates representative of the overall biological and genetic diversity of T. cruzi and closest T. cruzi-like species evidenced DTU- and species-specific polymorphisms corroborating phylogenetic relationships inferred with other genes. Comparison of both phylogenetically close and distant trypanosomes is valuable to understand host-parasite interactions, virulence and pathogenicity. Our findings corroborate cruzipain as valuable target for drugs, vaccine, diagnostic and genotyping approaches

Seroprevalence of Protective Antibodies Against Influenza and the Reduction of the Influenza Incidence Rate: An Annual Repeated Cross-Sectional Study From 2014 to 2019

Background: Seroepidemiological studies provide estimates of population-level immunity, prevalence/incidence of infections, and evaluation of vaccination programs. We assessed the seroprevalence of protective antibodies against influenza and evaluated the correlation of seroprevalence with the cumulative annual influenza incidence rate. Methods: We conducted an annual repeated cross-sectional seroepidemiological survey, during June-August, from 2014 to 2019, in Portugal. A total of 4326 sera from all age groups, sex, and regions was tested by hemagglutination inhibition assay. Seroprevalence and geometric mean titers (GMT) of protective antibodies against influenza were assessed by age group, sex, and vaccine status (65+ years old). The association between summer annual seroprevalence and the difference of influenza incidence rates between one season and the previous one was measured by Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Results: Significant differences in seroprevalence of protective antibodies against influenza were observed in the population. Higher seroprevalence and GMT for A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) were observed in children (5-14); influenza B seroprevalence in adults 65+ was 1.6-4.4 times than in children (0-4). Vaccinated participants (65+) showed significant higher seroprevalence/GMT for influenza. A strong negative and significant correlation was found between seroprevalence and ILI incidence rate for A(H1N1)pdm09 in children between 5 and 14 (r = -0.84; 95% CI, -0.98 to -0.07); a weak negative correlation was observed for A(H3N2) and B/Yamagata (r ≤ -0.1). Conclusions: The study provides new insight into the anti-influenza antibodies seroprevalence measured in summer on the ILI incidence rate in the next season and the need for adjusted preventive health care measures to prevent influenza infection and transmission.Luís Ribeiro and Ana Sofia Marinho from Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, E. P. E.; Lídia Santos, Patrícia Miguel, Paula Branquinho, and Paula Soares from Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central, E. P. E.; Margarida Figueiredo and Daniela Cochicho from Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa, Francisco Gentil, E.P. E.; Diana Barros from Centro Hospitalar de Setúbal, E. P. E.; Ivo Rosa, Ana Mira, and José Brito from Hospital do Espírito Santo de Évora, E. P. E., are acknowledged for their work at hospital laboratories as members of the Portuguese Laboratory Network for Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Diagnosis. The authors acknowledge the coordinators of WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza at Francis Crick Institute, London, for supporting the Portuguese National Influenza Reference Laboratory, with technical advice and reference reagents