Quantifying terpenes in tomato leaf extracts from different species using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Terpenes play a vital role in plant defense; tomato plants produce a diverse range of terpenes within specialized glandular trichomes, influencing interactions with herbivores, predators, and pollinators. This study employed two distinct methods, namely leaf dip and maceration, to extract trichomes from tomato leaves. Terpene quantification was carried out using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The leaf dip method proved effective in selectively targeting trichome content, revealing unique extraction patterns compared to maceration. The GC-MS method demonstrated high linearity, accuracy, sensitivity, and low limits of detection and quantification. Application of the method to different tomato species (Solanum pennellii, Solanum pimpinellifolium, Solanum galapagense, Solanum habrochaites, and Solanum lycopersicum) identified significant variation in terpene content among these species, highlighting the potential of specific accessions for breeding programs. Notably, the terpene α-zingiberene, known for its repellency against whiteflies, was found in high quantities (211.90-9155.13 µg g-1) in Solanum habrochaites accession PI209978. These findings provide valuable insights into terpenoid diversity for plant defense mechanisms, guiding future research on developing pest-resistant tomato cultivars. Additionally, the study underscores the broader applications of terpenes in agriculture.

First-in-human demonstration of floating EMG sensors and stimulators wirelessly powered and operated by volume conduction.

BACKGROUND: Recently we reported the design and evaluation of floating semi-implantable devices that receive power from and bidirectionally communicate with an external system using coupling by volume conduction. The approach, of which the semi-implantable devices are proof-of-concept prototypes, may overcome some limitations presented by existing neuroprostheses, especially those related to implant size and deployment, as the implants avoid bulky components and can be developed as threadlike devices. Here, it is reported the first-in-human acute demonstration of these devices for electromyography (EMG) sensing and electrical stimulation. METHODS: A proof-of-concept device, consisting of implantable thin-film electrodes and a nonimplantable miniature electronic circuit connected to them, was deployed in the upper or lower limb of six healthy participants. Two external electrodes were strapped around the limb and were connected to the external system which delivered high frequency current bursts. Within these bursts, 13 commands were modulated to communicate with the implant. RESULTS: Four devices were deployed in the biceps brachii and the gastrocnemius medialis muscles, and the external system was able to power and communicate with them. Limitations regarding insertion and communication speed are reported. Sensing and stimulation parameters were configured from the external system. In one participant, electrical stimulation and EMG acquisition assays were performed, demonstrating the feasibility of the approach to power and communicate with the floating device. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first-in-human demonstration of EMG sensors and electrical stimulators powered and operated by volume conduction. These proof-of-concept devices can be miniaturized using current microelectronic technologies, enabling fully implantable networked neuroprosthetics.

Desordens hiperostóticas em American Bully / Hiperostotic disorders in american bully

O complexo de desordens hiperostóticas é uma condição rara e autolimitante, que tem as mesmas características histopatológicas, que cursa com proliferação óssea de caráter não neoplásico. Acomete cães jovens de raças distintas, com variabilidade quanto ao tipo de proliferação óssea e quanto aos ossos acometidos. O complexo é composto pela osteopatia craniomandibular, hiperostose da calota craniana e osteodistrofia hipertrófica. Podendo estar presente nos ossos da calota craniana, mandíbulas, coluna cervical e esqueleto apendicular. O presente relato, descreveu o quadro de uma cadela, da raça American Bully, não castrada, três meses de idade, que foi atendida com queixa de aumento de volume doloroso das mandíbulas, hiporexia e sialorreia há 15 dias, apresentando ao exame físico, amplitude de movimento diminuída e sensibilidade dolorosa da articulação temporomandibular, espessamento firme bilateral do crânio em região de fossa temporal, espessamento palpável de consistência firme das mandíbulas e crepitação respiratória. Após avaliação clínica e realização de exames complementares, chegou-se ao diagnóstico presuntivo, de complexo de desordens hiperostóticas. Foi instituído como conduta terapêutica o suporte analgésico, sendo eficaz para a manutenção das necessidades fisiológicas até a paciente alcançar a fase adulta. O prognóstico para esta paciente foi considerado bom, uma vez que não havia indícios de anquilose da articulação temporomandibular e/ou manifestações neurológicas.

The complex of hyperostotic disorders is a rare and self-limiting condition, which has the same histophatological characteristics, which courses with non-neoplastic bone proliferations. It affects young dogs of different breeds, with variability the bones affected. The complex is composed of craniomandibular osteopathy, calvarial hyperostotic syndrome and hypertrophic osteodystrophy. It may be present in the bones of the skullcap, jaws, cervical spine and appendicular skeleton. The present report describes the condition of a female dog, American Bully breed, entire, three months old, with a complaint of painful swelling of the jaws, hyporexia and drooling for 15 days, presenting on physical examination, reduced amplitude and pain of the temporomandibular joint, bilateral firm thickening of the skull in the temporal fossa region, palpable firm-consistent thickening of the mandibles and respiratory crackle. After clinical evaluation and complementary tests, a presumptive diagnosis of hyperostotic disorders complex was reached. It was instituted pain management as a treatment, being effective for the maintenance of physiological needs until the patient reaches the adulthood. The prognosis for this patient was considered good, since there was no evidence of temporomandibular joint ankylosis and/or neurological manifestations.

Terapia Ocupacional com crianças e jovens em pandemia: análise de processos de trabalho e reflexões para uma prática emancipatória / Occupational Therapy with children and young people during pandemic: analysis of work processes and reflections for an emancipatory practice / Terapia Ocupacional con niños y jóvenes en pandemia: análisis de procesos de trabajo y reflexiones para una práctica emancipativa

Contextualização: A partir de práticas de terapeutas ocupacionais na cidade de São Paulo, durante a pandemia do coronavírus, este artigo apresenta dois processos de trabalhos de terapeutas ocupacionais com crianças e jovens. Síntese dos elementos do estudo: análise dos processos de trabalho das profissionais no âmbito do SUS. Ferramentas específicas fundadas emuma abordagem crítica foram identificadas e descritas: análise do cotidiano com desenvolvimento de recursos adaptativos; análise de elementos da reprodução social; mapeamento, análise, proposição e legitimação de atividades significativas; articulação de recursos materiais para engajamento nestas atividades. Conclusão: Enfatizaram-se as contradições do modo de produção capitalista e das estruturas sociais ao produzir reflexões sobre uma prática situada e contextualizada.(AU) Palavras-chave: Terapia Ocupacional. COVID-19. Infância. Juventude. Saúde Coletiva

Contextualization: Based on the practices of occupational therapists in the city of São Paulo, during the coronavirus pandemic, this article presented two work processes of occupational therapists with children and young people. Synthesis of the study's elements: analysis of the processes of professionals in the work within the scope of SUS. Specific tools based on a critical approach were identified and described: daily analysis and the development of adaptive resources; analysis of elements of social reproduction; mapping, analysis, proposition and legitimization of meaningful activities; articulation of material resources to engage in these activities. Conclusion: The contradictions of the mode of production and social structures were emphasized while producing reflections on a situated and contextualized practice.(AU) Keywords: Occupational Therapy. COVID-19. Childhood youth. Collective Health

Objetivo: A partir de las prácticas de los terapeutas ocupacionales en la ciudad de São Paulo, durante la pandemia del coronavirus, este artículo presentado dos procesos de trabajo de terapeutas ocupacionales con niños y jóvenes. Síntesis de los elementos del estudio: análisis de los procesos de trabajo de los profesionales, en el ámbito del SUS. Se identificaron y describieron herramientas específicas basadas en un enfoque crítico: análisis diario con el desarrollo de recursos adaptativos; análisis de elementos de reproducción social; mapeo, análisis, propuesta y legitimación de actividades significativas; articulación de recursos materiales para participación en estas actividades. ConclusiónLas contradicciones del modo de producción y las estructuras sociales se enfatizaron al producir reflexiones sobre una práctica situada y contextualizada.(AU) Palabras clave: Niñez. Colaboración intersectorial. Terapia ocupacional. Participación comunitaria

Extended glaze firings for porcelain-veneered zirconia: Effects on the mechanical and optical behavior.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of dwell time (conventional or extended) and cooling protocol (fast or slow) of self-glaze firings on the mechanical (flexural strength and crack propagation) and optical (color and translucency) properties of a porcelain-veneered zirconia system. METHODS: Bilayer disc-shaped samples were prepared (Vita VM9 + In-Ceram YZ) and divided according to the final thermal treatment: glaze firing followed by slow cooling (furnace opening at 200 °C) (G-S) or fast cooling (furnace opening at 600 °C) (G-F, manufacturer-recommended protocol), extended glaze firing (15 min of dwell time) followed by slow cooling (EG-S) or fast cooling (EG-F), or no thermal treatment (CTRL). Porcelain roughness (Ra and Rz) was measured before and after glaze firings. Color (ΔE00) and translucency (TP00) alteration were also evaluated. Flexural strength was measured with the piston-on-three-ball test and crack propagation analysis was performed after Vickers indentations. Complementary analyzes of crystalline phase and scanning electron microscopy were carried out. RESULTS: Significant effect of dwell time was observed, with extended glaze leading to higher flexural strength and shorter crack lengths. Cracks of EG groups were observed to end in clusters of crystals. Color and translucency changed below perceptibility thresholds. All treatments led to a smoother surface and EG groups reached the lowest Rz values. An extra SiO2 peak was revealed in control and EG groups. No effect of cooling protocol was found. SIGNIFICANCE: Extended glaze firing was able to improve the resistance to crack initiation and propagation of porcelain-veneered zirconia without clinically perceptible changes in optical properties.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Glutathione, Garlic Derivatives, and Hydrogen Sulfide.

Glutathione and aged garlic extract are sulfur-containing products that play important protective and regulatory roles within the immune system and in oxidative processes. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous, gaseous, signaling transmitter, has also been shown to be involved in the regulation of inflammation. Recent studies have shown that sulfur-containing compounds from garlic have beneficial effects in attenuating outcomes associated with cardiovascular disease and inflammation by a mechanism that may be related to the H2S signaling pathway. In this review, we summarize the main functions of glutathione (GSH), garlic derivatives and H2S and their role in the immune response and impact on health and disease.

Aged garlic extract supplementation modifies inflammation and immunity of adults with obesity: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a serious global health issue and often results in low-grade systemic inflammation, increasing the risk for several chronic diseases. If obesity-induced inflammation could be reduced, fewer complications and co-morbidities might occur. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether daily supplementation with aged garlic extract (AGE) could reduce chronic inflammation and improve immune function in adults with obesity. METHODS: Fifty-one healthy adults with obesity (mean age 45.6 ± 1.6 years, mean BMI 36.1 ± 0.9 kg/m2) were recruited to participate in a parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study. After being matched by BMI, participants were randomized into the AGE supplementation or placebo group. Participants were asked to take a divided daily dose of 3.6 g AGE or placebo, with food for 6 weeks. Blood lipid and inflammatory markers were assessed at baseline and after 6 weeks of supplementation. Additionally, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from whole blood and used to detect changes in immune cell populations and levels of cytokine secretion. A one-way ANCOVA was performed to evaluate differences between the two groups, controlling for respective baseline values. RESULTS: At the end of study, serum IL-6 (p = 0.04) and TNF-α (p = 0.05) of participants consuming AGE were significantly lower than those consuming the placebo capsules. PBMC flow cytometry results showed that participants from the AGE group had a higher proportion of γδ-T cells (p = 0.03) and a lower proportion of NKT cells (p = 0.02) in the total population of lymphocytes. There was no difference in percentage of NK cells between the two groups. A significant difference in blood LDL concentration was also observed (p = 0.05). Total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol tended to differ between participants from the AGE group and those from the placebo group, although values did not achieve statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Six weeks of AGE consumption modulated immune cell distribution, prevented the increase of serum TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations and reduced blood LDL concentration in adults with obesity. AGE, taken consistently, may be beneficial in preventing the development of chronic diseases associated with low-grade inflammation in adults with obesity. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier code NCT01959646.

Association between liver vitamin A reserves and severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the class III obese following bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress plays a role in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathogenesis and may increase consumption of vitamin A for antioxidant purposes. It is hypothesized that drops in vitamin A concentration induce liver disease progression and increase hepatocellular carcinoma risk. The aim of this study was to assess concentrations of serum and liver retinol in the class III obese and correlate them with the histological diagnosis of NAFLD. METHODS: The sample group was composed of 68 class III obese (body mass index, BMI ≥ 40 kg/m(2)) males and females who underwent bariatric surgery for treating obesity. Concentrations of serum and liver retinol were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. The cutoff values used to denote inadequate serum and liver retinol stores were <1.05 µmol/L and ≤20 µg/g, respectively. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and NAFLD was diagnosed via histological assessment. RESULTS: All the patients had some degree of NAFLD. Inadequate concentrations of serum and liver retinol were found in 35.9 and 67.9% of them, respectively. A significant association was found between liver retinol concentrations and the histological classification of the disease (p < 0.001). No such association was found for serum retinol. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the association between liver retinol and degree of NAFLD, underscoring the need for further research in this area, to identify which patients might benefit from supplementation of vitamin A.

Efeitos do treinamento muscular inspiratório em universitários tabagistas e não tabagistas / Inspiratory muscle training effects in smokers and nonsmokers university students

O hábito de fumar pode reduzir a capacidade aeróbica, aumentar a resistência ao fluxo aéreo e afetar a função dos músculos respiratórios. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar os efeitos do Treinamento Muscular Inspiratório (TMI) entre dois grupos: tabagistas e não tabagistas. Participaram 44 voluntários universitários, divididos em dois grupos: tabagistas (GT), composto por 20 indivíduos (25,60±7,01 anos) e não tabagistas, constituindo o Grupo Controle (GC), composto por 24 voluntários (24,08±7,52 anos). Ambos os grupos foram submetidos ao TMI, por meio do uso do manovacuômetro aneroide, com duração de 6 semanas, sendo 3 sessões semanais, totalizando 18 sessões. Os resultados mostraram diferença estatisticamente significativa (p<0,05) pós-TMI no GC para as variáveis: Pressão Inspiratória Máxima (PImáx), Pico de Fluxo Expiratório (PFE), Pressão Arterial Média ao repouso (PAM pré-TC6) e Teste de Caminhada de Seis Minutos (TC6). No GT, houve diferença estatisticamente significativa pós-TMI para as variáveis: PImáx, PFE, TC6 e saturação periférica de oxigênio após o TC6 (SpO2 pós-imediata). A comparação das médias das variáveis entre GT e GC mostrou diferença estatisticamente significativa no pós-TMI para as variáveis PImáx e PFE. A variável TC6 não apresentou diferença estatisticamente significativa. Conclui-se que o TMI proporcionou um aumento significativo da força muscular inspiratória, melhora da função pulmonar e melhora do desempenho físico nos indivíduos estudados.

Cigarette smoking may reduce the aerobic capacity, increase resistance to air flow and affect the function of the respiratory muscles. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) between two groups: smokers and nonsmokers. Participated 44 college volunteers, divided into two groups: smokers (SG), composed of 20 individuals (25,60±7,01 years) and nonsmokers, constituting the Control Group (CG), composed of 24 volunteers (24,08±7,52 years). Both groups were submitted to TMI, through the use of the aneroid manometer, with duration of 6 weeks, being 3 sessions per week, totaling 18 sessions. The results showed differences statistically significant (p<0.05) post TMI in CG for the variables: Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), average arterial pressure in rest (PAM pre-6MWT) and six minute walk test (6MWT). In SG, there was statistically significant difference post TMI for the variables: MIP, PEF, 6MWT and peripheral oxygen saturation after 6MWT (post-immediate SpO2). The comparison of averages of the variables between SG and CG show statistically significant difference post TMI for the variables MIP and PEF. The variable 6MWT not presented statistically significant difference. We conclude that the IMT resulted in a significant increase in inspiratory muscle strength, improve lung function and improve physical performance in subjects studied.