The Evaluation of Folic Acid-Deficient or Folic Acid-Supplemented Diet in the Gestational Phase of Female Rats and in Their Adult Offspring Subjected to an Animal Model of Schizophrenia.

Although folic acid (FA) supplementation is known to influence numerous physiological functions, especially during pregnancy, little is known about its direct effects on the mothers' health. However, this vitamin is essential for the health of the mother and for the normal growth and development of the fetus. Thus, the aim of this study was (1) to evaluate the cognitive effects and biochemical markers produced by the AIN-93 diet (control), the AIN-93 diet supplemented with different doses of FA (5, 10, and 50 mg/kg), and a FA-deficient diet during pregnancy and lactation in female mother rats (dams) and (2) to evaluate the effect of maternal diets on inflammatory parameters in the adult offspring which were subjected to an animal model of schizophrenia (SZ) induced by ketamine (Ket). Our study demonstrated through the Y-maze test that rats subjected to the FA-deficient diet showed significant deficits in spatial memory, while animals supplemented with FA (5 and 10 mg/kg) showed no deficit in spatial memory. Our results also suggest that the rats subjected to the FA-deficient diet had increased levels of carbonylated proteins in the frontal cortex and hippocampus and also increased plasma levels of homocysteine (Hcy). Folate was able to prevent cognitive impairments in the rats supplemented with FA (5 and 10 mg/kg), data which may be attributed to the antioxidant effect of the vitamin. Moreover, FA prevented protein damage and elevations in Hcy levels in the rats subjected to different doses of this vitamin (5, 10, and 50 mg/kg). We verified a significant increase of the anti-inflammatory cytokine (interleukin-4 (IL-4)) and a reduction in the plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 (IL-6)) and TNF-α) in the dams that were subjected to the diets supplemented with FA (5, 10, and 50 mg/kg), showing the possible anti-inflammatory effects of FA during pregnancy and lactation. In general, we also found that in the adult offspring that were subjected to an animal model of SZ, FA had a protective effect in relation to the levels of IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-α, which indicates that the action of FA persisted in the adult offspring, since FA showed a lasting effect on the inflammatory response, which was similar in both the dams and their offspring. In conclusion, the importance of supplementation with FA during pregnancy and lactation should be emphasized, not only for the benefit of the offspring but also for the health of the mother. All this is due to the considerable protective effect of this vitamin against oxidative damage, cognitive impairment, hyperhomocysteinemia, immune function, and also its ability in preventing common processes in post-pregnancy stages, as well as in reducing the risks of neurodevelopmental disorders and enhancing fetal immune development.

OntoMama: An Ontology Applied to Breast Cancer.

This article describes the process of building an ontology to assist medical students and professionals specialized in Oncology. The ontology allows the user to obtain knowledge more quickly and thus assist professionals in their decision-making.

Phosphatidylserine reverses reserpine-induced amnesia.

The effects of phosphatidylserine (PS) were studied in rats treated with reserpine (1 mg/kg) immediately after training in the passive avoidance task. In experiment I, phosphatidylserine (25 mg/kg) was administered 30 min before or immediately after training. Acute pre- or post-treatment with phosphatidylserine was effective in reversing the amnestic effect of reserpine in test trials performed 24 h and 1 week after training. Experiment II was performed to determine if the long-term pretreatment with phosphatidylserine (25 mg/kg) for 7 days is able to protect the rats against the amnestic effects of reserpine in this task. The data show that phosphatidylserine reverses the impairment induced by reserpine in trials performed 24 h and 1 week after training. These results indicate that the memory deficits associated with catecholamine depletion caused by reserpine can be attenuated by acute pre- or post-training or by long-term pretreatment with this phospholipid.

Interaction of high molecular weight chondroitin sulfate from human aorta with plasma low density lipoproteins.

Aortic glycosaminoglycans were separated into fractions of increasing molecular weights containing heparan sulfate or chondroitin 4/6-sulfate + dermatan sulfate. When these fractions were added to plasma low density lipoproteins (LDL) in the presence of Ca2+, only chondroitin 4/6 sulfate + dermatan sulfate of high relative molecular weight produced turbidity. Treatment with testicular hyaluronidase abolished totally the formation of insoluble complex. When these glycosaminoglycans were applied to LDL-affinity columns in the presence of Ca2+, higher NaCl concentrations were necessary for the elution of the high relative molecular weight chondroitin sulfate. Heparan sulfate fractions did not produce turbidity when added to LDL solutions and were eluted from LDL-affinity columns at low NaCl concentrations. All these results suggest that besides the structure (or charge density), the molecular weight of the chondroitin sulfate chains is a relevant factor for the binding of this compound to LDL.

Programa de tocoginecologia preventiva.Plano piloto de medicina integral. / Program of preventive obstetrics and ginecology. Pilot plan of integral medicine

E importante conscientizar os estudantes de medicina e os medicos de que e mais adequado atender o paciente fazendo o que e necessario de forma simples e eficiente, sem perda de qualidade, de que atender de modo sofisticado a demanda manifestada sem olhar diversos aspectos organicos do paciente como um todos