Our modern legal system is based on the principle of equality. But is equality perhaps not also a concept that inadequately describes the complexity of normative orders? Highly differentiated ...societies with a multitude of collective identities and functional rationalities are in a permanent state of tension with this legal postulate. The contributions to this volume examine how this tension has developed in Europe and Latin America over the last 200 years
► Less pronounced effect of temperature on enzyme activity in the presence of ultrasound. ► Decreasing of about 80% in the activation energy for activity determined in the presence of ultrasound. ► ...Enzyme showed activities about 3 times higher for temperatures up to 40°C in the presence of ultrasound. ► Promising procedure to be applied industrially to improve the activity of enzymes.
The main objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of ultrasound irradiation on the activity of a commercial amylase. A central composite design was carried out to assess the effects of temperature and pH on the enzyme activity in the presence and absence of ultrasound irradiation. The activation energy, the influence of treatment time as well as the substrate concentration on enzyme activity were also determined in the presence and absence of ultrasound irradiation. The results demonstrated that the effect of temperature was less pronounced in the presence of ultrasound, resulting in a decreasing of about 80% in the activation energy in comparison with the value obtained in the absence. The enzyme showed activities about 3 times higher for temperatures up to 40°C in the presence of ultrasound. The pH negatively affected the activity in the presence of ultrasound, whereas in the absence a positive effect was verified. The ultrasound irradiation is a promising technology to be used in enzymatic reaction due to its positive effects on enzyme activity.
Aim: Tropical forests account for a quarter of the global carbon storage and a third of the terrestrial productivity. Few studies have teased apart the relative importance of environmental factors ...and forest attributes for ecosystem functioning, especially for the tropics. This study aims to relate aboveground biomass (AGB) and biomass dynamics (i.e., net biomass productivity and its underlying demographic drivers: biomass recruitment, growth and mortality) to forest attributes (tree diversity, community-mean traits and stand basal area) and environmental conditions (water availability, soil fertility and disturbance). Location: Neotropics. Methods: We used data from 26 sites, 201 1-ha plots and >92,000 trees distributed across the Neotropics. We quantified for each site water availability and soil total exchangeable bases and for each plot three key community-weighted mean functional traits that are important for biomass stocks and productivity. We used structural equation models to test the hypothesis that all drivers have independent, positive effects on biomass stocks and dynamics. Results: Of the relationships analysed, vegetation attributes were more frequently associated significantly with biomass stocks and dynamics than environmental conditions (in 67 vs. 33% of the relationships). High climatic water availability increased biomass growth and stocks, light disturbance increased biomass growth, and soil bases had no effect. Rarefied tree species richness had consistent positive relationships with biomass stocks and dynamics, probably because of niche complementarity, but was not related to net biomass productivity. Community-mean traits were good predictors of biomass stocks and dynamics. Main conclusions: Water availability has a strong positive effect on biomass stocks and growth, and a future predicted increase in (atmospheric) drought might, therefore, potentially reduce carbon storage. Forest attributes, including species diversity and community-weighted mean traits, have independent and important relationships with AGB stocks, dynamics and ecosystem functioning, not only in relatively simple temperate systems, but also in structurally complex hyper-diverse tropical forests.
Cerebral malaria (CM) is the most severe manifestation of Plasmodium falciparum infection in children and non-immune adults. Previous work has documented a persistent cognitive impairment in children ...who survive an episode of CM that is mimicked in animal models of the disease. Potential therapeutic interventions for this complication have not been investigated, and are urgently needed. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are widely prescribed for cardiovascular diseases. In addition to their effects on the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis, statins have pleiotropic immunomodulatory activities. Here we tested if statins would prevent cognitive impairment in a murine model of cerebral malaria. Six days after infection with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) mice displayed clear signs of CM and were treated with chloroquine, or chloroquine and lovastatin. Intravital examination of pial vessels of infected animals demonstrated a decrease in functional capillary density and an increase in rolling and adhesion of leukocytes to inflamed endothelium that were reversed by treatment with lovastatin. In addition, oedema, ICAM-1, and CD11b mRNA levels were reduced in lovastatin-treated PbA-infected mice brains. Moreover, HMOX-1 mRNA levels are enhanced in lovastatin-treated healthy and infected brains. Oxidative stress and key inflammatory chemokines and cytokines were reduced to non-infected control levels in animals treated with lovastatin. Fifteen days post-infection cognitive dysfunction was detected by a battery of cognition tests in animals rescued from CM by chloroquine treatment. In contrast, it was absent in animals treated with lovastatin and chloroquine. The outcome was similar in experimental bacterial sepsis, suggesting that statins have neuroprotective effects in severe infectious syndromes in addition to CM. Statin treatment prevents neuroinflammation and blood brain barrier dysfunction in experimental CM and related conditions that are associated with cognitive sequelae, and may be a valuable adjuvant therapeutic agent for prevention of cognitive impairment in patients surviving an episode of CM.
The American College of Critical Care Medicine provided 2002 and 2007 guidelines for hemodynamic support of newborn and pediatric septic shock. Provide the 2014 update of the 2007 American College of ...Critical Care Medicine "Clinical Guidelines for Hemodynamic Support of Neonates and Children with Septic Shock."
Society of Critical Care Medicine members were identified from general solicitation at Society of Critical Care Medicine Educational and Scientific Symposia (2006-2014). The PubMed/Medline/Embase literature (2006-14) was searched by the Society of Critical Care Medicine librarian using the keywords: sepsis, septicemia, septic shock, endotoxemia, persistent pulmonary hypertension, nitric oxide, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and American College of Critical Care Medicine guidelines in the newborn and pediatric age groups.
The 2002 and 2007 guidelines were widely disseminated, translated into Spanish and Portuguese, and incorporated into Society of Critical Care Medicine and American Heart Association/Pediatric Advanced Life Support sanctioned recommendations. The review of new literature highlights two tertiary pediatric centers that implemented quality improvement initiatives to improve early septic shock recognition and first-hour compliance to these guidelines. Improved compliance reduced hospital mortality from 4% to 2%. Analysis of Global Sepsis Initiative data in resource rich developed and developing nations further showed improved hospital mortality with compliance to first-hour and stabilization guideline recommendations.
The major new recommendation in the 2014 update is consideration of institution-specific use of 1) a "recognition bundle" containing a trigger tool for rapid identification of patients with septic shock, 2) a "resuscitation and stabilization bundle" to help adherence to best practice principles, and 3) a "performance bundle" to identify and overcome perceived barriers to the pursuit of best practice principles.
The age and ability of salt marshes to accumulate and sequester carbon is often assessed using the carbon isotopic signatures (Δ14C and δ13C) of sedimentary organic matter. However, transfers of ...allochthonous refractory carbon (CRF) from the watershed to marshes would not represent new C sequestration. To better understand how refractory carbon (CRF) inputs affect assessments of marsh age and C sequestration, Δ14C and δ13C of both total organic carbon (TOC), CRF, and non-CRF organic matter fractions were measured in salt marshes from four contrasting systems on the North Atlantic coast. To our knowledge, no salt marsh sediment study has considered refractory or allochthonous carbon in carbon budget calculations or the impact on chronologies. Stable and radiogenic isotope data suggest that while TOC was dominated by autochthonous plant inputs, CRF was dominated by locally recycled or allochthonous C, the delivery of which was controlled by the size and slope of each watershed. Steep-gradient rivers analyzed delivered Δ14C-depleted CRF to their estuarine marshes, while the site located in the low-gradient river was associated with larger CRF content. Finally, the marsh isolated from riverine input contained the least fraction of TOC as CRF. Laterally transported CRF caused only a small offset in Δ14C in relation to TOC in low-gradient systems (average Δ14C offset was −44.4 and −24.2‰ at each location). However, the presence of allochthonous Δ14C-depleted CRF in sediments of steep-gradient rivers led to large overestimates of the time of organic matter deposition (i.e. apparent age was older than the ‘true’ time of deposition) (Δ14C offset ranged from −170.6 to −528.9‰). Further, reliance on TOC or loss on ignition analyses to calculate C sequestration by marshes might produce overestimates of at least as much as 10 to 20% since neither account for the lateral transport of allochthonous carbon.
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•We studied how refractory carbon inputs affect marsh age and C sequestration budgets.•We measured Δ14C and δ13C of total organic carbon (TOC) and refractory carbon (CRF).•TOC was dominated by autochthonous inputs, CRF was dominated by allochthonous C.•Allochthonous C delivery was controlled by the size and slope of each watershed.•Steep-gradient rivers delivered Δ14C-depleted CRF to their estuarine marshes.
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•Bioactive compounds can be produced in auto and heterotrophic conditions.•Glycogen, phycocyanin and antioxidants can be produced in heterotrophic mode.•It has potential for ...wastewater treatment coupled with production of bioenergy.•Polyextremophilty was achieved by horizontal gene transfers.
Extremophile microalgae are potential candidates for large-scale production because the extreme growth conditions help avoiding contamination, especially in open pond reactors. Considering the role of microalgae cultivation in integrated production systems, especially reusing wastewater and gaseous effluents, the search for new potential strains is of great value. The microalga Galdieria sulphuraria is able to grow both in acidic (pH 0–4) and high-temperature environments (45–56 °C). It is of great interest in biology and biotechnology because is considered one of the oldest eukaryotes on Earth and can be used to produce biomolecules. A bibliometric study identified 3 main areas of study about this microalga: genetics (genome sequencing, horizontal gene transfer), bioactive molecules (phycocyanin, specific branched glycogen, and antioxidants) and wastewater treatment (removal of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals). A critical analysis of the advances on the scientific knowledge about G. suplhuraria indicates that the combination of (i) polyextremophile conditions for growth, (ii) metabolic versatility, (iii) removal of nutrients/metals from wastewaters and (iv) production of high value-added products makes this microalga a potential candidate for large scale production in integrated and sustainable systems.
Antemortem detection of
infection in swine production systems has relied on antibody testing, but the availability of tests based on DNA detection and novel diagnostic specimens, e.g., tracheal swabs ...and oral fluids, has the potential to improve
surveillance. A field study was performed over a 14-week period during which 10 pigs in one pen at the center of a room with 1,250 6-week-old pigs housed in 46 pens were intratracheally inoculated with
Thereafter, one tracheal sample, four serum samples, and one oral fluid sample were collected from every pen at 2-week intervals. Tracheal and oral fluid samples were tested for
DNA and serum samples for
antibody. Test results were modeled using a hierarchical Bayesian model, based on a latent spatial piecewise exponential survival model, to estimate the probability of detection by within-pen prevalence, number of positive pens in the barn, sample allocation, sample size, and sample type over time. Analysis showed that tracheal samples provided the earliest detection, especially at large sample sizes. While serum samples are more commonly collected and are less expensive to test, high probability of detection estimates were only obtained 30 days postexposure at large sample sizes. In all scenarios, probability of detection estimates for oral fluids within 30 days were significantly lower than those for tracheal and serum samples. Ultimately, the choice of specimen type, sample number, and assay will depend on testing objectives and economics, but the estimates provided here will assist in the design of
surveillance and monitoring programs for different situations.
Nusinersen is an antisense oligonucleotide drug that modulates pre-messenger RNA splicing of the survival motor neuron 2 ( SMN2) gene. It has been developed for the treatment of spinal muscular ...atrophy (SMA).
We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled, phase 3 trial of nusinersen in 126 children with SMA who had symptom onset after 6 months of age. The children were randomly assigned, in a 2:1 ratio, to undergo intrathecal administration of nusinersen at a dose of 12 mg (nusinersen group) or a sham procedure (control group) on days 1, 29, 85, and 274. The primary end point was the least-squares mean change from baseline in the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale-Expanded (HFMSE) score at 15 months of treatment; HFMSE scores range from 0 to 66, with higher scores indicating better motor function. Secondary end points included the percentage of children with a clinically meaningful increase from baseline in the HFMSE score (≥3 points), an outcome that indicates improvement in at least two motor skills.
In the prespecified interim analysis, there was a least-squares mean increase from baseline to month 15 in the HFMSE score in the nusinersen group (by 4.0 points) and a least-squares mean decrease in the control group (by -1.9 points), with a significant between-group difference favoring nusinersen (least-squares mean difference in change, 5.9 points; 95% confidence interval, 3.7 to 8.1; P<0.001). This result prompted early termination of the trial. Results of the final analysis were consistent with results of the interim analysis. In the final analysis, 57% of the children in the nusinersen group as compared with 26% in the control group had an increase from baseline to month 15 in the HFMSE score of at least 3 points (P<0.001), and the overall incidence of adverse events was similar in the nusinersen group and the control group (93% and 100%, respectively).
Among children with later-onset SMA, those who received nusinersen had significant and clinically meaningful improvement in motor function as compared with those in the control group. (Funded by Biogen and Ionis Pharmaceuticals; CHERISH ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02292537 .).
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