Potential link between caffeine consumption and pediatric depression: A case-control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Early-onset depressive disorders can have severe consequences both from developmental and functional aspects. The etiology of depressive disorders is complex and multi-factorial, with an intricate interaction among environmental factors and genetic predisposition. While data from studies on adults suggest that caffeine is fairly safe, effects of caffeine in children, who are in period of rapid brain development, are currently unknown. Furthermore, systematic research addressing the relationship between depressive symptoms in children and caffeine consumption is lacking.</p> <p>The present study examined the effects of caffeine consumption on depressed mood in children with depression and non-depressed participants.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Children and adolescents (n = 51) already enrolled in an ongoing longitudinal study, aged 9-12 years, were assessed for depressive symptoms with the Children Depressive Inventory (CDI). Psychopathological symptoms were assessed with the Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) and eating habits were assessed with the Nutrition-Behavior Inventory (NBI) <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B1">1</abbr></abbrgrp>. The children were compared to control children without psychopathology attending public schools in a Southern Brazilian city.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Participants with CDI scores ≥ 15 (mean = 19; S.D. = 4) also had high NBI scores (mean = 52; S.D. = 19, p < 0.001) suggestive of a relationship between depressive symptoms and environmental factors, in this case nutrition/behavior. Additional linear regression adjusted statistical analysis, considering the factors of consumption of sweets and caffeine individually, showed that caffeine, but not sweets, was associated with depressive symptoms.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings indicate that depressed children consume more caffeinated drinks than non-depressed children. Nonetheless while a strong association between depressive symptoms and caffeine consumption among children was found, further research should investigate whether or not this association is due to a cause and effect relationship.</p

Novel Primate-Specific Genes, RMEL 1, 2 and 3, with Highly Restricted Expression in Melanoma, Assessed by New Data Mining Tool

Melanoma is a highly aggressive and therapy resistant tumor for which the identification of specific markers and therapeutic targets is highly desirable. We describe here the development and use of a bioinformatic pipeline tool, made publicly available under the name of EST2TSE, for the in silico detection of candidate genes with tissue-specific expression. Using this tool we mined the human EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) database for sequences derived exclusively from melanoma. We found 29 UniGene clusters of multiple ESTs with the potential to predict novel genes with melanoma-specific expression. Using a diverse panel of human tissues and cell lines, we validated the expression of a subset of three previously uncharacterized genes (clusters Hs.295012, Hs.518391, and Hs.559350) to be highly restricted to melanoma/melanocytes and named them RMEL1, 2 and 3, respectively. Expression analysis in nevi, primary melanomas, and metastatic melanomas revealed RMEL1 as a novel melanocytic lineage-specific gene up-regulated during melanoma development. RMEL2 expression was restricted to melanoma tissues and glioblastoma. RMEL3 showed strong up-regulation in nevi and was lost in metastatic tumors. Interestingly, we found correlations of RMEL2 and RMEL3 expression with improved patient outcome, suggesting tumor and/or metastasis suppressor functions for these genes. The three genes are composed of multiple exons and map to 2q12.2, 1q25.3, and 5q11.2, respectively. They are well conserved throughout primates, but not other genomes, and were predicted as having no coding potential, although primate-conserved and human-specific short ORFs could be found. Hairpin RNA secondary structures were also predicted. Concluding, this work offers new melanoma-specific genes for future validation as prognostic markers or as targets for the development of therapeutic strategies to treat melanoma

Cambios del paisaje en Serra do Japi: ¿protección legal o expectativa científica?

The creation of new legally protected areas brings many conflicts that distance the real landscape from the expected according to environmental law or conservation researchers. In this study, we mapped and compared the changes in Serra da Japi (Sao Paulo State, Brazil) throughout 40 years with scenarios of legal protection and scientific expectation on forest conservation, to evaluate the distance between them. This may allow us to infer the direction of historical changes and assist in the debate among decision makers. The results showed that most legal requirements on forest protection in the current landscape have been met. The 1960s was the period when the forest cover was closest to the desirable conservation stage. Although the Serra do Japi has maintained large areas of forests during the entire study period, human interference increased with the expansion of reforestation and urban areas, and access roads were identified as a primary potential driving forces of change. In addition, habitat loss was observed in the landscape, which can represent the first phase of a sequence of modifications detrimental to the environmental conservation of this protected area, including decision changes to land use. In conclusion, the changes evolved toward conservation expectations, but not toward the forest configuration of scientific expectation.La creación de nuevas áreas legalmente protegidas trae muchos conflictos que alejan el paisaje real del que se espera por la legislación \ud ambiental o por los investigadores en conservación. En este estudio se cartografiaron y compararon los cambios ocurridos en Serra \ud do Japi (Estado de São Paulo, Brasil) a lo largo de 40 años con escenarios de protección legal y de expectativa científica sobre la \ud conservación de bosques, buscando evaluar la distancia entre ellos. Este estudio nos permite inferir acerca de la dirección de cambios \ud históricos y contribuye al debate entre tomadores de decisión. Los resultados mostraron que la mayoría de las exigencias legales de \ud protección forestal fueron cumplidas en el paisaje. La década de 1960 fue el periodo con cobertura forestal más próxima a la deseada \ud para la conservación. Aunque Serra do Japi ha mantenido grandes áreas de bosques en todo el periodo estudiado, la influencia humana \ud se incrementó con la expansión de plantaciones forestales, de áreas urbanas y principalmente de las carreteras de acceso, identificadas \ud como potenciales fuerzas conductoras de cambio. Además, se observó pérdida de hábitat en el paisaje que puede representar una \ud primera fase de una secuencia de cambios perjudiciales para la conservación ambiental de esa área protegida. Esto incluye cambios \ud en la decisión del uso del suelo. En conclusión, los cambios evolucionaron en dirección a las expectativas de la conservación, pero no \ud hacia la configuración de bosques bajo una expectativa científica.FAPESP (Sao Paulo State Foundation for Science Funding)FAPESP (Sao Paulo State Foundation for Science Funding) [06/55385-0, 08/01505-0

Cambios del paisaje en Serra do Japi: ¿protección legal o expectativa científica?

The creation of new legally protected areas brings many conflicts that distance the real landscape from the expected according to environmental law or conservation researchers. In this study, we mapped and compared the changes in Serra da Japi (Sao Paulo State, Brazil) throughout 40 years with scenarios of legal protection and scientific expectation on forest conservation, to evaluate the distance between them. This may allow us to infer the direction of historical changes and assist in the debate among decision makers. The results showed that most legal requirements on forest protection in the current landscape have been met. The 1960s was the period when the forest cover was closest to the desirable conservation stage. Although the Serra do Japi has maintained large areas of forests during the entire study period, human interference increased with the expansion of reforestation and urban areas, and access roads were identified as a primary potential driving forces of change. In addition, habitat loss was observed in the landscape, which can represent the first phase of a sequence of modifications detrimental to the environmental conservation of this protected area, including decision changes to land use. In conclusion, the changes evolved toward conservation expectations, but not toward the forest configuration of scientific expectation333339344FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP06/55385-0; 08/01505-0La creación de nuevas áreas legalmente protegidas trae muchos conflictos que alejan el paisaje real del que se espera por la legislación ambiental o por los investigadores en conservación. En este estudio se cartografiaron y compararon los cambios ocurridos en Serra do Japi (Estado de São Paulo, Brasil) a lo largo de 40 años con escenarios de protección legal y de expectativa científica sobre la conservación de bosques, buscando evaluar la distancia entre ellos. Este estudio nos permite inferir acerca de la dirección de cambios históricos y contribuye al debate entre tomadores de decisión. Los resultados mostraron que la mayoría de las exigencias legales de protección forestal fueron cumplidas en el paisaje. La década de 1960 fue el periodo con cobertura forestal más próxima a la deseada para la conservación. Aunque Serra do Japi ha mantenido grandes áreas de bosques en todo el periodo estudiado, la influencia humana se incrementó con la expansión de plantaciones forestales, de áreas urbanas y principalmente de las carreteras de acceso, identificadas como potenciales fuerzas conductoras de cambio. Además, se observó pérdida de hábitat en el paisaje que puede representar una primera fase de una secuencia de cambios perjudiciales para la conservación ambiental de esa área protegida. Esto incluye cambios en la decisión del uso del suelo. En conclusión, los cambios evolucionaron en dirección a las expectativas de la conservación, pero no hacia la configuración de bosques bajo una expectativa científic

Bromine and chlorine determination in cigarette tobacco using microwave-induced combustion and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

A combustão iniciada com micro-ondas (MIC) foi aplicada para decomposição de amostras de tabaco de cigarro e subsequente determinação de bromo e cloro por espectrometria de emissão óptica com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP OES). Massas de amostra de até 500 mg foram decompostas em frascos fechados e pressurizados com 20 bar de oxigênio. A combustão foi completada em menos de 30 s e os analitos foram absorvidos em solução diluída de (NH4)2CO3. A exatidão foi avaliada usando materiais de referência certificados e mediante a determinação utilizando ICP-MS. A concordância foi melhor do que 98% usando 50 mmol L-1 de (NH ) CO 4 2 3 como solução absorvedora e 5 min de refluxo. A temperatura durante a combustão foi superior a 1400 °C e o conteúdo de carbono residual nos digeridos após MIC foi menor que 1%. Até oito amostras podem ser decompostas simultaneamente. Limites de quantificação utilizando MIC e determinação por ICP OES foram de 12 e 6 µg g-1 para Br e Cl, respectivamente.The microwave-induced combustion (MIC) was applied for cigarette tobacco samples digestion and further determination of bromine and chlorine by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Samples masses up to 500 mg were combusted in closed vessels using 20 bar of oxygen. Combustion was complete in less than 30 s and analytes were absorbed in diluted (NH4)2CO3 solution. Accuracy was evaluated using certified reference materials with similar matrix composition and comparison with results obtained using ICP-MS. The agreement was better than 98% using 50 mmol L-1 (NH4)2CO3 as absorbing solution and 5 min of reflux. Temperature during combustion was higher than 1400 °C and the residual carbon content in digest obtained after MIC was lower than 1%. Up to eight samples could be processed simultaneously and a single absorbing solution was suitable for both Br and Cl. Limit of quantification by MIC and further ICP OES determination was 12 and 6 μg g-1 for Br and Cl, respectively

Molecular wires bridging gaps between gold surfaces and their influence on SERS intensities

FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPCONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS - FAPEMIGMolecular wires of the oligophenyleneimine (OPI) families were used as bridging gaps between gold flat surface and gold nanorods, forming molecular junction systems such as (AuFlat|OPI|AuNR). Systems with different gap sizes were synthesized from 2.2 nm f121382093720946FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPCONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS - FAPEMIGFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPCONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS - FAPEMIG2011/17923-92012/13119-3SEM INFORMAÇÃOSEM INFORMAÇÃOWe would like to thank FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) N. 2011/17923-9 and N. 2012/13119-3, for financial support, and Alfredo Duarte (CA-IQ.USP) for his help with the TEM system and Gustavo R. T. da Silva for his help with

Sediment Removal from Crude Oil Emulsion using Microwave Radiation

Microwave radiation in closed vessels was applied for removal of sediments from crude oil allowing the subsequent crude oil characterization in laboratory. Heating time and microwave power were evaluated in the range of 5 to 30 s and 300 to 1400 W, respectively. Sediment content was determined using the method recommended by ASTM D 4807-05 based on a filtration step in a membrane before and after sediment removal. Water and chloride contents were determined in the oil phase obtained after sediment removal. Up to eight samples of 20 g of crude oil could be simultaneously processed. Sediment removal efficiency was better than 95%. It was possible to obtain crude oil in a suitable condition for determination of routine parameters as API gravity, density, viscosity and total acid number without interferences caused by sediments or even water and salt