ERASURE: early autologous blood pleurodesis for postoperative air leaks-a randomized, controlled trial comparing prophylactic autologous blood pleurodesis versus standard watch and wait treatment for postoperative air leaks following thoracoscopic anatomic lung resections.

Background: The prolonged air leak is probably the most common complication following lung resections. Around 10-20% of the patients who undergo a lung resection will eventually develop a prolonged air leak. The definition of a prolonged air leak varies between an air leak, which is evident after the fifth, seventh or even tenth postoperative day to every air leak that prolongs the hospital stay.

Biodegradation of polysaccharide-based biocomposites with acetylated cellulose nanocrystals, alginate and chitosan in aqueous environment.

Biocomposite films from renewable sources are seen to be viable candidates as sustainable, zero-waste packaging materials. In this study, biocomposites films using chitosan and alginate as matrices, and pristine or acetylated cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as reinforcement agents, were fabricated, thoroughly characterized in terms of structure (with ATR-FTIR and XRD), morphology (SEM), thermal stability (TGA coupled with FTIR), water content and solubility and mechanical properties and subjected to controlled biological degradation in aqueous environment with added activated sludge. Biodegradation activity was followed through respirometry by measurement of change in partial O pressure using OxiTop® system.

Outcomes with alemtuzumab induction therapy in lung transplantation: a comprehensive large-scale single-center analysis.

Alemtuzumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting CD52, increasingly used as induction therapy after transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes of alemtuzumab induction therapy followed by a low-dose maintenance immunosuppression in a large single-center cohort of lung transplant recipients. All patients, who received alemtuzumab induction followed by a low-dose maintenance immunosuppression were included in the analysis.

Microbial Keratinases: Enzymes with Promising Biotechnological Applications.

Keratin is a complex and structurally stable protein found in human and animal hard tissues, such as feathers, wool, hair, hoof and nails. Some of these, like feathers and wool, represent one of the main sources of protein-rich waste with significant potential to be transformed into value-added products such as feed, fertilizers or bioenergy. A major limitation impeding valorization of keratinous substrates is their recalcitrant structure and resistance to hydrolysis by common proteases.

Influence of Thermal and Bacterial Pretreatment of Microalgae on Biogas Production in Mesophilic and Thermophilic Conditions.

Microalgae biomass has a great potential in search for new alternative energy sources. They can be used as a substrate for the biogas production in anaerobic digestion. When using microalgae, the efficiency of this process is hampered due to the resistant cell wall.