Insulin Resistance and Atherosclerosis

O tipo de vida nas sociedades ocidentais favorece, nos indivíduos geneticamente predispostos, o desenvolvimento do estado de insulino-resistência. Neste estado, são necessárias concentrações de insulina mais elevadas para que se obtenha uma normal resposta metabólica nos tecidos-alvo, ocasionando o desenvolvimento de hiperinsulinismo. Em consequência da multiplicidade de acções da insulina, a insulino-resistência está associada a disfunção de vários tecidos,orgãos e sistemas (Síndrome X), tendo por consequência, entre outras, um aumento do risco de patologia vascular aterosclerótica. Neste artigo, são revistas as alterações a nível do controlo da pressão arterial, endotélio vascular, metabolismo lipídico e sistema fibrinolítico, consequentes ao estado de insulino resistência e a forma como, junto com o hiperinsulinismo, aceleram o processo da aterogénese. São, igualmente, abordadas algumas das armas terapêuticas capazes de combater aquele estado e, assim, reduzir a morbilidade e mortalidade associadas à aterosclerose

Texture and colour kinetics of change in blanched carrots

Five Isothermal heating experiments, at different temperatures and at predetermined time intervals, were carried out on diced carrots. The objective of this study was to determine the degradation kinetics of colour (a and a/b parameters) and texture (work and maximum force) along blanching. The best model to fit the degradation kinetic data was the fractional conversion and the temperature effect was well described by the Arrhenius equation. The k 800c and Ea values were 0.2, 0.05, 0.5 and 0.05 min -1 and 12x103, 18x103, 49x103 and 192x103J/mol, respectively for a, a/b, maximum force and work

Introduction: a post-pandemic new context for food studies teaching methods

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, several technological tools were already being used in the educational environment of the food area. Digital technologies occurred in a more dynamic way in the research sector, while in the teaching-learning system, it happened with a little more prudence, either due to insufficient infrastructure or poor familiarity with such technological resources. As a consequence of adopted sanitary measures, social isolation implied a very fast implementation of the digital transformation in the educational environment to avoid disruption and minimize the impact on learning processes. The new configuration brought challenges to educators and students and also promoted the development of capabilities and skills necessary to explore a range of new tools. The promotion of theoretical and practical knowledge in an integrated, dynamic, sustainable, responsible, and flexible way requires a reflection between traditional and new teaching methods. This session will discuss the barriers and established strategies to access learning platforms, communication tools, methodology for assessment, virtual classes, and others. It is important to assure the excellence and front position of leadership of education for the food area and support public policies in making decisions that will define the future of food studies in production, processing, and consumption.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Application of quality-by-design approach in the analytical method development for quantification of sugars in sugarcane honey by reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Produced in Madeira Island from regional sugarcane cultivars through a traditional manufacturing and storage process, sugarcane honey (SCH) is a black syrup recognized by its excellent quality. Its economic value has led to the emergence of adulterated SCH, whereby the identification of molecular markers became an essential task in order to overcome the fraudulent activities, protect its authenticity, and guarantee the consumer safety. In the present study, an analytical strategy based on ultrasound-assisted liquid liquid extraction (USA-LLE) followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with a refractive index detector (LC-RI) was developed for the determination of sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, and mannose) in SCH samples from certified producers, supported on analytical quality-by-design (AQbD) approach, as a useful tool to establish its typicality. The application of AQbD was based on analytical risk assessment, multivariate statistics and quality control procedures for definition of the Method Operable Design Region (MODR). The optimal conditions into MODR were accomplished using BEH Amide column operating at a temperature of 80 °C and a flow rate of 300 μL min−1 , with a mobile phase composed by acetone and water (85:15, v v−1 ) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1 . The robustness was determined by Monte Carlo simulation and capability analysis. The concentration-response function for all sugars was described by polynomial models. Accuracy was presented by recovery values between 98.2 and 119.5%. The analytical figures of merit validated the utility of AQbD in the systematic design of a LC-RI method with fine sensitivity for sugar analysis in SCH.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Central Diabetes Insipidus Following Immunization With BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine: a Case Report

Introduction: Cases of central diabetes insipidus (CDI) have been reported after COVID-19 infection, with hypophysitis being the most likely cause. COVID-19 vaccines potential adverse effects may mimetize some of these complications. Case report: Woman 37 years old, with rheumatoid arthritis under adalimumab (40 mg twice a month) since December 2018. She was in her usual state of health when she has received the second dose of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (June 2021). Seven days later, she started reporting intense thirst and polyuria and consulted her family physician. Blood analysis: creatinine 0.7 mg/dL, glucose 95mg/dL, Na+ 141mEq/L, K+ 3.9 mEq/L, TSH 3.8 mcUI/L (0.38-5.33), FT4 0.9 ng/dL (0.6-1.1), cortisol 215.4 nmol/L (185-624), ACTH 21.9 pg/mL (6- 48), FSH 4.76 UI/L, LH5.62 UI/L, estradiol 323 pmol/L, IGF1 74.8 ng/mL (88-209), PRL 24.7mcg/L (3.3-26.7) osmolality 298.2 mOs/Kg (250- 325); Urine analysis: volume 10200 mL/24h, osmolality 75 mOs/Kg (300-900), density 1.002. On water restriction test: 0' - Serum osmolality 308.8mOsm/Kg vs. urine osmolality 61.0 mOsm/Kg; 60' - urine osmolality 102 mOsm/Kg; urine osmolality 1 h after desmopressine was 511mOsm/kg. MRI revealed no abnormal signs consistent with hypophysitis except for the loss of the posterior pituitary bright spot on T1 weighted imaging. Diagnosis of CDI was assumed, and started therapy with desmopressine. A report of potential adverse effect was addressed to national health authorities. Conclusion: In hypophysitis MRI often shows loss of posterior pituitary bright spot on T1 weighted imaging, pituitary enlargement or stalk thickening but those findings were not present in this patient. To the best of our knowledge, CDI has never been reported following administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Carabid (Coleoptera) community changes following prescribed burning and the potential use of carabids as indicators species to evaluate the effect of fire management in Mediterranean regions

Separata do Vol. 14, n.º da Revista Silva Lusitana.Pesquisável também em http://www.scielo.oces.mctes.pt/pdf/slu/v14n1/v14n1a07.pdfThis study investigates the effects of prescribed burning on ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities in two different habitats, a pine forest stand in Northern Portugal and a shrubland in a central region that were fire treated in spring of 1998. These two ecosystems were considerably different in floristically as well as structurally. Pitfall trapping was performed for two years in the pine stand and three years in the shrubland. Species of dryer open habitats dominated after fire in the shrubland site while the pine stand habitat showed a more or less constant carabid community structure for all treatments. Some Carabid taxa such as species/subspecies like Chrysocarabus lateralis, Petrophilus brevipennis sousai, Macrothorax rugosus celtiberus and Steropus globosus ebenus may be considered as indicators for fire managed areas in Mediterranean ecosystems

Revealing the foraging movements and diet of the White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina in the NE Atlantic

The White-faced Storm Petrel (WFSP) Pelagodroma marina has a widespread distribution, although virtually nothing is known about their feeding ecology and distributions at-sea. To describe their foraging areas, a total of 77 birds were equipped with 1 g-GPS loggers on Selvagem Grande, Madeira, Portugal (30° 09′ N, 15° 52′ W), during the 2018 and 2019 breeding seasons. We also assessed the diet of WFSP by analysing 17 faecal samples from chicks and 1 regurgitation from an adult using DNA metabarcoding techniques. Additionally, we collected body feathers from ten WFSP chicks to determine mercury concentration. WFSP fed mainly in deep oceanic waters, travelling up to 400 km from the colony, and did not concentrate in any well-defned, population-level foraging hotspots. Some individuals foraged along the edge of the shelf, near the African coast and the Canary Islands, especially during chick rearing. The duration of foraging trips and the total distance travelled, were, on average, 5.1 days and 723 km during the incubation period and 3.0 days and 578 km during chick rearing. The diet of WFSP was dominated by fsh and cephalopods (crustacean prey were not detected), with Myctophidae (FO=71%) representing the main fsh family. WFSP often consume mesopelagic fsh, in line with their preference for deep oceanic waters and with a small diference in at sea behavior (i.e., travel speed) between the diurnal and nocturnal period. The relatively high concentrations of mercury accumulated in body feathers of WFSP chicks (3.45±1.44 mg kg−1 dry weight; range 1.68–6.01 mg kg−1) support the idea that WFSP raise their chicks mostly on mesopelagic prey from deep pelagic areas.CESAM; Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diet of non-breeding leach’s storm-petrels ( Hydrobates leucorhous ) in the sub-polar frontal zone of the North Atlantic

In order to understand the drivers of the distribution and abundance of pelagic seabirds it is necessary to know what they eat, yet there remains little detailed, geo-referenced information on the diets of pelagic seabird. In particular, due to sampling difficulties, information is lacking for non-breeding stages, smaller species, such as storm-petrels, and remote oceanic areas, which may include important diversity hotspots. In this study, we aimed to characterize the trophic ecology of Leach’s storm-petrels foraging in the vicinity of the North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Seamount Marine Protected Area using a combination of survey methods. On a cruise undertaken in June 2017 to characterize the distribution and ecology of seabirds in the region, nineteen Leach’s storm-petrels were caught, sampled and released unharmed. Regurgitations and faecal samples were collected, as well as blood and feather tissues for stable isotope analyses. Of the 12 males, 6 females and 1 unsexed bird, 84% were in active flight feather moult, suggesting they were non-breeders. Prey species, assayed via molecular metabarcoding, were dominated by mesopelagic fish, principally lanternfishes (Myctophidae) and hatchetfishes (Sternoptychidae), but also included cephalopods and crustaceans. Additionally, almost half of the birds had microplastics in their regurgitates. Stable isotopic ratios did not differ significantly between sexes. Our results, combined with those of previous studies, suggest that within the oceanic North Atlantic, Leach’s storm-petrels feed at a similar trophic level to much larger seabirds, targeting mesopelagic fishes that are a key component of the North Atlantic pelagic food web

Cement-bonded particleboards with banana pseudostem waste: Physical performance and bio-susceptibility

info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/OE/77882/PTThis article evaluates the relevant properties of cement-bonded particleboards (CBPB) made with a portion of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) particles replaced with an agricultural waste, banana pseudostem (Musa sp.). The industrial production of CBPB was simulated in the laboratory based on a reference composition defined by a manufacturing company. Test specimens were produced assuming 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% partial replacement of wood particles with banana pseudostem fibres. Some physical properties (bulk density, thermal conductivity, and dimensional stability) and the mould susceptibility of the different variables were assessed. Results show that the thermal conductivity of the boards increased with the banana fibre proportion and ranged between 0.233 W/(m.K) and 0.279 W/(m.K). The bulk density values generally increased with the banana fibre proportion and ranged between 1754–1995 kg/m3, being the highest value obtained for B50 (equal weight proportion of wood particles and banana fibres). Specimens with a higher percentage of banana fibres have reduced thickness resulting from swelling, ranging between 0.38% and 0.11% (for 0% and 75% of banana fibres, respectively). CBPBs with unsanded surfaces seem to be unsusceptible to mould development, whereas those with sanded surfaces, simulating wearing, show some bio-susceptibility. Mould development increases with the proportion of banana fibre. The results highlight the need for regular maintenance of the particleboards, thus avoiding surface wear over time and resulting in the exposure of the wood particles and/or banana fibres to the outside environment.publishersversionpublishe