Detalhamento de fitofisionomias do bioma Cerrado a partir de imagens contraste sazonal MODIS EVI.

Diante da necessidade de se conhecer em maior detalhe as variações fitofisionômicas do bioma Cerrado, para, entre outros, quantificarmos variações na sua biomassa e, em particular, determinar estoques de CO2 na cobertura vegetal natural, este trabalho teve por objetivo detalhar possíveis variações na classe Savana Arborizada, a qual, além de ser a de maior representatividade, apresenta elevada complexidade estrutural e funcional. Especificamente, avaliamos a resposta sazonal das imagens MODIS EVI (enhanced vegetation index), tendo por base a hipótese de que diferentes fácies da fitofisionomia Savana Arborizada respondem de forma distinta a conspícua sazonalidade do bioma Cerrado, i.e. quanto maior a densidade arbórea, menor o contraste sazonal nos valores índices de vegetação.Na publicação: Laerte Guimarães Ferreira

A green coffee based product and its comparasion to commercial products regarding the antioxidant capacity

[EN] Green Coffee Products (GCP) consumption have been increased recently and is justified due its benefits to human health, as the antioxidant activity and thermogenic properties and ant mutagenic and ant carcinogenic capacity and also present alleged weight loss control. The aim this work was to elaborate a GCP with Coffea canephora by spray drying and compare its antioxidant capacity to commercial GCP samples by ORAC methodology. The results presented a range of 33.02 – 2,408.05 µmol Trolox/g for commercial products and 1,861.91 µmol Trolox/g for the product obtained in this work.We are very grateful to CAPES for scolarship for SOUZA, F.C.A. and FAPERJ for funding.Souza, F.; Souza, E.; Pontes, S.; Leal Junior, W.; Freitas-Silva, O.; Nogueira, R. (2018). A green coffee based product and its comparasion to commercial products regarding the antioxidant capacity. En IDS 2018. 21st International Drying Symposium Proceedings. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 943-950. https://doi.org/10.4995/IDS2018.2018.7649OCS94395

Interleukin-12 response to NCSRS2 immunization of BALB/C mice against Neospora caninum.

The apicomplexan parasite Neospora caninum can cause abortions and is recognized as an important causative agent responsible for economic and reproductive losses in the cattle industry. Humoral immune response was investigated in BALB/c mice by using recombinant NcSRS2 expressed in Escherichia coli as polyhistidine-tagged fusion proteins. NcSRS2 is the major immunodominant tachyzoite surface antigen of N. caninum. Separate groups of female BALB/c mice were infected subcutaneously with (P) PBS, (N) recNcSRS2, (NIL) recNcSRS2 plus interleukin-12 or (NF) recNcSRS2, in Freund?s adjuvant. Serological analysis showed that the antibodies produced by immunization recognized native protein from N. caninum tachyzoites and that, 14 days after the initial immunization, NcSRS2-specific antibodies were present in all sera tested from the groups N, NIL and NF. NcSRS2 with Freud?s adjuvant led to a stronger immune response, as measured by IgG1 and IgG2a levels, than did other formulations (NF > NIL > N > P; p < 0.001), with a Th2 bias. The results corroborate the potential use of recombinant protein NcSRS2 as a vaccine aimed at reducing congenital transmission. Further studies are required to identify new adjuvants capable of improving the induction of Th1 immune response.Na publicação: Renato Andreotti

Does bariatric surgery improve cardiac autonomic modulation assessed by heart rate variability? A systematic review

Objectives. Our study aimed to explore the influence of Bariatric Surgery (BS) on heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) through a systematic review. Data Sources. Manuscripts were selected based on electronic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL databases from the inception of each database up to year 2020 and followed the PRISMA protocol. Searching of these studies was systematized using the PICOS strategy. Eligibility Criteria for Selecting Studies. We selected randomized and non-randomized controlled trials and cohorts’ prospective studies that reported the influence of BS on HRV. We assessed the quality rating using the Black and Downs questionnaire. Results. Following the screening and eligibility stages, 14 studies were included in the review. All studies agreed that BS promotes an increase in parasympathetic HR control and HRV and, a decrease in HR. Yet, the literature does not provide evidence that this outcome was directly caused by the surgical procedure. There is limited evidence to support that patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (TDM2) have greater improvement in HRV as an interim measure, to individuals without. The decrease in insulin resistance was correlated with the increase in HRV in some studies, but, other studies are unsupportive of this outcome. Improvements in two metabolic parameters (e.g., Leptin, NT-proBNP) were connected with a superior increase in HRV

Spatial point analysis based on dengue surveys at household level in central Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dengue virus (DENV) affects nonimunne human populations in tropical and subtropical regions. In the Americas, dengue has drastically increased in the last two decades and Brazil is considered one of the most affected countries. The high frequency of asymptomatic infection makes difficult to estimate prevalence of infection using registered cases and to locate high risk intra-urban area at population level. The goal of this spatial point analysis was to identify potential high-risk intra-urban areas of dengue, using data collected at household level from surveys.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two household surveys took place in the city of Goiania (~1.1 million population), Central Brazil in the year 2001 and 2002. First survey screened 1,586 asymptomatic individuals older than 5 years of age. Second survey 2,906 asymptomatic volunteers, same age-groups, were selected by multistage sampling (census tracts; blocks; households) using available digital maps. Sera from participants were tested by dengue virus-specific IgM/IgG by EIA. A Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was used to detect the spatial varying risk over the region. Initially without any fixed covariates, to depict the overall risk map, followed by a model including the main covariates and the year, where the resulting maps show the risk associated with living place, controlled for the individual risk factors. This method has the advantage to generate smoothed risk factors maps, adjusted by socio-demographic covariates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of antibody against dengue infection was 37.3% (95%CI [35.5–39.1]) in the year 2002; 7.8% increase in one-year interval. The spatial variation in risk of dengue infection significantly changed when comparing 2001 with 2002, (ORadjusted = 1.35; p < 0.001), while controlling for potential confounders using GAM model. Also increasing age and low education levels were associated with dengue infection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study showed spatial heterogeneity in the risk areas of dengue when using a spatial multivariate approach in a short time interval. Data from household surveys pointed out that low prevalence areas in 2001 surveys shifted to high-risk area in consecutive year. This mapping of dengue risks should give insights for control interventions in urban areas.</p