Lycopene and Tomato Sauce Improve Hepatic and Cardiac Cell Biomarkers in Rats

Vanessa Azevedo de Jesuz,Monique de Barros Elias Campos,Vanessa Rosse de Souza,Teresa Palmiciano Bede,Bianca Portugal Tavares de Moraes,Adriana Ribeiro Silva,Cassiano Felippe Gonc¸alves de Albuquerque 한국식품영양과학회 2019 Journal of medicinal food Vol.22 No.11

This study evaluated the effects of tomato sauce and lycopene on hepatic and cardiac cell biomarkers in rats fed a high-fat diet. Animals were split into five groups: control group, high-fat group (HG), high-fat tomato sauce group, high-fat lycopene 2 mg, and high-fat lycopene 4 mg. Food and water were offered ad libitum, whereas tomato sauce and lycopene (2 and 4 mg/day) were offered daily for 60 days. Body, heart, and liver weights, cardiosomatic and hepatosomatic indices, and serum parameters were also analyzed in rats. The animals' hearts and liver were processed, and cells were examined by flow cytometry. Results showed that the groups receiving tomato sauce and lycopene had lower glycemia. The serum concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hepatic enzymes, and tumor necrosis factor-α did not change upon treatment. Tomato sauce and lycopene supplementation did not increase interleukin-1β in response to a high-fat diet. Cell cycle analysis of cardiac and liver cells showed a lower percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase and an increase in the G2/M phase in HG. Both lycopene and tomato sauce reversed this effect. Both lycopene and tomato sauce reversed this effect and prevented high-fat diet-stimulated cardiac and liver cell death. Supplementation of tomato sauce and lycopene showed beneficial effects on cardiac and liver cell metabolism; therefore, it is suggested as a nutritional approach for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis.

Sugarcane bagasse as exclusive roughage for dairy cows in smallholder livestock system

Gleidiana Amelia Pontes de Almeida,Marcelo de Andrade Ferreira,Janaina de Lima Silva,Juana Catarina Cariri Chagas,Antonia Sherlanea Chaves Veras,Leonardo Jose Assis de Barros,Gledson Luiz Pontes de Al 아세아·태평양축산학회 2018 Animal Bioscience Vol.31 No.3

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate sugarcane bagasse as roughage in lactating cow on feed intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, milk production and composition, and microbial protein synthesis. Methods: Ten Girolando cows at initial body weight of 450±25.6 kg and at 143.7±30.7 days in milk were assigned in two 5×5 Latin square designs. Five 21-day experimental periods were adopted (1° to 14-day: diets adaptation period; 15° to 21-day: data collection and sampling period). The diets consisted of four different levels of sugarcane bagasse (45%, 50%, 55%, and 60%) and a control diet, commonly adopted in the region, based on spineless cactus (25% sugarcane bagasse), formulated to meet 12 kg/d milk yield. Results: The dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), and total digestible nutrients intakes and DM and OM digestibilities observed for 45% and 50% bagasse inclusion were similar to control diet, while that 55% and 60% bagasse inclusion were lower. Cows fed control diet, and bagasse diets of 45%, and 50% levels had the nutritional requirements attended, that guaranteed 12 kg/d of milk yield. The crude protein intake and digestibility of cows fed 45%, 50%, and 55% of bagasse inclusion were similar to control diet. The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake and digestibility differ for all bagasse diets related to control diet, while the non-fiber carbohydrates intake and digestibility for cows fed 45% of bagasse were similar for control diet. The intakes and digestibilities of nutrients decreased linearly in function of bagasse inclusion; NDF and indigestible NDF intakes did not vary. The ruminating time, feeding and rumination efficiency, microbial protein synthesis and milk yield decreased linearly with sugarcane bagasse inclusion. Conclusion: Sugarcane bagasse decreases milk production; however, its inclusion level in between 45% to 50% associated to concentrate could replace diets based on spineless cactus for crossbred dairy cow's producing 12 kg/d of milk.

The Principle of Facticity: Outline for a Theory of Evidence in Arbitration

de Barros, Octavio Fragata Martins The Korean Association of Arbitration Studies 2013 중재연구 Vol.23 No.4

International Arbitration has distinguished itself as a method for dispute resolution that pleases both common and civil law practitioners. It, however, is not free of criticism, especially when fact-finding and evidentiary issues are at play. Perhaps because fact-finding is very closely linked to the culture in which they lie, perhaps because of the lack of a clear evidentiary rules governing international arbitration, a theory of evidence in international arbitration is still far fetched. Through the analysis of the distinctions between dispute resolution systems and the search for truth paradigm, this paper aims to develop and present an outline for the development of a theory of evidence in international arbitration.

Masking Level Difference: Performance of School Children Aged 7–12 Years

de Carvalho Nádia Giulian,Amaral Maria Isabel Ramos do,de Barros Vinicius Zuffo,Santos Maria Francisca Colella dos 대한청각학회 2021 Journal of Audiology & Otology Vol.25 No.2

Background and Objectives: In masking level difference (MLD), the masked detection threshold for a signal is determined as a function of the relative interaural differences between the signal and the masker. Study 1 analyzed the results of school-aged children with good school performance in the MLD test, and study 2 compared their results with those of a group of children with poor academic performance.Subjects and Methods: Study 1 was conducted with 47 school-aged children with good academic performance (GI) and study 2 was carried out with 32 school-aged children with poor academic performance (GII). The inclusion criteria adopted for both studies were hearing thresholds within normal limits in basic audiological evaluation. Study 1 also considered normal performance in the central auditory processing test battery and absence of auditory complaints and/or of attention, language or speech issues. The MLD test was administered with a pure pulsatile tone of 500 Hz, in a binaural mode and intensity of 50 dBSL, using a CD player and audiometer.Results: In study 1, no significant correlation was observed, considering the influence of the variables age and sex in relation to the results obtained in homophase (SoNo), antiphase (SπNo) and MLD threshold conditions. The final mean MLD threshold was 13.66 dB. In study 2, the variables did not influence the test performance either. There was a significant difference between test results in SπNo conditions of the two groups, while no differences were found both in SoNo conditions and the final result of MLD.Conclusions: In study 1, the cut-off criterion of school-aged children in the MLD test was 9.3 dB. The variables (sex and age) did not interfere with the MLD results. In study 2, school performance did not differ in the MLD results. GII group showed inferior results than GI group, only in SπNo condition.

Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome and risk of gonadal malignancy: systematic review

Barros Beatriz Amstalden,Oliveira Letícia Ribeiro de,Surur Cíntia Regina Crocetti,Barros-Filho Antonio de Azevedo,Maciel-Guerra Andrea Trevas,Guerra-Junior Gil 대한소아내분비학회 2021 Annals of Pediatirc Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol.26 No.1

Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) is a rare condition characterized by 46,XY karyotype, female external genitalia, absence of uterus, and testes located intra-abdominally, in the inguinal ring or in the labia majora. In the present study, the frequency of testicular malignancy in prepubertal and pubertal patients with CAIS who underwent gonadectomy or gonadal biopsy were evaluated. Systematic review was performed using electronic databases according to the PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols) guidelines. The samples included 15 articles published between 1998 and 2019. From a total of 456 patients who underwent gonadectomy or gonadal biopsy, 6.14% had a premalignant lesion and most were postpubertal (82.14%). A malignant lesion was found in 1.3% and all were postpubertal. Because the risk of malignancy is very low in prepubertal patients with CAIS, gonadectomy may be delayed until puberty is complete, allowing it to progress naturally; however, close follow-up of the patient is required.

Aqueous extract of fresh leaves from Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze: chemical evaluation and antimycobacterial and anticandidal activities

de Araújo Amanda Dias,de Barros Pimentel Maria do Carmo,Santos Camila da Silva,da Silva Roberto Afonso,Cadena Pabyton Gonçalves,da Silva Nicácio Henrique,Gusmão Norma Buarque,Sleifer Bruno Alonso,da S 경희대학교 융합한의과학연구소 2021 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.21 No.4

The focus of this study was to evaluate the presence and type of carbohydrates and phenolic molecules inaqueous extract (Aq-E) of Alternanthera brasiliana fresh leaves and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity in vitro. The amount and types of the carbohydrates were measured by colorimetric and TLC methods. Phenolic compounds was detected by colorimetric assay and analysed by HPLC profiles. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by ABTS and Phosphomolybdenum methods. Antimicrobial activity was tested by microdilution method using microorganism models and antibiotic as positive control, the cytotoxicity in vitro was tested using Artemia salina. The results showed the presence of high amount of total sugars and uronic acids. TLC chromatograms showed mainly D-glucose, D-fructose, oligosaccharides and uronic acids in the Aq-E and a sugar alcohol in the methanolic extract. The colorimetric determination showed high concentration of phenolic compounds, which were visualised on the HPLC profiles, such as chemical markers of the Amaranthaceae family and several phenolic acids and flavonoids. The Aq-E demonstrated optimal antioxidant activities. The most important results were the excellent antibacterial and bactericidal activities against Mycobacterium megmatis (MIC = 15.6 µg/mL and MBC = 1000 µg/mL) and antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans (MIC = 31.2 µg/mL) and low cytotoxicity. Further possibilities for this plant extract will be to improve the pharmacological potential for developing new herbal medicines and possibly to study its association to allopathic antibiotics for prevention or treatment of infection diseases.

Repetitive Somatic Embryogenesis in Cacao and Optimisation of Gene Expression by Particle Bombardment

Marcelo de Oliveira, Santos,Albuquerque de Barros, Erika Valeria Saliba,Penha Tinoco, Maria Laine,Miranda Brasileiro, Ana Cristina,Lima Aragao, Francisco Jose The Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology 2002 Plant molecular biology and biotechnology research Vol.4 No.2

In order to achieve repetitive somatic embryogenesis in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), callus derived from floral tissues were continuously cultured in a medium containing 2,4-D. In 5% of the explants, repetitive somatic embryogenesis was observed after 8 weeks and maintained in a globular stage for several weeks. This is the first report showing repetitive somatic embryogenesis in cacao. The calli were bombarded with a plasmid containing $\beta$-glucuronidase (gus) as reporter gene. Two week old calli showed the high average number of cells expressing the us gene. The effect of osmotic agents (mannitol, sorbitol and sucrose) on gene expression was evaluated. Pre-treatment during 16 h with 0.25 M mannitol revealed an improvement in gene expression. The potential utilization of the repetitive embryogenesis, combined with osmotic treatment, is discussed as an alternative to achieve stable transgenic cacao plants.

Biochemical Characterization of Esterase from Soybean (Glycine max L.)

Márcio de Barros,Gabriela Alves Macedo 한국식품과학회 2011 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.20 No.5

Esterases are enzymes that present good potential in industrial application, and soybean seed can represent an alternative source for this enzyme. The extraction and esterase activity of Brazilian soybean seeds (Glycine max L.) were evaluated. Esterase activity was found in both the germinated and non-germinated seeds at 2.90 and 1.70 U/mg, respectively, with a concentration in the powdered extract (freeze dried) of 100 mg/mL. The enzyme showed a preference for the hydrolysis of short chain fatty acids (120.02 U/mL) and optimum pH for activity was pH 8.0 with optimum temperatures of 40 and 80ºC. The enzyme showed stability at 70ºC showing 60%of residual activity and activity increased with the addition of the following salts: NaNO_3, K_2SO_4, and Na_2SO_4 in the reaction medium.

Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis Attenuates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-induced Colitis in Mice by Suppressing Key Pro-inflammatory Cytokines

( Francisca Adilfa De Oliveira Garcia ),( Helioswilton Sales-campos ),( Violet G. Yuen ),( Juliana Reis Machado ),( Glauce Socorro De Barros Viana ),( Carlo José Freire Oliveira ),( John H. Mcneill ) 대한소화기학회 2020 대한소화기학회지 Vol.76 No.3

Background/Aims: Therapies aimed at modulating cytokines have been used to treat inflammatory illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel disease. On the other hand, patients may become intolerant, refractory, or present with several side effects. Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis (SPI) is a blue-green microalga with bioactive molecules that have been evaluated to treat inflammatory diseases. On the other hand, few studies have examined their effects on the production of specific cytokines and the intestinal architecture in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Therefore, this study examined the effects of a treatment using SPI in a murine model of intestinal inflammation. Methods: All mice (C57BL/6 male) were evaluated daily for their food and water intake, bodyweight variations, and clinical signs of disease. Colon inflammation was induced by exposure to DSS for 6 consecutive days. SPI was given orally at 50, 100, and 250 mg/kg/day. ELISA was performed to assess the production of cytokines. Myeloperoxidase and nitric oxide were also investigated. The level of microscopic damage was assessed by staining colon sections with hematoxylin and eosin. Results: SPI attenuated the DSS-induced inflammation, with improvements in the clinical signs and a decrease in the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ. In addition, particularly at 250 mg/kg, SPI attenuated the severity of colitis by modulating the level of mucosal and submucosal cell infiltration, which preserved the epithelial barrier. Conclusions: SPI may be an alternative source of bioactive molecules with immunomodulatory properties, and has great potential to be used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2020;76:150-158)

Gastroprotective Activity of Neoglaziovia variegata (Arruda) Mez. (Bromeliaceae) in Rats and Mice

Kamila Lopes de Lira,Flávia Danniele Frota Machado,Ana Flávia Seraine Custódio Viana,Irisdalva Sousa Oliveira,Francilene Vieira da Silva,Hélio de Barros Fernandes,Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva Almei 한국식품영양과학회 2021 Journal of medicinal food Vol.24 No.10

Neoglaziovia variegata (Arruda) Mez (Bromeliaceae) is a medicinal plant popularly known as “caroá.” The leaves are made up of highly resistant fibers, which is of great commercial value to the handicraft and textile industry. Some studies have demonstrated that ethanolic extract of N. variegata have gastroprotective properties. This study aimed to investigate the gastroprotective activity and cytoprotective mechanisms of ethyl acetate (Nv-AcOEt), hexane (Nv-Hex), and chloroform (Nv-CHCl3) fractions of N. variegata leaves. The gastroprotective activity of Nv-AcOEt, Nv-Hex, and Nv-CHCl3 was evaluated using the ethanol and ethanol/HCl-induced gastric injury model. To elucidate the gastroprotective mechanisms, the functions of prostaglandins (PGs), nitric oxide (NO), and KATP channels were evaluated. In addition, the nonprotein sulfhydryl groups and the mucus content in the gastric tissues were analyzed. All fractions of N. variegata leaves at oral doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg significantly decreased ethanol and ethanol/HCl-induced gastric lesions, leading to gastroprotection, accompanied by an increase in reduced glutathione (GSH) and gastric mucus. Gastroprotective activity of Nv-AcOEt was inhibited after pretreatment with ibuprofen and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG). Gastroprotective effect of Nv-Hex and Nv-CHCl3 was also inhibited after pretreatment with L-NOARG and with glibenclamide. The results indicate that N. variegata (Arruda) Mez exhibits promising gastroprotective activity with the possible participation of NO, PGs, mucus, sulfhydryl groups, and KATP.