NMR-based metabolomics analysis reveals the effect of environmental contamination exposure on fishermen living around the Mundaú Lagoon in Maceió (Alagoas, Brazil).

The Mundaú lagoon in Maceió (Alagoas, Brazil) is a crucial resource for the local population, particularly fishing communities. Recent studies have revealed potential toxic metal contamination in the lagoon, particularly with mercury (Hg) levels exceeding the maximum regulated values. This inorganic contaminant may be impacting the health of fishermen and the local population. In this context, metabolomics, a study of small-molecule metabolites, can offer insights into the physiological impact of environmental contamination on humans. Thus, volunteers from the control and exposed groups were selected, considering the main exposure criteria primarily defined by their proximity and interaction with the lagoon. Blood and urine samples were collected from the volunteers and subjected to analysis using NMR spectroscopy. The data underwent Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Orthogonal Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) based on metabolic patterns to establish group discrimination or identification. Metabolic pathways were assessed through enrichment analysis. The study revealed several metabolic disturbances in the exposed group's urine and plasma samples compared to control group. Noteworthy findings included arginine and proline metabolism disruptions, indicative of ammonia recycling and urea cycle impairment. These changes suggest compromised ammonia detoxification in the exposed group. Disturbances in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and the transfer of acetyl groups into mitochondria suggested systemic metabolic stress in energy metabolism. Furthermore, elevated carnitine and ketone levels may indicate compensatory responses to low TCA cycle activity. Alterations in glutamate and glutathione metabolism and imbalances in glutathione levels indicate oxidative stress and impaired detoxification. This study highlights significant metabolic changes in fishermen exposed to contaminated environments, which can affect various metabolic pathways, including energy metabolism and antioxidant processes, potentially making individuals more vulnerable to the adverse effects of environmental contaminants. Finally, this work highlights insights into the relationship between environmental contamination and metabolic pathways, particularly in regions with limited studies.

Body composition in a pediatric population with type-1 diabetes - the importance of planned physical exercise.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This study aimed to assess the body composition of pediatric patients with type-1 diabetes (T1D) in a Portuguese pediatric endocrinology/diabetic clinic, using the InBody 570 bioimpedance system. Preschool children (< 6 years) and those recently diagnosed (< 6 months) were excluded. RESULTS: The study included 78 patients (53% female). Median age at assessment was 14 years, with 81% pubertal children. 87% were using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), 25% with an automated closed-loop model. Median HbA1c was 7.3%. Most had an adequate body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (62%), and 48% engaged in regular physical exercise (PE) outside of school. Median percentage body fat (PBF) was 21.5% and was abnormal in 48%, with median visceral adiposity of 4. Despite adequate BMI, 11% had excessive PBF. PBF was significantly associated with visceral fat (r=0.79; p<0.001), female gender (p<0.001) and PE performed out of school (p=0.005). PE was associated with lower PBF (p=0.005), lower visceral fat (p=0.002), and higher muscle-to-fat ratio (p=0.006). CONCLUSION: Engaging in physical exercise out of school correlated significantly with improved body composition, characterized by reduced PBF and diminished visceral adiposity. Considering the known benefits of physical exercise for metabolic and glycemic control, this study highlights the importance of promoting regular physical exercise in T1D patients.

"Times of war and time of uncertain peace": Narratives of parents of childhood cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the meaning attributed by parents to the extended and permanent survival of childhood cancer. METHOD: qualitative narrative inquiry, developed with parents of adolescents and young adults who survived childhood cancer. Recruitment and data collection involved virtual and in-person approaches. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed according to reflective thematic analysis. RESULTS: a total of ten parents were included in the study. Two thematic narrative syntheses were constructed: "Times of war"; and "Time of uncertain peace", with their respective sub-themes. The cancer diagnosis marks the beginning of times of war in the parents' lives. They experience cancer treatment as "highs and lows" with potential threats to their children's lives. After that, "Time of uncertain peace" are reached, and the balance of the family unit is reestablished. However, the fear of recurrence makes the family peace uncertain, and its maintenance requires constant vigilance and attention to the signs and symptoms of a possible new battle. CONCLUSION: the results highlight the experience of being a parent of a childhood cancer survivor and can be applied to develop models of care centered on the survivors' family.

Navigating the Challenges and Resilience in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Adolescents with Chronic Diseases: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the lives of adolescents worldwide, especially those living with chronic diseases. This study aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the daily lives of adolescents with chronic diseases. METHODS: This is a scoping review that follows the guidelines proposed by JBI. Eligibility criteria include articles focusing on adolescents aged 10 to 19 during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of chronic diseases. Searches were performed in PUBMED, LILACS, CINAHL, SCOPUS, grey literature, and manual searches in March 2024. RESULTS: This review is composed of 35 articles. The analysis revealed two main categories: (1) Adolescents facing social isolation, school closure, and new family interactions, striving to reinvent themselves, and (2) Chasing the best decision: following up the chronic disease while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. These categories encompass subcategories highlighting changes in social and family interactions and lifestyle habits. The findings suggest a multifaceted interaction of factors influencing adolescents' well-being, including improved family bonding, heightened disease management, and increased stress and strains on resources. CONCLUSIONS: This review emphasizes the importance of long-term follow-up and social inclusion efforts for adolescents with chronic diseases and their families, addressing their unique needs during public health crises.

Association between COVID-19 and the incidence of type 1 diabetes in Portugal - a registry study.

BACKGROUND: Viral respiratory infections may precipitate type 1 diabetes (T1D). A possible association between the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19, and the incidence of T1D is being determined. This study was carried out using Portuguese registries, aiming at examining temporal trends between COVID-19 and T1D. METHODS: Hospital data, comparing the incidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, from children and young adults diagnosed with new-onset T1D, was acquired beginning in 2017 and until the end of 2022. Data was obtained from nine different Portuguese hospital units. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning in March 2020, was assessed comparing the annual numbers of new-onset T1D cases. The annual median levels of glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting C-peptide at T1D diagnosis were compared. The annual number of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) episodes among new T1D cases was also assessed at two centers. RESULTS: In total, data from 574 newly diagnosed T1D patients was analyzed, including 530 (92.3%) children. The mean ages for child and adult patients were 9.1 (SD 4.4) and 32.8 (SD 13.6) years, respectively. 57.8% (331/573) were male, one patient had unknown sex. The overall median (25-75 percentiles) levels of glucose, HbA1c and fasting C-peptide at diagnosis were 454 mg/dL (356-568), 11.8% (10.1-13.4) and 0.50 µg/L (0.30-0.79), respectively. DKA at T1D diagnosis was present in 48.4% (76/157). For eight centers with complete 2018 to 2021 data (all calendar months), no overall significant increase in T1D cases was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, i.e. 90 cases in 2018, 90 cases in 2019, 112 in 2020 and 100 in 2021 (P for trend = 0.36). Two of the centers, Faro (CHUA) and Dona Estefânia (CHULC) hospitals, did however see an increase in T1D from 2019 to 2020. No significant changes in glucose (P = 0.32), HbA1c (P = 0.68), fasting C-peptide (P = 0.20) or DKA frequency (P = 0.68) at the time of T1D diagnosis were observed over the entire study period. CONCLUSION: The T1D incidence did not increase significantly, when comparing the years before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, nor did key metabolic parameters or number of DKA episodes change.

Combined effects of high hydrostatic pressure and pulsed electric fields on quinoa starch: Analysis of microstructure, morphology, thermal, and pasting properties.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of non-thermal methods, using high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and pulsed electric field (PEF), on the dual modification of quinoa starch and to analyze the microstructural, morphological, thermal, pasting, and texture properties. Starch was treated with HHP at 400 MPa for 10 min, while PEF was applied using voltages of 10 and 30 kV cm-1 for a total time of 90s. The modification techniques were effective in breaking down amylose molecules and amylopectin branches, where for the dual treatment, higher values of DP6-12 were found. The average diameter and gelatinization temperatures were elevated after HHP, thus forming clusters that require more energy for paste formation. The use of 30 kV cm-1 and 400 MPa (HP30) in starch facilitates the creation of new food products with better texture, stability and nutritional value, making them suitable for use in food emulsions and the cosmetics industry.

Incorporating Olive By-Products in Bísaro Pig Diets: Effect on Dry-Cured Product Quality.

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of incorporating olive cake into the diet of indigenous Bísaro pigs on the quality of processed meat products. To this end, loins and "cachaços" were processed using a standardized manufacturing flowchart to produce dry-cured products. The two products were manufactured using the same formulation, ingredients, and curing process. Concerning the physicochemical composition, there were significant differences between the two products for the parameters of aw (p < 0.001), moisture (p < 0.001), total fat (p < 0.001), protein (p < 0.001), and haem pigments (p < 0.001). The diet significantly impacted the NaCl content (p < 0.05). However, neither the product nor the diet affected the fractions of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (p > 0.05). However, a significant difference was observed for n-3 (p < 0.05). Adding olive cake increased these fatty acids, and the diet containing 25% centrifuged olive cake showed the highest levels for both products. Compared with the control, the diets containing olive cake had a higher content of n-3 fatty acids, resulting in a lower PUFA n-6/n-3 ratio (p < 0.01).

Dimethyl Fumarate Mediates Sustained Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Remodeling in a Mouse Model of Cerebral Aneurysm.

Cerebral aneurysms (CA) are a type of vascular disease that causes significant morbidity and mortality with rupture. Dysfunction of the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from circle of Willis (CoW) vessels mediates CA formation, as they are the major cell type of the arterial wall and play a role in maintaining vessel integrity. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), a first-line oral treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, has been shown to inhibit VSMC proliferation and reduce CA formation in a mouse model. Potential unwanted side effects of DMF on VSMC function have not been investigated yet. The present study characterizes the impact of DMF on VSMC using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) in CoW vessels following CA induction and further explores its role in mitochondrial function using in vitro VSMC cultures. Two weeks of DMF treatment following CA induction impaired the transcription of the glutathione redox system and downregulated mitochondrial respiration genes in VSMCs. In vitro, DMF treatment increased lactate formation and enhanced the mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These effects rendered VSMCs vulnerable to oxidative stress and led to mitochondrial dysfunction and enhancement of apoptosis. Taken together, our data support the concept that the DMF-mediated antiproliferative effect on VSMCs is linked to disturbed antioxidative functions resulting in altered mitochondrial metabolism. This negative impact of DMF treatment on VSMCs may be linked to preexisting alterations of cerebrovascular function due to renal hypertension. Therefore, before severe adverse effects emerge, it would be clinically relevant to develop indices or biomarkers linked to this disturbed antioxidative function to monitor patients undergoing DMF treatment.

Purification of secretory IgA monoclonal antibodies enriched fraction directly from cell culture medium using aqueous two-phase systems.

Secretory immunoglobulin A [sIgA] is a promising candidate for enteric therapeutics applications, and several sIgA-based constructs are currently being developed by groups utilizing clarified Chinese hamster ovary [CHO] cell culture supernatants. To the monoclonal antibody downstream processing typically entails chromatography-based purification processes beginning with Protein A chromatography. In this paper, aqueous two-phase systems [ATPS] were employed for the preliminary purification of secretory immunoglobulin A [sIgA] monoclonal antibody [mAb] from clarified CHO-cell culture supernatants. A 24 full factorial design was utilized. The influence of various process parameters such as pH, PEG molecular weight [MPEG], PEG concentration [CPEG], and phosphate salt concentration [CPHO], on the sIgA partition coefficient [K sIgA] and the recovery index [Y] in the PEG phase were evaluated. The Elisa assay revealed that, in the ATPS conditions tested, sIgA mAb was mostly detected in PEG upper phase. Run 14 with the highest sIgA activity exhibited the following conditions: MPEG 8.000 g/mol, CPEG 12,5 %, pH 7,0 and CPHO 10 %, and a sIgA K of 94.50 and a recovery index [Y] of 33.52 %. The proposed platform provides straightforward implementation, yields comparable results, and offers significantly improved economics for manufacturing sIgA mAb biotherapeutics.

TP53 p.R337H Germline Variant among Women at Risk of Hereditary Breast Cancer in a Public Health System of Midwest Brazil.

Despite the high prevalence of TP53 pathogenic variants (PV) carriers in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil, germline genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer (HBC) is not available in the Brazilian public health system, and the prevalence of Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is not well established in other regions of Brazil. We assessed the occurrence of TP53 p.R337H carriers among women treated for breast cancer (BC) between January 2021 and January 2022 at public hospitals of Brasilia, DF, Brazil. A total of 180 patients who met at least one of the NCCN criteria for HBC underwent germline testing; 44.4% performed out-of-pocket germline multigene panel testing, and 55.6% were tested for the p.R337H variant by allelic discrimination PCR. The median age at BC diagnosis was 43.5 years, 93% had invasive ductal carcinoma, 50% had estrogen receptor-positive/HER2 negative tumors, and 41% and 11% were diagnosed respectively at stage III and IV. Two patients (1.11%) harbored the p.R337H variant, and cascade family testing identified 20 additional carriers. The TP53 p.R337H detection rate was lower than that reported in other studies from south/southeast Brazil. Nonetheless, identifying TP53 PV carriers through genetic testing in the Brazilian public health system could guide cancer treatment and prevention.

Effect of Olive Cake in Bísaro Pig Feed on Physicochemical Composition and Fatty Acid Profile of Three Different Muscles of Dry-Cured Shoulder.

The purpose of this study was to assess the following effects: (1) the inclusion of olive in the animal's diet on the dry-cured shoulder; (2) the effect of curing on three different muscles (infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and subscapular); (3) the effect of different curing times (fresh shoulder, 6 months curing, and 12 months curing). For this purpose, forty shoulders were used, followed by a cold nitrite-free curing process with controlled humidity and temperature, according to the flowchart of a company that implements highly stringent standards in terms of food safety and quality. Samples were evaluated for their physicochemical composition and lipid profile. All the physicochemical composition parameters were significantly different (p < 0.001) in the three muscles studied. As might be expected, the curing times from the fresh product to the final product were also significantly different for all the parameters studied in this work. Regarding the inclusion of olive cake, it was found that treatment with a base diet + 10% exhausted olive cake (T4) showed higher levels for the parameters NaCl, collagen, and total fat. As for the fatty acid profile, in general, the olive did not influence the final product. On the other hand, we found that the type of muscle and the curing time of the cured shoulder had a significant influence on the fatty acid profile. We should also point out that there are significant differences in the interaction between curing time and muscle, particularly in saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), as well as the lipid quality indices. Canonical discriminant analysis is viable for evaluating the evolution of the curing process, discriminating and classifying curing times, and evaluating the muscles of the Bísaro pork shoulder. Also, the introduction of olive cake into the animal diet does not affect the final product obtained.

Extended and Long-term Cancer Survivorship of Childhood Survivors: A Scoping Review of Nursing Evidence With Bibliometric Analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing survival rates of childhood cancer, nurses' familiarity with published evidence has become crucial to care for this population and their families throughout the survival process. OBJECTIVE: To systematically identify and conduct a bibliometric analysis of nursing-related evidence concerning extended and long-term survival of childhood survivors. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted using bibliometric analysis with searches performed in the PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases. A total of 300 studies on childhood cancer survival within the nursing field were included. RESULTS: The first study on this topic was published in 1975. American and Chinese researchers lead study publications, primarily publishing in nursing journals such as Cancer Nursing. Quantitative designs were prevalent, and the majority of the studies focused on physical late effects, overall quality of life, and survivor follow-up care. CONCLUSIONS: This study has allowed us to map and synthesize the bibliometric evidence pertaining to the extended and long-term survivorship of childhood cancer survivors in the nursing field. Consequently, it identifies gaps in knowledge, research trends, and areas necessitating further exploration. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The evidence presented in this review can facilitate academic and clinical discussions, offering a comprehensive synthesis of the published knowledge. More research needs to be developed on the topic, particularly in Central and Latin America, Africa, Southern and Eastern Europe, and in some regions of Asia. Furthermore, the scope of studies should extend beyond late effects and quality of life, encompassing the experience of surviving childhood cancer, including psychosocial and spiritual dimensions.

Quality changes due to refrigerated storage in a traditional dry-cured pork belly salted with glasswort or KCl as partial substitutes for NaCl.

BACKGROUND: Glasswort represents a novel alternative to KCl for replacing sodium in meat products. To evaluate the effects of Na reduction on the quality changes of a traditional dry cured belly due to storage, fresh bellies were dry-salted with 2% NaCl (BCON), with 2% of a mixture containing 50% NaCl and 50% KCl (BKCl) or with 1% of a mixture of 90% NaCl and 10% powdered glasswort (BGW), dry-cured, sliced, vacuum packaged and stored under refrigeration for 60 days. RESULTS: The BKCl and BGW bellies were lower in sodium by one-third to one-half compared to BCON (with 1.6 g Na/100 g). Neither BKCl, nor BGW significantly differed from BCON in free fatty acids (FFA) before and after storage, whereas BGW showed almost twice as much 2-methylbutanal content as BCON. All bellies showed microbiological stability during storage. Micrococcaceae was the most abundant microbial group with values of 105 to 106 colony-forming units g-1. The BGW presented higher Micrococcaceae counts (approximately one log unit) but lower microbial biodiversity than BCON. CONCLUSION: The two alternative dry salting methods reduced the sodium content in bellies, at the same time as ensuring chemical and microbiological stability during refrigerated vacuum storage. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Compassion Fatigue: A Comprehensive Discussion on its Development and Repercussions Among Oncology Nurses.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to discuss how compassion fatigue (CF) develops and its repercussions on the personal and professional lives of oncology nurses. METHODS: A discursive article, with systematic searches were performed in seven databases to find publications on CF in oncology nurses. RESULTS: So as to better organize the findings, three categories were developed to present and discuss issues related to CF: (1) Characteristics of CF and its developments: describes the components related to CF and the manifestation of this phenomenon; (2) Repercussions of compassion fatigue: reports on the impact of CF on the personal and professional life of oncology nurses; and (3) Resources for dealing with compassion fatigue: lists interventions, sources of support, professional personal training, qualified nursing care in the face of adversity, and gratitude and recognition. CONCLUSION: the factors that trigger or protect CF are multifactorial, with the need for collective and individual interventions as a way of helping oncology nurses to protect themselves, to avoid or manage this phenomenon. CF has a direct clinical impact on the life of the oncology nurse, causing several changes. It also indirectly impacts the patient's life clinically, as it is a phenomenon that has repercussions on the provision of care. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: CF affects the personal and professional lives of oncology nurses, so nurses need to seek resources to deal with it. Nursing staff employers and managers can use the evidence from this research to help nurses manage and protect themselves from compassion fatigue.

Immediate effect of inspiratory exercise with exerciser and respiratory encourager in women without vocal complaints. / Efeito imediato de exercício inspiratório com exercitador e incentivador respiratório em mulheres sem queixas vocais.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the immediate effect of the inspiratory exercise with a booster and a respiratory exerciser on the voice of women without vocal complaints. METHODS: 25 women with no vocal complaints, between 18 and 34 years old, with a score of 1 on the Vocal Disorder Screening Index (ITDV) participated. Data collection was performed before and after performing the inspiratory exercise and consisted of recording the sustained vowel /a/, connected speech and maximum phonatory times (MPT) of vowels, fricative phonemes and counting numbers. In the auditory-perceptual judgment, the Vocal Deviation Scale (VSD) was used to verify the general degree of vocal deviation. Acoustic evaluation was performed using the PRAAT software and the parameters fundamental frequency (f0), jitter, shimmer, harmonium-to-noise ratio (HNR), Cepstral Peak Prominence Smoothed (CPPS), Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) and Acoustic Breathiness Index (ABI). To measure the aerodynamic measurements, the time of each emission was extracted in the Audacity program. Data were statistically analyzed using the Statistica for Windows software and normality was tested using the Shapiro-Wilk test. To compare the results, Student's and Wilcoxon's t tests were applied, adopting a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the results of the JPA and the acoustic measures, in the pre and post inspiratory exercise moments. As for the aerodynamic measures, it was possible to observe a significant increase in the value of the TMF /s/ (p=0.008). CONCLUSION: There was no change in vocal quality after the inspiratory exercise with stimulator and respiratory exerciser, but an increase in the MPT of the phoneme /s/ was observed after the exercise.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito imediato do exercício inspiratório com incentivador e exercitador respiratório na voz de mulheres sem queixas vocais. MÉTODO: Participaram 25 mulheres sem queixas vocais, entre 18 e 34 anos, com pontuação 1 no Índice de Triagem para Distúrbio Vocal (ITDV). A coleta de dados foi realizada nos momentos antes e após realização de exercício inspiratório e consistiu na gravação de vogal sustentada /a/, fala encadeada e tempos máximos fonatórios (TMF) de vogais, fonemas fricativos e contagem de números. No julgamento perceptivo-auditivo foi utilizada a Escala de Desvio Vocal (EDV) para verificar o grau geral do desvio vocal. Avaliação acústica foi feita no software PRAAT e foram extraídos os parâmetros frequência fundamental (f0), jitter, shimmer, proporção harmônico -ruído (HNR), Cepstral Peak Prominence Smoothed (CPPS), Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) e Acoustic Breathiness Index (ABI). Para mensuração das medidas aerodinâmicas, o tempo de emissão foi extraído no programa Audacity. Para comparar os resultados utilizou-se o teste paramétrico t de Student para amostras dependentes na análise das variáveis com distribuição normal e o teste de Wilcoxon para variáveis com distribuição não normal. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferenças entre os resultados do JPA e das medidas acústicas, nos momentos pré e pós exercício inspiratório. Quanto às medidas aerodinâmicas foi possível observar aumento significativo no valor do TMF /s/ (p=0,008). CONCLUSÃO: Não houve modificação na qualidade vocal após o exercício inspiratório com incentivador e exercitador respiratório, porém foi observado aumento do TMF do fonema /s/ após a realização do exercício.

Contribution to Characterizing the Meat Quality of Protected Designation of Origin Serrana and Preta de Montesinho Kids Using the Near-Infrared Reflectance Methodology.

The aims of this study were to describe and compare the meat quality characteristics of male and female kids from the "Serrana" and "Preta de Montesinho" breeds certified as "Cabrito Transmontano" and reinforce the performance of near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectra in predicting these quality characteristics and discriminating among breeds. Samples of Longissimus thoracis (n = 32; sixteen per breed; eight males and eight females) were used. Breed significantly affected meat quality characteristics, with only color and fatty acid (FA) (C12:0) being influenced by sex. The meat of the "Serrana" breed proved to be more tender than that of the "Preta de Montesinho". However, the meat from the "Preta de Montesinho" breed showed higher intramuscular fat content and was lighter than that from the "Serrana" breed, which favors its quality of color and juiciness. The use of NIR with the linear support vector machine regression (SVMR) classification model demonstrated its capability to quantify meat quality characteristics such as pH, CIELab color, protein, moisture, ash, fat, texture, water-holding capacity, and lipid profile. Discriminant analysis was performed by dividing the sample spectra into calibration sets (75 percent) and prediction sets (25 percent) and applying the Kennard-Stone algorithm to the spectra. This resulted in 100% correct classifications with the training data and 96.7% accuracy with the test data. The test data showed acceptable estimation models with R2 > 0.99.

The tissue-specific nature of physiological zebrafish mitochondrial bioenergetics.

Zebrafish are a powerful tool to study a myriad of experimental conditions, including mitochondrial bioenergetics. Considering that mitochondria are different in many aspects depending on the tissue evaluated, in the zebrafish model there is still a lack of this investigation. Especially for juvenile zebrafish. In the present study, we examined whether different tissues from zebrafish juveniles show mitochondrial density- and tissue-specificity comparing brain, liver, heart, and skeletal muscle (SM). The liver and brain complex IV showed the highest O2 consumption of all ETC in all tissues (10x when compared to other respiratory complexes). The liver showed a higher potential for ROS generation. In this way, the brain and liver showed more susceptibility to O2- generation when compared to other tissues. Regarding Ca2+ transport, the brain showed greater capacity for Ca2+ uptake and the liver presented low Ca2+ uptake capacity. The liver and brain were more susceptible to producing NO. The enzymes SOD and Catalase showed high activity in the brain, whereas GPx showed higher activity in the liver and CS in the SM. TEM reveals, as expected, a physiological diverse mitochondrial morphology. The essential differences between zebrafish tissues investigated probably reflect how the mitochondria play a diverse role in systemic homeostasis. This feature may not be limited to normal metabolic functions but also to stress conditions. In summary, mitochondrial bioenergetics in zebrafish juvenile permeabilized tissues showed a tissue-specificity and a useful tool to investigate conditions of redox system imbalance, mainly in the liver and brain.

Crack cocaine inhalation increases seizure susceptibility by reducing acetylcholinesterase activity.

Crack cocaine is a highly addictive and potent stimulant drug. Animal studies have shown that the cholinergic system plays a role in neurotoxicity induced by cocaine or its active metabolites inhalation. Behavioral alterations associated with crack cocaine use include hyperactivity, depressed mood, and decreased seizure threshold. Here we evaluate the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity, behavioral profile, and the threshold for epileptic seizures in rats that received intrahippocampal pilocarpine (H-PILO) followed by exposure to crack cocaine (H-PILO + CRACK). Animals exposed to H-PILO + CRACK demonstrated increased severity and frequency of limbic seizures. The AChE activity was reduced in the groups exposed to crack cocaine alone (CRACK) and H-PILO + CRACK, whereas levels of ROS remained unchanged. In addition, crack cocaine exposure increased vertical locomotor activity, without changing water and sucrose intake. Short-term memory consolidation remained unchanged after H-PILO, H-PILO + CRACK, and CRACK administration. Overall, our data suggest that crack cocaine inhalation reduced the threshold for epileptic seizures in rats submitted to low doses of pilocarpine through the inhibition of AChE. Taken together, our findings can be useful in the development of effective strategies for preventing and treating the harmful effects of cocaine and crack cocaine on the central nervous system.

Cepstral Peak Prominence Smoothed - CPPS and Acoustic Voice Quality Index - AVQI in healthy and altered children's voices: comparation, relationship with auditory-perceptual judgment and cut-off points. / Cepstral Peak Prominence Smoothed - CPPS e Acoustic Voice Quality Index - AVQI em vozes infantis saudáveis e alteradas: comparação, relação com julgamento perceptivo-auditivo e pontos de corte.

PURPOSE: To compare the acoustic measurements of Cepstral Peak Prominence Smoothed (CPPS) and Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) of children with normal and altered voices, to relationship with auditory-perceptual judgment (APJ) and to establish cut-off points. METHODS: Vocal recordings of the sustained vowel and number counting tasks of 185 children were selected from a database and submitted to acoustic analysis with extraction of CPPS and AVQI measurements, and to APJ. The APJ was performed individually for each task, classified as normal or altered, and for the tasks together defining whether the child would pass or fail in a situation of vocal screening. RESULTS: Children with altered APJ and who failed the screening had lower CPPS values and higher AVQI values, than those with normal APJ and who passed the screening. The APJ of the sustained vowel task was related to CPPS and AVQI, and APJ of the number counting task was related only to AVQI and CPPS numbers. The cut-off points that differentiate children with and without vocal deviation are 14.07 for the vowel CPPS, 7.62 for the CPPS numbers and 2.01 for the AVQI. CONCLUSION: Children with altered voices, have higher AVQI values and lower CPPS values, when detected in children with voices within the normal range. The acoustic measurements were related to the auditory perceptual judgment of vocal quality in the sustained vowel task, however, the number counting task was related only to the AVQI and CPPS. The cut-off points that differentiate children with and without vocal deviation are 14.07 for the CPPS vowel, 7.62 for the CPPS numbers and 2.01 for the AVQI. The three measures were similar in identifying voices without deviation and dysphonic voices.

OBJETIVO: Comparar as medidas acústicas de Cepstral Peak Prominence Smoothed (CPPS) e Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) de crianças com vozes normais e alteradas, relacionar com o julgamento perceptivo-auditivo (JPA) da voz e estabelecer pontos de corte. MÉTODO: Gravações vocais das tarefas de vogal sustentada e contagem de números de 185 crianças foram selecionadas em um banco de dados e submetidas a análise acústica com extração das medidas de CPPS e AVQI, e ao JPA. O JPA foi realizado individualmente para cada tarefa e as amostras foram classificadas posteriormente como normal ou alterada, e para as tarefas em conjunto definindo-se se a criança passaria ou falharia em uma situação de triagem vocal. RESULTADOS: Crianças com JPA alterado e que falharam na triagem apresentaram valores menores de CPPS e maiores de AVQI, do que as com JPA normal e que passaram na triagem. O JPA da tarefa de vogal sustentada se relacionou ao CPPS e AVQI, e da tarefa de contagem de números relacionou-se apenas ao AVQI e CPPS números. Os pontos de corte que diferenciam crianças com e sem desvio vocal são 14,07 para o CPPS vogal, 7,62 para o CPPS números e 2,01 para o AVQI. CONCLUSÃO: Crianças com JPA alterado apresentaram maiores valores de AVQI e menores valores de CPPs. O JPA da tarefa de vogal previu todas as medidas acústicas, porém, de contagem previu apenas as medidas extraídas dela. As três medidas foram semelhantes na identificação de vozes sem desvio e vozes disfônicas.

Latin American Consensus on the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is well known as a serious health problem worldwide, especially in low-income countries or those with limited resources, such as most countries in Latin America. International guidelines cannot always be applied to a population from a large region with specific conditions. This study established a Latin American guideline for care of patients with head and neck cancer and presented evidence of HNSCC management considering availability and oncologic benefit. A panel composed of 41 head and neck cancer experts systematically worked according to a modified Delphi process on (1) document compilation of evidence-based answers to different questions contextualized by resource availability and oncologic benefit regarding Latin America (region of limited resources and/or without access to all necessary health care system infrastructure), (2) revision of the answers and the classification of levels of evidence and degrees of recommendations of all recommendations, (3) validation of the consensus through two rounds of online surveys, and (4) manuscript composition. The consensus consists of 12 sections: Head and neck cancer staging, Histopathologic evaluation of head and neck cancer, Head and neck surgery-oral cavity, Clinical oncology-oral cavity, Head and neck surgery-oropharynx, Clinical oncology-oropharynx, Head and neck surgery-larynx, Head and neck surgery-larynx/hypopharynx, Clinical oncology-larynx/hypopharynx, Clinical oncology-recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancer, Head and neck surgery-reconstruction and rehabilitation, and Radiation therapy. The present consensus established 48 recommendations on HNSCC patient care considering the availability of resources and focusing on oncologic benefit. These recommendations could also be used to formulate strategies in other regions like Latin America countries.