Mitigation of Ochratoxin A in the food chain, from prevention to remediation

Mycotoxins are metabolites produced by a few filamentous fungi, that are ubiquitous in Nature, being found in many food crops. Their toxicity to humans demands a very strict control under a properly designed food safety program. Also, food losses due to fungal deterioration raise food security concerns. Mitigation actions to avoid or reduce human exposure to mycotoxins start in the field, where most mycotoxin producing fungi are active and mycotoxin accumulation starts. These actions include strategies to prevent mycotoxin-producing fungi from proliferating in the food or feed, to prevent these same fungi to produce the toxins, and to either remove, segregate or degrade the mycotoxins that have been produced. Using the case of ochratoxin A in our food, different strategies to mitigate contamination, from the screening of mycotoxigenic strains, integrated in a preventive approach, to the use of enzymes, as a remediation approach, will be discussed in this presentation. The screening of mycotoxin-producing strains will be discussed based on a microbiome approach, where the producing fungi may be spotted without their isolation, while the use of enzymes will be discussed along with a molecular modelling approach to elucidate enzymatic activity. The authors are grateful for the PhD support grants from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT): 2020.05849.BD. (Teresa Vale Dias) and UI/BD/152286/2021 (Joana Santos).The authors are grateful for the PhD support grants from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT): 2020.05849.BD. (Teresa Vale Dias) and UI/BD/152286/2021 (Joana Santos).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Reductive intramolecular cyclization of D-glucose-based unsaturated substrates by indirect electrochemical approach in “Green” media

Radical cyclisation continues to be a central methodology for the preparation of natural products containing heterocyclic rings. Hence, some electrochemical results obtained by cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential electrolysis in the study of electroreductive intramolecular cyclisation of ethyl (2S, 3R)-2- bromo-3-propargyloxy-3-(2’,3’,4’,6’-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosiloxy) propanoate (1) promoted by (1,4,8,11-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetra-decane)nickel(I), [Ni(tmc)]+, electrogenerated at glassy carbon cathodes in ethanol and ethanol/water mixtures containing tetraalkylammonium salts, are presented. During controlled-potential electrolyses of solutions containing [Ni(tmc)]2+ and acetylated D-glucose-based bromo propargyl ester (1) catalytic reduction of the latter proceeds via one-electron cleavage of the carbon–bromine bond to form a radical intermediate that undergoes cyclization to afford the substituted tetrahydrofurans.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

APPLICATION OF BIOMECHANICAL CONCEPTS IN PROFESSIONAL LIFE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER

The aim of this study was to determine which biomechanical concepts the physical education teachers apply in their professional life and whether there are differences between those who work in training field or at school. For this purpose a questionnaire was answered by 32 teachers. It was found that in the two areas more than half of the subjects said that apply the concepts, respectively 81% and 69%. The used concepts in training was levers (n=9) and motion analysis (n=8) and at school analysis of movement (n=8). The Physical Education professionals do not recognize the substance content of biomechanics, because movement analysis is an elementary part of biomechanics qualitatively and quantitatively. We conclude that Biomechanics’ teachers in the University should readjust the content of the discipline to fit the needs of the professional

In vitro fermentation of selected xylo-oligosaccharides by piglet intestinal microbiota

The objective of this study was to compare the in vitro fermentability of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) with different degrees of polymerisation (DP) by the intestinal digesta collected in three distinct intestinal sections of the porcine intestinal tract: ileum, caecum, and distal colon. The studied oligosaccharides included commercial short-chain XOS (DP 2e5), and medium-chain (DP 2e14) and long-chain (DP 2e25) XOS obtained by autohydrolysis of brewery’s spent grain (BSG), corn cobs (CC) and Eucalyptus globulus wood (EUC). The oligosaccharide and monosaccharide consumption, lactate and short-chain fatty acids concentrations were correlated with shifts on PCR titres of Bacteroides/ Prevotella, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus/Pediococcus populations, by using group- and genus-specific primers. All tested XOS were extensively fermented by the piglet ileal, caecal and colonic microbiota. The rate of consumption of medium- and longchain XOS was notably reduced in the fermentations by the ileal inoculum as compared to commercial XOS. EUC XOS, CC XOS and commercial XOS supported an enhancement of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli replication in a first stage of the fermentations. Apparently this stimulation was not selective, because Bacteroides/Prevotella replication increased in a second stage of the fermentations, coincident in time with the highest consumption rates of some XOS mixtures tested. Mostly due to the slow fermentability by the ileal microbiota, medium-chain and long-chain XOS mixtures can be regarded as promising functional candidates suitable to act as distally fermentable substrate

Developments in preparation and dyeing of CORONA discharged cellulosic materials

The preparation and dyeing of cellulosic fabrics hás important problems such as uniformity of aspect, cleaning efficiency, level of bleaching, conformity and fastness of colours, and ecological impact. Combination of preparation processes can give optimal solutions, regarding economy and ecology, especially if superior quality items are achieved in final products. In fact, high standards concerning whiteness, starch removal and hidrophilicity are considered a good basis for leveled, cleaner and intense dyeing. A better white basis, escellent hidrophilicity and enough removal of impurities are obtained if desizing is omitted and a CORONA discharge is made over dry grey material. Exhaustion dyeings with different classes of direct dyes show similar behavior concerning the positive influence of the discharge in the intensity of colours and their fastness. Good penetration of dyes in coronised cotton materials is assured and consequently a good fastness is abtained

Quality improvement and shortcut of preparation of CORONA discharged cotton fabrics

Textile industry has an important impact in world economy and consequently on environmental quality of life. Textile processing uses huge amount of water, chemicals and energy and it is quite easy to conclude about the enormous meaning of pollution control and rationalization of energetic demands. CORONA treatment in the wet processing of cotton textile materials has a great potential concerning the improvement of all the operations included in it, namely in preparation, dyeing, printing or final finishing. Physical and chemical surface changes in cotton structure are noticed after CORONA discharge. The increase in oxidation potential and the creation of channels through cuticle are referred as responsible for the variation in cotton properties after plasmatic discharge, specially concerning absorption of water and treatment baths. Advantages as the use of less chemicals, namely alkalis, oxidants and other auxiliaries, the reduction of times and temperatures, less damages in the materials surely can have a strong impact in economical and ecological aspects of the process. Complete hidrophilization of cellulosic materials renders very easy the access of baths and consequently conditions to more efficient operations are found. Bleaching processes aim to give textile materials the adequate whiteness degree, the removal of sizing agents, the increase of hidrophility and cleaning by extraction of seeds, husks and waxes. The use of hydrogen peroxide in alkaline medium is a flexible and more ecological process when compared with methods based in chlorinated compounds. The present work concerns the study of half bleaching process when this operation is preceded by a CORONA discharge made on dry grey fabrics. The influence in the whiteness degree, hidrophility, starch removal and uniformity of properties of the cellulosic material after preparation is studied

Curadoria do Acervo Paleontológico da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande

The Laboratório de Geologia e Paleontologia (LGP)’s collection is mainly formed by fossils from the Rio Grande do Sul Coastal Plain (RSCP). Many studies have been developed about this collection since the 1990s, however a lot of research for new studies need to be done. For this collection to be internationally known, a wide work of normative is being developed to identify and catalog the fossils of this laboratory. These fossils were distributed in 21 taxonomic classes, each one represented by a letter. Until now, 5806 fossils/groups were identified and registered. The invertebrates are the most representative taxonomic group, specially the Phyla Mollusca and Echinodermata. Other taxa include Teleostei, Chondrichthyes, Toxodontidae, Litopterna, Gomphoteriidae, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Xenarthra, Carnivora, Cetaceae, Testudinata and Birds. The biggest challenge in this collection is the normative of the data, once the laboratory has never established a collection methodology. Some data, as origin and date of collect are missing, as well as who collected and who identified. However, is known that most part of the fossils was collected on the beaches of the central and south coast of Rio Grande do Sul. The fossil specimens are catalogued, labeled, and stored in conditions that will ensure their protection and availability to researchers and students. To continue the process of identification, partnerships inside the institution and with other groups of Latin America are very important. This collection has a big scientific potential, once many fossils still need to be studied deeply.O acervo do Laboratório de Geologia e Paleontologia (LGP) é formado, em sua maioria, por fósseis da Planície Costeira do Rio Grande do Sul (PCRS). Estudos vêm sendo desenvolvidos desde meados da década de 1990 sobre este acervo, a despeito dos quais muitos trabalhos ainda devem ser realizados. Para que esta coleção seja internacionalmente conhecida, um amplo trabalho de normatização tem sido desenvolvido a fim de identificar e catalogar os fósseis depositados neste laboratório. Estes fósseis foram distribuídos em 21 classes taxonômicas, cada representada por uma letra. Até o momento 5806 peças/lotes já foram devidamente identificadas e tombadas. Os táxons mais representativos são os invertebrados, principalmente Mollusca e Echinodermata. Outros táxons incluem Teleostei, Chondrichthyes, Toxodontidae, Litopterna, Gomphoteriidae, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Xenarthra, Carnivora, Cetaceae, Testudinata, e Aves. O grande desafio desta coleção é a normatização dos dados, visto que nunca houve uma metodologia de coleta estabelecida. Dados como procedência e data de coleta estão faltando, bem como quem os coletou e identificou. Grande parte destes fósseis foi coletada nas praias do litoral central e sul do Rio Grande do sul. Os fósseis são catalogados, etiquetados e armazenados em condições que garantam a integridade dos espécimes e sua disponibilidade para pesquisadores e estudantes. Para a continuidade do processo de identificação, parcerias dentro da instituição e com grupos da América Latina são de grande importância. Esta coleção possui um grande potencial científico, pois muitos fósseis ainda carecem de estudos aprofundados

Dysmetabolism and Sleep Fragmentation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients Run Independently of High Caffeine Consumption

Funding Information: This research was funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) with the grant number CEECIND/04266/2017. Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank Eunice Silva for technical support. Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) with the grant number CEECIND/04266/2017.Daytime hypersomnolence, the prime feature of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), frequently leads to high coffee consumption. Nevertheless, some clinicians ask for patients’ caffeine avoidance. Caffeinated drinks are sometimes associated with more severe OSA. However, these effects are not consensual. Here we investigated the effect of caffeine consumption on sleep architecture and apnea/hypopnea index in OSA. Also, the impact of caffeine on variables related with dysmetabolism, dyslipidemia, and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) dysfunction were investigated. A total of 65 patients diagnosed with OSA and 32 without OSA were included after given written informed consent. Polysomnographic studies were performed. Blood was collected to quantify caffeine and its metabolites in plasma and biochemical parameters. 24 h urine samples were collected for catecholamines measurement. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS: (1) non-parametric Mann-Whitney test to compare variables between controls and OSA; (2) multivariate logistic regression testing the effect of caffeine on sets of variables in the 2 groups; and (3) Spearmans’ correlation between caffeine levels and comorbidities in patients with OSA. As expected OSA development is associated with dyslipidemia, dysmetabolism, SNS dysfunction, and sleep fragmentation. There was also a significant increase in plasma caffeine levels in the OSA group. However, the higher consumption of caffeine by OSA patients do not alter any of these associations. These results showed that there is no apparent rationale for caffeine avoidance in chronic consumers with OSA.publishersversionpublishe

Biofuels and high value added products from the yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921: Strategies towards a true cost-effective and environmentally sustainable integrated multiproduct driven biorefinery [Poster]

Single-cell oils (SCO) have been considered a promising source of 3rd generation biofuels mainly in the final form of biodiesel. However, its high production costs have been a barrier towards the commercialization of this commodity. The fast growing yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921 has been widely reported as a potential SCO producing yeast. In addition to its well-known high lipid content (that can be converted into biodiesel), is rich in high value added products such as carotenoids with commercial interest. The process design and integration may contribute to reduce the overall cost of biofuels and carotenoid production and is a mandatory step towards their commercialization. The present work addresses the biomass disruption, extraction, fractionation and recovery of products with special emphasis on high added valued carotenoids (beta-carotene, torulene, torularhodin) and fatty acids directed to biodiesel. The chemical structure of torularhodin with a terminal carboxylic group imposes an additional extra challenge in what concern its separation from fatty acids. The proposed feedstock is fresh biomass pellet obtained directly by centrifugation from a 5L fed-batch fermentation culture broth. The use of a wet instead of lyophilised biomass feedstock is a way to decrease processing energy costs and reduce downstream processing time. These results will contribute for a detailed process design. Gathered data will be of crucial importance for a further study on Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Secondary healing strategy for difficult wound closure in invasive vulvar cancer: a pilot case-control study

OBJECTIVES: Despite the number of surgical advances and innovations in techniques over time, radical vulvectomy frequently results in substantial loss of tissue that cannot be primarily closed without tension, the mobilization of surrounding tissues or even the rotation of myocutaneous flaps. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of leaving the surgical vulvar open wound for secondary healing in situations where primary closure of the vulvar wound is not possible. METHODS: This case-control pilot study analyzed 16 women with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva who first underwent inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy, 6-week sessions of chemotherapy and 25 daily sessions of radiotherapy. Afterward, excision of the vulvar lesion with free margins was performed between January 2011 and July 2017. Twelve patients underwent primary closure of the wound (control), and in 4 patients, the surgical wound was left open for secondary healing by means of a hydrofiber (case). The inclusion criteria were a) FIGO-2009 stage II up to IIIC; b) squamous cell carcinoma; and c) no evidence of pelvic or extrapelvic disease or pelvic nodal involvement. The exclusion criteria were extrapelvic disease or pelvic nodal involvement, another primary cancer, or a poor clinical condition. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02067052. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients at the time of the intervention was 62.1. The distribution of the stages was as follows: II, n=6 (37 %); IIIA, n=1 (6%), IIIB, n=1 (6%) and IIIC, n=8 (51%). The mean operative time was 45 minutes. The hospital stay duration was 2 days. Full vulvar healing occurred after an average of 30 days in the control group and after an average of 50 days in the case group. CONCLUSION: A secondary healing strategy may be an option for the treatment of vulvar cancer in situations of non-extensive surgical wounds when primary closure of the wound is not possible