Metabolic surgery: roux-en-Y gastric bypass and variables associated with diabetes remission in patients with BMI <35.

Metabolic results of bariatric surgery have determined an expansion of its traditional indications, being increasingly performed in non-severely obese patients, especially in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our aim is to determine the effectiveness of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) in T2DM remission in patients with body mass index (BMI) below 35 kg/m(2) and the variables associated with T2DM remission after surgery. Retrospective analysis of diabetic patients with BMI <35 kg/m(2) who underwent LRYGB in our center between 2002 and 2010 was done.

The cytotoxic effect of 2-acylated-1,4-naphthohydroquinones on leukemia/lymphoma cells.

Here, we tested seven 2-acylated-1,4-hydronaphthoquinones for their cytotoxic effects on a panel of cancer lymphoma/leukemia cells and compared to a non-cancer origin cell line. Several naphthohydroquinones exhibited selective cytotoxic effects on lymphoma/leukemia cells with lowest activity on non-cancer cells. The mode of cell death induced by an acylated naphthohydroquinone, which has a long alkyl chain, was found to be via apoptosis.

Microconductometric immunosensor for label-free and sensitive detection of Gram-negative bacteria.

Blood safety is a global health goal. In developed countries, bacterial contamination of platelet concentrates is the highest infectious risk in transfusion despite the current preventive strategies. We aimed to develop a conductometric biosensor for the generic, rapid and sensitive detection of Gram-negative bacteria.

Secondary metabolites from Eupenicillium parvum and their in vitro binding affinity for human opioid and cannabinoid receptors.

Phytochemical investigation of the soil microfungus Eupenicillum parvum led to the isolation of two new compounds: a chromone derivative euparvione (1) and a new mycophenolic derivative euparvilactone (2), as well as thirteen known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by means of extensive IR, NMR, and MS data and by comparison of data reported in the literature. The structure of the known compound 6 was confirmed by X-ray crystallography.

Secondary metabolites from the fungus Emericella nidulans.

A new polyketide derivative koninginin H (1), has been isolated from the fungus Emericella nidulans, together with koninginin E (2), koninginin A (3), trichodermatide B (4), citrantifidiol (5), (4S,5R)-4-hydroxy-5-methylfuran-2-one (6), the glycerol derivatives gingerglycolipid B (7), (2S)-bis[9Z,12Z]-1-O, 2-O-dilinoleoyl-3-O-[alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1" --> 6') beta-D-galactopyranosyl]glycerol (8), (2S)-bis[9Z,12Z]-1-O, 2-O-dilinoleoyl-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranosylglycerol (9), the cerebroside flavuside B (10), and the known sterols beta-sitosterol glucoside and ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3-ol. Their structures were established by extensive NMR studies (1H NMR, 13C NMR, DEPT, 1H-1H COSY, HSQC, HMBC) and mass spectrometry. The antibacterial, antimalarial, antifungal and antileishmanial activities of compounds 1-10 were examined and the results indicated that compound 4 showed good antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans with an IC50 value of 4.

Fatty acids with in vitro binding affinity for human opioid receptors from the fungus Emericella nidulans.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the EtOAc extracts of the epiphytic fungus Emericella nidulans resulted in the isolation of a mixture of two fatty acids. This mixture showed 98% binding affinity to human δ opioid receptor. These two fatty acids were identified as palmitic (PAM), 1, and linoleic acids (LNA), 2, by 1D NMR as well as by GC/MS analysis, after their methylation.

An innovative biologic recycling process of leukoreduction filters to produce active human antimicrobial peptides.

Background: Human neutrophil peptides (HNPs) 1 to 3 are the major antimicrobial peptides of the azurophilic granules of neutrophils. They represent an important arm of the innate immune system. Their production by chemical synthesis and recombinant technologies is expensive and limited by technical constraints due to their composition and the presence of three disulfide bonds.

A chemotaxonomic study of endemic species of genus Tanacetum from the Canary Islands.

Aerial parts of Tanacetum oshanahanii collected at "Jardín Canario Viera y Clavijo", Tanacetum ptarmiciflorum collected at Los Moriscos (Tejeda), and Tanacetum ferulaceum var. latipinnum collected at Anden Verde (Agaete) in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, afforded three sesquiterpenes related to nerolidol and six sesquiterpene lactones whose structures were established on the basis of their spectroscopic data and chemical transformations. In this work we show that this type of sesquiterpene lactones could be used as chemotaxonomic markers.

[The law of rights and duties of persons in health care from the viewpoint of bioethics].

The enactment of Law 20.584 in April of 2012 promotes a change in the physician-patient relationship, with recognition of people's rights and duties in healthcare by all the health professional and entities. The legal obligation, and not only the ethical one, as it currently happens, for humane treatment and regard for the dignity of the sick, informed consent, medical data confidentiality, the possibility to reject treatments, etc.

Neocosmospora sp.-derived resorcylic acid lactones with in vitro binding affinity for human opioid and cannabinoid receptors.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of a fungus Neocosmospora sp. (UM-031509) resulted in the isolation of three new resorcylic acid lactones, neocosmosin A (2), neocosmosin B (3), and neocosmosin C (4). Three known resorcylic acid lactones, monocillin IV (1), monocillin II (5), and radicicol (6), were also isolated and identified.

A new flavonoid C-glycoside from Solanum elaeagnifolium with hepatoprotective and curative activities against paracetamol-induced liver injury in mice.

A new flavonoid C-glycoside, kaempferol 8-C-beta-galactoside, along with twelve known glycosidic flavonoids was isolated from the aqueous methanolic extract of Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. (Solanaceae), by conventional chromatographic methods; their structure elucidation was achieved using UV, ESI-MS, and NMR spectral analyses. Groups of six mice were administered S.

Expression of histone acetylases p300 and PCAF in pediatric astrocytomas.

Objects: The protein 300 (p300) and p300/CBP-binding protein-associated factor (PCAF) are enzymes with histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity, a function that can become deregulated in different tumors and affect biological responses.

Methods: Due to the lack of information on the deregulation of these HATs in pediatric tumors, this study evaluated the expression of both the mRNA and proteins of p300 and PCAF in 54 samples of pediatric astrocytomas embedded in paraffin.

Results: PCAF was not expressed in normal brain tissue.

Acoustic radiation of a submerged cylindrical shell in low frequency.

The evaluation of sound pressure levels produced by submerged structures is a part of regulations on underwater noise pollution. The purpose of this work is the study of the underwater acoustic radiation of a stainless steel tube subjected to vibrations generated by a shock obtained by using a hammer. The vibrations of the tube, placed successively in air and in water, are measured by using accelerometers.

Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 291 diseases and injuries in 21 regions, 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010.

Background: Measuring disease and injury burden in populations requires a composite metric that captures both premature mortality and the prevalence and severity of ill-health. The 1990 Global Burden of Disease study proposed disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to measure disease burden. No comprehensive update of disease burden worldwide incorporating a systematic reassessment of disease and injury-specific epidemiology has been done since the 1990 study.

Years lived with disability (YLDs) for 1160 sequelae of 289 diseases and injuries 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010.

Background: Non-fatal health outcomes from diseases and injuries are a crucial consideration in the promotion and monitoring of individual and population health. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) studies done in 1990 and 2000 have been the only studies to quantify non-fatal health outcomes across an exhaustive set of disorders at the global and regional level. Neither effort quantified uncertainty in prevalence or years lived with disability (YLDs).

Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010.

Background: Reliable and timely information on the leading causes of death in populations, and how these are changing, is a crucial input into health policy debates. In the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2010 (GBD 2010), we aimed to estimate annual deaths for the world and 21 regions between 1980 and 2010 for 235 causes, with uncertainty intervals (UIs), separately by age and sex.

Methods: We attempted to identify all available data on causes of death for 187 countries from 1980 to 2010 from vital registration, verbal autopsy, mortality surveillance, censuses, surveys, hospitals, police records, and mortuaries.

Larazotide acetate in patients with coeliac disease undergoing a gluten challenge: a randomised placebo-controlled study.

Background: Coeliac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten ingestion, is managed by a gluten-free diet (GFD), which is difficult for many patients. Larazotide acetate is a first-in-class oral peptide that prevents tight junction opening, and may reduce gluten uptake and associated sequelae.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of larazotide acetate during gluten challenge.

Predicting contraceptive use from an egalitarian model of women's overall household power vis-à-vis conventional power models and third variables.

Research on gender power in contraceptive use has focused on whether women have an active role in household decision-making (the participation model) or on the extent of their control of domestic decisions (the control model); it has also addressed the joint effects of power, age, education and work. Findings published in this journal (Woldemicael, 2009) suggest a third power model according to which wives make joint decisions with their husbands on important domestic areas and autonomous decisions on secondary matters (the egalitarian model). In analyses of Demographic and Health Survey data sets from 46 countries, the egalitarian model explained contraceptive use better than the control and participation models in 19 out of 20 countries outside sub-Saharan Africa; its superiority was less overwhelming in this sub-continent.

Secondary metabolites from two species of Tolpis and their biological activities.

Phytochemical research of two Tolpis species, T. proustii and T. lagopoda, led to the isolation of three new compounds: 30-chloro-3β-acetoxy-22α-hydroxyl-20(21)-taraxastene (1), 3β,22α-diacetoxy-30-ethoxy-20(21)-taraxastene (2) and 3β,28-dihydroxy-11α-hydroperoxy-12-ursene (3).

Ayanin diacetate-induced cell death is amplified by TRAIL in human leukemia cells.

Here we demonstrate that the semi-synthetic flavonoid ayanin diacetate induces cell death selectively in leukemia cells without affecting the proliferation of normal lymphocytes. Incubation of human leukemia cells with ayanin diacetate induced G(2)-M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis which was prevented by the non-specific caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk and reduced by the overexpression of Bcl-x(L). Ayanin diacetate-induced cell death was found to be associated with: (i) loss of inner mitochondrial membrane potential, (ii) the release of cytochrome c, (iii) the activation of multiple caspases, (iv) cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and (v) the up-regulation of death receptors for TRAIL, DR4 and DR5.

Antimicrobial and antiprotozoal activities of secondary metabolites from the fungus Eurotium repens.

In this study, we examined in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, and antileishmanial activities of secondary metabolites (1-8) isolated from the fungus Eurotium repens. All compounds showed mild to moderate antibacterial or antifungal or both activities except 7. The activity of compound 6 was the best of the group tested.