Chemical structure and biological activity of the (1 → 3)-linked β-D-glucan isolated from marine diatom Conticribra weissflogii

Several polysaccharides are considered to be "biological response modifiers" (BRM) - these refer to biomolecules that augment immune responses and can be derived from a variety of sources. Microalgae produce a diverse range of polysaccharides and could be an excellent source of BRM. Here, we describe the chemical structure and biological activity of water-soluble polysaccharide isolated from the marine diatom Conticribra weissflogii. Using chemical and NMR spectroscopic methods, the polysaccharide was identified as a (1 → 3)-linked β-D-glucan with a low proportion of C-6 substitution by single β-glucose units. The biological activity of this low molecular weight β-glucan (11.7 kDa) was investigated with respect to glioblastoma cell lines (U87 MG and U251) and macrophages (RAW 264.7). We observed that this β-D-glucan did not exhibit cytotoxic activity against glioblastoma cells, but did enhance the phagocytic activity of macrophages, suggesting that it possesses immunomodulatory properties.</p

Influência do canto coral na qualidade de vida em voz dos usuários do serviço público de saúde

Resumo: OBJETIVO: investigar a qualidade de vida relacionada à voz de participantes de um grupo de canto promovido por profissionais do sistema público de saúde. MÉTODOS: o estudo foi realizado com 86 indivíduos de ambos os sexos, dos quais 46 compunham o grupo controle e 40, o grupo em estudo, cujos usuários participavam do grupo de canto. Os participantes preencheram o questionário de Qualidade de Vida em Voz validado para o português brasileiro. Para verificar a diferença entre as médias dos grupos foi utilizado o teste não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney, com significância < 0,05. RESULTADO: as médias de idade dos grupos foram 58,95 anos para o grupo controle e 60,82 anos para o grupo estudo, não havendo diferença estatística entre as médias. Tanto os escores totais, quanto os relacionados a cada domínio separadamente, se mostraram bem semelhantes entre os grupos, não tendo sido encontrada diferença significante (p=0,9295). Além disso, foi verificado que o tempo de permanência no grupo EnCanto não influenciou no resultado dos escores. CONCLUSÃO: não houve diferença significante entre os escores dos grupos, o que pode ter sido influenciado pelo fato de ambos já apresentarem escores dentro da normalidade. Semelhantemente, os escores não foram diferenciados pelo tempo de permanência no grupo EnCanto, podendo estar relacionado à influência antagônica causada pelo processo de presbilaringe, por se tratar de uma população predominantemente idosa. Entretanto, são necessários novos estudos

Interferência da dieta de alto grão sobre as características da carcaça e carne de cordeiros Texel

This study aimed to investigate the effect of diets with different proportions of concentrate in finishing lambs Texel on carcass characteristics and meat sheep. Twelve Texel lambs with an initial weight of 20.1 ± 2.34 kg were used. The treatments consisted of three levels of concentrate in the total ration (60, 80 and 100%) and four replicates per treatment.As the values of loin eye area, finish and weight of rib and ham were higher (P <0.05) for animals receiving 80 and 100% concentrate diet compared to animals consuming 60%. Lambs receiving 100% of the diet with high grain had higher incomes, loin eye area and carcass finish, these characteristics relevant to the issue by providing animals most productive portion of edible meat and satisfactory quality to the consumer market. The levels of concentrate in the diet did not alter the qualitative parameters and sensory from lamb feedlot these characteristics that may ensure greater acceptance of the final product, so it is recommended the use of diets containing high concentrate to sheep.Este estudo teve como objetivo estudar o efeito de dietas com diferentes proporções de concentrado na terminação de cordeiros Texel sobre as características das carcaças e carne ovina. Foram utilizados 12 cordeiros da raça Texel com peso inicial de 20,1±2,34kg. Foram avaliadas rações com três proporções de concentrado na ração total (60, 80 e 100%) e quatro repetições por tratamento. O concentrado foi composto por 15%suplemento nutricional + 85% grão de milho inteiro e o volumoso foi feno de Aveia (Avena strigosa). O rendimento verdadeiro da carcaça foi superior para os animais consumindo 100% de concentrado na dieta, em média 58,3%. Os valores da área de olho de lombo, acabamento e os pesos de costilhar e pernil foram superiores (P<0,05) para os animais recebendo 80 e 100% de concentrado na dieta em relação aos animais consumindo 60%. Cordeiros recebendo 100% da dieta com alto grão apresentaram maiores rendimentos, área de olho de lombo e acabamento de carcaça, características essas relevantes em relação à questão produtiva fornecendo animais com maior porção de carne comestível e com qualidade satisfatória ao mercado consumidor. Os teores de concentrado na dieta não alteraram os parâmetros qualitativos e sensoriais da carne de cordeiros terminados em confinamento, características essas que poderão garantir maior aceitação do produto final, recomendando-se assim a utilização de dietas contendo alto teor de concentrado para ovinos

Desmame da ventilação mecânica - revisão de literatura

OBJETIVO: Este estudo foi realizado a partir de uma revisão de literatura, a fim de comparar os protocolos do processo de desmame da ventilação mecânica invasiva. OBJETIVO ESPECÍFICO: Demonstração e resultados comparativos de intervenções no campo da ventilação mecânica invasiva. METODOLOGIA: Foi realizado um levantamento nas principais bases de dados eletrônicas Pub Med, Scielo, Science direct, The Non-English Journal of Medicine, Cochrane library, medical archives e Intensive Care Medicine. CRITÉRIOS DE INCLUSÃO: ensaios clínicos randomizados e pesquisas não vinculadas a bases de dados científicas, como dissertações. CRITÉRIOS DE EXCLUSÃO: protocolo de desmame da ventilação invasiva e artigos mais antigos com mais de 10 anos. Resultados: o estudo incluiu 3.156 indivíduos devidos em 7 estudos que utilizaram o protocolo de desmame da ventilação mecânica. Os estudos foram organizados em forma de tabela para mostrar os principais achados. CONCLUSÃO: Após o estudo de revisão, podemos observar que ainda não se sabe qual é a melhor técnica de desmame a ser empregada para proporcionar o retorno mais rápido e seguro do paciente à respiração espontânea sem risco de falha, uma vez que os protocolos adotados em As UTIs são diferenciadas de acordo com a convivência, capacidade e oportunidade de cada local. No entanto, concluiu-se que SIMV é a técnica de desmame menos eficaz, enquanto PSV e tubo T apresentaram resultados satisfatórios

Pollution biomarkers in estuarine animals: Critical review and new perspectives

In this review, recent developments in monitoring toxicological responses in estuarine animals are analyzed, considering the biomarker responses to different classes of pollutants. The estuarine environment imposes stressful conditions to the organisms that inhabit it, and this situation can alter their sensitivity to many pollutants. The specificity of some biomarkers like metallothionein tissue concentration is discussed in virtue of its dependence on salinity, which is highly variable in estuaries. Examples of cholinesterase activity measurements are also provided and criteria to select sensitive enzymes to detect pesticides and toxins are discussed. Regarding non-specific biomarkers, toxic responses in terms of antioxidant defenses and/or oxidative damage are also considered in this review, focusing on invertebrate species. In addition, the presence of an antioxidant gradient along the body of the estuarine polychaete Laeonereis acuta (Nereididae) and its relationship to different strategies, which deal with the generation of oxidative stress, is reviewed. Also, unusual antioxidant defenses against environmental pro-oxidants are discussed, including the mucus secreted by L. acuta. Disruption of osmoregulation by pollutants is of paramount importance in several estuarine species. In some cases such as in the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulatus, there is a trade off between bioavailability of toxicants (e.g. metals) and their interaction with key enzymes such as Na+–K+-ATPase and carbonic anhydrase. Thus, the metal effect on osmoregulation is also discussed in the present review. Finally, field case studies with fish species like the croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Scianidae) are used to illustrate the application of DNA damage and immunosuppressive responses as potential biomarkers of complex mixture of pollutants

Renal Proteome in Mice with Different Susceptibilities to Fluorosis

<div><p>A/J and 129P3/J mouse strains have different susceptibilities to dental fluorosis due to their genetic backgrounds. They also differ with respect to several features of fluoride (F) metabolism and metabolic handling of water. This study was done to determine whether differences in F metabolism could be explained by diversities in the profile of protein expression in kidneys. Weanling, male A/J mice (susceptible to dental fluorosis, n = 18) and 129P3/J mice (resistant, n = 18) were housed in pairs and assigned to three groups given low-F food and drinking water containing 0, 10 or 50 ppm [F] for 7 weeks. Renal proteome profiles were examined using 2D-PAGE and LC-MS/MS. Quantitative intensity analysis detected between A/J and 129P3/J strains 122, 126 and 134 spots differentially expressed in the groups receiving 0, 10 and 50 ppmF, respectively. From these, 25, 30 and 32, respectively, were successfully identified. Most of the proteins were related to metabolic and cellular processes, followed by response to stimuli, development and regulation of cellular processes. In F-treated groups, PDZK-1, a protein involved in the regulation of renal tubular reabsorption capacity was down-modulated in the kidney of 129P3/J mice. A/J and 129P3/J mice exhibited 11 and 3 exclusive proteins, respectively, regardless of F exposure. In conclusion, proteomic analysis was able to identify proteins potentially involved in metabolic handling of F and water that are differentially expressed or even not expressed in the strains evaluated. This can contribute to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying genetic susceptibility to dental fluorosis, by indicating key-proteins that should be better addressed in future studies.</p> </div

Bioguided fractionation, and antioxidant, antiproliferative, and anti-Inflammatory activity of annona cacans warm

This study evaluated to determine the phenolic and flavonoids contents, and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activity of the hydromethanolic extracts of the leaves, pulp, and seeds of Annona cacans. The isolation and structural identification of the constituent acetogenin, phenolic acid, and flavonoids were also reported. Antioxidant capacity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and beta-carotene/linoleic acid methods. Cell proliferation was determined by spectrophotometric quantification of the cellular protein content using a sulforhodamine B assay. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in paw edema model, to myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity induced by carrageenan in mice. Fractionation resulted in the isolation of one acetogenin (annoreticuin-9-one), two flavonoids (quercetin-3-O-beta-glucoside-6-O-alpha-rhamnoside and kaempferol-3-O-beta-glucoside), and one phenolic acid (p-coumaric acid). The pulp extract presented potent antioxidant activities by the DPPH (IC50 = 44.08 mu g/mL) and ABTS (IC50 = 39.32 mu g/mL) methods, as well as high contents of phenols (618.95 mg GA/g) and flavonoids (477.35 mg QE/g). The bioguided fractionation demonstrated that the ethyl acetate fraction of the pulp extract and annoreticuin-9-one showed potent antiproliferative activity against ovarian cancer (GI(50) = 6.4 mu g/mL). The anti-inflammatory activity demonstrated significant inhibition of edema compared to the control group in 2 and 4 h; in addition, the extracts inhibited the increase in MPO activity after 6 h, when compared to the DEX and control groups. For the first time, this study demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activity, as well as compounds isolated, suggesting that A. cacans could also be potential sources for prevention of cancer and other diseases associated with oxidative stress221010781086CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal e Nível SuperiorCNPQ - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e TecnológicoSem informação307309/2013-

Venn diagram showing distribution of total kidney proteins identified with differences in expression from the 2D-PAGE and LC-MS/MS-based proteome.

<p>The numbers indicate the total protein identified from each comparison (control, 10 and 50 ppmF A/J and 129P3/J) and the number of proteins commonly identified between them.</p

Expression of differentially significant kidney proteins between control A/J <i>vs</i> control 129P3/J mice.

a<p>Experimental molecular weight (kDa)/p<i>I</i> of protein spot in the gel (Mean of min. and max.) based on the coordinates of landmark proteins. <i>^b</i>Theoretical molecular weight (kDa)/p<i>I</i> of theoretical protein. <i>^c</i>Number of peptides identified and score. <i>^d</i>Differences in expression in relation to 129P3/J mice (↓ down-modulation; ↑ up-modulation); Individual <i>P</i> value after ANOVA. <i>^e</i>Identification is based on protein ID from IPI (international protein index) protein database (<a href="http://www.uniprot.org/" target="_blank">http://www.uniprot.org/</a>). <i>^f</i>Category of protein based on its primary biological function according to Rison (2000) <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0053261#pone.0053261-Rison1" target="_blank">[18]</a>.</p