Due to the presence of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in tissues and its specific influence on white adipose tissue, fat cells are possible targets of pharmacological RAS blockers commonly used as anti-hypertensive drugs. In the present study, we investigated the effects of different RAS blockers on fat cell metabolism, more specifically on lipolysis, lipogenesis and oxidation of energy substrates. Isolated primary adipocytes were incubated with different RAS blockers (aliskiren, captopril and losartan) in vitro for 24 h and lipolysis, lipogenesis and glucose oxidation capacities were determined in dose-response assays to a β-adrenergic agonist and to insulin. Although no change was found in lipolytic capacity, the RAS blockers modulated lipogenesis and glucose oxidation in a different way. While captopril decreased insulin-stimulated lipogenesis (−19% of maximal response and −60% of insulin responsiveness) due to reduced glucose derived glycerol synthesis (−19% of maximal response and 64% of insulin responsiveness), aliskiren increased insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation (+49% of maximal response and +292% of insulin responsiveness) in fat cells. Our experiments demonstrate that RAS blockers can differentially induce metabolic alterations in adipocyte metabolism, characterized by a reduction in lipogenic responsiveness or an increase in glucose oxidation. The impact of RAS blockers on adipocyte metabolism may have beneficial implications on metabolic disorders during their therapeutic use in hypertensive patients.

BACKGROUND: The use of dried blood spots (DBS) for HIV-1 viral load quantification can greatly improve access to viral monitoring for HIV-infected patients receiving treatment in resource-limited settings OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and validate HIV viral load measurement from DBS in sub-Saharan Africa, with a reliable, all-automated, standard commercial assay such as the Abbott m2000 METHODS: A total of 277 DBS were collected in different health centres in Malawi and Mozambique and analysed for viral load determination using the Abbott m2000 assay with the corresponding plasma samples as gold standard. Samples were extracted using the m2000SP automatic extractor and then processed as the plasma samples using the specific 1.0 mL HIV-RNA DBS protocol RESULTS: Among samples with detectable HIV-RNA the correlation between viral load obtained from the paired 131 plasma and DBS samples was high (r=0.946). Overall, viral load values between DBS and plasma differed by less than 0.5 log unit in 90.1% of cases and by less than 1 log unit in 100% of cases. Using a threshold of 1 000 copies/mL (defining virological failure in resource-limited settings), sensitivity was 94.2% and specificity 98.6%, and both positive and negative predictive values were high (98.5% and 94.5%, respectively CONCLUSION: DBS extracted and processed using the Abbott automated system can be reliably used in resource-limited setting to diagnose virological failure.

Atualmente, a cultura da cana-de-açúcar desempenha importante papel no cenário mundial, sobretudo ao aspecto relacionado às fontes energéticas alternativas. Assim, em um talhão de cana-de-açúcar na Usina Vale do Paraná S/A Álcool e Açúcar, Rubineia, SP, manejado sob duas formas de colheita da cana crua, com palhada (COP) e sem palhada (SEP) sobre o solo, foram estudadas as correlações Pearson e espacial entre a produtividade da cana-de-açúcar (variedade RB855035, em seu terceiro corte) e as propriedades físico-químicas do solo, objetivando verificar aquele que possui a melhor correlação com essa produtividade, assim como o melhor método de colheita. Para tanto, foram instaladas duas malhas geoestatísticas (1,30 ha e 121 pontos amostrais cada) em um Argissolo Vermelho eutrófico (declive homogêneo de 0,065 m m-1), no ano de 2011. Os atributos avaliados foram: produtividade de colmos de cana-de-açúcar, população de plantas, resistência do solo à penetração, umidade gravimétrica, densidade e estoque de carbono do solo, nas profundidades de 0-0,20 e 0,20-0,40 m. Realizaram-se as análises descritiva, correlações lineares e geoestatística dos dados. Em ambos os tratamentos, a população de plantas apresentou a melhor correlação de Pearson (r = 0,725** em COP; r = 0,769** em SEP), com a produtividade da cana-de-açúcar. Entretanto, em relação ao solo, a densidade (0-0,20 m) teve a melhor correlação (r = 0,305** em COP; r = 0,211* em SEP). Da mesma forma, do ponto de vista espacial, a população de plantas melhor explicou a produtividade da cana-de-açúcar. Contudo, a densidade (0,20-0,40 m) do tratamento com palhada foi a única propriedade do solo que apresentou correlação espacial com a produtividade de colmos. O estoque de carbono do solo para o tratamento com palhada foi 11,5 % superior ao sem palhada. O tratamento com palhada foi o que possibilitou os melhores resultados, inclusive no que se refere ao manejo e à conservação do solo.

Currently, sugarcane plays an important global role, particularly with a view to alternative energy sources. Thus, in a sugarcane field of the mill Vale do Paraná S/A Álcool e Açúcar, Rubineia, São Paulo State, managed under two green cane harvest systems (cane trash left on and cane trash removed from the soil), Pearson and spatial correlations between the sugarcane yield (variety RB855035 in the third cut) and soil physical and chemical properties were studied to identify the property best correlated with stalk yield and the best harvest method. For this purpose, two geostatistical grids (121 sampling points on 1.30 ha) were installed on a eutrophic Red Argisol (homogeneous slope of 0.065 m m-1), in 2011, to determine the properties: stalk yield and sugarcane plant population, and soil resistance to penetration, gravimetric moisture, bulk density, and carbon stock, in the layers 0-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m. The data were analyzed by descriptive, linear correlation and geostatistical analysis. In both treatments, the property stand density was best correlated with sugarcane yield (r = 0.725 in the trash mulching treatment - TM and r = 0.769 in the trash removal treatment - TR). However, in relation to the soil properties, bulk density (0-0.20 m) was best correlated (r = 0.305 in TM, r = 0.211 in TR). Similarly, from the spatial point of view, stand density was the property that best explained the sugarcane yield. However, in the TM treatment the density (0.20-0.40 m) was the only soil property spatially correlated with stalk yield. The carbon stock in the soil of the TM was 11.5 % higher than in the TR treatment. Results of the TM treatment were best, also with regard to soil management and conservation.

This study aims to report the amplification of the DNA of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis, using polymerase chain reaction, obtained from the saliva of a patient with American cutaneous leishmaniasis who did not present any lesion in the oral mucosa. Amplification produced fragments of 103 bp, an estimated size employing Leishmania (V.) braziliensis primers (b1 e b2). The present results revealed, for the first time, that the in vitro amplification of Leishmania DNA using samples from the salivary fluid of a patient with American cutaneous leishmaniasis is possible. However, more studies are required with a larger number of participants to evaluate the usefulness of saliva as a non-invasive sample for PCR. The development of such non-invasive technique is necessary for the diagnosis of many diseases in the future, especially infectious and parasitic ones.

A cross-sectional study on HIV/AIDS was carried out in 108 outpatients from the university hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil, from July to December 2008, to investigate latent tuberculosis infection using the tuberculin skin test (TST). The prevalence of positive results was 13.9%. The CD4+ T cell count (p = 0.091) and the diagnosis time (p = 0.010) were statistically significant when compared with TST positivity. In the cohort of HIV/AIDS patients who had latent tuberculosis infection, the median diagnosis time was eight years. Undetectable viral load presented significant association (p = 0.046) with tuberculosis infection. The fact that numerous individuals with HIV/AIDS infection presented a negative reaction to the tuberculin skin test is probably related to alterations in the cellular immune response induced by HIV infection. The tuberculin test is a useful tool for the detection of latent tuberculosis infection and should be performed in all HIV/AIDS individuals at the time of the diagnosis and on a yearly basis, if negative. Both the early identification of the tuberculosis infection by the tuberculin skin test at the moment of immunological restoration and chemoprophylaxis in infected individuals are mechanisms to control HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis coinfection.