Exploring New Applications for Rhodiola rosea: Can We Improve the Quality of Life of Patients with Short-Term Hypothyroidism Induced by Hormone Withdrawal?

Jose´ M. Zubeldia,Hani A. Nabi,Miguel Jimenez del Rio,Jorge Genovese 한국식품영양과학회 2010 Journal of medicinal food Vol.13 No.6

Patients treated for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) are subjected to periodic surveillance that includes serum thyroglobulin measurements followed by radioiodine administrations for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes if necessary. Both procedures require adequately elevated blood levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which can be achieved by two approaches: parenteral administration of recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) or stopping thyroid hormone replacement until optimal levels of endogenous TSH are achieved. Although rhTSH administration does not require hormone withdrawal, it is not inexpensive and carries the risk of secondary effects. The latter option is simpler but induces a profound state of hypothyroidism, which results in physical and mental complaints that may interfere severely with the patient’s activities of daily living. Rhodiola rosea is a popular plant in traditional medical systems in Eastern Europe and Asia with a reputation for stimulating the nervous system, decreasing depression, enhancing work performance, and eliminating fatigue,all features of clinical hypothyroidism. Investigators have also suggested additional benefits such as cardioprotection or even tumor growth inhibition. Here, we propose R. rosea as a viable alternative treatment for the symptoms of short-term hypothyroidism in patients with DTC who require hormone withdrawal.

Polyphasic delimitation of a filamentous marine genus, Capillus gen. nov. (Cyanobacteria, Oscillatoriaceae) with the description of two Brazilian species

Caires, Taiara A.,Lyra, Goia de M.,Hentschke, Guilherme S.,da Silva, Aaron Matheus S.,de Araujo, Valter L.,Sant'Anna, Celia L.,Nunes, Jose Marcos de C. The Korean Society of Phycology 2018 ALGAE Vol.33 No.4

Lyngbya C. Agardh ex Gomont is a nonheterocytous cyanobacterial genus whose evolutionary history is still poorly known. The traditionally defined Lyngbya has been demonstrated to be polyphyletic, including at least five distinct clades, some of which have been proposed as new genera. Intraspecific diversity is also clearly underestimated in Lyngbya due to the lack of unique morphological characters to differentiate species. In this study, we describe the new genus Capillus T. A. Caires, C. L. Sant'Anna et J. M. C. Nunes from benthic marine environments, including two new Brazilian species (here described as C. salinus T. A. Caires, C. L. Sant'Anna et J. M. C. Nunes, and C. tropicalis T. A. Caires, C. L. Sant'Anna et J. M. C. Nunes), and two species yet to be described, one of them from India (Capillus sp. 2.1), and the other from United States of America, based on strain PCC 7419. Capillus species presented cross-wise diagonal fragmentation, assisted or not by necridic cells, which has not been previously mentioned for Lyngbya. Ultrastructural analyses showed that C. salinus and C. tropicalis have numerous gas vesicles, which are rarely described for benthic marine species. The new genus formed a well-supported clade, and the D1-D1' and Box B secondary structures of internal transcribed spacer also supported the proposal of its new species. These findings help to clarify the diversity of species in the Lyngbya complex and the taxonomy of the group, and highlight the need of further floristic surveys in tropical coastal environments, which remain poorly studied.

The Effect of Agave tequilana Weber Inulin on Postprandial Ghrelin Concentration in Obese Patients

Betsabe Contreras-Haro,Jose A. Robles-Cervantes,Manuel Gonzalez-Ortiz,Esperanza Martinez-Abundis,Claudia Espinel-Bermudez,Martha P. Gallegos-Arreola,Karina C. Morgado-Castillo 한국식품영양과학회 2017 Journal of medicinal food Vol.20 No.2

This study was performed to investigate the effect of Agave tequilana Weber inulin on postprandial ghrelin levels in obese patients. A randomized, double-blind, cross-over design was performed. A total of 14 patients were allocated into two groups: one group received a drink that contained 500 mL lemon water, 24 g of A. tequilana Weber inulin, and 75 g glucose and the other group received a placebo drink with 500 mL lemon drink and 75 g of glucose. After a 7-day washout period, the groups were crossed. The primary outcome measure was postprandial ghrelin levels between minute 240 and minute 270. A. tequilana Weber inulin did not change postprandial ghrelin concentration in obese patients.

Antimutagenic Effect of Aqueous Extract from Agaricus brasiliensis on Culture of Human Lymphocytes

Paula H. Gameiro,Jose´ S. Nascimento,Beatriz H.G. Rocha,Clause F.B. Piana,Raquel A. Santos,Catarina S. Takahashi 한국식품영양과학회 2013 Journal of medicinal food Vol.16 No.2

The mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis (sun mushroom), native from the southeast of Brazil, is well known by its medicinal properties that include effects on diabetes, cholesterol levels, and osteoporosis. The antimutagenic effects of A. brasiliensis has been investigated recently and revealed some controversial results depending on the temperature by which the A. brasiliensis tea is obtained. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of the A. brasiliensis extract prepared in two different temperatures, 4°C and 25°C, on the doxorubicin-induced DNA strand breaks and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in human lymphocytes. The results demonstrated that A. brasiliensis was able to reduce the DXR-induced DNA damage in both temperatures; however, the CA test was more sensitive to demonstrate a better reduction when the cells were treated with an extract obtained at 25°C. A. brasiliensis extract obtained in different temperatures exhibited antigenotoxic and anticlastogenic effects in human lymphocytes.

First record of red macroalgae bloom in Southern Atlantic Brazil

Martins, Mateus S.,Massocato, Thais F.,Horta, Paulo A.,Barufi, Jose Bonomi The Korean Society of Phycology 2016 ALGAE Vol.31 No.1

Blooms of macroalgae have grown over the planet in recent decades as a possible result of eutrophication of coastal waters. Visually, a bloom forming can be identified by dominant presence of an organism at the expense of others. In mid-January 2014, a forming bloom of red algae was detected on the beach of Garopaba, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. This aroused the interest of tourists and locals as well as the scientific community. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize and quantify the photosynthetic floating organisms contributing to this phenomenon. In addition, we qualitatively compared algal composition of the bloom to those deposited in the post-beach area and the adjacent rocky shore community. Five sampling points in random patches of floating material were defined. At each point, five replicates were taken with a cube of 32,768 cm³, resulting in a total of 25 samples. Samples were collected in the inner area enclosed by a PVC quadrate of about 900 cm² from the shore and the specimens found in post-beach zone (wrack). Twenty-four taxa of macroalgae were found in the bloom, with Aglaothamnion uruguayense as the dominance one. Ten taxa were found on shore. Only four taxa were found in the post-beach area. The biomass estimated for A. uruguayense in the floating material was 8.35 tons with an estimated area of 52,770 m² . It is possible that this huge biomass value of the bloom is related to the local nutrient intake, and our results reinforce the necessity of coastal integrative management initiatives.

Hay' problemas

Jose‘ Mari‘a Areta Ayuso 한국스페인어문학회 2004 스페인어문학 Vol.0 No.33

Estudiamos en este trabajo la sintaxix del verbo haber como existencial. Para ello, nos basamos tanto en los ejemplos en los que este verbo concuerda con su complemento nominal como en los que no existe tal concordanci´a (los normativos). Discutimos la hipo´tesis de que este verbo sea un verbo inacusativo y la rechazamos segu´n criterios sinta´cticos como la posicio´n del argumento. Planteamos despune´s la hipo´tesis de que este verbo impersonal existencial en realidad proyecta dos argumentos, uno LOCATIVO y otro nominal. Aunque ha habido autores que han defendido el CASO PARTITIVO para este complemento, nosotros creemos que es ACUSATIVO, incluso en las ocasiones en que se produce su concordancia con el verbo, ya que se producen en espan~ol casos simiares, como con el verbo ser en oraciones como son las dos. Por u´ltimo, intentamos extender nuestra hipo´tesis a todos los verbos impersonales del espan~ol, y en esta clase incluimos dos subcategori´as, los impersonales le´xicos, como haber, estar, ser, existir, etc, y los impersinales sinta´cticos estructuras que se convierten en impersonales so´lo si aparece un argumento espacio-temporal. Aunque parece que no es necesario en todos los casos que el sintagma espacio-temporal este´ en una posicio´n argumental, si´ es necesario que estev presinte o, al menos, sea interpretable contextualmente.

Cytotoxicity Screening of Several Tomato Extracts

Jose´ Luis Guil-Guerrero,Rebeca Ramos-Bueno,Ignacio Rodríguez-García,Cristóbal López-Sánchez 한국식품영양과학회 2011 Journal of medicinal food Vol.14 No.1

The cytotoxic effects of extracts of the tomato variety “Racimo” have been evaluated through the use of the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay at several concentrations. Three extracts—ethanol–water, petroleum ether, and in vitro digested tomato—exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against the proliferation of the cultured cancer cell line HT-29. The concentration that caused 50% inhibition of cancer cell growth occurred (GI50) of the different extracts for HT-29 cells was 62.5μg/mL for the petroleum ether extract and 87.0μg/mL for the digested tomato extract. For the ethanol–water extract, it was not possible to determine this parameter at the assayed extract concentrations. These results clearly indicate that after the digestion process, the less polar substances, such as carotenoids and sterols, are bioavailable as active species against cancer cells. The GI50 levels for tomato extracts are similar to those values reported for medicinal plants. The results of the MTT assay on nonmutagenic CCD-18 cells showed a lack of negative effect on cell growth, which indicates that tomato extracts act selectively on HT-29 tumor cells. ^1H-Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra confirmed the presence of known compounds with accepted cytotoxic activity against tumor lines (lycopene and β-carotene). The high cytotoxicity for HT-29 cells showed by the petroleum ether extract might be due to the simultaneous presence in the extract of both carotenoids and glyceryl esters of fatty acids. The results of this work clearly indicate the importance of carotenoid consumption on colon tumor proliferation and prevention, and also the importance of the dietary fats in carotenoid bioavailability.

Translation and Cross-Cultural Validation of the Spanish Version of the Mindful Awareness Attention Scale (MAAS): An Exploratory Analysis and Potential Applications to Exercise Psychology, Sport and Health

( Gerardo A. Araya Vargas ),( Sherry Gapper Morrow ),( Jose Moncada Jimenez ),( Janet Buckworth ) 한국스포츠정책과학원(구 한국스포츠개발원) 2009 International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences Vol.21 No.1

The purposes of the study were to (1) translate the Mindful Awareness Attention Scale (MAAS) (Brown & Ryan, 2003) into Spanish and (2) make adjustments for its application to research in exercise psychology, sport and health. For the translation and transcultural validation, the Spanish version (T4) of the MAAS scale was reviewed by 100 advanced students and professors of Physical Education of the Universidad de Costa Rica. Next, T4 and the original English MAAS were completed by 58 students of the Master`s program in Translation of the Universidad Nacional (Costa Rica). The scales were randomly applied at the beginning and at the end of a three-hour class. Internal consistency measured by Cronbach`s alpha coefficient was adequate (a=0.88 T4 and α=0.84 original). Scores from the two versions were significantly correlated (r=0.94; p<0.01) and were not different (t=0.73; p>0.05). Thus it was found that the Spanish version of the MAAS is sufficiently valid and reliable to be implemented in research in exercise psychology, sports and health. Further studies must test construct validity of the Spanish version of the MAAS.

Tracing the lactate shuttle to the mitochondrial reticulum

Brooks George A.,Curl Casey C.,Leija Robert G.,Osmond Adam D.,Duong Justin J.,Arevalo Jose A. 생화학분자생물학회 2022 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.54 No.-

Isotope tracer infusion studies employing lactate, glucose, glycerol, and fatty acid isotope tracers were central to the deduction and demonstration of the Lactate Shuttle at the whole-body level. In concert with the ability to perform tissue metabolite concentration measurements, as well as determinations of unidirectional and net metabolite exchanges by means of arterial–venous difference (a-v) and blood flow measurements across tissue beds including skeletal muscle, the heart and the brain, lactate shuttling within organs and tissues was made evident. From an extensive body of work on men and women, resting or exercising, before or after endurance training, at sea level or high altitude, we now know that Organ–Organ, Cell–Cell, and Intracellular Lactate Shuttles operate continuously. By means of lactate shuttling, fuel-energy substrates can be exchanged between producer (driver) cells, such as those in skeletal muscle, and consumer (recipient) cells, such as those in the brain, heart, muscle, liver and kidneys. Within tissues, lactate can be exchanged between white and red fibers within a muscle bed and between astrocytes and neurons in the brain. Within cells, lactate can be exchanged between the cytosol and mitochondria and between the cytosol and peroxisomes. Lactate shuttling between driver and recipient cells depends on concentration gradients created by the mitochondrial respiratory apparatus in recipient cells for oxidative disposal of lactate.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Aqueous and Alkaline Extracts from Mushrooms (Agaricus blazei Murill)

Padilha, Marina M.,Avila, Ana A.L.,Sousa, Pergentino J.C.,Cardoso, Luis Gustavo V.,Perazzo, Fabio F.,Carvalho, Jose Carlos T. The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2009 Journal of medicinal food Vol.12 No.2

The effects of aqueous and alkaline extracts from Agaricus blazei Murill, an edible mushroom used as folk medicine in Brazil, Japan, and China to treat several illnesses, were investigated on the basis of the inflammatory process induced by different agents. Oral administration of A. blazei extracts marginally inhibited the edema induced by nystatin. In contrast, when complete Freund's adjuvant was used as the inflammatory stimulus, both extracts were able to inhibit this process significantly (P < .05, analysis of variance followed by Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison post hoc test), although it inhibited the granulomatous tissue induction moderately. These extracts were able to decrease the ulcer wounds induced by stress. Also, administration of extracts inhibited neutrophil migration to the exudates present in the peritoneal cavity after carrageenin injection. Therefore, it is possible that A. blazei extracts can be useful in inflammatory diseases because of activation of the immune system and its cells induced by the presence of polysaccharides such as $\beta$-glucans.