Nutrition rehabilitation of undernourished children utilizing Spiruline and Misola

Background  

Malnutrition constitutes a public health problem throughout the world and particularly in developing countries.     

Does Octopus vulgaris have preferred arms?

Previous behavioral studies in Octopus vulgaris revealed lateralization of eye use. In this study, the authors expanded the scope to investigate arm preferences. The octopus's generalist hunting lifestyle and the structure of their arms suggest that these animals have no need to designate specific arms for specific tasks. However, octopuses also show behaviors, like exploration, in which only single or small groups of arms are involved. Here the authors show that octopuses had a strong preference for anterior arm use to reach for and explore objects, which points toward a task division between anterior and posterior arms. Four out of 8 subjects also showed a lateral bias. In addition, octopuses had a preference for a specific arm to reach into a T maze to retrieve a food reward. These findings give evidence for limb-specialization in an animal whose 8 arms were believed to be equipotential. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Tejate: Theobroma Cacao and T. bicolor in a Traditional Beverage from Oaxaca, Mexico

Although cacao is most familiar in industrialized Western societies in the form of a processed solid confection, for most of its history the seeds of Theobroma cacao have been most commonly used as ingredients in beverages. Today, in some of the more traditional communities of Mesoamerica, cacao continues to be used primarily in traditional local beverages. One such beverage is tejate, from the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. Tejate is a culturally and socially significant beverage, and because it is made with maize and frequently consumed in some rural households, its nutritional contribution may be meaningful. However, tejate preparation is labor intensive and this, combined with changes in the Central Valleys, is leading to changes in the persistence and geographic distribution of this important form of cacao consumption.     

Segmented biopolyurethanes for medical applications

Polyurethanes are one of the most popular groups of biomaterials applied for medical devices. Their segmented block copolymeric character endows them a wide range of versatility in terms of tailoring their physical properties, blood and tissue compatibility. Polyester- and polyether-urethanes have been modified with hydroxypropyl cellulose aiming the change of their surface and bulk characteristics to confer them biomaterial qualities. In this respect, dynamic contact angle measurements, dynamic mechanical analyses accompanied by mechanical testing have been done. Platelet adhesion test has been carried out in vitro and the use of hydroxypropyl cellulose in the polyurethane matrix reduces the platelet adhesion and therefore recommends them as candidates for biocompatible materials.     

The Inchworm Robot: A Multi-Functional System

We wish for robots to manipulate objects and move flexibly in three-dimensional spaces. We describe a robot that can move on a web of surfaces oriented around arbitrary directions in three-space and a set of control algorithms that implements motion in three-dimensions. The robot can manipulate objects in three dimensions while moving, by using the same set of physical resources and control algorithms. This robot is an inchworm-like robot with a simple, modular, and flexible design. Finally, we discuss our experiments.     

Simulation models for the analysis of space heat consumption of buildings

This study develops and analyzes an original methodology for the simulation and prediction of space heating energy consumption in buildings connected to a district heating system, characterized by lack of individual control systems for end-users. The identification of the input parameters is based on both classical engineering equations and statistical analysis of collected data. Two main factors play important roles in the model: (i) climate and (ii) human behavior. Model validation was undertaken through the analysis of field data collected during the winter, via a monitoring system working in a partially-controlled district heating system. The comparison between the results obtained with the proposed model versus classical methods points out the possibility to implement, using the proposed methodology, management policies for a district that offer significant cost-effective energy savings opportunities.     

Preparation and characterization of blends of recycled polystyrene with cassava starch

Secondary recycling is an alternative to solve at least part of the worldwide pollution problem caused by persistence of petrochemical plastic materials in the environment. In this work we report the secondary recycling of disposable polystyrene (PS) using cassava starch (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and a natural plasticizer extracted from a palm tree of the Amazon: Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.) oil. ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy reveals incorporation of the oil in the polymer matrix. Although phase separation had occurred, SEM depicts a very good dispersion of the thermoplastic starch (TPS) in the PS matrix with distinct domains. Thermal analyses indicate smaller thermal stability of the PS/TPS blends compared to PS and that possess intermediate characteristics between the pure PS and TPS, confirmed by DRX. Kinetic study shows a lowering of the activation energy for the thermal degradation of the blends.     

Barley β-Glucans-Containing Food Enhances Probiotic Performances of Beneficial Bacteria

Currently, the majority of prebiotics in the market are derived from non-digestible oligosaccharides. Very few studies have focused on non-digestible long chain complex polysaccharides in relation to their potential as novel prebiotics. Cereals β-glucans have been investigated for immune-modulating properties and beneficial effects on obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cholesterol levels. Moreover, β-glucans have been reported to be highly fermentable by the intestinal microbiota in the caecum and colon, and can enhance both growth rate and lactic acid production of microbes isolated from the human intestine. In this work, we report the effects of food matrices containing barley β-glucans on growth and probiotic features of four Lactobacillus strains. Such matrices were able to improve the growth rate of the tested bacteria both in unstressed conditions and, importantly, after exposure to in vitro simulation of the digestive tract. Moreover, the effect of β-glucans-containing food on bacterial adhesion to enterocyte-like cells was analyzed and a positive influence on probiotic-enterocyte interaction was observed.     

Current Approaches for RNA Labeling in Vitro and in Cells Based on Click Reactions

Over recent years, click reactions have become recognized as valuable and flexible tools to label biomacromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, and glycans. Some of the developed strategies can be performed not only in aqueous solution but also in the presence of cellular components, as well as on (or even in) living cells. These labeling strategies require the initial, specific modification of the target molecule with a small, reactive moiety. In the second step, a click reaction is used to covalently couple a reporter molecule to the biomolecule. Depending on the type of reporter, labeling by the click reaction can be used in many different applications, ranging from isolation to functional studies of biomacromolecules. In this minireview, we focus on labeling strategies for RNA that rely on the click reaction. We first highlight click reactions that have been used successfully to label modified RNA, and then describe different strategies to introduce the required reactive groups into target RNA. The benefits and potential limitations of the strategies are critically discussed with regard to possible future developments.