Parasite-Driven host manipulation: The case of trematodes in Neotropical tadpoles.

Parasites can impact tadpole survival in both lethal and sublethal ways. Sublethal effects include alterations in morphology and behavior, reduced competitive ability, and increased vulnerability to predation, while lethal effects result in direct mortality. These impacts can have significant consequences at both individual and population levels, especially given that amphibians host various parasites and pathogens, which may contribute to population declines.

[Recommendations for Reducing the Environmental Impact of Inhalers in Portugal: Consensus Document].

This consensus document addresses the reduction of the environmental impact of inhalers in Portugal. It was prepared by the Portuguese Council for Health and the Environment and the societies representing the specialties that account for these drugs' largest volume of prescriptions, namely the Portuguese Society of Pulmonology, the Portuguese Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, the Portuguese Society of Pediatrics, the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine, the Portuguese Association of General and Family Medicine and also a patient association, the Respira Association. The document acknowledges the significant impact of pressurized metered-dose inhalers on greenhouse gas emissions and highlights the need to transition to more sustainable alternatives.

Fecal microbiota transplantation in patients with metabolic syndrome and obesity: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a multifactorial disease, and the gut microbiota may play a role in its pathogenesis. Obesity, especially abdominal obesity, is associated with insulin resistance, often increasing the risk of type two diabetes mellitus, vascular endothelial dysfunction, an abnormal lipid profile, hypertension, and vascular inflammation, all of which promote the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Aim: To evaluate the outcomes of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Diverse Profile of Fermentation Byproducts From Thin Stillage.

The economy of biorefineries is influenced not only by biofuel production from carbohydrates but also by the production of valuable compounds from largely underutilized industrial residues. Currently, the demand for many chemicals that could be made in a biorefinery, such as succinic acid (SA), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), and lactic acid (LA), is fulfilled using petroleum, palm oil, or pure carbohydrates as raw materials, respectively. Thin stillage (TS), the residual liquid material following distillation of ethanol, is an underutilized coproduct from the starch biofuel industry.

Virulence and resistance properties of E. coli isolated from urine samples of hospitalized patients in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - The role of mobile genetic elements.

Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) is the most frequent etiological agent of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Particular evolutionary successful lineages are associated with severe UTIs and higher incidences of multidrug resistance.

Symptomatic Hypokalemia in a 19-Year-Old Student.

Primary hyperaldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of secondary arterial hypertension and is frequently undiagnosed. It affects all ages but is more frequent between 20 and 60 years old. The clinical presentation is variable, and the diagnosis is based on screening and, in equivocal cases, confirmatory tests.

Consensus Document on Medical Faculty Education on the Treatment of Smoking.

We report the results of a consensus reached by an expert group of representatives from different medical societies in Latin America on the objectives, competencies (knowledge, and skills), content, and duration of smoking cessation education in Latin American medical schools. The document discusses the following aspects: epidemiology, nicotine dependence, factors for initiation and maintenance of tobacco use, smoking-related disorders, diagnosis, minimal intervention, non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions for smoking cessation, and prevention of smoking.

The Portuguese Severe Asthma Registry: Development, Features, and Data Sharing Policies.

The Portuguese Severe Asthma Registry ( RAG) was developed by an open collaborative network of asthma specialists. RAG collects data from adults and pediatric severe asthma patients that despite treatment optimization and adequate management of comorbidities require step 4/5 treatment according to GINA recommendations. In this paper, we describe the development and implementation of RAG, its features, and data sharing policies.

Triple A Syndrome: Preliminary Response to the Antioxidant N-Acetylcysteine Treatment in a Child.

Introduction: Triple A syndrome (AAAS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by alacrima, achalasia, ACTH-resistant adrenal insufficiency, autonomic dysfunction, and progressive neurodegeneration. Increased oxidative stress, demonstrated in patients' fibroblasts in vitro, may be a central disease mechanism. N-acetylcysteine protects renal function in patients with kidney injuries associated with increased oxidative stress and improves viability of AAAS-knockdown adrenal cells in vitro.

Differential expression of genes encoding proteins of the HGF/MET system in insulinomas.

Background: Insulinomas are the most common functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, whereas histopathological features do not predict their biological behaviour. In an attempt to better understand the molecular processes involved in the tumorigenesis of islet beta cells, the present study evaluated the expression of genes belonging to the hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor (HGF/MET) system, namely, MET, HGF; HGFAC and ST14 (encode HGF activator and matriptase, respectively, two serine proteases that catalyze conversion of pro-HGF to active HGF); and SPINT1 and SPINT2 (encode serine peptidase inhibitors Kunitz type 1 and type 2, respectively, two inhibitors of HGF activator and of matriptase).

Methods: Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was employed to assess RNA expression of the target genes in 24 sporadic insulinomas: 15 grade 1 (G1), six grade 2 (G2) and three hepatic metastases.

Hydrogen production from cheese whey with ethanol-type fermentation: effect of hydraulic retention time on the microbial community composition.

The effects of different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 4, 2, and 1h and varying sources of inoculum (sludge from swine and sludge from poultry) on the hydrogen production in two anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBRs) were evaluated. Cheese whey was used as a substrate, and 5000mgCODL(-1) was applied. The highest hydrogen yield (HY) of 1.

Organic loading rate impact on biohydrogen production and microbial communities at anaerobic fluidized thermophilic bed reactors treating sugarcane stillage.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of high organic loading rates (OLR) (60.0-480.00 kg COD m(-3)d(-1)) on biohydrogen production at 55°C, from sugarcane stillage for 15,000 and 20,000 mg CODL(-1), in two anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBR1 and AFBR2).

Continuous purification of antibodies from cell culture supernatant with aqueous two-phase systems: from concept to process.

An aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) process based on a PEG/phosphate system was developed for the capture of human immunoglobulin G and successfully applied to a Chinese hamster ovary and a PER.C6® cell supernatant. A continuous ATPE process incorporating three different steps (extraction, back-extraction, and washing) was set up and validated in a pump mixer-settler battery.

Early predictive factors for intensive care unit readmission.

Objective: To predict readmission in intensive care unit analyzing the first 24 hours data after intensive care unit admission.

Methods: The first intensive care unit admission of patients was analyzed from January to May 2009 in a mixed unit. Readmission to the unit was considered those during the same hospital stay or within 3 months after intensive care unit discharge.

Chromatography-free recovery of biopharmaceuticals through aqueous two-phase processing.

The therapeutic use of proteins has created an increasing demand for feasible and economical methods for both up- and downstream processes. However, whereas upstream processes have attracted substantial investment and commercial attention, downstream processing has been overlooked, causing a production bottleneck that is shifting the costs of production. This review focuses on the use of aqueous two-phase extraction as an option for the downstream processing of therapeutic proteins.

Downstream processing of human antibodies integrating an extraction capture step and cation exchange chromatography.

In this paper we explore an alternative process for the purification of human antibodies from a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell supernatant comprising a ligand-enhanced extraction capture step and cation exchange chromatography (CEX). The extraction of human antibodies was performed in an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) composed of dextran and polyethylene glycol (PEG), in which the terminal hydroxyl groups of the PEG molecule were modified with an amino acid mimetic ligand in order to enhance the partition of the antibodies to the PEG-rich phase. This capture step was optimized using a design of experiments and a central composite design allowed the determination of the conditions that favor the partition of the antibodies to the phase containing the PEG diglutaric acid (PEG-GA) polymer, in terms of system composition.

Antibiotic coated catheter to decrease infection: pilot study.

Background And Objectives: Nosocomial catheter related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI) increase morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Central venous catheters (CVC) coated with rifampin and minocycline (RM) decrease rates of colonization and CR-BSI. However, recent trials challenged the clinical impact of such catheters.

Purification of human immunoglobulin G by thermoseparating aqueous two-phase systems.

The purification of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) from a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells supernatant was studied using an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) composed of ethylene oxide/propylene oxide (UCON) and dextran. In UCON/dextran systems IgG partitions preferentially to the less hydrophobic dextran-rich phase (Kp<1). The addition of triethylene glycol-diglutaric acid (TEG-COOH) shifted the IgG partition into the upper phase showing significant improvements in both the recovery yields and purity.

Optimisation of aqueous two-phase extraction of human antibodies.

The purification of human antibodies in an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 and phosphate was optimised by surface response methodology. A central composite design was used to evaluate the influence of phosphate, PEG and NaCl concentration and of the pH on the purity and extraction yield of IgG from a simulated serum medium. The conditions that maximise the partition of IgG into the upper phase were determined to be high concentrations of NaCl and PEG, low concentrations of phosphate and low pH values.

Application of central composite design to the optimisation of aqueous two-phase extraction of human antibodies.

The partition of human antibodies in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and phosphate was systematically studied using first pure proteins systems and then an artificial mixture of proteins containing 1mg/ml human immunoglobulin G (IgG), 10mg/ml serum albumin and 2mg/ml myoglobin. Preliminary results obtained using pure proteins systems indicated that the PEG molecular weight and concentration, the pH value and the salts concentration had a pronounced effect on the partitioning behaviour of all proteins. For high ionic strengths and pH values higher than the isoelectric point (pI) of the contaminant proteins, IgG could be selectively recovered on the top phase.

Fibrino(geno)lytic properties of purified hementerin, a metalloproteinase from the leech Haementeria depressa.

The fibrino(geno)lytic protein designated hementerin contained in crude extracts of the salivary complex of Haementeria depressa leeches was purified to apparent homogeneity by gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography and preparative SDS-PAGE. It is a single-chain 80 kDa, PhMeSO2F-resistant, calcium-dependent, metalloproteinase, which specifically degrades fibrin(ogen) through a plasminogen-independent pathway. The amino terminal sequence of 8 residues shows 80% similarity with hementin, another fibrino(geno)lytic protein purified from Haementeria ghilianii leeches.