Osmotic regulators in cowpea beans plants under water deficiency.

Cowpea is a leguminous plant belonging to the fabaceae family cultivated in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, with productive potential. Among the abiotic factors, water deficiency is one of the main environmental limitations that influence agricultural production in the world. The objective of this work was to study the relative water content and osmoregulators of cowpea plants subjected to water stress. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse at the Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia (UFRA, Belém, PA), cowpea plants BR-17 Gurguéia Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp were used. The experimental design was completely randomized (DIC) in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, two water conditions (control and water deficit) and two times of stress (four and six days of water suspension), with 7 replications, totaling 28 experimental units. The water deficit affected plants, causing a reduction in relative water content (69.98%), starch (12.84% in leaves and 23.48% in roots) and carbohydrates (84.34%), and an increase in glycine-betaine, sucrose (114.11% in leaves and 18.71% in roots) and proline (358.86%) at time 2. The relative water content was negatively affected by water conditions, with a decrease in relation to the interaction of the aerial part and the root system. Therefore, greater metabolic responses were noted in plants that were subjected to stress treatment at time 2 (6 days).

Pure abscopal effect of radiotherapy in a salivary gland carcinoma: Case report, literature review, and a search for new approaches.

We report the case of an 84-year-old woman with poorly differentiated non-small cell carcinoma of the right parotid who presented with headache, was found to have a primary right parotid gland cancer as well as metastatic disease, and underwent palliative radiotherapy to the primary site. The patient received no chemotherapy or immunotherapy, but both the primary site and several non-irradiated foci in the lungs regressed or completely resolved. The patient remained free of disease for about one year before progression. The case is a rare instance of abscopal regression of metastatic disease in the absence of pharmacologic immunomodulation. A literature review surveys the history of the abscopal effect of radiation therapy, attempts to understand the mechanisms of its successes and failures, and points to new approaches that can inform and improve the outcomes of radioimmunotherapy.

Emergent food proteins - Towards sustainability, health and innovation.

There is an increasing demand for alternative and sustainable protein sources, such as vegetables, insects and microorganisms, that can meet the nutritional and sensory pleasantness needs of consumers. This emergent interest for novel protein sources, allied with "green" and cost-effective processing technologies, such as high hydrostatic pressure, ohmic heating and pulsed electric fields, can be used as strategies to improve the consumption of proteins from sustainable sources without compromising food security. In addition to their nutritional value, these novel proteins present several technological-functional properties that can be used to create various protein systems in different scales (i.e., macro, micro and nano scale), which can be tailored for a specific application in innovative food products. However, in order for these novel protein sources to be broadly used in future food products, their fate in the human gastrointestinal tract (e.g., digestion and bioavailability) must be assessed, as well as their safety for consumers must be clearly demonstrated. In particular, these proteins may become novel allergens triggering adverse reactions and, therefore, a comprehensive allergenicity risk assessment is needed. This review presents an overview of the most promising alternative protein sources, their application in the production of innovative food systems, as well as their potential effects on human health. In addition, new insights on sustainable processing strategies are given.

Development and physical-chemical properties of pectin film reinforced with spent coffee grounds by continuous casting.

The ever-growing environmental concerns over the unrestricted fossil sources exploitation for non-biodegradable materials production has stimulated research on alternative renewable resources. The pectin films (HDM) were incorporated in different concentrations of spent coffee grounds (SCG) (5-20% w/w HDM) aiming at developing biodegradable films and the use of an underutilized resource. The films were obtained by continuous casting. The chemical composition, morphology, thermal stability, barrier and mechanical properties (traction and puncture), and functional groups were investigated. Overall, SCG showed sound dispersibility and good interaction with the polymer matrix. The addition of SCG resulted in important pectin-based film properties changes, allowing an increase in color and thermal stability. SCG incorporation significantly improved the water vapor permeability rate improving or at least preserving the physicochemical properties.

Banana starch nanocomposite with cellulose nanofibers isolated from banana peel by enzymatic treatment: In vitro cytotoxicity assessment.

The potential use of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) as a reinforcing agent in banana starch-based nanocomposite films was investigated. CNFs were isolated from banana peel (Musa paradisiaca) by enzymatic hydrolysis. Banana starch-based nanocomposite films were prepared with CNFs using the casting method. CNFs effect on cell viability and on nanocomposite films properties' was investigated. The cytotoxicity of CNFs was assessed on Caco-2 cell line. CNFs were not cytotoxic at 50-2000 µg/mL. However, CNFs above 2000 µg/mL significantly decreased cell viability. Topography analysis showed that the incorporation of CNFs modified the film structure. The nanocomposites exhibited a complex structure due to strong interactions between CNFs and starch matrix, promoting a remarkable improvement on mechanical and water barrier properties, opacity and UV light barrier compared to the control film. CNFs can offer a great potential as reinforcing material for starch-based nanocomposite films, producing a value-added food packaging from a waste material.

Causas da aposentadoria por invalidez de servidores públicos / Causes of disability retirement of public servants

Objetivo: identificar o perfil sociodemográfico e ocupacional de servidores, as causas da aposentadoria por invalidez e dos óbitos. Método: estudo transversal desenvolvido com servidores aposentados por invalidez de uma universidade pública do Sul do Brasil, no período de janeiro de 2000 a fevereiro de 2015. Utilizou-se um instrumento contendo questões sobre perfil sociodemográfico e ocupacional, motivos da aposentadoria e causas dos óbitos. Resultados: população constituída por 78 servidores, destes 28% foram a óbitos. Verificou-se que 57,1% eram do sexo masculino. A maioria dos indivíduos que se aposentaram exerciam suas funções laborais no âmbito hospitalar. As causas da aposentadoria estiveram relacionadas aos transtornos mentais e comportamentais, doenças cerebrovasculares, lesão de esforços repetitivos e demência na doença de Alzheimer. Apenas um óbito esteve relacionado com a causa da aposentaria. Conclusões: é preciso implementar intervenções para promover a saúde, prevenir doenças, diminuir aposentadorias precoces e por consequência melhorar a qualidade de vida.

Objective: to identify the causes of disability retirement and the relation to death. Method: this isa cross-sectional descriptive study that was developed with retired employees by disability of apublic university in the South of Brazil, from January 2000 to February 2015. A questionnaire wasused, which contained sociodemographic and occupational questions, retirement reasons and causesof death. Results: the population consisted of 78 employees, 28% died. It was found that 57.1% weremale and 42.9% female. Most of the individuals who retired exercised their job roles in the hospitalsetting. The causes of retirement were related to mental and behavioral disorders, cerebrovascular diseases, repetitive strain injury and dementia in Alzheimer's disease. Only one death was relatedto the cause of retirement. Conclusions: it is necessary to implement interventions to promotehealth, prevent diseases, reduce early retirement and, consequently, improve quality of life.

Haplotype analysis and Agamma gene polymorphism associated with the Brazilian type of hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin.

We have identified three unrelated individuals and three members of a family with the non-deletion form of Agamma-hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH). Molecular analysis showed that each individual is a heterozygote for a previously described -195 Agamma (C-->G) mutation. The beta-globin gene cluster was studied using the polymerase chain reaction and related techniques. Haplotyping using nine restriction sites identified two closely related chromosomes with the -195Agamma mutation, differing only in a single site 3' to the beta-globin gene. Further analysis of beta-globin framework indicated that the HPFH allele segregates with haplotype V, according to Orkin's classification. The second haplotype probably originated by a point mutation or DNA rearrangement of a pre-existing -195Agamma chromosome. We also determined the sequences from -622 to +55 bp upstream to the Agamma gene and part of the Agamma IVS-2. We found four polymorphisms associated to the -195Agamma promoter region. All -195Agamma chromosomes had a G at positions -588 and +25 relative to the Agamma gene. One individual was also homozygous for polymorphisms at -398 (G-->A), and another at -369 (C-->G). Cloning and sequencing of the polymorphic patterns of the 3' region of Agamma IVS-2 showed that the mutated allele is linked to beta-globin chromosome B. Some correlations between chromosome characteristics and Agamma point mutations were also observed.

Comparison of cardiac troponin I and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes for the late diagnosis of myocardial injury.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a highly specific marker that is elevated in the blood for several days following myocardial infarction. The lactate dehydrogenase (LD) isoenzyme 1 to isoenzyme 2 ratio (LD1/LD2) is the established marker for the late diagnosis of myocardial infarction. In this study, the sensitivity of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and LD1/LD2 were compared as late markers of myocardial injury over a 5-day period in 36 patients admitted with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction to the coronary care unit. Over this period, the sensitivity of cTnI was significantly greater than that of LD1/LD2 (P < .05). The concurrent elevation of both cardiac markers of the five day period range from 53.1% to 79.4%. However, this low concordance was largely due to an LD1/LD2 < 1 in the presence of an increased cTnI. The average discordance over the 5-day period was 29.5%. Because cardiac troponin I (cTnI) has greater sensitivity than lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes for delayed diagnosis of myocardial injury and is a more cost-effective test, the authors recommend it as a test of choice in this setting.