The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality of 16 honey samples from Castelo Branco region (Portugal). Twelve are monofloral from and. The mean values obtained for physicochemical parameters were: 3.82 pH; 16.80% moisture; 81.6°Brix; 0.21% ash; 357.6 μS cm electrical conductivity; 33.7 meq/kg free acidity; 5.7 meq/kg lactonic acidity; 39.3 meq/kg total acidity; 9.11 mg/kg HMF; 21.3 IN invertase and 9.0° Gothe for diastase activities. The results indicate a good quality, adequate processing, good maturity and freshness of honey. Additionally, the determination of mineral contents revealed that the K was the major element. Mean values obtained were (mg/kg): Ca, 28.36; K, 701.87; Mg, 74.00; Na, 31.04; Fe, 097; Cu, 0.65; Zn, 1.23; Mn, 2.78 and P, 48.80. Among the overall determined parameters, CB2 stands out by its high values in minerals, pH, moisture, ash, electrical conductivity and enzyme activity.

There is increasing evidence that in humans the adaptive immunological system can influence cognitive functions of the brain. We have undertaken a comprehensive immunological analysis of lymphocyte and monocyte populations as well as of HLA molecules expression in a cohort of elderly volunteers (age range, 64–101) differing in their cognitive status. Hereby, we report on the identification of a novel signature in cognitively impaired elderly characterized by: (1) elevated percentages of CD8+ T effector-memory cells expressing high levels of the CD45RA phosphate receptor (Temrahi); (2) high percentages of CD8+ T cells expressing high levels of the CD8β chain (CD8βhi); (3) augmented production of IFNγ by in vitro activated CD4+ T cells. Noteworthy, CD3+CD8+ Temrahi and CD3+CD8βhi cells were associated with impaired cognition. Cytomegalovirus seroprevalence showed that all volunteers studied but one were CMV positive. Finally, we show that some of these phenotypic and functional features are associated with an increased frequency of the HLA-B8 serotype, which belongs to the ancestral haplotype HLA-A1, Cw7, B8, DR3, DQ2, among cognitively impaired volunteers. To our knowledge, this is the first proof in humans linking the amount of cell surface CD45RA and CD8β chain expressed by CD8+ Temra cells, and the amount of IFNγ produced by in vitro activated CD4+ T cells, with impaired cognitive function in the elderly.

No abstract

Abstract⎯Water is an essential resource to all living beings and its quality is fundamental to assure human health. There are few studies concerning groundwater from private drinking water wells which are not covered by the current quality legislation. Hence, we determined several physicochemical (pH, alkalinity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, chloride, nitrate, turbidity, hardness, biochemical oxygen demand, and chemical oxygen demand) and microbiological parameters (total microorganisms at 22 and 37°C, total coliform and Escherichia coli, intestinal enterococci, and Clostridium perfringens) in eleven groundwater sam ples from private drinking water wells. The physicochemical results revealed that 72.7% were very acidic (pH < 6.5), 72.7% presented high turbidity (>4 NTU), 63.6% had very low values of hardness (<150 mg/L), 9.1% presented high biochemical oxygen demand (>5 mg/L), and, finally, 54.5% presented high chemical oxygen demand (>10 mg/L). In addition, none of the samples were appropriate for consumption in microbi ological terms: 81.8 and 72.7% of the samples presented values of total microorganisms higher than 100 CFU/mL at 22°C and 20 CFU/mL at 37°C, respectively. The presence of total coliform and E. coli was reported in 54.5% of the analysed water samples, intestinal enterococci in 54.5%, and C. perfringens in 81.8%. Overall, we concluded, based on European and Portuguese legislation and World Health Organization guide lines, that none of the samples were appropriate to human consumption, in physicochemical and/or micro biological terms. This constitutes a major public health issue, as it could be a hazard to the human health, and special control measures should be taken.