Análise do índice de sustentabilidade empresarial para as empresas de energia listadas na bolsa de valores B³

This study presents the differences between the energy companies that were part of the ISE (Corporate Sustainability Index) in the period from 2012 to 2020 with other energy companies that were part of the B³, but were not part of the ISE in that period. The interest of this study occurs because sustainability has become more discussed by society around the world in recent decades. To observe the differences between the companies, descriptive analyzes were carried out. Descriptive analyzes were performed using economic and financial indicators made available by B³. The indicators used were: ROE (Return on Equity), EBIT (Earnings Before Interests and Taxes), Equity, Net Debt, ROA, Third Party Participation and the Composition of Indebtedness. The results indicate that companies that were present in the ISE from 2012 to 2020 have a higher average of EBIT, Equity and Net Debt. The RSPL, Third Party Participation and Debt Composition of the two groups were close. The ROA of the ISE energy companies was higher than that of the energy companies that were not part of the ISE in 2012, however, in 2020 the values were very close.Este estudo apresenta as diferenças entre as empresas de energia que fizeram parte do ISE (Índice de Sustentabilidade Empresarial) no período de 2012 a 2020 com outras empresas de energia que faziam parte da B³, mas não fizeram parte do ISE nesse período. O interesse desse estudo ocorre devido a sustentabilidade se tornar mais discutida pela sociedade em todo o mundo nas últimas décadas. Para observar as diferenças entre as empresas, foram feitas análises descritivas. As análises descritivas foram feitas usando indicadores econômicos e financeiros disponibilizados pela B³. Os indicadores usados foram: o RSPL (Retorno Sobre o Patrimônio Líquido), o EBIT (Earnings Before Interests and Taxes - lucro antes de juros e impostos), o Patrimônio Líquido, a Dívida Líquida, o ROA, a Participação de Terceiros e a Composição do Endividamento. Os resultados indicam que as empresas que estiveram presentes no ISE no período de 2012 a 2020 possuem maior média de EBIT, de Patrimônio Líquido e de Dívida Líquida. O RSPL, a Participação de Terceiros e a Composição do Endividamento dos dois grupos foram próximos. O ROA das empresas de energia do ISE foi maior que o das empresas de energia que não faziam parte do ISE no ano de 2012, no entanto, em 2020 os valores foram bem próximos

Concentração de finos de bauxita por concentração densitária

Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA) has a preparation plant at Itamarati de Minas, MG. This plant washes two different kinds of bauxite ore, one originating from the laterization of gnaisses and another from amphybolites. Both ores have the same behavior in the coarser size fractions but behave differently under 0.355 mm (42# Tyler). In these small sizes, gneissic ores are rich in quartz and amphybolitic ores are rich in iron and titanium bearing ores. The unit operations are: scrubbing of the feed in drum scrubbers, desliming in cyclones, and screening of the scrubbed bauxite in high frequency screens (0.355 mm) - the +0.355 mm product is a final concentrate. The -0.355 mm fraction is desliming in two stage cyclones and goes to a fines gravity concentration circuit of Reichert spirals complemented by magnetic separation of the light product from the spirals. The research work, including mineralogy, process development, batch tests and pilot plant tests, is described and compared to the actual results in the industrial circuit.A CBA (Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio) tem uma usina de beneficiamento em Itamarati de Minas, MG. Essa usina trata dois tipos de bauxita diferentes, um originado da laterização de gnaisses e outro de anfibolitos. Ambos os minérios têm o mesmo comportamento nas frações granulométricas grosseiras, mas tornam-se diferentes abaixo de 0,355 mm (42 # Tyler). Nesses tamanhos menores, os minérios gnáissicos são ricos em quartzo e os anfibolíticos são minerais portadores de ferro e titânio. As operações unitárias de preparação são a desagregação da alimentação em desagregadores de tambor (“scrubbers”), a deslamagem em ciclones e o peneiramento do minério desagregado em peneiras de alta freqüência em 0,355 mm (42# Tyler) - o produto retido em 0,355 mm é um concentrado final. O produto passante em 0,355 mm é deslamado em dois estágios de ciclones e vai para a separação final em espirais Reichert, sendo tal operação completada por separação magnética do produto leve das espirais. O trabalho de desenvolvimento de pesquisa, incluindo mineralogia, desenvolvimento de processo, ensaios em bancada e em escala-piloto, é descrito nesse trabalho e comparado com os resultados operacionais do circuito industrial

Anti-tumor efficacy assessment of the sigma receptor pan modulator RC-106. A promising therapeutic tool for pancreatic cancer

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal tumor worldwide, with no prognosis improvement over the past 20-years. The silent progressive nature of this neoplasia hampers the early diagnosis, and the surgical resection of the tumor, thus chemotherapy remains the only available therapeutic option. Sigma receptors (SRs) are a class of receptors proposed as new cancer therapeutic targets due to their over-expression in tumor cells and their involvement in cancer biology. The main localization of these receptors strongly suggests their potential role in ER unfolded protein response (ER-UPR), a condition frequently occurring in several pathological settings, including cancer. Our group has recently identified RC-106, a novel pan-SR modulator with good in vitro antiproliferative activities toward a panel of different cancer cell lines. In the present study, we investigated the in vitro properties and pharmacological profile of RC-106 in PC cell lines with the aim to identify a potential lead candidate for the treatment of this tumor. Methods: Pancreatic cancer cell lines Panc-1, Capan-1, and Capan-2 have been used in all experiments. S1R and TMEM97/S2R expression in PC cell lines was quantified by Real-Time qRT-PCR and Western Blot experiments. MTS assay was used to assess the antiproliferative effect of RC-106. The apoptotic properties of RC-106 was evaluated by TUNEL and caspase activation assays. GRP78/BiP, ATF4, and CHOP was quantified to evaluate ER-UPR. Proteasome activity was investigated by a specific fluorescent-based assay. Scratch wound healing assay was used to asses RC-106 effect on cell migration. In addition, we delineated the in vivo pharmacokinetic profile and pancreas distribution of RC-106 in male CD-1 mice. Results: Panc-1, Capan-1, and Capan-2 express both SRs. RC-106 exerts an antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effect in all examined cell lines. Cells exposure to RC-106 induces the increase of the expression of ER-UPR related proteins, and the inhibition of proteasome activity. Moreover, RC-106 is able to decrease PC cell lines motility. The in vivo results show that RC-106 is more concentrated in pancreas than plasma. Conclusion: Overall, our data evidenced that the pan-SR modulator RC-106 is an optimal candidate for in vivo studies in animal models of PC

Subcritical co-solvents extraction of lipid from wet microalgae pastes of Nannochloropsis sp

In this paper subcritical co-solvents extraction (SCE) of algal lipid from wet pastes of Nannochloropsis sp. is examined. The influences of five operating parameters including the ratio between ethanol to hexane, the ratio of mixed solvents to algal biomass (dry weight), extraction temperature, pressure, and time were investigated. The determined optimum extraction conditions were 3:1 (hexane to ethanol ratio), 10:1 ratio (co-solvents to microalgae (dry weight) ratio), 90°C, 1.4 MPa, and 50 min, which could produce 88% recovery rate of the total lipids. In addition, electron micrographs of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to show that the algal cell presented shrunken, collapsed with some wrinkles and microholes after SCE extraction. The main composition of total lipids extracted under the optimum conditions was TAG which represented more than 80%. And the fatty acid profile of triglycerides revealed that C16:0 (35.67 ± 0.2%), C18:1 (26.84 ± 0.044%) and C16:1 (25.96 ± 0.011%) were dominant

Givinostat-Liposomes: Anti-Tumor Effect on 2D and 3D Glioblastoma Models and Pharmacokinetics

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive brain tumor, associated with poor prognosis and survival, representing a challenging medical issue for neurooncologists. Dysregulation of histone-modifying enzymes (HDACs) is commonly identified in many tumors and has been linked to cancer proliferation, changes in metabolism, and drug resistance. These findings led to the development of HDAC inhibitors, which are limited by their narrow therapeutic index. In this work, we provide the proof of concept for a delivery system that can improve the in vivo half-life and increase the brain delivery of Givinostat, a pan-HDAC inhibitor. Here, 150-nm-sized liposomes composed of cholesterol and sphingomyelin with or without surface decoration with mApoE peptide, inhibited human glioblastoma cell growth in 2D and 3D models by inducing a time-and dose-dependent reduction in cell viability, reduction in the receptors involved in cholesterol metabolism (from −25% to −75% of protein levels), and reduction in HDAC activity (−25% within 30 min). In addition, liposome-Givinostat formulations showed a 2.5-fold increase in the drug half-life in the bloodstream and a 6-fold increase in the amount of drug entering the brain in healthy mice, without any signs of overt toxicity. These features make liposomes loaded with Givinostat valuable as potential candidates for glioblastoma therapy

Determinants of pre-vaccination antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2: a population-based longitudinal study (COVIDENCE UK)

BACKGROUND: Prospective population-based studies investigating multiple determinants of pre-vaccination antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 are lacking. METHODS: We did a prospective population-based study in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-naive UK adults recruited between May 1 and November 2, 2020, without a positive swab test result for SARS-CoV-2 prior to enrolment. Information on 88 potential sociodemographic, behavioural, nutritional, clinical and pharmacological risk factors was obtained through online questionnaires, and combined IgG/IgA/IgM responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein were determined in dried blood spots obtained between November 6, 2020, and April 18, 2021. We used logistic and linear regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and adjusted geometric mean ratios (aGMRs) for potential determinants of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity (all participants) and antibody titres (seropositive participants only), respectively. RESULTS: Of 11,130 participants, 1696 (15.2%) were seropositive. Factors independently associated with  higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity included frontline health/care occupation (aOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.48–2.33), international travel (1.20, 1.07–1.35), number of visits to shops and other indoor public places (≥ 5 vs. 0/week: 1.29, 1.06–1.57, P-trend = 0.01), body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 vs. < 25 kg/m(2) (1.24, 1.11–1.39), South Asian vs. White ethnicity (1.65, 1.10–2.49) and alcohol consumption ≥15 vs. 0 units/week (1.23, 1.04–1.46). Light physical exercise associated with  lower risk (0.80, 0.70–0.93, for ≥ 10 vs. 0–4 h/week). Among seropositive participants, higher titres of anti-Spike antibodies associated with factors including BMI ≥ 30 vs. < 25 kg/m(2) (aGMR 1.10, 1.02–1.19), South Asian vs. White ethnicity (1.22, 1.04–1.44), frontline health/care occupation (1.24, 95% CI 1.11–1.39), international travel (1.11, 1.05–1.16) and number of visits to shops and other indoor public places (≥ 5 vs. 0/week: 1.12, 1.02–1.23, P-trend = 0.01); these associations were not substantially attenuated by adjustment for COVID-19 disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: Higher alcohol consumption and lower light physical exercise represent new modifiable risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Recognised associations between South Asian ethnic origin and obesity and higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity were independent of other sociodemographic, behavioural, nutritional, clinical, and pharmacological factors investigated. Among seropositive participants, higher titres of anti-Spike antibodies in people of South Asian ancestry and in obese people were not explained by greater COVID-19 disease severity in these groups. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12916-022-02286-4

In Vivo and In Vitro Activities and ADME-Tox Profile of a Quinolizidine-Modified 4-Aminoquinoline: A Potent Anti-P. falciparum and Anti-P. vivax Blood-Stage Antimalarial.

Natural products are a prolific source for the identification of new biologically active compounds. In the present work, we studied the in vitro and in vivo antimalarial efficacy and ADME-Tox profile of a molecular hybrid (AM1) between 4-aminoquinoline and a quinolizidine moiety derived from lupinine (Lupinus luteus). The aim was to find a compound endowed with the target product profile-1 (TCP-1: molecules that clear asexual blood-stage parasitaemia), proposed by the Medicine for Malaria Venture to accomplish the goal of malaria elimination/eradication. AM1 displayed a very attractive profile in terms of both in vitro and in vivo activity. By using standard in vitro antimalarial assays, AM1 showed low nanomolar inhibitory activity against chloroquine-sensitive and resistant P. falciparum strains (range IC50 16-53 nM), matched with a high potency against P. vivax field isolates (Mean IC50 29 nM). Low toxicity and additivity with artemisinin derivatives were also demonstrated in vitro. High in vivo oral efficacy was observed in both P.berghei and P. yoelii mouse models with IC50 values comparable or better than those of chloroquine. The metabolic stability in different species and the pharmacokinetic profile in the mouse model makes AM1 a compound worth further investigation as a potential novel schizonticidal agent

Análise termodinâmica da produção de 1,3- butadieno a partir do etanol aplicando o método da minimização da energia livre de GIBBS / Thermodynamic analysis of 1,3- butadiene production from ethanol applying the GIBBS free energy minimization method

Conhecer a conversão no equilíbrio de uma reação fornece uma meta para balizar otimizações em qualquer processo. A conversão depende de fatores como temperatura, pressão e composição dos reagentes. Diante disso, foi desenvolvido um algoritmo computacional que realiza a análise termodinâmica de reações, aplicando o método da minimização da energia livre de Gibbs. A reação analisada foi a produção de 1,3-butadieno a partir do etanol, composto importante na produção de borrachas sintéticas. O 1,3-butadieno é produzido em duas etapas, passando pela produção de acetaldeído. Foi encontrada uma razão ótima de C2H6O:C2H4O de 3:1, a partir do qual ocorre a conversão final para 1,3-butadieno. Estudou-se a influência da temperatura na conversão, com valores de 100 a 900ºC, à 1 bar. Conclui-se que a melhor faixa de temperatura é entre 250 e 350 ºC, para atingir uma razão de C2H6O:C2H4O. de 3:1 objetivando otimizar a conversão de 1,3-butadieno, encontrando um valor de 28%.