Affective disorders (AD), including depression have important epidemiological impact on elderly morbi-mortality been also associated to elevate suicide rates. However, AD impact on trends elderly mortality, morbidity and Brazilian health service cost (hospitalization and outpatient care) need to be more deeply investigated. Therefore, this study evaluated the trends of AD and suicide mortality in Brazilian elderly population (1996-2015) and in use of health services (hospitalization and outpatient care) and their costs in 2009 to 2015 period by a socio-ecological analysis using databank evaluable for Health Unic System (DATASUS, Brazil Ministry). The study was performed just in elderly subjects (> 60 years old) considering as co-variables: sex ad age. Linear, Joint point and multivariate regressions were used to detect change in the trends of AD and suicide mortality. Total AD mortality was slightly higher in women (1.2/100.000) than men (1.0/100.000). At contrary, suicide mortality rate was higher in men (13.5/100.000) than females (2.5/100.000). In both mortality causes, occurrence was age-dependent, with higher rates in oldest-old group (> 80 years). Hospitalizations by AD was also higher in older group, in both sex. However, hospitalization costs trend to decrease in the last four years. The whole of results suggests the necessity to construct specific preventive and treatment programs for elderly people, since this population presents important biological, functional, health and social specificities that are different of find in adults.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the Val16Ala superoxide dismutase manganese-dependent (SOD2) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and sperm reproductive parameters in a sample of Brazilian men. A potential association between this polymorphism and some oxidative biochemical parameters as well as sperm plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels were also evaluated. The study was performed using semen samples obtained from male patients that had undergone semen analysis according to the 2010 World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations and the Val16Ala-SOD2 SNP was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Oxidative parameters as well as cfDNA levels were spectrophotometrically and fluorimetrically determined. Statistical analysis included chi-square test, analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni post hoc test, as well as logistic regression multivariate analysis. Semen samples from 169 men (35.89 ± 7.33 years) were genotyped. The allelic frequencies were V= 0.485 (n = 97), A = 0.515 (n = 103), with statistically similar allelic frequencies to those of samples obtained from a general population: V = 0.509; A= 0.591. In general, AV samples presented lower numbers of sperm-altered parameters than homozygous sperm. Lipoperoxidation was higher in homozygous than heterozygous sperm samples. The results suggest that genetically caused S-HP imbalance could contribute to poor sperm quality and affect male fertility.

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Lithium (Li) is a chemical element used for treating and preventing bipolar disorder (BD) and exerts positive effects such as anti-inflammatory effects as well as undesirable side effects. These effects of Li can be influenced by interaction with some nutritional elements. Therefore, we investigated the potential effects of xanthine (caffeine and theobromine) and catechin molecules present in some food beverages broadly consumed worldwide, such as coffee and tea, on Li-induced anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, we concomitantly exposed RAW 264.7 macrophages to Li, isolated xanthine and catechin molecules, and a xanthine-catechin mixture (XC mixture). We evaluated the effects of these treatments on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, oxidative and antioxidant marker expression, cytokine levels, gene expression, and GSK-3β enzyme expression. Treatment with the XC mixture potentialized Li-induced anti-inflammatory effects by intensification of the following: GSK-3β inhibitory action, lowering effect on proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα), and increase in the levels of IL-10 that is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Despite the controversial nature of caffeine consumption by BD patients, these results suggested that consumption of caffeine, in low concentrations, mixed with other bioactive molecules along with Li may be safe.

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Barbatimão (Stryphnodendron adstringens, Mart.) is a native Brazilian species used in traditional medicine and some commercial preparations owing to its strong wound-healing activity. However, controversy regarding its use due to safety concerns over the potential genotoxic effect of this plant remains. In order to clarify this issue, the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of barbatimão in vitro on cell viability, DNA damage, and induction of apoptosis in two commercial cell lines of keratinocytes (HaCaT) and fibroblasts (HFF-1) was evaluated. Barbatimão stem bark hydroalcoholic extract (70% ethanol) was obtained and lyophilized for subsequent use in all experiments. The main bioactive molecules quantified by HPLC were gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, catechin, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Barbatimão (0.024 to 1.99 mg/mL) was found to decrease cellular mortality as compared to the control group. GEMO assay, a noncellular DNA protocol that uses H2O2-exposed calf thymus DNA, revealed not only a genotoxic effect of barbatimão, but also a potential genoprotective action against H2O2-triggered DNA fragmentation. These results indicated that barbatimão at concentrations of 0.49 and 0.99 mg/mL, which are near to the levels found in commercial preparations, exerted an in vitro genoprotective effect on cells by decreasing the levels of DNA oxidation quantified by 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Gene and protein apoptotic markers, quantified by qRT-PCR (BAX/Bcl-2 genes) and immunoassays (Caspases 3 and 8), respectively, also indicated a decrease in apoptotic events in comparison with control cells. Collectively, the results suggest that barbatimão could exert genoprotective and antiapoptotic effects on human keratinocytes and fibroblasts.

as expected PHA exposure triggered a strong upregulation of GSK-3β gene expression (p ≤ 0.001), and Li exposure showed GSK-3β gene downregulation from 0.7 mEq/L concentrations. However, Li modulatory effects on GSk-3β gene and protein expression was directly influenced by basal S-HP balance. Presence of high S-basal levels (VV genotype and VV-like cells) induced attenuated Li anti-inflammatory effects in comparison with balanced and AA and AA-like cells (p < 0.001). Despite methodological limitations related to in vitro assays, the whole of results suggested that Li anti-inflammatory effects is influenced by S-HP basal state and is plausible that its influence could contributes to resistance of some patients to Li treatment or to increase of intensity of some side effects Li-associated.