Molluscicidal activity of Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae) stem bark ethanolic extract against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818): a novel plant-derived molluscicide?

Plant-derived molluscicides have been indicated as biodegradable and low-cost strategies for control of Biomphalaria spp., intermediate host for the Schistosoma. This study evaluated whether the crude ethanolic extract of the Persea americana stem bark has molluscicidal activity against embryos, newly-hatched and adults of Biomphalaria glabrata.

Effects of fractionation and ionizing radiation dose on the chemical composition and microhardness of enamel.

Objective: To evaluate the chemical and mechanical properties of enamel submitted to different in vitro radiation protocols.

Design: Third molars were divided into seven groups (n = 8): non-irradiated (NI); a single dose of 30 Gy (SD30), 50 Gy (SD50), or 70 Gy (SD70) of radiation; or fractional radiation doses of up to 30 Gy (FD30), 50 Gy (FD50), or 70 Gy (FD70). Hemisections were analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Knoop microhardness (KHN) test.

Obesity agenda in Brazil, conflicts of interest and corporate activity.

Obesity is a social and health problem of global dimensions that demands coordinated solutions from different sectors as well as intersectoral efforts to overcome it. However, policies to overcome obesity affect the interests of the commercial private sector. In Brazil, the Intersectoral Strategy for Obesity Prevention and Control (EIPCO) is the result of participative public action and integrates a set of policies in the field of food and nutrition security.

SARC-F Is Better Correlated with Muscle Function Indicators than Muscle Mass in Older Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Sarcopenia can be characterized by European Consensus for Sarcopenia (EWGSOP2) criteria, but it methods are not easily accessible. Likewise, the Strength, Assistance with walking, Rise from a Chair, Climb stairs and Falls (SARC-F) has been proposed.

Objective: The aim of this study was i) to evaluate the prevalence for risk sarcopenia and ii) to correlate the SARC-F with components of the EWGSOP2 consensus in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Epidemiological trends of leprosy in Goiás, Brasil.

Brazil is the second nation in absolute number of new cases of leprosy in the world. The country presents many regions highly endemic to the disease, as is the case of the Goiás. The present study aims to analyze the temporal trends of leprosy indicators in Goiás between 2006 and 2015.

Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. africanum isolated from a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis in Brazil.

Human tuberculosis (TB) is caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), including Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. tuberculosis (MTB) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. africanum (MAF).

What are the factors associated with sarcopenia-related variables in adult women with severe obesity?

Background: Understanding the association between sarcopenia-related variables and several risk factors may help to implement interventions aimed at preventing its occurrence by reducing or controlling the identified risk factors. Although changes in body composition occur in both sexes, in women, muscle loss is accentuated due to decreased estrogen levels following menopause. This study aims to determine the factors associated with sarcopenia-related parameters in middle-aged women identified with class II/III obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 35 kg/m).

Worldwide public policies for celiac disease: are patients well assisted?

Objectives: To evaluate public policies (PP) to celiac disease (CD) patients and classify countries regarding the level of assistance provided by the Public Policies for Celiac Disease Score.

Methods: Countries were scored from 0 to 6 according to the existence of PP regarding industrial food and meal regulations, health service support, food allowance/financial incentive, gluten-free (GF) food certification, and CD associations. Subsequently, countries were allocated to continents.

Creatine supplementation does not promote additional effects on inflammation and insulin resistance in older adults: A pilot randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: A chronic, low-grade inflammation is commonly present in older adults and has been associated with the onset of age-related chronic diseases. Resistance training (RT) and creatine (CR) supplementation emerged as promising strategies to reduce circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study aimed to investigate the effects of CR supplementation combined with RT on markers of inflammation and insulin resistance in community-dwelling older adults.

Tumoral and stromal expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and VEGF-A in cervical cancer patient survival: a competing risk analysis.

Background: Expression of matrix metalloproteases 2, 9 and 14 (MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14), tissue inhibitors of metalloprotease 1 and 2 (TIMP-1, TIMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is involved in tumor invasion and metastasis via extracellular matrix degradation and angiogenesis. This study aimed to assess whether the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 in tumors and in the adjacent stroma is associated with cervical cancer prognosis.

Methods: This study analyzed a retrospective cohort of 64 patients.

Hancornia speciosa serum fraction latex stimulates the angiogenesis and extracellular matrix remodeling processes.

The Hancornia speciosa latex reveals angiogenic, osteogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties, which present its potential for developing of wound healing drugs; however, the latex compounds responsible for angiogenesis remain unknown. One strategy to screen these active compounds is evaluation of latex fractions. This study aimed to obtain different fractions of latex and evaluate its angiogenic activity separately using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay.

Hot melt-extrusion improves the properties of cyclodextrin-based poly(pseudo)rotaxanes for transdermal formulation.

This study aimed to investigate whether hot-melt extrusion (HME) processing can modify the interactions between drugs, cyclodextrins and polymers, and in turn alter the microstructure and properties of supramolecular gels. Mixtures composed of amphiphilic polymer (Soluplus), cyclodextrin (HPβCD or αCD), plasticizer (PEG400 or PEG6000) and colloidal silicon dioxide were processed by HME. Carvedilol (CAR) was added to the formulation aiming its transdermal delivery.

Associated Factors of Quality of Life in Prison Officers, Brazil.

This study analyzed factors associated with the quality of life (QoL) of prison officers (POs) in the Midwest Region of Brazil. POs in five penitentiary units participated in this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic data were obtained through face to face interview and a World Health Organization Quality of Life abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire was applied to assess QoL.

Effects of turmeric extract supplementation on inflammation and muscle damage after a half-marathon race: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Purpose: Strenuous exercise induces inflammation and muscle damage. Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a widely used spice that exhibits potent anti-inflammatory response and appears to decrease indirect markers of muscle damage.

Effectiveness of senior dance in the health of adults and elderly people: An integrative literature review.

Senior dance has been used in different health contexts, but information on its effectiveness has not been yet compiled. The present review shows the results of a search carried out in the Cochrane, PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases, including material published between 1974 and 2019, using the keyword "senior dance" in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Twenty-one articles were retrieved, and seven met the selection criteria.

Voice Care from the Student Teachers' Perspective.

Objective: Voice is an essential working tool in the teaching profession and thus needs to be acknowledged and cared for by student teachers. This study aimed to investigate the presence of vocal symptoms among fourth-year students of teacher education programs and whether students had received voice care advice during their education.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study of 70 students in their final year of 9 teacher education programs at Regional Jataí of Universidade Federal de Goiás, Midwestern Brazil, from January to April 2017.

Accuracy of BMI and waist circumference cut-off points to predict obesity in older adults.

The main objectives were to analyse the validity and accuracy of Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) to evaluate obesity by excess of body fat in older adults and to identify more adequate cut-off points for this age group. The recommended cut-off points for BMI (25, 27 or 30 kg/m2) and WC (≥ 102 cm for men and ≥ 88 cm for women or ≥ 90cm for men and ≥ 80 cm for women) were compared to the total body densitometry. BF was defined by a value higher than the 90th percentile.

Passion fruit peel intake decreases inflammatory response and reverts lipid peroxidation and adiposity in diet-induced obese rats.

This study investigated Passiflora edulis peel flour (PEPF) intake and its effect against high-fat diet-induced obesity. PEPF is a source of fiber and phenolic compounds, which can decrease oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines, both linked to chronic inflammatory response and fat deposition in obesity. Therefore, we hypothesized that PEPF intake could decrease inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress observed in obesity, leading to decrease of fatness and chronic inflammatory response.

Medical data set classification using a new feature selection algorithm combined with twin-bounded support vector machine.

Early diagnosis and treatment are the most important strategies to prevent deaths from several diseases. In this regard, data mining and machine learning techniques have been useful tools to help minimize errors and to provide useful information for diagnosis. Our paper aims to present a new feature selection algorithm.

Epidemiological characteristics and strategies for the prevention of diarrheal disease in indigenous children: A scoping review.

Aim: The aim of the present scoping review was to map the scientific evidence about diarrheal disease in indigenous children and the strategies that can be used to prevent it.

Methods: The subject headings were indigenous population; child; diarrhea; dysentery; epidemiology; and prevention, primary; also the following keywords characteristic, epidemiologic study; and children. The databases consulted were Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, MEDLINE via the US National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health, and Web of Science.

False-negative result of serum cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay in an HIV-infected patient with culture-proven cryptococcaemia.

The detection of cryptococcal capsular antigen (CrAg) is very sensitive and specific, however false-negative results have been reported, mostly in cerebrospinal fluid. We report the case of an HIV-infected patient with CD4 = 42 cells/mL, asthenic, negative serum CrAg lateral flow assay (LFA) and culture-proven cryptococcaemia. Despite the high accuracy of LFA, false-negative result is possible.

In vitro nitazoxanide exposure affects energetic metabolism of Taenia crassiceps.

Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is a broad-spectrum drug used in intestinal infections, but still poorly explored in the treatment of parasitic tissular infections. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro responses of the energetic metabolism of T. crassiceps cysticerci induced by NTZ.

Banded karyotype of Nelore cattle ( Linnaeus, 1758).

Chromosome banding techniques were applied and standardized to obtain karyotype characteristics for the first time in Brazil of Nelore cattle - Linnaeus, 1758 - (bovine subspecies most prominent in Brazilian livestock). Blood samples were collected from the animals of the School of Agrarian and Biological Sciences of the Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás, two males and two females of pure breed. These samples were submitted to the cell culture method to study metaphase chromosomes.

Accidental Gluten Contamination in Traditional Lunch Meals from Food Services in Brasilia, Brazil.

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of gluten contamination in naturally gluten-free meals from food services in the Federal District, Brazil. This is an exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study in which a total of 180 samples of naturally gluten-free dishes were collected from 60 food services in Brazil. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for the quantification of gluten.