Crispy banana obtained by the combination of a high temperature and short time drying stage and a drying process

The effect of the high temperature and short time (HTST) drying stage was combined with an air drying process to produce crispness in bananas. The fruit was dehydrated in an air drier for five minutes at 70 degrees C and then immediately set at a HTST stage (130, 140, 150 degrees C and 9, 12, 15 minutes) and then at 70 degrees C until water activity (a(w)) was around 0.300. Crispness was evaluated as a function of water activity, using sensory and texture analyses. Drying kinetics was evaluated using the empirical Lewis model. Crispy banana was obtained at 140 degrees C-12min and 150 degrees C-15min in the HTST stage, with a(w) = 0.345 and a(w) = 0.363, respectively. Analysis of the k parameter (Lewis model) suggests that the initial moisture content of the samples effects this parameter, overcoming the HTST effect. Results showed a relationship between sensory crispness, instrumental texture and the HTST stage.22228529

Situational-Context for Virtually Modeling the Elderly

The generalized aging of the population is incrementing the pressure over, frequently overextended, healthcare systems. This situations is even worse in underdeveloped, sparsely populated regions like Extremadura in Spain or Alentejo in Portugal. In this paper we propose an initial approach to use the Situational-Context, a technique to seamlessly adapt Internet of Things systems to the needs and preferences of their users, for virtually modeling the elderly. These models could be used to enhance the elderly experience when using those kind of systems without raising the need for technical skills. The proposed virtual models will also be the basis for further eldercare innovations in sparsely populated regions

Biomarkers of Thermal Adaptation: New Tools in Sustainable Livestock Production under Climate Change

Climate changes have been identified as one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats to the planet and humanity. The increase of extreme weather events, such as prolonged droughts, extreme ambient temperatures or periods with high and intensive precipitation has effects on animal production systems. Crops, and consequently forage productivity and availability are compromised, the risk of new diseases increase, and animal production is impaired (growth, reproductive performance, metabolic and health status, and immune response can be affected). In this way the development of resilient and robust animal production systems, together with an improvement in the knowledge of the environmental impact in animal production and welfare are crucial to enhance innovation, sustainability and productivity in the animal sector. Ambient temperature and its abrupt extreme events have a major impact on the energy metabolism of livestock. This implies that animals presenting more physiological versatility can be best adapted, and therefore less susceptible to thermal stress and more productive. To achieve a production system where the detrimental effect of the climate change can be the minimum is necessary to improve the ability of the animal to cope with environmental stress by management and selection. The existence of biomarkers that allow to identify the levels of thermal stress and/or acclimation are valuable in the process of selecting the best well suited animals for each environmental condition, to propose selection programs based on that and for the herds management. Ideally biomarkers should be obtained from readily accessible samples, preferably non-invasively or minimally invasive, such as saliva, sweat and milk, hair and feces. Nowadays, the most commonly fluid used in biomarkers studies is the blood/plasma, but with growing tendency for being replaced. Blood cortisol has been one of the parameters more frequently used for assessing stressful conditions such as thermal stress. Nevertheless, it does not allow a full understanding of heat stress, due to its circadian cycle and because the confounding with other types of stress. Moreover, and taking the advantage of saliva as a non-invasive source of this corticosteroid, salivary cortisol has been also referred as potentially interesting. However, some of the limitations in taking conclusions from salivary cortisol results are the same reported for blood cortisol. Consequently, new and better non-invasive methods, than allow assessing stress, are necessary. The aim of this chapter is to present the state of the art on stress responses (climate, housing) and the principal effects of great temperature amplitudes in livestock production and the existing means to evaluate heat stress and acclimation capacity. Focus will be put on the importance of new reliable biomarkers. Saliva, hair, milk and feces will be discussed as potential sources of such non-invasive biomarkers

Fecal Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4: An Emergent Biomarker in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

INTRODUCTION: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) is a membrane-bound glycoprotein that acts as a receptor but also exists in a soluble form. It has been recognized as a mediator of inflammation and considered a biomarker in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: We evaluated a prospectively recruited cohort, consisting of 101 patients with IBD, using validated clinical indexes; 22 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) underwent endoscopic evaluation. Fecal DPP-4 (fDPP-4) levels were analyzed and correlated with clinical scores, Mayo endoscopic score (in UC patients), serum DPP-4, C-reactive protein, and fecal calprotectin. Immunohistochemical staining for DPP-4 in intestinal biopsies was also performed. RESULTS: When compared with remitters, median fDPP-4 levels were higher in patients with ileal Crohn's disease (CD) (7,584 [1,464-7,816] vs 2,104 [630-2,676] ng/mL, P = 0.015) and lower in patients with UC exhibiting clinical activity (1,213 [559-1,682] vs 7,814 [2,555-7,985] ng/mL, P < 0.001). Patients with UC presenting endoscopic activity also had lower levels than remitters (939 [559-1,420] vs 7,544 [4,531-7,940] ng/mL, P = 0.006). Fecal DPP-4 discriminated clinical activity from remission with areas under the curve of 0.76 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-0.94, P = 0.015) and 0.80 (95% CI 0.68-0.93, P < 0.001) in CD and UC, respectively; it allowed to differentiate endoscopic activity in patients with UC, with areas under the curve of 0.84 (95% CI 0.63-1.00, P = 0.009). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed higher DPP-4 apical expression in UC remitters, but no statistically significant differences were revealed between patients with ileal CD. DISCUSSION: Our results suggest that fDPP-4 can be used as a biomarker of IBD activity, particularly in UC. The expression profiles in intestinal tissue might represent a functional compartmentalization of DPP-4 expression

Optimizing the use of systemic corticosteroids in severe asthma (ROSA II project): a national Delphi consensus study

Although the prevalence of severe asthma is not high (5–10% of patients), it is responsible for a large part of the overall disease burden and costs (50–60% of total costs), especially if the condition remains uncontrolled (which occurs in around 40% of cases). Currently, for patients without disease control or presenting frequent exacerbations despite optimal therapy, add-on treatments, traditionally long-acting anticholinergics, oral corticosteroids (OCS), or biologic agents (monoclonal antibodies) are recommended. Nonetheless, the long-term use of oral/systemic corticosteroids (CS) is significantly associated with adverse effects, acute and chronic complications that may decrease health-related quality of life and worsen prognosis, thus requiring additional monitoring and management. Conversely, target therapies (i.e., omalizumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab, and more recently, dupilumab) have been developed grounded on the different phenotypes and endotypes of severe asthma, and are gradually reducing the reliance on OCS (i.e., greater specificity for achieving disease control by reducing the risk of exacerbations and requirements for rescue medication and OCS, with limited adverse events).This work was supported by AstraZeneca.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Anti-inflammatory effects and possible mechanism of action of lupeol acetate isolated from Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The species <it>Himatanthus drasticus </it>is popularly known in Northeast Brazil as "janaguba" and belongs to the family Apocynaceae. The latex collected from its stem bark is used for several purposes including anti-inflammatory properties and presents among its bioactive constituents the pentacyclic triterpene lupeol. The objective of the present work was to study <it>in vivo </it>and <it>in vitro </it>the lupeol acetate (LA) isolated from the plant latex, in several models of inflammation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Male Swiss mice (25-30 g, 6-24 animals per group) were administered with LA, 30 min before the test initiation. In the evaluation of analgesic activity the formalin test was used. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by the following tests: paw edema induced by carrageenan and dextran, and the carrageenan-induced neutrophil migration into peritoneal cavities. Furthermore, the effect of LA on the myeloperoxidase release (MPO, an inflammation biomarker) from human neutrophils was also determined, as well as its antioxidant potential by the DPPH assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the formalin test, LA (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited both the 1^st(neurogenic, 0-5 min) and mainly the 2^nd(inflammatory, 20-25 min) phase. Naloxone completely reversed the LA effect, indicating the participation of the opioid system. LA also significantly inhibited carrageenan- and dextran-induced paw edemas, as well as the neutrophil migration to the peritoneal cavity evaluated by the carrageenan-induced pleurisia. In this model, the effect of a very low dose of LA (0.1 mg/kg) was potentiated by the same dose of pentoxifylline (PTX), a known TNF-alpha inhibitor. LA (25 and 50 μg/ml) was also very effective in inhibiting MPO released from stimulated human neutrophils, and significantly decreased the number of cells expressing iNOS activity in the paw of mice submitted to carrageenan-induced edema, suggesting a drug involvement with the NO system.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The anti-inflammatory effect of LA probably involves the opioid system, as indicated by the complete blockade of the opioid antagonist naloxone. Furthermore, the LA effect was potentiated by PTX (a TNF-alpha inhibitor). LA also decreased the number of iNOS cells, suggesting the participation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the NO system in the drug action.</p

XPERT® breast cancer STRAT4 as an alternative method of identifying breast cancer phenotype in Cape Verde (preliminary results)

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC) is a public health problem in developing countries, including Cape Verde. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is the gold standard technique used for BC phenotypic characterisation to support efficient therapeutic decisions. However, IHC is a demanding technique that requires knowledge, trained technicians, expensive antibodies and reagents, controls, and results validation. The low number of cases in Cape Verde increases the risk of expiring the validity of the antibodies, and manual procedures often jeopardise the quality of the results. Thus, IHC is limited in Cape Verde, and an alternative technically easy solution is needed. A point-of-care messenger RNA (mRNA) STRAT4 BC assay to assess estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), hormone growth factor 2 receptor (HER2), and Ki67, using the GeneXpert platform, has been recently validated on tissues from internationally accredited laboratories, showing excellent concordance with IHC results.To assess whether this technology can be implemented in Cape Verde to guide BC treatment we decided to study the level of agreement between the findings yielded by BC STRAT4 and the results are the same cases obtained by IHC. METHODS: Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from 29 Cabo Verdean BC patients diagnosed in Agostinho Neto University Hospital were analysed by applying IHC and BC STRAT4 assay. The time between sample collection and pre-analytic procedures is unknown. All the samples were pre-processed in Cabo Verde (fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin). IHC studies were performed in referenced laboratories in Portugal. STRAT4 and IHC result concordance was assessed by calculating the percentage of results agreement and Cohen's Kappa (K) statistics. RESULTS: STRAT4 assay failed in 2 out of the 29 analysed samples. Of the 27 successfully analysed samples, STRAT4/IHC results for ER, PR, HER2, and Ki67 were concordant in 25, 24, 25, and 18 cases, respectively. Ki67 was indeterminate in three cases, and PR was indeterminate once.The percentage of agreement between STRAT4 and IHC results for ER, PR, HER2, and Ki67 was 92.59%, 92.31%, 92.59% and 81.82%, respectively. The Cohen's K statistic coefficients for each biomarker were 0.809, 0.845, 0.757 and 0.506, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: According to our preliminary results, a point-of-care mRNA STRAT4 BC assay may be an alternative in laboratories unable to provide quality and/or cost-efficient IHC services. However, more data and improvement on sample pre-analytic processes are required to implement this BC STRAT4 Assay in Cape Verde