Production of substrates for determination of xylanase activity / Produção de substratos para determinação da actividade da xilanase

The hemicelulose is a molecule heterogeneous and, therefore, its extraction from different biomass is a challenge. In this context this study proposed an hemicelulose extraction from sugarcane biomass using alkaline pretreatment to determination of xylanase activities and evaluation of affinity between substrates and enzymes. The results suggest that the xylan from sugarcane leaves showed greater affinity with the enzymes, but the xylan from bagasse was with more efficient and pure extraction.

Measuring odours in the environment vs. dispersion modelling: A review

Source characterization alone is not sufficient to account for the effective impact of odours on citizens, which would require to quantify odours directly at receptors. However, despite a certain simplicity of odour measurement at the emission source, odour measurement in the field is a quite more complicated task. This is one of the main reasons for the spreading of odour impact assessment approaches based on odour dispersion modelling. Currently, just a very limited number of reports discussing the use of tracer gas dispersion experiments both in the field and in wind tunnels for model validation purposes can be found in literature. However, when dealing with odour emissions, it is not always possible to identify a limited number of tracer compounds, nor to relate analytical concentrations to odour properties, thus giving that considering single odorous compounds might be insufficient to account for effective odour perception. For these reasons, the possibility of measuring of odours in the field, both as a way for directly assessing odour annoyance or for verifying that modelled odour concentrations correspond to the effective odour perception by humans, is still an important objective. The present work has the aim to review the techniques that can be adopted for measuring odours in the field, particularly discussing how such techniques can be used in alternative or in combination with odour dispersion models for odour impact assessment purposes, and how the results of field odour measurements and model outputs can be related and compared to each other

Heads-up Digitally Assisted Surgical Viewing with Intraoperative Optical Coherence Tomography for Myopic Schisis Repair

Purpose: To describe the surgical approach with a screen-based heads-up, threedimensional (3-D) digital viewing with intraoperative optical coherence tomography (IOCT) for the successful repair of a myopic macular schisis (MMS) case. Case Report: A 62-year-old woman with vision loss in the left eye was scheduled for pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and MMS repair. Surgery was performed using the NGENUITY® system for surgical viewing, and foveal-sparing internal limiting membrane (fs-ILM) peeling was performed without gas tamponade, after confirming the absence of iatrogenic macular hole with I-OCT. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Visual acuity improved to 20/40 and the subfoveal macular thickness improved from 706 μm (preoperative) to 221 μm after seven months of follow-up. Conclusion: Heads-up digitally assisted viewing technology with I-OCT may be useful or preferred for patients requiring vitreoretinal surgery in the setting of MMS

Methodology of a reevaluation of cardiovascular outcomes in the RECORD trial: study design and conduct

Background In 2010, after regulatory review of rosiglitazone licensing, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested a reevaluation of cardiovascular end points in the RECORD trial.<p></p> Methods Automated screening of the original clinical trial database and manual case report form review were performed to identify all potential cardiovascular and noncardiovascular deaths, and nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke events. Search techniques were used to find participants lost to follow-up, and sites were queried for additional source documents. Suspected events underwent blinded adjudication using both original RECORD end point definitions and new FDA end point definitions, before analysis by the Duke Clinical Research Institute.<p></p> Results The reevaluation effort included an additional 328 person-years of follow-up. Automated screening identified 396 suspected deaths, 2,052 suspected MIs, and 468 suspected strokes. Manual review of documents by Duke Clinical Research Institute clinical events classification (CEC) coordinators identified an additional 31 suspected deaths, 49 suspected MIs, and 28 suspected strokes. There were 127 CEC queries issued requesting additional information on suspected deaths; 43 were closed with no site response, 61 were closed with a response that no additional data were available, and additional data were received for 23. Seventy CEC queries were issued requesting additional information for suspected MI and stroke events; 31 were closed with no site response, 20 were closed with a response that no additional data were available, and 19 resulted in additional data.<p></p> Conclusions Comprehensive procedures were used for rigorous event reascertainment and readjudication in a previously completed open-label, global clinical trial. These procedures used in this unique situation were consistent with other common approaches in the field, were enhanced to address the FDA concerns about the original RECORD trial results, and could be considered by clinical trialists designing event readjudication protocols for drug development programs that have been completed.<p></p&gt

A Multi-Criteria Approach to the Evaluation of Aviation e-marketplace portals

After a proliferation of logistics e-Marketplaces during the dot.com boom of 1998-2000, there has been a high rate of failure and survivals are developing much more slowly than expected. This is the case of aviation industry where a large number of B2B e-Marketplaces emerged according to the focus of aviation companies’ strategies on electronic B2B in the late 1990s. However, the current use of e-Marketplaces in the industry is low and many of them have ceased trading. The traditional e-Marketplaces model have been characterised by poor quality of portals and the lack of technical standards. Such an approach is unsustainable in today’s competitive scenario. Improvements in websites quality attributes may strongly contribute to simplify the website functionalities by users and speed-up communication with all supply chain parties. In such context, it appears of critical importance to develop models for the evaluation of e-Marketplaces web sites. This paper, after a discussion about the development of e-Marketplaces in the transport and logistics service industry and its application in the aviation industry, proposes a multi-criteria model for assessing e-Marketplaces portals that has been subsequently applied to three different types of aeronautic B2B e-Marketplaces

Results of a reevaluation of cardiovascular outcomes in the RECORD trial

Background The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required a reevaluation of cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in the RECORD trial. This provided an opportunity to assess the implications of event adjudication by 2 groups and quantify the differences as well as to use new FDA end point definitions in development.<p></p> Methods Original data were used to systematically identify all potential deaths, myocardial infarctions (MIs), and strokes. Site investigators were approached for additional source documents and information about participants lost to follow-up. Suspected events were adjudicated using standard procedures, and the results were compared with the original trial outcomes.<p></p> Results Follow-up for mortality was 25,833 person-years, including an additional 328 person-years identified during the reevaluation effort. A total of 184 CV or unknown-cause deaths (88 rosiglitazone, 96 metformin/sulfonylurea), 128 participants with an MI (68 rosiglitazone, 60 metformin/sulfonylurea), and 113 participants with a stroke (50 rosiglitazone, 63 metformin/sulfonylurea) were included. The hazard ratio (HR) for rosiglitazone versus metformin/sulfonylurea for the end point of CV (or unknown cause) death, MI, or stroke was 0.95 (95% CI 0.78-1.17) compared with 0.93 (95% CI 0.74-1.15) for the original RECORD results. Treatment comparisons for MI (HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.80-1.59) and mortality (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.68-1.08) were also the same compared with the original RECORD results. Sensitivity analyses were also consistent with the original RECORD results. Analyses using the FDA definitions showed similar results.<p></p> Conclusions Only a modest number of additional person-years of follow-up were ascertained from this reevaluation of CV end points in RECORD. Observed HRs and CIs from these analyses using the original RECORD or new FDA end point definitions showed similar treatment effects of rosiglitazone compared with the original RECORD results.<p></p&gt

Does Accidental Overcorrection of Symptomatic Hyponatremia in Chronic Heart Failure Require Specific Therapeutic Adjustments for Preventing Central Pontine Myelinolysis?

This review aims at summarizing essential aspects of epidemiology and pathophysiology of hyponatremia in chronic heart failure (CHF), to set the ground for a practical as well as evidence-based approach to treatment. As a guide through the discussion of the available evidence, a clinical case of hyponatremia associated with CHF is presented. For this case, the severe neurological signs at presentation justified an emergency treatment with hypertonic saline plus furosemide, as indicated. Subsequently, as the neurological emergency began to subside, the reversion of the trend toward hyponatremia overcorrection was realized by continuous infusion of hypotonic solutions, and administration of desmopressin, so as to prevent the very feared risk of an osmotic demyelination syndrome. This very disabling complication of the hyponatremia correction is then briefly outlined. Moreover, the possible advantages related to systematic correction of the hyponatremia that occurs in the course of CHF are mentioned. Additionally, the case of tolvaptan, a vasopressin receptor antagonist, is concisely presented in order to underline the different views that have led to different norms in Europe with respect to the USA or Japan as regards the use of this drug as a therapeutic resource against the hyponatremia

Mass transport enhancement in redox flow batteries with corrugated fluidic networks

We propose a facile, novel concept of mass transfer enhancement in flow batteries based on electrolyte guidance in rationally designed corrugated channel systems. The proposed fluidic networks employ periodic throttling of the flow to optimally deflect the electrolytes into the porous electrode, targeting enhancement of the electrolyte-electrode interaction. Theoretical analysis is conducted with channels in the form of trapezoidal waves, confirming and detailing the mass transport enhancement mechanism. In dilute concentration experiments with an alkaline quinone redox chemistry, a scaling of the limiting current with Re0.74 is identified, which compares favourably against the Re0.33 scaling typical of diffusionlimited laminar processes. Experimental IR-corrected polarization curves are presented for high concentration conditions, and a significant performance improvement is observed with the narrowing of the nozzles. The adverse effects of periodic throttling on the pumping power are compared with the benefits in terms of power density, and an improvement of up to 102% in net power density is obtained in comparison with the flow-by case employing straight parallel channels. The proposed novel concept of corrugated fluidic networks comes with facile fabrication and contributes to the improvement of the transport characteristics and overall performance of redox flow battery systems.Indisponível

A biossegurança nos consultórios públicos e particulares

Biosecurity is currently a concern for all health-related services, including dentistry, since infection control has a relevant importance. In dental practice, health-related occupations have contact with a great number of individuals who are potentially capable to transmit pathogens. This study comprised a descriptive evaluation of the universal precaution measures for infection control adopted by dental practitioners working at public and private offices in the city of Araçatuba, SP. Data collection was performed by a quiz with questions about individual and collective protection equipments. The results showed that the use of caps was reported by 55% of the professionals working at the public sector and 90% for the private sector. The use of masks and gloves was reported by all professionals surveyed; nevertheless, glove change between patients was not reported by 40% of professionals working at the public sector. There were more flaws in public offices as to the use of protective barriers, since except for the use of gloves, gowns and masks, the frequency of use of those barriers was smaller than at private offices.A biossegurança, atualmente, é uma preocupação de todos os serviços relacionados à saúde, neles inclui-se a odontologia, visto que o controle de infecção é de importância relevante. Na prática odontológica, as profissões de saúde têm contato com grande número de indivíduos que podem ser potencialmente capazes de transmitir patógenos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi uma avaliação descritiva da aplicação de medidas de precaução universal para controle de infecção entre cirurgiões-dentistas que atuam em consultórios públicos e particulares do Município de Araçatuba/SP. A coleta de dados foi realizada através de questionários contendo perguntas sobre equipamento de proteção individual e coletiva. Os resultados mostram que o uso de gorro foi relatado por 55% dos profissionais que atuam no serviço público e 90% que atuam no serviço privado. O uso de máscara e o uso de luvas foram relatados pelos 40 profissionais entrevistados, no entanto a troca de luvas entre os pacientes não foi relatada por 40% dos profissionais da rede pública. Conclui-se que ainda o setor público apresenta mais falhas em relação ao uso de barreiras protetoras, pois na maioria das questões abordadas a freqüência do uso dessas barreiras foram menores em relação ao setor privado

A biossegurança nos consultórios públicos e particulares

Biosecurity is currently a concern for all health-related services, including dentistry, since infection control has a relevant importance. In dental practice, health-related occupations have contact with a great number of individuals who are potentially capable to transmit pathogens. This study comprised a descriptive evaluation of the universal precaution measures for infection control adopted by dental practitioners working at public and private offices in the city of Araçatuba, SP. Data collection was performed by a quiz with questions about individual and collective protection equipments. The results showed that the use of caps was reported by 55% of the professionals working at the public sector and 90% for the private sector. The use of masks and gloves was reported by all professionals surveyed; nevertheless, glove change between patients was not reported by 40% of professionals working at the public sector. There were more flaws in public offices as to the use of protective barriers, since except for the use of gloves, gowns and masks, the frequency of use of those barriers was smaller than at private offices.A biossegurança, atualmente, é uma preocupação de todos os serviços relacionados à saúde, neles inclui-se a odontologia, visto que o controle de infecção é de importância relevante. Na prática odontológica, as profissões de saúde têm contato com grande número de indivíduos que podem ser potencialmente capazes de transmitir patógenos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi uma avaliação descritiva da aplicação de medidas de precaução universal para controle de infecção entre cirurgiões-dentistas que atuam em consultórios públicos e particulares do Município de Araçatuba/SP. A coleta de dados foi realizada através de questionários contendo perguntas sobre equipamento de proteção individual e coletiva. Os resultados mostram que o uso de gorro foi relatado por 55% dos profissionais que atuam no serviço público e 90% que atuam no serviço privado. O uso de máscara e o uso de luvas foram relatados pelos 40 profissionais entrevistados, no entanto a troca de luvas entre os pacientes não foi relatada por 40% dos profissionais da rede pública. Conclui-se que ainda o setor público apresenta mais falhas em relação ao uso de barreiras protetoras, pois na maioria das questões abordadas a freqüência do uso dessas barreiras foram menores em relação ao setor privado