Analysis of gene expression profiles under water stress in tolerant and sensitive sugarcane plants

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

Efeito do ácido lático sobre as características microbiológicas, físico-químicas e sensoriais na carne do sol

The dried beef is a food traditionally eaten by Northeastern and has an extensive trade in the city of Natal-RN. It is usually produced in an empirical manner, without any standardization in production. Characterized as partially dehydrated meat product, so that the activity of water present is not sufficient to prevent microbial growth, degradation or the production of microbial toxins. The guarantee that the market dried beef is to provide a quality product hygienic, microbiological, physicochemical and sensory stable and adequate for the safety and consumer satisfaction, which has been increasingly attracted to food with natural preservatives. Thus, the meat industries are replacing the current seasonings and natural preservatives for similar, with it without affecting the shelf life of products. Lactic acid has been used to meet these requirements. In this sense, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of lactic acid on the physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory, besides knowing the consumer profile of dried meat of the City of Natal / RN. The results demonstrated that the use of lactic acid in concentrations of 1% and 2% during the processing of dried meat, had statistically significant effect (p < 0.05) on the physico-chemical (pH and water activity) and consequently reduced the microbial count does not alter the taste of the new product developed. Regarding the results on the consumer profile, it was found that the majority of respondents (71.75%) did not observe the presence of the stamp of the Federal Inspection Service (SIF) to buy this meat food that 81.55% of consumers check the hygiene conditions of the site and handlers, however, a large proportion of respondents not concerned with the guarantee of origin of typical regional products featuring a hazard to food safety for consumers of the city of Natal-RN

SENSORY ACCEPTANCE of JUICE FROM FCOJ PROCESSING STEPS

The acceptance of orange juice from the frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) processing steps was evaluated by 101 consumers for color, overall impression, aroma, flavor and texture. The juice from the extraction, filtration, concentration, cooling and blend steps was collected at the beginning and the end of the 2009 harvest period. The juice from the extraction and filtration steps showed higher acceptance means for overall impression, aroma and flavor, while the juice from the concentration, cooling and blend steps had acceptance lower than the cutoff score. The internal preference mapping showed that color discriminated the juice from the collection periods while texture allowed discrimination between the steps of extraction and of filtration. The acceptance of the orange juice was driven by the aroma and flavor. The sensory acceptance was successfully applied to evaluate change during the process and the difference between the orange juice from different steps of the FCOJ processing.

Gene Expression Profiles Stratified according to Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Susceptibility Regions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Abnormalities in apolipoprotein and lipid levels in an HIV-infected Brazilian population under different treatment profiles: the relevance of apolipoprotein E genotypes and immunological status

HIV infection is associated with disturbances in lipid metabolism due to a host's response mechanism and the current antiretroviral therapy. The pathological appearance and progression of atherosclerosis is dependent on the presence of injurious agents in the vascular endothelium and variations in different subsets of candidate genes. Therefore, the Hha I polymorphism in the apolipoprotein E gene was evaluated in addition to triglycerides, total cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), LDL, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and apolipoprotein (apo) Al, B and E levels in 86 Brazilian HIV-infected patients and 29 healthy controls. The allele frequency for apoE in the HIV-infected group and controls was in agreement with data on the Brazilian population. Dyslipidemia was observed in the HIV group and verified by increased levels of triglycerides, VLDL and apoE, and decreased levels of HDL and apoAl. The greatest abnormalities in these biochemical variables were shown in the HIV-infected individuals whose immune function was more compromised. The effect of the genetic variation at the APOE gene on biochemical variables was more pronounced in the HIV-infected individuals who carried the apoE2/3 genotype. The highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-receiving group presented increased levels of total cholesterol and apoE. Dyslipidemia was a predictable consequence of HIV infection and the protease inhibitors intensified the increase in apoE values.

Comparison of Impurity Profiles of Lipiblock (R) vs. Orlistat using HPLC and LC-MS/MS

Comparative HPLC-UV and LC-MS/MS studies of impurity profiles of a reference sample (Xenical (R), F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd., Switzerland) vs. generic (Lipiblock (R), EMS Sigma Pharma, a generic drug) were carried out with ethanol extracts of commercial samples. The generic formulation contained higher levels of common impurities as well as a considerable number of impurities not found in the reference product. The detected impurity profile of Lipiblock (R) revealed that it most likely is based on fermentation. Since the effect of the impurities is unknown, at this point fully synthetic Xenical (R) appears to offer a better safety margin than Lipiblock (R) which, however, compares quite well to other generic formulations.

Modulation of macrophage cytokine profiles during solid tumor progression: susceptibility to Candida albicans infection

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

Age-related changes in postural control sensory reweighting

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Boundary identification criteria and geometry analysis of Al 7050 stretch zone from elevation profiles

This article describes the development of a method for analysis of the shape of the stretch zone surface based on parallax measurement theory and using digital image processing techniques. Accurate criteria for the definition of the boundaries of the stretch zone are established from profiles of fracture surfaces obtained from crack tip opening displacement tests on Al-7050 alloy samples. The elevation profiles behavior analysis is based on stretch zone width and height parameters. It is concluded that the geometry of the stretch zone profiles under plane strain conditions can be described by a semi-parabolic relationship. (C) Elsevier B.V., 1999. All rights reserved.

Nutritional, immunological and microbiological profiles of burn patients

A burn is a lesion on an organic tissue resultant from direct or indirect action of heat on the organism. The present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional, immunological and microbiological status of burn patients at the Bauru State Hospital, São Paulo state, Brazil, in 2007. Eight patients, aged more than 18 years and injured up to 24 hours, were evaluated at the moment of hospitalization and seven days later. All victims were males with a mean age of 38 years. on average, 17.5% of their body surfaces were burned and 50% of the patients were eutrophic. There were significant alterations in levels of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, total protein and albumin due to increased endothelial permeability, direct destruction of proteins in the heat-affected area and blood loss from lesions or debridement. At a second moment, cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha had augmented significantly, with IL-6 presenting elevated levels in relation to controls at the first moment. Microbiological analysis showed that 100% of the samples collected at hospital admission were negative and after one week Staphylococcus aureus was found in all cultures. Therefore, a burn patient may be considered immunosuppressed and these results indicate significant nutritional, immunological and microbiological alterations that can interfere in his recovery.

Oxidative stress status and lipid profiles of diabetic pregnant rats exposed to cigarette smoke

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

Virulence profiles of ten Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates obtained from armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus)

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is the etiologic agent of paracoccidioidomycosis ( PCM), the most important systemic mycosis in Latin America. The armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, has been confirmed as the primary natural reservoir of this fungus. Its geographic distribution is similar to that of human PCM. In this study, virulence profiles of 10 P. brasiliensis isolates from different armadillos and of two clinical isolates were tested in an experimental hamster model. Pathogenicity was evaluated by counting cfu and performing histopathological analysis in the testis, liver, spleen and lung. Circulating specific antibodies were measured using enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA). All isolates from armadillos were virulent in the model, with dissemination to many organs. The clinical isolates, which had long been stored in cultured collections, were less virulent. The isolates were classified into four virulence categories according to number of cfu per gram of tissue: very high, high, intermediate and low. This study confirms that armadillos harbor pathogenic genotypes of P. brasiliensis, probably the same ones that infect humans.

Hematological and biochemical profiles and histopathological evaluation of experimental intoxication by sodium fluoroacetate in cats

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)