Antioxidant Effect of Coenzyme Q10 in the Prevention of Oxidative Stress in Arsenic-Treated CHO-K1 Cells and Possible Participation of Zinc as a Pro-Oxidant Agent.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant enzymes. Compounds with antioxidant properties, such as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), can reduce cellular imbalance caused by an increase in ROS. CoQ10 participates in modulating redox homeostasis due to its antioxidant activity and its preserving mitochondrial functions. Thus, the present study demonstrated the protective effects of CoQ10 against oxidative stress and cytotoxicity induced by arsenic (As). Antioxidant capacity, formation of hydroperoxides, generation of ROS, and the effect on cellular viability of CoQ10, were investigated to determine the protective effect of CoQ10 against As and pro-oxidant compounds, such as zinc. Cell viability assays showed that CoQ10 is cytoprotective under cellular stress conditions, with potent antioxidant activity, regardless of the concentration tested. Zn, when used at higher concentrations, can increase ROS and show a pro-oxidant effect causing cell damage. The cytotoxic effect observed for As, Zn, or the combination of both could be prevented by CoQ10, without any decrease in its activity at cellular levels when combined with Zn.

Association between MTHFR C677T and A1298C gene polymorphisms and maternal risk for Down syndrome: A protocol for systematic review and/or meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities among live-born babies and one of the best-known intellectual disability disorders in humans. Errors leading to trisomy 21 are primarily arising from defects in chromosomal segregation during maternal meiosis (about 88% of cases), and the focus of many investigations has been to identify maternal risk factors favoring chromosome 21 malsegregation during oogenesis. Maternal polymorphisms of genes required for folate metabolism are the most investigated risk factors for the birth of children with DS. Through this review, we sought to investigate the association of the polymorphisms "C677T" and "A1298C" of the MTHFR gene with maternal risk for DS. METHODS: We will use the databases PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science to search for case-control studies published from 1999 up to September 2021 without language restriction. Results will be presented as relative risks and 95% confidence intervals for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences, or standardized mean differences along with 95% confidence intervals, for continuous outcomes. The all data synthesis will be analyzed on the Review Manager 5.2 version software. RESULTS: This study will be able to clarify all the doubts we seek and that it will be able to provide accurate data that will be able to describe how these polymorphisms can act to increase the predisposition for the birth of children with DS in different populations and under different dietary conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This study will clarify the relationship between C677T and A1298C polymorphisms MTHFR gene with increased the maternal risk for Down syndrome. REGISTRATION: This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol has been registered on the Prospective Registry of International Systematic Review and Meta-analyses: CRD42021269338.

Prevalência e fatores associados ao risco e à desnutrição em idosos institucionalizados / Prevalence and factors associated with risk and malnutrition in institutionalized elderly

Um dos problemas mais relevantes na população idosa é a deficiência nutricional. Várias alterações fisiológicas e o uso de múltiplos medicamentos interferem no apetite, no consumo de alimentos e na absorção dos nutrientes, podendo levar ao risco e à desnutrição nos idosos, especialmente entre os institucionalizados. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a prevalência de desnutrição e do risco para desnutrição e seus fatores associados em idosos institucionalizados. O mesmo se caracterizou por ser do tipo individuado, observacional e transversal. A obtenção da amostra se deu através do cadastro de indivíduos das instituições de longa permanência de idosos da cidade do Natal-RN. Os idosos foram avaliados pelo uso da Mini Avaliação Nutricional (MAN) e da Dobra Cutânea Triciptal (DCT) e cada idoso ou cuidador respondeu a um questionário acerca de informações como tipo e restrição alimentar, acessibilidade ao alimento, uso de bebida alcoólica e tabaco, prática de atividade física e inapetência. Variáveis como idade, gênero, escolaridade, estado civil, tempo que o idoso vive na instituição, o motivo da institucionalização e as comorbidades foram aferidas a partir dos prontuários de cada idoso. A frequência de consumo alimentar de vários grupos de alimentos foi aferida a partir do questionário de frequência de consumo alimentar do estudo Saúde, Bem-estar e Envelhecimento (SABE). Os dados foram apresentados na forma de médias e desvios padrão, frequências absoluta e relativa. Para análise da frequência de consumo, realizou-se uma análise fatorial com extração dos fatores a partir da análise de componentes principais com rotação varimax. A análise bivariada foi realizada através do teste do qui-quadrado e verificada a magnitude do efeito através da razão de prevalência (IC 95%). A regressão robusta de Poisson avaliou o efeito líquido das variáveis independentes sobre os dois desfechos, considerando um nível de significância de 5%. Foram estudadas doze Instituições de Longa Permanência para Idosos (ILPI), totalizando 381 idosos elegíveis para o estudo. A prevalência do risco de desnutrição foi de 46,1% (45,9 - 46,2) e a de desnutrição foi de 31,4% (31,2 - 31,5). O risco de desnutrição esteve associado significativamente à presença de incontinência urinária (RP = 1,444; 1,113-1,874) e a desnutrição esteve associada à falta de apetite (RP = 1,757; 1,246-2,476), ao fato dos idosos não terem acesso a alimentos fora da instituição (RP= 0,565; 0,337- 0,946), ao baixo consumo de água (RP = 1,646; 1,101-2,459) e à demência (RP= 1,537; 1,072-2,204). A alta prevalência de desnutrição e do risco de desnutrição no estudo sugere que devemos nos atentar a informações relacionadas aos hábitos alimentares e à presença de comorbidades, pois estes podem influenciar no estado nutricional desta população. (AU)

One of the most important problems in the elderly is a nutritional deficiency. Several physiological changes and the use of multiple drugs interfere with appetite, food intake and absorption of nutrients, which can lead to the risk and malnutrition in the elderly, especially among institutionalized. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition and risk for malnutrition and its associated factors in institutionalized elderly. The same can be characterized by the type individual, observational and cross-sectional. Obtaining the sample was through the records of individuals of long-stay institutions for the elderly in the city of Natal, RN. The elderly were evaluated through the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and triceps skinfold (TSF) and each senior or caregiver answered a questionnaire about information like type and dietary restrictions, accessibility to food, use of alcohol and tobacco, practice physical activity and appetite. Variables such as age, gender, education, marital status, time that the elderly living in the institution, the reason for the institutionalization and comorbidities were taken from the records of each senior. The frequency of food consumption of various food groups was assessed from the questionnaire frequency of feeding study Health, Wellbeing and Aging (HWA). Data were presented as means and standard deviations, absolute and relative frequencies. To analyze the frequency of consumption, there was a factor analysis with extraction of factors from the principal components analysis with varimax rotation. A bivariate analysis was performed using the chi-square and the magnitude of the effect observed by prevalence ratio (95% CI). The Poisson regression assessed the net effect of independent variables on the two outcomes, considering a significance level of 5%. We studied twelve Homes for the Aged totaling 381 seniors eligible for the study. The prevalence of risk of malnutrition was 46.1% (45.9 to 46.2) and malnutrition was 31.4% (31.2 to 31.5). The risk of malnutrition was significantly associated with the presence of urinary incontinence (RP = 1.444, 1.113 to 1.874) was associated with malnutrition and lack of appetite (RP = 1.757, 1.246 to 2.476), the fact that the individuals do not have access to food outside the institution (RP = 0.565, 0.337 to 0.946), low water consumption (RP = 1.646, 1.101 to 2.459) and dementia (PR = 1.537, 1.072 to 2.204). The high prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition in the study suggests that we should pay attention to information related to eating habits and the presence of comorbidities, as these can influence the nutritional status of this population. (AU)