Photocatalytic Adsorbents Nanoparticles

Photocatalysis and high adsorption coupling in a same nanoparticle have been emerged as a prominent class of cost-effective materials to degrade recalcitrant contaminants in wastewater. α-Hematite, metal-organic frameworks and TiO2 nanocomposites have been investigated due to their features that overcome the other conventional photocatalysts and adsorbents to remove contaminants in aqueous medium. Several methods are applied to synthesize these nanostructures with different properties and physicochemical features and a brief review is shown to these well-established techniques to provide an understanding for the construction and application of these advanced materials

Lanthanides Effects on TiO2 Photocatalysts

Semiconductors have been evaluated to heterogeneous photocatalysis degradation of recalcitrant contaminants in aqueous media due to the capacity of mineralizing these compounds under UV or visible light irradiation. However, this process has the inherent feature of photogenerated charges recombination and the high bandgap energy of the electronic structure of some semiconductors that can reduce the formation of reactive oxygen species, which are responsible for the compound degradation. In this context, structural modifications in semiconductors have been proposed to enhance the photocatalytic activity, such as doping processes with elements that are capable of generating superficial defects that capture the formed electrons, avoiding the recombination, or increasing the density of –OH groups or water molecules on the surface of the catalyst, which can enhance the formation of hydroxyl radicals. Therefore, this brief review is proposed to show the role of lanthanides in the TiO2 doping and the synthesis method applied, as well as the results discussed in the literature

Long-acting combination of cabotegravir plus rilpivirine: A picture of potential eligible and ineligible HIV-positive individuals from the Italian ARCA cohort

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of people living with HIV (PLWH) eligible for the long-acting injectable (LAI) regimen with cabotegravir (CAB) and rilpivirine (RPV), in comparison with ineligible individuals. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study from the ARCA cohort, including virologically suppressed PLWH with at least one genotypic resistance testing (GRT) for reverse transcriptase and integrase from plasma and/or PBMCs. Eligibility criteria for LAI CAB+RPV were: negative HBsAg, absence of previous virological failures and/or resistance-associated mutations for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and/or integrase strand transfer inhibitors. Potential differences between eligible and ineligible individuals were investigated by univariable and multivariable analyses. Results: A total of 514 individuals were included: 377 (73.3%) were male, median age was 51 (IQR: 43–58), on ART for 9 years (IQR: 4–17), virologically suppressed for 63 months (IQR: 35–105). Eligible individuals for CAB+RPV were 229 (44.5%, 95%CI: 40.8–48.8); compared with ineligible individuals, they received a lower number of previous regimens (aOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.71–0.83, P < 0.001) and were on current NNRTIs (aOR 2.16, 95% CI 1.38–3.37, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Less than half of virologically suppressed PLWH in the ARCA cohort were potentially eligible for CAB+RPV. They seem to be “less complicated” with shorter exposure to ART and preferably already on NNRTIs

MicroRNA-21/PDCD4 proapoptotic signaling from circulating CD34+ cells to vascular endothelial cells:a potential contributor to adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with critical limb ischemia

Dataset related to the article with title: MicroRNA-21/PDCD4 proapoptotic signaling from circulating CD34+ cells to vascular endothelial cells: a potential contributor to adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with critical limb ischemia By:Gaia Spinetti1, Elena Sangalli1, Elena Tagliabue1, Davide Maselli1, Ornella Colpani1, David Ferland-McCollough2, Franco Carnelli1, Patrizia Orlando1, Agostino Paccagnella3, Anna Furlan3, Piero Maria Stefani3, Luisa Sambado3, Maria Sambataro3, and Paolo Madeddu2. 1IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy; 2University of Bristol, Bristol, UK, 3Ca Foncello Hospital, Treviso, Italy. Diabetes Care. 2020 Jul;43(7):1520-1529. doi: 10.2337/dc19-2227. Epub 2020 May 1. Abstract Objective. In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and critical limb ischemia (CLI), migration of circulating CD34+ cells predicted cardiovascular mortality at 18 months post-revascularization. This study aimed to provide long-term validation and mechanistic understanding of the biomarker. Research Design and Methods. The association between CD34+ cell migration and cardiovascular mortality was reassessed at 6 years post-revascularization. In a new series of T2D-CLI and control subjects, immuno-sorted bone marrow (BM)-CD34+ cells were profiled for microRNA expression and assessed for apoptosis and angiogenesis activity. The differentially regulated microRNA-21, and its pro-apoptotic target PDCD4, were titrated to verify their contribution in transferring damaging signals from CD34+ cells to endothelial cells. Results. Multivariable regression analysis confirmed CD34+ cell migration forecasts long-term cardiovascular mortality. CD34+ cells from T2D-CLI patients were more apoptotic and less proangiogenic than controls and featured microRNA-21 downregulation, modulation of several long non-coding RNAs acting as microRNA-21 sponges, and upregulation of the microRNA-21 proapoptotic target PDCD4. Silencing miR-21 in control CD34+ cells phenocopied the T2D-CLI cell behavior. In coculture, T2D-CLI CD34+ cells imprinted naïve endothelial cells, increasing apoptosis, reducing network formation, and modulating the TUG1 sponge/microRNA-21/PDCD4 axis. Silencing PDCD4 or scavenging ROS protected endothelial cells from the negative influence of T2D-CLI CD34+ cells Conclusions. Migration of CD34+ cells predicts long-term cardiovascular mortality in T2D-CLI patients. An altered paracrine signalling conveys anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic features from CD34+ cells to the endothelium. This damaging interaction may increase the risk for life-threatening complications

Reciclagem de resíduos têxteis: uma revisão: Textile waste recycling: a review

A área têxtil tem uma parcela significativa nas indústrias, com etapas de processos que vão desde a cultura da fibra, fiação, tecelagem, enobrecimento e beneficiamento, até a confecção dos produtos têxteis, esses utilizados para desenvolvimentos de produtos de todos tipos. Essas indústrias geram significativa quantidade de resíduos durante o processo produtivo, mas na confecção está a problemática das sobras de tecidos, com produção global estimada em torno de 150 milhões de toneladas por ano, sendo 85% desses, destinados de forma incorreta. Diante desse problema, é iminente repensar esses resíduos, transformando-os a partir de algum método de reciclagem ou de reaproveitamento, utilizando-os como matéria prima para outros processos. As soluções usuais para os resíduos têxteis é a destinação como desfibrados para serem utilizados como isolantes térmicos ou acústicos na indústria da construção civil e para enchimentos de artefatos como almofadas, por exemplo. Isto decorre da dificuldade de encontrar meios adequados de separação das misturas de fibras já que as composições dos tecidos usualmente são mistas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar estudos sobre reciclagem de tecidos por meios químicos e mecânicos, por meio de estudos da literatura.&nbsp; A metodologia usada nesta pesquisa foi RSL - Revisão sistemática de literatura, em que foram selecionados trabalhos que abordaram a reciclagem de material têxtil. O panorama atualizado destas informações pode contribuir para novos esforços direcionados à reciclagem têxtil. Os resultados obtidos dão conta de um esforço contínuo, com destaque às questões de reciclagem química em tecidos mistos, grande impedimento para processos simplificados de reciclagem. Têm-se muitas iniciativas interessantes e promissoras a serem avaliadas

Hematopoietic progenitor cell liabilities and alarmins S100A8/A9-related inflammaging associate with frailty and predict poor cardiovascular outcomes in older adults

Frailty affects the physical, cognitive, and social domains exposing older adults to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. The mechanisms linking frailty and cardiovascular outcomes are mostly unknown. Here, we studied the association of abundance (flow cytometry) and gene expression profile (RNAseq) of stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) and molecular markers of inflammaging (ELISA) with the cardiorespiratory phenotype and prospective adverse events of individuals classified according to levels of frailty. Two cohorts of older adults were enrolled in the study. In a cohort of pre‐frail 35 individuals (average age: 75 years), a physical frailty score above the median identified subjects with initial alterations in cardiorespiratory function. RNA sequencing revealed S100A8/A9 upregulation in HSPCs from the bone marrow (>10‐fold) and peripheral blood (>200‐fold) of individuals with greater physical frailty. Moreover higher frailty was associated with increased alarmins S100A8/A9 and inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood. We then studied a cohort of 104 more frail individuals (average age: 81 years) with multidomain health deficits. Reduced levels of circulating HSPCs and increased S100A8/A9 concentrations were independently associated with the frailty index. Remarkably, low HSPCs and high S100A8/A9 simultaneously predicted major adverse cardiovascular events at 1‐year follow‐up after adjustment for age and frailty index. In conclusion, inflammaging characterized by alarmin and pro‐inflammatory cytokines in pre‐frail individuals is mirrored by the pauperization of HSPCs in frail older people with comorbidities. S100A8/A9 is upregulated within HSPCs, identifying a phenotype that associates with poor cardiovascular outcomes

Clinical practice guidelines in Brazil : developing a national programme

In Brazil, governmental and non-governmental organisations develop practice guidelines (PGs) in order to optimise patient care. Although important improvements have been made over the past years, many of these documents still lack transparency and methodological rigour. In order to conduct a critical analysis and define future steps in PG development in Brazil, we carried out a structured assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) for the development of a national guideline programme. Participants consisted of academia, methodologists, medical societies and healthcare system representatives. In summary, the PG development process has improved in Brazil and current investments in methodological research and capacity-building are ongoing. Despite the centralised processes for public PGs, standardised procedures for their development are not well established and human resources are insufficient in number and capacity to develop the amount of trustworthy documents needed. Brazil’s capacity could be strengthened and initial efforts have been made such as the adoption of standards proposed by world-renowned institutions in PG development and enhancement of the involvement of key stakeholders. Further steps involve the alignment between health technology assessment and PG processes for synergy and the development of a national network to promote the interaction between groups involved in the development of PGs. The lessons learned from this paper could be used to foster debate on guideline development, especially for countries facing similar threats on this topic

Impact of common cardio-metabolic risk factors on fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease in Latin America and the Caribbean: an individual-level pooled analysis of 31 cohort studies

Background: Estimates of the burden of cardio-metabolic risk factors in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) rely on relative risks (RRs) from non-LAC countries. Whether these RRs apply to LAC remains un- known. Methods: We pooled LAC cohorts. We estimated RRs per unit of exposure to body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC) and non-HDL cholesterol on fatal (31 cohorts, n = 168,287) and non-fatal (13 cohorts, n = 27,554) cardiovascular diseases, adjusting for regression dilution bias. We used these RRs and national data on mean risk factor levels to estimate the number of cardiovascular deaths attributable to non-optimal levels of each risk factor. Results: Our RRs for SBP, FPG and TC were like those observed in cohorts conducted in high-income countries; however, for BMI, our RRs were consistently smaller in people below 75 years of age. Across risk factors, we observed smaller RRs among older ages. Non-optimal SBP was responsible for the largest number of attributable cardiovascular deaths ranging from 38 per 10 0,0 0 0 women and 54 men in Peru, to 261 (Dominica, women) and 282 (Guyana, men). For non-HDL cholesterol, the lowest attributable rate was for women in Peru (21) and men in Guatemala (25), and the largest in men (158) and women (142) from Guyana. Interpretation: RRs for BMI from studies conducted in high-income countries may overestimate disease burden metrics in LAC; conversely, RRs for SBP, FPG and TC from LAC cohorts are similar to those esti- mated from cohorts in high-income countries