Lower aerobic fitness levels among adolescents of a city in southern Brazil

Study design: Cross sectional study. Objective: To analyze the association between lower levels of aerobic fitness and sociodemographic factors, lifestyle and excess body fatness in students. Methods: Study with 84 adolescents aged 14 to 19 years from southern Santa Catarina. Aerobic fitness was assessed by the modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness test-mCAFT. Sociodemographic variables, sexual maturation and lifestyle were assessed self-administered questionnaire. Excess body fatness assessed the sum of skin folds triceps and subscapular. Results: The prevalence of lower level of aerobic fitness was 83.3%. The female gender (OR: 5,99; IC95%: 1,40-25,52) and adolescents little physically active (OR: 5,62; IC95%: 1,21-26,38) had low levels aerobic fitness. Conclusion: The factors had associated with low levels of aerobic fitness were females and physical inactivityModelo do estudo: Estudo analítico transversal. Objetivo: Analisar a associação entre baixos níveis de aptidão aeróbia e fatores sociodemográficos, estilo de vida e excesso de adiposidade corporal em estudantes. Método: Estudo com 84 adolescentes de 14 a 19 anos do sul de Santa Catarina. A aptidão aeróbia foi avaliada pelo teste Canadense modificado de Aptidão Aeróbia–mCAFT. Variáveis sociodemográficas, maturação sexual e estilo de vida foram avaliados por questionário autoadministrado. O excesso de adiposidade corporal foi avaliado pelo somatório das dobras cutâneas do tríceps e subescapular. Resultados: A prevalência de baixo nível de aptidão aeróbia foi 83,3%. O sexo feminino (OR: 5,99; IC95%: 1,40-25,52) e os adolescentes que eram pouco ativos fisicamente (OR: 5,62; IC95%: 1,21- 26,38) tiveram maiores chances de apresentar baixo nível de aptidão aeróbia. Conclusão: Os fatores que estiveram associados a baixos níveis de aptidão aeróbia foram o sexo feminino e a inatividade físic

Investigation of human papillomavirus by hybrid capture II in cervical carcinomas including 113 adenocarcinomas and related lesions

Hybrid capture is an easy and highly sensitive technique for screening population due to its capacity to detect malignant and premalignant lesions of the cervix. To evaluate its ensitivity, we investigated the frequency of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and its correlation with glandular malignant lesions, analyzing a total of 113 cases of adenocarcinomas and related lesions. High-risk HPV was investigated using a hybrid capture II (HC2) assay. Samples were collected in two different ways: either brushed directly from surgical specimens before fixation or collected from the patients. We also investigated the frequency of HPV in squamous malignant lesions, 65 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and 66 in situ squamous cell carcinomas (ISSCC), to compare the occurrence of HPV for these lesions. The 113 glandular lesions comprised 62 invasive adenocarcinomas (IAC), 8 in situ adenocarcinomas (ISAC), 26 IAC plus SCC, and 17 adenosquamous cells carcinomas (ASCC). The HPV-positive reactions were as follows: 51 (82.2%) in IAC, 8 (100%) in ISAC, 25 (96.1%) in IAC plus SCC, and 14 (82.3%) in ASCC. HC2-positive results in the squamous malignant lesions were as follows: 58 of 63 (89.0%) for SCC and 94 of 103 (91.2%) for ISSCC. High-risk HPV infection was quite similar for glandular and pure squamous invasive malignant lesions, 82.2% and 89.0%, respectively, indicating that high-risk HPV is also highly prevalent in glandular lesions. Although hybrid capture proved to be an excellent adjunctive technique, we do not believe its results merit replacing the Pap smear as a screening tool

Trypanosoma cruzi benznidazole susceptibility in vitro does not predict the therapeutic outcome of human Chagas disease

Therapeutic failure of benznidazole (BZ) is widely documented in Chagas disease and has been primarily associated with variations in the drug susceptibility of Trypanosoma cruzi strains. In humans, therapeutic success has been assessed by the negativation of anti-T. cruzi antibodies, a process that may take up to 10 years. A protocol for early screening of the drug resistance of infective strains would be valuable for orienting physicians towards alternative therapies, with a combination of existing drugs or new anti-T. cruzi agents. We developed a procedure that couples the isolation of parasites by haemoculture with quantification of BZ susceptibility in the resultant epimastigote forms. BZ activity was standardized with reference strains, which showed IC50 to BZ between 7.6-32 µM. The assay was then applied to isolates from seven chronic patients prior to administration of BZ therapy. The IC50 of the strains varied from 15.6 ± 3-51.4 ± 1 µM. Comparison of BZ susceptibility of the pre-treatment isolates of patients considered cured by several criteria and of non-cured patients indicates that the assay does not predict therapeutic outcome. A two-fold increase in BZ resistance in the post-treatment isolates of two patients was verified. Based on the profile of nine microsatellite loci, sub-population selection in non-cured patients was ruled out.FAPESPCNP

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) protein-rich extract as a natural emulsifier for oil-in-water emulsions: optimization through a sequential experimental design strategy

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) proteins have been proven to present emulsifying properties. In this work, a Spirulina protein-rich extract obtained by ultrasound extraction (SpE) was tested to stabilize oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. For this purpose, a sequential experimental design strategy (Fractional Factorial Design (FFD) 24–1 followed by a Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) 22)) was applied. The effect of four variables, SpE concentration, O/W weight ratio, pH and storage time, on emulsions’ zeta potential and number-mean droplet diameter was considered for the FFD 24–1, indicating SpE concentration and storage time as the relevant variables for the CCRD 22. According to zeta potential and number-mean droplet diameter evaluation, for the studied SpE concentration range (2–5 wt%), quite stable emulsions were obtained along the tested 30-days period. Even so, for 5%, visual inspection revealed extract segregation after 20-days. The optimal solution comprised 4 wt% of SpE, for an O/W weight ratio of 30/70 and a pH of 7.0 (number-mean droplet diameter of 55.66 nm and zeta potential of -43.83 mV). Overall, SpE has proven to be an excellent emulsifier, offering the potential to substitute animal-based proteins and synthetic emulsifiers. In addition, no signs of contamination by microorganisms were observed, suggesting that the SpE may also act as an antimicrobial agent.CIMO (Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Portugal) (UIDB/00690/2020), LSRE-LCM (Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering – Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Portugal) (UIDB/50020/2020; UIDP/50020/2020), and ALiCE (Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Portugal) (LA/P/0045/2020), funded by national funds through Fundação para Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (FCT/MCTES) (PIDDAC). National funding by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (Portugal), P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program contract with A. Santamaria-Echart, L. Barros, and A. Fernandes. FCT for the PhD research grant of Samara Cristina da Silva (SFRH/BD/148281/2019) and Giovana Colucci (2021. 05215. BD).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A criação de multiplicadores para a inclusão digital e seus desafios

Trabalho apresentado no 31º SEURS - Seminário de Extensão Universitária da Região Sul, realizado em Florianópolis, SC, no período de 04 a 07 de agosto de 2013 - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.A inclusão digital é um tema bastante, e cada vez mais, explorado na sociedade. Diversos são os projetos que objetivam realizar inclusão social através da utilização de tecnologias da informação. Entretanto um dos grandes desafios associados a inclusão digital é o desenvolvimento de mecanismos que possibilitem a continuidade de processos que efetuem essa inclusão, mesmo quando os projetos que os originaram já tenham se encerrado. Este artigo apresenta a experiência de um projeto realizado na cidade de Rio Grande/RS, na tentativa de utilizar multiplicadores para criar um processo contínuo de inclusão social em comunidades em condições de vulnerabilidade social

Comprehensive analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas reveals a unique gene and non-coding RNA signature of fibrolamellar carcinoma

Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a unique liver cancer primarily affecting young adults and characterized by a fusion event between DNAJB1 and PRKACA. By analyzing RNA-sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for >9,100 tumors across ~30 cancer types, we show that the DNAJB1-PRKACA fusion is specific to FLCs. We demonstrate that FLC tumors (n = 6) exhibit distinct messenger RNA (mRNA) and long intergenic non-coding RNA (lincRNA) profiles compared to hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 263) and cholangiocarcinoma (n = 36), the two most common liver cancers. We also identify a set of mRNAs (n = 16) and lincRNAs (n = 4), including LINC00473, that distinguish FLC from ~25 other liver and non-liver cancer types. We confirm this unique FLC signature by analysis of two independent FLC cohorts (n = 20 and 34). Lastly, we validate the overexpression of one specific gene in the FLC signature, carbonic anhydrase XII (CA12), at the protein level by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Both the mRNA and lincRNA signatures support a major role for protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in shaping the FLC gene expression landscape, and present novel candidate FLC oncogenes that merit further investigation

Preparation and activity of diterpenoids against trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi

A systematic investigation on the trypanocidal effect of several natural products isolated from Brazilian plant species has been carried out. In this paper we report on the results obtained from the screening of 26 diterpenes from natural sources or of synthetic/microbial transformations origin (mainly derivatives of kaurenoic acid) against trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas'disease. In the in vitro assays, kaurenoic acid, kaurenol, acutifloric acid and stemodin showed a complete elimination of parasites from the blood. Therefore, such diterpenoids can be considered as starting materials for molecular modification in the search for lead compounds for clearance of infected blood to be used in transfusions. Blood previously treated with active compounds was submitted to an infectivity test. Samples proceeded from treatment with kaurenol and kaurenoic acid showed to be completly clean from T. cruzi as no infection was observed in mice inoculated with contaminated blood treated by these compounds

Cereal bars functionalised with tempeh: nutritional composition, isoflavone content and consumer acceptance

The aim of this study was to produce cereal bars (CB) added with tempeh flour (TF) and evaluate the nutritional composition, fatty acids profile, isoflavone content and sensory acceptance. Tempeh was produced from organic soya beans cotyledons fermented by Rhizophus oligosporus followed by freeze-drying and milling in order to obtain the TF. The addition of 10%, 15% and 20% TF to CB resulted in both protein and lipid content increase and a higher polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio. The content of isoflavone aglycones, the forms considered to have higher biological activity, was higher in TF than in soya bean, which was also reflected in the CB chemical composition. An acceptance test showed that CB added with TF (up to 15%) were sensory accepted. Overall results suggest that the addition of TF as an ingredient in cereal bars allows improving the chemical and functional characteristics of this type of ready-to-eat foods.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio