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Biomedical subjects

J E dos Santos

Publications and source records attributed to J E dos Santos.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Association of apolipoprotein E polymorphism in late-onset Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia in Brazilians.

The genetic basis for dementias is complex. A common polymorphism in the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is considered to be the major risk factor in families with sporadic and late-onset Alzheimer's disease as well as in the general population. The distribution of alleles and genotypes of the APOE gene in late-onset Alzheimer's disease (N = 68), other late-life dementias (N = 39), and in cognitively normal controls (N = 58) was determined, as also was the risk for Alzheimer's disease associated with the epsilon4 allele. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from a total of 165 individuals living in Brazil aged 65-82 years. Genomic DNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and the products were digested with HhaI restriction enzyme. APOE epsilon2 frequency was considerably lower in the Alzheimer's disease group (1%), and the epsilon3 allele and epsilon3/epsilon3 genotype frequencies were higher in the controls (84 and 72%, respectively) as were the epsilon4 allele and epsilon3/epsilon4 genotype frequencies in Alzheimer's disease (25 and 41%, respectively). The higher frequency of the epsilon4 allele in Alzheimer's disease confirmed its role as a risk factor, while epsilon2 provided a weak protection against development of the disease. However, in view of the unexpectedly low frequency of the epsilon4 allele, additional analyses in a more varied Brazilian sample are needed to clarify the real contribution of apolipoprotein E to the development of Alzheimer's disease in this population.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Six years of treatment with the HELP system of a patient with familial hypercholesterolemia.

The purpose of the present report is to demonstrate the long-term efficacy and safety of heparin-induced extracorporeal lipoprotein precipitation (HELP) of LDL-c and fibrinogen in the management of familial hypercholesterolemia. From June 1992 to June 1998 a 22-year-old young male patient with familial hypercholesterolemia (double heterozygote for C660X and S305C) resistant to medication and diet and with symptomatic coronary artery disease (angina) was treated weekly with 90-min sessions of the HELP system. The patient had also been previously submitted to right coronary artery angioplasty. The efficacy of the method was evaluated by comparing the reduction of total cholesterol, LDL-c and fibrinogen before and after the sessions and before and after initiation of the study (data are reported as averages for each year). During the study, angina episodes disappeared and there were no detectable adverse effects of the treatment. Total cholesterol (TC), fibrinogen, and LDL-c decreased significantly after each session by 59.6, 66.1 and 64%, respectively. HDL-c showed a nonsignificant reduction of 20.4%. Comparative mean values pre- and post-treatment values in the study showed significant differences: TC (488 vs 188 mg/dl), LDL-c (416.4 vs 145 mg/dl), and fibrinogen (144.2 vs 57.4 mg/dl). There was no significant change in HDL-c level: 29.4 vs 23 mg/dl. These data show that the HELP system, even for a long period of time, is a safe and efficient mode of treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia and is associated with disappearance of angina symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Morbid obesity in women - eating style and quality of life].

Morbid obesity has been widely studied due to its high incidence and its bad consequences to health. Studies about obesity have been emphasized some important aspects such as eating styles and quality of life. This study aim to investigate the eating styles and the quality of life of women with morbid obesity, patients in treatment at the Ambulatory of Eating Disorders, University Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo. Sixty women were assessed, 30 obese (Body Mass Index--BMI > or = 40 kg/m2) and 30 nonobese (BMI 20 to 25 kg/m2). A semi-structured interview, the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire and the Short-form Health Survey: Medical Outcomes Study were used for the assessment, after translate to portuguese and adapted. The data were rated and quantified and the groups were statistically analyzed through the Tests of Mann-Whitney. The groups differed significantly as for restrained (p < or = 0.001) and emotional eating (p < or = 0.01), and did not differ as for external eating. The groups also differed in quality of life, concerning physical and social limitations (p < or = 0.001), the presence of emotional indicators (p < or = 0.001) and general health condition (p < or = 0.001). Findings suggest that eating styles contribute to explain the difficult of eating control--but are not only factor in the obesity characterization. Moreover, morbidly obese women presented a quality of life more compromised and have an adequate perception of their physical, social and emotional limitations. That might favor a therapeutic approach to them.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Environmental education praxis toward a natural conservation area.

A non-formal Environmental Education (EE) Program has been implemented in the natural conservation area (Ecological Station of Jataí, Luiz Ant nio, São Paulo State), through (EE) paradigms, which consider the objectives of education about, in and for the environment within cultural and natural perspectives. The aim of this Program is to support information and scientific knowledge to provide opportunities to the local population to be aware of environmental impacts and risks resulting from the soil use that threaten the environmental quality and the bio diversity of the Ecological Station of Jataí. The Program understands that the promotion of community empowerment could bring the sense of participation and the directives to management for decision-making for local sustainable. The model was projected on local reality, but considering the global issues of environmental paradigms. The environmental characterization (biophysical components) through a Geographical Information Systems was related to the hydrographic basin analysis. The environmental perception was utilized as a main tool to analyse population understanding of local environment, and (EE) pedagogical tools were produced to promote environmental awareness. Since the ecological dimension of (EE) was the main approach, the programme intends to assemble the cultural perspective, achieving the global view of (EE).

Brazil↗
PubMed2000

PANDORA - Survey of Brazilian cardiologists about cholesterol reduction.

OBJECTIVE: To report about a group of physicians' understanding of the recommendations of the II Brazilian Guidelines Conference on Dyslipidemias, and about the state of the art of primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerosis. METHODS: Through the use of a questionnaire on dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis prevention, and recommendations for lipid targets established by the II Brazilian Guidelines Conference on Dyslipidemias, 746 physicians, 98% cardiologists, were evaluated. RESULTS: Eighty-seven percent of the respondents stated that the treatment of dyslipidemia changes the natural history of coronary disease. Although most of the participants followed the total cholesterol recommendations (<200mg/dL for atherosclerosis prevention), only 55.8% would adopt the target of LDL-C <100 mg/dL for secondary prevention. Between 30.5 and 36.7% answered, in different questions, that the recommended level for HDL-C should be <35mg/dL. Only 32.7% would treat their patients indefinitely with lipid- lowering drugs. If the drug treatment did not reach the proposed target, only 35.5% would increase the dosage, and 29.4% would change the medication. Participants did not know the targets proposed for diabetics. CONCLUSION: Although the participating physicians valued the role played by lipids in the prevention of atherosclerosis, serious deficiencies exist in their knowledge of the recommendations given during the II Brazilian Guidelines Conference on Dyslipidemias.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Plasma fatty acids in children with grade III protein-energy malnutrition in its different clinical forms: marasmus, marasmic kwashiorkor, and kwashiorkor.

Plasma fatty acid patterns were analysed in 15 children aged 2 to 42 months (median = 12 months) admitted to the University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, suffering from grade III protein-energy malnutrition in its different clinical forms: marasmus (n = 5), marasmic kwashiorkor (n = 5), and kwashiorkor (n = 5). A control group of eight children from the same population aged 3 to 22 months (median = 12 months) was also studied. Plasma fatty acids were analysed by gas liquid chromatography. The plasma fatty acid patterns detected in grade III protein-energy malnutrition indicated changes characteristic of essential fatty acid deficiency, with lower linoleic acid (C18:2) levels in the three groups (p < 0.05). The major metabolite of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid (C20:4), was lower in the kwashiorkor group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Linoleic acid (C18:2) levels were lower in the marasmus group than in the kwashiorkor group (p < 0.05). Several factors may have contributed to these changes, such as a decreased content of linoleic acid in the diet, plus malabsorption and/or poor utilization of fats, and changes in the synthesis or degradation of these fatty acids. Although many questions remain unanswered, we suggest that an adequate amount of linoleic acid be added to the rehabilitation diet of these children in the form of vegetable fat.

Brazil↗
PubMed1998

Culture, socioeconomic status, and physical and mental health in Brazil.

The association of socioeconomic variables with poor health status has been widely observed, if not well understood, and cultural dimensions of socioeconomic differences have rarely been incorporated into research models. In this article, a cultural dimension of socioeconomic status is examined in a Brazilian city through the use of ethnographic and social survey techniques. It suggests that lifestyle, defined in terms of the relative ability to accumulate consumer goods and the adoption of associated behaviors, is an important component of socioeconomic differences. Further research using cultural consensus analysis, a structured ethnographic technique that may be used to study shared cultural knowledge, demonstrates significant consensus regarding the definition of the successful lifestyle. Then, using that culturally defined model of the successful lifestyle as the central tendency, an individual-level measure of approximation to that lifestyle was developed for a representative sample of 250 persons. This culturally defined measure of lifestyle was inversely associated with arterial blood pressure (beta = -.216, p < .01), depressive symptoms (beta = -.236, p < .01), and globally perceived stress (beta = -.358, p < .01); furthermore, it absorbed the explained variability in these outcomes that is associated with conventional socioeconomic variables (occupation, education, income). For arterial pressure, cultural consonance explained almost 10 percent of the differences in blood pressure between individuals; for the psychological outcome variables, cultural consonance explained between 10 percent and 20 percent of the differences between individuals. Finally, its statistical effects were independent of other socioeconomic, dietary, anthropometric, and psychosocial variables. These results suggest that an individual's approximation to the cultural ideal of lifestyle, his or her "cultural consonance," mediates the observed effects of socioeconomic variables on health status.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Evaluation of efficacy and safety of etofibrate in primary hyperlipidemia. A multicenter study].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of etofibrate in primary hyperlipidemia in patients from clinical centers representative of all main Brazilian cities. METHODS: One thousand, nine hundred and fourty three hyperlipidemic patients were submitted to diet and drug treatment with etofibrate (500 mg/day) for eight weeks. The data b WAS analyzed as to changes in the lipoprotein profile, as well as the side effects. RESULTS: There was an important reduction in total cholesterol (19.88%), triglycerides (29.59%), LDL-c (14.89%) and VLDL-c (14.54%) concentration. There was a significant increase in HDL-c (18.14%). Adverse effects were observed in 8.5% of the patients, without major clinical relevance, however, in 1.44% the treatment had to be interrupted. CONCLUSION: Administration of etofibrate promoted positive changes in all parameters of the lipid and lipoprotein profile, thus reducing the risk of atherosclerotic disease, without significant side effects in the great majority of sample studied.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Casein, hydrolyzed casein, and amino acids that simulate casein produce the same extent of mucosal adaptation to massive bowel resection in adult rats.

We determined the effect of the extent of protein polymerization on the intestinal hyperplastic adaptation of adult male Wistar rats after 80% resection of the jejunal-ileal segment. Rats received one of four chemically defined solid diets prepared by using casein, two casein hydrolysates of different peptide size distributions, or free amino acids simulating casein and identical in all other components for 12 d, starting 3 d after surgery. Semipaired feeding was used to ensure that the same quantity of food was ingested by each group and as a consequence, nitrogen and energy intakes were reduced to 63% of that obtained with ad libitum feeding of the casein diet to intact rats. No significant differences were demonstrable in food ingestion, weight gain, nitrogen balance, or morphometric data for the remaining jejunal and ileal segments (number of cells/villus, number of cells/crypt, and crypt cell mitosis rate). These data demonstrate that the extent of polymerization of the protein nitrogen source did not affect the hyperplastic adaptative process of the rat. Additional studies in humans are necessary to determine whether intact protein diets can be used first as a nitrogen source in nutritional support of patients with a nonspecific hyperplastic response to surgical resection before the use of expensive hydrolysates and the more expensive amino acid mixtures.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1995

Alternatives in plasma gonadotropin and sex steroid levels in obese ovulatory and chronically anovulatory women.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the alterations in plasma gonadotropin and sex steroid levels in obesity. STUDY DESIGN: A study was conducted on 77 obese women, 30 with ovulatory menstrual cycles (group I) and 47 with chronic anovulation (group II), who were compared to 15 women of normal weight and with ovulatory cycles (group C). Obesity was determined on the basis of body mass index. Blood samples were obtained during the follicular phase of the cycle for measurement of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2). RESULTS: Elevated LH, T, A and E1 levels were detected in group II when compared to group I and group C. A levels were also elevated (P < or = .05) in group I when compared to group C. There was no significant difference between the three groups in FSH, PRL, DHEAS or E2 levels. CONCLUSION: The elevated A levels in group I obese women show that even when ovulating, obese women are hyperandrogenic. This excessive A may activate the aromatizing system in adipose tissue, generating E1. When this occurs, the increase in E1 may trigger an increase in LH, with consequent ovarian hyperstimulation, leading to increased T and anovulatory cycles.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Risk factors of coronary artery disease and their relationships with dietetic and social variables].

PURPOSE: To examine the relationships between diet, sociocultural factors, and the major coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor: arterial blood pressure, serum lipids, and cigarette smoking. METHODS: Four residential areas that sampled groups differing in their economic-sector participation were identified. Twenty families of each group were evaluated: "bóias-frias", agricultural labourers employed full-time on a plantation outside the city, factory workers and bank employees. Blood samples and other medical data were obtained either in health centers or in the work places. All blood samples were 12-16h fasting samples. Standard techniques were used to analyse total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Dietary intake was estimated for each individual as an average of four 24h dietary recalls. These recalls, collected by trained nutritionists were converted to nutrient intake using USDA food tables, supplemented with Brazilian foods. Lifestyle incongruety was calculated from two components scores: a scale of style of life and a measure of household occupational class. Lifestyle incongruety is calculated by subtracting occupational class from style of life. Social support was assessed by asking respondents to whom they would turn to help in response to a variety of common problems. People with high social support and low lifestyle incongruety were classified as low social stress; people with low social support and high lifestyle incongruents as high social stress. RESULTS: Higher dietary cholesterol, percent calories in the diet from polyunsaturated fat, calcium intake, and fiber intake were related to serum lipid; socioeconomic status to dietary intake; high social stress to higher diastolic blood pressure and an unfavorable pattern of serum lipids and smoking to age, sex, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle incongruety. CONCLUSION: The process by which social change leads to an increased risk of CAD, and the specific behaviors of individuals could be altered to lower their risks.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1993

Vitamin C load test in elderly subjects.

Ascorbic acid fasting serum levels and levels after a test dose were carried out in a group of elderly subjects: nine men with 70 +/- 6 years and six women 74 +/- 7 years old. They live in the same old folks home and ate similar food. Their ascorbic acid intake was found to be around 20 mg/day. Fasting serum levels found lower values in the women. A load test showed a small increase in the hourly samples, supporting low tissue reserves of the vitamin. Factors such as low intake, absorption, metabolism, body mass and/or excretion of the vitamin in elderly population could explain these results. A marginal vitamin C deficiency is believed to be present in the group and extra ascorbic acid food supply seems to be recommended for these subjects.

Aged↗