Development of a Benzophenone-Free Red Propolis Extract and Evaluation of Its Efficacy against Colon Carcinogenesis.

Background/objectives: Brazilian red propolis has attracted attention for its pharmacological properties. However, signs of toxicity were recently observed in long-term studies using the hydroalcoholic extract of red propolis (RPHE), likely due to polyprenylated benzophenones. This study aimed to develop a benzophenone-free red propolis extract (BFRP) and validate an HPLC-PDA method to quantify its main constituents: isoliquiritigenin, vestitol, neovestitol, medicarpine, and 7--methylvestitol.

In vivo anti-inflammatory activity of BACCHARIN from BRAZILIAN green PROPOLIS.

Baccharin is one of the major compounds found in Brazilian green propolis and its botanical source, Baccharis dracunculifolia. Considering the biological effects of propolis and B. dracunculifolia, this study aims to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential of baccharin.

New ruthenium complexes containing salicylic acid and derivatives induce triple-negative tumor cell death via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

In this work we present the synthesis and characterization of six new ruthenium compounds with general formulae [Ru(L)(dppb)(bipy)]PF and [Ru(L)(dppe)]PF where L = salicylic acid (Sal), 4-aminosalicylic acid (AmSal) or 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DiSal), dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane, dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane and bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, cyclic voltammetry, NMR, UV-vis and IR spectroscopies, and two by X-ray crystallography. The P{H} NMR spectra of the complexes with the general formula [Ru(L)(dppe)]PF showed that the phosphorus signals are solvent-dependent.

Breast Milk Retinol Levels after Vitamin A Supplementation at Different Postpartum Amounts and Intervals.

Maternal vitamin A (VA) supplementation in risk areas for Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) was launched to improve the level of this nutrient in nursing mothers and in their breast milk. This longitudinal and randomized study aimed to evaluate the levels of retinol in breast milk after supplementation with VA in varying amounts (200,000 IU or 400,000 IU) and different postpartum intervals. Women were distributed into four intervention groups and given a single 200,000 IU postnatal dosage of VA at time 0 h (postnatal morning) (G200 0H); a single 200,000 IU dosage of VA in week four (G200 4W); 200,000 IU of VA at time 0 h + 200,000 IU of VA 24 h after the first supplementation (G400 24H); and 200,000 IU of VA at time 0 h + 200,000 IU of VA one week after the first supplementation (G400 1W).

Increased levels of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 in the hippocampus of subjects with bipolar disorder: a postmortem study.

Bipolar disorder shares symptoms and pathological pathways with other neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Since TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a neuropathological marker of frontotemporal dementia and it is involved in synaptic transmission, we explored the role of TDP-43 as a molecular feature of bipolar disorder (BD). Homogenates were acquired from frozen hippocampus of postmortem brains of bipolar disorder subjects.

Brain areas involved with obsessive-compulsive disorder present different DNA methylation modulation.

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive actions, that presents the involvement of the cortico-striatal areas. The contribution of environmental risk factors to OCD development suggests that epigenetic mechanisms may contribute to its pathophysiology. DNA methylation changes and gene expression were evaluated in post-mortem brain tissues of the cortical (anterior cingulate gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex) and ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus and putamen) areas from eight OCD patients and eight matched controls.

Are the 50's, the transition decade, in choroid plexus aging?

The choroid plexus (CP) is an important structure for the brain. Besides its major role in the production of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), it conveys signals originating from the brain, and from the circulatory system, shaping brain function in health and in pathology. Previous studies in rodents have revealed altered transcriptome both during aging and in various diseases of the central nervous system, including Alzheimer's disease.

Gymnastic Training of Hippotherapy Horses Benefits Gait Quality When Ridden by Riders with Different Body Weights.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of gymnastic training on stride characteristics of walk and trot in therapy horses carrying riders of different weights. Eighteen horses used for therapeutic riding 5 days/week were randomly divided into 2 groups. Nine horses performed gymnastic (GYM) exercises after therapeutic riding on 4 days/week for 3 months, 9 horses did no additional exercises (SED).

Eficacy of ivermectin, moxidectin and febendazole in equine in Brazil.

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy of three anthelmintic drugs, i.e. fenbendazole, ivermectin and moxidectin; to determine the genera and species of the most abundant strongyles; and to investigate parasite control measures used in herds of horses in the western region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

A Supramolecular Interaction of a Ruthenium Complex With Calf-Thymus DNA: A Ligand Binding Approach by NMR Spectroscopy.

Lawsone itself exhibits interesting biological activities, and its complexation with a metal center can improve the potency. In this context a cytotoxic Ru-complex, [Ru(law)(dppb)(bipy)] (law = lawsone, dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane and bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine), named as CBLAU, was prepared as reported. In this work, NMR binding-target studies were performed to bring to light the most accessible interaction sites of this Ru-complex toward Calf-Thymus DNA (CT-DNA, used as a model), in a similar approach used for other metallic complexes with anti-cancer activity, such as cisplatin and carboplatin.

Digestibility of Insect Meals for Nile Tilapia Fingerlings.

Insects are a valuable source of nutrients for fish, but little is known about their nutritional value for Nile tilapia fingerlings. To evaluate the nutritional value and energy apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of five insects for Nile Tilapia male fingerlings, 900 fish were distributed in 18 fiberglass conic tanks, in a completely randomized design, with six dietary treatments (control, meal (NCM) (Blattodea), larvae meal (ZMM) (Coleptera), meal (GPM) (Blattodea), meal (GAM) (Orthoptera) and larvae meal (TMM) (Coleptera)) and three replicates (tanks), each containing 50 fish. The control diet had no insect meal included and the other five treatments comprised 80% commercial diet and 20% test ingredient with 0.

Carbonyl-heterobimetallic Ru(II)/Fe(II)-complexes containing polypyridyl ligands: Synthesis, characterization, cellular viability assays and interactions with biomolecules.

This paper describes on the interaction studies of carbonyl heterobimetallic compounds of Ru(II)/Fe(II) containing polypyridyl ligands, with general formula ct-[RuCl(CO)(N-N)(dppf)]PF, N-N = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) 5; dipyrido[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline (dpq) 6; dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz) 7; dipyrido[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxalino[2,3-b]quinoxaline (dpqQX) 8 and dppf = 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino) ferrocene], with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Also, it describes the cellular viability assays of these complexes in tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic cell lines. The carbonyl complexes 5-8 and their respective precursors with formula cis-[RuCl(N-N)(dppf)], N-N = phen (1), dpq (2), dppz (3) and dpqQX (4), were characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, UV-vis, H and P{H} NMR).

Layer-specific reduced neuronal density in the orbitofrontal cortex of older adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Neurobiological models have provided consistent evidence of the involvement of cortical-subcortical circuitry in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), involved in motivation and emotional responses, is an important regulatory node within this circuitry. However, OFC abnormalities at the cellular level have so far not been studied.

Phase angle assessment in critically ill cancer patients: Relationship with the nutritional status, prognostic factors and death.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between phase angle (PA) and nutritional status and the prognostic significance of PA in critically ill cancer patients.

Methods: 31 patients that had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a center on oncology were evaluated. Their PA was obtained from their bioelectrical impedance within 48 h of the ICU admission.

Factors associated with brain volume in major depression in older adults without dementia: results from a large autopsy study.

Objective: We examined brain volume and atrophy in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) without dementia that were referred to a large autopsy service. We also examined potential risk factors for brain atrophy, including demographics and clinical variables.

Methods: In this study, 1373 participants (787 male) aged 50 years or older who died from natural causes were included.

Three-dimensional and stereological characterization of the human substantia nigra during aging.

The human brain undergoes non-uniform changes during aging. The substantia nigra (SN), the source of major dopaminergic pathways in the brain, is particularly vulnerable to changes in the progression of several age-related neurodegenerative diseases. To establish normative data for high-resolution imaging, and to further clinical and anatomical studies we analyzed SNs from 15 subjects aged 50-91 cognitively normal human subjects without signs of parkinsonism.

Ru(II)-based complexes with N-(acyl)-N',N'-(disubstituted)thiourea ligands: Synthesis, characterization, BSA- and DNA-binding studies of new cytotoxic agents against lung and prostate tumour cells.

Four ruthenium(II)-based complexes with N-(acyl)-N',N'-(disubstituted)thiourea derivatives (Th) were obtained. The compounds, with the general formula trans-[Ru(PPh3)2(Th)(bipy)]PF6, interact with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and DNA. BSA-binding constants, which were in the range of 3.

Volumetric and functional evaluation of the gluteus maximus muscle after augmentation gluteoplasty using silicone implants.

Background: The gluteal muscles have been very important throughout the evolution of mankind for the adoption of the bipedal posture. Over the past 15 years, the intramuscular technique has become popular and has been improved, with enhanced results and reduced levels of postoperative complications. The insertion of gluteal implants within the musculature may be an intrinsic compression factor of these muscles.

Occurrence of Helicobacter pylori and Epstein-Barr virus infection in endoscopic and gastric cancer patients from Northern Brazil.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (HP) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) have been associated with cancer development. We evaluated the prevalence of HP, HP CagA+ and EBV infection in gastric cancer (GC) samples from adults and in gastric tissues from patients who underwent upper endoscopy (UE).

Methods: Samples from UE and GC were collected to investigate the presence of HP infection and the HP virulence factor CagA by a urease test and PCR.

Antiparasitic activities of novel ruthenium/lapachol complexes.

The present study describes the synthesis, characterization, antileishmanial and antiplasmodial activities of novel diimine/(2,2'-bipyridine (bipy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 4,4'-methylbipyridine (Me-bipy) and 4,4'-methoxybipyridine (MeO-bipy)/phosphine/ruthenium(II) complexes containing lapachol (Lap, 2-hydroxy-3-(3-33 methyl-2-buthenyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone) as bidentate ligand. The [Ru(Lap)(PPh3)2(bipy)]PF6 (1), [Ru(Lap)(PPh3)2(Me-bipy)]PF6 (2), [Ru(Lap)(PPh3)2(MeO-bipy)]PF6(3) and[Ru(Lap)(PPh3)2(phen)]PF6 (4) complexes, PPh3=triphenylphospine, were synthesized from the reactions of cis-[RuCl2(PPh3)2(X-bipy)] or cis-[RuCl2(PPh3)2(phen)], with lapachol. The [RuCl2(Lap)(dppb)] (5) [dppb=1,4-bis(diphenylphosphine)butane] was synthesized from the mer-[RuCl3(dppb)(H2O)] complex.

Malignant hyperthermia in Brazil: analysis of hotline activity in 2009.

Background And Objectives: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a pharmacogenetic disease that causes abnormal hypermetabolic reaction to halogenated anesthetics and/or depolarizing muscle relaxants. In Brazil, there is a hotline telephone service for MH since 1991, available 24 hours a day in São Paulo. This article analyzes the activity of the Brazilian hotline service for MH in 2009.

Malignant hyperthermia in Brazil: analysis of hotline activity in 2009.

Background And Objectives: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a pharmacogenetic disease that causes abnormal hypermetabolic reaction to halogenated anesthetics and/or depolarizing muscle relaxants. In Brazil, there is a hotline telephone service for MH since 1991, available 24 hours a day in São Paulo. This article analyzes the activity of the Brazilian hotline service for MH in 2009.

What do patients know about the work of anesthesiologists?

Background And Objectives: Modern international studies portray the lack of knowledge of patients regarding the education and role of anesthesiologists. There are no current data on this subject in the national scenario. The objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of patients about the education and areas of performance of these specialists.

[Men and conjugal violence: an analysis of Brazilian studies].

This study consisted of a qualitative analysis of 54 Brazilian texts about men and conjugal violence related to research or intervention activities. Initially, the material was divided up according to the topics under scrutiny, the main focus and the type of text. Analysis and synthesis of the main considerations of the texts, based on the thematic points revealed, was then carried out.