Evaluating different doses of caffeine (CAF) on heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) during and following exercise in order to assess its impact on autonomic control. We intended to evaluate the influence of CAF as a supplement before exercise on HRV through a systematic review. Manuscripts were selected based on electronic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL databases from 2010 to 2019 and followed the protocol Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA). Blind randomized designs and controlled trials that reported the influence of CAF on HRV during exercise and during recovery from exercise, with strength of evidence assessed using the GRADE system; the search for the studies was organized using the PICOS strategy. A total of 1797 articles were recognized, following the screening and eligibility stages, 9 studies continued to the final sample. Six studies reported that the combination of CAF supplementation with physical exercise exhibited higher HR when compared to the placebo group during post-exercise recovery; additionally, prolonged activation of sympathetic cardiac control and delayed parasympathetic reactivation following exercise was observed. However, three studies demonstrated no CAF influence when using similar doses. This review observed equivocal results in HR and HRV recovery following exercise with the presence of CAF consumption. These findings cannot confirm the cardiac autonomic changes observed where entirely due to the influence of CAF, and further studies should be performed to better understand this relationship.

Objective: We assessed the acute effect of beetroot extract intake on cardiovascular and autonomic recovery subsequent to strength exercise. Methods: This is a crossover, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. We assessed 16 subjects but only 12 healthy male adults completed the two protocols in two randomized days: Beetroot extract (600 mg in capsule) and placebo (600 mg starch in capsule). Beetroot extract or placebo was ingested, the subjects endured 120 minutes seated at rest, followed by a 75% 1RM strength exercise and then remained seated for 60 minutes at rest. Cardiorespiratory parameters, heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) (SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50, SD1, SD2 HF [ms²]) were estimated before, during exercise and during recovery from exercise. Results: ingestion of beetroot extract before exercise: accelerates the recovery of SBP following physical effort; improves HR recovery to baseline resting levels (beetroot protocol: change in ∼62% vs. placebo protocol: change in ∼80%), and intensifies the return of vagal HR control during recovery after exercise. Conclusions: Beetroot extract acutely improved cardiovascular and autonomic recovery after exercise.

Eating behaviors arise from a combination of several factors namely, physiological, emotional, social and genetic, including the prevailing state of the environment that the individual has been exposed to from the commencement of development. Several factors are known to affect the control of eating behaviors, distinguishable by the synergism of the homeostatic and hedonic control mechanisms, which are complementary. While undeniably homeostasis is under the control of the hormonal interchange between the intestine and the brain, the desire to eat is focused on the brain reward system, which includes acquisition and addictions and binge eating. In today's world, the easy availability of processed foods, high in sugars and fats, which stimulate the reward areas, can flood the brain with neurotransmitters linked to pleasure and happiness. This often results in an uncontrollable desire to eat, technically termed hedonic hunger. A presentation of an integrated perspective of the mechanisms involved in the control of hedonic eating behavior is given. It is crucial to understand these mechanisms, particularly paying attention to the ways the modern food environment induces excessive consumption and its contributions to the present obesity epidemic.

Introduction. Bariatric surgery causes physiological and anatomical changes in the gastrointestinal tract that interfere with intestinal absorption and, consequently, with the nutritional status, especially about vitamin D. The aim of the study was to evaluate the vitamin D levels and body composition of these patients in the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) types of surgery. Methods. The retrospective cohort study included a population of 120 patients aged between 18 and 65years, with class II or III obesity, undergoing bariatric surgery procedures (VSG or RYGB-type). Data were collected on the degree of obesity, age, average time since surgery, and gender. The individuals underwent a complete physical examination, measuring blood pressure, weight, height, waist, and neck circumference. In addition to calculating the percentage of loss of body weight and assessing body fat, the food frequency and physical activity of these patients were evaluated. Blood was collected, and the insulin variables, hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), were analyzed. Results. There was a significant difference between groups only for PTH, total BMD, and insulin variables. A significant intragroup difference was found in the variables body mass index (BMI) and vitamin D for the vertical sleeve gastrectomy group and BMI for the RYGB group. Conclusion. The analysis between the groups of procedures, similarity in body composition and postsurgical vitamin D levels, with significant differences only for PTH, BMD, and insulin variables, demonstrates that both procedures are effective in reducing fat mass.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe parasitic disease that poses significant diagnostic challenges due to its complex presentation and the necessity for comprehensive diagnostic methods. This exploratory study investigates the potential of Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT)/GPT-4, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, in assisting the diagnostic process for VL. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of ChatGPT/GPT-4 in generating differential diagnosis lists for eight clinical vignette cases of VL, authored by a Brazilian infectious disease doctor. Our findings reveal that ChatGPT/GPT-4 included VL in the top five differential diagnoses in 75% of the cases (95% confidence interval [CI]: 40.1 – 93.7%) and identified VL as the top diagnosis in 50% of the cases (95% CI: 30.3 – 86.5%). These results underscore the high potential of ChatGPT/GPT-4 as an AI-assisted diagnostic tool, which is capable of providing accurate differential diagnoses and assisting healthcare professionals in resource-limited settings. The study highlights the broader applicability of AI chatbots in medical diagnostics, not only for common conditions but also for specialized and less prevalent diseases like VL. By integrating AI tools into the diagnostic workflow, healthcare providers can enhance their diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the utility of AI in healthcare and underscores the need for further studies to validate these findings across larger and more diverse clinical scenarios.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a 15-week dietary intake of cactus flour on metabolic parameters, body weight and dietary intake of rats.Design/methodology/approach: Male Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups (n= 8-10): control or westernized diets added or not of cactus flour. The following parameters were evaluated during the period of dietary manipulation: body weight, food intake, glycemic and lipid profile (oral glucose tolerance test, metabolic parameters, hepatic and muscular glycogen dosage), visceral and body fat (relative weight to body weight). Data were analyzed using Graphpad Prism®5,p= 0.05.Findings: Animals fed on a Western-style diet together with flour cactus presented lower weight gain (335.7 ± 20.0,p= 0.05) over the evaluated period, even when the volume of food intake was not different among the groups. The addition of cactus flour to a Western-style diet appears to lower glucose levels at 30 and 60 min (p= 0.05), as shown in the glucose tolerance curve. There was a downward trend does fat stores, cholesterol levels and triglycerides. Therefore, it was concluded that this addition cactus flour is effective even when the diet is hyperlipidic, demonstrating its ability to attenuate risk parameters for the occurrence of metabolic syndromes such as sub fraction high cholesterol levels and glucose tolerance.Originality/value: The addition of functional foods to diets may work to improve the harmful effects of this type of diet.Opuntia ficus indicahas high nutritional value and has hypoglycemic and hypolipemic properties besides being antioxidant.