Influence Of The Degree Of Hydrolysis And Type Of Enzyme On Antioxidant Activity Of Okara Protein Hydrolysates

The objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of protein hydrolysates obtained by the enzymatic hydrolysis of okara using an endopeptidase (Alcalase) and exopeptidase (Flavourzyme). The reaction was monitored by the pH-stat procedure in which five aliquots were collected during the hydrolysis by each enzyme, corresponding to different degrees of hydrolysis (DH). The antioxidant activities of the aliquots were evaluated by the ABTS, DPPH and FRAP methods. For the hydrolysates obtained using Alcalase, the antioxidant activities increased from: 68.6 to 99.5% (ABTS), 14.5 to 17.7% (DPPH) and 222.6 to 684.9 [iM Trolox (FRAP), when the DH varied from 0 to 33.6%. With respect to Flavourzyme, the results were: 67.2 to 88.2% (ABTS), 9.5 to 18.5% (DPPH) and 168.0 to 360.3 [µM Trolox (FRAP), when the DH increased up to 5.8%. The results showed that the protein hydrolysates had antioxidant capacities, which were influenced by the degree of hydrolysis and the type of enzyme. © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Ciencia e Tecnologia de Alimentos, SBCTA. All rights reserved.36237538

Hawking radiation in different coordinate settings: Complex paths approach

We apply the technique of complex paths to obtain Hawking radiation in different coordinate representations of the Schwarzschild space-time. The coordinate representations we consider do not possess a singularity at the horizon unlike the standard Schwarzschild coordinate. However, the event horizon manifests itself as a singularity in the expression for the semiclassical action. This singularity is regularized by using the method of complex paths and we find that Hawking radiation is recovered in these coordinates indicating the covariance of Hawking radiation as far as these coordinates are concerned.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures, Uses IOP style file; final version; accepted in Class. Quant. Gra

Analysis of polymorphism at site -174 G/C of interleukin-6 promoter region in multiple myeloma

It is well established that interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an essential growth factor for multiple myeloma (MM) and patients with increased IL-6 levels have a poor prognosis. In healthy subjects, the presence of the C allele at a polymorphic site (-174 G/C) of the IL-6 gene is related to low IL-6 levels. In view of the potential association of this particular polymorphism with IL-6 concentration, and the relevance of IL-6 in MM pathogenesis, the objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of IL-6 (-174 G/C) promoter polymorphism and its association with development of MM in Brazilian individuals. We investigated the prevalence of these alleles in 52 patients and 60 healthy subjects (matched by age, sex, and race) of a Brazilian population. Thirty patients were male (42.4%), 24 (46.2%) were white and the median age at diagnosis was 58.5 years (range: 28 to 84 years). To determine the IL-6 (-174 G/C) polymorphism, molecular analysis was performed by polymerase chain reaction followed by endonuclease restriction digestion. The genotype distributions observed in the group of patients were 4% CC, 42% GC and 54% GG. The C allele frequency was 0.25. These results were similar to the control group, suggesting no impact of this polymorphism on the susceptibility to MM

Influence of ink rheology and post processing in the structural performance of silicon nitride-based ceramics fabricated by robocasting

The fabrication of complex shaped Si3N4 parts by conventional methods is challenging due to its high hardness and mechanical strength. Additive manufacturing (AM) appeared as a competitive way to attain three-dimensional complexity at lower costs. However, most of AM technologies still present limitations in producing high dense ceramics, mainly due to several difficulties in developing proper feedstock. This work presents the fabrication of dense silicon nitride-based ceramics by using an extrusion based additive manufacturing technique (direct ink writing, also known as robocasting) and cold isostatic pressing (CIP) as a post processing step. Silicon-nitride aqueous based inks containing different amounts of solids loading (36, 38 and 39 vol%) and proper rheological characteristics for the printing process were studied. The use of CIP (200 MPa) is suggested to reduce or even eliminate defects and porosity and consequently, to improve mechanical performance of the final parts. Relative density, microhardness and flexural strength increased as solids loading in the inks increased and were further improved when CIP pressing was used. Parts produced by robocasting with an ink containing 39 vol% and cold isostatic pressed at 200 MPa exhibited an average relative density around 99%, 1475 HV2 microhardness value and 650 MPa flexural strength, values similar to those of silicon nitride ceramics fabricated by conventional processing.publishe

Proteomic signatures uncover the early key players on Vitis vinifera cv. “Regent - Plasmopara viticola crosstalk

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dissecting the sugarcane expressed sequence tag (SUCEST) database: unraveling flower-specific genes

There are almost 260,000 independent clones sequenced from the 5? end in the Sugarcane Expressed Sequence Tag (SUCEST) database, which have been obtained from 37 cDNA libraries prepared from different tissues. This large number of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) provides an opportunity, unprecedented in plants, to perform ?digital differential screening? on selected cDNA libraries. In general, the frequency of a particular EST correlates with transcript accumulation in the tissues from which the cDNA libraries were constructed, so it is possible to compare the whole transcriptome from different tissues using computer-assisted analysis of an EST database. In our research we analyzed sugarcane ESTs according to tissue expression and identified more than 1,000 putative flower-specific genes. The fact that using this technique we were able to identify sugarcane homologues of several genes previously described as pollen-specific justifies this method of assessing tissue specificity. In addition, ESTs similar to genes specific to reproductive organs were detected e.g. a sugarcane gene encoding a meiotic protein essential for assembly of the synaptonemal complex and normal synapsis. This approach also allowed the identification of many flower-specific anonymous sequences that are good candidates for being novel genes involved in plant reproduction. This paper describes the analysis of the gene expression levels of 24 EST clusters during flower development using a ?digital northern blot? constructed from direct EST counts made on the non-normalized sugarcane cDNA libraries.Existem quase 260.000 clones independentes, seqüenciados a partir da extremidade 5?, no banco de dados do SUCEST (Sugarcane Expressed Sequence Tag), os quais foram obtidos a partir de 37 bibliotecas de cDNA preparadas de diferentes tecidos. Este grande número de etiquetas de sequências expressas (ESTs) fornece uma oportunidade, sem precedentes em plantas, de realizar um ?digital differential screening? em bibliotecas de cDNA selecionadas. Geralmente, a frequência de um determinado EST está correlacionada ao acúmulo de transcritos nos tecidos dos quais as bibliotecas de cDNA foram construídas, e desta forma, é possível comparar o transcriptoma completo de diferentes tecidos, usando uma análise computacional de um banco de dados de ESTs. Em nossa pesquisa, analisamos os ESTs de cana-de-açúcar de acordo com sua expressão tecidual e identificamos mais de 1.000 putativos genes específicos de flor. O fato de que usando esta técnica fomos capazes de identificar homológos em cana-de-açúcar, de vários genes previamente descritos como específicos de pólen, sustenta este método de estimar especificidade tecidual. Além disto, ESTs com similaridade a genes específicos de órgãos reprodutivos foram revelados, como por exemplo, o gene que codifica uma proteína meiótica essencial para a montagem do complexo sinaptonêmico e sinapse normal. Esta abordagem também permitiu a identificação de muitas sequências anônimas, específicas de flor, que são boas candidatas para novos genes envolvidos com a reprodução de plantas. Este trabalho descreve a análise dos níveis de expressão gênica de 24 clusters de ESTs, durante o desenvolvimento floral, usando um ?northern blot digital? construído a partir da contagem direta dos ESTs das bibliotecas não-normalizadas de cDNAs de cana-de-açúcar.7784Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Effects of glutamine alone or in combination with zinc and vitamin A on growth, intestinal barrier function, stress and satiety-related hormones in Brazilian shantytown children

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of supplemental zinc, vitamin A, and glutamine alone or in combination on growth, intestinal barrier function, stress and satiety-related hormones among Brazilian shantytown children with low median height-for-age z-scores. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in children aged two months to nine years from the urban shanty compound community of Fortaleza, Brazil. Demographic and anthropometric information was assessed. The random treatment groups available for testing (a total of 120 children) were as follows: (1) glutamine alone, n = 38; (2) glutamine plus vitamin A plus zinc, n = 37; and a placebo (zinc plus vitamin A vehicle) plus glycine (isonitrogenous to glutamine) control treatment, n = 38. Leptin, adiponectin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), and plasma levels of cortisol were measured with immune-enzymatic assays; urinary lactulose/mannitol and serum amino acids were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00133406. RESULTS: Glutamine treatment significantly improved weight-for-height z-scores compared to the placebo-glycine control treatment. Either glutamine alone or all nutrients combined prevented disruption of the intestinal barrier function, as measured by the percentage of lactulose urinary excretion and the lactulose:mannitol absorption ratio. Plasma leptin was negatively correlated with plasma glutamine (p = 0.002) and arginine (p = 0.001) levels at baseline. After glutamine treatment, leptin was correlated with weight-for-age (WAZ) and weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ) (p≤0.002) at a 4-month follow-up. In addition, glutamine and all combined nutrients (glutamine, vitamin A, and zinc) improved the intestinal barrier function in these children. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these findings reveal the benefits of glutamine alone or in combination with other gut-trophic nutrients in growing children via interactions with leptin

Circulating microparticles and central blood pressure according to antihypertensive strategy

OBJECTIVES: This prospective, randomized, open-label study aimed to compare the effects of antihypertensive treatment based on amlodipine or hydrochlorothiazide on the circulating microparticles and central blood pressure values of hypertensive patients. METHODS: The effects of treatments on circulating microparticles were assessed during monotherapy and after the consecutive addition of valsartan and rosuvastatin followed by the withdrawal of rosuvastatin. Each treatment period lasted for 30 days. Central blood pressure and pulse wave velocity were measured at the end of each period. Endothelial, monocyte, and platelet circulating microparticles were determined by flow cytometry. Central blood pressure values and pulse wave velocity were recorded at the end of each treatment period. RESULTS: No differences in brachial blood pressure were observed between the treatment groups throughout the study. Although similar central blood pressure values were observed during monotherapy, lower systolic and diastolic central blood pressure values and early and late blood pressure peaks were observed in the amlodipine arm after the addition of valsartan alone or combined with rosuvastatin. Hydrochlorothiazide-based therapy was associated with a lower number of endothelial microparticles throughout the study, whereas a higher number of platelet microparticles was observed after rosuvastatin withdrawal in the amlodipine arm. CONCLUSIONS: Despite similar brachial blood pressure values between groups throughout the study, exposure to amlodipine was associated with lower central blood pressure values after combination with valsartan, indicating a beneficial interaction. Differences between circulating microparticles were modest and were mainly influenced by rosuvastatin withdrawal in the amlodipine arm