Malicia honey (Mimosa quadrivalvis L.) produced by the jandaíra bee (Melipona subnitida D.) improves depressive-like behaviour, somatic, biochemical and inflammatory parameters of obese rats.

Malícia honey produced by the jandaíra bee has hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects and antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo, which makes it potential adjuvant treatment for obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of malícia honey on somatic and biochemical parameters, depressive-like behaviour and anti-inflammatory activity in obese rats. A total of 40 adult male Wistar rats were initially randomized into a healthy group (HG, n = 20) that consumed a control diet, and an obese group (OG, n = 20) which consumed a cafeteria diet for eight weeks. Then, they were subdivided into four groups: healthy (HG, n = 10); healthy treated with malícia honey (HGH, n = 10); obese (OG, n = 10); and obese treated with malícia honey (OGH, n = 10), maintaining their diets for another eight weeks. The HGH and OGH groups received malícia honey (1000 mg/kg body weight) via gavage. Food intake was monitored daily and body weight was monitored weekly. Biochemical tests related to obesity and glucose and insulin tolerance test, somatic parameters, histological parameters and quantification of NF-κB in the brain were performed. Treatment with malícia honey improved depressive-like behaviour, reduced weight (14 %), body mass index (6 %), and improved lipid profile, leptin, insulin, HOMA-ß, and glucose and insulin tolerance in obese rats. It also decreased NF-κB (58.08 %) in the brain. Malícia honey demonstrated anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects, and reversed changes in obesity-induced depressive-like behaviour.

Intermittent fasting associated with aerobic exercise improves oxidative parameters and causes muscle damage without compromising the performance of Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to` investigate the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) and the possible association with aerobic exercise on performance, oxidative, biochemical, and somatic parameters of Wistar rats. METHODS: Forty rats were randomized into the following groups: sedentary (SC) and trained (TC) controls, sedentary intermittent fasting (SIF), and trained intermittent fasting (TIF). The rats were subjected to IF for 15 h every day and aerobic exercise lasting 30 min, five times a week, at a speed of 15 m/min for 4 wk. Performance tests were performed at the beginning and end of the protocol. Glucose and insulin tolerance, somatic parameters, lipidogram, leptin, insulin, malondialdehyde, antioxidant capacity, C-reactive protein, alpha acid glycoprotein, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and muscle histology were analyzed. RESULTS: The trained groups had similar performance and significantly improved performance at the end of the experiment. TIF showed lower body weight (-16 g), lean mass (22.49%), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (29%), and lactate dehydrogenase (48%), and higher malondialdehyde (53%) and antioxidant capacity (75%) than the TC group. The SIF and TIF groups showed a fiber area reduction and positivity marking for tumor necrosis factor-α in the muscles. CONCLUSION: Although IF associated with aerobic exercise improved antioxidant capacity caused damage to muscle fibers and lean mass loss, it did not change the performance of the rats.

Hemorrhagic adrenal cyst.

The authors present a case of a hemorrhagic adrenal cyst, one of the tumors known in literature as incidentalomas, emphasizing the clinical characteristics, since adrenal cysts or pseudocysts are generally rare and observed by chance during imaging procedures. Traditionally they are classified as pseudocysts, endothelial, epithelial or parasitic cysts. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has been considered the treatment of choice for benign, functioning or non-functioning adrenal lesions. Small cystic adrenal tumors can be managed conservatively by laparoscopic decortication or marsupialization, but larger cysts should be treated by total or partial adrenalectomy.

Fatores de risco associados ao uso de álcool e drogas na vida, entre estudantes de medicina do Estado de Säo Paulo / Risk factors joined to the use of drug and alcohol in life, among the students of medicine in the State of SÝo Paulo

Este trabalho apresenta dados sobre o uso de álcool e outras drogas entre os alunos de nove escolas de medicina do Estado de Säo Paulo, bem como os fatores de risco associados do uso na vida dessas substâncias. A pesquisa foi realizada junto aos alunos do primeiro ao sexto ano do curso de medicina, matriculados no ano de 1994 (N= 5,225) nas escolas participantes, utilizando questionário anônimo de autopreenchimento, dos quais se obtiveram 71 por cento de respostas (N= 3,725). Em relaçäo ao tipo de substância utilizada pelos alunos, observou-se a prevalência em ordem decrescente das seguintes substâncias: álcool, tabaco, solventes, maconha, tranquilizantes e cocaína; näo foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre a prevalência dessas substâncias quanto ao uso na vida, nos últimos 12 meses e últimos 30 dias, como também entre os alunos das escolas da capital (60 por cento) e do interior do Estado (40 por cento). No entanto, observou-se que o uso dessas substâncias é maior nos últimos anos do curso médico, especialmente o de tranquilizantes. Identificou-se que o fato de os alunos terem mais anos de escolaridade está relacionado com o de usar droga na vida, com diferenças significativas entre sexo e tipo de substância utilizada. Esses resultados também indicam que as atitudes dos alunos frente ao uso de álcool e drogas podem interferir significativamente com o uso dessas substâncias na vida, bem como que a percepçäo dos alunos sobre a melhora dos pacientes alccoolistas e usuários de drogas e o tipo de vínculo com esses pacientes podem contribuir também para o uso de álcool na vida