Aluminum affects neural phenotype determination of embryonic neural progenitor cells.

Aluminum (Al) is a neurotoxin and is associated with the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Al-free ion (Al) is the biologically reactive and toxic form. However, the underlying mechanisms of Al toxicity in the brain remain unclear.

Correlations between Traditional and Nontraditional Indicators of Adiposity, Inflammation, and Monocyte Subtypes in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Recruitment of monocytes and low-grade inflammation process are both involved in obesity and in atherosclerosis. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation among indicators of adiposity, monocyte subtypes, and inflammatory markers in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study including 97 patients with stable CAD aged >40 years.

Loss of enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) at tumor invasion front is correlated with higher aggressiveness in colorectal cancer cells.

Purpose: Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is associated with epigenetic gene silencing and aggressiveness in many tumor types. However, the prognostic impact of high EZH2 expression is controversially discussed for colorectal cancer. For this reason, we immunohistochemically analyzed EZH2 expression in 105 specimens from colon cancer patients separately for tumor center and invasion front.

Optimized immobilization of polygalacturonase from Aspergillus niger following different protocols: Improved stability and activity under drastic conditions.

Polygalacturonase (PG) from Aspergillus niger was immobilized using glyoxyl, vinylsulfone or glutaraldehyde-activated supports. The use of supports pre-activated with glutaraldehyde presented the best results. The immobilization of PG on glutaraldehyde-supports was studied under different conditions: at pH 5 for 24 h; at pH 5, 6.

Resilience and coping strategies in cognitive behavioral group therapy for patients with panic disorder.

Background: Although resilience and coping are important factors associated with mental health, they are rarely investigated in the treatment of patients with panic disorder (PD).

Objective: To evaluate the response to four resilience and coping strategy sessions added to the standard cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) protocol for PD.

Design: Controlled clinical trial.

Stability/activity features of the main enzyme components of rohapect 10L.

Rohapect 10L is an enzyme cocktail commercialized for juice clarification. Here, we characterized the activity and stability of five enzymatic activities present in this cocktail: total pectinase (PE), polygalacturonase (PG), pectin lyase (PL), pectin methyl esterase (PME), and total cellulase (CE) activities. All these enzyme activities have the maximum activity and stability at pH 4, conditions near those found in most fruit juices.

Clinical and Psychological Outcomes of the Use of Vaginal Dilators After Gynaecological Brachytherapy: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the dimensions of the vaginal canal in patients undergoing gynaecological brachytherapy and the effect of the use of vaginal dilators (VD) used in the follow-up of pelvic physiotherapy.

Methods: A total of 88 patients were randomly allocated to the control group (CG) and intervention group (IG). Three evaluations were performed: pre-brachytherapy, post-brachytherapy and follow-up of 3 months.

Rosmarinic acid improves oxidative stress parameters and mitochondrial respiratory chain activity following 4-aminopyridine and picrotoxin-induced seizure in mice.

Studies have indicated that epilepsy, an important neurological disease, can generate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, among other damages to the brain. In this context, the use of antioxidant compounds could provide neuroprotection and help to reduce the damage caused by epileptic seizures and thereby the use of anticonvulsant drugs. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is an ester of caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylactic acid that prevents cell damage caused by free radicals, acting as an antioxidant.

Isthmocele: an overview of diagnosis and treatment.

An isthmocele, a cesarean scar defect or uterine niche, is any indentation representing myometrial discontinuity or a triangular anechoic defect in the anterior uterine wall, with the base communicating to the uterine cavity, at the site of a previous cesarean section scar. It can be classified as a small or large defect, depending on the wall thickness of the myometrial deficiency. Although usually asymptomatic, its primary symptom is abnormal or postmenstrual bleeding, and chronic pelvic pain may also occur.

Ovariectomy predisposes female rats to fine particulate matter exposure's effects by altering metabolic, oxidative, pro-inflammatory, and heat-shock protein levels.

The reduction of estrogen levels, as a result of menopause, is associated with the development of metabolic diseases caused by alterations in oxidative stress (OS), inflammatory biomarkers, and 70-kDa heat-shock protein (HSP70) expression. Additionally, exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution modifies liver OS levels and predisposes organisms to metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We investigated whether ovariectomy affects hepatic tissue and alters glucose metabolism in female rats exposed to particulate air pollution.

Combination of 5-fluorouracil and thymoquinone targets stem cell gene signature in colorectal cancer cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) residing in colorectal cancer tissues have tumorigenic capacity and contribute to chemotherapeutic resistance and disease relapse. It is well known that the survival of colorectal CSCs after 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based therapy leads to cancer recurrence. Thus CSCs represent a promising drug target.

Predictive and concurrent validity of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool using mid-upper arm circumference instead of body mass index.

Background: Considering the difficulty in obtaining weight and height measurements of patients at hospital admission, the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) proposes the use of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) instead of body mass index (BMI) as an alternative for screening of malnutrition risk. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of MUST with MUAC in place of BMI to identify nutritional risk and predict prolonged hospitalisation and mortality in hospitalised patients.

Methods: The prospective cohort study involved ambulant patients aged ≥18 years who were admitted to the emergency department of a public hospital.

Positive Psychology and Gratitude Interventions: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a gratitude intervention on a community sample of adults in relation to aspects involving well-being and mental health. A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 1,337 participants, composed of an intervention group (Gratitude group, = 446), and two control groups (Hassles group, = 444 and Neutral Events group, = 447). Participants assigned to the intervention condition were asked to write daily gratitude lists for 14 days, listing moments they had been grateful for during the day.

Is cachexia associated with chemotherapy toxicities in gastrointestinal cancer patients? A prospective study.

Background: Chemotherapy is an effective treatment with good clinical response in patients with cancer. However, it can cause exacerbated toxicities in patients and consequently change the course of treatment. Some factors may interfere with this toxicity such as body composition, especially in gastrointestinal cancer.

Role of structural ions on the dynamics of the Pseudomonas fluorescens 07A metalloprotease.

The molecular dynamics of the Pseudomonas fluorescens 07A metalloprotease in the presence of structural Ca and Mn ions was evaluated. Seven Ca ions are primarily bound to the C-terminus, while a divalent cation is located at the catalytic site, acting as a cofactor. The observed enzyme's experimental activity suggests that Mn could compete for the active site of the enzyme with Ca, Zn or other divalent cations, thus providing greater catalytic power to the enzyme.

Effects of High-Fat Diet on eHSP72 and Extra-to-Intracellular HSP70 Levels in Mice Submitted to Exercise under Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter.

Obesity, air pollution, and exercise induce alterations in the heat shock response (HSR), in both intracellular 70 kDa heat shock proteins (iHSP70) and the plasmatic extracellular form (eHSP72). Extra-to-intracellular HSP70 ratio (H-index = eHSP70/iHSP70 ratio) represents a candidate biomarker of subclinical health status. This study investigated the effects of moderate- and high-intensity exercise in the HSR and oxidative stress parameters, in obese mice exposed to fine particulate matter (PM).

The role of the genetic variants IRX3 rs3751723 and FTO rs9939609 in the obesity phenotypes of children and adolescents.

Objective: We investigated the association of IRX3 SNP rs3751723 with anthropometric characteristics related to adiposity and potential relationships with FTO SNP rs9939609 in a population of Brazilian children and adolescents.

Methods: A total of 871 children and adolescents between 7 and 17 years of age were recruited. Adiposity measurements and biochemical parameters were assessed.

Supplementation of Probiotics and Its Effects on Physically Active Individuals and Athletes: Systematic Review.

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the effects of probiotic supplementation on physically active individuals. The participants, interventions, comparisons, outcome and study design inclusion criteria were (a) studies involving healthy adults or older subjects of both sexes who did physical exercise (including athletes and physically active individuals), (b) interventions with probiotics, (c) inclusion of a control group, (d) outcomes not previously defined, and (e) clinical trials and randomized clinical trials, with no language or date restrictions. The search was conducted in the following scientific databases: MEDLINE, Embase, SciELO, Scopus, and Lilacs.

Alteplase and DNase for the treatment of pleural empyema in rats.

Background And Objectives: Adjunctive intrapleural fibrinolytic is an option to treat empyema at fibrinopurulent stage, but there is controversy about which should be use. Our objective is to evaluate the action of alteplase and/or desoxyribonuclease at physical and chemical properties in vitro pus derived from an experimental induced empyema in rats.

Methods: Streptococcus pneumoniae was introduced into the pleural cavity by thoracentesis through pleural pressure monitor.

Low DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes of healthy elderly individuals with inverted CD4:CD8 ratio.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes and the frequencies of CD8+ T cells expressing CD25, CD28 and CD45ro in aged individuals with inverted CD4:CD8 ratio. Blood samples of elderly individuals (aged >65) with normal CD4:CD8 ratio (n = 8) and inverted CD4:CD8 ratio (n = 8) were collected to identify the expression of CD25+, CD28+ and CD45ro+ in CD8+ T cells. DNA damage index was evaluated by the alkaline comet assay which was performed in lymphocytes treated with different concentrations of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) (control non-treatment, 2 × 10 M, 4 × 10 M) for 1, 2 or 24 h.

Mechanically-enhanced polysaccharide-based scaffolds for tissue engineering of soft tissues.

Collagen-based materials are probably among the most used class of biomaterials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Although collagen is often privileged for providing a suitable substrate on which cells can be cultured or a matrix in which cells can be dispersed, its mechanical properties represent a major limitation for clinical translation and even for handling of the obtained regenerated tissue. In this work, the combination of polysaccharides chitosan (Ch) and xanthan gum (X) was investigated as an alternative for scaffolds for soft tissue engineering.

Nutrition screening in public hospital emergency rooms: Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 can be applied.

Objective: To evaluate the agreement between two nutritional screening tools (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool [MUST] and Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 [NRS-2002]) and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) to identify nutritional risk in patients admitted to public emergency rooms.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Patients aged ≥18 years who were admitted to an emergency room of a tertiary public hospital were evaluated.

Zinc supplementation reduces diet-induced obesity and improves insulin sensitivity in rats.

Rates of obesity have been growing at alarming rates, compromising the health of the world population. Thus, the search for interventions that address the metabolic repercussions of obesity are necessary. Here we evaluated the metabolic and antioxidant effects of zinc and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) supplementation on obese rats.