Treatment with isolated gold nanoparticles reverses brain damage caused by obesity.

In this study, we performed two experiments. In the first experiment, the objective was to link gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with sodium diclofenac and/or soy lecithin and to determine their concentration in tissues and their toxicity using hepatic and renal analyzes in mice to evaluate their safety as therapeutic agents in the subsequent treatment of obesity. In the second experiment, we evaluated the effect of GNPs on inflammatory and biochemical parameters in obese mice. In the first experiment, we synthesized and characterized 18 nm GNPs that were administered intraperitoneally in isolation or in association with sodium diclofenac and/or soy lecithin in mice once daily for 1 or 14 days. Twenty-four hours after the single or final administration, the animals were euthanized, following which the tissues were removed for evaluating the concentration of GNPs, and serum samples were collected for hepatic and renal analysis. Hepatic damage was evaluated based on the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), whereas renal damage was evaluated based on creatinine levels. A higher concentration of GNPs was detected in the tissues upon administration for 14 days, and there were no signs of hepatic or renal damage. In the second experiment, the mice were used as animal models of obesity and were fed a high-fat diet (obese group) and control diet (control group). After eight weeks of high-fat diet administration, the mice were treated with saline or with GNPs (average size of 18 nm) at a concentration of 70 mg/L (70 mg/kg) once a day, for 14 days, for 10 weeks. Body weight and food intake were measured frequently. After the experiment ended, the animals were euthanized, serum samples were collected for glucose and lipid profile analysis, the mesenteric fat content was weighed, and the brains were removed for inflammatory and biochemical analysis. In obese mice, although GNP administration did not reduce body and mesenteric fat weight, it reduced food intake. The glucose levels were reversed upon administration of GNPs, whereas the lipid profile was not altered in any of the groups. GNPs exerted a beneficial effect on inflammation and oxidative stress parameters, without reverting mitochondrial dysfunction. Our results indicate that the intraperitoneal administration of GNPs for 14 days results in a significant GNP concentration in adipose tissues, which could be an interesting finding for the treatment of inflammation associated with obesity. Based on the efficacy of GNPs in reducing dietary intake, inflammation, and oxidative stress, they can be considered potential alternative agents for the treatment of obesity.

Can fructose influence the development of obesity mediated through hypothalamic alterations?

Epidemiological data from the last decades point to an exponential growth in the number of obese people. Different behavioral factors, mainly associated with food consumption, appear to contribute significantly to its development. Concomitant with increased obesity rates, an increase in the consumption of fructose has been observed; therefore, fructose consumption has been implicated as an important obesogenic factor. However, changes in brain activity due to fructose consumption are possible, especially in relation to hypothalamic satiety mechanisms. In addition, the obese state may provide an environment of chronic inflammation and further contribute to the discontinuation of satiety mechanisms in the hypothalamus. We briefly review the intrinsic alterations to the increased adipose tissue, its connections with the hypothalamus in the control of energy signaling mechanisms and, consequently, the participation of fructose as a co-adjuvant or trigger. Presenting the current context with clinical trials involving human and animal studies, we seek to contribute to a better understanding of the role of fructose in the progression of obesity.

n-3 PUFA and obesity: from peripheral tissues to the central nervous system.

The current paradigms of prevention and treatment are unable to curb obesity rates, which indicates the need to explore alternative therapeutic approaches. Obesity leads to several damages to the body and is an important risk factor for a number of other chronic diseases. Furthermore, despite the first alterations in obesity being observed and reported in peripheral tissues, studies indicate that obesity can also cause brain damage. Obesity leads to a chronic low-grade inflammatory state, and the therapeutic manipulation of inflammation can be explored. In this context, the use of n-3 PUFA (especially in the form of fish oil, rich in EPA and DHA) may be an interesting strategy, as this substance is known by its anti-inflammatory effect and numerous benefits to the body, such as reduction of TAG, cardiac arrhythmias, blood pressure and platelet aggregation, and has shown potential to help treat obesity. Thereby, the aim of this narrative review was to summarise the literature related to n-3 PUFA use in obesity treatment. First, the review provides a brief description of the obesity pathophysiology, including alterations that occur in peripheral tissues and at the central nervous system. In the sequence, we describe what are n-3 PUFA, their sources and their general effects. Finally, we explore the main topic linking obesity and n-3 PUFA. Animal and human studies were included and alterations on the whole organism were described (peripheral tissues and brain).

Utilização de medicamentos em crianças internadas em um hospital geral / Medication use in children admitted to a general hospital

OBJETIVOS: Descrever o perfil de medicamentos utilizados em crianças internadas em um hospital geral. MÉTODOS: Realizou-se um estudo transversal, com dados coletados nos prontuários das crianças com idades entre zero e 12 anos, internadas no período de julho de 2013 a julho de 2014 no Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, em Tubarão, Santa Catarina. Foram coletadas as variáveis idade, sexo, tempo de internação, Código Internacional de Doenças da internação e medicamentos utilizados. Os medicamentos foram classificados segundo a Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 1.603 atendimentos de crianças até 12 anos no período estudado. O tempo de internação variou de um a 115 dias. O uso de medicamentos por internação variou de um a 77 medicamentos, com média de 9,84 medicamentos por paciente. Foram utilizados 211 diferentes tipos de medicamentos, sendo a maioria classificada como analgésicos atuantes no sistema nervoso central. Verificaram-se 303 códigos diferentes pelo Código Internacional de Doenças, sendo o diagnóstico mais prevalente a hipertrofia de amígdalas e de adenoides. Constatou-se a prescrição de sete tipos de fármacos não licenciados e 23 medicamentos com algum tipo de restrição para uso pediátrico. CONCLUSÕES: A média de medicamentos utilizados nas crianças internadas foi alta na amostra estudada, e a prescrição de fármacos não licenciados ou com algum tipo de restrição ao uso pediátrico foi um importante fator verificado neste estudo. Estes dados sugerem insuficiente atenção aos riscos e benefícios do uso de medicamentos em crianças, uma questão relevante que merece vigilância contínua e intensiva por diversos profissionais de saúde.

AIMS: To describe the profile of medications used in children admitted to a general hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with children aged 0 to 12 years, admitted to the Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, in Tubarão, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, between July 2013 and July 2014. The following data were collected: f age, sex, length of hospital stay, International Classification of Diseases codes for hospitalization, and medications used. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system was used for the medications. RESULTS: The medical records of 1,603 children aged up to 12 years were analyzed. The hospital stay ranged from one to 115 days. The number of medications per admission ranged from one to 77, with an average of 9.84 medications per patient. A total of 211 different types of medications were used, most of which were classified as analgesic with central nervous system activity. Tonsillar hypertrophy and adenoid hypertrophy were the most prevalent disorders diagnosed among the 303 different International Classification of Diseases codes found in this study. Seven types of unlicensed medications and 23 drugs with some kind of restriction for pediatric use were prescribed. CONCLUSIONS: The average number of medications was high in hospitalized children, and the prescription of unlicensed drugs and those with some kind of restriction for pediatric use was an important factor. These data suggest poor attention to the risks and benefits of medication use in children ­ a relevant issue that requires continuous and intensive surveillance by different health professionals .

Assessment of viability of sperm cells of Litopenaeus vannamei on cryopreservation

Aiming at assessing the cryopreservation potential of Litopenaeus vannamei sperm cells, 74 spermatophores were manually extracted from the sexually mature individuals. After the toxicity test to define the cryoprotectant concentration, suspensions of spermatic cells were cryopreserved in the groups in freezing solutions comprising different cryoprotectants such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethylene glycol (EG) at 10% concentration. Each treatment was divided in subgroups for storage in liquid nitrogen during 0, 30, 60 and 90 days, in triplicate. After thawing at 25ºC for 40 seconds, cell viability in the suspensions was analyzed under the microscope in eosin-nigrosin stain and flow cytometry. There were no significant differences between the cryoprotectants used. For all the treatments, lower and higher mortalities occurred in the 0 and 90 days, respectively. By applying the eosin-nigrosin technique, lower and higher mortalities were 23.17 and 82.11% for DMSO and 29.94 and 83.72% for EG, while the flow cytometry registered mortalities of 2.42 and 55.13% for DMSO and 0.90 and 55.56% for EG. The Spearman correlation coefficient indicated a positive correlation (R=0.91) between the two techniques used. It was concluded that there was a decrease in cell viability within a longer cryopreservation time.