Occurrence and phylogenetic significance of latex in the Malpighiaceae

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142034/1/ajb21725.pd

Cardiorespiratory fitness and sports activities in children and adolescents with solitary functioning kidney

Background: An increasing number of children with chronic disease require a complete medical examination to be able to practice physical activity. Particularly children with solitary functioning kidney (SFK) need an accurate functional evaluation to perform sports activities safely. The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of regular physical activity on the cardiorespiratory function of children with solitary functioning kidney. Method: Twenty-nine patients with congenital SFK, mean age 13.9 ± 5.0 years, and 36 controls (C), mean age 13.8 ± 3.7 years, underwent a cardiorespiratory assessment with spirometry and maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing. All subjects were divided in two groups: sedentary (S) and trained (T) patients, by means of a standardized questionnaire about their weekly physical activity. Results: We found that mean values of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and exercise time (ET) were higher in T subjects than in S subjects. Particularly SFK-T presented mean values of VO2max similar to C-T and significantly higher than C-S (SFK-T: 44.7 ± 6.3 vs C-S: 37.8 ± 3.7 ml/min/kg; p < 0.0008). We also found significantly higher mean values of ET (minutes) in minutes in SFK-T than C-S subjects (SFK-T: 12.9 ± 1.6 vs C-S: 10.8 ± 2.5 min; p <0.02). Conclusion: Our study showed that regular moderate/high level of physical activity improve aerobic capacity (VO2max) and exercise tolerance in congenital SFK patients without increasing the risks for cardiovascular accidents and accordingly sports activities should be strongly encouraged in SFK patients to maximize health benefit

Biodegradation of chiral pharmaceuticals by an activated sludge consortium followed by a Chiral HPLC-FD

Biodegradation tends to be enantioselective in contrast to abiotic degradation and it is necessary enantioselective analytical methods to quantify the enantiomeric fraction of chiral pharmaceuticals in the environment for correct risk assessment. In this work, we developed HPLC-FD methods to follow the biodegradation of four beta-blockers: alprenolol , propranolol , metoprolol and atenolol and the antidepressant fluoxetine during 15 days in batch mode. The biodegradation assays were performed using AS from the aerated tanks of a municipal wastewater treatment plant with a singly compound supplementation and a mixture compound supplementation similar to those found in wastewater influents. Abiotic degradation in the presence of light and in the dark was evaluated. Either the low concentration or the mixture effects are situations closer to those found in the environment. The results indicate the higher degradation extents for the S-enantiomer forms, as is shown in Figure 1

Health of Philippine Emigrants Study (HoPES): study design and rationale.

BackgroundImmigrants to the United States are usually healthier than their U.S.-born counterparts, yet the health of immigrants declines with duration of stay in the U.S. This pattern is often seen for numerous health problems such as obesity, and is usually attributed to acculturation (the adoption of "American" behaviors and norms). However, an alternative explanation is secular trends, given that rates of obesity have been rising globally. Few studies of immigrants are designed to distinguish the effects of acculturation versus secular trends, in part because most studies of immigrants are cross-sectional, lack baseline data prior to migration, and do not have a comparison group of non-migrants in the country of origin. This paper describes the Health of Philippine Emigrants Study (HoPES), a study designed to address many of these limitations.MethodsHoPES is a dual-cohort, longitudinal, transnational study. The first cohort consisted of Filipinos migrating to the United States (n = 832). The second cohort consisted of non-migrant Filipinos who planned to remain in the Philippines (n = 805). Baseline data were collected from both cohorts in 2017 in the Philippines, with follow-up data collection planned over 3&nbsp;years in either the U.S. for the migrant cohort or the Philippines for the non-migrant cohort. At baseline, interviewers administered semi-structured questionnaires that assessed demographic characteristics, diet, physical activity, stress, and immigration experiences. Interviewers also measured weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, blood pressure, and collected dried blood spot samples.DiscussionMigrants enrolled in the study appear to be representative of recent Filipino migrants to the U.S. Additionally, migrant and non-migrant study participants are comparable on several characteristics that we attempted to balance at baseline, including age, gender, and education. HoPES is a unique study that approximates a natural experiment from which to study the effects of immigration on obesity and other health problems. A number of innovative methodological strategies were pursued to expand the boundaries of current immigrant health research. Key to accomplishing this research was investment in building collaborative relationships with stakeholders across the U.S. and the Philippines with shared interest in the health of migrants

Co-Authorship of scientists in the energy field: an exploratory study of the ETDE World Energy Database (ETDEWEB) using Social Network Analysis

Paper presented at the 5th European Conference Economics and Management of Energy in Industry, Vilamoura, Algarve. Apr. 14-17, 2009, 11p. URL: http:// www.cenertec.pt/ecemei/This paper presents a preliminary exploratory study, using a social network analysis (SNA) approach to examine the structure of co-authorship collaboration within the research community in the energy field from 1995 to 2008. The domain of the study is Portuguese scientists, working either in Portugal or abroad; by foreign scientists working in Portugal or by scientists who have co-authored with either of these groups. The study uses the most common measures of macro (whole network) and micro (actor-centered) structures of this collaboration. The data used to design the social network was obtained from the Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE)’s Energy Database, which is the largest collection of energy research and technology literature in the world created under the umbrella of the International Energy Agency/Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development (IEA/OEC

Social network analysis applied to knowledge creation and transfer in the portuguese agricultural R&D field: an exploratory study

Paper presented at the 9th European Conference on Knowledge Management, Southampton Solent University, Southampton, UK, 4-5 Sep. 2008. URL: http://academic-conferences.org/eckm/eckm2008/eckm08-home.htmThere is growing interest in the nature and scale of scientific collaboration regarding the processes involved with knowledge creation and sharing. One of the possible approaches to developing metrics for this area of research is based on the idea that co-authorship creates a social network of researchers. We present an exploratory study using a social network approach to examine the structure and pattern of knowledge creation and sharing within a Portuguese research community, working in the agricultural field, over the last seven years. The members of this community are with the Instituto Nacional da Investigação Agrária (INIA) which recently became part of a newly created R&D State Laboratory, Instituto Nacional dos Recursos Biológicos (INRB), under the umbrella of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture Rural Development and Fisheries. The social network analysis used data from an information system containing the results from all the scientific activities developed in the last seven years by the research community working in INIA. The information system was the major result of AGRO 444 - Development of an Information System for Knowledge and Innovation Discovery and Diffusion in the Agro-Rural Sector, a project funded by Measure 8.1 of Programa AGRO, one of the policy instruments of “3º Quadro Comunitário de Apoio” (Third European Framework Aid to Portugal, 2000-2006). From this data, a knowledge network was developed based on co-authorship patterns extracted from the information system, covering the period 2000-2006. This knowledge network supported the analysis of specific paths through which knowledge sharing occurred and by which knowledge capital was nurtured within the agricultural R&D activities of this institution. The present exploratory study is concerned with the creation and evolution of the network at the biggest research unit within INIA, the Estação Agronómica Nacional (EAN). Here, there are over 140 actors developing research activities in the following sub-domains: natural resources and environment; crops protection; eco-physiology, genetic resources and breeding; production technology; post-harvest technology; and agricultural economics, sociology and development. The study seeks to understand the evolutionary process and to analyse the network structure, showing how knowledge creation and transfer takes place within this unit. The identification of such networked co-authorship relationships may suggest ways to more effectively utilize knowledge capital and other resources. It is also expected that this approach could be used to analyse the remaining six INIA units

Biodegradation of Beta-Blockers and Fluoxetine followed by a Chiral HPLC-FD

Despite of the massive publications concerning pharmaceuticals in the environment, the problematic related with chiral compounds and enantioselective degradation are still largely unknown [1]. Enantiomers have different interactions with enzymes, receptors and other chiral molecules, leading to different biological activities. Thus, biodegradation tends to be enantioselective in contrast to abiotic degradation. However, biodegradation studies regarding enantioselectivity on the process are scarce [2].] MATERIALS AND METHODS [Four beta-blockers: alprenolol (ALP), propranolol (PHO), metoprolol (MET) and atenolol (ATE) and the antidepressant fluoxetine (FX) were enantiomerically separated by a macrocyclic antibiotic vancomycin CSP (ASTEC Chirobiotic V 5µm) under polar organic mode phase (methanol:ethanol:triethylamine:acetic acid.50:50 v/v) and fluorescence detection for enantiomeric fraction quantification. The developed methods were established using a minimal medium inoculated with activated sludge (AS) as a matrix.] RESULTS AND DISCUSSION [The Chirobiotic VTM was able to resolve ALP and PHO as well as MET, ATE and FX in two short runs. A separation factor (α) between 1.12 and 1.34 and resolution (Rs) between 1.30 and 4.35 were obtained. The methods demonstrated to be selective and linear within the range, with detection limits between 2.5 and 10ng/mL. These methods were applied to follow the biodegradation of the target compounds. The biodegradation assays were performed using AS from a municipal WWTP and the results indicate the higher degradation extents for the S- enantiomer forms at initial concentrations tenfold above those found in the environment (10ppm and 5ppm). The same assays were performed at an initial concentration of 1ppm for a singly supplementation and at 0,5ppm for a mixture of compounds, a closer situation to the real environment.] CONCLUSIONS [To our knowledge, chromatographic enantioseparations of the mixture of ALP and PHO and the mixture of MET, FX and ATE using the Chirobiotic™ V, have not been previously reported. The feasibility of this application was confirmed by two biodegradation studies using AS, with S-form being faster degraded, showing stereoselectivity

Co-Authorship of scientists in the energy field: an exploratory study of the ETDE World Energy Database (ETDEWEB) using Social Network Analysis

Paper presented at the 5th European Conference Economics and Management of Energy in Industry, Vilamoura, Algarve. Apr. 14-17, 2009, 11p. URL: http:// www.cenertec.pt/ecemei/This paper presents a preliminary exploratory study, using a social network analysis (SNA) approach to examine the structure of co-authorship collaboration within the research community in the energy field from 1995 to 2008. The domain of the study is Portuguese scientists, working either in Portugal or abroad; by foreign scientists working in Portugal or by scientists who have co-authored with either of these groups. The study uses the most common measures of macro (whole network) and micro (actor-centered) structures of this collaboration. The data used to design the social network was obtained from the Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE)’s Energy Database, which is the largest collection of energy research and technology literature in the world created under the umbrella of the International Energy Agency/Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development (IEA/OEC

Chiral analysis of pesticides and drugs of environmental concern: biodegradation and enantiomeric fraction

The importance of stereochemistry for medicinal chemistry and pharmacology is well recognized and the dissimilar behavior of enantiomers is fully documented. Regarding the environment, the significance is equivalent since enantiomers of chiral organic pollutants can also differ in biodegradation processes and fate, as well as in ecotoxicity. This review comprises designed biodegradation studies of several chiral drugs and pesticides followed by enantioselective analytical methodologies to accurately measure the enantiomeric fraction (EF). The enantioselective monitoring of microcosms and laboratory-scale experiments with different environmental matrices is herein reported. Thus, this review focuses on the importance of evaluating the EF variation during biodegradation studies of chiral pharmaceuticals, drugs of abuse, and agrochemicals and has implications for the understanding of the environmental fate of chiral pollutants.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Malignant osteopetrosis: bone marrow transplantation

A osteopetrose é uma osteopatia hereditária caracterizada pela deficiência na reabsorção óssea que ocorre por disfunção dos osteoclastos. Com o acúmulo de material osteóide que oblitera o canal medular, ocorre hematopoiese extramedular (hepato-esplenomegalia), obliteração dos forames dos nervos cranianos (cegueira, surdez, paralisias faciais), macrocefalia, protusão da fronte, hipertelorismo, exoftalmo, aumento da pressão intracraniana, retardo na erupção dentária, atraso no crescimento, atraso no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor, e a morte ocorre precocemente nos primeiros anos de vida. A única alternativa terapêutica curativa é o transplante de medula óssea (TMO) de doador HLA idêntico, pois restabelece a hematopoiese e a função monócito-macrófago, com melhora das lesões ósseas e anormalidades hematopoiéticas, embora não reverta as alterações sensoriais já instaladas. Os autores relatam casos de duas crianças portadoras de osteopetrose maligna submetidas ao transplante de medula óssea com sucesso. A primeira encontra-se no dia +1260 do TMO, com melhora evidente da radiologia esquelética, sem progressão das deficiências neurológicas que apresentava, e com biópsia óssea sem sinais de osteopetrose. O segundo paciente encontra-se no dia + 700, com sinais de reabsorção óssea e sem progressão dos danos neurológicos. Os autores chamam a atenção para a necessidade de diagnóstico precoce da osteopetrose e o rápido encaminhamento para o transplante de medula óssea antes da instalação de seqüelas neurológicas definitivas.Osteopetrosis is an inherited disorder characterized by the inability to reabsorb and remodel bone due to osteoclast dysfunction. The encroachment by bone and mineralized cartilage of the medullary cavities leads to extramedullary hematopoiesis (hepatosplenomegaly) and cranial-nerve foramina leads to blindness, auditory nerve damage, and occulomotor and facial nerve palsies. Defective bone re-absorption also leads to macrocephaly, frontal bossing, hypertelorism, exophthalmos, increased intracranial pressure, retarded tooth eruption, retarded linear growth and psychomotor delay. Death occurs within the first years of life. The only curative therapy is allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with a HLA-identical donor, which restores hematopoiesis, monocyte-macrophage function and bone recovery, but there is no sensorial deficit restoration once present. The authors report two cases of allogeneic bone marrow transplant for infantile malignant osteopetrosis. The first child, on day 1260 after bone marrow transplantation (BMT), showed radiologic bone recovery and no progression of neurological deficits with a bone biopsy showing no signs of osteopetrosis. The second child showed signs of bone re-absorption and no progression of neurological deficits on day 700. The authors emphasize the importance of early diagnosis of osteopetrosis and the necessity of bone marrow transplantation before neurological deficits have begun