Oxidative stress and inflammation in obesity after taurine supplementation: a double-blind,placebo-controlled study

Purpose

Some researchers found decreased levels of plasma taurine in obese subjects and animals, and reduced expression of an important enzyme of taurine synthesis. These evidences, coupled with the metabolic imbalance of obesity and the possible anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of taurine, highlighted the use of taurine as a supplement in obesity treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether taurine supplementation, associated with nutritional counseling, modulates oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and glucose homeostasis in obese women.

Methods

A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was conducted with 16 women with obesity diagnosis and 8 women in the normal weight range. The obese volunteers were matched by age and body mass index and randomly assigned to either the placebo (3 g/day starch flour) or taurine (3 g/day taurine) group. The study lasted 8 weeks, and the experimental protocol included nutritional assessment and determination of plasma sulfur amino acids, insulin, and adiponectin, serum glycemia, and markers of inflammatory response and oxidative stress.

Results

Plasma taurine levels were significantly decreased (41 %) in the obese volunteers. Both the placebo and taurine groups showed significant reduction in weight (3 %), with no differences between groups. Different from placebo, taurine-supplemented group showed significant increase in plasma taurine (97 %) and adiponectin (12 %) and significant reduction in the inflammatory marker hs-C-reactive protein (29 %) and in the lipid peroxidation marker thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (20 %).

Conclusions

Eight weeks of taurine supplementation associated with nutritional counseling is able to increase adiponectin levels and to decrease markers of inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) in obese women.     

Diagnostic assessment of patients with Meniere's disease through caloric testing and the video-head-impulse test

IntroductionMeniere's disease is a labyrinth disease that usually presents with episodes of spontaneous vertigo associated with sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus and ipsi- and unilateral aural fullness in most cases. Vestibular function tests, video-head-impulse test and the caloric test, are not specific for diagnosis of the disease, but may show alterations that help to evaluate the functional impairment.ObjectiveTo describe the results obtained at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test in patients with definite Meniere's disease and compare them between symptomatic, asymptomatic ears and those of the control group.MethodsCross-sectional and observational study including patients with definite Meniere's disease diagnosed according to the Bárány Society criteria (2015) and healthy individuals (control group) undergoing caloric test and video-head-impulse test. All subjects were assessed by neurotological anamnesis and audiological evaluation (pure-tone, vocal and immittance audiometry) to characterize the sample. The findings obtained at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test were described and compared between the symptomatic and asymptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease and those of the control group.ResultsThirty-two patients with definite Meniere's disease were evaluated, with a mean age of 45.7 years, mostly females (68.8%) and unilateral disease. The control group consisted of 20 healthy individuals, with a mean age of 44.7 years, mostly females (70.0%). The groups were homogeneous in relation to age and gender. The patients’ main complaint was vertigo (71.9%), and most patients had more than six episodes in the last six months (71.9%). Moderate sensorineural hearing loss was present in 38.5% of patients. The prevalence of hyporeflexia at the caloric test was higher in symptomatic (56.4%) and asymptomatic (36%) ears of patients with Meniere's disease compared to the ears of control subjects (7.5%), p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively. Video-head-impulse test alterations in the lateral semicircular canals were more frequent in the symptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease than in the ears of control subjects (p = 0.026).ConclusionMost patients with definite Meniere's disease showed hyporeflexia at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test with normal function in the symptomatic ear. Vestibular hyporeflexia at the caloric test was more frequent in the symptomatic and asymptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease than in the control group. The video-head-impulse test showed more alterations in the lateral semicircular canals.     

Prevalence of headache in patients with Parkinson’s disease and its association with the side of motor symptom onset

We compared the lifetime prevalence and the prevalence of headache during the previous year in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and control subjects. We also investigated the association between the side of PD symptom onset and the side of the headache. We interviewed 98 consecutive patients with an established diagnosis of PD between December 2010 and January 2012. The control group consisted of the 98 oldest sex-matched individuals from the nationwide Brazilian headache database. PD patients showed a significantly lower prevalence (40.8 %) of headache in the previous year than controls (69.4 %) (adjusted OR 0.5, CI 95 % 0.2–0.9, p = 0.03). PD patients also showed a lower prevalence of headache throughout life (74.5 %) than controls (93.9 %) (adjusted OR 0.2, CI 95 % 0.1–0.6, p = 0.01). Considering only patients who presented headache during the previous year, PD patients showed a higher association with occurrence of migraine than tension-type headache compared with controls (adjusted OR 3.3, CI 95 % 1.2–8.9, p = 0.02). The headache side was ipsilateral to the side of PD onset in 21 patients (84 %), with a concordance of 85.7 % on the left side and 81.8 % on the right side (p < 0.01). The prevalence of primary headache was significantly lower in patients with PD than controls. The predominant side of headache was ipsilateral to the side of initial motor signs of PD.     

Tuning the Biginelli reaction mechanism by the ionic liquid effect: the combined role of supported heteropolyacid derivatives and acidic strength

Herein, a combination of heteropolyacids and ionic liquids as a catalytic system was studied for the Biginelli multicomponent reaction; the positive ionic liquid effect associated with the acidic strength of zeolite-supported heteropolyacids made this combination an efficient catalytic system for the multicomponent synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one/thione derivatives. The acidic strength effect was evaluated, and a range was determined in which the reaction provided better results. The mechanism of the reaction was also investigated in the presence and absence of ionic liquids, and two features of paramount importance were revealed: the mechanism could be tuned to proceed through only one reaction path among three possibilities and the kinetics of the reaction was significantly faster in the presence of an ionic liquid.

Heteropolyacids and ionic liquid effect allowed tuning of the Biginelli reaction mechanism and synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one/thione derivatives in an efficient, recyclable fashion. The role of acidic strength and supported heteropolyacid is disclosed.     

Detection of the gubernacular canal and its attachment to the dental follicle may indicate an abnormal eruption status

Objectives:To evaluate and compare the detection of gubernacular canals (GC) and their characteristics in normal and abnormal tooth eruption.Materials and Methods:Patients with unerupted teeth were classified according to sex and age. Each tooth was classified according to dental group, eruption status, formation status, angulation, and GC detection. The opening of the GC in the alveolar crest and the attachment sites in relation to the dental follicle were assessed. Data were analyzed by the chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests, with a significance level of 5%.Results:Cone-beam computed tomography scans of 159 patients were evaluated. The final sample (N = 598) consisted of 423 teeth with normal eruption, 140 impacted teeth, and 35 teeth with delayed eruption. The overall detection rate of GC was 90.6%. These rates were 94.1%, 87.1%, and 62.9% for normal eruption, impacted teeth, and delayed eruption, respectively. GC detection rates were higher in the early stages of tooth formation in normal tooth eruption and in impacted teeth. The rate of GC detection was even lower in delayed teeth when they were angulated. Unusual attachment sites of the GC to the dental follicle were associated with abnormal eruption status.Conclusions:The results of the present study suggest that GC characteristics may indicate an abnormal eruption status.     

Model for the evaluation of drug-dispensing services in primary health care

OBJECTIVE

To develop a model for evaluating the efficacy of drug-dispensing service in primary health care.

METHODS

An efficacy criterion was adopted to determine the level of achievement of the service objectives. The evaluation model was developed on the basis of a literature search and discussions with experts. The applicability test of the model was conducted in 15 primary health care units in the city of Florianópolis, state of Santa Catarina, in 2010, and data were recorded in structured and pretested questionnaires.

RESULTS

The model developed was evaluated using five dimensions of analysis for analysis. The model was suitable for evaluating service efficacy and helped to identify the critical points of each service dimension.

CONCLUSIONS

Adaptations to the data collection technique may be required to adjust for the reality and needs of each situation. The evaluation of the drug-dispensing service should promote adequate access to medications supplied through the public health system.     

Assessment and risk classification protocol for patients in emergency units

Objective

to develop, validate the contents and verify the reliability of a risk classification protocol for an Emergency Unit.

Method

the content validation was developed in a University Hospital in a country town located in the state of Sao Paulo and was carried out in two stages: the first with the individual assessment of specialists and the second with the meeting between the researchers and the specialists. The use of the protocol followed a specific guide. Concerning reliability, the concordance or equivalent method among observers was used.

Results

the protocol developed showed to have content validity and, after the suggested changes were made, there were excellent results concerning reliability.

Conclusion

the assistance flow chart was shown to be easy to use, and facilitate the search for the complaint in each assistance priority.