NBCAL violation of products that compete with breastfeeding on the social network Instagram.

The article aims to identify NBCAL violations and analyze the content of messages posted on the Instagram social network. This qualitative-quantitative study consisted of a convenience sample of profiles identified through specific terms preceded by the hashtag symbol (#). Data were collected for two months by trained researchers using a structured questionnaire.

Kisspeptin treatment reverses high prolactin levels and improves gonadal function in hypothyroid male rats.

We evaluated whether the administration of kisspeptin-10 (Kp10) is capable of restoring gonadal function in hypothyroid male rats. Hypothyroidism was induced with 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) for three months. In the last month, half of the hypothyroid animals were treated with Kp10.

Nasal-PAMPA: A novel non-cell-based high throughput screening assay for prediction of nasal drug permeability.

In nasal drug product development, screening studies are vital to select promising compounds or formulations. The Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay (PAMPA), a high throughput screening tool, has been applied to evaluate drug permeability across several barriers such as the skin or blood-brain barrier. Herein, a new nasal-PAMPA model was optimized to predict nasal permeability, using a biorelevant donor medium containing mucin.

Green Process for Xylooligosaccharides Production using an Pulp.

Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) are oligomers with recognized and important prebiotic properties, whose consumption is associated with several health benefits, including a positive impact on the immune system. In this work, XOS were produced through a green process of enzymatic hydrolysis performed directly on an intermediate product from a pulp and paper industry, bleached pulp. Focusing on an industrial, sustainable and more economical application, two goals were defined and validated: (i) no pretreatment of the substrate and (ii) the replacement of the commonly used buffer solution as reaction medium for only water.

Norepinephrine modulation of heat dissipation in female rats lacking estrogen.

Postmenopausal hot flushes are caused by lack of estradiol (E2) but their neuroendocrine basis is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the interrelationship between norepinephrine and hypothalamic neurons, with emphasis on kisspeptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), as a regulatory pathway in the vasomotor effects of E2. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats displayed increased tail skin temperature (TST), and this increase was prevented in OVX rats treated with E2 (OVX + E2).

Prior aerobic physical training modulates neuropeptide expression and central thermoregulation after ovariectomy in the rat.

This study compared the effects of aerobic physical training and estradiol (E2) replacement on central pathways involved with thermoregulation in ovariectomized rats. Rats were assigned to untrained ovariectomized treated with placebo (UN-OVX), untrained ovariectomized treated with E2 (E2-OVX), and trained ovariectomized (TR-OVX) groups. Tail skin temperature (TST), internal temperature (Tint), and basal oxygen consumption (VO) were recorded.

Hypothalamic Expression of Estrogen Receptor Isoforms Underlies Estradiol Control of Luteinizing Hormone in Female Rats.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion during the ovarian cycle is governed by fluctuations in circulating estradiol (E2) that oppositely regulate kisspeptin neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) and arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus. However, how these effects are orchestrated to achieve fertility is unknown. Here, we have tested the hypothesis that AVPV and ARC neurons have different sensitivities to E2 to coordinate changes in LH secretion.

Kisspeptin Treatment Restores Ovarian Function in Rats with Hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism causes ovarian dysfunction and infertility in women, in addition to being associated with hyperprolactinemia and reduced hypothalamic expression of kisspeptin (Kp). However, it remains unknown whether and how Kp is able to reverse the ovarian dysfunction caused by hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism was induced in adult female Wistar rats using 6-propyl-2-thiouracil for 3 months.

Spray dried powders for nasal delivery: Process and formulation considerations.

Powders for nasal delivery have been recognized as advantageous dosage forms over liquids due to increased stability and residence time on nasal mucosa, with improved bioavailability. They can be manufactured by spray-drying, allowing the optimization of the particle properties that are critical to guarantee nasal deposition, as size and shape. It is also a scalable and flexible method already explored extensively in the pharmaceutical industry.

Using Graphene-Based Materials for Stiff and Strong Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels.

Blood-contacting devices are increasingly important for the management of cardiovascular diseases. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels represent one of the most explored hydrogels to date. However, they are mechanically weak, which prevents their use in load-bearing biomedical applications (e.

[Conceptions in dispute in the use of micronutrient supplementation and/or fortification in school programs for prevention of anemia].

Iron deficiency anemia affects different populations worldwide, and in Brazil it is one of the principal childhood nutritional deficiencies. Different strategies have been proposed by international agencies and the Brazilian Ministry of Health for its prevention. The study aimed to analyze the ideas in dispute, expressed in official documents and narratives by health and education workers concerning the use of nutritional supplementation and/or fortification as a measure in schools to prevent anemia.

Grafting MSI-78A onto chitosan microspheres enhances its antimicrobial activity.

MSI-78A (Pexiganan A) is one of the few antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) able to kill Helicobacter pylori, a pathogenic bacterium that colonizes the gastric mucosa of half of the world's population. Antibiotics fail in 20-40% of H. pylori-infected patients, reinforcing the need for alternative treatments.

Food environment surrounding public and private schools: an opportunity or challenge for healthy eating?

The study analyzed and compared the types of food sold in the surroundings of 30 private and 26 public elementary schools in the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro. Data were collected by audit using a checklist instrument to characterize establishments (formal or informal) and identify the types of food and beverages sold, which were classified by processing level (fresh, processed, and ultraprocessed). Mann-Whitney statistical tests were used to verify the difference in the type of trade outlets d the categories of food sold between schools.

Graphene Oxide Coating Improves the Mechanical and Biological Properties of Decellularized Umbilical Cord Arteries.

The lack of small-diameter vascular grafts (inner diameter <5 mm) to substitute autologous grafts in arterial bypass surgeries has a massive impact on the prognosis and progression of cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death globally. Decellularized arteries from different sources have been proposed as an alternative, but their poor mechanical performance and high collagen exposure, which promotes platelet and bacteria adhesion, limit their successful application. In this study, these limitations were surpassed for decellularized umbilical cord arteries through the coating of their lumen with graphene oxide (GO).

Graphene-based materials: the key for the successful application of pHEMA as a blood-contacting device.

Thrombosis and infection are the leading causes of blood-contacting device (BCD) failure, mainly due to the poor performance of existing biomaterials. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) has excellent hemocompatibility but the weak mechanical properties impair its use as a bulk material for BCD. As such, pHEMA has been explored as a coating, despite the instability and difficulty of attachment to the underlying polymer compromise its success.

[Competing ideas on the State's roles in the prevention and control of childhood obesity in Brazil].

The study analyzed competing ideas on the State's roles in the prevention and control of childhood obesity in Brazil, with cognitive analysis of public policies as the frame of reference. The study included document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals from government, organized civil society, and the commercial private sector. The State was viewed as the main party responsible for dealing with childhood obesity, but the definitions of its roles varied according to the narratives on the factors that condition obesity and the proposed solutions.

Erratum: Borges, I., et al. Exposure of Smaller and Oxidized Graphene on Polyurethane Surface Improves its Antimicrobial Performance. 2020, , 349.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...

Purchases from family agriculture for school feeding in Brazilian capitals.

OBJECTIVE To analyze how the profile of food purchases from family farming under the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) is related to socioeconomic and demographic indicators in Brazilian capitals. METHODS This cross-sectional and descriptive study was based on secondary data from 2016 and 2017 from the Brazilian government. We used demographic and socioeconomic data, as well as the amount of federal funding; the percentage used purchases of food from family farming and the public call notices.

Reduced dopaminergic tone during lactation is permissive to the hypothalamic stimulus for suckling-induced prolactin release.

Dopamine from tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurones tonically inhibits prolactin (PRL) secretion. Lactational hyperprolactinaemia is associated with a reduced activity of TIDA neurones. However, it remains controversial whether the suckling-induced PRL surge is driven by an additional decrease in dopamine release or by stimulation from a PRL-releasing factor.

Orally administrated chitosan microspheres bind Helicobacter pylori and decrease gastric infection in mice.

Persistent Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is related to 90% of gastric cancers. With bacterial resistance rising and treatment inefficiency affecting 15% of the patients, alternative treatments urge.

[Brazilian government proposals for actions to prevent and control overweight and obesity from a local perspective].

The article analyzes actions in the prevention and control of overweight and obesity that have been developed in the 92 municipalities (counties) in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, based on underlying principles in the typology of public policies developed by Lowi and Line of Care for Overweight and Obesity, according to the following analytical dimensions: program actions in prevention and control of obesity, characterization of macro policies according to the Lowi typology, and characterization of macro policies according to the Line of Care for Overweight and Obesity. The study is part of a research project from 2014 to 2018 that aimed to identify the strategies and challenges in the consolidation of the actions planned in the Line of Care for Overweight and Obesity, based on analysis of secondary data and government documents; searches in the municipalities' official websites; interviews; focus groups; and online questionnaires with health professionals and managers. The documents point to a series of actions such as individual consultations, support groups, health gyms, school health programs, and others, reinforced by the interviewees' narratives.

Graphene Surfaces Interaction with Proteins, Bacteria, Mammalian Cells, and Blood Constituents: The Impact of Graphene Platelet Oxidation and Thickness.

Graphene-based materials (GBMs) have been increasingly explored for biomedical applications. However, interaction between GBMs-integrating surfaces and bacteria, mammalian cells, and blood components, that is, the major biological systems in our body, is still poorly understood. In this study, we systematically explore the features of GBMs that most strongly impact the interactions of GBMs films with plasma proteins and biological systems.

Exposure of Smaller and Oxidized Graphene on Polyurethane Surface Improves its Antimicrobial Performance.

Catheter-related infections are a common worldwide health problem, highlighting the need for antimicrobial catheters. Here, antibacterial potential of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) incorporated in the commonly used polymer for catheter manufacture-polyurethane (PU)-is investigated. Two strategies are explored: melt-blending, producing a composite, and dip coating, where a composite layer is deposited on top of PU.

Estradiol Potentiates But Is Not Essential for Prolactin-Induced Suppression of Luteinizing Hormone Pulses in Female Rats.

Hyperprolactinemia causes infertility by suppressing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. Because effects of prolactin (PRL) on the hypothalamus usually require estradiol (E2), we investigated the role of E2 in PRL-induced suppression of LH pulses. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats treated with oil or E2 (OVX + E2) received a subcutaneous injection of ovine PRL (oPRL) 30 minutes before serial measurement of LH in the tail blood by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Perception of the operating agents about the Brazilian National School Feeding Program.

Objective: Identify the perception operating agents have on the Brazilian National School Feeding Program.

Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional and quali-quantitative study developed in non-probability and convenience sampling selected in an event promoted by the National Fund for Educational Development in 2015 in Rio de Janeiro. Data were collected through questions related to pre-defined categories concerning the National School Feeding Program.