Haemodynamic and analgesic control in a perioperative opioid-free approach to bariatric surgery – A case report

New approaches to bariatric surgery aim to achieve stress-free anaesthesia with sympathetic stability to protect organs and provide sufficient tissue perfusion, analgesia and rapid emergence. Opioid-free and multimodal approaches to anaesthesia provide intra- and post-operative sedation and analgesia, particularly advantageous in morbidly obese patients, but their feasibility and efficacy are still disputed. We describe the case of a female patient proposed for laparoscopic bariatric surgery, conducted under an opioid-free anaesthesia protocol, the haemodynamic, ventilatory and analgesic control, and intra- and post-operative monitoring and complications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploring the diversity of anaerobic sludge towards glycerol valorization

The large amounts of glycerol produced by the biodiesel industry (10 % of the total biodiesel production) can create environmental and economic losses if sustainable strategies are not applied to utilize the surplus of this compound. The production of valuable chemical compounds by anaerobic microorganisms can be a sustainable treatment strategy to add value to waste-glycerol and to the biodiesel industry. The objective of this work was to study the diversity and physiology of anaerobic microorganisms involved in glycerol consumption and valorization. Mesophilic enrichments were developed under sulfate-reducing and methanogenic conditions, using as inoculum anaerobic granular sludge from a brewery wastewater treatment plant. After several transfers, three different stable cultures were obtained, with the capacity to grow with glycerol under different culture conditions. One enrichment, ferments glycerol mainly to propionate, with a yield of 0.88 mM propionate per mM glycerol consumed. This culture is dominated by a bacterium closely affiliated with Propionivibrio pelophilus strain asp 66, 98.5% ID based on 16S rRNA genes. The P. pelophilus strain asp 66 was reported to be unable to grow with glycerol. A second enriched culture was obtained which is constituted of Desulfovibrio alcoholivorans, 99.5% ID, and the methanogen Methanofollis liminatans strain GKZOZ, 98.8% ID. Incubations with 2-bromoethanesulfonate confirmed that this is a syntrophic co-culture. Desulfovibrio alcoholivorans converts the glycerol to acetate and H2 and the methanogenic partner consumes the H2, making glycerol degradation thermodynamically viable. In the third enriched culture, Desulfovibrio sulfodismutans strain ThAcO1, 97.5 % ID, reduces glycerol to acetate, but only in the presence of sulfate or a methanogenic partner. In conclusion, starting from the same inoculum (anaerobic sludge), glycerol could be metabolized through different pathways by the enrichment cultures obtained. Fermentative, syntrophic and sulfate-reducing cultures were enriched forming valuable products that can be used in industrial applications or as energy carriers. Thus, anaerobic microbial communities are an asset to surpass the bottleneck of biodiesel production caused by the surplus of glycerol, allowing it to be sustainably treated and valorized.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pseudomonas empower syntrophic fatty acids degradation in the presence of oxygen

Anaerobic digestion (AD) processes specifically directed towards biogas production are currently of great interest worldwide, due to the urgent need of more sustainable energy sources. Although not consensual, oxygen has been shown as an ally of AD processes, resulting in more efficient biogas production when added to the systems in vestigial doses. It has been suggested that it stimulates facultative anaerobic bacteria (FAB), which are generally present in the anaerobic communities. These bacteria are involved in several steps of AD (fermentation and acidogenesis) but have also been referred to protect the strict anaerobes from oxidative stress [1]. In this work, the influence of FAB in the degradation of short-, medium- and long-chain fatty acids (C4, butyrate; C8, octanoate; C16, hexadecanoate) by two syntrophic co-cultures was investigated. Syntrophomonas wolfei (Sw)/ Methanospirillum hungatei (Mh) and S. zehnderi (Sz)/ Methanobacterium formicicum (Mf) were pre-grown and Pseudomonas sp. (FAB) were further added, along with each substrate over a range of O2 concentrations (0-2 % v/v). In a second transfer, each culture was exposed to the same O2 concentration range. Both syntrophic co-cultures (Sw+Mh and Sz+Mf) had their activity highly reduced, or even completely inhibited, in the presence of O2. Interestingly, the theoretical CH4 production expected from C8 was reached by consortium Sw+Mh+Ps at days 3, 8 and 28 under 0%, 1% and 2% O2, respectively. The same trend was observed for consortium Sz+Mf+Ps. C4 and C16 degradation occurred similarly to C8 degradation, presenting similar results and the same tendency for both tested consortia. This data suggests a positive interaction and network establishment between these organisms. Apparently, Pseudomonas consumed the oxygen allowing the creation of a reduced environment, a requirement for an effective development of the strict anaerobic syntrophic co-cultures. In the 2nd transfer, the protective support of Pseudomonas was maintained. Moreover, it was verified that the cultures (Sw+Mh+Ps and Sz+Mf+Ps) previously exposed to O2 preserved their activity either under anoxic or microaerophilic conditions. These results show the essential role of Pseudomonas in the protection of syntrophic co-cultures activity, empowering fatty acids degradation under microaerophilic conditions. Furthermore, it highlights the FAB/Pseudomonas importance in real AD systems (where vestigial amounts of O2 can be detected) for the stability and resilience of the system maintaining syntrophic communities functionality and biogas production.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Isolamento social e ocupações/Social isolation and occupations

O Isolamento social tem sido uma das principais e mais importantes estratégia no combate ao avanço da disseminação da COVID-19. O Isolamento social tem levado milhões de pessoas no mundo a novas formas de se engajar nas ocupações do dia-a-dia como o trabalho, as atividades de lazer e as atividades da vida diária. Os modos de se ocupar do que gostamos e desejamos estão modificados ou podem não ocorrer da maneira como estávamos acostumados ou da forma como desejamos que elas ocorram. Uma reflexão necessária que se debruça sobre temas relevantes e revela uma dimensão ocupacional a partir das repercussões vividas neste momento. AbstractSocial isolation has been one of the main and most important strategies in combating the advancement of the spread of COVID-19. Social isolation has taken millions of people around the world to new ways of engaging in day-to-day occupations such as work, leisure activities and activities of daily living. The ways of dealing with what we like and desire are modified or may not occur the way we were used to or the way we want them to occur. A necessary reflection that focuses on relevant themes and reveals an occupational dimension based on the repercussions experienced at this time.Key words: Sars-Cov-2, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pandemic, Social isolation, Occupation. ResumenEl aislamiento social ha sido una de las principales y más importantes estrategias para combatir el avance de la propagación de COVID-19. El aislamiento social ha llevado a millones de personas en todo el mundo a nuevas formas de participar en las ocupaciones cotidianas, como el trabajo, las actividades de ocio y las actividades de la vida diaria. Las formas de lidiar con lo que nos gusta y deseamos se modifican o pueden no ocurrir de la manera en que estábamos acostumbrados o de la forma en que queremos que ocurran. Una reflexión necesaria que se centra en temas relevantes y revela una dimensión ocupacional basada en las repercusiones experimentadas en este momento.Palabras clave: Sars-Cov-2, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pandemia, Aislamiento social, Ocupación.

Facultative anaerobic bacteria: key players in syntrophic fatty acids degradation under microaerophilic conditions

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a mature technology that contributes to the sustainable development through the production of energy and products, using microbes as key players. Oxygen, formerly thought as the nemesis of AD, has been shown to benefit the AD processes when provided in vestigial doses [1]. The beneficial effects of micro-aeration have been attributed to the increased activity of facultative anaerobic bacteria (FAB). Besides being involved in fermentation and acidogenesis, FAB have been referred to act as a protective shield against the damaging effects of oxidative stress to the strict anaerobic communities [2]. However, their role in the syntrophic degradation of fatty acids is not clear. In this work, the relationship between syntrophic bacteria (Syntrophomonas wolfei (Sw) and S. zehnderi (Sz)), methanogens (Methanospirillum hungatei (Mh) and Methanobacterium formicicum (Mf)) and FAB (Pseudomonas strains (Ps)) was investigated, during the degradation of short (C4, butyrate), medium (C8, octanoate) and long (C16, hexadecanoate). The syntrophic co-cultures were pre-grown and the Pseudomonas spp. were further added, along with each substrate, over a range of O2 concentrations (0-2 % v/v). A second transfer was performed, exposing each of the cultures to O2 concentrations between 0-2% (v/v). In the presence of O2 (even at the lower concentrations) the activity of the syntrophic cocultures sharply decreased or even disappeared. However, in the presence of Pseudomonas, methane production occurred, reaching the theoretically expected at days 3, 8 and 28 under 0%, 1% and 2% O2, respectively. These results were obtained for C8 degradation in the presence of Sw+Mh+Ps. The same tendency was observed for C4 and C16 degradation with both consortia. Additionally, in the 2nd transfer, the cultures previously exposed to O2, maintained their activity being able of completely convert substrates to methane, under anoxic and microaerophilic conditions. These results show the essential role of Pseudomonas in the protection of syntrophic coculture activity allowing fatty acids degradation under microaerophilic conditions. Therefore, in real AD systems, where vestigial O2 can be detected, the presence of FAB may result in more stable, resilient, and functional syntrophic communities.FCT under UIDB/04469/2020 unit; and SFRH/BD/132845/2017 grantinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Atypical patterns i n serological d iagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus infection, 2015-2022

Os testes laboratoriais de pesquisa de anticorpos específicos para o vírus Epstein-Barr são uma das ferramentas usadas para a rápida e correta identificação da infeção causada por este vírus. No entanto, existem perfis serológicos atípicos que dificultam a obtenção de um diagnóstico. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a frequ ência dos perfis serológicos atípicos e caracterizar a sua distribuição em indivíduos cuja pesquisa de anticorpos foi realizada no Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge. Foi realizada uma análise retrospetiva de 1346 indivíduos residentes em Portugal, com per fil serológico completo para o diagnóstico laboratorial da infeção pelo vírus Epstein-Barr, obtido entre 2015 e 2022. Dos indivíduos incluídos no estudo, 192 (14,2%) apresentaram um perfil serológico atípico. O perfil serológico atípico mais frequente foi a presença de anticorpos IgG VCA/EA isolados (8,3%; 112/1346), seguido da pre sença simultânea de anticorpos IgM VCA, IgG VCA/EA e IgG EBNA-1 (3,6%; 48/1346), depois o perfil de anticorpos IgG EBNA-1 isolados (1,6%; 22/1346) e, por último, o perfil de anticorpos IgM VCA iso lados (0,7%; 10/1346). No geral, a frequência dos perfis serológi cos atípicos obtida neste estudo está de acordo com a literatura. Em comparação com outro estudo realizado em Portugal, os perfis de anticorpos IgG EBNA-1 isolados e anticorpos IgM VCA isolados apre sentaram uma frequência ligeiramente superior. O presente estudo demonstra a importância dos perfis atípicos no diagnóstico seroló gico da infeção pelo vírus Epstein-Barr e a necessidade de efetuar testes serológicos e moleculares adicionais, que variam de acordo com a especificidade de cada perfil atípico.Specific antibody tests are used to determine different stages of Epstein-Barr virus infection. However, the detection of atypical sero logical patterns may pose a diagnostic challenge. This study aims to determine the frequency and distribution of atypical patterns in individuals tested at the Portuguese National Institute of Health. We reviewed 1346 individuals with serological patterns obtained between 2015 and 2022, from individuals living in Portugal. Of those included in this study, 192 (14.2%) showed an atypical pattern. Iso lated VCA IgG was the most frequent (8.3%, 112/1346), followed by the simultaneous presence of antibodies VCA IgM, VCA/EA IgG, and EBNA-1 IgG (3.6%, 48/1346), isolated EBNA-1 IgG (1.6%, 22/1346), and finally isolated VCA IgM (0.7%, 10/1346). The frequency of atypi cal serological patterns obtained in this study was similar to those obtained in other studies. When comparing to another study conduc ted in Portugal, we found slightly higher percentages of the atypi cal serological patterns: isolated EBNA-1 IgG, and isolated VCA IgM. This study highlights the importance of atypical serological patterns in Epstein-Barr virus diagnosis, and the need to perform additional serologic and molecular tests to better interpret them.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Charge effect on the photoinactivation of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria by cationic meso-substituted porphyrins

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In recent times photodynamic antimicrobial therapy has been used to efficiently destroy Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria using cationic porphyrins as photosensitizers. There is an increasing interest in this approach, namely in the search of photosensitizers with adequate structural features for an efficient photoinactivation process. In this study we propose to compare the efficiency of seven cationic porphyrins differing in <it>meso</it>-substituent groups, charge number and charge distribution, on the photodynamic inactivation of a Gram (+) bacterium (<it>Enterococcus faecalis</it>) and of a Gram (-) bacterium (<it>Escherichia coli</it>). The present study complements our previous work on the search for photosensitizers that might be considered good candidates for the photoinactivation of a large spectrum of environmental microorganisms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Bacterial suspension (10⁷CFU mL^-1) treated with different photosensitizers concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 μM) were exposed to white light (40 W m^-2) for a total light dose of 64.8 J cm^-2. The most effective photosensitizers against both bacterial strains were the Tri-Py⁺-Me-PF and Tri-Py⁺-Me-CO₂Me at 5.0 μM with a light fluence of 64.8 J cm^-2, leading to > 7.0 log (> 99,999%) of photoinactivation. The tetracationic porphyrin also proved to be a good photosensitizer against both bacterial strains. Both di-cationic and the monocationic porphyrins were the least effective ones.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The number of positive charges, the charge distribution in the porphyrins' structure and the <it>meso</it>-substituent groups seem to have different effects on the photoinactivation of both bacteria. As the Tri-Py⁺-Me-PF porphyrin provides the highest log reduction using lower light doses, this photosensitizer can efficiently photoinactivate a large spectrum of environmental bacteria. The complete inactivation of both bacterial strains with low light fluence (40 W m^-2) means that the photodynamic approach can be applied to wastewater treatment under natural light conditions which makes this technology cheap and feasible in terms of the light source.</p

Enhanced glycerol conversion by Thermoanaerobacter strains

Glycerol-rich waste streams produced as a surplus by the biodiesel industry can be treated and valorized by anaerobic microbial communities to produce biogas. Glycerol is a highly reduced compound. Its complete degradation to methane and carbon dioxide requires a syntrophic cooperation of anaerobic bacteria and archaea, either directly or through propionate, lactate or ethanol as intermediates. The aim of this work was to study glycerol valorization to methane by thermophilic microbial communities. Glycerol-degrading methanogenic communities were enriched at 55 ºC. A co-culture of Thermoanaerobacter and Methanothermobacter was obtained pointing to facultatively syntrophic glycerol degradation. This hypothesis was further tested by incubating Thermoanaerobacter brockii subsp. finnii and T. wiegelli type strains with glycerol (10 mmol L-1) in pure culture and with different hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The presence of the methanogen accelerated glycerol fermentation by the two Thermoanaerobacter strains up to 3.3 mmol L-1 day-1, corresponding to 12 times higher volumetric glycerol depletion rates in the methanogenic co-cultures than in pure bacterial cultures. The methanogen acted as a biological electron acceptor, which enhanced glycerol conversion by Thermoanaerobacter species, since it facilitates the redox balance and contributes to a higher energy gain of these bacteria. Therefore, syntrophic glycerol fermentation promotes faster anaerobic treatment of glycerol rich waste streams coupled to methane production.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Co-cultivation of Thermoanaerobacter strains with a methanogenic partner enhances glycerol conversion

Glycerolrich waste streams produced by the biodiesel, bioethanol and oleochemical industries can be treated and valorized by anaerobic microbial communities to produce methane. As current knowledge of the microorganisms involved in thermophilic glycerol conversion to methane is scarce, thermophilic glyceroldegrading methanogenic communities were enriched. A coculture of Thermoanaerobacter and Methanothermobacter species was obtained, pointing to a nonobligately syntrophic glycerol degradation. This hypothesis was further studied by incubating Thermoanaerobacter brockii subsp. finnii and T. wiegelii with glycerol (10 mM) in pure culture and with different hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The presence of the methanogen accelerated glycerol fermentation by the two Thermoanaerobacter strains up to 3.3 mM day1, corresponding to 12 times higher volumetric glycerol depletion rates in the methanogenic cocultures than in the pure bacterial cultures. The catabolic pathways of glycerol conversion were identified by genome analysis of the two Thermoanaerobacter strains. NADH and reduced ferredoxin formed in the pathway are linked to proton reduction, which becomes thermodynamically favourable when the hydrogen partial pressure is kept low by the hydrogenotrophic methanogenic partner.The authors thank Ruben Gonçalves for preparing the thermophilic biomass and Andreia Salvador for the sup port with the microbial communities’ analysis. This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2019 unit, Project SAICTPAC/0040/2015 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016403) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER 000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 – Programa Opera cional Regional do Norte. The authors also acknowledge the financial support of FCT and European Social Fund through the grants attributed to C.P. Magalhaes (SFRH/BD/132845/2017) and A.L. Arantes (PD/BD/128030/2016).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Aerobic and facultative bacteria: working horses at the service of anaerobic digestion

It is clear that aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria have an important role in the first steps of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process, especially when complex organic compounds are degraded. However, their diversity, abundance and function, related to the fine control of process variables such as pH and ORP, and the potential establishment of networks with methanogens and acetogens are far from being fully understood. Here we show some examples demonstrating that microaerophilic and aerobic conditions are critical for accelerating the methane production rates from hydrophobic compounds such as lipids and hydrocarbons. In the later case, a combination of aerobic with methanogenic conditions allow to convert hydrocarbons to methane at accelerated rates, with bacterial lipids as main intermediates. We believe that hybrid fine-controlled microaerophilic AD processes will emerge as the next generation of applications of AD technology to boost the methane production rate from a myriad of anaerobically slow degraded complex substratesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio