Royal jelly: a predictive, preventive and personalised strategy for novel treatment options in non-communicable diseases

Royal jelly (RJ) is a bee product produced by young adult worker bees, composed of water, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, rich in bioactive components with therapeutic properties, such as free fatty acids, mainly 10-hydroxy-trans-2-decenoic acid (10-H2DA) and 10-hydroxydecanoic acid (10-HDA), and major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs), as well as flavonoids, most flavones and flavonols, hormones, vitamins and minerals. In vitro, non-clinical and clinical studies have confirmed its vital role as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This narrative review discusses the possible effects of royal jelly on preventing common complications of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as inflammation, oxidative stress and intestinal dysbiosis, from the viewpoint of predictive, preventive and personalised medicine (PPPM/3PM). It is concluded that RJ, predictively, can be used as a non-pharmacological therapy to prevent and mitigate complications related to NCDs, and the treatment must be personalised.

The magical smell and taste: Can coffee be good to patients with cardiometabolic disease?

Coffee is a beverage consumed globally. Although few studies have indicated adverse effects, it is typically a beneficial health-promoting agent in a range of diseases, including depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Coffee is rich in caffeine, antioxidants, and phenolic compounds, which can modulate the composition of the gut microbiota and mitigate both inflammation and oxidative stress, common features of the burden of lifestyle diseases. This review will discuss the possible benefits of coffee on complications present in patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, outwith the social and emotional benefits attributed to caffeine consumption.

Human health risk assessment associated with the consumption of mussels (Perna perna) and oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae) contaminated with metals and arsenic in the estuarine channel of Vitória Bay (ES), Southeast Brazil

The estuarine channel of Vitória Bay was evaluated regarding bioaccumulation of metals (Al, Ba, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, Cd, Hg) and As in mollusks. Mussels from an aquaculture farm and transplanted into the estuary, whereas oysters were collected in situ in the same area. Concentrations of Al, Mn, Fe, Cr and As were higher in P. perna, whereas C. rhizophorae bioaccumulated more Ba, Zn and Cu. Arsenic concentrations in P. perna exceeded the limit of the Brazilian legislation in the outer estuary. Salinity seemed to influence metal uptake differently for each bivalve, with P. perna absorbing more metal at higher salinities and C. rhizophorae in areas of lower salinity. Hazard index (HI) >1 revealed risk for both bivalves for high level consumers. Target Cancer Risk (TCR) for As revealed threat for human health associated with the consumption of mussels and oysters from the study area.

Self-organizing three-dimensional Ising model of financial markets

The three-dimensional Ising model in an external field is used as a mathematical model for price dynamics of financials market. The model allows us to test within the same framework the comparative explanatory power of rational agents versus irrational agents with respect to the stylized facts of the financial markets. We obtain the price dynamics in terms of the strength of the field that reinforces the sensitivity of the agent's sentiment to external news. The exponent of long-tail cumulative probability density is determined and satisfies the inverse of the cubic law. Furthermore, the long range memory of the model is studied using different methods to determine the Hurst index of the model. The results obtained display that the model does serve as a mathematical model for financial markets.

Evaluation of bioavailability of trace metals through bioindicators in a urbanized estuarine system in southeast Brazil

The mussel Perna perna is one of the most used bioindicators of coastal areas and the most economically exploited species in Brazil through mariculture. In the present study, P. perna was used to investigate metal pollution in the estuarine area of Vitória Bay. Four sampling sites were located along an estuarine branch of Vitória Bay and stations were sampled during three campaigns. Trace metals in the tissues of P. perna were evaluated as well as dissolved trace metals and other ancillary variables in the water column. Dissolved Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Fe concentrations surpassed the tolerance limits stablished by legislation in all the sampling campaigns. P. perna exhibited concentrations in disagreement with the Brazilian legislation for Cr and As. A general trend of higher concentrations in outer stations was observed for most metals, what suggested the occurrence of flocculation process in the lower estuary, reducing the concentrations of dissolved elements and increasing their bioavailability for the biota through the particulate form. Cd was highlighted with elevated concentrations in dissolved fraction but not detected in P. perna, probably due to chlor-complex formation under influence of more saline waters. Al, Ba, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Pb, and As were considered bioavailable, once they were accumulated in the mussels' tissues. Hazard index (HI) and target cancer risk (TCR) showed that the consumption of mussels from the study area offers health risk issues, being iron and arsenic the main contributors for the high indexes.

Influence of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors on ouabain activation of nuclear factor-κB in the rat hippocampus

It has been shown that ouabain (OUA) can activate the Na,K-ATPase complex and mediate intracellular signaling in the central nervous system (CNS). Inflammatory stimulus increases glutamatergic transmission, especially at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which are usually coupled to the activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation modulates the expression of genes involved in development, plasticity, and inflammation. The present work investigated the effects of OUA on NF-κB binding activity in rat hippocampus and the influence of this OUA-Na,K-ATPase signaling cascade in NMDA-mediated NF-κB activation. The findings presented here are the first report indicating that intrahippocampal administration of OUA, in a concentration that did not alter Na,K-ATPase or NOS activity, induced an activation of NF-κB, leading to increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf), inducible NOS (iNos), tumor necrosis factor-α (Tnf-α), and B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) mRNA levels. This response was not linked to any significant signs of neurodegeneration as showed via Fluoro-Jade B and Nissl stain. Intrahippocampal administration of NMDA induced NF-κB activation and increased NOS and α(2/3) -Na,K-ATPase activities. NMDA treatment further increased OUA-induced NF-κB activation, which was partially blocked by MK-801, an antagonist of NMDA receptor. These results suggest that OUA-induced NF-κB activation is at least in part dependent on Na,K-ATPase modulatory action of NMDA receptor in hippocampus. The interaction of these signaling pathways could be associated with biological mechanisms that may underlie the basal homeostatic state linked to the inflammatory signaling cascade in the brain.

Low-temperature spin transport in a S = 1 one-dimensional antiferromagnet

We study spin transport in the insulating antiferromagnet with S = 1 in one dimension. The spin conductivity is calculated, at zero temperature, using a modified spin wave theory and the Kubo formalism, within the ladder approximation. Two-magnon processes provide the dominant contribution to the spin conductivity. At finite temperature, free magnons are activated, and turn the system into a perfect spin conductor, i.e., the spin conductivity has a Drude form with infinite scattering time.

Cranio-orbital approach for the paraclinoidal and anterior communicating aneurysms

Aneurysms arising at the proximal intracranial carotid artery (between cavernous sinus and posterior communicating artery) and at the anterior communicating complex may present with technical difficulties regarding appropriate access without excessive brain retraction. In a series of 15 patients the authors show the use of the cranio-orbital approach, formerly designed in the access of skull base tumors, for these subgroups of aneurysms. They discuss the advantages of a basal avenue in minimizing brain retraction, better anatomical orientation, obviation of tissue ressection and easier extra-dural bone removal. It was not identified any complication due to the described approach.