Da medicalização da comida à gourmetização do medicamento: análise da campanha publicitária que transformou um comprimido efervescente em febre nacional / From the medicalization of food to the gourmetization of medicines: analysis of the advertising campaign that turned an effervescent tablet into a national fever / De la medicalización de los alimentos a la gourmetización de los medicamentos: análisis de la campaña publicitaria que convirtió un comprimido efervescente en fiebre nacional

O aumento da longevidade humana veio acompanhado de uma maior preocupação com os hábitos alimentares e de uma banalização das dietas prescritas, favorecendo um contexto de medicalização da comida, no qual a fronteira entre alimento e medicamento fica imprecisa. Isto tem sido usado mercadologicamente pelas indústrias alimentícias, farmacêuticas e de suplementos alimentares. Este artigo visa discutir como o ecossistema publicitário contemporâneo e a ciberpublicidade são utilizados para naturalizar a presença de suplementos e medicamentos na dieta cotidiana. Usou-se como estudo de caso uma campanha publicitária vietnamita, em que um comprimido foi posicionado como ingrediente culinário. A partir de outros casos descritos na literatura, discutem-se os resultados encontrados no contexto ocidental. Nas considerações finais, apresentam-se alguns desafios regulatórios; apontam-se perspectivas para pesquisas futuras; e defende-se a educação como elemento fundamental para a construção de uma sociedade em que a saúde seja valorizada e exigida como bem coletivo e direito de todos

As human longevity increases, a greater concern with eating habits is visible. Furthermore, the number of people who trivialize prescribed diets increases. This context favors the medicalization of food, in which the boundary between food and medicine is blurred. Industries take advantage of this situation to promote several products. This article discusses how the contemporary advertising ecosystem and the cyber advertising techniques are used to naturalize the presence of supplements and medications in the daily diet. We used as a case study a Vietnamese campaign, in which a tablet was positioned as a culinary ingredient. Based on other cases described in the literature, the results found in the Western context are discussed. In the last section, some regulatory challenges are presented, prospects for future research are pointed out, and education is defended as fundamental for the development of citizens who value Public Health as a collective good and a right of all

El aumento de la longevidad humana ha venido acompañado de una mayor preocupación por los hábitos alimentarios y de una banalización de las dietas prescritas, favoreciendo un contexto de medicalización de la alimentación, en el que la frontera entre alimento y medicamento se esfuma. Esto viene siendo utilizado comercialmente por industrias alimentarias, farmacéuticas y de complementos alimenticios. Este artículo tiene el objetivo de discutir como el ecosistema publicitario contemporáneo y la publicidad cibernética son usados para naturalizar la presencia de suplementos y medicamentos en la dieta diaria. Se utilizó como estudio de caso una campaña publicitaria vietnamita, en la que se posicionó un comprimido como ingrediente culinario. Con base en otros casos descritos en la literatura, se discuten los resultados encontrados en el contexto occidental. En las reflexiones finales, se presentan algunos desafíos regulatorios; se señalan perspectivas para futuras investigaciones; y la educación es defendida como elemento fundamental para la construcción de una sociedad en la que se valore y exija la salud como bien colectivo y derecho de todos.

Integrating Acupuncture into a Dialysis Center.

A growing interest in integrating traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and conventional medicine (CM) to create a more comprehensive approach to healthcare has been verified. Scientific evidence supports acupuncture as an integrative treatment for specific health conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the acceptance and feasibility by patients and healthcare professionals of integrating acupuncture in a dialysis center. Individuals undergoing hemodialysis (HD) who participated in a patient-assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial that evaluated the effect of acupuncture on functional capacity and quality of life were included. Acceptance was measured by adherence (percentage of patients who completed treatments and dropouts) and patients' and healthcare professionals' opinions toward acupuncture (pre- and pro-intervention questionnaires). Feasibility was measured by safety (number of reported adverse events) and effectiveness (changes in functional capacity, peripheral muscle strength, and health-related quality of life scores after treatment). Forty-eight patients were included, and forty-five (93.8%) were analyzed. No adverse events were reported. All patients completed the treatment, and only three patients (6.2%) were lost to the 12-week post-treatment follow-up. The attitudes of patients and health professionals were favorable to acupuncture, namely in relation to its use, degree of discomfort, recommendation to others, and interference with routine care and clinical setting. Integrating acupuncture into a dialysis center seems viable and well-accepted by patients with kidney failure on maintenance HD, doctors and nurses.

Effectiveness of Acupuncture on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Patients with kidney failure (KF) receiving maintenance hemodialysis (HD) experience numerous symptoms that impair their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and contribute to high mortality rates. Acupuncture is often used for symptom enhancement and HRQOL. This blinded, randomized, controlled patient-assessor trial evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture on patients' HRQOL receiving maintenance HD as a secondary analysis. Seventy-two participants were randomly assigned to verum acupuncture (VA), sham acupuncture (SA), or waiting-list (WL) groups. The outcome was an improvement in HRQOL, assessed using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form, version 1.3 (KDQOL-SF™ v1.3) at baseline, after treatment, and at 12-week follow-up. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Of the 72 randomized patients, 67 were included in the complete analysis set. As for the changes between baseline and after treatment, the VA group showed significantly increased scores on most of the KDQOL-SF™ v1.3 scales compared to SA or WL groups (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences between groups were observed in the changes from baseline to follow-up (p > 0.05). Compared to the sham treatment, acupuncture improved the HRQOL in patients receiving maintenance HD after treatment but not at follow-up.

New Frontiers in Colorectal Cancer Treatment Combining Nanotechnology with Photo- and Radiotherapy.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Despite recent advances in the treatment of this pathology, which include a personalized approach using radio- and chemotherapies in combination with advanced surgical techniques, it is imperative to enhance the performance of these treatments and decrease their detrimental side effects on patients' health. Nanomedicine is likely the pathway towards solving this challenge by enhancing both the therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities. In particular, plasmonic nanoparticles show remarkable potential due to their dual therapeutic functionalities as photothermal therapy agents and as radiosensitizers in radiotherapy. Their dual functionality, high biocompatibility, easy functionalization, and targeting capabilities make them potential agents for inducing efficient cancer cell death with minimal side effects. This review aims to identify the main challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. The heterogeneous nature of this cancer is also discussed from a single-cell point of view. The most relevant works in photo- and radiotherapy using nanotechnology-based therapies for colorectal cancer are addressed, ranging from in vitro studies (2D and 3D cell cultures) to in vivo studies and clinical trials. Although the results using nanoparticles as a photo- and radiosensitizers in photo- and radiotherapy are promising, preliminary studies showed that the possibility of combining both therapies must be explored to improve the treatment efficiency.

Effect of Acupuncture on Functional Capacity in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Patient-Assessor Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

Decreased functional capacity (FC) in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) is associated with adverse health events and poor survival. Acupuncture is recognized as a safe and effective integrative treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of acupuncture treatment on the FC in chronic kidney disease with GFR category 5 (CKG G5) patients undergoing HD. In this patient-assessor blinded randomized controlled trial, seventy-two KF patients were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 24), placebo (n = 24) and control groups (n = 24). The primary outcome was the improvement in FC assessed by the 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT). Secondary outcomes included assessment of peripheral muscle strength by the Handgrip Strength Test (HGS) and the 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test (STS-30) at baseline, after treatment and at 12-week follow up. A mixed ANOVA with interaction time*group was used. The experimental group increased walk distance (p < 0.001), lower limbs strength (p < 0.001) and handgrip strength (p = 0.012) after nine acupuncture sessions and stabilized in the follow-up (p > 0.05). In the placebo and control groups the 6-MWT and 30STS results decreased (p < 0.001) and the HGS scores did not change through time (p > 0.05). Acupuncture treatment improved FC and muscle strength in patients undergoing HD.

Effect of Acupuncture on Functional Capacity and Health-Related Quality of Life of Hemodialysis Patients: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

The proposed randomized controlled trial protocol will evaluate the effect of acupuncture treatment on the functional capacity (FC) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) category 5 (CKG G5) patients receiving maintenance dialysis. Patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) from a dialysis center will be randomly assigned to experimental, placebo and control groups. In order to determine the difference between the same number of treatments performed three times or one treatment a week, experimental (verum acupuncture) and placebo (sham acupuncture) groups will receive a total of nine acupuncture treatments; however, both groups will be divided into subgroups A and B. The same selection of acupuncture points will be applied to both experimental subgroups and the placebo subgroups will receive acupuncture on non-acupuncture points. The results will be assessed by the 6-min Walk Test, Handgrip Test, 30-sec Sit-to-Stand and Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form and will be held at baseline, after treatment and 12 weeks post-treatment follow up. This paper describes the rationale and design for a randomized, patient-assessor blinded controlled trial, which may provide evidence for the clinical application of acupuncture in CKG G5 patients undergoing HD.

Acupuncture for pain, mandibular function and oral health-related quality of life in patients with masticatory myofascial pain: A randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Masticatory myofascial pain is the most prevalent muscular temporomandibular disorders (TMD). It primarily affects masseter and temporal muscles. Several treatments, including acupuncture, have been recommended. However, systematic reviews have highlighted gaps in studies and absence of conclusive results. OBJECTIVES: We performed a randomised controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in improving pain, mandibular function and oral health-related quality of life in women with masticatory myofascial pain. METHODS: Thirty-six patients diagnosed with masticatory myofascial pain according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) were divided into the following two groups: acupuncture and control (non-penetrating acupuncture).Treatment was performed weekly for 5 weeks, and pain, mandibular function and oral health-related quality of life were evaluated one week before treatment, one week after treatment and one month after treatment. Non-parametric and parametric tests were used for comparisons between times and treatment groups (significance level of P ≤ .05). RESULTS: The acupuncture group showed a significant reduction in pain (P ≤ .01), which was not observed in the control group. Pain intensity was reduced by 61% and 84% at 1 week and 1 month after treatment, respectively. Both groups showed significant improvements in mandibular function and oral health-related quality of life over time (P ≤ .01). Statistical analysis did not show a significant difference between the groups for any other evaluated outcome (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Although acupuncture was effective in pain reduction, non-specific factors may have influenced mandibular function and oral health-related quality of life improvements in both groups, and this needs to be further addressed.

Impact of high-concentrate diets with cottonseed associated with calcium lignosulfonate on the metabolic, productive, and carcass characteristics of feedlot lambs.

This study aimed to evaluate the metabolic, productive, and carcass parameters of feedlot lambs fed high-concentrate diets with cottonseed associated with calcium lignosulfonate. Treatments consisted of diets including whole cottonseed, crushed cottonseed, whole cottonseed with lignosulfonate (100 g/kg), crushed cottonseed with lignosulfonate (100 g/kg), and a control diet without cottonseed. Thirty ½ Dorper ½ Santa Inês, non-castrated male lambs with an average live weight of 24.9 ± 3.6 kg and an average age of 3.5 months were evaluated in a completely randomized design. There was no effect (P > 0.05) on the intakes of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and non-fibrous carbohydrates. The crushing of cottonseed and association with lignosulfonate increased (P < 0.01) the intake and digestibility of ether extract. No effect was observed (P > 0.05) for the concentrations of urine and plasma urea N, which averaged 616.2 and 108.6 mg/dL, respectively. There was a change (P < 0.01) in nitrogen balance for digested N in g/day. There was no effect (P > 0.05) on the urinary concentration of purine derivatives, except for uric acid excretions (P < 0.05). Lignosulfonate associated with cottonseed provided an average daily gain of 0.293 kg/day, which was higher than the 0.226 kg/day obtained without lignosulfonate, but lower than control (0.302 kg/day), which also showed higher values of carcass yield. High-concentrate diets formulated without cottonseed improve lamb production performance. The use of high-concentrate diets with cottonseed associated with calcium lignosulfonate provides greater weight gains in lambs.

Effect of calcium lignosulfonate supplementation on metabolic profiles of confined lambs.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of calcium lignosulfonate associated with whole cottonseed in high-concentrate diets for sheep. Eight Dorper crossbred sheep with an average live weight of 42.5 ± 1.70 kg were assigned to two 4 × 4 Latin squares. The following experimental diets were evaluated: control diet (without calcium lignosulfonate) and diets with inclusion of 50, 100, and 150 g of calcium lignosulfonate/kg fresh matter. Diets were composed of soybean meal, ground corn, and whole cottonseed. Feed intake, digestibility, metabolic characteristics, and feeding behavior were evaluated. The intake of nutritional components did not show significant differences as a function of the lignosulfonate levels in the diet; however, the increase in calcium lignosulfonate levels linearly decreased the dry matter digestibility. Rumen ammonia nitrogen concentrations decreased linearly as the lignosulfonate levels in the diets were increased. There was no effect of lignosulfonate levels on blood parameters or feeding behavior of the animals. The use of lignosulfonate associated with cottonseed decreases the digestibility of dry matter and the concentration of rumen ammonia nitrogen, but does not change the intake of nutritional components, the blood parameters, or the feeding behavior of sheep.

Eficácia de Chenopodium ambrosioides (erva-de-santa-maria) no controle de endoparasitos de Gallus gallus (galinha caipira) / Effectiveness of Chenopodium ambrosioides (santa maria herb) for controlling Gallus gallus (free range chicken) endoparasites

The present survey was carried out at Zoology Laboratory, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, and Animal Parasitology Sector, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Rio de Janeiro state, from 2011 to 2012. The aim was to test in vitro and in vivo the effectiveness of the medicinal plant Chenopodium ambrosioides Linnaeus, 1786 (santa maria herb) regarding phytotherapeutic and homeopathic alternative methods to control endoparasites of Gallus gallus Linnaeus, 1758 (free range chicken), a serious problem affecting domestic poultry performance causing losses, retarded development, decreased food conversion rate and increase of susceptibility to infectious diseases. In vitro essay demonstrated high reduction rate on eggs eclosion inhibition (97.18%), and in vivo essay showed high fecal eggs counting reduction rate (91.67%). Presence of the genera Ascaridia (35.00%), Capillaria (30.00%), Heterakis (25.00%) and Strongyloides (10.00%) was displayed by this survey. The plant C. ambrosioides showed upper rates front traditional products (Thiabendalol/Mebendazol) as well as to those ones advocated by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and the World Health Organization as effective.

A pesquisa foi desenvolvida no Laboratório de Zoologia da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro e Setor de Parasitologia Animal da Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, estado do Rio de Janeiro, no período de 2011 a 2012. O objetivo foi testar in vitro e in vivo a eficácia da planta medicinal Chenopodium ambrosioides Linnaeus, 1786 (erva-de-santa-maria), nas formas fitoterápica e homeopática, como meios alternativos para o controle de endoparasitos de Gallus gallus Linnaeus, 1758 (galinha caipira), um sério problema que afeta a criação e desempenho de aves domésticas, ocasionando morte quando muito intenso, retardo de crescimento, redução do índice de conversão alimentar e aumento na suscetibilidade às doenças infecciosas. As metodologias utilizadas foram preconizadas por Coles et al. (1992), creditada pela World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP). O ensaio in vitro demonstrou alta taxa de redução na inibição de eclosão de ovos (97,18%), e o ensaio in vivo, elevada taxa na redução da contagem de ovos nas fezes (91,67%). A pesquisa evidenciou a presença dos gêneros Ascaridia (35,00%), Capillaria (30,00%), Heterakis (25,00%) e Strongyloides (10,00%). C. ambrosioides mostrou em certos momentos superioridade frente ao produto tradicional (Thiabendazole/Mebendazole) e índices superiores aos preconizados pelo Ministério da Agricultura do Brasil e Organização Mundial da Saúde como indicativos de eficácia.

Porta enxertos de café robusta resistentes aos nematóides Meloidogyne paranaensis e M. incognita raças 1 e 2 / Robusta coffee rootstocks resistants to Meloidogyne paranaensis and M. incognita races 1 and 2

No Estado do Paraná, os nematóides mais danosos para o café são Meloidogyne paranaensis e M. incognita raças 1 e 2. A enxertia de cultivares suscetíveis de Coffea arabica sobre C. canephora resistentes tem sido bem sucedida, especialmente com o porta-enxerto Apoatã IAC-2258, porém existe segregação para a resistência. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar cafeeiros de C. canephora var. robusta com resistência simultânea aos nematóides M. parnaensis e M. incognita raças 1 e 2. Avaliaram-se 24 genótipos de C. canephora na metodologia de Taylor, no delineamento em blocos ao acaso com três repetições e parcelas de 30 plantas. Como testemunha suscetível utilizou-se a cultivar Mundo Novo IAC 376-4. As variáveis avaliadas foram incidência dos nematóides e volumes radicular. Os níveis de resistência encontrados entre as plantas foram resistente, moderadamente resistente e suscetível. Foram identificados seis genótipos do porta-enxerto C. canephora var. robusta com resistência, provavelmente em homozigoze, para os nematóides M. paranaensis, M. incognita raça 1 e M. incognita raça 2, todos com bom volume radicular. As plantas mães desses seis melhores genótipos serão propagadas vegetativamente e usadas para formar campo de sementes de cultivares porta-enxertos.

The Meloidogyne paranaensis and M. incognita races 1 and 2 are the most pathogenic root knotnematodes of coffee crop in Paraná state, Brazil. The use of susceptible arabica cultivars on resistantrootstock robusta cultivars, especially cultivar Apoatã IAC-2258 of Coffea canephora var. robusta, hasbeen successful, but there are segregations to susceptible ones. The aim of this research was to identify C. canephora var. robusta coffee trees with simultaneous resistance to M. paranaensis, M. incognitaraces 1 and 2. Twenty-four C. canephora genotypes were evaluated using Taylor ́s evaluation method,conducted in randomized blocks design with three replications and 30 plants per plot. The cultivarMundo Novo IAC 376-4 was used as susceptible standard. The variables evaluated were nematodesincidence and root volume. The resistance levels founded among plants were resistant, moderatelyresistant and susceptible. Six genotypes of C. canephora var. robusta with simultaneous resistance,probably in homozygous, to M. paranaensis, M. incognita race 1 and M. incognita race 2 were found,all with good root volume. The mother plants of these six better treatments will be vegetatively propagatedand used to begin seed production of rootstock cultivars

Interaçäo entre exercício físico e suplementaçäo de ácido ascórbico sobre a histamina tecidual do músculo esquelético e cardíaco de cobaias sedentárias e treinadas / Interaction between physical exercise and ascorbic acid supplementation on the histamine tissue of skeletal and cardiac muscles of sedentary and trained guinea-pigs

O presente estudo objetivou avaliar em cobaias ("Cavia porcellus"), fêmeas, com três meses de idade, sedentárias (SED) e treinadas (TRE = nataçäo, 30 min/dia, durante sete semanas) o comportamento da concentraçäo tecidual de histamina muscular e cardíaca, em resposta ao exercício agudo (E = exercício agudo - nataçäo, 30 minutos, R = repouso) e à suplementaçäo de ácido ascórbico (SU = suplementados - 35 mg/kg de peso, NS = näo suplementados). Foram constatadas a seguintes diferenças significativas (p<0,05) : a) no grupo sedentário, aumento da histamina muscular e cardíaca tanto nos subgrupos näo suplementados como nos suplementados, o mesmo ocorrendo entre os animais treinados-exercitados agudamente somente naqueles suplementados; b) maior aumento de histamina muscular nos animais treinados - näo suplementados - exercitados agudamente quando comparados a seus respectivos controles e de histamina cardíaca nos animais sedentários - suplementados - exercidados agudamente, quando comparados aos näo suplementados, na mesma condiçäo, e c)diminuiçäo da histamina cardíaca nos animais sedentários, em repouso e suplementados