Prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in automated peritoneal dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive deterioration decreases quality of life, self-care and adherence to treatment, increasing mortality risk. There is scarce information of cognitive impairment in peritoneal dialysis (PD) and data are controversial. Our aim was to determine the frequency and associated factors of cognitive impairment in patients on automated PD (APD). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 71 patients on APD underwent clinical, biochemical and cognitive function evaluation by means of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Cognitive function was also evaluated in healthy controls. RESULTS: Participants mean age was 42 ± 16 years, 79% were men and dialysis vintage was 17 months ( interquartile range 7-32). In APD patients, cognitive impairment was present in 7% (mild deterioration) and 68% according to the MMSE and MoCA, respectively, and 4 and 37% in the healthy controls. Patients with cognitive impairment (according to MoCA) were older, with less education, had diabetes more frequently and higher serum glucose as well as lower serum creatinine, phosphorus and sodium concentrations than patients with normal cognitive function. In multiple linear regression analysis, predictors for the MoCA score (R2 = 0.63, P = 0.002) were education {B = 0.54 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20-0.89]; P = 0.003}, age [B = -0.11 (95% CI -0.21 to -0.01); P = 0.04], serum sodium [B = 0.58 (95% CI 0.05-1.11); P = 0.03] and creatinine concentration [B = 3.9 (95% CI 0.03-0.83); P = 0.03]. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of APD patients, the prevalence of cognitive impairment by the MoCA was 65% and was associated with older age, lower education level and lower serum concentrations of sodium and creatinine.

Fucoidans from the phaeophyta Scytosiphon lomentaria: Chemical analysis and antiviral activity of the galactofucan component.

The brown seaweed Scytosiphon lomentaria produces moderate amounts of fucoidans. By cetrimide fractionation, typical heavily sulfated galactofucans are obtained, with no major signs of chemical heterogeneity, together with fractions with higher proportions of xylose, mannose and uronic acids. Anyway, fucose is the most important monosaccharide in most of the subfractions of the subsequent extracts. The fucan moieties appear to be mostly as 3-linked α-l-fucopyranosyl units, with several patterns of sulfate and branching. Galactose is mostly 6-linked, whereas mannose appears to be 2-linked, and xylose appears mostly as terminal stubs. Small amounts of 2-O-acetylated fucose units appear. A high and selective antiviral activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2 was determined for the galactofucan fractions whereas the uronofucoidans were inactive.

Effects of forest conversion on the assemblages' structure of aquatic insects in subtropical regions

The effects of forest conversion to agricultural land uses on assemblages of aquatic insects were analyzed in subtropical streams. Organisms and environmental variables were collected in six low-order streams: three streams located in a forested area, and three in areas converted to agricultural land uses. We expected that the aquatic insects' assemblage attributes would be significantly affected by forest conversion, as well as by environmental variables. Streams in converted areas presented lower species richness, abundance and proportion of sensitive insect taxa. The ANOSIM test evidenced strong difference in EPT assemblage structure between streams of forested and converted areas. The ISA test evidenced several EPT genera with high specificity to streams in forested areas and only one genus related to streams in converted areas. Thus, the impacts of the conversion of forested area to agricultural land uses have significantly affected the EPT assemblages, while environmental variables were not affected. We suggest that the effects detected can be influenced by two processes related to vegetation cover: i) lower input of allochthonous material, and ii) increased input of fine sediments in streams draining converted areas.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of an aqueous extract of Chiliotrichum diffusum

The flowers of the Chiliotrichum diffusum (G. Forst.) Kuntze, Asteraceae, have long been used in traditional medicine and rituals. In this study, the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of a decoction of the flowers were evaluated and a phytochemical analysis was performed by HPLC-DAD. In order to evaluate the antinociceptive activity, the acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing and hot plate tests were used. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenaninduced rat paw oedema. The decoction induced a significant anti-inflammatory effect (inhibition of 56.0% at 3 h) and produced significant inhibition on nociception in the acetic acid test (ED50 35 mg/kg i.p.; ED50 709 mg/kg p.o.). In the hot plate test, the antinociceptive activity of the extract employed at 500 mg/kg i.p. was significantly suppressed by pretreatment with naloxone (5 mg/kg). HPLC analysis showed the presence of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, afzelin, quercetin, apigenin and kaempferol. The decoction of C. diffusum proved to have antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects that may be related to the presence of the flavones, flavonols and phenolic acids identified. The opiod system seems to be involved in the mechanism of antinociception of the extract.

Antiretroviral activity of fucoidans extracted from the brown seaweed Adenocystis utricularis.

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1, causative agent of AIDS) infection represents a major challenge in antiviral therapeutics. Many difficulties are associated with the treatment, including toxicity, resistance and high costs. Taking this into account, research for novel compounds able to overcome these limitations is needed. Sulfated polysaccharides appear to be interesting, given their abundance as components of seaweeds. Herein, a series of fractions obtained from the brown seaweed Adenocystis utricularis was analysed for in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity. These fractions, which have anti-herpes simplex virus activity, were determined previously to belong to the family of fucoidans, sulfated polysaccharides obtained from the cell walls of brown seaweeds. Assays in human PBMC primary cell culture demonstrated that two of the five fractions analysed had potent anti-HIV-1 activity both against WT and drug-resistant HIV-1 strains. For active fractions, it was also shown that the inhibitory effect was not due to an inactivating effect on the viral particle (i.e. no virucidal activity was detected) but rather to a blockade of early events of viral replication. Given these encouraging results, these seaweed-derived fractions appear as good candidates for further studies on their potential for in vivo therapy and/or prophylaxis of HIV-1 infection.

Fucoidans from the brown seaweed Adenocystis utricularis: extraction methods, antiviral activity and structural studies.

The brown seaweed Adenocystis utricularis (family Adenocystaceae, order Ectocarpales sensu lato) was extracted in parallel with three solvents usually utilized for obtaining fucoidans: distilled water, 2% calcium chloride solution and diluted hydrochloric acid (pH 2) solution. In each case, the extraction was effected at room temperature and then at 70 degrees C. The extraction yields and characteristics of the products were similar in the three cases, with only minor differences. The analytical features of the products indicate that two different types of fucoidans are present in this seaweed. One of them, mostly extracted at room temperature, is composed mainly of L-fucose, D-galactose and ester sulfate (the 'galactofucan'). The other product (the 'uronofucoidan') is the major component of the extracts obtained at 70 degrees C. It is composed mainly of fucose, accompanied by other monosaccharides (mostly Man, but also Glc, Xyl, Rha and Gal), significant amounts of uronic acids and low proportions of sulfate ester. Fractionation with the cationic detergent cetrimide has allowed achieving a better separation of the galactofucan and uronofucoidan components. The galactofucans show a high inhibitory activity against herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, with no cytotoxicity, whereas the uronofucoidans carry no antiviral activity. Structural studies on the galactofucan fractions were carried out by methylation analysis, desulfation and NMR spectroscopy. The fucan constituent is mainly composed of 3-linked alpha-L-fucopyranosyl backbone, mostly sulfated at C-4, and branched at C-2 with non-sulfated fucofuranosyl and fucopyranosyl units, and 2-sulfated fucopyranosyl units. The galactan moiety is more heterogeneous, with predominant D-galactopyranose units linked on C-3 and C-6, and sulfation mostly on C-4, even in terminal non-reducing units. It may be inferred that at least some of these galactose units carry the alpha-configuration.