Highlights Inflammatory innate immunity can be described as prognostic factors. A reasonable hypothesis is that the balancing between Th1 and Th2 response can be associated with mortality in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 infection. IFN-γ was an independent risk factor associated with mortality in patients with SARS-Cov2.

Although some evidence showed the activation of complement systems in COVID-19 patients, proinflammatory status and lectin pathway remain unclear. Thus, the present study aimed to demonstrate the role of MBL and ficolin-3 in the complement system activation and compared to pandemic Influenza A virus H1N1 subtype infection (H1N1pdm09) and control patients. A total of 27 lungs formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples (10 from H1N1 group, 6 from the COVID-19 group, and 11 from the control group) were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using anti-IL-6, TNF-alfa, CD163, MBL e FCN3 antibodies. Genotyping of target polymorphisms in the MBL2 gene was performed by real-time PCR. Proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-alpha presented higher tissue expression in the COVID-19 group compared to H1N1 and control groups. The same results were observed for ICAM-1 tissue expression. Increased expression of the FCN3 was observed in the COVID-19 group and H1N1 group compared to the control group. The MBL tissue expression was higher in the COVID-19 group compared to H1N1 and control groups. The genotypes AA for rs180040 (G/A), GG for rs1800451 (G/A) and CC for rs5030737 (T/C) showed a higher prevalence in the COVID-19 group. The intense activation of the lectin pathway, with particular emphasis on the MBL pathway, together with endothelial dysfunction and a massive proinflammatory cytokines production, possibly lead to a worse outcome in patients infected with SARS-Cov-2. Moreover, 3 SNPs of our study presented genotypes that might be correlated with high MBL tissue expression in the COVID-19 pulmonary samples.

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Uremic toxin (UT) retention in chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects biological systems. We aimed to identify the associations between UT, inflammatory biomarkers and biomarkers of the uremic cardiovascular response (BUCVR) and their impact on cardiovascular status as well as their roles as predictors of outcome in CKD patients. CKD patients stages 3, 4 and 5 (n = 67) were recruited and UT (indoxyl sulfate/IS, p-cresil sulfate/pCS and indole-3-acetic acid/IAA); inflammatory biomarkers [Interleukin-6 (IL-6), high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble Fas (sFas)] and BUCVRs [soluble CD36 (sCD36), soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), fractalkine] was measured. Patients were followed for 5.2 years and all causes of death was used as the primary outcome. Artery segments collected at the moment of transplantation were used for the immunohistochemistry analysis in a separate cohort. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), circulating UT, plasma biomarkers of systemic and vascular inflammation and BUCVR were strongly interrelated. Patients with plaque presented higher signs of UT-induced inflammation and arteries from CKD patients presented higher fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) tissue expression. Circulating IS (p = 0.03), pCS (p = 0.007), IL-6 (p = 0.026), sFas (p = 0.001), sCD36 (p = 0.01) and fractalkine (p = 0.02) were independent predictors of total mortality risk in CKD patients. Our results reinforce the important role of uremic toxicity in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in CKD patients through an inflammatory pathway.

Background and Aims: We evaluated adipose tissue-derived hormones, body composition, serum metabolic profile, levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and the association of these parameters with the clinical outcome in patients with COVID-19. We sought to examine whether obesity, sex, and age influence the adipose tissue endocrine response to the disease.Methods: This prospective study investigated 145 hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Patients were categorized based on their body mass index (BMI), sex and age, and were also classified regarding their outcome after hospitalization as: (a) Non-ICU: patients hospitalized who did not receive intensive care; (b) ICU-survivor: patients admitted to the intensive care unit and discharged; (c) ICU-death: patients who died. Blood samples were collected by the hospital staff between the first and third day of hospitalization. Serum leptin, adiponectin and BDNF concentrations, triglycerides, total cholesterol and cholesterol fractions were performed following the manufacturer's guidelines.Results: We demonstrate that BDNF levels predict intensive care (IC) need (p < 0.01). This association was found to be stronger in patients >60y (p = 0.026). Neither leptin nor adiponectin concentration was associated with IC requirement or with patient's outcome, while the BDNF/adiponectin ratio was closely associated with worsened outcomes (p < 0.01). BDNF concentration was similar between sexes, however tended to be lower in male patients (p = 0.023). In older patients, BDNF concentration was lower than that of younger patients (p = 0.020). These age and sex-specific differences should be considered when employing these potential markers for prognosis assessment. While appetite and body composition regulating hormones secreted by the white adipose tissue are not reliable predictors of disease severity, the ratio BDNF/adiponectin was indicative of patient status.Conclusion: Thus, we propose that serum BDNF content and BDNF/adiponectin ratio may serve as tools predicting worsened prognosis in COVID-19, especially for male patients.

Este trabalho apresenta parte de uma pesquisa desenvolvida no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ensino de Ciências Naturais e Matemática da Universidade Regional de Blumenau. O objetivo deste trabalho é elaborar e aplicar atividades didáticas para a educação básica sobre o tema Educação Financeira fundamentadas em dados reais, colaborando para preparar os estudantes para o consumo sustentável e para uma vida financeira responsável. Os sujeitos da pesquisa foram 26 estudantes de uma turma dos anos finais do ensino fundamental de uma escola localizada na cidade de Blumenau-SC. A Educação Financeira pode contribuir no processo da construção da cidadania, colaborando para tornar o estudante mais autônomo e preparado para tomar melhores decisões no campo econômico e financeiro. Neste trabalho são descritas duas atividades desenvolvidas com os estudantes durante as aulas de Matemática.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS One of the complications described in critically ill patients in intensive care units with severe COVID-19 was acute kidney injury (AKI). The pathophysiology of AKI in patients with COVID-19 is multifactorial. In addition to the direct virulence of SARS-CoV-2 in renal cells, the tissue inflammation and local immune cell infiltration, cytokine storm, secondary infections and nephrotoxicity associated drugs may contribute to AKI [1]. Mounting evidence throughout the pandemic suggests that patients with severe COVID-19 may have a cytokine storm syndrome, one of the possible causes of AKI in these patients [2]. The present prospective cohort study analysed the correlation between circulating cytokine profile and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with COVID-19. METHOD After signing the informed consent, patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 74) had blood samples (n = 139) collected at hospital admission until the day of the outcome. ELISA measured the cytokines IL-10, IL-4, L-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ, and the eGFR was calculated by the CKD-EPI Cystatin C equation. Statistics description: Continuous variables were checked for normality and presented as mean ± standard deviation or median and interquartile range. The association between continuous variables is shown in scatterplots, and a predicted response with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) is plotted using fractional polynomials. For linear correlations, we obtained P-values using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS There is a more significant distribution of eGFR below 90 mL/min in the population studied, associated with older patients. Glomerular filtration rates were negatively correlated with age as expected (–0.60; P < 0.0001). Lower eGFR was correlated with levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 (–0.33; P < .0007) and TNF- α (–0.21; P < .03); but without positive correlation with IL-10 (0.04; P < 0.68) or IFN-γ (–0.14; P < .16), even though higher IFN-γ levels have been linked to a worse prognosis in patients with severe COVID-19 [3]. Curiously, a positive correlation was observed between lower eGFR and IL-4 levels. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that a shift in the immune response profile, cytokines with a Th2 profile such as IL-4, and cytokines with systemic functions such as IL-6 and TNF-α can be related to renal failure. The elucidation of the potential pathophysiological mechanisms of AKI associated with COVID-19 as well as monitoring of cytokine levels can (a) help to identify patients with severe COVID-19 at risk of loss of renal function, (b) provide information on specific therapeutic strategies.

O exercício físico tem sido considerado como um dos mais indispensáveis aspectos do comportamento humano na prevenção e tratamento de doenças por induzir diferentes estímulos que alteram positivamente o organismo. Essa compreensão é fruto de dezenas de milhares de pesquisas e publicações, ao longo dos anos, pelas quais revelam que praticar exercícios físicos regulares protege o organismo e contribui para a qualidade de vida da população. Nesse cenário, a bioquímica do exercício tem dado expressiva contribuição para esse avanço do conhecimento por ser um dos campos disciplinares que avança na compreensão do papel do exercício físico sobre mecanismos celulares e moleculares da saúde/doença humana. Os resultados obtidos pelos pesquisadores, nesse campo de conhecimento, são timidamente conhecidos pela comunidade acadêmica e científica, e por isso, promover estratégias que disseminam e popularize os avanços científicos são necessários. A realização de eventos científicos que congreguem cientistas, estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação de diversas áreas do conhecimento promove interações entre diferentes campos do saber, bem como, auxilia na disseminação dos avanços científicos dentro dessa área de investigação. Isto permite disseminar as descobertas geradas no âmbito científico bem como possibilita a reflexão, discussão e contribuição dos pares em torno do tema proposto. Foi com essa perspectiva que o Laboratório de Bioquímica do Exercício em Saúde vinculado ao Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde da Escola de medicina da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná promoveu remotamente, entre os dias 23 e 25 de junho de 2021, a segunda edição do Simpósio de Bioquímica do Exercício em Saúde. Foi um evento de com abrangência nacional tendo a bioquímica do exercício físico como foco central e teve a contribuição de 17 cientistas de expressivo reconhecimento de 15 instituições nacionais e duas estrangeiras. Foram 622 inscritos de 116 instituições representando 18 estados brasileiros, além de Portugal e Canadá que participaram de atividades interativas com efetiva aproximação com os pesquisadores-palestrantes, como segue: 4 workshops, 6 conferências e 2 painéis, 30 resumos apresentados remotamente, duas sessões ao vivo de tema livres e duas sessões de apresentação de projetos de dissertações e teses. O resultado deste evento foi exitoso o que pode ser observado nas inúmeras manifestações feitas pelos participantes durante a transmissão do evento tanto quanto nas avaliações obtidas por instrumento específico após o evento. O sucesso dessa edição aponta para novas edições nos anos seguintes. Nas páginas seguintes, você poderá ler os resumos de trabalhos recentes desenvolvidos por diferentes centros de pesquisa os quais foram submetidos e apresentados por alunos de iniciação científica, mestrado, doutorado e pós-doutorado, contribuindo para a qualidade do Simpósio e a disseminação do conhecimento científico em Bioquímica do Exercício.