Development of a Functional Dark Chocolate with Baobab Pulp.

In recent years, cocoa and dark chocolate have attracted the interest of consumers not only for their sensory characteristics but also for their nutritional properties and positive impact on health. The baobab is a fruit of African origin with a sour and slightly sweet flavour, widely consumed by local communities due to its unique nutritional features. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of the concentration of baobab flour in the development of functional dark chocolate, including physical, chemical, nutritional and sensory evaluations. The results presented a positive correlation between the incorporation of baobab flour and the antioxidant activity (up to 2297 mmol TE/100 g), vitamin C content (up to 49.7 mg/100 g), calcium (up to 1052 mg/kg), potassium (up to 10,175 mg/kg), phosphorus (up to 795.9 mg/kg), chlorine (up to 235.4 mg/kg) and sulphur (up to 1158 mg/kg). The sensory evaluation of dark chocolate with 3% baobab presented the highest evaluation on the parameters "texture" and "overall flavour", while the parameter "overall flavour" presented the lowest evaluation on chocolate with 9% baobab. No influence was observed on fatty acid profile, protein, fat and hardness.

Elemental Composition of Commercial Herbal Tea Plants and Respective Infusions.

This study evaluated the elemental composition of 25 herbal tea plants commonly used in infusions by Portuguese consumers and the contribution to the elemental daily intake of some essential elements. Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.), Matricaria chamomilla (L.), and Melissa officinalis (L.) samples are a rich source of K with around 6.0 mg g-1 while the Asteraceae Silybum marianum (L.) and Echinacea angustifolia (DC.) exhibited 4.9 and 5.6 mg g-1 Ca, respectively. The highest concentrations of S and Zn were noted in Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.), while the highest concentration of Sr was found in Cassia angustifolia (Vahl.). In general, a large variability in the concentrations among different families and plant organs had been observed, except Cu with levels around 30 µg g-1. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed positive correlations between Zn and S and Sr and Ca, also revealing that Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.), Echinacea angustifolia (DC.), Silybum marianum (L.), and Cassia angustifolia (Vahl.) samples, stands out about all other samples regarding the enrichment of macro and micronutrients. The elemental solubility of macronutrients in the infusion is greater than the micronutrient solubility, despite the contribution to the recommended daily intake was weak. As a whole, Cynara scolymus (L.) and Hibiscus sabdariffa (L.) are the species with the best elemental solubilities, followed by Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.). No harmful elements, such as As and Pb, were observed in both the raw material and the infusions.

Adenovirus 36 prevalence and association with human obesity: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity has numerous etiologies and includes biological factors. Studies have demonstrated that the human adenovirus subtype 36 (Adv36) is an adipogenic agent and causes metabolic alterations. Study results on the prevalence of Adv36 and clinical effects in humans vary substantially. This was a systematic review to summarize the studies on the prevalence of Adv36 infection and its association with human obesity. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA). Observational or experimental studies found in the Medline, Embase, LILACS, Science Direct and SciELO databases that presented results on the prevalence of Adv36 in humans were included. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies were screened. A total of 10,300 adults aged 18-70 years and 4585 children and adolescents aged 3-18 years were assessed. The average prevalence of Adv36 among adults was 22.9%, ranging from 5.5% to 49.8%. Among children and adolescents, the average prevalence of Adv36 was 28.9%, ranging from 7.5% to 73.9%. There was a positive statistical relationship between Adv36 and weight gain, obesity, or metabolic changes in 31 studies. However, in four studies there was no association with obesity, and in one, no association was described. One of the studies showed an inverse correlation, i.e., Adv36 was a protective factor against obesity. CONCLUSION: Strong evidence suggested a positive association between viral infection and obesity. However, due to the multi-causality of obesity and heterogeneity of studies, diagnostic tests should be standardized and easily accessible by the population to estimate the overall prevalence of Adv36 infection and its association with obesity.

Adenovirus-36 as one of the causes of obesity: the review of the pathophysiology.

The dramatic increase of people affected by obesity worldwide seems to be influenced by external factors independent of eating habits, physical exercise, or genetic characteristics. There may be a number of such factors, but one hypothesis is that there is person-to-person transmission, causing an epidemic effect, as occurs with infectious diseases. In animal models, experimental infection with human adenovirus-36 (Adv36) causes obesity. Humans cannot be experimentally infected, but a number of studies found a correlation of positive serology for Adv36 with overweight/obesity in humans. In vitro studies have shown that Adv36 accelerates the differentiation and proliferation of preadipocytes into adipocytes and increases their lipid concentration. Another viral mechanism involved is the activation of a noninsulin-dependent process that increases glucose uptake, mainly in adipose tissue and muscle. The increased glucose, coupled with increased lipogenesis due to increased fatty acid synthase and the action of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) in stimulating adipocyte differentiation from adult stem cells enhances fat accumulation within the adipocytes. In studies conducted to date, the Adv36 E4 open reading frame 1 gene (E4orf1), which activates the glucose transporter protein isoform 4 (GLUT4) and glucose transporter protein isoform 1 (GLUT1) glucose transporters, appears to play a major role in the virus adipogenesis. The aim of this study was to review the pathophysiology of obesity and the role of Adv36.

Avaliação do tempo de maturação das fístulas rádio-cefálicas para hemodiálise / Evalution of the radiocephalic fistula maturation for hemodialysis access

A fístula arteriovenosa para hemodiálise é a anastomose entre uma artéria e uma veia superficial, utilizada como acesso venoso definitivo para pacientes que realizam hemodiálise. Após a cirurgia é necessário aguardar a dilatação e o aumento da resistência da parede dos vasos para que a fístula adquira um fluxo mínimo. Este período é chamado de maturação. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar se o tempo de maturação das fístulas rádio-cefálicas é influenciado pelo gênero e idade dos pacientes ou pela causa da insuficiência renal. Foi realizado um estudo observacional retrospectivo com todos pacientes renais crônicos da Clínica de Doenças Renais de Tubarão ­ SC submetidos à fístula rádio-cefálica no período entre agosto de 2010 e agosto de 2012. A média de idade foi 57,2 anos. O gênero predominante foi o masculino (65,2%). A principal causa de Insuficiência Renal Crônica foi a hipertensão arterial sistêmica em 42,4% dos casos, diabetes em 36,4% e outras doenças em 21,2%. O tempo médio de maturação foi de 41,5 ± 12,8 dias. Pacientes diabéticos apresentaram média de 45,8 ± 14,8 dias e em não diabéticos 39,1 ± 10,9 (p=0,038). A comparação do tempo de maturação com gênero, faixa etária, hipertensão arterial sistêmica e outras doenças não demonstrou diferença estatística. A média do tempo de maturação das fístulas foi de 41,5 dias. Pacientes diabéticos apresentaram tempo de maturação mais prolongado, devendo aguardar um mínimo de 7 semanas para utilização da fístula. O tempo de maturação é aparentemente independente do gênero, faixa etária e outras comorbidades.

Native arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis is the anastomosis between an artery and a superficial vein, used as a permanent hemodialysis access. After the surgery it takes time for the fistula to dilate and acquire adequate blood flow to become suitable for cannulation. This period is called maturation. The objective of this study was to evaluate if the radiocephalic fistula maturation is influenced by the patients gender, age or cause of renal failure. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study with 66 patients with end stage renal disease treated in Tubarão, Brazil. All the patients underwent radio-cephalic fistula in the period between August 2010 and August 2012. The mean age of the patients was 57.2 years. 65% were men. The cause of end stage renal disease was hypertension in 42.4% of cases, diabetes in 36% and other diseases in 21%. The average maturation time was 41,5 ± 12,8 days. Patients with diabetes had a longer maturation time, 45,8 ± 14,8 days compared with 39,1 ± 10,9 in non diabetics (p = 0.038). The comparison of the maturation time with gender, age and non diabetic renal diseases didn´t show any statistical difference (p> 0,05). The average time for fistula maturation was 41.5 days (6 weeks) similar to other researches. Diabetic patients showed longer maturation time compared to non diabetic patients. The maturation is apparently independent of gender, age and non diabetic renal diseases.

Trauma transfixante: relato de caso / Transfixing traum: case report

Atualmente os traumas por arma de fogo estão cada vez mais comuns, principalmente na população com idadeprodutiva. Lesões cervicais por esse mecanismo são de grande importância por sua morbimortalidade. Suspeitardo diagnóstico e dar o suporte adequado é de extrema importância para salvar a vida do paciente. Nosso objetivo é descrever um caso de ferimento transfixante por PAF em região cervical, com fístula artériovenosa, que obteve um bom desfecho.

Nowadays traumas caused by firearms are more and more common, particularly among working age population. Cervical lesions caused by this mechanism are ofgreat importance for its morbimortality. Distrusting the diagnosis and giving the appropriate support is of the utmost importance to save the life of the patient. Our objective is to describe a case of transfixing wound by PAF in a cervical region, with arteriovenous fistula, which had a good outcome.

Aneurisma de aorta abdominal concomitante à neoplasia gástrica / Case Report - aneurysm abdominal aorta concomitant with gastric neoplasia

Objetivos: Relato de caso associado à revisão de artigos científicos publicados sobre a ocorrência simultânea de aneurisma de aorta abdominal e câncergástrico em um mesmo paciente.Metodologia: Relato de caso associado à revisão bibliográfica. Resultados: A prioridade terapêutica quando ocorrecâncer gástrico e aneurisma de aorta abdominal num mesmo paciente, deve ser avaliada conforme a severidade e a urgência de cada uma dessas doenças.Yasuda et al defendem a idéia de que se há coexistência entre aneurisma de aorta abdominal e doença malignano trato gastrointestinal ambas necessitando intervenção urgente, cirurgia simultânea deve ser realizada. Luebke et al indicam que a cirurgia para o câncer gástrico deve ser realizada ao mesmo tempo que a cirurgia para oaneurisma, visto que não aumenta a morbi-mortalidade pós-operatória.Conclusão: Há controvérsias entre a escolha do tratamento cirúrgico prioritário entre aneurisma de aortaabdominal e câncer gástrico, quando ocorrem simultaneamente no mesmo paciente. A maioria dos autorespesquisados enfatiza a necessidade de se estabelecer critérios de urgência entre as duas patologias coexistentes,para mensurar qual cirurgia deve ser priorizada.

Objective: Case report associated with revision of scientific articles published about the simultaneous occurrence of abdominal aortic aneurysm and gastriccancer at the same patient. Methods: Case report associated with bibliographical revision. Results: The main treatment when gastric cancer andabdominal aortic aneurysm happen at the same time on a patient, must be evaluated in agreement the severity andthe urgency of each one of these illnesses. Yasuda et al defends the idea if there is coexistence between abdominal aortic aneurysm and malignant illness in the gastrointestinal,both needing urgent intervention, simultaneous surgery must be carried through. Luebke et al indicates that thesurgery for the gastric cancer must be carried through at the same time that the surgery for the aneurysm, becauseit doesnÆt increase postoperative mortality. Conclusion: There are controversies envolving the choice of wicth is the priority surgical treatment between abdominal aortic aneurysm and gastric cancer, when they occur simultaneously in the same patient. The majority of the authors emphasizes the need of establishing criteria of urgency between these diseases, to tell which surgery must be prioritized.

O pâncreas na desnutriçäo protéico-calórica na infância / Pancreatic dysfunction in protein-energy malnutrition in children

A disfunçäo pancreática tem sido frequentemente associada à desnutriçäo protéico-calórica e aparece mais frequentemente quando há uma ingesta relativamente alta de alimentos ricos em amido, com deficiência na ingesta de proteínas. As alteraçöes pancreáticas säo globais. Há diminuiçäo do número e tamanho de algumas organelas intracelulares, com marcada depressäo nos níveis e na atividade das enzimas lipase, amilase ,tripsina, quimotripsina e ribonuclease, além de atrofia, fibrose e calcificaçöes do órgäo. Hipoalbuminemia, hiperglobulinemia e esteatorréia säo achados também frequentes em pacientes com desnutriçäo. A dosagem de tripsinogênio catiönico sérico é um método bastante acurado para o diagnóstico de insuficiência pancreática. Atualmente, tem-se dado destaque para o esteatócrito como método de triagem. Com o aporte dietético adequado, a deficiência enzimática desaparece progressivamente, na maioria das vezes näo sendo necessária a utilizaçäo de enzimas pancreáticas exógenas