Epidemiological situation of bovine brucellosis in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Realizou-se um estudo para caracterizar a situação epidemiológica da brucelose bovina no Estado de Santa Catarina. O Estado foi estratificado em cinco circuitos produtores. Em cada circuito produtor foram amostradas aleatoriamente cerca de 300 propriedades e, dentro dessas, foi escolhido, de forma aleatória, um número pré-estabelecido de animais, dos quais foi obtida uma amostra de sangue. No total foram amostrados 7801 animais, provenientes de 1586 propriedades. O protocolo de testes utilizado foi o da triagem com o teste do antígeno acidificado tamponado e o reteste dos positivos com o do 2-mercaptoetanol. O rebanho foi considerado positivo se pelo menos um animal foi reagente às duas provas sorológicas. As prevalências de focos e de animais infectados no Estado foram de 0,32% [0,10-0,69%] e 0,06% [0,0-0,17%], respectivamente. A prevalência de focos nos circuitos pecuários foram: circuito 1, 0,33% [0,0-0,99%]; circuito 2, 0,33% [0,0-1,0%]; circuito 3, 0,25% [0,0-0,75%]; circuito 4, 0,66% [0,08-1,84%] e circuito 5, 0,33% [0,0-1,0%]. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTA study to characterize the brucellosis epidemiological situation in the State of Santa Catarina was carried out. The State was divided into five regions. Three hundred herds were randomly sampled in each region and a pre-established number of animals were sampled in each of these herds. A total of 7,801 serum samples from 1,586 herds were collected. In each herd, it was applied an epidemiological questionnaire regarding herd features and also husbandry and sanitary practices that could be associated with risk of infection. The serum samples were screened for antibodies to Brucella spp. by the Rose-Bengal Test (RBT), and all RBT-positive sera re-tested by the 2-mercaptoethanol test (2-ME). The herd was considered positive if at least one animal was positive on both RBT and 2-ME tests. The prevalences of infected herds and animals in Santa Catarina State were, respectively: 0.32% [0.10-0.69%] and 0.06% [0.0-0.17%]. The prevalence of infected herds in the regions were: region 1, 0.33% [0.0-0.99%]; region 2, 0.33% [0.0-1.0%]; region 3, 0.25% [0.0-0.75%]; region 4, 0.66% [0.08-1.84%]; and region 5, 0.33% [0.0-1.00%]

Data integration issues in the reconstruction of the genome-scale metabolic model of Zymomonas mobillis

Genome-scale model reconstruction represents a major tool in the field of Metabolic Engineering .This paper reports on a study about data integration issues in the process of genome- scale reconstruction of the metabolic model of the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis, a promising organism for bioethanol production. Data is retrieved from the Entrez Gene, KEGG, BioCyc and Brenda databases, and the several processes involved in data integration from these sources are described, as well as the data quality issues.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - POCI/BIO/60139/2004, PhD grant ref. SFRH/BD/41763/200

A multivariate randomized controlled experiment about the effects of mindfulness priming on EEG neurofeedback self-regulation serious games

Neurofeedback training (NFT) is a technique often proposed to train brain activity SR with promising results. However, some criticism has been raised due to the lack of evaluation, reliability, and validation of its learning effects. The current work evaluates the hypothesis that SR learning may be improved by priming the subject before NFT with guided mindfulness meditation (MM). The proposed framework was tested in a two-way parallel-group randomized controlled intervention with a single session alpha NFT, in a simplistic serious game design. Sixty-two healthy naïve subjects, aged between 18 and 43 years, were divided into MM priming and no-priming groups. Although both the EG and CG successfully attained the up-regulation of alpha rhythms (F(1,59) = 20.67, p ηp2 = 0.26), the EG showed a significantly enhanced ability (t(29) = 4.38, p t(29) = 1.18, p > 0.1). Furthermore, EG superior performance on NFT seems to be explained by the subject’s lack of awareness at pre-intervention, less vigour at post-intervention, increased task engagement, and a relaxed non-judgemental attitude towards the NFT tasks. This study is a preliminary validation of the proposed assisted priming framework, advancing some implicit and explicit metrics about its efficacy on NFT performance, and a promising tool for improving naïve “users” self-regulation ability.This work is co-financed by the ERDF—European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Program for Competitiveness and Internationalisation—COMPETE 2020 (ref.: POCI01-0145-FEDER-007043; ref: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007038), the North Portugal Regional Operational Program—NORTE 2020 (ref.: NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000045) and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT under MIT Portugal (author Ph.D. grant ref.: PD/BD/114033/2015) and within the R&D Units Project Scope (ref.: UIDB/00319/2020)

Nutritional composition and bioactivity of Umbilicus rupestris (Salisb.)Dandy: An underexploited edible wild plant

The inclusion of edible wild plants in human diet has been receiving an increasing attention, as they represent an easily accessible source of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. In this work, the leaves of Umbelicus rupestris (Salisb.) Dandy, an edible species for which only scarce data is available in literature, were thoroughly evaluated for its nutritional profile, chemical characterization and bioactive properties. Being considered a succulent plant, the leaves revealed a very high content of moisture, with several beneficial compounds, including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols and different polyphenols. A total of twelve flavonoids, three phenolic acids and one phenylpropanoid glucoside were identified in the decoction and/or hydroethanolic extracts, with most of them being described for the first time in this plant. Both extracts showed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assayed bacteria, while not presenting cytotoxic effects on a non-tumour primary cell culture.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019). L. Barros, R.C. Calhelha, and A. Fernandes thank national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract. For their contracts. This work was also funded by FEDER-Interreg España- Portugal programme through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Grape pomace as a source of phenolic compounds and diverse bioactive properties

The bio-residues resulting from the wine industry (grape pomace made up of skins, seeds and stems) are often undervalued but constitute a potential source of bioactive phenolic compounds that can be applied in several industries. In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the phenolic profile of Vitis vinifera L. grape pomace (skins, seeds and their mixture), and correlate them with its antioxidant, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. The seeds showed the highest amount of phenolic compounds and also the highest antioxidant, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. The skins revealed the highest levels of anthocyanins and pcoumaric acid hexoside. Strong correlations were observed between the presence of phenolic compounds and all the bioactivities studied. These by-products are good sources of phenolic compounds with high antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and also presenting a moderate cytotoxicity activity. These added-value by-products have great applicability in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.The authors thank the financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/ 2013) and Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984) funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through Programmes PT2020 and COMPETE2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) – and by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, also funding the contracts of R.C. Calhelha and L. Barros. To the FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phenolic profile and bioactive properties of carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC.: An in vitro comparative study between leaves, stems, and flowers

The present work aimed to characterize leaves, stems, and flowers of Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC., by performing an analysis of the phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS, correlating them with bioactive properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial activities. Thirty polyphenols were identified in the hydroethanolic extract, including phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, and flavonol glycosides derivatives (which presented the highest number of identified compounds). However, flavan-3-ols showed the highest concentration in stems (mainly owing to the presence of dimers, trimmers, and tetramers of type B (epi)catechin). Leaves were distinguished by their high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as their bactericidal e ect against E. coli, while stems presented a higher cytotoxic activity and bactericidal e ect against Gram-positive bacteria. Moreover, a high correlation between the studied bioactivities and the presence of phenolic compounds was also verified. The obtained results bring added value to the studied plant species.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programmer PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019); L. Barros and M.I. Dias thank the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for their contracts. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Amantagula fruit (Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC.): nutritional and phytochemical characterization

Fruits are one of the most promising food matrices and they have been explored in the discovery of new natural and safer bioactive compounds. Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A. DC. fruits are widely consumed in African countries for the preparation of traditional foodstuff, but also for their beneficially health effects. Thus, as the authors’ best knowledge there are no studies on the chemical and bioactive characterization of these fruits. Therefore, fruits of C. macrocarpa from Tunisia were chemically characterized regarding their nutritional value and bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the hydroethanolic extract of these fruits was evaluated regarding its bioactive properties. The fruit powder sample showed high amounts of sugars and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The organic acids and tocopherols’ profiles revealed the presence of five organic acids and two tocopherol isoforms, being quinic acid and α-tocopherol the most abundant. The hydroethanolic extract of the fruits presented high antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, showing activity against all the bacterial strains studied, also inhibiting the cell growth of all the tested tumor cell lines, with the exception of HepG2, and did not reveal toxicity for the non-tumor cells PLP2. Therefore, the fruits of C. macrocarpa could be included in a daily basis diet as a source of high nutritional quality compounds with high bioactive potential.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/ 2013), and L. Barros contract. To the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Mobilizador Norte-01-0247-FEDER- 024479: ValorNatural®.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Valorisation of the green waste parts from turnip, radish and wild cardoon: Nutritional value, phenolic profile and bioactivity evaluation

The recovery of bio-wastes to obtain high added value compounds is of great interest for the pharmaceutical, medicinal and food industries. Therefore, the aerial parts of turnip (Brassica rapa L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and leaf blade of wild cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L. var. sylvestris (Lamk) Fiori) were characterized regarding their nutritional composition, as also their content in soluble sugars, organic acids, fatty acids, and tocopherols. Furthermore, their hydroethanolic extracts and infusion preparations, were profiled regarding individual phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS and their antioxidant, antibacterial and hepatotoxic activities were evaluated. Regarding the nutritional content, wild cardoon revealed the best results, however it was radish and turnip that showed higher values for organic acids and phenolic compounds. The hydroethanolic extract and infusion preparation of wild cardoon stood out for its antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Overall, the hydroethanolic extracts seemed more effective (regarding antioxidant and antibacterial activity) than the infusions. Total phenolic acids proved to be strongly correlated with the antioxidant and antibacterial (against Morganella morganii) activities. This study showed that the discarded parts of these plants can be used as an important natural source of valuable nutrient content and new and safe bioactive compounds, beneficial for human health. Moreover, the extraction of those compounds from underused parts of turnip, radish and cardoon could be used to preserve foods, avoiding artificial additives and thus, contributing to the development of new natural ingredients.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programmer PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019). National funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment programcontract for M.I. Dias and L. Barros contracts. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phenolic compounds profile, nutritional compounds and bioactive properties of Lycium barbarum L.: A comparative study with stems and fruits

The increasing awareness of the possible health benefits of berry fruits (Lycium barbarum L.) has led to a higher consumption of this type of food products. One of the many examples are the fruits from Lycium genus, traditionally used due to their beneficial properties and health benefits associated with liver, kidney, eyesight, immune system, circulation and longevity disorders. In the present study fruits and stems of Lycium barbarum L. (goji) were characterized in terms of nutritional profile, sugars, organic acids, fatty acids and tocopherols. Furthermore, a phenolic characterization of their hydromethanolic extracts was performed and correlated with bioactive properties such as antioxidant, hepatotoxic and antibacterial activities. Stems presented higher values of energy, MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), tocopherols and flavonols. Stems also showed greater antioxidant and antibacterial (against Gram-negative bacteria) activities. Otherwise, fruits revealed higher contents of sugars, PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and greater activity against Gram-positive bacteria. This is an innovative study that shows the high potential of goji stems and fruits as sources of bioactive compounds, which could be used in nutraceutical formulations, or incorporated into food products with functional properties. Furthermore, the use of stems could bring industrial sustainability as a valuable by-product, which has been scarcely reported.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013), T.C.S.P. Pires (SFRH/BD/129551/2017) grant and L. Barros contract. The GIP-USAL is financially supported by the Spanish Government through the project AGL2015-64522-C2-2-R. The authors are grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploring the phytochemical profile of Cytinus hypocistis (L.) L. as a source of health-promoting biomolecules behind its in vitro bioactive and enzyme inhibitory properties

Cytinus hypocistis whole plant and its three different parts (petals, stalks, and nectar) were chemically characterised and their biological properties evaluated. A total of 17 phenolic compounds were identified, being galloyl-bis-HHDP-glucose the most abundant. All the tested extracts showed high antioxidant capacity, with the petals exhibiting the most promising results both in the OxHLIA (IC50 = 0.279 ng/mL) and TBARS (IC50=0.342 ng/mL) assays. For the antidiabetic and anti-tyrosinase enzyme inhibitory assays, the stalk extract presented the lowest IC50 values, 0.039 mg/mL and 0.09 mg/mL, respectively. Regarding antibacterial activity, all tested extracts displayed broad-spectrum microbial inhibition against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Similarly, all extracts displayed effective anti-proliferation activity against four tested tumour cell lines (NCI–H460, HeLa, HepG2, and MCF-7), with no toxicity observed for a non-tumour cell line. Considering the anti-inflammatory activity, the petals showed the highest nitric oxide inhibition (IC50 = 127 μg/mL). These results point C. hypocistis as a promising source of health-promoting biomolecules.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019). L. Barros, J. Pinela, M.I. Dias and R.C. Calhelha thank the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for their contracts. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E and TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio