Potassium biphthalate buffer for pH control to optimize glycosyl hydrolase production in shake flasks using filamentous fungi

The optimization of culture medium with statistical methods is widely used in filamentous fungi glycosyl hydrolase production. The implementation of such methodology in bioreactors is very expensive as it requires several pH-controlled systems operating in parallel in order to test a large number of culture media components. The objective of this study was to evaluate potassium biphthalate buffer for pH control, which allows the optimization studies to be performed in shake flasks.The results have shown that buffering the culture medium with 0.1 M potassium biphthalate allowed pH control, resulting in a decrease of the standard deviation of triplicates for pH and activities of glycosyl hydrolase measurements. The use of this buffer allowed shake flask culture media optimization of enzyme production by Trichoderma harzianum, increasing the cellulase activity by more than 2 times compared to standard unbuffered culture medium. The same buffer can be used for culture media optimization of other fungi, such as Penicillium echinulatum342439450CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPsem informaçã

Aspergilosis cerebral causada por Aspergillus fumigatus en paciente con SIDA: primer reporte de caso demostrado por cultivo en Brasil

Cerebral aspergillosis is a rare cause of brain expansive lesion in AIDS patients. We report the first culture-proven case of brain abscess due to Aspergillus fumigatus in a Brazilian AIDS patient. The patient, a 26 year-old male with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and history of pulmonary tuberculosis and cerebral toxoplasmosis, had fever, cough, dyspnea, and two episodes of seizures. The brain computerized tomography (CT) showed a bi-parietal and parasagittal hypodense lesion with peripheral enhancement, and significant mass effect. There was started anti-Toxoplasma treatment. Three weeks later, the patient presented mental confusion, and a new brain CT evidenced increase in the lesion. He underwent brain biopsy, draining 10 mL of purulent material. The direct mycological examination revealed septated and hyaline hyphae. There was started amphotericin B deoxycholate. The culture of the material demonstrated presence of the Aspergillus fumigatus. The following two months, the patient was submitted to three surgeries, with insertion of drainage catheter and administration of amphotericin B intralesional. Three months after hospital admission, his neurological condition suffered discrete changes. However, he died due to intrahospital pneumonia. Brain abscess caused by Aspergillus fumigatus must be considered in the differential diagnosis of the brain expansive lesions in AIDS patients in Brazil.La aspergilosis cerebral es una causa rara de lesión expansiva cerebral en pacientes con SIDA. Presentamos el primer reporte de un absceso cerebral causado por Aspergillus fumigatus en un paciente brasileño con SIDA. El paciente, de 26 años de edad, presentaba antecedentes de infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), tuberculosis pulmonar y toxoplasmosis cerebral. Manifestó fiebre, tos, disnea y dos episódios de convulsiones. La tomografía computadorizada (TC) demostró una lesión hipodensa parasagital y bi-parietal con realce periférico e importante efecto de masa. Se inició tratamiento anti-Toxoplasma. Tres semanas después, el paciente evidenció confusión mental y una nueva TC de cráneo mostró aumento de la lesión. Se realizó biopsia cerebral con drenaje de 10 mL de material purulento. El examen micológico directo reveló hifas hialinas septadas. Se inició anfotericina B deoxicolato. La cultura del material demostró presencia de Aspergillus fumigatus. En los siguientes dos meses el paciente fue sometido a otras tres cirugías, insertándose un catéter de drenaje y administrándose anfotericina B intralesional. Tres meses después de la admisión hospitalaria, la condición neurológica del paciente sufrió discretos cambios. Sin embargo, falleció debido a neumonia intrahospitalaria. Aunque muy raros, los abscesos cerebrales causados por Aspergillus fumigatus deben ser considerados en el diagnóstico diferencial de las lesiones expansivas cerebrales en pacientes con SIDA

Score CTo-aBCDE : um novo score preditor de sucesso nas CTOs

© 2020 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Introduction: Patient selection for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in chronic total occlusions (CTOs) is crucial to procedural success. Our aim was to identify independent predictors of success in CTO PCI in order to create an accurate score. Methods: In a single-center observational registry of CTO PCI, demographic and clinical data and anatomical characteristics of coronary lesions were recorded. Linear and logistic regression analysis were used to identify predictors of success. A score to predict success was created and its accuracy was measured by receiver operating curve analysis. Results: A total of 377 interventions were performed (334 patients, age 68±11 years, 75% male). The success rate was 65% per patient and 60% per procedure. Predictors of success in univariate analysis were absence of active smoking (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.243-3.29; p=0.005), presence of tapered stump (OR 5.2, 95% CI 2.7-10.2; p8 with high probability (95%). Conclusion: In our sample only anatomical characteristics were predictors of success. The creation of a score to predict success, with good accuracy, may enable selection of cases that can be treated by any operator, those in which a dedicated operator will be desirable, and those with an extremely low probability of success, which should be considered individually for conservative management, surgical revascularization or PCI by a team experienced in CTO.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The stress granule protein G3BP1 alleviates spinocerebellar ataxia-associated deficits

Koppenol et al. show that overexpression of G3BP1 in cell models of SCA2 and SCA3 leads to a reduction in ataxin-2 and ataxin-3 aggregation. G3BP1 lentiviral delivery reduces motor deficits and neuropathology in preclinical models, suggesting that G3BP1 may be a potential therapeutic target for polyQ disorders. Polyglutamine diseases are a group of neurodegenerative disorders caused by an abnormal expansion of CAG repeat tracts in the codifying regions of nine, otherwise unrelated, genes. While the protein products of these genes are suggested to play diverse cellular roles, the pathogenic mutant proteins bearing an expanded polyglutamine sequence share a tendency to self-assemble, aggregate and engage in abnormal molecular interactions. Understanding the shared paths that link polyglutamine protein expansion to the nervous system dysfunction and the degeneration that takes place in these disorders is instrumental to the identification of targets for therapeutic intervention. Among polyglutamine diseases, spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) share many common aspects, including the fact that they involve dysfunction of the cerebellum, resulting in ataxia. Our work aimed at exploring a putative new therapeutic target for the two forms of SCA with higher worldwide prevalence, SCA type 2 (SCA2) and type 3 (SCA3), which are caused by expanded forms of ataxin-2 (ATXN2) and ataxin-3 (ATXN3), respectively. The pathophysiology of polyglutamine diseases has been described to involve an inability to properly respond to cell stress. We evaluated the ability of GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1), an RNA-binding protein involved in RNA metabolism regulation and stress responses, to counteract SCA2 and SCA3 pathology, using both in vitro and in vivo disease models. Our results indicate that G3BP1 overexpression in cell models leads to a reduction of ATXN2 and ATXN3 aggregation, associated with a decrease in protein expression. This protective effect of G3BP1 against polyglutamine protein aggregation was reinforced by the fact that silencing G3bp1 in the mouse brain increases human expanded ATXN2 and ATXN3 aggregation. Moreover, a decrease of G3BP1 levels was detected in cells derived from patients with SCA2 and SCA3, suggesting that G3BP1 function is compromised in the context of these diseases. In lentiviral mouse models of SCA2 and SCA3, G3BP1 overexpression not only decreased protein aggregation but also contributed to the preservation of neuronal cells. Finally, in an SCA3 transgenic mouse model with a severe ataxic phenotype, G3BP1 lentiviral delivery to the cerebellum led to amelioration of several motor behavioural deficits. Overall, our results indicate that a decrease in G3BP1 levels may be a contributing factor to SCA2 and SCA3 pathophysiology, and that administration of this protein through viral vector-mediated delivery may constitute a putative approach to therapy for these diseases, and possibly other polyglutamine disorders.PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CUIDADOS DE ENFERMAGEM NA PREVENÇÃO DE LESÃO POR PRESSÃO E AS DIFICULDADES ENFRENTADAS PELO PROFISSIONAL PARA A IMPLEMENTAÇÃO DESSES CUIDADOS

Summary: Pressure injury is a localized damage to the underlying skin or soft tissue, usually on bony prominence on a rigid surface and may present on intact skin or as an open and painful ulcer. It is a serious health problem, due to the high prevalence and incidence rates, generating economic costs for the health system. The aim of this study is to report how nursing team professionals use their knowledge in the prevention of pressure injury, observing the difficulties faced by them for the implementation of these conducts and care. Bibliographic research of the period 2015 to 2021 in the databases, GOOGLE Academic, Virtual Health Library (VHL) and Scientic Electronic Library Online (SciELO). It was observed that nursing is necessary, together with the multidisciplinary team and a preventive commission of pressure injury for the adoption of assessment, risk and treatment protocols, in which it will constitute a quality work to reduce and control the damage of pressure injuries, adopting the main prevention measures. Therefore, it is understood that the prevention of pressure injuries is directly linked to nursing care, with simple but effective measures.La lesión por presión es un daño localizado en la piel subyacente o el tejido blando, generalmente sobre la prominencia ósea en una superficie rígida y puede presentarse en la piel intacta o como una úlcera abierta y dolorosa. Es un grave problema de salud, debido a las altas tasas de prevalencia e incidencia, generando costos económicos para el sistema de salud. El objetivo de este estudio es informar cómo los profesionales del equipo de enfermería utilizan sus conocimientos en la prevención de lesiones por presión, observando las dificultades que enfrentan para la implementación de estas conductas y cuidados. Investigación bibliográfica del periodo 2015 a 2021 en las bases de datos, GOOGLE Académico, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud (BVS) y Biblioteca Electrónica Científica en Línea (SciELO). Se observó que la enfermería es necesaria, junto con el equipo multidisciplinario y una comisión preventiva de lesiones por presión para la adopción de protocolos de evaluación, riesgo y tratamiento, en los que constituirá un trabajo de calidad para reducir y controlar el daño de las lesiones por presión, adoptando las principales medidas de prevención. Por lo tanto, se entiende que la prevención de lesiones por presión está directamente vinculada a los cuidados de enfermería, con medidas simples pero efectivas. Lesão por pressão é um dano localizado na pele ou tecido mole subjacente, geralmente sobre proeminência óssea sobre uma superfície rígida e pode apresentar-se sobre pele intacta ou como úlcera aberta e dolorosa. É um problema grave de saúde, devido aos elevados índices de prevalência e incidência, gerando custos econômicos para o sistema de saúde. O objetivo deste estudo é relatar como os profissionais da equipe de enfermagem usam os seus conhecimentos na prevenção de lesão por pressão, observando as dificuldades enfrentadas por eles para a implementação dessas condutas e cuidados. Pesquisa bibliográfica do período de 2015 a 2021 nas bases de dados, GOOGLE Acadêmico, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) e Scientic Eletronic Library Online (SciELO). Observou-se que a enfermagem se faz necessária, em conjunto com a equipe multidisciplinar e uma comissão preventiva de lesão por pressão para adoção de protocolos de avaliação, de risco e de tratamento, no qual venha constituir um trabalho de qualidade para redução e controle dos danos de lesões por pressão, adotando as principais medidas de prevenção. Assim sendo, entende-se que a prevenção das lesões por pressão está diretamente ligada aos cuidados de enfermagem, dispondo de medidas simples, porém eficazes.Resumo: Lesão por pressão é um dano localizado na pele ou tecido mole subjacente, geralmente sobre proeminência óssea sobre uma superfície rígida e pode apresentar-se sobre pele intacta ou como úlcera aberta e dolorosa. É um problema grave de saúde, devido aos elevados índices de prevalência e incidência, gerando custos econômicos para o sistema de saúde. O objetivo deste estudo é relatar como os profissionais da equipe de enfermagem usam os seus conhecimentos na prevenção de lesão por pressão, observando as dificuldades enfrentadas por eles para a implementação dessas condutas e cuidados. Pesquisa bibliográfica do período de 2015 a 2021 nas bases de dados, GOOGLE Acadêmico, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) e Scientic Eletronic Library Online (SciELO). Observou-se que a enfermagem se faz necessária, em conjunto com a equipe multidisciplinar e uma comissão preventiva de lesão por pressão para adoção de protocolos de avaliação, de risco e de tratamento, no qual venha constituir um trabalho de qualidade para redução e controle dos danos de lesões por pressão, adotando as principais medidas de prevenção. Assim sendo, entende-se que a prevenção das lesões por pressão está diretamente ligada aos cuidados de enfermagem, dispondo de medidas simples, porém eficazes

Two-dimensional and three-dimensional techniques for determining the kinematic patterns for hindlimb obstacle avoidance during sheep locomotion

ABSTRACT: Analysis of locomotion is often used as a measure for impairment and recovery following experimental peripheral nerve injury. Compared to rodents, sheep offer several advantages for studying peripheral nerve regeneration. In the present study, we compared for the first time, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) hindlimb kinematics during obstacle avoidance in the ovine model. This study obtained kinematic data to serve as a template for an objective assessment of the ankle joint motion in future studies of common peroneal nerve (CP) injury and repair in the ovine model. The strategy used by the sheep to bring the hindlimb over a moderately high obstacle, set to 10% of its hindlimb length, was pronounced knee, ankle and metatarsophalangeal flexion when approaching and clearing the obstacle. Despite the overall time course kinematic patterns about the hip, knee, ankle, and metatarsophalangeal were identical, we found significant differences between values of the 2D and 3D joint angular motion. Our results showed that the most apparent changes that occurred during the gait cycle were for the ankle (2D-measured STANCEmax: 157±2.4 degrees vs. 3D-measured STANCEmax: 151±1.2 degrees; P<.05) and metatarsophalangeal joints (2D-measured STANCEmin: 151±2.2 degrees vs. 3D-measured STANCEmin: 162 ± 2.2 degrees; P<.01 and 2D-measured TO: 163±4.9 degrees vs. 3D-measured TO: 177±1.4 degrees; P<.05), whereas the hip and knee joints were much less affected. Data and techniques described here are useful for an objective assessment of altered gait after CP injury and repairin an ovine model