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Background: The prevalence of abnormal nutritional status has increased in children and adolescents. Nutritional assessment is important for monitoring the health and nutritional status. Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) combines changes in tissue hydration and structure and body composition that can be assessed. Objectives: The objective of this study was to use BIVA to evaluate nutritional status in 60 prepubertal children, aged between 8 and 9 years, supplemented with zinc, to detect possible changes in body composition. Design: We performed a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study. The children were divided into the control group (CG; sorbitol 10%, n=29) or the experimental group (EG; 10 mg Zn/day, n=31), and the duration of the experiment was 3 months. Anthropometric assessments were performed for all of the children. Results: The body mass index-for-age increased after oral zinc supplementation in the EG (p=0.005). BIVA indicated that the CG demonstrated a tendency for dehydration and decreased soft tissue and the EG demonstrated a tendency for increased soft tissue, primarily the fat-free mass. After analyses of BIVA ellipses, we observed that this method could detect improvements in body composition in healthy children supplemented with zinc. Conclusions: These results suggest that BIVA could be an auxiliary method for studying a small population undergoing zinc intervention [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses information on water-holding bromeliads, which serves as a resource for gecko lizards, found in restinga habitats in Northeastern Brazil. Importance of restinga bromeliads' phytotelm or water-holding tank to the plant's survival; Interest of ecological engineers in phytotelm bromeliads; Importance of phytotelm bromeliads to geckos; Species of gekkos found in the area.

Quipá (Tacinga inamoena) is a plant native to Northwestern Brazil which contains valuable minerals in its composition that are of great interest to the scientific community. The purpose of this study was to assess the physicochemical, antioxidant, sensory and microbiological properties of a quipá-based gelatinous sweet. The jelly presented a high concentration of carbohydrates and soluble fibers, being free of microbiological contamination, a good sensorial acceptance, and was therapeutic in terms of antioxidant effects. Due to its ability to chelate copper and ferric ions, the jelly was also responsible for an 80% reduction in DPPH and a preventative activity against oxidative damage. This product contains a high amount of active ingredients, such as phenolic compounds, which have biological benefits effects in disease prevention and health promotion. The quipá jelly provides benefits, functional properties, and advantages, which may be of interest to the industrial sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the role of phytotelm bromeliads as a keystone resource for the conservation of the scorpion Tityus neglectus in eastern Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. Description of the morphological characteristics of the scorpion.

The indiscriminate use of oral ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) doses induces significant oxidative damage to health. However, carotene-rich foods such as buriti oil can help the endogenous antioxidant defense and still maintain other body functions. This study aimed to assess the effects of buriti oil intake in iron-overloaded rats by FeSO4 administration. Buriti oil has β-carotene (787.05 mg/kg), α-tocopherol (689.02 mg/kg), and a predominance of monounsaturated fatty acids (91.30 g/100 g). Wistar rats (n = 32) were subdivided into two control groups that were fed a diet containing either soybean or buriti oil; and two groups which received a high daily oral dose of FeSO4 (60 mg/kg body weight) and fed a diet containing either soybean (SFe) or buriti oil (Bfe). The somatic and hematological parameters, serum lipids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined after 17 days of iron overload. Somatic parameters were similar among groups. BFe showed a decrease in low-density lipoprotein (38.43%) and hemoglobin (7.51%); an increase in monocytes (50.98%), SOD activity in serum (87.16%), and liver (645.50%) hepatic GPx (1017.82%); and maintained serum GPx compared to SFe. Buriti oil showed systemic and hepatic antioxidant protection in iron-overloaded rats, which may be related to its high carotenoid, tocopherol, and fatty acid profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazilian plant biodiversity is a rich alternative source of bioactive compounds since plant-derived extracts and/or their secondary metabolites exhibit potential properties to treat several diseases. In this context, Licania rigida Benth (Chrysobalanaceae Family), a large evergreen tree distributed in Brazilian semi-arid regions, deserves attention for its widespread use in popular medicine, although its biological properties are still poorly studied. The aim of this study was to examine (1) acute and sub-chronic oral toxicity at 2000 mg/kg dose; (2) in vitro cytotoxicity at 0.1; 1; 10; 100 or 1000 µg/ml; (3) in vivo mutagenicity at 5, 10 or 20 mg/ml, and (4) potential antioxidant protective effect of L. rigida aqueous leaf extract of (AELr). No marked apparent toxic and genotoxic effects were observed using in vitro and in vivo assays after in vitro treatment of Chinese hamster ovary cell line (CHO-K1) with AELr or in vivo exposure of Wistar rats and Drosophila melanogaster to different extract concentrations. Concerning the antioxidant effect, the extract exhibited a protective effect by decreasing lipid peroxidation as determined by malondialdehyde levels. No significant changes were observed for glutathione (GSH) levels and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Data demonstrate the beneficial potential of AELr to be employed for therapeutic purposes. However, further studies are required to validate the pharmacological application of this plant extract to develop as a phytotherapeutic formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies around the world support the hypothesis that genetic polymorphisms involved in folate metabolism could be related to the maternal risk for Down syndrome (DS). Most of them investigated the role of MTHFR C677T and/or A1298C polymorphisms as maternal risk factors for DS, but their results are often conflicting and still inconclusive. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the association of MTHFR C677T and/or A1298C polymorphisms with the maternal risk of DS. Our search strategy selected 42 eligible case control studies for a total of 4131 case mothers and 5452 control mothers. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the selected studies. To assess the confidence of statistically significant associations we applied false positive report probability test, and we performed the trial sequential analysis to minimize the type I error and random error. We observed significant associations between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and maternal risk for DS for each of the genetic models investigated (dominant, recessive, codominant, and allelic contrast). Subgroup analysis by region revelated significant association in the Asian population for all the genetic models investigated. Significant associations were also found for certain genetic models in North American, South American, and Middle Eastern populations, while no association was observed in Europeans. The MTHFR A1298C polymorphism did not show any association with the maternal risk of DS, either alone or in combination with the C677T one. The results of false positive report probability to verify the confidence of a significant association suggest that the association between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and the maternal risk for DS is noteworthy, with high confidence in Asians. The results of this meta-analysis support that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism, but not the A1298C one, is associated with the maternal risk for DS. Further studies are required to better characterize the contribution of gene-gene and gene-nutrient interactions as well as those of other regional or ethnic factors that could explain the observed different effect size in different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variation in water availability can cause oxidative stress in plant species, which respond by producing antioxidants. Phenolic compounds are among the primary substances responsible for antioxidant activities. Thus, the goal of this study was to evaluate whether rainfall in a dry forest in Brazil affects the antioxidant activity and the major phenolic compounds in the stem bark of Anadenanthera colubrina, an economically important species from the semi-arid region of Brazil. Monthly samplings were performed over one year for the analysis of free radical sequestration by the DPPH method and for the identification and quantification of major phenolic compounds by HPLC. These data were correlated with each other and with the monthly rainfall. Three major phenolic compounds were identified, one of which was hyperin. The stem bark was highly capable of scavenging free radicals. The antioxidant activity and the production of the three compounds only slightly varied during the year, despite the significant differences among a few of the months studied. These differences are apparently unrelated to rainfall. No correlation was found between the major compounds and free radical scavenging. Our results suggest that rainfall was not the environmental factor responsible for monthly differences in the antioxidant activity of and concentrations of major phenolic compounds in the bark of A. colubrina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide and atherosclerosis is the most important process underlying CVD. Statins are widely used in primary and secondary prevention of CVD, though their adverse side effects, such as myopathy and hepatotoxicity, justify the search for therapeutic alternatives. Alpha lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant and its potential use to combat various conditions, such as diabetic nephropathy, metal poisoning, Alzheimer's disease and CVD has been under intense study. The aim of this review was to gather information on the use of statins and alpha lipoic acid in the prevention and treatment of CVD. The literature suggests that in addition to the known side effects most associated with the use of statins, they can also cause reduced levels of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an important mitochondrial antioxidant and electron transport chain carrier that has the capacity to antagonize oxidation of plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The loss of CoQ10 can reduce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in cardiac cells, further worsening the overall state of the individual. Alpha lipoic acid produces favorable metabolic and endothelial anti-inflammatory effects, without adverse side effects, and thus may be an alternative treatment for the prevention of CVD. However, more controlled clinical studies are needed to establish definitively the prophylactic and therapeutic potential of alpha lipoic acid and to decide whether it might be more effective than statins for the prevention and treatment of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]