Probiotic Cheese Attenuates Exercise-induced Immune Suppression In Wistar Rats

Intense physical activity results in a substantial volume of stress and hence a significant probability of immunosuppression in athletes, with milk proteins being, perhaps, the most recommended protein supplements. Consumption of a probiotic cheese can attenuate immune suppression induced by exhausting exercise in rats. A popular Brazilian fresh cheese (Minas Frescal cheese) containing Lactobacillus acidophilus LA14 and Bifidobacterium longum BL05 was fed for 2 wk to adult Wistar rats, which then were brought to exhaustion on the treadmill. Two hours after exhaustion, the rats were killed and material was collected for the determination of serum uric acid, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol fraction, total protein, triacylglycerols, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and blood cell (monocyte, lymphocyte, neutrophil, and leukocyte) counts. Exercise was efficient in reducing lymphocyte counts, irrespective of the type of ingested cheese, but the decrease in the group fed the probiotic cheese was 22% compared with 48% in the animals fed regular cheese. Monocyte counts were unaltered in the rats fed probiotic cheese compared with a significant decrease in the rats fed the regular cheese. Most importantly, ingestion of the probiotic cheese resulted in a >100% increase in serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a 50% decrease in triacylglycerols. 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Corrigendum To "probiotic Yogurt Offers Higher Immune-protection Than Probiotic Whey Beverage"[food Research International 54 (2013) 118-124]

[No abstract available]54192

Produtividade da água de chuva em culturas de subsistência no Semiárido Pernambucano Rain water productivity in subsistence crops in the Semiarid of Pernambuco

Os diferentes sistemas de cultivo utilizados pelos agricultores do Semiárido brasileiro apresentam riscos de perdas devido às irregularidades das chuvas, sendo, portanto, necessário associá-los a práticas que propiciem maior disponibilidade de água no solo durante o ciclo de cultivo. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar a aplicação de quantidades mínimas de água e adubação orgânica na produtividade de feijãocaupi, cultivar BRS-Pujante e de milho, cultivar BRS-Caatingueiro. Os resultados indicam que as maiores produtividades de grãos foram obtidas com o tratamento que associou a irrigação de salvação com a adubação orgânica, sendo para o feijão-caupi de 1.422,5 kg ha-1, e para o milho, de 6.099,1 kg ha-1, seguido pelo tratamento que usou somente a adubação orgânica, para ambas as culturas. Porém, comparando-se o efeito da adubação orgânica aplicada de forma isolada sobre a testemunha, observa-se que ocorreram aumentos de 54,5% e de 237,3% nas produtividades de feijão e de milho, respectivamente, ressaltando a importância do uso da adubação orgânica nas culturas.<br>The different crop systems used by farmers in the Brazilian semiarid show risk of loss due to the rainfall irregularity being therefore necessary to associate them to practices that provide higher availability of soil water during the cropping season. This study aimed to evaluate the application of minimal amounts of water and organic fertilization on yields of cowpea, BRS-Punjante cultivar (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) and maize, BRS-Caatingueiro cultivar (Zea mays L.). The results indicate that the highest yield of grain were obtained with the treatment which involved the salvation irrigation with organic manure, the cowpea 1,422.5 kg ha-1 and the corn 6,099.1 kg ha-1, followed by treatments that used only organic fertilization for both species. However, comparing the effect of organic manure applied alone on the control experiment were observed increases of 54.5% and 237,3% in yield of beans and maize, respectively, emphasizing the importance of the use of organic manure on crops

Morfo-anatomia foliar de Myrcia multiflora (Lam.) DC. - Myrtaceae Leaf morphoanatomy of Myrcia multiflora (Lam.) DC. - Myrtaceae

Folhas de Myrcia multiflora (Lam.) DC. são usadas na medicina popular como hipoglicemiantes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar morfológica e anatomicamente as folhas desta planta, de modo que os dados obtidos possam ser utilizados como referência em exames de controle de qualidade de amostras de fármacos, com vistas a verificar a autenticidade. Folhas inteiras foram diafanizadas e coradas para o estudo da nervação. Secções transversais do pecíolo e transversais e paradérmicas da lâmina foliar foram analisadas em microscópio óptico (MO) e a superfície do limbo foi observada, também, em microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Foram aplicados testes histoquímicos em material fresco, para identificação e localização de glicídios, amido, taninos, lignina, cristais e sílica. Morfologicamente, a folha é simples, oval-elíptica, com margem inteira, base aguda, ápice acuminado e textura cartácea. A venação é do tipo camptódromo-broquidódromo. Anatomicamente, a folha é hipostomática, com mesofilo compacto e dorsiventral, com três estratos de parênquima paliçádico. A epiderme é uniestratificada, silicificada em algumas regiões e as células exibem paredes anticlinais retas. Em posição subepidérmica ocorrem numerosas cavidades secretoras de óleos essenciais. Os feixes vasculares são colaterais e acompanhados por séries cristalíferas. Os dados obtidos são comparados com os de outras espécies de Myrtaceae e conclui-se que as características morfológicas e anatômicas de M. multiflora contribuem para a diagnose.<br>Myrcia multiflora (Lam.) DC. leaves have been used in folk medicine as hypoglycemic. The aim of this work is to describe morphoanatomically the leaves of this plant in order to use the obtained data as reference in quality control tests of drug samples, investigating their authenticity. Whole leaves were diaphanized and stained for venation study. Petiole transverse sections and leaf blade transverse and paradermal sections were analyzed under an optical microscope (OM). Leaf surface was also observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Histochemical tests were done using fresh material to identify and locate carbohydrates, starch, tannins, lignin, crystals and silica. Morphologically, the leaf is simple, oval-elliptical, with entire margin, acute base, acuminate apex and chartaceous texture. The venation pattern is camptodromous-brochidodromous. Anatomically, the leaf is hipostomatic, with compact and dorsiventral mesophyll, containing three layers of palisade parenchyma. The epidermis is uniseriate, silicified in some regions and presents cells with straight anticlinal walls. In the subepidermal position, there are several essential oil secretory cavities. Vascular bundles are collateral and surrounded by crystalliferous series. The obtained data were compared to those of other Myrtaceae species , leading to the conclusion that, the morphoanatomical traits of M. multiflora contribute to its diagnosis