A habilidade da técnica de espectrometria de massas com infusão direta e ionização por eletronebulização (IES-EM), nos modos de íons positivos e negativos, foi avaliada na diferenciação de cafés Arábica verdes e torrados e com diferentes estágios de amadurecimento (verde, maduro e passado), processo pós-colheita (seco, úmido e semi-úmido) e cafés classificados por prova de xícara. No modo negativo, a análise dos cafés verdes mostrou que os íons correspondentes aos ácidos graxos e ácidos clorogênicos desprotonados são os mais importantes para a discriminação da maturidade. No modo positivo, a maturidade é diferenciada através de íons correspondentes a cafeína, ácidos clorogênicos protonados e adutos de K + de ácidos graxos. Na diferenciação da pós-colheita, em ambos os modos de ionização, são mais importantes os íons correspondentes aos ácidos graxos, ácidos clorogênicos, açúcares e ácidos carboxílicos formados da fermentação. Cafés Arábica torrados também são discriminados com eficiência. No modo negativo, são importantes os íons correspondentes aos ácidos clorogênicos e ácidos orgânicos de cadeia curta, derivados de açúcares. No modo positivo, a discriminação é realizada por íons de baixa m/z tais como piridina e alquil piridinas protonadas, formadas através da degradação da trigonelina. Ambos os IES(+)-EM e IES(-)-EM são capazes de discriminar diferentes cafés Arábica torrados classificados por prova de xícara e os íons que permitem esta diferenciação são os mesmos descritos para a maturidade e processos pós-colheita.Direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in both the negative ESI(-)-MS and positive ESI(+)-MS ion modes are investigated to differentiate green and roasted Arabica coffees with different stages of ripeness (green, ripe and overripe), post-harvesting process (dry, wet and semi-wet) and coffees with different cup qualities. In the ESI(-)-MS of green coffees, ions from deprotonated fatty acids and chlorogenic acids are the most important for ripeness discrimination. In the ESI(+)-MS, maturity is differentiated by ions from protonated caffeine, chlorogenic acids and K + adducts of fatty acids. To differentiate between post-harvesting process in both ionization modes, ions from fatty acids, chlorogenic acids, sugars and carboxylic acids generated in the fermentation process are the most representative. Roasted Arabica coffees are also well discriminated: in the ESI(-)-MS, ions from chlorogenic acids and short-chain organic acids derived from sugars are important. In the ESI(+)-MS, discrimination are mainly performed by low m/z ions such as protonated pyridine and alkylpiridines formed via trigonelline degradation. Both ESI(+)-MS and ESI(-)-MS are able to differentiate cup quality for Arabica roasted coffees and the ions used to perform discrimination are the same ones described in ripeness and post-harvesting processes.Keywords: Arabica coffee, ripeness, post-harvest, cup quality, ESI-MS fingerprinting IntroductionCoffee is the most popular beverage in the world and a commodity of ext...

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a heterogeneous group of ubiquitous aquatic microorganisms capable of biomineralizing nano-sized, membrane-bound, magnetic iron-rich mineral particles called magnetosomes. MTB are found in chemically-stratified aquatic sediments and/or water columns with a wide range of salinities, moderate to high temperatures, and pH varying from neutral to strongly alkaline. MTB from very cold environments have not been investigated to any great degree and here we characterize MTB from the low temperature Antarctic maritime region. Sediment samples were collected at nine sampling sites within Admiralty Bay, King George Island (62°23'S 58°27'W) from 2009 to 2013. Samples from five sites contained MTB and those from two of these sites contained large number of magnetotactic cocci that were studied using electron microscopy and molecular techniques. The magnetotactic cocci contained magnetosomes either arranged as two or four chains or as a disorganized cluster. The crystalline habit and composition of all magnetosomes analyzed with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis were consistent with elongated prismatic crystals of magnetite (Fe O ). The retrieved 16S rRNA gene sequences from magnetically-enriched magnetotactic cocci clustered into three distinct groups affiliated with the Alphaproteobacteria class of the Proteobacteria. Novel sequences of each phylogenetic cluster were confirmed using fluorescent in situ hybridization. Metagenomic data analysis of magnetically-enriched magnetotactic cocci revealed the presence of mam genes and MTB-specific hypothetical protein coding genes. Sequence homology and phylogenetic analysis indicated that predicted proteins are related to those of cultivated alphaproteobacterial MTB. The consistent and continuous low temperature of the sediment where the magnetotactic cocci are present (always below 1°C) suggests that these MTB from maritime Antarctica are psychrophiles. Moreover, similar morphotypes and 16S gene sequences were retrieved from samples collected from different sites from maritime Antarctica for several years suggesting that these new strains of MTB are indigenous members of Antarctic microbiota.

This study describes the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in odontocetes from the Brazilian coast and freshwater systems. Seven species were evaluated and tissue samples were analyzed by light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Laryngeal tonsil was a palpable oval mass located in the larynx, composed of a lymphoepithelial complex. Dense collections of lymphocytes were found in the skin of male fetus and calf. Clusters of lymphoid tissue were found in the uterine cervix of a reproductively active juvenile female and along the pulmonary artery of an adult female. Lymphoid tissues associated with the gastrointestinal tract were characterized by diffusely arranged or organized lymphocytes. The anal tonsil was composed of an aggregate of lymphoid tissue occurring exclusively in the anal canal, being composed of squamous epithelium branches. MALT was present in different tissues and organic systems of cetaceans, providing constant protection against mucosal pathogens present in their environment.

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Abstract:The quality of a pharmaceutical product is directly related to the health of patients. This consideration is evidenced by the results of studies of various researchers, which show that a practical and precise method of analysis can be the first step in the rational use of medicines. Most of the time, drugs and medicines even with all its importance and all its uses lack analytical methods in the literature and in most official compendia for their Quality Control. During the development of a new analytical method, as liquid chromatography, must be considered various factors, such as reliability, detection and separation of all compounds of interest, speed analysis to optimize equipment and analysts, reduced need for pretreatment of the sample, low final cost analysis when the reagents, procedures and machinery are accounted, and use of non-toxic reagents neither for the operator or for the environment, that is, environmentally friendly methods. Using techniques, green methods considered, as infrared spectrophotometric and turbidimetric methods make remediation of environmental impacts frequently observed nowadays unnecessary. The use of simple and easy methods of execution, fast, precise, accurate and environmentally friendly becomes more and more interesting for the pharmaceutical industry in Quality Control of drugs and medicines. The lack of environmental friendly methods for the analysis of pharmaceuticals with minimum generation of toxic waste and the consciousness of the analytical decisions is a gap that currently drives the research groups.

Oxymycterus rufus is a wild rodent that inhabits one of the world hotspots known as the

El enfoque de aprendizaje basado en tareas como medio para mejorar la competencia comunicativa de estudiantes de grado décimo Ana Carolina Buitrago Campo* Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia This article reports the results of an action-research project focused on improving students' communicative competence in English through the task-based learning approach. This study was conducted in a co-educational public school in Medellín (Colombia) with thirty-four tenth graders. Actions implemented include the development of a series of tasks and the definition of four thematic units consistent with the syllabus and students' interests and needs. The results evidence students' significant improvements in their communicative competence in English. Findings also show that implementation of the task-based approach was affected by factors related to the teachers' role and others related to students' performance.Key words: Communicative competence, English as a foreign language, language learning, task-based learning approach.Este artículo presenta los resultados de un proyecto de investigación-acción que se enfocó en el mejoramiento de la competencia comunicativa en inglés de los estudiantes mediante el enfoque de aprendizaje basado en tareas. Este estudio fue realizado en un colegio público mixto de la ciudad de Medellín (Colombia) con treinta y cuatro estudiantes de décimo grado. Las acciones implementadas incluyen el desarrollo de una serie de tareas y la definición de cuatro unidades temáticas acorde con el currículo y los intereses y necesidades de los estudiantes. Los resultados evidencian mejoras significativas en la competencia comunicativa en inglés de los estudiantes. Los resultados también muestran que la implementación del enfoque basado en tareas fue afectada por factores relacionados con el rol de los profesores y otros relacionados con el desempeño de los estudiantes.Palabras clave: aprendizaje de lenguas, competencia comunicativa, enfoque de aprendizaje basado en tareas, inglés como lengua extranjera.

Stroke in young adults accounts for almost 5-10% of all acute strokes 1 . Acute ischemic stroke in young adults requires a wide etiological study since it is usually due to infrequent or unusual causes of stroke. Frequently, the association of several prothrombotic conditions, such as prothrombotic drug therapy, increases the risk of acute ischemic stroke in young adults. CASE REPORTA 38-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of sudden, right-sided weakness and impaired language expression and comprehension. The patient had a history of tuberculosis ten years prior and of thrombophlebitis in the lower-left limb five months prior. She was taking oral contraceptives. Three weeks before admission she started treatment with daily tranexamic acid (500 mg tid) under gynecological supervision due to onset of active metrorrhagia, but no other risk factors for vascular disease were present.The patient had been well until the day of admission. The morning of hospital admission the patient had sudden rightsided hemiparesis and impaired language expression and comprehension.On examination, the mucous membranes were pale. The blood pressure was 110/65 mm Hg, and the pulse 100 beats per minute. The respiratory rate was 14 breaths per minute and oxygen saturation 93%, while she was breathing ambient air. She was not able to follow simple commands, nor to repeat words, name objects or speak at all. The pupils were round and reactive to light and the eyes were conjugately deviated to the left. There was a lack of menace reflex on the right side, a right-side facial droop, a right hemiplegia and a Babinski reflex of the right big toe (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale = 17). The computerized tomography and the cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extensive middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarct (Figure). The administration of intravenous tPA thrombolysis was ruled out because of active metrorrhagia.The serum levels of electrolytes and the results of renal and liver function tests were normal. Hemoglobin concentration was 7.7 g/dL. Coagulation parameters were normal. Antinuclear, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic and anticardiolipin antibodies all were negative. The lupus-anticoagulant was also negative. The proteinogram was normal. The plasmatic homocisteine level was 16.4 umol/L [4-15 umol/L]. Tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19.9, cancer-antigen 125, alpha phetoprotein and β-2 microglobulin) were normal. The hereditary thrombophilia test, including Factor V Leiden, protein C, protein S and antithrombin 3, was negative. The eco-Doppler