Low-Dose Coconut Oil Supplementation Induces Hypothalamic Inflammation, Behavioral Dysfunction, and Metabolic Damage in Healthy Mice.

SCOPE: Coconut oil (CO) diets remain controversial due to the possible association with metabolic disorder and obesity. This study investigates the metabolic effects of a low amount of CO supplementation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Swiss male mice are assigned to be supplemented orally during 8 weeks with 300 µL of water for the control group (CV), 100 or 300 µL of CO (CO100 and CO300) and 100 or 300 µL of soybean oil (SO; SO100 and SO300). CO led to anxious behavior, increase in body weight gain, and adiposity. In the hypothalamus, CO and SO increase cytokines expression and pJNK, pNFKB, and TLR4 levels. Nevertheless, the adipose tissue presented increases macrophage infiltration, TNF-α and IL-6 after CO and SO consumption. IL-1B and CCL2 expression, pJNK and pNFKB levels increase only in CO300. In the hepatic tissue, CO increases TNF-α and chemokines expression. Neuronal cell line (mHypoA-2/29) exposed to serum from CO and SO mice shows increased NFKB migration to the nucleus, TNF-α, and NFKBia expression, but are prevented by inhibitor of TLR4 (TAK-242). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that a low-dose CO changes the behavioral pattern, induces inflammatory pathway activation, TLR4 expression in healthy mice, and stimulates the pro-inflammatory response through a TLR4-mediated mechanism.

Relação entre qualidade de vida e capacidade para o trabalho em funcionários do poder judiciário / Relationship between quality of life and capacity for work of employees of the judiciary

Contexto: Sabe-se que as doenças ocupacionais não prejudicam apenas a produtividade, por meio da diminuição da capacidade para o trabalho, mas também todos os aspectos relacionados à qualidade de vida do funcionário. Assim, a manutenção da capacidade para o trabalho relaciona-se com o estado de saúde para execução das atividades laborais. Essas, quando bem desenvolvidas, geram desfechos positivos para as organizações e os trabalhadores. Objetivo: Avaliar a relação entre qualidade de vida e capacidade de trabalho em servidores do Poder Judiciário. Métodos: Estudo observacional de corte transversal. Constituída por 88 servidores públicos do Poder Judiciário, de ambos os sexos, aleatorizados. Realizado no Tribunal de Justiça de Pernambuco, cidade do Recife. A coleta de dados ocorreu por meio de questionários, sobre o índice de capacidade para o trabalho, qualidade de vida e variáveis sociodemográficas. Para análise dos dados utilizou-se a correlação de Pearson. Resultados: 90,9% dos trabalhadores apresentaram uma renda de 5 ou mais salários mínimos, 73,9% trabalhavam até 6 horas por dia e 52,3% realizavam atividade física regular. Os trabalhadores apresentaram maiores correlações para capacidade do trabalho e qualidade de vida em praticantes de atividade física (R=0,60; p<0,001) e com menores horas de trabalho (R=0,61; p<0,001). Quanto ao sexo, ambos, feminino (R=0,62; p<0,001) e masculino (R=0,40; p<0,010), demonstraram relação moderada e significativa com qualidade de vida. Conclusão: A população de trabalhadores do Poder Judiciário do presente estudo apresentou correlação positiva quanto à capacidade para o trabalho e qualidade de vida geral, bem como nos domínios físico, social, psicológico e ambiental.

Background: As is known, occupational diseases hamper productivity by impairing not only the work ability, but also all the aspects related with the quality of life of employees. Maintenance of work ability is associated with the state of health needed to perform work activities, which when are properly done lead to satisfactory results for both organizations and workers. Objective: To investigate the relationship between quality of life and work ability among judicial employees. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study. The sample comprised 88 randomly selected judicial employees from both sexes. The study was conducted at the Court of Justice of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. Data collection was performed through questionnaires for sociodemographic variables, quality of life and Work Ability Index. Pearson's correlation was used for data analysis. Results: 90.9% of participants had income equivalent to 5 or more times the minimum wage; 73.9% worked up to 6 hours per day; and 52.3% reported regular practice of physical activity. Correlation between work ability and quality of life was stronger for the participants with regular practice of physical activity (R=0.60; p<0.001) and shorter working time (R=0.61; p<0.001). On analysis per sex, work ability exhibited significant and moderate correlation with quality of life for both males (R=0.62; p<0.001) and females (R=0.40; p<0.010). Conclusion: Relative to the analyzed sample of judicial employees positive correlation was found between work ability and overall quality of life, as well as with quality of life physical health, social, psychological and environment domains.