High 15-f-2t-isoprostane Levels In Patients With A Previous History Of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer: The Effects Of Supplementary Antioxidant Therapy

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Background. Phase I of this study was aimed at comparing the profiles of oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with history of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), previously treated with surgery, to the healthy subjects. Phase II aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementary antioxidant therapy on the levels of biomarkers in the case group. Materials and Methods. In Phase I, oxidative stress biomarkers were measured in blood samples obtained from 24 healthy subjects and 60 patients with history of NMSC previously treated with surgery. In Phase II, the 60 patients with history of NMSC were randomized into two subgroups, one receiving placebo (n = 34) and the other (n = 26) receiving vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc supplementation for 8 weeks, followed by reevaluation of biomarkers. Results. In Phase I, patients with history of NMSC showed increased plasma concentrations of all biomarkers, but only 15-F-2t-isoprostane was significantly higher than in the healthy subjects. Risk of NMSC increased by 4% for each additional 1 pg/mL increase in 15-F-2t-isoprostane. In Phase II, supplementation did not significantly reduce levels of oxidative stress biomarkers. Conclusion. Patients with history of NMSC had significantly high 15-F-2t-isoprostane plasma levels; supplementation did not result in significant reduction of oxidative stress biomarkers. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (ID NCT02248584).Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNPq [482958/2011-1

Characterization of primary direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs resistance mutations in NS5A/NS5B regions of hepatitis C virus with genotype 1a and 1b from patients with chronic hepatitis

The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a public health problem. The high level of HCV replication and its lack of post-transcriptional correction mechanisms results in the emergence of viral variants and the difficulty in determining polymorphisms and variants that contain the substitutions associated with resistance towards new antivirals. The main focus of this study was to map the NS5A and NS5B polymorphisms and resistance mutations to new antiviral drugs in HCV strains genotype 1 from patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Serum samples were collected from patients who underwent routine viral load tests at the Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Sao Paulo city, Brazil. A total of 698 and 853 samples were used for the characterization of NS5A and NS5B regions, respectively, which comprise the HCV genotypes 1a and 1b. The prevalence of resistance mutations found in the NS5A region was 6.4%, with Y93H, L31M, Q30R, and Y93N as the main resistance-associated substitutions (RAS). No NS5B-associated RAS was observed for any of the analyzed drugs. These findings support that the RAS test should be offered to individuals with poor response to double combination regimens prior to treatment initiation, thereby assisting strain vigilance and selection of effective treatment or retreatment options using DAA regimens

High 15-f-2t-isoprostane levels in patients with a previous history of nonmelanoma skin cancer: the effects of supplementary antioxidant therapy

Phase I of this study was aimed at comparing the profiles of oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with history of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), previously treated with surgery, to the healthy subjects. Phase II aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementary antioxidant therapy on the levels of biomarkers in the case group. In Phase I, oxidative stress biomarkers were measured in blood samples obtained from 24 healthy subjects and 60 patients with history of NMSC previously treated with surgery. In Phase II, the 60 patients with history of NMSC were randomized into two subgroups, one receiving placebo (n = 34) and the other (n = 26) receiving vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc supplementation for 8 weeks, followed by reevaluation of biomarkers. Results. In Phase I, patients with history of NMSC showed increased plasma concentrations of all biomarkers, but only 15-F-2t-isoprostane was significantly higher than in the healthy subjects. Risk of NMSC increased by 4% for each additional 1 pg/mL increase in 15-F-2t-isoprostane. In Phase II, supplementation did not significantly reduce levels of oxidative stress biomarkers. Patients with history of NMSC had significantly high 15-F-2t-isoprostane plasma levels; supplementation did not result in significant reduction of oxidative stress biomarkers. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (ID NCT02248584)2015CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP482958/2011-1sem informaçã

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Influence of fusel oil components on the distillation of hydrous ethanol fuel (HEF) in a bench column

The components of fusel oil form azeotropes with water, resulting in challenges in obtaining hydrous ethanol fuel (HEF) and increasing investment and operating costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the presence of fusel oil affected HEF distillation. Mixtures of ethanol (6.0 to 6.5 % w/w) and water (93.0 to 94 % w/w) containing different concentrations (zero to 0.5 % w/w) of 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2- methyl-1-propanol, propan-1-ol and propan-2-ol were distilled in a laboratory apparatus. Under total reflux conditions, HEF concentrations in compliance with Brazilian legislation specifications were obtained, but the desired concentration could not be attained under continuous operation. All of the experiments resulted in a high loss of ethanol in the bottom product under multiple operating conditions. The results demonstrated that fusel oil affects HEF distillation, but that HEF concentrations can still be obtained in compliance with Brazilian legislation

Influence of fusel oil components on the distillation of hydrous ethanol fuel (HEF) in a bench column

The components of fusel oil form azeotropes with water, resulting in challenges in obtaining hydrous ethanol fuel (HEF) and increasing investment and operating costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the presence of fusel oil affected HEF distillation. Mixtures of ethanol (6.0 to 6.5 % w/w) and water (93.0 to 94 % w/w) containing different concentrations (zero to 0.5 % w/w) of 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2- methyl-1-propanol, propan-1-ol and propan-2-ol were distilled in a laboratory apparatus. Under total reflux conditions, HEF concentrations in compliance with Brazilian legislation specifications were obtained, but the desired concentration could not be attained under continuous operation. All of the experiments resulted in a high loss of ethanol in the bottom product under multiple operating conditions. The results demonstrated that fusel oil affects HEF distillation, but that HEF concentrations can still be obtained in compliance with Brazilian legislation

Selective cobalt extraction from the zeolite outer surface for the design of novel selective metal composite catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

International audienc

Hepatitis B in the Northwestern region of Sao Paulo State: genotypes and resistance mutations

In Brazil, few studies on the molecular aspects of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have been conducted in the interior regions of Sao Paulo State. This study aimed to identify HBV genotypes and evaluate strains with resistance mutations for nucleoside analogues in the Administrative Region (AR) of the municipality of Sao Jose do Rio Preto. We performed nested PCRs of 127 samples from the Health Care Services of the AR to amplify, sequence and analyze fragments of the HBV DNA, in order to identify genotypes and resistance mutations. The HBV S/Pol regions of 126 samples were successfully amplified and sequenced. Five different genotypes were found, and the main ones were A, D and F; a greater number of samples contained the subgenotypes A1 (n = 51; 40.5%), D3 (n = 36; 28.6%), A2 (n = 14; 11.1%) and F2a (n = 9; 7.1%). Resistance mutations (rtM204V/I/S) associated or not with compensatory mutations (rtL180M, rtV173L) were identified in 13.9% (5/36) of patients undergoing viral treatment and 1.1% (1/90) of naïve patients. The diversity of genotypes/subgenotypes found is probably due to the intense migration occurring in the region. These data can complement epidemiological and clinical surveillance, and can be used for a more effective management of chronic HBV patients

Involvement of cytochrome P450 in cisplatin treatment: implications for toxicity

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the CYP450 enzyme family and cisplatin toxicity. This article examined a collection of studies suggesting that CYP450 enzymes may influence cisplatin toxicity. We performed a narrative mini-review. The studies review showed that CYP450 enzymes have an important role in drug-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, mainly CYP2E1 and CYP4A11. The studies also suggested that the cisplatin and CYP2E1 interaction leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other oxidants resulting in renal injury; and that ROS generated by both the use of cisplatin and by the CYP2E1 increases tissue damage, induces apoptosis, and causes liver failure. We observed that there is an important relationship between CYP450 and cisplatin, involving increased toxicity. However, the possible mechanisms described for the involvement of CYP450 enzymes in nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity induced by cisplatin need to be confirmed by further studies. Therefore, there is a need for a deeper investigation focusing on cisplatin toxicity mediated by CYP450 enzymes, which would undoubtedly contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms that have been implicated so far802223233FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPsem informaçã