Diets rich in saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids: Metabolic shifting and cardiac health

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study was to determine the effects of diets rich in saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids on metabolic pathways and the relation of metabolic shifting to oxidative stress in cardiac tissue.METHODS: Male Wistar rats (age, 60 d; n = 10) were fed with a control low-fat diet, a diet rich in saturated fatty acids (SFAs), or a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). After 5 wk of treatment, sera were used for protein and lipid determinations. Protein, glycogen, triacylglycerol, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, beta-hydroxyacyl coenzyme-A dehydrogenase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, lipoperoxide, and lipid hydroperoxide were measured in cardiac tissue.RESULTS: the SFA group had higher triacylglycerol, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and atherogenic index (ratio of cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein) than did the PUFA and control groups. The PUFA group had low serum cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as compared with the SFA group. SFA increased myocardial lipid hydroperoxide and diminished glutathione peroxidase. Despite the beneficial effects on serum lipids, the PUFA diet led to the highest levels of myocardial lipoperoxide and lipid hydroperoxide and diminished superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. The PUFA effects were related to increased feed efficiency, increased susceptibility to lipoperoxidation, and metabolic shifting in cardiac tissue. PUFA elevated triacylglycerol levels and decreased myocardial glycogen concentrations. The ratios of lactate dehydrogenase to citrate synthase and beta-hydroxyacyl coenzyme-A dehydrogenase to citrate synthase were increased, indicating myocardial reduction of tricarboxylic acid cycle.CONCLUSIONS: PUFAs have been recommended as a therapeutic measure in preventive medicine to lower serum cholesterol, but PUFAs increased oxidative stress in the heart by providing cardiac susceptibility to lipoperoxidation and shifting the metabolic pathway for energy production. The control diet, which was much lower in calories and fat, produced better overall clinical outcomes, better fat profiles, and less oxidative stress than did the diets rich in fatty acids.

Adubação nitrogenada e idade de corte na produção de matéria seca do capim-elefante no Cerrado

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the application of N fertilizer and the cutting age on the dry biomass production of elephant grass. The experiment was performed with the variety Paraiso and planted in a Ferralsol in 2008 in the district of Gurupi (State of Tocantins). Four different rates of urea application were tested (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha(-1)) and harvests were made at 120, 150 or 180 days after germination (DAG) of the setts. The dry matter and total N accumulation were evaluated. Dry matter production increased with dose of N, the greatest effect being observed at 180 DAG. There was a linear increase in dry matter (R-2 = 0.75**) and N accumulation (R-2 = 0.96**) permitting a productivity of 34 t ha(-1) of dry matter and an accumulation of 471 kg N ha(-1). The N utilization efficiency (biomass production per unit of applied N) increased with plant age. The higher efficiency of N use favored the quality of biomass production for energy production owing to the higher fibre content.

Storaged products and presence of acid phosphatase in fat body cells at pre-pupal worker stage of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

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

The Brazilian experience of sugarcane ethanol industry

Biomass has gained prominence in the last few years as one of the most important renewable energy sources. In Brazil, a sugarcane ethanol program called ProAlcohol was designed to supply the liquid gasoline substitution and has been running for the last 30 yr. The federal government's establishment of ProAlcohol in 1975 created the grounds for the development of a sugarcane industry that currently is one of the most efficient systems for the conversion of photosynthate into different forms of energy. Improvement of industrial processes along with strong sugarcane breeding programs brought technologies that currently support a cropland of 7 million hectares of sugarcane with an average yield of 75 tons/ha. From the beginning of ProAlcohol to the present time, ethanol yield has grown from 2,500 to around 7,000 l/ha. New technologies for energy production from crushed sugarcane stalk are currently supplying 15% of the electricity needs of the country. Projections show that sugarcane could supply over 30% of Brazil's energy needs by 2020. In this review, we briefly describe some historic facts of the ethanol industry, the role of sugarcane breeding, and the prospects of sugarcane biotechnology.

Zymomonas mobilis: um microrganismo promissor para a fermentação alcoólica

In many countries, fermentation studies regarding the use of bacteria instead of yeasts to reduce the period of alcoholic fermentation have been carried out. In Brazil, all the industrial alcohol production is carried out by yeasts as fermentation microorganisms and little is known about other microorganisms with potential to produce alcohol industrially. Brazil stands out in the energy sector worldwide and thus some institutions have been selecting microorganisms which are more efficient in the alcohol production process. Alcoholic bacteria from species Zymomonas mobilis present technological characteristics with potential to be used for alcoholic fermentation at industrial scale, since it exhibits promising abilities to transform sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, at conditions similar to the ones required by yeasts. Zymomonas mobilis is a unique bacteria among the microbial world, with peculiar growth, energy production and response to culture conditions, causing a great interest in scientific, biotechnological and industrial fields. The bacteria's ability to make possible energy production in favor of product formation, respond to physical and chemical environmental manipulation as well as its limited product formation make it an ideal microorganism for the study and development of microbial processes for ethanol production.

Study of a fuel cell cogeneration system applied to a Brazilian tertiary sector

In this paper, a methodology for the study of a molten carbonate fuel cell cogeneration system and applied to a computer center building is developed. This system permits the recovery of waste heat, available between 600°C and 700°C, which can be used to the production of steam, hot and cold water, hot and cold air, depending on the recuperation equipment associated. Initially, some technical information about the most diffusing types of the fuel cell demonstration in the world are presented. In conclusion, the fuel cell cogeneration system may have an excellent opportunity to strengthen the decentralized energy production in the Brazilian tertiary sector.

Dietary restriction: Metabolic shifting for cardiac health

Purpose: To determine the effect of dietary restriction on metabolic pathways and the relationship of the metabolic shifting on antioxidant enzymes in cardiac tissue. Design: Randomized, controlled study. Male rats at 60 days old were randomly divided into four groups. Materials and Methods: The rats of control groups C30 and C60 were given free access to the diet over 30 and 60 days. The rats of the DR30 group were fed 60% of the chow consumed by the control groups over 30 days. The animals of the DR60 group ate 60% of the amount consumed by the C60 group over 60 days. Serum was used for total protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Protein, glycogen, total lipids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), LDH, AST and ALT were determined in cardiac tissue. Results: Dietary restriction induced diminished serum and cardiac LDH activities. AST activities were lower in the serum and cardiac muscle of the DR60 animals. Dietary restriction induced elevated total lipid concentrations in cardiac muscle. No significant differences were observed in total protein and glycogen content among the groups. Antioxidant enzyme determinations demonstrated increased cardiac GSH-Px activities in the DR60 animals and increased SOD activities in the cardiac tissue of both feed-restricted groups. Conclusions: Dietary restriction was protective against oxidative stress in the heart by improving cardiac endogenous antioxidant defences and shifting the metabolic pathway for energy production.

A techno-economic analysis for MCFC cogeneration system

In this paper, a methodology for the study of a fuel cell cogeneration system and applied to a university campus is developed. The cogeneration system consists of a molten carbonate fuel cell associated to an absorption refrigeration system. The electrical and cold-water demands of the campus are about 1,000 kW and 1,840 kW (at 7°C), respectively. The energy, exergy and economic analyses are presented. This system uses natural gas as the fuel and operates on electric parity. In conclusion, the fuel cell cogeneration system may have an excellent opportunity to strengthen the decentralized energy production in the Brazilian tertiary sector.

Study of a hybrid solid oxide fuel cell: Energetic analysis and sankey diagram

In this paper a hybrid solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system is analyzed. This system applies a combined cycle utilizing gas turbine associated to a SOFC for rational decentralized energy production. Initially the relative concepts about the fuel cell are presented, followed by some chemical and technical informations such as the change of Gibbs free energy in isothermal fuel oxidation (or combustion) directly into electricity. This represents a very high fraction of the lower heating value (LHV) of a hydrocarbon fuel. In the next step a methodology for the study of SOFC associated with a gas turbine system is developed, considering the electricity and steam production for a hospital, as regard to the Brazilian conditions. This methodology is applied to energetic analysis. Natural gas is considered as a fuel. In conclusion, it is shown by a Sankey Diagram that the hybrid SOFC system may be an excellent opportunity to strengthen the decentralized energy production in Brazil. It is necessary to consider that the cogeneration in this version also is a sensible alternative from the technical point of view, demanding special methods of design, equipment selection and mainly of the contractual deals associated to electricity and fuel supply.

Variabilidade clínica na determinação da dose tóxica oral em intoxicação experimental por fluoroacetato de sódio em gatos

The sodium monofluoroacetate (FAC) or compound 1080 is a potent rodenticide used for a rodents and vertebrate pest control. It was prohibited in many countries because of its high toxicity, but in Brazil exist evidences of ilegal use causing the intoxication in children and domestic animals. The fluoroacetate metabolite, fluorocitric acid, blocks body energy production by inhibit the Krebs cycle, resulting in neurological and cardiacs signs. In the present study, four group of oral toxic dosis of the FAC were compared in cats. The best oral toxic dose for clinical signs presentation, without cause acute lethality, was 0,45mg/kg. The clinical variability was dosis dependent and its intensity, in crescent order, was: light signs (dose 1: 0,3mg/kg), light to moderate (dose 2: 0,4mg/kg), moderate to severe (dose 3: 0,45mg/ kg) and severe (dose 4: 0,5mg/kg). There was individual clinical variability between animals that received the same oral toxic dose.

Sugarcane (Saccharum X officinarum): A Reference Study for the Regulation of Genetically Modified Cultivars in Brazil

Global interest in sugarcane has increased significantly in recent years due to its economic impact on sustainable energy production. Sugarcane breeding and better agronomic practices have contributed to a huge increase in sugarcane yield in the last 30 years. Additional increases in sugarcane yield are expected to result from the use of biotechnology tools in the near future. Genetically modified (GM) sugarcane that incorporates genes to increase resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses could play a major role in achieving this goal. However, to bring GM sugarcane to the market, it is necessary to follow a regulatory process that will evaluate the environmental and health impacts of this crop. The regulatory review process is usually accomplished through a comparison of the biology and composition of the GM cultivar and a non-GM counterpart. This review intends to provide information on non-GM sugarcane biology, genetics, breeding, agronomic management, processing, products and byproducts, as well as the current technologies used to develop GM sugarcane, with the aim of assisting regulators in the decision-making process regarding the commercial release of GM sugarcane cultivars. © 2011 The Author(s).

Sugarcane vinasse: Environmental implications of its use

The inadequate and indiscriminate disposal of sugarcane vinasse in soils and water bodies has received much attention since decades ago, due to environmental problems associated to this practice. Vinasse is the final by-product of the biomass distillation, mainly for the production of ethanol, from sugar crops (beet and sugarcane), starch crops (corn, wheat, rice, and cassava), or cellulosic material (harvesting crop residues, sugarcane bagasse, and wood). Because of the large quantities of vinasse produced, alternative treatments and uses have been developed, such as recycling of vinasse in fermentation, fertirrigation, concentration by evaporation, and yeast and energy production. This review was aimed at examining the available data on the subject as a contribution to update the information on sugarcane vinasse, from its characteristics and chemical composition to alternatives uses in Brazil: fertirrigation, concentration by evaporation, energy production; the effects on soil physical, chemical and biological properties; its influence on seed germination, its use as biostimulant and environmental contaminant. The low pH, electric conductivity, and chemical elements present in sugarcane vinasse may cause changes in the chemical and physical-chemical properties of soils, rivers, and lakes with frequent discharges over a long period of time, and also have adverse effects on agricultural soils and biota in general. Thus, new studies and green methods need to be developed aiming at sugarcane vinasse recycling and disposal. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efeitos da exposição a queima de biomassa na função pulmonar e transportabilidade mucociliar e investigação de doenças ocupacionais dos trabalhadores rurais do setor canavieiro

Pós-graduação em Fisioterapia - FCT

Análise da viabilidade do aproveitamento da palha da cana de açúcar para cogeração de energia numa usina sucroalcooleira

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEIS

A temática ambiental nos programas de governo para a Presidência da República do Partido dos Trabalhadores (1989-2006)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)