Community Genetics: A New Discipline And Its Application In Brazil.

Community genetics is a new discipline which aims to provide genetic services to the community as a whole. As a science, community genetics encompasses all research needed to develop and evaluate its application. There is no question that the development of community genetics is necessary in Brazil. The implementation of such programs in our country, especially for hemoglobinopathies, has been recommended by the World Health Organization and other international organizations. Apart from the need for and appeal of community genetics programs, some aspects require serious review. This article discusses various cultural, social, psychological, and economic factors that can make genetic screening an invasion of individual privacy.16126126

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by biosorbents

Introduction: - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of environmental carcinogens. They are formed during the incomplete combustion of organic matter. Humans are exposed to PAHs by various sources, including occupational environments, cigarette smoke, vehicle exhaust, and dietary sources as grilled and flame-broiled food. - In vivo studies in animals proved that PAHs are associated to cancer, and epidemiologic studies with exposed workers, especially in coke ovens and aluminium smelters, have shown clear excess of lung cancer and highly suggestive excesses of bladder cancer. - These compounds can enter in drinking water sources by precipitation and runoff on the earth’s surface. - Portuguese legislation for water for human consumption (DL 306/2007) proposes the determination of five PAHs; limits of the maximum concentration are 0.10 µg/L for total BghiP, BbF, BkF, IcdP, and 0.010 µg/L for BaP.This work was financial suported by the COMPETE program, under the Watercork project (nº. 2009/552).N/

Effect of wood aging on wine mineral composition and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratio

The evolution of mineral composition and wine strontium isotopic ratio 87Sr/86Sr (Sr IR) during wood aging were investigated. A red wine was aged in stainless steel tanks with French oak staves (Quercus sessiliflora Salisb.), with three industrial scale replicates. Sampling was carried out after 30, 60, and 90 days of aging, and the wines were evaluated in terms of general analysis, phenolic composition, total polysaccharides, multielement composition, and Sr IR. Li, Be, Mg, Al, Sc, Ti, V, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Mo, Sb, Cs, Ba, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, Lu, Tl, and Pb elements and 87Sr/86Sr were determined by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICP-MS) and Na, K, Ca, and Fe by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Two-way ANOVA was applied to assess wood aging and time effect on Sr IR and mineral composition. Wood aging resulted in significantly higher concentrations of Mg, V, Co, Ni, and Sr. At the end of the aging period, wine exhibited statistically identical Sr IR compared to control. Study suggests that wood aging does not affect 87Sr/86Sr, not precluding the use of this parameter for wine traceability purposesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evidence of Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in domestic, shelter and stray cat blood and fleas, Portugal.

Thirty-two fleas were collected from 18 Lisboncats, 29 of which (90.6%) were C. felis, one (3.1%)was C. canis and two (6.3%) were unidentifiable. Only C. felis fleas were infected, six (40.0%)withB. clarridgeiae and six (40.0% ) with R. felis; three(20.0%) were co-infected. No positive result wasfound for A. phagocytophilum. The infection prev-alence of B. clarridgeiae was higher in domestic(43.8%) than in shelter cat fleas (28.6%). However,the infection rate of R. felis was higher in shelter(42.9%) than in domestic cat fleas (25.0%). Straycat fleas were only infected with R. felis (11.1%).Twenty-five cats (67.7%) were bacteraemic(Table 1). Twenty-one of them (84.0%) wereless than 1 year old, 15 (60.0%) were femalea nd 10 (40.0%) had no Bartonella spp. antibodies, one of which (10.0%) was more than 1 year old. The prevalence of Bartonella bacteraemia is higher in shelter (76.9%) than in domestic cats(68.2%) and all stray cats tested (n = 2) were positive

Interaction between serotoninergic-and beta-adrenergic receptors signaling pathways in rat femoral artery

FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCoronary heart disease has been widely studied in cardiovascular research. However, patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have worst outcomes compared to those with coronary artery disease. Therefore, pharmacological studies using femoral artery are highly relevant for a better understanding of the pathophysiologic responses of the PAD. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacologic properties of the contractile and relaxing agents in rat femoral artery. Methods: Concentration response curves to the contractile phenylephrine (PE) and serotonin (5-HT) and the relaxing agents isoproterenol (ISO) and forskolin were obtained in isolated rat femoral artery. For relaxing responses, tissues were precontracted with PE or 5-HT. Results: The order rank potency in femoral artery was 5-HT > PE for contractile responses. In tissues precontracted with 5-HT, relaxing responses to isoproterenol was virtually abolished as compared to PE-contracted tissues. Forskolin, a stimulant of adenylyl cyclase, partially restored the relaxing response to ISO in 5-HT-precontracted tissues. Conclusion: An interaction between beta-adrenergic- and serotoninergic- receptors signaling pathway occurs in femoral artery. Moreover, this study provides a new model to study serotoninergic signaling pathway under normal and pathological conditions which can help understanding clinical outcomes in the PAD9812934FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOsem informaçã

Bacteriocin production by spray-dried lactic acid bacteria

Cell survival and antagonistic activity against Listeria innocua, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus were investigated after spray-drying three bacteriocin-producing strains of lactic acid bacteria: Carnobacterium divergens, Lactobacillus salivarius and Lactobacillus sakei