Influence of estimated training status on anti and pro-oxidant activity, nitrite concentration, and blood pressure in middle-aged and older women

The purpose of this study was to compare the association between anti and pro-oxidant activity, nitrite concentration, and blood pressure (BP) in middle-aged and older women with different levels of estimated training status (TS). The sample consisted of 155 females (50-84 years) who were submitted to a physical examination to evaluate estimated TS through the "Functional Fitness Battery Test," BP measurements, and plasma blood samples to evaluate pro-oxidant and antioxidant activity and nitrite concentrations. Participants were separated by age into a middle-aged group (< 65 years) and an older (≥65 years) group and then subdivided in each group according to TS. Blood biochemistry was similar between groups. On the other hand, protein oxidation was lower in participants with higher TS, independent of age. Older females with higher TS presented higher nitrite concentrations, lower lipoperoxidation, and lower values of BP compared with those with lower TS. Lower GPx activity was observed in participants with higher TS compared with middle-aged with lower TS. Thus, our results suggest that good levels of TS may be associated with lower oxidative stress and higher nitrite concentration and may contribute to maintain normal or reduced blood pressure values.Fil: Jacomini, André M.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Dias, Danielle da Silva. Universidade Nove de Julho; BrasilFil: Brito, Janaina de Oliveira. Universidade Nove de Julho; BrasilFil: da Silva, Roberta F.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Monteiro, Henrique L.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Llesuy, Susana Francisca. Universidade Nove de Julho; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad Medicina. Instituto de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular; ArgentinaFil: De Angelis, Kátia. Universidade Nove de Julho; BrasilFil: Amaral, Sandra L.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Zago, Anderson S.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; Brasi

Providing adaptive traffic routing based on user and network context

Providing real-time traffic guarantees and fairness based on the availability of network resources has been a major issue presented in the literature. However, due the convergent nature of digital architectures, the increasing demand of upcoming real-time sensitive traffic, such as VoIP, and a higher user´s adaptability (devices, global positioning, content quality, etc.), solutions based on Quality of Service (QoS) turned out to be insufficient in order to meet user´s requirements. Indeed, QoS metrics are network-centered, and mostly related to the dynamic nature of the traffic (such as throughput, delay, jitter, among others). In order to meet the need for a user-centered network, this paper proposes a context-aware solution where the concepts of Quality of Service, Quality of Experience and Adaptive Routing are integrated in order to provide a more dynamic and pro-active approach for the delivery of context-oriented time-sensitive traffic.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of the Portuguese version of the Ankle Instability Instrument

Chronic ankle instability is one of the most common clinical conditions in the general population, especially in adult athletes. The cross-cultural adaptation of self-reported questionnaires that identify and classify this condition contribute to criteria standardization in research but also in rehabilitation. Aim of Study. To validate the Ankle Instability Instrument to the Portuguese population and to investigate its psychometric properties. Material and Methods. Linguistic and semantic equivalence of the original version of the Ankle Instability Instrument to the Portuguese population was firstly performed. The Portuguese version of the Ankle Instability Instrument was then applied to 81 higher education adult students, with (n = 59) and without history of ankle sprain (n = 22). Participants were evaluated two times with an interval of one week to assess the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Ankle Instability Instrument. Results. In the reliability of binary responses based on the test retest, the tetrachoric correlation coefficient ranged from 0.99 to 1.00. In addition, the Kuder–Richardson coefficient was 0.79 suggesting good internal consistency. Conclusions. Test-retest showed an almost perfect match in all answers between the two moments, which seem to be related to sample characteristics. The internal consistency value was similar to the one obtained in the original version. The Portuguese version of the Ankle Instability Instrument is highly reliable and can be used in clinical practice.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nutrient‐efficient catfish‐based aquaponics for producing lamb's lettuce at two light intensities

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We acknowledge funding provided by FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC): LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE), UIDB/50020/2020 & UIDP/50020/2020 (LSRE-LCM), UIDB/00313/2020 & UIDP/00313/2020 (CQC-IMS) and Rede Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear (RNRMN, UC-NMR).BACKGROUND: Aquaponic systems are sustainable processes of managing water and nutrients for food production. An innovate nutrient-efficient catfish-based (Clarias gariepinus) aquaponics system was implemented for producing two cultivars of two leafy vegetables largely consumed worldwide: lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta var. Favor and Valerianella locusta var. de Hollande) and arugula (Eruca vesicaria var. sativa and Eruca sativa). Different growing treatments (4 × 2 factorial design) were applied to plants of each cultivar, grown at two light intensities (120 and 400 ∼mol m−2 s −1). During growth, several morphological characteristics (root length, plant height, leaf number, foliage diameter and biggest leaf length) were measured. At harvest, plants were weighed and examined qualitatively in terms of greenness and health status. Additionally, leaf extracts were obtained and used to determine total phenolic contents, antioxidant capacities, and levels of cytotoxicity to Caco-2 intestinal model cells. RESULTS: After a 5-week growth period, both lamb's lettuce cultivars presented high levels of greenness and health status, at both light intensities, particularly the var. de Hollande that also showed higher average performance in terms of plant morphology. In turn, arugula cultivars showed lower levels of greenness and health status, especially the cultivar E. vesicaria var. sativa submitted to direct sunlight during growth. In addition, plant specimens submitted to higher levels of light intensity showed higher contents in antioxidants/polyphenols. Cultivars with a higher content in antioxidants/polyphenols led to higher Caco-2 cell viability. CONCLUSION: For successful industrial implementation of the aquaponics technology, different and optimized acclimatizing conditions must be applied to different plant species and cultivars. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with oral cleft: a clinical-electrocardiographic-echocardiographic study

OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to describe the clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic cardiological findings in a group of patients with oral clefts. METHODS: This is a prospective cross-sectional study on 70 children (age range from 13 days to 19 years) with oral clefts who attended the multidisciplinary program of a university hospital from March 2013 to September 2014. The patients were evaluated by a pediatric cardiologist and underwent detailed anamnesis, physical examination, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram. RESULTS: Sixty percent of the patients were male; 55.7% presented with cleft lip and palate, and 40.0% presented with health complaints. Comorbidities were found in 44.3%. Relevant pregnancy, neonatal, family and personal antecedents were present in 55.7%, 27.1%, 67.2%, and 24.3% of the patients, respectively. Regarding the antecedents, 15.2% of the patients presented with a cardiac murmur, 49.0% with a familial risk of developing plurimetabolic syndrome, and 6% with family antecedents of rheumatic fever. Electrocardiographic evaluation showed one case of atrioventricular block. Echocardiograms were abnormal in 35.7% of the exams, including 5 cases of mitral valve prolapse — one of which was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease. CONCLUSION: The finding of a family risk of developing plurimetabolic syndrome and a diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease indicates that patients with oral clefts may be more prone to developing acquired heart disease. Thus, our findings highlight the importance of anamnesis and methodological triangulation (clinical-electrocardiographic-echocardiographic) in the investigation of patients with oral clefts and emphasize that cardiological follow-up to evaluate acquired and/or rhythm heart diseases is necessary. This strategy permits comorbidity prevention and individualized planned treatment

Effects of external nutrient sources and extreme weather events on the nutrient budget of a Southern European coastal lagoon

The seasonal and annual nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and carbon (C) budgets of the mesotidal Ria Formosa lagoon, southern Portugal, were estimated to reveal the main inputs and outputs, the seasonal patterns, and how they may influence the ecological functioning of the system. The effects of extreme weather events such as long-lasting strong winds causing upwelling and strong rainfall were assessed. External nutrient inputs were quantified; ocean exchange was assessed in 24-h sampling campaigns, and final calculations were made using a hydrodynamic model of the lagoon. Rain and stream inputs were the main freshwater sources to the lagoon. However, wastewater treatment plant and groundwater discharges dominated nutrient input, together accounting for 98, 96, and 88 % of total C, N, and P input, respectively. Organic matter and nutrients were continuously exported to the ocean. This pattern was reversed following extreme events, such as strong winds in early summer that caused upwelling and after a period of heavy rainfall in late autumn. A principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that ammonium and organic N and C exchange were positively associated with temperature as opposed to pH and nitrate. These variables reflected mostly the benthic lagoon metabolism, whereas particulate P exchange was correlated to Chl a, indicating that this was more related to phytoplankton dynamics. The increase of stochastic events, as expected in climate change scenarios, may have strong effects on the ecological functioning of coastal lagoons, altering the C and nutrient budgets.Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) [POCI/MAR/58427/2004, PPCDT/MAR/58427/2004]; Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT

Prediction of enteric methane production, yield and intensity in dairy cattle using an intercontinental database

Enteric methane (CH4) production from cattle contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. Measurement of enteric CH4 is complex, expensive and impractical at large scales; therefore, models are commonly used to predict CH4 production. However, building robust prediction models requires extensive data from animals under different management systems worldwide. The objectives of this study were to (1) collate a global database of enteric CH4 production from individual lactating dairy cattle; (2) determine the availability of key variables for predicting enteric CH4 production (g/d per cow), yield [g/kg dry matter intake (DMI)], and intensity (g/kg energy corrected milk) and their respective relationships; (3) develop intercontinental and regional models and cross-validate their performance; and (4) assess the trade-off between availability of on-farm inputs and CH4 prediction accuracy. The intercontinental database covered Europe (EU), the US (US), Chile (CL), Australia (AU), and New Zealand (NZ). A sequential approach was taken by incrementally adding key variables to develop models with increasing complexity. Methane emissions were predicted by fitting linear mixed models. Within model categories, an intercontinental model with the most available independent variables performed best with root mean square prediction error (RMSPE) as a percentage of mean observed value of 16.6, 14.4, and 19.8% for intercontinental, EU, and US regions, respectively. Less complex models requiring only DMI had predictive ability comparable to complex models. Enteric CH4 production, yield, and intensity prediction models developed on an intercontinental basis had similar performance across regions, however, intercepts and slopes were different with implications for prediction. Revised CH4 emission conversion factors for specific regions are required to improve CH4 production estimates in national inventories. In conclusion, information on DMI is required for good prediction, and other factors such as dietary NDF concentration, improve the prediction. For enteric CH4 yield and intensity prediction, information on milk yield and composition is required for better estimation