Estado Confusional Agudo após Corticoterapia Inalada

Background: The connection between corticotherapy and neuropsychiatric symptoms is widely known, being one of the first questions we need to assess when presenting with first episode psychiatric symptoms or confusional state. Aims: To date, data on cases related to inhaled corticotherapy and neuropsychiatric effects is scarce. In this paper we describe a rare case in a young woman. Methods: The clinical case presented led us to try to understand the data published on the subject in order to discuss it in greater length. Results and Conclusions: We present and discuss a 27-year-old patient’s case, with no previous psychiatric disease, who was admitted to our Psychiatric ward after the onset of severe acute behavioural disturbance characterized by aggressiveness, visual and auditory hallucinatory activity, misidentification and altered conscience status. It was later found that seven days earlier she had been prescribed inhaled corticotherapy for a minor respiratory infection. A few days after corticotherapy withdrawal, the clinical symptoms improved significantly.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Extraction of macromolecules in aqueous two-phase systems based on crude galactomannans and its derivatives

Aqueous two-phase systems have found use in biochemical research lor the separation and purification of macromolecules, cells and cell fragments. In order to minimize the cost of two-phase systems based on purified polymers (such as fractionated dextran and Reppal PES), new aqueous two-phase systems, formed by crude polymers, haVe been introduced. In this work, partition properties of macromolecules in poly(ethylene glycol) I locust bean gum; guar gum or derivatised guar gum are reported. The effect of poly(ethlylene glycol) molecular weight, ionic strength, affinity ligands, pH and temperature on partition behaviour and phase diagram is identical in this systems and in traditional poly(ethylene glycol) I dextran arid poly( ethylene glycol) I Reppal PES. Its application for enzyme affinity extraction is investigated. Two-phase systems based on such crude polymers may have"the drawback of their degree of purification, which may interfere with the separation procedure. However, this should not prevent its successful use in aqueous two-phase polymer extractions. Results clearly indicate that these systems are an interesting alternative to conventional extraction systems

Enzyme purification with aqueous two-phase systems: comparison between systems composed of pure polymers and systems composed of crude polymers

The main drawback when using aqueous two-phase systems for macromolecule purification is the high cost of most polymers used. The purification of an enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase, from a crude extract of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was tested in systems composed of poly(ethylene glycol) and a crude hydroxypropyl starch or Reppal PES 100, a purified fraction of hydroxypropyl starch. Purification factors measured for the enzyme were very similar in both systems (between 0.8 and 1.4 for both systems in the upper phase). However, systems composed of Reppal PES present a greater recovery of enzyme, between 77% and 100% versus 60% and 100%, while systems composed of crude hydroxypropyl starch exhibit a larger Δlog K for the tested ligand, 1.26 versus 0.81.Junta Nacional de Investigação Científica e Tecnológica (JNICT)

Enzyme production by solid-state fermentation

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a fermentation process which uses moist solid supports (mainly, agro-industrial residues) as substrate. This process has many advantages when compared with submerged fermentation (SmF) and is being successfully exploited for the production of enzymes and secondary metabolites. Its advantages include higher fermentation productivity, higher concentration of the products, less catabolic repression, low water and energy demanding, less effluent generation, and requirement of simple fermentation equipments [1]. This research group has been working in the production of fungi enzymes using SSF. Recently, we reported the production, isolation and purification of an ochratoxin A (OTA) hydrolytic enzyme [2]. This enzyme was produced by SSF on wheat germ and purified from the culture filtrate by acetone precipitation and anion exchange chromatography. The isolated enzyme is a metalloenzyme which can degrade OTA at pH 7.5 and 37 ºC, allowing its detoxification. OTA is a mycotoxin produced by several fungi in some agricultural commodities being present in food and feed products. Presently, we are assessing the application of this enzyme on detoxification processes for some agricultural commodities

Recovery of the proteose peptone component 3 from cheese whey in Reppal PES 100/polyethylene glycol aqueous two-phase systems

Recovery of the proteose peptone component 3 from cheese whey was optimal using a 16% (w/w) Reppal PES 100 – 24% (w/w) PEG 600 aqueous two-phase system, at pH 7, giving a mass recovery yield of 99% and a purity of 83% for proteose peptone component 3 in the upper phase. Using the above system a partition coefficient of 30.7 and a purification factor of 6.9 were achieved

Partitioning and separation of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin in polyethylene glycol/ammonium sulphate aqueous two-phase systems

The partition behaviour of α-lactalbumin (αla) and β-lactoglobulin (βlg) on PEG/(NH4)2SO4 system was studied. For purified proteins, a partition coefficient of 12.8 for αla and 0.34 for βlg, with mass recovery yields of 96.7% for αla in the upper phase and 83.8% for βlg in the lower phase was obtained, in 18% (w/w) PEG 900/14% (w/w) (NH4)2SO4 system, at pH 7. PEG/(NH4)2SO4 system was an economical alternative for the recovery and separation of the two proteins in cheese whey, allowing a 50% reduction in costs. An efficient and inexpensive separation of both proteins in cheese whey could be achieved, by using 16% (w/w) PEG 900/15% (w/w) (NH4)2SO4, at pH 7.5

Fungi and Fusarium mycotoxins in corn silages

Ensiled forages and grains are very important for feeding dairy cows in the Portuguese Azores islands. Fungal spoilage of animal feed silage occurs frequently. Moulds have no significant beneficial purpose to the ensiling process, and their ability to proliferate results from silage environments that are aerobically unstable, leading to unstable silage, loss of nutritive substances and mycotoxins contamination. Eighty maize silos produced in the Azores were collected. Samples of the middle, surface, and critical points, which had visible mould contamination, were examined for the total fungi and Aspergillus fumigatus. Fumonisin B1 and deoxynivalenol were analysed for in 25 samples from the silo middle, that were considered to be good silos from the dry matter and the pH perspective. All samples contained fungi. High levels (over 104 CFU/g) of yeasts were found in 70 samples (89% of total samples). Thirteen samples (54%) from the middle, 21 samples (72%) from the surface and 19 samples (86%) from the critical points contained A. fumigatus. A. fumigatus is the dominant spoilage mould in maize silage in the Azores. Other fungi that were identified belong to the genera Absidia, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Monascus, Mucor, Penicillium, Phoma, Rhizopus, Sepedonium, Trichoderma, Verticillium. The mycotoxicological evaluation indicated contamination of 14 samples (56%) with fumonisin B1 and 10 samples (40%) with deoxynivalenol. Since Fusarium strains were rarely isolated, the presence of these mycotoxins could be explained by field contamination

Electrophoretic aqueous two-phase partition of proteins

An electrical field was applied to an aqueous two-phase system. The integration of these techniques in one step is used to improve the partition of biological molecules. Experiments were performed for an individual protein - BSA - and for a mixture of proteins - lysozyme and egg albumin - at different polarities and opposite charges of the biomolecules for the aqueous two-phase system Reppal PES - PEG8000. The separation between those two proteins improved more than two-fold