Used food oils: physical-chemical indicators of quality degradation

Comunicação apresentada em 11th Baltic Conference on Food Science and Technology “Food science and technology in achanging world” FOODBALT 2017 Conference Proceedings. Jelgava, LLUUsed food oil (UFO), designated as frying oil, is a residue. Degradation by reuse or during storage, may occur by contacting, chemical, enzymatic and microbiological pathways, but oxidation is a major concern of the industry, as it affects sensory and nutritional quality of edible oils, with potentially toxic compounds formation. In Portugal, UFO's main destination still is the sewerage system, an environmental problem and waste of raw material, which can be re-qualified for non-food uses. However, quality control applied to UFO's, often results into expensive analysis inappropriate for small laboratories and catering industry. This project, developed with the Musketeers Group Portugal co-promotion (2012-2016), aimed to identify low-cost physicochemical parameters for further implementation as UFO's Quality Degradation Indicators (QDI) indicating defects quickly and accurately. UFO's analysis was tested on the use, for industrial frying, and by degradation induced in the laboratory (frying and heat stability tests) by applying following parameters: moisture, water activity (a(w)), total acidity, peroxide index, iodine index, colour (CIE, CIE Lab), UV absorbency, total polar compounds and microbiological indicators. Internal procedures (ESAS) were validated, redefining working ranges and test conditions, as standards procedures did not provide reliable results for the entire life cycle of oils, whose profile changes with time and reuse. Results demonstrate significant differences with quick response parameters as Total Acidity, Peroxide Index and CIE Lab colour, outlined as QDI's. Moisture, aw and CIE Lab colour proved to be inadequate for this purpose. Iodine Index and UV Absorbency are more complex and time-consuming and were profiled as reference methods.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adjustment strategies adopted by higher education students during COVID-19 pandemic: focus group discussions

Introduction: With the closure of higher education institutions during the COVID-19 sanitary crisis, students have experienced problems such as interruptions to their education, loss of peer support networks, and mental health issues. Objectives: This study aimed to explore adjustment patterns used by students to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods:A qualitative descriptive study was developed by carrying out Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Portuguese students enrolled in education levels above high school, including undergraduate and graduate programs, were considered eligible. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Each FGD took approximately 60–90 min. Results: Twelve students were participated in 2 FGDs, each one with 6 participants. Mostly were undergraduate students (Bachelor’s degree), in the field of health area. The thematic analysis revealed three main themes. The first theme was related to the personal sphere and included most of adjustment strategies used, namely: pandemic as a “window of opportunity” to be involved in new academic and professional projects; work-life balance by organizing and separating work from private life; selfcare through the adoption of healthy lifestyles; being compassionate with others and compliance with sanitary measures. In the social sphere, students evoked new ways of communicating via digital networking to compensate for the lack of physical proximity and stay in safe contact with friends and relatives. In the contextual sphere, students talked about the importance of adapting the “teaching/learning” environment. Tailored teaching support was a significant strategy, especially in maintaining their motivation. Conclusions: Several strategies were pointed by students to stay mentally healthy and mitigate delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, positive coping and hope should be integrated into the standard training of students across all study areas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Infeções e resistências a antibióticos num serviço de medicina

Atualmente, a resistência bacteriana aos antibióticos é um dos maiores desafios de saúde, particularmente nos Serviços de Medicina. Neste serviço você vai encontrar o maior número de pacientes com doença infecciosa, que é uma das principais causas de hospitalização. Objectivos: Pretende-se determinar as taxas de infectividade, a etiologia das infecções e padrões de susceptibilidade antimicrobiana no serviço de Medicina do Centro Hospitalar do Nordeste (CHNE)-Unidade Hospitalar de Bragança. Métodos: Durante o período compreendido entre 1 de Janeiro e 31 de Dezembro do ano 2008, foram recebidas no exame bacteriológico hospitalar laboratório 3547, dos quais 363 com resultados positivos. Resultados: Na urina culturas identificadas uma taxa de infectividade de 9,04%, observando que estes 64,15% são devido a E. coli. Tal como para as culturas de expectoração, houve uma taxa de infecciosidade de 19,68%, sendo que, destes 23,23% foram Staphylococcus aureus. As culturas de sangue identificada uma taxa de infecciosidade de 5,66%, esta deve ser, principalmente, à presença de Staphylococcus aureus (25,00%). Conclusões: Gram-negativos (P. aeruginosa, E. coli e Klebsiella pneumoniae) mostrou que a maioria da resistência à Penicilins e cefalosporinas, pertencem ao grupo de antibióticos b-lactâmicos. Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina foram, uma cepa MRSA

Lipoxidation and cancer immunity

Lipoxidation is a well-known reaction between electrophilic carbonyl species, formed during oxidation of lipids, and specific proteins that, in most cases, causes an alteration in proteins function. This can occur under physiological conditions but, in many cases, it has been associated to pathological process, including cancer. Lipoxidation may have an effect in cancer development through their effects in tumour cells, as well as through the alteration of immune components and the consequent modulation of the immune response. The formation of protein adducts affects different proteins in cancer, triggering different mechanism, such as proliferation, cell differentiation and apoptosis, among others, altering cancer progression. The divergent results obtained documented that the formation of lipoxidation adducts can have either anti-carcinogenic or pro-carcinogenic effects, depending on the cell type affected and the specific adduct formed. Moreover, lipoxidation adducts may alter the immune response, consequently causing either positive or negative alterations in cancer progression. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the effects of lipoxidation adducts in cancer cells and immune components and their consequences in the evolution of different types of cancer.publishe

Cartografias jornalísticas: apontamentos para uma agenda de pesquisa no campo da Comunicação e nos Estudos de Jornalismo

This article addresses “journalistic cartographies” as an interfield of studies starting from the Geographies of Communication and the Geocommunications, whose epistemological and methodological assumptions mobilize Communication and Journalism knowledge. Initially, we briefly present the process of transformation of cartography under the impact of so-called geotechnologies and digital platforms. Next, the trajectory of the (still unfinished) concept of “journalistic cartography” is reconstructed, based on an exploratory search for the term in four languages, which reveals the protagonism of geographers to the detriment of Communication and Journalism researchers. Finally, we propose a discussion about the relationship between media maps and communicative effectiveness and journalistic ethics, taking “geojournalism” inaugurated by the InfoAmazonia project as paradigmatic. We concluded that a research agenda on cartography is urgently needed from the perspective of Communication and Journalism Studies.Este artigo aborda as “cartografias jornalísticas” como um intercampo de estudos a partir das Geografias da Comunicação e das Geocomunicações, cujos pressupostos epistemológicos e metodológicos mobilizam conhecimentos das áreas de Geografia, Comunicação e Computação. Inicialmente, apresenta-se brevemente o processo de transformação da cartografia sob o impacto das chamadas geotecnologias e das plataformas digitais. Em seguida, reconstitui-se a trajetória de construção (ainda inacabada) do conceito de “cartografia jornalística”, a partir de uma busca exploratória do termo em quatro idiomas, na qual fica evidente o protagonismo dos geógrafos em detrimento dos pesquisadores da Comunicação e do Jornalismo. Por fim, propõe-se uma discussão sobre a relação dos mapas midiáticos com a eficácia comunicativa e a ética jornalística, tomando-se o “geojornalismo” inaugurado pelo projeto InfoAmazonia como paradigmático. Conclui-se pela urgência de uma agenda de pesquisa sobre a cartografia na perspectiva da Comunicação e dos Estudos do Jornalismo

Prenatal tobacco exposure is related to neurobehavioral modifications in infants of adolescent mothers

INTRODUCTION: Prenatal tobacco exposure interferes with neonatal outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine the neonatal neurobehavioral effects of in utero tobacco exposure. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study included healthy, term, with birth weight appropriate for gestacional age neonates without exposure to alcohol, drugs, or infections, born to adolescent mothers without psychiatric disorders or post-traumatic stress. Infants were classified according to in utero tobacco exposure, as identified by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview administered to mothers. Neurobehavior was assessed by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Network Neurobehavioral Scale. Both tools were administered between 24 and 72 hours after birth. Neurobehavioral outcomes were compared between exposed and nonexposed infants by ANOVA. The associations between neurobehavioral scores and number of cigarettes smoked were studied by linear correlation. RESULTS: During the study, 928 newborns of adolescent mothers were born, and 388 were included in the study. Of these, 23 were exposed to tobacco, and 365 neonates were not exposed. There were no differences between the groups in gestational age, birth weight, post-natal age at the exam, or time between last feeding and exam. Exposed neonates showed higher scores on arousal (p = 0.004), excitability (p = 0.003), and stress/abstinence signals (p = 0.019) and a lower score on regulation (p = 0.025). After adjusting for the type of anesthesia, mode of delivery, gender, age at neurologic exam, exam duration and time between last feeding and exam, differences in arousal and excitability remained significant. The mean number of cigarettes consumed daily was positively correlated with lethargy (p = 0.013) and inversely with attention (p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Neonates exposed in utero to tobacco showed worse neurobehavioral performance between 24 and 48 hours of life

Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity of Taraxacum hispanicum Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts on HepG2 Cells

Plants belonging to the genus Taraxacum have been used in traditional medicine. Nowadays, extracts of these plants have been reported for the treatment of diseases, including liver disorders. Increasing interest and research on these plants also revealed its potential for treating cancer. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant activity and cytotoxic properties of crude extracts from aerial parts of Taraxacum hispanicum H.Lindb, against human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2). Material and methods: Evaluation of the antioxidant properties was performed using DPPH in vitro test, superoxide scavenging assay and Fe2+ chelating activity. MTT assay was used to determine metabolic activity, for 24 and 48 hours.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quitosana: biopolímero funcional com potencial industrial biomédico

The importance of chitosan has grown significantly over the last two decades due to its renewable and biodegradable source, and also because of the recent increase in the knowledge of its functionality in the technological and biomedical applications. The present article reviews the biopolymer chitosan and its derivatives as versatile biomaterials for potential drug delivery systems, as well as tissue engineering applications, analgesia and treatment of arthritis

Assepsia de sementes para estabelecimento in vitro de espécies medicinais nativas da Caatinga.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho, realizar diferentes testes de assepsia para o estabelecimento in vitro de três espécies nativas da Caatinga de potencial medicinal