Action of Curcumin on Glioblastoma Growth: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Animal Model Studies.

Gliomas are aggressive brain tumors with poor prognosis even after surgical removal and radio-chemotherapy, stressing the urgency to find alternative therapies. Several preclinical studies evaluating the anticancer effect of curcumin in animal models of glioma are reported, but a systematic review with meta-analysis of these studies, considering the different experimental conditions used, has not been made up to this date. A search in different databases (Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SciELO) following the PRISMA statement was conducted during November 2023 to systematically identify articles assessing the effect of curcumin in murine xenograft models of glioma and identified 15 articles, which were subdivided into 24 studies. Tumor volume before and after treatment with curcumin or vehicle was extracted and the efficacy of curcumin was evaluated by performing a random effects meta-analysis of the data. Publication bias and the impact of different experimental conditions on curcumin efficacy were assessed. Treatment with curcumin decreased tumor volume. Comparing curcumin with control groups, the overall weighted standardized difference in means was -2.079 (95% CI: -2.816 to -1.341; p-value < 0.001). The curcumin effect was observed for different animal models, types of glioma cells, administration routes, and curcumin formulations. Publication bias was identified but does not invalidate curcumin's effectiveness. The findings suggest the potential therapeutic efficacy of curcumin against glioma.

Effects of landfill age, climate, and size on leachate from urban waste landfills in Portugal: A statistics and machine learning analysis.

The leachate generated by in urban waste landfills can cause environmental pollution if not controlled and treated. With different proportions of biodegradable waste, urban waste degrades over several phases in anaerobic conditions within a landfill. Using multivariate leachate data from 32 engineered landfills in Portugal, each with a similar waste composition, and all classified as non-hazardous waste landfills receiving urban waste, statistical inference was applied to categorise and deduce significant statistical differences in leachate volume and quality between landfill age, size, and climate, as well as the interactions and effects within these categories. The findings show that the effects of size and age on the leachate volume are prevalent over local, Mediterranean climate conditions; in larger landfills, waste may not be degrading as efficiently as in medium-sized landfills; hotter zones showed higher levels of COD and lower levels of BOD5 than warmer zones, indicating increased biological activity under higher temperature conditions; TN and NH4-N increase significantly with age and size; Cl- also significantly increases with age, showing higher levels, along with SO42-, in hotter zones as well as a concentration effect in the dry season, along with K+; heavy metals maintain levels as landfills age from intermediate to old, with only Cd2+ and Pb2+ showing significant reductions. High correlations between macro inorganics and between heavy metals were found. Cluster analysis showed two main branches, one representing the initial to intermediate stages of anaerobic degradation, and the other the interactions between leaching parameters in the later methanogenic phase of landfill stabilisation.

The use of peracetic acid for estrogen removal from urban wastewaters: E2 as a case study.

17ß-Estradiol (E2) is a natural estrogen produced by the feminine endocrine system. It is excreted mainly through urine and feces. Exposure to E2 may affect the reproductive system of both animals and humans, especially since the removal of E2 in conventional processes and technologies present in the wastewater treatment plants is not sufficient. Chlorine is one of the most studied and used oxidant worldwide. Although there are studies that demonstrate the endocrine disrupting compounds removal like E2, its reaction with organic matter can originate by-products, namely, trihalomethanes, which are known to have high toxic potential. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the removal of E2 (50 µg E2 L-1-maximum concentration) using peracetic acid (PAA), a seeming cleaner and innocuous alternative to chlorine. To this end, a series of jar tests were performed, using different peracetic acid concentrations (1, 5, 10, and 15 mg L-1) and contact times (10, 15, and 20 min). The results obtained showed that a peracetic acid concentration of 15 mg L-1 with a contact time of 20 min had a removal efficacy of approximately 100%. The second main goal of this study was to evaluate the ecotoxicological potential of the tested treatments on the zebrafish Danio rerio. Several oxidative stress biomarkers were evaluated, namely glutathione S-transferase, lipid peroxidation, and catalase, besides vitellogenin. Both peracetic acid and E2 caused significant increases in the oxidative stress biomarkers, although this did not lead to increased lipid peroxidation levels. In addition, peracetic acid significantly decreased the estrogenic activity of E2, as indicated by decreased vitellogenin levels. Peracetic acid demonstrated to have great potential as an alternative disinfectant for chlorine treatments, and indications for future research are discussed.

Efficacy assessment of peracetic acid in the removal of synthetic 17α-ethinyl estradiol contraceptive hormone in wastewater.

Increasing concerns have been raised on endocrine disrupting chemicals like the sex hormone 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), the more since traditional wastewater (WW) treatments appear to be ineffective for their removal. The efficacy of the relatively novel disinfectant peracetic acid (PAA) in EE2 removal was evaluated, as well as its potential effects on WW quality parameters. The treatments tested for EE2 removal were also evaluated in terms of toxicity, through the determination of biochemical responses (antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation and vitellogenin induction) using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a biological model. PAA contact times less than 20 min appeared insufficient regardless of the PAA dose tested, but a 100% EE2 removal was attained at a PAA concentration of 15 mg/L with a contact time of 20 min. Total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand and pH in PAA treatments remained well within levels set in European legislation for WW discharge. EE2 induced significant increased vitellogenin (VTG) levels in both female and male fish, indicating increased estrogenic activity, especially in males suggesting an endocrine disruption effect. With the addition of PAA (15 mg/L), however, VTG levels in both sexes returned to control values. Although this PAA treatment showed increased levels of the antioxidant enzyme catalase, the lipid peroxidation levels were similar or even lower than in controls. Overall the results suggest that the use of PAA appears a promising way forward as a less toxic alternative to chlorine disinfection with high efficiency in the removal of EDC like EE2.

A National Early Intervention System as a Strategy to Promote Inclusion and Academic Achievement in Portugal.

Early intervention with children at risk or facing developmental problems is a practice defined by three fundamental characteristics: being family-centered, being based on the community and on the child's life context, and being conducted by a team with transdisciplinary practice. In this paper we wish to present how the SNIPI-National System of Early Intervention, implemented in Portugal over the past 15 years, contributes to promote maximum development and the full inclusion of children up to 6 years of age and works to prevent school failure. The SNIPI covers the entire territory and intends to respond to the needs of children with developmental disorders or those in at risk situations. This community-based early intervention model is linked to the health, education and social care systems, involving the three responsible Ministries. In the present community case study, we present the implementation of this program in the Alentejo region, involving 31 local teams and almost 2500 children. Through the regional structure's reports and the responses of parents and professionals in impact studies, we demonstrate how the system is established and how it tackles school failure and improves the educational inclusion of these children. The impact of this Early Intervention model has been significant not only on children's developmental outcomes, but also for the health, education and social care professionals who work in a transdisciplinary perspective, as well as for the families who became more skilled at evaluating the children's needs and the support provided. This approach to implementing a family-centered Early Intervention program can contribute to full inclusion. It facilitates the transition to schooling based on a non-discriminatory approach and educational achievement by aiding development and an adapted contextualization in pre-school education. This program system introduces significant innovation within the framework of existing educational policies that promote development and inclusion, and has therefore earned the interest of the scientific community and policy-makers alike. It has been possible to implement some of principles already studied but it had never been tested. The Early Intervention program in Alentejo, as part of the SNIPI, can be an example of good practices, with its own characteristics that allowed to create a network of integrated and comprehensive responses to the needs of the population in this region.

Contributos da hermenêutica para a psicanálise / Contributions of hermeneutics to psychoanalysis / Las contribuciones de la hermenéutica al psicoanálisis

Para compreender o ser humano é necessário haver uma reflexão que se efetua sempre através de uma interpretação. Para Paul Ricoeur, não existe compreensão e interpretação sem mediação, pois a mediação é uma condição para poder proceder a uma interpretação. Uma das funções da psicanálise é de desvendar o significado de sentidos ocultos através da linguagem, da escrita. Este artigo trata de algumas ligações entre psicanálise e hermenêutica considerando a psicanálise como hermenêutica pois ambas têm um ponto comum: a interpretação. Será apresentado o exemplo de como uma abordagem clínica da obra do pintor Wiliam Turner pode ser clarificadora da ligação entre hermenêutica e psicanálise.(AU)

In order for the human being to be understood a degree of reflection is necessary, which, in turn, is always carried out through a particular interpretation. For Paul Ricoeur, there is no understanding and interpretation without mediation because mediation is a means toward interpreting. One of the functions of psychoanalysis, as with phenomenology, is to uncover the significance of hidden meanings through language, through writing. This article explores certain connections between psychoanalysis and hermeneutics, qualifying psychoanalysis as hermeneutics given that both share a common feature: interpretation.. It will be exemplified how a clinical approach of the painter William Turner's artwork can clarify connections between hermeneutic and psychoanalysis.(AU)

Para entender al ser humano es necesario realizar una reflexión que se efectua siempre a través de una interpretación. Para Paul Ricoeur, no existe comprensión e interpretación sin la mediación porque la mediación es una condición para llevar a cabo una interpretación. Una de las funciones del psicoanálisis, es desvelar el significado de sentidos ocultos a través del lenguaje, de la escritura. Este artículo presenta algunas relaciones entre el psicoanálisis y la hermenéutica considerando el psicoanálisis como hermenéutica porque ambos tienen un punto en común: la interpretación. Se presenta el ejemplo de como abordaje clínico de la obra del pintor William Turner puede aclarar la relación existente entre la hermenéutica y el psicoanálisis.(AU)

Remodelamento de partículas lipoprotéicas de alta densidade (HDL) e atividade antioxidante entre pacientes diabéticos e não diabéticos com doença aterosclerótica coronária / Remodeling of high-density lipoprotein particles (HDL) and antioxidant activity between diabetic and non-diabetic patients with coronary artery disease

sendo a doença aterosclerótica a de maior morbimortalidade. Além disso, a aterosclerose pode manifestar-se precocemente dada a presença de dislipidemias, processos inflamatórios e alterações metabólicas como a diabetes. OBJETIVO: avaliar se existem diferenças no remodelamento da HDL e atividade antioxidante entre pacientes diabéticos e não diabéticos com doença aterosclerótica. Ainda, identificar, quantificar e estimar biomarcadores relacionados ao remodelamento de partículas lipoprotéicas e ao risco cardiovascular em função da concentração de colesterol na HDL, colesterol livre total,LDL-C, apoB, apoA-I, atividade da paraoxonase 1 (PON1), razões de risco como TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/ApoB, HDL-C/apoA-I, PON1/apoA-I, apoA-I/ApoB e tamanho estimado de partículas de HDL, LDL, glicemia, insulina e HbA1c. MÉTODOS: foram selecionados por conveniência 69 pacientes do sexo masculino, entre 18 e 75 anos,oriundos da enfermaria de cardiologia do Hospital Ana Neri, subdivididos em dois subgrupos: diabéticos e não diabéticos, ambos, com doença aterosclerótica coronária.Foram utilizadas metodologias enzimáticas, imunoturbidimétricas e nefelometricas nesse estudo. RESULTADOS: dos achados da comparação direta entre os grupos apenas a glicemia de jejum foi significativamente diferente (Teste t; p<0,05). Embora não significante o valor do colesterol não esterificado (CL) foi, em média, quatro vezes maior nos diabéticos quando comparado aos não diabéticos. A análise de correlação linear mostrou achados importantes do ponto de vista fisiológico, como correlação positiva entre CL e HDL-C (r=0,617; p<0,01083) e razão apoA-I/apoB e insulina (r=0,489; p<0,02095) nos diabéticos, e correlação negativa entre PON1/apoA-I com CL (r=-0,499; p<0,0065) e HDL-C com HbA1c (r=-0,444; p<0,0324) nos pacientes não diabéticos. CONCLUSÃO: Os achados desse estudo mostram que o cálculo das razões utilizadas para a análise de risco cardiovascular foram importantes indicadores quando correlacionados com marcadores séricos sugestivos de risco cardiovascular na população masculina diabética deste estudo.

Introduction: cardiovascular diseases affect thousands of people around the world, and atherosclerotic disease is the one with the greatest morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, atherosclerosis may manifest early by the presence of dyslipidemia, inflammatory processes and metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Objective: to assess whether there are differences between HDL remodeling and antioxidant activity from diabetic and nondiabetic patients with coronary artery disease. Also, identify, quantify and evaluate biomarkers related to lipoprotein particles remodeling and cardiovascular risk depending on HDL cholesterol concentration, total free cholesterol, LDL-C, apoB, apoA-I, paraoxonase activity 1 (PON1), and risk ratios like TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/ApoB, HDLC/apoA-I, PON1/apoA-I, apoA-I/ApoB, HDL and LDL estimated particles size, glucose, insulin and HbA1c. Methods: we selected by convenience 69 male patients between 18 and 75 years, from the Cardiology Unit of Hospital Ana Neri, they were subdivided into two groups: diabetic and non-diabetic patients, both with coronary atherosclerosis. In these study were used enzymatic, immunoturbidimetric and nephelometric methodologies. Results: From the findings of the direct comparison between groups only fasting glucose was significantly different (t test; p <0.05). Although not significant, the value of non-esterified cholesterol (CL) was on average, four times higher in diabetics when compared to non-diabetics. Linear correlation analysis showed significant findings, from a physiological point of view, as positive correlation between CL and HDL-C (r = 0.617, p <0.01083) and apoA-I ratio/apoB and insulin (r = 0.489, p <0.02095) in diabetics, and negative correlation between PON1/apoA-I with CL (r = -0.499; p <0.0065) and HDL-C with HbA1c (r = -0.444; p <0.0324) in patients non-diabetic. Conclusion: the findings shows that the calculated ratio´s used for cardiovascular risk analysis were important indicators when correlated to serum markers suggestive of cardiovascular risk in the study diabetic male population.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands for different media.

Two media bed (gravel and Filtralite NR) were tested in a mesocosm to evaluate the removal of organic matter (as chemical oxygen demand (COD)), ammonia (NH4-N), nitrite, nitrate and solid matter (as total suspended solids (TSS)) for a synthetic wastewater (acetate-based) and a domestic wastewater. The use of Filtralite allowed average removal rates (6-16.8 g COD/(m2 x day), 0.8-1.1 g NH4-N/(m2 x day) and 3.1 g TSS/(m2 x day)) and removal efficiencies (65%-93%, 57%-85% and 78% for COD, NH4-N and TSS, respectively), higher than that observed in the experiments with gravel. The applied loads of COD, ammonia, nitrate and TSS seem to influence the respective removal rates but only for the treatment of domestic wastewater with higher correlation coefficients for Filtralite. Regardless the type of media bed and the type of wastewater, nitrate was completely removed for nitrogen loading rates up to 1.3 g NO3-N/(m2 x day). There was no evidence of the influence of nitrate loads on the removal of organic matter.

Assessing the estrogenic potency in a Portuguese wastewater treatment plant using an integrated approach.

The estrogenic potency of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was evaluated using chemical and biological analyses, which showed that after the station treatment processes some of the selected endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs) were still present in the treated effluent (e.g., bisphenol A, alkylphenols, estrone). Thus, the most common endocrine EDCs were identified and quantified and the overall estrogenicity of the treated effluent assessed by integrating the results. Male goldfish (Carassius auratus) were used as biological indicators in a 28-day experiment. Vitellogenin (Vtg), gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indices, steroids (17beta-estradiol and 11-ketotestosterone) and histopathology were biomarkers used in fish to evaluate WWTP treated effluent estrogenicity, in combination with instrumental analyses. The results showed a significant increase (P < 0.01) in plasma and liver Vtg, which were significantly correlated (r = 0.66; P < 0.01). The gonadosmatic index was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in exposed fish. The steroid analyses revealed significant elevations in 17beta-estradiol and depressed 11-ketotestosterone concentrations. The histological examinations show changes in exposed fish gonads, such as regressed testes and in some cases (43% to 75%) the development of ovo-testis in fish exposed to 50% and 100% treated effluent.