Mineral content of young leaves of yerba mate.

A Erva-mate é muito usada para produção de bebidas para consumo humano. Na primavera, a planta desenvolve folhas jovens que podem representar um novo nicho de mercado na indústria de erva-mate; este período é chamado nesse estudo de prea-safrinha. Este estudo teve por objetivo investigar os teores nutricionais totais e hidrossolúveis de folhas jovens de erva-mate coletadas na primavera e seu potencial nutricional para o consumo humano. Para representar folhas jovens da pre-safrinha, o material vegetal recolhido foi limitado ao terceiro botão terminal. A análise química total e hidrossolúvel de folhas das procedências Cascavel (progênie 174), Ivaí (progênie 6), Barão de Cotegipe (progênies 68 e 69) incluiu os seguintes elementos: P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Cu e Zn.O conteúdo dos elementos da bebida obtida a partir da infusão de folhas jovens de erva-mate na ingestão diária recomendada variou de 0,5 a 11,5 % e se apresentou na seguinte ordem: Cu > Mn > K > P > Mg > Fe > Zn > Ca > Na. Progênies e morfotipos de erva-mate mostraram pouca variação no conteúdo total de nutrientes e não diferiram quanto ao conteúdo de nutrientes hidrossolúveis avaliados nas folhas jovens. Sendo assim, o extrato obtido a partir de folhas jovens de erva-mate apresenta potencial de uso para o consumo humano

Valor nutricional total e hidrossolúvel de folhas jovens de erva mate (Ilex paraguariensis) coletadas na época de pré-safrinha.

Morfotipos de erva-mate apresentam diferenças na composição mineral e no teor de compostos fitoquímicos como teobromina, cafeína e taninos. O aperfeiçoamento do conhecimento da variação química das folhas relativo às características de cada procedência, progênies e da época de colheita das folhas permite gerar produtos com características de interesse para o setor industrial. O objetivo desse trabalho foi verificar as diferenças na composição química das folhas de 4 progênies de erva-mate, colhidas na época de pré-safrinha. Foram coletadas folhas jovens de plantas adultas na Fazenda Experimental Caguiri, pertencente à UFPR, município de Pinhais em novembro de 2011. Foram quantificados os teores totais e hidrossolúveis de P (fósforo), K (potássio), Ca (cálcio), Mg (magnésio), Cu (cobre), Fe (ferro), Mn (manganês), Zn (zinco) e Na(sódio). O objetivo desse trabalho foi quantificar os teores totais e hidrossolúveis de macro e micro elementos em folhas de erva-mate colhidas na época de pré-safrinha. Conclui-se as progênies apresentaram diferentes teores totais de K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Na e hidrossolúveis de Mn; para aumentar os teores de P no chá produzido com erva mate, a progênie mais indicada é a Barão de Cotegipe 69, para K e Zn a progênie Ivai 4, para Ca a Barão de Cotegipe 68, para Mg a Barão de Cotegipe 68 e 69, para Mn a Barão de Cotegipe 68 e para Fe a Cascavel 174; os nutrientes mais disponíveis para alimentação humana em uma xícara de chá são em ordem decrescente: K, Cu, P, Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn e Na sendo a contribuição desses nutrientes na ingestão diária recomendada pela ANVISA em ordem decrescente: Cu, Mn, P, Mg, Fe, Zn e Ca.Resumo expandido

Stability and magnetically induced heating behavior of lipid-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles that are currently explored for various biomedical applications exhibit a high propensity to minimize total surface energy through aggregation. This study introduces a unique, thermoresponsive nanocomposite design demonstrating substantial colloidal stability of superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (SPIONs) due to a surface-immobilized lipid layer. Lipid coating was accomplished in different buffer systems, pH 7.4, using an equimolar mixture of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and l-α-dipalmitoylphosphatidyl glycerol (DPPG). Particle size and zeta potential were measured by dynamic laser light scattering. Heating behavior within an alternating magnetic field was compared between the commercial MFG-1000 magnetic field generator at 7 mT (1 MHz) and an experimental, laboratory-made magnetic hyperthermia system at 16.6 mT (13.7 MHz). The results revealed that product quality of lipid-coated SPIONs was significantly dependent on the colloidal stability of uncoated SPIONs during the coating process. Greatest stability was achieved at 0.02 mg/mL in citrate buffer (mean diameter = 80.0 ± 1.7 nm; zeta potential = -47.1 ± 2.6 mV). Surface immobilization of an equimolar DPPC/DPPG layer effectively reduced the impact of buffer components on particle aggregation. Most stable suspensions of lipid-coated nanoparticles were obtained at 0.02 mg/mL in citrate buffer (mean diameter = 179.3 ± 13.9 nm; zeta potential = -19.1 ± 2.3 mV). The configuration of the magnetic field generator significantly affected the heating properties of fabricated SPIONs. Heating rates of uncoated nanoparticles were substantially dependent on buffer composition but less influenced by particle concentration. In contrast, thermal behavior of lipid-coated nanoparticles within an alternating magnetic field was less influenced by suspension vehicle but dramatically more sensitive to particle concentration. These results underline the advantages of lipid-coated SPIONs on colloidal stability without compromising magnetically induced hyperthermia properties. Since phospholipids are biocompatible, these unique lipid-coated Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles offer exciting opportunities as thermoresponsive drug delivery carriers for targeted, stimulus-induced therapeutic interventions. PACS: 7550Mw; 7575Cd; 8185Q

Immunohistochemical evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and estrogen and progesterone receptors in breast carcinoma in Jordan

INTRODUCTION: Although breast carcinoma (BC) is the most common malignancy affecting Jordanian females and the affected population in Jordan is younger than that in the West, no information is available on its biological characteristics. Our aims in this study are to evaluate the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) and Her-2/neu overexpression in BC in Jordan, and to compare the expression of these with other prognostic parameters for BC such as histological type, histological grade, tumor size, patients' age, and number of lymph node metastases. METHOD: This is a retrospective study conducted in the Department of Pathology at Jordan University of Science and Technology. A confirmed 91 cases of BC diagnosed in the period 1995 to 1998 were reviewed and graded. We used immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of ER, PR, and Her-2. Immunohistochemical findings were correlated with age, tumor size, grade and axillary lymph node status. RESULTS: Her-2 was overexpressed in 24% of the cases. The mean age of Her-2 positive cases was 42 years as opposed to 53 years among Her-2 negative cases (p = 0.0001). Her-2 expression was inversely related to ER and PR expression. Her-2 positive tumors tended to be larger than Her-2 negative tumors with 35% overexpression among T3 tumors as opposed to 22% among T2 tumors (p = 0.13). Her-2 positive cases tended to have higher rates of axillary metastases, but this did not reach statistical significance. ER and PR positive cases were seen in older patients with smaller tumor sizes. CONCLUSION: Her-2 overexpression was seen in 24% of BC affecting Jordanian females. Her-2 overexpression was associated with young age at presentation, larger tumor size, and was inversely related to ER and PR expression. One-fifth of the carcinomas were Her-2 positive and ER negative. This group appears to represent an aggressive form of BC presenting at a young age with large primary tumors and a high rate of four or more axillary lymph node metastases

Sobrevivência inicial de erva-mate sob adubação nitrogenada no extremo sul do Paraná.

O presente estudo teve por objetivo determinar a dose de nitrogênio aplicado via fertilizante mineral mais favorável à sobrevivência inicial de mudas clonais de erva-mate

Evolución del desarrollo del color en sistema modelo de composición similar al dulce de leche. Influencia del tiempo de calentamiento y del Ph = Color development in dulce de leche-like system. Effect of heating time and pH

El color es un atributo importante en la elección del producto dulce de leche por parte del consumidor. El mismo se desarrolla en el proceso de elaboración debido principalmente a las reacciones de pardeamiento no enzimático, las cuales se ven influenciadas por varios factores. En este trabajo se evaluó el desarrollo de color, con el tiempo de tratamiento térmico y el pH inicial como variables tecnológicas, en un sistema modelo compuesto de caseinato, lactosa, sacarosa y agua destilada cuya composición fue similar a la del dulce de leche comercial. El estudio del color se realizó utilizando los parámetros de medición de color del sistema CIELAB y el índice de Kubelka Munk (K/S). Con ambos métodos se constató un aumento significativo del dE*ab y del K/S con el tiempo de tratamiento térmico y el pH inicial. Con el sistema CIELAB además se observó una tendencia a disminuir la luminosidad con el tiempo y el aumento del pH inicial, y el aumento de a* con el tiempo

Global testing of a consensus solubility assessment to enhance robustness of the WHO biopharmaceutical classification system

The WHO Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) is a practical tool to identify active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that scientifically qualify for a waiver of in vivo bioequivalence studies. The focus of this study was to engage a global network of laboratories to experimentally quantify the pH-dependent solubility of the highest therapeutic dose of 16 APIs using a harmonized protocol. Intra-laboratory variability was ≤5 %, and no apparent association of inter-laboratory variability with API solubility was discovered. Final classification “low solubility” vs “high solubility” was consistent among laboratories. In comparison to the literature-based provisional 2006 WHO BCS classification, three compounds were re-classified from “high” to “low-solubility”. To estimate the consequences of these experimental solubility results on BCS classification, dose-adjusted in silico predictions of the fraction absorbed in humans were performed using GastroPlus®. Further expansion of these experimental efforts to qualified APIs from the WHO Essential Medicines List is anticipated to empower regulatory authorities across the globe to issue scientifically-supported guidance regarding the necessity of performing in vivo bioequivalence studies. Ultimately, this will improve access to affordable generic products, which is a critical prerequisite to reach Universal Health Coverage