Alimentary consumption of women active and physically inactive in postmenopausal period

El objetivo del presente estudio fue observar el consumo alimenticio y la prevalencia del síndrome metabólico en mujeres activas e inactivas físicamente en la post-menopausia. La muestra fue compuesta de 83 mujeres, pertenecientes al municipio de Natal (Río Grande do Norte) de Brasil; pertenecientes al programa “Natal Activa”, con edad media de 59,7 ± 8,08 años. Se aplicó un cuestionario para analizar la frecuencia del consumo alimenticio, un cuestionario de actividad física, una anamnesis clínica, una evaluación antropométrica, exámenes bioquímicos y un diagnóstico del Síndrome Metabólico. Los resultados mostraron que las mujeres activas consumen más alimentos protectores que las mujeres inactivas. La prevalencia del síndrome metabólico en las mujeres inactivas fue mayor que en las mujeres activas, además, existe la necesidad de cambiar dichos hábitos en esta población, pudiéndose alcanzar así mayores cambios corporales y metabólicos, minimizando la incidencia del síndrome metabólico en los dos gruposThe aim of this study was to observe the dietary intake and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in physically active and inactive women in the postmenopause. The sample was composed of 83 women, from the municipality of Natal (Rio Grande do Norte) in Brazil; from the "Natal Active" program, with an average age of 59.7 ± 8.08 years old. A questionnaire to analyze the frequency of food consumption, physical activity questionnaire, a clinical anamnesis, anthropometric evaluation, biochemical tests and a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was applied. The results showed that active women consume more protective foods than inactive women. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in inactive women was higher than in active women, in addition, there is a need to change those habits in this population, being able thus to achieve greater physical and metabolic changes, minimizing the incidence of metabolic syndrome in both group

Covalent and noncovalent hybrids of di-amino porphyrin functionalized graphene oxide and their interaction with gold nanoparticles

Porphyrin functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) influenced the plasmonic effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNP). The former was achieved by modification of GO with 5,10-bis(4-aminophenyl)-15,20-diphenylpor-phyrin, P(NH2)2,adj, by noncovalent interactions as well as by covalent association, following standard chemis-try. The success of the chemical functionalization of GO with P(NH2)2,adj, was confirmed by FTIR. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence showed a strong fluorescence quenching of porphyrin in the presence of GO, indicative of a photoinduced electron transfer process from porphyrin units to GO, which acts as an electron acceptor. The surface plasmon coupling effect promoted by the AuNP@GO hybrids, proved to be effective only in the case of the noncovalent hybrid, detected through the decrease of the porphyrin fluorescence lifetime and increase in the emission intensity in solution, in good agreement with FLIM results on deposited samples.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of seeds ethanolic extracts of Triplaris gardneriana Wedd. using in vitro and in vivo toxicological methods

Triplaris gardneriana Wedd. is a tree used in folk medicine to treat venereal diseases and inflammation as well as a source of biological compounds with antioxidant capacity. In order to assess the safety of these bioactive compounds, the present study aimed to determine the toxicity of an ethanolic extract of T. gardneriana, (EETg). Toxicological tests included hemolytic activity, toxicity toward the brine shrimp Artemia, cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells (MCF7) and acute oral toxicity in rodents. In addition, toxicogenomics techniques were used to determine genome expression in MCF7 cells exposed to EETg. The results showed that the extract exhibits approximately 60% of hemolytic activity at the highest tested concentration (64 mu g/ml) and toxicity against nauplii of Artemia sp. (LC50 of 67.85 mu g/ml). Further, EETg appears to be cytotoxic to MCF7 (cell viability reduced to 40% at 250 mu g/ml after 24 hr). Genomic data demonstrated differential expression of 14 genes. Data analysis indicated possible altered pathways (e.g., xenobiotic metabolism), possible adverse health risks (e.g., hepatotoxicity), and drugs with similar gene expression profile (e.g., antimicrobials). The investigation provides important information on potentially adverse aspects of EETg, which need to be considered prior to the therapeutic utilization of this plant

Avaliação da atividade terapêutica do albendazol sobre infecções experimental e humana pela Hymenolepis nana Evaluation of therapeutic activity of albendazole against experimental and human infection by Hymenolepis nana

Com o intuito de demarcar convenientemente o espectro de atividade do albendazol, no que diz respeito às helmintíases intestinais, foram efetuadas observações referentes à himenolepíase causada por Hymenolepis nana. Nesse contexto, duas ordens de investigações tiveram lugar: a) tratamento de camundongos, renovado depois de transcorridos dez dias, por meio de doses únicas de 25 mg/kg ou 50 mg/kg, sendo que 25 mg/kg de praziquantel e animais que não receberam os antiparasitários, serviram como controles; b) tratamento de crianças e adultos mediante uso de 400 mg cotidianamente, em três oportunidades consecutivas, com repetição após intervalo com duração de dez dias. O estudo concernente aos animais revelou ineficácia do albendazol, pois sistematicamente houve verificação da persistência de vermes vivos no intestino. Por seu turno, só 10% dos indivíduos medicados puderam ser considerados curados. Portanto, pelo menos de acordo com a maneira como procedemos, o albendazol não se afigurou capaz de debelar satisfatoriamente a himenolepíase.<br>With the objective of knowing adequately the spectrum of activity of albendazole against intestinal helminthiases, we made observations regarding hymenolepiasis caused by Hymenolepis nana. Two series of investigations were carried out: a) treatment of mice with single doses of either 25 or 50 mg/kg, repeated after ten days, using as controls animals treated with 25 mg/kg of praziquantel or not treated with any antiparasitic drugs; b) treatment of adults and children with 400 mg daily for three consecutive days, repeated after ten days. The observations in animals have shown a lack of efficacy of albendazole, since persistence of live worms in the intestine was verified systematically. On the other hand, only 10% of the treated patients could be considered cured. Therefore, according to the procedures here described, this antiparasitic agent could not satisfactorily treat hymenolepiasis

In situ variation in leaf anatomy and morphology of Andira legalis (Leguminosae) in two neighbouring but contrasting light environments in a Brazilian sandy coastal plain

Andira legalis (Vell.) Toledo is a legume shrub widespread along the sandy plains of the Brazilian coast. It occurs both shaded, in forest habitats, or exposed to full sunlight, in the vegetation islands growing on sand deposits. Previous studies reported a high range of morpho-physiological variation for this species along a geographical gradient. This study compared leaf morphology and anatomy of A. legalis in two distinct but adjacent light environments: a dense forest (shaded) and a scrub of Palmae (exposed). We studied the amplitude of variation for these traits within a small (0.5 ha) geographical area. Leaf anatomy parameters were measured for five leaves collected from five plants in each habitat. The parameters measured were leaf and mesophyll thickness, thickness of the outer periclinal cell wall, thickness of the adaxial and abaxial epidermis and vascular bundle transversal section area, and also common epidermal cells, stomata and trichome density. Leaf morphology parameters were obtained from five leaves of each of 20 plants in each site. Dry and fresh weights were measured to obtain leaf specific mass and succulence. All anatomy and morphology parameters, except trichome density, were significantly higher for the sun-exposed plants. Less expected, however, was the marked qualitative difference between exposed and shaded plants: in the former the mesophyll had a unilateral symmetry (i.e., the whole mesophyll occupied by photosynthetic tissue), whereas in the latter there was a dorsiventral symmetry (i.e., partly palisade and partly spongy parenchyma). Such amplitude of variation shows that even within a small geographic area A. legalis has a broad ecological plasticity