In vitro evaluation of Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. antioxidant activity

Mucuna pruriens (L). Dc is a plant of the Fabaceae family, commonly known as velvet bean, itchy bean, chiporro bean, mucuna, among others. This plant has several medicinal properties, including its potential to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). International studies have shown that this plant surpasses the benefits of the substance levodopa in the treatment of PD. Taking into account that nerve cells are highly sensitive to oxidative substances, this study evaluated the antioxidant activity of mucuna and compared it to that of levodopa. The plant seeds' phenolic concentration was quantified by using the Folin-Denis reagent and the antioxidant activity assays were performed by using three different methods: the reduction of the phosphomolybdenium complex, the reduction of radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the formation of radical monocation ABTS+, from the acid [2-2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate)]. Results showed that M. pruriens presents high antioxidant capacity, although not superior to isolated levodopa antioxidant capacity. Therefore, further studies should be performed to elucidate the activity of this plant in humans.A Mucuna pruriens (L). Dc é uma planta da família Fabaceae, conhecida popularmente como feijão-veludo, fava-coceira, feijão chiporro, mucuna, entre outros. Possui diversas propriedades medicinais, entre elas, o tratamento da doença de Parkinson (DP). Estudos internacionais vêm demonstrando que essa planta possui atividade superior à do fármaco levodopa para o tratamento da DP. O presente estudo avaliou a possibilidade da atividade antioxidante dessa planta auxiliar nesses resultados, uma vez que as células nervosas são altamente sensíveis às substâncias oxidativas. Para isto foi quantificada a concentração fenólica da semente da mucuna e os testes empregados para a avaliação da atividade antioxidante foram o teste de redução do complexo fosfomolibdênio, redução do radical 1,1-difenil-2-picril-hidrazil (DPPH) e a formação do radical monocatiônico ABTS+, proveniente do ácido [2-2'-azino-bis(3-etil-benzolina-6-sulfonado)]. Essa análise demonstrou que M. pruriens possui alta capacidade antioxidante, no entanto, não superior à levodopa isolada e, portanto, novos estudos devem ser realizados para a elucidação da atividade dessa planta em seres humanos

Effect of reprocessing cycles on the degradation of polypropylene copolymer filled with talc or montmorillonite during injection molding process

Mechanical recycling of polymeric materials is a favorable technique resulting in economic and environmental benefits, especially in the case of polymers with a high production volume as the polypropylene copolymer (PP). However, recycling by reprocessing techniques can lead to thermal, mechanical or thermo-oxidative degradation that can affect the structure of the polymer and subsequently the material properties. PP filled with montmorillonite (MMT) or talc are widely produced and studied, however, its degradation reactions by reprocessing cycles are poorly studied so far. In this study, the effects of reprocessing cycles in the structure and in the properties of the PP/MMT and PP/Talc were evaluated. The samples were mixed with 5% talc or MMT Cloisite C15A in a twin-screw extrusion. After extrusion, this filled material was submitted to five reprocessing cycles through an injection molding process. In order to evaluate the changes induced by reprocessing techniques, the samples were characterized by DSC, FT-IR, Izod impact and tensile strength tests. The study showed that Young modulus, elongation at brake and Izod impact were not affected by reprocessing cycles, except when using talc. In this case, the elongation at brake reduced until the fourth cycle, showing rigidity increase. The DSC results showed that melting and crystallization temperature were not affected. A comparison of FT-IR spectra of the reprocessed indicated that in both samples, between the first and the fifth cycle, no noticeable change has occurred. Thus, there is no evidence of thermo oxidative degradation. In general, these results suggest that PP reprocessing cycles using MMT or talc does not change the material properties until the fifth cycle

Design, materiais e sustentabilidade: micronização de produto multi-material visando sua reciclagem

A aplicação do ecodesign na seleção de materais é de extrema importância. Entretanto, percebe-se uma tendência contrária a essa prática, a de utilização de diversos materiais em um componente do produto (chamado multi-materiail). Apesar de apresentarem vantagens de fabricação,a reciclagem dos multi-materiais é complexa devido à dificuldade de separação dos materiais. Nesse contexto, apresenta-se como hipótese a utilização da micronização como alternativa para viabilizar o reprocessamento dos multi-materiais. Assim sendo, essa pesquisa buscou analisar a possibilidade de aplicação da micronização na reciclagem de produtos multi-materias co-injetados. Para tanto, o estudo prático consistiu na micronização de escovas de dente multi-materiais e posterior extrusão com polietileno de baixa densidade linear (PEDBL) virgem. Os resultados demonstraram que a micronização pode ser utilizada na reciclagem desses produtos, uma vez que o processo analisado se mostrou factível, utilizando métodos acessíveis. Além disso, não houve degradação do material ao longo do processo, assim como, o mesmo não danificou os equipamentos

Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants

Background Hypertension can be detected at the primary health-care level and low-cost treatments can effectively control hypertension. We aimed to measure the prevalence of hypertension and progress in its detection, treatment, and control from 1990 to 2019 for 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 1990 to 2019 on people aged 30–79 years from population-representative studies with measurement of blood pressure and data on blood pressure treatment. We defined hypertension as having systolic blood pressure 140 mm Hg or greater, diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or greater, or taking medication for hypertension. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and the proportion of people with hypertension who had a previous diagnosis (detection), who were taking medication for hypertension (treatment), and whose hypertension was controlled to below 140/90 mm Hg (control). The model allowed for trends over time to be non-linear and to vary by age. Findings The number of people aged 30–79 years with hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019, from 331 (95% credible interval 306–359) million women and 317 (292–344) million men in 1990 to 626 (584–668) million women and 652 (604–698) million men in 2019, despite stable global age-standardised prevalence. In 2019, age-standardised hypertension prevalence was lowest in Canada and Peru for both men and women; in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and some countries in western Europe including Switzerland, Spain, and the UK for women; and in several low-income and middle-income countries such as Eritrea, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Solomon Islands for men. Hypertension prevalence surpassed 50% for women in two countries and men in nine countries, in central and eastern Europe, central Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Globally, 59% (55–62) of women and 49% (46–52) of men with hypertension reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension in 2019, and 47% (43–51) of women and 38% (35–41) of men were treated. Control rates among people with hypertension in 2019 were 23% (20–27) for women and 18% (16–21) for men. In 2019, treatment and control rates were highest in South Korea, Canada, and Iceland (treatment >70%; control >50%), followed by the USA, Costa Rica, Germany, Portugal, and Taiwan. Treatment rates were less than 25% for women and less than 20% for men in Nepal, Indonesia, and some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Control rates were below 10% for women and men in these countries and for men in some countries in north Africa, central and south Asia, and eastern Europe. Treatment and control rates have improved in most countries since 1990, but we found little change in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Improvements were largest in high-income countries, central Europe, and some upper-middle-income and recently high-income countries including Costa Rica, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Turkey, and Iran. Interpretation Improvements in the detection, treatment, and control of hypertension have varied substantially across countries, with some middle-income countries now outperforming most high-income nations. The dual approach of reducing hypertension prevalence through primary prevention and enhancing its treatment and control is achievable not only in high-income countries but also in low-income and middle-income settings

Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)

From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions

Caracterização do ecossistema de startups de Florianópolis com base em um modelo estrutural

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção, Florianópolis, 2018.Os ecossistemas de startups são estruturas que se destacam no cenário atual devido ao impacto e às mudanças que os mesmos impõem à sociedade e a economia. Estes ecossistemas apresentam alto grau de complexidade, por efeito das startups, que possuem características que as diferenciam dos demais tipos de organizações. Neste sentido, a utilização de um modelo que represente um ecossistema de startups torna-se uma ferramenta importante no processo de estruturação de ações de fomento, articulação ou criação de ecossistemas. Dentre os diversos ecossistemas de startups existentes, há o caso específico de Florianópolis, que está entre os ecossistemas mais importantes do Brasil. O presente trabalho constitui-se numa caracterização do ecossistema de startups de Florianópolis, através da visão das próprias startups. Esta caracterização partiu da construção de um modelo estrutural de ecossistema de startups, elaborado com base nos modelos existentes de startup, inovação e empreendedorismo. A partir deste modelo, foram identificados os Fatores Críticos de Sucesso de um ecossistema e como as startups qualificam cada um desses fatores na cidade de Florianópolis. A pesquisa ainda buscou a opinião de outros atores, considerados estratégicos neste ecossistema, a fim de desenvolver análises e apontar oportunidades de melhorias neste ecossistema. Os resultados mostram que Florianópolis possui um ecossistema de startups bem consolidado, com diversos atores considerados importantes para o seu desenvolvimento, e alguns dos pontos fortes a serem destacados são: as características e qualidade dos empreendedores do ecossistema, a capacidade da cidade de atrair empresários e mão de obra, a cultura voltada para a inovação e empreendedorismo construída no ecossistema, além das estrutura de suporte às startups. Dentre os aspectos a serem melhorados, destaca-se a necessidade de modificar a estrutura de transporte e mobilidade da cidade, intensificar vínculo entre as universidades, startups e empresas e a necessidade de criar estruturas legais específicas para as startups.Abstract : The startup ecosystems are structures that stand out in the current scenario due to the impact and changes they impose on society and economy. These ecosystems have a high degree of complexity caused by the peculiar characteristics presented by the startups. In this sense, the use of a model that represents an ecosystem of startups becomes a strong tool in the process of structuring actions to foment or create ecosystems. Among the several existing startups ecosystems, there is the specific case of Florianópolis, which is one of the most important ecosystems in the country. The present work presents a characterization of the startup ecosystem of Florianópolis, through the view of the startups themselves. This characterization started from the construction of a structural model of the startups ecosystem, elaborated from existing models of startup, innovation and entrepreneurship. From this model, it was identified the Critical Success Factors of an ecosystem and how the startups qualify each of these factors in the city of Florianópolis. The research also sought the opinion of other actors, considered strategic in this ecosystem, and developed analyzes and pointed out opportunities for improvement in this ecosystem. The results show that Florianópolis has a well-established startups ecosystem, with several actors considered important for its development, and its strengths to be highlighted are: the characteristics and quality of ecosystem entrepreneurs, the capacity of the city to attract entrepreneurs and employees, the culture focused on innovation and entrepreneurship built in the ecosystem, and the support structure for startups. Among the aspects to be improved, it is necessary to modify the transport and mobility structure of the city, intensify the link between universities, startups and companies and the need for specific legal structures for startups