Assessing the benefits of rosiglitazone in women with polycystic ovary syndrome through its effects on insulin-like growth factor 1, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 and insulin resistance: a pilot study

Federal University of Sao PauloFederal University of ParaibaCAPE

Geo-environmental mapping using physiographic analysis: constraints on the evaluation of land instability and groundwater pollution hazards in the Metropolitan District of Campinas, Brazil

Geo-environmental terrain assessments and territorial zoning are useful tools for the formulation and implementation of environmental management instruments (including policy-making, planning, and enforcement of statutory regulations). They usually involve a set of procedures and techniques for delimitation, characterisation and classification of terrain units. However, terrain assessments and zoning exercises are often costly and time-consuming, particularly when encompassing large areas, which in many cases prevent local agencies in developing countries from properly benefiting from such assessments. In the present paper, a low-cost technique based on the analysis of texture of satellite imagery was used for delimitation of terrain units. The delimited units were further analysed in two test areas situated in Southeast Brazil to provide estimates of land instability and the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution hazards. The implementation incorporated procedures for inferring the influences and potential implications of tectonic fractures and other discontinuities on ground behaviour and local groundwater flow. Terrain attributes such as degree of fracturing, bedrock lithology and weathered materials were explored as indicators of ground properties. The paper also discusses constraints on- and limitations of- the approaches taken

Identification of protein expression signatures in gastric carcinomas using clustering analysis

Background and Aim: The identification of gastric carcinomas (GC) has traditionally been based on histomorphology. Recently, DNA microarrays have successfully been used to identify tumors through clustering of the expression profiles. Random forest clustering is widely used for tissue microarrays and other immunohistochemical data, because it handles highly-skewed tumor marker expressions well, and weighs the contribution of each marker according to its relatedness with other tumor markers. In the present study, we e identified biologically- and clinically-meaningful groups of GC by hierarchical clustering analysis of immunohistochemical protein expression. Methods: We selected 28 proteins (p16, p27, p21, cyclin D1, cyclin A, cyclin B1, pRb, p53, c-met, c-erbB-2, vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor [TGF]-beta I, TGF-beta II, MutS homolog-2, bcl-2, bax, bak, bcl-x, adenomatous polyposis coli, clathrin, E-cadherin, beta-catenin, mucin (MUC) 1, MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC6, matrix metalloproteinase [ MMP]-2, and MMP-9) to be investigated by immunohistochemistry in 482 GC. The analyses of the data were done using a random forest-clustering method. Results: Proteins related to cell cycle, growth factor, cell motility, cell adhesion, apoptosis, and matrix remodeling were highly expressed in GC. We identified protein expressions associated with poor survival in diffuse-type GC. Conclusions: Based on the expression analysis of 28 proteins, we identified two groups of GC that could not be explained by any clinicopathological variables, and a subgroup of long-surviving diffuse-type GC patients with a distinct molecular profile. These results provide not only a new molecular basis for understanding the biological properties of GC, but also better prediction of survival than the classic pathological grouping.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo [98/14335-2

Does adipose tissue-derived stem cell therapy improve graft quality in freshly grafted ovaries?

Abstract\ud \ud Background\ud A major concern in ovarian transplants is substantial follicle loss during the initial period of hypoxia. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) have been employed to improve angiogenesis when injected into ischemic tissue. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) therapy in the freshly grafted ovaries 30 days after injection.\ud \ud \ud Methods\ud Rat ASCs (rASCs) obtained from transgenic rats expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-(5 × 104 cells/ovary) were injected in topic (intact) or freshly grafted ovaries of 30 twelve-week-old adult female Wistar rats. The whole ovary was grafted in the retroperitoneum without vascular anastomosis, immediately after oophorectomy. Vaginal smears were performed daily to assess the resumption of the estrous cycle. Estradiol levels, grafts morphology and follicular viability and density were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry assays were conducted to identify and quantify rASC-GFP+, VEGF tissue expression, apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3 and TUNEL), and cell proliferation (Ki-67). Quantitative gene expression (qPCR) for VEGF-A, Bcl2, EGF and TGF-β1 was evaluated using RT-PCR and a double labeling immunofluorescence assay for GFP and Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) was performed.\ud \ud \ud Results\ud Grafted ovaries treated with rASC-GFP+ exhibited earlier resumption of the estrous phase (p < 0.05), increased VEGF-A expression (11-fold in grafted ovaries and 5-fold in topic ovaries vs. control) and an increased number of blood vessels (p < 0.05) in ovarian tissue without leading to apoptosis or cellular proliferation (p > 0.05). Estradiol levels were similar among groups (p > 0.05). rASC-GFP+ were observed in similar quantities in the topic and grafted ovaries (p > 0.05), and double-labeling for GFP and vWF was observed in both injected groups.\ud \ud \ud Conclusion\ud rASC therapy in autologous freshly ovarian grafts could be feasible and safe, induces earlier resumption of the estrous phase and enhances blood vessels in rats. This pilot study may be useful in the future for new researches on frozen-thawed ovarian tissue.São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Erica: Prevalences Of Hypertension And Obesity In Brazilian Adolescents

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)To estimate the prevalence of arterial hypertension and obesity and the population attributable fraction of hypertension that is due to obesity in Brazilian adolescents. METHODS: Data from participants in the Brazilian Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), which was the first national school-based, cross-section study performed in Brazil were evaluated. The sample was divided into 32 geographical strata and clusters from 32 schools and classes, with regional and national representation. Obesity was classified using the body mass index according to age and sex. Arterial hypertension was defined when the average systolic or diastolic blood pressure was greater than or equal to the 95th percentile of the reference curve. Prevalences and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of arterial hypertension and obesity, both on a national basis and in the macro-regions of Brazil, were estimated by sex and age group, as were the fractions of hypertension attributable to obesity in the population. RESULTS: We evaluated 73,399 students, 55.4% female, with an average age of 14.7 years (SD = 1.6). The prevalence of hypertension was 9.6% (95% CI 9.0-10.3); with the lowest being in the North, 8.4% (95% CI 7.7-9.2) and Northeast regions, 8.4% (95% CI 7.6-9.2), and the highest being in the South, 12.5% (95% CI 11.0-14.2). The prevalence of obesity was 8.4% (95% CI 7.9-8.9), which was lower in the North region and higher in the South region. The prevalences of arterial hypertension and obesity were higher in males. Obese adolescents presented a higher prevalence of hypertension, 28.4% (95% CI 25.5-31.2), than overweight adolescents, 15.4% (95% CI 17.0-13.8), or eutrophic adolescents, 6.3% (95% CI 5.6-7.0). The fraction of hypertension attributable to obesity was 17.8%. CONCLUSIONS: ERICA was the first nationally representative Brazilian study providing prevalence estimates of hypertension in adolescents. Regional and sex differences were observed. The study indicates that the control of obesity would lower the prevalence of hypertension among Brazilian adolescents by 1/5.501Brazilian Department of Science and Technology at the Secretariat of Science and TechnologyStrategic Inputs of the Ministry of Health (Departamento de Ciencia e Tecnologia da Secretaria de Ciencia e Tecnologia e Insumos Estrategicos do Ministerio da Saude - Decit/SCTIE/MS)Health Fund Sector (Fundo Setorial de Saude - CT-health) at the Ministry of science, Technology and Innovation (Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Inovacao - MCTI)FINEP [01090421]CNPq [2010/565037-2]hospital research incentive fund for Clinics in Porto Alegre (fundo de incentivo a Pesquisa do Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre - HCPA) [405,009/FIPE-2012-7]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Erica: Prevalence Of Metabolic Syndrome In Brazilian Adolescents

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components in Brazilian adolescents. METHODS: We evaluated 37,504 adolescents who were participants in the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a cross-sectional, school-based, national study. The adolescents, aged from 12 to 17 years, lived in cities with populations greater than 100,000 inhabitants. The sample was stratified and clustered into schools and classes. The criteria set out by the International Diabetes Federation were used to define metabolic syndrome. Prevalences of metabolic syndrome were estimated according to sex, age group, school type and nutritional status. RESULTS: Of the 37,504 adolescents who were evaluated: 50.2% were female; 54.3% were aged from 15 to 17 years, and 73.3% were from public schools. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 2.6% (95% CI 2.3-2.9), slightly higher in males and in those aged from 15 to 17 years in most macro-regions. The prevalence was the highest in residents from the South macro-region, in the younger female adolescents and in the older male adolescents. The prevalence was higher in public schools (2.8% [95% CI 2.4-3.2]), when compared with private schools (1.9% [95% CI 1.4-2.4]) and higher in obese adolescents when compared with nonobese ones. The most common combinations of components, referring to 3/4 of combinations, were: enlarged waist circumference (WC), low HDL-cholesterol (HDL-c) and high blood pressure; followed by enlarged WC, low HDL-c and high triglycerides; and enlarged WC, low HDL-c, high triglycerides and blood pressure. Low HDL was the second most frequent component, but the highest prevalence of metabolic syndrome (26.8%) was observed in the presence of high triglycerides. CONCLUSIONS: ERICA is the first Brazilian nation-wide study to present the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and describe the role of its components. Despite the prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome being low, the high prevalences of some components and participation of others in the syndrome composition shows the importance of early diagnosis of this changes, even if not grouped within the metabolic syndrome.501Department of Science and Technology of the Secretariat of Science, Technology and Strategic Inputs of the Ministry of Health (Decit/SCTIE/MS)Health Sectorial Fund (Fundo Setorial de Saude - CT-Saude) of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI)FINEP [01090421]CNPq [2010/565037-2]Research Incentive Fund of the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre - (Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa do Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre - FIPE-HCPA) [405.009/2012-7]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Updated cardiovascular prevention guideline of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology: 2019

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