The consumer’s perception on sustainability

The term sustainability is an expression that has been widely used and disclosed today by several companies, either for durable goods and nondurable goods. This term is quite complex to be defined, because for a product to be considered sustainable it has to go through some pre-requisites such as social, environmental and economic, varying from environmental care to social consciousness related to the product. Therefore, this article aims at making a reflection about how the consumer has been realizing the issue of sustainability in the fashion segment. This is done through the analysis of the signs that lead people to believe that the consumer is becoming aware of the impacts of unbridled consumption over time and their reaction in relation to this idea. In order to do so, we aim at detecting the signs that have taken place within contemporary society and that can affect the fashion market. We also aim at addressing sustainability from the perspective of fashion products that are being developed, since their establishment, including raw materials, processes and management, aimed at social and economic development as well as environmental protection. To do so, we make a parallel between sustainable development, the direction of consumption and the designer's role in relation to the product and the consumer, in order to understand, and monitor the consumer perception from his/her power and responsibilities as an agent who transforms his/her space. We also report the emerging lifestyles in response to the economic crisis that spreads worldwide, and to environmental impact. So, we focus on a particular style named slow fashion, which arises in response to what as been made so far and only last a short period of time, because of the so-called fast fashion that currently is questioned as a global problem. Finally, we show the changing factors that are being decisive at the moment of the purchase, and assisting designers during these changes

A new language for creativity in fashion design

The development of innovative products in all business areas passes through different stages, starting with the research followed by creation until the project's conclusion. The creative process in shoes and clothing design involves the ability to group and rearrange existing elements, ideas and techniques for achieving solutions to meet the presented challenges. The creation process demystifies and breaks rules and put concepts together, so that, in the end, it can introduce a new language to fashion products. This study investigates the difficulties that creative professionals face when developing creative work for companies and the way that external factors can positively or negatively affect the development of new ideas. It also investigates the factors that can motivate the continuous work of fashion designers so their creative potential is not blocked. Throughout the study, theories of various authors were analyzed, discussed techniques on how to spark creativity, showing methods of how to facilitate the performance of the creative professional within an organization, so they can use the information in the best way to renew their creative potential. The results show that there are effective techniques to stimulate the creative, whether it is arising from a simple collection of past experiences, or from more elaborate techniques such as brainstorming, analogies, fractionation, suspension of value judgments, and challenge assumptions, among others suggested by De Bono

Fluoxetine Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using a Lignocellulosic Substrate Colonized by the White-Rot Fungus Pleurotus ostreatus

One of the main challenges in both the design of new wastewater treatment plants and the expansion and improvement of existing ones is the removal of emerging pollutants. Therefore, the search for economic and sustainable treatments is needed to enhance the removal of pharmaceuticals. The potential of a lignocellulosic substrate colonized by Pleurotus ostreatus, a waste from mushroom production, to remove fluoxetine from aqueous solutions was studied. Batch assays were performed to remove 600 µg∙L−1 fluoxetine from aqueous solutions using the colonized mushroom substrate (CMS) and crude enzyme extracts. The removal efficiencies achieved were, respectively, ≥83.1% and 19.6% in 10 min. Batch assays with sterilized CMS and 1-aminobenzotriazole (to inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes) showed that the higher removal efficiencies achieved in the CMS assays may be attributed to the synergistic contribution of biosorption onto the CMS and lignin modifying enzymes activity, namely laccase activity. A column assay was performed with the CMS, fed with 750 µg∙L−1 fluoxetine aqueous solution. The removal efficiency was 100% during 30 min, decreasing to a final value of 70% after 8 h of operation. The results suggested that CMS can be a promising eco-friendly alternative to remove fluoxetine from aqueous solutions

When prosthetic joint infection may lead to premalignant colorectal lesion detection

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common musculoskeletal disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common treatment for advanced OA. However, joint replacement surgeries may lead to complications such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), surgical site infection, and prosthetic joint infection (PJI). Our objective is to discuss a Streptococcus bovis group (SBG) PJI case after TKA and its possible consequences in clinical practice. We describe a 67-year-old female who underwent TKA and developed initial complications including wound hematoma, symptomatic anemia, and acute DVT. Further investigations because of knee pain persistence and inflammatory signs post TKA revealed the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in the synovial and scar tissues from the knee and SBG in the periprosthetic membrane from the revision surgery, as well as mitral infective endocarditis and a large stenosing villous polypoid lesion in the ascending colon. SBG osteoarticular infection post TKA is a rare condition, but it may be associated with severe diseases. This article highlights the link between SBG and colorectal cancer (CRC) and emphasizes the importance of an echocardiogram and a colonoscopy for early detection and prompt treatment of infective endocarditis and CRC. This diagnostic workup should be performed even in the absence of symptoms, for early diagnosis and increased chance of cure. A multidisciplinary approach, involving orthopedists, infectious disease specialists, cardiologists, and gastroenterologists, among others, is advised to effectively manage SBG infections and improve patient outcomes

Circulating Senescent T Cells Are Linked to Systemic Inflammation and Lesion Size During Human Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis induces American tegumentary leishmaniasis that ranges in severity from the milder form, cutaneous (CL) to severe disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis. Patients with CL develop a cell-mediated Th1 immune response accompanied by production of inflammatory cytokines, which contribute to parasite control and pathogenesis of disease. Here, we describe the accumulation of circulating T cells with multiple features of telomere dependent-senescence including elevated expression of CD57, KLRG-1, and γH2AX that have short telomeres and low hTERT expression during cutaneous L. braziliensis infection. This expanded population of T cells was found within the CD45RA+CD27− (EMRA) subset and produced high levels of inflammatory cytokines, analogous to the senescence-associated secretory profile (SASP) that has been described in senescent non-lymphoid cells. There was a significant correlation between the accumulation of these cells and the extent of systemic inflammation, suggesting that they are involved in the inflammatory response in this disease. Furthermore, these cells expressed high level of the skin homing receptor CLA and there was a highly significant correlation between the number of these cells in the circulation and the size of the Leishmania-induced lesions in the skin. Collectively our results suggest that extensive activation during the early stages of leishmaniasis drives the senescence of T cells with the propensity to home to the skin. The senescence-related inflammatory cytokine secretion by these cells may control the infection but also contribute to the immunopathology in the disease

A vegetação na Reserva Mata Viva, Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil

The vegetation in the Reserve "Mata Viva", Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil A vegetação na Reserva Mata Viva, Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil</htm

Rarity of monodominance in hyperdiverse Amazonian forests.

Tropical forests are known for their high diversity. Yet, forest patches do occur in the tropics where a single tree species is dominant. Such "monodominant" forests are known from all of the main tropical regions. For Amazonia, we sampled the occurrence of monodominance in a massive, basin-wide database of forest-inventory plots from the Amazon Tree Diversity Network (ATDN). Utilizing a simple defining metric of at least half of the trees ≥ 10 cm diameter belonging to one species, we found only a few occurrences of monodominance in Amazonia, and the phenomenon was not significantly linked to previously hypothesized life history traits such wood density, seed mass, ectomycorrhizal associations, or Rhizobium nodulation. In our analysis, coppicing (the formation of sprouts at the base of the tree or on roots) was the only trait significantly linked to monodominance. While at specific locales coppicing or ectomycorrhizal associations may confer a considerable advantage to a tree species and lead to its monodominance, very few species have these traits. Mining of the ATDN dataset suggests that monodominance is quite rare in Amazonia, and may be linked primarily to edaphic factors

The C242T polymorphism of the p22-phox gene (CYBA) is associated with higher left ventricular mass in Brazilian hypertensive patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reactive oxygen species have been implicated in the physiopathogenesis of hypertensive end-organ damage. This study investigated the impact of the C242T polymorphism of the p22-phox gene (CYBA) on left ventricular structure in Brazilian hypertensive subjects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We cross-sectionally evaluated 561 patients from 2 independent centers [Campinas (n = 441) and Vitória (n = 120)] by clinical history, physical examination, anthropometry, analysis of metabolic and echocardiography parameters as well as p22-phox C242T polymorphism genotyping. In addition, NADPH-oxidase activity was quantified in peripheral mononuclear cells from a subgroup of Campinas sample.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genotype frequencies in both samples were consistent with the Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium. Subjects with the T allele presented higher left ventricular mass/height^2.7than those carrying the CC genotype in Campinas (76.8 ± 1.6 vs 70.9 ± 1.4 g/m^2.7; p = 0.009), and in Vitória (45.6 ± 1.9 vs 39.9 ± 1.4 g/m^2.7; p = 0.023) samples. These results were confirmed by stepwise regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, blood pressure, metabolic variables and use of anti-hypertensive medications. In addition, increased NADPH-oxidase activity was detected in peripheral mononuclear cells from T allele carriers compared with CC genotype carriers (p = 0.03).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The T allele of the p22-phox C242T polymorphism is associated with higher left ventricular mass/height^2.7and increased NADPH-oxidase activity in Brazilian hypertensive patients. These data suggest that genetic variation within NADPH-oxidase components may modulate left ventricular remodeling in subjects with systemic hypertension.</p