Agronomic biofortification of cowpea with selenium: effects of selenate and selenite applications on selenium and phytate concentrations in seeds.

BACKGROUND: Selenium (Se) is a nutrient for animals and humans, and is considered beneficial to higher plants. Selenium concentrations are low in most soils, which can result in a lack of Se in plants, and consequently in human diets. Phytic acid (PA) is the main storage form of phosphorus in seeds, and it is able to form insoluble complexes with essential minerals in the monogastric gut. This study aimed to establish optimal levels of Se application to cowpea, with the aim of increasing Se concentrations. The efficiency of agronomic biofortification was evaluated by the application of seven levels of Se (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 g ha-1 ) from two sources (selenate and selenite) to the soil under field conditions in 2016 and 2017. RESULTS: Application of Se as selenate led to greater plant Se concentrations than application as selenite in both leaves and grains. Assuming human cowpea consumption of 54.2 g day-1 , Se application of 20 g ha-1 in 2016 or 10 g ha-1 in 2017 as selenate would have provided a suitable daily intake of Se (between 20 and 55 µg day-1 ) for humans. Phytic acid showed no direct response to Se application. CONCLUSION: Selenate provides greater phytoavailability than selenite. The application of 10 g Se ha-1 of selenate to cowpea plants could provide sufficient seed Se to increase daily human intake by 13-14 µg d-1 . © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bioactive compounds of the Opuntia monacantha fruit.

Opuntia monacantha is a Cactaceae found in regions with few nutrients and water. This study aimed to identify bioactive compounds in the fruit of O. monacantha in the southern region of Brazil. In the fruit of O. monacantha, five phenolic compounds were identified: protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, catechin and quercetin. The ferulic acid and catechin were found in higher concentration in the fruit. The terpenes α-amyrin, ß-amyrin, oleanolic acid and cycloartenol were also identified in the hexane fractions of the fruit. Unsaturated fatty acids were found in the fruit seed, with the highest concentration of linoleic acid (69.0%).

A Comparison of the Academic Achievement at the End of the Medicine Undergraduate Degree Program Between Students Who Only Used the University Admission Test and Those Who Used the University Admission Test Plus Marks from the High School National Exam (ENEM) at a Single Brazilian Center.

Purpose: The role of marks in the University Admission Test (UAT) plus the marks from pre-university academic records in predicting academic achievement at the end of the Medicine undergraduate degree program is not completely known. This study was undertaken to compare the performance of marks in the UAT alone with those of the UAT plus marks from the National High School Exam (ENEM in Brazil) regarding students' outcomes at the end of the Medicine undergraduate degree program. Methods: Fifty-one (51) students from the last semester (12th) of our Medicine undergraduate degree program were included in the study. They were divided into a group of those who used the marks obtained in the UAT plus the marks obtained in the ENEM (ENEM group, n=9), and those who only used the marks in the UAT (non-ENEM group, n=42). We compared the academic achievement of the non-ENEM group with that of the ENEM group regarding the mean marks obtained in the clerkship, in the Progress Test (PT), and in the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Results: The mean scores obtained in the disciplines of the clerkship were higher in the non-ENEM group compared to the ENEM group (7.32 ± 0.41 vs 6.98 ± 0.31, p= 0.01). Both groups obtained similar mean marks in the OSCE and in the PT. A moderate correlation was observed between the marks in the clerkship with those of the UAT from the non-ENEM group (p=0.00006; r=0.45). Conclusion: Marks of the UAT alone appear to be associated with a higher academic achievement in the clerkship than marks of the UAT plus scores obtained from the ENEM at the end of the Medicine undergraduate degree program.

Pharmacological Treatment of Patients with Mild to Moderate COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review.

Mild to moderate COVID-19 can be found in about 80% of patients. Although mortality is low, mild to moderate COVID-19 may progress to severe or even critical stages in about one week. This poses a substantial burden on the health care system, and ultimately culminates in death or incapacitation and hospitalization. Therefore, pharmacological treatment is paramount for patients with this condition, especially those with recognized risk factors to disease progression. We conducted a comprehensive review in the medical literature searching for randomized studies carried out in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. A total of 14 randomized studies were identified, enrolling a total of 6848 patients. Nine studies (64%) were randomized, placebo-controlled trials, whereas five were open-label randomized trials (35%). We observed that Bamlanivimab and nitazoxanide reduced viral load, whereas ivermectin may have shortened time to viral clearance; Interferon Beta-1 reduced time to viral clearance and vitamin D reduced viral load; Favirapir, peginterferon, and levamisole improved clinical symptoms, whereas fluvoxamine halted disease progression; inhaled budesonide reduced the number of hospitalizations and visits to emergency departments; colchicine reduced the number of deaths and hospitalizations. Collectively, therefore, these findings show that treatment of early COVID-19 may be associated with reduced viral load, thus potentially decreasing disease spread in the community. Moreover, treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 may also be associated with improved clinical symptoms, hospitalization, and disease progression. We suggest that colchicine, inhaled budesonide, and nitazoxanide, along with nonpharmacological measures, based on efficacy and costs, may be used to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in middle-income countries.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on peripheral to central blood pressure ratio in healthy subjects.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on the arterial stiffness in healthy young adult and middle-aged men using the augmentation index (AI-x) and hemodynamic measures. METHODS: Twenty-four men (12 aged 27·25 ± 5·53 years and 12 aged 54·83 ± 5·10 years) were randomly allocated to two subgroups: TENS or placebo in ganglion region for 45 min. The AI-x and hemodynamic measures [late systolic blood pressure (SBP), central blood pressure (CBP), difference between P1 and P2 (ΔP) and tension time index (TTI)] were determined before and after protocols. RESULTS: TENS resulted in reduction of SBP in younger adults (TENSpre: 111 ± 2; post: 105 ± 2·2 mm Hg; PLACEBOpre: 113 ± 1·8; post: 114 ± 2·5 mm Hg; GEE, P<0·01), whereas no difference was found in middle-aged group. TENS also resulted in reduction of AI-x younger adults group (TENSpre: 56 ± 2·8; post: 53 ± 2%; PLACEBOpre: 55 ± 3; post: 58 ± 2·5%; GEE, P<0·01). ΔP and TTI were significantly decreased after the application of TENS in both groups, but significantly greater reductions in TTI and the SBP/CBP ratio were found in the group of younger adults. CONCLUSIONS: The acute application of ganglion TENS attenuated arterial stiffness in younger adults as well as hemodynamic measures in the middle-aged group. This method could emerge as effective therapy for the management of arterial blood pressure.