Acetonitrile as adjuvant to tune polyethylene glycol + K3PO4 aqueous two-phase systems and its effect on phenolic compounds partition

Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) have been proposed as platforms for the purification of biomolecules, and the application of adjuvants to tune the properties of ATPS phases and their ability to extract and separate biological products investigated. This work addresses, for the first time, the use of acetonitrile (ACN) as adjuvant in ATPS composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG) of different molecular weights (from 400 to 20,000 g·mol−1) and potassium phosphate. The effect of ACN concentration (at 0.25, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 wt%) in the liquid-liquid equilibrium is here studied by measuring the phase diagrams, the composition of the phases in equilibrium and their Kamlet-Taft parameters. The results obtained demonstrate that the ACN presence increases the biphasic region of PEG-K3PO4 ATPS and its distribution between the coexisting phases is dependent on its concentration and ATPS composition. The difference in the dipolarity/polarizability of the coexisting phases is significantly affected by the presence of ACN in the ternary mixture. The partition of two phenolic compounds – protocatechuic acid and gallic acid – was studied, showing that ACN improves the partition of these molecules to the salt-rich phase, and that the system selectivity can be significantly improved by changing the concentration of the phase forming compounds.publishe

ASPIRAÇÃO ENDOTRAQUEAL EM PACIENTES COM VENTILAÇÃO MECÂNICA INVASIVA: CUIDADOS DE ENFERMAGEM PARA PREVENÇÃO DE PNEUMONIA

A ventilação mecânica (VM) ou suporte ventilatório consiste em um método de suporte para o tratamento de pacientes com insuficiência respiratória aguda ou crônica agudizada. A aspiração endotraqueal objetiva manter as vias aéreas permeáveis, prevenir infecções, promover trocas gasosas, incrementar a oxigenação arterial, melhorando a função pulmonar. Porém, expõe os pacientes a sérios riscos, especialmente aqueles sob ventilação mecânica e sua utilização deve ser cuidadosa e criteriosa para evitar complicações sérias como a hipoxemia, atelectasia e pneumonia. A pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica é uma forma de infecção hospitalar, que acomete a maioria dos pacientes em uso de ventilação mecânica invasiva. O estudo tem como objetivo geral discutir os cuidados de enfermagem para prevenção de pneumonia em paciente em uso de ventilação mecânica. E como objetivos específicos: identificar os cuidados de enfermagem durante a aspiração endotraqueal em pacientes com ventilação mecânica para prevenir a pneumonia na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, partindo de breves considerações sobre VM e aspiração endotraqueal. Verificou-se que das doze publicações selecionadas, apenas seis abordaram sobre os cuidados de enfermagem na aspiração endotraqueal em pacientes com ventilação mecânica. Esses estudos abordaram a importância da aspiração endotraqueal conforme técnica asséptica, a importância da aspiração endotraqueal e higiene oral como prevenção de pneumonia.  Sugere-se, portanto, a realização de novos estudos complementares sobre os cuidados de enfermagem aos pacientes críticos em uso de ventilação mecânica para que este profissional possa intervir na prevenção da pneumonia

ASPIRAÇÃO ENDOTRAQUEAL EM PACIENTES COM VENTILAÇÃO MECÂNICA INVASIVA: CUIDADOS DE ENFERMAGEM PARA PREVENÇÃO DE PNEUMONIA

A ventilação mecânica (VM) ou suporte ventilatório consiste em um método de suporte para o tratamento de pacientes com insuficiência respiratória aguda ou crônica agudizada. A aspiração endotraqueal objetiva manter as vias aéreas permeáveis, prevenir infecções, promover trocas gasosas, incrementar a oxigenação arterial, melhorando a função pulmonar. Porém, expõe os pacientes a sérios riscos, especialmente aqueles sob ventilação mecânica e sua utilização deve ser cuidadosa e criteriosa para evitar complicações sérias como a hipoxemia, atelectasia e pneumonia. A pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica é uma forma de infecção hospitalar, que acomete a maioria dos pacientes em uso de ventilação mecânica invasiva. O estudo tem como objetivo geral discutir os cuidados de enfermagem para prevenção de pneumonia em paciente em uso de ventilação mecânica. E como objetivos específicos: identificar os cuidados de enfermagem durante a aspiração endotraqueal em pacientes com ventilação mecânica para prevenir a pneumonia na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, partindo de breves considerações sobre VM e aspiração endotraqueal. Verificou-se que das doze publicações selecionadas, apenas seis abordaram sobre os cuidados de enfermagem na aspiração endotraqueal em pacientes com ventilação mecânica. Esses estudos abordaram a importância da aspiração endotraqueal conforme técnica asséptica, a importância da aspiração endotraqueal e higiene oral como prevenção de pneumonia.  Sugere-se, portanto, a realização de novos estudos complementares sobre os cuidados de enfermagem aos pacientes críticos em uso de ventilação mecânica para que este profissional possa intervir na prevenção da pneumonia

Manifestações clínicas em crianças infectadas pelo HIV na era HAART: um estudo seccional

The number of HIV infected children still grows gradually, becoming one of the five leading causes of pediatric death in the world. This study described HIV clinical manifestations in children from ages of 4 to 12 years who are in use of antiretroviral treatment or not. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, observational and quantitative study performed with HIV positive children patients of the Gafrée and Guinle Hospital (HUGG) and the Previdenciary Center of Niteroi (CPN), in the state of Rio de Janeiro – Brazil, during the year of 2005. After collecting data from medical charts, a descriptive statistical analysis was conducted, using simple frequency and χ² test. Sixty-three percent of the patients from HUGG and CPN were on HAART, and 48% showed no clinical manifestations (p=0.1376). The most frequently observed clinical manifestations were upper respiratory tract infection (6%) and herpes simplex (2%). The antiretroviral treatment (HAART) was successful in diminishing HIV related disease, contributing greatly to a better life style of patients in use of this therapy.O número de crianças infectadas pelo HIV ainda cresce progressivamente, tornando-se uma das cinco principais causas de óbito pediátrico no mundo. Este trabalho teve como objetivo escrever as manifestações clínicas da infecção pelo HIV em crianças de 4 a 12 anos com o uso ou não de tratamento anti-retroviral. O estudo foi descritivo, seccional, observacional e quantitativo, realizado com pacientes pediátricos HIV+, dos Hospitais Gafrée e Guinle (HUGG) e Centro Previdenciário de Niterói (CPN), no Rio de Janeiro, em 2005. Após coleta de dados por ficha clínica e consulta dos prontuários, realizou-se análise estatística descritiva por frequência simples, com o uso do teste χ². 63% dos pacientes do HUGG e CPN faziam uso de HAART, com 48% sem manifestação clínica (p=0,1376). As manifestações clínicas mais frequentes foram infecções das vias aéreas superiores (6%) e herpes simples (2%). Concluiu-se que a terapia anti-retroviral (HAART) fez as manifestações clinicas da infecção pelo HIV diminuírem, gerando uma melhoria na qualidade de vida desses pacientes

The Combined Use of Melatonin and an Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase-1 Inhibitor Enhances Vaccine-Induced Protective Cellular Immunity to HPV16-Associated Tumors

Immunotherapy has become an important ally in the fight against distinct types of cancer. However, the metabolic plasticity of the tumor environment frequently influences the efficacy of therapeutic procedures, including those based on immunological tools. In this scenario, immunometabolic adjuvants arise as an alternative toward the development of more efficient cancer therapies. Here we demonstrated that the combination of melatonin, a neuroimmunomodulator molecule, and an indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor (1-methyl-DL-tryptophan, DL-1MT) improves the efficacy of an immunotherapy (gDE7) targeting human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated tumors. Melatonin or IDO inhibitors (D-1MT and DL-1MT) directly reduced proliferation, migration, adhesion and viability of a tumor cell line (TC-1), capable to express the HPV-16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins, but could not confer in vivo antitumor protection effects. Nonetheless, combination of gDE7 with melatonin or D-1MT or DL-1MT enhanced the antitumor protective immunity of gDE7-based vaccine in mice. Notably, expression of IDO1 in stromal cells and/or immune cells, but not in tumor cells, inhibited the antitumor effects of the gDE7, as demonstrated in IDO1-deficient mice. Finally, co-administration of gDE7, melatonin and DL-1MT further improved the protective antitumor effects and the numbers of circulating E7-specific CD8+ T cells in mice previously transplanted with TC-1 cells. The unprecedented combination of melatonin and IDO inhibitors, as immunometabolic adjuvants, thus, represents a new and promising alternative for improving the efficacy of immunotherapeutic treatments of HPV-associated tumors

Purification of a lectin from Cratylia mollis crude extract seed by a single step PEG/phosphate aqueous two-phase system

The partitioning and purification of lectins from the crude extract of Cratylia mollis seeds (Cramoll 1,4) was investigated in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS). A factorial design model (24) was used to evaluate the influence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) molar mass (15008000g/mol), PEG concentration (12.517.5% w/w), phosphate (1015% w/w) concentration, and pH (68) on the differential partitioning, purification factor, and yield of the lectin. Polymer and salt concentration were the most important variables affecting partition of lectin and used to find optimum purification factor by experimental BoxBehnken design together with the response surface methodology (RSM). ATPS showed best conditions composed by 13.9% PEG1500, 15.3% phosphate buffer at pH 6, which ensured purification factor of 4.70. Sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band of protein with 26.1kDa. Furthermore, results demonstrated a thermostable lectin presenting activity until 60°C and lost hemagglutinating activity at 80°C. According to the obtained data it can be inferred that the ATPS optimization using RSM approach can be applied for recovery and purification of lectins.We are grateful to the following bodies for the grants awarded: CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Level Personnel Superior); FACEPE (Pernambuco Science and Technology Foundation): Researcher's scholarship grant: BFP-0017-5.05/18 CNPq (National Council for Scientific Development and Technological) process: 427153/2016-6 and we also thank the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions as these helped us to improve the manuscript.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nitrogen supply method affects growth, yield and must composition of young grape vines (Vitis vinifera L. cv Alicante Bouschet) in southern Brazil.

The aim of this study was to evaluate yield and chemical composition of the must in grapevines subjected to Nitrogen (N) supply methods in sandy soils. The vineyard cultivar was ?Alicante Bouschet? (Vitis vinifera L.) grafted on 1103 Paulsen rootstock, in southern Brazil. The treatments consisted of the application of 20+20 kg N ha−1 without irrigation (NWI), 20+20 kg N ha−1 followed by irrigation (NFI), 20+20 kg N ha−1 via fertigation (NF), 20 kg N ha−1 via fertigation (½NF), and a control (C) without N application. The study was conducted during four crop seasons. Leaves were collected at flowering and veraison to determination N concentration. Stem diameter, grape yield and its components were determined. In the must were evaluated the total soluble solids (TSS), pH, total titratable acidity (TTA) and total anthocyanins (TA). The concentration of nitrate and ammonium in soil solution was determined. N application followed by irrigation or N supplied via fertigation provided to the vines larger stem diameters and leaf N concentrations, in most crop seasons. Grapevines submitted to N application via fertigation or followed by irrigation presented higher yields than conventional application without irrigation, and between two and three times higher than the control. N supply methods little affected total soluble solids contents. The application of N to the soil, regardless of the N supply method, decreased the anthocyanin concentration in the grape must, due to the dilution effect on the pulp/skin ratio, promoted by the yield increase

Antioxidant intake among Brazilian adults - The Brazilian Osteoporosis Study (BRAZOS): a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Antioxidant nutrient intake and the lesser formation of free radicals seem to contribute to chronic diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intake profile of the main dietary antioxidants in a representative sample of the adult Brazilian population and discuss the main consequences of a low intake of these micronutrients on overall health.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The sample comprised 2344 individuals aged 40 years or older from 150 cities and was based on a probabilistic sample from official data. The research was conducted through in-home interviews administered by a team trained for this purpose. Dietary intake information was obtained through 24-h recall. The Nutrition Data System for Research software program was used to analyze data on the intake of vitamins A, C and E, selenium and zinc, which was compared to Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). Differences in intake according to sex, anthropometrics, socioeconomic status and region were also evaluated. The SPSS statistical package (version 13) was used for the statistical analysis. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Higher proportions of low intake in relation to recommended values were found for vitamin E (99.7%), vitamin A (92.4%) and vitamin C (85.1%) in both genders. Intake variations were found between different regions, which may reflect cultural habits.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results should lead to the development of public health policies that encourage educational strategies for improving the intake of micronutrients, which are essential to overall health and prevention of non-communicable diseases.</p