Efficacy and safety of cumaru syrup as complementary therapy in mild persistent asthma: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

Amburana cearensis is a medicinal plant known as "cumaru". It is used in Northeast Brazil in the treatment of respiratory diseases. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, with the aim of evaluating the efficacy and safety of cumaru syrup as complementary therapy in mild persistent asthma. The study consisted of 3 phases, pre-treatment, treatment and post-treatment. The primary efficacy outcome was comparison of the changes reported by patients of the cumaru and placebo groups after treatment, using the "Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire" (AQLQ). The secondary outcome was the effect of cumaru syrup on lung function based on spirometry. The results showed that in the cumaru group, the proportion of patients who had global improvement in asthma symptoms was significantly greater (61.90%, P=0.0009) than in the placebo group (9.52%). Only the spirometric parameters Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) showed significant intergroup differences in post-treatment (P0.05). Adverse events were reported by 3 patients (14.29%) in the cumaru group and 3 patients (14.29%) in the placebo group. All adverse events were considered non-serious and mild.Amburana cearensis é uma planta medicinal conhecida como "cumaru". No Nordeste do Brasil é usada no tratamento de doenças respiratórias. Este é um estudo randomizado, duplo-cego e controlado por placebo, com o objetivo de avaliar a eficácia e segurança do xarope de cumaru como terapia complementar da asma persistente leve. O estudo consistiu de três fases, pré-tratamento, tratamento e pós-tratamento. A variável primária para determinação da eficácia foi a comparação das mudanças referidas pelos pacientes dos grupos cumaru e placebo após o tratamento, usando o "Questionário sobre Qualidade de Vida na Asma" (QQVA). A variável secundária foi o efeito do xarope de cumaru na função pulmonar baseado na espirometria. Os resultados mostraram que no grupo cumaru, a proporção de pacientes com melhora global dos sintomas da asma foi significativamente maior (61,90%, P=0.0009) que no grupo placebo (9,52%). Somente os parâmetros espirométricos, capacidade vital forçada (CVF) e volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1), mostraram diferença intergrupo significtivas no pós-tratamento (P0.05). Eventos adversos foram reportados por 3 pacientes (14,29%) no grupo cumaru e 3 (14,29%) no grupo placebo. Todos os eventos adversos foram não sérios e leves

Obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance

White adipose tissue (WAT) is considered an endocrine organ. When present in excess, WAT can influence metabolism via biologically active molecules. Following unregulated production of such molecules, adipose tissue dysfunction results, contributing to complications associated with obesity. Previous studies have implicated pro- and anti-inflammatory substances in the regulation of inflammatory response and in the development of insulin resistance. In obese individuals, pro-inflammatory molecules produced by adipose tissue contribute to the development of insulin resistance and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, the molecules with anti-inflammatory action, that have been associated with the improvement of insulin sensitivity, have your decreased production. Imbalance of these substances contributes significantly to metabolic disorders found in obese individuals. The current review aims to provide updated information regarding the activity of biomolecules produced by WAT

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world

Influência do Fósforo, Micorriza e Nitrogênio no Conteúdo de Minerais de Brachiaria brizantha e Arachis pintoi Consorciados Effect of Phosphorus, Mycorrhizal and Nitrogen on Mineral Content of Brachiaria brizantha - Arachis pintoi Mixture

O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação com o objetivo de avaliar a influência do fósforo (P), fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA's) e nitrogênio (N) no acúmulo de minerais na MS da parte aérea de braquiária MG-4 (Brachiaria brizantha cv. MG-4) e amendoim forrageiro (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo) consorciados, em solo de baixa fertilidade. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, num esquema fatorial 5x2x2, sendo cinco doses de P (25, 50, 75, 100 e 200 mg de P/kg de solo), dois tratamentos de inoculação do solo (inoculado e não com o FMA Glomus etunicatum) e dois tratamentos de N (com e sem N em cobertura), com quatro repetições. Foi realizado o corte da parte aérea das plantas aos 60 dias após a germinação para a determinação das quantidades acumuladas de N, P, K, Ca, Mg e S na MS da parte aérea. As adubações fosfatada e, principalmente, a nitrogenada provocaram aumento no conteúdo de N, P, K, Ca, Mg e S na braquiária MG-4, não se verificando tal aumento com a micorrização. No amendoim forrageiro, observou-se redução destes minerais com a aplicação de N, ao passo que a micorrização resultou em aumento dos mesmos. Por outro lado, a adubação fosfatada provocou pequeno aumento no acúmulo de minerais na MS da parte aérea do amendoim forrageiro.<br>This experiment was carried out in a greenhouse condition to study the effect of phosphorus, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen on mineral accumulation in braquiaria MG-4 (Brachiaria brizantha cv. MG-4) above ground forage DM and peanut (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo) mixture, in soil of low fertility. The experimental design was a completely randomized in a 5x2x2 factorial arrangement, with five P rates (25, 50, 75, 100 and 200 mg/kg of soil), two inoculations (inoculated and no inoculated) and two levels of N (with and without N), with four replicates. The harvest of the above ground parts of plants was at 60 days after seed germination to determine the accumulated amounts of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S. The phosphorus and mainly the nitrogen fertilization increased the accumulation of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S in plant DM of braquiaria MG-4, however, this was not observed for mycorrhization. For forage peanut, a reduction of these minerals was observed with application of N, whereas the mycorrhization resulted in an increase of them. On the other hand, the phosphorus caused little increase in the accumulation of minerals in plant DM of peanut forage