Evaluation of the cosmetic potential of the Cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis

Abstract: Toiletry, Perfumery and Cosmetics Sector (TPCS) occupies a prominent place in modern society. The search for beauty and wellness, combined with increased life expectancy of the population, causes the intensive search to products that improve appearance, hygiene and health. Thus, the development of cosmetics is very stimulated. Another important feature is the continuously pressure from consumers and companies to this development of new and innovative products, raising competitiveness. Based on this, large sums are being annually invested in this area. Innovation is the world in cosmetic industry. One of the biggest sources of innovation are the additives, which play a role ranging from improvement sensory properties to protection of the skin against free radicals. With respect to these additives, most are of synthetic origin. Nowadays, their safety and the way they are obtained is being questioned, once negative effects of classical substances used through years are being founded. Thus, attempts to find natural substances capable of replacing these synthetic ingredients are being made, in association with principles of environmental sustainability. Therefore, developing biotechnological products has emerged as an important alternative for achieving efficient and safe additives for cosmetic use. This work fits in this context, aiming to study the potential application of Spirulina platensis biomass and exopolysaccharide (EPS) in cosmetic products. The general objective of this work is: ? Evaluate the effects of the cyanobacteria S. platensis biomass and EPS addition in cosmetics searching a new cosmetic formulation. The specific objectives were determined as: ? Promote microalgae growth and evaluate growth parameters, EPS production and biomass composition; ? Asses the phenolic compounds in S. platensis biomass and EPS and their antioxidant potential; ? Evaluate the rheological characteristics of the addition of biomass and EPS in a moisturizer for the face skin and propose a formulation; ? Assay cream stability through pH, color, odor, general aspect, spreadability, volatile acids and microbiology; ? Evaluate the new formulation for skin irritability in guinea pigs; ? Sensory analysis of the new formulation in panel members

Aplicação dos 5 sensos em uma escola da região de joinville - sc: uma proposta de intervenção para a cidadania / Application of the 5 senses in a school in the joinville - sc region: a proposal of intervention for citizenship

Na reorganização de um país, a mudança cultural é necessária para seu sucesso, os princípios devem ser ensinados desde o período escolar, tal como acontece no Japão. O Programa 5S nasceu no Japão na década de 1950 idealizado por Kaoru Ishikawa e foi aplicado após a Segunda Guerra Mundial com a finalidade de reorganizar o país quando vivia a crise pós-guerra. Foi um dos fatores da recuperação das empresas e da implantação da qualidade total no país. Os cinco termos relacionados (Sensos), começando com a letra “S”, descrevem práticas para o ambiente de trabalho e são uteis para o gerenciamento visual e para a produção enxuta: Senso de Utilização, Senso de Ordenação, Senso de Limpeza, Senso de Saúde e Senso de Autodisciplina. Portanto, diante da grande influência que a educação básica tem na formação dos cidadãos e do papel escolar, a presente pesquisa pautou-se na aplicação dos 5 sensos de forma lúdica para crianças com faixa etária entre 09 a 14 anos. Para ensinar através dos jogos é preciso mensurar e ter objetivos claros do que alcançar. O que se busca, então, é interligar a educação escolar com o Programa 5S, o que resultaria em processos de aprendizagem e desenvolvimento. A aplicação teve o intuito de promover reflexões e novas atitudes frente às questões de organização, limpeza, autodisciplina, saúde e higiene. Desta forma, há o auxílio para a escola que busca a formação do cidadão para um papel na sociedade com plenitude.  No processo de caminhada em direção à qualidade de vida social, a aplicação da metodologia do 5S é crucial. Para ensinar a metodologia, foi necessária a aplicação de conceitos que despertem o interesse dos jovens e crianças, que por sua vez, a melhor opção foi através da aplicação de um jogo. O jogo teve duas fases, na primeira etapa o material utilizado para aplicação, foi do emprego de um tabuleiro, este contemplava a distribuição de várias atividades envolvendo o conteúdo proposto. Na aplicação separa-se a turma em equipes e cada equipe deve escolher seu representante para comandar o tabuleiro. O dado é jogado e caso a equipe caia em uma casa que tenha atividade, esta deve ser realizada por um integrante da equipe, do qual, o líder deve escolher. A escolha de separar a sala em grupos tem como base a relevância do trabalho em equipe. Para analisar a eficácia da absorção do conteúdo, elaborou-se um questionário, do qual, a aplicação foi após dois meses da prática do jogo. A adesão ao uso de perguntas teve-se pelo fato de analisar o que as crianças aprenderam e para verificação do conteúdo absorvido, após determinado período foi elaborada uma pesquisa para obter dados mais consistentes sobre as etapas do processo. Por fim, há o entendimento de que o jogo despertou muito interesse entre os alunos. Através do questionário aplicado, houve a percepção do que havia sido compreendido por sua maioria em relação aos conceitos dos 5 sensos

Characterization of human frataxin missense variants in cancer tissues

Human frataxin is an iron binding protein involved in the mitochondrial Fe-S clusters assembly, a process fundamental for the functional activity of mitochondrial proteins. Decreased level of frataxin expression is associated with the neurodegenerative disease Friedreich ataxia. Defective function of frataxin may cause defects in mitochondria, leading to increased tumorigenesis. Tumour initiating cells show higher iron uptake, a decrease in iron storage and a reduced Fe-S clusters synthesis and utilization. In this study we selected, from COSMIC database, the somatic human frataxin missense variants found in cancer tissues p.D104G, p.A107V, p.F109L, p.Y123S, p.S161I, p.W173C, p.S181F, and p.S202F to analyze the effect of the single amino acid substitutions on frataxin structure, function and stability. The spectral properties, the thermodynamic and the kinetic stability, as well as the molecular dynamics of the frataxin missense variants found in cancer tissues point to local changes confined to the environment of the mutated residues. The global fold of the variants is not altered by the amino acid substitutions, however some of the variants show a decreased stability and a decreased functional activity in comparison to that of the wild type protein. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Stem Cells and Innate Immunity in Aquatic Invertebrates: Bridging Two Seemingly Disparate Disciplines for New Discoveries in Biology

The scopes related to the interplay between stem cells and the immune system are broad and range from the basic understanding of organism's physiology and ecology to translational studies, further contributing to (eco)toxicology, biotechnology, and medicine as well as regulatory and ethical aspects. Stem cells originate immune cells through hematopoiesis, and the interplay between the two cell types is required in processes like regeneration. In addition, stem and immune cell anomalies directly affect the organism's functions, its ability to cope with environmental changes and, indirectly, its role in ecosystem services. However, stem cells and immune cells continue to be considered parts of two branches of biological research with few interconnections between them. This review aims to bridge these two seemingly disparate disciplines towards much more integrative and transformative approaches with examples deriving mainly from aquatic invertebrates. We discuss the current understanding of cross-disciplinary collaborative and emerging issues, raising novel hypotheses and comments. We also discuss the problems and perspectives of the two disciplines and how to integrate their conceptual frameworks to address basic equations in biology in a new, innovative way

The large area detector onboard the eXTP mission

The Large Area Detector (LAD) is the high-throughput, spectral-timing instrument onboard the eXTP mission, a flagship mission of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China National Space Administration, with a large European participation coordinated by Italy and Spain. The eXTP mission is currently performing its phase B study, with a target launch at the end-2027. The eXTP scientific payload includes four instruments (SFA, PFA, LAD and WFM) offering unprecedented simultaneous wide-band X-ray timing and polarimetry sensitivity. The LAD instrument is based on the design originally proposed for the LOFT mission. It envisages a deployed 3.2 m2 effective area in the 2-30 keV energy range, achieved through the technology of the large-area Silicon Drift Detectors - offering a spectral resolution of up to 200 eV FWHM at 6 keV - and of capillary plate collimators - limiting the field of view to about 1 degree. In this paper we will provide an overview of the LAD instrument design, its current status of development and anticipated performance

Progressive skin fibrosis is associated with a decline in lung function and worse survival in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis in the European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) cohort.

Objectives To determine whether progressive skin fibrosis is associated with visceral organ progression and mortality during follow-up in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). Methods We evaluated patients from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research database with dcSSc, baseline modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) ≥7, valid mRSS at 12±3 months after baseline and ≥1 annual follow-up visit. Progressive skin fibrosis was defined as an increase in mRSS >5 and ≥25% from baseline to 12±3 months. Outcomes were pulmonary, cardiovascular and renal progression, and all-cause death. Associations between skin progression and outcomes were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariable Cox regression. Results Of 1021 included patients, 78 (7.6%) had progressive skin fibrosis (skin progressors). Median follow-up was 3.4 years. Survival analyses indicated that skin progressors had a significantly higher probability of FVC decline ≥10% (53.6% vs 34.4%; p<0.001) and all-cause death (15.4% vs 7.3%; p=0.003) than non-progressors. These significant associations were also found in subgroup analyses of patients with either low baseline mRSS (≤22/51) or short disease duration (≤15 months). In multivariable analyses, skin progression within 1 year was independently associated with FVC decline ≥10% (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.20 to 2.65) and all-cause death (HR 2.58, 95% CI 1.31 to 5.09). Conclusions Progressive skin fibrosis within 1 year is associated with decline in lung function and worse survival in dcSSc during follow-up. These results confirm mRSS as a surrogate marker in dcSSc, which will be helpful for cohort enrichment in future trials and risk stratification in clinical practice

A Roadmap for HEP Software and Computing R&D for the 2020s

Particle physics has an ambitious and broad experimental programme for the coming decades. This programme requires large investments in detector hardware, either to build new facilities and experiments, or to upgrade existing ones. Similarly, it requires commensurate investment in the R&D of software to acquire, manage, process, and analyse the shear amounts of data to be recorded. In planning for the HL-LHC in particular, it is critical that all of the collaborating stakeholders agree on the software goals and priorities, and that the efforts complement each other. In this spirit, this white paper describes the R&D activities required to prepare for this software upgrade.Peer reviewe

Racial differences in systemic sclerosis disease presentation: a European Scleroderma Trials and Research group study

Objectives. Racial factors play a significant role in SSc. We evaluated differences in SSc presentations between white patients (WP), Asian patients (AP) and black patients (BP) and analysed the effects of geographical locations.Methods. SSc characteristics of patients from the EUSTAR cohort were cross-sectionally compared across racial groups using survival and multiple logistic regression analyses.Results. The study included 9162 WP, 341 AP and 181 BP. AP developed the first non-RP feature faster than WP but slower than BP. AP were less frequently anti-centromere (ACA; odds ratio (OR) = 0.4, P < 0.001) and more frequently anti-topoisomerase-I autoantibodies (ATA) positive (OR = 1.2, P = 0.068), while BP were less likely to be ACA and ATA positive than were WP [OR(ACA) = 0.3, P < 0.001; OR(ATA) = 0.5, P = 0.020]. AP had less often (OR = 0.7, P = 0.06) and BP more often (OR = 2.7, P < 0.001) diffuse skin involvement than had WP.AP and BP were more likely to have pulmonary hypertension [OR(AP) = 2.6, P < 0.001; OR(BP) = 2.7, P = 0.03 vs WP] and a reduced forced vital capacity [OR(AP) = 2.5, P < 0.001; OR(BP) = 2.4, P < 0.004] than were WP. AP more often had an impaired diffusing capacity of the lung than had BP and WP [OR(AP vs BP) = 1.9, P = 0.038; OR(AP vs WP) = 2.4, P < 0.001]. After RP onset, AP and BP had a higher hazard to die than had WP [hazard ratio (HR) (AP) = 1.6, P = 0.011; HR(BP) = 2.1, P < 0.001].Conclusion. Compared with WP, and mostly independent of geographical location, AP have a faster and earlier disease onset with high prevalences of ATA, pulmonary hypertension and forced vital capacity impairment and higher mortality. BP had the fastest disease onset, a high prevalence of diffuse skin involvement and nominally the highest mortality

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe