Prevalence of diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia among adults from the first multinational study of noncommunicable diseases in six Central American countries: the Central America Diabetes Initiative (CAMDI)

OBJECTIVE

The increasing burdens of obesity and diabetes are two of the most prominent threats to the health of populations of developed and developing countries alike. The Central America Diabetes Initiative (CAMDI) is the first study to examine the prevalence of diabetes in Central America.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The CAMDI survey was a cross-sectional survey based on a probabilistic sample of the noninstitutionalized population of five Central American populations conducted between 2003 and 2006. The total sample population was 10,822, of whom 7,234 (67%) underwent anthropometry measurement and a fasting blood glucose or 2-h oral glucose tolerance test.

RESULTS

The total prevalence of diabetes was 8.5%, but was higher in Belize (12.9%) and lower in Honduras (5.4%). Of the screened population, 18.6% had impaired glucose tolerance/impaired fasting glucose.

CONCLUSIONS

As this population ages, the prevalence of diabetes is likely to continue to rise in a dramatic and devastating manner. Preventive strategies must be quickly introduced.Apparent changes in access to cheap, energy-dense food, urbanization, and adoption of sedentary lifestyles in the countries of Central America have raised concerns about the rapid emergence of obesity and diabetes in the region. Diabetes and related chronic conditions in Central America have been largely neglected by epidemiologic and surveillance programs in recent decades, however, because other issues, such as under-nutrition, infectious diseases, and armed conflict, were regarded as much more pressing health threats.The Central America Diabetes Initiative (CAMDI) is the first population-based multinational study to examine the prevalence of diabetes and risk factors in Central America. We report here the main findings from the multinational analyses of this survey.     

Characterisation of the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities and the mechanism of the action of Lippia gracilis essential oil

Aim of the study

Lubricating gut pill (LGP), a traditional Chinese formula, had been conformed to improve the loperamide-induced rat constipation by stimulation of Cl⁻ secretion, but its mechanism has not been fully explored. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the action sites of LGP-stimulated Cl⁻ secretion across rat distal colonic mucosa.

Materials and methods

Rat distal colonic mucosa was mounted in Ussing chambers and short circuit current (I_SC), apical Cl⁻ current and basolateral K⁺ current were recorded. Intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content and protein kinase A (PKA) activity were determined with ELISA kit and the non-radioactive PepTag test, respectively.

Results

LGP at 800 μg/ml elicited a sustained increase in Cl⁻ secretory response, which was inhibited by CFTR_inh172, a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) inhibitor. Permeabilizing apical membrane with nystatin revealed that LGP-stimulated basolateral K⁺ current was significantly inhibited by KCNQ1 K⁺ channel inhibitor chromanol 293B. LGP-stimulated I_SC was markedly reduced by pretreatment with cis-N-[2-phenylcyclopentyl]-azacyclotridec-1-en-2amine (MDL-12,330A) and N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide (H-89), but not with inhibitors of Ca²⁺-dependent signaling pathway. Treatment of tissue with LGP resulted in an increase in intracellular cAMP level and the activation in protein kinase A. The E-prostanoid₄ (EP)₄ receptor antagonist L-161,982 completely eliminated LGP-induced response.

Conclusions

The results showed that LGP enhances Cl⁻ and fluid secretion via prostanoid receptor signaling and also cAMP and protein kinase A pathway, subsequently triggering the activation of apical Cl⁻ channels mostly CFTR and basolateral cAMP-dependent K⁺ channel.     

Photoprotective effects of topical formulations containing a combination of Ginkgo biloba and green tea extracts

The beneficial photoprotective effects of topical formulations containing combined extracts of Ginkgo biloba (GB) and green tea (GT) have not been investigated. The present study aims to assess the photoprotective effects of topical formulations containing GB and GT combined or not by applications on the dorsal skin of hairless mice prior to UVA/B irradiation. After 20 h, skin barrier damage (TEWL), erythema, histological alterations and sunburn cell formation were evaluated. The results showed that only extract supplemented formulations protected the skin against the UV‐induced damage. Formulations containing GB provided total protection of the skin barrier function avoiding UV radiation damage such as TEWL and erythema and were more effective than those containing GT. However, it is suggested that formulations containing combined GB and GT may provide substantial photoprotective effects since different aspects of skin damage were influenced by each extract. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Antifungal activity of trichothecenes from Fusarium sp. against clinical isolates of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a human mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, is a serious public health problem in several countries of Latin America. In our search we found that the crude extract of the endophytic fungus UFMGCB 551 was able to inhibit several clinical strains of P. brasiliensis, and was also active in the bioautographic assay against Cladosporium sphaerospermum. The endophytic fungus UFMGCB 551 was isolated from the plant Piptadenia adiantoides J.F. Macbr (Fabaceae). The fungus was identified as Fusarium sp. based on its macro‐ and micro‐morphology, and on the sequence of the internally transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of its rRNA gene. The chromatographic fractionation of the fungal extract was guided by the bioautographic assay to afford three known trichothecene mycotoxins: T2‐toxin ( 1 ) and a mixture of 8‐n‐butyrylneosolaniol ( 2 ) and 8‐isobutyrylsolaniol ( 3 ). The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the these compounds against eleven clinical strains of P. brasiliensis were evaluated and found to be in the range between 75 and 640 nmol l^?1 for 1 and 160–640 nmol l^?1 for the mixture of 2 and 3 .     

Nurses' work processes in outbreak of human rabies in Pará, Brasil

This article aimed at analyzing the work processes of nurses during the epidemic events of human rabies in the State of Para, Brazil in the biennium 2004 and 2005, thus placing the nurse in this space that has a lethal epidemic. The study is a qualitative study which data collection was carried out by individual semi-structured interviews with six nurses who worked during those epidemic events. The linkage and integration of work processes to assist, manage and teach were found in the narratives of the nurses.     

Evaluation of sexual function in Brazilian pregnant women

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the sexual function of pregnant women and to identify the potential variables associated with it. The study was conducted on 137 low-risk, sexually active pregnant women who filled out the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Although 61% of the women assessed presented an FSFI score ≤26.5, they declared that they were satisfied with the emotional proximity to their partner, with their relationship, and with their sex life. A positive association was detected between sexual dysfunction and gestational age and a report of urinary incontinence and excessive weight gain in the current pregnancy.