Suggestion of Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methodology: Selection Criteria for Environmental Impact Categories

In life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental impacts are classified according to the methodology used. Several life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods are currently used, and the method selected and the particulars thereof may influence the results obtained. This study characterized the main LCIA methods used and the most relevant categories of environmental impact. In total, 87 articles were initially retrieved using relevant keywords. After screening, 11 articles were shown to address the topic of study and were reviewed. The results showed that CML is the most widely used method. The main environmental impact category was global warming potential followed by acidification. Studies using LCA depend on the confirmation of the efficacy of the methods in the effort to represent and assess impacts in different regions of the world

Germination and initial development of canola and radish submitted to castor leaves aqueous extracts

This study aimed to evaluate the allelopathic activity of aqueous extracts of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) leaves on germination and initial growth of canola (Brassica napus L.) and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seedlings. Two experiments were conducted, usingcanola seeds for the first, which was installed in a 2x7 factorial scheme (with two photoperiods – dark and light and seven extracts concentrations - 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32%). The second experiment consisted of an evaluation of radish seed germination submitted to seven concentrations of the extracts in the dark photoperiod. The germination of the canola seeds was reduced in the dark, and the use of extracts at concentrations of 16% and 32%inhibited seeds germination for both studied photoperiods. The radish seed germination was completely inhibited when the concentration of 32% was used, however, at the concentrations of 4, 8 and 16% a reduction on rootand hypocoyl development of the seedlings were observed, affirming the high allelopathic potential of castor bean aqueous extracts on canola and radish.This study aimed to evaluate the allelopathic activity of aqueous extracts of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) leaves on germination and initial growth of canola (Brassica napus L.) and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seedlings. Two experiments were conducted, usingcanola seeds for the first, which was installed in a 2x7 factorial scheme (with two photoperiods – dark and light and seven extracts concentrations - 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32%). The second experiment consisted of an evaluation of radish seed germination submitted to seven concentrations of the extracts in the dark photoperiod. The germination of the canola seeds was reduced in the dark, and the use of extracts at concentrations of 16% and 32%inhibited seeds germination for both studied photoperiods. The radish seed germination was completely inhibited when the concentration of 32% was used, however, at the concentrations of 4, 8 and 16% a reduction on rootand hypocoyl development of the seedlings were observed, affirming the high allelopathic potential of castor bean aqueous extracts on canola and radish

Infantile epilepsy associated with mosaic 2q24 duplication including SCN2A and SCN3A

AbstractEpilepsies can be caused by specific genetic anomalies or by non-genetic factors, but in many cases the underlying cause is unknown.Mutations in the SCN1A and SCN2A genes are reported in childhood epilepsies; in particular SCN1A was found mutated in patients with Dravet syndrome and with generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+).In this paper we report a patient presenting with an atypical epileptic syndrome whose phenotype partially overlaps both Dravet syndrome and benign familial neonatal-infantile seizures (BFNIS).Array-CGH analysis suggested the presence of a mosaic duplication (about 12Mb) at the level of chromosome 2q23.3q24.3 involving SCN2A and SCN3A genes. Additional analyses (radiolabeled RFLP and quantitative PCR) confirmed the mosaicism of the duplication.We suggest that the array-CGH analysis is mandatory for children presenting with epilepsy and psycho-motor retardation even without dysmorphisms or other clinical features suggesting a specific genetic/epileptic syndrome. The analysis must nevertheless be performed taking into account the possibility of a mosaicism

Eficácia da fisioterapia no tratamento de pacientes submetidos a cirurgia bariátrica

Introduction: Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of fat that can harm health. Bariatric surgery is intended to assist in weight loss, and physiotherapy seeks to reduce the complications of surgery and accelerate recovery.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy in the treatment of patients undergoing bariatric surgery.Material and methods: Integrative literature review, searching the Pubmed, Bireme, Scielo and PEDro databases based on the keywords Physical therapy AND Bariatric Surgery OR Gastroplasty. Original articles published between 2013 and 2018, in Portuguese and English, available in free full text form, were included.Results: Out of 6,361 articles found in the databases, 7 were included in the present study. All were clinical trials. There was great variability in relation to the sample size including from 8 to 128 individuals.Conclusion: Physiotherapeutic treatment in the postoperative period of bariatric surgery is effective and the main benefits are: Less loss of expiratory reserve volume, reduction in the prevalence of atelectasis, improvement in functional capacity, reduction in the perception of effort, preservation of chest mobility, improvement cardiorespiratory fitness, improved insulin sensitivity and significant weight loss.Introdução: Obesidade é acumulo anormal de gordura que pode prejudicar a saúde. A cirurgia bariátrica tem o intuito de auxiliar na perda de peso, e a fisioterapia busca reduzir as complicações da cirurgia e acelerar a recuperação.Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia da fisioterapia no tratamento de pacientes submetidos a cirurgia bariátrica.Materiais e métodos: Revisão integrativa da literatura, com busca nas bases de dados Pubmed, Bireme, Scielo e PEDro a partir das palavras chave Physical therapy AND Bariatric Surgery OR Gastroplasty. Foram incluídos artigos originais publicados entre 2013 a 2018, nos idiomas português e inglês, disponíveis na forma free full text. Resultados: De 6.361 artigos encontrados nas bases de dados, 7 foram inclusos no presente estudo. Todos tratavam-se de ensaios clínicos. Houve grande variabilidade em relação ao tamanho amostral incluindo de 8 a 128 indivíduos, que eram em sua maioria do sexo feminino.Conclusão: O tratamento fisioterpêutico no pós-operatório de cirurgia bariátrica é eficaz e os principais benefícios são: Menor perda de volume de reserva expiratório, redução da prevalência de atelectasias, melhora da capacidade funcional, redução na percepção de esforço, preservação da mobilidade torácica, melhora da aptidão cardiorrespiratória, melhora da sensibilidade a insulina e perda de peso significativa

High contrast microstructural visualization of natural acellular matrices by means of phase-based x-ray tomography

Acellular scaffolds obtained via decellularization are a key instrument in regenerative medicine both per se and to drive the development of future-generation synthetic scaffolds that could become available off-the-shelf. In this framework, imaging is key to the understanding of the scaffolds\u2019 internal structure as well as their interaction with cells and other organs, including ideally post-implantation. Scaffolds of a wide range of intricate organs (esophagus, lung, liver and small intestine) were imaged with x-ray phase contrast computed tomography (PC-CT). Image quality was sufficiently high to visualize scaffold microarchitecture and to detect major anatomical features, such as the esophageal mucosal-submucosal separation, pulmonary alveoli and intestinal villi. These results are a long-sought step for the field of regenerative medicine; until now, histology and scanning electron microscopy have been the gold standard to study the scaffold structure. However, they are both destructive: hence, they are not suitable for imaging scaffolds prior to transplantation, and have no prospect for post-transplantation use. PC-CT, on the other hand, is non-destructive, 3D and fully quantitative. Importantly, not only do we demonstrate achievement of high image quality at two different synchrotron facilities, but also with commercial x-ray equipment, which makes the method available to any research laboratory

CARACTERÍSTICAS AGRONÔMICAS, RENDIMENTO DE ÓLEO E PROTEÍNA DE CANOLA EM DIFERENTES ÉPOCAS DE SEMEADURA

A cultura da canola vem ganhando espaço em sistemas de rotação de culturas. Entretanto, muitas informações sobre a época de plantio e adaptação de cultivares limitam seu cultivo a poucos produtores. O objetivo foi avaliar características fenológicas, fenométricas, produtividade, rendimento de proteína e óleo de seis híbridos de canola na região norte do estado do Rio Grande do Sul em duas épocas de semeadura. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 6 x 2, seis híbridos de canola (Hyola 433, Hyola 50, Hyola 61, Hyola 76, Hyola 571 CL e Hyola 575 CL) em duas épocas de semeadura (08/05/2015 e 16/06/2015). Características fenológicas e fenométricas de cada material foram avaliadas diariamente durante a condução do trabalho. Produtividade, rendimento de óleo e proteína foram realizadas após a colheita, em laboratório. A melhor época de semeadura na região do Médio Alto Uruguai – RS foi a primeira época de semeadura, realizada em maio. O atraso da semeadura, independente do híbrido usado, acarreta perdas significativas no rendimento de grãos, e no teor de óleo. O híbrido Hyola 76 apresentou maior número de dias de floração, rendimento de grãos e óleo nas duas épocas de semeadura, em relação às demais cultivares utilizadas neste experimento

Glucocorticoids Antagonize Ap-1 by Inhibiting the Activation/Phosphorylation of Jnk without Affecting Its Subcellular Distribution

The immunosuppressive and antiinflammatory actions of glucocorticoid hormones are mediated by their transrepression of activating protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NFκB) transcription factors. Inhibition of the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway, the main mediator of AP-1 activation, has been described in extracts of hormone-treated cells. Here, we show by confocal laser microscopy, enzymatic assays, and immunoblotting that the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone inhibited tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)–induced phosphorylation and activation of JNK in the cytoplasm and nucleus of intact HeLa cells. As a result, c-Jun NH2-terminal domain phosphorylation and induction were impaired. Dexamethasone did not block the TNF-α–induced JNK nuclear translocation, but rather induced, per se, nuclear accumulation of the enzyme. Consistently with previous findings, a glucocorticoid receptor mutant (GRdim), which is deficient in dimerization, DNA binding, and transactivation, but retains AP-1 transrepressing activity, was as efficient as wild-type GR in mediating the same effects of dexamethasone on JNK in transfected Cos-7 cells. Our results show that glucocorticoids antagonize the TNF-α–induced activation of AP-1 by causing the accumulation of inactive JNK without affecting its subcellular distribution