Type of diet modulates the metabolic response to sleep deprivation in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Evidence suggests that sleep loss is associated with an increased risk of obesity and diabetes; however, animal models have failed to produce weight gain under sleep deprivation (SD). Previous studies have suggested that this discrepancy could be due to more extreme SD conditions in experimental animals, their higher resting metabolic rate than that of humans, and the decreased opportunity for animals to ingest high-calorie foods. Thus, our objective was to determine whether diets with different textures/compositions could modify feeding behavior and affect the metabolic repercussions in SD in rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three groups of male rats were used: one was designated as control, one was sleep deprived for 96 h by the platform technique (SD-96h) and one was SD-96h followed by a 24-h recovery (rebound). In the first experiment, the animals were fed chow pellets (CPs); in the second, they received high-fat diet and in the third, they were fed a liquid diet (LD).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed that SD induces energy deficits that were related to changes in feeding behavior and affected by the type of diet consumed. Regardless of the diet consumed, SD consistently increased animals' glucagon levels and decreased their leptin and triacylglycerol levels and liver glycogen stores. However, such changes were mostly avoided in the rats on the liquid diet. SD induces a wide range of metabolic and hormonal changes that are strongly linked to the severity of weight loss.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The LD, but not the CP or high-fat diets, favored energy intake, consequently lessening the energy deficit induced by SD.</p

Micotoxinas em Portugal: Ocorrência e Toxicidade

A contaminação de alimentos e de rações representa um dos principais problemas de segurança alimentar devido às suas implicações na saúde humana. De entre os diferentes contaminantes de origem natural que podem aparecer nos alimentos, o grupo das micotoxinas tem vindo a ganhar especial relevância nos últimos anos devido aos efeitos nefastos que a sua presença pode provocar. As micotoxinas correspondem a importantes metabolitos secundários produzidos por vários fungos, pertencentes maioritariamente aos géneros Fusarium, Aspergillus e Penicillium, que podem ocorrer numa vasta gama de produtos alimentares com elevada importância, particularmente em cereais e derivados, especiarias, frutos secos, vinho, café, etc. Actualmente, estão já identificadas algumas centenas de micotoxinas, sendo as mais importantes, devido à sua elevada ocorrência e toxicidade, as Aflatoxinas, os Tricotecenos, as Ocratoxinas, a Zearalenona e seus metabolitos e as Fumonisinas. Estas toxinas são responsáveis por uma grande variedade de efeitos tóxicos agudos e crónicos, como carcinogenicidade, neurotoxicidade, toxicidade reprodutiva e atrasos no desenvolvimento. A sua presença nas culturas apresenta, ademais, um forte impacto económico a nível mundial, dada a elevada percentagem de colheitas perdidas. São vários os trabalhos realizados que revelam uma significativa contaminação de várias matrizes alimentares com micotoxinas, por vezes excedendo os limites estabelecidos pela legislação comunitária. Trata- se de um problema de saúde pública que exige uma monitorização eficaz da sua presença e a adoção de medidas que impeçam a entrada desses alimentos no circuito comercial. Food and feed contamination represents a major food safety problem due to its implications on human health. Among the various natural contaminants frequently found in food, mycotoxins have gained particular importance in recent years because of their adverse effects. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by different molds, mainly from Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium genera, which can occur in a wide range of important food commodities, particularly in cereals and derived products, spices, nuts, wine, coffee, etc. Nowadays, hundreds of mycotoxins have been identified, but the most important ones are Aflatoxins, Trichothecenes, Ochratoxins, Zearalenone and its metabolites and Fumonisins, due to their high occurrence and toxicity. These toxins are responsible for a broad range of acute and chronic toxic effects, including carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity as well as reproductive and developmental toxicity. Their presence in crops has, moreover, a strong economic impact worldwide, owing the high percentage of crops lost. Several works revealed a significant contamination degree in a wide variety of matrices, sometimes exceeding the legal established limits. This represents an important public health problem that requires effective monitoring of their presence and the adoption of measures to prevent the entry of these foods in the supply chain.

An Ontology-Based Framework for Heterogeneous Data Sources Integration

Ontologies have been extensively used to model domain-specific knowledge. The main reason for this success is due to their capability to be at the “semantic” level, away from data structures and implementation strategies. In addition, ontology formalisms have allowed certain kinds of reasoning to be automated within a reasonable time complexity. Due to ontology data independence and automated reasoning, ontologies are well suited for integrating heterogeneous databases, enabling interoperability among isparate systems, and specifying interfaces to independent, knowledge-based services

Functionalization of woven fabrics for antimicrobial capability using microcapsules with essential oils

[Excerpt] The functionalization of textiles covers multiple objectives, such as the allocation of perfumes, antimicrobials, some drugs, phase change materials. Among these goals, the antimicrobial capability ensures that microorganisms do not thrive on textiles (Fig. 1), allowing users to use these products safer in different scenarios. This research evaluates the antimicrobial capacity of cotton fabrics through the application of microcapsules containing essential oils.The authors are grateful to the Agência Nacional de Inovação for the funding of the Project 4NoPressure - POCI-01-0247- FEDER-039869 and ARCHKNIT POCI-01-0247-FEDER-03973, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (COMPETE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement

Neuromuscular activity of bothrops fonsecai snake venom in vertebrate preparations

CAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ – CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOThe neuromuscular activity of venom from Bothrops fonsecai, a lancehead endemic to southeastern Brazil, was investigated. Chick biventer cervicis (CBC) and mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm (PND) preparations were used for myographic recordings and mouse diaphragm muscle was used for membrane resting potential (RP) and miniature end-plate potential (MEPP) recordings. Creatine kinase release and muscle damage were also assessed. In CBC, venom (40, 80 and 160μg/ml) produced concentration- and time-dependent neuromuscular blockade (50% blockade in 85±9 min and 73±8 min with 80 and 160μg/ml, respectively) and attenuated the contractures to 110μM ACh (78-100% inhibition) and 40mM KCl (45-90% inhibition). The venom-induced decrease in twitch-tension in curarized, directly-stimulated preparations was similar to that in indirectly stimulated preparations. Venom (100 and 200μg/ml) also caused blockade in PND preparations (50% blockade in 94±13 min and 49±8 min with 100 and 200μg/ml, respectively) but did not alter the RP or MEPP amplitude. In CBC, venom caused creatine kinase release and myonecrosis. The venom-induced decrease in twitch-tension and in the contractures to ACh and K(+) were abolished by preincubating venom with commercial antivenom. These findings indicate that Bothrops fonsecai venom interferes with neuromuscular transmission essentially through postsynaptic muscle damage that affects responses to ACh and KCl. These actions are effectively prevented by commercial antivenom.The neuromuscular activity of venom from Bothrops fonsecai, a lancehead endemic to southeastern Brazil, was investigated. Chick biventer cervicis (CBC) and mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm (PND) preparations were used for myographic recordings and mouse diaphragm muscle was used for membrane resting potential (RP) and miniature end-plate potential (MEPP) recordings. Creatine kinase release and muscle damage were also assessed. In CBC, venom (40, 80 and 160mg/ml) produced concentration- and time-dependent neuromuscular blockade (50% blockade in 85±9 min and 73±8 min with 80 and 160mg/ml, respectively) and attenuated the contractures to 110mM ACh (78–100% inhibition) and 40mM KCl (45–90% inhibition). The venom-induced decrease in twitch-tension in curarized, directly-stimulated preparations was similar to that in indirectly stimulated preparations. Venom (100 and 200mg/ml) also caused blockade in PND preparations (50% blockade in 94±13 min and 49±8 min with 100 and 200mg/ml, respectively) but did not alter the RP or MEPP amplitude. In CBC, venom caused creatine kinase release and myonecrosis. The venom-induced decrease in twitch-tension and in the contractures to ACh and K+ were abolished by preincubating venom with commercial antivenom.These findings indicate that Bothrops fonsecai venom interferes with neuromuscular transmission essentially through postsynaptic muscle damage that affects responses to ACh and KCl. These actions are effectively prevented by commercial antivenom5615CAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ – CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ – CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOsem informaçãosem informaçã

Ensino de química: uma análise comparativa entre as redes públicas de ensino estadual e federal no município de Pau dos Ferros-RN

O ensino de química nas escolas públicas estaduais enfrenta sérios problemas que se somam para defasar a educação brasileira, criando a necessidade de repensarmos o sistema educacional em suas mais variadas instâncias. Neste artigo, é apresentada uma análise qualitativa do ensino de química nas escolas públicas da rede estadual e federal no município de pau dos ferros - RN, fazendo comparações entre uma realidade e outra, no intuito de explicar algumas disparidades diagnosticas durante a pesquisa. Esta pesquisa mostrou que a formação inadequada dos professores de química contribui para fragilizar ainda mais o ensino na rede estadual. No tocante às metodologias abordadas pelos professores, observou que, nas duas realidades analisadas, se sobressai o ensino tradiciona

Mosaic maternal ancestry in the Great Lakes region of East Africa

The Great Lakes lie within a region of East Africa with very high human genetic diversity, home of many ethno-linguistic groups usually assumed to be the product of a small number of major dispersals. However, our knowledge of these dispersals relies primarily on the inferences of historical, linguistics and oral traditions, with attempts to match up the archaeological evidence where possible. This is an obvious area to which archaeogenetics can contribute, yet Uganda, at the heart of these developments, has not been studied for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation. Here, we compare mtDNA lineages at this putative genetic crossroads across 409 representatives of the major language groups: Bantu speakers and Eastern and Western Nilotic speakers. We show that Uganda harbours one of the highest mtDNA diversities within and between linguistic groups, with the various groups significantly differentiated from each other. Despite an inferred linguistic origin in South Sudan, the data from the two Nilotic-speaking groups point to a much more complex history, involving not only possible dispersals from Sudan and the Horn but also large-scale assimilation of autochthonous lineages within East Africa and even Uganda itself. The Eastern Nilotic group also carries signals characteristic of West-Central Africa, primarily due to Bantu influence, whereas a much stronger signal in the Western Nilotic group suggests direct West-Central African ancestry. Bantu speakers share lineages with both Nilotic groups, and also harbour East African lineages not found in Western Nilotic speakers, likely due to assimilating indigenous populations since arriving in the region ~3000 years ago