Editorial: Dietary intake, eating behavior and health outcomes

[Excerpt] Dietary intake and eating behaviors are important determinants of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and have been widely investigated (1). The association between dietary intakes (e.g., fruits, vegetables, processed meat, and trans-fat) and NCDs (e.g., obesity, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, and cancer) have been described. The associations varied by socioeconomic and the burden differed by demographic conditions (2, 3). Nevertheless, due to the complexity of measuring exposures related to dietary intake, the evidence base is mainly observational and lacking experimental designs. Additionally, there is scant evidence on the effectiveness of health promotion strategies focusing dietary consumption and behavior, on health outcomes. Bring in mind the complexity of studying dietary intake and its effects in health, the Frontiers in Nutrition dedicated a specific topic to Dietary intake, eating behavior and health outcomes. A total of 105 studies were submitted with 35 being selected for publication after peer-review. [...]- (undefined

Effect of antibodies on the expression of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein gene

Antibodies are known to play an important role in the control of malaria infection. However, they can modulate parasite development enhancing infection. The effect of anti-Plasmodium antibodies on the expression of circumsporozoite protein gene (csp) was investigated. Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 in vitro cultures were submitted to: i) anti- circumsporozoite protein monoclonal antibody (anti-CSP-mAb) [1μg/ml, 0.1μg/ml, 0.01μg/ml and 0.001μg/ml] and ii) purified IgG Fab fragment from a pool of malaria patients [1mg/ml and 1μg/ml]; and compared to control cultures. After 24h the number of ring infected erythrocytes was determined in order to calculate invasion efficacy. At 48h culture supernatant was collected, and the amount of circumsporozoite protein determined by ELISA, parasitaemia was calculated and cells were processed for RNA preparation. Expression of csp gene was quantified using Real time RT-PCR. There was an increase in parasite growth when treated with lower anti-CSP-mAb concentration, which was associated with lower csp expression, while 1μg/ml anti-CSP-mAb treatment presented a growth inhibitory effect accompanied by high csp expression

Nest predation of Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis (Aves, Procellariiformes) by introduced mammals on Terceira Island, Azores

ABSTRACT: The Azores holds the largest population of Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis (Cory, 1881) (Aves, Procellariiformes) in the world. Apart from a few mammal-free islets, the bulk of the population breeds in coastal areas on the main human-inhabited islands, where several non-native predators have been introduced. Throughout the entire year of the 2019 breeding season, we used motion-triggered cameras and regularly visited three colonies of Cory's shearwater to identify nest predators and the factors affecting nest predation. A total of 292,624 photos were obtained, of which 97.7% were of Cory’s shearwaters, 1.7% of non-target species (e.g. other birds, rabbits) and 0.52% of potential predators. Of the monitored nests, 25.7% were predated (n = 9), mainly by black rats (n = 8), but also by cats (n = 1). The relative abundance of black rats in the nests was the main factor explaining nest mortality. This variable was significantly and negatively related with the daily survival rate of Cory’s shearwater nestlings. Identification of the main nest predators is crucial for the management and conservation of native bird populations, particularly on oceanic islands, which harbour an important number of threatened and endemic species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An integrative literature review on leadership models for innovative organizations

The main goal of this research is to analyze the type of leadership that can be more effective for innovative organizations. In this case, the research question can have an important meaning for organizations because innovation is a significant issue for the competitiveness of organizations; innovation has many constraints and most often fail because of the type of the leaders. In this context, the research question is, "Which are the most effective leadership styles for innovative organizations?" The methodology used was qualitative based on an integrative literature review, and the results show that paternalistic, authentic, and democratic leaders are the most effective in the support the implementation of innovative processes in organizations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of metallic ions on the adhesion of biofilms formed by Pseudomonas fluorescens

Data on the adhesion of biofilms formed by Pseudomonas fluorescens to aluminium, copper and brass surfaces are reported in this paper. Biofilm thicknesses after 48 h were lower on the brass plates than on the other two metals. The results are compared with predictions of bacterial adhesion obtained by the method of van Oss et al. (C.J. van Oss, M.K. Chaudhury and R.J. Good, Chem. Rev., 88 (1988) 927), based on the evaluation of the change in the free energy of adhesion of the interacting systems. The presence of metallic ions released by the surfaces into the environment seemed to affect bacterial metabolism and adhesion and were taken into account to explain the discrepancies between experimental data and thermodynamic predictions. The possible effects of the extracellular polymers excreted by the bacteria on their attachment abilities are also stressed.(undefined

Structural characterization of polysaccharides isolated from grape stalks of Vitis vinifera L.

The main structural polysaccharides of grape stalks are cellulose, heteroxylan, and glucan. Cellulose contributes 30.3% of grape stalk matter and has an unusually high degree of the crystallinity (75.4%). Among hemicelluloses, xylan was the most abundant one, contributing ∼12% to the weight. The heteroxylan was isolated from the corresponding peracetic holocellulose by DMSO extraction followed by precipitation in ethanol. The Mw of heteroxylan (19.0kDa) was assessed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and the structure was inferred by methanolysis and methylation linkage analysis, as well as 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The heteroxylan is a partially acetylated (DS=0.49) glucuronoxylan possessing the main backbone composed by β-(1→4)-linked d-xylopyranosyl units ramified with α-(1→2)-linked 4-O-methyl-α-d-glucuronosyl residues (MeGlcpA) at a molar ratio 25:1. The isolated heteroxylan contained concomitant β-glucan (ca. 15%), whose structure was elucidated by methylation linkage analysis and by NMR spectroscopy. The results obtained revealed mixed β-(1→3; 1→4)-d-glucan with a molar ratio of β-(1→3)- to β-(1→4)-linked glucopyranosyl units of 1:2.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Anopheles gambiae transcriptome – a turning point for malaria control

Mosquitoes are important vectors of several pathogens and thereby contribute to the spread of diseases, with social, economic and public health impacts. Amongst the approximately 450 species of Anopheles, about 60 are recognized as vectors of human malaria, the most important parasitic disease. In Africa, Anopheles gambiae is the main malaria vector mosquito. Current malaria control strategies are largely focused on drugs and vector control measures such as insecticides and bed-nets. Improvement of current, and the development of new, mosquito-targeted malaria control methods rely on a better understanding of mosquito vector biology. An organism's transcriptome is a reflection of its physiological state and transcriptomic analyses of different conditions that are relevant to mosquito vector competence can therefore yield important information. Transcriptomic analyses have contributed significant information on processes such as blood-feeding parasite–vector interaction, insecticide resistance, and tissue- and stage-specific gene regulation, thereby facilitating the path towards the development of new malaria control methods. Here, we discuss the main applications of transcriptomic analyses in An. gambiae that have led to a better understanding of mosquito vector competence.publishersversionpublishe

A randomized trial of the close reading and creative writing program: an alternative educational method for adult group care intervention in type 2 diabetes management

Objectives: Group care for individuals with diabetes is a recognized educational practice, but techniques from narrative medicine using of literary works have never been incorporated in these programs. We designed a new educational model (i.e. the Close Reading and Creative Writing program) of group care for individuals with diabetes incorporating close reading and creative writing in group education. A randomized trial was designed to evaluate this intervention. Methods: A total of 49 individuals with type 2 diabetes, aged 6 years of school education, were randomized to 2 different group care dynamics: (a) a “control group,” with a classical structured educational approach currently used at our institution; and (b) an “intervention group,” with introduction of literary texts, narrative skills, close reading and creative writing. Evaluation included anthropometric measures, glycated hemoglobin (A1C) and questionnaires for psychological evaluation. Individual A1C levels in the 6-year period before the trial were collected from clinical records. Results: A significant reduction of A1C was observed in the intervention group, showing noninferiority in relation to the classical approach. A significant decrease in A1C was observed in relation to the 6 previous years. A significant increase in satisfaction with the therapist and group process was observed. Conclusions: This is the first randomized trial designed to evaluate a group care intervention to manage type 2 diabetes using narrative techniques. The results suggest that this may be a useful model for more highly schooled individuals, and may represent an alternative for the educational process.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Use of benzodiazepines in obsessive-compulsive disorder

© 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. This study aimed to determine the frequency of benzodiazepine (BDZ) use in a large sample of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and ascertain the type of BDZ used and the correlates and predictors of BDZ use in OCD. The sample consisted of 955 patients with OCD from a comprehensive, cross-sectional, multicentre study conducted by the Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders between 2003 and 2009. The rate of BDZ use over time in this OCD sample was 38.4%. Of individuals taking BDZs, 96.7% used them in combination with other medications, usually serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The most commonly used BDZ was clonazepam. Current age, current level of anxiety and number of additional medications for OCD taken over time significantly predicted BDZ use. This is the first study to comprehensively examine BDZ use in OCD patients, demonstrating that it is relatively common, despite recommendations from treatment guidelines. Use of BDZs in combination with several other medications over time and in patients with marked anxiety suggests that OCD patients taking BDZs may be more complex and more difficult to manage. This calls for further research and clarification of the role of BDZs in the treatment of OCD

Biological and morphometric aspects and rearing of Syssphinx molina (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), a defoliator of parica tree.

O objetivo desse trabalho foi descrever os aspectos biológicos e morfométricos da lagarta desfolhadora do paricá, Syssphinx molina (Cramer), e fazer recomendações para a criação do inseto. O ciclo de vida foi de 62,9 dias com períodos médios para as fases de ovo, lagarta, pré-pupa e pupa de 5,6; 31,1; 2,2 e 16,6 dias, respectivamente. A viabilidade das pupas foi de 60,5% para fêmeas e 48,6% nos machos. A razão sexual foi de 0,5 e a produção média de 182,3 ± 2,2 ovos por fêmea com viabilidade de ovos de 24,3%. A longevidade média foi de 7,9 ± 2 e 8,1 ± 3 dias para fêmeas e machos, respectivamente. Outros parâmetros foram igualmente observados e comparados com a descrição de outras espécies de Saturniidae