Protective effect of tomato-oleoresin supplementation on oxidative injury recoveries cardiac function by improving β-adrenergic response in a diet-obesity induced model

The system redox imbalance is one of the pathways related to obesity-related cardiac dysfunction. Lycopene is considered one of the best antioxidants. The aim of this study was to test if the tomato-oleoresin would be able to recovery cardiac function by improving \u3b2-adrenergic response due its antioxidant effect. A total of 40 animals were randomly divided into two experimental groups to receive either the control diet (Control, n = 20) or a high sugar-fat diet (HSF, n = 20) for 20 weeks. Once cardiac dysfunction was detected by echocardiogram in the HSF group, animals were re- divided to begin the treatment with Tomato-oleoresin or vehicle, performing four groups: Control (n = 6); (Control + Ly, n = 6); HSF (n = 6) and (HSF + Ly, n = 6). Tomato oleoresin (10 mg lycopene/kg body weight (BW) per day) was given orally every morning for a 10-week period. The analysis included nutritional and plasma biochemical parameters, systolic blood pressure, oxidative parameters in plasma, heart, and cardiac analyses in vivo and in vitro. A comparison among the groups was performed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The HSF diet was able to induce obesity, insulin-resistance, cardiac dysfunction, and oxidative damage. However, the tomato-oleoresin supplementation improved insulin-resistance, cardiac remodeling, and dysfunction by improving the \u3b2-adrenergic response. It is possible to conclude that tomato-oleoresin is able to reduce the oxidative damage by improving the system\u2019s \u3b2-adrenergic response, thus recovering cardiac function

Estimação dos componentes da variância fenotípica em feijoeiro utilizando o método genealógico.

A obtenção de informações a respeito do controle genético dos caracteres por meio de variâncias com associação aos métodos de condução de populações de feijoeiro tem sido uma estratégia pouco empregada, porém pode ser de grande auxílio aos melhoristas na tomada de decisões. Com esse objetivo foi utilizada uma população segregante proveniente do cruzamento entre as cultivares BRS MG Talismã e BRS Valente. O avanço das gerações foi realizado de acordo com o preconizado pelo método genealógico. Em F4:5 obtiveram-se 256 progênies que foram avaliadas na safra das águas 2004/2005. As sementes de cada progênie foram colhidas em bulk originando as progênies F4:6, as quais foram avaliadas na safra das secas 2005. Os caracteres avaliados foram produtividade de grãos e porte das plantas. Constatou-se que na produção de grãos por planta, a variância ambiental dentro da parcela foi o principal componente da variância fenotípica entre progênies. A variância genética aditiva foi predominante para a produção de grãos, enquanto que para o porte a variância genética de dominância foi expressiva

CD1a expression by Barrett's metaplasia of gastric type may help to predict its evolution towards cancer

As emerging in the recent literature, CD1a has been regarded as a molecule whose expression may reflect tumour evolution. The aim of the present work was to investigate the expression of CD1a in a series of Barrett's metaplasia (BM), gastric type (GTBM), with and without follow-up, in order to analyse whether its expression may help to diagnose this disease and to address the outcome. Indeed, GTBM may be confused sometimes with islets of ectopic gastric mucosa and its evolution towards dysplasia (Dy) or carcinoma (Ca) could not be foreseen. We showed a significant higher expression of CD1a in GTBM than in both Dy and Ca; nevertheless, the number of positive GTBM was significantly lower in the group of cases that at follow-up underwent Dy or Ca. Our data address that CD1a may be a novel biomarker for BM and that its expression may help to predict the prognosis of this pathology

Recommendations for perioperative prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in the adult patient. National multidisciplinary consensus 2014

O propósito destas recomendações é fornecer uma ferramenta fundamentada na evidência científica atual, centrada no doente, que possa ser útil na prática clínica e que contribua para a implementação adequada, sistemática e transversal da profilaxia do tromboembolismo venoso no doente adulto. Foram aprovadas, com o apoio da Sociedade Portuguesa de Anestesiologia, por Consenso Nacional Multidisciplinar entre as especialidades de: Anestesiologia, Cardiologia; Cirurgia Cardiotorácica; Cirurgia Geral - Cirurgia da Obesidade; Cirurgia Plástica, Reconstrutiva e Estética; Cirurgia Vascular; Ginecologia e Obstetrícia; Imuno-Hemoterapia; Neurocirurgia; Oncologia; Ortopedia e Urologia. O tromboembolismo venoso constitui um grave problema de saúde pública. No período peri-operatório o risco de tromboembolismo está relacionado com fatores individuais do doente, tipo de cirurgia e de anestesia e tempo de internamento. Trombose venosa prévia, doença oncológica, idade avançada, cirurgia major ortopédica, cirurgia bariátrica e imobilização no leito, constituem alguns dos principais fatores de risco de eventos tromboembólicos. O bloqueio do neuro-eixo está associado a redução destes eventos. O estudo ENDORSE que avaliou o cumprimento internacional das recomendações do 7º Consenso do American College of Chest Physicians sobre profilaxia do tromboembolismo venoso, revelou que em Portugal a taxa de profilaxia adequada no doente cirúrgico em risco era inferior à de outros países europeus. Neste estudo, alguns dos doentes a quem foi prescrita tromboprofilaxia não preenchiam critérios de indicação, ficando expostos a riscos desnecessários. Os hiatos identificados na profilaxia do tromboembolismo venoso relacionam-se com a falta de comunicação interdisciplinar efetiva, desconhecimento das recomendações e da farmacologia dos agentes e o receio de complicações hemorrágicas. A falta de modelos de avaliação de risco validados e fáceis de aplicar tem dificultado a uniformização de critérios. Estas recomendações consideram o modelo de avaliação de risco de Caprini. A avaliação do risco de tromboembolismo venoso está indicada em todos os doentes propostos para cirurgia, devendo ser registada no processo clínico. A tromboprofilaxia é uma responsabilidade multidisciplinar, deve basear-se na ponderação dos riscos de tromboembolismo venoso e de hemorragia e ter em conta os valores e preferências do doente. A tromboprofilaxia deve iniciar-se 6-12 horas após a cirurgia (com exceções)

Storylines of family medicine V:ways of thinking-honing the therapeutic self

Storylines of Family Medicine is a 12-part series of thematically linked essays with accompanying illustrations that explore the many dimensions of family medicine, as interpreted by individual family physicians and medical educators in the USA and elsewhere around the world. In 'V: ways of thinking-honing the therapeutic self', authors present the following sections: 'Reflective practice in action', 'The doctor as drug-Balint groups', 'Cultivating compassion', 'Towards a humanistic approach to doctoring', 'Intimacy in family medicine', 'The many faces of suffering', 'Transcending suffering' and 'The power of listening to stories.' May readers feel a deeper sense of their own therapeutic agency by reflecting on these essays.</p

Photocatalytic performance of textiles coated with TiO2-RGO system for degradation of crude petroleum under similar solar irradiation

The pollution caused by oil and its toxic derivatives presents a considerable risk to the public health and the environment. Here, we studied the influence of TiO2 nanoparticles immobilized on three types of textiles materials (Cotton, Entretela and PLA) coated with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) to be used for degradation of crude petroleum under simulated solar irradiation. The morphological studies of the functionalized textiles substrates were performed by using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, which indicated an excellent dispersion and adhesion of nanoparticles on the textile fibres covered with RGO. Ultraviolet–visible Diffuse Reflectance spectra suggests a reduction in the band gap energy of TiO2 due to the presence of RGO. The excitation/emission Synchronized Fluorescence and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopies demonstrated that the functionalized textiles substrates exhibit a great potential for photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds with high prospects in petroleum and wastewater treatment areas

Ranger perceptions of, and engagement with, monitoring of elephant poaching

Ranger‐based monitoring has enormous potential to inform conservation globally, with hundreds of thousands of rangers patrolling extensive areas and recording observations of illegal activities and biodiversity. Much quantitative research has demonstrated the pitfalls and potential of data collection by rangers, but little work has considered its human dimensions. Yet poor engagement with, and ownership of, monitoring by those undertaking it may compromise data quality and thereby limit evidence‐based conservation. We interviewed rangers and supervisors involved in a programme for monitoring and managing elephant poaching in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. We assess the importance that rangers ascribed to data collection within their broader occupation, and their level of engagement with data management and use. We found that rangers saw the collection of biodiversity data as a routine duty that helped guide patrol strategy. Reporting these data was perceived as a primary way of demonstrating fulfilled responsibilities to their supervisors. Rangers did not, however, engage actively with data management and use. Ranger sentiment was evenly divided between those who said feedback on how the data they collected were used would motivate more engaged data collection, and those who said they would continue collecting data regardless, out of duty. Three elements of the occupational culture of rangers at our site—a strong sense of duty, deference to authority and knowing their defined responsibilities within the organizational hierarchy—were identified as key drivers of their engagement with monitoring. Building on these findings, we develop a theory of change to develop more meaningful engagement of rangers with monitoring. We argue that more effective and sustainable monitoring can be achieved by building on existing ranger culture while also fostering rangers' appreciation of data collection and utilization. Addressing key challenges around ranger well‐being, and resource and capacity needs, is also essential

Unraveling the effect of silent, intronic and missense mutations on VWF splicing: contribution of next generation sequencing in the study of mRNA

Large studies in von Willebrand disease patients, including Spanish and Portuguese registries, led to identification of >250 different mutations. It is a challenge to determine the pathogenic effect of potential splice site mutations on VWF mRNA. This study aimed to elucidate the true effects of 18 mutations on VWF mRNA processing, investigate the contribution of next-generation sequencing to in vivo mRNA study in von Willebrand disease, and compare the findings with in silico prediction. RNA extracted from patient platelets and leukocytes was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced using Sanger and next generation sequencing techniques. Eight mutations affected VWF splicing: c.1533+1G>A, c.5664+2T>C and c.546G>A (p.=) prompted exon skipping; c.3223-7_3236dup and c.7082-2A>G resulted in activation of cryptic sites; c.3379+1G>A and c.7473G>A (p.=) demonstrated both molecular pathogenic mechanisms simultaneously; and the p.Cys370Tyr missense mutation generated two aberrant transcripts. Of note, the complete effect of 3 mutations was provided by next generation sequencing alone because of low expression of the aberrant transcripts. In the remaining 10 mutations, no effect was elucidated in the experiments. However, the differential findings obtained in platelets and leukocytes provided substantial evidence that 4 of these would have an effect on VWF levels. In this first report using next generation sequencing technology to unravel the effects of VWF mutations on splicing, the technique yielded valuable information. Our data bring to light the importance of studying the effect of synonymous and missense mutations on VWF splicing to improve the current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind von Willebrand disease.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio