Home Cooking and Phenolics: Effect of Thermal Treatment and Addition of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the Phenolic Profile of Tomato Sauces

Tomato products are a key component of the Mediterranean diet, which is strongly related to a reduced risk of cardiovascular events. The effect of cooking time (15, 30, 45, and 60 min) and the addition of extra virgin olive oil (5 and 10%) on the phenolic content of tomato sauces was monitored using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Concentration of phenolics in the tomato sauces decreased during the cooking process, with the exception of caffeic acid and tyrosol. The main degradation observed was the oxidation of quercetin, since the hydroxy-function at the C-ring of this flavonoid is not blocked by a sugar moiety, unlike rutin. Higher levels of virgin olive oil in tomato sauce seemed to enhance the extraction of phenolic compounds from the tomato, leading to higher phenolic contents in the sauces. Thus, the food matrix containing the phenolic compounds plays a crucial role in determining their accessibility.

Profile of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IFN- ? , TNF- ? and KC-like cytokines in pregnant bitches

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Identification and adhesion profile of Lactobacillus spp. strains isolated from poultry

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Motor profile of students with dyslexia

In the presence of developmental dyslexia, there is high probability of motor difficulties being present as well purposes: The purposes of this study were to characterize and compare the motor performance of students with dyslexia with students with good academic performance and to identify the presence of the DCD (developmental coordination disorder) co-occurring with developmental dyslexia. A total of 79 students participated in the research, both genders, from 8 to 11 years old, from 3rd to 5th grades, and were divided into Group I: 19 students with developmental dyslexia and Group II: 60 students with good academic performance. All the students were assessed using “The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency” (second edition), to measure the motor skills and the pattern and differences between groups. The results of this study showed that the motor performance of Group II students was superior to the performance of students of Group I in almost all motor areas assessed but both groups performed less well than they should have for their chronological age. The results of this study indicate that occupational therapists, speech therapists and educators need to be aware of the presence of motor impairments and the need for early intervention in both the academic and clinical environments, in order to ensure that early identification and diagnosis of possible co-occurrences, such as DCD, and the impact on learning to guarantee more appropriate clinical and educational assistance for this population. This may also indicate that increased exposure to movement may be important to limit some of the secondary health consequences in children in Brazil.

Alterations in the profile of blood neutrophil membrane receptors caused by in vivo adrenocorticotrophic hormone actions

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Characterization of the clonal profile of MRSA isolated in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units of a University Hospital

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The haematological profile of female bronze turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) vaccinated with various commercial strains of Newcastle disease

The effects of vaccination on avian blood parameters are poorly understood. The present study was designed to evaluate whether different strains (Ulster 2C, B1, live LaSota and inactivated LaSota) of Newcastle disease vaccines had an effect on the haematological profile of female turkeys. Seventy-five female turkeys were allocated to treatment groups according to vaccination strain. All the birds, except those in the control group, were vaccinated at 32 weeks of age and revaccinated at 40 and 48 weeks of age. Blood samples were obtained for haematological analyses and serum samples for the haemagglutination inhibition test. Haemoglobin concentration was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in vaccinated female turkeys than in the control birds 28 days after vaccination. Monocytes were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in 44-week-old female turkeys vaccinated with inactivated LaSota strain compared with the other groups. Turkeys vaccinated with the B1 strain showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) total white blood cell counts compared with the other groups vaccinated with various commercial strains of the Newcastle disease virus. In conclusion, female turkeys showed significant differences in haemoglobin concentrations, monocytes and white blood cell counts when vaccinated against Newcastle disease.

Impact of chronic stressors on the anxiety profile of pregnant rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Epidemiological profile of hepatitis C virus infection in patients from west region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a serious public health problem and is the leading cause of liver transplantation due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In Brazil, it is estimated that there are approximately 2 to 3 million HCV chronic carriers. Few data regarding HCV infection are available in West region of Minas Gerais State. Due to the absence of an effective vaccine against this important human pathogen and the high costs of antiviral treatment, it is important to conduct epidemiological studies with the purpose of carry out the planning and implementation of measures to prevent hepatitis C in different populations. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological aspects of HCV patients from West region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Sociodemographic data and risk factors for HCV infection were determined from 74 HCV patients from Uberlandia city (Minas Gerais State). Reactive anti-HCV sera samples were submitted to HCV RNA and genotype detection. Most of individuals were male (63.5%) with mean age of 51 years and presenting low socioeconomic status. HCV genotype was determined among 40 samples and the frequencies were: genotype 2 (45%), 1 (37.5%) and 3 (17.5%). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was common among male and low socioeconomic status individuals.

The dark matter profile of the Milky Way: a non-parametric reconstruction

We present the results of a new, non-parametric method to reconstruct the Galactic dark matter profile directly from observations. Using the latest kinematic data to track the total gravitational potential and the observed distribution of stars and gas to set the baryonic component, we infer the dark matter contribution to the circular velocity across the Galaxy. The radial derivative of this dynamical contribution is then estimated to extract the dark matter profile. The innovative feature of our approach is that it makes no assumption on the functional form or shape of the profile, thus allowing for a clean determination with no theoretical bias. We illustrate the power of the method by constraining the spherical dark matter profile between 2.5 and 25 kpc away from the Galactic center. The results show that the proposed method, free of widely used assumptions, can already be applied to pinpoint the dark matter distribution in the Milky Way with competitive accuracy, and paves the way for future developments.

Carotenoid Profile of Tomato Sauces: Effect of Cooking Time and Content of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The consumption of carotenoid-rich vegetables such as tomatoes and tomato sauces is associated with reduced risk of several chronic diseases. The predominant carotenoids in tomato products are in the (all-E) configuration, but (Z) isomers can be formed during thermal processing. The effect of cooking time (15, 30, 45 and 60 min) and the addition of extra virgin olive oil (5% and 10%) on the carotenoid extractability of tomato sauces was monitored using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and LC-ultraviolet detection (LC-UV). The thermal treatment and the addition of extra virgin olive oil increased the levels of antioxidant activity, total carotenoids, Z-lycopene isomers, -carotene and -carotene. These results are of particular nutritional benefit since higher lycopene intake has been associated with a reduced risk of lethal prostate and a reduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Moreover, -carotene has been reported to suppress the up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 gene expression in a dose dependent manner and to suppress UVA-induced HO-1 gene expression in cultured FEK4.

Histochemistry profile of the biceps brachii muscle fibres of capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella, Linnaeus, 1758)

A general analysis of the behaviour of "Cebus" shows that when this primate moves position to feed or perform another activity, it presents different ways of locomotion. This information shows that the brachial biceps muscle of this animal is frequently used in their locomotion activities, but it should also be remembered that this muscle is also used for other development activities like hiding, searching for objects, searching out in the woods, and digging in the soil. Considering the above, it was decided to research the histoenzimologic characteristics of the brachial biceps muscle to observe whether it is better adpted to postural or phasic function. To that end, samples were taken from the superficial and deep regions, the inserts proximal (medial and lateral) and distal brachial biceps six capuchin monkeys male and adult, which were subjected to the reactions of m-ATPase, NADH-Tr. Based on the results of these reactions fibres were classified as in Fast Twitch Glycolitic (FG), Fast Twitch Oxidative Glycolitic (FOG) and Slow Twitc (SO). In general, the results, considering the muscle as a whole, show a trend of frequency FOG>FG>SO. The data on the frequency were studied on three superficial regions FOG=FG>SO; the deep regions of the inserts proximal FOG=FG=SO and inserting the distal FOG>FG=SO. In conclusion, the biceps brachii of the capuchin monkey is well adapted for both postural and phasic activities.