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Blue natural pigments are rare, especially among plants. However, flowering species that evolved to attract Hymenoptera pollinators are colored by blue anthocyanin-metal complexes. Plants lacking anthocyanins are pigmented by betalains but are unable to produce blue hues. By extending the π-system of betalains, we designed a photostable and metal-free blue dye named BeetBlue that did not show toxicity to human hepatic and retinal pigment epithelial cells and does not affect zebrafish embryonal development. This chiral dye can be conveniently synthesized from betalamic acid obtained from hydrolyzed red beetroot juice or by enzymatic oxidation of l-dopa. BeetBlue is blue in the solid form and in solution of acidified polar molecular solvents, including water. Its capacity to dye natural matrices makes BeetBlue the prototype of a new class of low-cost bioinspired chromophores suitable for a myriad of applications requiring a blue hue.

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RESUMO

Blue natural pigments are rare, especially among plants. However, flowering species that evolved to attract Hymenoptera pollinators are colored by blue anthocyanin-metal complexes. Plants lacking anthocyanins are pigmented by betalains but are unable to produce blue hues. By extending the p-system of betalains, we designed a photostable and metal-free blue dye named BeetBlue that did not show toxicity to human hepatic and retinal pigment epithelial cells and does not affect zebrafish embryonal development. This chiral dye can be conveniently synthesized from betalamic acid obtained from hydrolyzed red beetroot juice or by enzymatic oxidation of L-dopa. BeetBlue is blue in the solid form and in solution of acidified polar molecular solvents, including water. Its capacity to dye natural matrices makes BeetBlue the prototype of a new class of low-cost bioinspired chromophores suitable for a myriad of applications requiring a blue hue.

RESUMO

There is an increasing demand for alternative and sustainable protein sources, such as vegetables, insects and microorganisms, that can meet the nutritional and sensory pleasantness needs of consumers. This emergent interest for novel protein sources, allied with "green" and cost-effective processing technologies, such as high hydrostatic pressure, ohmic heating and pulsed electric fields, can be used as strategies to improve the consumption of proteins from sustainable sources without compromising food security. In addition to their nutritional value, these novel proteins present several technological-functional properties that can be used to create various protein systems in different scales (i.e., macro, micro and nano scale), which can be tailored for a specific application in innovative food products. However, in order for these novel protein sources to be broadly used in future food products, their fate in the human gastrointestinal tract (e.g., digestion and bioavailability) must be assessed, as well as their safety for consumers must be clearly demonstrated. In particular, these proteins may become novel allergens triggering adverse reactions and, therefore, a comprehensive allergenicity risk assessment is needed. This review presents an overview of the most promising alternative protein sources, their application in the production of innovative food systems, as well as their potential effects on human health. In addition, new insights on sustainable processing strategies are given.

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Chromium(iii) complexes [CrCl2(L)(THF)] based on monoanionic tridentate ligands [, L = {2-(C4H3N-2'-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]N)C2H4NHPh}; , L = {5-tert-butyl-2-(C4H2N-2'-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]N)C2H3NHPh}; , L = {2-(C4H3N-2'-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]N)C2H4OPh}] have been prepared. Complexes and were converted into the monomeric acetonitrile adducts [CrCl2(L)(NCMe)] [, L = {2-(C4H3N-2'-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]N)C2H4NHPh}; , L = {5-tert-butyl-2-(C4H2N-2'-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]N)C2H3NHPh}] by reaction with acetonitrile at room temperature. All Cr complexes were characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, magnetochemistry for , and by X-ray crystallography for and . Upon activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO), chromium precatalysts and showed good activity in ethylene oligomerization (TOF = 47.0-57.0 × 10(3) (mol ethylene)(mol Cr)(-1) h(-1) at 80 °C), producing mostly oligomers (93.0-95.6 wt% of total products). On the other hand, under identical oligomerization conditions, /MAO behaved as a polymerization catalyst generating predominantly polyethylene (73.0 wt%). However, the catalytic behavior of the precatalyst can be adjusted by varying the MAO-to-Cr ratio. Thus, the use of 500 equiv. causes a dramatic shift from polymerization to ethylene oligomerization, eventually producing mainly lighter α-olefin fractions [α-C4 (68.7 wt%) and α-C6 (19.2 wt%)]. A further increase in the amount of MAO (1000 equiv.) leads to a more balanced distribution of oligomers, with a drastic decrease in the α-C4 and increase in the α-C8 fractions.

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The objective of this study was to confirm the influences of stress from labor and climate on the formation of the mother-offspring bond in Morada Nova sheep in the first 2 h after delivery or at the moment of the first suckling of the newborn. The data were collected from 80 Morada Nova ewes (25 primiparous and 55 multiparous) and their lambs in 2 periods of the year. On the basis of the average length of parturition and the black globe temperature-humidity index (BGTHI) at the time of the birth, the ewes were grouped into 3 classes corresponding to the length of parturition, classified as short (less than 15 min), medium (between 15 and 30 min), or long (more than 30 min). Similarly, the BGTHI at the moment of birth was classified into 1 of 3 ranges: low (less than 65), intermediate (greater than 65 but less than 80), and high (greater than 80). For the characterization of mother-offspring behavior, evaluations were performed in the first 2 h after birth or until the moment of the first suckling of the newborn. Maternal factors such as maternal grooming, facilitating sucking, frequency of low-pitched bleats, and latency to groom were recorded. For the lamb, attempts to seek the udder, the frequency of low-pitched bleats, latency to first reaction, latency to stand, and latency to suckle were recorded. The lambs were slower (P < 0.05) to stand and suckle when they were born in conditions of a BGTHI below 65. The latencies to stand and suckle were greater (P < 0.05) in newborn lambs born during labor that took more than 30 min. For maternal behaviors, activities such as maternal grooming and the facilitation of suckling were greater (P < 0.05) during the time periods with higher bioclimatic index values. Moreover, the dams cleaned or licked (maternal grooming) the newborns for a lower percentage of time (P < 0.05) when the labor lasted longer than 30 min. From the present study, it can be concluded that newborn Morada Nova lambs are slower to stand and suckle when born under BGTHI conditions below 65. Furthermore, prolonged labor harms the mother-offspring bond, especially in terms of the dam's ability to clean (maternal grooming) her lamb's body and facilitate its first suckling.

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Corn grits are used for various purposes such as flakes, snacks, livestock feed, hominy, extruded products, beer, etc. The grit size proportion varies according to the hybrid, and thus, once the use of the grits is linked to the particle size, determining the genetic effects is essential to develop hybrids for any specific use. For this purpose a complete diallel series of crosses, involving eight parents, was performed near Maringá, PR, Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities of 28 progeny for selection of hybrids for breeding programs and extraction of inbred lines for hybrid development. The response variables, such as plant height, ear insertion height, crop stand, grain yield, and grits, small grits and bran production, were gauged and appraised for each of the 28 progeny. The trait effects and GCA were significant for all response variables, while for SCA, only grain yield and crop stand showed significance (P < 0.05), according to Griffing (1955) analysis. A significant weak negative partial correlation was found between grain yield and grits conversion. In relation to the hybrid selection for breeding programs, the parent IAC Nelore was highly recommended for recurrent selection and the hybrids IPR 119 x HT 392 and IAC Nelore x HD 332 for the extraction of pure lines for hybrid development.

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Diante do escasso conhecimento morfofisiológico do trato digestório do Tamandua tetradactyla, este trabalho pretendeu esclarecer a morfologia do estômago dessa espécie. Utilizaram-se seis espécimes, sendo três machos e três fêmeas jovens, provenientes da área de Mina Bauxita Paragominas - PA, doados, após morte por atropelamento, ao Laboratório de Pesquisa Morfológica Animal (LaPMA). Os animais foram fixados com solução aquosa de formaldeído (10 por cento), seguido de dissecação, avaliação da topografia do estômago, com posterior descrição, mensuração e coleta de material para microscopia. As análises topográfica e macroscópica revelaram que o estômago, unicavitário, com presença de pequena e grande curvaturas, estava localizado no antímero esquerdo da cavidade abdominal, ligado cranialmente ao esôfago e caudalmente ao duodeno, e apresentou um aumento de superfície na região pilórica (toro pilórico). Histologicamente, era constituído por epitélio colunar simples (região glandular), epitélio estratificado pavimentoso (região aglandular), lâmina própria, muscular da mucosa, submucosa, muscular circular interna, muscular longitudinal externa e serosa. A região do piloro apresentou um grande espessamento da camada muscular da mucosa, e foram observadas nesta região fossetas gástricas profundas. O estômago de T. tetradactyla revelou características morfológicas macroscópicas e histológicas semelhantes às espécies domésticas e selvagens...

Given the limited morphophysiological knowledge about the digestive tract of Tamandua tetradactyla, this study aimed to clarify the morphology of the stomach of this species. We used six young specimens, three males and three females, from the area of Paragominas bauxite mine - PA, donated after death by trampling, to the Research Laboratory Animal Morphological (LaPMA). The animals were fixed with an aqueous solution of formaldehyde (10 percent), followed by dissection, evaluation of the topography of the stomach, with further description, measurement and collection of material for microscopy. The topographical and macroscopic analysis showed that the stomach was located in left on-timer of the abdominal cavity, connected entirely to the esophagus and caudally to the duodenum, was unicavitary with the presence of small and large curvature and showed a surface increase in the pyloric region (torus pylorus). Histologically it was composed of simple columnar epithelium (glandular region), stratified epithelium (aglandular region), lamina propria, muscular of mucous, submucous, muscular internal circular, muscular external longitudinal and serosa. The region of the pylorus presented a great thickening of the muscular layer of mucous, and deep gastric pits were observed in this region. The stomach of T. tetradactyla revealed macroscopic and histological morphological characteristics similar to domestic and wild species...

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Diante do escasso conhecimento morfofisiológico do trato digestório do Tamandua tetradactyla, este trabalho pretendeu esclarecer a morfologia do estômago dessa espécie. Utilizaram-se seis espécimes, sendo três machos e três fêmeas jovens, provenientes da área de Mina Bauxita Paragominas - PA, doados, após morte por atropelamento, ao Laboratório de Pesquisa Morfológica Animal (LaPMA). Os animais foram fixados com solução aquosa de formaldeído (10 por cento), seguido de dissecação, avaliação da topografia do estômago, com posterior descrição, mensuração e coleta de material para microscopia. As análises topográfica e macroscópica revelaram que o estômago, unicavitário, com presença de pequena e grande curvaturas, estava localizado no antímero esquerdo da cavidade abdominal, ligado cranialmente ao esôfago e caudalmente ao duodeno, e apresentou um aumento de superfície na região pilórica (toro pilórico). Histologicamente, era constituído por epitélio colunar simples (região glandular), epitélio estratificado pavimentoso (região aglandular), lâmina própria, muscular da mucosa, submucosa, muscular circular interna, muscular longitudinal externa e serosa. A região do piloro apresentou um grande espessamento da camada muscular da mucosa, e foram observadas nesta região fossetas gástricas profundas. O estômago de T. tetradactyla revelou características morfológicas macroscópicas e histológicas semelhantes às espécies domésticas e selvagens.(AU)

Given the limited morphophysiological knowledge about the digestive tract of Tamandua tetradactyla, this study aimed to clarify the morphology of the stomach of this species. We used six young specimens, three males and three females, from the area of Paragominas bauxite mine - PA, donated after death by trampling, to the Research Laboratory Animal Morphological (LaPMA). The animals were fixed with an aqueous solution of formaldehyde (10 percent), followed by dissection, evaluation of the topography of the stomach, with further description, measurement and collection of material for microscopy. The topographical and macroscopic analysis showed that the stomach was located in left on-timer of the abdominal cavity, connected entirely to the esophagus and caudally to the duodenum, was unicavitary with the presence of small and large curvature and showed a surface increase in the pyloric region (torus pylorus). Histologically it was composed of simple columnar epithelium (glandular region), stratified epithelium (aglandular region), lamina propria, muscular of mucous, submucous, muscular internal circular, muscular external longitudinal and serosa. The region of the pylorus presented a great thickening of the muscular layer of mucous, and deep gastric pits were observed in this region. The stomach of T. tetradactyla revealed macroscopic and histological morphological characteristics similar to domestic and wild species.(AU)

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BACKGROUND: This study aimed to establish reference values for selected ophthalmic diagnostic tests in healthy neotropical primates from Salvador, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 73 intact adults, including Callithrix jacchus (n = 31), Callithrix penicillata (n = 8), Cebus sp. (n = 22), and Cebus xanthosternos (n = 9) were used to evaluate the normal conjunctival bacterial flora. Cebus xanthosternos (n = 12) were used to evaluate tear production with Schirmer's tear test (STT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and conjunctival cytology. RESULTS: For all animals evaluated, Gram-positive bacteria were predominant. Results of the diagnostic tests in Cebus xanthosternos were as follows: STT: 14.92 ± 5.46 mm/minutes, IOP: 19.62 ± 4.57 mmHg, and conjunctival cytology revealed intermediate squamous epithelial cells in great quantities. CONCLUSIONS: These ophthalmic reference values will be particularly useful to diagnose discrete or unusual pathological changes in the neotropical primates eye.

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BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance (IR) is associated with a higher risk of multiple diseases and its early detection would allow to minimize the associated risk; the presence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) it's associated to the presence of IR. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensibility and specificity of AN to diagnose IR in a group of Chilean patients. METHODS: We designed a cross-sectional study and it was included subjects that were attended at the Center for the Attention of Metabolic Diseases at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile. Sixty subjects (18-60 years age) were included. It was determined BMI and diagnosed AN and skin phototype; blood samples were taken and calculated the HOMA-IR. The normality of the variables where analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. There were used χ² and the diagnostic concordance between AN and IR was determined using the Kappa index and Pearson's correlation. Sensibility, specificity, positive and negative predictive value were calculated and accepted p<0.05. RESULTS: The IR diagnose was 67% and AN was 43%. The major proportion of subjects diagnosed as positive for IR were also positive for AN (84.6%). The sensibility of AN to find IR was an 84% and specificity was 100%. Positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 89% respectively. It was observed a positive association between BMI and HOMA-IR (r=0.674; r²=0.454; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: To detect acanthosis nigricans in Chilean population may be effective for the early diagnose of insulin resistance and, therefore, reduce the associated cost of the late treatment of glucose metabolic disturbances.

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