Influence of Pressing Temperatures on Physical-Mechanical Properties of Wood Particleboards Made with Urea-Formaldehyde Adhesive Containing Al2O3 and CuO Nanoparticles.

Particleboards have gained attention in the global market. Understanding their physical-mechanical behavior in the current technological context is essential due to adhesive polymerization, which depends on variables such as pressing time and temperature. Today, the use of nanoparticles has become a plausible option for improving the properties of polymers used in wood-based composites. This study evaluates the influences of the addition of non-commercial 0.5% aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and aluminum oxide copper (CuO) nanoparticles using a greener route with a lower environmental impact obtaining a urea-formaldehyde (UF)-based polymeric adhesive to manufacture particle composites of Eucalyptus urophylla var. grandis wood. Regarding characterizations, the resin properties analyzed were viscosity, gel time, and pH, as well as panel properties, including density, moisture content, thickness swelling, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, and thermal conductivity. The results were compared with scientific publications and standards. The addition of nanoparticles interfered with viscosity, and all treatments indicated a basic pH. It was not possible to determine the gel time after 10 min. Nanoparticles added to the polymers in the internal layer did not cause an improvement in the swelling properties in terms of thickness, with no significant statistical difference for density and moisture content. The increase from 150 °C to 180 °C may have caused an improvement in all physical-mechanical properties, indicating that the higher temperature positively influenced the polymerization of the formaldehyde-based adhesive. Therefore, the additions of both nanoparticles (0.5% in each condition) led to a limitation in the material influence with respect to physical-mechanical performance.

Grazing exclusion-induced changes in soil fungal communities in a highly desertified Brazilian dryland.

Soil desertification poses a critical ecological challenge in arid and semiarid climates worldwide, leading to decreased soil productivity due to the disruption of essential microbial community processes. Fungi, as one of the most important soil microbial communities, play a crucial role in enhancing nutrient and water uptake by plants through mycorrhizal associations. However, the impact of overgrazing-induced desertification on fungal community structure, particularly in the Caatinga biome of semiarid regions, remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the changes in both the total fungal community and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community (AMF) across 1. Natural vegetation (native), 2. Grazing exclusion (20 years) (restored), and 3. affected by overgrazing-induced degradation (degraded) scenarios. Our assessment, conducted during both the dry and rainy seasons in Irauçuba, Ceará, utilized Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) gene sequencing via Illumina® platform. Our findings highlighted the significant roles of the AMF families Glomeraceae (∼71% of the total sequences) and Acaulosporaceae (∼14% of the total sequences) as potential key taxa in mitigating climate change within dryland areas. Moreover, we identified the orders Pleosporales (∼35% of the total sequences) and Capnodiales (∼21% of the total sequences) as the most abundant soil fungal communities in the Caatinga biome. The structure of the total fungal community differed when comparing native and restored areas to degraded areas. Total fungal communities from native and restored areas clustered together, suggesting that grazing exclusion has the potential to improve soil properties and recover fungal community structure amid global climate change challenges.

Growth-promoting bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus enhance maize tolerance to saline stress.

Climate change intensifies soil salinization and jeopardizes the development of crops worldwide. The accumulation of salts in plant tissue activates the defense system and triggers ethylene production thus restricting cell division. We hypothesize that the inoculation of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) producing ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate) deaminase favors the development of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), promoting the growth of maize plants under saline stress. We investigated the efficacy of individual inoculation of PGPB, which produce ACC deaminase, as well as the co-inoculation of PGPB with Rhizophagus clarus on maize plant growth subjected to saline stress. The isolates were acquired from the bulk and rhizospheric soil of Mimosa bimucronata (DC.) Kuntze in a temporary pond located in Pernambuco State, Brazil. In the first greenhouse experiment, 10 halophilic PGPB were inoculated into maize at 0, 40 and 80 mM of NaCl, and in the second experiment, the PGPB that showed the best performance were co-inoculated with R. clarus in maize under the same conditions as in the first experiment. Individual PGPB inoculation benefited the number of leaves, stem diameter, root and shoot dry mass, and the photosynthetic pigments. Inoculation with PGPB 28-10 Pseudarthrobacter enclensis, 24-1 P. enclensis and 52 P. chlorophenolicus increased the chlorophyll a content by 138%, 171%, and 324% at 0, 40 and 80 mM NaCl, respectively, comparing to the non-inoculated control. We also highlight that the inoculation of PGPB 28-10, 28-7 Arthrobacter sp. and 52 increased the content of chlorophyll b by 72%, 98%, and 280% and carotenoids by 82%, 98%, and 290% at 0, 40 and 80 mM of NaCl, respectively. Co-inoculation with PGPB 28-7, 46-1 Leclercia tamurae, 70 Artrobacter sp., and 79-1 Micrococcus endophyticus significantly increased the rate of mycorrhizal colonization by roughly 50%. Furthermore, co-inoculation promoted a decrease in the accumulation of Na and K extracted from plant tissue, with an increase in salt concentration, from 40 mM to 80 mM, also favoring the establishment and development of R. clarus. In addition, co-inoculation of these PGPB with R. clarus promoted maize growth and increased plant biomass through osmoregulation and protection of the photosynthetic apparatus. The tripartite symbiosis (plant-fungus-bacterium) is likely to reprogram metabolic pathways that improve maize growth and crop yield, suggesting that the AMF-PGPB consortium can minimize damages caused by saline stress.

Organic farming promotes the abundance of fungi keystone taxa in bacteria-fungi interkingdom networks.

Soil bacteria-fungi interactions are essential in the biogeochemical cycles of several nutrients, making these microbes major players in agroecosystems. While the impact of the farming system on microbial community composition has been extensively reported in the literature, whether sustainable farming approaches can promote associations between bacteria and fungi is still unclear. To study this, we employed 16S, ITS, and 18S DNA sequencing to uncover how microbial interactions were affected by conventional and organic farming systems on maize crops. The Bray-Curtis index revealed that bacterial, fungal, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities were significantly different between the two farming systems. Several taxa known to thrive in healthy soils, such as Nitrosophaerales, Orbiliales, and Glomus were more abundant in the organic farming system. Constrained ordination revealed that the organic farming system microbial community was significantly correlated with the ß-glucosidase activity, whereas the conventional farming system microbial community significantly correlated with soil pH. Both conventional and organic co-occurrence interkingdom networks exhibited a parallel node count, however, the former had a higher number of edges, thus being denser than the latter. Despite the similar amount of fungal nodes in the co-occurrence networks, the organic farming system co-occurrence network exhibited more than 3-fold the proportion of fungal taxa as keystone nodes than the conventional co-occurrence network. The genera Bionectria, Cercophora, Geastrum, Penicillium, Preussia, Metarhizium, Myceliophthora, and Rhizophlyctis were among the fungal keystone nodes of the organic farming system network. Altogether, our results uncover that beyond differences in microbial community composition between the two farming systems, fungal keystone nodes are far more relevant in the organic farming system, thus suggesting that bacteria-fungi interactions are more frequent in organic farming systems, promoting a more functional microbial community.

rAAV-compatible human mini promoters enhance transgene expression in rat retinal ganglion cells.

Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV) are the safest and most effective gene delivery platform to drive the treatment of many inherited eye disorders in well-characterized animal models. The use in rAAV of ubiquitous promoters derived from viral sequences such as CMV/CBA (chicken ß-actin promoter with cytomegalovirus enhancer) can lead to unwanted side effects such as pro-inflammatory immune responses and retinal cytotoxicity, thus reducing therapy efficacy. Thus, an advance in gene therapy is the availability of small promoters, that potentiate and direct gene expression to the cell type of interest, with higher safety and efficacy. In this study, we used six human mini-promoters packaged in rAAV2 quadruple mutant (Y-F) to test for transduction of the rat retina after intravitreal injection. After four weeks, immunohistochemical analysis detected GFP-labeled cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) for all constructs tested. Among them, Ple25sh1, Ple25sh2 and Ple53 promoted a widespread reporter-transgene expression in the GCL, with an increased number of GFP-expressing retinal ganglion cells when compared with the CMV/CBA vector. Moreover, Ple53 provided the strongest levels of GFP fluorescence in both cell soma and axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) without any detectable adverse effects in retina function. Remarkably, a nearly 50-fold reduction in the number of intravitreally injected vector particles containing Ple53 promoter, still attained levels of transgene expression similar to CMV/CBA. Thus, the tested MiniPs show great potential for protocols of retinal gene therapy in therapeutic applications for retinal degenerations, especially those involving RGC-related disorders such as glaucoma.

Low-cost suture simulator to gain basic surgical skills.

PURPOSE: To introduce a new low-cost simulation model for training basic surgical skills. METHODS: The training model was made from a mixture of 20 g of acetic silicone with 11 g of maize starch. Validation consisted of serial training sessions, evaluating the mean pre- and post-training time and the mean final score according to the global rating scale. RESULTS: A decrease in the time required to perform the sutures was observed, comparing the average post and pre-training time of each training day, with a significant correlation between the order of training and the time for performing the simulation. CONCLUSIONS: The presented model proved to be capable of simulating the basic suture training skills. It is easy to make, has low cost, and can be easily reproduced in educational institutions.

Perfil das cirurgias oncológicas e reparadoras de mama no norte do Brasil: Análise da última década / Profile of oncological and breast repair surgeries in northern Brazil: Analysis of the last decade

Introdução: O diagnóstico tardio do câncer de mama eleva o número de cirurgias, resultando em alta mortalidade e resultado pouco estético. Assim, é fundamental a instituição de procedimentos de reconstrução mamária. Método: Estudo descritivo, quantitativo e retrospectivo sobre as autorizações de internação hospitalar de pacientes submetidos a procedimentos cirúrgicos de mama em oncologia, no período de 2011 a 2020, cujo dados foram obtidos na plataforma DATASUS. Resultados: 7.529 cirurgias de câncer de mama e 1.949 cirurgias reparadoras foram realizadas na Região Norte. Houve aumento do número de procedimentos ao longo da década. Em todos os estados é possível perceber a diferença no número de municípios de residência, comparado aos municípios de internação. Conclusão: Necessita-se instituir centros de referência oncológica, garantindo tratamento individualizado e a reconstrução mamária.

Introduction: Late breast cancer diagnosis increases the number of surgeries, resulting in high mortality and unsightly results. Therefore, the institution of breast reconstruction procedures is essential. Method: Descriptive, quantitative, and retrospective study on authorizations for hospital admission of patients undergoing breast surgical procedures in oncology from 2011 to 2020, whose data were obtained from the DATASUS platform. Results: 7,529 breast cancer surgeries and 1,949 reconstructive surgeries were performed in the North Region. There was an increase in the number of procedures throughout the decade. In all states, it is possible to notice the difference in the number of municipalities of residence compared to the municipalities of hospitalization. Conclusion: It is necessary to establish oncological reference centers, guaranteeing individualized treatment and breast reconstruction.

Enhancing Antifungal Treatment of Candida albicans with Hypericin-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers in Hydrogels: Characterization, In Vitro, and In Vivo Photodynamic Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a worldwide public health problem caused predominantly by the opportunistic polymorphic fungus Candida albicans, whose pathogenicity is associated with its morphological adaptability. To potentiate the treatment of C. albicans-induced VVC by an alternative method as photodynamic therapy (PDT), hypericin (Hy), a potent photosensitizer compound was incorporated into a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) and dispersed in hydrogel (HG). METHODS: After preparation of the sonication process, an NLC loaded with Hy was dispersed in HG based on Poloxamer 407 and chitosan obtaining Hy.NLC-HG. This hydrogel system was physically and chemically characterized and its in vitro and in vivo photodynamic and antifungal effects were evaluated. RESULTS: Through scanning electron microscopy, it was possible to observe a hydrogel system with a porous polymeric matrix and irregular microcavities. The Hy.NLC-HG system showed mucoadhesive properties (0.45 ± 0.08 N) and a satisfactory injectability (15.74 ± 4.75 N.mm), which indicates that it can be easily applied in the vaginal canal, in addition to a controlled and sustained Hy release profile from the NLC-HG of 28.55 ± 0.15% after 720 min. The in vitro antibiofilm assay significantly reduced the viability of C. albicans (p < 0.001) by 1.2 log10 for Hy.NLC-HG/PDT and 1.9 log10 for PS/PDT, Hy.NLC/PDT, and free RB/PDT, compared to the PBS/PDT negative control. The in vivo antifungal evaluation showed that animals treated with the vaginal cream (non-PDT) and the PDT-mediated Hy.NLC-HG system showed a significant difference of p < 0.001 in the number of C. albicans colonies (log) in the vaginal canal, compared to the inoculation control group. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, we demonstrate the pharmaceutical, antifungal, and photodynamic potential of hydrogel systems for Hy vaginal administration.

A realistic model for vasectomy reversal training using swine testicles.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the viability of the porcine vas deferens as a realistic microsurgical training model for vasectomy reversal. METHODS: The model uses swine testicles (vas deferent), which are usually discarded in large street markets since they are not part of Brazilian cuisine. The spermatic cord was carefully dissected, and the vas deferens were isolated, measuring 10 cm in length. A paper quadrilateral with 5 cm2 was built to delimit the surgical training field. The objective of the model is to simulate only the microsurgical step when the vas deferens are already isolated. The parameters analyzed were: feasibility for reproducing the technique, patency before and after performing the vasovasostomy, cost of the model, ease of acquisition, ease of handling, execution time, and model reproducibility. RESULTS: The simulator presented low cost. All models made were viable with a texture similar to human, with positive patency obtained in 100% of the procedures. The internal and external diameters of the vas deferens varied between 0.2-0.4 mm and 2-3 mm, respectively, with a mean length of 9 ± 1.2 cm. The total procedure time was 43.28 ± 3.22 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: The realistic model presented proved to be viable for carrying out vasectomy reversal training, due to its low cost, easy acquisition, and easy handling, and providing similar tissue characteristics to humans.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with the rhizosphere of an endemic terrestrial bromeliad and a grass in the Brazilian neotropical dry forest.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic associations with 80-90% of all known plants, allowing the fungi to acquire plant-synthesized carbon, and confer an increased capacity for nutrient uptake by plants, improving tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. We aimed at characterizing the mycorrhizal community in the rhizosphere of Neoglaziovia variegata (so-called `caroa`) and Tripogonella spicata (so-called resurrection plant), using high-throughput sequencing of the partial 18S rRNA gene. Both plants are currently undergoing a bioprospecting program to find microbes with the potential of helping plants tolerate water stress. Sampling was carried out in the Caatinga biome, a neotropical dry forest, located in northeastern Brazil. Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 37 rhizosphere samples (19 for N. variegata and 18 for T. spicata) revealed a distinct mycorrhizal community between the studied plants. According to alpha diversity analyses, T. spicata showed the highest richness and diversity based on the Observed ASVs and the Shannon index, respectively. On the other hand, N. variegata showed higher modularity of the mycorrhizal network compared to T. spicata. The four most abundant genera found (higher than 10%) were Glomus, Gigaspora, Acaulospora, and Scutellospora, with Glomus being the most abundant in both plants. Nonetheless, Gigaspora, Diversispora, and Ambispora were found only in the rhizosphere of N. variegata, whilst Scutellospora, Paraglomus, and Archaeospora were exclusive to the rhizosphere of T. spicata. Therefore, the community of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of the rhizosphere of each plant encompasses a unique composition, structure and modularity, which can differentially assist them in the hostile environment.

Impact of Water Shortage on Soil and Plant Attributes in the Presence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi from a Harsh Environment.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a crucial role in plant health due to their ability to improve tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a pool of native AMF from a harsh environment on plant performance and changes in soil attributes under different levels of drought. An experiment using maize was established, varying the soil water content to simulate severe drought (30% of the water-holding capacity [WHC]), moderate (50% of the WHC) and no drought (80% of the WHC, control treatment). Soil and plant attributes were measured (enzyme activity, microbial biomass, AMF root colonisation and plant biomass and nutrient uptake). There was a two-fold increase in plant biomass under moderate drought when compared to no drought treatment, but there was no difference in nutrient uptake. Under severe drought, there were the highest enzyme activities related to phosphorus (P) cycling and P microbial biomass, indicating higher P microbial immobilization. The increase in AMF root colonisation was observed in plants under moderate and no drought. Our findings demonstrated that the better use of the AMF inoculum varied according to drought levels, with better performance under moderate drought due to the increase in plant biomass.

Profile of thyroidectomies in Brazil from 2010 to 2020 from a macro-regional perspective

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the distribution profile of thyroidectomies in Brazil from 2010 to 2020 from a macro-regional perspective. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective, detailed and descriptive study built on secondary data obtained from the Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System (SIH/SUS). We organized the data in tables and grouped them according to the federative unit, macro-region, type of procedure, mortality rate, and year of performance. We performed statistical analysis using the χ2 test to assess the association between the variables, observing a P value of < 0.05 and a confidence interval of 95%. Results: From 2010 to 2020, 160 219 thyroidectomy surgeries were performed, of which 77 812 (48.56%) were total, 38 064 (23.76%) partial and 41 191 (25.70%) oncological.The Southeast was responsible for the largest share of procedures, with 70 745 (44.15%), followed by the Northeast with 43 887 (27.39%). In 2020, the procedure was less performed, with 9226 (5.75%) surgeries. The total mortality rate was 0.16% during the study period. Conclusion: We found that thyroidectomies are carried out mainly in the Southeastern, Northeastern, and Southern regions, and showed a downward trend in 2020, which may be related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, total thyroidectomy is the most performed surgery, and the Northern region had the highest mortality rate.

Design of rapamycin and resveratrol coloaded liposomal formulation for breast cancer therapy.

Aims: The development of rapamycin (RAP) and resveratrol (RSV) coloaded liposomes (RAP-RSV-LIP) for breast cancer therapy. Materials & methods: Liposomes were prepared using a high-pressure homogenization technique and evaluated according to their physicochemical characteristics, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity against tumoral and normal cells. Results & conclusion: The RAP-RSV-LIP showed negative surface charge, size around 100 nm, low polydispersity and high encapsulation efficiency for RAP and RSV (58.87 and 63.22%, respectively). RAP-RSV-LIP showed great stability over 60 days and a prolonged drug-release profile. In vitro studies indicated that RAP-RSV-LIP were internalized in an estrogen receptor-positive human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7, 34.2%) and improved cytotoxicity when compared with free drugs. Therefore RAP-RSV-LIP showed great antitumoral potential against breast cancer cells.

Profile of thyroidectomies in Brazil from 2010 to 2020 from a macro-regional perspective.

Objective: To describe the distribution profile of thyroidectomies in Brazil from 2010 to 2020 from a macro-regional perspective. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective, detailed and descriptive study built on secondary data obtained from the Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System (SIH/SUS). We organized the data in tables and grouped them according to the federative unit, macro-region, type of procedure, mortality rate, and year of performance. We performed statistical analysis using the χ2 test to assess the association between the variables, observing a P value of < 0.05 and a confidence interval of 95%. Results: From 2010 to 2020, 160 219 thyroidectomy surgeries were performed, of which 77 812 (48.56%) were total, 38 064 (23.76%) partial and 41 191 (25.70%) oncological. The Southeast was responsible for the largest share of procedures, with 70 745 (44.15%), followed by the Northeast with 43 887 (27.39%). In 2020, the procedure was less performed, with 9226 (5.75%) surgeries. The total mortality rate was 0.16% during the study period. Conclusion: We found that thyroidectomies are carried out mainly in the Southeastern, Northeastern, and Southern regions, and showed a downward trend in 2020, which may be related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, total thyroidectomy is the most performed surgery, and the Northern region had the highest mortality rate.

Potential of growth-promoting bacteria in maize (Zea mays L.) varies according to soil moisture.

Climate change has caused irregularities in water distribution, which affect the soil drying-wetting cycle and the development of economically important agricultural crops. Therefore, the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) emerges as an efficient strategy to mitigate negative impacts on crop yield. We hypothesized that the use of PGPB (in consortium or not) had potential to promote maize (Zea mays L.) growth under a soil moisture gradient in both non-sterile and sterile soils. Thirty PGPB strains were characterized for direct plant growth-promotion and drought tolerance induction mechanisms and were used in two independent experiments. Four soil water contents were used to simulate a severe drought (30% of field capacity [FC]), moderate drought (50% of FC), no drought (80% of FC) and, finally, a water gradient comprising the three mentioned soil water contents (80%, 50%, and 30% of FC). Two bacteria strains (BS28-7 Arthrobacter sp. and BS43 Streptomyces alboflavus), in addition to three consortia (BC2, BC4 and BCV) stood out in maize growth performance in experiment 1 and were used in experiment 2. Overall, under moderate drought, inoculation with BS43 surpassed the control treatment in root dry mass and nutrient uptake. Considering the water gradient treatment (80-50-30% of FC), the greatest total biomass was found in the uninoculated treatment when compared to BS28-7, BC2, and BCV. The greatest development of Z. mays L. was only observed under constant water stress conditions in the presence of PGPB. This is the first report that demonstrated the negative effect of individual inoculation of Arthrobacter sp. and the consortium of this strain with Streptomyces alboflavus on the growth of Z. mays L. based on a soil moisture gradient; however, future studies are needed for further validation.

Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobacteria facilitate 33P uptake in maize plants under water stress?

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are able to provide key ecosystem services, protecting plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we hypothesized that a combination of AMF (Rhizophagus clarus) and PGPR (Bacillus sp.) could enhance 33P uptake in maize plants under soil water stress. A microcosm experiment using mesh exclusion and a radiolabeled phosphorus tracer (33P) was installed using three types of inoculation: i) only AMF, ii) only PGPR, and iii) a consortium of AMF and PGPR, alongside a control treatment without inoculation. For all treatments, a gradient of three water-holding capacities (WHC) was considered i) 30% (severe drought), ii) 50% (moderate drought), and iii) 80% (optimal condition, no water stress). In severe drought conditions, AMF root colonization of dual-inoculated plants was significantly lower compared to individual inoculation of the AMF, whilst 33P uptake by dual-inoculated plants or plants inoculated with bacteria was 2.4-fold greater than the uninoculated treatment. Under moderate drought conditions the use of AMF promoted the highest 33P uptake by plants, increasing it by 2.1-fold, when compared to the uninoculated treatment. Without drought stress, AMF showed the lowest 33P uptake and, overall, plant P acquisition was lower for all inoculation types when compared to the severe and moderate drought treatments. The total shoot P content was modulated by the water-holding capacity and inoculation type, with the lowest values observed under severe drought and the highest values under moderate drought. The highest soil electrical conductivity (EC) values were found under severe drought in AMF-inoculated plants and the lowest EC for no drought in single or dual-inoculated plants. Furthermore, water-holding capacity influenced the total soil bacterial and mycorrhizal abundance over time, with the highest abundances being found under severe and moderate drought. This study demonstrates that the positive influence of microbial inoculation on 33P uptake by plants varied with soil water gradient. Furthermore, under severe stress conditions, AMF invested more in the production of hyphae, vesicles and spore production, indicating a significant carbon drain from the host plant as evidenced by the lack of translation of increased 33P uptake into biomass. Therefore, under severe drought the use of bacteria or dual-inoculation seems to be more effective than individual AMF inoculation in terms of 33P uptake by plants, while under moderate drought, the use of AMF stood out.

Design and Characterization of Lipid-Surfactant-Based Systems for Enhancing Topical Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ursolic Acid.

Skin inflammation is a symptom of many skin diseases, such as eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis, which cause rashes, redness, heat, or blistering. The use of natural products with anti-inflammatory properties has gained importance in treating these symptoms. Ursolic acid (UA), a promising natural compound that is used to treat skin diseases, exhibits low aqueous solubility, resulting in poor absorption and low bioavailability. Designing topical formulations focuses on providing adequate delivery via application to the skin surface. The aim of this study was to formulate and characterize lipid-surfactant-based systems for the delivery of UA. Microemulsions and liquid crystalline systems (LCs) were characterized by polarized light microscopy (PLM), rheology techniques, and textural and bioadhesive assays. PLM supported the self-assembly of these systems and elucidated their formation. Rheologic examination revealed pseudoplastic and thixotropic behavior appropriate, and assays confirmed the ability of these formulations to adhere to the skin. In vivo studies were performed, and inflammation induced by croton oil was assessed for response to microemulsions and LCs. UA anti-inflammatory activities of ~60% and 50% were demonstrated by two microemulsions and 40% and 35% by two LCs, respectively. These data support the continued development of colloidal systems to deliver UA to ameliorate skin inflammation.

Thermal and Gluing Properties of Phenol-Based Resin with Lignin for Potential Application in Structural Composites.

Using Kraft lignin, bio-based adhesives have been increasingly studied to replace those petrochemical-based solutions, due to low cost, easy availability and the potential for biodegradability of this biomaterial. In this study, lignin-based phenol-formaldehyde (LPF) resins were synthesized using commercial Eucalypt Kraft Lignin (EKL), purified at 95%, as a phenol substitute in different proportions of 10%, 20%, 30% and 50%. The properties of bio-based phenol formaldehyde (BPF) synthesized resin were compared with phenol-formaldehyde resin (PF) used for control sampling. The results indicated that viscosity, gel time and solid contents increased with the addition of pure EKL. The shear strength test of glue line was studied according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and BPF-based results were superior to samples bonded with the PF as a control sample, being suitable for structural purposes. Changes in the curing behavior of different resins were analyzed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and sample comparison indicated that the curing of the LPF resin occurred at lower temperatures than the PF. The addition of EKL in PF reduced its thermal stability compared to traditional resin formulation, resulting in a lower decomposition temperature and a smaller amount of carbonaceous residues.

Functionalized lipid-based drug delivery nanosystems for the treatment of human infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases are still public health problems. Microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and parasites are the main causing agents related to these diseases. In this context, the search for new effective strategies in prevention and/or treatment is considered essential, since current drugs often have side effects or end up, causing microbial resistance, making it a serious health problem. As an alternative to these limitations, nanotechnology has been widely used. The use of lipid-based drug delivery nanosystems (DDNs) has some advantages, such as biocompatibility, low toxicity, controlled release, the ability to carry both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs, in addition to be easel scalable. Besides, as an improvement, studies involving the conjugation of signalling molecules on the surfaces of these nanocarriers can allow the target of certain tissues or cells. Thus, this review summarizes the performance of functionalized lipid-based DDNs for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

Cerebral cryptococcoma successfully treated by isavuconazole in an immunocompetent patient: A case report.

Cryptococcosis has been recognized as an increasing cause of severe systemic mycosis in immunocompetent patients in the last few years. Cerebral cryptococcomas are a more uncommon manifestation of cryptococcal meningitis, which are not usually included in the differential of brain masses. We report a case of a young, immunocompetent woman that rapidly developed severe neurological deficits. She was ultimately diagnosed with cerebral cryptococcoma caused by both Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, and was treated with amphotericin B and isavuconazole. After several complications during hospitalization, including hydrocephalus and cerebellitis, she was discharged home on isavuconazole. On follow-up, she only complained of anosmia. We review the clinical and radiological findings of similar cases. It is the first time that this form of cryptococcal meningitis is favorably treated with isavuconazole and is caused by 2 species of Cryptococcus. We emphasize that cerebral cryptococcomas should be suspected in immunocompetent patients that present with brain masses.