In this paper, we report the photodegradation of three different chlorine photosensitizers (Photoditazine®, Radachlorin®, and Foscan®). The photosensitizer degradation was analyzed by changes in the fluorescence spectrum during illumination. The rate of fluorescence variation was normalized to the solution absorption and the photon energy resulting in the determination of the necessary number of photons to be absorbed to induce photosensitizer photodegradation. The parameter for rate of the molecules decay, the photon fluence rate and optical properties of the solution allow us to determine the photosensitizer stability in solution during illumination. The results show that the order of susceptibility for photodegradation rate is: Radachlorin® < Photoditazine® < Foscan®. This difference in the photodegradation rate for Foscan can be explained by the high proportion of aggregates in solution that inhibit the photo-oxidative process that impede the singlet oxygen formation. We hypothesize that there is a correlation between photodegradation rate and photodynamic efficacy witch is governed by the singlet oxygen formation responsible for the most relevant reaction of the cell death photodynamic induction. Then its is important to know the photostability of different types of drugs since the photodegradation rate, the photodegradation as well as the photodynamic efficacy are strong correlated to the oxygen concentration in the tissue.

Using normal rat liver we investigated the depth of necrosis induced by photodynamic therapy when different light doses and photosensitizer (Photogem R ) concentrations. All experiments were done with a fluence rate of 250 mW/cm 2 . Photosensitizer concentration was varied from 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 5.0 mg/kg of body weight and it was administered through the left tail vein. For each photosensitizer concentration the light dose was varied from 10, 50, 100, 150, and 200 J/cm 2 . Each experimental point was done using five animals. The depth of necrosis analysis allows us to determine the threshold dose and compare its value with the existent results in the literature. Our result suggested a value about 3 times higher than the conventionally adopted value. It indicates the dependence of such value with the employed concentration photosensitizer. The use of simple models to understand basic features of the PDT (Photodynamic Therapy) may contribute to the solid establishment of dosimetry in PDT enhancing its use in the clinical management of cancers and others lesions.

Obesity is characterised by low-grade inflammation, which increases the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular risks. The aim of the present study was to verify the role of multicomponent therapy in controlling the MetS, inflammation and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in obese adolescents. The second aim was to investigate the relationships between adipokines, the MetS parameters and cIMT. A total of sixty-nine obese adolescents participated in the present study and completed 1 year of multicomponent therapy (a combination of strategies involving nutrition, psychology, physical exercise and clinical therapy), and were divided according to their MetS diagnosis as follows: MetS (n 19); non-MetS (n 50). Blood analyses of glucose, lipid and adipokine concentrations (adiponectin, leptin, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and C-reactive protein) were collected. Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index and homeostasis model assessment-adiponectin. cIMT and visceral and subcutaneous fat were estimated using ultrasonography. At baseline, the MetS group presented higher waist circumference, glucose and insulin levels, and systolic and median blood pressures compared with the non-MetS group. After therapy, both groups showed improvements in the anthropometric profile, body composition, insulin level, insulin resistance, insulin sensibility, TAG and VLDL-cholesterol, adiponectin, leptin and PAI-1 levels, blood pressure and cIMT. The prevalence of the MetS was reduced from 27·5 to 13·0 %. Metabolic syndrome patients showed resistance in the attenuation of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and leptin:adiponectin and adiponectin:leptin ratios. In the MetS group, the variation in the adiponectin:leptin ratio was correlated with variations in glucose, insulin sensibility, total cholesterol, LDL-c and systolic blood pressure. Additionally, the number of MetS parameters was correlated with the carotid measurement. Moreover, the variation in cIMT was correlated with the variations in insulin sensibility, total cholesterol and LDL-c. For the entire group, the number of MetS alterations was correlated with the leptin level and leptin:adiponectin ratio and adiponectin:leptin ratio after therapy. In conclusion, multicomponent therapy was effective in controlling the MetS, inflammation and cIMT in the obese adolescents. However, the MetS patients showed resistance in the attenuation of the atherogenic lipid profile and leptin:adiponectin ratio and adiponectin:leptin ratio. These results suggest that the MetS patients have increased cardiovascular risks, and that it is important to attempt to control the inflammatory process that occurs due to obesity in clinical practice in order to improve the health of adolescents.

Obese adolescents with moderate and high reduction in SFA presented improvements on pro/anti-inflammatory biomarkers and cIMT, leading to reduction in cardiovascular risks.

RESUMO O carcinoma de células escamosas é uma neoplasia cutânea de grande relevância em países de clima

Several studies have sought to clarify the association between adolescent obesity and psychological distress. Recently, a biological link between leptin resistance and depression has been proposed. The aim of the present study was to examine changes in leptin concentrations as a potential predictor of reduced depression symptoms in obese adolescents during long-term interdisciplinary weight loss therapy. Seventy-five obese adolescents (age: 16.28±2.37 years; BMI: 35.65±4.64 kg/m2) engaged in a long-term interdisciplinary therapy for weight loss. They were evaluated at baseline and after 1 year of treatment for body composition, serum analyses and depression symptomatology. After therapy, body mass BMI, fat mass (% and kg), waist circumference, visceral, subcutaneous and visceral/subcutaneous fat and depression symptoms decreased and lean mass (%) increased significantly. There was an improvement in inflammatory profiles with a significant reduction in leptin and increase in adiponectin. Regression analyses showed that decreased leptin predicted amelioration in depression symptoms independent of age, gender and changes in visceral fat, body mass, fat mass (%) and leptin/adiponectin ratio. These associations appear stronger in girls than boys. The attenuation of hyperleptinemia appears to play an important role in the association between weight loss and depression, particularly in obese girls.

We observed that individuals with obesity that have hyperleptinemia have higher circulating PAI-1 levels, which could indicate increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The biomarkers of inflammation and thrombosis measured in this study decreased after RYGB, suggesting that the surgery may be effective in reducing pro-inflammatory and thrombotic risk in individuals with extreme obesity.

This study aimed to evaluate the food choice motives in a sample in Brazil and to identify how socioeconomic characteristics and risk perceptions about chronic diseases and weight gain affect these motives. The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) is an instrument to analyze the motivations for food choice. The FCQ was completed by 525 adult individuals in Brazil. The participants were asked about their perceived risk of gaining weight, developing diabetes, and hypertension. Confirmatory factor analysis led to the rejection of the original FCQ structure, and, after exploratory factor analysis, 30 items of the FCQ were maintained in eight factors: Nutritional Composition, Preparation Convenience, Purchase Convenience, Mood, Sensory Appeal, Health, Price, and Familiarity. Sensory Appeal and Familiarity were, respectively, the most and the least important factors involved in food choices in this sample. A high education level, high income, age, and female sex positively affected FCQ factors (except for the Price factor). On the basis of FCQ scores, we defined five clusters: Health Driven, Practicality Concerned, Shape Concerned, Food Concerned, and Cooking Enthusiasts. In general, individuals were optimistic regarding the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and gaining weight, especially those from the Shape Concerned cluster. The differences in food choice motives presented here reinforce the existence of different niches of food consumption. Different types of products can attract specific target groups at the time of choice.