Abstract The homemade ice cream formulations produced from the partial replacement of dairy fat with unripe banana biomass (UBB) were elaborated and characterized. Formulations 1, 2 and 3 with 2.6%, 12.5% and 21.9% of reconstituted UBB, respectively in partial replacement of heavy cream were compared to the traditional formulation (0% UBB and 100% of heavy cream). The characterization included: physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses. Fat reduction of at least 22.6% in centesimal composition were noticed among the formulation with UBB (p < 0.05). The titratable acidity and meltdown rate of the formulations increased with the addition of UBB and fat reduction. The sensory analysis showed that the preference of the panellists reduced with substitution of cream for UBB. The traditional formulation and formulation 1 were the most preferred. There was no difference in the attributes of overall impression, appearance, creamy texture, color, sweet taste and vanilla flavor between the traditional formulation and formulation 1 in the acceptance test. It was also found that the intention to consume those same formulations was positive. Therefore, the production of ice cream using prebiotic fat replacers are an interesting option to be explored in an attempt to combine sensory acceptance with health benefits.

Resumo Introdução: A tuberculose (TB) é uma possível complicação grave do transplante de órgãos sólidos, associada à alta mortalidade e morbidade. A TB pós-transplante tem patogênese variada com muitas abordagens para sua prevenção, que é a forma mais importante de reduzir sua incidência. O tratamento da TB em receptores de órgãos é um desafio devido à toxicidade dos medicamentos e à interação com imunossupressores. Relato de caso: uma mulher de 18 anos que foi submetida a transplante renal de um doador falecido e recebeu alta com função renal adequada foi readmitida no 37º dia de pós-operatório com febre. A TC mostrou sinais de TB miliar e coleção de fluidos além de fistulização do enxerto através da pele. A paciente apresentou BAAR positivo no fluido drenado e bacilo de Koch na urina. Ela foi tratada com um esquema de quatro medicamentos (rifampicina, isoniazida, pirazinamida e etambutol), com ótima resposta e função de enxerto preservada. Fomos informados de que o receptor do rim contralateral também apresentou TB pós-transplante, implicando em uma origem derivada do doador. Conclusão: A TB é um importante diagnóstico diferencial para complicações infecciosas em pacientes após transplante de órgãos sólidos, especialmente em regiões endêmicas. Sua apresentação clínica inicial pode não ser específica e deve ser suspeitada na presença de febre ou formação de coleções de fluidos. A suspeita de TB é a chave para o diagnóstico precoce e desfechos satisfatórios na TB pós-transplante.

Abstract Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is a possible serious complication of solid organ transplantation, associated with high mortality and morbidity. Post-transplant TB has varied pathogenesis with many approaches to its prevention, which is the most important way to reduce its incidence. Treatment of TB in organ recipients is challenging because of drug toxicity and interaction with immunosuppressants. Case report: an 18-year-old woman that underwent kidney transplantation from a deceased donor and was discharged with fair renal function was readmitted at 37th postoperative day with fever. CT showed signs of miliary TB and fluid collection besides graft fistulization through the skin. The patient presented positive BAAR in the drained fluid and Koch's bacillus in the urine. She was treated with a four-drug regimen (rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and etambutol), with great response and preserved graft function. We were informed that the recipient of the contralateral kidney also presented post-transplant TB, implying in a donor-derived origin. Conclusion: TB is an important differential diagnosis for infectious complications in patients after solid-organ transplantation, especially in endemic regions. Its initial clinical presentation can be unspecific and it should be suspected in the presence of fever or formation of fluid collections. The suspicion of TB is the key to early diagnosis and satisfactory outcomes in post-transplant TB.

BACKGROUND The severity of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC), the most frequent clinical outcome of Chagas disease (CD), has been associated with cytokine-enriched heart tissue inflammation, and high serum levels of transforming growth factor (TGFβ), interferon-gamma (IFNγ), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF). Conversely, increased interleukin (IL)-10 serum concentrations have been associated with asymptomatic CD. Cytokines and cytokine-related gene polymorphisms may control cytokine expression and have been proposed to contribute to CCC outcomes. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the association of 13 cytokine-related genes (TGFB: rs8179181, rs8105161, rs1800469; IL10: rs1800890, rs1800871, rs1800896; IFNG: rs2430561; TNF: rs1800629; BAT1: rs3853601; LTA: rs909253, rs2239704; TNFR1: rs767455; TNFR2: rs1061624) with risk and progression of CCC. FINDINGS Four hundred and six seropositive patients from CD endemic areas in the state of Pernambuco, north-eastern Brazil, were classified as non-cardiopathic (A, 110) or cardiopathic (mild, B1, 163; severe, C, 133). We found no evidence of TGFB, IL10, TNF, or TNFR1/2 gene polymorphisms associated with CCC risk or progression. Only BAT1 rs3853601 −22G carriers (B1 vs. C: OR = 0.5; p-value = 0.03) and IFNG rs2430561 +874AT (A vs. C: OR = 0.7; p-value = 0.03; A vs. B1+C: OR = 0.8; p-value = 0.02) showed a significant association with protection from cardiopathy in a logistic regression analysis with adjustment for gender and ethnicity; however, the association disappeared after performing adjustment for multiple testing. A systematic review of TNF rs1800629 −308G>A publications included five studies for meta-analysis (534 CCC and 472 asymptomatic patients) and showed no consensus in pooled odds ratio (OR) estimates for A allele or A carriers (OR = 1.4 and 1.5; p-values = 0.14 and 0.15, respectively). In CD patients, TNF serum levels were increased, but not affected by the TNF rs1800629 −308A allele. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest no significant contribution of the analysed gene variants of cytokine-related molecules to development/severity of Chagas' heart disease, reinforcing the idea that parasite/host interplay is critical to CD outcomes.

Heart tissue inflammation, progressive fibrosis and electrocardiographic alterations occur in approximately 30% of patients infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, 10-30 years after infection. Further, plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and nitric oxide (NO) are associated with the degree of heart dysfunction in chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC). Thus, our aim was to establish experimental models that mimic a range of parasitological, pathological and cardiac alterations described in patients with chronic Chagas’ heart disease and evaluate whether heart disease severity was associated with increased TNF and NO levels in the serum. Our results show that C3H/He mice chronically infected with the Colombian T. cruzi strain have more severe cardiac parasitism and inflammation than C57BL/6 mice. In addition, connexin 43 disorganisation and fibronectin deposition in the heart tissue, increased levels of creatine kinase cardiac MB isoenzyme activity in the serum and more severe electrical abnormalities were observed in T. cruzi-infected C3H/He mice compared to C57BL/6 mice. Therefore, T. cruzi-infected C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice represent severe and mild models of CCC, respectively. Moreover, the CCC severity paralleled the TNF and NO levels in the serum. Therefore, these models are appropriate for studying the pathophysiology and biomarkers of CCC progression, as well as for testing therapeutic agents for patients with Chagas’ heart disease.