Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Seed Oil and Its Nanoemulsion: Chemical Characterisation, Toxicity Evaluation, Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities.

This study explores a nanoemulsion formulated with açaí seed oil, known for its rich fatty acid composition and diverse biological activities. This study aimed to characterise a nanoemulsion formulated with açaí seed oil and explore its cytotoxic effects on HeLa and SiHa cervical cancer cell lines, alongside assessing its antioxidant and toxicity properties both in vitro and in vivo. Extracted from fruits sourced in Brazil, the oil underwent thorough chemical characterization using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The resulting nanoemulsion was prepared and evaluated for stability, particle size, and antioxidant properties. The nanoemulsion exhibited translucency, fluidity, and stability post centrifugation and temperature tests, with a droplet size of 238.37, PDI -9.59, pH 7, and turbidity 0.267. In vitro assessments on cervical cancer cell lines revealed antitumour effects, including inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Toxicity tests conducted in cell cultures and female Swiss mice demonstrated no adverse effects of both açaí seed oil and nanoemulsion. Overall, açaí seed oil, particularly when formulated into a nanoemulsion, presents potential for cancer treatment due to its bioactive properties and safety profile.

Efetividade das intervenções de telemedicina no impacto da artrite reumatóide: protocolo de uma revisão umbrella / Effectiveness of telemedicine interventions in the impact of rheumatoid arthritis: an umbrella review protocol / Eficacia de las intervenciones de telemedicina en el impacto de la artritis reumatoide: protocolo de una revisión paraguas

Contexto: Crónica e potencialmente incapacitante, com uma baixa qualidade de vida descrita, a artrite reumatoide (AR) afeta 0,5% da população adulta mundial. As intervenções de telemedicina apresentam-se como uma medida que melhora os cuidados de saúde, reduzindo os custos e o impacto da doença. Objetivo: Avaliar a efetividade das intervenções de telemedicina no autocuidado, gestão da dor e da fadiga, literacia e qualidade de vida, nas pessoas com AR. Método de revisão: Será utilizada a metodologia do Joanna Briggs Institute para revisões umbrella. A localização, seleção e extração dos estudos será realizada por dois revisores independentes. Apresentação e interpretação dos resultados: Pretende-se obter dados sobre a efetividade das intervenções de telemedicina no impacto da AR nas pessoas, contribuindo para a divulgação da melhor evidência disponível. Conclusão: O protocolo estabelecido possibilita uma execução precisa por parte de todos os investigadores, contribuindo para o planeamento de intervenções de enfermagem que minorizem o impacto da AR nos autocuidados, gestão da dor e da fadiga, literacia em saúde e qualidade de vida.

Context: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and potentially disabling disease associated with a poor quality of life that affects 0.5% of the adult population worldwide. Telemedicine interventions are a measure for improving health care, reducing the costs and the impact of the disease. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of telemedicine interventions in improving the self-care, pain and fatigue management, health literacy, and quality of life of people with RA. Method of review: The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for umbrella reviews will be used. Two independent reviewers will identify, select, and extract the studies. Presentation and interpretation of results: The aim is to obtain data on the effectiveness of telemedicine interventions in the impact of RA on people, contributing to the dissemination of the best available evidence. Conclusion: This protocol will contribute to an effective planning of nursing interventions that minimize the impact of RA on self-care, pain and fatigue management, health literacy, and quality of life.

Marco contextual: Crónica y potencialmente discapacitante, con una baja calidad de vida descrita, la artritis reumatoide (AR) afecta al 0,5% de la población adulta mundial. Las intervenciones de telemedicina se presentan como una medida que mejora la atención de la salud, reduciendo así los costes y el impacto de la enfermedad. Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad de las intervenciones de telemedicina en el autocuidado, manejo del dolor y fatiga, la alfabetización y la calidad de vida en personas con AR. Método de revisión: La metodología del Instituto Joanna Briggs se utilizará para las revisiones umbrella. La ubicación, selección y extracción de los estudios será realizada por dos revisores independientes. Presentación e interpretación de los resultados: El objetivo es obtener datos sobre la eficacia de las intervenciones de telemedicina en el impacto de la AR en las personas, contribuyendo así a la difusión de las mejores pruebas disponibles. Conclusión: El protocolo establecido permite una ejecución precisa por parte de todos los investigadores, lo que contribuye a la planificación de intervenciones de enfermería que minimicen el impacto de la AR en el autocuidado, la gestión del dolor y la fatiga, la alfabetización en la salud y la calidad de vida.

Exercise training protects against cancer-induced cardiac remodeling in an animal model of urothelial carcinoma.

Limiting cancer-induced cardiac damage has become an increasingly important issue to improve survival rates and quality of life. Exercise training has been shown to reduce cardiovascular complications in several diseases; however, its therapeutic role against cardiovascular consequences of cancer is in its infancy. In order to add new insights on the potential therapeutic effect of exercise training on cancer-related cardiac dysfunction, we used an animal model of urothelial carcinoma submitted to 13 weeks of treadmill exercise after 20 weeks of exposure to the carcinogenic N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN). Data showed that 13 weeks of treadmill exercise reverted cancer-induced cardiomyocytes atrophy and fibrosis, improved cardiac oxidative capacity given by citrate synthase activity and MnSOD content, and increased the levels of the mitochondrial biogenesis markers PGC-1α and mtTFA. Moreover, exercise training reverted cancer-induced decrease of cardiac c-kit levels suggesting enhanced regenerative ability of heart. These cardiac adaptations to exercise were related to a lower incidence of malignant urothelial lesions and less signs of inflammation. Taken together, data from the present study support the beneficial effect of exercise training when started after cancer diagnosis, envisioning the improvement of the cardiovascular function.

Long-term treatment with chaethomellic acid A reduces glomerulosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis in a rat model of chronic kidney disease.

The high prevalence of end-stage renal disease emphasizes the failure to provide therapies to effectively prevent and/or reverse renal fibrosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term treatment with chaethomellic acid A (CAA), which selectively blocks Ha-Ras farnesylation, on renal mass reduction-induced renal fibrosis. Male Wistar rats were sham-operated (SO) or subjected to 5/6 renal mass reduction (RMR). One week after surgery, rats were placed in four experimental groups: SO:SO rats without treatment (n=13); SO+CAA: SO rats treated with CAA (n=13); RMR:RMR rats without treatment (n=14); and RMR+CAA:RMR rats treated with CAA (n=13). CAA was intraperitoneally administered in a dose of 0.23µg/kg three times a week for six months. Renal fibrosis was evaluated by two-dimensional ultrasonography and histopathological analysis. The kidneys of the RMR animals treated with CAA showed a significantly decrease in the medullary echogenicity (p<0.05) compared with the RMR rats that received no treatment. Glomerulosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis scores were significantly lower (p<0.001) in the RMR+CAA group when compared with the RMR group. There were no significant differences in interstitial fibrosis, interstitial inflammation and tubular dilatation scores between the RMR+CAA and RMR groups. These data suggest that CAA can be a potential future drug to attenuate the progression of chronic kidney disease.

Development and characterization of mucoadhesive buccal gels containing lipid nanoparticles of ibuprofen.

The lipid nanoparticles, namely Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC), as drug delivery systems have been investigated for several years. One of the delivery routes for which these carriers can be applied is buccal administration. However, the liquid dispersions of lipid nanoparticles can be rapidly removed from oral cavity by saliva. Thus, the development of a system that allows increased retention time on the mucosa is necessary. For this reason, the development of mucoadhesive preparations for buccal administration of lipid nanoparticles becomes important. Hydrogels prepared with mucoadhesive polymers (Carbopol® 980 and polycarbophil) constitute a promising option. The aim of this work was to develop mucoadhesive buccal hydrogels with NLC, using ibuprofen as a model drug. The obtained results showed that the developed NLC dispersions presented particles in the nanometric size range, with low polydispersity index values and efficient ability for the entrapment of the model drug. Moreover, the incorporation of NLC in hydrogels of mucoadhesive polymers resulted in preparations with desirable rheological features as well as texture (firmness and adhesiveness) and mucoadhesive properties, which could benefit the therapeutic efficacy, by increasing the residence time and easiness for topical application in the buccal mucosa. Additionally, the developed preparations exhibited sustained drug release as intended for these systems.

Six-year surveillance of Newcastle disease virus in wild birds in north-eastern Spain (Catalonia).

Given that Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the major threats for the poultry industry, testing of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has been carried out since 2010 in cases of mortality in wild birds (passive surveillance) in Catalonia. The objective is to provide an early warning system to prevent the infection of poultry. Since 2010, 35 episodes of mortality in wild birds were attributed to NDV infection. Throughout this period there was a progressive expansion of NDV to new areas, with an increase in the episodes of mortality, although it is not clear whether they were the result of the spread of the virus, or of the improvement of the surveillance. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that two distinct sublineages of NDV, 4a and 4b, were circulating in Catalonia. Both sublineages seem to be endemic in the wild bird population, affecting mainly Eurasian-collared doves, with a clear pattern in relation to its spatial distribution (coincident with the distribution of this species), and its temporal distribution (with the majority of cases between September and February). So far, endemicity in wild birds has not resulted in ND outbreaks in poultry. However, there are still many uncertainties about, for example, whether NDV may expand to new areas of Catalonia (with higher poultry density), or about the threat that the apparently more novel sublineage 4a may represent. Hence, efforts should be made so that measures to prevent infection of poultry farms (particularly in high-risk areas and periods) are encouraged, and surveillance is maintained.

A liver schwannoma observed in a female Sprague-Dawley rat treated with MNU.

BACKGROUND: Schwannoma is a tumor of the nervous system composed by Schwann cells. It can occur naturally in several tissues of the body in both humans and animals. Diaphragmatic hernia can be congenital or acquired and is defined as a protrusion of abdominal viscera into the thoracic cavity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The animal was a female rat from an experiment of mammary tumor chemically induced. It was injected with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and died spontaneously at 22 weeks of age. RESULTS: The animal had a diaphragmatic hernia and a hemorrhagic and multicystic mass in the liver herniated lobule. Microscopically the liver displayed a well circumscribed mass that was a tumor with hemorrhagic areas, necrosis and Antoni A and Antoni B patterns. It also displayed occasional positivity to vimentin and diffuse positivity to S-100 and NSE. CONCLUSION: The tumor was a schwannoma with the origin in the Glisson's capsule.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of gastrocnemius muscle in a rat model of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mammary tumor.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Ultrasonography is frequently used to study body tissues. Our aim was to evaluate by ultrasonography, gastrocnemius muscle wasting induced by cancer in a rat model of chemically-induced mammary tumor, muscular response to exercise. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into as well as four groups. Groups I and II were injected with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). Groups I and III performed endurance training on a treadmill. Gastrocnemius muscles were palpated for tonus evaluation. Gastrocnemius muscle and fibrous tissue between muscle and tibia were examined by ultrasonography. At necropsy, muscle was collected and weighed. Myostatin was assessed by immunoblotting. RESULTS: The final body weight, gastrocnemius weight, length and width were similar among groups. Tone of muscle was higher in exercised animals. Myostatin was higher in MNU-treated groups. Echogenicity of muscle and fibrous tissue in group IV was higher than in other groups (p<0.05). Echogenicity of fibrous tissue was higher than echogenicity of muscle in all groups. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that muscle ultrasonography is a useful tool to identify alterations in muscle structure. More studies are necessary for researchers to understand the influence of fat location in muscle ultrasonographic imaging.