Optimization of oil recovery from Japonica luna rice bran by supercritical carbon dioxide applying design of experiments: characterization of the oil and mass transfer modeling

This study presents an optimization strategy for recovery of oil from Japonica Luna rice bran using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), based on design of experiments (DoE). Initially, a 24−1 two level fractional factorial design (FFD) was used, and pressure, temperature, and scCO2 flow rate were determined as the significant variables; while the yield, total flavonoids content (TFC), and total polyphenols content (TPC) were the response functions used to analyze the quality of the extracts recovered. Subsequently, central composite design (CCD) was applied to examine the effects of the significant variables on the responses and create quadratic surfaces that optimize the latter. The following values of pressure = 34.35 MPa, temperature = 339.5 K, and scCO2 flow rate = 1.8 × 10−3 kg/min were found to simultaneously optimize the yield (6.83%), TPC (61.28 μmol GAE/g ext), and TFC (1696.8 μmol EC/g ext). The fatty acid profile of the oils was characterized by GC-FID. It was demonstrated that the acids in largest quantities are C16:0 (15–16%), C18:1 (41%), and C18:2 (38–39%). Finally, three mass transfer models were applied to determine the mass transfer coefficients and assess the cumulative extraction curves, with an AAD% of 4.16, for the best model.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Geo-environmental mapping using physiographic analysis: constraints on the evaluation of land instability and groundwater pollution hazards in the Metropolitan District of Campinas, Brazil

Geo-environmental terrain assessments and territorial zoning are useful tools for the formulation and implementation of environmental management instruments (including policy-making, planning, and enforcement of statutory regulations). They usually involve a set of procedures and techniques for delimitation, characterisation and classification of terrain units. However, terrain assessments and zoning exercises are often costly and time-consuming, particularly when encompassing large areas, which in many cases prevent local agencies in developing countries from properly benefiting from such assessments. In the present paper, a low-cost technique based on the analysis of texture of satellite imagery was used for delimitation of terrain units. The delimited units were further analysed in two test areas situated in Southeast Brazil to provide estimates of land instability and the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution hazards. The implementation incorporated procedures for inferring the influences and potential implications of tectonic fractures and other discontinuities on ground behaviour and local groundwater flow. Terrain attributes such as degree of fracturing, bedrock lithology and weathered materials were explored as indicators of ground properties. The paper also discusses constraints on- and limitations of- the approaches taken

Are Cu isotopes a useful tool to trace metal sources and processes in acid mine drainage (AMD) context?

In the South-West Europe (Iberian Pyrite Belt), acid mine drainage (AMD) processes are especially problematic because they affect the environmental quality of watersheds, restricting the use of surface water. Recent studies have shown that Cu isotopes are fractionated during the oxidative dissolution of primary sulfide minerals and could be used to trace metal cycling. However the chemistry of Cu in such environment is complex because Cu is redistributed within numerous secondary minerals and strongly dependent on the hydroclimatic conditions that control key parameters (pH, redox conditions). Finally, it remains difficult to compare the various field studies and deliver some strong general tendencies because of these changing conditions. For these reasons, concerted studies on Cu isotopes fractionation in waters impacted by AMD may help to reveal the sources and transport pathways of this important pollutant. To address this issue, we used a representative scenario of strong contamination by AMD in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain), the Cobica River. The aim of our study is to measure the Cu isotopes signature in the waters (river, mine lake, water draining waste) of the small Cobica River system (Huelva, Spain), sampled during a short period (8 h) to avoid any change in the hydro-climatic conditions. This provided an instantaneous image of the isotopic Cu signature in a small mining systems and helped us to constrain both the processes affecting Cu isotopes and their use a potential tracer of metals in contaminated environments.This work was supported by the french national programme EC2CO Biohefect/Ecodyn//Dril/MicrobiEen (INSU/CNRS, France), the Paul Sabatier University (France) and the Department of Mining, Mechanical, Energetic and Construction Engineering of the University of Huelva (Spain)

Comparison of Biofilm and Attachment Mechanisms of a Phytopathological and Clinical Isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Some bacterial species can colonize humans and plants. It is almost impossible to prevent the contact of clinically pathogenic bacteria with food crops, and if they can persist there, they can reenter the human food chain and cause disease. On the leaf surface, microorganisms are exposed to a number of stress factors. It is unclear how they survive in such different environments. By increasing adhesion to diverse substrates, minimizing environmental differences, and providing protection against defence mechanisms, biofilms could provide part of the answer. Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae is clinically important and also associated with fruit diseases, such as “pineapple fruit collapse.” We aimed to characterize biofilm formation and adhesion mechanisms of this species isolated from pineapple in comparison with a clinical isolate. No differences were found between the two isolates quantitatively or qualitatively. Both tested positive for capsule formation and were hydrophobic, but neither produced adherence fibres, which might account for their relatively weak adhesion compared to the positive control Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 35984. Both produced biofilms on glass and polystyrene, more consistently at 40°C than 35°C, confirmed by atomic force and high-vacuum scanning electron microscopy. Biofilm formation was maintained in an acidic environment, which may be relevant phytopathologically

Incidence and risk factors for Preeclampsia in a cohort of healthy nulliparous pregnant women: a nested case-control study

The objective of this study is to determine the incidence, socio-demographic and clinical risk factors for preeclampsia and associated maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes. This is a nested case-control derived from the multicentre cohort study Preterm SAMBA, in five different centres in Brazil, with nulliparous healthy pregnant women. Clinical data were prospectively collected, and risk factors were assessed comparatively between PE cases and controls using risk ratio (RR) (95% CI) plus multivariate analysis. Complete data were available for 1,165 participants. The incidence of preeclampsia was 7.5%. Body mass index determined at the first medical visit and diastolic blood pressure over 75 mmHg at 20 weeks of gestation were independently associated with the occurrence of preeclampsia. Women with preeclampsia sustained a higher incidence of adverse maternal outcomes, including C-section (3.5 fold), preterm birth below 34 weeks of gestation (3.9 fold) and hospital stay longer than 5 days (5.8 fold) than controls. They also had worse perinatal outcomes, including lower birthweight (a mean 379 g lower), small for gestational age babies (RR 2.45 [1.52-3.95]), 5-minute Apgar score less than 7 (RR 2.11 [1.03-4.29]), NICU admission (RR 3.34 [1.61-6.9]) and Neonatal Near Miss (3.65 [1.78-7.49]). Weight gain rate per week, obesity and diastolic blood pressure equal to or higher than 75 mmHg at 20 weeks of gestation were shown to be associated with preeclampsia. Preeclampsia also led to a higher number of C-sections and prolonged hospital admission, in addition to worse neonatal outcomes9CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQ401636/2013-5Bill and Melinda Gates FoundationGates Foundation [OPP1107597]; CNPqNational Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [401636/2013-5

Innovative Educational Approach in Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention and Control. Results of a European Study

Prevent and control healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is a priority in healthcare assistance, not only due to present COVID-19 pandemic. Annually, around 3.2 million patients are affected by one of these infections and it is estimated that without controlling them, by 2050, 10 million more people could die every year, with especial relevance among elderly with infectious situations representing a third of mortality in people over 65 years old. Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in healthcare area have an important role in this panorama, by preparing students to be future professionals, stimulating them to have an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to today’s real-life challenges. A mixed-methods research was conducted, at European level (in Portugal, Finland, Poland and Spain), to facilitate learning of good practices on HAIs prevention and control while developing innovative solutions. 1475 participants were enrolled, from all partner HEI: 79 professors and mentors were interviewed (individual or focus group), 1326 final year nursing students made a self-report inventory (application of InovSafeCare Scale) and 70 students participated on focus group (agile piloting of the Model). The result of this research is a pedagogical model that mixes dimensions and methods that take nursing students closer to the demands of HAIs prevention and control and capacitates them to transfer knowledge to work settings with an innovative and entrepreneurial perspective – the InovSafeCare Model.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

N-Domain Isoform of Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme as a Marker of Hypertension: Populational Study

The aim of this paper was to investigate the presence of the urinary 90 kDa N-domain ACE in a cohort of the population from Vitoria, Brazil, to verify its association with essential hypertension since this isoform could be a possible genetic marker of hypertension. Anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory parameters of the individuals were evaluated (n=1150) and the blood pressure (BP) was measured. The study population was divided according to ACE isoforms in urine as follows: ACE 65/90/190, presence of three ACE isoforms (n=795), ACE 90+ (65/90) (n=186), and ACE 90− (65/190) (n=169) based on the presence (+) or absence (−) of the 90 kDa ACE isoform. The anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, serum levels of uric acid, glucose, and the systolic and diastolic BP were significantly greater in the ACE 90+ compared with the ACE 90− and ACE 65/90/190 individuals. We found that 98% of individuals from the ACE 90+ group and 38% from the ACE 65/90/190 group had hypertension, compared to only 1% hypertensive individuals in the ACE 90− group. There is a high presence of the 90 kDa N-domain ACE isoform (85%) in the studied population. The percentile of normotensive subjects with three isoforms was 62%. Our findings could contribute to the development of new efficient strategy to prevent and treat hypertension to avoid the development of cardiovascular disease

Evaluation of the Safety and Immunogenicity of the RTS,S/AS01E Malaria Candidate Vaccine When Integrated in the Expanded Program of Immunization

Background. The RTS,S/AS01E malaria candidate vaccine is being developed for immunization of African infants through the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI). Methods. This phase 2, randomized, open, controlled trial conducted in Ghana, Tanzania, and Gabon evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of RTS,S/AS01E when coadministered with EPI vaccines. Five hundred eleven infants were randomized to receive RTS,S/AS01E at 0, 1, and 2 months (in 3 doses with diphtheria, tetanus, and wholecell pertussis conjugate [DTPw]; hepatitis B [HepB]; Haemophilus influenzae type b [Hib]; and oral polio vaccine [OPV]), RTS,S/AS01E at 0, 1, and 7 months (2 doses with DTPwHepB/Hib+OPV and 1 dose with measles and yellow fever), or EPI vaccines only. Results. The occurrences of serious adverse events were balanced across groups; none were vaccine-related. One child from the control group died. Mild to moderate fever and diaper dermatitis occurred more frequently in the RTS,S/AS01E coadministration groups. RTS,S/AS01E generated high anti-circumsporozoite protein and anti- hepatitis B surface antigen antibody levels. Regarding EPI vaccine responses upon coadministration when considering both immunization schedules, despite a tendency toward lower geometric mean titers to some EPI antigens, predefined noninferiority criteria were met for all EPI antigens except for polio 3 when EPI vaccines were given with RTS,S/AS01E at 0, 1, and 2 months. However, when antibody levels at screening were taken into account, the rates of response to polio 3 antigens were comparable between groups. Conclusion. RTS,S/AS01E integrated in the EPI showed a favorable safety and immunogenicity evaluation. Trial registration. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00436007. GlaxoSmithKline study ID number: 106369 (Malaria-050

Brazilian network for HIV Drug Resistance Surveillance (HIV-BresNet): a survey of treatment-naive individuals

Introduction: In Brazil, more than 487,450 individuals are currently undergoing antiretroviral treatment. In order to monitor the transmission of drug-resistant strains and HIV subtype distribution in the country, this work aimed to estimate its prevalence and to characterize the nationwide pretreatment drug resistance in individuals recently diagnosed with HIV between 2013 and 2015. Methods: The HIV threshold survey methodology (HIV-THS, WHO) targeting antiretroviral-naive individuals with recent HIV diagnosis was utilized, and subjects were selected from 51 highly populated cities in all five Brazilian macroregions. The HIV pol genotypic test was performed by genomic sequencing. Results: We analysed samples from 1568 antiretroviral-naive individuals recently diagnosed with HIV, and the overall transmitted drug resistance (TDR) prevalence was 9.5% (150 sequences). The regional prevalence of resistance according to Brazilian geographical regions was 9.4% in the northeast, 11.2% in the southeast, 6.8% in the central region, 10.2% in the north and 8.8% in the south. The inhibitor-specific TDR prevalence was 3.6% for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), 5.8% for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and 1.6% for protease inhibitors (PIs)1.0% of individuals presented resistance to more than one class of inhibitors. Overall, subtype B was more prevalent in every region except for the southern, where subtype C prevails. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first TDR study conducted in Brazil with nationwide representative sampling. The TDR prevalence revealed a moderate rate in the five Brazilian geographical regions, although some cities presented higher TDR prevalence rates, reaching 14% in Sao Paulo, for example. These results further illustrate the importance of surveillance studies for designing future strategies in primary antiretroviral therapy, aiming to mitigate TDR, as well as for predicting future trends in other regions of the globe where mass antiretroviral (ARV) treatment was implemented.Brazilian Ministry of HealthUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Lab Virol Mol, Dept Genet IB, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilFdn Med Trop Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, BrazilLAPI Univ Fed Bahia, Hosp Univ Prof Edgar Santos, Lab Pesquisa, Salvador, BA, BrazilLab Cent Saude Publ Ceara Lacen CE, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilLab Cent Saude Publ Dist Fed, Setor Grandes Areas Norte SGAN 601, Brasilia, DF, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais UFMG, Fac Med, Lab Imunol & Biol Mol DIP, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilLab Cent Saude Publ Mato Grosso Sul, Campo Grande, MS, BrazilLab Cent Saude Publ Pernambuco, Recife, PE, BrazilLab Municipal Curitiba, Curitiba, PR, BrazilFiocruz MS, Lab AIDS & Imunol Mol, Dept Imunol, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Hosp Univ Clementino Fraga Filho, Lab Carga Viral, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilInst Biol Exercito, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilLab Cent Saude Publ Rio Grande Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilLab Hosp Nossa Senhora Conceicao, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilLab Cent Saude Publ Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, BrazilUNESP, Lab Biol Mol Hemocentro Botucatu, Fac Med, Botucatu, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, Lab Pesquisa AIDS, Hosp Clin, Campinas, SP, BrazilInst Adolfo Lutz Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Lab Biol Mol, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Escola Paulista Med, Lab Retrovirol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilInst Adolfo Lutz Cent, Lab Retrovirus, Ctr Virol, Nucleo Doencas Sanguineas & Sexuais, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilMinist Saude, Dept Vigilancia Prevencao & Controle DST AIDS & H, Setor Adm Fed Sul SAFS 02, Secretaria Vigilancia Saude, Brasilia, DF, BrazilUniv Brasilia, Programa Pos Grad Saude Colet, Fac Med, Fac Ciencias Saude, Brasilia, DF, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Escola Paulista Med, Lab Retrovirol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilBMH: TC 298/12Web of Scienc