Consumo de peixe, contaminantes e morte súbita em epilepsia: mais benefícios do que riscos

People with epilepsy have an increased risk of dying prematurely and the most common epilepsy-related category of death is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). SUDEP is mainly a problem for patients with chronic uncontrolled epilepsy. The ultimate goal of research in SUDEP is to develop new methods to prevent it and actions other than medical and surgical therapies that could be very useful. Nutritional aspects, i.e., omega-3 fatty acids deficiency, could have an interesting role in this scenario. Some animal and clinical studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids could be useful in the prevention and treatment of epilepsy and hence SUDEP. It has been ascertained that the only foods that provide large amounts of omega-3 are seafood (fish and shellfish); however, some fish are contaminated with methylmercury, which may counteract the positive effects of omega-3 fatty acids. Our update review summarises the knowledge of the role of fish consumption on epilepsy research.Pessoas com epilepsia têm um risco aumentado de morrer de forma prematura e a causa mais comum de morte relacionada à epilepsia encontra-se na categoria de morte súbita inesperada em epilepsia (SUDEP). SUDEP é um problema significativo para pacientes com epilepsia crônica não controlada. O principal objetivo nas pesquisas em SUDEP é o desenvolvimento de métodos capazes de levar à sua prevenção e ações outras que não medicamentosas e cirúrgicas que podem ser úteis. Os aspectos nutricionais, como por exemplo, a deficiência do ácido graxo ômega-3 pode ter um papel interessante neste cenário. Alguns estudos animais e clínicos têm sugerido que os ácidos graxos ômega-3 podem ser úteis na prevenção e no tratamento da epilepsia e, consequentemente, na SUDEP. Os únicos alimentos que contêm grandes proporções de ômega-3 são os frutos do mar (peixes e mariscos). No entanto, alguns peixes podem estar contaminados com metilmercúrio, o que pode levar a um efeito contrário ao benefício trazido pelos ácidos graxos ômega-3. Aqui, resumimos o conhecimento do papel do consumo de peixe nas pesquisas em epilepsia.FAPESPCInAPCe-FAPESPCNP

Isolation and Characterization of Bacteria from the Gut of Bombyx mori that Degrade Cellulose, Xylan, Pectin and Starch and Their Impact on Digestion

Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) have been domesticated and widely used for silk production. It feeds on mulberry leaves. Mulberry leaves are mainly composed of pectin, xylan, cellulose and starch. Some of the digestive enzymes that degrade these carbohydrates might be produced by gut bacteria. Eleven isolates were obtained from the digestive tract of B. mori, including the Gram positive Bacillus circulans and Gram negative Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Serratia liquefaciens, Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. aeruginosa, Aeromonas sp., and Erwinia sp.. Three of these isolates, P. vulgaris, K. pneumoniae, C. freundii, were cellulolytic and xylanolytic, P. fluorescens and Erwinia sp., were pectinolytic and K. pneumoniae degraded starch. Aeromonas sp. was able to utilize the CMcellulose and xylan. S. liquefaciens was able to utilize three polysaccharides including CMcellulose, xylan and pectin. B. circulans was able to utilize all four polysaccharides with different efficacy. The gut of B. mori has an alkaline pH and all of the isolated bacterial strains were found to grow and degrade polysaccharides at alkaline pH. The number of cellulolytic bacteria increases with each instar

The DARE study of relapse prevention in depression: design for a phase 1/2 translational randomised controlled trial involving mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and supported self monitoring

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Depression is a common condition that typically has a relapsing course. Effective interventions targeting relapse have the potential to dramatically reduce the point prevalence of the condition. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a group-based intervention that has shown efficacy in reducing depressive relapse. While trials of MBCT to date have met the core requirements of phase 1 translational research, there is a need now to move to phase 2 translational research - the application of MBCT within real-world settings with a view to informing policy and clinical practice. The aim of this trial is to examine the clinical impact and health economics of MBCT under real-world conditions and where efforts have been made to assess for and prevent resentful demoralization among the control group. Secondary aims of the project involve extending the phase 1 agenda to an examination of the effects of co-morbidity and mechanisms of action.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>This study is designed as a prospective, multi-site, single-blind, randomised controlled trial using a group comparison design between involving the intervention, MBCT, and a self-monitoring comparison condition, Depression Relapse Active Monitoring (DRAM). Follow-up is over 2 years. The design of the study indicates recruitment from primary and secondary care of 204 participants who have a history of 3 or more episodes of Major Depression but who are currently well. Measures assessing depressive relapse/recurrence, time to first clinical intervention, treatment expectancy and a range of secondary outcomes and process variables are included. A health economics evaluation will be undertaken to assess the incremental cost of MBCT.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The results of this trial, including an examination of clinical, functional and health economic outcomes, will be used to assess the role that this treatment approach may have in recommendations for treatment of depression in Australia and elsewhere. If the findings are positive, we expect that this research will consolidate the evidence base to guide the decision to fund MBCT and to seek to promote its availability to those who have experienced at least 3 episodes of depression.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: <a href="http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12607000166471.aspx">ACTRN12607000166471</a></p

Gut Microbial Gene Expression in Mother-Fed and Formula-Fed Piglets

Effects of diet on the structure and function of gut microbial communities in newborn infants are poorly understood. High-resolution molecular studies are needed to definitively ascertain whether gut microbial communities are distinct in milk-fed and formula-fed infants.Pyrosequencing-based whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to evaluate community wide gut microbial gene expression in 21 day old neonatal piglets fed either with sow's milk (mother fed, MF; n = 4) or with artificial formula (formula fed, FF; n = 4). Microbial DNA and RNA were harvested from cecal contents for each animal. cDNA libraries and 16S rDNA amplicons were sequenced on the Roche 454 GS-FLX Titanium system. Communities were similar at the level of phylum but were dissimilar at the level of genus; Prevotella was the dominant genus within MF samples and Bacteroides was most abundant within FF samples. Screened cDNA sequences were assigned functional annotations by the MG-RAST annotation pipeline and based upon best-BLASTX-hits to the NCBI COG database. Patterns of gene expression were very similar in MF and FF animals. All samples were enriched with transcripts encoding enzymes for carbohydrate and protein metabolism, as well as proteins involved in stress response, binding to host epithelium, and lipopolysaccharide metabolism. Carbohydrate utilization transcripts were generally similar in both groups. The abundance of enzymes involved in several pathways related to amino acid metabolism (e.g., arginine metabolism) and oxidative stress response differed in MF and FF animals.Abundant transcripts identified in this study likely contribute to a core microbial metatranscriptome in the distal intestine. Although microbial community gene expression was generally similar in the cecal contents of MF and FF neonatal piglets, several differentially abundant gene clusters were identified. Further investigations of gut microbial gene expression will contribute to a better understanding of normal and abnormal enteric microbiology in animals and humans

Calcified Algae for Tissue Engineering.

This book presents the latest advances in marine structures and related biomaterials for applications in both soft- and hard-tissue engineering, as well as controlled drug delivery