Comparison of proximate, mineral and vitamin composition of common Brazilian and US foods

Because food analysis is costly and laborious, analytical data are frequently borrowed from tables of developed countries and incorporated in tables of developing countries. Taking advantage of the new Brazilian table of food composition, which is based on representative national sampling and actual analyses, an attempt is made to gain an insight into the adequacy of this practice by comparing data from the Brazilian and US tables in terms of the proximate, mineral and vitamin composition of 19 selected foods, common to both countries. For proximate composition, data agreement is excellent for dry whole milk; good for condensed milk, dry nonfat instant milk and canned peas; and fairly good for black beans, milk chocolate, lentils, oats, long-grain white rice and wheat flour. Greater variation is seen with minerals and vitamins. In terms of minerals, agreement is very good only for dry whole milk, good for black beans and canned peas; fairly good with milk chocolate, lentils, wheat flour and natural yogurt. For vitamins, agreement can be considered good only for wheat crackers and yogurt and fairly good for condensed milk and dry whole milk. The comparison indicates that data may be borrowed for proximate composition provided the foods are equivalent. However, caution must be taken in borrowing data for micronutrients. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.20873373

Sampling plan for the Brazilian TACO project

The TACO project (Brazilian Table of Food Composition), sponsored by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and executed by NEPA-UNICAMP (Center for Studies and Research on Foods-State University of Campinas), is generating new data on the most consumed foods in Brazil, based on a national sampling plan and analyses carried out by laboratories with demonstrated laboratory capability in nutrient analysis. Key foods have been chosen according to a national multicentric survey of food consumption, starting with 200 food items. The sampling plan covers nine cities in the five official Brazilian geopolitical regions (North, Northeast, South, Southeast and Centralwest), corresponding to approximately 16.8 million inhabitants out of a total Brazilian population of about 170 million. Samples of principal brands (maximum of five for each food) are collected from supermarkets/hypermarkets where 84-85% of total food purchases are made by the Brazilian population. Two units of each principal brand of each product are taken at each sampling site. The total units for each food from all regions are mixed and packed in cans, and three final composites of 100-200g for each food are sent for analyses in approved laboratories. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.15449950

Manganese ferrite-based nanoparticles induce ex vivo, but not in vivo, cardiovascular effects

Allancer DC Nunes,1 Laylla S Ramalho,2 Álvaro PS Souza,1 Elizabeth P Mendes,1,3 Diego B Colugnati,1 Nícholas Zufelato,2 Marcelo H Sousa,4 Andris F Bakuzis,2 Carlos H Castro1,3 1Department of Physiological Sciences, 2Physics Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil; 3National Institute of Science and Technology in Nanobiopharmaceutics, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; 4Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasília, Brasília-DF, Brazil Abstract: Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been used for various biomedical applications. Importantly, manganese ferrite-based nanoparticles have useful magnetic resonance imaging characteristics and potential for hyperthermia treatment, but their effects in the cardiovascular system are poorly reported. Thus, the objectives of this study were to determine the cardiovascular effects of three different types of manganese ferrite-based magnetic nanoparticles: citrate-coated (CiMNPs); tripolyphosphate-coated (PhMNPs); and bare magnetic nanoparticles (BaMNPs). The samples were characterized by vibrating sample magnetometer, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The direct effects of the MNPs on cardiac contractility were evaluated in isolated perfused rat hearts. The CiMNPs, but not PhMNPs and BaMNPs, induced a transient decrease in the left ventricular end-systolic pressure. The PhMNPs and BaMNPs, but not CiMNPs, induced an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, which resulted in a decrease in a left ventricular end developed pressure. Indeed, PhMNPs and BaMNPs also caused a decrease in the maximal rate of left ventricular pressure rise (+dP/dt) and maximal rate of left ventricular pressure decline (–dP/dt). The three MNPs studied induced an increase in the perfusion pressure of isolated hearts. BaMNPs, but not PhMNPs or CiMNPs, induced a slight vasorelaxant effect in the isolated aortic rings. None of the MNPs were able to change heart rate or arterial blood pressure in conscious rats. In summary, although the MNPs were able to induce effects ex vivo, no significant changes were observed in vivo. Thus, given the proper dosages, these MNPs should be considered for possible therapeutic applications. Keywords: cardiac function, isolated heart, magnetic fluids, magnetic nanoparticles, nanomedicin

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and the song of science

Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

Carbamazepine does not alter the intrinsic cardiac function in rats with epilepsy Carbamazepina não altera o funcionamento cardíaco intrínseco em ratos com epilepsia

Among the causes for sudden unexpected death (SUDEP) in epilepsy, the effects of antiepileptic drugs on the heart have been poorly explored. Based on this, the aim of our study was to evaluate the heart rate (in vivo and isolated ex vivo) and ventricular pressure (isolated ex vivo) of rats with and without epilepsy treated with carbamazepine. Four groups of adult, male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were studied: [A] control rats (n=8), received neither pilocarpine nor carbamazepine [B] carbamazepine-treated rats (n=8), received a daily dose of 120 mg/Kg, i.p. of carbamazepine for two weeks; [C] rats with epilepsy that received just saline solution (n=8); [D] rats with epilepsy that received a daily dose of 120 mg/Kg, i.p. of carbamazepine for two weeks (n=8). Our results showed significant increase in heart rate in animals with epilepsy (with and without the use of carbamazepine) when compared to the control groups in vivo. In contrast, we did not find differences during isolated ex vivo experiments comparing animals with and without epilepsy and despite the use of carbamazepine. Our results suggest that, in isolation, carbamazepine may not be a potential risk factor for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.<br>Entre as causas de morte súbita em epilepsia (SUDEPE), os efeitos das drogas antiepilépticas no coração têm sido pobremente explorados. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a frequência cardíaca (in vivo e de forma isolada ex vivo) e a pressão ventricular (de forma isolada ex vivo) de ratos com e sem epilepsia tratados com carbamazepina. Quatro grupos de ratos Wistar machos adultos (peso 200 a 250 g) foram estudados: [A] ratos controle (n=8), não receberam pilocarpina ou carbamazepina; [B] ratos tratados com carbamazepina (n=8), receberam dose diária de carbamazepina de 120 mg/kg intraperitoneal, durante duas semanas (n=8); [C] ratos com epilepsia que receberam solução salina; [D] ratos com epilepsia que receberam dose diária de carbamazepina de 120 mg/kg intraperitoneal durante duas semanas. Nossos resultados evidenciaram uma diferença estatisticamente significativa na média da freqüência cardíaca in vivo entre os animais com epilepsia (com e sem o uso de carbamazepina) quando comparados aos grupos controles in vivo. Em contraste, não observamos diferenças estatísticas nos experimentos ex vivo quando comparados os animais com ou sem epilepsia, a despeito do uso da carbamazepina. Nossos resultados sugerem que, de forma isolada, a carbamazepina pode não ser um fator de risco potencial para a ocorrência de morte súbita em epilepsia

What are the similarities between stress, sudden cardiac death in Gallus gallus and sudden unexpected death in people with epilepsy Similaridades entre stress, morte súbita cardíaca na espécie Gallus gallus e morte súbita em epilepsia

Individuals with epilepsy are at higher risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), responsible for 7.5% to 17% of all deaths in epilepsy. Many factors are current associated with SUDEP and possible effect of stress and cardiac arrhythmia are still not clear. Sudden death syndrome (SDS) in chickens is a disease characterized by an acute death of well-nourished and seeming healthy Gallus gallus after abrupt and brief flapping of their wings, similar to an epileptic seizure, with an incidence estimated as 0.5 to 5% in broiler chickens. A variety of nutritional and environmental factors have been included: but the exactly etiology of SDS is unknown. Studies had suggested that the hearts of broiler chickens are considerably more susceptible to arrhythmias and stress may induce ventricular arrhythmia and thus, sudden cardiac death. In this way, SDS in Gallus gallus could be an interesting model to study SUDEP.<br>Indivíduos com epilepsia têm maior risco de sofrer morte súbita e inexplicada em epilepsia (SUDEP), responsável por 7,5% a 17% de todas as mortes em epilepsia. Diversos fatores têm sido associados com SUDEP e um possível efeito do stress e das arritmias cardíacas ainda não é claro. A síndrome da morte súbita (SDS) em galinhas é uma situação caracterizada por uma morte aguda em Gallus gallus bem nutridos e aparentemente saudáveis após um evento curto e abrupto de bater de asas, semelhante a uma crise epiléptica, com incidência de 0,5 a 5% em granjas. Uma ampla variedade de fatores nutricionais e ambientais tem sido considerada, mas a causa exata da SDS é desconhecida. Estudos têm sugerido que o coração das galinhas criadas em granjas é mais sensível a arritmias cardíacas e que o stress poderia levar a arritmias cardíacas e, portanto, a morte súbita cardíaca. Assim, SDS em Gallus gallus pode ser considerado um interessante modelo de SUDEP