APTES functionalization in SBA-15: the effect on SO2 capture and detection applications.

The development of adsorbents for air pollutant remediation and effective monitoring is of interest. Then, the effect of the APTES functionalization ratio on the impact of the adsorption and detection of SO2 molecules was evaluated. The higher APTES functionalization material (SBA-15_6.1APTES) shows a high uptake of 1.15 mmol g-1 at 0.001 bar and 298 K. Fluorescence, time-resolved photoluminescence, and quantum yield experiments revealed a turn-on effect specifically for SO2 molecules, indicating high selectivity, suggesting host-to-guest energy transfer. Attractively, XPS measurement provided an understanding of the mechanism, suggesting hydrogen bonding and dipole-dipole interactions as the main interactions between SO2 molecules and SBA-15_6.1APTES. DFT calculations were performed to confirm these interactions. Furthermore, this study highlights the application of SBA-15 materials with different amino modifications for SO2 treatment and provides insight into the interaction mechanism using experimental techniques.

Aichi Target 18 beyond 2020: mainstreaming Traditional Biodiversity Knowledge in the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems.

Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) have inhabited coastal areas, the seas, and remote islands for millennia, and developed place-based traditional ancestral knowledge and diversified livelihoods associated with the biocultural use of marine and coastal ecosystems. Through their cultural traditions, customary wise practices, and holistic approaches to observe, monitor, understand, and appreciate the Natural World, IPLCs have been preserving, managing, and sustainably using seascapes and coastal landscapes, which has been essential for biodiversity conservation. The international community has more than ever recognized the central role of IPLCs in the conservation of biodiversity-rich ecosystems, in particular, for the achievement of the Global Biodiversity Targets determined by the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to tackle biodiversity loss. However, much remains to be done to fully recognize and protect at national levels IPLCs' Traditional Biodiversity Knowledge (TBK), ways of life, and their internationally recognized rights to inhabit, own, manage and govern traditional lands, territories, and waters, which are increasingly threatened. At the 2018 4th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity held in Montréal, Canada, eight themed working groups critically discussed progress to date and barriers that have prevented the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets agreed for the period 2011-2020, and priority actions for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Discussions in the "Application of Biodiversity Knowledge" working group focused on Targets 11 and 18 and the equal valuation of diverse Biodiversity Knowledge Systems (BKS). This Perspective Paper summarizes the 10 Priority Actions identified for a holistic biodiversity conservation, gender equality and human rights-based approach that strengthens the role of IPLCs as biodiversity conservation decision-makers and managers at national and international levels. Furthermore, the Perspective proposes a measurable Target 18 post-2020 and discusses actions to advance the recognition of community-based alternative conservation schemes and TBK to ensure the long-lasting conservation, customary biocultural use, and sustainable multi-functional management of nature around the globe.

Functional Results of Renal Preservation in Hypothermic Pulsatile Machine Perfusion Versus Cold Preservation: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Hypothermic pulsatile machine perfusion (HPMP) decreases the rate of delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney grafts, compared with cold storage. However, it is not clear its use in the different subgroups of grafts. The objective was to review systematically all studies with better methodologic quality that compare HPMP versus cold storage. METHODS: A systematic review was performed. The sources were Pubmed, Pubmed Central, Cochrane Library, Clinical Key, and Ovid. All randomized controlled trials that compared HPMP versus cold storage in renal grafts from human donors were considered. Outcomes analyzed were: percentage of DGF, primary nonfunction (PNF), and graft function in each group and for the different types of grafts, brain-death donors (DBDs), and different subgroups of donors after circulatory death (DCDs). RESULTS: Twelve clinical trials, out of 9,867 titles, were included. HPMP improved DGF overall, as well as in DBDs and DCDs. The relative risks [RRs] were 0.79 (95% CI, 0.71-0.88), 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74-0.98), and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.61-0.92), respectively. There were no differences in PNF overall and for DBDs or DCDs. The RRs were 0.92 (95% CI, 0.73-1.16), 0.78 (95% CI, 0.22-2.73), and 1.13 (95% CI, 0.73-1.77), respectively. However, analysis with the better quality studies, overall RR for PNF was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.39-0.96). There were no differences between the graft function at 3 months after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: HPMP moderately improved the DGF results in grafts from cadaver donors of all types. HPMP could improve the PNF in grafts from DBDs, although more clinical trials are needed to prove that.

[The use of ureteral stents and catheters in renal transplantation.] / Empleo de catéteres y stents ureterales en el trasplante renal.

Mayor urological complications, fistulae and stenosis, mainly affect the vesicoureteral anastomosis and present in the early post-transplant period. The systematic use of ureteral catheters keeps selecbeing controversial with many groups using them only selectively depending on the existence of pretransplant or intraoperative risk factors. METHODS: We performed a bibliographic review through automatized search in the Medline bibliographic database, as the main bibliographic source, and also in Clinical Key. The search strategy included the following terms: "stent" AND "kidney transplantation". RESULTS: The bibliographic search revealed the protective effect of the use of ureteral catheters in the transplant ureteroneocystostomy for both development of fistulae (RR 0.29, 0.12 to 0.74, p=0.009) and stenosis (RR 0.27, 0.09 to 0.81, p=0.02). The use of catheters in immunosuppressed patients was associated with significant increase of the incidence of post-transplant urinary tract infections (RR 1.49 IC 95% 1.04 to 2.15, p=0.03) that was prevented by antibiotic prophylaxis with cotrimoxazole directed against pneumocistis carinii. The rates of permeability of self-expandable metallic stents and extra-anatomic bypasses in the treatment of ureteral stenosis after renal transplantation in high surgical risk patients or after the failure of previous surgery, has varied from 50% to 100%, with a limited number of patients included. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ureteral catheters in the extravesical ureteroneocystostomy reduces the incidence of anastomotic complications. Surgery is the treatment of choice of post-transplant ureteral stenosis. The use of metallic stents and extra-anatomic bypasses should be limited to complex ureteral stenosis when primary therapy has failed, in high surgical risk patients or chronic graft dysfunction.

Paramyosin is the Schistosoma mansoni (Trematoda) homologue of antigen B from Taenia solium (Cestoda).

Antigen B, a major antigen of the cestode parasite Taenia solium, has been purified and a portion of amino acid sequence obtained. Paramyosin of the trematode parasite Schistosoma mansoni, an immunogenic protein that has shown promise as a vaccine candidate, has several biochemical and immunological properties in common with antigen B. A full-length cDNA clone of S. mansoni paramyosin has been obtained and the predicted translation product contains a sequence that is highly homologous to the sequence obtained for antigen B. The predicted amino acid composition and isolectric point of paramyosin are nearly identical to those established for antigen B. Recombinant S. mansoni paramyosin, expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with beta-galactosidase, was recognized by antisera against T. solium antigen B. We conclude from these results that S. mansoni paramyosin and T. solium antigen B are homologous proteins. Since S. mansoni paramyosin is thought to be a muscle protein and T. solium antigen B a secreted glycoprotein with anti-complement activity, this conclusion raises some interesting questions regarding the role of this class of proteins in the host-parasite relationship.

An in vitro method of studying functional responses of penile resistance arteries under isobaric conditions.

PURPOSE: We developed an in vitro method that allows us to study the physiopharmacological responses of penile resistance arteries under isobaric conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Second to third order penile resistance arteries (internal diameter 170 to 210 microm) were mounted in a pressure myograph and cannulated at each end with small glass cannulas (tip external diameter 150 to 180 microm). Internal diameter was continuously recorded and monitored under an intraluminal pressure of 60 mm Hg. RESULTS: Noradrenaline (0.1 to 0.3 microM) induced a decrease in the luminal diameter of the penile arteries, ie vasoconstriction. This effect was reversed by 1 microM acetylcholine, 1 microM prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and 1 nM to 1 microM sildenafil citrate. Furthermore, the vasodilatation induced by sildenafil was compared by artery internal diameter values under isometric and isobaric conditions. Although the mean potency of this drug +/- SEM, expressed in pD2, was higher in 5 isometric (7.60 +/- 0.04) than in 4 isobaric (7.03 +/- 0.20) preparations (p <0.05), the slope of the curve was lower in 4 isobaric (0.49 +/- 0.02) than in 5 isometric (1.34 +/- 0.11) studies (p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Under isobaric conditions all vasoactive agents tested inhibited the noradrenaline induced vasoconstriction. Furthermore, the vasodilatory effect of PGE1 beyond baseline diameter could suggest an inhibitory effect of PGE1 on spontaneous myogenic tone. On the other hand, the effect of sildenafil was more potent under isometric than under isobaric conditions. However, the lower slope of the curve under isobaric conditions suggests that the pressure myograph could be a more suitable in vitro model for the study of the activity of penile resistance arteries, and so isobaric conditions correspond more closely to the in vivo situation.

The coexistence of Taenia solium cysticerci and the pig: role of the antigen B.

A review of data on the antigen B of Taenia solium (AgB) is presented. The biochemical, immunological and physiological properties of AgB are discussed in the context of the host-parasite relationship. It is proposed that AgB facilitates survival of cysticerci by impairing augmentation of the host inflammatory response through the inhibition of the classical pathway of the complement cascade. In this way, AgB not only allows evasion of the host immune attack but also decreases the host-parasite confrontation, facilitating their coexistence.

Paramyosin inhibits complement C1.

We report here the results of studies showing that inhibition of C is a property of several invertebrate paramyosins. Paramyosins from Taenia solium, Schistosoma mansoni, and the mussel Mytilus edulis bind polymeric collagen and can be isolated from crude extracts of tissues by collagen affinity. These paramyosins inhibit C1 function whether the C1 is isolated or present in C2-deficient serum. Because T. solium paramyosin was the best inhibitor, we concentrated further studies on this molecule. T. solium paramyosin binds purified C1q in solution with a dose/response similar to C1r2S2. Further studies of the C1-paramyosin interaction indicate that: 1) C4 is not activated, 2) C4b2a decay is not affected, and 3) there is no effect on the efficiency of C3-9, as provided in EDTA-chelated guinea pig serum, in lysing SRBC. Thus, paramyosin inhibition is directed at the initiation of the classical pathway. The results suggest that paramyosins of helminthic parasites may have a role as modulators of the host immune response through C inhibition at C1.