Sulfated-polysaccharides are complex macromolecular constituents of the extracellular matrix of marine algae that play an important role in mechanical, osmotic and ionic regulation.1) In Biomedicine the anticoagulant and antithrombotic properties have been most widely exploited and, at least for galactans, appear to be dependent on the sulfatation content and/or position of the sulfate groups.2) A natural sulfated polymer of L-fucose (fucoidan) showed a dose-dependent inhibition of leukocyte migration in the in vivo peritonitis model, 3) and sulfated fucans isolated from brown algae showed potent in vitro and in vivo inhibition of the human complement system. 4,5) It was demonstrated that a sulfatedpolysaccharide fraction extracted from the brown algae Porphyra haitanesis presents an in vivo antioxidant property, causing an increase in the spleen and thymus size, suggestive of an immunostimulant action. 6) Additionally, sulfated galactans of the red marine algae Bryothamnion seaforthii presented antinociceptive activity in mice 7) and of the red micro algae Pophyridium sp. anti-inflammatory action inhibiting eritema formation after topical use in humans.8) However, studies of sulfated galactans role in models of inflammation in vivo are rare in the literature. Here we isolated and investigated the effects of a sulfated galactan from the red marine algae Champia feldmannii, widely encountered along the South East and North East Brazilian sea coast, in experimental models of acute inflammation, coagulation and nociception. MATERIALS AND METHODS AnimalsMale Wistar rats (150-250 g) and Swiss mice (25-35 g) were maintained with a controlled 12/12 h light/dark cycle, at a temperature of 25°C with free access to food and water. The experimental protocols used in this study were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the State University of Ceará (UECE), Fortaleza-CE, Brazil, in accordance with international guidelines (NIH publication No. 85-23, revised 1985).Algae Champia feldmannii belongs to the order Rhodymeniales, family Lomentariaceae and was collected in the Pacheco beach of Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil. Algae were classified by Wladimir R. L. Farias, Department of Fishery Engeneering of Federal University of Ceará-Brazil.Erythrocytes Human erythrocytes were obtained from healthy donors at the Hematology Center of the Federal University of Ceará-Brazil.Drugs and Reagents Dextran sulphate, L-carrageenan, Evans blue, zymosan, morphine, cethylpiridinium chloride, sodium acetate, calcium chloride, ketamine, sulphuric acid, papain, 1-9-di-metylene blue (DMB), ethylenodiaminotetracetic acid (EDTA), indomethacin, dexamethasone, pentoxifylline, L-N-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), meclyzine and formamide, N-acetyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide, 1,3-diaminopropane, toluidine blue, agarose gel (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO, U.S.A. or SigmaAldrich Chemie, Steinheim, Germany); absolute ethanol, sodium chloride, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 2-mer- 907, 60.455-970, Fortaleza-Ceará-Brasil. R...

Este estudo investigou como as medidas de distanciamento social para o combate ao COVID-19 tem influenciado o nível de atividade física. Um questionário estruturado sobre as práticas de atividade física antes e durante o período de distanciamento social foi disponibilizado on-line para coleta das informações dos 2004 adultos (18 anos ou mais de idade) residentes em municípios das cinco regiões brasileiras. Utilizou-se teste Qui-quadrado para avaliar associações entre o nível de atividade física anterior e durante o período da pandemia. Associações entre variáveis intervenientes foram verificadas através do odds ratio. Os participantes reduziram o nível de atividade física após a adoção das medidas de distanciamento social. O maior nível de atividade física durante a pandemia está associado ao sexo masculino, residir em região metropolitana e não pertencer a grupos de risco. Embora estes fatores já influenciassem o nível de atividade física antes da pandemia, os resultados do odds ratio indicaram que no período da pandemia os fatores sexo, região e risco apresentaram reduções no seu poder de predição. Questões levantadas neste estudo podem auxiliar o planejamento de ações voltadas ao incentivo da prática de atividade física em períodos de crise.

(2011) Invivo anti-inflammatory effect of a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from the marine brown algae Lobophoravariegata, Pharmaceutical Biology, 49:2, 167-174,

Aminophylline is a complex of theophylline-ethylenediamine, where theophylline is the main component. Theophylline is a methyxanthine and besides inhibiting phosphodiesterase enzymes, it is also a nonselective adenosine antagonist. Several reports suggested the involvement of the brain adenosinergic system in the ethanol-induced motor incoordination. Thus, the objective of this work was to study the effects of the interaction of ethanol with aminophylline as assessed by behavioral tests in mice. Eight groups of male Swiss mice were used. The animals were treated with either distilled water (control) or ethanol (E; 2, 4, and 6 g/kg, orally) for 5 days, or with distilled water for 4 days, and on the fifth day with aminophylline (A; 5 and 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). In the association groups (association protocols), the animals were treated with ethanol (E; 6 g/kg, orally) for 4 days, and on the fifth day received aminophylline (A; 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), 30 min after the last ethanol administration (first protocol, E/A). In the second association protocol (A/E), ethanol was administered for 4 days, and on the fifth day the animals received aminophylline (A; 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), followed again by ethanol (E; 6 g/kg, orally) administration, 30 min later. E (6 g/kg) evoked a central nervous system depressor effect, by decreasing both the locomotor activity and rearing in the open field test, and A (5 and 10 mg/kg) showed opposite effects. However, the E/A or A/E associations blocked the ethanol effect. In the rota rod test, ethanol presented a muscular relaxant effect, which was decreased in both association protocols. In the tail suspension test, while the E/A association decreased immobility, A/E association increased it, as compared with controls. In conclusion, the effects of ethanol were inhibited by its association with aminophylline, suggesting that ethanol acts on the adenosine neurotransmission.

Sulfated polysaccharides (SP) of brown algae (Phaeophyta) are composed mainly of α-L-fucose, being classified as fucans, with recognized role in inflammation but not in nociception, which was already described for SP obtained from red algae. Here the SP of the brown marine alga S. schroederi (named Ss-SP) was isolated and assayed for the antinociceptive effect. Ss-SP was isolated by DEAE-cellulose, analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and evaluated in nociception models (Formalin, Hot plate, Von Frey) using Swiss mice (20-25g). Anion exchange chromatography provided four major fractions being F1 (Ss-SP) that of highest metachromatic activity and sugar content. Ss-SP inhibited both phases of the formalin test. In the first phase the paw licking (55.2±8.07s) was reduced by 45% (30.5±6.51s) and 40% (32.85±8.66s) at 0.1 and 1 mg/kg, respectively. In the second phase, Ss-SP was also inhibitory about 39%, but only at 1 mg/kg (83.0±15.70s) compared to formalin (136.8±10.27s). This inhibitory effect suggests a mixed mechanism similar to morphine, which was not confirmed in the hot plate test, a model of pain associated with central neurotransmission. However, Ss-SP reduced the animal reaction in response to stimulation withVon Frey filament at the 2nd and 3rd h (20.8±6.86% versus carrageenan: 47.9±5.83%; 33.3±7.71% versus carrageenan: 62.5±9.83%). Accordingly, the paw edema induced by carrageenan (0.08±0.01g) was potently reduced in 45.35% by Ss-SP pre-treatment (0.02±0.003g), corroborating the anti-inflammatory activity demonstrated for brown seaweed polysaccharides. In conclusion our data revealed for the first time the antinociceptive effect of Ss-SP which could be used as a new source of analgesic substances.

Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar possíveis associações entre prática de atividade física e qualidade do sono durante o período de distanciamento social da pandemia de COVID-19. Participaram 458 adultos com idades entre 18 e 59 anos. O nível de atividade física foi investigado por meio do Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física (IPAQ) e a qualidade do sono pelo Mini Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ). Os resultados demonstraram que 79,3% dos participantes com algum nível de dificuldade do sono. A prática de atividade física demonstrou associação com a qualidade do sono (OR = 1,922, IC = 1,121-3,295). A ANOVA oneway apontou diferença significativa na qualidade do sono entre os diferentes níveis de atividade física. O nível muito ativo apresentou melhor qualidade do sono em comparação a ativos, insuficientemente ativos e sedentários (p<0,05). Observou-se correlação negativa e significativa (r = -0,187, p = 0,001) entre o tempo gasto em atividades físicas vigorosas e o somatório do questionário de qualidade do sono. Não foram encontradas relações significativas entre qualidade do sono e atividade física moderada e/ou caminhada. Conclui-se que durante o período pandêmico, a prática de atividade física de característica vigorosa pode contribuir para uma melhor qualidade do sono. Recorrendo a uma das hipóteses que procuram explicar a relação entre exercício físico e sono, infere-se que este achado pode ser explicado pela sensação de fadiga decorrente do maior dispêndio energético proporcionado por estas atividades.

RESUMO -O reservatório de Aimorés é formado pelo represamento do Rio Doce e tem duas partes distintas: uma porção do rio que foi alagada e um canal de adução formado pelo desvio do rio em direção à usina geradora de energia elétrica. O levantamento das populações de macrófitas aquáticas presentes e o dimensionamento da área infestada são de suma importância para estabelecimento e avaliação do plano de manejo do reservatório e foi o objetivo deste trabalho. A colonização do reservatório cresceu de 39,2 para 92,5 hectares entre os meses de março e junho de 2009, decrescendo paulatinamente no período posterior, até atingir 39,9 hectares em janeiro de 2010. Esse decréscimo foi atribuído à implementação de plano de manejo, especialmente pela destruição de habitats para crescimento de Eichhornia crassipes. A comunidade de macrófitas aquáticas apresentou 31 espécies, pertencentes a 16 famílias botânicas. As espécies mais frequentes foram E. crassipes, Salvinia molesta, Paspalum repens, Oxycaryum cubense, Urochloa subquadripara e Hymenachne amplexicaulis. A família botânica mais representativa em termos de riqueza em espécies foi Poaceae, com seis representantes, seguida por Cyperaceae, com três. Palavras-chave: Eichhornia crassipes, manejo de macrófitas, Oxyscaryum cubense, Salvinia molesta. ABSTRACT -The Aimorés reservoir is formed by the construction of a dam across a river called Rio Doce It is divided into two different portions, one that was flooded, and another consisting of an adduction channel formed by the deviation of the river towards a power plant. It is of paramount

We previously found that acute exercise inhibited the gastric emptying of liquid in awake rats by causing an acid-base imbalance. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO-cGMP) pathway, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptide in this phenomenon. Male rats were divided into exercise or sedentary group and were subjected to a 15-min swim session against a load (2.5 or 5% b.w.). The rate of gastric emptying was evaluated after 5, 10, or 20 min postprandially. Separate groups of rats were treated with vehicle (0.9% NaCl, 0.1 mL/100 g, ip) or one of the following agents: atropine (1.0 mg/kg, ip), the NO non-selective inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME; 10.0 mg/kg, ip), or the selective cGMP inhibitor 1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazole[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ; 5.0 mg/kg, ip), the i-NOS non-specific inhibitor (aminoguanidine; 10.0 mg/kg, ip), the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor antagonist (astressin; 100 µg/kg, ip), or the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptor antagonist Lys1, Pro2,5, Arg3,4, Tyr6 (100 µg/kg, ip). Compared to sedentary rats, both the 2.5 and 5% exercise groups exhibited higher (P<0.05) values of blood lactate and fractional gastric dye recovery. Corticosterone and NO levels increased (P<0.05) in the 5% exercised rats. Pretreatment with astressin, VIP antagonist, atropine, L-NAME, and ODQ prevented the increase in gastric retention caused by exercise in rats. Acute exercise increased gastric retention, a phenomenon that appears to be mediated by the NO-cGMP pathway, CRF, and VIP receptors.