Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research最新文献

Oils and fats have a wide range of health benefits, especially those that have a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, like fish oils. Unfortunately, oils are highly susceptible to heat, light, and oxygen degradation, causing them to lose the qualities that would make them interesting for the public. With this in mind, this study compared two methods of spray-drying, a technique that helps preserve the stability of oils in storage for longer periods of time. Emulsions made with skimmed milk powder and with maltodextrin and whey protein hydrolysate were spray-dried, resulting in 2 different microencapsulated fish oils. They were compared regarding encapsulation efficiency, water activity, moisture content, and peroxide index. The skimmed milk showed better results, with a 28.17% lower peroxide index than the non-encapsulated oil and lower water activity and moisture content compared to the emulsion using maltodextrin (2.690±0.19% vs 6.747±0.29% moisture content and 0.376±0.013 vs 0.554±0.006 water activity). Since skimmed milk powder is rather cheap, it is ideal for spray-drying, a simple and fast technique. In this way, fish oil can be safely microencapsulated in powder form, lasting longer than the oil capsules currently available, since the oil is protected from light, temperature, moisture, and oxidation. In addition, the oily odor is masked, making it more appealing to the consumer, and it may be combined with other powders, like vitamins and minerals, which opens up new possibilities for the production of supplements.

Many ways of classifying steatotic liver disease (SLD) with metabolic conditions have been proposed. Thus, SLD-related variables were verified using a decision tree. We tested if the suggested components of the actual classification (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, MASLD) are also present in young and middle-aged adults. In a cross-sectional study involving 6,839 adults (median age: 46 years, 69.5% men) in a primary care setting, a decision tree was created to determine potential clinical and laboratory variables related to SLD. The odds ratio (OR) with a respective 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was calculated for both sexes. SLD frequency was 26.6% (23% in men). More variables and with higher ORs for the association with SLD were identified in women: category 1 (body mass index (BMI) ≥29 kg/m2, age <51 years, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) ≥0.195 mg/dL): OR=10.9, 95%CI: 4.40-26.6; category 2 (BMI <9 kg/m2, metabolic syndrome (MS), age ≥50 years, neck circumference (NC) ≥36 cm): OR=8.1, 95%CI: 2.2-29.9; and category 3 (BMI ≥29 kg/m2, age <51 y-old, dyslipidemia, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) <42 mg/dL): OR=4.7, 95%CI: 2.20-10.7. For men: category 1 (waist circumference (WC) ≥101 cm, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) <28 mg/dL, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥5.7%): OR=4.7, 95%CI: 2.8-7.9; and category 2 (WC ≥101 cm, ALT ≥28 mg/dL): OR=3.2, 95%CI: 2.5-4.0). The decision tree identified more variables related to SLD, particularly in women, such as age of more than 50 years, elevated hs-CRP, and NC≥36 cm than variables related to MASLD.

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with oral changes, including infections and other oral conditions in pregnant women who underwent prenatal care in public health units in the city of Divinópolis, Minas Gerais. This was a cross-sectional study carried out with baseline data from a cohort of 588 pregnant women (aged 14 to 43 years) from 2019 to 2023. Data were collected through interviews and oral clinical examination, using a structured questionnaire. The event of interest was the presence of oral infection. The absolute and relative frequencies of the variables were calculated. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between the explanatory variables and the presence of oral infection, with estimation of odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Among the participants, 47.8% had oral infections. In the multivariate analysis, the variables that showed a significant association with oral infection were: lower education, last visit to the dentist more than 6 months ago, lower frequency of flossing, regular intake of alcoholic beverages, and self-report of poor oral health. This study highlighted sociodemographic and behavioral disparities and the importance of prenatal dental care. Insights for adapting interventions were provided, although further studies are needed.

The incidence of chronic pain in the general population is highly correlated to anxiety disorders, which promote negative effects on the quality of life. Stretch injury is the primary cause of nerve dysfunction and injury in the civilian population. Here, we characterized changes in nociception, anxiogenic-like behaviors, and astrocyte expression in the low-intensity sciatic nerve-stretch injury (NSI) model. Male Wistar rats were submitted to NSI, chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI), or sham surgery (SHAM). Animals were submitted to nociceptive tests (von Frey, acetone, and hot plate) before surgery and 6, 12, 18, and 24 days post-surgery. Anxiety-like behaviors were assessed in the open field test (OFT) 23 days after surgery. Immunofluorescence for astrocyte activity (glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)) was performed in cortical, thalamic, and brainstem areas involved with pain and emotional processing. Animals submitted to NSI showed increased mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, similar to those submitted to CCI. In the OFT, both NSI and CCI animals showed an increase in anxiety-like behaviors. Also, NSI animals presented an increased expression of GFAP in all analyzed areas, similar to CCI animals. In conclusion, the NSI model produced behavioral alterations comparable to those observed in the CCI model, including hypersensitivity to mechanical and thermal (heat) stimuli that lasted for more than three weeks. Additionally, both models induced a similar increase in GFAP expression in cortical, thalamic, and brainstem regions.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a disease of pregnancy characterized by the new onset of hypertension accompanied by proteinuria and/or other signs of maternal organ dysfunction that manifests after 20 weeks of gestation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs (19-25 nucleotides) that function in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Many studies have suggested that different microRNA expression profiles may be associated with the development of PE. Hence, this study aims to report differentially expressed microRNAs that may be associated with the pathogenesis of PE and investigate whether different miRNA expression profiles are associated with different PE classifications and different phases of pregnancy. The bibliographic search was conducted from September 2021 to August 2024 and was performed on MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. This systematic review followed the methodological guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration Manual for Systematic Intervention Reviews and was written according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Of the 1362 studies identified, 263 articles were selected as the sample of this study. The most frequently cited upregulated microRNAs were: miR-210, miR-155, miR-518b, miR-181a, miR-125b, miR-183, and miR-16. The most frequently cited downregulated microRNAs were: miR-363, miR-18a, miR-144, miR-149, miR-16, miR-18b, and miR-195. This study will serve as a reference to guide future experimental research. In addition, knowledge of the expression profiles of microRNAs associated with PE can help in the development of new protocols for early prediction of the disease.

The 6-minute walk test is frequently used to assess the functional capacity of the cardiac disease population. Nevertheless, anthropometric differences can confound or misestimate performance, which highlights the need for new parameters. This study aimed to investigate the potential of the body weight-walking distance product (D·W) compared to the 6-minute walk test distance to predict exercise capacity measured by oxygen uptake (VO2) on-kinetics in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary-care reference institution. Forty-six participants with multivessel CAD with and without left ventricular dysfunction underwent a 6-minute walk test with simultaneous use of mobile telemetric cardiopulmonary monitoring to evaluate VO2 kinetics and other cardiorespiratory responses. The Borg rating of perceived exertion for lower limb discomfort was only correlated with the D·W (P=0.007). The percent predicted and actual distance were only modestly to moderately correlated with VO2 on-kinetics (R2=0.12 and R2=0.29, P<0.05). All the associations of VO2 on-kinetics parameters were improved, showing a stronger correlation to the D·W (R2=0.49, P<0.0001), which also had a larger effect size to identify differences between coronary disease patients compared to distance walked (d=1.32 vs d=0.84). The D·W demonstrated potential to be better than the distance walked in determining VO2 on-kinetics in participants with CAD with and without left ventricular dysfunction.

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common side effect of docetaxel (DTX). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of montelukast (MNT), a leukotriene receptor antagonist drug, against DTX-induced PN in rats. Thirty-two male rats were divided into four groups and treated for four weeks: control (sham), DTX (5 mg/kg per week, ip), MNT (10 mg/kg per day, po), and DTX+MNT (5 mg/kg per week, ip + 10 mg/kg per day, po). Behavioral tests (hot plate, tail flick, and rotarod) were conducted. Histopathological, molecular (RT-PCR), and biochemical (ELISA) analyses were performed on sciatic nerve, liver, and serum samples. MNT reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) parameters in sciatic nerve tissues. Unlike DTX, MNT resulted in increased Bcl-2 gene expression and decreased caspase-3 (Cas-3) and Bax expressions. DTX caused sensory and motor neuropathy, as revealed by the hot plate, tail flick, and rotarod tests. The co-administration of MNT significantly mitigated the sensory and motor neuropathy induced by DTX. MNT improved the levels of NCAM, p38α MAPK, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which were impaired in the sciatic nerve tissues due to DTX administration. Additionally, it reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which had increased due to DTX. Histopathological examination revealed that DTX-related sciatic nerve damage was mitigated by MNT administration. The results indicated that MNT may have a protective effect against DTX-induced PN in rats.

Biomaterials stimulate diverse biological responses, including inflammation, wound healing, foreign body reactions, and fibrous encapsulation, all critical for evaluating biocompatibility and effectiveness. These responses are influenced by the material's physicochemical and biological properties, such as composition, texture, and surface characteristics. Adverse reactions, such as severe inflammation or fibrous encapsulation, can hinder tissue integration, jeopardizing patient health and increasing healthcare costs. This review aimed to summarize the current scientific evidence on biological responses to biomaterials. A systematic search was conducted through multiple databases (VHL, PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and Web of Science) including in vitro and in vivo studies that compared biomaterial interactions with the natural immune response (innate and adaptive). From the 791 articles identified, 25 met strict inclusion criteria. These studies revealed variations in immune responses and material surface characteristics, highlighting advancements made to enhance tissue integration. Bioactive materials demonstrated greater potential for tissue regeneration, while inert materials triggered moderate inflammatory reactions. This variability emphasizes the need for a personalized biomaterial selection, considering both short-term biocompatibility and long-term tissue functionality. This review underscores the importance of comprehensive evaluation to optimize biomaterial performance in clinical applications.

There are significant gaps in understanding the extent of the damage caused by COVID-19, with few publications examining its link to contrast sensitivity function (CSF). The aim of the present study was to evaluate CSF at low, medium, and high spatial frequencies in individuals with and without a history of COVID-19. Thirty adults, both male and female, aged between 18 and 49 years, participated in the study, 15 with a history of COVID-19 and 15 without. CSF was measured using Metropsis software (version 11) and vertical sine-wave gratings with spatial frequencies ranging from 0.2 to 19.8 cycles per degree (cpd). The results indicated COVID-19-related changes in CSF at spatial frequencies of 6.1 (U=36.00; P=0.003; r=-0.55), 13.2 (U=29.00; P=0.001; r=-0.61), 15.9 (U=17.00; P=0.001; r=-0.70), and 19.8 cpd (U=13.00; P=0.001; r=-0.73). The observed decrease in CSF within specific spatial frequency bands suggested that the visual system of individuals exposed to COVID-19 required higher contrast levels to detect high spatial frequencies. This psychophysical finding indicated that COVID-19 altered the functioning of the visual system and likely affected the neural mechanisms responsible for processing high spatial frequencies.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is essential to reduce viral load and restore CD4+ T cell levels in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). However, different treatment protocols influence the levels of cytokines, important mediators of the immune response. This study aimed to evaluate cytokine levels in PLWHA on therapy with tenofovir (TDF), lamivudine (3TC), and dolutegravir (DTG). The results showed that PLWHA on treatment had a significant increase in CD4+ T lymphocyte levels and a reduction in CD8+ T lymphocyte levels compared to naive (untreated) individuals. Furthermore, PLWHA treated with TDF/3TC/DTG had a significant reduction in interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 levels (P<0.02; P=0.047) compared to other ART regimens. Naive individuals had higher levels of IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ, while their levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-4, and IL-10 were lower. These findings suggested that TDF/3TC/DTG treatment modulated cytokines, reducing chronic inflammation and improving the immune response in PLWHA. The decrease in anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-4 and IL-10, may be associated with better regulation of the immune system, resulting in greater control of infection and a balanced inflammatory response.