Effects of Chronic Caffeine Consumption on Synaptic Function, Metabolism and Adenosine Modulation in Different Brain Areas.

Adenosine receptors mainly control synaptic function, and excessive activation of adenosine receptors may worsen the onset of many neurological disorders. Accordingly, the regular intake of moderate doses of caffeine antagonizes adenosine receptors and affords robust neuroprotection. Although caffeine intake alters brain functional connectivity and multi-omics analyses indicate that caffeine intake modifies synaptic and metabolic processes, it is unclear how caffeine intake affects behavior, synaptic plasticity and its modulation by adenosine.

Structure-function relationships of pectic polysaccharides from broccoli by-products with in vitro B lymphocyte stimulatory activity.

To study structure-function relationships of pectic polysaccharides with their immunostimulatory activity, broccoli by-products were used. Pectic polysaccharides composed by 64 mol% uronic acids, 18 mol% Ara, and 10 mol% Gal, obtained by hot water extraction, activated B lymphocytes in vitro (25-250 μg/mL). To disclose active structural features, combinations of ethanol and chromatographic fractionation and modification of the polysaccharides were performed.

Associations of prematurity and low birth weight with blood pressure and kidney function in middle-aged participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health: ELSA-Brasil.

Background: An adverse intrauterine environment reflected by low birth weight (LBW) and prematurity may induce fetal programming that favors kidney dysfunction in adulthood. We examined the association of LBW and prematurity with blood pressure (BP) and kidney function markers in non-diabetic, middle-aged adults without kidney disease from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 768 subjects aged 35-54 years was conducted.

Kaposi sarcoma in three pediatric liver transplantation recipients.

Background: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is an endothelial cell tumor, rare in children. It is 200 times more frequent after solid organ transplantation than in the general population.

Methods: We report three cases of pediatric patients who developed KS after liver transplantation (LT).

Assessing the utility of marine filter feeders for environmental DNA (eDNA) biodiversity monitoring.

Aquatic environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys are transforming how marine ecosystems are monitored. The time-consuming preprocessing step of active filtration, however, remains a bottleneck. Hence, new approaches that eliminate the need for active filtration are required.

Urolithin B: Two-way attack on IAPP proteotoxicity with implications for diabetes.

Introduction: Diabetes is one of the major metabolic diseases worldwide. Despite being a complex systemic pathology, the aggregation and deposition of Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (IAPP), or amylin, is a recognized histopathological marker of the disease. Although IAPP proteotoxicity represents an important trigger of β-cell dysfunction and ultimately death, its exploitation as a therapeutic tool remains underdeveloped.

Intrauterine androgen exposure impairs gonadal adipose tissue functions of adult female rats.

Prenatal androgen exposure induces fetal programming leading to alterations in offspring health and phenotypes that resemble those seen in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. It has been described that prenatal androgenization affects the reproductive axis and leads to metabolic and endocrine disorders. Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in all these functions and is susceptible to programming effects.

The gut microbiome of obese postpartum women with and without previous gestational diabetes mellitus and the gut microbiota of their babies.

Background: The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide, and has been associated with some changes in the gut microbiota. Studies have shown that the maternal gut microbiota pattern with hyperglycemia can be transmitted to the offspring. The study aimed to evaluate the gut microbiota of obese postpartum women with and without previous GDM and their offspring.

Beyond brewing: β-acid rich hop extract in the development of a multifunctional polylactic acid-based food packaging.

Hops' (Humulus lupulus L.) phytochemicals are well known for their bioactivity. In the present study, the functional properties of hop extract rich in β-acids, as potassium-salts structures (KBA), were investigated to develop a sustainable active food packaging.

Metagenomic analysis reveals novel dietary-related viruses in the gut virome of marmosets hybrids (Callithrix jacchus x Callithrix penicillata), Brazil.

Viral metagenomics has contributed enormously to the characterization of a wide range of viruses infecting animals of all phyla in the last decades. Among Neotropical primates, especially those introduced, knowledge about viral diversity remains poorly studied. Therefore, using metagenomics based on virus enrichment, we explored the viral microbiota present in the feces of introduced common marmosets (Callithrix sp.

Tuning the Transcriptional Activity of the CaMV 35S Promoter in Plants by Single-Nucleotide Changes in the TATA Box.

Synthetic biology uses genetically encoded devices and circuits to implement novel complex functions in living cells and organisms. A hallmark of these genetic circuits is the interaction among their individual parts, according to predefined rules, to process cellular information and produce a circuit output or response. As the number of individual components in a genetic circuit increases, so does the number of interactions needed to achieve the correct behavior, and hence, a greater need to fine-tune the levels of expression of each component.

Effect of Atmospheric Conditions on Pathogenic Phenotypes of .

is an emergent gram-negative enteropathogenic bacterium widespread in different environments and hosts. During the colonization of the gastrointestinal tract, bacteria face a variety of environmental conditions to successfully establish infection in a new host. One of these challenges is the fluctuation of oxygen concentrations encountered not only throughout the host gastrointestinal tract and defences but also in the food industry.

Rheological characterization of the exopolysaccharide produced by Alteromonas macleodii Mo 169.

Rheology modifiers are essential additives in numerous products in a variety of industries. Due to environmental awareness, consumer-oriented industries are interested in novel natural rheological agents that can replace synthetic chemicals. In this study, the chemical composition and rheological properties of a novel exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Alteromonas macleodii Mo 169 were investigated.

Lung inflammation induced by silica particles triggers hippocampal inflammation, synapse damage and memory impairment in mice.

Background: Considerable evidence indicates that a signaling crosstalk between the brain and periphery plays important roles in neurological disorders, and that both acute and chronic peripheral inflammation can produce brain changes leading to cognitive impairments. Recent clinical and epidemiological studies have revealed an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in individuals with impaired pulmonary function. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of this association remain unknown.

Comprehensive expression analyses of the ABCG subfamily reveal SvABCG17 as a potential transporter of lignin monomers in the model C4 grass Setaria viridis.

Although several aspects of lignin metabolism have been extensively characterized, the mechanism(s) by which lignin monomers are transported across the plasma membrane remains largely unknown. Biochemical, proteomic, expression and co-expression analyses from several plant species support the involvement of active transporters, mainly those belonging to the ABC superfamily. Here, we report on the genome-wide characterization of the ABCG gene subfamily in the model C4 grass Setaria viridis and further identification of the members potentially involved in monolignol transport.

Long-term impact of patients' compliance to peri-implant maintenance therapy on the incidence of peri-implant diseases: An 11-year prospective follow-up clinical study.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the incidence of peri-implant diseases and the associated risk factors during 11 years of peri-implant maintenance therapy (PIMT).

Material And Methods: A sample of 80 partially edentulous individuals rehabilitated with dental implants was invited to participate in a PIMT program (T1-prior to entering the PIMT program). After 11 years, 51 individuals remained regularly or irregularly adherent to PIMT (T2-last recall after 11 years) and were classified as regular (RC; n = 27) or irregular (IC; n = 24) compliers.

Nutcracker Syndrome: A Cause of Hematuria and Low Back Pain in Young Patients.

Nutcracker syndrome is a clinical condition in which there is compression of the left renal vein in its path between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. This phenomenon can cause abdominal or low back pain and hematuria. It is a rare clinical entity, although probably underdiagnosed.

Purinergic signaling in cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

About 10 million new cases of dementia develop worldwide each year, of which up to 70% are attributable to Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to the widely known symptoms of memory loss and cognitive impairment, AD patients frequently develop non-cognitive symptoms, referred to as behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSDs). Sleep disorders are often associated with AD, but mood alterations, notably depression and apathy, comprise the most frequent class of BPSDs.

Clinical Nutrition in Portuguese Gastroenterology Departments: A Multicentric Study.

Background: Hospital nutrition is a major public health problem, as up to 50% of hospitalized patients suffer from undernutrition. Adequate nutritional support (NS) decreases morbidity/mortality, shortens the length of stay, and reduces costs. We aimed to evaluate the engagement of Portuguese gastroenterology departments in NS, especially in artificial nutrition (AN).

High-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation rescues ischemia-injured neurons through modulation of glial-derived neurotrophic factor present in the astrocyte's secretome.

Due to its ability to improve the most frequent clinical sequelae left by ischemia, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has been considered a promising therapeutic strategy for stroke. Those improvements are associated with changes in neurons and their synaptic liaisons. However, the hypothesis that this technique modulates astrocytes, potentiating their neuroprotective capabilities, was also raised.

Ziwi: indoor and outdoor planning network-framework to collection, modeling and network structure based on computational optimization and measurements.

Society is increasingly connected, utilizing more data that demands greater capacity and better channel quality. Furthermore, wireless networks are being inserted into the population's daily lives. Therefore, solutions capable of transferring a high volume of data are increasingly needed.

From Biorefinery to Food Product Design: Peach () By-Products Deserve Attention.

There is an increasing demand for functional foods to attend the consumers preference for products with health benefits. Peach (), from Rosaceae family, is a worldwide well-known fruit, and its processing generates large amounts of by-products, consisting of peel, stone (seed shell + seed), and pomace, which represent about 10% of the annual global production, an equivalent of 2.4 million tons.