Metabolic disturbances due to a high-fat diet in a non-insulin-resistant animal model

OBJECTIVE: Shift workers have metabolic changes more often than day workers. It is also known that night workers prefer foods high in saturated fat. Such data suggest that shift workers are prone to cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the objective of this study was to propose an animal model to test the effect of high-fat diet (HFD) based on shift workers’ diet. METHODS: This is an experimental study with 20 Wistar rats. Ten rats were allocated to the control group (CG) and were fed standard diet. Ten rats were allocated to the experimental group (EG) and were fed HFD (45% fat). Serum triglycerides (TG), glucose and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-cho) were measured 5, 10 and 15 weeks after the beginning of the study. The amount of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was determined. Body weight was assessed weekly, and food and water intake were measured daily. Student’s t-test was used for independent samples, and Po0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: After 15 weeks of intervention, the EG showed increased serum levels of TG (P = 0.001) and glucose (Po0.001) and decreased HDL-cho (Po0.001) when compared with the CG. The EG showed increased VAT (P = 0.005) and liver weight (P = 0.01). Food intake and water intake were higher in the CG (Po0.001 and Po0.001, respectively), whereas energy intake showed no difference (P = 0.48). No difference was found in the weight of adrenal glands (P = 0.07) and body weight (P = 0.63). CONCLUSIONS: The experimental diet was effective to show changes in the serum levels of glucose, TG and HDL-cho and visceral fat in spite of no change in body weight in 15 weeks

Gabriela Mazepa: projetando a partir dos excessos da Moda / Gabriela Mazepa: projecting from fashion excesses

Este artigo tem como objetivo registrar a trajetória da designer de moda Gabriela Mazepa, que por meio de sua experiência e formação, tornou-se uma das pioneiras no Brasil a criar, produzir e estimular o uso de roupas dentro de uma perspectiva para uma moda mais sustentável. Sua vasta atuação abrange desde a produção industrial, aos projetos individuais ressignificando peças de roupas exclusivas, tanto no Brasil como em outros países como França, Inglaterra e Sri Lanka. A estilista criou a marca Re-roupa e difunde novas práticas em relação à moda, fazendo e ensinando a fazer, transformando roupas não mais valorizadas em produtos que se tornem objeto de desejo novamente. Cria moda levando em conta os três principais aspectos da sustentabilidade: sociais, econômicos e ambientais. Para garantir um registro coerente e relevante foram coletados dados por meio de revisão da literatura, publicações na web e entrevista com a própria profissional

Transcranial direct current stimulation to improve the dysfunction of descending pain modulatory system related to opioids in chronic non-cancer pain : an integrative review of neurobiology and meta-analysis

Background: Opioid long-term therapy can produce tolerance, opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH), and it induces dysfunction in pain descending pain inhibitory system (DPIS). Objectives: This integrative review with meta-analysis aimed: (i) To discuss the potential mechanisms involved in analgesic tolerance and opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). (ii) To examine how the opioid can affect the function of DPIS. (ii) To show evidence about the tDCS as an approach to treat acute and chronic pain. (iii) To discuss the effect of tDCS on DPIS and how it can counter-regulate the OIH. (iv) To draw perspectives for the future about the tDCS effects as an approach to improve the dysfunction in the DPIS in chronic non-cancer pain. Methods: Relevant published randomized clinical trials (RCT) comparing active (irrespective of the stimulation protocol) to sham tDCS for treating chronic non-cancer pain were identified, and risk of bias was assessed. We searched trials in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane trials databases. tDCS protocols accepted were application in areas of the primary motor cortex (M1), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), or occipital area. Results: Fifty-nine studies were fully reviewed, and 24 with moderate to the high-quality methodology were included. tDCS improved chronic pain with a moderate effect size [pooled standardized mean difference; −0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.91 to −0.41]. On average, active protocols led to 27.26% less pain at the end of treatment compared to sham [95% CI; 15.89–32.90%]. Protocol varied in terms of anodal or cathodal stimulation, areas of stimulation (M1 and DLPFC the most common), number of sessions (from 5 to 20) and current intensity (from 1 to 2mA). The time of application was 20min in 92% of protocols. Conclusion: In comparison with sham stimulation, tDCS demonstrated a superior effect in reducing chronic pain conditions. They give perspectives that the top-down neuromodulator effects of tDCS are a promising approach to improve management in refractory chronic not-cancer related pain and to enhance dysfunctional neuronal circuitries involved in the DPIS and other pain dimensions and improve pain control with a therapeutic opioid-free. However, further studies are needed to determine individualized protocols according to a biopsychosocial perspective

S-ketamine’s effect changes the cortical electrophysiological activity related to semantic affective dimension of pain : a placebo- controlled study in healthy male individuals

Background: Previous studies using the electroencephalogram (EEG) technique pointed out that ketamine decreases the amplitude of cortical electrophysiological signal during cognitive tasks, although its effects on the perception and emotional-valence judgment of stimuli are still unknown. Objective: We evaluated the effect of S-ketamine on affective dimension of pain using EEG and behavioral measures. The hypothesis was that S-ketamine would be more effective than placebo, both within and between groups, to attenuate the EEG signal elicited by target and non-target words. Methods: This double-blind parallel placebo-controlled study enrolled 24 healthy male volunteers between 19 and 40 years old. They were randomized to receive intravenous S-ketamine (n = 12) at a plasmatic concentration of 60 ng/ml or placebo (n = 12). Participants completed a computerized oddball paradigm containing written words semantically related to pain (targets), and non-pain related words (standard). The volunteers had to classify the words either as “positive,” “negative” or “neutral” (emotional valence judgment). The paradigm consisted in 6 blocks of 50 words each with a fixed 4:1 target/non-target rate presented in a single run. Infusion started during the interval between the 3rd and 4th blocks, for both groups. EEG signal was registered using four channels (Fz, Pz, Pz, and Oz, according to the 10–20 EEG system) with a linked-earlobe reference. The area under the curve (AUC) of the N200 (interval of 100–200 ms) and P300 (300–500 ms) components of event-related potentials (ERPs) was measured for each channel. Results: S-ketamine produced substantial difference (delta) in the AUC of grand average ERP components N200 (P = 0.05) and P300 (P = 0.02) at Pz during infusion period when compared to placebo infusion for both targets and non-targets. S-ketamine was also associated with a decrease in the amount of pain-related words judged as negative from before to after infusion [mean = 0.83 (SD = 0.09) vs. mean = 0.73 (SD = 0.11), respectively; P = 0.04]. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that S-ketamine actively changed the semantic processing of written words. There was an increase in electrophysiological response for pain-related stimuli and a decrease for standard stimuli, as evidenced by the increased delta of AUCs. Behaviorally, S-ketamine seems to have produced an emotional and discrimination blunting effect for pain-related words

Functional connectivity response to acute pain assessed by fNIRS is associated with BDNF genotype in fibromyalgia : an exploratory study

Fibromyalgia is a heterogenous primary pain syndrome whose severity has been associated with descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) function and functional connectivity (FC) between pain processing areas. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism has been linked to vulnerability to chronic pain. In this cross-sectional imaging genetics study, we investigated fbromyalgia, the relationship between BDNF Val66Met heterozygous genotypes (Val/Met), and the functional connectivity (FC) response pattern to acute pain stimulus in the motor (MC) and prefrontal (PFC) cortex assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) before and after a cold pressor test utilizing water (0–1 °C). Also, we assessed the relationship between this genotype with the DPMS function and quality of life. We included 42 women (Val/ Val = 30; Val/Met = 12) with fbromyalgia, ages 18–65. The MANCOVA comparing Val/Met to Val/Val genotypes showed higher ΔFC between left(l)-PFC—l-MC (β= 0.357, p = 0.048), l-PFC—right(r)-PFC (β= 0.249, p = 0.012), l-PFC—r-MC (β= 0.226, p = 0.022), and l-MC—r-PFC (β= 0.260, p = 0.016). Val/Met genotypes showed higher efciency of the DPMS and lower disability due to pain. Here we show that fbromyalgia patients carrying the Val/Met BDNF genotype presented an increased ΔFC across MC and PFC in response to acute pain associated with diferences in acute pain perception and fbromyalgia symptoms