Various researchers have studied the importance of the oral transmission of Chagas' disease since the mid-20th century. Only in recent years, due to an outbreak that occurred in the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina in 2005 and to various outbreaks occurring during the last 3 years in the Brazilian Amazon basin, mainly associated with the consumption of Amazonian palm berry or açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) juice, has this transmission route aroused the attention of researchers. Nevertheless, reports published in the 1960s already indicated the possibility of Chagas' disease transmission via food in Brazil, mainly in the Amazonian region. Recently, in December 2007, an outbreak of Chagas' disease occurred in Caracas, Venezuela, related to ingestion of contaminated fruit juices. The objective of this article is to point out the importance of foodborne transmission in the etiology of Chagas' disease, on the basis of published research and Brazilian epidemiology data.

The forward reaction of nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) reduces NADP؉ at the expense of NADH oxida- The coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and NAD phosphate (NADP) are soluble electron carriers that are reduced in oxidative reactions during the catabolism of energy substrates in the cytosol and mitochondria. Despite their structural similarity, reduced NAD and NADP are used to drive rather different processes in the cells (1). Given their roles as specific electron donors in diverse metabolic pathways, it is interesting that the redox states of NAD and NADP are linked to each other in the mitochondria of many organisms because the enzyme nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) 4 catalyzes the transfer of redox potential between these two coenzymes, reducing one at the expense of the oxidation of the other (2).The academic and clinical interest in the understanding of the role of NNT in redox metabolism (3) has grown substantially because mutations in the gene (Nnt) encoding this protein are present in the most widely used experimental mouse substrain (i.e. C57BL/6J) (4) and in some humans (5). Homozygous mutations of Nnt that are linked to familiar glucocorticoid insufficiency have been documented in humans (5), whereas the C57BL/6J mouse substrains have been shown to exhibit metabolic abnormalities (6 -8) with major implications regarding their use as experimental models in basic research (9 -12). The phenotype of the Nnt mutation in heterozygotes is not clear in humans (13) or mice.NADP ϩ reduction at the expense of NADH oxidation in the mitochondrial matrix is the well known primary role of NNT. Although mitochondria possess three other enzymatic oxidative reactions linked to NADP ϩ reduction (i.e. the enzymes isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH2), malic enzymes (MEs), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH)), as highlighted in Fig. 1

RESUMOOs frutooligossacarídeos (FOS) são açúcares não convencionais, não metabolizados pelo organismo humano e não calóricos. São considerados prebióticos uma vez que promovem seletivamente o crescimento de probióticos como Acidophillus e Bifidus. Essa característica faz com que os FOS promovam uma série de benefícios à saúde humana, desde a redução de colesterol sérico até o auxílio na prevenção de alguns tipos de câncer. Esta revisão aborda principalmente os efeitos da ingestão de FOS na saúde humana, e algumas de suas aplicações, principalmente na indústria de alimentos.Palavraschave: frutooligossacarídeos, prebiótico, açúcar não convencional, efeitos benéficos. ABSTRACTFructooligosaccharides (FOS) are digestible by human metabolism and non caloric. They are recognyzed as prebiotics: non digestible food ingredient that have a selective stimulation of the growth of probiotics like Acidophillus and Bifidus. These microrganisms promote healty benefits, since decrease in blood cholesterol untill decrease of the potential for several human pathologies like cancer. This review is about FOS health effects, and some FOS applications, specially in food industry.Key words: fructooligosaccharides , non conventional sugar, prebiotic, health benefits. INTRODUÇÃOHá atualmente uma grande preocupação em todo o mundo com a qualidade de vida e a saúde, aumentando o cuidado da população com os alimentos que consome. Em resposta à grande demanda dos consumidores por estes alimentos mais saudáveis (alimentos funcionais) e de calorias controladas, um grande número de adoçantes alternativos tem surgido desde os anos 80 e, entre eles, diversos oligossacarídeos. Destes oligossacarídeos pode-se destacar os frutooligossacarídeos (FOS), que são importantes principalmente por suas propriedades funcionais, mais do que pela sua doçura.Dentre todos os produtos introduzidos desde então, os FOS, principalmente de origem microbiana da fermentação de sacarose, têm atraído atenção especial. A eles atribui-se a expansão do Recebido para publicação 19.02.02 Aprovado em 30.05.02

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Introduction Priapism is defined as prolonged and persistent penile erection, unassociated with sexual interest or stimulation, and is one of the many serious complications associated with sickle cell disease (SCD). Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the NO-cGMP signaling pathway in priapism in Berkeley murine model of SCD (SS). Methods SS mice and C57BL/6 mice (control) penile tissues were removed and the erectile tissue within the corpus cavernosum (CC) was surgically dissected free. The strips were mounted in 10 mL organ baths containing Krebs solution at 37°C (95% O2, 5% CO2, pH 7.4), and vertically suspended between two metal hooks. Main Outcome Measures Cumulative concentration-response curves were constructed for acetylcholine (ACh; endothelium-dependent responses), sodium nitroprusside (SNP; endothelium-independent relaxations) and BAY 41-2272 (a potent activator of NO-independent site of soluble guanylate cyclase) in CC precontracted with phenylephrine. Cavernosal responses induced by frequency-dependent electrical field stimulation (EFS) were also carried out to evaluate the nitrergic cavernosal relaxations. Results In SS mice, ACh-induced cavernosal relaxations were leftward shifted by 2.6-fold (P < 0.01) that was accompanied by increases in the maximal responses (78 ± 5% and 60 ± 3% in SS and C57B6/6J mice, respectively). Similarly, SNP- and BAY 41-2272-induced CC relaxations were leftward shifted by approximately 3.3- and 2.2-fold (P < 0.01) in SS mice, respectively. A significant increase in maximal responses to SNP and BAY 41-2272 in SS mice was also observed (113 ± 6% and 124 ± 5%, respectively) compared with C57B6/6J mice (83 ± 4% and 99 ± 2%, respectively). The EFS-induced cavernosal relaxations were also significantly higher SS mice. Conclusion These results showed that SS mice exhibit amplified corpus carvenosum relaxation response mediated by NO-cGMP signaling pathway. Intervention in this signaling pathway may be a potential therapeutic target to treat SCD priapism.