Polyamide Microparticles with Immobilized Enological Pectinase as Efficient Biocatalysts for Wine Clarification: The Role of the Polymer Support.

Free pectinase is commonly employed as a biocatalyst in wine clarification; however, its removal, recovery, and reuse are not feasible. To address these limitations, this study focuses on the immobilization of a commercial pectinolytic preparation (Pec) onto highly porous polymer microparticles (MPs). Seven microparticulate polyamide (PA) supports, namely PA4, PA6, PA12 (with and without magnetic properties), and the copolymeric PA612 MP, were synthesized through activated anionic ring-opening polymerization of various lactams.

Comparative Analysis of Conventional and Speckle Tracking Echocardiographic Variables between Patients with Unrejected Heart Transplants and Healthy Individuals.

Background: Echocardiography is essential for the assessment of patients with heart transplants. However, normal values in such individuals are not clearly defined.

Objectives: To compare conventional echocardiographic and speckle tracking variables between patients with unrejected heart transplants and healthy individuals.

Acute Cellular Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients: Insights of Global Longitudinal Strain, Myocardial Work, and an Exclusive Group of Chagas Disease.

Background: Echocardiographic markers associated with asymptomatic acute cellular rejection (ACR) in patients with orthotopic heart transplant (HT) are still under investigation. The aim of our study was to determine clinical and myocardial strain imaging (MSI) variables evaluated by echocardiography associated with ACR in the first year of HT. A separate analysis was performed to compare variables during the first 6 months of HT, when ACR has a prevalence in 60% of patients.

Hemostatic changes in patients undergoing hemodialysis: Differences between central venous catheters and arterio-venous fistulas.

Background: Failure to mature the fistula in patients undergoing hemodialysis leads to prolonged use of the central venous catheter (CVC) and can compromise the patency of the catheter and the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) due to thrombus development.

Objective: To evaluate hemostatic changes in patients undergoing hemodialysis with prolonged use of CVC or AVF.

Method: Cross-sectional study with a total of 200 adult participants who were divided into the following groups: I:control; II: patients who had 5-8 months of CVC insertion; III: patients who had 9-36 months of insertion; IV patients who had 5-8 months of AVF; and V: patients who had 9-36 months of AVF.

Percutaneous thrombectomy or ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis for initial management of acute limb ischaemia.

Background: Acute limb ischaemia (ALI), the sudden and significant reduction of blood flow to the limb, is considered a vascular emergency. In the general population, the incidence is estimated as 14 per 100,000. Prognosis depends on the time it takes to diagnose the condition and begin appropriate treatment.

The effects of zoledronic acid on the progression of experimental periodontitis in rats: histological and microtomographic analyses.

Purpose: Periodontitis is considered a local risk factor for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ). However, little is known about the progression of periodontitis in the presence of zoledronic acid (ZOL). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the systemic use of ZOL on the progression of experimental periodontitis (EP) in rats, as ZOL could modulate the progression of periodontitis and concomitantly cause MRONJ in individuals with periodontitis.

Accuracy of non-invasive methods/models for predicting esophageal varices in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease secondary to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients can progress to cirrhosis. In these, there is a compensated stage in which esophageal varices can exist. However, no more than 20% of these patients have varices needing treatment (VNT).

Is arsenite more toxic than arsenate in plants?

In order to evaluate the differential absorption and toxicity of arsenate (As) and arsenite (As), Lemna valdiviana plants were grown in a nutrient solution and subjected to 0.0 (control); 0.5; 1.

Fibrin sealant repair of a double-necked femoral pseudoaneurysm.

Objective: Pseudoaneurysms are rare, but femoral artery false aneurysms have increased in recent decades.

Methods: They are related to endovascular procedures performed on patients with increased risk for this complication. Pseudoaneurysms generally present with only one neck.

Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) results from an anomalous relationship between the popliteal artery and the myofascial structures of the popliteal fossa. The most common presenting symptoms include intermittent pain in the feet and calves on exercise, resulting in lameness. PAES can lead to popliteal artery thrombosis, stenosis, distal arterial thromboembolism, or arterial aneurysm.

Uterine cavity calcifications: a report of 7 cases and a systematic literature review.

We report 7 uterine cavity calcification cases and systematically review the literature on cases presenting this finding. In our series of cases, the mean age of patients was 31.6 ± 5.

Antimicrobial resistance of uropathogens in women with acute uncomplicated cystitis from primary care settings.

We assessed the antimicrobial resistance patterns of all urine samples submitted for culture from outpatient women aged ≥14 years with diagnosis of uncomplicated cystitis over a 24-month period (2007-2009) in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil. Only bacterial growth of a single uropathogen with ≥10(5) CFU/mL was considered for analysis. The Pearson's chi-square test was used for bivariate correlations.

Bacterial community associated with healthy and diseased reef coral Mussismilia hispida from eastern Brazil.

In order to characterize the bacterial community diversity associated to mucus of the coral Mussismilia hispida, four 16S rDNA libraries were constructed and 400 clones from each library were analyzed from two healthy colonies, one diseased colony and the surrounding water. Nine bacterial phyla were identified in healthy M. hispida, with a dominance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Lentisphaerae, and Nitrospira.