Dietary evaluation of pregnant adolescents during first, second and third trimester

In order to identify risk of inadequate intake of calories and nutrients during pregnancy, 75 pregnant adolescents (14 to 18 years old) apparently healthy, from low socioeconomic level, in their first prenatal control (12 weeks) were studied by two 24 hour recalls and a food frequency questionnaire at each trimester. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index (pregestation weight/height) and classified according to American Medicine Institute reference. Paired t-test, frequency distribution and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Low weight was found in 34.6% of adolescent at the first visit and 5.3% were overweight. Even though, caloric intake was below recommendation, significant increases were observed between first and second trimester for energy, carbohydrates, niacin and zinc (p < 0.001) and for fat, proteins, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin C, calcium and iron (p < 0.05). From second to third trimester, differences (p < 0.05) were significant only for vitamin A. Between first and third trimester, differences were significant (p < 0.05) for energy, proteins, carbohydrates, niacin, riboflavin, zinc and for thiamin, vitamin A and calcium (p < 0.05). A high proportion of pregnant adolescent did not reach recommendations for energy, folate, calcium and zinc. Food intake pattern did not change significantly among trimesters. Mean total weight gain was 9.2 kg and 0.412 +/- 0.4 g/week. Newborn's mean weight was 3.221 +/- 418 grams. It is concluded that adolescents are at high nutritional risk and deficiency of dietary intake should be followed. Attention should be addressed from the preconceptional period to postpartum in order to improve maternal and fetal conditions.     

Automatic Synthesis of Recursive Programs: The Proof-Planning Paradigm

We describe a proof method that characterises a family of proofs corresponding to the synthesis of recursive functional programs. This method provides a significant degree of automation in the construction of recursive programs from specifications, together with correctness proofs. This method makes use of meta-variables to allow successive refinement of the identity of unknowns, and so allows the program and the proof to be developed hand in hand. We illustrate it with parts of a substantial example—the synthesis of a unification algorithm.     

Antioxidant activity of grapefruit seed extract on vegetable oils

The antioxidant activities of a grapefruit seed extract (GFSE) which contains tocopherols, citric acid and ascorbic acid, were investigated in vegetable oils. Different amounts of GFSE in powder were dissolved in a mixture of soybean oil–sunflower oil. The oxidation was carried out in an AOM equipment at temperatures of 98·7°C, 75°C and 66·5°C. The results indicated prooxidant effects of GFSE at 97·8°C and 75°C possibly due to a blockade effect of a hydroxyl compound by tocopherol. The inhibitor reaction orders at these temperatures were 0·902 and 0·465, respectively, while at 66·5°C the oxidation rate was inverse to GFSE concentration with reaction order of −0·420. These results seem to indicate different reaction mechanisms depending on temperature conditions. The blockade effects were explained on the basis of a proposed complex between tocopherol and citric acid molecules. © 1998 SCI.     

Peimine,an Anti-Inflammatory Compound from Chinese Herbal Extracts,Modulates Muscle-Type Nicotinic Receptors

Fritillaria bulbs are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat several illnesses. Peimine (Pm), an anti-inflammatory compound from Fritillaria, is known to inhibit some voltage-dependent ion channels and muscarinic receptors, but its interaction with ligand-gated ion channels remains unexplored. We have studied if Pm affects nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), since they play broad functional roles, both in the nervous system and non-neuronal tissues. Muscle-type nAChRs were incorporated to Xenopus oocytes and the action of Pm on the membrane currents elicited by ACh (I_AChs) was assessed. Functional studies were combined with virtual docking and molecular dynamics assays. Co-application of ACh and Pm reversibly blocked I_ACh, with an IC₅₀ in the low micromolar range. Pm inhibited nAChR by: (i) open-channel blockade, evidenced by the voltage-dependent inhibition of I_Ach, (ii) enhancement of nAChR desensitization, revealed by both an accelerated I_ACh decay and a decelerated I_ACh deactivation, and (iii) resting-nAChR blockade, deduced from the I_ACh inhibition elicited by Pm when applied before ACh superfusion. In good concordance, virtual docking and molecular dynamics assays demonstrated that Pm binds to different sites at the nAChR, mostly at the transmembrane domain. Thus, Pm from Fritillaria bulbs, considered therapeutic herbs, targets nAChRs with high affinity, which might account for its anti-inflammatory actions.     

In vitro and in situ disappearance of β‐carotene and lutein from lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay in bovine and caprine ruminal fluids

Two experiments were conducted to determine the rumen fluid disappearance rates (kd) of β‐carotene, lutein, total carotene and total xanthophyll from lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay, in two ruminant species: Brahman steers (fat‐pigmenting) and Granadine goats (non‐pigmenting). Within species, the in vitro and the in situ methods were compared. The concentration of carotenoid compounds was determined by spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography. The in vitro disappearance trends were linear for all compounds (P<0.01). β‐carotene kd were 0.13 and 0.37; lutein, 0.20 and 0.25; total carotene, 0.20 and 0.62 and total xanthophyll, 0.30 and 0.77 h ⁻¹ for steers and goats, respectively. The in situ disappearance trends were quadratic (P<0.01). Dry matter kd were 1.9 and 1.5% h⁻¹; cellular content, 2.0 and 2.3; β‐carotene, 2.5 and 1.2; lutein, 2.5 and 1.5; total carotene, 2.2 and 1.0 and total xanthophyll, 2.1 and 1.1% h⁻¹ for steers and goats, respectively. The large disappearance rates of carotenoids observed in the in situ method vs the virtual absence of disappearance in the in vitro method in both species, can be related to the dry matter and cellular content kd. These results suggest that carotenoids disappear probably by joining the cellular content and not by their direct destruction or by attack from the ruminal microorganisms, and the ruminal disappearance is independent of the species studied. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Highlighting Immune System and Stress in Major Depressive Disorder,Parkinson’s,and Alzheimer’s Diseases,with a Connection with Serotonin

There is recognition that both stress and immune responses are important factors in a variety of neurological disorders. Moreover, there is an important role of several neurotransmitters that connect these factors to several neurological diseases, with a special focus in this paper on serotonin. Accordingly, it is known that imbalances in stressors can promote a variety of neuropsychiatric or neurodegenerative pathologies. Here, we discuss some facts that link major depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s to the stress and immune responses, as well as the connection between these responses and serotonergic signaling. These are important topics of investigation which may lead to new or better treatments, improving the life quality of patients that suffer from these conditions.     

Asymmetric Aza‐Morita–Baylis–Hillman‐Type Reactions: The Highly Enantioselective Reaction between Unmodified α,β‐ Unsaturated Aldehydes and N‐Acylimines by Organo‐co‐catalysis

The highly enantioselective organo‐co‐catalytic aza‐Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH)‐type reaction between N‐carbamate‐protected imines and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes has been developed. The organic co‐catalytic system of proline and 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) enables the asymmetric synthesis of the corresponding N‐Boc‐ and N‐Cbz‐protected β‐amino‐α‐alkylidene‐aldehydes in good to high yields and up to 99% ee. In the case of aza‐MBH‐type addition of enals to phenylprop‐2‐ene‐1‐imines, the co‐catalytic reaction exhibits excellent 1,2‐selectivity. The organo‐co‐catalytic aza‐MBH‐type reaction can also be performed by the direct highly enantioselective addition of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes to bench‐stable N‐carbamate‐protected α‐amidosulfones to give the corresponding β‐amino‐α‐alkylidene‐aldehydes with up to 99% ee. The organo‐co‐catalytic aza‐MBH‐type reaction is also an expeditious entry to nearly enantiomerically pure β‐amino‐α‐alkylidene‐amino acids and β‐amino‐α‐alkylidene‐lactams (99% ee). The mechanism and stereochemistry of the chiral amine and DABCO co‐catalyzed aza‐MBH‐type reaction are also discussed.     

Automated decomposition of intramuscular electromyographic signals

We present a novel method for extracting and classifying motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) from one-channel electromyographic recordings. The extraction of MUAP templates is carried out using a symbolic representation of waveforms, a common technique in signature verification applications. The assignment of MUAPs to their specific trains is achieved by means of repeated template matching passes using pseudocorrelation, a new matched-filter-based similarity measure. Identified MUAPs are peeled off and the residual signal is analyzed using shortened templates to facilitate the resolution of superimpositions. The program was tested with simulated data and with experimental signals obtained using fine-wire electrodes in the biceps brachii during isometric contractions ranging from 5% to 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction. Analyzed signals were made of up to 14 MUAP trains. Most templates were extracted automatically, but complex signals sometimes required the adjustment of 2 parameters to account for all the MUAP trains present. Classification accuracy rates for simulations ranged from an average of 96.3% +/- 0.9% (4 trains) to 75.6% +/- 11.0% (12 trains). The classification portion of the program never required user intervention. Decomposition of most 10-s-long signals required less than 10 s using a conventional desktop computer, thus showing capabilities for real-time applications.