Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia in a Portuguese Bronchiectasis Outpatient Clinic.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare hereditary condition characterized by decreased mucociliary clearance of the airways and a compromised reproductive system, resulting in male and female infertility. Several mutations with varied clinical and pathological features have been documented, making diagnosis a challenging process. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical and pathological features of Portuguese patients with PCD and to examine their genetic variants.

TiOMWCNT nanohybrid: Cytotoxicity, protein corona formation and cellular internalisation in RTG-2 fish cell line.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (TiOMWCNT) nanohydrid has an enhanced photocatalytic activity across the visible light with promising applications in environmental remediation, solar energy devices and antimicrobial technologies. However, it is necessary to evaluate the toxicological effects of TiOMWCNT towards safe and sustainable development of nanohybrids. In this work, we studied the cytotoxicity, protein corona formation and cellular internalisation of TiOMWCNT on fibroblasts derived from gonadal rainbow trout tissue (RTG-2) for the first time.

Investigation of acute toxicity, accumulation, and depuration of ZnO nanoparticles in Daphnia magna.

Size is a key factor controlling the rate of dissolution of nanoparticles, such property can be explored for producing controlled release fertilizers. Hence, one can expect the increasing discharge of nanoparticles closer to water streams in the near future. In this study, we employed the model fresh water organism Daphnia magna to investigate the uptake, acute toxicity and depuration of ZnO nanoparticles.

Transition from APAP to CPAP may be a cost-effective health intervention in OSA patients.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder associated with a significant economic burden. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and auto-titrating positive airway pressure (APAP) are recognized therapeutic options in patients with OSA, although treatment costs are higher with APAP. We conducted a study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and potential cost savings resulting from the implementation of a protocol guiding the transition to CPAP in OSA patients previously treated with APAP.

Role of the antioxidant defense system during the production of lignocellulolytic enzymes by fungi.

Fungi are used for the production of several compounds and the efficiency of biotechnological processes is directly related to the metabolic activity of these microorganisms. The reactions catalyzed by lignocellulolytic enzymes are oxidative and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Excess of ROS can cause serious damages to cells, including cell death.

Swyer-James-Macleod syndrome as a rare cause of unilateral hyperlucent lung: Three case reports.

Rationale: Swyer-James-Macleod syndrome (SJMS) is a rare lung disorder characterized by unilateral hyperlucent lungs which arises as a complication of bronchiolitis obliterans. It is typically diagnosed during childhood, although some patients may only be diagnosed in adulthood, often as an incidental finding, but others due to recurrent chest infections.

Patient Concerns: Three patients were referred to our institution with complaints of dyspnea on exertion, chronic productive cough, and recurrent pulmonary infections.

Effects of sewage sludge application on unfertile tropical soils evaluated by multiple approaches: A field experiment in a commercial Eucalyptus plantation.

Sewage sludge (SS) reuse in forest plantation as soil fertilizer/amendment has tremendously increased in recent years. However, SS may have high concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE), representing a potential risk for soil and the whole ecosystem. This paper was aimed to assess the toxicity of PTE in unfertile tropical soils amended with SS in a commercial Eucalyptus plantation, with an integrated multiple approaches combining: i) the use of a battery of bioassays (Daphnia magna, Pseudokcrichirella subcapitata, Lactuca sativa, and Allium cepa); and ii) the evaluation of some PTE (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and their availability into the pedoenvironment.

Toxicity assessment of TiO-MWCNT nanohybrid material with enhanced photocatalytic activity on Danio rerio (Zebrafish) embryos.

The increasing production and use of nanomaterials is causing serious concerns about their safety to human and environmental health. However, the applications of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiONP) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) hybrids has grown considerably, due to their enhanced photocatalytic efficiency. To our knowledge, there are no reports available to the scientific community about their toxicity.

Amazoninema gen. nov., (Synechococcales, Pseudanabaenaceae) a novel cyanobacteria genus from Brazilian Amazonian rivers.

The genus Leptolyngbya includes morphotypes with thin cells and simple morphology, and is one of the most common cyanobacterial genera found in a wide range of environments. In many cases, however, the morphotypes assigned to this genus do not share a common ancestor based on 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, which has led to the description of novel genera, such as Nodosilinea, Oculatella, Pantanalinema, Alkalinema, Thermoleptolyngbya, Onodrimia, Timaviella and Toxifilum. Thus, four novel isolates, with a comparable morphology to Leptolyngbya, were recovered from the Amazon and Solimões rivers.

Degradation of textile dyes by cyanobacteria.

Dyes are recalcitrant compounds that resist conventional biological treatments. The degradation of three textile dyes (Indigo, RBBR and Sulphur Black), and the dye-containing liquid effluent and solid waste from the Municipal Treatment Station, Americana, São Paulo, Brazil, by the cyanobacteria Anabaena flos-aquae UTCC64, Phormidium autumnale UTEX1580 and Synechococcus sp. PCC7942 was evaluated.

The aquatic impact of ionic liquids on freshwater organisms.

Ionic liquids (ILs), also known as liquid electrolytes, are powerful solvents with a wide variety of academic and industrial applications. Bioassays with aquatic organisms constitute an effective tool for the evaluation of ILs' toxicity, as well as for the prediction and identification of possible moieties that act as toxicophores. In this work, the acute toxicity of six ILs and two commonly used organic solvents was evaluated using freshwater organisms: Daphnia magna, Raphidocelis subcapitata and Hydra attenuata.

Optimization of lipids production by Cryptococcus laurentii 11 using cheese whey with molasses.

This study aimed the optimization of culture condition and composition for production of Cryptococcus laurentii 11 biomass and lipids in cheese whey medium supplemented with sugarcane molasses. The optimization of pH, fermentation time, and molasses concentration according to a full factorial statistical experimental design was followed by a Plackett-Burman experimental design, which was used to determine whether the supplementation of the culture medium by yeast extract and inorganic salts could provide a further enhancement of lipids production. The following conditions and composition of the culture medium were found to optimize biomass and lipids production: 360 h fermentation, 6.

Genetics correlates with lung function and nocturnal ventilation in myotonic dystrophy.

Background: Dystrophia myotonica (DM) is the most frequent adult-onset muscular dystrophy. Type 1 is caused by the cytosine-thymine-guanine (CTG) repeat expansion in the DM protein kinase gene. Respiratory muscle weakness and altered central ventilatory control lead to hypercapnia and lung volume restriction.

Cerebral tuberculomas - A clinical challenge.

Cerebral tuberculomas are a rare and serious form of tuberculosis (TB) due to the haematogenous spread of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MT). Symptoms and radiologic features are nonspecific, leading sometimes to misdiagnosis. Anti-TB drugs are essential for the successful treatment of cerebral tuberculomas but there is no agreement regarding the duration of therapy.

Tracheal bronchus with metachronous tumor.

Tracheal bronchus, a bronchus arising from the lateral wall of the trachea, is a rare congenital anomaly. It is usually asymptomatic but symptoms could occur with relatively poor local drainage. There are a few cases of lung cancer within the tracheal bronchus reported in the literature; however, none of them were reported to be metachronous.

Degradation of dental ZrO2-based materials after hydrothermal fatigue. Part I: XRD, XRF, and FESEM analyses.

The aim was to investigate the effect of simulated low-temperature degradation (s-LTD) and hydrothermal fatigue on the degradation of three ZrO(2)-based dental materials. Lava, IPS, and NanoZr discs were randomly assigned to (1) Control-Storage in distilled water at 37°C; (2) Aging at 134°C for 5 h (s-LTD); (3) Thermocycling in saliva for 30,000 cycles (TF). XRD revealed that ZrO(2) m phase was identified in all groups but TF increased the m phase only for Lava.

Evaluation of sugar-cane vinasse treated with Pleurotus sajor-caju utilizing aquatic organisms as toxicological indicators.

Toxicity tests with aquatic organisms constitute an effective tool in the evaluation, prediction and detection of the potential effect of pollutants from environmental samples in living organisms. Vinasse, a highly colored effluent, is a sub-product rich in nutrients, mainly organic matter, with high pollutant potential when disposed in the environment. Assays for vinasse decolorization were performed using the fungus Pleurotus sajor-caju CCB020 in vinasse biodegradation study, were occurred reductions of 82.

Ash from a pulp mill boiler--characterisation and vitrification.

The physical, chemical and mineralogical characterisation of the ash resulting from a pulp mill boiler was performed in order to investigate the valorisation of this waste material through the production of added-value glassy materials. The ash had a particle size distribution in the range 0.06-53 microm, and a high amount of SiO(2) (approximately 82 wt%), which was present as quartz.