Efeito do 1-Metilciclopropeno no amadurecimento de quivi.

O quivi é um fruto extremamente sensível ao etileno. Pequenas concentrações desse fitohormônio causam amadurecimento e amolecimento precoces nesse fruto. O 1-MCP, um inibidor da ação do etileno, vem sendo utilizado para retardar o processo de amadurecimento em diferentes frutos. Esse inibidor bloqueia temporariamente o acesso do etileno aos receptores, inibindo sua ação nos tecidos vegetais. A resposta ao tratamento com 1-MCP depende da dose, espécie, cultivar e do estádio de desenvolvimento em que o produto é aplicado. Diferentes estudos têm sido realizados visando elucidar a ação do 1-MCP em quivis, entretanto, a maioria dos estudos relata o efeito desse inibidor em quivis após o armazenamento em atmosfera refrigerada e controlada, não elucidando o papel do 1-MCP em temperatura ambiente, além disso, os autores não relatam o efeito do gás sobre a qualidade sensorial de quivis. Nesse sentido, este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o efeito do 1-MCP durante a evolução da maturação de quivis em temperatura ambiente. Nesse estudo foram utilizadas duas cultivares de quivi, Monty, a qual é mais bem estudada durante o período pós-colheita, e Tewi, que apresenta poucas informações do manejo pós-colheita. Frutos de ambas as cultivares, tratados e não tratados com 1-MCP após a colheita foram mantidos em temperatura ambiente durante 15 dias. A evolução da maturação foi monitorada a cada três dias através da medida da firmeza de polpa, teor de sólidos solúveis, acidez total titulável e avaliação da qualidade sensorial. Conforme esperado, a firmeza de polpa foi menor nos frutos não tratados com 1-MCP e maior nos frutos que receberam o tratamento em ambas cultivares estudadas e em todos os períodos avaliados. O teor de SS e de ácido cítrico foi influenciado significativamente pela aplicação de 1-MCP nos frutos de ambas as cultivares e em todos os períodos de avaliação, verificando-se maior teor de SS e menor de ácido cítrico em frutos não tratados. O 1-MCP foi eficiente no atraso do processo de amadurecimento de quivis das cultivares Monty e Tewi, onde se verificou a manutenção da firmeza de polpa dos frutos. No entanto, frutos que receberam o tratamento apresentaram qualidade sensorial inferior no período analisado

Effect of preparation conditions on morphology, drug content and release profiles of poly(hydroxybutyrate) microparticles containing piroxicam

In this study, poly(hydroxybutyrate) microparticles containing piroxicam were prepared by the oil-in-water emulsion-solvent evaporation method. The effects of some process conditions on drug content were determined using a 2³ factorial design. The piroxicam loading efficiency varied from 5.5 to 89.8 %. Hollow and irregular microparticles with drug crystals on their surfaces were obtained when 5 mL of chloroform was used as the internal phase. In the release study, all of the piroxicam was released to the dissolution medium (phosphate buffer pH 7.4) after 8 h. Small spherical microspheres with a rough and porous polymeric matrix were obtained when 20 mL of dichloromethane was used as the internal phase and isopropanol was added to the external aqueous phase. These microspheres controlled the piroxicam release for approximately 50 h. The results demonstrated that it is possible to obtain microparticles with specific characteristics by the optimization of the process conditions.No presente estudo foram preparadas micropartículas de poli(hidroxibutirato) contendo piroxicam pela técnica de emulsão-evaporação do solvente. A influência de alguns parâmetros do processo sobre a eficiência de encapsulação do fármaco foi avaliada por meio de um planejamento fatorial do tipo 2³. A eficiência de encapsulação do piroxicam variou de 5,5 a 89,8%. Micropartículas ocas e irregulares, contendo cristais de fármaco na superfície, foram obtidas quando se utilizou 5 mL de clorofórmio como fase interna da emulsão. Com o ensaio de liberação in vitro evidenciou-se que, após 8 h, todo o fármaco havia sido liberado para o meio. Micropartículas esféricas com superfície externa rugosa e porosa foram obtidas quando se utilizou 20 mL de diclorometano como fase interna e adicionou-se isopropanol à fase externa da emulsão. Essas microesferas foram capazes de controlar a liberação do piroxicam durante 50 h. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que é possível obter micropartículas com características específicas pela otimização das condições empregadas no processo de encapsulação.91492

WITHDRAWN: Herbalists, traditional healers and pharmacists: a view of the tuberculosis in Ghana

The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published, http://dx.doi.org/<10.1590/0102-695X2014241405>. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn.The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy

Caregiver awareness of reproductive health issues for women with intellectual disabilities

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Limited attention has been paid to the issue of reproductive health as it affects women with intellectual disabilities, despite reproductive health being a vital issue in public health policy for women in the general population. This paper describes caregiver awareness of reproductive health issues relative to women with intellectual disabilities who are being cared for in welfare institutions in Taiwan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study employed a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study which recruited 1,152 caregivers (response rate = 71.87%) from 32 registered disability welfare institutions in Taiwan. We classified their understanding/awareness of reproductive health issues into four domains: menstrual (1) and menopause (2) issues, sex education (3), and reproductive health services (4). Each domain had five associated yes/no questions and the total score for the four domains was out of a maximum of 20. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 software.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that most of the caregivers were familiar with matters concerning sex education, menopause, and reproductive health services, but they lacked adequate understanding of issues associated with menstruation in women with ID. Many aspects of reproductive health such as "menstrual pain", "age at menarche", "masturbation", "diet during perimenopause", and "publicly available reproductive health services" were issues in which caregivers lacked adequate knowledge and required further instruction. Logistic regression analysis revealed that female caregivers with a university degree, and those who had experience assisting with reproductive health care were more inclined to have higher reproductive health awareness scores than their counterparts.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study highlights that service providers should offer appropriate reproductive health education to institutional caregivers, and that more attention be focused on the personal experiences and concerns of intellectually disabled women in future research.</p

Messages that increase women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy: results from quantitative testing of advertising concepts

Background: Public awareness-raising campaigns targeting alcohol use during pregnancy are an important part of preventing prenatal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Despite this, there is little evidence on what specific elements contribute to campaign message effectiveness. This research evaluated three different advertising concepts addressing alcohol and pregnancy: a threat appeal, a positive appeal promoting a self-efficacy message, and a concept that combined the two appeals. The primary aim was to determine the effectiveness of these concepts in increasing women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy.Methods: Women of childbearing age and pregnant women residing in Perth, Western Australia participated in a computer-based questionnaire where they viewed either a control or one of the three experimental concepts. Following exposure, participants’ intentions to abstain from and reduce alcohol intake during pregnancy were measured. Other measures assessed included perceived main message, message diagnostics, and potential to promote defensive responses or unintended consequences.Results: The concepts containing a threat appeal were significantly more effective at increasing women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy than the self-efficacy message and the control. The concept that combined threat and self-efficacy is recommended for development as part of a mass-media campaign as it has good persuasive potential, provides a balance of positive and negative emotional responses, and is unlikely to result in defensive or unintended consequences.Conclusions: This study provides important insights into the components that enhance the persuasiveness and effectiveness of messages aimed at preventing prenatal alcohol exposure. The recommended concept has good potential for use in a future campaign aimed at promoting women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnanc

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization hydrogen/deuterium exchange studies to probe peptide conformational changes

AbstractHydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange chemistry monitored by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry is used to study solution phase conformational changes of bradykinin, α-melanocyte stimulating hormone, and melittin as water is added to methanol-d4, acetonitrile, and isopropanol-d8 solutions. The results are interpreted in terms of a preference for the peptides to acquire more compact conformations in organic solvents as compared to the random conformations. Our interpretation is supported by circular dichroism spectra of the peptides in the same solvent systems and by previously published structural data for the peptides. These results demonstrate the utility of MALDI-TOF as a method to monitor the H/D exchange chemistry of peptides and investigations of solution-phase conformations of biomolecules