Evolutionary drivers of reproductive fitness in two endangered forest trees.

Population genetics theory predicts a relationship between fitness, genetic diversity (H0) and effective population size (Ne), which is often tested through heterozygosity-fitness correlations (HFCs). We tested whether population and individual fertility and heterozygosity are correlated in two endangered Mexican spruces (Picea martinezii and Picea mexicana) by combining genomic, demographic and reproductive data (seed development and germination traits). For both species, there was a positive correlation between population size and seed development traits, but not germination rate. Individual genome-wide heterozygosity and seed traits were only correlated in P. martinezii (general-effects HFC), and none of the candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with individual fertility showed heterozygote advantage in any species (no local-effects HFC). We observed a single and recent (c. 30 thousand years ago (ka)) population decline for P. martinezii; the collapse of P. mexicana occurred in two phases separated by a long period of stability (c. 800 ka). Recruitment always contributed more to total population census than adult trees in P. mexicana, while this was only the case in the largest populations of P. martinezii. Equating fitness to either H0 or Ne, as traditionally proposed in conservation biology, might not always be adequate, as species-specific evolutionary factors can decouple the expected correlation between these parameters.

Finite-size effects in hyperuniform vortex matter.

Novel hyperuniform materials are emerging as an active field of applied and basic research since they can be designed to have exceptional physical properties. This ubiquitous state of matter presents a hidden order that is characterized by the density of constituents of the system being uniform at large scales, as in a perfect crystal, although they can be isotropic and disordered like a liquid. In the quest for synthesizing hyperuniform materials in experimental conditions, the impact of finite-size effects remains as an open question to be addressed. We use vortex matter in type-II superconductors as a toy model system to study this issue. We previously reported that vortex matter nucleated in samples with point disorder is effectively hyperuniform and thus presents the interesting physical properties inherent to hyperuniform systems. In this work we present experimental evidence that on decreasing the thickness of the vortex system its hyperuniform order is depleted. By means of hydrodynamic arguments we show that the experimentally observed depletion can be associated to two crossovers that we describe within a hydrodynamic approximation. The first crossover length is thickness-dependent and separates a class-II hyperuniform regime at intermediate lengthscales from a regime that can become asymptotically non-hyperuniform for large wavelengths in very thin samples. The second crossover takes place at smaller lengthscales and marks the onset of a faster increase of density fluctuations due to the dispersivity of the elastic constants. Our work points to a novel mechanism of emerging hyperuniformity controlled by the thickness of the host sample, an issue that has to be taken into account when growing hyperuniform structures for technological applications.

Spinning Reactors for Process Intensification of Flow Photochemistry.

The design of new and more sustainable synthetic protocols to access new materials or valuable compounds will have a high impact on the broader chemistry community. In this sense, continuous-flow photochemistry has emerged as a powerful technique which has been employed successfully in various areas such as biopharma, organic chemistry, as well as materials science. However, it is important to note that chemical processes must not only advance towards new or improved chemical transformations, but also implement new technologies that enable new process opportunities. For this reason, the design of novel photoreactors is key to advancing photochemical strategies. In this sense, the use of equipment and techniques embracing processes intensification is important in developing more sustainable protocols. Among the most recent applications, spinning continuous flow reactors, such as rotor reactors or vortex reactors, have shown promising performance as new synthetic tools. Nevertheless, there is currently no review in the literature that effectively summarizes and showcases the most recent applications of such type of photoreactors. Herein, we highlight fundamental aspects and applications of two categories of spinning reactors, the Spinning Disc Reactors (SDRs) and Thin Film Vortex reactors, critiquing the scope and limitations of these advanced processing technologies. Further, we take a view on the future of spinning reactors in flow as a synthetic toolbox to explore new photochemical transformations.

Extraction Methods, Chemical Characterization, and In Vitro Biological Activities of Plinia cauliflora (Mart.) Kausel Peels.

Plinia cauliflora (Mart.) Kausel, popularly known as jabuticaba, possesses bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids, known for their antioxidant, antibacterial, wound healing, and cardioprotective effects. Therefore, this study aimed to standardize the P. cauliflora fruit peel extraction method, maximize phenolic constituents, and evaluate their antioxidative and antimicrobial effects. Various extraction methods, including vortex extraction with and without precipitation at 25, 40, and 80 °C, and infusion extraction with and without precipitation, were performed using a completely randomized design. Extraction without precipitation (E - P) showed the highest yield (57.9%). However, the precipitated extraction (E + P) method displayed a yield of 45.9%, higher levels of phenolic derivatives, and enhanced antioxidant capacity. Major compounds, such as D-psicose, D-glucose, and citric acid, were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis identified citric acid, hexose, flavonoids, tannins, and quercetin as the major compounds in the extracts. Furthermore, the extracts exhibited inhibitory effects against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli bacteria. In conclusion, the E + P method efficiently obtained extracts with high content of bioactive compounds showing antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities with potential application as a dietary supplement.

Field-Driven Magnetic Phase Diagram and Vortex Stability in Fe Nanometric Square Prisms.

In this work, we deal with the zero temperature hysteretic properties of iron (Fe) quadrangular nanoprisms and the size conditions underlying magnetic vortex states formation. Different aspect ratios of a square base prism of thickness t with free boundary conditions were considered in order to summarize our results in a proposal of a field-driven magnetic phase diagram where such vortex states are stable along the hysteresis loops. To do that, a Hamiltonian consisting of exchange, magnetostatic, Zeeman and cubic anisotropy energies was considered. The time dynamics at each magnetic field step was performed by solving the time-dependent Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert differential equation. The micromagnetic simulations were performed using the Ubermag package based on the Object Oriented Micromagnetic Framework (OOMMF). Circular magnetic textures were also characterized by means of topological charge calculations. The aspect ratio dependencies of the coercive force, nucleation and annihilation fields are also analyzed. Computations agree with related experimental observations and other micromagnetic calculations.

Design and experimental evaluation of a Venturi and Venturi-Vortex microbubble aeration system.

This work presents an experimental evaluation of a Venturi and Venturi-Vortex microbubble aeration system, taking as input variables the water-air flow ratio, water renewal time and area-volume ratio of the water tank. The aeration process response variables are defined in terms of oxygen transfer and aeration efficiency through the standard volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KLa20), standard oxygen transfer rate (SOTR), and standard aeration efficiency (SAE). Two methods of air injection were analyzed: 1. Air injection in the throat chamber of the Venturi generator; 2. air supplying in the suction side of the hydraulic pump of the aeration system. Experimental results indicate that the water renewal time variable (RT) is a statistically significant factor with respect to the KLa20, which can be maximized by decreasing RT. The effects of the variable flow ratio (FR) are greater than the effects of renewal time and area-volume ratio (AVR) concerning SOTR and SAE, indicating a maximum response with a minimum flow ratio, using the Venturi-Vortex microbubble generator. When the flow ratio decreases, the air flow increases, generating and transferring a greater amount of microbubbles (MB) into the water. It was found that increasing the air flow produced an increase in the standard oxygen transfer rate SOTR and standard aeration efficiency SAE. Results allow concluding that the injection of the air flow from the suction side of the pump promotes the generation of microbubbles (MB) for a maximum air flow allowed by the system. SOTR and SAE could be maximized whit the flow ratio factor and the Venturi-Vortex generator, supplying air flow from the suction side of the hydraulic pump.

Vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction combined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for simultaneous determination of cardiovascular drugs in human plasma.

Hypertension and dyslipidemias are among the main risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases, which are responsible for the death of approximately 17 million people each year. There are several drugs available for the treatment of these diseases. Therefore, methods for the simultaneous analysis of several of these drugs are useful in a wide range of situations. In this context, this study aimed to develop a modern method for the simultaneous determination of eight cardiovascular drugs in human plasma. A vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME) procedure, combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed. Mass spectrometry conditions, chromatographic separation, and sample preparation were optimized. For VALLME optimization, pH, sodium chloride concentration, volume of buffer solution, extraction solvent (type and volume), and vortex stirring time were evaluated. The method proved to be simple, fast, and environmentally friendly since low volumes of organic solvent were employed. Furthermore, the VALLME procedure required small sample volume, which is desirable when large volumes are scarce. Suitable recoveries and lower limits of quantification were achieved with a chromatographic run of only 8 min. The method was validated, showing to be selective, precise, and accurate. Furthermore, the analytical curves were well fitted to the selected models and the matrix effect did not affect method reliability. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of plasma samples obtained from volunteers attending a hospital service.

Modified Artificial Potential Field for the Path Planning of Aircraft Swarms in Three-Dimensional Environments.

Path planning techniques are of major importance for the motion of autonomous systems. In addition, the chosen path, safety, and computational burden are essential for ensuring the successful application of such strategies in the presence of obstacles. In this context, this work introduces a modified potential field method that is capable of providing obstacle avoidance, as well as eliminating local minima problems and oscillations in the influence threshold of repulsive fields. A three-dimensional (3D) vortex field is introduced for this purpose so that each robot can choose the best direction of the vortex field rotation automatically and independently according to its position with respect to each object in the workspace. A scenario that addresses swarm flight with sequential cooperation and the pursuit of moving targets in dynamic environments is proposed. Experimental results are presented and thoroughly discussed using a Crazyflie 2.0 aircraft associated with the loco positioning system for state estimation. It is effectively demonstrated that the proposed algorithm can generate feasible paths while taking into account the aforementioned problems in real-time applications.

Optimal Design of PV Systems in Electrical Distribution Networks by Minimizing the Annual Equivalent Operative Costs through the Discrete-Continuous Vortex Search Algorithm.

This paper discusses the minimization of the total annual operative cost for a planning period of 20 years composed by the annualized costs of the energy purchasing at the substation bus summed with the annualized investment costs in photovoltaic (PV) sources, including their maintenance costs in distribution networks based on their optimal siting and sizing. This problem is presented using a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model, which is resolved by applying a master-slave methodology. The master stage, consisting of a discrete-continuous version of the Vortex Search Algorithm (DCVSA), is responsible for providing the optimal locations and sizes for the PV sources-whereas the slave stage employs the Matricial Backward/Forward Power Flow Method, which is used to determine the fitness function value for each individual provided by the master stage. Numerical results in the IEEE 33- and 69-node systems with AC and DC topologies illustrate the efficiency of the proposed approach when compared to the discrete-continuous version of the Chu and Beasley genetic algorithm with the optimal location of three PV sources. All the numerical validations were carried out in the MATLAB programming environment.

Development and decay of vortex flows in viscoelastic fluids between concentric cylinders.

We study the development and decay of vortex in viscoelastic fluids between coaxial cylinders by means of experiments with solutions of polyacrylamide and glycerin and numerical simulations. The transient process is triggered when the inner cylinder is either abruptly started or stopped while the outer is kept fixed. The azimuthal velocity, obtained by means of digital particle velocimetry, exhibits oscillations before reaching the stationary state. The development of the vortex is characterized by means of the overshoot, i.e. the difference between the maximum and the stationary velocity. Analogously, in the decay of the vortex, the azimuthal velocity changes its direction and the relevant parameter is the undershoot defined as the maximum reversed transient velocity. To get a deeper insight into this phenomenon, the experimental results are supplemented with numerical simulations of rheological models as the Oldroyd-B and White-Metzer. The results obtained with the first model reveal the dependence of the overshoot and undershoot with the elasticity number of the fluid. Using the White-Metzer model we explain the increase of the overshoot produced by the reduction of the solvent viscosity in terms of the shear-thinning effects.

Determination of Cu, Ni, Mn, and Pb in diesel oil samples using reversed-phase vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction associated with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry.

A method was developed based on reversed-phase vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (RP-VALLME) combined with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry for the determination of Cu, Mn, Ni, and Pb in diesel oil samples. In this procedure, a nitric acid solution was used as the extraction phase to isolate analytes from organic samples. After a centrifugation step, the aqueous phase was added dropwise to a filter paper disc for EDXRF determinations. The following variables were optimized: type of extraction phase solution, concentration of the extraction phase, stirring time, and sample volume. Some instrumental parameters were also evaluated: atmospheric condition, irradiation energy, and irradiation time. Using 100 µL of a 0.075 mol L-1 nitric acid solution as the extraction phase for a sample volume of 5.0 mL and a stirring time of 45 s, the limits of detection were 14, 8, 10, and 7 µg L-1 for Cu, Mn, Ni, and Pb, respectively. The enrichment factors obtained were 34 (Cu), 62 (Mn), 59 (Ni), and 64 (Pb). The precisions, expressed as relative standard deviations (RSDs, %), were calculated from ten replications of the experiment under optimized conditions using standard solutions containing 200 µg L-1 and 400 µg L-1 of all four analytes and ranged between 2.1 and 6.4%. The results of recovery tests ranged from 87 to 112%. The proposed procedure was efficiently applied to the determination of the four analytes in diesel oil samples. The results were compared with those obtained by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after sample digestion, and no significant differences were found.

Vortex Polymer Optical Fiber with 64 Stable OAM States.

This research introduces a numerical design of an air-core vortex polymer optical fiber in cyclic transparent optical polymer (CYTOP) that propagates 32 orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes, i.e., it may support up to 64 stable OAM-states considering left- and right-handed circular polarizations. This fiber seeks to be an alternative to increase the capacity of short-range optical communication systems multiplexed by modes, in agreement with the high demand of low-cost, insensitive-to-bending and easy-to-handle fibers similar to others optical fibers fabricated in polymers. This novel fiber possesses unique characteristics: a diameter of 50 µm that would allow a high mechanical compatibility with commercially available polymer optical fibers, a difference of effective index between neighbor OAM modes of around 10-4 over a bandwidth from 1 to 1.6 µm, propagation losses of approximately 15 × 10-3 dB/m for all OAM modes, and a very low dispersion for OAM higher order modes (±l = 16) of up to +2.5 ps/km-nm compared with OAM lower order modes at a telecom wavelength of 1.3 µm, in which the CYTOP exhibits a minimal attenuation. The spectra of mutual coupling coefficients between modes are computed considering small bends of up to 3 cm of radius and slight ellipticity in the ring of up to 5%. Results show lower-charge weights for higher order OAM modes.

A fast-multiclass method for the determination of 21 endocrine disruptors in human urine by using vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (VADLLME) and LC-MS/MS.

Simplicity, speed, and reduced cost are essential demands for routine analysis in human biomonitoring studies. Moreover, the availability of higher volumes of human specimens is becoming more restrictive due to ethical controls and to the costs associated with sample transportation and storage. Thus, analytical methods requiring much lower sample volumes associated with simultaneous detection capability (multiclass analysis) are with a very high claim. In this sense, the present approach aimed at the development of a method for preconcentration and simultaneous determination of four classes of endocrine disruptors (seven bisphenols, seven parabens, five benzophenones, and two antimicrobials) in the urine. The approach is based on vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (VADLLME) and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). After optimization of the significant parameters of VADLLME extraction, the proposed procedure showed to be simple, fast, sensitive, requiring only 1.0 mL of urine, 400 µL of organic solvents with a total stirring time of 20 s. Moreover, a variation of inter-day and between-day runs were lower than 10.0% and 11.0%, respectively. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of 50 urine samples of Brazilian pregnant women to establish reference ranges.

Storyline description of Southern Hemisphere midlatitude circulation and precipitation response to greenhouse gas forcing.

As evidence of climate change strengthens, knowledge of its regional implications becomes an urgent need for decision making. Current understanding of regional precipitation changes is substantially limited by our understanding of the atmospheric circulation response to climate change, which to a high degree remains uncertain. This uncertainty is reflected in the wide spread in atmospheric circulation changes projected in multimodel ensembles, which cannot be directly interpreted in a probabilistic sense. The uncertainty can instead be represented by studying a discrete set of physically plausible storylines of atmospheric circulation changes. By mining CMIP5 model output, here we take this broader perspective and develop storylines for Southern Hemisphere (SH) midlatitude circulation changes, conditioned on the degree of global-mean warming, based on the climate responses of two remote drivers: the enhanced warming of the tropical upper troposphere and the strengthening of the stratospheric polar vortex. For the three continental domains in the SH, we analyse the precipitation changes under each storyline. To allow comparison with previous studies, we also link both circulation and precipitation changes with those of the Southern Annular Mode. Our results show that the response to tropical warming leads to a strengthening of the midlatitude westerly winds, whilst the response to a delayed breakdown (for DJF) or strengthening (for JJA) of the stratospheric vortex leads to a poleward shift of the westerly winds and the storm tracks. However, the circulation response is not zonally symmetric and the regional precipitation storylines for South America, South Africa, South of Australia and New Zealand exhibit quite specific dependencies on the two remote drivers, which are not well represented by changes in the Southern Annular Mode.

Effects of whole-body vibration in hematobiochemical and hemogasometric parameters in adult and elderly healthy dogs

Background: Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) consists of mechanical vibration stimuli produced that propagate throughout the body by increasing the gravitational load. The WBV can increase muscle mass in dogs with muscular atrophy. As Whole-body vibration (WBV) can be used as exercise modality with no impact on the joints, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of single session of WBV in hematobiochemical and hemogasometric parameters in adult and elderly healthy dogs. Materials, Methods & Results: Fourteen clinically healthy, neutered crossbreed male dogs, non-athlete were selected. The dogs were divided into two groups of seven dogs, according to the age group: Group I - adult dogs (GI): age between 12.0 and 84.0 months old; Group II - elderly dogs (GII): age above 84.0 months old. All dogs were submitted to a single session WBV by using a vibrating platform that delivered a vortex wave circulation as mechanical vibration. The WBV protocol used was 30 Hz frequency (3.10 mm peak displacement; 11.16 m/s2 peak acceleration; 0.29 m/s velocity), then 50 Hz (3.98 mm peak displacement; 39.75 m/s2 peak acceleration; 0.62 m/s velocity), and lastly 30 Hz (3.10 mm peak displacement; 11.16 m/s2 peak acceleration; 0.29 m/s velocity) for 5-min between de frequencies. The hematobiochemical and hemagasometric parameters were evaluated at 1-min before the WBV session (1PRE), 1-min after the WBV session (1POST), 120-min (120POST) and 24 h after the WBV session (24hPOST). The dogs accepted the vibration stimulus quite well, however, elderly dogs weighing above 30 kg were more likely to sit down with increased frequency from 30 to 50 Hz. No variations of food and water intakes and gastrointestinal changes were observed after the WBV session. Hemoglobin values showed significant decrease (P = 0.0312) between 1PRE and 1POST in elderly dogs. A significant decrease (P = 0.0453) was observed in alanine aminotransferase values between 120POST...

Avaliação do método diagnóstico vórtex e sonicação nas infecções de corrente sanguínea relacionadas à cateteres em pacientes portadores do vírus da imunodeficiência humana / Evaluation of the method vortex and sonication in the diagnosis of central line associated bloodstream infection among people with human immunodeficiency virus

Introdução: O uso do cateter venoso central (CVC) é comum no ambiente hospitalar, porém está associado à formação de biofilmes, levando a infecção primária de corrente sanguínea associada à cateter (IPCS). Os métodos diagnósticos atualmente recomendados para infecção primária de corrente sanguínea relacionada a cateter (ICSRC) são rolamento, sonicação e hemocultura. A sensibilidade e especificidade de tais métodos foram testados na população geral, entretanto não sabemos qual o comportamento na população vivendo com vírus da imunodeficiência humana (PVHIV). De tal forma, avaliamos os métodos vórtex -sonicação-vórtex e o comparamos com rolamento e hemocultura. Objetivo: comparar acurácia dos métodos rolamento do cateter, vórtex-sonicação-vórtex e hemoculturas em frascos, para o diagnóstico de infecção de corrente sanguínea relacionado à cateter (ICSRC), na PVHIV adulta no Instituto de Infectologia Emilio Ribas (IIER). Metodologia: Estudo piloto para comparação da acurácia de métodos diagnósticos de ICSRC na PVHIV nos meses de outubro e novembro de 2019, de acordo com os critérios da ANVISA, 2017. Resultados: Avaliamos 10 cateteres pertencentes a 9 pacientes. Das 10 amostras foram isolados os seguintes agentes: CoNs, E.coli, E.faecium, E.faecalis, K.pneumoniae, A.lwoffii e A.haemolyticus, porém nem todas preenchiam critério de definição para ICSRC. O diagnóstico pelo método vórtex-sonicação-vórtex, assim como o rolamento, não se fez presente em nenhum dos casos, apesar de microorganismos terem sido isolados por esses métodos, pois não preencheram os critérios preconizados pela ANVISA. Duas amostras (20%) alcançaram o critério para ICSRC e as outras oito (80%) somente suspeita de IPCS. A acurácia do rolamento e hemocultura, quando comparada a sonicação, foi de 0,8 e 1,0 respectivamente. Os agentes responsáveis por ICSRC no nosso trabalho foram: Acinetobacter lwoffii e Acinetobacter haemolyticus. Não foi possível realizar análise de associação devido ao pequeno número de cateteres no estudo piloto. Conclusão: Observamos em nosso estudo piloto que o método vórtex-sonicação-vórtex isolou mais microorganismos, do que o rolamento, porém por nenhum dos dois métodos foi possível preencher o critério de ICSRC na população portadora do vírus da imunodeficiência humana. O critério inclui o isolamento do agente por um desses métodos, respeitando o cut-off de cada um, associado a hemocultura com isolamento do mesmo agente. São necessários mais estudos com número 6 maior de participantes para avaliação da acurácia dos métodos, bem como a definição do cut-off para essa população para melhor sensibilidade e especificidade dos métodos diagnósticos

Improving the Yields and Reaction Rate in the Ethanolysis of Soybean Oil by Using Mixtures of Lipase CLEAs.

Due to the heterogeneity of oils, the use of mixtures of lipases with different activity for a large number of glycerol-linked carboxylic acids that compose the substrate has been proposed as a better alternative than the use of one specific lipase preparation in the enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel. In this work, mixtures of lipases from different sources were evaluated in their soluble form in the ethanolysis of soybean oil. A mixture of lipases (50% of each lipase, in activity basis) from porcine pancreas (PPL) and Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) gave the highest fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) yield (around 20 wt.%), while the individual lipases gave FAEE yields 100 and 5 times lower, respectively. These lipases were immobilized individually by the cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) technique, yielding biocatalysts with 89 and 119% of expressed activity, respectively. A mixture of these CLEAs (also 50% of each lipase, in activity basis) gave 90.4 wt.% FAEE yield, while using separately CLEAs of PPL and TLL, the FAEE yields were 84.7 and 75.6 wt.%, respectively, under the same reaction conditions. The mixture of CLEAs could be reused (five cycles of 6 h) in the ethanolysis of soybean oil in a vortex flow-type reactor yielding an FAEE yield higher than 80% of that of the first batch.

Corneal vortex keratopathy in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (c-SLE).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and risk factors associated with corneal vortex keratopathy in a childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (c-SLE) cohort. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Consecutive outpatients with c-SLE were evaluated by a pediatric ophthalmologist and pediatric rheumatologist in an outpatient clinic setting in an urban Children's Hospital. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and disease characteristics were documented for each patient. Cumulative drug dosage, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology damage index (SLICC/ACR-DI) scores were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 76 c-SLE patients (61 (80.26%) females; mean age = 17.9 (SD ± 3.07)) were included. Ophthalmologic abnormalities were observed in 36 (47.36%) patients of which 16 (21.10%) had corneal vortex keratopathy (p = 0.03). c-SLE patients with corneal vortex keratopathy were all female. We did not observe any additional clinical, laboratory, or treatment feature associated with corneal vortex keratopathy. DISCUSSION: We observed a high prevalence of corneal vortex keratopathy in female c-SLE. We hypothesize that this finding may be an initial, dose-related toxicity due to antimalarial use. Follow-up studies are necessary to determine if these changes are an early predictor of retinal toxicity due to antimalarial in c-SLE. KEY POINTS: • Corneal vortex keratopathy was frequently observed in female patients with c-SLE on a chloroquine medication. • Corneal vortex keratopathy may be an early marker of chloroquine retinopathy.

1,3-Regiospecific ethanolysis of soybean oil catalyzed by crosslinked porcine pancreas lipase aggregates.

The preparation of crosslinked aggregates of pancreatic porcine lipase (PPL-CLEA) was systematically studied, evaluating the influence of three precipitants and two crosslinking agents, as well as the use of soy protein as an alternative feeder protein on the catalytic properties and stability of the immobilized PPL. Standard CLEAs showed a global yield (CLEA' observed activity/offered total activity) of less than 4%, whereas with the addition of soy protein (PPL:soy protein mass ratio of 1:3) the global yield was approximately fivefold higher. The CLEA of PPL prepared with soy protein as feeder (PPL:soy protein mass ratio of 1:3) and glutaraldehyde as crosslinking reagent (10 µmol of aldehyde groups/mg of total protein) was more active mainly because of the reduced enzyme leaching in the washing step. This CLEA, named PPL-SOY-CLEA, had an immobilization yield around 60% and an expressed activity around 40%. In the ethanolysis of soybean oil, the PPL-SOY-CLEA yielded maximum fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) concentration around 12-fold higher than that achieved using soluble PPL (34 h reaction at 30°C, 300 rpm stirring, soybean oil/ethanol molar ratio of 1:5) with an enzyme load around 2-fold lower (very likely due to free enzyme inactivation). The operational stability of the PPL-SOY-CLEA in the ethanolysis of soybean oil in a vortex flow type reactor showed that FAEE yield was higher than 50% during ten reaction cycles of 24 h. This reactor configuration may be an attractive alternative to the conventional stirred reactors for biotransformations in industrial plants using carrier-free biocatalysts. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:910-920, 2018.

Antifouling booster biocide extraction from marine sediments: a fast and simple method based on vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase extraction.

This paper reports the development of an analytical method employing vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) for the extraction of diuron, Irgarol 1051, TCMTB (2-thiocyanomethylthiobenzothiazole), DCOIT (4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-3-(2H)-isothiazolin-3-one), and dichlofluanid from sediment samples. Separation and determination were performed by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry. Important MSPD parameters, such as sample mass, mass of C18, and type and volume of extraction solvent, were investigated by response surface methodology. Quantitative recoveries were obtained with 2.0 g of sediment sample, 0.25 g of C18 as the solid support, and 10 mL of methanol as the extraction solvent. The MSPD method was suitable for the extraction and determination of antifouling biocides in sediment samples, with recoveries between 61 and 103% and a relative standard deviation lower than 19%. Limits of quantification between 0.5 and 5 ng g-1 were obtained. Vortex-assisted MPSD was shown to be fast and easy to use, with the advantages of low cost and reduced solvent consumption compared to the commonly employed techniques for the extraction of booster biocides from sediment samples. Finally, the developed method was applied to real samples. Results revealed that the developed extraction method is effective and simple, thus allowing the determination of biocides in sediment samples.