Genetic variant panel allows predicting both obesity risk, and efficacy of procedures and diet in weight loss.

Purpose: Obesity is a multifactorial condition with a relevant genetic correlation. Recent advances in genomic research have identified several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes such as FTO, MCM6, HLA, and MC4R, associated with obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the association of 102 SNPs with BMI and weight loss treatment response in a multi-ethnic population. Methods: The study analyzed 9,372 patients for the correlation between SNPs and BMI (dataset A). The correlation between SNP and weight loss was accessed in 474 patients undergoing different treatments (dataset B). Patients in dataset B were further divided into 3 categories based on the type of intervention: dietary therapy, intragastric balloon procedures, or surgeries. SNP association analysis and multiple models of inheritance were performed. Results: In dataset A, ten SNPs, including rs9939609 (FTO), rs4988235 (MCM6), and rs2395182 (HLA), were significantly associated with increased BMI. Additionally, other four SNPs, rs7903146 (TCF7L2), (rs6511720), rs5400 (SLC2A2), and rs7498665 (SH2B1), showed sex-specific correlation. For dataset B, SNPs rs2016520 (PPAR-Delta) and rs2419621 (ACSL5) demonstrated significant correlation with weight loss for all treatment types. In patients who adhered to dietary therapy, SNPs rs6544713 (ABCG8) and rs762551 (CYP1A2) were strongly correlated with weight loss. Patients undergoing surgical or endoscopic procedures exhibited differential correlations with several SNPs, including rs1801725 (CASR) and rs12970134 (MC4R), and weight loss. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the genetic factors influencing BMI and weight loss response to different treatments. The findings highlight the potential for personalized weight management approaches based on individual genetic profiles.

Warming and soil water availability affect plant-flower visitor interactions for Stylosanthes capitata, a tropical forage legume.

The reproductive success of a zoophilous plant species depends on biological interaction with pollinators, which involves both the provision and exploitation of flower resources. Currently, there is little information about how future climate change scenarios will impact interactions between plants and their flower visitors in the tropics. This study analyzes the effects of warming and two soil water conditions on interactions between the tropical forage legume species Stylosanthes capitata and its floral visitors during the flowering period. We used a temperature-free air-controlled enhancement (T-FACE) facility to simulate future warming scenarios by increasing canopy temperature. The tested treatments were: irrigated and ambient canopy temperature (Control); non-irrigated and ambient canopy temperature (wS); irrigated and elevated canopy temperature (eT, +2 °C above ambient canopy temperature); and non-irrigated and elevated canopy temperature (wSeT). The effects of treatments on the time of flower opening and closing, sugar concentration in the nectar, and plant-flower visitor interactions were assessed. In the warmed treatments, S. capitata flower opening occurred ~45 min earlier compared to non-warmed treatments, and flowers remained opened for only ~3 h. Further, the sugar concentration in the nectar from eT was 39% higher than in the Control. The effects of warming on floral biology and flower resource production in S. capitata had an impact on the plant-floral visitor relationships with the bees Apis mellifera and Paratrigona lineata, the most abundant potential pollinating floral visitors, and the butterfly visitor Hemiargus hanno. Additionally, around noon, the interactive and additive effects of the combined wS and eT treatments decreased insect visiting frequency. These results suggest that warming and soil water deficiency could affect flower-visitor interactions and thus the reproductive success of S. capitata in tropical belts.

Warming and elevated CO2 induces changes in the reproductive dynamics of a tropical plant species.

Tropical plant species are vulnerable to climate change and global warming. Since flowering is a critical factor for plant reproduction and seed-set, warming and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations (eCO2) are crucial climate change factors that can affect plant reproductive dynamics and flowering related events in the tropics. Using a combined free-air CO2 enrichment and a free-air temperature-controlled enhancement system, we investigate how warming (+2 °C above ambient, eT) and elevated [CO2] (~600 ppm, eCO2) affect the phenological pattern, plant-insect interactions, and outcrossing rates in the tropical legume forage species Stylosanthes capitata Vogel (Fabaceae). In comparison to the control, a significantly greater number of flowers (NF) per plot (+62%) were observed in eT. Furthermore, in warmed plots flowers began opening approximately 1 h earlier (~09:05), with a canopy temperature of ~23 °C, than the control (~09:59) and eCO2 (~09:55) treatments. Flower closure occurred about 3 h later in eT (~11:57) and control (~13:13), with a canopy temperature of ~27 °C. These changes in flower phenology increased the availability of floral resources and attractiveness for pollinators such as Apis mellifera L. and visitors such as Paratrigona lineata L., with significant interactions between eT treatments and insect visitation per hour/day, especially between 09:00-10:40. In comparison to the control, the additive effects of combined eCO2 + eT enhanced the NF by 137%, while the number of A. mellifera floral visits per plot/week increased by 83% during the period of greatest flower production. Although we found no significant effect of treatments on mating system parameters, the overall mean multilocus outcrossing rate (tm = 0.53 ± 0.03) did confirm that S. capitata has a mixed mating system. The effects of elevated [CO2] and warming on plant-pollinator relationships observed here may have important implications for seed production of tropical forage species in future climate scenarios.

Palhaços: uma revisão acerca do uso dessa máscara no ambiente hospitalar / Payasos: una revisión sobre el uso de esa máscara en el ambiente hospitalario / Clowns: a review about using this mask in the hospital environment

Grupos de artistas profissionais ou voluntários têm-se formado com o intuito de visitar, como palhaços, pacientes em hospitais ao redor do mundo, fazendo uso do humor como ferramenta a favor do cuidado e do processo de recuperação. Há poucos estudos relacionados ao tema na literatura científica. Assim, a construção de um campo teórico capaz de subsidiar essas atuações ainda é incipiente. Realizamos, portanto, uma revisão bibliográfica, a partir de 33 artigos, sobre a atuação de diferentes grupos de palhaços em vários hospitais do mundo, a fim de compreender melhor como se dão estas visitas e de que modo podem efetivamente trazer resultados positivos. Foi observado que estes encontros podem estabelecer relações profundas capazes de ressignificar o ambiente hospitalar, empoderar os pacientes e servir como modelo de relação para toda a equipe de saúde envolvida...

Se han formado grupos de artistas profesionales o voluntarios con el objetivo de visitar, como payasos, pacientes en hospitales del mundo entero, utilizando el humor como herramienta en favor del cuidado y del proceso de recuperación. Hay pocos estudios relacionados a ese tema en la literatura científica. Por lo tanto, la construcción de un campo teórico capaz de subsidiar esas actuaciones todavía es incipiente. Siendo así, realizamos una revisión bibliográfica a partir de 33 artículos sobre la actuación de diferentes grupos de payasos en diversos hospitales del mundo, para entender mejor cómo se realizan esas visitas y de qué modo pueden efectivamente brindar resultados positivos. Se observó que esos encuentros pueden establecer relaciones profundas capaces de dar un nuevo significado al ambiente hospitalario, de dar poder a los pacientes y de servir como modelo de relación para todo el equipo de salud involucrado...

Groups of voluntary or professional artists have been formed in order to visit patients in hospitals around the world, as clowns, using humor as a tool to promote the care and recovery process. There are few studies on this topic in the scientific literature. Thus, construction of a theoretical field that is able to support this activity is only just beginning. Therefore, we conducted a bibliographic review based on 33 papers about different clown groups acting in different hospitals worldwide, in order to better comprehend how these visits take place and how they can effectively achieve good results. It was observed that these encounters can establish deep relationships that are capable of creating new meanings for the hospital environment, empowering patients and serving as a relationship model for all the healthcare staff involved...

Toxinfecção alimentar por Salmonella em evento científico, São Paulo/SP, setembro de 2004 / Food toxinfection by Salmonella in scientific event at São Paulo/SP, september 2004

Identificar e investigar precocemente surtos causados por alimentos é um dos componentes essenciais da vigilância epidemiológica das doenças transmitidas por alimentos. Doenças veiculadas por alimentos representam, atualmente, na maior parte dos países, a principal causa de surtos de diarréia. A globalização da economia, as alterações nos hábitos alimentares, o crescente consumo de alimentos preparados fora de casa, dentre outros aspectos, alteraram o perfil epidemiológico dessas doenças, expondo a população a vários tipos de contaminantes. Por sua vez, o desemprego tem sido um fator importante para o crescimento do setor de prestação de serviços alimentícios, do comércio ambulante de alimentos e mesmo de bufês, principalmente nos países em desenvolvimento; e não apenas permanecem como clandestinos perante a legislação sanitária, mas também desconhecem as boas práticas de preparação de alimentos, constituindo-se em grande risco para a saúde da população. Esse trabalho tem o objetivo de apresentar os resultados da investigação realizada para a identificação de um surto de toxinfecção alimentar ocorrido em um evento científico promovido por uma instituição pública, que contratou um bufê para o fornecimento das refeições. Dentre os 55 participantes que almoçaram no primeiro dia do evento, 28 (51%) adoeceram, tendo sido identificada a Salmonella Typhimurium como causadora do surto e implicado, o sanduíche de tomate seco com queijo branco [TA = 61,5% (24 doentes/39 expostos); RR = 2,46; IC de 95% = 1,02 -5,96; X2 = 4,69; p < 0,05]. Medidas sanitárias foram tomadas a partir da identificação da epidemiologia do surto e do rastreamento dos alimentos visando à prevenção de novos surtos.