Official Position of the Brazilian Association of Bone Assessment and Metabolism (ABRASSO) on the evaluation of body composition by densitometry—part II (clinical aspects): interpretation, reporting, and special situations

Abstract Objective: To present an updated and evidence-based guideline for the use of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess body composition in clinical practice. Materials and methods: This Official Position was developed by the Scientific Committee of the Brazilian Association of Bone Assessment and Metabolism ( Associação Brasileira de Avaliação Óssea e Osteometabolismo , ABRASSO) and experts in the field who were invited to contribute to the preparation of this document. The authors searched current databases for relevant publications in the area of body composition assessment. In this second part of the Official Position, the authors discuss the interpretation and reporting of body composition parameters assessed by DXA and the use of DXA for body composition evaluation in special situations, including evaluation of children, persons with HIV, and animals. Conclusion: This document offers recommendations for the use of DXA in body composition evaluation, including indications, interpretation, and applications, to serve as a guiding tool in clinical practice and research for health care professionals in Brazil.

Petiveria alliacea, a plant used in Afro-Brazilian smoke rituals, triggers pulmonary inflammation in rats

Abstract Petiveria alliacea L., Phytolaccaceae, a plant used in Afro-Brazilian religious smoke rituals is reported to have "harmonic properties" (anxiolytic effect) by ethnobotanical survey. In the present work, we analyzed the chemical composition of volatiles produced by leaves of P. alliacea, using headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and its potential anxiolytic and toxic effects in smoke-exposed rats. Locomotor activity and anxiety-like behavior were allocated into groups, according to substance administration: acute (locomotor activity) or chronic (anxiety-like behavior) burning charcoal or to smoke from P. alliacea. Inflammatory cell counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage and morphometric analysis in airway were assessed. Animals exposed to P. alliacea smoke had no locomotor activity or elevated plus maze open arm exploration impairment, while lungs had lower number of macrophages in bronchoalveolar fluid and an increased number of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells in the peribronchovascular region. Chemical analysis of plant material allowed the identification of dimethylsulfide (18.7%), diethylsulfide (33.4%) and nerolidol (25.8%) as main volatile compounds. Taken together, prolonged exposure to P. alliacea smoke does not induce anxiolytic effects, but histological analyses indicate a possible pulmonary inflammatory response.

The Expression of Nitric Oxide in the Gingival Tissue in Subjects with Periodontitis and Chronic Pain / Expression de Oxido Nítrico en el Tejido Gingival de Sujetos con Periodontitis y Dolor Crónico

Periodontal disease (PD) is a chronic infection that may have local and systemic rebound. Although a series of inflammatory mediators are involved in PD, the mechanisms involved in chronic craniofacial pain associated with it require elucidation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunoreactivity of substance P (SP), neuronal (nNOS) and inducible (iNOS) nitric oxide synthases in gingival samples of patients with severe PD with and without chronic craniofacial pain. Gingival specimens were obtained during routine periodontal surgery while managing 20 patients with both PD and chronic craniofacial pain (CFP Group) and 18 patients with only PD (PD Group). Following surgical removal, the tissue underwent routine histological techniques and was stained by immunohistochemistry with antibodies against SP, nNOS and iNOS. Using an image analysis system, we assessed the SP, nNOS and iNOS content in total gingival tissue as well as in both epithelial and connective gingival area. We observed high expression of nNOS in gingival tissue obtained from CFP patients (p<0.001), particularly in the epithelium area (p<0.001) comparatively to PD patients. In addition, the iNOS expression was also increased in the CFP group in the connective gingival tissue (p=0.003). There was no difference concerning SP expression between the groups. Our results suggest that nitric oxide, particularly derived from nNOS, modulates not only PD but also chronic craniofacial pain, since patients with this association presented an increase in nNOS and iNOS expression in gingival tissue.

La enfermedad periodontal (EP) es una patología crónica que pueden tener acción local y sistémica. A pesar de que hay una serie de mediadores inflamatorios implicados en la EP, los mecanismos implicados en el dolor craneofacial crónico asociado con la EP aún no están elucidados. El objetivo fue evaluar la inmunoreactividad de la sustancia P (SP), óxido nítrico sintetasas neuronal (nNOS) e inducible (iNOS) en muestras gingivales de pacientes con enfermedad periodontal severa con y sin dolor craneofacial crónico. Fueron obtenidas muestras gingivales durante la cirugía periodontal rutinaria de 20 pacientes que presentaron con EP y dolor craneofacial crónico (Grupo PPC) y 18 pacientes sólo con PD (Grupo PD). Después de la extirpación quirúrgica, el tejido se sometió a las técnicas histológicas de rutina y se tiñó por inmunohistoquímica con anticuerpos contra el SP, nNOS e iNOS. Se evaluaron el contenido de SP, nNOS e iNOS en el tejido gingival total, así como la superficie gingival, epitelio y tejido conectivo mediante análisis de imagen. Se observó alta expresión de nNOS en el tejido gingival obtenido a partir de pacientes PPC (p<0,001) en comparación a los pacientes con EP, particularmente en el área de epitelio (p<0,001). Además, la expresión de iNOS se incrementó en el tejido conjuntivo gingival (p= 0,003) del grupo PPC. No hubo diferencia en la expresión de SP entre los grupos. Nuestros resultados sugieren que el óxido nítrico, en particular derivado de nNOS, modula no sólo PD, sino también el dolor craneofacial crónico, ya que los pacientes con esta asociación presentan un aumento de la expresión de nNOS e iNOS en el tejido gingival.