Ptychopetalum olacoides,a traditional Amazonian "nerve tonic", possesses anticholinesterase activity

The cholinergic hypothesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) has provided the rationale for the current pharmacotherapy of this disease, in an attempt to downgrade the cognitive decline caused by cholinergic deficits. Nevertheless, the search for potent and long-acting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors that exert minimal side effects to AD patients is still an ongoing effort. Amazonian communities use traditional remedies prepared with Ptychopetalum olacoides (PO, Olacaceae) roots for treating various central nervous system conditions, including those associated with aging. The fact that PO ethanol extract (POEE) has been found to facilitate memory retrieval in the step down procedure in young and aged mice prompt us to evaluate its effects on AChE activity in memory relevant brain areas. POEE significantly inhibited AChE activity in vitro in a dose- and time-dependent manner in rat frontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum; a significant inhibition was also found in these same brain areas of aged (14 months) mice after acute administration of POEE (100 mg/kg ip). We propose that such AChE inhibitory activity is a neurochemical correlate of a number of therapeutic properties traditionally claimed for P. olacoides, particularly those associated with cognition.     

A novel mucosal orthotopic murine model of human papillomavirus‐associated genital cancers

Cervical cancer results from infection with high‐risk type human papillomaviruses (HPV). Therapeutic vaccines aiming at controlling existing genital HPV infections and associated lesions are usually tested in mice with HPV‐expressing tumor cells subcutaneously implanted into their flank. However, effective vaccine‐induced regression of these ectopic tumors strongly contrasts with the poor clinical results of these vaccines produced in patients with HPV‐associated genital neoplasia. To assess HPV therapeutic vaccines in a more relevant setting, we have, here, established an orthotopic mouse model where tumors in the genital mucosa (GM) develop after an intravaginal instillation of HPV16 E6/E7‐expressing tumor cells transduced with a luciferase‐encoding lentiviral vector for in vivo imaging of tumor growth. Tumor take was 80–90% after nonoxynol‐9 induced damage of the epithelium. Tumors remained localized in the genital tract, and histological analysis showed that most tumors grew within the squamous epithelium of the vaginal wall. Those tumors induced (i) E7‐specific CD8 T cells restricted to the GM and draining lymph nodes, in agreement with their mucosal location and (ii) high Foxp3+ CD4+ infiltrates, similarly to those found in natural non‐regressing HPV lesions. This novel genital HPV‐tumor model by requiring GM homing of vaccine‐induced immune responses able to overcome local immuno‐suppression may be more representative of the situation occurring in patients upon therapeutic vaccination.     

Health Behaviours Among Users of Drugs: in a Brazilian Sample

This study examines health behaviours among 140 substance misusers from an outpatient department. A cross-sectional study was undertaken at an addiction centre in southern Brazil. Data were collected from a sample population who completed a set of questionnaires about their sociodemographic information, Severity Alcohol Dependence Data, Severity of Dependence Scale, Health Behaviour Questionnaire, and the Addiction Severity Index. For data analysis, Fisher’s exact test, analysis of variance, Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analyses were used. Severe levels of alcohol and drug dependence syndromes were identified. No significant differences were found between the cocaine and crack users, but these differed from the multiple drug user groups, which showed higher scores on the Severity of Dependence Scale and Health Behaviour Questionnaire. The findings also show that the consumption of these substances has a significant influence on the health behaviour of substance misusers and interfere with preventive health behaviours.     

Leptin regulates the reward value of nutrient

We developed an assay for quantifying the reward value of nutrient and used it to analyze the effects of metabolic state and leptin. In this assay, mice chose between two sippers, one of which dispensed water and was coupled to optogenetic activation of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and the other of which dispensed natural or artificial sweeteners. This assay measured the reward value of sweeteners relative to lick-induced optogenetic activation of DA neurons. Mice preferred optogenetic stimulation of DA neurons to sucralose, but not to sucrose. However, the mice preferred sucralose plus optogenetic stimulation versus sucrose. We found that food restriction increased the value of sucrose relative to sucralose plus optogenetic stimulation, and that leptin decreased it. Our data suggest that leptin suppresses the ability of sucrose to drive taste-independent DA neuronal activation and provide new insights into the mechanism of leptin's effects on food intake.     

Algorithm for the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a position statement of Brazilian Diabetes Society

The Brazilian Diabetes Society is starting an innovative project of quantitative assessment of medical arguments of and implementing a new way of elaborating SBD Position Statements. The final aim of this particular project is to propose a new Brazilian algorithm for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, based on the opinions of endocrinologists surveyed from a poll conducted on the Brazilian Diabetes Society website regarding the latest algorithm proposed by American Diabetes Association /European Association for the Study of Diabetes, published in January 2009.An additional source used, as a basis for the new algorithm, was to assess the acceptability of controversial arguments published in international literature, through a panel of renowned Brazilian specialists. Thirty controversial arguments in diabetes have been selected with their respective references, where each argument was assessed and scored according to its acceptability level and personal conviction of each member of the evaluation panel.This methodology was adapted using a similar approach to the one adopted in the recent position statement by the American College of Cardiology on coronary revascularization, of which not only cardiologists took part, but also specialists of other related areas.     

Improvement in Quality of Life and Self-Esteem After Breast Reduction Surgery

Background  

Breast reduction surgery is sought by patients who have physical and psychological symptoms. This study assessed the quality of life and self-esteem before and after breast reduction surgery.     

Prevalence of hemoglobin S in the State of Paraná, Brazil, based on neonatal screening

The Brazilian Ministry of Health created the National Neonatal Screening Program under ruling no. 822/2001, including neonatal screening for hemoglobinopathies. In the State of Paraná, neonatal screening is conducted by the Ecumenical Foundation for the Protection of the Handicapped. The prevalence rates were determined for homozygous and heterozygous hemoglobin S and Sbeta-thalassemia. Blood samples drawn on filter paper were examined by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). From January 2002 to December 2004, 548,810 newborns were screened, with the detection of 21 with FS, two FSA/FS, and four FSA. After confirmatory tests at six months of age, 12 were defined as sickle-cell anemia, or a prevalence of 2.2:100,000 newborns; Sbeta-thalassemia was confirmed in 15 (2.7:100,000 newborns); and 8,321 newborns were diagnosed as heterozygous HbS (1,500:100,000 newborns). HbS prevalence in Paraná (in southern Brazil) is lower than in the Central-West, North, and Northeast of the country. Ethnic origin of the population, fetal deaths, and non-random procreation may contribute to the relatively low number of homozygous individuals in the State. Sbeta-thalassemia interaction suggests the presence of Euro-Mediterranean peoples in this population's miscegenation.