Physical–chemical parameters and validation of a colorimetric method for deoxycholic and ursodeoxycholic acids: kit reagent and optical sensor

AbstractThe simple and low cost β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)–phenolphthalein (PHP) inclusion complex was used for both the study of physical–chemical parameters and validation of analytical procedures for deoxycholic acid (DCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) determinations in different formulations. The usefulness of this inclusion complex is proposed either in the form of kit reagent and as an original optical sensor for DCA and UDCA. The results showed that temperature had a negative effect on the equilibrium constant resulting in high negative values of enthalpy and positive values of entropy. The half-life values for DCA and UDCA measurements were 68.71 and 294.71 days, respectively. The method was validated showing limits of detection and quantification of 4.92×10−5molL−1 and 1.64×10−4molL−1 for DCA, 1.14×10−5molL−1 and 3.79×10−5molL−1 for UDCA, respectively. The developed optical sensor also showed response linearity, ease of implementation and potential application in fast screening tasks even out of the laboratory

Utilização do processamento digital de imagens no monitoramento de estações de tratamento de efluentes

Neste trabalho é proposto um procedimento para reconhecimento semi-automático das espécies de protozoários por análise de imagem. Este programa (ProtoRec v.2) foi em seguida utilizado para estudar a evolução da microfauna durante períodos de transição (paragem e arranque da estação). Os resultados obtidos foram satisfatórios em relação ao reconhecimento das espécies pelo programa e o acompanhamento da estação permitiu-nos verificar a degradação e envelhecimento da lama e o aparecimento de protozoários que evidenciam tal fato

Analysis of the immunological biomarker profile during acute zika virus infection reveals the overexpression of CXCL10, a chemokine linked to neuronal damage

BACKGROUND Infection with Zika virus (ZIKV) manifests in a broad spectrum of disease ranging from mild illness to severe neurological complications and little is known about Zika immunopathogenesis. OBJECTIVES To define the immunologic biomarkers that correlate with acute ZIKV infection. METHODS We characterized the levels of circulating cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in 54 infected patients of both genders at five different time points after symptom onset using microbeads multiplex immunoassay; comparison to 100 age-matched controls was performed for statistical analysis and data mining. FINDINGS ZIKV-infected patients present a striking systemic inflammatory response with high levels of pro-inflammatory mediators. Despite the strong inflammatory pattern, IL-1Ra and IL-4 are also induced during the acute infection. Interestingly, the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-13, IL-17, TNF-α, and IFN-γ; chemokines CXCL8, CCL2, CCL5; and the growth factor G-CSF, displayed a bimodal distribution accompanying viremia. While this is the first manuscript to document bimodal distributions of viremia in ZIKV infection, this has been documented in other viral infections, with a primary viremia peak during mild systemic disease and a secondary peak associated with distribution of the virus to organs and tissues. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Biomarker network analysis demonstrated distinct dynamics in concurrence with the bimodal viremia profiles at different time points during ZIKV infection. Such a robust cytokine and chemokine response has been associated with blood-brain barrier permeability and neuroinvasiveness in other flaviviral infections. High-dimensional data analysis further identified CXCL10, a chemokine involved in foetal neuron apoptosis and Guillain-Barré syndrome, as the most promising biomarker of acute ZIKV infection for potential clinical application. © 2018, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz. All rights reserved

Solophenyl Navy Blue Dye Removal by Smectite Clay in a Porous Bed Column

Many studies have been reported whose objective has been the removal of effluent dyes from aqueous solution via adsorption methods. Among the adsorbents studied have been natural clays. The present study was aimed at evaluating smectite clay as a viable adsorbent for the removal of dyes from wastewater in industrial textile laundries. This clay is mainly composed of residue generated in the activities related to the exploration of gypsite which is abundantly available in the Araripe–PE region, located in Northeast Brazil. In the methodology chosen, a solution of the navy blue dye Solophenyl, which is the main dye employed in such laundries, was prepared with the following composition: 0.75 g dye + 11.25 g sodium chloride in 1000 mℓ of water. The clay (0.2 g quantity) was used in two forms: the natural extracted material and product obtained after its calcination at 300 °C. All assays were undertaken employing a porous bed column. The experimental data allowed an assessment of the kinetic behaviour of the dye, and of the removal capacity and removal efficiency of the examined clays. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained with smectite clay calcined at 300 °C, being 10.36 mg Solophenyl dye per gram clay at an output rate of 3 mℓ/min. The results were adjusted to the Logistic function model available in Origin 6.1 software, when an excellent correlation was obtained with the experimental adsorption data

Water Quality Evaluation of the Springs in Fernando de Noronha Island

The Fernando de Noronha archipelago is composed by 21 islands. The biggest of them, the Fernando de Noronha island, is supplied in domestic water by two reservoirs, one rain-water collecting system and another system using sea water desalinization. In addition, this island is supplied by water from six secondary artificial ponds and some wells and springs. However, during the summer drought time, the island endures a water supply reduction that endangers the touristic activities, which are the main economical local financial source. In this concern, were evaluated the quality of the water from several sources for human supplying. Some measurements were performed “in site” and laboratory physical chemical analyses as well. It could be concluded that a further reorganization of the water supply system ought to be carried out in order to avoid future problems and risk of water supply collapse in this island