Gamma radiation effects at color, antioxidant capacity and fatty acid profile in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

A irradiação gama é eficiente para eliminar a contaminação fúngica em grãos de amendoim. Este apresenta proteínas de alto valor biológico, minerais, vitaminas E, complexo B e alta concentração de lipídios. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da aplicação de radiações gama na cor, fenólicos totais, atividade antioxidante e perfil de ácidos graxos em amendoim (Arachis hypogaea L.). Os cultivares IAC-Tatu ST e IAC-Runner 886 foram submetidos a radiações gama com doses de 5,0; 7,5; 10,0; e 15,0 kGy e armazenados em temperatura ambiente. Não foram verificadas diferenças significativas na cor dos amendoins IAC-Tatu ST. Diferenças significativas foram detectadas para a luminosidade e o Croma do IAC-Runner 886. Os fenólicos totais diferiram significativamente entre o controle com 33,27 mg.g-1 e o tratamento com 10,0 kGy com 58,60 mg.g-1 no IAC-Tatu ST, neste parâmetro não foram observadas diferenças significativas no IAC-Runner 886, cujo controle foi 51,59 mg.g-1. Para atividade antioxidante não foi verificada diferença significativa com a dose de 10,0 kGy, recomendada para eliminação fúngica de amendoim. Na dose de 10,0 kGy, verificou-se a diminuição de ácidos graxos saturados, o aumento dos insaturados e o aumento de ácido linoleico. A relação oleico/linoleico diminuiu, justificando novos estudos correlacionando armazenamento e estabilidade oxidativa.Irradiation is efficient at extincting fungi contamination in peanuts. Peanuts have high biologic value protein, minerals, vitamin E, complex B, and high concentration of lipids. The objective of this research is to evaluate the gamma irradiation effect on color, total phenolic, antioxidant activity, and fatty acid profile in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.). Cultivars IAC-Tatu ST and IAC-Runner 886 were submitted to gamma radiation with doses of 5.0; 7.5; 10.0, and 15.0 kGy and storage at room temperature. There was no significant difference in the color of IAC-Tatu ST. However, significant difference was found in the luminosity and Chroma in IAC-Runner 886. Total fenolics differed from the control with 33.27 mg.g-1 and treatment dose of 10.0 kGy with 58.60 mg.g-1 in IAC-Tatu ST. This parameter not had significant difference in IAC-Runner 886 and the control with 51.59 mg.g-1. The antioxidant activity did not present significant difference with a dose of 10.0 kGy, recommended for the elimination of fungi in peanuts. The dose of 10.0 kGy showed a decrease in saturated fatty acids, increase in unsaturated fatty acids, and an increase in linolleic acid. The oleic/linoleic relation decreased justifying further research correlating storage and oxidative stability

Gamma Radiation Induced Oxidation and Tocopherols Decrease in In-Shell, Peeled and Blanched Peanuts

In-shell, peeled and blanched peanut samples were characterized in relation to proximate composition and fatty acid profile. No difference was found in relation to its proximate composition. The three major fatty acids were palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. In order to investigate irradiation and storage effects, peanut samples were submitted to doses of 0.0, 5.0, 7.5 or 10.0 kGy, stored for six months at room temperature and monitored every three months. Peanuts responded differently to irradiation, particularly with regards to tocopherol contents, primary and secondary oxidation products and oil stability index. Induction periods and tocopherol contents were negatively correlated with irradiation doses and decreased moderately during storage. α-Tocopherol was the most gamma radiation sensitive and peeled samples were the most affected. A positive correlation was found among tocopherol contents and the induction period of the oils extracted from irradiated samples. Gamma radiation and storage time increased oxidation compounds production. If gamma radiation is considered an alternative for industrial scale peanut conservation, in-shell samples are the best feedstock. For the best of our knowledge this is the first article with such results; this way it may be helpful as basis for future studies on gamma radiation of in-shell crops

Phytoene synthase 1 (Psy-1) and lipoxygenase 1 (Lpx-1) Genes Influence on Semolina Yellowness in Wheat Mediterranean Germplasm

Phytoene synthase 1 (Psy1) and lipoxygenase 1 (Lpx-1) are key genes involved in the synthesis and catalysis of carotenoid pigments in durum wheat, regulating the increase and decrease in these compounds, respectively, resulting in the distinct yellow color of semolina and pasta. Here, we reported new haplotype variants and/or allele combinations of these two genes significantly affecting yellow pigment content in grain and semolina through their effect on carotenoid pigments. To reach the purpose of this work, three complementary approaches were undertaken: the identification of QTLs associated to carotenoid content on a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, the characterization of a Mediterranean panel of accessions for Psy1 and Lpx-1 genes, and monitoring the expression of Psy1 and Lpx-1 genes during grain filling on two genotypes with contrasting yellow pigments. Our data suggest that Psy1 plays a major role during grain development, contributing to semolina yellowness, and Lpx-1 appears to be more predominant at post-harvest stages and during pasta making.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diagnóstico precoce e complicações da Síndrome da Cauda Equina: uma revisão integrativa de literatura/ Early diagnosis and complications of Cauda Equina Syndrome: an integrative literature review

Introdução: A Síndrome da Cauda Equina (SCE) é uma condição neurológica relativamente rara, tendo por etiologia mais comum a hérnia discal lombar. Pode manifestar-se clinicamente por anestesia “em sela”, dor lombar, ciatalgia, incontinência urinária e/ou intestinal, e disfunção sexual.  Metodologia: Revisão integrativa de literatura que incluiu 14 artigos levantados nas bases de dados MEDLINE, integrada na plataforma PubMed, e BIREME, integrada na plataforma SciELO, publicados no período de 2015 a 2020. Resultados: Foram incluídos, dentre os artigos selecionados, aqueles em modelo de revisões integrativas de literatura (n=4), revisões sistemáticas (n=2), estudos observacionais retrospectivos (n=6) e estudos observacionais prospectivos (n=2). Os estudos evidenciaram a insuficiência dos sinais clínicos em diagnosticar, isoladamente, a SCE. Os métodos de imagem demonstraram-se imprescindíveis para a instituição do tratamento. Discussão: A SCE não apresenta fator epidemiológico relevante que influencie em seu desenvolvimento. As red flags, apesar de úteis para a suspeita diagnóstica, tem sensibilidade e especificidade variáveis conforme os estudos. A RM é o exame indicado para comprovação do processo compressivo. A abordagem terapêutica considerada padrão-ouro é a descompressão cirúrgica da cauda equina. Conclusão: O diagnóstico e a descompressão cirúrgica precoces influenciam positivamente no prognóstico dos pacientes com SCE, diminuindo o risco de persistência de sequelas neurológicas

Adherence to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Portuguese-Speaking Countries

Funding Information: National Research Council–CNPq. Process: 159908/2019-1. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.Strengthening strategies to improve adherence to the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in key populations constitutes a global health priority to be achieved across countries, especially in countries that share a high flow of people such as Brazil and Portugal. This study aimed to analyze the factors associated with adherence to PrEP among MSM from two Portuguese-speaking countries, highlighting the opportunities and preventive strategies for the global health scenario. This was a cross-sectional analytical online survey conducted from January 2020 to May 2021 with MSM in Brazil and Portugal. For analysis of the data, the Poisson regression model was used to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) for developing a model to evaluate the associated factors in both countries in a comparative and isolated way. Adherence to PrEP use corresponded to 19.5% (n = 1682) of the overall sample: 18.3% (n = 970) for Brazil and 21.5% (n = 712) for Portugal. Having more than two sex partners in the last 30 days (aPR: 30.87) and routinely undergoing HIV tests (aPR: 26.21) increased the use of this medication. Being an immigrant (PR: 1.36) and knowing the partner’s serological status (PR: 1.28) increased adherence to PrEP in Portugal, whereas, in Brazil, it was being an immigrant (PR: 0.83) and not knowing the serological status (PR: 2.24) that promoted the use of this medication. Our findings reinforce the need to invest in programs and strategies to improve access and adherence to PrEP, especially in key populations.publishersversionpublishe

Desenhando as novas fronteiras para a compreensão do transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo: uma revisão de sua relação com o medo e a ansiedade

Anxiety is an important component of the psychopathology of the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). So far, most interventions that have proven to be effective for treating OCD are similar to those developed for other anxiety disorders. However, neurobiological studies of OCD came to conclusions that are not always compatible with those previously associated with other anxiety disorders. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to review the degree of overlap between OCD and other anxiety disorders phenomenology and pathophysiology to support the rationale that guides research in this field. RESULTS: Clues about the neurocircuits involved in the manifestation of anxiety disorders have been obtained through the study of animal anxiety models, and structural and functional neuroimaging in humans. These investigations suggest that in OCD, in addition to dysfunction in cortico-striatal pathways, the functioning of an alternative neurocircuitry, which involves amygdalo-cortical interactions and participates in fear conditioning and extinction processes, may be impaired. CONCLUSION: It is likely that anxiety is a relevant dimension of OCD that impacts on other features of this disorder. Therefore, future studies may benefit from the investigation of the expression of fear and anxiety by OCD patients according to their type of obsessions and compulsions, age of OCD onset, comorbidities, and patterns of treatment response

Gamma Radiation Effects on Peanut Skin Antioxidants

Peanut skin, which is removed in the peanut blanching process, is rich in bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. The aims of this study were to measure bioactive compounds in peanut skins and evaluate the effect of gamma radiation on their antioxidant activity. Peanut skin samples were treated with 0.0, 5.0, 7.5, or 10.0 kGy gamma rays. Total phenolics, condensed tannins, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity were evaluated. Extracts obtained from the peanut skins were added to refined-bleached-deodorized (RBD) soybean oil. The oxidative stability of the oil samples was determined using the Oil Stability Index method and compared to a control and synthetic antioxidants (100 mg/kg BHT and 200 mg/kg TBHQ). Gamma radiation changed total phenolic content, total condensed tannins, total flavonoid content, and the antioxidant activity. All extracts, gamma irradiated or not, presented increasing induction period (h), measured by the Oil Stability Index method, when compared with the control. Antioxidant activity of the peanut skins was higher than BHT. The present study confirmed that gamma radiation did not affect the peanut skin extracts’ antioxidative properties when added to soybean oil

Rarity of monodominance in hyperdiverse Amazonian forests.

Tropical forests are known for their high diversity. Yet, forest patches do occur in the tropics where a single tree species is dominant. Such "monodominant" forests are known from all of the main tropical regions. For Amazonia, we sampled the occurrence of monodominance in a massive, basin-wide database of forest-inventory plots from the Amazon Tree Diversity Network (ATDN). Utilizing a simple defining metric of at least half of the trees ≥ 10 cm diameter belonging to one species, we found only a few occurrences of monodominance in Amazonia, and the phenomenon was not significantly linked to previously hypothesized life history traits such wood density, seed mass, ectomycorrhizal associations, or Rhizobium nodulation. In our analysis, coppicing (the formation of sprouts at the base of the tree or on roots) was the only trait significantly linked to monodominance. While at specific locales coppicing or ectomycorrhizal associations may confer a considerable advantage to a tree species and lead to its monodominance, very few species have these traits. Mining of the ATDN dataset suggests that monodominance is quite rare in Amazonia, and may be linked primarily to edaphic factors

Desafios e avanços na personalização diagnóstica e terapêutica na era da inteligência artificial na saúde

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in medicine represents a rapidly growing field, promising significant advances in diagnostic and treatment processes. Given this scenario, this integrative review seeks to consolidate and critically analyze the available scientific evidence on the application of these innovative technologies in medical practice. The methodology adopted for this integrative review involved a comprehensive search of the main databases, such as PubMed, Scielo and ScienceDirect, using the relevant descriptors, such as "Artificial Intelligence", "Machine Learning", "Clinical Diagnosis", "Machine Learning" and "Deep Learning". The careful selection of references included relevant studies that address the application of AI and ML in various domains of medicine, with a special focus on the references indicated in Vancouver in this abstract. The results of this review reveal a wide range of successful applications of AI and AM in medical diagnosis and treatment. Studies such as Wang et al. (2019) highlight the progress and challenges of using deep learning in medicine, while work by Erickson et al. (2017) highlights the effectiveness of ML in medical imaging, contributing to advances in clinical practice. Ethical approaches and future impacts on the actions of healthcare professionals, as discussed by Ahuja (2019) and Farhud and Zokaei (2021), emerge as crucial points in the integration of these technologies. The conclusion of this integrative review reinforces the significant transformation provided by the integration of AI and AM in medicine, offering faster and more accurate diagnoses, as well as outlining intrinsic ethical challenges. Patient privacy and ethical considerations become critical factors in this scenario. This comprehensive analysis highlights the continued need for responsible research and development, promoting advances that optimize clinical efficacy and ensure the trust of healthcare professionals and patients in the face of these transformative innovations.A integração de inteligência artificial (IA) e aprendizado de máquina (AM) na medicina representa um campo em rápido crescimento, prometendo avanços significativos nos processos de diagnóstico e tratamento. Diante desse cenário, a presente revisão integrativa busca consolidar e analisar criticamente as evidências científicas disponíveis sobre a aplicação dessas tecnologias inovadoras na prática médica. A metodologia adotada para esta revisão integrativa envolveu uma busca abrangente nas principais bases de dados, como PubMed, Scielo e Scopus, utilizando os descritores pertinentes, tais como "Inteligência Artificial", "Aprendizado de Máquina", "Diagnóstico Clínico", "Machine Learning" e "Deep Learning". A seleção criteriosa das referências incluiu estudos relevantes que abordam a aplicação de IA e AM em diversos domínios da medicina, com foco especial nas referências indicadas em Vancouver neste resumo. Os resultados desta revisão revelam uma ampla gama de aplicações bem-sucedidas de IA e AM em diagnósticos e tratamentos médicos. Estudos como o de Wang et al. (2019) destacam os progressos e desafios do uso de deep learning na medicina, enquanto trabalhos de Erickson et al. (2017) evidenciam a eficácia do AM em imagens médicas, contribuindo para avanços na prática clínica. Abordagens éticas e impactos futuros na atuação dos profissionais de saúde, conforme discutido por Ahuja (2019) e Farhud e Zokaei (2021), emergem como pontos cruciais na integração dessas tecnologias. A conclusão desta revisão integrativa reforça a transformação significativa proporcionada pela integração de IA e AM na medicina, oferecendo diagnósticos mais rápidos e precisos, bem como delineando desafios éticos intrínsecos. A privacidade do paciente e as considerações éticas tornam-se fatores críticos nesse cenário. Esta análise abrangente destaca a necessidade contínua de pesquisa e desenvolvimento responsável, promovendo avanços que otimizem a eficácia clínica e garantam a confiança dos profissionais de saúde e dos pacientes diante dessas inovações transformadoras

Geographic patterns of tree dispersal modes in Amazonia and their ecological correlates

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MAim: To investigate the geographic patterns and ecological correlates in the geographic distribution of the most common tree dispersal modes in Amazonia (endozoochory, synzoochory, anemochory and hydrochory). We examined if the proportional abundance of these dispersal modes could be explained by the availability of dispersal agents (disperser-availability hypothesis) and/or the availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits (resource-availability hypothesis). Time period: Tree-inventory plots established between 1934 and 2019. Major taxa studied: Trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 9.55 cm. Location: Amazonia, here defined as the lowland rain forests of the Amazon River basin and the Guiana Shield. Methods: We assigned dispersal modes to a total of 5433 species and morphospecies within 1877 tree-inventory plots across terra-firme, seasonally flooded, and permanently flooded forests. We investigated geographic patterns in the proportional abundance of dispersal modes. We performed an abundance-weighted mean pairwise distance (MPD) test and fit generalized linear models (GLMs) to explain the geographic distribution of dispersal modes. Results: Anemochory was significantly, positively associated with mean annual wind speed, and hydrochory was significantly higher in flooded forests. Dispersal modes did not consistently show significant associations with the availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits. A lower dissimilarity in dispersal modes, resulting from a higher dominance of endozoochory, occurred in terra-firme forests (excluding podzols) compared to flooded forests. Main conclusions: The disperser-availability hypothesis was well supported for abiotic dispersal modes (anemochory and hydrochory). The availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits seems an unlikely explanation for the distribution of dispersal modes in Amazonia. The association between frugivores and the proportional abundance of zoochory requires further research, as tree recruitment not only depends on dispersal vectors but also on conditions that favour or limit seedling recruitment across forest types