Analysis of the conversion of cellulose present in lignocellulosic biomass for biofuel production.

Among the steps for the conversion of biomass into bioenergy, there is enzymatic hydrolysis. However, factors such as composition, formation of inhibitors, inhibition and enzymatic deactivation can affect the yield and productivity of this process. Lignocellulosic biomass is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.

Clinical, histopathological, and molecular findings for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in dairy goats under semiarid conditions.

The objective of this study was to report the occurrence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in dairy goats, via description of their clinical presentation, histopathological findings, and molecular identification of the infectious agent. Screening was performed using IS900 real-time PCR (qPCR) in milk samples from 179 properties in the semiarid of Northeast region of Brazil. Pooled milk samples from all lactating goats from processing plants were submitted to molecular diagnosis.

Response of Human Liver Tissue to Innate Immune Stimuli.

Precision-cut human liver slice cultures (PCLS) have become an important alternative immunological platform in preclinical testing. To further evaluate the capacity of PCLS, we investigated the innate immune response to TLR3 agonist (poly-I:C) and TLR4 agonist (LPS) using normal and diseased liver tissue. Pathological liver tissue was obtained from patients with active chronic HCV infection, and patients with former chronic HCV infection cured by recent Direct-Acting Antiviral (DAA) drug therapy.

Handgrip Strength, Overhydration and Nutritional Status as a Predictors of Gastrointestinal Toxicity in Cervical Cancer Patients. A Prospective Study.

Antineoplastic treatments produce adverse events (AE) such as gastrointestinal toxicity. These AE can reduce nutritional intake and promote weight and muscle mass loss. Objective: To determine if body composition, nutritional status, or muscle function predicts gastrointestinal toxicity during chemotherapy in cervical cancer (CC) patients.

Label-free quantitative proteomic analysis of extracellular vesicles released from fibroblasts derived from patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder that represents a significant cause of infant mortality. SMA is characterized by reduced levels of the Survival Motor Neuron protein leading to the loss of alpha motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain stem as well as defects in peripheral tissues such as skeletal muscle and liver. With progress in promising therapies such as antisense oligonucleotide and gene replacement, there remains a need to better understand disease subtypes and develop biomarkers for improved diagnostics and therapeutic monitoring.

Altered vitamin A metabolism in human liver slices corresponds to fibrogenesis.

All-trans-retinoic acid (atRA), the active metabolite of vitamin A, has antifibrogenic properties in vitro and in animal models. Liver vitamin A homeostasis is maintained by cell-specific enzymatic activities including storage in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), secretion into circulation from hepatocytes, and formation and clearance of atRA. During chronic liver injury, HSC activation is associated with a decrease in liver retinyl esters and retinol concentrations.

Human Liver Macrophage Subsets Defined by CD32.

Human liver myeloid cells are imperfectly defined, but it is broadly agreed that cells of stellate appearance , expressing the markers CD11b and CD68, are the liver's resident macrophages, classically termed Kupffer cells. Recent investigations using single cell RNA sequencing and unsupervised clustering algorithms suggest there are two populations of cells with the characteristics of tissue macrophages in human liver. We therefore analyzed dissociated human liver tissue using the markers CD11b and CD68 to define macrophage-like cells and found within this population two subsets that differ in their expression of multiple surface markers.

Characterization of Phosphopeptide Positional Isomers on the Transcriptional Co-activator TAZ.

The transcriptional co-activator with the PDZ binding motif (TAZ) is a critical regulator of numerous cellular processes such as cell differentiation, development, proliferation, and cell growth. Aberrant expression and activity of TAZ are also featured in many human malignancies. A hallmark of TAZ biology is its cytoplasmic retention mediated by 14-3-3 isoforms in response to phosphorylation of Ser by members of the LATS family of kinases.

Study of Quasielastic Barrier Distributions as a Step towards the Synthesis of Superheavy Elements with Hot Fusion Reactions.

The excitation functions for quasielastic scattering of ^{22}Ne+^{248}Cm, ^{26}Mg+^{248}Cm, and ^{48}Ca+^{238}U are measured using a gas-filled recoil ion separator. The quasielastic barrier distributions are extracted for these systems and are compared with coupled-channel calculations. The results indicate that the barrier distribution is affected dominantly by deformation of the actinide target nuclei, but also by vibrational or rotational excitations of the projectile nuclei, as well as neutron transfer processes before capture.

Scrotum bipartite in sheep as a parameter indicative of adaptation to semi-arid climates: A thermographic and reproductive study.

With the objective of assessing the influence of scrotum bipartition on scrotum-testiclar thermoregulation and semen quality in sheep native to a semiarid region, 14 adult crossbred rams were placed into groups, GI (7 with bipartition in the scrotum) and GII (7 without bipartition). Images were taken of the caudal scrotum surface using a Fluke (Ti25) thermographic camera, for temperature analysis. Two semen collections were made, at an eight-day interval, by electroejaculation, to analyze macroscopic and microscopic parameters.

Prehospital Cervical Spine Motion: Immobilization Versus Spine Motion Restriction.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of two different spinal immobilization techniques on cervical spine movement in a simulated prehospital ground transport setting.

Methods: A counterbalanced crossover design was used to evaluate two different spinal immobilization techniques in a standardized environment. Twenty healthy male volunteers (age = 20.

Precision-cut human liver slice cultures as an immunological platform.

The liver is the central metabolic organ in the human body, and also plays an essential role in innate and adaptive immunity. While mouse models offer significant insights into immune-inflammatory liver disease, human immunology differs in important respects. It is not easy to address those differences experimentally.

48Ca+249Bk fusion reaction leading to element Z = 117: long-lived α-decaying 270Db and discovery of 266Lr.

The superheavy element with atomic number Z=117 was produced as an evaporation residue in the (48)Ca+(249)Bk fusion reaction at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at GSI Darmstadt, Germany. The radioactive decay of evaporation residues and their α-decay products was studied using a detection setup that allowed measuring decays of single atomic nuclei with half-lives between sub-μs and a few days. Two decay chains comprising seven α decays and a spontaneous fission each were identified and are assigned to the isotope (294)117 and its decay products.

Production and decay of the heaviest nuclei (293,294)117 and (294)118.

Two years after the discovery of element 117, we undertook a second campaign using the (249)Bk+(48)Ca reaction for further investigations of the production and decay properties of the isotopes of element 117 on a larger number of events. The experiments were started in the end of April 2012 and are still under way. This Letter presents the results obtained in 1200 hours of an experimental run with the beam dose of (48)Ca of about 1.

New insights into the 243Am + 48Ca reaction products previously observed in the experiments on elements 113, 115, and 117.

Results of a new series of experiments on the study of production cross sections and decay properties of the isotopes of element 115 in the reaction (243)Am+(48)Ca are presented. Twenty-one new decay chains originating from (288)115 were established as the product of the 3n-evaporation channel by measuring the excitation function at three excitation energies of the compound nucleus (291)115. The decay properties of all newly observed nuclei are in full agreement with those we measured in 2003.

Diagnostic assessment of prosthetic mitral valve thrombosis by real-time three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography and successful thrombolytic treatment.

Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a rare but serious complication of valve replacement, most often encountered with mechanical prostheses. The different therapeutic modalities for PVT (fibrinolysis with heparin treatment or surgery) will largely be influenced by the presence of valvular obstruction, the valve location (left or right sided), the patient's clinical status, the existence of and expertise in therapeutic modalities at the institution, and the patient's decision. This report describes a patient with thrombosis of a prosthetic mitral valve, which was successfully treated with recombinant streptokinase in a hospital without cardiac surgery.

Synthesis of a new element with atomic number Z = 117.

The discovery of a new chemical element with atomic number Z=117 is reported. The isotopes (293)117 and (294)117 were produced in fusion reactions between (48)Ca and (249)Bk. Decay chains involving 11 new nuclei were identified by means of the Dubna gas-filled recoil separator.

Brown recluse spider venom: proteomic analysis and proposal of a putative mechanism of action.

Loxosceles intermedia spider venom was subjected to proteomic analysis through a MudPIT shot-gun approach to identify the protein composition. Were identified 39 proteins which seem to responsible by the lesion of different types of tissues, to some physiopathological actions and by the prevention of structural damage to the toxin structures.

Two different invasive versus noninvasive strategies in the management of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes.

Introduction: Previous studies have evaluated the prognostic impact of early invasive strategies in the management of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTEACS). There is, however, conflicting evidence about the advantages of such an approach. In some studies the benefits are dependent on gender or age, while time to angiography varies between studies.

Impact of a structured intensive follow-up program on the control of hypertension in coronary patients--a randomized trial.

Introduction: Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular events. Although several anti-hypertensive agents have shown to be effective in the treatment of hypertension, adequate blood pressure control is not frequent in most populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a structured intensive follow-up program (SIFUP) on the control of blood pressure in coronary patients.

Needle sharing: a longitudinal study of female injection drug users.

The objective of this study was to examine the psychosocial risk and protective factors related to needle-sharing behavior among female intravenous drug users (IDUs) positive (N = 96) and negative (N = 128) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Participants in this longitudinal study were interviewed individually at two points in time, with a 6-month interval between interviews. The interviewers used a structured questionnaire, which included psychosocial measures and questions about drug and sexual risk behaviors.

Longitudinal pathways to condom use: a psychosocial study of male IDUs.

This longitudinal study examined the psychosocial risk and protective factors involved in condom use among 265 male IDUs. Subjects were individually interviewed at two points in time using a structured questionnaire, which included psychosocial measures and questions about drug use and condom use. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlations and hierarchical regression analyses.