Postprandial Vascular Effects of a High Potassium Meal in Patients with Treated Hypertension.

Background: There is compelling evidence of an inverse association between potassium intake and blood pressure (BP). A potential mechanism for this effect may be dietary potassium-mediated augmentation of endothelium-dependent relaxation. To date, studies have investigated potassium intake supplementation over several weeks in healthy volunteers with variable results on vascular function.

Nutritional Strategies Prescribed During Pregnancy and Weight Gain in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies.

: This systematic review aims to identify diets related to weight gain in pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). : This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, and its protocol was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023432322). The searches used the medical subject headings in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE databases.

Influence of Sleep Time on the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in Adolescents in a Capital of Brazil: A Longitudinal Study.

Background/objectives: The study prospectively assessed the association between sleep duration and the consumption of ultra-processed foods in adolescent students from a Brazilian capital.

Methods: We observed 1431 adolescents participating in the Longitudinal Study on sedentary behavior, physical activity, dietary habits, and adolescent health, aged 10 to 14 years, in the years 2014 to 2017. The percentage of consumption of ultra-processed foods was evaluated by the Friedman test.

Breastfeeding Practices and Food Consumption of Socially Vulnerable Children.

Promoting child well-being and development requires a multidimensional approach, including the right to adequate food practices. Socially vulnerable children are more exposed to adverse experiences, such as inadequate food consumption due to poverty. In this context, home-visiting programs are an important strategy for nutritional and health care education to provide relevant guidelines.

Unlocking Consumer Preferences: Sensory Descriptors Driving Greek Yogurt Acceptance and Innovation.

Greek yogurt, a traditional food with roots in Ancient Greece, Mesopotamia, and Central Asia, has become a dietary staple worldwide due to its creamy texture, distinct flavor, and rich nutritional profile. The contemporary emphasis on health and wellness has elevated Greek yogurt as a functional food, recognized for its high protein content and bioavailable probiotics that support overall health. This study investigates the sensory attributes evaluated by a panel of 22 trained assessors and the consumer preferences driving the acceptance of Greek yogurt formulations.

Global Insights into Cultured Meat: Uncovering Production Processes, Potential Hazards, Regulatory Frameworks, and Key Challenges-A Scoping Review.

This scoping review aims to understand the cell-based meat production process, including the regulations, potential hazards, and critical points of this production. This review includes studies on cultured meat production processes, health hazards, and regulatory guidelines, excluding those without hazard analysis, incomplete texts, or studies published before 2013. The search was performed in eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, LILACS, and Google Scholar) using MeSH terms and adaptations for each database.

Physicochemical Profile of Canastra Cheese Inoculated with Starter Cultures of and .

Canastra cheese, an artisanal cheese produced in Serra da Canastra-Brazil, has great cultural importance. Furthermore, this cheese has nutritional and sensory attributes that make it of great economic importance. Its microbiota is composed of different bacteria and yeasts.

Cassava Waste Starch as a Source of Bioplastics: Development of a Polymeric Film with Antimicrobial Properties.

Polysaccharides represent the most abundant biopolymers in agri-food wastes and thus are the most studied polymers to produce biodegradable films for use in packaging. Starch is among the major polysaccharides extracted from food and agricultural waste that have been used as precursor material for film production. Therefore, the present study aimed at producing an active film with antimicrobial properties using starch extracted from cassava waste and oil extracted from cloves.

and for Fermentation of Four Different Coffee Varieties.

One strategy for adding unique characteristics and flavors to improve coffee quality is the selection of starter microorganisms. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effect of LNFCA11 and B10 as starter cultures on the quality of four different wet-fermented coffee varieties. Microbiological, molecular, and chemical analyses were carried out to identify yeast, bacteria, volatile compounds, carbohydrates and bioactive compounds in coffee.

Intake of S-Methylmethionine Alters Glucose Metabolism and Hepatic Gene Expression in C57BL/6J High-Fat-Fed Mice.

A diet containing foods that are sources of S-methylmethionine (SMM), and its use as a dietary supplement, have demonstrated beneficial health effects. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the inclusion of SMM as a dietary supplement in C57BL/6J high-fat-fed mice to verify whether this compound alone would be responsible for these positive effects. Mice were divided into three groups: LF (low-fat diet), HF (high-fat diet), and HF+SMM (high-fat diet plus SMM), and maintained for 10 weeks with water and food provided ad libitum.

The Role of Exercise-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation After Myocardial Infarction on Cholesterol Transfer to HDL.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is associated with decreased incidence of cardiovascular events, and its functionality also influences prognosis. Exercise is an important tool to improve prognosis in the post-infarction (MI) population, but the role of exercise on HDL functionality is poorly understood. Sixty-two patients with acute MI were randomized in a supervised exercise program for 12-14 weeks (exercise group-EG) or a control group (CG).

Preventive Effects of Resistance Training on Hemodynamics and Kidney Mitochondrial Bioenergetic Function in Ovariectomized Rats.

Menopause occurs due to the depletion of the ovarian reserve, leading to a progressive decline in estrogen (E2) levels. This decrease in E2 levels increases the risk of developing several diseases and can coexist with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Arterial hypertension (AH) is another condition associated with menopause and may either contribute to or result from CKD.

Almond Grafting for Plum Pox Virus Resistance Triggers Significant Transcriptomic and Epigenetic Shifts in Peaches.

Sharka disease, caused by the plum pox virus (PPV), negatively impacts stone fruit production, resulting in economic losses. It has been demonstrated that grafting the almond ( (Miller) D.A.

Starvation Metabolism Adaptations in Tick Embryonic Cells BME26.

Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites that transmit pathogens and inflict significant economic losses on the cattle industry. Remarkably, they can survive extended periods of starvation in the absence of a host. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the metabolic adaptations that enable the tick to endure starvation using the BME26 cell line as a model system.

Comparison Between Nano-Hydroxyapatite/Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate Composite and Autogenous Bone Graft in Bone Regeneration Applications: Biochemical Mechanisms and Morphological Analysis.

It was assumed that only autogenous bone had appropriate osteoconductive and osteoindutive properties for bone regeneration, but this assumption has been challenged. Many studies have shown that synthetic biomaterials must be considered as the best choice for guided bone regeneration. The objective of this work is to compare the performances of nanohydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate (n-HA/β-TCP) composite and autogenous bone grafting in bone regeneration applications.

Unveiling the Movement of RanBP1 During the Cell Cycle and Its Interaction with a Cyclin-Dependent Kinase (CDK) in Plants.

In the flower development study, we identified SCI1 (Stigma/style Cell-cycle Inhibitor 1), a regulator of cell proliferation. SCI1 interacts with NtCDKG;2 ( Cyclin-Dependent Kinase G;2), a homolog of human CDK11, which is responsible for RanGTP-dependent microtubule stabilization, regulating spindle assembly rate. In a Y2H screening of a cDNA library using NtCDKG;2 as bait, a RanBP1 (Ran-Binding Protein 1) was revealed as its interaction partner.

The Role of Vimentin Peptide Citrullination in the Structure and Dynamics of HLA-DRB1 Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk-Associated Alleles.

Citrullination, a post-translational modification (PTM), plays a critical role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by triggering immune responses to citrullinated self-antigens. Some HLA-DRB1 genes encode molecules with the shared epitope (QKRAA/QRRAA) sequence in the peptide-binding groove which preferentially presents citrulline-modified peptides, like vimentin, that intensifies the immune response in RA. In this study, we used computational approaches to evaluate intermolecular interactions between vimentin peptide-ligands (with/without PTM) and HLA-DRB1 alleles associated with a significantly increased risk for RA development.

Current Strategies in Developing Antibacterial Surfaces for Joint Arthroplasty Implant Applications.

Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) remain a significant challenge, occurring in 1% to 2% of joint arthroplasties and potentially leading to a 20% to 30% mortality rate within 5 years. The primary pathogens responsible for PJIs include Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and Gram-negative bacteria, typically treated with intravenous antibiotic drugs. However, this conventional approach fails to effectively eradicate biofilms or the microbial burden in affected tissues.

Sustainable Films Derived from spp. Bark: Improving Properties Through Chemical and Physical Pretreatments.

This study investigates the sustainable use of spp. bark through different chemical (hydrothermal, acid, alkaline, and bleaching) and physical (milling) pretreatments in the production of sustainable films. Valorization of agro-industrial residues and the demand for sustainable materials pose challenges for environmentally responsible solutions.

Synthesis and Characterization of Copolymers with Fluorene-di-2-thienyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole Units for Application in Optoelectronic Devices.

Conjugated donor-acceptor (D-A) copolymers are widely used in optoelectronic devices due to their influence on the resulting properties. This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of the conjugated D-A copolymer constructed with fluorene and di-2-thienyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole units, resulting in Poly[2,7-(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene)-alt-5,5-(4,7-di(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PFDTBT). The synthesis associated with reaction times of 48 and 24 h, the latter incorporating the phase-transfer catalyst Aliquat 336, was investigated.

Optimization of the Heterogeneous Synthesis Conditions for Cellulose Tosylation and Synthesis of a Propargylamine Cellulosic Derivative.

Cellulose tosylate (MCC-Tos) is a key derivative for surface modification and a crucial precursor for cellulose compatibilization in click reactions, enabling its functionalization for advanced applications. Replacing tosyl groups with alkyne groups broadens cellulose's potential in biocompatible reactions, such as thiol-yne click chemistry and protein/enzyme immobilization. To achieve this, we optimized the heterogeneous synthesis of MCC-Tos using a Doehlert matrix statistical design, evaluating the influence and interaction of the reaction conditions.

Recent Advances on Starch-Based Adsorbents for Heavy Metal and Emerging Pollutant Remediation.

Starch is one of the most abundant polysaccharides in nature and has a high potential for application in several fields, including effluent treatment as an adsorbent. Starch has a unique structure, with zones of different crystallinity and a glycosidic structure containing hydroxyl groups. This configuration allows a wide range of interactions with pollutants of different degrees of hydrophilicity, which includes from hydrogen bonding to hydrophobic interactions.

Disinfection Strategies for Poly(methyl methacrylate): Method Sequence, Solution Concentration, and Intraoral Temperature on Antimicrobial Activity.

This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of different disinfection protocols for dentures by combining methods, varying intervention sequences, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) concentrations (0.1% and 0.25%), and post-exposure to intraoral temperature.

A Zinc Polyphenolic Compound Increases Maize Resistance Against Infection by .

Maize leaf blight (MLB), caused by the fungus , is an important disease affecting maize production. In order to minimize the use of fungicides in agriculture, nutrient-based resistance inducers may become a promising alternative to manage MLB. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential of Semia (zinc (20%) complexed with a plant-derived pool of polyphenols (10%)) to hamper the infection of maize leaves by by analyzing their photosynthetic performance and carbohydrate and antioxidative metabolism, as well as the expression of defense-related genes.

Sequential Defense Strategies: From Ant Recruitment to Leaf Toughness.

Plants express many types of defenses in response to herbivory damage. These defenses can be displayed as a sequence or they can overlap, increasing efficiency in protection. However, leaf defense shifts during leaf development, including extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), are neglected in natural tropical systems.