Jornalismo turístico: os eventos no centro da notícia

A partir de finais do século XIX, o processo de democratização do turismo e da imprensa desenrolou-se paralelo, quando ambos deixaram de ser bens unicamente acessíveis às elites, passando a estar também ao alcance das massas. Nos dias de hoje o Turismo representa uma indústria de milhões, uma das mais importantes fontes geradoras de riqueza do Mundo, e é ao mesmo tempo uma actividade que promove a socialização e a disseminação de informação e cultura entre povos. Desde os primórdios que a informação é um factor determinante no desenvolvimento turístico, e os media (sobretudo a imprensa) desempenham um papel fundamental na sua disseminação, potenciando e dinamizando a promoção do turismo e dos seus produtos junto da Opinião Pública. Conscientes das sinergias que se desenvolvem entre ambos os sectores, este trabalho irá explorar o tratamento noticioso que a imprensa portuguesa dá aos temas turísticos, tendo o seu foco na cobertura mediática dos mega-eventos na imprensa escrita generalista. Além disso, pretende também reunir um conjunto de pistas que nos permitam entender melhor as relações e os laços que se estabelecem entre ambos. Visando retratar o mais fielmente possível a realidade observada, foi examinada e revista literatura de referência nos campos do estudo dos media, jornalismo, jornalismo de viagens e turismo. A revisão bibliográfica foi complementada por um caso de estudo de vertente mais prática, com a análise da cobertura jornalística, pelos quatro principais jornais generalistas portuguesas, da etapa portuguesa do Red Bull Air Race 2007 – 2009. Concluímos que no âmbito do estudo dos media ainda persiste uma visão estereotipada do jornalismo sobre temas turísticos, remetendo-o para um grau de especialização inferior aos restantes tipos de jornalismo. Um preconceito fundamentado no facto de em muitos dos casos, o jornalismo de turismo assentar no relato de experiências de lazer e de viagens, mas que desconsidera a importância da veiculação sobre turismo nos media, ignorando o papel que estes têm junto dos seus leitores, entre os quais também se incluem potenciais turistas. Analisamos a concepção crítica focada nos aspectos negativos daquilo que definimos como jornalismo de viagens, e pomos em evidência as suas limitações por não contemplar todo o universo do jornalismo de turismo, onde também encontramos o jornalismo turístico. Por fim, este trabalho vem testar teoria de que, cada vez mais, o turismo e os eventos ganham lugar na imprensa escrita portuguesa. E que, contrariamente ao estereótipo q que se verificava no passado estes temas já vão sendo apresentados nas notícias com elementos comuns às hard news, e tendencialmente apresentados junto da Opinião Pública como assuntos «sérios» que fazem parte da actualidade.In late nineteenth century, both tourism products and media began to be accessible to masses, and not only to the elites, thus beginning a simultaneous democratization process. Tourism evolved to be, nowadays, a worldwide strong revenue industry, and, at the same time, an activity which boosts social contacts and the spreads information and culture amongst people. Information is, since the very first moment, an essential factor to tourist development and the media, and mainly printed media, play a key role in this process, contributing to spread and boost tourist promotion and products amongst the public opinion. Aware of the synergies established between both sectors, this paper aims to explore the approach of Portuguese Media to the tourism area, focusing in the large events’ media coverage by general print media. Additionally, the paper also points out some clues that allow us to a better understanding of the relation and bonds established between tourism and media. Aiming to closely report the reality observed, we examined and reviewed reference literature concerning media analysis, travel and tourism press. The bibliographic review was completed by a more practical case study, namely the analysis of the Portuguese Stage of Red Bull Air Race 2007-2009 coverage made by the four more important general newspapers in Portugal. We conclude that, in what concerns media analysis, there is still a stereotyped vision referring to tourism press, considering it less specialized than other thematic press areas. A prejudice based in the fact that, in many cases, tourism press focuses on leisure and travel experiences, but not accounting the fact that this type of journalism has a great influence in the readers, including potential tourists, having the potentially impacting, in a practical way, in the market which they report. We have also analysed the critical concept focused in the negative issues of what we named “Travel press”, highlighting its limits, which result from the fact it doesn’t consider all tourism press universe, where we also include tourism press. Finally, this work aims to put the test the theory that, increasingly, tourism and events are gaining momentum in the Portuguese printed media. And that, contrary to the previously dominant idea, these themes are, nowadays, presented in the news as common elements of hard news, and also presented to public opinion as “serious” themes integrating the daily news

Sunflower Oil Supplementation Has Proinflammatory Effects and Does Not Reverse Insulin Resistance in Obesity Induced by High-Fat Diet in C57BL/6Mice

High consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as sunflower oil has been associated to beneficial effects in plasma lipid profile, but its role on inflammation and insulin resistance is not fully elucidated yet. We evaluated the effect of sunflower oil supplementation on inflammatory state and insulin resistance condition in HFD-induced obese mice. C57BL/ 6 male mice (8 weeks) were divided in four groups: (a) control diet (CD), (b) HFD, (c) CD supplemented with n-6 (CD + n-6), and (d) HFD supplemented with n-6 (HFD + n-6). CD + n-6 and HFD + n-6 were supplemented with sunflower oil by oral gavage at 2 g/ Kg of body weight, three times per week. CD and HFD were supplemented with water instead at the same dose. HFD induced whole andmuscle-specific insulin resistance associated with increased inflammatory markers in insulin-sensitive tissues andmacrophage cells. Sunflower oil supplementation was not efficient in preventing or reducing these parameters. In addition, the supplementation increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production by macrophages and tissues. Lipid profile, on the other hand, was improved with the sunflower oil supplementation in animals fed HFD. In conclusion, sunflower oil supplementation improves lipid profile, but it does not prevent or attenuate insulin resistance and inflammation induced by HFD in C57BL/ 6 mice.Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Level Personnel (CAPES)Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Level Personnel (CAPES)National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)/National Institute of Science and Technology in Obesity and Diabetes (INOD)National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)/National Institute of Science and Technology in Obesity and Diabetes (INOD)Center of Lipid Research and Education (CLEaR)Center of Lipid Research and Education (CLEaR)Dean's Office for Research/University of Sao PauloDeans Office for Research/University of Sao Paul

Effect of resveratrol on nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin in rats

O resveratrol (Res), um polifenol presente no vinho tinto, é conhecido por possuir potente atividade antioxidante. O efeito do resveratrol (Res) frente à nefrotoxicidade do antineoplásico cisplatina (cDDP) foi avaliado em ratos neste estudo. Os animais foram tratados com Res (25 mg/Kg de peso copóreo, ip., dose única) 30 minutos antes da administração de cisplatina (5 mg/Kg de peso copóreo, ip., dose única) e foram sacrificados depois de 2 ou 5 dias do tratamento. Após 5 dias, o aumento da creatinina sérica, volume urinário e proteinúria, que são marcadores de alterações renais, apresentaram significativa redução (p < 0,05) com a administração de resveratrol. Os ratos tratados com cisplatina apresentaram necrose tubular aguda e maior marcação imuno-histoquímica para células ED1 e linfócitos T no córtex e medula externa renal. Estas alterações foram menos intensas nos animais tratados com resveratrol. Após 2 dias, a administração de cisplatina aos ratos induziu aumento na concentração de malonaldeído (MDA) e reduziu nos níveis de glutationa (GSH) no tecido renal, que não foram amenizadas pelo resveratrol. Os resultados desse estudo indicam que o tratamento com resveratrol atenuou as alterações renais funcionais, histológicas e imuno-histoquímicas induzidas pela cisplatina. O efeito protetor provavelmente está relacionado à diminuição de infiltrado de células inflamatórias no tecido renalResveratrol (Res), a polyphenolic present in red wine, is known to possess potent antioxidant properties. The ability of resveratrol to protect against the nephrotoxicity of the antineoplastic agent cisplatin (cDDP) was evaluated in rats. The animals were treated with Res (25 mg/Kg body weight, ip., single dose) 30 minutes before administration of cDDP (5 mg/Kg body weight, ip., single dose) and then, sacrificed in 2 or 5 days followed by the treatment. After 5 days with resveratrol administration, the enhanced serum creatinine levels, urinary volume and urinary protein, which are indicative of renal injury, shown a significant reduction (p < 0.05). The cisplatintreated rats presented a tubular cell necrosis and increase immunostaining for ED1 and T-lymphocytes in the renal cortex and outer medulla. Those alterations were less intense in animals treated with resveratrol. After 2 days, administration of cisplatin to rats induced a higher malondialdehyde levels (MDA), and reduction in glutathione (GSH) concentrations in kidney tissue that were not prevented by resveratrol. In this study, the results indicate that resveratrol treatment attenuated the functional, histological and immunohistochemical renal alterations induced by cisplatin. The protect effect is relatated to the decrease of cells infiltrated at kidney tissue

DNA methylation pattern in overweight women under an energy-restricted diet supplemented with fish oil

Dietary factors modulate gene expression and are able to alter epigenetic signatures in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). However, there are limited studies about the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) on the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene expression. This research investigates the effects of n-3-rich fish oil supplementation on DNA methylation profile of several genes whose expression has been reported to be downregulated by n-3 PUFA in PBMC: CD36, FFAR3, CD14, PDK4, and FADS1. Young overweight women were supplemented with fish oil or control in a randomized 8-week intervention trial following a balanced diet with 30% energy restriction. Fatty acid receptor CD36 decreased DNA methylation at CpG +477 due to energy restriction. Hypocaloric diet-induced weight loss also reduced the methylation percentages of CpG sites located in CD14, PDK4, and FADS1. The methylation patterns of these genes were only slightly affected by the fish oil supplementation, being the most relevant to the attenuation of the weight loss-induced decrease in CD36 methylation after adjusting by baseline body weight. These results suggest that the n-3 PUFA-induced changes in the expression of these genes in PBMC are not mediated by DNA methylation, although other epigenetic mechanisms cannot be discarded

Inflammatory state of periaortic adipose tissue in mice under obesogenic dietary regimens

High-fat diet or high-sugar diet causes obesity and a chronic low-grade inflammation that leads to the development of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Inflammation of the surrounding fat of thoracic aorta namely periaortic adipose tissue (PAAT) has been associated with increased prevalence of vascular diseases in obesity. C57Bl/6 male mice (12 weeks of age) fed a whole grain-based commercial diet (WGD), refined carbohydrate diet (RCD), refined carbohydrate diet plus sweetened condensed milk ad libitum (RCD + CM) or high-fat diet (HFD) for eight weeks were studied. Serum fatty acid (FA) composition was evaluated by gas chromatography. The cellularity (as indicated by DNA and protein contents) and the inflammatory state (as indicated by the contents of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, leptin and adiponectin measured by ELISA) of the PAAT and thoracic aorta (TA) were evaluated. Both obesogenic regimens (RCD + CM and HFD) increased the content of total fatty acids (FA) in serum and the cellularity of the PAAT compared to WGD. RCD + CM increased serum monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) levels and HFD increased serum saturated fatty acid (SFA) levels compared to WGD. RCD (one of the diets used as control) and RCD + CM increased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10 and VCAM-1 in the PAAT compared to WGD. Mice fed with HFD showed decreased contents of TNF-α, VCAM-1 and IL-10 in the PAAT compared to animals fed RCD. The RCD raised the levels of SFA in serum, cellularity and inflammatory state in the PAAT compared to WGD. In conclusion, the effects of obesogenic dietary regimens on PAAT can be interpreted differently when the results are compared with WGD or RCD. We found marked changes in the PAAT and no significant modifications in TA indicating this adipose tissue as the major starting point of vascular diseases