Valorization of papaya (Carica papaya L.) agroindustrial waste through the recovery of phenolic antioxidants by supercritical fluid extraction.

In this work, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) for the recovery of phenolic antioxidants from papaya agroindustrial waste (seeds) was explored, making use of neat supercritical CO2 and CO2 added with ethanol (CO2-EtOH). A full factorial design played on in order to evaluate the effect of CO2 extraction parameters (temperature between 40 and 60 °C, and pressure between 10 and 30 MPa) on yield and total phenols content (TPC), then ethanol was applied as a co-solvent and its effect on the recovery of phenolics was analyzed. The SFE was compared to the conventional extraction using ethanol. The antioxidant activity of all extracts was evaluated, and the phenolic composition in selected extracts was assessed by HPLC-ESI-MS. The highest extraction yields (21.02-26.46%) and TPC (15.34-34.23 mgGAE/g) were found in extracts obtained with CO2-EtOH and ethanol. Good and selective phenolic recovery was obtained by using CO2-EtOH, (44.81% of TPC recovered). The CO2-EtOH extracts showed high radical scavenging activity and higher antioxidant effect against lipid oxidation. Some phenolic acids and flavonoids were observed in the extracts with better antioxidants properties. The results showed that SFE is a suitable green technology for the phenolic recovery from papaya agroindustrial waste, and also an alternative for its valorization.

HbA1c, fasting and 2 h plasma glucose in current, ex- and never-smokers: a meta-analysis.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The relationships between smoking and glycaemic variables have not been well explored. We compared HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2 h plasma glucose (2H-PG) in current, ex- and never-smokers. METHODS: This meta-analysis used individual data from 16,886 men and 18,539 women without known diabetes in 12 DETECT-2 consortium studies and in the French Data from an Epidemiological Study on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome (DESIR) and Telecom studies. Means of three glycaemic variables in current, ex- and never-smokers were modelled by linear regression, with study as a random factor. The I (2) statistic was used to evaluate heterogeneity among studies. RESULTS: HbA1c was 0.10% (95% CI 0.08, 0.12) (1.1 mmol/mol [0.9, 1.3]) higher in current smokers and 0.03% (0.01, 0.05) (0.3 mmol/mol [0.1, 0.5]) higher in ex-smokers, compared with never-smokers. For FPG, there was no significant difference between current and never-smokers (-0.004 mmol/l [-0.03, 0.02]) but FPG was higher in ex-smokers (0.12 mmol/l [0.09, 0.14]). In comparison with never-smokers, 2H-PG was lower (-0.44 mmol/l [-0.52, -0.37]) in current smokers, with no difference for ex-smokers (0.02 mmol/l [-0.06, 0.09]). There was a large and unexplained heterogeneity among studies, with I (2) always above 50%; I (2) was little changed after stratification by sex and adjustment for age and BMI. In this study population, current smokers had a prevalence of diabetes that was 1.30% higher as screened by HbA1c and 0.52% lower as screened by 2H-PG, in comparison with never-smokers. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Across this heterogeneous group of studies, current smokers had a higher HbA1c and lower 2H-PG than never-smokers. This will affect the chances of smokers being diagnosed with diabetes.

Willingness to pay as patient preference to bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: An obesity epidemic is spreading worldwide. In addition to comorbidities, social and emotional problems contribute to reduce the quality of life (QoL) of obese people. Considering the heterogeneity of outcomes from clinical and surgical approaches, it is recommended that severely obese patients participate in their treatment decisions. This study evaluated preferences of severely obese patients for obesity surgical treatment using the willingness to pay (WTP) and to assess the impact of the presence of some clinical disorders, socioeconomic conditions and QoL on their decisions. METHODS: The selected patients were invited to answer the WTP questionnaire using two formats of contingent valuation questions: dichotomous choice (yes/no) and a bidding game. The answers were correlated with clinical features, QoL assessed by the SF-36 and the Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of Life Questionnaire II, Brazilian socioeconomic classification, and family and personal incomes. RESULTS: The group of patients who accepted the first bid was older and had higher frequency of sleep apnoea when compared to those who rejected the offer. A significant correlation between the bidding game value and family income was found (r = 0.28; P < 0.02). In the logistic regression model, socioeconomic classification and sleep apnoea were shown to be independently associated with acceptance the bid. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep apnoea was the comorbidity that most influenced the acceptance in dichotomous choice for bariatric surgery, probably due to the deleterious effects on daily activities induced by sleep disturbances. Our findings also suggest that the frequency of surgical procedures is below the preference of the obese population in Brazil.

Menopause Per se Is Associated with Coronary Artery Calcium Score: Results from the ELSA-Brasil.

Background: Menopause and aging deteriorate the metabolic profile, but little is known about how they independently contribute to structural changes in coronary arteries. We compared a broad cardiometabolic risk profile of women according to their menopausal status and investigated if menopause per se is associated with presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in the ELSA-Brasil. Materials and Methods: All participants, except perimenopausal women, who had menopause <40 years or from non-natural causes or reported use of hormone therapy were included. Sample was stratified according to menopause and age categories (premenopause ≤45 years, premenopause >45 years, and postmenopause); their clinical profile and computed tomography-determined CAC were compared using Kruskal-Wallis and chi squared test for frequencies. Associations of CAC (binary variable) with menopause categories adjusted for traditional and nontraditional covariables were tested using logistic regression. Results: From 2,047 participants 51 ± 9 years of age, 1,175 were premenopausal (702 ≤ 45 years) and 872 were postmenopausal women. Mean values of anthropometric variables, blood pressure, lipid and glucose parameters, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), and homeosthasis model assessment (HOMA-IR), as well as frequencies of morbidities, were more favorable in premenopausal, particularly in younger ones. In crude analyses, CAC >0 was associated with triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants, dense low-density lipoprotein, BCAA, and other variables, but not with HOMA-IR. Menopause was independently associated with CAC >0 (odds ratios 2.37 [95% confidence interval 1.17-4.81]) when compared to the younger premenopausal group. Conclusion: Associations of menopause with CAC, independent of traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, suggest that hormonal decline per se may contribute to calcium deposition in coronary arteries.

Brown fat triglyceride content is associated with cardiovascular risk markers in adults from a tropical region.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is regarded as an interesting potential target for the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, and the detailed characterization of its structural and functional phenotype could enable an advance in these fields. Most studies evaluating BAT structure and function were performed in temperate climate regions, and we are yet to know how these findings apply to the 40% of the world's population living in tropical areas. Here, we used 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography - magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate BAT in 45 lean, overweight, and obese volunteers living in a tropical area in Southeast Brazil. We aimed at investigating the associations between BAT activity, volume, metabolic activity, and BAT content of triglycerides with adiposity and cardiovascular risk markers in a sample of adults living in a tropical area and we showed that BAT glucose uptake is not correlated with leanness; instead, BAT triglyceride content is correlated with visceral adiposity and markers of cardiovascular risk. This study expands knowledge regarding the structure and function of BAT in people living in tropical areas. In addition, we provide evidence that BAT triglyceride content could be an interesting marker of cardiovascular risk.

The gut microbiome of obese postpartum women with and without previous gestational diabetes mellitus and the gut microbiota of their babies.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide, and has been associated with some changes in the gut microbiota. Studies have shown that the maternal gut microbiota pattern with hyperglycemia can be transmitted to the offspring. The study aimed to evaluate the gut microbiota of obese postpartum women with and without previous GDM and their offspring. METHODS: We evaluated a total of 84 puerperal women who had (n = 40) or not GDM (n = 44), and their infants were also included. Stool samples were obtained 2-6 months after delivery. The molecular profile of the fecal microbiota was obtained by sequencing V4 region of 16S rRNA gene (Illumina® MiSeq). RESULTS: We found that the gut microbiota structures of the puerperal women and their infants were similar. Stratifying according to the type of delivery, the relative abundance of Victivallis genus was higher in women who had natural delivery. Exposure to exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a greater abundance of Bacteroides and Staphylococcus. The differential abundance test showed correlations to clinical and laboratory parameters. This work showed no difference in the microbiota of obese puerperal women with and without GDM and their offspring. However, breastfeeding contributed to the ecological succession of the intestinal microbiota of the offspring. CONCLUSION: This work can contribute to understanding the potential effects of GDM and early life events on the gut microbiome of mothers and their offspring and its possible role in metabolism later in life.

Gut Microbiota across Normal Gestation and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Cohort Analysis.

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a global public health concern. The mechanism that leads to glucose tolerance beyond normal physiological levels to pathogenic conditions remains incompletely understood, and it is speculated that the maternal microbiome may play an important role. This study analyzes the gut microbiota composition in each trimester of weight-matched women with and without GDM and examines possible bacterial genera associations with GDM. This study followed 56 pregnant women with GDM and 59 without admitted to the outpatient clinic during their first/second or third trimester of gestation. They were submitted to a standardized questionnaire, dietary recalls, clinical examination, biological sample collection, and molecular profiling of fecal microbiota. Women with GDM were older and had a higher number of pregnancies than normal-tolerant ones. There was no difference in alpha diversity, and the groups did not differ regarding the overall microbiota structure. A higher abundance of Bacteroides in the GDM group was found. A positive correlation between Christensenellaceae and Intestinobacter abundances with one-hour post-challenge plasma glucose and a negative correlation between Enterococcus and two-hour plasma glucose levels were observed. Bifidobacterium and Peptococcus abundances were increased in the third gestational trimester for both groups. The gut microbiota composition was not dependent on the presence of GDM weight-matched women throughout gestation. However, some genera abundances showed associations with glucose metabolism. Our findings may therefore encourage a deeper understanding of physiological and pathophysiological changes in the microbiota throughout pregnancy, which could have further implications for diseases prevention.

Short Dietary Intervention with Olive Oil Increases Brown Adipose Tissue Activity in Lean but not Overweight Subjects.

BACKGROUND: The brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a potential target for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders. Its activation by cold exposure or adrenergic drugs can increase systemic insulin sensitivity and improve lipid metabolism; however, little is known about the effects of specific dietary components on BAT activity. OBJECTIVES: We asked if a short-term (4 weeks) dietary intervention with olive oil could modify BAT activity in lean and overweight/obese volunteers. DESIGN: This was a 4-week open clinical trial in which all participants underwent a dietary intervention with extra-virgin olive oil supplementation. As the initial intake of olive oil was controlled all the participants were controls of themselves. RESULTS: The intervention resulted in significant increase in blood monounsaturated fatty acid levels, which was accompanied by increased BAT activity in lean but not in overweight/obese volunteers. In the lean group, an increase in leptin was detected after the intervention, and low leptin values at the beginning of the study were predictive of greater BAT activity after intervention. In addition, increase in leptin concentration was associated with increased BAT activity. Three known endogenous mediators of BAT activity, secretin, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), and 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid (12,13-diHOME) were increased by intervention in lean, whereas only secretin and FGF21 were increased in subjects with excessive weight. CONCLUSION: This study provides clinical evidence for the impact of monounsaturated fatty acids on BAT activity and an advance in the understanding of the beneficial health effects of olive oil.

Breastfeeding may have a long-term effect on oral microbiota: results from the Fin-HIT cohort.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding contributes to gastrointestinal microbiota colonization in early life, but its long-term impact is inconclusive. We aimed to evaluate whether the type of feeding during the first six months of life was associated with oral microbiota in adolescence. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional sub-study using baseline information of 423 adolescents from the Finnish Health in Teens (Fin-HIT) cohort. Type of feeding was recalled by parents and dichotomized as (i) No infant formula; (ii) Infant formula (breastmilk + formula or only formula). Saliva microbiota was analysed using 16S rRNA (V3-V4) sequencing. Alpha diversity and beta diversity were compared between feeding type groups using ANCOVA and PERMANOVA, respectively. Differential bacteria abundance was tested using appropriate general linear models. RESULTS: Mean age and body mass index were 11.7 years and 18.0 kg/m2, respectively. The No formula group contained 41% of the participants. Firmicutes (51.0%), Bacteroidetes (19.1%), and Proteobacteria (16.3%) were the most abundant phyla among all participants. Alpha and beta diversity indices did not differ between the two feeding groups. Three Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) belonging to Eubacteria and Veillonella genera (phylum Firmicutes) were more abundant in the No formula than in the Infant formula group (log2fold changes/ p - values - 0.920/ < 0.001, - 0.328/ 0.001, - 0.577/ 0.004). CONCLUSION: Differences exist in abundances of some OTUs in adolescence according to feeding type during the first six months of life, but our findings do not support diversity and overall oral microbiota composition in adolescents being affected by early feeding type.

Influence of In Vitro Digestion on Antioxidant Activity of Enriched Apple Snacks with Grape Juice.

Fruits are sources of bioactive compounds (BACs), such as polyphenols. This research aimed to study the in vitro bioaccessibility of polyphenols from enriched apple snacks with grape juice and determine their antioxidant capacity. Impregnation (I) treatments were carried out at atmospheric pressure and in a vacuum (IV) at 30, 40, and 50 °C and their combinations with ohmic heating (OH), I/OH, and IV/OH. Later, samples were dehydrated by forced convection at 40, 50, and 60 °C. Enriched samples were subjected to in vitro digestion. The total polyphenols, monomeric polyphenols, and antioxidant activities were determined from recovered extracts. Results showed that total polyphenols present in higher concentrations in the gastric phase, 271.85 ± 7.64 mg GAE/100 g d.m. Monomeric polyphenols' behavior during in vitro digestion for the VI/OH 50 °C and dried treatment (60 °C) was descending, mainly in quercetin, which decreased by 49.38% concerning the initial concentration, before digestion. The cyanin, catechin, epicatechin, and epigallocatechin decreased by 26.66%, 20.71%, 23.38%, and 21.73%, respectively. Therefore, based on obtained results, the IV/OH 50 °C treatment (dried 60 °C) is the best combination to incorporate polyphenols from grape juice.

Starch-Based Aerogels Obtained via Solvent-Induced Gelation.

In this work, the ability of several solvents to induce gel formation from amylomaize starch solubilized in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was investigated. The formed gels were subjected to solvent exchange using ethanol and dried with supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) to obtain the aerogels. The influence of starch concentration (3-15 wt%) and solvent content (20-80 wt%) on gel formation was also studied. It was demonstrated that the gelation of starch in binary mixtures of solvents can be rationalized by Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSP) revealing a crucial hole of hydrogen bonding for the gel's strength, which is in agreement with rheological measurements. Only the addition of water or propylene glycol to starch/DMSO solutions resulted in strong gels at a minimum starch and solvent content of 7.5 wt% and 50 wt%, respectively. The resulting aerogels showed comparably high specific surface areas (78-144 m2 g-1) and low envelope densities (0.097-0.203 g cm-3). The results of this work indicate that the HSP parameters could be used as a tool to guide the rational selection of water-free gelation in starch/DMSO systems. In addition, it opens up an attractive opportunity to perform starch gelation in those solvents that are miscible with sc-CO2, avoiding the time-consuming step of solvent exchange.

Novel mutation in the adiponectin (ADIPOQ) gene is associated with hypoadiponectinaemia in Japanese-Brazilians.

OBJECTIVE: Adiponectin is an important mediator of insulin sensitivity, encoded by the ADIPOQ gene. Here we describe two Japanese-Brazilian families with hypoadiponectinaemia due to a novel mutation in ADIPOQ. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: In this study, we examined the entire translated regions of adiponectin in Japanese-Brazilians, a population with one of the highest prevalence rates of diabetes worldwide. We screened 200 patients with type 2 diabetes (DM) and 240 age-matched subjects with normal glucose tolerance. RESULTS: A novel heterozygous T deletion at position 186 in exon 2 of ADIPOQ, causing a frameshift at codon 62 and leading to a premature termination at codon 168 (p.Gly63ValfsX106), was found in two individuals with diabetes. This mutation was not found in 240 nondiabetic control subjects. In addition, we screened the mutation in an expanded set of 100 nondiabetic subjects from the general Brazilian population, but we found no mutations. In addition, six family members of the probands were identified as mutation-carriers. Individuals who were mutation-carriers had markedly low plasma adiponectin concentrations compared with those without the mutation [DM: 0.65 (0.59-1.34) microg/ml vs. 5.30 (3.10-8.55) microg/ml, P < 0.0001; normal glucose tolerance: 0.95 (0.76-1.48) microg/ml vs. 8.50 (5.52-14.55) microg/ml, P = 0.003]. All individuals carrying the p.Gly63ValfsX106 mutation and older than 30 years were found to be diabetic. CONCLUSIONS: We describe for the first time a frameshift mutation in exon 2 of the ADIPOQ gene, which modulates adiponectin levels and may contribute to the genetic risk of late-onset diabetes in Japanese-Brazilians.

N-acetylcysteine side-chain functionalization of poly(globalide-co-ε-caprolactone) through thiol-ene reaction.

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is a drug well known for its antimucolytic action, antioxidant activity and ability to protect cells from oxidative stress. Conjugation of NAC with double bonds in the main polymer chain of poly(globalide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PGlCL) through thiol-ene reaction is reported. Different globalide (Gl) (an unsaturated macrolactone) to ε-caprolactone (CL) ratios were employed for PGlCL synthesis. The polymeric materials (PGlCL-NAC) were evaluated in terms of the number of functionalized double bonds, thermal properties, affinity for water and antioxidant potential. PGlCL-NAC containing more globalide repeating units presented higher degree of functionalization, due to the higher number of double bonds available to react through thiol-ene coupling. For high globalide contents (Gl/CL ratios above 50/50), NAC coupling in PGlCL chains resulted in completely amorphous copolymers with a more hydrophilic character, which should enhance bioresorption and cell adhesion characteristics. Functionalization also gave rise to a thioether linkage, conferring to PGlCL-NAC an antioxidant character, important for biomedical applications, where the material could combat cellular oxidative-stress.

CDK2 and Bcl-xL inhibitory mechanisms by docking simulations and anti-tumor activity from piperine enriched supercritical extract.

Supercritical fluid technologies offer an innovative method for food industry and drug discovery from natural sources. The aim of the study is to investigate the anti-tumor activity of piperine rich extract by supercritical fluid (SFE) from black pepper (Piper nigrum). In silico docking simulations predicted anti-tumor molecular mechanism and protein-piperine hydrophobic interactions, showing hydrogen bonds between piperine and residue Ser5 inside the ATP binding site in CDK2. Moreover, piperine interacts with peptide substrate residue Lys8 inside its binding site in Cyclin A molecule. Other predicted interaction showed piperine inside the hydrophobic groove of Bcl-xL. Confirming the docking simulation, in vitro assays with SFE (40 °C/30 MPa) showed cytotoxicity to MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 27.8 ±â€¯6.8 µg/ml) correlated to increased apoptosis. Balb/c mice-bearing Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) group that received the SFE (100 mg/kg/day) showed tumor growth inhibition (60%) and increased mice survival (50%), probably related to cell cycle arrest (G2/M) and increased apoptosis. In vivo treatments with SFE increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins (p53 and Bax), inhibited cell cycle proteins (CDK2, Cyclin A) and anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-xL). Thus, confirming in silico predicted inhibitory interactions. These results clearly showed promising performance of the piperine-rich fraction recovered from black pepper, drawing attention to its use as complementary therapy for cancer.

Changes in lipoprotein subfractions following menopause in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

INTRODUCTION: It is unclear how aging and menopause-induced lipid changes contribute to the elevated cardiovascular risk in menopausal women. We examined the association between lipid profiles and menopausal status and duration of menopause in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). METHODS: This is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from women in the ELSA-Brasil, stratified by duration of menopause into 5 groups: pre-menopause, <2 years, 2-5.9 years, 6-9.9 years and ≥10 years of menopause, excluding menopause <40 years or of non-natural cause; also excluded were women using lipid-lowering drugs or hormone replacement. Comparisons were performed using ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. Associations of menopause categories and time since menopause with lipid variables obtained by vertical auto-profile were tested using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: From 1916 women, postmenopausal groups had unadjusted higher total cholesterol, LDL-c, real LDL-c, IDL-c, VLDL-c, triglycerides, non-HDL-c, VLDL3-c, triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants (TRL-c) and buoyant LDL-c concentrations than pre-menopausal women, with no difference among postmenopausal groups. In multiple linear regression, duration of menopause <2 years was significantly associated with TRL-c [7.21 mg/dL (95% CI 3.59-10.84)] and VLDL3-c [2.43 mg/dL (95%CI 1.02-3.83)]. No associations of menopausal categories with HDL-c or LDL-c subfractions were found, and nor were associations of time since menopause with lipid subfractions. CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of Brazilian women, deterioration of the lipid profile following menopause was confirmed, which could contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk. Our findings suggest a postmenopausal elevation in triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants. How lipoprotein subfractions change after the onset of menopause warrants investigation in studies with appropriate designs.

Covalently Binding of Bovine Serum Albumin to Unsaturated Poly(Globalide-Co-ε-Caprolactone) Nanoparticles by Thiol-Ene Reactions.

When nanoparticles (NPs) are introduced to a biological fluid, different proteins (and other biomolecules) rapidly get adsorbed onto their surface, forming a protein corona capable of giving to the NPs a new "identity" and determine their biological fate. Protein-nanoparticle conjugation can be used in order to promote specific interactions between living systems and nanocarriers. Non-covalent conjugates are less stable and more susceptible to desorption in biological media, which makes the development of engineered nanoparticle surfaces by covalent attachment an interesting topic. In this work, the surface of poly(globalide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PGlCL) nanoparticles containing double bonds in the main polymer chain is covalently functionalized with bovine serum albumin (BSA) by thiol-ene chemistry, producing conjugates which are resistant to dissociation. The successful formation of the covalent conjugates is confirmed by flow cytometry (FC) and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) allows the visualization of the conjugate formation, and the presence of a protein layer surrounding the NPs can be observed. After conjugation with BSA, NPs present reduced cell uptake by HeLa and macrophage RAW264.7 cells, in comparison to uncoated NP. These results demonstrate that it is possible to produce stable conjugates by covalently binding BSA to PGlCL NP through thiol-ene reaction.

Utility of combined inflammatory biomarkers for the identification of cognitive dysfunction in non-diabetic participants of the ELSA-Brasil.

INTRODUCTION: Insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation are pathophysiological mechanisms shared by type 2 diabetes and dementia. A cluster of biomarkers that could help diagnosing cognitive dysfunction prior to the installation of insulin resistance is desirable. This ELSA sub-study examined whether a cluster of selected inflammatory biomarkers was associated with worse cognitive scores in non-diabetic participants. METHODS: A sample of 998 non-diabetic participants of ELSA-Brasil had their cognitive function assessed by the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), a verbal fluency test and a trail making test. An inflammatory cluster was formed by using the k-means method. ANOVA was used to compare the tertiles of a composite global cognitive z-score with clinical and laboratory variables. Logistic regression modelling with forward stepwise model selection was performed considering cognitive performance as the outcome and the cluster as the independent variable of main interest. Models were stratified by sex and adjusted for age, insulin resistance and other confounders. RESULTS: The mean age was 45.7 ± 4.9 years and 54.8% were women, who had a higher frequency of university level, healthier behaviors and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) levels, fasting plasma glucose, non-HDL cholesterol and E-selectin levels than men. Individuals in the highest tertile of the composite global cognitive z-score were more likely to be women, with university level, and lower mean values of body mass index, BP levels, and HOMA-IR than those in lower tertiles. Using logistic regression model, the cluster category of the highest grade of inflammation showed to be associated with worse cognitive performance in women only. CONCLUSION: The association between a cluster of inflammation and worse cognitive performance seems to be useful to identify middle-aged women at risk for cognitive decline, independently of their state of insulin resistance.

Free radical scavenging of grape pomace extracts from Cabernet sauvingnon (Vitis vinifera).

Pressed grape pomace obtained from the wine production of Cabernet sauvignon (Vitis vinifera) vintage was dried until 9.8% moisture content, ground and submitted to extraction of soluble components from different extraction techniques. Low pressure extractions were performed with ethanol maceration followed by fractionation with n-hexane, dichloromethane, butanol and ethyl acetate. These solvents were furthermore applied for soxhlet extraction. Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) was also performed to obtain grape pomace extracts by using pure CO2 and CO2 with ethanol as co-solvent in concentrations of 10, 15 and 20%w/w. The operating condition used in high pressure extractions was 150bar and 40 degrees C. The antioxidant activity of the grape pomace extracts was determined considering the free radical scavenging assay using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and was correlated with the total phenol content determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The results obtained in DPPH tests indicate the highest antioxidant activity of 96.6+/-0.3%AA, with an IC50 value of 13+/-1, for the extracts obtained with ethyl acetate in solid-liquid extraction. The highest yield values were achieved in soxhlet extraction with ethanol (13.2%w/w) and with butanol (12.2%w/w), and also by SFE with 15% ethanol (9.2%w/w). The lipophilic composition of grape pomace extracts was evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with the identification of components like linoleic acid and ethyl linoleate, with important therapeutic activities.

[Lipid profile disturbances are highly prevalent in Japanese-Brazilians]. / Distúrbios no perfil lipídico são altamente prevalentes em população nipo-brasileira.

High prevalence of diabetes has been previously reported in Japanese-Brazilians. In an attempt to better estimate the cardiometabolic risk, this study evaluated lipid disorders in 1,330 Japanese-Brazilians (46% men) aged>30 years. Hypercholesterolemia was defined as serum cholesterol>240 mg/dL, hypertriglyceridemia as values>150 mg/dL and low-HDL-C as values<40 mg/dL and <50 mg/dl for men and women respectively. The prevalence of dyslipidemias was compared by the chi-square test between gender and glycemic category. Mean and Standard Deviation of lipids and lipoproteins were compared by the Student t-Test between gender. Hypertriglyceridemia was detected in 66.0% [95% CI: 63.5-68.5] of the population, being more common in men and increasing with deterioration of glucose metabolism. Mean level of triglycerides was 235.7+/-196.3 mg/dL. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was 24.4% [95% CI: 22.1-26.7]. Low HDL-C was observed in 17.5% [95% CI: 14.5-20.5] of men and 43.0% [95% CI: 39.4- 46.6] of women but total/HDL-cholesterol ratio was lower in women (4.23+/-0.68 vs. 4.40+/-0.73, p<0.001). In Japanese-Brazilians, hypertriglyceridemia is the commonest dyslipidemia, in agreement with the high prevalence of diabetes. Men showed a worse lipid profile than women; it was suggested that the Western diet and living habits could be deteriorating their health.

Association of adiponectin with cognitive function precedes overt diabetes in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health: ELSA.

BACKGROUND: Adiponectin is an insulin-sensitizer adipocytokine endowed with neuroprotective actions. Whether adiponectin regulates neuronal functioning toward delaying cognitive decline independently of the glucose metabolism disturbance has been poorly explored. This study evaluated if the performance in cognitive tests was associated with adiponectin levels prior the development of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged individuals. METHODS: A sample of 938 non-diabetic participants of ELSA had their cognitive function assessed by the CERAD delayed word recall test, the verbal fluency test and the trail making test. Stepwise multiple linear regression using forward selection had the response to cognitive tests as the dependent variable and adiponectin as the independent variable of main interest, adjusted for glucose tolerance status and confounders. RESULTS: Mean age was 45.7 ± 4.9 years, 54.5% were women, 43.0% had high education level, 59.3% weight excess and 70.0% prediabetes. In crude model, only the delayed recall memory was associated with adiponectin levels. In an initial regression model, delayed recall memory remained independently associated with adiponectin levels and prediabetes. After complete adjustments, adiponectin but not prediabetes maintained independently associated with delayed recall memory (ß 0.067; 95% CI 0.006-0.234; p = 0.040). On the other hand, learning memory showed to be associated with prediabetes (ß 0.71 95% CI 0.17; 1.24; p = 0.009) but not with adiponectin. CONCLUSIONS: The association of memory with adiponectin in middle-aged individuals, prior overt diabetes, suggests that this adipocytokine could anticipate cognitive impairmentρ detection, when preventive strategies could be more effectively implemented. The usefulness of adiponectin to identify increased risk for cognitive dysfunction before advanced age needs to be prospectively investigated in ELSA cohort.