The cross-sectional and prospective associations between sleep characteristics and adiposity in toddlers: Results from the GET UP! Study

Background: The associations between sleep characteristics and adiposity in children under three years are not fully understood yet. Objective: The objective of the study is to examine the cross-sectional and prospective associations between sleep characteristics and adiposity in toddlers over a 12-month period. Methods: Participants were 202 toddlers from the GET-UP! Study. Sleep duration, sleep timing, and sleep variability were assessed using 24-hour accelerometry for seven consecutive days. Height and weight were measured, and BMI z scores were calculated. Linear mixed models were performed to examine the cross-sectional and prospective associations between sleep characteristics and adiposity, with adjustments for clustering effects and demographic factors. Results: Total sleep duration was negatively associated with higher adiposity cross-sectionally (B = −0.12; 95% CI: −0.23, −0.01;.033) but not prospectively (B = 0.01; 95% CI: −0.13, 0.10;.843). Nap duration was prospectively associated with higher levels of adiposity (B = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.68;.003). Sleep variability and sleep timing were not associated with concurrent or subsequent adiposity. Conclusion: Although sleep duration is an important factor associated with obesity in toddlerhood, the potential effects of different types of sleep duration may vary. While longer total sleep duration may protect children from increasing adiposity, longer nap duration seems to be risk factor. As evidence in this age group is scarce, more research is needed to confirm this finding

Desenvolvimento de espécies nativas da Caatinga em áreas degradadas na Chapada do Araripe, Pernambuco.

This work was carried out to evaluate the development of native species in degraded areas in Araripe region of Pernambuco State. The experiment was established in an area of an Experimental Station of the Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco (IPA) in Araripina-PE. (Latitude: 7°27'50"S, Longitude: 40°24'38"W, height: 828m). The experimental area was previously subjected to plowing and harrowing in order to incorporate into the soil 2.0 t ha-1 of dolomitic limestone. Base fertilization was done with 100 g hole-1 NPK (10:80:30). The planting was done in hills of 30 x 30 x 30 cm, spaced 4 x 4 m. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with five replications and six treatments: angico [Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan], angico de bezerro [Piptadenia obligua (Pers.) Macbr.], aroeira [Myracroduon urundeuva Allemão], jurema preta [Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poiret.], pau d'arco [Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos] and sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth.). ?Sabiá? species, with 1.68 m height, overcame all other species at twenty-four months of age, while ?aroeira? species showed the lowest growth (0.34m). There were no statistically significant differences among the studied species, showing that they are adapted to the environment for being native to the region

Desenvolvimento de espécies nativas da Caatinga em áreas degradadas na Chapada do Araripe, Pernambuco.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo avaliar o desempenho silvicultural de algumas espécies nativas da Caatinga, em áreas degradadas na região do Araripe, Pernambuco

Alkaline activation of ceramic waste materials

Ceramic materials represent around 45 % of construction and demolition waste, and originate not only from the building process, but also as rejected bricks and tiles from industry. Despite the fact that these wastes are mostly used as road sub-base or construction backfill materials, they can also be employed as supplementary cementitious materials, or even as raw material for alkali-activated binders This research aimed to investigate the properties and microstructure of alkali-activated cement pastes and mortars produced from ceramic waste materials of various origins. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate were used to prepare the activating solution. The compressive strength of the developed mortars ranged between 22 and 41 MPa after 7 days of curing at 65 C, depending on the sodium concentration in the solution and the water/binder ratio. These results demonstrate the possibility of using alkaliactivated ceramic materials in building applications.The authors are grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for supporting this study through Project GEOCEDEM BIA 2011-26947, and also to FEDER funding. They also thank Universitat Jaume I for supporting this research through Lucia Reig's granted research stay.Reig Cerdá, L.; Mitsuuchi Tashima, M.; Soriano, L.; Borrachero Rosado, MV.; Monzó Balbuena, JM.; Paya Bernabeu, JJ. (2013). Alkaline activation of ceramic waste materials. Waste and Biomass Valorization. 4:729-736. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-013-9197-zS7297364Puertas, F., García-Díaz, I., Barba, A., Gazulla, M.F., Palacios, M., Gómez, M.P., Martínez-Ramírez, S.: Ceramic wastes as alternative raw materials for Portland cement clinker production. 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Cement Concrete Res. 30, 497–499 (2000)Pereira-de-Oliveira, L.A., Castro-Gomes, J.P., Santos, P.M.S.: The potential pozzolanic activity of glass and red-clay ceramic waste as cement mortars components. Constr. Build. Mater. 31, 197–203 (2012)Van Deventer, J.S.J., Provis, J.L., Duxson, P., Brice, D.G.: Chemical research and climate change as drivers in the commercial adoption of alkali activated materials. Waste Biomass Valor. 1, 145–155 (2010)van Deventer, J.S.J., Provis, J.L., Duxson, P., Lukey, G.C.: Reaction mechanisms in the geopolymeric conversion of inorganic waste to useful products. J. Hazard. Mater. A139, 506–513 (2007)Duxson, P., Fernández-Jiménez, A., Provis, J.L., Lukey, G.C., Palomo, A., van Deventer, J.S.J.: Geopolymer technology: the current state of the art. J. Mater. Sci. 42(9), 2917–2993 (2007)Bernal, S.A., Rodríguez, E.D., de Gutiérrez, R.M., Provis, J.L., Delvasto, S.: Activation of metakaolin/slag blends using alkaline solutions based on chemically modified silica fume and rice husk ash. Waste Biomass Valor. 3, 99–108 (2012)Fernández-Jiménez, A., Palomo, A., Criado, M.: Microstructure development of alkali-activated fly ash cement: a descriptive model. Cement Concrete Res 35, 1204–1209 (2005)Payá, J., Borrachero, M.V., Monzó, J., Soriano, L., Tashima, M.M.: A new geopolymeric binder from hydrated-carbonated cement. Mater. Lett. 74, 223–225 (2012)Kourti, I., Amutha-Rani, D., Deegan, D., Boccaccini, A.R., Cheeseman, C.R.: Production of geopolymers using glass produced from DC plasma treatment of air pollution control (APC) residues. J. Hazard. Mater. 176, 704–709 (2010)Puertas, F., Barba, A., Gazulla, M.F., Gómez, M.P., Palacios, M., Martínez-Ramírez, S.: Residuos cerámicos para su posible uso como materia prima en la fabricación de clínker de cemento Portland: caracterización y activación alcalina. Mater. Construcc. 56(281), 73–84 (2006)Reig, L., Tashima, M.M., Borrachero, M.V., Monzó, J., Payá, J.: Nuevas matrices cementantes generadas por Activación Alcalina de residuos cerámicos. II Simposio Aprovechamiento de residuos agro-industriales como fuente sostenible de materiales de construcción, November 8–9, Valencia, Spain, pp. 199–207 (2010)L. Reig, M.M. Tashima, M.V. Borrachero, J. Monzó, J. Payá: Residuos de ladrillos cerámicos en la producción de conglomerantes activados alcalinamente, I Pro-Africa Conference: Non-conventional Building Materials Based on Agroindustrial Wastes, October 18–19, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil, pp. 18–21 (2010)García Ten F.J. Descomposición durante la cocción del carbonato cálcico contenido en el soporte crudo de los azulejos. Tesis de doctorado, Departamento de Ingeniería química, UJI (2005)Baronio, G., Binda, L.: Study of the pozzolanicity of some bricks and clays. Constr. Build. Mater. 11(1), 41–46 (1997)Zanelli, C., Raimondo, M., Guarini, G., Dondi, M.: The vitreous phase of porcelain stoneware: composition, evolution during sintering and physical properties. J. Non-Cryst. Solids 357, 3251–3260 (2011)Carty, W.M., Senapati, U.: Porcelain-raw materials, processing, phase evolution, and mechanical behaviour. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 81(1), 3–20 (1998)ASCER, COACV, COPUT, ITC-AICE, WEBER ET BROUTIN – CEMARKSA: Guía Baldosa Guía de la baldosa cerámica. IVE: Conselleria d’Obres Públiques, Urbanisme i Transports, 4ª Ed. Valencia (2003)Khater, H.M.: Effect of calcium on geopolimerization of aluminosilicate wastes. J. Mater. Civ. 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Effects of the aqueous extract from Tabebuia roseoalba and phenolic acids on hyperuricemia and inflammation.

Tabebuia species (Bignoniaceae) have long been used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antimicrobial, and antitumor. The aim of this study was to investigate if aqueous extract from the leaves (AEL) of Tabebuia roseoalba (Ridl.) Sandwith, Bignoniaceae, and its constituents could be useful to decrease serum uric acid levels and restrain the gout inflammatory process. HPLC analysis identified caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid in AEL. Antihyperuricemic effects and inhibition of liver XOD (xanthine oxidoreductase) by AEL and identified compounds were evaluated in hyperuricemic mice. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated on MSU (monosodium urate) crystal-induced paw edema. In addition, AEL antioxidant activity in vitro was evaluated. AEL, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids were able to reduce serum uric acid levels in hyperuricemic mice probably through inhibition of liver xanthine oxidase activity and significantly decreased the paw edema induced by MSU crystals. AEL showed significant antioxidant activity in all evaluated assays. The results show that the AEL of Tabebuia roseoalba can be a promising agent for treatment for gout and inflammatory diseases. We suggest that caffeic and chlorogenic acids may be responsible for the activities demonstrated by the species

Nuclear receptors in vascular biology

Nuclear receptors sense a wide range of steroids and hormones (estrogens, progesterone, androgens, glucocorticoid, and mineralocorticoid), vitamins (A and D), lipid metabolites, carbohydrates, and xenobiotics. In response to these diverse but critically important mediators, nuclear receptors regulate the homeostatic control of lipids, carbohydrate, cholesterol, and xenobiotic drug metabolism, inflammation, cell differentiation and development, including vascular development. The nuclear receptor family is one of the most important groups of signaling molecules in the body and as such represent some of the most important established and emerging clinical and therapeutic targets. This review will highlight some of the recent trends in nuclear receptor biology related to vascular biology