Quality of Life Perception among Portuguese Celiac Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Celiac Disease Questionnaire (CDQ).

The aim of this study is to assess Portuguese celiac patients' quality of life (QoL) perception. A cross-sectional study was performed with a non-probability convenience sample of Portuguese celiac patients using an online self-administered celiac disease quality of life questionnaire (CDQ), previously validated for the Portuguese population. The final sample comprised 234 celiac patients, which included the following: primarily women (69.

Plant protection from virus: a review of different approaches.

This review analyzes methods for controlling plant viral infection. The high harmfulness of viral diseases and the peculiarities of viral pathogenesis impose special requirements regarding developing methods to prevent phytoviruses. The control of viral infection is complicated by the rapid evolution, variability of viruses, and the peculiarities of their pathogenesis.

Consumers' practices and safety perceptions regarding the use of materials for food preparation and storage: Analyses by age group.

Food Contact Materials (FCM) are those intended to be in contact with food, during its production, handling, and storage. FCM contain chemicals that could migrate to the foodstuff, posing potential health concerns, and usage practices influence the level of migration. This study assesses the preferences, safety perceptions, and usage practices of Portuguese consumers regarding FCM used for cooking and food storage (cookware).

HPLC-TBARS-EVSC (high-performance liquid chromatography-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances-ex vivo stratum corneum) protocol: Selection of the subjects and approach to present the results.

Objective: Nowadays, it is recognized the need for improved safety and efficacy protocols to evaluate the human stratum corneum (SC) and its interaction with topical and cosmetic formulations by minimally or non-invasive methodologies. The aim of our research work was to streamline the HPLC-TBARS-EVSC (high-performance liquid chromatography-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances-ex vivo stratum corneum) methodology, by exploring the results of a group of 18 subjects.

Methods: The study included nine women and nine men aged between 19 and 57 years old with phototypes from II to V.

Functional and structural impact of 10 ACADM missense mutations on human medium chain acyl-Coa dehydrogenase.

Medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency (MCADD) is associated with ACADM gene mutations, leading to an impaired function and/or structure of MCAD. Importantly, after import into the mitochondria, MCAD must incorporate a molecule of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) per subunit and assemble into tetramers. However, the effect of MCAD amino acid substitutions on FAD incorporation has not been investigated.

Detoxifying the heavy metals: a multipronged study of tolerance strategies against heavy metals toxicity in plants.

Heavy metal concentrations exceeding permissible limits threaten human life, plant life, and all other life forms. Different natural and anthropogenic activities emit toxic heavy metals in the soil, air, and water. Plants consume toxic heavy metals from their roots and foliar part inside the plant.

A narrative action on the battle against hunger using mushroom, peanut, and soybean-based wastes.

Numerous generations have been affected by hunger, which still affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The hunger crisis is worsening although many efforts have been made to minimize it. Besides that, food waste is one of the critical problems faced by most countries worldwide.

Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Its Relationship to Metabolic Markers and Body Composition in Portuguese University Students.

Background: Transitioning to university involves several changes, which might affect dietary habits. The present study aimed to assess the potential relationships involving adherence to the MedDiet, body composition, and metabolic markers within a Portuguese university sample.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involved 70 participants, 52 women, and 18 men (23.

Brazzein and Monellin: Chemical Analysis, Food Industry Applications, Safety and Quality Control, Nutritional Profile and Health Impacts.

Recently, customers have been keener to buy products manufactured using all-natural ingredients with positive health properties, but without losing flavor. In this regard, the objective of the current study is to review the consumption of brazzein and monellin, their nutritional profiles and health effects, and their potential applications in the food industry. This poses challenges with sustainability and important quality and safety indicators, as well as the chemical processes used to determine them.

Toxicity Analysis of Some Frequently Used Food Processing Chemicals Using Biomonitoring System.

Frequent use of various food processing chemical agents sometimes causes damage to our bodies by inducing cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and mutagenesis. In Bangladesh, among various chemical agents, formalin, saccharin, and urea are vastly used for processing foodstuffs by industry and local people. This study is focused to assess the toxic effects of formalin, saccharin, and urea on the popularly used eukaryotic test model, L.

A SWOT Analysis of Pharmacy Students' Perspectives on e-Learning Based on a Narrative Review.

Background: Online education became the new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the number of studies exploring the potential advantages/disadvantages of e-learning in pharmacy courses is limited.

Study Aim: to propose a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of e-learning according to pharmacy students' perspectives.

The acute adaptation of skin microcirculatory perfusion does not involve a local response but rather a centrally mediated adaptive reflex.

Cardiovascular homeostasis involves the interaction of multiple players to ensure a permanent adaptation to each organ's needs. Our previous research suggested that changes in skin microcirculation-even if slight and distal-always evoke an immediate global rather than "local" response affecting hemodynamic homeostasis. These observations question our understanding of known reflexes used to explore vascular physiology, such as reactive hyperemia and the venoarteriolar reflex (VAR).

Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition.

Access to and choices of food are doubtless beyond the realms of biological and nutritional needs [...

Chemical composition and antimicrobial potential of Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart. and Syagrus cearensis Noblick (Arecaceae).

This study aimed to evaluate the antibiotic effects of the fixed oils of Acrocomia aculeata (FOAA) and Syagrus cearenses (FOSC) against the bacterial strains and the fungi strains of the genus Candida spp. The method of serial microdilution using different concentrations was used for measuring the individual biological activity of the fixed oils. The fixed oil of A.

Development and application of fruit and vegetable based green films with natural bio-actives in meat and dairy products: a review.

In recent years, foodborne outbreaks and food plastic waste accumulation in the environment have impelled a hunt for new, sustainable, novel and innovatory food packaging interventions to face microbial contamination, food quality and safety. Pollution caused from wastes generated by agricultural activities is one of chief rising concerns of the environmentalists across the globe. A solution to this problem is effective and economic valorization of residues from agriculture sector.

Mixed Edge Activators in Ibuprofen-Loaded Transfersomes: An Innovative Optimization Strategy Using Box-Behnken Factorial Design.

Transfersomes have been highlighted as an interesting nanotechnology-based approach to facilitate the skin delivery of bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, the properties of these nanosystems still need to be improved to enable knowledge transfer to the pharmaceutical industry and the development of more efficacious topical medicines. Quality-by-design strategies, such as Box-Behnken factorial design (BBD), are in line with the current need to use sustainable processes to develop new formulations.

Effect of an Emollient Emulsion Containing 15.0% of Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride on the Urocanic Acid of the Stratum Corneum.

Natural moisturizing factor (NMF) includes several compounds in the stratum corneum (SC), among them, urocanic acid (UCA). Ultraviolet (UV) exposure turns the -UCA of the SC into its isomer. We investigated the impact of a topical emollient emulsion treatment on the UCA isomers of the SC exposed to artificial UV stress.

Pharmacists' Perceptions on Nutritional Counseling of Oral Nutritional Supplements in the Community Pharmacy: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

Malnutrition has important health impacts, especially in the elderly. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are effective strategies to help balance the nutritional needs of malnourished persons. Multiple ONS are available at community pharmacies, enabling pharmacists to have the possibility to implement strategies for prevention and monitoring of malnourished patients.

Functionalized Cyclopentenones with Low Electrophilic Character as Anticancer Agents.

In this study were synthesized non-Michael acceptor cyclopentenones (CP) from biomass derivative furfural as anticancer agents. Cyclic enones, both from natural sources and synthetic analogues, have been described as cytotoxic agents. Most of these agents were unsuccessful in becoming valuable therapeutic agents due to toxicity problems derived from unselective critical biomacromolecule alkylation.

Effect of Grape Pomace Flour in Savory Crackers: Technological, Nutritional and Sensory Properties.

The wine industry generates large amounts of by-products that are usually destined as waste. Grape pomace is the residue of the winemaking process and is rich in compounds with functional properties, such as dietary fiber and phenolic compounds. The aim of this research was to study the influence of white and red grape pomace flour (GPF) addition in the enhancement of functional properties of savory crackers.

Genipin prevents alpha-synuclein aggregation and toxicity by affecting endocytosis, metabolism and lipid storage.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people worldwide for which there are only symptomatic therapies. Small molecules able to target key pathological processes in PD have emerged as interesting options for modifying disease progression. We have previously shown that a (poly)phenol-enriched fraction (PEF) of Corema album L.

Probing the Allosteric Modulation of P-Glycoprotein: A Medicinal Chemistry Approach Toward the Identification of Noncompetitive P-Gp Inhibitors.

A medicinal chemistry approach combining and methodologies was performed aiming at identifying and characterizing putative allosteric drug-binding sites (aDBSs) at the interface of the transmembrane- and nucleotide-binding domains (TMD-NBD) of P-glycoprotein. Two aDBSs were identified, one in TMD1/NBD1 and another one in TMD2/NBD2, by means of fragment-based molecular dynamics and characterized in terms of size, polarity, and lining residues. From a small library of thioxanthone and flavanone derivatives, experimentally described to bind at the TMD-NBD interfaces, several compounds were identified to be able to decrease the verapamil-stimulated ATPase activity.

Counteracting Colon Cancer by Inhibiting Mitochondrial Respiration and Glycolysis with a Selective PKCδ Activator.

Metabolic reprogramming is a central hub in tumor development and progression. Therefore, several efforts have been developed to find improved therapeutic approaches targeting cancer cell metabolism. Recently, we identified the 7-acetoxy-6-benzoyloxy-12--benzoylroyleanone (Roy-Bz) as a PKCδ-selective activator with potent anti-proliferative activity in colon cancer by stimulating a PKCδ-dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Pluronic F127 Hydrogel Containing Silver Nanoparticles in Skin Burn Regeneration: An Experimental Approach from Fundamental to Translational Research.

Presently, skin burns are considered one of the main public health problems and lack therapeutic options. In recent years, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely studied, playing an increasingly important role in wound healing due to their antibacterial activity. This work is focused on the production and characterization of AgNPs loaded in a Pluronic F127 hydrogel, as well as assessing its antimicrobial and wound-healing potential.

Presumptive hemophagocytic syndrome associated with co-infections with FIV, Toxoplasma gondii, and Candidatus mycoplasma haemominutum in an adult cat.

A 9-year-old neutered male cat, previously test-positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), was presented with an history of vomiting, hyporexia, and weight loss. Panleukopenia was identified on complete blood counts, and bone marrow evaluation revealed ineffective granulocytic hyperplasia and rare neutro-, erythro-, and rubriphagocytosis. Prednisolone was initiated with no response, and progression to pancytopenia occurred.