Influence of carbonation on the chloride ion diffusion coefficient in fly ash concrete

The incorporation of fly ash (FA) in cementitious matrices has been frequently used in order to make the matrix more resistant to the action of chlorides. On the other hand, it is known that Ca(OH)2 existing in the matrix is consumed by the pozzolanic reactions, which makes easier the carbonation front advance. Given that the chloride ingress and carbonation are the two main causes of degradation in reinforced concrete, we speculate about the behaviour of FA concrete when the structure is submitted simultaneously to chlorides and carbonation. This work studied the influence of carbonation on the chloride migration coefficient in FA concrete. For this, specimens with 0% and 40% replacement of cement CEM I 42.5R by FA were casted with water/binder 0.55 and 0.50 respectively. After 90 days of curing period, half of samples were subjected to accelerated carbonation (20ºC ,55%RH and 4%CO2) for 1, 2 and 3 months. The other half was protected with plastic film during the same period. Non-steady-state migration tests, according to LNEC E463 (Portuguese specification), were performed with specimens subjected to both experimental conditions. The results show that, for these conditions, the carbonation has a direct influence on chloride diffusion coefficient, increasing it. For FA concrete samples this effect is more evident. In these cases, the carbonated samples studied showed a diffusion coefficient up to two times higher than noncarbonated ones. The increase in large capillary pores, caused by carbonation, can be responsible for the increase of chloride penetration into concrete subjected to combined actio

Tanino na dieta : efeitos antinutricionais em ratos Wistar com fontes proteicas distintas

02

Sleep deprivation affects inflammatory marker expression in adipose tissue

<p>Abstract</p> <p/> <p>Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase inflammatory markers in rat sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Inflammation is a condition associated with pathologies such as obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. We investigated changes in the pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines in different depots of white adipose tissue in rats. We also assessed lipid profiles and serum levels of corticosterone, leptin, and adiponectin after 96 hours of sleep deprivation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study consisted of two groups: a control (C) group and a paradoxical sleep deprivation by 96 h (PSD) group. Ten rats were randomly assigned to either the control group (C) or the PSD. Mesenteric (MEAT) and retroperitoneal (RPAT) adipose tissue, liver and serum were collected following completion of the PSD protocol. Levels of interleukin (IL)-6, interleukin (IL)-10 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were analysed in MEAT and RPAT, and leptin, adiponectin, glucose, corticosterone and lipid profile levels were analysed in serum.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>IL-6 levels were elevated in RPAT but remained unchanged in MEAT after PSD. IL-10 protein concentration was not altered in either depot, and TNF-α levels decreased in MEAT. Glucose, triglycerides (TG), VLDL and leptin decreased in serum after 96 hours of PSD; adiponectin was not altered and corticosterone was increased.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>PSD decreased fat mass and may modulate the cytokine content in different depots of adipose tissue. The inflammatory response was diminished in both depots of adipose tissue, with increased IL-6 levels in RPAT and decreased TNF-α protein concentrations in MEAT and increased levels of corticosterone in serum.</p

Efeito da substituição da caseína pela proteína do farelo de arroz estabilizado, com ou sem suplementação de lisina, em ratos Wistar em crescimento

10

SARS-CoV-2 requires acidic pH to infect cells

Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cell entry starts with membrane attachment and ends with spike (S) protein–catalyzed membrane fusion depending on two cleavage steps, namely, one usually by furin in producing cells and the second by TMPRSS2 on target cells. Endosomal cathepsins can carry out both. Using real-time three-dimensional single-virion tracking, we show that fusion and genome penetration require virion exposure to an acidic milieu of pH 6.2 to 6.8, even when furin and TMPRSS2 cleavages have occurred. We detect the sequential steps of S1-fragment dissociation, fusion, and content release from the cell surface in TMPRRS2-overexpressing cells only when exposed to acidic pH. We define a key role of an acidic environment for successful infection, found in endosomal compartments and at the surface of TMPRSS2-expressing cells in the acidic milieu of the nasal cavity.Peer reviewe

Genetically-Determined Hyperfunction of the S100B/RAGE Axis Is a Risk Factor for Aspergillosis in Stem Cell Transplant Recipients

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a major threat to the successful outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), although individual risk varies considerably. Recent evidence has established a pivotal role for a danger sensing mechanism implicating the S100B/receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) axis in antifungal immunity. The association of selected genetic variants in the S100B/RAGE axis with susceptibility to IA was investigated in 223 consecutive patients undergoing HSCT. Furthermore, studies addressing the functional consequences of these variants were performed. Susceptibility to IA was significantly associated with two distinct polymorphisms in RAGE (-374T/A) and S100B (+427C/T) genes, the relative contribution of each depended on their presence in both transplantation counterparts [patient SNPRAGE, adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.97; P = 0.042 and donor SNPRAGE, HR, 2.03; P = 0.047] or in donors (SNPS100B, HR, 3.15; P = 7.8e-4) only, respectively. Functional assays demonstrated a gain-of-function phenotype of both variants, as shown by the enhanced expression of inflammatory cytokines in RAGE polymorphic cells and increased S100B secretion in vitro and in vivo in the presence of the S100B polymorphism. These findings point to a relevant role of the danger sensing signaling in human antifungal immunity and highlight a possible contribution of a genetically-determined hyperfunction of the S100B/RAGE axis to susceptibility to IA in the HSCT setting

Draft genome sequence of Wickerhamomyces anomalus LBCM1105, isolated from cachaça fermentation

Wickerhamomyces anomalus LBCM1105 is a yeast isolated from cachaça distillery fermentation vats, notable for exceptional glycerol consumption ability. We report its draft genome with 20.5x in-depth coverage and around 90% extension and completeness. It harbors the sequences of proteins involved in glycerol transport and metabolism.The authors gratefully acknowledge Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencia e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE) and the Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM) for support with the sequencing of LBCM1105. This work was supported by CAPES/Brazil (PNPD 2755/2011; PCF-PVE 021/2012), by CNPq (Brazil), processes 304815/2012 (research grant) and 305135/2015-5, and by AUXPE-PVES 1801/2012 (Process 23038.015294/2016-18) from Brazilian Government and by UFOP. C.L. is supported by the strategic program UID/BIA/04050/2013 [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007569] funded by national funds through the FCT I.P. and by the ERDF through the COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional de Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (POCI). DMRP is a fellow from the CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico) - Brazil (310080/2018-5)

Open, laparoscopic, and robotic-assisted hepatectomy in resection of liver tumors : a non-systematic review.

Nas ?ltimas d?cadas, in?meros fatores transformaram as hepatectomias em opera??es mais seguras. A quimioterapia, juntamente com novas drogas para o tratamento de met?stases propiciaram melhores respostas, o que possibilitou a indica??o cir?rgica em pacientes que inicialmente n?o eram candidatos a ela. Les?es hep?ticas muitas vezes requerem ressec??o, que pode ser realizada tanto por laparotomia, por videolaparoscopia ou assistida por plataforma rob?tica.Several factors have made hepatectomy an increasingly safe surgery and new drugs allowed surgical treatment for patients who initially were not candidates for resection. Lesions often require resection, which can be performed by open, laparoscopic, or robotic assisted hepatectomy

Genome of the Avirulent Human-Infective Trypanosome—Trypanosoma rangeli

Background: Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite infecting humans and other wild and domestic mammals across Central and South America. It does not cause human disease, but it can be mistaken for the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. We have sequenced the T. rangeli genome to provide new tools for elucidating the distinct and intriguing biology of this species and the key pathways related to interaction with its arthropod and mammalian hosts.  Methodology/Principal Findings: The T. rangeli haploid genome is ,24 Mb in length, and is the smallest and least repetitive trypanosomatid genome sequenced thus far. This parasite genome has shorter subtelomeric sequences compared to those of T. cruzi and T. brucei; displays intraspecific karyotype variability and lacks minichromosomes. Of the predicted 7,613 protein coding sequences, functional annotations could be determined for 2,415, while 5,043 are hypothetical proteins, some with evidence of protein expression. 7,101 genes (93%) are shared with other trypanosomatids that infect humans. An ortholog of the dcl2 gene involved in the T. brucei RNAi pathway was found in T. rangeli, but the RNAi machinery is non-functional since the other genes in this pathway are pseudogenized. T. rangeli is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, a phenotype that may be explained by a smaller number of anti-oxidant defense enzymes and heatshock proteins.  Conclusions/Significance: Phylogenetic comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial genes indicates that T. rangeli and T. cruzi are equidistant from T. brucei. In addition to revealing new aspects of trypanosome co-evolution within the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, comparative genomic analysis with pathogenic trypanosomatids provides valuable new information that can be further explored with the aim of developing better diagnostic tools and/or therapeutic targets