Examining the relationship between sugar content, packaging features, and food claims of breakfast cereals

Excessive free-sugar intake has become highly prevalent in numerous countries, and Portugal is not the exception. One product category that contributes to the daily intake of free sugars is breakfast cereals. In the current work, we identified 289 exemplars from two major retailers in Portugal and collected information on their nutritional profile (e.g., sugar, salt, fiber per 100 g), price, packaging features, type of food claims present (e.g., statements about the composition, sensory features, the origin of the product), and ingredients list. Overall, the sugar content of breakfast cereals was high (Mean = 19.9 g), and less than 10% of the products complied with the current national guidelines (i.e., 5 g of sugar per 100 g of product). Sugar (or other sugar sources) was listed in the top three ingredients for over 85% of the products. On average, each product included about four claims (Mean = 3.9), and sugar content was lower when the claims were related to the product composition. Critically, the sugar content was particularly high for children-oriented products (Mean = 26.4 g). Correlation analysis showed that breakfast cereals with higher sugar content also were cheaper and had lower quantities of fiber, proteins, and salt. Our findings suggest the need to implement strategies to reduce sugar in this product category (e.g., incentivize manufacturers to reformulate products). Also, our results may inform strategies aimed at promoting consumers’ awareness about the sugar content in breakfast cereals and other processed foods, facilitating healthier decision-making.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

With or without Emoji? Perceptions about Emoji use in different brand-consumer communication contexts

Brands are increasingly using emoji in their computer-mediated communication (CMC). However, research on how consumers perceive such use, and the determinants of those perceptions, is scarce and results may be inconsistent. In a cross-sectional study () we examined how appropriate participants considered to be the use of emoji by brands, across five brand-consumer communication contexts. We additionally examined whether these perceptions were determined by demographic and individual variables (e.g., gender and frequency of emoji use), as well as individual views about emoji use in written CMC. Overall, perceptions toward the use of emoji by brands depended on the context, with participants considering more appropriate for brands to use emoji when publicizing on social media and less appropriate when making callbacks of defective products. Results further showed that such perceptions were more favorable among younger participants and those who used emoji more frequently, but also among those who considered emoji use more useful and formal. These findings contribute to the CMC field by highlighting how perceptions of emoji use by brands are shaped, while also informing how brands can enhance CMC with consumers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluating the adequacy of emoji use in positive and negative messages from close and distant senders

Computer-mediated communication allows people to communicate across several contexts (e.g., friends, professional settings) by using video-based or text-based channels. In the latter case, communication lacks nonverbal cues (e.g., tone of voice) that are critical to message interpretation. Including emoji can help express emotion and reinforce or clarify the meaning of a message. However, the benefits of using emoji are likely to depend on the context (e.g., the relationship between interlocutors) and the messages' features (e.g., the valence of the message). To date, studies have not systematically and empirically examined how the use of emoji is perceived across different communication scenarios. In the current study, we asked 175 participants (49.5 percent women; Mage = 36.32, SD = 12.22) to imagine receiving either a negative or a positive message from 22 senders (e.g., friend; bank manager) and to indicate, for each case, how much they would like to receive an emoji and how useful and appropriate they considered the use of emoji. These ratings were combined into a single index of emoji use adequacy. Based on factor analysis, the 22 scenarios were aggregated in distant and close scenarios. Overall, results showed that participants considered emoji use more inadequate in distant (vs. close) scenarios and for negative (vs. positive) messages. These findings suggest that the perceived benefits of emoji use for text-based communication may not be generalized to all text-based communication contexts, such that relationship proximity and message valence should not be overlooked. Implications for the fields of consumer psychology and communication are discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Motives, frequency and attitudes toward emoji and emoticon use

Electronic Mediated Communication (EMC) has become highly prevalent in our daily lives. Many of the communication formats used in EMC are text-based (e.g., instant messaging), and users often include visual paralinguistic cues in their messages. In the current study, we examined the usage of two of such cues - emoji and emoticons. Specifically, we compared self-reported frequency of use, as well as attitudes (6 bipolar items, e.g., “fun” vs. “boring”) and motives for their usage (9 motives, e.g., “express how I feel to others”). We also examined these indicators according to age and gender. Overall, participants (N = 474, 72.6% women; Mage = 30.71, SD = 12.58) reported using emoji (vs. emoticons) more often, revealed more positive attitudes toward emoji usage, and identified more with motives to use them. Moreover, all the ratings were higher among younger (vs. older) participants. Results also showed that women reported to use emoji (but not emoticons) more often and expressed more positive attitudes toward their usage than men. However, these gender differences were particularly evident for younger participants. No gender differences were found for emoticons usage. These findings add to the emerging body of literature by showing the relevance of considering age and gender, and their interplay, when examining patterns of emoji and emoticons use.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Respiration, Oxidative Phosphorylation, And Uncoupling Protein In Candida Albicans.

The respiration, membrane potential (Deltapsi), and oxidative phosphorylation of mitochondria in situ were determined in spheroplasts obtained from Candida albicans control strain ATCC 90028 by lyticase treatment. Mitochondria in situ were able to phosphorylate externally added ADP (200 microM) in the presence of 0.05% BSA. Mitochondria in situ generated and sustained stable mitochondrial Deltapsi respiring on 5 mM NAD-linked substrates, 5 mM succinate, or 100 microM N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride plus 1 mM ascorbate. Rotenone (4 microM) inhibited respiration by 30% and 2 micro M antimycin A or myxothiazole and 1 mM cyanide inhibited it by 85%. Cyanide-insensitive respiration was partially blocked by 2 mM benzohydroxamic acid, suggesting the presence of an alternative oxidase. Candida albicans mitochondria in situ presented a carboxyatractyloside-insensitive increase of Deltapsi induced by 5 mM ATP and 0.5% BSA, and Deltapsi decrease induced by 10 microM linoleic acid, both suggesting the existence of an uncoupling protein. The presence of this protein was subsequently confirmed by immunodetection and respiration experiments with isolated mitochondria. In conclusion, Candida albicans ATCC 90028 possesses an alternative electron transfer chain and alternative oxidase, both absent in animal cells. These pathways can be exceptional targets for the design of new chemotherapeutic agents. Blockage of these respiratory pathways together with inhibition of the uncoupling protein (another potential target for drug design) could lead to increased production of reactive oxygen species, dysfunction of Candida mitochondria, and possibly to oxidative cell death.371455-6

Efeito do extrato alcoólico da folha de erva de bugre no desempenho de sementes de feijão.

O trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito do extrato alcoólico de folha de Erva de Bugre (Casearia sylvestris) na germinação de sementes de feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Whole transcriptome analysis of the hippocampus: toward a molecular portrait of epileptogenesis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Uncovering the molecular mechanisms involved in epileptogenesis is critical to better understand the physiopathology of epilepsies and to help develop new therapeutic strategies for this prevalent and severe neurological condition that affects millions of people worldwide.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Changes in the transcriptome of hippocampal cells from rats subjected to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy were evaluated by microarrays covering 34,000 transcripts representing all annotated rat genes to date. Using such genome-wide approach, differential expression of nearly 1,400 genes was detected during the course of epileptogenesis, from the early events post <it>status epilepticus (SE) </it>to the onset of recurrent spontaneous seizures. Most of these genes are novel and displayed an up-regulation after <it>SE</it>. Noteworthy, a group of 128 genes was found consistently hyper-expressed throughout epileptogenesis, indicating stable modulation of the p38MAPK, Jak-STAT, PI3K, and mTOR signaling pathways. In particular, up-regulation of genes from the TGF-beta and IGF-1 signaling pathways, with opposite effects on neurogenesis, correlate with the physiopathological changes reported in humans.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A consistent regulation of genes functioning in intracellular signal transduction regulating neurogenesis have been identified during epileptogenesis, some of which with parallel expression patterns reported in patients with epilepsy, strengthening the link between these processes and development of epilepsy. These findings reveal dynamic molecular changes occurring in the hippocampus that may serve as a starting point for designing alternative therapeutic strategies to prevent the development of epilepsy after acquired brain insults.</p

Cathepsin B-associated Activation of Amyloidogenic Pathway in Murine Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I Brain Cortex

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is caused by genetic deficiency of alpha-l-iduronidase and impairment of lysosomal catabolism of heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate. In the brain, these substrates accumulate in the lysosomes of neurons and glial cells, leading to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Their storage also affects lysosomal homeostasis-inducing activity of several lysosomal proteases including cathepsin B (CATB). In the central nervous system, increased CATB activity has been associated with the deposition of amyloid plaques due to an alternative pro-amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), suggesting a potential role of this enzyme in the neuropathology of MPS I. In this study, we report elevated levels of protein expression and activity of CATB in cortex tissues of 6-month-old MPS I (Idua -/- mice. Besides, increased CATB leakage from lysosomes to the cytoplasm of Idua -/- cortical pyramidal neurons was indicative of damaged lysosomal membranes. The increased CATB activity coincided with an elevated level of the 16-kDa C-terminal APP fragment, which together with unchanged levels of beta-secretase 1 was suggestive for the role of this enzyme in the amyloidogenic APP processing. Neuronal accumulation of Thioflavin-S-positive misfolded protein aggregates and drastically increased levels of neuroinflammatory glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes and CD11b-positive activated microglia were observed in Idua -/- cortex by confocal fluorescent microscopy. Together, our results point to the existence of a novel CATB-associated alternative amyloidogenic pathway in MPS I brain induced by lysosomal storage and potentially leading to neurodegeneration