Influence of preparation procedures on the phenolic content, antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of green and black teas

The influence of common tea preparation procedures (temperature, infusion time, consumption time interval and tea bag/loose-leaf) and the type of water used, on the total phenolic content (TPC), the radical scavenging activity and the alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity were assessed. Higher TPC and antioxidant activity were obtained when using lower mineralized waters. Tea bags also evidenced higher antioxidant activity than loose-leaf samples. Under the same conditions (90 degrees C and five minutes of infusion time) green tea contains almost twice the quantity of polyphenols and the free radical scavenging ability of black tea. In the alpha-glucosidase assay all infusions were active (97-100 %). Furthermore, HPLC allowed to identify some of the polyphenols present in both teas and to monitor their composition change with time. After twenty-four hours, the antioxidant activity was maintained without significant changes, but a small decrease in enzyme inhibition was observed, although this activity was still very high.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identificando Características de Organizações Intensivas em Conhecimento em Universidades: Um Estudo de Caso nas Instituições do Sistema ACAFE de Santa Catarina - Brasil

O estudo identifica características de organizações intensivas em conhecimento em universidades. Parte-se do pressuposto de que organizações que desenvolvem atividades na área de educação são, em princípio, organizações intensivas em conhecimento. Para mapear as características que possam confirmar tal pressuposto, estruturou-se o estudo em 4 dimensões: organização e gestão, infra-estrutura, pessoas e tecnologia, através das quais elaborou-se o instrumento de pesquisa. O estudo foi desenvolvido através de um survey utilizando o trabalho de ANGELONI (2002), denominado Modelo Alternativo de Organização do Conhecimento . Os resultados atenderam as expectativas, mesmo apresentando alguns desvios em razão de o assunto tratado ser relativamente novo para as empresas e, mais especificamente para instituições de ensino superior. Conclui-se que as pesquisas acerca da gestão do conhecimento em IES, ainda são incipientes, acreditando-se que os resultados apresentados contribuirão para novas pesquisas e para que as IESs iniciem processos de suas transformações em organizações intensivas em conhecimento

Quasi static mechanical study of vacuum bag infused bouligand inspired composites

Three novel Bouligand inspired composites were produced by vacuum bag infusion manufacturing process and their quasi-static mechanical performance were compared to a conventional aircraft laminate. A morphologic/physical study was first conducted for all configurations and their mechanical response under tensile, three-point bending (3-PB) and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) tests were then evaluated and discussed. No significant number of voids were detected into laminates, however, a rough and poor defined interlaminar region was observed in both Bouligand-like configurations. Under quasi-static mechanical solicitations, and when compared to reference layup, bioinspired configurations have shown similar and 18% higher tensile and flexural modulus. However, the progressive and translaminar failure mode, typically observed in these configurations, led to a lower load bearing capability. Despite presented similar interlaminar resistance than reference, finite element models built have revealed a good correlation between cross-section stress field and failure mode observed experimentally.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Projetos UIDB/05256/2020, UIDP/05256/2020 e MITP-TB/PFM/0005/201

Factors associated with the age of the onset of diabetes in women aged 50 years or more: a population-based study

Investigate factors associated with the onset of diabetes in women aged more than 49 years. Cross-sectional, population-based study using self-reports with 622 women. The dependent variable was the age of occurrence of diabetes using the life table method. Cox multiple regression models were adjusted to analyse the onset of diabetes according to predictor variables. Sociodemographic, clinical and behavioural factors were evaluated. Of the 622 women interviewed, 22.7% had diabetes. The mean age at onset was 56 years. The factors associated with the age of occurrence of diabetes were self-rated health (very good, good) (coefficient=-0.792; SE of the coefficient=0.215; p=0.0001), more than two individuals living in the household (coefficient=0.656, SE of the coefficient=0.223; p=0.003), and body mass index (BMI) (kg/m(2)) at 20-30 years of age (coefficient= 0.056, SE of the coefficient=0.023; p=0.014). Self-rated health considered good or very good was associated with a higher rate of survival without diabetes. Sharing a home with two or more other people and a weight increase at 20-30 years of age was associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes.Investigate factors associated with the onset of diabetes in women aged more than 49 years. Design and Cross-sectional, populationbased study using self-reports with 622 women. The dependent variable was the age of occurrence of diabetes using the life t416FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO04/10524-

Influence of the temperature in the electronic transfer mechanism of Geobacter sulfurreducens

Geobacter species are important in the reduction of metals (e.g. Fe, Mn) in soils and sediments and constitute one of the most effective microorganisms known to use electrodes as the sole electron acceptor in microbial fuel cells to generate electricity. G. sulfurreducens transfers electrons directly to the electrode from different external membrane cytochromes. Each cytochrome is associated with a range of electrical potentials, being energetically more favourable than some others. Different growth conditions of the bacteria, such as temperature, may influence the prevalence of certain cytochromes in the external membrane. The aim of this work was to evaluate the difference in the electronic transfer mechanisms in G. sulfurreducens that growth at different temperatures (25 ºC and 37 ºC). The cyclic voltammetry is an electrochemical technique that can be used to assess the redox reactions between bacteria and electrode and was used to compare different cultures of G. sulfurreducens (Figure 1). With these studies it can be concluded that at different temperatures the oxidation peaks potentials and current intensities were different. The current intensity increased in bacteria that growth at higher temperatures but the potential of the oxidation peak was more anodic, thus more energy was required. The oxidation reaction was limited by diffusion. An irreversible electronic transfer is noticed. At 25ºC the kinetic of the reaction had a mixed control and charge transfer was reversible for lower sweep scan rates. SDS-Page was used to characterize the membrane protein complexes. The membrane proteins extracted from bacteria that growth at different temperatures migrated differently in the gel, revealing proteins of different molecular weights. G. sulfurreducens may provide an interesting model for structural comparison of proteins since the two samples revealed different profiles. The separation of the membrane proteins was obtained from sucrose gradient centrifugation and 2D electrophoresis. The complete proteins characterization is already being developed in our laboratories

Frequência de Realização do Autoexame das Mamas e Mamografia na Detecção de Nódulos em Mulheres de Baixa Renda na População Sul Fluminense

O câncer de mama é um problema de saúde pública importante. Os três principais métodos de rastreamento são o exame mamográfico (MMG), o exame clínico das mamas (ECM) e o autoexame das mamas (AEM). Segundo Frasson et al, vários ensaios clínicos demonstraram uma redução da mortalidade em mulheres entre 50-74 anos de idade, com a realização anual de MMG, associada ou não ao exame físico realizado pelo médico. No Brasil, a taxa bruta de mortalidade por câncer de mama apresentou uma elevação de 68%, a maior causa de óbitos por câncer na faixa etária entre 40 e 69 anos. Aproximadamente 80% dos tumores são descobertos pela própria mulher ao palpar suas mamas. Realizamos um estudo transversal prospectivo cujo objetivo foi avaliar a freqûencia de mulheres que realizam o AEM e/ou MMG. Foram entrevistadas 71 mulheres na região sul fluminense, com média de idade de 41,6 anos, que foram questionadas quanto à frequência da realização e conhecimento quanto à execução do AEM, assiduidade ao ginecologista e realização de mamografia. Nesta amostra, observamos que 84,5 % das mulheres sabem fazer o autoexame, dentre essas, 68,33% fazem regularmente, os exames; 18,30% têm história familiar e 76,05% frequentam o ginecologista

Bioinspired cyclic dipeptide functionalized nanofibers for thermal sensing and energy harvesting

The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/ma16062477/s1, Figure S1: Optical microscopy; Figure S2: Output voltage as a function of time from Cyclo (L-Trp-L-Trp)@PLLA electrospun nanofibers; Figure S3: Piezoelectric current versus applied force for Cyclo (L-Trp-L-Trp)@PLLA and PLLA neat fibers, with the respective linear fits; Figure S4: Output voltage for low frequencies up to 10 Hz and output voltage as a function of time, from Cyclo (L-Trp-L-Trp)@PCL electrospun nanofibers.Nanostructured dipeptide self-assemblies exhibiting quantum confinement are of great interest due to their potential applications in the field of materials science as optoelectronic materials for energy harvesting devices. Cyclic dipeptides are an emerging outstanding group of ring-shaped dipeptides, which, because of multiple interactions, self-assemble in supramolecular structures with different morphologies showing quantum confinement and photoluminescence. Chiral cyclic dipeptides may also display piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity properties with potential applications in new sources of nano energy. Among those, aromatic cyclo-dipeptides containing the amino acid tryptophan are wide-band gap semiconductors displaying the high mechanical rigidity, photoluminescence and piezoelectric properties to be used in power generation. In this work, we report the fabrication of hybrid systems based on chiral cyclo-dipeptide L-Tryptophan-L-Tryptophan incorporated into biopolymer electrospun fibers. The micro/nanofibers contain self-assembled nano-spheres embedded into the polymer matrix, are wide-band gap semiconductors with 4.0 eV band gap energy, and display blue photoluminescence as well as relevant piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties with coefficients as high as 57 CN−1 and  35×10−6 Cm−2K−1, respectively. Therefore, the fabricated hybrid mats are promising systems for future thermal sensing and energy harvesting applications.This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)-COMPETE-QREN-EU (ref. UID/FIS/04650/2013 and UID/FIS/04650/2019) and E-Field“Electric-Field Engineered Lattice Distortions (E-FiELD) for optoelectronic devices, ref. PTDC/NAN-MAT/0098/2020

Chronic stress targets adult neurogenesis preferentially in the suprapyramidal blade of the rat dorsal dentate gyrus

First Online: 29 August 2017The continuous generation of new neurons and glial cells in the adult hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) represents an important form of adult neuroplasticity, involved in normal brain function and behavior but also associated with the etiopathogenesis and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Despite the large number of studies addressing cell genesis along the septotemporal axis, data on the anatomical gradients of cytogenesis along the DG transverse axis is scarce, especially after exposure to stress. As such, in this study we characterized both basal proliferation and survival of adult-born neural cells along the transverse axis of the rat dorsal DG, and after stress exposure. In basal conditions, both proliferating cells and newborn neurons and glial cells were preferentially located at the subgranular zone and suprapyramidal blade. Exposure to chronic stress induced an overall decrease in the generation of adult-born neural cells and, more specifically, produced a regional-specific decrease in the survival of adult-born neurons at the suprapyramidal blade. No particular region-specific alterations were observed on surviving adult-born glial cells. This work reveals, for the first time, a distinct survival profile of adult-born neural cells, neurons and glial cells, among the transverse axis of the DG, in both basal and stress conditions. Our results unveil that adult-born neurons are preferentially located in the suprapyramidal blade and suggest a regional-specific impact of chronic stress in this blade with potential repercussions for its functional significance.NDA, PP, AMP, ARMS, MM and LP received fellowships from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). This work was funded by FCT (IF/01079/2014). This article has been developed under the scope of the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013, supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER). This work has been funded by FEDER funds, through the Competitiveness Factors Operational Programme (COMPETE), and by National funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007038.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Characteristics of resistance training-based protocols in older adults with sarcopenic obesity: a scoping review of training procedure recommendations

Background: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a clinical and functional disease characterized by the coexistence of obesity and sarcopenia. Resistance training (RT) characteristics for older adults with sarcopenia or obesity are already well established in the scientific literature. Nonetheless, we still do not know how detailed the RT protocols are described for older adults with SO. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the characteristics of RT programs, including each of their variables, recommended for older adults with SO. Methods: This is a scoping review study that was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews. The search was carried out until November 2022 in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, LILACS, Google Scholar, and medRxiv databases. The studies included SO diagnosis and RT as an intervention strategy. The RT variables analyzed were as follows: exercise selection, the volume of sets, the intensity of load, repetition cadence, rest interval between sets, and weekly frequency. Results: A total of 1,693 studies were identified. After applying the exclusion criteria, 15 studies were included in the final analysis. The duration of the RT intervention ranged from 8 to 24 weeks. All studies included full-body routines, with single/multi-joint exercises. Regarding the volume of sets, some studies fixed it in three sets, whereas others varied between one and three sets. The load was reported by repetition range and the weight lifted, elastic-band color/resistance, percentage of one repetition maximum, or perceived exertion scale. Repetition cadence was fixed in some studies, while it was self-selected between concentric and eccentric phases in others. The interval between sets of rest varied from 30 to 180 s. All studies reported progression overload during the interventions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio