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Ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata) is a Cactaceae plant with edible leaves and fruits whose extracts are consumed to promote health, albeit bioactive compounds' bioaccessibility was still not assessed. To address this, ora-pro-nobis fruits (FE) and leaf extracts (LE) were subjected to in vitro digestion to better understand how this process impacts the bioactivities of the extracts. The study investigated the composition of the extracts, their cytotoxicity, and their chemical, plasmatic, and cellular antioxidant capacity. The results revealed that total polyphenolics were about 70% bioaccessible in LE and FE, with phenylalanine being the most bioaccessible essential amino acid in leaves (42.7%) and fruits (83.6%). The samples' antioxidant activity (CUPRAC) was reduced by 25%. LE demonstrated antioxidant activity against human plasma oxidation and haemolysis (21.8%), but digestion mitigated these activities. FE diminished haemolysis (47.0%) and presented cytotoxicity (IC 50  = 1086 μg/mL) to HUVEC cells, but these properties were lost following digestion. Ultimately, digestion partially degraded the samples' bioactive compounds, diminishing their cellular protection against oxidative stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Oxidative/nitrosative damage takes part in chronic disease development, which generates an urgent need for intervention and better therapies to manage them. The scientific community has demanded easy-to-run, cheap, and reliable methods for cellular antioxidant activity assays. This work standardised and validated an erythrocyte cellular antioxidant activity and membrane protection/injury (HERYCA-P) protocol to study food-derive extracts. The method measures intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lipoperoxidation, and haemolysis induced by 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride. Quercetin decreased ROS generation by 50.4% and haemolysis by 2.2%, while ascorbic acid inhibited lipid peroxidation by 40.1%. Total phenolic contents of teas were correlated with decreased ROS generation (r = -0.924), lipoperoxidation (r = -0.951), and haemolysis (r = -0.869). The erythrocyte ROS generation and lipoperoxidation were also associated with CUPRAC (r = -0.925; r = -0.951) and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (r = -0.936; r = -0.949). The precision rates of antioxidant standards and tea samples were below 15%. HERYCA-P is feasible as a complementary antioxidant assay for food matrices., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Recent scientific and policy initiatives frame clinical settings as sites for intervening upon inequality. Electronic health records and data analytic technologies offer opportunity to record standard data on education, employment, social support, and race-ethnicity, and numerous audiences expect biomedicine to redress social determinants based on newly available data. However, little is known on how health practitioners and institutional actors view data standardization in relation to inequity. This article examines a public safety-net health system's expansion of race, ethnicity, and language data collection, drawing on 10 months of ethnographic fieldwork and 32 qualitative interviews with providers, clinic staff, data scientists, and administrators. Findings suggest that electronic data capture institutes a decontextualized racialization within biomedicine as health practitioners and data workers rely on biological, cultural, and social justifications for collecting racial data. This demonstrates a critical paradox of stratified biomedicalization: The same data-centered interventions expected to redress injustice may ultimately reinscribe it.

Introduction: According to the prefrontal model, individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) manifest behaviours mimicking dysexecutive syndrome as a result of blood gas abnormalities and sleep fragmentation., Objective: To compare executive functions in OSA patients with normative values and explore their relationship with blood gas abnormalities and sleep fragmentation., Patients and Methods: Patients were recruited from the wider community and from a tertiary care hospital. The score obtained in the neuropsychological assessment was compared with Student's t-test for a sample. A multiple linear regression analysis was subsequently estimated, using polysomnographic parameters of hypercapnia, hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation as the predictor variables, and the executive function score as the variable to be predicted., Results: Although the neuropsychological assessment performance of 26% of this sample was classified as executive impairment, indicators of sleep fragmentation and gas abnormalities failed to predict the performance of executive functions., Conclusion: A proportion of the patients with OSA presented performance similar to a dysexecutive syndrome; however, the factors underlying and fostering this type of cognitive manifestation remain unclear. Early treatment for this public health problem could be the best tool available for improving quality of life and preventing health risks.

Biofilm formation by the pathobiont Haemophilus influenzae is associated with human nasopharynx colonization, otitis media in children, and chronic respiratory infections in adults suffering from chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). β-lactam and quinolone antibiotics are commonly used to treat these infections. However, considering the resistance of biofilm-resident bacteria to antibiotic-mediated killing, the use of antibiotics may be insufficient and require being replaced or complemented with novel strategies. Moreover, unlike the standard minimal inhibitory concentration assay used to assess antibacterial activity against planktonic cells, standardization of methods to evaluate anti-biofilm drug activity is limited. In this work, we detail a panel of protocols for systematic analysis of drug antimicrobial effect on bacterial biofilms, customized to evaluate drug effects against H. influenzae biofilms. Testing of two cinnamaldehyde analogs, ( E )-trans-2-nonenal and ( E )-3-decen-2-one, demonstrated their effectiveness in both H. influenzae inhibition of biofilm formation and eradication or preformed biofilms. Assay complementarity allowed quantifying the dynamics and extent of the inhibitory effects, also observed for ampicillin resistant clinical strains forming biofilms refractory to this antibiotic. Moreover, cinnamaldehyde analog encapsulation into poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymeric nanoparticles allowed drug vehiculization while maintaining efficacy. Overall, we demonstrate the usefulness of cinnamaldehyde analogs against H. influenzae biofilms, present a test panel that can be easily adapted to a wide range of pathogens and drugs, and highlight the benefits of drug nanoencapsulation towards safe controlled release., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Junkal Garmendia reports financial support was provided by 10.13039/501100004892Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI). Junkal Garmendia reports financial support was provided by 10.13039/501100020082Navarra Government General Directorate of Industry Energy and Strategic Projects S3. Junkal Garmendia reports financial support was provided by 10.13039/501100007509Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Fibrosis, or scar tissue development, is associated with numerous pathologies and is often considered a worst-case scenario in terms of wound healing or the implantation of a biomaterial. All that remains is a disorganized, densely packed and poorly vascularized bundle of connective tissue, which was once functional tissue. This creates a significant obstacle to the restoration of tissue function or integration with any biomaterial. Therefore, it is of paramount importance in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to emphasize regeneration, the successful recovery of native tissue function, as opposed to repair, the replacement of the native tissue (often with scar tissue). A technique dubbed 'mitochondrial transplantation' is a burgeoning field of research that shows promise in in vitro , in vivo and various clinical applications in preventing cell death, reducing inflammation, restoring cell metabolism and proper oxidative balance, among other reported benefits. However, there is currently a lack of research regarding the potential for mitochondrial therapies within tissue engineering and regenerative biomaterials. Thus, this review explores these promising findings and outlines the potential for mitochondrial transplantation-based therapies as a new frontier of scientific research with respect to driving regeneration in wound healing and host-biomaterial interactions, the current successes of mitochondrial transplantation that warrant this potential and the critical questions and remaining obstacles that remain in the field., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.)

The objective of this work was to determine the phenolic composition, chemical and cellular antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity in human cells, and peroxidative inhibition of the defatted fraction of grape ( Vitis labrusca ) and blackberry ( Rubus fruticosus ) seeds. Soxhlet extraction (Sox) was used to extract the fat and obtain the degreased material. A statistical optimization study was developed to maximize the extraction of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity from defatted grape and blackberry seeds. Simultaneous optimization was applied with a combination of 35.9 min of extraction and a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1 g of defatted grape seed to 61.28 mL of an extracting solvent (60% ethanol) and 62.1 min of extraction and a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1 g of defatted blackberry seed to 64.1 mL of an extracting solvent (60% ethanol). In the cell viability assay, HepG2 cancer cells seemed more sensitive to grape and blackberry extracts, while Ea.hy926 hybrid cells showed more resistance to their effects. In general, the extracts presented low/no cytotoxicity, exhibited a protective effect against H 2 O 2 -induced ROS production, and demonstrated antioxidant activity and a protective effect on the erythrocytes when subjected to hypotonic and isotonic conditions not presenting hemolytic behavior (5.0 to 10.0 μg GAE/mL). Thus, the results provided a broad assessment of the bioactivity of the extracts obtained using a simple and low-cost process developed by employing non-toxic solvents and with the potential to be used in technological applications.

This study aimed to characterise pressurised hot water (PHW) extracts from nonconventional sources of functional carbohydrates and phenolic compounds in terms of antioxidant capacity, antiviral activity, toxicity, and human erythrocytes' protection antidiabetic potential. PHW extracts of Norway spruce bark (E1 + E2) and Birch sawdust (E3 + E4) contained mostly galactoglucomannan and glucuronoxylan. In contrast, samples E5 to E9 PHW extracted from Norway spruce, and Scots pine bark are rich sources of phenolic compounds. Overall, phenolic-rich extracts presented the highest inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase and protection against stable non-enveloped enteroviruses. Additionally, all extracts protected human erythrocytes from hemolysis. Cell-based experiments using human cell lines (IMR90 and A549) showed extracts' non-toxicin vitroprofile. Considering the relative toxicological safety of extracts from these unconventional sources, functional carbohydrates and polyphenol-rich extracts can be obtained and further used in food models., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Biomedical investment in digital technologies has flooded society with staggering volumes of data, spurring high-tech innovations such as performance metrics, clinical algorithms, and public data dashboards. In examining the social life of data artifacts, scholars draw from actor-network theory to emphasize data's ability to represent social reality while circulating within it, while others suggest formal data models fail to account for invisible relations on the ground. Yet little work has examined the role of human reflexivity in crafting complex human-data configurations in practice, such as how situated human actors relate to data representations within the social reality they intimately know themselves. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and data analytics integration from inside the digital safety-net, this article shows how health care workers recognize data simultaneously capture, obscure, and envision their everyday work of caring for the marginalized. By demonstrating how the same data point may in one context demonstrate good care while in another obscure it, these findings suggest need to broaden attention to the social life of data beyond delimited focus on standards and their travels. Digital technologies do not simply capture the social, but multiply it. Biomedical data then do not have one social life, but many., (Copyright © 2021 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Miller) is a non-conventional food plant common in Brazil. The objective of this study was to optimize the extraction of bioactive phenolic compounds from ora-pro-nobis leaves by employing solvent mixtures. Ten extracts were obtained with water, ethanol, acetone, and their binary and ternary mixtures, evaluating the chemical composition, antioxidant activity and bioactivities in vitro. The response surface methodology was applied to model the results and calculate the optimal solvent composition, which is 60% water, 40% ethanol and 0% acetone. The optimized extract is rich in phenolic compounds (64 mg GAE/g) and proteins (823 mg/g) and presents antioxidant activity (in intracellular media as well) and inhibits lipid peroxidation (32%) along with hypotonic hemolysis (H 50  = 0.339%), it does not present toxicity in vitro against cancer and normal cells. This is the first report of chicoric, caffeoyl-hexaric and coumaroyl-hexaric acids and some glycosylate derivatives of flavonols in ora-pro-nobis leaves., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Cystic nephroma is a rare benign renal tumor of uncertain etiology. In children, it can manifest as a palpable abdominal mass, hematuria, and recurrent urinary infections. Imaging tests such as ultra sound and computed tomography assist in the diagnosis, but confirmation is made through anatomopathological study. Treatment is surgical and may be partial or total nephrectomy, with a good prognosis., Objective: To report a rare case of pediatric cystic nephroma, its clinical manifestations, radiological and histopathological aspects, as well as the treatment used and its evolution., Clinical Case: Pre-school, male, with a history of recurrent urinary infections in the first year of life. At 2 years and 8 months, he presented nodulation in the right hypochondrium with local pain on palpation, associated with urinary disorders and hematuria. An ultrasonography showing enlarged right kidney due to multiseptated cystic formation. Computed tomography showing multiloculated cystic expan sive formation in the right kidney. At 2 years and 10 months, he underwent partial right nephrec tomy for excision and anatomopathological study, which was compatible with Cystic Nephroma. He evolved with regression of hematuria and recurrent episodes of urinary infections, maintaining renal function preserved. Currently, at 4 years and 6 months, asymptomatic., Conclusions: Cystic nephro ma is a rare entity, generally with a good prognosis. The association of clinical findings, radiological images, and anatomopathological study are fundamental for the establishment of diagnosis and a better definition of therapeutic conduct.

In effort to address fundamental causes and reduce health disparities, public programs increasingly mandate sites of care to capture patient data on social and behavioral domains within Electronic Health Records (EHRs). Data reporting drawing from EHRs plays an essential role in public management of social problems, and data on social factors are commonly cited as foundational for eliminating health inequities. Yet one major shortcoming of these data-centered initiatives is their limited attention to social context, including the institutional conditions of biomedical stratification and variation of care provision across clinical settings. In this article, we leverage comparative fieldwork to examine provider and system responses to mandated data collection on patient sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), highlighting unequal clinical contexts as they appear across a large county safety-net institution and an LGBTQ-oriented health organization. Although point of care data collection is commonly justified for governance in the aggregate (e.g., disparity monitoring), we find standardized data on social domains presents a double-edged sword in clinical settings: formal categories promote visibility where certain issues remain hidden, yet constrain clinical utility in sites with greater knowledge and experience with related topics. We further illustrate how data standardization captures patient identities yet fundamentally misses these unequal contexts, resulting in limited attenuation of inequity despite broad expectations of clinical change. By revealing the often-invisible contexts of care that elude standard measurement, our findings underline the strengths of qualitative social science in accounting for the complex dynamics of enduring social problems. We call for deeper engagement with the unequal contexts of biomedical stratification, especially in light of increasing pressure to quantify the social amidst the rising tide of data-driven care., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Pregnancy rates using frozen semen from rams are higher than for horses. One of the factors that positively influences this effect is the composition of low-molecular-weight proteins from seminal plasma, since the amounts of these proteins are much lower in horses. The aim of this work was to purify the major protein components from ram seminal plasma for structural and biophysical characterization. First, the ram semen was collected and the plasma separated by centrifugation. The protein fractions were isolated by gel filtration chromatography, analyzed by circular dichroism spectroscopy and the amino acid sequence identified by mass spectrometry (LC-MS E ), the results of which were used to model the protein structure by bioinformatics techniques. This protein was identified by LC-MS E as a spermadhesin, being an unglycosylated monomer with T m  = 69.3 °C and ΔH m = 371 kJ mol -1 at pH 7.0. This work describes for the first time the structural characterization of a spermadhesin from seminal plasma of Dorper rams., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recent research and policy initiatives propose addressing the social determinants of health within clinical settings. One such strategy is the expansion of routine data collection on patient Race, Ethnicity, and Language (REAL) within electronic health records (EHRs). Although previous research has examined the general views of providers and patients on REAL data, few studies consider health care workers' perceptions of this data collection directly at the point of care, including how workers understand REAL data in relation to health equity., Objective: This qualitative study examines a large integrated delivery system's implementation of REAL data collection, focusing on health care workers' understanding of REAL and its impact on data's integration within EHRs., Results: Providers, staff, and administrators expressed apprehension over REAL data collection due to the following: (1) disagreement over data's significance, including the expected purpose of collecting REAL items; (2) perceived barriers to data retrieval, such as the lack of standardization across providers and national tensions over race and immigration; and (3) uncertainty regarding data's use (clinical decision making vs. system research) and dissemination (with whom the data may be shared; eg, public agencies, other providers, and insurers)., Conclusion: Emerging racial disparities associated with COVID-19 highlight the high stakes of REAL data collection. However, numerous barriers to health equity remain. Health care workers need greater institutional support for REAL data and related EHR initiatives. Despite data collection's central importance to policy objectives of disparity reduction, data mandates alone may be insufficient for achieving health equity., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The chemical composition, antioxidant activity (AA), cytotoxic activity, antihemolytic effects, and enzyme inhibition (EI) of lyophilized jabuticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba) seed extract (LJE) was studied. The main compounds found were castalagin, vescalagin, procyanidin A2, and ellagic acid. LJE was more toxic to cancer cells than to normal cells, meaning relative toxicological safety. This cytotoxic effect can be attributed to the pro-oxidant effect observed in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation assay. LJE inhibited α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and ACE-I activities and protected human erythrocytes from hemolysis. LJE was incorporated into yogurts at different concentrations and the total phenolic content, AA, and EI increased in a dose-dependent manner. LJE-containing yogurt presented 86% sensory acceptance. The yogurt was administered to Wistar rats bearing cancer and it modulated the gut bacterial microbiota, having a prebiotic effect. LJE is a potential functional ingredient for food companies looking for TPC, AA, and prebiotic effect in vivo., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) results in progressive destruction of the jawbones, and advanced cases demand surgical intervention. The total removal of necrotic bone is required to prevent recurrence and infection. However, determining the limits between necrotic and healthy bone is a challenge. The use of fluorescence to detect tissue alterations and determine necrosis extension is a promising method to avoid inadequate bone debridement. In the literature, there are several studies and reported cases that successfully use fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) of MRONJ. The objective of this study was to present a critical review of the literature regarding the intraoperative use of optic fluorescence to differentiate healthy and necrotic bone in MRONJ. Studies that evaluated the intraoperative use of optic fluorescence to determine the surgical margins of MRONJ were searched in Pubmed/Medline and Scopus databases using the following terms: "medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws" and "fluorescence". Eighteen papers describing the intraoperative use of FGS in ONJ management were selected, totalizing 218 patients. Of those 18 papers, only 5 were prospective studies, and the other 13 were isolated case reports, case series, and technical notes. The use of FGS to delimitate the resection margin of MRONJ is a promising method. There is no need for the application of exogenous fluorophore to perform FGS and the most often used light device was the VELScope® system. Further prospective studies with larger samples are still required to ascertain the fluorescence validity as a supporting method in MRONJ surgical treatment and to establish clinical protocols., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different solvents and maximize the extraction of bioactive compounds from jabuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) seeds. In general, the solvent system composed of water and propanone (52:48 v/v) modified the extract polarity and increased extraction yield of bioactive compounds. The optimized extract presented antioxidant capacity measured by different chemical and biological assays. The optimized extract exerted antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects against A549 and HCT8 cells, antimicrobial and antihemolytic effects, inhibited α-amylase/α-glucosidase activities and presented in vitro antihypertensive effect. Nonetheless, the optimized extract showed no cytotoxicity in a human cell model (IMR90). Vescalagin, castalagin and ellagic acid were the major phenolic compounds in the optimized extract. Our results show that jabuticaba seed may be a potential ingredient for the development of potentially functional foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) seeds are discarded without recovering the bioactive compounds. The main aim of the present work was to optimise the solvent mixture to extract higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of camu-camu seeds. The optimised solvent system increased the extraction of phenolic compounds, in which vescalagin and castalagin were the main compounds. The optimised extract displayed antioxidant capacity measured by different chemical and biological assays, exerted antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects against A549 and HCT8 cancer cells, antimicrobial effects, protected human erythrocytes against hemolysis, inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes and presented in vitro antihypertensive effect. Additionally, the optimized extract inhibited human LDL copper-induced oxidation in vitro and reduced the TNF-α release and NF-κB activation in macrophages cell culture. Thus, the use of camu-camu seed showed to be a sustainable way to recover bioactive compounds with in vitro functional properties., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This work aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition, nutritional value, antioxidant, antihemolytic, antihyperglycemic, and antiproliferative activities of flaxleaf fleabane (Conyza bonariensis) leaves. Different concentrations of water and ethanol (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0 v/v) were used in the extraction process and results showed that the hydroalcoholic extract (50:50 v/v) presented the highest total phenolics, ortho-diphenolics, Folin-Ciocalteu reducing capacity, FRAP, and Fe 2+ chelating ability values. Flaxleaf fleabane leaves (FFL) contained 19.6 g/100 g of fibers and 26 g/100 g of proteins. Ellagic acid, procyanidin A2, caffeic, rosmarinic, gallic, and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acids were the main phenolics. This phenolic-rich extract inhibited the lipid oxidation of Wistar rat brain (IC 50 = 863.0 mg GAE/L), inhibited α-glucosidase activity (IC 50 = 435.4 µg/mL), protected human erythrocytes against mechanical hemolysis at different osmolarity conditions, and showed cytotoxic/antiproliferative effects against human ileocecal adenocarcinoma cells (HCT8; IC 50 = 552.6 µg/mL) but no cytotoxicity toward noncancerous human lung fibroblast (IMR90). Overall, FFL showed potential to be explored by food companies to be a source of proteins, natural color substances, and phenolic compounds. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Flaxleaf fleabane leaves (FFL) are usually burnt or partially given to cattle, without a proper utilization as a source of nutrients for human nutrition. Here, we studied the nutritional composition, phenolic composition, and toxicological aspects of FFL using different biological protocols. FFL was proven to be a rich source of proteins and dietary fibers and showed antioxidant activity measured by chemical and in vitro biological assays. Additionally, as it did protected human red cells and did not show cytotoxicity, we assume FFL has relative safety to be consumed as a nonconventional edible plant., (© 2019 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

The main objectives of the study were to compare the phenolic composition, chemical and biological antioxidant activities, and cytotoxicity towards IMR90, HCT8, and A549 cell lines of eight grades of Chinese keemun black tea (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis) using a statistical approach. No cytotoxic effects were observed on IMR90 normal cells. Our results all together show that the chemical antioxidant capacity of high-grade black teas measured by DPPH, FRAP, and total reducing capacity assays was correspondingly higher than the mean values of low-grade teas and these antioxidant assays were not associated with cytotoxicity towards cancerous cell lines (HCT8 and A549). High grades of Chinese keemun black teas contained higher contents of total phenolics, flavonoids and ortho-diphenols than lower grades and theaflavin-3,3'-di-gallate could only be detected in high black tea grades (T1 and T2). Intermediate-high keemun black tea grades - C1, C3, T1, and T2 - which also had the highest mean values of TPC, flavonoids, o-diphenols, theaflavin-3-gallate, theaflavin-3'-gallate, Fe 2+ chelating ability, and chemical antioxidant activity, presented the highest inhibition of Wistar rat's brain oxidation. No clear differentiation and trend were observed between erythrocyte protection and Chinese black tea grades as results clearly showed that intermediate black tea grades (C3 and C4) protected more the human erythrocytes against mechanical stress. Our study shows that although higher Chinese keemun black tea grades (T1 and T2) presented the highest TPC, flavonoids, and chemical antioxidant activity, these in vitro chemical assays were not translated into higher biological activity., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Red chicory leaves are appreciated sensorially and their constituents contain bioactive properties. The objectives of this study were as follows: to use an experimental design to extract anthocyanins from red chicory in aqueous solution at pH 2.5; to determine the stability of the extracts in relation to temperature and pH; and to evaluate the antioxidant activity and in vitro cytotoxic effect of the lyophilized and purified extracts. The best extraction conditions for the bioactive compounds from red chicory were a temperature of 64.2 °C for 25 min; the anthocyanin content was 73.53 ± 0.13 mg per 100 g fresh weight basis sample. The EC 50 (Half maximal effective concentration) value for the antioxidant activity assay in relation to DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) with optimized extract was 0.363, which corresponds to a concentration of 39.171 µmol/L of anthocyanins. The activation energy for the degradation reaction of the anthocyanins from the red chicory extract was 84.88 kJ/mol. The optimized extract, which was rich in anthocyanins, showed chemical and biological antioxidant activity (protection against erythrocyte hemolysis) and inhibited lipid peroxidation in vitro. The Cichorium intybus L. extracts interfered on the levels of reactive oxygen species generation and the crude extract did not present procarcinogenic effect. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Red chicory is basically consumed as a part of traditional dishes worldwide. Here, we developed a process to extract and purify the anthocyanins from Cichorium intybus leaves and test the extracts in terms of the chemical composition, thermal stability, antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative effects. The anthocyanin-rich extract presented antioxidant activity in chemical and biological assays and low cytotoxicity and cytoprotective effects in relation to HepG2, HCT8, and Caco-2 cell lines. Additionally, the red chicory extract protected human erythrocytes against hemolysis. This extract may be used as a natural colorant/antioxidant in foods., (© 2019 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

How do we make a difference? This paper traces the connections made between quantified knowledge, population health, and social justice by examining the efforts of population scientists to assess sexuality as a point of difference within population-based data systems, including on national health and social surveys, electronic medical records, and the Census. Population scientists emphasize the importance of measuring social difference in order to identify and remedy structural disadvantage. This evaluation requires the assessment of difference and the comparison of distinct groups across standardized outcome measures. In quantifying social difference, however, population scientists obscure or minimize several difficulties in creating comparable populations. I explore some of these challenges by highlighting three central tensions: the separation of difference from other aspects and categories of social experience, the reduction of difference through the use of one over several possible measures, and the enactment of difference as quantified knowledge loops back into society. As a theoretical inquiry into the form of social difference as it is conceptualized, operationalized, and materialized across the science-society nexus, this paper identifies the various commitments made during processes of scientific evaluation. By attending to the values and priorities that exist within and through practices of quantification, I aim to address the problem of measuring social difference as it pertains to the issues of social justice and health equity., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The abundance of reef builders, non-builders and the calcium carbonate produced by communities established in Calcification Accretion Units (CAUs) were determined in three Abrolhos Bank shallow reefs during the period from 2012 to 2014. In addition, the seawater temperature, the irradiance, and the amount and composition of the sediments were determined. The inner and outer reef arcs were compared. CAUs located on the inner reef shelf were under the influence of terrigenous sediments. On the outer reefs, the sediments were composed primarily of marine biogenic carbonates. The mean carbonate production in shallow reefs of Abrolhos was 579 ± 98 g m-2 y-1. The builder community was dominated by crustose coralline algae, while the non-builder community was dominated by turf. A marine heat wave was detected during the summer of 2013-2014, and the number of consecutive days with a temperature above or below the summer mean was positively correlated with the turf cover increase. The mean carbonate production of the shallow reefs of Abrolhos Bank was greater than the estimated carbonate production measured for artificial structures on several other shallow reefs of the world. The calcimass was higher than the non-calcareous mass, suggesting that the Abrolhos reefs are still in a positive carbonate production balance. Given that marine heat waves produce an increase of turf cover on the shallow reefs of the Abrolhos, a decrease in the cover represented by reef builders and shifting carbonate production are expected in the near future.

Introduction: Significant levels of mercury exposure associated with fish intake have been demonstrated in riverine populations living in areas of mineral exploration as the basin of Tapajós and Madeira. In the Tocantins region, although few studies, there is no evidence of human exposure through food., Objective: To assess the levels of exposure to mercury in resident fishermen families in the riverside area of the middle Tocantins and to quantify the levels in fish consumed by these families., Methods: We conducted a cross sectional study involving families of Beira Rio community fishermen, located on the Tocantins riverbanks in the city of Imperatriz, Maranhão. Brazil. Data were collected from socio demographic and food profile, as well as samples of fish and hair, which were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry., Results: The socio demographic profile of families studied was common to the local population located in other basins. The food profile did not run the default rule, with the fish being the primary dietary protein source. The species of piscivorous and zooplancton habits had the highest mercury concentrations, and the mean values were 0.2775 µg/g in fish dog and 0.1360 µg/g in mapará. Among the 25 families evaluated, the lowest average concentration of family was 0.186 ± 0.043 µg/g and the higher was 5.477 ± 2.896 µg/g., Conclusion: Fishing families have low mercury exposure levels in the same order of magnitude, probably because of the food consumption of fish, including piscivorous species, which were found to be below the safe upper limit for human consumption established by Brazilian standards. This serves as a reference for other studies.

Purpose: The San Francisco Bay Area attracts people from all over the country due to the perception of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) acceptance and affirmation. African-American transgender women are severely marginalized across society and as such have many unmet health and social service needs. This study sought to quantitatively assess unmet needs among African-American transgender women with a history of sex work by comparing residents of Oakland versus San Francisco., Methods: A total of 235 African-American transgender women were recruited from San Francisco (n=112) and Oakland (n=123) through community outreach and in collaboration with AIDS service organizations. Participants were surveyed regarding basic, health, and social needs and HIV risk behaviors. Pearson Chi-squared tests and a linear regression model examined associations between city of residence and unmet needs., Results: While participants from both cities reported unmet needs, Oakland participants had a greater number of unmet needs in receiving basic assistance, mental health treatment, and health care services. Oakland participants also reported less transgender community identification but higher social support from the family., Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the enormity of African-American transgender women's needs within the Bay Area. Greater resources are needed for social service provision targeting this marginalized group of people, particularly in Oakland.

The species Styela cearense n. sp. is described from material collected in shallow waters at the Ceará State, Northeastern Brazil. Discussion includes several other species with one gonad on each side of the body, and a tabular key is provided. A set of important anatomical features and their intraspecific variability within the genus is considered, including the number of branchial and stomach folds, the presence of endocarps, and anal border shape.

Enzyme activity was evaluated in the intestine of juvenile pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus, fed diets containing 0, 10 or 20 % of lyophilized bovine colostrum (LBC) inclusion for either 30 or 60 days. The enzymes intestinal acid and alkaline phosphatase (ACP and ALP, respectively), nonspecific esterase (NSE), lipase (LIP), dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV (DAP IV) and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) were studied using histochemistry in four intestinal segments (S1, S2, S3 and rectum). Moderate activity of the DAP IV was detected in the three last intestinal segments, but no differences among the treatments were detected. Enzymes LAP, NSE and LIP were weakly stained in all intestinal segments and the inclusion of 10 or 20 % of LBC in the diet commanded a moderate reaction to NSE in the S3 segment at day 60. ACP activity was detected only in the brush border of the S1 segment of fish fed 0 % LBC for either 30 or 60 days. The activity of ALP was very strong in the first intestinal segment, but a weak reaction was seen in the last segments. The inclusion of 20 % of LBC changed the pattern of staining to the ALP, eliciting moderate staining in S2 at day 30 and S1 at day 60. The consumption of diets containing LBC by juvenile pacu did not have significant implications in intestinal enzymatic activity, which still was not fully stimulated.

Serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins are major modulators of alternative splicing, a key generator of proteomic diversity and flexible means of regulating gene expression likely to be crucial in plant environmental responses. Indeed, mounting evidence implicates splicing factors in signal transduction of the abscisic acid (ABA) phytohormone, which plays pivotal roles in the response to various abiotic stresses. Using real-time RT-qPCR, we analyzed total steady-state transcript levels of the 18 SR and two SR-like genes from Arabidopsis thaliana in seedlings treated with ABA and in genetic backgrounds with altered expression of the ABA-biosynthesis ABA2 and the ABA-signaling ABI1 and ABI4 genes. We also searched for ABA-responsive cis elements in the upstream regions of the 20 genes. We found that members of the plant-specific SC35-Like (SCL) Arabidopsis SR protein subfamily are distinctively responsive to exogenous ABA, while the expression of seven SR and SR-related genes is affected by alterations in key components of the ABA pathway. Finally, despite pervasiveness of established ABA-responsive promoter elements in Arabidopsis SR and SR-like genes, their expression is likely governed by additional, yet unidentified cis-acting elements. Overall, this study pinpoints SR34, SR34b, SCL30a, SCL28, SCL33, RS40, SR45 and SR45a as promising candidates for involvement in ABA-mediated stress responses.

Transgender and gender nonconforming people face stigma and discrimination from a wide variety of sources and through numerous social realms. Stigma and discrimination originating from biomedicine and health care provision may impact this group's access to primary care. Such stigma and discrimination may originate not only from direct events and past negative experiences, but also through medicine's role in providing treatments of transitioning, the development of formal diagnoses to provide access to such treatments, and the medical language used to describe this diverse group. This paper examines the postponement of primary curative care among this marginalized group of people by drawing from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, one of the largest available datasets for this underserved group. This paper also proposes an innovate categorization system to account for differences in self-conceptualization and identity, which has been of considerable concern for transgender and gender nonconforming communities but remains underexplored in social and health research. Results suggest that experience, identity, state of transition, and disclosure of transgender or gender nonconforming status are associated with postponement due to discrimination. Other findings suggest that postponement associated with primary place of seeking care and health insurance has ties to both discrimination and affordability. These findings highlight the importance of combating stigma and discrimination generated from within or experienced at sites of biomedicine or health care provision in improving access to care for this group of people. Improving access to care for all gender variant people requires a critical evaluation of existing research practices and health care provision to ensure that care is tailored as needed to each person's perspective in relation to larger social processes., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Urethral duplications are rare lower urinary tract anomalies, with multiple anatomical variants described. This paper aims to separate this complex anomaly into different diseases, each with distinct clinical forms according to the disturbance during embryogenesis, yet noting a few similarities that may be helpful in their management. The classification system of urethral duplication is also discussed., Material and Methods: Twelve urethral duplication cases over a 14-year period were reviewed. Clinical presentation, the imaging studies used to ascertain anatomical details, type of urethral duplication and surgical correction used in the treatment of patients are presented., Results: Nine patients had urethral duplication in the sagittal plane and three patients in the coronal plane. Of the patients with sagittal urethral duplication, 3 had pre pubic sinus, 3 had epispadiac urethral duplication, 1 had a dorsal urethral duplication deviated from the midline and 2 had hypospadiac urethral duplication. All the patients with coronal urethral duplication had associated bladder duplication. The surgical correction of the patients with sagittal urethral duplication included excision of the pre pubic sinus, excision of the duplicated urethra, and urethroplasty. Excision of the hemibladders' septum and closure of one bladder neck was the treatment for patients with coronal urethral duplication and bladder duplication., Conclusion: Urethral duplication is a complex anomaly and the different manifestations probably have different embryological origins. Each group, sagittal or coronal, has a few similarities that may be helpful in their management, although every diagnosed case presents a unique anatomy and surgical treatment must be individualized., (Copyright © 2013 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this article the authors illustrate the mentoring process through the framework of Vygotsky's sociocultural perspective regarding education and human development. To achieve this goal, they describe their experience as mentor and mentees in a research training mentoring program for undergraduate students. The authors argue that this theoretical and philosophical perspective offers a solid background to mentoring as a real option that contributes to the learning process. They recommend these programs to be encouraged by academic institutions in order for more students and professors to benefit from this process.

This study aimed to provide the first checklist of forensically-important dipteran species in a rainforest environment in Northeastern Brazil, a region exposed to high rates of homicides. Using a decomposing pig, Sus scrofa L. (Artiodactyla: Suidae), carcass as a model, adult flies were collected immediately after death and in the early stages of carcass decomposition. To confirm actual colonization of the carcass, insects that completed their larval development on the resource were also collected and reared until adult stage. A diverse assemblage of dipterans composed of at least 28 species from seven families with necrophagous habits was observed within minutes after death. Besides Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae, species from forensically-important families such as Phoridae, Anthomyiidae, and Fanniidae were also registered. Eleven species were shown to complete their development on the carcass. The majority of individuals emerged from larvae collected at the dry stage of decomposition. Hemilucilia segmentaria Fabricius (Diptera: Calliphoridae), H. semidiaphana (Rondani), and Ophyra chalcogaster (Wiedemann) (Muscidae) were the dominant species among the colonizers, which supports their importance as forensic evidence in Brazil.

The poor prognosis of patients with high-grade glioma has led to the search for new therapeutic strategies. More than half of these tumors overexpress Epidermal Growth factor Receptor (EGFR). h-R3 is a humanized monoclonal antibody that recognize the EGFR external domain with high affinity, inhibiting tyrosine kinase activation. In order to evaluate safety, immunogenicity and preliminary efficacy of h-R3 in newly diagnosed high-grade glioma patients, we conducted a Phase I/II trial. Patients received six weekly infusions of h-R3 at the dose of 200 mg in combination with external beam radiotherapy. Twenty-nine patients (mean age, 45 years and median KPS 80) were entered into the study. Tumor types were: glioblastoma (GB) (16 patients), anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) (12 patients) and anaplastic oligodendroglioma (AO) (1 patient). All patients underwent debulking surgery or biopsy before entering the trial. The antibody was very well tolerated. No evidences of grade 3/4 adverse events were detected. None of the patients developed acneiform rash or allergic reactions. One patient developed a positive anti-idiotypic response. Objective response-rate was 37.9% (17.2% complete response, 20.7% partial response) while stable disease occurred in 41.4% of the patients. With a median follow up time of 29 months, the median survival is 22.17 months for all subjects. Median survival time (MST) is 17.47 months for GB, whereas MST is not reached for AA patients.

Purpose: Laparoscopic surgery is associated with reduced surgical trauma, and less acute phase response, as compared with open surgery. Cytokines are important regulators of the biological response to surgical and anesthetic stress. The aim of this study was to determine if CO2 pneumoperitoneum would change cytokine expression, gas parameters and leukocyte count in septic rats., Methods: Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups: control (anesthesia only), laparotomy, CO2 pneumoperitoneum, cecum ligation and puncture by laparotomy, and laparoscopic cecum ligation and puncture. After 30 min of the procedures, arterial blood samples were obtained to determine leukocytes subpopulations by hemocytometer. TNFalpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 were determined in intraperitoneal fluid (by ELISA). Gas parameters were measured on arterial blood, intraperitoneal and subperitoneal exudates., Results: Peritoneal TNFalpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 concentrations were lower in pneumoperitoneum rats than in all other groups (p<0.05). TNFalpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 expression was lower in the laparoscopic than in laparotomic sepsis (p<0.05). Rats from laparoscopic cecum ligation and puncture group developed significant hypercarbic acidosis in blood and subperitoneal fluid when compared to open procedure group. Total white blood cells and lymphocytes were significantly lower in laparoscopic cecum ligation and puncture rats than in the laparotomic (p<0.01). Nevertheless, the laparotomic cecum ligation rats had a significant increase in blood neutrophils and eosinophils when compared with controls (p<0.05)., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the CO2 pneumoperitoneum reduced the inflammatory response in an animal model of peritonitis with respect to intraperitoneal cytokines, white blood cell count and clinical correlates of sepsis. The pneumoperitoneum produced hypercarbic acidosis in septic animals.