Estudo da germinação e morfologia do desenvolvimento pós-seminal de Syngonanthus mucugensis Giul. “in vitro”

Syngonanthus mucugensis (Eriocaulaceae) grows in the “rupestres” fields of Bahia. Its economic importance rests in the use of both the stem and flowers in crafts, making extractivism an important economic activity within its distribution. Indiscriminate collecting is threatening populations of the species. This study sought to evaluate germination and post-seminal development of S. mucugensis in vitro, seeking to supply information for future works. After asepsis and water uptake for 24 hours, the seeds were placed to germinate in petri dishes under controlled conditions of light and darkness. In each petri dish, 20 seeds were placed on a culture mediun for germination (agar 7 g.L-1), with pH 5.7 adjusted prior to autoclaving (1 atm, 121ºC and 15 min). The results showed that the seeds of S. mucugensis need light to germinate, the germination is of the hypogeal type with success rate of 85%. The first phase of the post-seminal development begins with the protrusion of the embryonic axis from which the leaves and the radicular system are simultaneously developed. Approximately 25 days after the germination, the plants presented average length of 10 mm, about four leaves with malphigiaceous tricomes distributed along the margins and a radicular system consisting of two roots.Syngonanthus mucugensis (Eriocaulaceae) ocorre nos campos rupestres da Bahia. Sua importância econômica reside no uso em artesanatos das inflorescências e escapos. Isso confere a essa espécie alto valor comercial e o seu extrativismo constitui-se em uma importante atividade econômica nas regiões onde ocorre. A exploração tem sido feita de forma indiscriminada, o que expõe a espécie ao risco de extinção. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar as principais características da germinação e analisar a morfologia do desenvolvimento pós-seminal de S. mucugensis in vitro, visando fornecer subsídios para futuros trabalhos. Após assepsia e tratamento de embebição por 24 horas, as sementes foram colocadas para germinar em placas de Petri sob condições controladas no claro ou no escuro. Foram utilizadas 20 sementes em cada placa de Petri, contendo meio de cultura para germinação (7 g.L-1 de ágar), com pH 5,7 ajustado antes da autoclavagem (1 atm, 121 ºC e 15 min). Os resultados mostraram que sementes de S. mucugensis necessitam de luz para germinar, a germinação é do tipo hipógea com taxa superior a 85%, ocorrendo um embrião por semente. A primeira fase do desenvolvimento pósseminal inicia-se com a protrusão do eixo embrionário de onde se desenvolvem concomitantemente as folhas e as raízes. Aproximadamente 25 dias após a germinação, as plantas apresentaram comprimento médio de 10 mm, cerca de quatro folhas com tricomas malphighiáceos distribuídos pelas margens e um sistema radicular formado por duas raízes

Outcome in patients perceived as receiving excessive care across different ethical climates: a prospective study in 68 intensive care units in Europe and the USA

Purpose: Whether the quality of the ethical climate in the intensive care unit (ICU) improves the identification of patients receiving excessive care and affects patient outcomes is unknown. Methods: In this prospective observational study, perceptions of excessive care (PECs) by clinicians working in 68 ICUs in Europe and the USA were collected daily during a 28-day period. The quality of the ethical climate in the ICUs was assessed via a validated questionnaire. We compared the combined endpoint (death, not at home or poor quality of life at 1 year) of patients with PECs and the time from PECs until written treatment-limitation decisions (TLDs) and death across the four climates defined via cluster analysis. Results: Of the 4747 eligible clinicians, 2992 (63%) evaluated the ethical climate in their ICU. Of the 321 and 623 patients not admitted for monitoring only in ICUs with a good (n = 12, 18%) and poor (n = 24, 35%) climate, 36 (11%) and 74 (12%), respectively were identified with PECs by at least two clinicians. Of the 35 and 71 identified patients with an available combined endpoint, 100% (95% CI 90.0–1.00) and 85.9% (75.4–92.0) (P = 0.02) attained that endpoint. The risk of death (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.20–2.92) or receiving a written TLD (HR 2.32, CI 1.11–4.85) in patients with PECs by at least two clinicians was higher in ICUs with a good climate than in those with a poor one. The differences between ICUs with an average climate, with (n = 12, 18%) or without (n = 20, 29%) nursing involvement at the end of life, and ICUs with a poor climate were less obvious but still in favour of the former. Conclusion: Enhancing the quality of the ethical climate in the ICU may improve both the identification of patients receiving excessive care and the decision-making process at the end of life

The complete genome sequence of Chromobacterium violaceum reveals remarkable and exploitable bacterial adaptability

Chromobacterium violaceum is one of millions of species of free-living microorganisms that populate the soil and water in the extant areas of tropical biodiversity around the world. Its complete genome sequence reveals (i) extensive alternative pathways for energy generation, (ii) ≈500 ORFs for transport-related proteins, (iii) complex and extensive systems for stress adaptation and motility, and (iv) wide-spread utilization of quorum sensing for control of inducible systems, all of which underpin the versatility and adaptability of the organism. The genome also contains extensive but incomplete arrays of ORFs coding for proteins associated with mammalian pathogenicity, possibly involved in the occasional but often fatal cases of human C. violaceum infection. There is, in addition, a series of previously unknown but important enzymes and secondary metabolites including paraquat-inducible proteins, drug and heavy-metal-resistance proteins, multiple chitinases, and proteins for the detoxification of xenobiotics that may have biotechnological applications

Protein profiling as early detection biomarkers for TiO2 nanoparticle toxicity in Daphnia magna

ABSTRACT: The mode of action for nanoparticle (NP) toxicity in aquatic organisms is not yet fully understood. In this work, a strategy other than toxicity testing was applied to Daphnia magna exposed to TiO2-NPs: the use of nuclear microscopy and the assessment of protein profile. D. magna is a keystone species broadly used as a model system in ecotoxicology. Titanium (Ti) was found in the D. magna digestive tract, mainly in the gut. The penetration of Ti into the epithelial region was greater at higher exposure levels and also observed in eggs in the brood pouch. The protein profile of individuals exposed to different concentrations showed that 2.8 and 5.6 mg/L TiO2-NP concentrations induced an over-expression of the majority of proteins, in particular proteins with molecular weight of similar to 120, 85 and 15 kDa, while 11.2 mg/L TiO2-NP had an inhibitory effect on protein expression. The Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization with tandem time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) analysis of these proteins consistently identified them as vitellogenin (Vtg)-like proteins, associated with enzymes involved in redox balance. These results indicate that Vtg-like proteins are up-regulated in D. magna exposed to TiO2-NPs. Vitellogenesis is associated with the reproduction system, suggesting that TiO2-NP exposure can impair reproduction by affecting this process. The precise mode of action of TiO2-NPs is still unclear and the results from this study are a first attempt to identify specific proteins as potential markers of TiO2-NP toxicity in D. magna, providing useful information for future research.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A new copper(II) complex with 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone and 2,2-bipyridine: crystal structure, spectral properties and cytotoxic activity

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of a new copper(II) complex with 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone (HTTA) and 2,2-bipyridine (bipy). The complex was characterized by elemental analysis, UV-Vis, IR and EPR. The crystal structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The copper ion has a distorted square-pyramidal geometry and is coordinated to two bidentate ligands (HTTA and bipy) and a perchlorate ion weakly bonded in the apical position. The crystal packing is stabilized by non-classical hydrogen bonds and weak interactions π-π stacking. In the copper complex, the metal ion binds to HTTA via the oxygen atoms of the 'beta'-diketone group and to bipy via its two heterocyclic nitrogens. The title compound inhibits the growth of K562 cells with an IC50 value equal to 28.2 µmol L-1.CNPqFAPEMI

Pooling Saliva Sample as an Effective Strategy for the Systematic CMV Screening of Newborns-A Multicentric Prospective Study

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus is the most common cause of congenital infections worldwide. Screening all newborns in the first 2 weeks of life is the only way to detect all cases of congenital infection, allowing the monitoring of children with asymptomatic infection at birth and early intervention. AIM: In this multicenter study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using a saliva pool strategy for mass screening in 7 Portuguese hospitals, and to estimate the current prevalence of this congenital infection in these hospitals. METHODS: A total of 7033 newborns were screened between June 2020 and June 2022, and 704 pools of 10 saliva samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Of the 704 pools analyzed, 685 were negative and 19 had positive PCR results for cytomegalovirus. After individual PCR testing, 26 newborns had positive saliva results, of which 15 were confirmed by urine testing. Thus, this study's prevalence of congenital infection was 0.21% (95% confidence interval: 0.12%-0.35%). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the pooling strategy proved to be effective for the systematic screening of newborns, although this low prevalence raises questions regarding the cost-effectiveness of implementing universal screening. However, this prevalence is probably the result of the control measures taken during the pandemic; therefore, the rates are expected to return to prepandemic values, but only a new study after the pandemic will be able to confirm this.publishersversionepub_ahead_of_prin

Comparative study of esketamine and racemic ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: Protocol for a non-inferiority clinical trial

Carvalho, Lucas Pedreira de. Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica. Salvador, BA, Brasil. a Postgraduate Program in Medicine and Health, b Psychiatry Service, University Hospital, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, c LiNC—Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas, d Depatment of Anesthesiology, e PRODAF—Programa de Transtornos Afetivos, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, f Postgraduate Program in Psychology, Institute of Psychology, g Immunology Service, Universidade Federal da Bahial, h Clinical Research Laboratory (LAPEC), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Fiocruz-Bahia, Salvador, Brazil, i McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute & Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, j Center for Research and Clinical Trials Sinapse-Bairral, Instituto Bairral de Psiquiatria, Itapira, Brazil.Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2018-12-21T16:28:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Melo FSC Comparative_study_of_esketamine_and_racemic.64.pdf: 212500 bytes, checksum: 350198044d38100f8cc9dd703451de7c (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2018-12-21T16:45:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Melo FSC Comparative_study_of_esketamine_and_racemic.64.pdf: 212500 bytes, checksum: 350198044d38100f8cc9dd703451de7c (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-21T16:45:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Melo FSC Comparative_study_of_esketamine_and_racemic.64.pdf: 212500 bytes, checksum: 350198044d38100f8cc9dd703451de7c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018Allergan and Lundbeck and research fees from Janssen Pharmaceutical during the last 12 months. ALTL has received consulting fees from Janssen Pharmaceutical, Daiichi Sankyo Brasil, Cristalia Produtos Químicos e Farmacêuticos, Libbs Farmacêutica and SanofiAventis and has received research fees from Eli Lilly, H. Lundbeck A/S, Servier Laboratories, Hoffman-La Roche and Forum Pharmaceuticals during the last 12 months.Múltipla - ver em NotasThe use of ketamine as an option in the treatment of depressive disorder is growing rapidly, supported by numerous clinical trials attesting its efficacy and safety. Esketamine, the S (+) enantiomer of ketamine, is the most widely used form in the anesthetic environment in some countries, and new studies have shown that it may also be effective in depression and with better tolerability. However, no study so far has directly compared esketamine with racemic ketamine. Here we propose a protocol of a clinical trial to evaluate esketamine as a noninferior medicationMethods/design: This study protocol is for a randomized, controlled, double-blind noninferiority clinical trial. Subjects will be 18 years or older, with major depression characterized as treatment-resistant. Participants will receive a single infusion of either esketamine (0.25mg/kg) or ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) over 40 minutes. The primary outcome will be the difference in remission rates between the 2 treatment arms at 24 and 72hours after drug infusion. Secondary outcomes will include other timepoints, measurements of cognition, dissociation, and blood biomarkers. Discussion: A head-to-head study is the best way to evaluate whether the esketamine is in fact comparable to the racemic ketamine in terms of both efficacy and safety, and, if positive, it would be an initial step to increase the access to that type of treatment worldwide. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the local Institutional Review Board (University Hospital Professor Edgard Santos—Federal University of Bahia—Number: 46657415.0.0000.0049). Subjects will only participate after voluntarily agreeing and signing the Informed Consent Form. The study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Trial registration: This trial has been registered in the Japan Primary Registries Network (JPRN): UMIN000032355, which is affiliated with the World Health Organization. when compared to ketamine in the treatment of patients with treatment-resistant depression