Overweight: socio-demographic and behavioral determinants in Brazilian adults, 2008

This article aims to identify socio-demographic and behavioral determinants of overweight among Brazilian adults living in State capitals and the Federal District, using data collected by a telephone survey for surveillance of risk and protective factors in 2008. The outcome variable was overweight, and the independent variables were socio-demographics, behavioral factors, and nutritional status at 20 years of age. The overweight rate was 44.4%. Socio-demographic factors associated with overweight were age and marital status (married) in both genders, higher schooling in men, and lower schooling in women. With the exception of overweight at 20 years of age, behavioral factors were associated differently with overweight according to gender (leisure-time physical inactivity in males and dietary patterns and watching television among females). The behavioral determinants of overweight differed between men and women, thus indicating the need for diverse gender-specific strategies.     

Electrophysiologic effects of systemic and locally infused epibatidine on locus coeruleus neurons

We evaluated the electrophysiologic response of locus coeruleus neurons to the systemic and local infusion of epibatidine. Rats were anesthetized with 2% halothane and single-unit locus coeruleus discharge was recorded after administration of systemic (2.5, 5 and 10 microg/kg subcutaneously) and intracoerulear (0.03-0.01-0.001 microg) epibatidine. The subcutaneous epibatidine activated locus coeruleus neurons only at the highest dose (10 microg/kg). The 2.5-5 microg/kg doses, previously shown to induce analgesia, did not activate locus coeruleus neurons. The intracoerulear infusion of epibatidine induced excitement of locus coeruleus neurons at every tested dose. Higher doses (0.03 and 0.01 microg) excited 100% of the recorded neurons. A significantly lower number of neurons (50% and 43% respectively) were excited when lower doses (0.005-0.001 microg) were used (P=0.035). The intracoerulear infusion of mecamylamine (1 microg) significantly reduced neuronal discharge rate (45%) and blocked the effects of epibatidine. The intra-dorsal raphe infusion of 0.03 microg epibatidine induced significant excitation of locus coeruleus neurons. These data show that the administration of epibatidine induces excitation of locus coeruleus neurons, which is mediated by nicotinic receptors. This activation occurs after systemic and selective local administration of epibatidine. The response of locus coeruleus neurons to systemic and locally administered epibatidine is dose-related.     

Rapid saccadic categorization of other-race faces

The human visual system is very fast and efficient at extracting socially relevant information from faces. Visual studies employing foveated faces have consistently reported faster categorization by race response times for other-race compared with same-race faces. However, in everyday life we typically encounter faces outside the foveated visual field. In study 1, we explored whether and how race is categorized extrafoveally in same- and other-race faces normalized for low-level properties by tracking eye movements of Western Caucasian and East Asian observers in a saccadic response task. The results show that not only are people sensitive to race in faces presented outside of central vision, but the speed advantage in categorizing other-race faces occurs astonishingly quickly in as little as 200 ms. Critically, this visual categorization process was approximately 300 ms faster than the typical button press responses on centrally presented foveated faces. Study 2 investigated the genesis of the extrafoveal saccadic response speed advantage by comparing the influences of the response modality (button presses and saccadic responses), as well as the potential contribution of the impoverished low-spatial frequency spectrum characterizing extrafoveal visual information processing. Button press race categorization was not significantly faster with reconstructed retinal-filtered low spatial frequency faces, regardless of the visual field presentation. The speed of race categorization was significantly boosted only by extrafoveal saccades and not centrally foveated faces. Race is a potent, rapid, and effective visual signal transmitted by faces used for the categorization of ingroup/outgroup members. This fast universal visual categorization can occur outside central vision, igniting a cascade of social processes.     

Reliability and efficacy of a new CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser hollow fiber: a prospective study of 39 patients

We present the first series of patients treated by transoral laser surgery (TLS) using the new AcuPulse 40WG CO₂ laser with the FiberLase flexible waveguide (CO₂ LWG) (Lumenis, Santa Clara, CA) with the objective to test its reliability and efficacy. Patients older than 18 years, with oral, pharyngo-laryngeal or tracheal benign or premalignant lesions were enrolled after signing an informed consent. This prospective study was conducted between October 2010 and May 2011 in two tertiary care university hospitals. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 47.9 years (range 18–86 years). There were 21 women and 18 men. Thirteen patients had hypertrophy of lymphoid tissue (palatine and or lingual), nine patients had granulomas, four patients had an exudative glottic lesion, three patients had severe dysplasia (glottic and supraglottic), three patients had leukoplakia, two patients had glottal cysts, two patients had laryngeal papilloma, two patients had bilateral paralysis of the vocal folds and one patient suffered from spasmodic dysphonia. Eighty-two percent of the procedures were performed under general anesthesia with laryngo-tracheal intubation. The CO₂ fiber passed through a handpiece was used with a microscope in the majority of the procedures. The laser delivery mode parameter used was: SuperPulse or Continuous Wave. Power levels were 3–15 Watts (W), continuous delivery. Each procedure utilized one CO₂ fiber which performed adequately throughout the procedure. No complications were noted with the use of this technology. A bipolar cautery was needed to control bleeding in eight procedures; all these procedures were tonsillectomies. The CO₂ LWG is a safe and reliable tool for TLS. It is durable enough to last through the entire surgical procedure without the need for replacement. Its use must be tailored depending on the type and location of the lesion, the CO₂ lasers tissue effects as well as the surgeon’s experience.     

Chemokine Ligand 5 (CCL5) and chemokine receptor (CCR5) genetic variants and prostate cancer risk among men of African Descent: a case-control study

Background

Chemokine and chemokine receptors play an essential role in tumorigenesis. Although chemokine-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with various cancers, their impact on prostate cancer (PCA) among men of African descent is unknown. Consequently, this study evaluated 43 chemokine-associated SNPs in relation to PCA risk. We hypothesized inheritance of variant chemokine-associated alleles may lead to alterations in PCA susceptibility, presumably due to variations in antitumor immune responses.

Methods

Sequence variants were evaluated in germ-line DNA samples from 814 African-American and Jamaican men (279 PCA cases and 535 controls) using Illumina’s Goldengate genotyping system.

Results

Inheritance of CCL5 rs2107538 (AA, GA+AA) and rs3817655 (AA, AG, AG+AA) genotypes were linked with a 34-48% reduction in PCA risk. Additionally, the recessive and dominant models for CCR5 rs1799988 and CCR7 rs3136685 were associated with a 1.52-1.73 fold increase in PCA risk. Upon stratification, only CCL5 rs3817655 and CCR7 rs3136685 remained significant for the Jamaican and U.S. subgroups, respectively.

Conclusions

In summary, CCL5 (rs2107538, rs3817655) and CCR5 (rs1799988) sequence variants significantly modified PCA susceptibility among men of African descent, even after adjusting for age and multiple comparisons. Our findings are only suggestive and require further evaluation and validation in relation to prostate cancer risk and ultimately disease progression, biochemical/disease recurrence and mortality in larger high-risk subgroups. Such efforts will help to identify genetic markers capable of explaining disproportionately high prostate cancer incidence, mortality, and morbidity rates among men of African descent.