Envases de alimentos y medio ambiente: desafíos para avanzar por una sociedad eco-amigable

El uso de envases plásticos tradicionales por parte de la industria de alimentos ha resultado clave en la protección, calidad y vida útil, y manejo de los productos que contienen, entre otros aspectos. Sin embargo, en la actualidad el impacto medioambiental de éstos resulta trascendental para la industria, y para la sociedad que los consume. La acumulación de desechos plásticos post-consumo en el medio ambiente producto de su nula degradación exige la generación de estrategias a corto, mediano y largo plazo, en donde cada uno de los miembros de la sociedad se transforma en actores claves para este gran desafío. Así la generación de estrategias enfocadas a la educación con el n de promover la correcta disposición y gestión de los desechos, búsqueda de materiales más respetuosos con el medio ambiente, implementación de estrategias acordes al ecodiseño y a la economía circular, se vislumbran como claves para avanzar en una sociedad más sustentable. Ahora bien, todo lo anterior se debe hacer sin olvidar la necesidad de contar envases que permitan asegurar alimentos de calidad y con la vida útil adecuada acorde a las exigencias de los consumidores. El siguiente artículo pretende dar una visión general del uso de los plásticos en la industria de alimentos, y de cómo las estrategias de ecodiseño y de los bioplásticos podrían contribuir a dar solución a la problemática medio ambiental, junto con la implementación de recientes instrumentos legislativos. Palabras claves: Envases; Vida útil; Medioambiente; Ecodiseño; Bioplásticos

The biological basis of smoltification in Atlantic salmon

Chile is the second-largest producer of Atlantic salmon in the world, and the Chilean salmon production accounts for 27% of the world’s production. One important step of the productive cycle in freshwater is the smoltification process that prepares the fish for the marine life stage. This review describes the biological basis of smoltification in Atlantic salmon, with particular attention on branchial osmoregulatory adaptations. We also discuss some of the infectious diseases and problems in smoltification (two of the main causes of losses in Chilean aquaculture) that could be related from a physiological point of view

TURISMO RURAL E SUSTENTABILIDADE: O CASO DA ASSOCIAÇÃO “CAMINHOS DO MARRECAS” EM FRANCISCO BELTRÃO – PR

A sustentabilidade é a utilização de recursos naturais de maneira responsável, de modo que atenda as demandas atuais e não comprometa a possibilidade de uso dos mesmos pelas futuras gerações. Recente no Brasil, o turismo rural é uma atividade em expansão e pode ser explicado pela necessidade de diversificação da renda e agregação de valor aos produtos dos produtores rurais. Essa atividade propicia às famílias residentes nas cidades um contato com o meio rural, proporcionando um retorno às suas raízes, a convivência com a natureza, tradições, costumes, experiências, com o modo de vida e as formas de produção do homem do campo. O objetivo desse trabalho foi identificar elementos de sustentabilidade presentes na associação de turismo rural “Caminhos do Marrecas”, a partir da teoria que apresenta a sustentabilidade pelos seus aspectos sociais, econômicos e ambientais. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa que aborda o caso da referida associação, composta por dez propriedades rurais localizadas no município de Francisco Beltrão-PR. Foram utilizados dados primários e secundários. Os dados primários foram obtidos através de questionários e entrevistas e os secundários foram conseguidos com pesquisa documental, realizada em livros de atas de reuniões da associação mencionada.  Como resultado encontrou-se que há indicativos da observância dos princípios da sustentabilidade nas propriedades pesquisadas, pois pode-se verificar que a atividade turística é desenvolvida com  mínimo impacto, envolve a comunidade local de maneira integrada e é uma alternativa que fortalece as famílias do campo bem como sua comunidade, gerando renda e oportunidades para ambos, e assegurando-lhes ainda, a permanência no meio rural

ANÁLISE DA IDENTIDADE ORGANIZACIONAL: O CASO DE UMA INSTITUIÇÃO PÚBLICA DE ENSINO SUPERIOR NO SUDOESTE PARANAENSE

O objetivo da presente pesquisa constitui-se na pretensão de apresentar a identidade organizacional de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior, mais precisamente a identidade organizacional dos membros de um campus de uma universidade, através do uso de pesquisa qualitativa, formularam-se entrevistas semi-estruturadas com amostragem intencional. Os resultados encontrados mostram que a identidade da instituição pesquisada é uma identidade de manutenção, onde o conservadorismo em relação a forças externas, o paternalismo com o governo do estado e os sentimentos de exclusividade estão presentes em sua cultura, bem como houve a percepção de conflitos internos e falta de conhecimento pelos membros de sua missão e objetivos

Radioactive Iodine Administration Is Associated with Persistent Related Symptoms in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Context. Radioiodine (RAI) administration has adverse effects in patients treated for thyroid cancer (DTC), but there is scarce information regarding their intensity and duration. Objective. To evaluate frequency and intensity of early and late RAI-related symptoms in patients with DTC. Design. Observational prospective study. Patients. DTC patients who underwent thyroidectomy, with or without RAI. Measurements. Patients answered 2 surveys: (1) from 0 to 6 months and (2) between 6 and 18 months after initial treatment. Results. 110 patients answered the first survey and 61 both. Nearly 80 percent received RAI. Among early symptoms, periorbital edema, excessive tearing, salivary gland disturbances, dry mouth, taste disorders, and nausea were more frequent and intense among RAI patients. Regarding late symptoms, periorbital edema, salivary gland pain and swelling, and dry mouth were more frequent and intense in RAI patients. Frequency and intensity of adverse effects were not different between low and high RAI doses (50 versus ≥100 mCi). Conclusion. RAI-related symptoms are frequent and usually persist after 6 months of administration, even when low doses are given. This finding must be considered when deciding RAI administration, especially in low risk patients, among whom RAI benefit is controversial

Effects of ethyl pyruvate on leukocyte-endothelial interactions in the mesenteric microcirculation during early sepsis treatment

OBJECTIVES: Experimental studies on sepsis have demonstrated that ethyl pyruvate is endowed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ethyl pyruvate on leukocyte-endothelial interactions in the mesenteric microcirculation in a live Escherichia coli-induced sepsis model in rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were administered an intravenous suspension of E. coli bacteria or were subjected to a sham procedure. Three hours after bacterial infusion, the rats were randomized into the following groups: a control group without treatment, a group treated with lactated Ringer’s solution (4 mL/kg, i.v.), and a group treated with lactated Ringer’s solution (4 mL/kg, i.v.) plus ethyl pyruvate (50 mg/kg). At 24 h after bacterial infusion, leukocyte-endothelial interactions were investigated using intravital microscopy, and the expression of P-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was evaluated via immunohistochemistry. White blood cell and platelet counts were also determined at baseline and 3 h and 24 h after E. coli inoculation. RESULTS: The non-treated and lactated Ringer’s solution-treated groups exhibited increases in the numbers of rolling leukocytes (∼2.5-fold increase), adherent cells (∼3.0-fold), and migrated cells (∼3.5-fold) compared with the sham group. In contrast, treatment with Ringer’s ethyl pyruvate solution reduced the numbers of rolling, adherent and migrated leukocytes to the levels observed in the sham group. Additionally, the expression of P-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was significantly increased on mesenteric microvessels in the non-treated group compared with the sham group (

Activated Human CD4+CD45RO+ Memory T-Cells Indirectly Inhibit NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation through Downregulation of P2X7R Signalling

Inflammasomes are multi-protein complexes that control the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β. Inflammasomes play an important role in the control of immunity to tumors and infections, and also in autoimmune diseases, but the mechanisms controlling the activation of human inflammasomes are largely unknown. We found that human activated CD4+CD45RO+ memory T-cells specifically suppress P2X7R-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation, without affecting P2X7R-independent NLRP3 or NLRP1 inflammasome activation. The concomitant increase in pro-IL-1β production induced by activated memory T-cells concealed this effect. Priming with IFNβ decreased pro-IL-1β production in addition to NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition and thus unmasked the inhibitory effect on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. IFNβ suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation through an indirect mechanism involving decreased P2X7R signaling. The inhibition of pro-IL-1β production and suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome activation by IFNβ-primed human CD4+CD45RO+ memory T-cells is partly mediated by soluble FasL and is associated with down-regulated P2X7R mRNA expression and reduced response to ATP in monocytes. CD4+CD45RO+ memory T-cells from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients showed a reduced ability to suppress NLRP3 inflammasome activation, however their suppressive ability was recovered following in vivo treatment with IFNβ. Thus, our data demonstrate that human P2X7R-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation is regulated by activated CD4+CD45RO+ memory T cells, and provide new information on the mechanisms mediating the therapeutic effects of IFNβ in MS