Total dietary antioxidant capacity and food groups and their relationship with the sleep time of Brazilian graduates (CUME Study).

To investigate the association between the Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity (dTAC) and the Total Antioxidant Capacity of food groups (fgTAC) with the sleep time of Brazilian graduates participating in the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME Study). This cross-sectional study analyzed 6,387 graduates (2,052 men, 4,335 women, 35.3 ± 9.3 years old) from the CUME Study. Data was collected online, and dTAC was obtained by the Ferric Reduction Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method. Daily sleep time was classified as short sleep, normal sleep, and long sleep (≤6, 7-8, and ≥9 h, respectively). Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the Odds Ratio (OR) and its 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) between short sleep and long sleep with quartiles of dTAC and the fgTAC. Lower odds of short sleep was observed for the third quartile of dTAC and for fourth quartile of fgTAC of fruits, beans, and lentils, and for the third quartile of fgTAC of vegetables and oils and fats. Higher odds of short sleep for the fourth quartile of fgTAC of teas and coffees. For long sleep, inverse associations were observed for the fourth quartile of fgTAC of oilseeds and the third quartile of fgTAC of teas and coffees. Higher odds of long sleep were observed for the third quartile of artificial juices and sodas. We cannot independently assert an association between higher dTAC and sleep time. In turn, the associations between sleep time and fgTAC show the importance of the food matrix that antioxidants are inserted, requiring longitudinal studies to observe the direction of associations.

Storytelling increases oxytocin and positive emotions and decreases cortisol and pain in hospitalized children.

Storytelling is a distinctive human characteristic that may have played a fundamental role in humans' ability to bond and navigate challenging social settings throughout our evolution. However, the potential impact of storytelling on regulating physiological and psychological functions has received little attention. We investigated whether listening to narratives from a storyteller can provide beneficial effects for children admitted to intensive care units. Biomarkers (oxytocin and cortisol), pain scores, and psycholinguistic associations were collected immediately before and after storytelling and an active control intervention (solving riddles that also involved social interaction but lacked the immersive narrative aspect). Compared with the control group, children in the storytelling group showed a marked increase in oxytocin combined with a decrease in cortisol in saliva after the 30-min intervention. They also reported less pain and used more positive lexical markers when describing their time in hospital. Our findings provide a psychophysiological basis for the short-term benefits of storytelling and suggest that a simple and inexpensive intervention may help alleviate the physical and psychological pain of hospitalized children on the day of the intervention.

Astroglial Alterations in the Hippocampus of Rats Submitted to a Single Trans-Cranial Direct Current Stimulation Trial.

Evidence indicates that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) provides therapeutic benefits in different situations, such as epilepsy, depression, inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Despite the increasing use of tDCS, its cellular and molecular basis remains unknown. Astrocytes display a close functional and structural relationship with neurons and have been identified as mediators of neuroprotection in tDCS. Considering the importance of hippocampal glutamatergic neurotransmission in nociceptive pathways, we decided to investigate short-term changes in the hippocampal astrocytes of rats subjected to tDCS, evaluating specific cellular markers (GFAP and S100B), as well as markers of astroglial activity; glutamate uptake, glutamine synthesis by glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutathione content. Data clearly show that a single session of tDCS increases the pain threshold elicited by mechanical and thermal stimuli, as evaluated by von Frey and hot plate tests, respectively. These changes involve inflammatory and astroglial neurochemical changes in the hippocampus, based on specific changes in cell markers, such as S100B and GS. Alterations in S100B were also observed in the cerebrospinal fluid of tDCS animals and, most importantly, specific functional changes (increased glutamate uptake and increased GS activity) were detected in hippocampal astrocytes. These findings contribute to a better understanding of tDCS as a therapeutic strategy for nervous disorders and reinforce the importance of astrocytes as therapeutic targets.

Association between total dietary antioxidant capacity and food groups and incidence of depression in a cohort of Brazilian graduates (CUME Project).

This study aims to evaluate the association between Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity (dTAC) and Total Antioxidant Capacity of food groups (fgTAC) with the incidence of depression in Brazilian graduates participating in the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME Study). The sample consisted of 2572 participants without a medical diagnosis of depression at baseline who responded to at least one follow-up questionnaire from the CUME Project. The Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power assay was used to determine dTAC. Incidence of depression was estimated by self-reported medical diagnosis of depression during the years of cohort follow-up. Cox regression models were used to relate dTAC and fgTAC to the incidence of depression. The mean follow-up time was 2·96 (1·00) years, and 246 cases of depression were observed (32·3/1000 person-years). The mean dTAC was 11·03 (4·84) mmol/d. We found no associations between higher dTAC and lower risk of developing depression after adjusting for possible confounders. The incidence of depression was inversely associated with fgTAC of the beans and lentils group (hazard ratio (HR): 0·61; 95 % CI 0·41, 0·90). The fgTAC of the junk food group was positively associated with higher incidence of depression after all adjustments (HR: 1·57; 95 % CI 1·08, 2·26). Our findings do not support an association between dTAC and the incidence of depression in a highly educated Brazilian population. However, associations of fgTAC show the importance of analysing the food matrix in which these antioxidants are inserted. We highlight the need for more prospective studies with different nationalities to confirm these results.

Effects of whole peanut within an energy-restricted diet on inflammatory and oxidative processes in obese women: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Peanut consumption has little effect on body weight, despite its high energy density and is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that the consumption of whole peanut would be associated with greater improvements in body composition, lipid profile, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-four women with obesity [body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg m-2 ], 33.1 ± 8.7 years old, were assigned to three groups and consumed 56 g of whole peanut (WP), skinned peanut (SP), and no peanut (NP) and consumed energy-restricted diets (250 kcal d-1 less than their customary diet) for 8 weeks. RESULTS: WP group lost an average of 3.2 kg, while SP group lost 2.6 kg and the NP group 1.8 kg. However, only the groups that consumed peanuts showed a significant reduction in BMI. WP group presented lower body weight, BMI, waist circumference, total lean mass, and total body fat than the SP group in the eighth week. There was a significant reduction in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) after 4 weeks of intervention, which was maintained in week-8 for the WP and SP groups. In addition, there was an improvement in platelets and plasma homocysteine with WP group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the regular intake of the whole peanut as part of an energy-restricted diet showed health benefits since it enhanced body weight loss, besides improving body composition and reducing cholesterol, platelets, and homocysteine concentrations. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Insights into the genomic repertoire of Aquimarina litoralis CCMR20, a symbiont of coral Mussismilia braziliensis.

Aquimarina litoralis CCMR20 originated from the coral Mussismilia braziliensis (Sebastião Gomes Reef, Brazil, summer 2010). To gain new insights into the genomic repertoire associated with symbioses, we obtained the genome sequence of this strains using Illumina sequencing. CCMR20 has a genome size of 6.3 Mb, 32.6%GC, and 5513 genes (37 tRNA and 4 rRNA). A more fine-grained examination of the gene repertoire of CCMR20 disclosed genes engaged with symbiosis (heterotrophic carbon metabolism, CAZymes, B-vitamins group, carotenoid pigment and antioxidant molecules production). Genomic evidence further expand the possible relevance of this symbiont in the health of Mussismilia holobiont.Whole Genome Shotgun project has been deposited at DDBJ/ENA/GeneBank under the accession number WEKL00000000.

Enterovibrio baiacu sp. nov.

We report here the novel species to encompass the isolate A649T (=CBAS 716T = CBRVS P1061T) obtained from viscera of the healthy pufferfish Sphoeroides spengleri (Family Tetraodontidae). Genomic taxonomy analysis demonstrates that the novel strain A649T had < 95% average amino acid identity/average nucleotide identity (AAI/ANI) and < 70% similarity of genome-to-genome distance (GGDH) towards its closest neighbors which places A649T into a new Enterovibrio species (Enterovibrio baiacu sp nov.). In silico phenotyping disclosed several features that may be used to differentiate related Enterovibrio species. The nearly complete genome assembly of strain A649T consisted of 5.4 Mbp and 4826 coding genes.

A curriculum for behaviour and oral healthcare management for dentally anxious children-Recommendations from the Children Experiencing Dental Anxiety: Collaboration on Research and Education (CEDACORE).

BACKGROUND: Dentists need training in the management of children's anxiety (DA), fear (DF) and behaviour management problems (DBMP) but little is known of their competence on this topic. AIM: To report dentists' opinions and attitudes about protective stabilisation and pharmacological techniques for the management of children with DA/DF/DBMP; to propose a postgraduate curriculum focussing on DA/DF/DBMP. DESIGN: A survey of 301 Brazilian dentists and later a modified Delphi process to outline the curriculum in two phases: (a) face-to-face discussions with 33 early career researchers mentored by six researchers, both from UK and Brazil; (b) online discussions by eight early and senior researchers on the knowledge, experience, and competencies necessary for a specialist in paediatric dentistry in Brazil that should be included in the core curriculum of postgraduate courses. RESULTS: Almost all (99.0%) of the survey respondents provide treatment to children with DA/DF/DBMP, and 91.2% do not systematically diagnose these conditions; 94.3% use protective stabilisation, and 20.0%-30.0% have training in pharmacological techniques. The four-domain framework supporting the proposed curriculum is as follows: DA/DF/DBMP assessment, non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches, and decision-making. CONCLUSION: Dental curricula should be customised to solve the misconceptions and promote a comprehensive and positive attitude to DA/DF/DBMP by paediatric oral healthcare practitioners.

Genome sequence of Shewanella corallii strain A687 isolated from pufferfish (Sphoeroides spengleri).

We present here the genome sequence of Shewanella corallii strain A687 isolated from pufferfish Sphoeroides spengleri (Family Tetraodontidae). The assembly consists of 5,215,037 bp and contains 284 contigs, with a G+C content of 50.3%.

Association between dietary total antioxidant capacity and hepatocellular ballooning in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by steatosis, lobular inflammation, ballooning, and in some cases, fibrosis, which can progress to cirrhosis and carcinoma. The progression of NASH is closely related to oxidative stress. Dietary intake of antioxidants has been suggested in protection against oxidative damage and related clinical complications. Thus, we evaluated the potential association of dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) with disease severity in NASH patients, as well as with anthropometric and body composition markers and biochemical parameters. METHODS: Thirty-three outpatients with a mean age of 48.4 ± 1.9 years were evaluated. Dietary TAC was estimated from a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. NASH severity, determined by liver biopsy, lifestyle characteristics, occurrence of comorbidities, anthropometry, body composition, and biochemical parameters were assessed. RESULTS: NASH patients who had a higher dietary TAC had fewer ballooned hepatocytes compared to those with a lower TAC (p = 0.024). The patients with the highest dietary TAC had a reduction of approximately 20% in the risk of having many ballooned hepatocytes (OR 0.791; 95% CI 0.643-0.974; p = 0.027). There was no association of steatosis, lobular inflammation, and fibrosis with dietary TAC. The same occurred for lifestyle characteristics, occurrence of comorbidities, anthropometry, body composition, and biochemical parameters. CONCLUSION: Dietary TAC is higher in patients with lower hepatic injury (ballooning), suggesting a possible role of food intake naturally high in its antioxidant capacity in reducing free radical production and, consequently, oxidative stress.

Influence of gut microbiota on the development and progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

INTRODUCTION: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by the presence of steatosis, inflammation, and ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes, with or without fibrosis. The prevalence of NASH has increased with the obesity epidemic, but its etiology is multifactorial. The current studies suggest the role of gut microbiota in the development and progression of NASH. The aim is to review the studies that investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and NASH. These review also discusses the pathophysiological mechanisms and the influence of diet on the gut-liver axis. RESULT: The available literature has proposed mechanisms for an association between gut microbiota and NASH, such as: modification energy homeostasis, lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-endotoxemia, increased endogenous production of ethanol, and alteration in the metabolism of bile acid and choline. There is evidence to suggest that NASH patients have a higher prevalence of bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine and changes in the composition of the gut microbiota. However, there is still a controversy regarding the microbiome profile in this population. The abundance of Bacteroidetes phylum may be increased, decreased, or unaltered in NASH patients. There is an increase in the Escherichia and Bacteroides genus. There is depletion of certain taxa, such as Prevotella and Faecalibacterium. CONCLUSION: Although few studies have evaluated the composition of the gut microbiota in patients with NASH, it is observed that these individuals have a distinct gut microbiota, compared to the control groups, which explains, at least in part, the genesis and progression of the disease through multiple mechanisms. Modulation of the gut microbiota through diet control offers new challenges for future studies.

TRAIL-Dependent Resolution of Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common form of interstitial lung disease characterized by the persistence of activated myofibroblasts resulting in excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins and profound tissue remodeling. In the present study, the expression of tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) was key to the resolution of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Both in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that Gr-1+TRAIL+ bone marrow-derived myeloid cells blocked the activation of lung myofibroblasts. Although soluble TRAIL was increased in plasma from IPF patients, the presence of TRAIL+ myeloid cells was markedly reduced in IPF lung biopsies, and primary lung fibroblasts from this patient group expressed little of the TRAIL receptor-2 (DR5) when compared with appropriate normal samples. IL-13 was a potent inhibitor of DR5 expression in normal fibroblasts. Together, these results identified TRAIL+ myeloid cells as a critical mechanism in the resolution of pulmonary fibrosis, and strategies directed at promoting its function might have therapeutic potential in IPF.

Impact of dietary fat on gut microbiota and low-grade systemic inflammation: mechanisms and clinical implications on obesity.

Dietary fat strongly affects human health by modulating gut microbiota composition and low-grade systemic inflammation. High-fat diets have been implicated in reduced gut microbiota richness, increased Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, and several changes at family, genus and species levels. Saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), polyunsaturated (PUFA) and conjugated linolenic fatty acids share important pathways of immune system activation/inhibition with gut microbes, modulating obesogenic and proinflammatory profiles. Mechanisms that link dietary fat, gut microbiota and obesity are mediated by increased intestinal permeability, systemic endotoxemia, and the activity of the endocannabinoid system. Although the probiotic therapy could be a complementary strategy to improve gut microbiota composition, it did not show permanent effects to treat fat-induced dysbiosis. Based upon evidence to date, we believe that high-fat diets and SFA consumption should be avoided, and MUFA and omega-3 PUFA intake should be encouraged in order to regulate gut microbiota and inflammation, promoting body weight/fat control.

Folic acid prevented cognitive impairment in experimental pneumococcal meningitis.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of bacterial meningitis, with a high mortality rate and neurological sequelae. In contrast, folic acid plays an important role in neuroplasticity and the preservation of neuronal integrity. In the present study, we evaluated the influence of folic acid on memory, oxidative damage, enzymatic defence, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in experimental pneumococcal meningitis. In animals that received folic acid at a dose of 10 or 50 mg, there was a reduction in both crossing and rearing during an open-field task compared with the training session, demonstrating habituation memory. During a step-down inhibitory avoidance task, there was a difference between the training and the test sessions, demonstrating aversive memory. In the hippocampus, BDNF expression decreased in the meningitis group; however, adjuvant treatment with 10 mg of folic acid increased BDNF expression, decreased lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, nitrate/nitrite levels, and myeloperoxidase activity and increased superoxide dismutase activity. In frontal cortex adjuvant treatment with 10 mg of folic acid decreased lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation. There is substantial interest in the role of folic acid and related pathways in nervous system function and in folic acid's potential therapeutic effects. Here, adjuvant treatment with vitamin B9 prevented memory impairment in experimental pneumococcal meningitis.

Higher plasma lipopolysaccharide concentrations are associated with less favorable phenotype in overweight/obese men.

PURPOSE: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria might be an inflammation trigger in adipose tissue. It has recently been proposed that there is a link between adipose tissue distribution and blood LPS. However, the number of studies on this topic is scarce, and further investigation in humans is required. In this study, we explored the association between plasma LPS concentrations and body fat distribution, as well as the biochemical parameters that may indicate the presence of metabolic disorders. METHODS: Sixty-seven young adult men with body mass index of 26-35 kg/m(2) were evaluated. Anthropometry, body composition and body fat distribution, blood pressure, energy expenditure, physical activity level, dietary intake, and biochemical parameters were assessed. RESULTS: Men with median plasma LPS ≥ 0.9 EU/mL presented higher sagittal abdominal diameter, trunk fat percentage, and android fat percentage, and mass, insulin and alanine aminotransferase concentrations, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and beta cell dysfunction (HOMA-B) than those with lower plasma LPS. LPS correlated positively with the trunk fat percentage, and android fat percentage, and mass, insulin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase concentrations, as well as HOMA-IR and HOMA-B. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that a higher plasma LPS concentration is associated with a less favorable phenotype as characterized by higher central adiposity, higher values of HOMA-IR, and beta cell function impairment in overweight/obese men.

Role of growth arrest-specific gene 6 in the development of fungal allergic airway disease in mice.

Growth arrest-specific gene (Gas)6 is a secreted vitamin K-dependent protein with pleiotropic effects via activation of receptor tyrosine kinase Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk receptors, but little is known about its role in allergic airway disease. We investigated the role of Gas6 in the development of fungal allergic airway disease in mice. The immune response was evaluated in Gas6-deficient (Gas6-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice and in recombinant Gas6-treated WT mice during Aspergillus fumigatus-induced allergic airway disease. Gas6 plasma levels were significantly elevated in adult clinical asthma of all severities compared with subjects without asthma. In a murine model of fungal allergic airway disease, increased protein expression of Axl and Mertk were observed in the lung. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), whole lung Th2 cytokine levels, goblet cell metaplasia, and peribronchial fibrosis were ameliorated in Gas6-/- mice compared with WT mice with fungal allergic airway disease. Intranasal Gas6 administration into WT mice had a divergent effect on airway inflammation and AHR. Specifically, a total dose of 2 µg of exogenous Gas6 (i.e., low dose) significantly increased whole lung Th2 cytokine levels and subsequent AHR, whereas a total dose of 7 µg of exogenous Gas6 (i.e., high dose) significantly suppressed Th1 and Th2 cytokines and AHR compared with appropriate control groups. Mechanistically, Gas6 promoted Th2 activation via its highest affinity receptor Axl expressed by myeloid DCs. Intranasal administration of Gas6 consistently exacerbated airway remodeling compared with control WT groups. These results demonstrate that Gas6 enhances several features of fungal allergic airway disease.

Capillary electrophoretic methods for the screening and determination of pharmacologic adulterants in herbal-based pharmaceutical formulations.

This review aims to describe the CE methods utilized for the determination of adulterants in herbal-based formulations marketed for different therapeutic purposes. The CE methods for screening and determination of pharmacologic adulterants are reviewed on the basis of the CE techniques and their detection methods. CZE and MEKC methods coupled to optical (UV), capacitively coupled contactless conductivity, and MS detection modes are discussed and reviewed. Worldwide adulteration cases related to pharmaceutical formulations containing herbs as the main active products are presented covering all the works published in the last four decades.

Oenococcus alcoholitolerans sp. nov., a lactic acid bacteria isolated from cachaça and ethanol fermentation processes.

Four strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from cachaça and alcohol fermentation vats in Brazil were characterised in order to determine their taxonomic position. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that they belong to the genus Oenococcus and should be distinguished from their closest neighbours. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity against the type strains of the other two species of the genus was below 94.76 % (Oenococcus kitaharae) and 94.62 % (Oenococcus oeni). The phylogeny based on pheS gene sequences also confirmed the position of the new taxon. DNA-DNA hybridizations based on in silico genome-to-genome comparison, Average Amino Acid Identity, Average Nucleotide Identity and Karlin genomic signature confirmed the novelty of the taxon. Distinctive phenotypic characteristics are the ability to metabolise sucrose but not trehalose. The name Oenococcus alcoholitolerans sp. nov. is proposed for this taxon, with the type strain UFRJ-M7.2.18(T) ( = CBAS474(T) = LMG27599(T)). In addition, we have determined a draft genome sequence of the type strain.

Culturable heterotrophic bacteria associated with healthy and bleached scleractinian Madracis decactis and the fireworm Hermodice carunculata from the remote St. Peter and St. Paul Archipelago, Brazil.

We report on the first characterization of the culturable heterotrophic bacteria of the scleractinian Madracis decactis. In addition, we characterized the culturable bacteria associated with the fireworm Hermodice carunculata, observed predating partially bleached coral colonies. Our study was carried out in the remote St. Peter and St. Paul Archipelago (SPSPA), Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Brazil. We constituted a 403 isolates collection and subsequently characterized it by means of pyrH and 16S rRNA partial sequences. We identified Photobacterium, Bacillus, and Vibrio species as members of the culturable microbiota of healthy M. decactis. V. campbellii, V. harveyi, V. communis, and V. maritimus were the most commonly found Vibrio species in healthy corals, representing more than 60 % of all vibrio isolates. Most of the vibrios isolated from the fireworm's tissues (n = 143; >90 %) were identified as V. shiloi. However, we did not recover V. shiloi from bleached M. decactis. Instead, we isolated V. communis, a novel Photobacterium species, Bacillus, Kocuria, and Pseudovibrio, suggesting a possible role of other facultative anaerobic bacteria and/or environmental features (such as water quality) in the onset of bleaching in SPSPA's M. decactis.