Urate-lowering effect of calcium supplementation: Analyses of a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if the gout-protective effect of low-fat dairy products could be attributed to the urate-lowering effect of calcium. METHODS: This is a placebo-controlled trial in which thirty-five adult (aged 18-42 years) female low-calcium consumers (<800 mg/d) were randomized to one of three treatment groups: low calcium breakfast (control, ∼70 mg of calcium/d) -C or high-calcium breakfast (∼770 mg/d) from calcium citrate - CIT or from skim milk - SM, during 45 consecutive days. Breakfasts were matched for potential confounders and were provided as part of an energy-restricted normoprotein diet containing an additional 800 mg of calcium/d. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements (body fat assessment) and fasting blood samples (urate, ionic calcium, PTH, and 1,25-(OH)2-D3) were taken at baseline and the end of the experiment. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/ (RBR-7Q2N33). RESULTS: Despite no significant changes in total body weight/fat, CIT and SM led to a significant reduction in serum urate and ionic calcium, but did not affect PTH and vitamin D concentrations compared to C. CIT and SM reduced baseline serum urate by ∼14% and ∼17%, respectively. There was a trend to a positive correlation between changes in serum urate and changes in ionic calcium on day 45 (r = 0.327, P = 0.055). CONCLUSIONS: Calcium supplementation (770 mg/d from dairy or calcium citrate) reduced serum urate concentrations, suggesting that the gout-protective effect of low-fat dairy consumption is at least partly due to a urate-lowering effect of calcium.

Zinc Prevents DNA Damage in Normal Cells but Shows Genotoxic and Cytotoxic Effects in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells.

Genomic instability is prevented by the DNA damage response (DDR). Micronutrients, like zinc (Zn), are cofactors of DDR proteins, and micronutrient deficiencies have been related to increased cancer risk. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients commonly present Zn deficiency. Moreover, reports point to DDR defects in AML. We studied the effects of Zn in DDR modulation in AML. Cell lines of AML (HEL) and normal human lymphocytes (IMC) were cultured in standard culture, Zn depletion, and supplementation (40 µM ZnSO4) conditions and exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Chromosomal damage, cell death, and nuclear division indexes (NDI) were assessed through cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. The phosphorylated histone H2AX (yH2AX) expression was monitored at 0 h, 1 h, and 24 h after exposure. Expression of DDR genes was evaluated by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Zn supplementation increased the genotoxicity of H2O2 and UV radiation in AML cells, induced cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects, and led to persistent yH2AX activation. In contrast, in normal lymphocytes, supplementation decreased damage rates, while Zn depletion favored damage accumulation and impaired repair kinetics. Gene expression was not affected by Zn depletion or supplementation. Zn presented a dual role in the modulation of genome damage, preventing damage accumulation in normal cells and increasing genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in AML cells.

Cuidar para a promoção da saúde: intervenções de enfermagem na maximização do potencial de crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil e juvenil / Caring for health promotion: nursing interventions to maximize the potential for child and youth growth and development

A Promoção da Saúde é considerada uma ação primordial do enfermeiro no cuidado à criança, ao jovem e à família. Cuidar e educar em enfermagem complementam-se, capacitando desta forma a população na aquisição de maior autonomia e consciência da sua saúde, e contribuindo para uma reflexão crítica e informada das suas escolhas e tomadas de decisão. Atendendo a esta realidade, cuidar para a promoção da saúde na infância é uma das responsabilidades do Enfermeiro Especialista em Enfermagem de Saúde Infantil e Pediátrica (EEESIP), sendo considerado pela Ordem dos Enfermeiros (2017) como um foco primordial, objetivando a educação e a maximização do potencial de crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil, assim como a gestão do bem-estar da criança, através das orientações antecipatórias direcionadas às famílias. De modo a desenvolver as competências definidas pela Ordem dos Enfermeiros, para obter o título de EEESIP, tive oportunidade de estagiar em vários contextos de saúde infantil e pediatria, contribuindo de forma significativa para o meu desenvolvimento profissional e pessoal. O presente relatório apresenta a descrição e reflexão do percurso formativo, analisando de forma crítica e construtiva as experiências vividas e atividades desenvolvidas, baseadas no meu projeto de estágio com o tema: Cuidar para a promoção da saúde: Intervenções de enfermagem na maximização do potencial de crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil e juvenil. A orientação conceptual que sustentou a experiência formativa foi o Modelo de Promoção da Saúde de Nola Pender. No entanto, enquadro o meu percurso de igual modo, na Teoria do Cuidar de Jean Watson, referindo-se à enfermagem como sendo uma disciplina científica e prática, que une a ciência com o cuidar, que se baseia na visão holística e humanista, dois pilares dos cuidados em enfermagem pediátricos. Ao longo deste caminho surgiram imprevistos, experiências inesperadas, crescimento profissional e de igual modo pessoal, levando à adaptação e (re)construção de saberes.

Health promotion is an issue of top priority in the practice of the nurse taking care of children, juveniles and families. Caring and educating complement each other in nursing, this way helping the population acquiring increased autonomy and awareness of their own health and contributing to a more critical and informed reflection about their choices and decision making. In order to respond to this reality, caring for the health promotion during childhood is one of the responsibilities of the Specialist Nurses in Child and Paediatric Health, being considered by the Order of Nurses (2017), as a primary focus, with the aim to educate and the maximization of the potential of infantile growing and development as well as the administration of the child´s well-being through anticipatory and specific orientations given to the families. In order to acquire the competence defined by the Order of Nurses to obtain the specialist nurse title, I had the opportunity to follow practical training in different contexts of infantile and paediatric health, which contributed in a significant way to my professional and personal development. The present report presents the description and reflection about the care practice, analysing in a critical and constructive way the experience made and the developed activities, which are based on my project with the title: Caring for health promotion: Nursing interventions in the maximization of growing potential and development in children and juveniles. The conceptual orientation that sustained this formative journey was the Model of Health Promotion by Nola Pender. However I associated equally The Theory of Human Caring by Jean Watson who describes nursing as an scientific and practical field of activity that joins science and caring, based on a holistic and humanistic vision, two of the pillars of health care practice by paediatric nurses. During this path happened unforeseen occurrences, unexpected experiences, professional and personal growth, which all led to an adaptation and (re)construction of knowledge.

Antidepressant, Anxiolytic and Neuroprotective Activities of Two Zinc Compounds in Diabetic Rats.

Behavioral disorders affect most diabetic patients and Zinc (Zn) has been used among adjuvant therapies for involvement in the etiology of depression and anxiety, however, the results are still controversial. The objective of this study was to compare the antidepressant, anxiolytic and neuroprotective activity of the supplementation of two Zn compounds in an animal model of Diabetes Mellitus type 1 (DM1). Thirty-eight (38) adult rats were randomized into four groups: Control (C; n = 8); Diabetic (D; n = 10); Diabetic Zn Sulfate Supplement (DSZ; n = 10) and Diabetic Zn Gluconate Supplement (DGZ; n = 10). The DSZ group received Zn sulfate supplementation and the DGZ group received Zn gluconate supplementation at a dose of 15 mg/kg for 4 weeks. Data (mean ±SEM) were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney test with a significance level of p < 0.05. The results indicate that Zn gluconate supplementation in diabetic animals presented an antidepressant effect demonstrated through the results obtained in the Forced Swim Test, and neuroprotective effect by attenuating alterations in the cerebral cortex; while Zn sulfate supplementation in diabetic animals showed an anxiolytic effect demonstrated by the results obtained in the open field test and the elevated plus maze test. Considering the set of results, supplementation with both zinc compounds showed neurobehavioral benefits in diabetic animals with different effects depending on the type of anion associated with Zn.

Effects of honey from Mimosa quadrivalvis L. (malícia) produced by the Melipona subnitida D. (jandaíra) stingless bee on dyslipidaemic rats.

This study assessed the effects of supplementation with honey from Mimosa quadrivalvis L. (malícia) (MH) produced by jandaíra stingless bees (Melipona subnitida D.) on the lipid metabolism, antioxidant status and some intestinal health parameters of rats with diet-induced dyslipidaemia. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: healthy control (HC), dyslipidaemic control (DC), healthy experimental (EHH) and dyslipidaemic experimental (EDH). Malícia honey (MH) was administered (1000 mL kg-1) via orogastric feeding for 35 days. Dyslipidaemic rats supplemented with MH showed lower food consumption, increased glucose tolerance and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and decreased total cholesterol, LDL and AST blood levels. Counts of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. and excretion of organic acids in faeces increased in dyslipidaemic rats supplemented with MH. MH supplementation protected the colon and liver from tissue damage induced by the dyslipidaemic diet. These results show the beneficial effects of MH on the lipid metabolism, antioxidant status and intestinal health of rats with diet-induced dyslipidaemia.