Solubilization and hydrolysis of porcine coagulated blood protein using sub-critical solvent extraction

Pork represents a major fraction of the meat consumed worldwide but only 30% of the blood generated in slaughterhouses is re-used as raw material for food and feed. Innovative technologies and efficient processing strategies capable of generating added-value products from it are now attracting attention. In this study, the hydrolysis of porcine coagulated blood using sub-critical solvent extraction was investigated. Biomass was hydrolyzed using different temperatures (120–210 °C), applying only water (sub-critical water; SCW) or water with a low concentration of alkali (0.1 mol L−1 NaOH) and different reaction times (30–90 min). Resultant hydrolysates were analyzed for crude and soluble protein, peptide profile, and bioactivity by combining protein quantification, antioxidant activity, and fast protein liquid chromatography measurements. Results showed that increasing temperature increases the degree of hydrolysis and that the addition of NaOH enhances the solubilization of peptides with high molecular weights. Also, hydrolysates showed interesting antioxidant activity, being 60 min the time of reaction with best antioxidant activity. Nevertheless, using only water (SCW) as solvent, without chemical additives, allows the delivering of interesting protein-based bioactive fractions. Sub-critical solvent treatment of porcine blood resulted in added-value fractions with potential bioactivities through a simple and environmentally friendly process.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Accuracy of the ADNEX MR scoring system based on a simplified MRI protocol for the assessment of adnexal masses

PURPOSE:We aimed to evaluate the ADNEX MR scoring system for the prediction of adnexal mass malignancy, using a simplified magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol.METHODS:In this prospective study, 200 patients with 237 adnexal masses underwent MRI between February 2014 and February 2016 and were followed until February 2017. Two radiologists calculated ADNEX MR scores using an MRI protocol with a simplified dynamic study, not a high temporal resolution study, as originally proposed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, likelihood ratios, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated (cutoff for malignancy, score ≥ 4). The reference standard was histopathologic diagnosis or imaging findings during >12 months of follow-up.RESULTS:Of 237 lesions, 79 (33.3%) were malignant. The ADNEX MR scoring system, using a simplified MRI protocol, showed 94.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.5%–98.6%) sensitivity and 97.5% (95% CI, 93.6%–99.3%) specificity in malignancy prediction; it was thus highly accurate, like the original system. The level of interobserver agreement on simplified scoring was high (κ = 0.91).CONCLUSION:In a tertiary cancer center, the ADNEX MR scoring system, even based on a simplified MRI protocol, performed well in the prediction of malignant adnexal masses. This scoring system may enable the standardization of MRI reporting on adnexal masses, thereby improving communication between radiologists and gynecologists

Emergence of contact injuries in invasion team sports : an ecological dynamics rationale

The incidence of contact injuries in team sports is considerable, and injury mechanisms need to be comprehensively understood to facilitate the adoption of preventive measures. In Association Football, evidence shows that the highest prevalence of contact injuries emerges in one-on-one interactions. However, previous studies have tended to operationally report injury mechanisms in isolation, failing to provide a theoretical rationale to explain how injuries might emerge from interactions between opposing players. In this position paper, we propose an ecological dynamics framework to enhance current understanding of behavioural processes leading to contact injuries in team sports. Based on previous research highlighting the dynamics of performer–environment interactions, contact injuries are proposed to emerge from symmetry-breaking processes during on-field interpersonal interactions among competing players and the ball. Central to this approach is consideration of candidate control parameters that may provide insights on the information sources used by players to reduce risk of contact injuries during performance. Clinically, an ecological dynamics analysis could allow sport practitioners to design training sessions based on selected parameter threshold values as primary and/or secondary preventing measures during training and rehabilitation sessions

Prospective Follow-up of Adolescents with and at Risk for Depression::Protocol and Methods of the Identifying Depression Early in Adolescence Risk Stratified Cohort (IDEA-RiSCo) Longitudinal Assessments

Objective: To present the protocol and methods for the prospective longitudinal assessments — including clinical and digital phenotyping approaches — of the Identifying Depression Early in Adolescence Risk Stratified Cohort (IDEA-RiSCo) study, which comprises Brazilian adolescents stratified at baseline by risk of developing depression or presence of depression. Method: Of 7,720 screened adolescents aged 14-16, we recruited 150 participants (75 boys, 75 girls) based on a composite risk score: 50 with low risk for developing depression (LR), 50 with high risk for developing depression (HR), and 50 with an active untreated major depressive episode (MDD). Three annual follow-up assessments were conducted, involving clinical measures (parent and adolescent-reported questionnaires and psychiatrist assessments), active and passive data sensing via smartphones, and neurobiological measures (neuroimaging and biological material samples). Retention rates were 96% (Wave 1), 94% (Wave 2), and 88% (Wave 3), with no significant differences by sex or group (p &gt; 0.05). Participants highlighted their familiarity with the research team and assessment process as a motivator for sustained engagement.Discussion: This protocol relied on novel aspects, such as the use of a WhatsApp bot, which is particularly pertinent for low-to-middle-income countries, and the collection of information from diverse sources in a longitudinal design, encompassing clinical data, self-reports, parental reports, GPS data, and ecological momentary assessments. The study engaged adolescents over an extensive period and demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a prospective follow-up study with a risk-enriched cohort of adolescents in a middle-income country, integrating mobile technology with traditional methodologies to enhance longitudinal data collection. <br/

Maternal anthropometric characteristics in pregnancy and blood pressure among adolescents: 1993 live birth cohort, Pelotas, southern Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We investigated the association between maternal anthropometric measurements in prepregnancy and at the end of pregnancy and their children's systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure at 11 years of age, in a prospective cohort study.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All hospital births which took place in 1993 in the city of Pelotas - Brazil, were identified (5,249 live births). In 2004, the overall proportion of follow-up was 85% and we obtained arterial blood pressure measurements of 4,452 adolescents.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Independent variables analyzed included maternal prepregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI) and maternal weight, and height at the end of pregnancy. Multiple linear regression analysis controlling for the following confounders were carried out: adolescent's skin color, family income at birth, smoking, alcohol intake during pregnancy, and gestational arterial hypertension. Mean SBP and DBP were 101.9 mmHg (SD 12.3) and 63.4 mmHg (SD 9.9), respectively. Maternal prepregnancy weight and BMI, and weight at the end of pregnancy were positively associated with both SBP and DBP in adolescent subjects of both sexes; maternal height was positively associated with SBP only among males.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Adequate evaluation of maternal anthropometric characteristics during pregnancy may prevent high levels of blood pressure among adolescent children.</p