Gut dysbiosis and systemic inflammation promote cardiomyocyte abnormalities in an experimental model of steatohepatitis

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, and gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with both of them. AIM To assess the relationship between gut dysbiosis and cardiovascular risk (CVR) in an experimental model of steatohepatitis. METHODS Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to a control group (n = 10) fed a standard diet and an intervention group (n = 10) fed a high-fat choline-deficient diet for 16 wk. Biochemical, molecular, hepatic, and cardiac histopathology. Gut microbiota variables were evaluated. RESULTS The intervention group had a significantly higher atherogenic coefficient, Castelli’s risk index (CRI)-I and CRI-II, interleukin-1β, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase- 1 (all P < 0.001), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (P = 0.005), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (P = 0.037) than the control group. Gene expression of miR-33a increased (P = 0.001) and miR-126 (P < 0.001) decreased in the intervention group. Steatohepatitis with fibrosis was seen in the intervention group, and heart computerized histological imaging analysis showed a significant decrease in the percentage of cardiomyocytes with a normal morphometric appearance (P = 0.007), reduction in the mean area of cardiomyocytes (P = 0.037), and an increase of atrophic cardiomyocytes (P = 0.007). There were significant correlations between the cardiomyocyte morphometry markers and those of progression and severity of liver disease and CVR. The intervention group had a lower Shannon diversity index and fewer changes in the structural pattern of gut microbiota (both P < 0.001) than controls. Nine microbial families that are involved in lipid metabolism were differentially abundant in intervention group and were significantly correlated with markers of liver injury and CVR. CONCLUSION The study found a link between gut dysbiosis and significant cardiomyocyte abnormalities in animals with steatohepatitis

Beneficio potencial de la rifaximina en la prevención del carcinoma hepatocelular mediante la modulación de la microbiota en un modelo experimental de enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico

Aim. To evaluate the effects of rifaximin through microbiota modulation in a model of hepatocellular carcinoma secondary to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Methods. Three groups of 8 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats each were divided as follows: the HCC group: rats fed a high-fat and choline-deficient diet plus diethylnitrosamine as a carcinogen, the hepatocellular carcinoma treated group: rats fed a high-fat and choline-deficient diet plus diethylnitrosamine and treated with rifaximin and the control group: animals fed standard diet and water. The rats were euthanized after 16 weeks. We performed analyses of liver pathology for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease severity and cancer grading, gene expression in intestinal and hepatic tissues and fecal microbiota. Results. All animals in the hepatocellular carcinoma group had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and developed hepatocellular carcinoma lesions. Rifaximin animals showed less intense non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (assessed by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score [NAS]) compared to the hepatocellular carcinoma group. Both the hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma + rifaximin groups showed areas of fibrosis as assessed by picrosirius red. Three animals in the rifaximin group did not develop cancerous lesions. Gut microbiota analyses revealed differences in diversity and composition in the control group vs hepatocellular carcinoma and rifaximin groups. Twelve differentially abundant genera were identified between the hepatocellular carcinoma and rifaximin groups. In the rifaximin group, gene expression of intestinal tight junctions decreased. Conclusions. In a rodent model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related hepatocellular carcinoma, rifaximin reduces the histological severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma, probably by modulating the gut microbiota independently of markers of intestinal permeability.Objetivo. Evaluar los efectos de la rifaximina mediante la modulación de la microbiota en un modelo de carcinoma hepatocelular secundario a enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico. Métodos. Se dividieron tres grupos de 8 ratas Sprague-Dawley macho adultas cada uno de la siguiente manera: el grupo carcinoma hepatocelular: ratas alimentadas con una dieta alta en grasas y deficiente en colina más dietilnitrosamina como carcinógeno; el grupo tratado con carcinoma hepatocelular: ratas alimentadas con una dieta alta en grasas y deficiente en colina más dietilnitrosamina y tratadas con rifaximina y el grupo control: animales alimentados con una dieta estándar y agua. Las ratas fueron sometidas a eutanasia a las 16 semanas. Se realizaron análisis de la patología hepática para determinar la gravedad de la enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico y la clasificación del cáncer, la expresión génica en tejidos intestinales y hepáticos y la microbiota fecal. Resultados. Todos los animales del grupo de carcinoma hepatocelular tenían enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico y desarrollaron lesiones de carcinoma hepatocelular. Los animales del grupo con rifaximina mostraron una enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico menos intensa (evaluada por el puntaje de actividad de la enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico NAS]) en comparación con el grupo carcinoma hepatocelular. Los grupos carcinoma hepatocelular y carcinoma hepatocelular + rifaximina mostraron áreas de fibrosis evaluadas con rojo picrosirio. Tres animales del grupo con rifaximina no desarrollaron lesiones cancerosas. Los análisis de la microbiota intestinal mostraron diferencias en la diversidad y composición de los grupos control vs carcinoma hepatocelular y rifaximina. Se identificaron 12 géneros diferencialmente abundantes entre los grupos carcinoma hepatocelular y rifaximina. En el grupo con rifaximina disminuyó la expresión génica de las uniones estrechas intestinales. Conclusiones. En un modelo de roedores de carcinoma hepatocelular relacionado con enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico, la rifaximina disminuye la gravedad histológica de la enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico y la aparición de carcinoma hepatocelular, probablemente mediante la modulación de la microbiota intestinal independientemente de los marcadores de permeabilidad intestinal

Plasmatic higher levels of homocysteine in Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Background\ud Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease, which includes a spectrum of hepatic pathology such as simple steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis. The increased serum levels of homocysteine (Hcy) may be associated with hepatic fat accumulation. Genetic mutations in the folate route may only mildly impair Hcy metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between liver steatosis with plasma homocysteine level and MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms in Brazilian patients with NAFLD.\ud \ud Methods\ud Thirty-five patients diagnosed with NAFLD by liver biopsy and forty-five healthy controls neither age nor sex matched were genotyped for C677T and A1298C MTHFR polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP and PCR-ASA, respectively, and Hcy was determined by HPLC. All patients were negative for markers of Wilson’s, hemochromatosis and autoimmune diseases. Their daily alcohol intake was less than 100 g/week. A set of metabolic and serum lipid markers were also measured at the time of liver biopsies.\ud \ud Results\ud The plasma Hcy level was higher in NAFLD patients compared to the control group (p = 0.0341). No statistical difference for genotypes 677C/T (p = 0.110) and 1298A/C (p = 0.343) in patients with NAFLD and control subjects was observed. The genotypes distribution was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (677C/T p = 0.694 and 1298 A/C p = 0.188). The group of patients and controls showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) for BMI and HOMA_IR, similarly to HDL cholesterol levels (p < 0,006), AST, ALT, γGT, AP and triglycerides levels (p < 0.001). A negative correlation was observed between levels of vitamin B12 and Hcy concentration (p = 0.005).\ud \ud Conclusion\ud Our results indicate that plasma Hcy was higher in NAFLD than controls. The MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms did not differ significantly between groups, despite the 677TT homozygous frequency was higher in patients (17.14%) than in controls (677TT = 4.44%) (p > 0.05). The suggested genetic susceptibility to the MTHFR C677T and A1298C should be confirmed in large population based studies.The authors acknowledge the Pernambuco University, the Pediatrics Hematology and Oncology Center of Pernambuco University, the Liver Institute of Pernambuco, Federal University of São Paulo and Department of Pediatrics for their help in data collection and clinical analyzes. The authors declare that they do not have anything to disclose regarding funding from industries or conflict of interest with respect to this manuscript

práticas artísticas no ensino básico e secundário

Educação Artística: integrar a inovação. A educação artística apresenta-se como um território a re-cartografar, numa atualização tão rápida quanto aquela que ocorre no campo artístico. As propostas publicadas neste número 11 da Revista Matéria-Prima trazem essa diversidade de abordagens, com novidades conceptuais que estabelecem as devidas relações entre educação e cidadania, participação, sustentabilidade, cultura visual, e também com alguma atenção sobre os debates pós-coloniais e as questões de género. Os 16 artigos reunidos neste 11º número da Revista Matéria-Prima trazem a realidade operativa quer na formação de professores e quer na formulação dos discursos pedagógicos, suas justificações e suas propostas alternativas.As propostas apresentadas devolvem o debate ao terreno, e alargam-no. Provocam as periferias, convocam abordagens diferenciadas sobre o tema da arte e da educação. Em todas elas a proposta de crescimento através da arte, que hoje implica cada vez mais cidadania, crítica, criatividade, interligação, comprometimento, participação.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Educomunicação e suas áreas de intervenção: Novos paradigmas para o diálogo intercultural

oai:omp.abpeducom.org.br:publicationFormat/1O material aqui divulgado representa, em essência, a contribuição do VII Encontro Brasileiro de Educomunicação ao V Global MIL Week, da UNESCO, ocorrido na ECA/USP, entre 3&nbsp;e 5 de novembro de 2016. Estamos diante de um conjunto de 104 papers executivos, com uma média de entre 7 e 10 páginas, cada um. Com este rico e abundante material, chegamos ao sétimo e-book publicado pela ABPEducom, em seus seis primeiros anos de existência. A especificidade desta obra é a de trazer as “Áreas de Intervenção” do campo da Educomunicação, colocando-as a serviço de uma meta essencial ao agir educomunicativo: o diálogo intercultural, trabalhado na linha do tema geral do evento internacional: Media and Information Literacy: New Paradigms for Intercultural Dialogue

Educomunicação, Transformação Social e Desenvolvimento Sustentável

Esta publicação apresenta os principais trabalhos dos GTs do II Congresso Internacional de Comunicação e Educação nos temas&nbsp;Transformação social, com os artigos que abordam principalmente Educomunicação e/ou Mídia-Educação, no contexto de políticas de diversidade, inclusão e equidade; e, em Desenvolvimento Sustentável&nbsp;os artigos que abordam os avanços da relação comunicação/educação no contexto da educação ambiental e desenvolvimento sustentável