Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains in bovine carcasses and the impact on the animal production chain.

Foodborne diseases are characterized by conditions that can induce symptomatic illnesses in their carriers, and therefore represent a serious problem. They are important conditions from a clinical and epidemiological point of view, and are associated with the occurrence of serious public health problems, with a strong impact on morbidity and mortality. The Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an enterobacterium associated with enteric conditions of variable intensity and which are accompanied by blood. The transmission routes are mainly based on the consumption of contaminated food and water sources. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) are considered a serogroup of E. coli, are capable of producing Shiga-type toxins (Stx 1 and Stx 2) and the O157:H7 strain is one of the best-known serotypes. The early detection of this pathogen is very important, especially due to the capacity of contamination of carcasses destined for food consumption and supply of productive markets. Sanitary protocols must be developed and constantly reviewed in order to prevent/control the presence of the pathogen.

Lymphocyte-Depleted Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Coeliac Disease: A Diagnostic Challenge During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A 51-year-old woman presented with constitutional symptoms, polydipsia, early satiety, nausea, vomiting, and a pruritic vesicular rash. On physical examination, she was febrile, had low peripheral oxygen saturation in room air (91%), hepatomegaly, lower limb edema, and palpable cervical adenopathies. She was hospitalized for diagnostic investigations and treatment. An autoimmune panel was requested which was positive for anti-parietal gastric cell, anti-endomysial, and anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies, raising the suspicion for coeliac disease (CD). Gastric and duodenal biopsies were not diagnostic for CD, which was compatible with necrolytic migratory erythema similar to the vesicular rash biopsy. Thoracic-abdomino-pelvic computed tomography scan and fludeoxyglucose F18-positron emission tomography identified supra- and infra-diaphragmatic hypermetabolic adenopathies, with hypermetabolic activity in the lungs, suggestive of pulmonary lymphomatous involvement. Fine-needle aspiration of one supraclavicular adenopathy was performed but was not enough for histological diagnosis. The patient's respiratory insufficiency worsened and she died on day 63 of hospitalization. The final diagnosis was achieved on an anatomopathological autopsy that showed lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkin's lymphoma. The association of CD with other lymphomas besides enteropathy-type T-cell lymphoma is not clear. There is no clear relationship between CD and lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is the rarest subtype of classic Hodgkin's lymphoma and, by itself, has a very poor prognosis. This case highlights the challenge in diagnosis and significant delay due to isolation associated with coronavirus disease 2019 infection.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on In-Hospital Mortality in Patients Without SARS-CoV-2 Infection in an Internal Medicine Ward of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Portugal.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the emergence of a new worldwide cause of death related to COVID-19, several studies have hypothesized that the international mortality rate attributed to non-COVID-19 causes was significantly higher during the COVID pandemic, questioning whether this excess in mortality is related only to COVID-19 or to the difficulties that the healthcare systems faced during the pandemic. Therefore, understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prognosis of patients without severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a major unmet need as this was overshadowed by the overwhelming number of patients with SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study in the internal medicine non-COVID-19 wards of a tertiary care hospital in Portugal. A total of 2021 patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted between March and May of 2019 and 2020 were included. For each patient, we collected information regarding demographic characteristics, emergency department admission information, hospitalization information, date of discharge or death, health comorbidities, and current medication. RESULTS: Data from 1013 patients in 2019 and 1008 patients in 2020 was analyzed. The patients' demographic characteristics, health comorbidities, and current medications were distributed in similar patterns in the two studied periods. There was a statistically significant difference in the in-hospital mortality in patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection between 2019 and 2020 (12% vs 17%, p-value < 0.001) and in admission severity in hospitalized patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection between 2019 and 2020 (0.9 vs 0.6, p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our work showed a statistically significant increase in in-hospital mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was not apparently explained by differences in the characteristics of hospitalized patients. As this is one of the first works describing the silent impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, we believe it holds an important value in the provision of bases for building up future health policies in case of new COVID-19 outbreaks or other medical emergencies.

Polymorphic color vision in captive Uta Hick's cuxiús, or bearded sakis (Chiropotes utahickae).

The pitheciines (Chiropotes, Pithecia, and Cacajao) are frugivorous Neotropical primates that specialize on the predation of seeds from unripe fruits, usually cryptic against the foliage. However, little is known about the color vision distribution within this taxon, and even less about the abilities shared by these animals regarding discrimination of chromatic targets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the color vision perception of captive Uta Hick's cuxiús, or bearded sakis (Chiropotes utahickae) through a behavioral paradigm of color visual discrimination, as well as to estimate, by genetic studies, the number and kinds of medium to long wavelength cone photopigment (opsins) encoded by this species. Among 12 cuxiús (7 males and 5 females) studied only 1 female was diagnosed as a trichromat. Results from genotyping were in line with our behavioral data and showed that cuxiús carried one (dichromat) or two (trichromat) medium to long wavelength pigments alleles, demonstrating a color vision polymorphism in C. utahickae similar to the majority of Neotropical Primates.

[Pulmonary disease in polymyositis]. / Envolvimento pulmonar na polimiosite.

INTRODUCTION: Polymyositis and dermatomyositis are classified as idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Interstitial lung disease is rare and is described in the literature in about 10% of cases. The authors describes a case of 75 year old woman presenting with one month evolution of fever, weight loss, arthralgia, myalgia and symmetric and proximal muscle weakness of upper and lower limbs. Nonspecific interstitial changes was found in chest X -ray. After exhaustive study, the diagnosis of pulmonary involvement in the form of organizing pneumonia by polymyositis, was established. Glucocorticoids and mycophenolate were prescribed with good clinical, analytical and radiological outcome. CONCLUSION: In this case, it was the changes in the chest X -ray in a patient without respiratory symptomatology, that conducted to exhaustive study to polymyositis diagnosis, enhancing once again the importance of X -ray in the screening of pathologies of other systems.

Molecular analysis of Brazilian infectious bronchitis field isolates by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, restriction fragment length polymorphism, and partial sequencing of the N gene.

Molecular analysis of 15 Brazilian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) isolates, obtained from clinical outbreaks of the disease in chickens (broilers or layers) in the state of Minas Gerais (Brazil) between 1972 and 1989, is reported. Using the N protein gene as target, IBVs were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (RT-PCR/RFLP) with the restriction enzymes AvaII, HphI, Sau96I, and Tsp509I and cDNA sequencing. Results obtained from those isolates were compared to 19 sequences available in GenBank. N gene RFLP profiles, cDNA sequences, and predicted amino acid composition were used for the construction of dendrograms. Brazilian isolates were grouped into one distinct group. Identity of predicted N protein amino acid composition varied from 45% (between isolates G and 208) up to 99% (PM 1 and PM2), and, when compared to the other IBVs, the amino acid identity was from 42% (Q3/88 and G) up to 97% (D41 and PM1). The great genetic diversity was shown to occur before the official use of vaccination in Brazil and has remained thereafter.

Chronic infusion of angiotensin-(1-7) reduces heart angiotensin II levels in rats.

We tested the hypothesis that the actions of Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) in the heart could involve changes in tissue levels of Ang II. This possibility was addressed by determining the effect of chronic infusion of Ang-(1-7) on plasma and tissue angiotensins. Ang-(1-7) was infused subcutaneously (osmotic minipumps) in Wistar rats. Angiotensins were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in plasma, heart, and kidney. Tissue and plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and plasma renin activity (PRA) were also measured. Cardiac and renal ACE2 mRNA levels and cardiac angiotensinogen mRNA levels were assessed by semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). AT1 receptor number was evaluated by autoradiograph. Chronic infusion of Ang-(1-7) (2 microg/h, 6 days) produced a marked decrease of Ang II levels in the heart. A less pronounced but significant decrease of Ang-(1-7) was also observed. No significant changes were observed for Ang I. Ang II was not altered in the kidney. In this tissue, a significant increase of Ang-(1-7) and Ang I concentration was observed. A significant increase of plasma Ang-(1-7) and Ang II was also observed. Ang-(1-7) infusion did not change ACE activity or PRA. A selective slight significant increase in ACE2 expression in the heart was observed. Heart angiotensinogen mRNA as well as the number of Ang II binding sites did not change. These results suggest that AT1 receptors-independent changes in heart Ang II concentration might contribute for the beneficial effects of Ang-(1-7) in the heart. Moreover, these results reinforce the hypothesis that this angiotensin plays an important site-specific role within the renin-angiotensin system.

Effects of black-eyed pea trypsin/chymotrypsin inhibitor on proteolytic activity and on development of Anthonomus grandis.

The cotton boll weevil Anthonomus grandis (Boheman) is one of the major pests of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in tropical and sub-tropical areas of the New World. This feeds on cotton floral fruits and buds causing severe crop losses. Digestion in the boll weevil is facilitated by high levels of serine proteinases, which are responsible for the almost all proteolytic activity. Aiming to reduce the proteolytic activity, the inhibitory effects of black-eyed pea trypsin/chymotrypsin inhibitor (BTCI), towards trypsin and chymotrypsin from bovine pancreas and from midguts of A. grandis larvae and adult insects were analyzed. BTCI, purified from Vigna unguiculata (L.) seeds, was highly active against different trypsin-like proteinases studied and moderately active against the digestive chymotrypsin of adult insects. Nevertheless, no inhibitory activity was observed against chymotrypsin from A. grandis larval guts. To test the BTCI efficiency in vivo, neonate larvae were reared on artificial diet containing BTCI at 10, 50 and 100 microM. A reduction of larval weight of up to approximately 54% at the highest BTCI concentration was observed. At this concentration, the insect mortality was 65%. This work constitutes the first observation of a Bowman-Birk type inhibitor active in vitro and in vivo toward the cotton boll weevil A. grandis. The results of bioassays strongly suggest that BTCI may have potential as a transgene protein for use in engineered crop plants modified for heightened resistance to the cotton boll weevil.

Avaliação das características sensoriais e físico-químicas de iogurte à base de polpa de caju elaborado artesanalmente / Evaluation of sensorial characteristics and physical chemical in hand-made yogurt caju pulp

Objetiva elaborar e analisar física, química e sensorialmente, um iogurte à base de polpa de caju elaborado artesanalmente, produzido no Laboratório de Análise Sensorial da Universidade do Estado da Bahia, avaliando a preferência entre as 3 formulações e a sua aceitabilidade. Os resultados da análise sensorial evidenciaram que a amostra 684 (amarelo com açúcar) obteve 53,33 por cento da preferência, a amostra 739 (vermelho com açúcar) obteve 36,67 por cento da preferência e a amostra 138 (amarelo com mel) obteve 10 por cento da preferência. Em relação à aceitação, verificou-se que 93,33 por cento dos provadores revelaram boa aceitabilidade e intenção de compra do produto. Quanto aos dados de prognóstico relativos à freqüência de consumo do produto, observou-se que 63,33 por cento dos provadores consumiriam semanalmente, 30 por cento mensalmente e 6,67 por cento não consumiriam esporadicamente. Quanto à composição centesimal foram obtidos os seguintes valores médios: umidade, 83,08 ± 0,06 por cento; proteínas, 2,63 ± 0,12 por cento; lipídios, 2,2 ± 0,01 por cento e resíduo mineral fixo, 0,60 ± 0,02 por cento e carboidratos, 1,55 ± 0,28 por cento. O pH variou de 4,0 a 4,3. Concluiu-se que o iogurte de caju elaborado artesanalmente apresentou atributos sensoriais aceitáveis pelo consumidor e características físico-químicas e nutricionais semelhantes aos produtos similares comercializados em supermercados.

Acidos graxos transisömeros em alimentos: conteúd, consumo e implicaçöes nas doenças cardiovasculares / Transisomers fatty acids in foods: content, consume and effects on cardiovascular diseases

Neste artigo foram discutidos os principais aspectos bioquímicos, tecnológicos e nutricionais dos ácidos graxos trans isômeros, suas implicaçöes na saúde humana, e possíveis correlaçöes com as doenças cardiovasculares. Säo apresentados estudos e pesquisas em diversos países acerca dos teores dessas substâncias em alimentos, bem como estimativas de consumo populacional a partir do consumo de alimentos fritos ou submetidos a processamento com gorduras vegetais hidrogenadas a exemplo dos produtos tipo fast-food. Concluiu-se que novas pesquisas voltadas para a melhoria das tecnologias empregadas na produçäo de óleos e gorduras, bem como a otimizaçäo das operaçöes utilizadas no preparo de alimentos fritos em redes de fast-food e restaurantes poderäo contribuir para a reduçäo dos conteúdos de trans nos alimentos e consequentemente para diminuiçäo do seu consumo

Formulação de um doce à base de extrato hidrossolúvel de soja: avaliação de preferência, aceitabilidade e características físico-químicas / Formulation of a candy of soy extract

Objetiva elaborar e analisar um doce à base de extrato hidrossolúvel de soja, avaliando a sua aceitabilidade bem como suas características físico-químicas e sensoriais. Foram analisadas três formulações de doces pastosos (amostras 324, 541 e 139) elaborados a partir de extrato hidrossolúvel de soja com as seguintes características: formulação 01 (amostras 324) - elaborada com extrato hidrossolúvel de soja e açúcar; formulação 02 (amostras 541) - idem à formulação 01, porém acrescida de ameixas em calda; formulação 03 - idem à formulação 01, porém acrescida de limão e cravo da Índia. As formulações 02 e 03 sofreram variações nos ingredientes como uma tentativa de mascarar o sabor residual da soja. A análise dos resultados obtidos permite concluir que houve uma boa aceitabilidade desse tipo produto, processado com extrato hidrossolúvel de soja, e apontar sua viabilidade como uma alternativa alimentar para portadores de intolerância à lactose e/ou proteínas de origem animal. Os dados revelam ainda, que o sabor da soja, neste experimento não foi um fator limitante para a aceitabilidade do produto.

Atividade enzimática das polifenoloxidases em polpa de maçäs: o efeito da adiçäo de metabissulfito de sódio como agente inibidor / Enzymatic activity in pulp of stretchers

A atividade enzimática das polifenoloxidades foi avaliada em amostras de polpa de maçä com e sem a adiçäo de metabissulfito de sódio como agente inibidor do escurecimento enzimático dos frutos. Os resultados obtidos mostram que o metabissulfito a 1 por cento é um eficaz inibidor das polifenoloxidases nas amostras analisadas.

Análise da concentraçäo de potássio em alguns frutos cultivados no Nordeste / Analysis of the potassium content in some fruits of Northest region

Analisou-se o conteúdo de potássio em dez amostras de alguns frutos cultivados na regiäo nordeste, com o objetivo de contribuir para um melhor controle da ingestäo desse nutriente na dieta de pacientes nefropatas. A partir dos dados obtidos, concluiu-se que 60 por cento das amostras apresentaram um elevado teor deste nutriente alcançando concentraçöes superiores a 150mg por cento e tece comentários quanto à conduta na utilizaçäo dos mesmos.

Avaliaçäo da qualidade microbiológica de águas minerais e de abastecimento de alguns pontos da cidade do Recife, PE: um relato de experiência de alunos do Mestrado em Nutriçäo da UFPE / Microbiological analysis of mineral waters and water supply in Recife (PE)

Foram analisadas para determinaçäo de coliformes totais e fecais, microrganismos mesófilos aeróbios, Pseudomonas e enterobactérias, oito amostras de água, sendo quatro de água mineral de diferentes marcas e quatro de água de abastecimento público de diferentes bairros da cidade do Recife. Os resultados obtidos mostram que para águas minerais nas amostras 1 e 4 näo houve crescimento de bactérias do grupo e coliformes totais, o mesmo sendo observado para bactérias dos gêneros Pseudomonas e Enterobacter. Em relaçäo às amostras 2 e 3 foi verificada a presença de bactérias do grupo coliformes totais. No entanto, näo houve crescimento de coliformes fecais nem de bactérias do gênero Enterobacter. As amostras 2 e 3 apresentaram, ainda, teste positivo para bactérias do gênero Pseudomonas, sendo que na amostra 2 confirmou-se a presença de Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A contagem de aeróbios mesófilos foi superior a 300 UFC/ml de água em todas as amostras analisadas, sugerindo possível contaminaçäo durante o engarrafamento e armazenamento. Para as amostras de águas de abastecimento residenciais, apenas a amostra de número 2, apresentou contaminaçäo por coliformes totais, estando em desacordo com os padröes microbiológicos de potabilidade estabelecidos pela Portaria n§36/90 - MS.

Aproveitamento do umbu na formulaçäo de geléia modificada em sua composiçäo glicídica / Tapping of umbu's pulp to formulate a jam with low sugar level

O pouco aproveitamento comercial e industrial da polpa do umbu, a inexistência do cultivo racional do umbuzeiro e, sobretudo, a importância da industrializaçäo da matéria-prima e seu melhor aproveitamento através da produçäo de sucos, doces e geléias, sinaliza para a necessidade de se propor o desenvolvimento de novos produtos destinados ao mercado, dentre os quais uma geléia para uso dietético. Propöe o aproveitamento da polpa de umbu para a formulaçäo de uma geléia com menor teor glicídio, com adiçäo de edulcorante em quantidades mínimas permitidas pela legislaçäo e sais de cálcio, para a obtençäo de um produto de baixo custo e com reduzido teor de açúcares e calorias. Foram elaboradas duas formulaçöes de geléia de umbu: uma padräo com elevados teores de açúcar; e uma experimental, com reduçäo dos teores de açúcar e adiçäo de edulcorante e sais de cálcio, cujas amostras foram submetidas à análise sensorial e composiçäo ceentesimal, a fim de se proceder estudo comparativo. Os resultados obtidos a partir da avaliaçäo sensorial e da análise da composiçäo centesimal das geléias estudadas (geléia-padräo e geléia-experimental), sugerem que o aproveitamento do umbu de modo racional para a formulaçäo de novos produtos de interesse para o mercado consumidor, é viável do ponto de vista comercial, industrial e nutricional.

Acidos graxos trans-isômeros: "uma revisäo sobre alguns aspectos tecnológicos da hidrogenaçäo de gorduras vegetais e suas implicaçöes nutricionais" / Fatty acids trans isomers: review of some tecnologics aspects about vegetal oils hidrogenation and the nutricionals effects

Aborda o tema ácidos graxos trâns-isômeros, enfocando alguns aspectos tecnológicos da hidrogenaçäo das gorduras vegetais e suas implicaçöes do ponto de vista nutricional, sugerindo a necessidade de novos estudos e pesquisas para investigar o teor destes compostos nos alimentos, o grau de ingestäo dos mesmos pela populaçäo e propor a inclusäo destes dados em rótulos de alimentos, como forma de veicular informaçöes importantes e de caráter preventivo e educativo para o consumidor.

Propriedades funcionais das proteínas: sua importância e aplicabilidade em produtos alimentícios / Proteins properties

Aborda de forma genérica e objetiva, a importância e aplicabilidade das propriedades funcionais das proteínas no processamento de alimentos, ressaltando o comportamento dos sistemas alimentares em relaçäo às suas características físico-químicas.

Os profissionais da área de alimentos no controle de qualidade: " Uma reflexäo sobre as açöes necessárias para proteçäo da saúde do consumidor" / \"The professionals food in control quality: The reflection about the consumers necessities\"

A crescente preocupaçäo por parte das indústrias e empresas do ramo alimentício com a qualidade dos seus produtos, a fim de atender satisfatoriamente as necessidades do consumidor, coloca em destaque a atuaçäo de vários profissionais envolvidos com a produçäo, processamento e comercializaçäo de alimentos. Identifica as principais açöes necessárias ao controle de qualidade de alimentos, bem como refletir sobre a prática, o compromisso e o grau de responsabilidade desses profissionais na qualidade de vida da populaçäo.