—
Sepsis affects 31.5 million people worldwide. It is characterized by an intense drop in blood pressure driving to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Modern supportive care has increased ...survival in patients; however, after experiencing sepsis, several complications are observed, which may be potentiated by new inflammatory events. Nevertheless, the interplay between sepsis survivors and a new immune challenge in cardiovascular regulation has not been previously defined. We hypothesized that cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) cause persistent cardiovascular dysfunctions in rats as well as changes in autonomic-induced cardiovascular responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Male Wistar rats had mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) recorded before and after LPS or saline administration to control or CLP survivor rats. CLP survivor rats had similar baseline MAP and HR when compared to control. LPS caused a drop in MAP accompanied by tachycardia in control, while CLP survivor rats had a noteworthy enhanced MAP and a blunted tachycardia. LPS-induced hemodynamic changes were related to an autonomic disbalance to the heart and resistance vessels that were expressed as an increased low- and high-frequency power of pulse interval in CLP survivors after saline and enhancement in the low-frequency power of systolic arterial pressure in control rats after LPS. LPS-induced plasma interferon γ, but not interleukin-10 surges, was blunted in CLP survivor rats. To further access whether or not LPS-induced autonomic disbalance in CLP survivor rats was associated with oxidative stress dysregulation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) plasma levels changes were measured. LPS-induced oxidative stress was higher in CLP survivor rats. These findings indicate that key changes in hemodynamic regulation of CLP survivors rats take place in response to LPS that are associated with oxidative stress changes, i.e., reduced SOD activity and increased TBARS levels.
A new classification for periodontitis has been adopted in clinical practice. However, there are still discussions regarding this new classification and difficulties in its adoption, both by ...professionals and researchers. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate which salivary biomarkers are present in periodontitis, following the new classification of periodontal diseases through meta-analysis.
A literature search was carried out in the scientific databases: PubMed, Scielo and Google scholar to select studies. The selection of studies was followed by two authors upon reading of the title, abstract and full text. The necessary data were collected and statistical analyses were performed using the Review Manager statistical software version 5.4, with calculation of Mean Difference, heterogeneity (I²) and funnel plot with P < 0.05.
After following the selection criteria, 9 articles were selected for comparison. The studies address the presence of biomarkers in the saliva of patients with periodontitis and their possible use in the monitoring and diagnosis of the disease. For the meta-analytic comparison, a sample size of 1,983 individuals was used. Statistical analyses showed that nitric oxide, IL-6, IL-1B and osteoprotegerin are substances that are significantly present in patients with periodontitis (P < 0.05).
IL-6, nitric oxide, IL-1B, TNF-α and osteoprotegerin are among the most present biomarkers in patients with periodontitis, and may be used in the future as a monitoring of periodontal disease. The present study also revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the concentration of these biomarkers for clinical distinction from periodontitis.
CO
2
mitigation by cycloaddition to bis-epoxides to obtain bis-cyclocarbonates (CC) paved one way to a new class of polyurethanes (PUs), the non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs). By using molecules ...functionalized with alkoxysilyl groups as end chain it is possible to obtain hybrid NIPUs, also called urethanesils, by sol–gel chemistry. Using bis-cyclocarbonate polydimethylsiloxane (CCPDMS) with proper diamines and end-chain amino silanes followed by sol–gel processing leads to versatile hybrid non-isocyanate polydimethylsiloxane urethanes (PDMS-urethanesil). This review reports—besides our recent studies about PDMS-urethanesil materials—the sol–gel chemistry applied to synthesize urethanesil and its applications. While the antimicrobial, photochromic, and anticorrosion properties of urethanesil loaded with phosphotungstic acid as well as the luminescent effect of material loaded with Eu
3+
have already been reported, antimicrobial features of urethanesil loaded with phosphoric acid are our newest findings which we herein report for the first time. The impact of the inorganic acid used on the sol–gel process is highlighted together with the importance of antibiofouling properties. Although the antibiofouling mechanism is still under investigation, the broad spectrum of action of phosphoric acid-loaded urethanesil is worth mentioning, since it has been tested to be efficient against some pathogenic bacteria including a drug resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
strain as well as pathogenic fungi and yeast. Due to the simple, straightforward, and highly reproducible synthesis as well as the opportunity to obtain versatile materials with tuneable mechanical and physical properties, this new class of hybrid materials promises to be applicable in different industrial fields.
Highlights
Combining CO
2
use and sol–gel processing yields versatile PDMS-urethanesils with tunable properties.
Key approach: combine non-isocyanate PU with silica and PDMS through aminolysis of cyclocarbonate.
Morphology control using inorganic acid as catalyst for sol–gel process.
Inorganic loading defines the application, e.g., as anticorrosion coating or as white-light emitter.
Novel finding with new applications, e.g., antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms.
Galactosemia is a rare genetic condition caused by mutation of enzymes involved in galactose and glucose metabolism. The varying clinical spectrum reflects the genetic complexity of this entity ...manifesting as acute neonatal toxicity syndrome, requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment, to more insidious clinical scenarios as observed in the subacute and chronic presentations. The current literature predominantly focuses on the long-standing sequelae of this disease. The purpose of this multicenter clinical report comprising 17 patients with galactosemia is to highlight the MR imaging patterns encompassing the whole spectrum of galactosemia, emphasizing the 3 main clinical subtypes: 1) acute neonatal presentation, with predominant white matter edema; 2) subacute clinical onset with a new finding called the "double cap sign"; and 3) a chronic phase of the disease with heterogeneous imaging findings. The knowledge of these different patterns together with MR spectroscopy and the clinical presentation may help in prioritizing galactosemia over other neonatal metabolic diseases and prevent possible complications.
The acidic fluids used in the acidification of oil wells can compromise metallic structures. As a consequence, corrosion inhibitors are needed to mitigate the corrosion process. Researches have been ...carried out on the use of eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors, which are obtained from low cost and sustainable source. In this work, Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), a by-product of the cashew nut industry, and the residue of its distillation (R) were evaluated as corrosion inhibitors for API P110 carbon steel in 15% HCl. The efficacy of eight organic formulations was assessed by mass loss, potentiodynamic polarization, linear polarization resistance and electrochemical impedance. CNSL and R were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR and TGA. The mass loss tests (298–353 K) revealed maximum efficiency of 99.47%, which was confirmed by electrochemical measurements. The formulations acted as mixed inhibitors. Molecular adsorption probably occurs through the oxygens and π electrons of the aromatic rings in agreement with DFT results. The formation of an inhibitor film was confirmed by SEM-EDX and FTIR. This study reveals the importance of sustainable assets, such as cashew nut residues, that when properly purified and formulated may exhibit high corrosion inhibition efficiency, even under aggressive conditions found in the offshore oil and gas industry. In addition, it represents a more noble application for a by-product in terms of value aggregation.
Display omitted
•Development of organic formulations for well acidizing;•Synergistic effect between CNSL and the Residue with Propargyl alcohol;•The corrosion rates are under the industry standard (5 mm/y) for two formulations (353K) and five formulations (333K);•Best efficiency was 99.47% at 353 K, showing that the formulation maintains its protection even in high temperature.
Display omitted
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is commonly used through intra-articular administration for viscosupplementation in osteoarthritis and other disorders. HA is generally supplied as an injection ...commonly reported as painful, with strong limitations after treatment. In this study, an alternative delivery system was constructed based on HA hydrogel and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles with oleic acid. Development studies included the determination of particle toxicity, hemolytic activity, in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity using macrophages and a murine model, respectively. This study showed that empty PLGA particles presented a mean size of 373 nm, while particles containing HA and oleic acid showed a marked particle size increase. The HA association efficiency was of 73.6% and 86.2% for PLGA particles without and with oleic acid, respectively. The in vitro HA release from PLGA particles revealed a sustained profile. Particles showed a good in vitro cell compatibility and the risk of hemolysis was less <1%, ensuring their safety. The in vivo anti-inflammatory study showed a higher inhibition for HA-loaded PLGA particles when compared to HA solution (78% versus 60%) and they were not different from the positive control, clearly suggesting that this formulation may be a promising alternative to the current HA commercial dosage form.
The epilepsies are commonly accompanied by widespread abnormalities in cerebral white matter. ENIGMA-Epilepsy is a large quantitative brain imaging consortium, aggregating data to investigate ...patterns of neuroimaging abnormalities in common epilepsy syndromes, including temporal lobe epilepsy, extratemporal epilepsy, and genetic generalized epilepsy. Our goal was to rank the most robust white matter microstructural differences across and within syndromes in a multicentre sample of adult epilepsy patients. Diffusion-weighted MRI data were analysed from 1069 healthy controls and 1249 patients: temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (n = 599), temporal lobe epilepsy with normal MRI (n = 275), genetic generalized epilepsy (n = 182) and non-lesional extratemporal epilepsy (n = 193). A harmonized protocol using tract-based spatial statistics was used to derive skeletonized maps of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity for each participant, and fibre tracts were segmented using a diffusion MRI atlas. Data were harmonized to correct for scanner-specific variations in diffusion measures using a batch-effect correction tool (ComBat). Analyses of covariance, adjusting for age and sex, examined differences between each epilepsy syndrome and controls for each white matter tract (Bonferroni corrected at P < 0.001). Across 'all epilepsies' lower fractional anisotropy was observed in most fibre tracts with small to medium effect sizes, especially in the corpus callosum, cingulum and external capsule. There were also less robust increases in mean diffusivity. Syndrome-specific fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity differences were most pronounced in patients with hippocampal sclerosis in the ipsilateral parahippocampal cingulum and external capsule, with smaller effects across most other tracts. Individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy and normal MRI showed a similar pattern of greater ipsilateral than contralateral abnormalities, but less marked than those in patients with hippocampal sclerosis. Patients with generalized and extratemporal epilepsies had pronounced reductions in fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum, corona radiata and external capsule, and increased mean diffusivity of the anterior corona radiata. Earlier age of seizure onset and longer disease duration were associated with a greater extent of diffusion abnormalities in patients with hippocampal sclerosis. We demonstrate microstructural abnormalities across major association, commissural, and projection fibres in a large multicentre study of epilepsy. Overall, patients with epilepsy showed white matter abnormalities in the corpus callosum, cingulum and external capsule, with differing severity across epilepsy syndromes. These data further define the spectrum of white matter abnormalities in common epilepsy syndromes, yielding more detailed insights into pathological substrates that may explain cognitive and psychiatric co-morbidities and be used to guide biomarker studies of treatment outcomes and/or genetic research.
Aiming at determination of anionic surfactants as milk adulterants, a novel procedure based on simultaneous protein precipitation and liquid-liquid microextraction (LLME) of the ion-pair formed ...between the analytes and methylene blue is described. Sample treatment, ion-pair extraction, and photometric detection with a smartphone camera were carried out in a single vessel, thus significantly simplifying the procedure and minimizing risks of contamination and analyte loss. The chloroform volume for both sample treatment and extraction of the ion-pair was only 150 μL and usual drawbacks of LLME, such as the need for phase isolation and dilution of the extract before spectrophotometric measurements were avoided. By using sodium dodecylsulfate as a model surfactant, and only 100 μL of sample, 25 μg of methylene blue, and 2.9 mg of EDTA, a linear response was achieved from 10 to 50 mg L−1, r = 0.999 (n = 5), with detection limit (99.7% confidence level) and coefficient of variation of 2.2 mg L−1 and 1.9% (n = 10), respectively. The proposed procedure is a simple, fast, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly approach for detection of milk adulterations by surfactants.
Display omitted
•A fast, cost-effective, and greener approach for detecting milk adulteration•Protein denaturation and liquid-liquid extraction in a single step•Digital images acquired with a smartphone camera without phase isolation•Suitable for point-of-care measurements
•Synergistic effect of cashew nut shell liquids residue with potassium iodide was confirmed.•Formulations containing intensifier reduced the corrosion rates in approximately 50%.•The highest ...efficiency was achieved by formulation containing more residue and less solvents (6.0 % v/v) at 333 K (96.76 %).•Theoretical results demonstrated that the corrosion inhibitor properties were intensified in acidic medium.•Iodide − cashew nut shell liquid residue interaction showed improvement of inhibition by increasing dipole moment values.
Industrial applications such as acid pickling and descaling justify the need for corrosion inhibitors. Among biomass derived inhibitors, there is the distillation residue of the cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), which consists of a polyaromatic structure. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the synergistic effect of CNSL residue with KI through experimental (15 % HCl) and DFT studies. Three theoretical models were used with different radicals drawn from the experimental chemical characterization of the CNSL residue (CNSL/phenyl, CNSL/n-butyl and CNSL/tert-butyl substituents). The formulation containing intensifier, B1 + KI, achieved 89.84 % efficiency when compared to B1 (83.52 %) by linear polarization resistance. The concentration effect of formulation B1 was also evaluated, and the highest efficiency was achieved by B1 (6.0 % v/v) at 333 K (96.49 %). The presence of inhibitory film was confirmed by EDS, and a more uniform surface was observed in the presence of the corrosion inhibitor formulations. The DFT studies revealed that the proposed CNSL residue model has the potential to be used as a corrosion inhibitor, especially the CNSL/phenyl inhibitor. In acid medium, it was demonstrated that the corrosion inhibitor properties were intensified. Finally, the analysis of the interaction of chloride and iodide ions with the CNSL/phenyl compound showed that the presence of halides can improve the inhibitory properties by increasing the dipole moment values.
PDF
