TLR4 and NLRP3 Caspase 1- IL-1β- Axis are not Involved in Colon Ascendens Stent Peritonitis (Casp)-Associated Heart Disease

Hemodynamic collapse and myocardial dysfunction are among the major causes ofdeath in severe sepsis. The purpose of this study was to assess the role played by TLR4and by the NLRP3 inflammasome in the cardiac dysfunction that occurs after highgradepolymicrobial sepsis. We performed the colon ascendens stent peritonitis (CASP)surgery in Tlr4-/-, Nlrp3-/- and caspase-1-/- mice. We also assessed for the first time theelectrical heart function in the CASP model. The QJ interval was increased in wild-typeC57BL/6J mice after CASP when compared to sham controls, a result paralleled by anincrease in the cardiac action potential duration (APD). The decreases in ejectionfraction (EF), left-ventricle end diastolic volume (LVEDV), stroke volume, and cardiacoutput found after CASP were similar among all groups of mice. Similar heart responsewas found when Nlrp3-/- mice were submitted to high-grade CLP. Despite developingcardiac dysfunction similar to wild-types after CASP, Nlrp3-/- mice had reducedcirculating levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Our results demonstrate that the geneticablation of Tlr4, Nlrp3, and caspase-1 does not prevent the cardiac dysfunction, despitepreventing the increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, indicating that these are notfeasible targets to therapy in high-grade sepsis.Fil: López Alarcón, Maria Micaela. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Fernandez Ruocco, Maria Julieta. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Ferreira, Fabiano. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Paula Neto, Heitor A.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Sepúlveda, Marisa Noemí. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - la Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares ; ArgentinaFil: Vila Petroff, Martin Gerarde. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - la Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares ; ArgentinaFil: Carvalho, Adriana Bastos. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Peroba Ramos, Isalira. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Branda, Hugo Justino. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Neto Paiva, Claudia. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Medei, Emiliano. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasi

Water as a green solvent combined with different techniques for extraction of essential oil from lavender flowers

Using water as a green solvent with a variable geometry makes use of physical and chemical phenomena that are fundamentally different from those applied in conventional extraction techniques such as hydro-distillation, steam distillation or solvent extraction. Advantages and drawbacks of using water as a solvent with different physical and chemical states have been compared. A total of ten extraction techniques: hydro-distillation (HD), steam distillation (SD), turbo-hydro-distillation (THD), salt-hydro-distillation (NaCL-HD), enzyme-hydro-distillation (Enzyme-HD), micelle-hydro-distillation (Micelle-HD), ultrasound-hydro-distillation (US-HD) or subcritical water-hydro-distillation (SW-HD), solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) and microwave steam distillation (MSD) were used to extract the essential oil from lavender (Lavandula L.) and their results were compared. The quantity was measured by the yield of essential oil and the quality was evaluated using the oil composition especially the content of linalyl acetate, linalool and terpin-4-ol compared with the corresponding control sample: Hydro-distillation. For environmentally friendly of the process: extraction time, total energy consumption and CO2 emission were considered and compared with conventional hydro-distillation. The mechanism explaining the linalyl acetate degradation has been resolved by using COSMORS software. Based on the present experimental conditions, it is recommended that lavender oil may be produced preferably by steam distillation assisted by microwave extraction to reduce the by-product formation by various chemical reactions and to getbetter oil recoveries

Protective Efficacy in a Hamster Model of a Multivalent Vaccine for Human Visceral Leishmaniasis (MuLeVaClin) Consisting of the KMP11, LEISH-F3+, and LJL143 Antigens in Virosomes, Plus GLA-SE Adjuvant

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe clinical form of leishmaniasis, fatal if untreated. Vaccination is the most cost-effective approach to disease control; however, to date, no vaccines against human VL have been made available. This work examines the efficacy of a novel vaccine consisting of the Leishmania membrane protein KMP11, LEISH-F3+ (a recombinant fusion protein, composed of epitopes of the parasite proteins nucleoside hydrolase, sterol-24-c-methyltransferase, and cysteine protease B), and the sand fly salivary protein LJL143, in two dose ratios. The inclusion of the TLR4 agonist GLA-SE as an adjuvant, and the use of virosomes (VS) as a delivery system, are also examined. In a hamster model of VL, the vaccine elicited antigen-specific immune responses prior to infection with Leishmania infantum. Of note, the responses were greater when higher doses of KMP11 and LEISH-F3+ proteins were administered along with the GLA-SE adjuvant and/or when delivered within VS. Remarkably, hamsters immunized with the complete combination (i.e., all antigens in VS + GLA-SE) showed significantly lower parasite burdens in the spleen compared to those in control animals. This protection was underpinned by a more intense, specific humoral response against the KMP11, LEISH-F3+, and LJL143 antigens in vaccinated animals, but a significantly less intense antibody response to the pool of soluble Leishmania antigens (SLA). Overall, these results indicate that this innovative vaccine formulation confers protection against L. infantum infection, supporting the advancement of the vaccine formulation into process development and manufacturing and the conduction of toxicity studies towards future phase I human clinical trials.This research was funded by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme, grant number 603181 (Clinical Studies on a Multivalent Vaccine for Human Visceral Leishmaniasis [MuLeVaClin]), and by the RD16CIII/0003/0002 and RD16/0027/0008 Red de Investigación Cooperativa de Enfermedades Tropicales, Subprograma RETICS del Plan Estatal de I+D+I 2013–2016, co-funded by ERDF “Una manera de hacer Europa” funds.S

Friction stir spot welding of a TRIP steel : microestructural characterization

Este trabalho tem como objetivo investigar a influência da velocidade de rotação (1.600 RPM e 2.400 RPM) no desenvolvimento microestrutural de um aço TRIP soldado a ponto por fricção e mistura mecânica. Após a execução das soldas, devido aos ciclos térmicos e deformações impostas pelo processo, são observadas três diferentes zonas nas juntas: a zona de mistura (ZM), a zona termomecanicamente afetada (ZTMA), e a zona termicamente afetada (ZTA). O aumento da velocidade de rotação causou um aumento na quantidade de ferrita alotriomorfa formada na ZM, assim como redução na quantidade e tamanho de bainita coalescida e martensita. Na ZTMA a microestrutura é constituída por ferrita, austenita, bainita coalescida e martensita. Enquanto que na ZTA1 a microestrutura é composta por ferrita e austenita retida em todas as velocidades usadas, na ZTA2 há maior transformação da austenita em bainita com o aumento da velocidade de rotação.The aim of this work is to verify the influence of the rotational speed (1600 and 2400 RPM) in the microstructural development of a friction stir spot welded TRIP steel. After the welding, due to the thermal cycles and deformations imposed by the process, three different zones are observed in the joints: the stir zone (SZ), the thermomecanically affected zone (TMAZ), and the heat affected zone (HAZ). The increase in the rotational speed caused an increase in the amount of allotriomorphic ferrite formed in the SZ, and a decrease in the amount and width of the coalesced bainite and martensite. In the TMAZ, the microstructure is composed by ferrite, austenite, coalesced bainite and martensite. While in the HAZ1 the microstructure is constituted by ferrite and retained austenite in all rotational speeds employed, in the HAZ2 there is an increase in the transformation of austenite into bainite by increasing the rotational speed

Qualitative and quantitative discrimination of fake and true alkene rotation processes in pd(η2-olefin) complexes. A new bimolecular mechanism

The fluxional behaviour of [Pd(\u3b72-fn)(N-SMe)] (2) (fn = fumaronitrile, N-SMe = 2-methylthiomethylpyridine) and of [Pd(\u3b72-tmetc)(N-N\u2032-4-anisyl)] (3) (tmetc = tetramethylethylenetetracarboxylate, N-N\u2032-4-anisyl = 2-(4-methoxyphenyliminomethane)pyridine) were monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy and quantitatively determined by line-shape analyses (for 2) and selective inversion recovery experiments (for 3). The coalescence of the AB multiplet of fn hydrogens of 2 is concentration dependent and presents a strongly negative \u394S 60, suggesting the intermediacy of a dimeric complex and ruling out the hypothesis of olefin rotation. The accurate evaluation of all spectral features also allows determination of the approaching mode of the monomeric units. The inversion transfer between the tmetc methyls of 3 reveals a true propeller-like olefin rotation. The presence of a nucleophilic electron pair at sulfur in 2 triggers the formation of the dimeric intermediate. \ua9 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) management practices in micro- and small-sized enterprises: The case of the Portuguese waste management sector

The waste management sector is dominated by micro and small-sized enterprises. Although it is possible to anticipate that they may face the same problems as other small firms, information about activities related to the prevention of occupational risks in this sector and how this influences Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) performance is still limited. This study aims to address the issue, contributing to current literature about the protection of employees and the prevention of occupational risks in the waste management sector. The study was conducted at 66 enterprises in Portugal. Data about OHS management practices was collected through different sources, such as questionnaires applied to employers and analysis of documents and records available at the enterprise. A summative index that assesses seven OHS performance aspects was used to characterize the enterprises regarding their OHS performance level. The results showed that micro and small-sized waste management firms display several constraints with regard to OHS management. Several enterprises still do not have organized preventive services. Additionally, OSH policies or objectives, risk assessment, training and accident recording mechanisms were found to be non-existent in several cases. The time dedicated by employers to OHS issues and the support of external advisory services was also low for some firms. A positive and statistically significant association was found between these variables and the enterprises’ OHS performance level. Future research will focus on designing an intervention to improve OHS in the waste management sector as a whole