Increased Antioxidant Content in Juice Enriched with Dried Extract of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Peel

Antioxidants are compounds responsible for free radical scavenging in the body. They protect the organism from oxidative modification of cells and tissues. These modifications have been associated with degenerative diseases, atherosclerosis and carcinogenesis. Punica granatum displays high antioxidant potential due to the presence of phenolic compounds, which are capable of disease prevention. The present study showed the highest antioxidant activity in pomegranate peel than in seeds and pulp. Based on these results, pomegranate peel was used to produce dried extract that was added to commercial tomato juice and orange juice with strawberries. Analysis to determine the content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity was performed on pomegranate pulp, seeds and peel and in juices enriched with dried extract of pomegranate peel. The dried extract was responsible for a significant increase in antioxidant activity of the juices, proportional to the concentrations added. However, although both flavors of enriched juices displayed high antioxidant levels, the samples with higher dried extract concentrations received the lowest scores from sensory analysis participants due to the characteristic astringent flavor of pomegranate peels. Therefore, to obtain greater acceptance in the consumer market, we concluded that the maximum addition of dried pomegranate peel extract is 0.5% in tomato juice and orange juice with strawberries.

Sensory phenomena associated with repetitive behaviors in obsessive-compulsive disorder: An exploratory study of 1001 patients

A substantial number of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) report compulsions that are preceded not by obsessions but by subjective experiences known as sensory phenomena. This study aimed to investigate the frequency, severity, and age at onset of sensory phenomena in OCD, as well as to compare OCD patients with and without sensory phenomena in terms of clinical characteristics. We assessed 1,001 consecutive OCD patients, using instruments designed to evaluate the frequency/severity of OC symptoms, tics, anxiety, depression, level of insight and presence/severity of sensory phenomena. All together, 651 (65.0%) subjects reported at least one type of sensory phenomena preceding the repetitive behaviors. Considering the sensory phenomena subtypes, 371 (57.0%) patients had musculoskeletal sensations, 519 (79.7%) had externally triggered "just-right" perceptions, 176 (27.0%) presented internally triggered "just right," 144 (22.1%) had an "energy release," and 240 (36.9%) patients had an "urge only" phenomenon. Sensory phenomena were described as being as more severe than were obsessions by 102(15.7%) patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that the following characteristics were associated with the presence of sensory phenomena: higher frequency and greater severity of the symmetry/ordering/arranging and contamination/washing symptom dimensions; comorbid Tourette syndrome, and a family history of tic disorders. These data suggest that sensory phenomena constitute a poorly understood psychopathological aspect of OCD that merits further investigation. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early IL-10 production is essential for syngeneic graft acceptance

We performed a comparative study and evaluated cellular infiltrates and anti-inflammatory cytokine production at different time-points after syngeneic or allogeneic skin transplantation. We observed an early IL-10 production in syngeneic grafts compared with allografts. This observation prompted us to investigate the role of IL-10 in isograft acceptance. For this, we used IL-10 KO and WT mice to perform syngeneic transplantation, where IL-10 was absent in the graft or in the recipient. The majority of syngeneic grafts derived from IL-10 KO donors did not engraft or was only partially accepted, whereas IL-10 KO mice transplanted with skin from WT donors accepted the graft. We evaluated IL-10 producers in the transplanted skin and observed that epithelial cells were the major source. Taken together, our data show that production of IL-10 by donor cells, but not by the recipient, is determinant for graft acceptance and strongly suggest that production of this cytokine by keratinocytes immediately upon transplantation is necessary for isograft survival. J. Leukoc. Biol. 92: 259-264; 2012.

Science and Society: The Case of Acceptance of Newtonian Optics in the Eighteenth Century

The present paper presents a historical study on the acceptance of Newton's corpuscular theory of light in the early eighteenth century. Isaac Newton first published his famous book Opticks in 1704. After its publication, it became quite popular and was an almost mandatory presence in cultural life of Enlightenment societies. However, Newton's optics did not become popular only via his own words and hands, but also via public lectures and short books with scientific contents devoted to general public (including women) that emerged in the period as a sort of entertainment business. Lectures and writers stressed the inductivist approach to the study of nature and presented Newton's ideas about optics as they were consensual among natural philosophers in the period. The historical case study presented in this paper illustrates relevant aspects of nature of science, which can be explored by students of physics on undergraduate level or in physics teacher training programs.

Characterization of red wines from South America based on sensory properties and antioxidant activity

BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted that red wines constitute one of the most important sources of dietary polyphenolic antioxidants. However, it is still not known how some variables such as variety, vintage, country of origin, and retail price are associated with the antioxidant activity and sensory profile of South American red wines. In this regard, 80 samples produced in Brazil, Chile and Argentina were assessed in relation to their sensory properties, color and in vitro antioxidant activity, and results were subjected to multivariate statistical techniques. RESULTS: Samples were grouped in clusters, characterized by high, intermediate and low in vitro antioxidant activity, sensory properties and prices. It was possible to observe that wines with high antioxidant activity were associated to high retail prices and overall perception of sensory quality. CONCLUSION: South American wines produced from Vitis vinifera such as Syrah, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon had higher in vitro antioxidant activity and also higher sensory quality than wines produced from Vitis labrusca. This result was independent of vintage (2002-2010), corroborating the idea that the same grape varietal, even when produced in different years, displays similar sensory characteristics and antioxidant activity. (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

Acceptance Threshold Hypothesis is Supported by Chemical Similarity of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in a Stingless Bee, Melipona asilvai

The ability to discriminate nestmates from non-nestmates in insect societies is essential to protect colonies from conspecific invaders. The acceptance threshold hypothesis predicts that organisms whose recognition systems classify recipients without errors should optimize the balance between acceptance and rejection. In this process, cuticular hydrocarbons play an important role as cues of recognition in social insects. The aims of this study were to determine whether guards exhibit a restrictive level of rejection towards chemically distinct individuals, becoming more permissive during the encounters with either nestmate or non-nestmate individuals bearing chemically similar profiles. The study demonstrates that Melipona asilvai (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) guards exhibit a flexible system of nestmate recognition according to the degree of chemical similarity between the incoming forager and its own cuticular hydrocarbons profile. Guards became less restrictive in their acceptance rates when they encounter non-nestmates with highly similar chemical profiles, which they probably mistake for nestmates, hence broadening their acceptance level.

Comparison of Ozone and Chlorine in Low Concentrations as Sanitizing Agents of Chicken Carcasses in the Water Immersion Chiller

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the use of chlorine or ozone as sanitizing agents in the water of chicken immersion chilling, using the residual levels usually applied in Brazil (1.5 ppm), comparing the effects of these treatments on the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of carcasses. Chicken carcasses were chilled in water (4 degrees C) with similar residual levels of ozone and chlorine until reaching temperatures below 7 degrees C (around 45 min). The stability of carcasses was assessed during 15 days of storage at 2 +/- 1 degrees C. Microbiological, surface color (L*, a*, b* parameters), pH value, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances index), and sensory evaluation (on a 9-point hedonic scale for odor and appearance) analyses were carried out. The presence of Salmonella was not detected, coagulase-positive staphylococci counts were below 10(2) CFU/ml of rinse fluid, and Escherichia coil and total coliform counts were below 10(5) CFU/ml of rinse fluid until the end of the storage period for both treatments. Psychrotrophic microorganism counts did not differ (P > 0.05) between chlorine and ozone treatments, and both values were near 10(9) CFU/ml of rinse fluid after 15 days at 4 +/- 1 degrees C. pH values did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05) or during the storage period (P > 0.05). In addition, neither chlorine nor ozone treatment showed differences (P > 0.05) in the lipid oxidation of carcasses; however, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances index of both treatments increased (P <= 0.05) during the storage period, reaching values of approximately 0.68 mg of malonaldehyde per kg. Samples from both treatments did not differ (P > 0.05) in their acceptance scores for odor and overall appearance, but in the evaluation of color, ozone showed an acceptance score significantly higher (P <= 0.05) than that for the chlorine treatment. In general, under the conditions tested, ozone showed results similar to the results for chlorine in the disinfection of chicken carcasses in the immersion chilling, which may indicate its use as a substitute for chlorine in poultry slaughterhouses.

Dried Tomato-Flavored Probiotic Cream Cheese with Lactobacillus paracasei

A dried tomato-flavored probiotic cream cheese (P) containing Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37 was developed for the purpose of this study. The same product, but without probiotic addition (C) was used as control. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris were used as lactic starter cultures. Chemical composition analyses and sensory tests were performed on days 1 and 7, respectively. Titratable acidity, pH value and L. paracasei population were determined every 7 d during the refrigerated storage (21 d) of the cream cheeses. The experiment and analyses were performed in triplicate, using standard methods. Probiotic population remained greater than 10(7) CFU/g throughout the storage period, thereby characterizing the product as potentially probiotic. Cream cheeses C and P did not differ on the sensory tests, both obtaining good overall acceptance by the consumers, of which 82.6% stated that they certainly or probably would buy the product.

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation modulates small fiber-dependent sensory thresholds in Parkinson's disease

The effects of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus on nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) rarely have been investigated. Among these, sensory disturbances, including chronic pain (CP), are frequent in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes induced by deep brain stimulation in the perception of sensory stimuli, either noxious or innocuous, mediated by small or large nerve fibers. Sensory detection and pain thresholds were assessed in 25 PD patients all in the off-medication condition with the stimulator turned on or off (on- and off-stimulation conditions, respectively). The relationship between the changes induced by surgery on quantitative sensory testing, spontaneous CP, and motor abilities were studied. Quantitative sensory test results obtained in PD patients were compared with those of age-matched healthy subjects. Chronic pain was present in 72% of patients before vs 36% after surgery (P = .019). Compared with healthy subjects, PD patients had an increased sensitivity to innocuous thermal stimuli and mechanical pain, but a reduced sensitivity to innocuous mechanical stimuli. In addition, they had an increased pain rating when painful thermal stimuli were applied, particularly in the off-stimulation condition. In the on-stimulation condition, there was an increased sensitivity to innocuous thermal stimuli but a reduced sensitivity to mechanical or thermal pain. Pain provoked by thermal stimuli was reduced when the stimulator was turned on. Motor improvement positively correlated with changes in warm detection and heat pain thresholds. Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation contributes to relieve pain associated with PD and specifically modulates small fiber-mediated sensations. (C) 2012 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Human leukocyte antigen-G 3 ' untranslated region polymorphisms are associated with better kidney allograft acceptance

Human leukocyte antigen-G (FILA-G) plays a well-recognized role in the modulation of the immune response, and HLA-G expression has been associated with increased graft survival and decreased rejection episodes. To investigate the role of the HLA-G 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) in renal transplantation, we evaluated several polymorphic sites (14-bp Del/Ins +3003T/C, +3010C/G, +3027C/A, +3035C/T, +3142G/C, and +3187A/G) in patients exhibiting or not exhibiting rejection episodes. A total of 104 patients (15 with acute and 48 with chronic rejection, and 41 with no rejection) and 142 healthy individuals were studied. HLA-G 3'UTR was typed by direct sequencing. The +3035C-C genotype was more frequent in patients exhibiting chronic rejection compared with healthy controls, and the +3035C-T genotype was less frequent in chronic rejection compared with patients without rejection (acute plus chronic) or compared with healthy controls. The +3187G-A genotype, in which the A allele is associated with increased mRNA degradation, showed increased frequency in the rejection group (acute plus chronic) when compared with healthy controls. The 14 base pair Deletion/Insertion genotype was marginally increased in patients with acute rejection. This is the first study to show associations among numerous polymorphic sites in the HLA-G 3'UTR in kidney allotransplantation, which may contribute to the understanding of HLA-G post-transcriptional mechanisms. (C) 2012 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of cassava cake enriched with its own bran and Spirulina platensis

The cassava cake was developed enriching it with a biomass of Spirulina platensis and a type of bran made out of its own starch. This biomass, a part from being rich in protein, also contains vitamins, essential fatty acids and minerals. Around Umuarama, in the State of Parana, there is an agricultural/industrial complex annually producing and processing tons of cassava. Baked goods can be elaborated based in cassava as a way to expand the use of this raw material and to produce food free of gluten to celiac people. In this complex a solid byproduct is generated, which is rich in starch and fibres, and because of its low commercial value it is used for animal feed or discarded. The bran was dehydrated and analysed microbiologically as well as physically and chemically so as to be used in applied research. Developed energetic food based on cassava lacks protein, but this can be supplied by adding the biomass of Spirulina platensis. Different formulations of this cassava cake were developed varying the concentration of Spirulina platensis and cassava bran. The formulation that presented the best features received chocolate before being submitted to sensory tests by children in the public education system. The results show an excellent acceptance which made viable the development of this product because of aspects like nutrition, technology and sensorial.

Motor cortex stimulation inhibits thalamic sensory neurons and enhances activity of PAG neurons: Possible pathways for antinociception

Motor cortex stimulation is generally suggested as a therapy for patients with chronic and refractory neuropathic pain. However, the mechanisms underlying its analgesic effects are still unknown. In a previous study, we demonstrated that cortical stimulation increases the nociceptive threshold of naive conscious rats with opioid participation. In the present study, we investigated the neurocircuitry involved during the antinociception induced by transdural stimulation of motor cortex in naive rats considering that little is known about the relation between motor cortex and analgesia. The neuronal activation patterns were evaluated in the thalamic nuclei and midbrain periaqueductal gray. Neuronal inactivation in response to motor cortex stimulation was detected in thalamic sites both in terms of immunolabeling (Zif268/Fos) and in the neuronal firing rates in ventral posterolateral nuclei and centromedian-parafascicular thalamic complex. This effect was particularly visible for neurons responsive to nociceptive peripheral stimulation. Furthermore, motor cortex stimulation enhanced neuronal firing rate and Fos immunoreactivity in the ipsilateral periaqueductal gray. We have also observed a decreased Zif268, delta-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutamic acid decarboxylase expression within the same region, suggesting an inhibition of GABAergic interneurons of the midbrain periaqueductal gray, consequently activating neurons responsible for the descending pain inhibitory control system. Taken together, the present findings suggest that inhibition of thalamic sensory neurons and disinhibition of the neurons in periaqueductal gray are at least in part responsible for the motor cortex stimulation-induced antinociception. (C) 2012 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emergence of sensory selection mechanisms in Artificial Life simulations

Background The evolutionary advantages of selective attention are unclear. Since the study of selective attention began, it has been suggested that the nervous system only processes the most relevant stimuli because of its limited capacity [1]. An alternative proposal is that action planning requires the inhibition of irrelevant stimuli, which forces the nervous system to limit its processing [2]. An evolutionary approach might provide additional clues to clarify the role of selective attention. Methods We developed Artificial Life simulations wherein animals were repeatedly presented two objects, "left" and "right", each of which could be "food" or "non-food." The animals' neural networks (multilayer perceptrons) had two input nodes, one for each object, and two output nodes to determine if the animal ate each of the objects. The neural networks also had a variable number of hidden nodes, which determined whether or not it had enough capacity to process both stimuli (Table 1). The evolutionary relevance of the left and the right food objects could also vary depending on how much the animal's fitness was increased when ingesting them (Table 1). We compared sensory processing in animals with or without limited capacity, which evolved in simulations in which the objects had the same or different relevances. Table 1. Nine sets of simulations were performed, varying the values of food objects and the number of hidden nodes in the neural networks. The values of left and right food were swapped during the second half of the simulations. Non-food objects were always worth -3. The evolution of neural networks was simulated by a simple genetic algorithm. Fitness was a function of the number of food and non-food objects each animal ate and the chromosomes determined the node biases and synaptic weights. During each simulation, 10 populations of 20 individuals each evolved in parallel for 20,000 generations, then the relevance of food objects was swapped and the simulation was run again for another 20,000 generations. The neural networks were evaluated by their ability to identify the two objects correctly. The detectability (d') for the left and the right objects was calculated using Signal Detection Theory [3]. Results and conclusion When both stimuli were equally relevant, networks with two hidden nodes only processed one stimulus and ignored the other. With four or eight hidden nodes, they could correctly identify both stimuli. When the stimuli had different relevances, the d' for the most relevant stimulus was higher than the d' for the least relevant stimulus, even when the networks had four or eight hidden nodes. We conclude that selection mechanisms arose in our simulations depending not only on the size of the neuron networks but also on the stimuli's relevance for action.

Estudo prospectivo da sensibilidade tátil em mãos de uma população brasileira usando pressure-specified sensory device

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os limiares de percepção da pressão em polpas de dois dedos (indicador e mínimo), em uma população brasileira, sem lesão nervosa ou neuropatia. MÉTODOS: Usamos Pressure-Specified Sensory Device, um equipamento computadorizado para obter limiares de percepção da pressão normal, tanto estáticos quanto dinâmicos, e discriminação de dois pontos. RESULTADOS: Testamos a sensibilidade nos dedos, em 30 voluntários. Os testes de significância foram realizados utilizando o teste t de Student. Os valores médios (g/mm²) para os limiares de pressão estática de um e dois pontos (s1PD, s2PD) e discriminação dinâmica de um e dois pontos (m1PD, m2PD) no dedo indicador dominante foram: s1PD = 0,4, m1PD = 0,4, s2PD = 0,48, m2PD = 0,51. CONCLUSÃO: Não há diferença significativa na sensibilidade entre as mãos dominante e não dominante.

Nota científica: teste de aceitação de bebida mista de soja e amora

O objetivo deste trabalho consistiu em elaborar e avaliar a aceitação de bebida mista de extrato hidrossolúvel de soja (EHS) e suco de amora (SA). As bebidas, produzidas com diferentes proporções de EHS e SA (1:1; 1:1,5; 1:2 m/m), e diferentes concentrações de sólidos solúveis (10, 12 e 14 °Brix), foram analisadas sensorialmente e seus resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância e regressão. As diferentes proporções de EHS e SA nas bebidas produzidas interferiram no aroma e na aparência das bebidas; porém, não existiu uma relação direta entre essas proporções e a aceitabilidade desses atributos. O teor de sólidos solúveis, entretanto, influenciou o sabor e a impressão global. A preferência dos provadores, tanto no sabor como na impressão global, recaiu nas bebidas mais doces, havendo uma relação direta entre o teor de açúcar e a aceitação. Todas as bebidas formuladas foram aprovadas pela equipe de provadores.