PrÚ-natal psicol?gico na prevenšNo de depressNo perinatal e ansiedade / Psychological prenatal in the prevention of perinatal depression and anxiety / PsicologÝa prenatal en la prevenci?n de la depresi?n y la ansiedad perinatales

Este estudo objetivou investigar os efeitos da implementašNo de um programa de prÚ-natal psicol?gico (PROM+E) na prevenšNo de sintomatologia depressiva e ansiosa, com base na terapia cognitivo-comportamental, em 60 gestantes atendidas em servišos obstÚtricos p?blicos ou privados, com idades entre 18 e 44 anos (M = 28,77; DP = 7,18 ), alocadas em dois grupos: intervenšNo (n = 27) e controle (n = 33). O primeiro participou de nove encontros semanais, em grupo, alÚm de uma visita domiciliar no inÝcio do puerpÚrio. Na comparašNo intergrupo, as participantes do PROM+E apresentaram redušNo significativa dos sintomas ansiosos e depressivos quando comparadas ao grupo controle, aos 30 dias do puerpÚrio. Na comparašNo intragrupo, no PROM+E esses sintomas diminuÝram com o tempo, com significÔncia aos 30 e 90 dias p?s-parto.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the implementation of a psychological prenatal program (PROM+E) on the prevention of depressive and anxious symptoms in 60 pregnant women who attended public or private obstetric services, aged between 18 and 44 years old (M = 28,77; DP = 7,18), allocated in two groups: intervention (n = 27) and control (n = 33). The first group participated in nine weekly group meetings, as well as a home visit at the beginning of the postpartum period. In the intergroup comparison, the PROM+E participants had a significant reduction in anxious and depressive symptoms compared to the control group at 30 days of puerperium. In the intragroup comparison, in the PROM+E these symptoms decreased with time, with significance at 30 and 90 days postpartum.

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar los efectos de la implementaci?n de un programa prenatal psicol?gico en terapia cognitivo-comportamental (PROM+E) en la prevenci?n de sÝntomas depresivos y ansiosos en 60 mujeres embarazadas atendidas en servicios obstÚtricos p?blicos o privados, con edades entre los 18 y 44 a?os (M = 28,77; DP = 7,18 ), asignadas en dos grupos: intervenci?n (n = 27) y control (n = 33). El primer grupo particip? en nueve reuniones de grupo semanales, asÝ como en una visita a domicilio al principio del periodo posparto. En la comparaci?n intergrupal, las participantes del PROM+E tuvieron una reducci?n significativa de los sÝntomas ansiosos y depresivos en comparaci?n con el grupo de control a los 30 dÝas del puerperio. En la comparaci?n intragrupo, en el PROM+E estos sÝntomas disminuyeron con el tiempo, con significaci?n a los 30 y 90 dÝas del puerperio.

Simultaneous Determination of the Flavonoids and Limonoids in Citrus junos Seed Shells Using a UPLC–DAD-ESI/MS

Citrus junos seeds (CS) have been traditionally used for the treatment of cancer and neuralgia. They are also used to manufacture edible oil and cosmetic perfume. A large amount of CS shells without oil (CSS) are discarded after the oil in CS is used as foods or herbal remedy. To efficiently utilize CSS as a by-products, it needs to be studied through chemical analysis. Therefore, we developed an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)–diode array detection (DAD) method for simultaneous determination and quantitative analysis of five components (two flavonoids and threes limonoids) in CSS. A Waters Acquity UPLC HSS T3 column C18 (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.8 μm) was used for this separation. It was maintained at 40 oC. The mobile phase used for the analysis was distilled water and acetonitrile with gradient elution. To identify the quantity of the five components, a mass spectrometer (MS) with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source was used. The regression equation showed great linearity, with correlation coefficient ≥ 0.9912. Limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) of the five compounds were 0.09 – 0.13 and 0.26 – 0.38 μg/mL, respectively. Recoveries of extraction ranged from 97.45% to 101.91%. Relative standard deviation (RSD) values of intra- and inter-day precision were 0.06 – 1.15% and 0.19 – 0.25%, respectively. This UPLC–DAD method can be validated to simultaneously analyze quantities of marker flavonoids and limonoids in CSS.

Genomic Analysis of miR-21-3p and Expression Pattern with Target Gene in Olive Flounder

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as regulators of gene expression by binding to the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of target genes. They perform important biological functions in the various species. Among many miRNAs, miR-21-3p is known to serve vital functions in development and apoptosis in olive flounder. Using genomic and bioinformatic tools, evolutionary conservation of miR-21-3p was examined in various species, and expression pattern was analyzed in olive flounder. Conserved sequences (5’-CAGUCG-3’) in numerous species were detected through the stem-loop structure of miR-21-3p. Thus, we analyzed target genes of miR-21-3p. Among them, 3’ UTR region of PPIL2 gene indicated the highest binding affinity with miR-21-3p based on the minimum free energy value. The PPIL2 gene showed high expression levels in testis tissue of the olive flounder, whereas miR-21-3p showed rather ubiquitous expression patterns except in testis tissue, indicating that miR-21-3p seems to control the PPIL2 gene expression in a complementary repression manner in various tissues of olive flounder. Taken together, this current study contributes to infer the target gene candidates for the miR-21-3p using bioinformatics tools. Furthermore, our data offers important information on the relationship between miR-21-3p and target gene for further functional study.

Macronutrient composition of human milk from Korean mothers of full term infants born at 37-42 gestational weeks

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Breast milk is the best available food for optimum growth and development of infants and the breastfeeding rate is increasing in Korea. The purpose of this study is to measure the concentrations of macronutrients and to evaluate their changes according to lactation period in breast milk from lactating Korean women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Milk samples were obtained from 2,632 healthy lactating women (mean age; 32.0 +/- 3.3 years), where the lactating period was up to a period of 8 months, who also volunteered to participate in the Human Milk Macronutrient Analysis Research. Lactose, protein, fat and water content in the breast milk samples were analyzed with infrared spectrometry using MilkoScan FT-2. RESULTS: The mean macronutrient composition per 100 mL of mature breast milk was 7.1 g for lactose, 1.4 g for protein and 3.0 g for fat, and energy content was 61.1 kcal. The protein concentration was significantly lower in milk samples at 1-2 weeks (2.0 g/dL) to 2-3 months (1.4 g/dL) than those at 0-1 week (2.2 g/dL), but it was similar among samples from 3-4 months to 7-8 months (1.3 g/dL). Mean lipid levels varied among different lactational period groups (2.7-3.2 g/dL), but presented no significant difference. Lactose concentration in the milk samples did not differ with lactation period. Maternal body mass index was positively related to protein and lipid breast milk contents, but was negatively related to lactose content. General linear models examining the associations between maternal variables and milk macronutrient content revealed that lactation period had a major impact on protein and lipid, but not on lactose content in breast milk. CONCLUSIONS: These results warrant future studies to explore factors that may be associated with changes in macronutrient content in human milk.

Caveolin-1 is involved in reactive oxygen species-induced SHP-2 activation in astrocytes

Recent evidence supports a neuroprotective role of Src homology 2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2 (SHP-2) against ischemic brain injury. However, the molecular mechanisms of SHP-2 activation and those governing how SHP-2 exerts its function under oxidative stress conditions are not well understood. Recently we have reported that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated oxidative stress promotes the phosphorylation of endogenous SHP-2 through lipid rafts, and that this phosphorylation strongly occurs in astrocytes, but not in microglia. To investigate the molecules involved in events leading to phosphorylation of SHP-2, raft proteins were analyzed using astrocytes and microglia. Interestingly, caveolin-1 and -2 were detected only in astrocytes but not in microglia, whereas flotillin-1 was expressed in both cell types. To examine whether the H2O2-dependent phosphorylation of SHP-2 is mediated by caveolin-1, we used specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) to downregulate caveolin-1 expression. In the presence of caveolin-1 siRNA, the level of SHP-2 phosphorylation induced by H2O2 was significantly decreased, compared with in the presence of control siRNA. Overexpression of caveolin-1 effectively increased H2O2-induced SHP-2 phosphorylation in microglia. Lastly, H2O2 induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation in astrocytes through caveolin-1. Our results suggest that caveolin-1 is involved in astrocyte-specific intracellular responses linked to the SHP-2-mediated signaling cascade following ROS-induced oxidative stress.

Efeito de antocianina e própolis em diabetes induzida em coelhos / Effects of anthocyanin and propolis in diabetic rabbits

A síndrome clínica da diabetes ‚ caracterizada pela redução da capacidade de metabolização de carboidratos e gorduras, resultando em aumento dos níveis séricos de glicose (hiperglicemia) e lipídios (hiperlipidemia), acarretando em degeneração vascular prematura. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi testar os efeitos da antocianina e do própolis ministrados nas doses de 20mg e 150mg, respectivamente, em coelhos diabéticos para a verificação dos efeitos sobre os níveis de glicose e triacilglicerol. Os grupos experimentais de coelhos estudados foram: Grupo 1- grupo controle que somente recebeu ração; Grupo 2- grupo diabético que recebeu ração mais aloxano; Grupo 3- grupo diabético que recebeu ração, aloxano e 1 c psula de antocianina (20mg) diariamente; Grupo 4- grupo diabético que recebeu ração, aloxano e 1 c psula de própolis (150mg) diariamente. Os Grupos 3 e 4 foram submetidos a vinte e oito dias de tratamento, com dosagem semanal dos níveis sanguíneos de glicose e de triacilglicerol. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, pode-se observar que, durante todo o período experimental, a antocianina foi mais eficaz, em induzir a queda dos níveis de glicose, com reduções de 10,78 por cento aos 7 dias, 10,54 por cento aos 14 dias, 17,33 por cento aos 21 dias e 28,09 por cento aos 28 dias. J  o própolis apresentou redução de 22,69 por cento aos 28 dias. Observou-se redução dos percentuais de variação de triacilgliceróis em 22,74 por cento pela antocianina e 22,60 por cento pelo tratamento com própolis aos 28 dias. Ao se compararem os Grupos 3 e 4 com o Grupo 2 (aloxano) durante todo o período experimental, os níveis de triacilgliceróis aumentaram no período de O a 21 dias

Isoenzyme variation in the leaf-cutting ants Acromyrmex heyeri and Acromyrmex striatus (Hymenoptera, formicidae)

This is the first study of isoenzyme variability in the leaf-cutting ants (Myrmicinae, Attini) Acromyrmex heyeri (Forel, 1899) and A. striatus (Roger, 1863) which are common throughout the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. We studied the alloenzyme variability of malate dehydrogenase (MDH), alfa-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (alfa-GPDH) and amylase (AMY) in 97 colonies of A. heyeri and 103 colonies of A. striatus. Five loci were found for these enzyme systems, one locus (Amy-1) being monomorphic in both species and four loci (Mdh-1, alfa-Gpdh-1, Amy-2, and Amy-4) being polymorphic. For each species there were exclusive alleles for the Mdh-1 and Amy-2 loci and differences were also found in the allele frequencies for the other polymorphic loci. Ontogenetically different gene activity was detected for the MDH and alfa-GPDH systems, with between-caste differences, probably related to flight activity, also being found for alfa-GPDH