Characterization of fish protein concentrate obtained from the Nile tilapia filleting residues

This study aimed to obtain fish protein concentrate from mechanically deboned Nile tilapia using a modified methodology, as well as perform physical-chemical, microbiological and sensory analysis of the obtained product. The protein concentrate was obtained from mechanically deboned meat of Nile tilapia, by modifying an existing methodology, with changes in deodorizing and lipids removal steps. Chemical and physical-chemical raw material and product consisted of following analysis: moisture, fat, protein, ash, water activity and degree of lipid oxidation by the TBA test. The microbiological analysis consisted in the determination of Staphylococcus aureus, Coliforms at 45 degrees C and Salmonella sp. Test of Hedonic Scale assessed the acceptability of sensory attributes of appearance, color and aroma. Mechanically deboned meat and fish protein concentrate obtained, respectively, following values of chemical composition: moisture (77.24 and 4.85%), protein (17.48 and 85.16%), lipids (4.46 and 8.20%) and ash (1.02 and 2.45%). Attributes of color and appearance obtained following percentages of acceptance, 46.67 and 60.0%. Aroma had a great rejection, reaching a frequency of 70.0%. The modification made in the methodology for processing of fish protein concentrate allowed to obtain a product with low fat content, reduced moisture, high protein content, and appropriate microbiological quality that enabling to get a product that can be used for enrichment protein of various foods.33269770

Ureterolithiasis after Cohen re-implantation – case report

BACKGROUND: In the past decades, the widespread use of cross-trigonal ureteral reimplants for the treatment of children with vesicoureteral reflux has resulted in a large population of patients with transversely lying ureters. As this population gets older they will consequently be entering an age group at higher risk for stone and urothelial cancer formation. If ureteroscopy becomes necessary, the transverse position of the ureter makes ureteric access often impossible. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a young man who not only suffered from urolithiasis due to hyperparathyroidism, but also further jeopardized his treatment by omitting the fact that as a child he underwent Cohen reimplantation of the right ureter. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the particular difficulties the endoscopist may face in this group of patients. Patients with difficult ureteric access, abnormal anatomy, or those with known cross-trigonal ureteric reimplantations should be managed in a specialised endourology unit

Evolutionary plasticity determination by orthologous groups distribution

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genetic plasticity may be understood as the ability of a functional gene network to tolerate alterations in its components or structure. Usually, the studies involving gene modifications in the course of the evolution are concerned to nucleotide sequence alterations in closely related species. However, the analysis of large scale data about the distribution of gene families in non-exclusively closely related species can provide insights on how plastic or how conserved a given gene family is. Here, we analyze the abundance and diversity of all Eukaryotic Clusters of Orthologous Groups (KOG) present in STRING database, resulting in a total of 4,850 KOGs. This dataset comprises 481,421 proteins distributed among 55 eukaryotes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We propose an index to evaluate the evolutionary plasticity and conservation of an orthologous group based on its abundance and diversity across eukaryotes. To further KOG plasticity analysis, we estimate the evolutionary distance average among all proteins which take part in the same orthologous group. As a result, we found a strong correlation between the evolutionary distance average and the proposed evolutionary plasticity index. Additionally, we found low evolutionary plasticity in <it>Saccharomyces cerevisiae </it>genes associated with inviability and <it>Mus musculus </it>genes associated with early lethality. At last, we plot the evolutionary plasticity value in different gene networks from yeast and humans. As a result, it was possible to discriminate among higher and lower plastic areas of the gene networks analyzed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The distribution of gene families brings valuable information on evolutionary plasticity which might be related with genetic plasticity. Accordingly, it is possible to discriminate among conserved and plastic orthologous groups by evaluating their abundance and diversity across eukaryotes.</p> <p>Reviewers</p> <p>This article was reviewed by Prof Manyuan Long, Hiroyuki Toh, and Sebastien Halary.</p

Oral tolerance to cancer can be abrogated by T regulatory cell inhibition

Oral administration of tumour cells induces an immune hypo-responsiveness known as oral tolerance. We have previously shown that oral tolerance to a cancer is tumour antigen specific, non-cross-reactive and confers a tumour growth advantage. We investigated the utilisation of regulatory T cell (Treg) depletion on oral tolerance to a cancer and its ability to control tumour growth. Balb/C mice were gavage fed homogenised tumour tissue – JBS fibrosarcoma (to induce oral tolerance to a cancer), or PBS as control. Growth of subcutaneous JBS tumours were measured; splenic tissue excised and flow cytometry used to quantify and compare systemic Tregs and T effector (Teff) cell populations. Prior to and/or following tumour feeding, mice were intraperitoneally administered anti-CD25, to inactivate systemic Tregs, or given isotype antibody as a control. Mice which were orally tolerised prior to subcutaneous tumour induction, displayed significantly higher systemic Treg levels (14% vs 6%) and faster tumour growth rates than controls (p<0.05). Complete regression of tumours were only seen after Treg inactivation and occurred in all groups - this was not inhibited by tumour feeding. The cure rates for Treg inactivation were 60% during tolerisation, 75% during tumour growth and 100% during inactivation for both tolerisation and tumour growth. Depletion of Tregs gave rise to an increased number of Teff cells. Treg depletion post-tolerisation and post-tumour induction led to the complete regression of all tumours on tumour bearing mice. Oral administration of tumour tissue, confers a tumour growth advantage and is accompanied by an increase in systemic Treg levels. The administration of anti-CD25 Ab decreased Treg numbers and caused an increase in Teffs. Most notably Treg cell inhibition overcame established oral tolerance with consequent tumor regression, especially relevant to foregut cancers where oral tolerance is likely to be induced by the shedding of tumour tissue into the gut

Gauss-Bonnet Black Holes and Heavy Fermion Metals

We consider charged black holes in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Gravity with Lifshitz boundary conditions. We find that this class of models can reproduce the anomalous specific heat of condensed matter systems exhibiting non-Fermi-liquid behaviour at low temperatures. We find that the temperature dependence of the Sommerfeld ratio is sensitive to the choice of Gauss-Bonnet coupling parameter for a given value of the Lifshitz scaling parameter. We propose that this class of models is dual to a class of models of non-Fermi-liquid systems proposed by Castro-Neto et.al.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, pdfLatex; small corrections to figure 10 in this versio

The Brazilian health system at crossroads: progress, crisis and resilience

The Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS)) has enabled substantial progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Brazil. However, structural weakness, economic and political crises and austerity policies that have capped public expenditure growth are threatening its sustainability and outcomes. This paper analyses the Brazilian health system progress since 2000 and the current and potential effects of the coalescing economic and political crises and the subsequent austerity policies. We use literature review, policy analysis and secondary data from governmental sources in 2000–2017 to examine changes in political and economic context, health financing, health resources and healthcare service coverage in SUS. We find that, despite a favourable context, which enabled expansion of UHC from 2003 to 2014, structural problems persist in SUS, including gaps in organisation and governance, low public funding and suboptimal resource allocation. Consequently, large regional disparities exist in access to healthcare services and health outcomes, with poorer regions and lower socioeconomic population groups disadvantaged the most. These structural problems and disparities will likely worsen with the austerity measures introduced by the current government, and risk reversing the achievements of SUS in improving population health outcomes. The speed at which adverse effects of the current and political crises are manifested in the Brazilian health system underscores the importance of enhancing health system resilience to counteract external shocks (such as economic and political crises) and internal shocks (such as sector-specific austerity policies and rapid ageing leading to rise in disease burden) to protect hard-achieved progress towards UHC

Use of five probiotic strains to determine sensitivity in vitro on pathogenic bacteria growth isolated from sick fishes

ABSTRACT Ornamental aquaculture is an activity in clear economic growth, both globally and in Mexico where the development is particularly relevant to freshwater species. Infectious diseases produced by fungus, bacteria and virus are considered one of the principal limitations during the productive process. Between implemented strategies for reduction of antibiotic use, which are &quot;living microorganisms that confer a health benefit to the host if they are given in adequate quantities&quot;; lactic acid bacteria and yeast are among the most common used microorganism in aquaculture. This investigation, prove the effect of isolated probiotic bacteria from the digestive tract of healthy fish, belonging to specie: Bacillus sp., Bacillus laterosporus, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus sp, and Lactococcus lactis, at different dilutions (10 9 ,10 8 , 10 7 ,10 6 , 10 5 and 10 4 ) in vitro growth of pathogenic bacteria: Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter sakasakii, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus vulgaris, and Vibrio fluvialis, isolated from kidney of sick fish, cultured and purified through successive inoculations and identificated by the amplification of gene 16S of rRNA (PCR) using universal primers 8 for. (5&apos;-AGACTTTGATCATGGCTCAG-3&apos;) and 1492 rev. (5&apos;-TACGGCTACCTTGTTACGACTT-3&apos;) and comparison with GENEBANK sequences base. Probiotic strains were previously isolated from the digestive tract of different healthy fish in the laboratory. In order to perform in vitro challenge tests, pathogenic strains were inoculated three times each in BHI agar boxes at a concentration of 1x10 7 CFU mL -1 and subsequently using the well diffusion method, 70 µL from a suspension with each of the probiotic strains were added. Agar boxes were incubated 24 h at 30ºC to observe the formation of inhibition halos. Obtained values from inhibition halos were transformed to qualitative data with the following premise: halo diameter &lt; 2.0 mm negative effect; halo diameter &gt; 2.0 mm positive effect. In this study, it was determined that probiotic strains B. subtilis was the one that gave better results to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria P. vulgaris, E. sakazakii, V. fluvialis, K. oxytoca and C. freundii in most of used dilutions. Making it a strain with high potential in aquaculture. Key words: Growth, halos, probiotics, bacteria, sensibility. RESUMEN La acuicultura de especies ornamentales es una actividad económica en franco crecimiento, tanto a nivel mundial como en México, en donde tiene particular desarrollo lo correspondiente a especies dulceacuícolas. Las enfermedades infeccionas producidas por hongos, bacterias y virus, están consideradas una de las limitantes principales durante el proceso productivo. Entre las estrategias implementadas para disminuir el uso de antibióticos para el control de patógenos, se encuentra el control biológico mediante el uso de organismos probióticos, los cuales son &quot;microorganismos vivos los cuales, administrados en cantidades adecuadas, confieren un beneficio en la salud del hospedador&quot;; entre los de uso más común en acuicultura se encuentran las lactobacterias y las levaduras. En el presente trabajo, se probó el efecto de bacterias probióticas aisladas del tracto digestivo de peces sanos, pertenecientes a las especies: Bacillus sp., Bacillus laterosporus, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus sp, y Lactococcus lactis, a diferentes diluciones (10 9 ,10 8 , 10 7 ,10 6 , 10 5 y 10 4 ) en el crecimiento in vitro de las bacterias patógenas: Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter sakasakii, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus vulgaris y Vibrio fluvialis, aisladas del riñón de peces enfermos, cultivadas y purificadas a través de resiembras sucesivas e identificadas mediante la amplificación del gen 16S del ARNr (PCR) utilizando los primers universales 8 for. 24 AGACTTTGATCATGGCTCAG-3&apos;) y 1492 rev. (5&apos;-TACGGCTACCTTGTTACGACTT-3&apos;) y su comparación con la base de secuencias GENEBANK. Las cepas probióticos fueron aisladas previamente del tracto intestinal de diversos peces sanos en el laboratorio. Para llevar a cabo las pruebas de desafío in vitro, las cepas patógenas se sembraron por triplicado en cajas de agar BHI a una concentración de 1x10 7 UFC mL -1 y posteriormente, utilizando el método de difusión en pozos, se adicionaran 70 µL de una suspensión con cada una de las cepas probióticas Las placas se incubaron durante 24 h a 30ºC para observar la formación de halos de inhibición. Los valores obtenidos de los halos de inhibición fueron transformados a datos cualitativos con la siguiente premisa: diámetro halo &lt; 2.0 mm efecto negativo; diámetro de halo &gt; 2.0 mm efecto positivo. En este estudio, se determinó que la cepas probiótica B. subtilis fue la que dio mejores resultados al inhibir el crecimiento de las bacterias patógenas P. vulgaris, E. sakazakii, V. fluvialis, K. oxytoca y C. freundii en la mayoría de las diluciones utilizadas. Por lo que es una cepa con alto potencial en acuicultura

The Aspergillus fumigatus CrzA Transcription Factor Activates Chitin Synthase Gene Expression during the Caspofungin Paradoxical Effect

This is the final version. Available from American Society for Microbiology via the DOI in this record. Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes invasive aspergillosis (IA), a life-threatening disease in immunocompromised humans. The echinocandin caspofungin, adopted as a second-line therapy in combating IA, is a -1,3-glucan synthase inhibitor, which, when used in high concentrations, reverts the anticipated A. fumigatus growth inhibition, a phenomenon called the “caspofungin paradoxical effect” (CPE). The CPE has been widely associated with increased chitin content in the cell wall due to a compensatory upregulation of chitin synthaseencoding genes. Here, we demonstrate that the CPE is dependent on the cell wall integrity (CWI) mitogen-activated protein kinase MpkAMPK1 and its associated transcription factor (TF) RlmARLM1, which regulate chitin synthase gene expression in response to different concentrations of caspofungin. Furthermore, the calcium- and calcineurin-dependent TF CrzA binds to and regulates the expression of specific chitin synthase genes during the CPE. These results suggest that the regulation of cell wall biosynthetic genes occurs by several cellular signaling pathways. In addition, CrzA is also involved in cell wall organization in the absence of caspofungin. Differences in the CPE were also observed between two A. fumigatus clinical isolates, which led to the identification of a novel basic leucine zipper TF, termed ZipD. This TF functions in the calcium-calcineurin pathway and is involved in the regulation of cell wall biosynthesis genes. This study therefore unraveled additional mechanisms and novel factors governing the CPE response, which ultimately could aid in developing more effective antifungal therapies.CNPqFAPES