Beetroot as a source of natural dyes for ham

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) was subjected to extraction procedures in order to obtain the respective extracts containing the natural dyes and subjected to cytotoxicity assays in AGS cell line. Encapsulation of the extracts in nanosystems based on soybean lecithin and maltodextrin was performed. Lyophilized extracts before and after encapsulation in maltodextrin were applied in the formulation of leg ham and used in pilot scale of production. The colour of ham samples from the different assays was evaluated visually and by colorimetry.Dias, S.; Pereira, D.M.; Castanheira, E.M.S.; Fortes, A.G.; Pereira, R.; Gonçalves, a.M.S.T. Beetroot as a Source of Natural Dyes for Ham. Proceedings 2019, 41, 82. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecsoc-23-0662

Application of natural pigments in ordinary cooked ham

The possibility of obtaining a carmine or pink color on ordinary cooked ham by applying natural dyes from three plant species, namely red radish (Raphanus sativus L.), hibiscus (Roselle sabdariffa L.) and red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.), was investigated. The extracts were evaluated for the stability at physical-chemical parameters and subjected to cytotoxicity assays in the gastric cell line AGS Encapsulation of the extracts in soybean lecithin liposomes and maltodextrin microcapsules was performed. Lyophilized extracts before and after encapsulation in maltodextrin were applied in the formulation of ordinary cooked ham and used in a pilot scale of production. The color of cooked ham samples from different assays was evaluated visually and by colorimetry. The results suggest that the coloration of ordinary cooked ham obtained with extracts of red beetroot is very promising for future applications in this type of meat product.This research was funded by COMPETE 2020 program, co-financed by the FEDER and the European Union, PTDC/ASP-AGR/30154/2017 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030154). Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal), and FEDER-COMPETE-QREN-EU funded research centres CQ-UM (UID/QUI/00686/2019), CF-UM-UP (UID/FIS/04650/2019) and REQUIMTE (UIDB/50006/2020). The APC was also funded by FCT

A note on the use of the generalized odds ratio in meta-analysis of association studies involving bi- and tri-allelic polymorphisms

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The generalized odds ratio (GOR) was recently suggested as a genetic model-free measure for association studies. However, its properties were not extensively investigated. We used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate type-I error rates, power and bias in both effect size and between-study variance estimates of meta-analyses using the GOR as a summary effect, and compared these results to those obtained by usual approaches of model specification. We further applied the GOR in a real meta-analysis of three genome-wide association studies in Alzheimer's disease.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>For bi-allelic polymorphisms, the GOR performs virtually identical to a standard multiplicative model of analysis (e.g. per-allele odds ratio) for variants acting multiplicatively, but augments slightly the power to detect variants with a dominant mode of action, while reducing the probability to detect recessive variants. Although there were differences among the GOR and usual approaches in terms of bias and type-I error rates, both simulation- and real data-based results provided little indication that these differences will be substantial in practice for meta-analyses involving bi-allelic polymorphisms. However, the use of the GOR may be slightly more powerful for the synthesis of data from tri-allelic variants, particularly when susceptibility alleles are less common in the populations (≤10%). This gain in power may depend on knowledge of the direction of the effects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>For the synthesis of data from bi-allelic variants, the GOR may be regarded as a multiplicative-like model of analysis. The use of the GOR may be slightly more powerful in the tri-allelic case, particularly when susceptibility alleles are less common in the populations.</p

Effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on propofol pharmacokinetics and bispectral index during coronary surgery

PURPOSE: Cardiopulmonary bypass is known to alter propofol pharmacokinetics in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of these alterations on postoperative pharmacodynamics. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that changes in propofol pharmacokinetics increase hypnotic effects after cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Twenty patients scheduled for on-pump coronary artery bypass graft (group, n=10) or off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (group, n=10) coronary artery bypass grafts were anesthetized with sufentanil and a propofol target controlled infusion (2.0 µg/mL). Depth of hypnosis was monitored using the bispectral index. Blood samples were collected from the induction of anesthesia up to 12 hours after the end of propofol infusion, at predetermined intervals. Plasma propofol concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography, followed by a non-compartmental propofol pharmacokinetic analysis. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, considering p<0.05 as significant. RESULTS: After cardiopulmonary bypass, despite similar plasma propofol concentrations in both groups, bispectral index values were lower in the on-pump coronary artery bypass graft group. Time to extubation after the end of propofol infusion was greater in the on-pump coronary artery bypass graft group (334 ± 117 vs. 216 ± 85 min, p = 0.04). Patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass had shorter biological (1.82 ± 0.5 vs. 3.67 ± 1.15h, p < 0.01) and terminal elimination (6.27 ± 1.29 vs. 10.5h ± 2.18, p < 0.01) half-life values, as well as higher total plasma clearance (28.36 ± 11.40 vs.18.29 ± 7.67 mL/kg/min, p = 0.03), compared to patients in the off-pump coronary artery bypass graft group. CONCLUSION: Aside from the increased sensitivity of the brain to anesthetics after cardiopulmonary bypass, changes in propofol pharmacokinetics may contribute to its central nervous system effects

Chemical Composition and Fermentation Profile of Perennial Peanut and Marandu Grass Mixed Silages

Perennial peanut has high quality, evidenced by the improvement of animal production in grazing, due to good contents of crude protein and digestibility, which makes it one of the best alternatives for low cost feeding (Paganella and Valls 2002). Grass ensilage associated with legumes is considered an alternative to meet the protein demand of cattle in the livestock. However, due to limited information on the techniques of grass ensilage with tropical legumes, this research aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and the fermentation profile of perennial peanut and Marandu mixed grass silages, treated or not with bacterial inoculant

In Vitro

Jaboticaba is a fruit from a native tree to Brazil, Plinia peruviana. Jaboticaba peels are an important source of antioxidant molecules such as phenolic compounds. This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the activity of a hydroalcoholic extract of jaboticaba fruit peels (HEJFP) in wound healing processes and antioxidant activity in murine fibroblasts (L929 cell line). HEJFP concentrations (0.5, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µg/mL) were tested in MTT assay and cell proliferation was verified at 100 µg/mL after 24 h and at 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL after 48 h of extract exposure. Evaluation of antioxidant activity was performed at 0.5, 5, 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL HEJFP concentrations. Cell treatment with HEJFP at 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL for 24 h followed by H2O2 exposure for 3 h showed a strong cytoprotective effect. In vitro scratch wound healing assay indicated that none of tested HEJFP concentrations (0.5, 5, 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL) were capable of increasing migration rate after 12 h of incubation. These results demonstrate a positive effect of HEJFP on the wound healing process on L929 fibroblasts cell line, probably due to the antioxidant activity exhibited by phytochemicals in the extract

Distinct mRNA and protein interactomes highlight functional differentiation of major eIF4F-like complexes from Trypanosoma brucei

Gene expression in pathogenic protozoans of the family Trypanosomatidae has several novel features, including multiple eIF4F-like complexes involved in protein synthesis. The eukaryotic eIF4F complex, formed mainly by eIF4E and eIF4G subunits, is responsible for the canonical selection of mRNAs required for the initiation of mRNA translation. The best-known complexes implicated in translation in trypanosomatids are based on two related pairs of eIF4E and eIF4G subunits (EIF4E3/EIF4G4 and EIF4E4/EIF4G3), whose functional distinctions remain to be fully described. Here, to define interactomes associated with both complexes in Trypanosoma brucei procyclic forms, we performed parallel immunoprecipitation experiments followed by identification of proteins co-precipitated with the four tagged eIF4E and eIF4G subunits. A number of different protein partners, including RNA binding proteins and helicases, specifically co-precipitate with each complex. Highlights with the EIF4E4/EIF4G3 pair include RBP23, PABP1, EIF4AI and the CRK1 kinase. Co-precipitated partners with the EIF4E3/EIF4G4 pair are more diverse and include DRBD2, PABP2 and different zinc-finger proteins and RNA helicases. EIF4E3/EIF4G4 are essential for viability and to better define their role, we further investigated their phenotypes after knockdown. Depletion of either EIF4E3/EIF4G4 mRNAs lead to aberrant morphology with a more direct impact on events associated with cytokinesis. We also sought to identify those mRNAs differentially associated with each complex through CLIP-seq with the two eIF4E subunits. Predominant among EIF4E4-bound transcripts are those encoding ribosomal proteins, absent from those found with EIF4E3, which are generally more diverse. RNAi mediated depletion of EIF4E4, which does not affect proliferation, does not lead to changes in mRNAs or proteins associated with EIF4E3, confirming a lack of redundancy and distinct roles for the two complexes

Quinquangulin and Rubrofusarin: A Spectroscopy Study

In this work, excitation and emission spectra were evaluated in order to elucidate the properties of quinguangulin and rubrofusarin in water/ethanol mixture. The study demonstrates that the maximum excitation wavelength can be significantly modulated changing the proportion of organic solvent in the water/organic solvent system. Quinquangulin presented the higher wavelength of maximum excitation in an ethanol-water mixture containing 70% of water. Probably, the organization between ethanol and water molecules in this condition favors the formation of strong polar interactions with the pi* orbitals of naphthopyrones. It is interesting to register that the additional methyl group in quinquangulin seems to develop a decisive function related to the ability to formation of hydrogen bonds, altering significantly the mechanism of solute-solvent interaction. This work, which involves both theoretical and experimental analyses, demonstrates the relevance of the studies focused on solvent mixtures as well as emphasizes the potential of quinguangulin and rubrofusarin as photosensitizers.FAPESPFundacao AraucariaFAPEMIGCNPqCAPESUniv Fed Sao Joao Del Rei, Dept Zootecnia DEZOO, Campus Dom Bosco, BR-36301160 Sao Joao Del Rei, MG, BrazilUniv Vale Paraiba, Ave Shishima Hifumi 2911, BR-12244000 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Quim, Rua Prof Arthur Riedel 275, BR-09972270 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Uberlandia, Inst Quim, Lab Fotoquim & Ciencia Mat, Uberlandia, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Goias, Dept Quim, Campus Catalao, Catalao, Go, BrazilUniv Estadual Maringa, Dept Quim, Av Colombo 5790,Zona 07, BR-87020900 Maringa, Parana, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Campus Macae,Rua Aloisio da Silva Gomes 50, BR-27930560 Rio De Janeiro, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, Inst Quim, BR-13083970 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande, Escola Quim & Alimentos, Campus Carreiros Pavilhao Quim, BR-96201900 Rio Grande, RS, BrazilUniv Fed ABC, Ctr Engn Modelagem & Ciencias Sociais Aplicadas, Ave Estados 500, BR-09210580 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed ABC, Ctr Ciencias Nat & Humanas, Ave Estados 5001, BR-09210580 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Quim, Rua Prof Arthur Riedel 275, BR-09972270 Sao Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 06/56701-3Fundacao AraucariaFAPEMIGCNPq: 474019/2012-8CNPq: 303872/2009-8CAPESWeb of Scienc